A Simple Illustrated Story for a Snowy Day

Bringing my Nana’s 1940s tale to life with little drawings

Illustrations by Bernadette Sheridan

Myrtle, my nana, raised seven daughters on Cape Cod in the 1940s. With my grandfather she ran the Hotel Englewood, a fixture on the south Cape through the 1960s. She loved books and recorded stories on cassette recorders from her “command station” overlooking Lewis Bay. At some point, she wrote this poem. It has been passed down to daughters and grandkids for more than 60 years.

Nana’s Snowy Day

First the sweater, then the snow pants,
Then the boots and then the jacket.

Zip the hood and tie the drawstring.
Knot the scarf –– “Too tight!” –– and slack it.

Stuff the hands inside the mittens,
Pat the head and pinch the nose.

This is how we dress our…