In today's episode, I interview sisters Rella Abernethy (born 1937) and Merdythe “Mert” Popiel (born 1933), ages 88 and 92, about their childhood near Sentinel Butte, North Dakota. They share memories of their parents - a quiet farmer-rancher father and a talkative mother - and even a favorite joke their dad loved to tell. They describe country schooling at Westerheim, small class sizes, and life without electricity, running water, or early tractors. Chores included hauling water and coal, gathering eggs, gardening, and bringing in the milk cow. They recall simple entertainment: reading by kerosene lamp, playing card games, and listening to battery-powered radio programs. They also share Christmas traditions - oyster soup, stockings, homemade gifts, and community picnics. The sisters reflect on polio affecting older siblings, girls’ half-court basketball rules, early jobs, brief experiences with college and teaching, and eventually marriage and later work.