Theobald (Toby) Barrett (1895-1969)
1918
Transcribed by Rural Diary Archive volunteers

DISCLAIMER: This diary depicts some discriminatory content which some may find
offensive. During the diary’s time period, such racial terms and prejudices were
commonplace in Canadian society. They are considered wrong today.
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DIARY. 1918
T.B.Barrett
Port Dover, Ontario
Knockfierna
From January 1st 1918 to December 31st 1918
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Tuesday January 1st 1918
About the first thing I did to celebrate the New Year was to go to bed, all the rest of the
family had retired at different times during the last evening of the old year but Enah & I had
printed three dozen pictures most of which we intend to send to Dick for his birthday and I
was till nearly midnight getting the last of them washed. To-day Frank and I have just done
chores and sat around the house. Tupper was in for an hour or more this morning and I gave
him my note for the heifer we bought from him. Aunty Alice came over to dinner but went
down again soon after. Aunty came over to tea and stayed all night. Enah, Frank and I all
went down to the dance in the hall to-night given by the I.O.D.E. I took Win & Frank got Dess
to go with him. We found an enormous crowd at the hall gathered from the four corners of
the county waiting impatiently for the music to start for an old time dance as was
advertised. At last about an hour late a young duck from Simcoe came in and sat down at
the piano. When it was discovered that he represented the entire orchestra and that there
were no fiddlers there were marked signs of anger in the crowd, and by the time one or two

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one-steps had been danced by about half a dozen couples, the sons of the soil were just
about foaming at the mouth, however after Art Ryerse went out and demanded (from poor
Dr. Cook who had locked himself in the council chamber and was taking Art's denunciations
through the wicket) proper music for square dances or their money back, they managed to
skirmish up a fiddle and some fiddlers and callers-off and everybody got their fill of old
fasioned dances. We quit about half past two. It is still very cold.
Wednesday January 2nd
Frank and I haven't done any thing else but chores to-day and cut enough wood for tonight. I pasted some snapshots in an album to send to Dick for his birthday. To-night I went
down town and met Marj. who came back from Haliburton to-night. She left there at six
o'clock this morning and it was nearly ten when she got in to-night so she was just about all
in. She says it has been down to 25?° below zero up there since she went home. I got a pair
of rubbers at Caley's to-night for Frank and me to give Aunty for her birthday. I also went
over to the James and got some wallnuts to put in the box Dad and Enah are getting ready
to send to Dick on his birthday. Aunty Alice sent over some doughnuts to put in it. It has
been very cold all day with quite a wind from the north.
Thursday January 3rd
This being Aunty's birthday Dad. Enah & the baby went down there to dinner and to spend
the after noon. Frank went down in the morning and took down some pigeons to Hec.
Henderson He has spent the last few evenings catching them. He also got an axe handle to
replace the one I broke yesterday. We did chores and he worked quite awhile trying to put
in the new axe handle but didn't suceed very well I sat around and read quite a bit of the
time. We started rather late to cut off a big block from the butt of the old oak but chore
time overtook us before we finished so will have to finish it to-morrow. It is still down
around zero but not so windy.
Friday January 4th
I have done nothing else but chores to-day except sit around and write to Douglas and
send him a checque to pay off my note. Frank went down to the Law's to thrash this after
noon and didn't get back till about nine o'clock to-night. His delay was caused more from
visiting than working though. Dad did his chores up and it didn't seem to hurt his finger so it
must be a lot better. He went down town for awhile to-night to see Aunty & Aunty Alice. It

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has been very much milder to-day and it looked like snow. There was no wind and we had
to pump for the cattle
Saturday January 5th
The principal event of to-day was the arrival of a calf (red bull) of which Frank's heifer is the
mother. Dad found it when he first went out this morning and it was covered with white
frost and very cold but he got it rubbed dry and covered it up so that by noon it was quite
frisky. Dad went over to John Wess's just before dinner and was there most of the after
noon. Frank went down to the mill for some feed and I spent most of the day when I wasn't
doing other chores, pumping water and sleigh riding with the baby. Enah took a couple of
snap shots of us at this job. Frank went down town to-night. It has been a beautiful sunny
day with no wind. It was quite hot around noon being 22° above zero.
Sunday January 6th
Enah and I walked down to church this morning and just about froze. Enah had to leave she
was so cold. The temperature of the church was not much above freezing and we had
communion and the King's proclamation regarding prayer for peace read. I went down again
this after noon and stayed to tea at Miss Kerney's. Dad said it wouldn't hurt the cows to go
without milking to-night. Much milder with an ice storm.
Monday January 7th
It snowed quite a little bit during the night and as it came on top of the ice of yesterday's
storm it made good sleighing. It has been very soft all day and has been flurrying snow
most of the day. Frank and I went over to Jack Martin's and borrowed his hog crate and this
after noon loaded one of the young sows and took her down to Coleman & Kindee's boar
but she was not ready for him so we had to bring her back. I spent about an hour this after
noon taking some pictures of the ice coated trees which are very pretty to-day. It was a
very dull day and I took short time exposures so don't know how they will turn out. Dad.
Enah and I sat up till nearly twelve to-night singing, playing & reading. I received a couple of
sample copy's of "The Breeder's Gazette" to-day. It looks like a great magazine.
Tuesday January 8th
We got up at six o'clock this morning and got most of the morning chores done up early so
that we were able to get down to the first meeting of the Short Course in Agriculture in

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good time. Dad's finger is so much better that he can do the noon chores so that we stayed
down at Aunty's to dinner. We had a good turnout at the Course there being about 18 in,
and all showed a good interest in the lectures Neff gave us on Soils & Fertilizers and Insect
Pests. We got home in plenty of time to do up the night chores. Enah was rather upset by
news she got from Courtright to-day saying that Jean James was married having done the
trick on the sly. Colder.
Wednesday January 9th
Frank and I went down to the Course this morning and we had a young fellow from Cayuga
up to give us a talk on Cultivation but he wasn't much account. Neff also took up Fruit
Growing. The fellow from Cayuga said they were to have started a Short Course down there
yesterday but all the boys were afraid to leave the farms for fear of being drafted so he
said. The tribunals exempted them on condition that they would not go off the farm for
more than three days. This after noon the class went up to Ham Thompson's to judge
poultry but as I found out from Huby that Jack Ivey had a car of coal in and that we could
get a ton if we came after it right away I came home and Dad and I went down and got a
ton. We were very lucky to get it as the car was nearly empty and there is no telling when
there will be any more in and we were just out. To-night Frank and I went down to Aunty's
for tea where Win, Lila, Dess and Marj. were also assembled so we had a very pleasant
evening. Not so cold but rather blustery to-day.
Thursday January 10th
Frank and I were down at the Short Course all day. This after noon we tested whole milk for
butter fat. I took down a Sample of Elgitha's milk and it tested 3.3% which Neff said wasn't
bad. I only took the milk from her front quarters and didn't get the strippings which would
make it go higher. I got my film from Billy Gordon to-day and to-night Enah and I printed
pictures. The ones I took of the ice covered trees were pretty good. Not cold rather windy.
Dad separated the new calf from his mother to-day.
Friday January 11th
Frank and I went down to school this morning and had Feeds & Feeding and Bacteriology
and this after noon most of the class came over here to judge our sheep. Tupper's & Stace
Lowrie's law suit came off this after noon and Frank heard when he was down to-night that
Tupper lost his suit and Stace got $6.00. Frank went down to the Red Cross dance to-night

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Saturday January 12th
When Frank came home from the dance about four o'clock this morning he said that it had
been raining but was then snowing a nice steady storm. Big flakes coming right straight
down and barely freezing. So when we got up about seven I was very surprised to see a
terrific blizzard raging and on going out to find the thermometer registering zero. It has kept
it up all day and has kept getting colder. To-night it was 10° below zero. We have done
nothing whatever outside today except hike from the house to the barn & back again two
or three times and all we did in the barn was to feed the stock and milk. We were out of hay
in the old barn so all we could give the cows was straw and they got no water all day. It was
out of the question to try to get hay over to them. Dad went down town this morning to see
if they were alive down home and he could hardly manage to get through Jack's field. The
gas was very poor down at Aunty's and Mr. & Mrs. Millman had come the night before. Mr.
Millman wanted to go to Simcoe on business but the radial car only got about two miles up
the track and had to work its way back and stay back and the Grand Trunk trains except
the the Woodstock, it got as far as Norich this morning didn't attempt to go out at all. Frank
and I just sat around the stove and read most of the day and this after noon I made a list of
all our bulletins and reports issued by the two departments of Agriculture Dominion &
Provincial. We had a dandy coal fire all day, the stove was red hot part of the time but we
could see our breath right over it and it was freezing all day in our room. There are little
snow drifts all over the house as the snow is so fine it blows in the smallest cracks and
there are lots of cracks in this house that aren't microscopic in size. The snow blew in
between the base board & the floor in the kitchen even after Dad. had plugged it up as well
as he could with rags and it didn't melt all day although it wasn't six feet away from the
stove. Nice day but windy.
Sunday January 13th
We didn't get up till eight o'clock this morning and found the storm had not abated in the
least although the thermometer was up to zero. I went out to the barn and found the door
had blown open between the calves pen & the barn floor and the calves especially Daisy
May's were covered with snow which the heat of their bodies had melted and then it had
frozen again so I was about half an hour scrubbing them off dry. After breakfast which we
had about ten o'clock I got ready and went down to Aunty's getting there about noon. The
gas down there was poor but the house was fairly comfortable. Mr. Millman was still in bed
but Mrs. Millman had just got up and had dinner with us. They nearly froze in the night and
Mr. Millman got up and wrapped Aunty Alice's sweater around his head. After dinner I went

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up to see Marj. but came back to Aunty's to tea. Huby was there and decided he'd stay to
tea as he didn't think he would get any thing to eat at home on account of the poor fires. I
didn't see any body that was at church this morning but I went up to-night but found there
was no church so went over and spent the evening at the Moore's. I stayed all night at
Aunty's so I would be able to shovel their snow in the morning. It moderated considerably
by night.
Monday January 14th
I got up fairly early this morning and shovelled Aunty's snow and then had my breakfast
down there so got home about half past eight, but Dad. was finished milking. We spent
most of the morning shovelling through various snow drifts and Dad. shovelled it out of the
wood shed. We had quite a job shovelling the lane out but got it done by noon. This after
noon Frank went down to the mill with some grist and Tom was in for awhile on his way
after cream. I cleaned out the calf pen and Dad. split up some wood. To-night Frank and I
went down to see "Frecles" {should be spelled "Freckles"} at the picture show but the films
are stormbound some place so they put on the Saturday night show which was very poor.
Mr. Millman went to Simcoe to-day as the radial got running by one o'clock but there hasn't
been a G.T.R. train moving in or out of here all day so he came back to Dover to-night and
he & Mrs. Millman will go by electric car to Brantford to-morrow and get through to Toronto
from there. We were sure there would be no classes to-day so didn't go down. Neff couldn't
get down till this after noon from Simcoe and none of the boys could get in from far out in
the country. They said Lloyd Ryerse was up here to dinner yesterday so he was visiting the
neighbors to see how they survived the storm and he told them that Harry Dyer and old Mr.
Mead nearly perished in the storm Saturday night. They had been out working at the inside
of Farr's new house and he was driving them in at night but after his horse had gone down a
couple of times they decided that they couldnt get through our cut on the side road with
the rig so Farr let them out to walk in and he went back. They got up the hill some way but
before they got to the corner old Mead said he would have quit as he couldn't stand the
storm any longer, however Harry encouraged to renewed efforts by telling him they were
not far from Pickford's and they eventually got there where the spent the night but Harry's
face was frozen and Mr. Mead all in.
Tuesday January 15th
Frank and I went down to the class this morning and found our instructors there but very
few students none from very far out as most of the roads & cuts were just shovelled out by

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to-day. Mr. Will from Toronto was here all day lecturing us on bees and he made things very
interesting even for one who was not particularly interested in apiculture. Mr. & Mrs.
Millman left at eleven for Brantford but there are no G.T.R. trains running yet, here. The radial
is running pretty well and brings in the Toronto papers but no mail. They say this is the
worst storm in fifty years but I think the cold counts in on that. It is still cold & blustery.
Wednesday January 16th
We had Dr. Reid from Georgetown down at the class to-day giving us talks on veterinary
work and horse breeding, he was very good. Neff gave us a little talk on field crops and
young Martin on poultry but he is no good for a talker although he does his best and is
always apologizing and wishing he could make things clearer. I guess we don't make things
any easier for him. Young Will. Sidway and I sit next to each other and invariably get
laughing at some things though not intending to upset poor Mr. Martin. I am afraid it has
that effect. Two engines with two cabooses and a snow plow came in on the Hamilton track
about noon and Dave Turner went out at 4:30 with the mail train but the Woodstock track
is still blocked. Still blustery and pretty cold: Karl Colman & Val. Leany are getting ahead of
Cliff Lees who wants to soak them $600.00 for cutting ice off the pond, by taking it off the
creek, just below Colman's point.
Thursday January 17th
Frank and I went down to the class this morning and Mr. Gardhouse of Weston was there
and gave us the morning on Beef Cattle and Sheep but he had to leave at noon, and as the
Woodhouse Council met this after noon we had to give up the council chamber to them
and had no class. Frank came home to dinner to tell Dad how matters stood as he had all
the chores done up ready to come down this after noon and hear Gardhouse. I stayed at
Aunty's to dinner and went up this after noon to have Dr. Lemons fix my tooth but as he
couldn't tend to it till four o'clock I went with Aunty over to see Miss Battersby and up to
see Cousin Loll, then up to Bill's. He just put a temporary filling in. When I went down to
Aunty's I found Dad. there and we came home to-gether. To-night Frank went down to see
Tom Mark's show and I went over to Mrs. Battersby's to take her the picture of her house
and trees with the ice on them. We got our mail for the first time to-day since last Friday,
but the Woodstock road is not open yet and every one down town is predicting a storm to
strike here about to-morrow which will put this last one in the shade. They say the station
agents have received wires warning them to be ready for it. It was yesterday supposed to
be sweeping Chicago.

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Friday January 18th
Frank and I have been down at the class all day as Mr. Duke was supposed to be here to
day to address us on Hogs but he didn't show up. We had insect pests and bee's this
morning and this after noon tested cream and chose up sides for a debate next Friday.
Corby, young Butler and I have to take the affirmative of the resolution that the Present war
will prove a benefit to humanity and Clarence Finch, Ham Thompson & young Challand are
to take the negative. I don't know beans about the subject but suppose I can think up
something by that time. To-night Marj, Miss Kerney & I went to see "Freckles" at the picture
show, he got through at last and was only on for to-night. We went to the first show but the
place was packed to the doors so we went back and waited till the second show then I
went in after the show and had some tea & cake so it was rather late when I got home. It
has been a beautiful day but colder to-night.
Saturday January 19th
We didn't do much this morning but got the lane cleared out enough for Frank to get
through with the bob-sleighs and go down to the mill and get the chop he left down there
the other day. I went down to Aunty's to dinner and this after noon went to Simcoe on the
car to hear what Mr. Hart from Toronto had to say about forming a Norfolk Cooperative
Association for buying farm supplies and marketing farm produce. It looks as if it would be
organized alright. I came home at five o'clock on what was really the 3 o'clock car... There
was a bad storm on at noon and it was cold, so that the cars were all late but it had quieted
down a lot by this afternoon. We had a concert tonight piano & horn.
Sunday January 20th
I walked down to church this morning and Aunty walked back with me to dinner, this after
noon I went back down town soon after dinner, spent the after noon over at Mrs. McQueen's
with Marj. and had tea at Aunty's. Huby was there to tea also. Aunty and I went to church
after tea, church being held in the Sunday school both services, and Marj. and I walked
home with Aunty and spent the evening laughing at Huby's stories. Huby had his dog down
there and she made as if she would eat Marj. up when she first came in that tickled Huby to
see her show some spirit. Mr. James, Eloas & Brant Bloodsworth and Lila were all over here
this after noon and Dad drove them all home before tea in the bob sleigh. It has been a
lovely day & fine night. Clear & frosty but sunny & not much wind.
Monday January 21th

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Frank and I went down to the Short Course to-day and had a good day but no special
speakers. Dad. Enah and the baby drove down this after noon to post a couple of letters for
Tom but didn't stay. Huby came over to tea to-night and brought over a couple of pairs of
army boots one pair that Quint had left & one pair that Jackson from Turkey Point who has
been discharged, had given him. The principal object of this visit was to tell Dad. that
Stringer the gas-man was down to-day and wants to make arrangements to lease his farm
and to drill for gas right away. Sunny & cold.
Tuesday January 22nd
Frank and I have been at school all day. Mr. Kydd, formerly of Simcoe and now in the
Government employ was here all day lecturing us on fruit growing and was interesting and
entertaining. The Domestic Science Course started to-day and Neff said there were about
fifty women up there this after noon. To-night I went down to see Marj. and see if I could
arrange to go to Simcoe for a skate but she thought we had better put it off till next week. It
has not been quite so cold to-day.
Wednesday January 23rd
Frank and I went down to school this morning and we had Mr. Stevenson of Ancaster
lecturing us on Dairy Cattle this morning and this after noon the whole bunch of us went up
to Simcoe on the car to see Mr. Alex Wallace's (the would be M.P.) herd of holsteins and
have Mr. Stevenson demonstrate the points of dairy cattle to us and we had a judging class
in which I picked out the winner but didn't hit the second prize right. We had a very good
time. To-night I am going down to stay all night at Aunty's as she expects to leave for
Toronto in the morning and Aunt Ida is going to Port Rowan for a visit. Cold & Cloudy but
milder to-night.
Thursday January 24th
We got up fairly early this morning and I went down to the station and saw Aunty safely on
her train for Toronto. I then went up and remined Al. Faulkner to call for Aunt Ida in time for
her to catch the nine o'clock car which he did. Aunty Alice went up to Simcoe with Aunt Ida
and put her in the hands of Mrs. {Os.?} Bowlby who saw her safely on the Pt. Rowan train.
Aunty Alice came back on the eleven. Dad. and Frank brought old Sheild's down to Colman's
this morning and sold him for 8 cts a lb which was dirt cheap but the best we could do. He
weighed 214 lbs. I spent all the morning down in the library writing up my debate. This after

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noon we had skim milk testing and drainage. Aunty Alice spent the night up at Cousin Loll's.
It has been very mild all day but snowing.
Friday January 25th
We both went to school this morning and had Mr. Rush from Toronto lecturing us on market
gardening. He was interesting soley on account of his being well posted by experience on
his subject as there was vast room for improvement in his language & other oratorical
attributes. He spent the morning and for an hour after dinner with us and then went
upstairs to talk to the girls. When he left our debate came off. Corby, Butler and I were
against Challand, Tige Mc.Bride and Clarence Finch, we had to uphold the affirmative of the
resolution "That the present war will prove a benefit to civilization." and according to the
judges who were Lorne Myers, Sheppard and Cruickshanks, we had the best of the
argument. We were limited to ten minutes to speak and consequently after I had tried to
refute all my opponents statements, I only got away with about half of what I had prepared
which was very annoying. Neff was chairman and Martin was critic. I went up to Bill's tonight to have my tooth fixed but he said it wasn't ready yet. Aunty Alice came over here
with me to stay all night. To-night Frank went down to another dance in the hall. Mild all day
but colder to night.
Saturday January 26th
Aunty Alice went back home right after breakfast this morning and wouldn't hear to any of
us driving her down. I spent the morning cleaning out the chicken house and putting fresh
straw in and went down and had dinner with Aunty Alice and then went to Simcoe again on
the one o'clock car to take in another meeting of the "Norfolk County Co-operative
Association" which I joined by signing a note for $100.00 payable on demand but which will
not have to be paid unless the Company breaks as it is just for the purpose of establishing
credit at the bank. I left the meeting before it was over to catch the five car so wasn't able
to vote on the directors. Before I went to the meeting I went up to the rink where I ran into a
half a dozen kids who begged me to play hockey with them for an hour so as they supplied
the skates and stick I did for a little while and had quite a lot of fun. Stringer the gas man
was in town to-day and Dad went down to Huby's office to meet him and made
arrangements with him to lease the farm for them to drill for gas next summer. Frank went
down town to-night and will likely stay with Aunty Alice to-night. It has been pretty cold all
day.

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Sunday January 27th
Frank didn't come home last night but stayed down with Aunty Alice and went to sunday
school and church and as I didn't get up till half past seven we didn't get through chores in
time for me to get to church. Dess. came over with Frank to dinner and Aunty Alice came
over soon after them. I went down town right after dinner and spent the afternoon up at
the Moore's. Aunty Alice came back down town before tea so I went down there for tea and
then went to church which was held in the Sunday school and where I nearly froze. After
church Marj. and I went over to post a couple of letters and ran into the J. Gordon
Patterson's and Mrs. Pary so we went down with them to Pat's and spent the evening. I went
down to Aunty Alice's to change my boots before I went home but and she had gone up to
Cousin Loll's to spend the night but left the house so that I could get in. Cold east wind to
day.
Monday January 28th
Frank has been at school all day but I didn't go down. I stayed home this morning to help
Dad. take one of our young sows down to Kindree's and then at noon I decided I wouldn't
bother going down. I went down to-night and Marj. and I went to the picture show to see
"The Whip" and it was very good. It was a very rough morning with an east wind and sleet
but got milder this after noon and almost rained although it didn't go above ten above zero.
Trains are all late again.
Tuesday January 29th
Frank and I stayed home this morning intending to haul ice but when we went down, we
found that they weren't cutting as the water had backed up on the creek so we came home
and told Dad. and he thought we had better go down and get a load of coke, as they have a
car of it in and don't know when they will have any coal in. We got a load but could only put
on 1300 lbs as it is light stuff. It burns quicker than coal and makes a hot fire. Dad. went
down with us to see Jim Bannister's old mare and Jim brought him back. Jim was going
around with yesterday's mail as he didn't get any farther than Evan's yesterday and there
was no mail in on the Hamilton road to-day. This after noon Frank and I went down to the
class but they all came over to Martin's to pick and judge chickens, so I shovelled Aunty
Alice's snow and came right back. Milder this after noon & cloudy.
Wednesday January 30th

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Frank and I went down to haul ice this morning and we got one load but they told us not to
come after any more till to-morrow as Val. was filling cars and was afraid he wouldn't have
enough, so this after noon we went down to the class. We had a little work on fruit growing
and then formed a club to be known as the Junior Farmer's Improvement Association which
is quite a large organization throughout the province. They put me in as president and Frank
secretary-treasurer. I stayed down to tea at Aunty Alice's and to-night Marj. and I went up
to Simcoe for a skate. There was a big crowd at the rink as it was a special event put on by
the Presbyterians. We had a good time as there were several up there we knew Belle
Symington and Bill Baron went up from here and we saw Clara Hoag, Neff, Martin, and
others up there I have a brute of a cold. 10° below zero this morning. Nice day.
Thursday January 31st
Aunty Alice got up about half past five this morning and got my breakfast. I stayed down
there all night as I felt so tough with my cold. I got home about half past six before any of
the family were up. Frank and I hauled ice all day and got five loads and as Alan hauled one
for us last night one more that would have been for we only need one more to make our
eight loads but when we went down after it to-night the men had quite working and the
tools were all locked up. They don't work after five. We got four of our loads out of the creek
back of the vinegar works where Val. was cutting yesterday and where he had all the ice
that was cut out of the hole. He thought there would be enough there for us and so there
would but Monty Burke's men got two loads from there so Frank and I had to go down to
the harbour where they are cutting to fill Harry Ansley's ice house for our last load. The ice
down there is the first cutting and twenty six inches thick so we could only haul six cakes
to the load but we can cut it in two and make nice sized cakes of it. It is all fine ice. Dad. had
to pump all the water for the stock to-day as the bolt broke in the windmill. Cold all day but
nice & sunny.
Friday February 1st
Frank stayed at Aunty Alice's last night and went to Simcoe on the seven car to see Russ
Lampkins about getting a new bolt for the windmill. He found Russ had moved to Lynn
Valley but he ordered the bolt from his successor in business. Frank came back on the nine
car but went right up to school. I went down this morning and hauled our last load of ice,
and brought it home & just left it in the sleigh box. We have three loads out side now which
we will have to put in the ice house. This after noon I went down to the school and found
the boys & the girls of the Domestic Class in a great commotion getting ready for the

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wind-up banquet and dance to-night. Tige McBride sent me over to borrow the I.O.D.E
boiler to make coffee in and when I got back Corby and I went down to the picture show
where we found Neff and most of the boys practising yells and songs for to-night. When we
went back to the hall we moved the piano upstairs to the Red Cross room which was to be
the banquet hall, and the rest of the after noon was spent in preparing. I went up to Dr.
Lemon's about four o-clock and then home but didn't do any chores, just changed my
collar and shirt and hiked back again. Neff had informed me that as I was president of the
J.F.I.A. I would be expected to make a reply to the toast to Agriculture; this news rather took
my breath away as I had no idea what to say and had to put in the remainder of the after
noon thinking up something polish to say. Enah came down to the banquet with Frank and
it went off in fine shape. Mr. Johnson was Chairman and Messers. Barwell, Bond, Jack Martin
proposed toasts to Our Country, The Ladies and Agriculture respectively and I got my
speech off without fainting and different ones said it was allright. The dance started about
five o'clock and and kept up all night. It was well sprinkled with square dances and the
orchestra consisted of Harry Moon, Tom Schram & Mrs. Frank Slocomb. Enah and I stayed
till about two o'clock and then came home and wished we had come before. Very cold but
sunny.
Saturday February 2nd
I didn't get up very early this morning and have done nothing but chores all morning, Frank
got home about noon, he had stayed at the hall all night and helped clear things up after
the dance, so he didn't go to bed at all. Dad. and I split up the big cakes of ice by sawing
them half way through with the cross cut saw and splitting them with the wedge. This after
noon Frank and I drove down town with Belle & Queen. We went around by the mill and got
some flour & hog feed and got Jack Martin's hog rack on our way back to ship the hogs in
on Monday. We all went to bed early to-night. It has been sunny all day but is still down
around zero.
Sunday February 3rd
We didn't get up in time to get to church this morning, but I took Elva's cream down this
morning and told Aunty Alice to wait for Dad. to drive her over. As it was quite stormy Dad.
drove over to Tupper's this morning in the bob sleigh to borrow his scales and hog crate as
he was afraid the road would be too drifted by to-morrow. When he got home he drove
down and got Aunty Alice and Marj. whom I brought down from church and who came over
here to dinner with us. Frank drove us all back down town about four o'clock. Enah went

13

down with us as she wanted to practice a duet with Elva to play at the church concert on
Tuesday night. While Frank was waiting for Enah he took Marj. and me for a sleigh ride. We
started up the Radical road and were just passing Symington's when Woodyer & Bill
Gutcher came out, & piled in the sleigh. Belle saw them get in so yelled at us to wait and
she & Bill Barron joined the party so we went up as far as George Eagle's in the teeth of a
raging snow storm but we kept warm by laughing at Woodyer's crazy actions, His hat blew
off twice and when he was getting back into the sleigh after rescuing it he turned a
somersault into the box. The second time he lost it Frank kept right on driving when
Woodyer got out and made him run about 10 rods to catch us. When we got back to town
Frank went around and got Enah and I went down to Aunty Alice's to tea, she and I went to
church to-night and after church Marj. and I went up to see Miss Martin but she wasn't
home so we came back to Uncle Hughie's. I stayed all night with Aunty Alice. Very stormy
but much milder 20° above.
Monday February 4th
Aunty Alice got me up about half past six this morning and got my breakfast. I went up to
Hecs on my way home to see if Neil was going to ship hogs as we were afraid yesterday's
storm might have blocked the trains, but as both trains went out this morning, Hec. said
they would ship. So I came home and we weighed our two hogs and put one in each crate,
one weighed 217 and the other 232 lbs acording to our weight but all Clare Deal could make
it was 435, they gave us 17¼ cts which brought the check up to $75.04 which wasn't so
bad for two pigs. Niel wasn't around himself and we had to leave the poor pigs in the open
yard where it was perishingly cold and I don't know how long they would have to stay there
as Huby told us Dave Turner's train didn't get any further out than the cheese factory this
morning and there has been no mail in to-day. The drifts are so high now in places along
the track as there has been no thaw for over a month that the least little blizzard blocks
things up. When we got home we weighed the four ram lambs and the old ram, he only
weighed about 140 lbs and the biggest of the lambs weighed 117 lbs. Dad. went down town
this after noon and had tea with Aunty Alice and to-night went up town to meet Stringer
and got the gas lease fixed up. It has been very cold this afternoon.
Tuesday February 5th
It was 26° below zero by our thermometer when we went out this morning and has been
below zero all day with a cold wind. I have scarcely done anything all day. Dad. and Frank
did most of the chores, this after noon Frank and I took Tupper's scales and hog crate

14

home, he wasn't home but we put the things away where Dad said he got them I nearly
perished coming home and only kept from freezing by getting behind Frank who had Dad's
fur coat on. I just sat around the house when I got home. Frank went down to the mill and
took Enah down town, she stayed down to tea as she had to play at the show to-night for
Kelly who the church has got here. I was to have gone down and go to the concert with
Aunty Alice but I hated the idea of going out after tea so gave my ticket to Frank. He went
down but Aunty Alice didn't go as Harry Ansley was worse again, he had five attacks
yesterday. Dad. & Frank did all the chores to-night and I got tea ready. I read & slept all
evening.
Wednesday February 6th
Dad. Frank and I put the ice in the ice house this morning, which took us all the fore noon.
This after noon we did up the chores and then hooked old Dave up, we put him on the bob
sleigh with Harry and took him around the block. He went fine and was very good while we
were hooking him up and unhooking him. Sam Law was in for quite awhile this after noon
and settled up with Dad. for thrashing. To-night Frank and I went down to a meeting of our
club but didn't do much. Mr. Groff was down from Simcoe to explain the advantages of the
Co-operative society but there weren't many there, however a few more gave their notes.
We drove down and it was pretty dark but we got along alright till just as we turned in the
lane, when when runner got up on the snow bank and the side of the track and upset the
cutter dumped both of us out and then Joe ran up the lane with the cutter on its side past
the drive house and wound up in a drift by the windmill, she couldn't go any farther for the
barnyard fence. I expected to find the cutter and harness all smashed to pieces but except
for the back-hand being broken every thing was sound. It has been thawing all day. First for
a month
Thursday February 7th
We hooked Dave and Harry up again this morning and drove down town. Dave behaved
very well. We saw Aunty Alice who said she couldn't get over till Cousin Willie was better as
Cousin Loll wanted her to stay with them. This after noon Frank and I put the sawdust back
in the ice house. We left Pommers for an hour in the box stall this morning with the
surcingle and bridle on him. To-night I went down town and spent the evening with Marj.
She was packing candy cigarettels and socks to send to {Stiffy Warren?}. Lovely day,
thawing in the sun but about 20° above in shade

15

Friday February 8th
After we got the chores done up this morning we hooked Dave and Harry up again and
Frank & I drove them around the block past John Wesses. After dinner Dad. put the
surcingle on Pommers and Dad. put a hobble on him with a rope to pull up his front foot if
he made any lunges. I took the lines and Dad. took the hobble rope and Frank opened the
drive house door. Pommers just made about two jumps across the lane and got his front
foot over the little wire fence then wheeled around and plunged through the snow drifts up
to the windmill, we couldn't hold him any more than we could a steam engine and Dad's.
rope didn't seem to stop him so we had to let him go. He tore around for a few minutes but
we caught him at last up in the corner of the pig pen & orchard fence. Dad. then put a
halter on him and he took it while Frank and I each took a line - and in the course of about
fifteen minutes we managed to get him back to the stable without him getting away. When
we put him in Frank and I hooked up Harry & Belle and started to clean out the box stall
which hasn't been cleaned out all winter, we hauled out three good loads to the old garden
and left about one load still to be cleaned out. Jack Lawrie & Ralf Waddle came over to
have Dad. look at Jack's old mare and when they left Dad. Enah and the baby drove down
town. Frank went down to a dance to-night which Merrit & Charlie Long are running. I felt
pretty rotten with a cold & cough. We all feel pretty tough.
Saturday February 9th
I felt rather tough to-day with my cold so didn't do much all day, this morning I wrote to
Neff and to Aunty. Frank didn't get home from the dance till about eight o'clock as it rained
in the night and they didn't break it up till day light on account of the roads being so bad, so
he didn't feel very lively all day and seized every opportunity for snoozing. This after noon
we hooked Pommers up again or at least put the harness on him and took him out without
his getting away. Dad. put a rope on him with a string under his chin fastend to his
halter bit rings, and Dad & Frank took the rope and I took the lines. Lila came over this after
noon and Dad. went back with her and they had tea at Aunty Alice's. Lila stayed there all
night. I went to bed early as my cold felt pretty bad and Enah made me soak my feet in hot
water & mustard and drink hot black currant water. It has been thawing all day and a nice
day.
Sunday February 10th

16

I got a note from Marj. yesterday asking me to come down to Nanticoke for her to-day if I
could as her cousin had come up for her Friday and invited me down to dinner to-day, so
as two of Joe's shoes are off I took Queen and left here about half past ten. I made very
good time as the folks were just going into church when I went through Nanticoke, but I
found out afterwards they were fifteen or twenty minutes late. When I got to the Banfields I
found they had all gone to church but Mrs. Banfield and Cal. Howden the hired man (?.) He
is one of Oscar's kids and is about as big as a skinned minute.). The rest got home about an
hour after I arrived. Besides Mr. & Mrs. Warrie Banfield, Mr. & Mrs. Dick Doughty and Marj.
came. Marj. had been staying over there till to-day. We had a very enjoyable time. all
interest being centred on the Banfield baby which Cal. informed me would soon be a year
old and is a comical little thing. Marj. and I left for home about half past three and came
straight here as Dad. told me that he was going to take Aunty Alice & Lila down in the bobsleighs and would take Marj. and me too which would save me having to bring Queen back
from town and then probably walking back again. We got here about five and they were just
leaving but Enah invited Marj. to stay to tea which she did, so we didn't go down with them.
I had the milking done when Dad. got back. Marj. and I walked down about nine o'clock.
Quite mild but cold wind.
Monday February 11th
This morning Frank and I finished cleaning out the box stall in one big load. When we got
back Dad. put the harness on Pommers and we took him down to the corner, he behaved
very well but would have got away once or twice if Dad. hadn't had the rope in his halter.
Aunty Alice walked over to dinner and this after noon she and Enah went calling down to
the Ryerse's and Pickford's. Frank took them down in the bob sleighs and left them there an
hour and then went after them. Aunty Alice was very anxious to get back as Cousin Loll had
sent over a note in the mail saying Harry Ansley was very weak. Frank drove them right
down town so that Enah could find out how he was and she said he was about the same.
Alfred came up and got Dad. to go down with him to look at one of his pigs which is in bad
shape owing to the cold weather. I spent the after noon cutting the tops off some of the
high apple-trees according to the instructions given us at the Short Course by by Mr. Kydd.
Sunny with a fresh thawing breeze. It has thawed a lot to-day and water is standing over
everything. It is still soft to-night. We intend to butcher our hog to-morrow
Tuesday February 12th

17

It rained hard last night and has been very soft all day. It was cloudy all morning rained
quite hard at noon and early this after noon then came out sunny and a fresh breeze but
mild. On account of the weather we had to postpone our butchering operations and have
just done odd jobs. I cleaned off the dropping board in the henhouse this morning as it has
been frozen too hard all winter and then went out to see if I could let some water off the
wheat as it was backed up by the snow. Then I started to scrape some of the apple trees.
Dad. & Frank changed the stroke of the windmill again and put in the longest one. This after
noon we cleaned out the box in the barn so that we could put my heifer in when she calves.
I went up to Ham Thompson's to ask him what time our meeting on Saturday was to be and
was up there quite awhile looking at the stock. Charlie Quanbury went out to the farm this
morning with a load of manure but got stuck on the hill and left his load in the road. The
snow is all undermined & honeycombed with water and the team went right down to their
bellies Charlie had a hard time getting them loose.
Wednesday February 13th
We spent most of the morning getting things ready for and butchering our pig, and got it all
done by noon. Dad. got a very nice stick and scald on her and she dressed a dandy. Charlie
Munroe came in just as we started to scald so he helped us during the dressing operations.
He walked over to get Dad. to look at one of his horses which has a bad cold so Dad. went
back with him to dinner. This after noon I got ready and went down town to have my tooth
fixed but as it was after four when I got there Bill said I had better come early to-morrow
after noon. I stayed at Aunty Alices to tea and went to church to-night this being Ash
Wednesday. Marj. had proposed going up to Miss Martin's to-night but as she. Marj.. had a
sore throat we didn't go. I called for Aunty Alice at Cousin Loll's and stayed down at Aunty's
all night. We had a letter to-day from a man in Omemee inquiring about the prices of ram
lambs, he having seen in the report of the Co-operative wool sales that we had the highest
percentage of our wool in the highest grade of any one in Ontario. It has not been thawing
all day but has been quite mild and cloudy. There came nearly being bad flood.
Thursday February 14th
I came home about nine o'clock this morning but as I had to go right back after dinner I
didn't change my clothes. I wrote to Mr. Bent the man who inquired about the rams and I
also measured the lawn and flower beds as I had a letter from Mr. Tomlinson saying he had
mislaid my first sketch and if I would send another he would be sure to send me a blueprint.
I went down to Aunty Alices for dinner and went up to Bills right after. He filled my tooth

18

and found a hole in another one He couldn't finish the job right away so I went back at four
o'clock when he finished the job for which I paid him $1.50. While I was there the last time
Karl Lemons came in and said the Penman's dam had gone out and the bridge had dropped
at one end. I went down to Aunty Alice's and got my rubber boots on and she and Lila went
down with me to see the wreck. It was a bad mess. The road at the north end of the bridge
had caved in as the water has been leaking through the buttment of the dam all winter and
washed a big hole out under the road. Then the big head of water coming from the last few
day's thaw took the top of the north end of the dam out which was loosened by the bridge
dropping down on the buttment and buckeing it. It would have been a very dangerous
proceeding for me to try to go across the bridge but several had gone across on the ice on
the pond making quite a detour away from the bridge so I followed their tracks and as I had
my rubber boots on didn't get wet. Dad. cut up the pig this morning and I took some of it
down to Aunty Alice, Huby and Mr. James. Frank fixed up a feed box for the calf and this
afternoon, they moved the ram lambs over to the colony house with old McPherson. It has
been sunny and thawing a lot all day. Thunderstorm to-night.
Friday February 15th
It was much colder to-day with a strong north west wind so we didn't do much out side. I
started in to clean up the Tommy Jackson harness but didn't get any more than the bridle
done but I made the nickel on it shine. This after noon Dad and I took Pommers out and he
went like an old horse, we just had him on the line, and Dad. had the rope in his halter but
didn't have to tighten on it once. Frank made a rack for the ram's hay this morning and put
it in the colony house and this afternoon he went down to a meeting of the Black Creek
Creamery patrons and announced our meeting to-morrow thinking he could get it more
farmer's easier that way than any other. He said that they raised Lea Marshall's salary 1/4
cent per pound. and one old fellow kicked very much at it. He didn't think Lea needed it
because he kept a hired girl and ran a Ford car. Jim Bannister told Dad. at noon that to add
to Penman's troubles they had a bad fire down in the mill this morning which did a great
deal of damage to the stock; it was caused they say, by a nail getting into the pickers,
heating and being blown into the inflamable cotton.
Saturday February 16th
We didn't do much but chores this morning except take Pommers down to the corner
again, he is certainly good never made a misstep. Frank and I went down to dinner at Aunty
Alice's and this after noon we went up to a fairly successful meeting of farmers. Neff & Jas

19

E. Johnson manager of the Norfolk Co-operative Assn. were down and explained the
working of the Association very clearly and about ten more signed notes. We
were there till nearly five and then I went up and got my hair cut, so it was after six when I
got home. I came home by the dam and came across the ice. Frank went around by the mill
(the same way we went down) and got home the same time I did but he was delayed by
having to go back to the hall after his books and then winding the town clock for George
Steele. Johnny Payne was buried to-day and Bob. Law died very suddenly this after noon.
They said he was well when he fed his team this morning but lay down on the sofa when he
came in and didn't feel like going out again at noon and soon after noon he was dead. News
has also just come to town of the death of young Billy Thompson. He had just been moved
to New York, they say on a $2000 salary when he took pneumonia and died in a few days.
Bright and sunny but freezing hard all morning but snowing hard and milder this after noon.
Sunday February 17th
I walked down to church this morning and as Aunty Alice said she felt as if she was catching
cold and didn't feel like walking over to the farm I decided to stay and have dinner with her
but just as we were about ready to sit down Dad came down with the team and sleigh to
take Aunty Alice over for dinner, so we both went. We came back down town about four
o'clock and I stopped on the way down to see Mrs. Sinclair and after Mrs. Bell about having
a social gathering next week the boys of the J.F.I.A. and the girls of the W.I. meeting together. Mrs. Bell advised me to see Olga Ryerse and offered her house for the occasion. I
had tea with Aunty Alice and neither of us went to church but went up right after and she
went up to Cousin Loll's for awhile and I went over to see Marj. who had been up with Glad
Law all the after noon. I stayed all night at Aunty Alices. It has been cold but sunny all day.
Freezing to-night.
Monday February 18th
I came home about nine o'clock this morning and came around by town and got fifty post
cards to notify the members of the J.F.I.A. of the meeting here on Thursday night. Frank,
Enah and I. spent quite awhile this morning writing them we sent out twenty five. Jack
Walker was over for a little while to see if Enah
{single page list that was probably used to make longer diary entries later}

20

Jan 9 – F, I went down to the course - talk on Cultivation. Neff - fruit growing class at H
Thompson's judging poultry
Jan 10 - testing milk for % of the fat
Jan 11 Feeds & feeding Bacteriology afternoon - judging sheep, at Farrs Blizzard Jan 11 & 12 &
14 Roads & R R all blocked
Jan 15 - course resumed apiculture
Jan 16 - Dr Reed - Test for {?} on vet work & horse breeding, Only radial TB & young Will
Sidway get laughing
Jan 17 - beef cattle & sheep - no rural mail from Jan 11 - Jan 17 Mr. Meade & Harry Dyer lost
in storm & spent night at Pickfords - frozen faces
Jan 19 - Mr. Hart on forming a Norfork Co oper for buying & marketing in Simcoe.
Jan 22 - Mr. Kydd formerly Simcoe on fruit growing
{continuation of list; written on graph paper}
Jan 22 - womens course started about 50 entered
Jan 23 - Dairy cattle - Mr Stevenson of Ancaster. Afternoon at Alex Wallace's - Holsteins
very good time
Jan 24 - preparing for debate This war will be a benefit
jan 25 - Mr Rush on market Gardening
Jan 26 - 2nd meeting re Co op joined & signed note for $100
Jan 29 - picking & judging chix at Martins
Jan 30 - formed a club TB Pres
Feb 1 - very busy preparing for wind up of course - TB responds to toast Trains still
irregular very very cold

21

would come down and play at Billy Thompson's funeral tomorrow after noon. It will be in the
church and they wanted the choir out. This after noon Dad. walked down to Bob. Law's
funeral and was gone all the after noon I walked down to see Olga Ryerse as Mrs. Bell
suggested and when I got back Frank and I polished harness for a little while. Lloyd Ryerse
was in for awhile to-night to see what to do for an old ewe that lambed early and has a
caked udder. Quanbury’s cow had a pair of twin calves this morning which has caused
considerable excitement in the neighborhood. When Dad. went down this after noon they
had them in Jack Martin's wash-house where it was hot. The latest news is that Jack Payne
has bought Wess Boughner's farm and is putting Lilly Myer’s husband on it to raise
Shorthorns and Wess Boughner has bought Mrs. Duncan's place. Froze very hard last night.
Fine sunny day.
Tuesday February 19th
It started to rain during the night and has rained most of the day so we didn't do anything
much but chores. Dad. and Frank put the pig in pickle this morning. This after noon Dad. and
Enah went down to Billy Thompson's funeral as Enah had to play. It was a masonic funeral
but Dad. had got no notice so wasn't with the Masons. Frank drove them down in the bobsleigh although there were some very icy spots on the road. They got home about half past
three and brought with them the geese that Enah bargained with Al. Faulkner for before
Christmas. I spent most of the after noon reading "Queen Zixi of Ix" to Tid. I finised a good
book to night. "The Double Four" by Phillips Oppenheim.
Wednesday February 20th
It turned very cold during the night and has been down to zero with a strong west wind all
day. We haven't down anything much but chores as it has been too cold to work out side
with comfort. I wrote a letter to Mr. Bent this morning promising him our best ram lamb next
fall as I had a letter from him yesterday saying he would be willing to pay $55.00 for it.
Tupper was in for a few minutes before noon on his way home from town and Charlie
Munroe walked through on his way to the mill. He told Dad. his horse was better but not well
yet. This after noon Dad. walked over to John Wesses and took him one of the calendars we
got from the Department of Agriculture. He found John Wess just the same, feels fine as
long as he doesn't try to do anything. Dad. went down to Charlie Munroe's from John
Wesses and found his horse had developed distemper with its throat all swelled up, but it is
getting on well. I read most of the after noon and went down to tea to Aunty Alice's. She
and I went to church to-night but as the church was very cold and the lights very poor, we

22

only had the war-time litany which lasted only 8 or 10 minutes. I went home with Marj. and
stayed all night at Aunty Alices.
Thursday February 21st
I got home about nine o'clock and found the family all huddled around the stove and I was
glad to join them. It was down below zero again with a biting north west wind. It has been
pretty cold all day but the wind went down towards evening and it has been sunny We
didn't do much but chores. Frank and I cleared up a little in the drive house this after noon
to make room for any horses that members of the J.F.I.A. might drive to our meeting tonight. Then Frank rode his wheel down town to get some coffee. Although the roads were
very hard and icy there were ten came to our meeting It was a nice night and the wind had
died down. We had a very good meeting and they all seemed enthusiastic about growing a
patch of potatoes this summer, after we talked over our business they played cards and
checkers. Enah dished up some coffee and war bread and Corby & Fred Rolson sang for us.
The meeting broke up about twelve. We went out to look at my heifer after the boys left
and found her very near calving, so I went to bed with my clothes on, to get up and look at
her later.
Friday February 22nd
I got up at four o'clock and went out to look at the heifer but she seemed easy so I went to
bed again. Dad. got up at six and went out and she had just dropped her calf then. The calf
is a red roan & a bull. She has a very big bag and is alright. We did chores most of the
morning and Dad. and Frank went back to the gully and brought up a dozen boards off the
cross fence back there to make sheep troughs of. This after noon Frank got three troughs
pretty well made. I went down town to telephone Neff to see what night he could come
down next week to our social meeting but he was out of town so I went down and talked to
Huby for awhile and found there was a car of coal in, then I walked down to Corbetts and
told Corby to telephone Neff to-night. He & his father were getting up wood off the lake
bank which has slid terribly last year. I walked through their place to the creek and went up
to the Ryerse's. Olga seems to be having a hard time getting the girls to-gether. I got home
about five. Dad. was getting ready to go down to Aunty Alice's for tea and to meet the train
as Aunty came home to-night. He stopped in at Quanbury's on his way down and got
Charlie to say he would get us a load of coal in the morning as the roads are to icy for our
horses. It has been milder with west wind and snow to-day.

23

Saturday February 23rd
We got up about six this morning and I was over at Quanbury's by eight o'clock to go down
with Charlie and get our coal. Charlie was just at his breakfast so it was half an hour before
we got started and had to go in the waggon, however the coal wasn't all gone when we got
there but was going fast. They were only selling half ton lots to one person so we took half a
load of coal and half coke. Frank was waiting for us at the mill with a couple of bags of feed
which he put on the waggon. Charlie didn't charge Dad. anything for hauling it. This after
noon Dad. Enah and the baby walked down to see the dam and went on across and saw
Aunty for awhile. She has a cold a neuralgia. The wind was from the south west to-day and
it was sunny and quite soft. Frank said he heard crows once. There was a faint touch of
Spring in the air which made it feel nice to be alive. Frank finished making the sheep troughs
and I for want of some thing to do shingled half of the "Library." I also turned over the hotbed manure pile.
Sunday February 24th
I walked down to church this morning and Aunty and Aunty Alice walked back with me to
dinner. About three o'clock I went back down town. Glad. Law went back to Toronto on the
3'o'clock car and Marj. was down to see here off but I didn't get down in time to see Glad.
but spent the rest of the after noon with Marj. About five o'clock she went up to Miss
Martin's to tea and I went down to Aunty's. Aunty and I went to church and I came back
there for awhile after church but didn't stay long. I didn't go home by the dam as there was
a lot of water on the ice when I came down, I went home by the mill and met Marj. on her
way home.
Monday February 25th
As it was mild and soft and fairly good footing for the horses we decided to move the straw
stack in to-day. Dad. and I pitched the top of it off and most of the ice out of it while Frank
dug away the big snow bank on the east side of the drive house and we got one load over
to the horse stable before dinner but didn't pitch it off. We put it off right after dinner and
got another jag over and off and left the butt of the stack to put in the old barn. We put the
waggon back on the old barn floor and while we were at it the colts which were in the
barnyard came through the gate we left open and took a good run over the wheat tramping
& cutting it up considerably. About four o'clock Dad. and I started up to Ham Thompson's
with Dad's heifer. It began to rain just as we left and before we got home was pouring down.

24

It developed into a terrific thunderstorm but had stopped before we went to bed, but was
cloudy and windy. I got two eggs to-day, the first I have got. Frank has been getting a duck
egg daily for the last few days. A strip of paper has blown off the chicken shed roof and this
wind will take more off so it looks pretty badly
Tuesday February 26th
There was a very strong west wind this morning and it had turned cold again during the
night being about 10° above zero so we didn't do much but chores all day. I wrote a couple
of letters this morning one to the Co-Operative Association ordering some clover seed oil
cake and seed potatoes and one to the Canadian Sheep Breeders' to see if some
arrangement couldn't be made to have Canadian registered sheep transferred to the
American Book. Art. and Lloyd Ryerse were up most of the after noon, they wanted to see if
we would be willing to put a telephone in. About four Art. and I went down town and Frank &
Lloyd went off with Collin, {Spray?} & young George. Art and I went in to see Patterson
about the telephone but from what he said I don't think there is much chance of the Co.
putting up a line out our way till the war is over and prices are normal. We went down
around by the mill but came home by crossing the creek at Colman's point where the big
chunks of ice are frozen in.
Wednesday February 27th
It was cloudy and blustery this morning but not cold but later it came out sunny and nice.
We moved what was left of the straw stack into the barn this morning, then Dad. and I took
Pommers out on the rein, he went just as well as ever. About noon a peddlar came in and
asked if he could have his dinner and put his horse in, so he did and turned out to be an old
acquaintance of Dad's by the name of "Chinny" Klause, one-time farmer, milk dealer and
carpenter on the Round Plains and at present travelling all over the country in the interests
of the famous Rundel. Pain King Medicine Co. leaving bottles of None Such Liniments salve
"to be paid for next year and collecting money for what was left last year. He seemed to
honestly believe that it would do all that the Company claimed for it which was that it
would cure any ailment that affects man or beast and can be applied either externally or
internally. He and Dad. had quite a visit and he proved to be very entertaining telling of his
experiences on the road, and others. He used to be a great pal of Jeff. Langs and told Dad
quite a lot of news about them. This after noon Frank went down to Corbetts to get Leigh to
telephone all the boys of the J.F.I.A. and tell them about the meeting the Woman's Institute

25

are having and invited us to. I went down town to-night and came home with Enah who had
gone down to tea and church. I was too late for church. We had to walk around by the mill.
Thursday February 28th
We put on a load of hay this morning and took it over to the barn for the cows, but didn't
unload it. This after noon Dad. and I drove down town and had Joe shod and Dad also
negotiated with old Walker for a loan of another fifty dollars to pay for our supplies from
the Norfolk Co-Operative Association. Huby was here when we got home, he had walked
over to have Dad. look at his dog, he didn't stay to tea. Frank cleaned out the shop this
afternoon. Art & Charlie Quanbury stopped in on their way home from Henry Misner's sale
which they said went well and where Art bought Hay rope & slings, to tell us that Tupper
was going to thrash in the morning & wanted a man from here. Mild but cloudy & rainy all
day.
Friday February March 1st
Dad. went thrashing over to Tupper's this morning and was gone all day. They didn't get
started till after noon so didn't finish by night. Neither Henry Misner was there with the
machine nor Tupper, he had to go to Simcoe. Frank went to the mill this morning and got
some chop. We also went up to the old cherry tree and got some sand to plant seeds in.
Mrs. McPherson was over here to-dinner. This after noon Frank and I put off the load of hay
we got over yesterday but didn't do anything else much but chores. To-night we went
down to the Women's Institute meeting to which the J.F.I.A. was invited and heard Mr.
Johnson & Mrs. Bond talk about growing & canning vegetables. Neff was down but didn't
have the dramas with him. He suggested that we should have a box social next Thursday.
The others seemed to think it would be a good idea so I suppose we will have to have it.
Young Crosbie drove Frank & me home and I thought he would upset us for sure. Nice day.
Blustery this morning though.
Saturday March 2nd
Dad. went back to Tuppers this morning and they finished but he didn't get home till after
noon as he went over to John Wesses for dinner and took him "Happy Hawkins" to read.
About half past four he, Enah & the baby drove down town for some groceries. I spent most
of my time to-day when I wasn't doing chores in fixing up boxes of earth and to-night
sowed some tomato seed. We have them on a little table in front of the window in our

26

room. Frank chased around this morning and this after noon went down to Ryerse's with his
rifle. Lila was over to dinner. Nice sunny day but windy.
Sunday March 3rd
Frank and I drove down to church this morning. It was the first time Frank had been at
church for a long time. We spent a nice hour and a half in the back seat and I was aroused
from a nice doze about the middle of the sermon by some kids having a high time out side
playing on the cellar door. Frank was taking the sermon very much to heart as Mr. Johnson
was talking about the wickedness of those who didn't attend church regularly. Frank
concluded he was lost. We were in to see Mrs. Bell before church to arrange for our box
social next Thursday night. I drove Aunty and Aunty Alice over to dinner and Frank walked
home going over the ice above the dam. I went back down town right after dinner and
spent the after noon with Marj. I went up to Harry Moon’s just before tea to ask if he would
help us with a concert and he said he would. I had tea at Aunty's. They had walked home as
Sam & Mrs. Law had come in here just before they left so Dad. couldn't drive them down.
Aunty Alice was afraid to go over the ice so they came all the way around by the mill and
she was too tired to go to church but Aunty and I went. Marj. and I came back with her.
Lovely sunny day. Cool breeze
Monday March 4th
We spent the whole day cleaning out the sheep barn floor. We hauled out seven or eight
waggon loads and spread them on the old garden but there is quite a lot in there yet. We
couldn't haul big loads as the road was rough and it jiggled off and we had no side boards
on. It was sunny this morning but got very cloudy and rained this after noon and to-night.
Very mild.
Tuesday March 5th
We finished cleaning out the sheep barn to-day but it took us till after dinner. We hauled
out I think five loads and covered all the old garden west of the currant bushes and part of
the strip that is left east of them. When we got through Dad. and Frank started to put the
handle in the old axe head and I went down to Ryerse's to see what Olga found out about
the box social and then walked over to Corby's to get him to telephone all the members of
the J.F.I.A. and summon them to attend. At present it looks as if there would be about two
women to every boy. Dad. & Enah got an invitation out to a party at Lish Farr's to-morrow

27

night where they want them to "render a few selections". I suppose it is a house warming
party as their new house is just finished. Foggy & mild.
Wednesday March 6th
Dad. and I went up to Ham. Thompson's right after breakfast with my two-year old heifer
and didn't get back till nearly noon. Frank took a couple of axe heads down town and got
the nicks ground out of them. He didn't get home till after we did. Alan Law was here when
we got back, he had driven one of this horses up to have her clipped but as she was wet
and muddy we thought we couldn't clip her so Frank went back home with him and they
took the machine down and clipped the other mare this after noon. Alan drove Frank home
with the clipped mare and they certainly made a slick job. They left the machine down
there to clip the other mare when she is dry. Dad. spent most of the after noon trying to
hang an axe handle but had a hard time with it. I read and wrote to Miss Wade Secretary of
the American Sheep Registry Ass'n to find out about recording sheep over there. To-night I
went down to church and spent the evening with Marj. Dad. and Enah had not decided
whether to go out to Farr's when I left and they didn't decide until it was too late to go so
stayed home. Huby got a cablegram from Quint sent on Sunday saying he was leaving the
next day for France so I suppose he's pretty near the Front by this time. It has been cloudy
& raw but not freezing all day. Snowing to-night.
Thursday March 7th
Frank and I didn't do much else all day but oil harness. We put a fire on in the shop and got
Belle’s heavy harness oiled, washed, mended and put to-gether. It was about three o'clock
when we finished the one harness so we didn't start on another one. I had a rather bad pain
under my pinny this after noon so came in the house and lay down till chore time when it
had disappeared. Dad. spent most of the after noon putting an axe handle in another head.
He finished the one he was at yesterday, this morning. He got the handle in the head just so
far then couldn't get it either in or out so he heated the head and then drove it in which
made a very tight fit. According to to-day's "Globe" all the bank clerks in On except those
who were granted exemption on personal grounds are to be called up, so I guess old Dick
will be a soldier yet. Colder to-day but nice day. To-night we went down to our box social
at Mrs. Bell's Friday March 8th. We had a very good time. There were not as many ladies
there as we expected and so the boys & girls were about even in numbers. We played
games and at the wind up I auctioned off the boxes for which we realized about $15.00 half
of that went to the WAI & half to the J.F.I.A. Frank and I got home about one o'clock.

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Friday March 8th
I went to Simcoe on the nine car this morning to see Johnson. Neff called me up last night
to say they had a car of corn in and would send it down here with what stuff was ordered
from around here, so I wanted to find out a little more about it and who had ordered from
around here. Johnson said they hadn't many orders and wanted me to get more and send
them up to him to-night. I meant to come home on the eleven car but missed it so walked
home by the G.T.R. track. It was a lovely day for a walk especially down along the creek and I
heard a lot of Spring birds and saw my first robin this morning. Frank was here alone when I
got home about half past twelve as Dad. Enah & the baby went down to Aunty's for dinner.
Right after dinner I went down town and went up to telephone Ham. Thompson from Aunty
Maude's to see if knew of anyone who would buy corn, but he had gone over to our place. I
visited with Aunty Maude for quite awhile and then went down to Aunty's till Dad. and Enah
left. They drove and I walked, stopped in to see Harry Moon at the mill and Charlie
Quanbury's new horse that he got at Porter's sale so it was six o'clock when I got home
Saturday March 9th
Frank and I took Elgitha up to Ham Thompson's this morning and Dad. did chores. They had
intended going back and cutting some wood but it was snowing hard when we got back so
they didn't go. This after noon Frank and I walked over to see John Wess. Cam has gone
home for a little while and Albert Newcombe is doing chores over there. Dad. went down
town to see Aunty for awhile. Aunty Alice was in Brantford all day visiting with "Miss" Watts
and Vernon is up there too. Aunty Alice came back at five o'clock. Frank went down to a
party to-night at Bill Barwell's to celebrate Bill's birthday. Frank stayed down all night. It has
been a miserable day with a regular blizzard all the after noon and a thunderstorm to-night.
Sunday March 10th
We woke up this morning to find that our Spring has left us and Winter is here again. There
is a lot of snow and it has been not above 15° above zero all day with a cold north wind but
sunny. To-night when I came home it was down to zero. Dad. Enah Tid and I drove down to
church in the cutter and the sleighing is better than it has been all winter although there is
a crust over it which formed I suppose after last night's thunderstorm which brought sleet
with it. After church Frank and I drove home and the rest went over to the James for dinner.
I drove down after dinner and left Joe in the Presbyterian shed for them to drive home and I
spent the after noon and evening with Marj. having tea and going to church with Aunty &

29

Aunty Alice. Enah counted 25 robins this morning in the lilac bush outside the clothes room
window. The poor little fellows evidently made a misguess and came north too soon.
Monday March 11th
We hauled down two loads of manure to Aunty's to-day, one this morning and another this
after-noon. The sleighing was good and we took Belle and Queen. Frank went down this
after noon to unload the car that should have come from the Norfolk Co-Operative Ass'n
but Murray told him it wasn't in but called up Jack Martin after he got home and told him it
was. Dad. Enah and I went down to a concert to-night given by Miss Prest & Miss Symonds
for the prisoners of war. It was great. Much milder.
Tuesday March 12th
Frank went down first thing this morning to unload the Association car. Dad. and I put on
another load of manure and took it down to Aunty's but had quite a time getting down as
the sleighing was gone in places. We went down to the car and got our bag of oil cake but
our clover seed didn't come. Smith from down on the town line had been up and got four
bags of oil cake and left his sacks to be filled with corn so Frank wanted me to stay and
help bag it up. We had dinner at Aunty's and were down at the car all the after noon. I called
up Johnson right after dinner and he said the oil cake should have been weighed and Frank
let Smith have his without, thinking there was just 300 lbs in a bag. We got Smith's bags all
filled and he came after them about four o'clock. Lorne Myers was down and bagged up
some for himself and Ham & Bert Thompson took two bags of oil cake which cleaned us out
of it. It has been very windy and soft all day.
Wednesday March 13th
Whan Frank first went out this morning he found one of the four year old ewes No 8 with a
fine ewe lamb. Frank went down to the car right after breakfast and didn't get home till
about seven o'clock to-night, but said he got it all unloaded except a load or two for Charlie
Ivey which Murray said he wouldn't charge demurrage for. As soon as they could get ready
Dad. took Tid down to Aunty's and then came back got Enah and went out to the Shand's
for dinner and spent the after noon not getting home till after half past six. They had dinner
& the Harvey Shand's and spent part of the afternoon at Willie's. I spent the day doing
chores and scraping a few of the apple trees. I had my dinner at one and sat around quite
awhile reading the paper afterwards. I went out to look at the sheep about three o'clock
and found old Lop ear (117) just at the lambing performance. In about half an hour she had

30

two nice ones a buck & a ewe up and running around. I had most of the chores done up
when Dad. got home but he fed the sheep and I came in and dressed and went down town.
I was too late for church but took Aunty some cream and went up to see Marj. It was a fine
day but turned out a bad night. Colder & raining hard. They say that yesterday's thaw broke
the ice up in the pond and that last night about eleven the water was running over the road
again and they thought the bridge would go out but it didn't.
Thursday March 14th
This has been a very disagreeable day. It rained hard most of the morning and drizzled all
the after noon and was cloudy, muddy, and cold. Dad. and Frank went out to the sheep
barn about six o'clock this morning and found three more lambs, Dad's ewe had one and No
10 had two. the ram lamb of No 10's was just about dead when they found him, for although
he had not been born long there was a scum over his nostrils and he couldn't breathe. Dad.
brought him in the house and revived him a little but he soon died. None of them seem to
get enough milk for some reason or other so Frank got a nipple for the feed bottle this
morning and Dad. has been feeding them cow's milk all day. To-night he brought Lop ears
ewe lamb in the house for all night. It is in bad shape and doesn't seem to know enoug to
suck except the bottle. It seems queer as they were all strong when they were born. Frank
has been down town most of the day again, helping Charlie Ivey part of the time. We
haven't done much but chores and watch the sheep. I got a letter from Miss Wade to-day
saying that the records of sires & dams of any sheep recorded in the American Shropshire
Registry must also appear on the book. I wrote to R. W. Wade asking for more definite
information.
Friday March 15th
I haven't done much all day except stand around the sheep barn and shiver or sit around
the house and sleep. It was a sunny day but the raw north wind made it very disagreeable.
Matters were made worse by the bad luck we are having with the lambs. Lop ear's little ewe
lamb died this morning and Dad opened it and said there was nothing in its stomach. One
of the two year old ewes lambed to-day No 22. and the second lamb died just after it was
born by being smothered with scum. The mother seemed to have no milk at all so we took
the live lamb in the house and Dad. has been feeding it all day, as well as the lamb of Dad's
ewe. By to-night. No 68 had a big pair of twins which seemed to get enough and which we
put in the box stall in the horse stable. The situation looks a little brighter to-night but we
have the two in a box in the house and Dad. has to feed them every hour or so from a

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bottle. Frank has increased their the ewe's grain ration and is giving a few mangels so we
are hoping that they will soon "come to their milk".
Saturday March 16th
Charlie Quanbury came over this morning to get one of us to go over and help Billy Mills put
straw over Jack's strawberries, so I went. Billy wasn't through with his chores when I got
there as he has a lot of pigs to feed. We gathered up the straw from around the stack and
as it was frozen it was slow pitching and we only got two loads out before dinner, by that
time the ground was getting to soft to work on so I didn't go back this afternoon. Frank and
Dad. took the oil cake down to the mill and weighed it and this after noon Frank went up to
Simcoe to report to Johnson, his stewardship was evidently satisfactory as Johnson gave
him 30 cents an hour for unloading the car. He drew about $7.00 and gave me $1.20 for my
after noons work. Dad. and I didn't do much but chores this after noon and I cleaned and
rubbed up my Tommy Jackson harness. To-night I went down town and got my hair cut
and took my drawings down to Aunty and she picked out some to send to the
Correspondence School. No more lambs have come and the ones we have are doing well.
Two are still in the house. West wind but not cold.
Sunday March 17th
Frank and I went down to Sunday school this morning as we were up in plenty of time. I
didn't take my clothes off all night but got up at two and fid the lambs in the house and
looked at the ones in the barn I could hardly hold my head up in Sunday school and did
sleep most of the time in church. Dad. drove Enah down to church but didn't stay himself
and she walked home. I went back down town right after dinner and Marj. and I went up to
Miss McDonald's and took her a school Art manual which she is studying. We then went up
to Miss Martin's but she wasn't home so we walked down to the dam with Mr. & Mrs. Bagley
whom we overtook. Ont our way back from there we went into Miss McQueen's for a few
minutes where we found Miss Martin. I stayed down at Aunty's for tea, Win. was there too
and went to church with them to-night. After church Marj. and I started out for a walk but
met Mrs. Moon who had some church money to give Marj. and so we went in there for
awhile. Then on our way home we met Said. Davis, who had spent the day in Simcoe and
was rather excited at having some fellow, whom she didn't know offer to carry her club bag
for her, so we walked up to Mrs. Richardson's with her where she is staying. It has been a
beautiful sunny mild Spring day with a soft west wind. The spring birds are thick

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Monday March 18th
I went over to Jack's first thing this morning and found him just milking his Jerseys. He said
that instead of covering strawberrys this morning he would have me help Billy load some
hogs to ship. I helped Billy do his chores and we had a lot of little things to do to get ready
for the hogs which were in Charlie Martin's barn. We had to catch the two smallest ones
and one of the biggest ones and weigh them. There were five and the smallest weighed 158
lbs & the big one went just over 200 but we took them all down as the price is way up 19
cts here I think. I came home as soon as we got them loaded and have spent most of the
day getting manure out of the hog stall for the hot bed Frank murdered old Nellie this
morning and worked with her most of the day and this after noon took her over to Jack.
Dad has had a busy day with the lambs. He let the two biggest ones out to-day with the big
sheep and left the two that were in the house out in the barn. He goes out every now and
then and holds his ewe so that the two can suck as she won't own them. Two of the twoyear olds lambed to-day one had a single and one twins. The one with twins seems to have
no milk but they are fine strong lambs. Frank went to a dance to-night. Lovely day.
Tuesday March 19th
Frank got home from the dance about four o'clock this morning and I got up soon after he
went to bed. Dad. lay on the sofa all night with his clothes on so that he could go out and
feed the lambs in the night. I spent nearly all the morning making a frame for the hot bed
and got it just about finished I got the boards from the old fence along the road. On one of
my trips out after boards Frank went with me and we measured the corner field to see how
much wire it would take to fence it and figured it at 120 rds. to go around three sides of it
and we have enough wire for the front. This after noon Frank and I drove down town and
took poor old Nellie's hide down which Frank shipped to Hallam. While I was waiting for
Frank at the station an engine came along and before I had time to turn around old Belle got
frightened and broke the old tonge on the waggon. Then Harry fell down or she knocked
him down and Belle jumped with her front feet over him. It was quite a tangle but I don't
think either of them were hurt and nothing but the tongue and Harry's bit was broken. Frank
got a new bit and we borrowed a sleigh tongue from Joe Howell which Waters roped to the
old one so that the draw bolt went partly through both of them and it made it solid enough
for us to go up to Jack McBride's where we put on four rolls of wire for the corner field fence
and we got home with them all right. A new lamb had arrived when we got home. Dad. let all
the lambs but the very youngest and the two that the mother doesn't own out with their
mothers to-day as it was a beautifully warm sunny day with no wind. Tupper came in to-

33

night and left a load of corn here which he had hauled from Simcoe. His team was tired and
he didn't want to tackle the hill with his load.
Wednesday March 20th
I spent quite awhile this morning working at the hot bed and then helped Dad. & Frank put
on a jag of hay to haul to the horse stable. Aunty & Aunty Alice came over to dinner and
just as we sat down Tupper came after his corn so came in and had dinner with us. He hung
around and visited till about three o'clock. Aunty and Aunty Alice went home about four
and Enah went down to tea with them. After they left Dad. & I hauled the hay over and put
it off over the horse stable. Frank went up to Mrs. Duncan's sale right after dinner and got
back just as we got our load off. He bought a hog rack for $3.25. We were late getting
through tea as another lamb arrived just after dark. I went down town but was too late for
church. I spent the evening over at the Moore's and came home with Enah. Lidney & Wilma
McQueen were over at Uncle Hughie's when I was there and Lidney was having a picnic
chasing the kids away from his sap as he has the maples in front of the house tapped. He
came in on two different occasions each time announcing that he had caught a couple of
them. The last time he came in he said he left Garf on sentry and chuckled in great style
over it because he said the kids would outrun him. The Sunday school was lit up and I think
he expected a bunch of kids to get out of it but it was the weekly meeting of the I.O.D.E. It
has been a beautiful day. No wind and quite hot. 84° in the sun. Ed. Moon got home from
England to-night.
Thursday March 21st
We put on another load of hay this morning and hauled it over to the cow stable. While we
were at it Lloyd Ryerse rushed in greatly excited to get Dad. to go down and poke a corn
cob out of their purebred cow's throat as she was choking. Dad went down with him but
when they got there the cow was alright. Dad. says Art. was standing in front of her with a
broomstick and Colin behind her with a corn stalk and it was hard to say which was the
wildest Art or the cow. This after noon Dad. and Frank cleared up a lot of the old fence
bottom around the corner field and burnt over nearly the whole field. To-night Dad. went
down to put Aunty's parlor carpet down and didn't get back till after twelve as they had a
visit from Edgar Cantelon the artist and Huby was there to talk to him. Another great big
lamb came to-night, the property of No. 6. It looks as if it was a week old. Pickford was over
this morning to borrow our cyclone seeder to so his Spring wheat and he did this afternoon,

34

but those who saw him disking and harrowing say it was a very muddy operation It has
been even warmer to-day than yesterday & no wind.
Friday March 22nd
Lloyd Ryerse came in again this morning while we were at breakfast to get Dad. to go down
to see their purebred cow as she had another spell the same as yesterday. Dad decided it
was from drinking too much cold water. I went out this morning to catch Dad's ewe and
hold her for the two lambs to suck and was very surprised to see her licking a new lamb. In
about an hour another one arrived. Both of them were fine big strong lambs a ram & and
ewe, and it was a week ago yesterday that she dropped the first one. At eleven o'clock I
went up to Simcoe to take in Yeager's sale. I thought maybe I could get a cheap saddle but
they didn't start the sale till half past one and I left at four so I didn't see anything but
horses sold. The bidding was very slow on them and there were no big prices paid. They
brought in a big bunch of Clydes which averaged about $350 a team and the highest price
paid for hackneys at the sale was $700. for a team. I came down on the five o'clock car with
Louise who has come up for over Easter. Another fine day but cool north wind.
Saturday March 23rd
I went over to Jack's again this morning and helped Billy get out two more loads of straw on
the strawberries. It got pretty soft when the sun got up well and we got stuck with the
second load and had to put part of it off. This after noon I put soil in the hot bed. The
manure is heating well now and I am a little afraid of it burning out too fast. Dad. and Frank
burned the grass along the road west of the lane where it will make nice pasture for the
sheep. They said Ham Thompson was over again this morning he has a sick ewe up there.
Another lamb arrived this after noon. Arthur McPherson has been over playing with Tid all
the after noon so Tid has had a fine time except when they found a little mouse under
Frank's bee hive and it bit him and later in the day when Arthur shoved him in the ditch and
he had to come in the house and run around pantless the remainder of the after noon. They
had a "net" set in the ditch and he had to content himself watching Arthur out of the
window who went down periodically to lift it. Frank went down town to-night. Sunny but a
cold north wind.
Sunday March 24th
Frank and I didn't get down to Sunday school this morning but went to church and so did
Enah. I stayed down at Aunty's to both dinner and tea but spent the after noon and evening

35

with Marj. and went to church to-night with Aunty, Aunty Alice & Louise I got home about
twelve and went out to feed lambs, but as there was another lamb arriving I didn't go to bed
till it came - about two o'clock and then just changed my clothes and lay down. Nice day.
Cool breeze.
Monday March 25th
I went over to Jack's this morning and helped Billy cover strawberries till noon. We got out
three jags. Aunty and Louise were here to dinner and after dinner Louise went out and
inspected all the stock and took some pictures of the lambs.. After that I slept nearly all the
after noon. Frank went down town and got his hair cut and Dad wrote a letter to Dick. Tonight Dad. went down to go with Aunty and hear Mr. Crosley the evangelist at the Methodist
Church. They heard him here thirty years ago but Dad. said he had changed greatly. The
morning war news was gloomy. The Germans claimed the capture of 30,000 British, 600
guns and advanced in some places 15 miles but Dad. heard to-night that Haig's men had
taken 400,000 Germans and the Crown Prince. It seems incredible but Mr. Brand
announced it in church as being authentic
Tuesday March 26th
I went over and helped Billy cover strawberries this morning and Jack told me he wanted
me to help do chores around the chicken pens this after noon so I put in the after noon,
watering chickens and cleaning off dropping boards and about four o'clock went down with
old Jack and the democrat and got a couple of boxes of eel-parts. I saw May Perry down
town, she was home for a day. The big war news yesterday proved to be all a fake. The
British are still retreating but their lines are not broken and they are inflicting heavy losses
on the Germans who still persist in attacking in massed formations. Nice day. Raw
Wednesday March 27th
I have been over at Jack's all day fiddling around watering, feeding and cleaning out chicken
houses and doing anything anybody told me to. Snowdrop presented us with a big black
bull calf this morning and ewe no 15 had a pair of lambs. To-night I went down town and
went down to the station with Marj. who went to get her tickets for Haliburton. She is going
home for Easter to-morrow. It has been a fine day but freezing to-night.
Thursday March 28th

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I have put in another day over at Jack's, valet for the chickens all morning but this after
noon I helped Billy haul a load of straw over from his place to the red barn and then Jack
and I gathered the sap or at least he gathered it and I drove. We got a big milk can full,
some of the buckets were running over. To-night Frank and I went down to a Horticultural
meeting. Neilson was down from the College lecturing on vegetable growing and Neff was
down with his moving picture machine which is a dandy. Ray and Rebecca came to-night.
Enah went down to-night to choir practice and came back with us. It has been a fine day.
Freezing to-night.
Friday March 29th Good Friday.
Same round of chicken chores to-day and this after noon gathered the sap twice. Some of
the buckets were running over after dinner so I gathered a milk can full and then again at six
I got about half a can again. Coakwell and I went down to Chris's this morning and helped
him move his pig pent back further. Enah went down to church this morning and stayed to
dinner. One of No 15's lambs died to-day. Dad opened it and found it was inflammation of
the bladder. Another beautiful day.
Saturday March 30th
I put in most of the day just watering chickens and scraping off dropping boards. I watered
every chicken pen & coop on the place and cleaned off every dropping board. I started to
dig a hole to bury some dead hens this after noon but had to stop to help Jack gather sap.
We didn't get so much to-day. It didn't freeze as hard last night and has been cloudy quite
a lot to-day. I saw Pud. Slocomb to-day. He is up for over Easter and came over to Jack's at
noon to get Frances. He says he doesn't have to go into the army till the 14th of May and
that will give him time to finish his year at the University. The war news is looking better.
The Germans are still advancing toward Amiens but are losing a pile of men and seem to be
putting themselves in a rather dangerous salient position where there is a possibility of
catching them between the French & British armies. They had to call out the militia down in
Quebec yesterday to quell a riot which started over the rouning up of some fellow under
the Military Service Act. Cloudy & mild. One of Jack's men who was to come to work
Monday has disappointed him so he wants me back next week. I had to tell him I wouldn't
see him stuck, but hate to go back.
Sunday March 31st Easter.

37

We all went down to church this morning, it being Easter. Ray and Louise sang in the choir
which Ray has practiced a couple of times. Alf from Aunty's came over here to dinner but
had to go back early as Ray had to show Rebecca to Aunty Alice Cousin Bessie this after
noon. Tid. and Rebecca had a great time. Enah went down with Louise a little later than the
others and stayed down to tea and evening church. Her father has been pretty sick. I didn't
go to church but drove down afterwards and brought Enah home. It has been very mild all
day and feels like rain. One of Split ears lambs died to-day. It was alright last night.
Monday April 1st
I was up at half past three this morning and didn't go to bed again. My big calf was loose
out in the barn so I tied him up and then did some writing. I spent the day over at Jack's. He,
Chris and I were the only ones there to do chickent chores as his new man that he
expected didn't show up. Frank and Dad. cleaned up oats this after noon. Frank was going
to try to plow on the corn ground to-day but it rained a little so he didn't go out. They
docked eleven of the biggest lambs this morning. To-night Dad. and Enah went down to the
Masonic dance. Very mild, cloudy and rainy.
Tuesday April 2nd
I have been over at Jack's all day and Frank started to plow this morning but didn't get
much done. Enah had such cramps this morning that she had to go back to bed before
breakfast and was very sick when I left. I came home again in about an hour or two and she
was no better and Dad. was beginning to feel sick, soon after that I saw Frank going down
town after Aunty as Dad. was laid up and when I got home at noon Dr. Cook was here. He
says there are about forty of the ones who went to the dance last night laid up in the same
way. They blame it to some chicken sandwiches they had, the chicken having been pressed
or cooked in tin dishes. Neither Dad nor Enah have been able to sit up all day. Aunty is
staying all night. Everyone is roasting Dr. Cook in a good-natured way as he was one of the
two who looked after the banquet, Woodyer was the other and he is very sick and all of Dr.
Cook's family is sick but he is alright.
Wednesday April 3rd
Dad. doesn't seem to be much better to-day but Enah was up at noon and felt much
better. Aunty Alice came over this morning but went back again before tea. Aunty stayed
till after tea and then I walked down with her. I spent the day over at Jacks. He has two new
men on over there to-day but wanted me to stay the rest of the week till he gets them

38

"broken in". To-night I went up to Ham Thompson's from town and borrowed a setting hen. I
have one of my own and I think I will get a setting of Ham's bred-to-lay Rocks and a setting
of good ones from Jack which he said he would let me have at half price and see which do
the best. I intended to trap nest any pullets I raise as I think if I just have a few I can look
after them better. Sunny but cold east wind. Freezing to-night.
Thursday April 4th
I have put in another day at Jack's cleaning out chicken houses most of the time. Enah
seems to be alright again but Dad. is still pretty miserable he lay around all day but was
able to eat a little. Aunty and Lila were over here to dinner. I had a letter from The Shaw
Correspondence School yester day saying that my drawings showed I had ability to make a
success as an Illustrator. I suppose they say the same to everyone but I think if possible I
will take the course in the Fall. Fine and Cold. Freezing to-night.
Friday April 5th
I have been over at Jacks all day. Dad. felt well enough to help me milk this morning and he
went down town for dinner, when I got home to-night he had the milking all done and
separated. He feels a little weak yet and has a bad cold. Frank went down town on his wheel
and got Alan Law to bring home our new waggon tongue which Joe Howell made and ironed
off for only two dollars. To-night Frank and I went with Aunty to hear Mr. Crossley and see
him give his physical culture exercises. She had invited the Oddfellows and Masons to
come and hear him so the Presbyterian Church was well filled.
Saturday April 6th
I put in my last day at Jack's to-day. He may want me to help feed next Tuesday but I don't
have to go at it steadily again. Frank went down town this after noon and got some coal oil
and this after when he came back he started to plow the plum orchard which worked well
he said. To-night Frank and I walked down town and spent the evening bumming around
town. Sunny & mild all day. Cloudy to-night.
Sunday April 7th
Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and after church I went
up to the McBain property to meet Ham Thompson and look over a plot which we think will
do for the J.F.I.A. Aunty was over here to dinner. Dad. Enah and the baby drove down to

39

church but Dad. & Tim. went over to see Dave. Waddle while Enah went to church. This
afternoon I went down town I went around to the Moore's to see if Marj. had come yet but
she hadn't. I was there for an hour or two. I went down to meet the five o'clock car and went
up to Huby's for tea and part of the evening. I went down and met the nine o'clock car on
which Marj. arrived and I spent the rest of the evening up at Mr. Moore's. It has been cloudy
with a cool wind and looks stormy.
Monday April 8th
Frank and Dad. went to the back field this morning and Frank has been disking back there
all day, and says it works fine. Dad. went over to see John Wess for awhile but he had gone
down to meet Cam. I went up to Ham Thompson's and got a setting of Rock eggs and got
him to telephone Neff. to come down here Wednesday night and he said he would tell the
rest of the boys to meet and arrange for growing our potatoes. When I got home I went
over to Jack's to get a setting from him but they didn't have a setting from the pen I wanted
them from so I had to leave my basket. This after noon Dad. and I cleaned up oats Dad.
went down to-night and went to hear Mr. Crossley with Aunty on the wickedness of cardplaying and dancing but he didn't care for him so much. It has been cold this after noon
with north wind but was nice this morning.
Tuesday. April 9th
It froze hard last night so Frank didn't go to the back field but plowed all morning in the
plum orchard. Dad. and I went to the back field and opened up a ditch along by the woods
which was plowed in last fall. This after noon Dad. & Frank went back with two teams to
work on the back field. Frank took Belle & Queen and harrowed. I went back with him and
helped him get hooked up and then came up and helped Dad. put Harry and Dave together and he went back and disked. Enah went down to a meeting of Mr. Crossley's
addressed solely to the ladies but she didn't like it much. I stayed here with Tim and spent
most of the after noon grinding up oil-cake in the cider mill. To-night I went down to see
Marj. for awhile. It has been cold with a strong north east wind.
Wednesday April 10th
Frank and I went down town this morning and got our seed potatoes and clover seed. Dad.
went back with Harry & Dave and disked and Frank harrowed with Belle & Queen when we
got back from town. Frank disked this after noon with Belle & Harry and Dad and I treated
enough oats with formaldehyde for smut to sow the back field. To-night Frank and I went

40

over to Ham Thompson's to a J.F.I.A. meeting but there were not many out. Neff. was down
and wanted us to get a plot for our potatoes with both clay & sand in it so that we could
run the two experiments, so we decided to go over and have a look at a piece of Lorne
Myer's which he thinks will answer the requirements so a committee of Arnold McBride, Ham
& I were empowered to go over and look at the plot and decide this week whether we
would take it or Taylor's piece. After After we chewed the rag over our potatoes for an hour
or so we had a game of cards and some music everybody contributing. It has been cloudy
& very cold all day with a strong north east wind and is snowing tonight.
Thursday April 11th
We didn't do much this morning but ear tag the lambs but that took quite awhile not only
to put the labels in but to get them in the right lambs & mark it down. I did the same as last
year and put all the lambs down first in a book then started with the oldest and put the
smallest number in his ear and so on to the youngest. By putting them all down first it is
easier to check off the ones we have done and don't have to catch them in regular order.
Art Quanbury yelled at me this morning to tell me that Jack wanted me over there to-day
but I couldn't go till noon but was over there all the afternoon. Dad. and Frank ear marked
the yearling ewes and rams and got some hay ready to load and bring over to the horsestable. It has been cloudy and windy to-day but not cold. The ground was covered with
snow this morning and it is not all melted off by to-night. They moved eight loads of the gas
drilling outfit on to Jack Martin's place to-day on the top of the gully hill near the road.
Friday April 12th
I went over to Lorne Myer's after breakfast this morning and met Ham Thompson and we
picked out two half acre plots one clay loam and the other lighter soil which we think will do
for our potatoes. Lorne wasn't home but left word for us to pick out what we wanted. I went
over Jack's when we got through and worked till noon and then put in the after noon over
there. Dad. and Frank moved some hay over to the horse stable this morning and this after
noon Frank went down and got the money from Mr. Walker and sent a check to Johnson for
his potatoes and clover seed. They plowed some more of the plum orchard. To-night I went
down and saw Marj. for awhile. It has been cold and raw all day.
Saturday April 13th
I went over to Jack's this morning and fed up and then came back and helped Dad. put on a
jag of hay for the cow stable. I was over at Jack's all the after noon. Frank finished plowing

41

the plum orchard this morning and this after noon he and Dad. worked on the back field
and got on fairly well. Frank and I went down town to-night and I had my hair cut and hung
around town till midnight. The Daylight saving plan came into operation to-night and all the
clocks were put on one hour. It is funny to hear the comments of those who uphold and
oppose the bill. I am rather in favor of it as I think it will benefit the country as a whole
although it may make it a little awkward for us farmers during haying and harvest when
there are heavy dews but otherwise I can' t see how it will affect us in the least, but some
people, Dad. and Aunty among them can't understand how it is that they aren't going to
lose an hour's sleep in the morning, but I think they will find they depend more on the clock
than they suppose. It has been a lovely sunny day.
Sunday April 14th
I didn't get up till seven o'clock (new time) this morning and was too late for Sunday school
but Frank went down on his wheel and Enah and I drove down to church, our church ran on
new time but the others didn't as they thought the people in the country didn't all know
about it. Miss Morgan and Miss Newell came in just as church was over. Elva invited Marj.
and me through Enah to go for a motor ride this after noon as Brant Bloodsworth had his
father's car down here so we did and had a nice after noon but we got rather tired. I didn't
think they were going far but we went to Brantford and a long way out on the Hamilton road
from Brantford and didn't get home till nine o'clock. We had a nice time but a little too
much of it. Frank and Lila rode their wheels down to the Ward's this after noon and Frank
didn't get home till nine o'clock either. Aunty and Aunty Alice were over to dinner and Huby
was over here to tea. The Pickford's and Gilbert Lynchs were also over this after noon.
Lovely sunny day.
Monday April 15th
Dad. and Frank have worked both teams on the back field to-day and got it about half
drilled in by to-night. I went over to Jack's for a couple of hours this morning and this after
noon I did the chores over here at noon so was late getting to Jack's and then spen about
half an hour helping to dig a big car out of the mud hole at the corner. The new time makes
things later in the morning but its nice at night. Clementine Tupper had a red bull calf this
morning and the white ewe had a pair of twins which don't seem very strong, that brings
the lamb crop up to twenty four, eleven ewes & thirteen ram lambs.
Tuesday April 16th

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Dad. finished drilling in the back field this morning and sowed a little piece near the woods
broadcast as it was the other side of the ditch which he didn't want to cross. This afternoon
he harrowed it over and Frank worked all the after noon on the piece back of the orchard. I
put in a little over four hours over at Jack's and spent the rest of the time over at J doing
chores. Very cloudy & mild.
Wednesday April 17th
Dad. and Frank furrowed out the oat field this morning and went down to the mill and got
three bushels of barley to mix with oats and sow on the three acres of wheat along the side
road as they are sure it is killed completely. On their way home from the mill they came in
to Jack's and got three oak blocks which Frank Awde was going to burn on the bonfire as he
said they were too tough to split. I was over there most of the morning and part of the after
noon, but after dinner I helped Dad. treat the rest of the oats that were cleaned up. Frank
went out to plow and got in an hour or two but rain drove him in at five o'clock. To-night I
spent the evening with Marj. It has been cloudy all day. Sultry this morning and rainy all the
after noon It rained heavily for a couple of hours but when I came home to-night It had
stopped.
Thursday April 18th
I have been over at Jack's most of the day to-day. It has been cloudy and windy but too
wet to work on the land but Frank plowed this after noon. He was on the sod east of the
lane and says it it is pretty wet. This morning Dad. and Frank docked the rest of the lambs.
The white ewes lambs are doing better but she is inclined not to own the youngest one
however he gets enough milk some way to keep him satisfied. The Germans are making an
awful drive now towards Ypres and have gained some high ground. There is talk now of
calling out all the physically fit men in Canada between 20 & 23 and granting no
exemptions at all but the bill has not been put through yet. Enah had a letter from Quint today. He has been up to the front line with a machine gun battery but evidently not in any
action yet. It snowed again to-night.
Friday April 19th
Dad. plowed this morning in the sod field back of the orchard and Frank took a shear down
to Halloway to be sharpened. This after noon Frank plowed and Art Ryerse came up to get
Dad. to go down and see their purebred heifer as she had another fit but when they got
down there she was dead. Aunty was over here to dinner to-day. To-night Frank went

43

down to a dance in the town hall. Tiny & Joe Dyer came home this after noon. It has been
cold and cloudy all day. I have been over at Jack's most of the day but a new man came today.
Saturday April 20th
I went over to Jack's about nine o clock this morning and found the new man, Frank Reid
had most of the chores done on this side of the road so I did up most of Chris's for him.
This after noon I didn't go back till five o'clock and then went back to show Ried how to
feed up and get the eggs in the right pens of the egg baskets. He is just a schoolboy from
down near Kingston but doesn't seem like a bad sort. I spent most of the after noon
washing the buggy. Frank worked up the plum orchard and Dad. sowed oats on it and I
sowed rape seed and then Frank harrowed it. He went out and plowed when he got
through. Dad. Enah and the baby drove down town after I got the buggy washed. I worked
till dark to-night raking up the lawn and then went over to Jack's and got an egg tester and
tested out my two settings and just took out three eggs
Sunday April 21st
Enah and I walked down to church this morning as it rained hard during the night and this
morning and we didn't want to get the buggy dirty. I stayed down and had dinner with
Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida but Aunty came over here to dinner with Enah. I spent the after
noon and evening with Marj. and had tea at Miss Kerney's. Marj. and I went to church and
then walked up to ask after old Mr. Martin who is very sick with pneumonia. Cloudy but
mild.
Monday April 22nd
It rained a little again early this morning and has been cloudy and windy most of the day
but looks clearer to-night. It was too wet to do anything on the land so this morning we
moved a couple of jags of hay over to the horse stable we didn't put on a full load as we
thought the ground was too soft. This after noon Frank and I took a very small jag over to
the cow stable and Dad. went over with Cam. McBride to operate on a pig. I got some more
raking done on the lawn to-night. Geordie Boughner was in to-night to look at my red steer
but only offered me 8½ cts for him so I decided to feed him for another month. Dad. had a
letter from Dick to-day saying that intends to resign soon as he is now certain that he will
be drafted although he has not had any notice from the Military Authorities yet. He hopes
to go and see Granddaddy and spend a week on some ranch out there learning to ride.

44

Tuesday April 23rd
I sowed clover seed on the wheat back of the barn this morning. There doesn't seem to be
much chance of any wheat coming but it is clean and so we thought we would take a
chance on something coming to shade the clover seed. Dad. and Frank started to plow the
old garden one plowed and the other raked the long manure into the furrow. I went over
and took Dad's place when I got through sowing and Dad. went over and rolled up some of
the barbed wire around the corner field along the front road. This afte rnoon Dad. and Frank
plowed all they could of the old garden which was just on top of the knoll as the west and
south sides were too wet. When they finished there Dad. went out and rolled up the rest of
the wire along the south side of the field and Frank went on plowing along the east side of
the field north of the orchard as it was fairly dry. I did up the chores at noon and then raked
up the yard where the raspberries are. Enah and Tid. went down town to tea and Dad. Frank
and I went down afterwards to go to a show "The Village Doctor" put on by the Jarvis
Methodist Bible Class. It was a pretty punk show but they didn't do so badly considering
what they had to work on. Tid. seemed to enjoy it. It has been a fine day but raining again
to-night.
Wednesday April 24th
Frank plowed all morning and Dad. took down barbed wire from around the corner field and
this after noon Dad. finished up Frank's lands and Frank finished rolling up the wire. I raked
up on the lawn all morning and this after noon I did up the chores and then went over to
Lorne Myer's to see if our choice of land for potato plots was satisfactory to him, he is very
willing to do all he can to help. To-night Dad drove Enah down to choir practice but it was
just about over when she got there. Dad. spent the evening quarrelling with Huby about
farmers’ position. Huby upholding his favorite contention that the farmer's were making
more money than anyone else, which being untrue and Huby's arguments so foolish made
Dad. mad. Cloudy and cold raw wind. Freezing hard to-night.
Thursday April 25th
I spent the morning finishing raking the lawn and working at my rose bushes. Dad. plowed
the headlands of the field north of the orchard as the west side of the field is too wet yet to
plow. This after noon Frank harrowed with Queen & Belle on the fall plowing and Dad. disked
up the old garden with Harry & Dave. Then I took his team and disked on the field and he
helped Enah put in some onion sets. Aunty Alice and Dess were over here to tea and I went

45

down with them this evening to go to a sidesmans meeting at the Rectory but was the only
one there so just sat there and visited with Mr. & Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Top. Dunkin who
had come down from Vittoria with Mr. Johnson he has 6 acres up there which he and Top.
are raising vegetables on. Frank and I went to the mill this morning and got some chop to
finish off my big steer with. Sunny but raw.
Friday April 26th
Dad. and Frank disked and harrowed back of the orchard and this after noon Dad. drilled in
all the oats we had cleaned up which sowed all of the fall plowing but not quite all of the oat
stubble. Frank harrowed after the drill. I spent the morning doing a few chores and cleaning
out the rest of my rose bushes and mulching them. This after noon I planted some Irish
Cobbler potatoes out in the old garden. I went down town to-night. Cloudy but mild.
Saturday April 27th
This morning Dad. and Frank ran out the ditches in the piece Dad. drilled yesterday and
then Frank started to disk up the three acres along the side road where we put wheat last
fall but on which there is not a sign of anything alive except the grass on a few sods here
and there. Frank didn't get all over it by noon but says it works up like a garden. Dad.
cleaned out some ditches while I planted a few more potatoes and then we cleaned up
what few seed oats we had left about four or five bushels. After dinner Dad. took Joe &
Queen and the drill and Frank took Belle & Harry. Dad. harrowed till Frank got through
disking and then drilled the piece in with oats & barley mixed half & half. Frank harrowed
after the drill and Dad. went out after he brought his team & the drill up and they ran out
the furrows finishing about seven. I spent most of the after noon chasing after the sheep
which wouldn't stay in the gully but wandered all over the farm and putting and planing
potatoes. I now have about five rows planted the length of the old garden and the sixth one
started. Very warm and rather sultry to-day.
Sunday April 28th
Frank and I went down to church this morning and Aunty and Marj. came over to dinner.
This after noon Aunty, Marj. & Tid. And I went to the woods and got a great lot of
mayflowers and Spring beauties and a few adder tongues, the trilliums are not out yet. The
flowers are very thick back there and are big and a great variety of colours. Jim and Mrs.
Waddle were here when we got back and Dad. said Ham and Bert Thompson had been
here. Frank was down at the Ryerse's on his wheel. Enah, Aunty, Marj. and I went down to

46

Aunty's for tea. Aunty Alice had been down seeing Lila off as she went up to Lynn Valley on
the five car and is going to start working for Chris Quanbury to-morrow. We all went to
church to-night except Aunty and Aunt Ida and Perce Kindree & I assumed our duties as
sidesmen. After church Marj. and I went down with Aunty Alice as Marj. had left some
flowers down there. I got home before Frank as he had gone to Simcoe on the car with
young Lampkins and Crosby. It has been very warm all day with a south breeze but it rained
a little shower to-night.
Monday April 29th
Frank has been plowing all day on the five acre north of the orchard and thinks he can finish
it to-morrow. Dad. went over first thing to see if he could get some barley from Jack. And
saw Billy Mills who said they had a little but didn't know whether they would have six
bushels more than enough for themselves but I went over and helped him clean it up and
he decided that he could let us have our six bushels. Dad. Tid and I went after it right after
dinner and then Dad. went down to Sam's and borrowed his disk drill and drilled till about
seven o'clock on the wheat back of the barn. It was in beautiful shape and the disk drill
hardly cut out any wheat but as he didn't have it set in very deep it didn't all cover. He
didn't get all the field in as it began to rain before dark, so there is the little piece west of
the ditch unsowed. Young Leo Mitchell was in this afternoon to have Dad. lance a big lump
on his mare's breast. Fine day, a little shower to-night.
Tuesday April 30th
Frank plowed all morning and got the field done except for finishing up the last lands and
Dad. finished them up this after noon. Dad. decided not to sow barley on the knoll west of
the ditch as the wheat is pretty good in spots on it and we thought we would leave it for
the sake of comparison; so we took the barley out of the drill and Dad. took it home. When
he got back he disked with Joe & Queen till noon and this after noon Frank took them and
disked. A Mr. Broadley from Charlotteville came in just before dinner with a big grey
Percheron stallion and he stayed here to dinner. The stallion was "Jason" the one Chart
Wooley bought at Yeager's sale, this Broadley has just bought him from Chart and wants to
travel him down this way. He is the same one that Stinhoff had through here last year and
didn't leave many colts. I did odd jobs & chores all day. Neil Elliott was in this after noon and
looked at my big steer and offered me 10 cts for him now, but I didn't sell him. Sunny & cool.
Wednesday May 1st

47

Frank and I worked on the five acre field pretty much all day and have gone over it twice
with the disk lengthways and twice with the harrows the same way and Frank started over
it with the disks crossways. Dad. did chores and cleaned out ditches all day and to-night
just before tea went over to Quanbury's and bagged up six bags of oats to sow, where we
are working now. After tea the Quanbury boys brought their flat rack and the oats over here
and left them as we want the flat rack to sheer sheep on. I went down town to-night. It has
been sunny but very cold north wind all day.
Thursday May 2nd
Frank disked the field north of the orchard crossways this morning getting over it by a little
after twelve but he didn't lop the disks half. Dad. and I sawed up one of the old oak limbs
and then cleaned up the oats that the Quanbury boy's brought over. This after noon I
harrowed with Queen & Dave and Dad. started to drill with Harry and Belle. We hoped to
have been through seeding to-night but Dad. ran out of seed so we had to stop. Frank went
down town and got a board at the Widespread and spent the afternoon making a woolpressing box. Pickford came over to-night to borrow the clover seeder and was here all the
evening. Not cold but very strong south west wind.
Friday May 3rd
Dad and I cleaned up what few oats we had in the bin this morning and Dad. finished drilling
the field before dinner but it took him till night to get it all harrowed and furrowed out. We
are now through seeding. I spent the morning fixing up a coop to put my little chickens in
and cleaning up the back yard. Frank went out and pulled all the posts out around the
cornerfield cleaned out his bee hives and put them away (as the bees are all dead) and
worked some more on the wool box, when Dad. was ready he went out and helped him run
the ditches. Neff was in the after noon with some of the potatoes for the J.F.I.A. plot and I
went with him over to Lorne Myer's Lorne wasn't home but we left the potatoes there and
had a look at the land. Neff said it was alright. To-night I rode Queen up to Ham Thompson's
to see about spraying. Dess was over after tea to-night. She and Dad. each got a letter from
Dick who expects to be home in a couple of weeks. He wants to get in the Navy but Head
Office ordered him to report for accountant at Imperial. Sask. but the manager told him it
wasn't worth his while. Fine day.
Saturday May 4th

48

We expected to start in first thing this morning and shear the sheep, but when we went to
take the horse clipping attachment off to put the sheep shearers on we couldn't do it. The
directions with the machine said to put a screwdriver between the cogs and jerk the handle
backward and we tried that several times but were afraid of breaking the little cogs in fact
we did chip a couple of them. Art Quanbury came in and tried it but couldn't do any better
so at last Frank took it down to Mr. James. He worked at it for an hour than advised Frank to
take it up to the garage. The fellow up there and old Hamaker couldn't take it off but when
George Gamble came in and did according to directions aparently the same as all the rest
had tried it came off in a minute. He seems to be a regular wizzard with machinery. Frank
didn't get home till after noon so it was late when we got started and Rus Lampkins was in
for quite awhile so we only got the white ewe and the old ram sheared. This morning Dad.
and I cleaned out the worst ditch in the oat field across the gully and I moved the little
chickens down into their outside coops. I have just twelve out of each setting. Frank went
down town to-night. Rus. Lampkins took the inch pipe he left here two or three years ago
for the sink. Cloudy morning but fine day.
Sunday May 5th
We all went to church this morning. Frank Enah and I walked down and Dad. & Tim drove
down. Frank and I drove Joe home and the rest stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. I helped
Frank do chores and then hooked Queen up and took Marj. for a drive. We drove down the
lake shore and took Mr. Moore some provisions. He seemed very glad to see us and took us
in and showed their house and the farm. They have 19 acres in. I picked Winnie up on the
way home and she was over here to tea and I walked down with her after tea but was too
late for church. I met Marj. after church and spent the evening with her. It has been warm
and sunny all day and feels as if it would rain. We would be glad to see a rain now as things
are getting pretty dry.
Monday May 6th
We have been shearing all day but only got eight done, we didn't get started very early and
made better time with last few. Jack Walker was over this after noon to get some elms for
Gus to set out in front of his house. I went back with him to the woods and we got four. Tonight I got the lawn mower out of winter quarters but didn't have time to cut much lawn
before dark. Very warm.
Tuesday May 7th

49

We have been at the shearing all day again to-day and only got eight sheep done. Mr.
Broadley and Jason were in again for dinner and he sheared a couple for us one with the
machine and one with the shears. He likes the shears best and made better time with them.
Ham Thompson was in too while he was here. He came to tell me that the spraying was all
off as it was too late now. Dad. had a letter from Dick from Regina enclosing the check for
his trunk which is at the station now. He said the whole town of Cadillac was at the station
to see him off. They had a surprise party for him at which they intended presenting him
with a wrist watch but as it didn't come for the occasion, they will ship it to Dover for him. A
letter addressed to him also came here from the Registrar of Saskatchewan saying that he
had transferred Dick's name to the Toronto Registrar and for Dick to see him as soon as
possible. Enah sent the letter to Ray as Dick intends to stay in Toronto a day or two before
he comes home. I cut more of the lawn to-night. It was raining when we got up this morning
has been very warm all day and although sunny at times rained several times quite heavily.
Wednesday May 8th
We sheared sheep all day and got 9 done to-day which was a slight improvement. We only
have three left now to shear. To-night I went down town and Marj. and I went to the
Presbyterian Church to hear Mr. Fulton Presbyterian Minister in Simcoe give a talk on
Ireland which wasn't bad. Frank and Enah drove down and Enah went to Choir practice but
there weren't enough there to have any. Fair & cooler. No ink in the house.
Thursday May 9th
We finished shearing the sheep this morning but it took us till noon. This after-noon Frank
and I took down the piece of wire fence which we had along the potato patch back of the
barn last year and put it between the orchard and the plum orchard so that we could let
the sheep in the orchard. Tom came in just as we got that done and wanted us to clip
Maude so Dad. Tom and I clipped her and Frank went down town and got some oil and
when he got back he disked up last year's potato patch back of the barn and when we got
Maud clipped he and Dad. went out to plow the old garden. Winnie & Dess came over this
after noon and were here to tea. Alex Jameson was in too for a short visit. Tom brought
Dick's trunk over for us so saved us a trip down with the waggon. Brant Bloodsworth & Elva
came over after tea in the car and took the girls home and Enah & Tid for a ride. Brant. left
the bank to-day and has to report in Brantford on Monday, he has got into the Flying Corps.
Neff came over in his car this after noon and brought us the twine for our wool which he
promised to send us. Dad. had a letter from Dick to-day from Toronto saying he would be

50

home in a day or two, he couldn't get into the Navy, but is going to try the Aviation or
Artillery. To-night Frank and I drove Queen over to Lorne Myers for a drive around the
block. Fine growing day.
Friday May 10th
I spent most of the morning tying up the wool. Frank and Dad. went out to finish plowing the
old garden but it began to rain so they had to come in and Frank helped me with the wool.
Art. Quanbury came over at noon to borrow the clippers as he wanted to shear his sheep
and Frank went over with him and sheared the first one. It was very windy and rather cold
this after noon so we didn't haul any hay as we intended but when Frank came home we
put the wool in the big sack they sent us from the Association. I had to get in and tramp it
and we had a hard job putting the thirty fleeces in but we did but couldn't get the bundle of
tags in so will have to send them separately. To-night Dad. went down town with Aunty
Alice's milk and Frank and I spent the evening over at the gas well. Dad. wasn't home when
we went to bed, and we were very surprised to be wakened soon after we were asleep by
no less a personage than old Dick, he had come in on the seven o'clock car and had come
home with Dad. He. Dad. and Enah sat up till after midnight, Dick telling them of his life since
he left. He evidently had some good times in the West and is very much in love with the
Prairies. He hasn't enlisted yet nor been drafted. He hoped to see Joe Dyer here as he is to
be in command of three batteries of artillery in Toronto, but he has just left for Chicago for
a week.
Saturday May 11th
We moved a pretty good load of hay over the horse stable this morning and took a small
jag to the cow stable. We were delayed while putting it on by the cattle breaking down a
post of the barnyard fence and getting into the wheat. There was one piece about 2 yards
square of fairly good wheat and they trimmed it right to the ground. Aunty came over to
dinner and this afternoon Dad. Dick. Aunty & Tim all went down town and Dad. fixed up the
walks and the bay-window bed down home. Dick didn't come back to tea and stayed down
town all night. Frank and I went back to the gully this after noon and started to take down
the crossfence as it has become so delapitated that it is past fixing. We got the wire off
and rolled on this side of the creek but didn't get much done at the other side. We went
back to the woods to see our ginseng and golden-seal. The Ginseng is not up yet but the
Golden seal looks fine. Frank caught a snapping turtle back there and took it over to Henry
at the gas well as he eats them. We saw a big flock a hundred or more of American

51

Goldfinches back in the gully. It seemed as if they had just come. To-night Frank and I went
down town and I got my hair cut. Sunny morning but rainy after noon.
Sunday May 12th
It was raining when we got up this morning and rained pretty much all morning but cleared
off for the after noon but was showery again all the evening. Enah and I drove down to
church and I drove Enah home after church and then drove back to the top of Marshall's hill
and picked Dick and Dess up who had started to walk over to dinner. After dinner Dick took
our picture and then I went down town I had tea at Aunty's and went to church with her and
spent the evening learning Latin from Marj. Dad. drove Dick and Dess part way down town
soon after I left and they went to Brantford on the five car to see Musa and came back on
the eleven. I waited till the car came in but not till Dick {illegible} come.
Monday May 13th
We have spent the whole day working at the fence around the corner field. We took the
team and waggon out this morning and gathered up all the wire, short posts and rubbish
along the fence bottom and measured off where our anchor post at the north west corner
has to go. Frank borrowed Jack's chain this morning when he went over to get the seven
ducks that Jack hatched for him. Dick came over right after dinner and as he was going to
Toronto to-night to see if he could get into the Artillery we sat around for awhile after
dinner talking to him, and about three or half past Dad. drove him down town to catch the
train. There was notice of a registered parcel for him in the mail and it proved to be a dandy
wrist watch which his friends in Cadillac had sent him. Frank and I went on surveying the
fence while Dad. was down town and when he came back he brought the team out and
started to plow a ridge along the front road for a fence bottom. They had to stop working at
the gas well to-night as they have run out of rope. It has been cool and rather cloudy.
Tuesday May 14th
We have been all day at the fence again to-day and Dad. got the ridge for the fence
bottom plowed all the way around the field. It kept Frank and me pretty busy setting stakes
and making sure of the measurements. We grafted a couple of small wild apple trees on the
road, just to see what we could do Walt Demming and Geordie Boughner were in this after
noon to look at the red steer but only offered me $75 for him Niel was in yesterday and
offered me $80. I asked $85 for him and if I don't get it I wont sell him. To-night I caught the

52

cat which we have caught twice stealing my little chickens and took her down to the pond
or at least the creek and drowned her. Fine day.
Wednesday May 15th
This morning Dad. and I went back to fix the gully fence while Frank took the two plow
shears down to be sharpened and to have something done to his teeth. After dinner Frank
and I took a load of manure over to our potato patch at Lorne Myers. We were over there
quite awhile and got some more stuff at the mill for the calves and Frank's ducks so it was
about half past four when we got home. We put on a load of manure and took it back to the
sand knoll across the gully where we had the turnips last year and where we hope to have
some potatoes this year Dad and Enah were working in the garden till we came home and
then Dad. came back and he and Frank fixed a little more of the gully fence while I threw the
last of the load off and brought the team up. To-night I went down town and learned Latin.
Lorne Myers said to-day he thought he could have our plots ready to plant by Saturday so
we are going to try it. Fine day but cold breeze.
Thursday May 16th
Frank and I hauled four loads more back over the gully this morning and one this after noon
which covered the patch. Dad. finished fixing the gully fence and went back to John
Wesses and borrowed his spud and spoon to dig anchor post holes. This after noon Dad. let
the cattle back. When Frank and I got through hauling manure back over the gully, they we
hauled a load out to the old garden to put on east of the currant bushes. It was a big load
and Frank got stuck going through a wet place so we had to throw part of it off. He and Dad.
started to plow the rest of the old garden and I started to dig an anchor post hole, but we
quit early so that Frank and I could get started out to notify the J.F.I.A. members of our
intention of planting potatoes on Saturday and to invite them all to help. I took Joe and the
saddle and went north as far as Butlers and Frank went east on his wheel and the ones we
didn't get the others will telephone. All I saw said they would come in the after noon anyway
except Willard Butter and he said he couldn't. He and his brother have 160 they are trying
to farm as old Nate is not able to work so the doctor told him and the oldest brother has
just been drafted. Karl and Fred Coleman were over this morning and offered me $85 if I
kept him for two weeks so I let him go. Mary presented us with another clear red heifer calf
to-night. This was Dad's & Enah's 12th wedding {Toby made a squiggle and an arrow pointing
to this comment in the margin :"Wavy lines denote intense drowsiness"} anniversary so
Aunty and Aunty Alice were over to tea. Fine day, not much breeze. Very hot.

53

Friday May 17th
I went up to Ham Thompson's first thing this morning as Frank said he intended to spray his
orchard for second spray but when I got up there and told him that we wouldn't have time
to spray our orchard, he decided that he didn't either so I came home. I sowed clover seed
on the three acres by the side road when I got home and then went over to Lorne Myer's to
help him get the formalin solution ready and start treating the seed potatoes so as to have
some ready to cut to-morrow. Dad. and Frank plowed the rest of the old garden to-day.
This after noon we plowed in some potatoes in the sod east of the current bushes. Frank
went down town soon after dinner to have his gum lanced where a wisdom tooth is coming
and which has been very sore all day. Neff came in about five o'clock and got me to go over
to Myer's to help him measure out the plots. He decided we wouldn't have enough seed for
and acre so made the plots quite a lot smaller. Frank went down to Glen Ryerse's to-day to
see if he could get some strawberry plants but couldn't. They seem to be very scarce. Fine
day and hot.
Saturday May 18th
Frank and I went over to Lorne Myer's first thing after breakfast and have been over all day
as we took our lunch. We got all our potatoes planted and were through by six o'clock.
Frank and I were the first ones there and Neff .Tige McBride & Tick Nunn and Lloyd Crysler
came soon after. We cut potatoes and measured off the plots all morning and Lorne
cultivated and ran the furrows for us. Neff and Tick didn't come back after dinner but the
others did and a big force besides consisting of Rolson, Charlie Blake, Ham Thompson, Leo
Challand, Willie Nixon, Charlie Shand, Charlie Stitt and Eldon Crosbie also Arnold Myers and
Alex England. It didn't take us long to plant and cover them but we had far more seed than
enough to sow the plots that Neff marked out so we had to take about half as much land
again and get Lorne to run us some more furrows. Dad. Enah, Tid & Frank went down town
to-night.
Sunday May 19th
Enah and I drove down to church this morning and left Frank and Dad pasturing the sheep
on the lawn. Enah stayed down at her mother's to dinner so Frank, Dad. and I had dinner
alone. Right after dinner I hooked Queen up and Marj. and I went for a drive up above
Fisher's Glen. Dad. was very disgusted at me when I got home as he had spent two hours
this morning trimming the long hair off Queen's legs and ears and I never noticed it. Ed.

54

Moon was over here to tea and had been reading Dad. his diary which he kept all the time
he was in the Army. I hurried around, had tea before the rest and went down to church. I
was late but went in and heard a Mr. Trivet who has been a missionary in Honan, China. He
was very interesting. A Mr. Anderson from. Waterford was here this morning and he had
been in India for quite awhile. I spent the evening with Marj. Sunny and hot but nice breeze.
Monday May 20th
We spent a couple of hours this morning with Billy and Pommers as Dad. trimmed their feet
and pulled out some milk teeth out of each of them. Then I went out and finished digging
the anchor post hole which I began the other day. This after noon I dug another one and got
to within about a foot of the bottom of the third and last one. I would just about finished it
but I put another crack in the handle of John Wesses spoon so had to take a half an hour
off to wind it, however the last foot always takes longer to dig than all the rest. I am using
John Wesses spud and spoon so that I won't have to dig a great big hole. Before dinner
Dad. and Frank got the manure spreader all oiled up and did a little more disking and fixing
up this end of the lane. Dad. got it all plowed on Saturday. This after noon they hauled out
eleven loads of manure on the corn ground getting about half the pile at the cow stable out
there. Aunty was over for awhile this after noon and told Enah our dipping tank was at the
station. John Shand was also over for a visit. Fine day and hot.
Tuesday May 21st
Dad. and Frank hauled out manure all morning and got the shed at the cow stable all
cleaned out. I went out to finish the anchor post hole but the colts had got into the back
field so I had to go and put them out and cut a pole in the woods to put across the gap for
a top bar. As the span is about fifteen feet I had to cut one with a good sized butt. The first
one I got was too short and the second one was so heavy, it was all I could do to drag it out
of the woods and up the hill. I had a chance, though, to look at my ginseng which is coming
up. I then went back and finished the post hole before dinner. This after noon Frank, Tid.
and I went down town in the waggon with Joe & Queen & got our dipping tank and five
cement tiles one of which broke all to pieces coming home as it was only a month old. Dad.
wanted them to put across the lane gate in the barnyard. We had to go back down to the
mill after we unloaded our tank & tile to get some feed oats and one of our barrells to treat
potatoes in which Lorne Myers brought down to the mill for us. When we got them home
we took two of the locust anchor posts and a couple of brace posts out to the field. Tonight Frank and I hooked up Queen and drove up to Saville's this side of Lynn Valley as old

55

Broadley who was here at noon said he had some strawberry plants but he hadn't, however
we called in at Trinder's on our way home and he said he could let us have three hundred if
we came after them in the morning. We got home soon after ten and I was just going to bed
when Dick came in, he had come up on the nine car. We sat around and talked for an hour
or more. He told us that Joe Syer was going to get him into the Artillery but had given him
till Saturday morning to come home, they then expect to go to Petewawa and he doesn't
think he will be able to get home till they go overseas. He brought us up a package of
Cooper's dipping powder with about a bushel of booklets pertaining to sheep He says he
had a whale of a time in Toronto. Fine day.
Wednesday May 22nd
Frank went up after the strawberry plants as soon as he could this morning and got back
before dinner with three hundred. We didn't got started very early as a very heavy
thunderstorm came up about breakfast time and lasted for about half an hour or more.
Marie & George Ryerse were on their way to school and came in here till it was over and
Alan Law also brought his team in. He had been hauling water for the gas well and he
empties it into the ditch just above the culvert as they have it dammed. This morning he
was in the shack letting the water run out of his tank when a flash of lightening scared his
team and they started up the road so he brought them in here till it was over. It didn't rain
hard enough to keep Dad. from plowing so he plowed the rest of the morning and I went
back to the woods and cut about 100 stakes for tomato plants. I just cut bass wood as they
are no particular good in the woods. This after noon we all went out to the old garden to set
out the strawberry plants. Dad. disked the piece and rolled it. I made the holes and Frank
and Enah planted. Dad. went back to the corn ground and plowed as soon as we started
planting and when we finished about four we went over to plant potatoes on the sandy
ridge that runs through the cornfield from the lane to Ben's fence. Enah helped us out and
Frank and I planted in every third furrow as Dad. plowed. We got four rows the full length of
the field planted by six o'clock but have a lot of seed left yet. To-night I went down town. It
has been hot all day and to-night a very heavy thunderstorm came up but only lasted
about half an hour. Dick was over to dinner and I went into Aunty's on my way home to see
if he was coming over to-night but he was going to have a bath and stay down all night. I
sat there and talked for about an hour so was pretty late getting home. I got Dad. some
tobacco to-night although he says he has decided to quit smoking till the war is over as he
only gets two very small plugs of Briar for a quarter now that they have begun taxing
luxurys but I thought he had better have it handy.

56

Thursday May 23rd
Frank and I planted three more rows of potatoes this morning in the cornfield and Dad.
plowed them in. When we finished we went back to the gully and pulled out the posts that
were in the old crossfence and got the wire coild from the south gully fence to about the
middle. This after noon Frank and Dad. started to haul out manure but when they went to oil
up they found some springs all bent in one of the drive wheels so Frank drove up to Simcoe
to get new ones. He also got some Hydrated Lime and Bluestone to make Bordeaux mixture
to spray potatoes. Dad. plowed and Tid and I went back to the gully. Tid to catch frogs &
pollywogs and I to fill up the old post holes and take down more wire but I didn't get very
much done as I had a pain all the after noon which made me feel sick and sort of weak. I felt
all right after tea but thought I wouldn't go to the Hard Time dance which the Women's
Institute put on. Frank and Dick both went and I drove Frank down and as it was a beautiful
moonlight night went around and took Marj. for a very short drive as it was late when I got
down. It has been a fine day sunny with cool breeze.
Friday May 24th
We didn't get started at anything very early this morning and were delayed by Charlie
Quanbury's team getting away from him while he was hooking them up. They came up this
road and we went out to stop them. While out there Art Ryerse came along with Glen with
some asparagus for us and came in to see Knockfierna which he thought was a dandy. Just
as he was leaving Ed. Nunn came in after him, I don't know what for unless it was to go
fishing. Frank and Dad. got five loads of manure out before dinner and two after dinner and
finished cleaning out the box stalls. I went out and hoed the strawberrys and some of the
potatoes which are just coming up. Dick and Dess were over to dinner and about three
o'clock we hooked up to the waggon and all went down to see Dick off on the 4.30 train for
Toronto as he has to report to-morrow to Joe Dyer. Dess, Win Frances & two McBride girls
went down to Jarvis with him. Dad. Frank & Enah & Tid came right home after the train went
out and Dad. and Frank went out to work in the old garden till tea and Enah went to call on
Mrs. Zealand. I went up to see L.G. Morgan and find out what I could about the Dicky
Stephen's "Sheep Pasture", but he referred me to Slaght in Simcoe as he is administrator.
Frank sent in his name, age & address to the Military Registrar in Toronto to-day according
to the regulations in the proclamation just issued ordering all men over 19 to register. I saw
several cars going down the side road bristling with fish poles to-day and there were quite
a lot of people in town celebrating. The "City of Dover" was also running excursions this
after noon. It has been a beautiful day.

57

Saturday May 25
Dad. and Frank started to haul out manure this morning and I went over to hoe what
potatoes I could find up but about ten o'clock it began to rain so we all had to quit. Enah
was out in the old garden too setting out cabbage plants. It didn't rain very hard and Dad.
put on an old waterproof and went out and set out the rest of the cabbage plants till noon. I
wrote in this and fooled around figuring on the size of a board to paint a sign on for the
J.F.I.A. potato patch. Frank made staples for cement posts. This afternoon we decided to
dip the sheep and it took the best part of the after noon to get ready. We put Art's flat rack
on the barn floor and put the tank in the shed so that we could walk the sheep from the
platform into the tank at the other end of the tank we put the waggon with the tail gate and
front end taken out so that the drip would run down into a tub at the far end. We used ¾ of
the package of Coopers dipping powder with 75 gallons of water but should have had 100
gallons to cover the old sheep. We didn't get started till about four o'clock so were late
getting through. We dipped the lambs first and gave them all a good soaking It made them
beautifully white with a yellowish tinge and soon after they were dipped the ticks began to
come out to the end of the wool. They were all badly infested and should have been dipped
before. The dip only came about halfway up on the old sheep but they stood well and we
poured it over their backs and as their wool is so short they got well soaked and there were
scarcely any ticks on them anyway. It was heavy work handling the old ones and I was very
tired to-night. Cruikshank the Massey-Harris agent from Simcoe was in this after noon for a
long time to look at the binder as something was wrong with it. Frank showed him around.
He is also agent for the Confederation Life Insurance Co. and Frank took out a policy. By the
time we got the chores all done to-night it was nearly ten o'clock so I had a bath and went
right to bed. Fine all the after noon but rained again towards evening.
Sunday May 26th
It began to rain quite early this morning and it developed into about the heaviest
thunderstorm we have had and kept it up till nearly noon. I got all ready for church but it
was raining so hard at the time to start that I didn't go but stayed home and read all
morning. I went down right after dinner and spent the afternoon with Marj. About five
o'clock she and I went down to Auntys for tea as they had asked me to bring her down to
see the white cactus which has to beautiful blossoms. When we got there Dad. was there
just ready to take Aunty and Aunty Alice up to the cemetry and it was late when we got
through tea but Aunty. Marj. and I went to church. We came back down to Aunty's after
church and spent the evening down there. Dad. Enah and Tid stayed up at Huby's for tea.

58

Monday May 27th
We hauled out manure all day to-day but didn't get started very early Frank went down
town to get some oil this morning and I helped Dad. haul out all morning and cut lawn while
he was out in the field. Frank hoed the potatoes till noon after he got home from town. Dad.
and I got out five six loads. This after noon Frank and Dad. hauled out and got out 12 loads. I
finished cutting the lawn after dinner and then Enah and I set out some tomato plants. I quit
at six o'clock and went up to Simcoe on the 7 car to see Slaght about the Dicky Stephen's
place. He says he has full power to dispose of it and may be able to make an agreement
with me, but he has to come down first to estimate the value of it. Cloudy and hot all day.
Tuesday May 28th
Dad. and Frank hauled out manure all morning and finished covering the field. This after
noon Dad. Plowed. I set out more tomato plants this morning and finished two rows making
about 175 plants and leaving a few in the cold frame for Huby and Aunty Alice. When I got
through I went back to the woods and got a few of the stakes I cut but as they were too
limber to drive in I got John Wesses spud and made a hole beside each plant with it. I
finished that after dinner and about four o'clock Frank and I went back to John Wesses with
Joe & Queen and took his spud & spoon home. Frank had been disking while I was making
the holes. We bred Belle to-day. Cloudy & warm.
Wednesday May 29th
Dad. plowed all morning and most of the after noon but it began to rain about four o'clock
so he had to quit. It rained from then till about dark but not very hard. Frank and I put on a
load of straw this morning and Dad. hauled it over to the drive house at noon and we put it
off right after dinner. We spent most of the morning back in the gully taking the wire off the
crossfence and rolling itt we got it all done by noon. We went back to the woods at noon
and got a few of the tomato stake and carried them to the top of the gully hill but they got
too heavy to lug any farther. We had them on a hickory pole and each had one end of the
pole. Cruikshanks, the machine and insurance agent was down to see Frank this morning
and left his cane here so he and the District agent for the Confederation Life Co. were in
again while Frank and I were putting off the straw and induced me to take out a 20 year
endowment policy for $1000. I didn't pay anything down on it but told them I would in a
week or so. If I can ever raise the money for the premiums I guess its a good thing. When
they left, Frank and I went out to the side road to dig post holes but Pickford came over to

59

visit us and it began to rain so we had to hike for his barn and only got two posts set. I went
down town to-night and stayed all night at Aunty Alice's, she and Aunt Ida were over here
to-dinner to-day. Aunty is in London.
Thursday May 30th
Dad. has plowed all day to-day. Frank and I intended going on with the fence but Ham
Thompson came after me to help him put on the third spray so I have been up there all day
not getting home till nearly eight o'clock. I was up this morning at five and Aunty Alice
insisted on getting up and giving me my breakfast before I came home. Frank pulled all the
steeples and let the fence down to the ground around the pasture in front of the house and
threw sod in the low places so that the sheep couldn't crawl underneath. No wind to-day
warm and rainy looking.
Friday May 31st
Frank and I went up to Ham's first thing this morning with Joe & Queen and got the spray
outfit. We stopped in on the way home at the mill and got some feed for the calves and
chickens and I paid $65.00 on my account as Karl came yesterday and got my steer and
gave Frank the money for him. When we got home we sewed up the wool sack as I got a
letter from Neff saying they were going to start a car loading here on Monday to go to
Guelph. He wants one of us to be at the car till it goes out. Dad. plowed till noon and then
helped us spray. We got over all the trees but couldn't do the north east side very well on
account of the wind. We only put on tank of spray on It didn't seem to have the force to it
that it should. We got through about half past four and Dad. went on out to plow and Frank
and I took the sprayer back. After tea to-night Dad. & Enah went out to work in the garden
and Frank and I let the sheep out in the lane and put up barricades so that they couldn't go
on the lawn, I washed off the buggy. A good many people are very anxious these days over
the war news as the Germans have started another desperate drive towards Paris on a
front between Soissons & Rheims The French are holding the outskirts of both cities but
the Germans have got nearly to the Marne in the centre but Allied reserves are coming in
fast. They finished drilling to-night and struck a dry hole.
Saturday June 1st
I spent most of the day to-day hoeing in the garden. The potatoes are all up nicely now so I
got them and the strawberries and tomatoes all hoed. Dad. plowed all morning and after
dinner went over to the garden to get the harrows so while he was there he hooked Belle to

60

the little straight toothed cultivater of Ben's and I helped him cultivate the garden. He
harrowed the parts where nothing is planted and where the last potatoes are not up yet. He
then went and plowed till six. Frank has had Joe. & Queen on the disks and roller all day on
the corn ground. To-night Frank and I went down town and I met Marj. and Clara Garrie a
friend of hers from Toronto who came in on the eleven car and is going to stay over the
King's birthday. Very hot and very windy all day.
Sunday June 2nd
Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Frank walked down. This after noon I
hooked Queen up and took Marj. and Miss Garrie for a drive down the Lake Shore. We came
back past here and I put Queen in and we walked over to see Jack's chickens and then on
down town around by the mill. I stayed at the Moore's to tea. We didn't go to church tonight but went down to the beach for awhile. Dad. and the baby went down to Aunty's this
after noon. Stace Lowrie was in to see if he could get pasture for his old mare. Cloudy and
cooler.
Monday June 3rd
Frank went down town right after breakfast to find out about the wool car and found that
there was one for the wool at the L.E.&N. siding on Main St. so we went down with our wool
and Quanbury's. We found England, Paw & Sidway had all been there with their wool. Frank
took the team home and I stayed at the car as Neff asked me to be there to see that all the
tickets were on all right. I stayed there till after dinner and didn't have anything to do as
there were only about a dozen brought wool so I slept and studied Latin all fore noon and
went without dinner. I went down to the station to get Ham Thompson's & Art Quanbury's
freight bills about half past one and when I got back I found Billy M cNeilly there and he said
the freight had been in and gone out again without taking our car. I don't understand it as
Neff said it was to go out at 2.30. Dad. has plowed on the corn ground all day and Frank had
worked the little team on the disks till I came home then I took them and he sprayed the
potatoes with the Bordeaux mixture which he prepared this morning. To-night John James
& family motored in having come in this after noon from Courtright, they went back down
town for the night.
Tuesday June 4th
Dad. plowed corn ground all day but didn't quite finish. I disked with the little team all day.
Frank went down town this morning and got Dad. a plow shear and got his hair cut. John.

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James and his family were all here to dinner and so was Mr. Broadley. After dinner they all
went down to the greenhouse and Enah and Frank went with them. Very cool to-day & tonight.
Wednesday June 5th
I spent the morning planting five rows of mangel seed out in the old garden. I tried a
scheme of Uncle Wards of planting five one or two seeds in a place about a foot apart, but
it is too slow to do much of a patch. This after noon Frank and I took the little team and
hauled out a load and a half of manure and put a good lot in between the tomatoes, a
shovelfull to a plant. We also mixed up a lot of it with the soil in ten hills where we intend to
plant some watermelons. We have never grown any before and it may be too late for them
but we had lots of room so thought we would try them. Dad. finished plowing the corn
ground. I went down town to-night.
Thursday June 6th
It has been a rainy day with very short intervals of sun shine. It rained quite heavily early
this morning and has been drizzly the rest of the time. We put on a load of hay this morning
and took it over to the horse stable. Alfred Ryerse was up to ask Dad. about a sick cow. Dad
got his culvert fixed in the barnyard across the lane gate where there has always been a
bad mud-hole. This after noon Frank and I put the shop all in the barn to pick out some
yearlings to sell in case anyone comes of them but we only found two that we thought it
wise to let go now one very small one and the one that didn't have milk enoug to raise a
lamb, she is a decendant of the white ewe and few of her stock are up to much the best of
the ewes all being descended from old Lop-Ear. When we got through with them we went
over and got our bundle of tomato stakes and put them in Dad. hoed over in the garden
most of the after noon. To-night Frank and I went down town to see Jack Pickford at the
show in "The Varmint." Win & Marj. went with us. It was pretty good.
Thursday Friday June 7th
Frank and I went up to Ham Thompson's with a heifer this morning. Ham said he would
come down to morrow after noon and plant our corn for us as Dad. thinks we can have it
ready by then. I shelled corn all day after I got back from Ham's. The three bushels in the
crates on the cob made about a bushel and a half of shelled corn. Dad. and Frank cut down
a dead apple tree in the orchard this after morning and this after noon worked both teams
on the corn ground. To-night Frank and I went over to Lorne Myer's to hoe the J.F.I.A.

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potatoes. Nixon Blake. Roleson and Charlie Stitt were the only others there but we got one
patch the sandy one all hoed, if there had been more out we would have got them all hoed.
Sunny but very cold west wind all day.
Saturday June 8th
Dad. and Frank worked both teams on the corn ground all day and have it very nice shape. I
went over to Quanbury's this morning and borrowed their seed drill and sowed ten rows of
mangels in the cornfield just north of the potatoes. I sowed one pound of seed which we
had and then got another half pound from Quanbury's and sowed it. Ham Thompson came
at noon and planted corn with the machine all the after noon but didn't finish but says he
will come back, Monday. The machine is certainly a rig. It is the first one we ever saw work
and it is hard to believe that the rows will be in line crossways but Ham says they will. I cut
most of the lawn this after noon . To-night Frank and I went down town for a little while.
Cold wind all day and a white frost last night.
Sunday June 9th
Frank and I went to Sunday School this morning as Jack asked me last yesterday if I
couldn't get down, just as we got there we saw Jack leaving in a car with two fellows,
however Aunty Maude took the class. Tid went down to Sunday School with me he said he
liked it fine. Dad. and Enah drove down to church and brought Miss Phipps with them. Dad.
was going to go home again to put the sheep in as some of them were out when he left, but
I came home and put them in and then brought Joe back for them to drive home. Frank
stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and went for a walk with Lila this after noon. I went down
town about three o'clock. Stayed at Aunty's to tea and went to church with them to-night.
They have started having church at 7.30 for the summer instead of 7 o'clock. I spent Most
of the evening up at Cousin Loll's. Marj. was at Essie's Birthday party. It was pouring rain
when I started home so I stayed all night at Aunty's. It has been cloudy all day and it looks
like an all night rain.
Monday June 10th
I didn't get up very early this morning and had breakfast down at Aunty's so Dad. was about
through milking when I got home. Frank and I stretched a barbed wire along the west side of
the lane as part way up the lane as the colts have been bending the fence badly reaching
over to eat the wheat. Dad. plowed and disked the garden back of the shop to-day. This
after noon Art Quanbury came over to help me put in fence posts so we worked at it all the

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after noon. I borrowed Pickford's auger and we got it all the posts along the side road but
the two brace posts and got four in along the north side of the field. Ham came down and
he and Frank finished planting the corn. To-night Frank and I went over to the J.F.I.A. potato
patch to hoe, there was a good bunch there to-night and we got them all hoed and Bill
Sidway and Charlie Stitt brought horses and cultivated so the plots look much better. We
got through about dark and then Lloyd Ryerse, Tige & Albert McBride and Frank and I went
down to the creek and had a swim but it was a little to cold for comfort the air especially.
Dad. and Enah & Tid drove down town to-night to take Aunty Alice's milk down to her. Cool
all day.
Tuesday June 11th
Frank and I took our dipping tank and powder up to Ham's this morning and dipped all his
sheep in return for the corn planting. We got home before noon. Dad. spent most of the day
working down the garden back of the shop and planting fodder corn on it and harrowing
the potatoes. This after noon Frank and I put in some more fence posts but didn't get out
till late as Mr. Broadley was here. Frank had a stiff knee too. We quit early and he and I
drove Queen to Simcoe to-night to answer our medical questions for insurance It got
pretty black and very hot when we were going up to Simcoe and was beginning to thunder
and lightening just as we were ready to start home but we thought we would take a chance
on being caught so got all ready to start back, however just as we were ready to get into
the buggy it began to pour down and for the next two hours we had a storm that would
equal in its fury any of the worst of the 1915 models. It sounded terrible on the tin roof of
Burts barn where we were and Queen was a little scared although she didn't make any fuss
but I could tell by the way she put her nose in my face and hands that she wondered what
it all meant. After the first spasm was over we looked out and the sky in the north was all a
deep red so we knew that somebody's barn a long way out of town was struck, but when
the next burst of rain came the red light disappeared. We waited there till the storm was
over and got home before two o'clock, the roads weren't muddy but were washed bare and
packed hard.
Wednesday June 12th
I didn't get up very early this morning and Dad. went back after the cows. He was in a great
state of despondency over the storm, he thought everything would be ruined and he says
there are lakes all over the cornfield so that it will be all drowned out. Edmond England was
over last night to invite us to a bee at the School house to level the grounds so I went over

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about ten o'clock, that wasn't as late as I thought for they all work on the old time out there.
I found a big bunch there with scrapers and plows and there was really more men than
there was work, but I hung around all day filling scrapers and shovelling a little but
principally visiting. I intended to come home at noon and tell Dad. what more they needed
so that he could come this after noon but as Dave Lampkin invited me to dinner and I didn't
think there was any use of any more coming I didn't go home. Neff was down on Monday
and staked all the levels out for them and by to-night they had it in very nice shape. Dad.
and Frank just did odd jobs and chores as it was too wet to do much. Aunty was over here
to dinner I went down town to-night. Cloudy with strong & cold wind.
Thursday June 13th
I went over to John Wesses this morning and borrowed his spoon again to dig the earth out
of the anchor post holes which has caved in since I dug them. When I got back we took out
some sand, cement and the dipping tank which we filled with water bailed out of the holes,
(they were nearly full) and put in the locust posts for anchor posts. We set one before
dinner and the other two this after noon. I too John Wesses spoon back before tea when I
got through with it. Enah went down town this after noon. I cut a little more lawn to-night.
Sunny but still a cool breeze.
Friday June 14th
We took out some brace posts and all the good fence posts we could find around the place
this morning and gathered up the few that were left along the road. Frank and I put them in
before dinner and finished the row from the road to the north west anchor posts. Dad.
spent the day harrowing over the corn-ground but didn't finish. This after noon Frank and I
pulled out the rest of the fence posts in the gully cross-fence and stretched a little more
barbed wire on the top of the lane fence. We all quit early and after tea Frank and I went
over to the potato patch. I rode Belle over and cultivated the clay patch and Tig M cBride
cultivated the others, we also went through Lorne's. There were seven or eight hoeing but
they only got the sandy patch hoed and we intend to hoe the clay on Monday. Frank took
his football over and we had quite a game when we got through work. Dad. Enah & Tid
drove down town. Enah went to hear a missionary from the North-West and Dad. & Tid
went fishing. Cool.
Saturday June 15th

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Dad. took the team and waggon back to the top of the gully hill this morning and we hauled
up a load of posts and fence boards out of the gully with the team and chain making
several trips. We got all the stuff from the fence on the north side of the gully pretty well
cleaned up. We got enough posts out of the load to go along the west side of the corner
field and after we had unloaded the other stuff we took them out and Frank and I worked till
noon putting them in and Dad. went on harrowing the corn field. This after noon Dad.
finished harrowing the cornfield and the garden north of the shop and then cultivated all
through everything he could in the old garden. Frank spent the afternoon in the old garden
hoeing and spraying the potatoes. I drove Enah and Tim down town for Enah to get some
provision and we got home about half past four and then I went back to the mill got some
oat chop and washed the buggy. Huby was over this after noon and got a bag of straw for
the pen his puppies are in. Miss Phipps was over to-night and brought us some lovely
peonies. I got a fine blueprint from the Horticultural Department at Guelph showing how to
plant the lawn with a complete planting list. It has been sunny & warmer to-day but a cold
breeze yet.
Sunday June 16th
Tip Varey brought Barwell and his little Boston bulldog over in his car this morning. The poor
little thing is having a hard time having puppies. Dad. got one from her and they left her
here. Tim and I rode down with them to Sunday school. I went to church and Dad. drove
Enah down but didn't stay. Aunty came over here with me for dinner. Just before dinner
Dick Cook and Mr. Barwell came over to take the dog down to see Dr. Colemen at Jarvis and
they waited till Dad. has his dinner and took with them, but the doctor said nothing could
be done but just leave her quiet, so they brought her back and left her here. I hooked up
Queen and took Marj. for a drive this after noon. I came home to tea and helped Dad. milk
and then went down again. Marj. and I went over to Miss McQueen to show her my blueprint
I got from Guelph. Lila was over here to tea. She has been cultivating corn she says most of
this week and is having a good time up there as a farmerette. Cloudy & hot all day.
Monday June 17th
I had to go up to Ham Thompson's with Kate right after breakfast this morning and it was
late when Frank and I got out to put posts in but we got in all but three on the east side of
the field. Dad. did odd jobs & chores all morning and got another pup away from Barwell's
bitch, he was very pleased at that. This after noon he took the plow and the harrows back
over the gully and plowed and harrowed the turnip patch. It took him till about seven

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o'clock. Frank and I went back with Dad. and carried the tomato stakes out of the woods
and put them in the waggon so that Dad. could bring them up. Then we finished putting in
the posts on the east side of the field and the three brace posts on the west side so now
we just have the cement posts to put in along the front. Charles and Art Quanbury came by
on a load of hay and delayed us a little as I pulled Charlie off the load by the leg and he
started in to lick me but I think I convinced him of the foolishness of that enterprize. We
didn't get through though till late. We had our tea and I had part of the milking done when
Dad. came up. Frank and Lloyd Ryerse went over to the potato patch as soon as they could
but I didn't get over till nearly dark on account of the chores but was there in time to get a
few kicks at the football. There was a good crowd there to-night. Mitchell, Butler Challand, &
Nixon all came in from Renton in a car. On the way home Lloyd & Colin Ryerse, Tige McBride
and Frank and I all stopped in at the mill to see Stan Dollar and got making so much noise
singing and kicking the football around the mill, that old Herb Cook came across in a very
peeved state and accused us of keeping one man from his sleep and another from his work.
He was so crusty that we thought it best to break up the party so we came home and
except setting fire to the gas well which wouldn't burn for more than a few seconds,
committed no depredations on the way. Clear & much warmer to-day.
Tuesday June 18th
Frank and I didn't get to work very early this morning and worked till noon lining up and
digging holes for the cement posts along the front of the field. We just bored the holes and
will put the posts in when we first bring them out so as to save handling twice. Dad. went
over and rolled down the turnip ground. This after noon I went over to sow the turnips. I had
to go over to Art. Quanbury's to get his seed drill and I got about half over the field and then
had to quit as I ran out of seed, so came up and helped Dad. and Frank who were stapling
the wire on the posts along the side road. We don't intend to stretch it just now. To-night
all of us but Dad. went down to see Mary Pickford in "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm". Enah
and Tid went down to the first show and Frank and I went to the second. Sam Law was here
when we left and Barwell came over with young Howey to see his dog which is about the
same. Fine day.
Wednesday June 19th
This morning I put in All the stakes I had left for the tomatoes and tied them up. We are
going to let the rest go unstaked and seef if they are any worse. It was nearly noon when I
got that done but I went over and sowed the rest of the turnip patch before dinner. Dad.

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cultivated in the garden all morning. Frank was down town most of the morning as the tire
came off his wheel last night while he was down town and he went down to get it. He also
got some 12 guage shotgun shells to shoot at the crows in the cornfield. Art. Quanbury lent
him his shotgun. Aunty Alice was over to dinner. This after noon we tacked up the rest of
the wire along the north end west side of the field so now just have the front to put the
posts and wire along. We got a cheque for ninety dollars to-day as part payment for our
wool. Sunny but cool breeze.
Thursday June 20th
Frank took down the piece of wire that ran along the north end of the plum orchard and we
took it out and finished the west side of the field with it. Frank and I finished boring the
holes along the front while Dad hoed in the garden. This after noon we started putting the
cement posts in and got 12 of them out there and about 8 or 9 set. It was a big job getting
them lined up as some of the holes had to be enlarged as they were a little out of line. They
show much plainer if they are not just straight than the others do but they certainly look
neat and substantial when they are in right. Enah went down town this after noon and when
we came up there was a whole pile of calling tickets on the table which had been left by
Winnie, Dess & some of the Zealand's while Enah was away. To-night I went down to the
school house where Marj. and the other teachers were registering folks in accordance with
the new regulation making it compulsory for every man & woman over 16 years of age to
register and answer a question card before by June 22nd. It was nearly dark when I got down
so they had to quit work. I went home with Marj. and she registered me down there. I was
the 97th one she had done. The War news just now looks pretty good. The big Austrian drive
in Italy has been stopped without them gaining enough to make up for their losses and the
African French troops broke up a German rush for Rheims. Sunny but cold wind.
Friday June 21st
We took out the rest of the cement posts this morning and the roll of wire for the front but
didn't get any more set as it began to rain and rained pretty much all day. Dad. wrote to
Dick this morning and Frank and I got things ready to make a cement post. After dinner I sat
down to read the paper and went to sleep and slept for an hour or two, but there was
nothing else much to do. Frank fixed the binder. They said that for awhile when I was asleep
it got almost as dark as night. About four o'clock Frank and I went out and made another
post. I had to go up to Ham Thompson's with Elgitha to-night. Frank took milk to Aunty
Alice.

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Saturday June 22nd
I had to go up to Ham's this morning with Marj. and when I got back Dad. and Frank had
gone out to the school house to register. Enah went over to Jack Martin's and registered.
Dad. and Frank didn't get home till noon as they stopped in on the way and borrowed
Tuppers post auger to enlarge the holes. It is a sort of plunger. I made some more
reinforcement wires and got some sand over to make another post, but we didn't get it
made. This after noon we got the rest of the posts in but didn’t get the wire up. Frank and I
went down town to-night. It has been cloudy with a very cold north west wind all day. We
were afraid of frost to-night but I guess it won't freeze.
Sunday June 23rd
I had to go up to Ham Thompson's with Snowdrop this morning so was too late to go to
Sunday school but I drove Enah down to church. Aunty came home with us to dinner. I
didn't go down town this after noon as Marj. told me she was going up to the Davis' for
dinner. We all went out to look at the new fence and take the sheep out after dinner and
then Uncle Ward came over. Aunty went home early but Uncle Ward stayed all the after
noon I read and slept. Went down to-night and spent the evening with Marj. Sunny & cold.
Monday June 24th
I drove over to Tupper's this morning and took his post auger back and when I got back we
finished putting up the front fence, we put in three wooden posts at this end and wired the
fence to the cement posts. Dad. went down to Aunty's just before dinner and was down
there all the after noon trimming the paths and cutting the long grass in front of the house.
As soon as we could get started after dinner Enah Tid. and I drove to Simcoe with Queen. I
got some rape seed and a grease cup for the brass boxing on the mower and went around
to see Slaght. He said he had been down to see the "Sheep Pasture" but had not come to
any decision in his own mind as to its value but again assured me that he would make not
disposition of it without letting me know, but it might not be till fall. Enah and the baby went
on a few errands and I picked them up at Charlie Martin's store. We got home by six o'clock.
Warmer to-day. Cloudy to-night Frank spent the afternoon planting in corn where the
crows took it.
Tuesday June 25th

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Dad. has been cultivating corn all day with Belle Frank and I started to put some roofing
paper on the chicken house roof to cover a patch that blew off during the winter but didn't
quite finish before dinner. Just before noon Harvey Ross and a Mr. Thornton one of the
sheep men belonging to the Anaka Farms of Wisconsin came over to see if we had any
sheep for sale so I sold him the four yearling rams for $35.00 apiece which was all I asked
him and which I thought was a pretty good price for them He would have bought the old
ram for sixty but we didn't decide whether to sell him or not. I forgot to mention Ham's
yearling ram to him so right after dinner I drove up and told Ham to call him up. This after
noon I set up some aster plants which Mrs Quanbury sent over and finished putting the
paper on the chicken house roof. Frank spent the after noon planting in missed corn hills.
Dad. is very distressed at the way the crows and blackbirds are working in the cornfield.
To-night we went over to hoe potatoes and play football and had 14 out. We got the loam
patch hoed and had a good game. Warmer.
Wednesday June 26th
Dad. cultivated corn nearly all day and is so so stiff to-night he can hardly walk. He quit
about half-past four and he and Enah drove down town after some groceries. Frank planted
corn this morning and I hoed the mangels in the old garden and this after noon we both
hoed in the old garden. Fine and pretty hot to-day.
Thursday June 27th
I took Belle out to cultivate corn this morning and worked till Dad. came out and took her I
couldn't keep her from walking to one side of the rows. Dad. finished the field by noon.
Frank and I finished hoeing the old garden this morning. Arthur Preston was over most of
the morning visiting. This after noon Dad. started to plow the orchard. Frank and I cleared
up the brush and Frank burned it. I spent most of the after noon painting lables to
distinguish our different plots of J.F.I.A. potatoes. Winnie, Des & Frasa Dyer were over here
to tea to-night. I promised Tige McBride that I would go over and help him cultivate the
potatoes at Lorne Myer's to-night but it was so late before we got through with chores that
I sent Frank over. He got all the clay patch loam patch gone through but Tige didn't show up
so the clay didn't get done. I went over when I got through to see Henry Misner to see if he
would spray them for us. He wasn't home but Mrs. Misner & Hazel entertained me till he got
back, he said he would spray them for us if Edmond England would agree to have a new
wheel put on the waggon but as he owns a half interest in the outfit he would have to be
consulted. Fine and warm all day.

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Friday June 28th
There was a thunderstorm during the night and it rained a little this morning so we didn't do
much except make a cement post. This after noon Dad and Frank cut the thistles in the
plum orchard and then Dad. started in again on the orchard and got a little more plowed
while Frank drove Enah and the baby down town. I spent the after noon raking up the lawn
as last night's wind storm had it badly littered with leaves and branches off the old willow I
got the cows up early and we milked before tea and to-night I went down and took Marj. &
Dorrie to the show. It has been hot again to-day & to-night.
Saturday June 29th
Dad. has been plowing in the orchard all day and finished it to-night. Frank and I went out
this morning and hoed the potatoes in the field. We got through about half past eleven and
then took Martha up to Ham Thompson's. Ham was back drilling in his cornfield over again
with ensilage corn and didn't come up till nearly one o'clock so we were late getting through
dinner. This afternoon Frank sprayed all the potatoes in the field and I cut the lawn. Very
hot.
Sunday June 30th
I drove Enah down to Bill Lemon's this morning as she had a bad toothache all night and
then Tid. and I went to Sunday school. Dad. walked down to church and drove Enah & Tid
home. I walked over as far as Mrs. Woodson's with Roy as he and Rebecca came up last
night and stayed there for dinner to-day. I slept for part of the after noon and then wrote
old Billy Beattie to see what I could get a good yearling ram for. Dad. and Tid. were all ready
to go down town to see Joe Dyer and ask him what chance there was of getting Dick off on
harvest leave but it got so dark they didn't go It rained hard for about an hour but cleared
up about five and I drove down and got Marj. & Dorrie and brought them over here for tea
and drove them back about half past ten.
Monday July 1st
I disked in the orchard all morning and Frank sprayed potatoes in the old garden. Dad. went
down town to see Col. Dyer about getting Dick off and he told Dad. to get a certificate from
Neff to say Dick was needed at home and it would strengthen his application. Aunty and
Rebecca walked over before noon and Roy came over at noon with Dad. This after noon we
all fooled around for an hour or two putting in mower sections and fishing for the bucket

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and chain which dropped down the well Saturday night. We got the bucket but couldn't get
the weight so Roy wired an old axe head to the end of the chain. About four o'clock Aunty
and Roy walked back down town and Dad. drove Enah and the two kids down. Frank and I
went back over the gully with mower and I went a round with Frank on the twelve acre
meadow and then brought the cows up and Frank went another round. To-night I went
down to say goodbye to Marj. She is going to Port Hope in the morning to go to a Summer
school for a week. Very cold & cloudy all day.
Tuesday July 2nd
Dad. and I drove down town this morning and I got Joe shod while Dad. went up to Simcoe
on the 9 car to see Neff who made application for Dick's leave of absence for him. Dad.
came back on the eleven car and drove home with me. I went down to Aunty's for awhile
this morning and cut their lawn. Frank mowed in the back field all day but didn't finish it. He
took Joe & Harry this after noon and Dad. cultivated corn with Belle. I drove down to Jarvis
this after noon to see old Russ about shipping our rams and he said he would let me know
when the veterinary inspection was coming and we could bring our sheep down there. I
drove Queen and took Tid with me. We were home by half past six, we then went back to
the gully and got another purebred calf which Maple Hill Nellie presented us with this
morning It is a dandy Roan heifer marked very much like Knockfierna. We had a little trouble
getting it up as Nellie is very wild over it but after we got it up Daisy May adopted it and
wouldn't let the mother near it and she Daisy May bawled around all night for the calf. This
was the night we should have gone over to hoe potatoes but it was so late when we got
through and I had to take my two year old heifer up to Ham Thompson's that we didn't get
over. Tige McBride & Lloyd Crysler came over in the latter's car and got the football and the
Ryerse boys brought it back. They said they got the patch pretty well hoed. Warmer.
Wednesday July 3rd
Dad. cultivated corn all morning and Frank mowed. I went down to the mill with Queen & the
buggy and got a couple of bags of oat chop and then went back and shook up some of the
heavy spots in the hay till noon. After dinner we all went back and Dad. and I finished
shaking out the heavy spots that were cut yesterday and Frank finished mowing the field.
Frank then started to rake what was fit and Dad. and I and Tid. cocked up till after six
getting about half of what was raked put up in cock. To-night Dad. took some milk down to
Aunty Alice. Frank went over to Ben's pea field and picked a basket of peas and I went out

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to prune and tie up the tomatoes again but I didn't get out till nearly dark so didn't get
many done. Warmer and fair.
Thursday July 4th
Frank and I went down town this morning and got the lime, bluestone and aresenate of lead
which Neff sent down to spray the potato plots with and took it up and left it at Henry
Misner's. He said he could spray them for us on Saturday after noon if some of us would go
over and help him put the tank on the waggon. We got home about eleven and went back
and shook out the heaviest of the hay that was fit and didn't get up till nearly one. Dad.
cultivated all morning. This after noon Frank raked up all the hay west of the little gully
(about 10 acres) and Dad. and I cocked up till seven o'clock. Frank sprayed our early
potatoes to-night. Fine hay day. Not hot nor windy.
Friday July 5th
We all three cocked up hay all day to-day and finished cocking all that was raked before
six. There are still about two acres on the east side of the field to rake up yet. To-night
Frank and I went over and got Lorne Myers and got him to help us go and put Henry
Misner's tank on the waggon. We had an awful job as just as we were getting the thing on
the hind holster of the waggon the weight of the engine rolled it over and we worked till
eleven o'clock before we got it fixed. He is going to spray our potatoes for us tomorrow
after noon. I felt tough all day and to-night it was all I wanted to do to walk home and roll
into bed.
Saturday July 6th
Dad. cultivated corn this morning and Frank went down and got the piece of the ladder at
the Widespread. I went back and turned out the heaviest of the hay that was in swath but
didn't feel much like working and spent a good deal of the morning under a tree. Frank
came back and raked it up before noon. This after noon Dad and Frank went back and
cocked it up and then brought a load up and pitched it off in the horse stable. Neff came
after me soon after dinner to go and get the sprayer attachment and help him put it on the
sprayer. We were all the after noon at the job and didn't get any spraying done. Neff said he
would be down Wednesday night to spray. Cloudy with very cool breeze to-day.
Sunday July 7th

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Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Dad. and Tid. walked down to Aunty's for
dinner where Enah went from church, this being Dad's birthday they were down there all
the after noon. Huby brought them home in the boat as far as Black Creek bridge and he
and Aunty walked up here to tea with them. Frank and I had dinner alone and this after
noon Frank went for a ride on his wheel with Lila and I went up to Ham Thompson's as
Harvey Ross was over here this morning to say that we were to take our rams down to his
father's in the morning as the inspector was to be there. I asked Ham to bring his ram down
to our place and let us hook to his waggon as the tires are so loose on our own. I came back
home and read and slept all the after noon. Huby brought Tid one of the spaniel puppies
to-day. Frank and I got Dad three books, Shorthorn Cattle, Feeds & Feeding & Breeding
Farm Animals. Jackie Pickford was over for a visit to-night. Quite cold to-day & windy
Monday July 8th
Frank and I were all ready when Ham came with his ram soon after eight this morning but
by the time we got ours loaded and our team hooked up it was about nine when we left for
Jarvis. We didn't drive very furiously on account of Ham's tires being loose and it was about
eleven when we got there. There was not a sign of anyone around the place but after
waiting for about half an hour Mrs. Ross drove in with the inspector who proved to be the
Mr. Henderson that Aunty and I met up at Penmer's five or six years ago. We put our sheep
in the orchard and as it was so near noon we thought we might as well accept Mrs. Ross's
invitation and stay to dinner so put the team in. We had to wait about an hour for dinner
however as they seem to work on the old time down there. We were entertained through
dinner by Mr. Ross's denunciations of the Union Government and especially the members
of it who had been followers of Sir Wilfred. According to him they have wrought their own
destruction by "oppressing the farmers" the way they have and that the time is coming
when the farmers will rule the land and have a newspaper of their own which will tell them
the truth. I could hardly help smiling to hear about this better farmer's paper idea and think
it will be a ratty old country that is dominated by a bunch of hot-headed rubes such as are
at the head of the United Farmer's of Ontario, but there is no danger of it ever coming to
pass. We left for home soon after dinner and got home about four. I took Ham's waggon
home and got our own which he drove up there this morning. Just as I came down Exelby's
hill the tire came of one of the front wheels and I couldn't get it on again. Ben Ivey came
along and gave me a had and we got it partly on and wired it. Then coming in the lane the
tire came off the opposite wheel. Dad. cultivated corn all day. Frank sprayed the potatoes
in the field after he got home and when I got home he and I cut the old dead willow log that

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fell over on the cornfield a couple of times and hauled it over to the fence Mr. & Mrs. Ham
Thompson were here to-night. Sunny but cool breeze.
Tuesday July 9th
It rained enough during the night to keep us from haying and has been cloudy cold and
drizzly all day although not enough water has fallen to make anything very wet. I cultivated
corn for an hour or two this morning while Dad. and Frank sawed up the old willow that blew
over in the cornfield. F and did some other chores. Then Dad. came out and cultivated till
noon and I came up and filled out the application blank for registering the lambs. This after
noon it was still rainy so Dad. cleaned out the cellar. Frank made a patent trough for feeding
salt to the sheep. It has a false bottom with holes in it which his sheep stick their noses in
to eat salt and the edges of the holes are pine tarred so that they get the tar all over their
noses which keep the flies of the grub in the head from laying eggs in their nostrils. Enah
and I drove down town and I sent off the application for the registration of the lambs and
for the transfer of the yearlings. Enah got some provision and went to get her teeth out but
Bill was busy. When we got home, Frank had things all ready and we made another cement
post. To-night Frank and I went over to Henry Misner's and put the bluestone in a barrell to
dissolve to be ready to spray to-morrow night.
Wednesday July 10th
It was still drizzling this morning and Dad. and I went out to cultivate the mangels. They are
so small that I had to lead Belle. Frank went down town with Aunty Alice's milk and when he
came back he harrowed over the orchard. Old Evans was over to have as he said a little
chat with Dad. about his cow that has the broken leg. He feels very badly about it because
he broke it unintentionaly by throwing bit of iron at her from his forge when she was eating
through the fence. This after noon Dad. went on cultivating corn and Frank rolled down the
orchard and I sowed the rape seed on it but we didn't get it harrowed in as it began to rain
hard and we had quite a heavy rain for the rest of the after noon. I spent the time painting
the J.F.I.A. sign. Frank and I also tidied up the shop and after tea it cleared off but too wet
we thought to go over to spray potatoes so I went out and pruned the tomatoes and tied a
few of them up Frank pulled weeds in the strawberrys and helped me
Thursday July 11th
I finished painting my sign this morning. Frank and Dad. put the sheep in and trimmed them
up then Dad. went over to the garden and weeded onions and Frank and I took a jag of

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straw over to the horse stable. After dinner Dad. went out to cultivate corn and Frank and I
went back and turned out the hay that Dad. & Frank bunched up Saturday. When we got
up we found Rus Lampkin here fixing the windmill and soon after Dr. Grant Enahs Chinese
missionary uncle came over. He and Frank went over to the old garden to hoe the
strawberries and I sowed the rape-seed on the garden back of the shop and just went in to
get the team out to harrow it and the orchard over when it began to rain and a very heavy
thunderstorm came up and flooded things for half an hour or so and then cleared off, but
we couldn't do anything on the land. Enah and Tid were down at the Zealand's at the
Sunday school picnic but said they didn't get wet as they went in the house. Dr. Grant.
stayed to tea and Frank drove him down to the side walk after tea.
Friday July 12th
Dad. and Frank have worked over in the garden hoeing and weeding all day. I spent most of
the morning raking and cutting the lawn. This after noon I finished tying up the tomatoes
and then came up and dug holes for the beds of spring bulbs where they are marked on the
blue-print. They are up near the road fencing the very stiff red clay so I just dug them
about a foot deep and wheeled the clay up and dumped it in the mudhole under the gate
at the north end of the horse stable and intend to fill them up with good earth to plant the
bulbs in. Enah went down town this after noon and didn't come back for tea. To-night Frank
and I drove over to Lorne Myer's and put up the sign and the label on the plots. Lorne called
Neff up but he wasn't home so Lorne left word for him to call him up in the morning if he
could come down and spray to-morrow after noon. It has been very muggy and rather
cloudy to-day It sprinkled a little here but Lorne Myers said it poured over there.
Saturday July 13th
Frank and I spent most of the morning hoeing over in the old garden Dad. went back and
turned out some of the hay but said it would be too wet to haul this after noon. This after
noon Frank and I went back and got part of the turnip patch hoed. Dad. brought the
{illegible} back but couldn't do much with it. He was going over to pick berries in the woods
but saw Mrs. John Wess and a couple of other women heading for the patch and they
scared him out. Young Myers came after me about five o'clock to go and help spray the
potatoes so I went over and was over there till dark. We had to fill the tank at the flume and
it took a long time to strain the lime in so it was late when we got started and then the thing
got plugged up so we had to quit. I am sick of the job.

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Sunday July 14th
Tid. and I drove down to Sunday School this morning and both of us went to church I drove
Aunty Alice over here after church and Jack Martin brought Aunty and Tid over in the car.
AuntaIda has gone up to the Bawlby's for a week. Mr. & Mrs. James Douglas were here when
we got home and we spent the after noon showing "Jimmy" the stock. He didn't like the old
ram on account of his high shoulders and the black {skat?} but thought the calves were
fine. He thought the purebred calf was better than Knockfierna as she has dairy hocks. Orm
Millman was over in his car this after noon and brought Nita, Kathleen, Towser, and a Mr.
Tait. They all came up from Toronto last night and are going back to-night except Kathleen
& Tow who are going to stay in Dover for a couple of weeks. Orm took Mrs. Douglas and the
rest of the ladie's down to Aunty's and we went Dad. Frank and I went in Douglass car up to
Ham Thompson's and had a look at his stock then went down to Aunty's. The Douglases left
before tea and we all stayed at Aunty's for tea and Enah stayed down to church but the
rest of us came home to do chores and Dad. drove down for Enah when we got through.
Fine.
Monday July 15th
First thing this morning we gave all the lambs a dose for tape-worm using Cooper's worm
tablets. Then Frank harrowed the orchard and Dad. and I went back and turned out two or
three rows of hay cocks. It is all pretty damp and blackened but not musty. When we were
going back we saw Pommers pull his foot out of the barbed wire fence along this end of the
woods near Charlie Munroe's line and when we went over we found his foot badly cut at the
back and above the hoof, but we didn't bring him up as Dad. thought he would be better
back there if the joint isn't cut into. We couldn't get close enough to him to see. This after
noon we got in a couple of loads of hay. To-night Frank and I went over to the potato patch
it was too late when we got over to spray and we found them all playing football. Tige
McBride said he would help spray to-morrow night. Fine day, breezy
Tuesday July 16th
Dad. went back this morning and turned out some more hay and Frank and I put some bolts
through the reach of the rack as it was cracked and went back for a load about ten o'clock.
We just got one load up before dinner but got three up this after noon by working on the
old time. It looked very cloudy all day so we didn't turn out any more. Frank went up to
Ham's to-night and found out that Ross had made application to the Canada Food Board

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for export licences for our rams so that we won't need to. He also went over to the potato
patch and found Alex England helping Henry. They got the loam patch sprayed but didn't
have enough spray for the other patch as some of it leaked out. Sultry to-day.
Wednesday July 17th
It sprinkled a little during the night so that we couldn't do anything with the hay this
morning. It cleared off but looked so threatening that we didn't like to turn out any more
but about five o'clock went back and got the load that was turned out. Dad. cultivated corn
all the rest of the day. This morning Frank and I mowed away the hay we had in and
changed the pulley so that we can put the hay in the west end of the barn. I went down to
the mill and got some chop and flour. I had to take 25% substitute with the flour as the new
regulations of the Canada Food Board are that 25% substitute must be mixed with all the
flour that is used so I got Rye flour. Frank hoed mangels before dinner and this after noon
borrowed Quanbury's sprayer and sprayed all the potatoes. Before we went after the hay I
pruned the tomatoes and went back to the gully to see if I could coax Pommers up but I
couldn't. His foot looks pretty bad. Kathleen & Tow came over after tea to-night and Frank
drove them home about ten o'clock.
Thursday July 18th
Frank cut about a dozen rounds around the field east of the orchard this morning and Dad
and I went back and shook out about three more loads across the gully. This after noon we
hauled in two more loads from across the gully. Aunty and Aunty Alice and Elva and Enah's
aunt from Hamilton were all over here to tea. It has been a good hay day but a little windy
The war news looks better. The Germans were almost completely repulsed in their last
drive on the Marne by French & Americans.
Friday July 19th
When the dew went off enough this morning we all went out and shook out the heaviest
parts of what Frank cut yesterday and then went back and got a load from the back field
before dinner getting up here with it about one o'clock, but we have gone back to the old
time pretty much through haying anyway. This after noon Dad. cultivated corn and got
nearly all of what was untouched since the last rain gone over. Frank raked up the hay he
cut and we both cocked up all the after noon but didn't get any more than half of it up. It
has been a fine hay day & not too hot.

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Saturday July 20th
We all went out and finished cocking up this morning all that was raked and then put off the
hay that we hauled yesterday before dinner. We got a good early start after dinner and got
in three more loads from the back field but there is more back there yet. Frank and I went
down town to-night. I got my hair cut and had a swim in the spate under the dam. We got
to bed about 2 a.m. Fine day.
Sunday July 21st
Tid and I drove down to Sunday school and church this morning. Mr. Ward Butcher was
there to take the service as Mr. Johnson has gone to Petawawa Camp to be chaplin for Col.
Syer. This after noon I went down to see Aunty and Aunty Alice and took a shamrock up to
Miss Kerney. Frank went down to the beach and went for a swim, he said there was an awful
crowd down there and the noise they were making could be heard all over town. He went
down town again after tea. Dad. Enah and Tid. all went for a drive this after noon back north
some place. It has been scorching hot all the afternoon.
Monday July 22nd
We hauled hay from the back field all day but didn't quite finish as there is about half a load
back there, we only got in four loads. The rope that held the pulley in the peak of the barn
broke twice this after noon. Lloyd Crysler and Lorne Myers were over in Lloyd's car this
after noon to see if we would go to Burlington with them to-morrow. Neff wants us to go
down to some farmer's gathering so I suppose we will go although we shouldn't.
Tuesday July 23rd
We were all up fairly early this morning so that we would be ready for Lloyd when he called
but it began to rain about seven o'clock and rained quite hard for an hour or more so we
thought Lloyd wouldn't go but about half past eight young Myers came over and told us
that Neff had telephoned down to tell us to go around by Simcoe & Brantford and meet him
and the rest of the bunch in Hamilton so we got ready and went down to the mill where he
said Lloyd would call for us. We waited there for an hour and then went up to Henry
Misner's where we found Lorne all togged up waiting and we hung around there till noon but
Lloyd never showed up so we went home. Charlie Stitt came past and said he saw tracks
out of Crysler's lane as if a car had come out, skidded all over the road and gone back again.
Frank went up to Simcoe this after noon and got our check cashed which we got from

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Anoka Farms for our rams and settled up his insurance with Cruikshanks. Dad. cultivated
corn all the after noon and I hoed mangels. Frank and I went up to Ham Thompson's tonight with Daisy May. Ham said he waited all the morning for Lloyd Crysler too. Rainy all
morning Sunny & hot this after noon
Wednesday July 24th
Dad. and I went back this morning and got the three lifts that were left in the back field and
we were glad to see the field cleaned. Frank went on cutting at the field east of the orchard
with Joe & Queen but didn't finish, he broke one of the guards this after noon and that
delayed him awhile. Dad. and I put off the load we got over the gully and as it was nearly
noon we went out and just put on a small load and pitched it off in the horse stable. We got
in two more good sized loads this after noon but had to change the pulley block as we put
it in the east end of the barn. It is very nice sheep hay and we want it on top. This afternoon
Dess & Win came over to tea and Aunty came over after tea to celebrate my birthday. I got
two shirts from Enah, a tie from Dad. a film from Tid a knife from Frank and a year's
subscription to the "Literary Digest" from Aunty Alice & Aunty and also a letter from Aunt
Leena and we had ice cream for tea. Frank and I walked down to the bridge with Aunty &
the girls and went for a swim. Very hot to-day Looks rainy.
Thursday July 25th
We put off the load that was in the barn and got another load and left it on the barn floor.
Then Frank took the team and raked what was fit and then finished cutting about one
o'clock while Dad and I cocked up what he raked. This after noon we put off the load and
put another on and Frank raked a little more and Dad. and I cocked up till after six. After we
got through the chores I went out and hoed a few mangels and Frank hoed the
strawberries. Sunny & hot but a nice breeze.
Friday July 26th
We put the load off this morning that was on the barn floor and Dad. and I put on another
big load and left it at the field gate till noon. Frank mowed away and changed to the hay
fork instead of the slings and then came and shook out a little and when we got the load on
he took the team and raked. We all cocked up till about four o'clock then Frank brought the
team out and we hauled in two loads and put one of them off. We used the fork in the top
of the mow as the sling ropes get caught in the hay. Dad. and Frank put the hay
on those two loads in a hurry but I don't think there was nearly so much on a load. Frank

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went over to hoe potatoes to-night and I took a book over to Art. Preston as h he was over
this morning and wanted Dad. to come over to-night and look at his cow which has
developed a sudden case of {gargel?} Dad. was too tired to go over so sent the book over. I
was too late to go over to the patch. Hot, nice breeze.
Saturday July 27th
We hauled in hay all day and in spite of several delays managed to clear our field in seven
loads. We had to change our car from the barn to the horse stable and the first loads we
put on were so big we couldn't get the lifts in the door of the mow without a terrible
ammount of straining. The second load we tried to build a little smaller but the third lift
stuck in the doorway and we broke one strand of the big rope pulling on it, that was just at
noon and it looked as if we were held up for the after noon but Dad. thought of Lew. Brock
so Frank went out and got him and he spliced the rope for us. This after noon we built very
small loads and had no more trouble getting them in except once when we had to trip the
lift and let it fall on the ground. The last load we brought in we knew would be a big one so
we didn't use the slings but just put on all we could pile on intending to haul it on the barn
floor and put it in the horse stable with the fork when we got time. I had so much on though,
that going into the barn the hay rolled back on the top of the door and broke the back
ladder off the rack. We did chores after tea and it was half past ten when we got through.
Frank went down town and I hung around till about midnight and then went down to the
dam for a swim as I knew there would be a bunch down there about that time and there
was. I got a very nice illustrated volume of Whitcomb Riley's Farm Poems from Marj. to-day
for a birthday present. Frank says that Paw. Nila and Paddy came up in the car to-night and
brought Roy & Rebecca with them. They are going to take the girls home to-morrow. Hot
to-day, but nice breeze A big thunderstorm went north of us but we didn't get hit.
Sunday July 28th
We didn't get up in time to go to Sunday school this morning but Enah, Frank, Tid. and I all
went to church. Dad. walked down to Aunty's intending to drive Enah home but she stayed
at her mother's to dinner so Dad. put Joe in Aunty's barn and stayed there to dinner and
Frank and I came home. I just sat around and read all the afternoon. Dad. Enah and Tim got
home about four o'clock. The Millman's didn't come over but left this after noon for Toronto.
Roy is going back in the morning and Rebecca is going to stay for awhile. It has been very
hot all day. We got the first ripe tomato off our own vines to-day.

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Monday July 29th
Dad went down to Lew Brock's this morning to see if he could make a dicker with him for
his woodpile and he got what he thinks is a great bargain. He got the woodpile which
consists of about three cords of fairly good stove wood and everything else around the
place in the shape of boards including the stable and smokehouse for ten dollars. When he
got back we put the load of hay off and went down and got one load of the stuff and there
is another load of loose stuff down there. This afternoon Frank started to cut the bluegrass
out north and east of the old garden Dad. cultivated corn and I hoed mangels. To-night
Frank and I drove Queen out to Marbury to pay Sid McBride for our fence. It came to $83.50.
A thunderstorm came up before we got home but we didn't get very wet, the road was very
dark though.
Tuesday July 30th
As soon as it dried off this morning and Frank went out and cut some more of the
bluegrass. Dad. cultivated the garden and I hoed a few more mangels. Neff came over for
awhile, he said an inspector was over at our potato patch looking for diseases on them so
he came over here to wait for him. Aunty Alice and Rebecca and Lila were over here to
dinner. This after noon Frank went down to Joe Howell's and got the collar for the binder
and then hoed a few strawberries Dad. parisgreened the potatoes in the old garden and I
did a little hoeing for awhile then I started to rake and Dad. cocked up hay. I didn't get it all
done. I went over to the potato patch to-night but it was too dark to do anything by the
time I got there. I found Tige McBride, Alex England and Bill Sidway there. Much cooler today & breezy.
Wednesday July 31st
Dad. and I cocked up hay most of the day and Frank finished raking what was cut and then
hoed the strawberries and set the runners. He helped us cock up a little this afternoon. We
didn't quite finish as we quit early to get the chores done so that Frank and I could go up to
Simcoe to the last evening of the Chautauqua which they have had up there for the past
week. The music was fine especially a violinist and the lecture which was entitled "Acres of
Diamonds" by Dr. Russel Conley, principal of Temple University. Philadelphia was pretty
good but rather peculiar I thought. We just got out in time to catch the last car. We were
with Tige McBride and Lela ran to catch the car and hurt her ankle, when we got to Dover
she said it hurt so badly that she couldn't walk home on it so Frank and I waited with her at

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the Main St. crossing while Tige went home and got the car and came after her, so Frank
and I were pretty late getting home. We found Dad. up though as he, Enah and the baby
had been down town at the {Mabelore?}. Fair & not too hot.
Thursday August 1st
I went out this morning and finished cocking up the hay. We got the binder out and cut one
round around the wheat and barley before dinner. Frank cut all the after noon but didn't
finish the field, he had Harry and Belle on and couldn't make them walk up. Dad. and I
shocked up but it didn't keep us very busy. Enah was down town nearly all day helping at
the Sunday school bazaar at which they cleaned up over $100.00 to pay for the piano. Tid
was down all day at a picnic with Aunty. Lila, Rebecca and Helen Tibbits down at the Lake.
We quit early to-night and went over to hoe potatoes but there were only a few of the
boys there Edmond England was to have sprayed there for us to-night but he couldn't get
the engine to work. Cool breeze.
Friday August 2nd
We finished cutting the wheat and barley this morning and Frank and Dad. went back with
Harry and Joe to cut the wheat on the back side hill. They had the three horses on this
morning. I finished shocking up the field and about five o'clock took Belle back to put on
with the other two but Dad. thought as it was so late it wasn't worth while so we just went a
couple of more rounds and quit. The first few rounds are the worst on that field. Still cool.
Saturday August 3rd
I hoed turnips for awhile this morning till Dad. and Frank got a few more rounds cut and
then started shocking up. They got nearly off the hill before dinner. Just before noon I heard
a shrill whistle which I knew to be Dick's and looked and saw him and Tid coming down the
gully. He came home last night and stayed at Aunty's all night. We were all very surprised to
see him as he just got his pass before he left. He is as black as an Indian but looks very well
and soldierly in his artillery uniform. Aunty came over with him to dinner. After dinner Dad.
Frank and I went down to Lew Brook's and got the rest of our wood, we have everything
now but the stable and smokehouse When we got our wood unloaded we went back and
finished cutting the wheat and shocked it up, it was certainly a thin crop on top of the hill
only about a dozen shocks. We got up soon after seven. Frank went down town to-night
and Dick was down all the after noon and most of the night. It has been fair and cool all day.

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Sunday August 4th
Tid and I drove down to Sunday school and Enah and Frank came down to church and I
drove Enah home. Dad. stayed home and made ice cream and Dick didn't get up till noon
After dinner we took some pictures of Dick and then he, Frank and I walked down town. I
spent the after noon down at Aunties and Frank went up town for awhile, we didn't see Dick
again as he didn't get home till about two o'clock. We spent the evening home reading. Very
hot but breezy.
Monday August 5th
We have hauled wheat and barley all day to-day and got our field cleaned by to-night We
had six loads of wheat and barley mixed and one load of pure wheat. Dick stayed here to
dinner and went down town right after and did not come back to-night as he has to leave
on the seven o'clock car in the morning. Enah went down town to tea and took in the grand
I O.D.E. cabaret in the pavillion. The rest of us all went down to say good-bye to Dick after
we got the chores done which was about ten o'clock but when we got to Aunty's Enah was
there and said Dick had gone to Simcoe with some of the crowd he thought we weren't
coming down. Enah drove home with Dad. and I walked I took a dip in the pond on my way.
Frank rode his wheel down. Hot.
Tuesday August 6th
We put off the load of wheat that we hauled in last night and put it in the swing mow up
over the driveway so as to have it separate, it is the only pure Plymouth we have. Frank and
Dad. hauled in the rest wheat off the back field to-day in three small loads. It took them a
long time to get it off the side hill but there is some very good wheat there. I helped them
put off the loads, we put it in a pile by itself at one end of the mow and in between times I
tried to cut my plots back of the barn with the sickle but it was very hot and tedious. I got
about a dozen sheaves cut and tied up but come to the conclusion that it was too primitive
a method of harvesting for this enlightened age so about five o'clock I went down and
borrowed Alfred's cradle and will let Dad. finish the job with it. Lila was over here to tea.
Very hot, breezy.
Wednesday August 7th
We started oat harvest to-day and it has been very hot although there was quite a strong
breeze. I don't know when I have felt the heat so much. Frank cut all day on the back field

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by the woods and got it all done but a little piece by the woods. Its a great crop. Dad. and I
shocked up but didn't quite finish. Frank and I went for a swim to-night in the upper pond
off the mill dam. Its a great hole I never was in there before.
Thursday August 8th
We finished cutting and shocking up the back field of oats by noon and this after noon
Frank cut the three acres of barley and oats along the side road I shocked up while Dad.
cradled and bound my plots of wheat and about six o'clock Dad. & Frank came out and
finished shocking up while I took the cows up. It has been hot to-day but a very strong
breeze so that it wasn't so hard to work. Just about dark a thunderstorm came up and it
rained hard for quite awhile. If it clears off soon it will do no harm and a lot of good as things
were getting dry.
Friday August 9th
It was too wet for us to do much to-day but putter around. I took Alfred's cradle down to
Newton Silverthorne’s as he wanted it to cut his Spring wheat on his garden and on the way
down I had quite a visit with Uncle Ward to whom the sight of the cradle recalled memories
of early days and he told me about George Adams the best man he ever saw swing a cradle
and who cut a six acre field of wheat for Uncle Ward's brother one time between half past
seven in the morning and six at night. On my way home I met Aunty and Rebecca who were
on their way over to the farm for dinner so I came over with Rebecca, Aunty stopped in for
a few minutes to see Mr. Johnson. Dad. and Frank had been setting up the wheat sheaves
off my plots along the barn and this after noon Dad. and I put them in the barn. We put on a
jag of straw before dinner out of the mow over the granary just about cleaning it out and
hauled it over to the box stall in the horse stable for Frank to use for bed. Frank drove
Rebecca and Tid down town this after noon and Aunty and Enah walked down and Enah
drove back with Frank. Dad. and I spent most of the after noon putting a door in the north
side of the old barn so that we could let the calves out on the wheat stubble. To-night we
went over to Lorne Myer's as Tige McBride was over here this morning and said he would
call a meeting of the J.F.I.A. to decide on who would enter the Judging Competitions at the
Toronto Fair and what classes they would enter. There was a pretty good turnout and six or
seven of us are going to Toronto. Frank and I have entered on sheep & beef cattle Most of
us went for a swim at the mill on our way home
Saturday August 10th

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Frank and I had to go up to Ham Thompson's this morning and when we got back we all
three went back to straighten up some of the oat sheaves in the back field Some of them
were pretty wet but not sprouted. Dad. finished fixing up the calf pen and let the whole six
of them out. This after noon Frank cut around the oat field just east of the lane and cut a
road through it. Dad. and I shocked up. I got a couple of heads of oats with 100 grains on
them. Frank found them and we are going to keep them for seed. To-night Dad. Enah and
Frank all went down town. It has been pretty hot to-day and doesn't feel clear yet.
Sunday August 11th
Frank Tid. and I walked down to Sunday school this morning but as there was no teacher for
the Bible Class Frank and I went down to the beach and got back in time for church. Mr.
Farney took the sermon as Mr. Butcher has been called up for service that is military
service. Dad. and Enah drove down to church. Tid and I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner
and all the after noon. Huby was over here for tea. It has been very hot all day winding up
with a small thunderstorm.
Monday August 12th
Last night's rain made it too wet to cut oats first thing this morning so I finished making a
trough to feed the calves in and Dad. and Frank put a fence around the cucumbers back of
the barn so that the calves wouldn't get at them, and also the sheep as we intend letting
them out on the wheat stubble. Frank cut for about an hour before dinner and all the after
noon and got all the east half of the field cut when but about one round when the doubletree broke so he quit. Enah was down town nearly all day as Elva and Brant got married.
Frank went up to tell Tige McBride to-night that I made a mistake in telling the boys that
they could enter the livestock class and the fruit & grain classes for fifty cents as I had a
letter from Neff to-day telling me they were fifty cents entry fee for each class. The War
News has been great lately. The Germans are on the defensive along the whole Western
front and are steadily being pushed farther back. The American & French drive between
Soissons & Reims where they drove them to the Vesle river had just slowed up when Sir
Douglas Haig started another one farther north with British, French Canadian and Australian
troops and so far has captured over 40,000 prisoners and 500 guns. In some places the
German retreat seems to be almost a rout but in others they are putting up a stiff fight.
Fairly hot to-day but feels clearer and fresher. Nice breeze.
Tuesday August 13th

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We finished cutting the oats by one o'clock new time and put the binder back in its winter
quarters in the woodshed after dinner. We then hauled the barley & oats from the strip
along the side-road in three loads, they seem to be very heavy and dry. Very hot, but
strong wind.
Wednesday August 14th
It was a very hot night but before morning the wind went around to the north and it has
been nice and cool all day. It looked very rainy this morning in fact it did rain a little but
soon cleared off. Dad. and I went back this morning to the back field and put on a load of
oats and as it was nearly 12 o'clock when we got it off we didn't go back again before dinner,
but Dad went back and turned out a couple of loads while Frank and I started to put a
brace on the old cracked arm of the rack. We had an awful time trying to bore the holes
through it, we blamed it to the bit being dull but after Frank had gone over to Quanbury's
and borrowed another, he discovered we were trying to bore through nails. After dinner I
went over and borrowed a waggon from Jack Martin while Dad. and Frank finished fixing the
rack and we hauled in with two waggons and got four loads up by working till eight o'clock
but didn't unload the last two. We turned out all the shocks before we hauled them as some
of them were pretty damp. Alan Law was in to-night to see if he could get one of us to help
thrash in the morning but said as we were so busy he would try to get someone else; and I
guess he did.
Thursday August 15th
We didn't get on as fast to-day as we had hoped to as we only got up four more loads from
the back field and left at least three back there. We had to pitch off the two that we
brought up last night and every load now gets harder to pitch as the mow gets fuller. There
should by rights be another man in the mow as it is too far to pitch across the two
{beats?}. Dad. and I turned out all the shocks in the field this morning so that delayed us.
Cool.
Friday August 16th
We got the back field cleared by to-night instead of last night as we had hoped. Our delay
to-day was caused by me upsetting a load on the gully hill just coming out of the gate, my
off wheel got in the rut and before I knew what was coming off I was on the ground and the
waggon on its side. We took Frank's load up and unloaded it then came back with Jack' s
rack (it was our rack that upset) and put part of my load on it and Frank got a reach from

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Tupper as ours was broken. We had a hard job getting it put in but managed to at last and
then put the rest of the load in our rack but had to load carefully as one arm of the rack
was broken. After we got the loads off we had to put an old hinge iron on the broken arm
and Frank had to go to town after some bolts. It all took time and by the time we got two
more loads up (the last two) it was after seven, we put the load off of Jack's rack and Frank
took it home. Enah's sister Mrs. Johnson was over here to tea and Uncle Ward came over to
get Dad. to offer a special prize at the Horticultural Show so he did for honey. Frank drove
them home, or at least Dad. drove Uncle Ward home after Frank got back from taking Mrs.
Johnson. Cool.
Saturday, August 17th
Frank had to go thrashing over at Quanbury's this morning so Dad. spoke to Pickford last
night about getting one of the boys to help us to-day and Arthur came over this morning.
He turned sheaves on the stack for us all day and was a good little worker. Dad. kept telling
him that if the stack was a good one he would claim to be the builder of it, but if it was a
poor one, he would tell that Arthur built it. We put five loads on the stack and left one
standing on the barn floor. Dad. took a lot of pains building it as he laid every sheaf by hand
and kneeled them all in, but one corner of it slid out a little much to his disappointment.
Frank didn't get home till nearly dark and then went over to Quanbury's to tea but they
finished over there and got about 1300 bushels from the 30 acres. Frank went down town
to-night and said there were a bunch of Dominion Police down there rounding up fellows
who didn't have their military and registration papers. Frank said they had quite a bunch of
them in the lock-up but let them out on bail. He also said that Aunty Alice went to Toronto
with Rebecca this morning and that, Ade, Orm, Kathleen & Lars all came up last night. Cool
and strong north east wind.
Sunday August 18th
Frank and I and Tid. walked down to church this morning and Dad. and Enah were just ready
to drive down when. Ade & Orm and the two girls came over in the car, as that delayed
them, Orm drove Enah down to church and Ade drove down with Dad, who put Joe in
Aunty's barn and didn't come to church. After church Enah went with the choir for a picnic
and didn't get home till after church to-night, when Jack Walker brought her home in the
car. Aunty and Aunt Ida came with them in the car just for the ride. Dad. & Tid stayed down
at Aunty's for dinner and Frank and I had dinner alone and stayed home all the after noon
and evening. Cool north east wind all day. Quite cold to-night.

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Monday August 19th
We have hauled oats all day and got in five loads but there are still a couple more in the
field. We put part of one load on the stack and one in the barn and then started to build
another stack on the west side of the barn doors. The sheaves are shorter now and much
harder to stack. Frank helped us unload and spent the rest of the time weeding in the
garden. Still cool with east wind.
Tuesday August 20th
We finished oat harvest to-day at noon. There was only about a load and a half left in the
field and we put part of it on the stack and the rest in the barn. This after noon we started
haying again, but just got in two loads. It seems awful to be starting at it again this late in
the season. We quit early as Dad. and Enah went down to the church concert which they
said was very poor and Frank went down to the Ryerse's to a corn roast. I took Maple Hill
Nellie up to Hams's. Enah was over at the Martin's this afternoon and heard that Jimmy
Caley has gone so badly out of his mind that they had to take him to the hospital in
connection with the asylum. Warm but not hot.
Wednesday August 21st
We finished hauling the hay that was cut to-day We got three loads in this morning and the
third one we hauled around to the oat stacks and put the top of it off on them and Dad.
topped them out with hay. This took quite awhile after dinner and then we had to do some
mowing in the horse stable before we could get the load in so that it was late when we
went out after the last little jag of 20 cocks, and by the time we got it off was about six
o'clock. Warmer & cloudy, looked rainy.
Thursday August 22nd
Frank has been cutting hay in the old bluegrass meadow all day and got it more than half
cut. He took Joe and Queen this morning and the old team after dinner. Dad. and I went
over to Tupper's this morning and harrowed 11 bags of oats and took part of them down to
the mill to be chopped. I went down after dinner and got the chop and then took the
waggon out to the field. I raked up most of what Frank cut and then Dad put on a small load
out of the windrow which I hauled up to-night. Dad. cocked up while I was raking. Enah and
Tid have been down town all day. To-night Frank and I went down to the mill and had a
good bath under the dam. It has been much warmer.

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Friday August 23rd
Frank finished cutting the bluegrass to-day noon. Dad. and I changed the rack from the
horse stable to the big barn and then went out and cocked up what was in windrow. This
after noon I raked the whole thing up and Dad. cocked up what he could. Frank picked the
ripe tomatoes and took a bushel over to Mrs. Pickford as Jackie spoke about getting them
yesterday and a basket down to Mrs. Jim Low. To-night Zeitha Elva and Mrs. Johnson came
over for the evening and Aunt Ida came over with Frank this after noon for tea She walked
home to-night with the rest. Pretty warm.
Saturday August 24th
Frank had to go down town with some cream for Aunty Alice and was gone quite awhile but
we got all the hay up in cock by noon. This after noon we put off the load that was on the
barn floor and got one more in and then quit as Dad. wanted to go down and meet Dick. He
got a letter from him at noon saying that he would be home on the five o'clock car having
got six weeks farm leave. It seems queer that he should get farm leave now after everything
is in when they wouldn't allow it before, but it seems it is on account of the Western
Battalions getting it. Dick is tickled to death and won't have to go back to Petawawa but will
likely put in the winter in Toronto. Dick, Frank and I went down town to-night. Dick went to
the dance and stayed down town all night. I bummed around town awhile and then went
and got my hair cut. Mr. & Mrs. Millman & Nita came up in the car this after noon and are
going to take Percy and Kathleen back to-morrow. Pretty hot and rainy looking.
Sunday August 25th
Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning but as no Bible Class teacher showed
up, I went over to see Hazen Waddle who is home on a weekend leave. I hadn't seen him
since he got into uniform till this morning. I found him at breakfast in company with three
damsels two of whom were strangers to me and the third one Miss Shiltz. Hazen seems to
be standing the army racket pretty well although he says he is just getting over a little
attack of Ptomain poisoning. He told me he was talking to a returned man the other day
who in the course of conversation asked him where he was from and when Hazen told him
his home-town was Port Dover, the fellow said "That's funny, I could show you a place in
France where there is a stick in the ground with a board on it on one side of which is
written “Here lies a Fritz" and on the other side is printed 'The Port Dover Canning
Company.'" I went to church from there and sat in the front seat with Aunty, Aunt Ida and

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Dick, but Dick and I slept most of the time Morton Brown was again the preacher. Dad.
drove Enah down with Queen as Joe is lame from some unknown cause, and so Dad. didn't
stay to church but drove Tid. home. Enah and I went down to Aunty's after church where
we ran across the Millmans and Mr. Millman drove us home in the car. Huby and Dick came
over with us but went back to Aunty's with Mr. Millman for dinner. I read and slept all the
after noon. Frank went down town and for a swim in the lake with Lloyd Ryerse and Dad.
and Tid went down to the mill for a swim but I guess just paddled around in the creek. John
Quanbury came over after Dad. to-night and he went over with him to see his sick cow but
Dad. said it was all right. Wilbur Ryerse came in to-night to tell me that if I went over there
to Tuppers in the morning I could go down to Douglas’s with them. Frank said that the
Millman's went to turn the car around down in front of Aunty's this after noon and backed
the thing right down the hill on to the railway track and they had to get Water's with his
team to pull it up the hill again. Dick had to go down to the station and get them to
telephone to the switch to have the car stop, but they said it came down as far as where
the automobile was and then stopped and unloaded a whole car load of people who helped
get the thing off. The brakes were out of order. It has been pretty hot again to-day.
Monday August 26th
We got four loads of our hay in to-day and put off the one that we hauled in Saturday night.
It took a long time to put the loads off as the last load filled the west end of the barn right
up and every load had to be mowed. Dick didn't get over till noon but this after noon he and
Frank mowed away while we were putting the loads off and then Frank stayed in the mow
and mowed it well away while Dick Dad. and I were out after loads. Wilbur Ryerse was in
again to-night to tell me that they weren't going to start for Douglas's till noon as Tupper
didn't want to go in the morning and he is going to take us down in his car. Rather cloudy
and strong west & north west wind.
Tuesday August 27th
We went out this morning and got a fairly good load and put it off on the east side of the
barn which had just about room enough for a couple of loads. Frank and Dick mowed it
away. It was about eleven o'clock when we got it off so I came in and got ready to go to
Caledonia with Tupper & Frank & Wilbur Ryerse, but Dad. and the boys got the rest of the
hay in and hauled two slingfuls up and put them in the barn and then hauled the last load
and Dad pitched it off by hand. I was over at Tupper's in lots of time as he hadn't come in
yet from the field but we got started fairly early had a very nice drive and lots of time to

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see all of Douglas' cattle and got home before dark. Douglas himself was home and took us
all over the farm to show us his cattle and Frank and Wilbur bought a $210.00 bull from him a
yearling. We went up to the house where they pressed us to stay to tea but we didn't but
the girls played their victrola for us. When I got back I just had my tea and went up to
McBrides as Tige was down this morning to tell us that Neff was coming down to give us
some pointers on judging fruit and vegetables. Frank wasn't through with his chores so
didn't come up. I didn't get home till about twelve o'clock but got quite a few pointers on
judging fruit which I knew very little about. Neff also announced that he was going to award
prizes for general proficiency and best kept notes at last years winters short course and I
was very agreeably surprised to learn that I had won First Prize for General proficiency and
Tige McBride second. Leo Challand won first prize for best kept notes and Frank second.
The prizes were all books mine was "Principles of Breeding" by Davenport and Frank's was
"The Breeds of Farm Animals" by Gay. This after noon Frank and Dick burned some of the
old swail grass that was in windrow out by the side road and Dad, Enah and Tid went down
town and got some salt. Fine, cool & breezy.
Wednesday August 28th
It rained hard early this morning and all the after noon. We didn't do much but sit around
and read. Dad. did a little ditching this morning and I took Ham Thompson's old red hen
home about noon. Just at dinnertime an automobile party ran in here out of the rain to put
chains on their wheels. The three women of the crowd came into the house and told us
they were from Tilsonburg and on their way to Bridgeburg. About the middle of the
afternoon Harvey Skey came over well protected from the weather by rubber coat and
boots. He was after cream.
Thursday August 29th
First thing this morning Dad. Dick and I went down and started to tear down Lew Brock's old
stable. Frank came down later with the team. We got more than half of it down and the nails
out of the boards by noon and took one load home. This after noon Dad. and Dick got most
of the rest of it down and Frank and I went down town and got a load of soft coal and took
the wheels of the old waggon down to Hallam to have the tires set. We came back to Lews
and got another load of boards after we had put the coal off. Mr. James and Mr. Johnson
were over here this after noon and Dess and Win came over to tea. Dick went down with
them to the dance this evening. I felt rather tough to-day, think I had a touch of the colic.
Fine day cool and breezy.

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Friday August 30th
We wanted to start hauling manure to-day but before we could haul the spreader out of
the lane gate we had to put some more earth over the cement tile that Dad. put in there, so
we went back to the end of the lane with the waggon to get some clay but as there was a
big water hole back there we had to drain the water out of it before we could haul a load
through it. Dad. ran a furrow from the hole to the top of the hill and threw the sods out of
the furrow into the hole. We hauled two loads of clay from the gully and put them over the
tile at the barnyard end of the lane. It was noon when we got through. Aunty and Aunty
Alice were here to dinner and after dinner Bruce Smith and Frank Marr came over after Dad.
as Frank's cow was choking on an apple so Dad. went down and managed to get the apple.
We boys got the manure spreader out and Frank and Dick pitched manure while I went
back and pulled weeds out of the mangels. Frank hauled out till Dad. came home and then
went and weeded strawberries. To-night Dick and I went to a corn roast put up by Mrs.
Hobbes and Frank went to another one that the McBrides were having. Both corn roast were
up the beach about 100 yards apart below Globe Park. After we had burned up all the corn
we had and then eaten it, we went up to the Hobbes and sat around till after midnight. Fine
day.
Saturday August 31st
It rained quite hard during the night and quite a bit this morning so that I didn't do much
but lie around read and sleep during the fore noon Frank made a plant stand for Enah out of
an old desk we got down at Lew Brock's. This after noon Dad. and I went back and patched
up the gully fence a little along the cornfield as there were two or three posts broken and
we were afraid the delapitated condition of the fence might tempt the cattle to try to
explore the cornfield. Frank spent the after noon cleaning and fixing up the granary bins.
Sam's outfit is now at old Evan's and he will be at Pickford on Monday. Dick took a holiday
this after noon and went down town. We did the chores up early and I went down town tonight, went down to the station and met Marj. who came back to-night. Sunny & cool wind
this after noon.
Sunday September 1st
We were late getting around this morning so I wasn't able to take Tid. down to Sunday
school so Dad. drove him down. He seems to like Sunday school and the stories Aunty tells
them. He told Enah that last Sunday Aunty told them about a man who saw a burning bush

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and a voice came out of the bush which said "Take off your boots, for the ground where you
stand is full of holes and you'll get your feet muddy." Obviously the story was about Moses
and he took the Biblical phrase "holy ground" to mean full of holes and so he generally takes
his boots off when he goes back to the gully to keep them from getting muddy, he thought
Moses did it for the same reason. I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner and they invited
Professor Andrew’s down there to dinner. He came down to preach this morning and there
was no one to meet him and no choir or or organist so he played the organ himself. This
after noon I went up to see Marj and went home to tea. Dad. came down to church to-night
and Enah stayed down to tea at Aunty's and played to-night. I went to Patterson's with
Marj. to-night.
Monday September 2nd
Dick and Dad. hauled out manure this morning and Frank and I dug potatoes and got some
vegetables to take down to Vernon to-morrow. This after noon he and I went over to
Pickford's to thrash. Dick took a holiday this after noon it being Labor day and Dad. hauled
out manure alone. We got home from Pickford's about eight and thrashed {illegible} all out
nearly 600 bushels all together. Enah had our valises packed when we got home so I got
dressed up and went down town I went up to see Marj. for awhile and then came back to
Aunty's to stay all night so as to be ready to catch the car in the morning. Frank was there
and had just had a bath so I had one too. Fine day but looks rainy.
Saturday September 7th
As Frank and I have been in Toronto since last Tuesday till last night, I will have to put our
doings in condensed form as I have not been able to write them day by day. We left
Tuesday morning on the seven o'clock car and went to Brantford where after bumming
around for an hour or so we took the radial for Hamilton getting there about eleven where
we had our dinner and fooled in two or three more hours and then took the 2.15 boat for
Toronto. We arrived there about five so we were nearly all day “en route.” We didn't mind
though as there were five of us Charlie Blake, Tige McBride and Lloyd Ryerse being with us
and we had an ideal trip over on the boat. Frank and I went to stay with Roy and Vernon of
course and the other three stayed down on Bloor St. about three blocks away. That night
we all went down to the Princess theatre and saw "The Garden of Allah" which Tige and I
liked but which the other fellows didn't care for. Wednesday we put in the whole day out at
the Fairgrounds. Frank went out early to the Sharples seperator company with a piece of
the seperator to have it fixed and then went to his sheep judging competition at which he

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got 10th place. I went down later and just poked around till I ran into the other three fellows,
we had our lunch on the grounds and met in the Breeders’ Ring at 2.30. I for the Beef Cattle
judging and the others for the poultry. We had a class of aged Aberdeen Angus cows and
one of Shorthorn heifers. I had a hard time coming to a decision on them as they were all
pretty even but I tried to make out a good case for my placings when giving my reasons
orally and I discovered I won 9th place among about 20. I didn't get the placings on the
Shorthorn's right either, That night we got a free ticket to Mumby's dining hall and I had tea
with Prof. Graham & Marcellus. After tea most of us went over to the Grand Stand
performance but some of them thought it was going to be too wet for it as it drizzled all
evening. We got a free ticket to it and had seats reserved for us. It was pretty good but
nothing extra. It rained hard that night and Frank and I didn't get out very early to the
Exhibition and Frank's class of grain and roots was partly over, however he entered and won
6th place amongst about thirty five. Our Fruit and Vegetable judging contest came off next
and I got 6th prize in it. Leo Challand got 4th. After it was over we found all the Norfolk bunch
which consisted of Challand, Butler, two Stitts and Corby besides us five. Rolson was also
down judging hogs but he disappeared the first day and none of us saw him again. We all
had lunch together and happend into the same tent that Neff was dining in. We prowled
around the grounds all the after noon and had a lot of fun with Corby who stopped and
interviewed anyone who would talk to him. One was a fellow demonstrating wooden arms
and hands and another was showing off saftey razors. I went over to the Model Comp and
saw Hazen for a few minutes and also saw a couple of boxing bouts between Canadian &
Yankee soldiers. There was a whole battalion of Yankees down there. We went back to
Vernon's for tea - or at least dinner and at night. Frank went to a Charlie Chaplin show and I
went down town and drifted into Britnels book store where I spent the whole evening.
Friday morning we went down town and did some shopping and then went over to the
Millman's office and Orm took us up to the top of the Royal Bank building to see the city
and then over to the Dominion bank to see the 40 ton door of the vaults and Jessie Kirtland
and Paddy O'Flynn. We had lunch at Roy’s but had to leave right after it to catch our 2.15
boat for Hamilton. The other three were waiting for us and we all came home to-gether
getting in last night on the nine o'clock car. Dick and Dad. hauled manure and thrashed
most of the time we were away. They thrashed Jack Martin out and a little for Mr Flemming.
They had a very bad wind and rain storm here and everything is pretty wet. Dick took a
holiday to-day. Dad. and I spent most of the morning digging potatoes and this after noon
we cleaned up the old barn to be ready for the thrashers. Frank did odd jobs. Fine day.
Sunday September 8th

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I left my razor down at Auntys in the suitcase the other night so had to go down there to
shave this morning. I took Tid down with me intending to send him to Sunday school with
Aunty but they had gone so we just went to church. Dad. and Enah drove down to church. I
stayed down at Aunty's for lunch but went home right after, got Queen and took Marj. for a
drive up around by Vittoria. I didn't get down to church to-night but Dad. and I walked
down after. He went down to Aunty's and Marj. and I spent the evening up at Miss Martin's
Dick was going to Simcoe yesterday to spend Sunday with Dess at Grandpa Mead's and no
one has seen him all day. It has been a very nice day.
Monday September 9th
Dad. and I hauled out manure all day and got out 13 loads. Frank rode up to Mat. Wilson's
this morning to see when Sam could come here to thrash and he said not before Thursday.
He told Dad. he would be here about Tuesday but took on some new job up there. Frank
picked tomatoes and weeded strawberries the rest of the day. Dick spent most of the
morning in bed and went to Simcoe this afternoon to have his picture taken. Cecil
McPherson was over after school to-night picking plums for Enah. Cool.
Tuesday September 10th
Dick and Dad. finished covering the field with manure by to-night. Frank and I spent most of
the day gathering up the windfalls in the orchard as we want to turn the sheep in there. It
was quite a job but we got them all. Tupper was over this morning to get me to do his
chores for him while he goes to the London Fair, so I went over to-night to see what to do.
Aunty, Aunty Alice and Cousin Clair were over to tea to-night. Miss Kerney & Mrs. Hallam
came over to-day and bought some plums from Enah. Cold wind.
Wednesday September 11th
We seperated the rams from the ewes this morning and put the rams in the orchard and
the ewes back in their old pasture in front of the barn. Dad. got started to plow this morning
on the oat stubble just north of the orchard. I think the five acres of spring plowing is all we
will try to put in. Frank fixed up the fence around the orchard and I barricaded the two little
plum trees I set out this spring so that the rams couldn't eat them off again, they have been
nibbled down a couple of times but are still alive. Dick picked some plums to take down to
Mrs. Dyer. This after noon Dick, Enah and I drove down town in the waggon and got some
provisions for the thrashers whom we expect to-morrow. We took some plums down to the
Canning Factory and I got the plow which we left at Hallam's to have the shear sharpened.

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We picked Melissa Tupper and Hazel Ward up and gave them a ride home. Melissa didn't go
to the fair with the rest on account of some school work so she got Hazel Ward to go home
with her and Mrs. Art Walker stayed with them all right. I hooked Joe to the buggy and
drove them on over to Tupper's place and I did up the chores. To-night Marj. & I went to the
picture show and saw Jack Pickford in "Huck & Tom". It has been cloudy all day and rained
hard this after noon & evening.
Thursday September 12th
I drove over to Tupper's as soon as I got up this morning but it was a little late then, but as
the walking was so bad I drove the girls down to school. They were late waiting for me to
get through with the chores. I didn't get through with my breakfast till after ten o'clock and
then went down to Flemmings & Jack Martin's to tell them we expected the thrashers.
When I got back I spent the rest of the morning cleaning up my harness as it got pretty
muddy. Dick and Frank spent most of the morning fixing up the granary. They put a
partition in the middle bin and boarded up the tops so that the bins can be filled up to the
ceiling. Dad. also battened up the cracks in the little boxstall in the horse stable so that we
can use in for a granary too. It rained nearly all day so we couldn't do much outside Aunty
Alice came over to help Enah if the thrashers came and Dess came over too, she and Dick
went down to the show to-night. I went over to Tupper's soon after five and did up the
chores in the rain. No one had been there all day and Melissa didn't come home so the milk
utensils didn't get a very good washing. When I got home I found they had got the machine
here and Alan, Sam & Ray were just leaving, they had a hard time moving.
Friday September 13th
I got over to Tupper's this morning before daylight and got the chores all done and home
before they started to thrash. It rained a little and I suppose delayed them a little but it
hasn't been raining at all to-day but has been cloudy, windy and cold. We thrashed pretty
steadily all day and got everything thrashed but one stack. The oats turned out well about
fifty bushels to the acre, and the mixed grain did well too We just had 117 bushels of clear
wheat. The stack really thrashed better than the stuff in the barn as it was a little tough but
the stack was perfectly dry so all Dad's worrying over the rain was no use. We have to-night
65 bushels over the 1000 mark and the other stack to thrash yet so this will be away the
best turn out we have ever had. Tupper didn't get home to-day so I had to go over again
to-night to do chores I was late getting over but Melissa was home and had the cows up
and partly milked. She went over to Donald's to get Ina to stay with her to-night.

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Saturday September 14th
I was over at Tupper's again this morning before daylight and found the lantern still burning
on the table where I had left it last night thinking that Melissa and Ina would be right back
but Melissa stayed over at Donald's all night. Tupper didn't get home to-day so I went over
to-night and was surprised and a little worried to find that Melissa had not emptied the
cream nor washed the seperator and aparantly had not been near the house all day so
when I got the chores done I went over to Bill Donald's to see if she got there alright last
night. They were all just coming out of the lane heading for town and Melissa was with them
so I had my mind made easy and got a ride home. We finished thrashing the other stack
this morning and it turned out just as well as the rest and made the total number of bushels
up to 1240. The granary bins are all full as well as the little boxstall in the horse stable. When
they got through here they moved down to Alfred's and Dick Frank and I went down with
them. We thrashed there till about four o'clock and got finished at Alfred's. He had 408
bushels of oats and 14 of wheat and is as tickled as he can be. The wheat was nearly pure
bluegrass. I was in the straw all the time as no-one else would go into it so felt pretty dirty
to-night. When we got home Dad. had gone down town to see the dam and hear what Hon.
Mr. Cavell had to say about the harbor. He says they will start work next week repairing the
pier. I went down to-night and got my hair cut but there wasn't much going on. Charlie
Quanbury treated me to ice cream. Fair.
Sunday September 15th
None of us went down to church this morning as we were late having breakfast. I didn't get
back from Tupper's till about ten o'clock. This after noon Dick and I went down town and I
went to Miss McQueen's with Marj. I came home thinking I would have to go over to Tupper's
again to-night but was rejoiced to find him here to tell me he had got home. He said
everything was in good shape and gave me two dollars for my trouble. I had my tea and
went back down town thinking I would be in time for church. I went but just got in before
the sermon and I discovered that they had changed the time back from half past seven to
seven. I went over and spent the evening with Marj. She has changed her boarding house
over to the Monteith's. It has been cloudy, and cold rained to-night.
Monday September 16th
Dick and Frank went over to Quanbury's (Art's) to thrash this morning and were over there
till nearly noon but didn't get their dinner out of it. Dad. and I bagged up 12 bags of oats for

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Tupper and tied up all the bags that were in the barn. This after noon Dick and I took
Tupper's oats back to him but the 12 bags fell a bushel short of what we borrowed by
weight. We got 12 or 13 bassword poles over there to put over the mow in the old barn.
When we got back we took all the filled bags that were in the barn over and dumped them
in the little boxstall in the horse stable and took Art Quanbury's oats back which we
borrowed at seeding time and took Ivey's bags back to them so most of the after noon was
spent in returning borrowed goods. Frank and Dad. did odd jobs as it was raining and
cloudy all day rain to-night.
Tuesday September 17th
Frank and I took Frank's ducks down to the station this morning and he shipped them to
Silverwood's in London. Dad. did some odd jobs around and I helped him clean out the calf
pen when I got back. This afternoon Dad. plowed on the wheat ground and Dick Frank and I
went back to pull plantain in the clover seed but as there wasn't very much we went on
over to John Wes’'s McBride's and visited with Cam. most of the after noon. To-night Dad.
and Enah drove out to the Shand's to see the Virginia Nixon's Frank and I stenciled Dad's
name on some bags. Dick went down town and just after Frank and I went to bed he came
in and spanked us awake with his whip and informed us that a telegram had come for him
from Col. Syer telling him he had a chance to go either to Siberia or Overseas with a tank
battalion, he is tickled at the chance to go to Siberia. Sunny and fair but not hot to-day.
Wednesday September 18th
I went over to Lorne Myer's this morning to see what our potatoes looked like. The early
ones are ready to dig but in the clay patch are too wet. I went on over to McBride's to see
Tige but he wasn't home so I went in to see Ham. Thompson. He was going to try to get
some wheat in and so was too busy to help with the potatoes so I thought we had better
leave it for awhile. Dad. plowed this morning and Frank dug potatoes in our own garden.
Dick went down town right after breakfast to wire Col. Syer that he would go to Siberia but
didn't get any word back to-day He was down town all day and is staying down to-night. It
rained a little at noon but soon cleared up and Dad. Enah and the baby drove down to see
the Horticultural Show. Frank plowed all the after noon and I cut the lawn or at least part of
it. It poured rain to-night but I went down town. I went up to the Flower Show but there was
very little there so I went around and spent the evening with Marj. It cleared off but was
cold and very windy when I came home.

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Thursday September 19th
We were very late having breakfast this morning and it was nearly eleven o'clock before we
got a grist bagged up and Frank and I got started for Lynn Valley to have it chopped. We
had to take it up there as the flume down here at Charlie Ivey's just about collapsed the
other day and is now in course of repair. Frank and I didn't get home till nearly three o'clock
and found Dad. and Enah hadn't had dinner yet as they were waiting for us. After dinner we
were sitting around the little coal oil stove reading as it was raining hard when Dick and
Dess came over. Dick hadn't been home since yesterday morning. He had a telegram in his
pocket from Col. Syer telling him to return to camp immediately as he was wanted for
Siberia, so he set to work to pack his kit and intends to leave in the morning. We did up the
chores early and Dad. drove him and Dess and his kit down town before dark and stayed
down all night to take him to the station in the morning. It was sunny early this morning but
was cold and wet all day.
Friday September 20th
Frank and I did chores this morning and Dad. didn't get home till after the nine o'clock car
went out as after he saw Dick off safely he and Huby ran across Jock Paine who was telling
them that he has just sold out his business for a quarter of a million and is now the richest
man in Port Dover. He bought the first prize car at the Toronto Exhibition so he told them
and said he was coming over here to get some mushrooms but he never came. We spent
most of the day cleaning out the chicken houses and Dad. carried over the weed seeds and
chaff off the barn floor and put in the sheds for them to scratch in. William Ryerse was in
after dinner to invite us three boys out to a dance at his place to-night. He didn't know Dick
had gone. Frank and I went out and had a pretty fair time although there was a little too big
a crowd. The barn was full of horses and the house fuller still of folks. Wilbur spent the
whole evening going around in his old clothes with a lantern like a night-watchman putting
horses away and getting them out and occasionally taking a walk though the house to see
how things were progressing. Dave and Mr. McNeilly furnished the music but as we had to
dance in two small rooms each side of a hall full of people, the one room didn't get a very
full share. It has been sunny and quite warm to-day
Saturday September 21st
Dad. and Frank cleaned up the wheat to-day and got somewhere around twenty-five
bushels of clean seed, part of which we will sow, if it ever clears up. There was quite a lot of

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shrunken stuff in it. This morning I went over to Ben's and dug up a few peony roots to send
to Dorrie Clarke and took them down to Marj. She packed them and I took them down and
expressed them but had to wait for about an hour at the station to get them looked after
so I was late getting home for dinner. Alfred Ryerse came up after dinner to pay us for
helping him thrash but we wouldn't take it of course. We finished cleaning up wheat this
after noon and I carried over some straw to the chicken houses. To-night I shut them all up
but the young ones are so wild I couldn't do much with them. Frank went down town tonight and says that Ray & Vernon & the kids came up to Aunty's last night. Fine day but
cold wind.
Sunday September 22nd
None of us went down to Sunday school this morning but all hands went to church. Enah
drove Ray, Rebecca and Tim home and Dad. walked. Frank rode his wheel and I stayed
down at Aunty's for dinner. This afternoon Marj. and I went over to see Glad. Law who came
home last night. I went to church to-night with Aunty Alice and then Marj. Glad. and I went
up to Miss Martin's. I didn't go home to tea and Frank and I stayed down all night as we want
to go to Brantford in the morning to see Archie McEwen about another ram Enah was down
at Aunty's to tea and played the organ to-night and Dad. drove down after her to-night. It
has been fair but quite cool.
Monday September 23rd
Frank and I got off on the seven o'clock car this morning and went to Simcoe. We went to
see Johnson about the apples and he said he would be down about the end of the week to
have a look at them. I also gave Cruikshank $20.00 more for my insurance and then we got
the nine o'clock car for Archie's place. Roy was on it so we went up with him. We had dinner
at McEwen's and made a deal with him for another ram, one we like the looks of much better
than the old McPherson ram and which has a far better fleece and skin. He is going to take
the old ram back and let us have this one for ten dollars more. We came home on the three
o'clock car but didn't do anything but chores after we got home. They lifted the bridge
down at the dam this after noon. Dad. didn't do any plowing to-day. Fine day and warmer.
Tuesday September 24th
I spent most of the morning clearing up rubbish and putting away chicken coops and
crates and Frank cleaned up the pen in the big barn to put our ram in as he has been used
to being in. Dad. plowed all morning. This after noon we loaded up old McPherson and took

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him down to meet the after noon Express. Archie had sent the new ram down on it so we
just took him out of the crate and put McPherson in and sent him back on the same car.
Dad. thinks the new ram is a great improvement on the other. We stopped in for awhile at
Aunty's on our way home and Dad. wanted to stay there and play with Roy's baby. It was
time to do chores when we got home as Enah wanted us to get through early for Miss
Phipps had been over to invite Dad. Enah and me over there for the evening. Mr. Barker, Mrs.
D. Cook and Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Battersby were there. Dad. had a letter from Dick to-day
saying he would leave Petewawa this week for the coast and Joe Syer told him that they
were to leave Vancouver for Siberia not later than the 10th of October so that there will be
no chance of his getting home again. He has been attached to the Veterinary Corps. There
hasn't been much war news from the Western Front the last few days, as the doings in
Palestine seem to be the centre of interest. General Allenby has just about freed that
country from the Turks so they say and has entirely wiped out two Turkish armies. Cool &
fine.
Wednesday September 25th
It rained again this morning but soon cleared off and was a very nice day. Dad. plowed most
of the day but was late getting out because we let the ewes out in the corner field and put
the ram lambs in the pasture in front of the barn. Frank and I spent most of the day building
a hurdle fence across from the end of the horse stable to the big barn to make a paddock
for the ram. Winnie was over to tea to-night and after tea Frank, Enah, Win and I went down
town. Winnie & Enah went to choir practice but we met them all coming away from the
church. I spent the evening over at the Monteiths. Frank went to the picture show and we
all met at Aunty's and came home.
Thursday September 26th
Dad. has plowed all day to-day and is nearly finished. He didn't get out very early this
morning as he helped us catch a couple of the best ewes to turn in with the new ram to try
him out. Frank and I dug potatoes in the garden till dinnertime. This after noon I disked with
Queen and Joe till about half past four and then gathered up the potatoes and onions that
were dug as we fully expected a frost to-night. It has been very cold all day due to a wind
from the north. I had my overcoat and gloves on this after noon and then nearly perished.
Frank went down to Walk. Well's sale this afternoon. Tom told us this morning that some of
our humorists had put on the sale bills that Sat. Robinson was to be Clerk. Where the joke
of that come in is that Walk had Sat up in court a couple of weeks ago and had him fined

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ten dollars for endeavoring to aleinate the affections of his hired girl, or something of that
nature.
Friday September 27th
Dad. finished plowing this morning and I have been disking most of the day. This morning I
drove down town and got Vernon and the two kids and brought them over for dinner. Aunty
and Aunty Alice walked over. This after noon about five o'clock I drove them home again.
Frank and Aunty Alice picked beans over in the garden and Dad. dug potatoes. Our checks
for prize money at the Toronto Exhibition came to-day. I got $22.00 and Frank $11.00. It has
been nice to-day and much milder.
Saturday September 28th
I disked and Frank harrowed with the little team on the wheat ground. I didn't finish disking
till about three o'clock and then Dad. started to drill and Frank harrowed after him. They
worked till dark but got the field finished. I came up and cut part of the lawn it had got very
long so after I cut it first I raked it and cut it again but that was just a small patch in the
center. Enah went down town this afternoon to practice with Zeitha who is going to sing in
church to-morrow. She told Dad. she thought she would be home to tea but didn't get
home till about ten. Dad. got a little anxious about her so I went down to Aunty's to look for
her, but they said she got a ride home with Jack Martin. I just missed them. Cloudy but
milder.
Sunday September 29th
We all walked down to church this morning and I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner. The rest
came in to Aunty's after church and there was great excitement when the car came in as
several of us happened to look out and saw Dick's face in the window. We hadn't the
faintest idea that he would be home as he was supposed to leave Petawawa for Vancouver
to-morrow, but we all rushed out the back gate and met him at Reeve's corner and he
informed us that they weren't to leave for the coast till Wednesday and that they had given
him a three day pass so he hadn't asked any more questions but beat it. He stayed down at
Aunty's for dinner and then he and Dess went over to the farm and stayed to tea. I spent
the afternoon with Marj. and Glad Law and then Marj. and I came over here to tea. Tid
stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and went with them up to Huby's for tea and to-night
Dad. went after him. We didn't leave till he got back, and Dick spent most of the evening
sleeping. He said he hadn't had a decent sleep since he left home.

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Monday September 30th
Dad. drove down right after breakfast this morning to be with Dick who stayed down town
all night and also to get Joe shod. Frank got the mower in shape to start cutting clover seed
and I raked up some more of the lawn and cleaned out the calf pen. We had an early dinner
and then Frank Enah Tid and I walked down to see Dick off on the one o'clock car. After he
left Frank and I went up town and got our checks for prize money and then came home. We
let the sheep out and Frank went back about four o'clock to start on the clover seed. I did a
few chores, read the paper and raked up some more lawn. Dad. Enah and Tid didn't get
home till six. Huby came over this after noon with his dog and shotgun to look for some
ducks and snipe. There were four ducks out in the waterhole north of the old garden. He
stayed to tea. The war news is about the best yet to-day. The whole Western Front is on
the move and the Germans seem to be going back all the way from the Belgian Coast to
the Swiss border. Positions along the Hindenburg line that were thought to be impregnable
have been smashed and the Canadians are in the outskirts of Cambrai and the Belgians
under King Albert's personal leadership, French and Americans are all just hooking it up.
Cloudy & cold raw wind.
Tuesday October 1st
Frank cut clover seed all day to-day with the little team but didn't finish the field. I dug
potatoes this morning and this after noon went back with Frank to carry a mower knife
back and then threw the sods out of some of the ditches in the wheat. Dad. and I also let
the ram out with the flock this after noon. Dad. ran out the furrows and ditches in the wheat
field to-day. I had a letter to-day from Douglas to tell me he had found a couple of rams
that would suit us so I wrote him to-night to tell him we had one. To-day's news says that
Bulgaria has completely surrendered to the Allies.
Wednesday October 2nd
It rained a little during the night so it was too wet to cut clover seed and Frank and I both
went over to Lorne Myer's to dig potatoes. Neff was down and Corby, Tige, Tick Nunn,
Charlie Stitt and Willie Nixon and Ham Thompson were over there. We got all the Cobblers
on the sand patch dug and put them in Henry Misener's barn. We got about two bags off
the plot that was grown from Old Ontario seed and over four bags off each of the other two
plots that were

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{There are two pages missing (ie one PDF) here. Toby numbers his pages in the upper right
or left corners, so they would be #234-235 in the original diary. The dates are end of Oct.2
-October 4, inclusive.}
Saturday October 5th
Frank went back to Art's to thrash this morning and they finished early, before noon. Dad.
and I cleaned out ditches in the wheat field and I dug a few potatoes in the cornfield this
morning. There are some good potatoes out there as far as size and cleanness but the wire
worms are bad in them. This after noon we went back to get a load of clover seed but there
was such a wind I couldn't load it and when we got a little more than the rack full it began to
rain so that we had to quit. It didn't rain much but drizzled. When we came up Dad. went to
clean some more ditches and Frank dug some more potatoes. I picked what few Duchess
apples there were left and then washed the buggy. Huby was over with his dog and gun this
after noon and he and the baby trailed all over the farm. Huby wanted to give Gyp a lesson
in retrieving so shot a blackbird out in the cornfield and let her find it but she nabbed it and
hiked for the barn with it and he supposes ate it but he couldn't get near her. He stayed to
tea. Huby stayed to tea and rode down town with Neff who came to see if we had got any
more potatoes dug.
Sunday October 6th
Enah and I drove down to church alone this morning. Cousin Willie took the service and
Zeitha sang a solo which was very pretty. This afternoon. Marj. Glad Law and I went for a
drive up towards Vittoria and got some chestnuts, they seem to be thick but not quite ripe.
It began to rain before we got home and has been drizzling and raining all evening. After tea
Dad. & I went down town. Dad. went down to see Roy at Aunty's and Marj. and I went over
to see Glad Law who is going away in the morning. We got very muddy and wet coming
home and found Frank sitting up waiting for us to tell us that Enah was sick. She had a bad
attack of cramps and had gone to bed, Frank having packed her in hot irons.
Monday October 7th
Enah was sick most of the night and has been in bed all day but felt a little better to-night.
This morning Frank and I took Clementine and Marj. out to Renton as Demming ships from
there. I led them both and Frank drove. We didn't have much trouble, we were late getting
started as Edmond England was in before breakfast and bought a ram lamb from us for
$40.00. This afternoon, we went over to the patch to dig potatoes. Lloyd Crysler, Charlie

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Stitt. Charlie Shand, Tige and Bill Sidway were there and we got the Green Mountains on the
sand patch dug. Lorne Myer's was up getting cider at Walker Waddle's and as we all had
what we could drink we forgave him for not helping us. He did come out anyway with his
team and waggon and took the down potatoes down to the mill where we weighed them.
For some unknown reason the ones grown from Old Ontario seed yeilded better than the
other two plots which was opposite result to what we expected and to what it has been in
other experiments. We were very surprised to-night to see Enah's brother and his family
they came down in their car from Courtright to-day, they didn't stay here long but are
coming to morrow. Nice afternoon.
Tuesday October 8th
Frank and I went to the Simcoe Fair to-day but we didn't get ready in time to catch the nine
o'clock car so went up on the eleven. I went up town first and deposited my two checks
from Edmond England and Demming so now have quite a bank account but it won't last
long. As soon as I got to Simcoe I paid out about $20.00 to Cruikshank for insurance but
have it all paid up. Frank and I had dinner at Walt. McCall's and then went out to the Fair
Grounds. We tried to find Neff to give him a sample of our potatoes but couldn't find him
for some time. I did locate him though later. He couldn't figure out how the Ontario plot
beat the rest unless we could have by any chance got the labels mixed or the ground a
little better. I lost Frank soon after we got there and didn't find him again. I spent most of
the after noon watching the races with Bill Sidway and stayed there too long to catch the
five car so Bill said I could ride home with him and Clark Horn as they were alone and had
Clark's car. I did and had tea at the Sidway’s and then came on down town with Clark and
his wife. I went down to Aunty's to tell them that I was home and then went up and got my
hair cut. I stayed there all night so that I could catch the car for Hamilton to-morrow. Fine
day.
Wednesday October 9th
I left for Hamilton this morning on the 7.30 train and got there about 10.30 there were four
other fellows on on the train bent on the same errand as I was so we started off to-gether
from the station but just stepped out the door when a plain clothes man held us up for our
military papers and registration certificates, but we all had them so he told us how to get to
the Armouries. That was the first time I was ever asked to show my papers. We all had to
answer a list of questions before we went before the examining board and then we all went
upstairs where the doctors were. There were several misfits around the room but most of

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the boys looked to be in pretty fair shape. They had me take my shoes and socks off and
they looked at my knee for awhile and then told me to go and wait for awhile so I went back
to the stove which had a railing around it just the right temperature to be comfortable for
my feet and one of the other boys (Abbott from Courtland) and sat there with our bare
feet up on the stove watching the other fellows getting put through their paces. There was
one old fat fellow who was lame and they took a long time to pass on him. They had him
stripped to the waist and made him lie out flat on the table which seemed to give him
considerable trouble then they made him prance up and down the room and alternated
these exercises all the time I was there. The last I saw of him he was reclining on the table
with his abdomen heaved high in the air and the doctors had aparently forgotten him.
Another one they had a lot of fun with was one of the Norfolk boys who came down with
me. He had a shrunken muscle in his leg or some thing which appeared to me to become
very much worse when we reached the Armouries than it had been before. However I might
be mistaken about that. They had him hop down the room on his well leg and then try to
hop back on his bad one. He didn't hop very gracefully on his well leg but the faces he
made when he tried to hop on the other were pitiful to behold. He vowed he couldn't do it
but the doctors urged him to make a stab at it so he did manage to get to the other end of
the room. I don't know what happened to him eventually. They called me back in a few
minutes and felt and pinced my knee till they hurt it and it has been lame all day. They at
last decided that I wasn't bad enough for an E man, which is the same opinion I have always
had, so put me up to B2 and gave me a certificate saying that my papers were taken from
me and that I would hear from them in about two weeks. That finished my examination so I
left feeling a much better man that I did last year. I went up to the Herrings where I
intended to hit them up for a day's keep and a night's lodging as I was very much to anxious
to go to the theatre to-night to see John E. Kellerd in "Julius Ceaser." I considered myself
very lucky to get the chance to see the play as I have always wanted to see it more than
any other Shakesperian play and have never had a chance before. When I got to the
Herring's I found Cousin Clair had gone to Brantford for the day but Mr. Herring was home
and he treated me right royally. I told him I wanted to go to the play to-night so he asked
me if a matinee would be too much and treated me to it which was "The Bells" by the same
company. He then took me all around the city and to the Library and Armouries where he
showed me through the Officer's quarters. To-night he and I went to see Julius Caeser at
which I stood treat and I certainly enjoyed it immensely. When we got home we found
Cousin Clair had not yet returned so we waited up for her. She came in on the twelve
o'clock car. I asked her what she thought of me landing in on them without warning. "Well"
she said "Why shouldn't you, what have you got relations for," in a tone of voice that made

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me feel very much at home. We didn't wait up long after she got home and I went to bed
feeling very much beholden to the Military Authorities for giving me the opportunity of
having such a good time and more than paying my expenses.
Thursday October 10th
Cousin Clair gave me my breakfast this morning and I got off in plenty of time to catch the
Dover train which left at 9.20. This being Caledonia Fair day there was a big crowd on and
we didn't get into Dover till nearly twelve. I had dinner at Aunty's and then went up to get
their mail for them. Everyone I saw seemed very interested to know how I made out in
Hamilton. Aunty and Rebecca came over to the farm with me. I didn't get home very early
but Dad Frank and I went back and got a load of clover seed. Dess came over to tea and tonight we managed to persuade Dad. to go down and stay at Aunty's so that he could go to
the Caledonia Fair to-morrow. I also went down to see Marj. Lovely day.
Friday October 11th
Frank and I got the chores done up nearly as early as usual this morning but as we thought
it was too wet to haul clover seed this morning on account of the dew we started in to cut
corn and got about fifteen shocks cut before dinner. We went back right after dinner and
put on a pretty good load of clover seed and then Frank raked up the rest of one side and I
bunched up till he got through and then we came up with our load. To-night Frank went
down to get Dad. but as his train was late they didn't get home till quite late. Dad. had a
pretty good time at the Fair I guess as it was a lovely day. Roy came up to-night too.
Saturday October 12th
It rained a little during the night so was too wet to do anything at the clover seed this
morning. I started to make a crate to ship Mr. Bent's ram lamb in but didn't finish it. Dad. and
Frank cut up some wood and brought in the cabbages from the garden with the team and
waggon. This after noon as it was a nice day and Marj. is going to be in Nanticoke over
Thanksgiving day (Monday) she and I went after chestnuts. We went up north of Vittoria
and only stopped at three trees but got a lot of nuts, they were thick on all the trees. We
got requested to leave one tree by an angry farmer so we did, after we got all the nuts we
could. It was a lovely afternoon and we got home before dark. Dad. and Frank hauled in the
clover seed that was bunched up but the rest was a little too wet.
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Dad. Enah and Tid. drove down to church this morning and I walked down. Frank didn't go
down as he wanted to go after chestnuts this after noon early. This after noon I drove Marj.
down to the Doughty's at Nanticoke and left her there to spend Thanksgiving day. They
invited me to stay to tea but I didn't and got home here in time to have tea and do chores.
Roy and Vernon were here but they didn't stay long as they wanted to go to church tonight. Dad. and Enah were down there this afternoon. Frank went after chestnuts but didn't
get any. I don't know why. He went up to Bowlby on the car and cut across south where
there are lots of trees, and anywhere we were yesterday there were lots of nuts. I didn't go
down town to-night. This morning there was a south wind and the air full of smoke which
made everything look very queer. A north wind got up about noon and the air cleared but
got colder.
Monday October 14th (Thanksgiving Day)
We finished hauling in the clover seed to-day. We went back this morning and Frank
finished raking and Dad. and I bunched up and brought one load up before dinner and this
after noon put it off and got the rest in one load and put it off. Enah and the baby went
down to see Roy and Vernon off this after noon. Windy & cool.
Tuesday October 15th
Dad. started fall plowing to-day on the oat stubble in the back field. He also got a load of
wood back there in the woods just old brokenl treetops and rubbish. Frank and I went up to
Ham Thompson's and when we got back we started to pick the apples that were dropping
the most and Frank picked up the windfalls and put them in the ice house for cider. I picked
the King's and one tree of Canada Reds or whatever they are. Lila was over most of the day
as the school has been closed on account of Spanish Influenza. I went down to-night
intending to go to the picture show but Marj. thought it wouldn't be wise as the Flu. is
spreading rapidly. There are all the way from 70 to 80 cases reported in town and to-day
poor old Bob. Miller died of it and all the rest of his family are sick with it. They got word today that Geordie Spain has been killed in action. It has been a beautiful day. Froze.
Wednesday October 16th
Dad. has been plowing all day and got on fairly well. Frank and I finished building the crate
to ship our ram to Omemee in this morning and I wrote to Mr. Bent and made out the
applications for transfer while Frank went over to Quanbury's to set some saws. We also
put the rams in the paddock and trimmed Mr. Bent's up a little and when Dad. came up at

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noon put the label in his ear. We picked apples this after noon and got the russets all
picked. Huby was over shooting this after noon and stayed to tea. I drove him home tonight and then went for a little drive alone as it was a beautiful moonlight night and Queen
enjoyed it too. Frank went for a ride somewhere on Joe. Frank and I were wokedd up this
morning about three o'clock by the factory whistle and after we got up we heard the fire
bells so hiked down town to find a small crowd around the planing mill where there had
been a fire in the shavings. We were down there about an hour but they had it under
control. The old Felix engine worked fine. We came home and went to bed again. Dad. got
up after we left thinking he heard the six o'clock whistle and when he discovered his
mistake he stayed up. Beautiful day.
Thursday October 17th
Frank and I dug potatoes all morning and I dug all the after noon out in the cornfield. We got
two full rows and what was left of the one that Frank started on the other day. We would
have got more done but Frank had to kill and pluck a couple of ducks. Dad. plowed all day
and got on well. Cousins Clare and Phoebe were over for awhile this after noon. Frank went
for a ride again to-night with Alex England and Colin Ryerse.
Friday October 18th
We were up soon after five this morning and Frank and I got down to the station with Mr.
Bent's ram about ten minutes before the train went out. I went in and asked Stace Lampkins
if I had better wait till the train pulled up or load him right away and he said to wait till it
pulled up. We did but it pulled up and right out before we could get him on the car. They
said they were late and couldn't wait a minute. It was very provoking but there was nothing
to be done but leave him there till to-night so this after noon I went down early and saw
that he got on the car, although the old pile of junk didn't pull out till a quarter of an hour
later than it should. It is such occassions as this that make a fellow wish for a strong arm
and a blasphemous tongue to curse the G.T.R. into a heap and lick all of its wooden headed
and unaccomodating employee’s. Dad. plowed again all day and Frank and I dug potatoes
all morning. Frank finished digging them in the cornfield this afternoon. Aunty and Aunty
Alice were over to dinner to celebrate Frank's birthday. To-night I went down town and
Marj. informed me that we were invited over to the Hobbes so we spent the evening over
there. North east wind to-day and much colder.
Saturday October 19th

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Dad. plowed all day and has about half the field plowed. Frank and I dug potatoes all day in
the old garden but didn't get them all dug. They are much harder to dig out there than they
were in the cornfield as they were weedier and "soddier". We only got two bags. Charlie
Quanbury went through at noon to thrash at Art Walker's and told Dad. that the "Flu" is still
spreading. Frank Awde is very sick with it and Toots Law is dead, only being sick 36 hours.
One of the Alair boys is dead but he had pneumonia. They now say that Bob. Miller didn't
have it but died of his old trouble. It has been clear and windy to-day but not so cold.
Sunday October 20th
It began to rain some time during the night and kept it up pretty well till about noon. I didn't
get up till nearly nine o'clock and none of us went down to church. Frank stayed down all
night so he went with Aunty but said there were hardly any there. There was no Sunday
school and will no service to-night. The flu is still spreading and to day Charlie Alair died of
it, just as they were taking out the body of his boy. I went down soon after dinner and spent
the after noon with Marj. She went to the Bagley's for tea so I didn't see her to-night but I
stayed to tea at Aunty's and all evening. Mr. & Mrs. Jim Ross came to town last night and
are staying at Andrew Innes's for a week before they go to Toronto where Jim has been
moved.
Monday October 21st
I went over to Tupper's right after breakfast this morning and paid him his note. I was over
there most of the morning watching him break his big Clyde colt. He got on his back first
but didn't stay there long. Dad. and Frank went down to Lew Brock's and got some more
wood. This after noon Dad. Enah and Tid drove down in the buggy to see Jim Ross and
Frank took the cider barrell down to have some hoops put on it. He also got a new suit. I
sorted potatoes. Fresh day.
Tuesday October 22nd
Dad. plowed all day to-day. Frank and I picked apples this morning and got two trees of
sweet ones picked. It froze hard last night so we didn't get out very early at it. This after
noon we cut corn. It was a slow job too as up at the far end it was very short and full of
ragweed. Mr. Smythe from Vittoria was in at noon yesterday to buy a ram but he thought
$40.00 was pretty high and he wanted him recorded in the American book so we didn't
make a deal yet. I got a card from Mr. Bent to-day saying that the ram arrived Saturday
night so was slack but he seemed satisfied with him. Dad. had a letter from Dick from New

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Westminster and he says they are out of quarantine now but there are still a few cases of
"Flu". Everyone here now seems to be on the mend. I went down town to-night. It has been
a lovely day but cloudy to-night.
Wednesday October 23rd
Dad. plowed all day and Frank and I cut corn all day we got about 55 shocks cut. Dad. heard
from Dick from the hospital saying he had the Flu but was doing well. His fever had been up
to nearly 104° but was down to 101. Johnson's man was in at noon to look at the orchard. He
thought there might be 20 bbls {barrels} of orchard. Enah went down town this after noon
and told us to-night that Mrs. Frank Awde was dead and Frank himself very low with
Influenza.
Thursday October 24th
Dad. has plowed all day. Frank and I picked apples this morning as we expected Pud.
Smythe down to borrow some barley & oats as Mrs. Smythe asked Enah if they could get
them yesterday. He came and got about ten bags and as he was going to have them
chopped We got him to take a grist for us down to the mill too. I went down with him and
didn't get back till about noon. This after noon Frank and I hooked up Joe and Queen to go
after our chop but it wasn't done when we got there so we drove around the block instead
of waiting. We met Ham Thompson when we were coming home. He had been over here to
see if he could get us to help him fill silo to-morrow morning so we said we could. Tige
McBride was in last night to see if we could did the rest of the potatoes to-morrow after
noon as Neff could come down, so we said we would. Cloudy.
Friday October 25th
Dad. has plowed all day but Frank and I have been away from home all day. We went up to
help Ham. fill his silo and were there all morning. We didn't finish at noon as the blower
plugged up several times but after dinner Tige who was also helping and I went over to the
plot to dig potatoes as Tige had sent out the summons again to the boys. Frank stayed to
help Ham and Tige and I were the only ones at the plot till about five o'clock when Neff
came then Frank a little later. Young Wilfred Myers helped us pick up all the afternoon and
when Neff came he plowed out all the rest of the Cobbler’s on the clay patch. Tige and I
had plowed out a row or two. I didn't get home till dark and Jack Martin had been here to
get a couple of us to help fill his silo to-morrow. I had promised to go back to dig potatoes

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so Dad. said he would go although he could finish plowing to morrow. I went down town tonight. It has been cloudy and warm to-day.
Saturday October 26th
Dad. and Frank went over to Jack Martin's to help fill silo this morning and I took the team
over to Lorne Myer's. Tige McBride and his father came over and Charlie Blake and Fred
Rolson were there and a little later Neff came down with Leo Challand. Lorne Myers also
helped us but no more of the boys came. Neff took our team and he and Rolson plowed all
the potatoes out and we got the ones off the clay patch all picked up before dinner. This
after noon I went back and Tige and Corby came and Lorne Myer’s pretty late. Rolson came
with a lot of crates and picked up 20 bushels by measure for himself. Neff came down and
helped us till after five. Tige Corby and I worked till dark and finished the job and Lorne
Myer's hauled them up to his barn. When I got home Frank informed me that the silo filler
had broken down so they had come home about four o'clock and Dad. Enah and the baby
had gone down to Aunty's for tea as Jim & Mrs. Ross were there. I did the milking and Frank
and I had tea then Frank went down town and I went down to stay at Frank Awdes as he is
still pretty sick and his sister in law told me at noon that she would be very glad if someone
would come so that she could get a little sleep as no-one but herself and Earl have been
there since before Mrs. Awde died. Frank told Dad. I was there so he came in on his way
home and stayed the rest of the night. It has been cloudy and mild all day.
Sunday October 27th
As there has been no church to-day none of us got around very early this morning. Dad. got
home about half past five but went to bed for a little while. Aunty Alice came over after
breakfast for a little while just to see how we were. Aunty had gone up to the Marr's to
nurse Woodyer and his sister and Miss Gutcher who are all down with the Flu and she has
been there all day. They changed the time back to the old system again to-day so
everyone of the kickers ought to be happy. I went down town this after noon and went for a
walk. I had tea with Aunty Alice alone as Aunty didn't get home till after we were through
tea. I spent the evening with Marj. Dess was over here yesterday with a letter from Dick
saying he was much better but in the hospital at Coquiltam. Beautiful warm day, rained a
little.
Monday October 28th

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Frank and I went down to Mr. Flemming's to thrash this morning but it began to rain before
we got started and rained all morning. We hung around down there for an hour or so and
then Tupper brought us home in the his car, we went down town with him first to get some
gasoline. Frank spent most of the morning cleaning up root seed and I cleaned harness. This
afternoon I went down town to get my tooth fixed as the filling came out of it yesterday. I
got my hair cut and went down to Tip's to get a suit and a hat. I brought them back on
approval. Young Earl Awde came over this after noon to ask someone to go down and stay
all night to-night so Dad. went down. There is great consternation in town over the news
which arrived this morning of Billy Faulkner's death. He died in England but no one knows
what of but suppose it was the Flu. He just enlisted a little while ago.
Tuesday October 29th
Dad. finished plowing his field to-day but did not get a full day in as he was pretty tired
after sitting up all night with Frank Awde. He didn't get home till daylight. Frank went down
to Flemmings and they finished thrashing about four o'clock. I didn't go as Mr. Flemming
said yesterday he didn't expect us both but Frank said they could have used me early in
the day. I did chores and picked apples all day but didn't get in a very long day at the job.
Fine day.
Wednesday October 30th
Frank and I picked apples all day and got all the Spy's picked and a lot of the Seek-noFurther’s or Vandeveers as Johnson’s man called them the other day. Dad. started to plow
the side hill across the gully to-day. We want if we possibly can to get it seeded down with
Alfalfa next year. It began to rain about four o'clock and drizzled all evening. I went down
town to-night and intended to stay all night but when I got to Aunty's they told me that
Neff had been down and wanted me to go to Guelph with him to-morrow. He had
telephoned Tige before and wanted me to go but I told him I couldn't, but when he came
down and went over to the farm Dad. said I could go so he came all the way down to
Aunty's to tell me. As it had cleared off a little I went home for the night. Cloudy and rain.
Thursday October 31st
Tige McBride was down before breakfast this morning to tell me I couldn't go to Guelph as
Neff had said last night that Tige was going to take Lloyd Ryerse and me in his car, but Tige
said he was all alone as his father was off canvassing for Victory Loan subscriptions and
Albert was picking apples for George Duncan but Lloyd said he thought the real cause was

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that his mother was afraid of him getting the Flu. He went on down to tell Lloyd and by the
time they got back I was about ready to go so we drove up to McBride's and telephoned
Neff. At first he said he could take us up with him but as Butler, Nixon & Mitchell were going
too we thought it would be quite a load so we said we would go to Galt by Radial and he
could pick us up there so we did. He got us all right at Galt and we got to Guelph in time for
dinner. This after noon we went up to the College for the sale of surplus stock. I thought
things went fairly cheaply although the stock was nothing extra. Mostly sows but a few
sheep and cattle. There was one very nice young Shorthorn bull which went up around five
hundred, and Carpenter & Ross bought a white heifer for over a thousand. We went back to
the Royal Hotel for supper as soon as the sale was over, but Neff went out somewhere to
tea I think to Neilson's. I went down to the Bard's to see how they all were but I found the
old man and lady had gone out to the country and their married daughter that was there
told me that Edna was drowned last summer while in bathing down by the old Victoria
bridge. That was very sad news indeed and accounted for the old folks being away as they
could bear to stay alone. To-night we didn't know what to do with ourselves as everything
in the shape of entertainment was closed up. Butler and Mitchell were very anxious to pick
up some "chickens" and I guess did chase up a couple but I went over to the Y.M.C.A. for
awhile and then Nixon and I went back and I went to bed. Lloyd wandered around town for
awhile and I was asleep when he came in. He and I had the same room. It has been cloudy
raw & inclined to rain all day.
Friday November 1st
Neff left a call for us fellows last night and the old fellow came banging at our door this
morning about seven o'clock, however, Lloyd and I were up, Lloyd having got up at intervals
I think all night every time he heard a train go past. Neff doesn't eat any breakfast and was
all ready for us when we got through ours and we were on the road soon after eight. Elliott.
the District Rep recently from Lincoln County and Hampden from Welland were each there
with a class of boys to fit for the Intie-County judging competition at the Guelph Winter
Fair, for which Neff is going to pick a team of three from amongst us. Elliott was ahead of us
with his car and he took Nixon with him as he didn't have as big a load, so that just left five
in our car. We drove out ten or twelve miles north of Guelph and stopped first at John
Lowe's an Aberdeen Angus breeder and had two or three classes to judge. Elliott gave us a
little instruction and when Hampden came a little later he had a Mr. Franklin from "The
Farmer's Advocate" staff and he gave us some pointers. From there we travelled north again
through the little villages of Elora and Salem to J.A. Watt's place and saw his famous

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Shorthorns or at least a few of them including a couple of yearling heifers which he is fitting
for the Chicago International and the old Gainford Marquis the herd Leader. The boys from
Lincoln county had never seen much purebred stock as they haven't any down there and
when we left Lowe's place they were all Angus enthusiasts but when they saw the
Shorthorns and got their hands on them, their breath was fairly taken away and judging
from their muttered exclamations they were all Shorthorn men when we left Watt's. We
went from there back to Elora for dinner and had to wait for awhile as they hadn't had much
notice at the little hotel and didn't have dinner ready for sixteen. We were all hungry as
bears it being a cold morning and the driving in the wind seemed to whet our appetites.
After dinner we started back towards Guelph but turned east at the little country store and
hotel labeld Marden and went out to J. J. Elliots place, where we saw some more beautiful
Shorthorns. Elliot himself wasn't home but his Scotch herdsman Alex showed us some of
the fancy stock. He too was fitting for the International and had two two-year old heifers in
excellent shape. Franklin from "The Farmer's Advocate" seemed well acquainted with all
these fellows. He accosted "Alex" who was curling the two year old heifers by asking him
what kind of cattle they were and telling him that the boys wanted to get a little practice in
judging and so came out here although they knew they weren't very good samples of
Shorthorns. One of the poor fellows from Lincoln Co. got himself into hot water by putting
Herefords down on his judging card instead of Shorthorns. They threatened to put salt in
his tea or sugar on his meat. We went back to Guelph from Elliots and paid our hotel bills
and then went out to the College for awhile and had a look around. Prof. Wade Tovle gave
us a little class on judging sheep but it was too late to get much there. We left the College
about twenty minutes to six and started right for home having picked up Nixon there. We
sailed right through, six of us in Neff's Ford, so we didn't bounce around much although we
often came down pretty hard on the hind axle. We stopped for half an hour in Brantford
and had our supper a good one at a Chink restaurant and came on down to Simcoe. We
stopped for a few minutes in Waterford for Nixon to telephone his father to meet him in
Simcoe and we got in Simcoe at twenty minutes to ten. Lloyd and I went down and waited
at the station for the eleven o'clock car but Mitchell, Butler and Nixon started to walk for
home as Nixon was afraid his father would miss him so thought he would meet him on the
road. I got home about half past eleven.
Saturday November 2nd
Dad. has plowed all day and is getting on well with the side hill field. Frank and I cut corn today but didn't quite finish the north end of the field. Frank had cut a little while I was away.

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Winnie and Dess were over here to tea to-night and Frank and I went down town with them.
I went up to Tip's and got my new suit and then came home. Fine but raw.
Sunday November 3rd
Several new cases of flu. broke out during the week so there was no church again to-day.
We put the ram in with the sheep this morning and Huby came over with Chum. to have
Dad take a lot of big warts out of his mouth. I went down town this after noon and Marj. and
I walked around the hill with Mr. Smith and Bill and stopped at the dam for awhile to watch
the crane work. We then went up to Miss McQueen's for a little while and went down to
Aunty's for tea. Mrs. Skey was there but didn't stay very late. Very mild all day but rainy tonight.
Monday November 4th
Dad. plowed all day and Frank and I picked apples this morning. This after noon Jack Martin
came over to tell us he wanted one of us to help him fill silo so Frank went over. I cleaned
out the calf pen and got the cow stable ready to have the cows in to-night. I picked a few
more apples but not many. The news to-day says that Austria has surrendered completely
to the terms of the Allied armistice and Austrian troops on all fronts will lay down their arms
to-day. Cloudy and cold wind all day.
Tuesday November 5th
Frank and I cut corn this morning and finished cutting all the corn north of the mangels and
cut one row from the lane to Ivey's fence. Dad. plowed all day and he said at noon he
thought we had better get the cider apples loaded ready to take up to Walker Waddle's so
Frank filled the waggon box up this after noon from the pile we had picked up off the
ground and put in the ice-house, some of them had gone bad so we had to get a few more
out of the orchard. I fixed up the cow stable and picked a few more apples. Bruce Smith
and Gov. Hammond were in this after noon canvassing for the Victory Loan but we couldn't
help them out nay. Bruce said Norfolk's objective was one million dollars but that so far
they had only raised three hundred thousand. Tom & Mrs. Chapman were in and bought
three of my cockrels for $1.50 apiece, including the one that came here in the summer.
Zeitha was over also to get her riding habit which she left her a week or so ago hoping to
have a ride but she is going away on Saturday. Enah was down town as this was Aunty
Alice's birthday. I went down to-night. It has been a fine day.

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Wednesday November 6th
Frank and I got started right after breakfast this morning for Walker Waddle's but there
were two loads of apples in ahead of us, however it didn't take long and we got 65 gallons
of cider made. We took Huby one 10 gallon jug and Aunty 15 gallons and we brought the 40
gallon barrell home. We got home a little after one. Dad. didn't plow this morning as we had
the team and this after noon it was such a lovely day he thought we had better get up the
mangels so we went out and got part of the ones out of the old garden but didn't get them
all, we had about a waggon load. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over to tea. It froze very hard
last night but lovely day.
Thursday November 7th
Frank and I went up to Mat. Wilson's this morning first thing and got 10 apple barrells as we
found out yesterday we could get them there. We saw Ham. and he said he would be down
one day this week to help us pack. We saw one of Johnson's men yesterday on the road
and he told us that their cars were odered for Dover and that they would probably be
shipping next week. We took Joe and Queen and I could hardly hold them. When we got
back we helped Dad. unload the mangels into the cellar and went out and got what was left
in the old garden as well as the carrots and beets. We unloaded them right after dinner and
Frank and Dad. went back to the cornfield to get what good ones there were out there, they
were out all the after noon but didn't get them all. We have all been in quite a state of
excitement this after noon and to-night. It began by an airplane flying over the town at
noon. We were having dinner and heard what we thought was a car stuck some place near.
Frank went out and saw the airplane and called us all out to see it. Soon after we got
started to unload our mangels we heard first one then another whistle begin to blow in the
direction of Simcoe. They kept it up so long that we were sure some great news had come.
Then Jim. came with the mail and we saw by the paper that a German delegation had come
across to the French lines under a white flag to meet Foch and hear the armistice terms.
Soon after this the Dover whistles began to blow and the fire bell to ring so we knew that
word must have come that the armistice had been signed. When we got the load off I went
over to Jack Martin's and down to Sovereign to find out more particulars but all I could find
out was that the German delegation had signed the armistice. We don't know just what the
terms are but we know that if the Germans agree to them peace will inevitably follow as
one of the stipulations is that Germany withdraw her troops 25 miles east of the Rhine and
give the Allies control of all the Rhine forts while the peace terms are being "dictated to her"
and not "discussed with her". The news made us all feel pretty much like going down town

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but I came home and picked a few more apples and Frank and I went down town to-night.
The whole town was out and was feeling good, it hasn't been so lively since the war started.
All the kids had tin cans and horns and they certainly kicked up a merry row and. We
cleaned up all the rubbish from back of the stores and built a fair bon-fire on Main St. in
front of the flag pole and some of the boys got a barrell full of tarred pound nets and set
fire to it. Then of course they had to have a few speeches from the bandstand. Jack Martin
made one then Mr. Robertson prayed then the bunch sang then Cousin Willie got
humorous, then the kids banged their tin cans then we all gave three cheers, sang God Save
the King, then there were more speeches and more singing and more cheers and more
noise and everybody just felt good. Every now and then some kid would start ringing the
fire bell or Harry Moon would fire off his shotgun and all the time cars were tearing up and
down street honking and cutting up as many didos as a car is capable of. When the nine
o'clock car came in with the papers it was found that the rumour was denied and that the
Germans had not yet conferred with Foch but that didn't make any difference for everyone
feels that if the fighting isn't over yet it soon will be, and we can have another celebration
when the real thing comes. While most of the citizens were indulging in such jollification
there were some sad hearts. I didn't know it till late in the evening but the body of Ina Nunn
was brought here for burial to-day, she having died of the Flu. in Hamilton and Charlie Long
who has been at the point of death for the last two days cashed in about midnight he also
being a victim of Flu.
Friday November 8th
Dad. and Frank finished taking up the mangels this morning and got them all in the cellar. I
picked up apples all morning and got all but one tree of the Vandeveers or whatever they
are picked. Before we got through dinner Ham Thompson came down to help us pack
apples. He said Johnson was in at his place this morning and told him that they had three
cars down there and wanted to get them loaded by tomorrow noon Dad. helped us sort
and we got four barrells put up this after noon 3 of Spys and one Sweets. We couldn't get a
barrell of No 1. Spys so had to put them up Domestic. Lila was over this after noon and told
us that George Murphy was dead - Flu -. She stayed to tea and as it was a nasty night all
night I went down town and told them up at Huby's that Lila was going to stay down at the
farm. It has been cloudy all day and rained a little to-night.
Saturday November 9th

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Ham came back this morning and helped us pack the other six barrells of apples. We got
two more of sweets and four of Pheonix, that is the latest name for the red apples which we
use to call Seek-no-furthers and which Johnson's man said were Vandeveers but Johnson
said to-day he thought they were Pheonix so that is what we labeled them. Frank and I got
them down to the Main St siding on the radial track a little before noon but could find
nobody around, except some section men playing poker in the tool house. They said that
two cars were loaded but that they expected another one down this after noon. Johnson
ordered three cars and they came but the fellows at the station let George Duncan have
one of them so that rather made a mess of things. We unloaded our ten barrells on the side
of the track right near a load of Irvin Paw's and Sid. Marsh's and then went down to find
Johnson, we found him at the Dominion and he gave us a receipt for the apples. Alan Law
came up at noon to-day to get Frank to go down and help him clip a horse this after noon
so Frank was down there all the after noon Dad. and I got the cider barrell into the
woodshed and tapped it and then I packed Roy's barrell of apples. Frank went down town
to-night. Rainy and cloudy all day.
Sunday. November 10th
We all went down town to church this morning for the first time for about three weeks. I
stayed down at Aunty's for dinner and then went up to see Marj. She was just starting down
town to get some medicine for Sade Davis who is pretty sick with the flu. We got her
medicine and went to see Miss McQueen for awhile and then went up to the Davis's and
Mrs. Law who is looking after Sade. sent us back again to get some oranges and grapes but
Sam Morell had gone to Simcoe and Jimmy Leany hasn't had any oranges for quite awhile
as the price is so high, so we went back and then back to Monteith's and read "The Old
Curiosity Shop". I had tea and Aunty's and she Aunty Alice and I went to church to-night.
They had a meeting after church and Miss Martin & Marj. informed me that I had been put
on a committee with Jack Martin to canvass the hill for subscriptions to Victory Bonds
which the Sunday school wants to buy to put in an Endowment Fund for Coquimbo
Missions and also to get a shield with maple leaves on it to inscribe the names of all the
boys from the Sunday school who have died or been killed at the Front. Every sunday
school that buys a Victory Bond gets one. H.W. Ansley gave them the price of one Bond so
they want to get another. Pat. had a bulletin board out to-day with the announcement that
the Kaiser has abdicated and the Crown Prince renounced his right to succession and that
Germany is in control of the Socialists.
Monday November 11th

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Dad. and Frank baged up a grist this morning and while they were at it I went over to Jack
Martin's to tell him about the canvassing the hill and to ask him for a man to help cut corn
this after noon as he promised us time in return for helping him fill silo. He told me that the
Armistice was signed according to official announcement and the paper to-day says that
the Kaiser, Crown Prince and the rest of the crew have all escaped to Holland. Frank and I
took the grist to the mill and then went up to the mill Tige McBride's and got Mrs. Jolley's
potatoes. No one was home up there but we would have taken Joe Smith's too but we
found some rotten ones so thought we had better leave them to be spread out. We went
on down town with Roy's barrell of apples and left it at the station to be shipped. All the
town was decorated with flags and a half holiday proclaimed for this after noon to
celebrate the "dawn of peace" Jack Martin gave all his men a holiday and as Frank had to go
over to Pickford's to thrash and Dad. went back to plow this after noon I went down town as
I didn't feel like cutting corn alone. Enah and the baby also went down and while I was
waiting for them to get ready to drive down I went around my beat and they all said they
would give something. Later I got a dollar each from the Quanbury's & Karl Coleman. I saw
Pickford this morning but he thought he wouldn't subscribe as he is peeved at the
preachers for talking politics and prohibition in church. I drove Enah and Tid down about
three o'clock but by the time I got Joe put in Aunty's barn was just too late to see the big
parade. Everybody in town was in it and all the cars in the country. Karl Coleman had the
big band drum and Harry Moon, Mr. Bagley, Jack Walker and Art Lawson with their horns
and several kids with bugles and snare drums. After their parade they settled in the Park
and had a lot of speeches from the bandstand where all the preachers town fathers and
returned soldiers were collected. They told me to come down again to-night and bring the
Eb horn so I walked home and helped Dad milk and then polished up the old bass horn a
little and went down. Dad. and Frank came down later and Dad. drove Enah home. With our
horns drums and tin cans we raised a great hullabaloo to-night. We pranced around Main
St. blowing "Hail, Hail. the gang's all here" (the only thing we could play.) till my lungs were
sore. Harry Moon and Billy Gordon had a dummy made to represent the Kaiser so we rode
him around on a rail then soaked him with coal oil and finally dumped him in the big bonfire
they had in front of the town hall. Everybody was out singing, cheering and raising Cain in
general just about as much racket as if there had been lots of booze instead of none.
Tuesday November 12th
Frank has been thrashing all day, they finished at Pickford's about three o'clock and moved
right out to Art. Quanbury's. He expects to be there most of the day to-morrow Dad.

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plowed all day and finished the side hill field. I fixed up the crossfence in the chickin yard
this morning so that I think it will hold the Rock Pullets and then I sorted the potatoes in the
woodshed and put them down cellar. I cut corn this after noon but it is a slow job alone and
I didn't get much done. Froze hard last night, but has been fine day
Wednesday November 13th
Frank has been thrashing at Art Quanburys nearly all day. They got through about four
o'clock and Art got 22 bushels of good seed. This morning Dad. and I went back and Dad.
ran out some furrows in the 12 acre clover sod some of which we want to put in with
summer pasture We cut both sides of the ditch with the plow and hauled the sods over
and put them in the waterhole over there. This after noon I cut corn and got another row
cut and Frank Dad. plowed in the 12 acre field. I went down town to-night. My four Rock
pullets were all on their favorite perch to-night. I havent got them fenced in yet.
Thursday November 14th
Frank and I cut corn all day and got nearly 4 rows cut we figured that if we could keep at it
steadily we could finish by Saturday noon but Neff came down this after noon and wants us
to go to Caledonia to-morrow to judge stock so that so that will prevent us finishing this
week. It begins to look as if we never would get through. Dad. plowed all day on the clover
sod. It has been a fine day. Cold wind.
Friday November 15th
Neff and Charlie Blake arrived here promptly at 8:30 this morning and Frank and I were all
ready for them. We went with Charlie in his car with {name?} and Neff had Tige. Nixon &
Butler in with him, we had a fine day and visited Douglas, where we had a class in
Shorthorns and Listers then Richardson's near Caledonia where we saw his Holsteins, we
had dinner in Caledonia and then went on out to Miller's who showed us his Clydesdales as
well as a lot of pictures of famous Clyde in Scotland. We then went to Mr. Turner's near
Hamilton where we had a class of Ayrshires. We had supper in Hamilton and Neff went to
his father's for tea. He met us later and we all went to Low's. We left Hamilton at 11.20 and
got home about one. Beautiful day. Mild.
Saturday November 16th

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Frank and I cut corn to-day and made good time this morning getting 35 shocks cut but
this after noon we were delayed by Ham Thompson bringing his sheep down and also by a
visit from Tige McBride over Ivey's fence so we only got one row cut (15 shocks) Dad. didn't
plow to-day but cleaned out ditches in the field he plowed. He got them all cleaned out.
Very mild and rather cloudy.
Sunday November 17th
It was raining when we got up this morning and has been cloudy and rainy all day but
looked cleared off to-night. I drove Enah down to church but she stayed down to dinner so
that she could go to choir practice this after noon, they are having Thanksgiving Service
next Thursday night also to-day and next Sunday for Peace. I walked down after dinner and
spent the afternoon and evening at Mr. Monteiths but had tea and went to church with
Aunty. Aunty Alice hurt her eye quite badly this morning with her umberella.
Monday November 18th
It rained quite a lot this morning and has been cloudy & muddy all day. We spent the
morning cleaning up the woodshed. Dad. plowed this after noon and Frank and I sorted
some of the apples in the barn to put down cellar. We quit early as Frank went down to tea
at Aunty's
Tuesday November 19th
It has rained pretty much all day making things very muddy and disagreeable but has not
been cold. Frank & I cleaned up some of the wheat & barley (mixed) this morning & Dad.
cleaned out the calf pen and did odd jobs. Tupper was in with our note. This after noon I
went down town and posted a letter. We couldn't do much as it poured rain. Enah and I
printed some pictures to-night. Dad. got a letter from Dick. He expects to sail soon.
Wednesday November 20th
Frank and I went down town in the waggon this morning and took a sample of our wheat &
barley to the mill and to Billy Langs. They offered us 2 ½ a hundred for it. We went up to
McBride's and got the rest of the J.F.I.A. potatoes and took them down to Mrs. Jolley, Joe
Smith and Mr. Norm Brock. They are all sold but the little ones now. We also went down to
Aunty's and got her empty cider pig. This after noon Dad. plowed and Frank and I cleaned
up wheat & barley I went down town to-night and Frank went down to Ryerse's to tell Lloyd

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to come up to McBride's in the morning as we expect to go to Burford to-morrow. Cloudy
but not raining.
Thursday November 21st
Frank and I went up to Tige's about half past eight this morning where Corby joined us and
Tige took us in his car to Simcoe. Lloyd Ryerse didn't show up at all. Mitchell's car was with
Neff's own car in front of his office and Butler, Mitchell, Nixon, Tick Nunn and Charlie Stitt
were all waiting for us. Blake & Roleson came up on the car to Simcoe. We went straight to
Brethane's? at Burford and judged a couple of classes of sheep before dinner, we had
dinner at Burford where the lady of the house was very distressed at not having enough for
us to eat but where we managed to load up to the "busting" point just the same. We went
back to Brethane's after dinner and judged hogs. From there we went to a Mr. Barkers
where we had a couple of classes of Southdowns. It was dark when we left there so we all
went into Brantford for supper and took in a show which was pretty poor. We got home
about one o'clock. The District Representative from Brant was with us all day with his boys.
Neff has put Butler, Tige and I on the judging team. Cloudy and raw all day.
Friday November 22nd
Frank and I took down what grain we had cleaned this morning to Billy Langs. We had on
nearly a ton so it paid the twine bill at $28.00 and there was about $22.00 over. This
afternoon we cut another row of corn. Dad. was down at Aunty's most of the day banking
up the house. Blaikie was in for awhile this after noon but Frank and I didn't see him. He has
been up north all summer. They got letters from Quint to-day telling of their entrance into
French towns that the Germans have held for four years. He said he was with the first
troops to enter and he never spent a happier birthday seeing the joy of the inhabitants who
were released. The letter was written before the armistice.
Saturday November 23rd
It froze the ground quite stiff last night and has been freezing in the shade all day with a
cold wind. Frank and I actually finished cutting the corn to-day about the middle of the
after noon. We also husked a bushel. Dad. cleaned up the old garden this morning and tried
to plow it this after noon but couldn't with the rolling coulter so came up and started to
plow the patch back of the shop with the other plow. Enah and the baby were down town
this afternoon. Frank to-night.

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Sunday November 24th
Enah Frank and I walked down to church this morning. Aunty Alice came over here to dinner
and I stayed down with Aunty and Aunt Ida. This afternoon Marj. and I went up to Miss
Martin's for awhile and then walked around the hill we met Aunty Alice going home so went
down with her and stayed to tea. We went to church with Aunty. Mr. Farney preached. Fine
day but cold wind.
Monday November 25th
Frank and I cleaned up barley and oats all morning and part of the after noon and we took a
load of it down to the mill this after noon. We also went up to McPhersons and got the trap
nests that Emery had made for me. It was frozen too hard for Dad. to plow the garden this
morning but sod would have plowed. Dad. helped us part of the time and did chores. Frank
and I picked out six ewes this morning and marked them to sell if anyone comes around
that wants them. Dess was over to-night with a letter she got from Dick lately. Fair cold
wind.
Tuesday November 26th
We cleaned up the rest of the barley and wheat this morning and took it down to the mill
this after noon We had over 18 cwt. on and we took three bags besides to Jack Martin's to
pay for the seed we got last Spring. When we got home we bagged up some barley and
oats for chop and took it down but left it till morning as there was such a lot there. To-night
we had a meeting of the J.F.I.A. down at Aunty Alice's. There was a good turnout and we had
a good time and arranged for a winter program. Tom. didn't get back till to-night with the
can and butter. They got word yesterday that Doss. was dead of the Flu and poor old Tom
and Maw. are broken hearted. Cold, but fine day.
Wednesday November 27th
Frank and I went down after our grist this morning and then cleaned up some oats. I spent
the after noon working at the front flower beds. Dad. and Frank fixed the dining room
chimney and Frank nailed some shingles on the barn roof. I went down town to-night. Aunty
Alice left this morning for Toronto. It has been a beautiful day.
Thursday November 28th

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Frank and I took about fifteen bushels of apples up to Walker Waddle's this morning and
got another big barrel of cider. It began to rain while we were there and poured for an hour
or two. We got home about one o'clock. This after noon Frank went over to Joe Long's sale
and bought a set of scales and a scoop shovel. I slept till it stopped raining and then Dad.
and I unloaded the cider barrel and put it down cellar. We had quite a job getting it down
and had Enah helping us. We slid it down on rails but they spread till it was all on one rail,
then we had to let it go the last three or four feet and it came down and bashed a hole in
the cement floor of the cellar. About dark another big storm came up this time with
thunder and lightening. Teriffic south west wind. Next day - The rain last night took away
more of the old East Pier. The water was so high it carried the Jim & Tom right over the East
Pier.
Friday November 29th
This morning we slew the biggest of the three pigs and it took us all morning to get ready,
kill and dress him. This after noon I went down town to get a hair cut and met Tige McBride
to pick out a suitable club room for the J.F.I.A. We finally arranged to get Mrs. Bell's cement
block cottage which the bunch had two years ago. Frank went over to Joe Long's with Art.
Quanbury to get their purchases, and we weighed the pig on the scales so were not long in
using them. He dressed just 165 lbs. To night Frank and I went to the W.I. dance and had a
good time.
Saturday November 30th
Dad. spent the morning cutting up the pig Frank sent out cards to notify the J.F.I.A. of a
meeting Tuesday night and I worked at the flower beds in the front. Right after dinner I went
down to send some of Dick's money out to Norman Denton as Dick asked Dad to do that.
He has been running shy of cash again and borrowing from Baldy. Frank and Dad. ran out
the ditches in the cornfield and plowed the garden back of the shop. Enah went down town
this afternoon. Windy, Cloudy and freezing a little all day.
Sunday December 1st
Enah and I walked down to church this morning. Dad. and Tid walked down a little later and
went with Enah to the Jame's for dinner. Frank and I had dinner alone. I went down town
soon after dinner and spent the after noon at the Monteith's except for a few minutes I
spent in at Pattersons seeing May Perry. She got home for 4 days and tapped at the
window as I went past I had tea at Aunty's and went to church to-night. Aunty didn't go as

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she didn't like to leave Aunt Ida alone. I spent the evening with Marj. Sunny but cold to-day
but snowing and milder to-night.
Monday December 2nd
We didn't get started very early this morning and Frank and I went down town but didn't get
home till noon. We got some coal oil and some lumber to make a partition in the woodshed.
This after noon Dad. and Frank cut down a dead apple tree in the orchard and I worked a
little more at the flower beds. Much milder this morning but dark and sleet this afternoon.
Tuesday December 3rd
Dad. has been sick all day but was able to do a few chores. He thought he ate too much
fresh pork. Frank and I cleaned up oats all day and got somewhere about 200 bushels
cleaned up. To-night we had our first J.F.I.A. meeting in Mrs. Bell's cottage. There were only
ten members out but we had a good meeting and everyone was very pleased with the
room Rolson & Myers got some biscuits, cheese & sardines which the rest of us put in for.
Stormy day, rainy to-night. I stayed down all night.
Wednesday December 4th
I had breakfast with Aunty this morning and caught the nine o'clock car for Simcoe. Tige got
on at Main St. and we met Butler at Neff's office. We went out to Callver's and had a look at
some Percheron's. We had dinner in Simcoe and then went out to old Decew’s to see his
Jersey's and came back to Alex Wallaces and went over his Holsteins (and met his
farmerettes). We got home on the seven o'clock car and I went home, shaved & went down
town
Thursday December 5th
Frank and I hauled a load of oats down to the mill this morning but had to leave them there
in the bags as they were filled up, so we couldn't haul down any more as we had intended.
We had 19 bags and it weighed up to 53 bushels. We borrowed some more bags and
cleaned up some more this after noon. Winnie & Dess were over here to tea to-night and
Frank and I walked down with them. Enah and Tid drove down town with Mexico, the
buckskin pony that Mrs. Wilson wants Enah to keep for the winter. Very mild but snowed
more.
Friday December 6th

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I haven't done a thing all day. I felt tough this morning so just lay around the house but feel
better to-night. Dad. and Frank got the bob sleighs out this morning and took Gladys down
to Coleman's. I think they spent most of the after noon cutting wood. Tid had a great time
riding Mexico. Nice day.
Saturday December 7th
I went down town this morning and drew out the last $14.00 of my bank account to finance
my trip to Guelph. I vainly imagined when I deposited $120.00 two months ago that I would
be able to keep it there for the winter at least, but alas 5-6 cents is all my account
represents now. I went down to Auntys for a few minutes and saw Aunty Alice who got
back from Toronto Thursday night. This after noon we hauled over a small load of hay for
the cows. Tom brought some of his fruit up to put in the cellar for the winter and bought a
couple of dozen eggs @ 60 c. {cents}. Enah & Tid drove Mexico down town. Nice day and
very mild.
Sunday December 8th
Frank went down to Sunday school this morning but none of the rest of us went to church. I
didn't think I would have time as I left on the one o'clock car for Guelph. Tige got on at
Dover and Butler & Neff at Simcoe. When we got to Galt we found the other electric cars
didn't run on Sunday so we had to hire a motor bus to take us across to Kitchner. We got a
G.T.R. train there for Guelph and got in there about six. Neff had a boarding house arranged
for us but he didn't stay with us. We all three went to church to-night. Nice day here.
Monday December 9th
We spent the whole day to-day judging and waiting to give our reasons to the judges so
didn't see much of the Fair. We didn't do very well judging beef cattle but not too bad on
Dairy cattle, sheep and swine. The two latter classes we had this after noon up at the
College. Neff told us we stood third so Neff told us with Durham County first. Butler did the
best of the three, he was awarded three prizes, third & fifth in hogs and fifth in sheep. I got
fifth in hogs. Tige didn't get any. To-night we went down to the Fair and saw the
Thoroughbreds judged there were some beauties. Very cold up there.
Tuesday December 10th

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We judged two classes of Clydesdales this morning but did poorly on them and dropped
from third place to sixth. At the wind up Durham County was first with York second. We
were ahead of York last night but they came up on horses. As we hadn't seen a bit of the
show we decided to stay till to-morrow morning and put in the rest of the after noon
looking over the stock. We saw Douglas' white heifer calf get first prize in a class of 21 and a
red calf from old Browndale that Elva Douglas sold to Watt and which took first at Chicago
come second. Several fellows congratulated us this after noon on our judging so we didn't
feel so badly. Neff was quite tickled he said as Norfolk had never come higher than tenth
before. There were 18 teams competing. To-night we saw "Hearts of the World." Tige came
home quite sick and put in a bad night. Stormy night.
Wednesday December 11th
We didn't get up early this morning and went right to the station after breakfast as our train
left for Galt at 10.35. I went over to the Fair building for awhile and got Neff. as he thought
the train didn't go till 11 o'clock. We all four drove home together had dinner in Galt and Tige
and I got to Dover on the three oclock radial. Neff & Butler got off at Simcoe. Tige felt pretty
poorly all day but was better by the time we reached familiar home territory. We found a
great difference in the weather up there from here. Here there was no snow whatever but
up there, there was skating and sleighing. Dad. had plowed the old garden while I was away
and when I got home had ridden Joe up to Port Ryerse to pay the taxes. He didn't get home
till dark and I had the milking done. To-night Dad. Enah and Tid. went down to Aunty Alice's
to hear Mrs. Rigg's a friend of Elva's sing. The James were down there and also Elva & Brant
who has now got his discharge. I went up to see Marj. and Frank went to bed as he young
Myers & Albert McBride stayed all night last night in the J.F.I.A. cottage. Mild & Cloudy.
Thursday December 12th
Dad. and I cleared up some of the apples out in the barn to-day and put them down cellar
but there are a lot more to get yet. Frank went down to the mill this morning and borrowed
some more money from Charlie Ivey to pay the town taxes and went down to Uncle Ward's
& paid them. Dad. put up the little old soft coal stove in the dining room this afternoon and
we had a fine fire in there to-night. Frank took the team down to the mill this after noon to
get a little chop. He didn't take a grist as their chopper down there is not working. He came
back with Pud. Smythe and the grain he borrowed. Lila was over here to tea last to-night. &
Frank went home with her. Mild cloudy and very muddy.

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Friday December 13th
It has been a very nasty day. Mild but raining all day the mud is a fright. I didn't do anything
in particular Dad. and Frank worked most of the after noon putting the partition up in the
woodshed. Frank went down to a dance Lila was having up in Schofield's to-night. I have a
bad cold.
Saturday December 14th
It has rained all day. I didn't do a thing but sit around the house. Dad. finished the partition
in the woodshed and Frank did odd jobs. I have a queer dizzy feeling all the time, but don't
feel at all sick in any way.
Sunday December 15th
Frank went down to Sunday school this morning but didn't stay to church. I went to church
and stayed at Aunty's for dinner. This after noon Marj. and I went for a walk around the hill
and came out here and stayed for tea . Enah has a bad cold. Nice day.
Monday December 16th
Enah's cold has been very bad all day and she has been in bed most of the time but was up
and feeling a little better to-night. Dad. has been busy all day doing chores indoors and out.
Frank and I shut old Grey Nose & the White ewe up to-day to fatten and Frank husked a
couple of tubs full of corn. I didn't do much all day. To-night Frank and I went down to tea at
Auntys and went to the picture show to-night. Aunty Alice went with us. Lovely day.
Muddy.
Tuesday December 17th
Frank took a grist to the mill this morning and Dad. did chores. I spent most of the morning
washing dishes and the seperator. Enah was up to-day but doesn't feel well at all. Aunty
Alice was over this morning and stayed to dinner. I didn't do much this after noon. Dad.
doesn't feel very well. Frank went down to the J.F.I.A. to-night but Aunty Alice forbade me
to go. It has been a beautiful warm day.
Wednesday December 18th

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Dad. has been in bed all day and has a terrible pain in his eyes. Enah is up and says she
feels better but is a long way from well yet. The baby who was quite sick all day yesterday
is better to-day. We didn't do anything but chores to-day. I went down to Aunty's for tea.
Marj. was down there and she didn't feel at all well so we went home early.
Thursday December 19th
The family is still pretty well knocked out. Dad. was up to-day but is not much better, he
got so sore lying in bed he had to get up. Enah is about the same and Frank is beginning to
feel tough. We just did chores all day. I went down to-night to see how Marj. was. She has
been in bed all day with an awful pain in her eyes like Dad's. She is very disappointed at not
being able to go home to-morrow. Pickford was in to tell us that Charley Ivey wants us to
haul oats to the car to-morrow. The weather is still very mild but freezing nights.
Friday December 20th
Dad feels a little better to-day but is very weak while Enah doesn't seem quite as well. This
is the baby's birthday, so he is happy although he didn't have much celebration. Frank has
felt weak all day but kept going and helped me load two loads of oats and bag one. We took
them down to a car on the L.E.& N. siding which Charlie Ivey is loading. After we took the
first load down we went down and got a ton of soft coal. They had in a car of stove coal but
wouldn't let any farmers have it. This after noon we unloaded the coal and took down
another load of oats, it was nearly dark when I got home. Aunty was over this after noon for
a little while. I walked down to-night to see how Marj. was. She was a little better. Fine day.
Saturday December 21st
Dad. & Enah seem to be a little stronger to-night but the baby has been quite miserable all
day and Frank who has been on the go all day in spite of the fact that he felt very weak is
about all in to-night. We finished hauling the oats in two loads the last one only 13 bags and
have taken down about 261 bushels. The weather is wonderful for this time of year. It didn't
freeze last night and has been very warm all day and looks like rain Aunty was over
yesterday with some celer{y} which she dug that day. The roads are very bad and by tonight I think there is no frost in them.
Sunday December 22nd

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I spent the whole morning doing chores. Frank fed the horses this morning and then caved
in and hasn't been able to do anything all day. I went down town this after noon for an hour
or two to see Marj. who is slightly improved. When I got home Dad. had the cattle fed and
Frank had fed the chickens and as I didn't bother milking I wasn't so late getting through.
Aunty was over this after noon. Enah feels quite a lot better to-day and Dad. is better but
still feels weak and his tobacco and coffee still taste bad. The baby hasn't been well all day.
Very mild but dark & wet.
Monday December 23rd
I haven't done anything much but chores to-day although Dad. felt well enough this
morning to help me put on a jag of hay to take over for the cows as the yard is in awful
shape to carry hay across. This after noon Dad. went down town to take some stuff down
to Aunty's. He rode part way with Tom. but walked all the way home but was pretty tired
when he got back. Frank has been in the house all day. To-night I went down to see Marj. for
a little while. She had to telegraph home that she couldn't get there for Christmas and was
disappointed but Aunty Alice invited her down there for our dinner. I went over to the
J.F.I.A. for awhile. Very mild & soft.
Tuesday December 24th
It was a little colder with an east wind this morning and we had hopes of it freezing but it
snowed for awhile and then turned to rain and has been raining all day. We are all sick of
the mud. Dad. has been doing odd chores all day to-day so is quite a bit better and Frank
was able to do a little to-night. Enah & the baby are also better. I went down to Aunty's for
dinner to cut a little wood for to-morrow's cooking and then went up town to do some
Santa Claus errands but was home early to do chores. I saw Ed. Turner up town who got
home from the front Friday night and also Joe Thompson in naval uniform. I think he is just
home for Christmas.
Wednesday December 25th
I was the only member of this household at church this morning as the others didn't feel
like going down. Dad. drove Enah and the baby down to Aunty's this after noon then
brought Joe home, helped us do up the chores and he Frank and I walked down by six
o'clock for dinner. All at Huby's were there as well as Marj. She had been over to the Bagley's
for dinner at noon and had got Faulkner to bring her down to Aunty's for to-night. After we
had all stuffed ourselves with turkey (which Huby provided for the occasion and plum

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pudding we all adjourned to the parlor where a huge pile of presents was distributed. I drew
a book, some handkerchiefs, socks, rubbers and a necktie, to say nothing of a dandy scarf
which I got this morning from Santa Claus. The baby got heaps of toys and books as well as
"useful" ones but seemed most pleased with a small cannon that Winnie gave him that
would shoot a small wooden plug a few feet. After this we had games and music at which
Huby provided his full quota of entertainments. He told us of the great excitement that
prevailed about the time he was going to school when some body found out the world was
round. He said he wasn't much interested but he rembered how Mr. Smith used to talk
about it and prove it by saying that the masts of a ship coming into port could always be
seen before the hull. Huby figured out from that, that if there was curve enough on the
earth's surface to show only the masts of a ship at a distance of about 20 miles or Long
Point which is as far away as a ship could be seen, that by the time you got to Erie it would
be about under our feet, making a rather small globe. Other reminiscent stories equally
amusing and his continual conversation with the baby imploring him not to sit on his,
Huby's stomach or to shoot the cat with his cannon, contrary to Aunty Alice's injunctions, in
place of his toes kept things lively till pretty late in the evening. Dad. Frank and I walked
home but Enah and the baby stayed down all night. Marj. also stayed there, she feels a lot
better but is pretty weak yet. Dad. didn't seem very well again.
Thursday December 26th
Huby told us last night that there was another car of coal in and that he thought we could
get a little of it if we tried so Dad. went over to Uncle Ward's right after breakfast to ask him
as he is municipal fuel controller. It was stove coal and the town people aren't very keen
after it so he never hesitated in giving Dad. an order for a ton of it. While Dad. was gone
Frank and I bagged up some grain for a grist. Charlie Quanbury came over to get Dad. to go
and see old Dick who was sick Charlie thought he had got too much alsike thrashing. As
soon as Dad. got back Frank and I went down to get the coal but it was noon by the time
we got down and {Clais Deal?} gone to dinner. However Kolbe weighed our waggon and we
got over a ton but by the time we got home it was two o'clock. The roads are awful and it is
a wonder we didn't smash our old waggon jolting over the ruts as it froze last night enough
to hold the waggon up. After we got the load off and had dinner Dad. went down with the
buggy to get Enah and Frank and I hooked up to take our grist down but when we brought
Belle out of the stable we found she was quite lame, we supposed having hurt her foot on
the road this morning, so we put the harness on Queen and took her. We left our grist and
didn't wait for the chop and it was time to start in on the chores when we got home. Dad.

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Enah and Tid got home about the same time and said Marj. was going to stay at Auntys all
night again to-night. To-night Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. Social evening. We took
Winnie & Dess with us. There were not many there but enough to fill the place up. Not one
of the Social committee were present, but we had a pretty good time playing games.
Friday December 27th
Frank and I went down and got our chop this morning and then took a jag of hay over to the
barn for the cows and a little straw over to the horse stable and got in a few shocks of corn.
Dad. went over to Quanbury's to see Charlie's horse which died this after noon and got
pretty tired. After dinner I went down town to get some coal oil and drive Marj. home but
she decided to stay till to-morrow. Frank skinned old Dick. I spent the evening down at
Aunty's. A little colder to-day with a flurry of snow
Saturday December 28th
Frank and I took a little jag of straw out in the waggon box and covered the strawberries
that Dad. didn't get covered with corn stalks and tomato vines. We then went over to
Quanburys and got his horsehide. This after noon I went over to Bill Sidway's to try and
inspire a little energy into him for Tuesday night as it is our Agricultural evening and he is on
the committee. I met him going down town so went down with him and then came back
and beat him shooting with his rifle. Dark when I got home. Fine day, still frozen but mild.
Sunday December 29th
Frank went down to church and Sunday school this morning but I didn't get up in time to
get the chores done so that I could get down. I spent the after noon and evening down at
Aunty's. Marj. is still down there but feels much better. I came home at six to do chores. Mr.
James and Elva were over here this after noon. Not cold but raw. Still frozen.
Monday December 30th
Dad. and the baby walked down to Aunty's to dinner to-day and were there most of the
after noon. Dad. has felt very miserable to-day and doesn't seem any better to-night. Frank
took his horsehide down this morning and shipped it to Hallam. I spent most of the day
doing chores. To-night I went down to see how Marj. Was, she went up to the Monteith's
to-day and says she feels very much better. Cloudy and looked like snow but not cold nor
windy.

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Tuesday December 31st
I haven't done anything but chores all day except husk some of the corn which Frank and I
hauled in the other day. Frank spent the morning taking some pickets off the wire which he
and Mexico hauled in out of the orchard yesterday. This after noon he went out with Charlie
Quanbury to help him put on a load of hay. Aunty came over to tea to-night to see how
Dad. was and went back with Frank and me. Dad. feels a little better to-day. Frank and I
went down to the J.F.I.A. meeting but owing to the rottenness of the weather and the
diversion of a couple of dances one in the hall and one out at Oscar Ryerse's there were
very few out. I read them my speech which I had prepared and then I went up to Huby's
and the rest went to the show. It was next year when I got home. Very mild and misty later
turning to a foggy drizzle.

For more information on Theobald (Toby) Barrett, check out the “Meet the Diarists”
section under “Discover” on our website: ruraldiaries.uoguelph.ca

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