16 10 557 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5915e2bf55f6138ba0ca05f4d6e78b19.pdf 0369d3739ae65f4bd820efd4eb6f8fd9 PDF Text Text ������������������ https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e5dcb7c214852be24017b38d227c3ee6.pdf 60e283462b9bc17d9a00880bddc2f91f PDF Text Text James Cameron (1824-1912) 1876 Transcribed by Rural Diary Archive Volunteers {In places, this diary is worn from weather and time. On occasion, the tops, bottoms, and edges of the pages are crumbly and moldy, making some words and sentences illegible. In most cases, a note that reads “{Illegible}” refers to this situation.} {The upper left half of this page is folded over and torn, obstructing some words.} 1876 Mr James Cameron Island March 5 Went to the {Stur}geon Island a Fine Day 6th in the {B}ush cut {fi}rewood 7th a Fine Day sloppy on the {torn away} wen{t to} Williamstown Brought out a cake of sugar {torn away} lb {torn away}de from a son in law of McGregors the {t}he Bosells caught a Deer Sunday above {torn away}rt in Cornwall about the church on {torn away}rr Rained to night hard raised the creeks 8th came home from Williamsto{wn} {torn away}ve me out had Great Work fixing the {torn away} Alle {torn away} on the creeks stopt at Barretts Going {torn away} Big {torn away}nning came around by Robert Jacks house an{d} to J Hamiltons John and Tommy Jack Drove me Down took up the Puncheon 9th George Bosell here Fixing the camp 10 J Hamilton here seen 2 Wild Geese for the first 11 crossed to Summerstown Races there Rained some and John Tyo and Rod Cameron Racing on this Road and they Went like Wildfire Boug{ht} of Viponds ½ lb Tea and Lead Pencil 12th of March On this Day on the Month D McMaster First came to the Island Fine but cold {13}th in the Bush cold cutting Firewood 14th Hamilton Drew me some firewood 15th Went to Summerstown with ashes 12 bush{els Jo}hn Hamilton took them up for me Bought {of} Viponds Tea 75 3 yds Cotton 33 Pot 25 Rice 3 lb 21 {M}atches Paid Pencil Got 4 Dollars from AJ Baker �16th Turned Stormy East Wind and snow Mr Chapman and Wife stopt {Between the lines it reads: sent Gordon across} and Turned Back to Fort Covington 17th St Patricks cold and stormy bad with a cold Norman Bethune and Bill Palmer coming from Lancaster in a Buggy stopt to Give their Horse a Drink of River Water as he would not Drink well water {torn away}ck Buchannan stopt Gave me the {Illegible} Pete in Montreal on St Pat{torn away} clear to Day Mr James Cameron Island March 31st 1876 Last Day of March Writing to Day George Fixing the camp took up the Pot to the Bush and the chains Big Barrel 1st of April all Fools Day First Boiling in the Bush made 3 Gallons of Mollasses I went to Dundee chartreau called in and we walked up together on the crust called at J Hopkins them all being sick with plurisy {pleurisy} Got a Ride up from Johnny Spink and Bill Morris to the Distillery a Fine Day Bought of R Baker 1 lb of Power 2 lb of shot ½ Doz of Buttons 2 yds of stuff for Leander Pipes a Treat at JMG Bought at JMG ,,,, 4 Got a Ride home from Mr A McLean Lancaster Gave a Look at the Hay to sent a Man for hay Monday Peggy Gave Livinia some Ham J Hamilton here for the Hollow adze to make Troughfs Freezing to night ice Good yet seen a Man selling Maple Sugar in Dundee Mr Baker in Montreal a Flock of Wild Geese in the air-hole it is supposed Munro{e} that was with Jimmy the Bush went in the airhole at Hamiltons Bridge and was Drowned on the night of March the – But we since he was all right that he arrived all right in Williamsto{wn} 2nd Made the first sugar 44 lbs went to Sturgeon Island Peggy stopt here to night George Renshaw and Charlie Rose here with George Colt a Fine Day Gave George his Bottle Livinia Got up to Day 3rd Crossed to Summerston Brought of I Vipond Knife 20 Rope 1 ½ lbs 22 ½ cents Tob {tobacco} 5 Line 10 Matches a Box 17 changed the Boots) oil (made about 48 lb To Day Gordon Killed the Black Bull calf a Man a Foot crossed to hopkins commenced to rain to night 4th Raining Henery and George for hay took 3-50 cents worth at 9 Dollars a Ton Mr David Baker here Just from Montreal Raining Teams crossing summers’s and Chartreau here took Dinner cutting hay not in the Bush to Day the 4 5th 1876 Mr James Cameron Island April 5th Fine East Wind George Gave me the order on Viponds for 3..50 got a Peice of Butter Tapping {Above it reads: adze} some sugared about 40 lbs to Day commenced Raining Wind changed high from the West ice Getting Bad near shore �6th a Fortunate Day high Wind seen Robbins yesterday Ducks Plenty some Flocks of Wild Geese not any one crossing on Summers's Road to Day 7th {Illegible} 8th made 3 Gallons of Molasses took 3 Cakes over shot 2 Ducks in the airhole one of them Drew under the ice with the strong current Ice Good to cross 9th not running very well a fine Day Gordon and I up to the Bush a Great lot of Wild Geese and Ducks in the airhole at Francis Island 10th shot a Duck that a Hawks chased to the Ice and had the Duck Down and Picking him he left and I shot the Duck George took over the churn 11th Went across to Viponds took Georges Due Bill what remained of the churn 1..50 Bought of Viponds 1 Box 2 plugs of Tobacco 10 Box of Caps 15 8 yds of Cotton 80 2 yds of Linsey 44 Bottle of Castor oil 10 with 5 cents Cash) Heard Robert McDonald Departed Last Week Brought up From the Hospital in Montreal Made about the Moles 2 Moles Full and some in the Basin 12th Very Fine Made Sugar to Day the Moles and the Basins full 13th Fishing EEls very Fine holes opening in the ice East Wind put out the Canoe from Below and took it up to the Door with the Water thats on top of the ice 14th The ice is opening slow 14th Good Friday Raining East Wind West and North Wind high West Wind not Running to Day George made 2 axe handles 1 ash and hicory Foggy to Day 1876 Mr James Cameron Island April 15 ice Jamming coming Down high West Wind running a Little some Drops of Rain hail and snow and Fine George and Peggy Boiling a few Pails Water high Went to the head of the Island, swallows came yesterday Foggy to Day George Peggy and Georgy crossed took sugar and Bottle of Mollasses 16th Easter Sunday The Sun Did not Dance this morning a sighn of a hard year Lots of Eggs Fresh and salted ones. Peter a{nd?} Peggy came to night 17th Easter Monday chopping at the Door 18th Our Duncans Birth Day ice going Down Jamming splitting from Rails Pewits came as usual to Build in their old Place that they have Been in these many years 19th sap not running very well �20th Shot a Rat {muskrat} for the first Gordon speared a Pike I speared a Maskinonge Weight 34 ¾ lb 21st snowing East Wind crossed to J Hamiltons for the Dog Brought the Fish to John Got 2 Bags of Potatoes sack of Cornill Mrs and Mr Hamilton Poorly with Bad cold Heard James Grant was to be married on the 24th Monday coming 22nd Fixing the calf Pasture Fence Peggy here 23rd St George's Day a very Fine Day E Wind Henery and Little George came to the Bush took us 2 EEls him and antwine going to Fish EEls to Day made near a Gallon of Mollasses Peggy Crossed as the sap is not running took all their sugar 24th James Grants Married to Day to Addi Summer's and a Fine Day it is E Wind Mr Smallmans Steamer Jenny crossed to Day on her first Trip 25th 1876 Mr James Cameron Island April St Marks Day a Fine Day East Wind Killed a snake for the firist I killed this Spring Burnt him shot a Pike as Gordon never seen one shot I shot him Cutting fat Pine 26th Burning Rubbish and cleaning up around Lots of Indians Fishing Put out Decoys Fired at a Fish-hawk struck him but he did not fall here East Wind 27th Peggy and Pete came took away some of their things Gordon Boiled a few pails the children in the Bush Digging a Little the ice holding on very long in the Back Bay or Marsh Lots of Geese and Ducks But hard to Get at them Rats scarce too muchk wind at night to fish with the Jack 28th Gordon not well in Bed all Day Raining some Randolph and I to the Lower-Point (spoiled the axe Another Steamer in to Salmon River 29th Enterprize went in to salmon-River and came out and I think she went to Lancaster as she came out sunday morning the thirtieth went over to the Pitt Point in the canoe shot a Duck Did not Get him West Wind changed to the East Lightning to night Rained some hard Frost Last night but not much sap running Planted 7.. or 8 hills of Potatoes set Fires Down on the hill Snakes middling Plenty some Ticks Keeping in the sheep Water some high 30th Sunday went to head of the Island Bismarck Randolph and Gordon and I Fine Day Enterprize came out of Lancaster this morning the sky to the East Very Red in Spots ice cleared out of the Back Bay 1876 �Mr James Cameron Island May 1st St Philip and St James Raining snowing W Wind First Boat Went Down the Proppeller California Light in the Lighthouses to night Began on to Dig a Little Birch Trees Running some 2nd A Fine Day the Steamer St Francis Came up Shot 2 Ducks got a Large Pike in the Back Marsh Firing at Loons Gordon Tapt some Trees for Vinegar Froze hard these nig-hts Went out for the first time in the Back marsh Got Sucker and 2 Barabots or Cat Fish spearing for EEls in the mud got none set Fire above the Cordwood Bay 3rd Raining Some East Wind the Bohemian came up on her first Trip Gordon Boiling Birch Sap in the Bush for Vinegar boiled three pails of Maple sap for Mollasses cold some Digging done sowed Tobacco seed at the apple Tree yesterday 4th Went across had a cake of Sugar 2 ½ Doz of Eggs 1 Rat skin Bought of Vipond and {BW?} 1 lb of Tea 65 ½ bushel of salt 25 Bottle of Ect {etc.?} oil 1 Bottle of Downs Elixir 25 1 ¼ lb of Shot Bowl 10 Ball of Twine 10 Black and Grey Thread 10 Tax 10 Tob 5 {Between the lines it reads: Fine comb Pins} Brought the Rennet to Hamiltons Went to G Renshaws Brought some small cakes to the children Got 2 Bags of Potatoes from George {Between the lines it reads: W Robb Proteller} Raining Jack Adams Poorly stopt at Johns Got my Papers Got a coat for Gordon East Wind The Corsican Went Down 5th Digging a Little Planted some Earley Roses and Chilies Gordon in the Bush for the Last Boiling made syrup 6th Peggy came for the Pots got Pay for Rookys Pot 4 lbs cut a cake of 9 lbs in 2 and gave the ½ Digging Rained some East Wind changed to hard West Made the Pigs Pen Put the calf in the Barn yesterday The Victoria Went Down and the Manitoba yesterday Friday 7th Sunday East Wind Raining The Bay of Quinte went Down Fixing the hogs in the Pen The St Francis coming out of Dundee on her first Trip out the 8th 1876 Mr James Cameron Island May Monday crossed with Gordon to Hamiltons to Pile Stove Wood John sowing Wheat heard Isacc Vipond and Johnny Sandfield had a Quarrel put Rings in the 2 Hogs snouts as they are Great Rooters Digging and Planting 9th Planting and Digging Randolph and I Fishing at night {Above it reads: First Raft Went Down} 10th Found 2 Canoes Water high Henery and George here for hay Brought 3 hats Hamiltons and Craigs scowing their cattle A Fine Day to Alexis & Francis Island Water high �11th at the Potatoes 12th Finished the peice of Potatoes {Between the lines it reads: set Fire at Lower Point} at the Old House Went to Hamiltons {Above it reads: north Wind} Brought 4 Suckers Got a Bag of Potatoes seen St Battence there Selling Fish Bought at the Racket for 4 Dollars a hundred 2 Rainbows this Evening Sun very hot Rained a Little went to Fish Got 1 EEl Wind Raised Livinia very Bad with the Tooth Ache her face on one side all swelled her Eye almost shut with it 13th Windy some Went this Evening to Hamiltons Randolph and I Raining some 14th Went to the Kitt Kite Island Gordon and I West Wind 15th Digging the Garden Fixing the Barrel for to run the Lie for making the soap Fixing the Garden Fence cut Down the Bass-Wood Stump at the Garden Fence 16th Went across with Gordon to Hamiltons took 4 Dozen of Eggs to Viponds Bought Braces Soap hooks Lines to 11 Cents Seen the cinnamon Bear perform went Down to Roses called to see Mrs Carey heard old Pat Departed Got candles and some Potatoe seeds told me she sent the yarn to Viponds in April Mr James Cameron Island 17th of May 1876 Went across to Renshaws East Wind Brought a Runner to George George crossed with me to Summerstown Got 100 lb of Flour from A.J Baker the Victor{ia?} came in-to Summerstown to Lay up and Lots of Towing to be Done 3 tow’s came up to Day sailed hom 18th Working at the soap 19th Working at the soap altered the 2 Bulls for the first I ever did and I am mortally afraid But as its the time of the moon and in the signs of the Fishes or Feet Pisces Ill risk it a very warm fine Day North Wind went to the head of the Island Randolph and I 20th Working at the soap Finished the Melons an{d} cucumbers and onions in the Garden and Red pepp{ers} Went across for Gordon to hamiltons Found a Ducks nest on the Little Island Gordon and I planted saffron 21st Went across to Christees Island Killed a Great many Black snakes went to Na-houtas Island sailed home 22nd Digging at the Back Peice at the Barn 23 Digging and Planted a Few Potatoes First {Above it reads: First Perch caught with Line} 24th Queens Birth Day Last Planting in the Back Peice Gordon and Randolph shooting Balls {Between the lines it reads: Making Fires} Gordon Shot a Red head and Bla{ck} Wood Pecker they �come every year about this Time and stop 2 or 3 Days every year We Fired some heavy Vollies this Evening 25th ascension Day Fishing Barking a Chair 26th Working at the Lane Fence Gordon x Barking 5 Chairs to Day {Between the lines it reads: Put the calve in his Pasture} Working at the Lane Fence West Wind high 27th at the Fence 28th Gordon Randolph Bismarck Leander went to the Sturgeon Island and I Found 2 Duck nest went to head of the Island Found the Lower Jaw of a Man on the Ground Pretty well Decayed. 1876 Mr James Cameron Island May 29 Royal Oak Day Went to Summerstown Brought 4 ½ Doz of Eggs Bought 1 lb of Tea Tobacco camphor Brought 7 Summers some Wild Onions {Between the lines it reads: some of the Potatoes up} Brought AJ Bakers Bag home took the Plough Got a Bag of Potatoes from J hamilton Got a Treat from Tom George Bosele and Pete here for hay for his calf talking to me about the Order I got at I Viponds I Vipond in Cornwall high North Breeze Rained some 30th Crossed with Gordon to hamiltons East Wind {Above it reads: Frost} Got 12 Perch not Biting 31st cleaning out the Milk-House Randolph and I went to Alexis Island Got some Peices of Fat Pine Working at the 2 Runnels at the North West corner of the Barn Mr John Rankin Blacksmith came Brought me my Tongs But not my Steel Butcher-Knife stopt to night 1st of June The Glorious First of June a fine Day very warm Day First Fish caught in Front of the Door Got 14 Ranking went of Forgot his Lines and Turned Back 2nd Tried to catch the sheep to shear them could not get them to follow home 3rd crossed to Summerstown Bought of Vipon 3 Bunches of Fishing Lines 15 cents settled with AJ Baker Got {Illegible} ¼ from him all clear some one stole one of my Papers out of my Canoe at the End of Ashery I think its a yankee Boat that came across to summerstown Got 2 Bugs of {Pitode?} from J {Haus?} East Wind a Talk of Matty Nicholson and John James going to have a Lawsuit The Boy went Down with a Raft Francis came here with an oak stick and Left it here 2 Boys stole it From him and took it up as far as Luke Bowens and he caught them and took it here Mr James Cameron Island 4th of June 1876 Whit Sunday East Wind Fine cool Keeping Francis stick from Getting away �5th Making Ashes set fire to an elm that Fell Bill here Trowling at the Weeds in the Potatoes 6th Fixing the Little Canoe at the ashes cleaning up stairs trying to catch the sheep 7th had to put the Dog after the sheep before we could Get them caught 2 of them 8th sheared the sheep the other came home to the yard and we caught her caught a Pike Trowling 9th Our Marys Birth Day 1813 A Fine Day 10th Went across for my Papers Gordon stopt at Hamiltons got a Peice of Tobacco from Charlie Parisha a sack of salt for J Hamilton a sale of John Frashers Things in Lancaster Mr Spinks Down Took a Picture up for John Hamilton Walter Campbell Bay City Heard Mary was not well Allen B Alick Told me a Good many Trowling the St Francis a pleasure Trip out of Dundee up to Cornwall Fixing 2 Pannels of Fence at the Barn cutting Weeds in the Potatoes the hens and the Grubs at the Potatoes and the Grubs at the Garden Gordons Calf at Hamiltons Friday came to get it next saturday 1th a Raft Went Down St Barnabas 12th I crossed to Hamilton a very heavy Fog this Morning the Brunston got aground at Hog Island the Alma Monroe turned Back from John Hamiltons up to Renshaws Wharf another Propeller aground the Dominion stopt a While at Renshaws the Bohemian and St Francis went Down in the Fog the St Francis ahead got From George {blank space} to 50 Wt of Flour Down on the Jenny 1-50 Seen D Suple at Summerston and R. Baker J Hamilton Painting his Waggon 13th took the ashes home from the Bush Fixing them in Bags Francis here going to sell his stick 14th Francis came took his stick to Rankins Mill I helped him across the the channel he came Back and said he Lost it with the Wind Windy Rain Thunder Mr James Cameron Island June 15 1876 Corpus Christi Went to Summerstown with 9 Bushels of Ashes Stopt at J Hamiltons John got a stick out of George Renshaws Wharf took 2 Dox of Eggs only 10 cents a Doz Bought of Vipond and Bro to 6 yds of cloth at 20 cents a yd 2 skains {skeins} of Thread 1 spool 2 Bunches of Matches Working at the Potatoes 16th Fixing the south East corner of the calf Pasture Henery Genie Went of this morning took his Pine EEl spear Jack With him Winchester Earl and Russel here to night 17th Gordon and I crossed to hamiltons a Pic nic on the St Francis from Cornwall selling Hamiltons Bridge to the Lowest Bidder John Carey got it at 54 Dollars or thereabouts got my Paper took the Calf home from Hamilitons heard James Was in Jail he Lost the suit Long Jim McDougall Lost 4 of �his horses on Rosses Island an 1 of Mr Dingwalls horses it must have Been the ticks that Killed them Seen Leander Reynolds at Hamiltons 18 the Ever BMemorable Battle of Waterloo 2 Men and 2 Ladies stopt to take their Dinner I think One of Them is a Wright East Wind West Thunder some and Rain 19th Hoeing some the Soap Barrel Busted Lost about 4 pails of Soap Duncan Cameron Rod Briggs and another Man here cut some Basswood Bark Seen a Pigeon in the Bush 20th I crossed Gordon to Hamiltons Went to G Renshaws crossed to the Store George and I Bought 25 cents of Tea 5 cents of Tobacco Rained hard high Wind Thunder & Lightning Frank Laplante and George Bosell Working at the Cord Wood First Day of Summer and its all Kind of Weather 21 Windy Whitewashing Lashey here Last night and To Day Fishing Pickerel Mr Tuthill and his nephew Willie T Creed and Charlie Labuff in the Boat Winnie sat up a While and had Quite a comfortable chat with a Bottle of Very Best of Jamacia and Loaf Sugar Mr James Cameron Island 22nd of June 1876 Our Dans Birth Day 1806 Windy Mr Tuthill went to Christees Island Whitewashing outside 23 Put out the stoves hoeing some 24th St John the Baptist Day Very Windy caught some Fish Randolph and I J Hamilton crossed to see the horses as the Penshioners Horse is almost Dead with the ticks Matthews and Wife Passed the Door and Went to the foot of Christee Island hoed the Back Garden 25th Went to Hamiltons for Gordon Got a Bag of Potatoes John at the Island Looked at the Ticks on the Horses see Tyler at the Lighthouse StrawBerries Ripe high Wind coming from Hamiltons John Lost his Canoe Battle of Bannockburn 26th Went Summerstown Got 25 cents from G Renshaw Bought of Vipond 1 Plug of Tobacco 5 {Illegible} pan of Bread Mr Crippin came Lashey came Brought of G Renshaw some Strawberries and a Bottle of Vinegar 27th Went out to trowl Down to the Kit Kit Crippin went to Christees to Fish 28th Lashey Began his Bark Line Windy Went to head of the Island to see the sheep Mr and Mrs and Master-Fulton (Herbert) came this Evening 29th St Peters Day Mrss Fulton went of Mr Crippin Went of hoeing some 30th Last Day of June I crossed to Summerstown Brought I Vipond some old Newspapers Got 4 Plugs of Tobacco From him Bought ½ lb Tea 1. yd of Cotton 1 plug of Tobacco 2 Bunches of �Matches George Bosell talking about the Due Bill came Down to J Hamiltons sent of his papers for the Lighthouse Got a Bag of Potatoes from John a good sail coming home Thunder 1st of July Dominion Day all the Boats their colours up Bought a Pan of Bread 25 cents Got a Knife from Lewis Blandeau JY Poorly and his Daughter stopt for Gordon came home Lashey set his Line Mr James Camerson Island July 2nd 1876 {The text of this page is blurry.} Went with Lashey to his Line got a Big Sturgeon a Raft went Down in Tow Raining 3rd very Windy from the West 2 Boats came in the Evening stopt in the Barn stole Lasheys night Line pole and anchor when they went off they were from about Burke a Mean set 4th American 4th of July Centenial Lashey went to Lancaster hoeing the Potatoes 5 Our Johns Birth Day 73 years old to Day I went to G Renshaws Left Gordon at J Hamilton Got a Bag of Potatoes from John Mr Fulton and Mr Ed Plumado came and Miles Left me 4 M{Illegible} hooks Very Windy to night Wind changing to all quarter Rained some seen the Potato bug to Day for the First time I seen them on J Hamiltons Potatoe Giving out Jobs on the Roads Peggy Bosell and Pete and Lewy 6th Put out Tobacco Plants Mr Fulton Went off Paid me for the oars stick that miles Got 1..25 cents I promised to send them to Summerstown and put the board of the Steamer Jenny Lashy came had the Plants James Y Cameron's Daughter Departed to Day 7th Went to Fort Covington Lashey with me Found his Line and pole and another stopt at Lukes took my wool only 20 cents all took it home Bought of R Baker Butter Tub 35 ¼ of Powder 18 Bought of Burdo Matches Lashey Paid me 20 cents I paid Lashey the Discount on Crippins Money Bought of Gillis 50 lb of Flour 1..62 ½ to 17 lbs of Bran 17 cents Went to see Mr Crippin Mr Tuthill sent a Present to Livinia and Gave me a Present of Tobacco Stopt at Lukes took supper came home John Gray and his Brothers here Henry and George Bosel for hay the Algoma came out of {Dundee?} seen Jim Hopkins 8th John Gray took Gordon from Hamiltons put Boards on top of the cook house put the hide to soften in the Water Lightning to night Windy 1876 Mr James Cameron Island July the 9th Looking for the sheep Found only 2 of them a Fine Day East Wind Looks like Rain but no rain Thunder an Indian caught a Lunge {Muskellunge} up in the Bay 10th crossed to put the oars on Board the steamer Jenny �11th Went to Ross’s Island Fred McDonald and hopkins here 12th of July Orangemans Day Keeping the 12th of July Firing heavy volleys Gordon shooting Mr Ross from Cornwall here got some worms treated me 13th Mowed a Road to the Barn 14th Mowing some 15th Gordon crossed made some cocks of hay Bought of Viponds Bread 8 Loaves St Swithens {Swithun’s} Day no Rain 16th Lashey came 17th Mowing the Grove 18th Mowing 19th Fernandez Birth Day went to Hopkins for the Whity Bull Got a Peice of Pork from Jims Wife Fred McDonald and Charlie came Down With me 20th high Wind Mowing 21st Put in 20 Cocks from Back of the Barn 22nd Went to Viponds Bought Bread Tobacco & a Pic nic 23rd Sunday 24th Henery Genie here with a stick of Oak stopt all night 25th Henery went off 26 Henery sent the Mare up on the St Francis I crossed Got the scow Bought Bread 4 Loaves {Above it reads: Mr McArthur and Fultons got Tobacco} 27th Taking in hay 28th high Wind cutting and Taking in 29th Went home with the scow John Hamilton Rowed up from the Lighthouse Bought 8 Loaves Bad with my Back 30th Bad with my Back Got some spirits of Turpentine from Hamilton for my Back 31st Drew some Wood �1st of August Lammas Day Henery Genie and Boy this Morning stopt till night Mowed all Day split some pine 2nd Minnies Birth Day Gordon crossed Got 8 Loaves 3rd Mowing 4th Mowed and Putting in Fishing some very warm 5th Went to Summerstown 7 Loaves 1 ½ of Eggs ¾ 6th Randolphs Birth Day Mr James Cameron Island Augt 7th 1876. Mowing very warm time 8th Mowing Putting in 9th Very warm crossed to Summertown 10th got 500 wt of Flour from G Renshaw 10 11th Taking in and Mowing 12th Putting in Henerys Boy and his Father here the Carpenter 13th Fishing Got 30 14th Mowing Jim McDougall and his 2 Boys here going to christees Island to look at Marsh hay a very warm Day 15th Done mowing Below the house Began to Mow in the upper Feild 16th Began the Fine Haystack 2 Tons Whatever 17th Mr Crippin and the Methodist minister and Mrs Paddock here Gave a coat Mr Fulton and Orto came 18th Went with Mr Fulton to Ross’s Island got 47 Fish Mr Adair here Gave him his Braces he Forgot a year ago a Fine Day Raking Mowing Left 50 cents gave 5 cents to Gordon 19th Bismarck's Birth Day a Fine warm Day a scotch Moon and it Brings Rain Torrents of it Fallen very heavy went to the head of Island Met in with Mr Silby Mr Nolan and Mr Feek had their Bun capsised for to Keep them Dry cooked their Dinner in the Bell Bay Mr Silby came Down to see the Barn as I told him it would be Better than out at night and he got an awful Wetting as it came Down �Pouring camped in the Barn to night they Left their axe in the Bay and some one Picked it up as they do not find it a Pic Nic on the Bohemian Dr Gillis and his Party on the Island yesterday 20th Went up to see John Gray at the head of the Island But they had not the axe took the rest of his Pine away the Boys crossed to Summerstown for Bread and I sent for a square they Brought it 1876 Mr James Cameron Island Augt 21st the three Fellows went to Ross’s Island very windy working in the upper Feild 22nd I crossed to Summerstown Got 5 Dollars from them for Bread sugar tea took Back their change Bought Bread Tea Matches pipe John Hamilton Buying a scythe had a Round took our supper John and I got my Papers 23 They Started for Lancaster the wind high Turned Back Finished the stack of Fine hay commenced the Marsh hay stack 24th I crossed to Viponds Brought 31 lbs of Butter Bought 7 ½ yds of Calico 6 yds of Lindsey 2 yds of Cloth ½ lb Tea Loaves of Bread Pipe 12 yds of Cotton 1 Pair of Boots the Man came for the canoe I had at G Renshaws to Day Bill here to Day The Boys went to Lancaster Gave me a 25 cent Plug of Tobacco a Good 2 Bladed Knife salts Nails senna oil pants and straw hats Gave Gordon 25 cents Packing up their things to night to start Tomorrow Mr Fulton and John Cameron here Put Some hay on the marsh hay stack 25th Went Down to Kit Kit and Ross’s Island with Mr Fulton caught a Good many the Boys was of when I come and a Good set of Boys they were Decent Lads Mr Fulton not well Left 50 cents Rained Quite a shower took some cocks out of the Back Marsh 26th Mowed some in the Back Marsh & Pourt seen where they Gordon and the {Illegible} spoke to them about it a Pealing Birch Bark 27th Finished the Marsh hay stock windy cut a strip in the Front Marsh windy Great Fire in the South Woods 27th Sunday Fine cool and Windy Took salts to Day cracked a Basin of Last years Butternuts hazel nuts good Spartan went Down 28th Went across Bought for J Hamilton 1 lb Tea Bought of J Sandfield 25 sack of Flour 1 pipe Matches 29th Making stack of Marsh hay 30 cocks 1876 �Mr James Cameron Island Augt 30th Fishing at christees caught one Pickerel that Weighed 8 ¾ lb very smoky Time with Fires the St Francis ahead Going up to Day very warm to Day took our Dinner on Christees Island Found a Table Knife in the Water 31st Went across to John Hamiltons Found a Large square of Tobacco on the shore Working at their Mar{sh?} Went to the store Bought of J Sandfield salt soap Got my Reporter Went to G Renshaws took 3 Papers Down for Mr Tyler Lincoln to the Lighthouse came Down on the North Side of our Island and Found Randolphs Knife he lost in the Water the St Francis ahead of any thing Going Down this morning charlie Parisha Working at the Bridge 1st of September Drawing Wood making a pile of Logs from the River Filled 5 Bags with ashes 2nd a Fine Day but Windy Rained hard Last night Mowed some in the Marsh But the Water is high I must Quit it Lots of Shooting an Indian Big Mitchells son Looking for a canoe he Lost he was here yesterday, Evening cool 3rd D McMasters Birth Day sunday very Windy cool and Fine Corinthian went Down the Wind Breaking the Tobacco Leaves Took home some hazelnuts from the Pitt Point 4th Drawing Wood 5th John Angus Birth Day Went to the Kit Kit Gordon and I Windy stopt all Day 6th crossed Left Gordon at hamiltons Got a Bag of Apples Bought of Vipons 4 Loaves of Bread matches John hamilton unwell Drew some hay 7th Drew in some hay sowed hay seed in the Oakfeild 8th Drawing Wood 9th Windy 10th Went to Hamiltons John and Tom Gordon at Alexis Island Shooting Deers now 11th crossed with 7 ½ of Ashes Bought of J sandfield 25 lb Flour Bought of I Vipond ½ lb of Powder 15 cents Matches 1876 Mr James Cameron Island Sept 12th Fishing some 13th Putting out manure �14th Randolph and I Fishing 15th Drawing Wood Ronald Angus Departed 16th I crossed got 1..50 from J Hamilton Bought of Viponds ½ lb Tea Matches Gave AJ Baker my Bag to Bring me 100 lb of Flour from Montreal East Wind high Henery Genie and his Boy came took Gordon from hamiltons our Potatoes near Done 17th Windy Henery went to Charlie Island 2 Men hunting there 18th E Wind Windy Fishing 19th Henery Gordon and I crossed Left Gordon at J hamiltons Bought of JS Summers 50 Wt of Flour 1..50 got 25 cents from henery 1 lb Shot some caps henry Bought 1 Quart HW 2 lb of Shot 1 Box of Caps Fishing chub 20 Set the Rope line 20th splitting Rails Henery crossed to McDonalds Below Frashers South Side Henery came Back to-night 21st St Matthew Last Day of Summer Henry went off to meet the Boat at Lancas{ter} Drawing Wood 22nd Autumn or Fall Begi{ns} Drawing Wood 23rd Drawing Wood and crossed to Renshaws for 100 wt of Flour I got From AJ Baker took up on the Bohemian from Montrea{l} the Victoria Steamer Moved to Renshaws Wharf pumped her this Week and found 2 augur {auger} holes in her where some Villian did on the Intention of Getting a Job of Bailing her 24th Windy 25th Charlie Rose came to mow the Marsh I went with Gordon to Hamilton's got the Hops and the apples on the Tree in the Potatoe got some Tin Dishes in the Bush at Hamiltons East Wind this 10 Days seen J James Gave Charlie some EEl skins 26th Raining Mr Fulton to Primo James Barnes came Took in the Double Stove a Wet Dirty Day Mr Fulton caught 3 chub and 13 Perch 1 Doree Brought me ½ lb Powder 1 Box of Cap 2 lb of Shot 28 27th 1876 Mr James Cameron Island Sept FMr Fulton Went Down the way of the Kit Kit And Ross's Island Windy Drawing Wood 28th {Illegible} Day charlie Rose and Peter Purcell here since yesterday the Wind very high stopt all night Johnny with them Drawing Wood �28th Charlie and Pete Finished Mowing high wind to Day got Lower and they crossin Drawing Wood. 29th Raising Bad with a Pain that goes right through me Michaelmas Day 30th Went to J Hamilton Bought of Vipond ½ lb Tea Hooks & Eyes Bought of J Summers 2 Bunches of matches AJ Baker put up his Parlor Stove Got 2 ½ Bushels of Apples from J Hamilton the Magnet went Down heard William Lavallette came Back to the Front after Stealing something in Lancaster Last Day of the mon{th} 1st of October Sunday Fine and cool Windy the Hawks Playing the Devil with the hens and pullets the Passport went down and the corsican went Down to Day 2nd 2 men here Oliver and Stephenson going to Ross Island to Fish Windy chopping Firewood got a Pipe of Tobacco from them Windy 3rd cutting in the oakfeild Gordon and J Henery and Antwine Bosell passed up I Followed them thinking they would take Gordon over to Hamiltons Henry told me Dr Shavers girl was married to Purcell But he did not tell me he Lost Kenneth McLauglins 10 Dollars when he was in Montreal with his Fish Antwine told me he would Fix the clock I crossed with Gordon this Evening and Just time enough or I would be caught in a Gale of Wind I got some of it Mr James Cameron Island Oct 4th 1876 Windy Rain Mr Hitchcock and Johnson here to nigh{t} Mr Hatton here cold some got 25 cents from Hatton 5th Hitchcock and Johnson started had to stop at the Head of the Island with the wind Drew their Boat across the Island Got 50 cents from them some Powder and shot and caps Gave them 2 Large squashes they crossed this Evening shot a Marsh hen and a Bittern or mire-Drum 6th Raining Turned Fine crossed to Summertown commenced to Rain and Blow stopt at Hamiltons John and his Wife in Montreal I took Dinner Bought of Viponds Cooks Friend 70 ce{nts} 1 Pane of Glass 5 cents 4 spoils of Thread 20 1 White skain 20 cents Bought of J Summers salt Match{es} Pipe Starckh stopt at Hamiltons got a Bag of Apples From Tom Annie Grant there whil{e} there away Seen G Bosell the Passport Laid up Gave Lewis Blondeau a thing for to go in his gun George Renshaws wood took Fire yesterday and Through the night the Fair in Fort Covington this week and a stormy Rainy week it is 7th Drawing some Wood Piling at the Door the Mare tramped on the Back part of my Leg. Windy Raining some 8th sunday Raining Hailing Windy Snowing for the first snow �9th Banking the West End of the house took a few Loads out of the Big shed got a few cocks of Marsh hay high-Wind Corsican went Down hard frost Last night ice thick this morning 10th HughAnn McMasters Birth Day cut some hay put in 7 cocks Fixed a Knee in the Jumper Killed a snake on the pitt Point and Burnt him Made a few plugs of Tobacco Made a Fence around 2 of the stacks opened 2 Pannels of the Fence at the end of the Lane Last Quarter of the moon to Day and the very windy time since she Began 1876 Mr James Cameron Island Oct 11th Drawing wood Broke the Whippletree Im not sure But I heard A Cameron's Wife Departed to Day or Tomorrow Windy Time cool a Few grains of snow 12th Cutting and Drawing Firewood put in 2 cocks of hay Windy 13th cut Down the cherry Tree at the Lower Point cutting Brush Kind of Fine to Day Trimming the apple Trees at the Lower Point East Wind this Evening and cold Raining and Cold to night took up the Line Randolph and I pealing some apples 14th Raining some snow East and changed to West crossed to Hamiltons got a Pipe from John Brought over a Pair of sox Got a Ball of yarn to Finish the other Got a Bag of Apples Went to the store Bought of Viponds ½ lb Tea Ginger Matches heard R Jacks wife was Poorly Mrs Summers Poorly Got From AJ Baker 33 ¾ lb of Flour Flour in Summertown 3 ¼ or 25 a 100 they took up their potatoes at hamiltons that they had on the halves 3 Boats of hunters up to Day from Sorel Blowing hard to night Froze Pretty hard to night 15th Cold Blowing hard 16th Drawing Wood high Wind shot a Duck cutting Stove Wood 17th Crossed to Hamiltons to help with the Potatoes Tom Lennon for Apples spreading manure churning Fixing the Bin for the Potatoes pretty cold to Day 18th at J Hamiltons at the Potatoes some cold in the fore Part of the Day St Lukes Day 19th James Grant a Bee at the Potatoes a fine Day Spartan went Down 20th Me at hamiltons Mr Fulton and Miles here Fishing Finished the Potatoes at Hamiltons to Day seen Allen 21st Came home from Hamiltons Raining took a Basket of apples and 2 Tin Kettles Potatoes Ducks Plenty Mr Fulton Passed up �1876 Mr James Cameron Island Oct 22nd Sunday a Fortunate Day Went to Fish got none a Great Lot of shooting of Ducks Spartan went up Magnet went Down Jennie crossed to Dundee this morning from Summertown wind East Rain fine Henery Genie and Henderson came to night they had 4 sturgeon and 4 suckers 23rd Livinia Birth Day 8 years old to Day set the Line Baited with sucker went to Hamiltons Brought a ½ sturgeon and the sox Henry to the store for salt got a Sturgeon from henery salted his got 3 2 Plugs of Tobacco from henderson went to Christees to night too Windy to Fish hard sout{h} Wind at the hunters camp on Christees Island Rained hard and Blowing to night 24th Our Hugh’s Birth Day henderson shot at Diver this morning went to the Line Got nothing they got Ready and Started for Point Moria to hunt took his Rope Left his Jack Fine But Windy taking the manure out of the Big Shed Banking inside the Little shed North side of the shouse went to the Line to night Got a sturgeon 25th My Birth Day cleaned a Sturgeon Got 2 {scar-os?} on the Line Finished the Big Shed Put some manure out on the hay from Before the Barn Door Drew the Basswood from the Lower Point took Down the Wedges and split the Log 26th Banking Windy hurted my Finger the not of a Bolt my Gun Went off cocking it Seen a Flock Passing of Wild geese 27 seen a Pigeon on the Pit Point Tried for Bait Drawing Wood 28th I crossed to Summerstown Bought ½ Tea matches Pins the Robbers of Jewellery at Summerss 10 Brien 1 arm Got 2 Bags of Potatoes one Bag of Apples from J Hamilton John and I went to the store Henery Genie here Towed up with the East Bill McLeod going to-morrow to the Centenial Mr James Cameron Island Oct 29th 1876 Gave Henry 2 sturgeon Walter Bakers Wife Died Sunday Henery Genie and I to Charlie and Rosss Island then crossed the Mare Down to Rankins Mill Gave Henery the Big Canoe got home Pretty Late came all around the shore up to Brunstons 30th Went to Fish Bait to the Kit Kit got no Bait shot a Duck East Wind Raised sailed home 31st Baited the Line Killed a Ruster for Bait took home a Load of Wood in the canoe from the Bay Last Day of HallowEEn or All Hallows or Holy Eve cracking nuts and Eating apples 1st of Nov All Saints Day Boarding the sheds and fixing around �2nd All Souls Day Working at Tobacco Livinia Thumb a sore Pain East Wind 3rd High West Wind went around the Island cut a Broom the Alexandra and 2 Tugs went up Wind came Down calm in the Evening went to the Line Full of Weeds sawed the But of the cherry 14th Went to Summerstown got 2 Dollars from J Hamilton Viponds Packing their Goods to move to Dundee AJ Baker & Charlie Parisha Killing 2 hogs Bought of Spinks or J Summers 50 Wt of Flour 1 Pipe and matches J Grant and F Laplante to Rankins Mill got a Hat Rack at Throwing the Dice a very fine night 5th Guy Fawks Day a very fine Day 3 men with Decoys shooting all Day in the Bay a Great Talk of Mr Oxley Getting 1 and ½ million of money 6th Went to the Kit Kit with my Decoys shot 1 Duck seen a very Large White owl 7th Helens Birth Day Took in the cook stove in the cook house Randolph and I went to Alexis Island {Illegible due to ink splotch}ing the cover for my Box of Axes put 9 axes in it and Hay James Grant a Raising Bee Finished of making Plugs of Tobacco 120 Plugs Besides Loose stuff 1876 Mr James Cameron Island Nov 8th Foggy morning Went to George Renshaws wit{h t}he Box of Axes 9 of them Brought some cranBerries to Georges East Wind went to I Viponds nothing in the Store Settled with him Got a Receipt and Gave him my note for 10 Dollars allowed me 10 Dollars for the Marsh hay the P Office up at JS Summers now Bought of J Summers ½ lb soda 4 lb of Fine salt 3 Bunches of Matches Pipe Nicholsons a Bee raising came Down to J Hamiltons Got 2 Bags of Potatoes and apples the Alexandra went Down forgot my mits South East wind came hom shot a Large spotted White Owl cleaning my guns 9th The Prince of Wales Birth Day a Fine Day sawing stove Wood Randolph and I some shooting geese not Plenty the Victoria went to Rankins Mill and Back Raining some East Wind and West cleaning cranberries 10th sawing Stove Wood a Fine Day Made cranberry Jelly 11th St Martins I went to Summertown stopped at the Lighthouse took Dinner at Hamiltons Brought over Gordons pants Bought of J Sandfield Summers ½ lb Tea 30 cents Bill McLeod after coming from the Centennial a great many after Dear this time I not certain who is Elected yet But Last accounts that Tilden was ahead 12th Old HallowEen Went to set my Decoys a Boat Steamed Down the Back Channel and came on the north side of Christies Island and anchored there to night had 3 Jolly Boats after her in Tow a hunting concern I suppose West Wind the Bohemian and St Francis Went Down �Mr James Cameron Island Nov 13th 1876 Monday Willie Rose Tommy Munroe and Richard Lavallete came to Make stacks of the Marsh hay 14th the 3 Boys came to Day and Finished the 2 stocks I helped to pitch them Rained some Last night 15th Making or Fixing the Door upstairs and Working at the sheds 16th Henery Genie came Working at the stable shot 2 Ducks 17th First setting of Traps 17th Got a Rat Henery and I Fishing EEls Got 9 Fishing with the hand Line got none 18th clean the Line Making a yoke for the Steers 19th Went to Lancaster crossed over to Murdoch McDonalds made our supper on the Point had some Rum and fished up along shore Got 2 sturgeon Some Suckers Gordon came from Hamiltons Tommy Jack and Murdy Craig Left him 20th yoked the oxen for the first time Baited the Line {Above it reads: Jim hopkins here} Henery making oars and cart Frame 21 On this Day of the Month D McMaster Departed in the year 46 Making a shed Gordon and I for the sheep Alexandra went Down 22 Raining and Freezing Some wind Quit from East 10 Days Blow to Day Henry crossed to Murdoch McDonalds him and Murdoch came to night Baited the Line twice to Day 23rd Henry went home to Day and Murdoch McDonald George Morris and Fred MDonald came Fishing EEls Made a Door for the sheep's Place West Wind snow on the Mountains to Day plastering the stable Let the Oxen go took of the yoke {Illegible due to ink splotch} Hamilton Tom Isacc Vipond Jo Vipond Donald McDonald John Carey shot a Buck Deer in the water 24th Gordon and I crossed took Dinner at Hamiltons and stopt all night there McGreggor in the Glen shot with the Gun going off while standing on a stump he Died with Loss of Blood a Bee at Dan Camerons and John Richard Grants Mr James Cameron Island Nov 25th 18{76} Seen AJ Baker got 61 lbs of Flour weighed {i}n Summers's store Bought of J Summers ¼ Tea Bar of Soap 3 Bunches of Matches Got a Taste of chee{se?} One of the Dunlops Buried Died with the small Pox Kerosene oil Kenneth McDonalds a Bee Ploughing to Day got a Peice of the venison from J Hamilton cow head Henery came to night and Murdoch MDonald Fishing East Wind Brought 2 Bags of Potatoes to me put in the 2 calves to night for the First �26th Henery and Murdoch crossed Ev{ening?} to Murdoch’s I seen Henery sailing Back going to Lancaster 27th Fixing a Rack in the Big Shed 28th a Propeller Tow Boat went up the {Illegible} {Above it reads: Ferrying from Plum Island} Last Trip to night as its Freezing hard enough to Freeze Salmon River {Above it reads: scowing from alexis Island} Fixing around {c}hopping Stove Wood scowing from Alexandra 29th Bohemian went Down Early without calling into Lancaste{r} or St{Illegible}et as far as I could see the St Francis called into Lancaster going and coming I think its Jimmy Grants scow that crossed and returned without nothing in it wind Kind of high 30th St Andrew's Day The Festival of The Scotch Firing in the Morni{ng} and Evening set Part of the Back Marsh a Fire but it will not Burn set 3 or 4 Brush heaps a Fire which makes as Bright Light Burnt them clean the Steamer Victoria went up this Evening and I Gave them some good volleys but they did not return it with a Blow of the Whistle As there was no true Scotsman aboard of her I Did not expect it a fine Day Cold and Pleasant no snow on the ground Lots of snow on the Mountains Wild Geese very {s}carce Lights in the Lighthouses to night Mr James Cameron Island December the 1st 1876 Raw and cold to Day snowing a Little standing on up Troughfs in the Sugar Bush ice a peice made in Back Bay chopping Stove Wood som I have a Very Bad cold cows Picking out some But gues them a Bit night and Morning I Dont see no Lights in the Lighthouses to night {Above it reads: a Light on the Cherry Island} those East of me whatever nothing on the Water to Day cut my Mits out to Day took in the swill Barrel as it Freezes in the shed a change in the Moon this Morning 2nd snowing some Wind West a Boat came out of Lancaster to the Lighthouse with Barges in Tow it must Be the Anderson a Steamer came up to night I Dont Know what one it is Mr Hill has his Light up to night none on the scow Light Cherry Island has her Light up to night scowing from Alexis Island to Day 2 Trips the Last Trip was 1 horse Drew the Fish Box up from the Bank sawing stove Wood 3rd all the Lights up to night Went to the Head of the Island Randolph and I no Boats a going now 4th Killed the hog sat a Trap in the hollow log Front of Marsh 5th Cut a saw Log cutting stove Wood high Wind West 6th Cutting stove Wood the Festival of the Germans St Nicholas 7th Setting Fire to the Marsh and some heaps of Brush not very well 8th chopping stove Wood �9th Very cold high Wind went for Brooms to the north side of the Island snowing some to night 10th Leanders Birth Day 1872 4 years old to Day cold and Windy 11th Cold very unwell did not smoke for 2 Days 12th not very well a fine Day took my canoe up to the head of the Island to be Ready to go across in the morning East wind some ice along the shore 1876 Mr James Cameron Island December 13 I crossed called at hamiltons heard old Mr Donald McDougall Departed Last week and McCrimmons wife below Lan{torn away} the ice all out of the Little channel at Su{mm}erstown the Widow Donald Summers Died yesterday had 3 ½ lb of Butter Bought of John Summers 1 lb Tea Thread spools and skains matches cloves seen a Smallman seen Allen Buying Geese and Turkies wind changed high West Got from Mrs AJ Baker 30 lb of Flour had a Fine sail {c}oming home 14 Fine Wind Raised 15 choppi{ng i}n the Bush Fine Cold and Windy to night south west Blew hard took away some of the Washing that was on the poles Drying Frosty New Moon {c}omes in to Day 16th Cold and Windy Freezi{ng} hard a cold night the ice Took on the South Side to night the steamboat Channel open 17th Water Raising cold and Frosty Ducks Flying about my Trap Froze in the hollow Log cattle harty no snow on the Ground of any consequence cattle picks some but Dont save Feeding the ice looks as if it was going to take 18th ice Taken {o}n the south side north side Taken {Illegible} Down {1}9th Blustery Windy seen 5 men crossing at Summerss Road 20th First Day of Winter I crossed to Hamiltons got a sack of apples {Illegible} 50 21st Shortest Day crossed E. Wind very Frosty took Dinner at Hamiltons churning But the Butter wont come stopt with G Renshaw to night AJ Baker in Cornwall took home his Bag crossing with horses on Summerss Road 22nd 1876 Mr James Cameron Island Dec �at George Renshaws Got From AJ Baker 100 lb of Flour Andrew at the Examination Got some Herrings and Pork from George stopt at Hamiltons and Tomy Jack went up with the Horses after my Flour Gordon came with me to the head of the Island to Draw the sleigh very cold East Wind and Frosty Jim hopkins went to Cornwall with Johnny Summers 22 23rd Cold chopping at the Door Raised my Long canoe and Drew the small canoe up on the Bank Randolph and I took up my sail an Air hole in Front of the house 24 Sunday Reading papers Christmas Eve cold and Windy sun shines 25th Christmas Day Fine Day Gordon came from Hamiltons took a Book with him had a pair of scates with him 26th Kind of Fine and Stormy East Wind not very well George Renshaw a Bee Drawing Stones chopping stove Wood Feeding the 2 cows Fine Hay 27th crossed to Summerstown Bought of J Summers 1 Lamp Chimney Matches pipe seen 7 Men Gathering Money for Mr Craigs Monument Tom Summers Bushing the Road on the ice charlie Parisha taking his cattle From Hamiltons that he Bought 28th cutting in the Bush 29th Our Angus's Birth Day turned very Stormy to night from the East snowing and Drifting 30th Went to the Pit Point for Cedar Stormy from the north West Blustering taking away Banks of snow around the Barn and on the Road to the River 31st Sunday very Cold Last Day of the year For more information on James Cameron, check out the “Meet the Diarists” section under “Discover” on our website: ruraldiaries.uoguelph.ca � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James Cameron Diary Collection Subject The topic of the resource 19th Century Rural Ontario Diaries Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource James Cameron Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of the Archives of Ontario Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1854-1902 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 19th Century, Glengarry County, McMaster's Island Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1854-1857 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1858 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1859 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1860 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1861 James Cameron Diary, 1862 James Cameron Diary, 1863 James Cameron Diary, 1864 James Cameron Diary, 1865 James Cameron Diary, 1866 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1867 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1868 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1869 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1870 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1871 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1876 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1877 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1878 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1879 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1880 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1881 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1882 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1883 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1884 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1885 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1886 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1887 James Cameron Diary, 1888 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1889 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1890 James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1891 James Cameron Diary, 1892 James Cameron Diary, 1893 James Cameron Diary, 1894 James Cameron Diary, 1895 James Cameron Diary, 1896 James Cameron Diary, 1897 James Cameron Diary, 1898 James Cameron Diary, 1899 James Cameron Diary, 1900 James Cameron Diary, 1901 James Cameron Diary, 1902 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James Cameron Diary & Transcription, 1876 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource James Cameron Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archives of Ontario Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March to December, 1876 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 19th Century, Glengarry County, McMaster's Island Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. March 1876 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. James Cameron Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript & Typed Transcription UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress Done Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1867</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island March</p> <p>Went to the {torn away} geon Island a Fine Day 6th in the bush cut {torn away} e wood</p> <p>7th a Fine Day sloppy on the {torn away} went {torn away} Williamstown Brought out a cake of sugar {torn away} the Bosells caught a Deer Sunday above {torn away} at in Cornwall about the church on {torn away}rr Rained tonight hard raised the creeks</p> <p>8th came home from Williamstown {torn away} me out had Great Work fixing the {torn away}on the creeks stopt at Barretts Going {torn away} came around by Robert Jacks house and to J Hamiltons John and Tommy Jack Drove me Down took up the Runcheon</p> <p>9th George Bosell here Fixing the camp</p> <p>10 I Hamilton here seen 2 Wild Geese for the first</p> <p>11 Crofsed to Summerstown Races there Rained some and John Tyo and Rod Cameron Racing on this Road and they Went like Wildfire Bought of Viponds 1/2 lb Tea and Lead Pencil</p> <p>12th of March On this Day on the Month Dell Master First came to the Island Fine but cold</p> <p>13th in the Bush cold cutting Firewood</p> <p>14th Hamilton Drew me some firewood</p> <p>15th Went to Summerstown with ashes 12 bushels John Hamilton took them up for me Bought Arponds Tea 75 3 yds Cotton 33 Pot 25 Rice 3 lb 21 Matches Paid Pencil Got 4 Dollars from AI Baker</p> <p>16th Turned stormy East Wind and snow Mr Chapman and Wife stopt and Turned Back to Fort Covington sent Gordon acrofs</p> <p>17th St Patricks Cold and stormy bad with a cold Norman Bethune and Bill Palmer coming from Lancaster on a Buggy stopt to Give their Horse a Drink of River Water as he would not Drink well water {torn away}Buckerman stopt Gave me the {torn away} Date in Montreal on St Pat{torn away} clear to Day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>At James Cameron Island March 31st 1876</p> <p>Last Day of March Writing to Day George Fixing the camp took up the Pot to the Bush and the chains Big Barrel</p> <p>1st of April Fools Day First Boiling in the Bush made 3 Gallons of Mollasses I went to Dundee Chartreaul called in and we walked up together on the crust called at I Hopkins them all being sick with pluracy Got a Ride up from Johnny Spenk and Bill Morris to the Distillery A Fine Day Bought of R Baker 1 lb of Power 2 lb of shot 1/2 Doz of Buttons 2 yds of stuff for Leander Pipes a Treat at I U G Bought at I U G 4 Got a Ride home from Mr A.McLean Lancaster Gave a Look at the Hay to sent a Man for hay Monday Peggy Gave Livinia some Ham I Hamilton here for the Hollow adge to make Trough Freezing to night ice Good yet seen a Man selling Maple Sugar in Dundee Mr Baker in Montreal a Flock of Wild Geese in the air hole it is supposed {illegible} that was with Jimmy the Bush went in the airhole at Hamiltons Bridge and was Drowned on the night of March the --- But we since he was allright that he arrived all right in Williamstown</p> <p>2nd Made the first sugar 44 lbs went to Sturgeon Island Peggy stopt here to night George Renshaw and Charlie Rose here with George Colt a Fine Day Gave George his Bottle Livinia Got up to Day</p> <p>3rd Crofsed to Summerston Brought of I {illegible} Knife 20 Rope 1 1/2 lbs 22 1/2 cents Tob 5 Line 10 Matches a Box 17 changed the Boots) oil ( made about 48 lb to Day Gordon killed the Black Bull calf a Man a Foot crofsed to hopkins commenced to rain to night</p> <p>4th Raining Henery and George for hay took 3-50 cents worth at 9 Dollars a Ton Mr David Baker here Just from Montreal Raining Teams crofsing summers and Chartreau here took Dinner cutting hay not in the Bush to Day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Page 1} the 5th 1876</p> <p></p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island April Fine East Wind George Gave me the order on Vipond for 3-50 got a Peice of Butter Tapping adge some, sugared about 40 lbs to Day commenced Raining Wind changed high from the West ice getting Bad near shore</p> <p>6th A Fortunate Day high Wind seen Robbins yesterday Ducks Plenty some Flocks of Wild Geese not any one crofsing on Summers's Road to Day</p> <p>7th {illegible}</p> <p>8th made 3 Gallons of Molasses took 3 Cakes over shot 2 Ducks in the Airhole one of them Drew under the ice with the strong current Ice Good to Crofs</p> <p>9th not running very well a Fine Day Gordon and I up to the Bush a Great lot of Wild Geese and Ducks in the Airhole at Francis Island</p> <p>10th shot a Duck that a Hawk chased to the Ice and had the Duck Down and Picking him he left and I shot the Duck George took over the churn</p> <p>11th Went acrofs to Viponds took Georges Due Bill what remained of the churn 1.50 Bought of Viponds 1 Box 2 plugs of Tobacco 10 Box of Capo 15 8 yds of Cotton 80 2 yrs of Linsey 44 Bottle of Castor oil 10 with 5 cents Cash Heard Robert McDonald Departed Last Week Brought up From the Hospital in Montreal Made about the Moles 2 Moles Full and some in the Basin</p> <p>12th Very Fine Made Sugar to Day the Moles and the Basins full</p> <p>13th Fishing EEls very Fine holes opening in the ice East Wind Put out the Canoe From from Below and took it up to the Door with the Water thats on top of the ice 14th ice is opening slow</p> <p>14th Good Friday Raining East Wind West and North Wind high West Wind not Running to Day George made 2 axehandle 1 ash and hicory Foggy to Day</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>1876</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island April 15 Ice Jamming coming Down high West Wind running a Little Some Drops of Rain hail and snow and Fine George and Peggy Boiling a few Pails Water high Went to the head of the Island, swallows came yesterday Foggy today George Peggy and George crofsed took sugar and a Bottle of Molasses</p> <p>16th Easter Sunday The Sun Did not Dance this morning a sighn of a hard year Lots of Eggs Fresh and salted ones. Peter a{illegible} Peggy came to night</p> <p>17th Eastere Monday chopping at the Door</p> <p>18th Our Duncans Birth Day ice going Down Jamming splitting from Rails Rewits came as usual to Build in their old Place that they have Been in these many years</p> <p>19th sap not running very well</p> <p>20th Shot a Rat for the first Gordon speared a Pike I speared a Maskinonge Weight 34 3/4 lb</p> <p>21st snowing East Wind crofsed to I Hamiltons for the Doe Brought the Fish to John Got 2 Bags of Potatoes sack of Cornile Mrs and Mr Hamilton Poorly with Bad cold Heard James Grant was to be married on the 24th Monday coming</p> <p>22nd Fixing the calf Pasture Fence Peggy here</p> <p>23rd St George's DAy A Very Fine Day E Wind Henery and Little George came to the Bush took us 2 EEls him and antwine going to Fish EEls to Day made near a Gallon of Mollasses Peggy Crofsed as the sap is not running took all their sugar</p> <p>24th James Grant Married to Day to Addi Summer's and a Fine Day it is E Wind Mr Smallmans Steamer Jenny crofsed to Day on her first Trip</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{first page}</p> <p>25th 1876</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island April</p> <p>St Marks Day a Fine Day East Wind Killed a snake for the firist I killed this Spring Burnt him Shote a Pike as Gordon never seen one shot I shot him Cutting fat Pine</p> <p>26th Burning Rubbish and cleaning up around Lots of Indian Fishing Put out Decoys Fired at a Fish-Hawk struck him but he did not fall here East Wind</p> <p>27th Peggy and Pete came took away some of their things Gordon Boiled a Few pails the Children in the Bush Diggin a Little the ice holding on very long in the Back Bay or Marsh Lots of Geese and Ducks But hard to Get at them Rats scrce too much wind at night to fish with the clack</p> <p>28th Gordon not well in Bed all Day Raining some Randolph and I to the Lower Point (spoiled the axe Another Steamer in to Salmon River</p> <p>29th Enterprize went in to Salmon River and came out and I think she went to Lancaster as she came out Sunday morning the thirtieth went over to the Pitt Point in the canoe shot a Duck Did not Get him West Wind changed to the East Lightning to night Rained some hard Frost Last night but not much sap running Planted 7 or 8 hills of Potatoes set Fires Down on the hill Snakes middling Plenty some Ticks Keeping in the sheep. Water some high</p> <p>30th Sunday went to head of the Island Bismark Randolph and Gordon and I Fine Day Enterprize came out of Lancaster this morning the sky to the East Very Red in spots ice cleared out of the Back Bay.</p> <p>{second page} 1876 Mr James Cameron Island May 1st</p> <p>St Philip and St James Raining snowing W Wind Frost Boat went Down the Proppeller California. Light in the Lighthouses to night Began on to Dig a Little Buck Trees Running some</p> <p>2nd Fine Day the Steamer St Francis Came up Shot 2 Ducks got a Large Pike in the Back Marsh Firing at Loons Gordon Tapt some Trees for Vinegar Froze hard these nights Went out for the first time in the Back Marsh got Sucker and 2 Barabots or Cat Fish spearing for EEls in the mud got none set Fire above the Cordwood Bay</p> <p>3rd Raining some East Wind the Bohemian came up on her first Trip Gordon Boiling Birch Sap in the Bush for Vinegar boiled three pails of Maple sap for Mollasses Cold some Digging done sowed Tobacco seed at the Apple Tree yesterday</p> <p>4th Went acrofs had a rake of Sugar 2 1/2 Doz of Eggs 1 Rat Skin Bought of Vipond and BM 1 lb of Tea 65 1/2 bushelsof Salt 25 Bottle of Scotch 1 Bottle of Downs Elixer 25 1 1/4 lb of Shot Bowl 10 Ball of twine 10 Black and Grey thread 10 Tax 10 Tob 5 Brought the Rennet to Hamiltons Went to G Renshaws Brought some small cakes to the children Got 2 Bags of Potatoes from George W Robb Proteller Raining Jack Adams Poorly Stopt at Johns Got my Papers Got a coat for Gordon East Wind the Corsican Went Down</p> <p>5th Digging a Little Planted some Earley Roses and Chilies Gordon in the Bush for the Last Boiling made syrup</p> <p>6th Peggy came for the Pots got Pay for Rookey Pot 4lbs cut a cake of 9 lbs in 2 and gave the half Digging Rained some East Wind changed to hard West Made the Pigs Pen Put the calf in the Barn yesterday The Victoria Went Down and the Manitoba yesterday Friday</p> <p>7th Sunday East Wind Raining the Bay of Quinte went Down Fixing the hogs in the Pen the St Francis coming out of Dundee on her first trip out</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{first page}</p> <p>the 8th 1876</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island May</p> <p>Monday crofsed with Gordon to Hamilton to Pile Stove Wood John sowing Wheat heard Alex Vipond and Johnny Sandfield had a Quarrel put Rings in the 2 Hogs snouts as they are Great Rooters Digging and Planting</p> <p>9th Planting and Digging Randolph and I Fishing at night Raft went Down</p> <p>10th Found 2 Canoes Water high Henery and George here for hay Brought 3 {illegible}hats Hamiltons and Craigs scowing their cattle A Fine Day to Alexis V Frances Island WAter high</p> <p>11th at the Potatoes</p> <p>12th Finished the peice of Potatoes at the Old House set Fire at Lower Point went to Hamilton north Wind Brought 4 Suckers Got a Bag of Potatoes seen St Battence there Selling Fish Bought at the Racket for 4 Dollars a hundred 2 Rainbows this Evening Sun very hot Rained a Little went to Fish Got 1 EEl Wind Raised Livinia very Bad with the Tooth Ache her face on one side all swelled her Eye almost shut with it</p> <p>13th Windy some WEnt this Evening to Hamiltons Randolph and I Raining some</p> <p>14th Went to the Kitt Kite Island Gordon and I West Wind</p> <p>15th Digging the Garden Fixing the Barrel for to run the Lie for making the soap Fixing the Garden Fence cut Down the Bass Wood Stump at the Garden Fence</p> <p>16th Went acrofs with Gordon to Hamiltons took 4 Dozen of Eggs to Viponds Bought Braces Soap hooks Lines to 11 Cents seen the cinnamon Bear perform went Down to Roses called to see Mrs Carey heard Old Pat Departed Got candles and some Potatoe seeds Told me she sent the yarn to Viponds in April</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island 17th of May 1876</p> <p>Went acrof to Renshaws East Wind Brought a Pinner to George George crofsed with me to Summerstown Got 100 lb of Flour from A. I . Baker the Breton came in to Summerstown to Lay up and Lots of Towing to be Done 3 towns came up to Day sailed hom</p> <p>18th Working at the soap</p> <p>19th Working at the soap altered the 2 Bulls for the first I ever did and I am mortally afraid But as its the time of the moon and in the signs of the Fishes or Feet Pisces I'll risk it a very warm fine Day North Wind went to the head of the Island Randolph and I</p> <p>20th Working at the soap Finished the Melons and cucumbers and onions in the Garden and Red peppers Went acrofs for Gordon to Hamilton Found a Ducks nest on the Little Island Gordon and I planted saffron</p> <p>21st Went acrof to Christees Island Killed a Great many Black snakes went to No Noutas Island sailed home</p> <p>22nd at Digging at the Back Peice at the Barn</p> <p>23 Digging and Planted a Few Potatoes First perch caught with Line</p> <p>24th Queens Birth Day Last Planting in the Back Peice Gordon and Randolph shooting Balls Gordon shot a Red head and Black Wood Pecker they come every year about this Time and stop 2 or 3 Days every year Making Fires We Fired some heavy Vollies this Evening</p> <p>25th Ascension Day Fishing Barking a Chair</p> <p>26th Working at the Lane Fence Gordon Barking 5 Chairs to Day Put the calve in his Pasture Working at the Lane Fence West Wind high</p> <p>27th at the Fence</p> <p>28th Gordon Randolph Bismark Leander went to the Sturgeon Island and I found 2 Duck nest went to head of the Island Found the Lower Jaw of a Man on the Ground Pretty well Decayed.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{first page}</p> <p>1876</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island May 29</p> <p>Royal Oak Day Went to Summerstown Brought 4 1/2 Doz of Eggs Bought 1 lb of Tea Tobacco camphor Brought 7 Summers s{illegible} Wild Onions some of the Potatoes up Brought AI Bakers Bag home took the Plough Got a Bag of Potatoes from IF Amitton Got a Treat from Tom George Bosele and Pete here for hay for his calf talking to me about the Order I got at Viponds I Vipond in Cornwall high North Breeze Rained some</p> <p>30th Crofsed with Gordon to hamiltons East Wind Got 12 Perch not Biting</p> <p>31st cleaning out the Milk -House Randolph and I went to Alexis Island Got some Peices of Fat Pine Working at the Q Runnels at the North West corner of the Barn Mr John Rankin Blacksmith came Brought me my Tongs But not my Steel Butcher-Knife stopt to night</p> <p>1st of June The Glorious First of June a Fine Day Very warm Day First Fish caught in Front of the Door Got 14 Ranking went of Forgot his Lines and Turned Back</p> <p>2nd Tried to catch the sheep to shear them could not get them to follow home</p> <p>3rd Crofsed to Summerstown Bought of Vipond 3 Bunches of Fishing Lines 15 cents settled with Gil Baker Got 10. 1/4 for him all clear some one stole one of my Papers out of my Canoe at the End of Ashery I think it a Yankee Boat that came acrofs to Summerstown Got 2 Bugs of Petode from I House East Wind a Talk of Matty Nicholson and John James going to have a Lawsuit The Boys went Down with a Raft Francis came here with an oak stick and Left it here 2 Boys stole it From him and took it up as far as Luke Bowers and he caught them and took it here</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island 4th of June 1876</p> <p>Whit Sunday East Wind Fine cool Keeping Francis stick from Getting away</p> <p>5th Making Ashes set fire to an elm that Fell (Bill here) Trowling at the Weeds in the Potatoes</p> <p>6th Fixing the Little Canoeat the ashes cleaning up stairs trying to catch the sheep</p> <p>7th had to put the Dog after the sheep before we could Get them caught 2 of them</p> <p>8th sheared the sheep the other came home to the yard and we caught her caught a Pike Trowling</p> <p>9th Our Marys Birth Day 1813 A Fine Day</p> <p>10th Went acrofs for my Papers Gordon stopt at Hamiltons Got a Peice of Tobacco from Charlie Parisha a sack of salt for I Hamilton Mr Spinks Down Took a Picture up for John Hamilton Walter Campbell Bay City Heard Mary was not well Allen B Alick Told me a Good many Trowling the St Francis a pleasure Trip out of Dundee up to Cornwall Fixing 2 Pannels of Fence at the Barn Cutting Weeds in the Potatoes the hens and the Grubs at the Potatoes and the Grubs at the Garden Gordons Calf at Hamiltons Friday came to get it next Saturday</p> <p>1th A Raft Went Down St Barnabus</p> <p>12th I crofsed to Hamilton a very heavy Fog this Morning the Brunston got aground at Hog Island the Alma Monroe turned Back from John Hamiltons up to Renshaw Wharf another Propeller aground the Dominion stopt a While at Renshaws the Bohemian and St Francis went Down in the Fog the St Francis ahead got From George to 50 Wt of Flour Down on the Jenny i-50 seen D Suple at Summerstown and R. Baker I Hamilton Painting his Waggon</p> <p>13th took the ashes home from the Bush Fixing them in Bags Francis here going to sell his stick</p> <p>14th Francis came took his stick to Rankins Mill I helped him crofs the the channel he came Back and said he Lost it with the Wind Windy Rain Thunder</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{page one}</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island June 15 1876</p> <p>Corpus Christe Went to Summerstown with 9 Bushels of ashes Stopt at I Hamiltons John got a stick out of George Renshaws Wharf took 2 Dox of Eggs only 10 cents a Doz Bought of Vipond and Brs to 6 yds of cloth at 20 cents a yd 2 skan of Thread 1 spool 2 Bunches of Matches Working at the Potatoes</p> <p>16th Fixing the south East corner of the calf Pasture Henry Gene Went of this morning took his Pine EEl spear Jack With him Winchester Earl and Russel here to night</p> <p>17th Gordon and I crofsed to Hamiltons a Pict me on the St Francis from Cornwall selling Hamiltons Bridge to the Lowest Bidder John Carey got it at 54 Dollars or there bouts got my Paper took the Calf home from Hamilitons heard James was n Jail he Lost the suit Long Jim McDougall lost 4 of his horses on Ropes Island an of Mr Dingwalls horses it must have Been the ticks that Kild them seen Leander Reynolds at Hamiltons</p> <p>18 the Ever Memorable Battle of Waterloo 2 Men and 2 Ladies stopt to take their Dinner I think One of Them is a Wright East Wind West Thunder some and Rain</p> <p>19th Hoeing some the Soap Barrel Busted Lost about 4 pails of Soap Duncan Cameron Rod Briggs and another Man here cut some Basswood Bark Seen a Pigeon in the Bush</p> <p>20th I crofsed Gordon to Hamiltons WEnt to G Renshaw crofsed to the Store George and I Bought 25 cents of Tea 5 cents of Tobacco Rained hard high Wind Thunder &amp; Lightning Frank Laplante and George Bosell Working at the Cord Wood</p> <p>21 Frist Day of Summer and its all Kind of Weather 21 Windy Whitewashing Lashey here last ight and To Day Fishing Pickerel Mr Tuthill and his nephew Willie T Creed and Charlie Labuff in the Boat Winnie sat up a While and had Quite a comfortable chat with a Bottle of Very Best of Jamaica and Loaf Sugar</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island 22nd of June 1876</p> <p>Our David Birth Day 1806 Windy Mr Tuthill went to Christees Island Whitewashing outside</p> <p>23 Put out the stoves hoeing some</p> <p>24th St John the Baptist Day Very Windy caught some Fish Randolph and I Hamilton crofsed to se the horses as the Penshioners Horse is almost Dead with the ticks Matthews and Wife Passed the Door and Went to the foot of Christee Island hoed the Back Garden</p> <p>25th Went to Hamiltons for Gordone Got a Bag of Potatoes John at the Island Looked at the Ticks on the Horses see Tyler at the Lighthouse Strawberries Ripe high Wind coming from Hamiltons John Lost his Canoe Battle of Bannockburn</p> <p>26th Went Summerstown Got 25 cents from G Renshaw Bought of Vipond 1 Plug of Tobacco {illegible} pan of Bread Mr Crippin came Lashey came Brought of G Renshaw some Strawberries and a Bottle of Vinegar</p> <p>27th Went out to trowl Down to the Kit Kit Crippen went to Christees to Fish</p> <p>28th Lashey Began his Bark Line Windy Went to head of the Island to see the sheep Mr and Mrs and Master Fulton (Herbert) came this Evening</p> <p>29th St Peters Day Mrs Fulton went of Mr Crippin Went of hoeing some</p> <p>30th Last Day of June I crofsed to Summerstown Brought I Vipond some old Newspapers Got 4 Plugs of Tobacco From him Bought 1/2 lb Tea 1. yd of Cotton 1 plug of Tobacco 2 Bunches of Matches George Bosell talking about the Due Bill came Down to Hamiltons sent of his papers for the Lighthouse Got a Bag of Potatoes from John a good sail coming home Thunder</p> <p>1st of July Dominion Day all the Boats their colours up Bought a Pan of Bread 25 cents Got a Knife from Lewis Blandeau IY Poorly and his Daughter stopt for Gordon came home Lashey set his Line</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{page one}</p> <p>Mr James Camerson Island July 2nd 1876</p> <p>Went with Lashey to his Line got a Big Sturgeon a Raft went Down in Tow Raining</p> <p>3rd very Windy from the West 2 Boats came in the Evening stopt in the Barn stole Lasheys night Line pole and anchor when they went off they were from about Burke a Mean set</p> <p>4th American 4th of July Centennial Lashey went to Lancaster hoeing the Potatoes</p> <p>5 Our Johns Birth Day 73 years old to Day I went to G Renshaws Left Gordon at I Hamilton Got a Bag of Potatoes from John Mr Fulton and Mr Ed Plumado came and Miles Left me 4 M{illegible} hooks Very Windy to night Wind changing to all quarter Rained some seen the Potato bug to Day for the First time I seen them on I Hamiltons Potatoes Giving out Jobs on the Road Peggy Bosell and Pete and Lewy</p> <p>6th Put out Tobacco Plants Mr Fulton Went off (Paid me for the oars stick that miles Got 1.25 cents I promised to send them to Summerstown and put the board of the Steamer Jenny Lashy came had the Plants James Y Cameron's Daughter Departed to Day</p> <p>7th Went to Fort Covington Lashy with me Found his Line and pole and another stopt at Lukes took my wool only 20 cetns all took it home Bought of R Baker Butter Tub 35 1/4 of Powder Bought of Burdo Matches Lashey Paid me 20 cetns I paid Lashy the Discout on Crippins Money Bought of Gilles 50 lbs of Flour 1.62 1/2 to 17 lbs of Bran 17 Cents Went to see Mr Crippin Mr Tuthill sent a Present to Livinia and Gave me a Present of Tobacco Stopt at Lukes took supper came home John Gray and his Brothers here Henry and George Bosel for hay the Algoma came out of {illegible} seen Ian Hopkins</p> <p>8th John Gray took Gordon from Hamiltons put Boards on top of the cook house put the hide to soften in the Water Lightning to night Windy</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>1876</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island July the 9th</p> <p>Looking for the sheep Found only 2 of them a Fine Day East Wind Looks like Rain but no rain Thunder an Indian caught a Lunge up in the Bay</p> <p>10th crofsed to put the Oars on Board the steamer Jenny</p> <p>11th Went to Rofs Island Fred McDonald and hopkins here</p> <p>12th of July Orangemans Day Keeping the 12th of July Firing heavy volleys Gordon shooting Mr Rofs from Cornwall here got some worms treated me</p> <p>13th allowed a Road to the Barn</p> <p>14th Mowing some</p> <p>15th Gordon crofsed made some cocks of hay Bought of Viponds Bread 8 Loaves St Swithen Day no Rain</p> <p>16th Lashey came</p> <p>17th Mowing the Grove</p> <p>18th Mowing</p> <p>19th Fernandez Birth Day went to Hopkins for the Whity Bull Got a Peice of Pork from Jims Wife Fred McDonald and Charlie came Down with me</p> <p>20th high Wind Mowing</p> <p>21st Put in 20 Cocks from Back of the Barn</p> <p>22nd Went to Viponds Bought Bread Tobacco &amp; a Pic me</p> <p>23rd Sunday</p> <p>24th Henery Jenie here with a stick of Oak Stopt all night</p> <p>25th Henery went off</p> <p>26 Henery sent the Mare up on the St Francis I crofsed Got the scow Bought Bread 4 Loaves Arthur and Fultons got Tobacco</p> <p>27th Taking in hay</p> <p>28th high Wind cutting and raking in</p> <p>29th Went home with the scow John Hamilton Rowed up from the Light house Bought 8 Loaves Bad with my Back</p> <p>30th Bad with my Back Got some spirits of Turpentine from Hamilton for my Back</p> <p>31st Drew some Wood</p> <p>1st of August Lammas Day Henry Jenie and Boy this Morning stopt till night Mowed all Day split some pine</p> <p>2nd Minnies Birth Day Gordon crofsed Got 8 Loaves</p> <p>3rd Mowing</p> <p>4th Mowed and Putting in Fishing some very warm</p> <p>5th Went to Summerstown 7 Loaves 1 1/2 of Eggs 3/4</p> <p>6th Randolphs Birth Day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mr James Cameron Island August 7th 1876</p> <p>Mowing very warm time</p> <p>8th mowing Patterson</p> <p>9th very warm cross to Summertown</p> <p>10th got 500 weight of flour from G Renshaw 10</p> <p>11th taking in and mowing</p> <p>12th putting in Henry boy and his father here the carpenter</p> <p>13th fishing got 30</p> <p>14th mowing Jim McDougall and his two boys here going to Christy's Island to look at Marsh hay a very warm day</p> <p>15th done mowing below the house began to mow in the upper Feild</p> <p>16th began the fine Haystack two tons whatever</p> <p>17th Mr Crippin and the Methodist Minister and Mrs Paddock here gave a coat Mr Fulton and Orto came</p> <p>18th went with Mr Fulton to Rofs Island got 47 fish Mr Adair here gave him red braces he forgot a year ago a fine day Baking mowing left 50 cents gave 5 cents to Gordon</p> <p>19th Bismarck's Birth Day a fine warm day a scotch Moon and it Brings Rain Torrents of it Fallen very heavy went to the head of Island met in with Mr Lily Mr Nolan and Mr Feek had their Bun capsized for to keep them dry cook their dinner in the Bell Bay Mr Silly came down to see the barn as I told him it would be Better than out at night and he got an awful wetting as it came down pouring camped in the Barn tonight they left their ax in the bay and someone picked it up as they do not find it a Pic Nic on the Bohemian Dr Gillis at his party on the island yesterday</p> <p>20th went up to see John Gray at the head of the island but they had not the axe took the rest of his Pine away the boys crossed to Summerstown for bread and sent for a square they brought it</p> <p>{second page]</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island August 21st 1876</p> <p>the three fellows went to RoFs Island very windy working in the upper Feild</p> <p>22nd I crossed to Summerstown Got 5 Dollars from them for Bread sugar tea took back their change Bought Bread Tea Matches pipe John Hamilton buying a scythe had a Round took our supper John and I got my Papers</p> <p>23 they started for Lancaster the wind High turned back finished the stack of fine hay commenced the marsh hay stack</p> <p>24th I crossed to Viponds brought 31 lbs of Butter Bought 7 1/2 yds of Calico 6 yds of Lindsay 2 yd of cloth 1/2 pound Tea Loaves of Bread pipe 12 yds of Cotton 1 Pair of Boots the man came for the canoe I had at G Renshaw's to Day Bill here today the boys went to Lancaster gave me a 24 cent plug of tobacco a good 2 Bladed Knife salts Nails Senna oil pants and straw hats gave Gordon 25 cents Packing up their things tonight to start tomorrow Mr Fulton and John Cameron here put some hay on the marsh Haystack</p> <p>25th went down to kit kit and Rofs Island with Mr Fulton caught a good many the Boys was of when I came and a good set of Boys they were decent lads Mr Fulton not well left 50 cents Rained Quite a shower took some cocks out of the back Marsh</p> <p>26th Mowed some in the back Marsh and port seeing where they Gordon and the spoke to them about it a reeling birch bark</p> <p>27th Finished the marsh hay stock windy cut a strip in the front Marsh windy great fire in the South Woods</p> <p>27th Sunday Fine cool and windy took salts today cracked a basin of last year's butternuts hazel nuts good Spartan went down</p> <p>28th went acrofs bought for I Hamilton 1 lb tea Bought of I Sandfield 25 sack of flour 1 pipe Matches</p> <p>29th Making stack of Marsh hay 30 cocks</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1876</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island August 30th</p> <p>fishing at Christie's caught one pickerel that weighed 8 3/4 lb very smoky time with fires the Saint Francis ahead going up today very warm today took our dinner on Christies Island found a table knife in the water</p> <p>31st went across to John Hamilton's found a large square of tobacco on the shore working at their mar{cut off} went to the store bought of I Sandfield salt soap got my Reporter went back to G Renshaw's took three papers down for Mr Tyler Lincoln to the lighthouse came down on the North Side of our Island and found Randolphs Knife he lost in the water the St Francis ahead of anything going down this morning Charlie Parish a working at the bridge</p> <p>1st of September drawing wood making a heap of logs from the river filled five bags with ashes second a fine day but windy rain hard last night mowed some in the North but the water is high I must quit it lots of shooting and Indian Big Mitchell's son looking for a canoe he lost he was here yesterday evening cool</p> <p>3rd D McAllister's Birth Day Sunday very windy cool and fine Corinthian went down the wind breaking the tobacco leaves took home some hazelnuts from the pit Point</p> <p>4th drawing wood</p> <p>5th John Angus birthday went to the Kit Kit Gordon and I Windy stopt all day 6th crossed left Gordon at Hamilton's got a bag of apples bought of Vipens 4 Loaves of Bread matches John Hamilton unwell Drew some hay</p> <p>7th Drew in some hay sowed hayseed in the Oakfeild</p> <p>8th drawing wood</p> <p>9th Windy</p> <p>10th went to Hamiltons John and Tom Gordon Alexis Island shooting deers now</p> <p>11th crofsed with 7 1/2 of Ashes Bought of I Sandfield 25 lb flour bought of I Vipond 1/2 lb of powder 15 cents matches</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>1876</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island September 12th fishing some</p> <p>13th putting out manure</p> <p>14th Randall and I fishing</p> <p>15th Drawing wood Ronald Angus Departed</p> <p>16th I crofsed got 1.50 from Hamiltons bought of Viponds 1/2 lb tea matches gave AJ Baker my bag to bring me 100 lb of flour from Montreal East Wind High Henry Genie and his boy came took Gordon from Hamilton's potatoes near done</p> <p>17th Windy Henry went to Charlie Island two men hunting there</p> <p>18th S Wind Windy fishing</p> <p>19th Henry Gordon and I crossed left Gordon at I Hamiltons bought of I Summers 50 Wt of flour 1.50 got 25 cents from Henry 1 lb shot some caps Henry bought 1 Quart HW 2 lb of shot one box of caps fishing chub set the Rope line</p> <p>20th splitting rails Henry crofsed to McDonalds below Frashers South Side Henry came back tonight</p> <p>21st Matthew last day of summer Henry went off to meet the boat at Lancaster drawing wood</p> <p>22nd Autumn or Fall Begins drawing wood</p> <p>23rd drawing wood and crofsed to Renshaw's for 100 weight of flour I got from AJ Baker took up on the Bohemian from Montreal the Victoria steamer move to Renshaws Wharf pumped her this week and found two auger holes in her where some villain did on the intention of getting a job of bailing her</p> <p>24th Wendy</p> <p>25th Charlie Rose came to mow the marsh I went with Gordon to Hamilton's got the Hops and the apples on the tree in the Potatoe got some Tin Dishes in the bush at Hamiltons East Wind this 10 days seen I James gave Charlie some EEl skins</p> <p>26th Raining Mr Fulton to Primo James Barnes came took in the Double Stove a wet dirty day Mr Fulton caught 3 chub and 13 perch 1 Doree Brought me 1/2 lb powder 1 Box of Cap 2 lb of Shot</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>September 27th 1876 Mr James Cameron Island</p> <pre>Mr Fulton went down the way of the Kit Kit and and Rofs's Island Windy drawing wood Charlie Rose and Peter Purcell here since yesterday the wind very high stop all night Johnny with them drawing wood </pre> <p>28th Charlie and Pete Finished Mowing high wind today got lower and they crofsed Drawing Wood</p> <p>29th Raising Bad with a Pain this morning that goes right through me</p> <p>Michaelmas day 30th went to J Hamilton Bought of Vipond 1/2 lb tea Hooks and Eyes Bought of I Summers 2 Bunches of matches AJ Baker put up his parlor stove got 2 1/2 Bushels of apples from Hamiltons the Magnet went down heard William Lavalette came back to the front after stealing something in Lancaster Last Day of the month</p> <p>1st of October Sunday fine and cool windy the hawks playing the Devil with the hens and pullets the Passport went down and the Corsican went down today</p> <p>2nd 2 men here Oliver and Stevenson going to Rofs Island to Fish Windy chopping firewood got a pipe of tobacco from them windy</p> <p>3rd cutting in the Oakfeild Gordon and J Henry and Antwine Bosell grassed up I followed them thinking they would take Gordon over to Hamiltons Henry told me Dr Shavers girl was married to Purcell but he did not tell me he lost Kenneth McLauglin's 10 Dollars when he was in Montreal with his Fish Antwine told me he would Fix the clock I crofsed with Gordon this evening and just time enough or I would be caught in a Gale of Wind I got some of it</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island October 4th 1876 Windy Rain Mr Hitchcock and Johnson here tonight Mr Halton here cold some got 25 cents from Halton</p> <p>5th Hitchcock and Johnson started had to stop at the Head of the Island with the Wind Drew their boat acrofs the Island got 50 cents from them some powder and shot and caps I gave them 2 Large Squashes they crofsed this evening shot a Marsh hen and a Bittern or Mire drum</p> <p>6th Raining Turned Fine crofsed to Summertown commenced to Rain and Blow stopt at Hamilton's John and his wife in Montreal I took dinner Bought of Viponds Cooks Friend 70 cents 1 Pane of glafs 5 cents 4 Spoils of thread 20 1 white skein 20 cents Bought of I Summers salt Matches pipe Starch stopt at Hamiltons got a Bag of Apples from Tom Annie Grant there while there away seen I Bosell the Passport Laid up gave Lewis Blondeau a thing for to go in his gun George Renshaws wood took fire yesterday and through the night the fair in Fort Covington this week and a stormy rainy week it is</p> <p>7th Drawing some wood Piling at the door the mare tramped on the back part of my leg Windy Raining some</p> <p>8th Sunday Raining Hailing Windy Snowing for the first snow</p> <p>9th Banking the West End of the house took a few Loads out of the Big Shed got a few cocks of marsh hay high Wind Corsican went down hard Frost Last night ice thick this morning</p> <p>10th Hugh and McMasters Birth Day cut some hay put in 7 cocks Fixed a Knee in the Jumper Killed a snake on the Pit Point and Burnt him made a few plugs of tobacco made a fence around 2 of the stocks opened 2 panels of the fence at the end of the Lane Last Quarter of the moon today and the very windy time since she Began</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mr James Cameron Island October 11th 1876 Drawing wood Broke the Whippletree I'm not sure but I heard A Cameron's wife Departed today or tomorrow Windy Time cool a few grains of snow</p> <p>12th Cutting and Drawing Firewood put in 2 cocks of hay Windy</p> <p>13th cut Down the Cherry Tree at the Lower Point cutting brush kind of Fine to Day Trimming the apple Trees at the Lower Point East Wind this evening and cold Raining and cold tonight took up the Line Randolph and I pealing some apples</p> <p>14th Raining some snow East and changed to West crofsed to Hamiltons got a pipe from John brought over a pair of sox got a ball of yarn to finish the other Got a Bag of apples went to the store Bought of Viponds 1/2 lb tea Ginger matches heard our Jacks wife was poorly Mrs Summers poorly got from AJ Baker 33 3/4 lb of Flour in Summertown 3 1/4 or 25 a 100 they took up their potatoes at Hamiltons that they had on the halves 3 boats of hunters up to Day from Sorre Blowing hard tonight froze pretty hard tonight</p> <p>15th Cold Blowing hard</p> <p>16th Drawing Wood high Wind shot a Duck cutting stove Wood</p> <p>17th crofsed to Hamiltons to help with the potatoes Tom Lennon for Apples spreading manure Churning fixing the Bin for the Potatoes pretty cold today</p> <p>18th at I Hamiltons at the Potatoes some cold in the fore part of the day</p> <p>St Lukes Day 19th James Grant a Bee at the Potatoes a fine Day Spartan went down</p> <p>20th Me at Hamilton's Mr Fulton and Miles here fishing finished the Potatoes at Hamilton's to Day seen Alen</p> <p>21st came home from Hamilton's Raining took a Basket of apples and 2 Tin Kettles Potatoes Ducks plenty Mr Fulton passed up</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island October 22nd 1876 Sunday a Fortunate Day Went to Fish got none a great lot of shooting of Ducks Spartan went up Magnet went Down Jennie crofsed to Dundee this morning from Summertown wind East Rain fine Henry Genie and Henderson came tonight they had 4 sturgeon and 4 suckers</p> <p>23rd Livinia's Birth Day 8 years old today set the Line Baited with sucker went to Hamiltons Brought a 1/2 sturgeon and the sox Henry to the store for salt got a sturgeon from Henry salted hes got two plugs of tobacco from Henderson went to Christies tonight too Windy to fish hard South Wind at the Hunter's camp on Christies Island rain hard and Blowing tonight</p> <p>24th Our Hughs birthday Henderson shot at Diver this morning went to the Line got nothing they got ready and started for Point Moria to hunt took his rope left his Jack Fine but Windy taking the manure out of the Big Shed banking inside the little shed North side of the house went to the line tonight got a sturgeon</p> <p>25th My Birth Day cleaned a sturgeon got two scares on the Line Finished the Big Shed put some manure out on the hay from before the Barn Door drew the Basswood from the Lower Point took down the wedges and split the log</p> <p>26th Banking windy hurted my finger the knot of a Bolt my gun went off seeking it seen a flock passing of wild geese</p> <p>27 seen a Pigeon on the Pit Point tried for Bait Drawing Wood</p> <p>28th I crofsed to Summerstown bought 1/2 tea matches Pins the Robbers of Jewellery at Summerss 10 Brien 1 arm got 2 Bags of Potatoes one Bag of Apples from I Hamilton John and I went to the store Henry Genie here Towed up with the East Bill McLeod going tomorrow to the Centenial</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mr James Cameron Island October 29th 1876 gave Henry 2 sturgeon Walter Baker's Wife died Sunday Henry Genie and I to Charlie and Rofs Island then crofs the Mare down to Rankins Mill gave Henry the Big Canoe got home Pretty Late came all around the shore up to Brunstons</p> <p>30th went to fish Bait to the Kit Kit got no Bait shot a Duck East Wind Raised sailed home</p> <p>31st Baited the Line Killed a Ruster for Bart took home a load of Wood in the canoe from the Bay last day of HallowEEn or All Hallow or Holy Eve cracking nuts and eating apples</p> <p>1st of November All Saints Day Boarding the sheds and fixing around</p> <p>2nd All Souls Day Working at Tobacco Livinia thumb a sore Pain East Wind</p> <p>3rd High West Wind went around the Island cut a broom the Alexandra and 2 Tugs went up wind came down calm in the evening went to the Line Full Of Weeds saw the But of the Cherry</p> <p>14th Went to Summerstown got 2 Dollars from I Hamilton Viponds packing their goods to move to Dundee AJ Baker's Charlie Parish at Killing 2 hogs Bought of Spinks or I Summers 50 lb of flour 1 pipe and matches I Grant and F Laplante to Rankins Mill got a hat rack at throwing the dice a very fine night</p> <p>5th Guy Fawks Day a very fine day 3 men with Decoys shooting all day in the Bay a Great Talk of Mr {illegibel} getting 1 and 1/2 million of money</p> <p>6th went to the Kit Kit with my Decoys shot one Duck seeing a very large white owl</p> <p>7th Helen's Birth Day took in the cook stove in the Cookhouse Randolph and I went to Alexis Island the cover for my Box of Axes put 9 axes in it and hay James Grant a Raising Bee finished of making plugs of tobacco 120 plugs besides loose stuff</p> <p>{second page}</p> <p>Mr James Cameron Island November 8th 1876 Foggy morning went to George Renshaws with the Box of Axes 9 of them brought some cranBerries to Georges East Wind went to J Viponds nothing in the store settled with him got a Receipt and gave him my note for 10 Dollars allowed me 10 Dollars for the Marsh hay the P office up at is Summers now Bought of I Summers 1/2 lb soda 4 lb of fine salt 3 Bunches of Matches Pipe Nicholsons a Bee Raising came down to I Hamilton's got 2 Bags of Potatoes and apples the Alexandra went down forgot my mitts South East wind came home shot a large spotted white owl cleaning my guns</p> <p>9th The Prince of Wales birthday a fine day sawing stove wood Randolph and I some shooting geese not plenty the Victoria went to Rankins Mill and Back raining some East Wind and West cleaning cranberries</p> <p>10th sawing stove wood a Fine Day made cranberry jelly</p> <p>11th St Martin's I went to Summertown stopped at the Lighthouse took dinner at Hamiltons Brought over Gordons pants bought of I Sandfield Summer 1/2 lb tea 30 cents Bill McLeod after coming from the Centennial a great many after Dear this time not certain who is elected yet but last account that Tilden was ahead</p> <p>12th Old HallowEEn went to see my Decoys a Boat Steamed down the Back Channel and came on the North Side of Christies Island and anchored there tonight had three Lolly boats after her in Tow a hunting concern I suppose West Wind the Bohemian and St Francis Went Down</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mr James Cameron Island November 13th 1876 Monday Willie Rose Tommy Monroe and Robert Lavalle came to take stacks of the Marsh hey</p> <p>14th the three Boys came today and finished the 2 stocks I helped to pitch them rained some last night</p> <p>15th Making or Fixing the door upstairs and working at the sheds</p> <p>16th Henry Genie came working at the stable shot 2 Ducks first setting of Traps</p> <p>17th Got a Rat Henry and I fishing EEls got 9 Fishing with the hand line got none</p> <p>18th clean the line making a yolk for the steers</p> <p>19th Went to Lancaster crofsed over to Murdock McDonald's made our supper on the point had some Rum and fished up along Shore lost 2 sturgeon some suckers Gordon came from Hamiltons Tommy Jack and Murdy Craig left him</p> <p>20th yoked The Oxen for the first time Baited the line Jim Holden's here Henry making bars and cart frame</p> <p>21 On this Day of the month D McMaster Departed in the year 46 Making a shed Gordon and I for the Sheep Alexandra went down</p> <p>22 Raining and Freezing some wind Quit from East 10 days Blow to Day Henry cross to Murdock McDonalds him and Murdock came tonight Baited the Line twice to Day</p> <p>23rd Henry went home to Day and Murdock McDonald George Morris and Fred MacDonald came fishing EEls made a door for the sheep's place West Wind snow on the mountains to Day Plastering the stable Let The Oxen go took of the yolk Hamilton Son Isaac Vipond Donald McDonald John Carey shot a Buck Deer in the water</p> <p>24th Gordon and I crossed took dinner at Hamiltons and stopt all night there McGregor in the Glen shot with the gun going off while standing on a stump he died with Lofs of blood a bee at Dan Cameron's and John Richard Grants</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mr James Cameron Island November 25th 1876 Seen AJ Baker got 61 lb of flour weighed at Summers's store bought of J Summers 1/4 tea bar of soap 3 Bunches of matches got a taste of cheese One of the Dunlops Buried died with the small Pox kerosene oil Kenneth McDonald's a Bee Ploughing today got a Piece of the venison from J Hamilton cow head Henery came tonight and Murdock McDonald fishing East Wind brought 2 bags of Potatoes to me put in the 2 calves tonight for the First</p> <p>26th Henry and Murdoch crofsed run to Murdocks I seen Henry sailing Back Young to Lancaster</p> <p>27th Fixing a Rack in the Big Shed</p> <p>28th a Propeller Tow Boat Ferrying from Plum Island went up the {illegible} last trip tonight as it's freezing hard enough to freeze Salmon River fixing around chopping stove wood scowing from Alexandra</p> <p>29th Bohemian went Down Early without calling into Lancaster or St Umfice as far as I could see the St Francis called into Lane into Lancaster going and coming I think it's Jimmy Grants scow that crofsed and returned without nothing in it wind kind of high</p> <p>30th St Andrew's day the Festival of the Scotch Firing in the Morning and Evening set part of the Back Marsh a fire but it will not burn set 3 or 4 Brush heaps a Fire which makes as Bright light Burnt them clean the Steamer Victoria went up this Evening and I Gave them some good volleys but they did not return it with a blow of the whistle As there was no true Scotsman aboard of her I did not expect it a Fine Day Cold and Pleasant no snow on the ground Lots of snow on the Mountains Wild Geese very scarce Lights in the Lighthouses to night</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mr James Cameron Island December the 1st 1876 Raw and cold today snowing a little standing on up troughs in the Sugar Bush ice a piece made in Back Bay chopping Stove Wood some I have a Very Bad cold cows picking out some but give them a Bit night and morning Don't see no lights in the lighthouses tonight and eight on the Cherry Island those east of me whatever nothing on the Water to Day cut my Mits out today took in the swill Barrel as it Freezes in the shed a change in the Moon this morning</p> <p>2nd snowing some Wind West a boat came out of Lancaster to the lighthouse with Barges in Tow it must be the Anderson a steamer came up tonight I Don't know what one it is Mr Hill has his Light up in the night none on the scow right Cherry Island has her Light up tonight scowing from Alexes Island today two trips the last trip was one horse Drew The Fish Box up from the Bank sawing stove wood</p> <p>3rd all the Lights up tonight went to the head of the island Randolph and I no Boats going now</p> <p>4th Killed the hog sat a trap in the hollow log Front of Marsh</p> <p>5th Cut a saw log cutting stove Wood high wind West</p> <p>6th cutting stove wood the Festival of the Germans St Nicholas</p> <p>7th setting Fire to the Marsh and some heaps of Brush not very well</p> <p>8th chopping stove wood</p> <p>9th Very cold high wind went for brooms to the north side of the island snowing some tonight</p> <p>10th Leanders Birth Day 1872 4 years old to Day cold and windy</p> <p>11th cold very unwell did not smoke for 2 days</p> <p>12th not very well a Fine Day took my canoe up to the head of the Island to be ready to go acrofs in the morning East Wind some ice along the shore</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mr James Cameron Island December 13th 1876 crofsed called at Hamiltons heard Old Mr Donald McDougall Departed last week and Crimmons wife below Lan{torn away} the ice all out of the little Channel at Summerstown the Widow Donald Summers Died yesterday had 3 1/2 lbs of Butter Bought of John Summers 1 lb Tea Thread spools and skins matches clothes seen a Smallman seen Allen Buying Geese and Turkies wind changed High West got from Mrs AJ Baker 30 lb of flour had a fine sail coming home</p> <p><br />14 Fine Wind raised</p> <p>15 chopping in the Bush fine cold and windy today tonight Southwest Blew hard took away some of the washing that was on the poles drying Frosty new moon comes in today</p> <p>16th cold and windy freezing hard a cold night the ice took on the South Side tonight the steam boat Channel open</p> <p>17th water raising cold and Frosty Ducks flying about my trap froze in the hollow log cattle harty no snow on the ground of any consequence cattle pick some but Dont save feeding the ice looks as if it was going to take</p> <p>18th ice Taken on the North on the south Side North Side Lakes</p> <p>19th Blustery Windy seen 5 men Crofsing at Summers Road</p> <p>20th First Day of Winter crofsed to Hamiltons got a sack of apples and 50</p> <p>21st Shortest Day crofsed East Wind very frosty took dinner at Hamiltons churning But the Butter wont come stopt with G Renshaw tonight AJ Baker in Cornwall took home his Bag Crofsing with horses on Summerss Road</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mr James Cameron Island December 22nd 1876 at George Renshaw's got from AJ Baker 100 lb of flour Andrew at the Examination got some Herrings and Pork from George stopped at Hamiltons and Tomy Jack went up with the Horses after my flour Gordon came with me to the head of the island to draw the sleigh very cold East Wind and Frosty Jim chopping went to Cornwall with Johnny Summers</p> <p>23rd cold chopping at the Door raised my long canoe and Drew the small canoe up on the Bank Randolph and I took up my sail an Air hole in front of the house</p> <p>24 Sunday reading papers Christmas Eve cold and windy sunshines</p> <p>25th Christmas Day Fine Day Gordon came from Hamiltons took a Book with him had a pair of scates with him</p> <p>26th Kind of Fine and stormy East Wind not very well George Renshaw a Bee drawing stones chopping stove wood Feeding the 2 cows Fine Hay</p> <p>27th crofsed to Summerstown Bought of J Summers 1 Lamp Chimney matches pipe seen Men Gathering money for Mr Craigs Monument Tom Summers Bushing the road on the ice Charlie Parish taking his cattle from Hamiltons that he Bought</p> <p>28th cutting in the Bush</p> <p>29th our Angus's Birth Day turned very stormy tonight from the East snowing and drifting</p> <p>30th went to the Pit Court for Cedar stormy from the north west Blustering taking away Banks of Snow around the Barn and on the Road to the River</p> <p>31st Sunday very cold Last Day of the year</p> </div> transcribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c0dfa47cff2263d14f1eb80940f47d01.pdf 9d9a70f02676feebb6d96597d11765ec PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 - Jan - Dec (note the apple orchard recorder 1889-90 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fd40b2c1bca53aa9164c21f465e44aa4.pdf ae0b49a9a328dbe22e78e6d827e5ef04 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Laura 48 Eastbourne Harold Scott, little girl born Aug 26. 1932, Willie Boyington little boy born Aug 25, 1932 {In left margin next to main text block two drawings of sectioned circles with 'Beret' written below} # 811 Janet Brown's Beret made with Byl # "g" Hook 8 balls - Angora {Largette Furida?} ------------------------------- 4 chain close, 6 single chrochet into ring next row, 2 S.C into every stitch next row: 2 s.c into first stitch, 1 s.c into next repeat around row {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} nto 1 stitch, 1 s.c into {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} s.c into next, repeat {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} epeat this way always {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} more stitch between {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} sc until 12 stitches {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} way between {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper}on the increased points {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper}nches diameter, then {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} se increased till {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} work 4 rows {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper}back of stitch. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5b368635fb898a2c8160cd84f9a68250.pdf 236717055168ded5f6dd43ccfbb13d01 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {written on insert} == A Prayer For the New Year 1918 == O to walk continually, without a break, in Thy prescence and power, dear Lord! O that Thou mayest attain to Thy fullest purpose in me! O that I may know Thee in a very real way and the power of Thy resurrection! O to be led deeper and deeper into the depths there are in Thee! O that Thy glory may shine through all that is human and earthly in me that it may be manifested in the transfiguration! O that the abounding life of love pulsating from Thy very heart through this humble member of Thy body may be felt by others! O to be more sensitive to the displeasure of the Spirit when in my life He sees that which is not Christ! O that the Wind - the Spirit- may blow through every nook and corner of Thy temple that there may be life in circulation and that the inner atmosphere may be ever pure! O absolute, entire, complete surrender to Thy Word through the Spirit in actual experience that I may be used of Thee in ministering to others in the power of God! O to wait more upon Thee to understand the need in the lives of others from Thy point of view! O that in me Thy work may be translated to life! === " There Jesus said... Great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." Matt. 15:20 === {written on right hand page} # 811 Janet Brown's Beret made with Byl # "g" Hook 8 balls - Angora {Largette Furida?} ------------------------------- 4 chain close, 6 single chrochet into ring next row, 2 S.C into every stitch next row: 2 s.c into first stitch, 1 s.c into next repeat around row next row, 2 s.c into 1 stitch, 1 s.c into next 1 s.c into next, repeat around, repeat this way always adding one more stitch between the increase until 12 stitches between # now increases half wat between increases for one row next row increase on the increased points repeat from # until 9 or 8 inches diameter, then decrease alternately as increased till correct head syc & then work 4 rows single corochet in the back stitch. {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} se increased till {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} work 4 rows {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper}back of stitch. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a50039e14020d8c36c0c6cc1865dcc38.pdf 3fda3993cfde95ef40770183446d14b6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Right Page} When <u>Marion</u> was <u>1 yr & about 8 mon</u>ths old she loved to <u>step dance</u> around by <u>radio music.</u> She had her first burn on the stove Mar 18/32, 8 wks of 2 yrs old. Could talk pretty plain now, say all the Riddies names at store Uncles John, Newt, Bob, Jack Jim etc. she fell of a ladder when men picking apples in fall 1932 abput 10 or 12 feet high. at Xmas time she could say Little Bo peep, Jack Horner, Humpty dumpty. If I scold her, she would say back "now you old beggar, I says." Could talk pretty well over telephone. Feb 16,1933 Marion went up with men when<u> drawing ice</u> for ice house. rode on sleigh. Feb 14 1933 she went down<u> to School</u> with <u>Betty</u>. they had ice cream, she was away from 1 to 330 p.m. Feb 10 &17. 1933 Marion made <u>2 apple pies</u> baked them in oven & put them on the for dinner we all sampled them. at <u>3 yrs</u> she <u>washed dishes</u> for me, when I was real busy. {Left Page} Buttonville <u>May 1889-90</u> Plan of Orchard plated in the two above mentioned years Rows numbered from West- End Trees in row Numbered from the South side Trees died the first year marked with an + Trees died the second year marked with an O {Written at bottom of page in handwriting similar to that on Right Page} <u>Xmas boxes 1932</u> I gave away. <br>Mother Wool blanket + hose <s>5.00</s> 6.39 Margaret - 25</br> <br>Alex Marion Roy } 1.00 Gwenie - 125 Edith C 20 Mrs B - 10c</br> <br>John - 1.00 29 Ruth John 10c 30 Jean - 90</br> <br>Newton - 1.--</br> <br>Della Pot 1.25 - 5.69</br> <br>Dorothy - 1.15</br> <br>Wilhemine - 1.76</br> <br>10 Mildred - 86</br> <br>Marguerite -119</br> <br>Dureen - 110</br> <br>Howard - 41</br> <br>Douglas - 5.35</br> <br>Marion - </br> <br>Dorothy - 1.00</br> <br>Auntie - 65</br> <br>Myrtle - 59</br> <br>Mary Rodick - 28</br> <br>Rhea S -29</br> <br>Mrs Brooks - 20</br> <br>Mrs Brown 29</br> <br>Cora H 39</br> <br>Betty 50</br> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9e0da46013433fb75b7926df7c0ace08.pdf e99613c2bce8a1f380e5035c24b5d837 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. === {Right page} === {Page is numbered: 1} {The text below is written Vertically across the margin} West end Russian No 230 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 === Left page === {page is numbered: 2} {Written Verticaly across the margin} 182 Russian-Urkaine No. 290 3to13 Russian No. 277 {Vargul?} {Author writes the rest horizontally} Veal Calves - 1932 <u>B mean baby calf</u> June 11 fat hogs (sold.) 4 fat hogs, 3 Selects. @ $3.90 per ham {Diarist lists the following} Jan , 1 calf 1 calf 1 calf Mar 28 1 calf 1 calf 1 calf John 13 Sept 3 1 .. {Joff?}. B Sept 2 1 .. Pat Reid. B Sept 6 2.. John B.B .. 6 1.. JCalvert. B .. 9 1.. JCalvert. B https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ad4ae5a41523c56e4995088e87332f5d.pdf df887d72826c80173df833293b4a4b3f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {Page is numbered: 3} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 Krischaptel 2to13 Russian No 413 - bross 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 {Right Page} {Page is numbered 4} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 11 Russian No. 290 Urbane 12 {is?} 13 Russian apricot 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7a35a41d80e6011dc04f064049b989e8.pdf 93892528a8bfb99d8c6aaf27b9a0af22 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {The page is numbered as: 5} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 142 Russian {Translaunt?} 384 Bradshaw (plum) 5 46 Saundey 188 Waver 98 10 Eng Morello (Cheug) 1/8/2 Ostheme 12 Litham 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 {Right Page} {The page is numbered as: 4} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 5 D-Anjou 6 to 9 Famous Beauty 10 & 11 Bartlet /28/3 Ribson 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 12 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f1101de2470b80b60b05608681c9b884.pdf 526fc0b55def4c01d7d5b5e7499d7a12 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {Page is numbered as:7} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 11 Sutton Beauty /28/ 3 Lady 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 {Right Page} {Page is numbered as:8} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 13 Scot Winter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6e05b4d948f09260b7a121638aa4c1cd.pdf 7c871273097a47d51227b578e7c5e016 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {Page is numbered as:9} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 12 Famuse or Snow 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 {Right Page} {Page is numbered as:10} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 Famuse 2 to 11 Wealthy. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 about half a dozen apples in the year 1891 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1a50704beb8d83c67691cfd5c3f320fc.pdf 49d6a3864c68d4e943e66849c617e5fe PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 11} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 4 Pewaukee 9 & 10 Wealthy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 {Right Page} {Page is numbered as:12} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1to 4 Pewaukee 5 to 9 Salome 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3179a640ff2b8c96c7a2a4bef849b3b1.pdf 48725b5937602b79050f436485741c65 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 13} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 8 Salome 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 {Right Page} {Page is numbered as: 14} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 7 Gano 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/90eb83db8de6ca71a518a3eb377ac328.pdf aa814d20d052a85aa6270358fbfb3701 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 15} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 6 Gano 1 2 3 4 5 6 {Right Page} {Page is numbered as: 16} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 5 Salome 1 2 3 4 5 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7ec6719af1b38f15963eec631b61fc8b.pdf 2290d78725b0cb7636c49cb78e71f363 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 17} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1&2 Longfield 3&4 Salome 1 2 3 4 {Right Page} {Page is numbered as: 18} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} Longfield 1 2 3 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/86f9672065d3c0b570b5d4bdcee19144.pdf 7a050e8ba17c75c318bdcb47170b586b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 19} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} Longfield 1 2 {Right Page} Bought - from Mr. Lunau Ap 1 70 Eggs 05 $ . 05 @09 6.30 8 20 - - 92 1.90 15 30 - - 9 2.70 22 30 - - 9 1.55 - 15 - - Calvert 9 1.35 29 30 - - Lunau 9 2.70 - 15 Calvert 9 1.35 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6e375611b45ef26304ed3e0e0112bbb7.pdf e6f8830077fb5e882ad47ac3989ff6ea PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Apr 1st Sold C Clayton 15 - C Gible 22 - Proven 29 - - Eggs & $ 67 6.7 8.3 .85 19.2 1.84 11 10/12 1.18 June 8 5 lbs Butter @ 15 90 3 6 doz Eggs 14 84 July 8 5 lbs Butter @ 18 90 3 6 doz Eggs 14 84 10 - 5 - - 15 75 {Right Page} Ms Kirkpatrick on Ge of Harness {Everything in line with the dollar sign on each item is supposed have a dollar sign too, even though the diarist didn't write it.} march 9 5 3/4 Butter ~ @ .20 $1 15 2 doz eggs ~ .15 0. 36 April 1 5 lbs Butter ~ .20 115 - 7 g doz eggs ~ 12 1/2 070 - 15 4 - 12 1/2 050 - - 5 lbs Butter ~ 20 100 -6 6 doz eggs 12 1/2 75 May 6 6 doz eggs ~ 123 75 April 22 Cash ~ 5 00 May 13 5 lbs Butter 1 19 95 - - 6 doz eggs 1 121/2 0.75 - 27 5 lbs Butter 1 18 90 - - Cash 1 500 6 doz eggs 12 1/2 75 June 10 53 - T 12 1/2 66 17 6 - - 7 12 1/2 75 7 lbs butter 18 126 1 doz eggs 13 June 24 1 - - 13 1 lb Butter 18 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/08c44af6a8241683fc22f54f7f236cea.pdf 24e2215ab298610c411b411844320d36 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. [Left page] 1 Mrs. Britnall <table> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Eggs<br>doz</td> <td><br>cts</td> <td>Vegetables<br>& Buttermilk</td> </tr> <tr> <td>March 2</td> <td>5 1/2 lbs Butter</td> <td>$1.05</td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 9</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.64</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 18</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>2 1/2</td> <td>.37</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 25</td> <td>3 lbs -</td> <td>.60</td> <td>1</td> <td>.13</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Apr 1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>2 1/2</td> <td>.32</td> <td>.05</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 7</td> <td>2" -</td> <td>.40</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td>.06</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 15</td> <td>2" -</td> <td>.40</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td>.03</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 22</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td>.13</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 29</td> <td>2</td> <td>.40</td> <td>2</td></td> <td>.03</td><td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>May 6</td> <td>1</td> <td>.18</td> <td>1</td> <td>.13</td> <td>3</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 13</td> <td>2</td> <td>.19</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td>3</td> </tr> <table> {Right Page nothing written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3df68b0db9c52747c391557ffcd853ae.pdf 180ddf2ede6bbcda00e3e1687301ce14 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} <table> <tr> <td>March</td> <td>2</td> <td>Mrs. Armstrong</td> <td>Butter lbs 5 1/2</td> <td>$ 1.00</td> <td>Eggs day 2</td> <td>.40</td> <td>Vegetable & Butter lbs</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>9</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.64</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>/8</td> <td></td> <td>2 3/4</td> <td>.55</td> <td>3</td> <td>.45</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>25</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>April</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>7</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>15</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>22</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>29</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>May</td> <td>6</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>13</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <table> {Right Page nothing written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9f2f9b01e1092f3f69ca1209d81d65f3.pdf 0b968c27c132e32b9ee7298c69e48a52 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} <table> <tr> <td>March</td> <td>18</td> <td>Mrs Boose</td> <td>Butter lbs 5</td> <td>$2.00</td> <td>Eggs</td> <td></td> <td>Vegetables & Buttermilk</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>25</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.40</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>April</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td>5</td> <td>1.00</td> <td></td> <td>37</td> <td>.08</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>7</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.38</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>15</td> <td></td> <td>6</td> <td>120</td> <td>3</td> <td>38</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>22</td> <td></td> <td>-</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>38</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>29</td> <td></td> <td>5</td> <td>1.00</td> <td>3</td> <td>38</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>May</td> <td>6</td> <td></td> <td>-</td> <td></td> <td>2</td> <td>25</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>13</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>38</td> <td></td> </tr> <table> {Right Page} {Nothing written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bfae06af30f6823f646d69ccaacd8822.pdf 090b85a0cf93921f6cea0c02d93c9211 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Butter lbs Eggs March 10 Mrs Francis 5 1 /4 $ 1.00 for vegetable April 1 5 1.00 3 37 - 7 4 .80 15 5 1/2 1.10 .10 - 29 5 1.00 May 6 5 1.00 5 -13 5 .90 {Right Page}{Nothing written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7652851abd7966adfd5fb6fa04014f16.pdf c49aac79c65d9d1c557d3295fc533117 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Butter eggs vegatables April 1 Mrs Scott 2 25 - 73 .60 5 63 -15 4 80 5 63 05 - 22 3 .60 4 50 10 - 29 3 .60 5 63 30 May 6 3 .60 5 1/2 63 30 - 15 3 57 5 63 5 June 6 1933 <u>Dorothy Eileen </u> Born <u>12 15 p.m.</u> June 13 Francis Yevone ' ' 12 40 A.M. June 14 Janet Neeth . . June 15 Betty Eileen Hill. . . {Right Page Nothing written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/547fa722d00985c5b99ee96066d3d52b.pdf 9deadec4981bf14f6a26f4af44176faf PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Butter Eggs Vegetables April 7 Ms McKeaqe 5 61 - 15 4 50 - 22 5 - 1.00 6 75 10 -24 5 0 1. 00 5 63 May 6 5 - 1. 00 5 63 5 - 13 5 - 95 2 25 {Right Page Nothing written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/29e149542ad1a2a537f50e8c910abbc3.pdf 6a464ffd24806be3e82915c533bbe48c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Butter, Eggs doz, Buttermilk and Vegetables Apr 1 Mrs.Kay 2.25 - 7 2.25 .06 - 15 4.50 - 22 2.25 - 29 4.50 May 6 2.25 - 13 2.25 {Right Page Nothing Written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5ae84ff492b7fd78f8eab67a634fe8c5.pdf f4ed54c7f470bbc191adae6f768313de PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Butter Eggs Vegetable & Buttermilk Fri 1 Mr. Dorman 2lbs 40 2 25 10 - 7 2 25 - 15 PH 40 2 25 5 - 22 2 2 25 - 29 2 May 6 2 25 - 13 2 38 {Right Page Nothing Written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c093d6b6a3a293addfb1dddbd7c15b15.pdf 466942e4c7c5b84eb16260074cb0c864 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. (Left Page} Butter Eggs Apr 15 Mrs. Dagg Paid 2lbs 40 - 22 paid 2l 50 - 29 - 2 40 2 25 May 6 2 40 2 25 - 13 - 2 38 2 25 {Right Page} {Nothing Written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c4747063f76b2f9886796057ec14360e.pdf 666dba6f295730f5140f6ced9a329a4b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Butter Eggs Apr 7 Townsend 5 1.00 May 6 - 5 1.00 Apr 15 Mrs.Ross {Right Page Nothing written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fd1a118cda043e441873b737f1481d1c.pdf 392ed6ad9a39269083e7d91a093788a6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Butter Eggs Mrs.Campbell 1.13 1 20 2.25 May 6 1 20 2.25 - 13 1 19 {Right page} {Nothing Written} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/da73fed8b5061d042558e9c79ec9386c.pdf 5652c5d64f7535a3a9aac23ed61e0df6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} Apr 7 Mrs.Gibbs Eggs Vegetables Apr 15 6 75 .05 - 22 2 25 5 - 29 1 12 May 6 1 13 - 13 2 25 <br>1 13</br> {Right Page} {Folded in Half} <u>Gifts to Marion 1 yr</u><u> Gifts to Marion</u> {cut off} {written information appears on next page 28.pdf} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4d403ee688a6b028a90c2d0309b36f44.pdf 5f91b66ea2a0ba319600d46d4fe7d59c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left page, folded in half) <br> Apr 7 Mrs Gibb</br> <br> Apr 15 </br> <br> - 22 </br> <br> - 29 </br> <br> May 6 </br> <br> - 13 </br> 2ys Gifts<u> to Marion</u> 3 y. <u>Gift 4 yr</u> <br>white & red voile</br> <br>dress Grandma B</br> <br>white socks</br> <br>Auntie Della</br> <br>white Socks Aunt Marguerite</br> <br>white silk Comb - " Laura</br> <br>1 bag sugar stick Cousin Roy.</br> <br>1 wool dress Navy - Daddy</br> <br>1 Pr gloves - Mommy.</br> <br>1 rubber Sponge Handkerchief - Betty</br> {Right page} Jan 1st <u>1932</u> <u>Frid Jan 1st</u> Weather - Horrid day, rain sleet & snow. <u>Douglas & Norm</u> spent most of morning <u>playing ten pins</u>, In afternoon, read & slept, at night they went to store in car, then played ten pins again. <u>we had goose & pudding to-day.</u> Sat Jan 2nd Weather - Fair & mild. men got sleighs out & <u>cleaned sawdust out of ice house</u> Pat did not go to town, he & Marion went to Richmond Hill in afternoon, Produce - 3 bus apples, 25 Dz eggs. Sun Jan 3rd Weather - Fair & mild. a little snow We slept & read in forenoon, <u>church service in afternoon</u> <u>Rev McDonald</u> preached, we all attended, Mr F <u>Stiver</u> here at night. <u>Telephones out</u>, poles broken down on account of ice & wind. Mon Jan 4 Weather - mild & Cloudy. <u>men drew manure</u> all day. Newton & Mother called in a.m. also Mr Bradley. To-day election day. <u>Reeve John relected</u>, <u>Geo Padget</u> & <u>Clarry defeated</u>. I attended the <u>W.M.S</u> at church & Quilled one Quilt in afternoon, I came home in time for supper, then Norm & I went down with Charlie + Floyd to the Coral & came home with them. Tues Jan 5 Weather - mild with rain at night. men drew manure, Laura came up after dinner for a while https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/20027cf9459777d1886124a523094b4b.pdf b2805776d430f1e865229ed927a9be26 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left Page} <table> <tr> <td></td> <td>Butter</td> <td></td> <td>Eggs</td> <td>Buttermilk</td> </tr> <td>Apr 22 Mrs Moore</td> <td>3 lbs</td> <td>60</td> <td></td> <td>.05</td> </tr> <tr> <td> - 29</td> <td>3</td> <td>60</td> <td></td> <td>05</td> </tr> <tr> <td>May 6</td> <td>2</td> <td>40</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td> - 13</td> <td>3</td> <td>57</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <table> {Right page} {Same page as previous} {Right page} Jan 1st <u>1932</u> <u>Frid Jan 1st</u> Weather - Horrid day, rain sleet & snow. <u>Douglas & Norm</u> spent most of morning <u>playing ten pins</u>, In afternoon, read & slept, at night they went to store in car, then played ten pins again. <u>we had goose & pudding to-day.</u> Sat Jan 2nd Weather - Fair & mild. men got sleighs out & <u>cleaned sawdust out of ice house</u> Pat did not go to town, he & Marion went to Richmond Hill in afternoon, Produce - 3 bus apples, 25 Dz eggs. Sun Jan 3rd Weather - Fair & mild. a little snow We slept & read in forenoon, <u>church service in afternoon</u> <u>Rev McDonald</u> preached, we all attended, Mr F <u>Stiver</u> here at night. <u>Telephones out</u>, poles broken down on account of ice & wind. Mon Jan 4 Weather - mild & Cloudy. <u>men drew manure</u> all day. Newton & Mother called in a.m. also Mr Bradley. To-day election day. <u>Reeve John relected</u>, <u>Geo Padget</u> & <u>Clarry defeated</u>. I attended the <u>W.M.S</u> at church & Quilled one Quilt in afternoon, I came home in time for supper, then Norm & I went down with Charlie + Floyd to the Coral & came home with them. Tues Jan 5 Weather - mild with rain at night. men drew manure, Laura came up after dinner for a while https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/65ef17f6d7b6fc42fdfec8abccf9737c.pdf f9b327be66131d59b0b6c2e89b7131b5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Butter Eggs Vegetables Apr Mrs Fossett 5 bus $100 .20 - 29 - 5 100 3 .33 May 6 5 100 <u>1932</u> Jr farmers at Unionville to-night (Parents night) <u>Pat</u> went to store at night for awhile. Wed <u>Jan</u> 6/32 Weather - rained heavy clearing at night, man cleaned beans, henhouses etc. Norm took <u>radio</u> out to store after breakfast and brought up a nine tube one for us. So enjoyed it most of day. I cut up 2 citrons in afternoon to preserves, and mixed a Xmas pudding at night. Norm went down home tonight. Thurs Jan 7/32 Weather - cool S.W. wind today. <u>Norm</u> went to city for the day. <u>Laura</u> came back with him to-night Doug chored and split wood. Pat went down to garage in afternoon. I filled 5 cushions with feathers, cut up grapefruit orange and lemon to-night for <u>Marmalade</u>. I helped milk as Norm away and Billie sore thumb. had a <u>letter from Jean</u> to-day. <u>Frid Jan</u> 8/32 Weather - Fair & mild Men repaired barnyard gate in a.m. In afternoon Pat took truck down to W Brooke for 11 pigs (3 months old). Charlie H, Norm and Doug B. went down to side road in Norm's car to catch some<u> daygoes</u> that had been here south of orchard shooting pheasants, they caught them too. I phoned Scotty Walker & he came right over. Laura and I cleaned sitting room in a.m. & Laura waxed floor In p.m. produce - 6 bags potatoes, 11 bus apples, 5 1/2 gal cider, 8 pts cream, 1 1/2 bus beans, 88 Dz eggs. phone fixed to-day about noon (temporily.) Sat Jan 9/32 Weather - <u>Ideal day</u>. <u>men chopped trees</u> and brush along bank <u>East of north orchard</u>. Douglas went to market, Mother, Dot & I <u>went to city</u> with him. <u>Laura Kept Marion</u>. I got black silk with pink for a new <u>dress</u>. Laura and Norm went over to Jean's tonight. I made <u>10 pts marmalade</u> after supper, mended etc. Sun Jan 10 1932 Weather - lovely mild day, a little snow. We 3 attended church in p.m., church was full. Norm went away just before supper, I helped milk, had {? too?} I drove down to <u>YPS</u> Marion went to sleep at suppertime, Pat <u>stayed home</u> with her Mon Jan 11 1932. Weather - Quite cold with snow at night. Douglas went to garage & left car there to get brakes fixed then he went <u>to city with Charlie & Hazel</u> to appear in court after <u>the Italians</u> that had been here the previous Friday. Laura in city today with John. She came back here when Norm and I came from Coral lunch to-night & picked the singers out. I washed & nearly made a dress (print) and bloomers for Marion. Men drew up wood to the wood pile. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/938ce4f49bc91643baed86705b9ac2fd.pdf 70a891a690e9fb8088b961beceba9269 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <table> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Butter</td> <td></td> <td>Eggs</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Apr 22</td> <td>Mrs Matthews</td> <td>2 lbs</td> <td>40 cts</td> <td>2</td> <td>25</td> </tr> <tr> <td> - 29</td> <td></td> <td>2</td> <td>40</td> <td>2</td> <td>25</td> </tr> <table> Tues 12/32 Weather - milded with S.W. wind. Men butched 2 big pigs to-day. at night pat Marion & I went to Jean's & he went up to the Jr Farmers at the Hall to see & hear Ex Mayor Wemp & his slides on the war. 12 midnight when we got home. Furnace out now so mild, Edith Hood Birthday Wed Jan 13 Weather - mild & muddy out. <u>creeks high</u>, Water running over good roads down at the Corners this A.M. we boiled head meat to-day. In afternoon Pat took Laura, Marion & I down to Mr Rodicks about 330 P.M. Pat & Norm came down for the evening Billie Brooke, Rhea & a Miss Zicker there also 1 A.M. when we arrived home, Mr Pinder here in afternoon. <u>D. Brown</u> off to-day. Thurs Jan 14 Weather - <u>very mild</u>. men sowed down dead pine tree, with their <u>shirts sleeves</u> rolled up & no smocks on as it was so mild. Laura went to city with the Browns (north) & did not come back here to-night Pat & I had a real busy day. making <u>headcheese, lard & sausage</u>, had lots of everything about 55 or 60 lbs lard. Marion slept a good deal to-day has a back cold. Mary Rodick Birthday Frid Jan 15 Weather - <u>rained</u> in A.M. clearing in afternoon. John brought <u>Laura</u> up this morning. we did 8 jars of sausage & 6 jars of headcheese down. S.S. convention at Markham to-day. men leveled gravel in ruts up to driving shed. <u>produce</u> - 15 bus apples 5 bags potatoes 93 Dz eggs 10 pts cream {7?} gal. cider. I started to <u>smock a cushion top</u> to-night, we played <u>cards</u>. Sat Jan 16 Weather - Cooler with North East wind. men drew gravel for lane, Douglas went to market, Laura went home at 4.30. Douglas went to store at night, I cut & made Marion a pantie dress of wool delaine this p.m. & evening. Sun Jan 17/32 Weather - dull with <u>rain</u> all day. We attended Service in P.M. Marion extra good. Norm did not go Billie stayed for supper went out with Norm after No Y.P.S. to-night we spent evening home Mon Jan 18 Weather - <u>Cold</u> with <u>light snow</u> flurries. men drew more gravel to-day, I washed the Kitchen storm window & Pat put it on. I cut my<u> silk dress</u> in A.M. & put it partly to-gether in afternoon. Norm & I attended Coral at night. <u>Gladys Bush</u> died this A.M. Tues Jan 19 Weather - cloudy & cold. men drew manure, Pat took Marion & I down to a Quilting & supper at church he & Norm came down for supper after chores were done. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/dd41aef002ca31cdd717e835242fccf4.pdf d8f2a612a10bd62d74ebed6504c652cc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Doug went home for supper to-night,<u> annuel meeting</u> to-night <u>Atkinson & Dorothy organists for church</u>. Mr Thomson & Douglas<u> re-elected as elders.</u> most of other officers to. Wed Jan 20. Weaher - 20 cloudy all day & milder. <u>Norm</u> went to Agincourt to a <u>poultry class</u> for the day, home for supper then away again, Billy here supper. I made a chusion & smocked at another one, spent evening at home. Thurs Jan 21 Weather - Horrid day, snow & fine rain all day. Doug went home after breakfast, Norm chored & took pig over to Bonds in p.m. <u>Marion & I went out to Craigs for evenin</u>g Pat met us on our way home, Jr Inst.at Unionville to-day. Frid Jan 22 Weather - Beautiful, bright mild day. <u>Boys busy picking fowl making cider</u> etc, Doug went up to Mrs Glovers in A.M. for 20 hens. Douglas went to city for the day to Curl with, Mr Gohn, Elgin, Rev McKechellar, home for supper then went on to lodge at Markham. <u>Mother & Mrs Craig</u> here <u>visiting</u> in afternoon & evening <u>Edith & Florence called</u> for their Mother 15 to eleven. Then Marion & I went to bed. Produce - 12 pts cream, 6 gal cider, 7 Glovers. 4 fowl, 94 Dz eggs, 8 bus apple 6 bags potatoes. <u>Kiddies measls Store</u> Sat Jan 23 Weather - Horrid day with rain & snow. men cleaned hen houses etc Douglas went to Market. Edith Craig came up in the afternoon & tea. C. Burr called for her just after supper. Laura sick with cold did not come. Doug Brown did not stay for supper to-night. 1932 Jersey heifer calf came last night <u>Sat.</u> Sun Jan 24 Weather - Lovely day. We attended church in p.m.<u> church</u> full to-day Marion & I went home with <u>Mrs S Brooke</u>, rode out with Toddie, Douglas came for us later, we had a lovely visit, Doug got stuck in rock, above the corner, he & Doug Brown had <u>18 cows to milk</u>, Norm away. Mon Jan 25 Weather - Lovely day, Cooler. We worked & attended a <u>Quilting</u> at church for Jr Inst. 3 quilts 38 present. had supper & I stayed for <u>Coral</u>, left Marion at home, then we two drove up alone after Coral, Pat at store. Tues Jan 26 Weather - nice day with rain at night. Douglas went over for <u>Jean, Della & girlies</u> in A.M. We took them home after supper, called at Dio but he was not home. Jr Farmers<u> progressive echre</u> {euchre} at Agincourty Young folks all went. Wed Jan 27 Weather - Rain in A.M. clearing at night. men picked over <u>beans</u>, I sewed all day at my navy & pink dress, at night we drove down home &<u> Pat, Norm, Newton, Mother, Marion & I went to Marguerites</u> in Newton's car, men played.cards, Married men won for 2nd time, Laura stayed at home with John & Dorothy, we arrived <u>home at 2 30 A.M.</u> (their 6th Wedding day.) Thurs Jan 28 Weather - Lovely bright day cooler at night. men drew manure A.M. picked hens p.m. Marion slept till noon she & Pat <u>went to city at 3 P.M. to his Mother's stayed for supper</u> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6968b458b26c76d3fbbfa1153ce419bf.pdf f82eaa45565531f03fe3a03f86cef5b1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 as he had to <u>curl</u> at 6 p.m. I helped boys milk, home at 11.15 Frid Jan 29 Weather - Cloudy all day. men picked fowl in A.M. <u>Norm</u> left at noon for Agincourt to hear <u>a debate</u> in afternoon. <u>Doug</u> cleaned hen house, <u>Les</u> up with truck, <u>Kiddies still have measles</u> at store. I helped milk. <u>Produce</u> - 10pts cream, 88 Dz eggs, 10 Glovers, 2 fowl, 10 bus app. 6 bags pot 6 gal. cider. Sat Jan 30 Weather - quite cold, blustery in afternoon. men sawed wood & chored, <u>Douglas went to Market</u> Mr Hooper went with him they attended a <u>milk meeting</u> in afternoon <u>C Hooper</u> over in afternoon, <u>W Craig</u> called at night 2 Dz eggs I rapted up a parcel of <u>4 cushions</u> for Jean, I milked to-night. Norm away to-night. Sun Jan 31 Weather - Quite cold blustery in A.M. We attended <u>church</u> service in afternoon, not so many out on account of weather & measls. I helped milk & separate Mon Feb 1 Weather - Fair & cold. Doug home for the day repairing his car. Norm chored, Pat read a book in between chore time. I nearly finished sewing my navy dress. <u>Marion</u> not well to-day <u>cutting 4 teeth.</u> Norm & I attended Coral at church. Tues Feb 2 Weather - S. E wind cloudy all day with some snow. men cut wood to-day. <u>I wrote Auntie</u> who is in <u>Wellesley Hospital</u>. Norm attended for Jr Farmer to-night. Pat took me over to Dr. called at garage on Way home, washed 30 Dz eggs after that. 1932 Wed Feb 3 Weather - Fair, milder. Douglas & Norm went down home & baled 7 ton of hay home by 330 pm. <u>E Craig invited Marion & I</u> out their for tea so went we about 330 & stayed until after <u>W.M.S.</u> which met their. Pat called in for us & Carried Marion home, she has a very bad cold. Radio out of busness to-night. Thurs Feb 4 Weather - Stormy all afternoon. men <u>sprayed manure</u> in A.M. etc in p.m. Pat picked over apples, <u>Jean French</u> phoned down after dinner saying that Rev McDonald & her Father would be calling about tea time & would stay So I was busy getting ready, but when they came they were afraid to stay on account of roads, Norm away to-night. Frid Feb 5 Weather - Strong S.W. winds. men drew manure to-day made cider etc. <u>Pat</u> picked over apples in A.M. <u>went to city</u> In p.m. Also<u> W Clark</u> to a <u>milk meeting</u> Marion very miserable all day with <u>measls.</u> Norm went to store at night. <u>Produce</u>, 12 pts cream 76 Dz. eggs 14 bus apples 6 bags potatoes & 6 gal. cider. we had stove pipes down this A.M. Sat Feb 6 Weather - Lovely bright day. Douglas went <u>to market.</u> Men drew manure all day Norm took most of forenoon of to Unionville. Laura came up before dinner & went home at 330, she cleaned kitchen baked etc. as I had to attend <u>Marion</u> all day, she is<u> covered</u> to-day with <u>measls</u>. hardly <u>no rest</u> last night for <u>anyone</u>. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/70e0388550031fac5fd64384998bc9ee.pdf 1edc48448eb8f02113c6d6c16b71a625 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Feb 7 Weather - Lovely bright day. Douglas attended church in p.m. Norm went over home, D Brown here chored <u>Pat brought little radio home after church</u>. I stayed in with Marion measls. Mon Feb 8 Weather - <u>Very, very, strong S. W. wind</u>. Men drew manure, Pat busy a.m. tieing wheel on <u>windmill</u> to keep wind from breaking it of. We washed & oh such a<u> wind tore blankets Laura</u> here helping me until time to go to Coral, they went down with Charlie H. I cut a house dress out for Laura & nearly made it. <u>Jack Thompson</u> here in a.m. for a basket of apples. Tues Feb 9 Weather - Cool s. East win with some snow. men drew manure, Les up in forenoon & took our Radio to city to get fixed, & Billy & Jimmy brought it up at chore time. W.M.S. convention to-day in city, <u>Gypsy Queen concert at Richmond Hill</u> to-night, Norm at Geo Brown's playing cards. Wed Feb 10 Weather - cloudy & mild. men drew manure, Norm chopped feed p.m. Pat picked over apples I cut Marion's rose dress out, 2 house dresses Laura & made finished Pats pyjama pants & Made Laura's green dot dress, <u>Mrs Craig</u> up this evening. Norm went to Grierhellers Jr. Inst. <u>echre</u> {euchre} <u>Laura came back with him.</u> Thurs Feb 11 Weather - <u>Heavy thunder storm</u> early 4 a.m. rained & misty all day. Norm chored, Doug not here to-day. Pat went to R Mortsons sale p.m. Billy here for milking stayed supper & played cards till 930 went home<u> I started large rug</u> to-day Frid Feb 12 Weather - Lovely bright day. men cut wood a.m. took top of stack, Laura went home about 4 p.m. after she cleaned floor. Edith Craig up before supper time. <u>John</u> up for the evening while <u>Mother at Craig's</u> she came up after meeting for 1/2 hr. prayer meeting, <u>Produce</u> - 60 Dz eggs, 6 gal cider 12 pts cream 6 bus apples, 8 bags potatoes.<u> Marion got 3 valentines </u> Sat Feb 13 Weather - Cold & windy,<u> Doug Brown</u> went home after breakfast as <u>Mrs Allan had died</u> Norm chored etc, Douglas went to market, I {?} Jr. Inst. in p.m. Sun Feb 14 Weather - Fair a little snow. Norm & I went to church, Pat /Kepted Marion, <u>Della & Dot came up</u> after stayed<u> for tea</u> & went<u> back with Norm to Y.P.S.</u> Billy here supper also. Mond Feb 15 Weather - Fair, bright cold NE winds. men drew manure, <u>Douglas</u> picked over apples in a.m. had a early dinner & went <u>to city to curl</u> returning at. 12.15. p.m. lost 2 games. Billy up for chores & stayed supper, <u>Rev McDonald & Mr French</u> called in at tea time ordered a bag of spy apples then called later for them & visited left here at 830. I did a small washing after dinner Marion & I stayed alone Norm went to Coral. Fresh cow to-day. Tues Fed 16 Weather - Fair & cold NE winds sleet at night 12 p.m. Norm finished manure pile across creek, D Brown not here to-day Mrs Allan funeral, <u>Mother</u> came uper in p.m. stayed to tea after a few games of <u>cards with Cora & Hazel</u> who came to spend the evening, John called for her & went home Pat came at 12 p.m. girls still here https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1ad31d7a6f0fb76799ad0a87ea5649b1.pdf cd26fa1a2a6532b9e6105e9c17296ff5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Wed Feb 17 Weather - cloudy & cold, westerly wind. Norm went to city to-day home for chores then attended a Jr Farmer meeting at night D Brown drew wood & chored. Douglas left here at 2 p.m. for city to curl returned. Billy here Chores and supper Marion & I all alone until 12 P.M. & later <u>Newton</u> here a.m. lost game. Thurs Feb 18 Weather - Fair and cold,clear. men cut wood, Douglas left here at 8 a.m. for city to curl with <u>Mr Clark & Bake</u>r going in with him, lost game to-day again returned at 330 p.m., Norm went to Agincourt church at night with <u>Walter and W. Brooke,</u> Laura Brown came down at night for Dot to wave her hair, Newton brought Dorothy up after school as <u>Laura</u> come home with Mr Endean <u>with mumps</u>, John get Della at night with them also, Newt up at night again. Fri Feb 19 Weather - Fair with a little snow. men cut wood a.m. at Brown<u> home</u> in p.m. Norm made cider etc. Douglas picked over apples & potatoes all day. he went to Lodge at Markham at night, Dot went to out to Edith's to go on skating <u>Produce</u> - 50 Dz eggs, 7 gal cider, 12 pts cream, 15 bus apples , 10 bags potatoes Sat <u>Feb 20</u> Weather - Lovely bright day <u>Douglas</u> went to market, called at his Mothers on way home, Laura Brown came down in afternoon called Dot to go skating. men worked at wood a.m. played hockey p.m., <u>Dot</u> went to <u>Cedar Grove at night</u> to skate. 1932 Sun Feb 21 Weather - cloudy S. E. wind we attended church service in p.m. <u>Marion & I</u> went for a Walk after that. <u>Dot</u> went up to Browns for tea thence to go on to Richmond Hill for singing at night. Norm away to-night. <u>Geo Brown</u> here for evening Mon Feb 22 Weather - Lovely A.M. <u>Stormy and cold</u> in p.m. men cut wood a.m. Pat picked over apples and I washed & ironed, Dorothy and I drove down to Coral, took Charlie and Hazel with us. Norm had afternoon of over home. Tues Feb 23 Weather - lovely bright cold day men busy with wood etc, W.M.S.quilting at church p.m. I did not go account of <u>Marion's cold</u>. mission band slides at night Wed Feb 24 Weather - cold and<u> stormy</u> <u>Billy</u> here overnight D Brown off to-day starting to move over, Douglas went to Mrs Glovers sale to-day. Norm, Billy and Dot went over to the Jr farmer play at Unionville given by Dunbarton. Norm drew manure & wood, <u>Mr French</u> here for grain. Thurs Feb 25 Weather - Coudy & mild D Brown of to-day moving furniture over to Craig's house, Norm drew wood. Pat picked over apples etc. Marion & I Walked out for mail. Dot did not come here to-night. <u>Jean's, Mrs.Craig</u> here for evening. Fri Feb 26 Weather - Fair & mild. Norm chored A.M. D Brown of to-day. <u>I did not feel good to-day, so Pat helped with house work</u>. At night, <u>Pat, Norm, Dot by.</u> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/62223e8fb527a60197a37d7226660c62.pdf f2046a69d61588b7fa2ef612dfca7642 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Newton all went up to<u> Marguerites for a game of cards</u>, Marion & I stayed alone, what a night for me, I was so miserable, <u>they got home 415 a m</u> <u>produce</u>, 45 Dz eggs, 6 cider 15 bus apples, 10 bags potato, 12 pts cream. Sat Feb 27 Weather - cloudy with some snow men finished drawing wood to-day, Douglas went to market,<u> Mrs.H Reeve</u> of Markham here in p.m. to have <u>Dot do her hair,</u> then Art Brown Came down for her to go up and do I & L hair. Geo brought her home by supper time, I was ready for bed and <u>all in.</u> Sun Feb 28 Weather - Lovely, mild bright day. <u>12 little piggies arrived</u> a.m. Douglas, Dot & Norm attended church in p.m. Marion and I stayed alone, <u>I was in bed all day with Grippe</u>. They went to Y.P. S. at night. roads getting bad Mon Feb 29 Weather - Fair and mild, men drew manure, had<u> Dr over</u> just at noon, said I <u>stay bed</u> 4 days, Dot stayed home to-day, she went to Coral with Edith C. not many out bad roads & sickness. Tues March 1 Weather - lovely bright day <u>3 piggies died</u> men chopped a.m. then Norm took baler down to Boyntons before dinner they baled 9 3/4 ton hay In p.m. <u>Mrs Craig</u> up to see me in afternoon Wed Mar 2 Weather - mild & lovely, men drew manure today. <u>Henry Allan</u> here. D Brown sick grip. Dot went to school today. <u>Pat housekeeper</u>, card party postponed at V.S. on account roads Thurs Mar 3 Weather - Like a spring day. men drew manure, D Brown back in P.M. <u>Mother up all day baking.</u> Pat took her home at night, <u>first Goose egg to-day.</u> Girls Walked up in p.m. first <u>since mumps</u> came. Frid Mar 4 Weather- cloudy & mild. Men prune trees A.M. draged lane etc in p.m. <u>Della and Jessie Burr here</u> p.m. getting hair dressed. <u>Dr phoned me to stay in bed</u>. <u>produce</u> - 45 Dz eggs , 5 gal cider , 20 bus apples , 8 bags potatoes, 12 pts cream. Mrs Craig <u>here in evening.</u> Sat Mar 5/32 Weather - rather cloudy but mild Douglas went to market, Norm moved bales from W <u>Boyntons</u> over to <u>Thomson</u> this A.M. D. Brown came up in middle afternoon. Mary & Gwenie came up with him and stayed a hour so. John and Mother came up & took<u> Dorothy</u> home, she had been in bed all day <u>with La Grippe</u>. Della walked up in forenoon , Pat Store to-night. (I up all day) Sun Mar 6 Weather - cloudy with E. wind in a.m., Colder with snow in p.m. Douglas attended church, quite a number out. I wrote Mary in p.m. Mon Mar 7 Weather - blustery and cold all day. Real march day. postponed baling at Thomson on account of storm, Norm went to city for the day, Pat read peeled apples & picked over potatoes in p.m.<u> I rugged</u> to-day and <u>fixed henna dress</u> W.M.S. church 13 out Mrs McKerchar spoke. Tues Mar 8 Weather - Quite cold men split wood. Douglas picked over apples. <u>Walt Craig</u> called at night & Norm went away. <u>Marion not well to-day.</u> I rugged. Wed Mar 9 Weather - Quite cold Pat & Norm went over to Thomson's this A.M. to bale home by 330 p.m. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8cfc18b7f1c2bbbd08ce892eb8624367.pdf 0aa5a2879d0feb6e5ed55194a558c68c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Moved baler over to C Boynton's. baled 250 lbs short of Ten ton hay. D Brown chored. Jr farmers to-night but Norm to tired to go. I rugged to-day again. Marion not Well. Thurs Mar 10 Weather - Cold and stormy. Douglas & Norm went over to Charlie's to bale, came home after dinner then D went over to <u>Walton's sale.</u> Laura came up for a visit then Newton called for her. Norm went to Unionville in p.m. bank. Fri Mar 11 Weather - cloudy and cold men finished baling at Charlie's at noon, arrived home after dinner. Norm chopped feed. baled 12 ton hay. D Brown all in to-day so had to go home before breakfast. Della came up & spent day with us. Went down with Norm at night. Produce - 5 gal cider, 11 pts cream, 18 bus apples, 10 bags potatoes. Pat store night 53 Dz eggs. Sat Mar 12 Weather - cloudy and cold, some snow. Norm chored all day, Douglas went to city, J Hooper, Laura & Della went with him. he & Jimmie went to the <u>Maple Leaf Gardens</u> to see hockey match between <u>Newmarket and Marlbo's</u>. Billy Norm and I milked. D Brown Still sick. Pat & Norm went to store at night. <u>Gladys B</u> rang up to ask for Marion to-day. Sun Mar 13 Weather - Cloudy and fair. We all attended church in p.m. fair crowd out. spent the evening home. Mon Mar 14 Weather - very cold, 6 above zero here. men went up and baled hay to-day at Mrs.<u> Glovers</u>, Mr <u>Leathers</u> and<u> Firth</u> came here for dinner. J. Allen boys went home dinner finished & home by 5 p.m. baled 13 ton. Della up for the day. D Brown Still sick. Billy here A.M. again. 1932 Mr <u>Padget</u> called in at noon, Coral class practice at Victoria Square to-night. <u>Newton & girls</u> called in & took Norm up. Tues. Mar 15 Weather - Quite cold. Norm away in forenoon, home for noon chores away in p.m. again. <u>Douglas</u> chored A.M. and <u>W Young, W Baker, E Gohn</u> went to city with him at 130 <u>to curl</u> against the Strathconians. <u>We had a 3 wk Wash</u> to-day. <u>Della</u> also <u>did most of ironing</u>, left at 430 pm. for home. Leslie brought <u>1 load ice</u> in truck at 5.15. and unloaded it. Pat home at 7 p.m. Wed Mar 16 Weather - S. E. wind some milder. snow fall at night. D Brown came up & started work in P.M. Norm away in p.m. Leslie got 1 load <u>ice</u> in a.m. and Pat got 5 loads after that from Almira pond. 3 cents a block. at night. Douglas, M,and I went to Coral Concert at Victoria Square Thurs Mar 17 Weather - much milder. Leslie drew 2 loads <u>ice</u> & Douglas 2 loads making 11 loads <u>altogether. 360 blocks x 3 cents x 39=$10.80</u>. Marion, Cora, Hazel and I went to the <u>Jr Inst at Vina Wilsons</u> to-day. About 40 there. <u>splendid meeting</u>. had a presentation to Mrs Waltons a casserol dish. Norm off for the day. Frid Mar 18 Weather - cloudy & mild. Norm did not come home last night. D Brown chored <u>made cider</u> etc. Douglas picked over potatoes & apples. Rev McDonald and Mr Mills called at noon for 2 bus apples.<u> Mr Mills insured Marion for $2.000. to-day.</u> Douglas went to Lodge at, <u>Marion & I went and stayed with Jean & girlies.</u> <u>Bob joined the Masons tonight.</u> <u>Produce</u> - 45 1/2 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream, 8 bags potatoes, 14 bus apples, 4 gal cider Y.P.S. social church to-night https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6b3c155c95d6f2df7fb37f1f4276f7ad.pdf c400d8813ed9fceeb62a499595d4ac1b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Sat Mar 19 Weather - a real stormy march day. Lovely at night. Douglas went to Market. Norm arrived here at 10:15 a.m., shoveled, changed clothes then went to city. Home at 2:15 p.m. Added up coral class accounts then went out to see Watt.Cliff B. Sun Mar 20 Weather - Beautiful sunie day We four attended church in p.m. Good crowd Billie and Jimmie here for chores and supper. I received <u>a bed light</u> to-night. Mary & Jimmie came up later again for ice cream for freezer Hoopers Mon Mar 21 Weather - nice at first then east wind with snow. Not so nice. Douglas & Norm left at 9 a.m. in truck and went up in Whitchurch for a large <u>truck load of sawdust</u>, home at 230 p.m. Doug chored & drew manure. Pat went to store after supper for extension cord for bed light, it worked fine. Norm attended social for wind up of coral class at church, present. stormy all night. Tues Mar 22 Weather - <u>Quite stormy,</u> we have <u>the most snow we've had all winter.</u> Men drew manure, Pat fixed belt on tractor, then picked over apples. Norm attended Jr Farmer meeting at home to-night Laura went to Marg with John this A.M. received my Hort. membership card to-day. Mary rang up in p.m. Wed Mar 23 Weather - milder & quite stormy Men drew manure, Douglas picked over apples a.m. & potatoes p.m. <u>Raymond Brillinger</u> here in a.m. looking for seed oats. I baked cookies etc a.m. at night Pat took me over to Drs then we went to Markham. He paid his Lodge Insurance dues. Norm out collecting to-night for Walton's 1932 Thurs Mar 24 Weather - Wonderful bright day, mild, lots of snow on ground Men drew manure, Pat washed eggs a.m. picked over tatties p.m. <u>Della & Dot came up</u> in p.m. stayed until after 10 p.m. <u>had a good game of 500. Mrs Walton Mother died this A.M.</u> Mr J. D Mills called at tea time with Marion's insurance policy. Billie up after supper. he and Norm went away Fri Mar 25 Good Friday. Weather - Quite stormy A.M. mild with light showers at night. men drew manure, made cider, Douglas peeled apples, cleaned stove pipe in p.m. no mail to-day. <u>Produce</u> 51 doz eggs, 12 pts cream, 4 gal cider, 15 bus apples, 10 bags potatoes. Mr Mills got 2 bus spy apples last night. Norm went over to see Pat who is sick. Sat Mar 26 Weather - Rained A.M. lovely in afternoon Douglas went to Market, Mr Walton, Della & Dot went with him, girls & Billie came home with him, he <u>got Mother Easter Lily</u>, & Mother gave Marion <u>Easter eggs</u>. As Norm did not come home last night, Doug chored all day Sun Mar 27 Weather - Beautiful Easter Sunday, only muddy Norm still away. Marion and I went out for a walk at 11 a.m. returned at 12.30. Pat still sleeping, he walked down to church, Marion and I stayed alone. Billy brought up a <u>Easter chuckie</u> for her <u>Rhea</u> rang up at night Monday 28 Weather - Lovely bright day. Jean rang up A.M. Doug went up to Cripps in A.M. for cutting box & pipes. Billy here chores a.m. and breakfast. <u>Mr Hellems</u> over a.m. Mr Padget called in after dinner. I washed, ironed, & mended. <u>C Hooper rang over to-night saying he saw flash light west of pig pen.</u> Party at Hooper's for Waltons postponed. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/281e633c28f7459b96c358b2c73e3cab.pdf 386ff86624d03e8388e33e5e29e2d0c7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Tues 29 Weather - Lovely bright day. Billy here chores & breakfast, Douglas & Marion had early dinner left at 12 p.m. to attend School meeting in city <u>but Marion would not stay at her Grandma's without Daddy</u> so he did not get to meeting. Della up p.m. Mrs. Craig called at tea time, Newton & Laura later, Norm at tea time to change some clothes. <u>Pat Reid a slight change better</u>. Douglas took Della home & took Marion on down to Clarks. <u>Killed rat in Cook house</u> Wed 30 Weather - Cloudy Strong S.W. wind Billy here chores & breakfast, D Brown chored & dragged lane in p.m. Douglas and Mr Clark attended an educational meeting P Building Toronto all day. <u>Mother came up</u> in A.m. left about 5 p.m. assesor here in p.m. Pat got home before Doug and I finished milking Thurs 31 Weather - Colder & cloudy men chopped feed, drew back old <u>sawdust for ice house</u>, cut straw etc. Billy had to take milk to corner this a.m, here for breakfast. Norm came back late last night, so here for work to-day.<u> Della</u> up for most of day and helped me sweep etc. we were to have gone to Jean's for tea but roads bad. Frid April 1, 1932 Weather - Quite cold, a little snow Newton up A.M. for feed oats, 50 bus. Billie here breakfast, men cut wood etc.<u> Produce</u> 58 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream, 2 gal cider, 12 bus apples, 10 bag potatoes Pat at store at night Sat April 2 Weather - Ground covered with snow, East wind with snow most of day, Thunder Storm 8 p.m. & 9 p.m. <u>Men clipped horses</u> and Norm went up to Joffs for saw. <u>Marion</u> went down with Pat & <u>spend day at home</u>, he called for her on way - Market. Floyd Pratt went Thornhill with him A.M. Billy came home with him. Pat store at night <u>Baby boy Ash born this evening April 2nd</u> 1932 Sun April 3 Weather - Cold but bright, lots of snow. Norm came home at noon from Sharon with Newton, Jack and Dureen . Douglas & Norm attended church, Marion & I went down & stayed with Mother while rest were at church. Norm did not go to Y.P.S. Fresh cow to-day Mon April 4 Weather - Lovely bright day. I washed & ironed to-day, Men finished cutting straw a.m. & chopped feed, split wood & the boys had (Dick)<u> the colt hitched to sleigh</u> p.m. Norm attended Jr Farmer meeting at night Tues April 5 Weather - East wind light showers and Fair. Doug split wood, Norm started to clean up seed grain, we three went to city - 10 a.m. to 5.15. got dishes, Marion hat etc. Norm took a heifer calf over to his Bro Pat to-night Wed April 6 Weather - Fair. Norm cleaned grain, Doug split, Douglas repaired water tank & put <u>meat in cotton bags & hung</u> in ice house. I made a nightie to-day. W.M.S. quilting & no meeting church Thurs April 7 Weather - Beautiful day. men busy all day<u> washing harness ready to oil.</u> Pat Took cream down home a.m. to churn. Cora rang up for Marion & I to go over for the afternoon but I did not feel like it so sewed here at home instead. <u>Betty here playing with Marion after School</u> Pat set <u>young goose on 12 eggs</u>, 2 hens 9 eggs. <u>roads so bad took milk to corner all week</u> Frid April 8 Weather - Fair & bright. men finished harness to-day. <u>Norm took produce to store in democrat</u>. Della up for A.M. Went to city p.m. with John. Produce 15 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream, 6 bags potatoes & 9 bus apples. Pat went to store to-night. I slept upstairs. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/983d430a9f2f4642aa3e2008a9ac1aeb.pdf e4eb1099f39f6b1d3b07033ec8496ad8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Sat April 9 Weather - Cloudy but fair & warm. Doug cleaned out hens houses etc. Norm cleaned up grain pail, did this & that mostly that. <u>roads</u> so <u>bad</u> he did not go to market. Norm got up 15 to 5 & took produce in wagon over to fifth. Les went that way to city. (team Wagon Pat Corner night.) Norm Sharon to-night. Sun April 10 Weather - cloudy with light showers (dull day.) Henry Allen here breakfast, Douglas walked down to church p.m. Mon April 11 Weather - Horrid day rainy cloudy etc. muddy. <u>Norm</u> took A.M. of to Thornhill <u>had tooth pulled</u> and <u>slept all p.m.</u> helped with chores and attended a Jr Farmer Comtt meeting. Pat repaired chairs for me Tues April 12 Weather - Stormy rain a.m. snow p.m. men cleaned up grain in A.M. Norm went to city p.m. to help pick a piano for Jr Farmer Club. Mrs. Craig here short while Doug B went to corner in p.m. to meet Les. Pat store at night. Wed April 13 Weather - Stormy ground cover with snow men cleaned seed grain. Douglas attended a milk meeting with Mrs Clark at Markham. Norm attended a Jr farmer meet at night, Hort. meeting to-night Unionville hall. Thurs April 14 Weather - Cloudy and Cold. Norm went to Thornhill in A.M.<u> had another tooth pulled</u>, <u>in bed all p.m.</u> Pat & Doug chopped feed. Mr Brown brought down load grain to chop for feed. Della up for the afternoon. Billy had team to deliver on North trip. Furnace went out to-night Frid April 15 Weather - Fair & milder - snow going. D Brown of for the day. Newton up for seed oats A.M. men chopped feed in p.m. Pat picked over apples. <u>Lodge night</u> but Pat to busy to go. Went to store later on. Produce - 81 Dz, 8 bags potatoes, 10 bus apples, 12 pts cream Sat 16 Weather - Cold- snow flurries. North west winds Douglas went to Market. Doug scraped trees. <u>Norm</u> carried wood in woodshed A.M. <u>sit by stove all p.m. to keep his jaw warm</u>, Dot up for awhile in p.m. Norm went to Sharon at night. Sun April 17 Weather - Strong N.W. cold wind. (land drying.) Norm went over home after breakfast, home for chores a night. Douglas attended church in p.m. Billy here supper, Mrs Craig here for the evening Mon April 18 Weather - Strong North wind and Fair. men <u>scraped</u> trees, Norm and Les went to Dentist in p.m. Douglas picked over potatoes, we washed & ironed, <u>washed all curtains and spreads upstairs.</u> <u>Della here for the day</u>, She, Pat & Marion went down home short while after supper. Tues April 19 Weather - beautiful warm day. men scraped trees. Della & I started <u>house cleaning, cleaned North room,</u> closets and South E room. Ironed curtains & spreads & covers by tea time. Pat store night. (<u>Auntie phoned</u> for 12 Setting egg for Sat.) Wed April 20 Weather - another lovely day <u>men finished</u> scraping trees in A.M., started on land in p.m., rolled harrowed and disc. Della & I cleaned S.W room & hall, & raked most of afternoon. Pat helped us & I took manure of flower beds. <u>Mary & Gwen here</u> before tea time. Norm & Della went to Unionville at night. <u>set old Goose</u> Thurs April 21 Weather - Beautiful day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/19d4dcdbd6b9117d5bd868267f87508d.pdf fc16f7745d3b0ce4bd26c82cd5437f48 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Douglas <u>sowed mixed grain</u>, Norm run tractor, Doug harrowed A.M. chopped feed in afternoon, G Carr here A.M. Jack and Dureen in p.m. also Jas Walker to see about seed oats, Della went home about 10 a.m. as it was Jr Institute at Grierheller. <u>Norm took Laura up at night</u>, Della spent evening at Brown's Frid April 22 Weather - Lovely warm day Douglas sowed in a.m. & Doug B. sowed in p.m. Douglas & Billie went load of sawdust in p.m. Norm run tractor all day got stuck just before chore time. Jim Calvert got seed oats a.m. Geo Gormley here after supper, also J Young for 12 setting eggs for Auntie. Newton called and took Della to dance V. Square. <u>I made & iced Marion Birthday cake</u> to-day. Douglas attended preparatory Service at church to-night. Della rake front lawn p.m. Produce 94 Doz eggs, 11 pts cream, 10 bus apples, 8 bags potatoes Sat April 23 Weather - Quite Cold Douglas sowed grain A.M. & just before dinner he & Marion went to Unionville. Doug harrowed, Norm, tractor. Della & L Brown went down home for awhile in p.m. back for tea. Pat took me to Dr's after supper, Della rode down home with us, had to bring flowers in off veranda, so cold. Sun April 24 Weather - Sunny, bright, a little warmer, Douglas & Norm attended church, communion to-day. <u>Rev McDonald</u> first communion, he brought up two trays from Agincourt, we went down home for an hr or so after Supper Mon <u>April 25 Marion 2 yr B day.</u> Weather - Cloudy, east wind and light showers. men all on land all day. Della came up in p.m. <u>Pat & Marion went down to Rodicks to-night</u> for 2 setting eggs for Marion, Della home Unionville 1932 Tues April 26 Weather - Cloudy & cool, a little snow at noon. <u>men finished seeding to-day.</u> we cleaned pantry, set the 2 setting hens for Marion in A.M. <u>Mother</u> gave us a welcome surprise by coming up for the afternoon. went down with Pat & Norm to attended a congregational meeting church. Della went over to Brown's <u>17 goose eggs tested no good out of 21. </u> Wed April 27 Weather - Quite cold, a little snow. Men chopped feed, picked over potatoes & filled up 2 loads <u>wheat</u>. Les <u>took it over to Reesors</u>, Della cleaned little room of Kitchen. Newton called and took Della up to Brown's to help make up Jr farmer papers. Thurs April 28 Weather - Strong winds, much warmer. Norm drew Manure, Doug harrowed, Pat helped with manure etc. Della cleaned & waxed Norm room to-day. <u>I planted flower seeds, poppy, Nastursium, Sweet Wm.</u> In p.m. Dorothy came up after school. Della went over to Burrs after tea to play ball, when she Irene & Laura Brown came in for Dot & walked home with her, Pat picked over apples. Norm away to-night. Frid April 29 Weather - Lovely warm day, East winds by night. Doug harrowed & disc, Norm graded Mr Walton lane A.M. ploughed in S orchard P.M. Douglas carried piles of leaves to burn A.M. & went to Mr J Dixon sale in afternoon. I planted some <u>petunia seeds & a few geraniums</u> in p.m. Produce - 12 pts cream, 110 Doz eggs, 12 bus apples, 8 bags potatoes Sat April 30 Weather - cloudy & showery most of day. Warm. men https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7d72a8c66fc5e6279120fbebc6ae9f10.pdf c8248a96c897d92e1ee2ef6fe63dc4d7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Douglas went to market, Della and J Hooper went & came home with him. Lorne called for Della at night, Wal Craig here at night, Norm away Pat got me another Dutchman pipe $1.00 Sun May 1st Weather - Cloudy colder in p.m. Douglas & Norm attended church. Billie here chores & supper. Norm went to Hoopers at night, Mother came up & waited here until Newton & girls called for her, from Y.P.S. Richmond Hill. Mond May 2nd Weather - Lovely day. We washed and did part ironing. Norm Unionville A.M. Doug rolled Pat did etc. In P.M. <u>Pat planted Dutchman</u> pipe raked moved chicken pen etc. boys worked in S. orchard. Norm helped Les with hay at Glovers first. Mrs Craig here for evening. Della and N Jr. Farmers. Pat Store. Tues May 3rd Weather - Cloudy like rain, warm. Norm <u>sowed peas</u> & Pat helped him plant potatoes in S orchard in p.m. Doug rolled & harrowed mangle ground & Summer follow. Em Brown called in evening with Della dress. Douglas, Norm, Della went to <u>the farewell party at Hoopers</u><u> in honor of Mr Walton & family</u> Marion & I alone. large crowd their. Wed <u>May 4th</u>. Weather - Colder & cloudy men worked in garden A.M. D Brown worked on Summer fallow, Pat planted<u> tatty onions</u> in p.m. we cleaned down stair hall. Mr Mills here just after dinner, later <u>Jean & girlies</u> had a <u>B.D.</u> <u>Mrs Brooke Rhea rang up</u>. Della went to W.M.S. & choir meeting church to-night Thurs May 5 Weather - Cloudy, cool east wind. Pet set out 10 new Rhubarb roots in A.M. and planted lettuce and Radish. In p.m. he<u> grafted</u> toman sweet <u>branches</u> on lady <u>apple trees</u>. Doug rolled grain field & roots. Norm went to Padgets A.M. got mangle seeder & sowed mangles. Della attended coaching class in p.m. at our church. Pat, Marion & Norm went to Unionville with $1000. eggs for A Brown to set, also called to see Mrs. Smallie, but no luck. Friday May 6 Weather - Cloudy A.M. & showery all afternoon & even. Norm <u>pruned trees</u> A.M. Doug rolled in p.m. they chopped, Pat picked over apples & washed eggs. Della attended coach class 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at church, went to Victoria Square dance at night. F. Smith. Pat store. Product 12 pts cream, 10 bags potatoes, 12 bus apples, eggs 28 Doz Store, 8 Dz to a man to set, 79 Dz eggs to A Brown to hatch for us, also 50 jersey giant eggs from Mortsons to set. 115 Doz all. Sat May 7 Weather - Cloudy & showery most of day. Douglas went to Market, called at his Mother's. Billy came home with him, he & Marion went to Unionville at night for empty egg crates. Called at Dr's also at <u>Ada's H</u> but she was not home. Still no luck. Men cleaned LaClures seed oats, Della & Lorne left for home at 9 p.m. Pat & M, Norm Sharon home by 9-20. Sun May 8 <u>Mother's Day</u> Weather - Cloudy & Showery. Norm did not come back. men here had to separate milk. Douglas <u>Marion</u> left at 130 p.m. & went <u>down to his Mother's</u> returning about 5 p.m. I alone all afternoon. <u>Spend evening by fireside,</u> one gossling<u> hatched</u>. Mon May 9 Weather - Cloudy & light showers. men drew manure with<u> Bessie & Dick</u> in A.M. Pat set out 70 berrie canes. We cleaned Kitchen. they pruned some trees p.m. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/81395a6f15d9aad27bb638292e3c5039.pdf 9fada91af90274f9464619d93b438f50 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 John up at night for awhile, two men here looking for seed oats. Tues May 10 Weather - Cloudy & showery, wind still in east. men drew manure in A.M. out of calves stallslt with<u> Bess & Dick Cott</u>. Norm got some <u>black currants shoots</u> out of Leslie garden in A.M. Della & I spent day Knitting & sewing. Kelly's here p.m. cut horns of the old Gentleman cow. G Brown & R Walker here to see about getting their orchards sprayed. <u>Norm attended siniging class at church tonight. Pat went to Unionville</u>, Saw Ada (she promised come) <u>Della, M and I spent even. by fireplace</u>. Wed May 11 Weather - <s>Men</s> Cloudy & warmer. East wind. men picked stones A.M. and pruned trees in p.m. Mr Laclure here at noon to see about baling, later tractor came to take baler to-morrow. Les brought material for <u>spraying orchard</u> Della went to city with John to-day. Bill Champion & she called at night before attending Jr Farmer meeting over at McIntosh's. Pat planted 11 black currants shoots to-night. Thurs May 12 Weather - Cloudy & rain at first, then clearing to a beautiful day. Douglas & Norm left after breakfast to <u>bale</u> a little more than 13 Ton at <u>LaClures 1 1/4 ml south of Oriole</u>. Mr Padget called in A.M. to see Douglas. John phoned about a fishing trip, he & Marion went to Richmond Hill at night to see Mr Luneau to go also. <u>We sure did a big days work.</u> Washed A.M. cleaned cookhouse p.m. Norm & Della choir practice church. Frid May 13 Weather - <u>Lovely day</u>. men pruned trees A.M. Doug rolled Norm scraped lane in p.m. Pat etc <u>put screen doors on</u> at night. Mr Padget thru at night. Pat took Della down home A.M. and she churned 3 small crocks butter, he got some <u>gooseberry shoots</u> & planted when he got home. <u>I raked all A.M. Della and I ironed all P.M.</u> Produce - 12 pts, 117 Dz eggs, 9 bags potatoes, 12 bus apples 1932 Sat May 14 <u>9 little pigs arrived</u> Weather - Beautiful warm day. Doug rolled all day. Norm & Marion went to O. Cox after breakfast for clover seed & sowed it with hand seeder. He took Douglas down home at 12 p.m. to go on <u>a fishing trip to Hawk Lake with J Russel, R Armstrong, Dave Lunau, Alex and John. I went up creek in p.m. to fish</u> & I was <u>so disappointed, as Mother, Marion, Roy, Jean, & girlies & Laura came up for a short while</u>. <u>Mary & Gwen called in near tea time & Dorothy came up for tea</u>. Lorne over after supper, G Brown called in for Dorothy. Pat planted Hort 4 flax & 2 Or-poppy premiums in A.M. Sun May 15 Weather - Beautiful warm day & a wondeful night. <u>Newton brought Mother, Marion and Roy up for dinner</u>. Della went down to S S and Mother rode down with Norm to church. Billy & Norm did chores Mrs Craig here at tea time. They went to Y.P.S. after Supper. Marion & I were here alone for evening until E Brown, Irene, Della, Came in then Newton & Laura called & took Roy and Marion down home. Gossling died. Mon May 16 Weather - Warm A.M. quite windy in p.m. light showers. men fixed fence, & put young cattle & Dick in flats filled up wheat. Les took 3 loads away to-day. Norm took Della to Yonge St 9.30 a.m. Marion went allso as she was going to Guelph on his from city. I washed 45 Dz eggs after supper, Norm went Jr Farmer concert, Union. I sent some flower roots down with Norm for Marion Douglas. Home about 3 A.M. 16 fish total Tues May 17 Weather - Bright & cool men took top of stack A.M. John brought Laura up A.M. for the day. baled straw all p.m. Norm & Laura went down to coral practice at night. Lallan boys here Supper. Mr French, Mr Firth & Newton, George Brown. Leslie took 1 load straw. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/baac6fea8eb471e968cd1cfd558e40d1.pdf a64aa933b4afbc561988db7ba9b8dba1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 May 18 Weather - Lovely warmer day. <u>men baled straw all day</u>, had to get 2 extra men John & Jack Thomson in p.m. <u>had 10 men sup with our own</u>, John came up after supper for Laura. later Pat & Marion went to Art Brown's. Les - 1 load straw to-day. Thurs May 19 Weather - Lovely bright day. men burned brush in orchard. Pat did etc. Geo Brown down for 2 loads chaff to-day. I washed & Ironed today. Pat & Marion went out to Firths at night to pay him. <u>Cora & Hazel spend evening here</u>. Norm went practice Jr Inst meet. to-day. Mrs Jas Calverts <u>annual meeting</u>. Les 2 loads straw to-day. Frid May 20 Weather - Lovely warm day. men burned brush in orchard & cultivated & disc in A.M. & sowed oats around colony house for chicks. Les took 1 load straw. Pat & Marion delivered grociers on south trip A.M. Della arrived home from Guelph at 530 p.m. with Brown's. Lorne called later & took her to Malvern dance. Newton brought Mother up to stay here while they all were at the dance. Pat at Lodge. <u>Marion tumbled into ice cold water in vat</u>. Produce - 9 pts cream, 11 bus apples, 121 Dz eggs, (no <u>bags</u> potatoes) Sat May 21 Weather - bright cool & windy Douglas went to market home at noon, he & Norm<u> started to spray trees</u> but broke something, So D & Marion went out to Richmond Hill boys <u>ploughed south of garden</u>, ploughed<u> little sand field</u> in A.M. After Della did her scrubbing, we changed the beds, brought single one down to our room. <u>I had a terrible night</u>. Pat cut front lawn night first time. 1932 Sun May 22 Weather - Lovely bright cool day. <u>Norm</u> went away after breakfast, but home in time to get ready for <u>church</u>. <u>Douglas</u> & <u>Marion</u> went also. <u>She was real good</u>. Lorne & Della here at night. <u>Laura</u> went to city to-night (Dr B.) <u>Ada H</u> phoned me P.M. Mon May 23 Weather - Lovely warm bright day. We washed & Ironed for 1/2 hr after supper, then <u>Pat cut Marion & my hair.</u> Pat & Norm sprayed orchard here in A.M. went out & did Cunninghams & Kellys then went over & did G.B. Padgets'. Chopped after that till chore time. Doug ploughed all day with team. Della went down to Hords' in P.M. & attended Y.P.S. debate & social at church at night, also Norm. Ruby Firth up to-day. Mr Gee here to see about getting baling done. <u>Katie Craig up in her own car to-night</u>. Tues May 24 Weather - Ideal day. bright & fairly cool. Doug took day of, had team in A.M. and gathered up a load of wood out of flats for himself. Norm ploughed all day. Douglas sprayed chicken house in A.M. with gillets Lye. Douglas & Norm alone for the milking. Washed both cars at night. Lorne over & took Della away at night. <u>I put in lazy day</u>. Wed May 25 Weather - partly cloudy with nice shower at night (thunder storm). Doug harrowed all day, Norm ploughed in A.M. & moved baler to Mr Gees after dinner. Douglas & Marion went to city A.M. returned home at 2.30 p.m. he got baling wire, they had dinner at his Mother's. he got Marion a pr of sand & brown shoes. Norm went away at night. Della cleaned south veranda A.M. & went down to Hords in p.m. with Charlie & Hazel to her coaching class. Les car broke down at St Thomas on way home - Wheatley https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3254a592836fcee5a376f378a99142cf.pdf acf5cdf63a228dc5ad45d2d2d2f0a183 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Thurs May 26 we moved <u>Glider out</u> <u>on veranda</u> to-day 26.th Weather - Cloudy & very warm a.m. rained from 4.30 p.m. Doug ploughed to-day across creek. Douglas & Norm left after breakfast for Mr Geis to bale, straw about 12 ton. Curl & his Dad here in A.M. Della went over to Hoopers in p.m. then down home. back for supper, Norm went to Choir practice. Les's returned to-day about 4 P.M. had to be toed home. Dr phoned me at 4 p.m. Frid May 27 Weather - Cloudy (Partly) with occasional showers. <u>Norm</u> laid around most of the day with his <u>sprained wrist</u> which he got yesterday baling. Doug cleaned out hen houses & helped Pat clean up wheat. Mr Hooper here in afternoon, Geo Brown & R Walker here at night. Pat went to store short while <u>ice cream for Marion</u>. <u>Della</u> took day of to judge at Richmond Hill. much to her surprise she got <u>2nd prize in clothing</u>. Silver trim <u>Cream & Sugar bowl</u> $8 Produce - 105 dz eggs, 10 pts cream, 4 bus apple - store (our own) Sat May 28 Weather - Cloudy & cooler. Douglas went to Market, Norm went also, & Mr Hooper they attended the milk meeting in Hygenia Hall. Doug ploughed. Edith Craig came up for awhile in p.m. Lorne over at night and took Della Home. Norm away city to-night. Pat & Marion went over to A Brown's for chicks. 600 <u>chicks</u> out of 1000 eggs 8 per {?} 1 <u>gossling</u> off to-day Sun May 29 Weather - Lovely bright day. Art Brown down in A.M. to see Norm. Douglas Marion & Norm attended <u>church</u> service in P.M. At tea time <u>Gordon & Lilian Gibb</u> & her two nieces drove in for the evening. later, Newton, Mother & Girls called on their way to Richmond Hill. Then <u>W Champion</u> & 2 girl friends called with some Chinese lanterns for me. Mrs J Clending up to-night with Elsey & Doug Walton 1932 Mon May 30 Weather - Lovely cool day. Douglas & Norm at Mr Geis all day baling. Les up load straw A.M. Doug baling all day & chored, <u>I did up 9 jars Rhubarb & washed over 30 Dz eggs</u>. Mary & Gwen up before supper, Katie Craig up for Milk, Irene Brown called in a tea time & Della went away with her. <u>B Groom</u> down at night. Tues May 31 Weather - Lovely day. Men D & N went over & finished baling at Mr Gies home before ten A.M. Straw 32 tons. men ploughed & Douglas <u>planted in garden</u> etc. Les took 1 load straw. Laura B came over for the afternoon stayed for tea, later Irene came down & Geo called & took them home at 11 p.m. Douglas Marion & I took <u>chicken boxes</u> back to Art Brown's, brought up some ice cream with us, for the folks. Lorne & his Mother called at 11 p.m. to see Della. Wed June 1 Weather - Lovely day, somewhat cloudy. Doug B ploughed, men sprayed orchard here, Cunninghams, Kelly's & Padgets. Della attended W.M.S. & <u>packing bale at church</u> stayed for supper. Douglas M & I went to Richmond Hill after supper Thurs June 2nd Weather - East wind & showery most of day, thunderstore at night Men sprayed Geo Brown's orchard, then ploughed rest of day. Douglas took Della down home after breakfast with cream to churn. he & M went down for her after dinner. I cut up <u>5 pineapples</u> to preserve. Norm & Della choir Practice Frid June 3rd Weather - quite warm to-day Douglas & N sprayed Brown's & Walkers orchard A.M. Douglas did John Boyingtons in p.m. I baked A.M. We washed in p.m. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a5af14069d022920c36b87932fa5d7a2.pdf 018fe6349eee5a17772bbca52d60000e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 men ploughed across creek. Dorothy up in p.m. Newton & L called for Della they went oer to hear at play at Cedar Grove. Mrs Craig here in the evening Produce - 97 1/2 Dz eggs, 10 pts cream, 2 cans cream Sat June 4 Weather - very warm Douglas went to market, J Hooper went with him, he could not get the W.M.S. bale in car so did not take it. Norm scuffled mangles, potatoes & garden. Doug cultivated. Douglas planted <u>glad, asters, Marigolds</u> at night. Callers to-night Florence Craig, Irene & Art Brown, Mother & Dorothy. Sun June 5 Weather - very wam thunder shower at 5 p.m. Art Brown, Bruce Bowes to fix Radio & Jimmy were here in A.M. Douglas & Norm went to church, We spent evening alone. Elmer Doan to speak to-night at Y.P.S. <u>Marion not feeling very well has a boil.</u> <u>I had a miserable night</u>. Mon June 6 Weather - very warm <u>Douglas took me over to Mrs A Hoods right after breakfast, babe born 12.15 noon</u>. Douglas & Marion came over at noon to see us also at night Tues June 7 Weather - Quite cool. Jr Institute picnic at Burrs. Della, Marion & Dorothy went. Wed June 8 Weather - a little warmer <u>men cut & planted potatoes</u> this week. Thurs June 9 Weather - Lovely day Institute convention at Unionville. Della over left Marion with me at Ada's Pat & Marion went up to Jacks for 6 bags potatoes A.M. cut & planted them in p.m. Frid June 10 Weather - Quite warm Jr farmer picnic at Preston Lake in p.m. Newton called to see me on his way up. Produce - 12 pts cream, 89 dz eggs Sat June 11 Weather - Quite warm. Douglas went to Market, took Marion down to his Mother's for the day. Came over to see me at night also Dorothy & Marion. Sun June 12 Weather - Lovely day. John called to see me in p.m. <u>Dorothy played in church to-day. {??}</u>Douglas & Marion attended church, called to see me at night. Mon June 13 Weather - Quite warm. Evelyn Babe born 1240 A.M. men finished hoeing mangles to-day Tues June 14 Weather - Quite warm Norm banked up potatoes to-day. Doug Wed June 15 Weather - very warm men repaired silo to-day. Thurs June 16 Weather - quite warm Men ploughed orchard. <u>Douglas & Marion came over for Babe & I at night.</u> <u>Mr & Mrs Hellems</u> in to-day. <u>were suprised to hear the news. WILSON's garage burned a.m.</u> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1435f0139c67ba507dbef3c4402e2110.pdf cb487f031aeb844f80a3594c08674b7d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Frid June 17 Weather - Lovely day but quite warm. <u>cutting sod away from trees</u> in orchard A.M. scuffled potatoes, & cultivated buckwheat ground Produce - 12 pts cream, 86 Dz eggs <u>Mother up for afternoon</u>, <u>Bobbie & Keith in to see Babe</u>. I got up a little while after supper. Sat June 18 Weather - quite warm. (Ruthie Gohn <u>birthday</u>.) <u>Betty in to see Babe in p.m</u>. Douglas went to Market, Dorothy & Doris Walton up in afternoon. Victoria Square party to-day. <u>I</u> got up in p.m. <u>did not feel very good</u>. Sun June 19 Weather - cool east wind. Douglas & Marion went to church. <u>Rev McDonald & Mrs Stiver called</u> in for an hour <u>to see babe & I</u> (to-day Stivers 25th wedding anniversary) I got up in afternoon. <u>Jack, Marguerite & Kiddies called</u> in for the evening. <u>Jimmie in to see Babe to-night. </u> Mon June 20 Weather - Easterly winds. Men <u>cleaned cistern</u> out, <u>whitewashed</u> separator room, stable, milk house & cellar to-day. ploughed ground for strawberries. we washed & Della washed cellar floor off in p.m. (I helped with washing a little) Mrs Craig here in evening. <u>Cut some hay to-day</u>, washed car to-night Tues June 21 Weather - Warm A.M. thunder & rain in p.m. Cut some more hay to-day. repaired silo, Paris green potatoes. <u>Mr Hellems called</u> in at noon to see Dorothy. <u>Mother, Newton & Dorothy</u> up for awhile <u>this evening</u>. choir practice (they brought dishes up.) Wed June 22 Weather - Cool & cloudy. Douglas & Marion went to Richmond Hill A.M. Men cultivated, shook <s>lumped</s> hay. I baked pies, cakes etc in A.M. John, Mother, Dorothy & Irene Brown here in evening Thurs June 23 Weather - Quite cool Mrs Craig here A.M. <u>men raked hay, lumped hay</u>, cut alfalfa, cultivated buckwheat ground twice & sowed buckwheat. <u>strong wind blew a maple tree down</u> out the lane. <u>Dorothy stayed overnight to help me & Della went to city</u> for the day with Brown's. girls & Norm went to choir practice. I cut out blue & white spot dress to-day. Frid June 24 Weather - Cool. men raked hay, lumped hay. Doug harrowed summerfollow. John up after dinner, <u>Mrs. Brillinger & Rhea</u> here in p.m. t<u>o see the babe</u>.. Produce - 82 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream. Della started red & white sweater Sat June 25 Weather - rained A.M. & rather cloudy rest of day. men cleaned up wheat, Douglas & Marion took a ladder down home after dinner. Mary, Gwenie, Mrs. Craig called before tea time. Billy brought up a crate of strawberries at supper time, he brought Margaret up with him. first time for me to see her (7 mon old) Lorne here at night Sun June 26 Weather - Beautiful day. <u>Douglas & Marion, Norm & Della</u> attended church. <u>Mother & Laura</u> came up with them <u>for tea</u> (used new dishes to-night first.) <u>Newton</u> & Laura called for Mother, they went over to the anniversary service at Headford to-night, (our choir (sing) <u>Mr & Mrs Hawk, Alex & Marion</u> called in <u>to see Dorothy Eileen to-night </u> Mon June 27 Weather - rained a.m. rather cloudy. Peonie show to-night Unionville. we did up 14 qts strawberries. I cleaned babe bonnet & washed shawl. men cleaned up wheat, scuffled potatoes etc. Pat got 30 roots <u>asparagus</u> this A.M. Mrs Craig up this evening. Hilda saw babe to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/446c1585352357dc203dfa6e660948e9.pdf b4c3d22e98ffbd3e45eabebf68352163 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 June 28 Weather - <u>Ideal summer day</u>. Doug rolled buckwheat ground, Norm cultivated summerfallow & raked hay A.M. In afternoon all lumped hay. we washed Ironed & sewed p.m. Della went to church to help clean in P.M. <u>Lorne & Della</u> city to-night. Wed June 29 Weather - Lovely in A.M. changed at noon & rained heavy all P.M. <u>men finished lumping hay</u> A.M. moved baled straw etc in p.m. Les up in afternoon. <u>Norm over to Robbs barn to-night</u>. I sewed P.M. Della knit at her sweater Thurs June 30 Weather - Lovely warm day. men hoed mangles A.M. & beans p.m. Billy here all day to (dinner) Spray man here in p.m. <u>Robbs barn dance to-night</u>. Della & Norm went to it, Della down home in A.M. <u>Drew phoned up a.m. (Marion on road)</u> In evening <u>Mother, Cora, Hazel, Stella & Dureen were here to see babe.</u> Frid July 1 Weather - rained very hard in A.M. Clearing in p.m. <u>Norm</u> went over to<u> help clean up at Robb's barn</u>. Della went down home. Doug B took the day of. Della, Norm, etc. went for a trip in afternoon. Douglas & I just busy with this & that. <u>Mrs. Hood, George Shaver & Grant here in afternoon.</u> <u>Georgina Padget & Betty later. Florence Craig in evening</u>. Produce - 74 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream. Sat July 2nd Weather - Showery A.M. Cooler p.m. Norm scuffled a.m. Doug harrowed, both ploughed in p.m. Douglas patched roof of little barn. Douglas & Norm went to store to-night. 1932 Sun July 3 Weather - Fair & cool. <u>all rested in A.M.</u> I picked 6 qt basket <u>green peas</u> & had them for dinner. Della went to S.S. Norm rode down with us. <u>Dorothy & I went down home</u>, <u>Douglas & Marion came over after church, we stayed for tea</u> Mon July 4 Weather - rained quite heavy A.M. men cleaned wheat a.m. & p.m. Les took 4 loads to Markham, we did not wash. Della Knit. <u>babe & I had a bad cold</u>. Della & Norm went to ball practice at Burrs then over to Jr Farmer meeting after that. Y.P.S. social to-night. Tues July 5 Weather - Fair. We washed & ironed to-day. men drew in hay all day. Les & Billy here using 2 wagons. Les took 2 load wheat. Pat & Norm turned hay out at night. Della went Practice Cedar Grove. Wed July 6 Weather - An Ideal day. Until between 615 & 8 p.m. rained heavy Les took 2 hogs to city. men drew in hay all day. Della went down home in p.m., left at 515 walked up to <u>D Brown's Garden party</u>. Douglas left at 730 for Garden party to. Thurs July 7 Weather - Showery most of day. Men cleaned wheat in A.M. Doug B & Della went up to Browns for 2 hrs to help clean up. <u>Doug, Norm, Billy went down to city to see a show</u> p.m. Della Knit most of day, finished sweater. She & Norm went to choir practice. Frid July 8 Weather - Fair & cool. <u>Produce</u> - 12 pts cream, 79 Dz eggs, beans men cut & lumped hay. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fa97301e7a583e1b7085fca6e2ebdba6.pdf f62869de6ffef46b6dd8aed1ef7767ac PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Douglas & Billy <u>sprayed</u> Walkers & Brown's <u>orchard</u> in A.M. boys cut road round sweet clover. Douglas sprayed Boyningtons orchard p.m. Cliff B, Elgin Gohn called in with new <u>Ford for Norm</u>. John called for Della Cedar Grove Practice. Jr Inst to <u>{Abeseford?}</u> to-day. Sat July 9 Weather - Fair & warm. Douglas & Jimmie sprayed our orchards to-day. Norm & Doug <u>raked</u> & <u>lumped hay</u> all day. Billy brought up 4 boxes <u>strawberries</u> at night. Marion, babe & I drove down home for the afternoon. Alex, Marion Jean & Kiddies there concert at Cedar Grove. <u>Harold Cunningham</u> married to-day. Sun July 10 Weather - rained heavy, clearing at evening. Jack, <u>Marguerite & Kiddies</u> came down before dinner stayed until 9 p.m. <u>Had picnic supper</u> here. <u>Alex, Marion, Roy, Mother, John, Dorothy, Della, Newton, later Norm & the 2 Lauras & Irene came and Lorne</u>. Douglas did not go to church. (<u>New potatoes</u> to-day.) Mon July 11 Weather - Lovely bright day. men lumped hay, cut hay, started to cut sweet clover but<u> tractor</u> would not work so Douglas & Marion went to <u>Garage & to Richmond Hill for repairs.</u> Mr Stewart & Stone were here for 50 bus wheat. Tues July 12 Weather - rain early A.M. then mostly cloudy. men turned out hay & drew in all day with 2 wagons & Les here. finished what was out. <u>Billy</u> heard to-day that he <u>passed entrance</u>. <u>Mrs Hellems called in A.M. to see Dorothy</u>. Lorne here night for Della went to city. Pat & Norm went Unionville Hair cut. Wed July 13 Weather - Lovely A.M. rained in afternoon. men lumped hay in A.M. Douglas spent most of morning <u>repairing binder,</u> got some sweet clover cut. about 15 min to 5 we left for the <u>S.S. picnic at York Memorial Park</u>. Newton called in A.M. & took Della & Marion with him. Doug & Norm hoed did the chores. Norm went on the Jr Farmer <u>Moonlight excursion to Niagara</u>. Thurs July 14 Mr J Lunau got 150 bus wheat Weather - Lovely warm day. Men cut sweet clover all day. Doug cut hay A.M. & lumped p.m. Doug B. milk all cows but 3. Mrs <u>W Elloitt</u>, Mrs R Elloitt & Mrs <u>F Elliott</u> & Ross called in p.m. <u>to see the baby</u>. Pat garage at night. McGee called at night with $48.00 for baling. Frid July 15 Weather - rather cloudy but fair. Men had 2 hrs finishing sweet clover, then drew in hay until noon, then <u>filled silo</u> in afternoon. I picked a few <u>black currants</u> after supper that is real ripe. Norm went for beef. Produce 76 Dz eggs Sat July 16 Weather - Lovely day. men finished silo filling & went home at 3 p.m. Then our men put in a few more loads themselves after that. Della & I picked <u>black currants & cherries</u> until 6 p.m. <u>Lorne</u> called after supper, <u>Della</u> went home with him for the night as they were leaving 7 A.M. Sun morn for the <u>1000 Islands</u>. Pat at garage. Norm went to a presentation for H Cunningham Sun July 17 Weather - Lovely cool bright day. Just Norm & Pat for breakfast, then they slept all forenoon. <u> Cora H, Florence E, Mrs Burton</u> here in A.M. we at 15 min to 8 p.m. for Marguerites. returned home at 11.15 took her 2-6 qt basket cherries. Norm attended church. Mon July 18 Weather - Lovely day. men cut, lumped, & drew hay in. <u>we picked & preserved fruit, girlies & I went to the Cradle roll & Mission band picnic at Mary Rodicks in afternoon</u> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/525682dcedf5320ab5a162fe7de3670a.pdf 3a1d46216493b74b6b668d2b23d43509 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Mrs Firth up in A.M. for chicken feed. Tues July 19 Weather - very warm, showers at night. <u>men finished haying to-day</u> & put rakings in top of silo & tank water. Mrs. Craig up in A.M. Laura & Dorothy called in afternoon, could not stay as <u>Rev and Mrs Sellars</u>, were going there. <u>Lorne & Dellato city at night</u>. Wed July 20 Weather - Showery and cloudy. Doug B <u>Cultivated orchard</u> A.M. Norm <u>scuffled potatoes</u> then they <u>hoed</u> potatoes rest of day. We had a <u>big washing</u>. Maty, Gwen, & Newton here in A.M. Della went down home p.m. Douglas & Marion Joff's at night. Thurs July 21 Weather - rained heavy A.M. very warm in afternoon. Doug ploughed after rain, Norm & Pat worked at tractor, then Norm scuffled. Pat went to Agincourt after dinner, then Della, Marion & I drove over to the <u>Institute meeting at Mrs. Fletts</u>. Good crowd. Florence Craig and Mrs Burton here after tea time. Dorothy came home with us. Frid July 22 Weather - Fair & warm, shower at night. Doug & Billy were <u>ploughing</u>, Norm & Douglas repaired tractor, Douglas went to Markham a.m. then at night again, <u>Della, Kiddies & I</u> went to Unionville called at Ada's, Jeane, Della called on Mrs Nash. <u>Nelson B</u> here after dinner. <u>Produce</u> - 75 Dz eggs, John brought up <u>gooseberries</u> at night. Saw Ada J & Leslie Dorothy. Sat July 23 Weather- quite Cool all day. <u>Norm</u> took day of for <u>Mulock picnic</u>, we left here at 12.30 Kiddies, Mother & I stayed at Marguerites, <u>Jack & Douglas</u> went to <u>picnic</u>. Della went with <u>Gohns & Mary Champion to help sell tickets</u>. home at 11 P.M. July Sun 24 - <u>3 little gosslings off</u>. Weather - Cool wind but hot sun. Della & Douglas went to church, <u>Rev M Sellars</u> preached. Lorne over at night. <u>Douglas, Kiddies & I</u> drove down to see <u>Aunt Lizzie, Agnes & Kate</u>. Mr & Mrs <u>Rodick</u>, Rev & Mrs Sellars</u> there also, Leslie on fishing trip<u>. July 25 Weather - Cool & Fair. Douglas & Norm <u>cut wheat</u> all day. Doug B had day of. We picked <u>berries</u>, preserved them also <u>gooseberries</u> & Washed in p.m. Della & Norm away at night. Jack Robinson here fence stretcher. Tues July 25 Weather - Came rain at noon lasted all afternoon. Men <u>cut & shocked wheat</u> in A.M. Leslie up for awhile, they cleaned up wheat in p.m. I made <u>apple pies</u> for the first to-day. Lorne & Laura called for Della at p.m. Wed July 27 Weather - Clearing & quite cool men ploughed A.M. Douglas hoed garden, cut & finished wheat & shocked in p.m. Della picked berries & I did up 6 qts. <u>I cleaned cook stove to-day</u>. Newton & Dorothy up at night for awhile. Thurs July 28 Weather - Partly cloudy - with light showers at evening. men shocked wheat all day. Douglas ploughed sweet clover. <u>Mother, girlies & I went over to Auntie's</u> for an hr or so in p.m. the girls stayed at <u>Jeans</u> & I called for them. <u>Dorothy</u> came up for tea. <u>Newton & Laura</u> called in after supper. Frid July 29 Weather - Fair & cool men ploughed all day. Katie Craig & Laura here for tea. Douglas & Marion took them home about 11 p.m. Produce - 70 1/2 Dz eggs. <u>Mr Mills</u> here in forenoon, <u>we had Dorothy Insured</u>. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7f6997e7d9cbc23ec58faf2c96bc71e3.pdf eebbbea9625052e6d02c6047b4897f14 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This page is a repeat of 50.pdf} 1932 Mrs Firth up in A.M. for chicken feed. Tues July 19 Weather - very warm, showers at night. <u>men finished haying to-day</u> & put rakings in top of silo & tank water. Mrs. Craig up in A.M. Laura & Dorothy called in afternoon, could not stay as <u>Rev and Mrs Sellars</u>, were going there. <u>Lorne & Dellato city at night</u>. Wed July 20 Weather - Showery and cloudy. Doug B <u>Cultivated orchard</u> A.M. Norm <u>scuffled potatoes</u> then they <u>hoed</u> potatoes rest of day. We had a <u>big washing</u>. Maty, Gwen, & Newton here in A.M. Della went down home p.m. Douglas & Marion Joff's at night. Thurs July 21 Weather - rained heavy A.M. very warm in afternoon. Doug ploughed after rain, Norm & Pat worked at tractor, then Norm scuffled. Pat went to Agincourt after dinner, then Della, Marion & I drove over to the <u>Institute meeting at Mrs. Fletts</u>. Good crowd. Florence Craig and Mrs Burton here after tea time. Dorothy came home with us. Frid July 22 Weather - Fair & warm, shower at night. Doug & Billy were <u>ploughing</u>, Norm & Douglas repaired tractor, Douglas went to Markham a.m. then at night again, <u>Della, Kiddies & I</u> went to Unionville called at Ada's, Jeane, Della called on Mrs Nash. <u>Nelson B</u> here after dinner. <u>Produce</u> - 75 Dz eggs, John brought up <u>gooseberries</u> at night. Saw Ada J & Leslie Dorothy. Sat July 23 Weather- quite Cool all day. <u>Norm</u> took day of for <u>Mulock picnic</u>, we left here at 12.30 Kiddies, Mother & I stayed at Marguerites, <u>Jack & Douglas</u> went to <u>picnic</u>. Della went with <u>Gohns & Mary Champion to help sell tickets</u>. home at 11 P.M. July Sun 24 - <u>3 little gosslings off</u>. Weather - Cool wind but hot sun. Della & Douglas went to church, <u>Rev M Sellars</u> preached. Lorne over at night. <u>Douglas, Kiddies & I</u> drove down to see <u>Aunt Lizzie, Agnes & Kate</u>. Mr & Mrs <u>Rodick</u>, Rev & Mrs Sellars</u> there also, Leslie on fishing trip<u>. July 25 Weather - Cool & Fair. Douglas & Norm <u>cut wheat</u> all day. Doug B had day of. We picked <u>berries</u>, preserved them also <u>gooseberries</u> & Washed in p.m. Della & Norm away at night. Jack Robinson here fence stretcher. Tues July 25 Weather - Came rain at noon lasted all afternoon. Men <u>cut & shocked wheat</u> in A.M. Leslie up for awhile, they cleaned up wheat in p.m. I made <u>apple pies</u> for the first to-day. Lorne & Laura called for Della at p.m. Wed July 27 Weather - Clearing & quite cool men ploughed A.M. Douglas hoed garden, cut & finished wheat & shocked in p.m. Della picked berries & I did up 6 qts. <u>I cleaned cook stove to-day</u>. Newton & Dorothy up at night for awhile. Thurs July 28 Weather - Partly cloudy - with light showers at evening. men shocked wheat all day. Douglas ploughed sweet clover. <u>Mother, girlies & I went over to Auntie's</u> for an hr or so in p.m. the girls stayed at <u>Jeans</u> & I called for them. <u>Dorothy</u> came up for tea. <u>Newton & Laura</u> called in after supper. Frid July 29 Weather - Fair & cool men ploughed all day. Katie Craig & Laura here for tea. Douglas & Marion took them home about 11 p.m. Produce - 70 1/2 Dz eggs. <u>Mr Mills</u> here in forenoon, <u>we had Dorothy Insured</u>. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/db107c3d1e07558e6f5c6b232883a489.pdf 0825a301d3e3396b707abc82262f0d06 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <u>1932</u> <u>Sat July 30</u> Weather - <u>Lovely summer day</u>. We picked berries in A.N. men all ploughed. Douglas attended the <u>funeral of Thomas McQuay, Rev Rae, Rev McDonald, Rev Sellars took part in service</u>. Newton called for Della at noon & went to the Y.P.S. picnic at men drew in 2 loads wheat this evening. Lorne called in evening. Douglas went out to store Sun July 31 Weather - Lovely day. Norm went over home for the day. Douglas & Marion attended church. Della went home about 1230 p.m. We went for a drive in the evening. Della walked up about 9. <u>Mon Aug 1st/32</u> Weather - Fair & partly cool. (<u>Lennox picnic</u>.) <u>Busy day</u> started <u>threshing</u> cleared 7 acres & threshed 22 loads wheat the boys from home & <u>Leslie</u> was here. <u>Dorothy came up with John</u> & helped all day. we <u>picked berries</u>, made 4 lots bean pickle. <u>I took John car & took Laura & Mother to Yonge St.</u> <u>Phyiss Padget</u> here with <u>Betty</u>. <u>Florence C</u> up in evening. <u>Newton called for Della</u> to go to Jr Farmers. Tues Aug 2nd Weather - Lovely cool day, hot Sun. East wind. Men busy threshing wheat, Boys here also <u>Dorothy</u>. She & <u>Della</u> went over to <u>Muriel Stivers to visit</u> for the afternoon. Mr J D Mills called at noon with <u>Dorothy In. policy</u> later with a <u>present</u> for her. Lewis & Muriel brought girls home a night, finished threshing by 630, then they moved machine down home. Lorne called in. Wed Aug 3rd Weather - rained most of night & early A.M. Norm & Doug B. took baler over & baled 8 tons straw for O. Cox. <u>Douglas, Marion, Della, Babe & I</u> left at 11 a.m. for <u>city</u>, returned at 5 p.m. Called to see Laura. Mr W Clark here just before we left. W.M.S. at Mrs Strivers. 1932 Thurs Aug 4 <u>Marion snap taken</u>. Weather - Fair & warm. Norm cut a field of <u>mixed</u> grain in A.M. Doug <u>shocked</u> D. They all <u>went down home & threshed</u> all but 2 loads wheat, we picked berries in A.M. & did them up in p.m. also ironing. <u>Boys & I did milking</u>. Frid Aug 5 Weather - quite warm S.W. wind. rain at night. Men <u>finished threshing at home</u> shortly after dinner, then they came up & brought tractor cut down a field grain & started another. Della went down home after supper. Florence C. here at tea time. <u>Receipt</u>. We all went to Richmond Produce - 66 Dz eggs Sat Aug 6 Weather - Quite warm. Pat & Billie men finished cutting large field mixed grain. Doug & Norm shocked, we cut front lawn in p.m. <u>Mr Hellems</u> called after dinner. 4 Dz eggs (Mrs Robins) <u>Phyliss, Georgina & Doris Walton</u> went there after dinner. Lorne over at night, also Mr & Mrs Dinsma. Sun Aug 7 Weather - rather cloudy with light Showers then Warm. Norm went to Grand Valley, Douglas & Maron went to city Saw Bill M. & visited at his Mothers. Doug & I did milking. Lorne here for tea then <u>babe & went down home</u> with him. L. & Della they went to Jean's. Jim McCartney called at noon. Mon Aug 8 Weather - Partly fair, rained in p.m. Men cut grain & shocked. Billie cut hay. They ploughed out potatoes in p.m. We washed, ironed, picked berries. <u>Irene, Laura, Miss Head, Dorothy came in the evening</u>, did hair, & got berries. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7f8767c9b3e34994983ea684d1e3f308.pdf c000a095c907d56e8ef53b0089cb250e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {repeat of 52.pdf.} <u>1932</u> <u>Sat July 30</u> Weather - <u>Lovely summer day</u>. We picked berries in A.N. men all ploughed. Douglas attended the <u>funeral of Thomas McQuay, Rev Rae, Rev McDonald, Rev Sellars took part in service</u>. Newton called for Della at noon & went to the Y.P.S. picnic at men drew in 2 loads wheat this evening. Lorne called in evening. Douglas went out to store Sun July 31 Weather - Lovely day. Norm went over home for the day. Douglas & Marion attended church. Della went home about 1230 p.m. We went for a drive in the evening. Della walked up about 9. <u>Mon Aug 1st/32</u> Weather - Fair & partly cool. (<u>Lennox picnic</u>.) <u>Busy day</u> started <u>threshing</u> cleared 7 acres & threshed 22 loads wheat the boys from home & <u>Leslie</u> was here. <u>Dorothy came up with John</u> & helped all day. we <u>picked berries</u>, made 4 lots bean pickle. <u>I took John car & took Laura & Mother to Yonge St.</u> <u>Phyiss Padget</u> here with <u>Betty</u>. <u>Florence C</u> up in evening. <u>Newton called for Della</u> to go to Jr Farmers. Tues Aug 2nd Weather - Lovely cool day, hot Sun. East wind. Men busy threshing wheat, Boys here also <u>Dorothy</u>. She & <u>Della</u> went over to <u>Muriel Stivers to visit</u> for the afternoon. Mr J D Mills called at noon with <u>Dorothy In. policy</u> later with a <u>present</u> for her. Lewis & Muriel brought girls home a night, finished threshing by 630, then they moved machine down home. Lorne called in. Wed Aug 3rd Weather - rained most of night & early A.M. Norm & Doug B. took baler over & baled 8 tons straw for O. Cox. <u>Douglas, Marion, Della, Babe & I</u> left at 11 a.m. for <u>city</u>, returned at 5 p.m. Called to see Laura. Mr W Clark here just before we left. W.M.S. at Mrs Strivers. 1932 Thurs Aug 4 <u>Marion snap taken</u>. Weather - Fair & warm. Norm cut a field of <u>mixed</u> grain in A.M. Doug <u>shocked</u> D. They all <u>went down home & threshed</u> all but 2 loads wheat, we picked berries in A.M. & did them up in p.m. also ironing. <u>Boys & I did milking</u>. Frid Aug 5 Weather - quite warm S.W. wind. rain at night. Men <u>finished threshing at home</u> shortly after dinner, then they came up & brought tractor cut down a field grain & started another. Della went down home after supper. Florence C. here at tea time. <u>Receipt</u>. We all went to Richmond Produce - 66 Dz eggs Sat Aug 6 Weather - Quite warm. Pat & Billie men finished cutting large field mixed grain. Doug & Norm shocked, we cut front lawn in p.m. <u>Mr Hellems</u> called after dinner. 4 Dz eggs (Mrs Robins) <u>Phyliss, Georgina & Doris Walton</u> went there after dinner. Lorne over at night, also Mr & Mrs Dinsma. Sun Aug 7 Weather - rather cloudy with light Showers then Warm. Norm went to Grand Valley, Douglas & Maron went to city Saw Bill M. & visited at his Mothers. Doug & I did milking. Lorne here for tea then <u>babe & went down home</u> with him. L. & Della they went to Jean's. Jim McCartney called at noon. Mon Aug 8 Weather - Partly fair, rained in p.m. Men cut grain & shocked. Billie cut hay. They ploughed out potatoes in p.m. We washed, ironed, picked berries. <u>Irene, Laura, Miss Head, Dorothy came in the evening</u>, did hair, & got berries. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a7eed0cacb78280bbe216e29fb89b833.pdf c5c9006b06a36cc2b41132d1d787c27a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 <u>Mother Birthday</u>. <u>Tues Aug 9</u> Weather - Fair, partly cool with light showers at noon. men finished cutting grain at 4 p.m. the goose wheat & shocked then raked up hay. <u>Della Kiddies & I drove down home Pat & Norm come down later, all there but Alex & Laura</u>. Wed Aug 10 Weather - Cool, with <u>heavy Storm & rain</u> about 330 p.m. Doug harrowed A.M. Norm off jobs, Pat cutting weeds with sythe. Started to bale wheat straw at noon, but when rain came stop then. <u>Della did not feel well</u> in bed all A.M. all went bed early. Thurs Aug 11 Weather - Fair & cool. <u>Norm & Billie ploughed in A.M. with horses</u>, Doug cut weeds along lane & in mangles. Douglas & Marion went down home to fix threshing machine. Norm went to Unionville at night. baled straw in afternoon. Frid Aug 12 Weather - Lovely cool day men finished baling shortly after dinner, Doug went down with John & Newton to <u>shock grain</u>. Douglas, Norm & Billie <u>lumped hay</u>. Lorne & Della</u> went to <u>Garden party at Call Hood's, also Norm</u>. Produce, - 67 1/2 1 bus. apples. 61 1/2 Doz. eggs. Sat Aug 13 Weather - Lovely cool day. men drew in 3 1/2 loads hay, put some baled straw in barn, went down home to thresh in p.m. Jimmie & I did milking, Della went down home Alex etc. supper. Our folks brought her home. <u>Laura Brown, Jean Scott Mrs B & Mrs Manning here p.m.</u> Sun Aug 14 Weather - Lovely day. <u>I was in bed</u> all morning & part of p.m. <u>with Flu</u>. Douglas, Marion & Norm went to church Lorne & Della to a Lake. We went to Aunties for tea. 20-6 when we got there. Mon Aug 15 Weather - Quite warm. men all down home threshing, we washed. I did not feel very good yet. Norm & Della went with Geo brown to Dimma's <s>last</s> to Jr. Farmer meeting. Tues Aug 16 Weather - quite warm. men all down home threshing finished & had machine home 730. Della & Marion were down home for the afternoon. Lorne & Della went to city at night. <u>Mr Hellems brought honey over to-da</u>y. Leslie up to milk. Wed Aug 17 Weather - Lovely A.M. rained most of afternoon. men busy threshing here, rain came after dinner & stopped it all. <u>10 girls planned to go to island in afternoon, Della sick, had Dr. McDonald</u> over at noon. Dorothy up in A.M. she left at noon, Mrs. Brown & Mother came at noon & stayed until Newt & Girls called at 11.15 p.m. Thurs Aug 18 <u>Newton brought cedar chest home - Unionville </u> Weather - Rained heavy early a.m. clearing and cooler. <u>Doug</u> had day of getting teeth out, Douglas & Norm repairing machine etc all day. Dorothy & Mother up with John in A.M. Dorothy stayed, I attended <u>Jr. Insitiute at Mrs. J Curtis</u>, went <u>with Charlie, Hazel, Cora Alice W. They called to see babe on the way home.</u> Frid Aug 19 Weather - Cloudy and cool. Doug harrowed wheat ground, Norm pulled weeds, Billie Douglas picked apples & repaired threshing machine, <u>Dorothy here yet, Della up for supper</u>. We did up beets & finished the berrie picking. Produce - 60 Dz egg 5 bus apple. Sat Aug 20 Here at night Weather - Beautiful day. Lovne, L Brown, Irene & a friend, Mr Padget here at night. men threshed all day, <u>Douglas did not feel very well all day</u>. Johnson here helping https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/922d44bceaccf4f9406f8242e338a12b.pdf a31ed47fbb6b32a6f357a81185c18dd2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Sun Aug 21 Weather - Lovely day. Douglas, Marion & Norm attended church, Rev Rae preached, Mrs. Rae spoke in Sun. School. Dorothy went down home before dinner, Lorne here in p.m <u>Della in bed</u>. Mon Aug 22 <u>Rose C. here to-day</u>. Weather - Quite warm, rain in afternoon about 4 p.m. <u>men threshed</u> until rain came, <u>Dorothy came</u> up with the boys A.M. <u>Irene, Laura & Verna Dinsmore here</u> A.M. 2 men to see about baling at tea time we picked 3. 11 qt basket plums Tues Aug 23 Weather - Moderately warm. men repaired fence, cleaned chaff of barn roof A.M. Mom a.m. threshing in p.m. <u>Mary & Gwenie</u> up most of afternoon, <u>Mrs.Craig</u> here in evening. Wed Aug 24 We washed. Weather - Quite warm. men <u>finished threshing</u> at noon. started to draw manure p.m. Norm attended St dance at Richmond Hill to-night, Dorothy went home p.m. Thurs Aug 25 Weather - very warm, thunder shower 4 p.m. men <u>drew manure</u>, Douglas <u>picked apples</u>, <u>we all went to Jean's at night</u>. Della & Marion drove down home with Tom for Cedar Chest P.M. Frid Aug 26. <u>Ex. opened to-day</u>. Weather - Quite warm with rain in afternoon. Douglas & Norm away baling, Doug & Billy ploughed in A.M. <u>picked chickens</u> in afternoon, <u>Produce</u> 551/2 Doz. eggs 10 chicks 1 bus apples. Sat Aug 27 Weather - Fair & very windy in p.m. men <u>finished baling</u> at noon, <u>ploughed</u> in p.m. Della went down home to-night Em Brown called in at night with Jam, Douglas at store. 1932 <u>Sun Aug 28</u> Weather - Lovely cool day. <u>men slept in</u> A.M. after dinner we went over & got <u>Bob, Jean, girlies</u> went <u>on up to Jack's</u>, as they were away, we went on <u>up to Lake Simcoe</u> had our supper & called in for an hr or more at Jacks. Our folks had been there & left 1/2 hr before. home at 10 45 p.m. Mon Aug 29 Weather - Cloudy with light showers. <u>Men ploughed & drew manure</u>. <u>The old Gentleman had Doug B down in the barnyard,</u> we were <u>very much frightened</u>. ro-day Kiddie day at the Ex. we washed. spent evening at home. Tues Aug 30 Weather - Cool, rained early A.M. men ploughed, Doug drew manure all forenoon, then ploughed <u>Mother, Kiddies & I</u> went over <u>to Myrtles</u> for some strawberry plants, then <u>Della & Marion</u> stayed at home for tea as <u>Muriel S Mary & Margaret Armstrong</u>were there. Douglas went down home for them Wed Aug 31 Weather - very, very warm. <u>hotest day yet</u>. men ploughed all day. <u>The Eclipse on the Sun this afternoon</u>. <u>Pingles</u> 2 girls here for apples in p.m. we went to Richmond Hill to-night Thurs Sept 1 <u>Della & Lorne away</u>. Weather - A little cooler. men ploughed all day. <u>Billy started high school.</u> we did up, <u>plums, peaches & Chili sauce</u>. <u>Pat Reid here</u> to-night for heifer calf. Norm went Unionville Frid Sept 2 Weather - Lovely day. men ploughed, Douglas ploughed & cultivated before dinner, picked chicks & apples P.M. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/791331b73cfc67a69baabc534f43d4c5.pdf 2bca083f77bd3ae775588898927807c8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 two men here in p.m. to see about <u>a new windmill</u>. Lorne here to-night Produce - 47 Dz eggs, 10 chicks, 3 bus apples. D store to-night. Sat Sept 3 Weather - Cloudy & showery A.M. rained & thunder at night. men ploughed & harrowed cleaned seed wheat, Douglas went to the Ex to-day left 10 a.m. home 1130. Dorothy came up to-night to stay over, Newton called later. Joff down for a calf. we did up 9 1/2 qts chili sauce, I got new everyday shoes to-night. <u>Sun</u> Sept 4 Weather - Lovely cool day. <u>Norm</u> left after breakfast, <u>Della & Dorothy</u> riding down with him. Douglas attended church. Mary. Gwenie, Iileen <u>Pratt</u> here for a <u>visit</u>. Mary brought a lovely <u>dress for Dorothy</u>. <u>Mrs Craig</u> called at tea time, spent the evening at home. <u>Lorne & Della</u> came later. Mon Sept 5 Weather - Moderately warm. Borm picked pears, Doug harrowed & cut clover in p.m. While cutting <u>the dog (Bob) ran in front of mower got 3 feet cut, one right off</u>. Phyliss & Georgina Padget there p.m. three people here <u>looking at place to buy</u>. We all went to the <u>dance at Unionville. Ford car given away.</u> (they wanted Marion to pick the ticket, we thought her to young to understand.) Tues Sept 6 Weather - Quite cool a little Squally like fall day. Norm picked peas A.M. & cut thistles Doug harrowed, they ploughed p.m. Douglas ploughed all day. Mrs. Craig up A.M. & John. 2 girls from <s>padgets</s> Pingles here Joff & Ashton, Lorne at night, <u>made chow & chili sauce.</u> Wed Sept 7 Weather - Rather cloudy & cool. men ploughed, <u>Norm & Della went to the Ex to judge, clothing & horses</u>. Della went with Charlie & Hazel Thurs Sept 8 Weather - an ideal day. Doug B had day of to the Ex. Norm & Doiuglas ploughed & drew 1 load red clover over to Padgets to thresh. <u>Della, Mother, Girlies & I</u> motored over to Myrtles for some more S berry plants called at Jeans on way back Della went in home for supper, <u>girlies both asleep on my knee</u> up the road while I drove. Norm to practice, Pat store. Frid Sept 9 Weather - lovely day. Norm took another load clover to Padgets & helped thresh it then he ploughed till noon with Doug. Douglas gathered in pears & apples. Geo Brown down & <u>made some cider</u> for himself to take to market. Mrs Craig up in A.M. for apples. 2 girls from Pinges over in p.m. Billie Bloom down at night for a calf Norm & Della went to City Della stayed down. Douglas went to <s>market</s> Lodge at Markham <u>Produce 3 bus pears 5 bus apples, 6 gal cider 42 1/4 Doz eggs 20 chickens, flowers.</u> Sat Sept 10 Weather - Lovely day. men ploughed all day. I quite <u>busy making catsup</u> etc. Sun Sept 11 Weather - Lovely bright day. <u>Newton brought Mother, Marguerite, Della, Dureen & Howard up after dinner</u> for Della's hat, <u>then girlies & I went down with Douglas & stayed at home then</u> he came over after church for tea. John away for weekend. Laura & Art Brown called while we away. Mon Sept 12 Weather - Lovely day. Douglas cultivated, men ploughed a.m. <u>picked St Laurence apples</u> & cleaned wheat P.M. we washed. E Duncan, E Hill here to see about baling D to R Hill to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cd95ddfdae2f7faeb7042efcb31073b3.pdf 772b6a99e51681c2fb2bfea83bc5191d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 First load straw went Monday sept 12 Tues Sept 13 Weather - Cloudy easterly winds, rained heavy at night. Douglas <u>cultivated</u> wheat ground, Doug <u>rolled</u> it & Norm got half the field across pond sown with wheat, <u>Della went to city with jJohn, Mother</u>, <u>Leslie took</u> 2nd load <u>straw</u> this A.M. <u>Walter Craig</u> up this evening. I went out there for 11 qt <u>plums</u> Wed Sept 14 Weather - Lovely day. Doug <u>picked pears</u> A.M. etc., finished sowing wheat to-day. I drove down to the W.M.S. at night at church. Thurs Sept 15 Weather - An ideal day & evening. (<u>moonlight</u>. Doug harrowed, Norm <u>picked apples</u> A.M. & Douglas fixed tractor in p.m. They cut <u>buckwheat</u>, <u>Mother & Laura came up</u> in the afternoon, We stayed with Kiddies Della & I went with Laura to <u>Jr Institute</u> at Dells <u>Stephensons</u>. <u>Stouffville there to.</u> I went with Hooper's down to the <u>Y.P.S Corn Roast.</u> Fri Sept 16 Weather - Lovely & cool. <u>men picked apples & made cider</u> in A.M. finished cutting buckwheat in p.m. & <u>picked 20 chickens</u> after 4.30. <u>produce</u>, 6 gal cider, 20 chicks 5 bus apples, 9 pts cream, 6 bus pears, 43 Dz. eggs. Sat Sept 17 Weather - cloudy, rained +& cool. Boys <u>shocked buckwheat</u> & did some <u>chopping</u>, Douglas cultivated, Carl B. bought home fertilizer seeds in p.m. <u>Norm went up to Jack's</u> for the night. <u>Della attended</u> Jr <u>Farmer corn roast at Champion</u>, then went to <u>Cedar Grove</u> for over Sunday. Sun Sept 18 Weather - An <u>Ideal fall day</u>. Douglas & Marion attended church, <u>Uncle Jim Hood's came up for tea & spent the evening here.</u> 1932 <u>Walter Craig</u> here in A.M. <u>Ross Cunningham</u> in p.m <u>Lorne</u> at night Mon Sept 19 Weather - Mostly cloudy rained early A.M. <u>Norm went to city with Leslie</u>, when he look a springer away. He then came and took a load of <u>baled straw</u> before dinner, this 3rd load. I made tomato soup A.M. <u>Rhea & Mary up for the afternoon</u> went <u>to choir practice with Norm & Della. Betty up to see about flowers erc. for S. Fair</u>. Tues Sept 20 Weather - cloudy & very warm. men <u>picked apples</u>, Douglas took Mother, Della, Leslie and I over to the <u>school fair at Unionville</u> in p.m. Della stayed at Jean's for tea , Leslie took the 4th load baled straw at noon. Wed Sept 21 Weather - cloudy,warm and cooler at night. We canned <u>12 qts 6 pts corn</u> in A.M. did some washing p.m. Cora came over & helped Della & I cut up 1 lb butter for <u>corn roast in Youngs flats</u> in the <u>Y.P.S.</u> men picked apples, Douglas cultivated Mother up in for the evening while rest at corn roast. 70 their. Thurs Sept 22 Weather - cloudy & showery. Norm & H Allen went to Mr Rodicks to help with <u>silo filling</u> & Douglas Doug up to Joffs all home by chore time, I made more tomato soup and& I did up peaches. Della and Norm went to choir practice at night. <u>Mrs Vanhorn funeral to-day</u>. Fri Sept 23 Weather - Northerly winds & cool. Norm down at <u>Rodicks & W Brooks Silo filling</u> home for supper, tea {?} did not work well. we picked chickens in p.m. Pat & I. <u>John up in the evening also Lorne</u> here, he & <u>Della</u> went to the city. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/58db1bdecf8556e050177b48383768ae.pdf 6b3720ab2e96866e6cd801e5386380f6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 <u>Produce</u> - 20 chickens, 6 pts cream, bus apples, 6 gal cider, 42 Dz eggs Sat Sept 24 Weather - Fair & cool. men <u>finished silo filling at Brookes</u> in A.M. <u>Went to W Clark</u> p.m. <u>Pat & I milked 15 cows</u>. Della rode down home with Norm when he went to Unionville <u>Sun Sept 25</u> Weather - An Ideal day. We attended anniversary service in p.m. <u>Rev McLaughlin</u> preached. <u>Rev McDonald</u> also there. Dorothy came up with us for tea. Douglas & girlies went down to his Mother while I at church. <u>full</u> called in home for me. Lorne & Della here evening Mon Sept 26 Weather - Cool east wind, Party cloudy. Boys finished <u>silo filling at Boyingtons</u>. Douglas <u>harrowed</u> A.M. Doug harrowed p.m. Douglas cultivated, Norm <u>picked apples</u> . 2 men here to see about get baling done. We <u>washed, ironed & took up flowers</u>. Norm & Della went to<u> Y.P.S. meeting</u> at Stoufville. Tues Sept 27 Weather - rained A.M. Cloudy then <u>rained heavy</u> at night. Men ploughed, cleaned pig pen etc. Douglas, Della, girlies & I <u>went to city,</u> <u>got Marion a winter outfit</u>. Wed Sept 28 Weather - Cool & squally. Men <u>ploughed & picked apples</u>. Della Knit at Dorothy blue city. I sewed fur on my (dyed) Brown suit. Douglas went over to <u>L Middletons for dinamite</u>. <u>Newton brought Mother & Laura up for the evening. had fireplace going. Douglas got a milk pail mushrooms A.M.</u> Thurs Sept 29 Weather - Quite cool & N.W. winds. Men picked apples. Douglas <u>picked winter pears</u>. <u>Della Knit</u> & I finished suit. Pat blew up maple stump 6 sticks dy in A.M. Doug & Norm over <u>filling silo at Hoopers</u> in p..m. <u>Geo Brown</u> down at noon. Mrs Craig up for the evening. Billie, Pat & I did milking. Frid Sept 30 Weather - Cool, showery all a.m. Clearing p.m. Men finished silo filling in A.M. home early & made cider picked 20 chicks. Mr Craig up A.M. for apples. Geo Brown down, made cider. Lorne & Della went to city night, John & Dorothy up for awhile. <u>Produce</u> - 28 Dz eggs, bus apples, 20 chicks, pt cream, 6 gal cider, 10 Pidgeons Sat Oct 1 Weaher - Fair, a little warmer. men started pulling & drawing <u>mangles</u>, Douglas treated second bin wheat for weavel. Doug B went to fair P.M. <u>I drove down home with girlies in p.m</u>. then Dorothy, Mother & we went with John & Newton to <u>Jean's for the afternoon</u>. they called for us on way home from M. Fair. Norm away to-night, Douglas to store. Della went to <u>Markham Fair</u>, stayed at Lorne's for wk-end. Sun Oct 2 Weather - Lovely day. Bob, Jean & Girlies called in A.M. on their way up to Marguerites. Billie, Jimmie, Peggy here also. Norm went over home for the day. Marion & I went to church. Douglas & Dorothy went down to Mrs Hood. <u>Gordon & Lillian</u> here when we arrived home stayed for tea & evening Mon Oct 3rd Weather - Cloudy & damp. Men pulled & drew mangles A.M. threshed <u>buckwheat</u> out in field p.m. Leslie up helping. we washed & went down home in p.m. with cream to churn. John up for 3 calves in a.m. <u>Manager here of Loews theatre at noon to buy some land.</u> Mrs Craig & Mr Lunau here also. Della https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9e3bdcbf83f74148186b2b250cebde66.pdf a7a449031badf6197d571fa75401a9e2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Norm attended Y.P.S. meeting Stouffville. Douglas at Store to-night. I cut & <u>made nighties for Jean's girlies</u>. Tues Oct 4 Weatjer - Strong S.W. Winds partly cloudy. drew in mangles first then started about 10 A.M. to thresh buckwheat finished at 6 p.m. moved machine up to barn. Billie & I did milking. Mr. Padget got 2 cows A.M. to board for winter. <u>Jim Atkinson here A.M.</u> Mr. Lunau here at 5 p.m.Leslie up helping thresh. Lorne over for Della to Jr. Farmer meeting at Unionville then went to Jean's for night. Wed Oct 5 Weather - Cloudy, showery strong S.W. winds. men chopped feed etc. Douglas left at 6.30 for Meaford also John, Mr Lunau Mr Chadwick to fish arrived down home for supper. Mrs. Craig up p.m. Norm took girlies & I down home after supper, I went to W.M.S. at church. They gor 2 fish, 6 lbs. {?} Thurs Oct 6 Weather - cool & windy. someone moved into Mr Hooper house to-day. men drew manure A.M. & mangles P.M. Douglas set buckwheat stack on fire at noon. Norm went to choir practice Della came back here with him. Frid Oct 7 Weather - Fair & cool. men pulled & drew mangles all day. Mr R. Hamilton here with Mr Hellems. <u>Mr A Nichols died this evening</u>. <u>Produce</u> - 7 pts cream, 14 chickens, 6 gal cider, 10 Pidgeons, bus apples. 22 Dz eggs. An Insurance agent here p.m. Sat Oct 8 Weather - Fair & cool. Men finished mangles at noon & put thresher in barn & other implements away. <u>Mr Brunstein here</u> at noon, <u>but no Sale for 8 acres, to high price,</u> Douglas & Norm went to Unionville to get haircut, Lorne here evening we had, ice cream, blue & green grapes & our own grown muskmelons. Sun Oct 9 Weather - Lovely day Dorothy came up in A.M. & stayed for lunch went down with Douglas Marion & I when we went to church, while Della stayed home & minded Dorothy. Billy here in A.M. After church, we went over to Jean's for tea & evening, had nice time, <u>Anniversary at Headford</u> to-night. Newton, E Craig Laura Della & Norm here when we got home. Mon Oct 10 Weather - Cloudy A.M. clearing at noon with rain at night. Doug had day off. Norm working on land A.M. & went to Fair in p.m. Geo Brown before dinner & a man here for baled straw p.m. Douglas took up 5 bus beets 4 carrots A.M. pumpkins & picked apples p.m. We washed & <u>I made grape wine</u> while Della went out to E. Craigs & got hair cut & waved. had roast chick dinner. Tues Oct 11 Weather - Quite Cool, North W winds (strong) men <u>picked potatoes</u> all day. Della went to Dr Barker at Markham left 9 A.M. home by 5.45 <u>had dinner at Aunties</u> called at Jean's & home Mrs Craig called at tea time. <u>Wed Oct 12</u> Weather - quite cool & windy (a little snow) men picked potatoes all day. Douglas & I went with Newton & Motjer to the fowl <u>supper at Headford</u>, there was a full church & good supper. Seth Parker play given by Y.P.S. of Barrie. Thurs Oct 13. Weather - a little warmer. Men at potatoes again to-day Jimmy here also. Della & Marion went over to see Hazel for the p.m. Lorne here at night & they went <u>to Stouffville for</u> her teeth. Norm went to Choir Practce (church.) https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8e8faeb28b956ca92876b72e5e1e6cfe.pdf 59f1f8f373cd16b314e02108a1226d20 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Frid Oct 14, 1932. Weather - Fair & warmer. men finished potatoes in middle p.m. then Doug made cider. Norm Douglas & I picked chicks. <u>Produce</u>, 14 Dz eggs pts cream gal cider 10 chicks bus apples Sat Oct 15 Weatjer . Lovely day. Men drew manure A.M. & all picked apples in afternoon. Douglas drew burnt seeds & ashes away were <u>buckwheat</u> was burned. Della & I attended Jr In. at Mrs. Brodie's, <u>we left girlies with Dorothy</u> & took Mrs Craig, Cora, Mother. Norm away at night, Douglas store & Lorne & Della went away. Sun Oct 16 Weather - <u>A wonderful Oct Sunday.</u> men slept all forenoon & attended church p.m. not so many out to-day I stayed & Kept girlies, Bob, Jean & girlies called for awhile in p.m. then Jack, Marguerite, Kiddies here from 8.30 to 1030. Lorne & Della came later. Mon Oct 17 Weather - Dull all day. We washed, Men picked apples A.M. Doug & Norm went down to W Boyntons baled straw, Douglas, Jimmy & I did milking. Frank Hands here A.M. Leslie at noon, <u>Mr Sidall & Mr Bradley</u> in afternoon. Walter Craig at tea time, Tues Oct 18 Douglas went to garage <u>hunting meeting</u> on, Della & Norm to Stouffville. Weather - Cool N.E. winds. men all picked apples A.M. Leslie to Im p.m., Norm & Leslie baled straw at Mr. Padgets, Douglas & Doug picked apples 62 bus for the day. Mr & Mrs Hellems over p.m. Mrs Hellems in for awhile Della & Marion walked down home Dorothy & I went out to Mary Brown's. Lorne & Della city night, Douglas went to a <u>stag party</u> at J. Goulds. Wed Oct 19 Weather - <u>An Ideal day</u>. Doug & Douglas picked <u>87 bus apples</u> to-day. Leslie & Norm finished baling straw in p.m. I took Mrs Craig, Cora H. Rhea Scott, Mrs McTymspy down to Agincourt W.M.S. meeting, Unionville there also. Mrs. Turnbull addressed meeting. Douglas attended <u>Masonic banquet Rich Hill, Della finished rose wool (panties to-night for Marion, </u> Thurs Oct 20 Weather - Cloudy, turning Cold at night. men picked apples all day, I attended Quilting bee at church. Della Kept Kiddies, <u>Mr Mills here p.m. selling silk hose</u>. Jim McCartney here A.M. Also Mrs Craig & Mr Padget, Norm & Della went to Choir practice. Frid Oct 21 Weather - Cool & windy. <u>Men picked apples all day. 96 bus, </u>Della went with Charlie H to Unionville to the achievement day for the Institute etc. Lorne here at night. Produce, 7 D eggs. 6 gal cider. Sat Oct 22 Weather - Lovely sunny day. <u>men picked apples all day. 67 bus. Mr Mills here A.M. we bought some hose. I went up p.m. playing, Marion, came in 4.30 got into Dorothy basket & went to sleep</u>. Della walked down home. Men at store until about 11 p.m. Sun Oct 23 Weather - Lovely cool day. Edith Craig, Betty & 4 Aderbridge girls here A.M. John brought Mother up, we left at 11 30 A.M. for Marguerite returned about 10 P.m. Della here, <u>Dorothy had a terrible night with cramps.</u> Mon Oct 24 Weather - Cool N.E. winds. <u>Men finished picking apples this afternoon</u>, & drew out 2 loads manure burned potato tops. we washed & <u>took cream</u> down home <u>to churn</u> in p.m. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a359ce6ebce24a0f6542b376ee4fabb7.pdf b0b984af4245702e83d3dd741a4cd77e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 had about <u>18 lbs</u>. Norm went to Stouffville at night. Della home Knitting. <u>Stewart McQuay died A.M.</u> Tues Oct 25 Weather - Lovely day. Men drew manure all day, with wagon & spreader. Leslie took 4 hogs to-day. <u>Mr Sydall & Bradley here</u> p.m. Della Knitting. Wed Oct 26 Weather - cloudy A.M. rained all p.m. Della & Mrs Craig went to Youngs' 8 a.m. to bake for threshers Jack brought her home about 8 stayed for 1/2 hr. Lorne came later for the evening. Norm went to city after dinner. Douglas & Doug chopped feed did chores etc. Thurs Oct 27 Weather - Bright A.M. showery in p.m. <u>men ploughed all day</u>, Douglas <u>cleaned top of silo etc .</u> I went with John & Mother, up to <u>Stewart McQuay's funeral at Ivy</u> left at 1030 a.m. home by 8.30 p.m. left up there at 6.30 p.m. <u>had dinner at McQuarys & tea Norm Cove Wosthe {cut off}</u> a very <u>large funeral</u>. Frid Oct 28 Weather - Lovely & bright cool. men made cider picked chicks etc in A.M. all ploughed in p.m. Della in bed all day with cold, Mrs Craig up at tea time. Douglas Norm attended the preparatory service at church. dance at Victoria Sq. Produce, 12 chicks, 6 pidgeons, 7 Dz eggs. 12 pt cream 6 cider, apples. Sat Oc t 29 Weather - cool, cloudy & rained p.m. Men cleaned hen, houses, chopped feed etc . Shut up 1 pullets D & Norm did after supper then N went to Store. Lorne & Della went to city. Sun Oct 30 Weather - cool. & Fair. we all attended church Kiddies & I rode down with Norm D went earlier, we folk, Mother & Laura went down to Alex's after supper for 2 hrs. Iileen Pratt & Gwenue called for awhile before tea time. Mon Oct 31 Weather - Cool E winds rained p.m. & night. we washed. men drew manure, Leslie brought a load of coal - city Norm went to Stouffville. Della went down to stay with Mother - boys away. Tues <u>Nov 1st 1932</u> <u>Our Tenth Wedding day.</u> Weather - rained a.m. ckearing in afternoon. Windy, Doug B took day, of. Norm ploughed, <u>we went to city in afternoon got bedroom paper</u> $3.00 <u>& went to a show saw Billy House</u> brought Alex Marion & Roy with us, after arriving here, we sure got a <u>surprise when all our folks came & gave us a Kitchen show</u> (a real surprise) <u>green & white granite</u>. We finished Mation Birthday Cake. Wed Nov 2. 1932 Weather - cloudy & showery p.m. Men drew manure all day wagon & spreader. Mrs Craig up A.M. 2 Toronto dairy men here P.M. I attended W.M.S. meeting in p.m. church. Lorne & Della went down home to-night. <u>Billy, Jimmy, here to-night</u> Douglas - store. Thurs Nov 3, 1932. Weather - 1st Heavy frost last night. Bright & cool. Men drew manure all forenoon, Norm & Douglas ploughed part of afternoon. Doug drew manure. Della got back about 5 p.m. from city with John. Walter Craig up this evening. Frid Nov 4 Weather - Lovely day. rain during night. men drew manure & ploughed, Produce - 6 pts cream, 6 gal cider, 20 Dz eggs, 10 chicks. Della went to a dance at Malvern with Lorne, men went to store. finished carching Pullets 207 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/531c449b1dace2c15a19131b51b07e87.pdf b5fae06dbc46aad7d2364f8b0a05e42c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sat Nov 5/32 Weather - Lovely day, Sunny. men ploughed all day. Douglas went down home A.M. <u>got half a pig</u> - John, so we <u>made sausage & rendered lard.</u> men at store to night. <u>Jimmy</u> came up to <u>stay over night</u>. Della sewing at Brown dress, jumper. Sun Nov 6 Weather - Lovely bright day, misty early a.m. Norm went over home until chire time, <u>Jimmy here breakfast</u>. Lorne & Della went to Marguerites for dinner. <u>Douglas</u> left here at 330 A.M. <u>on hunting trip</u>. Marion & I walked over to Cora's in afternoon & carried Dorothy. Billy & Jimmy here Sup. Newton brought Della up after supper. Mon Nov 7 Weather - Still more lovely. warmer. Padget & Hay men here working at <u>Windmill</u>. Della & I took paper of S.W. room to-day. Men drew manure. Billy brought long rug up, & helped {chores?} here breakfast <u>made headcheese after supper.</u> Tues Nov 8 Weather - Fair strong easterly winds. <u>Billie here for breakfast.</u> Men drew manure. Norm ploughed p.m. we got walls filled (Cracks) & sized. Frank Dimma, Loyd Armstrong, Newton & Norm <u>played cards</u> Lorne Della went to city. Wed Nov 9 Weather - Cold east wind, came rain about 5 p.m. horrid night. Men ploughed. man here seeing about baling. Mrs Calvert & J French here A.M. I got ceiling <u>painted</u> & woodwork washed of. Thurs Nov 10 Weather - cloudy, clearing about noon (cool.) men chopped feed A.M. had 11 Oclock dinner then went up to bale <s>10</s> 6 3/4 tons hay at John {pestor?} I <u>painted</u> woodworks in bedroom & helped milk. <u>girlies & I</u> all alone to-night. Della & Norm went Jr Farmers. Victoria Square bowl supper. Frid <u>Nov 11</u> <u>Billie here breakfast</u> Weather - wet day, colder at night, <u>Had fire in furnace to-night for first</u>. Men <u>clipped cows</u> A.M. & part of P.M. then Made cider. I gave ceiling a second coat paint & varnished furniture <u>produce</u> - 10 eggs, 7 pts cream, 4 gal cider, 3 bus snow apple, Choir Practice. Norm & Della did not go. Sat Nov 12 Weather - cold day. Doug ploughed all day. Norm chore A.M. ploughed p.m. A Men here A.M. for fence stretchers. <u>Dorothy came up in p.m. Stayed for tea, Della walked down with her</u>, Lorne here, brought Della back, Norm Store. Sun Nov 13 <u>Norm shot Bob & buried him</u>. Weather - Cold. some snow. Della walked down to S.S. Norm took girlies & I to church, he went to Y.P.S. at night Doug & 2 Allen boys did chores. Walter brought Della up. Mon Nov 14 Weather - Rain ed A.M. Clearing. Men ploughed. Mr brought fence stretchers back, brought Mother up A.M. I painted (dull) coat ceiling & we <u>papered room</u> in afternoon. John came up for her at night. Newton Burr phoned A.M. <u>Billie here breakfast Lewis Stiver rushed to hospital</u> 4 A.M. Tues <u>Nov 15</u> weather - dull, cloudy, all day, with <u>snow & rain at night</u>. men ploughed, we had a 2 wks washing, I painted woodwork in p.m. John up for Della to go to Dimma's. Walter up for Norm meeting at church <u>Cora H here for the evening with me</u>. Wed Nov 16 Weather - North, east, wind with <u>snow all day. ground covered.</u> men chopped A.M. Doug cleaned out hen houses p.m. & Norm took switch tract to Richmond Hill, John & Mother brought Della up about 5 p.m. from city. I finished Painting woodwork in A.M. & scrubbed floor. in p.m. <u>Billie here breakfast</u>. Leslie & Nelson came home to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9cf564db1c7684bd0f17aaa41111bceb.pdf 6713e922851f7ebc10e6c4174ed25df3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 Thurs Nov 17 <u>Pat bought home 1 deer 3 partridges</u> Weather - <u>Lovely Cold bright day, ground covered snow</u>. <u>Men fixed litter carrier track.</u> Della, Marion & I went to Mrs Stiver Jr I. meeting with Charlie & Cora left Dorothy in home. We put rug on floor A.M. <u>Douglas arrived home at 11 30 p.m. Tim & Jim Rattle came home with him.</u> Della & Norm attended choir practice. <u>Billie</u> did not stay breakfast not Well, but <u>stayed supper</u>.. <u>Mrs E Dixon died.</u> Frid Nov 18 Weather - milder. <u>Men</u> drew manure on sleigh. Douglas picked over pears apples etc. attended <u>Late A Nichols sale </u> p.m. at night he & I went <u>to Agincourt</u> to a <u>special church service</u>, real good. Norm away with Newton for supper. <u>Della Kept girlies. Lorne over</u> <u>produce</u> - 7 pts cream, 1 bus pears, 3 apples. Sat Nov 19 Weather - cloudy, a little snow, colder at night. Doug had day off. Norm & Douglas fixed litter carrier track. Leslie brought our deer here at night from Mr Pinder's. Sun Nov 20 Weather - Cloudy & Mild. we all attended church in p.m. Laura came home with us & walked down to Y.P.S. at night. had <u>partridge for dinner</u> & supper <u>Billie here supper</u> Mon Nov 21 Weather - cool N.W. wind bright. men drew manure all day. Padget & Hay men here in A.M. finished <u>windmill</u>. Norm attended Jr Farmer meet, at Isobella. <u>Douglas went to Lodge at To See Rev McDonald get 3rd Degree</u> Tues Nov 22 Weather - lovely bright day (cool) men drew manure A.M. ploughed p.m. Douglas put Storm Windows on. Lorne here to-night. 1932 Wed Nov 23 Weather - cloudy some sleet & rain. Douglas & Doug picked chickens A.M. & chores. John brought Mother up after dinner. She & Della sewed at Laura jumper. After supper, we all went over to Jean's for a couple of hrs. we took John to. <u>Norm had day of to city. got a car,</u> Walter C up at tea time. Thurs Nov 24 Weather - Cloudy & milder. men chopped apple tree & sawed. picked chickens. I attended Thank Off meeting of W.M.S. at church in p.m. Mrs Spencer spoke Indian of the West. Jimmie Atkinson spent the evening here, Billie here supper Della went down choir practice (none) Rodicks brought her home. Frid Nov 25 Weather - Lovely mild day. men worked at trees & chopped feed. Doug & Norm baled straw at Mr Rodicks in p.m. Douglas picked chickens etc. Walter C here tea time Lorne & Della went <u>Produce</u>, - 8 pts Cream, 10 chickens 14 dressed hens, 14 pidgeons, 1 Dz eggs, 2 bus pears, 13 bus apples. Sat Nov 26 Weather - Cold bright day. men worked at trees. <u>Douglas put sink in pantry</u> A.M. etc. p.m. men to store at night. Sun Nov 27 Weather - <u>A Wonderful bright day. Cold.</u> Norm over home for day. Dorothy up in A.M. She, Della & Marion walked down home 11. A.M. Then Billie up for awhile. we went down to church called in home for Marion first & saw the Ashes. after supper D & Mariom wemt to city Dorothy & I walked over to See Mrs Tucker came up Lorne & Della. Pat & Marion home 20 -12. Mon Nv 28 Weather - <u>Lovely bright day.</u> men drew manure A.M. & fixed at Norm car p.m. I washed. Lorne https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fc0b29882d59c1d34f282df7b677108a.pdf 1ad0c2965b374d4b92e38cf18c9af659 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. 1932 here before breakfast for Della to go city & home again by 11 A.M. Mr & Mrs <u>Hellems</u> here in p.m. Douglas, Norm & Newton went up to Jacks to play cards left 6.30 pm. home by. Tues Nov 29 Weather- Lovely day Douglas & Norm baled until 4.30 p.m. at Mr Rodicks. Doug did up chores then went home before dinner to attend the funeral of his Uncle. Douglas took Della & baking etc down to church at 5 p.m. as it was our supper & Concert given by Mr Tees & orchestra. took in $54 00 I drove down alone. <u>Douglas Kept girlies.</u> Wed Nov 30 Weather- an Ideal day. Douglas & Doug baled all day at Mr. Rodicks. Norm went to city A.M. home at noon & did chores. Della went down to church about 4. Newton brought her up later Norm & she practice, Douglas store. stayed home. Thurs Dec 1 Weather - cloudy (partly) Doug drew wood A.M. <u>had to let cows out water, no wind for a week</u>. Douglas Norm at Mr Rodicks baling home by 5 p.m. Douglas called got Della to {ld?} for Dureen bedroom box that John made. I cleaned our bedroom. Frid Dec 2 Weather- Partly cloudy <u>S.W wind (welcome)</u> men chopped A.M. & pruned maple trees, Doug took team & went up home p.m for load wood for himself. Douglas took circular saw to Markham in p.m. Marion went him, he went store at night. we cleaned Kitchen to-day. Produce - 1 Dz. eqq 3 bus pears, 9 bus apples. 7 pts cream. Sat Dec 3 Weather - Fair & mild. 1st practice men cutting apple trees etc. Della went down to practice for concert at church. Katie Craig here about 4.30 p.m Norm store night, we work late. 1932 Sun Dec 4 Weather - Strong S.W wind. Douglas, Norm & Della went to church. I Kept Kiddies, Billy here supper, <u>Some excitement about 20 to eight, that Mr J Thomson house on fire </u> Douglas & Norm went over & first there. Lorne & Della came up later, had <u>fireplace going for 3 days now.</u> Mon Dec 5 Weather - Strong S.W Winds. Lovely wash day. we ironed, cook beets for beet pickle, <u>Della finished Maion house sweater,</u> <u>men ploughed all day 2 teams & tractor</u> Douglas did not stop for his dinner, Norm & Della went to Jr Farmer meeting Unionville Tues Dec 6 Weather- rained most of day. Men <u>trimed maple trees</u> & chores. <u>Marion, Douglas & I went to city</u> for the day. <u>Della Kept Dorothy</u>. Douglas went to <u>St John Hospital in p.m.</u> Wed Dec 7 Weather- rained all day, clearing at night & cold. Men just jobbed about, Douglas & Marion went to Markham p.m. for circular saw. Man here in evening, (Morgage Discount). <u>Stan Bartlet</u> down <u>to see about hiring</u>. I made 11 qts beets, cabbage pickle, <u>Della Knit</u> Marion <u>brown mits</u> in p. m. Thurs Dec 8 Weather- cloudy & cold. men <u>digging out apple trees,</u> I attended <u>Annual W.M.S meeting</u> in p.m. at church, Norm went to choir practice, Lorne & Della to dance Malvern. Frid Dec 9 Weather- bright & quite cold.- men <u>worked a trees,</u> I made <u>& put curtains</u> up in Della room. Douglas <u>Lodge</u> at night. <u>Produce,</u> 27 eggs, 7 pts. cream, 10 bus apples 3 bus pears. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/899fbaf6d62d84f07c9fcd2fe3097797.pdf fc924cf6f164f66f42197b7e4cbebfe0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. John Lunau<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>July</td> <td>July</td> <td>{Jn?}</td> <td>Thomson</td> <td>Nason</td> <td></td> <td>July</td> <td>July</td> <td>Thomson</td> <td>Nason</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>1.25</td> <td>100</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td><u>1.25</u></td> <td><u>1.00</u></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3/4</td> <td>25</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>D</td> <td>D</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>26</td> <td>1</td> <td>1</td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>.</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>27</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>28</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td>29</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>6</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>30</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>7</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>31</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>8</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>9</td> <td></td> <td>S</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>10</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>11</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>12</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>13</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>14</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>15</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>16</td> <td>D</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>17</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>18</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>19</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>20</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>21</td> <td>1/2</td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>722</td> <td>1/2</td> <td>1/24</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>23</td> <td>PD 13.75</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>24</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <table> 1932 <br>Sat Dec 10 Weather - cloudy, cold east wind. men worked at trees, Douglas, Marion, went to Markham a.m. Della went to practice in p.m. then went down again home at night with Norm.</br> <br>Sun Dec 11 Weather - cloudy, cold east wind, <u>snow at night</u>. Marion & I went to church with Norm, spent evening at home.</br> <br>Mon Dec 12 <u>Bob & Jean 4th wedding day</u> . Weather - cold & stormy <u>Men loaded old gentlemean into truck Pat and Les took him to city. $29.00</u> <u>John</u> came at 10 a.m. <u>with Mother for girlies & I to go up Marguerite's had dinner</u> & and he left about 2 p.m. for home. Men chored. Della practice at church P.M. & Jr Farmer dance night.</br> <br>Tues Dec 13 Weather - <u>Very cold S.W. wind</u>. <u>Men drew wood</u> & Doug got saw at Calverts. Douglas store night D& N home.</br> <br>Wed Dec 14 Weather - Still <u>cold</u> S.W. wind. <u>Men sawed wood</u>. Della practice in p.m. & She, Norm, choir Practice at night Douglas left 4 p.m. for Sharon arrived about 5 & we all left at 930 for home.</br> <br>Thurs Dec 15 Weather - very <u>cold</u> North wind. <u>men carried wood into woodshed</u> in A.M. <u>Norm</u> attended <u>hunt club banquet with Wilt Rodick</u>. <u>I went with Cora & Mr Hooper to Mabel Stewarts Jr In meeting</u> not many out. <u>Della Kept Kiddies</u>.</br> <br>Frid Dec 16 Weather -Bright & not so cold. Doug had day of & back for chores. Norm to city. Della to practice at</br> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/78dc114ced24832250dfa873e801c836.pdf dd446219d183f23d8f44750ead518e8f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <br>1299 8 h + 3 /24 /690 +75 /5.65 </br> <br>Mr Waker Mr Krill Wokers Mr Krill </br> <br>June 1st 3 11lbs Pork 1.00 Plants .15</br> <br>week 5 1/2 5 1/2 Peas .40</br> <br>2nd 3 Pork 1.00</br> <br>3rd Cush 5.00</br> <br>Bug .35</br> <br>Beef .55 9.04</br> <br>Beef 39</br> <br>Overalls 35 J Waker</br> <br>Beef 40 sept 12 By Oct Day +</br> <br>Beef 35 13</br> <br>Beef 45 14</br> <br>Beef 50 15 <u>16</u> 18 19 20 21 22 <u>23</u> </br> <br>B- - 50 Plums .45 <s>26 5 </s> 28 29 30 <u>31</u> </br> <br>1/2</br> <br>" 65</br> <br>1 Bl Wheat 65</br> <br>Beef 40 12.44 + 400 = 16.44</br> <br>" 45 75 + 75 /375 + 75 /1025 + 35/10.50</br> <br>" 25</br> <br>" 20</br> <br>Hoeing roots & Corn</br> <br>Days works Received Cash .25</br> <br>20th 1/2 day O Thirtle .75</br> <br>21 1 " D.Manure 1.00</br> <br>22 1/2 " Clothes 6.00</br> <br>23 1 " Ploughing Cash 2.00</br> <br>24 1/2 & 1 Hour & manure " Raising " 6.00</br> <br>26 3/4 Day Ploughing & Cattle Laundry 20</br> <br>27 1 Hoeing</br> <br>28 1 </br> <br>29 1</br> <br>Thurs Dec 22. Weather - an Ideal day. bright & mild. Douglas to city all day. Men drew wood <u>made cider</u> clean hen houses. etc. Norm over to his home at night. Produce - 13 1/2 Dz eggs 7 pts cream 2 1/2 / 4 1/2 cider apples.16 Dz eggs</br> <br> Frid Dec 23 / Weather - <u>rained </u> heavy part of day. cloudy. Douglas went with Billy A.M. for W Youngs eggs & <u>wrote Gordon</u> before he left men drew wood. Went down home in p.m. <u>I made pudding for Mother</u>, then we <u>all</u> attended <u>Xmas Concert at Church</u> at night. <u>Della got her diamond ring to-night Lorne's birthday.</u></br> <br> Sat Dec 24 Weather - rained. men chored & drew wood finished at noon Douglas city all day. Norm to city at night.</br> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/869e9fd23418ec4dc4e8aac692779cab.pdf c82883c046ca463168f36f062e3ae2a1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <br>Notes due in fall of 1899</br> <br>Ifreight- Dec 1st $45 00</br> <br>- - - 16 00</br> <br>Banker- Nov 15 83 50 73 50 83.50</br> <br>Hooper & Ludford " 22 77 00 77</br> <br>Spray Motor Co London " 24 18 00 <u>18</u></br> <br>Mike Cooney A.D. 1900 Jan 28 38 00 178 10</br> <br><u>Xmas</u> - Peterman A.D. 1900 Mch 9 100 00</br> <br> Sun Dec <u>25</u>/32 Weather - Lovely day mild. We all went to church in p.m. had <u>Dorothy christened</u> to-day, 6 months 19 days old. She was real good & <u>looked sweet</u>, spent the evening at home alone.</br> <br> Mon Dec 26. Weather - Lovely mild bright day. Norm went over & got his Father & Aunt Jane & went down to have dinner at W.A. Pattersons. We had dinner at home then Men all went over to nomination in p.m. Back for supper <u>everybody home this year for Xmas 21 in family & 2 extras, Nor, & Lorne</u>.</br> <br> Tues Dec 27 Weather - Lovely day. men sawed wood. I washed. Dougas attended Lodge at Markham & Agincourt at night Leslie went with him. I Kept Kiddies here. Jimmy & Betty up to see <u>Xmas Axes</u>.</br> <br>Buttonville Jan 9th 1899</br> <br> Mike Cooney Comminus for 1 Year @ $175.00 <table> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>receipts</td> <td>time lost</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jan</td> <td>24</td> <td>sick</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>25</td> <td>"</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>26</td> <td>"</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Feb</td> <td>15</td> <td>at Barkers sale</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>19</td> <td>Hauling wood with team</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Mch</td> <td>3</td> <td>Cash</td> <td>$5.00</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>15</td> <td>Oats</td> <td>2.13</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>21</td> <td>Hauling wood with team</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>24</td> <td>"</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Apr</td> <td>4</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>8</td> <td>Cash</td> <td>5.00</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>12</td> <td>off for Doctor</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>13</td> <td>"</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>#</td> <td>26</td> <td>Cash on Reccor Afs</td> <td>2.40</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>May</td> <td>2</td> <td>Hay</td> <td>1 20</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>12</td> <td>Creamer & Strainer Pail</td> <td>1 20</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>18</td> <td>1/2 day getting Boots Rpd</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <table> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/90c1478226a7fd30d925d39f23f00a9b.pdf fd96b99464cc82970b649cfee1aedc65 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wed Dec 28. 1932 School meeting to-day Charlie Hooper elected as new trustee Weather - Lovely mild day. muddy, men finished sawing wood to-day. Myrtle B, Marie B, Edna Dorothy Dalmidge here for the afternoon playing with Kiddies. Norm & I attended annual meeting of the Y.P.S. and Social. Norm made Pres. Douglas Kepr Kiddies. Thurs Dec 29/32 Weather - Lovely A.M. cloudy p.m. men dtew manure. Della & Dorothy up p.m. stayed for tea left for home at 815 to Walk. Norm went with Brown boys to the exective meeting of Jr Farmer at Hammils. Frid Dec 30 Weather - Cloudy A.M. rain in p.m. & night. men dew manune in A.M. made cider & <u>butchered 2 little pigs</u> for Market in p.m. Douglas picked <u>3 geese</u> A.M. finished <u>venison</u> to-day. produce - 13 bus apples, 5 gal cider, 2 geese, 12 pts cream, 321/2 Dz eggs, about 25 or 30 lbs, 2 small pigs <u>Sat Dec 31</u> Weather - very cold strong S.W. winds. Doug drew manure & also Norm. Douglas went to market to-day. Art Brown down at night for 1. Dz. eggs. Norm away to-night. <u>Kiddies went to bed about 10 30. we stayed up to see Old yr out & New Year in.</u> <br> Arthur Robinson Commenced May 22nd 98</br> <table> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Cash Recd</td> </tr> <tr> <td>June</td> <td>24</td> <td>Pair Boots</td> <td>$1 50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>25</td> <td>Cash</td> <td>50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>30</td> <td>"</td> <td>50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>July</td> <td>26</td> <td>Overalls & Shirt</td> <td>1 50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>29</td> <td>Braces</td> <td>25</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Sept</td> <td>6</td> <td>Cash</td> <td>3 00</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Oct</td> <td>7</td> <td>"</td> <td>2 00</td> </tr> <table> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3fc82216245f3dfee98b5fb26e12fd05.pdf 6cb330678d4178453df514e167ff924e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Albert Aster commenced work April 4th 1898 at $1050.00 for year Lost time May 24th 1 <br>June 15 1/2</br> <br>Sept 7 1 </br> <br>Oct 7 1</br> <br>Received Cash $2 00</br> <br>July 29 Hat 1 00</br> <br>Sept 7 Cash 2 00</br> <br>Oct 7 " 2 00</br> <br>Nov 19 " 63 00</br> <br>------- -------------------- $70 00</br> <br>$1.00 00</br> <br>70 00</br> <br> --------</br> <br>Ballance $3000</br> <br>April 3 Cash on Cossitt note 17 00</br> <br>" " Interest " " " 75</br> <br> " Repairing watch " 25</br> <br> " Postage " 15</br> <br> " Repairing set screw " 10</br> <br> -------</br> <br> $18.25 </br> <br><u>18.25</u></br> <br>$11.75</br> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/aa14638c5461ea8786a1e352e794cda3.pdf 5e267bfb78ab03eff33e825aec918cbe PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <br><u>Wedding suit</u></br> <br><u>(Brown) dyed Sept 24/32</u></br> <br>Price $4.00 at Parkers.</br> <br>Nov 1st 1932 Kitchen</br> <br>shower of green & white granite</br> <br>1. Preserve Kettle</br> <br>1. Vegetable pot. with lid.</br> <br>1 potato pot ... lid</br> <br>1 dish pan</br> <br>1 double boiler... lid</br> <br>1 tea kettle .. lid</br> <br>3 sauce dippers.</br> <br>3 sizes all lined</br> <br>white enamel.</br> https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fb1abd6c5da966585bf43b1a144ca0a5.pdf ed3bbe34a618d029aa6ce617992eacba PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Back cover of diary Brown, blue and red marbled, red binding, ink stain on bottom) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Edith "Gertrude" Brown Hood Diary Collection Subject The topic of the resource 20th Century Rural Ontario Diaries Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Edith "Gertrude" Brown Hood Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1912-1970 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, York County, Markham Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Multiple-authored Brown Family Diary & Transcription, 1912-1929 Edith "Gertrude" Brown Hood Diary & Transcription, 1929 Edith "Gertrude" Brown Hood Diary, 1932 (includes Orchard Record 1889-1890) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Markham Museum Language A language of the resource English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Edith "Gertrude" Brown Hood Diary, 1932 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Edith "Gertrude" Brown Hood Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Markham Museum Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1932 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, York County, Markham Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 1, 1932 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Edith "Gertrude" Brown Hood Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress Done Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 - Jan - Dec (note the apple orchard recorder 1889-90</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Laura 48 Eastbourne Harold Scott, little girl born Aug 26. 1932, Willie Boyington little boy born Aug 25, 1932</p> <p>{In left margin next to main text block two drawings of sectioned circles with 'Beret' written below}</p> <ol> <li>811</li> </ol> <p>Janet Brown's Beret made with Byl # "g" Hook 8 balls - Angora {Largette Furida?}</p> <p>4 chain close, 6 single chrochet into ring</p> <p>next row, 2 S.C into every stitch</p> <p>next row: 2 s.c into first stitch, 1 s.c into next</p> <p>repeat around row</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} nto 1 stitch, 1 s.c into</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} s.c into next, repeat</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} epeat this way always</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} more stitch between</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} sc until 12 stitches</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} way between {first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper}on the increased points</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper}nches diameter, then</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} se increased till</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} work 4 rows</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper}back of stitch.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{written on insert}</p> <h2><span class="mw-headline">A Prayer For the New Year 1918</span></h2> <p>O to walk continually, without a break, in Thy prescence and power, dear Lord! O that Thou mayest attain to Thy fullest purpose in me! O that I may know Thee in a very real way and the power of Thy resurrection! O to be led deeper and deeper into the depths there are in Thee! O that Thy glory may shine through all that is human and earthly in me that it may be manifested in the transfiguration! O that the abounding life of love pulsating from Thy very heart through this humble member of Thy body may be felt by others! O to be more sensitive to the displeasure of the Spirit when in my life He sees that which is not Christ! O that the Wind - the Spirit- may blow through every nook and corner of Thy temple that there may be life in circulation and that the inner atmosphere may be ever pure! O absolute, entire, complete surrender to Thy Word through the Spirit in actual experience that I may be used of Thee in ministering to others in the power of God! O to wait more upon Thee to understand the need in the lives of others from Thy point of view! O that in me Thy work may be translated to life!</p> <h3><span></span><span class="mw-headline">" There Jesus said... Great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." Matt. 15:20</span></h3> <p>{written on right hand page}</p> <ol> <li>811</li> </ol> <p>Janet Brown's Beret made with Byl # "g" Hook 8 balls - Angora {Largette Furida?}</p> <p>4 chain close, 6 single chrochet into ring</p> <p>next row, 2 S.C into every stitch</p> <p>next row: 2 s.c into first stitch, 1 s.c into next</p> <p>repeat around row</p> <p>next row, 2 s.c into 1 stitch, 1 s.c into</p> <p>next 1 s.c into next, repeat around, repeat this way always adding one more stitch between the increase until 12 stitches between</p> <ol> <li>now increases half wat between increases for one row</li> </ol> <p>next row increase on the increased points</p> <p>repeat from # until 9 or 8 inches diameter, then decrease alternately as increased till correct head syc &amp; then work 4 rows single corochet in the back stitch.</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} se increased till</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper} work 4 rows</p> <p>{first portion of sentence obscured by added piece of blank paper}back of stitch.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Right Page}</p> <p>When Marion was 1 yr &amp; about 8 months old she loved to step dance around by radio music. She had her first burn on the stove Mar 18/32, 8 wks of 2 yrs old. Could talk pretty plain now, say all the Riddies names at store Uncles John, Newt, Bob, Jack Jim etc. she fell of a ladder when men picking apples in fall 1932 abput 10 or 12 feet high. at Xmas time she could say Little Bo peep, Jack Horner, Humpty dumpty. If I scold her, she would say back "now you old beggar, I says." Could talk pretty well over telephone. Feb 16,1933 Marion went up with men when drawing ice for ice house. rode on sleigh. Feb 14 1933 she went down to School with Betty. they had ice cream, she was away from 1 to 330 p.m. Feb 10 &amp;17. 1933 Marion made 2 apple pies baked them in oven &amp; put them on the for dinner we all sampled them. at 3 yrs she washed dishes for me, when I was real busy.</p> <p>{Left Page}</p> <p>Buttonville May 1889-90</p> <p><br />Plan of Orchard plated in the two above mentioned years</p> <p>Rows numbered from West- End</p> <p>Trees in row Numbered from the South side</p> <p>Trees died the first year marked with an +</p> <p>Trees died the second year marked with an O</p> <p>{Written at bottom of page in handwriting similar to that on Right Page}</p> <p>Xmas boxes 1932 I gave away. <br />Mother Wool blanket + hose 5.00 6.39 Margaret - 25<br /><br />Alex Marion Roy } 1.00 Gwenie - 125 Edith C 20 Mrs B - 10c<br /><br />John - 1.00 29 Ruth John 10c 30 Jean - 90<br /><br />Newton - 1.--<br /><br />Della Pot 1.25 - 5.69<br /><br />Dorothy - 1.15<br /><br />Wilhemine - 1.76<br /><br />10 Mildred - 86<br /><br />Marguerite -119<br /><br />Dureen - 110<br /><br />Howard - 41<br /><br />Douglas - 5.35<br /><br />Marion - <br /><br />Dorothy - 1.00<br /><br />Auntie - 65<br /><br />Myrtle - 59<br /><br />Mary Rodick - 28<br /><br />Rhea S -29<br /><br />Mrs Brooks - 20<br /><br />Mrs Brown 29<br /><br />Cora H 39<br /><br />Betty 50</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <h3><span></span><span class="mw-headline">{Right page}</span></h3> <p>{Page is numbered: 1}</p> <p>{The text below is written Vertically across the margin}</p> <p>West end</p> <p>Russian No 230</p> <p>1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline">Left page</span></h3> <p>{page is numbered: 2}</p> <p>{Written Verticaly across the margin}</p> <p>182 Russian-Urkaine No. 290 3to13 Russian No. 277 {Vargul?}</p> <p>{Author writes the rest horizontally}</p> <p>Veal Calves - 1932 B mean baby calf</p> <p>June 11 fat hogs (sold.) 4 fat hogs, 3 Selects. @ $3.90 per ham</p> <p>{Diarist lists the following}</p> <p>Jan , 1 calf 1 calf</p> <p>1 calf</p> <p>Mar 28 1 calf</p> <p>1 calf</p> <p>1 calf John 13</p> <p>Sept 3 1 .. {Joff?}. B</p> <p>Sept 2 1 .. Pat Reid. B</p> <p>Sept 6 2.. John B.B</p> <p>.. 6 1.. JCalvert. B</p> <p>.. 9 1.. JCalvert. B</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} {Page is numbered: 3}</p> <p>{The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 Krischaptel 2to13 Russian No 413 - bross</p> <p>1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13</p> <p><br />{Right Page} {Page is numbered 4}</p> <p>{The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 to 11 Russian No. 290 Urbane 12 {is?} 13 Russian apricot</p> <p>1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} {The page is numbered as: 5} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>142 Russian {Translaunt?} 384 Bradshaw (plum) 5 46 Saundey 188 Waver 98 10 Eng Morello (Cheug) 1/8/2 Ostheme 12 Litham</p> <p>1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13</p> <p>{Right Page} {The page is numbered as: 4} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 to 5 D-Anjou 6 to 9 Famous Beauty 10 &amp; 11 Bartlet /28/3 Ribson</p> <p><br />1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 12</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <p>{Page is numbered as:7} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 to 11 Sutton Beauty /28/ 3 Lady</p> <p>1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13</p> <p><br />{Right Page} {Page is numbered as:8} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 to 13 Scot Winter</p> <p>1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} {Page is numbered as:9} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 to 12 Famuse or Snow 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12</p> <p>{Right Page}</p> <p><br />{Page is numbered as:10} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 Famuse 2 to 11 Wealthy.</p> <p>1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11</p> <p>about half a dozen apples in the year 1891</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 11} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 4 Pewaukee 9 &amp; 10 Wealthy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9</p> <p></p> <p><br />{Right Page} {Page is numbered as:12} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1to 4 Pewaukee 5 to 9 Salome 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 13} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} 1 to 8 Salome 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8</p> <p>{Right Page} {Page is numbered as: 14} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 to 7 Gano 1 2 3 4 5 6 7</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 15} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 to 6 Gano 1 2 3 4 5 6</p> <p></p> <p>{Right Page} {Page is numbered as: 16} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1 to 5 Salome 1 2 3 4 5</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 17} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>1&amp;2 Longfield 3&amp;4 Salome 1 2 3 4</p> <p>{Right Page} {Page is numbered as: 18} {The text below is written vertically across the margin} Longfield 1 2 3</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} {Page is numbered as: 19} {The text below is written vertically across the margin}</p> <p>Longfield 1 2</p> <p>{Right Page}</p> <p>Bought - from Mr. Lunau</p> <p>Ap 1 70 Eggs 05 $ . 05 @09 6.30</p> <p>8 20 - - 92 1.90</p> <p>15 30 - - 9 2.70</p> <p>22 30 - - 9 1.55</p> <p>- 15 - - Calvert 9 1.35</p> <p>29 30 - - Lunau 9 2.70</p> <p>- 15 Calvert 9 1.35</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <p>Apr 1st Sold C Clayton 15 - C Gible 22 - Proven 29 - -</p> <p>Eggs &amp; $</p> <p>67 6.7</p> <p>8.3 .85</p> <p>19.2 1.84</p> <p>11 10/12 1.18</p> <p><br />June 8 5 lbs Butter @ 15 90</p> <p>3 6 doz Eggs 14 84</p> <p>July 8 5 lbs Butter @ 18 90</p> <p>3 6 doz Eggs 14 84</p> <p>10 - 5 - - 15 75</p> <p></p> <p><br />{Right Page} Ms Kirkpatrick</p> <p>on Ge of Harness</p> <p>{Everything in line with the dollar sign on each item is supposed have a dollar sign too, even though the diarist didn't write it.} march 9 5 3/4 Butter ~ @ .20 $1 15 2 doz eggs ~ .15 0. 36</p> <p>April 1 5 lbs Butter ~ .20 115</p> <p>- 7 g doz eggs ~ 12 1/2 070</p> <p>- 15 4 - 12 1/2 050</p> <p>- - 5 lbs Butter ~ 20 100</p> <p>-6 6 doz eggs 12 1/2 75</p> <p>May 6 6 doz eggs ~ 123 75</p> <p>April 22 Cash ~ 5 00</p> <p>May 13 5 lbs Butter 1 19 95</p> <p>- - 6 doz eggs 1 121/2 0.75</p> <p>- 27 5 lbs Butter 1 18 90</p> <p>- - Cash 1 500</p> <p>6 doz eggs 12 1/2 75</p> <p>June 10 53 - T 12 1/2 66</p> <p>17 6 - - 7 12 1/2 75</p> <p>7 lbs butter 18 126</p> <p>1 doz eggs 13</p> <p>June 24 1 - - 13</p> <p>1 lb Butter 18</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>[Left page]</p> <p>1 Mrs. Britnall</p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Eggs<br />doz</td> <td><br />cts</td> <td>Vegetables<br />&amp; Buttermilk</td> </tr> <tr> <td>March 2</td> <td>5 1/2 lbs Butter</td> <td>$1.05</td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 9</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.64</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 18</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>2 1/2</td> <td>.37</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 25</td> <td>3 lbs -</td> <td>.60</td> <td>1</td> <td>.13</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Apr 1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>2 1/2</td> <td>.32</td> <td>.05</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 7</td> <td>2" -</td> <td>.40</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td>.06</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 15</td> <td>2" -</td> <td>.40</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td>.03</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 22</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td>.13</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 29</td> <td>2</td> <td>.40</td> <td>2</td> <td>.03</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>May 6</td> <td>1</td> <td>.18</td> <td>1</td> <td>.13</td> <td>3</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 13</td> <td>2</td> <td>.19</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td>3</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> {Right Page nothing written}</div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td>March</td> <td>2</td> <td>Mrs. Armstrong</td> <td>Butter lbs 5 1/2</td> <td>$ 1.00</td> <td>Eggs day 2</td> <td>.40</td> <td>Vegetable &amp; Butter lbs</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>9</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.64</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>/8</td> <td></td> <td>2 3/4</td> <td>.55</td> <td>3</td> <td>.45</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>25</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>April</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>7</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>15</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>22</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>29</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>May</td> <td>6</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>13</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.60</td> <td>2</td> <td>.25</td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> {Right Page nothing written}</div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td>March</td> <td>18</td> <td>Mrs Boose</td> <td>Butter lbs 5</td> <td>$2.00</td> <td>Eggs</td> <td></td> <td>Vegetables &amp; Buttermilk</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>25</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.40</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>April</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td>5</td> <td>1.00</td> <td></td> <td>37</td> <td>.08</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>7</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>.38</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>15</td> <td></td> <td>6</td> <td>120</td> <td>3</td> <td>38</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>22</td> <td></td> <td>-</td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>38</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>29</td> <td></td> <td>5</td> <td>1.00</td> <td>3</td> <td>38</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>May</td> <td>6</td> <td></td> <td>-</td> <td></td> <td>2</td> <td>25</td> <td>.10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>13</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td>38</td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> {Right Page} {Nothing written}</div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} Butter lbs Eggs</p> <p>March 10 Mrs Francis 5 1 /4 $ 1.00 for vegetable</p> <p>April 1 5 1.00 3 37 - 7 4 .80</p> <p>15 5 1/2 1.10 .10</p> <p>- 29 5 1.00</p> <p>May 6 5 1.00 5</p> <p>-13 5 .90</p> <p><br />{Right Page}{Nothing written}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <p>Butter eggs vegatables</p> <p>April 1 Mrs Scott 2 25</p> <p>- 73 .60 5 63</p> <p>-15 4 80 5 63 05</p> <p>- 22 3 .60 4 50 10</p> <p>- 29 3 .60 5 63 30</p> <p>May 6 3 .60 5 1/2 63 30</p> <p>- 15 3 57 5 63 5</p> <p>June 6 1933 Dorothy Eileen Born 12 15 p.m.</p> <p>June 13 Francis Yevone ' ' 12 40 A.M.</p> <p>June 14 Janet Neeth . .</p> <p>June 15 Betty Eileen Hill. . .</p> <p><br />{Right Page Nothing written}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <p>Butter Eggs Vegetables April 7 Ms McKeaqe 5 61</p> <p>- 15 4 50</p> <p>- 22 5 - 1.00 6 75 10</p> <p>-24 5 0 1. 00 5 63</p> <p>May 6 5 - 1. 00 5 63 5</p> <p>- 13 5 - 95 2 25</p> <p><br />{Right Page Nothing written}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <p>Butter, Eggs doz, Buttermilk and Vegetables</p> <p>Apr 1 Mrs.Kay 2.25</p> <p>- 7 2.25 .06</p> <p>- 15 4.50</p> <p>- 22 2.25</p> <p>- 29 4.50</p> <p>May 6 2.25</p> <p><br />- 13 2.25</p> <p></p> <p><br />{Right Page Nothing Written}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <p>Butter Eggs Vegetable &amp; Buttermilk Fri 1 Mr. Dorman 2lbs 40 2 25 10</p> <p>- 7 2 25</p> <p>- 15 PH 40 2 25 5</p> <p>- 22 2 2 25</p> <p>- 29 2</p> <p>May 6 2 25 - 13 2 38</p> <p></p> <p>{Right Page Nothing Written}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>(Left Page} Butter Eggs</p> <p>Apr 15 Mrs. Dagg Paid 2lbs 40</p> <p>- 22 paid 2l 50</p> <p>- 29 - 2 40 2 25</p> <p>May 6 2 40 2 25</p> <p>- 13 - 2 38 2 25</p> <p></p> <p><br />{Right Page}</p> <p>{Nothing Written}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} Butter Eggs</p> <p>Apr 7 Townsend 5 1.00</p> <p>May 6 - 5 1.00</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><br />Apr 15 Mrs.Ross</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>{Right Page Nothing written}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page} Butter Eggs</p> <p>Mrs.Campbell 1.13</p> <pre> 1 20 2.25 </pre> <p>May 6 1 20 2.25 - 13 1 19</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>{Right page}</p> <p>{Nothing Written}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <p>Apr 7 Mrs.Gibbs Eggs Vegetables</p> <p>Apr 15 6 75 .05</p> <p>- 22 2 25 5</p> <p>- 29 1 12</p> <p>May 6 1 13</p> <p>- 13 2 25 <br />1 13</p> <p></p> <p>{Right Page} {Folded in Half}</p> <p>Gifts to Marion 1 yr Gifts to Marion {cut off}</p> <p>{written information appears on next page 28.pdf}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left page, folded in half)</p> <p><br />Apr 7 Mrs Gibb<br /><br />Apr 15 <br /><br />- 22 <br /><br />- 29 <br /><br />May 6 <br /><br />- 13</p> <p><br />2ys Gifts to Marion 3 y. Gift 4 yr <br />white &amp; red voile<br /><br />dress Grandma B<br /><br />white socks<br /><br />Auntie Della<br /><br />white Socks Aunt Marguerite<br /><br />white silk Comb - " Laura<br /><br />1 bag sugar stick Cousin Roy.<br /><br />1 wool dress Navy - Daddy<br /><br />1 Pr gloves - Mommy.<br /><br />1 rubber Sponge Handkerchief - Betty</p> <p><br />{Right page}</p> <p>Jan 1st 1932</p> <p>Frid Jan 1st</p> <p>Weather - Horrid day, rain sleet &amp; snow. Douglas &amp; Norm spent most of morning playing ten pins, In afternoon, read &amp; slept, at night they went to store in car, then played ten pins again. we had goose &amp; pudding to-day.</p> <p>Sat Jan 2nd Weather - Fair &amp; mild. men got sleighs out &amp; cleaned sawdust out of ice house Pat did not go to town, he &amp; Marion went to Richmond Hill in afternoon, Produce - 3 bus apples, 25 Dz eggs.</p> <p>Sun Jan 3rd Weather - Fair &amp; mild. a little snow We slept &amp; read in forenoon, church service in afternoon Rev McDonald preached, we all attended, Mr F Stiver here at night. Telephones out, poles broken down on account of ice &amp; wind.</p> <p>Mon Jan 4 Weather - mild &amp; Cloudy. men drew manure all day. Newton &amp; Mother called in a.m. also Mr Bradley. To-day election day. Reeve John relected, Geo Padget &amp; Clarry defeated. I attended the W.M.S at church &amp; Quilled one Quilt in afternoon, I came home in time for supper, then Norm &amp; I went down with Charlie + Floyd to the Coral &amp; came home with them.</p> <p>Tues Jan 5 Weather - mild with rain at night.</p> <p>men drew manure, Laura came up after dinner for a while</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Left Page}</p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> <td>Butter</td> <td></td> <td>Eggs</td> <td>Buttermilk</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Apr 22 Mrs Moore</td> <td>3 lbs</td> <td>60</td> <td></td> <td>.05</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 29</td> <td>3</td> <td>60</td> <td></td> <td>05</td> </tr> <tr> <td>May 6</td> <td>2</td> <td>40</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 13</td> <td>3</td> <td>57</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> {Right page} {Same page as previous} {Right page} Jan 1st 1932Frid Jan 1st Weather - Horrid day, rain sleet &amp; snow. Douglas &amp; Norm spent most of morning playing ten pins, In afternoon, read &amp; slept, at night they went to store in car, then played ten pins again. we had goose &amp; pudding to-day. Sat Jan 2nd Weather - Fair &amp; mild. men got sleighs out &amp; cleaned sawdust out of ice house Pat did not go to town, he &amp; Marion went to Richmond Hill in afternoon, Produce - 3 bus apples, 25 Dz eggs. Sun Jan 3rd Weather - Fair &amp; mild. a little snow We slept &amp; read in forenoon, church service in afternoonRev McDonald preached, we all attended, Mr F Stiver here at night. Telephones out, poles broken down on account of ice &amp; wind. Mon Jan 4 Weather - mild &amp; Cloudy. men drew manure all day. Newton &amp; Mother called in a.m. also Mr Bradley. To-day election day. Reeve John relected, Geo Padget &amp; Clarry defeated. I attended the W.M.S at church &amp; Quilled one Quilt in afternoon, I came home in time for supper, then Norm &amp; I went down with Charlie + Floyd to the Coral &amp; came home with them. Tues Jan 5 Weather - mild with rain at night. men drew manure, Laura came up after dinner for a while</div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Butter Eggs Vegetables Apr Mrs Fossett 5 bus $100 .20 - 29 - 5 100 3 .33 May 6 5 100</p> <p>1932</p> <p>Jr farmers at Unionville to-night (Parents night) Pat went to store at night for awhile.</p> <p>Wed Jan 6/32 Weather - rained heavy clearing at night, man cleaned beans, henhouses etc. Norm took radio out to store after breakfast and brought up a nine tube one for us. So enjoyed it most of day. I cut up 2 citrons in afternoon to preserves, and mixed a Xmas pudding at night. Norm went down home tonight.</p> <p>Thurs Jan 7/32 Weather - cool S.W. wind today. Norm went to city for the day. Laura came back with him to-night Doug chored and split wood. Pat went down to garage in afternoon. I filled 5 cushions with feathers, cut up grapefruit orange and lemon to-night for Marmalade. I helped milk as Norm away and Billie sore thumb. had a letter from Jean to-day.</p> <p>Frid Jan 8/32 Weather - Fair &amp; mild Men repaired barnyard gate in a.m. In afternoon Pat took truck down to W Brooke for 11 pigs (3 months old). Charlie H, Norm and Doug B. went down to side road in Norm's car to catch some daygoes that had been here south of orchard shooting pheasants, they caught them too. I phoned Scotty Walker &amp; he came right over. Laura and I cleaned sitting room in a.m. &amp; Laura waxed floor In p.m. produce - 6 bags potatoes, 11 bus apples, 5 1/2 gal cider, 8 pts cream, 1 1/2 bus beans, 88 Dz eggs. phone fixed to-day about noon (temporily.)</p> <p>Sat Jan 9/32 Weather - Ideal day. men chopped trees and brush along bank East of north orchard. Douglas went to market, Mother, Dot &amp; I went to city with him. Laura Kept Marion. I got black silk with pink for a new dress. Laura and Norm went over to Jean's tonight. I made 10 pts marmalade after supper, mended etc.</p> <p>Sun Jan 10 1932 Weather - lovely mild day, a little snow. We 3 attended church in p.m., church was full. Norm went away just before supper, I helped milk, had {? too?} I drove down to YPS Marion went to sleep at suppertime, Pat stayed home with her</p> <p>Mon Jan 11 1932. Weather - Quite cold with snow at night. Douglas went to garage &amp; left car there to get brakes fixed then he went to city with Charlie &amp; Hazel to appear in court after the Italians that had been here the previous Friday. Laura in city today with John. She came back here when Norm and I came from Coral lunch to-night &amp; picked the singers out. I washed &amp; nearly made a dress (print) and bloomers for Marion. Men drew up wood to the wood pile.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Butter</td> <td></td> <td>Eggs</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Apr 22</td> <td>Mrs Matthews</td> <td>2 lbs</td> <td>40 cts</td> <td>2</td> <td>25</td> </tr> <tr> <td>- 29</td> <td></td> <td>2</td> <td>40</td> <td>2</td> <td>25</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Tues 12/32 Weather - milded with S.W. wind. Men butched 2 big pigs to-day. at night pat Marion &amp; I went to Jean's &amp; he went up to the Jr Farmers at the Hall to see &amp; hear Ex Mayor Wemp &amp; his slides on the war. 12 midnight when we got home. Furnace out now so mild, Edith Hood Birthday Wed Jan 13 Weather - mild &amp; muddy out. creeks high, Water running over good roads down at the Corners this A.M. we boiled head meat to-day. In afternoon Pat took Laura, Marion &amp; I down to Mr Rodicks about 330 P.M. Pat &amp; Norm came down for the evening Billie Brooke, Rhea &amp; a Miss Zicker there also 1 A.M. when we arrived home, Mr Pinder here in afternoon. D. Brown off to-day. Thurs Jan 14 Weather - very mild. men sowed down dead pine tree, with their shirts sleeves rolled up &amp; no smocks on as it was so mild. Laura went to city with the Browns (north) &amp; did not come back here to-night Pat &amp; I had a real busy day. making headcheese, lard &amp; sausage, had lots of everything about 55 or 60 lbs lard. Marion slept a good deal to-day has a back cold. Mary Rodick Birthday Frid Jan 15 Weather - rained in A.M. clearing in afternoon. John brought Laura up this morning. we did 8 jars of sausage &amp; 6 jars of headcheese down. S.S. convention at Markham to-day. men leveled gravel in ruts up to driving shed. produce - 15 bus apples 5 bags potatoes 93 Dz eggs 10 pts cream {7?} gal. cider. I started to smock a cushion top to-night, we played cards. Sat Jan 16 Weather - Cooler with North East wind. men drew gravel for lane, Douglas went to market, Laura went home at 4.30. Douglas went to store at night, I cut &amp; made Marion a pantie dress of wool delaine this p.m. &amp; evening. Sun Jan 17/32 Weather - dull with rain all day. We attended Service in P.M. Marion extra good. Norm did not go Billie stayed for supper went out with Norm after No Y.P.S. to-night we spent evening home Mon Jan 18 Weather - Cold with light snow flurries. men drew more gravel to-day, I washed the Kitchen storm window &amp; Pat put it on. I cut my silk dress in A.M. &amp; put it partly to-gether in afternoon. Norm &amp; I attended Coral at night. Gladys Bush died this A.M. Tues Jan 19 Weather - cloudy &amp; cold. men drew manure, Pat took Marion &amp; I down to a Quilting &amp; supper at church he &amp; Norm came down for supper after chores were done.</div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Doug went home for supper to-night, annuel meeting to-night Atkinson &amp; Dorothy organists for church. Mr Thomson &amp; Douglas re-elected as elders. most of other officers to.</p> <p>Wed Jan 20. Weaher - 20 cloudy all day &amp; milder. Norm went to Agincourt to a poultry class for the day, home for supper then away again, Billy here supper. I made a chusion &amp; smocked at another one, spent evening at home.</p> <p>Thurs Jan 21 Weather - Horrid day, snow &amp; fine rain all day. Doug went home after breakfast, Norm chored &amp; took pig over to Bonds in p.m. Marion &amp; I went out to Craigs for evening Pat met us on our way home, Jr Inst.at Unionville to-day.</p> <p>Frid Jan 22 Weather - Beautiful, bright mild day. Boys busy picking fowl making cider etc, Doug went up to Mrs Glovers in A.M. for 20 hens. Douglas went to city for the day to Curl with, Mr Gohn, Elgin, Rev McKechellar, home for supper then went on to lodge at Markham. Mother &amp; Mrs Craig here visiting in afternoon &amp; evening Edith &amp; Florence called for their Mother 15 to eleven. Then Marion &amp; I went to bed. Produce - 12 pts cream, 6 gal cider, 7 Glovers. 4 fowl, 94 Dz eggs, 8 bus apple 6 bags potatoes. Kiddies measls Store</p> <p>Sat Jan 23 Weather - Horrid day with rain &amp; snow. men cleaned hen houses etc Douglas went to Market. Edith Craig came up in the afternoon &amp; tea. C. Burr called for her just after supper. Laura sick with cold did not come. Doug Brown did not stay for supper to-night.</p> <p><br />1932 Jersey heifer calf came last night Sat. Sun Jan 24 Weather - Lovely day. We attended church in p.m. church full to-day Marion &amp; I went home with Mrs S Brooke, rode out with Toddie, Douglas came for us later, we had a lovely visit, Doug got stuck in rock, above the corner, he &amp; Doug Brown had 18 cows to milk, Norm away.</p> <p>Mon Jan 25 Weather - Lovely day, Cooler. We worked &amp; attended a Quilting at church for Jr Inst. 3 quilts 38 present. had supper &amp; I stayed for Coral, left Marion at home, then we two drove up alone after Coral, Pat at store.</p> <p>Tues Jan 26 Weather - nice day with rain at night. Douglas went over for Jean, Della &amp; girlies in A.M. We took them home after supper, called at Dio but he was not home. Jr Farmers progressive echre {euchre} at Agincourty Young folks all went.</p> <p>Wed Jan 27 Weather - Rain in A.M. clearing at night. men picked over beans, I sewed all day at my navy &amp; pink dress, at night we drove down home &amp; Pat, Norm, Newton, Mother, Marion &amp; I went to Marguerites in Newton's car, men played.cards, Married men won for 2nd time, Laura stayed at home with John &amp; Dorothy, we arrived home at 2 30 A.M. (their 6th Wedding day.)</p> <p>Thurs Jan 28 Weather - Lovely bright day cooler at night. men drew manure A.M. picked hens p.m. Marion slept till noon she &amp; Pat went to city at 3 P.M. to his Mother's stayed for supper</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 as he had to curl at 6 p.m. I helped boys milk, home at 11.15</p> <p>Frid Jan 29 Weather - Cloudy all day. men picked fowl in A.M. Norm left at noon for Agincourt to hear a debate in afternoon. Doug cleaned hen house, Les up with truck, Kiddies still have measles at store. I helped milk. Produce - 10pts cream, 88 Dz eggs, 10 Glovers, 2 fowl, 10 bus app. 6 bags pot 6 gal. cider.</p> <p>Sat Jan 30 Weather - quite cold, blustery in afternoon. men sawed wood &amp; chored, Douglas went to Market Mr Hooper went with him they attended a milk meeting in afternoon C Hooper over in afternoon, W Craig called at night 2 Dz eggs I rapted up a parcel of 4 cushions for Jean, I milked to-night. Norm away to-night.</p> <p>Sun Jan 31 Weather - Quite cold blustery in A.M. We attended church service in afternoon, not so many out on account of weather &amp; measls. I helped milk &amp; separate</p> <p>Mon Feb 1 Weather - Fair &amp; cold. Doug home for the day repairing his car. Norm chored, Pat read a book in between chore time. I nearly finished sewing my navy dress. Marion not well to-day cutting 4 teeth. Norm &amp; I attended Coral at church.</p> <p>Tues Feb 2 Weather - S. E wind cloudy all day with some snow. men cut wood to-day. I wrote Auntie who is in Wellesley Hospital. Norm attended for Jr Farmer to-night. Pat took me over to Dr. called at garage on Way home, washed 30 Dz eggs after that.</p> <p>1932</p> <p>Wed Feb 3 Weather - Fair, milder. Douglas &amp; Norm went down home &amp; baled 7 ton of hay home by 330 pm. E Craig invited Marion &amp; I out their for tea so went we about 330 &amp; stayed until after W.M.S. which met their. Pat called in for us &amp; Carried Marion home, she has a very bad cold. Radio out of busness to-night.</p> <p>Thurs Feb 4 Weather - Stormy all afternoon. men sprayed manure in A.M. etc in p.m. Pat picked over apples, Jean French phoned down after dinner saying that Rev McDonald &amp; her Father would be calling about tea time &amp; would stay So I was busy getting ready, but when they came they were afraid to stay on account of roads, Norm away to-night.</p> <p>Frid Feb 5 Weather - Strong S.W. winds. men drew manure to-day made cider etc. Pat picked over apples in A.M. went to city In p.m. Also W Clark to a milk meeting Marion very miserable all day with measls. Norm went to store at night. Produce, 12 pts cream 76 Dz. eggs 14 bus apples 6 bags potatoes &amp; 6 gal. cider. we had stove pipes down this A.M.</p> <p>Sat Feb 6 Weather - Lovely bright day. Douglas went to market. Men drew manure all day Norm took most of forenoon of to Unionville. Laura came up before dinner &amp; went home at 330, she cleaned kitchen baked etc. as I had to attend Marion all day, she is covered to-day with measls. hardly no rest last night for anyone.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Feb 7 Weather - Lovely bright day. Douglas attended church in p.m. Norm went over home, D Brown here chored Pat brought little radio home after church. I stayed in with Marion measls.</p> <p>Mon Feb 8 Weather - Very, very, strong S. W. wind. Men drew manure, Pat busy a.m. tieing wheel on windmill to keep wind from breaking it of. We washed &amp; oh such a wind tore blankets Laura here helping me until time to go to Coral, they went down with Charlie H. I cut a house dress out for Laura &amp; nearly made it. Jack Thompson here in a.m. for a basket of apples.</p> <p>Tues Feb 9 Weather - Cool s. East win with some snow. men drew manure, Les up in forenoon &amp; took our Radio to city to get fixed, &amp; Billy &amp; Jimmy brought it up at chore time. W.M.S. convention to-day in city, Gypsy Queen concert at Richmond Hill to-night, Norm at Geo Brown's playing cards.</p> <p>Wed Feb 10 Weather - cloudy &amp; mild. men drew manure, Norm chopped feed p.m. Pat picked over apples I cut Marion's rose dress out, 2 house dresses Laura &amp; made finished Pats pyjama pants &amp; Made Laura's green dot dress, Mrs Craig up this evening. Norm went to Grierhellers Jr. Inst. echre {euchre} Laura came back with him.</p> <p>Thurs Feb 11 Weather - Heavy thunder storm early 4 a.m. rained &amp; misty all day. Norm chored, Doug not here to-day. Pat went to R Mortsons sale p.m. Billy here for milking stayed supper &amp; played cards till 930 went home I started large rug to-day</p> <p>Frid Feb 12 Weather - Lovely bright day. men cut wood a.m. took top of stack, Laura went home about 4 p.m. after she cleaned floor. Edith Craig up before supper time. John up for the evening while Mother at Craig's she came up after meeting for 1/2 hr. prayer meeting, Produce - 60 Dz eggs, 6 gal cider 12 pts cream 6 bus apples, 8 bags potatoes. Marion got 3 valentines Sat Feb 13 Weather - Cold &amp; windy, Doug Brown went home after breakfast as Mrs Allan had died Norm chored etc, Douglas went to market, I {?} Jr. Inst. in p.m.</p> <p>Sun Feb 14 Weather - Fair a little snow. Norm &amp; I went to church, Pat /Kepted Marion, Della &amp; Dot came up after stayed for tea &amp; went back with Norm to Y.P.S. Billy here supper also.</p> <p>Mond Feb 15 Weather - Fair, bright cold NE winds. men drew manure, Douglas picked over apples in a.m. had a early dinner &amp; went to city to curl returning at. 12.15. p.m. lost 2 games. Billy up for chores &amp; stayed supper, Rev McDonald &amp; Mr French called in at tea time ordered a bag of spy apples then called later for them &amp; visited left here at 830. I did a small washing after dinner Marion &amp; I stayed alone Norm went to Coral. Fresh cow to-day.</p> <p>Tues Fed 16 Weather - Fair &amp; cold NE winds sleet at night 12 p.m. Norm finished manure pile across creek, D Brown not here to-day Mrs Allan funeral, Mother came uper in p.m. stayed to tea after a few games of cards with Cora &amp; Hazel who came to spend the evening, John called for her &amp; went home Pat came at 12 p.m. girls still here</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Wed Feb 17</p> <p>Weather - cloudy &amp; cold, westerly wind. Norm went to city to-day home for chores then attended a Jr Farmer meeting at night D Brown drew wood &amp; chored. Douglas left here at 2 p.m. for city to curl returned. Billy here Chores and supper Marion &amp; I all alone until 12 P.M. &amp; later Newton here a.m. lost game.</p> <p>Thurs Feb 18 Weather - Fair and cold,clear. men cut wood, Douglas left here at 8 a.m. for city to curl with Mr Clark &amp; Baker going in with him, lost game to-day again returned at 330 p.m., Norm went to Agincourt church at night with Walter and W. Brooke, Laura Brown came down at night for Dot to wave her hair, Newton brought Dorothy up after school as Laura come home with Mr Endean with mumps, John get Della at night with them also, Newt up at night again.</p> <p>Fri Feb 19 Weather - Fair with a little snow. men cut wood a.m. at Brown home in p.m. Norm made cider etc. Douglas picked over apples &amp; potatoes all day. he went to Lodge at Markham at night, Dot went to out to Edith's to go on skating Produce - 50 Dz eggs, 7 gal cider, 12 pts cream, 15 bus apples , 10 bags potatoes</p> <p>Sat Feb 20 Weather - Lovely bright day Douglas went to market, called at his Mothers on way home, Laura Brown came down in afternoon called Dot to go skating. men worked at wood a.m. played hockey p.m., Dot went to Cedar Grove at night to skate.</p> <p>1932 Sun Feb 21 Weather - cloudy S. E. wind we attended church service in p.m. Marion &amp; I went for a Walk after that. Dot went up to Browns for tea thence to go on to Richmond Hill for singing at night. Norm away to-night. Geo Brown here for evening</p> <p>Mon Feb 22 Weather - Lovely A.M. Stormy and cold in p.m. men cut wood a.m. Pat picked over apples and I washed &amp; ironed, Dorothy and I drove down to Coral, took Charlie and Hazel with us. Norm had afternoon of over home.</p> <p>Tues Feb 23 Weather - lovely bright cold day men busy with wood etc, W.M.S.quilting at church p.m. I did not go account of Marion's cold. mission band slides at night</p> <p>Wed Feb 24 Weather - cold and stormy Billy here overnight D Brown off to-day starting to move over, Douglas went to Mrs Glovers sale to-day. Norm, Billy and Dot went over to the Jr farmer play at Unionville given by Dunbarton. Norm drew manure &amp; wood, Mr French here for grain.</p> <p>Thurs Feb 25 Weather - Coudy &amp; mild D Brown of to-day moving furniture over to Craig's house, Norm drew wood. Pat picked over apples etc. Marion &amp; I Walked out for mail. Dot did not come here to-night. Jean's, Mrs.Craig here for evening.</p> <p>Fri Feb 26 Weather - Fair &amp; mild. Norm chored A.M. D Brown of to-day. I did not feel good to-day, so Pat helped with house work. At night, Pat, Norm, Dot by.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932</p> <p>Newton all went up to Marguerites for a game of cards, Marion &amp; I stayed alone, what a night for me, I was so miserable, they got home 415 a m produce, 45 Dz eggs, 6 cider 15 bus apples, 10 bags potato, 12 pts cream.</p> <p>Sat Feb 27 Weather - cloudy with some snow men finished drawing wood to-day, Douglas went to market, Mrs.H Reeve of Markham here in p.m. to have Dot do her hair, then Art Brown Came down for her to go up and do I &amp; L hair. Geo brought her home by supper time, I was ready for bed and all in.</p> <p>Sun Feb 28 Weather - Lovely, mild bright day. 12 little piggies arrived a.m. Douglas, Dot &amp; Norm attended church in p.m. Marion and I stayed alone, I was in bed all day with Grippe. They went to Y.P. S. at night. roads getting bad</p> <p>Mon Feb 29 Weather - Fair and mild, men drew manure, had Dr over just at noon, said I stay bed 4 days, Dot stayed home to-day, she went to Coral with Edith C. not many out bad roads &amp; sickness.</p> <p>Tues March 1 Weather - lovely bright day 3 piggies died men chopped a.m. then Norm took baler down to Boyntons before dinner they baled 9 3/4 ton hay In p.m. Mrs Craig up to see me in afternoon</p> <p>Wed Mar 2 Weather - mild &amp; lovely, men drew manure today. Henry Allan here. D Brown sick grip. Dot went to school today. Pat housekeeper, card party postponed at V.S. on account roads</p> <p>Thurs Mar 3 Weather - Like a spring day. men drew manure, D Brown back in P.M. Mother up all day baking. Pat took her home at night, first Goose egg to-day. Girls Walked up in p.m. first since mumps came.</p> <p>Frid Mar 4 Weather- cloudy &amp; mild. Men prune trees A.M. draged lane etc in p.m. Della and Jessie Burr here p.m. getting hair dressed. Dr phoned me to stay in bed. produce - 45 Dz eggs , 5 gal cider , 20 bus apples , 8 bags potatoes, 12 pts cream. Mrs Craig here in evening.</p> <p>Sat Mar 5/32 Weather - rather cloudy but mild Douglas went to market, Norm moved bales from W Boyntons over to Thomson this A.M. D. Brown came up in middle afternoon. Mary &amp; Gwenie came up with him and stayed a hour so. John and Mother came up &amp; took Dorothy home, she had been in bed all day with La Grippe. Della walked up in forenoon , Pat Store to-night. (I up all day)</p> <p>Sun Mar 6 Weather - cloudy with E. wind in a.m., Colder with snow in p.m. Douglas attended church, quite a number out. I wrote Mary in p.m.</p> <p>Mon Mar 7 Weather - blustery and cold all day. Real march day. postponed baling at Thomson on account of storm, Norm went to city for the day, Pat read peeled apples &amp; picked over potatoes in p.m. I rugged to-day and fixed henna dress W.M.S. church 13 out Mrs McKerchar spoke.</p> <p>Tues Mar 8 Weather - Quite cold men split wood. Douglas picked over apples. Walt Craig called at night &amp; Norm went away. Marion not well to-day. I rugged.</p> <p>Wed Mar 9 Weather - Quite cold Pat &amp; Norm went over to Thomson's this A.M. to bale home by 330 p.m.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Moved baler over to C Boynton's. baled 250 lbs short of Ten ton hay. D Brown chored. Jr farmers to-night but Norm to tired to go. I rugged to-day again. Marion not Well.</p> <p>Thurs Mar 10 Weather - Cold and stormy. Douglas &amp; Norm went over to Charlie's to bale, came home after dinner then D went over to Walton's sale. Laura came up for a visit then Newton called for her. Norm went to Unionville in p.m. bank.</p> <p>Fri Mar 11 Weather - cloudy and cold men finished baling at Charlie's at noon, arrived home after dinner. Norm chopped feed. baled 12 ton hay. D Brown all in to-day so had to go home before breakfast. Della came up &amp; spent day with us. Went down with Norm at night. Produce - 5 gal cider, 11 pts cream, 18 bus apples, 10 bags potatoes. Pat store night 53 Dz eggs.</p> <p>Sat Mar 12 Weather - cloudy and cold, some snow. Norm chored all day, Douglas went to city, J Hooper, Laura &amp; Della went with him. he &amp; Jimmie went to the Maple Leaf Gardens to see hockey match between Newmarket and Marlbo's. Billy Norm and I milked. D Brown Still sick. Pat &amp; Norm went to store at night. Gladys B rang up to ask for Marion to-day.</p> <p>Sun Mar 13 Weather - Cloudy and fair. We all attended church in p.m. fair crowd out. spent the evening home.</p> <p>Mon Mar 14 Weather - very cold, 6 above zero here. men went up and baled hay to-day at Mrs. Glovers, Mr Leathers and Firth came here for dinner. J. Allen boys went home dinner finished &amp; home by 5 p.m. baled 13 ton. Della up for the day. D Brown Still sick. Billy here A.M. again. 1932 Mr Padget called in at noon, Coral class practice at Victoria Square to-night. Newton &amp; girls called in &amp; took Norm up.</p> <p>Tues. Mar 15 Weather - Quite cold. Norm away in forenoon, home for noon chores away in p.m. again. Douglas chored A.M. and W Young, W Baker, E Gohn went to city with him at 130 to curl against the Strathconians. We had a 3 wk Wash to-day. Della also did most of ironing, left at 430 pm. for home. Leslie brought 1 load ice in truck at 5.15. and unloaded it. Pat home at 7 p.m.</p> <p>Wed Mar 16 Weather - S. E. wind some milder. snow fall at night. D Brown came up &amp; started work in P.M. Norm away in p.m. Leslie got 1 load ice in a.m. and Pat got 5 loads after that from Almira pond. 3 cents a block. at night. Douglas, M,and I went to Coral Concert at Victoria Square</p> <p>Thurs Mar 17 Weather - much milder. Leslie drew 2 loads ice &amp; Douglas 2 loads making 11 loads altogether. 360 blocks x 3 cents x 39=$10.80. Marion, Cora, Hazel and I went to the Jr Inst at Vina Wilsons to-day. About 40 there. splendid meeting. had a presentation to Mrs Waltons a casserol dish. Norm off for the day.</p> <p>Frid Mar 18 Weather - cloudy &amp; mild. Norm did not come home last night. D Brown chored made cider etc. Douglas picked over potatoes &amp; apples. Rev McDonald and Mr Mills called at noon for 2 bus apples. Mr Mills insured Marion for $2.000. to-day. Douglas went to Lodge at, Marion &amp; I went and stayed with Jean &amp; girlies. Bob joined the Masons tonight. Produce - 45 1/2 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream, 8 bags potatoes, 14 bus apples, 4 gal cider Y.P.S. social church to-night</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Sat Mar 19 Weather - a real stormy march day. Lovely at night. Douglas went to Market. Norm arrived here at 10:15 a.m., shoveled, changed clothes then went to city. Home at 2:15 p.m. Added up coral class accounts then went out to see Watt.Cliff B.</p> <p>Sun Mar 20 Weather - Beautiful sunie day We four attended church in p.m. Good crowd Billie and Jimmie here for chores and supper. I received a bed light to-night. Mary &amp; Jimmie came up later again for ice cream for freezer Hoopers</p> <p>Mon Mar 21 Weather - nice at first then east wind with snow. Not so nice. Douglas &amp; Norm left at 9 a.m. in truck and went up in Whitchurch for a large truck load of sawdust, home at 230 p.m. Doug chored &amp; drew manure. Pat went to store after supper for extension cord for bed light, it worked fine. Norm attended social for wind up of coral class at church, present. stormy all night.</p> <p>Tues Mar 22 Weather - Quite stormy, we have the most snow we've had all winter. Men drew manure, Pat fixed belt on tractor, then picked over apples. Norm attended Jr Farmer meeting at home to-night Laura went to Marg with John this A.M. received my Hort. membership card to-day. Mary rang up in p.m.</p> <p>Wed Mar 23 Weather - milder &amp; quite stormy Men drew manure, Douglas picked over apples a.m. &amp; potatoes p.m. Raymond Brillinger here in a.m. looking for seed oats. I baked cookies etc a.m. at night Pat took me over to Drs then we went to Markham. He paid his Lodge Insurance dues. Norm out collecting to-night for Walton's</p> <p><br />1932 Thurs Mar 24 Weather - Wonderful bright day, mild, lots of snow on ground Men drew manure, Pat washed eggs a.m. picked over tatties p.m. Della &amp; Dot came up in p.m. stayed until after 10 p.m. had a good game of 500. Mrs Walton Mother died this A.M. Mr J. D Mills called at tea time with Marion's insurance policy. Billie up after supper. he and Norm went away</p> <p>Fri Mar 25 Good Friday. Weather - Quite stormy A.M. mild with light showers at night. men drew manure, made cider, Douglas peeled apples, cleaned stove pipe in p.m. no mail to-day. Produce 51 doz eggs, 12 pts cream, 4 gal cider, 15 bus apples, 10 bags potatoes. Mr Mills got 2 bus spy apples last night. Norm went over to see Pat who is sick.</p> <p>Sat Mar 26 Weather - Rained A.M. lovely in afternoon Douglas went to Market, Mr Walton, Della &amp; Dot went with him, girls &amp; Billie came home with him, he got Mother Easter Lily, &amp; Mother gave Marion Easter eggs. As Norm did not come home last night, Doug chored all day</p> <p>Sun Mar 27 Weather - Beautiful Easter Sunday, only muddy Norm still away. Marion and I went out for a walk at 11 a.m. returned at 12.30. Pat still sleeping, he walked down to church, Marion and I stayed alone. Billy brought up a Easter chuckie for her Rhea rang up at night</p> <p>Monday 28 Weather - Lovely bright day. Jean rang up A.M. Doug went up to Cripps in A.M. for cutting box &amp; pipes. Billy here chores a.m. and breakfast. Mr Hellems over a.m. Mr Padget called in after dinner. I washed, ironed, &amp; mended. C Hooper rang over to-night saying he saw flash light west of pig pen. Party at Hooper's for Waltons postponed.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Tues 29 Weather - Lovely bright day. Billy here chores &amp; breakfast, Douglas &amp; Marion had early dinner left at 12 p.m. to attend School meeting in city but Marion would not stay at her Grandma's without Daddy so he did not get to meeting. Della up p.m. Mrs. Craig called at tea time, Newton &amp; Laura later, Norm at tea time to change some clothes. Pat Reid a slight change better. Douglas took Della home &amp; took Marion on down to Clarks. Killed rat in Cook house</p> <p>Wed 30 Weather - Cloudy Strong S.W. wind Billy here chores &amp; breakfast, D Brown chored &amp; dragged lane in p.m. Douglas and Mr Clark attended an educational meeting P Building Toronto all day. Mother came up in A.m. left about 5 p.m. assesor here in p.m. Pat got home before Doug and I finished milking</p> <p>Thurs 31 Weather - Colder &amp; cloudy men chopped feed, drew back old sawdust for ice house, cut straw etc. Billy had to take milk to corner this a.m, here for breakfast. Norm came back late last night, so here for work to-day. Della up for most of day and helped me sweep etc. we were to have gone to Jean's for tea but roads bad.</p> <p>Frid April 1, 1932 Weather - Quite cold, a little snow Newton up A.M. for feed oats, 50 bus. Billie here breakfast, men cut wood etc. Produce 58 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream, 2 gal cider, 12 bus apples, 10 bag potatoes Pat at store at night</p> <p>Sat April 2 Weather - Ground covered with snow, East wind with snow most of day, Thunder Storm 8 p.m. &amp; 9 p.m. Men clipped horses and Norm went up to Joffs for saw. Marion went down with Pat &amp; spend day at home, he called for her on way - Market. Floyd Pratt went Thornhill with him A.M. Billy came home with him. Pat store at night Baby boy Ash born this evening April 2nd</p> <p>1932 Sun April 3 Weather - Cold but bright, lots of snow. Norm came home at noon from Sharon with Newton, Jack and Dureen . Douglas &amp; Norm attended church, Marion &amp; I went down &amp; stayed with Mother while rest were at church. Norm did not go to Y.P.S. Fresh cow to-day</p> <p>Mon April 4 Weather - Lovely bright day. I washed &amp; ironed to-day, Men finished cutting straw a.m. &amp; chopped feed, split wood &amp; the boys had (Dick) the colt hitched to sleigh p.m. Norm attended Jr Farmer meeting at night</p> <p>Tues April 5 Weather - East wind light showers and Fair. Doug split wood, Norm started to clean up seed grain, we three went to city - 10 a.m. to 5.15. got dishes, Marion hat etc. Norm took a heifer calf over to his Bro Pat to-night</p> <p>Wed April 6 Weather - Fair. Norm cleaned grain, Doug split, Douglas repaired water tank &amp; put meat in cotton bags &amp; hung in ice house. I made a nightie to-day. W.M.S. quilting &amp; no meeting church</p> <p>Thurs April 7 Weather - Beautiful day. men busy all day washing harness ready to oil. Pat Took cream down home a.m. to churn. Cora rang up for Marion &amp; I to go over for the afternoon but I did not feel like it so sewed here at home instead. Betty here playing with Marion after School Pat set young goose on 12 eggs, 2 hens 9 eggs. roads so bad took milk to corner all week</p> <p>Frid April 8 Weather - Fair &amp; bright. men finished harness to-day. Norm took produce to store in democrat. Della up for A.M. Went to city p.m. with John. Produce 15 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream, 6 bags potatoes &amp; 9 bus apples. Pat went to store to-night. I slept upstairs.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Sat April 9 Weather - Cloudy but fair &amp; warm. Doug cleaned out hens houses etc. Norm cleaned up grain pail, did this &amp; that mostly that. roads so bad he did not go to market. Norm got up 15 to 5 &amp; took produce in wagon over to fifth. Les went that way to city. (team Wagon Pat Corner night.) Norm Sharon to-night.</p> <p><br />Sun April 10 Weather - cloudy with light showers (dull day.) Henry Allen here breakfast, Douglas walked down to church p.m.</p> <p>Mon April 11 Weather - Horrid day rainy cloudy etc. muddy. Norm took A.M. of to Thornhill had tooth pulled and slept all p.m. helped with chores and attended a Jr Farmer Comtt meeting. Pat repaired chairs for me</p> <p>Tues April 12 Weather - Stormy rain a.m. snow p.m. men cleaned up grain in A.M. Norm went to city p.m. to help pick a piano for Jr Farmer Club. Mrs. Craig here short while Doug B went to corner in p.m. to meet Les. Pat store at night.</p> <p>Wed April 13 Weather - Stormy ground cover with snow men cleaned seed grain. Douglas attended a milk meeting with Mrs Clark at Markham. Norm attended a Jr farmer meet at night, Hort. meeting to-night Unionville hall.</p> <p>Thurs April 14 Weather - Cloudy and Cold. Norm went to Thornhill in A.M. had another tooth pulled, in bed all p.m. Pat &amp; Doug chopped feed. Mr Brown brought down load grain to chop for feed. Della up for the afternoon. Billy had team to deliver on North trip. Furnace went out to-night</p> <p>Frid April 15 Weather - Fair &amp; milder - snow going. D Brown of for the day. Newton up for seed oats A.M. men chopped feed in p.m. Pat picked over apples. Lodge night but Pat to busy to go. Went to store later on. Produce - 81 Dz, 8 bags potatoes, 10 bus apples, 12 pts cream</p> <p>Sat 16 Weather - Cold- snow flurries. North west winds Douglas went to Market. Doug scraped trees. Norm carried wood in woodshed A.M. sit by stove all p.m. to keep his jaw warm, Dot up for awhile in p.m. Norm went to Sharon at night.</p> <p>Sun April 17 Weather - Strong N.W. cold wind. (land drying.) Norm went over home after breakfast, home for chores a night. Douglas attended church in p.m. Billy here supper, Mrs Craig here for the evening</p> <p>Mon April 18 Weather - Strong North wind and Fair. men scraped trees, Norm and Les went to Dentist in p.m. Douglas picked over potatoes, we washed &amp; ironed, washed all curtains and spreads upstairs. Della here for the day, She, Pat &amp; Marion went down home short while after supper.</p> <p>Tues April 19 Weather - beautiful warm day. men scraped trees. Della &amp; I started house cleaning, cleaned North room, closets and South E room. Ironed curtains &amp; spreads &amp; covers by tea time. Pat store night. (Auntie phoned for 12 Setting egg for Sat.)</p> <p>Wed April 20 Weather - another lovely day men finished scraping trees in A.M., started on land in p.m., rolled harrowed and disc. Della &amp; I cleaned S.W room &amp; hall, &amp; raked most of afternoon. Pat helped us &amp; I took manure of flower beds. Mary &amp; Gwen here before tea time. Norm &amp; Della went to Unionville at night. set old Goose</p> <p>Thurs April 21 Weather - Beautiful day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Douglas sowed mixed grain, Norm run tractor, Doug harrowed A.M. chopped feed in afternoon, G Carr here A.M. Jack and Dureen in p.m. also Jas Walker to see about seed oats, Della went home about 10 a.m. as it was Jr Institute at Grierheller. Norm took Laura up at night, Della spent evening at Brown's</p> <p>Frid April 22 Weather - Lovely warm day Douglas sowed in a.m. &amp; Doug B. sowed in p.m. Douglas &amp; Billie went load of sawdust in p.m. Norm run tractor all day got stuck just before chore time. Jim Calvert got seed oats a.m. Geo Gormley here after supper, also J Young for 12 setting eggs for Auntie. Newton called and took Della to dance V. Square. I made &amp; iced Marion Birthday cake to-day. Douglas attended preparatory Service at church to-night. Della rake front lawn p.m. Produce 94 Doz eggs, 11 pts cream, 10 bus apples, 8 bags potatoes</p> <p>Sat April 23 Weather - Quite Cold Douglas sowed grain A.M. &amp; just before dinner he &amp; Marion went to Unionville. Doug harrowed, Norm, tractor. Della &amp; L Brown went down home for awhile in p.m. back for tea. Pat took me to Dr's after supper, Della rode down home with us, had to bring flowers in off veranda, so cold.</p> <p>Sun April 24 Weather - Sunny, bright, a little warmer, Douglas &amp; Norm attended church, communion to-day. Rev McDonald first communion, he brought up two trays from Agincourt, we went down home for an hr or so after Supper</p> <p>Mon April 25 Marion 2 yr B day. Weather - Cloudy, east wind and light showers. men all on land all day. Della came up in p.m. Pat &amp; Marion went down to Rodicks to-night for 2 setting eggs for Marion, Della home Unionville</p> <p><br />1932 Tues April 26 Weather - Cloudy &amp; cool, a little snow at noon. men finished seeding to-day. we cleaned pantry, set the 2 setting hens for Marion in A.M. Mother gave us a welcome surprise by coming up for the afternoon. went down with Pat &amp; Norm to attended a congregational meeting church. Della went over to Brown's 17 goose eggs tested no good out of 21.</p> <p>Wed April 27 Weather - Quite cold, a little snow. Men chopped feed, picked over potatoes &amp; filled up 2 loads wheat. Les took it over to Reesors, Della cleaned little room of Kitchen. Newton called and took Della up to Brown's to help make up Jr farmer papers.</p> <p>Thurs April 28 Weather - Strong winds, much warmer. Norm drew Manure, Doug harrowed, Pat helped with manure etc. Della cleaned &amp; waxed Norm room to-day. I planted flower seeds, poppy, Nastursium, Sweet Wm. In p.m. Dorothy came up after school. Della went over to Burrs after tea to play ball, when she Irene &amp; Laura Brown came in for Dot &amp; walked home with her, Pat picked over apples. Norm away to-night.</p> <p>Frid April 29 Weather - Lovely warm day, East winds by night. Doug harrowed &amp; disc, Norm graded Mr Walton lane A.M. ploughed in S orchard P.M. Douglas carried piles of leaves to burn A.M. &amp; went to Mr J Dixon sale in afternoon. I planted some petunia seeds &amp; a few geraniums in p.m. Produce - 12 pts cream, 110 Doz eggs, 12 bus apples, 8 bags potatoes</p> <p>Sat April 30 Weather - cloudy &amp; showery most of day. Warm. men</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Douglas went to market, Della and J Hooper went &amp; came home with him. Lorne called for Della at night, Wal Craig here at night, Norm away Pat got me another Dutchman pipe $1.00</p> <p>Sun May 1st Weather - Cloudy colder in p.m. Douglas &amp; Norm attended church. Billie here chores &amp; supper. Norm went to Hoopers at night, Mother came up &amp; waited here until Newton &amp; girls called for her, from Y.P.S. Richmond Hill.</p> <p>Mond May 2nd Weather - Lovely day. We washed and did part ironing. Norm Unionville A.M. Doug rolled Pat did etc. In P.M. Pat planted Dutchman pipe raked moved chicken pen etc. boys worked in S. orchard. Norm helped Les with hay at Glovers first. Mrs Craig here for evening. Della and N Jr. Farmers. Pat Store.</p> <p>Tues May 3rd Weather - Cloudy like rain, warm. Norm sowed peas &amp; Pat helped him plant potatoes in S orchard in p.m. Doug rolled &amp; harrowed mangle ground &amp; Summer follow. Em Brown called in evening with Della dress. Douglas, Norm, Della went to the farewell party at Hoopers in honor of Mr Walton &amp; family Marion &amp; I alone. large crowd their.</p> <p>Wed May 4th. Weather - Colder &amp; cloudy men worked in garden A.M. D Brown worked on Summer fallow, Pat planted tatty onions in p.m. we cleaned down stair hall. Mr Mills here just after dinner, later Jean &amp; girlies had a B.D. Mrs Brooke Rhea rang up. Della went to W.M.S. &amp; choir meeting church to-night</p> <p>Thurs May 5 Weather - Cloudy, cool east wind. Pet set out 10 new Rhubarb roots in A.M. and planted lettuce and Radish. In p.m. he grafted toman sweet branches on lady apple trees. Doug rolled grain field &amp; roots. Norm went to Padgets A.M. got mangle seeder &amp; sowed mangles. Della attended coaching class in p.m. at our church. Pat, Marion &amp; Norm went to Unionville with $1000. eggs for A Brown to set, also called to see Mrs. Smallie, but no luck.</p> <p>Friday May 6 Weather - Cloudy A.M. &amp; showery all afternoon &amp; even. Norm pruned trees A.M. Doug rolled in p.m. they chopped, Pat picked over apples &amp; washed eggs. Della attended coach class 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at church, went to Victoria Square dance at night. F. Smith. Pat store. Product 12 pts cream, 10 bags potatoes, 12 bus apples, eggs 28 Doz Store, 8 Dz to a man to set, 79 Dz eggs to A Brown to hatch for us, also 50 jersey giant eggs from Mortsons to set. 115 Doz all.</p> <p>Sat May 7 Weather - Cloudy &amp; showery most of day. Douglas went to Market, called at his Mother's. Billy came home with him, he &amp; Marion went to Unionville at night for empty egg crates. Called at Dr's also at Ada's H but she was not home. Still no luck. Men cleaned LaClures seed oats, Della &amp; Lorne left for home at 9 p.m. Pat &amp; M, Norm Sharon home by 9-20.</p> <p>Sun May 8 Mother's Day Weather - Cloudy &amp; Showery. Norm did not come back. men here had to separate milk. Douglas Marion left at 130 p.m. &amp; went down to his Mother's returning about 5 p.m. I alone all afternoon. Spend evening by fireside, one gossling hatched.</p> <p>Mon May 9 Weather - Cloudy &amp; light showers. men drew manure with Bessie &amp; Dick in A.M. Pat set out 70 berrie canes. We cleaned Kitchen. they pruned some trees p.m.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 John up at night for awhile, two men here looking for seed oats.</p> <p>Tues May 10 Weather - Cloudy &amp; showery, wind still in east. men drew manure in A.M. out of calves stallslt with Bess &amp; Dick Cott. Norm got some black currants shoots out of Leslie garden in A.M. Della &amp; I spent day Knitting &amp; sewing. Kelly's here p.m. cut horns of the old Gentleman cow. G Brown &amp; R Walker here to see about getting their orchards sprayed. Norm attended siniging class at church tonight. Pat went to Unionville, Saw Ada (she promised come) Della, M and I spent even. by fireplace.</p> <p>Wed May 11 Weather - Men Cloudy &amp; warmer. East wind. men picked stones A.M. and pruned trees in p.m. Mr Laclure here at noon to see about baling, later tractor came to take baler to-morrow. Les brought material for spraying orchard Della went to city with John to-day. Bill Champion &amp; she called at night before attending Jr Farmer meeting over at McIntosh's. Pat planted 11 black currants shoots to-night.</p> <p>Thurs May 12 Weather - Cloudy &amp; rain at first, then clearing to a beautiful day. Douglas &amp; Norm left after breakfast to bale a little more than 13 Ton at LaClures 1 1/4 ml south of Oriole. Mr Padget called in A.M. to see Douglas. John phoned about a fishing trip, he &amp; Marion went to Richmond Hill at night to see Mr Luneau to go also. We sure did a big days work. Washed A.M. cleaned cookhouse p.m. Norm &amp; Della choir practice church.</p> <p>Frid May 13 Weather - Lovely day. men pruned trees A.M. Doug rolled Norm scraped lane in p.m. Pat etc put screen doors on at night. Mr Padget thru at night. Pat took Della down home A.M. and she churned 3 small crocks butter, he got some gooseberry shoots &amp; planted when he got home. I raked all A.M. Della and I ironed all P.M. Produce - 12 pts, 117 Dz eggs, 9 bags potatoes, 12 bus apples</p> <p>1932 Sat May 14 9 little pigs arrived Weather - Beautiful warm day. Doug rolled all day. Norm &amp; Marion went to O. Cox after breakfast for clover seed &amp; sowed it with hand seeder. He took Douglas down home at 12 p.m. to go on a fishing trip to Hawk Lake with J Russel, R Armstrong, Dave Lunau, Alex and John. I went up creek in p.m. to fish &amp; I was so disappointed, as Mother, Marion, Roy, Jean, &amp; girlies &amp; Laura came up for a short while. Mary &amp; Gwen called in near tea time &amp; Dorothy came up for tea. Lorne over after supper, G Brown called in for Dorothy. Pat planted Hort 4 flax &amp; 2 Or-poppy premiums in A.M.</p> <p>Sun May 15 Weather - Beautiful warm day &amp; a wondeful night. Newton brought Mother, Marion and Roy up for dinner. Della went down to S S and Mother rode down with Norm to church. Billy &amp; Norm did chores Mrs Craig here at tea time. They went to Y.P.S. after Supper. Marion &amp; I were here alone for evening until E Brown, Irene, Della, Came in then Newton &amp; Laura called &amp; took Roy and Marion down home. Gossling died.</p> <p>Mon May 16 Weather - Warm A.M. quite windy in p.m. light showers. men fixed fence, &amp; put young cattle &amp; Dick in flats filled up wheat. Les took 3 loads away to-day. Norm took Della to Yonge St 9.30 a.m. Marion went allso as she was going to Guelph on his from city. I washed 45 Dz eggs after supper, Norm went Jr Farmer concert, Union. I sent some flower roots down with Norm for Marion Douglas. Home about 3 A.M. 16 fish total</p> <p><br />Tues May 17 Weather - Bright &amp; cool men took top of stack A.M. John brought Laura up A.M. for the day. baled straw all p.m. Norm &amp; Laura went down to coral practice at night. Lallan boys here Supper. Mr French, Mr Firth &amp; Newton, George Brown. Leslie took 1 load straw.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 May 18 Weather - Lovely warmer day. men baled straw all day, had to get 2 extra men John &amp; Jack Thomson in p.m. had 10 men sup with our own, John came up after supper for Laura. later Pat &amp; Marion went to Art Brown's. Les - 1 load straw to-day.</p> <p>Thurs May 19 Weather - Lovely bright day. men burned brush in orchard. Pat did etc. Geo Brown down for 2 loads chaff to-day. I washed &amp; Ironed today. Pat &amp; Marion went out to Firths at night to pay him. Cora &amp; Hazel spend evening here. Norm went practice Jr Inst meet. to-day. Mrs Jas Calverts annual meeting. Les 2 loads straw to-day.</p> <p>Frid May 20 Weather - Lovely warm day. men burned brush in orchard &amp; cultivated &amp; disc in A.M. &amp; sowed oats around colony house for chicks. Les took 1 load straw. Pat &amp; Marion delivered grociers on south trip A.M. Della arrived home from Guelph at 530 p.m. with Brown's. Lorne called later &amp; took her to Malvern dance. Newton brought Mother up to stay here while they all were at the dance. Pat at Lodge. Marion tumbled into ice cold water in vat. Produce - 9 pts cream, 11 bus apples, 121 Dz eggs, (no bags potatoes)</p> <p>Sat May 21 Weather - bright cool &amp; windy Douglas went to market home at noon, he &amp; Norm started to spray trees but broke something, So D &amp; Marion went out to Richmond Hill boys ploughed south of garden, ploughed little sand field in A.M. After Della did her scrubbing, we changed the beds, brought single one down to our room. I had a terrible night. Pat cut front lawn night first time.</p> <p>1932 Sun May 22 Weather - Lovely bright cool day. Norm went away after breakfast, but home in time to get ready for church. Douglas &amp; Marion went also. She was real good. Lorne &amp; Della here at night. Laura went to city to-night (Dr B.) Ada H phoned me P.M.</p> <p>Mon May 23 Weather - Lovely warm bright day. We washed &amp; Ironed for 1/2 hr after supper, then Pat cut Marion &amp; my hair. Pat &amp; Norm sprayed orchard here in A.M. went out &amp; did Cunninghams &amp; Kellys then went over &amp; did G.B. Padgets'. Chopped after that till chore time. Doug ploughed all day with team. Della went down to Hords' in P.M. &amp; attended Y.P.S. debate &amp; social at church at night, also Norm. Ruby Firth up to-day. Mr Gee here to see about getting baling done. Katie Craig up in her own car to-night.</p> <p>Tues May 24 Weather - Ideal day. bright &amp; fairly cool. Doug took day of, had team in A.M. and gathered up a load of wood out of flats for himself. Norm ploughed all day. Douglas sprayed chicken house in A.M. with gillets Lye. Douglas &amp; Norm alone for the milking. Washed both cars at night. Lorne over &amp; took Della away at night. I put in lazy day.</p> <p>Wed May 25 Weather - partly cloudy with nice shower at night (thunder storm). Doug harrowed all day, Norm ploughed in A.M. &amp; moved baler to Mr Gees after dinner. Douglas &amp; Marion went to city A.M. returned home at 2.30 p.m. he got baling wire, they had dinner at his Mother's. he got Marion a pr of sand &amp; brown shoes. Norm went away at night. Della cleaned south veranda A.M. &amp; went down to Hords in p.m. with Charlie &amp; Hazel to her coaching class. Les car broke down at St Thomas on way home - Wheatley</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Thurs May 26 we moved Glider out on veranda to-day 26.th Weather - Cloudy &amp; very warm a.m. rained from 4.30 p.m. Doug ploughed to-day across creek. Douglas &amp; Norm left after breakfast for Mr Geis to bale, straw about 12 ton. Curl &amp; his Dad here in A.M. Della went over to Hoopers in p.m. then down home. back for supper, Norm went to Choir practice. Les's returned to-day about 4 P.M. had to be toed home. Dr phoned me at 4 p.m.</p> <p>Frid May 27 Weather - Cloudy (Partly) with occasional showers. Norm laid around most of the day with his sprained wrist which he got yesterday baling. Doug cleaned out hen houses &amp; helped Pat clean up wheat. Mr Hooper here in afternoon, Geo Brown &amp; R Walker here at night. Pat went to store short while ice cream for Marion. Della took day of to judge at Richmond Hill. much to her surprise she got 2nd prize in clothing. Silver trim Cream &amp; Sugar bowl $8 Produce - 105 dz eggs, 10 pts cream, 4 bus apple - store (our own)</p> <p>Sat May 28 Weather - Cloudy &amp; cooler. Douglas went to Market, Norm went also, &amp; Mr Hooper they attended the milk meeting in Hygenia Hall. Doug ploughed. Edith Craig came up for awhile in p.m. Lorne over at night and took Della Home. Norm away city to-night. Pat &amp; Marion went over to A Brown's for chicks. 600 chicks out of 1000 eggs 8 per {?} 1 gossling off to-day</p> <p>Sun May 29 Weather - Lovely bright day. Art Brown down in A.M. to see Norm. Douglas Marion &amp; Norm attended church service in P.M. At tea time Gordon &amp; Lilian Gibb &amp; her two nieces drove in for the evening. later, Newton, Mother &amp; Girls called on their way to Richmond Hill. Then W Champion &amp; 2 girl friends called with some Chinese lanterns for me. Mrs J Clending up to-night with Elsey &amp; Doug Walton</p> <p>1932 Mon May 30 Weather - Lovely cool day. Douglas &amp; Norm at Mr Geis all day baling. Les up load straw A.M. Doug baling all day &amp; chored, I did up 9 jars Rhubarb &amp; washed over 30 Dz eggs. Mary &amp; Gwen up before supper, Katie Craig up for Milk, Irene Brown called in a tea time &amp; Della went away with her. B Groom down at night.</p> <p>Tues May 31 Weather - Lovely day. Men D &amp; N went over &amp; finished baling at Mr Gies home before ten A.M. Straw 32 tons. men ploughed &amp; Douglas planted in garden etc. Les took 1 load straw. Laura B came over for the afternoon stayed for tea, later Irene came down &amp; Geo called &amp; took them home at 11 p.m. Douglas Marion &amp; I took chicken boxes back to Art Brown's, brought up some ice cream with us, for the folks. Lorne &amp; his Mother called at 11 p.m. to see Della.</p> <p>Wed June 1 Weather - Lovely day, somewhat cloudy. Doug B ploughed, men sprayed orchard here, Cunninghams, Kelly's &amp; Padgets. Della attended W.M.S. &amp; packing bale at church stayed for supper. Douglas M &amp; I went to Richmond Hill after supper</p> <p>Thurs June 2nd Weather - East wind &amp; showery most of day, thunderstore at night Men sprayed Geo Brown's orchard, then ploughed rest of day. Douglas took Della down home after breakfast with cream to churn. he &amp; M went down for her after dinner. I cut up 5 pineapples to preserve. Norm &amp; Della choir Practice</p> <p>Frid June 3rd Weather - quite warm to-day Douglas &amp; N sprayed Brown's &amp; Walkers orchard A.M. Douglas did John Boyingtons in p.m. I baked A.M. We washed in p.m.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 men ploughed across creek. Dorothy up in p.m. Newton &amp; L called for Della they went oer to hear at play at Cedar Grove. Mrs Craig here in the evening Produce - 97 1/2 Dz eggs, 10 pts cream, 2 cans cream</p> <p>Sat June 4 Weather - very warm Douglas went to market, J Hooper went with him, he could not get the W.M.S. bale in car so did not take it. Norm scuffled mangles, potatoes &amp; garden. Doug cultivated. Douglas planted glad, asters, Marigolds at night. Callers to-night Florence Craig, Irene &amp; Art Brown, Mother &amp; Dorothy.</p> <p>Sun June 5 Weather - very wam thunder shower at 5 p.m. Art Brown, Bruce Bowes to fix Radio &amp; Jimmy were here in A.M. Douglas &amp; Norm went to church, We spent evening alone. Elmer Doan to speak to-night at Y.P.S. Marion not feeling very well has a boil. I had a miserable night.</p> <p>Mon June 6 Weather - very warm Douglas took me over to Mrs A Hoods right after breakfast, babe born 12.15 noon. Douglas &amp; Marion came over at noon to see us also at night</p> <p>Tues June 7 Weather - Quite cool. Jr Institute picnic at Burrs. Della, Marion &amp; Dorothy went.</p> <p>Wed June 8 Weather - a little warmer men cut &amp; planted potatoes this week.</p> <p>Thurs June 9 Weather - Lovely day Institute convention at Unionville. Della over left Marion with me at Ada's Pat &amp; Marion went up to Jacks for 6 bags potatoes A.M. cut &amp; planted them in p.m.</p> <p>Frid June 10 Weather - Quite warm Jr farmer picnic at Preston Lake in p.m. Newton called to see me on his way up. Produce - 12 pts cream, 89 dz eggs</p> <p>Sat June 11 Weather - Quite warm. Douglas went to Market, took Marion down to his Mother's for the day. Came over to see me at night also Dorothy &amp; Marion.</p> <p>Sun June 12 Weather - Lovely day. John called to see me in p.m. Dorothy played in church to-day. {??}Douglas &amp; Marion attended church, called to see me at night.</p> <p>Mon June 13 Weather - Quite warm. Evelyn Babe born 1240 A.M. men finished hoeing mangles to-day</p> <p>Tues June 14 Weather - Quite warm Norm banked up potatoes to-day. Doug</p> <p>Wed June 15 Weather - very warm men repaired silo to-day.</p> <p>Thurs June 16 Weather - quite warm Men ploughed orchard. Douglas &amp; Marion came over for Babe &amp; I at night. Mr &amp; Mrs Hellems in to-day. were suprised to hear the news. WILSON's garage burned a.m.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Frid June 17 Weather - Lovely day but quite warm. cutting sod away from trees in orchard A.M. scuffled potatoes, &amp; cultivated buckwheat ground Produce - 12 pts cream, 86 Dz eggs Mother up for afternoon, Bobbie &amp; Keith in to see Babe. I got up a little while after supper.</p> <p>Sat June 18 Weather - quite warm. (Ruthie Gohn birthday.) Betty in to see Babe in p.m. Douglas went to Market, Dorothy &amp; Doris Walton up in afternoon. Victoria Square party to-day. I got up in p.m. did not feel very good.</p> <p>Sun June 19 Weather - cool east wind. Douglas &amp; Marion went to church. Rev McDonald &amp; Mrs Stiver called in for an hour to see babe &amp; I (to-day Stivers 25th wedding anniversary) I got up in afternoon. Jack, Marguerite &amp; Kiddies called in for the evening. Jimmie in to see Babe to-night. Mon June 20 Weather - Easterly winds. Men cleaned cistern out, whitewashed separator room, stable, milk house &amp; cellar to-day. ploughed ground for strawberries. we washed &amp; Della washed cellar floor off in p.m. (I helped with washing a little) Mrs Craig here in evening. Cut some hay to-day, washed car to-night</p> <p>Tues June 21 Weather - Warm A.M. thunder &amp; rain in p.m. Cut some more hay to-day. repaired silo, Paris green potatoes. Mr Hellems called in at noon to see Dorothy. Mother, Newton &amp; Dorothy up for awhile this evening. choir practice (they brought dishes up.)</p> <p>Wed June 22 Weather - Cool &amp; cloudy. Douglas &amp; Marion went to Richmond Hill A.M. Men cultivated, shook lumped hay. I baked pies, cakes etc in A.M. John, Mother, Dorothy &amp; Irene Brown here in evening</p> <p>Thurs June 23 Weather - Quite cool Mrs Craig here A.M. men raked hay, lumped hay, cut alfalfa, cultivated buckwheat ground twice &amp; sowed buckwheat. strong wind blew a maple tree down out the lane. Dorothy stayed overnight to help me &amp; Della went to city for the day with Brown's. girls &amp; Norm went to choir practice. I cut out blue &amp; white spot dress to-day.</p> <p>Frid June 24 Weather - Cool. men raked hay, lumped hay. Doug harrowed summerfollow. John up after dinner, Mrs. Brillinger &amp; Rhea here in p.m. to see the babe.. Produce - 82 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream. Della started red &amp; white sweater</p> <p>Sat June 25 Weather - rained A.M. &amp; rather cloudy rest of day. men cleaned up wheat, Douglas &amp; Marion took a ladder down home after dinner. Mary, Gwenie, Mrs. Craig called before tea time. Billy brought up a crate of strawberries at supper time, he brought Margaret up with him. first time for me to see her (7 mon old) Lorne here at night</p> <p>Sun June 26 Weather - Beautiful day. Douglas &amp; Marion, Norm &amp; Della attended church. Mother &amp; Laura came up with them for tea (used new dishes to-night first.) Newton &amp; Laura called for Mother, they went over to the anniversary service at Headford to-night, (our choir (sing) Mr &amp; Mrs Hawk, Alex &amp; Marion called in to see Dorothy Eileen to-night Mon June 27 Weather - rained a.m. rather cloudy. Peonie show to-night Unionville. we did up 14 qts strawberries. I cleaned babe bonnet &amp; washed shawl. men cleaned up wheat, scuffled potatoes etc. Pat got 30 roots asparagus this A.M. Mrs Craig up this evening. Hilda saw babe to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 June 28 Weather - Ideal summer day. Doug rolled buckwheat ground, Norm cultivated summerfallow &amp; raked hay A.M. In afternoon all lumped hay. we washed Ironed &amp; sewed p.m. Della went to church to help clean in P.M. Lorne &amp; Della city to-night.</p> <p>Wed June 29 Weather - Lovely in A.M. changed at noon &amp; rained heavy all P.M. men finished lumping hay A.M. moved baled straw etc in p.m. Les up in afternoon. Norm over to Robbs barn to-night. I sewed P.M. Della knit at her sweater</p> <p>Thurs June 30 Weather - Lovely warm day. men hoed mangles A.M. &amp; beans p.m. Billy here all day to (dinner) Spray man here in p.m. Robbs barn dance to-night. Della &amp; Norm went to it, Della down home in A.M. Drew phoned up a.m. (Marion on road) In evening Mother, Cora, Hazel, Stella &amp; Dureen were here to see babe.</p> <p>Frid July 1 Weather - rained very hard in A.M. Clearing in p.m. Norm went over to help clean up at Robb's barn. Della went down home. Doug B took the day of. Della, Norm, etc. went for a trip in afternoon. Douglas &amp; I just busy with this &amp; that. Mrs. Hood, George Shaver &amp; Grant here in afternoon. Georgina Padget &amp; Betty later. Florence Craig in evening. Produce - 74 Dz eggs, 12 pts cream.</p> <p>Sat July 2nd Weather - Showery A.M. Cooler p.m. Norm scuffled a.m. Doug harrowed, both ploughed in p.m. Douglas patched roof of little barn. Douglas &amp; Norm went to store to-night.</p> <p>1932 Sun July 3 Weather - Fair &amp; cool. all rested in A.M. I picked 6 qt basket green peas &amp; had them for dinner. Della went to S.S. Norm rode down with us. Dorothy &amp; I went down home, Douglas &amp; Marion came over after church, we stayed for tea</p> <p>Mon July 4 Weather - rained quite heavy A.M. men cleaned wheat a.m. &amp; p.m. Les took 4 loads to Markham, we did not wash. Della Knit. babe &amp; I had a bad cold. Della &amp; Norm went to ball practice at Burrs then over to Jr Farmer meeting after that. Y.P.S. social to-night.</p> <p>Tues July 5 Weather - Fair. We washed &amp; ironed to-day. men drew in hay all day. Les &amp; Billy here using 2 wagons. Les took 2 load wheat. Pat &amp; Norm turned hay out at night. Della went Practice Cedar Grove.</p> <p>Wed July 6 Weather - An Ideal day. Until between 615 &amp; 8 p.m. rained heavy Les took 2 hogs to city. men drew in hay all day. Della went down home in p.m., left at 515 walked up to D Brown's Garden party. Douglas left at 730 for Garden party to.</p> <p>Thurs July 7 Weather - Showery most of day. Men cleaned wheat in A.M. Doug B &amp; Della went up to Browns for 2 hrs to help clean up. Doug, Norm, Billy went down to city to see a show p.m. Della Knit most of day, finished sweater. She &amp; Norm went to choir practice.</p> <p>Frid July 8 Weather - Fair &amp; cool. Produce - 12 pts cream, 79 Dz eggs, beans men cut &amp; lumped hay.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Douglas &amp; Billy sprayed Walkers &amp; Brown's orchard in A.M. boys cut road round sweet clover. Douglas sprayed Boyningtons orchard p.m. Cliff B, Elgin Gohn called in with new Ford for Norm. John called for Della Cedar Grove Practice. Jr Inst to {Abeseford?} to-day.</p> <p>Sat July 9 Weather - Fair &amp; warm. Douglas &amp; Jimmie sprayed our orchards to-day. Norm &amp; Doug raked &amp; lumped hay all day. Billy brought up 4 boxes strawberries at night. Marion, babe &amp; I drove down home for the afternoon. Alex, Marion Jean &amp; Kiddies there concert at Cedar Grove. Harold Cunningham married to-day.</p> <p>Sun July 10 Weather - rained heavy, clearing at evening. Jack, Marguerite &amp; Kiddies came down before dinner stayed until 9 p.m. Had picnic supper here. Alex, Marion, Roy, Mother, John, Dorothy, Della, Newton, later Norm &amp; the 2 Lauras &amp; Irene came and Lorne. Douglas did not go to church. (New potatoes to-day.)</p> <p>Mon July 11 Weather - Lovely bright day. men lumped hay, cut hay, started to cut sweet clover but tractor would not work so Douglas &amp; Marion went to Garage &amp; to Richmond Hill for repairs. Mr Stewart &amp; Stone were here for 50 bus wheat.</p> <p>Tues July 12 Weather - rain early A.M. then mostly cloudy. men turned out hay &amp; drew in all day with 2 wagons &amp; Les here. finished what was out. Billy heard to-day that he passed entrance. Mrs Hellems called in A.M. to see Dorothy. Lorne here night for Della went to city. Pat &amp; Norm went Unionville Hair cut.</p> <p>Wed July 13 Weather - Lovely A.M. rained in afternoon. men lumped hay in A.M. Douglas spent most of morning repairing binder, got some sweet clover cut. about 15 min to 5 we left for the S.S. picnic at York Memorial Park. Newton called in A.M. &amp; took Della &amp; Marion with him. Doug &amp; Norm hoed did the chores. Norm went on the Jr Farmer Moonlight excursion to Niagara.</p> <p>Thurs July 14 Mr J Lunau got 150 bus wheat Weather - Lovely warm day. Men cut sweet clover all day. Doug cut hay A.M. &amp; lumped p.m. Doug B. milk all cows but 3. Mrs W Elloitt, Mrs R Elloitt &amp; Mrs F Elliott &amp; Ross called in p.m. to see the baby. Pat garage at night. McGee called at night with $48.00 for baling.</p> <p>Frid July 15 Weather - rather cloudy but fair. Men had 2 hrs finishing sweet clover, then drew in hay until noon, then filled silo in afternoon. I picked a few black currants after supper that is real ripe. Norm went for beef. Produce 76 Dz eggs</p> <p>Sat July 16 Weather - Lovely day. men finished silo filling &amp; went home at 3 p.m. Then our men put in a few more loads themselves after that. Della &amp; I picked black currants &amp; cherries until 6 p.m. Lorne called after supper, Della went home with him for the night as they were leaving 7 A.M. Sun morn for the 1000 Islands. Pat at garage. Norm went to a presentation for H Cunningham</p> <p>Sun July 17 Weather - Lovely cool bright day. Just Norm &amp; Pat for breakfast, then they slept all forenoon. Cora H, Florence E, Mrs Burton here in A.M. we at 15 min to 8 p.m. for Marguerites. returned home at 11.15 took her 2-6 qt basket cherries. Norm attended church.</p> <p>Mon July 18 Weather - Lovely day. men cut, lumped, &amp; drew hay in. we picked &amp; preserved fruit, girlies &amp; I went to the Cradle roll &amp; Mission band picnic at Mary Rodicks in afternoon</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932</p> <p>Mrs Firth up in A.M. for chicken feed.</p> <p>Tues July 19 Weather - very warm, showers at night. men finished haying to-day &amp; put rakings in top of silo &amp; tank water. Mrs. Craig up in A.M. Laura &amp; Dorothy called in afternoon, could not stay as Rev and Mrs Sellars, were going there. Lorne &amp; Dellato city at night.</p> <p>Wed July 20 Weather - Showery and cloudy. Doug B Cultivated orchard A.M. Norm scuffled potatoes then they hoed potatoes rest of day. We had a big washing. Maty, Gwen, &amp; Newton here in A.M. Della went down home p.m. Douglas &amp; Marion Joff's at night.</p> <p>Thurs July 21 Weather - rained heavy A.M. very warm in afternoon. Doug ploughed after rain, Norm &amp; Pat worked at tractor, then Norm scuffled. Pat went to Agincourt after dinner, then Della, Marion &amp; I drove over to the Institute meeting at Mrs. Fletts. Good crowd. Florence Craig and Mrs Burton here after tea time. Dorothy came home with us.</p> <p>Frid July 22 Weather - Fair &amp; warm, shower at night. Doug &amp; Billy were ploughing, Norm &amp; Douglas repaired tractor, Douglas went to Markham a.m. then at night again, Della, Kiddies &amp; I went to Unionville called at Ada's, Jeane, Della called on Mrs Nash. Nelson B here after dinner. Produce - 75 Dz eggs, John brought up gooseberries at night. Saw Ada J &amp; Leslie Dorothy.</p> <p>Sat July 23 Weather- quite Cool all day. Norm took day of for Mulock picnic, we left here at 12.30 Kiddies, Mother &amp; I stayed at Marguerites, Jack &amp; Douglas went to picnic. Della went with Gohns &amp; Mary Champion to help sell tickets. home at 11 P.M.</p> <p>July Sun 24 - 3 little gosslings off. Weather - Cool wind but hot sun. Della &amp; Douglas went to church, Rev M Sellars preached. Lorne over at night. Douglas, Kiddies &amp; I drove down to see Aunt Lizzie, Agnes &amp; Kate. Mr &amp; Mrs Rodick, Rev &amp; Mrs Sellars there also, Leslie on fishing trip.</p> <p>July 25 Weather - Cool &amp; Fair. Douglas &amp; Norm cut wheat all day. Doug B had day of. We picked berries, preserved them also gooseberries &amp; Washed in p.m. Della &amp; Norm away at night. Jack Robinson here fence stretcher.</p> <p>Tues July 25 Weather - Came rain at noon lasted all afternoon. Men cut &amp; shocked wheat in A.M. Leslie up for awhile, they cleaned up wheat in p.m. I made apple pies for the first to-day. Lorne &amp; Laura called for Della at p.m.</p> <p>Wed July 27 Weather - Clearing &amp; quite cool men ploughed A.M. Douglas hoed garden, cut &amp; finished wheat &amp; shocked in p.m. Della picked berries &amp; I did up 6 qts. I cleaned cook stove to-day. Newton &amp; Dorothy up at night for awhile.</p> <p>Thurs July 28 Weather - Partly cloudy - with light showers at evening. men shocked wheat all day. Douglas ploughed sweet clover. Mother, girlies &amp; I went over to Auntie's for an hr or so in p.m. the girls stayed at Jeans &amp; I called for them. Dorothy came up for tea. Newton &amp; Laura called in after supper.</p> <p>Frid July 29 Weather - Fair &amp; cool men ploughed all day. Katie Craig &amp; Laura here for tea. Douglas &amp; Marion took them home about 11 p.m. Produce - 70 1/2 Dz eggs. Mr Mills here in forenoon, we had Dorothy Insured.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This page is a repeat of 50.pdf}</p> <p>1932</p> <p>Mrs Firth up in A.M. for chicken feed.</p> <p>Tues July 19 Weather - very warm, showers at night. men finished haying to-day &amp; put rakings in top of silo &amp; tank water. Mrs. Craig up in A.M. Laura &amp; Dorothy called in afternoon, could not stay as Rev and Mrs Sellars, were going there. Lorne &amp; Dellato city at night.</p> <p>Wed July 20 Weather - Showery and cloudy. Doug B Cultivated orchard A.M. Norm scuffled potatoes then they hoed potatoes rest of day. We had a big washing. Maty, Gwen, &amp; Newton here in A.M. Della went down home p.m. Douglas &amp; Marion Joff's at night.</p> <p>Thurs July 21 Weather - rained heavy A.M. very warm in afternoon. Doug ploughed after rain, Norm &amp; Pat worked at tractor, then Norm scuffled. Pat went to Agincourt after dinner, then Della, Marion &amp; I drove over to the Institute meeting at Mrs. Fletts. Good crowd. Florence Craig and Mrs Burton here after tea time. Dorothy came home with us.</p> <p>Frid July 22 Weather - Fair &amp; warm, shower at night. Doug &amp; Billy were ploughing, Norm &amp; Douglas repaired tractor, Douglas went to Markham a.m. then at night again, Della, Kiddies &amp; I went to Unionville called at Ada's, Jeane, Della called on Mrs Nash. Nelson B here after dinner. Produce - 75 Dz eggs, John brought up gooseberries at night. Saw Ada J &amp; Leslie Dorothy.</p> <p>Sat July 23 Weather- quite Cool all day. Norm took day of for Mulock picnic, we left here at 12.30 Kiddies, Mother &amp; I stayed at Marguerites, Jack &amp; Douglas went to picnic. Della went with Gohns &amp; Mary Champion to help sell tickets. home at 11 P.M.</p> <p>July Sun 24 - 3 little gosslings off. Weather - Cool wind but hot sun. Della &amp; Douglas went to church, Rev M Sellars preached. Lorne over at night. Douglas, Kiddies &amp; I drove down to see Aunt Lizzie, Agnes &amp; Kate. Mr &amp; Mrs Rodick, Rev &amp; Mrs Sellars there also, Leslie on fishing trip.</p> <p>July 25 Weather - Cool &amp; Fair. Douglas &amp; Norm cut wheat all day. Doug B had day of. We picked berries, preserved them also gooseberries &amp; Washed in p.m. Della &amp; Norm away at night. Jack Robinson here fence stretcher.</p> <p>Tues July 25 Weather - Came rain at noon lasted all afternoon. Men cut &amp; shocked wheat in A.M. Leslie up for awhile, they cleaned up wheat in p.m. I made apple pies for the first to-day. Lorne &amp; Laura called for Della at p.m.</p> <p>Wed July 27 Weather - Clearing &amp; quite cool men ploughed A.M. Douglas hoed garden, cut &amp; finished wheat &amp; shocked in p.m. Della picked berries &amp; I did up 6 qts. I cleaned cook stove to-day. Newton &amp; Dorothy up at night for awhile.</p> <p>Thurs July 28 Weather - Partly cloudy - with light showers at evening. men shocked wheat all day. Douglas ploughed sweet clover. Mother, girlies &amp; I went over to Auntie's for an hr or so in p.m. the girls stayed at Jeans &amp; I called for them. Dorothy came up for tea. Newton &amp; Laura called in after supper.</p> <p>Frid July 29 Weather - Fair &amp; cool men ploughed all day. Katie Craig &amp; Laura here for tea. Douglas &amp; Marion took them home about 11 p.m. Produce - 70 1/2 Dz eggs. Mr Mills here in forenoon, we had Dorothy Insured.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Sat July 30 Weather - Lovely summer day. We picked berries in A.N. men all ploughed. Douglas attended the funeral of Thomas McQuay, Rev Rae, Rev McDonald, Rev Sellars took part in service. Newton called for Della at noon &amp; went to the Y.P.S. picnic at men drew in 2 loads wheat this evening. Lorne called in evening. Douglas went out to store</p> <p>Sun July 31 Weather - Lovely day. Norm went over home for the day. Douglas &amp; Marion attended church. Della went home about 1230 p.m. We went for a drive in the evening. Della walked up about 9.</p> <p>Mon Aug 1st/32 Weather - Fair &amp; partly cool. (Lennox picnic.) Busy day started threshing cleared 7 acres &amp; threshed 22 loads wheat the boys from home &amp; Leslie was here. Dorothy came up with John &amp; helped all day. we picked berries, made 4 lots bean pickle. I took John car &amp; took Laura &amp; Mother to Yonge St. Phyiss Padget here with Betty. Florence C up in evening. Newton called for Della to go to Jr Farmers.</p> <p>Tues Aug 2nd Weather - Lovely cool day, hot Sun. East wind. Men busy threshing wheat, Boys here also Dorothy. She &amp; Della went over to Muriel Stivers to visit for the afternoon. Mr J D Mills called at noon with Dorothy In. policy later with a present for her. Lewis &amp; Muriel brought girls home a night, finished threshing by 630, then they moved machine down home. Lorne called in.</p> <p>Wed Aug 3rd Weather - rained most of night &amp; early A.M. Norm &amp; Doug B. took baler over &amp; baled 8 tons straw for O. Cox. Douglas, Marion, Della, Babe &amp; I left at 11 a.m. for city, returned at 5 p.m. Called to see Laura. Mr W Clark here just before we left. W.M.S. at Mrs Strivers.</p> <p>1932 Thurs Aug 4 Marion snap taken. Weather - Fair &amp; warm. Norm cut a field of mixed grain in A.M. Doug shocked D. They all went down home &amp; threshed all but 2 loads wheat, we picked berries in A.M. &amp; did them up in p.m. also ironing. Boys &amp; I did milking.</p> <p>Frid Aug 5 Weather - quite warm S.W. wind. rain at night. Men finished threshing at home shortly after dinner, then they came up &amp; brought tractor cut down a field grain &amp; started another. Della went down home after supper. Florence C. here at tea time. Receipt. We all went to Richmond Produce - 66 Dz eggs</p> <p>Sat Aug 6 Weather - Quite warm. Pat &amp; Billie men finished cutting large field mixed grain. Doug &amp; Norm shocked, we cut front lawn in p.m. Mr Hellems called after dinner. 4 Dz eggs (Mrs Robins) Phyliss, Georgina &amp; Doris Walton went there after dinner. Lorne over at night, also Mr &amp; Mrs Dinsma.</p> <p>Sun Aug 7 Weather - rather cloudy with light Showers then Warm. Norm went to Grand Valley, Douglas &amp; Maron went to city Saw Bill M. &amp; visited at his Mothers. Doug &amp; I did milking. Lorne here for tea then babe &amp; went down home with him. L. &amp; Della they went to Jean's. Jim McCartney called at noon.</p> <p>Mon Aug 8 Weather - Partly fair, rained in p.m. Men cut grain &amp; shocked. Billie cut hay. They ploughed out potatoes in p.m. We washed, ironed, picked berries. Irene, Laura, Miss Head, Dorothy came in the evening, did hair, &amp; got berries.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{repeat of 52.pdf.} 1932 Sat July 30 Weather - Lovely summer day. We picked berries in A.N. men all ploughed. Douglas attended the funeral of Thomas McQuay, Rev Rae, Rev McDonald, Rev Sellars took part in service. Newton called for Della at noon &amp; went to the Y.P.S. picnic at men drew in 2 loads wheat this evening. Lorne called in evening. Douglas went out to store</p> <p>Sun July 31 Weather - Lovely day. Norm went over home for the day. Douglas &amp; Marion attended church. Della went home about 1230 p.m. We went for a drive in the evening. Della walked up about 9.</p> <p>Mon Aug 1st/32 Weather - Fair &amp; partly cool. (Lennox picnic.) Busy day started threshing cleared 7 acres &amp; threshed 22 loads wheat the boys from home &amp; Leslie was here. Dorothy came up with John &amp; helped all day. we picked berries, made 4 lots bean pickle. I took John car &amp; took Laura &amp; Mother to Yonge St. Phyiss Padget here with Betty. Florence C up in evening. Newton called for Della to go to Jr Farmers.</p> <p>Tues Aug 2nd Weather - Lovely cool day, hot Sun. East wind. Men busy threshing wheat, Boys here also Dorothy. She &amp; Della went over to Muriel Stivers to visit for the afternoon. Mr J D Mills called at noon with Dorothy In. policy later with a present for her. Lewis &amp; Muriel brought girls home a night, finished threshing by 630, then they moved machine down home. Lorne called in.</p> <p>Wed Aug 3rd Weather - rained most of night &amp; early A.M. Norm &amp; Doug B. took baler over &amp; baled 8 tons straw for O. Cox. Douglas, Marion, Della, Babe &amp; I left at 11 a.m. for city, returned at 5 p.m. Called to see Laura. Mr W Clark here just before we left. W.M.S. at Mrs Strivers.</p> <p>1932 Thurs Aug 4 Marion snap taken. Weather - Fair &amp; warm. Norm cut a field of mixed grain in A.M. Doug shocked D. They all went down home &amp; threshed all but 2 loads wheat, we picked berries in A.M. &amp; did them up in p.m. also ironing. Boys &amp; I did milking.</p> <p>Frid Aug 5 Weather - quite warm S.W. wind. rain at night. Men finished threshing at home shortly after dinner, then they came up &amp; brought tractor cut down a field grain &amp; started another. Della went down home after supper. Florence C. here at tea time. Receipt. We all went to Richmond Produce - 66 Dz eggs</p> <p>Sat Aug 6 Weather - Quite warm. Pat &amp; Billie men finished cutting large field mixed grain. Doug &amp; Norm shocked, we cut front lawn in p.m. Mr Hellems called after dinner. 4 Dz eggs (Mrs Robins) Phyliss, Georgina &amp; Doris Walton went there after dinner. Lorne over at night, also Mr &amp; Mrs Dinsma.</p> <p>Sun Aug 7 Weather - rather cloudy with light Showers then Warm. Norm went to Grand Valley, Douglas &amp; Maron went to city Saw Bill M. &amp; visited at his Mothers. Doug &amp; I did milking. Lorne here for tea then babe &amp; went down home with him. L. &amp; Della they went to Jean's. Jim McCartney called at noon.</p> <p>Mon Aug 8 Weather - Partly fair, rained in p.m. Men cut grain &amp; shocked. Billie cut hay. They ploughed out potatoes in p.m. We washed, ironed, picked berries. Irene, Laura, Miss Head, Dorothy came in the evening, did hair, &amp; got berries.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Mother Birthday.</p> <p>Tues Aug 9 Weather - Fair, partly cool with light showers at noon. men finished cutting grain at 4 p.m. the goose wheat &amp; shocked then raked up hay. Della Kiddies &amp; I drove down home Pat &amp; Norm come down later, all there but Alex &amp; Laura.</p> <p>Wed Aug 10 Weather - Cool, with heavy Storm &amp; rain about 330 p.m. Doug harrowed A.M. Norm off jobs, Pat cutting weeds with sythe. Started to bale wheat straw at noon, but when rain came stop then. Della did not feel well in bed all A.M. all went bed early.</p> <p>Thurs Aug 11 Weather - Fair &amp; cool. Norm &amp; Billie ploughed in A.M. with horses, Doug cut weeds along lane &amp; in mangles. Douglas &amp; Marion went down home to fix threshing machine. Norm went to Unionville at night. baled straw in afternoon.</p> <p>Frid Aug 12 Weather - Lovely cool day men finished baling shortly after dinner, Doug went down with John &amp; Newton to shock grain. Douglas, Norm &amp; Billie lumped hay. Lorne &amp; Della went to Garden party at Call Hood's, also Norm. Produce, - 67 1/2 1 bus. apples. 61 1/2 Doz. eggs.</p> <p>Sat Aug 13 Weather - Lovely cool day. men drew in 3 1/2 loads hay, put some baled straw in barn, went down home to thresh in p.m. Jimmie &amp; I did milking, Della went down home Alex etc. supper. Our folks brought her home. Laura Brown, Jean Scott Mrs B &amp; Mrs Manning here p.m.</p> <p><br />Sun Aug 14 Weather - Lovely day. I was in bed all morning &amp; part of p.m. with Flu. Douglas, Marion &amp; Norm went to church Lorne &amp; Della to a Lake. We went to Aunties for tea. 20-6 when we got there.</p> <p>Mon Aug 15 Weather - Quite warm. men all down home threshing, we washed. I did not feel very good yet. Norm &amp; Della went with Geo brown to Dimma's last to Jr. Farmer meeting.</p> <p>Tues Aug 16 Weather - quite warm. men all down home threshing finished &amp; had machine home 730. Della &amp; Marion were down home for the afternoon. Lorne &amp; Della went to city at night. Mr Hellems brought honey over to-day. Leslie up to milk.</p> <p>Wed Aug 17 Weather - Lovely A.M. rained most of afternoon. men busy threshing here, rain came after dinner &amp; stopped it all. 10 girls planned to go to island in afternoon, Della sick, had Dr. McDonald over at noon. Dorothy up in A.M. she left at noon, Mrs. Brown &amp; Mother came at noon &amp; stayed until Newt &amp; Girls called at 11.15 p.m.</p> <p>Thurs Aug 18 Newton brought cedar chest home - Unionville Weather - Rained heavy early a.m. clearing and cooler. Doug had day of getting teeth out, Douglas &amp; Norm repairing machine etc all day. Dorothy &amp; Mother up with John in A.M. Dorothy stayed, I attended Jr. Insitiute at Mrs. J Curtis, went with Charlie, Hazel, Cora Alice W. They called to see babe on the way home.</p> <p>Frid Aug 19 Weather - Cloudy and cool. Doug harrowed wheat ground, Norm pulled weeds, Billie Douglas picked apples &amp; repaired threshing machine, Dorothy here yet, Della up for supper. We did up beets &amp; finished the berrie picking. Produce - 60 Dz egg 5 bus apple.</p> <p>Sat Aug 20 Here at night Weather - Beautiful day. Lovne, L Brown, Irene &amp; a friend, Mr Padget here at night. men threshed all day, Douglas did not feel very well all day. Johnson here helping</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Sun Aug 21 Weather - Lovely day. Douglas, Marion &amp; Norm attended church, Rev Rae preached, Mrs. Rae spoke in Sun. School. Dorothy went down home before dinner, Lorne here in p.m Della in bed.</p> <p>Mon Aug 22 Rose C. here to-day. Weather - Quite warm, rain in afternoon about 4 p.m. men threshed until rain came, Dorothy came up with the boys A.M. Irene, Laura &amp; Verna Dinsmore here A.M. 2 men to see about baling at tea time we picked 3. 11 qt basket plums</p> <p>Tues Aug 23 Weather - Moderately warm. men repaired fence, cleaned chaff of barn roof A.M. Mom a.m. threshing in p.m. Mary &amp; Gwenie up most of afternoon, Mrs.Craig here in evening.</p> <p>Wed Aug 24 We washed. Weather - Quite warm. men finished threshing at noon. started to draw manure p.m. Norm attended St dance at Richmond Hill to-night, Dorothy went home p.m.</p> <p>Thurs Aug 25 Weather - very warm, thunder shower 4 p.m. men drew manure, Douglas picked apples, we all went to Jean's at night. Della &amp; Marion drove down home with Tom for Cedar Chest P.M.</p> <p>Frid Aug 26. Ex. opened to-day. Weather - Quite warm with rain in afternoon. Douglas &amp; Norm away baling, Doug &amp; Billy ploughed in A.M. picked chickens in afternoon, Produce 551/2 Doz. eggs 10 chicks 1 bus apples.</p> <p>Sat Aug 27 Weather - Fair &amp; very windy in p.m. men finished baling at noon, ploughed in p.m. Della went down home to-night Em Brown called in at night with Jam, Douglas at store.</p> <p>1932 Sun Aug 28 Weather - Lovely cool day. men slept in A.M. after dinner we went over &amp; got Bob, Jean, girlies went on up to Jack's, as they were away, we went on up to Lake Simcoe had our supper &amp; called in for an hr or more at Jacks. Our folks had been there &amp; left 1/2 hr before. home at 10 45 p.m.</p> <p>Mon Aug 29 Weather - Cloudy with light showers. Men ploughed &amp; drew manure. The old Gentleman had Doug B down in the barnyard, we were very much frightened. ro-day Kiddie day at the Ex. we washed. spent evening at home.</p> <p>Tues Aug 30 Weather - Cool, rained early A.M. men ploughed, Doug drew manure all forenoon, then ploughed Mother, Kiddies &amp; I went over to Myrtles for some strawberry plants, then Della &amp; Marion stayed at home for tea as Muriel S Mary &amp; Margaret Armstrongwere there. Douglas went down home for them</p> <p>Wed Aug 31 Weather - very, very warm. hotest day yet. men ploughed all day. The Eclipse on the Sun this afternoon. Pingles 2 girls here for apples in p.m. we went to Richmond Hill to-night</p> <p>Thurs Sept 1 Della &amp; Lorne away. Weather - A little cooler. men ploughed all day. Billy started high school. we did up, plums, peaches &amp; Chili sauce. Pat Reid here to-night for heifer calf. Norm went Unionville</p> <p>Frid Sept 2 Weather - Lovely day. men ploughed, Douglas ploughed &amp; cultivated before dinner, picked chicks &amp; apples P.M.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 two men here in p.m. to see about a new windmill. Lorne here to-night Produce - 47 Dz eggs, 10 chicks, 3 bus apples. D store to-night.</p> <p>Sat Sept 3 Weather - Cloudy &amp; showery A.M. rained &amp; thunder at night. men ploughed &amp; harrowed cleaned seed wheat, Douglas went to the Ex to-day left 10 a.m. home 1130. Dorothy came up to-night to stay over, Newton called later. Joff down for a calf. we did up 9 1/2 qts chili sauce, I got new everyday shoes to-night.</p> <p>Sun Sept 4 Weather - Lovely cool day. Norm left after breakfast, Della &amp; Dorothy riding down with him. Douglas attended church. Mary. Gwenie, Iileen Pratt here for a visit. Mary brought a lovely dress for Dorothy. Mrs Craig called at tea time, spent the evening at home. Lorne &amp; Della came later.</p> <p>Mon Sept 5 Weather - Moderately warm. Borm picked pears, Doug harrowed &amp; cut clover in p.m. While cutting the dog (Bob) ran in front of mower got 3 feet cut, one right off. Phyliss &amp; Georgina Padget there p.m. three people here looking at place to buy. We all went to the dance at Unionville. Ford car given away. (they wanted Marion to pick the ticket, we thought her to young to understand.)</p> <p>Tues Sept 6 Weather - Quite cool a little Squally like fall day. Norm picked peas A.M. &amp; cut thistles Doug harrowed, they ploughed p.m. Douglas ploughed all day. Mrs. Craig up A.M. &amp; John. 2 girls from padgets Pingles here Joff &amp; Ashton, Lorne at night, made chow &amp; chili sauce.</p> <p>Wed Sept 7 Weather - Rather cloudy &amp; cool. men ploughed, Norm &amp; Della went to the Ex to judge, clothing &amp; horses. Della went with Charlie &amp; Hazel</p> <p>Thurs Sept 8 Weather - an ideal day. Doug B had day of to the Ex. Norm &amp; Doiuglas ploughed &amp; drew 1 load red clover over to Padgets to thresh. Della, Mother, Girlies &amp; I motored over to Myrtles for some more S berry plants called at Jeans on way back Della went in home for supper, girlies both asleep on my knee up the road while I drove. Norm to practice, Pat store.</p> <p>Frid Sept 9 Weather - lovely day. Norm took another load clover to Padgets &amp; helped thresh it then he ploughed till noon with Doug. Douglas gathered in pears &amp; apples. Geo Brown down &amp; made some cider for himself to take to market. Mrs Craig up in A.M. for apples. 2 girls from Pinges over in p.m. Billie Bloom down at night for a calf Norm &amp; Della went to City Della stayed down. Douglas went to market Lodge at Markham Produce 3 bus pears 5 bus apples, 6 gal cider 42 1/4 Doz eggs 20 chickens, flowers.</p> <p>Sat Sept 10 Weather - Lovely day. men ploughed all day. I quite busy making catsup etc.</p> <p>Sun Sept 11 Weather - Lovely bright day. Newton brought Mother, Marguerite, Della, Dureen &amp; Howard up after dinner for Della's hat, then girlies &amp; I went down with Douglas &amp; stayed at home then he came over after church for tea. John away for weekend. Laura &amp; Art Brown called while we away.</p> <p>Mon Sept 12 Weather - Lovely day. Douglas cultivated, men ploughed a.m. picked St Laurence apples &amp; cleaned wheat P.M. we washed. E Duncan, E Hill here to see about baling D to R Hill to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 First load straw went Monday sept 12</p> <p>Tues Sept 13 Weather - Cloudy easterly winds, rained heavy at night. Douglas cultivated wheat ground, Doug rolled it &amp; Norm got half the field across pond sown with wheat, Della went to city with jJohn, Mother, Leslie took 2nd load straw this A.M. Walter Craig up this evening. I went out there for 11 qt plums</p> <p>Wed Sept 14 Weather - Lovely day. Doug picked pears A.M. etc., finished sowing wheat to-day. I drove down to the W.M.S. at night at church.</p> <p>Thurs Sept 15 Weather - An ideal day &amp; evening. (moonlight. Doug harrowed, Norm picked apples A.M. &amp; Douglas fixed tractor in p.m. They cut buckwheat, Mother &amp; Laura came up in the afternoon, We stayed with Kiddies Della &amp; I went with Laura to Jr Institute at Dells Stephensons. Stouffville there to. I went with Hooper's down to the Y.P.S Corn Roast.</p> <p>Fri Sept 16 Weather - Lovely &amp; cool. men picked apples &amp; made cider in A.M. finished cutting buckwheat in p.m. &amp; picked 20 chickens after 4.30. produce, 6 gal cider, 20 chicks 5 bus apples, 9 pts cream, 6 bus pears, 43 Dz. eggs.</p> <p>Sat Sept 17 Weather - cloudy, rained +&amp; cool. Boys shocked buckwheat &amp; did some chopping, Douglas cultivated, Carl B. bought home fertilizer seeds in p.m. Norm went up to Jack's for the night. Della attended Jr Farmer corn roast at Champion, then went to Cedar Grove for over Sunday.</p> <p>Sun Sept 18 Weather - An Ideal fall day. Douglas &amp; Marion attended church, Uncle Jim Hood's came up for tea &amp; spent the evening here.</p> <p>1932 Walter Craig here in A.M. Ross Cunningham in p.m Lorne at night</p> <p>Mon Sept 19 Weather - Mostly cloudy rained early A.M. Norm went to city with Leslie, when he look a springer away. He then came and took a load of baled straw before dinner, this 3rd load. I made tomato soup A.M. Rhea &amp; Mary up for the afternoon went to choir practice with Norm &amp; Della. Betty up to see about flowers erc. for S. Fair.</p> <p>Tues Sept 20 Weather - cloudy &amp; very warm. men picked apples, Douglas took Mother, Della, Leslie and I over to the school fair at Unionville in p.m. Della stayed at Jean's for tea , Leslie took the 4th load baled straw at noon.</p> <p>Wed Sept 21 Weather - cloudy,warm and cooler at night. We canned 12 qts 6 pts corn in A.M. did some washing p.m. Cora came over &amp; helped Della &amp; I cut up 1 lb butter for corn roast in Youngs flats in the Y.P.S. men picked apples, Douglas cultivated Mother up in for the evening while rest at corn roast. 70 their.</p> <p>Thurs Sept 22 Weather - cloudy &amp; showery. Norm &amp; H Allen went to Mr Rodicks to help with silo filling &amp; Douglas Doug up to Joffs all home by chore time, I made more tomato soup and&amp; I did up peaches. Della and Norm went to choir practice at night. Mrs Vanhorn funeral to-day.</p> <p>Fri Sept 23 Weather - Northerly winds &amp; cool.</p> <p>Norm down at Rodicks &amp; W Brooks Silo filling home for supper, tea {?} did not work well. we picked chickens in p.m. Pat &amp; I. John up in the evening also Lorne here, he &amp; Della went to the city.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Produce - 20 chickens, 6 pts cream, bus apples, 6 gal cider, 42 Dz eggs</p> <p>Sat Sept 24 Weather - Fair &amp; cool. men finished silo filling at Brookes in A.M. Went to W Clark p.m. Pat &amp; I milked 15 cows. Della rode down home with Norm when he went to Unionville</p> <p>Sun Sept 25 Weather - An Ideal day. We attended anniversary service in p.m. Rev McLaughlin preached. Rev McDonald also there. Dorothy came up with us for tea. Douglas &amp; girlies went down to his Mother while I at church. full called in home for me. Lorne &amp; Della here evening</p> <p>Mon Sept 26 Weather - Cool east wind, Party cloudy. Boys finished silo filling at Boyingtons. Douglas harrowed A.M. Doug harrowed p.m. Douglas cultivated, Norm picked apples . 2 men here to see about get baling done. We washed, ironed &amp; took up flowers. Norm &amp; Della went to Y.P.S. meeting at Stoufville.</p> <p>Tues Sept 27 Weather - rained A.M. Cloudy then rained heavy at night. Men ploughed, cleaned pig pen etc. Douglas, Della, girlies &amp; I went to city, got Marion a winter outfit.</p> <p>Wed Sept 28 Weather - Cool &amp; squally. Men ploughed &amp; picked apples. Della Knit at Dorothy blue city. I sewed fur on my (dyed) Brown suit. Douglas went over to L Middletons for dinamite. Newton brought Mother &amp; Laura up for the evening. had fireplace going. Douglas got a milk pail mushrooms A.M.</p> <p>Thurs Sept 29 Weather - Quite cool &amp; N.W. winds. Men picked apples. Douglas picked winter pears. Della Knit &amp; I finished suit. Pat blew up maple stump 6 sticks dy in A.M. Doug &amp; Norm over filling silo at Hoopers in p..m. Geo Brown down at noon. Mrs Craig up for the evening. Billie, Pat &amp; I did milking.</p> <p>Frid Sept 30 Weather - Cool, showery all a.m. Clearing p.m. Men finished silo filling in A.M. home early &amp; made cider picked 20 chicks. Mr Craig up A.M. for apples. Geo Brown down, made cider. Lorne &amp; Della went to city night, John &amp; Dorothy up for awhile. Produce - 28 Dz eggs, bus apples, 20 chicks, pt cream, 6 gal cider, 10 Pidgeons</p> <p>Sat Oct 1 Weaher - Fair, a little warmer. men started pulling &amp; drawing mangles, Douglas treated second bin wheat for weavel. Doug B went to fair P.M. I drove down home with girlies in p.m. then Dorothy, Mother &amp; we went with John &amp; Newton to Jean's for the afternoon. they called for us on way home from M. Fair. Norm away to-night, Douglas to store. Della went to Markham Fair, stayed at Lorne's for wk-end.</p> <p>Sun Oct 2 Weather - Lovely day. Bob, Jean &amp; Girlies called in A.M. on their way up to Marguerites. Billie, Jimmie, Peggy here also. Norm went over home for the day. Marion &amp; I went to church. Douglas &amp; Dorothy went down to Mrs Hood. Gordon &amp; Lillian here when we arrived home stayed for tea &amp; evening</p> <p>Mon Oct 3rd Weather - Cloudy &amp; damp. Men pulled &amp; drew mangles A.M. threshed buckwheat out in field p.m. Leslie up helping. we washed &amp; went down home in p.m. with cream to churn. John up for 3 calves in a.m. Manager here of Loews theatre at noon to buy some land. Mrs Craig &amp; Mr Lunau here also. Della</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Norm attended Y.P.S. meeting Stouffville. Douglas at Store to-night. I cut &amp; made nighties for Jean's girlies.</p> <p>Tues Oct 4 Weatjer - Strong S.W. Winds partly cloudy. drew in mangles first then started about 10 A.M. to thresh buckwheat finished at 6 p.m. moved machine up to barn. Billie &amp; I did milking. Mr. Padget got 2 cows A.M. to board for winter. Jim Atkinson here A.M. Mr. Lunau here at 5 p.m.Leslie up helping thresh. Lorne over for Della to Jr. Farmer meeting at Unionville then went to Jean's for night.</p> <p>Wed Oct 5 Weather - Cloudy, showery strong S.W. winds. men chopped feed etc. Douglas left at 6.30 for Meaford also John, Mr Lunau Mr Chadwick to fish arrived down home for supper. Mrs. Craig up p.m. Norm took girlies &amp; I down home after supper, I went to W.M.S. at church. They gor 2 fish, 6 lbs. {?}</p> <p>Thurs Oct 6 Weather - cool &amp; windy. someone moved into Mr Hooper house to-day. men drew manure A.M. &amp; mangles P.M. Douglas set buckwheat stack on fire at noon. Norm went to choir practice Della came back here with him.</p> <p>Frid Oct 7 Weather - Fair &amp; cool. men pulled &amp; drew mangles all day. Mr R. Hamilton here with Mr Hellems. Mr A Nichols died this evening. Produce - 7 pts cream, 14 chickens, 6 gal cider, 10 Pidgeons, bus apples. 22 Dz eggs. An Insurance agent here p.m.</p> <p>Sat Oct 8 Weather - Fair &amp; cool. Men finished mangles at noon &amp; put thresher in barn &amp; other implements away. Mr Brunstein here at noon, but no Sale for 8 acres, to high price, Douglas &amp; Norm went to Unionville to get haircut, Lorne here evening we had, ice cream, blue &amp; green grapes &amp; our own grown muskmelons.</p> <p>Sun Oct 9 Weather - Lovely day Dorothy came up in A.M. &amp; stayed for lunch went down with Douglas Marion &amp; I when we went to church, while Della stayed home &amp; minded Dorothy. Billy here in A.M. After church, we went over to Jean's for tea &amp; evening, had nice time, Anniversary at Headford to-night. Newton, E Craig Laura Della &amp; Norm here when we got home.</p> <p>Mon Oct 10 Weather - Cloudy A.M. clearing at noon with rain at night. Doug had day off. Norm working on land A.M. &amp; went to Fair in p.m. Geo Brown before dinner &amp; a man here for baled straw p.m. Douglas took up 5 bus beets 4 carrots A.M. pumpkins &amp; picked apples p.m. We washed &amp; I made grape wine while Della went out to E. Craigs &amp; got hair cut &amp; waved. had roast chick dinner.</p> <p>Tues Oct 11 Weather - Quite Cool, North W winds (strong) men picked potatoes all day. Della went to Dr Barker at Markham left 9 A.M. home by 5.45 had dinner at Aunties called at Jean's &amp; home Mrs Craig called at tea time.</p> <p>Wed Oct 12 Weather - quite cool &amp; windy (a little snow) men picked potatoes all day. Douglas &amp; I went with Newton &amp; Motjer to the fowl supper at Headford, there was a full church &amp; good supper. Seth Parker play given by Y.P.S. of Barrie.</p> <p>Thurs Oct 13. Weather - a little warmer. Men at potatoes again to-day Jimmy here also. Della &amp; Marion went over to see Hazel for the p.m. Lorne here at night &amp; they went to Stouffville for her teeth. Norm went to Choir Practce (church.)</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Frid Oct 14, 1932. Weather - Fair &amp; warmer. men finished potatoes in middle p.m. then Doug made cider. Norm Douglas &amp; I picked chicks. Produce, 14 Dz eggs pts cream gal cider 10 chicks bus apples</p> <p>Sat Oct 15 Weatjer . Lovely day. Men drew manure A.M. &amp; all picked apples in afternoon. Douglas drew burnt seeds &amp; ashes away were buckwheat was burned. Della &amp; I attended Jr In. at Mrs. Brodie's, we left girlies with Dorothy &amp; took Mrs Craig, Cora, Mother. Norm away at night, Douglas store &amp; Lorne &amp; Della went away.</p> <p>Sun Oct 16 Weather - A wonderful Oct Sunday. men slept all forenoon &amp; attended church p.m. not so many out to-day I stayed &amp; Kept girlies, Bob, Jean &amp; girlies called for awhile in p.m. then Jack, Marguerite, Kiddies here from 8.30 to 1030. Lorne &amp; Della came later.</p> <p>Mon Oct 17 Weather - Dull all day. We washed, Men picked apples A.M. Doug &amp; Norm went down to W Boyntons baled straw, Douglas, Jimmy &amp; I did milking. Frank Hands here A.M. Leslie at noon, Mr Sidall &amp; Mr Bradley in afternoon. Walter Craig at tea time,</p> <p>Tues Oct 18 Douglas went to garage hunting meeting on, Della &amp; Norm to Stouffville. Weather - Cool N.E. winds. men all picked apples A.M. Leslie to Im p.m., Norm &amp; Leslie baled straw at Mr. Padgets, Douglas &amp; Doug picked apples 62 bus for the day. Mr &amp; Mrs Hellems over p.m. Mrs Hellems in for awhile Della &amp; Marion walked down home Dorothy &amp; I went out to Mary Brown's. Lorne &amp; Della city night, Douglas went to a stag party at J. Goulds.</p> <p>Wed Oct 19 Weather - An Ideal day. Doug &amp; Douglas picked 87 bus apples to-day. Leslie &amp; Norm finished baling straw in p.m. I took Mrs Craig, Cora H. Rhea Scott, Mrs McTymspy down to Agincourt W.M.S. meeting, Unionville there also. Mrs. Turnbull addressed meeting. Douglas attended Masonic banquet Rich Hill, Della finished rose wool (panties to-night for Marion,</p> <p>Thurs Oct 20 Weather - Cloudy, turning Cold at night. men picked apples all day, I attended Quilting bee at church. Della Kept Kiddies, Mr Mills here p.m. selling silk hose. Jim McCartney here A.M. Also Mrs Craig &amp; Mr Padget, Norm &amp; Della went to Choir practice.</p> <p>Frid Oct 21 Weather - Cool &amp; windy. Men picked apples all day. 96 bus, Della went with Charlie H to Unionville to the achievement day for the Institute etc. Lorne here at night. Produce, 7 D eggs. 6 gal cider.</p> <p>Sat Oct 22 Weather - Lovely sunny day. men picked apples all day. 67 bus. Mr Mills here A.M. we bought some hose. I went up p.m. playing, Marion, came in 4.30 got into Dorothy basket &amp; went to sleep. Della walked down home. Men at store until about 11 p.m.</p> <p>Sun Oct 23 Weather - Lovely cool day. Edith Craig, Betty &amp; 4 Aderbridge girls here A.M. John brought Mother up, we left at 11 30 A.M. for Marguerite returned about 10 P.m. Della here, Dorothy had a terrible night with cramps.</p> <p>Mon Oct 24 Weather - Cool N.E. winds. Men finished picking apples this afternoon, &amp; drew out 2 loads manure burned potato tops. we washed &amp; took cream down home to churn in p.m.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 had about 18 lbs. Norm went to Stouffville at night. Della home Knitting. Stewart McQuay died A.M.</p> <p>Tues Oct 25 Weather - Lovely day. Men drew manure all day, with wagon &amp; spreader. Leslie took 4 hogs to-day. Mr Sydall &amp; Bradley here p.m. Della Knitting.</p> <p>Wed Oct 26 Weather - cloudy A.M. rained all p.m. Della &amp; Mrs Craig went to Youngs' 8 a.m. to bake for threshers Jack brought her home about 8 stayed for 1/2 hr. Lorne came later for the evening. Norm went to city after dinner. Douglas &amp; Doug chopped feed did chores etc.</p> <p>Thurs Oct 27 Weather - Bright A.M. showery in p.m. men ploughed all day, Douglas cleaned top of silo etc . I went with John &amp; Mother, up to Stewart McQuay's funeral at Ivy left at 1030 a.m. home by 8.30 p.m. left up there at 6.30 p.m. had dinner at McQuarys &amp; tea Norm Cove Wosthe {cut off} a very large funeral.</p> <p>Frid Oct 28 Weather - Lovely &amp; bright cool. men made cider picked chicks etc in A.M. all ploughed in p.m. Della in bed all day with cold, Mrs Craig up at tea time. Douglas Norm attended the preparatory service at church. dance at Victoria Sq. Produce, 12 chicks, 6 pidgeons, 7 Dz eggs. 12 pt cream 6 cider, apples.</p> <p>Sat Oc t 29 Weather - cool, cloudy &amp; rained p.m. Men cleaned hen, houses, chopped feed etc . Shut up 1 pullets D &amp; Norm did after supper then N went to Store. Lorne &amp; Della went to city.</p> <p>Sun Oct 30 Weather - cool. &amp; Fair. we all attended church Kiddies &amp; I rode down with Norm D went earlier, we folk, Mother &amp; Laura went down to Alex's after supper for 2 hrs. Iileen Pratt &amp; Gwenue called for awhile before tea time.</p> <p>Mon Oct 31 Weather - Cool E winds rained p.m. &amp; night. we washed. men drew manure, Leslie brought a load of coal - city Norm went to Stouffville. Della went down to stay with Mother - boys away.</p> <p>Tues Nov 1st 1932 Our Tenth Wedding day. Weather - rained a.m. ckearing in afternoon. Windy, Doug B took day, of. Norm ploughed, we went to city in afternoon got bedroom paper $3.00 &amp; went to a show saw Billy House brought Alex Marion &amp; Roy with us, after arriving here, we sure got a surprise when all our folks came &amp; gave us a Kitchen show (a real surprise) green &amp; white granite. We finished Mation Birthday Cake.</p> <p>Wed Nov 2. 1932 Weather - cloudy &amp; showery p.m. Men drew manure all day wagon &amp; spreader. Mrs Craig up A.M. 2 Toronto dairy men here P.M. I attended W.M.S. meeting in p.m. church. Lorne &amp; Della went down home to-night. Billy, Jimmy, here to-night Douglas - store.</p> <p>Thurs Nov 3, 1932. Weather - 1st Heavy frost last night. Bright &amp; cool. Men drew manure all forenoon, Norm &amp; Douglas ploughed part of afternoon. Doug drew manure. Della got back about 5 p.m. from city with John. Walter Craig up this evening.</p> <p>Frid Nov 4 Weather - Lovely day. rain during night. men drew manure &amp; ploughed, Produce - 6 pts cream, 6 gal cider, 20 Dz eggs, 10 chicks. Della went to a dance at Malvern with Lorne, men went to store. finished carching Pullets 207</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sat Nov 5/32 Weather - Lovely day, Sunny. men ploughed all day. Douglas went down home A.M. got half a pig - John, so we made sausage &amp; rendered lard. men at store to night. Jimmy came up to stay over night. Della sewing at Brown dress, jumper.</p> <p>Sun Nov 6 Weather - Lovely bright day, misty early a.m. Norm went over home until chire time, Jimmy here breakfast. Lorne &amp; Della went to Marguerites for dinner. Douglas left here at 330 A.M. on hunting trip. Marion &amp; I walked over to Cora's in afternoon &amp; carried Dorothy. Billy &amp; Jimmy here Sup. Newton brought Della up after supper.</p> <p>Mon Nov 7 Weather - Still more lovely. warmer. Padget &amp; Hay men here working at Windmill. Della &amp; I took paper of S.W. room to-day. Men drew manure. Billy brought long rug up, &amp; helped {chores?} here breakfast made headcheese after supper.</p> <p>Tues Nov 8 Weather - Fair strong easterly winds. Billie here for breakfast. Men drew manure. Norm ploughed p.m. we got walls filled (Cracks) &amp; sized. Frank Dimma, Loyd Armstrong, Newton &amp; Norm played cards Lorne Della went to city.</p> <p>Wed Nov 9 Weather - Cold east wind, came rain about 5 p.m. horrid night. Men ploughed. man here seeing about baling. Mrs Calvert &amp; J French here A.M. I got ceiling painted &amp; woodwork washed of.</p> <p>Thurs Nov 10 Weather - cloudy, clearing about noon (cool.) men chopped feed A.M. had 11 Oclock dinner then went up to bale 10 6 3/4 tons hay at John {pestor?} I painted woodworks in bedroom &amp; helped milk. girlies &amp; I all alone to-night. Della &amp; Norm went Jr Farmers. Victoria Square bowl supper.</p> <p>Frid Nov 11 Billie here breakfast Weather - wet day, colder at night, Had fire in furnace to-night for first. Men clipped cows A.M. &amp; part of P.M. then Made cider. I gave ceiling a second coat paint &amp; varnished furniture produce - 10 eggs, 7 pts cream, 4 gal cider, 3 bus snow apple, Choir Practice. Norm &amp; Della did not go.</p> <p>Sat Nov 12 Weather - cold day. Doug ploughed all day. Norm chore A.M. ploughed p.m. A Men here A.M. for fence stretchers. Dorothy came up in p.m. Stayed for tea, Della walked down with her, Lorne here, brought Della back, Norm Store.</p> <p>Sun Nov 13 Norm shot Bob &amp; buried him. Weather - Cold. some snow. Della walked down to S.S. Norm took girlies &amp; I to church, he went to Y.P.S. at night Doug &amp; 2 Allen boys did chores. Walter brought Della up.</p> <p>Mon Nov 14 Weather - Rain ed A.M. Clearing. Men ploughed. Mr brought fence stretchers back, brought Mother up A.M. I painted (dull) coat ceiling &amp; we papered room in afternoon. John came up for her at night. Newton Burr phoned A.M. Billie here breakfast Lewis Stiver rushed to hospital 4 A.M.</p> <p>Tues Nov 15 weather - dull, cloudy, all day, with snow &amp; rain at night. men ploughed, we had a 2 wks washing, I painted woodwork in p.m. John up for Della to go to Dimma's. Walter up for Norm meeting at church Cora H here for the evening with me.</p> <p>Wed Nov 16 Weather - North, east, wind with snow all day. ground covered. men chopped A.M. Doug cleaned out hen houses p.m. &amp; Norm took switch tract to Richmond Hill, John &amp; Mother brought Della up about 5 p.m. from city. I finished Painting woodwork in A.M. &amp; scrubbed floor. in p.m. Billie here breakfast. Leslie &amp; Nelson came home to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 Thurs Nov 17 Pat bought home 1 deer 3 partridges Weather - Lovely Cold bright day, ground covered snow. Men fixed litter carrier track. Della, Marion &amp; I went to Mrs Stiver Jr I. meeting with Charlie &amp; Cora left Dorothy in home. We put rug on floor A.M. Douglas arrived home at 11 30 p.m. Tim &amp; Jim Rattle came home with him. Della &amp; Norm attended choir practice. Billie did not stay breakfast not Well, but stayed supper.. Mrs E Dixon died.</p> <p>Frid Nov 18 Weather - milder. Men drew manure on sleigh. Douglas picked over pears apples etc. attended Late A Nichols sale p.m. at night he &amp; I went to Agincourt to a special church service, real good. Norm away with Newton for supper. Della Kept girlies. Lorne over produce - 7 pts cream, 1 bus pears, 3 apples.</p> <p>Sat Nov 19 Weather - cloudy, a little snow, colder at night. Doug had day off. Norm &amp; Douglas fixed litter carrier track. Leslie brought our deer here at night from Mr Pinder's.</p> <p>Sun Nov 20 Weather - Cloudy &amp; Mild. we all attended church in p.m. Laura came home with us &amp; walked down to Y.P.S. at night. had partridge for dinner &amp; supper Billie here supper</p> <p>Mon Nov 21 Weather - cool N.W. wind bright. men drew manure all day. Padget &amp; Hay men here in A.M. finished windmill. Norm attended Jr Farmer meet, at Isobella. Douglas went to Lodge at To See Rev McDonald get 3rd Degree</p> <p>Tues Nov 22 Weather - lovely bright day (cool) men drew manure A.M. ploughed p.m. Douglas put Storm Windows on. Lorne here to-night.</p> <p>1932 Wed Nov 23 Weather - cloudy some sleet &amp; rain. Douglas &amp; Doug picked chickens A.M. &amp; chores. John brought Mother up after dinner. She &amp; Della sewed at Laura jumper. After supper, we all went over to Jean's for a couple of hrs. we took John to. Norm had day of to city. got a car, Walter C up at tea time.</p> <p>Thurs Nov 24 Weather - Cloudy &amp; milder. men chopped apple tree &amp; sawed. picked chickens. I attended Thank Off meeting of W.M.S. at church in p.m. Mrs Spencer spoke Indian of the West. Jimmie Atkinson spent the evening here, Billie here supper Della went down choir practice (none) Rodicks brought her home.</p> <p>Frid Nov 25 Weather - Lovely mild day. men worked at trees &amp; chopped feed. Doug &amp; Norm baled straw at Mr Rodicks in p.m. Douglas picked chickens etc. Walter C here tea time Lorne &amp; Della went Produce, - 8 pts Cream, 10 chickens 14 dressed hens, 14 pidgeons, 1 Dz eggs, 2 bus pears, 13 bus apples.</p> <p>Sat Nov 26 Weather - Cold bright day. men worked at trees. Douglas put sink in pantry A.M. etc. p.m. men to store at night.</p> <p>Sun Nov 27 Weather - A Wonderful bright day. Cold. Norm over home for day. Dorothy up in A.M. She, Della &amp; Marion walked down home 11. A.M. Then Billie up for awhile. we went down to church called in home for Marion first &amp; saw the Ashes. after supper D &amp; Mariom wemt to city Dorothy &amp; I walked over to See Mrs Tucker came up Lorne &amp; Della. Pat &amp; Marion home 20 -12.</p> <p>Mon Nv 28 Weather - Lovely bright day. men drew manure A.M. &amp; fixed at Norm car p.m. I washed. Lorne</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>1932 here before breakfast for Della to go city &amp; home again by 11 A.M. Mr &amp; Mrs Hellems here in p.m. Douglas, Norm &amp; Newton went up to Jacks to play cards left 6.30 pm. home by.</p> <p>Tues Nov 29 Weather- Lovely day Douglas &amp; Norm baled until 4.30 p.m. at Mr Rodicks. Doug did up chores then went home before dinner to attend the funeral of his Uncle. Douglas took Della &amp; baking etc down to church at 5 p.m. as it was our supper &amp; Concert given by Mr Tees &amp; orchestra. took in $54 00 I drove down alone. Douglas Kept girlies.</p> <p>Wed Nov 30 Weather- an Ideal day. Douglas &amp; Doug baled all day at Mr. Rodicks. Norm went to city A.M. home at noon &amp; did chores. Della went down to church about 4. Newton brought her up later Norm &amp; she practice, Douglas store. stayed home.</p> <p>Thurs Dec 1 Weather - cloudy (partly) Doug drew wood A.M. had to let cows out water, no wind for a week. Douglas Norm at Mr Rodicks baling home by 5 p.m. Douglas called got Della to {ld?} for Dureen bedroom box that John made. I cleaned our bedroom.</p> <p>Frid Dec 2 Weather- Partly cloudy S.W wind (welcome) men chopped A.M. &amp; pruned maple trees, Doug took team &amp; went up home p.m for load wood for himself. Douglas took circular saw to Markham in p.m. Marion went him, he went store at night. we cleaned Kitchen to-day. Produce - 1 Dz. eqq 3 bus pears, 9 bus apples. 7 pts cream.</p> <p>Sat Dec 3 Weather - Fair &amp; mild. 1st practice men cutting apple trees etc. Della went down to practice for concert at church. Katie Craig here about 4.30 p.m Norm store night, we work late.</p> <p><br />1932 Sun Dec 4 Weather - Strong S.W wind. Douglas, Norm &amp; Della went to church. I Kept Kiddies, Billy here supper, Some excitement about 20 to eight, that Mr J Thomson house on fire Douglas &amp; Norm went over &amp; first there. Lorne &amp; Della came up later, had fireplace going for 3 days now.</p> <p>Mon Dec 5 Weather - Strong S.W Winds. Lovely wash day. we ironed, cook beets for beet pickle, Della finished Maion house sweater, men ploughed all day 2 teams &amp; tractor Douglas did not stop for his dinner, Norm &amp; Della went to Jr Farmer meeting Unionville</p> <p>Tues Dec 6 Weather- rained most of day. Men trimed maple trees &amp; chores. Marion, Douglas &amp; I went to city for the day. Della Kept Dorothy. Douglas went to St John Hospital in p.m.</p> <p>Wed Dec 7 Weather- rained all day, clearing at night &amp; cold. Men just jobbed about, Douglas &amp; Marion went to Markham p.m. for circular saw. Man here in evening, (Morgage Discount). Stan Bartlet down to see about hiring. I made 11 qts beets, cabbage pickle, Della Knit Marion brown mits in p. m.</p> <p>Thurs Dec 8 Weather- cloudy &amp; cold. men digging out apple trees, I attended Annual W.M.S meeting in p.m. at church, Norm went to choir practice, Lorne &amp; Della to dance Malvern.</p> <p>Frid Dec 9 Weather- bright &amp; quite cold.- men worked a trees, I made &amp; put curtains up in Della room. Douglas Lodge at night. Produce, 27 eggs, 7 pts. cream, 10 bus apples 3 bus pears.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>John Lunau</p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> <td>July</td> <td>July</td> <td>{Jn?}</td> <td>Thomson</td> <td>Nason</td> <td></td> <td>July</td> <td>July</td> <td>Thomson</td> <td>Nason</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>1.25</td> <td>100</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1.25</td> <td>1.00</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>3/4</td> <td>25</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>D</td> <td>D</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>26</td> <td>1</td> <td>1</td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>.</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>27</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>28</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td>29</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>6</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>30</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>7</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>31</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>8</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>9</td> <td></td> <td>S</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>10</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>11</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>12</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>13</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>14</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>15</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>16</td> <td>D</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>17</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>18</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>19</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>20</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>21</td> <td>1/2</td> <td>1/2</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>722</td> <td>1/2</td> <td>1/24</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>23</td> <td>PD 13.75</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>24</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> 1932 <br />Sat Dec 10 Weather - cloudy, cold east wind. men worked at trees, Douglas, Marion, went to Markham a.m. Della went to practice in p.m. then went down again home at night with Norm.<br /><br />Sun Dec 11 Weather - cloudy, cold east wind, snow at night. Marion &amp; I went to church with Norm, spent evening at home.<br /><br />Mon Dec 12 Bob &amp; Jean 4th wedding day . Weather - cold &amp; stormy Men loaded old gentlemean into truck Pat and Les took him to city. $29.00John came at 10 a.m. with Mother for girlies &amp; I to go up Marguerite's had dinner &amp; and he left about 2 p.m. for home. Men chored. Della practice at church P.M. &amp; Jr Farmer dance night.<br /><br />Tues Dec 13 Weather - Very cold S.W. wind. Men drew wood &amp; Doug got saw at Calverts. Douglas store night D&amp; N home.<br /><br />Wed Dec 14 Weather - Still cold S.W. wind. Men sawed wood. Della practice in p.m. &amp; She, Norm, choir Practice at night Douglas left 4 p.m. for Sharon arrived about 5 &amp; we all left at 930 for home.<br /><br />Thurs Dec 15 Weather - very cold North wind. men carried wood into woodshed in A.M. Norm attended hunt club banquet with Wilt Rodick. I went with Cora &amp; Mr Hooper to Mabel Stewarts Jr In meeting not many out. Della Kept Kiddies.<br /><br />Frid Dec 16 Weather -Bright &amp; not so cold. Doug had day of &amp; back for chores. Norm to city. Della to practice at</div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p><br />1299 8 h + 3 /24 /690 +75 /5.65 <br /><br />Mr Waker Mr Krill Wokers Mr Krill <br /><br />June 1st 3 11lbs Pork 1.00 Plants .15<br /><br />week 5 1/2 5 1/2 Peas .40<br /><br />2nd 3 Pork 1.00<br /><br />3rd Cush 5.00<br /><br />Bug .35<br /><br />Beef .55 9.04<br /><br />Beef 39<br /><br />Overalls 35 J Waker<br /><br />Beef 40 sept 12 By Oct Day +<br /><br />Beef 35 13<br /><br />Beef 45 14<br /><br />Beef 50 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 <br /><br />B- - 50 Plums .45 26 5 28 29 30 31 <br /><br />1/2<br /><br />" 65<br /><br />1 Bl Wheat 65<br /><br />Beef 40 12.44 + 400 = 16.44<br /><br />" 45 75 + 75 /375 + 75 /1025 + 35/10.50<br /><br />" 25<br /><br />" 20</p> <p><br />Hoeing roots &amp; Corn<br /><br />Days works Received Cash .25<br /><br />20th 1/2 day O Thirtle .75<br /><br />21 1 " D.Manure 1.00<br /><br />22 1/2 " Clothes 6.00<br /><br />23 1 " Ploughing Cash 2.00<br /><br />24 1/2 &amp; 1 Hour &amp; manure " Raising " 6.00<br /><br />26 3/4 Day Ploughing &amp; Cattle Laundry 20<br /><br />27 1 Hoeing<br /><br />28 1 <br /><br />29 1</p> <p><br /><br />Thurs Dec 22. Weather - an Ideal day. bright &amp; mild. Douglas to city all day. Men drew wood made cider clean hen houses. etc. Norm over to his home at night. Produce - 13 1/2 Dz eggs 7 pts cream 2 1/2 / 4 1/2 cider apples.16 Dz eggs<br /><br />Frid Dec 23 / Weather - rained heavy part of day. cloudy. Douglas went with Billy A.M. for W Youngs eggs &amp; wrote Gordon before he left men drew wood. Went down home in p.m. I made pudding for Mother, then we all attended Xmas Concert at Church at night. Della got her diamond ring to-night Lorne's birthday.</p> <p><br />Sat Dec 24 Weather - rained. men chored &amp; drew wood finished at noon Douglas city all day. Norm to city at night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p><br />Notes due in fall of 1899</p> <p><br />Ifreight- Dec 1st $45 00<br /><br />- - - 16 00<br /><br />Banker- Nov 15 83 50 73 50 83.50<br /><br />Hooper &amp; Ludford " 22 77 00 77<br /><br />Spray Motor Co London " 24 18 00 18<br /><br />Mike Cooney A.D. 1900 Jan 28 38 00 178 10<br /><br />Xmas - Peterman A.D. 1900 Mch 9 100 00</p> <p><br />Sun Dec 25/32 Weather - Lovely day mild. We all went to church in p.m. had Dorothy christened to-day, 6 months 19 days old. She was real good &amp; looked sweet, spent the evening at home alone.</p> <p><br />Mon Dec 26. Weather - Lovely mild bright day. Norm went over &amp; got his Father &amp; Aunt Jane &amp; went down to have dinner at W.A. Pattersons. We had dinner at home then Men all went over to nomination in p.m. Back for supper everybody home this year for Xmas 21 in family &amp; 2 extras, Nor, &amp; Lorne.</p> <p><br />Tues Dec 27 Weather - Lovely day. men sawed wood. I washed. Dougas attended Lodge at Markham &amp; Agincourt at night Leslie went with him. I Kept Kiddies here. Jimmy &amp; Betty up to see Xmas Axes.</p> <p><br />Buttonville Jan 9th 1899<br /><br />Mike Cooney Comminus for 1 Year @ $175.00</p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>receipts</td> <td>time lost</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jan</td> <td>24</td> <td>sick</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>25</td> <td>"</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>26</td> <td>"</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Feb</td> <td>15</td> <td>at Barkers sale</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>19</td> <td>Hauling wood with team</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Mch</td> <td>3</td> <td>Cash</td> <td>$5.00</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>15</td> <td>Oats</td> <td>2.13</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>21</td> <td>Hauling wood with team</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>24</td> <td>"</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Apr</td> <td>4</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>8</td> <td>Cash</td> <td>5.00</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>12</td> <td>off for Doctor</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>13</td> <td>"</td> <td></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>#</td> <td>26</td> <td>Cash on Reccor Afs</td> <td>2.40</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>May</td> <td>2</td> <td>Hay</td> <td>1 20</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>12</td> <td>Creamer &amp; Strainer Pail</td> <td>1 20</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>18</td> <td>1/2 day getting Boots Rpd</td> <td></td> <td>1/2</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wed Dec 28. 1932 School meeting to-day Charlie Hooper elected as new trustee Weather - Lovely mild day. muddy, men finished sawing wood to-day. Myrtle B, Marie B, Edna Dorothy Dalmidge here for the afternoon playing with Kiddies. Norm &amp; I attended annual meeting of the Y.P.S. and Social. Norm made Pres. Douglas Kepr Kiddies.</p> <p>Thurs Dec 29/32 Weather - Lovely A.M. cloudy p.m. men dtew manure. Della &amp; Dorothy up p.m. stayed for tea left for home at 815 to Walk. Norm went with Brown boys to the exective meeting of Jr Farmer at Hammils.</p> <p>Frid Dec 30 Weather - Cloudy A.M. rain in p.m. &amp; night. men dew manune in A.M. made cider &amp; butchered 2 little pigs for Market in p.m. Douglas picked 3 geese A.M. finished venison to-day. produce - 13 bus apples, 5 gal cider, 2 geese, 12 pts cream, 321/2 Dz eggs, about 25 or 30 lbs, 2 small pigs</p> <p>Sat Dec 31 Weather - very cold strong S.W. winds. Doug drew manure &amp; also Norm. Douglas went to market to-day. Art Brown down at night for 1. Dz. eggs. Norm away to-night. Kiddies went to bed about 10 30. we stayed up to see Old yr out &amp; New Year in.</p> <p><br />Arthur Robinson Commenced May 22nd 98</p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Cash Recd</td> </tr> <tr> <td>June</td> <td>24</td> <td>Pair Boots</td> <td>$1 50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>25</td> <td>Cash</td> <td>50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>30</td> <td>"</td> <td>50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>July</td> <td>26</td> <td>Overalls &amp; Shirt</td> <td>1 50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>"</td> <td>29</td> <td>Braces</td> <td>25</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Sept</td> <td>6</td> <td>Cash</td> <td>3 00</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Oct</td> <td>7</td> <td>"</td> <td>2 00</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Albert Aster commenced work April 4th 1898 at $1050.00 for year Lost time May 24th 1 <br />June 15 1/2<br /><br />Sept 7 1 <br /><br />Oct 7 1</p> <p><br />Received Cash $2 00<br /><br />July 29 Hat 1 00<br /><br />Sept 7 Cash 2 00<br /><br />Oct 7 " 2 00<br /><br />Nov 19 " 63 00<br /><br />------- -------------------- $70 00<br /><br />$1.00 00<br /><br />70 00<br /><br />--------<br /><br />Ballance $3000</p> <p><br />April 3 Cash on Cossitt note 17 00<br /><br />" " Interest " " " 75<br /><br />" Repairing watch " 25<br /><br />" Postage " 15<br /><br />" Repairing set screw " 10<br /><br />-------<br /><br />$18.25 <br /><br />18.25<br /><br />$11.75</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p><br />Wedding suit<br /><br />(Brown) dyed Sept 24/32<br /><br />Price $4.00 at Parkers.<br /><br />Nov 1st 1932 Kitchen<br /><br />shower of green &amp; white granite<br /><br />1. Preserve Kettle<br /><br />1. Vegetable pot. with lid.<br /><br />1 potato pot ... lid<br /><br />1 dish pan<br /><br />1 double boiler... lid<br /><br />1 tea kettle .. lid<br /><br />3 sauce dippers.<br /><br />3 sizes all lined<br /><br />white enamel.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Back cover of diary Brown, blue and red marbled, red binding, ink stain on bottom)</p> </div> transcribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a965f1b127c3797df368be39070e959f.pdf bdc80806b0c10303a5bf001fa3c9556b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Diary 1925 T.B. Barrett Donnybrook. Port Dover Ontario From January 1st 1925 to November 1925 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b51853c7e8e768de333eefbb8e61d4c7.pdf 26a927bc7919e26cf873889fcdb93f6b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thurs day January 1st, 1925 At the time of the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto last November Frank & Jonas sojourned for a few days in the city ostensibly to have a look at the fat cattle & high jumping hunters, but no doubt as far as Frank we are concerned there was a fairer attraction than an attractive Fair. Whatever his prime motive was the point in this connection in that he brought home this book for me and it resembles very closely the books that I was wont to keep diurnal records in prior to the war, but which up till now I have been unable to get. The possession of it inspires me to resume my old practice of diary writing and so I make a start with the New Year. We are still in the grip of a very cold snap which has lasted with scarcely a break now for about two weeks. The wind to-day was in the east but it has been fairly sunny. I have done very little all day but the chores, went over to Willie {Shoud's?} this morning to pay him back for the sink we got from him last fall, and this afternoon went over to the woods for awhile to find some fuel but didn’t have much luck. I started milking Mary to-day as Garnet came out Coleman came yesterday & took the calf. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/48104fb094a3cc026d814fe0e57568d0.pdf 9034e0bc9e2fbfcc641aeaef02e39662 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday January 2nd We contemplated going to town to-day which would have necessitated my walking over home and getting Queen or the team, but the weather altered our plans. It was snowing hard when we got up this morning and had snowed hard during the night keeping it up till this after noon. It has been getting steadily milder all day and I think is almost thawing to-night. As we now have a nice lot of skim milk on hand I began feeding the cockeels out in the colony house their fattening mash and had to make a trough for them. They have just been getting grain and I {illegible} lost flesh during the very cold weather of the last couple of weeks. I did some more fixing to my cow stable this afternoon battoned up more of the cracks and put a window in. It was quite comfortable working bare handed which was a great relief. Mrs. Tupper and Clara were in to-night for a few minutes to return the little house scales which Mrs. Tupper borrowed a couple of weeks ago to weigh her geese. Must wash up the tea dishes now and get after Rob Roy. We are reading it aloud. Saturday January 3rd This has been a busy day for me. I did the morning chores as quickly as possible and started to walk over home but got a ride on a load of lumber from the Winding Hill. Dad helped me harness & hook up the team (Queen and Joe) and we then loaded up my potatoes and buckwheat. Dad & I both got potatoes from Jim Dixon and he left mine over there. It was noon when I got home and as Marj was hoping to leave for town by one o'clock I fed the team and gobbled my dinner without much ceremony. Marj fed the chickens while I unloaded the potatoes and emptied them into {bushe?} hampers down cellar. I unloaded the buckwheat before dinner. I then put the cows in and looked up. It was nearly two by the time we started. We unloaded the kids at Aunty's by way of a birthday party for her and I drove Marj up town, left Jim Dixon's bags at Walker Evans according to instructions and drove right back to {illegible name} Walker's where I loaded up five bags of wheat and took home. Neither {illegible name} nor the man were home but the boys were there and superindended the business. I unloaded the wheat and then {illegible} across to the woods where I found a little wood. Our nice little maple https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8cbad2d5ffbd11936e38dadcffed4794.pdf 451a642f28c689c424530f2b6f0ea9d3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. stick, but I had quite a job of getting it. as it was green and heavy. I fell down with it once and got covered with snow getting out from under it. by the time I got my word home and unloaded and the chickens fed it was nearly five so I then returned to town for the family. Frank was there too so he came home with us and took the team back. Snowed most of the day and is still mild. The sleighing is good. Sunday January 4th The peaceful and quiet observance of the Sabbath at Donnybrook to day was uninterrupted by any excursions abroad on our part or visits from others. I just did what was necessary outside this morning helped Marj wash the dishes as she didn't feel very well and she beguiled the times and lightened the tasks by reading Rob Roy to me while I worked. We had a late breakfast and an early tea and dispensed with a middle meal and gained what ever energy such meal would have afforded us by napping. Marj insistson my writing my share of the Christmas letters of thanks, a task which has formerly devolved entirely on her so I spent about two hours this evening writing a note to Grand Daddy. Southwest wind - cloudy now but quite mild. Monday, january 5th School opened again this morning and as I had a lot of snow shovelling to do over there I got around pretty early and did most of my morning chores by latern light. I saw Mabel to-night and she said every pupil was on hand and glad to get back after their long holiday, owing to the measles. I had intended going over home, getting the team and getting a load of coal this morning but put it off till after dinner. When I got there I found Frank going off with the Pick for as to help them load straw or something so {Dad?} advised me not to take the team to-day as it would be so late before I could get out with the coal and back with the team, and they want Joe to-night as they are taking in the evangelical meetings of Mr. Robinson a friend of Mr. Cornish's. I borrowed his cutter and drove down town, posted some letters got a can of coal oil and went to interview Mr. Carpenter & Al. Faulkner about cutters which they had advertised for sale. Mr. Carpenter was in Port {Ryerse?} voting I suppose but Dr. Bicknell said he didn't think he wanted to dispose of the cutter without selling his horse buggy and harness. Al has sold one of his cutters and is keeping the other but has a pair of light bobs for sale, they have no shafts on them https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e2bf63a0cdcd68a307a273f190c82ca4.pdf e2f8e229575b1c169ed8d324fbf0021c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Though I don't think they would be much advantage to me as I don't want to back up a team every time I go to town. I left my coal ail at the farm and walked home from there getting a ride from the Winking Hill from Billy Watson. It was rather late when I got the chores all done and as I was tired I didn't do anything all evening but snooze. I didn't go out to vote today as I had no way of getting there except walking and I didn't consider the election important enough to warrant that much exercise. Kent and Roy are aspirants for the reeves chair and though I would have supported Reg Kent had I voted I don't think it makes much difference. Micheal was in to see dad, soliciting his vote and using the argument that he strayed "to home". https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bfbae43420e49e93a406d28cb92291b8.pdf 175026ee249723edcfb5d8322a2ae9a2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. lethal slumber that have all the qualifications of the greener months besides a few peculiar to them selves to implant in a fellow that very happy sensation. the {illegible} joy of being alive. Just such a day was this especially the fore noon of it. I was in an excellent position to enjoy it as I walked from here over home to meet Frank with my load of coal. There was not a breath of wind and the sun was not bright which would have been dazzling in that night's fresh snow, but {differed?} a {genius?} caught through the lightest of cloud high floating wealth of smoke. The northern part of the sky was blue, but not the steel blue of Winter but the soft hazy appearance of Late Autumn while the air might have been that of May except for a certain energizing zest to it not comparable to the chill of Spring nor its longious warmth which has a {illegible} lethargy. The roads are excillint trim for sleighing and apparently too deep for the pesky cars to spoil them. No mud of Spring. no bugs of Summer, no {illegible} of work as with fall. if all Winter weather was like this, tourist resorts in the South would have to go out of business, but what makes this weather truly appreciated is that it is a very small nugget in a large rock of quartz and the realization that for all we know an 80 mile{illegible} may be the programme for tomorrow. When I got to the tavern I found Frank had gone down for the coal and Dad was preparing the scene for the execution of his pigs He was very distressed that I had walked over as he said Frank would go right out the side road with the coal and I would have to walk back. Frank however had forgotten to take a scoop shovel and remembering that I didn't have one came back by the farm with the coal so I rode out with him. He took the train right back so as to be on time to help with the pig killing this afternoon. Pickford and {name?} are going to help. I spent the afternoon lining my chicken house with tar paper and at May’s suggestion shifting the roasts so that they are not in such a direct draft from the windows. {Ina?} was here washing today and she walked home with Mabel who came over for a while after school. Wednes day January 7th Another very mild day and so nice that May: wanted to go to town. I was anxious to finish fixing my Chicken pen but as she was afraid we might not get another nice day this week. I told her that if she would go over and {Next page} borrow the haup cutter and Houi {illegible}would go right after dinner. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/715112373feb9d08c91263d37fd54700.pdf b313dd46c1c8075b5e488b8b770cf6ae PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. May: went over and made the necessary arrangements and Mrs. Lampkin offered to keep the {haby}. I worked at the chicken pen till noon then right after dinner we loaded hay into the hand sleigh and I handed her over, left her with Mrs. Lampkin and came back with flour & the cutter for May: & the niblits. It was cloudy when we started with a raw wind but thawing more than it has any day yet. We left Harry B. at Cutep and I drove May: up to see Glad. Law who has been very much worse since Christmas. I then came back. put {I larie} in the barn and went in and had a visit with hila who has not been out of bed for the last few days although she feels pretty well. She has become fascinated breathe. much talked of and ridiculed cross- word-puzzles. Aunty & Aunty Alice are greatly elated after the courage & skill they displayed this morning in tracking down & killing a rat. They have inspected his presence for some time in the little room off the kitchen so this morning organized a hunting party. They searched through various homes, bales, baskets, bags trunks, etcetera and finally unearthed their quarry in a valis through which he had chewed him self {illegible} entraves and also helped himself to pieces of all the contents for the construction of his nest. The {puj} discovered was only half won as the real chase began, and was carried on, in, out, between, under, over, across, through and “apast” every object in the room until finally they brought him to bay and Aunty Alice, with certainly more courage than a great many women and some men poses attacked him with the hammer. {I her} onslaught though friree was not sufficient mortally wound him not to quell his cries, but {bushe} had him pinned down she feared to risk his escape by raising the hammer for another {Llaw} so she called to Aunty to come to her rescue with another weapon. She knew the sickle was in the kitchen and thought it would do the deed but in the {teuse} excitement of the moment could think of no other name for it but cutlass, for which she called. Aunty was at a loss to know where in their peaceful surroundings she could lay hands on a cutlass or any other buccaneering accouterment so failed to render the assistance so sorely needed. The case become desperate for although the crocking cries of the enemy betrayed the flitting of the vital spark, the strength of the hand that held the hammer was also waning and Who could tell what reserve of strength might he mustered {Next page} if that crushing weight were {reloned} for a moment. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b80b14c007ed2addf35c5407d11d71cc.pdf 1684f63da15d9aa0741cbb64c0a0bd7f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Eventually Aunty come to the scene of action without arms or ammunition but relieved Aunty Alice of her hold on the prisoner while Aunty Alice went in search of the hatchet with which she presently returned and dealt the death blow almost severing the wicked head from the ugly body. No wonder theey are exultant after having triumphed so gloriously over the forces of evil the perpetrator of nocturnal destruction and predatory invasion. They can not rest secure and happy in the memory of their hard fought but well won field. I walked over to Jim. Jannisten to see a cutter which Mrs. Lamp kin told me he had for sale but there was no body home so we stopped on our way home and I asked Jim not to sell it until I had a look at it. Dad drove Euah down and left her at Aunty’s while I was there. They are taking in the revival meetings regularly I think, Frank says they had a poor house the night of the hockey match but that was to be expected, the first intermediate O.H.A. game of the season. Dover beat Brantford. 6-5. It began to snow while we were away and kept it up all the after noon Big flakes of heavy snow coming straight down. We are certainly getting plenty of this winter. It was dark by the time I got back to the hamp kins with the {hane} and cutter after taking May: & the Niblits home and there I had to load qay up and haul her home. It was still snowing hard but very mild and she seewed to thoroughly enjoy the trip I was afraid all the time she would pitch her self out and when we turned into our lave where the track was not beaten the fresh snow came to the top of her sleigh box she gurgled with joy when she could stick her little mitt out and draw them through the soft snow until we got about half way up the lave either she gave a lurch or {que ranner} went suddenly deep a but over the sleigh went and qay went face down into a snow drift. I grabbed her up as fast as possible and tucked her under my arm, evidently none the worse, she seemed to take it as part of the fun. When we got to the house, she was as rosy, cosy and happy as any ten year old kid who has been jumping into snow banks. We put in an awful evening. Aunty Alice but May: his her new Sabitine book “The Gates of Dorm" and we started to read it out loud but I couldn't keep awake so we bath dozed far awhile and then May: sent of her book alone and read the whole thing. We got to bed almost half past two. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ffaded82f18880cd632fcaa51801bdd4.pdf 58df57d595f17264895279257fc5c751 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday January 8th I spent about two hours & a half in bed last night and consequently didn’t feel much like working today. So didn't do any thing but the chores it was a little too cold any way to do Carpenter work in the chicken pen. It has been a beautiful sunny day but the wind was quite strong and sharp. I went over to the school house before we had breakfast and William Reqise came back with me to look at the bull calf as he thought of buying him but he thinks he is too small. for service now so I think be won’t take him. We were pretty late getting through break fast and {illegible} Sat around the kitchen most of the after noon which May: told her the story she read last night. This after noon I washed the dishes while she read a little mace of Roh. Ray to me and to night we went to right after tea. but by the times we got the kids settled It wasn't very early. May: got qay a pair of stiff {souled} shoes yesterday & hopes she will soon walk alone with them Friday January 9th it was a cold night and has been sharp to day but little wind and sunny so that it is ideal winter weather. I did chores most of the forenoon and this after noon walked down town to see Jim Jannisten cutter. I met John Patterson on the road with it and as he was driving out here partly to show me the cutter and partly to exercise his horse he turned around and drove me into town. It is a shabby looking affair but seems perfectly sound and has new shoes on it which Jim says are worth four dollars so I don't think I lost anything by paying him ten dollars for it. I saw Dad. & Frank down town. Frank was all furred up in coon skin ready to start for Selkick with his theatrical troupe. I got my hair cut and walked back home getting here about seven. It was a beautiful night moonlight & sappy. I had tea which was all ready and did chores afterwards. May: has not felt well all day. The shaft boys brought down four loads 15 yards of gravel for me to day which I home to make a {caustakes} flour of when the frost {illegible} May: says qay is developing a temper like a yellow jacket with a {sore com}. She let her feed herself pudding today and the performance was so comical May: couldn't refrain from laughing where at. Miss qay flew into a passion screamed a {scudded} and made a scene like a regular picture show lady. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7b92f4b8d167c1511157c4ed801aeb27.pdf 9c1b866e8994c9758da9615be5db6f89 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Satur day January 10th This has been another beautiful day but is frosty to night I puttered around at the chores this morning and tore down a big {comshack} and got all the inside of it into the barn and stacked the outside along the chicken house to melt the snow & off it. Karry B was out with me and was disturbed the cosy winter qualities of several mice which interested him greatly. It seems sort of hard lines to turn them out in the cold after they had get fixed up so comfortably for the winter: The cats got some of them later I went over and swept the school house after dinner and while I was there Dad. & Jim came out in the {bob}. straight to get Queen’s harness. They came over to the school and I went back with them and waited at the farm while Dad drove Queen & my cutter down to get Aunty Alice and Miss {Qruenest} the pianist of the evangelicas company, whom he brought over for tea and their I drove my cutter straight home. Dover intermediate 416.4. team went to {Srin} we last night & beat them 8-0 Sunday January 11th We harried around this morning doing the usual chores and getting dressed up leaving about noon to have dinner at the Bugley’s. It was very bright but a cold east wind I left May & the kids at the house, then drove down, and put Queen on Aunty’s barn. This after noon Mr. Bagley and I went to meeting Mr. Robinson was having in the town hall for men only. I was averse to going but Mr. Bagley assured me we would be out early and so I couldn't very well get out of it. There was a good crowd there and Mr. Robinson spoke very well and as nicely as his subject permitted but as I heard it or read it all before and as far as I can see ann in no position to either help or hinder his work, and as the hall was cold and as it was after five when we got out I was very sorry I went. I hurried back with Mr. Bagley and got my sweater and then hurried down to get Queen as it was getting very cold. Mrs. Bagley was going to get tea for us but I wouldn't wait but thought she would give May: a cup which I was gone but she didn't. We got home about six and I guess I was the coldest of the party but I got warmed up doing chores Monday January 12th It has been milder to day but cloudy. I seem to have felt lazy and didn't do much but the chores. This {next page} Fore noon I cut down mate to the pine tree that I cut last winter just behind the barn. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c69a0a598231f13938a378826b8b702a.pdf 9af263083f45e46d660016caa8e57149 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I have about seven pines on the hill north west of the barn and they are all beginning to die at the top. This tree was leaning very much towards the barn yard fence but I got the big hay rope out of the barn and tied it as far up the trunk as I could safely reach with my 18 ft. ladder and snubbed the other end to a tree down the bank hoping to be able to pull the pine away from the fence, however I chopped till it began to crack and before I could get down to pull it fell and of course went right across the fence. smashing two or three of the old wires and cutting one strand of the rope when. it pulled taut across the branch if a little ash tree. I didn't do much this afternoon. but kill a little rooster for May: She went over to the school cans after four and mailed Mabel over for dinner to morrow and also swept. Thawing to night Tuesday January 13th Wilbur Ryan was in this morning to ask me if he could have the bull calf for the summer for his keep, leaving me the option of selling him if I got a chance so I agreed to give me the dollars to pay for his registration and said he would get him to morrow I spent most of this day fixing a hopper for the chickens. Ina was here washing and {maled} {ounce} over for dinner I drove Ina home to night and went on down town to a horticultural society meeting but as uncle Ward was sick, there was now quite mild Wednesday January 14th Wilbur came in this morning with his stock sack and we loaded the calf. I did up all the chores this morning and we all went down to aunty's {fordrima} After dinner Harry B & I went over to be farm and I filled out the application for the registration of the calf. May: did her buying and I drove back to aunty’s and got her and we called in at the farm and piched {MP} Harry B. Beautiful day but cold evening. Thursday January 15th Didn't do anything much to day but chores. It was very cold early this morning about the coldest night yet but was a beautiful day and is milder to might I sat around and we finished reading Role. Roy. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1911 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1913 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1914 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925-1926 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1926-1927 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 1, 1925 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress In Progress Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Diary 1925 </p><p>T.B. Barrett </p><p>Donnybrook. Port Dover Ontario </p><p>From January 1st 1925 to November 1925 </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Thurs day January 1st, 1925 </p><p>At the time of the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto last November Frank &amp; Jonas sojourned for a few days in the city ostensibly to have a look at the fat cattle &amp; high jumping hunters, but no doubt as far as Frank we are concerned there was a fairer attraction than an attractive Fair. Whatever his prime motive was the point in this connection in that he brought home this book for me and it resembles very closely the books that I was wont to keep diurnal records in prior to the war, but which up till now I have been unable to get. The possession of it inspires me to resume my old practice of diary writing and so I make a start with the New Year. We are still in the grip of a very cold snap which has lasted with scarcely a break now for about two weeks. The wind to-day was in the east but it has been fairly sunny. I have done very little all day but the chores, went over to Willie {Shoud's?} this morning to pay him back for the sink we got from him last fall, and this afternoon went over to the woods for awhile to find some fuel but didn’t have much luck. I started milking Mary to-day as Garnet came out Coleman came yesterday &amp; took the calf. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Friday January 2nd </p><p>We contemplated going to town to-day which would have necessitated my walking over home and getting Queen or the team, but the weather altered our plans. It was snowing hard when we got up this morning and had snowed hard during the night keeping it up till this after noon. It has been getting steadily milder all day and I think is almost thawing to-night. As we now have a nice lot of skim milk on hand I began feeding the cockeels out in the colony house their fattening mash and had to make a trough for them. They have just been getting grain and I {illegible} lost flesh during the very cold weather of the last couple of weeks. I did some more fixing to my cow stable this afternoon battoned up more of the cracks and put a window in. It was quite comfortable working bare handed which was a great relief. Mrs. Tupper and Clara were in to-night for a few minutes to return the little house scales which Mrs. Tupper borrowed a couple of weeks ago to weigh her geese. Must wash up the tea dishes now and get after Rob Roy. We are reading it aloud. </p><p>Saturday January 3rd </p><p>This has been a busy day for me. I did the morning chores as quickly as possible and started to walk over home but got a ride on a load of lumber from the Winding Hill. Dad helped me harness &amp; hook up the team (Queen and Joe) and we then loaded up my potatoes and buckwheat. Dad &amp; I both got potatoes from Jim Dixon and he left mine over there. It was noon when I got home and as Marj was hoping to leave for town by one o'clock I fed the team and gobbled my dinner without much ceremony. Marj fed the chickens while I unloaded the potatoes and emptied them into {bushe?} hampers down cellar. I unloaded the buckwheat before dinner. I then put the cows in and looked up. It was nearly two by the time we started. We unloaded the kids at Aunty's by way of a birthday party for her and I drove Marj up town, left Jim Dixon's bags at Walker Evans according to instructions and drove right back to {illegible name} Walker's where I loaded up five bags of wheat and took home. Neither {illegible name} nor the man were home but the boys were there and superindended the business. I unloaded the wheat and then {illegible} across to the woods where I found a little wood. Our nice little maple </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>stick, but I had quite a job of getting it. as it was green and heavy. I fell down with it once and got covered with snow getting out from under it. by the time I got my word home and unloaded and the chickens fed it was nearly five so I then returned to town for the family. Frank was there too so he came home with us and took the team back. Snowed most of the day and is still mild. The sleighing is good. </p><p><br /> Sunday January 4th </p><p>The peaceful and quiet observance of the Sabbath at Donnybrook to day was uninterrupted by any excursions abroad on our part or visits from others. I just did what was necessary outside this morning helped Marj wash the dishes as she didn't feel very well and she beguiled the times and lightened the tasks by reading Rob Roy to me while I worked. We had a late breakfast and an early tea and dispensed with a middle meal and gained what ever energy such meal would have afforded us by napping. Marj insistson my writing my share of the Christmas letters of thanks, a task which has formerly devolved entirely on her so I spent about two hours this evening writing a note to Grand Daddy. Southwest wind - cloudy now but quite mild. </p><p>Monday, january 5th </p><p>School opened again this morning and as I had a lot of snow shovelling to do over there I got around pretty early and did most of my morning chores by latern light. I saw Mabel to-night and she said every pupil was on hand and glad to get back after their long holiday, owing to the measles. I had intended going over home, getting the team and getting a load of coal this morning but put it off till after dinner. When I got there I found Frank going off with the Pick for as to help them load straw or something so {Dad?} advised me not to take the team to-day as it would be so late before I could get out with the coal and back with the team, and they want Joe to-night as they are taking in the evangelical meetings of Mr. Robinson a friend of Mr. Cornish's. I borrowed his cutter and drove down town, posted some letters got a can of coal oil and went to interview Mr. Carpenter &amp; Al. Faulkner about cutters which they had advertised for sale. Mr. Carpenter was in Port {Ryerse?} voting I suppose but Dr. Bicknell said he didn't think he wanted to dispose of the cutter without selling his horse buggy and harness. Al has sold one of his cutters and is keeping the other but has a pair of light bobs for sale, they have no shafts on them </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Though I don't think they would be much advantage to me as I don't want to back up a team every time I go to town. I left my coal ail at the farm and walked home from there getting a ride from the Winking Hill from Billy Watson. It was rather late when I got the chores all done and as I was tired I didn't do anything all evening but snooze. I didn't go out to vote today as I had no way of getting there except walking and I didn't consider the election important enough to warrant that much exercise. Kent and Roy are aspirants for the reeves chair and though I would have supported Reg Kent had I voted I don't think it makes much difference. Micheal was in to see dad, soliciting his vote and using the argument that he strayed "to home". </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>lethal slumber that have all the qualifications of the greener months besides a few peculiar to them selves to implant in a fellow that very happy sensation. the {illegible} joy of being alive. Just such a day was this especially the fore noon of it. I was in an excellent position to enjoy it as I walked from here over home to meet Frank with my load of coal. There was not a breath of wind and the sun was not bright which would have been dazzling in that night's fresh snow, but {differed?} a {genius?} caught through the lightest of cloud high floating wealth of smoke. The northern part of the sky was blue, but not the steel blue of Winter but the soft hazy appearance of Late Autumn while the air might have been that of May except for a certain energizing zest to it not comparable to the chill of Spring nor its longious warmth which has a {illegible} lethargy. The roads are excillint trim for sleighing and apparently too deep for the pesky cars to spoil them. No mud of Spring. no bugs of Summer, no {illegible} of work as with fall. if all Winter weather was like this, tourist resorts in the South would have to go out of business, but what makes this weather truly appreciated is that it is a very small nugget in a large rock of quartz and the </p><p><br /> realization that for all we know an 80 mile{illegible} may be the programme for tomorrow. When I got to the tavern I found Frank had gone down for the coal and Dad was preparing the scene for the execution of his pigs He was very distressed that I had walked over as he said Frank would go right out the side road with the coal and I would have to walk back. Frank however had forgotten to take a scoop shovel and remembering that I didn't have one came back by the farm with the coal so I rode out with him. He took the train right back so as to be on time to help with the pig killing this afternoon. Pickford and {name?} are going to help. I spent the afternoon lining my chicken house with tar paper and at May’s suggestion shifting the roasts so that they are not in such a direct draft from the windows. {Ina?} was here washing today and she walked home with Mabel who came over for a while after school. </p><p>Wednes day January 7th Another very mild day and so nice that May: wanted to go to town. I was anxious to finish fixing my Chicken pen but as she was afraid we might not get another nice day this week. I told her that if she would go over and </p><p><br /> {Next page} </p><p>borrow the haup cutter and Houi {illegible}would go right after dinner. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>May: went over and made the necessary arrangements and Mrs. Lampkin offered to keep the {haby}. I worked at the chicken pen till noon then right after dinner we loaded hay into the hand sleigh and I handed her over, left her with Mrs. Lampkin and came back with flour &amp; the cutter for May: &amp; the niblits. It was cloudy when we started with a raw wind but thawing more than it has any day yet. We left Harry B. at Cutep and I drove May: up to see Glad. Law who has been very much worse since Christmas. I then came back. put {I larie} in the barn and went in and had a visit with hila who has not been out of bed for the last few days although she feels pretty well. She has become fascinated breathe. much talked of and ridiculed cross- word-puzzles. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice are greatly elated after the courage &amp; skill they displayed this morning in tracking down &amp; killing a rat. They have inspected his presence for some time in the little room off the kitchen so this morning organized a hunting party. They searched through various homes, bales, baskets, bags trunks, etcetera and finally unearthed their quarry in a valis through which he had chewed him self {illegible} </p><p><br /> </p><p>entraves and also helped himself to pieces of all the contents for the construction of his nest. The {puj} discovered was only half won as the real chase began, and was carried on, in, out, between, under, over, across, through and “apast” every object in the room until finally they brought him to bay and Aunty Alice, with certainly more courage than a great many women and some men poses attacked him with the hammer. {I her} onslaught though friree was not sufficient mortally wound him not to quell his cries, but {bushe} had him pinned down she feared to risk his escape by raising the hammer for another {Llaw} so she called to Aunty to come to her rescue with another weapon. She knew the sickle was in the kitchen and thought it would do the deed but in the {teuse} excitement of the moment could think of no other name for it but cutlass, for which she called. Aunty was at a loss to know where in their peaceful surroundings she could lay hands on a cutlass or any other buccaneering accouterment so failed to render the assistance so sorely needed. The case become desperate for although the crocking cries of the enemy betrayed the flitting of the vital spark, the strength of the hand that held the hammer was also waning and Who could tell what reserve of strength might he mustered </p><p>{Next page} </p><p><br /> if that crushing weight were {reloned} for a moment. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Eventually Aunty come to the scene of action without arms or ammunition but relieved Aunty Alice of her hold on the prisoner while Aunty Alice went in search of the hatchet with which she presently returned and dealt the death blow almost severing the wicked head from the ugly body. No wonder theey are exultant after having triumphed so gloriously over the forces of evil the perpetrator of nocturnal destruction and predatory invasion. They can not rest secure and happy in the memory of their hard fought but well won field. I walked over to Jim. Jannisten to see a cutter which Mrs. Lamp kin told me he had for sale but there was no body home so we stopped on our way home and I asked Jim not to sell it until I had a look at it. Dad drove Euah down and left her at Aunty’s while I was there. They are taking in the revival meetings regularly I think, Frank says they had a poor house the night of the hockey match but that was to be expected, the first intermediate O.H.A. game of the season. Dover beat Brantford. 6-5. It began to snow while we were away and kept it up all the after noon Big flakes of heavy snow coming straight down. We are certainly getting plenty of this winter. It was dark </p><p><br /> by the time I got back to the hamp kins with the {hane} and cutter after taking May: &amp; the Niblits home and there I had to load qay up and haul her home. It was still snowing hard but very mild and she seewed to thoroughly enjoy the trip I was afraid all the time she would pitch her self out and when we turned into our lave where the track was not beaten the fresh snow came to the top of her sleigh box she gurgled with joy when she could stick her little mitt out and draw them through the soft snow until we got about half way up the lave either she gave a lurch or {que ranner} went suddenly deep a but over the sleigh went and qay went face down into a snow drift. I grabbed her up as fast as possible and tucked her under my arm, evidently none the worse, she seemed to take it as part of the fun. When we got to the house, she was as rosy, cosy and happy as any ten year old kid who has been jumping into snow banks. We put in an awful evening. Aunty Alice but May: his her new Sabitine book “The Gates of Dorm" and we started to read it out loud but I couldn't keep awake so we bath dozed far awhile and then May: sent of her book alone and read the whole thing. We got to bed almost half past two. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Thursday January 8th I spent about two hours &amp; a half in bed last night and consequently didn’t feel much like working today. So didn't do any thing but the chores it was a little too cold any way to do Carpenter work in the chicken pen. It has been a beautiful sunny day but the wind was quite strong and sharp. I went over to the school house before we had breakfast and William Reqise came back with me to look at the bull calf as he thought of buying him but he thinks he is too small. for service now so I think be won’t take him. We were pretty late getting through break fast and {illegible} Sat around the kitchen most of the after noon which May: told her the story she read last night. This after noon I washed the dishes while she read a little mace of Roh. Ray to me and to night we went to right after tea. but by the times we got the kids settled It wasn't very early. May: got qay a pair of stiff {souled} shoes yesterday &amp; hopes she will soon walk alone with them </p><p>Friday January 9th it was a cold night and has been sharp to day but little wind and sunny so that it is ideal winter </p><p>weather. I did chores most of the forenoon and this after noon walked down town to see Jim Jannisten cutter. I met John Patterson on the road with it and as he was driving out here partly to show me the cutter and partly to exercise his horse he turned around and drove me into town. It is a shabby looking affair but seems perfectly sound and has new shoes on it which Jim says are worth four dollars so I don't think I lost anything by paying him ten dollars for it. I saw Dad. &amp; Frank down town. Frank was all furred up in coon skin ready to start for Selkick with his theatrical troupe. I got my hair cut and walked back home getting here about seven. It was a beautiful night moonlight &amp; sappy. I had tea which was all ready and did chores afterwards. May: has not felt well all day. The shaft boys brought down four loads 15 yards of gravel for me to day which I home to make a {caustakes} flour of when the frost {illegible} May: says qay is developing a temper like a yellow jacket with a {sore com}. She let her feed herself pudding today and the performance was so comical May: couldn't refrain from laughing where at. Miss qay flew into a passion screamed a {scudded} and made a scene like a regular picture show lady. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Satur day January 10th This has been another beautiful day but is frosty to night I puttered around at the chores this morning and tore down a big {comshack} and got all the inside of it into the barn and stacked the outside along the chicken house to melt the snow &amp; off it. Karry B was out with me and was disturbed the cosy winter qualities of several mice which interested him greatly. It seems sort of hard lines to turn them out in the cold after they had get fixed up so comfortably for the winter: The cats got some of them later I went over and swept the school house after dinner and while I was there Dad. &amp; Jim came out in the {bob}. straight to get Queen’s harness. They came over to the school and I went back with them and waited at the farm while Dad drove Queen &amp; my cutter down to get Aunty Alice and Miss {Qruenest} the pianist of the evangelicas company, whom he brought over for tea and their I drove my cutter straight home. Dover intermediate 416.4. team went to {Srin} we last night &amp; beat them 8-0 </p><p>Sunday January 11th We harried around this morning doing the usual chores and getting dressed up leaving about noon to have dinner at the Bugley’s. It was very bright but a cold east wind I left May &amp; the kids at the house, then drove down, and put Queen on Aunty’s barn. This after noon Mr. Bagley and I went to meeting Mr. Robinson was having in the town hall for men only. I was averse to going but Mr. Bagley assured me we would be out early and so I couldn't very well get out of it. There was a good crowd there and Mr. Robinson spoke very well and as nicely as his subject permitted but as I heard it or read it all before and as far as I can see ann in no position to either help or hinder his work, and as the hall was cold and as it was after five when we got out I was very sorry I went. I hurried back with Mr. Bagley and got my sweater and then hurried down to get Queen as it was getting very cold. Mrs. Bagley was going to get tea for us but I wouldn't wait but thought she would give May: a cup which I was gone but she didn't. We got home about six and I guess I was the coldest of the party but I got warmed up doing chores </p><p>Monday January 12th It has been milder to day but cloudy. I seem to have felt lazy and didn't do much but the chores. This </p><p>{next page} </p><p>Fore noon I cut down mate to the pine tree that I cut last winter just behind the barn. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>I have about seven pines on the hill north west of the barn and they are all beginning to die at the top. This tree was leaning very much towards the barn yard fence but I got the big hay rope out of the barn and tied it as far up the trunk as I could safely reach with my 18 ft. ladder and snubbed the other end to a tree down the bank hoping to be able to pull the pine away from the fence, however I chopped till it began to crack and before I could get down to pull it fell and of course went right across the fence. smashing two or three of the old wires and cutting one strand of the rope when. it pulled taut across the branch if a little ash tree. I didn't do much this afternoon. but kill a little rooster for May: She went over to the school cans after four and mailed Mabel over for dinner to morrow and also swept. Thawing to night </p><p>Tuesday January 13th Wilbur Ryan was in this morning to ask me if he could have the bull calf for the summer for his keep, leaving me the option of selling him if I got a chance so I agreed to give me the dollars to pay for his registration and said he would get him to morrow I spent most of this day fixing a hopper for the chickens. Ina was here washing and {maled} {ounce} over for dinner I drove Ina home to night and went on down town to a horticultural society meeting but as uncle Ward was sick, there was now quite mild </p><p>Wednesday January 14th Wilbur came in this morning with his stock sack and we loaded the calf. I did up all the chores this morning and we all went down to aunty's {fordrima} After dinner Harry B &amp; I went over to be farm and I filled out the application for the registration of the calf. May: did her buying and I drove back to aunty’s and got her and we called in at the farm and piched {MP} Harry B. Beautiful day but cold evening. </p><p>Thursday January 15th Didn't do anything much to day but chores. It was very cold early this morning about the coldest night yet but was a beautiful day and is milder to might I sat around and we finished reading Role. Roy. I did things up early the night and got ready to go </p></div> untranscribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1ebd39b50af74be76050dbc24194437b.pdf b0a7122fbee41a4c55ee1463b34ff72f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. [Inside front cover] DIARY 1921 T.B. Barrett Port Dover Ontario Cnocfierna From April 16th 1921 to December 31st 1921 {A newspaper clipping is blocking the left side of the right hand page} April 16th, 1921 ...this morning to help Pickford build...it started rain soon after he left and lllall day so they couldn't work at the cellar...stayed over till afternoon visiting. We...thing over here but chores but sat...most of the time. To-night I went...meeting and then down to the train...The train was in at 9.30 and Marj & I...to stay all night as the walking was...turning colder to-night. {April} 17th ...before Sunday school this morning...I went straight there and to church...Bishop's secretary was preaching in Mr. ...as Marj knew him having made his...last summer at Lake Couchiching, we...him over to Jack Martin's shere he...Jack's mother is sick again so...Frank stayed down at Aunty's to...I spent most of the afternoon doing https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e4919d32a6a7339e0090c3cf367bc0ce.pdf 356c2d53f8973eeb37dd75aee6042441 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. [Left page] {April 17 cont'd...} chores. Mark was in for a few minutes on his way downtown and we had quite a heated discussion on prohibition. Tomorrow, Ontario is to decide whether or not she will allow the importation of liquor and we all have our own ideas about it. Mark and I stick up for the rights of the individual on principle while the others are more practical and think the welfare of the state should be considered first. I'm no friend of booze but I feel that prohibition is more of a Prussian ideal than it is British but as most people think the other {way?} don't care. Dad went down to night to see Aunt Ida who has been quite sick. Has been a miserable day, Snowed three or four inces that night and has been raw & rotten today. Monday April 18th Frank went down to Pickford's this morning and they finished building the cellar. I took some eggs over to Jack Martin and Dad took kids to school and brought Jack Martin back with him. Jack is canvassing the congregation to increase the revenue of the Church and is doing very well. This afernoon Marj and Enah drove down town and Marj stayed down to tea and went to the Girl's auxillary [Right page] to night. I went down to band practice to night and we came home together. Aunt Ida was sitting up to night but looks very sick. {illegibile name} dropped a roan heifer sometime during the night. Dad is going to try to milk her but she is pretty wild I have to stand and scratch her all the time Dad is working at her with great force and no warning. Lovely day, sunny & mild but windy. Tuesday, April 19th We bagged up some oats first thing this morning and Frank took them to the mill. Marj. and I pruned raspberry bushes till noon. This afternoon Frank & I went down and got a load of sawdust to put in the ice house. Frank also got a couple of boards to make a little closet in our room. I saw Aunty down town and she says Aunt Ida is worse again. Dad went down to see her to-night and Enah went over to Uncle Ward's to see Ada who is improving. Dad had a letter from Dick to-day saying that he has been ordered to report at Montreal, but doesn't know what they intend doing with him there. The returns of the polling are not all in yet but so far there is over 100,000 majority for non-importation so I guess the {illegible} have it. Dover went 150 maj. for it https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3ca11153034b223ac0caf2414d68547b.pdf 361897ce2e3f586968d790fa1de7c334 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. [Left page] Wednesday April 20th We were all greatly surprised before breakfast this morning to see Dick coming through the field. We didn't think he would be able to pay us a visit on his way to Montreal but he landed in last night late and turned in at {Aunty's?}. He came over early to tell us that Aunt Ida had died about five o'clock this morning. Aunty was alone with her. We were all shocked as we had no idea she was so far gone the doctor was sure she would be around again. Dad went down with Dick right after breakfast and has been down all day. {Enah?} went down this afternoon. Dick didn't come back to-night. I spent the day doing chores and helping Marj house clean our room. I made the closet thing for her but didn't get it put up. Carlie Blake came in at noon to Harrow my {illegible} and his car got stuck in a mud puddle in the lane as he didn't have chains on and we were about an hour getting it out so didn't have dinner till late. Then Karl & Fred {Coleman?} came in and were here quite awhile, they took the two year old ram for 8 cts a lb and I sold them Oliver for {illegible} cts or fifty five dollars. It seems like giving him away as he is actually worth $120.00 for breeding but no one wants him apparently. [Right page] To night I took a little stroll down to the pond but didn't stay long, very pretty moon & clouds. Warm all day & fine. Thursday April 21st Dad drove {Lil?} down to school this morning and went on down town to get his hair cut and make firm all arrangements for Aunt Ida's funeral. He came back about eleven and brought Dick home with him for dinner. They drove down again about three and Dick left on the five car for Montreal. Frank and I spent the day doing chores and ploughing around in the mud. It has rained more or less all day. I finished fixing the clothes closet for Marj. Arthur & Bobbie Pickford came over to-night and bought {Lil's?} pet lamb for a quarter. It was one of a {pull?} whose mother wouldn't {illegible} it. {Maple Hill Nellie?} had a nice roan bull calf arrive to-day, a fine one. Friday, April 22nd We all went down early this morning to attend the service at Aunty's before they started for Port Rowan with Aunt Ida. Mr. Ward came down with the Bowlby's from St. John and had a prayer at 9 o'clock. Then Dad, Ruby, Doe & {illegible name} Bowlby went with the {illegible} to Port Rowan. They had Faulkner's team and double https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4bdb61c4b30c607b9baecdc965dd0313.pdf f687b136e74c849944ef58cf39c97353 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/952043731184eb2510d65d38f27523ab.pdf d24def826601229259f46a6d2858d77a PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/088df3b627602637d72cb52c3f0f2ae8.pdf 13a6d91af315ff0974fb506d46f9505c PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/40def161a2201a8ae673257ea6e31a1b.pdf b6bee50e63e959de15c442ba9cae3bff PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fa877c026988317bcfe2b08074e1d750.pdf ed31f9f0ac369021c0b0edb677408e68 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday May 3rd I haven't done a great deal of an thing to day except chores and odd jobs. Dad has felt pretty tough all day and had to rest up for "Pin afore" tonight. Mary has felt miserable all day. Frank went down town and got our tickets to "Pin afore" changed from tonight till tommorow as we figured Mary would feel sick going tonight. Dad finished cleaning the brush out of the orchard this afternoon and I helped him a ittle. Tonight {illegible} Mary & me went the concert and we went for a walk down to the pond and saw Jack's deer, and licked Mary's hand. Frank took Irene {Illegible}. Went down to Aunty's from school and was {Illegible} gone to the show from there but he was sick all the afternoon in school and was too sick to go tonight. They brought him home with him and he has quite a fever. Pin afore went off fine. Ralph was in good shape and Dick dead eye's horrible looks were very impressive. The was {distinct?} with the Captain which was that he could make him laugh he accomplished this feat by hesitating in his dialoge with Capt. Corcoran to take an imaginary {cord?} out of his mouth walk to the gangwalk and toss it overboard. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b82d701b4ca7eef1d6194408bab74598.pdf 395a2c42b0f9e26914eb1c27eb979f0c PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8ccdb701b577a7b0002c911a998f1540.pdf daa4554b2fe1c17cabaae3acfd33f291 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/862ca9a9e80b42c8833c492ca915c3b6.pdf b0816a983e807844f3e46ddd3af30314 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3394070ecd3314355985c7d41e3f6e30.pdf 3537bc753f95936dcde2b165e8079f73 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/37a615371cadc7061a248b007e62640e.pdf 39d7d2cf942c7e2f0e19fd8a41baef55 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. he got started to drill it before dinner and finished soon after and then out the ditches. I " " after the drill spent about most of the day doing chores. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1911 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1913 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1914 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925-1926 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1926-1927 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 16 to December 31, 1921 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. April 16, 1921 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress In Progress Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>[Inside front cover] </p><p>DIARY 1921 </p><p>T.B. Barrett Port Dover Ontario </p><p>Cnocfierna </p><p>From April 16th 1921 to December 31st 1921 </p><p>{A newspaper clipping is blocking the left side of the right hand page} </p><p>April 16th, 1921 </p><p>...this morning to help Pickford build...it started rain soon after he left and lllall day so they couldn't work at the cellar...stayed over till afternoon visiting. We...thing over here but chores but sat...most of the time. To-night I went...meeting and then down to the train...The train was in at 9.30 and Marj &amp; I...to stay all night as the walking was...turning colder to-night. </p><p>{April} 17th </p><p>...before Sunday school this morning...I went straight there and to church...Bishop's secretary was preaching in Mr. ...as Marj knew him having made his...last summer at Lake Couchiching, we...him over to Jack Martin's shere he...Jack's mother is sick again so...Frank stayed down at Aunty's to...I spent most of the afternoon doing </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>[Left page] </p><p>{April 17 cont'd...} </p><p>chores. Mark was in for a few minutes on his way downtown and we had quite a heated discussion on prohibition. Tomorrow, Ontario is to decide whether or not she will allow the importation of liquor and we all have our own ideas about it. Mark and I stick up for the rights of the individual on principle while the others are more practical and think the welfare of the state should be considered first. I'm no friend of booze but I feel that prohibition is more of a Prussian ideal than it is British but as most people think the other {way?} don't care. Dad went down to night to see Aunt Ida who has been quite sick. Has been a miserable day, Snowed three or four inces that night and has been raw &amp; rotten today. </p><p>Monday April 18th </p><p>Frank went down to Pickford's this morning and they finished building the cellar. I took some eggs over to Jack Martin and Dad took kids to school and brought Jack Martin back with him. Jack is canvassing the congregation to increase the revenue of the Church and is doing very well. This afernoon Marj and Enah drove down town and Marj stayed down to tea and went to the Girl's auxillary </p><p>[Right page] </p> <pre>to night. I went down to band practice to night and we came home together. Aunt Ida was sitting up to night but looks very sick. {illegibile name} dropped a roan heifer sometime during the night. Dad is going to try to milk her but she is pretty wild I have to stand and scratch her all the time Dad is working at her with great force and no warning. Lovely day, sunny &amp; mild but windy. </pre> <p>Tuesday, April 19th </p><p>We bagged up some oats first thing this morning and Frank took them to the mill. Marj. and I pruned raspberry bushes till noon. This afternoon Frank &amp; I went down and got a load of sawdust to put in the ice house. Frank also got a couple of boards to make a little closet in our room. I saw Aunty down town and she says Aunt Ida is worse again. Dad went down to see her to-night and Enah went over to Uncle Ward's to see Ada who is improving. Dad had a letter from Dick to-day saying that he has been ordered to report at Montreal, but doesn't know what they intend doing with him there. The returns of the polling are not all in yet but so far there is over 100,000 majority for non-importation so I guess the {illegible} have it. Dover went 150 maj. for it </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>[Left page] </p><p>Wednesday April 20th </p><p>We were all greatly surprised before breakfast this morning to see Dick coming through the field. We didn't think he would be able to pay us a visit on his way to Montreal but he landed in last night late and turned in at {Aunty's?}. He came over early to tell us that Aunt Ida had died about five o'clock this morning. Aunty was alone with her. We were all shocked as we had no idea she was so far gone the doctor was sure she would be around again. Dad went down with Dick right after breakfast and has been down all day. {Enah?} went down this afternoon. Dick didn't come back to-night. I spent the day doing chores and helping Marj house clean our room. I made the closet thing for her but didn't get it put up. Carlie Blake came in at noon to Harrow my {illegible} and his car got stuck in a mud puddle in the lane as he didn't have chains on and we were about an hour getting it out so didn't have dinner till late. Then Karl &amp; Fred {Coleman?} came in and were here quite awhile, they took the two year old ram for 8 cts a lb and I sold them Oliver for {illegible} cts or fifty five dollars. It seems like giving him away as he is actually worth $120.00 for breeding but no one wants him apparently. </p><p>[Right page] </p><p>To night I took a little stroll down to the pond but didn't stay long, very pretty moon &amp; clouds. Warm all day &amp; fine. </p><p>Thursday April 21st </p><p>Dad drove {Lil?} down to school this morning and went on down town to get his hair cut and make firm all arrangements for Aunt Ida's funeral. He came back about eleven and brought Dick home with him for dinner. They drove down again about three and Dick left on the five car for Montreal. Frank and I spent the day doing chores and ploughing around in the mud. It has rained more or less all day. I finished fixing the clothes closet for Marj. Arthur &amp; Bobbie Pickford came over to-night and bought {Lil's?} pet lamb for a quarter. It was one of a {pull?} whose mother wouldn't {illegible} it. {Maple Hill Nellie?} had a nice roan bull calf arrive to-day, a fine one. </p><p>Friday, April 22nd </p><p>We all went down early this morning to attend the service at Aunty's before they started for Port Rowan with Aunt Ida. Mr. Ward came down with the Bowlby's from St. John and had a prayer at 9 o'clock. Then Dad, Ruby, Doe &amp; {illegible name} Bowlby went with the {illegible} to Port Rowan. They had Faulkner's team and double </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Tuesday May 3rd </p><p>I haven't done a great deal of an thing to day except chores and odd jobs. Dad has felt pretty tough all day and had to rest up for "Pin afore" tonight. Mary has felt miserable all day. Frank went down town and got our tickets to "Pin afore" changed from tonight till tommorow as we figured Mary would feel sick going tonight. Dad finished cleaning the brush out of the orchard this afternoon and I helped him a ittle. Tonight {illegible} Mary &amp; me went the concert and we went for a walk down to the pond and saw Jack's deer, and licked Mary's hand. Frank took Irene {Illegible}. Went down to Aunty's from school and was {Illegible} gone to the show from there but he was sick all the afternoon in school and was too sick to go tonight. They brought him home with him and he has quite a fever. Pin afore went off fine. Ralph was in good shape and Dick dead eye's horrible looks were very impressive. The was {distinct?} with the Captain which was that he could make him laugh he accomplished this feat by hesitating in his dialoge with Capt. Corcoran to take an imaginary {cord?} out of his mouth walk to the gangwalk and toss it overboard. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>he got started to drill it before dinner and finished soon after and then out the ditches. I " " after the drill spent about most of the day doing chores. " " went by to night. </p></div> untranscribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3e49a268117a30bf36b4dbd6b5830904.pdf 12cef13ff6b4b15f8e96a3c457d2ee89 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. DIARY. 1920-21. T.B.Barrett, Port Dover, Ontario. Cnocfierna. From January 1st 1920 to April 15th 1921 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8f2d4886b294cbdd1142585952194b7d.pdf dd12ff1a2359008ed7f4b086febd8f0c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Left page blank} Thursday January 1st 1920 The New Year found me leaning over the balcony in the gallery of the town hall with Bub. and Dess watching the noisy crowd of dancers below us with a certain ammount of amusement but with no desire to join them. My feet were too sore with chilblains to dance anyway, but Bub's society was just as congenial if not more so than any one else's there, in fact there were very few of my freinds there and the great majority I didn't even know, and judging from appearances am not at all particular about making their acquaintance. We soon became tired of our show and went home early. It is a long time since I have had a visit with Bub and our conversation had been mainly reminisent of our high school days of ten years ago. It sounds a long time but looks only a matter of a few months when the happenings of the interval are not considered. Certainly, though, those happening's have meant a great deal to the poor old world and I wonder what effect they will have on the history of the decade we are now beginning. Although the war has been over now for more than a year, the spirit of strife is still rampant in all countries and manifests itself in the strikes, riots and general restlessness <s>with</s> which all people have been suffering from. Up till now conditions don't show much sign of improvement but it must come to an end eventually, and I suppose, when the old world does get<s>ting</s> running smoothly again. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/eb6088786398108c187de61d1412e423.pdf ea4751278eed2ad297cfcae0bf84ff4d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. it will be a better place for all classes to live. New Year's day has been cold and blustery and we haven't done any thing but the necessary chores and sit around the fire and read. To-night we all went down to Aunty's for tea and spent the evening. All from Huby's were there as well as Cousin Clare & Phoebe. We spent the evening with music and playing Guessing games which we always have a lot of fun at. Friday January 2nd It has been bitterly cold to-day, below zero with a strong west wind and we have done nothing but a few chores keep the fires going and read. To-night Enah Frank and I went down to a party at Ada's and had a very nice time. We played cards most of the evening. Most of the party were playing bridge but, Winnie Lila, Frank a Mr. Moore who is a freind of Zeitha's and a cousin of Mrs. Freeman's, and I played rummy and seven-up, and the phonograph, then Zeitha and later Quint joined us and we danced. Frank & Lila lit out for the Rebecca's dance in the hall about twelve o'clock. I stayed at Ada's and came home with Enah and Mrs. Jack Martin about one o'clock. Saturday, January 3rd We were very late having breakfast this morning and before we got at it Phil Shaver came after Dad. to go and dose one of his horses, so Dad. was over there till noon. I chored around most of the morning and Frank slept most of the day as he didn't get home from his dance till about four o'clock this morning. Dad. and I did up the chores early (and we have quit milking at night) and we both went down to Aunty's for tea. Quint was there and so were the Miss Hardings so Aunty had quite a birthday party. I left right after tea and went down to meet the seven o'clock car, as Marj. came in on it, so I spent the rest of the evening with her, she had a nice holiday at home <s>Su</s> Sunday, January 4th Frank Tid and I went down to sunday school and church this morning. I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. This afternoon Marj. and I went over to see Miss McQueen and then went down to Aunty's where we stayed to tea. Aunty Alice Marj. and I went to church to-night. I got home about twelve o'clock and found Frank was not in yet. He was down at the Ward's and got home soon after I did. It has been very cold all day, but very little wind. Monday, January 5th Frank and I went down right after breakfast to get our long looked for stove. It was ordered from Eaton's on the 15th of November and just arrived on Saturday. We also got Marj's suitcase which she checked by Grand Trunk and took it up for her, and as we had to get some things up town it was after eleven when we got home, but we went down to the mill for some bran & chicken feed before dinner. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d4742c6889544fd0c4d137e55f8e63e5.pdf 92ed39c4ede2f43a77ae594e2f258b73 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We spent most of the after noon putting the new stove up and had a great fire until to-night. Bob. Dougherty was in just before two with some fellow called Slack to tell us he wanted the lambs on Saturday. He would have stayed to tea but Slack wouldn't wait for him and he was driving the car. Frank and I went down town to-night. Frank went to the dance and I went with the band to serenade the new council. Taylor beat poor old Walker badly so we went up to his place first and took him as well as all the rest of them by surprise. We went from there to John Harvey's where we got treated with wine and Lou's wedding cake. Then we went over to Perce Ryerse's but his wife informed us that he had gone down after some medicine for the baby. We played anyway and I don't know whether we killed the baby or not. Mr. Quinn's was our next stop and then we set out for Capt. P.C. Robinson's. We went to the house but Pauline said he had gone to lodge, so we started over there to "get his goat" but some body saw him headed down Main St. and at last "tried" him in his office at the Fish Shanty, so we gave him a couple of selections and then we dispersed. They all promised to give us all the financial assistance that was necessary next year and three of them gave us enough to buy some cigars with. Mid shoved the cash down and I don't know what became of it. Altogether we had a very nice time, but had to go in everywhere to thaw our horns out as it was a very frosty night & bright. Tuesday, January 6th Our windmill which has been the source of great tribulation to us all winter owing to its very unsatisfactory work refused to pump at all this morning, so Frank went down and got Felix to come over and he has been over all day. I should have said the pump was wrong instead of the windmill. We took the whole thing up and found that the bottom of the cylinder was a little loose which we supposed let air in and and caused the water to shoot out of the top of the pump the way it has been doing. The valves were also worn out so Felix put in new ones. We didn't finish till about five o'clock and then the wind had died down so that we couldn't get any water to-night and the cattle had to go without a drink all day. It was really not very cold to-day but felt raw especially working at the pump. It is a miserable job at any time but especially so at this time of year. Old Felix keeps at it though and he just celebrated his eightieth birthday on Saturday. To-night Enah and Tid went down to the Sunday school Christmas tree. I went down later but didn't go to the tree. I met Marj. after it was over and spent the evening with her. Wednesday, January 7th We put the doors on the barn this morning which blew off the night of the big wind. There were three off, the two in the peak and one little one down on the shed. This afternoon https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bb470855860ad11708a6037e962476d6.pdf 4ed9043d9e3ee43c78bbc2d6b16958ee PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Dad. trimmed Mexico's feet which were in very bad shape. I didn't do much but chores. Old Felix & Harvey Perkins were over this after noon to sell Frank some shares in Peace River Oil Wells. Harvey is selling them & old Felix thinks he is going to be a millionaire as soon as they get the well finished they are boring at now. Frank took fifty shares, I think. I went down to Aunty's to tea to-night and went up at seven o'clock with the band to play at the Simcoe rink for two hockey matches. There were two car loads went up from here so the Dover {illegible}played. The band & the hundred or so routers must have had a good effect on the Dover boys as they trimmed Simcoe 7-2, and it was a good fast game too. The first match was between the "War Vetrans" and the "Wanderers". The Vets won that with a score of 6-3 I think. Then our boys played the "Canners" and it was a much better game. Harvey Lany played very well and shot several goals. Jack McDonald is very good too and a clean player. Old {Name} was playing back and not many got past him, he works hard and dodges around like a swallow. Young Bill Miller was rather rough and was on the fence about half the time. {Name} McDonald tended goal and once got a little excited and went into the corner after the puck and they shot a goal while he was out. We had a fine time and the band got invited up again on Friday night to play at an O.H.A. game between Ingersol & Woodstock. Mild & inclined to rain or mist to-day. Thursday January 8th I spent the morning to-day doing chores and Dad. threw in some more sawdust on the ice. Frank went down to the dentist's but I don't think got any thing done and has to go back to-morrow. This after noon we cleaned out the box stall in the horse stable and took out two big loads and spread them on the root ground. Frank went back this after noon and sowed 100 lbs of his basic slag on the gully hills to see what effect it has on pasture. I went down town to-night. Mild this morning but colder & windy to-night. Friday January 9th It has been very stormy (wind and snow) but not very cold all day but cleared off and quieted down to-night. We got all the outside stock except the two colts in the barn this morning. Billy & Dave can run in the shed. Frank had to go down to the dentist's this morning and was down till after dinner. Dad. went over to Quanbury's to get some more instructions about his dry salted bacon and I just did chores worked at my show-card lessons which I find very interesting and dozed all day. We did things up early to-night and I went down to Aunty's for tea. It had stopped snowing when I got there so I shovelled their snow for them. Marj. was there too and she & Aunty went up to their Bible Class after tea. I went to Simcoe with the band and we had a very good time. It was an O.H.A game between https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d4d780683624a9cf570e3905e28f8281.pdf baa74718cff6d1bcfb0cdb9ed83587c5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Simcoe and Woodstock, and the score was 8-5 in favor of Simcoe. The Woodstock boys put up a very good game and the score was 3-3 at the beginning of the last period when Simcoe got very energetic and Woodstocks best man who was playing back didn't seem to do as well and they lost 5 goals and only made 2. They have picked out three Dover men as spares on the Simcoe team and put Harvey Lany on to-night but whether from nervousness or not he didn't put up any thing like the game he did the other night so they soon took him off and didn't try {Name} or Joe. Saturday January 10th We were up early this morning and spent the whole fore-noon getting Dougherty's lambs off. We got the sleighs out and Frank started down to Pickford's after our stock rack but met him coming back with it. We then weighed the lambs up by pairs on our own scales and when we weighed them down at the car they came to exactly the same and Dougherty gave us 15 cts for the ewe lambs. We had to go to the planing mill and get him some shavings to bed the car with and had to go up town for some coal oil and then we got some shavings to bring home with us to put on the ice so it was about noon when we got here, our lambs came to about $177.00. We haven't done much all the after noon but chores. Frank went down town to-night and I worked at my show card work. Snowed more this morning, not cold. Sunday January 11th Dad. drove Tid, Frank and me down to Sunday school this morning and then came down after church and drove Aunty Marj. and Tid over here for dinner. Frank and I walked home. Frank walked out to Sidway's this after noon but I stayed home. Dad. drove Aunty home about four o'clock while I fed the cows. Marj. stayed to tea and I drove her home this evening. The cutter slides along but the road is bare in spots. W.F. Cockshutt M.P. gave an address on the Forward Movement in church this morning which was very good. Monday January 12th Frank left for Guelph to-day. He expects to be up there about a month taking short courses in Hock & Seed Judging and Tractors & machinery. He spent most of the morning getting packed up and I drove him down in the bob-sleigh to Aunty's where he stayed to dinner intending to leave on the one o'clock car, but it was so late that they cancelled it, and he and young Downs who is going to Guelph too, left on the three o'clock car, but he thought he could get over to Guelph from Galt some time to-night. Dad. and I hauled out manure to day from the Bull's pens. We got out three loads but didn't quite finish the pens. I went over to John Wess's this afternoon. Mrs McBride is very low. I saw Cam. and spoke to him about the place and he promised that if it was to be sold he would see that I got a chance at it. I went down town to-night. Milder https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/44da8f5ea03ea9f45a2b39cdcbe04cff.pdf 9a8a4862647b9fdb150f4eed31c6f1cf PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday January 13th It has been very stormy most of to-day and we didn't do anything outside but chores. I spent most of the forenoon getting my incubator ready to start and it has been heating up all day. I worked at my show card work for quite awhile this after noon. I went down to-night to a meeting in the Rectory to organize a canvassing campaign for the Forward Movement, but as Mr. Freeman was the only other one there we couldn't do much. Marj. had been there to tea so I went home with her. It has not been very cold but very blustery. Wednesday January 14th Dad. and I had to shovel out the lane this morning as yesterday's storm drifted it full. It was after eleven when we got finished and then I started out with Joe & Queen on the bob-sleighs to get Aunty Alice as we expected her over to dinner but I met her just outside the lane. This after noon Dad. drove Enah & Aunty Alice over to Mrs. McLaughlin's to play bridge and I did up the chores. I had a card from Mid. at noon saying the band was going to play at Simcoe to-night so I went down to Aunty's for tea. The cars were running an hour late so that it was after eight when we got to Simcoe. The Dover team played the Vetrans and they both put up a very good game. Dover winning score 4-3. We didn't leave Simcoe till 12 o'clock and the car was crowded as a great many had come up at five o'clock. Blustery day. Thursday January 15th It has been cold and stormy all day so we just did chores this morning. Dad. has been reading "Courtin' Christina" and "Wee McGreggor Enlists" and finished them to-day they are certainly very good. This after noon Dad. drove Enah & Tid down to the Pickford's and the Ryerse's to distribute some Forward Movement literature. I went down to a meeting in the Sunday school to-night Mr. Manning was there and a few boys but they didn't do much. I then went over to see Marj. for awhile and stayed all night at Aunty's in order to help Aunty Alice get started for Toronto in the morning as she is going down for a few days Friday January 16th Aunty Alice got off on the 7.20 G.T.R. this morning and I went to the station with her and then came home. We did up the chores and then Dad. and I went down and cut down a tree at Preston's. This after noon I took some oats to the mill and left them for chop and took Enah and Tid down to go to "Mickey" at the picture show. I then came home and did up a few chores and went down to Aunty's for tea and Marj. and I went to see "Mickey" to-night. after which we went into Miss McQueen's for a cup of tea. It was very stormy all after noon and evening but the picture show was packed for all three shows. People have certainly gone crazy over "Mickey". What there is in it, I don't know. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ce69def204c922d42398d9a755cb18ba.pdf 15b57321a3b6ac1ce4b2de653d485239 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday January 17th Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning to shovel their snow but John Shand had it done when he got down. I did chores and painted a little. Com & Billy McBride were in at noon to say that Mrs. John Wess died yesterday and to ask Dad. to be a bearer. This after noon I drove Enah down town and she got some flowers and we came home by the mill where I got the grist and some rolled oats. It has been sunny but very blustery & cold all day Sunday January 18th It was very cold and windy this morning and we were late getting through chores and I didn't get up very early. I was too late for Sunday school but went down to church. I was a little early and was sitting in the church when I heard the fire bell ring so ran out and saw them getting the engines out of the old jail. I followed the crowd up to L.G. Morgan's house where the smoke was pouring out all the windows. After considerable confusion in trying to find the fire they got the engines going at the north side of the house. I went inside but the smoke was almost suffocating. I ran across Harry Moon in there who told me that Mr. Morgan was dead and in the middle of a knot of men I saw his body His clothes were burned off down to his waist. His back was badly burned and his head all charred. It was a horrible sight but I don't believe he could have suffered very long. The fire was caused by him knocking over a coal oil stove in his room, an of course in the shape he was in he couldn't get out. He called Miss Morgan but she couldn't do any thing for the smoke. Val. Leaney saw the fire from his place and was there at once but L.G. was too far gone to be saved. Miss Newell is in a semi consious condition but very low having been badly suffocated. They managed to get the fire out without it spreading beyond the one room and every thing in it was burned. I went back to the church expecting to meet Aunty but the door was locked and I found they hadn't held service. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and spent the after noon up at the Monteiths. I came home about five and helped do chores and then went down again & spent the evening with Marj. Very cold but not stormy to-night. Dad. went over to John Wess's this morning with the flowers. Monday January 19th Dad. and I spent the morning doing chores and shovelling out the lane which was drifted full. Just before dinner Dad. took Tid down to Aunty's where he stayed for the after noon while Dad. Enah and I went to Mrs. McBride's funeral. Dad. was one of the bearers and I drove him up to the cemetry. We let Enah out at the head of Main St. and got Tid & her on our way home. My feet got very cold so I walked home from town. Dess. was over. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1d851652253489ee2a24ecb0526bdfc0.pdf 84d77ebf7f16dd21c119b083f667b33b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. just before tea on her snowshoes, with a message for Dad. asking him to be bearer at Mr. Morgan's funeral to-morrow. There was another funeral to-day from down east some place. The two hearses went into the cemetry about the same time. I stayed home to-night and worked at my show card practice. Tuesday January 20th We did the chores up pretty well this morning and right after dinner Dad. Enah & Tid. drove down town. They put Queen in at Hec's. and left Tid with Aunty and Dad. went to Mr. Morgan's funeral. It was private so Enah didn't go. He was buried up at St. John's. I walked down town after dinner and went to the bank to deposit some money as I promised Boyd. I would send him a cheque when the brooder came. I then went to the station but it hasn't come yet. I was in the Custom House for awhile talking to Huby. He was giving me a long dissertation on the tribulations of his office owing to the constant revision of the ever-changing tariff, when a very seedy looking chap came in and rather sheepishly asked what was the duty on any thing imported from the States. Huby told him it made a great deal of difference what he was importing and when he aparently unwillingly confessed that it was an automobile Huby started in & told him first 30% then 7 1/2% then 10% of the duty paid value. The fellow looked rather dazed and reasoned that "they sure go for a feller". Huby figured it up to be well over $500.00 on $1000.00 so at last the fellow left after asking very particularly whether the Government got all that money or the fellow he bought his car from. He left rather crestfallen and I think was undecided whether to buy a car in Canada or not at all or wait till the War Debt was paid off or appeal to the A.F.O. of which organization I have no doubt he was a member. I got home before five and Dad. soon after me. Enah & Tid stayed down to tea. Dad. and I did chores and had a bite to eat & then walked down to see the Girl Guides concert which they put on for the relief of the Armenians. It was "Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party." Harry Moon coached them and they did very well. Ed. Gray & Hazel Ward. did especially well. The concert was over by half past nine and I spent the rest of the evening with Marj. Dad and Enah & Tid got a ride home with Pickford in his bob-sleigh. A very little milder with a sleet storm this after noon. Wednesday January 21st We were late getting out this morning and spent most of the morning doing chores I went down to the mill about noon to see if I could get some corn chop & bran but they haven't had enough water to run either chopper or mill so had nothing. I spent the whole after noon practising at my show card lessons and worked all evening at it too. Dad. went down to Aunty's for tea and spent the evening down there. Dover was to play the "Wanderers" in Simcoe to-night but as I didn't get any notice of the band going up I decided not to go as I wanted to work although I would have liked to have seen the game. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ad6868d996362c6fd5da8861b0c9269f.pdf 3b5ee367cca03f295fba90e3cbc0ff87 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday January 22nd Dad. Enah and Tid. drove down this morning to see if they wanted Enah to sit up with Miss Newell to-night but they asked her to stay this after noon so Dad. left her at the Johnston's and Tid at Aunty's and came home. This after noon he and I read the mail for quite awhile and then went over to John Wess's to see how he felt. He looks pretty tough. Dad. and I did the chores and then drove down to Aunty's where we all had tea and Dad. drove Enah and Tid home right after. Aunty heard from Aunty Alice to-day saying she was coming home to-night so I went to the station and met her. Huby was there too. I went up to see Marj. for a little while first, her throat has been very sore and she has not been at school all the after noon. Dover got trimmed last night by the "Wanderer's" 6-5. They say that the Dover boys got sore because Simcoe put on a professional and played a dirty game. Friday January 23rd Dad. and I drove down town this morning and got my stove brooder which came in by freight yesterday. We stopped for a minute at Aunty's to see Aunty Alice. We overtook Miss Phipps on her way down and took her down to the Johnston's to see Miss Newell. This after noon it became very stormy with an east wind. Dad. and I got hay enough over for night and then I did my show card lesson so that I could post it to-night. Dad. & Enah drove down town to bring Miss Phipps home as it had become so stormy, but they couldn't find her. Dad. did up the chores and I went down town before dark & had tea at Aunty's. I went up to see Marj. to-night, her throat was better. I stayed at Aunty's all night as the walking was a fright, drifts up to my knees but not very cold. Saturday January 24th I didn't get up very early this morning and after I breakfast I shovelled the snow and then went up town to inquire after Miss Newell, she is just about the same as nearly as I could make out from Mrs. Johnson. I also went up to Hugh McQueen's to get him to make me a chimbney for my brooder. It was after tea when I got home and didn't do much but shovell the snow out of the chicken houses before dinner. This after noon we sat around and read the mail for an hour or so and then Dad. and I got over enough hay to last us over Sunday and shovelled out the lane. Not quite so windy to-day but pretty cold. Sunday January 25th I walked down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. drove Enah down to church and then went home and drove back after her. We had a short service this morning as the church was cold and Mr. Johnston didn't preach a sermon but although the church wasn't much warmer to-night I thought he would never stop preaching about the Forward Movement and other https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5c8a2079de79b6b6cf40bc62032e7ce2.pdf cf8be32f62f6cb63007cb42677996ba8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. money they wanted to raise. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and spent the after noon and evening with Marj. who is feeling much better. I came home to tea and walked down again in time for church. Alan Law gave me a ride out to the side road corner. 20° below last night. Monday January 26th I tested my eggs out this morning. It was too cold down cellar so I darkened the dining room and brought them up. I only got 28 fertile ones out of 155. I guess they must have been chilled. I unpacked my brooder but can't put it to-gether till I get my stove pipe from Hugh. I also put on a couple of panes of glass and puttyed up several others in a sash I want to use for my brooder house. Late this after noon Dad. and I & Tid. drove down town and got some coal oil. Dad. has had heartburn badly all day and has had to carry a lot of water to the stock as there was not wind enough to pump. It has been very mild barely freezing in the shade. To night I went down to the Sunday school where Mr. Manning and the officers of the Methodist "Square" put our boys through the first {legue?} of the initiation ceremony for Tuxis boys I then went over to Epworth League with Manning for awhile. Tuesday January 27th I spent most of the morning fitting the windows in the colony house besides doing a few odd jobs. This after noon Dad. Tid. and I drove down to Pickford's to invite them over here to-night to spend the evening. We then drove out to the Shands to inquire after Flossie who has had pleurisy. She is still in bed but a little better. To-night the whole Pickford family came over. Tom Butler was in Simcoe when they left but they put a note out for him telling him to follow them so he came down later. We had quite a time doing various tricks, had a little music and Tid. put on a magic lantern show. Much milder to-day, colder to-night. Wednesday January 28th Dad. went down to the Pickford's this morning to see if he could get Jackie to come up and have a look at the ram we want to kill. He is very thin but Pickford says they are deceiving and don't need to be very fat. He and Tom had gone down to get some stuff Tom bought at Porter's sale in Walpole, but Mrs. Pickford said she would send him up after dinner. He and Tom both came up and killed and dressed the sheep, but he was very thin. I don't know why he didn't get fatter as he has been getting grain but has been running out. I did a show card lesson this morning and this after noon drove Enah down town to go to the bridge-gang meet. I saw Quint down there and took him for a little spin around town. Mr. & Mrs. Jim Waddle were in and invited us all out there for dinner Friday night. I went down town to-night. Very frosty. Thursday January 28th Bob. Dougherty came in here last night and stayed all night with us and most of the morning. He was highly entertaining https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2857ae4e76696097a9d4197514d59b51.pdf fe0db3f97c7203e92af1d7c5f0f3629a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. but we didn't get much done while he was here. When he left John Quanbury came over to get Dad. to go and see his cow which is pretty sick. Dad. cut up the mutton before dinner. This after noon Dad. Enah & Tid drove down town and took Huby a piece of mutton as this was his birthday. I did another show card lesson and went down to Aunty's for tea. Huby & Aunty Maude were there. Winnie came over here for tea with Dad. & Enah. To-night Marj. & I went up to Miss. Martin's and I got my hair cut on my way home. Mild. Friday January 30th Dad. and I went down this morning and got a load of coal as there was a new car in and the coal looked and has proved to be of much better quality than any we have got so far. On our way home we met Jim. Waddle on his way over to tell us not to come out to-night as Mrs. Waddle was sick but to come Sunday night. This after noon we sat around and read quite awhile and then Dad. and Enah & Tid. drove down town to post a letter and I went over to Jack Martin's to ask them about buying baby chicks for broilers. I got a price list from a fellow in Toronto and the cheapest were $30.00 per 100 which Jack thought was pretty high for broiler chicks, but Chris offered to let me raise all of his Leghorns and to pay me broiler prices for them when they are ready to go so I think I will take his offer. He told me that band was going to Simcoe to-night to play at the rink so I went down to Aunty's for tea. Only a few of the band boys went up and it was very cold up in the rink, but it was a good game. Simcoe beat Paris 5-2 O.H.A. Saturday January 31st It was 20 below zero this morning and a strong east wind blowing which made it almost unbearable to be out. We just fed up the stock and haven't done a thing else all day but sit around the stove and read. We were greatly surprized to have Aunty Alice come over for dinner. She said yesterday she would come over if it was a nice day but we never expected her when it was so cold. She walked back this after noon as she wanted to stop it at Mrs. Battersby's for awhile. I went down town to-night to see how Marj's throat was, but she wasn't home so I suppose it must be better. The wind died down a little to-night but it is still very cold. I took a walk down to Pete Holmes' rink where they were staging a hockey match between Penman's & Knox Church but there were very few spectators and I thought it was too cold to watch them so I went down to Aunty's for awhile and then home. Sunday February 1st It was still cold this morning but has been a beautiful day and getting milder all day. I went down to Sunday school and church and stayed to dinner at Aunty's. Marj. and I went up to Miss Martin's for a little while this after noon and then I came home early. I stopped in at Newman Silverthorne's for awhile to pay Mr. Clarke's lodge dues. Marj. started over with them on Saturday but the weather stopped her when she got as far as Miss. McQueen's. Dad. Enah & Tid drove out to Jim Waddle's for dinner to-night and I went down to Aunty's for tea and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d8033cb8de3cac42124b26b48c298739.pdf 4314ea4bad12337ef66b494bf5074f9c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. went to church with Aunty to-night then spent the evening with Marj. Monday February 2nd The old bear could have seen his shadow all day to-day if he came out of his log, he would also have got his feet wet as it has been a beautiful sunny, warm, spring-like day and thawing in the shade. I took a walk over to John Wess's this morning. Cam. was there and told me that he was coming back here to live as his father couldn't bear the thought of going to live in the city nor of selling the furniture and household effects that Mrs. McBride had bought when the first started. This after noon I went down to the mill and got some rolled oats and Dad. & Tid. went down to Preston's orchard for awhile.They found old Henry Misener in there cutting too so Arthur has evidently thought we weren't going to get all the trees cut but he didn't say anything about it. Enah took Mexico & the cutter and drove Mrs. Skey up to Miss. McCoy's this afternoon. Dad. took the pork out of the pickle to-day. This evening I went down as I thought the Tuxis boys were going to meet but they didn't as there was some arrangement about them going to Simcoe to play hockey. Tuesday February 3rd Dad. & I went down to Preston's this morning and got another tree down and partly brushed up. This after noon Dad. went down and finished trimming the tree and I drove down town in the cutter and got the chimney for my brooder that Hugh McQueen has been making for me. I did up the chores after I got home. I worked at my show card work to-night. Cloudy and colder Wednesday February 4th Dad. and I went down to the orchard again this morning and have been down there most of the day so got quite a lot done. Tupper was in at noon to ask me to be clerk at his sale which is due to come off on the 17th. Dad. commisioned him to get him a plug of tobacco which he was to leave in the mail box on but he never came back and caused Dad. several fruitless trips to the mail box. I went down town to-night. It has not been frosty to day but a raw east wind. Thursday February 5th Dad. and I went over to the orchard this morning and got a big tree next the hedge down. Old Harry Misener was there and he and I took our saw over to his place and he sharpened it up a little. He got word from some where that the Dover team beat the Vet's. last night 11-2. We didn't go back this after noon but Dad. helped me with my brooder house and put on the chimney. Billy Miller was over to-night and said Chris wasn't going to let me have any baby chicks now as he was getting orders for them. Tupper was in too and brought Dad's tobacco. Snowed a little. Friday February 6th This has been a beautiful day. Sunny & mild. Dad. and I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a6ece27a501ec4ef6ba62076e83c49f9.pdf 0dcf082ae1222b8a1fd550e8c63f613a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. went down to the orchard and worked there all day. Old Henry Misener had Arnold Myers helping him and we gave them a hand to shove a tree over. It slipped on the stump and fell the opposite direction to the one they intended and Dad. & I had to step lively to get out of its road. Enah & Tid drove Mexico down with the cutter to-day, took Aunt Ida for a drive and brought Aunty over here to tea. She and I walked down to-night and I spent the evening with Marj. who had quite a bad fall yesterday. Saturday February 7th Dad. and I bagged up some oats this morning and I took them to the mill while he trimmed up some of the trees we had down. I left the grist and went back to the orchard and took a big load of blocks home, then went back and got the chopper This after noon we went back to the orchard and on our return found Frank here. He came in on the three o'clock car. Sunday February 8th Frank and I went down to Sunday school. There was no service in our church this morning but we all went to the Presbyterian were Jack Martin & some student held forth at great length on the Forward Movement. Mr. Robertson & Mr. Johnson are both sick.To-night there was a Unnion Service English & Presbyterian in our church and Cousin Willie gave a very nice address & the same Presbyterian studen spoke for a very long time but didn't say much The church was packed. They are about to launch the Forward Movement financial drive and that is the cause of all their activity. While they very emphatically testify that the financial drive is a very insignificant part of the Forward Movement in comparison to the spiritual impetus which they hope to wake up religion, it seems to me rather unfortunate that the financial should be the first to be brought to the notice of the general run of people, as it will give Skeptics plenty of grounds for their contention that it is merely a "money making game." I don't altogether sympathize with the business end of the affair for while I feel that money should be given with out stint to feed & clothe the starving people of Europe and to minister to the physical needs of all people in heathen lands. I can't feel that the real Spirit of Christianity is going to strengthened or increased by simply raising funds as Jack Martin said for such purposes as to increase the salaries of our ministers & missionarys in order that more young men will be attracted to the profession. I'm not a business man and may be that is the reason that but I don't like to hear people talk about putting the work of our church on a "business basis," but as that seems to be what they intend to do I hope I am wrong. Quint. Marj. & I had dinner at Aunty's. Marj. & I spent the after noon there but Quint went for a drive with Bill Oakes so he said, but I think if his statement were to be analyzed it would be found that he was speaking figuratively and Bill would be passed in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b999b4f63bc5049b1a049c73b3459dc9.pdf ffecb40ab79a052e042604f3c92cfdca PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. in the feminine gender. Dad. brought Enah & Tid. down to stay to tea about five o'clock and he drove Marj. home & then he and I came home helped Frank do up the chores and we all went down to church to-night. I spent the evening with Marj. Dad. & Enah & Tid. went out to the Shand's this afternoon to see how Flossie was, she is better, but Dad. was very surprised to hear that Fred Doane died very suddenly last night. Monday February 9th Dad. and Frank have been down in Preston's orchard all morning. I went down to Uncle Ward's this morning to ask him if he would like to go with Dad. out to Fred Doanes funeral. He hadn't heard that he was dead and was very surprised. He called up town and found that the funeral was to be at half-past two. I came home and practised a little at my show cards before dinner. This after noon Dad. & Uncle Ward went out to the funeral and Frank and I spent the after noon doing chores. We did things up early and went down to the men's banquet in the Sunday school. Dad. drove Enah down about four and then came home & stayed with Tid. We had a very nice time. Mr. Bose the Presbyterian student of yesterday, Dr. Maguire & Mr. Muir manager of the Roal Bank in Simcoe gave very nice addresses and as the men from Simcoe had to leave in time to catch the nine o'clock car, we were home early. Enah & I came home but Frank went to the U.F.O. & W.F.N.I. dance in the town hall. Rather cloudy but mild. I just took four chicks from the incubator, so I killed them, they were crippled. Tuesday February 10th Dad. & Frank were in the orchard all day to-day. I did chores & started a fire in my brooder just to see how it worked. It certainly warmed things up in the colony house. I spent quite a lot of the day working at my show-card lessons I went down town to-night and took Aunty Alice some eggs I went up to see Cousin Loll for awhile and then met Marj. & Miss Martin coming away from the Girl's auxillary meeting so I suggested that we go up to Miss Martin's and eat dough-nuts as she told us Sunday she had made some. We did and were up there till quite late and consumed large quantitys, at least I did. Aunty told me that Jack Martin had given $500.00 to the Forward Movement. Wednesday February 11th Dad. and Frank were down at Preston's all day. Frank took the saw down to Uncle Ward's this morning and got it set. I cleaned out the colony house this morning. This after noon George Fields was in for awhile to look at the cattle and seemed to take quite a fancy to Maple Hill Nellie. I think though that he was predjuiced in her favor because I told him she was a Pansy which is the cow his {trace} to but I remembered afterwards that I was mistaken as she {traces} to Louisa. I did some show card practising. Enah went to play bridge at Mrs. Battersby's. Jack Martin was in about six o'clock canvassing for the Forward Movement. Frank & I went down town to-night and Frank went to a U.F.O. meeting which he says is worse than the J.F.I.A. They https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1314081f2bc198c9e0bb7ea361da8337.pdf 5fd97d94617fff12662bf9c06a12fbf1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. wrangled all night trying to decide whether they wanted a car of wire or not and hadn't decided when they broke up. Harry Smith & Steve Powell who have been the hog-buyers are going to quit as the brethren are accusing them of making $50.00 on a car, so if things continue much longer in that direction, I imagine this U.F.O. club will find itself "on the rocks". I didn't go to Simcoe to-night although this was to be the final game of the series and the Dover team played the "Wanderers". I heard the last car come in and a great deal of cheering & racket going on with it but didn't see a soul to find out the result. I have since heard that Dover trimmed the Wanderers 13-6 and so have won the series. They say the Simcoe fellows played a very rough game and Harve Leany got knocked out. Thursday February 12th Frank promised the "Women's Institute" the other night to haul them a load of gravel to-day as they were having a bee hauling gravel to build a monument to the boys up near the grove of elms they planted. As Jack Martin had our sleighs hauling part of his chicken house up here from Fisherville, Frank went down and borrowed Mr. Flemmings. I went down to the orchard with Dad. This after noon Dad. & Frank went down there but it came up a very heavy & wet snowstorm so they didn't stay long. Frank & Tid. went down to Mrs. Freeman's & Molly's party and I worked at my show card lessons most of the after noon and evening. Very soft & cloudy. Mild all week. Friday February 13th Frank went down this morning and got another load of saw-dust to put on the ice and then came over to the orchard and got a big load of wood. Dad. & I trimmed up the tree they felled yesterday. This after noon Dad. & Frank worked in the orchard all the after noon and I went to the mill and got some rolled oats and got a small load of wood on the way home. Frank drove me down town to-night and he went down to Nanticoke I got my skates at Aunty's and went to hunt up some skating but couldn't find any so I ran across a bunch of fellows going to the Women's Institute masquerade dance so I went too and had a great time. Sunny & mild. Saturday February 14th Dad. & Frank worked in the orchard all morning. I went down to the mill and got a bag of bran and stopped in at the orchard and brought a load of wood home, unloaded it and got another load, but it was snowing hard and very soft. This after noon it was snowing so much that they didn't go back to the orchard but Dad. went down town and got his hair cut. I didn't do any thing much till about four o'clock when I started in at the chores but there had been no wind all day to pump so I waited till then in hopes that it would pump a little to let https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0981509b98aa75fc8a8136b966bb7030.pdf f8491ecba07f4e014274f77eaa935535 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the cattle out but it didn't so they had to go thirsty. It began to blow about six o'clock and has turned out quite blustery and much colder to-night. Dad. brought Marj. home with him to tea and Lila came over. Enah had asked Zeitha & Mr. Moore to come over but they didn't show up, we suppose the storm was too bad for Zeitha who has had a bad cold to be out. We spent the evening listening to Marj. & Enah play duets and then I drove the girls home. Aunty Maude asked Quint to go up town and get some meat this morning so Quint by way of celebrating St. Valentine's day brought home a couple of hearts. Then as he was to be alone for tea to-night Aunty Maude & Huby having been invited out and Winnie gone to Brantford Aunty Maude put a heart in the oven for him to keep warm but Quint came home and couldn't find it so didn't have any. Sunday February 15th It was very cold again this morning and a strong west wind which has kept up all day and night. No-body seems to relish this return of severe cold after the lovely winter weather we have been enjoying for the last couple of weeks. Frank & I went down to Sunday school & church but none of the rest came down. I had dinner and tea at Aunty's. I spent the after noon at the Monteiths. Quint was at Aunty's for tea and none of us went to church to-night, but I spent the evening with Marj. and then as the walking & weather was so disagreeable I stayed all night at Aunty's. Monday February 16th I shovelled Aunty's snow this morning and as they insisted on getting up and getting my breakfast I didn't get home very early. It didn't matter though as we have not tried to do any thing outside but chores. Dad. went down before dinner and stayed till about five o'clock to-night and went with Aunty Alice up to Cousin Loll's and over to Col. Smith's with Aunty Alice this after noon. Frank and I just sat around this after noon but Frank shovelled out the lane this morning but it will drift full again to-night. It was very cold last night and froze every thing in the kitchen and pantry. It is a little milder to-night but a regular blizzard is raging. The roads are blocked and there have been no {mails?} in all day. Jim came out with a magazine that evidently came Saturday but as he soon went back I suppose he couldn't get through the side road. Tuesday February 17th Blizzard still on and worse than ever but not very cold. Dad. went down town this morning to see how they all were but came home to dinner. I sat around and read or slept most of the day but this morning went over to Pickford's to see if they knew what Tupper was going to do about his sale. They didn't know so I went on over to Tupper's to make sure because as I promised him I would act as clerk I wanted to be certain. The walking was a fright and I was sure he wouldn't try to have it and I was right, so I spent the rest of the day painting and listening to Dad read "Huckleberry Finn". https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a5a1867c8bf542adcb6f6f7004b950b9.pdf c496e5ce1d7aa4a037052e7b59e12548 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday February 18th The storm abated during the night and to-day has been sunny, still and cold. Dad. went down to Aunty's right after breakfast this morning and Frank and I dug the lane out and about eleven o'clock Frank drove Enah & Tid. down in the bobsleighs. They all stayed down to dinner. We just did chores Jim Bannister walked out with our mail this after noon, the first we have had this week. Tom. Butler & Arthur Pickford were in for a few minutes with the team Tom bought in Toronto. About half past four Frank drove down town and brought the family home. Frank and I went down town to-night. The hockey team was to have gone to Simcoe to play the Vetrans to-night but as no radials are running yet the game is postponed till Friday night. The first victim of the Flu around here for this year was young Billy Butler, Charlie's brother, who died the other day. Another rather surprising piece of news for the community was the wedding of Charlie Innes and Nellie Barber. Aparently they got into a great hurry at the last and as Mr. Johnson is sick drove up to St. John's on Tuesday during all the storm to have Mr. Ward perform the ceremony. Later - I have heard that, that last statement is incorrect. Charlie & Nellie had intended going to Mr. Ward to be married, he being an old freind of Nellie's but as it was so stormy they got Mr. Johnson out of bed to do the job. Miss Newell was telling Aunty about it and said they came up in {Name} Johnsons old covered bus and she thought it was the hearse coming. Thursday February 19th Dad. and Frank went down to the orchard to-day and to-night reported that they have just one more tree to cut. It was down to about 12° below zero this morning and has been cold but still & sunny all day. I didn't do any thing outside but chores. I read most of the morning and worked at my show card work this after noon. Tid was very busy all morning digging a snow house in a big drift out by the barn and I took some pictures of him at noon. To-night I went down to the Sunday school and we had a meeting of the Tuxis boys which was fairly successful. Friday February 20th Dad. and Frank went down to the orchard this morning and cut their last tree down and got it trimmed up this after noon. Dad. had to go down to Alfred's right after dinner to look at one of his cows' mouths as she can't eat properly. I did chores, read and worked at my show card lessons a little. Frank left here about five o'clock and took Hazel Ward home and spent the evening down there. I went down town to-night. I got word that the band was going to Simcoe with the hockey team but I didn't go with them although I would have liked to see the game. I think judging from the racket coming from the direction of the station that about half the town went up. I heard the car come in on my way home and heard a little cheering so imagined that the Dover boys had been victorious again, but Frank https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3b13684ad4b377c9457e64edb94cbf4c.pdf c2e163a4ea18f8b55da2f523c751e4ee PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. informed me when he got home that he had just met Colin Ryerse who had told him that the Vetrans had won 6-4. I was very much surprised on my way down town to meet George who had come in at five o'clock and had tea at Aunty's. We expected him to-morrow night. Dad. had a letter from Dick to-day which has created a little excitement in the family circle as he told Dad. that he had run across a William Barrett out there who he thinks is the son of Fa's brother who left home at the time of the North & South war and was never heard of afterwards, and who has always supposed to have enlisted and been killed with out ever being married. This fellow told Dick that he had brothers by the names of Hugh, an old family name, and <s>George</s> Robert which was the name of the missing brother, also another named Charlie, one of these has recently died. Dick said this was a rather tough- ooking fellow owing to his need of a barber's service but that he had the large Barrett nose. If Dick has made no mistake it is quite a discovery, but it seems almost incredible that so large a branch of the family could have become so seperated for so many years, especially as there have been several attempts from this side to find traces of the lost brother and as Hugh & Fred Barrett (Aunt Ella's sons) have lived out in that vicinity for so many years. Way below zero this morning but lovely day. Saturday February 21st We haven't done very much to-day except chores. Dad. and I to George (Broadly) out on the halter for awhile this morning and gave him a good dusting with louse killer. Frank George (Pelly) and Tid shot and dressed a couple of rabbits this morning. I practised a little at my show cards lessons. This after noon all but Dad. and me went in the bobsleighs down town and got Ada Dess and Winnie and took them for a sleigh drive down to the butter factory where Enah got some butter. I was busy doing the chores so didn't go but read and slept for awhile. To-night Frank and George went down to Aunty's for tea and from there they intended going up to Ada's to spend the evening. I read "Much Ado about Nothing." Froze hard last night. Sunny day. Cold wind to-night. Sunday February 22nd Frank, George, Tid and I all went down to Sunday school this morning and much to my disgust they rung me in for opening the thing as Mr. Johnson is away. Morton {Brown?} took the service in church. Marj. came over here to dinner but through some misunderstanding George & Frank didn't come home but went with Ada to dinner and George brought Ada out here to tea to-night. Marj. and I went for a cutter ride this after noon and took Miss Martin. It was a beautiful after noon and we had a fine drive and nearly upset trying to pass Frank Ryerse on the side road back of Fleming's place. We lost one of Marj's new Christmas kid gloves but went back and found it where we met Frank Ryerse. I went to a meeting to-night that Frank Smith had to make plans for a big meeting Thursday. Went up to see Marj. for awhile afterwards. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8cebf89a6edc35bb27edc17600f48477.pdf 6109fab087685b70f658b6f30c9c6c27 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday February 23rd Dad. and I got some hay over this morning to do to feed up to-night and Frank drove George down to catch the eleven o'clock car. We had an early dinner and I went over to Tupper's quite early but his sale didn't commence till long after the appointed time. There was quite a crowd but the bidding wasn't very keen but some of the stock sold very well. Jim Hodge was auctioneer and I was clerk. We got through with out being caught at making any mistakes and Tupper gave me two dollars for my services. Dad. & Frank were both over but went home before I did. To-night I went down town and had a meeting with the Tuxis boys and we initiated Bill Barwell. I then went over to the Monteith's and found Marj. all dressed up ready to go to the Library dance so we went over there and had a wild time till 1.30. It snowed all morning and has been cloudy but mild all day. Tuesday February 24th Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning and got four cwt of corn chop at the Co-Operative Store. We took Joe & Queen and didn't lose much time on the road. We also got our clover seed which has been at Edmond's since they cleaned it last fall. We saw Neff and Manning amd I took Neff up to the Air Line station to catch a train for Courtland. We got home about half past one and this after noon I took a sample of very nice white corn over to Jack Martin, Johnson just got it in and thought Jack would like to get some as he doesn't like to feed yellow corn to his exhibition stock, claiming it makes their plumage brassy. Jack thought it was fine looking corn. He asked me what I thought of the Forward Movement Campaign. The Bishop he said was highly delighted with Norfolk County as it was the first in the dioses to reach its objective. He said that the reports we heard were true concerning the Bishop offering Mr. Johnson two other churches and he wouldn't accept them. He is very annoyed at Mr. Johnson and Jack says the next one he refuses there is going to be trouble. I worked at show card lessons all evening. Fine, Cold. Wednesday February 25th We all three went down to Preston's orchard this morning and hauled three loads of wood. It was quite a job breaking a trail and digging out the piles of limbs as they were well covered with snow. This after noon Frank went down town to get his note to Massey Harris renewed or else to borrow some money to pay it and Dad. and I got over hay for to-night and did up the chores. To-night Dad. Enah & Tid went down to the Pork & Bean supper in the Methodist church and I went down to Aunty's for tea Marj. & Win were there to tea and this evening Marj. & Aunty bound a lot of old books. Frank stayed home alone. Fair day but very cold to-night. Thursday February 26th Dad. and Frank have been hauling wood all day although there was a biting north wind and Dad. froze his finger https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a1c6928dc979629a681c853f542ea30a.pdf 73b45fc5f500220f89d3721961a95721 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I carried over hay for the cattle this morning and this after noon went down to the Boy's Work conference in the Sunday school. Mr. Manning & a Mr. McLaren were down and we had a good turnout of boys. Mr. McLaren made things very interesting. We went over for supper at 6.15 to the Methodist Sunday school and after supper had some very rollicking songs and toasts. I had to respond to a toast on Boy's Work but Manning fixed me up a little speech which I got off fairly well. Marj. was there helping with the supper so I went home with her and stayed there for the rest of the evening. Dad. & Enah went over to a party at Jack Martin's. Freezing very hard to-night. Friday February 27th It was still very cold this morning and we decided it was much too cold to haul wood as Dad. & Frank nearly froze at the job yesterday. We sat around the house all morning and I did another show card lesson and also wrote down to Toronto to register as a C.S.E.I. Mentor. This after noon Frank and I got some hay over and went down to Aunty's for tea so that we could go to see the protested hockey match played off between Dover & the Vets. I hadn't had any intention of going but when the time came I couldn't resist the temptation, although I was too hard up to afford it. It was a fine game in every way. The referee saw every thing that happened and was absolutely impartial and both sides played for all they were worth but Dover just played in hard luck and got badly beaten 10-3. They made any amount of the prettiest shots at the Simcoe goal but the puck just simply wouldn't go in. They started off by scoring two goals in the first period. Then Joe Thompson made three or four very slick rushes and shots in the second period but couldn't score and in the last period they got one goal but Simcoe got five. However it was a fine game and nobody's fault. The Simcoe fellows put up the best game I have seen them play yet. There was an awful crowd went up from Dover, two cars packed, and they made racket enough to wake the dead. Three or four Doc. McQueen, Al. Faulkner, Hontzburger & Jim Brennen got very tight and when we arrived home went up the middle of Main St. Arm in arm advising the Doverites who had followed the team to Simcoe to "pack all their troubles in their old kit bag" and then challenging them with the question "Are we downhearted" whereat Dover would reply with one voice "NO!" I came with Karl Coleman who was very amused at the condition of Huntzberger and Harbach who have to take the L.E.& N. car out in the morning The former was just in good shape to put in a glorious night of it, but Harbach got so tight this after noon in anticipation of the game that Garnet his brother-in-law had to put him to bed and he couldn't go up. Karl didn't see Garnet on the car which caused him some concern as Garnet had some work to do in the morning Karl said he saw Garnet and two others lined up in the station but some body nudged one of them and they all stalked out, which is a sign these days that there is a battle some place accessible. Lloyd Wooley and old Broadley were in this after noon collecting https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8f057e3df58302ef2f062cc87c47483a.pdf c5e6bbb61b746675397e3587be8b0db0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. fees for old Jason and Broadley informed us that he has gone on a big 200 acre farm at Wycome and won't be down through here with Jason any more. The Tupper family were all here to tea and to spend the evening but I didn't see them. Saturday February 28th It snowed all day to-day but has been much milder till to-night when the wind started to get around to the north west again and it is freezing pretty hard. We didn't do any thing much but chores and sit around the house. I worked at my show card lessons & read. Sunday February 29th Frank and I went down to Sunday school and Church this morning but none of the rest came down. I stayed in town all day. Quint and I had dinner at Aunty's and I spent the after noon up at the Monteiths. Marj. and I went for a walk this after noon and called on the Patterson's. We then went down to Aunty's for tea and spent the evening there. Aunty & Aunty Alice went to church to-night and we stayed with Aunt Ida. Dad. & Enah drove up to see how Miss McCoy was this afternoon as she has had shingles badly Frank went out to Sidway's. Cold all day but sunny Monday <s>February</s> March 1st I had an argument with Quint yesterday about warm water freezing quicker than cold. I claimed that it wouldn't so this morning I tried it out. I took two pans the same size and put a pint of water in each, the temperature of the one was about 120° and the other about 30°. I put them both out in the woodshed and the cold water froze long before the other It had a good skimming of ice on it when the other was about 48 We haven't done anything much to-day. It has been a nice day and we would have hauled wood but Tom Butler wanted to borrow the sleighs to get some hay. Frank went over with him and helped put Pickford's rack on our sleighs. This after noon I walked down town and got my hair cut. I went around by the mill and put up a notice Neff sent of a Farmer's Institute meeting on Thursday. It has been a very nice day, not too cold. Tuesday March 2nd My throat has been very sore all day and I haven't done much outside. Frank went down to the sawmill this morning and got a load of sawdust to use for bedding in the horse stable. He also took a grist to the mill. He and Dad. hauled up a load of wood this after noon and Frank got his stuff at the mill. Dad. went down to Cousin Clare's to tea to-night and spent the evening. Enah and Tid drove Mexico down in the after noon and put him in John Shand's barn and they were at Cousin Clare's too. Frank and I kept house by ourselves. Edmond England left his horse in here while he went to help Dick Waddle drive a cow up from Pickford's which he bought at {Kinsula's?} sale to-day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ad4711fa7544b69161c476df990188cd.pdf ba0f0c530b0d0942dc5c24b6795d36b5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday March 3rd My throat has been pretty sore all day and I haven't done much except a few chores and work at my show-cards. Dad. & Frank hauled wood all day and now have it all up but one load. To-night Frank and I went down to church and I went home with Marj afterwards I didn't intend to stay but she wanted me to help her fill out her report cards and then she made me let her swab my throat with some dope. Mild all day but freezing to-night. Thursday March 4th Dad. and Frank hauled up their last load of wood this morning there will be a little more from the dead limbs that have yet to be cut out. When that was unloaded we put a load of manure on the sleighs from the box stalls in the horse stable and after dinner Dad. & Frank took it down to Aunty's. Aunty Alice walked over here before dinner. She went over to Mrs. Battersby's from here. She knew I was going down to the boys' meeting to-night so asked me down to tea but I read for quite awhile after dinner so didn't get the chores done in time. Frank and I went down to-night and Frank went to a Agricultural meeting of Neff's in the hall. I went to the boys' meeting and then down to Auntys. Marj. was there and had been there to tea. Mr. & Mrs. Will Holden & Miss Buckwell were there playing bridge. I went up with Marj. and then as it was raining stayed at Auntys all night. Frank came home. Very soft & slushy. Raining to-night. Friday March 5th I woke up about half past three this morning and saw through Aunty's back hall window an awful fire so I got into my clothes as quickly as possible to go up to see it. I called Aunty & Aunty Alice and Aunty Alice thought at once that it was the Post Office block & found out that she was right. When I got up town the whole building was gone & just the flaming brick walls standing. They told me that not a thing was saved. I didn't stay up town long but went back to Aunty's and we had breakfast. Then Aunty Alice wanted to go up and see how Cousin Loll was so I walked up with her. We thought they would have taken her to Cousin Clare's but her house was dark so we went into the Freeman's which was lit up and found Cousin Loll & Willie & Dick & Mollie all in there. Cousin Loll was wrapped up in a quilt and said she had lost all her clothes but one stocking. Dick said the smoke was so bad he couldn't save a thing except a few clothes which he grabbed out of the bureau drawer and the hall rack. He tried to get the safe open to save what was in it but couldn't see to do it in the dark and there was no one to help him move it. The fire started in the back of Patterson's shed nobody knows how and young Johnnie Innes who is the night telephone operator gave the alarm but it was too far on when any one got there to stop it. I came home about six o'clock and found Dad. & Frank up. Dad. was terribly shocked at the news of the fire and went down town as soon as he got the chores done https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e54cc1467aa99162faba43f8e64f5548.pdf b8db09928ef267de64fca2b2e5f8aeb0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Frank also went down after dinner to hear a trial between Lloyd Crysler and Earl Long over some hay deal. Lloyd was the defendant and won the case. I did up the chores after dinner but felt pretty tough and when I got through I was afraid I was going to have an ear-ache so I curled up on the sofa for the rest of the day and Enah kept hot salt bags on my ear which staved off the pain pretty well and I went to bed soon after tea. Dad. came home early and he and Frank did all the chores. Dad. says they have opened the Post Office down in Harold Sloan's old ice cream parlor and Patterson is opening an store and telephone & telegraph office up in Coleman's little shack where Huby used to be. It was raining when I went up to the fire this morning but about five o'clock the wind switched around to the north-west and it got very cold and still is. Saturday March 6th I stayed in bed till noon to-day and have not been outside all day but to-night I feel better. It has been bitterly cold all day and windy. Dad. and Frank have down all the chores and Frank took Joe down town this after noon and had her shod. He also took down the bag of good clover seed to Harry Misener and he gave him $67.00 for it but didn't weigh it up then. Dad. went to the doctor yesterday to ask him about his arm as it has been paining him a lot lately. The doctor didn't know what it was but gave him some pills to take. Sunday March 7th Frank went down to Sunday school and church this morning but I have not been out of the house all day although I feel better. Aunty came over with Frank to dinner and was here all the after noon. Dad. went back with her to tea and I think he went up to see Cousin Loll to-night. Lloyd Ryerse came up just after dinner and he & Frank went over and spent the after noon at the England's. Still very cold. Monday March 8th I have been in the house all day again to-day but would have gone out if the weather had been decent but it has been very windy and blustery although not very cold. Dad. and Frank just did chores. I still have quite a cold in my head but my throat is much better. I spent the day reading "Troilus & Cressida" which I didn't care much for. It's representation of the Trojan war and the Grecian heroes was rather tame after the "Illiad". I went out this after noon to gather the eggs and found the two white roosters had got together and had a battle royal and were both about all in. The one that was with the pullets has died and the other one will come around I think. He is the one I was most particular about as his mother is 74 last year's best layer. He is the only rooster I have now as Dad. killed my Rock one the other day, he was sick. Tuesday March 9th This has been a beautiful Springlike day and sunny https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9c3374a75554fde1b3ce99b594d2925d.pdf e6afc58c3a3dbd16c5593e70793ae80e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. A great deal of snow has gone off and water is standing around everywhere. It grew very cloudy and looked like rain towards evening but the rain didn't come. I have been out a lot to-day and feel fine but as it is so wet there is nothing much but chores to do, they will begin to increase from now on however as when Frank went out this morning he found that two ewes had lambed one of Dad's ewes had two lambs and No 55 had one. It was a mild night and they are all right. The lambs are we suppose sired by the yearling that got in with the ewes two or three times last fall as old Archie was not put in till after the 1st of November. George Ryersie was in to-night to say the boys were having a meeting to-night but I didn't go down. Frank went down town with him. Wednesday March 10th It didn't freeze last night and has been very soft all day. We just did chores this morning and I painted a little. I got my lesson back to-day which I supposed was burned up with the Post Office. I had another one all ready to post. Tom. Butler was in and borrowed the sleighs to haul some oats. This after noon Frank went out to Lige Farr's sale. Farr was selling a lot of sheep and some stuff he didn't want. Frank said things went pretty well as they were not in very good shape. Dad. has felt very miserable all the after noon he thinks due to the pills Dr. Cook gave him. Enah has not been well either. Miss Phipps was over for awhile this after-noon. To-night Frank and I went down to church and I spent the evening with Marj. It was freezing slightly when I came home. Thursday March 11th There was another big ewe lamb belonging to No 15 when Frank went out this morning, they are all doing well. We did chores and I painted a little this morning. I also cleaned off the dropping boards in the hen houses as the frost was all out and they hadn't been cleaned all winter. I went down town this after noon and took 9 doz. eggs down, sold 4 doz to Aunty Alice and 5 doz to {Name?}. I stayed at Aunty's for tea and to-night went up to the Tuxis {boys'} social evening in the Sunday school and the Methodist boys were there and a lot of girls There must have been abut {40?}. They had quite an hilarious time and seemed to enjoy themselves. Marj. & Mrs. Cook were there and they engineered the eating part of the affair. Friday March 12th It rained during the night and every thing was flooded to-day but by opening up a few ditches a great deal was run off. Frank fixed up a pen for the ewes with lambs over in the barn. He cut through the hay on the east side of the floor and threw half of it up on the other half and made a nice light pen for the lambs we moved them in and they got very playful. Mrs. Tupper came after Frank this morning to get him to go out to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e7197886696a9a2facd62a94fe2f2517.pdf 6cbca8ea6b77eb24cdaa278f4761e201 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Villa Nova with Tupper to help him move his cattle. Tom Butler and his partner were in this after noon with the sleighs and said Tupper and Frank didn't get started till two o'clock so it would be late when they got out there. Frank didn't come back to-night. They say the water down along Shand's flat was up to a horse's belly on the road so they will have had a nice trip. Dad. and I cleaned out Moonshine's box-stall. I went down town to-night. Manning came down and we had a meeting with some of the boys from both squares to arrange about athletic activities for the summer. I spent the rest of the evening with Marj. and went over to call for Aunty Alice at Col. Smith's at eleven o'clock. Saturday March 13th It has been very windy and cold all day to-day and Dad. and I haven't done any thing but chores and sit around the house. Enah felt very miserable this after noon and had an earache. About six o'clock she and Tid got quite a scare as the chimbney or at least the soot in the stove pipe in the kitchen caught fire and filled the room with smoke. They called Dad. & me in from the barns but we couldn't find any trace of fire up in the garret or near the chimney so nothing serious happened. I didn't go down town to-night as it was a rotten cold night. Enah had hoped to take some things down to Cousin Loll's shower which they had for her but she couldn't go. Frank got home about eleven. He came down from Waterford on the car. He had a bad trip. Sunday March 14th Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and Aunty Alice came over here with Frank to dinner but I stayed down at Aunty's for both dinner and tea. Quint came down at noon and he and I went down to the creek for a little while after dinner to look at muskrat holes and then we went up town. He to Joe Thompson's and I spent the after noon with Marj. who was suffering from toothache. I went around before tea to ask after poor old Tom Abbott. Huby found him yesterday on the doorstep of the cobbler shop and he couldn't move or speak and is still only semiconscious. Huby & someone else got him up to Alex Simpson's They say there will not be much change till a day or two. Aunty and I went to church to-night. Mr. Base preached. Cold wind but feels like spring. Monday March 15th Frank and I went down to Preston's this morning and cut the dead wood out of about six or seven trees as it was part of our contract to cut the dead wood out of the tree next to the one we cut down. Dad. Enah & Tid went down town this morning and were down to dinner and all the after noon, and went to see Cousin Loll. Frank and I just did chores this after noon. Very mild and showery to-night. Tuesday March 16th Dad. noticed yesterday that Cnocfierna was not eating https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fd9c067373350ac400563e81deabd7be.pdf aa098ab2d9fc5cdcf318df2de83ef66a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. properly, so he and I tried to examine her mouth. We couldn't see much but he poked around with his float and knocked the cap off one of her teeth. He said he had never heard of a cow having capped teeth like colts but didn't see why they shouldn't have. To-night he found another one so we think that from now on she will be able to eat properly. Alan Law came in while we were out there and took Dad. down to look at a caulked hock on a new horse he bought last fall and which caulked itself running through a snow bank. Dad. was down there till noon. He has not felt very well this after noon. After I did up the after dinner chores I took a walk back to the woods and across Ivey's gully into Preston's woods. The snow is about all off the level now and just in the cuts and on the north side of hills are there banks left of honey combed dirty snow. I saw Old Walker and Benny & Charlie & Guy Tuple working up the big trees in Preston's which the big wind storm took down. Sunny & spring like but cold wind. Wednesday March 17th I haven't done much to-day but chores. Frank has been fixing up some old doubletree getting them ready for seeding. Dad. went over to Quanbury's this morning to see Charlie's cow which got into the chop the other day and has been bloated up ever since. He found Karl Coleman there skinning her. Poor Charlie does have tough luck. Dad. hasn't felt at all well all day to-day and his arm is paining him to-night again. Enah is feeling miserable too Frank and I did up the chores early to-night and Frank went down to Aunty's for tea. I went down right after tea and went with Aunty Alice to church to-night. After church Marj. and I went over to the entertainment put on by J.W. Bengough for the local post of the Grand Army of Canada. He was certainly amusing both as a cartoonist and talker. He drew a picture of old Fred over at the Dominion Hotel which was a very good likeness of him and which tickled the boys in the gallery immensley, he also made a {illegible} Irish {mug?} out of a potato and and English one out of a plum pudding and also a Scotch one out of a thistle. There was a dance after the show but we didn't stay. Thursday March 18th Dad. went over to see John Wess this morning and didn't get back till about two o'clock and hadn't had any dinner. Joh is over there all alone now as Cam. & his wife have gone back home to settle up their affairs before coming back here to look after John. Frank went down to the butter factory this morning to get some butter as no one has called since poor old Tom had the stroke. Cliff Loan told Frank they had no one yet to take Tom's place. This after noon Sam Law was in for quite awhile, he brought some puss he got out of his horse's back to show it to Dad. and ask him if it was joint water. Frank said https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cd91c2003588965d0ad04f11c6581b62.pdf af7ab965fb82401f4a55778756b4a567 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Alan was going to Simcoe this after noon to hear Roy Haven tried for stealing oats from the Norfolk Milling Co. Frank & Tid spent most of the after noon clearing up the rubbish on the lawn under the old willow tree. I didn't do much but chores all day and painted a little. I went down to the Tuxis boys meeting to-night and was there till about 10.45 practising charting on {Hermon?} Cook and then only got him about half charted. I went from there down to Aunty's and stayed till about mid-night telling them about the Bengough concert. It has been sunny but rather raw to day. Friday March 19th Frank and I started to clean out the box stall where the steers have been all winter. We intended to haul it out to the field but it started to rain and by noon was raining quite hard so we just threw it in a pile outside the door. It turned colder about noon and to-night the ground is covered with snow again. I did chores and we cleaned out a little more this after noon but didn't finish. Frank notified all the J.F.I.A. members of the annual meeting. Dad hasn't done much all day and I think the rest his arm is getting is doing it good. I went down to band practise to-night. There were about 18 out including some new ones. Jim. Ryerse. Karl Lemmons and Joey Smith. We had a good practise and stayed there till half past ten. It is freezing quite hard to night. Saturday March 20th Frank and I finished clearing out the stall where the steers were this morning and hauled it out to the potato ground on the sleighs. There was just enough snow to make the first load slip but it was about gone when we took the last one out. Aunty was over here to dinner and she Enah and Tid. drove down town with Mexico this after-noon. Alan Law was up this morning to see Dad. again about his horse, so Dad. drove down this after noon. Frank and I just did chores. I painted to-night. Fine day, sunny Sunday March 21st Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Enah came down to church. Enah Tid. and I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and this after noon Enah went to choir practise and to after noon tea at the Barwell's. Marj. & I went for a walk this after noon and saw a robin & some red-winged black-birds. I have heard that robins have been around for some time but to-day was the first I saw one. Marj. and I went to Aunty's for tea and this evening entertained (?) Aunt Ida by singing hymns while Aunty and Aunty Alice went to church. Tid. stayed at Aunty's for tea but drove home with Enah right after. Mexico was in John Shand's barn. It has been fine and Springlike but with a raw west wind. Frank went over to see Tom. Butler and his pal this after noon https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/da164a470d06da2ae37bf52cba6d5fa5.pdf e0bc1daf748ad5590d71ffc40db08c14 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday March 22nd Frank has been down at Preston's all day trimming up the dead limbs. He also went over to Henry Miseners to see when they wanted to cut wood but Henry wasn't home. Dad. and I moved the bulls into the place where the steers were, where we can keep them clean. We took down the calf stancions and cleaned out the calves boxstall. To-night Frank and I went down to the annual meeting of the J.F.I.A. and there were just enough boys to form a quorum. Clarence Finch suggested that we dissolve the thing and use what money we had about $25.00 to buy some good agricultural book to put in the Library. Every one agreed to the proposal except Charlie Blake who didn't want to dissolve, however the motion carried. We were all surprised to-day by Frank and me receiving forty dollars apiece from Grand daddy from the sale of some property out there. It came just in time for me to get a new suit. The Northern Lights were wonderful to-night. Beautiful day. Tuesday March 23rd Frank gathered up all the saws he could find this morning and took them down to Dave Waddle's to sharpen them. Dave saw him the other night and invited him down so he was there to dinner. I went over to Preston's and took the dead wood out of the two trees that were left. This afternoon I drove out to Shand's and bargained for a couple of loads of hay, which we are to get as soon as we can manage it. I went from there down to the cheese factory and got some butter as no one is hauling yet in Tom's place The roads are very heavy although not deep and in some places quite dry, it was after six when I got home. I brought Cliff Lown up from the factory with me. I went down town to-night and spent the evening with Marj. Fine day. Wednesday March 24th I went down town first thing this morning and went to Tip's and tried on some ready-made suits. I picked on one $42.00 Navy Blue that suited me pretty well, but I told Harry I wouldn't decide till I went to Simcoe. I went up on the eleven o'clock car and went to see Neff about the books the J.F.I.A. want to donate to the Library. I then went over to Inscombe & Vance and they showed me a piece of Navy Blue Irish serge they call it which the fellow said they had cut a great many suits of and he said he would guarantee it to be fast dye and all wool so I ordered a suit of it at $55.00. It seemed pretty steep but I thought the guarantee was worth something. I came home on the express car and went up to tell Col. Smith who is Chairman of the Library Board about the books and so it was about five o'clock when I got home I found Frank was away as Edmond England had sent for him to help cut wood just after I left. To-night he & https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f732288b1ea9b4d6a66dfda510ffd8aa.pdf ff97b99757ce312e145139f598777e5e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I went down town he went to church and I went to band practice. Aunty Alice went to Hamilton this morning to have her glasses changed and as Aunt Ida has been quite sick all day with a pain in her side I stayed down all night to-night. Another beautiful day, mild Thursday March 25th Frank and I went over to Henry Misener's this morning to help cut wood and were there till about four o'clock. We didn't get started very early as the cylinder of Edmond's gasoline engine was leaking and they had to take the head off and repack it, but we cut up a pile of wood when we did start. We had lots of help as besides ourselves and Henry & Edmond, there was Charlie McQueen, Guy Tuple, Dick Waddle & Tom Stone. They moved over and got set up at our place and we cut a little but Edmond & Henry wanted to get home so we quit early. I went down to the Tuxis boys meeting to-night and stopped in on my way down to ask Jack Martin to send over a man to help us in the morning. Frank went over to {Tom Butler's?} and one of them promised to come over and help. Quite hot to-day Friday March 26th It was colder and windy this morning and looked like rain but it didn't come and we got started before nine at our wood and finished the pile just at noon. Tom Butler and a man came over from Jack's which besides Henry & Edmond was all the help we had. After dinner we loaded up & moved over to Arthur Prestons. Frank and I went down there & helped but it didn't take much more than half an hour to saw Arthur's little pile up. Frank and I stayed down there for awhile talking to Arthur and then came home and did chores and I went down town to-night and about eleven went over to Col. Smith's and called for Aunty Alice. Trying hard to rain. Saturday March 27th We haven't done much all day but chores. Frank found two more lambs when he went out this morning one of them isn't much bigger than a red squirrel and is very weak but Dad. has it in the house feeding it from a spoon. Another ewe lambed a little later. This after noon Dad. went down to ask after old Tom, and said he was very low, and to-night when I went down I heard he was dead. Poor old Tom. we certainly are going to miss his visits and his wit, but maybe for him it would have been much harder to live and see the old lady suffer the way she is or to live with out her as she can't last much longer. I went down to Col. Smiths for tea to-night, Mrs Smith had her boys there and invited Marj. & me. Mr. & Mrs. Johnston were also there and we had a great time. I started for home quite early but stopped in at Frank Smiths and talked to him till near 12 o'clock Roy, Vernon & the children all came up to-day to stay till after Easter. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/50bdc4417b71204a735398944883942a.pdf 1c1fbaa37ae6325ceec58043782f8f57 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday March 28th Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and Tid. and I stayed down to dinner. Enah has a bad cold and sore throat so didn't go down to church but went down this after noon to choir practice. Marj. & I went for a walk up the beach this after noon. The lake is lower than I ever saw it, the beach being from 40 to 70 ft wide in places. We also went around to Miss McQueen's for awhile and she gave us tea and cookies. Miss Martin was there, this being her birthday. Aunty Alice, Vernon and I went to church to-night and I spent the evening with Marj. Mr. Johnston announced a meeting to-morrow night to consider the question of whether to take the steeple down or not as since the sheeting blew off it last fall some of them have got it into their heads that it is unsafe. Col. Smith & Jack Martin seem to think that it will have to come down and as the idea of that church without the steeple seemed like a crime to me I climbed up this after noon and as far as I could see only the sills around the posts and the sheeting are a little rotten but perfectly solid and <s>as far as I</s><s> can see</s> it would cost much less to repair it than to take it down. To remove that steeple would not only destroy the beauty of the church which really is pretty but it would take away the most outstanding and picturesque feature of the town. Roy & Jack Walker looked at it too and came to the same conclusion as I did. Monday March 29th Dad. had to be a bearer at Mrs. Chapman's funeral to-day and as they brought her here he had to go down to meet the morning train at eleven. Frank drove him down and he stayed down to dinner. I didn't do much but a few chores and painted this after noon. Frank has been pretty busy with the sheep as several more ewes lambed to-day. To-night he went down to Aunty's for tea as they had invited him & Jennie Ward down there. Marj. came over here for tea. Fine day colder to-night. Tuesday March 30th We spent the morning doing up the chores. The lambs are coming thick and fast now and require considerable attention. This after noon Dad. and I went to old Tom's funeral. We took Tid. down and left him at Aunty's to visit with Rebecca while we drove up to the cemetry. Dad. went to the service at the house but I stayed out and held Joe. and talked to Alan Law. Alan misses Tom about as much as anyone but like old Tom himself he takes good care not to betray his feelings by his line of talk. To-night Frank and I went down town and I went around with Marj. but soon after we went in she was seized with a terrible toothache or neuralgia so I didn't stay long. Thank's to Roy's energy the result of last night's meeting was that Huby, Cousin Willie and Barwell were appointed as a committee to have Bill Rankin, Percy Ryerse & Jack Spain to look at the old steeple this morning which they did and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1bac78ae77d90485c9412caa14189c10.pdf e53bef708a35062583636b7f197274c7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. came to the conclusion that it will not be necessary to tear it down. These three were all very anxious to have it left but Roy feels certain that if he had not urged them to go and had not examined the steeple himself that the outcome would have been that Jack Martin and a few others who don't care much would have just had it torn down to be done with it. Very mild, rained a little. Wednesday March 31st Frank and I have been down at Preston's all day burning brush and got the brush from 8 or 9 trees burned just by starting a fire over the stump and carrying to it. In this way we could burn the brush from several trees at once. Roy, Vernon, Aunty and the two children were over here to dinner. Aunty & Roy walked back early and wheeled Walter in a go-cart they had borrowed and Enah drove Vernon and Rebecca down about five o'clock. Frank had to go over to Jack Martin's to night to get instructions in doing the chores Billy Mills is sick with flu and Hanselman is leaving to day and going up to Jack Paine's place so they stuck for help and Frank is going over to help old Bill George out. Frank and I went down town to-night and I went to band practice. Thursday April 1st Frank was over at Jack's all morning. Dad. and I went down to Preston's this morning and burned some more brush. This after noon Frank and I went up to Ham Thompsons and got a small load of hay, as we are not going to have enough of our own to get us through. Frank got off on our way home to do up the chores at Jack's. I went down to the Tuxis boys meeting to-night. I expected Manning to be there but he had been down earlier and sent Neff down. Neff gave the boys a little talk. When it was over I went around to see Marj. her toothache was better. She intends leaving for home to-morrow for the holidays. It has been a beautiful day to-day. Bobbie calved to-day a red & white bull. Moonshine's first. Friday April 2nd Good Friday Dad. & I didn't go down to the orchard this morning as we had several jobs around here to do. We moved Bobbie and ear-marked a couple of the lambs. The old big bagged ewe had two lambs to-day but evidently has very little milk for them so Dad. brought one of them in the house and has been feeding from a bottle. Enah went down to church this morning and I painted a little. It rained quite hard about noon but soon cleared off and Dad. and I went down to the orchard and burned some more brush. It went all right once we got it started. Frank and Tid. went down to Alfreds and borrowed his fish spear and went back to spear pike but had no luck, although we have heard wonderful stories of the fish being caught in our gully this spring. Very mild all day but it has turned colder and windy to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/635a71731d52e30188ea5b2e9172ad16.pdf 31a37adfdc872b04f2443619273f3b32 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday April 3rd Dad. and I went down to the orchard this morning to burn brush but it was so windy Dad. and Arthur decided it would be dangerous to start a fire, so we came home and I walked down to the creamery to get some butter as we were right out. I went down to Ryerse's and then walked up along the creek to the second bridge. I saw several of the fellows back there working on the land either on the side hills or on the flats which dry out quickly on account of the gravel bottom. Roy Hammond was at the factory and he gave me a ride as far as his place on my way home. I came through Tom Butler's place and stopped to talk to them for awhile so it was after one o'clock when I got home. We didn't do any thing much this after noon as it was very cold and windy. Freezing to-night. Sunday April 4th Easter. (Martha's calf (bull) came to-day) I went down to Sunday school this morning and the rest went down to church except Frank who had to help old Bill George do chores over at Jack Martin's. Vernon came over here to dinner with Enah and Roy and I walked over after having dinner at Aunty Alice's. We didn't do any thing extraordinary for the rest of the day. Roy and Vernon left early in the after noon to go to Huby's for tea. Frank went down to the Ryerse's this after noon Lloyd & George have been sick and are not much better yet. Miserable cold raw day Monday April 5th Dad. & Tid went down first thing this morning to see Roy, Vernon & Aunty off as they thought they were going at nine o'clock, they didn't get away till eleven though Aunty went back with them to spend a week. It has been a miserable day with ice over every thing from last night's ice storm. To-night I went down to the Vestry meeting as I promised Mr. Johnston I would. He asked me to act as secretary for the meeting so I had to go over to the Rectory afterwards to copy in the minutes. I had intended getting my hair cut but Mrs. Johnston invited me to crackers, cheese & wine, and Mr. Johnston gave me a cigar so I sat there till too late to go to the barbers. They have had quite a day of it down there as Percy Dunkin & Miss Baugley were married to-day and they entertained the party at the Rectory. It was wine that Percy brought down that we were making merry with to-night. I stayed all night at Aunty Alice's as Aunty is away although Aunty Alice said she intended to stay alone, however she had the bed ready for me if I intended to stay. Cold. Tuesday April 6th Dad. and I did chores this morning and this after noon Frank and I went up to Ham Thompson's and got the rest of the hay that he said we could have https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b870145a138f5178b37eac58d89b45f3.pdf fdc0c1586af0220672f56d46af4b08d6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Frank stopped off at Jack's to do chores and Dad. and I put part of the load off in the horse stable, just as we were getting through the chores which was rather late George & Marion came in. They had come on the five o'clock car and had had tea with Aunty Alice. We were expecting them some time to-night as George sent a telegram. Miserable weather, snowing to-night. Wednesday April 7th We haven't done much but chores to-day and I have been working on the last lesson of my show card course. It is quite a long one and I want to finish it up this week if possible. Enah drove George & Marion down town with Mexico this afternoon and they got a suitcase which they had left down town. I went down to band practise to-night. I went around to Harry Dyer's first and got my hair cut. We hadn't a big crowd out as it was a rotten night freezing hard and {Grint?}, Mid. and Erney West are up the lake fishing. Bill Lemmons was in a exceptionally good humor though They say he is going to be married soon to Lou. Dixon but she hasn't got him yet. Cold and extremely rotten. Thursday April 8th Dad. George and I went down to Preston's this morning and burned some more brush. Henry was there burning his to-day. This after noon Dad. & I went down alone and finished burning ours. I went down to the Tuxis boy's meeting to-night we didn't have a regular meeting but the boys were making plans for their father & son banquet next Tuesday, we had a very short session and I got home early. It has been a nasty day. Sunny by "spells" and a snow storm every half hour. Friday April 9th Dad. George. Tid and I went down to the orchard this morning and helped Henry burn the rest of his brush. We got it all slicked up in fine shape before noon and Arthur complimented us on the thoroughness with which we did the job. George and I went over to see the old McQueen cemetry. I worked at my show card lessons this after noon. George went down town while Marion was asleep after dinner and invited Ada to go to the dance with him to-night. Marion went down town after him as soon as she woke up and brought him back for tea. After tea George left early to get Ada. and Frank, Enah and Marion went down later to a concert and dance put on by the Rebecca Lodge from Delhi. They said the dance was good but the concert was rotten. Dad. Tid and I stayed home and I worked at my show card lesson. A little milder but raw. Saturday April 10th Frank and I went out to the Shands this morning to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7cdfd1cac1fd8afb202a515153467145.pdf 012515121ea917340f3712e7bd3ce53e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. get a load of hay which they promised us. We had to go over to Willie's place to get it and as we were going under their telephone wire which crossed the lane the back ladder of the rack caught it and broke off clean both legs. Frank and Charlie fixed it up but it took quite awhile and it was nearly noon by the time we left with our load, we took it down to Kolbe's to weigh it and as it was after twelve when we arrived there, the office was locked up and we had to wait for our weight till one o'clock, when Kolbe came along. I went over to Huby's for awhile as he stays at the office till one o'clock on Saturdays. It was pretty late when we got home with our load and didn't do much but chores after dinner after we had put off the load most of it in the horse stable. Dad. went over to Jack's in Frank's place this morning. Frank will be through over there to-morrow as Billy is feeling well enough to get out. I went down to the station to-night and met Marj. she came back on the Grand Trunk. Milder to-day. Sunday April 11th I went down to Sunday school this morning and Enah went down to church but none of the rest went down. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and spent the after noon with Marj. part of it delivering maple sugar, she brought back a load of it from home and had to divide it up and give it away. We both came over here for tea and I helped Dad. milk, all the family except Dad. and Frank were out for a joy-ride in Joe Thompson's car, Quint came over here to dinner with Enah and Joe came over after dinner to get him so took them all for a drive up around by Simcoe. We all spent the evening here and Enah and Marion played duets. Tid went to bed early and was very quiet and seems to realize that to-night sees the close of the first epoch of his career, his childhood days are over, and to-morrow he will be a school-boy. Monday April 12th Dad. and Enah took Tid. down to school this morning and left him quite happy with Miss McQueen, who he fell in love with at first sight. Frank and I spent most of the morning clipping Mexico. It rained most of the after noon. Jim. Bannister came in right after dinner with the lower half of the circle of his buggy broken and had to borrow ours to go around the mail route. We didn't do any thing much this after noon but chores. Dad. drove after Tid. at four o'clock with Mexico and the cart. We were all home to-night. George & Marion intend to leave to-morrow and George is going West right away. Tuesday April 13th Dad. drove Tid down to school first thing this morning and as soon as he got back I drove George down https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/edc2f7eda21c5574c1343d60f958712a.pdf 0c34686630e76dea693b9edb6c933207 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. as he wanted to go and say good bye to the Harding's and Ada. Enah drove Marion down a little later with Mexico and they got off on the eleven car. I went down to Frank Smith's to ask him how the Father & Son banquet was progressing and he said all arrangements had been completed. This after noon Frank and I put the ear labels in the rest of the lambs. We both went down soon after six to the Father & Son banquet in the Methodist church and had a rattling good supper and as I had to leave at 8.20 to meet Aunty I got out of listening to most of the speeches. Bill Barwell & Joe Smith proposed toasts and were answered by Mr. Brand and a Mr. Neil who came with Manning, then a Mr. Dollar who I think is liable to succeed Mr. Brand in the Methodist pulpit this year. They were all pretty poor, but but Frank said that Taylor Statten who spoke for about an hour after I left was very good. The train got in about nine o'clock and I went up to the house with Aunty and then went up and spent the rest of the evening with Marj. Sunny and a little milder to-day. Wednesday April 14th Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning to get some feed at Johnson's. We borrowed Art. Quanbury's waggon as ours had the rack on it and as we went over there after it, we didn't get started till about ten o'clock. It was nearly noon when we got there so Frank took his wheel around to Ford's to be fixed and we took some bags up to Johnson's and then put the team in at Burt's and went and had dinner at Shaw's. It was four o'clock before we left Simcoe. I got my new suit and went to Slaght who didn't know any more about the Dickey Stevens place than he did last fall We couldn't get any bran or shorts anywhere up there but got our seed potatoes and some seed corn. It was nearly six when we got home. Dad. said Roy Hammond had been in to invite us all down to a U.F.O. social meeting to-night and hear a debate on the subject of an 8 hour day on the farm. I went down to band practise to-night and went to the U.F.O. meeting after it. The debate was just about over but we heard <s>the</s> a quartette composed of Frank Lemons, Fram. Walker, Mrs. Welch & Mrs. Roy Hammond sing and a violin duet. Then some old Frank Ryerson from Teeterville or some place made a long rambling agitating speech in which he made several comparisons between the poor down trodden farmer and the wealthy autocratic city-man all of which was bunk. He is a witty and comical old coon but a {rube?} in manners, looks and speech, but evidently a high man in U.F.O. circles. After this we had refreshments, which were good, and plentiful. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2e33a5786de0bc8e0eaf7bb6baa52b5d.pdf d311a2a68f4fe9ceeac778294fef6f1b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday April 15th Dad went out to the corner field and tried to plow this morning but it was too wet and he had to come up. Frank and I cut the tails off 14 more lambs and then Frank drove Tid. down to school. I braided up the corn we got in Simcoe yesterday and hund it up in the drive house. It started to rain before noon and rained all the afternoon and night. Dad. went over to John Wesses this after noon and was there till after five. We did chores and puttered around. I went down town to-night to see if the Tuxis boys were going to meet but they didn't. I had on Frank's rubber boots so thought I would go home but I took a walk up to the Monteith's and saw Marj. near the door so knocked and she let me in. She got me old Monteith's slippers which nearly pinched my feet off and caused the old man considerable concern when he went to look for them later. Frank went down to a minstrel show composed of Simcoe Methodists in the town hall. Friday April 16th We started to fix up the lane a little this morning Dad. & Frank plowed three furrows on each side of it and I threw the sods out in the middle. A little before noon Tom. Butler came over after Dad. to go and see a ewe that was lambing so Dad. went over and didn't get back till after three and didn't have any dinner Frank worked a little more at the lane this after noon and fixed up a lamb creep. I spent most of the after noon doing chores. Wore my new suit down town to-night and they all said it looked fine. Nice day Saturday April 17th Dad. and I have spent most of the day piling wood and didn't quite finish but made things look quite a bit better than they did. Frank went down town this morning and up to Miss McCoy's where he found we could get two tons of hay for $25.00 a ton. He went out to Evans and got the wheel of the old waggon which he took out there the other day. Evans had put in a piece of a rim and two new spokes and only charged $2.50. Frank put it on the old waggon this after noon and went down town and got a load of sawdust to use in the horse stable for bedding. Dad. went down to see Aunty to-night. Very windy, mild. Sunday April 18th Tid and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Frank came down but was too late for sunday school and too early for church so went up the beach. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and this after noon Marj. and I went over to Prestons & Ivey's woods and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cb27f258297172bebce3c9ef71356b8b.pdf 4dc107e0468e38c8004d59609ed4a6be PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. gathered a big bunch of may flowers. We came up through the gully to the house and found Aunty Alice here She went home before tea, but Marj. stayed here for the evening. Frank was over at the Sidway's and didn't get home till nearly seven but as I was home I helped Dad. do the chores. It has been a beautiful day, east breeze. Monday April 19th Frank and I went out to the Shand's first thing this morning and got another load of hay. They told us we could have enough to make up a ton but we put on as much if not more than we had last time and the last load weighed 1580, but Willie said they would call the two loads 3000 and only charged us $18.00 a ton for it. It was easily worth $25.00 according to what we would have to pay anywhere else. We put it all off in the horse stable and right after dinner we went up to Miss McCoy's and got a load. It took us quite awhile to put it on and coming out of the barn we had to make a very short turn and broke a trace but were able to shorten it and go on. We took it down and weighed it and it was 1910 but heavier hay. Fine day Tuesday April 20th We started work on the land to-day. I went out first thing and sowed the rest of the clover seed on the wheat and Frank went out and started disking along the side road. Dad. took Tid down to school and then went out with Belle & Queen with the harrows. Frank had Harry & Pommers and Pommers went off without a particle of trouble. They worked till about four o'clock when Frank came up to get the drill and seed as it looked so rainy we thought we had better put in what was worked up although Dad. didn't want to put it in without more work and without treating the seed. Just as Frank came up it started to rain and rained till five o'clock so nothing more could be done. I dug around some of the little trees in the orchard this morning and this after noon did chores and mixed barley & oats for seed. Frank and I went down town to-night. I met Marj. after their auxillary meeting was over and we went to the picture show. Wednesday April 21st Frank and I spent the day shearing sheep but only got six done. We were quite awhile getting the machine in order and haven't got our hand in very well yet. We couldn't find our wool box so couldn't tie up the fleeces Dad. went down to the butter factory this after noon to get some butter and didn't get back till after six He said the roads were a fright. They just scraped them before the rain. I went down to band practise to-night. Cnocfierna had a heifer calf to-night. Fine & warm. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f3a7e006454bf3e5db83d7b79a929014.pdf d879330435925835f889fc19c61e1f5b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday April 22nd Frank took Tid. down to school this morning and went on down town to get some oil for the sheep clippers and to get me some developing supplies. He also went up to Ham Thompson's and found our wool box. Ham had borrowed it last year and had forgotten about it till he found it the other day cleaning out the drive house. I raked the lawn for awhile and then Dad. helped me shear a couple of sheep, but it hurt his arm to turn the machine. We sheared this after noon and got seven more done. Alan Law was in this morning and took the knives of the horse clippers up to be sharpened in Simcoe. Elva came over to dinner and Aunty Alice right after dinner and all the bridge club later in the after noon. Aunty Alice & Elva stayed to tea and I walked down with them after tea and went to the Tuxis boys meeting. It began to rain just after we left and we had a great old thunder storm. It was still raining a little when I started for home so I went in to Aunty Alice's for the night. Saw a pair of big blue martin's on the bird house to-day. Friday April 23rd This has been a miserable day, rained or drizzled nearly all the time with little patches of sunshine and rather chilly. Frank and I sheared seven more sheep. Dad. went up to see Ham Thompson's cattle this morning. I went down town to-night. Saturday April 24th Frank and I docked the rest of the lambs this morning and then sheared three more sheep before dinner. Aunty came over to dinner and this afternoon she Enah and Tid went back to the woods and got a lot of may flowers. Frank went to Simcoe this after noon and got his wheel and rode it home. It was rather late when we got through the noon chores so instead of shearing any more sheep, Dad. went out to clean out some ditches and I went down to "Bronzie" and got some cedar trees to set out for a hedge Enah. Tid. and Aunty drove down town and I went down and got some more little cedars and left them by Mrs. Battersby's mail box and Enah brought them home in the cart. I set some of them out to-night and heeled the rest of them in. Sunny but cold north wind Sunday April 25th Frank and I went down to sunday school this morning I was purposely late as I had a premonition that I might be requested to open Sunday school but when I got there I found that they had not yet started so sure enough Aunty Alice pounced on me and asked me to do the job. I thought there was only one effective way of getting out of it and convincing them that I absolutely and unconditionally refused to be let in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0c61e97646c168cdc4821eef08c8f65b.pdf 27fa7f633b75a445275afea7a0a686a8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. for it so I made for the door and went down to the pier for half and hour. There were several fishing down there and they were hauling out perch at a great rate. I didn't have quite time enough after I got back to get all the books distributed. Mr. Johnson had a very bad cold and there was some talk of not having church so Marj. and I thought we would go up the beach, there was church however but we walked right past much to Aunty Alice's surprise, we thinking that the fewer Mr. Johnston had to speak to the easier it would be on his voice. I left Marj. at the Bagleys where she had dinner and spent the afternoon celebrating Mr. Bagley's birthday. I came home to dinner and this after noon went over to Tom Butler's with some tobacco Frank got for him. I also took a knife over to dock his lambs, but Art Quanbury had been over this morning and done that. I found Tom & Stevens in the house entertaining Bill Donald, Frank Lemons and Jack & Arthur Pickford, so I stayed for about an hour and imbibed cider with the company On my way home I came through the woods and dug up some may-flower roots to send to Dorrie. I helped Dad. do chores and went down town by after church. They had a long service. The oddfellows were all there and Mr. Farney preached to them. Frank has been down at the Ward's all after noon & evening. Fine day, cool Monday April 26th I went out first thing this morning to measure of a space in the field along the side road to put the Experimental Union plots. Then I came up and helped Frank bring out the old drill which he had rigged up as a broadcast seeder with Harry & Pommer while Dad. drove Tid to school. They had broken a cog in the feed drive gear of the drill so when we got out with it we found it wouldn't run as it would stop feeding when it came to the broken cog. We came up and put Queen with the team and hooked on to the big drill and Dad. & Frank went a few rounds with it but found the ground was too wet for it to work in the mud clogged up in the disks and half the seed didnt sow and it wouldn't cover well either. I opened up some ditches in the corner field This after noon Frank took the broken gear wheel to Simcoe but they were all too busy up there to fix it and the implement man didn't have one in stock but sent for one. Dad. and I took Pommers & Harry out to plow in the corner field and I went a few rounds with him but it was too wet to work well and the plow not being scoured pulled very hard, but Dad. kept at it till night and finished a land. I came up and set out the rest of my cedar hedge down to the ditch. I have some left though. Cold east wind and cloudy. Rain to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b3087f1b099e293da7f67eed684aa069.pdf 49a994b87b2170fd15f7c6af56b7b3de PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday April 27th It drizzled rain all morning so that we couldn't do anything outside. I worked in the shop making stakes for the experimental plots and fixing the milk stools. Frank went down to Alfred's and cleaned up some oats as we have to buy some for feed. This after noon it cleared off, the wind went from the east to west by the south and it got quite warm. We went back to the gully and fixed a little of the fence as there is enough pasture back there now to turn the steers back. I went down to-night. Wednesday April 28th We spent the day fixing fence back in the gully and think we have the old barricade patched up enough to hold the steers as we want to turn them out to-morrow. We <s>p</s>put most of the morning on the fence this side of the creek on Ivey's line. It was in awful shape so we took it all down, put in a couple more posts and stretched the barbed wire over again. It doesn't look very artistic but it is in a perpendicular position anyway, I went down to band practice to-night. Rotten day. Cloudy, windy, very cold & rainy. Tom Butler & his pal spent the evening over here to-night. They are getting tired of batching and have a chance to engage a young widow from near Simcoe as housekeeper, but don't know whether it would be strictly in accordance with the rules of society or not. Thursday April 29th Frank went out and harrowed this morning along the side road and Dad. plowed in the corner field. Frank thought the land worked pretty well so Dad. went on this after noon and sowed the rest of the barley & oats we had mixed up. He went over what he sowed the other day again. He couldn't start sowing till quite late as Jim who brought the spare part to the broadcast seeder couldn't find it when he brought the mail and so went all around his route and found it in the bottom of his box so then brought it out, he was in his car so went around fairly quickly. I measured out 250 lbs of manure this morning to put on one of my experimental plots and then went out and staked them out. I came up at four o'clock and did up the chores as Dad. worked pretty late. I went down to the Tuxis boys' meeting to-night after which I ran across Hazen and walked up to the radical track and back with him. We turned the steers out to-day. Friday April 30th Dad. worked on the land all day and got in four or five acres more. Frank and I treated what oats he sowed for smut this morning. We tried the dry treatment this time which is to spray the formalin on instead of sprinkling it. We use a much stronger solution, half in half and just use one https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6a8fe171fd377ab9d0c68ac4bfdcd99f.pdf 7ad079e0f2fb94bf31cc1eb87449e28c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. pint of the mixture to 25 bushels of grain. We did it in the granary instead of on the barn floor where there would have been a breeze and it nearly suffocated us. The fumes got in our eyes and noses even after we tied handkerchiefs over our mouths, but little by little we got the job done. We then took the sheep out to the corner field and Frank went on the land and worked. I sowed three of my experimental plots but will have to wait till I get the manure on the other one to sow it. I spent the after noon doing chores. We were very much surprised this morning when we went out to the cow stable to find a roan heifer calf behind Elgitha. She wasn't due till the 12th of May so we hadn't noticed her at all and she calved in the stanchions. We put her and the calf out back of the barn for to day and shut her in a box stall at night, she looks to have a good bag. We let the cows back to the gully for awhile this after noon. I went down town to-night. Fine but quite cool. Saturday May 1st It froze hard last night and has been cold quite uncomfortably so with a north west wind all day but it has been fine and Dad. and Frank have managed to finish that field out there, we think there must be about 14 acres in it. There are one or two holes with water in them that they had to leave, but Dad can sow a little closer to them by hand and Frank will cross harrow it Monday if it stays fine. We put it in in pretty rough shape just disked and harrowed it ahead of the <s>drill</s> seeder with out crossing. Dad. hates to put it in that way, but with the weather we have it seems like taking chances on not getting it in at all if we do it "a la" John Wess. This is the way Art Ryerse & Alf. Pow do it every year and they thrash some great crops. I have chored around all day cleaning out the calf pens and mulching the raspberries. Enah and Tid went down to John Watts' sale this after noon. Enah said there were very few there and things went for very little. She bought some chairs and rag mats, for a little over a dollar. John Watts is leaving as Sam & Alan have bought the farm. Sunday May 2nd Frank and I went down to Sunday school and Enah went down to church as she had to play the organ. Dad. went down to Aunty's for dinner. I came home for dinner and tea and spent the after noon and evening down town. I took 16 chick out from two hens to-day and put them in a little coop under one hen. Frank & Lloyd Ryerse went down the lake shore to-night to invite folks to the Butler's Stevens party to-morrow night. Fine day but cold wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/93c155706c7d9b99aef87486abe6076b.pdf e0839366698fed4d9a17972267f7e8ed PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday May 3rd Frank and I went up to Miss McCoy's this morning and got another load of hay. It was after noon by the time we got it home and off. Dad. harrowed crossways on what we sowed this morning and Frank finished harrowing it this after noon and started in disking the corner field. Dad. and I hauled out the manure I had weighed up for my plot and some more which we mulched some of the little poplars along the side road with. We then brought the plow out of the corner field and ran the ditches in the sowed piece and Dad. started to plow the head land in the corner field. Winnie came over to tea to go with me to the party to-night. Frank had arranged to take Kathleen Kinsular and Jennie Ward so he had to take them out first then come back and get Win & me. We had a very good time out there. Bobbie Mc.Milland was the orchestra and Fred Krill the master of ceremonies, there was a good crowd out there and lots to eat. Frank drove Win & me home about one o'clock and then went back after the other girl Thursday May 4th Frank and I had to go back to the back field first thing this morning to get the cattle out of the woods as they had knocked down and broken a bar. I then drove Win. down to the bank and when I got home Frank and I put on a load of manure and took it down to Aunty Alice. We brought home some posts from Jack Reynolds to put along the road for a fence. Dad. plowed the head land in the corner field this morning and he and Frank worked on it this after noon. We are going to work up just half of it for oats and put corn on the rest of it. I did chores and sowed my last experimental plot with oats. I went down town to-night. Wednesday May 5th Dad. & Frank worked on the corner field all day and hope to have it ready to drill by to-morrow after noon. I went out and burned some old rubbish in the corner field that had been along the old fence bottom, then I cleaned out some ditches in the sowed field. Frank and I treated some more oats this after noon and a little barley which Frank went down to the mill for. Remembering our last experience we were determined not to do the job in the granary again so we cleaned off the barn floor but that took a long time so that by the time we got done, there was no time to do any thing else much. Frank went out and sowed two kinds of Spring Wheat on the plots. I went down to band practice to-night. Aunty Alice was over here to tea. Fine & warm all day but it freezes every night. Thursday May 6th Dad. & Frank worked all morning on the corner field and drilled it in this after noon with the big drill. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5c6ac5762d808f140a3a97763664250f.pdf 0893f0dbe7615ce83e26204ed1437f03 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Frank didn't finish till nearly dark. I sowed all the clover seed we had left on the side road field this morning, it went over about to the first water hole. I had dinner about ten o'clock and then went up to Charlie Trinders to see the Shorthorn sale of his & Ham Thompson's. I did think of going up on the eleven o'clock car but changed my mind and walked up through the Cedar Swamp and Dean's Hollow. It was a beautiful day for a walk and I just poked along and enjoyed myself. I got a ride home with Lloyd Crysler who had taken John Wess. Charlie Butler & Wilbur Ryerse up. The sale was very poor. Trinder's stuff was in poor shape and small and although Hams looked pretty nice the bidding was very slow and every thing went for grade prices or less. Lloyd Crysler & John Wess each bought a bull. I went down town to-night and ran races and jumped with the boys. Came home early & went to bed. Friday May 7th Frank had a couple of bags of seed left over last night when he got the piece sowed that was worked up so as it was treated we thought we had better sow it. Dad. has been working up five more lands all morning Frank drilled it in this after noon and then disked over the plowing that was left to keep it from getting too hard. We went down to Alfred's first thing this morning and got six more bags of oats for feed, we then went down to the mill and got four bags of some new feed mixture to feed the bulls. Then as the cattle were all in the back field again, we went back and put them out and stretched some more barbed wire. Frank came up and harrowed and I went over to ask Cam. McBride if he would like us to give him a day to-morrow he seemed very pleased at the prospect. He was just finishing up his field plowing and is afraid he won't get any more in. I went from there over to Charlie McQueen's to ask him if there would be any chance of renting his place this fall but he said he guessed not. This after noon I cleaned out a few ditches did chores and went over to ask Art Quanbury if he would rent Charlies place but he said not. I went down town to-night. Fine & warm. Saturday May 8th I went over to Cam McBride's first thing this morning with the harrows and was over there till nearly six harrowing. Cam. got his field in to-night with the broadcast seeder. I harrowed ahead of him and then went over it after him so harrowed the field nearly over twice. Charlie Munroe came over and harrowed too all the after-noon. I came home before tea much against Cam's & John Wess's wishes and forgot the halters and left them in the barn where the horses had been tied at noon. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/336acee5330aafa15a433307759f0174.pdf 515f5885ad5e2d142f61173882729c0d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. so Frank rode over on his wheel to get them but found Charlie Munroe had put them on his horses so he had to wait till Charlie got through tea and had his there too. He worked up the garden to-day and his alfalfa plot. He & Dad. ran out the ditches in the corner field this morning but Dad. has felt so tough with a cold that he didn't do any thing this after noon. We were till after dark getting the chores all done, then Frank and I went down town. I got my hair cut and as I was so sleepy I went down to Aunty Alices and spent the night. Very hot this morning looked rainy Sunday May 9th Aunty Alice called me at five o'clock this morning and I went to sleep again but got away before half past five. Dad. was milking when I got home. Frank, Tid and I went down to Sunday school. Enah drove down to church. I stayed at Aunty Alices to dinner and this after noon Marj. & I walked over to Preston's woods and then over here to tea. Frank was down at the Ward's and Dad. was to sick with his cold and an awful headache to get up at all so I had all the chores to do. I drove Marj. down to-night. Fine day Monday May 10th Frank and I finished cleaning out the ditches in the corner field this morning and this after noon sheared four more sheep. Dad. has felt very little better and hardly went out of the house all day Tid's cold is worse too and he didn't go to school. It has been cloudy all day and rained a little this after noon. We need it badly. Frank found a lamb this morning with a big lump on its shoulder and Dad. lanced it, and got a lot of stuff out of it. I afterwards pulled a long piece of straw out of the wound which looked like a timothy head with all the seed hulls off it. Tuesday May 11th It rained most of the morning and must have rained a lot during the night. We needed it badly and it was a nice gentle rain. The sheep got wet during the night so we couldn't shear to-day. Frank went down town this morning to see about borrowing some money, he stayed at Aunty's to dinner and went to Simcoe this after noon to see about several items of business. He is full of business ideas these days and says he is going to make the farm hum and double production, so I tell him to "go to it". I spent the morning trying out different letterings on a memorial honor-roll for Mr. Johnson. It cleared off this after noon and I did chores and worked around out in front of the house. Alan Tibbets, Zeitha and little Helen were over this after noon and went back to the woods after flowers. Tom Butler & Stevens were in for awhile too. Frank and I went down town to-night. Dad. helped me do the night chores. Tid. feels rotten https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/422adad258c93e60d385a4314b647473.pdf 8313a68c477800a3a3f6a02cac55822a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday May 12th Frank and I sheared the rest of the sheep to-day. We got five done this fore noon and the other two after dinner. Alex Jamieson was in and wanted us to go down and shear his but Frank told him we didn't have time but that he could borrow the machine if he wanted it. Dad. felt quite a lot better to-day and went down to Aunty's for dinner and was down town all the after noon. Tid has been in bed all day and to-night they have decided that he has the measles. I went down to band practice to-night. Fine but cold wind. Frosty. Thursday May 13th I spent the day putting in posts along the road so that we could stretch the fence along the front of field east of the orchard. The sheep are on it and with no fence up they wander up the road and pasture on Pickford's wheat, which hasn't grown any since last fall so doesn't need pasturing. Frank harrowed over the garden this morning and this after noon he and Dad. hauled manure out on it. Dad. was quite worried over Jessie all day as she wasn't progressing with calving very fast. He examined her to-night and as the calf's head was back he was afraid we were going to lose one or both but he managed to straighten it out and it came fine a big red heifer. I went down to a Tuxis boys' meeting and a {sidesmen's?} meeting afterwards. Very cold all day and cloudy. It can't aparently warm up. Friday May 14th It took me nearly all day to put in the two posts in the gully I dug long holes for them and nailed cross pieces on the bottom's and put stones on top of them so I don't think the wire will lift them. Frank and I strung the wire up to them to-night so that the sheep can't get out. They have taken to going up to Pickford's wheat so we have to keep them in as Pickford's wheat makes very poor pasture. Dad. and Frank hauled some more manure on the garden this morning and they disked it and spring toothed it this after noon. Frank also went over his alfalfa plot and Dad. plowed a little more of the corn ground in the corner field. I went down town to-night and met Marj. going to Aunty's with a basket which she had taken a kitten up home in so we spent the evening there. Huby Aunty Maude, Cousin Clare & Col. Smith were there playing bridge. Cloudy and very cold wind all day. Freezing hard to-night. Saturday May 15th Dad. and Frank and I worked all morning in the garden I cut up some of the small Irish Cobbler potatoes that were in the cellar and we planted four rows of them. Dad. and Frank planted a lot of small seeds. This after noon Frank and I took the little pigs down town and delivered them to their various purchasers. Bronzie Brock got one Art Webster one, Geordie Long two & Geordie Innes two. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/914ccb0687942f4a02bb9d896541a9bc.pdf c8a12df742b419c585b8904cb38983e4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We also took the wool down and put it on a freight car and got two bags of fertilizer that Frank got from Johnson to try out on Corn & potatoes. He wanted to go up to Miss McCoy's and get some hay this after noon but we didn't have time. We got some plank from Jack Reynold's to fix Joe's stall with. Dad. intended working in the garden this after noon but Lea Marshall came after him and he had to go down town to see a sick horse of Jack Richardson's. Frank went down town to-night and I started to do some show card work but went to sleep. Nice day. Sunday May 16th It froze a little last night again but has been a very nice day no wind and quite mild. Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church. This after noon Frank went over to Tom. Butler's and took Crusoe with him and left him there as Tom wanted a dog and we didn't want him. Jack Richardson came after Dad. to go down to Henderson's and give his horse some more attention and Dad. went from there down to Aunty's. I did chores and took some little chickens out this after noon. I only got two good ones out of the incubator and I think they will die but the old hen hatched eight. Lloyd Ryerse was in for quite awhile. I went down town to-night and met Marj. who has been in Waterford all day with Mrs. Wood and they came in on the nine car. Tid. feels quite a bit better to-day, but is well spotted up yet. Monday May 17th Frank and I went up to Miss McCoy's this morning and got another load of hay. Dad. spent most of the morning attending to Nellie who presented us with a big red bull calf this morning. This after noon Dad. finished plowing the corner field for corn and I cleaned up around the back yard. Frank hauled two loads of coal and a load of sawdust for bedding in the horse stable. There was a car of coal in and we thought we had better get some of it now and be sure of having it especially as the price is going up. To-night Frank & I went down to Mr. Freeman's to get lists of names to canvass for the steeple fund. It has been very warm all day and looks like rain. Tuesday May 18th Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning and was down all day trimming up the walks and fixing the fences. I spent the morning raking up the lawn but didn't quite finish. This afternoon I went out to the garden and sowed some more seeds. Frank worked on the corn ground all day. Alan Law was in at noon and borrowed the manure spreader. I went down town fairly early and got part of my canvassing done. Mrs. Martin was the only one I approached who refused to give at all and several gave me $5.00 I spent the evening with Marj. Very warm & cloudy. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/53b3c01beccdeb63c0b9093e69e66a42.pdf 597b343e77f321f512881495b8803a5b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday May 19th Dad. went back to the gully after the cows this morning and found Mary with a big roan bull calf, we left her back there all day. Frank went over to Tom Butler's and sheared his sheep for him this morning. I planted some more seeds in the garden and Dad. worked on the corn ground. This after noon Frank and I hauled out some manure to put on a patch which Dad. wants to work up for strawberries. Bruce came after Dad. about three o'clock to go down to Bob. Dougherty's with him to see a mare so Frank and I worked on the corn ground I worked till Frank got the strawberry patch covered and then he took the team and I planted some more corn & my oats in the garden. I went down to band practice to-night. Fair and mild all day, sprinkled a little to-night. Thursday May 20th Dad. and I went back after Mary's calf this morning We had quite a time finding him as Mary had hidden him in the little gully running up into the field, and he lay there perfectly still with his head down as low as he could get it till I was just about on him. After quite a lot of trouble we got him up to the barn and I spent the rest of the day raking & cutting the lawns and got them all looking pretty nice. Dad. worked on the corner ground and Frank spring toothed the back field as we thought it would be a good idea to keep it loosened up till we get a chance to plow it for summer fallow. I went down to the Tuxis boys' meeting to-night and finished my collecting for the steeple, and got $46.00 promised Huby gave me five dollars. I went there last and stayed most of the evening, but called in at Aunty's on my way home where I found Cal. Smith, Cousin Loll & Mrs. Barwell playing bridge. Quint was there too. Very warm, shower to-night. Friday May 21st Dad. had to go down to Mr. Fleming's this morning as he had a new colt which he was afraid was not going to be able to suck but when Dad. got there it was all right. On his way home he saw Billy Mills who was very anxious to get Jack's sheep sheared so Dad. told him I would go over this afternoon. I spent the morning digging around my hedge. Dad. came home and plowed the strawberry patch and Frank went down to Sam Law's and got a few plants but not enough to fill the patch. I went over to Jack's with the clippers this after noon and sheared six of his sheep.They are much easier to shear than ours as there is no wool on their faces or the inside of their legs. Frank set out the strawberries this after noon and Dad. worked on the corn ground. I went down town to-night. Very warm. I saw kids in at the stump this after noon. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8a8af0e7166b22701ecceeebb598cd92.pdf b61cae641de66bf5debba0787ff56551 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday May 22nd I went over to Martin's first thing this morning and finished shearing the sheep. I got home about eleven and wheeled out a barrow load or two of manure to put around my hedge but as Frank had the seed potatoes all treated for scab and ready to cut, I cut them till noon. Dad. plowed the potato ground this morning and Frank treated the seed and helped Dad. fork the manure out of the road of the shear. This after noon Frank and I cut seed. It took us till after four as we cut it all. Dad. worked down the land and furrowed it out but we didn't get it all planted. We planted four rows and Frank put fertilizer on three of them and Dad. covered them. Fine and warm to-day Sunday May 23rd I went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. Enah and Tid to church. Mr. Johnson dedicated the new memorial font this morning which Miss Buckwell put in the church in memory of her father & mother, and we had a baptismal service when five children were christened. This afternoon Mr. Johnson invited Marj. & me to go to Vittoria with him. He told Marj. to invite two more to make up a car load so she asked Miss McQueen and her mother. We had a very nice after noon and went to the woods up there while Mr. Johnson was at church. I came home and did chores and went down again to-night. Monday May 24th Dad. Frank and I finished planting the potatoes this morning and got in ten rows altogether running from the lane to Ivey's line. We finished about eleven and then Frank went over to Martin's and got some strawberry plants. I took the buggy down to the mill and washed the mud off it. This after noon Dad. & Frank set out the strawberry plants and put a ring in Moonshine's nose but I took a holiday to celebrate the Queen's birthday and Marj. and I went up the Radical road to look for Dogwood. We didn't find any but we dug up a lot of other roots and got some lovely violets. We also saw a scarlet tanager and an indigo bird neither of which had we ever seen before. We gave a lot of our roots to Miss McQueen on our way home and she gave me some out of her garden to set out over here. I brought Marj. over here to tea. Billy Mills was over after the corn-marker this morning and said the creek was lined with fishermen. It was cloudy all morning but a beautiful day. Tuesday May 25th Frank and I hauled manure all day to-day and got out 19 loads on the corn ground. I put in the time between loads mulching around the hedge and cherry trees in the lane. Dad. cleaned out the cellar and had a hard job. Neff and Manning were in this after noon. Neff is making arrangements for an https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/95c91ed81bc664b6caacf0a4f96633ea.pdf 412f7c175d436282e0a4d0fb93ea0b43 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. automobile trip down into New York State some time next month and wants to have a meeting in Simcoe to-morrow night to arrange the details. Frank said he would try to go up. I went down town to-night and Marj. and I went over to Miss McQueen's and I got some larkspur plants that they had got for me from Miss Martin's hot bed. Wednesday May 26th Frank and I hauled manure all day and finished covering the corn ground. I cut the lawn in between loads and got it all looking slick. Dad. did odd jobs and hoed over in the garden. Frank went to Neff's meeting to-night. He said they had about fifteen out representative of the different J.F.I.A's throughout the county and formed a sort of County association with a Vittoria boy as president and Bill Nixon as secretary. I went down to band practice to-night. Very hot to-day. Thursday May 27th Dad. worked on the corn ground all day. Frank went down town this morning and got some seed corn and this after noon he harrowed on the corn ground. I just did odd jobs and took my harness to pieces and rubbed it up a little. I took the back strap out of the saddle and couldn't get it back in again. I went down town to-night but none of the boys showed up. I did a show card lesson after I got home. Very hot, warm night. Friday May 28th Dad. worked on the corn ground all day. Frank worked most of the day but went up to Ham. Thompson's to see if he could come down and plant corn for us to-morrow but he said he couldn't come till next week so we will if all's well mark it and plant it by hand to-morrow. Tid and I drove Mexico down town this morning and I dug a patch for Aunty Alice to plant potatoes and some holes for squash and then went up to Mr. Johnson's and he gave me a lot of perenniels. We stayed at Aunty Alice's for dinner and came home right after and spent the rest of the afternoon setting out the things I got from Mr. Johnson. I went down town to-night and went to an athletic meeting in the town hall but as Ernie West Jackson, Frank Smith and Manning were the only ones there we didn't do any thing. I left at nine and went down to Aunty's for the rest of the evening. Marj. was there having had tea there. Turned cold during the night. Cold wind all day. Saturday May 29th Dad. marked the corn ground this morning and I went with him to pick up the ends of the marker on the turns. Frank rolled the field down ahead of us and then went around to Pickford's & Mr. Flemming's and borrowed their corn planters. Billy Mills came over after dinner and he Frank and I planted this after noon. We ran out of https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d7dc12a7f31ba8ae620798c5ac965dc0.pdf 6a35f10f31fd612d2782566d99da2722 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. about five rows from the end so will have to leave that much till Monday. Dad. took Billy out this after noon with the bridle & surcingle on and did odd jobs. Aunty came over to tea and Dad. drove her home to-night. I read & painted a show card lesson. Quite cold this morning. Sunday May 30th Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and Enah drove down to church. She stayed down to dinner but the rest of us came home. Olive Ward saw Marj. yesterday and invited her, with Frank and me, down to their place this after noon. Frank had made arrangements to go some place with Lloyd Ryerse so he didn't go down but helped Dad. as much as he could with the chores and Marj. and I drove down after dinner and spent the after noon and evening there and had a very nice time {Leggit?} was down to tea too. We got home about 11.30 Beautiful day, nice breeze. Monday May 31st Dad. spent the day plowing and working up the patch back of the shop where we are going to try and raise some fodder corn this year. Frank went down town and got some more seed corn and planted it this afternoon I put up my wren house and watched a pair of orioles for awhile that are building out on the lawn. Henry Misener came over with some stumping powder to blast out the big rock out in the field by the side road as Frank had made arrangements with him Saturday night to do it. I went out with him and Frank came out when he got back from town. He put three sticks under the rock and cracked it up and heaved it up out of the ground pretty well. He made two more blasts or mud caps as he called them by just putting the dynamite on top of the rock and covering it over well with mud. He split up some of the big chunks that way but there are still some big pieces to handle. There will be about half a day's work hauling the chunks away and filling up the hole. Frank had him go down to the corner field and put a stick under the old stump. He split a piece off the side of it and loosened it up. I dug around the little apple trees this afternoon Tid went back to school to-day. Very hot. Tuesday June 1st Frank discovered Belle with a colt this morning When Dad. went out first he looked over in the field <s>with</s> at her, and she was standing in the corner aparently the same as yesterday, but Frank came out a few minutes later and saw a colt up with her. Dad. went over and found a fine bay filly which had evidently arrived in this country early in the night and every thing was all right. He calls it Rachel after Mrs. Broadley. We https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/31932e4c0719951b41a2006107b9b21a.pdf 0375bf7b6c67a5b18f44cbccd623e543 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. spent the fore noon hauling out manure on the mangel ground. We got it covered by noon, and took the pile away from back of the barn and cleaned out the pen in the barn where we had the bulls all winter. This after noon Dad. plowed the mangel ground this after noon but didn't quite finish Frank went down town on some of his business projects and I cut the lawn. Olive & Jonnie Ward were over here to tea. I went down town and spent the evening over at the Monteiths. I went down to the beach on my way home and it looked so nice I went for a swim. It has been very sultry and rather cloudy to-day but it won't rain. Wednesday June 2nd Clarence Finch and Dr. Duncombe from Waterford were in first thing this morning and castrated George for us. Just as they left Alex. Jamieson & his son came in, in a car to get Dad. to go down to see a sick ewe or an injured one. They took Tid down to school and the boy brought Dad. back. Rus. Lampkins & George Kirkwood came in just as Dad. got home to get some more of the boiler tubes. Rus. looked at the windmill and said the boxing would have to be re-bobbited again right away. Dad. went out and finished plowing the mangel ground. He didn't quite finish by noon and was most of the noon working it up. Frank harrowed the corn ground over with the little team and this after noon he went to the mill and got a couple of bags of chop for the bulls and went over to Quanbury's and got the little seed drill and then rolled down the mangel ground. I did a few odd jobs this morning and about eleven o'clock rode Frank's wheel down town and gave Aunty Alice an hour or two in the garden. She told me last night that Mr. Johnson had lent her a wheeled hoe but it was too hard for her work so I wheel-hoed every thing I could and made quite a showing. I came home about three o'clock and cut some more lawn. Pickford came over with some pumpkin seed and delayed me quite a lot. I went down to Band practice to-night and went down to Wood's to get some shoe polish and found Marj. there so Mrs. Wood told me to come back after practice I did and went home with Marj. Two of the three boats comprising Capt. Robinson's "navy" are in the harbor now. He is admiral and Captains, Bailie, McDonald and Cousins each have command of one boat. Fine and hot. Thursday June 3rd I spent the fore noon sowing mangel and turnip seed. I got in 10 1/2 rows of mangels and about 11 rows of turnips, running from the lane to Ivey's line. Frank took the spring tooth out and went over his alfalfa ground and helped Dad. saw up the old willow tree https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3e89cd35a1ee2bbb989e55e66fcf41ce.pdf 9bffd64567d6ce8f218cdc924b266353 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. out in the wheat which blew down last fall and has been holding Ivey's fence down ever since. This morning Ivey's young cattle were in the wheat and got over the fence there so Dad. thought it had better be straightened up. He spent the fore noon and he and Frank all the after noon fixing Ivey's line fence in the gully from the south creek to the big elm by the mound. It was in very bad shape so they took it all down and put in a few posts and stretched it over again. I hoed the potatoes in the garden this after noon. They are just nicely up. Tid was home from school to-day as this is the King's birthday. He was back with Dad. and Frank this after noon and they discovered a crow's nest so Frank went up and took the four young ones which were just about big enough to fly and Dad. brought them all up to the house in his shirt and put them in his big bird cage. Tid is highly delighted of course. Enah wasn't home for tea as she went down to the deanery meeting. Quite cool. Friday June 4th We have spent the day weeding and hoeing in the garden. Most of the stuff is pretty well up now and needs cleaning out. This after noon Frank went out to Edmond England's to see a sheep dipping and castrating demonstration which Neff was putting on. I went down town to-night and called for Aunty Alice at Col. Smith's a little after eleven. They were having a little bridge party over there and I got there in time for the cake and wine. Quite a cold wind & cloudy Saturday June 5th Dad. Frank and I went out again to the garden this morning. Frank planted some beans and Dad. set out tomatoes while I hoed and weeded. We hadn't been there long when it commenced to sprinkle and it gradually increased in intensity until finally it was raining quite hard. Dad. and I stayed out till we got pretty wet setting out tomatoes, we then came up and Dad. and Frank spent the remainder of the fore noon putting a floor in Joe's stall and I painted a show card lesson. The rain kept up pretty well all day and night. I went to sleep this after noon and the others sat around the house. I painted some more to-night. Fine rain Sunday June 6th Frank Tid and I went to Sunday school this morning and Dad and Enah went down to church. Marj. and I stayed at Aunty's to dinner. Winnie was there too. Marj. Aunty Alice and I came over here to the farm this after noon and Winnie came over later for tea. We all went down town before dark as Aunty Alice wanted to get some cauliflower plants at the Quanbury's. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/482b97fd3664fcc0a89316e817b1c14c.pdf 2776b649d0d96fd81b7f7c48db918958 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday June 7th I drove down to Aunty's this morning and got the scythe as we have to start cutting grass for the stock, we are completely out of hay. I drove around by the school house and took Tid. down. Aunty gave me some forget me nots and peppers to set out so I set them out when I got home. Frank had to go with Sam Law this morning to help him take a couple of heifer's to Jarvis so he didn't get back till after dinner. He said they got down all right but when they got there the cattle ran through every back yard in Jarvis. Dad. worked up the strip we plowed for rape last year and this after noon he drilled it in with oats and vetch for sheep pasture. He also worked up and drilled the piece back of the shop with fodder corn. I cut a little grass this after nooon and just puttered around. Tuesday June 8th I went to Simcoe this morning on the nine o'clock car and went to see Slaght as Enah and Aunty noticed in the Maple Leaf that Kelly was asking for notification of claims against the estate of Susan Stevens and as they were all sure that was Dicky Stevens mother we thought that possibly the "sheep pasture" might be involved. However Slaght said it had nothing to do with it and that Thompson so far had done nothing. I came home at eleven and went up to Jim Moris's and had my hair cut. This after noon Frank and I hauled out manure, he and Dad. hauled out in the morning We didn't get very much done. There was a heavy thunder shower just after dinner but it only lasted a few minutes. When I got home from Simcoe I found Douglas here. He was in Jarvis so thought he would run up to look at the bulls. He stayed to dinner he thought the bulls were nice ones but at present he says there is no market for them whatever. I went down town to-night and on my way home had a wild goose chase up to the switch at Iveys being attracted by the bell on the car which Pete Furlong had in some way started going and couldn't stop till she rain out of air. Three or four other fellows ran down, their "missus" had waked them up and told them there was a fire. Hot after the rain. Wednesday June 9th I rode Belle up to Jim Waddle's this morning at seven o'clock and bred her to {Culver's?} horse. I was there for half an hour and Jim. was showing me Clara Belle and her colt from Hal. <s>He</s> It is a beauty. Frank had to go down to the mill for some feed and when he got back, we hauled out manure. It was https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3214062e8d5bf10dd204001704edce02.pdf 1aa431c3852809aceaf6f5c51304d3d8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. slow work hauling it out of the shed and as we were late getting started we didn't get much done. I went down to band practice to-night and we had a good one Thursday June 10th We were late getting started at the manure this morning as it takes a long time to cut grass for the bulls and do odd jobs. Frank gave us a demonstration of the English method of castrating lambs with his teeth this morning and that look a little time. We finished hauling out of the shed though and hauled a few loads from the yard. Dad. finished hoeing in the garden and hooked Joe up to the cultivator and went through it. When they came up they both had "tummy-aches" Enah got me some poppy and daisy roots at Miss Martin's this morning when she took Tid. to school and I set them out but I am afraid the poppy won't stand it. I went down to-night to see the Tuxis boys but they didn't show up. I went down to Aunty's and they were up at Miss Martin's with the Sunday school staff presenting her with a prayer book. They came home soon and said Aunty Maude was having a great deal of pain so I took up a bottle of stuff for her from Aunty. Huby had his two customs inspectors there entertaining them so I stayed till pretty late. Hot day Friday June 11th We decided to dip the sheep to-day so Frank spent most of the morning getting the tank ready the way they did over at the Englands. He sank it in the ground just inside the barn doors and rigged the waggon box with the sides on it for a draining pen<s>t</s>. He had Joe Howell make him a dipping hook. We got started to dip after eleven and were through by about half past twelve. We left them in the barn for an hour or so as they told Frank over there that turning them out in the sun immediately after dipping would blister them so I suppose that was the cause of our trouble last year. This after noon Frank and I hauled out a little more manure and Dad. went over to let the cattle into the back field and went on over to John Wess's. He and Cam were both at Turkey Point fixing up the House Boat which a bunch of those old sports back there have bought. Went down town to-night. Hot. Saturday June 12th Frank and I hauled out manure all morning but quit at noon as Dad. thought we had better start plowing the field on Monday and get in what we have manured. This after noon Dad. Frank & Tid went down town and cut the grass in front of Aunty's place and brought it over here. There was enough of it to last over Tuesday https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ba1b53fd6bcc9acc58634df55d1c0b89.pdf 2c78d03d2c42e472f37a3514c5b833c7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I slept for about an hour after dinner and then started to cut lawn but as I had to file down one of the knives on the lawn mower I didn't finish. Dad's last crow died last night. He left the four of them out of the cage the other night and three of them left in the night This one was sick so couldn't go with the others. Hot, looks rainy. Sunday June 13th Frank Tid and I drove down to Sunday school & Dad. & Enah went down at church time. Enah went to church and Dad. went to see Aunty Maude, who is feeling quite a bit better. After church Marj. and I drove out to the Smythe's where we had dinner and spent a very nice after noon. We started for home about four o'clock but I just got Joe hooked up when a very heavy thunder storm came up and it just poured rain for about half an hour so I had to tie poor Joe to a tree and go in the house. It cleared up beautifully and we got home about half past five. Mr. Wilson (president of Mexico) was here when we got home so I drove him down to the side walk. I helped Dad. do up the chores after tea and Marj. and I drove down town about half past nine. We took some strawberries down to Aunty which Mrs. Smythe sent her. Frank has been making arrangements to go to New York State with Neff's party to-morrow in Irvin Pow's car Monday June 14th Frank left early this morning to go on Neff's trip through New York State. He was to meet Irvin Pow at the Winding Hill at a quarter to seven and as he hasn't been back all day I guess they got away. Lloyd Ryerse & Alex England were going in the same car and they were to meet the rest of the party at Renton or Jarvis. I spent most of the day filling in the missed hills of corn in the field and Dad. took up the dining room carpet for Enah who has the house all ripped up for house cleaning and spent the rest of the day cultivating. He took Mexico out this morning and cultivated what he could in the garden and a little of the corn with him but he was very ignorant and very slow so this after noon he took Belle, she resented leaving Rachel and so wasn't very interested in her work all the after noon but Dad. thinks she will be all right later on. I got through planting corn about four o'clock and then hoed a little in the garden. I went down to band practice to-night. When it was over I fell in with a bunch of the boys who were going down to Chiravaree Alan Law so I left my horn at Karl Colman's and went with them I went in Lloyd Crysler's car and so got a ride all the way home. We gave Alan a grand old serenade with bells, revolvers and an old steel saw which is kept for such occasions. Alan was prepared for us and treated us to wine, cider, beer and cigars. Every body was there. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b873bd1ed039248b1cabcc33fad5367c.pdf 952949030a1ae8c8d338a3d34da8f4b4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday June 15th Dad. put down the dining room carpet for Enah first thing this morning and then took Belle out and cultivated corn till noon. It looked so dark and rainy that we didn't get the team in to plow corn ground as we had intended. I hoed potatoes in the garden till nearly noon and then had to go back to put the cattle out of the back field. It sprinkled two or three times but didn't ammount to much. Dad. and I cultivated and hoed after dinner till about three o'clock when we saw a terrible storm coming up from the north so we went to the house. The storm rolled up pretty quickly and when it broke it was a fierce one and lasted till nearly six o'clock. It let up at intervals and in one of these Dad Dad. went after Tid. I painted a show card lesson. I went down town to-night with Cliff Lown who came in after tea with the cream can. It was raining again when I started for home so I stayed at Aunty's Wednesday June 16th I got home soon after 5.30 this morning and went back after the cows. After breakfast I felt rather tired from tramping around in the mud with Frank's rubber boots on. About ten o'clock I went down to have Dr. Lemmon look at my tooth which the filling came out of. He couldn't look at it till about noon and said he wouldn't have time to fix it till to-morrow after noon. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and didn't go home till after two as it looked so rainy. I didn't do much all the after noon except try to put a handle on an umbrella of Marj's. To-night I went down to band practice. We had it over Ted. Nicol's new garage and it was fine. It certainly is an enormous place. Every one seems to be of the opinion that Ted will never get his money back. Rainy all day. Thursday June 17th It rained or drizzled nearly all day so we didn't do any thing outside. Dad. & Enah have been very busy house cleaning, papering & painting. I "messed about" and did a little printing. I went down town right after dinner and took my horn down to Ed's as he has some fine polish down there I made it look quite a lot better but it needs a lot more yet. I went up at three o'clock to Dr. Lemon's but he couldn't fix my tooth for another hour so I went down to the lake where I found Quint and Joe fixing up their bathing houses. I took the contract to paint some signs for them. I went over to Bill's about half past four and he filled my tooth. I then came home and did chores and after tea went down town again as I wanted to see the Tuxis boys about some skin game https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4efe58f4e7af69437a05b51fef363fcf.pdf dab0cc7b4610e4e41c2971ab6a95a687 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. that Mr. Johnson wants them to run at the strawberry social. I was late getting down so missed them but met a couple of them later on the street. I went down to Aunty's where I found Marj. so walked home with her. Frank got home to-day noon from his trip & had a fine time. Friday June 18th Frank and I went down in the waggon this morning and I got the old Northern Crown Bank signs which Quint wanted me to paint over for them to put down at the beach. Frank had some other things to get and we came home by the mill and got some feed so it was nearly noon when we got home. It drizzled rain for quite awhile after dinner and was too wet to do any thing outside. I did some lettering. Frank cleaned up in the shop and Dad's time was taken up with Julien {Neins's} horse which had got something in it's foot and was quite lame. He went after him at four o'clock. It cleared off to-night and Marj. and I went up the Radical Road tacking up posters for the strawberry festival. I felt ashamed of myself all the time for helping to advertise the darned thing, but there is no use bucking it when the majority seem to think it is the proper thing. We went up to Port Ryerse and put up about fifteen posters on gates and posts and two on a water tank. We came home around by the Smythe's and returned some {ropes?} they lent us last week. Saturday June 19th It looked cleared off to-day and has been sunny and breezy Dad. & Frank started to plow the field east of the new meadow this morning for corn and Dad. has been at it all day but says it is pretty wet yet. I spent most of the morning cleaning out the bull's pen and doing odd chores and got started to cut the lawn. I finished it this after noon. Frank did odd jobs and mulched the little trees in the orchard. He and Tid. went fishing for a little while after dinner and Tid was in the seventh heaven over catching two carp. He brought them home and cleaned them all by himself and we all had to have a taste at tea time. Enah went down town. Sunday June 20th We all went down to church or sunday school this morning. Marj. Quint and I had dinner at Aunty's I went up town this after noon and the band played out in the park. We had a good concert and a full band. I came home soon after four and helped Dad. do chores It began to rain about five and kept it up all evening I went down town after tea and found Marj. in at the Wood's, we went up to the Monteith's and spent the evening. Frank went down to the Ward's on his wheel and I guess is stalled down there I stayed all night at Aunty's. Very windy & rather cold & a drizzly rain. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/08cffb29feff637b5cab933636186fd1.pdf c542521677667ebfec08cb8bcb4b84f4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday June 21st It rained or threatened rain nearly all day so we didn't do very much Frank got home a little before noon He came up to town with the Ward girls when they came to school and Tom Butler brought him over here. Dad. and I did odd jobs and I worked at my show cards a little This after noon Frank painted the bob-sleighs and tidied up in the shop. I went down to band practice to-night. Tuesday June 22nd I went down when Dad. drove Tid. to school this morning and went down to the beach to paint the letters Quint wanted on their bathing houses, but when I got there George Holden told me he had just left so I went over to the pier and saw old Quint just out of earshot beyond the end of the pier in his little boat heading for Wooley's point or beyond up the lake. I went up to the Thompson's to see if I could get the key from Joe but he said the paint was all locked up in Quint's shack and he had the key. Joe seemed rather provoked at him for leaving as he said they expected a big picnic in on Saturday and didn't have any thing ready for it. I went up to Aunty's and cut their lawn and stayed to dinner. On my way home Mrs. Quanbury gave me a lot of aster plants so I spent most of the after noon setting them out. Dad. and Frank spent their day putting up the fence between the lane and the barn-yard and made a fine job of it. I stayed home to-night and painted show card lessons. Dad. took some milk down to Aunty's but they were all away. Fine, cool and windy Wednesday June 23rd I spent about an hour this morning cutting grass for the bulls and wheeling it up to the barn I got enough cut to last them all day. Dad. drove Tid. to school and then went out to the garden to hoe. It was dry enough only up on top of the knoll. I started to put in some temporary posts to divide the sheep pasture as we want to give the east side of it which has a lot of young clover on it a chance to grow up I just got started when a big rain storm came up and I had to quit. It poured rain for a couple of hours and there were two or three very sharp lightening flashes one of which killed a horse of Mr. Fleming's It cleared off this after noon but was too wet to do anything. I started to paint Quint's signboard but got the letters too big so will have to paint them out. Frank helped Enah house clean our room. I spent the evening with Marj. Thursday June 24th I spent quite awhile cutting grass for the bulls and Dad. and I took a look at our own and Ivey's wheat The Hessian Fly is working in ours a little and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d4e4585e88d969683ff8451814ceb22b.pdf 74a6e729ed05490fb7539e21d6ad8234 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. more still in Ivey's and they say some fields are nearly cut to pieces with it. Cruickshanks and a Massey Harris man came down this morning and Frank helped them fix the drill up in good running order. Hermon Cook & Gordon Zealand came over this morning to ask me about the peanut grab which they are to have charge of at the strawberry festival to-night and I gave Hermon a lot of my bird's eggs. He wanted to buy the whole bunch and offered me a dollar for them. This after noon Frank and I put up the fence through the field east of the orchard to keep the sheep off the east side of it and give it a chance to grow. Frank took it off the posts at the north end to run down through the centre. We made a rather sloppy job of it as the posts weren't in solid and we didn't half stretch it but it was the best we could do under the circumstances and I think it will hold the sheep Enah went down this after noon to the strawberry social and Tid went down there from school. We did the chores all up early and Dad. Frank and I drove down about seven. I went up to the band room but found no one there so thought they had gone over but they didn't start to gather till nearly eight, so we were rather late getting there. However we gave them quite a concert and they gave us a very good feed and treated us to cigars. Fine day but looked rainy. Friday June 25th We penned all the sheep this morning and went over them and took out the ones that looked unthrifty and shut them up in the box stall to starve before treating them for tapeworm. Frank then hooked to the mower and cut a strip of grass along each side of the road. Dad. helped him. Tom Butler was in for quite awhile. I worked for about half an hour more on Quint's sign before dinner. I spent about an hour after dinner getting hay for the bulls along the road where Frank cut it this morning. Frank put some more stakes in the sheep pasture fence and Dad. hoed in the garden which is still pretty wet. I went out to help him but Joe Thompson came over and wanted me to go down right away and paint some of the letters on the bathing house. He was very provoked at Quint who left last Tuesday for the Point and has not come back yet they still have quite a lot to do to get ready for business and expect picnics right along now. I went down and got New Bath Houses painted in big letters 18 inches high which could be seen from Main St. and promised Joe I would try to finish it to-morrow. I didn't get through till after five so I had to hurry as Aunty Alice had invited Marj. & me to tea I went home milked one cow and changed my clothes and got back down town in an hour but got a ride down with Jack Martin. Fine day and quite hot. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a858bbb7bd6880ab8a25f2208f9cd122.pdf b06952a2b773292e3157ee2555c0d312 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday June 26th I went down to the beach right after breakfast this morning and was down all day painting the letters on the bathing houses. I finished to-night and the boys seemed satisfied. Quint got back last night. His Yankee friends took their speedboat over to Erie and had her measured up for some race which they may enter later on. That was what kept them so long but Quint wasn't saying anything about it. Dad. has felt rather sick all day and didn't go out at all this afternoon till chore time. I got home in time to help do chores and then went down again after tea and spent the evening with Marj. Fine and hot. Sunday June 27th Frank Tid. and I went to Sunday school and I gave Frank instructions about running the library as Marj. is bound I am to take her class when she goes. I stayed for dinner at Aunty's and this after noon Marj. and I took a walk up the beach. We came over here for tea about five o'clock and I drove Marj. home to-night Frank went down to the Ward's with Charlie Blake and brought his wheel home which has been down there since last Sunday. Alex England rode in to-night. He was supposed to take Frank down to the Ward's this after noon but didn't show up. Monday June 28th Dad. and I took Belle out and cultivated the turnips and mangels this morning and then Dad. cultivated the potatoes alone while I came up to paint my sign I found Mexico caught in the orchard fence and had quite a time to get him out but with Enah's help managed to extricate him without much injury to him or the fence. I was all the after noon painting at Quint's sign and didn't quite finish Frank set his cultivator up this morning but thought there was a brace missing so couldn't try it out. Dad. plowed a little more out where we want to put corn. He said it was pretty wet still. Frank hoed for awhile in the garden this after noon. I went down town to-night to see Marj. I went down to "Porky" Marshall's to see about painting some letters for him on his shop but George Zealand had got the job. I was glad he had as I haven't got the time. Very hot to-day & to-night. Tuesday June 29th Dad. plowed all morning and intended to cultivate corn this after noon but just after dinner a terrific thunder storm broke loose which stopped him. It rained several short but very hard showers all the after noon and a terrible wind, so we didn't do any thing all the after noon but sit around. Dad. went out with https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/80ea2194b4e5d371b908a703cd92c02c.pdf 74b5d1be24f3914c5ecefb71338577d3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the cultivator but got caught in the rain. I finished painting the sign this morning and spent quite awhile talking to a representative of the Basic Slag people who came to look at the wheat. He admitted there wasn't any noticable change in the appearance of the fertilized & unfertilized and thought it must have been due to the dry weather. I cleaned out a row of mangels when he left. Frank has felt rather tough all day owing to an overdose of green peas he had last night over at Jack Martin's field where he picked some for Enah. I went down town to-night to see if by any chance <s>Wednes</s> the band was going to the Woodhouse social but just as I got to Aunty's it began to rain again and Marj. was there so I never went up town. On my way home to-night I fell in with the chiravaree brigade on their way to honor Dock McQueen who married Lilly Greenbury the other day. I went over with them but didn't go in. They didn't make any racket as Mrs. Alex Spain is about at death's door They told me the band stayed home. Wednesday June 30th Frank and I took Quints sign down to him this morning and then went up and got some things (a desk & some books) of Marj's. which she wanted stored at Aunty's for the summer. Frank took the team home and got some stuff at the mill and I went down to the beach to paint some more letters for Quint & Joe but they didn't have things ready so I couldn't. I stayed art Aunty's to dinner and went home right after. She gave me some pansy plants which I set out and I spent the rest of the after noon raking up the lawn which was very littered after yesterday's storm. Dad. worked in the garden all day and Frank fixed the bracing at the windmill and cut the grass around the little trees in the orchard this after noon. Marj. came over to tea. She has been very busy calling on all the folks in town and saying goodbye. She is leaving to-morrow and not coming back till I go and bring her I hope in October. Thursday July 1st I spent most of the morning doing chores and cutting the lawn but didn't finish. I went down a little before noon and had dinner at Aunty's. Right after dinner I went down to the lake and painted a direction sign for Quint and Joe and spent the remainder of the afternoon with the band. We played in Powel park till about four o'clock and then went over to Jimmy's where we were treated to ice-cream and from there we went down and had a trip out on the "City of Dover". We went home for supper after that and Bill said we were through as the committee told him we didn't need to play after five o'clock. Mr. Bagley however was https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/040bb5a8ce53228971069c68bd22eef7.pdf 9dcb847f6b29524775eeecd1060614c0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. greatly incensed at the idea of not playing after tea on the 1st of July as he had never known of such a thing before so we came back for an hour and gave quite a little concert. {Doct.?} didn't show up though as he had a date with Lou. Dixon. Mid. & Harry Moon ran the thing. I didn't see much of what went on all day but they had a big baby show and Dover won first money in the baseball tournament and I guess the other sports were good. It was a fine day not to hot and yet warm enough for the boys at the beach to be pretty well patronized. Dad. didn't come down town all day but came down at night. I didn't go to see Marj. off to-night but the rest did Friday July 2nd Rus. Lampkins came down this morning and put a new top on the windmill as the boxings were getting badly worn on the old one. Dad plowed up the old strawberry patch in the garden and worked it down and this after noon cultivated corn. I raked up the hay Frank cut in the orchard and cocked it up this morning and cut a little more lawn. This after noon I cleaned out another row of mangels. Frank has felt pretty tough all day but tried his new cultivator out It doesn't go just right yet. Mr. & Mrs James, Elva and Brant were all over here for tea. Cloudy all day, warm. Saturday July 3rd I finished cutting the lawn this morning and spent the rest of the day thinning mangels. I just got two more rows done. Dad. set out cabbage plants all day so we should have a good supply of them. Frank still feels pretty tough and hasn't done any thing much all day. I did another show card lesson to-night but made a bad job of it. Hot this morning but very windy this after noon Sunday July 4th Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school. Frank ran the library and I took Marj's class, but didn't feel as if I made much of a job of it. Dad. went down early this morning and drove Aunty & Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. I had dinner at Aunty's and this after noon went with the band up to the cemetry as this was the Oddfellow's decoration day. We went up on the three o'clock car and came back on the five. Dad. Enah and Tid drove down to-night and took Aunty Alice for milk. Frank and I went to bed early. Very cool. Ade & Percy Millman were over this morning for awhile. Monday July 5th I hoed mangels all day and just got two more rows done. Dad. and Frank spent the day cultivating corn Frank has had quite a time adjusting his two row cultivator. It seemed to pull very heavy and not dig in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/691742bb3bc0c643f269e13e9f1163d0.pdf 650b63f850ad2db10b40c92358bf96ec PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. much but he put the big team on this after noon and I think got it working fairly well. They have got as far as our corner with Harry Misener's house. They have been over a week getting this far - from Renton.They can walk right along on the level but it took them all day to get up through our cut. It is a big frame two-story house and every one seems to think it will bother them getting it over the bridge. I went down to band practice to-night. We got paid two dollars apiece for playing on the 1st of July and the Council promised us 25 dollars a night for the summer playing Thursdays They wanted to go up to serenade Bill Wamsley but Mr. Bagley thought it would be a mistake for the band to go up and play good music as every body that got married in future would expect us out, so we didn't go Aunty told us to-night that Jack Martin has bought Mrs Battersbys place. Tuesday July 6th I thinned mangels all morning and most of the after noon but right after dinner Frank and I hauled in the hay that was cut in the orchard. We hauled it on the waggon and put one jag in for the bulls and one for the horses. Dad finished cultivating the corn and what stuff he could in the garden Frank disked up the strip Dad. plowed for corn and his alfalfa plot and sprayed the potatoes in the field. Dad. & I worked for awhile in the garden to-night. Cloudy and raining to-night. Wednesday July 7th It rained hard during the night but didn't flood things at all and there has been a gentle drizzle all morning clearing off at noon and coming out sunny & windy this after noon. Dad. and I spent the fore noon setting out cabbage plants. We put out about 300. We expected them all over from home to dinner as it was Dad's birthday They were going to have Mrs. John Walker bring them over in the car but as it rained she didn't come for them. Aunty Alice walked over and said Aunty & Aunt Ida couldn't come but I drove down and brought them over in the buggy and Enah took them back in the cart this after noon We just visited this after noon except Frank he fixed a piece of fence back in the gully and took some plank from back there and brought them up to floor Moonshine's stall which he cleared all out this morning. Arthur Preston was over for most of the after noon. To-night Tid and I went down to the "sheep pasture" for a walk and to see if Frank Awde's sweet cherries were ripe but there weren't any. Thursday July 8th Still thinning mangels. I got about two more rows done I think I made a little better time by hoeing them all out first and then weeding around each plant afterwards. Dad. & Enah worked in the garden all day & Frank harrowed and rolled the plowed strip for corn. We all went down to band concert to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e361c5766acb3783885eb8a65902f9f6.pdf 9d01592370cdfa04136ab2340cf947b3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday July 9th I hoed mangels and turnips most of the day. I have all the mangels hoed now but have to thin the last row yet. The turnips are much bigger and are a nuisance to hoe out but I can make fairly good time at it if I dont stop to thin. I took about an hour off this morning and went over and hoed down three or four patches of perennill saw thistle in Ivey's meadow to keep them from going to seed and blowing on to our place. I went down to Bronzie for a little while from Ivey's. This after noon it started to rain about half past three and as it looked as if it was going to keep it up I came up to the house and painted a show card lesson. The rain didn't ammount to much but we had quite a heavy little shower about five. Frank planted the strip we had plowed with corn this morning and has been cutting thistles in the back field the rest of the day. There was an awful crop of them. Dad. & Enah worked all day till it commenced to rain in the garden. Elva & Brant came in about four o'clock on their way out to see {Vance?} Walker and took Enah and Tid out with them. Saturday July 10th I have still been pegging away at the turnips and mangels. I have the mangels all thinned now and have most of the turnips hoed but only a row and a half thinned. Dad. has been working all day in the garden pulling weeds. Frank finished cutting the thistles in the back field and started to cut the side hill which is mostly thistles and daisys but there is some blue grass on top. Tid went to a birthday party at Gertrude Silverthorne's this afternoon. He got an invitation the other day and has been worrying about it more or less ever since. He wanted to go but was scared to. However Enah managed to get him packed off hoping that Miss McQueen and John Harris Buck would be there. They weren't but he knew the ones that were there so had a good time. Fine day and not hot. Sunday July 11th We all went down to church and Tid. Frank and I went to Sunday school. I took the class but don't think I taught it any thing. I didn't feel as if I was. We all stayed at Aunty's for dinner and I came home right after to do chores. Mr. Zealand took me in to show me his garden so I didn't get home till nearly three. Dad. Enah and Tid came home about five. Frank rode his wheel down to the Wards and as it rained hard for about an hour at six o'clock, he evidently got stalled down there as he didn't show up all night. Cool. Monday July 12th Dad. started to plow the back field for summer https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/568967ce17a3d7f866f9eaa4bd34b6d1.pdf 2b00105bda7a7ab89319da6b95e8ed5a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. fallow this morning and has been at it all day. I went back with him and helped him get started and from there walked over to Tom Butler's to try to induce him to buy Oliver at beef price but he said they only had two cows so didn't think they could afford to. I got talking and Mark put on some phonograph record so I didn't get back till dinner time. Frank rode his wheel home sometime during the forenoon. This after noon He finished cutting the side hill field and cut two rounds on the five acres next the lane. I hoed a couple more rows of turnips. Tid is having a great time trying to snare a ground hog back on the mound. He and Hubert Zealand seem to be in partnership on the business. I went down to band practice to-night. Fine day but cloudy. Tuesday July 13th Dad. cut thistles in the corn field this morning and plowed this after noon. Frank cut hay north of the orchard till ten o'clock, then went back and raked up the back field by noon I cut some of the lawn and did a few odd jobs this morning and then went out and finished hoeing the turnips and started to thin them. I intended to go back right after dinner and cock up the hay that Frank raked but a little shower came up and I couldn't do it till four o'clock and so didn't finish. I thinned turnips while I was waiting for it to dry. Frank went over to Lloyd Crysler's raising this after noon. It proved a sad affair for this community. Mr. Flemming was killed at it.They were rising the end bent of the barn and he was shoving on one post when the frame over-balanced and the end of the post on the sill slipped and fell back and either the girt or the brace caught him across the back and killed him almost instantly. Frank was in the same position at the other post but he realized the danger of the place and got to the outside of the post a little while before the frame fell. Mr. Flemming was such a rattling good man in every way that it seems mighty hard to lose him like that, but in reality it was a great way to go as they all say he never knew what hit him. Tom & Mark were over to-night and we had a little music. Cool & nice. Wednesday July 14th It rained this morning and I spent an hour or so working at my show card lessons which I finished to-night. Dad. did odd jobs around and Frank cleaned up the upstairs of the woodshed. Tom Butler was in for awhile to have Dad look at one of his horses which has a sore eye. It cleared up after dinner and Dad cultivated the garden and the potatoes & roots in the field. Tid. & I cut the lawn or part of it and Frank finished mowing the meadow north of the orchard. Karl bought the 5 steers to-night for $550.00. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a0ed0fb0ff42f1dc22cece786dc8a742.pdf 10b51d851166793721915f93458b1537 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday July 15th Frank cultivated the corn this morning and Dad hoed in the garden and I finished raking the lawn and hoed two rows and a half of potatoes in the field. Tid. went down to Aunty's for dinner and the rest of us all went to Mr. Flemming's funeral. There was about the biggest crowd there I ever saw at a funeral nearly everyone from around here and a great many from down east. Dad. was one of the bearers so went up with them. I drove up and took old Maneer up with me. We missed the procession as they went through town and we went by the mill. After the funeral Dad. and I drove home around by Jim Waddle's as Dad. wanted to see the {Hal.?} H. Colt but Jim had shipped the mare to Toronto to be bred. He was hauling in hay. It was after five when we got home. Frank had come home and raked up the first cut hay and was cocking up. Jack Ivey was over and wanted him to rake theirs up to-morrow. I went down to band concert to-night. Fine day but cold to-night. Friday July 16th Frank went to the mill before breakfast this morning and got some chop for the hogs & bulls. He and I dosed the lambs for tape-worm after breakfast and then he went over and raked up Ivey's hay for him. Dad. and I cocked up what was raked in the field north of the orchard and started in to cock up what was left in windrow across the gully Frank came back a little before noon and finished raking this field and we spent the after noon finishing across the gully and cocking up in this field. We went out after tea and cocked up some but didn't quite finish. Old Moonshine broke out of his pen this morning so Frank had to fix it up after dinner. He upset things in the barn and got into a bag of chop but I think spilled more than he ate. Cool wind all day & quite cold to-night. Saturday July 17th We hauled hay to-day from the field north of the orchard and would have cleared it if we had not had to put poles across in the big barn to build a mow, so that we could have the clover hay where we could get at it. We put one load in the horse stable and then had to change the car so that altogether we were delayed about two hours or more and only got in two loads this morning. We got in five this after noon. Mr. & Mrs. Millman, Percy & Kathleen all came up from Toronto to-day. Paw & Mrs Millman are staying at Aunty's They were over here for awhile after tea with Aunty Alice, Percy's wife, children & mother-in-law. Cool but fine. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a2c39554dd3120b200e7060a1ac87508.pdf 0f6546c7f5816b07080c93f91e2eb57c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday July 18th It rained during the night and rained hard several times during the day and evening. It was so muddy and wet at Sunday school time that Frank Tid and I drove down and Dad. and Enah didn't go down to church. I walked down with Mr. Herring after church went in for a minute to see Cousin Clare. They have rented Mrs. {Lig?} Anderson's house for the summer and she busy as a nailer getting things settled I came home for dinner with Frank & Tid. as the walking was so bad. I spent the rest of the day reading and writing. Dad. went to sleep. Frank went back to the woods. Monday July 19th It was too wet to do any thing with the hay this morning and it was cloudy and drizzly till noon but came out clear & breezy after dinner. Dad. and Tid went down to Aunty's this morning and Dad. trimmed up the paths and cleared away a big limb which broke off the Newton pippin tree. They came back soon after dinner and Dad. worked in the garden this after noon. Frank and I changed the fence in the sheep pasture this morning and rolled it back from where we had it dividing the field to the original place for it from the orchard to the corner field. After that I set out some more cabbage plants in the garden & Frank helped Enah pick the cherries, there won't be so many of them as usual as the robins have taken a lot. This after noon Frank cut down the piece of grass between the old garden and where he drilled in the strip of corn. We had intended putting corn on it but it got too wet to plough it. It is mostly couch grass. I spent the after noon thinning turnips. Went to band practice to-night. Tuesday July 20th Frank worked most of the fore noon on his alfalfa plot and Dad. and I turned out the hay. It wasn't wet much except around the edges, the bluegrass across the gully we didn't have to turn out at all. Enah and Tid. went back to the woods to pick berries but didn't get very many. We saw Mark Stephens going to town after one of his applicants for housekeeper. They put an ad in the Globe. about a week ago and Mark says they have been reading applications for the job ever since, so he says there is going to be a steady procession of them now to look over the situation. We hauled in the rest of the hay north of the orchard in about three loads and left the last load on the waggon Then Frank raked up the other piece he cut while Dad. and I were doing the chores. Herb Gurr came over to play with Tid. this after noon and told us that Jane https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/614ce8c9c3822d7b5302a86cc813b1d9.pdf 5d244a835e5e88c0b1b41a76bb43fc11 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Zealand died about noon, Ada told me last night that she was threatened with diphtheria but I didn't know it was so serious. Cool and windy all day. Wednesday July 21st Dad. and I cocked up hay all morning while Frank cultivated the corn. We didn't quite finish by noon as it is mostly bluegrass and slow to handle. Jack Ivey was over and wanted Frank to go over and rake up some hay for them, so he went over after dinner. Neff was in with a Mr. Frances on their way down to Charlie Blake's to a poultry culling demonstration and wanted me to go but I didn't. They gave me a few pointers though on picking out the poor-laying old hens. Dad. and I finished cocking our field about four o'clock and Frank got home about the same time. We started to put off the load of hay that was on the barn floor but when we got three lifts off a heavy thunder shower came up and as Dad. didn't want to get the rope wet we didn't unload the last lift. I took Aunty's milk down to her to-night and got a few pointers on the Sunday school lesson got home about ten o'clock and culled out my hens before I went to bed. Thursday July 22nd It was too wet to do any haying to day so Dad. plowed all day and got quite a nice strip turned over. I thinned turnips and made Tid a milk stool this morning as he is learning to milk now. Frank took Joe down town and had her shod. He brought Mrs. Johnson from Courtright over to dinner and she was here all the after noon and to tea. This after noon I didn't do much went back with Frank to fix up the fence in the gully along the road but as we took Joe & Queen back with us I had to stay with them and let Frank do the fencing. He took one of the old snow barricades and put it up instead of the old gate which is pretty well broken to pieces. We all went down to-night and I went to band concert. Friday July 23rd Frank started to cultivate corn this morning and Dad. cut weeds along the fences and in the orchard I started cutting the lawn. Art Quanbury went by going to haul hay all alone. Dad. thought it would be too wet here to haul till noon so I rode Frank's wheel over to give Art a hand. We got part of a load on - all he could haul through his gully - when it started to rain He rough-locked the waggon going down the hill but it went a little too fast for the horses and they couldn't stop till the hind wheels were square in the ditch. They couldn't pull it out so Art had to go and get a spade and dig it out. By this time it was pouring rain and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d308c43c7a1f7161129b495681644054.pdf b60611991e6d80f5e7c97cb1d5b37cdb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. we both got soaked to the hide before we got to the barn. We lay in the straw for about an hour and when it stopped raining came home. It was cold after the rain but this after noon came out sunny and warm. Dad. plowed. I finished cutting the lawn and Frank cleared things up over in the barn. Looks clear to-night. Saturday July 24th Frank finished cultivating the corn this morning and Dad. hoed thistles out in the corn field while I thinned some more turnips. Aunty was over for dinner by way of celebrating my birthday. After dinner Frank went and got some lime and bluestone to mix up a Bordeaux spray for the potatoes and Dad. and I hauled out a barrel of water to the potato patch for him. We then put on a load of hay and as Dad didn't want to climb way up into the peak of the barn without any hay in to change the pulley we tried putting it off with just the two pulleys and then with the peak pulley hooked on at the gable, the first scheme wouldn't work and the second time the hook pulled out so Frank climbed up to the peak and put the pulley up. Aunty went home before tea. Fine and quite cool. Sunday July 25th Frank Tid and I went to Sunday school and Dad. & Enah went down to church I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and most of the after noon and on my way home stopped at the Woodson's for about an hour. Several of them and two or three Zealand's were down at the pond fishing I just got home in time to help Dad. do chores. Enah stayed down at her father's all the after noon and Dad. and Tid. went after her this evening. Frank and Lloyd Ryerse went for a drive down to the Ward's. Poor Tom. Butler was over to-night in a bad state of blues He has got into a row with Pickford over something he told Pickford's sisters about Pickford's actions out here and which Mrs. Tuck who has just been over there evidently denied and told Pickford about it. Tom feels badly that Mrs. Pickford is down on him as he seems to think a lot of her and she has been very good to him. To add to his troubles Mark is getting sick of the job and wants to pull out and leave things. Monday July 26th We finished hauling what hay was cocked on this side of the gully this morning and there were only three more loads of it. At noon Frank changed the car to the horse stable and we hauled one load from across the gully. We didn't go back again as Harry Misener was moving the school-house in and we were afraid he would block the road between us and the barn, so Frank went to the mill and got some chop for the pigs and bulls and I went over to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c2d338652e623d181e8704f301ec5b47.pdf e829fe9f766d0b5c6800a359563d27df PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Jack's to borrow a crate to ship some old hens. Frank called and got it on his way home. Dad. hoed thistles in the corn. Later Frank drove down to get some gasoline for Gundry who has been working all day out here grading our road. Enah and Tid were down at Aunty's picking berries this morning. I went down to band practice to-night, very few out. Karl got the first of our steers this morning. Tuesday July 27th Frank and I took my old hens over to Jack Martin's this morning. There were just 16 of them and he gave me $23.00 for them after he weighed them up. He had promised some fellow a couple of dozen culls but hadn't culled his out so he said these would do as well. We hauled two more loads in this morning taking all the hay there was out. This after noon Dad. cultivated and hoed the potatoes and mangels and in the garden. I helped Frank grind a mower knife and then thinned some more turnips. Frank started to cut the rest of the hay on this sideoff the gully. Frank killed an old hen for Aunty Alice this <s>morning</s> evening and he took it down to her. Wednesday July 28th Frank cut hay all day. He finished all there was on this side of the gully before noon and after dinner I helped him grind a mower knife and he cut all the after noon on the 12 acre piece across the gully. Dad. hoed potatoes all morning and I hung around here till Karl Coleman came about ten o'clock and got Frank's steer which we shut in for him. I then went out and thinned turnips till noon. I finished there soon after dinner and then took the little team and raked up what Frank cut yesterday while Dad. cocked up. He and Frank cocked up some more after tea as it looks like rain to-night. I went down town with Aunty Alice's cream. Enah went over to call on Tom & Mark's house keeper and Mrs. Harvey Evans also Mrs. Cam McBride and Mrs. Ivey. Fine & warmer. Thursday July 29th Frank finished raking on this side of the gully this morning and then went over and raked up Ivey's and raked theirs up as Landon was over this morning to ask him. After dinner he went back and raked what was cut across the gully and then helped Dad. & me cock up. We cocked up all day and got nearly finished. It was quite windy this morning and very hard to cock as the bluegrass is so short and heavy. About five o'clock it began to rain and we had quite a sharp thunder storm. I went down to band concert to-night. Friday July 30th It was too wet early to haul hay or work at it so Dad. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2efa5eded824758c17ff2ac42d03c59c.pdf cc7cd15d233831d095312cbb7dc9dc50 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and I weeded at the potatoes one hoed while the other pulled weeds. We only had two rows to do by noon so this after noon we finished the job although it has been a good drying day and John Wess was hauling in this after noon, but Dad. thought our bluegrass would be all the better to cure a little longer in cock. Frank worked on his alfalfa ground and the strip of corn ground that the crows demolished the corn from all morning and this after noon got Art Quanbury's seed drill and sowed his alfalfa. Winnie was over to tea and I drove her home to-night. Saturday July 31st It rained quite hard again last night but Dad thought the hay was dry enough to haul before noon although it has been cloudy and trying to rain all day till about five o'clock when it cleared off and got quite cool. Dad. worked in the garden & cut thistles this morning and Frank sowed some buckwheat on the corn patch that the crows ate up and I cultivated my flower bed. About eleven we went out and put on a load of hay and this after noon Dad & I got in three more - Frank felt sick all the after noon but was able to stay up in the mow and tell us where to dump the hay. Aunty was over to tea to-night and Enah & Tid drove her home with Mexico. The end of July without one really hot day. Sunday August 1st Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Dad. and Enah went down to church and then out to the Smythe's for dinner and to spend the after noon. We three stayed at Aunty's for dinner. Tid stayed there all the after noon till Dad and Enah called for him. Frank rode his wheel down to the Ward's with Gilly and I came home to do the noon chores and stayed home the rest of the day. I had several callers, two with indisposed dogs requiring veterinary treatment and later Mrs. Brent & Eric came over. They never seem to strike here when Enah is home. I finished reading a book of E. Philips, Oppenheim's to-night, "The Great Impersonation". It was a good one. Cloudy and quite cold to-day. Monday August 2nd It rained again this morning so that we couldn't work at the hay all day. Dad. ploughed and this morning Frank and I hoed the strawberries and cabbages. Karl came over and got Charlie. I didn't do much this after noon but cut a little lawn and sit around Harry Misener was over and sold Dad. another ton of Bosie Hay although he admitted there was no difference to be seen the the fertilized & unfertilized wheat or potatoes nor pasture so far. Frank cultivated the little patch of corn and went down and got a load of sawdust. I went down to band practice to-night. Still very cool. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9f6f7e97e815f674dee8645d3e9b44a8.pdf 2ff704571771b15ff6fed16ee3c631bc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday August 3rd Frank and I went down this morning and got a load of soft coal to thrash with as Clare Deal told me last night that they had a load in and it seems to be rather scarce these days. We heard that Barwell had to buy the saw mill in order to get slabs to use on the tugs in place of coal. It is $15.00 per ton. We called at Mrs. Battersby's on our way down and took some books from there down to Aunty's which Miss Phipps wanted to send to the Sunday school library. We also took the cart wheels down and sent them to Brantford to be re-rubber-tired. Dad. cultivated with Belle while we were gone. We hauled in one load of hay before dinner and this after noon finished hauling all the hay this side of the gully in one load and a few cocks which we left on the waggon in the old barn to feed to the bulls. Frank went over and raked up Ivey's hay for them and Dad. and I went back and cocked up what there was on the other side of the gully. Beautiful day. Fine but not hot. Wednesday August 4th We started to cut the wheat to-day and were all day gering this side of the potatoes cut. It took most of the morning to get the binder out and oiled and in working order, then the horses were a terrible nuisance. We had Pommers, Joe & old Harry on before dinner but old Harry would not act his part at all. Frank didn't have a whip and Harry knew it. He would stand perfectly still every few minutes and nod his head. We took him off after dinner and put Queen in but going across the ditches made her mad and Frank had a hard time persuading her to go across the ends every time. Pommers worked fine. Aunty Maude went to Brantford yesterday and was operated on to-day for appendicitis. Dad. Enah and Tid went down to-night and Lila had had a telephone message from Dr. Hicks saying everything was satisfactory. Thursday August 5th We finished cutting & shocking up the wheat this morning. There wasn't much on the north side of the field but couch grass. We put the binder back in the woodshed after dinner Landon Ivey was in for quite awhile just after dinner. He wants a team to help thrash to-morrow whenever Sam gets there. He went up to Sid. Marsh's this after noon about four o'clock so won't be down here very early, likely. This after noon Dad. disked what he had plowed across the gully and Frank cut some more hay over there. I didn't do much but weed out some parsnips in the garden. I went down to band concert to-night. Stopped in at the Zealand's on my way down, they have offered me the use of their house for the winter. No more news of Aunty Maude. A red-haired heir to the house of Dillon arrived last night. Hot to-day & a hot night, the first. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d00dddb9bae337ac3d47d766a775118b.pdf d19dc15bc3129c4bb3f1f3b0350d2dec PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday August 6th Dad. plowed this morning and Frank finished cutting the hay across the gully. He expected to have to go and help thrash at Ivey's this after noon but as the machine didn't pull in there till to-night. He raked the hay across the gully and Dad. and I cocked up what we could. I didn't do much this morning but a little hoeing in the garden. To-night we persuaded Dad & Enah to go up to the {Chataugay?} at Simcoe. There was a comedy "Nothing but the Truth" on and Dad. laughed so hard he was nearly sick. Frank Tid and I did up the chores and Frank took Aunty Alice's milk down and brought home an ice cream brick which we three demolished. Young Larry Skey came over this morning and borrowed Mexico for his father to go trout fishing. His father brought him back to-night after dark and I guess didn't have much of a day. He went to Port Ryerse in an hour and a quarter and caught about half a dozen trout. He said he didn't send Larry after Mexico but when he went to the trouble of getting him, he didn't like to disappoint him. Alan Law came in after dark and was so tired he could hardly stand up so borrowed the waggon with the rack on to ride home in. The other waggon still has the coal on it. Hot and Lazy all day. Looks rainy or else very dry Saturday August 7th Frank has been over at Ivey's with the team all day helping thrash, they didn't quite finish but could have easily if they had worked after six. Dad. and I cocked up hay in the back field all day and finished a little after five. We thought after dinner when we went back that we only had about a couple of hours work but there was more than we thought and as we didn't take any water back and it was very hot we were pretty dry when we came up. Enah & Tid went down to the lake this after noon and I was to meet Enah at the seven o'clock car and go to Simcoe to the musical {Chautaugua?} I went down but met Enah coming home as she decided not to go. I went on down town for the rest of the evening and got my hair cut. The Lavaltre came in to-night with a lot of Yankee nets and W. J. Thompson gave me a lot of herring that they took with the nets. Sunday August 8th Frank Tim and I went down to Sunday school and church. We had Mr. McDonald here in Mr. Johnson's place I stayed at Aunty's to dinner, Huby, Win. & Lila were also there. Win. went to Brantford this after noon to see Aunty Maude, who seems to be doing as well as can be expected after her operation. About three o'clock I went up to the stump and had a swim and then walked around the pond and lay around on Frank Awde's point till five o'clock. It was nice and cool there but https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/96b0ec412942bb398a430cd6eb40604b.pdf a9f582f59f0c6680073ded85ae9ab8f5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. very hot every where else. We had tea before we milked and Enah went down to church and Dad. & Tid walked down to meet her when we got the chores done. Frank went over to call on Tom & Mark's housekeeper. Very hot. Monday August 9th It was raining this morning when we got up so as we couldn't do any thing outside I went to Simcoe to pay Cruickshanks my insurance and see Neff about selling the bulls, as I knew he would be connected with the campain on to do away with scrub sires, but when I got there I found it was Simcoe's civic holiday, Cruickshanks was at the {Point?}. Neff wasn't at the office but Manning was and said he would tell Neff. It poured rain while I was there so I stayed in the office with Manning till it was too late to catch the 11 o'clock car. I went up to Slaght's house and saw him for awhile but he didn't know any more. I came home at one o'clock and had a little dinner at Aunty's and then went up town to put some money in the bank. I didn't do much this after noon but work at my show-card lessons and to-night I went down to band practice. Frank and Dad. fixed the barn up ready to haul in. Frank went down town this morning and got some binder twine from Billy Lang and this afternoon Dad ploughed. Cloudy & rainy all day. Very sultry. Tuesday August 10th Dad. has ploughed all day and got a nice strip done. Frank and I went back this morning to straighten up the wheat shocks, but there weren't many down and the ones that were standing didn't seem very wet so we left them alone. We then went back to the gully and intended cutting across to Jack Paine's bridge for a swim but we saw Harvey Evans out all alone shocking up wheat which was all lyind down and soaking wet so we helped him till noon. This after noon I did a little more show card work then went out and hoed onions. Frank tried to drill in some rape between the corn rows but the little seeder wouldn't work, it was too wet, so then he took the roller back and rolled down what Dad has ploughed. Rus. Lampkins was in and got the rest of his boiler flues and a fellow who Rus. told me was Frank Schugler was in looking at the sheep. Hot. Wednesday August 11th Dad. ploughed all morning. Frank and I moved Moonshine over to the box stall in the horse-stable and cleaned out the place where he was so that we could haul wheat. About half past ten we went over to Mrs. Battersbys to help them move the big square piano but they weren't quite ready so I went down to the mill to pay up. Karl came and got my steer this morning and gave me https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b93fedf1f074b9353ab40e4ea3294240.pdf 419d2d1d97ce4d1ae315a6aaee2434f4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. $110.00 which I thought would square up but I was grieved to learn that I owed him $136.00. Frank went back home and turned out a load of wheat. We then went back to move the piano. We got Goodwin, Frank Awde & a new man from Jack Martin's and Mr. Bagley was there taking some wardrobes apart so we had lots of men but it was quite a lift. We couldn't get the legs off it so had to worm it through the doors. They are getting things ready for the sale over there. We didn't get back much before noon. After dinner we hauled in four jags of wheat. It was damp but we thought it would do. Landon Ivey wanted Frank to go over and rake the wheat stubble and we let him have the rake and Joe Long raked it. They finished thrashing to-day. Jack Martin is over at Syracuse with some chickens. They tell me he took one or two of my old hens over there to the show. Hot. Thursday August 12th We went out this morning and turned out all the wheat. We then went back across the gully and put on a load of the poorest hay which we spread on the rails over the bulls and over the granary. As there was a heavy fog and wet this morning, we didn't get started very early, so it was noon by the time we got our load off. This after noon we hauled in the wheat which was in fairly good shape to go in, we figured there were about seven decent sized loads although we made more trips to the field than that. There will be a lot of rakings. I went down to band concert to-night and the rest all went down to hear it. Roy & Vernon and the children are at Aunty's so we stayed there for quite awhile. Enah was over at Mrs. Battersby's sale all the after noon. It was a big sale and a big crowd. Tid. was down playing with Rebecca all the after noon and stayed down to tea. Very hot and muggy. Friday August 13th Frank went out and raked the wheat stubble this morning and we got a good sized load of rakings off it. It took longer to rake it than Dad had figured on so that we didn't have time to go back and get any hay before dinner but we got the wheat rakings in before noon. While Frank was at that Dad. and I put off the load of wheat that was in the barn and then as I had a pain in my tummy I lay down till we hauled in the rakings. We went back after dinner to haul hay. We got one load up and another half on when it began to rain. We came up with our half load but got drenched doing it. I spent the rest of the after noon painting show card practice and Frank washed out our wet clothes. Very warm to-day before and after the rain. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1cb0cfa4d7f7cc44c1259684f16b01cb.pdf de7b40c24ac1b161eb5b1e7555da9146 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday August 14th Dad. has plowed all day in the back field and has got past the niche in the fence so is on the short rounds. I didn't do much all day but cut a few thistles in the orchard and mow part of the lawn this after noon. Frank did a few odd jobs among which was patching the rooves of the old barn and horse stable. Tid. & Enah went down town. The Millman's arrived about eight o'clock having run into some bad roads. Mr. & Mrs. Millman Kathleen & {Tow?}. After they had tea, they all went down in the car and Enah & Frank went with them. I changed my clothes and walked down later and met the girls over at Pete Holmes' casino. We had a few dances but had more fun watching the antics of the others. The girls are staying at Percy's so Frank and I went around there with them and sat on the beach till about one o'clock. Mr. & Mrs. Millman are staying over here. Very hot. We thought we were going to get a real thunder storm to-day but didn't. Sunday August 15th Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and church and after church we found Dad. & Mr. Millman down at Aunty's with the car to take the whole family over here to dinner I walked as far as the bridge on my way home and then Charlie Shand picked me up and brought me all the way home. We had a great old dinner party. After dinner Roy, Rebecca and I went out and gathered some mushrooms which Roy said were good but which I always thought were toadstools. We sat around on the lawn trying without much success to be cool and about four o'clock Mr. Millman drove all but Dad. Tid & me down town. Frank had left before on his wheel to go down the Lake shore with the Ward's, he got back about dark. Mr. & Mrs. Millman & Enah came back for tea and we all spent the evening here. Very hot. Monday August 16th We were up early this morning and Mr. Millman went down about six o'clock to go over to Turkey Point with Roy & Percy to fish. He was gone all day and got about four or five bass and a pike or so. It rained again quite a little shower and was cloudy all morning so we couldn't do any thing with the crops. Dad. ploughed all day and Frank cleaned out the shop. I dug up some paeony roots over at Ivey's this morning and packed a box of them to send to Daerie. This after noon some Mr. Brooks from Brantford was down to look at the sheep, he may buy a few later on. Enah & Mrs. Millman went down town this after noon. Kathleen & Tow were over for a little while this morning and I drove them down town in the midst of a heavy shower. I went down to band practice to-night but there were very few out. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2738057b199252e2ff5d139a2e72405c.pdf f335a5e42bf3060effb0a9eab817d3f1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday August 17th The Millman's left for home this morning about 9 o'clock and took Enah with them to Brantford where she spent the after noon with Aunty Maude coming down on the five o'clock car, she said Aunty Maude was looking fine and expected to come home this week. Dad. Frank and I spent the remainder of the fore noon separating the ewes & lambs and marking the ewes we wanted to keep We picked out 13 of the ones we considered the best & the three best looking lambs, and we put the lambs and rams over in the front pasture west of the house and left the ewes in the orchard. This after noon we got the binder out and started to cut the barley in the corner field it is crinkled down and there is a lot of green stuff in it so it looks miserable, we didn't cut it out separately from the oats in the other end of the field but cut straight through. We didn't get much more than well started to-day as it was late when we got out. I went down town to-night with some cream for Aunty and spent most of the evening with Roy & Quint who were fitting a pipe in Quint's new launch. Cooler looks rainy. Wednesday August 18th We cut oats all day, finished the strip in the corner field and started in on the barley and oats along the side road, but still have the five or six loads in the corner field that were latest sowed to cut yet. Billy Mills came over after dinner and borrowed the rack to haul alsike. He delayed me quite a bit as I had to help him put off the hay that was on it. Roy was over for awhile this evening and spent the whole time trying to prove to Frank something about a kite he is making for Tid. but I guess he failed in the attempt. Cooler but looks rainy. Thursday August 19th Still cutting oats, got on fairly well to-day but have quite a strip to cut yet, nothing out of the ordinary happened. I went down to band concert to-night. Cool. Friday August 20th We finished cutting the oats to-day. It took longer to cut the piece with the water holes in it than it did the others as Frank had to cut around them so that by the time we got the five lands in the corner field cut and the binder loaded and put away it was about quitting time. Dad. and I kept them shocked up as they were cut. Fine day Saturday August 21st Dad. & Frank went after after a load of hay this morning while I killed a couple of chickens one for Mrs Bowlby https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/78a74da9173eea23bfde02a46fabbe84.pdf a1223ff815313a3ad8a07780615ba78f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and one for Aunty Alice. I also got some ice and put the car out of the horse stable. We hauled two loads this morning and one load of barley as we didn't have time to go after a load of hay before noon. This after noon we hauled two more loads of hay, there are still four or five loads back there I think. I went down to the dam at the grist mill to-night and had a good bath. It rained quite a shower. Hot but nice breeze to-day. Sunday August 22nd Frank, Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. & Enah went to church. I was home all the after noon. Gordon Zealand, Oliver Mann, George Ryerse & young Aubrey Wilson came over to see my birds' eggs. Enah and Tid went for a drive and Frank went over to Tom Butler's. He & Mark went down to church to-night. Dad. Enah & Tid drove down to-night to see Roy as this was his birthday. Huby & Lila went to Brantford this after noon and brought Aunty Maude home, she is going to stay at Aunt Lucy's for awhile till she gets stronger, she has got on very well so far. Or, & his girl, Carlotta Turk, and Kathleen, Tow and two boys came in at noon for awhile. Very cool all day Monday August 23rd We finished hauling the hay from the back field to-day. We got two loads this morning and as we didn't have time before dinner to go back for another we penned the ewes and milked them all out. Then we hauled the remaining two this afternoon. Tupper was in for a few minutes this morning. I went down to band practice to-night. We have three engagements booked. Boughner picnic Thursday afternoon Simcoe Oddfellow's decoration Sunday and a garden party or some thing out at Jim Ross's Tuesday night. Roy went over to the Point to-day with Quint, Dad. {Name?} and Jack Ivey and just got back about ten o'clock Tuesday August 24th Dad. and I hauled in six bags of oats to-day from the corner field. Frank had to go down to Sam Law's to thrash and it made it very awkward pitching up into the mow and mowing away for just the two of us, so that we didn't get as much in as we otherwise would have. I took some milk down to Aunty's to-night and stayed most of the evening. Kathleen & Tow were there. I rode or tried to ride Frank's wheel but made a bad job of it. He took Queen and went for a drive to-night. Fair and not too hot. Wednesday August 25th We finished hauling in off the corner field first thing this morning. The barley that was left out there made https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0215c84eb8f36c805d9682171df5b698.pdf ecdb2884135c74fc25e35f01f498f312 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. a big load and took a long time to pitch on and off. We got two loads of barley & oats off the long field before dinner and put them in the barn. Frank had to go over to Pickford's to thrash this afternoon so Dad and I hauled two loads of oats and started a stack as two can't unload now in the barn. It was slow work making the stack with just two. To-night Dad. Enah & Tid drove down with Aunty's milk and just as they got home Mr. Cantelon the artist rode in, he was here for a long time making a copy of a sketch Clarence did of the old Dog's Nest. He is very interested in anything pertaining to the early history of the country. Hot & looks dry Thursday August 26th Frank was over at Pickford's thrashing all <s>day</s> morning. Dad. and I hauled in three loads of oats and pitched two off on the stack and left one till after dinner. This after noon I went down to play in the band for Boughner picnic and Dad. & Frank hauled in two more loads of barley and oats. The Boughner picnic has degenerated in late years. There was not such a big crowd as usual in spite of the fact that it was a beautiful day. In olden days we used to see all roads into Dover lined with buggys and democrats at five a.m. but now every one comes in cars and they don't start till after dinner. We played to a rather small audience over in Bucks park till half past five. I stayed at Aunty's for tea and then went with Quint, Roy & Vernon out in the new boat. We picked Kathleen, Tow, Enah and Tid. up down at Barwell's fish shanty and we had a fine ride out in the lake, it was the fastest boat I was ever in. It was after eight when we got in but I got up to the bandstand before they started to play. This was I suppose our last concert for the season. I went over to Pete Holme's after band concert and from there went with Kathleen, Tow & Quint over to their cottage where we had some ice cream which Quint brought from his shack and cake & lemonade. Frank joined us later and we fooled around there half the night then I went for a dip in the lake and walked home in my bare feet. I changed my clothes went I got home as I didn't think it was worthwhile undressing. It was after three when I went to bed. Friday August 27th Dad. called me before daylight this morning and I went and helped him put the sheep out of the garden. They had gone through a hole in the fence that Belle had broken. They had got well filled up on clover but hadn't done much damage in the garden We finished hauling the oats to-day. It took us all https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/80ec92319cca7650a8bee0bc36608649.pdf 30ff7945c7aa1d933e1832a6bbd8fac8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. day as finishing the stack took a lot of time. Kathleen and Tow were over to dinner to-day and Enah drove them down this after noon. Mr. & Mrs. Millman came up in the car to-night. They are all going home on Sunday Orm & Carlotta Turk came up too. Fine day pretty hot. Saturday August 28th I spent most of the fore noon cleaning out the flower border and setting out a little plant of bleeding heart and some iris which Mrs. Millman brought me. This afternoon I went over to Ivey's and dug up some more paeony roots and took a stroll over to Bronzie where I poked around for an hour or more. Dad. ploughed all day. Frank went down to Sam Law's this after noon and borrowed 30 bushels of oats which he took down to the mill and had chopped. Fine day not hot. Sunday August 29th Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school & Dad and Enah drove down to church but Dad. couldn't go as he had forgotten the tie strap and couldn't tie Queen up. I had a very hurried lunch at Aunty's and went to Simcoe on the one o'clock car with the band as we were engaged to play for the Oddfellow's decoration day up there. We had to wait till three o'clock for the {Coutons?} the highest order of the Oddfellow's to come down from Brantford and then we marched out to the cemetry and were out there an hour or so. By the time we got through it was too late to catch the five o'clock car so we were treated to supper at the Battersby house and got home at seven. Beautiful day Monday August 30th Dad. ploughed all day but didn't quite finish the field. Frank patched the roof of the old barn this morning and I went up on the inside and shoved straws through to show him where the holes were. I went down town before dinner to see about getting some clothes. I wanted to get a second best suit and a light overcoat. Moses Fischer showed me some brown sample of a suit which he said would be $48.00. I went down to Tip's and bought a ready made for $25..00 It won't look as well as the other but seemed pretty good and I didn't feel as if I could afford to spend $22.00 on mere appearance. I also got Tip to send for some samples of tweed raincoats which he says are taking the place of fall overcoats. He had some there but they were all too short in the sleeves. I got a pair of shoes at Frank Smith's for $7.50. I had dinner at Aunty's and came home soon after and hoed a few strawberries. I stopped in for a few minutes to see Aunty Maude on my way home. Frank sowed some rape seed in the corn this afternoon but I am afraid it is too late for it to ammount to anything. I went down to band practice to-night. Fine & cool https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b76b9dce14aa1b283e2b48f2bf5419b7.pdf 44be1c29ed3f279b07ed716934b46aa3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday August 31st Frank was down at Dave Ward's last night and as Dave has his oats all out yet Frank promised to go down and help him get them in, so off he went this morning and I don't know when he will be back. Dad. ploughed this morning and I cut lawn and after dinner Dad. & I went out to the side road and got the snow fence that the township council or road officials put out there and brought it up and put it around the stack as the calves and sheep were rubbing and pulling at it. Dad. then went back to plough for a while and I wired the snow fence to-gether and didn't do any thing else much till chore time. To-night I went down and joined the band and we all went out to Jim Ross's to a Women's Auxillary garden party. It was very cold down there but we had a pretty good time. Their programme was so rotten it was funny. Tom Butcher of Nanticoke was the principal entertainer and he appears to be batty. Mrs. Hank Sinclair told fortunes and I think it was young Mason who had an old stove out under an apple tree frying hot dogs. He also sold ice cream but most people were too frozen to want to buy it. Wednesday September 1st Dad. finished ploughing and rolling the field this morning and I puttered around and hoed a little in the strawberries. This after noon we got the spreader out and hauled out three loads as it took a long time to get it oiled up and started and then some thing went wrong with the worm gear that turns the apron and it lifted itself out of the gear and didn't turn. Dad. tightened up a nut which we couldn't see would help it any but it worked all right afterwards. Jack Martin was in to-night to tell us that he was going to thrash to-morrow and wanted two men. Fine day & cool Thursday September 2nd Dad. and I hauled out <s>three or four</s> seven loads this morning but as the machine moved in to Jack's place before dinner we put the spreader in the shed at noon and went over there at one o'clock. They were thrashing oats out of the stack down at the {illegible} barn and had a good run but didn't quite finish. I stayed over there to tea but Dad. came home. It was pretty late when we got the chores done. Winnie was over here to tea. Fine Friday September 3rd We thrashed all day at Jack's to-day and are not quite through yet. We finished the oats and then moved up to the Mills barn and started thrashing wheat before dinner. Benny Walker and I carried away. Benny would carry away three bushels and then I'd carry three so we had a pretty fair time. I came home at noon to do chores and Dad. stayed over to dinner. Still a fine day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2af77aefcafd2294c1aaad8cae23c94f.pdf 58ec3fd54534e092aa8e5a86a4e26b93 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday September 4th We finished thrashing at Martin's this morning about half past eight having about 400 bushels of wheat and 623 of oats. Dad and I came home by way of Jack Martin's to get his measuring chain but we couldn't find it. Sid. Goodwin showed his string of chickens that he is getting ready for the Syracuse Show. This after noon we hauled out a few more loads of manure. I went down town to-night and got my suit which they all thought looked all right. Frank came home some time during the night. Sunday September 5th Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and Enah came down to church. She and Tid. stayed all the after noon at her mothers as Elva & Brant were down for Labor Day to-morrow. I stayed for dinner at Aunty's and was down there all the after noon, went home about five and helped Dad. do chores. Frank seems pretty well tuckerd out. Dave must have worked him pretty hard and then he wound up by going to the dance. Mark. Stephens was in for awhile on his way down to church and he stopped in on his way back and we ate part of a water-melon that Enah got this afternoon up at Cantelon's. Monday September 6th This being Labor Day we didn't do any thing but chores this morning but as the water has had a very disagreeable taste and odour lately Dad. thought he would make an examination and much to our disgust discovered a rabbit floating in the water in an advanced stage of decomposition, with considerable manoevering he managed to dip it up with a pail. We imagine it must have fallen through the hole we left for ventilation although there has been a box over it. Enah and Tid. drove out to the school house to the Dolly Smith reunion and about noon Dad. and I walked out. Frank still feels tough so didn't go. We weren't there long before the bell rang for dinner and we went down into the basement and had a grand feed. After dinner we played baseball and had a very good time. Girls against the boys. I don't know who won but I think it was a large score in favour of neither. We played till about four o'clock when Mr. Bagley went inside to call the roll of "Aunt Dolly's" old pupils. Dad. and I walked home through John Wess's and found Mr. Lawrie and Hubert there trap shooting. It looked rainy this morning but was a fine day. Tuesday September 7th Dad. and I hauled out manure all day and got the yard nearly cleaned up. Frank hoed the strawberries and the weeds out of his alfalfa. He went down to see Colin Ryerse's new tractor this after noon. Colin has left his fifty dollars a week job in Chicago to come home and run a tractor. Aunty Alice was over to-day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8cc84e2197b6c0f6b51484b52da80b15.pdf dd3a7cd4c72be57f38a81b55b8f0d091 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday September 8th Dad. and I finished hauling out the manure to-day, we got all we could pitch out before dinner and after dinner we scraped up the stack bottom <s>and</s> in little piles and hauled it out it took a long time but made a good clean job. Dad. took the big team back and disked when we got through with that. I didn't do any thing but chores and a little painting for the rest of the after noon. Frank went to Simcoe this morning to order some photo-graphs of Dick from Moore as Dick wrote and asked for some. This after noon he took Queen & Joe and mowed the big weeds around the water holes that were left in the oat stubble. Old Jonas Green was here to tea to-night. He is thinking of coming back to Dover to work in the greenhouse but as usual doesn't know what to do with the old cow, the horse and the chickens and Sairy. I went down town to-night and got my hair cut. Fine day not hot. Thursday September 9th Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning to help them in the garden for a day. He trimmed the paths and dug some early Rose potatoes, Aunty Alice got five pounds of seed from Bruce's last Spring and to-day they dug seven baskets or two bushels and a third by measure. Frank disked on the back field this morning but it rained more or less all the after noon so he didn't go back after dinner. It was raining hard about four o'clock so I drove down after Tid. Enah had intended going down after him and staying for tea at Aunty's with Dad. but as it was such a wet night she didn't go down and I drove down and got Dad. After tea he and Enah drove down and Enah went to a Horticultural meeting with Aunty Alice. I spent the day doing chores clearing up the lawn and painting at show cards. Friday September 10th Dad. went down to Aunty's again to-day and put in another day in the garden. He weighed up the yield of Early Rose potatoes, the weighed 136 1/2 lbs. Frank worked on the land all day. I took Alfred's cradle back to him this morning and then went over and saw Colin Ryerse's tractor working, from there I went over to Frank Ryerse's to see if they wanted to buy one of the bulls. I came home along by the creek and roved down as far as Flemming's woods with young Philips. This after noon I didn't do any thing much but pick a basket of plums. Ethel Phipps was over here all the after noon. Tom Butler was over here all the evening I painted a show card lesson. Sultry. Saturday September 11th Dad. worked on the back field all day. Frank and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4588980bcc2d47f18fe459db8b69ec61.pdf 6b318eb56ab0895dc8f6fd33f4b22a42 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I went down this morning and got the basic slag Dad. ordered from Harry Misener. Chris Quanbury had found the surveyor's chain and gave it to us so when we got home we started to measure up the farm. We spent the whole after noon at the job and got all the fields this side of the gully measured. Fine day but cool and windy Sunday September 12th My day commenced at two o'clock this morning when I was awakened by a fierce thunder storm raging I got up and looked around to see if any thing was hit by the lightning but couldn't see any thing so went back to bed. There were several thunder claps and flashes then that shook the house and not long after I heard a dog bark and a man whistle. I then got up and saw a big blaze over at Jack Martin's I called Dad. and Frank and we hurried over and found the implement shed just about gone. They had saved one or two pieces of machinery but Billy Mill's two pigs were burned. Luckily the wind kept the sparks away from the straw stack which was only a few yards away or the whole thing would have gone barn & all. Dad. and I. Art Quanbury & Sid Goodwin sat there with Billy till morning to watch it. About six o'clock we came home and I went back to get the cows but Dad. called to me when I got back there that the cows were all in the stable, we shut them in last night to feed them some corn and had forgotten to let them out again. Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and church. Mr. James came over here for dinner and this after noon the Jim Waddle's and Uncle Ward came in. Uncle Ward & Mr. James stayed to tea and Enah drove them down to-night with Mexico. Frank took Queen & the buggy and drove down to the Ward's. Billy Dixon's shed was burned last night too. Monday September 13th Frank and I finished measuring up the back fields this morning and this after noon Frank went up to Will. Wright's to help Alan & Sam with the engine. Dad. worked on the land all day and I went back this after noon and dug out a big stone that Dad. had run into with the plow I loosened it up and it was all Dad. and I could do to get it out of the hole. Mr. James was over again to dinner and Enah drove him down this after noon. I went down to band practice to-night. Mark came over to-night & borrowed the spreader. Tuesday September 14th I drove Tid down to school this morning as he was late getting up when I got home I did a few chores and went out to the garden to dig potatoes. I dug potatoes most of the day and got four bushels and haven't got half of the two outside rows dug yet. I have been https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d407c06acf405be97b4aad1fb26b295a.pdf 7aee5d0a2dc8a8aced3ec3b5e23f0f0c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. digging the two outside rows to see if there is any difference between the fertilized and unfertilized but I can't see a particle, they are all beauties and a lot of them. Dad. worked on the land all day and Frank has been off thrashing with Alan & Sam, he is having a beautiful time as Alan lets him run the engine I went down town to-night with Aunty Alice's milk. Wednesday September 15th It was very foggy this mornng and I didn't go out very early to dig potatoes but got four more bushels dug. I went back at noon and helped Dad. take the harrows back. Dad. worked on the land all day and Frank has been helping Alan & Sam. Fine day. Aunty Alice was over to tea to-night. Thursday September 16th Dad. finished fitting the wheat ground to-day and has it in fine shape. I finished digging the potatoes in the garden at noon and got 11 bushels. This after noon I went over to the Preston's and helped old Walker clean up 18 bushels of seed wheat for ourselves. Enah was down all day judging at the flower show. There was very little there considering the good year it was for every thing. I went down to-night and found the band playing up there so went back to Aunty's and got my horn. Fine & cold wind. Friday September 17th Dad. and Frank have been all day and part of the night putting in the wheat. They had to haul the Basic Slag back first thing this morning, then go over to Preston's and get the wheat, chain the drill to the back of the waggon and haul it around to the gully gate on the side road, take the wheat up and unload it and then go back after the drill so it was about eleven o'clock or after when they started to drill. It took two of them as the Slag is too heavy for one to handle alone and watch the team too. They kept at it till eight o'clock to-night but finished the field. I did a few odd jobs this morning and went back as soon as I had my dinner to watch the cattle out of the field while Dad. went up to get his and then I stayed back there with Frank when he came back till Dad. arrived. When I got up to the house I found two roots of Bleeding Heart that Marj. had sent me so I put them in and then hurried over to tell Arthur Pickford that the boys were going to leave Frank Smith's store at 5:30 to go for a camp fire trip but he had decided not to go. I also cut some corn for the cows and then got ready and went down town. I picked up Gordon Zealand on the way down, he had just come on the five o'clock car from Hamilton. He was the only one of our bunch that showed up and only four of the Methodists. Manning took us down the Lake Shore in his car and we built a big https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/769a36b21eca2dc7eb9777b1a1040023.pdf b647173f593e74b76389a97d9110fb13 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. fire in a ravine on the shore in front of Hurl. Powell's place. He came down and was for putting us out as he was afraid of the fire running up the gully, but we promised to watch it and put it out before we left so he let us stay. The boys visited a corn field on the way down and Manning brought a water melon and I had some sandwiches so we made out a pretty fair meal. Manning gave us a little talk on the stars and we got home about ten o'clock. Fine day fairly hot and windy Saturday September 18th Frank and I had to go over to Ern. Flemming's to thrash to-day and were over there all day, at least Frank was. I came home a little early as I was helping Wilbur Ryerse carry away oats and when the wheat commenced to come Ern could handle it alone so Ern. told me I could come home & get ready for the machine as they moved in here to-night. Dad. was running out land furrows in the back field all day. Ham Thompson was in and borrowed the drill. Fine day Sunday September 19th We all went to church this morning and Frank Tid and I went to Sunday school. Miss {Treneman?} sang a solo. Enah had to play as Mrs. Andrews is away so she stayed down all day. Dad. stayed down to dinner at Auntys, but Frank and I came home. I was home all the after noon but went down to-night with some eggs for Aunty Alice. We were much surprised this after noon when Mr. & Mrs. Millman drove in. They went on down to Aunty's and are staying there for a day or two. Mr. Millman is going to buy apples for his evapourator at Vittoria. Monday September 20th We thrashed all day to-day and got out about 830 bushels 100 of wheat 40 of barley and the rest oats and mixed grain. It wasn't as big a yield as I had looked for but the oats rolled out of the spout about 3 bushels per minute. It was very cloudy cold and drizzly all day and just as we finished began to rain so hard it threw the belt off. We only had five more sheaves to thrash, but they put it on again and we thrashed them. Tuesday September 21st We caught the lambs this morning and trimmed the wool out of their eyes as some of them couldn't see at all. This after noon Dad. and I went back and ran out the cross ditches in the back field. Frank had to go down to Art Ryerse's with Alan & Sam when they took the engine but they didn't thrash any to-day as they wanted to go to the school fair. I started to get ready to go down to that but about four o'clock Bob. Doherty and Webb. came in and stayed for an hour or so. Frank came home while they were here and we sold him all the lambs but four and the three old ewes, 13 cts for the good lambs 9 cts. for culls and 4 cts for the old ewes. Mr. Millman was in for a minute to-night with Aunty Maude & Aunt Ida. Fine day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/328e810bce2c7d1079d1c57dffd399aa.pdf af2b249b59855a5160d3d4f78c1c44fd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday September 22nd Frank has been away with Sam & Alan all day down at Art Ryerse's. Dad. and I took Sam's oats home first thing this morning and when we got back Rus. Lampkins was here to fix the pump so we worked with him till noon. He had to go home at noon to take his wife to Simcoe and he didn't get back till half past three. Dad. and I bagged up a grist and I took it down this after noon and when I got back Dad. & Rus had the pump back in the well. Rus. put in a new valve and sucker and now it works better than it ever did. Lovely day. It has been very dry now for a long time in spite of the fact that the New Moon has been perpendicular now for several months. This moth it was south of the line. {Wee sketch of the moon shape}. Thursday September 23rd Dad. & I spent the fore noon cleaning up around the stack. We put all the loose straw from the south side of the stack on the rack and hauled it in on the barn floor and carried it in from the north side. Then Dad. got up and put a better top on the stack as the wind was too strong the day we thrashed to make a neat job of it. This after noon we went back and cleaned some of the ditches in the wheat field but quit early and to-night I had a meeting with the boys. Hermon & Jonas were the only ones there, we figured on a programme for next month. Fine & hot. Friday September 24th I spent most of the morning doing chores but went back about eleven and cleaned some more ditches in the back field. Dad. took Tid to school and picked some tomatoes for Mrs. Law. This after noon he and I finished cleaning the ditches. Frank was with the thrashers all day. I did a couple of show card lessons to-night and Dad. Enah & Tid drove down with Aunty's milk. Very warm, tried to rain. Saturday September 25th Frank told us that Dougherty called him up yesterday and wanted to ship the lambs this morning so we had to get the waggon unloaded, it had some coal on it and get the sheep in and loaded. We took down about 16 of the best lambs the first load and when we got there found Dougherty wasn't there yet, but we unloaded them and Frank went back for another load. He put them all on but had to take four off at Martin's as they nearly smothered, so by the time they were all down there it was noon and about one when we got home. The lambs the good ones just averaged about 68 lbs apiece and the whole bunch came to about $242.00. This after noon Frank had to go and help Sam and Tid and I dug some paeony roots and took them down to Miss McQueen and Miss Monteith. To-night I went to town and charted Hermon Cook. I found Mark Stephens and his sister here when I got home. Fine day. Very hot. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/401d2521d893048dcc499c78ad7ca85b.pdf 21b7681390b89742c440a8911e4f312e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday September 26th This has been one of the hottest days we have had this year. Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and Dad. and Enah went to church. This was {Harvest?} Home service and they had the church looking very nice. Zeitha sang a solo. Doc. Lemmons & Lou. Dixon were supposed to sing a duet but Bill didn't show up. <s>Aunty came.</s> This after noon I went down to Bronzie as it was the only cool spot I could find. It was lovely down there on the point. I came home early and we did up the chores in good time. Mark and his sister and Winnie were here for tea and we all except Frank and Tid. went down to church to-night. Mr. Ward from St John's preached. After church we all went down to Aunty's and spent the evening Aunty Alice gave Mark a kitten which Miss Stephens took home in a basket and which howled terribly. Monday September 27th I fixed up the old corn house this morning and this after noon Dad. and I started to cut corn and got 28 shocks cut. Frank was away all day with Sam. and Alan. I went to band practice to-night. Tuesday September 28th Dad. and I cut corn all day and are nearly halfway across the field there are just ten rows of shocks in the field. Fine day, sunny with cool wind. Wednesday September 29th We cut corn all day. Jack Highland was past to-night about five o'clock and while Dad. was talking to him he heard a cow bawl so we went back to the gully and found Nancy calving. We gave her a little assistance and now have another red and white bull calf known as Bill Sykes Dad. and I drove down with milk for Aunty to-night and up around by Ham Thompson's as I wanted to see if he was going to Courtland to-morrow. Fine & cold. Thursday September 30th I caught the nine o'clock car this morning and went with Ham Thompson to Simcoe where Manning picked us up and drove us to Courtland. The had the township fair and school fair combined. I didn't do much but help Ham judge the school kid's chickens. We had a very nice time though. The fair didn't ammount to much as there was very little stock there and not much of anything else Dean Taylor and a couple of pals were there having a great time Manning drove Ham and me back. We had supper at his place and he drove us on down to Dover, as he was coming down to a meeting. Cloudy and cold all day. Raining to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4f714c84e8f14d46ef099e5ed49e1aa6.pdf bf3132d3b9f0b5081fae2271065043fa PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday October 1st It has rained steadily all day and has been very raw and cold. Tom. Butler came in on his way down town and he and Frank went over to look at the stuff Flemming has for sale and then he came back here and had dinner. I didn't do any thing much but a few chores. Frank went home with Tom this after noon and stayed there for tea and all night so that he could put a fire on in the engine in the morning to finish thrashing at Art Quanbury's. Miserable day but good for the wheat. Saturday October 2nd Dad. and Frank went over and finished thrashng at Art Quanbury's this morning. Dad. got home before dinner and Frank went on to Charlie Munroe's with the machine. I took Aunty's milk down this morning and on my way back stopped in at the Zealand's He showed me various things about the place and told me I could have the house any time I wanted it, so I told him that would be in about three weeks I hoped. Dad. and I dug a couple of rows of potatoes this after noon. I went down to meet the Tuxis boys to-night but Jonas was the only one out. Sunday October 3rd Frank, Tid and I went down to Sunday school and church and Enah came down to church. Aunty came back over here to dinner. It rained this morning a little and has been cloudy and cool all day. Tuesday October 12th I have some way got far behind in writing this and can't remember precisely what happened from day to day so will have to make a summary of last weeks events. I think we finished cutting the field corn Tuesday the fifth working at it Monday after noon & Tuesday. We cut the fodder corn Wednesday after noon and Thursday morning. There will be quite a lot of feed on it considering how late it was put in. We spent the rest of the time up till Wednesday noon digging potatoes. We just finished that job yesterday after noon and got nearly fifty bushels out of the patch in the field. We have them piled out in the field. Thursday after noon Dad. had to go to be bearer ar Mrs. Tommy Jackson's funeral and I went over to Ern. Flemming's sale. Friday Dad. and I were over at Tom & Mark's all day thrashing and finished up there Saturday fore noon, from there I went with Art Quanbury down to {Ausen?} Abbot's to look at an old house which Art wants to buy to tear down and use the stuff to build his new one. Dad. went over to John Wess's for a visit and stayed there to dinner. Frank thrashed with Sam Monday morning and then they quit till after Simcoe fair but Frank https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6e2fae0824ab8890256a34981316fcb4.pdf fbd1dae80534b9954d4ad221b9b8f4b2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. stayed with Sam till Tuesday night helping him shock up his corn. He went to the fair on Wednesday and has been sick ever since, he is just beginning to get around now. I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner on Sunday and Sunday afternoon Aunty Alice came over here with me and stayed to tea. Aunty went to Scotland this morning with Dick Tibbits to see Uncle Robuck. They had to come back on the L.E.&N. as Dick's car played out. The Bawlby's came down in the after noon and took Aunt Ida up with them for tea. Jack Martin was over here after tea to ask Dad. to go with him on Tuesday to a political meeting near Aylmer. Yesterday Frank took Joe down to be shod and brought Aunt Ida back with him to spend the day. It began to rain this after noon and we had quite a heavy thunder storm but it stopped before night. Dad. drove Aunt Ida home after tea. To-day I went over to the Zealand's to help him put on the storm window but he thought it was too warm yet, so I helped them make some cider Enah went over to get the curtains and wash them but as Mr. Zealand was away when she got there she didn't take them. Dad. went with Jack Martin to Straffordville and heard Mr. Meighen, but said they had a very tiresome day as they had to wait so long. I got some flower roots over at Mrs. Battersby's this after noon. Frank felt better and picked the King's. To-night I went down town to get my hair cut but couldn't get into any of the barber shops so went down to see Aunty Maude. It has been a very nice day. Wednesday October 13th Dad. and I walked back to the gully this morning to get a long pole that was back there for firewood and while we were back took a walk over to look at the wheat which is coming nicely since the rain and as we saw Cam McBride back plowing pea stubble went over and talked to him for awhile. Frank drove Tid. down to school. It was pretty late when we got back but Dad. castrated the four calves before dinner. The big roan bled quite a lot and to-night Dad. went to look at him but thought it had stopped pretty well, however he started up again during the night and bled to death. This after noon I went down town and got my hair cut and made the final preparations or purchases as to-morrow Aunty Alice and I leave D.O. for Haliburton where on Saturday Marj. and I are to be married. Wednesday November 8th There must of necessity be a considerable gap left in these records caused by the event predicted in the last entry. I was away in Haliburton https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/336bfdfc1e06165942f1859484f2b26f.pdf 10560991aa4079f70b3ee9bc67e9e286 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and Bobcayceon for nearly two weeks and since coming back with Marj. have been so unsettled and having so much {illegible} getting our new nest feathered that I havent been able to get into my old habit of writing in my diary. There is not much use trying to record the events of the past few weeks as I don't know what has happened, all I know is that Marj. and I are married and have had a most happy time and that we are the luckiest pair alive as we are in our own house by ourselves for the winter and with the many things Marj. has had given to her and the things by the Zealand's which we may use, we seem to have every thing we want, we don't even have to pay rent for the place, which is very fortunate as being as poor as ever as far as cold cash is concerned. Mr. Zealand is still here during the day packing up fruit and making cider but he stays at night with Mr. Johnson and has his men at the Quanburys. He went to Hamilton last weekend and spent Saturday after noon giving away the fruit he had sent down. Besides the many things Marj. has had given to her privately we have had several more or less public donations. The second night we were back in Dover The band came over to the farm 17 strong with an extra to carry Karl's big drum, Karl himself being burdened with a dandy big leather rocking chair to present to us. We had a fine musical evening On Thursday November 4th we were invited to a meeting of the County J.F.I.A. at Mr. Neff's in Simcoe where we were presented with a beautiful table-cloth. Marj. says it is one of the finest she ever saw and that the like can't be bought new, this <s>one</s> being made before the war. The next night we were invited to the Sunday school where they had "kitchen shower" for Marj. and stocked her up with a fine lot of aluminum and pirex ware and rumors have reached us that the object of a combined visit of teachers on Tuesday night November 16th is to present Marj. with some forks. This is Monday the 15th and I have not had time to make an entry in this for about a week. This house keeping is very unsettling but it is a lot of fun. I am waiting now for Marj. to get dinner. I have just got of 12 bbl {barrels} of apples to Mr. Clarke which I spent considerable time last week and the week before getting ready for him. Frank and I got in the mangels and Dad. has got some plowing done. Our turnips are out yet and as we had a very cold snap (about 12° of frost) they are https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/091cc74b776e83aa8b9b4160ad7e3af5.pdf 4bcb89723099f37ddc42802400f2f42e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. frozen stiff but it is beautiful again today so will be all right I think. We got in one load of corn stalks on Saturday and they are in good shape and there is some fine corn in them. I went up to a meeting of mentors which Manning called in Simcoe to-night and left Marj. here alone to go to bed early as she has a bad cold. Tuesday November 16th https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8028a21966695bb24d39e2c69e8ca2b3.pdf 5a13e1d3dc5189967e3788e3787dca50 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/045021f43aae5e83f38be6a2748b4f54.pdf c2ef03e540d04b9f45093ab77db368b3 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5c42ca8a59321784bf8e11359342481a.pdf 50d11f7585d3fc24618875a3833789d0 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f038c6c71b0e141f9dcbba932d0ac518.pdf 69ffaeeeaa68b988984c32f4d1cad3a9 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/be9ab256db096a27fa2afec749a46e94.pdf 21815730042fa55d20407638ae7c8dcb PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b62caf6aeca5133841f0d1c4bc0cfe27.pdf cf4a07e70ff3059846ceab4d8f421ee3 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/79d52a7478fb5ed87a2367e00b1a3bb2.pdf 89c87960b635a29b25beafff1afa851f PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e541190a3d37e3ce5eeba18e88a4e93d.pdf 0892fc6138855870b356e130d336066a PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2d224b02bfe70ad04935fb198f2b6465.pdf 98aa8201ebfeb6c77290528e05a9d5f7 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cb31acc3400525c18f469bae7430e0d9.pdf 5dab68549ce640a036888971321a9604 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday December 24th I spent the day doing chores and husking corn. Dad. went down town this morning and took a ham down for tomorrow's dinner and fixed up the big turkey that Huby provided for the feast. Frank took a pie over to Tom Butler and got a Christmas tree over there which he and Dave McBride took down this afternoon Marj. has been tearing around all day cleaning up the house and making preparations for Christmas Miss McQueen & her mother and Miss McNelly were over to-night just before her and brought us a mince pie. To-night Marj. and I went down and played Santa Claus we called at the Bugleys's the Monteith's and the McQueen's where Marj. delivered home made Candy for Christmas - and we did some shopping and called at Aunty's for awhile. Christmas Day. I went over rather late this morning and did a few chores and then we all went down to church. Marj. and I came home and had a picnic brunch and spent a very happy after noon celebrating our first Christmas in our own home and picking up things to put on the tree. I went over and helped do chores and at six we all congregated at Auntys for Christmas dinner. Mr. Johnson brought Aunty Maude down in his car and she lay on the sofa and said she had a good time. Cousin Clare & Phoebe came down after dinner while we unloade the trio Marj. and I fared scrumptiously at the Christmas tree and we all had a lovely time Marj. gave me her present last night which was a pair of house shoes Beautiful day, cold & snowing to-night. Sunday December 26th Marj. and I were very late getting down to Sunday school this morning for we slept in. We went to church and came home for dinner. Aunty Maude & Huby were staying at Aunty's. We chored around all the after noon and I lit a fire in the grate. Glad Law came over for tea. I went over and helped do chores as Frank went down to the Ward's. We had a nice evening with Glad around our fireside and Marj. and I both walked home with her. The walking was fierce as it has snowed hard all this after noon. Very mild. Monday December 27th I arose and shovelled considerable snow before breakfast this morning It had snowed a lot during the night and was very mild. The trees were all laden with heavy snow and this place in the grey light of early morning looked https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/697ef412ea0a5b47f7471f36711f9760.pdf 689fd271784aab55695a3f54f09626d0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. as much like Fairy land as any poet ever dreamed, but it didn't last long as it thawed enough for the snow to drop from the branches. Dad drove down town in the cutter this morning and shovelled Aunty's snow for them, he said the sleighing would have been good if there had not been some wheels out which spoiled it. He and Frank got the bob-sleighs out this after noon but didn't hook up to them I did chores all day and wrapped tar paper around the rest of my little apple trees and laid down the Dorothy Perkins rose bush and covered it up. Marj. and I had a lovely evening at home to-night, she darning my socks and I reading to her from Jeffrey Farnol's "My Lady Caprice". She got a parcel from home to-day containing a pair of towells for her and two pair of Miss Bain knit socks for me and two soft collars from Dorrie. Dorrie sent her a cup and saucer a few days ago and with it a little bell from Miss {name?} Tuesday December 28th Frank and I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/62dbeb4734eb84fd8226af6714c02b56.pdf bbd2425c7d66d5dbb78e48fc60974c84 PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/feb8f9d06ade088893f11f05d6522748.pdf a6a9d5b2009cf220f05b8cdadacf2b9c PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/92d41cd5f38cf140b74352d10ef28c75.pdf 3f5550b420d58304b80fba1959da2c2f PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/663d89f4eea9009b5721bb7a385f356a.pdf ac6fa3f25f317b5def61a2f8661911bd PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8571911d9f601556e431acee8cab5572.pdf bdf2eb9f0e9e74cb2c0b4a29aea245de PDF Text Text � https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/801e99f851e5484850952d19d4d4f73b.pdf 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1911 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1913 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1914 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925-1926 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1926-1927 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 1, 1920 to April 15, 1921 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 1, 1920 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress In Progress Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>DIARY. 1920-21. </p><p>T.B.Barrett, </p><p>Port Dover, Ontario. </p><p>Cnocfierna. </p><p>From January 1st 1920 to April 15th 1921 </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>{Left page blank} </p><p>Thursday January 1st 1920 </p><p>The New Year found me leaning over the balcony in the gallery of the town hall with Bub. and Dess watching the noisy crowd of dancers below us with a certain ammount of amusement but with no desire to join them. My feet were too sore with chilblains to dance anyway, but Bub's society was just as congenial if not more so than any one else's there, in fact there were very few of my freinds there and the great majority I didn't even know, and judging from appearances am not at all particular about making their acquaintance. We soon became tired of our show and went home early. It is a long time since I have had a visit with Bub and our conversation had been mainly reminisent of our high school days of ten years ago. It sounds a long time but looks only a matter of a few months when the happenings of the interval are not considered. Certainly, though, those happening's have meant a great deal to the poor old world and I wonder what effect they will have on the history of the decade we are now beginning. Although the war has been over now for more than a year, the spirit of strife is still rampant in all countries and manifests itself in the strikes, riots and general restlessness <s>with</s> which all people have been suffering from. Up till now conditions don't show much sign of improvement but it must come to an end eventually, and I suppose, when the old world does get<s>ting</s> running smoothly again. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>it will be a better place for all classes to live. New Year's day has been cold and blustery and we haven't done any thing but the necessary chores and sit around the fire and read. To-night we all went down to Aunty's for tea and spent the evening. All from Huby's were there as well as Cousin Clare &amp; Phoebe. We spent the evening with music and playing Guessing games which we always have a lot of fun at. </p><p>Friday January 2nd </p><p>It has been bitterly cold to-day, below zero with a strong west wind and we have done nothing but a few chores keep the fires going and read. To-night Enah Frank and I went down to a party at Ada's and had a very nice time. We played cards most of the evening. Most of the party were playing bridge but, Winnie Lila, Frank a Mr. Moore who is a freind of Zeitha's and a cousin of Mrs. Freeman's, and I played rummy and seven-up, and the phonograph, then Zeitha and later Quint joined us and we danced. Frank &amp; Lila lit out for the Rebecca's dance in the hall about twelve o'clock. I stayed at Ada's and came home with Enah and Mrs. Jack Martin about one o'clock. </p><p>Saturday, January 3rd </p><p>We were very late having breakfast this morning and before we got at it Phil Shaver came after Dad. to go and dose one of his horses, so Dad. was over there till noon. I chored around most of the morning and Frank slept most of the day as he didn't get home from his dance till about four o'clock this morning. Dad. and I did up the chores early (and we have quit milking at night) and we both went down to Aunty's for tea. Quint was there and so were the Miss Hardings so Aunty had quite a birthday party. I left right after tea and went down to meet the seven o'clock car, as Marj. came in on it, so I spent the rest of the evening with her, she had a nice holiday at home <s>Su</s> </p><p>Sunday, January 4th </p><p>Frank Tid and I went down to sunday school and church this morning. I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. This afternoon Marj. and I went over to see Miss McQueen and then went down to Aunty's where we stayed to tea. Aunty Alice Marj. and I went to church to-night. I got home about twelve o'clock and found Frank was not in yet. He was down at the Ward's and got home soon after I did. It has been very cold all day, but very little wind. </p><p>Monday, January 5th </p><p>Frank and I went down right after breakfast to get our long looked for stove. It was ordered from Eaton's on the 15th of November and just arrived on Saturday. We also got Marj's suitcase which she checked by Grand Trunk and took it up for her, and as we had to get some things up town it was after eleven when we got home, but we went down to the mill for some bran &amp; chicken feed before dinner. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>We spent most of the after noon putting the new stove up and had a great fire until to-night. Bob. Dougherty was in just before two with some fellow called Slack to tell us he wanted the lambs on Saturday. He would have stayed to tea but Slack wouldn't wait for him and he was driving the car. Frank and I went down town to-night. Frank went to the dance and I went with the band to serenade the new council. Taylor beat poor old Walker badly so we went up to his place first and took him as well as all the rest of them by surprise. We went from there to John Harvey's where we got treated with wine and Lou's wedding cake. Then we went over to Perce Ryerse's but his wife informed us that he had gone down after some medicine for the baby. We played anyway and I don't know whether we killed the baby or not. Mr. Quinn's was our next stop and then we set out for Capt. P.C. Robinson's. We went to the house but Pauline said he had gone to lodge, so we started over there to "get his goat" but some body saw him headed down Main St. and at last "tried" him in his office at the Fish Shanty, so we gave him a couple of selections and then we dispersed. They all promised to give us all the financial assistance that was necessary next year and three of them gave us enough to buy some cigars with. Mid shoved the cash down and I don't know what became of it. Altogether we had a very nice time, but had to go in everywhere to thaw our horns out as it was a very frosty night &amp; bright. </p><p>Tuesday, January 6th </p><p>Our windmill which has been the source of great tribulation to us all winter owing to its very unsatisfactory work refused to pump at all this morning, so Frank went down and got Felix to come over and he has been over all day. I should have said the pump was wrong instead of the windmill. We took the whole thing up and found that the bottom of the cylinder was a little loose which we supposed let air in and and caused the water to shoot out of the top of the pump the way it has been doing. The valves were also worn out so Felix put in new ones. We didn't finish till about five o'clock and then the wind had died down so that we couldn't get any water to-night and the cattle had to go without a drink all day. It was really not very cold to-day but felt raw especially working at the pump. It is a miserable job at any time but especially so at this time of year. Old Felix keeps at it though and he just celebrated his eightieth birthday on Saturday. To-night Enah and Tid went down to the Sunday school Christmas tree. I went down later but didn't go to the tree. I met Marj. after it was over and spent the evening with her. </p><p>Wednesday, January 7th </p><p>We put the doors on the barn this morning which blew off the night of the big wind. There were three off, the two in the peak and one little one down on the shed. This afternoon </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Dad. trimmed Mexico's feet which were in very bad shape. I didn't do much but chores. Old Felix &amp; Harvey Perkins were over this after noon to sell Frank some shares in Peace River Oil Wells. Harvey is selling them &amp; old Felix thinks he is going to be a millionaire as soon as they get the well finished they are boring at now. Frank took fifty shares, I think. I went down to Aunty's to tea to-night and went up at seven o'clock with the band to play at the Simcoe rink for two hockey matches. There were two car loads went up from here so the Dover {illegible}played. The band &amp; the hundred or so routers must have had a good effect on the Dover boys as they trimmed Simcoe 7-2, and it was a good fast game too. The first match was between the "War Vetrans" and the "Wanderers". The Vets won that with a score of 6-3 I think. Then our boys played the "Canners" and it was a much better game. Harvey Lany played very well and shot several goals. Jack McDonald is very good too and a clean player. Old {Name} was playing back and not many got past him, he works hard and dodges around like a swallow. Young Bill Miller was rather rough and was on the fence about half the time. {Name} McDonald tended goal and once got a little excited and went into the corner after the puck and they shot a goal while he was out. We had a fine time and the band got invited up again on Friday night to play at an O.H.A. game between Ingersol &amp; Woodstock. Mild &amp; inclined to rain or mist to-day. </p><p>Thursday January 8th </p><p>I spent the morning to-day doing chores and Dad. threw in some more sawdust on the ice. Frank went down to the dentist's but I don't think got any thing done and has to go back to-morrow. This after noon we cleaned out the box stall in the horse stable and took out two big loads and spread them on the root ground. Frank went back this after noon and sowed 100 lbs of his basic slag on the gully hills to see what effect it has on pasture. I went down town to-night. Mild this morning but colder &amp; windy to-night. </p><p>Friday January 9th </p><p>It has been very stormy (wind and snow) but not very cold all day but cleared off and quieted down to-night. We got all the outside stock except the two colts in the barn this morning. Billy &amp; Dave can run in the shed. Frank had to go down to the dentist's this morning and was down till after dinner. Dad. went over to Quanbury's to get some more instructions about his dry salted bacon and I just did chores worked at my show-card lessons which I find very interesting and dozed all day. We did things up early to-night and I went down to Aunty's for tea. It had stopped snowing when I got there so I shovelled their snow for them. Marj. was there too and she &amp; Aunty went up to their Bible Class after tea. I went to Simcoe with the band and we had a very good time. It was an O.H.A game between </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Simcoe and Woodstock, and the score was 8-5 in favor of Simcoe. The Woodstock boys put up a very good game and the score was 3-3 at the beginning of the last period when Simcoe got very energetic and Woodstocks best man who was playing back didn't seem to do as well and they lost 5 goals and only made 2. They have picked out three Dover men as spares on the Simcoe team and put Harvey Lany on to-night but whether from nervousness or not he didn't put up any thing like the game he did the other night so they soon took him off and didn't try {Name} or Joe. </p><p>Saturday January 10th </p><p>We were up early this morning and spent the whole fore-noon getting Dougherty's lambs off. We got the sleighs out and Frank started down to Pickford's after our stock rack but met him coming back with it. We then weighed the lambs up by pairs on our own scales and when we weighed them down at the car they came to exactly the same and Dougherty gave us 15 cts for the ewe lambs. We had to go to the planing mill and get him some shavings to bed the car with and had to go up town for some coal oil and then we got some shavings to bring home with us to put on the ice so it was about noon when we got here, our lambs came to about $177.00. We haven't done much all the after noon but chores. Frank went down town to-night and I worked at my show card work. Snowed more this morning, not cold. </p><p>Sunday January 11th </p><p>Dad. drove Tid, Frank and me down to Sunday school this morning and then came down after church and drove Aunty Marj. and Tid over here for dinner. Frank and I walked home. Frank walked out to Sidway's this after noon but I stayed home. Dad. drove Aunty home about four o'clock while I fed the cows. Marj. stayed to tea and I drove her home this evening. The cutter slides along but the road is bare in spots. W.F. Cockshutt M.P. gave an address on the Forward Movement in church this morning which was very good. </p><p>Monday January 12th </p><p>Frank left for Guelph to-day. He expects to be up there about a month taking short courses in Hock &amp; Seed Judging and Tractors &amp; machinery. He spent most of the morning getting packed up and I drove him down in the bob-sleigh to Aunty's where he stayed to dinner intending to leave on the one o'clock car, but it was so late that they cancelled it, and he and young Downs who is going to Guelph too, left on the three o'clock car, but he thought he could get over to Guelph from Galt some time to-night. Dad. and I hauled out manure to day from the Bull's pens. We got out three loads but didn't quite finish the pens. I went over to John Wess's this afternoon. Mrs McBride is very low. I saw Cam. and spoke to him about the place and he promised that if it was to be sold he would see that I got a chance at it. I went down town to-night. Milder </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Tuesday January 13th </p><p>It has been very stormy most of to-day and we didn't do anything outside but chores. I spent most of the forenoon getting my incubator ready to start and it has been heating up all day. I worked at my show card work for quite awhile this after noon. I went down to-night to a meeting in the Rectory to organize a canvassing campaign for the Forward Movement, but as Mr. Freeman was the only other one there we couldn't do much. Marj. had been there to tea so I went home with her. It has not been very cold but very blustery. </p><p>Wednesday January 14th </p><p>Dad. and I had to shovel out the lane this morning as yesterday's storm drifted it full. It was after eleven when we got finished and then I started out with Joe &amp; Queen on the bob-sleighs to get Aunty Alice as we expected her over to dinner but I met her just outside the lane. This after noon Dad. drove Enah &amp; Aunty Alice over to Mrs. McLaughlin's to play bridge and I did up the chores. I had a card from Mid. at noon saying the band was going to play at Simcoe to-night so I went down to Aunty's for tea. The cars were running an hour late so that it was after eight when we got to Simcoe. The Dover team played the Vetrans and they both put up a very good game. Dover winning score 4-3. We didn't leave Simcoe till 12 o'clock and the car was crowded as a great many had come up at five o'clock. Blustery day. </p><p>Thursday January 15th </p><p>It has been cold and stormy all day so we just did chores this morning. Dad. has been reading "Courtin' Christina" and "Wee McGreggor Enlists" and finished them to-day they are certainly very good. This after noon Dad. drove Enah &amp; Tid down to the Pickford's and the Ryerse's to distribute some Forward Movement literature. I went down to a meeting in the Sunday school to-night Mr. Manning was there and a few boys but they didn't do much. I then went over to see Marj. for awhile and stayed all night at Aunty's in order to help Aunty Alice get started for Toronto in the morning as she is going down for a few days </p><p>Friday January 16th </p><p>Aunty Alice got off on the 7.20 G.T.R. this morning and I went to the station with her and then came home. We did up the chores and then Dad. and I went down and cut down a tree at Preston's. This after noon I took some oats to the mill and left them for chop and took Enah and Tid down to go to "Mickey" at the picture show. I then came home and did up a few chores and went down to Aunty's for tea and Marj. and I went to see "Mickey" to-night. after which we went into Miss McQueen's for a cup of tea. It was very stormy all after noon and evening but the picture show was packed for all three shows. People have certainly gone crazy over "Mickey". What there is in it, I don't know. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Saturday January 17th </p><p>Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning to shovel their snow but John Shand had it done when he got down. I did chores and painted a little. Com &amp; Billy McBride were in at noon to say that Mrs. John Wess died yesterday and to ask Dad. to be a bearer. This after noon I drove Enah down town and she got some flowers and we came home by the mill where I got the grist and some rolled oats. It has been sunny but very blustery &amp; cold all day </p><p>Sunday January 18th </p><p>It was very cold and windy this morning and we were late getting through chores and I didn't get up very early. I was too late for Sunday school but went down to church. I was a little early and was sitting in the church when I heard the fire bell ring so ran out and saw them getting the engines out of the old jail. I followed the crowd up to L.G. Morgan's house where the smoke was pouring out all the windows. After considerable confusion in trying to find the fire they got the engines going at the north side of the house. I went inside but the smoke was almost suffocating. I ran across Harry Moon in there who told me that Mr. Morgan was dead and in the middle of a knot of men I saw his body His clothes were burned off down to his waist. His back was badly burned and his head all charred. It was a horrible sight but I don't believe he could have suffered very long. The fire was caused by him knocking over a coal oil stove in his room, an of course in the shape he was in he couldn't get out. He called Miss Morgan but she couldn't do any thing for the smoke. Val. Leaney saw the fire from his place and was there at once but L.G. was too far gone to be saved. Miss Newell is in a semi consious condition but very low having been badly suffocated. They managed to get the fire out without it spreading beyond the one room and every thing in it was burned. I went back to the church expecting to meet Aunty but the door was locked and I found they hadn't held service. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and spent the after noon up at the Monteiths. I came home about five and helped do chores and then went down again &amp; spent the evening with Marj. Very cold but not stormy to-night. Dad. went over to John Wess's this morning with the flowers. </p><p>Monday January 19th </p><p>Dad. and I spent the morning doing chores and shovelling out the lane which was drifted full. Just before dinner Dad. took Tid down to Aunty's where he stayed for the after noon while Dad. Enah and I went to Mrs. McBride's funeral. Dad. was one of the bearers and I drove him up to the cemetry. We let Enah out at the head of Main St. and got Tid &amp; her on our way home. My feet got very cold so I walked home from town. Dess. was over. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>just before tea on her snowshoes, with a message for Dad. asking him to be bearer at Mr. Morgan's funeral to-morrow. There was another funeral to-day from down east some place. The two hearses went into the cemetry about the same time. I stayed home to-night and worked at my show card practice. </p><p>Tuesday January 20th </p><p>We did the chores up pretty well this morning and right after dinner Dad. Enah &amp; Tid. drove down town. They put Queen in at Hec's. and left Tid with Aunty and Dad. went to Mr. Morgan's funeral. It was private so Enah didn't go. He was buried up at St. John's. I walked down town after dinner and went to the bank to deposit some money as I promised Boyd. I would send him a cheque when the brooder came. I then went to the station but it hasn't come yet. I was in the Custom House for awhile talking to Huby. He was giving me a long dissertation on the tribulations of his office owing to the constant revision of the ever-changing tariff, when a very seedy looking chap came in and rather sheepishly asked what was the duty on any thing imported from the States. Huby told him it made a great deal of difference what he was importing and when he aparently unwillingly confessed that it was an automobile Huby started in &amp; told him first 30% then 7 1/2% then 10% of the duty paid value. The fellow looked rather dazed and reasoned that "they sure go for a feller". Huby figured it up to be well over $500.00 on $1000.00 so at last the fellow left after asking very particularly whether the Government got all that money or the fellow he bought his car from. He left rather crestfallen and I think was undecided whether to buy a car in Canada or not at all or wait till the War Debt was paid off or appeal to the A.F.O. of which organization I have no doubt he was a member. I got home before five and Dad. soon after me. Enah &amp; Tid stayed down to tea. Dad. and I did chores and had a bite to eat &amp; then walked down to see the Girl Guides concert which they put on for the relief of the Armenians. It was "Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party." Harry Moon coached them and they did very well. Ed. Gray &amp; Hazel Ward. did especially well. The concert was over by half past nine and I spent the rest of the evening with Marj. Dad and Enah &amp; Tid got a ride home with Pickford in his bob-sleigh. A very little milder with a sleet storm this after noon. </p><p>Wednesday January 21st </p><p>We were late getting out this morning and spent most of the morning doing chores I went down to the mill about noon to see if I could get some corn chop &amp; bran but they haven't had enough water to run either chopper or mill so had nothing. I spent the whole after noon practising at my show card lessons and worked all evening at it too. Dad. went down to Aunty's for tea and spent the evening down there. Dover was to play the "Wanderers" in Simcoe to-night but as I didn't get any notice of the band going up I decided not to go as I wanted to work although I would have liked to have seen the game. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Thursday January 22nd </p><p>Dad. Enah and Tid. drove down this morning to see if they wanted Enah to sit up with Miss Newell to-night but they asked her to stay this after noon so Dad. left her at the Johnston's and Tid at Aunty's and came home. This after noon he and I read the mail for quite awhile and then went over to John Wess's to see how he felt. He looks pretty tough. Dad. and I did the chores and then drove down to Aunty's where we all had tea and Dad. drove Enah and Tid home right after. Aunty heard from Aunty Alice to-day saying she was coming home to-night so I went to the station and met her. Huby was there too. I went up to see Marj. for a little while first, her throat has been very sore and she has not been at school all the after noon. Dover got trimmed last night by the "Wanderer's" 6-5. They say that the Dover boys got sore because Simcoe put on a professional and played a dirty game. </p><p>Friday January 23rd </p><p>Dad. and I drove down town this morning and got my stove brooder which came in by freight yesterday. We stopped for a minute at Aunty's to see Aunty Alice. We overtook Miss Phipps on her way down and took her down to the Johnston's to see Miss Newell. This after noon it became very stormy with an east wind. Dad. and I got hay enough over for night and then I did my show card lesson so that I could post it to-night. Dad. &amp; Enah drove down town to bring Miss Phipps home as it had become so stormy, but they couldn't find her. Dad. did up the chores and I went down town before dark &amp; had tea at Aunty's. I went up to see Marj. to-night, her throat was better. I stayed at Aunty's all night as the walking was a fright, drifts up to my knees but not very cold. </p><p>Saturday January 24th </p><p>I didn't get up very early this morning and after I breakfast I shovelled the snow and then went up town to inquire after Miss Newell, she is just about the same as nearly as I could make out from Mrs. Johnson. I also went up to Hugh McQueen's to get him to make me a chimbney for my brooder. It was after tea when I got home and didn't do much but shovell the snow out of the chicken houses before dinner. This after noon we sat around and read the mail for an hour or so and then Dad. and I got over enough hay to last us over Sunday and shovelled out the lane. Not quite so windy to-day but pretty cold. </p><p>Sunday January 25th </p><p>I walked down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. drove Enah down to church and then went home and drove back after her. We had a short service this morning as the church was cold and Mr. Johnston didn't preach a sermon but although the church wasn't much warmer to-night I thought he would never stop preaching about the Forward Movement and other </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>money they wanted to raise. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and spent the after noon and evening with Marj. who is feeling much better. I came home to tea and walked down again in time for church. Alan Law gave me a ride out to the side road corner. 20° below last night. </p><p>Monday January 26th </p><p>I tested my eggs out this morning. It was too cold down cellar so I darkened the dining room and brought them up. I only got 28 fertile ones out of 155. I guess they must have been chilled. I unpacked my brooder but can't put it to-gether till I get my stove pipe from Hugh. I also put on a couple of panes of glass and puttyed up several others in a sash I want to use for my brooder house. Late this after noon Dad. and I &amp; Tid. drove down town and got some coal oil. Dad. has had heartburn badly all day and has had to carry a lot of water to the stock as there was not wind enough to pump. It has been very mild barely freezing in the shade. To night I went down to the Sunday school where Mr. Manning and the officers of the Methodist "Square" put our boys through the first {legue?} of the initiation ceremony for Tuxis boys I then went over to Epworth League with Manning for awhile. </p><p>Tuesday January 27th </p><p>I spent most of the morning fitting the windows in the colony house besides doing a few odd jobs. This after noon Dad. Tid. and I drove down to Pickford's to invite them over here to-night to spend the evening. We then drove out to the Shands to inquire after Flossie who has had pleurisy. She is still in bed but a little better. To-night the whole Pickford family came over. Tom Butler was in Simcoe when they left but they put a note out for him telling him to follow them so he came down later. We had quite a time doing various tricks, had a little music and Tid. put on a magic lantern show. Much milder to-day, colder to-night. </p><p>Wednesday January 28th </p><p>Dad. went down to the Pickford's this morning to see if he could get Jackie to come up and have a look at the ram we want to kill. He is very thin but Pickford says they are deceiving and don't need to be very fat. He and Tom had gone down to get some stuff Tom bought at Porter's sale in Walpole, but Mrs. Pickford said she would send him up after dinner. He and Tom both came up and killed and dressed the sheep, but he was very thin. I don't know why he didn't get fatter as he has been getting grain but has been running out. I did a show card lesson this morning and this after noon drove Enah down town to go to the bridge-gang meet. I saw Quint down there and took him for a little spin around town. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Jim Waddle were in and invited us all out there for dinner Friday night. I went down town to-night. Very frosty. </p><p>Thursday January 28th </p><p>Bob. Dougherty came in here last night and stayed all night with us and most of the morning. He was highly entertaining </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>but we didn't get much done while he was here. When he left John Quanbury came over to get Dad. to go and see his cow which is pretty sick. Dad. cut up the mutton before dinner. This after noon Dad. Enah &amp; Tid drove down town and took Huby a piece of mutton as this was his birthday. I did another show card lesson and went down to Aunty's for tea. Huby &amp; Aunty Maude were there. Winnie came over here for tea with Dad. &amp; Enah. To-night Marj. &amp; I went up to Miss. Martin's and I got my hair cut on my way home. Mild. </p><p>Friday January 30th </p><p>Dad. and I went down this morning and got a load of coal as there was a new car in and the coal looked and has proved to be of much better quality than any we have got so far. On our way home we met Jim. Waddle on his way over to tell us not to come out to-night as Mrs. Waddle was sick but to come Sunday night. This after noon we sat around and read quite awhile and then Dad. and Enah &amp; Tid. drove down town to post a letter and I went over to Jack Martin's to ask them about buying baby chicks for broilers. I got a price list from a fellow in Toronto and the cheapest were $30.00 per 100 which Jack thought was pretty high for broiler chicks, but Chris offered to let me raise all of his Leghorns and to pay me broiler prices for them when they are ready to go so I think I will take his offer. He told me that band was going to Simcoe to-night to play at the rink so I went down to Aunty's for tea. Only a few of the band boys went up and it was very cold up in the rink, but it was a good game. Simcoe beat Paris 5-2 O.H.A. </p><p>Saturday January 31st </p><p>It was 20 below zero this morning and a strong east wind blowing which made it almost unbearable to be out. We just fed up the stock and haven't done a thing else all day but sit around the stove and read. We were greatly surprized to have Aunty Alice come over for dinner. She said yesterday she would come over if it was a nice day but we never expected her when it was so cold. She walked back this after noon as she wanted to stop it at Mrs. Battersby's for awhile. I went down town to-night to see how Marj's throat was, but she wasn't home so I suppose it must be better. The wind died down a little to-night but it is still very cold. I took a walk down to Pete Holmes' rink where they were staging a hockey match between Penman's &amp; Knox Church but there were very few spectators and I thought it was too cold to watch them so I went down to Aunty's for awhile and then home. </p><p>Sunday February 1st </p><p>It was still cold this morning but has been a beautiful day and getting milder all day. I went down to Sunday school and church and stayed to dinner at Aunty's. Marj. and I went up to Miss Martin's for a little while this after noon and then I came home early. I stopped in at Newman Silverthorne's for awhile to pay Mr. Clarke's lodge dues. Marj. started over with them on Saturday but the weather stopped her when she got as far as Miss. McQueen's. Dad. Enah &amp; Tid drove out to Jim Waddle's for dinner to-night and I went down to Aunty's for tea and </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>went to church with Aunty to-night then spent the evening with Marj. </p><p>Monday February 2nd </p><p>The old bear could have seen his shadow all day to-day if he came out of his log, he would also have got his feet wet as it has been a beautiful sunny, warm, spring-like day and thawing in the shade. I took a walk over to John Wess's this morning. Cam. was there and told me that he was coming back here to live as his father couldn't bear the thought of going to live in the city nor of selling the furniture and household effects that Mrs. McBride had bought when the first started. This after noon I went down to the mill and got some rolled oats and Dad. &amp; Tid. went down to Preston's orchard for awhile.They found old Henry Misener in there cutting too so Arthur has evidently thought we weren't going to get all the trees cut but he didn't say anything about it. Enah took Mexico &amp; the cutter and drove Mrs. Skey up to Miss. McCoy's this afternoon. Dad. took the pork out of the pickle to-day. This evening I went down as I thought the Tuxis boys were going to meet but they didn't as there was some arrangement about them going to Simcoe to play hockey. </p><p>Tuesday February 3rd </p><p>Dad. &amp; I went down to Preston's this morning and got another tree down and partly brushed up. This after noon Dad. went down and finished trimming the tree and I drove down town in the cutter and got the chimney for my brooder that Hugh McQueen has been making for me. I did up the chores after I got home. I worked at my show card work to-night. Cloudy and colder </p><p>Wednesday February 4th </p><p>Dad. and I went down to the orchard again this morning and have been down there most of the day so got quite a lot done. Tupper was in at noon to ask me to be clerk at his sale which is due to come off on the 17th. Dad. commisioned him to get him a plug of tobacco which he was to leave in the mail box on but he never came back and caused Dad. several fruitless trips to the mail box. I went down town to-night. It has not been frosty to day but a raw east wind. </p><p>Thursday February 5th </p><p>Dad. and I went over to the orchard this morning and got a big tree next the hedge down. Old Harry Misener was there and he and I took our saw over to his place and he sharpened it up a little. He got word from some where that the Dover team beat the Vet's. last night 11-2. We didn't go back this after noon but Dad. helped me with my brooder house and put on the chimney. Billy Miller was over to-night and said Chris wasn't going to let me have any baby chicks now as he was getting orders for them. Tupper was in too and brought Dad's tobacco. Snowed a little. </p><p>Friday February 6th </p><p>This has been a beautiful day. Sunny &amp; mild. Dad. and I </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>went down to the orchard and worked there all day. Old Henry Misener had Arnold Myers helping him and we gave them a hand to shove a tree over. It slipped on the stump and fell the opposite direction to the one they intended and Dad. &amp; I had to step lively to get out of its road. Enah &amp; Tid drove Mexico down with the cutter to-day, took Aunt Ida for a drive and brought Aunty over here to tea. She and I walked down to-night and I spent the evening with Marj. who had quite a bad fall yesterday. </p><p>Saturday February 7th </p><p>Dad. and I bagged up some oats this morning and I took them to the mill while he trimmed up some of the trees we had down. I left the grist and went back to the orchard and took a big load of blocks home, then went back and got the chopper This after noon we went back to the orchard and on our return found Frank here. He came in on the three o'clock car. </p><p>Sunday February 8th </p><p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school. There was no service in our church this morning but we all went to the Presbyterian were Jack Martin &amp; some student held forth at great length on the Forward Movement. Mr. Robertson &amp; Mr. Johnson are both sick.To-night there was a Unnion Service English &amp; Presbyterian in our church and Cousin Willie gave a very nice address &amp; the same Presbyterian studen spoke for a very long time but didn't say much The church was packed. They are about to launch the Forward Movement financial drive and that is the cause of all their activity. While they very emphatically testify that the financial drive is a very insignificant part of the Forward Movement in comparison to the spiritual impetus which they hope to wake up religion, it seems to me rather unfortunate that the financial should be the first to be brought to the notice of the general run of people, as it will give Skeptics plenty of grounds for their contention that it is merely a "money making game." I don't altogether sympathize with the business end of the affair for while I feel that money should be given with out stint to feed &amp; clothe the starving people of Europe and to minister to the physical needs of all people in heathen lands. I can't feel that the real Spirit of Christianity is going to strengthened or increased by simply raising funds as Jack Martin said for such purposes as to increase the salaries of our ministers &amp; missionarys in order that more young men will be attracted to the profession. I'm not a business man and may be that is the reason that but I don't like to hear people talk about putting the work of our church on a "business basis," but as that seems to be what they intend to do I hope I am wrong. Quint. Marj. &amp; I had dinner at Aunty's. Marj. &amp; I spent the after noon there but Quint went for a drive with Bill Oakes so he said, but I think if his statement were to be analyzed it would be found that he was speaking figuratively and Bill would be passed in </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>in the feminine gender. Dad. brought Enah &amp; Tid. down to stay to tea about five o'clock and he drove Marj. home &amp; then he and I came home helped Frank do up the chores and we all went down to church to-night. I spent the evening with Marj. Dad. &amp; Enah &amp; Tid. went out to the Shand's this afternoon to see how Flossie was, she is better, but Dad. was very surprised to hear that Fred Doane died very suddenly last night. </p><p>Monday February 9th </p><p>Dad. and Frank have been down in Preston's orchard all morning. I went down to Uncle Ward's this morning to ask him if he would like to go with Dad. out to Fred Doanes funeral. He hadn't heard that he was dead and was very surprised. He called up town and found that the funeral was to be at half-past two. I came home and practised a little at my show cards before dinner. This after noon Dad. &amp; Uncle Ward went out to the funeral and Frank and I spent the after noon doing chores. We did things up early and went down to the men's banquet in the Sunday school. Dad. drove Enah down about four and then came home &amp; stayed with Tid. We had a very nice time. Mr. Bose the Presbyterian student of yesterday, Dr. Maguire &amp; Mr. Muir manager of the Roal Bank in Simcoe gave very nice addresses and as the men from Simcoe had to leave in time to catch the nine o'clock car, we were home early. Enah &amp; I came home but Frank went to the U.F.O. &amp; W.F.N.I. dance in the town hall. Rather cloudy but mild. I just took four chicks from the incubator, so I killed them, they were crippled. </p><p>Tuesday February 10th </p><p>Dad. &amp; Frank were in the orchard all day to-day. I did chores &amp; started a fire in my brooder just to see how it worked. It certainly warmed things up in the colony house. I spent quite a lot of the day working at my show-card lessons I went down town to-night and took Aunty Alice some eggs I went up to see Cousin Loll for awhile and then met Marj. &amp; Miss Martin coming away from the Girl's auxillary meeting so I suggested that we go up to Miss Martin's and eat dough-nuts as she told us Sunday she had made some. We did and were up there till quite late and consumed large quantitys, at least I did. Aunty told me that Jack Martin had given $500.00 to the Forward Movement. </p><p>Wednesday February 11th </p><p>Dad. and Frank were down at Preston's all day. Frank took the saw down to Uncle Ward's this morning and got it set. I cleaned out the colony house this morning. This after noon George Fields was in for awhile to look at the cattle and seemed to take quite a fancy to Maple Hill Nellie. I think though that he was predjuiced in her favor because I told him she was a Pansy which is the cow his {trace} to but I remembered afterwards that I was mistaken as she {traces} to Louisa. I did some show card practising. Enah went to play bridge at Mrs. Battersby's. Jack Martin was in about six o'clock canvassing for the Forward Movement. Frank &amp; I went down town to-night and Frank went to a U.F.O. meeting which he says is worse than the J.F.I.A. They </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>wrangled all night trying to decide whether they wanted a car of wire or not and hadn't decided when they broke up. Harry Smith &amp; Steve Powell who have been the hog-buyers are going to quit as the brethren are accusing them of making $50.00 on a car, so if things continue much longer in that direction, I imagine this U.F.O. club will find itself "on the rocks". I didn't go to Simcoe to-night although this was to be the final game of the series and the Dover team played the "Wanderers". I heard the last car come in and a great deal of cheering &amp; racket going on with it but didn't see a soul to find out the result. I have since heard that Dover trimmed the Wanderers 13-6 and so have won the series. They say the Simcoe fellows played a very rough game and Harve Leany got knocked out. </p><p>Thursday February 12th </p><p>Frank promised the "Women's Institute" the other night to haul them a load of gravel to-day as they were having a bee hauling gravel to build a monument to the boys up near the grove of elms they planted. As Jack Martin had our sleighs hauling part of his chicken house up here from Fisherville, Frank went down and borrowed Mr. Flemmings. I went down to the orchard with Dad. This after noon Dad. &amp; Frank went down there but it came up a very heavy &amp; wet snowstorm so they didn't stay long. Frank &amp; Tid. went down to Mrs. Freeman's &amp; Molly's party and I worked at my show card lessons most of the after noon and evening. Very soft &amp; cloudy. Mild all week. </p><p>Friday February 13th </p><p>Frank went down this morning and got another load of saw-dust to put on the ice and then came over to the orchard and got a big load of wood. Dad. &amp; I trimmed up the tree they felled yesterday. This after noon Dad. &amp; Frank worked in the orchard all the after noon and I went to the mill and got some rolled oats and got a small load of wood on the way home. Frank drove me down town to-night and he went down to Nanticoke I got my skates at Aunty's and went to hunt up some skating but couldn't find any so I ran across a bunch of fellows going to the Women's Institute masquerade dance so I went too and had a great time. Sunny &amp; mild. </p><p>Saturday February 14th </p><p>Dad. &amp; Frank worked in the orchard all morning. I went down to the mill and got a bag of bran and stopped in at the orchard and brought a load of wood home, unloaded it and got another load, but it was snowing hard and very soft. This after noon it was snowing so much that they didn't go back to the orchard but Dad. went down town and got his hair cut. I didn't do any thing much till about four o'clock when I started in at the chores but there had been no wind all day to pump so I waited till then in hopes that it would pump a little to let </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>the cattle out but it didn't so they had to go thirsty. It began to blow about six o'clock and has turned out quite blustery and much colder to-night. Dad. brought Marj. home with him to tea and Lila came over. Enah had asked Zeitha &amp; Mr. Moore to come over but they didn't show up, we suppose the storm was too bad for Zeitha who has had a bad cold to be out. We spent the evening listening to Marj. &amp; Enah play duets and then I drove the girls home. Aunty Maude asked Quint to go up town and get some meat this morning so Quint by way of celebrating St. Valentine's day brought home a couple of hearts. Then as he was to be alone for tea to-night Aunty Maude &amp; Huby having been invited out and Winnie gone to Brantford Aunty Maude put a heart in the oven for him to keep warm but Quint came home and couldn't find it so didn't have any. </p><p>Sunday February 15th </p><p>It was very cold again this morning and a strong west wind which has kept up all day and night. No-body seems to relish this return of severe cold after the lovely winter weather we have been enjoying for the last couple of weeks. Frank &amp; I went down to Sunday school &amp; church but none of the rest came down. I had dinner and tea at Aunty's. I spent the after noon at the Monteiths. Quint was at Aunty's for tea and none of us went to church to-night, but I spent the evening with Marj. and then as the walking &amp; weather was so disagreeable I stayed all night at Aunty's. </p><p>Monday February 16th </p><p>I shovelled Aunty's snow this morning and as they insisted on getting up and getting my breakfast I didn't get home very early. It didn't matter though as we have not tried to do any thing outside but chores. Dad. went down before dinner and stayed till about five o'clock to-night and went with Aunty Alice up to Cousin Loll's and over to Col. Smith's with Aunty Alice this after noon. Frank and I just sat around this after noon but Frank shovelled out the lane this morning but it will drift full again to-night. It was very cold last night and froze every thing in the kitchen and pantry. It is a little milder to-night but a regular blizzard is raging. The roads are blocked and there have been no {mails?} in all day. Jim came out with a magazine that evidently came Saturday but as he soon went back I suppose he couldn't get through the side road. </p><p>Tuesday February 17th </p><p>Blizzard still on and worse than ever but not very cold. Dad. went down town this morning to see how they all were but came home to dinner. I sat around and read or slept most of the day but this morning went over to Pickford's to see if they knew what Tupper was going to do about his sale. They didn't know so I went on over to Tupper's to make sure because as I promised him I would act as clerk I wanted to be certain. The walking was a fright and I was sure he wouldn't try to have it and I was right, so I spent the rest of the day painting and listening to Dad read "Huckleberry Finn". </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Wednesday February 18th </p><p>The storm abated during the night and to-day has been sunny, still and cold. Dad. went down to Aunty's right after breakfast this morning and Frank and I dug the lane out and about eleven o'clock Frank drove Enah &amp; Tid. down in the bobsleighs. They all stayed down to dinner. We just did chores Jim Bannister walked out with our mail this after noon, the first we have had this week. Tom. Butler &amp; Arthur Pickford were in for a few minutes with the team Tom bought in Toronto. About half past four Frank drove down town and brought the family home. Frank and I went down town to-night. The hockey team was to have gone to Simcoe to play the Vetrans to-night but as no radials are running yet the game is postponed till Friday night. The first victim of the Flu around here for this year was young Billy Butler, Charlie's brother, who died the other day. Another rather surprising piece of news for the community was the wedding of Charlie Innes and Nellie Barber. Aparently they got into a great hurry at the last and as Mr. Johnson is sick drove up to St. John's on Tuesday during all the storm to have Mr. Ward perform the ceremony. Later - I have heard that, that last statement is incorrect. Charlie &amp; Nellie had intended going to Mr. Ward to be married, he being an old freind of Nellie's but as it was so stormy they got Mr. Johnson out of bed to do the job. Miss Newell was telling Aunty about it and said they came up in {Name} Johnsons old covered bus and she thought it was the hearse coming. </p><p>Thursday February 19th </p><p>Dad. and Frank went down to the orchard to-day and to-night reported that they have just one more tree to cut. It was down to about 12° below zero this morning and has been cold but still &amp; sunny all day. I didn't do any thing outside but chores. I read most of the morning and worked at my show card work this after noon. Tid was very busy all morning digging a snow house in a big drift out by the barn and I took some pictures of him at noon. To-night I went down to the Sunday school and we had a meeting of the Tuxis boys which was fairly successful. </p><p>Friday February 20th </p><p>Dad. and Frank went down to the orchard this morning and cut their last tree down and got it trimmed up this after noon. Dad. had to go down to Alfred's right after dinner to look at one of his cows' mouths as she can't eat properly. I did chores, read and worked at my show card lessons a little. Frank left here about five o'clock and took Hazel Ward home and spent the evening down there. I went down town to-night. I got word that the band was going to Simcoe with the hockey team but I didn't go with them although I would have liked to see the game. I think judging from the racket coming from the direction of the station that about half the town went up. I heard the car come in on my way home and heard a little cheering so imagined that the Dover boys had been victorious again, but Frank </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>informed me when he got home that he had just met Colin Ryerse who had told him that the Vetrans had won 6-4. I was very much surprised on my way down town to meet George who had come in at five o'clock and had tea at Aunty's. We expected him to-morrow night. Dad. had a letter from Dick to-day which has created a little excitement in the family circle as he told Dad. that he had run across a William Barrett out there who he thinks is the son of Fa's brother who left home at the time of the North &amp; South war and was never heard of afterwards, and who has always supposed to have enlisted and been killed with out ever being married. This fellow told Dick that he had brothers by the names of Hugh, an old family name, and <s>George</s> Robert which was the name of the missing brother, also another named Charlie, one of these has recently died. Dick said this was a rather tough- ooking fellow owing to his need of a barber's service but that he had the large Barrett nose. If Dick has made no mistake it is quite a discovery, but it seems almost incredible that so large a branch of the family could have become so seperated for so many years, especially as there have been several attempts from this side to find traces of the lost brother and as Hugh &amp; Fred Barrett (Aunt Ella's sons) have lived out in that vicinity for so many years. Way below zero this morning but lovely day. </p><p>Saturday February 21st </p><p>We haven't done very much to-day except chores. Dad. and I to George (Broadly) out on the halter for awhile this morning and gave him a good dusting with louse killer. Frank George (Pelly) and Tid shot and dressed a couple of rabbits this morning. I practised a little at my show cards lessons. This after noon all but Dad. and me went in the bobsleighs down town and got Ada Dess and Winnie and took them for a sleigh drive down to the butter factory where Enah got some butter. I was busy doing the chores so didn't go but read and slept for awhile. To-night Frank and George went down to Aunty's for tea and from there they intended going up to Ada's to spend the evening. I read "Much Ado about Nothing." Froze hard last night. Sunny day. Cold wind to-night. </p><p>Sunday February 22nd </p><p>Frank, George, Tid and I all went down to Sunday school this morning and much to my disgust they rung me in for opening the thing as Mr. Johnson is away. Morton {Brown?} took the service in church. Marj. came over here to dinner but through some misunderstanding George &amp; Frank didn't come home but went with Ada to dinner and George brought Ada out here to tea to-night. Marj. and I went for a cutter ride this after noon and took Miss Martin. It was a beautiful after noon and we had a fine drive and nearly upset trying to pass Frank Ryerse on the side road back of Fleming's place. We lost one of Marj's new Christmas kid gloves but went back and found it where we met Frank Ryerse. I went to a meeting to-night that Frank Smith had to make plans for a big meeting Thursday. Went up to see Marj. for awhile afterwards. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Monday February 23rd </p><p>Dad. and I got some hay over this morning to do to feed up to-night and Frank drove George down to catch the eleven o'clock car. We had an early dinner and I went over to Tupper's quite early but his sale didn't commence till long after the appointed time. There was quite a crowd but the bidding wasn't very keen but some of the stock sold very well. Jim Hodge was auctioneer and I was clerk. We got through with out being caught at making any mistakes and Tupper gave me two dollars for my services. Dad. &amp; Frank were both over but went home before I did. To-night I went down town and had a meeting with the Tuxis boys and we initiated Bill Barwell. I then went over to the Monteith's and found Marj. all dressed up ready to go to the Library dance so we went over there and had a wild time till 1.30. It snowed all morning and has been cloudy but mild all day. </p><p>Tuesday February 24th </p><p>Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning and got four cwt of corn chop at the Co-Operative Store. We took Joe &amp; Queen and didn't lose much time on the road. We also got our clover seed which has been at Edmond's since they cleaned it last fall. We saw Neff and Manning amd I took Neff up to the Air Line station to catch a train for Courtland. We got home about half past one and this after noon I took a sample of very nice white corn over to Jack Martin, Johnson just got it in and thought Jack would like to get some as he doesn't like to feed yellow corn to his exhibition stock, claiming it makes their plumage brassy. Jack thought it was fine looking corn. He asked me what I thought of the Forward Movement Campaign. The Bishop he said was highly delighted with Norfolk County as it was the first in the dioses to reach its objective. He said that the reports we heard were true concerning the Bishop offering Mr. Johnson two other churches and he wouldn't accept them. He is very annoyed at Mr. Johnson and Jack says the next one he refuses there is going to be trouble. I worked at show card lessons all evening. Fine, Cold. </p><p>Wednesday February 25th </p><p>We all three went down to Preston's orchard this morning and hauled three loads of wood. It was quite a job breaking a trail and digging out the piles of limbs as they were well covered with snow. This after noon Frank went down town to get his note to Massey Harris renewed or else to borrow some money to pay it and Dad. and I got over hay for to-night and did up the chores. To-night Dad. Enah &amp; Tid went down to the Pork &amp; Bean supper in the Methodist church and I went down to Aunty's for tea Marj. &amp; Win were there to tea and this evening Marj. &amp; Aunty bound a lot of old books. Frank stayed home alone. Fair day but very cold to-night. </p><p>Thursday February 26th </p><p>Dad. and Frank have been hauling wood all day although there was a biting north wind and Dad. froze his finger </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>I carried over hay for the cattle this morning and this after noon went down to the Boy's Work conference in the Sunday school. Mr. Manning &amp; a Mr. McLaren were down and we had a good turnout of boys. Mr. McLaren made things very interesting. We went over for supper at 6.15 to the Methodist Sunday school and after supper had some very rollicking songs and toasts. I had to respond to a toast on Boy's Work but Manning fixed me up a little speech which I got off fairly well. Marj. was there helping with the supper so I went home with her and stayed there for the rest of the evening. Dad. &amp; Enah went over to a party at Jack Martin's. Freezing very hard to-night. </p><p>Friday February 27th </p><p>It was still very cold this morning and we decided it was much too cold to haul wood as Dad. &amp; Frank nearly froze at the job yesterday. We sat around the house all morning and I did another show card lesson and also wrote down to Toronto to register as a C.S.E.I. Mentor. This after noon Frank and I got some hay over and went down to Aunty's for tea so that we could go to see the protested hockey match played off between Dover &amp; the Vets. I hadn't had any intention of going but when the time came I couldn't resist the temptation, although I was too hard up to afford it. It was a fine game in every way. The referee saw every thing that happened and was absolutely impartial and both sides played for all they were worth but Dover just played in hard luck and got badly beaten 10-3. They made any amount of the prettiest shots at the Simcoe goal but the puck just simply wouldn't go in. They started off by scoring two goals in the first period. Then Joe Thompson made three or four very slick rushes and shots in the second period but couldn't score and in the last period they got one goal but Simcoe got five. However it was a fine game and nobody's fault. The Simcoe fellows put up the best game I have seen them play yet. There was an awful crowd went up from Dover, two cars packed, and they made racket enough to wake the dead. Three or four Doc. McQueen, Al. Faulkner, Hontzburger &amp; Jim Brennen got very tight and when we arrived home went up the middle of Main St. Arm in arm advising the Doverites who had followed the team to Simcoe to "pack all their troubles in their old kit bag" and then challenging them with the question "Are we downhearted" whereat Dover would reply with one voice "NO!" I came with Karl Coleman who was very amused at the condition of Huntzberger and Harbach who have to take the L.E.&amp; N. car out in the morning The former was just in good shape to put in a glorious night of it, but Harbach got so tight this after noon in anticipation of the game that Garnet his brother-in-law had to put him to bed and he couldn't go up. Karl didn't see Garnet on the car which caused him some concern as Garnet had some work to do in the morning Karl said he saw Garnet and two others lined up in the station but some body nudged one of them and they all stalked out, which is a sign these days that there is a battle some place accessible. Lloyd Wooley and old Broadley were in this after noon collecting </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>fees for old Jason and Broadley informed us that he has gone on a big 200 acre farm at Wycome and won't be down through here with Jason any more. The Tupper family were all here to tea and to spend the evening but I didn't see them. </p><p>Saturday February 28th </p><p>It snowed all day to-day but has been much milder till to-night when the wind started to get around to the north west again and it is freezing pretty hard. We didn't do any thing much but chores and sit around the house. I worked at my show card lessons &amp; read. </p><p>Sunday February 29th </p><p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and Church this morning but none of the rest came down. I stayed in town all day. Quint and I had dinner at Aunty's and I spent the after noon up at the Monteiths. Marj. and I went for a walk this after noon and called on the Patterson's. We then went down to Aunty's for tea and spent the evening there. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went to church to-night and we stayed with Aunt Ida. Dad. &amp; Enah drove up to see how Miss McCoy was this afternoon as she has had shingles badly Frank went out to Sidway's. Cold all day but sunny </p><p>Monday <s>February</s> March 1st </p><p>I had an argument with Quint yesterday about warm water freezing quicker than cold. I claimed that it wouldn't so this morning I tried it out. I took two pans the same size and put a pint of water in each, the temperature of the one was about 120° and the other about 30°. I put them both out in the woodshed and the cold water froze long before the other It had a good skimming of ice on it when the other was about 48 We haven't done anything much to-day. It has been a nice day and we would have hauled wood but Tom Butler wanted to borrow the sleighs to get some hay. Frank went over with him and helped put Pickford's rack on our sleighs. This after noon I walked down town and got my hair cut. I went around by the mill and put up a notice Neff sent of a Farmer's Institute meeting on Thursday. It has been a very nice day, not too cold. </p><p>Tuesday March 2nd </p><p>My throat has been very sore all day and I haven't done much outside. Frank went down to the sawmill this morning and got a load of sawdust to use for bedding in the horse stable. He also took a grist to the mill. He and Dad. hauled up a load of wood this after noon and Frank got his stuff at the mill. Dad. went down to Cousin Clare's to tea to-night and spent the evening. Enah and Tid drove Mexico down in the after noon and put him in John Shand's barn and they were at Cousin Clare's too. Frank and I kept house by ourselves. Edmond England left his horse in here while he went to help Dick Waddle drive a cow up from Pickford's which he bought at {Kinsula's?} sale to-day. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Wednesday March 3rd </p><p>My throat has been pretty sore all day and I haven't done much except a few chores and work at my show-cards. Dad. &amp; Frank hauled wood all day and now have it all up but one load. To-night Frank and I went down to church and I went home with Marj afterwards I didn't intend to stay but she wanted me to help her fill out her report cards and then she made me let her swab my throat with some dope. Mild all day but freezing to-night. </p><p>Thursday March 4th </p><p>Dad. and Frank hauled up their last load of wood this morning there will be a little more from the dead limbs that have yet to be cut out. When that was unloaded we put a load of manure on the sleighs from the box stalls in the horse stable and after dinner Dad. &amp; Frank took it down to Aunty's. Aunty Alice walked over here before dinner. She went over to Mrs. Battersby's from here. She knew I was going down to the boys' meeting to-night so asked me down to tea but I read for quite awhile after dinner so didn't get the chores done in time. Frank and I went down to-night and Frank went to a Agricultural meeting of Neff's in the hall. I went to the boys' meeting and then down to Auntys. Marj. was there and had been there to tea. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Will Holden &amp; Miss Buckwell were there playing bridge. I went up with Marj. and then as it was raining stayed at Auntys all night. Frank came home. Very soft &amp; slushy. Raining to-night. </p><p>Friday March 5th </p><p>I woke up about half past three this morning and saw through Aunty's back hall window an awful fire so I got into my clothes as quickly as possible to go up to see it. I called Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice and Aunty Alice thought at once that it was the Post Office block &amp; found out that she was right. When I got up town the whole building was gone &amp; just the flaming brick walls standing. They told me that not a thing was saved. I didn't stay up town long but went back to Aunty's and we had breakfast. Then Aunty Alice wanted to go up and see how Cousin Loll was so I walked up with her. We thought they would have taken her to Cousin Clare's but her house was dark so we went into the Freeman's which was lit up and found Cousin Loll &amp; Willie &amp; Dick &amp; Mollie all in there. Cousin Loll was wrapped up in a quilt and said she had lost all her clothes but one stocking. Dick said the smoke was so bad he couldn't save a thing except a few clothes which he grabbed out of the bureau drawer and the hall rack. He tried to get the safe open to save what was in it but couldn't see to do it in the dark and there was no one to help him move it. The fire started in the back of Patterson's shed nobody knows how and young Johnnie Innes who is the night telephone operator gave the alarm but it was too far on when any one got there to stop it. I came home about six o'clock and found Dad. &amp; Frank up. Dad. was terribly shocked at the news of the fire and went down town as soon as he got the chores done </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Frank also went down after dinner to hear a trial between Lloyd Crysler and Earl Long over some hay deal. Lloyd was the defendant and won the case. I did up the chores after dinner but felt pretty tough and when I got through I was afraid I was going to have an ear-ache so I curled up on the sofa for the rest of the day and Enah kept hot salt bags on my ear which staved off the pain pretty well and I went to bed soon after tea. Dad. came home early and he and Frank did all the chores. Dad. says they have opened the Post Office down in Harold Sloan's old ice cream parlor and Patterson is opening an store and telephone &amp; telegraph office up in Coleman's little shack where Huby used to be. It was raining when I went up to the fire this morning but about five o'clock the wind switched around to the north-west and it got very cold and still is. </p><p>Saturday March 6th </p><p>I stayed in bed till noon to-day and have not been outside all day but to-night I feel better. It has been bitterly cold all day and windy. Dad. and Frank have down all the chores and Frank took Joe down town this after noon and had her shod. He also took down the bag of good clover seed to Harry Misener and he gave him $67.00 for it but didn't weigh it up then. Dad. went to the doctor yesterday to ask him about his arm as it has been paining him a lot lately. The doctor didn't know what it was but gave him some pills to take. </p><p>Sunday March 7th </p><p>Frank went down to Sunday school and church this morning but I have not been out of the house all day although I feel better. Aunty came over with Frank to dinner and was here all the after noon. Dad. went back with her to tea and I think he went up to see Cousin Loll to-night. Lloyd Ryerse came up just after dinner and he &amp; Frank went over and spent the after noon at the England's. Still very cold. </p><p>Monday March 8th </p><p>I have been in the house all day again to-day but would have gone out if the weather had been decent but it has been very windy and blustery although not very cold. Dad. and Frank just did chores. I still have quite a cold in my head but my throat is much better. I spent the day reading "Troilus &amp; Cressida" which I didn't care much for. It's representation of the Trojan war and the Grecian heroes was rather tame after the "Illiad". I went out this after noon to gather the eggs and found the two white roosters had got together and had a battle royal and were both about all in. The one that was with the pullets has died and the other one will come around I think. He is the one I was most particular about as his mother is 74 last year's best layer. He is the only rooster I have now as Dad. killed my Rock one the other day, he was sick. </p><p>Tuesday March 9th </p><p>This has been a beautiful Springlike day and sunny </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>A great deal of snow has gone off and water is standing around everywhere. It grew very cloudy and looked like rain towards evening but the rain didn't come. I have been out a lot to-day and feel fine but as it is so wet there is nothing much but chores to do, they will begin to increase from now on however as when Frank went out this morning he found that two ewes had lambed one of Dad's ewes had two lambs and No 55 had one. It was a mild night and they are all right. The lambs are we suppose sired by the yearling that got in with the ewes two or three times last fall as old Archie was not put in till after the 1st of November. George Ryersie was in to-night to say the boys were having a meeting to-night but I didn't go down. Frank went down town with him. </p><p>Wednesday March 10th </p><p>It didn't freeze last night and has been very soft all day. We just did chores this morning and I painted a little. I got my lesson back to-day which I supposed was burned up with the Post Office. I had another one all ready to post. Tom. Butler was in and borrowed the sleighs to haul some oats. This after noon Frank went out to Lige Farr's sale. Farr was selling a lot of sheep and some stuff he didn't want. Frank said things went pretty well as they were not in very good shape. Dad. has felt very miserable all the after noon he thinks due to the pills Dr. Cook gave him. Enah has not been well either. Miss Phipps was over for awhile this after-noon. To-night Frank and I went down to church and I spent the evening with Marj. It was freezing slightly when I came home. </p><p>Thursday March 11th </p><p>There was another big ewe lamb belonging to No 15 when Frank went out this morning, they are all doing well. We did chores and I painted a little this morning. I also cleaned off the dropping boards in the hen houses as the frost was all out and they hadn't been cleaned all winter. I went down town this after noon and took 9 doz. eggs down, sold 4 doz to Aunty Alice and 5 doz to {Name?}. I stayed at Aunty's for tea and to-night went up to the Tuxis {boys'} social evening in the Sunday school and the Methodist boys were there and a lot of girls There must have been abut {40?}. They had quite an hilarious time and seemed to enjoy themselves. Marj. &amp; Mrs. Cook were there and they engineered the eating part of the affair. </p><p>Friday March 12th </p><p>It rained during the night and every thing was flooded to-day but by opening up a few ditches a great deal was run off. Frank fixed up a pen for the ewes with lambs over in the barn. He cut through the hay on the east side of the floor and threw half of it up on the other half and made a nice light pen for the lambs we moved them in and they got very playful. Mrs. Tupper came after Frank this morning to get him to go out to </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Villa Nova with Tupper to help him move his cattle. Tom Butler and his partner were in this after noon with the sleighs and said Tupper and Frank didn't get started till two o'clock so it would be late when they got out there. Frank didn't come back to-night. They say the water down along Shand's flat was up to a horse's belly on the road so they will have had a nice trip. Dad. and I cleaned out Moonshine's box-stall. I went down town to-night. Manning came down and we had a meeting with some of the boys from both squares to arrange about athletic activities for the summer. I spent the rest of the evening with Marj. and went over to call for Aunty Alice at Col. Smith's at eleven o'clock. </p><p>Saturday March 13th </p><p>It has been very windy and cold all day to-day and Dad. and I haven't done any thing but chores and sit around the house. Enah felt very miserable this after noon and had an earache. About six o'clock she and Tid got quite a scare as the chimbney or at least the soot in the stove pipe in the kitchen caught fire and filled the room with smoke. They called Dad. &amp; me in from the barns but we couldn't find any trace of fire up in the garret or near the chimney so nothing serious happened. I didn't go down town to-night as it was a rotten cold night. Enah had hoped to take some things down to Cousin Loll's shower which they had for her but she couldn't go. Frank got home about eleven. He came down from Waterford on the car. He had a bad trip. </p><p>Sunday March 14th </p><p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and Aunty Alice came over here with Frank to dinner but I stayed down at Aunty's for both dinner and tea. Quint came down at noon and he and I went down to the creek for a little while after dinner to look at muskrat holes and then we went up town. He to Joe Thompson's and I spent the after noon with Marj. who was suffering from toothache. I went around before tea to ask after poor old Tom Abbott. Huby found him yesterday on the doorstep of the cobbler shop and he couldn't move or speak and is still only semiconscious. Huby &amp; someone else got him up to Alex Simpson's They say there will not be much change till a day or two. Aunty and I went to church to-night. Mr. Base preached. Cold wind but feels like spring. </p><p>Monday March 15th </p><p>Frank and I went down to Preston's this morning and cut the dead wood out of about six or seven trees as it was part of our contract to cut the dead wood out of the tree next to the one we cut down. Dad. Enah &amp; Tid went down town this morning and were down to dinner and all the after noon, and went to see Cousin Loll. Frank and I just did chores this after noon. Very mild and showery to-night. </p><p>Tuesday March 16th </p><p>Dad. noticed yesterday that Cnocfierna was not eating </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>properly, so he and I tried to examine her mouth. We couldn't see much but he poked around with his float and knocked the cap off one of her teeth. He said he had never heard of a cow having capped teeth like colts but didn't see why they shouldn't have. To-night he found another one so we think that from now on she will be able to eat properly. Alan Law came in while we were out there and took Dad. down to look at a caulked hock on a new horse he bought last fall and which caulked itself running through a snow bank. Dad. was down there till noon. He has not felt very well this after noon. After I did up the after dinner chores I took a walk back to the woods and across Ivey's gully into Preston's woods. The snow is about all off the level now and just in the cuts and on the north side of hills are there banks left of honey combed dirty snow. I saw Old Walker and Benny &amp; Charlie &amp; Guy Tuple working up the big trees in Preston's which the big wind storm took down. Sunny &amp; spring like but cold wind. </p><p>Wednesday March 17th </p><p>I haven't done much to-day but chores. Frank has been fixing up some old doubletree getting them ready for seeding. Dad. went over to Quanbury's this morning to see Charlie's cow which got into the chop the other day and has been bloated up ever since. He found Karl Coleman there skinning her. Poor Charlie does have tough luck. Dad. hasn't felt at all well all day to-day and his arm is paining him to-night again. Enah is feeling miserable too Frank and I did up the chores early to-night and Frank went down to Aunty's for tea. I went down right after tea and went with Aunty Alice to church to-night. After church Marj. and I went over to the entertainment put on by J.W. Bengough for the local post of the Grand Army of Canada. He was certainly amusing both as a cartoonist and talker. He drew a picture of old Fred over at the Dominion Hotel which was a very good likeness of him and which tickled the boys in the gallery immensley, he also made a {illegible} Irish {mug?} out of a potato and and English one out of a plum pudding and also a Scotch one out of a thistle. There was a dance after the show but we didn't stay. </p><p>Thursday March 18th </p><p>Dad. went over to see John Wess this morning and didn't get back till about two o'clock and hadn't had any dinner. Joh is over there all alone now as Cam. &amp; his wife have gone back home to settle up their affairs before coming back here to look after John. Frank went down to the butter factory this morning to get some butter as no one has called since poor old Tom had the stroke. Cliff Loan told Frank they had no one yet to take Tom's place. This after noon Sam Law was in for quite awhile, he brought some puss he got out of his horse's back to show it to Dad. and ask him if it was joint water. Frank said </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Alan was going to Simcoe this after noon to hear Roy Haven tried for stealing oats from the Norfolk Milling Co. Frank &amp; Tid spent most of the after noon clearing up the rubbish on the lawn under the old willow tree. I didn't do much but chores all day and painted a little. I went down to the Tuxis boys meeting to-night and was there till about 10.45 practising charting on {Hermon?} Cook and then only got him about half charted. I went from there down to Aunty's and stayed till about mid-night telling them about the Bengough concert. It has been sunny but rather raw to day. </p><p>Friday March 19th </p><p>Frank and I started to clean out the box stall where the steers have been all winter. We intended to haul it out to the field but it started to rain and by noon was raining quite hard so we just threw it in a pile outside the door. It turned colder about noon and to-night the ground is covered with snow again. I did chores and we cleaned out a little more this after noon but didn't finish. Frank notified all the J.F.I.A. members of the annual meeting. Dad hasn't done much all day and I think the rest his arm is getting is doing it good. I went down to band practise to-night. There were about 18 out including some new ones. Jim. Ryerse. Karl Lemmons and Joey Smith. We had a good practise and stayed there till half past ten. It is freezing quite hard to night. </p><p>Saturday March 20th </p><p>Frank and I finished clearing out the stall where the steers were this morning and hauled it out to the potato ground on the sleighs. There was just enough snow to make the first load slip but it was about gone when we took the last one out. Aunty was over here to dinner and she Enah and Tid. drove down town with Mexico this after-noon. Alan Law was up this morning to see Dad. again about his horse, so Dad. drove down this after noon. Frank and I just did chores. I painted to-night. Fine day, sunny </p><p>Sunday March 21st </p><p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Enah came down to church. Enah Tid. and I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and this after noon Enah went to choir practise and to after noon tea at the Barwell's. Marj. &amp; I went for a walk this after noon and saw a robin &amp; some red-winged black-birds. I have heard that robins have been around for some time but to-day was the first I saw one. Marj. and I went to Aunty's for tea and this evening entertained (?) Aunt Ida by singing hymns while Aunty and Aunty Alice went to church. Tid. stayed at Aunty's for tea but drove home with Enah right after. Mexico was in John Shand's barn. It has been fine and Springlike but with a raw west wind. Frank went over to see Tom. Butler and his pal this after noon </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Monday March 22nd </p><p>Frank has been down at Preston's all day trimming up the dead limbs. He also went over to Henry Miseners to see when they wanted to cut wood but Henry wasn't home. Dad. and I moved the bulls into the place where the steers were, where we can keep them clean. We took down the calf stancions and cleaned out the calves boxstall. To-night Frank and I went down to the annual meeting of the J.F.I.A. and there were just enough boys to form a quorum. Clarence Finch suggested that we dissolve the thing and use what money we had about $25.00 to buy some good agricultural book to put in the Library. Every one agreed to the proposal except Charlie Blake who didn't want to dissolve, however the motion carried. We were all surprised to-day by Frank and me receiving forty dollars apiece from Grand daddy from the sale of some property out there. It came just in time for me to get a new suit. The Northern Lights were wonderful to-night. Beautiful day. </p><p>Tuesday March 23rd </p><p>Frank gathered up all the saws he could find this morning and took them down to Dave Waddle's to sharpen them. Dave saw him the other night and invited him down so he was there to dinner. I went over to Preston's and took the dead wood out of the two trees that were left. This afternoon I drove out to Shand's and bargained for a couple of loads of hay, which we are to get as soon as we can manage it. I went from there down to the cheese factory and got some butter as no one is hauling yet in Tom's place The roads are very heavy although not deep and in some places quite dry, it was after six when I got home. I brought Cliff Lown up from the factory with me. I went down town to-night and spent the evening with Marj. Fine day. </p><p>Wednesday March 24th </p><p>I went down town first thing this morning and went to Tip's and tried on some ready-made suits. I picked on one $42.00 Navy Blue that suited me pretty well, but I told Harry I wouldn't decide till I went to Simcoe. I went up on the eleven o'clock car and went to see Neff about the books the J.F.I.A. want to donate to the Library. I then went over to Inscombe &amp; Vance and they showed me a piece of Navy Blue Irish serge they call it which the fellow said they had cut a great many suits of and he said he would guarantee it to be fast dye and all wool so I ordered a suit of it at $55.00. It seemed pretty steep but I thought the guarantee was worth something. I came home on the express car and went up to tell Col. Smith who is Chairman of the Library Board about the books and so it was about five o'clock when I got home I found Frank was away as Edmond England had sent for him to help cut wood just after I left. To-night he &amp; </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>I went down town he went to church and I went to band practice. Aunty Alice went to Hamilton this morning to have her glasses changed and as Aunt Ida has been quite sick all day with a pain in her side I stayed down all night to-night. Another beautiful day, mild </p><p>Thursday March 25th </p><p>Frank and I went over to Henry Misener's this morning to help cut wood and were there till about four o'clock. We didn't get started very early as the cylinder of Edmond's gasoline engine was leaking and they had to take the head off and repack it, but we cut up a pile of wood when we did start. We had lots of help as besides ourselves and Henry &amp; Edmond, there was Charlie McQueen, Guy Tuple, Dick Waddle &amp; Tom Stone. They moved over and got set up at our place and we cut a little but Edmond &amp; Henry wanted to get home so we quit early. I went down to the Tuxis boys meeting to-night and stopped in on my way down to ask Jack Martin to send over a man to help us in the morning. Frank went over to {Tom Butler's?} and one of them promised to come over and help. Quite hot to-day </p><p>Friday March 26th </p><p>It was colder and windy this morning and looked like rain but it didn't come and we got started before nine at our wood and finished the pile just at noon. Tom Butler and a man came over from Jack's which besides Henry &amp; Edmond was all the help we had. After dinner we loaded up &amp; moved over to Arthur Prestons. Frank and I went down there &amp; helped but it didn't take much more than half an hour to saw Arthur's little pile up. Frank and I stayed down there for awhile talking to Arthur and then came home and did chores and I went down town to-night and about eleven went over to Col. Smith's and called for Aunty Alice. Trying hard to rain. </p><p>Saturday March 27th </p><p>We haven't done much all day but chores. Frank found two more lambs when he went out this morning one of them isn't much bigger than a red squirrel and is very weak but Dad. has it in the house feeding it from a spoon. Another ewe lambed a little later. This after noon Dad. went down to ask after old Tom, and said he was very low, and to-night when I went down I heard he was dead. Poor old Tom. we certainly are going to miss his visits and his wit, but maybe for him it would have been much harder to live and see the old lady suffer the way she is or to live with out her as she can't last much longer. I went down to Col. Smiths for tea to-night, Mrs Smith had her boys there and invited Marj. &amp; me. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Johnston were also there and we had a great time. I started for home quite early but stopped in at Frank Smiths and talked to him till near 12 o'clock Roy, Vernon &amp; the children all came up to-day to stay till after Easter. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Sunday March 28th </p><p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and Tid. and I stayed down to dinner. Enah has a bad cold and sore throat so didn't go down to church but went down this after noon to choir practice. Marj. &amp; I went for a walk up the beach this after noon. The lake is lower than I ever saw it, the beach being from 40 to 70 ft wide in places. We also went around to Miss McQueen's for awhile and she gave us tea and cookies. Miss Martin was there, this being her birthday. Aunty Alice, Vernon and I went to church to-night and I spent the evening with Marj. Mr. Johnston announced a meeting to-morrow night to consider the question of whether to take the steeple down or not as since the sheeting blew off it last fall some of them have got it into their heads that it is unsafe. Col. Smith &amp; Jack Martin seem to think that it will have to come down and as the idea of that church without the steeple seemed like a crime to me I climbed up this after noon and as far as I could see only the sills around the posts and the sheeting are a little rotten but perfectly solid and <s>as far as I</s><s> can see</s> it would cost much less to repair it than to take it down. To remove that steeple would not only destroy the beauty of the church which really is pretty but it would take away the most outstanding and picturesque feature of the town. Roy &amp; Jack Walker looked at it too and came to the same conclusion as I did. </p><p>Monday March 29th </p><p>Dad. had to be a bearer at Mrs. Chapman's funeral to-day and as they brought her here he had to go down to meet the morning train at eleven. Frank drove him down and he stayed down to dinner. I didn't do much but a few chores and painted this after noon. Frank has been pretty busy with the sheep as several more ewes lambed to-day. To-night he went down to Aunty's for tea as they had invited him &amp; Jennie Ward down there. Marj. came over here for tea. Fine day colder to-night. </p><p>Tuesday March 30th </p><p>We spent the morning doing up the chores. The lambs are coming thick and fast now and require considerable attention. This after noon Dad. and I went to old Tom's funeral. We took Tid. down and left him at Aunty's to visit with Rebecca while we drove up to the cemetry. Dad. went to the service at the house but I stayed out and held Joe. and talked to Alan Law. Alan misses Tom about as much as anyone but like old Tom himself he takes good care not to betray his feelings by his line of talk. To-night Frank and I went down town and I went around with Marj. but soon after we went in she was seized with a terrible toothache or neuralgia so I didn't stay long. Thank's to Roy's energy the result of last night's meeting was that Huby, Cousin Willie and Barwell were appointed as a committee to have Bill Rankin, Percy Ryerse &amp; Jack Spain to look at the old steeple this morning which they did and </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>came to the conclusion that it will not be necessary to tear it down. These three were all very anxious to have it left but Roy feels certain that if he had not urged them to go and had not examined the steeple himself that the outcome would have been that Jack Martin and a few others who don't care much would have just had it torn down to be done with it. Very mild, rained a little. </p><p>Wednesday March 31st </p><p>Frank and I have been down at Preston's all day burning brush and got the brush from 8 or 9 trees burned just by starting a fire over the stump and carrying to it. In this way we could burn the brush from several trees at once. Roy, Vernon, Aunty and the two children were over here to dinner. Aunty &amp; Roy walked back early and wheeled Walter in a go-cart they had borrowed and Enah drove Vernon and Rebecca down about five o'clock. Frank had to go over to Jack Martin's to night to get instructions in doing the chores Billy Mills is sick with flu and Hanselman is leaving to day and going up to Jack Paine's place so they stuck for help and Frank is going over to help old Bill George out. Frank and I went down town to-night and I went to band practice. </p><p>Thursday April 1st </p><p>Frank was over at Jack's all morning. Dad. and I went down to Preston's this morning and burned some more brush. This after noon Frank and I went up to Ham Thompsons and got a small load of hay, as we are not going to have enough of our own to get us through. Frank got off on our way home to do up the chores at Jack's. I went down to the Tuxis boys meeting to-night. I expected Manning to be there but he had been down earlier and sent Neff down. Neff gave the boys a little talk. When it was over I went around to see Marj. her toothache was better. She intends leaving for home to-morrow for the holidays. It has been a beautiful day to-day. Bobbie calved to-day a red &amp; white bull. Moonshine's first. </p><p>Friday April 2nd Good Friday </p><p>Dad. &amp; I didn't go down to the orchard this morning as we had several jobs around here to do. We moved Bobbie and ear-marked a couple of the lambs. The old big bagged ewe had two lambs to-day but evidently has very little milk for them so Dad. brought one of them in the house and has been feeding from a bottle. Enah went down to church this morning and I painted a little. It rained quite hard about noon but soon cleared off and Dad. and I went down to the orchard and burned some more brush. It went all right once we got it started. Frank and Tid. went down to Alfreds and borrowed his fish spear and went back to spear pike but had no luck, although we have heard wonderful stories of the fish being caught in our gully this spring. Very mild all day but it has turned colder and windy to-night. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Saturday April 3rd </p><p>Dad. and I went down to the orchard this morning to burn brush but it was so windy Dad. and Arthur decided it would be dangerous to start a fire, so we came home and I walked down to the creamery to get some butter as we were right out. I went down to Ryerse's and then walked up along the creek to the second bridge. I saw several of the fellows back there working on the land either on the side hills or on the flats which dry out quickly on account of the gravel bottom. Roy Hammond was at the factory and he gave me a ride as far as his place on my way home. I came through Tom Butler's place and stopped to talk to them for awhile so it was after one o'clock when I got home. We didn't do any thing much this after noon as it was very cold and windy. Freezing to-night. </p><p>Sunday April 4th Easter. </p><p>(Martha's calf (bull) came to-day) I went down to Sunday school this morning and the rest went down to church except Frank who had to help old Bill George do chores over at Jack Martin's. Vernon came over here to dinner with Enah and Roy and I walked over after having dinner at Aunty Alice's. We didn't do any thing extraordinary for the rest of the day. Roy and Vernon left early in the after noon to go to Huby's for tea. Frank went down to the Ryerse's this after noon Lloyd &amp; George have been sick and are not much better yet. Miserable cold raw day </p><p>Monday April 5th </p><p>Dad. &amp; Tid went down first thing this morning to see Roy, Vernon &amp; Aunty off as they thought they were going at nine o'clock, they didn't get away till eleven though Aunty went back with them to spend a week. It has been a miserable day with ice over every thing from last night's ice storm. To-night I went down to the Vestry meeting as I promised Mr. Johnston I would. He asked me to act as secretary for the meeting so I had to go over to the Rectory afterwards to copy in the minutes. I had intended getting my hair cut but Mrs. Johnston invited me to crackers, cheese &amp; wine, and Mr. Johnston gave me a cigar so I sat there till too late to go to the barbers. They have had quite a day of it down there as Percy Dunkin &amp; Miss Baugley were married to-day and they entertained the party at the Rectory. It was wine that Percy brought down that we were making merry with to-night. I stayed all night at Aunty Alice's as Aunty is away although Aunty Alice said she intended to stay alone, however she had the bed ready for me if I intended to stay. Cold. </p><p>Tuesday April 6th </p><p>Dad. and I did chores this morning and this after noon Frank and I went up to Ham Thompson's and got the rest of the hay that he said we could have </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Frank stopped off at Jack's to do chores and Dad. and I put part of the load off in the horse stable, just as we were getting through the chores which was rather late George &amp; Marion came in. They had come on the five o'clock car and had had tea with Aunty Alice. We were expecting them some time to-night as George sent a telegram. Miserable weather, snowing to-night. </p><p>Wednesday April 7th </p><p>We haven't done much but chores to-day and I have been working on the last lesson of my show card course. It is quite a long one and I want to finish it up this week if possible. Enah drove George &amp; Marion down town with Mexico this afternoon and they got a suitcase which they had left down town. I went down to band practise to-night. I went around to Harry Dyer's first and got my hair cut. We hadn't a big crowd out as it was a rotten night freezing hard and {Grint?}, Mid. and Erney West are up the lake fishing. Bill Lemmons was in a exceptionally good humor though They say he is going to be married soon to Lou. Dixon but she hasn't got him yet. Cold and extremely rotten. </p><p>Thursday April 8th </p><p>Dad. George and I went down to Preston's this morning and burned some more brush. Henry was there burning his to-day. This after noon Dad. &amp; I went down alone and finished burning ours. I went down to the Tuxis boy's meeting to-night we didn't have a regular meeting but the boys were making plans for their father &amp; son banquet next Tuesday, we had a very short session and I got home early. It has been a nasty day. Sunny by "spells" and a snow storm every half hour. </p><p>Friday April 9th </p><p>Dad. George. Tid and I went down to the orchard this morning and helped Henry burn the rest of his brush. We got it all slicked up in fine shape before noon and Arthur complimented us on the thoroughness with which we did the job. George and I went over to see the old McQueen cemetry. I worked at my show card lessons this after noon. George went down town while Marion was asleep after dinner and invited Ada to go to the dance with him to-night. Marion went down town after him as soon as she woke up and brought him back for tea. After tea George left early to get Ada. and Frank, Enah and Marion went down later to a concert and dance put on by the Rebecca Lodge from Delhi. They said the dance was good but the concert was rotten. Dad. Tid and I stayed home and I worked at my show card lesson. A little milder but raw. </p><p>Saturday April 10th </p><p>Frank and I went out to the Shands this morning to </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>get a load of hay which they promised us. We had to go over to Willie's place to get it and as we were going under their telephone wire which crossed the lane the back ladder of the rack caught it and broke off clean both legs. Frank and Charlie fixed it up but it took quite awhile and it was nearly noon by the time we left with our load, we took it down to Kolbe's to weigh it and as it was after twelve when we arrived there, the office was locked up and we had to wait for our weight till one o'clock, when Kolbe came along. I went over to Huby's for awhile as he stays at the office till one o'clock on Saturdays. It was pretty late when we got home with our load and didn't do much but chores after dinner after we had put off the load most of it in the horse stable. Dad. went over to Jack's in Frank's place this morning. Frank will be through over there to-morrow as Billy is feeling well enough to get out. I went down to the station to-night and met Marj. she came back on the Grand Trunk. Milder to-day. </p><p>Sunday April 11th </p><p>I went down to Sunday school this morning and Enah went down to church but none of the rest went down. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and spent the after noon with Marj. part of it delivering maple sugar, she brought back a load of it from home and had to divide it up and give it away. We both came over here for tea and I helped Dad. milk, all the family except Dad. and Frank were out for a joy-ride in Joe Thompson's car, Quint came over here to dinner with Enah and Joe came over after dinner to get him so took them all for a drive up around by Simcoe. We all spent the evening here and Enah and Marion played duets. Tid went to bed early and was very quiet and seems to realize that to-night sees the close of the first epoch of his career, his childhood days are over, and to-morrow he will be a school-boy. </p><p>Monday April 12th </p><p>Dad. and Enah took Tid. down to school this morning and left him quite happy with Miss McQueen, who he fell in love with at first sight. Frank and I spent most of the morning clipping Mexico. It rained most of the after noon. Jim. Bannister came in right after dinner with the lower half of the circle of his buggy broken and had to borrow ours to go around the mail route. We didn't do any thing much this after noon but chores. Dad. drove after Tid. at four o'clock with Mexico and the cart. We were all home to-night. George &amp; Marion intend to leave to-morrow and George is going West right away. </p><p>Tuesday April 13th </p><p>Dad. drove Tid down to school first thing this morning and as soon as he got back I drove George down </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>as he wanted to go and say good bye to the Harding's and Ada. Enah drove Marion down a little later with Mexico and they got off on the eleven car. I went down to Frank Smith's to ask him how the Father &amp; Son banquet was progressing and he said all arrangements had been completed. This after noon Frank and I put the ear labels in the rest of the lambs. We both went down soon after six to the Father &amp; Son banquet in the Methodist church and had a rattling good supper and as I had to leave at 8.20 to meet Aunty I got out of listening to most of the speeches. Bill Barwell &amp; Joe Smith proposed toasts and were answered by Mr. Brand and a Mr. Neil who came with Manning, then a Mr. Dollar who I think is liable to succeed Mr. Brand in the Methodist pulpit this year. They were all pretty poor, but but Frank said that Taylor Statten who spoke for about an hour after I left was very good. The train got in about nine o'clock and I went up to the house with Aunty and then went up and spent the rest of the evening with Marj. Sunny and a little milder to-day. </p><p>Wednesday April 14th </p><p>Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning to get some feed at Johnson's. We borrowed Art. Quanbury's waggon as ours had the rack on it and as we went over there after it, we didn't get started till about ten o'clock. It was nearly noon when we got there so Frank took his wheel around to Ford's to be fixed and we took some bags up to Johnson's and then put the team in at Burt's and went and had dinner at Shaw's. It was four o'clock before we left Simcoe. I got my new suit and went to Slaght who didn't know any more about the Dickey Stevens place than he did last fall We couldn't get any bran or shorts anywhere up there but got our seed potatoes and some seed corn. It was nearly six when we got home. Dad. said Roy Hammond had been in to invite us all down to a U.F.O. social meeting to-night and hear a debate on the subject of an 8 hour day on the farm. I went down to band practise to-night and went to the U.F.O. meeting after it. The debate was just about over but we heard <s>the</s> a quartette composed of Frank Lemons, Fram. Walker, Mrs. Welch &amp; Mrs. Roy Hammond sing and a violin duet. Then some old Frank Ryerson from Teeterville or some place made a long rambling agitating speech in which he made several comparisons between the poor down trodden farmer and the wealthy autocratic city-man all of which was bunk. He is a witty and comical old coon but a {rube?} in manners, looks and speech, but evidently a high man in U.F.O. circles. After this we had refreshments, which were good, and plentiful. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Thursday April 15th </p><p>Dad went out to the corner field and tried to plow this morning but it was too wet and he had to come up. Frank and I cut the tails off 14 more lambs and then Frank drove Tid. down to school. I braided up the corn we got in Simcoe yesterday and hund it up in the drive house. It started to rain before noon and rained all the afternoon and night. Dad. went over to John Wesses this after noon and was there till after five. We did chores and puttered around. I went down town to-night to see if the Tuxis boys were going to meet but they didn't. I had on Frank's rubber boots so thought I would go home but I took a walk up to the Monteith's and saw Marj. near the door so knocked and she let me in. She got me old Monteith's slippers which nearly pinched my feet off and caused the old man considerable concern when he went to look for them later. Frank went down to a minstrel show composed of Simcoe Methodists in the town hall. </p><p>Friday April 16th </p><p>We started to fix up the lane a little this morning Dad. &amp; Frank plowed three furrows on each side of it and I threw the sods out in the middle. A little before noon Tom. Butler came over after Dad. to go and see a ewe that was lambing so Dad. went over and didn't get back till after three and didn't have any dinner Frank worked a little more at the lane this after noon and fixed up a lamb creep. I spent most of the after noon doing chores. Wore my new suit down town to-night and they all said it looked fine. Nice day </p><p>Saturday April 17th </p><p>Dad. and I have spent most of the day piling wood and didn't quite finish but made things look quite a bit better than they did. Frank went down town this morning and up to Miss McCoy's where he found we could get two tons of hay for $25.00 a ton. He went out to Evans and got the wheel of the old waggon which he took out there the other day. Evans had put in a piece of a rim and two new spokes and only charged $2.50. Frank put it on the old waggon this after noon and went down town and got a load of sawdust to use in the horse stable for bedding. Dad. went down to see Aunty to-night. Very windy, mild. </p><p>Sunday April 18th </p><p>Tid and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Frank came down but was too late for sunday school and too early for church so went up the beach. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and this after noon Marj. and I went over to Prestons &amp; Ivey's woods and </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>gathered a big bunch of may flowers. We came up through the gully to the house and found Aunty Alice here She went home before tea, but Marj. stayed here for the evening. Frank was over at the Sidway's and didn't get home till nearly seven but as I was home I helped Dad. do the chores. It has been a beautiful day, east breeze. </p><p>Monday April 19th </p><p>Frank and I went out to the Shand's first thing this morning and got another load of hay. They told us we could have enough to make up a ton but we put on as much if not more than we had last time and the last load weighed 1580, but Willie said they would call the two loads 3000 and only charged us $18.00 a ton for it. It was easily worth $25.00 according to what we would have to pay anywhere else. We put it all off in the horse stable and right after dinner we went up to Miss McCoy's and got a load. It took us quite awhile to put it on and coming out of the barn we had to make a very short turn and broke a trace but were able to shorten it and go on. We took it down and weighed it and it was 1910 but heavier hay. Fine day </p><p>Tuesday April 20th </p><p>We started work on the land to-day. I went out first thing and sowed the rest of the clover seed on the wheat and Frank went out and started disking along the side road. Dad. took Tid down to school and then went out with Belle &amp; Queen with the harrows. Frank had Harry &amp; Pommers and Pommers went off without a particle of trouble. They worked till about four o'clock when Frank came up to get the drill and seed as it looked so rainy we thought we had better put in what was worked up although Dad. didn't want to put it in without more work and without treating the seed. Just as Frank came up it started to rain and rained till five o'clock so nothing more could be done. I dug around some of the little trees in the orchard this morning and this after noon did chores and mixed barley &amp; oats for seed. Frank and I went down town to-night. I met Marj. after their auxillary meeting was over and we went to the picture show. </p><p>Wednesday April 21st </p><p>Frank and I spent the day shearing sheep but only got six done. We were quite awhile getting the machine in order and haven't got our hand in very well yet. We couldn't find our wool box so couldn't tie up the fleeces Dad. went down to the butter factory this after noon to get some butter and didn't get back till after six He said the roads were a fright. They just scraped them before the rain. I went down to band practise to-night. Cnocfierna had a heifer calf to-night. Fine &amp; warm. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Thursday April 22nd </p><p>Frank took Tid. down to school this morning and went on down town to get some oil for the sheep clippers and to get me some developing supplies. He also went up to Ham Thompson's and found our wool box. Ham had borrowed it last year and had forgotten about it till he found it the other day cleaning out the drive house. I raked the lawn for awhile and then Dad. helped me shear a couple of sheep, but it hurt his arm to turn the machine. We sheared this after noon and got seven more done. Alan Law was in this morning and took the knives of the horse clippers up to be sharpened in Simcoe. Elva came over to dinner and Aunty Alice right after dinner and all the bridge club later in the after noon. Aunty Alice &amp; Elva stayed to tea and I walked down with them after tea and went to the Tuxis boys meeting. It began to rain just after we left and we had a great old thunder storm. It was still raining a little when I started for home so I went in to Aunty Alice's for the night. Saw a pair of big blue martin's on the bird house to-day. </p><p>Friday April 23rd </p><p>This has been a miserable day, rained or drizzled nearly all the time with little patches of sunshine and rather chilly. Frank and I sheared seven more sheep. Dad. went up to see Ham Thompson's cattle this morning. I went down town to-night. </p><p>Saturday April 24th </p><p>Frank and I docked the rest of the lambs this morning and then sheared three more sheep before dinner. Aunty came over to dinner and this afternoon she Enah and Tid went back to the woods and got a lot of may flowers. Frank went to Simcoe this after noon and got his wheel and rode it home. It was rather late when we got through the noon chores so instead of shearing any more sheep, Dad. went out to clean out some ditches and I went down to "Bronzie" and got some cedar trees to set out for a hedge Enah. Tid. and Aunty drove down town and I went down and got some more little cedars and left them by Mrs. Battersby's mail box and Enah brought them home in the cart. I set some of them out to-night and heeled the rest of them in. Sunny but cold north wind </p><p>Sunday April 25th </p><p>Frank and I went down to sunday school this morning I was purposely late as I had a premonition that I might be requested to open Sunday school but when I got there I found that they had not yet started so sure enough Aunty Alice pounced on me and asked me to do the job. I thought there was only one effective way of getting out of it and convincing them that I absolutely and unconditionally refused to be let in </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>for it so I made for the door and went down to the pier for half and hour. There were several fishing down there and they were hauling out perch at a great rate. I didn't have quite time enough after I got back to get all the books distributed. Mr. Johnson had a very bad cold and there was some talk of not having church so Marj. and I thought we would go up the beach, there was church however but we walked right past much to Aunty Alice's surprise, we thinking that the fewer Mr. Johnston had to speak to the easier it would be on his voice. I left Marj. at the Bagleys where she had dinner and spent the afternoon celebrating Mr. Bagley's birthday. I came home to dinner and this after noon went over to Tom Butler's with some tobacco Frank got for him. I also took a knife over to dock his lambs, but Art Quanbury had been over this morning and done that. I found Tom &amp; Stevens in the house entertaining Bill Donald, Frank Lemons and Jack &amp; Arthur Pickford, so I stayed for about an hour and imbibed cider with the company On my way home I came through the woods and dug up some may-flower roots to send to Dorrie. I helped Dad. do chores and went down town by after church. They had a long service. The oddfellows were all there and Mr. Farney preached to them. Frank has been down at the Ward's all after noon &amp; evening. Fine day, cool </p><p>Monday April 26th </p><p>I went out first thing this morning to measure of a space in the field along the side road to put the Experimental Union plots. Then I came up and helped Frank bring out the old drill which he had rigged up as a broadcast seeder with Harry &amp; Pommer while Dad. drove Tid to school. They had broken a cog in the feed drive gear of the drill so when we got out with it we found it wouldn't run as it would stop feeding when it came to the broken cog. We came up and put Queen with the team and hooked on to the big drill and Dad. &amp; Frank went a few rounds with it but found the ground was too wet for it to work in the mud clogged up in the disks and half the seed didnt sow and it wouldn't cover well either. I opened up some ditches in the corner field This after noon Frank took the broken gear wheel to Simcoe but they were all too busy up there to fix it and the implement man didn't have one in stock but sent for one. Dad. and I took Pommers &amp; Harry out to plow in the corner field and I went a few rounds with him but it was too wet to work well and the plow not being scoured pulled very hard, but Dad. kept at it till night and finished a land. I came up and set out the rest of my cedar hedge down to the ditch. I have some left though. Cold east wind and cloudy. Rain to-night. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Tuesday April 27th </p><p>It drizzled rain all morning so that we couldn't do anything outside. I worked in the shop making stakes for the experimental plots and fixing the milk stools. Frank went down to Alfred's and cleaned up some oats as we have to buy some for feed. This after noon it cleared off, the wind went from the east to west by the south and it got quite warm. We went back to the gully and fixed a little of the fence as there is enough pasture back there now to turn the steers back. I went down to-night. </p><p>Wednesday April 28th </p><p>We spent the day fixing fence back in the gully and think we have the old barricade patched up enough to hold the steers as we want to turn them out to-morrow. We <s>p</s>put most of the morning on the fence this side of the creek on Ivey's line. It was in awful shape so we took it all down, put in a couple more posts and stretched the barbed wire over again. It doesn't look very artistic but it is in a perpendicular position anyway, I went down to band practice to-night. Rotten day. Cloudy, windy, very cold &amp; rainy. Tom Butler &amp; his pal spent the evening over here to-night. They are getting tired of batching and have a chance to engage a young widow from near Simcoe as housekeeper, but don't know whether it would be strictly in accordance with the rules of society or not. </p><p>Thursday April 29th </p><p>Frank went out and harrowed this morning along the side road and Dad. plowed in the corner field. Frank thought the land worked pretty well so Dad. went on this after noon and sowed the rest of the barley &amp; oats we had mixed up. He went over what he sowed the other day again. He couldn't start sowing till quite late as Jim who brought the spare part to the broadcast seeder couldn't find it when he brought the mail and so went all around his route and found it in the bottom of his box so then brought it out, he was in his car so went around fairly quickly. I measured out 250 lbs of manure this morning to put on one of my experimental plots and then went out and staked them out. I came up at four o'clock and did up the chores as Dad. worked pretty late. I went down to the Tuxis boys' meeting to-night after which I ran across Hazen and walked up to the radical track and back with him. We turned the steers out to-day. </p><p>Friday April 30th </p><p>Dad. worked on the land all day and got in four or five acres more. Frank and I treated what oats he sowed for smut this morning. We tried the dry treatment this time which is to spray the formalin on instead of sprinkling it. We use a much stronger solution, half in half and just use one </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>pint of the mixture to 25 bushels of grain. We did it in the granary instead of on the barn floor where there would have been a breeze and it nearly suffocated us. The fumes got in our eyes and noses even after we tied handkerchiefs over our mouths, but little by little we got the job done. We then took the sheep out to the corner field and Frank went on the land and worked. I sowed three of my experimental plots but will have to wait till I get the manure on the other one to sow it. I spent the after noon doing chores. We were very much surprised this morning when we went out to the cow stable to find a roan heifer calf behind Elgitha. She wasn't due till the 12th of May so we hadn't noticed her at all and she calved in the stanchions. We put her and the calf out back of the barn for to day and shut her in a box stall at night, she looks to have a good bag. We let the cows back to the gully for awhile this after noon. I went down town to-night. Fine but quite cool. </p><p>Saturday May 1st </p><p>It froze hard last night and has been cold quite uncomfortably so with a north west wind all day but it has been fine and Dad. and Frank have managed to finish that field out there, we think there must be about 14 acres in it. There are one or two holes with water in them that they had to leave, but Dad can sow a little closer to them by hand and Frank will cross harrow it Monday if it stays fine. We put it in in pretty rough shape just disked and harrowed it ahead of the <s>drill</s> seeder with out crossing. Dad. hates to put it in that way, but with the weather we have it seems like taking chances on not getting it in at all if we do it "a la" John Wess. This is the way Art Ryerse &amp; Alf. Pow do it every year and they thrash some great crops. I have chored around all day cleaning out the calf pens and mulching the raspberries. Enah and Tid went down to John Watts' sale this after noon. Enah said there were very few there and things went for very little. She bought some chairs and rag mats, for a little over a dollar. John Watts is leaving as Sam &amp; Alan have bought the farm. </p><p>Sunday May 2nd </p><p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and Enah went down to church as she had to play the organ. Dad. went down to Aunty's for dinner. I came home for dinner and tea and spent the after noon and evening down town. I took 16 chick out from two hens to-day and put them in a little coop under one hen. Frank &amp; Lloyd Ryerse went down the lake shore to-night to invite folks to the Butler's Stevens party to-morrow night. Fine day but cold wind. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Monday May 3rd </p><p>Frank and I went up to Miss McCoy's this morning and got another load of hay. It was after noon by the time we got it home and off. Dad. harrowed crossways on what we sowed this morning and Frank finished harrowing it this after noon and started in disking the corner field. Dad. and I hauled out the manure I had weighed up for my plot and some more which we mulched some of the little poplars along the side road with. We then brought the plow out of the corner field and ran the ditches in the sowed piece and Dad. started to plow the head land in the corner field. Winnie came over to tea to go with me to the party to-night. Frank had arranged to take Kathleen Kinsular and Jennie Ward so he had to take them out first then come back and get Win &amp; me. We had a very good time out there. Bobbie Mc.Milland was the orchestra and Fred Krill the master of ceremonies, there was a good crowd out there and lots to eat. Frank drove Win &amp; me home about one o'clock and then went back after the other girl </p><p>Thursday May 4th </p><p>Frank and I had to go back to the back field first thing this morning to get the cattle out of the woods as they had knocked down and broken a bar. I then drove Win. down to the bank and when I got home Frank and I put on a load of manure and took it down to Aunty Alice. We brought home some posts from Jack Reynolds to put along the road for a fence. Dad. plowed the head land in the corner field this morning and he and Frank worked on it this after noon. We are going to work up just half of it for oats and put corn on the rest of it. I did chores and sowed my last experimental plot with oats. I went down town to-night. </p><p>Wednesday May 5th </p><p>Dad. &amp; Frank worked on the corner field all day and hope to have it ready to drill by to-morrow after noon. I went out and burned some old rubbish in the corner field that had been along the old fence bottom, then I cleaned out some ditches in the sowed field. Frank and I treated some more oats this after noon and a little barley which Frank went down to the mill for. Remembering our last experience we were determined not to do the job in the granary again so we cleaned off the barn floor but that took a long time so that by the time we got done, there was no time to do any thing else much. Frank went out and sowed two kinds of Spring Wheat on the plots. I went down to band practice to-night. Aunty Alice was over here to tea. Fine &amp; warm all day but it freezes every night. </p><p>Thursday May 6th </p><p>Dad. &amp; Frank worked all morning on the corner field and drilled it in this after noon with the big drill. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Frank didn't finish till nearly dark. I sowed all the clover seed we had left on the side road field this morning, it went over about to the first water hole. I had dinner about ten o'clock and then went up to Charlie Trinders to see the Shorthorn sale of his &amp; Ham Thompson's. I did think of going up on the eleven o'clock car but changed my mind and walked up through the Cedar Swamp and Dean's Hollow. It was a beautiful day for a walk and I just poked along and enjoyed myself. I got a ride home with Lloyd Crysler who had taken John Wess. Charlie Butler &amp; Wilbur Ryerse up. The sale was very poor. Trinder's stuff was in poor shape and small and although Hams looked pretty nice the bidding was very slow and every thing went for grade prices or less. Lloyd Crysler &amp; John Wess each bought a bull. I went down town to-night and ran races and jumped with the boys. Came home early &amp; went to bed. </p><p>Friday May 7th </p><p>Frank had a couple of bags of seed left over last night when he got the piece sowed that was worked up so as it was treated we thought we had better sow it. Dad. has been working up five more lands all morning Frank drilled it in this after noon and then disked over the plowing that was left to keep it from getting too hard. We went down to Alfred's first thing this morning and got six more bags of oats for feed, we then went down to the mill and got four bags of some new feed mixture to feed the bulls. Then as the cattle were all in the back field again, we went back and put them out and stretched some more barbed wire. Frank came up and harrowed and I went over to ask Cam. McBride if he would like us to give him a day to-morrow he seemed very pleased at the prospect. He was just finishing up his field plowing and is afraid he won't get any more in. I went from there over to Charlie McQueen's to ask him if there would be any chance of renting his place this fall but he said he guessed not. This after noon I cleaned out a few ditches did chores and went over to ask Art Quanbury if he would rent Charlies place but he said not. I went down town to-night. Fine &amp; warm. </p><p>Saturday May 8th </p><p>I went over to Cam McBride's first thing this morning with the harrows and was over there till nearly six harrowing. Cam. got his field in to-night with the broadcast seeder. I harrowed ahead of him and then went over it after him so harrowed the field nearly over twice. Charlie Munroe came over and harrowed too all the after-noon. I came home before tea much against Cam's &amp; John Wess's wishes and forgot the halters and left them in the barn where the horses had been tied at noon. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>so Frank rode over on his wheel to get them but found Charlie Munroe had put them on his horses so he had to wait till Charlie got through tea and had his there too. He worked up the garden to-day and his alfalfa plot. He &amp; Dad. ran out the ditches in the corner field this morning but Dad. has felt so tough with a cold that he didn't do any thing this after noon. We were till after dark getting the chores all done, then Frank and I went down town. I got my hair cut and as I was so sleepy I went down to Aunty Alices and spent the night. Very hot this morning looked rainy </p><p>Sunday May 9th </p><p>Aunty Alice called me at five o'clock this morning and I went to sleep again but got away before half past five. Dad. was milking when I got home. Frank, Tid and I went down to Sunday school. Enah drove down to church. I stayed at Aunty Alices to dinner and this after noon Marj. &amp; I walked over to Preston's woods and then over here to tea. Frank was down at the Ward's and Dad. was to sick with his cold and an awful headache to get up at all so I had all the chores to do. I drove Marj. down to-night. Fine day </p><p>Monday May 10th </p><p>Frank and I finished cleaning out the ditches in the corner field this morning and this after noon sheared four more sheep. Dad. has felt very little better and hardly went out of the house all day Tid's cold is worse too and he didn't go to school. It has been cloudy all day and rained a little this after noon. We need it badly. Frank found a lamb this morning with a big lump on its shoulder and Dad. lanced it, and got a lot of stuff out of it. I afterwards pulled a long piece of straw out of the wound which looked like a timothy head with all the seed hulls off it. </p><p>Tuesday May 11th </p><p>It rained most of the morning and must have rained a lot during the night. We needed it badly and it was a nice gentle rain. The sheep got wet during the night so we couldn't shear to-day. Frank went down town this morning to see about borrowing some money, he stayed at Aunty's to dinner and went to Simcoe this after noon to see about several items of business. He is full of business ideas these days and says he is going to make the farm hum and double production, so I tell him to "go to it". I spent the morning trying out different letterings on a memorial honor-roll for Mr. Johnson. It cleared off this after noon and I did chores and worked around out in front of the house. Alan Tibbets, Zeitha and little Helen were over this after noon and went back to the woods after flowers. Tom Butler &amp; Stevens were in for awhile too. Frank and I went down town to-night. Dad. helped me do the night chores. Tid. feels rotten </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Wednesday May 12th </p><p>Frank and I sheared the rest of the sheep to-day. We got five done this fore noon and the other two after dinner. Alex Jamieson was in and wanted us to go down and shear his but Frank told him we didn't have time but that he could borrow the machine if he wanted it. Dad. felt quite a lot better to-day and went down to Aunty's for dinner and was down town all the after noon. Tid has been in bed all day and to-night they have decided that he has the measles. I went down to band practice to-night. Fine but cold wind. Frosty. </p><p>Thursday May 13th </p><p>I spent the day putting in posts along the road so that we could stretch the fence along the front of field east of the orchard. The sheep are on it and with no fence up they wander up the road and pasture on Pickford's wheat, which hasn't grown any since last fall so doesn't need pasturing. Frank harrowed over the garden this morning and this after noon he and Dad. hauled manure out on it. Dad. was quite worried over Jessie all day as she wasn't progressing with calving very fast. He examined her to-night and as the calf's head was back he was afraid we were going to lose one or both but he managed to straighten it out and it came fine a big red heifer. I went down to a Tuxis boys' meeting and a {sidesmen's?} meeting afterwards. Very cold all day and cloudy. It can't aparently warm up. </p><p>Friday May 14th </p><p>It took me nearly all day to put in the two posts in the gully I dug long holes for them and nailed cross pieces on the bottom's and put stones on top of them so I don't think the wire will lift them. Frank and I strung the wire up to them to-night so that the sheep can't get out. They have taken to going up to Pickford's wheat so we have to keep them in as Pickford's wheat makes very poor pasture. Dad. and Frank hauled some more manure on the garden this morning and they disked it and spring toothed it this after noon. Frank also went over his alfalfa plot and Dad. plowed a little more of the corn ground in the corner field. I went down town to-night and met Marj. going to Aunty's with a basket which she had taken a kitten up home in so we spent the evening there. Huby Aunty Maude, Cousin Clare &amp; Col. Smith were there playing bridge. Cloudy and very cold wind all day. Freezing hard to-night. </p><p>Saturday May 15th </p><p>Dad. and Frank and I worked all morning in the garden I cut up some of the small Irish Cobbler potatoes that were in the cellar and we planted four rows of them. Dad. and Frank planted a lot of small seeds. This after noon Frank and I took the little pigs down town and delivered them to their various purchasers. Bronzie Brock got one Art Webster one, Geordie Long two &amp; Geordie Innes two. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>We also took the wool down and put it on a freight car and got two bags of fertilizer that Frank got from Johnson to try out on Corn &amp; potatoes. He wanted to go up to Miss McCoy's and get some hay this after noon but we didn't have time. We got some plank from Jack Reynold's to fix Joe's stall with. Dad. intended working in the garden this after noon but Lea Marshall came after him and he had to go down town to see a sick horse of Jack Richardson's. Frank went down town to-night and I started to do some show card work but went to sleep. Nice day. </p><p>Sunday May 16th </p><p>It froze a little last night again but has been a very nice day no wind and quite mild. Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church. This after noon Frank went over to Tom. Butler's and took Crusoe with him and left him there as Tom wanted a dog and we didn't want him. Jack Richardson came after Dad. to go down to Henderson's and give his horse some more attention and Dad. went from there down to Aunty's. I did chores and took some little chickens out this after noon. I only got two good ones out of the incubator and I think they will die but the old hen hatched eight. Lloyd Ryerse was in for quite awhile. I went down town to-night and met Marj. who has been in Waterford all day with Mrs. Wood and they came in on the nine car. Tid. feels quite a bit better to-day, but is well spotted up yet. </p><p>Monday May 17th </p><p>Frank and I went up to Miss McCoy's this morning and got another load of hay. Dad. spent most of the morning attending to Nellie who presented us with a big red bull calf this morning. This after noon Dad. finished plowing the corner field for corn and I cleaned up around the back yard. Frank hauled two loads of coal and a load of sawdust for bedding in the horse stable. There was a car of coal in and we thought we had better get some of it now and be sure of having it especially as the price is going up. To-night Frank &amp; I went down to Mr. Freeman's to get lists of names to canvass for the steeple fund. It has been very warm all day and looks like rain. </p><p>Tuesday May 18th </p><p>Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning and was down all day trimming up the walks and fixing the fences. I spent the morning raking up the lawn but didn't quite finish. This afternoon I went out to the garden and sowed some more seeds. Frank worked on the corn ground all day. Alan Law was in at noon and borrowed the manure spreader. I went down town fairly early and got part of my canvassing done. Mrs. Martin was the only one I approached who refused to give at all and several gave me $5.00 I spent the evening with Marj. Very warm &amp; cloudy. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Wednesday May 19th </p><p>Dad. went back to the gully after the cows this morning and found Mary with a big roan bull calf, we left her back there all day. Frank went over to Tom Butler's and sheared his sheep for him this morning. I planted some more seeds in the garden and Dad. worked on the corn ground. This after noon Frank and I hauled out some manure to put on a patch which Dad. wants to work up for strawberries. Bruce came after Dad. about three o'clock to go down to Bob. Dougherty's with him to see a mare so Frank and I worked on the corn ground I worked till Frank got the strawberry patch covered and then he took the team and I planted some more corn &amp; my oats in the garden. I went down to band practice to-night. Fair and mild all day, sprinkled a little to-night. </p><p>Thursday May 20th </p><p>Dad. and I went back after Mary's calf this morning We had quite a time finding him as Mary had hidden him in the little gully running up into the field, and he lay there perfectly still with his head down as low as he could get it till I was just about on him. After quite a lot of trouble we got him up to the barn and I spent the rest of the day raking &amp; cutting the lawns and got them all looking pretty nice. Dad. worked on the corner ground and Frank spring toothed the back field as we thought it would be a good idea to keep it loosened up till we get a chance to plow it for summer fallow. I went down to the Tuxis boys' meeting to-night and finished my collecting for the steeple, and got $46.00 promised Huby gave me five dollars. I went there last and stayed most of the evening, but called in at Aunty's on my way home where I found Cal. Smith, Cousin Loll &amp; Mrs. Barwell playing bridge. Quint was there too. Very warm, shower to-night. </p><p>Friday May 21st </p><p>Dad. had to go down to Mr. Fleming's this morning as he had a new colt which he was afraid was not going to be able to suck but when Dad. got there it was all right. On his way home he saw Billy Mills who was very anxious to get Jack's sheep sheared so Dad. told him I would go over this afternoon. I spent the morning digging around my hedge. Dad. came home and plowed the strawberry patch and Frank went down to Sam Law's and got a few plants but not enough to fill the patch. I went over to Jack's with the clippers this after noon and sheared six of his sheep.They are much easier to shear than ours as there is no wool on their faces or the inside of their legs. Frank set out the strawberries this after noon and Dad. worked on the corn ground. I went down town to-night. Very warm. I saw kids in at the stump this after noon. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Saturday May 22nd </p><p>I went over to Martin's first thing this morning and finished shearing the sheep. I got home about eleven and wheeled out a barrow load or two of manure to put around my hedge but as Frank had the seed potatoes all treated for scab and ready to cut, I cut them till noon. Dad. plowed the potato ground this morning and Frank treated the seed and helped Dad. fork the manure out of the road of the shear. This after noon Frank and I cut seed. It took us till after four as we cut it all. Dad. worked down the land and furrowed it out but we didn't get it all planted. We planted four rows and Frank put fertilizer on three of them and Dad. covered them. Fine and warm to-day </p><p>Sunday May 23rd </p><p>I went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. Enah and Tid to church. Mr. Johnson dedicated the new memorial font this morning which Miss Buckwell put in the church in memory of her father &amp; mother, and we had a baptismal service when five children were christened. This afternoon Mr. Johnson invited Marj. &amp; me to go to Vittoria with him. He told Marj. to invite two more to make up a car load so she asked Miss McQueen and her mother. We had a very nice after noon and went to the woods up there while Mr. Johnson was at church. I came home and did chores and went down again to-night. </p><p>Monday May 24th </p><p>Dad. Frank and I finished planting the potatoes this morning and got in ten rows altogether running from the lane to Ivey's line. We finished about eleven and then Frank went over to Martin's and got some strawberry plants. I took the buggy down to the mill and washed the mud off it. This after noon Dad. &amp; Frank set out the strawberry plants and put a ring in Moonshine's nose but I took a holiday to celebrate the Queen's birthday and Marj. and I went up the Radical road to look for Dogwood. We didn't find any but we dug up a lot of other roots and got some lovely violets. We also saw a scarlet tanager and an indigo bird neither of which had we ever seen before. We gave a lot of our roots to Miss McQueen on our way home and she gave me some out of her garden to set out over here. I brought Marj. over here to tea. Billy Mills was over after the corn-marker this morning and said the creek was lined with fishermen. It was cloudy all morning but a beautiful day. </p><p>Tuesday May 25th </p><p>Frank and I hauled manure all day to-day and got out 19 loads on the corn ground. I put in the time between loads mulching around the hedge and cherry trees in the lane. Dad. cleaned out the cellar and had a hard job. Neff and Manning were in this after noon. Neff is making arrangements for an </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>automobile trip down into New York State some time next month and wants to have a meeting in Simcoe to-morrow night to arrange the details. Frank said he would try to go up. I went down town to-night and Marj. and I went over to Miss McQueen's and I got some larkspur plants that they had got for me from Miss Martin's hot bed. </p><p>Wednesday May 26th </p><p>Frank and I hauled manure all day and finished covering the corn ground. I cut the lawn in between loads and got it all looking slick. Dad. did odd jobs and hoed over in the garden. Frank went to Neff's meeting to-night. He said they had about fifteen out representative of the different J.F.I.A's throughout the county and formed a sort of County association with a Vittoria boy as president and Bill Nixon as secretary. I went down to band practice to-night. Very hot to-day. </p><p>Thursday May 27th </p><p>Dad. worked on the corn ground all day. Frank went down town this morning and got some seed corn and this after noon he harrowed on the corn ground. I just did odd jobs and took my harness to pieces and rubbed it up a little. I took the back strap out of the saddle and couldn't get it back in again. I went down town to-night but none of the boys showed up. I did a show card lesson after I got home. Very hot, warm night. </p><p>Friday May 28th </p><p>Dad. worked on the corn ground all day. Frank worked most of the day but went up to Ham. Thompson's to see if he could come down and plant corn for us to-morrow but he said he couldn't come till next week so we will if all's well mark it and plant it by hand to-morrow. Tid and I drove Mexico down town this morning and I dug a patch for Aunty Alice to plant potatoes and some holes for squash and then went up to Mr. Johnson's and he gave me a lot of perenniels. We stayed at Aunty Alice's for dinner and came home right after and spent the rest of the afternoon setting out the things I got from Mr. Johnson. I went down town to-night and went to an athletic meeting in the town hall but as Ernie West Jackson, Frank Smith and Manning were the only ones there we didn't do any thing. I left at nine and went down to Aunty's for the rest of the evening. Marj. was there having had tea there. Turned cold during the night. Cold wind all day. </p><p>Saturday May 29th </p><p>Dad. marked the corn ground this morning and I went with him to pick up the ends of the marker on the turns. Frank rolled the field down ahead of us and then went around to Pickford's &amp; Mr. Flemming's and borrowed their corn planters. Billy Mills came over after dinner and he Frank and I planted this after noon. We ran out of </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>about five rows from the end so will have to leave that much till Monday. Dad. took Billy out this after noon with the bridle &amp; surcingle on and did odd jobs. Aunty came over to tea and Dad. drove her home to-night. I read &amp; painted a show card lesson. Quite cold this morning. </p><p>Sunday May 30th </p><p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and Enah drove down to church. She stayed down to dinner but the rest of us came home. Olive Ward saw Marj. yesterday and invited her, with Frank and me, down to their place this after noon. Frank had made arrangements to go some place with Lloyd Ryerse so he didn't go down but helped Dad. as much as he could with the chores and Marj. and I drove down after dinner and spent the after noon and evening there and had a very nice time {Leggit?} was down to tea too. We got home about 11.30 Beautiful day, nice breeze. </p><p>Monday May 31st </p><p>Dad. spent the day plowing and working up the patch back of the shop where we are going to try and raise some fodder corn this year. Frank went down town and got some more seed corn and planted it this afternoon I put up my wren house and watched a pair of orioles for awhile that are building out on the lawn. Henry Misener came over with some stumping powder to blast out the big rock out in the field by the side road as Frank had made arrangements with him Saturday night to do it. I went out with him and Frank came out when he got back from town. He put three sticks under the rock and cracked it up and heaved it up out of the ground pretty well. He made two more blasts or mud caps as he called them by just putting the dynamite on top of the rock and covering it over well with mud. He split up some of the big chunks that way but there are still some big pieces to handle. There will be about half a day's work hauling the chunks away and filling up the hole. Frank had him go down to the corner field and put a stick under the old stump. He split a piece off the side of it and loosened it up. I dug around the little apple trees this afternoon Tid went back to school to-day. Very hot. </p><p>Tuesday June 1st </p><p>Frank discovered Belle with a colt this morning When Dad. went out first he looked over in the field <s>with</s> at her, and she was standing in the corner aparently the same as yesterday, but Frank came out a few minutes later and saw a colt up with her. Dad. went over and found a fine bay filly which had evidently arrived in this country early in the night and every thing was all right. He calls it Rachel after Mrs. Broadley. We </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>spent the fore noon hauling out manure on the mangel ground. We got it covered by noon, and took the pile away from back of the barn and cleaned out the pen in the barn where we had the bulls all winter. This after noon Dad. plowed the mangel ground this after noon but didn't quite finish Frank went down town on some of his business projects and I cut the lawn. Olive &amp; Jonnie Ward were over here to tea. I went down town and spent the evening over at the Monteiths. I went down to the beach on my way home and it looked so nice I went for a swim. It has been very sultry and rather cloudy to-day but it won't rain. </p><p>Wednesday June 2nd </p><p>Clarence Finch and Dr. Duncombe from Waterford were in first thing this morning and castrated George for us. Just as they left Alex. Jamieson &amp; his son came in, in a car to get Dad. to go down to see a sick ewe or an injured one. They took Tid down to school and the boy brought Dad. back. Rus. Lampkins &amp; George Kirkwood came in just as Dad. got home to get some more of the boiler tubes. Rus. looked at the windmill and said the boxing would have to be re-bobbited again right away. Dad. went out and finished plowing the mangel ground. He didn't quite finish by noon and was most of the noon working it up. Frank harrowed the corn ground over with the little team and this after noon he went to the mill and got a couple of bags of chop for the bulls and went over to Quanbury's and got the little seed drill and then rolled down the mangel ground. I did a few odd jobs this morning and about eleven o'clock rode Frank's wheel down town and gave Aunty Alice an hour or two in the garden. She told me last night that Mr. Johnson had lent her a wheeled hoe but it was too hard for her work so I wheel-hoed every thing I could and made quite a showing. I came home about three o'clock and cut some more lawn. Pickford came over with some pumpkin seed and delayed me quite a lot. I went down to Band practice to-night and went down to Wood's to get some shoe polish and found Marj. there so Mrs. Wood told me to come back after practice I did and went home with Marj. Two of the three boats comprising Capt. Robinson's "navy" are in the harbor now. He is admiral and Captains, Bailie, McDonald and Cousins each have command of one boat. Fine and hot. </p><p>Thursday June 3rd </p><p>I spent the fore noon sowing mangel and turnip seed. I got in 10 1/2 rows of mangels and about 11 rows of turnips, running from the lane to Ivey's line. Frank took the spring tooth out and went over his alfalfa ground and helped Dad. saw up the old willow tree </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>out in the wheat which blew down last fall and has been holding Ivey's fence down ever since. This morning Ivey's young cattle were in the wheat and got over the fence there so Dad. thought it had better be straightened up. He spent the fore noon and he and Frank all the after noon fixing Ivey's line fence in the gully from the south creek to the big elm by the mound. It was in very bad shape so they took it all down and put in a few posts and stretched it over again. I hoed the potatoes in the garden this after noon. They are just nicely up. Tid was home from school to-day as this is the King's birthday. He was back with Dad. and Frank this after noon and they discovered a crow's nest so Frank went up and took the four young ones which were just about big enough to fly and Dad. brought them all up to the house in his shirt and put them in his big bird cage. Tid is highly delighted of course. Enah wasn't home for tea as she went down to the deanery meeting. Quite cool. </p><p>Friday June 4th </p><p>We have spent the day weeding and hoeing in the garden. Most of the stuff is pretty well up now and needs cleaning out. This after noon Frank went out to Edmond England's to see a sheep dipping and castrating demonstration which Neff was putting on. I went down town to-night and called for Aunty Alice at Col. Smith's a little after eleven. They were having a little bridge party over there and I got there in time for the cake and wine. Quite a cold wind &amp; cloudy </p><p>Saturday June 5th </p><p>Dad. Frank and I went out again to the garden this morning. Frank planted some beans and Dad. set out tomatoes while I hoed and weeded. We hadn't been there long when it commenced to sprinkle and it gradually increased in intensity until finally it was raining quite hard. Dad. and I stayed out till we got pretty wet setting out tomatoes, we then came up and Dad. and Frank spent the remainder of the fore noon putting a floor in Joe's stall and I painted a show card lesson. The rain kept up pretty well all day and night. I went to sleep this after noon and the others sat around the house. I painted some more to-night. Fine rain </p><p>Sunday June 6th </p><p>Frank Tid and I went to Sunday school this morning and Dad and Enah went down to church. Marj. and I stayed at Aunty's to dinner. Winnie was there too. Marj. Aunty Alice and I came over here to the farm this after noon and Winnie came over later for tea. We all went down town before dark as Aunty Alice wanted to get some cauliflower plants at the Quanbury's. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Monday June 7th </p><p>I drove down to Aunty's this morning and got the scythe as we have to start cutting grass for the stock, we are completely out of hay. I drove around by the school house and took Tid. down. Aunty gave me some forget me nots and peppers to set out so I set them out when I got home. Frank had to go with Sam Law this morning to help him take a couple of heifer's to Jarvis so he didn't get back till after dinner. He said they got down all right but when they got there the cattle ran through every back yard in Jarvis. Dad. worked up the strip we plowed for rape last year and this after noon he drilled it in with oats and vetch for sheep pasture. He also worked up and drilled the piece back of the shop with fodder corn. I cut a little grass this after nooon and just puttered around. </p><p>Tuesday June 8th </p><p>I went to Simcoe this morning on the nine o'clock car and went to see Slaght as Enah and Aunty noticed in the Maple Leaf that Kelly was asking for notification of claims against the estate of Susan Stevens and as they were all sure that was Dicky Stevens mother we thought that possibly the "sheep pasture" might be involved. However Slaght said it had nothing to do with it and that Thompson so far had done nothing. I came home at eleven and went up to Jim Moris's and had my hair cut. This after noon Frank and I hauled out manure, he and Dad. hauled out in the morning We didn't get very much done. There was a heavy thunder shower just after dinner but it only lasted a few minutes. When I got home from Simcoe I found Douglas here. He was in Jarvis so thought he would run up to look at the bulls. He stayed to dinner he thought the bulls were nice ones but at present he says there is no market for them whatever. I went down town to-night and on my way home had a wild goose chase up to the switch at Iveys being attracted by the bell on the car which Pete Furlong had in some way started going and couldn't stop till she rain out of air. Three or four other fellows ran down, their "missus" had waked them up and told them there was a fire. Hot after the rain. </p><p>Wednesday June 9th </p><p>I rode Belle up to Jim Waddle's this morning at seven o'clock and bred her to {Culver's?} horse. I was there for half an hour and Jim. was showing me Clara Belle and her colt from Hal. <s>He</s> It is a beauty. Frank had to go down to the mill for some feed and when he got back, we hauled out manure. It was </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>slow work hauling it out of the shed and as we were late getting started we didn't get much done. I went down to band practice to-night and we had a good one </p><p>Thursday June 10th </p><p>We were late getting started at the manure this morning as it takes a long time to cut grass for the bulls and do odd jobs. Frank gave us a demonstration of the English method of castrating lambs with his teeth this morning and that look a little time. We finished hauling out of the shed though and hauled a few loads from the yard. Dad. finished hoeing in the garden and hooked Joe up to the cultivator and went through it. When they came up they both had "tummy-aches" Enah got me some poppy and daisy roots at Miss Martin's this morning when she took Tid. to school and I set them out but I am afraid the poppy won't stand it. I went down to-night to see the Tuxis boys but they didn't show up. I went down to Aunty's and they were up at Miss Martin's with the Sunday school staff presenting her with a prayer book. They came home soon and said Aunty Maude was having a great deal of pain so I took up a bottle of stuff for her from Aunty. Huby had his two customs inspectors there entertaining them so I stayed till pretty late. Hot day </p><p>Friday June 11th </p><p>We decided to dip the sheep to-day so Frank spent most of the morning getting the tank ready the way they did over at the Englands. He sank it in the ground just inside the barn doors and rigged the waggon box with the sides on it for a draining pen<s>t</s>. He had Joe Howell make him a dipping hook. We got started to dip after eleven and were through by about half past twelve. We left them in the barn for an hour or so as they told Frank over there that turning them out in the sun immediately after dipping would blister them so I suppose that was the cause of our trouble last year. This after noon Frank and I hauled out a little more manure and Dad. went over to let the cattle into the back field and went on over to John Wess's. He and Cam were both at Turkey Point fixing up the House Boat which a bunch of those old sports back there have bought. Went down town to-night. Hot. </p><p>Saturday June 12th </p><p>Frank and I hauled out manure all morning but quit at noon as Dad. thought we had better start plowing the field on Monday and get in what we have manured. This after noon Dad. Frank &amp; Tid went down town and cut the grass in front of Aunty's place and brought it over here. There was enough of it to last over Tuesday </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>I slept for about an hour after dinner and then started to cut lawn but as I had to file down one of the knives on the lawn mower I didn't finish. Dad's last crow died last night. He left the four of them out of the cage the other night and three of them left in the night This one was sick so couldn't go with the others. Hot, looks rainy. </p><p>Sunday June 13th </p><p>Frank Tid and I drove down to Sunday school &amp; Dad. &amp; Enah went down at church time. Enah went to church and Dad. went to see Aunty Maude, who is feeling quite a bit better. After church Marj. and I drove out to the Smythe's where we had dinner and spent a very nice after noon. We started for home about four o'clock but I just got Joe hooked up when a very heavy thunder storm came up and it just poured rain for about half an hour so I had to tie poor Joe to a tree and go in the house. It cleared up beautifully and we got home about half past five. Mr. Wilson (president of Mexico) was here when we got home so I drove him down to the side walk. I helped Dad. do up the chores after tea and Marj. and I drove down town about half past nine. We took some strawberries down to Aunty which Mrs. Smythe sent her. Frank has been making arrangements to go to New York State with Neff's party to-morrow in Irvin Pow's car </p><p>Monday June 14th </p><p>Frank left early this morning to go on Neff's trip through New York State. He was to meet Irvin Pow at the Winding Hill at a quarter to seven and as he hasn't been back all day I guess they got away. Lloyd Ryerse &amp; Alex England were going in the same car and they were to meet the rest of the party at Renton or Jarvis. I spent most of the day filling in the missed hills of corn in the field and Dad. took up the dining room carpet for Enah who has the house all ripped up for house cleaning and spent the rest of the day cultivating. He took Mexico out this morning and cultivated what he could in the garden and a little of the corn with him but he was very ignorant and very slow so this after noon he took Belle, she resented leaving Rachel and so wasn't very interested in her work all the after noon but Dad. thinks she will be all right later on. I got through planting corn about four o'clock and then hoed a little in the garden. I went down to band practice to-night. When it was over I fell in with a bunch of the boys who were going down to Chiravaree Alan Law so I left my horn at Karl Colman's and went with them I went in Lloyd Crysler's car and so got a ride all the way home. We gave Alan a grand old serenade with bells, revolvers and an old steel saw which is kept for such occasions. Alan was prepared for us and treated us to wine, cider, beer and cigars. Every body was there. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Tuesday June 15th </p><p>Dad. put down the dining room carpet for Enah first thing this morning and then took Belle out and cultivated corn till noon. It looked so dark and rainy that we didn't get the team in to plow corn ground as we had intended. I hoed potatoes in the garden till nearly noon and then had to go back to put the cattle out of the back field. It sprinkled two or three times but didn't ammount to much. Dad. and I cultivated and hoed after dinner till about three o'clock when we saw a terrible storm coming up from the north so we went to the house. The storm rolled up pretty quickly and when it broke it was a fierce one and lasted till nearly six o'clock. It let up at intervals and in one of these Dad Dad. went after Tid. I painted a show card lesson. I went down town to-night with Cliff Lown who came in after tea with the cream can. It was raining again when I started for home so I stayed at Aunty's </p><p>Wednesday June 16th </p><p>I got home soon after 5.30 this morning and went back after the cows. After breakfast I felt rather tired from tramping around in the mud with Frank's rubber boots on. About ten o'clock I went down to have Dr. Lemmon look at my tooth which the filling came out of. He couldn't look at it till about noon and said he wouldn't have time to fix it till to-morrow after noon. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and didn't go home till after two as it looked so rainy. I didn't do much all the after noon except try to put a handle on an umbrella of Marj's. To-night I went down to band practice. We had it over Ted. Nicol's new garage and it was fine. It certainly is an enormous place. Every one seems to be of the opinion that Ted will never get his money back. Rainy all day. </p><p>Thursday June 17th </p><p>It rained or drizzled nearly all day so we didn't do any thing outside. Dad. &amp; Enah have been very busy house cleaning, papering &amp; painting. I "messed about" and did a little printing. I went down town right after dinner and took my horn down to Ed's as he has some fine polish down there I made it look quite a lot better but it needs a lot more yet. I went up at three o'clock to Dr. Lemon's but he couldn't fix my tooth for another hour so I went down to the lake where I found Quint and Joe fixing up their bathing houses. I took the contract to paint some signs for them. I went over to Bill's about half past four and he filled my tooth. I then came home and did chores and after tea went down town again as I wanted to see the Tuxis boys about some skin game </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>that Mr. Johnson wants them to run at the strawberry social. I was late getting down so missed them but met a couple of them later on the street. I went down to Aunty's where I found Marj. so walked home with her. Frank got home to-day noon from his trip &amp; had a fine time. </p><p>Friday June 18th </p><p>Frank and I went down in the waggon this morning and I got the old Northern Crown Bank signs which Quint wanted me to paint over for them to put down at the beach. Frank had some other things to get and we came home by the mill and got some feed so it was nearly noon when we got home. It drizzled rain for quite awhile after dinner and was too wet to do any thing outside. I did some lettering. Frank cleaned up in the shop and Dad's time was taken up with Julien {Neins's} horse which had got something in it's foot and was quite lame. He went after him at four o'clock. It cleared off to-night and Marj. and I went up the Radical Road tacking up posters for the strawberry festival. I felt ashamed of myself all the time for helping to advertise the darned thing, but there is no use bucking it when the majority seem to think it is the proper thing. We went up to Port Ryerse and put up about fifteen posters on gates and posts and two on a water tank. We came home around by the Smythe's and returned some {ropes?} they lent us last week. </p><p>Saturday June 19th </p><p>It looked cleared off to-day and has been sunny and breezy Dad. &amp; Frank started to plow the field east of the new meadow this morning for corn and Dad. has been at it all day but says it is pretty wet yet. I spent most of the morning cleaning out the bull's pen and doing odd chores and got started to cut the lawn. I finished it this after noon. Frank did odd jobs and mulched the little trees in the orchard. He and Tid. went fishing for a little while after dinner and Tid was in the seventh heaven over catching two carp. He brought them home and cleaned them all by himself and we all had to have a taste at tea time. Enah went down town. </p><p>Sunday June 20th </p><p>We all went down to church or sunday school this morning. Marj. Quint and I had dinner at Aunty's I went up town this after noon and the band played out in the park. We had a good concert and a full band. I came home soon after four and helped Dad. do chores It began to rain about five and kept it up all evening I went down town after tea and found Marj. in at the Wood's, we went up to the Monteith's and spent the evening. Frank went down to the Ward's on his wheel and I guess is stalled down there I stayed all night at Aunty's. Very windy &amp; rather cold &amp; a drizzly rain. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Monday June 21st </p><p>It rained or threatened rain nearly all day so we didn't do very much Frank got home a little before noon He came up to town with the Ward girls when they came to school and Tom Butler brought him over here. Dad. and I did odd jobs and I worked at my show cards a little This after noon Frank painted the bob-sleighs and tidied up in the shop. I went down to band practice to-night. </p><p>Tuesday June 22nd </p><p>I went down when Dad. drove Tid. to school this morning and went down to the beach to paint the letters Quint wanted on their bathing houses, but when I got there George Holden told me he had just left so I went over to the pier and saw old Quint just out of earshot beyond the end of the pier in his little boat heading for Wooley's point or beyond up the lake. I went up to the Thompson's to see if I could get the key from Joe but he said the paint was all locked up in Quint's shack and he had the key. Joe seemed rather provoked at him for leaving as he said they expected a big picnic in on Saturday and didn't have any thing ready for it. I went up to Aunty's and cut their lawn and stayed to dinner. On my way home Mrs. Quanbury gave me a lot of aster plants so I spent most of the after noon setting them out. Dad. and Frank spent their day putting up the fence between the lane and the barn-yard and made a fine job of it. I stayed home to-night and painted show card lessons. Dad. took some milk down to Aunty's but they were all away. Fine, cool and windy </p><p>Wednesday June 23rd </p><p>I spent about an hour this morning cutting grass for the bulls and wheeling it up to the barn I got enough cut to last them all day. Dad. drove Tid. to school and then went out to the garden to hoe. It was dry enough only up on top of the knoll. I started to put in some temporary posts to divide the sheep pasture as we want to give the east side of it which has a lot of young clover on it a chance to grow up I just got started when a big rain storm came up and I had to quit. It poured rain for a couple of hours and there were two or three very sharp lightening flashes one of which killed a horse of Mr. Fleming's It cleared off this after noon but was too wet to do anything. I started to paint Quint's signboard but got the letters too big so will have to paint them out. Frank helped Enah house clean our room. I spent the evening with Marj. </p><p>Thursday June 24th </p><p>I spent quite awhile cutting grass for the bulls and Dad. and I took a look at our own and Ivey's wheat The Hessian Fly is working in ours a little and </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>more still in Ivey's and they say some fields are nearly cut to pieces with it. Cruickshanks and a Massey Harris man came down this morning and Frank helped them fix the drill up in good running order. Hermon Cook &amp; Gordon Zealand came over this morning to ask me about the peanut grab which they are to have charge of at the strawberry festival to-night and I gave Hermon a lot of my bird's eggs. He wanted to buy the whole bunch and offered me a dollar for them. This after noon Frank and I put up the fence through the field east of the orchard to keep the sheep off the east side of it and give it a chance to grow. Frank took it off the posts at the north end to run down through the centre. We made a rather sloppy job of it as the posts weren't in solid and we didn't half stretch it but it was the best we could do under the circumstances and I think it will hold the sheep Enah went down this after noon to the strawberry social and Tid went down there from school. We did the chores all up early and Dad. Frank and I drove down about seven. I went up to the band room but found no one there so thought they had gone over but they didn't start to gather till nearly eight, so we were rather late getting there. However we gave them quite a concert and they gave us a very good feed and treated us to cigars. Fine day but looked rainy. </p><p>Friday June 25th </p><p>We penned all the sheep this morning and went over them and took out the ones that looked unthrifty and shut them up in the box stall to starve before treating them for tapeworm. Frank then hooked to the mower and cut a strip of grass along each side of the road. Dad. helped him. Tom Butler was in for quite awhile. I worked for about half an hour more on Quint's sign before dinner. I spent about an hour after dinner getting hay for the bulls along the road where Frank cut it this morning. Frank put some more stakes in the sheep pasture fence and Dad. hoed in the garden which is still pretty wet. I went out to help him but Joe Thompson came over and wanted me to go down right away and paint some of the letters on the bathing house. He was very provoked at Quint who left last Tuesday for the Point and has not come back yet they still have quite a lot to do to get ready for business and expect picnics right along now. I went down and got New Bath Houses painted in big letters 18 inches high which could be seen from Main St. and promised Joe I would try to finish it to-morrow. I didn't get through till after five so I had to hurry as Aunty Alice had invited Marj. &amp; me to tea I went home milked one cow and changed my clothes and got back down town in an hour but got a ride down with Jack Martin. Fine day and quite hot. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Saturday June 26th </p><p>I went down to the beach right after breakfast this morning and was down all day painting the letters on the bathing houses. I finished to-night and the boys seemed satisfied. Quint got back last night. His Yankee friends took their speedboat over to Erie and had her measured up for some race which they may enter later on. That was what kept them so long but Quint wasn't saying anything about it. Dad. has felt rather sick all day and didn't go out at all this afternoon till chore time. I got home in time to help do chores and then went down again after tea and spent the evening with Marj. Fine and hot. </p><p>Sunday June 27th </p><p>Frank Tid. and I went to Sunday school and I gave Frank instructions about running the library as Marj. is bound I am to take her class when she goes. I stayed for dinner at Aunty's and this after noon Marj. and I took a walk up the beach. We came over here for tea about five o'clock and I drove Marj. home to-night Frank went down to the Ward's with Charlie Blake and brought his wheel home which has been down there since last Sunday. Alex England rode in to-night. He was supposed to take Frank down to the Ward's this after noon but didn't show up. </p><p>Monday June 28th </p><p>Dad. and I took Belle out and cultivated the turnips and mangels this morning and then Dad. cultivated the potatoes alone while I came up to paint my sign I found Mexico caught in the orchard fence and had quite a time to get him out but with Enah's help managed to extricate him without much injury to him or the fence. I was all the after noon painting at Quint's sign and didn't quite finish Frank set his cultivator up this morning but thought there was a brace missing so couldn't try it out. Dad. plowed a little more out where we want to put corn. He said it was pretty wet still. Frank hoed for awhile in the garden this after noon. I went down town to-night to see Marj. I went down to "Porky" Marshall's to see about painting some letters for him on his shop but George Zealand had got the job. I was glad he had as I haven't got the time. Very hot to-day &amp; to-night. </p><p>Tuesday June 29th </p><p>Dad. plowed all morning and intended to cultivate corn this after noon but just after dinner a terrific thunder storm broke loose which stopped him. It rained several short but very hard showers all the after noon and a terrible wind, so we didn't do any thing all the after noon but sit around. Dad. went out with </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>the cultivator but got caught in the rain. I finished painting the sign this morning and spent quite awhile talking to a representative of the Basic Slag people who came to look at the wheat. He admitted there wasn't any noticable change in the appearance of the fertilized &amp; unfertilized and thought it must have been due to the dry weather. I cleaned out a row of mangels when he left. Frank has felt rather tough all day owing to an overdose of green peas he had last night over at Jack Martin's field where he picked some for Enah. I went down town to-night to see if by any chance <s>Wednes</s> the band was going to the Woodhouse social but just as I got to Aunty's it began to rain again and Marj. was there so I never went up town. On my way home to-night I fell in with the chiravaree brigade on their way to honor Dock McQueen who married Lilly Greenbury the other day. I went over with them but didn't go in. They didn't make any racket as Mrs. Alex Spain is about at death's door They told me the band stayed home. </p><p>Wednesday June 30th </p><p>Frank and I took Quints sign down to him this morning and then went up and got some things (a desk &amp; some books) of Marj's. which she wanted stored at Aunty's for the summer. Frank took the team home and got some stuff at the mill and I went down to the beach to paint some more letters for Quint &amp; Joe but they didn't have things ready so I couldn't. I stayed art Aunty's to dinner and went home right after. She gave me some pansy plants which I set out and I spent the rest of the after noon raking up the lawn which was very littered after yesterday's storm. Dad. worked in the garden all day and Frank fixed the bracing at the windmill and cut the grass around the little trees in the orchard this after noon. Marj. came over to tea. She has been very busy calling on all the folks in town and saying goodbye. She is leaving to-morrow and not coming back till I go and bring her I hope in October. </p><p>Thursday July 1st </p><p>I spent most of the morning doing chores and cutting the lawn but didn't finish. I went down a little before noon and had dinner at Aunty's. Right after dinner I went down to the lake and painted a direction sign for Quint and Joe and spent the remainder of the afternoon with the band. We played in Powel park till about four o'clock and then went over to Jimmy's where we were treated to ice-cream and from there we went down and had a trip out on the "City of Dover". We went home for supper after that and Bill said we were through as the committee told him we didn't need to play after five o'clock. Mr. Bagley however was </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>greatly incensed at the idea of not playing after tea on the 1st of July as he had never known of such a thing before so we came back for an hour and gave quite a little concert. {Doct.?} didn't show up though as he had a date with Lou. Dixon. Mid. &amp; Harry Moon ran the thing. I didn't see much of what went on all day but they had a big baby show and Dover won first money in the baseball tournament and I guess the other sports were good. It was a fine day not to hot and yet warm enough for the boys at the beach to be pretty well patronized. Dad. didn't come down town all day but came down at night. I didn't go to see Marj. off to-night but the rest did </p><p>Friday July 2nd </p><p>Rus. Lampkins came down this morning and put a new top on the windmill as the boxings were getting badly worn on the old one. Dad plowed up the old strawberry patch in the garden and worked it down and this after noon cultivated corn. I raked up the hay Frank cut in the orchard and cocked it up this morning and cut a little more lawn. This after noon I cleaned out another row of mangels. Frank has felt pretty tough all day but tried his new cultivator out It doesn't go just right yet. Mr. &amp; Mrs James, Elva and Brant were all over here for tea. Cloudy all day, warm. </p><p>Saturday July 3rd </p><p>I finished cutting the lawn this morning and spent the rest of the day thinning mangels. I just got two more rows done. Dad. set out cabbage plants all day so we should have a good supply of them. Frank still feels pretty tough and hasn't done any thing much all day. I did another show card lesson to-night but made a bad job of it. Hot this morning but very windy this after noon </p><p>Sunday July 4th </p><p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school. Frank ran the library and I took Marj's class, but didn't feel as if I made much of a job of it. Dad. went down early this morning and drove Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. I had dinner at Aunty's and this after noon went with the band up to the cemetry as this was the Oddfellow's decoration day. We went up on the three o'clock car and came back on the five. Dad. Enah and Tid drove down to-night and took Aunty Alice for milk. Frank and I went to bed early. Very cool. Ade &amp; Percy Millman were over this morning for awhile. </p><p>Monday July 5th </p><p>I hoed mangels all day and just got two more rows done. Dad. and Frank spent the day cultivating corn Frank has had quite a time adjusting his two row cultivator. It seemed to pull very heavy and not dig in </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>much but he put the big team on this after noon and I think got it working fairly well. They have got as far as our corner with Harry Misener's house. They have been over a week getting this far - from Renton.They can walk right along on the level but it took them all day to get up through our cut. It is a big frame two-story house and every one seems to think it will bother them getting it over the bridge. I went down to band practice to-night. We got paid two dollars apiece for playing on the 1st of July and the Council promised us 25 dollars a night for the summer playing Thursdays They wanted to go up to serenade Bill Wamsley but Mr. Bagley thought it would be a mistake for the band to go up and play good music as every body that got married in future would expect us out, so we didn't go Aunty told us to-night that Jack Martin has bought Mrs Battersbys place. </p><p>Tuesday July 6th </p><p>I thinned mangels all morning and most of the after noon but right after dinner Frank and I hauled in the hay that was cut in the orchard. We hauled it on the waggon and put one jag in for the bulls and one for the horses. Dad finished cultivating the corn and what stuff he could in the garden Frank disked up the strip Dad. plowed for corn and his alfalfa plot and sprayed the potatoes in the field. Dad. &amp; I worked for awhile in the garden to-night. Cloudy and raining to-night. </p><p>Wednesday July 7th </p><p>It rained hard during the night but didn't flood things at all and there has been a gentle drizzle all morning clearing off at noon and coming out sunny &amp; windy this after noon. Dad. and I spent the fore noon setting out cabbage plants. We put out about 300. We expected them all over from home to dinner as it was Dad's birthday They were going to have Mrs. John Walker bring them over in the car but as it rained she didn't come for them. Aunty Alice walked over and said Aunty &amp; Aunt Ida couldn't come but I drove down and brought them over in the buggy and Enah took them back in the cart this after noon We just visited this after noon except Frank he fixed a piece of fence back in the gully and took some plank from back there and brought them up to floor Moonshine's stall which he cleared all out this morning. Arthur Preston was over for most of the after noon. To-night Tid and I went down to the "sheep pasture" for a walk and to see if Frank Awde's sweet cherries were ripe but there weren't any. </p><p>Thursday July 8th </p><p>Still thinning mangels. I got about two more rows done I think I made a little better time by hoeing them all out first and then weeding around each plant afterwards. Dad. &amp; Enah worked in the garden all day &amp; Frank harrowed and rolled the plowed strip for corn. We all went down to band concert to-night. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Friday July 9th </p><p>I hoed mangels and turnips most of the day. I have all the mangels hoed now but have to thin the last row yet. The turnips are much bigger and are a nuisance to hoe out but I can make fairly good time at it if I dont stop to thin. I took about an hour off this morning and went over and hoed down three or four patches of perennill saw thistle in Ivey's meadow to keep them from going to seed and blowing on to our place. I went down to Bronzie for a little while from Ivey's. This after noon it started to rain about half past three and as it looked as if it was going to keep it up I came up to the house and painted a show card lesson. The rain didn't ammount to much but we had quite a heavy little shower about five. Frank planted the strip we had plowed with corn this morning and has been cutting thistles in the back field the rest of the day. There was an awful crop of them. Dad. &amp; Enah worked all day till it commenced to rain in the garden. Elva &amp; Brant came in about four o'clock on their way out to see {Vance?} Walker and took Enah and Tid out with them. </p><p>Saturday July 10th </p><p>I have still been pegging away at the turnips and mangels. I have the mangels all thinned now and have most of the turnips hoed but only a row and a half thinned. Dad. has been working all day in the garden pulling weeds. Frank finished cutting the thistles in the back field and started to cut the side hill which is mostly thistles and daisys but there is some blue grass on top. Tid went to a birthday party at Gertrude Silverthorne's this afternoon. He got an invitation the other day and has been worrying about it more or less ever since. He wanted to go but was scared to. However Enah managed to get him packed off hoping that Miss McQueen and John Harris Buck would be there. They weren't but he knew the ones that were there so had a good time. Fine day and not hot. </p><p>Sunday July 11th </p><p>We all went down to church and Tid. Frank and I went to Sunday school. I took the class but don't think I taught it any thing. I didn't feel as if I was. We all stayed at Aunty's for dinner and I came home right after to do chores. Mr. Zealand took me in to show me his garden so I didn't get home till nearly three. Dad. Enah and Tid came home about five. Frank rode his wheel down to the Wards and as it rained hard for about an hour at six o'clock, he evidently got stalled down there as he didn't show up all night. Cool. </p><p>Monday July 12th </p><p>Dad. started to plow the back field for summer </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>fallow this morning and has been at it all day. I went back with him and helped him get started and from there walked over to Tom Butler's to try to induce him to buy Oliver at beef price but he said they only had two cows so didn't think they could afford to. I got talking and Mark put on some phonograph record so I didn't get back till dinner time. Frank rode his wheel home sometime during the forenoon. This after noon He finished cutting the side hill field and cut two rounds on the five acres next the lane. I hoed a couple more rows of turnips. Tid is having a great time trying to snare a ground hog back on the mound. He and Hubert Zealand seem to be in partnership on the business. I went down to band practice to-night. Fine day but cloudy. </p><p>Tuesday July 13th </p><p>Dad. cut thistles in the corn field this morning and plowed this after noon. Frank cut hay north of the orchard till ten o'clock, then went back and raked up the back field by noon I cut some of the lawn and did a few odd jobs this morning and then went out and finished hoeing the turnips and started to thin them. I intended to go back right after dinner and cock up the hay that Frank raked but a little shower came up and I couldn't do it till four o'clock and so didn't finish. I thinned turnips while I was waiting for it to dry. Frank went over to Lloyd Crysler's raising this after noon. It proved a sad affair for this community. Mr. Flemming was killed at it.They were rising the end bent of the barn and he was shoving on one post when the frame over-balanced and the end of the post on the sill slipped and fell back and either the girt or the brace caught him across the back and killed him almost instantly. Frank was in the same position at the other post but he realized the danger of the place and got to the outside of the post a little while before the frame fell. Mr. Flemming was such a rattling good man in every way that it seems mighty hard to lose him like that, but in reality it was a great way to go as they all say he never knew what hit him. Tom &amp; Mark were over to-night and we had a little music. Cool &amp; nice. </p><p>Wednesday July 14th </p><p>It rained this morning and I spent an hour or so working at my show card lessons which I finished to-night. Dad. did odd jobs around and Frank cleaned up the upstairs of the woodshed. Tom Butler was in for awhile to have Dad look at one of his horses which has a sore eye. It cleared up after dinner and Dad cultivated the garden and the potatoes &amp; roots in the field. Tid. &amp; I cut the lawn or part of it and Frank finished mowing the meadow north of the orchard. Karl bought the 5 steers to-night for $550.00. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Thursday July 15th </p><p>Frank cultivated the corn this morning and Dad hoed in the garden and I finished raking the lawn and hoed two rows and a half of potatoes in the field. Tid. went down to Aunty's for dinner and the rest of us all went to Mr. Flemming's funeral. There was about the biggest crowd there I ever saw at a funeral nearly everyone from around here and a great many from down east. Dad. was one of the bearers so went up with them. I drove up and took old Maneer up with me. We missed the procession as they went through town and we went by the mill. After the funeral Dad. and I drove home around by Jim Waddle's as Dad. wanted to see the {Hal.?} H. Colt but Jim had shipped the mare to Toronto to be bred. He was hauling in hay. It was after five when we got home. Frank had come home and raked up the first cut hay and was cocking up. Jack Ivey was over and wanted him to rake theirs up to-morrow. I went down to band concert to-night. Fine day but cold to-night. </p><p>Friday July 16th </p><p>Frank went to the mill before breakfast this morning and got some chop for the hogs &amp; bulls. He and I dosed the lambs for tape-worm after breakfast and then he went over and raked up Ivey's hay for him. Dad. and I cocked up what was raked in the field north of the orchard and started in to cock up what was left in windrow across the gully Frank came back a little before noon and finished raking this field and we spent the after noon finishing across the gully and cocking up in this field. We went out after tea and cocked up some but didn't quite finish. Old Moonshine broke out of his pen this morning so Frank had to fix it up after dinner. He upset things in the barn and got into a bag of chop but I think spilled more than he ate. Cool wind all day &amp; quite cold to-night. </p><p>Saturday July 17th </p><p>We hauled hay to-day from the field north of the orchard and would have cleared it if we had not had to put poles across in the big barn to build a mow, so that we could have the clover hay where we could get at it. We put one load in the horse stable and then had to change the car so that altogether we were delayed about two hours or more and only got in two loads this morning. We got in five this after noon. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman, Percy &amp; Kathleen all came up from Toronto to-day. Paw &amp; Mrs Millman are staying at Aunty's They were over here for awhile after tea with Aunty Alice, Percy's wife, children &amp; mother-in-law. Cool but fine. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Sunday July 18th </p><p>It rained during the night and rained hard several times during the day and evening. It was so muddy and wet at Sunday school time that Frank Tid and I drove down and Dad. and Enah didn't go down to church. I walked down with Mr. Herring after church went in for a minute to see Cousin Clare. They have rented Mrs. {Lig?} Anderson's house for the summer and she busy as a nailer getting things settled I came home for dinner with Frank &amp; Tid. as the walking was so bad. I spent the rest of the day reading and writing. Dad. went to sleep. Frank went back to the woods. </p><p>Monday July 19th </p><p>It was too wet to do any thing with the hay this morning and it was cloudy and drizzly till noon but came out clear &amp; breezy after dinner. Dad. and Tid went down to Aunty's this morning and Dad. trimmed up the paths and cleared away a big limb which broke off the Newton pippin tree. They came back soon after dinner and Dad. worked in the garden this after noon. Frank and I changed the fence in the sheep pasture this morning and rolled it back from where we had it dividing the field to the original place for it from the orchard to the corner field. After that I set out some more cabbage plants in the garden &amp; Frank helped Enah pick the cherries, there won't be so many of them as usual as the robins have taken a lot. This after noon Frank cut down the piece of grass between the old garden and where he drilled in the strip of corn. We had intended putting corn on it but it got too wet to plough it. It is mostly couch grass. I spent the after noon thinning turnips. Went to band practice to-night. </p><p>Tuesday July 20th </p><p>Frank worked most of the fore noon on his alfalfa plot and Dad. and I turned out the hay. It wasn't wet much except around the edges, the bluegrass across the gully we didn't have to turn out at all. Enah and Tid. went back to the woods to pick berries but didn't get very many. We saw Mark Stephens going to town after one of his applicants for housekeeper. They put an ad in the Globe. about a week ago and Mark says they have been reading applications for the job ever since, so he says there is going to be a steady procession of them now to look over the situation. We hauled in the rest of the hay north of the orchard in about three loads and left the last load on the waggon Then Frank raked up the other piece he cut while Dad. and I were doing the chores. Herb Gurr came over to play with Tid. this after noon and told us that Jane </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Zealand died about noon, Ada told me last night that she was threatened with diphtheria but I didn't know it was so serious. Cool and windy all day. </p><p>Wednesday July 21st </p><p>Dad. and I cocked up hay all morning while Frank cultivated the corn. We didn't quite finish by noon as it is mostly bluegrass and slow to handle. Jack Ivey was over and wanted Frank to go over and rake up some hay for them, so he went over after dinner. Neff was in with a Mr. Frances on their way down to Charlie Blake's to a poultry culling demonstration and wanted me to go but I didn't. They gave me a few pointers though on picking out the poor-laying old hens. Dad. and I finished cocking our field about four o'clock and Frank got home about the same time. We started to put off the load of hay that was on the barn floor but when we got three lifts off a heavy thunder shower came up and as Dad. didn't want to get the rope wet we didn't unload the last lift. I took Aunty's milk down to her to-night and got a few pointers on the Sunday school lesson got home about ten o'clock and culled out my hens before I went to bed. </p><p>Thursday July 22nd </p><p>It was too wet to do any haying to day so Dad. plowed all day and got quite a nice strip turned over. I thinned turnips and made Tid a milk stool this morning as he is learning to milk now. Frank took Joe down town and had her shod. He brought Mrs. Johnson from Courtright over to dinner and she was here all the after noon and to tea. This after noon I didn't do much went back with Frank to fix up the fence in the gully along the road but as we took Joe &amp; Queen back with us I had to stay with them and let Frank do the fencing. He took one of the old snow barricades and put it up instead of the old gate which is pretty well broken to pieces. We all went down to-night and I went to band concert. </p><p>Friday July 23rd </p><p>Frank started to cultivate corn this morning and Dad. cut weeds along the fences and in the orchard I started cutting the lawn. Art Quanbury went by going to haul hay all alone. Dad. thought it would be too wet here to haul till noon so I rode Frank's wheel over to give Art a hand. We got part of a load on - all he could haul through his gully - when it started to rain He rough-locked the waggon going down the hill but it went a little too fast for the horses and they couldn't stop till the hind wheels were square in the ditch. They couldn't pull it out so Art had to go and get a spade and dig it out. By this time it was pouring rain and </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>we both got soaked to the hide before we got to the barn. We lay in the straw for about an hour and when it stopped raining came home. It was cold after the rain but this after noon came out sunny and warm. Dad. plowed. I finished cutting the lawn and Frank cleared things up over in the barn. Looks clear to-night. </p><p>Saturday July 24th </p><p>Frank finished cultivating the corn this morning and Dad. hoed thistles out in the corn field while I thinned some more turnips. Aunty was over for dinner by way of celebrating my birthday. After dinner Frank went and got some lime and bluestone to mix up a Bordeaux spray for the potatoes and Dad. and I hauled out a barrel of water to the potato patch for him. We then put on a load of hay and as Dad didn't want to climb way up into the peak of the barn without any hay in to change the pulley we tried putting it off with just the two pulleys and then with the peak pulley hooked on at the gable, the first scheme wouldn't work and the second time the hook pulled out so Frank climbed up to the peak and put the pulley up. Aunty went home before tea. Fine and quite cool. </p><p>Sunday July 25th </p><p>Frank Tid and I went to Sunday school and Dad. &amp; Enah went down to church I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and most of the after noon and on my way home stopped at the Woodson's for about an hour. Several of them and two or three Zealand's were down at the pond fishing I just got home in time to help Dad. do chores. Enah stayed down at her father's all the after noon and Dad. and Tid. went after her this evening. Frank and Lloyd Ryerse went for a drive down to the Ward's. Poor Tom. Butler was over to-night in a bad state of blues He has got into a row with Pickford over something he told Pickford's sisters about Pickford's actions out here and which Mrs. Tuck who has just been over there evidently denied and told Pickford about it. Tom feels badly that Mrs. Pickford is down on him as he seems to think a lot of her and she has been very good to him. To add to his troubles Mark is getting sick of the job and wants to pull out and leave things. </p><p>Monday July 26th </p><p>We finished hauling what hay was cocked on this side of the gully this morning and there were only three more loads of it. At noon Frank changed the car to the horse stable and we hauled one load from across the gully. We didn't go back again as Harry Misener was moving the school-house in and we were afraid he would block the road between us and the barn, so Frank went to the mill and got some chop for the pigs and bulls and I went over to </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Jack's to borrow a crate to ship some old hens. Frank called and got it on his way home. Dad. hoed thistles in the corn. Later Frank drove down to get some gasoline for Gundry who has been working all day out here grading our road. Enah and Tid were down at Aunty's picking berries this morning. I went down to band practice to-night, very few out. Karl got the first of our steers this morning. </p><p>Tuesday July 27th </p><p>Frank and I took my old hens over to Jack Martin's this morning. There were just 16 of them and he gave me $23.00 for them after he weighed them up. He had promised some fellow a couple of dozen culls but hadn't culled his out so he said these would do as well. We hauled two more loads in this morning taking all the hay there was out. This after noon Dad. cultivated and hoed the potatoes and mangels and in the garden. I helped Frank grind a mower knife and then thinned some more turnips. Frank started to cut the rest of the hay on this sideoff the gully. Frank killed an old hen for Aunty Alice this <s>morning</s> evening and he took it down to her. </p><p>Wednesday July 28th </p><p>Frank cut hay all day. He finished all there was on this side of the gully before noon and after dinner I helped him grind a mower knife and he cut all the after noon on the 12 acre piece across the gully. Dad. hoed potatoes all morning and I hung around here till Karl Coleman came about ten o'clock and got Frank's steer which we shut in for him. I then went out and thinned turnips till noon. I finished there soon after dinner and then took the little team and raked up what Frank cut yesterday while Dad. cocked up. He and Frank cocked up some more after tea as it looks like rain to-night. I went down town with Aunty Alice's cream. Enah went over to call on Tom &amp; Mark's house keeper and Mrs. Harvey Evans also Mrs. Cam McBride and Mrs. Ivey. Fine &amp; warmer. </p><p>Thursday July 29th </p><p>Frank finished raking on this side of the gully this morning and then went over and raked up Ivey's and raked theirs up as Landon was over this morning to ask him. After dinner he went back and raked what was cut across the gully and then helped Dad. &amp; me cock up. We cocked up all day and got nearly finished. It was quite windy this morning and very hard to cock as the bluegrass is so short and heavy. About five o'clock it began to rain and we had quite a sharp thunder storm. I went down to band concert to-night. </p><p>Friday July 30th </p><p>It was too wet early to haul hay or work at it so Dad. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>and I weeded at the potatoes one hoed while the other pulled weeds. We only had two rows to do by noon so this after noon we finished the job although it has been a good drying day and John Wess was hauling in this after noon, but Dad. thought our bluegrass would be all the better to cure a little longer in cock. Frank worked on his alfalfa ground and the strip of corn ground that the crows demolished the corn from all morning and this after noon got Art Quanbury's seed drill and sowed his alfalfa. Winnie was over to tea and I drove her home to-night. </p><p>Saturday July 31st </p><p>It rained quite hard again last night but Dad thought the hay was dry enough to haul before noon although it has been cloudy and trying to rain all day till about five o'clock when it cleared off and got quite cool. Dad. worked in the garden &amp; cut thistles this morning and Frank sowed some buckwheat on the corn patch that the crows ate up and I cultivated my flower bed. About eleven we went out and put on a load of hay and this after noon Dad &amp; I got in three more - Frank felt sick all the after noon but was able to stay up in the mow and tell us where to dump the hay. Aunty was over to tea to-night and Enah &amp; Tid drove her home with Mexico. The end of July without one really hot day. </p><p>Sunday August 1st </p><p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Dad. and Enah went down to church and then out to the Smythe's for dinner and to spend the after noon. We three stayed at Aunty's for dinner. Tid stayed there all the after noon till Dad and Enah called for him. Frank rode his wheel down to the Ward's with Gilly and I came home to do the noon chores and stayed home the rest of the day. I had several callers, two with indisposed dogs requiring veterinary treatment and later Mrs. Brent &amp; Eric came over. They never seem to strike here when Enah is home. I finished reading a book of E. Philips, Oppenheim's to-night, "The Great Impersonation". It was a good one. Cloudy and quite cold to-day. </p><p>Monday August 2nd </p><p>It rained again this morning so that we couldn't work at the hay all day. Dad. ploughed and this morning Frank and I hoed the strawberries and cabbages. Karl came over and got Charlie. I didn't do much this after noon but cut a little lawn and sit around Harry Misener was over and sold Dad. another ton of Bosie Hay although he admitted there was no difference to be seen the the fertilized &amp; unfertilized wheat or potatoes nor pasture so far. Frank cultivated the little patch of corn and went down and got a load of sawdust. I went down to band practice to-night. Still very cool. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Tuesday August 3rd </p><p>Frank and I went down this morning and got a load of soft coal to thrash with as Clare Deal told me last night that they had a load in and it seems to be rather scarce these days. We heard that Barwell had to buy the saw mill in order to get slabs to use on the tugs in place of coal. It is $15.00 per ton. We called at Mrs. Battersby's on our way down and took some books from there down to Aunty's which Miss Phipps wanted to send to the Sunday school library. We also took the cart wheels down and sent them to Brantford to be re-rubber-tired. Dad. cultivated with Belle while we were gone. We hauled in one load of hay before dinner and this after noon finished hauling all the hay this side of the gully in one load and a few cocks which we left on the waggon in the old barn to feed to the bulls. Frank went over and raked up Ivey's hay for them and Dad. and I went back and cocked up what there was on the other side of the gully. Beautiful day. Fine but not hot. </p><p>Wednesday August 4th </p><p>We started to cut the wheat to-day and were all day gering this side of the potatoes cut. It took most of the morning to get the binder out and oiled and in working order, then the horses were a terrible nuisance. We had Pommers, Joe &amp; old Harry on before dinner but old Harry would not act his part at all. Frank didn't have a whip and Harry knew it. He would stand perfectly still every few minutes and nod his head. We took him off after dinner and put Queen in but going across the ditches made her mad and Frank had a hard time persuading her to go across the ends every time. Pommers worked fine. Aunty Maude went to Brantford yesterday and was operated on to-day for appendicitis. Dad. Enah and Tid went down to-night and Lila had had a telephone message from Dr. Hicks saying everything was satisfactory. </p><p>Thursday August 5th </p><p>We finished cutting &amp; shocking up the wheat this morning. There wasn't much on the north side of the field but couch grass. We put the binder back in the woodshed after dinner Landon Ivey was in for quite awhile just after dinner. He wants a team to help thrash to-morrow whenever Sam gets there. He went up to Sid. Marsh's this after noon about four o'clock so won't be down here very early, likely. This after noon Dad. disked what he had plowed across the gully and Frank cut some more hay over there. I didn't do much but weed out some parsnips in the garden. I went down to band concert to-night. Stopped in at the Zealand's on my way down, they have offered me the use of their house for the winter. No more news of Aunty Maude. A red-haired heir to the house of Dillon arrived last night. Hot to-day &amp; a hot night, the first. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Friday August 6th </p><p>Dad. plowed this morning and Frank finished cutting the hay across the gully. He expected to have to go and help thrash at Ivey's this after noon but as the machine didn't pull in there till to-night. He raked the hay across the gully and Dad. and I cocked up what we could. I didn't do much this morning but a little hoeing in the garden. To-night we persuaded Dad &amp; Enah to go up to the {Chataugay?} at Simcoe. There was a comedy "Nothing but the Truth" on and Dad. laughed so hard he was nearly sick. Frank Tid and I did up the chores and Frank took Aunty Alice's milk down and brought home an ice cream brick which we three demolished. Young Larry Skey came over this morning and borrowed Mexico for his father to go trout fishing. His father brought him back to-night after dark and I guess didn't have much of a day. He went to Port Ryerse in an hour and a quarter and caught about half a dozen trout. He said he didn't send Larry after Mexico but when he went to the trouble of getting him, he didn't like to disappoint him. Alan Law came in after dark and was so tired he could hardly stand up so borrowed the waggon with the rack on to ride home in. The other waggon still has the coal on it. Hot and Lazy all day. Looks rainy or else very dry </p><p>Saturday August 7th </p><p>Frank has been over at Ivey's with the team all day helping thrash, they didn't quite finish but could have easily if they had worked after six. Dad. and I cocked up hay in the back field all day and finished a little after five. We thought after dinner when we went back that we only had about a couple of hours work but there was more than we thought and as we didn't take any water back and it was very hot we were pretty dry when we came up. Enah &amp; Tid went down to the lake this after noon and I was to meet Enah at the seven o'clock car and go to Simcoe to the musical {Chautaugua?} I went down but met Enah coming home as she decided not to go. I went on down town for the rest of the evening and got my hair cut. The Lavaltre came in to-night with a lot of Yankee nets and W. J. Thompson gave me a lot of herring that they took with the nets. </p><p>Sunday August 8th </p><p>Frank Tim and I went down to Sunday school and church. We had Mr. McDonald here in Mr. Johnson's place I stayed at Aunty's to dinner, Huby, Win. &amp; Lila were also there. Win. went to Brantford this after noon to see Aunty Maude, who seems to be doing as well as can be expected after her operation. About three o'clock I went up to the stump and had a swim and then walked around the pond and lay around on Frank Awde's point till five o'clock. It was nice and cool there but </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>very hot every where else. We had tea before we milked and Enah went down to church and Dad. &amp; Tid walked down to meet her when we got the chores done. Frank went over to call on Tom &amp; Mark's housekeeper. Very hot. </p><p>Monday August 9th </p><p>It was raining this morning when we got up so as we couldn't do any thing outside I went to Simcoe to pay Cruickshanks my insurance and see Neff about selling the bulls, as I knew he would be connected with the campain on to do away with scrub sires, but when I got there I found it was Simcoe's civic holiday, Cruickshanks was at the {Point?}. Neff wasn't at the office but Manning was and said he would tell Neff. It poured rain while I was there so I stayed in the office with Manning till it was too late to catch the 11 o'clock car. I went up to Slaght's house and saw him for awhile but he didn't know any more. I came home at one o'clock and had a little dinner at Aunty's and then went up town to put some money in the bank. I didn't do much this after noon but work at my show-card lessons and to-night I went down to band practice. Frank and Dad. fixed the barn up ready to haul in. Frank went down town this morning and got some binder twine from Billy Lang and this afternoon Dad ploughed. Cloudy &amp; rainy all day. Very sultry. </p><p>Tuesday August 10th </p><p>Dad. has ploughed all day and got a nice strip done. Frank and I went back this morning to straighten up the wheat shocks, but there weren't many down and the ones that were standing didn't seem very wet so we left them alone. We then went back to the gully and intended cutting across to Jack Paine's bridge for a swim but we saw Harvey Evans out all alone shocking up wheat which was all lyind down and soaking wet so we helped him till noon. This after noon I did a little more show card work then went out and hoed onions. Frank tried to drill in some rape between the corn rows but the little seeder wouldn't work, it was too wet, so then he took the roller back and rolled down what Dad has ploughed. Rus. Lampkins was in and got the rest of his boiler flues and a fellow who Rus. told me was Frank Schugler was in looking at the sheep. Hot. </p><p>Wednesday August 11th </p><p>Dad. ploughed all morning. Frank and I moved Moonshine over to the box stall in the horse-stable and cleaned out the place where he was so that we could haul wheat. About half past ten we went over to Mrs. Battersbys to help them move the big square piano but they weren't quite ready so I went down to the mill to pay up. Karl came and got my steer this morning and gave me </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>$110.00 which I thought would square up but I was grieved to learn that I owed him $136.00. Frank went back home and turned out a load of wheat. We then went back to move the piano. We got Goodwin, Frank Awde &amp; a new man from Jack Martin's and Mr. Bagley was there taking some wardrobes apart so we had lots of men but it was quite a lift. We couldn't get the legs off it so had to worm it through the doors. They are getting things ready for the sale over there. We didn't get back much before noon. After dinner we hauled in four jags of wheat. It was damp but we thought it would do. Landon Ivey wanted Frank to go over and rake the wheat stubble and we let him have the rake and Joe Long raked it. They finished thrashing to-day. Jack Martin is over at Syracuse with some chickens. They tell me he took one or two of my old hens over there to the show. Hot. </p><p>Thursday August 12th </p><p>We went out this morning and turned out all the wheat. We then went back across the gully and put on a load of the poorest hay which we spread on the rails over the bulls and over the granary. As there was a heavy fog and wet this morning, we didn't get started very early, so it was noon by the time we got our load off. This after noon we hauled in the wheat which was in fairly good shape to go in, we figured there were about seven decent sized loads although we made more trips to the field than that. There will be a lot of rakings. I went down to band concert to-night and the rest all went down to hear it. Roy &amp; Vernon and the children are at Aunty's so we stayed there for quite awhile. Enah was over at Mrs. Battersby's sale all the after noon. It was a big sale and a big crowd. Tid. was down playing with Rebecca all the after noon and stayed down to tea. Very hot and muggy. </p><p>Friday August 13th </p><p>Frank went out and raked the wheat stubble this morning and we got a good sized load of rakings off it. It took longer to rake it than Dad had figured on so that we didn't have time to go back and get any hay before dinner but we got the wheat rakings in before noon. While Frank was at that Dad. and I put off the load of wheat that was in the barn and then as I had a pain in my tummy I lay down till we hauled in the rakings. We went back after dinner to haul hay. We got one load up and another half on when it began to rain. We came up with our half load but got drenched doing it. I spent the rest of the after noon painting show card practice and Frank washed out our wet clothes. Very warm to-day before and after the rain. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Saturday August 14th </p><p>Dad. has plowed all day in the back field and has got past the niche in the fence so is on the short rounds. I didn't do much all day but cut a few thistles in the orchard and mow part of the lawn this after noon. Frank did a few odd jobs among which was patching the rooves of the old barn and horse stable. Tid. &amp; Enah went down town. The Millman's arrived about eight o'clock having run into some bad roads. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman Kathleen &amp; {Tow?}. After they had tea, they all went down in the car and Enah &amp; Frank went with them. I changed my clothes and walked down later and met the girls over at Pete Holmes' casino. We had a few dances but had more fun watching the antics of the others. The girls are staying at Percy's so Frank and I went around there with them and sat on the beach till about one o'clock. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman are staying over here. Very hot. We thought we were going to get a real thunder storm to-day but didn't. </p><p>Sunday August 15th </p><p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and church and after church we found Dad. &amp; Mr. Millman down at Aunty's with the car to take the whole family over here to dinner I walked as far as the bridge on my way home and then Charlie Shand picked me up and brought me all the way home. We had a great old dinner party. After dinner Roy, Rebecca and I went out and gathered some mushrooms which Roy said were good but which I always thought were toadstools. We sat around on the lawn trying without much success to be cool and about four o'clock Mr. Millman drove all but Dad. Tid &amp; me down town. Frank had left before on his wheel to go down the Lake shore with the Ward's, he got back about dark. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman &amp; Enah came back for tea and we all spent the evening here. Very hot. </p><p>Monday August 16th </p><p>We were up early this morning and Mr. Millman went down about six o'clock to go over to Turkey Point with Roy &amp; Percy to fish. He was gone all day and got about four or five bass and a pike or so. It rained again quite a little shower and was cloudy all morning so we couldn't do any thing with the crops. Dad. ploughed all day and Frank cleaned out the shop. I dug up some paeony roots over at Ivey's this morning and packed a box of them to send to Daerie. This after noon some Mr. Brooks from Brantford was down to look at the sheep, he may buy a few later on. Enah &amp; Mrs. Millman went down town this after noon. Kathleen &amp; Tow were over for a little while this morning and I drove them down town in the midst of a heavy shower. I went down to band practice to-night but there were very few out. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Tuesday August 17th </p><p>The Millman's left for home this morning about 9 o'clock and took Enah with them to Brantford where she spent the after noon with Aunty Maude coming down on the five o'clock car, she said Aunty Maude was looking fine and expected to come home this week. Dad. Frank and I spent the remainder of the fore noon separating the ewes &amp; lambs and marking the ewes we wanted to keep We picked out 13 of the ones we considered the best &amp; the three best looking lambs, and we put the lambs and rams over in the front pasture west of the house and left the ewes in the orchard. This after noon we got the binder out and started to cut the barley in the corner field it is crinkled down and there is a lot of green stuff in it so it looks miserable, we didn't cut it out separately from the oats in the other end of the field but cut straight through. We didn't get much more than well started to-day as it was late when we got out. I went down town to-night with some cream for Aunty and spent most of the evening with Roy &amp; Quint who were fitting a pipe in Quint's new launch. Cooler looks rainy. </p><p>Wednesday August 18th </p><p>We cut oats all day, finished the strip in the corner field and started in on the barley and oats along the side road, but still have the five or six loads in the corner field that were latest sowed to cut yet. Billy Mills came over after dinner and borrowed the rack to haul alsike. He delayed me quite a bit as I had to help him put off the hay that was on it. Roy was over for awhile this evening and spent the whole time trying to prove to Frank something about a kite he is making for Tid. but I guess he failed in the attempt. Cooler but looks rainy. </p><p>Thursday August 19th </p><p>Still cutting oats, got on fairly well to-day but have quite a strip to cut yet, nothing out of the ordinary happened. I went down to band concert to-night. Cool. </p><p>Friday August 20th </p><p>We finished cutting the oats to-day. It took longer to cut the piece with the water holes in it than it did the others as Frank had to cut around them so that by the time we got the five lands in the corner field cut and the binder loaded and put away it was about quitting time. Dad. and I kept them shocked up as they were cut. Fine day </p><p>Saturday August 21st </p><p>Dad. &amp; Frank went after after a load of hay this morning while I killed a couple of chickens one for Mrs Bowlby </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>and one for Aunty Alice. I also got some ice and put the car out of the horse stable. We hauled two loads this morning and one load of barley as we didn't have time to go after a load of hay before noon. This after noon we hauled two more loads of hay, there are still four or five loads back there I think. I went down to the dam at the grist mill to-night and had a good bath. It rained quite a shower. Hot but nice breeze to-day. </p><p>Sunday August 22nd </p><p>Frank, Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. &amp; Enah went to church. I was home all the after noon. Gordon Zealand, Oliver Mann, George Ryerse &amp; young Aubrey Wilson came over to see my birds' eggs. Enah and Tid went for a drive and Frank went over to Tom Butler's. He &amp; Mark went down to church to-night. Dad. Enah &amp; Tid drove down to-night to see Roy as this was his birthday. Huby &amp; Lila went to Brantford this after noon and brought Aunty Maude home, she is going to stay at Aunt Lucy's for awhile till she gets stronger, she has got on very well so far. Or, &amp; his girl, Carlotta Turk, and Kathleen, Tow and two boys came in at noon for awhile. Very cool all day </p><p>Monday August 23rd </p><p>We finished hauling the hay from the back field to-day. We got two loads this morning and as we didn't have time before dinner to go back for another we penned the ewes and milked them all out. Then we hauled the remaining two this afternoon. Tupper was in for a few minutes this morning. I went down to band practice to-night. We have three engagements booked. Boughner picnic Thursday afternoon Simcoe Oddfellow's decoration Sunday and a garden party or some thing out at Jim Ross's Tuesday night. Roy went over to the Point to-day with Quint, Dad. {Name?} and Jack Ivey and just got back about ten o'clock </p><p>Tuesday August 24th </p><p>Dad. and I hauled in six bags of oats to-day from the corner field. Frank had to go down to Sam Law's to thrash and it made it very awkward pitching up into the mow and mowing away for just the two of us, so that we didn't get as much in as we otherwise would have. I took some milk down to Aunty's to-night and stayed most of the evening. Kathleen &amp; Tow were there. I rode or tried to ride Frank's wheel but made a bad job of it. He took Queen and went for a drive to-night. Fair and not too hot. </p><p>Wednesday August 25th </p><p>We finished hauling in off the corner field first thing this morning. The barley that was left out there made </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>a big load and took a long time to pitch on and off. We got two loads of barley &amp; oats off the long field before dinner and put them in the barn. Frank had to go over to Pickford's to thrash this afternoon so Dad and I hauled two loads of oats and started a stack as two can't unload now in the barn. It was slow work making the stack with just two. To-night Dad. Enah &amp; Tid drove down with Aunty's milk and just as they got home Mr. Cantelon the artist rode in, he was here for a long time making a copy of a sketch Clarence did of the old Dog's Nest. He is very interested in anything pertaining to the early history of the country. Hot &amp; looks dry </p><p>Thursday August 26th </p><p>Frank was over at Pickford's thrashing all <s>day</s> morning. Dad. and I hauled in three loads of oats and pitched two off on the stack and left one till after dinner. This after noon I went down to play in the band for Boughner picnic and Dad. &amp; Frank hauled in two more loads of barley and oats. The Boughner picnic has degenerated in late years. There was not such a big crowd as usual in spite of the fact that it was a beautiful day. In olden days we used to see all roads into Dover lined with buggys and democrats at five a.m. but now every one comes in cars and they don't start till after dinner. We played to a rather small audience over in Bucks park till half past five. I stayed at Aunty's for tea and then went with Quint, Roy &amp; Vernon out in the new boat. We picked Kathleen, Tow, Enah and Tid. up down at Barwell's fish shanty and we had a fine ride out in the lake, it was the fastest boat I was ever in. It was after eight when we got in but I got up to the bandstand before they started to play. This was I suppose our last concert for the season. I went over to Pete Holme's after band concert and from there went with Kathleen, Tow &amp; Quint over to their cottage where we had some ice cream which Quint brought from his shack and cake &amp; lemonade. Frank joined us later and we fooled around there half the night then I went for a dip in the lake and walked home in my bare feet. I changed my clothes went I got home as I didn't think it was worthwhile undressing. It was after three when I went to bed. </p><p>Friday August 27th </p><p>Dad. called me before daylight this morning and I went and helped him put the sheep out of the garden. They had gone through a hole in the fence that Belle had broken. They had got well filled up on clover but hadn't done much damage in the garden We finished hauling the oats to-day. It took us all </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>day as finishing the stack took a lot of time. Kathleen and Tow were over to dinner to-day and Enah drove them down this after noon. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman came up in the car to-night. They are all going home on Sunday Orm &amp; Carlotta Turk came up too. Fine day pretty hot. </p><p>Saturday August 28th </p><p>I spent most of the fore noon cleaning out the flower border and setting out a little plant of bleeding heart and some iris which Mrs. Millman brought me. This afternoon I went over to Ivey's and dug up some more paeony roots and took a stroll over to Bronzie where I poked around for an hour or more. Dad. ploughed all day. Frank went down to Sam Law's this after noon and borrowed 30 bushels of oats which he took down to the mill and had chopped. Fine day not hot. </p><p>Sunday August 29th </p><p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school &amp; Dad and Enah drove down to church but Dad. couldn't go as he had forgotten the tie strap and couldn't tie Queen up. I had a very hurried lunch at Aunty's and went to Simcoe on the one o'clock car with the band as we were engaged to play for the Oddfellow's decoration day up there. We had to wait till three o'clock for the {Coutons?} the highest order of the Oddfellow's to come down from Brantford and then we marched out to the cemetry and were out there an hour or so. By the time we got through it was too late to catch the five o'clock car so we were treated to supper at the Battersby house and got home at seven. Beautiful day </p><p>Monday August 30th </p><p>Dad. ploughed all day but didn't quite finish the field. Frank patched the roof of the old barn this morning and I went up on the inside and shoved straws through to show him where the holes were. I went down town before dinner to see about getting some clothes. I wanted to get a second best suit and a light overcoat. Moses Fischer showed me some brown sample of a suit which he said would be $48.00. I went down to Tip's and bought a ready made for $25..00 It won't look as well as the other but seemed pretty good and I didn't feel as if I could afford to spend $22.00 on mere appearance. I also got Tip to send for some samples of tweed raincoats which he says are taking the place of fall overcoats. He had some there but they were all too short in the sleeves. I got a pair of shoes at Frank Smith's for $7.50. I had dinner at Aunty's and came home soon after and hoed a few strawberries. I stopped in for a few minutes to see Aunty Maude on my way home. Frank sowed some rape seed in the corn this afternoon but I am afraid it is too late for it to ammount to anything. I went down to band practice to-night. Fine &amp; cool </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Tuesday August 31st </p><p>Frank was down at Dave Ward's last night and as Dave has his oats all out yet Frank promised to go down and help him get them in, so off he went this morning and I don't know when he will be back. Dad. ploughed this morning and I cut lawn and after dinner Dad. &amp; I went out to the side road and got the snow fence that the township council or road officials put out there and brought it up and put it around the stack as the calves and sheep were rubbing and pulling at it. Dad. then went back to plough for a while and I wired the snow fence to-gether and didn't do any thing else much till chore time. To-night I went down and joined the band and we all went out to Jim Ross's to a Women's Auxillary garden party. It was very cold down there but we had a pretty good time. Their programme was so rotten it was funny. Tom Butcher of Nanticoke was the principal entertainer and he appears to be batty. Mrs. Hank Sinclair told fortunes and I think it was young Mason who had an old stove out under an apple tree frying hot dogs. He also sold ice cream but most people were too frozen to want to buy it. </p><p>Wednesday September 1st </p><p>Dad. finished ploughing and rolling the field this morning and I puttered around and hoed a little in the strawberries. This after noon we got the spreader out and hauled out three loads as it took a long time to get it oiled up and started and then some thing went wrong with the worm gear that turns the apron and it lifted itself out of the gear and didn't turn. Dad. tightened up a nut which we couldn't see would help it any but it worked all right afterwards. Jack Martin was in to-night to tell us that he was going to thrash to-morrow and wanted two men. Fine day &amp; cool </p><p>Thursday September 2nd </p><p>Dad. and I hauled out <s>three or four</s> seven loads this morning but as the machine moved in to Jack's place before dinner we put the spreader in the shed at noon and went over there at one o'clock. They were thrashing oats out of the stack down at the {illegible} barn and had a good run but didn't quite finish. I stayed over there to tea but Dad. came home. It was pretty late when we got the chores done. Winnie was over here to tea. Fine </p><p>Friday September 3rd </p><p>We thrashed all day at Jack's to-day and are not quite through yet. We finished the oats and then moved up to the Mills barn and started thrashing wheat before dinner. Benny Walker and I carried away. Benny would carry away three bushels and then I'd carry three so we had a pretty fair time. I came home at noon to do chores and Dad. stayed over to dinner. Still a fine day. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Saturday September 4th </p><p>We finished thrashing at Martin's this morning about half past eight having about 400 bushels of wheat and 623 of oats. Dad and I came home by way of Jack Martin's to get his measuring chain but we couldn't find it. Sid. Goodwin showed his string of chickens that he is getting ready for the Syracuse Show. This after noon we hauled out a few more loads of manure. I went down town to-night and got my suit which they all thought looked all right. Frank came home some time during the night. </p><p>Sunday September 5th </p><p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and Enah came down to church. She and Tid. stayed all the after noon at her mothers as Elva &amp; Brant were down for Labor Day to-morrow. I stayed for dinner at Aunty's and was down there all the after noon, went home about five and helped Dad. do chores. Frank seems pretty well tuckerd out. Dave must have worked him pretty hard and then he wound up by going to the dance. Mark. Stephens was in for awhile on his way down to church and he stopped in on his way back and we ate part of a water-melon that Enah got this afternoon up at Cantelon's. </p><p>Monday September 6th </p><p>This being Labor Day we didn't do any thing but chores this morning but as the water has had a very disagreeable taste and odour lately Dad. thought he would make an examination and much to our disgust discovered a rabbit floating in the water in an advanced stage of decomposition, with considerable manoevering he managed to dip it up with a pail. We imagine it must have fallen through the hole we left for ventilation although there has been a box over it. Enah and Tid. drove out to the school house to the Dolly Smith reunion and about noon Dad. and I walked out. Frank still feels tough so didn't go. We weren't there long before the bell rang for dinner and we went down into the basement and had a grand feed. After dinner we played baseball and had a very good time. Girls against the boys. I don't know who won but I think it was a large score in favour of neither. We played till about four o'clock when Mr. Bagley went inside to call the roll of "Aunt Dolly's" old pupils. Dad. and I walked home through John Wess's and found Mr. Lawrie and Hubert there trap shooting. It looked rainy this morning but was a fine day. </p><p>Tuesday September 7th </p><p>Dad. and I hauled out manure all day and got the yard nearly cleaned up. Frank hoed the strawberries and the weeds out of his alfalfa. He went down to see Colin Ryerse's new tractor this after noon. Colin has left his fifty dollars a week job in Chicago to come home and run a tractor. Aunty Alice was over to-day. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Wednesday September 8th </p><p>Dad. and I finished hauling out the manure to-day, we got all we could pitch out before dinner and after dinner we scraped up the stack bottom <s>and</s> in little piles and hauled it out it took a long time but made a good clean job. Dad. took the big team back and disked when we got through with that. I didn't do any thing but chores and a little painting for the rest of the after noon. Frank went to Simcoe this morning to order some photo-graphs of Dick from Moore as Dick wrote and asked for some. This after noon he took Queen &amp; Joe and mowed the big weeds around the water holes that were left in the oat stubble. Old Jonas Green was here to tea to-night. He is thinking of coming back to Dover to work in the greenhouse but as usual doesn't know what to do with the old cow, the horse and the chickens and Sairy. I went down town to-night and got my hair cut. Fine day not hot. </p><p>Thursday September 9th </p><p>Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning to help them in the garden for a day. He trimmed the paths and dug some early Rose potatoes, Aunty Alice got five pounds of seed from Bruce's last Spring and to-day they dug seven baskets or two bushels and a third by measure. Frank disked on the back field this morning but it rained more or less all the after noon so he didn't go back after dinner. It was raining hard about four o'clock so I drove down after Tid. Enah had intended going down after him and staying for tea at Aunty's with Dad. but as it was such a wet night she didn't go down and I drove down and got Dad. After tea he and Enah drove down and Enah went to a Horticultural meeting with Aunty Alice. I spent the day doing chores clearing up the lawn and painting at show cards. </p><p>Friday September 10th </p><p>Dad. went down to Aunty's again to-day and put in another day in the garden. He weighed up the yield of Early Rose potatoes, the weighed 136 1/2 lbs. Frank worked on the land all day. I took Alfred's cradle back to him this morning and then went over and saw Colin Ryerse's tractor working, from there I went over to Frank Ryerse's to see if they wanted to buy one of the bulls. I came home along by the creek and roved down as far as Flemming's woods with young Philips. This after noon I didn't do any thing much but pick a basket of plums. Ethel Phipps was over here all the after noon. Tom Butler was over here all the evening I painted a show card lesson. Sultry. </p><p>Saturday September 11th </p><p>Dad. worked on the back field all day. Frank and </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>I went down this morning and got the basic slag Dad. ordered from Harry Misener. Chris Quanbury had found the surveyor's chain and gave it to us so when we got home we started to measure up the farm. We spent the whole after noon at the job and got all the fields this side of the gully measured. Fine day but cool and windy </p><p>Sunday September 12th </p><p>My day commenced at two o'clock this morning when I was awakened by a fierce thunder storm raging I got up and looked around to see if any thing was hit by the lightning but couldn't see any thing so went back to bed. There were several thunder claps and flashes then that shook the house and not long after I heard a dog bark and a man whistle. I then got up and saw a big blaze over at Jack Martin's I called Dad. and Frank and we hurried over and found the implement shed just about gone. They had saved one or two pieces of machinery but Billy Mill's two pigs were burned. Luckily the wind kept the sparks away from the straw stack which was only a few yards away or the whole thing would have gone barn &amp; all. Dad. and I. Art Quanbury &amp; Sid Goodwin sat there with Billy till morning to watch it. About six o'clock we came home and I went back to get the cows but Dad. called to me when I got back there that the cows were all in the stable, we shut them in last night to feed them some corn and had forgotten to let them out again. Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and church. Mr. James came over here for dinner and this after noon the Jim Waddle's and Uncle Ward came in. Uncle Ward &amp; Mr. James stayed to tea and Enah drove them down to-night with Mexico. Frank took Queen &amp; the buggy and drove down to the Ward's. Billy Dixon's shed was burned last night too. </p><p>Monday September 13th </p><p>Frank and I finished measuring up the back fields this morning and this after noon Frank went up to Will. Wright's to help Alan &amp; Sam with the engine. Dad. worked on the land all day and I went back this after noon and dug out a big stone that Dad. had run into with the plow I loosened it up and it was all Dad. and I could do to get it out of the hole. Mr. James was over again to dinner and Enah drove him down this after noon. I went down to band practice to-night. Mark came over to-night &amp; borrowed the spreader. </p><p>Tuesday September 14th </p><p>I drove Tid down to school this morning as he was late getting up when I got home I did a few chores and went out to the garden to dig potatoes. I dug potatoes most of the day and got four bushels and haven't got half of the two outside rows dug yet. I have been </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>digging the two outside rows to see if there is any difference between the fertilized and unfertilized but I can't see a particle, they are all beauties and a lot of them. Dad. worked on the land all day and Frank has been off thrashing with Alan &amp; Sam, he is having a beautiful time as Alan lets him run the engine I went down town to-night with Aunty Alice's milk. </p><p>Wednesday September 15th </p><p>It was very foggy this mornng and I didn't go out very early to dig potatoes but got four more bushels dug. I went back at noon and helped Dad. take the harrows back. Dad. worked on the land all day and Frank has been helping Alan &amp; Sam. Fine day. Aunty Alice was over to tea to-night. </p><p>Thursday September 16th </p><p>Dad. finished fitting the wheat ground to-day and has it in fine shape. I finished digging the potatoes in the garden at noon and got 11 bushels. This after noon I went over to the Preston's and helped old Walker clean up 18 bushels of seed wheat for ourselves. Enah was down all day judging at the flower show. There was very little there considering the good year it was for every thing. I went down to-night and found the band playing up there so went back to Aunty's and got my horn. Fine &amp; cold wind. </p><p>Friday September 17th </p><p>Dad. and Frank have been all day and part of the night putting in the wheat. They had to haul the Basic Slag back first thing this morning, then go over to Preston's and get the wheat, chain the drill to the back of the waggon and haul it around to the gully gate on the side road, take the wheat up and unload it and then go back after the drill so it was about eleven o'clock or after when they started to drill. It took two of them as the Slag is too heavy for one to handle alone and watch the team too. They kept at it till eight o'clock to-night but finished the field. I did a few odd jobs this morning and went back as soon as I had my dinner to watch the cattle out of the field while Dad. went up to get his and then I stayed back there with Frank when he came back till Dad. arrived. When I got up to the house I found two roots of Bleeding Heart that Marj. had sent me so I put them in and then hurried over to tell Arthur Pickford that the boys were going to leave Frank Smith's store at 5:30 to go for a camp fire trip but he had decided not to go. I also cut some corn for the cows and then got ready and went down town. I picked up Gordon Zealand on the way down, he had just come on the five o'clock car from Hamilton. He was the only one of our bunch that showed up and only four of the Methodists. Manning took us down the Lake Shore in his car and we built a big </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>fire in a ravine on the shore in front of Hurl. Powell's place. He came down and was for putting us out as he was afraid of the fire running up the gully, but we promised to watch it and put it out before we left so he let us stay. The boys visited a corn field on the way down and Manning brought a water melon and I had some sandwiches so we made out a pretty fair meal. Manning gave us a little talk on the stars and we got home about ten o'clock. Fine day fairly hot and windy </p><p>Saturday September 18th </p><p>Frank and I had to go over to Ern. Flemming's to thrash to-day and were over there all day, at least Frank was. I came home a little early as I was helping Wilbur Ryerse carry away oats and when the wheat commenced to come Ern could handle it alone so Ern. told me I could come home &amp; get ready for the machine as they moved in here to-night. Dad. was running out land furrows in the back field all day. Ham Thompson was in and borrowed the drill. Fine day </p><p>Sunday September 19th </p><p>We all went to church this morning and Frank Tid and I went to Sunday school. Miss {Treneman?} sang a solo. Enah had to play as Mrs. Andrews is away so she stayed down all day. Dad. stayed down to dinner at Auntys, but Frank and I came home. I was home all the after noon but went down to-night with some eggs for Aunty Alice. We were much surprised this after noon when Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman drove in. They went on down to Aunty's and are staying there for a day or two. Mr. Millman is going to buy apples for his evapourator at Vittoria. </p><p>Monday September 20th </p><p>We thrashed all day to-day and got out about 830 bushels 100 of wheat 40 of barley and the rest oats and mixed grain. It wasn't as big a yield as I had looked for but the oats rolled out of the spout about 3 bushels per minute. It was very cloudy cold and drizzly all day and just as we finished began to rain so hard it threw the belt off. We only had five more sheaves to thrash, but they put it on again and we thrashed them. </p><p>Tuesday September 21st </p><p>We caught the lambs this morning and trimmed the wool out of their eyes as some of them couldn't see at all. This after noon Dad. and I went back and ran out the cross ditches in the back field. Frank had to go down to Art Ryerse's with Alan &amp; Sam when they took the engine but they didn't thrash any to-day as they wanted to go to the school fair. I started to get ready to go down to that but about four o'clock Bob. Doherty and Webb. came in and stayed for an hour or so. Frank came home while they were here and we sold him all the lambs but four and the three old ewes, 13 cts for the good lambs 9 cts. for culls and 4 cts for the old ewes. Mr. Millman was in for a minute to-night with Aunty Maude &amp; Aunt Ida. Fine day </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Wednesday September 22nd </p><p>Frank has been away with Sam &amp; Alan all day down at Art Ryerse's. Dad. and I took Sam's oats home first thing this morning and when we got back Rus. Lampkins was here to fix the pump so we worked with him till noon. He had to go home at noon to take his wife to Simcoe and he didn't get back till half past three. Dad. and I bagged up a grist and I took it down this after noon and when I got back Dad. &amp; Rus had the pump back in the well. Rus. put in a new valve and sucker and now it works better than it ever did. Lovely day. It has been very dry now for a long time in spite of the fact that the New Moon has been perpendicular now for several months. This moth it was south of the line. {Wee sketch of the moon shape}. </p><p>Thursday September 23rd </p><p>Dad. &amp; I spent the fore noon cleaning up around the stack. We put all the loose straw from the south side of the stack on the rack and hauled it in on the barn floor and carried it in from the north side. Then Dad. got up and put a better top on the stack as the wind was too strong the day we thrashed to make a neat job of it. This after noon we went back and cleaned some of the ditches in the wheat field but quit early and to-night I had a meeting with the boys. Hermon &amp; Jonas were the only ones there, we figured on a programme for next month. Fine &amp; hot. </p><p>Friday September 24th </p><p>I spent most of the morning doing chores but went back about eleven and cleaned some more ditches in the back field. Dad. took Tid to school and picked some tomatoes for Mrs. Law. This after noon he and I finished cleaning the ditches. Frank was with the thrashers all day. I did a couple of show card lessons to-night and Dad. Enah &amp; Tid drove down with Aunty's milk. Very warm, tried to rain. </p><p>Saturday September 25th </p><p>Frank told us that Dougherty called him up yesterday and wanted to ship the lambs this morning so we had to get the waggon unloaded, it had some coal on it and get the sheep in and loaded. We took down about 16 of the best lambs the first load and when we got there found Dougherty wasn't there yet, but we unloaded them and Frank went back for another load. He put them all on but had to take four off at Martin's as they nearly smothered, so by the time they were all down there it was noon and about one when we got home. The lambs the good ones just averaged about 68 lbs apiece and the whole bunch came to about $242.00. This after noon Frank had to go and help Sam and Tid and I dug some paeony roots and took them down to Miss McQueen and Miss Monteith. To-night I went to town and charted Hermon Cook. I found Mark Stephens and his sister here when I got home. Fine day. Very hot. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Sunday September 26th </p><p>This has been one of the hottest days we have had this year. Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and Dad. and Enah went to church. This was {Harvest?} Home service and they had the church looking very nice. Zeitha sang a solo. Doc. Lemmons &amp; Lou. Dixon were supposed to sing a duet but Bill didn't show up. <s>Aunty came.</s> This after noon I went down to Bronzie as it was the only cool spot I could find. It was lovely down there on the point. I came home early and we did up the chores in good time. Mark and his sister and Winnie were here for tea and we all except Frank and Tid. went down to church to-night. Mr. Ward from St John's preached. After church we all went down to Aunty's and spent the evening Aunty Alice gave Mark a kitten which Miss Stephens took home in a basket and which howled terribly. </p><p>Monday September 27th </p><p>I fixed up the old corn house this morning and this after noon Dad. and I started to cut corn and got 28 shocks cut. Frank was away all day with Sam. and Alan. I went to band practice to-night. </p><p>Tuesday September 28th </p><p>Dad. and I cut corn all day and are nearly halfway across the field there are just ten rows of shocks in the field. Fine day, sunny with cool wind. </p><p>Wednesday September 29th </p><p>We cut corn all day. Jack Highland was past to-night about five o'clock and while Dad. was talking to him he heard a cow bawl so we went back to the gully and found Nancy calving. We gave her a little assistance and now have another red and white bull calf known as Bill Sykes Dad. and I drove down with milk for Aunty to-night and up around by Ham Thompson's as I wanted to see if he was going to Courtland to-morrow. Fine &amp; cold. </p><p>Thursday September 30th </p><p>I caught the nine o'clock car this morning and went with Ham Thompson to Simcoe where Manning picked us up and drove us to Courtland. The had the township fair and school fair combined. I didn't do much but help Ham judge the school kid's chickens. We had a very nice time though. The fair didn't ammount to much as there was very little stock there and not much of anything else Dean Taylor and a couple of pals were there having a great time Manning drove Ham and me back. We had supper at his place and he drove us on down to Dover, as he was coming down to a meeting. Cloudy and cold all day. Raining to-night. </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Friday October 1st </p><p>It has rained steadily all day and has been very raw and cold. Tom. Butler came in on his way down town and he and Frank went over to look at the stuff Flemming has for sale and then he came back here and had dinner. I didn't do any thing much but a few chores. Frank went home with Tom this after noon and stayed there for tea and all night so that he could put a fire on in the engine in the morning to finish thrashing at Art Quanbury's. Miserable day but good for the wheat. </p><p>Saturday October 2nd </p><p>Dad. and Frank went over and finished thrashng at Art Quanbury's this morning. Dad. got home before dinner and Frank went on to Charlie Munroe's with the machine. I took Aunty's milk down this morning and on my way back stopped in at the Zealand's He showed me various things about the place and told me I could have the house any time I wanted it, so I told him that would be in about three weeks I hoped. Dad. and I dug a couple of rows of potatoes this after noon. I went down to meet the Tuxis boys to-night but Jonas was the only one out. </p><p>Sunday October 3rd </p><p>Frank, Tid and I went down to Sunday school and church and Enah came down to church. Aunty came back over here to dinner. It rained this morning a little and has been cloudy and cool all day. </p><p>Tuesday October 12th </p><p>I have some way got far behind in writing this and can't remember precisely what happened from day to day so will have to make a summary of last weeks events. I think we finished cutting the field corn Tuesday the fifth working at it Monday after noon &amp; Tuesday. We cut the fodder corn Wednesday after noon and Thursday morning. There will be quite a lot of feed on it considering how late it was put in. We spent the rest of the time up till Wednesday noon digging potatoes. We just finished that job yesterday after noon and got nearly fifty bushels out of the patch in the field. We have them piled out in the field. Thursday after noon Dad. had to go to be bearer ar Mrs. Tommy Jackson's funeral and I went over to Ern. Flemming's sale. Friday Dad. and I were over at Tom &amp; Mark's all day thrashing and finished up there Saturday fore noon, from there I went with Art Quanbury down to {Ausen?} Abbot's to look at an old house which Art wants to buy to tear down and use the stuff to build his new one. Dad. went over to John Wess's for a visit and stayed there to dinner. Frank thrashed with Sam Monday morning and then they quit till after Simcoe fair but Frank </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>stayed with Sam till Tuesday night helping him shock up his corn. He went to the fair on Wednesday and has been sick ever since, he is just beginning to get around now. I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner on Sunday and Sunday afternoon Aunty Alice came over here with me and stayed to tea. Aunty went to Scotland this morning with Dick Tibbits to see Uncle Robuck. They had to come back on the L.E.&amp;N. as Dick's car played out. The Bawlby's came down in the after noon and took Aunt Ida up with them for tea. Jack Martin was over here after tea to ask Dad. to go with him on Tuesday to a political meeting near Aylmer. Yesterday Frank took Joe down to be shod and brought Aunt Ida back with him to spend the day. It began to rain this after noon and we had quite a heavy thunder storm but it stopped before night. Dad. drove Aunt Ida home after tea. To-day I went over to the Zealand's to help him put on the storm window but he thought it was too warm yet, so I helped them make some cider Enah went over to get the curtains and wash them but as Mr. Zealand was away when she got there she didn't take them. Dad. went with Jack Martin to Straffordville and heard Mr. Meighen, but said they had a very tiresome day as they had to wait so long. I got some flower roots over at Mrs. Battersby's this after noon. Frank felt better and picked the King's. To-night I went down town to get my hair cut but couldn't get into any of the barber shops so went down to see Aunty Maude. It has been a very nice day. </p><p>Wednesday October 13th </p><p>Dad. and I walked back to the gully this morning to get a long pole that was back there for firewood and while we were back took a walk over to look at the wheat which is coming nicely since the rain and as we saw Cam McBride back plowing pea stubble went over and talked to him for awhile. Frank drove Tid. down to school. It was pretty late when we got back but Dad. castrated the four calves before dinner. The big roan bled quite a lot and to-night Dad. went to look at him but thought it had stopped pretty well, however he started up again during the night and bled to death. This after noon I went down town and got my hair cut and made the final preparations or purchases as to-morrow Aunty Alice and I leave D.O. for Haliburton where on Saturday Marj. and I are to be married. </p><p>Wednesday November 8th </p><p>There must of necessity be a considerable gap left in these records caused by the event predicted in the last entry. I was away in Haliburton </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>and Bobcayceon for nearly two weeks and since coming back with Marj. have been so unsettled and having so much {illegible} getting our new nest feathered that I havent been able to get into my old habit of writing in my diary. There is not much use trying to record the events of the past few weeks as I don't know what has happened, all I know is that Marj. and I are married and have had a most happy time and that we are the luckiest pair alive as we are in our own house by ourselves for the winter and with the many things Marj. has had given to her and the things by the Zealand's which we may use, we seem to have every thing we want, we don't even have to pay rent for the place, which is very fortunate as being as poor as ever as far as cold cash is concerned. Mr. Zealand is still here during the day packing up fruit and making cider but he stays at night with Mr. Johnson and has his men at the Quanburys. He went to Hamilton last weekend and spent Saturday after noon giving away the fruit he had sent down. Besides the many things Marj. has had given to her privately we have had several more or less public donations. The second night we were back in Dover The band came over to the farm 17 strong with an extra to carry Karl's big drum, Karl himself being burdened with a dandy big leather rocking chair to present to us. We had a fine musical evening On Thursday November 4th we were invited to a meeting of the County J.F.I.A. at Mr. Neff's in Simcoe where we were presented with a beautiful table-cloth. Marj. says it is one of the finest she ever saw and that the like can't be bought new, this <s>one</s> being made before the war. The next night we were invited to the Sunday school where they had "kitchen shower" for Marj. and stocked her up with a fine lot of aluminum and pirex ware and rumors have reached us that the object of a combined visit of teachers on Tuesday night November 16th is to present Marj. with some forks. This is Monday the 15th and I have not had time to make an entry in this for about a week. This house keeping is very unsettling but it is a lot of fun. I am waiting now for Marj. to get dinner. I have just got of 12 bbl {barrels} of apples to Mr. Clarke which I spent considerable time last week and the week before getting ready for him. Frank and I got in the mangels and Dad. has got some plowing done. Our turnips are out yet and as we had a very cold snap (about 12° of frost) they are </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>frozen stiff but it is beautiful again today so will be all right I think. We got in one load of corn stalks on Saturday and they are in good shape and there is some fine corn in them. I went up to a meeting of mentors which Manning called in Simcoe to-night and left Marj. here alone to go to bed early as she has a bad cold. </p><p>Tuesday November 16th </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>Friday December 24th </p><p>I spent the day doing chores and husking corn. Dad. went down town this morning and took a ham down for tomorrow's dinner and fixed up the big turkey that Huby provided for the feast. Frank took a pie over to Tom Butler and got a Christmas tree over there which he and Dave McBride took down this afternoon Marj. has been tearing around all day cleaning up the house and making preparations for Christmas Miss McQueen &amp; her mother and Miss McNelly were over to-night just before her and brought us a mince pie. To-night Marj. and I went down and played Santa Claus we called at the Bugleys's the Monteith's and the McQueen's where Marj. delivered home made Candy for Christmas - and we did some shopping and called at Aunty's for awhile. </p><p>Christmas Day. </p><p>I went over rather late this morning and did a few chores and then we all went down to church. Marj. and I came home and had a picnic brunch and spent a very happy after noon celebrating our first Christmas in our own home and picking up things to put on the tree. I went over and helped do chores and at six we all congregated at Auntys for Christmas dinner. Mr. Johnson brought Aunty Maude down in his car and she lay on the sofa and said she had a good time. Cousin Clare &amp; Phoebe came down after dinner while we unloade the trio Marj. and I fared scrumptiously at the Christmas tree and we all had a lovely time Marj. gave me her present last night which was a pair of house shoes Beautiful day, cold &amp; snowing to-night. </p><p>Sunday December 26th </p><p>Marj. and I were very late getting down to Sunday school this morning for we slept in. We went to church and came home for dinner. Aunty Maude &amp; Huby were staying at Aunty's. We chored around all the after noon and I lit a fire in the grate. Glad Law came over for tea. I went over and helped do chores as Frank went down to the Ward's. We had a nice evening with Glad around our fireside and Marj. and I both walked home with her. The walking was fierce as it has snowed hard all this after noon. Very mild. </p><p>Monday December 27th </p><p>I arose and shovelled considerable snow before breakfast this morning It had snowed a lot during the night and was very mild. The trees were all laden with heavy snow and this place in the grey light of early morning looked </p></div> <div class="mw-parser-output"><p>as much like Fairy land as any poet ever dreamed, but it didn't last long as it thawed enough for the snow to drop from the branches. Dad drove down town in the cutter this morning and shovelled Aunty's snow for them, he said the sleighing would have been good if there had not been some wheels out which spoiled it. He and Frank got the bob-sleighs out this after noon but didn't hook up to them I did chores all day and wrapped tar paper around the rest of my little apple trees and laid down the Dorothy Perkins rose bush and covered it up. Marj. and I had a lovely evening at home to-night, she darning my socks and I reading to her from Jeffrey Farnol's "My Lady Caprice". She got a parcel from home to-day containing a pair of towells for her and two pair of Miss Bain knit socks for me and two soft collars from Dorrie. Dorrie sent her a cup and saucer a few days ago and with it a little bell from Miss {name?} </p><p>Tuesday December 28th </p><p>Frank and I </p></div> untranscribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/33431700dae090c857dc69631c89a47a.pdf 98e29c8b55f97cac495b47150133eea0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {FRONT COVER} DIARY.1919 T.B.Barrett Port Dover, Ontario Knockfierna.............. From January 1st 1919 to December 31st 1919 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3266e59aaea68801ecac276fbb1855f3.pdf 973fb03225e7a45870d2d612d958e6ed PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday January 1st 1919. I have had a feeling all day to-day as if I ought to have the blues, not exactly that I ought to have them but that it is queer that I haven't got them. That isn't the proper way to feel on New Year's day especially since every New Year's day for the last four years we have all thought that if the "damned" (thats what most of us thought allright even if we didn't say it) old war was over we would never feel blue again and neither we do at least I don't and don't intend to even although I have had to light the lamp this after noon to see to write, and though my gum boot which I wore a hole in the sole of on the hard frozen knobs of earth in the barn yard last week let in a pint of oozey mud and water around my foot so that it was just like an eel in a puddle all morning (I wore Dad's rubbers this after noon) and although that old brute of a Gladys acted just as stubborn as a pig can when we tried to load her into the crate this morning and I got mad enough to kill her and chased her around the yard till I was winded calling her names that wouldn't do for Sunday, and although I had to stand under the drip of the eave of the barn this after noon for about https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2adf26634e83f0891bd1c2871b339a73.pdf 5919da1255636077be1915b7d6727ad5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. ten minutes trying to unhook the chain which was just within an ace of unhooking but wouldn't come, and although instead of this being a nice, crisp, sunshiney, snowy sleigh bell jingling day, it has been a dark, muddy, drizzley, drippy, rainy rotten one with nothing more cheerful to look at than the mist and drizzle and nothing to hear but the darn ducks squawk and the dismal flapping of Enah's clothes which have been hanging on the line since Monday steadily getting wetter than when she put them there. Even in spite of all this, I haven't got the blues and upon a moment's thought realize that I would be a mighty ungrateful creature if I had, for in spite of all the weather there is an awful lot to be thankful for. The main part of the war is over and the boys are beginning to get back, some of them pretty badly shot up but others looking fine and all of them tickled pink to be home. Old Quint, who must have seen some hard fighting during the last summer and fall has got through without a scratch and writes most interesting letters from Belgium of the sights he sees there. Of course, Dad. had a letter from Dick to-day written on Christmas saying he was to sail for Siberia the next day so he is probably well out on the Pacific by this time and will maybe see action over there as the paper reports Canadian Artillery in the Arcangel region supporting Russian, American and Polish troops in attacks on the Bolsheviki, but then even though his future movements are in some ways so uncertain, it doesn't seem as if his stay in Russia will last as long as it might have if the Western Front was not peaceful and some reports say that men will not have to stay there more than a year unless they like, even although Canadian troops are still kept there, and even if he does see action over there after knowing of some of the marvelous escapes some of the boys in France have had, I can't help feeling that the same Power that pulled them through will also look after old Dick. These things as well as others keep my heart above my boot tops in spite of the depressing atmosphere. We did nothing in the way of celebration to-day. Frank and I had to take old Gladys down to Coleman's this morning and got pretty wet doing it. Dad. felt better this morning and went out and helped us load her but I'm afraid it didn't do him any good. To-night Frank and I went down town. Frank went up to Huby's. We intend to celebrate New Year's on Aunty's birthday. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c3c563b8a2f2bdff96f7c32c6da82dcc.pdf 5f61c577f5af65c477aeb7640c633586 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday January 2nd After I got the morning chores done up I went down town to send a money order to "The Breeder's Gazette" for a renewal of my subscription and also for some books for the J.F.I.A. for which Frank gave me a cheque. I didn't get back till noon. This after noon Charlie Quanbury came after Frank to help him take his calves out to {Lish?} Farr. who seems to be making a business of wintering cattle for people on his thrashed alsike. I didn't do any thing in particular but chores all the afternoon. To night I felt as if I was getting quite a cold so soaked my feet in hot water and went to bed rather early having spent the fore part of the evening reading "The Prince and the Pauper" which Aunt Ida gave me on Christmas. It has been a beautiful winter day, dull, frozen & not cold. Friday January 3rd This being Aunty's birthday we celebrated it over here by having the goose which Frank slew yesterday for dinner and accordingly Aunty, Aunty Alice, Aunt Ida and Marj. all came over to partake of it. Frank and I didn't do any thing but chores and visit. Marj. stayed to tea and for the evening but the rest of them went down before tea. Frank went down to the dance given by the Women's Institute to-night and I walked home with Marj. later. Dad. hasn't felt much better to-day. It has been a very nice day. Freezing hard to-night. Saturday January 4th Last night was the coldest we have had yet this winter, the mercury being at zero this morning, but it has been a nice day with quite a strong west wind. Dad. Enah and the baby went down town before dinner and stayed down all the afternoon. Frank and I just did chores and bagged up what apples were left out in the barn some of which were frozen like bricks. Frank hitched Mexico to the cart and we hauled them over to the house in it and put them down cellar. We spent most of the after noon in the house reading the mail. Chuck Harn was in for a few minutes with a petition to have The Marburg Station moved from where it is up to the Cheese Factory, so Frank and I signed it as we didn't care a cent where it was and thought they must want it changed. Saturday January 5th Frank went down to Sunday school and church this morning but I didn't get down on account of the chores. None https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fe6009a0f4ea404b72c571da1eb053f3.pdf 3650b65f6a0536be10fc7954fafc50b1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. of the rest of the family went down. I spent the after noon down at the Monteith's and came home to tea and to do chores. Lila was here to tea and She and I went down town right after tea as I wanted to get to church. We cut across the pond as there were a lot on it this after noon and I got my over coat full of pitch fork burrs getting up the hill. I went to church but was about half an hour late. I picked the burrs out of my over coat during the sermon. After church I went over and spent the evening with Marj. Tige McBride was down to-day to ask Frank and me to be bearers at Lee Boughner's funeral. He just home from France or England or where ever he was in the army the other day and died very suddenly yesterday. It hasn't been so cold to-day but freezing all day. Cloudy & breezy. Monday January 6th Frank and I spend most of our time these days just doing chores. I husked the rest of the corn we had up this morning and Frank and I got over some hay this afternoon. This was election day but Dad. didn't feel like going out to vote and I didn't want to take the time with the roads as rough as they are to drive way out to Wiggin's school house Jack Martin was in about four o'clock to get us to go out and vote for Hammond as he thought if he got in we might get the roads fixed up a little down in this end of the township. However we didn't go and Hammond got beaten by Gilbert by about 48 votes. In town R. M. Taylor beat Mat. Wilson for reeve and the council consists of Clare Deal, Jack Reynolds, Jim Bannister & Billy {Lamp?} I am afraid they are more inclined to be knockers than boosters but they may be all right. Enah and Tid went down to the Sunday school for tea to-night and for a concert afterwards in which all the kids took part. Frank went down after tea. Nice morning but rather blustery in after noon. Not cold. Tuesday January 7th We did all the chores up this morning so that we could go to Lee Boughner's funeral this after noon. Tom was over this morning greatly delighted at Hammond's defeat. Oscar Howden came in to drive him out to vote for Hammond but he walked out to Marburg so that he could vote as he pleased. We went up to the funeral this after noon and didn't put in such a bad time. Frank and I, Colin Lloyd, Tige and Lynn Waddle were bearers. Lynn would persist in expressing sentiments not suited to the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/db46e7efbbeb8d03922821b6ff21254f.pdf 9c3e5c6377f46e9416e836a1f0a76e93 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. occasion which made it uncomfortable for the rest of us fellows during the service but we managed to pull through without disgracing ourselves and very unwillingly accepted the undertakers invitation to go in and have a look at Lee. Five returned soldiers came down from Simcoe to attend the funeral. They were a tough looking bunch. One had a glass eye and a stiff arm and another a game leg. They buried him in the Simcoe cemetry. I drove up with Lynn Waddle and Jack Maxwell. Lynn lit up his corn cob pipe just as we got started and and I don't think opened his mouth all the way up unless it was to make some coarse and ribald jest, one being that he thought Wess Boughner was damned stingy with his hard cider, as he hadn't offered us any. I came home with George Duncan as he was alone and could bring me closer to home. I transferred at his gate to Jack McBride's rig and when he turned in home I got in with Colin Ryerse & Frank and so got a ride home. To-night Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. and although we didn't have many out had a fairly good time. Everybody present performed in some way sang or read a poem out of my James Whitcomb Riley book it being Literary evening. We had some toast for refreshments. Very soft & mild. Snowing to-night. Wednesday January 8th Besides doing chores to-day Frank and I started to dig the straw out of the bottom of the west hay over in the old barn and put it up on the rails over head. Lorne Myers was in this morning to return Dad's probang. He borrowed it last night while we were down town to take a turnip out of his cow's throat. He wanted to know if we would like to try feeding some dried beet pulp as he was going to send for some so I told him to get us ten dollars's worth. To-night Frank and I went down town. I went over to the Monteith's for the evening. Frank intended to go to a soldier's concert which the I.O.D.E. were having but it was called off on account of the Holdin girls being sick, so he went up to Huby's and took Lila to the show. Aunty Alice sent to a Boston publishing Company for some plays for us to-night. A little colder to-day but nice. Thursday January 9th Frank and I finished covering the rails in the old barn with straw. We intended to get some more corn in and some hay over but the weather prevented us. It has been very blustery and blizzardy all day. It didn't snow any more but the high west wind kept what little had https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/06fb2f1cfd4274252583a702aa590f39.pdf c27624f75066185f80dfc01e20f4e79e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. fallen in the air all day. It was quite mild this morning but the mercury has been dropping all day and stands at zero to-night. This after noon the J.F.I.A. books came from "The Breeder's Gazette" Company so I spent this after noon looking through them. Charlie Shand was over and he and Frank went down to the dam to see if they were going to put the bridge back in place, but something went wrong with their plans so they didn't move it. Friday January 10th It has been still very windy all day, the wind was worse than yesterday but it has been much milder and was barely freezing this after-noon. Just did chores this morning and this after noon went up to Mat. Wilson's to pay him for the apple-barrels I got last fall. Sam Law had been thrashing there but had to stop as the wind was blowing their belt into the wheel and fraying it. I went over to Ham Thompson's for awhile to look at his calves. Frank went over to Quanbury's as he had promised to help them haul hay but as he thought they didn't go after any as the wind was too strong. I went down town to-night. They had a small fire at the dam last night. Saturday January 11th Frank and I fed up the stock this morning and then went out and got a small jag of corn shocks Tom and his grandson young Murrey Simpson came over and got a little jag of hay on his one horse waggon This after noon Frank went out with John Quanbury to Charlie's place and helped him put on a load of hay I did chores and husked enough corn stalks to feed the cows to-night. Aunty came over this after noon to see how Dad. was and he and Tid. walked back with her and stayed down to tea. Frank went down town to-night and I oiled the chicken's legs. Not so windy a little colder. Saturday January 12th Frank went down to Sunday school and church this morning but I was doing chores till noon. Dad., Enah & Tid went down to Aunty's for dinner and Enah went to church. Frank Awde & Earl came to see Dad. just as I was going to eat and I left them here with Frank and went down town. I was down with Marj. all the after noon but came home to tea and do chores. I went down after tea but was too late to go to church. It has been mild and sunny to-day. Not much wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8ce2f688273a2416bcfefa9b76110d05.pdf 6c5142b9237f5e65e1fd66da56fb1e99 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday January 13th Frank and I loaded up the oats we cleaned out of the little box-stall in the horse stable and took them down to be chopped. There were 17 bags but we thought we might as well take them down as empty part of them. The water was low down there so we had to leave the grist there. Dad. walked over to John Wess's this morning and stayed to dinner. He was pretty tired when he got back and he says John Wess is in pretty bad shape too. This after noon Frank finished mending the box stall door and I helped him hang it and then husked a little corn. About four o'clock we went down and got our chop. We traded some oats off for a bag of oil cake. To-night Frank went down town to ask Zeitha Barwell if she would go to Simcoe with him to-morrow night as the J.F.I.A. all intended going up to the Rink for a skate, but Tige and Albert were down to-night and thought we had better call it off as there would be no ice, so we are going to leave it till to-morrow and see if it gets colder. Very mild and soft all day. Tuesday January 14th Dad. Enah and Tid all went down to Aunty's for dinner to-day as it was Aunt Ida's birthday. Frank and I did chores all morning and I husked corn. Tige McBride came down after dinner to tell us that he called up Simcoe this morning and found out that there wouldn't be any ice so we went down to Lloyd's to tell him to arrange for some thing at the club. Tige let most of the fellows know by telephone that the meeting would be at the club. Frank and I did up the chores early and Dad. and Tid came home about half past four. Enah went up to St. John's with Aunty Maude to hear some W.A. workers from the West. She came back on the seven o'clock car. Marj. had promised to go to the rink with me so when I told her we were going to meet at the club she went over there. There were ten or a dozen of the boys out and about eight girls so we had a very good time playing games and a little dancing. Crosby and Alex England went down and borrowed a fiddle from the Slocomb's and Charlie Blake furnished the music. Soft all day, colder to-night. Wednesday January 15th Dad. felt much better to-day and helped us all day and we got in two loads of corn. The second one we https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8431b557fb3401c971c1afe3d0fa2546.pdf 282581cdc4f00977e52f3ad6fa3af2da PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. got were little ones with not much corn in it so we brought them in to feed to the cows without husking. We had a visit from a pail pedlar and got three pails from him. To-night I went down to see Marj. for awhile. Mild but frozen. Thursday January 16th John Quanbury came over this morning before we through breakfast to get Frank to go and help him saw up part of the spruce tree which he cut down at Mrs. Battersby's about a month ago. The butt of it is a big log and John can't saw it alone. We had figured on getting in some more corn but Dad. and I put off what we brought in last night but didn't go after any more. Frank came in at noon and he and I got in a load this after noon. Dad. was very much annoyed not to be able to help us but Jackie Pickford came over for a visit and Dad. couldn't shake him he was here all the after noon. We didn't bring in a big load of corn as we don't pile it up on the rack but try to keep each shock seperate so that we won't pull them to pieces when we unload. We didn't unload it to-night but emptied the chop we got the other day into Ed's big bin as we saw one of the cats with a big rat and were afraid to leave it in the bags any longer. Frank and I had hoped to go for a skate to-night but it has been very soft all day and is barely freezing to-night so we stayed home and read over the Shakespeare plays which Aunty Alice got for us for a J.F.I.A. performance. Friday January 17th Frank went over to help John Quanbury again this morning. Dad. and I did chores and unloaded the corn Frank and I brought in yesterday. Aunty Alice came over to dinner. This after noon Dad. Frank and I put on a jag of hay to haul over to the old barn, we would have hauled more but McEwen came down to look at the sheep. He said he wanted to get some ewes for some fellow and asked me if I would take $35.00 apiece for the ewes we culled out and marked for sale in the fall, so I told him we would as the market seems very uncertain and we need the money. I am to call him up to-morrow night to find out whether it is a sale or not. He also offered me $15.00 apiece for the old ewes we sold to Niel Elliott, so I will have to find out from Niel whether he will let me off the deal. I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/39ae93cf3f6ef9783e9858ae9c7da4a4.pdf 017e98a75b922e8e92a629812caf1f6a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. tried to telephone him to-night but he wasn't home. Alan Law came in before McEwen left for Dad. to look at his mare. He is afraid she has an attack of asoturia. Enah went down town with Aunty Alice this after noon and had two teeth out. Frank went down to the Women's Institute dance to-night and I went skating on the pond I was surprised to find it so good as it has been very soft all day, but the ice was hard. Saturday January 18th Frank went over this morning and finished helping John Quanbury cut up the spruce tree. Dad. Tid and I drove down to Sam Law's and gave Alan's mare a ball, she didn't seem very sick. When we got back I went over to Martin's to see the bunch of chickens they had all ready to ship to Madison Square gardens this after noon. I also went down to Quanbury's to telephone Niel Elliott but he wasn't home. This after noon Dad. finished cleaning a couple of chickens he killed this morning and Frank finished making a crate to weigh sheep in. We then brought the scales over from the old barn and weighed the three ram lambs we sold to Niel. {Hray?} weighed 87 lbs and the other two 100 & 105. I went down town to-night and called up Niel and McEwen. Niel told me to go ahead and sell the old ewes if I could get any more out of them but when I got McEwen he told me he hadn't been able to see the man that he was buying for so said I hadn't better keep them on the chance of him taking them. I was in at Aunty's on my way home. Aunty is very grieved over the cutting down of the old poplar tree in front of the old Mrs. Bagley house. It was the largest tree of its kind I ever saw and one of the most beautiful trees in town. It is far older than any one living can remember and the trunk was sound as could be. The weather is still very mild and Spring like. Didn't freeze to-night. Sunday January 19th Frank went down to Sunday school and I went down to church this morning Dad. has fell well enough to do chores to-day. Enah was to have played the organ this morning but felt too sick. She has felt miserable since having her teeth out. Aunty came over to dinner with us. I went down town this after noon and Marj. and I went over to see Miss McQueen. Marj. & https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3e797852a6baa757dc3b6fd7b95baa43.pdf f28f958253bba897199410c65705a435 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Essie went to Hamilton yesterday to see Robert Mantell in "The Merchant of Venice" and Marj. said it was great. I stayed down at Aunty's to tea and went to church with Aunty Alice. Spent the evening with Marj. Very mild. Feels like April instead of January. Monday January 20th Dad. went over to Flemming's this morning to thrash while Frank and I took our sheep down to Niel's. He made the two old ewe's weigh 30 lbs more than we did so we didn't lose anything by not letting McEwen have them after all. The lambs lost 10 lbs according to Niel going down but the five head brought us $67.00. We brought home a load of coal with us as one had just come in. It was chestnut and pea coal mixed so was not nearly as good as the last stove coal we got. Dad. stayed down to Flemming's to dinner and Frank went down to change places with him after dinner. There was a letter in the mail addressed to Mr. Barratt and Rush on it. We expected Dad. home any minute so put it away for him. He was about half an hour getting home and when he opened it found it was from Lloyd-Jones letting me to meet him as he was coming down on the 3 o'clock car, consequently I had to step lively to make the car. Dad. went back over to Flemming's to let Frank come home and seperate some of the smallest ewe lambs in case Lloyd-Jones wanted to buy any. I took him up to Ham's before I brought him over here and Ham sold him his two best ram lambs and his five ewe lambs. He then came over to our place and bought the five ewes we had picked out and begged so hard for some more that we picked out Nos. 2 & 3 four year old ewes of old Splitears and sold him the seven for $225.00. The little yearling the "baby" we considered worth $15.00 and the others $35.00 apiece I took Lloyd-Jones back to catch the five o'clock car. Frank didn't think it worthwhile going back to Flemming's so Dad. has thrashed nearly all day and feels pretty tired to-night. It has been a beautiful, mild Spring like day. Tuesday January 21st Frank went over to thrash again this morning and has been away all day. They finished at Flemming's before dinner and moved to Martin's where they had a https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/dc84529516bf2334b12dcf9a2f1c4cc2.pdf d9b479f42efc4e32d59eaf95840995ff PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. very steady run all the after noon. Frank says they will finish there in a couple of hours. Dad. and I went down this morning and got a load of soft coal. Dad. walked down and I had the coal on when he got down as he stopped in at Aunty's for awhile. I saw the station agent who told me we could have a car to-morrow after noon to ship the sheep but when we found the thrashers would be here so early we thought we had better put off the shipping a day so I saw the agent again to-night and he said it would suit him better not to let us have the car till Thursday. Enah went down to the dentist this after noon so I sent down all the certificates to be transferred with her to post. Dad. and I did chores this after noon and I unloaded the soft coal some of it at the barn to thrash with us and the rest of it in the wood shed. Frank and I went to J.F.I.A. to-night. We had a pretty fair crowd out and spent the evening deciding on a play to get up. We at last picked on Julius Caesar. There was a grand dance on in the hall to-night for the employees of the Foundation Company. Ham and I went up after the club to find the station agent as he was one of the guests, they were all up in the Red Cross rooms having supper. {illegible} Spring Wednesday January 22nd Frank went over to Martin's for a little while this morning and came back while they were putting through the chaff to help us get ready for them. They got over here and set up and thrashed about an hour before dinner and ran steadily all the after noon finishing up soon after five. We got about ten bushels of nice looking seed two bushels of which were from the chaff and may not be quite so heavy as the other. I didn't do very much as Tom came over and we had lots of help. Tom gave me four dollars which he got for the old hens and two dollars for eggs and this after noon I got a letter from Neff with a cheque in it for ten dollars to pay my expenses at Guelph and also my score cards. I went down to see Marj. to-night. Thursday January 23rd It was very misty this morning and soon turned to rain which kept up all day some times raining quite hard. Frank went over to Pickford's to see if they would thrash but neither Sam nor Alan put in an appearance. I drove down town before dinner to see where our car was to ship the sheep in and thought I would get Joe shod. I didn't have https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d438c555bb02e71b3913bcc496c92c99.pdf 0629fa9c348a49a86a53e0c8b1db5b2c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. time to get her shod before dinner so thought as I had her down and she was badly in need of it I had better have her shod after so I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and by the time I got home it was half past three. We then had to hurry to get the sheep loaded {illegible words} there and as it was Frank and I {illegible words} after six. Dad. went down with us and {illegible words} home. The sheep go out on a night {illegible words} morning and appeared to be {illegible words}. Friday January 24th Frank went down to Pickford's to thrash this morning {illegible words} as they started up about the middle of {illegible words}. They finished there this after noon and then moved down to {illegible} and thrashed him out in an hour or two and Frank didn't get back till dark. Dad. and I did chores and and Dad. battoned up the north end of the calve's pen. I started to read after dinner and went to sleep for quite awhile {illegible words} for awhile this after noon to get the number of the old ram Enah and Frank went down to the Library dance to-night & I went down town and went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. I went down to Aunty's and found Roy there. He came in on the nine o'clock car. I went up to the hall to call for Enah about half past eleven as she didn't want to stay too late. There was certainly a jamboree up there in the hallway was packed so full a fellow could hardly move and couldn't see across the room for smoke. Colder & windy. Saturday January 25th Dad. Frank and I have been hauling in corn all day we got in six rack loads averaging about ten shocks to the load and put it up over the granary where the clover seed was. We got some of the best corn in the field and some of it was very goodlooking. Roy came over to tea to-night and Dad. walked back with him to-night {illegible words} saw several little door mice in the corn field to-day. They are very pretty and unlike the field mice which always make for another shock cross-country when the shock they have been inhabiting is lifted off them and are generally caught by the dogs, the door mice always try to climb out of harm's reach. One of them ran up one of the spokes in the front wheel and sat on the front bolster of the waggon for a long time and a couple ran up the horse's legs. Beautiful Spring day again. Muddy this afternoon. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/98909713a79dcc0249ef1dfe28afb911.pdf acb46d5eb5b92cddfe92274463ce3c9a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday January 26th Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. Enah and Tid went down to church but I didn't go down as I didn't get the chores done in time. This after noon I went down town after Frank and I had our lunch, the rest of them stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. Marj. and I went down and called on the Bailies and then went over to the Paterson's but they weren't home so we walked up Main St. and met Miss Martin who was en route to the Sunday school to number some books in the library so we went down with her and helped her or at least Marj. did. We then went down to Aunty's to tea. Enah and Winnie were also there. They and Roy and Aunty went to church but Aunty Alice, Aunt Ida and Marj. & I didn't go. Beautiful day. West Wind. Monday January 27th We hauled in corn all day again to-day and got the field cleared this side of the potato ground. We also have the mow about full. Pickford came over this after noon and told us he had sold his best clover seed for twenty three dollars per bushel and his lower grade for twenty one. Edmonds bought it but didn't want to buy much. It is queer that it is so hard to sell and yet the price is so high. Another fine day. Muddy this after noon. Tuesday January 28th We hauled in another load of corn this morning from the north side of the potato patch but there was no room for it in the mow so we left it on the waggon. I went down to Aunty's for dinner and caught the one o'clock car for Simcoe to attend the annual meeting of the Norfolk Co-Operative Association. There was a good turnout and the report of the business done was very satisfactory for the first year. They had $1136.31 profit, $1000 of which they will divide among the members giving them 2 1/2% rebate on the business they did with the Association. Burnaby the President of the United Farmers of Ontario Co-Operative Co. was there and gave us a talk on organization I came home on the 7 o'clock car and had tea at Aunty's. Corby was at the station waiting around to go to the J.F.I.A. He had been in Simcoe but had driven his mother down to Dover and they had gone on home, so I invited him up to Aunty's for supper. He came. Frank came down and we https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bcdd52875750267a8a75a8d2de307074.pdf fb80616d24be9e01ae51579de6af2e64 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. all went up to the club. There weren't many out but as our books came we went over the play and it sounded pretty fair. Dad. and Frank got another load of coal this after noon and hauled it over the new bridge, the first time any of us have driven over it. A little colder to-day. Cloudy. Wednesday January 29th Dad. and Frank went down to Sam Law's to thrash this morning and Frank was gone all day. Dad. got home soon after dinner. I first did chores this morning and husked some corn. This after noon I drove up to Ham Thompson's and got a Barred Rock cockrell to mate with my four pullets. I also stopped in at the mill and paid $25.00 on my account. I went down town to-night and Marj. and I went up to Miss Martin's. It has not been very cold to-day but a raw wind. March weather. Thursday January 30th I went over to Tupper's this morning to get him to come over and help us slay swine so he told Dad. he would come when we were ready to convert our two into pork. He was milking when I got there and I had to wait till he had breakfast so it was rather late when we got over here and got started and as a natural consequence long after noon when we finished. However we got the job done very well. Tupper brought over a little block and tackle outfit he had so that eliminated all heavy lifting to scald them or hang them up as we fixed up a scaffold and had a rail out of the upstairs door of the shop to hang them on and the barrel of water right under. They were a nice pair one dressed 232 lbs and the other 205 I think. Tupper had dinner here and we didn't do a thing till chore time but visit. He entertained us by relating anecdotes of folks up around the district between Simcoe and Waterford. He seems to know every one up there and has very funny stories to tell of all of them, and they lose nothing by him telling it either. Tom came in about half past four and got two or three bags of clover chaff for bedding. He also got my two cockrels which I sold him for a dollar apiece. I went down town to night and Frank and Enah and I went to hear Miss Wade at the Sunday school lecture on China. She was staying at Aunty's and we saw her afterwards down there. She was very interesting. Nice day. Freezing to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1450fc414775d76189957e3d4373e7eb.pdf 7f1e5f5d0efca6ec40a61a8cd48e2a02 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday January 31st Dad. spent all the morning and I think most of the after noon cutting up the pigs. Frank and I cut a piece off the straw stack and hauled it over to the horse stable. This after noon Frank went down to the Customs office to get his Roth Memory Course which he sent for the other day. I hooked up and went over to Lorne Myer's and to Lloyd Crysler's to get them to take part in Julius Caeser. I don't know whether they will or not as they both seemed loth to tackle it. I was at Lloyd's quite awhile visiting with him and Hannah and listening to their Pathé phonegraph. To-night Frank and I went down town. Frank went to the Women's Institute dance and I spent the evening at Monteith's. Ed. Moon was over here all the after noon. Windy and a little colder. Saturday February 1st Dad. put the pork in pickle this morning and was glad to find he could get it all in his barrel. Frank and I hauled a load of hay over to the old barn and put it off. This after noon we hauled in three more loads of corn and put two of them off over the west bay in the old barn on top of what we hauled first. The third load we left in the rack. Enah went down town this after noon and Dad. went down to-night to take Aunty a piece of pork. They had a letter from Quint saying that he hoped to be home by the end of March. Sunday February 2nd Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and Enah and I walked down to church. Aunty came over with Enah and Frank but I stayed down with Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida to dinner. This after noon Marj. and I went over to Miss McQueen's. I had tea at Aunty's and Aunty, Aunt Ida and I went to church. I spent the evening at the Monteith's. Lila was over here to tea with her eukalalie. Frank went down with her to-night and overtook me on my way home. Beautiful day, a little colder. Monday February 3rd We hauled in more corn to-day and got in the best of it. This after noon Dad. burned off the corner field as it burned so well while Frank and I were putting on the last load. We put on https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9da2d37e8086db5964ef9655b698fdaf.pdf bdb2666ebcec214fd09fb095891cee4f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. a big load and left it on the waggon. Ham Thompson was down this morning to see if I was going to Brantford to-morrow. We decided to go on the nine o'clock car. Frank went down town to-night to stay {words illegible} as he is going to leave for Toronto in the morning {words illegible} in the Sheep Breeder's meeting. Beautiful day very mild. Tuesday February 4th Ham, Frank and I all went up on the nine o'clock car this morning. We left Frank at {illegible} and the went to Hamilton by radial. Ham and I {words illegible} for Brantford at 10.45. There was quite a {illegible} on the train bound for the Lloyd Jones sale and they all got off at Mt. Vernon so we {piled off too?} and had to walk over a mile to the farm. We had dinner at Lloyd Jone's as soon as we got there. Ham {words illegible} in with a Mr. Gould from the American Sheep {Association?} and after dinner we had a look at all the prize winners and cups before we went out. He had quite a {words illegible} of them. The sale lasted all the after noon as the bidding was rather slow. There were few buyers and they didn't run things up all high. Our old ewes brought $40.00 apiece and the others ${34.00?} and $39. Six of them were sold in pairs but the little one was sold singly and brought $20.00 so he didn't make a very big profit on any of our stuff but one of Ham's ram lambs brought $48.00. He sold all his at $50.00 apiece but some of the ewes lambs didn't bring that much and the other ram just brought {illegible}. We hung around and nearly froze all the after noon and about four o'clock Mr. Gould struck out for Mt. Vernon to catch the train for Brantford, but we wanted to get our checks if possible from Lloyd-Jones before we left {illegible} waited as he promised to get us to Brantford in time to catch the six car, so we waited. The sale lasted right up to the minute we had to leave so we couldn't get our money and he sent us in to Brantford in his Ford. A fellow came with us who was very anxious to get a six o'clock train for Toronto but just about two miles out of Brantford we had a blowout, so had to stop to put on a new tire. The Toronto man hailed another car going in with a load so may have caught his train but ours had gone when we got to town so we had to wait for the eight o'clock car. We had a good supper which we were might glad to get at the Royal Café and then played a couple of games of Pool before the car came in. I saw https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/863428e965cf251dfc1fdccf468046fc.pdf 4ab4c9096ff7004e1b52c64757224f7a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Mrs Dell on the car. She had been down at Cobury to see Roy and says he his just about alright again. We went up to the J.F.I.A. social evening. I stopped in at Aunty's first. We put in the time in the usual manner up there and I got home at three o'clock. Rained this morning. Freezing to-night. Wednesday February 5th Dad. and I did chores this morning but not much else. This after noon I went over to Lorne Myer's and got the beet pulp he ordered for us. It is queer looking stuff and very bulky. A cwt. bag being about as big as a bluegrass sack. We put a little of it to soak to feed the cows to-morrow. To-night I went down town and Marj. and I went skating, we called in and got Zeitha to go with us. Ed. Turner, Woodger, Leggit, Mr. Bagley & Essie were down there and as the ice was pretty good we had a good skate. It has been colder to-day, but fair. Thursday February 6th Dad. went down to Alfred's this morning to borrow the screens of his fanning mill which he uses to clean clover seed as we want to get ours cleaned up. Ham was talking to a fellow at the sale on Tuesday and he said they had no clover seed to sow up there and the Woodstock seed merchants were asking $32.00 a bushel for it. Ham told him he could get 100 bushels down this way for $25.00 or less so he took Ham's name and said he would put it up to his club and try to get them to give us an order. This after noon I went down town as notice of a registered letter came and as I suspected it was the pedigree for the sheep and found I was correct. I posted them again to Lloyd-Jones before I came home. To-night Enah and I went down to the hall to see the boys that are home from the front get their five dollar gold pieces or whatever the town was giving them. Ron. Taylor was doing the presenting and Mr. Johnson calling out the names of the men. Most of them had got their souvenir when we got there but we heard Ed Moon and Ed Turner make little speeches. They had a dance afterwards and we stayed till about midnight. Friday February 7th We didn't do any thing much to-day but chores and sit around and read. We heard last night that the Sloan's had got a letter from Willie posted at Tokio https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/87bcbf9f01f6e9e7f32a90d657042604.pdf 8db0af9cab82bce25e6979b395e62db6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. so Dad. has been looking for one from Dick as we thought they were on the same boat but have found out since that Willie Sloan sailed about a week earlier than Dick. I went skating to-night and had a fine time. Miss McQueen went down and afterwards Marj. Ed. Turner and I went in to her place and had coffee & cake. As I was going through Martin's to-night I was very surprised to meet Frank he had come home on the seven o'clock car. He went home and then came down to the pond. Still fine and mild. Saturday February 8th We cleaned off the barn floor this morning and put our clover seed through the mill. It didn't clean out much and what seed went behind we put through again and will keep it to sow as there are no very bad weed seeds in it. We will have about six bushels or more to sell and plenty to sow. We also put through a sample of oats to take to Simcoe as Neff is buying seed oats for the Government at 80 cts per bushel to send out West and Johnson is handling them for 5 cts per bushel. The market price is about sixty cts. Frank and I went skating again to-night. The pond is great now up above where it was frozen before as it has risen and made new ice. It is still beautiful weather may be a little colder but very little. Sunday February 9th I actually got ready in time for Sunday school this morning and went down. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and this after noon went up to see Marj. We sat around the house all the after noon as it was snowing hard when I went up. We went down to Aunty's for tea and Aunty Alice, Marj. and I all went to church Huby and Aunty Maude came back to Aunty's with us and we spent the evening there. It didn't snow much. Colder. Monday February 10th We spent the day hauling out clover chaff on the wheat to-day. We hauled it out on the rack and Frank and I pitched it off and spread it as well as we could and Dad. followed us and shook it out more, as we didn't want to get it on too thick. We got it all out and it covered two bands the full length of the feild and a piece at https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5aadf36dd8d6ac3d45b9e21924c8a7b6.pdf 93c768e0571903351176f14eec3ad7b1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. each end of the next two bands. We also got in another jag of corn. Charlie Munroe was in this morning and sold Dad. a piece of beef. Mr. & Mrs. Jim Waddle were in for a few minutes at noon. Dad. and Enah had intended to go out to see them to-night to ask them over to dinner on Thursday. They did go to-night any way. Frank went skating but I stayed home so that Tid wouldn't be alone he is asleep. Beautiful day. Mild. Frank told us when he got home about Toddy West, his little brother and Johnnie Miller being drowned in the lake this after noon. The little West fellow got in through the ice first and then Teddy tried to save him. He got in and Johnny tried to get him out. Young Gunton was with them and he yelled for help and Capt. McCauly & Ed Moon waded in and got them all out but although they worked on them for a couple of hours or more they couldn't save them. <s>Wednesday</s> Tuesday February 11th We got the spreader out this morning and have been hauling out manure from around the stack to too wheat all day and got out 12 loads. We were a little afraid to tackle it at first for fear the ground being so hard would do some damage to the spreader but it didn't seem to hurt it any. Mr. Nixon and Willie were in for a few minutes this after noon to look at the stack. Enah and Tid. drove Mexico down town after some coal-oil this after noon. To-night Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. but as usual there were very few there. Very mild all day looks like snow. Wednesday February 12th It snowed a little last night but soon melted off to-day as it has been very mild up around 40°. Frank and I hauled manure all day and got out 12 more loads. We started in on the pile at the horse stable this after noon. Dad. spent most of the day killing and picking the four ducks that were left to provide the dinner for Mr. & Mrs. Jim Waddle to-morrow night. To-night Enah, Frank and I went down to Aunty Alice's party. Lila, Winnie, Dess, Fraser, Marj. Zeitha, Bill {illegible} Tige McBride and Huby were all there, and Huby provided the principal entertainment naturally but Zeitha did some very nice singing for us and Bill performed on Lila's Ukalele. We also had various forms of guessing contests, the chief amusement derived from them were Huby's answers https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8268cc862ac6850f0d4a78552c187818.pdf ad6438b5083eb351ecec711f705ff3a6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday February 13th Frank and I got out six more loads of manure this morning but quit early to go to Simcoe this after noon. We both went up and I went to the Co-operative meeting and Frank did shopping. He got some rock-salt & gut and got the harness we left at Church's. He said he couldn't fix it so we left it at Herb. Woods. We had an interesting meeting although there were not many out. Mr. Gordon from the Livestock branch was there to talk about shipping Livestock co-operatively and Mr. Kerr from P.E. Island told about their successful co-operative egg-marketing business down there. Prof Graham was also there but I didn't have time to wait till the meeting was over as Frank and I had to leave at four o'clock to get home in good time for supper. Dad. had most of the chores done when we got home. Mr. & Mrs. Jim Waddle were here to tea and spent the evening. Frank went down to a birthday party at Myrtle Greenbury's Very mild, roads in beautiful shape. Raining to-night. Friday February 14th It rained hard during the night so that we couldn't go on with the manure hauling. I took Daisy May over to Tupper's and while I was gone Alan Law came after Frank and the clippers to clip his horse. He was down there to dinner. This after noon Dad. and I drove down to Wess & George Fields to see their Shorthorns and were very agreeably surprised at the bunch we saw. They have seven or eight cows of very uniform type and all thick smoothe and low down. They had two very fine yearling heifers all of Scotch breeding. Their $500.00 Imported two-year bull is very smoothe and stylish looking but doesn't look as if he would make a very big bull. We went from there down to Blake's and I left some "Breeder's Gazettes" for Charlie to get pointers for his debate from. The roads were awful and consequently we were late getting home. We came up the Plank and through town as it was better than the back way. Frank and I went down town to-night. Frank went to the W.I. dance. Still mild but drizzly. Saturday February 15th We didn't do much to-day but chores. Frank and I husked some corn this morning and this after noon bagged up all the barley and oats that were left (about 10 bags) https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0455972b274df342f4bbdd03bd8f7f8b.pdf e52007272d01e0daa7eb13c162da3737 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to take to the mill but as it was so wet we didn't go. Dad. went down to Aunty's for tea to-night. Marion McLaughlin was over all the after noon playing with Tid. It has been colder to-day and snowed a little this after noon. Sunday February 16th Frank went to Sunday school this morning and I left here with the intention of going but when I got within sight of the town clock and found it to be a quarter after ten I decided to wait till church time so went back to Aunty's and read for awhile and then went to church, sat in the back seat with Frank, Lloyd Ryerse and a stranger and disgraced myself by going to sleep during the Litany dreaming of something funny and waking up laughing. I partook of dinner at Aunty's and also tea, accompanied Aunty to church this evening and spent the after noon and evening with Marj. at the Monteiths. Soft during day. Colder to-night. Monday February 17th I have put in a pretty idle day. This morning Frank and I went down to the mill this morning with the grain we bagged up on Saturday and from there on down town to the Widespread where I got my trap nest which Emery made for me. We got our chop on our way home.This after noon I just sat around and read. Dad. and Frank put on a load of hay and hauled it over to the horse stable. Enah and Tid drove Miss Phipps over to McPherson's for her to see a dinner-waggon Emery is making for her. To-night I went down to Aunty's for tea as she invited me to go to the picture show with her. Marj. was there too and we three went to see Margurite Clark in "The Seven Swans". It was about the prettiest and all-round nicest show I ever saw. Aunty is very distressed about my ribs hurting so much and thinks I should go to the doctor. Colder but fine all day. Snowing quite hard to-night. Tuesday February 18th I haven't done any thing in the shape of work to-day but this after noon went down and had the doctor examine my ribs where I hurt them a couple of weeks ago as the last few days they have pained considerably when I tried to work. He said the bone was not hurt but put some adhesive tape banadages around me which promise to be very uncomfortable. I got my hair cut and stayed at Aunty's to tea. Huby was there too as he came to take https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b26b84fc3dd4c23fe52b4b28f9d3b5b2.pdf 57bb06b357caf2545c3560e69d7e1edd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. a couple of pictures out of a tube which Quint sent to Aunty. Enah & Tid. drove Mexico down this after noon and Enah went to help her mother tend store as her father went to Hamilton to a trade banquet this after noon. Dad. and Frank spent most of the day doing chores and getting over some straw for the horse stable. Dad had a long, interesting and as it is the first one we have got since New Year's, very welcome letter from Dick. It was posted at Vladivostock and tells mostly of his trip across the Pacific. He went as we supposed on the S.S. Protosilous (or some such name) {Protesilaus} and although he was luckier than most in escaping sea-sickness, they had some very bad storms, and it was in a typhoon that the ship lost one of her propellers. She was a twin screw however, so could make port on her own steam. He had not seen much of the city when he wrote as they were quartered two miles out in barracks built by the Russians in the Russian - Japanese war. Typhus was prevalent in town so he didn't intend going in much. He said there was nothing to go in for any way as he couldn't talk to the shop-keepers and although there was a picture-show, it seldom ran for when it did there was not enough power left to run the street cars. I went up to the J.F.I.A. to-night and althoug we had a fair crowd out most of them couldn't wait but hiked for the dance in the hall which Jack Riddel & Pete Holmes the station agent are putting on to-night. We had a sort of debate on the Horse vs. Tractor and Frank had the best prepared lot of points in favor of the Tractor, but was the only one evidently who had put any time on it. I went back down to Aunty's after the meeting and found Dad. and Tid. there. Dad. having come down to go with Enah and Tid. to see the "Seven Swans". Dad told me to stay all night so that I could hook Mexico up for Enah in the morning as she stayed all night with her mother. The flags are floating at half-mast to-day in memory of Sir Wilfred, whose death was reported in to-day's papers. We all realize that with him Canada has lost the greatest orator and statesman of the day and that it may be years before Parliament has another man his equal. There has been quite a change in the weather lately and we are now having quite seasonable weather but not much snow. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/14f6ac7e5b2a612e8b14b851ac3ed868.pdf 0802ae09459165a44440fcd0d57c6468 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday February 19th I was spending a very enjoyable hour in bed this morning awake but, knowing I didn't have to get up till Aunty & Aunty Alice did, when Aunty came in with the alarming anouncement that she thought I had better stay in bed all day or at least till she went up and got the doctor and threatened to bring me my breakfast in bed. She had heard me cough as I have quite a cold and was afraid that I might contract pleurisy where my ribs were sore and maybe the flu so was quite worried. I did my best to allay her fear and did persuade her to let me get up and eat breakfast like a Christain but she was bound to go and interview the doctor. He said there was no danger what ever so that relieved her. I sat around there and read till about eleven when Enah came down. I hooked Mexico up for her and she drove home but I walked having had all the ride I wanted behind Mexico in his cart coming around the block. I didn't do much this after noon but sit around and read. Dad. and Frank hauled over another load of straw and put it off in the horse stable. Geordie Boughner was in looking at Dad's steers this after noon but didn't buy. We also had a visit from old Broadley and the famous Rachel. He was collecting stallion fees and after looking at Bell decided we owed him seven and a half although Dad. doesn't think she is in foal. However I paid him. He allowed seventy five cents a trip for his meals last summer, otherwise the fees would have been fifteen dollars. I went down town to-night and Aunty Alice gave me a ticket to Miss Crydon's music pupils' recital as the I.O.D.E. were selling the tickets to raise funds to buy a flag for the school-house Aunty Alice had bought two. She went with Cousin Loll and I went up to Monteith's and found Marj. had bought a ticket also so we started off for the concert. I considering it a treat for me and a Dutch treat for Marj. On the way down we thought better of it as no-body seemed to anticipate much of a concert and went down and spent a very nice evening at Miss McQueen's. I called in at Aunty's on my way home and Aunty Alice informed me that the concert was the worst she had ever experienced. It consisted chiefly of violin selections by Miss Crydons pupils and the fiddles were not in tune and the fiddlers couldn't play anyway. One lady recited and she stuttered. The best performer was a little Mitchell but her unlady like posture and fondness for chewing gum distressed Aunty Alice terribly. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/65da5672e3408874ad19691868344841.pdf 358031ff24362a75fa11faebab736ab4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday February 20th Dad and Frank hauled over another load of straw to the horse stable this morning and I helped them mow it away. I didn't do much though as the adhesive tape on by back and ribs makes the skin irritable and rather sore when I work. Aunty Alice came over for a little while after dinner but didn't stay long. Enah & Tid drove down town as Enah had to go to the dentist and Dad. and Frank went back and cut a little basswood along John Wess's line. I read all the after noon. The two books which should have come before with the ones we ordered for the J.F.I.A. came to-day, "Feeds & Feeding" and "The Road to Dumbiedykes". To-night Dad.& Enah after leaving Tid in care of the Sandman went down to call on the Pickford's and didn't get home till about midnight. Frank and I read till we got sleepy and then went to bed. Nice day. Friday February 21st Didn't do much but chores this fore noon & didn't do many of them. Dad. oiled the buggy and Frank went down town and borrowed Aunty Alice's fur coat to go to Walsh this after noon. He and I left here about half past twelve to go to a sale which we saw advertised down town and at which there was to be a pure-bred Shorthorn heifer sold. The place was about half a mile east of Walsh Methodist church and on the fifth concession of Charlotteville. We found the place without much trouble inquiring once at the half-way house and arrived just before the sale commenced about half past two. We found the cow we had come to see but found she was some of Charlie Dunkin's stock which he had neglected to keep registered so that she was ineligible. She was a very nice smoothe and deep three-year-old but was rather small and didn't show signs of being much of a milker so we decided that unless we could buy her for for less than $85.00 we would leave her and as Bill Bickler bid $87.00 on her we left her. The rest of the stock was very ordinary looking and so was the crowd, natives of the blow-sand all, and as we weren't enjoying ourselves particularly we left as soon as the cattle were sold and were home by about five. The roads weren't bad for the most part but we were soaked as it snowed steadily all the time and was very soft. It was an old fashioned snow-storm, great big flakes coming straight down. I went down town to-night. It is still very soft. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/35d2f4d70c7e7317b1e84e0bc8291a50.pdf e6bb2e7f49c60cedc1e7055a76b2e403 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday February 22nd Dad. and Frank spent the morning remodeling the calf pen. They moved the bars back about six feet so that there will be room in front of them to tie Dad's steers and they intend taking the two heifer calves out from the rest. I intended going out to the Shand's with the bobsleighs after dinner to borrow their scale rack so that we could weigh the steers but by the after dinner the snow had all melted off so that I didn't go as I didn't want to take the waggon. I peeled the bandages of my ribs to-day as they were getting quite irritable. I havent felt any the worse for it. Very soft. Cloudy this after noon. Sunday February 23rd Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and I started but was so late I didn't go. We both went to church. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and tea, went to church with Aunty Alice and spent the after noon and evening at the Monteiths. Rainy. Monday February 24th Dad. and Frank finished fixing over the calf pen this morning and we got Dad's steer in and tied him up. We put the young fellow we have had in beside him for awhile but they seemed disposed to fight so we seperated them again. I went over to Jack Martin's this morning to have my incubator thermometer tested and to invite Chris down to a band meeting which was called for to-night to reorganize. Clare Deal asked me to bring Chris down. This after noon Dad. and Frank went back and cut some more basswood and I put up some posts in the old barn to fix bars to so that we can have a couple of box stalls in the west bent for calves and freshening cows. To-night I went down to the band meeting and we had a very good turn-out of the old band boys and some new ones who were willing to join. The council was represented by R.M. Taylor. Clare Deal & Jack Reynolds. {Mid?} Thompson was appointed secretary and authorized to get some music and it was decided that we meet next Monday and collect all the instruments that can be located. Taylor promised all financial support needed. Dad. had another long letter from Dick to-day written just a month ago. Canadians are in action now in the Murman region & defeating Bolsheviki. Beautiful day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1269cdaf92cd5a118357c020aa9987ea.pdf 076459f33f205da9941ac3f4d8b6d096 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday February 25th Dad. and Frank went back to the bush this morning and cut basswood till noon. They didn't return after dinner on account of it looking so rainy. Dad. fixed up some cross partitions over in the barn to make boxstalls and Frank tried to get his forge going. I spent the day doing chores and cleaning out the chickens sheds and putting fresh straw in. To-night Frank and I went down to J.F.I.A. social evening. We had a good turn out of girls and the usual crowd of boys. Got home about two o'clock. Mild and rainy all day, snow & colder to-night. Wednesday February 26th After we did chores up this morning Dad. and Tid. went down to see how Aunty Alice was as she has been feeling quite sick. They stayed to dinner. I put some more brine in the pork barrel and then Frank and I sent out a bunch of cards to the J.F.I.A. members notifying them of the annual meeting next Tuesday. When Dad. got back we took Pommers out on the rein and found he hadn't forgotten any of his last winter's lessons. When we brought him in Dad. & I battened up part of the west end of the barn to make a boxstall suitable for Elgitha to inhabit. Enah drove down town with Mexico this after noon. I went down town to-night. It has been cold all day with a very cold west wind. It feels as if we were going to get our winter now but Dad. and Tid. saw a robin down near Woodson's this morning and Dad. & Frank saw a groundhog yesterday I set an incubator yesterday, the little one I got from Art. Thursday February 27th Dad. and Frank went back to the bush this morning and Dad. was back till noon. Frank came up early to get ready to go to Simcoe this after noon. Neff is having a short course to-day & to-morrow on the care of gasoline engines so Frank went up to it. I did chores this morning and took Pommers out for a little exercise. The road was too rough to let him trot and follow him so I took him in the corner field. I sat around most of the after noon & read. Marj. came over to tea and after tea the Ukelele Club came over to spend the evening, and of all the racket I ever heard, they made the most. I couldn't see or hear very much music about it though. No wind to-day but rather cold. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ff014bbd835a03e2115f7d386fc73802.pdf ce1647370eb28154a0f1b6e9618a60bd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday February 28th We haven't seen Frank all day. He stayed at Aunty's last night and went up to Simcoe on the nine car. He intended to see the hockey match at the rink to-night between Simcoe and Niagara Falls, come down on the eleven and go to the Women's Institute dance in the hall. Dad. & I just did chores this morning and I took Pommers out for a little more exercise. Dad. went back to the bush right after dinner. I went back about three o'clock but didn't do any thing. We did the chores up fairly early and to-night Marj. and I went to a concert in the Methodist church. It was put on by a travelling company comprising a pianist, vocalist, elocutionist and violinist. The pianist was a blind man and although he could play beautifully, it gave a fellow the "Willies" to look at him as he looked like a mechanical ghost. All the performers were very good but the violinist took my fancy. I almost wished she had been the whole show as I never heard any violin sound so sweet. I was in at Aunty's quite awhile on my way home as Roy was there having come in on the seven o'clock car to spend Sunday. Huby was down there when I went down with a medal which Lila had just received for a first prize on an essay she had written on the "Victory Loan". It has been very mild all day with a strong south wind. It rained hard this evening during the concert but had cleared off when I went home and the wind had gone around to the west getting stronger & colder. Saturday March 1st The advent of this March has been of the most approved lion-like type. It was a ferocious wind all night and morning and much colder although milder and <s>calmer</s> more calm this after noon. Frank got home some time before daylight and said he had seen the hockey match. We thought it would be too soft but he said they played a good game in spite of the water on the ice. The score was 8 - 5 in favor of the Falls. Dad. went over to Tupper's this morning so see his steers and was over there all morning. Tupper was showing him some great bargain he got in used uniforms up at {Brauk's?} Shoddy Mill so this after noon Frank rode his wheel up to see what he could do. He left his wheel up there https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/20b72b8e07ff5aa665a1e7e23e91d5bd.pdf 4611f1b8aca5e283d5444887a56f9fb4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to be overhauled and as he was too late for the five car walked home with his purchases getting here about half past six. He got a dandy officers greatcoat very little worn for $3.50 two or three pairs of riding breeches & slacks for $1.00 a pair, two tunics one of them a red Mounted Police one for $1.00 a piece two pairs of putties for 26 cts and a couple of caps thrown in for souvenirs. He says they have heaps of them up there but he didn't have time to pick over any more. The ones he got though are good all a little worn. I cleaned out the chicken pen this after noon where the roosters were as I may want it for little chickens soon. Sunday March 2nd Frank and I went to Sunday school this morning and I actually got there in good time. Enah drove down to church with Tid. and after church Marj. came home with them and the Mexico-cart outfit. Roy was in church and I walked home with him as he came over here to dinner. We sat around and visited all the after noon and Roy went down town before tea. Marj. stayed here to tea and didn't go to church to-night. Dad. went down this evening to see how Aunt Ida was as she has been pretty sick. I drove Marj. home a little late and then called for Dad. and drove him home. It has been a beautiful spring day. Monday March 3rd Dad. and I went up to Ham Thompson's this morning with Knockfierna and were up there till nearly noon looking at the stock which looks fine. This after noon Dad. and Frank went back to the bush. I took Pommers out on the line but he got away from me. He didn't do any thing mean but just got cantering faster than I could and as I couldn't stop long enough to brace myself to hold him I had to let go. He ran up and down the lane and got the lines plastered with mud but I didn't have much trouble catching him when I got up to him. Enah and Tid drove down town this after noon and stayed to tea at Huby's. Frank went down there to tea also and they all went to see Uncle Tom's Cabin to-night in the hall. I went down to the band meeting and left my horn there. We didn't do much at the meeting but spent most of the time watching the show It seemed to be a little better than the general run of shows but not much. It has been very mild all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/383a366be241c6ca64a64c7ce08d280e.pdf 683aa2c4457b7e879e373205e9a6af1c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday March 4th Dad. and Frank took the team back to the bush this morning and brought up a load of wood at noon. They brought another one up this after noon. I drove down town this morning and got some coal oil and sent away to join the Sheep Breeder's and Shorthorn breeder's association. I didn't do much this after noon but read the paper and a few chores. Enah. drove down before tea and went to help at the Men's Banquet in the Sunday school. Frank went down there for his tea but I had mine at home as I don't like oysters and I didn't like the idea of going and eating and then leaving immediately as I would have to do in order to get to the J.F.I.A. in time. However on my way down I fell in with Jack Martin who insisted that I go over for a little while as he didn't want to go in alone so I did but didn't eat much and didn't stay long. The annual meeting of the J.F.I.A. was fairly successful. We had about ten or twelve out and they all promised to do their best to make things go next year and gave evidence of their good faith by consenting to try again to make our play a success. They wouldn't accept my resignation so I am still president. Frank was made secretary for life. Lloyd Ryerse was made vice-president and Tige, Charlie Blake & Charlie Shand were put on the Committee of Management which we propose to make a living thing out of this year. Charlie Blake proposed a scheme for organizing an orchestra claiming it could be done through a correspondence course. I think every one was rather doubtful, but we gave Charlie authority to get all the information he could on the subject. Neff was down and we arranged to put Corby and Frank in to hold up the honor of the club in a debate against the Courtland boys on the subject of the middle man. After we closed up our business several of the fellows went to the dance in the hall and I went over to the Sunday school again where things were just coming to a close. It has been very mild all day and to-night. Wednesday March 5th It was snowing this morning when we got up and has got a little colder to-day, freezing quite hard to-night. We did chores this morning and Whit and {Name?} came over to look at Dad's steers. Dad. asked Whit seventy-five dollars for the young fellow but Whit wouldn't https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cd27973496884a8f204c8f317e94946a.pdf ffe12529f87703ef73e0fd6dd64aebcc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. give him more than seventy so Dad. didn't sell. Frank and I bagged up some oats and Dad. wrote to Dick he heard from him yesterday and they have been quarintined for Spinal Meningitis and Spotted Fever. He said he had seen Billy Sloan who is stationed about five miles from where Dick is. This after noon Frank and I took the oats we bagged up down and had them chopped and drove down town to post Dad's letter. Frank saw Moses Fisher about fixing up his military overcoat and Moses said he could have it dyed and remodel it to make a good civilian coat for 3 or 4 dollars. Marj. came over after four to-night to return a sweater of Enah's and stayed to tea. I got ready to go with her to church to-night but it was seven o'clock when we got through tea and as she had to stop on her way down to pay Newman Silverthorne for lodge dues, we stayed here for the evening and guessed riddles. Thursday March 6th It froze pretty hard last night but has been a beautiful sunny day though wintry. Dad. and Frank hauled up two loads of wood with the sleighs this morning. There was just enough snow for the sleighs to slip, but it was too soft this after noon to try it. I did up the chores and took Pommers out for a little exercise before dinner. This after noon we hauled over a couple of loads of hay one to the horse stable and one to the old barn. Tom came in about six o'clock to-night and got a little jag of straw. To-night Frank went down to the Tom Marks show and I went up to see if Harry Moon could come any night next week to give us a little drill for our play. He was in Simcoe playing at the rink and will be three nights next week if it stays cold. I talked to Mrs. Moon for about an hour and a half and then went down to Aunty's for awhile.They are evidently having lively times at Ottawa these days. Sir Sam Hughes has been raving and tearing his hair metaphorically and actually weeping bitter tears of anguish over the foul administration of the Union Government and charging that the leaders of the Canadian forces caused needles slaughter of Canadian men last fall at Cambrai, Mons, simply to glorify themselves and through bullheadedness, but I think the public have more confidence in Sir Arthur Currie than old Sir Sam, and realize that he followed Pock's plan of conserving man-power at the expense of time. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ef065df557d453cd3044335a3650eade.pdf f14051889c309333fa61860e5b502e5a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday March 7th Frank and I hauled out three loads of manure this morning on the sleighs and spread it on last year's potato patch, one load was cleaned out of the calf pen. This after noon Dad. and Frank hauled up two more loads of wood in the waggon. I went over to Jack's and borrowed an egg tester and tested out my eggs. I took out 28 out of the seventy and broke one good one. To-night Frank and I went down town Frank went to the picture show to see "Intolerance" but as the engine broke down he didn't see it all as he didn't wait till it was fixed. I went over to the Monteith's, the old man is pretty sick. Tid. saw a robin on the lawn this afternoon. Froze pretty hard last night but sunny to-day. Saturday March 8th Dad. and Frank hauled up two or three more loads of wood in the waggon this morning while I did chores and took Pommers out for a little exercise. Charlie Quanbury came after Frank at noon to go and see some thing about his cattle out at Farr's as Farr had telephoned him and he was hauling ice and didn't want to quit, so Frank was out there all the after noon. Dad. hauled up one more load of wood alone as I waited around expecting Ham Thompson in as he told Dad. the other night that he was going to take his alsike to Jarvis to-day and would stop in for a sample of our clover seed to take to Harry Misner, however he didn't come. When Dad. came with the wood I took the team & waggon and went down to the mill and got a bag of oat-meal. I saw Art. Preston prowling around the place and thought he was one of the seventh-day Adventists as he had a beard on him like a Bolsheviki. I asked him if he had lost his razor but he said he had been sick again, and had been taking Russian Oil from Dr. Hicks, which I suppose accounts for his Bolshevist appearance. To-night Marj. and I went to the 'Gem" to see "Intolerance" It was certainly a wonderful picture especially the seige of Babylon. Frank went down to a birthday party at Bill Barwell's to-night. Raw east wind all day and snowing hard but getting softer when I came home to-night. Sunday March 9th The snow storm turned to rain before morning and it https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b1cfff3f9a51f9b3fd6624a9fcb16d71.pdf ca56e7f83fd57ce7c2add0af9e9b344d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. has been wet and slushy all day. There was a cold east wind this morning which later changed to the west. It is freezing a little to-night. Frank and I went down to Sunday school and I helped Miss Martin give out books. We went to church and Marj. and I went down to Aunty's to dinner and stayed there all the after noon and to tea. We went to church with Aunty Alice to-night and afterwards we went around to see how Miss McQueen was but the house was in darkness so we went on over to the Monteith's and stayed there. Monday March 10th I went out to the Shand's this morning and borrowed their scales and stock rack as Dad. wanted to weigh the steers. I went around by Lorne Meyer's and took the beet pulp bags back to him and as the roads were none too good I didn't get back home till one o'clock. Willie Shand had been here while I was gone and brought my incubator back. Frank went down town to get some postcards to notify the J.F.I.A. members of a lecture in the hall Wednesday night. He wrote them out over at the club and saw Tige and Albert and a few more to visit with so didn't get home till nearly two o'clock. He saw Fat. Turner down town who had just got home and Frank says looks fine having completely recovered from his wound. We weighed the steers after dinner and the smallest one weighed 815 and the old one 860 lbs. Frank and I then took the scales back to the Shands but we didn't take the rack home as we think we may be able to use it with our own scales and Charlie said they wouldn't be needing it for awhile. Enah went down town to an I.O.D.E. meeting this after noon. When Frank and I got home Ham Thompson was here getting a couple of bushels of clover seed for his own use and Will Wright had been in after a bushel. Dad sold it for $18.00 a bushel as that seems to be about all any one is getting now. Frank got a statement from the Department of Agriculture to-day of a sample he sent down and it graded no.1. there was very little bad seed in it. I stayed home to-night for a change as I didn't know whether there was to be a band meeting or not. Soft but raw wind. Tuesday March 11th Dad. went up to Miss McCoy's this morning to see a steer with a swollen jaw. Wess Boughner came after him https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/849170b74dc15f26cbfd16aae414a17e.pdf 6d1670af8cf99a19e976cd76acfc7bb5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Frank and I did chores and husked a little corn. Alan Law came in here after dinner to see if we had sold our clover seed yet and showed us a card he had got Edmonds saying they were in the market again and for him to send up a sample of his seed. Alan had sold his to Fiss for $20.00 a bushel so Frank caught the 3 o'clock car and took a sample of ours to Edmonds and sold it for $21.00 a bushel. We have to take it up in the morning Dad. went down town to pay Clare Deal for the coal this after noon and Enah & Tid. drove down for some groceries. I read the paper, cleaned out a place in the cellar for my incubator and started to prune the raspberries but didn't get much done. Frank went down to Alfred's to-night to ask him if he wanted us to take his seed up for him to-morrow but he wasn't home nor at Art's nor Pickford's. Aunty & Dess had letters from Dick to-day and in Dess's said he thought they would be leaving for home about April. He told a very distressing story of the filth and poverty of Vladivostok. Nice day but rather cold west wind. Wednesday March 12th Frank went down to Alfred's this morning and got his two bushels of clover seed and while he was down there Dad. and I weighed up a bushel of ours for Will Wright and the balance just ammounted to a little over 3 1/2 bushels so we kept out the few pounds over that ammount and so just sold Edmonds the 3 1/2 bushels. Dad. went with us up to Miss McCoy's to see her steer. We met Will Wright on the road coming down here after his seed so we gave it to him. We then stopped in at Ham's and left the waggon there and borrowed his democrat. It was half past ten when we got started for Simcoe and the roads were rather sloppy but we got there and got our seed sold before noon. We didn't wait till one although Frank wanted to see Neff and get some mower supplies. We got the checkque cashed up there and we got home about half past two. We didn't do any thing but chores when we got home. Enah drove down town and stayed to tea and Frank and I went down after tea intending to go to church but found there wasn't any on account of Mr. Johnson being sick. Frank went to an agricultural lecture in the town hall and I went over to see Marj. It has been a very nice day but very windy and the wind has been getting worse all day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/08804dba3e7df4363dae96e154a9661b.pdf 45dbd7372f19390901436abc026e6088 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday March 13th We spent the morning cleaning up fifty bushels of oats for Will Wright. He came down and helped us. He paid Dad 60 cts a bushel for them. We didn't do much this after noon. I went over to Jack Martin's for awhile to ask Chris about my brooder but didn't get much satisfaction. I am afraid I will have a hard time getting it hot enough to be much use. Dad. and Frank fixed up some nests over in the shed for the geese to lay in as they have been laying under the hog-pen. To-night Frank and I went down to the club as I wanted to have a committee meeting to make plans for the coming year foolishly thinking that when we got just the committee there alone we could come to some definite arrangement to make a real life club which would make its activities aiming toward improvement felt in the community. They were all there except Tige. the best one of the bunch, but we might have well as stayed home for all the good we did. They would neither make suggestions themselves nor even give their opinion on any I made. What in thunder they want to have the club for is more than I can see. Darn them for a bunch of rubes. When we got home Frank went out to the stable to see if there were any lambs and was surprised to find two. He is sure they both belong to the same ewe but both ewes were taking a very maternal interest in them. He put on his old clothes and stayed with them till they got up and were nourished but I went to bed. I went down to see my incubator first and found all the eggs on the top of the machine. I took them out to cool and forgot them. They were cool alright and I suppose I can quit worrying about a brooder. It has been getting colder all day and to-night there is a strong wind. Friday March 14th There has been a high cold east wind all day to-day and we haven't done much outside. Dad. helped me get my big incubator down cellar this morning and I fixed it up and made a wire partition to fit in the little one to keep the eggs from the different hens seperate. Dad. took the pork out of the pickle and hung it in the smoke house and Frank repaired and oiled an old halter and the lines that Pommers dragged in the mud when he got away from me. Aunty came over to dinner and Enah and Tid. drove her home with Mexico about https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/672a55f0be9ddb840e65f69489e1cc2e.pdf 1e6d9ef14365d215539995f4ca073693 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. four o'clock. To-night Frank and I went down town. He went to a party at Ivey Howells and I went up to the Monteiths. There was supposed to be church again to-night but it was cancelled again. When I got home I wrote a letter to "The Farmer's Advocate" telling about the J.F.I.A. Saturday March 15th Young Albert McBride came in on horse-back this morning to ask Frank to go shooting with him so Frank rode up on his wheel. Dad. and I went back to the woods and got another load of wood. We got up with it about noon and it was raining quite hard. It rained all the after noon so we didn't do much but sit around and read. I went to sleep for the most of the after noon as I had a pain like the ones I had in the summer. We got another flock book to-day. Frank went down town to-night and I read all evening. There were two more lambs in the boxstall when Dad. went out this morning. Sunday March 16th It rained all morning but Frank and I walked down to Sunday school and church. I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and tea but spent the after noon and evening at the Monteiths. The old man is in pretty bad shape and doesn't seem to be much better. Winnie was at Aunty's to tea to-night and she Aunty and I went to church. The flu is not over yet. Sweetmore died the other day while on a visit to the Falls and Dave. Smith about the first Dover man to return from the war died yesterday. Spring is in the air to-day. It cleared off after dinner and I walked down to the beach from Wedlake's this after noon. The piles of broken ice along the shore are just about washed away, the wind had a warm feel to it and there was a steamy mist out over the lake so that I couldn't tell where the horizon was. I went on out on the dock which is certainly in terrible shape. The end is all gone off the west pier and a great hole washed through the east pier. They have a carload or two of timber down there and are trying to patch it up, but to see that harbour now with six thousand dollars worth of timber looks to me like a harder "task <s>than</s> to prove" than to:- ... "Stop a stream with sand Or fetter flame with silken band. I came up the tack with Hughie Allen and the old red-winged black-birds were flying around in the marsh and to-night wen I came home I heard killdeer https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/581b2474a62cbcdd2cb62c81e656b8c2.pdf a4b6c2bfb853beb36d1d27198e37cdf7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Sketch of a tree} Monday March 17th It has been very mild and muddy to-day and has rained a good deal of the time. Tupper was in for about an hour this morning visiting. I washed out my big incubator and started it going to-day and put the eggs in to-night. This after noon we weighed the steers again on our own scale. The little one just gained six lbs but the big fellow gained 24 lbs. We then hauled over a load of hay for the cattle... Frank went down to a St. Patrick's dance in the hall to-night but it was so rainy and muddy that I didn't go down to band practice and Frank said he doesn't think they had any. I read the "Breeders Gazette" most of the evening. Tuesday March 18th Dad. Enah and Tid all went down to Sam Law's to dinner to-day and spent most of the after noon down there. Frank went down to the mill after some bran for the sheep and I just did chores and sat around and read. Karl. Coleman was in this morning to look at Dad's steer and we sold him subject to Dad's approval for ninety dollars and he is to go a week from Thursday. Dad. was perfectly satisfied with the deal. I went down to see how Marj. was to-night as she had a very stiff neck but she was better and ironing a dress to go to Bessie's party to-morrow night. One egg is chipped and a chicken out in my incubator to-night so I didn't freeze them all the other day. Sam. Law told Dad. that they couldn't get a death certificate and in consequence couldnt bury Dan Smith, as the nurse he had being dissatisfied with Dr. Cooks treatment sent for Dr. Newel in Jarvis. He didn't come but sent some medicine and so neither doctor was there when he died and as Sam Law said they couldn't expect Dr. Cook to give the certificate when he didn't know what the other fellow had given to poison him, however, they got him buried all right to-day with a flag over him and with military honors. It has been raw and cloudy and terribly muddy to-day. Wednesday March 19th I helped Frank put on a load of hay this morning and while he and Dad. put if off in the horse stable I went over to Tupper's and borrowed a setting hen as there are three chickens out in the incubator and I am afraid there won't be many more. I was over there https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9d34f74bebf95772c73a784bb6519661.pdf 78daf482dfed4079324962bbbbbd3681 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. till noon. This after noon I drove Enah down town and I got some coal oil and my hair cut. Enah stayed down to tea as Aunty Alice had a carpet rag bee this after noon Frank went to Billy Dixon's sale and bought a hay truck and a potato digger. Dad. had a busy after noon looking after Tid and a new heifer calf that came after dinner belonging to Young Bobbie. To-night Frank and I went down to church, and after church I went down to a party at Patterson's. There was a big crowd there about forty and they played Five Hundred. I was fortunate enough to get the booby prize. It has been a beautiful spring day but muddy. Thursday March 20th Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning and has been down all day tearing down the fence between Aunty's and Charlie Warren's. He got it all down and the boards piled up. I took six chickens out of the incubator this morning all that are going to hatch and put them under the hen I got from Tupper. I thought she was going to mother them well but before noon she killed four. The first two I found I thought she had stepped on unintentionally but the second two were picked in the head. I took the remaining two away from her and put them in a basket on the stove but I don't know what will become of them. I didn't do any thing much but chore around this morning and took my time at that. To tell the truth it was a beautiful day for "black-snaking." No wind, air warm and sunny, and a lazy drowsy sort of feeling over everything, both man & beast. This after noon I husked a little corn. Frank has been cleaning out the shop all day and by to-night it could be seen that he had started. It is "some" job. Charlie Shand was in for awhile this afternoon on his way down town. He came on horseback as the roads are a fright. Enah drove over to the McPherson this after noon and poor Mexico got stuck and broke a trace coming home. Frank and I went down to J.F.I.A. social evening to-night. We had no music as Charlie Blake had asked to be let off during Lent. Neff & Fleming were down and we played cards, Jacob & Rachel and had a spelling match. No body brought any milk so we took our coffee straight, at least I shoud say <u>they</u> did. Neff came down the Gravel in his Ford but <s>nearly</s> got stalled several times. We got home about three o'clock https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f71a18dba38d47ed1b4d4b87c99b914a.pdf 1b811569e2f72f9b224d91d7cfa98d88 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday March 21st I spent the morning doing chores and trying to make my two young chickens comfortable. I put them in Dad's birdcage and hung it over the stove. I made a "hen" out of a strawberry basket lined with cloth. They seem comfortable while they are under it but don't know enough to go under of their own accord. Frank finished cleaning out the shop and started to make a whipple-tree for the disks. Dad. cut wood, the small pieces which he can chop with the axe. Frank went down to a party at Frances Slocomb's to-night. I went down town and called for Aunty Alice and Cousin Loll at Col. Smith's on my way home. Mild but a little colder wind than yesterday. Frogs singing to-night & last night. Saturday March 22nd Frank and I had to take Knockfierna up to Ham's this morning again. When we got home George Eagles was here to get Dad. to go up and lance the jaw of Miss McCoy's steer, so he went before dinner. This after noon Frank & Tid went back to the gully to spear pike as they are up in the creeks now. Frank said he saw five and speared one but the spear wouldn't hold them. It is an old four tined spear which the baby has been sharpening up for the last week or two and I guess has it so sharp it cuts right through them. Dad. sawed wood and I split it this after noon. I had a letter from the "Farmer's Advocate" saying my letter was satisfactory and that they would pay me the end of the month in which it was <s>written</s> published. Quite a cold wind to-day. Sunday March 23rd Frank and I went to Sunday school and church this morning and Enah came down to church. Aunty came over here to dinner with Enah and Frank but I stayed down with Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida. This after noon Marj. and I went for a walk down the beach after first getting a film and taking some pictures of the cat. We went down to Aunty's early in the after noon as Aunty Alice wanted to go up and see Huby and didn't want to leave Aunt Ida alone. We stayed down there to tea and entertained Aunt Ida while Aunty & Aunty Alice went to church by singing all the hymns we knew. Marj. played. Frank went down to Corby's this afternoon. Beautiful day, very warm. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b2f527ca4b87f1543c628edcdede639e.pdf fa2ae34dac7b5a37ce83423f99be2b55 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday March 24th Dad. went up to Miss McCoy's this morning and Frank and I husked corn, we got into some nice stuff and got quite a pile husked. This after noon we weighed the steers again but before we watered them and one only gained one pound and the other four over last week's weights. Frank and the baby then went back to the gully to spear fish as they had borrowed Alfred's spear and came home with seven nice pike. The kid. was tickled to death. Dad. and I sawed and split wood and did chores. Frank and I both went down town to-night to stay all night so as to catch the train for Caledonia in the morning. Frank went to the dance but I went to bed early about 11.30. Another lovely day. Tuesday March 25th Aunty and I set the alarm clock last night and as neither of us knew just what time it was we set it early and set the alarm early so consequently were up about half an hour earlier than was necessary, but as it was such a lovely morning nobody objected. We found {Irvine?} Pow at the station bent on the same quest as ourselves so we had him for company all day. We found cars waiting for us at the Caledonia station, and they took us right out to the Moore farm which was just about a mile north of the town on the old Plank Road. We were surprised to see how dry and smooth the roads were down there and could hardly believe it when they told us that last week they were impassable. We had plenty of time to look over the cattle in the stable before the crowd got too thick, and we were certainly delighted with what we saw. The cows seemed to show much more of the beef type and build than dual purpose animals that I had in my mind's eye but their udders and Records of Performance showed that they were all very profitable dairy animals as well. About eleven o'clock lunch and coffee was served. Each lunch was done up in a seperate paper bag and consisted of a couple of sandwiches a piece of cheese a doughnut and a roll. The bags were all put in a big basket and every one just helped himself. There was another basket of cups which were filled with hot coffee when wanted by one of the half dozen girls that were mingled through the crowd with kettles of the beverage https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/31e5e566e317abd58fcffc6134544f8d.pdf 678055dba39a4ef581ecd63dfc2fadb6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. The door yard was well filled with diners and as it was such a beautiful day, it proved very enjoyable as well as novel way of being fed. The simple cleaning up of paper bags and washing of cups must have been a much lighter task for the women folks than the washing of so many plates, saucers, knives, forks and other dishes and clearing away of tables and taking down of benches to say nothing of the sweeping up and setting things in order after the occupation of the house by such a horde of men as was assembled in the door yard that morning. Lunch being over we still had over an hour on our hands before the event started so we three took a stroll over the field to the big red basement barn of a neighbour. The barn looked to be the property of a prosperous man so we thought the cattle inside it would be worth looking at. We found it filled with grade Holsteins, the feeding and milking of which aparently took all of their young owner's time so that their rather unkempt appearance contrasted unfavorably with that of the herd we had just seen all groomed and cleaned and in every way made attractive looking. On our return we found the big tent which had been erected in case of bad weather had been taken down and was in a big heap under a tree so we three sat down on it to wait for the sale to commence. The warmth of the noonday sun, the drowsiness of the springtime air, the drone of conversation all around us, and the faint aroma of tobacco smoke, all had a very soothing effect and if it had not been for the constant chugging, honking and stopping of cars as they came up the lane and took their places in the orchard, and the cackling laugh of some fellow who with two or three others was perched on an old hayrack under an apple tree and aparently enjoying a very amusing conversation, we three should have gone to sleep. The crowd was continually gathering, the men were making some final preparations in the ring. A group of very small boys whom we guessed had been lured by the song sparrows, the sunshine and the crowd from the monotonous routine of the little school house up the road, came hurrying in and after trying several points of vantage around the ringside, decided that the apple tree over the auctioneer's stand was the ideal grandstand and acting on their decision perched themselves along the limbs. Here they https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/862a320eec1637743757f2782f020fb8.pdf 5ed4a7f58659e43fd2644c973374a9e1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. stayed very well behaved till Capt. Robson mounted the auction box and beckoned them down whereupon they solemnly scrambled to earth again. We were soon aroused from our comfortable position by the observation that the crowd was closing around the ring. Different groups of men were carrying blocks and planks to make seats so we we decided that if we were to have the place at the ring that our early arrival deserved, we would have to do likewise. We did and got a seat opposite the auctioneer and were soon hemmed in by a big standing crowd behind us. After Hugh A. Scott, secretary of the Caledonian Shorthorn Breeders association and a neighbor of the late Mr. Moore had given a little address relating to the herd their excellence and the estimable character of Mr. Moore, the sale began. Burnfoot Grace was the first cow brought out. She was a nine year old roan squarely built with big frame and in calf to Burnfoot Chieftain the old herd sire. She went for $445.00 to A.D. Wallace, Toronto. We came to the conclusion right then that our chances for getting anything worth while there were pretty slim as we knew that every animal in the sale compared very favorably with this one and we didn't dare risk any more than half that sum, much as we would have liked to. We were not wrong in our conclusion as the bidding was keen on nearly all of them although only one went as high as $1000. She was a four year old cow with an R.O.P. 8147 lbs of milk testing 4.08 as a two year old. J.W. Carter of Ilderton bought her. The lowest price was $170 for a little bull calf. The average price for calves and everything was $440.16. The old bull Burnfoot Chieftain sold for $440.00 just $100. more than his this year's calf out of Burnfoot Lady one of the old good cows. Old Dairymaid the 12 year old foundation cow with a record of 13535 lbs and one-time Canadian champion sold for $350 but was not in calf and was in poor shape owing to a dose of blood-poisoning she got when she calved last time. All the cows were taken by Ontario buyers although there was at least one Americon there, but for some trouble over getting a tuberculin test they couldn't be taken across the line. We heard him say later that if it had not been for this trouble old Dairymaid and the other old cow Burnfoot Lady would never have stayed in Canada. After the sale we went back to Caledonia. Frank and I got a ride with Johnnie Walker a fellow I knew up in Guelph and who I see nearly every time I am around a https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/962c4d8cec93a1da0650bd7a9586f8d1.pdf 981bc03550513c6b91773495121dfd90 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. gathering of Shorthorn breeders and {Irvine?} got picked up by a car. We sat around the Union Hotel listening to this Yankee talking to some others who had been at the sale till six o'clock and then went up to the station getting some biscuits on our way to do instead of supper. The Dover train left at 6.40 and we got home about 8.30. Wednesday March 26th Frank and I bagged up some oats and the corn we husked the other day and took it to the mill. We left the grist there and went on down and got a small load of coal as the road down at the corner is pretty bad. Most of the roads have been scraped. We came home around by Munros corner. This after noon we took Shands rack for their scales home and came back by the mill and got our chop. I took the turnip seed Frank had cleaned up into Arthur Preston and he gave me some swede turnip seed for it. They are all sick again over there. Frank Enah and I went down to church to-night. It has been a very nice day Thursday March 27th It has been a very disagreeable day. Cold and drizzling rain most of the time. Dad. & Frank went over to Tupper's with Daisy May this morning and while they were gone Karl. Coleman came over and got the steer and gave me the money for him. I wrote letters to three different fellows this morning inquiring about bulls. Art Quanbury came after Dad this after noon to go and look after a ewe that was having a hard time lambing. Dad. was over there most of the after noon and said he was afraid the ewe would die. We heard later that she did and the lamb too. We didn't do anything much. Frank went down town to-night. Friday March 28th It froze hard last night and has been cold and very windy all day wind due north. We hauled over a load of hay this morning to the old barn. We wanted to get some to the horse stable but it was blowing too hard. Aunty Alice came over to dinner. Frank rode his wheel down town this after noon and got his hair cut. I just sat around and read most of the after noon. To-night Frank and Enah wrote cards to all the J.F.I.A. members notifying them that Mr. Duncan would be here Thursday night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/96f03e94dbb78ad5a1d8b6063e481d28.pdf 278b60c016cc475c1779322d88855775 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday March 29th It has been sunny to-day but the wind is still high and cold. We have spent the whole day doing chores and watching our herd and flock increase. Little No. 4 ewe had a big strong lamb with her when Dad. went out this morning and before noon No 33 had one. They were both big fat lambs but strong, but the event which will make this a red letter day in the annals of Knockfierna was the long-looked for arrival of Elgitha's calf. He too is a big strong bull and a fine roan. Elgitha is so wild no one can get within ten feet of her, but there is no necessity to as she and the calf are both all right. I hung around out in the barn till about four o'clock and then came in and got shaved and ready to take in Mrs. Smith's tea-party. It was a great success. She had nine boys there and Marj. & me. We helped her feed the bunch which included Isabel and then she the colonel and we two had our tea while the rabblement tore around in the other rooms. I went over to band practice for a little while after tea and Marj. shipped the boys off soon after I got back but we stayed for quite awhile listening to the Colonel talk. Sunday March 30th Frank. Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning. Enah went down to church and Aunty came over here to dinner with her. I stayed down at Aunty Alice's for dinner and tea. This after noon Marj. and I went for a walk but spent most of the after noon visiting. We stopped in at the Davis's to see if Said. had Marj's camera and as Said. had gone out for a walk with her beau who has just returned from the war, we stayed and talked to Mrs. Davis for awhile, we then went down and spent the rest of the after noon at Miss McQueen's. I went to church to-night with Aunty Alice and spent the evening up at the Monteith's. Aunty had a letter from Norah Hall and answering her question about the correct meaning of Knockfierna. She said the "Knock" was Anglesized and should be spelt "Cnoc" but meant a little hill, the whole word she thought would mean a grassy knoll more than a fairy knoll. However it applies just as well, maybe better to the mound as we never happened to catch any fairys there. Beautiful day. Monday March 31st Frank and I went down town in the waggon this morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6cf012942c49fef3596c4c6a6301e15c.pdf b576eb25e9d0febc76ee7df94947e8b2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and got some old cherry logs over at Mr. Jame's. Frank got some boxes to feed the sheep in and I got a can of coal-oil. I saw {Mid.?} and Mr. Bagley go in to Arthur Anderson's so I went in to ask them where they were going to practice to-night as the Women's Institute are having a lecturer up in the room which we have been using and which is also their meeting place. They didn't know where we would meet but said it would be some place maybe in the Masonic hall if there was no fear of us "getting their goat". I found them back in the store rejoicing over a horn which was lost and is found. I think it was an alto which Jack Anderson had. Ed. Moon was in there and wanted to send over some beans to clean through the fanning mill so went down to the house with us to get them. This after noon Frank went down and got some posts at Jack Reynolds and when he came back Dad. went back to the back field with him and put them off. To-night Frank went down to the picture show and I went to band practice. We did have it in the Mason's room. Very cold north wind. Tuesday <s>March</s> April 1st I haven't done any thing much to-day but a few chores. I helped Frank bag up some oats this morning and he took them down to the mill to trade off for oil cake and bran for the sheep. He also went up to Billy Dixon's and got the hay truck and potato digger which he bought at the sale. This after noon he went down town to get Felix Perkins to come over and fix the pump at the windmill. We don't know what is wrong with it but Dad. went to turn the windmill in last night and the rod in the pump was jammed and wouldn't move. The wind was strong and before he knew what happened a piece snapped out of the middle of the jirk-rod. Felix said he would be over in the morning. Dad. Enah & Tid went down to tea at Aunty's to-night and then went to the picture show to see "Uncle Tom's Cabin". I went down and went with Marj. to the second show. It was pretty good. Margurite Clark played Eva and Topsy. Old no. 68 had a pair of lambs late this after noon. She had them in a very short time and none of us were out there. When Frank found them one was up. They were covered with dirt as they were born out in the shed. Wednesday April 2nd Tupper came in this morning and got Frank to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/59ddd96f785d6163a73ad20fb71c98ee.pdf 56c702cc1be1e3eab586e4e93553efb0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. go over and help him tear down his verandah. He was having a bee to tear down his verandah and build a garage out of it. Dad. and I helped Felix all morning who came over about ten o'clock. We got the pipes out as far down as the cylinder and found that what made it stick the other night was ice. The drain cock had got plugged in someway and it had frozen up. The sucker needed fixing anyway so we took it out. Frank got home soon after dinner and so I didn't help so much this after noon. We had to let the cows in the field to drink out of the ditch and I carried water from the ditch to the steer, Nellie & Elgitha. Wilbur Ryerse was over nearly all the afternoon. Dess was over for a little while. The assessor was here and Tom came after a jag of straw. Enah went down to church to-night but Frank and I didn't get ready in time but went down afterwards. I took my horn down to Harry Moon as he wanted to give Alf. Harvey & {Gint?} Rankin a little practice. Milder to-day. Tuesday April 3rd We didn't do much to-day except haul a couple of loads of hay over from the big barn. We put one in the old barn for the cows and one in the horse-stable. Colin Ryerse & Tige McBride were both in at different times for awhile. Enah went down town for dinner at her mother's. We put Martha in the box-stall in the horse-stable this afternoon and when Frank and I came home to nigh we found a red heifer calf with her not bigger than a fair-sized dog but all right. Frank and I went down to club to-night. We expected Duncan from Toronto down but he let Neff know that he couldn't come to Neff brought J. E. Johnson down and he gave us a little talk on Co-operation. Neff suggested we form a softball baseball team as the Courtland fellows were and we could meet them now and then in touring. Cloudy, mild, rain to-night. Friday April 4th Frank and I got off on the nine o'clock (new time) car this morning and spent the morning in Brantford. Mr. Cockshutt sent us out to his farm and the man showed us over the Shorthorns. He had one very nice young red bull but wanted $400.00 for him https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fce6da1a2c238b62992f59e9914e6d74.pdf 57432c55ba7e09c2612fd00ab045cbbd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. which was more than we could stand, but there was another roan one about seven months old which he only asked $120.00 for. We didn't like him quite so well and his mother didn't give a very big milk record but as all of his - Cockshutt's - stock is of such pure English breeding having come from the Rothschild estate and been line bred for generations, we thought he might make a great impression on our stock and be a good foundation to build up on. However we didn't buy him but thought we would ask Dad. about it and let him know later. We got home at two o'clock by our time. The time of the country is in a beautiful mix up now. The house {illegible} didn't the "Daylight Saving" law because the farmer's made such a howl about it last year, but the railways all adopted new time on the first of April claiming that as they had it on the other side it would cause no end of confusion and probably accidents at the border if they didn't have the same time as the American roads. The consequence is a muddle and no-one is any better of and most people are madder than ever at the farmer's and in this particular case I don't think any one can blame them. When we got up to Aunty's we found Roy there he had come on the car before we did. Old Phelix was here putting the little pump he made for the well at the windmill in at the house-well as the old chain there is just about rusted out. It looks queer there in place of the old bucket and chain well and reminds me of one of these walking sticks we find in the woods {pencil sketch of a walking stick}. Guy Tuple came after Dad. soon after we got home so we helped Phelix while Dad. went over there. I went down town to-night and went with Marj. & Miss Martin to the Presbyterian show in the hall. It was a bunch of middle aged women from Simcoe putting on "The Suffragette Convention" and I think was the poorest excuse for an entertainment that it has ever been my misfortune to attend. Mild, cloudy. Saturday April 5th I went down to Uncle Ward's this morning and borrowed a couple of setting hens from him and put them up over the hog pen and to-night put some eggs under them from the incubator so that they will be prepared to look after the chickens when they come out. When I came back https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/622d0eb1b7f91983a43a751f9ce0ca5e.pdf 9be28be2f0e6283f404c95d0e94b1c46 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. from Uncle Ward's, Tid and I burned the dead grass off the yard where I want to put the little chickens and then Frank and I put the association ear tags in the rams <s>lambs</s> yearlings. After dinner we put them in the yearling ewes and the private numbers in the lambs. Lila came over soon after dinner and Aunty Alice and Roy after that. We didn't do much but chores and visit the rest of the after noon. They all stayed to tea. Two more ewes lambed this after noon No. 40 & No 15 and another one to-night old Lop-ear. Frank went down town to-night and I think went to the show with Lila. I wrote to Cockshutt and told him to send down the little bull if he hadn't sold him as Dad. thought that as we couldn't very well lose anything on him it would be worth trying him to see what sort of impression he would make as well as purifying the blood of our stock. I went to bed early. It rained last night and has been cloudy but very mild all day. Sunday April 6th It was very showery all morning but was a beautiful after noon and is thundering and cloudy to-night. Frank went down to Sunday school this morning but I was too late getting ready as I spent considerable time with my setting hens. I went down to church though. Enah and Tid. also drove down. I stayed to dinner at Aunty's and this after noon Marj. and I went up the Radical Road in quest of pussy willows but didn't find many nice ones although there were plenty of no. 2's. We went through Duncan's woods and down to the beach. It was lovely up there and I was very glad to be without my overcoat. I think this is the most Spring like day we have had and the grass is beginning to show quite green. I had tea with Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida as Aunty & Roy had gone up to Huby's. Aunt Ida and I went to church to-night but were joined at the church by Aunty. I spent the evening up at the Monteiths and when I got home found Dad. & Frank out in the barn with the sheep. Old Split-ear had triplets to-day one of them with a twisted face which Dad. has in the house. Another ewe had a single lamb. Monday April 7th It rained a little more during the night but was sunny and quite hot and muggy all morning and a little cooler and cloudy this afternoon. We trimmed a lot https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/26c0157ba07ca876c7fd9b79ce71e4ee.pdf 5966f09b471bd43a289749c110cf1e4d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. of the loose wool from around the bags of the ewes which have lambed to keep the lambs from getting wool-balls in their stomachs and Frank and I docked the six oldest lambs. We cleaned up the barn floor before dinner and got the fanning mill set ready to clean up the seed oats and Frank and I spent the after noon at it. We didn't get much done but put what we did do through twice and intend to run them through again. They are certainly heavy and when we put them in the big bags we got from the Canning Factory, they handle like wheat. Dad did chores and cut wood most of the day. I took a stroll over the wheat and and over to the garden this morning. The wheat looks fine and so do the strawberries. I went down to band practice to-night. We had a good one. Tuesday April 8th I went over to Quanbury's this morning and borrowed Arts toe-punch to mark my little chickens. The red hen over the hog pen hatched out five chicks from seven eggs. They are all from Hen no 74 one of the Wyandottes which started laying first and has laid more eggs than the rest. I want to keep her chicks seperate in case there is a good cockrel among them to breed. I put six eggs out of the incubator under one of the hens I got from Uncle Ward, but she didn't sit on them and they got cold. I put them under the red hen and one hatched. They were eggs from no 37 the best Plymouth Rock hen. I put nine eggs from the incubator under the other hen I got from Uncle Ward and she hatched eight chicks. They are from No 52. When I got that done, Frank and I put the ear labels in the rest of the lamb's ears. We cleaned up some more oats this after noon. Colin and Lloyd Ryerse came up this morning with their dehorners and took the spikes off the five steers. They are pretty sore to-night and are horrible looking objects as their heads are covered with blood, but they were getting too fond of using their horns which were nasty spikes on the oldest ones. We were to have gone up to Ham Thompson's to play baseball with the J.F.I.A. to-night but it was too wet. It was a nice morning but rained all the after noon and is colder. Wednesday April 9th I spent most of the morning getting my chickens out It was too wet to put them outside so I put them in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9eb008baeb51e637afdd190f6b552912.pdf b610fdb81327b3227ffb34f1f421595a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the unused end of the chicken house. I got them under two hens, one has twenty white ones and the other seventeen black ones. I only got twenty seven out of the incubator and two of them were cripples and had to be killed. Jessie had a nice red bull calf during the night and Dad has had a big job milking her as her bag is caked and and her hind teats very short. She gives a big mess of milk. There was also one more buck lamb this morning. Frank went down town and got three 16 foot Hemlock plank to make a bull pen as I got word from Cockshutt that he would ship the calf to-morrow. We cleaned up a few more oats this after noon but it was late when we got started so didn't get many put through Frank and I went down town to-night but were too late for church. Milder and rather cloudy to-day. Very muddy. Thursday April 10th It has been cloudy and drizzly but quite mild all day Frank and I went down with the team this morning and got a load of shingles Howey has just got a carload in and we thought that by taking them right off the car we would get them a little cheaper although they are dear enough there, five dollars a thousand. The car is on the canning factory siding as it is at last a much handier place to haul them from than Howey's yard. Dad. and Frank measured the roof and and figured it would take just about twenty-one thousand bring the cost up to $105.00 for shingles alone. We put on 42 bunches just half what we need on our first load and hauled it around by Mrs. Munroe's corner as we thought we couldn't get through with a load past Johnson's place, but decided that it wasn't any worse than from our corner on the side road down to the lane. Frank had his dinner early and rode his wheel down to the station to see if the freight on the L.E. & N. was in as we expected our bull on it, and they told him last night it was due about one o'clock new time. He came right back and told us that they had telephoned from Waterford saying that we could unload the bull at Main St. crossing if we were there between two & two-thirty when the train came in. However it didn't get in till just before the three o'clock car came so they backed the cars up on the siding and we unloaded the bull there. We had no trouble getting him off nor getting him home in the waggon and Dad. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8fad31a1dd048b0197fadfc8a9f6ee69.pdf 75faba4f8664ea25f7a0e90a365c9d8e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. is quite favorably impressed with his appearance. When we got "Moonshine" put away in his new quarters, Frank and I went down and got the rest of the shingles. Frank went dwn town to-night and sent Cockshutt a check for $150.00 for Moonshine. Aunty Alice lent him the money. Friday April 11th Frank went down to Aunty's this morning and was down most of the day fixing their fence between them and the Rankin's. Dad. and I spent the morning doing chores and I gave all the horses a good cleaning. This after noon I started to rake up the lawn and Dad. sawed wood. I measured up the bare spaces in the orchard and figured that we would need about two dozen trees to fill it up. While I was out there I saw a pair of ducks rise out of the water-holes and on taking a walk over saw to more pair rise. Niel Elliott was in to-night and Dad. sold him Daisy May. Dad. hadn't thought much of seliling her but Niel offered him $100.00 and said that was all he could possibly give but Dad. worked him to $120.00 so Dad. sold her. Frank and I went down town to-night & Frank went to the dance. Cloudy & cool. Saturday April 12th Tid. and I finished raking the lawn the other side of the ditch this morning. Right after dinner I went down to Uncle Ward's and ordered some apple trees. A man whom I suppose was Mr. Granton came in and started telling of his experiences in the West and it was three o'clock when I got home. I spent the rest of the after noon raking up the rest of the lawn. Frank went back to the gully this morning with Alfred's spear and got three pike one of them weighing four pounds. He took it down to Alfred. Lila came over this morning and has been practicing on the guitar all day and took it home with her this after noon. Dad. Frank and Tid went down town in the waggon this after noon to get the gutters for the roof and some coal oil. Dad. was going to get Cousin Willie to witness his signature on a proof of age form which Dick Frank & I have to send to our insurance companies but Cousin Willie was down at the dock and although Dad waited for him till five o'clock he didn't show up. Hugh didn't have the gutters cut out either. Still cloudy & rather cold wind. Frank saw first martin on the bird house to-day. Sunday April 13th Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school this https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/93344a7a2d2c15c031b4931329af972f.pdf 00941a11c0011aa9f74ba2b6e163e5ab PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. morning and Enah came down to church. Marj. and I went down to Aunty's for lunch and about three o'clock went up to the Monteith's while I pumped some water for them up there and then we came over here to the farm and had tea. Dick {Fomsbe?} was over for awhile to see Dad. about a sick cow. Nice sunny day, cool wind. Monday April 14th Art. Quanbury came over about eight o clock this morning and we have been shingling all day and got the east side of the parlor roof on. We weren't looking for Art. till this after noon and were just ready to haul over a little hay but Frank hauled the rack over to the barn and then went down town and got the gutters from Hugh McQueen and Dad. and I hauled over a little jag of hay when he got back. Sam Law came up after dinner with his hammer and apron and said he heard us hammering so just came up to give us a hand. I suppose Tom has told him we were shingling. I went to band practise to-night. Tuesday April 15th Art. came over this morning and we shingled till noon and got about half of Dick's bed-room roof on but just at noon it began to rain and has kept it up all the after noon and evening. Snowdrop presented us with a black and white heifer calf this morning so it took considerable time after dinner to tend to her and do the other chores. We put some costic potash on the two youngest calves horns and Frank and I put up a lot of hay from the far bent in the big barn up over the sheep pen so that it will be handy to load when we can get the waggon over. It was cold this morning but about noon the wind veered a little more to the south east and it got a little milder. Dad. had to go up on the roof <s>this morning</s> to-night to stick some shingles over the bare spots where it was leaking. Wednesday April 16th It rained hard and steadily all morning and I think all night. It cleared off two or three times during the after noon but rained most of the time and is cloudy to-night. We haven't done any thing but chores all day and sit around and read. The ditch running through the sheep pasture is a regular river, and when Frank let them out at noon most of them plunged right through it as they have https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a99b764a8a3ee7aabe9a2ea5c7fc6013.pdf 290f52f5d13839b6060b32ccb37d3595 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. been accustomed to do, never taking notice aparently that the bridge was gone. Most of the little lambs went too. Frank and I went down town to-night and I spent the evening over at the Monteith's. Marj. expects to go home to-morrow for the holidays. Aunty told us to-night that Mrs. J. S. Allen died very suddenly Monday night and Mrs. Fred Roleson died Tuesday, she had the flu and Mrs Allen had heart trouble. Lila is quite sick and twenty-five out of the High School are sick in the same way. Frank was up there to-night looking at all the fancy guns Quint sent home. Thursday April 17th Frank and I hauled over two more jags of hay one to the old barn and one to the horse stable. Charlie Munroe was over to see Dad. about a sick cow and Dad. spent most of the morning doing the chores over at the old barn. It takes about all of one man's time over there now to keep things done up right especially now that the yard is so muddy that a lot of them can't be turned out. It cleared off nicely this after noon and I cleaned out the colony house so that if we get a chance to shear sheep we can do it in there. Dad. went back and opened some ditches on the back field. Frank got the clippers oiled up. To-night Frank went down to the J.F.I.A. another social evening but I didn't go down. It will be Good Friday before they get out. Roy came up to-night. Cloudy this morning. Friday April 18th Art came over this morning and we shingled all day. Sam. came up this <s>morning</s> after noon and said he would be back to-morrow if it was nice. This being Good Friday Enah went down to church this morning. Dad. went down town to-night to see Roy but he wasn't home. Nice day. Saturday April 19th Art. and Sam both came over this morning and we got on well with the shingling. We now have just the north sides of the kitchen & dining room roofs to shingle. Dr. Cook was in at noon to-day and said that they all had the flu. over at Tupper's and intimated that some of us would have to go over to do the chores so Frank went over to-night. Tupper had the milking done when he got over there but he said he looked pretty sick and he thought should not have been out. Aunty and Roy came over https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1e704c86e4aff17f83596a7298ae053c.pdf 73c1974746f405f86c1986beb5c360e2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. this afternoon. Frank went down town to-night. Very nice day. Sunday April 20th This has not seemed very much like Easter to me and has been any thing but a day of rest. I went over to Tupper's about half past nine this morning after we had done our own chores and was all the morning over there. Tupper was lying in the lounge in the house and gave me instructions about feeding every thing which I found difficult to keep straight in my head but I followed them as well as I could and thought that as long as every thing got some thing to eat that they needn't worry. While I was over there Dr. Cook came and ordered Tupper to bed as he had quite a fever and told me to go down to Hanselman's and get a nurse there and bring her out to Tupper's. It was just twelve o'clock when I got home and all the family had gone down to church and as Dad. had Joe and the buggy I had to wait till he got home about half past one before I could go after the nurse. By the time I got her, took her out and got home again it was after three. Dad. and Frank were just having their lunch alone as Enah and Tid. had stayed down so that Enah could go to Mrs. Hobbes for after noon tea. I had my dinner and sat around for a half an hour or so and then went back to do Tupper's night chores. Nurse Little gave me some money to get her some beef and whisky so just as I got home about dark Dad. was starting off in the buggy to get Enah and I gave him the order and he managed to get the goods. Frank went down to the corner with him with a bag full of cats which he left in the pond. Dad. thought there were too many around and there is a very big family of little rabbits out now and he didn't want them killed. There are still two tabbys here each with a family of kittens. Enah got home soon after Dad. left. She had been in at Uncle Ward's and he had missed her. It rained this morning but was very nice after noon. Monday April 21st I went over to Tupper's right after breakfast this morning and it was after eleven when I got back so I didn't do much else this fore noon. Frank took a grist to the mill and went down to the Widespread to get the ridge boards but the engine down there was broken so he couldn't get them. Alan Law was past and was telling https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9f5fb49578eaf8edabcebff0b114462e.pdf 16be47e0aff0c5824384968121238a4d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. me Charlie Ivey's side of the story of Clarence Ferris getting fired down at the mill. Charlie bought the lot across from his house on purpose to preserve the big spruce trees along the road on the lot. After he bought it Clarence wanted to buy it from him and Charlie sold it to him on condition he would leave the trees but it was only a verbal agreement. Joe Long wanted the trees so Clarence let him cut them down although Charlie offered to buy them or the lot or another lot down town in order to keep them. If that is the case Clarence certainly deserved all he got because Charlie has treated him well. Karl Coleman was over this morning to look at the steer and told Dad he would give him 12 cts for him when he was ready in two or three weeks. Dad. took Daisy May down on Saturday to ship but Niel wasn't there and had left word at Henderson's that he didn't want her that day but Dad. had never got the word so was very peeved when he had to bring her home again. Karl told him he would make Niel buy her over again and if he didn't make a suitable offer that he himself would take her. This after noon Frank and I sheared one of the rams. I did the shearing and made a pretty messy looking job as I have forgotten how to hold them. We only did the one as Frank had to get to the mill after the chop. Dess came over with a letter from Dick. He enclosed a program of a concert he had been at put on by Austrian-Hungarian prisoners of war which were under Japanese control. I went back to Tupper's about five o'clock and got home about dark. I made arrangements with old Evans to do the chores in the morning. Frank went down to the Masonic dance to-night. Sunny and mild all day, cool breeze. We lost a fine big lamb to-day. Dad. opened him and found a big wool ball in his stomach. That is the second lamb that has died, one of Splitear's died Saturday, but it was never right. Tuesday April 22nd Frank and I got three rams sheared this morning. After dinner Dad. sheared one and then I sheared the old ram. We didn't have time to do any more as I went over to Tupper's about half past four. I rode Joe over and when I got there the cows and calves were all loose in the stable and so I didn't have to bring the cows in nor milk one of them and got home quite early. Dad. went back with the harrows this morning and went over the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/09634a2248cf497a59f6b7c3d81cf844.pdf 4c7627e7b0fe3e8c5f5f34d00047687b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. side hill and took the disks back late this afternoon, the discs cut down to the mud but the top works fine. I went down to band practice to-night. Very mild & fine. Wednesday April 23rd Frank and I sheared another ram this morning but it took quite awhile and we had to put on a load of straw to take over to the horse stable so we only got the one done. Dad. went back and disked the side hill this morning and drilled it in this after noon. It was a hard job he said drilling on the hill as several times he lost track of his drill mark. Dad. hauled our load of straw over to the horse stable and Frank and I put it off right after dinner and before Dad. went back to the field he hauled the rack over to the barn and Frank and I put on a load of hay. It was so late when we got it on that we didn't have time to shear another ram. Aunty Alice was over to dinner and Enah drove her down with Mexico this after noon. Enah got a lot of groceries which Melissa asked me to get and I drove over to Tuppers to do chores. It began to rain while I was over there and rained all evening. I went down and got my hair cut to-night and took my horn down to practice but it was so late when I got around that they were all through. I stayed all night down town as it was such a bad night. Very warm & sultry all day. Thursday April 24th I got home at six o'clock this morning and helped do chores. It turned cold during the night and has been cloudy, cold and a north wind all day and several times it has started to snow. I went up to Simcoe on the 11 o'clock car and went over to Slaght's office but was very disappointed to learn that nothing has been done about the "Sheep Pasture". Slaght is still sick and not expected back in the office for a month. I went in to see Neff for a few minutes he had a Mr. May in there who is going around organizing the county for Y.M.C.A. work. They said they were coming down to Dover this afternoon. Neff said that the Courtland boys would be down at the club to-night to give their debate and advised me to see Mr. Johnson and ask him to act as our judge as the Courtland boys were going to bring one down. When I got home Dad. & Frank where at Aunty's after the ridge-boards for the roof and as https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/85687c8d0572fe2b3f888bb5ae9f4f1a.pdf 11332c5b9cc9ef1cc8c84e582f9a2569 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I had to go up town to get some bread for Tuppers I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. After dinner I went up and asked Mr. Johnson to come over to the club to-night but he said he couldn't as there was a vestry meeting on and advised me to get Mr. Robertson so I got Tige to ask him. Soon after I got home Neff and Mr. May came over to look at my heifer and Frank's pigs that we are entering in the Profit Competitions and when they left it was time to go over to Tupper's. Gladys had fourteen pigs to-day. Dad. has two of them in the house but one is not going to live long. We had a great meeting at the club to-night. About six Courtland boys and as many girls came down and we had a good turnout of our own both boys and girls. Corby who was to have helped Frank out in the debate informed us at the eleventh hour that he couldn't come so Frank had to hold up our side alone, however he made a good job of it and the judges made it out a tie. One of the Courtland fellows did very well but the other wasn't so good. Mr. May acted as critic and then gave us a little talk on the Y.M.C.A. and invited us all to go to Simcoe to-morrow night to a meeting they are having to organize the county. After that we had some games and supper. We stayed for a long time after our visitors left and danced and cut up till a late hour. Ham had his phonograph down to furnish the music and Charlie Shand played his mouth organ. We think that will be our last meeting there. Friday April 25th It has been very cold and very windy all day and snowed to-night. We havent done very much but chores. Frank and I put up some hay ready to haul over to the horse stable but it was too windy to haul it. Niel Elliots nephew came over to ask Dad. to take Daisy May down this morning as they were going to drive a bunch to Jarvis. Dad. told him he was pretty sore at having to take her down and bring her home again last week and that now if Niel wanted her he could have her for $125.00 so I went over to Jack Martins as Niel was going to telephone there to say whether he would take her or not. Jack was very disturbed when he saw me as Niel had telephoned him early this morning to tell us to bring the cow down and Jack had promised to and then forgot. Neil called up soon https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1f321ec46552f847af5f9052f24985d9.pdf e430e8bde5f123af163e229acb1a37aa PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. after I got there and said to bring her down so Frank and Dad. went right down with her. Niel was very apologetic and told Dad. that he wouldn't have blamed him if he had sold her, he thought that Dad. knew he didn't want the cow on Saturday. He is a great old bluffer. Frank went down to the Women's Institute dance tonight. Saturday April 26th The ground was covered with snow this morning nearly as much as was on the ground any time this winter. It turned sunny and soon melted off and is milder to-night. We hauled over the load of hay we put on yesterday to the horse stable this morning and this after noon we started to put on another load for the cows but Ham came down and wanted to have a horse clipped so we didn't get it over. I went over to Tuppers early and did the chores and got down to meet the 8.15 train which is due at 7.15 by our time. Marj. came back to-night Sunday April 27th Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner. This after noon Marj. and I went up to Huby's for awhile as Marj. wanted to take Lila some maple sugar she brought from home. Lila was feeling much better. We went from there to Miss Martin's and I left Marj. there to have tea. I came home changed my clothes and rode over to Tupper's to do the chores. Tupper was feeling much better and came out to the barn for awhile but got severely reprimanded by the nurse for doing it. She told him he was a "bad naughty man". His improved health is making him wayward. The nurse let him out for an hour this morning to visit with Wilbur Ryerse and he and Wilbur got on the sunny side of the straw stack and he stayed out nearly all morning. I went back to Miss Martin's after tea as I couldn't get down before church was out. Enah and Tid. went for a drive with Mexico this after noon. Sunny, cool breeze. Monday April 28th Frank and I took a grist to the mill this morning and went from there down to the lake and got part of a load of sand and some plaster to plaster the ceiling in the spare room. We also got a barrel of salt. Ham Thompson came in after dinner with Hugh A. Scott, who came to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/eed2ca0caae5ccb6e1b09833c0c244f6.pdf 1929757b07f9a41e37fc2fa70b69899f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. look at the cattle. After he left Frank and I went to the mill and got our chop and I went over to Tuppers when I got home. Tupper was down town when I got there but came home before I left and said he thought he could manage his chores himself from now on. I borrowed a setting hen from him. To-night I went down to band practice. Al. Faulkner has been cutting up again. He got on a tear Saturday and went up Main St. in his car about dark at 40 or 50 miles an hour, ran into Bruce McQueen and his wife who were coming down in a buggy and hurt Mrs. McQueen very badly. Cloudy and cool. Tuesday April 29th Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning in the waggon and got four bags of Irish Cobbler potatoes for seed, {illegible}, oil cake, bran, & feed flour from Johnson. I went in to see Neff about my Dairy Profit competition and Frank went to get some ledger plates for the mower and some stumping powder but he couldn't get any. We had Joe & Queen and as Queen hasn't been out all winter we had to let her go pretty slowly and it was about three o'clock when we got home. Dad spent the day I think helping Enah house clean. Nice day, sunny, cool breeze. Wednesday April 30th Frank and I gathered up most of the shingles off the lawn this morning and put them in the wood shed and Enah raked it this afternoon. Dad tore off some more shingles from the north side of the dining room roof as Charlie said Art would be over this after noon and then he took the team back to harrow the side hill. Art. came after dinner and he and Frank shingled all the after noon. Dad. took the team back and finished harrowing the side hill and I cleaned out the cow stables and then went back and disked on top the hill and Dad. came up and helped shingle. It doesn't work too badly but looks like more rain to-night. Neff was on for a minute or two this morning and brought us some milk preserving tablets. I went down town to-night. Nice day and sunny but east wind. Thursday May 1st It has rained most of the day and so we have done no outside work at all. I spent most of the morning filling in my Dairy profit and egg sheets https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/648b871310f4d19469c257962c8386f3.pdf 74425f1dc8d7e88ee7b92b37b9ceccdc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. for April as well as writing this and filling up crop reports for the Bureau of Statistics. Dad. went over to Art Quanbury's and helped him shear a sheep. I read and did chores this after noon. Frank cleaned out the drive house and Dad. made a wheelbarrow for Tid. and scraped plaster off the spare room ceiling. Charlie brought the clipping machine back this after noon and said Art. had all his sheep sheared. Friday May 2nd It was raining again this morning but cleared off soon and has been very windy all day. We couldn't do any thing on the land or the roof to-day. Frank finished cleaning out the stable and drive house and Dad. scraped the rest of the plaster of the spare room ceiling. I took the chickens out of the incubator this morning and had a much bigger hatch than I expected and so had no accomodation for them. I have 25 under the hen I got from Tupper but that is the limit of her capacity and I still have 14 in the machine. I tried putting them under the hen with the older chickens but she wouldnt own them so I am going to get a hen from Charlie Quanbury and try to make her own them. I spent most of the day when not with the chickens husking corn. Frank helped me this after noon and we got nearly all the corn that is left husked. Frank and I went down town to-night. Frank went to a party at Anna Holden's. Huby saw Less. Parish to-day who has just got home. He saw Quint two days before he left but he had lost some of his papers so couldnt sail with his battery which is now in Canada. Less says it may be a long time before he can get home and will have to be a {illegible}. Saturday May 3rd Art came over this morning to shingle and they tore all the shingles off the dining room side of the roof. It started to rain about noon but we kept right on shingling after dinner and finished that side about four o'clock the rain didn't ammount to much. I drove out to the Shand's this morning to see if we could get some seed barley from them and they said we could. Willie was drilling but the ground was pretty packed. I stopped in at Charlie Quanbury's on my way back and borrowed one of his hens. He had two with seven chickens apiece so he doubled them up and gave me one hen. I put the fourteen chickens with her out of the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4918dc675236c245ddcaac70a667973e.pdf 1db705a737d9ff017e0e427d2060caab PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Repeat of previous page}. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9f6bc339e6c5db7f28337e635708435e.pdf c978fddc2bb1dcf5592707392fe63d3f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. machine and she mothered them all right. Charlie was in this after noon on his way home and said it rained very hard out at his place. We did chores up fairly early and I went down to Aunty's to spend the evening. The two Miss Hardings and Miss Martin were there playing bridge. Marj. was there also and to wind up with we had a five handed game of Five Hundred. Rained again to-night. Sunday May 4th Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Church this morning. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and went up to band practise this after noon. Enah and Tid. went down town as Enah had to practice for the mother's choir. They stayed down to tea at Aunty's but I came home and helped do chores. I went down town again this evening, got Mexico out of Aunty's barn and left him tied to a tree in front of Dick {Name?} for Enah and then I spent the evening at the Monteith's. The mother's choir was a great success. It rained hard during church but cleared up during the after noon but to-night there was a terrific thunder storm and I got caught in a heavy storm going home. Monday May 5th Frank Slocomb came over this morning and has been here the most of the day plastering the spare room ceiling and patching the parlor. Dad. and Frank have been helping him. I just did call chores and husked a little corn but got so sleepy doing that I had to quit. Dad. had a letter from George Pilley to-day dated at Toronto and saying he would be here to-morrow so Enah went down town this <s>night</s> after noon to get some paper to cover the new plastering. Frank went to a dance at Pete Holmes and I polished up my horn. Fine day. Tuesday May 6th Frank went down town this morning to see if Harry Dyer could come over to paper the parlor ceiling to-day but he couldn't so Frank got Jerry Burtch to say he would come to-morrow morning. I fixed up a chicken coop and moved my little chickens out this morning. Dad. did chores and helped Enah house clean and Frank and I sheared the last two rams before dinner. Ah! Dad. sheared the last one. Just after dinner Aunty Alice and George Pilley came over. We didn't know what train George https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7c546600b9bcdfa20b8a094812984873.pdf 68dfdf1282a8fa62c361f1dde73cd5b3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. would come on but he came at eleven and Aunty Alice met him. This after noon we sheared four of the yearling ewes. Tonight Enah, Frank and George went down to the memorial service in the church. Mr. Jeakins an ex-chaplin was down from Brantford and they unveiled the new altar in memory of the boys who were killed at the front. I was too late getting through to be in time for church but I went down and Marj. and I went and called on Belle Smith afterwards. Wednesday May 7th Frank went down with the waggon this morning and got Jerry Burtch and his outfit and he came over and papered the parlor ceiling in about an hour and a half and made a very slick job of it. Then Frank had to take him home again. We got two more ewes sheared this morning and Dad. sheared one with the handshears, but it was pretty dull. This after noon we sheared three more and got a little hay over to the horse stable and cow barn. Dad. put the parlor carpet down this after noon. I went down town to-night. George has been entertaining us with stories of his four years at the front. He was certainly lucky to come through it as well as he did. Rained a little this morning. Fine day. Thursday May 8th We started to shear sheep this morning and got one done (the last of the yearlings) when Art. came over wanting to shingle, so we went at it. George helped us and we finished the job to-night. Dad. and Art were till after six putting on the ridge boards but it is all done now except to clean up the mess. I had to go down to band practise to-night and had to leave all the milking to Dad. He didn't get through till nearly ten o'clock. I got a can of Brasso down town and after I got home worked till twelve o'clock polishing my horn and then didn't finish. Frank and George went down to see Ada. to-night. I saw Alan, Art. Munroe and Kilt Moore to-night. They all looked fine. Fine and warm this morning, but colder & rain to-night. Friday May 9th We bagged up a grist this morning and Frank took it down to the mill while Dad. and I started to put on a load of hay. When Frank got home he hauled it over to the horse stable and George, Frank and I put it off. Frank then went down to the mill after the chop and I put a little more polish on my horn and then https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/48ef8c467a716c9e16fdca3b1745a844.pdf 5db56a1282747b7337bb40f386605874 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. got ready to go down town. I got down there at half past one alright and at two o'clock sharp we started our parade. We marched up to the school house followed by the girl guides and all the school kids and then played marches or hymns and listened to speechs alternately. R.M. Taylor explained the idea of planting a memorial grove of elms. Jack Martin complimented the Women's Institute for taking up the work and mentioned something about the soil of Dover being very good for trees. Then the three preachers had a little to say. Mr. Robertson winding up with a prayer and the school kids sang "O, Canada" and "The Maple Leaf." Neff was down to supervise the setting of the first trees. Mrs. Bell as president of the W. I. planted the first tree and then the band marched the crowd back to town leaving Huby & Mr. Johnson to plant the rest of the fifty trees. I don't know how they made out. Frank and George went down town this after noon but were too late to see the ceremony. Enah and Tid. drove down also and I guess were late. I went in to see Punk McDonald for awhile this after noon. He has just got back from France and is staying at Mrs Lawson's. I went down town again to-night and Frank went to Craig Long's hard-time dance. George was going too but when the time came decided to go to bed instead. Rained a little this morning but fine & cool after noon. Saturday May 10th It has rained steadily all day to-day, not very hard much of the time but a very soaky, dismal drizzle. We sheared sheep in the shop all day and got six done. We carried them over from the barn in the crate and carried them back after they were sheared. Dad. helped us and did chores and George ironed off a whipple-tree, fixed the wool box, and put a latch on the door of the shop. To-night Frank, George and I went down to Aunty Alice's to spend the evening. Winnie, Lila, Dess, Fraser, Marj., Ada and Douglas Skey were all there and we had a lot of fun playing games such as consequences and making poetry. We had to make a verse answering a question and using a word that two others had written on a piece of paper, folded and passed on. Douglas drew for a question "Whether is the song of nightingale sweeter in the morning or the evening" and his word was "Word." Douglas wrote "The word of the bird is sweet." Aunty Alice said "Brevity is the soul of wit." We got home about midnight. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/48d9e527b9bd7c780a297c7e576bacc9.pdf 5f16f9d28ae577bf4a1dd6c731378188 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday May 11th Frank and George went for a walk over Brant Hill this morning and I went to Sunday school but was very late as I cut my chin while shaving and couldn't stop the flow of gore for some time. When I got there {Name?} Ryerse was marking the book as Miss Martin didn't show up and I had to step lively to get the books dished out. I went to church and found George & Frank there. We three went to Aunty's for dinner. This after noon Marj. and I went up to Miss Martin's with the money we cleaned up at Sunday school and found her looking very tired and her father sick in bed. We didn't stay long as the Best's came up, but we spent the remainder of the after noon at Miss McQueen's. I came home to tea and to do chores and went down again after tea and spent the evening at the Monteith's. George & Frank went up to Huby's and to see Ada this after noon. Mrs Hobbes invited them there to tea with Ada. but Frank came home to do chores George went and after tea he and Ada went up to Waterford with Mr. & Mrs. Robertson from Toronto in their car. They went on to Brantford and Ada & George spent a little while with Ada's freinds in Waterford & came back on the car. Rained all day, drizzle Monday May 12th Karl. Coleman came over this morning and got the steer I went down with him and saw him weighed. He just came to 960. Dad. was very disappointed as he was expecting him to go at least 1000 but Karl told me to-night after he killed him that he had no fat inside at all. Frank & George sheared sheep while I was gone and I helped them the rest of the day. We got eight done and only have two more to do now. Old Broadley & Jason were here to dinner, the first trip of the season and old Broadley sheared one sheep for us after dinner. Frank Ryerse was in just after tea to-night to see Dad. about a horse that has the colic. I rode down town with him to band practise. Frank and George went to the picture show. Cloudy & cool this morning but cleared off. Tuesday May 13th We sheared the last two sheep this morning and got all the wool packed in the big sack. We hung it under the trap door in the ice house and Frank got in and tramped it. This after noon Dad. and Frank took it down and shipped it. Dad. stayed down to get his hair cut and walked home and brought Marj. over with him. Winnie & Dess. had https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7fb47192c7a7700f046e3d487de8b348.pdf 5166b0f755441d5466cfee51d047d024 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. come over earlier. George and I cleared up some of the old shingles around the house this after noon and I cleaned out the cow stables. Dad. let the cattle back to the gully this after noon but as the fence isn't fixed yet into the field, they all got in, at least the cows did. The calves didn't go out of the lane. I went back after them about five and they were right back at the woods and the felt so fine to be out that I had to do considerable chasing to get them into the lane. Wednesday May 14th Frank and George went back to fix the fence in the gully this morning and about half past ten I went back to help them. I had been cleaning up shingles around the house before Dad. had to go (I wrote most of the foregoing while I was asleep, so quit and went to bed) down to Alex Jameson to see a sick horse. This after noon Tom came up to have Maude clipped and to get his fruit out of the cellar and they also clipped Mexico. He looks like a different horse. I spent the after noon gathering up shingles and got the worst of the job done. I went down town to-night. Frank also went down, calling some place I think. It has been warm and sunny to-day but looks rainy to-night. Thursday May 15th It was raining this morning so we didn't go back to the gully to fix fence but put on a small load of straw and hauled it over to the horse stable. We then put a small jag of hay in the horse stable. This after noon Enah and George & Tid. drove Mexico down town and Enah took George through the woollen mill. He was very interested in it. Dad. & Frank cleaned out the cellar this after noon and I cut and cleared up part of the lawn. We were to have gone up to Ham Thompson's to-night to play base-ball but Jack Martin came over and it was so late when we got through and a heavy fog that we thought it was no use going up. I went up for a little while though and some of the fellows were there. I rode Frank's wheel up but walked it most of the way home. Enah & I played duets on the piano & horn when I got back. Cloudy & drizzly this morning but fine after noon. Friday May 16th It was a little too wet this morning to finish cutting the lawn so I went out and staked out the places for the little trees in the orchard. I can get two dozen all but one in the bare space at the north end of the orchard https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e9f2158f67d70ad9c1f5e1ce0cdfdece.pdf 02cf8e304774a26439043629dcaa6f27 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and so can protect them by simply fencing them off and will not need to barricade them. It began to rain just about noon and has kept it up all the after noon increasing in violence till to-night every thing is flooded and it is pouring down. I didn't do any thing much this after noon. George & Frank spent the day building stancions for the calves out in the old barn. Dad. and Tid. drove down town this after noon, I think to settle up various accounts. George Frank and I went down to Ada's to-night to a little party Miss Beemer who has lately returned from France where she has been nursing was there and Bill & Zeitha Barwell, Douglas Skey, the two Miss Hardings and the Huby family. We danced and had a very nice time generally. Saturday May 17th It has been a cold drizzly day. George & Frank finished building the stancions for the calves and they made a grand job of it. I did a few chores and went over to Ivey's and got some more paeony roots. They are all coming up through the ploughing and I think they just intend to cultivate them all up and put oats there so I thought I would take what I wanted while I had the chance. Enah and George drove Mexico down town this after noon. I just puttered around and built a wren house. I got the cows up about 4.30 and left Dad. & Frank to do the chores and I went down to the Harding's for tea. Enah and George also came and Douglas Skey and Ada. We came home quite early. Sunday May 18th I went down to Sunday school with Tid. this morning and George & Frank went for a walk up the beach but we all went to church. Enah drove down to church and Ada came back with her to dinner. Marj. came over to dinner with me. We were very late getting through dinner as Mr. Johnson preached such a lengthy sermon on the subject of having his salary raised. We sat around for awhile after dinner and then George, Ada and Frank went down to Huby's for tea I didn't go down but helped do chores and Marj. stayed here to tea and we went down about ten o'clock. George & Frank stayed all night down at Aunty's so that George could get off easily on the 7.30 train in the morning. I went in on my way home but they had all gone to bed. It has been sunny & nice to-day. Cool breeze drying up the mud. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f78d8c6480e0b049b8bc78bebd12b2d3.pdf c4765d6461651f670fcb7f380a77664e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday May 19th I sowed clover seed on the wheat this morning and Dad. and Frank strung barbed wire along the top of the lane fence and straightened it up where the colts had broken it down. This after noon I raked up and cut the rest of the lawn and put my wren house up in the pear tree. Dad. & Frank kept on at the fence. Broadley & Jason were here to dinner. I Went down to band practice to-night. We are going out again on Friday to help the school kids celebrate Empire day. Fine day. Tuesday May 20th It poured rain early this morning and has been cloudy and wet all day but didn't rain much more. I took the hen I borrowed from Uncle Ward home this morning and stopped in for awhile at Quanbury's on my way back. Art was building a chicken coop & Charlie was remodelling his tractor. Dad. and Frank had gone back to the gully to fix fence when I got home as Charlie Butler had brought word that the cattle were on the road. I didn't do any thing much this after noon except write a couple of letters one to Cockshutt asking him to have the bulls pedigree hurried along and one to McEwen reminding him that we have some rams for sale. Dad. did chores and Frank pulled teasels on the road. Aunty came over about four o'clock and stayed to tea. Frank went down with her to-night. There is a great strike on now in Winnipeg and the city is almost completely isolated from the rest of the country as there is no mail telegraph or newspapers. From all accounts they have set up a regular Bolshevik rule except that there has been so far no rioting. It seems that the trouble is caused by certain employers refusing to negotiate with Labor officials outside their own employees and will not recognize the "One big Union". It is surprising and rather alarming to see what a strong undercurrent of straight Bolshevism there is in labor circles all over Canada. Another event of a very different nature is causing the world excitement, and that is the attempt of Aviator Hawker and his pilot Grieve to fly across the Atlantic. They left Sunday after noon in a little Sopwith biplane and expected to make the trip in 20 hours. Last night the evening papers said he https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/19b9ff9b85ca94332ce3df44ce9a048a.pdf b354dd62baa88458ee6029ebf030411d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. had been sighted 400 or 500 miles off the coast of Ireland about nine o'clock yesterday morning, but the morning papers to-day contradicted that report and they said he had fallen into the sea some where near the Irish coast. To-night's papers however, seem to indicate that he is without doubt lost and they think he fell before he got very far from the Newfoundland coast. Hawker was an Australian, and his English rival for the honor to be the first to cross and win the $50,000 price offered by the London Times, started as soon as he saw Hawker leave but he had an accident before he got off the ground. Three U.S. Navy seaplanes left three or four days ago but they didn't attemp a non stop flight. Two of them got safely to the Azores and the third one was picked up some place. They had a row of ships across fifty miles apart for protection. Wednesday May 21st Frank and I were back in the gully fixing fence this morning. Dad. took us back in the waggon and then took the team back home. Old Evans came after him and took him out there to see one of his old horses which has the heaves or something. Frank and I went back to the gully after dinner but were only back a short time when it commenced to rain. We stayed till we got pretty well soaked and then came up and put on a change of raiment and I shaved. Dad. spent the after noon helping Enah house clean the clothes-room and getting ready to plaster the ceiling of it. To-night I went down town and spent the evening at the Monteiths. Thursday May 22nd I took Tupper's hen back home this morning and came back through the gully and helped Frank fix fence. We have been at that all day and are not through yet by any means but we are making a good job of it as we go I think. Dad. plastered the ceiling in the clothes room and helped Enah house clean all day. Frank went down town right after dinner and got our wool cheque cashed and got the pedigree for Moonshine which came registered. The advance payment on the wool was $105.00 I went down to band practice to-night and Frank went up to Ham Thompson's but it was too wet to play ball. Drizzled this morning but cleared off fine & warm. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b04a470864b6dac734319f18d7a005c4.pdf 49f116ae6a82a95cd3a9c40a573b15cb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday May 23rd I set out two little shrubs Tartarian Honeysuckle which Aunty sent over this morning and as I put them across the ditch and had to dig holes in the clay and fill in with other earth it took me quite awhile. I helped Dad. trim Maple Hil Nellie's & the bull's toe-nails Dad's lamb which has been sick for the last few days died this morning and Dad. opened him and found a growth on his bowels stuck fast to the ribs and on further examination found him full of tape worms. Tid. and I went down to Aunty's for dinner and I helped them put in some stakes for the peas. I went up town right after dinner to see what the band was going to do but it was raining quite hard at two o'clock so we couldn't march and it was no use going up to the school house as the kids couldn't have their sports. They were all crowed around the park under umbraellas so we all went down on the band stand and tore off a few selections. After we had been there about half an hour some one noticed a crape over on George Thompson's door. I suppose old Mrs Hambleton is dead so we thought we had better move. All the kids had gone up into the hall so we went up there and stayed for the rest of the after noon played a little, and listened to the usual run of speeches. Inspector Cook was the principal speaker and explained the formation of the Union Jack most of which was news to me but the kids seemed by the answers they gave to know all about it. The occasion for the celebration was the presentation by the I.O.D.E. to the school of a flag. Cousin Clare seemed to represent the former and handed a roll of bunting which I suppose was a flag to Mr. Johnson or Mr. Smith I forget which and Mr. Johnson mumbled out a prayer or so and that was about all the ceremony ammounted to. Tid. and I came home to tea and after we did chores I went down and spent the evening with Marj. R.M. Taylor proclaimed Monday as a holiday to celebrate Victoria Day instead of to-morrow. Mr. Watson announced to the kids that although it was a holiday in town they would have to go to school just the same on Monday, but Taylor wouldn't have it so and made it plain to everyone that Mr. Watson would have to observe his proclamation which brought him loud and prolonged cheers from the kids. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0ce31829f1db362b51b23a4975f5cd7c.pdf 620ae03ab8cbd58133312c1469ea0adc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday May 24th Frank and I dosed all the lambs with worm tablets this morning and put the ear labels in the <s>the</s> three youngest. Auson Abbot came in and got the four pigs which Tom had bargained for and after we got him loaded up Fred Krell came after two bags of clover hay for his rabbits and he was here till nearly noon telling us all about the rabbit business. He has a bunch of Flemish Giants, and expects to raise some fancy show stock from them. This after noon Frank took Alfred's spear home and I cleaned out the cow stables and then we both fixed fence in the gully till chore time. Old Ed. Walker and Johnny Richardson came over to-night after their pigs. Gladys had them all out in the yard and her door came shut so that she couldnt get them in again and they were just like so many mud balls. Old. Walker wanted two boar pigs and Frank caught a boar first but old Johnny put it in his bag and then wouldn't trade it with old Walker for a sow as he thought it was a little bigger so we had to corner up another boar for old Walker and Gladys didn't like it a bit. We got them fixed up at last however and they drove off to-gether like a pair of kids with new pets to play with. Fine and rather sultry all day. Looks rainy. I polished my horn up again to-night. Frank told me when he came home that the youngest of the Zealand's William I think his name is, was drowned to-day just below the house. He and Billy Mill's little girl were playing on the boat house landing which has just been built and they both fell in. The Mills kid hung on to the landing till they got her out but the little boy was either hurt or too frightened and was drowned in about two feet of water. He was just five years old. Sunday May 25th Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Dad. and Enah went down to church this morning. Aunty came over here to dinner and I stayed down there. This after noon Marj. and I went to the woods and got some violets. We found Lila up there with Chum looking for dogwood. We then went up and saw Glad. Law who came up for the 24th. I came home to help do chores and went back about the time church was out Frank Ried was there telling of the work of the Y.M.C.A. Aunty Alice said she liked his address. Beautiful day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0cd3ae89b25ea6dad2bbc12e7e81c8f7.pdf 33ed8174b67143908b355353f7e28ce3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday May 26th I spent most of the day cleaning up around the place. I cut the lawn this morning and this after noon cleaned up the shingles around under Dick's window. Dad. and Frank did chores & odd jobs. Frank took a grist to the mill and they hauled a jag of hay over to the horse stable. Enah went over to Mrs. Battersbys to after noon tea and came home with the information that Quint's name was amongst those of the troops just landed at Halifax so that naturally created considerable excitement as she said Aunty & Aunty Alice were quite sure he would be here to-night. We all went down to-night. I had to go to band practice but went down to the eight o'clock car but Quint didn't show up. I saw Win. and Lila and they were very surprised that we should be looking for him. Aunty was to have gone to London to-day but put it off till to-morrow in hope that Quint. would be home to-night. They had letters from Dick to-night and he hoped to sail on the "Empress of Russia" which is due at Vancouver in a day or two. This was a holiday in town to-day and they had great sports at the school house. Today's paper says Hawker & Grieve were picked up alive in mid ocean and are both alright. Tuesday May 27th Dad. went back this morning and got the disks and has put in most of the day working up the old garden. It is wet but so sandy that it doesn't matter. I spent the day taking the sod of a strip of the lawn where I want to plant my perennial border and resodding the square under Dick's window. Frank has been doing odd jobs. He treated some potatoes with formalin and dug up a lot of sow thistle in the meadow east of the orchard. He says there is quite a patch of it over by the sheep pasture fence. There were three or four little plants of it there last year but we thought we got every particle of it out, evidently it has fooled us. Frank went down to the dance to-night and I went down to see if old Quint came but he didn't. It has been a beautiful day & looks cleared up. Wednesday May 28th Dad. worked all morning harrowing the old garden and plowing furrows to plant potatoes. Frank and I cut up a bag of potatoes and planted them out there. This after noon Dad. took the disks back and worked on the back field next the woods. He said it didn't work https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c909783486ed542942a7b65f6658d06a.pdf 54409a329cedac0a156224ba9a91eac6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. too badly. Frank planted a lot more garden seed in the old garden and I spent most of the after noon taking a piece of chicken wire off the fence up by the hog pen where it was stretched on the other wire and put it across the end of the yard where I have the little chickens to try to keep them off the road and the lawn. Aunty Alice was over here to dinner and Enah drove her down town this after noon. Dad. & Enah went down to-night to see the Hobbes but they weren't home. Mrs. Hobbes has been moved and is going to leave Monday. Every one is very sorry about it. I went down to-night to a meeting that was called to discuss 1st of July celebrations, but as they didn't start the thing going till about nine o'clock I left and spent the eveing down at Aunty Alices. Marj. was down there acting as she said "watch dog" for Aunty Alice. They had a letter from Roy saying Quint was in Toronto. Thursday May 29th I went down right after breakfast this morning to get the little apple trees at Uncle Wards. I took Aunty Alice's quince tree down to her and planted it. I helped Uncle Ward take off a couple of upstairs storm windows as he can't climb on a ladder and then came right home with my trees and started to put them in. It took me nearly all day to put them in and mulch them and I have four to mulch yet. There were eighteen of them 12 of which were Snows, 4 Duchess one Spy which Aunty wanted us to put in for Tid. and one a new variety supposed to be all that its name implies, Delicious. Dad. went back with the team this morning and Frank went with him and between them they have worked all day on the back field. Dad. went over to John Wess's to see if he wanted his sheep sheared. He said he didn't know how he was going to get it done so Frank came up and got the machine and took it over. John Wess was working on the land but put the team in to help. Frank was over shearing till three o'clock and then Dad. went over and stayed to tea. Frank sheared five. Dad. three and Wilbur Ryerse was in at noon and did two, one in seven minutes. Frank and I did all the chores up to-night and then went up to Ham Thompson's to play baseball. It was pretty late when we got there and the boys had quit playing and Ham was knocking up flys. Mrs Thompson made us sandwiches. Dandy day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/42e2f18a8c4aded9614969b87a9f1c40.pdf 5ecd65bc5592c7af0d90e6858ca0323c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday May 30th Dad. has been disking all day on the back field. He got all over it lengthways this after noon and started disking crossways. I finished mulching the little trees this morning and set out some tomato plants that Aunty Alice gave Enah. I also dug around some of the little poplar trees along the side road. While I was at that Pickford saw me and haled me over to look at his sow and crops. I was over there till nearly noon. This after noon Frank and I went out to Shand's after our barley seed. They had it all cleaned so we weren't out there very long. When we got back we took the little team back to the field and I harrowed till five o'clock. It was very hot for them. I went down town to-night. Aunty got home from London to-night. Fine & very hot Saturday May 31st We have worked on the land all day but as we had old Pommers in all day we had to give it to him easy. Dad. put him and old Harry on the disks this morning and I went around with him for about an hour with the rope through the bit, but as he soon cooled down, we didn't bother with the rope but Dad. walked behind the disks all day. He got pretty well tired out but is big enough to stand it. I had Queen & Belle on the harrows for a little while before dinner and this after noon. Queen rammed into it all day and as it was very hot they were wringing wet to-night. After tea to-night I took the buggy down to the mill and washed it and then had a shower bath under the flume. Got home soon after ten. Frank went down town to-night and says Quint is not home yet. Sunday <s>May</s> June 1st Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Enah drove down to church. This afternoon Marj. and I went for a drive down the Lake Shore with Queen. Dad. went down to Aunty's and Enah went down to see the Hobbes and then stayed to tea at her mother's. Frank went off on his wheel after dinner and didn't get home till about midnight. I think he was down at Dave Ward's. I helped Dad. do chores and then went down town for the evening. It was very hot to-day and the Lakeshore road was lined with cars and picnicers https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ec531b4fe533d22ff6f80b7fde58c1c7.pdf 7ae42df789fad78945de882cbb83ce4f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday June 2nd Dad. took Harry & Pommers back and disked all morning with them. I went back and helped him hook up and then came up and helped Frank mix the barley & oats for seed and treat it with formalin. That took us till about noon. Broadley & Jason were here for dinner and we didn't get a very early start this after noon. Dad. took the drill back with Harry & Joe and I took the seed with Belle & Queen and we let Pommers rest. Dad. started to drill and I harrowed ahead of him and we got over quite a little piece of ground. I went down to band practice to-night. Still very hot and dry. Tuesday June 3rd Dad. disked this morning and I harrowed. Dad. had Dave in with old Harry this morning and at first he went fine but after he got started he fought badly. Dad. put Joe & Harry on the drill this afternoon and got some more drilled but on account of the heat couldn't make much headway for fear of doing up the horses. I harrowed with Belle & Queen for awhile this afternoon but poor old Belle was fagged right out. They are soft any way not having had any work all spring and this awful heat they say is killing a good many of them where men are not careful. To-night Marj. and I went to the picture show which was very funny. Wednesday June 4th I haven't worked the team to-day at all as it is still very hot and Dad. thought it was unsafe to put Belle in. Dad. has been back all day with Joe and Harry. He finished disking & harrowing but didn't get it quite all drilled. I cut the lawn this morning and spent most of the after noon wheeling the compost heap out to where I want to put the perennial border. Frank did odd jobs in the garden and around the house. Enah and Tid. went down town to Aunty Alice's for tea. She had Dick, Mrs Dick (Molly) & Alan Tibbits down there for tea Dad. and I drove Queen down after tea and Dad went down there and came home with Enah and I went for a drive up the Radical Road with Marj. Frank was down town too and went up the creek. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d1fbbe66b1cc06bfa64dd92c33427eef.pdf 54051460315b0fef7f437a07d92f808b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday June 5th Dad. took Joe and Harry back this morning and finished drilling the field and started harrowing. This after noon we both went back as Dad. had Pommers in intending to put him on the harrows but he seemed to be "feeling his oats" and showed several signs of misbehaviour so Dad. decided it would not be wise to hook him to the harrows so we hooked him to the <s>drill</s> disks and brought them up around by the road. A car passed us along by the corner field and he paid no attention to it till it got past and then he kicked three or four times and kicked so hard that he broke the end of his whippletree. I went over to Pickfords and borrowed a rope to tie the end of Harry's doubletree back and we got them up without any more mishaps. It started to rain soon after we got back and rained hard for awhile. When it was over Dad. and Frank went back and brought up the waggon and a couple of bags of oats which Dad. had left over. Arthur Preston was over during the rain and we sat out in the drive house discussing the League of Nations, Peace Conference, Winnipeg Strike and other little matters of equal unimportance. I oiled or at started to oil harness this morning. The pure bred calf got out of the barn this morning and we hunted high & low for him but couldn't find him till the rain came and scared him up out of the clover where he had been lying concealed only a few feet from where we had walked looking for him. We didn't go up to Ham's to-night. Friday June 6th Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning to trim up the walks and the lawn for them and was down all day. I spent the morning filling out applications for the registration of the lambs and three purebred calves, it took me till noon. This after noon I finished oiling the light harness. Frank worked over in the garden disking up the place where we want to set out the strawberries and he set out some tomato plants. Cooler. Old Quint got home last night. I saw him to-night. Bigger than ever. Saturday June 7th Dad. and Frank went back and ran out the ditches in the field Dad. has just sowed while I dug up part of my perennial bed. It is so late know that I guess I will have to just summer fallow it. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/16da3920079ea94da2ba7a41721de1e7.pdf 5419f8d6a0cfcfa96efe294861db6609 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and possibly plant it in the fall. When they came up we went out and set out about 150 strawberry plants. We went back after dinner and set out the rest of the patch about 300 plants altogether. Frank and I put on a little jag of hay for the horse stable and Dad. cut some of the long grass around the shop. I had to quit early to get down and go with the band out on the "City of Dover" Holbe was opening the season by running free excursions out in the lake and Mid. invited the band to go along in the evening. We had two trips one at eight and one at nine. The first one we played up on deck but it got too dark to see so we had to go down below where they were lights but it didn't sound nearly so well as we were all boxed in. When we came off Mid treated us all to ice cream in at Alf's. Sunday June 8th Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Enah went down to church. Aunty Alice invited Marj. Tid & me there to dinner but Marj. and I came over here right after dinner and got Queen and went for a drive. We went out to Butler's to get my book & brushes which Willard brought home from Guelph last winter but no one was home so we drove on out and turned west at Mt. Zion church and travelled through country that was strange to me and the nicest looking territory we had seen any place this year. We came south through Lynn Valley and Marj. came back here to tea. We went back down town about ten o'clock and a little thunder shower came up but we took shelter on Charlie Ivey's verandah. Jack Paine was in for about an hour this morning Dad. said trying to coax some of us to go and shear his sheep. Mr. Millman was also over this after noon for awhile with Aunty & Aunty Alice & Tid. He brought Percy & his family up in the car yesterday. Percy has rented a cottage here for the summer. Monday June 9th We dipped the sheep this morning and it took us all the fore noon. It took quite awhile to rig up the tank and dripping board which we made out of the waggon box https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/848402e91f67b17f08273ce1217d9cfb.pdf f7d74a14cf7147dbf8b10a2a3e384afe PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We put it in the east bay in the barn where the floor is about a foot and a half higher than the bottom of the bay and ran the sheep in from the barn floor to the tank and let them drip in the bay. Art Quanbury brought his over and we dipped them making 74 head all told. Old Broadley was here to dinner and we were a little late having it. Alan Law came over to borrow a spade after dinner to dig up some paeony roots so I went over with him and got a lot more roots as well as come larkspur. They are disking every thing up over there to sow oats. The grass is about a foot high and the field looks as about as green when they sow it as it does after its up and still they are hoping to get a catch of clover seed. It took me nearly all the after noon to dig them and set them out. Dad. went back and ran out some ditches in the back field and Frank worked in the garden. I went down to band practice to-night and Frank went down to the show. We both had a good swim at the bridge on our way home. Enah went down town this morning and sent away the applications for registration of the lambs & calves. We have decided to have a Dickens herd and call all the calves after Dickens characters and instead of having family names & numbers, we will call all calves belonging to one family, names from the same book. We called Nellie's calves Nancy and Oliver Twist and Elgitha's Wilkins Micawber. Tuesday June 10th We didn't get started very early this morning as we had a lot of puttering around to do. We had to put the waggon box back on the truck, we had used it as a dripping board yesterday while dipping and one of the ewes no 17 about the best one in the flock needed attention as she is very sick and we have no hope to-night for her recovery. We can't think what can ail her unless she got some of the dip inside her and is poisoned. Dad. was in the back field cleaning out to ditches all day and Frank and I hauled out manure with Harry & Joe and the waggon and spread it on the strip where we want to put roots and potatoes. We cleaned out the calf pen first and hauled it out. Marj. and I went to the show to-night. Fine, very dry, not so hot. Wednesday June 11th The sick ewe was considerably better this morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/665dd87300b62fdb905ab5d210678a70.pdf baca73a147480071433f2138df62eb3e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We were very agreeably surprised when we went out after breakfast and gave her a little help that she got up and stood on her feet. She then drank about a quart of water and has taken quite a lot of gruel during the day. She is very weak yet to-night but we now have great hopes for her recovery. We got Billy in the stable this morning and have had him tied up all day preparatory for giving him his first lesson. He fought hard while we were at dinner for he broke his halter but Dad. had a big rope around his neck so that he didn't get loose. Dad. let him back with the others to-night. We had Pommers in with Harry on the plow to-day plowing the root ground. All three of us went back with him and plowed a round or two before dinner. Frank held the plow, Dad drove. and I held the line in his bit rings in case of his cutting up. I didn't need to use it at all however so this after noon Dad. and I worked the outfitt and I plowed. Frank went to Simcoe to pay our insurance. To-night Marj. and I went for a drive with Queen. Mr. Johnson left three posters advertising the strawberry social up at the Smythes and we tacked them up at the mill & Edmund England's corner. Thursday June 12th Dad. and I finished plowing the root ground this morning with Harry & Pommers and Dad. disked it up with them this after noon. I spent the after noon cutting the lawn and washing Mexico's cart down at the mill. Frank went down to Alfred's this morning and brought the geese home as Colin was in last night to tell us they were there. He has been working in the garden most of the day. George and Miss Sutherland came to-night on the Hamilton train and Enah went down to meet them with Mexico. Hot day. Friday June 13th Dad. worked on the root ground all day with Harry and Joe. I cleaned out the bull's pen and did odd jobs this morning and Frank put a formalin solution in the dipping tank and treated the potatoes. He and I spent most of the after noon cutting them. Frank Faulkner was in this morning with a sick pig for Dad. to look at. It got as stiff as a board about every ten minutes. George & Miss Sutherland spent most of the after noon sleeping. I went down to see Marj. to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/55b05b6b400cd2035547f2bb52dd1445.pdf dbf0531428cfae45f43de99ae6fbcf2b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday June 14th I got home this morning soon after midnight and found Dad. and Frank both asleep, dressed, and when Dad. woke up, he was very anxious about Belle. She had been in pain off and on during the evening but still showed no signs of foaling so he thought some thing must be wrong. I changed my clothes and lay down and about four Dad. called me as he had decided to make an examination. He did and said he was afraid there was no hope for the colt and very little for Belle. He then went to the house and called Frank to go down and get Bruce. While he was gone Belle lay down and in about ten minutes just after Dad. got back had a fine big colt and both he & she are doing fine. Dad. has christened him George Broadley. We planted the potatoes this morning. George and Miss Sutherland helped us. Just after dinner a heavy thunder storm came up. It didn't last long but a lot of water fell and there was a fierce little gale with it. It came out terribly sultry and hot after it. Frank and I hauled a little jag of straw over to the horse stable. We all went down town to-night but it was too hot to dance, we watched them. We three boys went for a swim on our way home. Sunday June 15th Frank, Tid and I went down to Sunday school and the rest except Dad. went down to church. I ran across Quint after church and we took a walk down to the beach. There were a lot in swimming. Quint was telling me that Alan & Dick Tibbitts intend to put up a hundred more bathing houses this week. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over here to dinner but left a lunch for me which I had alone down there. I spent the after noon with Marj. trying to find a cool spot. We didn't have much success but did get a shady & fairly breezy place over in Globe Park, where we camped with some books. The Millmans were over here and took Aunty, Aunty Alice, George & Miss Sutherland down to Auntys where they had tea. They came back after tea and took Dad. & Enah for a motor drive. Billy was with them and I guess kept them highly entertained. I came home to tea and helped do chores and went back again this evening. Frank went down to Wards on his wheel after supper. Monday June 16th I felt very lazy all morning and managed to keep from https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/29d0dc3fd45eb19724014f9ba1147d58.pdf 6be988ff2dbd0cdbfc7f391400964a59 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. any very strenuous labor. Dad. went out and disked harrowed and rolled the mangel ground with Harry & Pommers this morning and I think Frank helped him and also worked in the garden. I went down to the Quanbury's to borrow their seed drill but John said it was out at Charlie's place so I fooled around the pond awhile and then drove Joe out to Charlie's. He told me the drill was at Art's place so I went back and got it and by the time I got home it was noon. George & Miss Sutherland went down to Aunty's with Mexico to gather greens for dinner. We had dinner rather late and old Broadley was here. It rained again for a little while right after dinner so we didn't do any thing much for awhile. When it cleared off I went out and drilled in the mangel seed. I sowed two lbs. of seed on 8 or 9 rows and one row of turnip. Dad. cut the grass around the shop. I went down to band practice to-night and had a swim on my way home. After I got home and before I went to bed I was much surprised to see George and Miss Sutherland walk in as I thought all hands were asleep. They had been for a walk. We got some cider and sat up till a very late hour, quietly carousing. Tuesday June 17th I haven't done any thing much all day. Dad. & Frank plowed the old garden back of the shop and Dad. worked it this after noon. I worked a little on the lawn this morning and Miss Sutherland and I started to weed out the rose border. This after noon I helped Dad. hook Pommers up to the disks and helped unhook him. An old fellow named Culver from up near Simcoe was in with another Percheron stallion and wanted us to use him, but we told him we were using Jason. I shaved this after noon and spent quite awhile discussing various things with Marion. She reads Omar Khayyam to me and is very fond of it. I enjoy the poetry of it but argue with her on the philosophy of it, she however agrees with him but she is very nice to argue with. To-night we all went down to Mrs. Dick Tibbitt's "At Home" and according to the ladies who are capable of judging such matters it was very nice. To me the ice cream was nice, the conversation very gobbly and the temperature rather high but altogether I didn't put in such a bad time. George, Frank and Marion went out to hoe potatoes this after noon. Frank came in after cider and soon after George was the only man on the job. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3045441dc27694decfdf1bddcb673b75.pdf acccd7139dc4520074a40283c0118aed PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday June 18th This has been a very lazy day for me. Dad. and I took Billy out this morning for a lesson on the reins and he did very well. The trailing after him seemed to give me a pain and it stayed with me all day. I just sat around from the time we came in till dinner time. Dad. went out to hoe in the garden but said he couldn't find the stuff that was up so he came in and read Whitcomb Riley to us. Frank went to Simcoe on the early car and got back about noon. He got a new horse collar and did some other purchasing. This after noon Frank & George hoed out in the garden. I slept for about an hour after dinner and then Dad. and I got out the cultivator and old Harry and cultivated the garden. Enah, Tid. & Marion went down to the Lake for a swim. Marion stayed at Aunty's for tea and George and I walked down after tea. Mrs. Millman & Billy were there for tea and Billy was reading them the manuscript of a book he is writing. It sounded very well written what I heard of it. Quint & Joe were working at the boat house and I went up town with them but spent the evening over at the Monteiths. Very hot still. Thursday June 19th Dad. and I gave Billy a little exercising this morning and then went and hoed in the garden till noon. George, Marion & Tid went to the Lake for a swim this morning. This after noon Frank and I went up to Jack McBrides and got a roll of wire fence and then over to Jack Martin's and borrowed his hog crate. We put a piece of the fence across the orchard just south of where the little trees are so that we can let the sheep in the south end of the orchard without them getting at the little trees. There is good pasture in there now. We all went down town to-night. I went to the band concert as we gave our first open air concert of the season to-night. The reeve treated us to ice cream afterwards and then I persuaded Harry Dyer to go up and cut my hair. The rest of the family spent the evening at the Barwell's I went over there about eleven o'clock just in time to get some ice cream and hear Billy Millman recite "David Lilly" and the "Highwayman" also the "Cremation of Sam McGee." George Frank and I went for a good swim at the dam on our way home. It has been hot but a nice breeze to-day. Rained a little. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0c45fbd392cecefc15d6e54d1aed5b75.pdf 106e4b531c10735797f6c231f2212870 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday June 20th Frank and I had to go down to Clarence Finch's this morning with old Gladys. We stopped at Hallam's shop on our way home and got Tom's old democrat which he told us to bring over here if we wanted it. A heavy shower came up while we were there. Frank took shelter in the blacksmith shop but I didn't like to leave the team so when I got Tom's rig fastened I came home. This after noon Frank rolled the old garden and disked it. I shaved and read awhile after dinner and then went out and helped Dad. and Tid. pick the strawberries. They got quite a mess and we had them for tea. Enah, <s>Frank</s> <s>went</s> George and Marion went up to the Strawberry social at the Smythe's this after noon and Frank took Joe and went up about six. I went down and joined the band at half past seven and went up in Jim Bush's car. We had a very good time and the festival was a success in every way. They took in $220.00 or more. The band got all the strawberries and ice cream it could hold and then got treated to 2 1/2 % beer which had been ordered to sell at the soft drink booth but which had caused such a scandal amongst the pious folks that they had to take it in the house and hide it behind the sofa and subsequently feed it to the band. Poor band, it certainly is rotten stuff. I came home with Mr. Johnson and Bill Barwell. We were held up at the cemetry by another car stuck in the road so we went to look for some human bones which a couple of kids said they saw lying in the sand there beside the road. Mr. Johnson lit matches and I groped with my hand and sure enough found a skull. We overtook Mexico and his load coming around the hill so we all got home to-gether before twelve. Frank rolled in some time before morning having been down Mud Street. Saturday June 21st I raked up and cut the lawn this morning and Dad. and I gave Billy a little exercise. Tupper came in for a visit on his way home from the mill and stayed all morning. Frank and George took the mower to pieces and are going to put on new ledger plates. Frank went over to Tupper's this after noon and got an old binder tongue to make a new tongue for the rake. I didn't do any thing much but sit around and work a little at the perennial border. Dad. Paris-greened the potatoes. Enah, Marion & Tid. went down https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/152df8ccafe9c11702026ef37575502e.pdf f5a7d9b8182da410c588975b06ed282a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. town this after noon. George spent the after noon writing letters. He received a packet of mail yesterday from Grand daddy with a telegram enclosed offering him a position as instrument man with a survey party going to Peace River at $100 a month. George thought that was "joke" but another epistle from Grand daddy informed him that he had answered the telegram saying he didn't think George would accept the position. George sent a wire right off yesterday contradicting that statement and this after noon wrote his father telling him that while it was perfectly alright to open his letters he did object to his answering them. To-night George Marion and I went for a drive. Dad. said he would like to see the skull I found so we went up and got it and brought it home. We then went on out through Lynn Valley. It was the first time they had had a ride behind Queen and it was quite a treat I think after Mexico. We had some music when we got home. Sunday June 22nd Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Enah George and Marion went down to church. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner. Mr. & Mrs. Millman were there and so was Tid. Frank came home to dinner but all the rest went down to the Harding's for their midday repast. I came home early and wrote to {Darrie?}. The rest came home fairly early and Alan, Dick & Mrs. Dick Tibbitts came over for tea. I left right after tea for Nanticoke as Marj. went down last night with {Warrie?} Banfield and I drove her home. It has been a lovely day with a fine cool breeze. Monday June 23rd Dad. had to go down to Sam Law's this morning and he drove George and Marion down town and they went up creek. He then drove Aunty down to Sam's with him. I hoed the strawberries and Frank took the mower guards down and had the new ledger plates riveted on. Broadley was here for two or three hours at noon as he had several customers, consequently we didn't get much done. Frank and George have the mower all fixed up ready for business and Frank got a couple of pieces of ash for the rake tongue. I went down to band practice to-night. We saw by to-day's paper that Dick is with the troops that landed in Canada on the Monteagle on Friday so we expect him home in two or three days. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/24661b29076f129837caee566a941cf9.pdf fa450d69313f7e04dfb1de7912a8109f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday June 24th Dad. and I cultivated the old garden and the mangels out in the field this morning with old Harry. I went sound asleep after dinner and dozed off considerable time, all efforts to wake me proving futile so they say. I had some cider before dinner I don't know whether that was the cause of it or not, after I did wake up I helped George a little who has put in the day making a bigger doorway in the end of the horse stable loft to let the hay in. Marion and I then went out and picked some strawberries. Marj. came over to tea and spent the evening but I had to go to Woodhouse with the band as there was another strawberry social on up there. We had a good feed and I got home about half past eleven just as George and Maron were getting home with Mexico after having driven Marj. home. Harry Ansley died yesterday. Wednesday June 25th Dad. went down and got his hair cut this morning and this afternoon he and Enah went down to Harry Ansley's funeral. Frank and George put the shafts on the cart this morning and I spent most of the fore noon correcting the application that I had returned for the sheep registration's. It poured rain all the after noon so we didn't do any thing out-side Marion & I read all sorts of things this after noon, Irish History, Pope, Burns and the dictionary. George and Frank and Tid. played & read. Dad. saw in the paper to-day that the Siberian troops had reached Toronto so was quite sure of Dick being home to-night and drove down to meet him but he didn't come. I drove down with him as it was too wet for the band to go to Jack McBride's where we were booked to play for the Presbyterian strawberry social. I spent the evening over at the Monteith's and stayed all night at Aunty's. Thursday June 26th It has rained pretty much all day although there have been fine and sunny spaces between the showers. Dad. and I went out to set out some cabbage & tomato plants this morning but a big shower drove us in before we got much done. Marion came out to tell us that Aunty and Aunty Alice were over here. They stayed to dinner Dess had been down with a letter she received from Dick saying that he was in Toronto but would be unable https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/de550be67f34dbeeee3278b132f43144.pdf 1beb56c47e45dc597a545de1084c2b22 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to reach home, he was afraid before Monday as he couldn't get his discharge right away. After dinner Dad. drove Aunty & Aunty Alice back down town and a big storm came up while <s>they</s> he was gone. I sat around and read and slept till it cleared off and then went out and worked a little more at the perennial border and Marion and I weeded out some more of the roses till it was time to go and get the cows. I went down to band concert to-night and all the rest were down town too. George, Enah and Marion were up at Ada's for awhile. Friday June 27th When Dad. went back for the cows this morning he found the whole bunch as well as the colts in on the oats. They had broken one of the bars and knocked the other one down. I went back with him after breakfast and helped him drive the colts out. When we came up we hooked up Pommers and old Harry and started plowing a piece along the road from in the sheep pasture for rape. He went very well and we plowed most of the day. Frank, George and Marion picked the strawberries this morning and picked 28 baskets. Frank set out the rest of the tomato and cabbage plants. Enah went down town this after noon I think to see if Mrs. Wilson wanted Mexico, but Clare Herring told her that Mrs. Wilson had gone to Toronto and left her dog here and he was amusing himself eating up the neighbor's chickens. To-night I went up to the Presbyterian strawberry social at Jack McBrides. The band I think walked up from town and I walked from here. They were about half through playing the second piece when I arrived. We were well fed and had a good time. I got a ride home with Frank & Jennie Wards. He was just starting to take her home when I came out the gate. I sent my horn down town with Pud. Slocombe. When I got home I found all the family in bed but Enah & Marion the latter was writing letters. I brought up some cider and cookies and after Enah left us and Marion finished her correspondence, she and I sat and read Omar Khayyam till Frank arrived. Very much cooler. Saturday June 28th The cattle were all in on the oats again this morning and I went back with Dad. and put them out. They had broken down a panel of fence over by the woods. George Frank and Marion went back and fixed it after breakfast. Dad. and I finished ploughing the rape ground and Dad. worked https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8aa272da76f764b08cd38cb446ba97a3.pdf ab53c163102c9e1e740bd42473aaee5c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. it down this afternoon. He also harrowed over the old garden back of the shop and sowed corn on it with the drill. I drove Aunty & Aunty Alice up to the cemetry this after noon and to-night went down to see Marj. Lovely day. When I got home to-night I was quite surprised <s>Sunday</s> to find Dad. talking to Dick in the kitchen the rest had all gone to bed. I thought as Dick didnt come up on the train he wouldn't be here but he came with Ade and a Mr. Meddlin in Ade's car. He has to go back to-morrow as he didn't get his discharge. I guess from all accounts they had lively times here to-night. Ade brought up a bottle of whiskey & one of port wine and they had finished a flask or so on the way up and on coming into the house. Mr. Meddlin began to to feel his oats. They all had a glass of wine around to celebrate Dick's homecoming and then one to celebrate Peace as the treaty was signed to-day although no body took much notice of it. Mr. Meddlin passed a glass of wine across the table to some one and George rescued it from going down the lamp chimney, then he (Meddlin) kissed Enah a couple of times telling her she shouldn't mind as he had brought her boy home. I guess she didn't. To wind up with as they were going out to the car he fell over himself and just about cracked his "bean." Sunday June 29th Ade and his pal were over before we were through milking this morning. They had been up since half past four and had had a swim and breakfast at Hec's then as no one down town was up came over here. Every thing here was in such a state of commotion owing to Dick's arrival home that none of us got down to church but just sat around and enjoyed life. I went down to Aunty's at twelve o'clock for dinner but they hadn't got home from church at half past twelve and as they told me to be at the band room at one o'clock I had some bread and butter and left without seeing them. I needn't have been so rushed as we didn't leave the band room till half past one and led the Oddfellows up Main St. in time to catch the two o'clock car. We all boarded the car and got off at Anderson's crossing walking from there over to the cemetry. The Oddfellows got all their graves decorated in time to catch the four o'clock car and we played hymns https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5170600c5bae7b6b2cc9ee545e7e0cef.pdf fdc0220698ca5ea94fda037e3cb42649 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. while they were at it. I went over to the Monteith's as soon as we finished playing down town and got Marj. to come over to tea. We didn't get over till about six o'clock as we had to stop at Aunty's & Miss McQueen's for Marj. to say good-bye. She is going to the St. Catherines, Ridley College, Summer school to-morrow on the two car. Dick went back to Toronto at four o'clock to-day hoping to get his discharge to-morrow. We were rather late getting the chores done and the Millman family all came over in Ade's car just before tea. After tea Frank wanted to print some pictures so we all helped him but Marj. and I went home fairly early. It has been a very nice day & cool. Monday June 30th Dad. and I cultivated the mangels and potatoes in the field this morning and spent most of the after noon hoeing in the old garden. Frank went down town this morning to see about getting ladders for the rack. He left the pattern down with Reynolds months ago but they have never been finished. Reynolds told him he told Emery to make them Saturday, but Emery hadn't showed up this morning, he thought he was decorating Bert Thompson's car for tomorrow's parade. Frank mowed half of the field east of the orchard this after noon. We have decided to leave the field back of the barn for alsike. I went down to band practice to-night. Dick came in to Aunty's while I was there. He had just got in at eight o'clock and had his discharge in his pocket. He was a tickled boy. On my way home I stopped in and Quint and Hazel Dunkin were there Hazel was staying there all night. He had ridden down from Vittoria this after noon and was wearing riding breeches & putties and looked like the devil. Tuesday July 1st I spent most of the morning polishing my horn and the rest of the family doing chores and getting ready for a picnic down at the beach. Dick went down fairly early with Dad. and George, Marion and Enah went down a little later driving Mexico. Frank and I went down at noon. We had a fine spread just below Sovereens cottage, but I couldn't stay long as they told me to be at the band room at one o'clock. I spent the rest of the day with the band. We played for an hour or so on the bandstand and then went out for about half an hour on the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/afe06ab6a30b1baad0927cb9fb263cd1.pdf ab7e6718164440c0042f4b720a63f4bf PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. "City of Dover". From there we went up to Buck's park and played one piece there before tea. I had tea at Aunty's and we spent the evening playing in Orchard Beach park. Nothing very exciting happened to-day. There was the usual run of sports, a baby show on the bandstand being the only think a little out of the ordinary. They had about 30 babies entered in it. Mrs. Percy Millman had hers there and asked me to hold it for her which I did for awhile. Chris Quanbury's baby took 1st prize. It was just hot enough to-day to bring the crowd in but not uncomfortable. I went over for a few minutes while we were waiting for the boat to see Alan & Dick Tibbits and Quint. Alan said they had had their bathing houses full up all the after noon. Quint only got his booth about half built and his ice cream didn't come but he seemed to be doing a good business selling soft drinks and cigarettes. Pete Holmes new casino opened to-day. <s>Tuesday</s> Wednesday July 2nd Frank was down town nearly all morning getting the rack fixed up and the new ladder put on. I raked up the hay that was cut and Dad cocked up. We both cocked up all the after noon and Frank cut the other half of the field. Enah drove George and Marion down to the station this morning and saw them off. They both seemed to hate to go and we were all very sorry to see them leave. This morning at breakfast we all found a little bottle of grape juice at our plates with an appropriate verse from Omar Khayyam in Marion's writing on each bottle, after we had emptied them I filled hers and mine up with hard cider and she took hers and I put mine away "Till we meet again". Dick has been down town all day ordering new clothes. Thursday July 3rd Dad. and I finished or nearly finished cocking up what was raked by noon and this after noon we started hauling in. Dick & Frank pitched on and I loaded. We got two loads in the barn from that field and then hauled in what was cocked up in the field we are leaving for alsike, about half a load there. We had it up by five o'clock and then I went back for the cows while the others pitched it off in the horse stable. Aunty & Aunty Alice were over to dinner. I was at band concert to-night https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c9c405ec1ba6cb637d1d34a7f3364528.pdf ac0491927bfdca91c6ff738ad81b974d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday July 4th We got out fairly early this morning and had one load on by about half past eight. We left in on the waggon till noon and I took the team and raked up what was cut. When I finished raking, Dad. and I took the load up and then cocked up. We finished cocking up by soon after dinner as there were the four of us at it. When we finished cocking up we started hauling again and got in three more loads and put them off. Dick went down town to-night and Frank went out to see Bill Sidway. He says he is improving very slowly. Saturday July 5th We established a record for ourselves to-day in hauling hay. We got out soon after seven and hauled in nine loads to-day and had the last one in the barn by about half past six. We would have had another in but the big rope broke again this morning where Lew Brock sliced it last year and that delayed us for some time. Frank found it would take too long to splice it again so we used the rope Roy sent up last fall. It is an older rope and not so big as our own but seems to work satisfactorily. It was about twice too long so we cut it. There are still about two or three loads left in the field. The boys went down town to-night but I didn't go. I intended to go for a swim after it got dark but I went to sleep and slept till too late. Hot. Sunday July 6th Frank and I and Tid. went to Sunday school and church this morning and Dad. and Enah went down to church. Dad. stayed down at Aunty's to dinner & for the after noon but Enah came home. I went down right after dinner with my horn as the band gave a sacred concert in the park to celebrate the peace thanksgiving which was appointed for to-day. I came home with Dad. about five o'clock after stopping in for a few minutes at Aunty's to see Louise who came up Friday. I slept most of the evening. Frank went down to Ward's and Dick has been down town all day. Cloudy and very much cooler all day. Monday July 7th Frank started cutting the 12 acres across the gully https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a51d37b5b57a2ac6d9ba5c555755fca3.pdf 3bee1fb1e1fbae1f5a72ecbb3616636d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. this morning and has been cutting all day. He raked up what he cut this morning before he quit to night. The cattle were in on the oats again this morning and Dad. had to fix the fence where they got in first thing this morning. I did a few odd jobs around here and then went out and started to eat & trim the mangels. Dad. came out with Belle before I got one line done and I helped him cultivate the mangels and part of the potatoes before dinner. Broadley was here for a long time to-day so Dad. didn't get out very early. I went back with Frank at noon as he took the rake back and wanted some help to get through the gates and then I started at the mangles again till Dad was ready to bring Belle out, then we finished cultivating the potatoes and went over to the garden and cultivated everyt hing we could there. Aunty was over at noon to help celebrate Dad's birthday. Dick went down with her after dinner to post a letter to McNab, his old bank manager out West, who wrote him the other day wanting him to come back at $1000 a year. Dick doesn't want to go back just yet. Soon after they left Dess came over and stayed till about 5 o'clock, then as Dick didn't come back she went down again. She evidently missed him down there for Dick. came home about seven o'clock having had his tea at Aunty's. He rode Frank's wheel back down town but didn't stay long. I went down to band practice to-night. We had a lot of new music and Ed. wasn't there. On my way home I met Cousin Clare escorted by Alan Tibbitts and Totie. Smith. They had been down at Aunty's. Totie informed me that there was some cake left so I went down and found Quint there demolishing the last piece of cherry pie and making alarming inroads into a chocolate cake, but I was in time to check his advance and save a couple of pieces. He had brought down a lot of sweet cherries from home so Aunty Alice give me some to bring home as I approached home I could hear great revelry and found the family engaged in song & dance in the parlor. The Shands had been here. Very nice day sunny but cool. Tuesday July 8th Frank went back this morning and continued to cut till about eleven o'clock when he broke the pitman rod on the mower and had to stop. He went up to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4504e82bd4702624faa2a36e0bb088ca.pdf 2bf29de2b1363df27b0e392f6493ed2e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Simcoe on the 12 o'clock car and got a new one and also got Joe Howell to fix the old one, but he didn't get home in time to do any more cutting to-day. Dad. Dick and I wemt back this morning and cocked up what Frank raked yesterday. This after noon we hauled in what was left in the field east of the orchard and did it in two loads, but for some reason or other it took us about all the after noon. Getting it out of the little gully made it harder pitching and harder loading. Then the lift jammed once in the car but I got it loose by getting over on it and prying the latch off the gate. Cool day. Wednesday July 9th We took the rack to the back field this morning and brought a load up with us at noon. I raked all that was fit and Dad. & Dick cocked up. Frank fixed the pitman rod on the mower and after I finished raking, cut a few more rounds. This after noon we put off the load we hauled up and then went back and cocked up and Frank finished cutting. We didn't get back very early as we had to change the pulley to the other end of the barn and that delayed us a little. We brought up another load to-night. Louise came over here to dinner. Jim brought her over with the mail. Enah drove her down with Mexico this after noon. She can't walk very far yet since having the Flu. Dick Tibbitts was over for awhile at noon. He had some papers for Dad to sign. We three boys went for a swim at the bridge to-night. Fine and cool. Thursday July 10th We all went back this morning and Frank finished raking and then helped us cock up. We got it all up in cock by about eleven. Chris Quanbury came after Dad to go and look at Jack's lambs. One died yesterday and they thought two more were sick, they were not though Dad. said and the one that died had a big wool ball in its stomach which Dad. found when he opened it. This after noon I went up to Ham Thompson's to see a poultry culling demonstration. Ushay from the College was down and showed how to pick out the hens that hadn't layed much during the winter & spring by their yellow legs. Dad. and the boys got in two loads while I was gone but it was very windy and consequently hard to pitch https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7fd58b931282add8f5b67f74d0ce9253.pdf 5baa49b28541f96235b8cddba91d88fe PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Ham. has a new hay loader and I drove the team for them while it put on one load. It took it up right up out of the swath as clean as a rake would. I went down to band concert to-night but the lights were so bad that we couldn't play more than about three pieces, however we went up to the band room and had a practice. Cool & windy. Friday July 11th We hauled hay all day off the back field and got in five loads. Frank loaded and I helped Dad. or Dick pitch on. We have about all the {illegible} of it now and put it in the barn, we will put the rest in the horse stable. Tom. told Dad. this morning that Reynold's drugstore was burned to the ground last night or at least this morning between three & four o'clock. He said the Orangemen had a meeting up above there last night so Dad. said of course they would be blamed for it as Taylor & Reynolds are both catholics. In spite of the high wind they saved all the houses near from the fire but the Chinese laundry shack was squashed flat when the wall of the store fell Dick spent the evening writing to various lady friends, he seems to have them in a string reaching half way round the earth now. Enah and Tid drove Mexico down to view the remains of the drugstore. Very cool. Saturday July 12th We hauled in all the hay from the back field in five loads to-day, the last load was a small one. The first load we put off in the barn but Dad. changed the car and we put the other four in the horse stable loft. It was a little after six when we got the last load off and then we went out and brought in the six cocks that were left at the end of the orchard, so that we have no cut hay our for our Sunday. Dick and Frank both walked down town to-night and I think went to the dance and I drove Queen down and back fast for exercise. Cloudy & quite cool. Looks a little like rain. Sunday July 13th Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning and the rest all came down to church except Frank who went back to the side hill field to hunt sow thistle. Mr. Johnson was away and a Mr. Tillet I think his name was took the service. He has lately come from Serbia and was appealing for https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f8af8ba8f88dc8a27714fc5f7bbaa871.pdf 7943ec5c349ce1e4cb463dcb3e4c9638 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the Serbian relief fund. He was a very poor speaker and looked any thing but starved as he says every one in Serbia is but made it clear that the kids over there were in pretty distressing straits and I think got quite a boodle for the fund. Dick and I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and I spent the whole after noon there visiting with Aunty, Aunty Alice & Louise. I came home in time to help do chores. Enah went down to tea and to play the organ to-night. Mr. Farney preached but Mr. Johnson got home in time to take the service. Dad. & Tid walked down after tea and came home with Enah & Frank went out to Bill Sidway's with some books. Very hot & dry, wind to-day. Monday July 14th Dad. and I spent most of the morning grinding mower knives but I went out about eleven and started to weed and thin mangels. I was at it all the after noon and to-night have four rows finished one was nearly done when I started. Frank cut the thistles in the orchard this morning and was delayed a little by one of the ledger plates springing and catching a section. This after noon he cut hay, timothy out east of the old garden. Dad. spent most of the after noon cutting thistles with the scythe along the fence in the corner field. Aunty was over for a few minutes before dinner with some raspberries they had picked down home. Dick was down town all the after noon and in bed all morning. Old Broadley was here for a long time at noon. This is his last trip. I went down to band practice to-night and went down to Pete Holmes casino afterwards where I found Dick & Quint. Frank was down town too and I had promised to meet him & go for a swim about half past eleven but when I got there we was in. I then waited for about half an hour for Dick and then went in just as he came. Cloudy & cool. Tuesday July 15th It rained a little spatter early this morning so as the alsike was tough enough to work at Frank cut for an hour or two this morning and then raked up the hay he <s>raked</s> cut yesterday. Dad. and I thinned out a few more mangels. This after noon Frank cut the rest of the hay between the old oat stubble and the ditch. Dad. Dick and I cocked up what he raked this morning. I went over to Jacks after we got it https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f668f52aaedd2cd4939110b6a3a99092.pdf 85595d9fa4b506ea04822bc5a5e853c1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. cocked up and borrowed a crate to ship some broilers. I thought I would have about a crate full but when Dad. and I caught them to-night I only got 13 that I thought were worth taking. Enah took Tid down to a picnic that Aunty had to-day for Mrs. Browne & the two kids. Enah went down after him again to-night. Quite cool and fresh breeze. Wednesday July 16th I took my broilers over to Jack's first thing this morning and left them for Jack Walker to call for. I shipped them to Mallen instead of Waller, Chris said he was pretty good. Frank finished cutting the alsike this morning and then raked up the rest of the hay that was cut. We ran the binder out and Frank cleaned it all up ready to start on the wheat this after noon. He cut this after noon but didn't quite finish. Dad. Dick and I cocked hay this morning and part of the after noon and when we finished started to shock up. Dick and I went down and got our hair cut to-night and then went with Dess down to Pete Holmes casino. I had one dance with Dess as I only had five cents and then I went over to Quint's shack and spent the rest of the evening with him getting home about twelve. Dad. announced his intention of calling us at four o'clock to-morrow to bunch up alsike and as I knew that if I once went to bed I would hate to get up at four so thought I would go at it while I was awake. I stuck at it till about half past two but finally got so tired and cold I had to come in. I went to sleep on the sofa with my clothes on. Omar Khayyam swallowed a rubber baloon & died to-day. Thursday July 17th Frank and Dad. went out at four o'clock this morning and bunched up a lot more alsike but I slept in till half past five. After the dew was off Dad. & Frank went through and pulled all the sourdock out of the alsike they could find and I shocked up the wheat that was cut. Frank came out about eleven and cut the rest of the wheat and Dad. & I shocked it up we got through a little after twelve. Dick, Frank and I hauled in a couple of loads of hay from east of the old garden this after noon and put it in the horse stable. Dad. cleaned out the bull pen. We all went down to the band concert to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/26b65c4804d053ad6d70f7759776bff3.pdf ac0d13702051f283339a0af7902fcaa0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday July 15th Frank went out last night after he got home and raked up all the alsike. Dad went out at four o'clock and bunched a lot of it and we all worked at it after breakfast till we got it done. It didn't shell very badly after it was dry. We hauled in one load before dinner but didn't put it off. This after noon we hauled in four more and put them off over the granary. Frank and I drove Queen out to Bill Sidway's to-night to take him a {husk?} he doesn't seem to be improving very fast. We got home about dark and then Frank, Dick and I went for a swim. It was fine. Fine day. Saturday July 19th We hauled in four more loads of alsike this morning besides a jag of couch grass which we threw in the bottom of the bay. We put all that we hauled this morning in the bay. This after noon we three boys went down town, the band played in the park as this was proclaimed a holiday by the King to celebrate peace. There was a big crowd in town but they were all down at the lake. I stayed down at Aunty's for tea. I recived a cheque for my broilers at 40 cts per lb. Sunday July 20th Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. & Enah went down to church. Huby and I took up the collection. Dad. & Enah stayed down town this after noon Enah & Tid stayed to tea and Dad. drove down after church for them, he came home at six and helped me do chores. Frank Dick and I had dinner to-gether and then Dick went down town but Frank and I stayed home all after noon. Monday July 21st We finished hauling the alsike in two loads this morning and then hauled two loads of wheat before dinner, but as we pulled in the barn with the second load it began to rain quite hard so we didn't get any more in to-day. This after noon I started down town to get my money order cashed but Dick overtook me on the wheel so I sent it down with him and I came home. Frank Dad and I cleaned up some oats as we want to put our next years seed away now as there will probably not be much next Spring. Old Alex Ross came in about five o'clock to see again https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0bbeed35600751612b1e8f038ad54d3f.pdf 85515f38628c953cb44f3aa6e5e8fca3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. about pasture for his horse and as he said his brother J.C. Ross from Jarvis was down town Dad. thought I had better drive down and ask him if he could tell us what was causing the wool to come off our sheep. I saw him but he couldn't tell me, he said it was like scab but with it they are itchy. I took my horn down, stayed at Aunty's for tea and went to band practice to-night. Dick was down there for tea too. Tuesday July 22nd It was still too wet to do any hauling this morning so Frank, Dick & I cleaned up some more oats and then put what we had cleaned through again so we think now we have enough for seed cleaned up. Dad. picked blackcurrants and hoed in the garden. This after noon we hauled in the rest of the wheat in three loads one of them a small one. To-night Dick & I drove Queen up to Buter's and I got my book & brushes. It was half past eight & just dark when we got there and Willard & his brother were coming in with a load of alsike. The two of them have taken off 95 acres of hay & alsike and have their whole 150 acres in crop. Frank rode his wheel up to Kelly's Wednesday July 23rd We hauled in the rest of the hay about four loads all but about 12 cocks from east of the old garden and we hauled one load of alsike from out there, there is also a little of it left. We put the hay in the horse stable and pitched the alsike off in the old barn. The bluegrass was hard to pitch and it took a long time to put on a load. Cruikshank & Harris, district agent for Massey Harris were in for about an hour after dinner trying to sell Dad. a fertilizer disc drill. Dad. said he wouldn't take a chance on it but Frank could if he liked so Frank signed their agreement. He is to pay $55 next March and $100 a year from then. To-night Frank rode Mexico down Mud. St. and Dick and I took some milk and cream down to Aunty's and then went for a swim. Thursday July 25th Frank started to cut the rest of the stuff out east of the old garden this morning but had a breakdown with the mower so didn't get any cut. Dad. cultivated the potatoes with Belle amd I thinned at the mangels all day, Dad. helping me this after noon. Dick had a headache this https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7cdd6dd21808b896b64ffa8eb6ad04f7.pdf 63c508be67043368e2ee2a86550ebfb0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. morning but got some stuff down town to fix it up. After dinner he and Frank went over to thrash at Jack's, they are thrashing out of the field so they had to take the team. Dad went over about 4.30 and took Dick's place and Dick went down town for tea. Karl. Coleman was over this after noon to look at Kate and was to make a dicker with Frank for her. I went down to band concert to-night. This being my birthday Aunty, Aunty Alice & Cousin Clare came over to dinner. I got a pair of low shoes, a shirt, a neck tie, a wash rag, a film and the "Literary Digest" for a year. Looked stormy and has been a hot dry wind. Friday July 25th I went over to Jack's this morning with Frank & the team and pitched on two or three loads till Dick came over then I went back and thinned more mangels. Dick & Frank have been thrashing all day and finished to-night Jack had 540 bushels from about 20 acres which was better than we thought judging from the fields near the road. I slept for about an hour this after noon & then Dad. and I went out and finished thinning the mangels & turnips. We then took a walk over to Art. Quanbury's to see if his sheep were affected with the same skin disease or whatever it is that ours are but they seemed to be alright. We thought if they were affected we could attribute it to the dip, but we can't make out at all what it is. We brought the cows up with us on our way home. Saturday July 26th Frank had to go down to Ryerse's to thrash this morning and has been down there all day. I put in most of the day hoeing potatoes but took a grist to the mill this morning and went after it again this after noon. Dad. helped me hoe potatoes and put the woodshed screen door on. Dick went down town this after and he and Dess went to Simcoe and stayed all night. It rained a little last night and they say hailed big stones out at Roy Hammonds. Sunday July 27th Frank Tid and I went to Sunday school and Dad. & Enah drove down to church. Tid. and I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and Tid stayed there all the after noon & to tea playing with Rebecca as she and Roy came up with the Millman's last night. I came home soon after https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cd55724b18dff15d3dc3de91254d3ac7.pdf 2a1d75df396059201e827241ff67bd04 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. dinner and found Dad. and Enah asleep and Frank had gone down to the Cave with Lila, they stayed to tea down at the Ward's. Roy came over to the Woodsons with me and later came over here and stayed to tea Enah drove him home with Mexico about dark and brought Tid. back with her. Very hot & very windy. Monday July 28th Frank cut hay out by the side road all morning and Dad. and I hoed potatoes. This after noon Frank started to rake the hay and leave the patches of alsike. I went out when I thought he had enough raked to cock up but the wind was so strong I couldn't do any thing with it so I came back and started to hoe the potatoes. Dad. took the buggy down town after dinner as he thought one of the axles was sprung. He noticed it the other night when I was driving out and told me that the wheels didn't track. He took it to Joe Howell's and had him come out and look at it while Joe was trying to figure out what was the matter Alan Law who was in the shop burst forth in a loud peel of merriment and informed Dad that the wheels were changed and sure enough that proved to be the case, some one to play a trick, had changed the front and hind wheel on the offside and we had never discovered it it. I suppose it has been done when Frank had it at the garden party awhile ago. About five o'clock Dad. Enah and Tid started off for Charlotteville to pick Huckleberries as they had a card the other day from George Broadley inviting them up. Frank and I got the chores done up fairly well and then I went down to band practice. Aunt Nancy died last night. Aunt Ida is back. Tuesday July 29th Frank and I got up after five this morning and went out to see what we could do with the alsike patches. There was no dew but the stuff was tough. He decided to rake it up and I bunched a little and then went after the cows. Frank cooked some breakfast and went out to mow right after but I did chores in the house and barn. I washed up all the dishes and the seperator made the bed and swept out the kitchen. This took me the biggest part of the morning and then I went out to cock up but the wind was so strong I couldn't so I picked out some of the sour dock. Frank had to go thrashing down at Sam Law's this after noon so I took Harry & Queen and went out to finish https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ab61de9ed2f66ee8614640f4c1765a16.pdf 1923f5171d82260cab27f6b472c340b9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. mowing but spent most of the after noon tinkering with the mower. The brass boxing on the crank shaft got hot and I took it off a couple of times and then the knives gummed up so that I had to change them and had a very annoying time during which I said several bad words, and just got the thing ready to cut when the whistle blew, as I didn't know but what I would have to do all the chores alone I quit and went up but just as I got the team put away Dad. Enah & Tid got home. They had had a not altogether enjoyable trip, but got quite a lot of huckleberries. I guess Broadley's hospitality although genuine was very Charlottevillian and Mrs. Broadley or Rachel as Broadley proudly calls her is much fonder of plowing and working in the bush than she is of housekeeping. They were not the only guests for the night as Mr. & Mrs. Ed. Billington were also taking shelter under the same roof. Mrs. Billington used to be a Brook, Law's sister. Tid was sick all day and went to bed as soon as he got home and didn't wake up all evening. Dick was down town all after noon. Wednesday July 30th Frank went out before breakfast this morning while the alsike was tough and raked up all the hay & alsike that was cut. Dad, Frank, Dick and I cocked up all morning. This after noon Frank finished cutting and Dad, Dick & I cocked up. Then Dick & Frank went up and Frank brought the waggon out and when we <s>put</s> finished cocking up we put on a load and put it off in the horse stable. Dick went down town as he had an invitation to go to Simcoe with Helen Anderson and a party in the car. Cool and cloudy all day. Thursday July 31st It began to rain early this morning and rained steadily but quietly nearly all morning and part of the after noon. I helped Frank sharpen the binder & mower knives but spent most of the day reading writing and drawing. Frank tinkered around and put a board on the step of the woodshed door to keep the flies from coming under the screen. Dick spent the morning in bed and went down town this after noon. It stopped raining to-night but didn't clear off very well but we had a good band concert. I went around after it to the Barwell's to call for Aunty Alice who was there playing bridge. Huby moved down to the Tom Law house to-day. Bob got back from the West to-night. Mary Hodge is also home from France. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/940daff0feef66d3273db469263135c6.pdf 028e81ec159ff7c5bc65ee839fd77d99 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday August 1st It was too wet to work at the hay to-day so Dad. & Frank hauled out manure all day. Dick and I went back to set the fence posts across the side hill field from the woods to the gully as we want to get the cattle in where we cut the hay off as soon as possible. The ground was so hard we couldn't make much impression on it with the post auger but got one post set. We then went over to John Wess's to borrow his spud to loosen up the hard clay and were over there till noon, but this after noon we made better progress by using the spud and I think got six posts set. To-night Dick and I went down town as I wanted to try on a pair of low shoes at Caley's but they were closed up so we decided to go to the show. We were just a little early for the second show so went over to Pete Holmes where we ran across Bob & Dess, so we took them to the show with us. It was "The Heart of Humanity" a war picture showing just Canadian troops. It was very good but very sad and depicted some horrible examples of German brutality. Roy Dell was with us and could tell us about the places, such as Vimy Ridge Saturday August 2nd Tupper was in the other night and promised to come over and help us haul hay when we got ready so Frank went over last night to ask him to come to-day, we also got Jack to send Hanselman over and we put in quite a day hauling with two teams. We got all the hay in that was cut but there is still the alsike two or three loads out yet. We hauled in nine loads, which wasn't too bad, as we didn't start early or work late and the bluegrass is very slow to pitch being so short and heavy. Tupper took in too big a load once and broke the hoist rope a pulley and banged the end of the barn out. The boys went down town to-night. Cool and cloudy. Sunday August 3rd Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and the rest all came down to church. Dick Tid and I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and Aunty persuaded me to go up and see Miss Battersby after dinner to thank her for the wash rag she made me. I came home with Tid. about three o'clock and just as we got here we found Jim & Mrs. Waddle about to take Dad. & Enah for a joyride in their new https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4c671787834e35240a0a02c7b3323ba9.pdf bfa73985a2bc1ea82e7f0b345782bf9b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. car, so Tid went with them but I declined an invitation to go. Dad. didn't enjoy it much, they went way up into Charlotteville and very nearly collided with another fellow which scared them all prettty badly. They got home about five. It has been quite cool and rather cloudy. Monday August 4th First thing this morning Frank braced the plank in the peak of the big barn that has the gate on the track in it as he thought it being unbraced had some thing to do with the loads sticking. Dad. and I had to hold the ladder for him and it took quite awhile. Sam's whistle blew over at Pickford's before we finished and Frank and Dick went over there to thrash. Bruce Smith came in, in his new "Fliver" and we went back to the gully to look at Snowdrop. We brought her up and Bruce felt in her mouth and found a long tooth but they couldn't do anything without more instruments. It was nearly noon when he left. Byron & Fred Johnson were over here to dinner. We sat around for quite awhile after dinner talking to them and then Dad. and I put off the load of hay that was on the barn floor and went after a load of alsike. Dick and Frank got home from Pickford's in time to help us put it off and Dad. Frank and I went out after another load which we didn't put off. I went down to band practice to-night. There were not many out and Ed. & Harry Moon got into a quarrel over the town waterworks question and Ed. got mad and left saying he wouldn't sit and play with a man that talked such nonsense as Harry did. Ed. had been down at the meeting of the Board & Trade & Council and was pretty riled when he came up and when Harry started in to defend the Council for not doing any thing to hold the by-law for putting in the waterworks Ed. couldn't stand it. Frank and I came home to-gether we found Dick up and all indulged in some hard cider. Tuesday August 5th Dick has been down town all day, he went down to get his tooth fixed. Dad. Frank and I put off the load of alsike that was on the barn floor and brought another load in which was the last and which we left on the barn floor. Frank then started to cut the stuff on the old oat https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e2369af59648ff89bdf2987f9b8908b1.pdf 5450dd417c19bc72c432dae93e95246c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. stubble and finished it this after noon. It is no good mostly weeds but we are shy of feed so will save it. Dad. and I hoed the strawberries and then Arthur Preston came over and as it began to rain a little he and I spent the after noon in the drive house discussing various subjects, and he tried to convert me to his rather radical prohibition ideas. Dad. cut some thistles and went over to Martin's to return the ladder he borrowed. Didn't rain. Wednesday August 6th Frank raked up the stuff he cut yesterday, this morning I took the buggy over to John Evans this morning to see if he could set the tires and tighten the reins. He said he could but was too busy now but would do it if I would bring it over Monday. I then caught the ten o'clock car and went to Simcoe to see {Slaght?}. He advised me to make an offer of $2000 for Bronzie, which I decided to do after coming home and consulting Dad. and Aunty Alice. It is a pretty steep price but I need the place. This after noon Dad. Frank and I cocked up but didn't finish. Frank and I went down town to-night and went for a swim. Dick has been down all day. Very hot and looks rainy. Thursday August 7th We finished cocking up the hay this morning and then put off the load of alsike that was on the barn floor. It was too late to get in any hay before dinner but we hauled in four loads this after noon but didn't unload the last one. To-night I went down to band concert. Ed. was back on the job all right. Very hot and very windy to-day. Friday August 8th We hauled in three more loads of hay this morning and Dick helped us mow it away, there were just five more sling lifts out there besides one load of clover seed which seemed pretty well filled. We put the hay in with out much mowing and left the clover seed on the waggon in the old barn, we brought in some sival grass for bedding. Aunty & Rebecca came over this morning and Enah drove them home this evening. Frank ordered a ton of Basic Slag to try on the wheat this fall. Very cool and windy. Saturday August 9th Dad. Enah and Tid all struck off for Simcoe this morning Th had dinner with Mrs. Frank Bowlby and Louise https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/794e49f56395f50ee694e485496521ff.pdf b5a91ad57c0a4af2565340a151f8fae0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and this after noon took in the circus getting home about six o'clock. They said it was a good show and they had a fine time. Frank and I put in the whole day burning the old grass and weeds out around the old garden and went all over the field from the lane to the road and to the gully. We had to watch it carefully in the old timothy stubble as it ran very fast. Dick spent the morning in bed and then went down town. Frank and I went down to-night and I got a pair of shoes at Andrew's. Quite cold to-day. Sunday August 10th Frank Tim and I went down to Sunday school and Enah drove Mexico down to church. Rev. Ralph Moon preached but Mr. Johnson was there too. I stayed at Auntys for dinner and this after noon went with the band down to Kitchen's point where we gave a little concert mostly sacred to quite a large crowd, there is a big crowd mostly country people down there every Sunday after noon. I didn't get home till nearly six as Mr. Zealand showed Uncle Ward and me all over his place. Enah went down to play the organ to-night and Ed. Moon came over here and spent the evening. Cool but nice. Monday August 11th I went back after the cows this morning and found five of them over in Ivey's and had a bad time getting them out. After breakfast I took the buggy over to Evan's with Mexico and was over there all morning while he tightened the spokes and set the tires. Dad. and Frank cut the oats on the side hill and as they didn't want to leave till they could bring the binder up, we didn't have dinner till about two o'clock. This after noon I felt very tough with a sore throat and cold in my head so went to sleep on the sofa till tea time and went to bed right after tea. Frank went down to the mill with some oats for chop. To-night Dad. Enah & Tid. drove down town to take Aunty Alice's milk down. Cloudy & cool. Tuesday August 12th We put off the load of clover seed this morning, put a new reach in the waggon and Dad. and Frank hauled up a jag of oats before dinner and got the rest after dinner. There was barely one full sized load but they were quite heavy. I haven't done much all day, my throat is better but my head is water logged. Dad. Enah & Tid went down to the James' for tea this being {Eliss?} wedding anniversary. Frank went out to Bill Sidway's to-night. Cool & looked stormy. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/30d1e11b4f203454fa9f9b46360de966.pdf d5731d6c61c76a1cd018f63ea1cf15f6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday August 13th Dad. Frank and I went back this morning and started to put up the old fence along the woods that has been down in the grass ever since we came over here. We found that most of it was good enough when put up on trees and stakes to turn cattle but in spots it was rusted out too badly to be any good and one place it was cut. Dad. felt very miserable all morning and this afternoon he didn't go out of the house. Frank and I went back after dinner and put up nearly all of the fence that was any good but we quit at four o'clock as Frank had to get ready to go down to Dave Ward's and take Jennie out to Quanbury's to a meeting of the Moonlight Riding Club. Dick came over to tell me that the band was going down to Nanticoke to a garden party but I thought my cold was still too bad to go so went to bed. Thursday August 14th It was very late this morning when we went back to work at our fence as it looked a little rainy and consequently we didn't finish it by noon but had about an hour's work after dinner, we opened the fence into the gully but didn't drive the cattle into their new pasture as we thought they would roam to the extreme limits of it and give us too long a tramp after theem. When we finished back there we put up a few posts along the top of the field east of the orchard and as soon as we can get a fence up there we will let the sheep in in that field. There was a picnic from Dover in Nanticoke this after noon and the band went down but I didn't go nor I didn't go down to band concert to-night although I guess I could have all right. Louise and Winnie were over here to tea and Enah drove them down after and went with them to the picture show. Friday August 15th Dad. and I went back this morning expecting to find the cows in their new pasture but instead found that they had broken the gully fence into the oats and tramped right through them to John Wess's line. Dad. went back after breakfast and fixed it up and put them in on the clover while Frank and I hauled manure. Then Dad. helped Frank at that and I spent the rest of the day getting the posts and wire ready to put along the top of the field east of the orchard for the sheep Dad. helped me put the wire up while Frank pitched https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/53a7dec81b27219edbc5aea8af6aee20.pdf 44d078cbc1a96d0ecda4f55d5ec36e62 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. on the last few loads alone. He hauled out 20 loads to-day Dad. and I didn't get the wire stretched very well but as long as it doesn't go right flat I think it will turn the sheep. It has been quite hot to-day. Dad. feels punk. Saturday August 16th Frank and I hauled manure all day but only got out about 17 loads. Niel Eliot was in for awhile this morning and Frank went back with him to show him Kate but he said she wasn't in shape yet to buy. This after noon we were driven in but quite a heavy thunder shower and it kept on raining pretty much till dark. Dad. has felt very miserable and weak to-day and has not been out of the house all day. Frank went down town to-night. Sunday August 17th We were greatly surprised this morning to find George in bed with Dick. He came up last night and came over with Frank after I was asleep. Ed. Turner has got him a good job as draughtsman on the Welland Canal. Dad. drove Tid and me down to Sunday school and the boys all came down to church. Dick and I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and I went with band and played sacred music in Powell park this after noon. George & Frank were down this after noon but came to tea and for the eveing I went down to see Quint for a few minutes and he gave me some ice cream to bring home. Pretty warm to-day, breeze. Monday August 18th Frank and I hauled manure to-day but only got out 13 loads as the rain this morning delayed us so that we only hauled 4 loads out before dinner. It rained again this after noon but not till we were just about to quit. I went down to band practice to-night so we quit at five. Dad. felt better to-day and he and Tid. went down to cut Aunty Alice's oats but they didn't get them cut on account of the rain. Quint took them out for a ride in his motor boat and they got home just in time for Dad. to help me milk. Some garden thief has been very active this last week, about 100 hills of potatoes were dug out of Ed. Moon's garden up on Main St and a lot of beets and carrots were taken from Mrs. Battersby's and Uncle Ward's gardens on Saturday night. Frank drove George down this morning and he got off on the 6.30 G.T.R. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/58354f8c430bab0891bd3bb203ed58da.pdf d84a8eb54e9a5c4067d2702b90883557 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday August 19th Frank and I hauled out 9 loads of manure this morning and got it all out of the shed at the cow stable but at noon we had a very heavy rain storm which put a stop to outside work for the rest of the after noon, it rained two or three times during the after noon. I read, slept and wrote to Vernon asking her if we could stay with her during The Exhibition. Frank & Tid went back to the gully. This morning Dad. went over to see how Mrs. John Wess was and Mrs. McCarter said she was doing well but in dangerous condition. Wednesday August 20th Frank and I hauled out manure all day and Dad. hoed over in the garden. This morning we put all the sheep in the barn and greased the backs of the ewes which have the wool off. We separated the ewes from the rams and lambs and put the latter back in the orchard and will have the ewes in the field till the lambs are weaned. Dick came home to-night, he has decided not to go to Midland. Thursday August 21st We hauled out a few loads of manure this morning but had to stop twice on account of the rain, however Frank said the field was covered although he would have put another load on if he had time. This after noon Frank drove Joe down and had her shoes set and had Dr. Cook look at his eye which has been very sore for two days. There are some sort of pimples under the eyelid. Dad. and I took Belle & Harry out to start plowing. Dad. struck out for a headland all around the field but old Belle was in no mood for work after her holiday and it took us about 3 hours to get once around the field. For the last stretch I brought out the cow sprayer and scared her into her collar by spraying at her from behind. Band concert to-night. This was supposed to be Boughner picnic day but for once it was a complete failure I suppose on account of the rain. Fine after noon. Friday August 22nd Frank and I hauled out manure to-day and got out {10?} loads. Frank hauled it out along the side road to-day. Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning and was down all day cutting the oats and fixing up the lawns & paths. Frank's eye is better but not well by any means. It has been a fine day sunny & breezy but not too hot. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0350e6f496a43809fc83be003743189f.pdf ff5e4891d1214c3cdcfbe5f79c12c2b7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday August 23rd We are still at the manure and it is not out yet although the pile has dwindled considerably. Frank and I hauled out all day and Dad helped us put on some loads as he was cleaning out the little box-stall in the horse stable where Bill Philip's pig has been living. I went down town to-night with Frank and got my hair cut. We stopped in at Aunty's and were very much surprised to see Vernon & Mrs. Millman, they had come up in the car this afternoon. I went down to the Casino for awhile to look on and there was an awful jam there. I came home with Charlie Quanbury and as he had mentioned when commenting on the great reception His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is getting in all the Canadian cities that he didn't believe in Royalty, I spent considerable time trying to prove to him that the King & his throne deserved more respect than that and that the British system of government was the nearest perfect of any nation on earth. Sunday August 24th Went to Sunday school and church this morning and so did all the rest of the family. Mr. Brand from Nanticoke took the services morning and evening. Dick and I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and I cut my oats. Vernon left on the four o'clock car so I waited till it went out and went down to the station to see her off then came home and did chores. Enah went down to church to-night. Frank went down to Ward's and I went down to the "sheep pasture, Bronzie". Quite warm, breezy. Monday August 25th Dad. Frank and Tid. went down to Aunty's this morning and got the oats that Dad. cut and we put them in the box stall. Frank will use them for bedding. I put in a post in the chicken yard to fix up a cross fence while they were gone. Dad. stayed down till noon to dig Aunty Alice's potatoes for her. Frank and I got out two loads of manure before dinner and nine I think this afternoon. I went down to band practice to-night. It has been quite cold and showery all day. Tuesday August 26th We expected to finish the manure to-day but although we hauled out 16 loads there is still a little left. Art Quanbury was in at noon to say that Neff had telephoned saying the Judging Competition would be Sept 3 & 4th. To-night Dad. & Enah went out to the Shands to see the Nixon's. I went down to Aunty's for awhile. Cool. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b109fb7e3f40a40e39671013f43f6996.pdf 7c998958d3aeaa48b9db9621bdef39c1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This entry is by Toby's father} cutting the East side of the field about 5 O'Clock and I got it all set up. Frank had a very sick turn just as he finished, so I brought the team up and he the cows. We did not get up much too soon for while I was milking we had a heavy rain, but it cleared up in time for Hattie to go down and meet George and Miss Sutherland. We all had tea when they got back, very cool. Sunday August 31st It was showery all morning nothing much but not nice to be out in. Hattie, George and Marion got ready for church but it rained when they were ready to start so they did not go and when it cleared off Dick and I drove Queen down with cream for Auntie and found out there was no service. Alice came over in the afternoon and stayed to tea Lila was over too. Dick came over in the morning having come up from Toronto last night by way of Gault. Cool and damp. Monday September 1st We were all up early this morning to get George, Marion and Frank off. Frank went down on the wheel. I drove the others down and got there Just in time to see the train move out. Marion ran and caught it, but as George could not she and Frank got off and went by way of Brantford. I came back home and by the time I got the cows up and milked and all the other chores done there was not much left of the forenoon. Enah and Tim drove over to Shands School house and Dick and I walked out, had a very nice time in spite of several light showers, but poor Mrs. {Hank?} Ryerse fell and broke her arm. Hattie and Dick went with her in Jack Walkers car to the doctors. There was a good number there in spite of the day being so showery It seems a long time to Thursday night and it is quite a grind going it single handed but I guess we will manage it. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f0f7c9dac0b24d99b36eea9a3c3b82a5.pdf 9e2cb900205177a2114d6d13f1b03699 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This entry is by Toby's father} I did not manage to get much done today but the chores. I watered and fed the horses before it was good day light when I went in the stable after breakfast I saw poor Joe could not put her near hind foot on the floor on examining it I found a two inch nail in at the point of the frog and I had quite a time getting it out. I finally managed it with the hammer, she is very lame I had to take Harry and Queen to finish cutting the oats. Dick took the cows up for me. It has been fair and warmer to day. Wednesday September 3rd My troubles increased this morning when I found six head of cattle in the woods and it was late enough when I had <u>my</u> breakfast. Dick had to go to the dentists but he got home at noon and he and I went back after dinner and got the binder and it took us nearly all the afternoon to get it stored away. It has been fine and much warmer. {Toby takes up the entry again} Thursday September 4th Frank and I reached home to-night on the last car and were mighty glad to get back although we had a fine time in Toronto. Frank was sick to-day but felt better by the time we got home. I went in the beef cattle judging competition yesterday and did very poorly not getting in on the prize money at all. I judged Fruit and Vegetables to-day but don't know how I did. Frank was too sick to judge to-day but he judged sheep yesterday and I guess got something out of it. I spent most of the time taking in shows and at the Fair. Marj. was in Toronto last week and I went over to Hamilton on the boat with her on Monday, she went on to Dover from there. Fine weather Friday September 5th Dad. and I hauled oats off the back field to-day, we were late getting started as we had a lot to do and only got in four very small jags. We had to make them small as Belle was very much inclined to balk after her long holiday. We are stacking the oats outside I went down to see Marj. to-night. It has been quite hot all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6cc1c0dbb0a537a9bfae38ce5afcc774.pdf 9b9c63568d5552f7516592759b378f76 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday September 6th We finished hauling the oats & barley to-day but had quite a time doing it. Belle worked very nicely till the last two loads and then we put on pretty fair sized loads and the first one she balked on the hill when Dad locked the wheel but Dad. shoved it down on top of her so that she went off fairly well. The last load however was a real load and she stopped several times uninvited coming across the field but went off nicely when Dad. put a rope around her front fetlock. That little scheme failed to work however, when she felt the wheel lock on top of the hill but only seemed to make her worse. After working for quite awhile, Frank came back and he and Dad. by main force shoved the waggon down in spite of her. I then let her run to the top of the hill on the road and she went all right till we came to the barn. We had to haul this load in the barn as it only needed a few sheaves to finish the stack but she refused to go into the barn. All manner of persuasion failed to make her budge so Dad. tied her up solidly, took old Harry off and left her there till long after dark. We did the chores had tea and then took Harry out again and hooked him to the waggon and old Belle walked in without a word. Sunday September 7th Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Enah came down to church. Marj. and I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and came over here for tea Dad. & Enah were over at Mrs. Battersby's when we got here at a reception for Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Battersby who expect to go to Shanghai to live soon. Mr & Mrs Millman, Kathleen, Nita, {Tow?}, Jessie Kirtland and Quint all came over in the car to-night. Rather cloudy but close all day. Monday September 8th Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning to get the fertilizer drill that Frank bought. We had to go out around by Wiggin's as the Gravel Road into Simcoe is blocked. We got the drill and got home about three o'clock. I went in to see Slaght again. He was sick again but his son told me that they had heard from Thompson saying he didn't want to sell the "Bronzie" property till he had seen it. When we had dinner we put the load of oats off in the barn and Dad. and I took Pommers & Harry out for a while to get Pommers used to going. I went down to Fred Krell's to-night to get the address of a poultry farm. Very hot. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/dd35863d7bf87525aa15133060d9c390.pdf 735936c438eb99ff588250740771f13d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday September 9th Frank took Joe down to have her front shoes set this morning and Dad. and I tried to plow out in the old corn stubble with Pommers & Harry but had to stop as the shear was too dull. The ground is very hard and the flies & heat drive poor Pommers about crazy. Dad. came up and ground down one of the cast shears on the grind stone and we went back after dinner and it went fine. It was much cooler this after noon too. Frank took a grist to the mill this after noon with Belle & Queen. Wednesday September 10th It rained most of the morning so we didn't do much. Alan & Sam who had their separator over at Ivey's intending to thrash out of the field to-day pulled it into our barn out of the rain and if all's well will thrash for us in the morning Alan brought the engine over this after noon. Some of the cattle got out on the road so Dad. went to put them in. This after noon Frank and I got half a ton of soft coal. Frank went to the Riding Club to-night at Lynn Valley and I went down town. Dick got tickets for himself and Dad. as he is leaving for the West to-morrow and wants Dad. to go to Toronto with him. Alan & Zeitha were over for awhile this after noon. Thursday September 11th We thrashed this morning but our granaries are in no danger of colapsing with their load. We have 10 bushels of wheat and 219 of oats & barley and pretty poor stuff at that. Sam moved from our place to Pickford's and from there to Alfred's and thrashed the three places out to-day. Frank went down to Pickford's and Alfred's to help. Dad. & Dick left for Toronto this morning. They were going by Galt. as Dick could get a ticket from here to Winnipeg going that way (all C.P.R.) for the same price as one from Toronto to Winnipeg. Dad. was very loth to go but we're hoping he will enjoy himself. Dick says he will have to stay till Saturday as he has arranged for him to come up with the Millman's in the car. After dinner I went back to fix a place in the fence on the side road where the cattle have been getting out, but found I couldn't do much alone as some wires were broken, It began to rain while I was back there and rained quite hard. When I got to the house I found Aunty Alice and Enah ready to start off in the pouring rain with Mexico & the cart. Aunty Alice https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/534b05521331dac819980cc55223f597.pdf 19474088955223c0a405a339e8ba932d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. came over to help Enah and said they must get back to post a letter. I persuaded them to take the buggy. I cleaned up the barn floor till it was time to do chores and I got them done up in good time. Frank got home in time to do his. Mostly fine. Friday September 12th Frank and I went back first thing and fixed the fence up where the cattle escaped. We thought we wouldn't take chances trying to plow with Pommers and as the ground is so hard we didn't like to put Queen or Joe on and we were sure Belle would balk so we didn't try it at all. Old Ross came and got his horse yesterday or we would have tried him. He has led a miserable existance out here as Dave was very mean to him and wouldn't let him near the gully consequently he spent the whole time up in this front field where there wasn't a thing to eat and occasionally Dave would break in there and kick him around. Frank and I spent the day trimming up the sheep. We got the eight yearling rams looing a little better but didn't give them a thorough carding. We were greatly excited at noon by the appearance of six aeroplanes flying over the place to the west. One of them looked to fly directly over our heads and stood between the shop and the woodshed. They were in a sort of cross formation. One ahead, one behind and two on each wing. Just as they got nicely past we saw one circle and light. It looked as if it came down about at Ham. Thompson's and in a few minutes we saw Colin Ryerse going up the road on horseback, that put Frank in the notion so he jumped on his wheel and went up. He was gone for a couple of hours but he found the machine. It had run short of gasoline and had come down about three mile up the Gravel in one of By. William's field. Frank said the flock had started from Buffalo for Detroit and were Americans on their way to Texas for the winter.The one that came down was the one that was first in the race between Toronto & New York during the Exhibition. Mrs. Selby drove one of the aviators to Dover for gasoline and the other stayed by the machine and gave the crowd that gathered all this information. Frank said all the farmer's for miles around had left their teams to come and see it. He stayed till it went up and said it was very funny as they got young Lloyd Wooley to hold the tail down when they started the engine and he was pretty nervous and let go before he should have as he was under the ropes some way and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/421a79fa0d9bd4309c867228776a5906.pdf bee02546bcbae9adcec6f07e8df5c555 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. was afraid of being caught. The wind caused by the motion of the propellor is enough to blow a man over almost he said. We did chores up fairly early and I went down town to-night. Aunty & Aunty Alice were looking for Walter & Elsie as they are at Roy's and spoke of coming up either Friday or Saturday and they thought Dad would come up with them but they didn't arrive. Saturday September 13th Frank and I spent most of the day hauling in the straw from around the bottom of the stack. We got about a load and a half and put it in the horse stable loft. It took a long time to pitch it on and we had to move the slings from the barn. Dad. got home while I was milking. He, Walter, Elsie & little John came up with the Millman's in the car. I guess Dad. had a pretty good time playing with the babies, Roy's & Walter's. Sunday September 14th Frank Tid. and I went to Sunday school and Dad. and Enah went down to church. Morton Brown preached. There was no service to-night. We all went down to see Elsie & John after church. Walter was in church with Aunty, but I was the only one who stayed to dinner. I spent the after noon up the beach with Marj. I came home about six and Frank and I did chores. Dad. Enah & Tid went down this after noon and stayed at Aunty's to tea. I went down after tea, but was late as Nellie and I had a {free?} fight, she scratched one of her teats and I couldn't milk her, she kicked milk all over me. Marj. was down at Aunty's so I went up with her and when I came back it was raining so I stayed down all night. Monday September 15th Dad. and I plowed with Pommers and Harry this morning and got along very well, although we struck an old post in the headland next the lane and broke both whipple-trees so had to put on the iron ones. This after noon Frank and I had to go down and help Sam Law thrash, we were down all the after noon and to supper. Walter, Elsie, John and Aunty Alice were all over here for dinner and this after noon. To-night I went down to band practice but there weren't many out. I was in at Aunty's for awhile on my way home. Fine, cool. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3b9fad8af14ff0abd0a39d144d9f00fe.pdf ddda7014dd5c686d77f6bc0d712791dc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday September 16th Dad. and I plowed all day and got enough done that Frank was able to bring Queen & Belle out and work on it this after noon, he rolled and disked it. We quit at five and all went down town to-night. Frank, Enah and I went to the picture show to see "Miss. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" which I didn't think much of and Dad. and Tid stayed at Aunty's to say good bye to Walter & Elsie. I went down on my way home to see them but they had just gone to bed. They are going in the morning. Wednesday September 17th We plowed all day again. Frank did odd jobs and waited all day for Belle to come up from the back field as she always has done as soon as the sun gets hot but she didn't come up for water till night so he couldn't work her, but he took Queen & Joe out late in the after noon and harrowed a little. I went down town to-night to telephone Archie McEwen and ask him what prospects there were for selling one sheep but he was in Toronto so I couldn't get him. I went over to Dyer's and got my hair cut and then came home and polished my horn a little. Cool breeze but sun hot and flies very bad. Cold nights. Thursday September 18th Dad. & I plowed this morning. Frank came out with Belle & Queen and hooked to the roller, they weren't going just to suit Dad so he took them and Frank plowed. Just at noon Dad. had a bad accident. The double-trees on the roller came off and the tongue dropped throwing him forward and scraping his shin badly on the brace of the roller tongue. He couldn't walk at first for the pain but for a wonder he didn't break his leg. He has to keep his leg up all the time as it pains very badly when he puts it down. Frank and I kept on plowing this after noon and to-night we all went down to the Horticultural show. Enah & Tid drove down and when they came home Frank went down I went with the band and we played. Friday September 19th Frank and I plowed all morning and this after noon till we finished the side of the potato patch, just as we finished a storm which had been threatening all the after noon broke and it poured rain soaking us We came up and both had a bath before <s>changing</s> putting on dry clothes. It rained all the rest of the day & https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/04098acdd3a072e248596e5ab52ab05d.pdf 6bd101f6cf9c1020458b2b0f9ba0a348 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. night and I didn't go back after the cows. Aunty came over this morning to see Dad. and stayed to dinner but got down town again before the rain. I went down to-night. Saturday September 20th Frank went to the mill this morning and took some oats and wheat down for grist. I harrowed with Pommers and Harry all morning andf this after noon till I finished the piece and then I started to disk. Frank brought the other team out and rolled this after noon. The ground works up fine since the rain which soaked right through. Dad. was able to walk a little to day with the aid of canes. Frank went down town to-night and telephoned McEwen. He said he would be down to look at the rams soon. Cool. Sunday September 21st It rained nearly all morning but Frank and I drove down to Sunday school and church. Enah was very sick yesterday all day and although she was "up and about" to-day she didn't feel like going out so there was no organist in church and consequently no music. I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and spent the after noon and evening up at the Monteith's, coming home at tea-time to do chores. Ade Millman & his wife were up with the rest of the family in their cottage for over Sunday and they all came over here tihs morning in the rain but I didn't see them. Monday September 22nd Frank and I started in to plow on the other side of the potato patch this morning and have been at it all day getting on fairly well. Dad's leg felt quite a bit better to-day and he drove Mexico down town and stayed at Aunty's for dinner. I went down to band practice to-night. Tuesday September 23rd Frank and I plowed all day, we spent most of the fore noon striking out the rest of the piece and plowed four lands this after noon. Dad. walked out to the field this morning and said he felt well enough to disk if Belle came up, but she didn't come. I caught all my white chickens to-night and shut them up. I wanted to pick out the cockrels. Mrs. Millman, Nita, Kathleen, Orm & a Mr. Bowyer all came over in Orm's car tonight and we spent an hilarious evening. Cool. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/61a8cbac53474f4fa010044d2b6374e1.pdf f755f4a0886f96ec4b47398ba7543700 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday September 24th Frank and I plowed all day, we got rather a late start and didn't quite get to the gully fence, which we hoped to do by to-night, leaving just the triangle to plow off to-morrow, however Frank says we can do it by to-morrow noon if we get a good start in the morning. Dad. has disked all day and helped me milk to-night as his leg is a great deal better. I went down town to-night. Thursday September 25th We got a late start this morning as it rained or drizzled and threatened to rain for an hour or two but then cleared off and has been fine but a cold wind all day. Owing to the delay we didn't quite finish the field by noon as we had hoped. After dinner Frank and I went over to Jack's and cleaned up enough wheat for our seed and then came back and finished plowing. Dad. disked and harrowed all day and is pretty tired to-night. I am afraid it didn't do him any good. Friday September 26th This has been a most unsatisfactory day as we don't seem to have accomplished very much. I went out this morning and finished harrowing the piece this side of the mangolds with Harry and Pommers while Dad. and Frank went over to Jacks and got the wheat and brought it and the fertilizer out to the field. We then brought the new drill out which takes three horses so there was nothing else for me to do. Frank started to drill but we found the fertilizer was running out too fast but Frank didn't know how to change it so as we only got 8 or 10 rounds drilled before noon, he went out to the Shand's right after dinner to see how they worked theirs. Theirs wasn't working right either but they didn't know how to fix it. On his way home he ran across Bill Cruickshank fixing his car on the road so he brought him in. They fixed it to sow less fertilizer but they couldn't throw the fertilizer feed out of gear. They fiddled away for about an hour and after Bill left frank had to tie a string on the grain feed shaft to keep it from slipping cogs and altogether most of the day was spent in just monkeying. However Frank kept at it till he finished the piece but it was after dark. Enah went down to the Millman's to tea to-night and I went down after tea and spent the evening at the Monteith's. Dad. has felt pretty miserable all day. Fine & cool. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/24618fbde47338a7354222b85cbf3172.pdf 51b1aa515903e310fed192f26db718f2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday September 27th Dad. and I ran out the ditches this morning in the piece. Frank sowed with Harry & Pommers and Frank rolled the other piece down with Belle & Joe. This after noon I disked and Frank rolled and harrowed with Belle & Queen. Dad. spent the after noon cleaning out ditches. An aeroplane circled over the farm this after noon and Enah who was down town said it was taking passengers out from Simcoe charging $10.00 for a ten minute fly. Young Arthur McPherson was over here playing with Tid. all the after noon and stayed to tea. He started off very bravely after tea when it was quite dark to go home but sent word back by Tid who went a little way with him that he wished he had said he was scared so Tid called him back. He curled up on the sofa to wait till Frank was ready to take him home but by that time was so sound asleep that he stayed all night and Frank went to tell the folks. It certainly is an eerie spot past Preston's barn & Jonas' house after dark. Roy, Vernon and the children all came up with Mr. Millman in the car to-day. Sunday September 28th Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and I stayed down to dinner at Auntie's. Enah drove Mexico down and played the organ. This after noon Marj. and I went for a walk up the beach to the Chestnut opening. I came home to tea but was too late to do chores as I stopped in to say good bye to Roy who left at six o'clock. I went down again after tea and met the Millman's and Quint who were all coming over here to see Dad. He felt tired to-day and didn't go down at all. Beautiful day. Monday September 29th I finished disking the field lengthways this morning and then spent the rest of the day crossing it finishing it to-night. Dad. cleaned out ditches all day and Frank harrowed this morning but didn't bring the team out this after noon, I think he picked the big pears in front of the house. I went down to band practice to-night after which I went over to the Millman's for awhile. Kathleen was in the Lake when I got there. There was a man here from below Nanticoke to-day looking at the rams but he didn't buy as he wanted one registered in the American book. Fine day. Tuesday September 30th I went over to Charlie Quanbury's to thrash this morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/eb6bff8d3fabe413351e444e4c37c724.pdf a85d5c713f3515c926695559d6f4807f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We started about 9.30 and finished by noon. Dad. & Frank started to drill the other half of the field in and finished in the middle of the after noon. Then they ran out all the ditches before dark. I didn't do much this after noon but clean up a little and patch up the chicken yard fence. It was inclined to drizzle and was cold. The Millman's came over to-night to say good bye as they are leaving to-morrow. Nita was greatly excited over an adventure they had to-day. They were getting chestnuts from a tree along Farrar's place in Vittoria and a man shot at them. She was scared stiff and Aunty was with them and tried to keep Quint and Alan from getting their gun out of the car. Quint did get it however and pointed it at the man and he dusted for the barn in a hurry. Wednesday October 1st Mr. Fleming was in this morning for thrashing hands. He wanted two as Alfred is laid up with lumbago but the machine didn't get there till noon. Dad. Frank & I dug potatoes this morning. We used Frank's digger that he bought at Billy Dixon's sale and it worked pretty well when there were no weeds but where they were thick we had to use the plow. We got eight rows dug out of the twelve but couldn't dig the other four as they would be covered. Dad. dug the ones which we got from Quanbury and which we think are Rural New Yorkers by hand and got a bag full which we will save for seed. Dad. & Enah picked up most of the potatoes this after noon while Frank and I went thrashing. We thrashed wheat till about four o'clock and got 146 bushels and just as the mow waa emptied, the pan under the cylinder broke and Alan had to take it to town. We hung around for an hour expecting it to be fixed but as he didn't come back I came home. Frank stayed there to tea but they didn't thrash any more. I went down town to-night. Beautiful weather. Thursday October 2nd Frank and I went back to Fleming's and finished thrashing the grain, spring wheat and oats. We finished about half past ten and they put the oats through in a hurry. I was carrying away and part of the time couldn't keep the measures emptied fast enough to keep them from running over. When the finished the grain they pulled the clover mill into the barn and started on the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/84bf605678e92444dce39288882191bc.pdf 696eacd5148060def9e4a4b9083b78bd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. seed but Mr. Fleming said he wouldn't need both of us for that so I came home and took a stroll down through "Bronzie" where I found some fine pears. Right after dinner Art Quanbury came in to get me to go and help roof his barn so I was out there all the after noon, his father & Charlie were out too but we didn't get on very fast as the roofing was hard to put on. It is corrugated iron sheets that has been on some military camp building and Art bought it cheap. It will make a good roof but is much harder to handle than new stuff would be. Charlie painted it with some tar roofing preparation as we put it on. To-night I went down and the band played a few selections at the little ceremony they had to present McCauly with a parchment from the Humane Society for the attempt he made last winter to rescue the little boys in the lake. Beautiful day but very warm. Friday October 3rd Frank went back to Mr. Fleming's this morning and they finished thrashing there and then moved to Jack Martin and were there all day. Frank went there too. I waited around for the Quanbury boy's this morning but they didn't come so I went out with Dad. and we plowed out the last four rows of potatoes. I then went over to Mrs. Battersby's and asked John if the boys intended working on the roof and he said they did so I walked out. At noon Frank sent word over by Tid. for me to go over to Jack's but I didn't go thinking the boys would want me on the roof but when they didn't come I supposed they were helping Jack so I helped Dad. pick up potatoes and we got four bags. Saturday October 4th Frank took some stuff to the mill this morning and Dad. and I raked up the weeds off the potato ground. I also washed the buggy. When Frank came back we hauled up the potatoes and the plow and harrows and then took the plow out to the old garden and brought up what few mangolds were any good. This after noon Marj. and I went after chestnuts and had a great after noon. It was quite hot but fine. We got quite a lot of nuts and no-one chased us. Marj. brought a lunch so we had it by the Vittoria creek and got home about nine o'clock. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b692c4d10a4645d21851e282c64daeeb.pdf 659f328cf7c988af32477bf4db499535 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday October 5th As it was raining a littlle this morning Dad. drove Tid and me down to Sunday school and Frank rode his wheel. Dad. and Enah came down to church I stayed at Aunty's to dinner ansd spenrt the after noon with Marj. We went up to Miss Martin's and went to see the Patterson's but they weren't home. Dad took Vernon for a drive this after noon and left word at Aunty's that I needn't come home for tea so I didn't and went to church with Aunty Alice to-night It was raining when I started fir home so I turned in at Aunty's. I found Frank there too in bed. Monday October 6th Frank and I went home at half past five this morning and and made our departure so quietly that Aunty came down at six to call us. Sam and Alan Law were in while we were milking to see if we wanted to thrash our seed. They didn't want to thrash up the Gravel on account of Simcoe Fair. Dad. told them to come on down so they came about noon. Frank and I hauled in two loads of coal this morning and hunted up thrashing hands. We hauled a load of chestnut coal which was very poor looking stuff and as we had to take one third pea coal we took next time half a load of pea and half of soft. We thrashed all after noon and got the mow over the granary cleaned out and about four bags of seed. I went down to band practice to-night but there were so few there we didn't have any. Pete Holmes was having a dance in the hall so I went in and watched them for awhile. May Perry and Marj. came up while I was there to look on for awhile so I went home with them. There wasn't much of a crowd there. Tuesday October 7th We finished thrashing about ten o'clock and got out about seven bags and a half of seed. I got ready and went to Simcoe Fair on the twelve o'clock car but as it was the second day there wasn't much there. I saw Neff and a Mr. Manning a Y.M.C.A. man and had quite a talk with them. I came back at six with Vernon, Rebecca, Molly, Dick & Alan Tibbits. The Zealand's rowed me across the pond from Ivey's stop. Gypsy had eight puppies last night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9c5672071fd0387c701e76262752d1fb.pdf b8e6212254cbf1aa6fa59f9ef67a1a0e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday October 8th We separated the ewe lambs from the rams this morning and put them with the old ewes. Midget who has not been well for a day or two died this morning and Frank skinned her. I started to shingle the chicken shed roof this morning and worked at it most of the day but didn't make much showing as it is a long roof. This was Vernon's birthday and they all came over here for dinner. Dad. hooked Joe up to Mexico's cart and brought Aunt Ida, Vernon and the two children over and Aunty & Aunty Alice walked. After dinner we went out and picked up hickory nuts for awhile. Frank went to the Simcoe Fair this after noon and got home at six, he said there wasn't much stock there. I went down town to-night. It froze quite hard last night.Only third white frost we have had. Thursday October 9th It turned much milder and rained all morning and has been cloudy all day. Frank and I husked hickory nuts most of the morning and this after noon went down and got a load of stove coal as Huby sent word over that it was in. To-night the "Moonlight Riding Club" to which Frank belongs spent their monthly meeting here. There were about a dozen of them and they seemed to have a pretty good time playing cards and with music. Friday October 10th Dad. Frank and I put the rails across the west bent in the old barn intending to move the alsike straw in and leave room for the calves underneath but by the time we got the rails in place the wind was so strong that we didn't attempt to move the straw. Dad. and Frank went out to clean out ditches in the wheat and I tried to pick the apples. There is only one tree in the orchard that has any number at all on and a there are a few basketfulls on the other trees. This after noon Frank took the old drill back which he has rigged up as a spring tooth cultivator and gave the potato ground a good sorting up. Aunty and Aunt Ella & Rebecca came over this after noon Aunt Ella was attending a W.A. conference in Hamilton and came up here on her way home for a very short visit. She is quite a wonderful old lady, over seventy. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3a0c233dcfb7b81dc5210f04a5af177d.pdf 1bc331740821523455113777e67cc02f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and spry as a cricket. She walked up to see Miss Battersby this morning, over here and back this after noon and when I went down to-night she was up at church with Aunty Alice. She is very busy working on the Referendum just now and although she is a great temperance worker, she agrees with me that it would be a mistake to try to make prohibition too tight. Aunty Alice takes the same view of the case. Roy came up to-night to stay over Thanksgiving. Saturday October 11th It rained a little this morning and drizzled quite a lot. Dad. and I spent the fore noon rigging up box stalls over in the west bay of the old barn under the rails we put up yesterday. Frank cleaned out the fertilizer parts of his drill and put them away. We all three spent the after noon moving the thrashed alsike into the barn and putting it up on the rails, we got about half of it in. Gladys had {13?} pigs this afternoon, 3 died. Sunday October 12th Frank and I went down to Sunday school and Dad. Enah and Tid drove down to church. This was Thanksgiving service and they had the church very prettily decorated. Mr. Reford (I think that was the name) from Jarvis took the service. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner but came home for tea. I went up to the Davis' where Marj. had been for dinner and she and I walked around the hill stopping at Miss McQueen on our way back. I went down town to-night. Huby Roy and Vernon were all over this after noon. Fine day Monday October 13th Thanksgiving Day Dad. Frank and I spent the morning and part of the after noon moving the rest of the alsike straw into the barn. When we got it in I dug up the dahlia roots and Frank started to put the door of the barn back which was broken off when we were thrashing. Enah and Tid. have been down town all day visiting. I went down to-night to see if there was any band practice but there wasn't so I went down to Aunty's Huby and Aunty Maude were there playing bridge. They had nominations at Vittoria to-day and Jack withdrew and left it to Pratt and Cridland.Tupper was in this morning after thrashing hands. Lovely day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8bcdf49016b3a23ba4cf6560a25f687c.pdf 501dd2b4463fb9dd2087864b35e5891a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. The paper to-day reports the wonderful recovery of two littlle girls in the Chicago hospital who were poisoned about two weeks ago by their crazy mother with bichloride of mercury. On Saturday Dr. Carter the specialist who has been working with them said there was no hope whatever for the eldest girl but to-day says that a real miracle has been performed and that they both will recover. Tuesday October 14th Dad. went over to Tupper's this morning and has been over there all day thrashing. Frank and I left for Simcoe first thing this morning and took the seed up. Frank stayed up there with it and had it cleaned but I came back with the team and got home about noon. I spent the after noon doing chores and put a few more shingles on the chicken house roof. Frank didn't get home till after dark. He got a check for about $2.40 for the alsike and there is about a bushel of red seed up there which they cleaned out but which they wouldn't buy on account of the dock seed in it, but as it is easy to get out of the field we thought we would sow it and sell a bushel of our red seed. Frank went down to-night to hear Cridland. Fine day rather cloudy. Wednesday October 15th I have been all day killing my crate fattened cockrels. I killed and picked the thirteen of them and finished soon after four. Dad. and Enah helped me take out the pin "feathers." I had to change all my apparel when I got through. Frank was all morning fixing up the fence along Iveys line and the front field and we put the rams in there & the ewes over in the orchard and field east of it as the rams got so that they wouldn't stay in there at all and this morning the homliest one of the bunch was in with the ewes. Dad. cleaned out ditches this morning. This after noon Frank went down to the dentist's and up creek after school and didn't get home till about seven o'clock. I went down town to-night. Pratt had a meeting to-night at which Dr. Annie Backhouse spoke, she was at Auntie's for tea. It is wonderful and sad the way a crook and liar like Pratt is known to be can wheedle public sentiment into thinking he is an honest man and worthy to be their representative in the House. Alan Tibbitts was over this morning to say good-bye, for he is leaving for Fort Francis this after noon to get there in time to vote. It has been a beautiful day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ae53444b1aee0c3d1af3f1bd5b5c62b2.pdf 827ee2dfdd60931e6801828a70f465c7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday October 19th Frank and I went down to Sunday school, they didn't have a regular lesson but got the children ready to go to church as this was Children's day. They had a good turn out and the choir which was composed solely of children was fine. Nancy Dyer sang a solo. Rev. Ralph Mason preached a fine sermon for the young ones and they never wriggled all through it. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and this after noon Marj. and I walked up the beach. I came home for tea & went down again. Monday October 20th Dad. Enah and I spent most of the morning voting. I rode Joe out and Dad. and Enah drove Queen. There was a big crowd out at Wiggin's school house and we had to wait about an hour. We all voted for Cridland not that we wanted to see a United Farmer in but we wanted to kick Pratt out. I put three no's and a yes in the Referendum ballot, the yes being for the sale of booze through Government agencie's. Tupper was in and wanted to take Frank out to vote in Dick's name but Frank wouldn't go. This after noon Dad & Frank slew Bill Phillips the pig with the "pimple". He made a pretty fair carcas. I put a few more shingles on the chicken house and to-night I went down town and got my hair cut. Pat. had a big bulletin out in front of the store giving the returns as they came in. There was a big crowd and every one was surprised at the results. The Hearst Government is badly defeated and Hearst himself with four 4 of his ministers are not elected. The United Farmer's have 40 seats. Liberals 31 and Conservatives 28 Labor 11 & 1 independent. Pratt. was snowed right under. Cridland beating 'him' by about 1300. Port Rowan gave Pratt a majority of 45 but it was the only place. Dover went bone dry as well as all the country places. Four or five cities went wet. Tuesday October 21st We were supposed to go and help Ham Thompson fill silo to-day but it was raining when we got up and kept it up all morning. We didn't do any thing all day but sit around and read or write. I slept for awhile. Dad. went down to Aunty's this after noon. Frank and I went down to a J.F.I.A. meeting to-night. They appointed committee for next winter which I think will be a fizzle but I told them I was not going to do any more than president's duties. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ccaaeb1e885939cc2f790eb14531971a.pdf e1de63e08294d0b9da30290075f5d269 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday October 22nd Frank and I went up to Ham's this morning to help him fill his silo and were there till about half past three when we got it full, they had a good run. I was in the silo all the time tramping. I think Dad. put the pork in pickle. I went down town to-night. Fine day. Thursday October 23rd Frank went over to Jack's to fill silo this morning and was over there till about three o'clock when they finished. I went out with Dad. this morning to help him get started plowing as Pommers was feeling pretty frisky. I spent the rest of the fore noon picking apples and only got about two basketsfull, they were so scattered on the trees. I went out after dinner and helped Dad. strike out and then came up and shingled. Dad. has had a very lame knee to-day. Friday October 24th Dad. has plowed all day, his knee was much better Frank & Tid. went down in the buggy this morning and got a few tile to fix the end of the tile drain out at the side road. This after noon he has done odd jobs. I have been shingling all day on the chicken house roof. Went down town to-night. Fine & mild. Saturday October 25th Dad. started to plow this morning and I did a little more shingling but early in the fore noon it started to rain and we had to quit. Dad. got soaked coming in from the field. Tom came in and he was pretty well drenched too. Frank went to Simcoe to get some plow shears. It rained pretty much all day. I didn't do a thing but sit around the house and read. Sunday October 26th Raining again this morning but not hard and Frank and I went down to Sunday school, the rest came down to church. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and Marj. & I spent the after noon at Miss Martin's. I came home early and helped Dad. do chores as Frank was off at the Ward's with Gilly and Dad. Enah & Tid went down to a duck supper at Huby's. Rev. Skey was there. I had my tea alone and went down to church and spent the evening at the Monteith's. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e5932561d1b096985a0d947d9995c382.pdf b114838ba193f8e29b8475759fbaabc4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday October 27th It has been stormy all day and we haven't attempted to do any thing but chores except that Dad. and Frank went out and fixed the fence along the side road where the cattle broke through yesterday and got on Pickford's field. Young {Harn?} from Marburg was in this morning and bought a ram lamb for $22.00. He got him cheap but he drives a tight bargain and we needed the money. The lambs hind legs were a little crooked. Frank and I went down town to-night and I went to band practice but there were no cornets there so we didn't have any. I spent most of the evening down at Aunty's, they tried to teach me to play bridge. Tuesday October 28th It cleared off to-day and has been very windy & colder. Dad. plowed all day but said it was very stiff. Frank has done odd jobs. I started to go down town this morning but had such a pain I lay down and slept it off. I went down this after noon and got a pair of rubbers from the man who bought Andrew out. To-night Frank and I went down to a committee meeting of the J.F.I.A. in our Sunday school. Neff & Manning were down we had a fair meeting and arranged for a debate in two weeks Wednesday October 29th I went down this morning to help Uncle Ward pick apples (he asked me yesterday) and have been down there all day. I picked a fine lots of Spys all off one tree. I thought of going to Simcoe this after noon to see a poultry dressing demonstration but it was such a nice day I hated to quit picking so didn't go. Frank went over to Tupper's and picked a couple of bushels for ourselves. Tupper sold them to us for $1.25 a bushel. Dad. has been plowing all day. Zeitha & Molly were over this after noon after mushrooms. Enah went down this morning and took Vernon & the kids to the station as they went back to-day. Aunty Alice went to Brantford with them. I went down town to-night. Dad. & Frank spent the evening studying Dad's income tax report. Thursday October 30th It has been another rainy day and we have done very little Dad. has spent the entire day and evening figuring and filling out his income tax forms. Frank helping. They are very complicated. Frank went to the mill this after noon. I just read and chored around all day. Very mild. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2bca509dd47bea6b274b7a18d06688c4.pdf 307e638594825e3a7d0ad15b1b6f4835 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday October 31st It rained again this morning but then looked as if it had cleared off till noon and Dad. went out to plow he ran out some ditches and Frank threw the sod out of them. I spent the morning pruning the raspberries. It started in to rain about noon and rained most of the after noon Frank went down to the dentists and I just did chores & sat around. I got four eggs to-day. My first pullet began to lay the day before yesterday. Frank went down to the Women's Institute Hallowe'en party in the Town Hall Saturday November 1st Dad. has plowed all day and Frank and I trimmed up all the ewes and marked all the long legged & long necked ones to sell if any one wants them. We culled out 13 altogether including one lamb. We valued the lot at about $400.00 but don't suppose we will have a buyer. It has been colder to-day and rather cloudy. Sunday November 2nd Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and Dad and Enah went down to church. Aunty came over with us to dinner and Dad. and Enah went back with her to tea and went to church to-night to hear Larry Skey, who preached. Frank and I put the ram in with the ewes and then drove out to see Bill Sidway for awhile. We did the chores and I went down and met Marj. who came in on the nine o'clock car. She has been in Toronto helping Clara Gorrie get married. Mid. Thompson gave me a dollar to-night for our Donnybrook trip. Fine day but quite cool. It is very cold out West. Dick said in his last letter that he went to work the other morning but couldn't do any thing as the ink was all frozen so the manager got him to go with him to play cards. Monday November 3rd One of our yearling rams has been breaking through the fence and getting with the ewe lambs so Frank made a poke for him this morning and we put it on. We spent most of the remainder of the day pulling mangolds and got four rows pulled and covered with leaves for the night. Dad. has been plowing all day. We had letters from McEwen and a Wm. Burtch on the same mail route as Archie https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6b68efc11c7c03bf4b67084b5ee160e0.pdf fb847e47e9af1be3d20362ff51e33016 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. inquiring about the yearling rams to-day. Frank went down town to-night and telephoned Archie and he said he would be down with another man either to-morrow or Wednesday. Cloudy & cold east wind Tuesday November 4th Frank and I put the rams over in the colony yard this morning and trimmed up the lambs Dad. took the pork out of pickle and made fresh as he was afraid the first wasn't strong enough. He used a preserved egg to test the strength of it and is afraid that it floated in a weaker solution than a fresh one would have. About the time we finished the sheep it began to rain and kept it up till after dinner. I haven't done much all day except write out my side of the debate for the J.F.I.A. Frank has been working out in the barn tearing up the old floor and oiling the bobsleighs. Trum Walker was in for awhile. Wednesday November 5th Dad. has been plowing all day and Frank and I finished pulling the mangolds and got part of them piled and covered and part just covered with leaves to protect them from the frost till we can haul them in. Archie McEwen and Mr. Baily from Oak Park Farm, Paris. were down to look at the rams this after noon. Mr. Baily bought two which he thought were the best but we could only get $40.00 apiece out of them and McEwen didn't give us much hope of selling the rest although he said Mr. Burtch wanted some. We were rather disappointed about it. This was Aunty Alice's birthday and Enah and Tid went down and I sent her a dozen eggs. Charlie Blake was in to invite Frank and me down to a party at his place to-night. Frank went down but I went down town. Cloudy & cold wind. Thursday November 6th Dad. plowed all day and got on very well. I was getting ready to haul in the mangolds this morning and Frank was down getting nails to make sheep crates, when Chris Quanbury came over and told Enah there was a long distance call put in at his mother's for her, she went over but found it was for me from Brantford. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f05b39e9fddf596d76157348fb8716b1.pdf 11d431ffa97b78a0a736079c76d69205 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I waited over there a long time but couldn't get through. I was just going out the door having made an appointment for 12.30 when the call came and a woman's voice told me that Mr. Burtch had left on the 10 car and wanted me to meet him. The car was nearly due then so I ran home and hooked up Queen and drove down to the station. Huby went over to the station as the car was in and found out that Burtch had got off at Main St. and walked over having received directions from the conductor, so he was here before I was. He proved to be a very decent fellow but told us the ram market was all off this year and he didn't dare take any more rams off our hands than he knew he could place. He bought one for $30.00 and told us he would try to place the other five if we would let them go at $25.00 apiece. The long necked, parrot-mouthed fellow will have to be eaten I guess, and I don't know whether we will be able to sell any more lambs or not. Burtch helped us make a crate as he wanted the ram he bought shipped this after noon. He stayed to dinner and I drove him down to catch the one o'clock car. Then Frank and I crated up the ram and took him down to the after noon express. We got some lumber on our way home and by five o'clock had enough cut to make three more crates and had them partly put to-gether. The Quanbury's called Frank in on the way home as there was another phone call for us and he found it was Burtch wanting another ram to be shipped with Bailey's to-morrow. Frank finished putting the crates to-gether after tea to-night. Aunty Alice was over here to dinner. I went down to a card party at the Harry Moon's to-night. We played Five Hundred and had a very nice time Quint was there and won first gentleman's prize and Marj. won the Ladie's. Cloudy, raw. Friday November 7th Dad. has plowed all day. Frank and I crated up the three rams and got them off on the morning express. We hauled in one load of mangolds before dinner and three this after noon. We have them all in now except the piles. I went down town to-night and went over to Col. Smith's to call for Aunty Alice. Cold east wind, cloudy. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/65ff6dc0e35c71765b45f59c8531dca8.pdf 5706c1ac0666d4076667b929afd5614c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday November 8th Dad. plowed all day. Frank and I hauled in the rest of the mangolds this morning in two loads. We put one load in the cellar and left the other on the barn floor to feed up. It took us till noon to pile them all down cellar and clean up the cellar floor. Frank helped Dad. do some ditching this after noon and I did chores. I bedded down the cow stable and put the cows in for the night. Horn came and took his ram lamb this after noon. I went over to Quanbury's and telephoned Neff as he wrote me yesterday asking me if I could go to Toronto on Monday to help him fix up an exhibit for the Fruit & Flower Show. I'll go. Sunday November 9th Frank Tid and I went to Sunday School this morning and Enah came down to church. Tim. went to Huby's instead of going to church and he Quint & Huby went up the creek & stayed at Huby's to dinner. Marj. and I had dinner and spent the after noon at Aunty's, then we came over here for tea Quint and Tid came over with us. Zeitha came over to practise a song with Enah to sing to-morrow night when the Prince's flag is to be presented to the town and township for winning their objective in the Victory Loan. She wouldn't consent to stay to tea but after going down the road a little way on her way home she met Rex who scared her back and she stayed to tea and for the evening. I stayed at Aunty's all night to leave for Toronto in the morning. Monday November 10th I left on the 7 o'clock car this morning, left Brantwood at 10.17 and arrived at Roy's about noon. They hadn't received my card so were very surprised to see me. I went out to the Exhibition grounds right after dinner and was out there till six helping Neff get a little corner in the Transportation Building fixed up for the Norfolk exhibit, none of his stuff had come so we couldn't do much. I went back to Roy's at six for dinner and stayed there all the evening. It has been cloudy & rained a little. Tuesday November 11th I went out to the Horticultural Show at eight o clock this morning and was out there all day and evening coming in with Neff for dinner & supper at the Carls - https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fca9fee66fb93f2d41904ce986028e30.pdf 8250b341ca281837148f3ccba90e5c69 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Rite. I fully intended going home to-night at six o'clock but as Neff was not nearly through I didn't like to leave him. We were out there till after ten to-night and then were not through. This was the anniversary of the signing of the armstice and it was supposed to be observed throughout the whole Empire by every one stopping work at eleven o'clock for two minutes, this was the King's request. We stopped work out at the Exhibition and then sang "God save the King." and I guess the same thing was done all over. To-night there was a reunion and banquet for some battalion at the Carls. Rite. and {illegible} in for all the racket they made. There was an open air dance and general celebration up on University Ave. to-night and there were a couple of aeroplanes flying around all illuminated. We went up to University Ave on our way home to-night but the dance was over with. Wednesday November 12th I didn't get up very early this morning and went down town till noon to get some things. I hurried through lunch at Roy's intending to leave for home at 1.20 but I didn't give myself time enough to get to the station and missed my train by about two minutes. I had a shave and hair cut and went back up to Roy's for about an hour and left on the 4 o'clock train, it was a slow one and I didn't get to Brantford till nearly seven so didn't get to Dover till nine. I went up to Aunty's for a minute or two and then up town to see Marj. Cold to-night. Thursday November 13th Charlie Quanbury was through here before daylight and before anyone but Dad. was up on his way to light a fire in the engine and he wanted one of us to go over and help him thrash his alsike. I went over about nine o'clock and we finished about 10.30. When I got back I helped Dad. throw out some ditches in the corner field till noon and Frank plowed in there all day. Dad. finished the other field while I was away. This after noon Dad. & Tid went down to Aunty's to bank up the house. I cleaned out the cow stable and spent most of the after noon cleaning out one end of the chicken shed and putting in fresh straw. It froze very hard last night and has been very cloudy and freezing quite hard all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a1c6960b77752833293d943b3530961f.pdf c413fb106d17444a0b6c009b0798894f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday November 14th It froze hard last night but Frank was able to plow and has been at it all day. I went back to the gully this morning and chopped a hole in the creek for the cattle to drink then I spent the rest of the morning moving the hay around in the horse stable so that we could put some straw up there. We wanted to move the stack or what is left of it in to-day but it was too windy. I didn't do any thing much all the after noon but a few chores. We put the cows all in this after noon as well as Wilkins Micawber Knocfierna and Nancy. Wyatt Waddle and a Frost & Wood agent were here this after noon to sell Dad. a mower. He said if they would alow him $40.00 on the old one he would get a new $90.00 one from them so they were going to try to deal it off. Enah went down town this after noon and sold four dozen eggs for me @ 65 cts. I got 16 eggs to-day. I went down town to-night and Frank went to a dance at Nanticoke. Saturday November 15th We spent most of the morning getting ready to haul straw we had to take the box off the waggon and put the rack on. We had quite a time with Wilkins Micawber who being homesick and lonesome for his ma was very persistent in his attempts to jump out of the pen, he did jump out once and we had to put another plank on. Another delay was caused by Ansin Abbott coming after his pigs. Dad. sold him the whole litter, nine, for forty dollars, one was a very runty one. We got two sling loads on and over to the horse stable before dinner but didn't put them off. We put them off after dinner and then while Frank went down town to send off an order to Eatons for a stove which we are getting for the dining room Dad. and I put on two more lifts and put them off in the horse stable. We had very poor luck putting it off as it was too short to lift. We then put on a fair sized load and hauled it in on the barn floor. Still cold but sunny, milder to-night. Sunday November 16th Frank Tid. and I went to Sunday school and Enah came down to church. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and was there most of the after noon. Lila and I came over here about four o'clock, stayed to tea and went down again. I spent the evening with Marj. who had been in Vittoria with the Johnson's. Much milder https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/83ceb91d6a1bea862c8b96690a5d5695.pdf 99e29376cae2728c7b15526ee217f040 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday November 17th Frank plowed all day in the corner field. Dad. and I put off the load of straw that was on the barn floor and then started to move the stack in. We couldn't put it on the waggon as it was so windy but just shoved it in the door and piled it up on the barn floor. We got quite a little pile in by noon but Tupper was over and wanted one of us to help him thrash. Dad. went so that Frank and I could go down to a tea in the Sunday school to-night. I spent the after noon doing chores and I went down to the mill in the buggy to get some rolled oats and oil cake. 100 of oil cake cost me $4.75. I did the milking very early and Frank and I went down to the Sunday school a little after six but in time to get something to eat. Mr. Manning was there and a good turn out of boys and he addressed them on the organized Sunday School classes. Mr. Manning had to leave at seven o'clock so the meeting closed. I went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. and then went and got shaved and called for Enah at Aunty's about eight and we went up to a party at Ada's. We had a very nice time, there were only a few there, two tables playing bridge and Winnie. Jim Emmet & Miss Perry (Mrs. Freeman's sister) playing Rummy. Lovely day. Tuesday November 18th Frank has been over at Tupper's all day thrashing. Charlie Quanbury told me on his way to the farm that there was a telephone call for me so I went over and found it was Mr. Burtch who wanted me to ship the two best rams that were left. Dad. and I spent the rest of the morning building a rcate. We had one crate which Burtch had shipped back to us. We took the rams down to the station right after dinner and left them, then came home around by Aunty's, Harry Battersby rode over the hill with us to Mrs. Battersby's. When we got home we put more of the straw stack in the barn & got most of it in. It was a beautiful morning but turned colder this after noon and snowed quite hard for a short while. Wednesday November 19th Frank went over and thrashed at Tupper's all day and said they would have another half day of it but he said he wouldn't go back to-morrow as I want to go with Neff. He was down yesterday morning and said he was going to take the Courtland boys up to Burford & Paris to judge stock to-morrow and invited me to go along. Dad. and I ran out some ditches in the corner field this morning and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ed8ee0d0abcb4a6206970f6a0faeb49d.pdf 885d9cae7a9be74e6b54cd6466d26b3f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Dad. plowed the rest of the day. I threw out ditches till noon and spent most of the after noon doing chores. I went down town to-night and stayed down. Cold west wind to-day. Thursday November 20th I went to Simcoe on the early car this morning and walked up to Neff's place, he was just getting the car out when I got there to take his brother up to their orchard. It was pretty frosty so I went back with them to his office and waited there till Neff got back. We started on our trip about eight and went to Mr. Knight's at Vanessa where we were supposed to meet the Courtland boys. We were there for a long time looking over his dual purpose shorthorns. He has some good milkers and his bull is out of Moore's old Dairymaid but all the stock was thin. At last when the boys didn't appear we went up to Vanessa and found them all waiting there as they had forgotten the name of the fellow we were to see. We didn't go back to Knight's as it was late but went on over to Burtch's at Mt. Pleasant. He has some fine Shrop. ewes and we had two good classes of judging. I saw one of the rams we shipped him and he gave me a checque for them. From there we went to Brantford & had dinner at our old chink cafe, it is a good place. After dinner we went over to Burford and were there quite awhile looking at Brethour's Yorkshires. He is fitting up a bunch to take to the International and certainly had some beauties at least if such an adjective can be applied to hogs they were when judged by their own standards. From Brethour's we went over to Gurney's at Paris and were there till dark looking at Belgians. We started right for home from Gurney's but Neff took a road he wasn't familiar with and just north of Scotland we struck an awful bit of trail going through a swampy piece of bush. We thought several times we were going to be stalled and there was no possible chance of turning around. Neff and I were ahead in his Ford and the other boys were following us in a McLaughlin & a Gray Dort. However we did get through it eventually and stopped at Scotland for Neff to fill his car with water, when the other boys came up there was some tall language used at Neff for taking then over such a road. That was the last we saw of them for they struck off west from Scotland on the Talbot road for Delhi while Neff and I came right down the town line to Simcoe. I had tea at Neff's https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/73642adedbde20f20dcf96b4e75c3462.pdf b9dfecb72ad7ac4354aa755503dc226a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. place and then he drove me down to the L.E.& N. station where I caught the nine o'clock car. The weather couldn't have been nicer. Friday November 21st Dad. plowed all day and got on well. He was at it yesterday but it was frozen so hard he had a hard time Frank and I spent the morning throwing out ditches. This after noon we (Frank & I) went down town and got a load of coal as Huby sent a note over to say there was a car in. It is what they call washery not coal and is dull owing to the fact that it has been out in the weather for a year, it is also full of clinkers. Frank & I went down town to-night and he went to the Women's Institute dance in the hall. It has been milder & stormy looking. Saturday November 22nd Dad. was up at five o'clock this morning and so was in time to see Frank getting home from the dance. He just changed his clothes and went to work without any sleep. Dad. plowed all day and got a lot done as he had such a good start. Frank and I put up the straw that was on the barn floor this morning into the mow. This afternoon I did chores and we unloaded the coal we got yesterday. Frank went down town to-night and met George who came up from Allanburg to spend Sunday. Frank went to bed as soon as he got home. There was supposed to be an eclipse of the sun this morning but it was too cloudy to see it. Cloudy all day. Sunday November 23rd Frank and I went down to Sunday school and I alone went to church. Marj. came over here to dinner and we have all been home all after noon and evening. Frank, Tid and George went out for awhile with the rifle this after noon Quint came over here to tea and spent the evening. The Grand Trunk round house burned down last night and ruined the two engines. Fine but a rather cold wind. Monday November 24th Dad. has plowed all day and got on very well. Frank and I went down and got a load of soft coal this morning. We took George down with us and he left on the eleven o'clock car. We also took Gypsy down to Quint who is going to take her up to Bill Oakes at Turkey Point. Bill has charge of Dr. McInnes's "farm" there and goes halves with the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/007b90119e271b5123aa62f77e0e309d.pdf 2e0792289db0e2a5b9cf85c45c31d952 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. doctor on the trapping and shooting. The doctor has gone to South America for the winter. Dad. suggested to Quint that he take Gyp. up there and put Tid. off by saying that Bill would train her and send her back. Tid was quite willing for her to go yesterday but as the hour of parting drew near he decided she shouldn't go. Frank took her however and Tid was overwhelmed with grief. This after noon I did chores and Frank let down the lane fence on the posts along the wheat so that the sheep couldn't get in and pulled what few turnips there were and then we went out with Joe & Queen and got them. Fine day. Tuesday November 25th Dad. was out at daybreak this morning and got in a good day's plowing. Frank and I spent the day doing odd jobs. We battened up Moonshine's stall this morning and Frank fixed the manger in the corner where he stood all summer and put Kate in so that he can feed her. He sold her to Karl the other day but he doesn't want to take her yet, so said he would pay for the chop she ate if Frank would feed her. I put tar paper around the little apple trees this after noon to protect them from the mice. Aunty Alice was over for a few minutes this morning and brought some salve for Tid's forhead. Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. social evening in the Sunday school to-night. There was a big turnout and we had quite an hilarious time much after the fasion of the ones we had last winter. It has been mild & cloudy and rather misty all day. Wednesday November 26th Dad. plowed from day light till dark and got a lot turned over. I spent nearly the whole day doing chores but went out for awhile and cleaned out a few ditches. Frank has felt rather tough all day with a pain but he did a little ditching and this after noon went down and helped Tige clean out the Sunday school. I went down to band practice, there were about half a dozen there and we sat around the stove talking about the income tax till about nine o'clock then I went downstairs and ran across Marj. so went up and spent the evening with her. I came back past the hall where there was a U.F.O. meeting going on so I asked Corby if they practised. He said they did a little and Clare Deal took my horn home. Cloudy & freezing raw east wind. Thursday November 27th https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2d4892c77d7ed230c3e4bd138cf7884d.pdf dddf0b1a44a5594d77bfc8b29ab576fb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Dad. plowed all day but as it has been freezing a little ever since yesterday it plowed pretty stiff and he didn't get quite so much done, however, he is just about to the old cherry tree so will soon be done. I cleaned a few ditches this morning but spent most of the day doing chores. Frank took some oats to the mill this morning but there wasn't enough water to chop it. I went down to Aunty's to tea to-night. Marj. was there and after tea she Aunty Alice & I went to see "Venus in the East" at the picture show. After the show Aunty Alice went to play bridge at Cousin Clare's and I called for her. Friday November 28th It froze hard last night and there was no chance of plowing and most of the morning was spent doing chores and gettin Enah & Tid. started off for Toronto. They went to Brantford on the eleven o'clock car and were going to take a train for Toronto from there after dinner.They drove Mexico down town and Dad. walked down, stayed to dinner and drove back this after noon. He said Tid. at the last minute was very loth to leave and seemed quite sick.They didn't know whether he was cold or excited, but they persuaded him to go as far as Brantford and then if he still felt sick he could come back, but as they haven't showed up I guess he recovered. This after noon Frank borrowed Jack Martin's hog crate and we weighed up his four hogs, they just averaged 200 lbs apiece. We did chores up early and I went to bed soon after tea and Frank went out to Bill Sidway's. Saturday November 29th Frank got breakfast this morning and right after breakfast Dad. left home and didn't show up till after dinner. He went down to Aunty's to clean up a little down there around the barn. Frank has been doing housework all day and I have been doing chores. It began to rain quite early this fore noon and has kept it up all day clearing off at night and a strong west wind taking its place by ten o'clock there was a regular hurricane blowing and it was increasing in violence. Frank went down town to-night and said when he got home that there were several trees blown down and the false front above the roof of Hugh McQueen's store had blown off. Sunday November 30th https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d99056e721cbc0e731240f3511aaa95a.pdf edd1c79d5cfcc7eed358b898966644f6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. The wind was still very high this morning and has abated very little by this evening but has not been so strong as it must have been during the night. We got off with very little damage. It blew the north doors off the old barn and two or three boards from the big barn and tipped over the "library." When Dad. got up the windmill had blown in gear and was going like mad. He ran out to shut it off with scarcely any clothes on and nearly froze. He found the barnyard half flooded. We heard later that the wind blew Edmond England's windmill down and the head of John Wess's. It wrecked the big drying kiln over at the brickyard and blew down a new building that Kolbe was just putting up. Frank & I went down to Sunday school and church this morning & stayed at Aunty's for dinner. This after noon I drove down to Nanticoke to bring Marj. home as she went down to the Banfield's Friday night. The roads were rather rough but it wasn't bad. I was bundled up so with Dad's fur coat I couldn't feel the wind. I took a fur coat of Aunty Alice's down for Marj. so she didn't get very cold. We got home soon after six. I came home and had tea and then went back down town again. Frank & Alex England went down Mud Street to-night. Monday December 1st We haven't done much but chores to-day, they take most of our time now that the cattle are all in. Dad. fixed the fence that the wind blew down and nailed on the boards that had blown off and we re-established parliament. Aunty came over and helped Frank get dinner but didn't stay long after dinner. I shifted the chickens around to-night. I put the old hens in where the roosters were and put all but two of them in the fattening crate. I left one in with the old hens and put the one that was so full of fight in with the pullets. Fine day, freezing all day, cloudy. Owing to the coal-miner's strike and the shortage of soft coal The G.T.R. has taken off 70 trains from Ontario lines, all our midday trains being included so that we don't get our mail till the day after it comes in now. Jim comes early. Tuesday December 2nd Did nothing but chores to-day. Dad. went down to Aunty's for dinner but came home right after and we brought the rams up and put them in the field back of the barn. It snowed last night and quite a bit this morning and to-night is 10° above zero. Frank and I went down town to-night. Lovely night but frosty. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b423cb849c13cf258171f797265e5555.pdf 2907997db74fb8d071512128d3c1623e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday December 3rd Have put in most of the day doing chores, but made a box this after noon to ship my pair of dressed cockrels up to the Winter Fair and Frank painted it for me. Tupper came over after dinner and took Dad. over with him to help him kill his old sow, so Dad. was over there all the after noon and to tea. He shouldn't have gone as his cold made him feel sick and he got cold over there. To-night I went down to band practice. Freezing all day and 8° above zero to-night. Thursday December 4th Aunty Alice came over to dinner to-day and thought Frank's housekeeping was splendid, if he keeps on he will make a fine wife for somebody someday. Besides the chores we managed to get time to put the old box stove out of the shop up in the dining room this morning and to-night Dad. has a fire in it and it is nice and warm. We ordered a Quebec Heater from Eaton's but it was too cold to wait for it to come. Dad. went over to John Wess's this after noon to ask him if he had any intentions of selling out but he wasn't home, both he & Mrs. McBride are in bad shape. I went down to the mill in the buggy after some chicken feed. Milder. Friday December 5th Dad. has done most of the chores to-day as I put in a lot of time killing and fixing up my cockrels which I am going to send up to the Guelph Winter Fair. I killed four and will take the two best and send them up. I had good luck killing and plucking them and as there were no pin feathers they looked very nice. I found the box I had made to ship them in was too small so I went over to Jack Martin's this after noon and got another. They were boxing up a shipment of chickens for Australia over there. I am going down town to-night. It has been milder but still freezing. Saturday December 6th I made another box to ship my cockrels in this morning and got them packed and shipped by this afternoon's express. Frank and I went down town in the waggon and got a bag of sugar whch Aunty ordered for us the other day and got some chop at the mill. Aunty Alice was over to dinner and most of the after noon darning socks for us. Snowed all after noon, milder. Sunday December 7th Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/79d480cac95f80d2b59194b368dc1754.pdf 7c0cd6c997209cab6bbf1bef0f11bc79 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. stayed at Aunty's for dinner. Frank went home right after dinner but I stayed down all afternoon and evening and had tea at Aunty's and went to church with Aunty Alice & Dad. I spent the after noon and evening with Marj. Dad. did all the chores and came down to Aunty's for tea. He took Molly for a sleigh drive this after noon but the cutter didn't slip very well. Fine day. Monday December 8th We haven't done much to-day but chores. Frank has been very busy all day getting the house slicked up in preparation for Enah's & Tid's homecoming to-night. He has made a fine housekeeper and cook but looks forward to chucking the job to-morrow. Dad. and I drove down town with the cutter as soon as we got the night chores done but had to wait around town for nearly an hour as the seven o'clock car was very late Enah & Tid were aboard and Dad drove them home and I walked. Frank had a good tea already for us when we got home and I was ready for it. Enah and Tid both had a good time in Toronto but were glad to be home. Tuesday December 9th It turned very mild during the night and rained all morning and has been very spring-like all day. I spent most of the day doing chores and Dad. and Frank fixed up a place to hang pigs as we expect to kill to-morrow. Frank and I went down to a J.F.I.A. meeting to-night in the Sunday school. It was supposed to be an agricultural evening and in the hands of that commitee but as Lloyd & George Ryerse were the only other members present we adjourned and Frank and I went down to Auntys for the remainder of the eveing. Wednesday December 10th We had intended butchering our hogs to-day but it was so cold and windy that Dad. decided not to. He went over to Tupper's to tell him so as Tupper was coming over to help. Dad. was over there most of the morning. Tupper told him that he had sold out to Tom Butler and his pal. Neil Elliot was in after dinner and bought Snowdrop for thirty dollars. I wernt down to band practice to-night. Very cold & windy, near zero. Thursday December 11th It was still very frosty this morning but the wind had died down so Tupper came over to slay our porkers. I didn't have much to do with the ceremony as I was https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ecae8e033626a2ae8f3ef315b76dfd0e.pdf c4e15ce242799a6a182ed27743f4063e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. busy doing chores. I did help a little after the pigs were scalded but couldn't work hard enough to keep warm, so quit. Right after dinner I took poor old Snowdrop down to the Dog's Nest where Neils man was to call for her. I didn't see him but tied her in the Gospel Hall shed and left her. I just did chores after I got home. They finished the pigs about three o'clock and the four of them hanging behind the shop make it look as if we wouldn't starve this winter anyway. Aunty. Marj. & Win all came over here to tea and we had the crate fattened roosters. Friday December 12th Dad. has put in the entire day dissecting the dead pigs and got through by to-night and has the woodshed piled full. I put in most of the day doing chores. Arthur Preston was over this afternoon and told us they were going to thin half the trees out of their orchard and that if we would clean them out we could have all the wood for doing it, so Dad. was higly pleased with the proposition. Jack Walker was over canvassing for subscriptions to a fund to buy a new organ for the church. I went down town to-night but it was raining when I came home so I stayed at Aunty's all night. Huby got moved to-day to their house up on St Andrew Street. Turned soft last night. Very mild all day. Saturday December 13th I did chores this morning and Dad. & Frank took Gladys down to Clarence Finch's. This after noon Frank and I hauled home a load of chestnut coal as Kolbe just got a car in and we put it in the old coldframe near the colony house as I intend to use it for a brooder. Dad. has been busy all after noon and evening putting the pork in the pickle. Colder. Sunday December 14th Frank and I went to Sunday school and church. Frank rode his wheel and took Tid. down on it but Tid. was so cold when they got to Aunty's that he stayed there till he got warm and then walked home. Marj. came over here to dinner to help eat spare ribs and she stayed all the evening. Enah went down to choir practice this after noon. Frank lit out for Mud Street after dinner and didn't get back till night Dad. and I did up the chores but didn't milk. Dad. went down after tea to see Aunty Alice as her cold was bad and she had a lame back. Very cold. Monday December 15th I went over to John Wess's this morning to inquire after them and John told me that Mrs. McBride was down in bed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3a9f788c95a07f023a5a9254c70c5b53.pdf 58f85f8ed66a74064d4669a79220f025 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. now and couldn't get up. It looks pretty tough for him and he is all alone with her, he himself is just able to limp around and do the chores, but he expects Cam. home this after noon. I went over to Jack Martin's for awhile when I got back from John Wess's to ask them about a stove brooder and Chris. told me that he might be able to get one for me from a man in Galt. I went to Simcoe on the one o'clock car and took my sample of milk to Neff and priced the brooders at Boyd's. The size Chris advised me to get cost $33.00. I came home on the 3 o'clock car. To-night Marj. and I went to the Methodist church to hear Capt. Martin give his lecture Jean Valjean. Frank and Lila were there but there was a very small crowd, the lecture was very good. Very cold & windy all day. Below zero to-night. Tuesday December 16th It was very cold this morning, below zero and a strong wind and although we were up fairly early it took us some time to thaw out and start to work. Frank went to prime the pump at the windmill this morning but the water froze immediately between the pump rod and the pump lead and as the windmill was in gear it broke the wooden jerk rod. Frank went over to Tupper's after breakfast to help him move some thrashed hay, but they didn't do much at it and Frank came home after dinner. I went down to Sam Law's to thrash this after noon. I didn't do very much as there was only a very little bit and Charlie Quanbury couldn't keep warm at it alone. We finished about four o'clock and then had supper. Sam got about three bags of seed. I went down town to-night. Wednesday December 17th Dad. and Frank went down to Preston's this morning and cut one of the trees. They were going back right after dinner but Frank fixed the jerk rod in the windmill first, and then Ham Thompson came after his {illegible}. Karl. Coleman also came and got Kate. Then Pickford and Tom. Butler came over and Pickford bought one of the yearling rams to kill. By the time they left it was too late to cut more wood so they just took the waggon down and hauled home what they cut. I went down to Aunty's to tea to-night. Marj. was there and she and Aunty went up to the Girls' Branch and I went to band practice. Neither of our meetings ammounted to much owing to lack of gas so Marj. and I went over to Miss McQueen's for awhile and then I spent the evening over at the Monteith's with her. I left my horn at Hec. Henderson's but when I went to get it the door was locked. Hasn't been above zero all day but clear & no wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b3bccb0261b983bc32e6321b57dc0e64.pdf 08e19701e01c2a029ac25f34ecffd810 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday December 18th Dad. and Frank went down and cut a couple more trees in Preston's orchard this morning. I didn't do much but hang around waiting for Pickford as we expected him over to get one of the yearling rams to kill. He didn't come however. As there was no wind to pump to-day we had to carry all the water for the stock and so we spent most of the after noon doing chores. Frank drove down town to get a lot of Christmas groceries and a box to send Elva one of the pups in. I went down town to-night to see if Marj. intended going home to-morrow. I didn't see her but found that school started again to-day so she won't be able to go till Saturday. School has been closed since Monday as some grater in the furnace had to be replaced and they just came yesterday. Friday December 19th Pickford and Tom. Butler came over and got the ram before we had breakfast this morning. The ram weighed 155 lbs and he gave us 8 cts a lb for him. Frank and I drove down town right after breakfast and shipped the pup to Elva by the L.E.& N. express. I stayed down at Aunty's all morning and chopped some wood for them to cook the spiced round. Frank and Dad. went down to Preston's this morning and sawed up some more apple wood and this after noon Frank went over to Tupper's and helped him put in the rest of his thrashed hay, while Dad. and I just did chores. To-night Frank and I went down town and I spent the evening with Marj. She is going home to-morrow. Frank went to the W.I. dance and is staying all night at Aunty's intending to go to Allanburg in the morning to spend Sunday with George. He had a letter from George saying that their office down there had been burned to the ground and Ed. Turner lost every thing he owned. It has been bitterly cold all week but is a little milder to-night. Saturday December 20th Dad. and I went down to Preston's this morning and sawed up a little more wood, and this after noon hauled a load home. Aunty was over to tea to-night as it was Tid's birthday. I went down with her and went up town for awhile to get some Christmas cards. Beautiful day but no wind to pump water. Sunday December 21st I went down to Sunday school and church but have been home all the after noon. Dad. and Enah went down this after noon to choir practice and Enah stayed down to tea and went with {Name?} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/995c1d912073fb2df1873f6b836cc871.pdf 9ee36d086c12811cdc0f77bcc715fa19 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Walker to Hagersville to-night to hear an organ in the Methodist church there. It has been a beautiful day but no wind to pump water and we are at our wit's end to know what to do as we daren't take too much out of the well it is so low and the cistern is nearly empty and we can't pump enough by hand from the well at the windmill as something is wrong with the sucker and only the windmill will pump it. It has been much milder to-day & yesterday but by no means soft. Monday December 22nd Dad. spent most of morning drawing water out of the well at the windmill as there has been no wind to pump. I killed my five roosters. Bob Doherty was in this after noon and I promised him 12 of the lambs @ 14 cts a lb. To-night Enah and I went down to the confirmation service at which Lila was confirmed. Frank got home to-night. Mild but rather foggy all day. Tuesday December 23rd Frank and I took Dick's box down to the Express office this morning and then bagged up some oats and took them down to the mill. Al. Faulkner came over and got six of his geese and we kept two for our share. I went over to John Wess's this after noon and Frank and Tid got a Christmas tree. We went down to J.F.I.A. to-night but no-one was out. Wednesday December 24th Didn't do any thing very important this morning. Frank went down town on his wheel and got some cabbage at Uncle Ward's & took Cousin Loll one of the crate fattened cockrels. McEwen and a freind another McEwen were down this after noon and the other man bought two yearling ewes for $35.00 apiece. George came to-night. Christmas Day. We all went down to church this morning, spent most of the after noon doing chores and had dinner over here at night. Huby supplied the turkey. Dad. brought Aunt Ida over in the cart and the rest all walked over. All from Huby's, all from Aunty's and Cousin Clare made with ourselves a party of 15. We had a tree after dinner and every one got loaded with presents. It has been very cold all day, 8° below zero this morning. Friday December 26th Dad. hauled the two sleepers out of the big barn this morning and this after noon we cleaned the remains of the driveway floor out of it, so that now we can let the sheep in and drive in if we need to. We all went down to Aunty's to-night and had a fine evening. Much milder. George stayed down all night at Aunty's as he intends leaving in the morning. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7eeb849281d94782ca8a4856537d2755.pdf 9430ca5c06743e628f8149f57b628df0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday December 27th Frank and I drove down in the waggon this morning and got some nails & lumber to make sheep crates and feeding racks and we spent most of the after noon making a couple of crates to ship McEwen's yearlings in. I worked all the evening at my show card course and got the first lesson fairly well done. It has been much milder to-day. Sunday December 28th Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Enah walked down to church. Aunty came over with us to dinner. Dad. had to draw up water for the cattle this after-noon as there wasn't wind enough to pump. Frank went skating this after noon and he and Alex England went off for a drive to-night. I spent the evening reading "An Irish Cousin", which Roy & Vernon sent me. Fine and cold. Monday December 29th First thing after breakfast this morning Frank & I took our two ewes down and shipped them by the 9.45 express to McEwen at Mt. Pleasant. We had to get some things up town and stopped at Aunty's for awhile so it was nearly noon when we got home. This after noon Frank went down and got a file and then took the cross-cut saw over to John Evans, who showed him how to sharpen it, and he brought it home all honed up in great shape. Dad. went over to see John Wess this after noon. Cam. told him that his mother had been very sick the other night and they were afraid she wouldn't pull through the night but she was a little better to-day. Cam. said he didn't know at all what his father intended to do and didn't like to ask him as he felt so upset. Dad. went down to see them at Aunty's to-night and I worked all evening at my show card course. It has not been so cold to-day and is stormy to-night. Tuesday December 30th Dad. decided this morning that as all conditions except the roads being so favorable we had better haul our ice now so Frank and I went down after a load as soon as we could while he cleaned out the ice house. The first load we put off outside as Dad. didn't have the ice house ready and we hauled another before dinner and put it in. Frank hauled three this after noon alone and I chinked them, while Dad. did the chores. It is beautiful ice https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/35bc02dd774897af521f559cfd2b3c48.pdf 9378c6928cd56d6a6de333be61164b00 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. clear and solid right through and the cubes just the right size to handle nicely. It is a little harder on the horses hauling it in the waggon especially as the roads are pretty rough it spots but it is nicer to unload. Very mild Wednesday December 31st We finished filling the ice house to-day, this being the earliest I think we have ever had it filled. Frank hauled three more loads this morning and we put the load that was outside in this after noon and then Frank wend down and hauled a load of saw-dust to pack it. He also saw old Felix Perkins who said he would be over in a couple of days to fix the pump as it isn't working at all satisfactorily. Frank and I went down town to-night. I thought there might be band practice but as there wasn't I went around to Harry Dyer's and got my hair cut. I was there till about 11 o'clock. Frank went to the W.I. dance and I went up about 11, but only went on the floor once with Dess. I spent the rest of the time with Bub. & Dess in the gallery watching the circus below which was just as much fun and far safer. I went home with the girls about one o'clock and then came on home, thus ushering in the year 1920. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1911 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1913 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1914 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925-1926 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1926-1927 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1919 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 1, 1919 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress Done Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{FRONT COVER}</p> <p>DIARY.1919</p> <p><br />T.B.Barrett</p> <p><br />Port Dover, Ontario</p> <p><br />Knockfierna..............</p> <p><br />From January 1st 1919 to December 31st 1919</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday January 1st 1919.</p> <p>I have had a feeling all day to-day as if I ought to have the blues, not exactly that I ought to have them but that it is queer that I haven't got them. That isn't the proper way to feel on New Year's day especially since every New Year's day for the last four years we have all thought that if the "damned" (thats what most of us thought allright even if we didn't say it) old war was over we would never feel blue again and neither we do at least I don't and don't intend to even although I have had to light the lamp this after noon to see to write, and though my gum boot which I wore a hole in the sole of on the hard frozen knobs of earth in the barn yard last week let in a pint of oozey mud and water around my foot so that it was just like an eel in a puddle all morning (I wore Dad's rubbers this after noon) and although that old brute of a Gladys acted just as stubborn as a pig can when we tried to load her into the crate this morning and I got mad enough to kill her and chased her around the yard till I was winded calling her names that wouldn't do for Sunday, and although I had to stand under the drip of the eave of the barn this after noon for about</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>ten minutes trying to unhook the chain which was just within an ace of unhooking but wouldn't come, and although instead of this being a nice, crisp, sunshiney, snowy sleigh bell jingling day, it has been a dark, muddy, drizzley, drippy, rainy rotten one with nothing more cheerful to look at than the mist and drizzle and nothing to hear but the darn ducks squawk and the dismal flapping of Enah's clothes which have been hanging on the line since Monday steadily getting wetter than when she put them there. Even in spite of all this, I haven't got the blues and upon a moment's thought realize that I would be a mighty ungrateful creature if I had, for in spite of all the weather there is an awful lot to be thankful for. The main part of the war is over and the boys are beginning to get back, some of them pretty badly shot up but others looking fine and all of them tickled pink to be home. Old Quint, who must have seen some hard fighting during the last summer and fall has got through without a scratch and writes most interesting letters from Belgium of the sights he sees there. Of course, Dad. had a letter from Dick to-day written on Christmas saying he was to sail for Siberia the next day so he is probably well out on the Pacific by this time and will maybe see action over there as the paper reports Canadian Artillery in the Arcangel region supporting Russian, American and Polish troops in attacks on the Bolsheviki, but then even though his future movements are in some ways so uncertain, it doesn't seem as if his stay in Russia will last as long as it might have if the Western Front was not peaceful and some reports say that men will not have to stay there more than a year unless they like, even although Canadian troops are still kept there, and even if he does see action over there after knowing of some of the marvelous escapes some of the boys in France have had, I can't help feeling that the same Power that pulled them through will also look after old Dick. These things as well as others keep my heart above my boot tops in spite of the depressing atmosphere. We did nothing in the way of celebration to-day. Frank and I had to take old Gladys down to Coleman's this morning and got pretty wet doing it. Dad. felt better this morning and went out and helped us load her but I'm afraid it didn't do him any good. To-night Frank and I went down town. Frank went up to Huby's. We intend to celebrate New Year's on Aunty's birthday.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday January 2nd</p> <p>After I got the morning chores done up I went down town to send a money order to "The Breeder's Gazette" for a renewal of my subscription and also for some books for the J.F.I.A. for which Frank gave me a cheque. I didn't get back till noon. This after noon Charlie Quanbury came after Frank to help him take his calves out to {Lish?} Farr. who seems to be making a business of wintering cattle for people on his thrashed alsike. I didn't do any thing in particular but chores all the afternoon. To night I felt as if I was getting quite a cold so soaked my feet in hot water and went to bed rather early having spent the fore part of the evening reading "The Prince and the Pauper" which Aunt Ida gave me on Christmas. It has been a beautiful winter day, dull, frozen &amp; not cold.</p> <p>Friday January 3rd</p> <p>This being Aunty's birthday we celebrated it over here by having the goose which Frank slew yesterday for dinner and accordingly Aunty, Aunty Alice, Aunt Ida and Marj. all came over to partake of it. Frank and I didn't do any thing but chores and visit. Marj. stayed to tea and for the evening but the rest of them went down before tea. Frank went down to the dance given by the Women's Institute to-night and I walked home with Marj. later. Dad. hasn't felt much better to-day. It has been a very nice day. Freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Saturday January 4th</p> <p>Last night was the coldest we have had yet this winter, the mercury being at zero this morning, but it has been a nice day with quite a strong west wind. Dad. Enah and the baby went down town before dinner and stayed down all the afternoon. Frank and I just did chores and bagged up what apples were left out in the barn some of which were frozen like bricks. Frank hitched Mexico to the cart and we hauled them over to the house in it and put them down cellar. We spent most of the after noon in the house reading the mail. Chuck Harn was in for a few minutes with a petition to have The Marburg Station moved from where it is up to the Cheese Factory, so Frank and I signed it as we didn't care a cent where it was and thought they must want it changed.</p> <p>Saturday January 5th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school and church this morning but I didn't get down on account of the chores. None</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>of the rest of the family went down. I spent the after noon down at the Monteith's and came home to tea and to do chores. Lila was here to tea and She and I went down town right after tea as I wanted to get to church. We cut across the pond as there were a lot on it this after noon and I got my over coat full of pitch fork burrs getting up the hill. I went to church but was about half an hour late. I picked the burrs out of my over coat during the sermon. After church I went over and spent the evening with Marj. Tige McBride was down to-day to ask Frank and me to be bearers at Lee Boughner's funeral. He just home from France or England or where ever he was in the army the other day and died very suddenly yesterday. It hasn't been so cold to-day but freezing all day. Cloudy &amp; breezy.</p> <p>Monday January 6th</p> <p>Frank and I spend most of our time these days just doing chores. I husked the rest of the corn we had up this morning and Frank and I got over some hay this afternoon. This was election day but Dad. didn't feel like going out to vote and I didn't want to take the time with the roads as rough as they are to drive way out to Wiggin's school house Jack Martin was in about four o'clock to get us to go out and vote for Hammond as he thought if he got in we might get the roads fixed up a little down in this end of the township. However we didn't go and Hammond got beaten by Gilbert by about 48 votes. In town R. M. Taylor beat Mat. Wilson for reeve and the council consists of Clare Deal, Jack Reynolds, Jim Bannister &amp; Billy {Lamp?} I am afraid they are more inclined to be knockers than boosters but they may be all right. Enah and Tid went down to the Sunday school for tea to-night and for a concert afterwards in which all the kids took part. Frank went down after tea. Nice morning but rather blustery in after noon. Not cold.</p> <p>Tuesday January 7th</p> <p>We did all the chores up this morning so that we could go to Lee Boughner's funeral this after noon. Tom was over this morning greatly delighted at Hammond's defeat. Oscar Howden came in to drive him out to vote for Hammond but he walked out to Marburg so that he could vote as he pleased. We went up to the funeral this after noon and didn't put in such a bad time. Frank and I, Colin Lloyd, Tige and Lynn Waddle were bearers. Lynn would persist in expressing sentiments not suited to the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>occasion which made it uncomfortable for the rest of us fellows during the service but we managed to pull through without disgracing ourselves and very unwillingly accepted the undertakers invitation to go in and have a look at Lee. Five returned soldiers came down from Simcoe to attend the funeral. They were a tough looking bunch. One had a glass eye and a stiff arm and another a game leg. They buried him in the Simcoe cemetry. I drove up with Lynn Waddle and Jack Maxwell. Lynn lit up his corn cob pipe just as we got started and and I don't think opened his mouth all the way up unless it was to make some coarse and ribald jest, one being that he thought Wess Boughner was damned stingy with his hard cider, as he hadn't offered us any. I came home with George Duncan as he was alone and could bring me closer to home. I transferred at his gate to Jack McBride's rig and when he turned in home I got in with Colin Ryerse &amp; Frank and so got a ride home. To-night Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. and although we didn't have many out had a fairly good time. Everybody present performed in some way sang or read a poem out of my James Whitcomb Riley book it being Literary evening. We had some toast for refreshments. Very soft &amp; mild. Snowing to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday January 8th</p> <p>Besides doing chores to-day Frank and I started to dig the straw out of the bottom of the west hay over in the old barn and put it up on the rails over head. Lorne Myers was in this morning to return Dad's probang. He borrowed it last night while we were down town to take a turnip out of his cow's throat. He wanted to know if we would like to try feeding some dried beet pulp as he was going to send for some so I told him to get us ten dollars's worth. To-night Frank and I went down town. I went over to the Monteith's for the evening. Frank intended to go to a soldier's concert which the I.O.D.E. were having but it was called off on account of the Holdin girls being sick, so he went up to Huby's and took Lila to the show. Aunty Alice sent to a Boston publishing Company for some plays for us to-night. A little colder to-day but nice.</p> <p>Thursday January 9th</p> <p>Frank and I finished covering the rails in the old barn with straw. We intended to get some more corn in and some hay over but the weather prevented us. It has been very blustery and blizzardy all day. It didn't snow any more but the high west wind kept what little had</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>fallen in the air all day. It was quite mild this morning but the mercury has been dropping all day and stands at zero to-night. This after noon the J.F.I.A. books came from "The Breeder's Gazette" Company so I spent this after noon looking through them. Charlie Shand was over and he and Frank went down to the dam to see if they were going to put the bridge back in place, but something went wrong with their plans so they didn't move it.</p> <p>Friday January 10th</p> <p>It has been still very windy all day, the wind was worse than yesterday but it has been much milder and was barely freezing this after-noon. Just did chores this morning and this after noon went up to Mat. Wilson's to pay him for the apple-barrels I got last fall. Sam Law had been thrashing there but had to stop as the wind was blowing their belt into the wheel and fraying it. I went over to Ham Thompson's for awhile to look at his calves. Frank went over to Quanbury's as he had promised to help them haul hay but as he thought they didn't go after any as the wind was too strong. I went down town to-night. They had a small fire at the dam last night.</p> <p>Saturday January 11th</p> <p>Frank and I fed up the stock this morning and then went out and got a small jag of corn shocks Tom and his grandson young Murrey Simpson came over and got a little jag of hay on his one horse waggon This after noon Frank went out with John Quanbury to Charlie's place and helped him put on a load of hay I did chores and husked enough corn stalks to feed the cows to-night. Aunty came over this after noon to see how Dad. was and he and Tid. walked back with her and stayed down to tea. Frank went down town to-night and I oiled the chicken's legs. Not so windy a little colder.</p> <p>Saturday January 12th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school and church this morning but I was doing chores till noon. Dad., Enah &amp; Tid went down to Aunty's for dinner and Enah went to church. Frank Awde &amp; Earl came to see Dad. just as I was going to eat and I left them here with Frank and went down town. I was down with Marj. all the after noon but came home to tea and do chores. I went down after tea but was too late to go to church. It has been mild and sunny to-day. Not much wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday January 13th</p> <p>Frank and I loaded up the oats we cleaned out of the little box-stall in the horse stable and took them down to be chopped. There were 17 bags but we thought we might as well take them down as empty part of them. The water was low down there so we had to leave the grist there. Dad. walked over to John Wess's this morning and stayed to dinner. He was pretty tired when he got back and he says John Wess is in pretty bad shape too. This after noon Frank finished mending the box stall door and I helped him hang it and then husked a little corn. About four o'clock we went down and got our chop. We traded some oats off for a bag of oil cake. To-night Frank went down town to ask Zeitha Barwell if she would go to Simcoe with him to-morrow night as the J.F.I.A. all intended going up to the Rink for a skate, but Tige and Albert were down to-night and thought we had better call it off as there would be no ice, so we are going to leave it till to-morrow and see if it gets colder. Very mild and soft all day.</p> <p>Tuesday January 14th</p> <p>Dad. Enah and Tid all went down to Aunty's for dinner to-day as it was Aunt Ida's birthday. Frank and I did chores all morning and I husked corn. Tige McBride came down after dinner to tell us that he called up Simcoe this morning and found out that there wouldn't be any ice so we went down to Lloyd's to tell him to arrange for some thing at the club. Tige let most of the fellows know by telephone that the meeting would be at the club. Frank and I did up the chores early and Dad. and Tid came home about half past four. Enah went up to St. John's with Aunty Maude to hear some W.A. workers from the West. She came back on the seven o'clock car. Marj. had promised to go to the rink with me so when I told her we were going to meet at the club she went over there. There were ten or a dozen of the boys out and about eight girls so we had a very good time playing games and a little dancing. Crosby and Alex England went down and borrowed a fiddle from the Slocomb's and Charlie Blake furnished the music. Soft all day, colder to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday January 15th</p> <p>Dad. felt much better to-day and helped us all day and we got in two loads of corn. The second one we</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>got were little ones with not much corn in it so we brought them in to feed to the cows without husking. We had a visit from a pail pedlar and got three pails from him. To-night I went down to see Marj. for awhile. Mild but frozen.</p> <p>Thursday January 16th</p> <p>John Quanbury came over this morning before we through breakfast to get Frank to go and help him saw up part of the spruce tree which he cut down at Mrs. Battersby's about a month ago. The butt of it is a big log and John can't saw it alone. We had figured on getting in some more corn but Dad. and I put off what we brought in last night but didn't go after any more. Frank came in at noon and he and I got in a load this after noon. Dad. was very much annoyed not to be able to help us but Jackie Pickford came over for a visit and Dad. couldn't shake him he was here all the after noon. We didn't bring in a big load of corn as we don't pile it up on the rack but try to keep each shock seperate so that we won't pull them to pieces when we unload. We didn't unload it to-night but emptied the chop we got the other day into Ed's big bin as we saw one of the cats with a big rat and were afraid to leave it in the bags any longer. Frank and I had hoped to go for a skate to-night but it has been very soft all day and is barely freezing to-night so we stayed home and read over the Shakespeare plays which Aunty Alice got for us for a J.F.I.A. performance.</p> <p>Friday January 17th</p> <p>Frank went over to help John Quanbury again this morning. Dad. and I did chores and unloaded the corn Frank and I brought in yesterday. Aunty Alice came over to dinner. This after noon Dad. Frank and I put on a jag of hay to haul over to the old barn, we would have hauled more but McEwen came down to look at the sheep. He said he wanted to get some ewes for some fellow and asked me if I would take $35.00 apiece for the ewes we culled out and marked for sale in the fall, so I told him we would as the market seems very uncertain and we need the money. I am to call him up to-morrow night to find out whether it is a sale or not. He also offered me $15.00 apiece for the old ewes we sold to Niel Elliott, so I will have to find out from Niel whether he will let me off the deal. I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>tried to telephone him to-night but he wasn't home. Alan Law came in before McEwen left for Dad. to look at his mare. He is afraid she has an attack of asoturia. Enah went down town with Aunty Alice this after noon and had two teeth out. Frank went down to the Women's Institute dance to-night and I went skating on the pond I was surprised to find it so good as it has been very soft all day, but the ice was hard.</p> <p>Saturday January 18th</p> <p>Frank went over this morning and finished helping John Quanbury cut up the spruce tree. Dad. Tid and I drove down to Sam Law's and gave Alan's mare a ball, she didn't seem very sick. When we got back I went over to Martin's to see the bunch of chickens they had all ready to ship to Madison Square gardens this after noon. I also went down to Quanbury's to telephone Niel Elliott but he wasn't home. This after noon Dad. finished cleaning a couple of chickens he killed this morning and Frank finished making a crate to weigh sheep in. We then brought the scales over from the old barn and weighed the three ram lambs we sold to Niel. {Hray?} weighed 87 lbs and the other two 100 &amp; 105. I went down town to-night and called up Niel and McEwen. Niel told me to go ahead and sell the old ewes if I could get any more out of them but when I got McEwen he told me he hadn't been able to see the man that he was buying for so said I hadn't better keep them on the chance of him taking them. I was in at Aunty's on my way home. Aunty is very grieved over the cutting down of the old poplar tree in front of the old Mrs. Bagley house. It was the largest tree of its kind I ever saw and one of the most beautiful trees in town. It is far older than any one living can remember and the trunk was sound as could be. The weather is still very mild and Spring like. Didn't freeze to-night.</p> <p>Sunday January 19th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school and I went down to church this morning Dad. has fell well enough to do chores to-day. Enah was to have played the organ this morning but felt too sick. She has felt miserable since having her teeth out. Aunty came over to dinner with us. I went down town this after noon and Marj. and I went over to see Miss McQueen. Marj. &amp;</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Essie went to Hamilton yesterday to see Robert Mantell in "The Merchant of Venice" and Marj. said it was great. I stayed down at Aunty's to tea and went to church with Aunty Alice. Spent the evening with Marj. Very mild. Feels like April instead of January.</p> <p>Monday January 20th</p> <p>Dad. went over to Flemming's this morning to thrash while Frank and I took our sheep down to Niel's. He made the two old ewe's weigh 30 lbs more than we did so we didn't lose anything by not letting McEwen have them after all. The lambs lost 10 lbs according to Niel going down but the five head brought us $67.00. We brought home a load of coal with us as one had just come in. It was chestnut and pea coal mixed so was not nearly as good as the last stove coal we got. Dad. stayed down to Flemming's to dinner and Frank went down to change places with him after dinner. There was a letter in the mail addressed to Mr. Barratt and Rush on it. We expected Dad. home any minute so put it away for him. He was about half an hour getting home and when he opened it found it was from Lloyd-Jones letting me to meet him as he was coming down on the 3 o'clock car, consequently I had to step lively to make the car. Dad. went back over to Flemming's to let Frank come home and seperate some of the smallest ewe lambs in case Lloyd-Jones wanted to buy any. I took him up to Ham's before I brought him over here and Ham sold him his two best ram lambs and his five ewe lambs. He then came over to our place and bought the five ewes we had picked out and begged so hard for some more that we picked out Nos. 2 &amp; 3 four year old ewes of old Splitears and sold him the seven for $225.00. The little yearling the "baby" we considered worth $15.00 and the others $35.00 apiece I took Lloyd-Jones back to catch the five o'clock car. Frank didn't think it worthwhile going back to Flemming's so Dad. has thrashed nearly all day and feels pretty tired to-night. It has been a beautiful, mild Spring like day.</p> <p>Tuesday January 21st</p> <p>Frank went over to thrash again this morning and has been away all day. They finished at Flemming's before dinner and moved to Martin's where they had a</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>very steady run all the after noon. Frank says they will finish there in a couple of hours. Dad. and I went down this morning and got a load of soft coal. Dad. walked down and I had the coal on when he got down as he stopped in at Aunty's for awhile. I saw the station agent who told me we could have a car to-morrow after noon to ship the sheep but when we found the thrashers would be here so early we thought we had better put off the shipping a day so I saw the agent again to-night and he said it would suit him better not to let us have the car till Thursday. Enah went down to the dentist this after noon so I sent down all the certificates to be transferred with her to post. Dad. and I did chores this after noon and I unloaded the soft coal some of it at the barn to thrash with us and the rest of it in the wood shed. Frank and I went to J.F.I.A. to-night. We had a pretty fair crowd out and spent the evening deciding on a play to get up. We at last picked on Julius Caesar. There was a grand dance on in the hall to-night for the employees of the Foundation Company. Ham and I went up after the club to find the station agent as he was one of the guests, they were all up in the Red Cross rooms having supper. {illegible} Spring</p> <p>Wednesday January 22nd</p> <p>Frank went over to Martin's for a little while this morning and came back while they were putting through the chaff to help us get ready for them. They got over here and set up and thrashed about an hour before dinner and ran steadily all the after noon finishing up soon after five. We got about ten bushels of nice looking seed two bushels of which were from the chaff and may not be quite so heavy as the other. I didn't do very much as Tom came over and we had lots of help. Tom gave me four dollars which he got for the old hens and two dollars for eggs and this after noon I got a letter from Neff with a cheque in it for ten dollars to pay my expenses at Guelph and also my score cards. I went down to see Marj. to-night.</p> <p>Thursday January 23rd</p> <p>It was very misty this morning and soon turned to rain which kept up all day some times raining quite hard. Frank went over to Pickford's to see if they would thrash but neither Sam nor Alan put in an appearance. I drove down town before dinner to see where our car was to ship the sheep in and thought I would get Joe shod. I didn't have</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>time to get her shod before dinner so thought as I had her down and she was badly in need of it I had better have her shod after so I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and by the time I got home it was half past three. We then had to hurry to get the sheep loaded {illegible words} there and as it was Frank and I {illegible words} after six. Dad. went down with us and {illegible words} home. The sheep go out on a night {illegible words} morning and appeared to be {illegible words}.</p> <p>Friday January 24th</p> <p>Frank went down to Pickford's to thrash this morning {illegible words} as they started up about the middle of {illegible words}. They finished there this after noon and then moved down to {illegible} and thrashed him out in an hour or two and Frank didn't get back till dark. Dad. and I did chores and and Dad. battoned up the north end of the calve's pen. I started to read after dinner and went to sleep for quite awhile {illegible words} for awhile this after noon to get the number of the old ram Enah and Frank went down to the Library dance to-night &amp; I went down town and went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. I went down to Aunty's and found Roy there. He came in on the nine o'clock car. I went up to the hall to call for Enah about half past eleven as she didn't want to stay too late. There was certainly a jamboree up there in the hallway was packed so full a fellow could hardly move and couldn't see across the room for smoke. Colder &amp; windy.</p> <p>Saturday January 25th</p> <p>Dad. Frank and I have been hauling in corn all day we got in six rack loads averaging about ten shocks to the load and put it up over the granary where the clover seed was. We got some of the best corn in the field and some of it was very goodlooking. Roy came over to tea to-night and Dad. walked back with him to-night {illegible words} saw several little door mice in the corn field to-day. They are very pretty and unlike the field mice which always make for another shock cross-country when the shock they have been inhabiting is lifted off them and are generally caught by the dogs, the door mice always try to climb out of harm's reach. One of them ran up one of the spokes in the front wheel and sat on the front bolster of the waggon for a long time and a couple ran up the horse's legs. Beautiful Spring day again. Muddy this afternoon.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday January 26th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. Enah and Tid went down to church but I didn't go down as I didn't get the chores done in time. This after noon I went down town after Frank and I had our lunch, the rest of them stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. Marj. and I went down and called on the Bailies and then went over to the Paterson's but they weren't home so we walked up Main St. and met Miss Martin who was en route to the Sunday school to number some books in the library so we went down with her and helped her or at least Marj. did. We then went down to Aunty's to tea. Enah and Winnie were also there. They and Roy and Aunty went to church but Aunty Alice, Aunt Ida and Marj. &amp; I didn't go. Beautiful day. West Wind.</p> <p>Monday January 27th</p> <p>We hauled in corn all day again to-day and got the field cleared this side of the potato ground. We also have the mow about full. Pickford came over this after noon and told us he had sold his best clover seed for twenty three dollars per bushel and his lower grade for twenty one. Edmonds bought it but didn't want to buy much. It is queer that it is so hard to sell and yet the price is so high. Another fine day. Muddy this after noon.</p> <p>Tuesday January 28th</p> <p>We hauled in another load of corn this morning from the north side of the potato patch but there was no room for it in the mow so we left it on the waggon. I went down to Aunty's for dinner and caught the one o'clock car for Simcoe to attend the annual meeting of the Norfolk Co-Operative Association. There was a good turnout and the report of the business done was very satisfactory for the first year. They had $1136.31 profit, $1000 of which they will divide among the members giving them 2 1/2% rebate on the business they did with the Association. Burnaby the President of the United Farmers of Ontario Co-Operative Co. was there and gave us a talk on organization I came home on the 7 o'clock car and had tea at Aunty's. Corby was at the station waiting around to go to the J.F.I.A. He had been in Simcoe but had driven his mother down to Dover and they had gone on home, so I invited him up to Aunty's for supper. He came. Frank came down and we</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>all went up to the club. There weren't many out but as our books came we went over the play and it sounded pretty fair. Dad. and Frank got another load of coal this after noon and hauled it over the new bridge, the first time any of us have driven over it. A little colder to-day. Cloudy.</p> <p>Wednesday January 29th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank went down to Sam Law's to thrash this morning and Frank was gone all day. Dad. got home soon after dinner. I first did chores this morning and husked some corn. This after noon I drove up to Ham Thompson's and got a Barred Rock cockrell to mate with my four pullets. I also stopped in at the mill and paid $25.00 on my account. I went down town to-night and Marj. and I went up to Miss Martin's. It has not been very cold to-day but a raw wind. March weather.</p> <p>Thursday January 30th</p> <p>I went over to Tupper's this morning to get him to come over and help us slay swine so he told Dad. he would come when we were ready to convert our two into pork. He was milking when I got there and I had to wait till he had breakfast so it was rather late when we got over here and got started and as a natural consequence long after noon when we finished. However we got the job done very well. Tupper brought over a little block and tackle outfit he had so that eliminated all heavy lifting to scald them or hang them up as we fixed up a scaffold and had a rail out of the upstairs door of the shop to hang them on and the barrel of water right under. They were a nice pair one dressed 232 lbs and the other 205 I think. Tupper had dinner here and we didn't do a thing till chore time but visit. He entertained us by relating anecdotes of folks up around the district between Simcoe and Waterford. He seems to know every one up there and has very funny stories to tell of all of them, and they lose nothing by him telling it either. Tom came in about half past four and got two or three bags of clover chaff for bedding. He also got my two cockrels which I sold him for a dollar apiece. I went down town to night and Frank and Enah and I went to hear Miss Wade at the Sunday school lecture on China. She was staying at Aunty's and we saw her afterwards down there. She was very interesting. Nice day. Freezing to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday January 31st</p> <p>Dad. spent all the morning and I think most of the after noon cutting up the pigs. Frank and I cut a piece off the straw stack and hauled it over to the horse stable. This after noon Frank went down to the Customs office to get his Roth Memory Course which he sent for the other day. I hooked up and went over to Lorne Myer's and to Lloyd Crysler's to get them to take part in Julius Caeser. I don't know whether they will or not as they both seemed loth to tackle it. I was at Lloyd's quite awhile visiting with him and Hannah and listening to their Pathé phonegraph. To-night Frank and I went down town. Frank went to the Women's Institute dance and I spent the evening at Monteith's. Ed. Moon was over here all the after noon. Windy and a little colder.</p> <p>Saturday February 1st</p> <p>Dad. put the pork in pickle this morning and was glad to find he could get it all in his barrel. Frank and I hauled a load of hay over to the old barn and put it off. This after noon we hauled in three more loads of corn and put two of them off over the west bay in the old barn on top of what we hauled first. The third load we left in the rack. Enah went down town this after noon and Dad. went down to-night to take Aunty a piece of pork. They had a letter from Quint saying that he hoped to be home by the end of March.</p> <p>Sunday February 2nd</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and Enah and I walked down to church. Aunty came over with Enah and Frank but I stayed down with Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida to dinner. This after noon Marj. and I went over to Miss McQueen's. I had tea at Aunty's and Aunty, Aunt Ida and I went to church. I spent the evening at the Monteith's. Lila was over here to tea with her eukalalie. Frank went down with her to-night and overtook me on my way home. Beautiful day, a little colder.</p> <p>Monday February 3rd</p> <p>We hauled in more corn to-day and got in the best of it. This after noon Dad. burned off the corner field as it burned so well while Frank and I were putting on the last load. We put on</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>a big load and left it on the waggon. Ham Thompson was down this morning to see if I was going to Brantford to-morrow. We decided to go on the nine o'clock car. Frank went down town to-night to stay {words illegible} as he is going to leave for Toronto in the morning {words illegible} in the Sheep Breeder's meeting. Beautiful day very mild.</p> <p>Tuesday February 4th</p> <p>Ham, Frank and I all went up on the nine o'clock car this morning. We left Frank at {illegible} and the went to Hamilton by radial. Ham and I {words illegible} for Brantford at 10.45. There was quite a {illegible} on the train bound for the Lloyd Jones sale and they all got off at Mt. Vernon so we {piled off too?} and had to walk over a mile to the farm. We had dinner at Lloyd Jone's as soon as we got there. Ham {words illegible} in with a Mr. Gould from the American Sheep {Association?} and after dinner we had a look at all the prize winners and cups before we went out. He had quite a {words illegible} of them. The sale lasted all the after noon as the bidding was rather slow. There were few buyers and they didn't run things up all high. Our old ewes brought $40.00 apiece and the others ${34.00?} and $39. Six of them were sold in pairs but the little one was sold singly and brought $20.00 so he didn't make a very big profit on any of our stuff but one of Ham's ram lambs brought $48.00. He sold all his at $50.00 apiece but some of the ewes lambs didn't bring that much and the other ram just brought {illegible}. We hung around and nearly froze all the after noon and about four o'clock Mr. Gould struck out for Mt. Vernon to catch the train for Brantford, but we wanted to get our checks if possible from Lloyd-Jones before we left {illegible} waited as he promised to get us to Brantford in time to catch the six car, so we waited. The sale lasted right up to the minute we had to leave so we couldn't get our money and he sent us in to Brantford in his Ford. A fellow came with us who was very anxious to get a six o'clock train for Toronto but just about two miles out of Brantford we had a blowout, so had to stop to put on a new tire. The Toronto man hailed another car going in with a load so may have caught his train but ours had gone when we got to town so we had to wait for the eight o'clock car. We had a good supper which we were might glad to get at the Royal Café and then played a couple of games of Pool before the car came in. I saw</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mrs Dell on the car. She had been down at Cobury to see Roy and says he his just about alright again. We went up to the J.F.I.A. social evening. I stopped in at Aunty's first. We put in the time in the usual manner up there and I got home at three o'clock. Rained this morning. Freezing to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday February 5th</p> <p>Dad. and I did chores this morning but not much else. This after noon I went over to Lorne Myer's and got the beet pulp he ordered for us. It is queer looking stuff and very bulky. A cwt. bag being about as big as a bluegrass sack. We put a little of it to soak to feed the cows to-morrow. To-night I went down town and Marj. and I went skating, we called in and got Zeitha to go with us. Ed. Turner, Woodger, Leggit, Mr. Bagley &amp; Essie were down there and as the ice was pretty good we had a good skate. It has been colder to-day, but fair.</p> <p>Thursday February 6th</p> <p>Dad. went down to Alfred's this morning to borrow the screens of his fanning mill which he uses to clean clover seed as we want to get ours cleaned up. Ham was talking to a fellow at the sale on Tuesday and he said they had no clover seed to sow up there and the Woodstock seed merchants were asking $32.00 a bushel for it. Ham told him he could get 100 bushels down this way for $25.00 or less so he took Ham's name and said he would put it up to his club and try to get them to give us an order. This after noon I went down town as notice of a registered letter came and as I suspected it was the pedigree for the sheep and found I was correct. I posted them again to Lloyd-Jones before I came home. To-night Enah and I went down to the hall to see the boys that are home from the front get their five dollar gold pieces or whatever the town was giving them. Ron. Taylor was doing the presenting and Mr. Johnson calling out the names of the men. Most of them had got their souvenir when we got there but we heard Ed Moon and Ed Turner make little speeches. They had a dance afterwards and we stayed till about midnight.</p> <p>Friday February 7th</p> <p>We didn't do any thing much to-day but chores and sit around and read. We heard last night that the Sloan's had got a letter from Willie posted at Tokio</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>so Dad. has been looking for one from Dick as we thought they were on the same boat but have found out since that Willie Sloan sailed about a week earlier than Dick. I went skating to-night and had a fine time. Miss McQueen went down and afterwards Marj. Ed. Turner and I went in to her place and had coffee &amp; cake. As I was going through Martin's to-night I was very surprised to meet Frank he had come home on the seven o'clock car. He went home and then came down to the pond. Still fine and mild.</p> <p>Saturday February 8th</p> <p>We cleaned off the barn floor this morning and put our clover seed through the mill. It didn't clean out much and what seed went behind we put through again and will keep it to sow as there are no very bad weed seeds in it. We will have about six bushels or more to sell and plenty to sow. We also put through a sample of oats to take to Simcoe as Neff is buying seed oats for the Government at 80 cts per bushel to send out West and Johnson is handling them for 5 cts per bushel. The market price is about sixty cts. Frank and I went skating again to-night. The pond is great now up above where it was frozen before as it has risen and made new ice. It is still beautiful weather may be a little colder but very little.</p> <p>Sunday February 9th</p> <p>I actually got ready in time for Sunday school this morning and went down. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and this after noon went up to see Marj. We sat around the house all the after noon as it was snowing hard when I went up. We went down to Aunty's for tea and Aunty Alice, Marj. and I all went to church Huby and Aunty Maude came back to Aunty's with us and we spent the evening there. It didn't snow much. Colder.</p> <p>Monday February 10th</p> <p>We spent the day hauling out clover chaff on the wheat to-day. We hauled it out on the rack and Frank and I pitched it off and spread it as well as we could and Dad. followed us and shook it out more, as we didn't want to get it on too thick. We got it all out and it covered two bands the full length of the feild and a piece at</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>each end of the next two bands. We also got in another jag of corn. Charlie Munroe was in this morning and sold Dad. a piece of beef. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Jim Waddle were in for a few minutes at noon. Dad. and Enah had intended to go out to see them to-night to ask them over to dinner on Thursday. They did go to-night any way. Frank went skating but I stayed home so that Tid wouldn't be alone he is asleep. Beautiful day. Mild. Frank told us when he got home about Toddy West, his little brother and Johnnie Miller being drowned in the lake this after noon. The little West fellow got in through the ice first and then Teddy tried to save him. He got in and Johnny tried to get him out. Young Gunton was with them and he yelled for help and Capt. McCauly &amp; Ed Moon waded in and got them all out but although they worked on them for a couple of hours or more they couldn't save them.</p> <p>Wednesday Tuesday February 11th</p> <p>We got the spreader out this morning and have been hauling out manure from around the stack to too wheat all day and got out 12 loads. We were a little afraid to tackle it at first for fear the ground being so hard would do some damage to the spreader but it didn't seem to hurt it any. Mr. Nixon and Willie were in for a few minutes this after noon to look at the stack. Enah and Tid. drove Mexico down town after some coal-oil this after noon. To-night Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. but as usual there were very few there. Very mild all day looks like snow.</p> <p>Wednesday February 12th</p> <p>It snowed a little last night but soon melted off to-day as it has been very mild up around 40°. Frank and I hauled manure all day and got out 12 more loads. We started in on the pile at the horse stable this after noon. Dad. spent most of the day killing and picking the four ducks that were left to provide the dinner for Mr. &amp; Mrs. Jim Waddle to-morrow night. To-night Enah, Frank and I went down to Aunty Alice's party. Lila, Winnie, Dess, Fraser, Marj. Zeitha, Bill {illegible} Tige McBride and Huby were all there, and Huby provided the principal entertainment naturally but Zeitha did some very nice singing for us and Bill performed on Lila's Ukalele. We also had various forms of guessing contests, the chief amusement derived from them were Huby's answers</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday February 13th</p> <p>Frank and I got out six more loads of manure this morning but quit early to go to Simcoe this after noon. We both went up and I went to the Co-operative meeting and Frank did shopping. He got some rock-salt &amp; gut and got the harness we left at Church's. He said he couldn't fix it so we left it at Herb. Woods. We had an interesting meeting although there were not many out. Mr. Gordon from the Livestock branch was there to talk about shipping Livestock co-operatively and Mr. Kerr from P.E. Island told about their successful co-operative egg-marketing business down there. Prof Graham was also there but I didn't have time to wait till the meeting was over as Frank and I had to leave at four o'clock to get home in good time for supper. Dad. had most of the chores done when we got home. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Jim Waddle were here to tea and spent the evening. Frank went down to a birthday party at Myrtle Greenbury's Very mild, roads in beautiful shape. Raining to-night.</p> <p>Friday February 14th</p> <p>It rained hard during the night so that we couldn't go on with the manure hauling. I took Daisy May over to Tupper's and while I was gone Alan Law came after Frank and the clippers to clip his horse. He was down there to dinner. This after noon Dad. and I drove down to Wess &amp; George Fields to see their Shorthorns and were very agreeably surprised at the bunch we saw. They have seven or eight cows of very uniform type and all thick smoothe and low down. They had two very fine yearling heifers all of Scotch breeding. Their $500.00 Imported two-year bull is very smoothe and stylish looking but doesn't look as if he would make a very big bull. We went from there down to Blake's and I left some "Breeder's Gazettes" for Charlie to get pointers for his debate from. The roads were awful and consequently we were late getting home. We came up the Plank and through town as it was better than the back way. Frank and I went down town to-night. Frank went to the W.I. dance. Still mild but drizzly.</p> <p>Saturday February 15th</p> <p>We didn't do much to-day but chores. Frank and I husked some corn this morning and this after noon bagged up all the barley and oats that were left (about 10 bags)</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to take to the mill but as it was so wet we didn't go. Dad. went down to Aunty's for tea to-night. Marion McLaughlin was over all the after noon playing with Tid. It has been colder to-day and snowed a little this after noon.</p> <p>Sunday February 16th</p> <p>Frank went to Sunday school this morning and I left here with the intention of going but when I got within sight of the town clock and found it to be a quarter after ten I decided to wait till church time so went back to Aunty's and read for awhile and then went to church, sat in the back seat with Frank, Lloyd Ryerse and a stranger and disgraced myself by going to sleep during the Litany dreaming of something funny and waking up laughing. I partook of dinner at Aunty's and also tea, accompanied Aunty to church this evening and spent the after noon and evening with Marj. at the Monteiths. Soft during day. Colder to-night.</p> <p>Monday February 17th</p> <p>I have put in a pretty idle day. This morning Frank and I went down to the mill this morning with the grain we bagged up on Saturday and from there on down town to the Widespread where I got my trap nest which Emery made for me. We got our chop on our way home.This after noon I just sat around and read. Dad. and Frank put on a load of hay and hauled it over to the horse stable. Enah and Tid drove Miss Phipps over to McPherson's for her to see a dinner-waggon Emery is making for her. To-night I went down to Aunty's for tea as she invited me to go to the picture show with her. Marj. was there too and we three went to see Margurite Clark in "The Seven Swans". It was about the prettiest and all-round nicest show I ever saw. Aunty is very distressed about my ribs hurting so much and thinks I should go to the doctor. Colder but fine all day. Snowing quite hard to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday February 18th</p> <p>I haven't done any thing in the shape of work to-day but this after noon went down and had the doctor examine my ribs where I hurt them a couple of weeks ago as the last few days they have pained considerably when I tried to work. He said the bone was not hurt but put some adhesive tape banadages around me which promise to be very uncomfortable. I got my hair cut and stayed at Aunty's to tea. Huby was there too as he came to take</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>a couple of pictures out of a tube which Quint sent to Aunty. Enah &amp; Tid. drove Mexico down this after noon and Enah went to help her mother tend store as her father went to Hamilton to a trade banquet this after noon. Dad. and Frank spent most of the day doing chores and getting over some straw for the horse stable. Dad had a long, interesting and as it is the first one we have got since New Year's, very welcome letter from Dick. It was posted at Vladivostock and tells mostly of his trip across the Pacific. He went as we supposed on the S.S. Protosilous (or some such name) {Protesilaus} and although he was luckier than most in escaping sea-sickness, they had some very bad storms, and it was in a typhoon that the ship lost one of her propellers. She was a twin screw however, so could make port on her own steam. He had not seen much of the city when he wrote as they were quartered two miles out in barracks built by the Russians in the Russian - Japanese war. Typhus was prevalent in town so he didn't intend going in much. He said there was nothing to go in for any way as he couldn't talk to the shop-keepers and although there was a picture-show, it seldom ran for when it did there was not enough power left to run the street cars. I went up to the J.F.I.A. to-night and althoug we had a fair crowd out most of them couldn't wait but hiked for the dance in the hall which Jack Riddel &amp; Pete Holmes the station agent are putting on to-night. We had a sort of debate on the Horse vs. Tractor and Frank had the best prepared lot of points in favor of the Tractor, but was the only one evidently who had put any time on it. I went back down to Aunty's after the meeting and found Dad. and Tid. there. Dad. having come down to go with Enah and Tid. to see the "Seven Swans". Dad told me to stay all night so that I could hook Mexico up for Enah in the morning as she stayed all night with her mother. The flags are floating at half-mast to-day in memory of Sir Wilfred, whose death was reported in to-day's papers. We all realize that with him Canada has lost the greatest orator and statesman of the day and that it may be years before Parliament has another man his equal. There has been quite a change in the weather lately and we are now having quite seasonable weather but not much snow.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday February 19th</p> <p>I was spending a very enjoyable hour in bed this morning awake but, knowing I didn't have to get up till Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice did, when Aunty came in with the alarming anouncement that she thought I had better stay in bed all day or at least till she went up and got the doctor and threatened to bring me my breakfast in bed. She had heard me cough as I have quite a cold and was afraid that I might contract pleurisy where my ribs were sore and maybe the flu so was quite worried. I did my best to allay her fear and did persuade her to let me get up and eat breakfast like a Christain but she was bound to go and interview the doctor. He said there was no danger what ever so that relieved her. I sat around there and read till about eleven when Enah came down. I hooked Mexico up for her and she drove home but I walked having had all the ride I wanted behind Mexico in his cart coming around the block. I didn't do much this after noon but sit around and read. Dad. and Frank hauled over another load of straw and put it off in the horse stable. Geordie Boughner was in looking at Dad's steers this after noon but didn't buy. We also had a visit from old Broadley and the famous Rachel. He was collecting stallion fees and after looking at Bell decided we owed him seven and a half although Dad. doesn't think she is in foal. However I paid him. He allowed seventy five cents a trip for his meals last summer, otherwise the fees would have been fifteen dollars. I went down town to-night and Aunty Alice gave me a ticket to Miss Crydon's music pupils' recital as the I.O.D.E. were selling the tickets to raise funds to buy a flag for the school-house Aunty Alice had bought two. She went with Cousin Loll and I went up to Monteith's and found Marj. had bought a ticket also so we started off for the concert. I considering it a treat for me and a Dutch treat for Marj. On the way down we thought better of it as no-body seemed to anticipate much of a concert and went down and spent a very nice evening at Miss McQueen's. I called in at Aunty's on my way home and Aunty Alice informed me that the concert was the worst she had ever experienced. It consisted chiefly of violin selections by Miss Crydons pupils and the fiddles were not in tune and the fiddlers couldn't play anyway. One lady recited and she stuttered. The best performer was a little Mitchell but her unlady like posture and fondness for chewing gum distressed Aunty Alice terribly.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday February 20th</p> <p>Dad and Frank hauled over another load of straw to the horse stable this morning and I helped them mow it away. I didn't do much though as the adhesive tape on by back and ribs makes the skin irritable and rather sore when I work. Aunty Alice came over for a little while after dinner but didn't stay long. Enah &amp; Tid drove down town as Enah had to go to the dentist and Dad. and Frank went back and cut a little basswood along John Wess's line. I read all the after noon. The two books which should have come before with the ones we ordered for the J.F.I.A. came to-day, "Feeds &amp; Feeding" and "The Road to Dumbiedykes". To-night Dad.&amp; Enah after leaving Tid in care of the Sandman went down to call on the Pickford's and didn't get home till about midnight. Frank and I read till we got sleepy and then went to bed. Nice day.</p> <p>Friday February 21st</p> <p>Didn't do much but chores this fore noon &amp; didn't do many of them. Dad. oiled the buggy and Frank went down town and borrowed Aunty Alice's fur coat to go to Walsh this after noon. He and I left here about half past twelve to go to a sale which we saw advertised down town and at which there was to be a pure-bred Shorthorn heifer sold. The place was about half a mile east of Walsh Methodist church and on the fifth concession of Charlotteville. We found the place without much trouble inquiring once at the half-way house and arrived just before the sale commenced about half past two. We found the cow we had come to see but found she was some of Charlie Dunkin's stock which he had neglected to keep registered so that she was ineligible. She was a very nice smoothe and deep three-year-old but was rather small and didn't show signs of being much of a milker so we decided that unless we could buy her for for less than $85.00 we would leave her and as Bill Bickler bid $87.00 on her we left her. The rest of the stock was very ordinary looking and so was the crowd, natives of the blow-sand all, and as we weren't enjoying ourselves particularly we left as soon as the cattle were sold and were home by about five. The roads weren't bad for the most part but we were soaked as it snowed steadily all the time and was very soft. It was an old fashioned snow-storm, great big flakes coming straight down. I went down town to-night. It is still very soft.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday February 22nd</p> <p>Dad. and Frank spent the morning remodeling the calf pen. They moved the bars back about six feet so that there will be room in front of them to tie Dad's steers and they intend taking the two heifer calves out from the rest. I intended going out to the Shand's with the bobsleighs after dinner to borrow their scale rack so that we could weigh the steers but by the after dinner the snow had all melted off so that I didn't go as I didn't want to take the waggon. I peeled the bandages of my ribs to-day as they were getting quite irritable. I havent felt any the worse for it. Very soft. Cloudy this after noon.</p> <p>Sunday February 23rd</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and I started but was so late I didn't go. We both went to church. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and tea, went to church with Aunty Alice and spent the after noon and evening at the Monteiths. Rainy.</p> <p>Monday February 24th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank finished fixing over the calf pen this morning and we got Dad's steer in and tied him up. We put the young fellow we have had in beside him for awhile but they seemed disposed to fight so we seperated them again. I went over to Jack Martin's this morning to have my incubator thermometer tested and to invite Chris down to a band meeting which was called for to-night to reorganize. Clare Deal asked me to bring Chris down. This after noon Dad. and Frank went back and cut some more basswood and I put up some posts in the old barn to fix bars to so that we can have a couple of box stalls in the west bent for calves and freshening cows. To-night I went down to the band meeting and we had a very good turn-out of the old band boys and some new ones who were willing to join. The council was represented by R.M. Taylor. Clare Deal &amp; Jack Reynolds. {Mid?} Thompson was appointed secretary and authorized to get some music and it was decided that we meet next Monday and collect all the instruments that can be located. Taylor promised all financial support needed. Dad. had another long letter from Dick to-day written just a month ago. Canadians are in action now in the Murman region &amp; defeating Bolsheviki. Beautiful day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday February 25th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank went back to the bush this morning and cut basswood till noon. They didn't return after dinner on account of it looking so rainy. Dad. fixed up some cross partitions over in the barn to make boxstalls and Frank tried to get his forge going. I spent the day doing chores and cleaning out the chickens sheds and putting fresh straw in. To-night Frank and I went down to J.F.I.A. social evening. We had a good turn out of girls and the usual crowd of boys. Got home about two o'clock. Mild and rainy all day, snow &amp; colder to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday February 26th</p> <p>After we did chores up this morning Dad. and Tid. went down to see how Aunty Alice was as she has been feeling quite sick. They stayed to dinner. I put some more brine in the pork barrel and then Frank and I sent out a bunch of cards to the J.F.I.A. members notifying them of the annual meeting next Tuesday. When Dad. got back we took Pommers out on the rein and found he hadn't forgotten any of his last winter's lessons. When we brought him in Dad. &amp; I battened up part of the west end of the barn to make a boxstall suitable for Elgitha to inhabit. Enah drove down town with Mexico this after noon. I went down town to-night. It has been cold all day with a very cold west wind. It feels as if we were going to get our winter now but Dad. and Tid. saw a robin down near Woodson's this morning and Dad. &amp; Frank saw a groundhog yesterday I set an incubator yesterday, the little one I got from Art.</p> <p>Thursday February 27th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank went back to the bush this morning and Dad. was back till noon. Frank came up early to get ready to go to Simcoe this after noon. Neff is having a short course to-day &amp; to-morrow on the care of gasoline engines so Frank went up to it. I did chores this morning and took Pommers out for a little exercise. The road was too rough to let him trot and follow him so I took him in the corner field. I sat around most of the after noon &amp; read. Marj. came over to tea and after tea the Ukelele Club came over to spend the evening, and of all the racket I ever heard, they made the most. I couldn't see or hear very much music about it though. No wind to-day but rather cold.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday February 28th</p> <p>We haven't seen Frank all day. He stayed at Aunty's last night and went up to Simcoe on the nine car. He intended to see the hockey match at the rink to-night between Simcoe and Niagara Falls, come down on the eleven and go to the Women's Institute dance in the hall. Dad. &amp; I just did chores this morning and I took Pommers out for a little more exercise. Dad. went back to the bush right after dinner. I went back about three o'clock but didn't do any thing. We did the chores up fairly early and to-night Marj. and I went to a concert in the Methodist church. It was put on by a travelling company comprising a pianist, vocalist, elocutionist and violinist. The pianist was a blind man and although he could play beautifully, it gave a fellow the "Willies" to look at him as he looked like a mechanical ghost. All the performers were very good but the violinist took my fancy. I almost wished she had been the whole show as I never heard any violin sound so sweet. I was in at Aunty's quite awhile on my way home as Roy was there having come in on the seven o'clock car to spend Sunday. Huby was down there when I went down with a medal which Lila had just received for a first prize on an essay she had written on the "Victory Loan". It has been very mild all day with a strong south wind. It rained hard this evening during the concert but had cleared off when I went home and the wind had gone around to the west getting stronger &amp; colder.</p> <p>Saturday March 1st</p> <p>The advent of this March has been of the most approved lion-like type. It was a ferocious wind all night and morning and much colder although milder and calmer more calm this after noon. Frank got home some time before daylight and said he had seen the hockey match. We thought it would be too soft but he said they played a good game in spite of the water on the ice. The score was 8 - 5 in favor of the Falls. Dad. went over to Tupper's this morning so see his steers and was over there all morning. Tupper was showing him some great bargain he got in used uniforms up at {Brauk's?} Shoddy Mill so this after noon Frank rode his wheel up to see what he could do. He left his wheel up there</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to be overhauled and as he was too late for the five car walked home with his purchases getting here about half past six. He got a dandy officers greatcoat very little worn for $3.50 two or three pairs of riding breeches &amp; slacks for $1.00 a pair, two tunics one of them a red Mounted Police one for $1.00 a piece two pairs of putties for 26 cts and a couple of caps thrown in for souvenirs. He says they have heaps of them up there but he didn't have time to pick over any more. The ones he got though are good all a little worn. I cleaned out the chicken pen this after noon where the roosters were as I may want it for little chickens soon.</p> <p>Sunday March 2nd</p> <p>Frank and I went to Sunday school this morning and I actually got there in good time. Enah drove down to church with Tid. and after church Marj. came home with them and the Mexico-cart outfit. Roy was in church and I walked home with him as he came over here to dinner. We sat around and visited all the after noon and Roy went down town before tea. Marj. stayed here to tea and didn't go to church to-night. Dad. went down this evening to see how Aunt Ida was as she has been pretty sick. I drove Marj. home a little late and then called for Dad. and drove him home. It has been a beautiful spring day.</p> <p>Monday March 3rd</p> <p>Dad. and I went up to Ham Thompson's this morning with Knockfierna and were up there till nearly noon looking at the stock which looks fine. This after noon Dad. and Frank went back to the bush. I took Pommers out on the line but he got away from me. He didn't do any thing mean but just got cantering faster than I could and as I couldn't stop long enough to brace myself to hold him I had to let go. He ran up and down the lane and got the lines plastered with mud but I didn't have much trouble catching him when I got up to him. Enah and Tid drove down town this after noon and stayed to tea at Huby's. Frank went down there to tea also and they all went to see Uncle Tom's Cabin to-night in the hall. I went down to the band meeting and left my horn there. We didn't do much at the meeting but spent most of the time watching the show It seemed to be a little better than the general run of shows but not much. It has been very mild all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday March 4th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank took the team back to the bush this morning and brought up a load of wood at noon. They brought another one up this after noon. I drove down town this morning and got some coal oil and sent away to join the Sheep Breeder's and Shorthorn breeder's association. I didn't do much this after noon but read the paper and a few chores. Enah. drove down before tea and went to help at the Men's Banquet in the Sunday school. Frank went down there for his tea but I had mine at home as I don't like oysters and I didn't like the idea of going and eating and then leaving immediately as I would have to do in order to get to the J.F.I.A. in time. However on my way down I fell in with Jack Martin who insisted that I go over for a little while as he didn't want to go in alone so I did but didn't eat much and didn't stay long. The annual meeting of the J.F.I.A. was fairly successful. We had about ten or twelve out and they all promised to do their best to make things go next year and gave evidence of their good faith by consenting to try again to make our play a success. They wouldn't accept my resignation so I am still president. Frank was made secretary for life. Lloyd Ryerse was made vice-president and Tige, Charlie Blake &amp; Charlie Shand were put on the Committee of Management which we propose to make a living thing out of this year. Charlie Blake proposed a scheme for organizing an orchestra claiming it could be done through a correspondence course. I think every one was rather doubtful, but we gave Charlie authority to get all the information he could on the subject. Neff was down and we arranged to put Corby and Frank in to hold up the honor of the club in a debate against the Courtland boys on the subject of the middle man. After we closed up our business several of the fellows went to the dance in the hall and I went over to the Sunday school again where things were just coming to a close. It has been very mild all day and to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday March 5th</p> <p>It was snowing this morning when we got up and has got a little colder to-day, freezing quite hard to-night. We did chores this morning and Whit and {Name?} came over to look at Dad's steers. Dad. asked Whit seventy-five dollars for the young fellow but Whit wouldn't</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>give him more than seventy so Dad. didn't sell. Frank and I bagged up some oats and Dad. wrote to Dick he heard from him yesterday and they have been quarintined for Spinal Meningitis and Spotted Fever. He said he had seen Billy Sloan who is stationed about five miles from where Dick is. This after noon Frank and I took the oats we bagged up down and had them chopped and drove down town to post Dad's letter. Frank saw Moses Fisher about fixing up his military overcoat and Moses said he could have it dyed and remodel it to make a good civilian coat for 3 or 4 dollars. Marj. came over after four to-night to return a sweater of Enah's and stayed to tea. I got ready to go with her to church to-night but it was seven o'clock when we got through tea and as she had to stop on her way down to pay Newman Silverthorne for lodge dues, we stayed here for the evening and guessed riddles.</p> <p>Thursday March 6th</p> <p>It froze pretty hard last night but has been a beautiful sunny day though wintry. Dad. and Frank hauled up two loads of wood with the sleighs this morning. There was just enough snow for the sleighs to slip, but it was too soft this after noon to try it. I did up the chores and took Pommers out for a little exercise before dinner. This after noon we hauled over a couple of loads of hay one to the horse stable and one to the old barn. Tom came in about six o'clock to-night and got a little jag of straw. To-night Frank went down to the Tom Marks show and I went up to see if Harry Moon could come any night next week to give us a little drill for our play. He was in Simcoe playing at the rink and will be three nights next week if it stays cold. I talked to Mrs. Moon for about an hour and a half and then went down to Aunty's for awhile.They are evidently having lively times at Ottawa these days. Sir Sam Hughes has been raving and tearing his hair metaphorically and actually weeping bitter tears of anguish over the foul administration of the Union Government and charging that the leaders of the Canadian forces caused needles slaughter of Canadian men last fall at Cambrai, Mons, simply to glorify themselves and through bullheadedness, but I think the public have more confidence in Sir Arthur Currie than old Sir Sam, and realize that he followed Pock's plan of conserving man-power at the expense of time.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday March 7th</p> <p>Frank and I hauled out three loads of manure this morning on the sleighs and spread it on last year's potato patch, one load was cleaned out of the calf pen. This after noon Dad. and Frank hauled up two more loads of wood in the waggon. I went over to Jack's and borrowed an egg tester and tested out my eggs. I took out 28 out of the seventy and broke one good one. To-night Frank and I went down town Frank went to the picture show to see "Intolerance" but as the engine broke down he didn't see it all as he didn't wait till it was fixed. I went over to the Monteith's, the old man is pretty sick. Tid. saw a robin on the lawn this afternoon. Froze pretty hard last night but sunny to-day.</p> <p>Saturday March 8th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank hauled up two or three more loads of wood in the waggon this morning while I did chores and took Pommers out for a little exercise. Charlie Quanbury came after Frank at noon to go and see some thing about his cattle out at Farr's as Farr had telephoned him and he was hauling ice and didn't want to quit, so Frank was out there all the after noon. Dad. hauled up one more load of wood alone as I waited around expecting Ham Thompson in as he told Dad. the other night that he was going to take his alsike to Jarvis to-day and would stop in for a sample of our clover seed to take to Harry Misner, however he didn't come. When Dad. came with the wood I took the team &amp; waggon and went down to the mill and got a bag of oat-meal. I saw Art. Preston prowling around the place and thought he was one of the seventh-day Adventists as he had a beard on him like a Bolsheviki. I asked him if he had lost his razor but he said he had been sick again, and had been taking Russian Oil from Dr. Hicks, which I suppose accounts for his Bolshevist appearance. To-night Marj. and I went to the 'Gem" to see "Intolerance" It was certainly a wonderful picture especially the seige of Babylon. Frank went down to a birthday party at Bill Barwell's to-night. Raw east wind all day and snowing hard but getting softer when I came home to-night.</p> <p>Sunday March 9th</p> <p>The snow storm turned to rain before morning and it</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>has been wet and slushy all day. There was a cold east wind this morning which later changed to the west. It is freezing a little to-night. Frank and I went down to Sunday school and I helped Miss Martin give out books. We went to church and Marj. and I went down to Aunty's to dinner and stayed there all the after noon and to tea. We went to church with Aunty Alice to-night and afterwards we went around to see how Miss McQueen was but the house was in darkness so we went on over to the Monteith's and stayed there.</p> <p>Monday March 10th</p> <p>I went out to the Shand's this morning and borrowed their scales and stock rack as Dad. wanted to weigh the steers. I went around by Lorne Meyer's and took the beet pulp bags back to him and as the roads were none too good I didn't get back home till one o'clock. Willie Shand had been here while I was gone and brought my incubator back. Frank went down town to get some postcards to notify the J.F.I.A. members of a lecture in the hall Wednesday night. He wrote them out over at the club and saw Tige and Albert and a few more to visit with so didn't get home till nearly two o'clock. He saw Fat. Turner down town who had just got home and Frank says looks fine having completely recovered from his wound. We weighed the steers after dinner and the smallest one weighed 815 and the old one 860 lbs. Frank and I then took the scales back to the Shands but we didn't take the rack home as we think we may be able to use it with our own scales and Charlie said they wouldn't be needing it for awhile. Enah went down town to an I.O.D.E. meeting this after noon. When Frank and I got home Ham Thompson was here getting a couple of bushels of clover seed for his own use and Will Wright had been in after a bushel. Dad sold it for $18.00 a bushel as that seems to be about all any one is getting now. Frank got a statement from the Department of Agriculture to-day of a sample he sent down and it graded no.1. there was very little bad seed in it. I stayed home to-night for a change as I didn't know whether there was to be a band meeting or not. Soft but raw wind.</p> <p>Tuesday March 11th</p> <p>Dad. went up to Miss McCoy's this morning to see a steer with a swollen jaw. Wess Boughner came after him</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Frank and I did chores and husked a little corn. Alan Law came in here after dinner to see if we had sold our clover seed yet and showed us a card he had got Edmonds saying they were in the market again and for him to send up a sample of his seed. Alan had sold his to Fiss for $20.00 a bushel so Frank caught the 3 o'clock car and took a sample of ours to Edmonds and sold it for $21.00 a bushel. We have to take it up in the morning Dad. went down town to pay Clare Deal for the coal this after noon and Enah &amp; Tid. drove down for some groceries. I read the paper, cleaned out a place in the cellar for my incubator and started to prune the raspberries but didn't get much done. Frank went down to Alfred's to-night to ask him if he wanted us to take his seed up for him to-morrow but he wasn't home nor at Art's nor Pickford's. Aunty &amp; Dess had letters from Dick to-day and in Dess's said he thought they would be leaving for home about April. He told a very distressing story of the filth and poverty of Vladivostok. Nice day but rather cold west wind.</p> <p>Wednesday March 12th</p> <p>Frank went down to Alfred's this morning and got his two bushels of clover seed and while he was down there Dad. and I weighed up a bushel of ours for Will Wright and the balance just ammounted to a little over 3 1/2 bushels so we kept out the few pounds over that ammount and so just sold Edmonds the 3 1/2 bushels. Dad. went with us up to Miss McCoy's to see her steer. We met Will Wright on the road coming down here after his seed so we gave it to him. We then stopped in at Ham's and left the waggon there and borrowed his democrat. It was half past ten when we got started for Simcoe and the roads were rather sloppy but we got there and got our seed sold before noon. We didn't wait till one although Frank wanted to see Neff and get some mower supplies. We got the checkque cashed up there and we got home about half past two. We didn't do any thing but chores when we got home. Enah drove down town and stayed to tea and Frank and I went down after tea intending to go to church but found there wasn't any on account of Mr. Johnson being sick. Frank went to an agricultural lecture in the town hall and I went over to see Marj. It has been a very nice day but very windy and the wind has been getting worse all day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday March 13th</p> <p>We spent the morning cleaning up fifty bushels of oats for Will Wright. He came down and helped us. He paid Dad 60 cts a bushel for them. We didn't do much this after noon. I went over to Jack Martin's for awhile to ask Chris about my brooder but didn't get much satisfaction. I am afraid I will have a hard time getting it hot enough to be much use. Dad. and Frank fixed up some nests over in the shed for the geese to lay in as they have been laying under the hog-pen. To-night Frank and I went down to the club as I wanted to have a committee meeting to make plans for the coming year foolishly thinking that when we got just the committee there alone we could come to some definite arrangement to make a real life club which would make its activities aiming toward improvement felt in the community. They were all there except Tige. the best one of the bunch, but we might have well as stayed home for all the good we did. They would neither make suggestions themselves nor even give their opinion on any I made. What in thunder they want to have the club for is more than I can see. Darn them for a bunch of rubes. When we got home Frank went out to the stable to see if there were any lambs and was surprised to find two. He is sure they both belong to the same ewe but both ewes were taking a very maternal interest in them. He put on his old clothes and stayed with them till they got up and were nourished but I went to bed. I went down to see my incubator first and found all the eggs on the top of the machine. I took them out to cool and forgot them. They were cool alright and I suppose I can quit worrying about a brooder. It has been getting colder all day and to-night there is a strong wind.</p> <p>Friday March 14th</p> <p>There has been a high cold east wind all day to-day and we haven't done much outside. Dad. helped me get my big incubator down cellar this morning and I fixed it up and made a wire partition to fit in the little one to keep the eggs from the different hens seperate. Dad. took the pork out of the pickle and hung it in the smoke house and Frank repaired and oiled an old halter and the lines that Pommers dragged in the mud when he got away from me. Aunty came over to dinner and Enah and Tid. drove her home with Mexico about</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>four o'clock. To-night Frank and I went down town. He went to a party at Ivey Howells and I went up to the Monteiths. There was supposed to be church again to-night but it was cancelled again. When I got home I wrote a letter to "The Farmer's Advocate" telling about the J.F.I.A.</p> <p>Saturday March 15th</p> <p>Young Albert McBride came in on horse-back this morning to ask Frank to go shooting with him so Frank rode up on his wheel. Dad. and I went back to the woods and got another load of wood. We got up with it about noon and it was raining quite hard. It rained all the after noon so we didn't do much but sit around and read. I went to sleep for the most of the after noon as I had a pain like the ones I had in the summer. We got another flock book to-day. Frank went down town to-night and I read all evening. There were two more lambs in the boxstall when Dad. went out this morning.</p> <p>Sunday March 16th</p> <p>It rained all morning but Frank and I walked down to Sunday school and church. I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and tea but spent the after noon and evening at the Monteiths. The old man is in pretty bad shape and doesn't seem to be much better. Winnie was at Aunty's to tea to-night and she Aunty and I went to church. The flu is not over yet. Sweetmore died the other day while on a visit to the Falls and Dave. Smith about the first Dover man to return from the war died yesterday. Spring is in the air to-day. It cleared off after dinner and I walked down to the beach from Wedlake's this after noon. The piles of broken ice along the shore are just about washed away, the wind had a warm feel to it and there was a steamy mist out over the lake so that I couldn't tell where the horizon was. I went on out on the dock which is certainly in terrible shape. The end is all gone off the west pier and a great hole washed through the east pier. They have a carload or two of timber down there and are trying to patch it up, but to see that harbour now with six thousand dollars worth of timber looks to me like a harder "task than to prove" than to:- ... "Stop a stream with sand Or fetter flame with silken band. I came up the tack with Hughie Allen and the old red-winged black-birds were flying around in the marsh and to-night wen I came home I heard killdeer</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Sketch of a tree}</p> <p>Monday March 17th</p> <p>It has been very mild and muddy to-day and has rained a good deal of the time. Tupper was in for about an hour this morning visiting. I washed out my big incubator and started it going to-day and put the eggs in to-night. This after noon we weighed the steers again on our own scale. The little one just gained six lbs but the big fellow gained 24 lbs. We then hauled over a load of hay for the cattle... Frank went down to a St. Patrick's dance in the hall to-night but it was so rainy and muddy that I didn't go down to band practice and Frank said he doesn't think they had any. I read the "Breeders Gazette" most of the evening.</p> <p>Tuesday March 18th</p> <p>Dad. Enah and Tid all went down to Sam Law's to dinner to-day and spent most of the after noon down there. Frank went down to the mill after some bran for the sheep and I just did chores and sat around and read. Karl. Coleman was in this morning to look at Dad's steer and we sold him subject to Dad's approval for ninety dollars and he is to go a week from Thursday. Dad. was perfectly satisfied with the deal. I went down to see how Marj. was to-night as she had a very stiff neck but she was better and ironing a dress to go to Bessie's party to-morrow night. One egg is chipped and a chicken out in my incubator to-night so I didn't freeze them all the other day. Sam. Law told Dad. that they couldn't get a death certificate and in consequence couldnt bury Dan Smith, as the nurse he had being dissatisfied with Dr. Cooks treatment sent for Dr. Newel in Jarvis. He didn't come but sent some medicine and so neither doctor was there when he died and as Sam Law said they couldn't expect Dr. Cook to give the certificate when he didn't know what the other fellow had given to poison him, however, they got him buried all right to-day with a flag over him and with military honors. It has been raw and cloudy and terribly muddy to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday March 19th</p> <p>I helped Frank put on a load of hay this morning and while he and Dad. put if off in the horse stable I went over to Tupper's and borrowed a setting hen as there are three chickens out in the incubator and I am afraid there won't be many more. I was over there</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>till noon. This after noon I drove Enah down town and I got some coal oil and my hair cut. Enah stayed down to tea as Aunty Alice had a carpet rag bee this after noon Frank went to Billy Dixon's sale and bought a hay truck and a potato digger. Dad. had a busy after noon looking after Tid and a new heifer calf that came after dinner belonging to Young Bobbie. To-night Frank and I went down to church, and after church I went down to a party at Patterson's. There was a big crowd there about forty and they played Five Hundred. I was fortunate enough to get the booby prize. It has been a beautiful spring day but muddy.</p> <p>Thursday March 20th</p> <p>Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning and has been down all day tearing down the fence between Aunty's and Charlie Warren's. He got it all down and the boards piled up. I took six chickens out of the incubator this morning all that are going to hatch and put them under the hen I got from Tupper. I thought she was going to mother them well but before noon she killed four. The first two I found I thought she had stepped on unintentionally but the second two were picked in the head. I took the remaining two away from her and put them in a basket on the stove but I don't know what will become of them. I didn't do any thing much but chore around this morning and took my time at that. To tell the truth it was a beautiful day for "black-snaking." No wind, air warm and sunny, and a lazy drowsy sort of feeling over everything, both man &amp; beast. This after noon I husked a little corn. Frank has been cleaning out the shop all day and by to-night it could be seen that he had started. It is "some" job. Charlie Shand was in for awhile this afternoon on his way down town. He came on horseback as the roads are a fright. Enah drove over to the McPherson this after noon and poor Mexico got stuck and broke a trace coming home. Frank and I went down to J.F.I.A. social evening to-night. We had no music as Charlie Blake had asked to be let off during Lent. Neff &amp; Fleming were down and we played cards, Jacob &amp; Rachel and had a spelling match. No body brought any milk so we took our coffee straight, at least I shoud say they did. Neff came down the Gravel in his Ford but nearly got stalled several times. We got home about three o'clock</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday March 21st</p> <p>I spent the morning doing chores and trying to make my two young chickens comfortable. I put them in Dad's birdcage and hung it over the stove. I made a "hen" out of a strawberry basket lined with cloth. They seem comfortable while they are under it but don't know enough to go under of their own accord. Frank finished cleaning out the shop and started to make a whipple-tree for the disks. Dad. cut wood, the small pieces which he can chop with the axe. Frank went down to a party at Frances Slocomb's to-night. I went down town and called for Aunty Alice and Cousin Loll at Col. Smith's on my way home. Mild but a little colder wind than yesterday. Frogs singing to-night &amp; last night.</p> <p>Saturday March 22nd</p> <p>Frank and I had to take Knockfierna up to Ham's this morning again. When we got home George Eagles was here to get Dad. to go up and lance the jaw of Miss McCoy's steer, so he went before dinner. This after noon Frank &amp; Tid went back to the gully to spear pike as they are up in the creeks now. Frank said he saw five and speared one but the spear wouldn't hold them. It is an old four tined spear which the baby has been sharpening up for the last week or two and I guess has it so sharp it cuts right through them. Dad. sawed wood and I split it this after noon. I had a letter from the "Farmer's Advocate" saying my letter was satisfactory and that they would pay me the end of the month in which it was written published. Quite a cold wind to-day.</p> <p>Sunday March 23rd</p> <p>Frank and I went to Sunday school and church this morning and Enah came down to church. Aunty came over here to dinner with Enah and Frank but I stayed down with Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida. This after noon Marj. and I went for a walk down the beach after first getting a film and taking some pictures of the cat. We went down to Aunty's early in the after noon as Aunty Alice wanted to go up and see Huby and didn't want to leave Aunt Ida alone. We stayed down there to tea and entertained Aunt Ida while Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went to church by singing all the hymns we knew. Marj. played. Frank went down to Corby's this afternoon. Beautiful day, very warm.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday March 24th</p> <p>Dad. went up to Miss McCoy's this morning and Frank and I husked corn, we got into some nice stuff and got quite a pile husked. This after noon we weighed the steers again but before we watered them and one only gained one pound and the other four over last week's weights. Frank and the baby then went back to the gully to spear fish as they had borrowed Alfred's spear and came home with seven nice pike. The kid. was tickled to death. Dad. and I sawed and split wood and did chores. Frank and I both went down town to-night to stay all night so as to catch the train for Caledonia in the morning. Frank went to the dance but I went to bed early about 11.30. Another lovely day.</p> <p>Tuesday March 25th</p> <p>Aunty and I set the alarm clock last night and as neither of us knew just what time it was we set it early and set the alarm early so consequently were up about half an hour earlier than was necessary, but as it was such a lovely morning nobody objected. We found {Irvine?} Pow at the station bent on the same quest as ourselves so we had him for company all day. We found cars waiting for us at the Caledonia station, and they took us right out to the Moore farm which was just about a mile north of the town on the old Plank Road. We were surprised to see how dry and smooth the roads were down there and could hardly believe it when they told us that last week they were impassable. We had plenty of time to look over the cattle in the stable before the crowd got too thick, and we were certainly delighted with what we saw. The cows seemed to show much more of the beef type and build than dual purpose animals that I had in my mind's eye but their udders and Records of Performance showed that they were all very profitable dairy animals as well. About eleven o'clock lunch and coffee was served. Each lunch was done up in a seperate paper bag and consisted of a couple of sandwiches a piece of cheese a doughnut and a roll. The bags were all put in a big basket and every one just helped himself. There was another basket of cups which were filled with hot coffee when wanted by one of the half dozen girls that were mingled through the crowd with kettles of the beverage</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>The door yard was well filled with diners and as it was such a beautiful day, it proved very enjoyable as well as novel way of being fed. The simple cleaning up of paper bags and washing of cups must have been a much lighter task for the women folks than the washing of so many plates, saucers, knives, forks and other dishes and clearing away of tables and taking down of benches to say nothing of the sweeping up and setting things in order after the occupation of the house by such a horde of men as was assembled in the door yard that morning. Lunch being over we still had over an hour on our hands before the event started so we three took a stroll over the field to the big red basement barn of a neighbour. The barn looked to be the property of a prosperous man so we thought the cattle inside it would be worth looking at. We found it filled with grade Holsteins, the feeding and milking of which aparently took all of their young owner's time so that their rather unkempt appearance contrasted unfavorably with that of the herd we had just seen all groomed and cleaned and in every way made attractive looking. On our return we found the big tent which had been erected in case of bad weather had been taken down and was in a big heap under a tree so we three sat down on it to wait for the sale to commence. The warmth of the noonday sun, the drowsiness of the springtime air, the drone of conversation all around us, and the faint aroma of tobacco smoke, all had a very soothing effect and if it had not been for the constant chugging, honking and stopping of cars as they came up the lane and took their places in the orchard, and the cackling laugh of some fellow who with two or three others was perched on an old hayrack under an apple tree and aparently enjoying a very amusing conversation, we three should have gone to sleep. The crowd was continually gathering, the men were making some final preparations in the ring. A group of very small boys whom we guessed had been lured by the song sparrows, the sunshine and the crowd from the monotonous routine of the little school house up the road, came hurrying in and after trying several points of vantage around the ringside, decided that the apple tree over the auctioneer's stand was the ideal grandstand and acting on their decision perched themselves along the limbs. Here they</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>stayed very well behaved till Capt. Robson mounted the auction box and beckoned them down whereupon they solemnly scrambled to earth again. We were soon aroused from our comfortable position by the observation that the crowd was closing around the ring. Different groups of men were carrying blocks and planks to make seats so we we decided that if we were to have the place at the ring that our early arrival deserved, we would have to do likewise. We did and got a seat opposite the auctioneer and were soon hemmed in by a big standing crowd behind us. After Hugh A. Scott, secretary of the Caledonian Shorthorn Breeders association and a neighbor of the late Mr. Moore had given a little address relating to the herd their excellence and the estimable character of Mr. Moore, the sale began. Burnfoot Grace was the first cow brought out. She was a nine year old roan squarely built with big frame and in calf to Burnfoot Chieftain the old herd sire. She went for $445.00 to A.D. Wallace, Toronto. We came to the conclusion right then that our chances for getting anything worth while there were pretty slim as we knew that every animal in the sale compared very favorably with this one and we didn't dare risk any more than half that sum, much as we would have liked to. We were not wrong in our conclusion as the bidding was keen on nearly all of them although only one went as high as $1000. She was a four year old cow with an R.O.P. 8147 lbs of milk testing 4.08 as a two year old. J.W. Carter of Ilderton bought her. The lowest price was $170 for a little bull calf. The average price for calves and everything was $440.16. The old bull Burnfoot Chieftain sold for $440.00 just $100. more than his this year's calf out of Burnfoot Lady one of the old good cows. Old Dairymaid the 12 year old foundation cow with a record of 13535 lbs and one-time Canadian champion sold for $350 but was not in calf and was in poor shape owing to a dose of blood-poisoning she got when she calved last time. All the cows were taken by Ontario buyers although there was at least one Americon there, but for some trouble over getting a tuberculin test they couldn't be taken across the line. We heard him say later that if it had not been for this trouble old Dairymaid and the other old cow Burnfoot Lady would never have stayed in Canada. After the sale we went back to Caledonia. Frank and I got a ride with Johnnie Walker a fellow I knew up in Guelph and who I see nearly every time I am around a</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>gathering of Shorthorn breeders and {Irvine?} got picked up by a car. We sat around the Union Hotel listening to this Yankee talking to some others who had been at the sale till six o'clock and then went up to the station getting some biscuits on our way to do instead of supper. The Dover train left at 6.40 and we got home about 8.30.</p> <p>Wednesday March 26th</p> <p>Frank and I bagged up some oats and the corn we husked the other day and took it to the mill. We left the grist there and went on down and got a small load of coal as the road down at the corner is pretty bad. Most of the roads have been scraped. We came home around by Munros corner. This after noon we took Shands rack for their scales home and came back by the mill and got our chop. I took the turnip seed Frank had cleaned up into Arthur Preston and he gave me some swede turnip seed for it. They are all sick again over there. Frank Enah and I went down to church to-night. It has been a very nice day</p> <p>Thursday March 27th</p> <p>It has been a very disagreeable day. Cold and drizzling rain most of the time. Dad. &amp; Frank went over to Tupper's with Daisy May this morning and while they were gone Karl. Coleman came over and got the steer and gave me the money for him. I wrote letters to three different fellows this morning inquiring about bulls. Art Quanbury came after Dad this after noon to go and look after a ewe that was having a hard time lambing. Dad. was over there most of the after noon and said he was afraid the ewe would die. We heard later that she did and the lamb too. We didn't do anything much. Frank went down town to-night.</p> <p>Friday March 28th</p> <p>It froze hard last night and has been cold and very windy all day wind due north. We hauled over a load of hay this morning to the old barn. We wanted to get some to the horse stable but it was blowing too hard. Aunty Alice came over to dinner. Frank rode his wheel down town this after noon and got his hair cut. I just sat around and read most of the after noon. To-night Frank and Enah wrote cards to all the J.F.I.A. members notifying them that Mr. Duncan would be here Thursday night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday March 29th</p> <p>It has been sunny to-day but the wind is still high and cold. We have spent the whole day doing chores and watching our herd and flock increase. Little No. 4 ewe had a big strong lamb with her when Dad. went out this morning and before noon No 33 had one. They were both big fat lambs but strong, but the event which will make this a red letter day in the annals of Knockfierna was the long-looked for arrival of Elgitha's calf. He too is a big strong bull and a fine roan. Elgitha is so wild no one can get within ten feet of her, but there is no necessity to as she and the calf are both all right. I hung around out in the barn till about four o'clock and then came in and got shaved and ready to take in Mrs. Smith's tea-party. It was a great success. She had nine boys there and Marj. &amp; me. We helped her feed the bunch which included Isabel and then she the colonel and we two had our tea while the rabblement tore around in the other rooms. I went over to band practice for a little while after tea and Marj. shipped the boys off soon after I got back but we stayed for quite awhile listening to the Colonel talk.</p> <p>Sunday March 30th</p> <p>Frank. Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning. Enah went down to church and Aunty came over here to dinner with her. I stayed down at Aunty Alice's for dinner and tea. This after noon Marj. and I went for a walk but spent most of the after noon visiting. We stopped in at the Davis's to see if Said. had Marj's camera and as Said. had gone out for a walk with her beau who has just returned from the war, we stayed and talked to Mrs. Davis for awhile, we then went down and spent the rest of the after noon at Miss McQueen's. I went to church to-night with Aunty Alice and spent the evening up at the Monteith's. Aunty had a letter from Norah Hall and answering her question about the correct meaning of Knockfierna. She said the "Knock" was Anglesized and should be spelt "Cnoc" but meant a little hill, the whole word she thought would mean a grassy knoll more than a fairy knoll. However it applies just as well, maybe better to the mound as we never happened to catch any fairys there. Beautiful day.</p> <p>Monday March 31st</p> <p>Frank and I went down town in the waggon this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and got some old cherry logs over at Mr. Jame's. Frank got some boxes to feed the sheep in and I got a can of coal-oil. I saw {Mid.?} and Mr. Bagley go in to Arthur Anderson's so I went in to ask them where they were going to practice to-night as the Women's Institute are having a lecturer up in the room which we have been using and which is also their meeting place. They didn't know where we would meet but said it would be some place maybe in the Masonic hall if there was no fear of us "getting their goat". I found them back in the store rejoicing over a horn which was lost and is found. I think it was an alto which Jack Anderson had. Ed. Moon was in there and wanted to send over some beans to clean through the fanning mill so went down to the house with us to get them. This after noon Frank went down and got some posts at Jack Reynolds and when he came back Dad. went back to the back field with him and put them off. To-night Frank went down to the picture show and I went to band practice. We did have it in the Mason's room. Very cold north wind.</p> <p>Tuesday March April 1st</p> <p>I haven't done any thing much to-day but a few chores. I helped Frank bag up some oats this morning and he took them down to the mill to trade off for oil cake and bran for the sheep. He also went up to Billy Dixon's and got the hay truck and potato digger which he bought at the sale. This after noon he went down town to get Felix Perkins to come over and fix the pump at the windmill. We don't know what is wrong with it but Dad. went to turn the windmill in last night and the rod in the pump was jammed and wouldn't move. The wind was strong and before he knew what happened a piece snapped out of the middle of the jirk-rod. Felix said he would be over in the morning. Dad. Enah &amp; Tid went down to tea at Aunty's to-night and then went to the picture show to see "Uncle Tom's Cabin". I went down and went with Marj. to the second show. It was pretty good. Margurite Clark played Eva and Topsy. Old no. 68 had a pair of lambs late this after noon. She had them in a very short time and none of us were out there. When Frank found them one was up. They were covered with dirt as they were born out in the shed.</p> <p>Wednesday April 2nd</p> <p>Tupper came in this morning and got Frank to</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>go over and help him tear down his verandah. He was having a bee to tear down his verandah and build a garage out of it. Dad. and I helped Felix all morning who came over about ten o'clock. We got the pipes out as far down as the cylinder and found that what made it stick the other night was ice. The drain cock had got plugged in someway and it had frozen up. The sucker needed fixing anyway so we took it out. Frank got home soon after dinner and so I didn't help so much this after noon. We had to let the cows in the field to drink out of the ditch and I carried water from the ditch to the steer, Nellie &amp; Elgitha. Wilbur Ryerse was over nearly all the afternoon. Dess was over for a little while. The assessor was here and Tom came after a jag of straw. Enah went down to church to-night but Frank and I didn't get ready in time but went down afterwards. I took my horn down to Harry Moon as he wanted to give Alf. Harvey &amp; {Gint?} Rankin a little practice. Milder to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday April 3rd</p> <p>We didn't do much to-day except haul a couple of loads of hay over from the big barn. We put one in the old barn for the cows and one in the horse-stable. Colin Ryerse &amp; Tige McBride were both in at different times for awhile. Enah went down town for dinner at her mother's. We put Martha in the box-stall in the horse-stable this afternoon and when Frank and I came home to nigh we found a red heifer calf with her not bigger than a fair-sized dog but all right. Frank and I went down to club to-night. We expected Duncan from Toronto down but he let Neff know that he couldn't come to Neff brought J. E. Johnson down and he gave us a little talk on Co-operation. Neff suggested we form a softball baseball team as the Courtland fellows were and we could meet them now and then in touring. Cloudy, mild, rain to-night.</p> <p>Friday April 4th</p> <p>Frank and I got off on the nine o'clock (new time) car this morning and spent the morning in Brantford. Mr. Cockshutt sent us out to his farm and the man showed us over the Shorthorns. He had one very nice young red bull but wanted $400.00 for him</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>which was more than we could stand, but there was another roan one about seven months old which he only asked $120.00 for. We didn't like him quite so well and his mother didn't give a very big milk record but as all of his - Cockshutt's - stock is of such pure English breeding having come from the Rothschild estate and been line bred for generations, we thought he might make a great impression on our stock and be a good foundation to build up on. However we didn't buy him but thought we would ask Dad. about it and let him know later. We got home at two o'clock by our time. The time of the country is in a beautiful mix up now. The house {illegible} didn't the "Daylight Saving" law because the farmer's made such a howl about it last year, but the railways all adopted new time on the first of April claiming that as they had it on the other side it would cause no end of confusion and probably accidents at the border if they didn't have the same time as the American roads. The consequence is a muddle and no-one is any better of and most people are madder than ever at the farmer's and in this particular case I don't think any one can blame them. When we got up to Aunty's we found Roy there he had come on the car before we did. Old Phelix was here putting the little pump he made for the well at the windmill in at the house-well as the old chain there is just about rusted out. It looks queer there in place of the old bucket and chain well and reminds me of one of these walking sticks we find in the woods {pencil sketch of a walking stick}. Guy Tuple came after Dad. soon after we got home so we helped Phelix while Dad. went over there. I went down town to-night and went with Marj. &amp; Miss Martin to the Presbyterian show in the hall. It was a bunch of middle aged women from Simcoe putting on "The Suffragette Convention" and I think was the poorest excuse for an entertainment that it has ever been my misfortune to attend. Mild, cloudy.</p> <p>Saturday April 5th</p> <p>I went down to Uncle Ward's this morning and borrowed a couple of setting hens from him and put them up over the hog pen and to-night put some eggs under them from the incubator so that they will be prepared to look after the chickens when they come out. When I came back</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>from Uncle Ward's, Tid and I burned the dead grass off the yard where I want to put the little chickens and then Frank and I put the association ear tags in the rams lambs yearlings. After dinner we put them in the yearling ewes and the private numbers in the lambs. Lila came over soon after dinner and Aunty Alice and Roy after that. We didn't do much but chores and visit the rest of the after noon. They all stayed to tea. Two more ewes lambed this after noon No. 40 &amp; No 15 and another one to-night old Lop-ear. Frank went down town to-night and I think went to the show with Lila. I wrote to Cockshutt and told him to send down the little bull if he hadn't sold him as Dad. thought that as we couldn't very well lose anything on him it would be worth trying him to see what sort of impression he would make as well as purifying the blood of our stock. I went to bed early. It rained last night and has been cloudy but very mild all day.</p> <p>Sunday April 6th</p> <p>It was very showery all morning but was a beautiful after noon and is thundering and cloudy to-night. Frank went down to Sunday school this morning but I was</p> <p>too late getting ready as I spent considerable time with my setting hens. I went down to church though. Enah and Tid. also drove down. I stayed to dinner at Aunty's and this after noon Marj. and I went up the Radical Road in quest of pussy willows but didn't find many nice ones although there were plenty of no. 2's. We went through Duncan's woods and down to the beach. It was lovely up there and I was very glad to be without my overcoat. I think this is the most Spring like day we have had and the grass is beginning to show quite green. I had tea with Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida as Aunty &amp; Roy had gone up to Huby's. Aunt Ida and I went to church to-night but were joined at the church by Aunty. I spent the evening up at the Monteiths and when I got home found Dad. &amp; Frank out in the barn with the sheep. Old Split-ear had triplets to-day one of them with a twisted face which Dad. has in the house. Another ewe had a single lamb.</p> <p>Monday April 7th</p> <p>It rained a little more during the night but was sunny and quite hot and muggy all morning and a little cooler and cloudy this afternoon. We trimmed a lot</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>of the loose wool from around the bags of the ewes which have lambed to keep the lambs from getting wool-balls in their stomachs and Frank and I docked the six oldest lambs. We cleaned up the barn floor before dinner and got the fanning mill set ready to clean up the seed oats and Frank and I spent the after noon at it. We didn't get much done but put what we did do through twice and intend to run them through again. They are certainly heavy and when we put them in the big bags we got from the Canning Factory, they handle like wheat. Dad did chores and cut wood most of the day. I took a stroll over the wheat and and over to the garden this morning. The wheat looks fine and so do the strawberries. I went down to band practice to-night. We had a good one.</p> <p>Tuesday April 8th</p> <p>I went over to Quanbury's this morning and borrowed Arts toe-punch to mark my little chickens. The red hen over the hog pen hatched out five chicks from seven eggs. They are all from Hen no 74 one of the Wyandottes which started laying first and has laid more eggs than the rest. I want to keep her chicks seperate in case there is a good cockrel among them to breed. I put six eggs out of the incubator under one of the hens I got from Uncle Ward, but she didn't sit on them and they got cold. I put them under the red hen and one hatched. They were eggs from no 37 the best Plymouth Rock hen. I put nine eggs from the incubator under the other hen I got from Uncle Ward and she hatched eight chicks. They are from No 52. When I got that done, Frank and I put the ear labels in the rest of the lamb's ears. We cleaned up some more oats this after noon. Colin and Lloyd Ryerse came up this morning with their dehorners and took the spikes off the five steers. They are pretty sore to-night and are horrible looking objects as their heads are covered with blood, but they were getting too fond of using their horns which were nasty spikes on the oldest ones. We were to have gone up to Ham Thompson's to play baseball with the J.F.I.A. to-night but it was too wet. It was a nice morning but rained all the after noon and is colder.</p> <p>Wednesday April 9th</p> <p>I spent most of the morning getting my chickens out It was too wet to put them outside so I put them in</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the unused end of the chicken house. I got them under two hens, one has twenty white ones and the other seventeen black ones. I only got twenty seven out of the incubator and two of them were cripples and had to be killed. Jessie had a nice red bull calf during the night and Dad has had a big job milking her as her bag is caked and and her hind teats very short. She gives a big mess of milk. There was also one more buck lamb this morning. Frank went down town and got three 16 foot Hemlock plank to make a bull pen as I got word from Cockshutt that he would ship the calf to-morrow. We cleaned up a few more oats this after noon but it was late when we got started so didn't get many put through Frank and I went down town to-night but were too late for church. Milder and rather cloudy to-day. Very muddy.</p> <p>Thursday April 10th</p> <p>It has been cloudy and drizzly but quite mild all day Frank and I went down with the team this morning and got a load of shingles Howey has just got a carload in and we thought that by taking them right off the car we would get them a little cheaper although they are dear enough there, five dollars a thousand. The car is on the canning factory siding as it is at last a much handier place to haul them from than Howey's yard. Dad. and Frank measured the roof and and figured it would take just about twenty-one thousand bring the cost up to $105.00 for shingles alone. We put on 42 bunches just half what we need on our first load and hauled it around by Mrs. Munroe's corner as we thought we couldn't get through with a load past Johnson's place, but decided that it wasn't any worse than from our corner on the side road down to the lane. Frank had his dinner early and rode his wheel down to the station to see if the freight on the L.E. &amp; N. was in as we expected our bull on it, and they told him last night it was due about one o'clock new time. He came right back and told us that they had telephoned from Waterford saying that we could unload the bull at Main St. crossing if we were there between two &amp; two-thirty when the train came in. However it didn't get in till just before the three o'clock car came so they backed the cars up on the siding and we unloaded the bull there. We had no trouble getting him off nor getting him home in the waggon and Dad.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>is quite favorably impressed with his appearance. When we got "Moonshine" put away in his new quarters, Frank and I went down and got the rest of the shingles. Frank went dwn town to-night and sent Cockshutt a check for $150.00 for Moonshine. Aunty Alice lent him the money.</p> <p>Friday April 11th</p> <p>Frank went down to Aunty's this morning and was down most of the day fixing their fence between them and the Rankin's. Dad. and I spent the morning doing chores and I gave all the horses a good cleaning. This after noon I started to rake up the lawn and Dad. sawed wood. I measured up the bare spaces in the orchard and figured that we would need about two dozen trees to fill it up. While I was out there I saw a pair of ducks rise out of the water-holes and on taking a walk over saw to more pair rise. Niel Elliott was in to-night and Dad. sold him Daisy May. Dad. hadn't thought much of seliling her but Niel offered him $100.00 and said that was all he could possibly give but Dad. worked him to $120.00 so Dad. sold her. Frank and I went down town to-night &amp; Frank went to the dance. Cloudy &amp; cool.</p> <p>Saturday April 12th</p> <p>Tid. and I finished raking the lawn the other side of the ditch this morning. Right after dinner I went down to Uncle Ward's and ordered some apple trees. A man whom I suppose was Mr. Granton came in and started telling of his experiences in the West and it was three o'clock when I got home. I spent the rest of the after noon raking up the rest of the lawn. Frank went back to the gully this morning with Alfred's spear and got three pike one of them weighing four pounds. He took it down to Alfred. Lila came over this morning and has been practicing on the guitar all day and took it home with her this after noon. Dad. Frank and Tid went down town in the waggon this after noon to get the gutters for the roof and some coal oil. Dad. was going to get Cousin Willie to witness his signature on a proof of age form which Dick Frank &amp; I have to send to our insurance companies but Cousin Willie was down at the dock and although Dad waited for him till five o'clock he didn't show up. Hugh didn't have the gutters cut out either. Still cloudy &amp; rather cold wind. Frank saw first martin on the bird house to-day.</p> <p>Sunday April 13th</p> <p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school this</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>morning and Enah came down to church. Marj. and I went down to Aunty's for lunch and about three o'clock went up to the Monteith's while I pumped some water for them up there and then we came over here to the farm and had tea. Dick {Fomsbe?} was over for awhile to see Dad. about a sick cow. Nice sunny day, cool wind.</p> <p>Monday April 14th</p> <p>Art. Quanbury came over about eight o clock this morning and we have been shingling all day and got the east side of the parlor roof on. We weren't looking for Art. till this after noon and were just ready to haul over a little hay but Frank hauled the rack over to the barn and then went down town and got the gutters from Hugh McQueen and Dad. and I hauled over a little jag of hay when he got back. Sam Law came up after dinner with his hammer and apron and said he heard us hammering so just came up to give us a hand. I suppose Tom has told him we were shingling. I went to band practise to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday April 15th</p> <p>Art. came over this morning and we shingled till noon and got about half of Dick's bed-room roof on but just at noon it began to rain and has kept it up all the after noon and evening. Snowdrop presented us with a black and white heifer calf this morning so it took considerable time after dinner to tend to her and do the other chores. We put some costic potash on the two youngest calves horns and Frank and I put up a lot of hay from the far bent in the big barn up over the sheep pen so that it will be handy to load when we can get the waggon over. It was cold this morning but about noon the wind veered a little more to the south east and it got a little milder. Dad. had to go up on the roof this morning to-night to stick some shingles over the bare spots where it was leaking.</p> <p>Wednesday April 16th</p> <p>It rained hard and steadily all morning and I think all night. It cleared off two or three times during the after noon but rained most of the time and is cloudy to-night. We haven't done any thing but chores all day and sit around and read. The ditch running through the sheep pasture is a regular river, and when Frank let them out at noon most of them plunged right through it as they have</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>been accustomed to do, never taking notice aparently that the bridge was gone. Most of the little lambs went too. Frank and I went down town to-night and I spent the evening over at the Monteith's. Marj. expects to go home to-morrow for the holidays. Aunty told us to-night that Mrs. J. S. Allen died very suddenly Monday night and Mrs. Fred Roleson died Tuesday, she had the flu and Mrs Allen had heart trouble. Lila is quite sick and twenty-five out of the High School are sick in the same way. Frank was up there to-night looking at all the fancy guns Quint sent home.</p> <p>Thursday April 17th</p> <p>Frank and I hauled over two more jags of hay one to the old barn and one to the horse stable. Charlie Munroe was over to see Dad. about a sick cow and Dad. spent most of the morning doing the chores over at the old barn. It takes about all of one man's time over there now to keep things done up right especially now that the yard is so muddy that a lot of them can't be turned out. It cleared off nicely this after noon and I cleaned out the colony house so that if we get a chance to shear sheep we can do it in there. Dad. went back and opened some ditches on the back field. Frank got the clippers oiled up. To-night Frank went down to the J.F.I.A. another social evening but I didn't go down. It will be Good Friday before they get out. Roy came up to-night. Cloudy this morning.</p> <p>Friday April 18th</p> <p>Art came over this morning and we shingled all day. Sam. came up this morning after noon and said he would be back to-morrow if it was nice. This being Good Friday Enah went down to church this morning. Dad. went down town to-night to see Roy but he wasn't home. Nice day.</p> <p>Saturday April 19th</p> <p>Art. and Sam both came over this morning and we got on well with the shingling. We now have just the north sides of the kitchen &amp; dining room roofs to shingle. Dr. Cook was in at noon to-day and said that they all had the flu. over at Tupper's and intimated that some of us would have to go over to do the chores so Frank went over to-night. Tupper had the milking done when he got over there but he said he looked pretty sick and he thought should not have been out. Aunty and Roy came over</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>this afternoon. Frank went down town to-night. Very nice day.</p> <p>Sunday April 20th</p> <p>This has not seemed very much like Easter to me and has been any thing but a day of rest. I went over to Tupper's about half past nine this morning after we had done our own chores and was all the morning over there. Tupper was lying in the lounge in the house and gave me instructions about feeding every thing which I found difficult to keep straight in my head but I followed them as well as I could and thought that as long as every thing got some thing to eat that they needn't worry. While I was over there Dr. Cook came and ordered Tupper to bed as he had quite a fever and told me to go down to Hanselman's and get a nurse there and bring her out to Tupper's. It was just twelve o'clock when I got home and all the family had gone down to church and as Dad. had Joe and the buggy I had to wait till he got home about half past one before I could go after the nurse. By the time I got her, took her out and got home again it was after three. Dad. and Frank were just having their lunch alone as Enah and Tid. had stayed down so that Enah could go to Mrs. Hobbes for after noon tea. I had my dinner and sat around for a half an hour or so and then went back to do Tupper's night chores. Nurse Little gave me some money to get her some beef and whisky so just as I got home about dark Dad. was starting off in the buggy to get Enah and I gave him the order and he managed to get the goods. Frank went down to the corner with him with a bag full of cats which he left in the pond. Dad. thought there were too many around and there is a very big family of little rabbits out now and he didn't want them killed. There are still two tabbys here each with a family of kittens. Enah got home soon after Dad. left. She had been in at Uncle Ward's and he had missed her. It rained this morning but was very nice after noon.</p> <p>Monday April 21st</p> <p>I went over to Tupper's right after breakfast this morning and it was after eleven when I got back so I didn't do much else this fore noon. Frank took a grist to the mill and went down to the Widespread to get the ridge boards but the engine down there was broken so he couldn't get them. Alan Law was past and was telling</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>me Charlie Ivey's side of the story of Clarence Ferris getting fired down at the mill. Charlie bought the lot across from his house on purpose to preserve the big spruce trees along the road on the lot. After he bought it Clarence wanted to buy it from him and Charlie sold it to him on condition he would leave the trees but it was only a verbal agreement. Joe Long wanted the trees so Clarence let him cut them down although Charlie offered to buy them or the lot or another lot down town in order to keep them. If that is the case Clarence certainly deserved all he got because Charlie has treated him well. Karl Coleman was over this morning to look at the steer and told Dad he would give him 12 cts for him when he was ready in two or three weeks. Dad. took Daisy May down on Saturday to ship but Niel wasn't there and had left word at Henderson's that he didn't want her that day but Dad. had never got the word so was very peeved when he had to bring her home again. Karl told him he would make Niel buy her over again and if he didn't make a suitable offer that he himself would take her. This after noon Frank and I sheared one of the rams. I did the shearing and made a pretty messy looking job as I have forgotten how to hold them. We only did the one as Frank had to get to the mill after the chop. Dess came over with a letter from Dick. He enclosed a program of a concert he had been at put on by Austrian-Hungarian prisoners of war which were under Japanese control. I went back to Tupper's about five o'clock and got home about dark. I made arrangements with old Evans to do the chores in the morning. Frank went down to the Masonic dance to-night. Sunny and mild all day, cool breeze. We lost a fine big lamb to-day. Dad. opened him and found a big wool ball in his stomach. That is the second lamb that has died, one of Splitear's died Saturday, but it was never right.</p> <p>Tuesday April 22nd</p> <p>Frank and I got three rams sheared this morning. After dinner Dad. sheared one and then I sheared the old ram. We didn't have time to do any more as I went over to Tupper's about half past four. I rode Joe over and when I got there the cows and calves were all loose in the stable and so I didn't have to bring the cows in nor milk one of them and got home quite early. Dad. went back with the harrows this morning and went over the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>side hill and took the disks back late this afternoon, the discs cut down to the mud but the top works fine. I went down to band practice to-night. Very mild &amp; fine.</p> <p>Wednesday April 23rd</p> <p>Frank and I sheared another ram this morning but it took quite awhile and we had to put on a load of straw to take over to the horse stable so we only got the one done. Dad. went back and disked the side hill this morning and drilled it in this after noon. It was a hard job he said drilling on the hill as several times he lost track of his drill mark. Dad. hauled our load of straw over to the horse stable and Frank and I put it off right after dinner and before Dad. went back to the field he hauled the rack over to the barn and Frank and I put on a load of hay. It was so late when we got it on that we didn't have time to shear another ram. Aunty Alice was over to dinner and Enah drove her down with Mexico this after noon. Enah got a lot of groceries which Melissa asked me to get and I drove over to Tuppers to do chores. It began to rain while I was over there and rained all evening. I went down and got my hair cut to-night and took my horn down to practice but it was so late when I got around that they were all through. I stayed all night down town as it was such a bad night. Very warm &amp; sultry all day.</p> <p>Thursday April 24th</p> <p>I got home at six o'clock this morning and helped do chores. It turned cold during the night and has been cloudy, cold and a north wind all day and several times it has started to snow. I went up to Simcoe on the 11 o'clock car and went over to Slaght's office but was very disappointed to learn that nothing has been done about the "Sheep Pasture". Slaght is still sick and not expected back in the office for a month. I went in to see Neff for a few minutes he had a Mr. May in there who is going around organizing the county for Y.M.C.A. work. They said they were coming down to Dover this afternoon. Neff said that the Courtland boys would be down at the club to-night to give their debate and advised me to see Mr. Johnson and ask him to act as our judge as the Courtland boys were going to bring one down. When I got home Dad. &amp; Frank where at Aunty's after the ridge-boards for the roof and as</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I had to go up town to get some bread for Tuppers I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. After dinner I went up and asked Mr. Johnson to come over to the club to-night but he said he couldn't as there was a vestry meeting on and advised me to get Mr. Robertson so I got Tige to ask him. Soon after I got home Neff and Mr. May came over to look at my heifer and Frank's pigs that we are entering in the Profit Competitions and when they left it was time to go over to Tupper's. Gladys had fourteen pigs to-day. Dad. has two of them in the house but one is not going to live long. We had a great meeting at the club to-night. About six Courtland boys and as many girls came down and we had a good turnout of our own both boys and girls. Corby who was to have helped Frank out in the debate informed us at the eleventh hour that he couldn't come so Frank had to hold up our side alone, however he made a good job of it and the judges made it out a tie. One of the Courtland fellows did very well but the other wasn't so good. Mr. May acted as critic and then gave us a little talk on the Y.M.C.A. and invited us all to go to Simcoe to-morrow night to a meeting they are having to organize the county. After that we had some games and supper. We stayed for a long time after our visitors left and danced and cut up till a late hour. Ham had his phonograph down to furnish the music and Charlie Shand played his mouth organ. We think that will be our last meeting there.</p> <p>Friday April 25th</p> <p>It has been very cold and very windy all day and snowed to-night. We havent done very much but chores. Frank and I put up some hay ready to haul over to the horse stable but it was too windy to haul it. Niel Elliots nephew came over to ask Dad. to take Daisy May down this morning as they were going to drive a bunch to Jarvis. Dad. told him he was pretty sore at having to take her down and bring her home again last week and that now if Niel wanted her he could have her for $125.00 so I went over to Jack Martins as Niel was going to telephone there to say whether he would take her or not. Jack was very disturbed when he saw me as Niel had telephoned him early this morning to tell us to bring the cow down and Jack had promised to and then forgot. Neil called up soon</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>after I got there and said to bring her down so Frank and Dad. went right down with her. Niel was very apologetic and told Dad. that he wouldn't have blamed him if he had sold her, he thought that Dad. knew he didn't want the cow on Saturday. He is a great old bluffer. Frank went down to the Women's Institute dance tonight.</p> <p>Saturday April 26th</p> <p>The ground was covered with snow this morning nearly as much as was on the ground any time this winter. It turned sunny and soon melted off and is milder to-night. We hauled over the load of hay we put on yesterday to the horse stable this morning and this after noon we started to put on another load for the cows but Ham came down and wanted to have a horse clipped so we didn't get it over. I went over to Tuppers early and did the chores and got down to meet the 8.15 train which is due at 7.15 by our time. Marj. came back to-night</p> <p>Sunday April 27th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner. This after noon Marj. and I went up to Huby's for awhile as Marj. wanted to take Lila some maple sugar she brought from home. Lila was feeling much better. We went from there to Miss Martin's and I left Marj. there to have tea. I came home changed my clothes and rode over to Tupper's to do the chores. Tupper was feeling much better and came out to the barn for awhile but got severely reprimanded by the nurse for doing it. She told him he was a "bad naughty man". His improved health is making him wayward. The nurse let him out for an hour this morning to visit with Wilbur Ryerse and he and Wilbur got on the sunny side of the straw stack and he stayed out nearly all morning. I went back to Miss Martin's after tea as I couldn't get down before church was out. Enah and Tid. went for a drive with Mexico this after noon. Sunny, cool breeze.</p> <p>Monday April 28th</p> <p>Frank and I took a grist to the mill this morning and went from there down to the lake and got part of a load of sand and some plaster to plaster the ceiling in the spare room. We also got a barrel of salt. Ham Thompson came in after dinner with Hugh A. Scott, who came to</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>look at the cattle. After he left Frank and I went to the mill and got our chop and I went over to Tuppers when I got home. Tupper was down town when I got there but came home before I left and said he thought he could manage his chores himself from now on. I borrowed a setting hen from him. To-night I went down to band practice. Al. Faulkner has been cutting up again. He got on a tear Saturday and went up Main St. in his car about dark at 40 or 50 miles an hour, ran into Bruce McQueen and his wife who were coming down in a buggy and hurt Mrs. McQueen very badly. Cloudy and cool.</p> <p>Tuesday April 29th</p> <p>Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning in the waggon and got four bags of Irish Cobbler potatoes for seed, {illegible}, oil cake, bran, &amp; feed flour from Johnson. I went in to see Neff about my Dairy Profit competition and Frank went to get some ledger plates for the mower and some stumping powder but he couldn't get any. We had Joe &amp; Queen and as Queen hasn't been out all winter we had to let her go pretty slowly and it was about three o'clock when we got home. Dad spent the day I think helping Enah house clean. Nice day, sunny, cool breeze.</p> <p>Wednesday April 30th</p> <p>Frank and I gathered up most of the shingles off the lawn this morning and put them in the wood shed and Enah raked it this afternoon. Dad tore off some more shingles from the north side of the dining room roof as Charlie said Art would be over this after noon and then he took the team back to harrow the side hill. Art. came after dinner and he and Frank shingled all the after noon. Dad. took the team back and finished harrowing the side hill and I cleaned out the cow stables and then went back and disked on top the hill and Dad. came up and helped shingle. It doesn't work too badly but looks like more rain to-night. Neff was on for a minute or two this morning and brought us some milk preserving tablets. I went down town to-night. Nice day and sunny but east wind.</p> <p>Thursday May 1st</p> <p>It has rained most of the day and so we have done no outside work at all. I spent most of the morning filling in my Dairy profit and egg sheets</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>for April as well as writing this and filling up crop reports for the Bureau of Statistics. Dad. went over to Art Quanbury's and helped him shear a sheep. I read and did chores this after noon. Frank cleaned out the drive house and Dad. made a wheelbarrow for Tid. and scraped plaster off the spare room ceiling. Charlie brought the clipping machine back this after noon and said Art. had all his sheep sheared.</p> <p>Friday May 2nd</p> <p>It was raining again this morning but cleared off soon and has been very windy all day. We couldn't do any thing on the land or the roof to-day. Frank finished cleaning out the stable and drive house and Dad. scraped the rest of the plaster of the spare room ceiling. I took the chickens out of the incubator this morning and had a much bigger hatch than I expected and so had no accomodation for them. I have 25 under the hen I got from Tupper but that is the limit of her capacity and I still have 14 in the machine. I tried putting them under the hen with the older chickens but she wouldnt own them so I am going to get a hen from Charlie Quanbury and try to make her own them. I spent most of the day when not with the chickens husking corn. Frank helped me this after noon and we got nearly all the corn that is left husked. Frank and I went down town to-night. Frank went to a party at Anna Holden's. Huby saw Less. Parish to-day who has just got home. He saw Quint two days before he left but he had lost some of his papers so couldnt sail with his battery which is now in Canada. Less says it may be a long time before he can get home and will have to be a {illegible}.</p> <p>Saturday May 3rd</p> <p>Art came over this morning to shingle and they tore all the shingles off the dining room side of the roof. It started to rain about noon but we kept right on shingling after dinner and finished that side about four o'clock the rain didn't ammount to much. I drove out to the Shand's this morning to see if we could get some seed barley from them and they said we could. Willie was drilling but the ground was pretty packed. I stopped in at Charlie Quanbury's on my way back and borrowed one of his hens. He had two with seven chickens apiece so he doubled them up and gave me one hen. I put the fourteen chickens with her out of the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Repeat of previous page}.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>machine and she mothered them all right. Charlie was in this after noon on his way home and said it rained very hard out at his place. We did chores up fairly early and I went down to Aunty's to spend the evening. The two Miss Hardings and Miss Martin were there playing bridge. Marj. was there also and to wind up with we had a five handed game of Five Hundred. Rained again to-night.</p> <p>Sunday May 4th</p> <p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Church this morning. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and went up to band practise this after noon. Enah and Tid. went down town as Enah had to practice for the mother's choir. They stayed down to tea at Aunty's but I came home and helped do chores. I went down town again this evening, got Mexico out of Aunty's barn and left him tied to a tree in front of Dick {Name?} for Enah and then I spent the evening at the Monteith's. The mother's choir was a great success. It rained hard during church but cleared up during the after noon but to-night there was a terrific thunder storm and I got caught in a heavy storm going home.</p> <p>Monday May 5th</p> <p>Frank Slocomb came over this morning and has been here the most of the day plastering the spare room ceiling and patching the parlor. Dad. and Frank have been helping him. I just did call chores and husked a little corn but got so sleepy doing that I had to quit. Dad. had a letter from George Pilley to-day dated at Toronto and saying he would be here to-morrow so Enah went down town this night after noon to get some paper to cover the new plastering. Frank went to a dance at Pete Holmes and I polished up my horn. Fine day.</p> <p>Tuesday May 6th</p> <p>Frank went down town this morning to see if Harry Dyer could come over to paper the parlor ceiling to-day but he couldn't so Frank got Jerry Burtch to say he would come to-morrow morning. I fixed up a chicken coop and moved my little chickens out this morning. Dad. did chores and helped Enah house clean and Frank and I sheared the last two rams before dinner. Ah! Dad. sheared the last one. Just after dinner Aunty Alice and George Pilley came over. We didn't know what train George</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>would come on but he came at eleven and Aunty Alice met him. This after noon we sheared four of the yearling ewes. Tonight Enah, Frank and George went down to the memorial service in the church. Mr. Jeakins an ex-chaplin was down from Brantford and they unveiled the new altar in memory of the boys who were killed at the front. I was too late getting through to be in time for church but I went down and Marj. and I went and called on Belle Smith afterwards.</p> <p>Wednesday May 7th</p> <p>Frank went down with the waggon this morning and got Jerry Burtch and his outfit and he came over and papered the parlor ceiling in about an hour and a half and made a very slick job of it. Then Frank had to take him home again. We got two more ewes sheared this morning and Dad. sheared one with the handshears, but it was pretty dull. This after noon we sheared three more and got a little hay over to the horse stable and cow barn. Dad. put the parlor carpet down this after noon. I went down town to-night. George has been entertaining us with stories of his four years at the front. He was certainly lucky to come through it as well as he did. Rained a little this morning. Fine day.</p> <p>Thursday May 8th</p> <p>We started to shear sheep this morning and got one done (the last of the yearlings) when Art. came over wanting to shingle, so we went at it. George helped us and we finished the job to-night. Dad. and Art were till after six putting on the ridge boards but it is all done now except to clean up the mess. I had to go down to band practise to-night and had to leave all the milking to Dad. He didn't get through till nearly ten o'clock. I got a can of Brasso down town and after I got home worked till twelve o'clock polishing my horn and then didn't finish. Frank and George went down to see Ada. to-night. I saw Alan, Art. Munroe and Kilt Moore to-night. They all looked fine. Fine and warm this morning, but colder &amp; rain to-night.</p> <p>Friday May 9th</p> <p>We bagged up a grist this morning and Frank took it down to the mill while Dad. and I started to put on a load of hay. When Frank got home he hauled it over to the horse stable and George, Frank and I put it off. Frank then went down to the mill after the chop and I put a little more polish on my horn and then</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>got ready to go down town. I got down there at half past one alright and at two o'clock sharp we started our parade. We marched up to the school house followed by the girl guides and all the school kids and then played marches or hymns and listened to speechs alternately. R.M. Taylor explained the idea of planting a memorial grove of elms. Jack Martin complimented the Women's Institute for taking up the work and mentioned something about the soil of Dover being very good for trees. Then the three preachers had a little to say. Mr. Robertson winding up with a prayer and the school kids sang "O, Canada" and "The Maple Leaf." Neff was down to supervise the setting of the first trees. Mrs. Bell as president of the W. I. planted the first tree and then the band marched the crowd back to town leaving Huby &amp; Mr. Johnson to plant the rest of the fifty trees. I don't know how they made out. Frank and George went down town this after noon but were too late to see the ceremony. Enah and Tid. drove down also and I guess were late. I went in to see Punk McDonald for awhile this after noon. He has just got back from France and is staying at Mrs Lawson's. I went down town again to-night and Frank went to Craig Long's hard-time dance. George was going too but when the time came decided to go to bed instead. Rained a little this morning but fine &amp; cool after noon.</p> <p>Saturday May 10th</p> <p>It has rained steadily all day to-day, not very hard much of the time but a very soaky, dismal drizzle. We sheared sheep in the shop all day and got six done. We carried them over from the barn in the crate and carried them back after they were sheared. Dad. helped us and did chores and George ironed off a whipple-tree, fixed the wool box, and put a latch on the door of the shop. To-night Frank, George and I went down to Aunty Alice's to spend the evening. Winnie, Lila, Dess, Fraser, Marj., Ada and Douglas Skey were all there and we had a lot of fun playing games such as consequences and making poetry. We had to make a verse answering a question and using a word that two others had written on a piece of paper, folded and passed on. Douglas drew for a question "Whether is the song of nightingale sweeter in the morning or the evening" and his word was "Word." Douglas wrote "The word of the bird is sweet." Aunty Alice said "Brevity is the soul of wit." We got home about midnight.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday May 11th</p> <p>Frank and George went for a walk over Brant Hill this morning and I went to Sunday school but was very late as I cut my chin while shaving and couldn't stop the flow of gore for some time. When I got there {Name?} Ryerse was marking the book as Miss Martin didn't show up and I had to step lively to get the books dished out. I went to church and found George &amp; Frank there. We three went to Aunty's for dinner. This after noon Marj. and I went up to Miss Martin's with the money we cleaned up at Sunday school and found her looking very tired and her father sick in bed. We didn't stay long as the Best's came up, but we spent the remainder of the after noon at Miss McQueen's. I came home to tea and to do chores and went down again after tea and spent the evening at the Monteith's. George &amp; Frank went up to Huby's and to see Ada this after noon. Mrs Hobbes invited them there to tea with Ada. but Frank came home to do chores George went and after tea he and Ada went up to Waterford with Mr. &amp; Mrs. Robertson from Toronto in their car. They went on to Brantford and Ada &amp; George spent a little while with Ada's freinds in Waterford &amp; came back on the car. Rained all day, drizzle</p> <p>Monday May 12th</p> <p>Karl. Coleman came over this morning and got the steer I went down with him and saw him weighed. He just came to 960. Dad. was very disappointed as he was expecting him to go at least 1000 but Karl told me to-night after he killed him that he had no fat inside at all. Frank &amp; George sheared sheep while I was gone and I helped them the rest of the day. We got eight done and only have two more to do now. Old Broadley &amp; Jason were here to dinner, the first trip of the season and old Broadley sheared one sheep for us after dinner. Frank Ryerse was in just after tea to-night to see Dad. about a horse that has the colic. I rode down town with him to band practise. Frank and George went to the picture show. Cloudy &amp; cool this morning but cleared off.</p> <p>Tuesday May 13th</p> <p>We sheared the last two sheep this morning and got all the wool packed in the big sack. We hung it under the trap door in the ice house and Frank got in and tramped it. This after noon Dad. and Frank took it down and shipped it. Dad. stayed down to get his hair cut and walked home and brought Marj. over with him. Winnie &amp; Dess. had</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>come over earlier. George and I cleared up some of the old shingles around the house this after noon and I cleaned out the cow stables. Dad. let the cattle back to the gully this after noon but as the fence isn't fixed yet into the field, they all got in, at least the cows did. The calves didn't go out of the lane. I went back after them about five and they were right back at the woods and the felt so fine to be out that I had to do considerable chasing to get them into the lane.</p> <p>Wednesday May 14th</p> <p>Frank and George went back to fix the fence in the gully this morning and about half past ten I went back to help them. I had been cleaning up shingles around the house before Dad. had to go (I wrote most of the foregoing while I was asleep, so quit and went to bed) down to Alex Jameson to see a sick horse. This after noon Tom came up to have Maude clipped and to get his fruit out of the cellar and they also clipped Mexico. He looks like a different horse. I spent the after noon gathering up shingles and got the worst of the job done. I went down town to-night. Frank also went down, calling some place I think. It has been warm and sunny to-day but looks rainy to-night.</p> <p>Thursday May 15th</p> <p>It was raining this morning so we didn't go back to the gully to fix fence but put on a small load of straw and hauled it over to the horse stable. We then put a small jag of hay in the horse stable. This after noon Enah and George &amp; Tid. drove Mexico down town and Enah took George through the woollen mill. He was very interested in it. Dad. &amp; Frank cleaned out the cellar this after noon and I cut and cleared up part of the lawn. We were to have gone up to Ham Thompson's to-night to play base-ball but Jack Martin came over and it was so late when we got through and a heavy fog that we thought it was no use going up. I went up for a little while though and some of the fellows were there. I rode Frank's wheel up but walked it most of the way home. Enah &amp; I played duets on the piano &amp; horn when I got back. Cloudy &amp; drizzly this morning but fine after noon.</p> <p>Friday May 16th</p> <p>It was a little too wet this morning to finish cutting the lawn so I went out and staked out the places for the little trees in the orchard. I can get two dozen all but one in the bare space at the north end of the orchard</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and so can protect them by simply fencing them off and will not need to barricade them. It began to rain just about noon and has kept it up all the after noon increasing in violence till to-night every thing is flooded and it is pouring down. I didn't do any thing much this after noon. George &amp; Frank spent the day building stancions for the calves out in the old barn. Dad. and Tid. drove down town this after noon, I think to settle up various accounts. George Frank and I went down to Ada's to-night to a little party Miss Beemer who has lately returned from France where she has been nursing was there and Bill &amp; Zeitha Barwell, Douglas Skey, the two Miss Hardings and the Huby family. We danced and had a very nice time generally.</p> <p>Saturday May 17th</p> <p>It has been a cold drizzly day. George &amp; Frank finished building the stancions for the calves and they made a grand job of it. I did a few chores and went over to Ivey's and got some more paeony roots. They are all coming up through the ploughing and I think they just intend to cultivate them all up and put oats there so I thought I would take what I wanted while I had the chance. Enah and George drove Mexico down town this after noon. I just puttered around and built a wren house. I got the cows up about 4.30 and left Dad. &amp; Frank to do the chores and I went down to the Harding's for tea. Enah and George also came and Douglas Skey and Ada. We came home quite early.</p> <p>Sunday May 18th</p> <p>I went down to Sunday school with Tid. this morning and George &amp; Frank went for a walk up the beach but we all went to church. Enah drove down to church and Ada came back with her to dinner. Marj. came over to dinner with me. We were very late getting through dinner as Mr. Johnson preached such a lengthy sermon on the subject of having his salary raised. We sat around for awhile after dinner and then George, Ada and Frank went down to Huby's for tea I didn't go down but helped do chores and Marj. stayed here to tea and we went down about ten o'clock. George &amp; Frank stayed all night down at Aunty's so that George could get off easily on the 7.30 train in the morning. I went in on my way home but they had all gone to bed. It has been sunny &amp; nice to-day. Cool breeze drying up the mud.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday May 19th</p> <p>I sowed clover seed on the wheat this morning and Dad. and Frank strung barbed wire along the top of the lane fence and straightened it up where the colts had broken it down. This after noon I raked up and cut the rest of the lawn and put my wren house up in the pear tree. Dad. &amp; Frank kept on at the fence. Broadley &amp; Jason were here to dinner. I Went down to band practice to-night. We are going out again on Friday to help the school kids celebrate Empire day. Fine day.</p> <p>Tuesday May 20th</p> <p>It poured rain early this morning and has been cloudy and wet all day but didn't rain much more. I took the hen I borrowed from Uncle Ward home this morning and stopped in for awhile at Quanbury's on my way back. Art was building a chicken coop &amp; Charlie was remodelling his tractor. Dad. and Frank had gone back to the gully to fix fence when I got home as Charlie Butler had brought word that the cattle were on the road. I didn't do any thing much this after noon except write a couple of letters one to Cockshutt asking him to have the bulls pedigree hurried along and one to McEwen reminding him that we have some rams for sale. Dad. did chores and Frank pulled teasels on the road. Aunty came over about four o'clock and stayed to tea. Frank went down with her to-night. There is a great strike on now in Winnipeg and the city is almost completely isolated from the rest of the country as there is no mail telegraph or newspapers. From all accounts they have set up a regular Bolshevik rule except that there has been so far no rioting. It seems that the trouble is caused by certain employers refusing to negotiate with Labor officials outside their own employees and will not recognize the "One big Union". It is surprising and rather alarming to see what a strong undercurrent of straight Bolshevism there is in labor circles all over Canada. Another event of a very different nature is causing the world excitement, and that is the attempt of Aviator Hawker and his pilot Grieve to fly across the Atlantic. They left Sunday after noon in a little Sopwith biplane and expected to make the trip in 20 hours. Last night the evening papers said he</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>had been sighted 400 or 500 miles off the coast of Ireland about nine o'clock yesterday morning, but the morning papers to-day contradicted that report and they said he had fallen into the sea some where near the Irish coast. To-night's papers however, seem to indicate that he is without doubt lost and they think he fell before he got very far from the Newfoundland coast. Hawker was an Australian, and his English rival for the honor to be the first to cross and win the $50,000 price offered by the London Times, started as soon as he saw Hawker leave but he had an accident before he got off the ground. Three U.S. Navy seaplanes left three or four days ago but they didn't attemp a non stop flight. Two of them got safely to the Azores and the third one was picked up some place. They had a row of ships across fifty miles apart for protection.</p> <p>Wednesday May 21st</p> <p>Frank and I were back in the gully fixing fence this morning. Dad. took us back in the waggon and then took the team back home. Old Evans came after him and took him out there to see one of his old horses which has the heaves or something. Frank and I went back to the gully after dinner but were only back a short time when it commenced to rain. We stayed till we got pretty well soaked and then came up and put on a change of raiment and I shaved. Dad. spent the after noon helping Enah house clean the clothes-room and getting ready to plaster the ceiling of it. To-night I went down town and spent the evening at the Monteiths.</p> <p>Thursday May 22nd</p> <p>I took Tupper's hen back home this morning and came back through the gully and helped Frank fix fence. We have been at that all day and are not through yet by any means but we are making a good job of it as we go I think. Dad. plastered the ceiling in the clothes room and helped Enah house clean all day. Frank went down town right after dinner and got our wool cheque cashed and got the pedigree for Moonshine which came registered. The advance payment on the wool was $105.00 I went down to band practice to-night and Frank went up to Ham Thompson's but it was too wet to play ball. Drizzled this morning but cleared off fine &amp; warm.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday May 23rd</p> <p>I set out two little shrubs Tartarian Honeysuckle which Aunty sent over this morning and as I put them across the ditch and had to dig holes in the clay and fill in with other earth it took me quite awhile. I helped Dad. trim Maple Hil Nellie's &amp; the bull's toe-nails Dad's lamb which has been sick for the last few days died this morning and Dad. opened him and found a growth on his bowels stuck fast to the ribs and on further examination found him full of tape worms. Tid. and I went down to Aunty's for dinner and I helped them put in some stakes for the peas. I went up town right after dinner to see what the band was going to do but it was raining quite hard at two o'clock so we couldn't march and it was no use going up to the school house as the kids couldn't have their sports. They were all crowed around the park under umbraellas so we all went down on the band stand and tore off a few selections. After we had been there about half an hour some one noticed a crape over on George Thompson's door. I suppose old Mrs Hambleton is dead so we thought we had better move. All the kids had gone up into the hall so we went up there and stayed for the rest of the after noon played a little, and listened to the usual run of speeches. Inspector Cook was the principal speaker and explained the formation of the Union Jack most of which was news to me but the kids seemed by the answers they gave to know all about it. The occasion for the celebration was the presentation by the I.O.D.E. to the school of a flag. Cousin Clare seemed to represent the former and handed a roll of bunting which I suppose was a flag to Mr. Johnson or Mr. Smith I forget which and Mr. Johnson mumbled out a prayer or so and that was about all the ceremony ammounted to. Tid. and I came home to tea and after we did chores I went down and spent the evening with Marj. R.M. Taylor proclaimed Monday as a holiday to celebrate Victoria Day instead of to-morrow. Mr. Watson announced to the kids that although it was a holiday in town they would have to go to school just the same on Monday, but Taylor wouldn't have it so and made it plain to everyone that Mr. Watson would have to observe his proclamation which brought him loud and prolonged cheers from the kids.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday May 24th</p> <p>Frank and I dosed all the lambs with worm tablets this morning and put the ear labels in the the three youngest. Auson Abbot came in and got the four pigs which Tom had bargained for and after we got him loaded up Fred Krell came after two bags of clover hay for his rabbits and he was here till nearly noon telling us all about the rabbit business. He has a bunch of Flemish Giants, and expects to raise some fancy show stock from them. This after noon Frank took Alfred's spear home and I cleaned out the cow stables and then we both fixed fence in the gully till chore time. Old Ed. Walker and Johnny Richardson came over to-night after their pigs. Gladys had them all out in the yard and her door came shut so that she couldnt get them in again and they were just like so many mud balls. Old. Walker wanted two boar pigs and Frank caught a boar first but old Johnny put it in his bag and then wouldn't trade it with old Walker for a sow as he thought it was a little bigger so we had to corner up another boar for old Walker and Gladys didn't like it a bit. We got them fixed up at last however and they drove off to-gether like a pair of kids with new pets to play with. Fine and rather sultry all day. Looks rainy. I polished my horn up again to-night. Frank told me when he came home that the youngest of the Zealand's William I think his name is, was drowned to-day just below the house. He and Billy Mill's little girl were playing on the boat house landing which has just been built and they both fell in. The Mills kid hung on to the landing till they got her out but the little boy was either hurt or too frightened and was drowned in about two feet of water. He was just five years old.</p> <p>Sunday May 25th</p> <p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Dad. and Enah went down to church this morning. Aunty came over here to dinner and I stayed down there. This after noon Marj. and I went to the woods and got some violets. We found Lila up there with Chum looking for dogwood. We then went up and saw Glad. Law who came up for the 24th. I came home to help do chores and went back about the time church was out Frank Ried was there telling of the work of the Y.M.C.A. Aunty Alice said she liked his address. Beautiful day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday May 26th</p> <p>I spent most of the day cleaning up around the place. I cut the lawn this morning and this after noon cleaned up the shingles around under Dick's window. Dad. and Frank did chores &amp; odd jobs. Frank took a grist to the mill and they hauled a jag of hay over to the horse stable. Enah went over to Mrs. Battersbys to after noon tea and came home with the information that Quint's name was amongst those of the troops just landed at Halifax so that naturally created considerable excitement as she said Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice were quite sure he would be here to-night. We all went down to-night. I had to go to band practice but went down to the eight o'clock car but Quint didn't show up. I saw Win. and Lila and they were very surprised that we should be looking for him. Aunty was to have gone to London to-day but put it off till to-morrow in hope that Quint. would be home to-night. They had letters from Dick to-night and he hoped to sail on the "Empress of Russia" which is due at Vancouver in a day or two. This was a holiday in town to-day and they had great sports at the school house. Today's paper says Hawker &amp; Grieve were picked up alive in mid ocean and are both alright.</p> <p>Tuesday May 27th</p> <p>Dad. went back this morning and got the disks and has put in most of the day working up the old garden. It is wet but so sandy that it doesn't matter. I spent the day taking the sod of a strip of the lawn where I want to plant my perennial border and resodding the square under Dick's window. Frank has been doing odd jobs. He treated some potatoes with formalin and dug up a lot of sow thistle in the meadow east of the orchard. He says there is quite a patch of it over by the sheep pasture fence. There were three or four little plants of it there last year but we thought we got every particle of it out, evidently it has fooled us. Frank went down to the dance to-night and I went down to see if old Quint came but he didn't. It has been a beautiful day &amp; looks cleared up.</p> <p>Wednesday May 28th</p> <p>Dad. worked all morning harrowing the old garden and plowing furrows to plant potatoes. Frank and I cut up a bag of potatoes and planted them out there. This after noon Dad. took the disks back and worked on the back field next the woods. He said it didn't work</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>too badly. Frank planted a lot more garden seed in the old garden and I spent most of the after noon taking a piece of chicken wire off the fence up by the hog pen where it was stretched on the other wire and put it across the end of the yard where I have the little chickens to try to keep them off the road and the lawn. Aunty Alice was over here to dinner and Enah drove her down town this after noon. Dad. &amp; Enah went down to-night to see the Hobbes but they weren't home. Mrs. Hobbes has been moved and is going to leave Monday. Every one is very sorry about it. I went down to-night to a meeting that was called to discuss 1st of July celebrations, but as they didn't start the thing going till about nine o'clock I left and spent the eveing down at Aunty Alices. Marj. was down there acting as she said "watch dog" for Aunty Alice. They had a letter from Roy saying Quint was in Toronto.</p> <p>Thursday May 29th</p> <p>I went down right after breakfast this morning to get the little apple trees at Uncle Wards. I took Aunty Alice's quince tree down to her and planted it. I helped Uncle Ward take off a couple of upstairs storm windows as he can't climb on a ladder and then came right home with my trees and started to put them in. It took me nearly all day to put them in and mulch them and I have four to mulch yet. There were eighteen of them 12 of which were Snows, 4 Duchess one Spy which Aunty wanted us to put in for Tid. and one a new variety supposed to be all that its name implies, Delicious. Dad. went back with the team this morning and Frank went with him and between them they have worked all day on the back field. Dad. went over to John Wess's to see if he wanted his sheep sheared. He said he didn't know how he was going to get it done so Frank came up and got the machine and took it over. John Wess was working on the land but put the team in to help. Frank was over shearing till three o'clock and then Dad. went over and stayed to tea. Frank sheared five. Dad. three and Wilbur Ryerse was in at noon and did two, one in seven minutes. Frank and I did all the chores up to-night and then went up to Ham Thompson's to play baseball. It was pretty late when we got there and the boys had quit playing and Ham was knocking up flys. Mrs Thompson made us sandwiches. Dandy day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday May 30th</p> <p>Dad. has been disking all day on the back field. He got all over it lengthways this after noon and started disking crossways. I finished mulching the little trees this morning and set out some tomato plants that Aunty Alice gave Enah. I also dug around some of the little poplar trees along the side road. While I was at that Pickford saw me and haled me over to look at his sow and crops. I was over there till nearly noon. This after noon Frank and I went out to Shand's after our barley seed. They had it all cleaned so we weren't out there very long. When we got back we took the little team back to the field and I harrowed till five o'clock. It was very hot for them. I went down town to-night. Aunty got home from London to-night. Fine &amp; very hot</p> <p>Saturday May 31st</p> <p>We have worked on the land all day but as we had old Pommers in all day we had to give it to him easy. Dad. put him and old Harry on the disks this morning and I went around with him for about an hour with the rope through the bit, but as he soon cooled down, we didn't bother with the rope but Dad. walked behind the disks all day. He got pretty well tired out but is big enough to stand it. I had Queen &amp; Belle on the harrows for a little while before dinner and this after noon. Queen rammed into it all day and as it was very hot they were wringing wet to-night. After tea to-night I took the buggy down to the mill and washed it and then had a shower bath under the flume. Got home soon after ten. Frank went down town to-night and says Quint is not home yet.</p> <p>Sunday May June 1st</p> <p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Enah drove down to church. This afternoon Marj. and I went for a drive down the Lake Shore with Queen. Dad. went down to Aunty's and Enah went down to see the Hobbes and then stayed to tea at her mother's. Frank went off on his wheel after dinner and didn't get home till about midnight. I think he was down at Dave Ward's. I helped Dad. do chores and then went down town for the evening. It was very hot to-day and the Lakeshore road was lined with cars and picnicers</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday June 2nd</p> <p>Dad. took Harry &amp; Pommers back and disked all morning with them. I went back and helped him hook up and then came up and helped Frank mix the barley &amp; oats for seed and treat it with formalin. That took us till about noon. Broadley &amp; Jason were here for dinner and we didn't get a very early start this after noon. Dad. took the drill back with Harry &amp; Joe and I took the seed with Belle &amp; Queen and we let Pommers rest. Dad. started to drill and I harrowed ahead of him and we got over quite a little piece of ground. I went down to band practice to-night. Still very hot and dry.</p> <p>Tuesday June 3rd</p> <p>Dad. disked this morning and I harrowed. Dad. had Dave in with old Harry this morning and at first he went fine but after he got started he fought badly. Dad. put Joe &amp; Harry on the drill this afternoon and got some more drilled but on account of the heat couldn't make much headway for fear of doing up the horses. I harrowed with Belle &amp; Queen for awhile this afternoon but poor old Belle was fagged right out. They are soft any way not having had any work all spring and this awful heat they say is killing a good many of them where men are not careful. To-night Marj. and I went to the picture show which was very funny.</p> <p>Wednesday June 4th</p> <p>I haven't worked the team to-day at all as it is still very hot and Dad. thought it was unsafe to put Belle in. Dad. has been back all day with Joe and Harry. He finished disking &amp; harrowing but didn't get it quite all drilled. I cut the lawn this morning and spent most of the after noon wheeling the compost heap out to where I want to put the perennial border. Frank did odd jobs in the garden and around the house. Enah and Tid. went down town to Aunty Alice's for tea. She had Dick, Mrs Dick (Molly) &amp; Alan Tibbits down there for tea Dad. and I drove Queen down after tea and Dad went down there and came home with Enah and I went for a drive up the Radical Road with Marj. Frank was down town too and went up the creek.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday June 5th</p> <p>Dad. took Joe and Harry back this morning and finished drilling the field and started harrowing. This after noon we both went back as Dad. had Pommers in intending to put him on the harrows but he seemed to be "feeling his oats" and showed several signs of misbehaviour so Dad. decided it would not be wise to hook him to the harrows so we hooked him to the drill disks and brought them up around by the road. A car passed us along by the corner field and he paid no attention to it till it got past and then he kicked three or four times and kicked so hard that he broke the end of his whippletree. I went over to Pickfords and borrowed a rope to tie the end of Harry's doubletree back and we got them up without any more mishaps. It started to rain soon after we got back and rained hard for awhile. When it was over Dad. and Frank went back and brought up the waggon and a couple of bags of oats which Dad. had left over. Arthur Preston was over during the rain and we sat out in the drive house discussing the League of Nations, Peace Conference, Winnipeg Strike and other little matters of equal unimportance. I oiled or at started to oil harness this morning. The pure bred calf got out of the barn this morning and we hunted high &amp; low for him but couldn't find him till the rain came and scared him up out of the clover where he had been lying concealed only a few feet from where we had walked looking for him. We didn't go up to Ham's to-night.</p> <p>Friday June 6th</p> <p>Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning to trim up the walks and the lawn for them and was down all day. I spent the morning filling out applications for the registration of the lambs and three purebred calves, it took me till noon. This after noon I finished oiling the light harness. Frank worked over in the garden disking up the place where we want to set out the strawberries and he set out some tomato plants. Cooler. Old Quint got home last night. I saw him to-night. Bigger than ever.</p> <p>Saturday June 7th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank went back and ran out the ditches in the field Dad. has just sowed while I dug up part of my perennial bed. It is so late know that I guess I will have to just summer fallow it.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and possibly plant it in the fall. When they came up we went out and set out about 150 strawberry plants. We went back after dinner and set out the rest of the patch about 300 plants altogether. Frank and I put on a little jag of hay for the horse stable and Dad. cut some of the long grass around the shop. I had to quit early to get down and go with the band out on the "City of Dover" Holbe was opening the season by running free excursions out in the lake and Mid. invited the band to go along in the evening. We had two trips one at eight and one at nine. The first one we played up on deck but it got too dark to see so we had to go down below where they were lights but it didn't sound nearly so well as we were all boxed in. When we came off Mid treated us all to ice cream in at Alf's.</p> <p>Sunday June 8th</p> <p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Enah went down to church. Aunty Alice invited Marj. Tid &amp; me there to dinner but Marj. and I came over here right after dinner and got Queen and went for a drive. We went out to Butler's to get my book &amp; brushes which Willard brought home from Guelph last winter but no one was home so we drove on out and turned west at Mt. Zion church and travelled through country that was strange to me and the nicest looking territory we had seen any place this year. We came south through Lynn Valley and Marj. came back here to tea. We went back down town about ten o'clock and a little thunder shower came up but we took shelter on Charlie Ivey's verandah. Jack Paine was in for about an hour this morning Dad. said trying to coax some of us to go and shear his sheep. Mr. Millman was also over this after noon for awhile with Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice &amp; Tid. He brought Percy &amp; his family up in the car yesterday. Percy has rented a cottage here for the summer.</p> <p>Monday June 9th</p> <p>We dipped the sheep this morning and it took us all the fore noon. It took quite awhile to rig up the tank and dripping board which we made out of the waggon box</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We put it in the east bay in the barn where the floor is about a foot and a half higher than the bottom of the bay and ran the sheep in from the barn floor to the tank and let them drip in the bay. Art Quanbury brought his over and we dipped them making 74 head all told. Old Broadley was here to dinner and we were a little late having it. Alan Law came over to borrow a spade after dinner to dig up some paeony roots so I went over with him and got a lot more roots as well as come larkspur. They are disking every thing up over there to sow oats. The grass is about a foot high and the field looks as about as green when they sow it as it does after its up and still they are hoping to get a catch of clover seed. It took me nearly all the after noon to dig them and set them out. Dad. went back and ran out some ditches in the back field and Frank worked in the garden. I went down to band practice to-night and Frank went down to the show. We both had a good swim at the bridge on our way home. Enah went down town this morning and sent away the applications for registration of the lambs &amp; calves. We have decided to have a Dickens herd and call all the calves after Dickens characters and instead of having family names &amp; numbers, we will call all calves belonging to one family, names from the same book. We called Nellie's calves Nancy and Oliver Twist and Elgitha's Wilkins Micawber.</p> <p>Tuesday June 10th</p> <p>We didn't get started very early this morning as we had a lot of puttering around to do. We had to put the waggon box back on the truck, we had used it as a dripping board yesterday while dipping and one of the ewes no 17 about the best one in the flock needed attention as she is very sick and we have no hope to-night for her recovery. We can't think what can ail her unless she got some of the dip inside her and is poisoned. Dad. was in the back field cleaning out to ditches all day and Frank and I hauled out manure with Harry &amp; Joe and the waggon and spread it on the strip where we want to put roots and potatoes. We cleaned out the calf pen first and hauled it out. Marj. and I went to the show to-night. Fine, very dry, not so hot.</p> <p>Wednesday June 11th</p> <p>The sick ewe was considerably better this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We were very agreeably surprised when we went out after breakfast and gave her a little help that she got up and stood on her feet. She then drank about a quart of water and has taken quite a lot of gruel during the day. She is very weak yet to-night but we now have great hopes for her recovery. We got Billy in the stable this morning and have had him tied up all day preparatory for giving him his first lesson. He fought hard while we were at dinner for he broke his halter but Dad. had a big rope around his neck so that he didn't get loose. Dad. let him back with the others to-night. We had Pommers in with Harry on the plow to-day plowing the root ground. All three of us went back with him and plowed a round or two before dinner. Frank held the plow, Dad drove. and I held the line in his bit rings in case of his cutting up. I didn't need to use it at all however so this after noon Dad. and I worked the outfitt and I plowed. Frank went to Simcoe to pay our insurance. To-night Marj. and I went for a drive with Queen. Mr. Johnson left three posters advertising the strawberry social up at the Smythes and we tacked them up at the mill &amp; Edmund England's corner.</p> <p>Thursday June 12th</p> <p>Dad. and I finished plowing the root ground this morning with Harry &amp; Pommers and Dad. disked it up with them this after noon. I spent the after noon cutting the lawn and washing Mexico's cart down at the mill. Frank went down to Alfred's this morning and brought the geese home as Colin was in last night to tell us they were there. He has been working in the garden most of the day. George and Miss Sutherland came to-night on the Hamilton train and Enah went down to meet them with Mexico. Hot day.</p> <p>Friday June 13th</p> <p>Dad. worked on the root ground all day with Harry and Joe. I cleaned out the bull's pen and did odd jobs this morning and Frank put a formalin solution in the dipping tank and treated the potatoes. He and I spent most of the after noon cutting them. Frank Faulkner was in this morning with a sick pig for Dad. to look at. It got as stiff as a board about every ten minutes. George &amp; Miss Sutherland spent most of the after noon sleeping. I went down to see Marj. to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday June 14th</p> <p>I got home this morning soon after midnight and found Dad. and Frank both asleep, dressed, and when Dad. woke up, he was very anxious about Belle. She had been in pain off and on during the evening but still showed no signs of foaling so he thought some thing must be wrong. I changed my clothes and lay down and about four Dad. called me as he had decided to make an examination. He did and said he was afraid there was no hope for the colt and very little for Belle. He then went to the house and called Frank to go down and get Bruce. While he was gone Belle lay down and in about ten minutes just after Dad. got back had a fine big colt and both he &amp; she are doing fine. Dad. has christened him George Broadley. We planted the potatoes this morning. George and Miss Sutherland helped us. Just after dinner a heavy thunder storm came up. It didn't last long but a lot of water fell and there was a fierce little gale with it. It came out terribly sultry and hot after it. Frank and I hauled a little jag of straw over to the horse stable. We all went down town to-night but it was too hot to dance, we watched them. We three boys went for a swim on our way home.</p> <p>Sunday June 15th</p> <p>Frank, Tid and I went down to Sunday school and the rest except Dad. went down to church. I ran across Quint after church and we took a walk down to the beach. There were a lot in swimming. Quint was telling me that Alan &amp; Dick Tibbitts intend to put up a hundred more bathing houses this week. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over here to dinner but left a lunch for me which I had alone down there. I spent the after noon with Marj. trying to find a cool spot. We didn't have much success but did get a shady &amp; fairly breezy place over in Globe Park, where we camped with some books. The Millmans were over here and took Aunty, Aunty Alice, George &amp; Miss Sutherland down to Auntys where they had tea. They came back after tea and took Dad. &amp; Enah for a motor drive. Billy was with them and I guess kept them highly entertained. I came home to tea and helped do chores and went back again this evening. Frank went down to Wards on his wheel after supper.</p> <p>Monday June 16th</p> <p>I felt very lazy all morning and managed to keep from</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>any very strenuous labor. Dad. went out and disked harrowed and rolled the mangel ground with Harry &amp; Pommers this morning and I think Frank helped him and also worked in the garden. I went down to the Quanbury's to borrow their seed drill but John said it was out at Charlie's place so I fooled around the pond awhile and then drove Joe out to Charlie's. He told me the drill was at Art's place so I went back and got it and by the time I got home it was noon. George &amp; Miss Sutherland went down to Aunty's with Mexico to gather greens for dinner. We had dinner rather late and old Broadley was here. It rained again for a little while right after dinner so we didn't do any thing much for awhile. When it cleared off I went out and drilled in the mangel seed. I sowed two lbs. of seed on 8 or 9 rows and one row of turnip. Dad. cut the grass around the shop. I went down to band practice to-night and had a swim on my way home. After I got home and before I went to bed I was much surprised to see George and Miss Sutherland walk in as I thought all hands were asleep. They had been for a walk. We got some cider and sat up till a very late hour, quietly carousing.</p> <p>Tuesday June 17th</p> <p>I haven't done any thing much all day. Dad. &amp; Frank plowed the old garden back of the shop and Dad. worked it this after noon. I worked a little on the lawn this morning and Miss Sutherland and I started to weed out the rose border. This after noon I helped Dad. hook Pommers up to the disks and helped unhook him. An old fellow named Culver from up near Simcoe was in with another Percheron stallion and wanted us to use him, but we told him we were using Jason. I shaved this after noon and spent quite awhile discussing various things with Marion. She reads Omar Khayyam to me and is very fond of it. I enjoy the poetry of it but argue with her on the philosophy of it, she however agrees with him but she is very nice to argue with. To-night we all went down to Mrs. Dick Tibbitt's "At Home" and according to the ladies who are capable of judging such matters it was very nice. To me the ice cream was nice, the conversation very gobbly and the temperature rather high but altogether I didn't put in such a bad time. George, Frank and Marion went out to hoe potatoes this after noon. Frank came in after cider and soon after George was the only man on the job.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday June 18th</p> <p>This has been a very lazy day for me. Dad. and I took Billy out this morning for a lesson on the reins and he did very well. The trailing after him seemed to give me a pain and it stayed with me all day. I just sat around from the time we came in till dinner time. Dad. went out to hoe in the garden but said he couldn't find the stuff that was up so he came in and read Whitcomb Riley to us. Frank went to Simcoe on the early car and got back about noon. He got a new horse collar and did some other purchasing. This after noon Frank &amp; George hoed out in the garden. I slept for about an hour after dinner and then Dad. and I got out the cultivator and old Harry and cultivated the garden. Enah, Tid. &amp; Marion went down to the Lake for a swim. Marion stayed at Aunty's for tea and George and I walked down after tea. Mrs. Millman &amp; Billy were there for tea and Billy was reading them the manuscript of a book he is writing. It sounded very well written what I heard of it. Quint &amp; Joe were working at the boat house and I went up town with them but spent the evening over at the Monteiths. Very hot still.</p> <p>Thursday June 19th</p> <p>Dad. and I gave Billy a little exercising this morning and then went and hoed in the garden till noon. George, Marion &amp; Tid went to the Lake for a swim this morning. This after noon Frank and I went up to Jack McBrides and got a roll of wire fence and then over to Jack Martin's and borrowed his hog crate. We put a piece of the fence across the orchard just south of where the little trees are so that we can let the sheep in the south end of the orchard without them getting at the little trees. There is good pasture in there now. We all went down town to-night. I went to the band concert as we gave our first open air concert of the season to-night. The reeve treated us to ice cream afterwards and then I persuaded Harry Dyer to go up and cut my hair. The rest of the family spent the evening at the Barwell's I went over there about eleven o'clock just in time to get some ice cream and hear Billy Millman recite "David Lilly" and the "Highwayman" also the "Cremation of Sam McGee." George Frank and I went for a good swim at the dam on our way home. It has been hot but a nice breeze to-day. Rained a little.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday June 20th</p> <p>Frank and I had to go down to Clarence Finch's this morning with old Gladys. We stopped at Hallam's shop on our way home and got Tom's old democrat which he told us to bring over here if we wanted it. A heavy shower came up while we were there. Frank took shelter in the blacksmith shop but I didn't like to leave the team so when I got Tom's rig fastened I came home. This after noon Frank rolled the old garden and disked it. I shaved and read awhile after dinner and then went out and helped Dad. and Tid. pick the strawberries. They got quite a mess and we had them for tea. Enah, Frank went George and Marion went up to the Strawberry social at the Smythe's this after noon and Frank took Joe and went up about six. I went down and joined the band at half past seven and went up in Jim Bush's car. We had a very good time and the festival was a success in every way. They took in $220.00 or more. The band got all the strawberries and ice cream it could hold and then got treated to 2 1/2 % beer which had been ordered to sell at the soft drink booth but which had caused such a scandal amongst the pious folks that they had to take it in the house and hide it behind the sofa and subsequently feed it to the band. Poor band, it certainly is rotten stuff. I came home with Mr. Johnson and Bill Barwell. We were held up at the cemetry by another car stuck in the road so we went to look for some human bones which a couple of kids said they saw lying in the sand there beside the road. Mr. Johnson lit matches and I groped with my hand and sure enough found a skull. We overtook Mexico and his load coming around the hill so we all got home to-gether before twelve. Frank rolled in some time before morning having been down Mud Street.</p> <p>Saturday June 21st</p> <p>I raked up and cut the lawn this morning and Dad. and I gave Billy a little exercise. Tupper came in for a visit on his way home from the mill and stayed all morning. Frank and George took the mower to pieces and are going to put on new ledger plates. Frank went over to Tupper's this after noon and got an old binder tongue to make a new tongue for the rake. I didn't do any thing much but sit around and work a little at the perennial border. Dad. Paris-greened the potatoes. Enah, Marion &amp; Tid. went down</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>town this after noon. George spent the after noon writing letters. He received a packet of mail yesterday from Grand daddy with a telegram enclosed offering him a position as instrument man with a survey party going to Peace River at $100 a month. George thought that was "joke" but another epistle from Grand daddy informed him that he had answered the telegram saying he didn't think George would accept the position. George sent a wire right off yesterday contradicting that statement and this after noon wrote his father telling him that while it was perfectly alright to open his letters he did object to his answering them. To-night George Marion and I went for a drive. Dad. said he would like to see the skull I found so we went up and got it and brought it home. We then went on out through Lynn Valley. It was the first time they had had a ride behind Queen and it was quite a treat I think after Mexico. We had some music when we got home.</p> <p>Sunday June 22nd</p> <p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Enah George and Marion went down to church. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman were there and so was Tid. Frank came home to dinner but all the rest went down to the Harding's for their midday repast. I came home early and wrote to {Darrie?}. The rest came home fairly early and Alan, Dick &amp; Mrs. Dick Tibbitts came over for tea. I left right after tea for Nanticoke as Marj. went down last night with {Warrie?} Banfield and I drove her home. It has been a lovely day with a fine cool breeze.</p> <p>Monday June 23rd</p> <p>Dad. had to go down to Sam Law's this morning and he drove George and Marion down town and they went up creek. He then drove Aunty down to Sam's with him. I hoed the strawberries and Frank took the mower guards down and had the new ledger plates riveted on. Broadley was here for two or three hours at noon as he had several customers, consequently we didn't get much done. Frank and George have the mower all fixed up ready for business and Frank got a couple of pieces of ash for the rake tongue. I went down to band practice to-night. We saw by to-day's paper that Dick is with the troops that landed in Canada on the Monteagle on Friday so we expect him home in two or three days.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday June 24th</p> <p>Dad. and I cultivated the old garden and the mangels out in the field this morning with old Harry. I went sound asleep after dinner and dozed off considerable time, all efforts to wake me proving futile so they say. I had some cider before dinner I don't know whether that was the cause of it or not, after I did wake up I helped George a little who has put in the day making a bigger doorway in the end of the horse stable loft to let the hay in. Marion and I then went out and picked some strawberries. Marj. came over to tea and spent the evening but I had to go to Woodhouse with the band as there was another strawberry social on up there. We had a good feed and I got home about half past eleven just as George and Maron were getting home with Mexico after having driven Marj. home. Harry Ansley died yesterday.</p> <p>Wednesday June 25th</p> <p>Dad. went down and got his hair cut this morning and this afternoon he and Enah went down to Harry Ansley's funeral. Frank and George put the shafts on the cart this morning and I spent most of the fore noon correcting the application that I had returned for the sheep registration's. It poured rain all the after noon so we didn't do any thing out-side Marion &amp; I read all sorts of things this after noon, Irish History, Pope, Burns and the dictionary. George and Frank and Tid. played &amp; read. Dad. saw in the paper to-day that the Siberian troops had reached Toronto so was quite sure of Dick being home to-night and drove down to meet him but he didn't come. I drove down with him as it was too wet for the band to go to Jack McBride's where we were booked to play for the Presbyterian strawberry social. I spent the evening over at the Monteith's and stayed all night at Aunty's.</p> <p>Thursday June 26th</p> <p>It has rained pretty much all day although there have been fine and sunny spaces between the showers. Dad. and I went out to set out some cabbage &amp; tomato plants this morning but a big shower drove us in before we got much done. Marion came out to tell us that Aunty and Aunty Alice were over here. They stayed to dinner Dess had been down with a letter she received from Dick saying that he was in Toronto but would be unable</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to reach home, he was afraid before Monday as he couldn't get his discharge right away. After dinner Dad. drove Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice back down town and a big storm came up while they he was gone. I sat around and read and slept till it cleared off and then went out and worked a little more at the perennial border and Marion and I weeded out some more of the roses till it was time to go and get the cows. I went down to band concert to-night and all the rest were down town too. George, Enah and Marion were up at Ada's for awhile.</p> <p>Friday June 27th</p> <p>When Dad. went back for the cows this morning he found the whole bunch as well as the colts in on the oats. They had broken one of the bars and knocked the other one down. I went back with him after breakfast and helped him drive the colts out. When we came up we hooked up Pommers and old Harry and started plowing a piece along the road from in the sheep pasture for rape. He went very well and we plowed most of the day. Frank, George and Marion picked the strawberries this morning and picked 28 baskets. Frank set out the rest of the tomato and cabbage plants. Enah</p> <p>went down town this after noon I think to see if Mrs. Wilson wanted Mexico, but Clare Herring told her that Mrs. Wilson had gone to Toronto and left her dog here and he was amusing himself eating up the neighbor's chickens. To-night I went up to the Presbyterian strawberry social at Jack McBrides. The band I think walked up from town and I walked from here. They were about half through playing the second piece when I arrived. We were well fed and had a good time. I got a ride home with Frank &amp; Jennie Wards. He was just starting to take her home when I came out the gate. I sent my horn down town with Pud. Slocombe. When I got home I found all the family in bed but Enah &amp; Marion the latter was writing letters. I brought up some cider and cookies and after Enah left us and Marion finished her correspondence, she and I sat and read Omar Khayyam till Frank arrived. Very much cooler.</p> <p>Saturday June 28th</p> <p>The cattle were all in on the oats again this morning and I went back with Dad. and put them out. They had broken down a panel of fence over by the woods. George Frank and Marion went back and fixed it after breakfast. Dad. and I finished ploughing the rape ground and Dad. worked</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>it down this afternoon. He also harrowed over the old garden back of the shop and sowed corn on it with the drill. I drove Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice up to the cemetry this after noon and to-night went down to see Marj. Lovely day. When I got home to-night I was quite surprised Sunday to find Dad. talking to Dick in the kitchen the rest had all gone to bed. I thought as Dick didnt come up on the train he wouldn't be here but he came with Ade and a Mr. Meddlin in Ade's car. He has to go back to-morrow as he didn't get his discharge. I guess from all accounts they had lively times here to-night. Ade brought up a bottle of whiskey &amp; one of port wine and they had finished a flask or so on the way up and on coming into the house. Mr. Meddlin began to to feel his oats. They all had a glass of wine around to celebrate Dick's homecoming and then one to celebrate Peace as the treaty was signed to-day although no body took much notice of it. Mr. Meddlin passed a glass of wine across the table to some one and George rescued it from going down the lamp chimney, then he (Meddlin) kissed Enah a couple of times telling her she shouldn't mind as he had brought her boy home. I guess she didn't. To wind up with as they were going out to the car he fell over himself and just about cracked his "bean."</p> <p>Sunday June 29th</p> <p>Ade and his pal were over before we were through milking this morning. They had been up since half past four and had had a swim and breakfast at Hec's then as no one down town was up came over here. Every thing here was in such a state of commotion owing to Dick's arrival home that none of us got down to church but just sat around and enjoyed life. I went down to Aunty's at twelve o'clock for dinner but they hadn't got home from church at half past twelve and as they told me to be at the band room at one o'clock I had some bread and butter and left without seeing them. I needn't have been so rushed as we didn't leave the band room till half past one and led the Oddfellows up Main St. in time to catch the two o'clock car. We all boarded the car and got off at Anderson's crossing walking from there over to the cemetry. The Oddfellows got all their graves decorated in time to catch the four o'clock car and we played hymns</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>while they were at it. I went over to the Monteith's as soon as we finished playing down town and got Marj. to come over to tea. We didn't get over till about six o'clock as we had to stop at Aunty's &amp; Miss McQueen's for Marj. to say good-bye. She is going to the St. Catherines, Ridley College, Summer school to-morrow on the two car. Dick went back to Toronto at four o'clock to-day hoping to get his discharge to-morrow. We were rather late getting the chores done and the Millman family all came over in Ade's car just before tea. After tea Frank wanted to print some pictures so we all helped him but Marj. and I went home fairly early. It has been a very nice day &amp; cool.</p> <p>Monday June 30th</p> <p>Dad. and I cultivated the mangels and potatoes in the field this morning and spent most of the after noon hoeing in the old garden. Frank went down town this morning to see about getting ladders for the rack. He left the pattern down with Reynolds months ago but they have never been finished. Reynolds told him he told Emery to make them Saturday, but Emery hadn't showed up this morning, he thought he was decorating Bert Thompson's car for tomorrow's parade. Frank mowed half of the field east of the orchard this after noon. We have decided to leave the field back of the barn for alsike. I went down to band practice to-night. Dick came in to Aunty's while I was there. He had just got in at eight o'clock and had his discharge in his pocket. He was a tickled boy. On my way home I stopped in and Quint and Hazel Dunkin were there Hazel was staying there all night. He had ridden down from Vittoria this after noon and was wearing riding breeches &amp; putties and looked like the devil.</p> <p>Tuesday July 1st</p> <p>I spent most of the morning polishing my horn and the rest of the family doing chores and getting ready for a picnic down at the beach. Dick went down fairly early with Dad. and George, Marion and Enah went down a little later driving Mexico. Frank and I went down at noon. We had a fine spread just below Sovereens cottage, but I couldn't stay long as they told me to be at the band room at one o'clock. I spent the rest of the day with the band. We played for an hour or so on the bandstand and then went out for about half an hour on the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>"City of Dover". From there we went up to Buck's park and played one piece there before tea. I had tea at Aunty's and we spent the evening playing in Orchard Beach park. Nothing very exciting happened to-day. There was the usual run of sports, a baby show on the bandstand being the only think a little out of the ordinary. They had about 30 babies entered in it. Mrs. Percy Millman had hers there and asked me to hold it for her which I did for awhile. Chris Quanbury's baby took 1st prize. It was just hot enough to-day to bring the crowd in but not uncomfortable. I went over for a few minutes while we were waiting for the boat to see Alan &amp; Dick Tibbits and Quint. Alan said they had had their bathing houses full up all the after noon. Quint only got his booth about half built and his ice cream didn't come but he seemed to be doing a good business selling soft drinks and cigarettes. Pete Holmes new casino opened to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday Wednesday July 2nd</p> <p>Frank was down town nearly all morning getting the rack fixed up and the new ladder put on. I raked up the hay that was cut and Dad cocked up. We both cocked up all the after noon and Frank cut the other half of the field. Enah drove George and Marion down to the station this morning and saw them off. They both seemed to hate to go and we were all very sorry to see them leave. This morning at breakfast we all found a little bottle of grape juice at our plates with an appropriate verse from Omar Khayyam in Marion's writing on each bottle, after we had emptied them I filled hers and mine up with hard cider and she took hers and I put mine away "Till we meet again". Dick has been down town all day ordering new clothes.</p> <p>Thursday July 3rd</p> <p>Dad. and I finished or nearly finished cocking up what was raked by noon and this after noon we started hauling in. Dick &amp; Frank pitched on and I loaded. We got two loads in the barn from that field and then hauled in what was cocked up in the field we are leaving for alsike, about half a load there. We had it up by five o'clock and then I went back for the cows while the others pitched it off in the horse stable. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice were over to dinner. I was at band concert to-night</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday July 4th</p> <p>We got out fairly early this morning and had one load on by about half past eight. We left in on the waggon till noon and I took the team and raked up what was cut. When I finished raking, Dad. and I took the load up and then cocked up. We finished cocking up by soon after dinner as there were the four of us at it. When we finished cocking up we started hauling again and got in three more loads and put them off. Dick went down town to-night and Frank went out to see Bill Sidway. He says he is improving very slowly.</p> <p>Saturday July 5th</p> <p>We established a record for ourselves to-day in hauling hay. We got out soon after seven and hauled in nine loads to-day and had the last one in the barn by about half past six. We would have had another in but the big rope broke again this morning where Lew Brock sliced it last year and that delayed us for some time. Frank found it would take too long to splice it again so we used the rope Roy sent up last fall. It is an older rope and not so big as our own but seems to work satisfactorily. It was about twice too long so we cut it. There are still about two or three loads left in the field. The boys went down town to-night but I didn't go. I intended to go for a swim after it got dark but I went to sleep and slept till too late. Hot.</p> <p>Sunday July 6th</p> <p>Frank and I and Tid. went to Sunday school and church this morning and Dad. and Enah went down to church. Dad. stayed down at Aunty's to dinner &amp; for the after noon but Enah came home. I went down right after dinner with my horn as the band gave a sacred concert in the park to celebrate the peace thanksgiving which was appointed for to-day. I came home with Dad. about five o'clock after stopping in for a few minutes at Aunty's to see Louise who came up Friday. I slept most of the evening. Frank went down to Ward's and Dick has been down town all day. Cloudy and very much cooler all day.</p> <p>Monday July 7th</p> <p>Frank started cutting the 12 acres across the gully</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>this morning and has been cutting all day. He raked up what he cut this morning before he quit to night. The cattle were in on the oats again this morning and Dad. had to fix the fence where they got in first thing this morning. I did a few odd jobs around here and then went out and started to eat &amp; trim the mangels. Dad. came out with Belle before I got one line done and I helped him cultivate the mangels and part of the potatoes before dinner. Broadley was here for a long time to-day so Dad. didn't get out very early. I went back with Frank at noon as he took the rake back and wanted some help to get through the gates and then I started at the mangles again till Dad was ready to bring Belle out, then we finished cultivating the potatoes and went over to the garden and cultivated everyt hing we could there. Aunty was over at noon to help celebrate Dad's birthday. Dick went down with her after dinner to post a letter to McNab, his old bank manager out West, who wrote him the other day wanting him to come back at $1000 a year. Dick doesn't want to go back just yet. Soon after they left Dess came over and stayed till about 5 o'clock, then as Dick didn't come back she went down again. She evidently missed him down there for Dick. came home about seven o'clock having had his tea at Aunty's. He rode Frank's wheel back down town but didn't stay long. I went down to band practice to-night. We had a lot of new music and Ed. wasn't there. On my way home I met Cousin Clare escorted by Alan Tibbitts and Totie. Smith. They had been down at Aunty's. Totie informed me that there was some cake left so I went down and found Quint there demolishing the last piece of cherry pie and making alarming inroads into a chocolate cake, but I was in time to check his advance and save a couple of pieces. He had brought down a lot of sweet cherries from home so Aunty Alice give me some to bring home as I approached home I could hear great revelry and found the family engaged in song &amp; dance in the parlor. The Shands had been here. Very nice day sunny but cool.</p> <p>Tuesday July 8th</p> <p>Frank went back this morning and continued to cut till about eleven o'clock when he broke the pitman rod on the mower and had to stop. He went up to</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Simcoe on the 12 o'clock car and got a new one and also got Joe Howell to fix the old one, but he didn't get home in time to do any more cutting to-day. Dad. Dick and I wemt back this morning and cocked up what Frank raked yesterday. This after noon we hauled in what was left in the field east of the orchard and did it in two loads, but for some reason or other it took us about all the after noon. Getting it out of the little gully made it harder pitching and harder loading. Then the lift jammed once in the car but I got it loose by getting over on it and prying the latch off the gate. Cool day.</p> <p>Wednesday July 9th</p> <p>We took the rack to the back field this morning and brought a load up with us at noon. I raked all that was fit and Dad. &amp; Dick cocked up. Frank fixed the pitman rod on the mower and after I finished raking, cut a few more rounds. This after noon we put off the load we hauled up and then went back and cocked up and Frank finished cutting. We didn't get back very early as we had to change the pulley to the other end of the barn and that delayed us a little. We brought up another load to-night. Louise came over here to dinner. Jim brought her over with the mail. Enah drove her down with Mexico this after noon. She can't walk very far yet since having the Flu. Dick Tibbitts was over for awhile at noon. He had some papers for Dad to sign. We three boys went for a swim at the bridge to-night. Fine and cool.</p> <p>Thursday July 10th</p> <p>We all went back this morning and Frank finished raking and then helped us cock up. We got it all up in cock by about eleven. Chris Quanbury came after Dad to go and look at Jack's lambs. One died yesterday and they thought two more were sick, they were not though Dad. said and the one that died had a big wool ball in its stomach which Dad. found when he opened it. This after noon I went up to Ham Thompson's to see a poultry culling demonstration. Ushay from the College was down and showed how to pick out the hens that hadn't layed much during the winter &amp; spring by their yellow legs. Dad. and the boys got in two loads while I was gone but it was very windy and consequently hard to pitch</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Ham. has a new hay loader and I drove the team for them while it put on one load. It took it up right up out of the swath as clean as a rake would. I went down to band concert to-night but the lights were so bad that we couldn't play more than about three pieces, however we went up to the band room and had a practice. Cool &amp; windy.</p> <p>Friday July 11th</p> <p>We hauled hay all day off the back field and got in five loads. Frank loaded and I helped Dad. or Dick pitch on. We have about all the {illegible} of it now and put it in the barn, we will put the rest in the horse stable. Tom. told Dad. this morning that Reynold's drugstore was burned to the ground last night or at least this morning between three &amp; four o'clock. He said the Orangemen had a meeting up above there last night so Dad. said of course they would be blamed for it as Taylor &amp; Reynolds are both catholics. In spite of the high wind they saved all the houses near from the fire but the Chinese laundry shack was squashed flat when the wall of the store fell Dick spent the evening writing to various lady friends, he seems to have them in a string reaching half way round the earth now. Enah and Tid drove Mexico down to view the remains of the drugstore. Very cool.</p> <p>Saturday July 12th</p> <p>We hauled in all the hay from the back field in five loads to-day, the last load was a small one. The first load we put off in the barn but Dad. changed the car and we put the other four in the horse stable loft. It was a little after six when we got the last load off and then we went out and brought in the six cocks that were left at the end of the orchard, so that we have no cut hay our for our Sunday. Dick and Frank both walked down town to-night and I think went to the dance and I drove Queen down and back fast for exercise. Cloudy &amp; quite cool. Looks a little like rain.</p> <p>Sunday July 13th</p> <p>Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning and the rest all came down to church except Frank who went back to the side hill field to hunt sow thistle. Mr. Johnson was away and a Mr. Tillet I think his name was took the service. He has lately come from Serbia and was appealing for</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the Serbian relief fund. He was a very poor speaker and looked any thing but starved as he says every one in Serbia is but made it clear that the kids over there were in pretty distressing straits and I think got quite a boodle for the fund. Dick and I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and I spent the whole after noon there visiting with Aunty, Aunty Alice &amp; Louise. I came home in time to help do chores. Enah went down to tea and to play the organ to-night. Mr. Farney preached but Mr. Johnson got home in time to take the service. Dad. &amp; Tid walked down after tea and came home with Enah &amp; Frank went out to Bill Sidway's with some books. Very hot &amp; dry, wind to-day.</p> <p>Monday July 14th</p> <p>Dad. and I spent most of the morning grinding mower knives but I went out about eleven and started to weed and thin mangels. I was at it all the after noon and to-night have four rows finished one was nearly done when I started. Frank cut the thistles in the orchard this morning and was delayed a little by one of the ledger plates springing and catching a section. This after noon he cut hay, timothy out east of the old garden.</p> <p>Dad. spent most of the after noon cutting thistles with the scythe along the fence in the corner field. Aunty was over for a few minutes before dinner with some raspberries they had picked down home. Dick was down town all the after noon and in bed all morning. Old Broadley was here for a long time at noon. This is his last trip. I went down to band practice to-night and went down to Pete Holmes casino afterwards where I found Dick &amp; Quint. Frank was down town too and I had promised to meet him &amp; go for a swim about half past eleven but when I got there we was in. I then waited for about half an hour for Dick and then went in just as he came. Cloudy &amp; cool.</p> <p>Tuesday July 15th</p> <p>It rained a little spatter early this morning so as the alsike was tough enough to work at Frank cut for an hour or two this morning and then raked up the hay he raked cut yesterday. Dad. and I thinned out a few more mangels. This after noon Frank cut the rest of the hay between the old oat stubble and the ditch. Dad. Dick and I cocked up what he raked this morning. I went over to Jacks after we got it</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>cocked up and borrowed a crate to ship some broilers. I thought I would have about a crate full but when Dad. and I caught them to-night I only got 13 that I thought were worth taking. Enah took Tid down to a picnic that Aunty had to-day for Mrs. Browne &amp; the two kids. Enah went down after him again to-night. Quite cool and fresh breeze.</p> <p>Wednesday July 16th</p> <p>I took my broilers over to Jack's first thing this morning and left them for Jack Walker to call for. I shipped them to Mallen instead of Waller, Chris said he was pretty good. Frank finished cutting the alsike this morning and then raked up the rest of the hay that was cut. We ran the binder out and Frank cleaned it all up ready to start on the wheat this after noon. He cut this after noon but didn't quite finish. Dad. Dick and I cocked hay this morning and part of the after noon and when we finished started to shock up. Dick and I went down and got our hair cut to-night and then went with Dess down to Pete Holmes casino. I had one dance with Dess as I only had five cents and then I went over to Quint's shack and spent the rest of the evening with him getting home about twelve. Dad. announced his intention of calling us at four o'clock to-morrow to bunch up alsike and as I knew that if I once went to bed I would hate to get up at four so thought I would go at it while I was awake. I stuck at it till about half past two but finally got so tired and cold I had to come in. I went to sleep on the sofa with my clothes on. Omar Khayyam swallowed a rubber baloon &amp; died to-day.</p> <p>Thursday July 17th</p> <p>Frank and Dad. went out at four o'clock this morning and bunched up a lot more alsike but I slept in till half past five. After the dew was off Dad. &amp; Frank went through and pulled all the sourdock out of the alsike they could find and I shocked up the wheat that was cut. Frank came out about eleven and cut the rest of the wheat and Dad. &amp; I shocked it up we got through a little after twelve. Dick, Frank and I hauled in a couple of loads of hay from east of the old garden this after noon and put it in the horse stable. Dad. cleaned out the bull pen. We all went down to the band concert to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday July 15th</p> <p>Frank went out last night after he got home and raked up all the alsike. Dad went out at four o'clock and bunched a lot of it and we all worked at it after breakfast till we got it done. It didn't shell very badly after it was dry. We hauled in one load before dinner but didn't put it off. This after noon we hauled in four more and put them off over the granary. Frank and I drove Queen out to Bill Sidway's to-night to take him a {husk?} he doesn't seem to be improving very fast. We got home about dark and then Frank, Dick and I went for a swim. It was fine. Fine day.</p> <p>Saturday July 19th</p> <p>We hauled in four more loads of alsike this morning besides a jag of couch grass which we threw in the bottom of the bay. We put all that we hauled this morning in the bay. This after noon we three boys went down town, the band played in the park as this was proclaimed a holiday by the King to celebrate peace. There was a big crowd in town but they were all down at the lake. I stayed down at Aunty's for tea. I recived a cheque for my broilers at 40 cts per lb.</p> <p>Sunday July 20th</p> <p><br />Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. &amp; Enah went down to church. Huby and I took up the collection. Dad. &amp; Enah stayed down town this after noon Enah &amp; Tid stayed to tea and Dad. drove down after church for them, he came home at six and helped me do chores. Frank Dick and I had dinner to-gether and then Dick went down town but Frank and I stayed home all after noon.</p> <p>Monday July 21st</p> <p>We finished hauling the alsike in two loads this morning and then hauled two loads of wheat before dinner, but as we pulled in the barn with the second load it began to rain quite hard so we didn't get any more in to-day. This after noon I started down town to get my money order cashed but Dick overtook me on the wheel so I sent it down with him and I came home. Frank Dad and I cleaned up some oats as we want to put our next years seed away now as there will probably not be much next Spring. Old Alex Ross came in about five o'clock to see again</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>about pasture for his horse and as he said his brother J.C. Ross from Jarvis was down town Dad. thought I had better drive down and ask him if he could tell us what was causing the wool to come off our sheep. I saw him but he couldn't tell me, he said it was like scab but with it they are itchy. I took my horn down, stayed at Aunty's for tea and went to band practice to-night. Dick was down there for tea too.</p> <p>Tuesday July 22nd</p> <p>It was still too wet to do any hauling this morning so Frank, Dick &amp; I cleaned up some more oats and then put what we had cleaned through again so we think now we have enough for seed cleaned up. Dad. picked blackcurrants and hoed in the garden. This after noon we hauled in the rest of the wheat in three loads one of them a small one. To-night Dick &amp; I drove Queen up to Buter's and I got my book &amp; brushes. It was half past eight &amp; just dark when we got there and Willard &amp; his brother were coming in with a load of alsike. The two of them have taken off 95 acres of hay &amp; alsike and have their whole 150 acres in crop. Frank rode his wheel up to Kelly's</p> <p>Wednesday July 23rd</p> <p>We hauled in the rest of the hay about four loads all but about 12 cocks from east of the old garden and we hauled one load of alsike from out there, there is also a little of it left. We put the hay in the horse stable and pitched the alsike off in the old barn. The bluegrass was hard to pitch and it took a long time to put on a load. Cruikshank &amp; Harris, district agent for Massey Harris were in for about an hour after dinner trying to sell Dad. a fertilizer disc drill. Dad. said he wouldn't take a chance on it but Frank could if he liked so Frank signed their agreement. He is to pay $55 next March and $100 a year from then. To-night Frank rode Mexico down Mud. St. and Dick and I took some milk and cream down to Aunty's and then went for a swim.</p> <p>Thursday July 25th</p> <p>Frank started to cut the rest of the stuff out east of the old garden this morning but had a breakdown with the mower so didn't get any cut. Dad. cultivated the potatoes with Belle amd I thinned at the mangels all day, Dad. helping me this after noon. Dick had a headache this</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>morning but got some stuff down town to fix it up. After dinner he and Frank went over to thrash at Jack's, they are thrashing out of the field so they had to take the team. Dad went over about 4.30 and took Dick's place and Dick went down town for tea. Karl. Coleman was over this after noon to look at Kate and was to make a dicker with Frank for her. I went down to band concert to-night. This being my birthday Aunty, Aunty Alice &amp; Cousin Clare came over to dinner. I got a pair of low shoes, a shirt, a neck tie, a wash rag, a film and the "Literary Digest" for a year. Looked stormy and has been a hot dry wind.</p> <p>Friday July 25th</p> <p>I went over to Jack's this morning with Frank &amp; the team and pitched on two or three loads till Dick came over then I went back and thinned more mangels. Dick &amp; Frank have been thrashing all day and finished to-night Jack had 540 bushels from about 20 acres which was better than we thought judging from the fields near the road. I slept for about an hour this after noon &amp; then Dad. and I went out and finished thinning the mangels &amp; turnips. We then took a walk over to Art. Quanbury's to see if his sheep were affected with the same skin disease or whatever it is that ours are but they seemed to be alright. We thought if they were affected we could attribute it to the dip, but we can't make out at all what it is. We brought the cows up with us on our way home.</p> <p>Saturday July 26th</p> <p>Frank had to go down to Ryerse's to thrash this morning and has been down there all day. I put in most of the day hoeing potatoes but took a grist to the mill this morning and went after it again this after noon. Dad. helped me hoe potatoes and put the woodshed screen door on. Dick went down town this after and he and Dess went to Simcoe and stayed all night. It rained a little last night and they say hailed big stones out at Roy Hammonds.</p> <p>Sunday July 27th</p> <p>Frank Tid and I went to Sunday school and Dad. &amp; Enah drove down to church. Tid. and I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and Tid stayed there all the after noon &amp; to tea playing with Rebecca as she and Roy came up with the Millman's last night. I came home soon after</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>dinner and found Dad. and Enah asleep and Frank had gone down to the Cave with Lila, they stayed to tea down at the Ward's. Roy came over to the Woodsons with me and later came over here and stayed to tea Enah drove him home with Mexico about dark and brought Tid. back with her. Very hot &amp; very windy.</p> <p>Monday July 28th</p> <p>Frank cut hay out by the side road all morning and Dad. and I hoed potatoes. This after noon Frank started to rake the hay and leave the patches of alsike. I went out when I thought he had enough raked to cock up but the wind was so strong I couldn't do any thing with it so I came back and started to hoe the potatoes. Dad. took the buggy down town after dinner as he thought one of the axles was sprung. He noticed it the other night when I was driving out and told me that the wheels didn't track. He took it to Joe Howell's and had him come out and look at it while Joe was trying to figure out what was the matter Alan Law who was in the shop burst forth in a loud peel of merriment and informed Dad that the wheels were changed and sure enough that proved to be the case, some one to play a trick, had changed the front and hind wheel on the offside and we had never discovered it it. I suppose it has been done when Frank had it at the garden party awhile ago. About five o'clock Dad. Enah and Tid started off for Charlotteville to pick Huckleberries as they had a card the other day from George Broadley inviting them up. Frank and I got the chores done up fairly well and then I went down to band practice. Aunt Nancy died last night. Aunt Ida is back.</p> <p>Tuesday July 29th</p> <p>Frank and I got up after five this morning and went out to see what we could do with the alsike patches. There was no dew but the stuff was tough. He decided to rake it up and I bunched a little and then went after the cows. Frank cooked some breakfast and went out to mow right after but I did chores in the house and barn. I washed up all the dishes and the seperator made the bed and swept out the kitchen. This took me the biggest part of the morning and then I went out to cock up but the wind was so strong I couldn't so I picked out some of the sour dock. Frank had to go thrashing down at Sam Law's this after noon so I took Harry &amp; Queen and went out to finish</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>mowing but spent most of the after noon tinkering with the mower. The brass boxing on the crank shaft got hot and I took it off a couple of times and then the knives gummed up so that I had to change them and had a very annoying time during which I said several bad words, and just got the thing ready to cut when the whistle blew, as I didn't know but what I would have to do all the chores alone I quit and went up but just as I got the team put away Dad. Enah &amp; Tid got home. They had had a not altogether enjoyable trip, but got quite a lot of huckleberries. I guess Broadley's hospitality although genuine was very Charlottevillian and Mrs. Broadley or Rachel as Broadley proudly calls her is much fonder of plowing and working in the bush than she is of housekeeping. They were not the only guests for the night as Mr. &amp; Mrs. Ed. Billington were also taking shelter under the same roof. Mrs. Billington used to be a Brook, Law's sister. Tid was sick all day and went to bed as soon as he got home and didn't wake up all evening. Dick was down town all after noon.</p> <p>Wednesday July 30th</p> <p>Frank went out before breakfast this morning while the alsike was tough and raked up all the hay &amp; alsike that was cut. Dad, Frank, Dick and I cocked up all morning. This after noon Frank finished cutting and Dad, Dick &amp; I cocked up. Then Dick &amp; Frank went up and Frank brought the waggon out and when we put finished cocking up we put on a load and put it off in the horse stable. Dick went down town as he had an invitation to go to Simcoe with Helen Anderson and a party in the car. Cool and cloudy all day.</p> <p>Thursday July 31st</p> <p>It began to rain early this morning and rained steadily but quietly nearly all morning and part of the after noon. I helped Frank sharpen the binder &amp; mower knives but spent most of the day reading writing and drawing. Frank tinkered around and put a board on the step of the woodshed door to keep the flies from coming under the screen. Dick spent the morning in bed and went down town this after noon. It stopped raining to-night but didn't clear off very well but we had a good band concert. I went around after it to the Barwell's to call for Aunty Alice who was there playing bridge. Huby moved down to the Tom Law house to-day. Bob got back from the West to-night. Mary Hodge is also home from France.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 1st</p> <p>It was too wet to work at the hay to-day so Dad. &amp; Frank hauled out manure all day. Dick and I went back to set the fence posts across the side hill field from the woods to the gully as we want to get the cattle in where we cut the hay off as soon as possible. The ground was so hard we couldn't make much impression on it with the post auger but got one post set. We then went over to John Wess's to borrow his spud to loosen up the hard clay and were over there till noon, but this after noon we made better progress by using the spud and I think got six posts set. To-night Dick and I went down town as I wanted to try on a pair of low shoes at Caley's but they were closed up so we decided to go to the show. We were just a little early for the second show so went over to Pete Holmes where we ran across Bob &amp; Dess, so we took them to the show with us. It was "The Heart of Humanity" a war picture showing just Canadian troops. It was very good but very sad and depicted some horrible examples of German brutality. Roy Dell was with us and could tell us about the places, such as Vimy Ridge</p> <p>Saturday August 2nd</p> <p>Tupper was in the other night and promised to come over and help us haul hay when we got ready so Frank went over last night to ask him to come to-day, we also got Jack to send Hanselman over and we put in quite a day hauling with two teams. We got all the hay in that was cut but there is still the alsike two or three loads out yet. We hauled in nine loads, which wasn't too bad, as we didn't start early or work late and the bluegrass is very slow to pitch being so short and heavy. Tupper took in too big a load once and broke the hoist rope a pulley and banged the end of the barn out. The boys went down town to-night. Cool and cloudy.</p> <p>Sunday August 3rd</p> <p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and the rest all came down to church. Dick Tid and I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and Aunty persuaded me to go up and see Miss Battersby after dinner to thank her for the wash rag she made me. I came home with Tid. about three o'clock and just as we got here we found Jim &amp; Mrs. Waddle about to take Dad. &amp; Enah for a joyride in their new</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>car, so Tid went with them but I declined an invitation to go. Dad. didn't enjoy it much, they went way up into Charlotteville and very nearly collided with another fellow which scared them all prettty badly. They got home about five. It has been quite cool and rather cloudy.</p> <p>Monday August 4th</p> <p>First thing this morning Frank braced the plank in the peak of the big barn that has the gate on the track in it as he thought it being unbraced had some thing to do with the loads sticking. Dad. and I had to hold the ladder for him and it took quite awhile. Sam's whistle blew over at Pickford's before we finished and Frank and Dick went over there to thrash. Bruce Smith came in, in his new "Fliver" and we went back to the gully to look at Snowdrop. We brought her up and Bruce felt in her mouth and found a long tooth but they couldn't do anything without more instruments. It was nearly noon when he left. Byron &amp; Fred Johnson were over here to dinner. We sat around for quite awhile after dinner talking to them and then Dad. and I put off the load of hay that was on the barn floor and went after a load of alsike. Dick and Frank got home from Pickford's in time to help us put it off and Dad. Frank and I went out after another load which we didn't put off. I went down to band practice to-night. There were not many out and Ed. &amp; Harry Moon got into a quarrel over the town waterworks question and Ed. got mad and left saying he wouldn't sit and play with a man that talked such nonsense as Harry did. Ed. had been down at the meeting of the Board &amp; Trade &amp; Council and was pretty riled when he came up and when Harry started in to defend the Council for not doing any thing to hold the by-law for putting in the waterworks Ed. couldn't stand it. Frank and I came home to-gether we found Dick up and all indulged in some hard cider.</p> <p>Tuesday August 5th</p> <p>Dick has been down town all day, he went down to get his tooth fixed. Dad. Frank and I put off the load of alsike that was on the barn floor and brought another load in which was the last and which we left on the barn floor. Frank then started to cut the stuff on the old oat</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>stubble and finished it this after noon. It is no good mostly weeds but we are shy of feed so will save it. Dad. and I hoed the strawberries and then Arthur Preston came over and as it began to rain a little he and I spent the after noon in the drive house discussing various subjects, and he tried to convert me to his rather radical prohibition ideas. Dad. cut some thistles and went over to Martin's to return the ladder he borrowed. Didn't rain.</p> <p>Wednesday August 6th</p> <p>Frank raked up the stuff he cut yesterday, this morning I took the buggy over to John Evans this morning to see if he could set the tires and tighten the reins. He said he could but was too busy now but would do it if I would bring it over Monday. I then caught the ten o'clock car and went to Simcoe to see {Slaght?}. He advised me to make an offer of $2000 for Bronzie, which I decided to do after coming home and consulting Dad. and Aunty Alice. It is a pretty steep price but I need the place. This after noon Dad. Frank and I cocked up but didn't finish. Frank and I went down town to-night and went for a swim. Dick has been down all day. Very hot and looks rainy.</p> <p>Thursday August 7th</p> <p>We finished cocking up the hay this morning and then put off the load of alsike that was on the barn floor. It was too late to get in any hay before dinner but we hauled in four loads this after noon but didn't unload the last one. To-night I went down to band concert. Ed. was back on the job all right. Very hot and very windy to-day.</p> <p>Friday August 8th</p> <p>We hauled in three more loads of hay this morning and Dick helped us mow it away, there were just five more sling lifts out there besides one load of clover seed which seemed pretty well filled. We put the hay in with out much mowing and left the clover seed on the waggon in the old barn, we brought in some sival grass for bedding. Aunty &amp; Rebecca came over this morning and Enah drove them home this evening. Frank ordered a ton of Basic Slag to try on the wheat this fall. Very cool and windy.</p> <p>Saturday August 9th</p> <p>Dad. Enah and Tid all struck off for Simcoe this morning Th had dinner with Mrs. Frank Bowlby and Louise</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and this after noon took in the circus getting home about six o'clock. They said it was a good show and they had a fine time. Frank and I put in the whole day burning the old grass and weeds out around the old garden and went all over the field from the lane to the road and to the gully. We had to watch it carefully in the old timothy stubble as it ran very fast. Dick spent the morning in bed and then went down town. Frank and I went down to-night and I got a pair of shoes at Andrew's. Quite cold to-day.</p> <p>Sunday August 10th</p> <p>Frank Tim and I went down to Sunday school and Enah drove Mexico down to church. Rev. Ralph Moon preached but Mr. Johnson was there too. I stayed at Auntys for dinner and this after noon went with the band down to Kitchen's point where we gave a little concert mostly sacred to quite a large crowd, there is a big crowd mostly country people down there every Sunday after noon. I didn't get home till nearly six as Mr. Zealand showed Uncle Ward and me all over his place. Enah went down to play the organ to-night and Ed. Moon came over here and spent the evening. Cool but nice.</p> <p>Monday August 11th</p> <p>I went back after the cows this morning and found five of them over in Ivey's and had a bad time getting them out. After breakfast I took the buggy over to Evan's with Mexico and was over there all morning while he tightened the spokes and set the tires. Dad. and Frank cut the oats on the side hill and as they didn't want to leave till they could bring the binder up, we didn't have dinner till about two o'clock. This after noon I felt very tough with a sore throat and cold in my head so went to sleep on the sofa till tea time and went to bed right after tea. Frank went down to the mill with some oats for chop. To-night Dad. Enah &amp; Tid. drove down town to take Aunty Alice's milk down. Cloudy &amp; cool.</p> <p>Tuesday August 12th</p> <p>We put off the load of clover seed this morning, put a new reach in the waggon and Dad. and Frank hauled up a jag of oats before dinner and got the rest after dinner. There was barely one full sized load but they were quite heavy. I haven't done much all day, my throat is better but my head is water logged. Dad. Enah &amp; Tid went down to the James' for tea this being {Eliss?} wedding anniversary. Frank went out to Bill Sidway's to-night. Cool &amp; looked stormy.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday August 13th</p> <p>Dad. Frank and I went back this morning and started to put up the old fence along the woods that has been down in the grass ever since we came over here. We found that most of it was good enough when put up on trees and stakes to turn cattle but in spots it was rusted out too badly to be any good and one place it was cut. Dad. felt very miserable all morning and this afternoon he didn't go out of the house. Frank and I went back after dinner and put up nearly all of the fence that was any good but we quit at four o'clock as Frank had to get ready to go down to Dave Ward's and take Jennie out to Quanbury's to a meeting of the Moonlight Riding Club. Dick came over to tell me that the band was going down to Nanticoke to a garden party but I thought my cold was still too bad to go so went to bed.</p> <p>Thursday August 14th</p> <p>It was very late this morning when we went back to work at our fence as it looked a little rainy and consequently we didn't finish it by noon but had about an hour's work after dinner, we opened the fence into the gully but didn't drive the cattle into their new pasture as we thought they would roam to the extreme limits of it and give us too long a tramp after theem. When we finished back there we put up a few posts along the top of the field east of the orchard and as soon as we can get a fence up there we will let the sheep in in that field. There was a picnic from Dover in Nanticoke this after noon and the band went down but I didn't go nor I didn't go down to band concert to-night although I guess I could have all right. Louise and Winnie were over here to tea and Enah drove them down after and went with them to the picture show.</p> <p>Friday August 15th</p> <p>Dad. and I went back this morning expecting to find the cows in their new pasture but instead found that they had broken the gully fence into the oats and tramped right through them to John Wess's line. Dad. went back after breakfast and fixed it up and put them in on the clover while Frank and I hauled manure. Then Dad. helped Frank at that and I spent the rest of the day getting the posts and wire ready to put along the top of the field east of the orchard for the sheep Dad. helped me put the wire up while Frank pitched</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>on the last few loads alone. He hauled out 20 loads to-day Dad. and I didn't get the wire stretched very well but as long as it doesn't go right flat I think it will turn the sheep. It has been quite hot to-day. Dad. feels punk.</p> <p>Saturday August 16th</p> <p>Frank and I hauled manure all day but only got out about 17 loads. Niel Eliot was in for awhile this morning and Frank went back with him to show him Kate but he said she wasn't in shape yet to buy. This after noon we were driven in but quite a heavy thunder shower and it kept on raining pretty much till dark. Dad. has felt very miserable and weak to-day and has not been out of the house all day. Frank went down town to-night.</p> <p>Sunday August 17th</p> <p>We were greatly surprised this morning to find George in bed with Dick. He came up last night and came over with Frank after I was asleep. Ed. Turner has got him a good job as draughtsman on the Welland Canal. Dad. drove Tid and me down to Sunday school and the boys all came down to church. Dick and I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and I went with band and played sacred music in Powell park this after noon. George &amp; Frank were down this after noon but came to tea and for the eveing I went down to see Quint for a few minutes and he gave me some ice cream to bring home. Pretty warm to-day, breeze.</p> <p>Monday August 18th</p> <p>Frank and I hauled manure to-day but only got out 13 loads as the rain this morning delayed us so that we only hauled 4 loads out before dinner. It rained again this after noon but not till we were just about to quit. I went down to band practice to-night so we quit at five. Dad. felt better to-day and he and Tid. went down to cut Aunty Alice's oats but they didn't get them cut on account of the rain. Quint took them out for a ride in his motor boat and they got home just in time for Dad. to help me milk. Some garden thief has been very active this last week, about 100 hills of potatoes were dug out of Ed. Moon's garden up on Main St and a lot of beets and carrots were taken from Mrs. Battersby's and Uncle Ward's gardens on Saturday night. Frank drove George down this morning and he got off on the 6.30 G.T.R.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday August 19th</p> <p>Frank and I hauled out 9 loads of manure this morning and got it all out of the shed at the cow stable but at noon we had a very heavy rain storm which put a stop to outside work for the rest of the after noon, it rained two or three times during the after noon. I read, slept and wrote to Vernon asking her if we could stay with her during The Exhibition. Frank &amp; Tid went back to the gully. This morning Dad. went over to see how Mrs. John Wess was and Mrs. McCarter said she was doing well but in dangerous condition.</p> <p>Wednesday August 20th</p> <p>Frank and I hauled out manure all day and Dad. hoed over in the garden. This morning we put all the sheep in the barn and greased the backs of the ewes which have the wool off. We separated the ewes from the rams and lambs and put the latter back in the orchard and will have the ewes in the field till the lambs are weaned. Dick came home to-night, he has decided not to go to Midland.</p> <p>Thursday August 21st</p> <p>We hauled out a few loads of manure this morning but had to stop twice on account of the rain, however Frank said the field was covered although he would have put another load on if he had time. This after noon Frank drove Joe down and had her shoes set and had Dr. Cook look at his eye which has been very sore for two days. There are some sort of pimples under the eyelid. Dad. and I took Belle &amp; Harry out to start plowing. Dad. struck out for a headland all around the field but old Belle was in no mood for work after her holiday and it took us about 3 hours to get once around the field. For the last stretch I brought out the cow sprayer and scared her into her collar by spraying at her from behind. Band concert to-night. This was supposed to be Boughner picnic day but for once it was a complete failure I suppose on account of the rain. Fine after noon.</p> <p>Friday August 22nd</p> <p>Frank and I hauled out manure to-day and got out {10?} loads. Frank hauled it out along the side road to-day. Dad. went down to Aunty's this morning and was down all day cutting the oats and fixing up the lawns &amp; paths. Frank's eye is better but not well by any means. It has been a fine day sunny &amp; breezy but not too hot.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday August 23rd</p> <p>We are still at the manure and it is not out yet although the pile has dwindled considerably. Frank and I hauled out all day and Dad helped us put on some loads as he was cleaning out the little box-stall in the horse stable where Bill Philip's pig has been living. I went down town to-night with Frank and got my hair cut. We stopped in at Aunty's and were very much surprised to see Vernon &amp; Mrs. Millman, they had come up in the car this afternoon. I went down to the Casino for awhile to look on and there was an awful jam there. I came home with Charlie Quanbury and as he had mentioned when commenting on the great reception His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is getting in all the Canadian cities that he didn't believe in Royalty, I spent considerable time trying to prove to him that the King &amp; his throne deserved more respect than that and that the British system of government was the nearest perfect of any nation on earth.</p> <p>Sunday August 24th</p> <p>Went to Sunday school and church this morning and so did all the rest of the family. Mr. Brand from Nanticoke took the services morning and evening. Dick and I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and I cut my oats. Vernon left on the four o'clock car so I waited till it went out and went down to the station to see her off then came home and did chores. Enah went down to church to-night. Frank went down to Ward's and I went down to the "sheep pasture, Bronzie". Quite warm, breezy.</p> <p>Monday August 25th</p> <p>Dad. Frank and Tid. went down to Aunty's this morning and got the oats that Dad. cut and we put them in the box stall. Frank will use them for bedding. I put in a post in the chicken yard to fix up a cross fence while they were gone. Dad. stayed down till noon to dig Aunty Alice's potatoes for her. Frank and I got out two loads of manure before dinner and nine I think this afternoon. I went down to band practice to-night. It has been quite cold and showery all day.</p> <p>Tuesday August 26th</p> <p>We expected to finish the manure to-day but although we hauled out 16 loads there is still a little left. Art Quanbury was in at noon to say that Neff had telephoned saying the Judging Competition would be Sept 3 &amp; 4th. To-night Dad. &amp; Enah went out to the Shands to see the Nixon's. I went down to Aunty's for awhile. Cool.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This entry is by Toby's father}</p> <p>cutting the East side of the field about 5 O'Clock and I got it all set up. Frank had a very sick turn just as he finished, so I brought the team up and he the cows. We did not get up much too soon for while I was milking we had a heavy rain, but it cleared up in time for Hattie to go down and meet George and Miss Sutherland. We all had tea when they got back, very cool.</p> <p>Sunday August 31st</p> <p>It was showery all morning nothing much but not nice to be out in. Hattie, George and Marion got ready for church but it rained when they were ready to start so they did not go and when it cleared off Dick and I drove Queen down with cream for Auntie and found out there was no service. Alice came over in the afternoon and stayed to tea Lila was over too. Dick came over in the morning having come up from Toronto last night by way of Gault. Cool and damp.</p> <p>Monday September 1st</p> <p>We were all up early this morning to get George, Marion and Frank off. Frank went down on the wheel. I drove the others down and got there Just in time to see the train move out. Marion ran and caught it, but as George could not she and Frank got off and went by way of Brantford. I came back home and by the time I got the cows up and milked and all the other chores done there was not much left of the forenoon. Enah and Tim drove over to Shands School house and Dick and I walked out, had a very nice time in spite of several light showers, but poor Mrs. {Hank?} Ryerse fell and broke her arm. Hattie and Dick went with her in Jack Walkers car to the doctors. There was a good number there in spite of the day being so showery It seems a long time to Thursday night and it is quite a grind going it single handed but I guess we will manage it.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This entry is by Toby's father}</p> <p>I did not manage to get much done today but the chores. I watered and fed the horses before it was good day light when I went in the stable after breakfast I saw poor Joe could not put her near hind foot on the floor on examining it I found a two inch nail in at the point of the frog and I had quite a time getting it out. I finally managed it with the hammer, she is very lame I had to take Harry and Queen to finish cutting the oats. Dick took the cows up for me. It has been fair and warmer to day.</p> <p>Wednesday September 3rd</p> <p>My troubles increased this morning when I found six head of cattle in the woods and it was late enough when I had my breakfast. Dick had to go to the dentists but he got home at noon and he and I went back after dinner and got the binder and it took us nearly all the afternoon to get it stored away. It has been fine and much warmer.</p> <p>{Toby takes up the entry again}</p> <p>Thursday September 4th</p> <p>Frank and I reached home to-night on the last car and were mighty glad to get back although we had a fine time in Toronto. Frank was sick to-day but felt better by the time we got home. I went in the beef cattle judging competition yesterday and did very poorly not getting in on the prize money at all. I judged Fruit and Vegetables to-day but don't know how I did. Frank was too sick to judge to-day but he judged sheep yesterday and I guess got something out of it. I spent most of the time taking in shows and at the Fair. Marj. was in Toronto last week and I went over to Hamilton on the boat with her on Monday, she went on to Dover from there. Fine weather</p> <p>Friday September 5th</p> <p>Dad. and I hauled oats off the back field to-day, we were late getting started as we had a lot to do and only got in four very small jags. We had to make them small as Belle was very much inclined to balk after her long holiday. We are stacking the oats outside I went down to see Marj. to-night. It has been quite hot all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday September 6th</p> <p>We finished hauling the oats &amp; barley to-day but had quite a time doing it. Belle worked very nicely till the last two loads and then we put on pretty fair sized loads and the first one she balked on the hill when Dad locked the wheel but Dad. shoved it down on top of her so that she went off fairly well. The last load however was a real load and she stopped several times uninvited coming across the field but went off nicely when Dad. put a rope around her front fetlock. That little scheme failed to work however, when she felt the wheel lock on top of the hill but only seemed to make her worse. After working for quite awhile, Frank came back and he and Dad. by main force shoved the waggon down in spite of her. I then let her run to the top of the hill on the road and she went all right till we came to the barn. We had to haul this load in the barn as it only needed a few sheaves to finish the stack but she refused to go into the barn. All manner of persuasion failed to make her budge so Dad. tied her up solidly, took old Harry off and left her there till long after dark. We did the chores had tea and then took Harry out again and hooked him to the waggon and old Belle walked in without a word.</p> <p>Sunday September 7th</p> <p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school this morning and Enah came down to church. Marj. and I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and came over here for tea Dad. &amp; Enah were over at Mrs. Battersby's when we got here at a reception for Mr. &amp; Mrs. Edwin Battersby who expect to go to Shanghai to live soon. Mr &amp; Mrs Millman, Kathleen, Nita, {Tow?}, Jessie Kirtland and Quint all came over in the car to-night. Rather cloudy but close all day.</p> <p>Monday September 8th</p> <p>Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning to get the fertilizer drill that Frank bought. We had to go out around by Wiggin's as the Gravel Road into Simcoe is blocked. We got the drill and got home about three o'clock. I went in to see Slaght again. He was sick again but his son told me that they had heard from Thompson saying he didn't want to sell the "Bronzie" property till he had seen it. When we had dinner we put the load of oats off in the barn and Dad. and I took Pommers &amp; Harry out for a while to get Pommers used to going. I went down to Fred Krell's to-night to get the address of a poultry farm. Very hot.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday September 9th</p> <p>Frank took Joe down to have her front shoes set this morning and Dad. and I tried to plow out in the old corn stubble with Pommers &amp; Harry but had to stop as the shear was too dull. The ground is very hard and the flies &amp; heat drive poor Pommers about crazy. Dad. came up and ground down one of the cast shears on the grind stone and we went back after dinner and it went fine. It was much cooler this after noon too. Frank took a grist to the mill this after noon with Belle &amp; Queen.</p> <p>Wednesday September 10th</p> <p>It rained most of the morning so we didn't do much. Alan &amp; Sam who had their separator over at Ivey's intending to thrash out of the field to-day pulled it into our barn out of the rain and if all's well will thrash for us in the morning Alan brought the engine over this after noon. Some of the cattle got out on the road so Dad. went to put them in. This after noon Frank and I got half a ton of soft coal. Frank went to the Riding Club to-night at Lynn Valley and I went down town. Dick got tickets for himself and Dad. as he is leaving for the West to-morrow and wants Dad. to go to Toronto with him. Alan &amp; Zeitha were over for awhile this after noon.</p> <p>Thursday September 11th</p> <p>We thrashed this morning but our granaries are in no danger of colapsing with their load. We have 10 bushels of wheat and 219 of oats &amp; barley and pretty poor stuff at that. Sam moved from our place to Pickford's and from there to Alfred's and thrashed the three places out to-day. Frank went down to Pickford's and Alfred's to help. Dad. &amp; Dick left for Toronto this morning. They were going by Galt. as Dick could get a ticket from here to Winnipeg going that way (all C.P.R.) for the same price as one from Toronto to Winnipeg. Dad. was very loth to go but we're hoping he will enjoy himself. Dick says he will have to stay till Saturday as he has arranged for him to come up with the Millman's in the car. After dinner I went back to fix a place in the fence on the side road where the cattle have been getting out, but found I couldn't do much alone as some wires were broken, It began to rain while I was back there and rained quite hard. When I got to the house I found Aunty Alice and Enah ready to start off in the pouring rain with Mexico &amp; the cart. Aunty Alice</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>came over to help Enah and said they must get back to post a letter. I persuaded them to take the buggy. I cleaned up the barn floor till it was time to do chores and I got them done up in good time. Frank got home in time to do his. Mostly fine.</p> <p>Friday September 12th</p> <p>Frank and I went back first thing and fixed the fence up where the cattle escaped. We thought we wouldn't take chances trying to plow with Pommers and as the ground is so hard we didn't like to put Queen or Joe on and we were sure Belle would balk so we didn't try it at all. Old Ross came and got his horse yesterday or we would have tried him. He has led a miserable existance out here as Dave was very mean to him and wouldn't let him near the gully consequently he spent the whole time up in this front field where there wasn't a thing to eat and occasionally Dave would break in there and kick him around. Frank and I spent the day trimming up the sheep. We got the eight yearling rams looing a little better but didn't give them a thorough carding. We were greatly excited at noon by the appearance of six aeroplanes flying over the place to the west. One of them looked to fly directly over our heads and stood between the shop and the woodshed. They were in a sort of cross formation. One ahead, one behind and two on each wing. Just as they got nicely past we saw one circle and light. It looked as if it came down about at Ham. Thompson's and in a few minutes we saw Colin Ryerse going up the road on horseback, that put Frank in the notion so he jumped on his wheel and went up. He was gone for a couple of hours but he found the machine. It had run short of gasoline and had come down about three mile up the Gravel in one of By. William's field. Frank said the flock had started from Buffalo for Detroit and were Americans on their way to Texas for the winter.The one that came down was the one that was first in the race between Toronto &amp; New York during the Exhibition. Mrs. Selby drove one of the aviators to Dover for gasoline and the other stayed by the machine and gave the crowd that gathered all this information. Frank said all the farmer's for miles around had left their teams to come and see it. He stayed till it went up and said it was very funny as they got young Lloyd Wooley to hold the tail down when they started the engine and he was pretty nervous and let go before he should have as he was under the ropes some way and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>was afraid of being caught. The wind caused by the motion of the propellor is enough to blow a man over almost he said. We did chores up fairly early and I went down town to-night. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice were looking for Walter &amp; Elsie as they are at Roy's and spoke of coming up either Friday or Saturday and they thought Dad would come up with them but they didn't arrive.</p> <p>Saturday September 13th</p> <p>Frank and I spent most of the day hauling in the straw from around the bottom of the stack. We got about a load and a half and put it in the horse stable loft. It took a long time to pitch it on and we had to move the slings from the barn. Dad. got home while I was milking. He, Walter, Elsie &amp; little John came up with the Millman's in the car. I guess Dad. had a pretty good time playing with the babies, Roy's &amp; Walter's.</p> <p>Sunday September 14th</p> <p>Frank Tid. and I went to Sunday school and Dad. and Enah went down to church. Morton Brown preached. There was no service to-night. We all went down to see Elsie &amp; John after church. Walter was in church with Aunty, but I was the only one who stayed to dinner. I spent the after noon up the beach with Marj. I came home about six and Frank and I did chores. Dad. Enah &amp; Tid went down this after noon and stayed at Aunty's to tea. I went down after tea, but was late as Nellie and I had a {free?} fight, she scratched one of her teats and I couldn't milk her, she kicked milk all over me. Marj. was down at Aunty's so I went up with her and when I came back it was raining so I stayed down all night.</p> <p>Monday September 15th</p> <p>Dad. and I plowed with Pommers and Harry this morning and got along very well, although we struck an old post in the headland next the lane and broke both whipple-trees so had to put on the iron ones. This after noon Frank and I had to go down and help Sam Law thrash, we were down all the after noon and to supper. Walter, Elsie, John and Aunty Alice were all over here for dinner and this after noon. To-night I went down to band practice but there weren't many out. I was in at Aunty's for awhile on my way home. Fine, cool.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday September 16th</p> <p>Dad. and I plowed all day and got enough done that Frank was able to bring Queen &amp; Belle out and work on it this after noon, he rolled and disked it. We quit at five and all went down town to-night. Frank, Enah and I went to the picture show to see "Miss. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" which I didn't think much of and Dad. and Tid stayed at Aunty's to say good bye to Walter &amp; Elsie. I went down on my way home to see them but they had just gone to bed. They are going in the morning.</p> <p>Wednesday September 17th</p> <p>We plowed all day again. Frank did odd jobs and waited all day for Belle to come up from the back field as she always has done as soon as the sun gets hot but she didn't come up for water till night so he couldn't work her, but he took Queen &amp; Joe out late in the after noon and harrowed a little. I went down town to-night to telephone Archie McEwen and ask him what prospects there were for selling one sheep but he was in Toronto so I couldn't get him. I went over to Dyer's and got my hair cut and then came home and polished my horn a little. Cool breeze but sun hot and flies very bad. Cold nights.</p> <p>Thursday September 18th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I plowed this morning. Frank came out with Belle &amp; Queen and hooked to the roller, they weren't going just to suit Dad so he took them and Frank plowed. Just at noon Dad. had a bad accident. The double-trees on the roller came off and the tongue dropped throwing him forward and scraping his shin badly on the brace of the roller tongue. He couldn't walk at first for the pain but for a wonder he didn't break his leg. He has to keep his leg up all the time as it pains very badly when he puts it down. Frank and I kept on plowing this after noon and to-night we all went down to the Horticultural show. Enah &amp; Tid drove down and when they came home Frank went down I went with the band and we played.</p> <p>Friday September 19th</p> <p>Frank and I plowed all morning and this after noon till we finished the side of the potato patch, just as we finished a storm which had been threatening all the after noon broke and it poured rain soaking us We came up and both had a bath before changing putting on dry clothes. It rained all the rest of the day &amp;</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>night and I didn't go back after the cows. Aunty came over this morning to see Dad. and stayed to dinner but got down town again before the rain. I went down to-night.</p> <p>Saturday September 20th</p> <p>Frank went to the mill this morning and took some oats and wheat down for grist. I harrowed with Pommers and Harry all morning andf this after noon till I finished the piece and then I started to disk. Frank brought the other team out and rolled this after noon. The ground works up fine since the rain which soaked right through. Dad. was able to walk a little to day with the aid of canes. Frank went down town to-night and telephoned McEwen. He said he would be down to look at the rams soon. Cool.</p> <p>Sunday September 21st</p> <p>It rained nearly all morning but Frank and I drove down to Sunday school and church. Enah was very sick yesterday all day and although she was "up and about" to-day she didn't feel like going out so there was no organist in church and consequently no music. I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and spent the after noon and evening up at the Monteith's, coming home at tea-time to do chores. Ade Millman &amp; his wife were up with the rest of the family in their cottage for over Sunday and they all came over here tihs morning in the rain but I didn't see them.</p> <p>Monday September 22nd</p> <p>Frank and I started in to plow on the other side of the potato patch this morning and have been at it all day getting on fairly well. Dad's leg felt quite a bit better to-day and he drove Mexico down town and stayed at Aunty's for dinner. I went down to band practice to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday September 23rd</p> <p>Frank and I plowed all day, we spent most of the fore noon striking out the rest of the piece and plowed four lands this after noon. Dad. walked out to the field this morning and said he felt well enough to disk if Belle came up, but she didn't come. I caught all my white chickens to-night and shut them up. I wanted to pick out the cockrels. Mrs. Millman, Nita, Kathleen, Orm &amp; a Mr. Bowyer all came over in Orm's car tonight and we spent an hilarious evening. Cool.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday September 24th</p> <p>Frank and I plowed all day, we got rather a late start and didn't quite get to the gully fence, which we hoped to do by to-night, leaving just the triangle to plow off to-morrow, however Frank says we can do it by to-morrow noon if we get a good start in the morning. Dad. has disked all day and helped me milk to-night as his leg is a great deal better. I went down town to-night.</p> <p>Thursday September 25th</p> <p>We got a late start this morning as it rained or drizzled and threatened to rain for an hour or two but then cleared off and has been fine but a cold wind all day. Owing to the delay we didn't quite finish the field by noon as we had hoped. After dinner Frank and I went over to Jack's and cleaned up enough wheat for our seed and then came back and finished plowing. Dad. disked and harrowed all day and is pretty tired to-night. I am afraid it didn't do him any good.</p> <p>Friday September 26th</p> <p>This has been a most unsatisfactory day as we don't seem to have accomplished very much. I went out this morning and finished harrowing the piece this side of the mangolds with Harry and Pommers while Dad. and Frank went over to Jacks and got the wheat and brought it and the fertilizer out to the field. We then brought the new drill out which takes three horses so there was nothing else for me to do. Frank started to drill but we found the fertilizer was running out too fast but Frank didn't know how to change it so as we only got 8 or 10 rounds drilled before noon, he went out to the Shand's right after dinner to see how they worked theirs. Theirs wasn't working right either but they didn't know how to fix it. On his way home he ran across Bill Cruickshank fixing his car on the road so he brought him in. They fixed it to sow less fertilizer but they couldn't throw the fertilizer feed out of gear. They fiddled away for about an hour and after Bill left frank had to tie a string on the grain feed shaft to keep it from slipping cogs and altogether most of the day was spent in just monkeying. However Frank kept at it till he finished the piece but it was after dark. Enah went down to the Millman's to tea to-night and I went down after tea and spent the evening at the Monteith's. Dad. has felt pretty miserable all day. Fine &amp; cool.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday September 27th</p> <p>Dad. and I ran out the ditches this morning in the piece. Frank sowed with Harry &amp; Pommers and Frank rolled the other piece down with Belle &amp; Joe. This after noon I disked and Frank rolled and harrowed with Belle &amp; Queen. Dad. spent the after noon cleaning out ditches. An aeroplane circled over the farm this after noon and Enah who was down town said it was taking passengers out from Simcoe charging $10.00 for a ten minute fly. Young Arthur McPherson was over here playing with Tid. all the after noon and stayed to tea. He started off very bravely after tea when it was quite dark to go home but sent word back by Tid who went a little way with him that he wished he had said he was scared so Tid called him back. He curled up on the sofa to wait till Frank was ready to take him home but by that time was so sound asleep that he stayed all night and Frank went to tell the folks. It certainly is an eerie spot past Preston's barn &amp; Jonas' house after dark. Roy, Vernon and the children all came up with Mr. Millman in the car to-day.</p> <p>Sunday September 28th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and I stayed down to dinner at Auntie's. Enah drove Mexico down and played the organ. This after noon Marj. and I went for a walk up the beach to the Chestnut opening. I came home to tea but was too late to do chores as I stopped in to say good bye to Roy who left at six o'clock. I went down again after tea and met the Millman's and Quint who were all coming over here to see Dad. He felt tired to-day and didn't go down at all. Beautiful day.</p> <p>Monday September 29th</p> <p>I finished disking the field lengthways this morning and then spent the rest of the day crossing it finishing it to-night. Dad. cleaned out ditches all day and Frank harrowed this morning but didn't bring the team out this after noon, I think he picked the big pears in front of the house. I went down to band practice to-night after which I went over to the Millman's for awhile. Kathleen was in the Lake when I got there. There was a man here from below Nanticoke to-day looking at the rams but he didn't buy as he wanted one registered in the American book. Fine day.</p> <p>Tuesday September 30th</p> <p>I went over to Charlie Quanbury's to thrash this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We started about 9.30 and finished by noon. Dad. &amp; Frank started to drill the other half of the field in and finished in the middle of the after noon. Then they ran out all the ditches before dark. I didn't do much this after noon but clean up a little and patch up the chicken yard fence. It was inclined to drizzle and was cold. The Millman's came over to-night to say good bye as they are leaving to-morrow. Nita was greatly excited over an adventure they had to-day. They were getting chestnuts from a tree along Farrar's place in Vittoria and a man shot at them. She was scared stiff and Aunty was with them and tried to keep Quint and Alan from getting their gun out of the car. Quint did get it however and pointed it at the man and he dusted for the barn in a hurry.</p> <p>Wednesday October 1st</p> <p>Mr. Fleming was in this morning for thrashing hands. He wanted two as Alfred is laid up with lumbago but the machine didn't get there till noon. Dad. Frank &amp; I dug potatoes this morning. We used Frank's digger that he bought at Billy Dixon's sale and it worked pretty well when there were no weeds but where they were thick we had to use the plow. We got eight rows dug out of the twelve but couldn't dig the other four as they would be covered. Dad. dug the ones which we got from Quanbury and which we think are Rural New Yorkers by hand and got a bag full which we will save for seed. Dad. &amp; Enah picked up most of the potatoes this after noon while Frank and I went thrashing. We thrashed wheat till about four o'clock and got 146 bushels and just as the mow waa emptied, the pan under the cylinder broke and Alan had to take it to town. We hung around for an hour expecting it to be fixed but as he didn't come back I came home. Frank stayed there to tea but they didn't thrash any more. I went down town to-night. Beautiful weather.</p> <p>Thursday October 2nd</p> <p>Frank and I went back to Fleming's and finished thrashing the grain, spring wheat and oats. We finished about half past ten and they put the oats through in a hurry. I was carrying away and part of the time couldn't keep the measures emptied fast enough to keep them from running over. When the finished the grain they pulled the clover mill into the barn and started on the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>seed but Mr. Fleming said he wouldn't need both of us for that so I came home and took a stroll down through "Bronzie" where I found some fine pears. Right after dinner Art Quanbury came in to get me to go and help roof his barn so I was out there all the after noon, his father &amp; Charlie were out too but we didn't get on very fast as the roofing was hard to put on. It is corrugated iron sheets that has been on some military camp building and Art bought it cheap. It will make a good roof but is much harder to handle than new stuff would be. Charlie painted it with some tar roofing preparation as we put it on. To-night I went down and the band played a few selections at the little ceremony they had to present McCauly with a parchment from the Humane Society for the attempt he made last winter to rescue the little boys in the lake. Beautiful day but very warm.</p> <p>Friday October 3rd</p> <p>Frank went back to Mr. Fleming's this morning and they finished thrashing there and then moved to Jack Martin and were there all day. Frank went there too. I waited around for the Quanbury boy's this morning but they didn't come so I went out with Dad. and we plowed out the last four rows of potatoes. I then went over to Mrs. Battersby's and asked John if the boys intended working on the roof and he said they did so I walked out. At noon Frank sent word over by Tid. for me to go over to Jack's but I didn't go thinking the boys would want me on the roof but when they didn't come I supposed they were helping Jack so I helped Dad. pick up potatoes and we got four bags.</p> <p>Saturday October 4th</p> <p>Frank took some stuff to the mill this morning and Dad. and I raked up the weeds off the potato ground. I also washed the buggy. When Frank came back we hauled up the potatoes and the plow and harrows and then took the plow out to the old garden and brought up what few mangolds were any good. This after noon Marj. and I went after chestnuts and had a great after noon. It was quite hot but fine. We got quite a lot of nuts and no-one chased us. Marj. brought a lunch so we had it by the Vittoria creek and got home about nine o'clock.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday October 5th</p> <p>As it was raining a littlle this morning Dad. drove Tid and me down to Sunday school and Frank rode his wheel. Dad. and Enah came down to church I stayed at Aunty's to dinner ansd spenrt the after noon with Marj. We went up to Miss Martin's and went to see the Patterson's but they weren't home. Dad took Vernon for a drive this after noon and left word at Aunty's that I needn't come home for tea so I didn't and went to church with Aunty Alice to-night It was raining when I started fir home so I turned in at Aunty's. I found Frank there too in bed.</p> <p>Monday October 6th</p> <p>Frank and I went home at half past five this morning and and made our departure so quietly that Aunty came down at six to call us. Sam and Alan Law were in while we were milking to see if we wanted to thrash our seed. They didn't want to thrash up the Gravel on account of Simcoe Fair. Dad. told them to come on down so they came about noon. Frank and I hauled in two loads of coal this morning and hunted up thrashing hands. We hauled a load of chestnut coal which was very poor looking stuff and as we had to take one third pea coal we took next time half a load of pea and half of soft. We thrashed all after noon and got the mow over the granary cleaned out and about four bags of seed. I went down to band practice to-night but there were so few there we didn't have any. Pete Holmes was having a dance in the hall so I went in and watched them for awhile. May Perry and Marj. came up while I was there to look on for awhile so I went home with them. There wasn't much of a crowd there.</p> <p>Tuesday October 7th</p> <p>We finished thrashing about ten o'clock and got out about seven bags and a half of seed. I got ready and went to Simcoe Fair on the twelve o'clock car but as it was the second day there wasn't much there. I saw Neff and a Mr. Manning a Y.M.C.A. man and had quite a talk with them. I came back at six with Vernon, Rebecca, Molly, Dick &amp; Alan Tibbits. The Zealand's rowed me across the pond from Ivey's stop. Gypsy had eight puppies last night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday October 8th</p> <p>We separated the ewe lambs from the rams this morning and put them with the old ewes. Midget who has not been well for a day or two died this morning and Frank skinned her. I started to shingle the chicken shed roof this morning and worked at it most of the day but didn't make much showing as it is a long roof. This was Vernon's birthday and they all came over here for dinner. Dad. hooked Joe up to Mexico's cart and brought Aunt Ida, Vernon and the two children over and Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice walked. After dinner we went out and picked up hickory nuts for awhile. Frank went to the Simcoe Fair this after noon and got home at six, he said there wasn't much stock there. I went down town to-night. It froze quite hard last night.Only third white frost we have had.</p> <p>Thursday October 9th</p> <p>It turned much milder and rained all morning and has been cloudy all day. Frank and I husked hickory nuts most of the morning and this after noon went down and got a load of stove coal as Huby sent word over that it was in. To-night the "Moonlight Riding Club" to which Frank belongs spent their monthly meeting here. There were about a dozen of them and they seemed to have a pretty good time playing cards and with music.</p> <p>Friday October 10th</p> <p>Dad. Frank and I put the rails across the west bent in the old barn intending to move the alsike straw in and leave room for the calves underneath but by the time we got the rails in place the wind was so strong that we didn't attempt to move the straw. Dad. and Frank went out to clean out ditches in the wheat and I tried to pick the apples. There is only one tree in the orchard that has any number at all on and a there are a few basketfulls on the other trees. This after noon Frank took the old drill back which he has rigged up as a spring tooth cultivator and gave the potato ground a good sorting up. Aunty and Aunt Ella &amp; Rebecca came over this after noon Aunt Ella was attending a W.A. conference in Hamilton and came up here on her way home for a very short visit. She is quite a wonderful old lady, over seventy.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and spry as a cricket. She walked up to see Miss Battersby this morning, over here and back this after noon and when I went down to-night she was up at church with Aunty Alice. She is very busy working on the Referendum just now and although she is a great temperance worker, she agrees with me that it would be a mistake to try to make prohibition too tight. Aunty Alice takes the same view of the case. Roy came up to-night to stay over Thanksgiving.</p> <p>Saturday October 11th</p> <p>It rained a little this morning and drizzled quite a lot. Dad. and I spent the fore noon rigging up box stalls over in the west bay of the old barn under the rails we put up yesterday. Frank cleaned out the fertilizer parts of his drill and put them away. We all three spent the after noon moving the thrashed alsike into the barn and putting it up on the rails, we got about half of it in. Gladys had {13?} pigs this afternoon, 3 died.</p> <p>Sunday October 12th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and Dad. Enah and Tid drove down to church. This was Thanksgiving service and they had the church very prettily decorated. Mr. Reford (I think that was the name) from Jarvis took the service. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner but came home for tea. I went up to the Davis' where Marj. had been for dinner and she and I walked around the hill stopping at Miss McQueen on our way back. I went down town to-night. Huby Roy and Vernon were all over this after noon. Fine day</p> <p>Monday October 13th Thanksgiving Day</p> <p>Dad. Frank and I spent the morning and part of the after noon moving the rest of the alsike straw into the barn. When we got it in I dug up the dahlia roots and Frank started to put the door of the barn back which was broken off when we were thrashing. Enah and Tid. have been down town all day visiting. I went down to-night to see if there was any band practice but there wasn't so I went down to Aunty's Huby and Aunty Maude were there playing bridge. They had nominations at Vittoria to-day and Jack withdrew and left it to Pratt and Cridland.Tupper was in this morning after thrashing hands. Lovely day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>The paper to-day reports the wonderful recovery of two littlle girls in the Chicago hospital who were poisoned about two weeks ago by their crazy mother with bichloride of mercury. On Saturday Dr. Carter the specialist who has been working with them said there was no hope whatever for the eldest girl but to-day says that a real miracle has been performed and that they both will recover.</p> <p>Tuesday October 14th</p> <p>Dad. went over to Tupper's this morning and has been over there all day thrashing. Frank and I left for Simcoe first thing this morning and took the seed up. Frank stayed up there with it and had it cleaned but I came back with the team and got home about noon. I spent the after noon doing chores and put a few more shingles on the chicken house roof. Frank didn't get home till after dark. He got a check for about $2.40 for the alsike and there is about a bushel of red seed up there which they cleaned out but which they wouldn't buy on account of the dock seed in it, but as it is easy to get out of the field we thought we would sow it and sell a bushel of our red seed. Frank went down to-night to hear Cridland. Fine day rather cloudy.</p> <p>Wednesday October 15th</p> <p>I have been all day killing my crate fattened cockrels. I killed and picked the thirteen of them and finished soon after four. Dad. and Enah helped me take out the pin "feathers." I had to change all my apparel when I got through. Frank was all morning fixing up the fence along Iveys line and the front field and we put the rams in there &amp; the ewes over in the orchard and field east of it as the rams got so that they wouldn't stay in there at all and this morning the homliest one of the bunch was in with the ewes. Dad. cleaned out ditches this morning. This after noon Frank went down to the dentist's and up creek after school and didn't get home till about seven o'clock. I went down town to-night. Pratt had a meeting to-night at which Dr. Annie Backhouse spoke, she was at Auntie's for tea. It is wonderful and sad the way a crook and liar like Pratt is known to be can wheedle public sentiment into thinking he is an honest man and worthy to be their representative in the House. Alan Tibbitts was over this morning to say good-bye, for he is leaving for Fort Francis this after noon to get there in time to vote. It has been a beautiful day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday October 19th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school, they didn't have a regular lesson but got the children ready to go to church as this was Children's day. They had a good turn out and the choir which was composed solely of children was fine. Nancy Dyer sang a solo. Rev. Ralph Mason preached a fine sermon for the young ones and they never wriggled all through it. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and this after noon Marj. and I walked up the beach. I came home for tea &amp; went down again.</p> <p>Monday October 20th</p> <p>Dad. Enah and I spent most of the morning voting. I rode Joe out and Dad. and Enah drove Queen. There was a big crowd out at Wiggin's school house and we had to wait about an hour. We all voted for Cridland not that we wanted to see a United Farmer in but we wanted to kick Pratt out. I put three no's and a yes in the Referendum ballot, the yes being for the sale of booze through Government agencie's. Tupper was in and wanted to take Frank out to vote in Dick's name but Frank wouldn't go. This after noon Dad &amp; Frank slew Bill Phillips the pig with the "pimple". He made a pretty fair carcas. I put a few more shingles on the chicken house and to-night I went down town and got my hair cut. Pat. had a big bulletin out in front of the store giving the returns as they came in. There was a big crowd and every one was surprised at the results. The Hearst Government is badly defeated and Hearst himself with four 4 of his ministers are not elected. The United Farmer's have 40 seats. Liberals 31 and Conservatives 28 Labor 11 &amp; 1 independent. Pratt. was snowed right under. Cridland beating 'him' by about 1300. Port Rowan gave Pratt a majority of 45 but it was the only place. Dover went bone dry as well as all the country places. Four or five cities went wet.</p> <p>Tuesday October 21st</p> <p>We were supposed to go and help Ham Thompson fill silo to-day but it was raining when we got up and kept it up all morning. We didn't do any thing all day but sit around and read or write. I slept for awhile. Dad. went down to Aunty's this after noon. Frank and I went down to a J.F.I.A. meeting to-night. They appointed committee for next winter which I think will be a fizzle but I told them I was not going to do any more than president's duties.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday October 22nd</p> <p>Frank and I went up to Ham's this morning to help him fill his silo and were there till about half past three when we got it full, they had a good run. I was in the silo all the time tramping. I think Dad. put the pork in pickle. I went down town to-night. Fine day.</p> <p>Thursday October 23rd</p> <p>Frank went over to Jack's to fill silo this morning and was over there till about three o'clock when they finished. I went out with Dad. this morning to help him get started plowing as Pommers was feeling pretty frisky. I spent the rest of the fore noon picking apples and only got about two basketsfull, they were so scattered on the trees. I went out after dinner and helped Dad. strike out and then came up and shingled. Dad. has had a very lame knee to-day.</p> <p>Friday October 24th</p> <p>Dad. has plowed all day, his knee was much better Frank &amp; Tid. went down in the buggy this morning and got a few tile to fix the end of the tile drain out at the side road. This after noon he has done odd jobs. I have been shingling all day on the chicken house roof. Went down town to-night. Fine &amp; mild.</p> <p>Saturday October 25th</p> <p>Dad. started to plow this morning and I did a little more shingling but early in the fore noon it started to rain and we had to quit. Dad. got soaked coming in from the field. Tom came in and he was pretty well drenched too. Frank went to Simcoe to get some plow shears. It rained pretty much all day. I didn't do a thing but sit around the house and read.</p> <p>Sunday October 26th</p> <p>Raining again this morning but not hard and Frank and I went down to Sunday school, the rest came down to church. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and Marj. &amp; I spent the after noon at Miss Martin's. I came home early and helped Dad. do chores as Frank was off at the Ward's with Gilly and Dad. Enah &amp; Tid went down to a duck supper at Huby's. Rev. Skey was there. I had my tea alone and went down to church and spent the evening at the Monteith's.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday October 27th</p> <p>It has been stormy all day and we haven't attempted to do any thing but chores except that Dad. and Frank went out and fixed the fence along the side road where the cattle broke through yesterday and got on Pickford's field. Young {Harn?} from Marburg was in this morning and bought a ram lamb for $22.00. He got him cheap but he drives a tight bargain and we needed the money. The lambs hind legs were a little crooked. Frank and I went down town to-night and I went to band practice but there were no cornets there so we didn't have any. I spent most of the evening down at Aunty's, they tried to teach me to play bridge.</p> <p>Tuesday October 28th</p> <p>It cleared off to-day and has been very windy &amp; colder. Dad. plowed all day but said it was very stiff. Frank has done odd jobs. I started to go down town this morning but had such a pain I lay down and slept it off. I went down this after noon and got a pair of rubbers from the man who bought Andrew out. To-night Frank and I went down to a committee meeting of the J.F.I.A. in our Sunday school. Neff &amp; Manning were down we had a fair meeting and arranged for a debate in two weeks</p> <p>Wednesday October 29th</p> <p>I went down this morning to help Uncle Ward pick apples (he asked me yesterday) and have been down there all day. I picked a fine lots of Spys all off one tree. I thought of going to Simcoe this after noon to see a poultry dressing demonstration but it was such a nice day I hated to quit picking so didn't go. Frank went over to Tupper's and picked a couple of bushels for ourselves. Tupper sold them to us for $1.25 a bushel. Dad. has been plowing all day. Zeitha &amp; Molly were over this after noon after mushrooms. Enah went down this morning and took Vernon &amp; the kids to the station as they went back to-day. Aunty Alice went to Brantford with them. I went down town to-night. Dad. &amp; Frank spent the evening studying Dad's income tax report.</p> <p>Thursday October 30th</p> <p>It has been another rainy day and we have done very little Dad. has spent the entire day and evening figuring and filling out his income tax forms. Frank helping. They are very complicated. Frank went to the mill this after noon. I just read and chored around all day. Very mild.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday October 31st</p> <p>It rained again this morning but then looked as if it had cleared off till noon and Dad. went out to plow he ran out some ditches and Frank threw the sod out of them. I spent the morning pruning the raspberries. It started in to rain about noon and rained most of the after noon Frank went down to the dentists and I just did chores &amp; sat around. I got four eggs to-day. My first pullet began to lay the day before yesterday. Frank went down to the Women's Institute Hallowe'en party in the Town Hall</p> <p>Saturday November 1st</p> <p>Dad. has plowed all day and Frank and I trimmed up all the ewes and marked all the long legged &amp; long necked ones to sell if any one wants them. We culled out 13 altogether including one lamb. We valued the lot at about $400.00 but don't suppose we will have a buyer. It has been colder to-day and rather cloudy.</p> <p>Sunday November 2nd</p> <p>Frank Tid and I went down to Sunday school and Dad and Enah went down to church. Aunty came over with us to dinner and Dad. and Enah went back with her to tea and went to church to-night to hear Larry Skey, who preached. Frank and I put the ram in with the ewes and then drove out to see Bill Sidway for awhile. We did the chores and I went down and met Marj. who came in on the nine o'clock car. She has been in Toronto helping Clara Gorrie get married. Mid. Thompson gave me a dollar to-night for our Donnybrook trip. Fine day but quite cool. It is very cold out West. Dick said in his last letter that he went to work the other morning but couldn't do any thing as the ink was all frozen so the manager got him to go with him to play cards.</p> <p>Monday November 3rd</p> <p>One of our yearling rams has been breaking through the fence and getting with the ewe lambs so Frank made a poke for him this morning and we put it on. We spent most of the remainder of the day pulling mangolds and got four rows pulled and covered with leaves for the night. Dad. has been plowing all day. We had letters from McEwen and a Wm. Burtch on the same mail route as Archie</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>inquiring about the yearling rams to-day. Frank went down town to-night and telephoned Archie and he said he would be down with another man either to-morrow or Wednesday. Cloudy &amp; cold east wind</p> <p>Tuesday November 4th</p> <p>Frank and I put the rams over in the colony yard this morning and trimmed up the lambs Dad. took the pork out of pickle and made fresh as he was afraid the first wasn't strong enough. He used a preserved egg to test the strength of it and is afraid that it floated in a weaker solution than a fresh one would have. About the time we finished the sheep it began to rain and kept it up till after dinner. I haven't done much all day except write out my side of the debate for the J.F.I.A. Frank has been working out in the barn tearing up the old floor and oiling the bobsleighs. Trum Walker was in for awhile.</p> <p>Wednesday November 5th</p> <p>Dad. has been plowing all day and Frank and I finished pulling the mangolds and got part of them piled and covered and part just covered with leaves to protect them from the frost till we can haul them in. Archie McEwen and Mr. Baily from Oak Park Farm, Paris. were down to look at the rams this after noon. Mr. Baily bought two which he thought were the best but we could only get $40.00 apiece out of them and McEwen didn't give us much hope of selling the rest although he said Mr. Burtch wanted some. We were rather disappointed about it. This was Aunty Alice's birthday and Enah and Tid went down and I sent her a dozen eggs. Charlie Blake was in to invite Frank and me down to a party at his place to-night. Frank went down but I went down town. Cloudy &amp; cold wind.</p> <p>Thursday November 6th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day and got on very well. I was getting ready to haul in the mangolds this morning and Frank was down getting nails to make sheep crates, when Chris Quanbury came over and told Enah there was a long distance call put in at his mother's for her, she went over but found it was for me from Brantford.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I waited over there a long time but couldn't get through. I was just going out the door having made an appointment for 12.30 when the call came and a woman's voice told me that Mr. Burtch had left on the 10 car and wanted me to meet him. The car was nearly due then so I ran home and hooked up Queen and drove down to the station. Huby went over to the station as the car was in and found out that Burtch had got off at Main St. and walked over having received directions from the conductor, so he was here before I was. He proved to be a very decent fellow but told us the ram market was all off this year and he didn't dare take any more rams off our hands than he knew he could place. He bought one for $30.00 and told us he would try to place the other five if we would let them go at $25.00 apiece. The long necked, parrot-mouthed fellow will have to be eaten I guess, and I don't know whether we will be able to sell any more lambs or not. Burtch helped us make a crate as he wanted the ram he bought shipped this after noon. He stayed to dinner and</p> <p>I drove him down to catch the one o'clock car. Then Frank and I crated up the ram and took him down to the after noon express. We got some lumber on our way home and by five o'clock had enough cut to make three more crates and had them partly put to-gether. The Quanbury's called Frank in on the way home as there was another phone call for us and he found it was Burtch wanting another ram to be shipped with Bailey's to-morrow. Frank finished putting the crates to-gether after tea to-night. Aunty Alice was over here to dinner. I went down to a card party at the Harry Moon's to-night. We played Five Hundred and had a very nice time Quint was there and won first gentleman's prize and Marj. won the Ladie's. Cloudy, raw.</p> <p>Friday November 7th</p> <p>Dad. has plowed all day. Frank and I crated up the three rams and got them off on the morning express. We hauled in one load of mangolds before dinner and three this after noon. We have them all in now except the piles. I went down town to-night and went over to Col. Smith's to call for Aunty Alice. Cold east wind, cloudy.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday November 8th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day. Frank and I hauled in the rest of the mangolds this morning in two loads. We put one load in the cellar and left the other on the barn floor to feed up. It took us till noon to pile them all down cellar and clean up the cellar floor. Frank helped Dad. do some ditching this after noon and I did chores. I bedded down the cow stable and put the cows in for the night. Horn came and took his ram lamb this after noon. I went over to Quanbury's and telephoned Neff as he wrote me yesterday asking me if I could go to Toronto on Monday to help him fix up an exhibit for the Fruit &amp; Flower Show. I'll go.</p> <p>Sunday November 9th</p> <p>Frank Tid and I went to Sunday School this morning and Enah came down to church. Tim. went to Huby's instead of going to church and he Quint &amp; Huby went up the creek &amp; stayed at Huby's to dinner. Marj. and I had dinner and spent the after noon at Aunty's, then we came over here for tea Quint and Tid came over with us. Zeitha came over to practise a song with Enah to sing to-morrow night when the Prince's flag is to be presented to the town and township for winning their objective in the Victory Loan. She wouldn't consent to stay to tea but after going down the road a little way on her way home she met Rex who scared her back and she stayed to tea and for the evening. I stayed at Aunty's all night to leave for Toronto in the morning.</p> <p>Monday November 10th</p> <p>I left on the 7 o'clock car this morning, left Brantwood at 10.17 and arrived at Roy's about noon. They hadn't received my card so were very surprised to see me. I went out to the Exhibition grounds right after dinner and was out there till six helping Neff get a little corner in the Transportation Building fixed up for the Norfolk exhibit, none of his stuff had come so we couldn't do much. I went back to Roy's at six for dinner and stayed there all the evening. It has been cloudy &amp; rained a little.</p> <p>Tuesday November 11th</p> <p>I went out to the Horticultural Show at eight o clock this morning and was out there all day and evening coming in with Neff for dinner &amp; supper at the Carls -</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Rite. I fully intended going home to-night at six o'clock but as Neff was not nearly through I didn't like to leave him. We were out there till after ten to-night and then were not through. This was the anniversary of the signing of the armstice and it was supposed to be observed throughout the whole Empire by every one stopping work at eleven o'clock for two minutes, this was the King's request. We stopped work out at the Exhibition and then sang "God save the King." and I guess the same thing was done all over. To-night there was a reunion and banquet for some battalion at the Carls. Rite. and {illegible} in for all the racket they made. There was an open air dance and general celebration up on University Ave. to-night and there were a couple of aeroplanes flying around all illuminated. We went up to University Ave on our way home to-night but the dance was over with.</p> <p>Wednesday November 12th</p> <p>I didn't get up very early this morning and went down town till noon to get some things. I hurried through lunch at Roy's intending to leave for home at 1.20 but I didn't give myself time enough to get to the station and missed my train by about two minutes. I had a shave and hair cut and went back up to Roy's for about an hour and left on the 4 o'clock train, it was a slow one and I didn't get to Brantford till nearly seven so didn't get to Dover till nine. I went up to Aunty's for a minute or two and then up town to see Marj. Cold to-night.</p> <p>Thursday November 13th</p> <p>Charlie Quanbury was through here before daylight and before anyone but Dad. was up on his way to light a fire in the engine and he wanted one of us to go over and help him thrash his alsike. I went over about nine o'clock and we finished about 10.30. When I got back I helped Dad. throw out some ditches in the corner field till noon and Frank plowed in there all day. Dad. finished the other field while I was away. This after noon Dad. &amp; Tid went down to Aunty's to bank up the house. I cleaned out the cow stable and spent most of the after noon cleaning out one end of the chicken shed and putting in fresh straw. It froze very hard last night and has been very cloudy and freezing quite hard all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday November 14th</p> <p>It froze hard last night but Frank was able to plow and has been at it all day. I went back to the gully this morning and chopped a hole in the creek for the cattle to drink then I spent the rest of the morning moving the hay around in the horse stable so that we could put some straw up there. We wanted to move the stack or what is left of it in to-day but it was too windy. I didn't do any thing much all the after noon but a few chores. We put the cows all in this after noon as well as Wilkins Micawber Knocfierna and Nancy. Wyatt Waddle and a Frost &amp; Wood agent were here this after noon to sell Dad. a mower. He said if they would alow him $40.00 on the old one he would get a new $90.00 one from them so they were going to try to deal it off. Enah went down town this after noon and sold four dozen eggs for me @ 65 cts. I got 16 eggs to-day. I went down town to-night and Frank went to a dance at Nanticoke.</p> <p>Saturday November 15th</p> <p>We spent most of the morning getting ready to haul straw we had to take the box off the waggon and put the rack on. We had quite a time with Wilkins Micawber who being homesick and lonesome for his ma was very persistent in his attempts to jump out of the pen, he did jump out once and we had to put another plank on. Another delay was caused by Ansin Abbott coming after his pigs. Dad. sold him the whole litter, nine, for forty dollars, one was a very runty one. We got two sling loads on and over to the horse stable before dinner but didn't put them off. We put them off after dinner and then while Frank went down town to send off an order to Eatons for a stove which we are getting for the dining room Dad. and I put on two more lifts and put them off in the horse stable. We had very poor luck putting it off as it was too short to lift. We then put on a fair sized load and hauled it in on the barn floor. Still cold but sunny, milder to-night.</p> <p>Sunday November 16th</p> <p>Frank Tid. and I went to Sunday school and Enah came down to church. I stayed at Aunty's for dinner and was there most of the after noon. Lila and I came over here about four o'clock, stayed to tea and went down again. I spent the evening with Marj. who had been in Vittoria with the Johnson's. Much milder</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday November 17th</p> <p>Frank plowed all day in the corner field. Dad. and I put off the load of straw that was on the barn floor and then started to move the stack in. We couldn't put it on the waggon as it was so windy but just shoved it in the door and piled it up on the barn floor. We got quite a little pile in by noon but Tupper was over and wanted one of us to help him thrash. Dad. went so that Frank and I could go down to a tea in the Sunday school to-night. I spent the after noon doing chores and I went down to the mill in the buggy to get some rolled oats and oil cake. 100 of oil cake cost me $4.75. I did the milking very early and Frank and I went down to the Sunday school a little after six but in time to get something to eat. Mr. Manning was there and a good turn out of boys and he addressed them on the organized Sunday School classes. Mr. Manning had to leave at seven o'clock so the meeting closed. I went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. and then went and got shaved and called for Enah at Aunty's about eight and we went up to a party at Ada's. We had a very nice time, there were only a few there, two tables playing bridge and Winnie. Jim Emmet &amp; Miss Perry (Mrs. Freeman's sister) playing Rummy. Lovely day.</p> <p>Tuesday November 18th</p> <p>Frank has been over at Tupper's all day thrashing. Charlie Quanbury told me on his way to the farm that there was a telephone call for me so I went over and found it was Mr. Burtch who wanted me to ship the two best rams that were left. Dad. and I spent the rest of the morning building a rcate. We had one crate which Burtch had shipped back to us. We took the rams down to the station right after dinner and left them, then came home around by Aunty's, Harry Battersby rode over the hill with us to Mrs. Battersby's. When we got home we put more of the straw stack in the barn &amp; got most of it in. It was a beautiful morning but turned colder this after noon and snowed quite hard for a short while.</p> <p>Wednesday November 19th</p> <p>Frank went over and thrashed at Tupper's all day and said they would have another half day of it but he said he wouldn't go back to-morrow as I want to go with Neff. He was down yesterday morning and said he was going to take the Courtland boys up to Burford &amp; Paris to judge stock to-morrow and invited me to go along. Dad. and I ran out some ditches in the corner field this morning and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Dad. plowed the rest of the day. I threw out ditches till noon and spent most of the after noon doing chores. I went down town to-night and stayed down. Cold west wind to-day.</p> <p>Thursday November 20th</p> <p>I went to Simcoe on the early car this morning and walked up to Neff's place, he was just getting the car out when I got there to take his brother up to their orchard. It was pretty frosty so I went back with them to his office and waited there till Neff got back. We started on our trip about eight and went to Mr. Knight's at Vanessa where we were supposed to meet the Courtland boys. We were there for a long time looking over his dual purpose shorthorns. He has some good milkers and his bull is out of Moore's old Dairymaid but all the stock was thin. At last when the boys didn't appear we went up to Vanessa and found them all waiting there as they had forgotten the name of the fellow we were to see. We didn't go back to Knight's as it was late but went on over to Burtch's at Mt. Pleasant. He has some fine Shrop. ewes and we had two good classes of judging. I saw one of the rams we shipped him and he gave me a checque for them. From there we went to Brantford &amp; had dinner at our old chink cafe, it is a good place. After dinner we went over to Burford and were there quite awhile looking at Brethour's Yorkshires. He is fitting up a bunch to take to the International and certainly had some beauties at least if such an adjective can be applied to hogs they were when judged by their own standards. From Brethour's we went over to Gurney's at Paris and were there till dark looking at Belgians. We started right for home from Gurney's but Neff took a road he wasn't familiar with and just north of Scotland we struck an awful bit of trail going through a swampy piece of bush. We thought several times we were going to be stalled and there was no possible chance of turning around. Neff and I were ahead in his Ford and the other boys were following us in a McLaughlin &amp; a Gray Dort. However we did get through it eventually and stopped at Scotland for Neff to fill his car with water, when the other boys came up there was some tall language used at Neff for taking then over such a road. That was the last we saw of them for they struck off west from Scotland on the Talbot road for Delhi while Neff and I came right down the town line to Simcoe. I had tea at Neff's</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>place and then he drove me down to the L.E.&amp; N. station where I caught the nine o'clock car. The weather couldn't have been nicer.</p> <p>Friday November 21st</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day and got on well. He was at it yesterday but it was frozen so hard he had a hard time Frank and I spent the morning throwing out ditches. This after noon we (Frank &amp; I) went down town and got a load of coal as Huby sent a note over to say there was a car in. It is what they call washery not coal and is dull owing to the fact that it has been out in the weather for a year, it is also full of clinkers. Frank &amp; I went down town to-night and he went to the Women's Institute dance in the hall. It has been milder &amp; stormy looking.</p> <p>Saturday November 22nd</p> <p>Dad. was up at five o'clock this morning and so was in time to see Frank getting home from the dance. He just changed his clothes and went to work without any sleep. Dad. plowed all day and got a lot done as he had such a good start. Frank and I put up the straw that was on the barn floor this morning into the mow. This afternoon I did chores and we unloaded the coal we got yesterday. Frank went down town to-night and met George who came up from Allanburg to spend Sunday. Frank went to bed as soon as he got home. There was supposed to be an eclipse of the sun this morning but it was too cloudy to see it. Cloudy all day.</p> <p>Sunday November 23rd</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and I alone went to church. Marj. came over here to dinner and we have all been home all after noon and evening. Frank, Tid and George went out for awhile with the rifle this after noon Quint came over here to tea and spent the evening. The Grand Trunk round house burned down last night and ruined the two engines. Fine but a rather cold wind.</p> <p>Monday November 24th</p> <p>Dad. has plowed all day and got on very well. Frank and I went down and got a load of soft coal this morning. We took George down with us and he left on the eleven o'clock car. We also took Gypsy down to Quint who is going to take her up to Bill Oakes at Turkey Point. Bill has charge of Dr. McInnes's "farm" there and goes halves with the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>doctor on the trapping and shooting. The doctor has gone to South America for the winter. Dad. suggested to Quint that he take Gyp. up there and put Tid. off by saying that Bill would train her and send her back. Tid was quite willing for her to go yesterday but as the hour of parting drew near he decided she shouldn't go. Frank took her however and Tid was overwhelmed with grief. This after noon I did chores and Frank let down the lane fence on the posts along the wheat so that the sheep couldn't get in and pulled what few turnips there were and then we went out with Joe &amp; Queen and got them. Fine day.</p> <p>Tuesday November 25th</p> <p>Dad. was out at daybreak this morning and got in a good day's plowing. Frank and I spent the day doing odd jobs. We battened up Moonshine's stall this morning and Frank fixed the manger in the corner where he stood all summer and put Kate in so that he can feed her. He sold her to Karl the other day but he doesn't want to take her yet, so said he would pay for the chop she ate if Frank would feed her. I put tar paper around the little apple trees this after noon to protect them from the mice. Aunty Alice was over for a few minutes this morning and brought some salve for Tid's forhead. Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. social evening in the Sunday school to-night. There was a big turnout and we had quite an hilarious time much after the fasion of the ones we had last winter. It has been mild &amp; cloudy and rather misty all day.</p> <p>Wednesday November 26th</p> <p>Dad. plowed from day light till dark and got a lot turned over. I spent nearly the whole day doing chores but went out for awhile and cleaned out a few ditches. Frank has felt rather tough all day with a pain but he did a little ditching and this after noon went down and helped Tige clean out the Sunday school. I went down to band practice, there were about half a dozen there and we sat around the stove talking about the income tax till about nine o'clock then I went downstairs and ran across Marj. so went up and spent the evening with her. I came back past the hall where there was a U.F.O. meeting going on so I asked Corby if they practised. He said they did a little and Clare Deal took my horn home. Cloudy &amp; freezing raw east wind.</p> <p>Thursday November 27th</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Dad. plowed all day but as it has been freezing a little ever since yesterday it plowed pretty stiff and he didn't get quite so much done, however, he is just about to the old cherry tree so will soon be done. I cleaned a few ditches this morning but spent most of the day doing chores. Frank took some oats to the mill this morning but there wasn't enough water to chop it. I went down to Aunty's to tea to-night. Marj. was there and after tea she Aunty Alice &amp; I went to see "Venus in the East" at the picture show. After the show Aunty Alice went to play bridge at Cousin Clare's and I called for her.</p> <p>Friday November 28th</p> <p>It froze hard last night and there was no chance of plowing and most of the morning was spent doing chores and gettin Enah &amp; Tid. started off for Toronto. They went to Brantford on the eleven o'clock car and were going to take a train for Toronto from there after dinner.They drove Mexico down town and Dad. walked down, stayed to dinner and drove back this after noon. He said Tid. at the last minute was very loth to leave and seemed quite sick.They didn't know whether he was cold or excited, but they persuaded him to go as far as Brantford and then if he still felt sick he could come back, but as they haven't showed up I guess he recovered. This after noon Frank borrowed Jack Martin's hog crate and we weighed up his four hogs, they just averaged 200 lbs apiece. We did chores up early and I went to bed soon after tea and Frank went out to Bill Sidway's.</p> <p>Saturday November 29th</p> <p>Frank got breakfast this morning and right after breakfast Dad. left home and didn't show up till after dinner. He went down to Aunty's to clean up a little down there around the barn. Frank has been doing housework all day and I have been doing chores. It began to rain quite early this fore noon and has kept it up all day clearing off at night and a strong west wind taking its place by ten o'clock there was a regular hurricane blowing and it was increasing in violence. Frank went down town to-night and said when he got home that there were several trees blown down and the false front above the roof of Hugh McQueen's store had blown off.</p> <p>Sunday November 30th</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>The wind was still very high this morning and has abated very little by this evening but has not been so strong as it must have been during the night. We got off with very little damage. It blew the north doors off the old barn and two or three boards from the big barn and tipped over the "library." When Dad. got up the windmill had blown in gear and was going like mad. He ran out to shut it off with scarcely any clothes on and nearly froze. He found the barnyard half flooded. We heard later that the wind blew Edmond England's windmill down and the head of John Wess's. It wrecked the big drying kiln over at the brickyard and blew down a new building that Kolbe was just putting up. Frank &amp; I went down to Sunday school and church this morning &amp; stayed at Aunty's for dinner. This after noon I drove down to Nanticoke to bring Marj. home as she went down to the Banfield's Friday night. The roads were rather rough but it wasn't bad. I was bundled up so with Dad's fur coat I couldn't feel the wind. I took a fur coat of Aunty Alice's down for Marj. so she didn't get very cold. We got home soon after six. I came home and had tea and then went back down town again. Frank &amp; Alex England went down Mud Street to-night.</p> <p>Monday December 1st</p> <p>We haven't done much but chores to-day, they take most of our time now that the cattle are all in. Dad. fixed the fence that the wind blew down and nailed on the boards that had blown off and we re-established parliament. Aunty came over and helped Frank get dinner but didn't stay long after dinner. I shifted the chickens around to-night. I put the old hens in where the roosters were and put all but two of them in the fattening crate. I left one in with the old hens and put the one that was so full of fight in with the pullets. Fine day, freezing all day, cloudy. Owing to the coal-miner's strike and the shortage of soft coal The G.T.R. has taken off 70 trains from Ontario lines, all our midday trains being included so that we don't get our mail till the day after it comes in now. Jim comes early.</p> <p>Tuesday December 2nd</p> <p>Did nothing but chores to-day. Dad. went down to Aunty's for dinner but came home right after and we brought the rams up and put them in the field back of the barn. It snowed last night and quite a bit this morning and to-night is 10° above zero. Frank and I went down town to-night. Lovely night but frosty.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday December 3rd</p> <p>Have put in most of the day doing chores, but made a box this after noon to ship my pair of dressed cockrels up to the Winter Fair and Frank painted it for me. Tupper came over after dinner and took Dad. over with him to help him kill his old sow, so Dad. was over there all the after noon and to tea. He shouldn't have gone as his cold made him feel sick and he got cold over there. To-night I went down to band practice. Freezing all day and 8° above zero to-night.</p> <p>Thursday December 4th</p> <p>Aunty Alice came over to dinner to-day and thought Frank's housekeeping was splendid, if he keeps on he will make a fine wife for somebody someday. Besides the chores we managed to get time to put the old box stove out of the shop up in the dining room this morning and to-night Dad. has a fire in it and it is nice and warm. We ordered a Quebec Heater from Eaton's but it was too cold to wait for it to come. Dad. went over to John Wess's this after noon to ask him if he had any intentions of selling out but he wasn't home, both he &amp; Mrs. McBride are in bad shape. I went down to the mill in the buggy after some chicken feed. Milder.</p> <p>Friday December 5th</p> <p>Dad. has done most of the chores to-day as I put in a lot of time killing and fixing up my cockrels which I am going to send up to the Guelph Winter Fair. I killed four and will take the two best and send them up. I had good luck killing and plucking them and as there were no pin feathers they looked very nice. I found the box I had made to ship them in was too small so I went over to Jack Martin's this after noon and got another. They were boxing up a shipment of chickens for Australia over there. I am going down town to-night. It has been milder but still freezing.</p> <p>Saturday December 6th</p> <p>I made another box to ship my cockrels in this morning and got them packed and shipped by this afternoon's express. Frank and I went down town in the waggon and got a bag of sugar whch Aunty ordered for us the other day and got some chop at the mill. Aunty Alice was over to dinner and most of the after noon darning socks for us. Snowed all after noon, milder.</p> <p>Sunday December 7th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>stayed at Aunty's for dinner. Frank went home right after dinner but I stayed down all afternoon and evening and had tea at Aunty's and went to church with Aunty Alice &amp; Dad. I spent the after noon and evening with Marj. Dad. did all the chores and came down to Aunty's for tea. He took Molly for a sleigh drive this after noon but the cutter didn't slip very well. Fine day.</p> <p>Monday December 8th</p> <p>We haven't done much to-day but chores. Frank has been very busy all day getting the house slicked up in preparation for Enah's &amp; Tid's homecoming to-night. He has made a fine housekeeper and cook but looks forward to chucking the job to-morrow. Dad. and I drove down town with the cutter as soon as we got the night chores done but had to wait around town for nearly an hour as the seven o'clock car was very late Enah &amp; Tid were aboard and Dad drove them home and I walked. Frank had a good tea already for us when we got home and I was ready for it. Enah and Tid both had a good time in Toronto but were glad to be home.</p> <p>Tuesday December 9th</p> <p>It turned very mild during the night and rained all morning and has been very spring-like all day. I spent most of the day doing chores and Dad. and Frank fixed up a place to hang pigs as we expect to kill to-morrow. Frank and I went down to a J.F.I.A. meeting to-night in the Sunday school. It was supposed to be an agricultural evening and in the hands of that commitee but as Lloyd &amp; George Ryerse were the only other members present we adjourned and Frank and I went down to Auntys for the remainder of the eveing.</p> <p>Wednesday December 10th</p> <p>We had intended butchering our hogs to-day but it was so cold and windy that Dad. decided not to. He went over to Tupper's to tell him so as Tupper was coming over to help. Dad. was over there most of the morning. Tupper told him that he had sold out to Tom Butler and his pal. Neil Elliot was in after dinner and bought Snowdrop for thirty dollars. I wernt down to band practice to-night. Very cold &amp; windy, near zero.</p> <p>Thursday December 11th</p> <p>It was still very frosty this morning but the wind had died down so Tupper came over to slay our porkers. I didn't have much to do with the ceremony as I was</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>busy doing chores. I did help a little after the pigs were scalded but couldn't work hard enough to keep warm, so quit. Right after dinner I took poor old Snowdrop down to the Dog's Nest where Neils man was to call for her. I didn't see him but tied her in the Gospel Hall shed and left her. I just did chores after I got home. They finished the pigs about three o'clock and the four of them hanging behind the shop make it look as if we wouldn't starve this winter anyway. Aunty. Marj. &amp; Win all came over here to tea and we had the crate fattened roosters.</p> <p>Friday December 12th</p> <p>Dad. has put in the entire day dissecting the dead pigs and got through by to-night and has the woodshed piled full. I put in most of the day doing chores. Arthur Preston was over this afternoon and told us they were going to thin half the trees out of their orchard and that if we would clean them out we could have all the wood for doing it, so Dad. was higly pleased with the proposition. Jack Walker was over canvassing for subscriptions to a fund to buy a new organ for the church. I went down town to-night but it was raining when I came home so I stayed at Aunty's all night. Huby got moved to-day to their house up on St Andrew Street. Turned soft last night. Very mild all day.</p> <p>Saturday December 13th</p> <p>I did chores this morning and Dad. &amp; Frank took Gladys down to Clarence Finch's. This after noon Frank and I hauled home a load of chestnut coal as Kolbe just got a car in and we put it in the old coldframe near the colony house as I intend to use it for a brooder. Dad. has been busy all after noon and evening putting the pork in the pickle. Colder.</p> <p>Sunday December 14th</p> <p>Frank and I went to Sunday school and church. Frank rode his wheel and took Tid. down on it but Tid. was so cold when they got to Aunty's that he stayed there till he got warm and then walked home. Marj. came over here to dinner to help eat spare ribs and she stayed all the evening. Enah went down to choir practice this after noon. Frank lit out for Mud Street after dinner and didn't get back till night Dad. and I did up the chores but didn't milk. Dad. went down after tea to see Aunty Alice as her cold was bad and she had a lame back. Very cold.</p> <p>Monday December 15th</p> <p>I went over to John Wess's this morning to inquire after them and John told me that Mrs. McBride was down in bed</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>now and couldn't get up. It looks pretty tough for him and he is all alone with her, he himself is just able to limp around and do the chores, but he expects Cam. home this after noon. I went over to Jack Martin's for awhile when I got back from John Wess's to ask them about a stove brooder and Chris. told me that he might be able to get one for me from a man in Galt. I went to Simcoe on the one o'clock car and took my sample of milk to Neff and priced the brooders at Boyd's. The size Chris advised me to get cost $33.00. I came home on the 3 o'clock car. To-night Marj. and I went to the Methodist church to hear Capt. Martin give his lecture Jean Valjean. Frank and Lila were there but there was a very small crowd, the lecture was very good. Very cold &amp; windy all day. Below zero to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday December 16th</p> <p>It was very cold this morning, below zero and a strong wind and although we were up fairly early it took us some time to thaw out and start to work. Frank went to prime the pump at the windmill this morning but the water froze immediately between the pump rod and the pump lead and as the windmill was in gear it broke the wooden jerk rod. Frank went over to Tupper's after breakfast to help him move some thrashed hay, but they didn't do much at it and Frank came home after dinner. I went down to Sam Law's to thrash this after noon. I didn't do very much as there was only a very little bit and Charlie Quanbury couldn't keep warm at it alone. We finished about four o'clock and then had supper. Sam got about three bags of seed. I went down town to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday December 17th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank went down to Preston's this morning and cut one of the trees. They were going back right after dinner but Frank fixed the jerk rod in the windmill first, and then Ham Thompson came after his {illegible}. Karl. Coleman also came and got Kate. Then Pickford and Tom. Butler came over and Pickford bought one of the yearling rams to kill. By the time they left it was too late to cut more wood so they just took the waggon down and hauled home what they cut. I went down to Aunty's to tea to-night. Marj. was there and she and Aunty went up to the Girls' Branch and I went to band practice. Neither of our meetings ammounted to much owing to lack of gas so Marj. and I went over to Miss McQueen's for awhile and then I spent the evening over at the Monteith's with her. I left my horn at Hec. Henderson's but when I went to get it the door was locked. Hasn't been above zero all day but clear &amp; no wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday December 18th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank went down and cut a couple more trees in Preston's orchard this morning. I didn't do much but hang around waiting for Pickford as we expected him over to get one of the yearling rams to kill. He didn't come however. As there was no wind to pump to-day we had to carry all the water for the stock and so we spent most of the after noon doing chores. Frank drove down town to get a lot of Christmas groceries and a box to send Elva one of the pups in. I went down town to-night to see if Marj. intended going home to-morrow. I didn't see her but found that school started again to-day so she won't be able to go till Saturday. School has been closed since Monday as some grater in the furnace had to be replaced and they just came yesterday.</p> <p>Friday December 19th</p> <p>Pickford and Tom. Butler came over and got the ram before we had breakfast this morning. The ram weighed 155 lbs and he gave us 8 cts a lb for him. Frank and I drove down town right after breakfast and shipped the pup to Elva by the L.E.&amp; N. express. I stayed down at Aunty's all morning and chopped some wood for them to cook the spiced round. Frank and Dad. went down to Preston's this morning and sawed up some more apple wood and this after noon Frank went over to Tupper's and helped him put in the rest of his thrashed hay, while Dad. and I just did chores. To-night Frank and I went down town and I spent the evening with Marj. She is going home to-morrow. Frank went to the W.I. dance and is staying all night at Aunty's intending to go to Allanburg in the morning to spend Sunday with George. He had a letter from George saying that their office down there had been burned to the ground and Ed. Turner lost every thing he owned. It has been bitterly cold all week but is a little milder to-night.</p> <p>Saturday December 20th</p> <p>Dad. and I went down to Preston's this morning and sawed up a little more wood, and this after noon hauled a load home. Aunty was over to tea to-night as it was Tid's birthday. I went down with her and went up town for awhile to get some Christmas cards. Beautiful day but no wind to pump water.</p> <p>Sunday December 21st</p> <p>I went down to Sunday school and church but have been home all the after noon. Dad. and Enah went down this after noon to choir practice and Enah stayed down to tea and went with {Name?}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Walker to Hagersville to-night to hear an organ in the Methodist church there. It has been a beautiful day but no wind to pump water and we are at our wit's end to know what to do as we daren't take too much out of the well it is so low and the cistern is nearly empty and we can't pump enough by hand from the well at the windmill as something is wrong with the sucker and only the windmill will pump it. It has been much milder to-day &amp; yesterday but by no means soft.</p> <p>Monday December 22nd</p> <p>Dad. spent most of morning drawing water out of the well at the windmill as there has been no wind to pump. I killed my five roosters. Bob Doherty was in this after noon and I promised him 12 of the lambs @ 14 cts a lb. To-night Enah and I went down to the confirmation service at which Lila was confirmed. Frank got home to-night. Mild but rather foggy all day.</p> <p>Tuesday December 23rd</p> <p>Frank and I took Dick's box down to the Express office this morning and then bagged up some oats and took them down to the mill. Al. Faulkner came over and got six of his geese and we kept two for our share. I went over to John Wess's this after noon and Frank and Tid got a Christmas tree. We went down to J.F.I.A. to-night but no-one was out.</p> <p>Wednesday December 24th</p> <p>Didn't do any thing very important this morning. Frank went down town on his wheel and got some cabbage at Uncle Ward's &amp; took Cousin Loll one of the crate fattened cockrels. McEwen and a freind another McEwen were down this after noon and the other man bought two yearling ewes for $35.00 apiece. George came to-night.</p> <p>Christmas Day.</p> <p>We all went down to church this morning, spent most of the after noon doing chores and had dinner over here at night. Huby supplied the turkey. Dad. brought Aunt Ida over in the cart and the rest all walked over. All from Huby's, all from Aunty's and Cousin Clare made with ourselves a party of 15. We had a tree after dinner and every one got loaded with presents. It has been very cold all day, 8° below zero this morning.</p> <p>Friday December 26th</p> <p>Dad. hauled the two sleepers out of the big barn this morning and this after noon we cleaned the remains of the driveway floor out of it, so that now we can let the sheep in and drive in if we need to. We all went down to Aunty's to-night and had a fine evening. Much milder. George stayed down all night at Aunty's as he intends leaving in the morning.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday December 27th</p> <p>Frank and I drove down in the waggon this morning and got some nails &amp; lumber to make sheep crates and feeding racks and we spent most of the after noon making a couple of crates to ship McEwen's yearlings in. I worked all the evening at my show card course and got the first lesson fairly well done. It has been much milder to-day.</p> <p>Sunday December 28th</p> <p>Frank Tid. and I went down to Sunday school and Enah walked down to church. Aunty came over with us to dinner. Dad. had to draw up water for the cattle this after-noon as there wasn't wind enough to pump. Frank went skating this after noon and he and Alex England went off for a drive to-night. I spent the evening reading "An Irish Cousin", which Roy &amp; Vernon sent me. Fine and cold.</p> <p>Monday December 29th</p> <p>First thing after breakfast this morning Frank &amp; I took our two ewes down and shipped them by the 9.45 express to McEwen at Mt. Pleasant. We had to get some things up town and stopped at Aunty's for awhile so it was nearly noon when we got home. This after noon Frank went down and got a file and then took the cross-cut saw over to John Evans, who showed him how to sharpen it, and he brought it home all honed up in great shape. Dad. went over to see John Wess this after noon. Cam. told him that his mother had been very sick the other night and they were afraid she wouldn't pull through the night but she was a little better to-day. Cam. said he didn't know at all what his father intended to do and didn't like to ask him as he felt so upset. Dad. went down to see them at Aunty's to-night and I worked all evening at my show card course. It has not been so cold to-day and is stormy to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday December 30th</p> <p>Dad. decided this morning that as all conditions except the roads being so favorable we had better haul our ice now so Frank and I went down after a load as soon as we could while he cleaned out the ice house. The first load we put off outside as Dad. didn't have the ice house ready and we hauled another before dinner and put it in. Frank hauled three this after noon alone and I chinked them, while Dad. did the chores. It is beautiful ice</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>clear and solid right through and the cubes just the right size to handle nicely. It is a little harder on the horses hauling it in the waggon especially as the roads are pretty rough it spots but it is nicer to unload. Very mild</p> <p>Wednesday December 31st</p> <p>We finished filling the ice house to-day, this being the earliest I think we have ever had it filled. Frank hauled three more loads this morning and we put the load that was outside in this after noon and then Frank wend down and hauled a load of saw-dust to pack it. He also saw old Felix Perkins who said he would be over in a couple of days to fix the pump as it isn't working at all satisfactorily. Frank and I went down town to-night. I thought there might be band practice but as there wasn't I went around to Harry Dyer's and got my hair cut. I was there till about 11 o'clock. Frank went to the W.I. dance and I went up about 11, but only went on the floor once with Dess. I spent the rest of the time with Bub. &amp; Dess in the gallery watching the circus below which was just as much fun and far safer. I went home with the girls about one o'clock and then came on home, thus ushering in the year 1920.</p> </div> transcribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/782ed0b4e84a7b827c6b02fc0202cd64.pdf 654c1f2406dcee6b09e5835c01736d12 PDF Text Text ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e34a7a2b4a866f8a43f5451d32528d0e.pdf e617428b6b40fc236f2d2db8addbefc0 PDF Text Text ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5e4942842c8b1ffa340c577636b61900.pdf 3a62b8de8908bb70d97267546bbdef20 PDF Text Text 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. {Blank Front Cover Inside page on the left} {Right side page} DIARY. 1918 T.B.Barrett Port Dover, Ontario Knockfierna From January 1st 1918 to December 31st 1918 {Blank left page} 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 1 �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 2 �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 3 �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 4 �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 5 �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 6 �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. 7 �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 8 �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 9 �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. 10 �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 11 �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 12 �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. 28 �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 31 �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 32 �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 36 �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 42 �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. 61 �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. 62 �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 63 �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 64 �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 65 �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 66 �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. 67 �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. 68 �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 69 �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. 70 �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 71 �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 72 �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 73 �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 74 �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 75 �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. 76 �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 77 �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. 78 �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 79 �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 80 �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. 81 �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 82 �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. 83 �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 84 �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 85 �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 86 �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 87 �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. 88 �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. 89 �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 90 �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 91 �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. 92 �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 93 �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 94 �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 95 �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. 96 �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. 97 �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 98 �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. 99 �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 100 �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 101 �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 102 �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. 103 �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 104 �{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 105 �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 106 �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 107 �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. Sunday October 13th 108 �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 109 �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 110 �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 111 �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 112 �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 113 �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 114 �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 115 �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. 116 �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. 117 �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 118 �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 119 �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 120 �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. 121 �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 122 �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 123 �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. 124 �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 125 �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 126 �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 127 �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 128 �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. 129 �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 130 �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 131 �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 132 �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. 133 �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. 134 �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 135 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1911 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1913 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1914 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925-1926 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1926-1927 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1918 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 1, 1918 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript & Typed Transcription UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress Done Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Blank Front Cover Inside page on the left}</p> <p>{Right side page}</p> <p>Diary. 1918</p> <p>T.B.Barrett</p> <p>Port Dover, Ontario</p> <p>Knockfierna</p> <p>From January 1st 1918 to December 31st 1918</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Blank left page}</p> <p>Tuesday January 1st 1918</p> <p>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 &amp; I had printed three dozen pictures newest 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 O.D.E. I took Win &amp; Frank got Dess to go with him. We found an enormous crowd at the hall gathering 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 one steps had been danced by about half a dozen couples, the sons of the soil were just about</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Wednesday January 2nd</p> <p>Frank and I haven't done any thing else but chores to-day and cut enough wood for to-night. 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 5 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 dough nuts to put in it. It has been very cold all day with quite a wind from the north.</p> <p>Thursday January 3rd</p> <p>This being Aunty's birthday Dad Enah &amp; the baby went down there to dinner and to spend the afternoon. 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.</p> <p>Friday January 4th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; Aunty Alice. It has been very much milder to-day and it looked like snow. There was no wind and we had to pump for the cattle</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday January 5th</p> <p>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 afternoon. 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 snapshots of us at this job. Frank went down town tonight. It has been a beautiful sunny day with no wind. It was quite hot around noon being 22° above zero.</p> <p>Sunday January 6th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Monday January 7th</p> <p>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 afternoon loaded one of the young sows and took her down to Colemand Kindee's boar but she was not ready for him so we had to bring her back. I spent about an hour this afternoon 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 &amp; reading. I received a couple of sample copy's of "The Breeder's Gazette" to-day. It looks like a great magazine.</p> <p>Tuesday January 8th</p> <p>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 good time. Dad's finger is so much better that he can do the noon chores we that we stayed down at Aunty's to dinner. We had a good turnout at the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Course there being about 18 in, and all showed a good interest in the lectures Neff gave us on Soils &amp; 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 today saying that Jean James was married having done the trick on the sly. Colder.</p> <p>Wednesday January 9th</p> <p>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 farm 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 afternoon 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 betting 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, Lilu, Dess and Marj. were also assembled so we had a very pleasant evening. Not so cold but rather blustery to-day.</p> <p>Thursday January 10th</p> <p>Frank and I were down at the Short Course all day. This afternoon 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 to 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 sepurated the new calf from his mother today.</p> <p>Friday January 11th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to school this morning and had Feeds &amp; Feeding and Bacteriology and this afternoon most of the class came over here to judge our sheep. Tupper's &amp; {Stau?} Lowrie's law suit came off this afternoon and Frank heard when he was down to-night that Tupper lost his suit and {Stau?} got $6.00. Frank went down to the Red Cross dance to-night</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday January 12th</p> <p>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 &amp; 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. &amp; 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 {?} 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 afternoon I made a list of all our bulletins and reports issued by the two departments of Agriculture Dominion &amp; 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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Sunday January 13th</p> <p>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 &amp; the barn floor and the calves especially Daisy May's were covered with snow which the heat</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 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.</p> <p>Monday January 14th</p> <p>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 Dick was finished milking. We spent most of the morning shovelling through various snow drifts and Dad shovelled it out of the woodshed. We had quite a job shovelling the lane out but got it done by noon. This afternoon 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 tonight and he &amp; Mrs. Millman will go by electric car to Brantford tomorrow and get through to Toronto from there. We were sure there would be no classes today so didn't go down. Neff couldn't get down till this afternoon 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 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>had gone down a couple of times they decided that they couldn't 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.</p> <p>Tuesday January 15th</p> <p>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 &amp; cuts were just shovelled out by to-day. Mr. Will from Toronto was here all day lecturing on bees and he made things very interesting even for one who was not particularly interested in agriculture. Mr. &amp; 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 &amp; blustery.</p> <p>Wednesday January 16th</p> <p>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 &amp; Val. Leary 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.</p> <p>Thursday January 17th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to the class this morning and Mr. Gurdhouse of Weston was there and gave us the morning on Beef Cattle and Sheep but he had to leave at noon.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and as the Woodhouse Council met this afternoon 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 afternoon and hear Gardhouse. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and went up this afternoon 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 everyone 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.</p> <p>Friday January 18th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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 &amp; cake so it was rather late when I got home. It has been a beautiful day but colder to-night.</p> <p>Saturday January 19th</p> <p>We didn't do much this morning but got the lane cleared out enough for Frank to get through with the bob-sleigh 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 afternoon went to Simcoe on the car</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to hear what Mr. Hart from Toronto had to say about forming a Norfolk Cooperative Association for buying farm supplies and marketing farm products. 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 &amp; horn.</p> <p>Sunday January 20th</p> <p>I walked down to church this morning and Aunty walked back with me to dinner, this afternoon I went back down town soon after dinner, spent the afternoon over at Mrs. McQueen's with Marj. and had a 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 &amp; Brant Bloodsworth and Lila were all over here this afternoon and Dad drove them all home before tea in the bob sleigh. It has been a lovely day &amp; fine night. Clear &amp; frosty but sunny &amp; not much wind.</p> <p>Monday January 21st</p> <p>Frank and I went down to the short Course today and had a good day but no special speakers. Dad, Enah and the baby drove down this afternoon 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 &amp; 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 today and wants to make arrangements to lease his farm and to drill for gas right away. Sunny &amp; Cold.</p> <p>Tuesday January 22nd</p> <p>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 afternoon. 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday January 23rd</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 holstein 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 &amp; Cloudy but milder to-night.</p> <p>Thursday January 24th</p> <p>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. {name} 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 morning down in the library writing up my debate. This afternoon 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.</p> <p>Friday January 25th</p> <p>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 &amp; other oratorical attributes. He spent the morning and for an hour after dinner with us and then went up stairs to talk to the girls. When he left our debate came off. Corby, Butler and I were against Challand, Tige McBride and Clarence Finch, we had to up hold 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 Cruick shanks, 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 to-night 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.</p> <p>Saturday January 26th</p> <p>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 or 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.</p> <p>Sunday January 27th</p> <p>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 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday January 28th</p> <p>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 afternoon and almost rained although it didn't go above zero. Trains are all late again.</p> <p>Tuesday January 29th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 afternoon &amp; cloudy.</p> <p>Wednesday January 30th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 through out 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday January 31st</p> <p>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 Holly Ainsley'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 &amp; sunny.</p> <p>Friday February 1st</p> <p>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 &amp; 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 afternoon I went down to the school and found the boys &amp; the girls of the Domestic Class in a great commotion getting ready for the wind-up banquet and dance to-night. Tige McBride sent me over to borrow the {I.O.D.C.?} 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 up stairs to the Red Cross room which was to be the banquet hall, and the rest of the afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon 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 with out 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 {Nivon?}, Tom Schram &amp; 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.</p> <p>Saturday February 2nd</p> <p>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 afternoon Frank and I drove down town with Belle &amp; Queen. We went around by the mill and got some flour &amp; 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.</p> <p>Sunday February 3rd</p> <p>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 had brought down from church and who came over here to dinner with us. Frank drove us all back down town about foure o'clock. Enah went down with us as she wanted to practice a duet with Elva to play at the church concert on Tuesday night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 &amp; Bill Gutcher came out, &amp; piled in the sleigh. Belle saw them get in so yelled at us to wait and she &amp; 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 flew 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.</p> <p>Monday February 4th</p> <p>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 gong 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 according to our weight but all Clare Deal could make it was 435. they gave us 17 1/4 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 five 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 afternoon 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday February 5th</p> <p>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 afternoon Frank and I took Tupper's scales and hog crate 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, but 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 Ainsley was worse again. he had five attacks yesterday. Dad. and Frank did all the chores to-night and I got tea ready. I read and slept all evening.</p> <p>Wednesday February 6th</p> <p>Dad. Frank and I put the ice in the ice house this morning, which took us all the fore noon. This afternoon 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 afternoon 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 up set 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 farmyard 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday February 7th</p> <p>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 afternoon Frank and I put the saw dust 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 Wasren?}. Lovely day, thawing in the sun but about 20° above in shade</p> <p>Friday February 8th</p> <p>After we got the chores done up this morning we hooked Dave and Harry up again and Frank &amp; 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 it 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 &amp; 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 with out him getting away. When we put him in Frank and I hooked up Harry &amp; Bell 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 &amp; RalfWaddle 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 &amp; Charlie Long are running. I felt pretty rotten with a cold &amp; cough. We all feel pretty tough.</p> <p>Saturday February 9th</p> <p>I felt rather tough to-day with my cold so didn't do</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon we hooked Pommers up again or at least put the harness on him and took him out with out his getting away Dad. put a rope on him with a string under his chin fastend to his halter bit rings, and Dad &amp; Frank took the rope and I took the lines. Lila came over this afternoon 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 &amp; mustard and drink hot black currant water. It has been thawing all day and a nice day.</p> <p>Sunday February 10th</p> <p>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 one of {Ascar's?} kids and is about as big as a skinned minute.). The rest got home about about an hour after I arrived, Besides Mr. &amp; Mrs. Warrie Banfield, Mr. &amp; Mrs. Dick Doughty and Marj. came. Marj. has 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 &amp; Lila down in the bob-sleighs and would take Marj. and me too which would save me having to 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday February 11th</p> <p>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 afternoon she and Enah went calling down to the Ryerse's and Pickford's. Frank took them down in the 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 Ainsley 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 afternoon 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 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</p> <p>Tuesday February 12th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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. &amp; Frank changed the stroke of the windmill again and put in the longest one. This afternoon 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 &amp; honeycombed with water and the team went right down to their bellies Charlie had a hard time getting them loose.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday February 13th</p> <p>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 scale 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 afternoon 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 afternoon. 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 &amp; 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 {place?} 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 anyone in Ontario. It has not been thawing all day but has been quite mild and cloudy. There came nearly being bad {frost?}</p> <p>Thursday February 14th</p> <p>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 has 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 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 bit all day. Thunderstorm to-night.</p> <p>Friday February 15th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 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.</p> <p>Saturday February 16th</p> <p>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 afternoon we went up to a fairly successful meeting of farmers. Neff &amp; Jas 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon. They said he was well when he fed his teams 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 afternoon.</p> <p>Sunday February 17th</p> <p>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 to-gether. 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 afternoon. I stayed all night at Aunty Alices. It has been cold but sunny all day. Freezing to-night.</p> <p>Monday February 18th</p> <p>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 while this morning writing them we sent out twenty five. Jack Walker was over for a little while to see if Enah</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{single page list that was probably used to make longer diary entries later}</p> <p>Jan 9 - Frank went down in the courses - talk on Cultivation. Neff - fruit growing class if H Thompson's judging poultry</p> <p>Jan 10 - testing milk for % of the fat</p> <p>Jan 11 Feeds &amp; Feeding Bacteriology afternoon - judging sheep, at Farrs Blizzard Jan 11 &amp; 12. 14 Roads 1 R R all blocked</p> <p>Jan 15 - course resumed agriculture</p> <p>Jan 16 - Dr Reed - Test for {?} on vet work &amp; horse breeding, only radial TB &amp; young Will Sidway got laughing</p> <p>Jan 17 - beef cattle &amp; sheep - no rural mail from Jan 11 - Jan 17 Mr. Mead &amp; Harry Dyer lost in storm &amp; spent night at Pickfords. Frozen faces</p> <p>Jan 19 - Mr. Hart on forming a Norfork Co oper for buying &amp; marketing in Simcoe.</p> <p>Jan 22 - Mr. Kydd formerly Simcoe on fruit growing</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{continuation of list; written on graph paper}</p> <p>Jan 22 - womens course started about 50 entered</p> <p>Jan 23 - Dairy cattle - Mr Stevenson of Ancaster. Afternoon at Alex Wallace's - Holstein very good herd</p> <p>Jan 24 - preparing for debate This war will be a benefit</p> <p>jan 25 - Mr Rush on market Gardening</p> <p>Jan 26 - 2nd meeting re Co op joined &amp; signed note for $100</p> <p>Jan 29 - picking &amp; judging chick at Martins</p> <p>Jan 30 - formed a club TB Pres</p> <p>Feb 1 - very busy preparing for wind up of course - TB responds to toast</p> <p>Trains still irregular very very cold</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>would come down and play at Billy Thompson's funeral tomorrow afternoon. It will be in the church and they wanted the choir out. This afternoon Dad. walked down to Bob. Law's funeral and was gone all the afternoon 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. {Surname's} cow had a pair of twin calves this morning which has caused considerable excitement in the neighborhood. When Dad. went down this afternoon 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 {surname} husband on it to raise Shorthorns and Wess Boughner has bought Mrs. Duncan's place. Froze very hard last night. Fine sunny day.</p> <p>Tuesday February 19th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 bob-sleigh 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 afternoon reading "Queen Zixi of Ix" to Tid. I finished a good book to night. "The Double Four" by Phillips Oppenheim.</p> <p>Wednesday February 20th</p> <p>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 afternoon Dad. walked over to John Wesses and took him one of the calendars we got from the Department of Agriculture. He found</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon 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 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.</p> <p>Thursday February 21st</p> <p>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 winds 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 afternoon to make room for any horses that members of the J.F.I.A. might drive to our meeting to-night. 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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Friday February 22nd</p> <p>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 &amp; 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 afternoon 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Saturday February 23rd</p> <p>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 it. This afternoon 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 hot-bed manure pile.</p> <p>Sunday February 24th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday February 25th</p> <p>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 &amp; 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. 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</p> <p>Tuesday February 26th</p> <p>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 afternoon, they wanted to see if we would be willing to put a telephone in. About four Art. and I went down town and Frank &amp; Lloyd went off with Collin, {name?} &amp; 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.</p> <p>Wednesday February 27th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>morning, then Dad and I took Pommers out on the rein. he went just as well as ever. About noon a peddler 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 afternoon Frank went down to Corbetts to get Leigh to telephone all the boys of the J.R.I.A. and tell them about the meeting the Woman's Institute 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.</p> <p>Thursday February 28th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; Charlie Quanbury stopped in on their way home from Henry Misner's sale which they said went well and where Art bought Hay rope &amp; slings, to tell us that Tupper was going to thrash in the morning &amp; wanted a man from here. Mild but cloudy &amp; rainy all day.</p> <p>Friday March 1st</p> <p>Dad. went thrashing over to Tupper's this morning and was gone all day. They didn't get started till afternoon 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 chaf. We also went up to the old cherry tree and to some sand to plant seeds in. Mrs. McPherson</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>was over here to-dinner. This afternoon 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 Woman's Institute meeting to which the J.F.I.A. was invited and heard Mr. Johnson &amp; Mrs. Bond talk about growing &amp; 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 &amp; me home and I thought he would upset us for sure. Nice day. Blustery this morning though.</p> <p>Saturday March 2nd</p> <p>Dad. went back to Tuppers this morning and they finished but he didn't get home till afternoon as he went over to John Wesses for dinner and took him "Happy Hawkins" to read. About half past four he, Enah &amp; 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 room. Frank chased around this morning and this afternoon went down to Ryerse's with his rifle. Lila was over to dinner. Nice sunny day but windy.</p> <p>Sunday March 3rd</p> <p>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 afternoon with Marj. I went up to Harry {Morris'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 &amp; 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday March 4th</p> <p>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 sideboards on. It was sunny this morning but got very cloudy and rained this afternoon and to-night. Very mild.</p> <p>Tuesday March 5th</p> <p>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 will be about two women to every boy. Dad. &amp; Enah got an invitation out to a party at Lish Farr's to-morrow night where they want them to "render a few selections". I suppose it is a house warming party so their new house is just finished. Foggy &amp; mild.</p> <p>Wednesday March 6th</p> <p>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 afternoon. 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 afternoon 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 &amp; raw but not freezing all day. Snowing to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday March 7th</p> <p>Frank and I didn't do much else all day but oil harness. We put a fire on in the shop and got Bell's heavy harness oiled, washed, mended and put to-gether. It was about two o'clock when we finished the one harness so we didn't start on another one. I had a rather bad pain under my {?} this afternoon so came in the house and lay down till chore time when it had disappeared. Dad. spent most of the afternoon 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 windy. 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 &amp; 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 &amp; half to the J.F.I.A. Frank and I got home about one o'clock.</p> <p>Friday March 8th</p> <p>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 we 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 &amp; 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 might 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 {Man?} 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday March 9th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 afternoon and a thunderstorm to-night.</p> <p>Sunday March 10th</p> <p>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 afternoon and evening with Marj. having tea and going to church with Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice. Enah counted 25 robins this morning in the lilac bush out side the clothes room window. The poor little fellows evidently made a misguess and came north too soon.</p> <p>Monday March 11th</p> <p>We hauled down two loads of manure to Aunty's to-day, one this morning and another this afternoon. The sleighing was good and we took Belle and Queen. Frank went down this afternoon 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 &amp; Miss Symonds for the prisoners of war. It was great. Much milder.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday March 12th</p> <p>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 after. We had dinner at Aunty's and were down at the car all this afternoon. 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 &amp; Bert Thompson took two bags of oil cake which cleaned us out of it. It has been very windy and soft all day.</p> <p>Wednesday March 13th</p> <p>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 afternoon not getting home till after half past six. They had dinner &amp; 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 two nice ones a buck &amp; 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 &amp; 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday March 14th</p> <p>This has been a very disagreeable day. It rained hard most of the morning and drizzled all the afternoon 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 to 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 &amp; dams of any sheep recorded in the American Shropshire Registry must also appear on the book. I wrote to R. W. W. Wade, asking for more definite information.</p> <p>Friday March 15th</p> <p>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 8 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 bottle. Frank has increased their the ewe's grain ration and is giving a few mangolds so we are hoping that they will soon "come to their milk".</p> <p>Saturday March 16th</p> <p>Charlie Quanbury came over this morning to get one</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>of us to go over and help Billy Mills put straw over Jack's strawberries, so I went. Billy wasn't through with the 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 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 afternoon Frank went up to Simcoe to report to Johnson, his steward ship 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 afternoons work. Dad. and I didn't do much but chores this afternoon 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.</p> <p>Sunday March 17th</p> <p>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 Act 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. &amp; 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday March 18th</p> <p>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 &amp; 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 afternoon 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 two year 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.</p> <p>Tuesday March 19th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 as 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>solid enough for us to go up to Jack McBride's where we put on four rolls of wire for the corner field and we git 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 beautiful warm sunny day with no wind. Tupper came in to-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.</p> <p>Wednesday March 20th</p> <p>I spent quite awhile this morning working at the hot bed and then helped Dad. &amp; Frank put on a jag of hay to haul to the horse stable. Aunty &amp; 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. &amp; 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 &amp; 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 out run 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.</p> <p>Thursday March 21st</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>when they got there the cow was alright. Dad. says Art. was standing in front of her with a broom stick and Colin behind her with a corn stalk. and it was hard to say which was the wildest Art or the cow. This afternoon 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, but those who saw him disking and harrowing say it was a very muddy operation It has been even warmer to-day than yesterday &amp; no wind.</p> <p>Friday March 22nd</p> <p>Lloyd Ryerse came in again this morning while we were at breakfast to get Dad. to go down to see the 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 may be 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 any thing 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.</p> <p>Saturday March 23rd</p> <p>I went over to Jack's again this morning and helped Billy get out two more loads of straw on the straw berries. 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 afternoon I put</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon. Arthur McPherson has been over playing with Tid all the afternoon 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 afternoon. 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.</p> <p>Sunday March 24th</p> <p>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 afternoon and evening with Marj. and went to church to-night with Aunty, Aunty Alice &amp; 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.</p> <p>Monday March 25th</p> <p>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 afternoon. Frank went down town and got his hair cut and Dad wrote a letter to Dick. To-night 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday March 26th</p> <p>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 afternoon so I put in the afternoon, 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</p> <p>Wednesday March 27th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Thursday March 28th</p> <p>I have put in another day. over at Jack's, valet for the chickens all morning but this afternoon 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. Roy 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.</p> <p>Friday March 29th Good Friday.</p> <p>Same round of chicken chores to-day. and this afternoon 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Saturday March 30th</p> <p>I put in most of the day watering chickens and scraping off dropping boards. I watered every chicken pen &amp; coop on the place and cleaned off every dropping board. I started to dig a hole to bury some dead hens this afternoon 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 clearing quite a bit 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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Sunday March 31st Easter.</p> <p>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 afternoon. 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 over 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.</p> <p>Monday April 1st</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon. 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.</p> <p>Tuesday April 2nd</p> <p>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. Every one 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.</p> <p>Wednesday April 3rd</p> <p>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. I spent the day over at Jacks. He has his new men on over there to-day but wanted me to stay the rest of the week till he gets them "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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday April 4th</p> <p>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 yesterday saying that my drawings showed I had the ability to make a success as an Illustrator. I suppose they say the same to every one but I think if possible I will take the course in the Fall. Fine and Cold. Freezing to-night.</p> <p>Friday April 5th</p> <p>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 Odd Fellows and Masons to come and hear him so the Presbyterian Church was well filled.</p> <p>Saturday April 6th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; mild all day. Cloudy to-night.</p> <p>Sunday April 7th</p> <p>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 church but Dad. &amp; 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Monday April 8th</p> <p>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 afternoon Dad. and I cleaned up oats Dad. went down to-night and went to hear Mr. Crossley with Aunty on the wickedness of card-playing and dancing but he didn't care for him so much. It has been cold this afternoon with north wind but was nice this morning.</p> <p>Tuesday. April 9th</p> <p>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 afternoon Dad. &amp; Frank went back with two teams to work on the back field. Frank took Belle &amp; 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 to-gether 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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Wednesday April 10th</p> <p>Frank and I went down town this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and got our seed potatoes and clover seed. Dad. went back with Harry &amp; Dave and disked and Frank harrowed with Belle &amp; Queen when we got back from town. Frank disked this afternoon with Belle &amp; Harry and Dad and I treated enough oats with formaldehyde for smut to sow the back field. To-night Frank and I went 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 &amp; 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 &amp; I were empowered to go over and look at the plot and decide this week whether we would take it as 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 &amp; very cold all day with a strong north east wind and is snowing tonight.</p> <p>Thursday April 11th</p> <p>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 &amp; 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 horse-stable. 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.</p> <p>Friday April 12th</p> <p>I went over to Lorne Myer's after breakfast this morning and met Ham Thompson and we picked out</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>two halfacre 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 afternoon over there. Dad. and Frank moved some hay over to the horse stable this morning and this afternoon 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.</p> <p>Saturday April 13th</p> <p>I went over to Jack's this morning and fed up and then came back and helped Dad. put on the jag of hay for the cow stable. I was over at Jack's all the afternoon. Frank finished plowing the plum orchard this morning and this afternoon 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 up hold 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.</p> <p>Sunday April 14th</p> <p>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 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Enah to go for a motor ride this afternoon as Brant Bloodsworth had his father's car down here so we did and had a nice afternoon 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 afternoon 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 afternoon. .Lovely sunny day.</p> <p>Monday April 15th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank 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 afternoon 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 and thirteen ram lambs.</p> <p>Tuesday April 16th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; mild.</p> <p>Wednesday April 17th</p> <p>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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>they were too tough to split. I was over there most of the morning and part of the afternoon. 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 afternoon It rained heavily for a couple of hours but. when I came home to-night It had stopped.</p> <p>Thursday April 18th</p> <p>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 afternoon. 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 so me high ground. There is talk of calling out all the physically fit men in Canada between 20 &amp; 23 and granting no ex emptions at all but the bill has not been put through yet. Enah had a letter from Quint to-day. 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.</p> <p>Friday April 19th</p> <p>Dad. plowed this morning in the sod field back of the orchard and Frank took a shear down to Halloway to be sharpened. This afternoon 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 down to a dance in the town hall. Tiny &amp; Joe Dyer came home this afternoon. It has been cold and cloudy all day. I have been over at Jack's most of the day but a new man came to-day.</p> <p>Saturday April 20th</p> <p>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 afternoon I didn't go back till five o'clock and then went back to show Ried how</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon 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</p> <p>Sunday April 21st</p> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Monday April 22nd</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 8 1/2 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.</p> <p>Tuesday April 23rd</p> <p>I sowed clover seed on the wheat back of the barn this morning. There doesn't seem to be much chance</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 after and rolled up some of the barbed wire around the corner field along the front road. This afternoon 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.</p> <p>Wednesday April 24th</p> <p>Frank plowed all morning and Dad. took down a barbed wire from around the corner field and this afternoon Dad. finished up Frank's lands and Frank finished rolling up the wire. I raked up on the lawn all morning and this afternoon 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 farmer's position. Huby up holding his favorite contention that the farmer's were making more money than any one else, which being untrue and Huby's arguments so foolish made Dad. mad. Cloudy and cold raw wind. Freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Thursday April 25th</p> <p>I spent the morning finishing raking the lawn and working at my rose bushes. Dad. plowed the head lands of the field north of the orchard as the west side of the field is too wet yet to plow. This afternoon Frank harrowed with Queen &amp; Belle on the {?} plowing and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Dad. disked up the old garden with Harry &amp; 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 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. &amp; Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Top. Durkin 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.</p> <p>Friday April 26th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank disked and harrowed back of the orchards and this afternoon Dad. drilled in all the oats we had cleaned up which sowed all of the full 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 afternoon I planted some Irish Cobbler potatoes out in the old garden. I went down town to-night. Cloudy but mild.</p> <p>Saturday April 27th</p> <p>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 changed up what few seed we had left about four or five bushels. After dinner Dad. took Joe &amp; Queen and the drill and Frank took Belle &amp; Harry. Dad. harrowed till Frank got through disking and then drilled the piece in with oats &amp; barley mixed half &amp; half. Frank harrowed after the drill and Dad. went out after he brought his team &amp; the drill up and they ran out the furrows finishing about seven. I spent most of the afternoon chasing after the sheep which wouldn't stay in the gully but wandered all over the farm and putting and planting 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday April 28th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to church this morning and Aunty and Marj. came over to dinner. This afternoon Aunty, Marj. &amp; Tid. And I went to the woods and got a great lot of may flowers 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 Aunty's for tea. Aunty Alice had been down seeing Lila off as she went up to Lynn Vally in 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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Monday April 29th</p> <p>Frank has been plowing all day on the five acres 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 Tam'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.</p> <p>Tuesday April 30th</p> <p>Frank plowed all morning and got the field done</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>except for finishing up the last loads and Dad. finished them up this afternoon. 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 &amp; Queen till noon and this afternoon Frank took them and disked. A Mr. Broadley from Charlotteville came in just before dinner with a big grey Pickeron 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 have many colts. I did odd jobs &amp; chores all day. Neil Elliott was in this afternoon and looked at my big steer and offered me 10 cts for him now, but I didn't sell him. Sunny &amp; cool.</p> <p>Wednesday May 1st</p> <p>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 harrow 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.</p> <p>Thursday May 2nd</p> <p>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 oak limbs and then cleaned up the oats that the Quanbury boy's brought over. This afternoon I harrowed with Queen &amp; 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 wool-pressing 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday May 3rd</p> <p>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 sent the morning fixing up a coop to put my little chickens in and clearing 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 afternoon with some of the potatoes for the J.R.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.</p> <p>Saturday May 4th</p> <p>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 screw driver 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 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 afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Sunday May 5th</p> <p>We all went to church this morning. Frank Enah and I walked down and Dad. &amp; 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 it 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.</p> <p>Monday May 6th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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. To-night I got the lawn mower out of winter quarters but didn't have time to cut much before dark. Very warm.</p> <p>Tuesday May 7th</p> <p>We have been at the shearing all day again to-day and only got eight sheep done. Mr. Broadly and Jason were in again for dinner and he sheared a couple for us 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 truck 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Wednesday May 8th</p> <p>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. Falton 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 &amp; cooler. No ink in the house.</p> <p>Thursday May 9th</p> <p>We finished shearing the sheep this morning but it took us till noon. This afternoon 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 he 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 &amp; Dess came over this afternoon and were here to tea. Alex Jameson was in too for a short visit. Tom brought Dick's truck over for us so saved us a trip down with the waggon. Brant Bloodsworth &amp; Elva came over after tea in the car and took the girls home and Enah &amp; 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 afternoon and brought us the twine for our wool which he promised to send us. Dad.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>had a letter from Dick to-day from Toronto saying he would be home in a day or two. he couldn't get into the Navy. but is going to try the Aviation or Artillery. Tonight Frank and I drove Queen over to Lorne Myers for a drive around the block. Fine growing day.</p> <p>Friday May 10</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 mid night. 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.</p> <p>Saturday May 11th</p> <p>We moved a pretty good load of hay over the horse stable this morning and took a small jag to the cows 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 &amp; Tim all went down town and Dad. fixed up the walks and the bay-</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon and started to take down the cross fence as it has become so dilapidated 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 Goldfinches back in the gully. It seems as if they had just come. To-night Frank and I went down town and I got my hair cut. Sunny morning but rainy afternoon.</p> <p>Sunday May 12th</p> <p>It was raining when we got up this morning and rained pretty much all morning but cleared off for the afternoon 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 {?} come.</p> <p>Monday May 13th</p> <p>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 {chair?} 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Tuesday May 14th</p> <p>We have been all day at the fence again to-day and Dad. got the ridge for the fence bottom plowed all the way to 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 {Deanming?} and Geordie Baughner were in this afternoon 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 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.</p> <p>Wednesday May 15th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Thursday May 16th</p> <p>Frank and I hauled four loads more back over the gully this morning and one this afternoon which covered</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon 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 out 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 afternoon 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 we 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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Friday May 17th</p> <p>I went up to Ham Thompson's first thing this morning as Frank said he intended to spray his orchard for secondspray 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 tomorrow. Dad. and Frank plowed the rest of the old garden to-day. This afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Saturday May 18th</p> <p>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 &amp; 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 for 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 &amp; Frank went down town to-night.</p> <p>Sunday May 19th</p> <p>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. 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. {surname} 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.</p> <p>Monday May 20th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I went out and finished digging the anchor post hole which I began the other day. This afternoon 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 afternoon 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 afternoon and told Enah our dipping tank was at the station. John Shand was also over for a visit. Fine day and hot.</p> <p>Tuesday May 21st</p> <p>Dad. and Frank hauled out manure all morning and got the shed at the cow stables 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 was 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 afternoon Frank, Tid. and I went down town in the waggon with Joe &amp; Queen &amp; 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 &amp; 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. To-night Frank and I hooked up Queen and drove up to Saville's this side of Lynn Valley as old Broadley who was</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>here at noon said he had some strawberry plants but he hadn't. however we called in at Linder'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 Dyer 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.</p> <p>Wednesday May 22nd</p> <p>Frank went up after the strawberry plants as soon as he could this morning and got back before dinner with the three hundred. We hadn'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 &amp; 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 has 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 afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Thursday May 23rd</p> <p>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 cross fence and got the wire coild from the south gully fence to about the middle. This afternoon 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 &amp; polly wogs 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 afternoon 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 moon light 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.</p> <p>Friday May 24th</p> <p>We didn't get started at any thing 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 them, I don't know what for unless it was to go fishing.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 hoeed 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 &amp; two McBride girls went down to Jarvis with him. Dad. Frank &amp; Enah &amp; 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 Lyle Morgan and find out what I could about the Dicy Stephen's "Sheep Pasture". but he referred me to Slaight in Simcoe as he is administrator. Frank sent in his name, age &amp; 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 afternoon. It has been a beautiful day.</p> <p>Saturday May 25th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 3/4 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 this old ones and I was very tired to-night. Cruikshank the Massey-Harris agent from Simcoe was in this afternoon for a long time to look at his 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 afternoon but rained again towards evening.</p> <p>Sunday May 26th</p> <p>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 cemetary 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.</p> <p>Monday May 27th</p> <p>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 in the field. Frank hoed the potatoes till noon after he got home from town. Dad. and I got out six full loads. This afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>agreement with me, but he has to come down first to estimate the value of it. Cloudy and hot all day.</p> <p>Tuesday May 28th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank hauled out manure all morning each finished covering the field. This afternoon 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 &amp; Queen and took his spud &amp; spoon home. Frank had been disking while I was making the holes; We bred Belle to-day. Cloudy &amp; warm.</p> <p>Wednesday May 29th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all morning and most of the afternoon 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 cross fence 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 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.</p> <p>Thursday May 30th</p> <p>Dad. has plowed all day to-day. Frank and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 some in the low places so that the sheep couldn't crawl underneath. No wind to-day warm and rainy looking.</p> <p>Friday May 31st</p> <p>Frank and I went up to Ham's first thing this morning with Joe &amp; 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 $60.00 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. &amp; 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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Saturday June 1st</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>garden to get the harrows so while he was there he hooked Belle to 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. &amp; 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.</p> <p>Sunday June 2nd</p> <p>Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Frank walked down this afternoon. 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 to-night but went down to the beach. for awhile. Dad. and the baby went down to Aunty's this afternoon. {Stace?} Lowrie was in to see if he could get pasture for his old {mare?}. Cloudy and cooler.</p> <p>Monday June 3rd</p> <p>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.&amp;N. siding on Main St. so we went down with our wool and Quanbury's. We found England, Parr &amp; 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 with out dinner. I went down to the station to get Ham Thompson's &amp; Art Quanbury's freight bills about half past one. and when I got back I found Billy McNeilly there and he said the freight had been in and gone out again with out 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 &amp; family motored in having come in this afternoon from Courtright. They went back down town for the night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday June 4th</p> <p>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. 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 &amp; to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday June 5th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Thursday June 6th</p> <p>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 afternoon. Frank and I put the stock all in the barn to pick out some yearlings to sell in case any one 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 afternoon. To-night Frank and I went down town to see Jack Pickford at the show in "The Varmint." Win &amp; Marj. went with us. It was pretty good.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday Friday June 7th</p> <p>Frank and I went up to Ham Thompson's with a heifer this morning. Ham said he would come down to morrow afternoon 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 afternoon 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. 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.</p> <p>Saturday June 8th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 working and it is hard to believe that the rows will be in line cross ways but Ham says they will. I cut most of the lawn this afternoon . To-night Frank and I went down town for a little while. Cold wind all day and white frost last night.</p> <p>Sunday June 9th</p> <p>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 afternoon. I went down town about.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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</p> <p>Monday June 10th</p> <p>I didn't get up very early this morning and had breakfast down at Aunty's so Dad. was about through the 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 afternoon Art Quanbury came over to help me put in fence posts so we worked at it all the afternoon. 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 &amp; 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 &amp; Tid drove down town to-night to take Aunty Alice's milk down to her. Cool all day.</p> <p>Tuesday June 11th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 out of the worst of the 1915 models. It sounded terrible on the 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 final 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 here till the storm was over and got home before two o'clock, the roads weren't muddy but were washed bare and packed hard.</p> <p>Wednesday June 12th</p> <p>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 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 afternoon 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 &amp; cold wind.</p> <p>Thursday June 13th</p> <p>I went over to John Wesses this morning and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon. I too John Wesses spoon back before tea when I got through with it. Enah went down town this afternoon. I cut a little more lawn to-night. Sunny but still a cool breeze.</p> <p>Friday June 14th</p> <p>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 wall. 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 afternoon 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 McBride 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 &amp; Tid drove down town. Enah went to hear a missionary from the North-West and Dad. &amp; Tid went fishing. Cool.</p> <p>Saturday June 15th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; warmer to-day but a cold breeze yet.</p> <p>Sunday June 16th</p> <p>Tip Varey brought Barwell and his little Boston bull dog 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 afternoon. 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 &amp; hot all day.</p> <p>Monday June 17th</p> <p>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 &amp; chores all morning and got another pup away from Barwell's bitch. he was very pleased at that. This afternoon he took the plow and the harrows back over the gully and plowed and harrowed the turnip patch. It took him till about seven 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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, &amp; Nixon all came in from Renton in a car. On the way home. Lloyd &amp; 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 of the football around the mill, but 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 &amp; much warmer to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday June 18th</p> <p>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 hoed the hobs 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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Wednesday June 19th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>It was nearly noon when I got that done but I went over and sowed the rest of the turnip patch before dinner. Dad. 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 gauge shot gun shells to shoot at the crows in the cornfield. Art Quanbury left him his shot gun. Aunty Alice was over to dinner. This afternoon 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.</p> <p>Thursday June 20th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 afternoon and when we came up there was a whole pile of calling tickets on the table which had been left by Winnie, Dess &amp; some of the Zealand's while Enah was away. To-night I went down town the school house where Marj. and the other teachers were registering folks in accordance with the new regulation making it compulsory for every man &amp; 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.</p> <p>Friday June 21st</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 over 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.</p> <p>Saturday June 22nd</p> <p>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 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.</p> <p>Sunday June 23rd</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 afternoon I read and slept. Went down to-night and spent the evening with Marj. Sunny &amp; cold.</p> <p>Monday June 24th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 rope and a grease cup for the brass boxing on the mower and went around to see</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Slaght. He said he had been down to see the "Sheep Pasture" but hadn't 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 {?} it.</p> <p>Tuesday June 25th</p> <p>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 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 afternoon I set up some {astie?} plants which Mrs Quanbury had sent over and finished putting the paper on the chicken house roof. Frank spent the afternoon planting in missed corn hills. Dad. is very distressed at the way the crows and black birds 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.</p> <p>Wednesday June 26th</p> <p>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 afternoon we both hoed in the old garden. Fine and pretty hot to-day.</p> <p>Thursday June 27th</p> <p>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 afternoon Dad. started to plow the orchard.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Frank and I cleared up the brush and Frank burned it. I spent most of the afternoon painting lables to distinguish our different plots of J.F.I.A. potatoes. Winnie, Des &amp; {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 &amp; Hazel entertained me till he got back, he said he would spray them for us if Endmond England would agree to have a new wheel put on the waggon but as he was a half interest in the outfit he would have to be consulted. Fine. and warm all day.</p> <p>Friday June 28th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 afternoon 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. &amp; Dorrie to the show. It has been hot again to-day &amp; to-night.</p> <p>Saturday June 29th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Sunday June 30th</p> <p>I drove Enah down to Bill Lemon's this morning as she had a bad toothache all night and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>then Tid and I went to Sunday school. Dad. walked down to church and drove Enah &amp; Tid home. I walked over as far as Mrs. {Woodion's?} with Roy as he and Rebecca came up last night and stayed there for dinner to-day. I slept for the best part of the afternoon and then wrote to 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. &amp; Dorrie and brought them over her for tea and drove them back about half past ten.</p> <p>Monday July 1st</p> <p>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 afternoon we all fooled around for an hour or two putting in mower sections and fishing for the bucket 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 &amp; cloudy all day.</p> <p>Tuesday July 2nd</p> <p>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 &amp; Harry this afternoon and Dad. cultivated corn with Belle. I drove down to Jarvis this afternoon to see old Ross about shipping</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Wednesday July 3rd</p> <p>Dad. cultivated corn all morning and Frank mowed. I went down to the mill with Queen &amp; 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. Frank finished mowing the fields. 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 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.</p> <p>Thursday July 4th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 afternoon 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday July 5th</p> <p>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 afternoon. I felt tough all day and to-night it was all I wanted to do to walk home and roll into bed.</p> <p>Saturday July 6th</p> <p>Dad. cultivated corn this morning and Frank went down and got the piece of the ladder at the Widespread. I went back and turned 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 afternoon 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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Sunday July 7th</p> <p>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 afternoon. 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 afternoon 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 afternoon. Huby brought Tid one of the special puppies to-day. Frank and I got Dad three books, Shorthorn Cattle, Feeds &amp; Feeding &amp; Breeding Farm Animals. Jackie Pickford was over for a visit to-night. Quite cold to-day &amp; windy</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday July 8th</p> <p>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 noon 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 a 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 {Penner'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 Dr 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 even 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 off 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 fell over on the cornfield a couple of times and hauled it over to the fence Mr. &amp; Mrs. Ham Thompson were here to-night. Sunny but cool breeze.</p> <p>Tuesday July 9th</p> <p>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 any thing very wet. I cultivated corn for an hour or two this</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon it was still rainy so Dad cleaned out the cellar. Frank made a patent trough for feeding 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 pins 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 blue stone in a barrell to dissolve to be ready to spray to-morrow night.</p> <p>Wednesday July 10th</p> <p>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 be cause he broke it unintentionaly by throwing bit of iron at her from his forge when she was eating through the fence. This afternoon 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 afternoon. 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</p> <p>Thursday July 11th</p> <p>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 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. &amp; Frank bundled</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 any thing 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.</p> <p>Friday July 12th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 mud hole under the gate of 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 afternoon 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 afternoon It has been very muggy and rather cloudy to-day It. sprinkled a little here but Lorne Myers said it poured over there.</p> <p>Saturday July 13th</p> <p>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 afternoon. This afternoon Frank and I went back; and got part of the turnip patch hoed. Dad. brought the {?} 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Sunday July 14th</p> <p>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. &amp; Mrs. James Douglas were here when we got home and we spent the afternoon showing "Jimmy" the stock. He didn't like the old ram on account of his high shoulders and the black {?} but thought the calves were fine. He thought the purebred calf was better than Knockfierna as she has dairy hocks. Clem Millman was over in his car this afternoon and brought Nita, Kathleen, Towser, and a Mr. Tait. They all came up from Toronto last night and are going back to-night. Kathleen &amp; Tow who are going to stay in Dover for a couple of weeks. Clem took Mrs. Douglas and the rest of the ladie's down to Aunty's and we went Dad. Frank and I went in Douglas car 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.</p> <p>Monday July 15th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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. breeze</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday July 16th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 the Canada Food Board for export licences for our farms 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.</p> <p>Wednesday July 17th</p> <p>It sprinkled a little during the night. so that we couldn't do any thing 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 afternoon 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 &amp; Low came over after tea to-night and Frank drove them home about ten o'clock.</p> <p>Thursday July 18th</p> <p>Frank cut about a dozen rounds around the field east of the orchard this morning. and Dad and I went back and shook about three more loads across the gully. This afternoon we hauled in two more loads from across the gully. Aunty and Aunty Alice and Elva came 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 lust drive on the Marne by French &amp; Americans.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday July 19th</p> <p>When the dew went off enough this morning we all went out and shook out the heaviest pacts 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 afternoon 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 afternoon but didn't get any more than half of it up. It has been a fine hay day &amp; not too hot.</p> <p>Saturday July 20th</p> <p>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 chute under the dam. We got to bed about 2 a.m. Fine day.</p> <p>Sunday July 21st</p> <p>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. Dyer. This afternoon 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 afternoon back north some place. It has been scorching hot all the afternoon.</p> <p>Monday July 22nd</p> <p>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 afternoon. Lloyd Crysler and Lorne Myers were over in Lloyd's car this afternoon to see if we would go to Burling ton 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday July 23rd</p> <p>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 &amp; 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 afternoon and got our check cashed which we got from Anaka Farms for our rams and settled up his insurance with Cruikshanks. Dad. cultivated corn all the afternoon and I hoed mangels. Frank and I went up to Ham Thompson's to-night with Daisy May. Ham said he waited all the morning for Lloyd Crysler too. Rainy all morning Sunny &amp; hot this afternoon</p> <p>Wednesday July 24th</p> <p>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 &amp; Queen but didn't finish, he broke one of the guards this afternoon 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 afternoon 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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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 &amp; the girls and went for a swim. Very hot to-day Looks rainy.</p> <p>Thursday July 25th</p> <p>We put off the load that was in the barn and got another</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; hot but a nice breeze.</p> <p>Friday July 26th</p> <p>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 instead the top of the maw as the sling ropes got 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 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 {?} 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.</p> <p>Saturday July 27th</p> <p>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 {?} without a terrible amount 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 afternoon but Dad. thought of Lew. Brock so Frank went out and got him and he spliced the rope for us. This afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>intending to haul it on the barn floor and put it in the horse stable with the fork when we get 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 &amp; Rebecca with them. they are going to take the girls home to-morrow. Hot to-day, but nice breeze A big thunderstorm north of us but we didn't get hot.</p> <p>Sunday July 28th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Monday July 29th</p> <p>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 every thing 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 blue grass 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday July 30th</p> <p>As soon as it dried off this morning and Frank went out and cut some more of the blue grass. 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 afternoon Frank went down to Joe Howell's and got the collar for the binder and then hoed a few strawberries Dad. paris greened the potatoes in the old garden and I did a little hoeing for awhile there 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 to-day &amp; breezy.</p> <p>Wednesday July 31st</p> <p>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 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 &amp; not too hot.</p> <p>Thursday August 1st</p> <p>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 afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Friday August 2nd</p> <p>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 hill 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 still {?} field.</p> <p>Saturday August 3rd</p> <p>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 afternoon and most of the night. It has been fair and cool all day.</p> <p>Sunday August 4th</p> <p>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 afternoon down at.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Monday August 5th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Tuesday August 6th</p> <p>We put off the load of wheat that we hauled in last night and put it in the swing {mow?} up over the drive way 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 tines. 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 it 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.</p> <p>Wednesday August 7th</p> <p>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 by the woods and got it all done but a little piece by the woods. {?} 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday August 8th</p> <p>We finished cutting and shocking up the back field of oats by noon and this afternoon Frank cut the three acres of barley and oats along the side road I shocked up while Dad. cradled and bound the plots of wheat and about six o'clock Dad. &amp; 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.</p> <p>Friday August 9th</p> <p>It was too wet for us to do much to-day but putter around. I took Alfred's cradle down to Newton Silver as he wanted to to cut his spring wheat on this 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 afternoon 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 afternoon and Aunty and Enah walked down and Enah drove back with Frank. Dad. and I spent most of the afternoon 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 our sheep &amp; beef cattle Most of us went for a swim at the mill on our way home</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday August 10th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 loads 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.</p> <p>Sunday August 11th</p> <p>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 afternoon. Huby was over here for tea. It has been very hot all day winding up with a small thunderstorm.</p> <p>Monday August 12th</p> <p>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 afternoon and got all the east half of the field cut when but about one round when the double-tier 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 &amp; 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 &amp; French drive between Saissons &amp; Reims where they drove them to the {?} river had just showed up when Sir Douglas Haig started another one farther north with British, French</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Tuesday August 13th</p> <p>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 &amp; oats from the strip along the side-road in three loads, they seem to be very heavy and dry. Very hot, but strong wind.</p> <p>Wednesday August 14th</p> <p>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 thresh in the morning but said as we were so busy he would try to get some one else; and I guess he did.</p> <p>Thursday August 15th</p> <p>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 {?}. Dad. and I turned out all the shocks in the field this morning so that delayed us. Cool.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 16th</p> <p>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 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 Horti cultural 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.</p> <p>Saturday, August 17th</p> <p>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, Ada, Clem, Kathleen &amp; Lars all came up last night. Cool and strong north east wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday August 18th</p> <p>Frank and I and Tid. walked down to church this morning and Dad. and Enah were just ready to drive down when. Ade &amp; Clem and the two girls came over in the car. as that delayed them, Clem 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. &amp; Tid stayed down at Aunty's for dinner and Frank and I had dinner alone and stayed home all the afternoon and evening. Cool north east wind all day. Quite cold to-night.</p> <p>Monday August 19th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Tuesday August 20th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 Hans'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.</p> <p>Wednesday August 21st</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 &amp; cloudy, looked rainy.</p> <p>Thursday August 22nd</p> <p>Frank has been cutting hay in the old blue grass 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 wind row 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.</p> <p>Friday August 23rd</p> <p>Frank finished cutting the blue grass to-day noon. Dad. and I changed the {rack?} from the horse stall to the big barn and then went out and cocked up what was in the wind row. This afternoon 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 afternoon for tea She walked home to-night with the rest. Pretty warm.</p> <p>Saturday August 24th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 Patawawa but will likely put in the winter in Toronto.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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. &amp; Mrs. Millman &amp; Nita came up in the car this afternoon and are going to take Percy and Kathleen back to-morrow. Pretty hot and rainy looking.</p> <p>Sunday August 25th</p> <p>Tid. and I went down to Sunday school this morning but as no Bible Class teacher showed up, I went on to see Hazen Waddle who is home on a week end here. 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 hometown 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 'there 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 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 afternoon. 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 with them. Frank said that the Millman's went to turn the car around down in front of Aunty's this afternoon and backed the thing right down the hill on to the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 auto mobile 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.</p> <p>Monday August 26th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; north west wind.</p> <p>Tuesday August 27th</p> <p>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 &amp; Frank &amp; 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 and he hadn't come in yet from the fields but we got started fairly early had a very nice drive with lots of time to 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 McBride 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 agreably 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 afternoon Frank and Dick burned some of the old {?} grass that was in the wind rows out by the side road and Dad, Enah and Tid went down town and got some salt. Fine, cool &amp; breezy.</p> <p>Wednesday August 28th</p> <p>It rained hard early this morning and all the afternoon. 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 auto mobile 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 {?} came over well protected from the weather by rubber coat and boots. He was after cream.</p> <p>Thursday August 29th</p> <p>First thing this morning Dad. Dick and I went down and started to tear down Lew Brock's old stable. Frank came down late. 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 afternoon 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 sets. 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 afternoon and Dess and Win came over to tea. Dick went down with them to the dance this evening. I felt rather rough to-day, think I had a touch of the colic. Fine day cool and breezy.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 30th</p> <p>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 mid night. Fine day.</p> <p>Saturday August 31st</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 delapidated condition of the fence might tempt the cattle to try to explore the cornfield. Frank spent the afternoon cleaning and fix ing 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 afternoon and went down town. We did the chores up early and I went down town to-night, went down to the station and met Marj. who came back to-night Sunny &amp; cool wind this afternoon.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday September 1st</p> <p>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 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 Bible 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 Andrews 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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Monday September 2nd</p> <p>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 afternoon he and I went over to Pickford's to thrash. Dick took a holiday this afternoon it being Labor day and Dad. hauled out manure alone. We got home from Pickford's about eight and thrashed {?} 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.</p> <p>Saturday September 7th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 Fair grounds. Frank went out early to the {Sharplers?} seperator company with a piece of the seperator to have it fixed and then went to his sheep judging competition. at which he 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 Breeder's Ring at 2.30. I for the Beef Cattle judging and the others for the poultry. We had a class of aged Abeerdeen {?} 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 &amp; 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>was dining in. We prowled around the grounds all the afternoon and had a lot of fun with Corby who stopped and interviewed any one who would talk to him. One was a fellow demonstrating wooden arms and hands and another was showing off safety 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 &amp; Yankee soldiers. There was a whole battalion of Yankees down there. We went back to Vernon's for tea - our best dinner and the 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 Milman's office and Clem 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 {Rap?} 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 every thing is pretty wet. Dick took a holiday to-day. Dad. and I spent most of the morning digging potatoes and this afternoon we cleaned up the old barn to be ready for the thrashers. Frank did odd jobs. Fine day.</p> <p>Sunday September 8th</p> <p>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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday September 9th</p> <p>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 some 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.</p> <p>Tuesday September 10th</p> <p>Dick and Dad. finished covering the field with manure by to-night. Frank and I spent most of the day gathering up the wind falls 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 &amp; Mrs. Hallam came over to-day and bought some plums from Enah. Cold wind.</p> <p>Wednesday September 11th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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. 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>did up the chores. To-night Marj. &amp; I went to the picture show and saw Jack Pickford in "Huck &amp; Tom". It has been cloudy all day and rained hard this afternoon &amp; evening.</p> <p>Thursday September 12th</p> <p>I drove over to Tupper's as soon as I got up this morning but it was a little late there, 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 &amp; 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 could be filled up to the ceiling. Dad. also battened up the cracks in the little box stall 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 out side 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 &amp; Ray were just leaving, they had a hard time moving.</p> <p>Friday September 13th</p> <p>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, but 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Saturday September 14th</p> <p>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 al right 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 of 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 box stall in the horse stable. When they got through up 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 blue grass. 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.</p> <p>Sunday September 15th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 six 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.</p> <p>Monday September 16th</p> <p>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 Tupper and tied up all the bags that were in the barn. This afternoon 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 box stall in the horse stable and took Art Quanbury's oats back which we borrowed at seeding time and I took Ivey's bags back to them so most of the afternoon was spent in returning borrowed goods. Frank and Dad. did odd jobs as it was raining and cloudy all day rain to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday September 17th</p> <p>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 Wess's McBride's and visited with Cam. most of the afternoon. 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 in formed us that a telegram had come for him from. Col. Dyer 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.</p> <p>Wednesday September 18th</p> <p>I went over to Lorne Myer's this morning to see</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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. Dyer that he wants to 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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Thursday September 19th</p> <p>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. Dyer 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.</p> <p>Friday September 20th</p> <p>Frank and I did chores this morning and Dad. didn't get home till after the nine o'clock car went out.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 in vite 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 the 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</p> <p>Saturday September 21st</p> <p>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 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 afternoon 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 to-night and says that Ray &amp; Vernon &amp; the kids came up to Aunty's last night. Fine day but cold wind.</p> <p>Sunday September 22nd</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Monday September 23rd</p> <p>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 any thing but chores after we got home. They lifted the bridge down at the dam this afternoon. Dad. didn't do any plowing to-day. Fine day and warmer.</p> <p>Tuesday September 24th</p> <p>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 afternoon we loaded up old McPherson and took him down to meet the afternoon 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. Dr. Cook and Mr. &amp; Mrs. Leslie Battersley were there. Dad. had a letter from Dick to-day saying he would leave Petewawa this</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>week for the coast and Joe Dyer 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 Corp. There hasn't been much war news from the Western Front the last few days, as the doings in Palestine are 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 &amp; fine.</p> <p>Wednesday September 25th</p> <p>It rained again this morning but soon cleared off and was a very nice day. Dad. plowed most of the day but was last 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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>Thursday September 26th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 over coat and gloves on this afternoon 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 ten dollars for endeavoring to aleinate the affections of his hired girl, or something of that nature.</p> <p>Friday September 27th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>them over for dinner. Aunty and Aunty Alice walked over. This afternoon 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.</p> <p>Saturday September 28th</p> <p>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 after tea. 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.</p> <p>Sunday September 29th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Monday September 30th</p> <p>Dad. drove down right after breakfast this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon with his dog and old gun to look for some ducks and snipe. There were four ducks out in the water hole 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 out skirts of Cambrai and the Belgians under King Albert's personal leadership, French and Americans are all just {?} it up. Cloudy and cold raw wind.</p> <p>Tuesday October 1st</p> <p>Frank cut clover and all day to-day with the little team but didn't finish the field. I dug potatoes this morning and this afternoon and 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 afternoon. 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.</p> <p>Wednesday October 2nd</p> <p>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 Nix on and Ham Thompson were over there. We got all the Cobblers in 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{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.}</p> <p>Saturday October 5th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 clear 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 afternoon and he and the baby trailed all over the farm. Huby wanted to give Gyp a lesson in retrieving so shot a black bird 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.</p> <p>Sunday October 6th</p> <p>Enah and I drove down to church along this morning. Cousin Willie took the service and Zietha sang a solo which was very pretty. This afternoon. Marj. Glad Law and I went for a drive up towards Vittoria and got some chest nuts, 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. &amp; 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.</p> <p>Monday October 7th</p> <p>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 $42.00</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>This afternoon, we went over to the patch to dig potatoes. Lloyd Crysler, Charlie Still. Charlie Shand, Tige and Bill Sidway were there and we got the Green Mountain 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 cleen potatoes down to the mill where we weighed them. For some unknown reason the ones grown from Old Ontario seed yielded better than the other two plots which was opposite result to what we expected and to what it has been in other experiences. We were very surprised to-night to see Enah's brother and his family they came down in their car from Cartright to-day. They didn't stay here long but are coming to morrow. Nice afternoon.</p> <p>Tuesday October 8th</p> <p>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. MccCall'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 mix ed 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 afternoon 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 Sidways 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.</p> <p>Wednesday October 9th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 up stairs where the doctors were. There were several misfits around the room but most of the boys looked to be in pretty fair shape. They had me take my shoes and socks off and they looked at my knees 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 Coast land) and sat there with our four 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 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 there without warning. "Well" she said "Why shouldn't you, what have you got relations for," in a tone of voice that made 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 the the Military Authorities for giving me the opportunity of having such a good time and more than paying my expenses.</p> <p>Thursday October 10th</p> <p>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. Every one 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 to-night 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.</p> <p>Friday October 11th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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.</p> <p>Saturday October 12th</p> <p>It rained a little during the night so was too wet to do any thing 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 more wood and brought in the cabbages from the garden with the {?} and waggon. This afternoon 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.</p> <p>Sunday October 13th</p> <p>Dad. Enah and I drove down to church this morning and I walked down. Frank didn't go down as he wanted to go after chestnuts this afternoon early. This afternoon 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 to to church to-night. 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, but 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.</p> <p>Monday October 14th (Thanksgiving Day)</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 afternoon. Windy &amp; cool.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday October 15th</p> <p>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 70-80 cases reported in the 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 to-day that Geordie {surname?} has been killed in action. It has been a beautiful day. Froze.</p> <p>Wednesday October 16th</p> <p>Dad. has been plowing all day and got on fairly well. Frank and I finished building the crate to ship our ram to {?} in the morning and I wrote to Mr. Bent and made all 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 noon put the label in his ear. We picked apples this afternoon and got the russets all picked. Huby was over shooting this afternoon and stayed to tea. I drove him home to-night 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 some where on Joe. Frank and I were wokeded this morning about three o'clock by the factory whistle and after we got up we heard the fire bell 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.</p> <p>Thursday October 17th</p> <p>Frank and I dug potatoes all morning and I dug all the afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>had to kill and pluck a couple of ducks. Dad. plowed all day and got on well. Cousins {two names?} were over for awhile this afternoon. Frank went for a ride again to-night with Alex England and Colin Ryerse.</p> <p>Friday October 18th</p> <p>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 till to-night so this afternoon 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 I 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 employees. 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 Hobbs so we spent the evening over. there. North east wind to-day and much colder.</p> <p>Saturday October 19th</p> <p>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 win dy to-day but not so cold.</p> <p>Sunday October 20th</p> <p>It began to rain some time during the night and kept it up pretty well till about noon. I didn't get</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 with 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 afternoon 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. &amp; Mrs. Jim Ross came to tea last night and are staying at at Andrew Innes's for a week before they go to Toronto where Jim has been {?}.</p> <p>Monday October 21st</p> <p>I went over to Tupper's right after breakfast this morning and paid him for 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 afternoon 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. {?} day.</p> <p>Tuesday October 22nd</p> <p>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 afternoon we cut corn. It was a slow job too as up at the far end it was very short and full of rag weed. 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 Westminster and he says they are out of quarantine now but there are still a few cases of "Flu". Every one here now seems to be on the mend. I went down town to-night. It has been a lovely day but cloudy to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday October 23rd</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>at the orchard. He thought there might be 20 {bbls?} of orchard. Enah went down town this afternoon and told us to-night that Mrs. Frank Awde was dead and Frank himself very low with Influenza.</p> <p>Thursday October 24th</p> <p>Dad. has plowed all day. Frank and I picked apples this morning as we expected Pud. Smythe down to borrow some barley &amp; 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 from us down to the mill too. I went down with him and didn't get back till about noon. This afternoon 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 Sam Thompson when we were coming home. He had been over here to see if he could get us to help him fill silo tomorrow 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 afternoon as Neff could come down, so we said we would. Cloudy.</p> <p>Friday October 25th</p> <p>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 there 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 Cobbles 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 till his silo to-morrow. I had promised to go back to dig potatoes. so Dad. said he would go although he could finish plowing to morrow. I went down town to-night. It has been cloudy and warm to-day.</p> <p>Saturday October 26th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 teams and he and Rolson plowed all the potatoes out and we got the ones off the clay patch all picked up before dinner. This afternoon I went back and Tige and Corby came and Lorne Myers 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 been 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 &amp; 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 some one 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.</p> <p>Sunday October 27th</p> <p>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 every one of the kickers ought to be happy. I went down town this afternoon 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 Coquitlam. Beautiful warm day. Rained a little.</p> <p>Monday October 28th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Mr. Flemming's to thrash this morning but it beganto rain before we got started.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and rained all morning. We hung around down there for an hour or so and then Tupper brought us home in 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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Tuesday October 29th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Wednesday October 30th</p> <p>Frank and I picked apples all day and got all the Spy's picked and a lot of the Suck-no-Furthers or Vandeveers as John'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 drizzle 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.</p> <p>Thursday October 31st</p> <p>Tige McBride was down before breakfast this</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 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 that he 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 McBrides's and telephoned Neff. At first he said he could take up up with him but as Butler, Nixon &amp; 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 afternoon 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 &amp; 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 some where 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 wander d around town for awhile and I was asleep when he came in. He and I had the same room. It has been cloudy raw &amp; inclined to rain all day.</p> <p>Friday November 1st</p> <p>Neff left a call for us fellows last night and the old fellars came banging at our door this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 {?} 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 in 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 Shorthorns or at least a few of them including a couple of yearling heifers which 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 unfairly 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.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 {surname?} 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 out 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.</p> <p>Saturday November 2nd</p> <p>Dad. has plowed all day and is getting on well with the side hill field. Frank and I cut corn to-day. but didn't quit finish the north end of the field. Frank had cut a little while I was away. 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.</p> <p>Sunday November 3rd</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>big warts out of his mouth. I went down town this afternoon 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. Sky was there but didn't stay very late. Very mild all day but rainy to-night.</p> <p>Monday November 4th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day and Frank and I picked apples this morning. This afternoon 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.</p> <p>Tuesday November 5th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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. Hummond were in this afternoon canvassing for the Victory Loan but we couldn't help them out {?} Bruce said Norfolk's objective was one million dollars but that so far they had only raised three hundred thousand. Tom &amp; 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.</p> <p>Wednesday November 6th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Thursday November 7th</p> <p>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 afternoon but didn't get them all. We have all been in quite a state of excitement this afternoon and to-night. It began by an air plane 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 air plane 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 {?} 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>follow as one of the stipulations is that Germany with draw 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 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 shot gun and all the time cars were tearing up and down street honking and cutting up as many dido - 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 fight 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.</p> <p>Friday November 8th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 there afternoon &amp; of Spys and one Sweets. We couldn't get a barrell of No 1. Spys so had to put them up Domestic. Lilu was over this afternoon 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.</p> <p>Saturday November 9th</p> <p>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 Suk-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 station men playing poker in the tool house. They said that two cars were loaded but that they expected another one down this afternoon. 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 Irwin 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 afternoon so Frank was down there all the afternoon 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.</p> <p>Sunday. November 10th</p> <p>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 Mr. Law who is looking after Sade. sent us back again to get some oranges and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>grapes but Sam Morell had gone to Simcoe and Jimmy Leamy 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 &amp; 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 {?} 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 the Bond so they wanted 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.</p> <p>Monday November 11th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank hayed 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 afternoon 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 mills 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 Ray'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 afternoon 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 afternoon 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 some thing. Later I got a dollar each from the Quanbury's &amp; 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 Laws with their horns and several kids with bugles and some drums. After their parade they settled in the Park and had a lot of speeches from the band stand where all the preacher's town fathers and returned soldiers were collected. They told me to come down again to-night and bring the Ek horn so I walked home and helped Dad milk and then polished up the old brass 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.</p> <p>Tuesday November 12th</p> <p>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. plowed all day and finished the side hill field. I fixed up the cross fence in the chickin yard this morning so that I think it will hold the Rock Pullets. and then I sorted potatoes in the woodshed and put them down cellar. I cut corn this afternoon but it is a slow job alone and I didn't get much done. Froze hard last night, but has been fine day</p> <p>Wednesday November 13th</p> <p>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 water hole over there. This afternoon 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 haven't got them fenced in yet.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday November 14th</p> <p>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 afternoon and he 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.</p> <p>Friday November 15th</p> <p>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 &amp; Butter in with him, we had a fine day and visited Douglas, where we had a class in Shorthorns and {?} then Richardson's near Caleonia where we saw his Holsteins we had dinner in Caledonia and then went on out to Miller's who showed us his Clydesdale 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 {?} We had supper in Hamilton and Neff went to his father's for tea. He met us later and we all went to Loew's. We left Hamilton at 11.20 and got home about one. Beautiful day. Mild.</p> <p>Saturday November 16th</p> <p>Frank and I cut corn to-day and made good time this morning getting 35 shocks cut but this afternoon 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.</p> <p>Sunday November 17th</p> <p>It was raining when we got up this morning and has been cloudy and rainy all day but looked cleared off tonight. I drove Enah down to church but she stayed down to dinner so that she could go to choir practice this afternoon. they are having Thanksgiving Service next Thursday night also to-day and next Sunday for Peace. I walked down after dinnr and spent the afternoon and evening at Mr. Mon teiths but had tea and went to church with Aunty. Aunty Alice hurt her eye quite badly this morning with her umbrella.</p> <p>Monday November 18th</p> <p>It rained quite a lot this morning and has been cloudy &amp; muddy all day. We spent the morning cleaning up the woodshed. Dad. plowed this afternoon and Frank and I sorted</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>some of the apples in the barn to put down cellar. We quit early as Frank went down to tea at Aunty's</p> <p>Tuesday November 19th</p> <p>It has rained pretty much all day making things very muddy and disagreeable but has not been cold. Frank &amp; I cleaned up some of the wheat &amp; barley (mixed) this morning &amp; Dad. cleaned out the calf pen and did odd jobs. Tupper was in with our note. This afternoon 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.</p> <p>Wednesday November 20th</p> <p>Frank and I went down town in the waggon this morning and took a sample of our wheat &amp; barley to the mill and to Billy Langs. They offered us 2 1/2 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 keg. This afternoon Dad. plowed and Frank and I cleaned up wheat &amp; barley I went down town to-night and Frank went down to Ryerse's to tell Lloyd to come up to McBride's in the morning as we expect to go to Burford to-morrow. Cloudy but not raining.</p> <p>Thursday November 21st</p> <p>Frank and I went up to Tige's about half past eight this morning when 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 Butter, Mitchell, Nixon, Tick Nunn and Charlie Stitt were all waiting for us. Blake &amp; Robs on 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 Southdown. 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 Butter, Tige and I on the judging team. Cloudy and raw all day.</p> <p>Friday November 22nd</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Saturday November 23rd</p> <p>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 afternoon. We also husked a bushel. Dad. cleaned up the old garden this morning and tried to plow it this afternoon but couldn't with the rotting {?} 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. {Frost?} to-night</p> <p>Sunday November 24th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Monday November 25th</p> <p>Frank and I cleaned up barley and oats all morning and part of the afternoon and we took a load of it down to the mill this afternoon. 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.</p> <p>Tuesday November 26th</p> <p>We cleaned up the rest of the barley and wheat this morning and took it down to the mill this afternoon We had over 18 {?} on and we took three bags besides to Jack Martin's to pay for the seed we got last spring</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 car 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.</p> <p>Wednesday November 27th</p> <p>Frank and I went down after our grist this morning and then cleaned up some oats. I spent the afternoon 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.</p> <p>Thursday November 28th</p> <p>Frank and I took 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 afternoon 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. Nextday - The rain last night took away more of the old East Pier. The water was so high it carried the Jim &amp; Tom right over the East Pier.</p> <p>Friday November 29th</p> <p>This morning we slew the biggest of the three pigs and it took us all morning to get ready, kill and dress him. This afternoon I went down 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.</p> <p>Saturday November 30th</p> <p>Dad. spent the morning cutting up the pig Frank</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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. Cloudy and freezing a little all day.</p> <p>Sunday December 1st</p> <p>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 afternoon at the Monteith's except for a few minutes I spent in at Patterson's 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 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.</p> <p>Monday December 2nd</p> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Tuesday December 3rd</p> <p>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 some where about 200 bushels cleaned up. To-night we had our first J.R.I.A. meeting in Mrs. Bell's cottage. There were only ten members out but we had a good meeting. and every one was very pleased with the room Rolson &amp; Myers got some biscuits, cheese &amp; s ardines which the rest of us put in for. Stormy day, rainy to-night. I stayed down all night.</p> <p>Wednesday December 4th</p> <p>I had breakf ast with Aunty this morning and caught the nine o'clock car for Simcoe. Tige got me at Main St. and we met Butter 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 {?} 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 &amp; went down town</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday December 5th</p> <p>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 afternoon. Winne &amp; 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.</p> <p>Friday December 6th</p> <p>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 afternoon cutting wood. Tid had a great time riding Mexico. Nice day.</p> <p>Saturday December 7th</p> <p>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 afternoon, 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 brought a couple of dozen eggs @ {?} Enah and Tid drove Mexico down town. Nice day and very mild.</p> <p>Sunday December 8th</p> <p>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 Butter &amp; 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.</p> <p>Monday December 9th</p> <p>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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>we had this afternoon up at the College. Neff told us we stood third so Neff told us with Durham County first. Butter did the best of the three, he was awarded three prizes, third &amp; 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.</p> <p>Tuesday December 10th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 Douglas sold to Walt and which took first at Chicago come second. Several fellows congratulated us this afternoon 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 Wild." Tige came home quite sick and put in a bad night. Stormy night.</p> <p>Wednesday December 11th</p> <p>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 &amp; Butter 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. While 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 Mr. Rigg's a friend of Elva's sing. The James were down there and also Elva &amp; Brant who has now got his discharge. I went up to see Marj. and Frank went to bed as he young Myers &amp; Albert McBride stayed up all night last night in the J.F.I.A. cottage. Mild &amp; Cloudy.</p> <p>Thursday December 12th</p> <p>Dad. and I cleaned up some of the apples out in the barn and put them down cellar but there are a lot</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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 &amp; 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 afternoon 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 to-night. &amp; Frank went home with her. Mild cloudy and very muddy.</p> <p>Friday December 13th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Saturday December 14th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Sunday December 15th</p> <p>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 afternoon 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.</p> <p>Monday December 16th</p> <p>Enah's cold has been lvery 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 in doors and out. Frank and I shut old Grey {?} &amp; 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.</p> <p>Tuesday December 17th</p> <p>Frank took a grist to the mill this morning and Dad. did chores. I spent most of the morning washing dishes and the separator. 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 afternoon. Dad. doesn't feel very well. Frank went down to the J.F.I.A. to-night. but Aunty Alice for bade me to go. It has been a beautiful warm day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday December 18th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Thursday December 19th</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Friday December 20th</p> <p>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.&amp; 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 afternoon we unloaded the coal and took down another load of oats, it was nearly dark when I got home Aunty was over this afternoon for a little while. I walked down to-night to see how Marj. was. She was a little better. Fine day.</p> <p>Saturday December 21st</p> <p>Dad. &amp; 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 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 {?} which she dug that day. The roads are very bad and by to-night I think there is no frost in them.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday December 22nd</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 afternoon 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 &amp; wet.</p> <p>Monday December 23rd</p> <p>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 afternoon 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 &amp; soft.</p> <p>Tuesday December 24th</p> <p>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 &amp; 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 uptown 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.</p> <p>Wednesday December 25th</p> <p>I was the only member of this house hold at church this morning as the others didn't feel like going down. Dad. drove Enah and the baby down to Aunty's this afternoon 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</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and plum 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, all 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 Lady 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 as a ship could be seen, that by the time you get to Erie it would be about under our feet, making a rather small globe. Other reminscent stories equally amusing and his continual conversation with the baby im ploring 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.</p> <p>Thursday December 26th</p> <p>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 {?} 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 {Clair Deal?} gone to dinner. However {two words?} had</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>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. Enah and Tid got home about the same time. and said Marj. was going to stay at Aunty's all night again to-night. To-night Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. Social evening We took Winnie &amp; 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.</p> <p>Friday December 27th</p> <p>Frank and I went down and got some 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 afternoon 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</p> <p>Saturday December 28th</p> <p>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 afternoon I went over to Bill Sidway's to try and in spire 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. Fineday. still frozen but mild.</p> <p>Sunday December 29th</p> <p>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 afternoon and evening down at Aunty's. Marj. is still down there but feels much better. I came home at six to do chores. Mrs. James and {?} were over here this afternoon. Not cold but raw. Still frozen.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday December 30th</p> <p>Dad. and the baby walked down to Aunty's to dinner to-day and were there most of the afternoon. 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.</p> <p>Tuesday December 31st</p> <p>I haven't done any thing 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 afternoon 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.R.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 {?} 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.</p> </div> transcribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e24bb5a9ccb28eb734a106a783df5844.pdf f5f6446cdbfe46278720af3311cf612f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Inside front cover - blank} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/72810acae10fa190c822fe03a6f2ec1f.pdf 74f7cb35bc39caaf834ff38e36af0c4a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Blank page} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/975d7901555d32cbe215868f932ef649.pdf d099b99838e4e410a32129aec7fec867 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday January 2nd Just did chores this morning and Frank and Dad cleaned out the hog pen and I cleaned out the first pen in the chicken house. Enah went down town this after noon and we didn’t do any thing much outside. Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Shand came in for a few minutes to ask me about shipping some live chickens to Silverwoods. To night Frank and I went down town to get our hair cut but as there was skating on the pond Frank went there and I went down to the station on a chance of seeing Marj. and she came home. I went up with her for a few minutes and when I got down town the barber shops were closed. I found Joe up in the pool room and made further arrangements concerning the dance Thursday night but it is so much milder to-night I am afraid the sleighing will be spoiled, in which case we won’t go. He & I both went home with Bob. and then I went down to Aunty’s they were all up at the Hardings' but left a note saying they would be back at ten so I sat down and went to sleep till they came home. There is a report around that Herb. Brooks, Sam George and Charlie Cawley were all killed the same day and before they had been in the trenches {illegible} but most people think it is false as there has been no word officialy. Wednesday January 3rd We tied Bobbie up again this morning and Dad filed down his {this sentence is incomplete} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1040f3977b62ef47f2fa6be624acef94.pdf 9f4e83a15a2f8781ed9c2ff47273b62d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. so to-night I went down to go although I know I was getting a cold but I saw Joe and he said the dance had been cancelled on account of the roads so I went down to Aunty's for a few minutes and then started to go to the club but changed my mind and went in to see Zeitha, she and I had a game of chess which she beat and I got home a little before twelve feeling rotten with a cold. Very mild & soft. Winnie was over all the after noon and Frank went down with her and went skating Friday January 5th I felt pretty bad with my cold to-day and didn't get up till about nine o'clock and didn't do any thing in particular all day but as it rained nearly all day there wasn't much to do any way. It cleared up to-night and I went down to see Marj. for a little while Mrs Moon and Mrs. Misner were there. Mrs. Moon had a letter from Laura reading it aloud. She is at Malta now. I came back to Auntys and stayed all night. Miss Harding is staying there for a few days now Saturday January 6 I didn't get up till late this morning and had breakfast at Aunty's Dick and I went down and tried the creek after breakfast and it seemed pretty fair. I stopped in at Jack Martin's to see about getting some roosters and he said he would get some ready for Dad. & Frank to get as I expect to go to Guelph on Monday. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1e3cb790ada3e99e1e734bd13f09b654.pdf 7671cdbb8153fb12c4141a2a87a293d2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This is a repeat of the previous page.} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/29a69dbda7d497d30515f91716b0b0ac.pdf 814cea384e1befbd45b0f678e7e53ede PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Toby's father picks up the diary writing} Monday, January 8th I was up at 4-45 this morning, and the others were up soon after to give Toby an early start for Guelph. Frank walked down with him and when he came home he told us that Tobe missed his car and went down to Aunties it was most provoking, however, I went down at noon to go to the station with {illegible?} and she told me that Tobe had gone on the 9 O'Clock car. Frank and I cut a little wood, (oak limbs) in the morning in the after noon we did little but chores. {Vie?} and Arthur were over this afternoon. Frank has gone skating tonight. Lovely day but windy. Tuesday, January 9th Frank and I put the partition in the old barn nothing of importance happened. Tom came for the cream. Frank has gone down to get his hair cut tonight. It has been mild and cloudy all day rained and snowed a little this morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6637e0b7656bd880f9ba6003007257ab.pdf b1cf97762fbcd51def52286ce4609c80 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday, January 12th Frank and I hoped to get the last of the old trees down home cut to-day but did not manage it. It was so late when we got all the chores done we thought we would have an early dinner and go immediately after, but Art Quanbury came after me to look at his heifer then when we got down town we could not get a ladder. While we were there John H. McBride came to see me and we came home with him. Just as we had finished tea Guy Tuple came for me. This has been the coldest day so far this Winter 20° below, not so cold tonight. We had a fine letter from Tobe to day and the card we should have received on Tuesday. Frank feels miserable tonight lower back. Saturday, January 13th Frank is about all in. He did go over to Bens and fed the chickens but he feels pretty tough. I was doing chores most of the day. Hubert come over this afternoon with old Nig. We put him to sleep Hubert stayed to tea and he and the baby had https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4f10db879050e77d5ff39d4cce3baae4.pdf 2067d40ff786a4093a047c4af52eaf45 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday, January 15, When I went out in the kitchen this morning I saw that the poor plants had caught it. They were frozen stiff. I went out as soon as I had the fires going well and fed everything. Frank said he thought he felt a little better and would get up as soon as it got a little warm. He has been better today walked over as far as Jack Martins to get the roosters but Jack did not have them ready and said to come at 3 O'Clock, so I went over and got a couple. It is not so cold tonight but cold enough. Tuesday, January 16th Nothing much to report today. Frank felt much better and did quite a lot of the chores. I went down home this morning for a few minutes. Mrs. Quanbury was over this after noon and Lloyd Ryerse was here this evening. It has been cold all day and is cold tonight. They are cutting ice we will have to get our ice house ready. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8ae9fc4f33109a284c8e75e10fb4d0dc.pdf f4fd25c7a7c3e90f7acd249366b72b0a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. was too bad to attempt to go down to the Reids the crazy things were expecting to go. Frank has gone down town tonight to tell them we cant get out of our lane. Dick came over about 5 O'Clock he expects to go to New York on Saturday he only stayed a little while as he wanted to get the snow {shovel} for Auntie before dark. {Toby's stepmother picks up the diary writing} Heard from Toby today He is having a good time altho' kept pretty busy. Friday, January 19th We got up a little earlier this morning as Frank wanted to go after the buttermilk. He got started about 12.30 and went by way of town to see if the coal was in and it was not so went on to the factory. He had not been gone long when Tom came with the buttermilk so Frank had his trip for nothing. If he had only known, he could have taken a load of ice to Lea Marshal as they were drawing that day but Tom had forgotten to tell us. Very cold. Saturday, Jan. 20th. I started Friday's diary for today as we did not get up any earlier yesterday but did today so Frank got off this morning at 9:30 instead of yesterday. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f6f737388c33b1eb23ee420db56b9f44.pdf 0e57a327c39853f89ef4cf8b6d180be8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. this morning and Dad, Tim and I went to church. There was no fire on account of the shortage of gas so Mr. Johnson, very wisely, omitted the sermon so we got home fairly early. Dad and Frank spent most of the afternoon doing chores. Dad went down town about 4.30 to shovel the snow for Aunty Alice so stayed for tea and I guess went to church. Cold and stormy all day. Mrs. Nells died yesterday {Toby's father picks up the diary writing} Monday, January 22nd I did not get up very early this morning as I did not sleep very well last night it blew so terribly that I could not sleep it rained very hard for a little while too then turned colder and put a crust of ice all over the snow. As soon as we had things fed Frank and I went down home in the sleighs, stopped at Jack Martins and got a crate to send some eggs in to Roy I cleaned the paths for the girls and then we came home as we could not get any ice as no one was there this forenoon it was too stormy I went down to the mail box as soon as Roy came and the first thing I saw was that Will Macdonald was https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/108a5de591e902c1e71d8d1784834695.pdf 7678cd69b9d8e26596e6e44c1d3ea7ba PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and a bag of shorts, then down after Hattie. and baby. Charlie Butler was in to ask me about a horse that had been kicked and I gave him the certificate for his ram and his ear label. It has been a beautiful day. Thawing in the sun. Thursday, January 25th Frank and I were going to kill the crate fed chickens today. We did kill 4 but it has been a very rough day a regular blizzard, so we got very little done but the chores. The wind has died down and it is cold tonight. Friday, January 26th Frank and I cleaned out the box stalls this forenoon, hauling the manure out on the old garden. Harry Ansley was over to see if we would take his cow and calf for a month while he is away. It has been a cold day with a high west wind, tonight is clear, calm, and cold. Frank has gone down to the dance in the hall. Tim's cold is pretty bad. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/13a6ea0111eed845486a8340b1d42037.pdf 7c66a4479a88114c90c223d85cc4fabb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. gave Loll a pair, sold one to cousin Clare a pair to Rev J.H. Johnson and the remaining 5 to Henderson. I gave the cows and calves a good oiling, after dinner Frank and I covered the ice with sawdust. It has been a very disagreeable day drizzling rain nearly all day and spoiling the sleighing. Tuesday, January 30th Did not get much done today but chores Hattie washed and baked bread, she and Frank went down town to see the Simcoe dramatic club perform. Tim and I kept house and went to bed early. It has been a beautiful day. Heard from Tobe. Wednesday, January 31st I drove down before breakfast, took Alice to the station and went around by Pickfords on my way home as Auntie told me he was very miserable. I asked Mrs Pickford if she would like me to take the doctor out and she seemed grateful for my offer https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b7a6827e739dac3af854721217c40053.pdf 57e26f0f0d237e5cca845a57dec2b3be PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday, February 2nd Frank took a couple of sacks of grain to the mill this morning to have it chopped but did not wait for it, after dinner I went down to see how poor old Dave is, they seem to have very little hope for his recovery. I think this has been the coldest day yet there has been and is such a wind. I went in to Clares for a few minutes the gas was very poor and there was quite a skimming of ice in the tank in her cellar and the water pipes were freezing. Saturday, February 3rd When I got up this morning I found things in the pantry frozen up tight. I was afraid they would be suffering down home so I walked down at noon but they were comfortable. Frank went down this after noon. The wind still blows a gale and it is colder than get out. We have been able to keep pretty comfortable in spite of weather except at breakfast this morning it was outrageous cold. 28 eggs today. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/49cb9db139c0aca9ba1f65495cdd0f91.pdf e272d4e6ef97b446c819ca6dd12efa52 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Toby's stepmother takes up the diary writing} Thursday February. 8th Tobe did not arise very early this morning as he was very tired. He did not do much but rest <s>all</s> until about four o'clock. He then drove down town. It snowed pretty much all day but was not cold. Harry and Frank drove down after tea and brought Aunts Ida, Nese, and Alice over also {Mard?} Sovereign. The Shand family with Miss Grey arrived later and we spent the evening in music. Mr. Shand brought his violin and Charlie his mouth organ and an "Octo-something" I forget what he called it but it made sweet music all the same. It was about 1.30 a.m. when they left. Friday February 9th It was late when we got up this morning as none of us got to bed until after three o clock, so we did not have breakfast until 10 oclock. The boys went up to Mr. Cantelon’s and got a load of gravel then we had lunch. They have both gone down town to a dance in the town hall. It has been very cold all day today. Marjorie Clarke has the measles. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c2ae134ee29531c17698c4c25a86a4e0.pdf d2db0efa18641cfcc65cdd14b31cc1d1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Toby takes up the diary writing} business from A. to Z. Mr. Marcellus, his assistant was a younger man I think a graduate of the College and also very good natured with a pleasant manner. Between them they made the course very interesting for us with their lectures and general discussions. The lectures lasted from about 9 to 4 and before and after them we had to tend to incubators feed {pens?} of laying hens and bunches of fattening cockrels. Our incubators, all hatched about the same about {0° 9 %?} and they told us we had set a record for Short Course students for hatching At the end of the course we all had to kill and pluck our fattened birds. There were several evening lectures at the College and various subjects pertaining to Agriculture and I attended most of them. Other evenings I spent in different ways going to the show once, skating twice, often spending the time at the boarding house singing with my room mate Charlie Gray while Edna the landlady's daughter played for us. The last week I was up there I visited several of the sons-in law of the family and one night went to a country dance in a sleigh load composed of the church club of which Edna was a member The people were all very kindhearted and it did me good to be amongst them. I went from Guelph to Toronto when the course was over and went down with Hunter & Fred {Presant?}. I saw Fred again in Toronto and spent the best part of a day with him but https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9d4452918b8a805a7e870ab0999b8e7d.pdf 4068addb7929e4107aac49819d25446b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. season, and I told him I would see if I could get any one up here to handle him, as I would like very much to see one brought into this district. Aunty Alice and I got home on Wednesday night, after having a tedious journey and a long wait in Jarvis and I was very glad to get home. Frank and Dick met us at the station and Enah was down town and we drove home but upset in the lane, no one was hurt but Joe was frightened and broke the harness a little. The sky in the north-west was all aglow when we got in as that night the big Lithographing works in Simcoe burned down with a quarter of a million dollar loss Enah has written this up for the last few days since I got back as I have not got into the way of it yet, as she said we went to the old country dance in the town hall last night but I went first to see Marj. who has the measles - and then over to club. That was really enough for me as I have not been to bed before midnight for a week but I went on over to the dance and kept on my feet till about four o'clock then I sat down and began to feel sleepy so I came home and got to bed by five. Frank stayed till they wound up and got home about an hour later, consequently neither of us got up very early, however we managed to get another load of gravel hauled from Cantelon's and I took ten doz. eggs over to Jack Martin and he paid me 48. cts a dozen for them, three cts. over the market price. I went to bed early to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/98e3f4aea2da0adb32c15fc8e12cc348.pdf a0b8dcf18bee946b33616c6df63c38e1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. till after three, the train was so late. When we did get out Frank & I went down and got some groceries and 20 bags of cement which we didn't pay for, but we thought we would soon need it if we got making posts and {Clare?} Deal said the next lot they got in would be dearer and he didn't know how soon they would be getting any more. About 18° below zero last night and very cold all day. Tuesday February 13th Right after breakfast this morning Dad. Frank and I went over to Ben Ivey's and got a pretty good big load of rails. After dinner Frank and I went up and got another load of gravel. There were four other teams up there but we managed to get a load in a new place after one of the teams pulled out. it is getting almost to dangerous up there to take chances as the bank is undermined all around and is liable to fall in any time. We were working Harry & Nellie all day so to-night Frank took Joe & Belle to take a load to Jarvis to a dance. It was a sort of rotten night but he promised to take them. It is not so cold to-day but raw & blustery Wednesday February 14th Frank got home a little after six this morning and just changed his clothes and went to work without a wink of sleep, but was pretty drowsy at teatime and went right to bed after tea https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4b94d0030ea0d7e9766d1942edf82434.pdf 5e68fc4fb931de5436b64b4fa0ae0036 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. she would get him to call up the Quanbury's to-night. I was there quite awhile talking to Charlie who is home again in bed with the quinzy. They also got playing the new Victrola for me. Winnie was over to tea and she and Frank have just gone down town Frank is going to Club if there is any. Pommers got caught in the wire fence this morning and cut his hind leg pretty badly and is very sore on it. Another lovely day but not enough wind to {power?} Friday Februrary 16th We took another load of manure down to Aunty's this after-noon. We didn't get it loaded till noon. Frank's throat was sore so he didn't stay out long. Aunty and Aunty Alice rode over as far as Mrs. Battersby's with us they were going to see Miss Phipps. I went down there to tea to-night and after tea went up town to see Marj. and then up to Huby's didn't get home till quite late very nasty blustery morning with a lot of snow but quite a nice mild after noon and night. Saturday February 17th Les Dunkin telephoned the Quanbury's that if I wanted to buy seed corn I would have to get it either yesterday morning or this morning. I went up this morning. I got two bushels of https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6bb7e5a634f0abf861bc5c9f4c2de43f.pdf 88484ae6a080b1cf726a2b035353f568 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and Frank had quite a bad cold. Aunty and Dick came over to dinner. While we were at dinner John Wess came over to get Dad to look at one of his mares, Mildred I think as she had taken a chill so Dad. and Frank went over with him and were gone most of the after noon. Elva, Said. Davis, Pansy Fischer and Mr. Bloodsworth all came over this after noon. While they were here Aunty and I went down town. I stayed down there for tea. Aunty Maude and Lila came in on their way home from Aunt Lucy's and they stayed to tea. None of us went to church. I went up to see Marj. but found that she had gone up to Miss Martin's for tea so I went up there and came home with her. Fram. Walker drove Aunty and me over this morning and informed us that they had a baby boy, his wife being at Mrs. Lawson's. They are very much grieved down home at the loss of their big black cat. He has been missing for two days and Jim. Mummery told Aunty this morning there was a cat down by the engine bridge, ran over. So I went down before tea to-night and identified him it was Tom all right. He had been cut right in two. He always was terrified of the train. On my way back there were a lot of kids sleigh riding down the hill in front of Ed's barn and accross the creek and one of them lent me his sleigh and I had a ride down the first one I've had down that hill for a long time. Beautiful day but colder to-night https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c1da9e84d0fe785c5be1bcf0e85fdbad.pdf aa495e7a6cd1acbe37d1da2e795a5d4a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday February 21st It is still to icy to take a team out so we have done nothing but chores all day and sit around the house a good part of the time. Lila came over this morning and was over most of the day as there is no school, they can't get any coal. Tom. was in this morning and took the butter milk can he also went up to the mill for us and got some chop and chicken feed. Will Wright was in this morning to see Dad. about a cow and came back after him to-night about six and Dad. went up with him. I cleaned the separator out this morning and we started separating the milk to-night as we get enough to make it worth while now that John's calf is gone. Enah and I went down to church to-night, it being Ash Wednesday After church I went with Marj. down to Bessie Patterson's and was there for the rest of the evening. Enah stayed to choir practice and then went down to Aunty's to wait for me. Sunny, freezing in shade. Thursday February 22nd Haven't done any thing much all day but choies and I cleaned out the chicken dropping boards this after noon. Took 8 doz. eggs over to Jack this morning. Alan Law and Tom brought the butter milk up and Alex Jameison was in for a long visit at noon. I sent in a list of sheep owners around here to the Live Stock Branch. Sunny and milder to-day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3dd823c3bb900989ab8a605814bc1e10.pdf edf8c2e81e906f3ddae578eeed3e312f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday February 24th I went out this morning and pruned the Northern Spy tree but as the wind kept getting stronger I didn't tackle another tree as it wasn't warm enough out there although sunny I then started to help Dad. clean out the pen in the sheep barn where John and her calf were. While we were at it Frank who had gone down town after some groceries came back with Aunty Alice so we didn't do much else while she was here but she went back soon after dinner. Frank got a three cornered file down town and has been sharpening all the saws and making a pretty good job of it too. Enah expected Zeitha over this afternoon to practice a song she is going to sing in Church to-morrow but she didn't come. She expects to go to the other side next week. Nice day but cloudy this after noon and much colder to-night Sunday February 25th Frank and I were too late getting up to get to Sunday school this morning but we went to church. We all intended to go as we thought Zeitha was going to sing but Dad. and the baby were too late. Enah got in about 11.30. Dad. Enah and the baby stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. {Dick?} also stayed there. Frank and I came home to do chores and had dinner alone. Frank went skating this after noon https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6b886930cb223f71f099df958640d3f3.pdf be4727f4846503524dfa6986ec4c2f46 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. thinks it is high time Dick got a raise, as Dick himself is getting dissatisfied and would like to move some where else. Mr. Hobbes spoke as if he couldn't get along with out him and wouldn't hear of him being moved but said the financial condition of the bank was such that he couldn't expect more wages just now. He praised Dick up highly and said he had never had a bad report, but he doesn't seem to believe in telling Dick this. He, Dad, also got his hair cut and got home before me. I was talking to Ham. Thompson abput joining the Norfolk Fruitgrowers Association and he said if one of us came up and helped him spray he would lend us his spray outfitt. Zeitha was just leaving here when I got home so I said good bye to her. She is going on Wednesday to Philadelphia or near there. To-night I went down again and took Marj. to the picture show to se Mary {Pickford?} Tuesday February 27th I didn't do much this morning but wash out the incubators and get the lamps cleaned up. Dad. & Frank finished cleaning out the pen in the barn where John & her calf were. This after noon Dad. did up the chores while Frank and I got on a load of hay out of Preston's barn for Bob Ivey. Frank borrowed Art Quanbury's team to haul https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/17e02ac912d5e3837b083064677362ae.pdf 0dc953a485f6ae44e553ac2d020dd133 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. went up to Cousin Clare's to tea. To-night Aunty and I went to church where Aunty Alice Joined. Enah was also down and stayed to choir practice and I met her at Aunty's. Huby and Aunty Maude were down there. A very nice sunny day but sharp. Thursday March 1st I spent most of the morning getting the incubators in shape to start. I lit the lamps in both of them. Dad. went down to Aunty's for dinner as Aunty left to-night for Toronto. She is going down for a couple of weeks to celebrate Rebecca's birthday. I didn't do much this after noon but went down and prowled around in Dicky Steven's orchard for awhile. To-night we all went over to the Quanbury's as they have been inviting us for quite awhile to come over and hear their new Victrola. Just as we were coming out the lane we heard voices down the road and waited to see who it was. It turned out to be Dick & Dess who had been out for a walk and were coming to the farm but they came over with us to the Quanbury's but Dick had to leave before us as he promised Aunty Alice to stay down there to-night. It has been a very nice sunny day but with a raw wind. Friday March 2nd We haven't done much but chores to-day. Frank and I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/71f27b75cbf3edc34822657a1e102c71.pdf 97a0c150b078711c57d38abb66d7f96d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. some provisions. I killed and picked a young cockrel that was out there for dinner. Tonight Frank has gone down to stay all night with Aunty Alice. Nice sunny day. Sunday March 4th I didn't get chores done in time to get down to Sunday school but drove Enah down to church. Aunty Maude was in church and asked me to drive her over to Aunt Lucy's so I did and then came back and drove Aunt Ida over here while Frank & Aunty Alice walked over. Dick was over to dinner too. About four I drove Aunt Ida back down town and Aunty Alice walked. She said she would rather walk than drive. She stopped in at Uncle Wards on her way down and Aunty Maude came down with her. I let Aunty <s>Maude</s> Ida out at Allan's corner and took Aunty Maude in and drove her home. I drove in the buggy the roads are mostly pretty bare but icy in spots which made it hard for Josie as her shoes are smooth. I walked down to tea and went to church alone to-night. After chuch I went for a very short walk with Marjorie and then went up to see Cousin Loll. I called in at Aunty Alice's on my way home. Winnie was going to stay there all night. It has been getting much colder all day to-day and is snowing quite hard to-night with a strong north east wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/32a90699d752a97112a56672dd7c9594.pdf 328d59b3c3bf629542e7a112cbe0b6ca PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This is a repeat of the previous page} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c384d37da591377a11bbacda8f55b121.pdf 4e0ae2b788d52303fbc93e1929ef6dfa PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday March 6th We started to chop open the big barn doors going into the barnyard this morning so that we could get in with the sleigh to haul out the manure that was in Johns pen but when we got the doors opened we were interupted by Tommy Jackson who brought over his mare, the same one that Lorne had over last year, to have her teeth filed down. She was a very mean brute to handle and took all {illegible} of us She struck Dad. once in the head with her head and hurt his nose quite badly. Tommy thought our flock of sheep was improving in type. This after noon we loaded on the manure and Frank and I took it down to Aunty Alice's. When we got back Dad. & Frank put what little there was left in the pen on the sleigh and Dad. and I took it out to the old garden. We also hauled the hay for the horse stable and cows over with the Sleighs. Froze hard last night but sunny & mild to-day. Wednesday March 7th We cleaned out the sheep barn to-day. The first load we took down to Aunty Alice and the rest we put on the old garden. I think there were five loads altogether. We found the floor in very bad shape under it. In two or three places it went right through. Enah went down town https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/10e337c33b92e4499397054b3282b1b8.pdf 087b6188a54c12164b5f66073273eed7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday March 9th Dad's tooth ached badly last night so after we got the chores done this morning he went down to have it out, so I went down with him in the cutter and took Mr. Hobbes his three old hens. I went down to Aunty Alice's and waited there for Dad. He didn't come for about two hours and I had my dinner down there, he had to wait but got his tooth pulled. It is sore to-night more from the stuff Bill injected than anything. Lila came over with us as there is no High school this after noon Mr. Barron having gone away. This after noon Frank and I went down to the mill and as they had some {corn?} in I got four bags of it. To-night Frank has gone down to Club. Enah and "Aunt Annie" went over to Mrs. Battersby this after noon. Ada. told Dad. this morning that Alan tells in his last letter home that he saw fifteen dead children, killed from eating poisoned candies which were dropped from a German Zeppelin flying over one of the small French towns behind the trenches. I don't know whether that convinced Dad. that the Germans are any thing short of savages compared with the Allies in their tactics or not, as he always refuses to believe any such stories {unless?} hear of them through other sources. It has been fairly sunny to-day but a cold raw wind all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/38bc5271d216db4de642db2aeff57f70.pdf 8a3e36190be51f0a002038e9596320f4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. but we went to a recruiting meeting in the town hall after church. One returned soldier spoke and a chaplain and although there was nothing wrong with what they said, I think a good many people are getting sick of recruiting meetings as it seems as if the Government was wasting valuable time and money on them with very small results while if men are so urgently needed it would only take the scratch of a pen to enforce the Militia Act, and they would have all the men in the country to do as they needed with. Very mild and muddy. Monday March 12th Frank went over this morning to see Taylor and ask him about his bees. I tested out my eggs and only took 35 out of the big machine and 23 out of the other. The big one had 135 in it and the little one 63 so I thought that was pretty good. This after noon Dad. and Frank fixed up a pen for the lambing ewes in the barn. I didn't do anything in particular. Enah, "Aunt Annie" and the baby went calling To-night I went down to see Marj. for a little while and then down to Aunty Alice's where I ran into a small bridge party and incidentally a feast of cake and sandwiches. Cousin Clare. was going https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/14c07c28ab7ade90da50b328808078bd.pdf fa7d61f1164e55ad4a265bbb0ea52507 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday March 14th It snowed, rained and froze during the night and has been a miserable rainy fore noon, and although it did not rain after dinner. It has been dull and very windy with the wind off the lake. We just did chores this morning but this after noon Frank and I went down town with Harry and Belle and the waggon and I got some lumber to make a couple of chicken coops to put old hens with chickens in. To-night Enah and I went down to church and I walked up with Marj. and Miss Martin afterwards. Thursday March 15th I have spent most of the day working on one of my hen coops but did not finish, Dad. and the baby went down to Aunty Alice's to dinner so Frank and I did up the cow stables this afternoon. Enah went down to see Mr. and Mrs Alfred Ryerse this after noon. Windy and cloudy all day. Friday March 16th After I did chores this morning I worked at my chicken coop. Dad. lit a fire in the smoke house. Tom came in walking, and said he had been sick all week and that the butter milk can was still at the factory, so https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6053a048fb8ac48a4c6923af8fff75dc.pdf ce1b9a8feaea78a551e88b269e6d6c0c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday March 18th I got ready to go to Sunday school this morning but as I saw I would be late I didn't go down but Enah and I walked down to church. Frank went down too but didn't go to Sunday school Dick came over with us to dinner but Aunty had a stiff neck so didn't come. I went down with Dick about four o'clock and went to Aunty's for tea. Cliff Lees was there all the after noon and they were all tired out listening to him. Aunty and I went to church to-night and after church Marj. and I walked up to Miss Martins. She lent me her "Mr. Britling see it through" which Aunty Alice has been going to get for me to read. Cloudy windy and raw. Monday March 19th Dad. and the baby went down to-day to help Aunty Alice clean up the garden. They were down there all day. Besides doing a few chores I took 10 doz. eggs over to Jack and worked a little more at my chicken coop. Frank had to go over to help Billy Mills put on and off a load of hay which Ben Ivey bought from Jack Martin. Ben sold all his own. Great war news to-day British and French have advanced on an 80 mile front to a distance in some places of 10 and 12 miles. I think though the Germans retired with out much fighting, but Bapaume is taken, and it must be a sign of the Germans weakening https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/150e9d67991ead7e637be022e3715323.pdf 5087ce3f50c16f066afc9371c8ab5463 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to look at the wheat. It is very brown but it is not heavy and seems to be alive still. To-night Enah, Frank and I drove down to church and Frank went to the show afterwards. It has been a lovely day. We still have the sow that Colin Ryerse brought in here last night. It went past here in the after noon with a couple of fellows who were driving some stock down the road and we thought it belonged to them but Colin said it went into their place and the fellows didn't bother with it and as they were afraid it might hurt the sheep Colin chased it back up here, thinking may be it was old Gladys. She is a nice looking white sow & in good shape Thursday March 22nd This morning we did chores and I started to build another chicken coop. Frank is making a bird house to attract some blue martins to build as they are supposed to eat up house flys. We also took some pictures this morning one of the ram and one of Elgitha. This after noon Frank and Dad. went down home to cut the last of the locust trees in front of the house but I don't think they had much luck. I worked on my chicken coops and painted the one. Old Bill Roberts came in and claimed the lost sow. He said he would be after her to-morrow. It has been a beautiful, mild spring day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/62e243b259cfb3f35be208ed011ba681.pdf a22190625507d0d5cb6c369896055913 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and then Frank and I took Harry and Belle and went down and got some more. Frank got his flats which Emery cut out for him for making bee hive supers. This after noon we took the little chickens out of the incubator and put them up in the loft under the four hens, two of which acted as if they would be very good mothers and two were cross but we covered the latter up with horse blankets and are hoping they will be all right in the morning. We only got 60 chicks out of the incubator which was pretty poor but the hens only hatched four. We put the unhatched eggs from the hens in the incubator. After we got them tended to I took a walk down to Dicky Stevens orchard. Young Awde and Ferris were fishing on the point and had three little horned ace and the ice isn't out of the pond at all below Goosey. It has been a bright sunny day a little windy. Sunday March 25th On account of having the little chickens to tend to this morning I didn't get down to Sunday school but Drove Enah down to church. We took Belle as Joe had her eye all swelled up this morning. Frank went down to Sunday school and Dick and Aunty Alice were over to dinner. Dick went down town soon after dinner and Frank went with him Aunty Alice went down about four o'clock and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/69652d3cf49d51407bad2c008a855f3b.pdf 99fddc05e1d42dae78040ad6e83488b8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. we put the bobsleighs away in the barn. I took six more chickens out of the incubator and as two more were dead this morning I think that makes sixty eight I have now They are all under three hens. I cleaned out the machine and set it again right away with 140 eggs. Old Bill Roberts came at last to-day noon after his sow. She seemed perfectly willing to follow him home behind the buggy This after noon Dad. and Frank fixed a fence accross the yard this side of the plum orchard so that he could put his two bee hives out with out the old ram bothering them. They were all flying to-day. We put them out to-night. I worked on my chicken coop. Beautiful day, fairly hot. Lila was over after school to say that a man would be down home to-morrow noon to cut the telegraph wires so that they could fell the locust tree across the track, so they will have to go down. Tuesday March 27th The weather turned up side down during the night and has been cloudy, rainy, snowy, windy, muddy and rottenly raw all day. Dad. Frank and the baby went down in the waggon this morning in the midst of one of the heaviest showers to lay low the last of the locusts down home, and in spite of the weather, the man was there to cut the wires and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0ec28d4906288ee3757717aaf49aaf3f.pdf 18a03e06d859af93b2f6fb7ada9319d4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday March 28th Frank went down early this morning to take a file to Uncle Ward to point up the crosscut saw, they left it there yesterday but Uncle Ward told me last night he had no file. Dad. and I took Frank's heifer up to Ham. Thompson's Ham wasn't home but we had a look at all the stock being showed around by old {Name?}. He entertained us by accounts of his experiences on big estates where stock was kept in the Old Country, but owing to his dialect I don't know which part of England it belonged to, we could only understand about half of it. It was getting near noon when we got home but Dad. went right down to help Frank saw up the locust tree. They were down all the after noon and when Dad. came home he had an awful headache but it was better after tea. I just did chores this after noon. There was no service to-night as Mr. Johnson thinks he is getting the measles. Tim has been busy all day making Jennie Millers out of plasticene and shooting them with his pop gun. Cloudy with raw wind all day. Thursday March 29th The Ben Ivey family is in the throes of moving, Ben having bought (so rumour <s>they</s> says) Cliff McBain's house over on https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f8476402596922b6f06ae56fee7c6ebe.pdf dccb9865d71f33fac1b57a6d18a66ba0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and Sam. Butler's barn. Art Quanbury came through just before tea and said it had blown his barn about five feet back and racked it considerably, while his little 8 x 12 shack was turned completely over on its roof. To-day it has been sunny but raw and windy. Friday March 30th Frank has been helping Ben all day again and to-night I guess has him pretty well moved. Art Quanbury came in this morning before we had breakfast to see if he could get one of us to help him straighten his barn out so I told him I would go as soon as I could but as the first pair of lambs arrived this morning, and we had to trim the wool around the ewe's (Lop Ear's) bag it was pretty late when I got to Art's. However Tupper, {Trum?} Walker and John Quanbury were there and there wasn't much for me to do any way. I stood around and visited with them till noon and by that time they had the posts all jacked about plumb so we didn't have to go back this after noon I guess Art isn't going to try to move it back where it was This after noon Dad. and I took the black heifer up to Ham. Thompson's. Ham wasn't home. Winnie was over to tea and after tea Dad. and I walked down with her. Dad. {took?} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/249bfefc35f314635da5407a265ecaaf.pdf 657947b39cd0bbab5dc92b0a949f2431 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. moved up to the farm but broke the doubletrees on the skid before we got it into place. Frank joined us about four o'clock and we got his pump up and broke the pipe off at the {sucker?} while we were at it. Charle Quanbury came home this morning Another lamb arrived late to-night No 4 ewe. Very mild to-night. Sunday <s>March</s> April 1st Frank and I went down to Sunday school this morning but as Mr. Johnson has the measles there was no church so Marjorie and I went for a walk up the beach.It was a lovely morning cloudy and foggy after the rain but very mild and spring like. Aunty and Frank went to the Presbyterian church. As Aunty was coming over to dinner I went down to the house and waited for her till church was out. It began to rain before she came and has kept it up steadily all the after noon and evening, but Aunty came over and went down just before tea. I went to sleep on the sofa for most of the after noon and read all evening. Enah was reading "Sudden Jim" out loud at the same time, so I got it and "Mr. Britling" a little mixed up. Another pair of lambs arrived about tea time to-night. One of the three year old ewes that has lost her tag. It has since transpired that she was No. 5. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/61a304e93ba25e81d6a390e2ca1742de.pdf 7cb64853f588f7b582c7aad834777585 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. well. She only had one. This after noon Dad. went down to Cooper's and I cleaned out the bay in the east end of the sheep barn while Frank fixed a place where we could let the ewes with the oldest lambs into it. Alan Law came in with the cream slip but didn't bring the cans back. As soon as Dad. got back I went down town to get my hair cut but as I didn't get down till nearly six I didn't go up town but had tea at Aunty's and went up right after tea, then I went up to see Marj. Dad. came down after tea to put their carpet down for them down home as they have started house cleaning. I took three more chicks out of the little machine to-day and set it again, one of the chicks died. Pickford was over this morning he wants Dad to go down and look at a lame horse he has down there. Mr. Duncan was also in this after noon and wants him to go up there to see a lame horse. It has been a very nice day and the mud is drying up fast. Wednesday April 4th Dad drove Enah and the baby down town this morning and went from there up to Duncan's. He got back about one o'clock and Enah and Tid were down all day. Frank and I pruned apple trees this morning. Dad. got a letter from Douglas to-day saying they were going to ship the heifer to-day, so Frank went right down after dinner to see if she came on the morning freight. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a3c2a9ac22a38836fe0bb6528a8a1c7c.pdf 171b4673910f5be388ca276135ef3e04 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday April 5th Dad. and I went down as soon as we got up this morning to get the heifer. We picked Frank up at Aunty Alice's, he had been at the dance all night but had his clothes changed They were up down there had had toast and coffee ready for us Dad. had some but I didn't feel very well so didn't partake. We got the heifer with out help or trouble and she came home like a lamb. We didn't put her in the cow stable as it is so boggy at the door but tied her in the bay. It began to rain soon after we got home and has kept it up all day steadily, Gus. came over to renew the insurance application and Frank and I thought as we couldn't do any thing else we would go fishing as Frank has been at me for the last two weeks to go. We put on old clothes and went down to Pickford's to borrow his net. He went with us and we went all the way down to Art. Ryerse's and fished up to the culvert. They held the net and I "rallied" as Pickford calls it, but we never got a bite. We saw one. We got home about noon and changed all our clothes and I had all the fishing I wanted I felt rotten as my old rubbers leaked so and I had to wade through the creek occasionally and the water was sickeningly cold. This after noon we went to sleep after reading the paper and I slept all the after noon. I spent the evening drawing. It was snowing to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d371fdeff295b873f308570d395f6d32.pdf eeb34180169435084f17edf99ab5bcd7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and added his testimony to Dad's advice on the favorability of turning out foundered pigs. Ham had a look at all the stock and was showing us his predigrees for his sheep and asking about them. It was about noon when he left. This after noon I started to rake up the rubbish under the old willow tree. Dad. and Frank did chores. Frank walked down to the mill and got a little chop and went down early to tea at Aunty Alices. It froze hard last night and although sunny it has been a cold windy day. Sunday April 8th Frank and I got an early start and went down to Sunday school and then to church. It being Easter Sunday there was a pretty good-sized congregation and we were rather late getting out, Dad. came down as far as Aunty's with the baby I guess he was too late to come to church and he waited there and went home with Enah, Dick went over with Frank but I stayed down town to dinner. After dinner Aubrey and I had a game of chess and then after Frank had come down again, Gladys, Aubrey, Frank and I went for a walk up the beach. Frank and I came home to tea but went down afterwards. Enah went down to church but we were too late. I went for. a walk with Marj. after church and went down to Aunty's for awhile before I came home with Enah and Frank https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3370800551b72270d43e0b61badf80b0.pdf 0d24436c7c434f7173ab48c5c2b7e822 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday April 10th I didnt get up till after seven this morning, and didn't do much all morning. Aunty was here for breakfast but went down right after. Uncle Ward walked over and was here for a good part of the morning, he wanted to know what time Colin McNeillige's sale started this after noon. Aubrey Billings came over to dinner and this after noon he, Frank and I walked over to the sale and were there all the after noon, we didn't get anything I bid on the heavy set of harness but Jack King got it for 31 dollars. I got a ride home with Sam Law and the boys walked down the track. Frank went down town to-night but the rest of us went to bed early. It froze harder than ever last night but has not been quite so cold to-day but the wind was very raw. The paper to-day says the Canadians and British captured the Vimy ridge and gathered in about 6000 prisoners in a big offensive where they advanced two or three miles on a front of twelve miles. Wednesday April 11th This morning we moved all the little chickens out into the run this side of the plum orchard and it has been a lovely day for them Sunny and very mild. Dad. Enah and the baby all went down to Aunty's https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/307726d98bcc414cddd79d0443dc86e3.pdf 98a5fd99228114e7386a330faa3dc8b2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I went down to a party of Win's in Ada's ballroom. I was pretty late getting there and felt tired and sleepy when I left home, but got rather braced up down there. We had to say good bye to the Billing's to-night as they are going to-morrow morning, we were all very sorry to see them go. It looked very rainy early this morning but cleared off into a beautiful mild fore noon but this after noon it clouded up again and the wind veered to the north and got very cold and is freezing to-night. Friday April 13th Dad. got up early this morning and went down to see the Billings off. He had breakfast down there. We were rather late getting the chores done up but when we did we ear marked all the lambs and put the association number in the ears of last year's lambs. We were just going to mark the little lambs the way we did last year with lampblack and oil on their sides but Frank had been readin in Kleinheintz's book that they couldn't be too young to have the ear tags put in so we thought we would try it. It saves going over them twice and the lampblack and oil makes bad spots in the fleece but we hated to do it to the little fellows. We did the last five after dinner. About four o'clock https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/71b9832236ed7a9f84353cbed1b5f1df.pdf da9c0a6464294479f7eed733dfb11690 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. P.S. Mathew's came over this after noon and got Harry Ansley's cow and Mr. Bagley was over this morning and got a setting hen. a complete surprise. They caught Mr. Shand out in the barn cleaning up seed, he hadn't heard the first few rigs come in and he told Dad. that he had no idea there was going to be a funeral there to-day, that if they had given him any idea of it, he would have tried to have the corpse ready. Flossie said she had an awful time yesterday keeping enough stuff in the house for the occasion as they were supposed to have been all moved down town to-day. There were about sixty people there and they had a very nice time. Dad. had to make an after dinner speech and to play a game of six handed pedro but otherwise spoke as if he enjoyed himself. Frank and I did up the cow stables when we got through reading the paper which wasn't very early and then Frank went over to ask Ben Ivey about some rails, he said he would be right back but stayed to help Ben load his hog pen on to his dray. I went up to Ham Thompsons to ask him about getting spray material as I had a card to day from the Norfolk Fruit Grower's Ass'n saying their warehouse in Simcoe would only be open on certain days. Ham wasnt home having gone down to Bruce Ball's sale. Frank went down town to-night. The wind got around a little more to the west to-day but it has been cloudy and raw and is snowing quite hard to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1c478e9396a716ee5d8089dc016e9457.pdf cf4294c059477057e577f742ec252778 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. sowing clover seed on the wheat and got over the twelve acres. The wheat certainly looks sick but it is still alive. In a few places it was heaved and a few small patches killed out. Frank took Alfred's spear back to him this morning and went by way of the creek. He went up along Robert John's creek and came back along Charlie McQueens and got three or four more pike and some suckers so he presented Alfred with some of them. This after noon he made a cold frame for Enah to put her cabbage plants in, we will use the storm windows for the top. After I did up the cow stables I walked up to Ham Thompson's again. He said I would need a barrel of Lime Sulphur but that I should have ordered it beforehand so I got Art Quanbury to telephone up to-night to see if I could get it. Art. Pickford, Tupper and Jack Martin were all on the land to-day. Jack's men were drillng this after noon on the side hills. Frank thinks we can start to-morrow. Wind still in the north but milder. Tuesday April 17th Frank got out at seven with the team this morning and has been disking all day on the west half of the field east of the orchard. Dad. relieved him this after noon while he came in and looked through https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e6ad07d75ae92bc8a7f18572c63f7752.pdf 6e11f1a0ca1031417da4e9ff1748919d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. price it is. He got 12 1/2 cts for them, but I don't know what they weighed. This after noon I cleaned out the colony house and did a little clearing up around it. I want to put the last batch of chicks in it. Wind in south much milder. Wednesday April 18th Frank has worked on the land all day. He cross disking all morning and part of the after noon and then harrowed. About five Dad. took the drill out with Belle & Joe and drilled in all that was worked up. He sowed my three bushels of O.A.C. 72 oats on this side of the field and only sowed about two bushels of the others as he sowed mine thinly He sowed clover seed with the oats. This morning he and I treated 8 bushels of oats with formalin for smut, we spread it on the barn floor and sprinkled the grain. We also gave the sick lamb another dose of oil and some more injections but it was no good. She died this after noon. We also put three of the hens with chicks in the colony house. Huby was over for a few minutes this after noon. Very sunny and warm all day with a light thunder shower to-night which ought to do the wheat a lot of good if it doesn't get cold after it. Bill {George?} went past to-night just as the storm was coming up and as he said he could see "a bit at all" I lent him the lantern. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/014fba1d2939623db5366c9bce2e323a.pdf 00f5291d665010a40a6b0dadc4327a03 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday April 20th it rained another little shower this morning so we have done nothing on the land to-day. Frank went down to Aunty's again this morning and helped them down there in the garden nearly all day, he got home about four. Dad. and I did chores and Dad. finished the cold frame and this after noon he and Enah planted it out with tomato and cabbage plants. I spent most of the day raking up the lawn and looking after the little chickens. I went down town early this after noon to have Dr. Lemmon look at my tooth, the one he filled last has been aching a little the last few days, but he said there was nothing wrong with it unless I had caught a little cold in it. I had tea at Aunty's, Aunty Alice is tired out but delighted at the progress of her work in the garden. Tonight Marj. and I went to the picture show which was pretty poor, I thought. Tom brought back the lantern that Bill {Tearque?} borrowed the other night all shined up and a new globe in it. I guess it was never so clean before.Lila came over this after noon while I was down town to get a job for the summer and in that way earn her certificate at school. It is a rather poor idea I think but they are all going to try it and she of course was very excited with the expectation but I was very sorry to hear when I got home that Dad. had dashed cold water on her hopes and wouldn't give her https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5b5aa639f591e52c723b6988cf5281be.pdf e065d459b3899a2c154789a014e21473 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Dad. cultivated with the Spring-tooth and the big team on the other half of the field east of the orchard this after noon Cloudy and a coolvbreeze to-day with a little drizzle this after noon. Sunday April 22nd I didn't get up this morning till half past seven although I thought I was getting up at half past six so I coudn't get things done in time to get down to Sunday school. Frank went down and I drove Enah down to church. Aunty came over with us after church and Cousin Clare walked over to dinner Dick was over too. Soon after dinner I drove Dick down town and then took Marj. and Miss Acheson (Kaufman's milliner) for a drive We went down the Lake Shore and up Mud Street. The rest of the family all went back to the gully and got some wild flowers except Frank who went down to the Ryerse's. It was six o'clock before I got home so by the time I got chores done it was too late to go to church but I went down after church and Marj. and I went up to Miss Martin's and got my lettuce seed. We also stopped it at Miss McQueen's for a few minutes. I called in at Aunty's on my way home and gave Aunty Alice a pinch of my lettuce seed. It has been a beautiful day although a little windy. They have had the town flag up to-day to commemorate the second anniversary of St. Julien. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bd8167cc9e07588817f8f0e962c0d898.pdf 3525aad711f5b71a979119eec3f7ce59 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday April 25th Dad. and Frank worked both teams all day and Dad. finished drilling the field this morning. They got it harrowed over after the drill and the ditches run out Frank got nearly all over the six acre field west of the old garden with the disks and Dad. got it partly harrowed. I took twenty one chicks out of the little incubator this morning and put them under one of the old hens that was brooding part<s>s</s> of the last batch and gave her bunch to the other three hens. I didn't have a fresh setting hen but that worked all right. I set both incubators again with 220 eggs. I did chores and painted my second chicken coop as it was to windy to do much else. Very windy and cloudy with an intermittent drizzle all after noon. Thunder to-night Thursday April 26th It has been too wet to work on the land to-day, there was a heavy thunder storm last night and it has been drizzling every now and then to-day. This morning Frank and I went down in the waggon and got fifty tile for the ditch. I have been digging to drain the border on the east side of the lawn where I want to set out a hedge. I put https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a4854fb769fc3279e07bb9d3bdde9234.pdf af80b60fa2b6eb382534d470f0e89352 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday April 27th Frank has been disking all day cross ways on the six acre field this side of the old garden and got nearly all over it. Dad. spent the morning working at the mud hole in the lane and got it pretty well filled up for the present He just used the wheelbarrow this morning and got all the earth he wanted right in the lane. I cleaned up some more of the lawn and burned the two big heaps of rubbish down on the road that were the accumulation of two years from down under the willow tree. This after noon I did chores and Dad. and I treated four more bags of oats, there is just one bag left untreated as we may not need to sow it and if it is treated we wouldn't want to feed it. I let the three hens loose that were in the colony house this after noon and chased all the chicks out doors but I am afraid it was too cold for them as I found two or three dead ones. I suppose they had got lost from the others. To-night I went down town to see Marj. She had just been down at Dr. Cooks and Mrs. Cook had told her that poor little Orin England was killed to-day out at Shand's school house when the old wall of the old school house fell on him. They were tearing it down and he was playing inside when it fell, they had left it to-day with just the two walls standing. I got my hair cut before I came home. Fine but a cold northwest wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a854c5a21df838e740d9d77e8390a9c7.pdf 06bc4312e19a4de8b73ffc50512c8f12 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. over the report he had been able to make of the Easter vestry meeting which revealed an extraordinary improvement in the churches finances that he could not refrain from reading his report from the pulpit (I had been figuring on reading it during the sermon and for that reason had resisted the temptation to do so during the first lesson) and enlarging on every item. Aunty was very grieved that the subject should have been delivered from the pulpit as a sermon with a Biblical text as a title and so was I especially after the first half hour of it, for it seemed as if he couldn't come to a full stop. He commended the congregation for their loyalty to the church and their liberality in paying up. He held up John Walkers name as one worthy of the greatest honor and his generosity beyond words when he gave two nights proceeds at the picture show to the coffers of the church. Mrs. Jesse Thompson, we were led to believe, was a saint (I suppose in disguise) and I expect to see her next Sunday with a made-to-order halo from Eaton's, because she was the organizer and is the leader of that noble band of maidens the "Willing Workers" which provided the "caskets" for the choir. Dr. Cook and Mr. Hobbes deserved our deepest gratitude for the manner in which they had conducted themselves as wardens. Poor Mr. Hobbes hung his head in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cd55d27b6f2eb6b0afc8895a891b8f4a.pdf f900f6ee092f6f68a7bc3103605b005a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Miss McQueen. It was drizzling when I started home so I went down and spent the night at Aunty's. Monday April 30th I got home this morning just as the family were at breakfast. Frank disked on the pea ground all morning and said it worked fine. Dad. trimmed up all the ewes and I spent the morning with him although I didn't do much to help. We also docked the two last lambs. This after noon Dad. and Frank went out to England's to Orin's funeral and Dad. took Enah and the baby down town and called for them on his way home. Enah wanted to practice a duet with Mr. Johnson. I sowed a few lbs of clover seed on the oats at the road end of the field as Dad. didn't have quite enough seed to go over it all when he drilled it. I also sowed about four lbs of rape seed on the plum orchard and I think I got it on a little too thick. Alan Law brought back the manure spreader. I gave Tom Abbot a setting of eggs to-night It is the only way I can pay him for hauling the butter milk. Art. Quanbury was in to-night to ask about his new lamb. Milder but cloudy Tuesday <s>April</s> May 1st Frank drove Dad. down to catch the nine o'clock car for Simcoe https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f4ffa7691dcb09ec17c0176c8528648b.pdf 0743c79beacb6f9ead0c24109e786bf4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This is a repeat of the previous page} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5afe738b2b689a1320e90b8dfc900945.pdf 245c803b5bfcb71d5da833517587e8db PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Bluffs for shelter. They made Dover harbor some time this after noon. They had been telephoning from here all day but couldn't get any trace of them. I suppose they went around the Point before day light and the Lifesaving crew didn't see them. Frank and I didn't get home till noon as we stopped in at Aunty's for awhile. This after noon we didn't do any thing but chores and sit around. Frank fixed or tried to fix his wheel. To-night I went down to see Marj. it being one of Essie's nights at the show and as it was nasty walking stayed down at Aunty's all night. Wednesday May 2nd I got up this morning before Aunty & Aunty Alice not knowing that they weren't up and sat around for about half an hour reading Beltane the Smith which I borrowed from Marj. last night. On<s>t</s> my way home I stopped in at the Quanburys and found Art. had fixed the post mould up yesterday afternoon and as he and Charlie were just ready to go up to Ben's to plow. (They are putting in stuff on shares) Charlie took the post mould home for me and gave me a ride with it. Bob Davis was in for a few minutes this morning, and said he hadn't sold his house so couldn't handle the Throughbred but if he was able to he would like to take him. Frank and I went over to John Wes's this morning to get a few final instructions https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/59578272c64512324a83ae8b8bc08100.pdf 3bf9904638b04a10a77e7095f30b2f0d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. came back he made some more staples and straightened out a rod or two for the posts. Right after dinner Frank and I spread the manure on the old garden and Dad. came out and tried to plow it but he couldn't with the plow he had so he came up and tried to plow the headland of the pea ground along Ivey's fence but he couldn't work it either so he didn't get any plowed. Jim Bannister came in on his way home from his mail route to have Dad. look at his horse which had gone staggery this side of Art. Walker's and he had had to leave him at Bill Donald's and get Bill to drive him along the rest of the route. Fra k and I made another post this after noon. Sunny to-day but windy and cold. Friday May 4th Dad. plowed the headlands on the pea ground this morning Frank covered the garden back of the shop with manure out of the box stalls in the stable and I hammered out some more reinforcements and raked some of the earth into the trench where I dug the ditch. This after noon I harrowed the six acres north of the orchard where Dad sowed the oats last Saturday and which we never got harrowed again. It worked very nicely this after noon and I think most of the oats are covered now that the drill didn't cover. Frank finished disking the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/daba830afb763583d97da46f3a1af464.pdf f2b2e184735dad4221f8f7c09c3e3a24 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. stayed down there to tea but went for a walk before tea down to the lake and up to Huby's. I found Huby planting potatoes. Cousin Clare was at Aunty's to tea. Aunty and I went to church to-night. After church Marj. and I walked up with Miss Martin. George Duncan came after Dad. this after noon to go and take a calf from a heifer but he got back before six. I don't know where Frank went to but I suppose back in the gully. It has not been much milder to-day and cloudy with an occasional drizzle. Monday May 7th Frank went down to Aunty's right after breakfast and has been down all day helping in the garden. He didn't get home till quite awhile after dark. Dad. has been ditching most of the day in the different fields. I spent the morning filling in the border bed along the chicken run fence with compost and earth. This after noon I levelled off the heap of clay in the drive house and made another fence post in there and mixed the cement on the floor of Billy's box stall. That took me about all the after noon. To-night I put the saddle on Queen and took her around the block. She went fine. Frank was telling us that Dave Low got a letter from Billy to-day from the hospital where he says he will have to be for three months. He said that he and young https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/efd3fa143d8beb84574bbe1cac2412a1.pdf e1a81ed334f6e0ed8b4907a68c1f18f5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and ploughed a couple of furrows to plant potatoes. It is such a rich piece of ground that he thought it would be a great place for the Irish Cobblers he got from Art Quanbury. He also started to plow the garden back of the shop where we want to put mangels. He got it about half plowed. The manure on it makes it hard as he has to stop every round and rake it into the furrow, it is pretty wet too. I took Queen for another ride to-night. I started to go down the mill hill but she was afraid to go through the bad mud hole so I didn't make her but rode her down to Aunty's and back. We painted pictures to-night. It has been a nice day but looks rainy. Froze last night. Wednesday May 9th Frank and I among a few chores got another cement post made this morning and Dad. finished plowing the garden. This after noon Frank disked on the pea ground till about four o'clock and then the rain drove him in. I got the cutter out and started to clean it and Dad. went back to see Charlie Quanbury who was working back in Ben Ivey's orchard to see if he could borrow Ben's little disks and put Belle and Queen on them. Charlie told him to hook on to Ben's springtooth so we harnessed the team but Alan Law came in to have Dad. look at old Ned's mouth and before we recovered from his attack Bob. Law https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ffd3ff85e7432836d61415ac190e989c.pdf 20ef89ee9351f70231a831a68cad0780 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday May 11th Dad. harrowed and rolled the garden back of the shop this morning and this after noon went over my acre of alfalfa plot with the springtooth but he and Frank have worked the rest of the day on the pea ground and think it will be fit to drill to-morrow if all's well. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over about eleven o'clock and stayed to dinner and tea. Aunty Alice brought us over a pound of mangle seed half a pound each of red and yellow variety's so this after noon I went over and borrowed Quanburys seed drill and Aunty Alice and I sowed them all on the garden back of the shop we just had enough seed to go over it except for two rows of potatoes next the orchard fence which I planted this morning. They were Irish Cobblers. Aunty and Aunty Alice brought Frank and me each a dandy pair of gloves. Win. came over to tea to-night, she won a two dollar prize on her composition on "The High school boy & the labor shortage" that wasn't just the title but it was the subject. To-night Enah and Aunty and Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's on their way home and Win and I went straight down town. I went in to see Marj. and as she had just got some trailing Arbutus from home we took a bunch of it down to Aunty. Billy Laings came into the Bagley's before we left with some chicken feed and we had to entertain him till Mrs. Bagley came home and relieved us. Billy was in a very {illegible} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e62997e01218f790e6920dd3244bebc5.pdf 8985383f56f6a565fbe87bd4cc742343 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday May 13th Frank and I didn't get ready in<s>t</s> time to get to Sunday school this morning but we went down to church. Frank had to see Ben Ivey and as he was working over here we went around this way. Aunty came over with us for dinner. This after noon Dad. Dick and the baby went down to the gully. Frank went down to the Ryerse's and Enah, Aunty and I started down to look through the {Dicky?} Stevens orchard but we met Jim Waddle on the way out to the farm so Enah went back with him but Aunty and I went on and went all over the place. Jim Waddle and the girls were still here when we got back and when Aunty and I left for town. I went down with Aunty for tea and went to church with Aunty and Aunty Alice. Much warmer but breezy. Monday May 14th I was just getting ready to go to Ham's after the sprayer this morning when he and his man brought it down He said his trees were out too for now for the second spray so as he was coming down town any way he brought it down to us. We got the orchard and all the plum & cherry trees sprayed by about five o'clock this after noon. We used nearly two tanks of spray but didn't put the second on nearly as thick as the first. To-night my two year old heifer https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bc1d5826331b424d021772aa41fa15c3.pdf 0c642fc90625803248f2595b859503cc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. think it will last now. Before it broke every time after it had been in about a month. Karl Coleman came in while we were at it and helped us. He wanted to ask Dad. about a bloated lamb. I went over this morning and got some bone meal at Jack Martin's and Quanbury's seed drill to sow my alfalfa. After I got it Cawley and Chris both told me that Jack wanted to use it this after noon to sow mangels but he hadn't said anything to Quanbury's about it. Frank gave the acre a final harrowing and rolled it while I was gone and I started in to sow it before dinner. It took me till about five o'clock to get it done I got the three pounds on the acre but had to open the drill up to a larger hole for the last nine rows and I am a little afraid it didn't sow evenly. Dad. finished plowing the garden to-day and worked it up and ran out the ditches in the last drilled oat field and the pea ground. Frank and Enah started to sow the garden this after noon. I set out some dahlia and gladiolus to-night. Much warmer and very smoky. It looks like rain. Thursday May 17th Dad. and I took the four old hens which we put eightysix chicks out of the incubator under last night and put them in three coops in this end of the old hen house and in the other new coop outdoors. As soon as we got that done I went https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/45c2397f1d94a4ad7f089c88505ef88b.pdf d7c906c3551dd268e7b2a1566d3033d4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. down town and Marj. and I went up to the Radial to meet Mrs. Bagley who has been at some missionary conference in St Cathrines for a week. Poor old Dr. Jolly died this morning. He had a stroke the night before last and got delirious and while trying to induce Mrs. Bell to let him go downstairs he fainted or had another stroke and fell backwards all the way downstairs. Saturday May 19th Frank went over to Evans this morning with the plow shear to have it sharpened and Dad. plowed while he was gone. When he came back he plowed and Dad. and I stretched the wire along the posts we put in yesterday. We just had John Wess little wire stretchers and had to pull to each post as we went along so didn't get it very tight. While we were at it a fellow came in and introduced himself as Mr. Ferguson and said he had our application for a drainage survey and had come to do it. So we went out with him before dinner. This after noon he and I did the job. We staked out the runways first and then he took the levels. He will send us a blueprint when he gets back to the O.A.C. The holes at the north end of the field will drain easily into the gully but we couldn't drain the ones this way without making an eight or ten feet https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5d02572e8a455d3a0b8721a28f3b0160.pdf 052eb53e0a357426fdd5459fa5af441c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday May 21st I was up at five o'clock this morning for a change but didn't get much done. About nine o'clock I drove Mr. Ferguson up to young Bobbie Leith's which was his next job and when I got home went over to Mrs. Battersbys and got some rhubarb and some flag roots, which I set out this after noon. I didn't do much but putter around this after noon one job being to get the hop poles put up. Dad. set out about a hundred cabbage plants this after noon and nearly froze as there was a cold rain. Frank set thirty three duck eggs in the little incubator to-day. I read "Beltane the Smith" till about one o'clock to-night. It has been cold with an east wind all day and steady rain all the after noon & to-night. Tuesday May 22nd Old Mr. Miller came after Dad. to-day before breakfast as his cow was sick so Dad. went up after breakfast. Just as he was going out of the lane George Duncan met him as he had a mare in trouble so Dad. was gone till noon. Frank and I made a cement post. Frank Ryerse was in to tell us the Government traction plow was at his place and to ask us if we wanted any plowing done but we are afraid our ground is too wet. This after noon we moved the three cement posts we had made out of the drive house and Frank and Dad. cut up some apple https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/290fbe102bcebafab7f6cd232838bc35.pdf af7dbb7adda9b2a01a11d183d034bb3c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. town I ran across Harry Moon trying to put in a block of the pavement over his tile drain so I helped him till dark, then I met Bab. going up to Ben Ivey's with a telephone message so went up with her and then went down to Aunty's for awhile. It has been a miserable day. Cold, cloudy and drizzly also windy Thursday May 24th {Sketch of a Union Jack flag} It has been a rotten day. Cold windy and drizzling rain most of the time. We puttered around all morning. Frank started to clean out the shop and I took some eggs over to Jack Martin and he paid me Dad. has been digging ditches all day and feels about as blue as a sick fish over the weather. Right after dinner Frank and I made another cement post and then I went down to Miss Martin's to get my hollyhocks, she gave a baket full of stuff, besides hollyhocks were asters, snapdragons, nicotina and a few seedling dahlias. I set most of them out when I got home I stopped in at Aunty's for a few minutes on my way home. Although there were a few fishers went down the road to-day according to the annual custom, they were very few and the old creek was not bristling with fish poles from Art. Ryerse's to Coleman's point as it would have been if it had been a sunny day as it generally is. Hollie's ad. in the "Maple Leaf" is changed again. It is now "Wanted - Boys under 81 to make themselves generally useless about the fish house" https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a45c41c69675f5490b87a7341b9f3c16.pdf 9a4ba95108ac34b8ca7249a69670a5ce PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. out to the plum orchard. Dad. then drove Enah and the baby down town and got back about six while Frank and I planted a few onion sets and a few potatoes in the old garden besides making afew observations on the actions of an old bee who appeared to be blind in one eye and to weak to fly and on a pair of humming birds out in the current bushes in the old garden. Frank went down town after tea. Winnie and Olive Ward were over this after noon to tell me that Mrs. Smythe had invited Aunty <s>herself</s> Winnie and me out there to dinner to-morrow but I said I couldn't go so maybe Frank will go instead. It has been sunny and warm all day but rained a little to-night. Sunday May 27th Frank and I went down for Sunday school this morning but as it was after ten when we got to Main St. we went down to the lake instead and circled around in time for church Dad. Enah and the baby came down to church. Dad. expected to hear Mr. Browne preach but Mr. Johnson announced that he would preach to-night. It was raining when we got out of church so Frank Aunty and Win didn't go to the Smythe's as they had intended (They were going up on the radial) but Frank and Win stayed down at Aunty's to dinner. Dick was over here when we got home. Dad had to go out to Charlie Teiple's to see a colt this after noon and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6857e0fb6c19ed232682886d57b8eafc.pdf 38f7e2b496fadf5650356c71e6e8dbdc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday May 29th We started on the rest of the sheep this morning alone and the first one seemed too wet to shear. Dad let them all out for a few minutes last night and the first thing they did was to go across the ditch and it was too swollen for the planks to go over it so consequently a good many of them got in. However we caught a drier one and I had it nearly sheared when Art. came. I didn't make a very good job of it as I didn't have the knives tight enough. About eleven o'clock I went down town to get some coal oil and on up to the mill for flour and chicken feed. The hill down here at Preston's where they have put the big stones is so bad I had to go both ways by town and was so delayed that I didn't get home till after one. Billy Mills stopped me to ask about Ben Ivey's line fences as Jack is going to turn cattle back there in Ben's gully. Cawley stopped me to ask about the same thing Uncle Ward nailed me and I had to go down to Aunty's. Aunty Alice is going to Toronto in the morning. Art. left at eleven o'clock and we finished the sheep at four o'clock this after noon. I sheared the last one, so we all are pretty fair at the job now. Counting the tags we had 195 lbs of wool taking the aggregate of the individual fleece weighs according to the spring scales. To-night I went down to Aunty Alice's with some eggs and cream for Roy. Raining this morning but cleared off with fine day, warmer. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e3f0f5e90e9362f1a760a3d31f294be3.pdf 8ae9bc54bb80cb3e8f0192b6f47b66f9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. business and how Ansley through mismanagement was losing thousands of dollars, for Frank contended that it was just as easy to make money as it was to lose it. He also informed us that Ansley was the best man to work for that ever lived. To-night I went down to church and went up to Huby's for awhile. I telephoned Ham Thompson from there to see if the car for the wool was at the L.E. & N. siding and he said it was but that he hadn't been able to get Neff all day to find out for sure if we should ship to-morrow. Edmond England wants to ship with us but hasn't sheared yet and he thought it wouldn't matter for a day or two. I came home around by the L.E. & N. station but the agent had left so I didn't find out any more. It has been hot and sultry Looks very rainy Thursday May 31st Frank went down this morning to tell Art. Ryerse that the car was there to ship the wool and while he was gone Dad. and I sewed up the wool sack and put the tags on it. Young Jack Maxwell came over to get Dad. to go over to <s>John</s> Robert John's to look after a cow. He said he had been working over there all Spring and that poor old Robert John is just about dead. Art. & Lloyd came back with Frank with their wool and scales and they weighed our wool and took it down to the car. Frank and I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f05c7471148063bc3803113d9c176428.pdf 83262e9357c7bebafe825ff2b306e189 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. did not break under the jaw. Dad. calls it bastard strangles. We stayed long enough for him to have a good look at Queen as the object of our trip was partly to try to sell her. We went from there on down to Jimmy Horn's and took them the pedigree for the ram they got last fall. We were there about an hour as Dad. wanted to have a talk to the old man. While we were gone Frank went down to Art. Ryerse's and paid him for the freight on the wool as Art lent us the money yesterday. He also made a bee hive out of a nail keg to put up in the gully to see if he can catch another swarm and he put the supers on his two hives up here and got stung once. This after noon we made another post but didn't get much else done Dad. did some plastering in the kitchen Enah is house cleaning. To-night I went down town to see Marj. for a little while. Roy came to-night on the seven o'clock car from Simcoe, he was up there on business and will stay here till Sunday night any way. Aunty Alice with Vernon and Rebecca came up on the early Grand Trunk train and got here soon after Roy. Warm & breezy. Saturday June 2nd Dad. and the baby drove down town this morning and were down all day. Dad. has been promising Aunty to go down for a long time to fix up her bay window bed and trim the walk https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/326c9ec42c842666d3706e96fcfda173.pdf 7559d9c675ffc2e164560ee7848c820d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Dick and Dess came over to see the little pigs. Not long after that Dad. Enah and the baby drove home and Aunty and Roy came over to tea Rebecca having come with Dad. Dick and Dess didn't stay long. To-night I went down town but none of us went to church to-night. I went up to Miss. Martin's where I found Marj. & Mr. & Mrs. McQueen. They had been in Grimsby all day and had come back on the seven o'clock car. They had intended going down with Jack Walker but it was such a nasty morning Jack didn't go so they went by radial and had a fine after noon. They went down principally to see peach blossoms but they weren't out yet and the cherry & apples were gone but they had a good time. I stopped in at Auntys for an hour or so on my way home. Rainy & very windy this morning but lovely by evening. Monday June 4th After I did chores this morning I planted out some gladioli and some mignonette & Hollyhock seed. Aunty gave me the seeds and the hollyhocks were grown at Mt. Vernon and supposed to be some thing extra. Bert Thompson came over with a yearling heifer which he turned out here to pasture. I put in the rest of the day spudding thistles in the oats. Frank was down town getting Joe shod this morning and when he came back he cultivated mangels with the "Buko" as Aunty Alice calls the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/88b3b565ee32d1861b6e89e625576603.pdf 5e683ac978fc3ef6396d7ac66b5dad7f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. much higher. Frank and I made a cement post this morning and Dad. did some more work at the culvert in the lane before the rain. This after noon Dad. and Frank fixed up the wire fence around the barnyard and put a barbed wire on the top of it and through the middle of it. I spent the after noon hunting up data in my diarys where with to make a herd record. About five I went back to the gully after the cows but I only got the three we milk and the calves. Daisy May was up having had a red bull calf this morning. They took Jack Martin's young stock back to Ben Ivey's gully this after noon and as they were right down with our cattle along the lane fence Dad. was afraid our cattle would break through our old barbed wire so I went back again to get the rest of them. I had an old rubber coat on but I got soaked as I was back in part of the heavy storm. Thursday June 7th Frank, Enah, the baby and I went down town this morning in the waggon this morning, we took our lumber for the harness cupboard doors back down to Emery to change it for stuff that would not waste but Emery told Frank that for making doors with matched lumber it didn't matter about short pieces being put in without any thing to nail to as long as they weren't https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b71e1ae5f68c3febaa4c4de5eb026c98.pdf ba14073b9dc6712f6eae321fd09560dc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday June 9th Frank and I went down to Aunty's as soon as we could get started this morning and got the grass that old Reed cut out in front on the road and we cut a lot more and brought it home in the waggon box for the horses. It was after eleven when we got home so I started to cut the lawn and finished it after dinner Frank helped Dad. (who has been working at the mudhole in the lane all day) till I got through with the lawn and then he and I went back and stretched a barbed wire along John Wess' line from the wheat to within a panel and a half of the little block of woods. We then came up and went over to the stump for a swim. It was the first of the season for us and I found the water pretty cold, so didn't stay in long. Dad. had a bad headache and felt sick just before tea to-night. Frank went down town to-night. It has been a very hot and sultry day. Sunday June 10th Frank and I started out for Sunday school but Frank saw Ben Ivey and wanted to see him so by the time he left there we were too late. We picked Dick up at the bank and we all three went to church and got nicely settled in the back seat when Aunty Alice came in and made us go up to the front. After church Mrs. Johnson invited me over there to dinner with Marj. and some young Omstead who is a Hamilton https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0552c230af1e6c94f4d1c1ec0ae934c7.pdf 70922bee8933a3232cad2b24c627ff9d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Alice and came back after dinner. Enah and the baby went down with him and he left them at Mrs. Woodson's on his way back as she arrived here Saturday. I spudded thistles in the peas this morning, there are not many of them but they are in one or two patches through the field. Dad. ditched and went back to see if Ivey's line fence in the gully was alright. He went out and gathered up the coils of barbed wire along the road and as Tom was just coming back with the cream can while he was out there he brought them up for him. Dad. and I had our lunch alone and after in we went back with a couple of coils of barbed wire and finished stretching it on John Wess' line, we also put in a post along the fence between the wheat and pasture field Dad. turned the cattle in on that field this morning. It was about half past four when we got back to the house but as Frank was home and had things ready he and I made another post. Ham Thompson was in to-night to get some lime sulphur and told me he wanted to spray to-morrow. Fine and hot to-day. Tuesday June 12th I went up to Ham's about half past seven this morning and was up there till the middle of the after noon and we got all over the orchard both sides The wind wasn't very strong but we didn't make https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3867081ae244f76c095711dc801dfbcd.pdf 542f3c62a7e29df2b377347a24bff44d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday June 13th We sprayed what we could of the orchard this morning and as it was rather late when we got every thing ready we didn't finish till nearly noon. The wind was a little too strong to go all around the tree but we got most of the blossoms I think but if it changes in a day or two we will go over them again. This after noon Dad. had to go up to George Duncan's raising and he got back in as I was finishing milking. Frank and I spent most of the after noon fixing Jack Martin's and Ben Ivey's fence along the road so that the lambs couldn't get in. We fixed their's instead of our own so that the lambs can pasture on the road. We drove in a lot of stakes and stapled the bottom wire of the fence to the stakes and also banked sod up in several places so that the little fellows can't push under. When we got through we went through the mangels with Belle and the cultivator and also took it out to the old garden but there wasn't much stuff up enough out there to do anything. Jonas was in to-night and got a setting of eggs. Very hot day. Thunder storm to-night. Thursday June 14th Frank and I cut a bushel of seed potatoes this morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/76444e09608d2f436d45ac39322de401.pdf c48e7597a0f81c3c3d7cc50a092f7533 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. didn't try to come up it but went home around by town and it was after twelve when we got home. We didn't do much else this after noon but set out 100 tomato plants which took just about all there were in the cold frame. I went down town to-night and after going up to see Marj. for a little while I went down to Aunty's where there was a little party going on in honor of Mr. & Mrs. Gordon who are here at Mrs. Skey's. It has been cold again to-day and cloudy this after noon. Looks rainy Saturday June 16th Frank has been over at Ben's all day helping him get his tomato plants out. He has had two or three men from the greenhouse and Bob. Leitch's team in the fore noon but didn't get them quite all out He had to work the land up as he went along. I drove Enah down town to get some provisions, right after breakfast and when we got back I went through the mangels with the Buko. up close to the row's. I got them all done by noon. This after noon I cut all the lawn and took some eggs over to Jack Dad. spent the day hoeing his potatoes and working in his garden back of the old barn. George Clark and Booze were over with Barwell's dog this after noon he got run over yesterday and is in pretty bad shape but Dad. told him he might pull through. Frank went down town to-night. It has been another cold day but a little more sun. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/206266d6405caf8d2c51e2d323706940.pdf e0ca53bf882e4b10eaf97f6d614b471d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and although the storms all went over or around us we got just enough of them to drive us in but not to wet much We were entertained for about half an hour right after breakfast by Jack Robinson who came in to get a long tooth of his mare's filed down. He was giving us glowing accounts of the time he had in Saskatchewan last summer on "the boy's" ranch. When he left we all went out to the old garden to work at least all the rest but me and I started in to Bako the alfalfa but the rain drove us in and we didn't do much else but putter around before dinner. This after noon we tried it again but with the same results however we did get quite a little bit done. After tea Dad. and I hooked Queen up to the cart and I drove her down town and around the block, she went fine. While we were hooking her up she backed up and one wheel of the cart took the corner off our last cement post. It wasn't a very good one anyway and it was the thirteenth post made Tuesday June 19th I have been "Bukoing" alfalfa all day but am only about half way over the plot. The ground is pretty hard and the alfalfa very small so it is quite a job. Frank and Dad. finished hoeing the potatoes this morning and this after noon cultivated every thing they could with Belle. Frank half soled a pair of his boots before tea. It has been sunny and hot all day and a thunder storm to-night but not much rain https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5cc4b2cd145df25160b9f4d3a10d1d98.pdf dde496f91c7214da18ff7bdb6b72d374 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. This after noon we started to haul manure on the corn ground but owing to delays only got out three loads. Frank did the driving and had Belle for third horse and as she hasn't been doing any thing lately was balky and caused a lot of trouble. Then Billy Mills was in for a long time. He brought our disks back and borrowed our corn marker. I didn't help Dad. and Frank much but hoed in my alfalfa most of the after noon. To-night Dad. & Enah went down to a party at Aunty Alice's and Frank and I watched Tid. They were very late getting started as they had to wait till he went to sleep and as he had slept all the after noon he was in no hurry about it. Frank went in and lay on the bed beside him and I read all I could find in the "Globe" on the conscription debate and then went to sleep in the chair. Sunny but cool breeze. Thursday June 21st Dad. and Frank have hauled manure all day and I have hoed alfalfa. The ground is very hard in spots which makes it a slow and tedious job but the hoe does much better work now that the Buko, in fact the latter wouldn't work at all in some of the hard spots. We let the sheep in for about an hour to-day at noon on the oats in the plum orchard. One of the old turkey hens has reappeared and has been wandering about the yard here for the last two days. We don't know https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f613ff00a0e28a5acd3c2176b1f81c9c.pdf b86ae02bfe625789bcae92f3e304aa74 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday June 23rd Dad. and Frank hauled manure this morning but didn't get so many out as they were cleaning out the box stall. The last load they put around the tomato plants in the old garden. I cut lawn till about eleven and then went and helped them get the hay out of the lane that Frank cut the other day. Just before dinner it commenced to rain and kept it up pretty much all the after noon. It was a nice gentle rain and will do a lot of good as the ground was getting pretty well baked after the heavy rains of a week ago. Frank and I made another post this after noon but didn't do much else and Dad. chored around. Frank and I went down town to-night and I got my hair cut. I took some eggs over to Jack. Sunday June 24th By the time Frank and I got chores done and got through monkeying around among other things looking at the marten's nests in the bird house, (there are three of them) it was too late to go to Sunday school but we went down to church. Dick and Aunty came over to dinner. Dick and Frank went down soon after dinner and Dad. drove Aunty down about four. Enah and I had a piano and horn concert and I went down to Aunty's to tea. Aunty Alice and I went to church to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b0e8f9ec158981073fedfc0f62ba448e.pdf 1094832c3e825783196dc207f9cf0577 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and then it was most decidely wet as we had a very heavy thunder storm and it was rainy and sunny by turns all day. Frank and I didn't know whether to go down and get a load of slabs an run chances of getting wet or whether to stay home and make a post so we wound up by doing neither. Charlie Shand was in to tell us they were going to do road work next week, he had to go on over to Martin's, Quanbury's and Fleming's so I rode around with him and asked Jack Martin if I could ship my eggs with his and he said I could. I went down town to-night and had some strawberries at Miss Martin's. Wednesday June 27th Frank and I hauled two loads of slabs to-day one this morning and one this after noon, they were really only half loads as Hawey was charging two dollars a load and we thought we couldn't haul a big enough load for a whole one. When we came back this after noon we made another post. Kathleen Millman and her two friends Eva Williams or {Tow?} and Miss Kirtland were over this morning, they are here for a week staying at the Moon's. Dad. was up at Ham. Thompson's all morning with Daisy May looking at Hams. crops and stock. Dad. says he thinks he has a good crop of peas but they are not a patch on our Market. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c3f5ee24cbf5ecf3052f2579e38667db.pdf b0fb22a4e876d12be64ebea32d3e69bd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday June 29th I woke up about four this morning and heard the water running in on the kitchen floor like the water out of a spout so got up and put a pan under it and banged my eye on the door while I was at it. About six Dad. came and called Frank to go after the cows, he had been back to the end of the lane but the gully was flooded so he didn't go down. Frank put on part of a bathing suit and got them he had to wade in water up to his waist. It must have been a terrific rain but it cleared up early and has been windy and sunny all day and by to-night is pretty well dried off. Dad. Enah and the baby went down town this morning and have been gone all day. Dad was going up to see Mrs. Miller to see if he could sell John, Old Miller was down to-night but didn't say what he thought about her. Frank and I made a post this morning and this after noon after spudding the thistles in the oats on the knoll by the old well, we went back to look at the ginseng and Golden Seal. The old ginseng root was dead but Frank located three seedlings. His Golden Seal looks fine. The wheat is just coming in head and looks pretty tough some of it is no good at all, but the hay has picked up quite a lot. I went down to tea at Aunty's to-night and went down to the station to help Marj. meet Glad Law, but she didn't come. We saw the three girls down there https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/63002af8ee59952a74465a5a7f096f3f.pdf cc10a6f3a397bdcb5feb6125e75346e1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday July 1st It rained very hard again during the night and has been raining pretty much all day but cleared up enough for us all to get to church. As this is Canada's fiftieth birthday Mr. Johnson had a sermon or at least a compilation of historical facts and statistical figures supposed to be suitable to the occasion but as some of them were incorrect and the rest uninteresting no one seemed to appreciate it as being the proper celebration of the jubilee Dominion day. Dad. Enah and Tim. stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and Frank, Dick and I had dinner alone. Frank and Dick drove down right after dinner but I stayed home all the after noon. Dad. drove home about five and about six Ade. brought Enah, Frank and the baby home in the car. Ade stayed here to tea and took Frank & me back down town in the car. The road was in pretty bad shape for it. I went for a little walk with Marj. & Glad Law and then went down to Auntys and talked to Mr. & Mrs. Millman till bedtime. Nita. and Gwen. Canfield came in for a few minutes but except for passing them on the pier I didn't see any of the rest of the bunch. Dick came down before I left for a few minutes & Frank was with the crowd all the evening & didn't get home till after twelve. Warm after the rain but clearer to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6050c485d9adb06ebd3a02aac5e2d5b5.pdf 9cbbae02b0dea8c637c8d296eb8cda90 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. hardly any live ticks. We caught the old ram and Dad while examining him found some puss on his bag and after working it awhile got about a 1/2 cup full of matter out of it. We are afraid he may not be any good another year. When we got through with the sheep we hooked Queen up and Frank and I drove her around the block I went down to the "sheep pasture" for awhile to-night. Fine day. Old Mr. & Mrs. Miller were in to-night to look at John. Mrs. Miller would have bought her but the old man wanted to come down again and try milking her. Tupper was in for a few minutes, he has Fred Misner's cattle shut up in his stable, they have been running on the road lately and getting into everyone's crops, they were in our oats to-day. Tupper took them to pound the other day up to Jim. Waddle's but Jim said he was never sworn in poundkeeper so wouldn't accept them Tuesday July 3rd We three and the team have been doing road work all day to-day. They are on the side road between the top of the hill and our corner cleaning and scraping the ditches and piling it in the centre of the road. They expect the road machine to finish the job. It is making an awful mess of the road at present but will probably be good for it in the end. I went down town to-night and went up to see Huby. Fine and cool. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d37c24f09b75f7de52b0ab1196739dda.pdf 27acd0f800bbd1116414b46c6bb0d3d1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. manure on in with corn and the rest of the piece with buckwheat. We won't expect any corn off it of course but will get some good fodder if all's well. Dad. and I took John up to the Miller's this morning and then Dad. took Enah down town and I thinned a few mangles before dinner. This after noon Dad. and I cultivated the mangels and potatoes and hoed some more. Dick and Dess came over about five and were here all the evening. It has been fine, sunny & not too hot. Friday July 6th Frank has been plowing all day and Dad. and I have been hoeing potatoes. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over to-night for a little while with all tney could carry of the where with all to celebrate Dad's birthday to-morrow Dad. drove them home. Lila was over for a few minutes, the results of the H.S. exams were in the "Maple Leaf" to-day and her name headed the list and she took honors. Still fine and not hot. Saturday July 7th I went down to the mill first thing this morning and got a supply of chicken feed. I was staggered when Ross Smith told me my account down there was over $130. after all that I have paid them was taken off. When I got home I took a couple https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/27cdc811ce2610d13cf8c39e94086442.pdf c2593724b808af0ab54f3a988da4b88f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I went to sleep on the sofa soon after tea and some time before midnight was sufficiently aroused by<s>t</s> a clap of thunder to stagger off to bed being aware at the time of a stream of water coming through the kitchen ceiling into a pan that had been put under it early in the evening. About two o'clock my dreams were again broken by hearing Dad. & Enah bailing out the kitchen. Dad. informed me that the storm was terrible and with that comforting knowledge I continued to slumber peacefully till about seven, when I got up donned a bathing suit and went after the cows. There was not as much water in the gully as I expected although it had been high but had run off. Frank got home just as I got out. We did up the chores and Frank and I went down to church Dad. drove us to the sidewalk. Dad and Enah & Tid drove down to Aunty Alice's for dinner, we went down there after church intending to take Joe home but as they didn't get down till just dinner time we stayed and went home after dinner and did up the chores. We were to have been down again at five but by the time we got thing's done it was six when we got down and Dad. Enah & Tim were having tea down there They went home as soon as they had tea and Frank and I had ours then went to church with Aunty & Aunty Alice. After church I went up to see Marj. I didn't know she was https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2ceac8b2fa3d1544d5bd17ce5a8026ba.pdf 1b88a4aa0aa553ab2cd934dbeb42436c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday July 10th Frank and I went down town this morning with Joe and Belle in the waggon I took the three crates of old hens over to Jack and got $32.86 for them not a dollar apiece. We went on down town as Frank had to take his bank book to the Post Office to be fixed up. Granddaddy sent it to him Monday and he found he had thirty dollars in the Post Office savings bank that he didn't know any thing about. Granddaddy had opened the account long ago and the other day had intended to draw it out and invest it in a war bond for Frank but found Frank had to draw it himself so sent the book to him and asked him to buy a war bond, so I guess he will. We got some grass when we got home that Dad. had cut. He told us some young Andrews from Renton had been in while we were gone to ask about a ram lamb. This after noon Dad. & Enah drove out to Trinder's to get a case of strawberries but they didn't get them. I went over to Jack's and settled up with him he gave me a check for $37.93 Then Frank and I made another post. To-night I went down to see Marj. Glad. Law and the two Walker girls were there. Marj. has been having an awful time with her throat but it is better to-night. Essie informed me the relapse was due to the talking she did Sunday night while I was there, but Marj. said it was from being out on Sunday. I went https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/12678e96b5a0321a0014d02528dc6bb8.pdf 1c3e66842267c3367dd84e32bdfffa14 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday July 12th I hung around for about an hour this morning waiting for Enah to get ready to go down town then I drove her with the baby down and they have been down all day. I came home with some two inch nails to finish making the lamb creep. The town appeared to be full of Orangemen this morning and they were to say the least a "seedy" looking crowd. They didn't "walk" till this after noon but they were all bedecked with their gorgeous orange & blue collars and badges which did not accord well with the rest of their apparel which was in most cases faded, baggy and soiled. They all looked to be of the same tribe from the old men who shambled around the streets in bunches and looked as if they were regretting the days when the 12th of July was celebrated in a wet Ontario to the young bucks, who in the first flush of their pride in their membership of the Orange Lodge betrayed by their appearance that their idea of legitimate happiness was to prance around the streets on a gala day arrayed in their Sunday clothes and to smoke cigars or eat ice cream cones & popcorn with their best girls. Of course there were mothers & children intersperced through the crowd all no doubt imbued with the same spirit of patriotism and religion which inspired their fathers, husbands and elder brothers. Right after dinner https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ebe79f2e6a64e572df3b7461aa71cee3.pdf 18962e7fcac1099d2b73e9ac5b2930e8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. her. Lila was over for a few minutes but didn't stay long. To-night Frank and I walked down town. I met Marj. up town and she and I went down to Mrs. Perry's to say good-bye to her but she wasn't home so we went down to Aunty's. Aunty & Aunt Ida were over Brant Hill but Aunty Alice was home. Marj. says her throat is much better and intends to leave for Toronto in the morning Friday July 13th Frank went over to pick strawberries this morning but about ten o'clock Enah saw his bees swarming so I went over to tell him, he said first he would let them go till noon and then try to find the queen and kill<s>e</s> her so that they would all go back to the hive but when I got home they had settled in two clusters and Dad. was very much afraid they would leave so I went back again to get Frank. Dad. thought he had better hive them as the season is late and they ought to do well from now on. However he hadn't any thing ready and at noon the Quanbury's came in after a piece of ice and Art told him to hive both bunches separately as there would be a queen in each, it was what he called a swarm and an afterswarm. He hadn't enough frames for both hives so he took some out of the super of the old hive. When he got things ready he put one of my chicken house cotton-frames down under the cluster and the hive on it and then cut the branch off that they were clustered https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c2b4837e66a20f06f2330c47d66d4888.pdf abe322f68e688c7ab96c298bb6eda933 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. dinner. Dad. was out digging ditches around his potatoes to drain the water off and Frank had put a handle in the round point shovel. This after noon Frank went down town to get some supplies for his beehives, he came back about four and got dressed up and went down again <s>till</s> tea tea and was down all evening He wanted to get down before the Post Office closed so that he could get his check for the savings account and buy a $25.00 war bond. Dad. and I sat around reading for quite awhile after dinner and then took Joe and Belle & the waggon and went and got the grass that Dad. cut in the corner field the other day. When we came in I finished cutting the lawn. To-night Dad. Enah & the baby drove down town to get some supplies. Sunny & hot after noon Sunday July 15th Frank and I walked down to church this morning and Aunty & Dick came back with us to dinner. Lloyd Ryerse came in driving right after dinner and he and Frank drove out to the England's. Dick rode with them as far as the corner but was back in about five minutes in the Millman's car with Ade, Kathleen, Paddy, Skinny and {Gwen?} Canfield. The four of them came up from Toronto last night without sending any word and went to the dance. Ade evidently left early and went down to Aunty's intending to get lodging there for the night but they had gone to bed so he slept https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1e196711daffedcb6cc90de6f817191c.pdf e6d77a7dad437e128534037de7f775ef PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. in the latters car. They brought Boy over, stone dead and wanted Dad. to see if he could tell what killed him. Huby said he was with him down at Hobbe's boat about a quarter after seven and that was the last he saw him till about a quarter to eight where he found him dead, so he must have died quickly and there was no sign of struggle nor he was not stretched out with his head back like they are when they get strychine neither was there any indication of a blow or that he had been shot; so Dad. couldn't tell what he had got. Huby brought an old sandwich over which he found near him but Dad. didn't think that had anything to do with it. It is too bad as Huby just had him nicely trained and said he wouldn't take a hundred dollars for him. We did all we could in Simcoe (but couldn't get any rock salt nor queen excluders) and got back about two o'clock. We didn't do much after we had our dinner but I blocked up all the holes I could find in the old chicken yard and this after noon & to-night caught about two dozen of the biggest cockrels and shut them in there. Dad. says Hec. Henderson was over to-day as one of the committee they have in town to help the farmers out and urge them to grow more wheat next year Dad. told him we could get on all right and would put in (number obscured} acres of wheat if the weather would let us. Fine but looked rainy {word obscured} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5d8d32c275dc6567d2c4fb870ad6cba9.pdf deeef7c877b3b9b3d85a33deb5109412 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday July 18th Frank and I made the other door for the harness cupboard this morning but didn't get them put on. I then hooked up Belle and Queen to the waggon and Frank and I went down to the mill and got a bag of mixed chop to crate fatten chickens. We went out and got the waggon box full of grass when we got home. We got Ben Ivey's cultivator as we went past and this after noon Dad and I cultivated the mangels except the far edge where it was too wet and we also went through the potatoes in the old garden. We took Ben's cultivator as it is a straight toothed one and goes throw the earth with out throwing it at all as ours does. When we got through with that Frank and I hoed potatoes till six and Dad. paris-greened a lot of them. To-night Dad and Enah went down town to get some provisions and Lloyd Ryerse came up to see Frank so I went with them back to Ben's cherry orchard where we tested a good many of the trees but didn't find any real sweet cherries but a good many real sour ones. When we got back I picked out most of the biggest cockrels I could find and put 14 in the fattening crate. Fine & clear to-day. Thursday July 19th Frank has been plowing all day on the side hill next the woods. Dad. w<s>h</s>ent the first round with him and then came https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/db219e7b99fe2dd26b5d76e448df9eba.pdf 531c33caafb5900db90b5ca4e0da0bc4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday July 21st Dad. plowed all morning and Frank and I hoed and cultivated potatoes. Right after dinner Dad. went back to the gully to bring up Maple Hill Nellie as he noticed this morning that she was going to calve soon. He had hardly got back there when Whit Dixon came over after the steer, so I went back to get him and Dad. and I brought all the cattle up and left Maple Hill Nellie all alone as she was to far gone to move. We got the steer loaded with out much trouble and then went back to Nellie she had moved from up in the curve in the bottom of the hills opposite the mound to way down in the lower half of the gully and calved while we were back there with her. Dad. helped a little. It was a dandy big red and white heifer. We left it back there all night as Nellie is very nervous. Frank raked up the hay this after noon and then came up here to put some more frames in his beehives. Dad. and I when we got through admiring the calf cocked hay till six and then we all three <s>came</s> went after tea and finished cocking just as it got too dark to see. Frank and I went down town to-night and I got my hair cut and about eleven o'clock went down to the swimming hole at the dam with, Carl Coleman, {Kindree?}, Clare Deal, Woodyer and Frank and had a good swim. The I.O.D.E. had a masquerade dance in the pavilion to-night Frank went over to watch it for awhile. Fine and hot all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e2e79a30cb83a4e1697bd96a27555dab.pdf 2c7a218be0d5dd6c6342d7b6d66de408 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. operate with them in taking off the pea crop. Charlie {put?} his team on our mower and mowed the piece east of the ditch while the other four of us followed the mower and kept the swath out of his way and bunched it. He got that piece down about nine o'clock and then we loaded up both our rack and theirs and Charlie & Frank took them down We hooked up Joe & Belle to the mower when they left and I started to cut the other side of the ditch while Dad. and Art. kept it out of my road. I didn't finish till after dinner, Frank and Charlie took all that was left down in two more loads but Charlie had about two tons on, he put all he could on to draw out of the field and then finished the load with what he could draw in a couple of waggon loads. When they went down with the two last loads Dad. Art. and I hooked to the waggon and went out and started to cut Charlie's. I cut till about five when the boys came back with the waggons but Charlie said they were filling up down at the factory so they couldn't haul any down to-night. We put the big team on the mower and Dad. went home with the little team and the waggon. The rest of us stayed till nearly half past six but as there was about an hour's cutting yet, we quit and Frank Art and I went home. Charlie stayed to monkey with his bees https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/67bae3e89aae1d4cf364fff123160383.pdf c2f16df979f441788da554fd198ea934 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday July 25th Dad. plowed all morning and I finished cutting the five-acre field east of the lane and went about two rounds on the ten-acre corner field. Frank turned out the cocks in the five acre field as they were pretty wet in the bottom. He then hoed till noon. This after noon the Quanbury's brought our rack back and took their own and Dad. and I hauled in a couple of small loads with Joe & Belle and put them off with the hay fork in the big barn. We couldn't haul big loads as it was too soft in front of the barn doors. Frank cut with the big team in the corner field but was bothered a lot with the mower. He will have to go to Simcoe and get a new boxing for the pitman rod as the old one has cut out so there is too much play. Art. & Charlie were in to-night to tell us Art's peas will be ready to cut to-morrow. Hot but breezy Thursday July 26th We put in a great night last night trying vainly to sleep. I didn't undress completely but just flopped on the bed and when Frank came home from town he woke me up. Dad was running around trying to get cool and I was about melted so went and lay on the front step for awhile. Frank tried the hammok and Dad. the sofa in the hall. They eventually did go to sleep but https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/94f22470caf9c44a3a4754f4454c9eb2.pdf 388c58e36bd4bc285e0ac8834e7b567a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. chased his bees till they lit on the willow in Pickford's gully and then he came back and got his outfit and went out on his bicycle and hived them. To-night I went down to see Mr. Browne and it was twelve o'clock when I got home. Hot but nice breeze Friday July 27th Frank went to Simcoe this morning by the seven o'clock car and got a new boxing for the mower and came back at nine. Dad. and I were out at Art's all morning and we got the east side hill off. We took it in two loads by hauling small jags off the hills with the little rack and piling them on the big rack which was at the top of the west hill on the level and then evening up the loads afterwards. It was nearly one when we got home so we left the big rack in front of our lane till after dinner and Frank took it down to the factory. When he got back he cut a few more rounds with the mower which worked better but the first round the new boxing got very hot. Frank thinks the knives need sharpening. Dad. and I cocked up all the after noon and got all that was raked cocked up. Cooler to-day. Big rain out north yesterday Saturday July 28th Frank and I sharpened the mower knives this morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a0178150fb7d7d5eac22614c1bba4a2f.pdf 9066e88ca564f7f2290be88b68ebb367 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We all lay around all the after noon out on the lawn and let out tongues {lap?} out as it was terribly hot in spite of the fact that there was a good breeze. About five o'clock Aunty, Walter, Elsie and Dick started to walk down town as they wanted to stop in at Mrs. Battersby's and Mrs. Woodson's on their way. We had tea as soon as they left and did chores. Enah put the baby to sleep and she and Dad drove down to church, Frank and I stayed home & slept. Monday July 30th Frank mowed in the corner field all morning and for an hour or two after dinner but his knives got so dull he had to stop so he went down town and got a carborundum stone as well as some other things and came back and sharpened up his knives and raked up all that was fit He went out after tea as it was moon light and finished cutting. Dad. cultivated his potatoes in the old garden and put paris green on them. He had to go back after dinner to finish the job. I cut lawn most of the morning. It was an awful job as it has got too long and it was suffocatingly hot I nearly got bushed two or three times, however I got all over it but in some places it looks more as if it had been chewed off by a horse with only two teeth than as if it https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/000889f1937341be3900b2c04315bdf0.pdf d14ff0edc6638ac9e50c8d4aad0d62e5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. this after noon, as we expect to haul peas again to-morrow {Name?} was over to-night and says they are so rushed down there he would like us to just haul half of them to-morrow and the others the next day. Dad. and I mowed away a lot of the hay this morning while Frank was raking and Dad. dug some post holes along by his potatoes as we want to let the sheep in on the pea stubble as soon as we get the peas off so will have to fence in the potatoes. To-night Dad. and I drove Queen down town and she went fine, we passed and were passed by automobiles at which she never looked, we drove up to Huby's and down to Aunty's and Dad settled up with Mr. Bagley. Wednesday August 1st Charlie and Art came over this morning and we cut half of the Market Garden Peas and Charlie and Frank each took a load down about eleven o'clock we won't take the rest down till to-morrow morning. Before dinner Dad. and I got the wire over from the orchard to put up along the potatoes. This after noon we hauled three loads of hay off the corner field. To-night Dad Enah and Tim drove out to the Shands. Frank went down town to get some cow spray and I went to bed, being very tired. Hot but breezy. Another big British & French drive has begun in Flanders. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/947cc8caa77ee64b7c0c4ef69c96acae.pdf b42ed1c0ebc35697d928d4a4e3f82d74 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday August 3rd Dad. and I hauled in all day but only got in five loads there is still half a load in the field. We didn't get out till rather late this morning as we had to bolt a piece on to the front ladder of the rack which is cracked. Frank cut till about four o'clock and then raked up what he cut this morning. He is cutting in the 8 acre feild between Ivey's line and the lane and just south of the gully. Quite cool all day nice to work Saturday August 4th Things have gone rather slowly to-day. We started put off the load that was on the barn floor this morning but the third lift one of the strands in the big rope cut right out and we had to quit. It is cutting on the spring in the car. Tom Cawley came over to borrow the binder as Jack's isn't working right and it was getting pretty late in the morning when he left. Dad. and I then went out and cocked up most of what Frank raked last night. After dinner we went out and Dad. got Art Quanbury to come over and see if he could fix our car for us so that it wouldn't cut and Art cut the end off the spring, we didn't want to put it up in the barn again as we want the next lot of hay to go in the horse stable. We pitched the last lift that was on the waggon off by hand and Frank and I went https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2f45c7aa537f2679d03a02dd1a679e89.pdf c582105bab8a476c9ec120e7de684257 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Pencil sketch of a woodland scene} Drawn from Nature. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6f65cdb83623b70f73329f0da0f9e60c.pdf c9877b6db52cfb518b2cca8c6ff2a58f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday August 6th We all went out and cocked up this morning and finished the field by about eleven, we then came up and put the car up in the horse stable mow and Frank put a roller out of the old lawn mower on the outside of the barn just below the hole that the big rope goes out to keep it from scrubbing on the ends of the boards. This after noon we hauled in four loads but left the last one standing at the end of the horse stable. To-night Frank and I took Queen around the block past John Wess's. Rained a very small shower last night and looked rainy this morning, but cleared. Tuesday August 7th We just got in three loads of hay this morning as the mow is getting full now and it takes time to get up to mow it. This after noon we got a load and a half of good hay and put it in the horse stable but the last load we got composed mostly of couch grass, so we hauled it in to the barn and left it to put in the bottom of the bay and {over?} rails to put the wheat on. We got through early and Dad and I took Queen around the block, we took the {obscured word} with us. It has been cloudy and cool all day and this after noon there was too much wind to load hay https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7478e9b4b15be7a91d6dc8b1cc24c1a9.pdf bf12675b7aaa32388636cf4e185738ea PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. after noon. Dad. cut my four wheat plots and the barley this after noon with Alfred's cradle, the emmer plot is not ripe yet. He bound them and shocked them up to I guess the barley was to short and thin to bind. I cut hay with Frank most of the after noon Cool and cloudy all day looked very much like rain. Thursday August 9th Frank and I cut with two teams all day and got all the grass cut between the oats and the plowing along the side road and I took Jack's mower home. Dad. gathered up my barley to-day and hoed in the old garden besides doing some other chores. Lila was over this after noon. Quite cool all day, tried to rain a little {obscured word} after dinner. It is two or three days since I wrote this so I forget. Frank started to rake the hay he cut first right after dinner but the rain stopped him so he only got about two rounds cut and then helped me mow till we finished the piece. Dad. cocked up all the after noon. Friday August 10th Aunty came over before seven this morning with Mr. {name obscured} and was here all morning but walked back with the baby about three o'clock. I raked hay all morning and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8163465dcd677abe0884b0f910025443.pdf 557e061a814ab9831bb7e8bf4108cbb6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. stop to look for the cause of the pounding in the {obscured word} which Cawley said he noticed the last after noon {he?} used it. They couldn't find it so Dad. went all the way up to John Wes's barn to ask him about it and he said he thought they would find it was the spring that holds the trip that was broken as his did the same last week. Sure enough that was the trouble so they {took?} the spring out of John's binder and it went alright but it kept them from getting any cut to speak of all morning. It went pretty well all the after noon and the only reason Frank didn't get more cut was owing to lack of speed on old Nellie's part. Sunny and warm to-day Saturday August 11th I took Joe down to Joe Howel's first thing this morning and had her shod but as he couldn't go at her for an hour or so it was about eleven o'clock when I got home. I spent most of the time down at Aunty's. I took Joe & Nellie as soon as I got home and went out and started to rake up the rest of the hay. Frank had Harry & Belle all day on the binder and finished cutting the wheat about seven o'clock. I raked hay all the after noon and finished the field about six. Dad. cocked up till about five https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/df4b71c5238300f8e674d5f94b8acead.pdf ad8b4116dca22e2982f45dfe31474d71 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. got down to the house Mr. & Mrs. Passmore were there. Frank came in just after they left and drove home with me. Fine & warm Monday August 13th We all three got out pretty early and started to cock the hay. It was very dark and about ten o'clock started to rain. It didn't rain hard and we worked for another hour but then had to stop as it was getting too {obscured word} Frank and Dad. mowed away the hay in the horse stable and then took Mary away before dinner while I pained letters on my chicken box. Frank and Dad. went back at the hay soon after dinner and worked all the after noon but didn't quite finish. I slew my twelve milk fed chickens and Enah picked the pin feathers out of them. I tried to stick {obscured word} in the brain but don't believe I hit the right spot with any of them so I hit them all a clip in the head with a club and that seemed to work just about as well, some of them tore pretty badly so I suppose I will be docked on that. We worked quite late to-night getting them all trimmed and put on the shaping board to cool. Dick was over to tea, he just got notice to-day to report in Winnipeg as soon as possible so is leaving here on Thursday. We hope it will be a good thing for him but hate to see him go https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6a0431e8845d61516dab2f1fc33964d3.pdf 5e29b64477b5a29df22c8f55206fdc93 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. getting so full. Frank went down to Sam's right after dinner and was down there all the after noon. Dad. & I got in two more jags and put them in the horse stable and Enah came out and told me when to trip. We threw one good big load and left it on the barn floor. To-night we all went down to Aunty's to see<s>d</s> Dick this being his last night here. Huby was there, raising cain and {making?}the baby wild. Win has gone into the bank to try it This was her first day. Frank and I rode down with Martin in his new car. Cloudy this morning but hot this {obscured word} Thursday August 16th Frank went over and borrowed Jack Martin's waggon this morning so that we could haul wheat with {obscured word} teams as it is so far back to go with one waggon. Dad. & I pitched of the load of hay by hand into the east end {obscured word} We thought we could do it quicker than changing the {obscured word}Enah and the baby went back with us and Enah picked berries while we were loading up. It was rather late when we got started so we just made one trip this morning and {we} couldn't take very big loads as the sheaves are pretty {obscured word} in the butts yet. Frank had the old team and Jack's {obscured word} wheeled waggon and when Dad. {illegible} the wheel before https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0004a7a00ec5208c0ce4edd64953da5b.pdf 5139eb1ce494bb15be4e131714c2b558 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We had to put very small ones on Pickford's waggon as the front axle was cracked and it is an old ramshackle affair anyway. Frank had to be very careful going downhill as there was a rivet in the bolster stake that caught under the rim of the front wheel. It was late when we got through and there are still three or four loads back there. Aunty was over this after noon for a few minutes with a card from Dick saying he had reached Roy's safely. Quite cold wind but fair to-day Saturday August 18th We pitched off the two loads of wheat that were on the barn floor first thing and Frank took Pickford's waggon home and Dad. and I hauled in with the big team and our own waggon. We thought there would only be two loads and that it would only take till about noon to get it but instead there were three big loads and seven shocks which we had to make another trip after all it was seven o'clock before we got them unloaded. Frank spent the day fixing the reel rods on the binder and mowing away the hay in the horse stable as we think we can get another load in there. Enah and Tid. were down town all the after noon and got home just as Dad. was about to start after them at dark. Not so cold to-day. Sunny https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8a7bd0ce335630be7fbe7ece15507c4e.pdf 4771b289e60d120cd8f9b5001f4f62cb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday August 21st Frank cut oats all day and finished the last of them to-night soon after six. Dad. and I hauled a small load of hay and put it in the horse stable and then got a good sized load and hauled it in on the barn floor and changed the car from the horse stable to the barn. We started to put the load off after dinner but the latch in the gate at the peak of the barn wasn't properly caught and and when the first lift went up it came down and bent so that I had to go up and take the whole gate down and let Dad. straighten it before we could go on. It took most of the after noon and we only got in one more load Frank didn't have quite enough of our own binder twine to finish so Dad. went over to borrow some from Billy Mills but he was just out and said Cawley had gone to the barn to hook up and go down and get some, so Dad. chased after Cawley but he had gone so I went over to Pickford's and was lucky enough to get a ball, his last one. Enah and the baby were down town this after noon. Aunty got a telegram from Dick yesterday saying he had been shipped on out to Cadillac Sask. {Saskatchewan}. We sent away the application for the lamb's registration to-day. Cool breezy & cloudy. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b872ba9528f2035d803fc26562f1f8b6.pdf 4371813baf0d3b0c5fee3bd194790bd9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. but cooled off and there was more breeze this after noon I didn't do much this morning but clean out the colony house and trim and train up my Dorothy Perkins rose which is growing so fast I can't keep up with it. It nearly covers the east end of the house now. Dad. and Frank shocked up a few oats but got soaked and as the ground was dry under the sheaves they left them This after noon being the day set for Boughner Picnic Dad. the baby and I drove down town and Frank walked down after he had looked through his bees and found there was no honey. Dad. had promised Tid. to take him fishing and he had been making all sorts of plans and building on it, but when they got down to Aunty's, Dad. suggested they go down and see "The City of Dover" come in, so we went down to the dock. Aunty and Frank came too and Dad. Frank and the baby went in to the fish shanty where they saw a big snapping turtle so that seemed to take the place of going fishing. Frank and I got a canoe and went for an hour's paddle up creek and didn't upset as we rather expected as neither of us knew much about it, Frank never having been in one before. Dad. & the baby went home but Frank and I stayed down at Auntys for tea and all the evening. We spent most of the time looking at copys of Fa's old letters and trying to find Cadillac on the map https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/79fdfc60406da6fb49b6b3d34962220a.pdf 6c914a8d16f3f0e74f6a2c32fd981c1e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the temperature and it was very strong and from the west I worked with a coat on all day and was not too warm. This morning we shocked up the rest of the oats which were still pretty wet except where the wind & sun had hit them. It was nearly eleven when we got through with them but we put off the load of hay that was on the barn floor and got a load in before dinner which was about one o'clock. This after noon we finished hauling the hay in three pretty good sized loads. The baby came out and rode in on the last load, the promise of which has kept him out of the field for the past week or two. Frank went down town to-night Sunday August 26th Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Frank walked down. Aunty Alice came over with us to dinner. She walked back soon after dinner and Dad. Enah and the baby went for a drive down the lake shore and wound up at Aunty's where they stayed to tea. I read, slept and wrote to Dick this after noon and Frank fixed his wheel and visited with Lloyd Ryerse most of the after noon and then went back to Ben Ivey's gully prospecting for butter nuts and sent the cows up. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fc75412a9250f574e5bcc9ea7e2462a6.pdf 2f93493f2ed1d0c5db62ddf231c2e45f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. barn roof and make a couple of hog troughs. We wanted to get slabs but he couldn't let us have any. When we got home I went down to the mill and got some rolled oats for the sheep. This after noon Dad. and I put the doors on the harness cupboard but couldn't finish as we found we only had enough screws for three hinges instead of four. Frank put wire in his bee hive frames. About five o'clock Dad. went down to the mill and paid Charlie Ivey part of his account as Neil Elliott was in yesterday morning and gave him a check for Bobbie but said not to bring her down for two weeks. Enah and I printed pictures to-night Wednesday August 29th It rained most of the morning and I didn't do any thing much but read and try to trim a couple of the ram lambs Enah's friend Mr. Hall walked over in the pouring rain this morning and stayed to dinner. It cleared up about {obscured word} and Pickford came over to see if we would help him thrash this after noon as Sam couldn't do any thing with Al Boughner's alsike stack and said he would thresh Pickford out this after noon, however they didn't get moved down till about five o'clock so didn't thresh any to-day but Pickford was up to-night to see if two of us would go down in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/61e458c352ff960d09dafbec9ad0a827.pdf 5260a5eec760e1bd0c8c91f9264063d5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday August 31st Dad. plowed all day over on the side hill by the woods and got quite a bit turned over. After I did chores I unloaded the waggon load of wood that he brought up yesterday and then went up and set up the oats that had been laid down Some of them were very wet but none sprouted to speak of. When I got through I started to flail out my winter barley and finished cleaning it up after dinner. About three o'clock I hooked Joe & Belle to the disk and started on the pea ground. I think it will work up nicely. I quit early and Enah and I went down at seven o'clock and had a ride on the "City of Dover" as she ran out to-night instead of Tuesday night when it rained. It was a lovely night to-night and we had a very nice ride Lila and Dess were with us. Dad. was about half the night doing chores as Mr. & Mrs. Smythe came over to see the stock They have just got word within the last day or two that young Ernest Quanbury Chris's second son has been killed in action. It is just about a year ago now that Henry his brother died of his wounds. The Canadians are in heavy action these days around the coal pits of Lens and they are steadily pushing the German's out of the city. Conscription is now on the Canadian statute books having been passed by the Senate yesterday or to-day. Sunny & breezy & cool https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cc7ef111f49399632562bf859b365418.pdf 7585211ae8c7830ab2d43fa5438a3a10 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I went down to Aunty's just at noon and stayed to dinner and after dinner pruned a few of the old branches out of the barbery bush for Aunty. I got home about three o'clock and got most of the lawn cut over here. Lila was over here to dinner. Dad. plowed all the after noon and Frank made a couple of hog troughs. Dad. plowed up a nest of rabbits this after noon. He killed two of them with the plow but brought two live ones home. They are only a few days old and I am afraid they won't live. Sunny but cool. Sunday September 9th Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Aunty came back with us to dinner. Frank spent the morning in trying out some new kind of solder he got at the exhibition which is applied like sealing wax and Dad. did chores and shocked up the twelve oat shocks. Aunty says he shocked more than the oats. I started to read after dinner but went to sleep almost immediately and slumbered peacefully till Aunty was ready to go down town and then I went down there to tea and to church with Aunty & Aunty Alice. After church I went home with Marj. who has changed her place of abode from the Bagley's to Miss Kerny's. I wrote Dick a short note when I got home. Frank and Enah walked down to church to-night. Fine, cloudy & cool. Feels like frost to-night Monday September 10th Frank and I took Bobbie down to the car this morning. Frank led her and I drove in the buggy. Neil wasn't around but we left Bobbie in the pen, one pig was the only other occupant of the pen. We went around by the station and got a poultry crate which Frank got from Silverwood's to ship his ducks in. We saw Huby and he said there was a heavy white frost down at the station but no sign of it at his place. When we got home Frank sorted out the ducks he wanted to keep and let them loose and I raked up the lawn. After dinner I took Belle & Queen and went back and disked on the back field where Dad. had been plowing all morning and Dad. finished plowing the field and started in to harrow it. It is going to work up fine. Mrs. Tupper came past this after noon and said Clem. wanted one of us to go and help thrash this after noon, as it was then about four o'clock and the machine wasn't there yet, we didn't think they would do much but I told her to go up and get Frank, so she did and Frank was over there helping Tupper till after tea. The machine just got there at dark. He wants two of us to help him to-morrow. According to today's paper the Russians are cutting up rusty again Korniloff is leading a revolt against Kerensky at the Provisional Government and marching with his troops away from the battle front. Cold wind all day & to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c6681e9fbf13dc8c3f041ea303034538.pdf 1af178c50b6ea76cf560d213ca2c9b26 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday September 6th Dad. plowed all day to-day and got on well. This morning Frank & I hooked Queen up and drove down town to get his suitcase which he checked the other day and which didn't come and when we got back we drove down to Bruce's to get a set of double harness which Bruce told Dad. about a couple of months ago and which he said he wanted ten dollars for, we found Mr. Smith down there but Bruce had gone up to Hammond's to get some seed wheat. Mr. Smith gave us the harness however and it looks like a very strong one, there were no collars and only one crupper and one bridle check but the back bands and traces look<s>e</s> especially strong. Queen went fine but the roads were bad as it rained hard during the night and we didn't get back till about half past one. It was pretty well on in the after noon when we got through dinner and chores but I took Joe & Belle and disked on the pea stubble and by six got all over it. Frank patched at the barn roof which he started at yesterday. Aunty Alice came over to tea and I walked down with her to-night. Poor Art Quanbury is having a very bad attack of his old trouble this week he was taken sick Monday and Charlie said to-night he was no better. Fine and cool. Friday September 7th I disked with Queen and Belle all day on the pea stubble and got pretty well over it lengthways of the field I was going crossways before. Frank plowed all day and Dad. was down town all day working in the garden down home. Enah went down town this after noon but missed Dad. and he had to go back after her but met her before he got very far. It began to drizzle rain about four o'clock and was raining quite hard by six. We quit early. I was about frozen when I got in and spent the evening reading "Saturday Nights" which Enah brought home all except Frank who was figuring out how much more it cost to farm with horses instead of tractors. He & Dad. are in a cronic state of argument on the subject. Saturday September 8th It rained hard last night and Dad. thought it was too wet to work on the land this morning. We puttered around and did odd jobs among which were the lancing of an absess on the fat ewe's jaw and the filing of old Nellie's teeth. About eleven I shaved and went down town to to have Bill look at my tooth which has been bothering me a lot the last couple of days. He said there was nothing wrong with it that he could see but that I might have caught cold in it. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d11912e57654711fc69d9ee1eb907802.pdf 22ec682ba51de486ba8cdf9991f3b3e5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. as before I got all the chores done and they take quite awhile to do alone. Ham Thompson came in to look at the stock and just as he left old Mrs. Davidson, Julien the Pole and some fair damsel unknown to me came over with a little two year old Percheron filly which they said Dad. had told Aunty they could turn out here to pasture so I put her in the stable till we could put her with our colts. After I did have my lunch and was in the house reading Mrs. Lawrie and Edith came over but when the found Enah wasn't home they didn't come in Dad. and the baby walked home about five and left Enah down town to have tea with Aunt Ida as Aunty and Aunt Alice drove up to St. John's with Harvey Skey and his mother to a memorial service for the two Quanbury boys. I helped do up the chores and drove down town about eight o'clock I went for a walk with Marj. Glad. & Miss Law from Ingersol who is a cousin of Glad's. Then I went down and drove Enah home. Monday September 3rd <u>Labor Day</u> Dad. plowed all day but as he thought it would be too wet after last nights heavy rain to disk I weeded out mangels all morning and disked this after noon with Belle and Queen. Enah went down town this after noon. Fine day Tuesday September 4th I disked this morning on the pea stubble with Belle and Queen and quit about half past eleven and went up to Ham. Thompson's. Dad. plowed all morning and at noon had to go over to Joe Long's to see a horse of George Thompson's that had been cut on barbed wire. It was rather late when we got started after dinner but we went out and turned out the shocks of oats that were left in the field east of the orchard and then hauled in a load but didn't quite clear the field. Enah helped us put off the load that was on the barn floor and we left the one we hauled unloaded. We got through fairly early, and I went down after tea and met Frank. His train was just on time so we got home quite early. He had a great time at the Fair and can think of nothing else but a rein drive tractor which he saw down there. Fine & cool Wednesday September 5th We hauled in oats to-day and got them all in but twelve shocks. They didn't bulk up much I think there were only four loads on the six acre field. Frank and I went out after the last load about seven o'clock and it was eight when we got in, pitch dark and raining quite hard. Dad. came to meet us with the lantern. He milked while we were out. Cool. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/48fdcc1c58a6504d2c030f21f69e3ffa.pdf de5afc5b7ded044696504646b1fb01db PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday August 31st Dad. plowed all day over on the side hill by the woods and got quite a bit turned over. After I did chores I unloaded the waggon load of wood that he brought up yesterday and then went up and set up the oats that had been laid down Some of them were very wet but none sprouted to speak of. When I got through I started to flail out my winter barley and finished cleaning it up after dinner. About three o'clock I hooked Joe & Belle to the disk and started on the pea ground. I think it will work up nicely. I quit early and Enah and I went down at seven o'clock and had a ride on the "City of Dover" as she ran out to-night instead of Tuesday night when it rained. It was a lovely night to-night and we had a very nice ride Lila and Dess were with us. Dad. was about half the night doing chores as Mr. & Mrs. Smythe came over to see the stock They have just got word within the last day or two that young Ernest Quanbury Chris's second son has been killed in action. It is just about a year ago now that Henry his brother died of his wounds. The Canadians are in heavy action these days around the coal pits of Lens and they are steadily pushing the German's out of the city. Conscription is now on the Canadian statute books having been passed by the Senate yesterday or to-day. Sunny & breezy & cool. Saturday September 1st Dad. plowed all morning and I did chores and flailed out my emmer and sent off the report of it and the alfalfa experiment. This after noon I went down to Tom's and got the can of buttermilk, he had brought it as far as his place but his waggon broke down and he couldn't bring it any farther. Dad. turned out a few oat shocks while I was gone and when I got back we hauled in a good load, they might have been drier but weren't bad, we left the load on the barn floor. To-night I went down town and met Marj. & Glad. Law, they came up to-night. Bright, breezy and cool. Sunday September 2nd It began to rain early this morning and rained hard till church time and then cleared up and was sunny and hot this after noon but cold to-night. We all drove down to church this morning as Enah had to play. There were very few there and Dad. and I had to take up the collection. There was some blind man there and Mr. Browne got me to pilot him up to the communion rail. I went home to dinner to do chores and Dad. Enah and the baby stayed down at Aunty's. I didn't get in till nearly half past three to get my lunch. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2401b98da5ab22b16e082e9f923e89e5.pdf 9c17bd272c830dfe1e4a75e87b766e9f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. down town to-night. Frank and I walked. Frank, Enah and the baby went up to the Sunday school but Dad. visited with Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida. Aunty was up at the Johnsons tending George who has the whooping cough while his father and mother were at the Sunday school. I went up to Andrew Innes's and got a pair of rubber boots and then took a little chicken up to Cousin Loll and by the time I had visited with her for half an hour it was too late to go to the {illegible}. Thursday November 1st I spent most of the morning doing chores and getting things ready for to-night as I expected to be up at Ham's this after noon with Frank helping him fill his silo. Dad. plowed all day. We went up right after dinner but Ham said it was too wet and didn't expect us up. It snowed quite a lot during the night and as his corn was all down in sheaf it would have been nasty handling. We came home and hooked Joe & Belle to the waggon and went down to Art Ryerse's where we borrowed their root pulper. Lloyd told Frank the other day we could have it for all winter as they have no roots this year. To-night I went down town and after coming over to Silverthorne's with Marj. went to the show. Friday November 2nd Dad. and Frank were in the back field all day plowing and shovelling out ditches. I did all the chores up this morning. Aunty came over at noon and this after noon I went back down town with her and got my bank order from Waller's cashed and got some groceries. My arm has been pretty sore today and I gave it a long soaking again to-night. It has broken out in little blisters around the original spot and is quite badly swollen. To-night Chris Quanbury came over and got twenty pullets for which he paid me $0.50 apiece and four smaller pullets and a cockrel which I got $1.00 apiece for. I have decided to sell off the whole bunch except maybe ten or a dozen and pay Charlie Ivey (or try to) last winter's feed bill with what I receive for them as if I keep them and buy feed again this winter as I would have to I would be farther in the hole than ever even if they laid exceedingly well. Frank and I helped Chris take the bunch down to his place on wheelbarrows. Sunny and snow nearly gone but freezing in shade. Saturday November 3rd My arm was very sore again this morning so I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1c2f2a647f3c1e97edf7a83175bf9efd.pdf e5528343d0c8c4c75d378eb66c1cff71 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. dinner we sacked up nine bags of oats and Frank took them to the mill and got part of them chopped and part rolled. While he was gone Dad. and I cleaned out the stables which were not cleaned yesterday. The mud makes it an awful job. When he got back they hauled up the wood they cut from the oak and we took all the mangels that were up and in piles into the drive house where they can dry off and not be in such danger of freezing. Dad. went back early to-night after the cows and found the four turkey's which disappeared from their roosting place in the gully three or four weeks ago. He of course brought them up and they roosted to-night in the orchard. Enah had a queer visitor just before tea to-night. A young fellow who seemed too cold, sleepy or stupid to carry on much conversation came and asked for some thing to eat and sat for half an hour hovering over the stove. While there she managed to find out from him that he had tramped from Dunnville and was on his way to Simcoe to be examined. He dozed most of the time he was in here but between yawns he told Enah that he had been picking fruit most of the summer and that he didn't like the cold and wanted to go to Florida to pick oranges, but if he was fit for Military Service, would not be able to cross the line, hence his desire to be examined. He left here in time to catch the seven o'clock car and offered to pay for his supper. It has been cloudy, muddy and raw with spitting snow storms. Wednesday October 31st This has been a most miserable day. Raw and cloudy with quite a heavy snowfall which by to-night has covered every thing. It froze the ground quite hard last night so is very muddy. Dad. plowed all morning and I cleared up the shingles back of the woodshed and put the best of them in the woodshed. Frank chopped up the blocks they cut off the oak yesterday. Ham Thompson came down with his ten ewes to put with our ram and borrowed our waggon and rack to haul corn in to-morrow and he wants Frank and me to go up to-morrow after noon to help him fill his Silo. This after noon I just did up the chores and then walked back to where Frank was plowing and found Dad. over talking to John Wess. I went over there for a few minutes and then we came up early so that we could go down to the Hallowe'en party in the Sunday school. Just about tea time Bert Thompson came over and got his heifer. We all went https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1f6d126c6f7aeaa33d96d7a92e00ee81.pdf 8235ab3ff94e73ad5aa961f073af414c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday October 27th Dad. and Frank were back over the gully all morning & most of the after noon one plowing and the other cleaning out ditches. I spent most of the morning fixing the fence around the old well as the sheep have taken to wandering around it and we were afraid one of them might get in. I did chores most of the after noon. It was a beautiful morning but it began to rain soon after dinner and it rained steadily but not hard till after tea and then it poured nearly all night. Dad. and Frank got soaked. Lila was over for awhile this morning. Sunday October 28th Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and I went down a little later but was too late to go to Sunday school so went up to the bank and woke Clark up and got him to go to church. Aunty walked over with us to dinner and we found Charlie & Flossie Shand here. They had started to church but they have the road past Penman's barricaded so were too late and came in here. This after noon I took Marj. for a drive up around by Lynn Valley. I went down town again to-night and went over to the Moore's. {Larry?} Skey preached in our church to-night but I was too late to go. Clark told me this morning that he has been moved to Ottawa and is leaving to-morrow so I went up to-night for a minute to say goodbye to him. Cool & cloudy to-day. Mild night. Monday October 29th It has rained nearly all day steadily, it began last night and is still at it to-night. I spent the day killing my crate fattened chickens and it took me just about all day. Enah picked the pin feathers out for me. I made a pretty good job of them, I stuck nearly all of them in the brain and tore them very little. Dad. did chores and read to the baby most of the day. This after noon Frank went over to Mrs. Robert John Watson's sale and got soaked to the hide. Tuesday October 30th I took my box of crate fed chickens down this morning and expressed them to Waller's. I didn't do much more this morning after I got home as it was nearly noon. Dad. and Frank cut blocks off the old oak all morning. After https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ce5fef5f6da4a3364c4fde05ec622f0d.pdf 1fcb48d443bbe020bdb2cf0db9242513 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday October 24th It has rained steadily all day and all evening. I haven't done any thing to speak of but my arm has been a lot better I didn't soak it to-day but bathed it well a couple of times. Dad. and Frank put a great fix on the back of the stove with a piece of tin and some stove cement. It doesn't smoke now and the water in the reservoir warms up quickly. I pasted a few snapshots in my new album this after noon and also shaved and went down to Aunty's to tea. Marj. was there too so we had a very nice evening. They had a letter from Quint down there saying that straw mattresses & blankets had been issued so that he thinks he will be in England all winter. Thursday October 25th I came home as soon as I had breakfast this morning. I did a few chores this morning and then drove down town and got some groceries and went up around by Ham Thompson's to ask him about forming a Farmer's Club for co-operative marketing and buying. This after noon I cleaned out the colony house. Dad. did chores all morning and plowed this after noon. Mr. Flemming came in this morning to get one of us to help him thrash this after noon so Frank went down. Winnie came over to tea to-night and I walked down town with her and stopped in for awhile at Aunty's on my way home. I had a letter from Dick to-day saying he had registered at the Post Office for service. We don't just understand how he came to do it as he said before that he had sent his medical sheet to the Head Office where they would apply for exemption for him. It was cloudy and raw this morning but sunny this after noon & clear to-night. Friday October 26th Dad. and Frank went up on the nine o'clock car this morning to the Principal Plowing match at Oak Park Farm near Paris, they were up all day coming home at five but all the prizes had been awarded yesterday so Dad. didn't see what he most wanted to, the plowmen with their teams. The tractors were working to-day so Frank was satisfied but from what they say their work didn't show up very well beside the horses'. I went down to Flemming's and thrashed all morning and for half an hour after dinner and have been doing chores all after noon. My arm doesn't feel any the worse. I caught 38 chickens to-night in the outside little coop and put them in the colony house. Nice day. Rainy night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ac8bdd1cf5b132e1c9f78f16d3a9db4f.pdf 2322616fd97f5120d930c432f97d6cb4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. streaks running up towards my elbow. He told me to go home and soak it for an hour in hot water and then put some lotion on it which he gave me, so I started for home but met Dad. Enah & the baby driving to church and Dad. told me to go to Aunty's and he came right down after leaving Enah at church and he got the water hot there on the gas much quicker than we could have at home. I soaked it for a good hour and it took the pain out a lot. I stayed there to dinner and tea. This after noon I went up to see Marj. but she had gone up to the Davises for dinner so I missed her. I knocked around with Charlie Quanbury all the after noon and to-night went to church with Aunty and then over with Marj. It was nearly twelve when I got home but I had to light a fire and soak my arm again as the Dr. told Aunty after church that I had better if the red streaks were still up the arm. Dad. & Enah both came out in their night apparel & hung around till I got through. Fine day but raw. Monday October 22nd I haven't done any thing in the way of work all day. I soaked my arm for an hour or more this morning and for a little while this after noon. This after noon I went down town and sent in my claim for exemption and then went down to show my arm to Dr. Cook. He said it was coming all right and opened it up more puting his probe down to the bone. I then went up and had my hair cut. Dad. plowed all day and Frank did chores Enah went down to Aunty's to tea and went up to Simcoe with the Hobbes to sing with the massed choirs of the deanery at the Deanery Meeting. Jack Martin brought her home. Tuesday October 23rd I haven't done much again to-day. I soaked my arm again this morning and this after noon drove down town to get some coal oil and came around by the mill and got a bag of bran. It rained all day so Dad. and Frank couldn't do much outside but Frank fixed the new trough in the pig pen and arranged the swinging door over it so that it would work easily and save him climbing over it every time he feeds the pigs. I stopped in at Aunty Alice's on my way down and she had just had a back tooth out. Dad. spent most of the day doing chores and ditching and this after noon he went over with me and took Jim Rosses chickens over to Jack Martin's and he shipped them for us https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0a878bc82a317b270c2390324f1834a4.pdf 94e94ada0cd4c010aaece1c1c3ba25cf PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday October 18th I have planted ginseng all day and to-night counted the seeds I had left and just have 565 so I will soon be through the job. If the seeds all grow and the plants live and the Chinese keep on wanting ginseng roots I should make some money in six or seven years provided some one doesn't steal them. Frank and Dad. got started plowing to-day in the back field by the bush. Dad. ran out the ditches and struck out a couple of times and Frank threw out the sods and this after noon plowed. This was Frank's birthday. Rained a little. Friday October 19th It rained steadily all morning and has been raw cloudy and windy all the after noon. I spent the morning writing in this and to Douglas. Dad. read to the baby and Frank went back to the gully and caught a rabbit in one of his muskrat traps. He skinned it but found so many dubious looking spots on it that he decided to use it for bait instead of eating it. This after noon I went back and planted 328 more seeds and will plant the 239 I have left up here some place in a box. Dad. went over to Jack Martin's this after noon to see if he could get a box to ship 6 pullets to Jim Ross. Saturday October 20th I drove down town this morning to get some groceries and to see if McEwen came down on the nine car, but he didn't show up all day. Frank and I picked apples the rest of the day and Dad. plowed. We got just two trees stripped clean but they were the heaviest laden with fruit I think. Frank went down town to-night and heard that young Henry I forget his first name was killed the other day when he fell of some engine at the gas well where he was working. Charlie Quanbury was in to borrow the straw knife this morning. He was up to be examined yesterday and was classed A.2. which is very queer as he has a very bad throat but he went to Simcoe and said they marked him A2 before they had him half examined. Joe Thompson & George Clark are both A2 but Charlie Ferris was thrown out. Froze last night raw & windy all day. Sunday October 21st Frank went down to Sunday school this morning but I had to spend so much time bathing my arm that I didn't get down. I walked down in time for church but went around to see Dr. Cook first to show him my arm as it was badly swollen this morning and red https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/820b1f8b9f74fa4e54786a0ee6da8099.pdf 86d6249d67d07edd25166f85b290056e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday October 16th I have been planting ginseng all day again to day and am just nicely started. I had no idea it would be such a long job and I am very thankful that I only bought half a pound of seed instead of a pound as I at first intended and as the doctor wanted me to. I am planting every seed separately and about three or four inches apart in rows six or eight inches apart and as there are supposed to be four thousand of them in half a pound I can't expect to do it in no time. Dad. and Frank felled the big oak just at noon. It was a big job as its diameter was nearly equal to the length of the saw It will make a lot of fire wood but it was time it was cut as the heart of the trunk and the limbs was all punk, and it had got past being very pretty. Enah was down town all day and the baby was at Aunty's Enah was up helping at the banquet which the Board of Trade gave to a large deputation of businessmen representing all the towns and cities within reach of the L.E.& N. and {G.H.& P.?} railways. They had a very successful day and everybody spread themselves to entertain them and they donated $100.00 to be divided equally between the Red Cross & the I.O.D.E. McEwen sent our ram to-day and the Dominion Express Co. brought it right over to the farm. Enah and the baby stayed down to tea and Dad. & Frank & I drove<s>d</s> down afterwards to go to the Jubilee Singers concert in the town hall. I hadn't intended going but Dad. wanted me to go down and telephone McEwen and tell him the ram came and ask him when he would be down to look at the ram's lambs so I did and found out he couldn't be down before Saturday. I stayed and talked to Bab. for awhile and then went down to the show, just as I got to the town hall corner Tip Varey came out and gave me a ticket, he said he was just looking for some one to give it to. The hall was packed. Nice day. Wednesday October 17th I have been planting ginseng all day. Dad. and Frank spent most of the morning cutting a block off the old oak and splitting it up. This after noon they trimmed up the ewes and would have started plowing but it rained so they didn't. Dave. Ward was in to look at the lambs to-day & Gid. McHoy & Everett were in yesterday but of course we can't sell them till McEwen sees them. I went down to-night to see Marj. The grass was wet but thanks to the new rubbers which Aunty Alice gave me I didn't get wet. It froze hard last night. Nice morning but wet this after noon. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/57b2e50a63a3aa5053a831f56d1b9ea8.pdf 20b16e2352ecd1caa2a5f56e49f0b5b3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. south west wind and when Dad. got home at three o'clock he found one of Mrs. Jim. Low's apple trees blown down across Aunty's lane so he had to chop it up before he could get out with Joe & the buggy. They had a letter from Dick to-day and he said that Head Office had told him to be examined and send his papers to Winnipeg for them to apply for exemption for him. He was marked A2 which is the highest he could get without military training, but he thinks he will be exempted. He hadn't intended applying for himself. Saturday October 13th After I got home and got my clothes changed this morning Dad. & I picked up the apples in the orchard which yesterdays high wind blew down, while Frank went to the mill with some oats to chop. This after noon Dad. and I pulled a few rows of mangels while Frank went back after the chop and when He got back He and Dad. went over to Tupper's and got some mow {illegible} I pulled another row or two of mangels but Dad. thought I had better not pull many as we would not be able to cover them all to-night. I went back to the woods for a little while. Edmond England was in to-night to have Dad look at his horse which was lame. Fair to-day but rather cold. Sunday October 14th Enah Frank and I drove down to church this morning and I walked home with Aunty Alice who came over here to dinner. This after noon Aunty and I drove up to Vittoria and I got a half pound of ginseng seeds from Dr. McInnes for which I paid him five dollars. We got home about half past six and came around by Port Ryerse. To-night I went down town and met Marj. & Glad. coming out of church, we went up to the Law's for awhile. Young Ivan who enlisted about a couple of months ago is home on his last leave and expects to leave Hamilton for Halifax on Wednesday. It was raining quite hard when I started home so I stayed all night at Aunty's. Frank was down also as he is going to help them pack up a box of stuff for Walter in the morning. Monday October 15th Aunty got up early this morning and called me so that I got home before Dad. was up, as it was still wet I put on Roy's rubber boots and some old clothes but it turned out a nice day. I have been back in the woods all day planting ginseng seed. Dad. and Frank started to cut down the old oak at the south east corner of the lawn. It was dying anyway https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3bdcf6b72ceac38258499dbe14849472.pdf fcae0d0df37da31e1f72639ef2ceebed PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. apply for exemption from military service. I went right over to the Armouries from the car to get an early place in the line but we had to wait about an hour before the doctors began examining. When they did start they told us to be ready for them so as not to keep them waiting and accordingly we all stripped to a most distressing state of complete nakedness and lined up ready to go through the test. There were about twenty five of us when they started and more kept coming. Some of the boys were cold and put their coats on while they waited, when they came to me I first got on a set of scales and one doctor weighed and measured me in different ways & also tested my eyes, another fellow listened at my heart and lungs and asked me if I had ever had any trouble with my feet or legs so I told him about my knee. He pinched it and said it was a bog spavin and I had better blister it, he then sent me over to a third doctor and he said the same thing, that I had better fire it. I said I didn't think much of firing spavins but he told me he had a little mare once which sprung a couple of {jacks?} and he took them off where upon another doctor began inquiring of him as to the whereabouts of some "little sorrel". Eventually he let me go saying I would have to be put in Class E as my knee couldn't be depended on. I said I hated to be put down so low and he said he could put me in C which is for service in Canada but that E was where I should be so I said that if any trouble arose in Canada I would go anyway and so he said "That's the way to talk". It makes me feel rather down in the mouth to think I am physically unfit but I suppose oughtn't to as they said I was in good shape every other way. I believe I have been half hoping all along that there might be a chance of me becoming a soldier yet but now I know that there is nothing left but "The cool sequestered vale of life" for me and of course in a way it is a satisfaction to know just where I am and what I have to plan for. I was just too late when I got to the L.E.& N. station to catch the four o'clock car so I prowled around town till six and came down with Dr. Cook who had come as far as Brantford from Toronto in his Ford but had got so cold & wet that he left the car in a garage and took the radial. Aunty Alice was waiting for me at the station and said I was to stay there all night as it was such a rotten night. There was a strong https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6e9c1ca538c9fd7f736de7a19bb62034.pdf d9c493ba211c8e084886a8d7276e94df PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. about all of Class A being called out before any were exempted. I also went around to Moore's studio while I was up there. We went back to the Fair Grounds about half past three and watched a couple of horse races and then went over to the sheep pen where we found Dad. waiting for us. He had intended going back on the car but thought he was too late so we loaded the sheep up and he and Frank drove home, and I started out to walk although I believe If I had gone a little earlier I could have caught the car as it was late, however I got a ride from just out of Simcoe nearly to the Half-Way-House with some old {Oaks?} and then I walked to about Duncan's orchard when Johnnie Walker picked me up. I got home about half past six and Dad. and Frank about an hour later. Cloudy & Raw. Thursday October 11th I went down this morning to dig Aunty Alice's potatoes for her but didn't quite finish the job. Dad. & Enah came down to Mrs. Dillon's funeral and Dad. had to be bearer. Frank came down a little later with Ben's rack and he and I went up and got a load of old shingles from Cousin Willie's barn. Enah's sister Mrs. Johnson came over to tea and to stay all night. Lovely day, rain to-night. Friday October 12th Dad. and I had planned to go up to McEwen's by the seven car this morning and from there to the Caledonia Fair via Brantford but when Dad. got up at five it was pouring rain and had been all night so we decided not to go to the Fair and as it rained steadily but not hard all day we were glad we did. We thought however we had better go to McEwen's, as he had four yearling rams which he said he might sell any day and we have come to the conclusion that we can't depend on our old fellow. We drove down and left Joe in the barn and took the nine o'clock car intending to get back home at one o'clock but when we got up there we got talking to McEwen and looking at the sheep and the car went back before we knew it so we had to wait there till two and have dinner there. We spoke for one of his yearling rams which he wants sixty five dollars for, but we thought he was a dandy except for some little stubs of horns and a rather big ear but he is big and low down. We left McEwen's at two o'clock and Dad. took the car home but I thought since I was so near I would go on into Brantford and be examined as I have to be anyway some time within the next month, before I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d7237d6017ce088bd8f6fc12c3ddfa4c.pdf 45607643de6b3aef8a8d718d2961a6fe PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. take all the prizes. The Shepherd invited Frank to sleep in his boxcar to-night so I guess he will. I just did up the horses when I got home and Dad. and I had tea alone and were just ready to start after Enah & the baby when they came along. Enah had come down on the seven o'clock car. Miss Morgan & Mrs. Brent were on the car and they told her that Mrs. Dillon died this morning in the Brantford hospital while undergoing an operation. I walked down town and went up to see Marj. for awhile and stayed all night at Aunty's. Nice day but raw. Wednesday October 10th I got of on the seven o'clock car this morning for Simcoe and found Frank prowling around the sheep pen at the Fair Grounds waiting for some place to open up so that he could get breakfast. Neither of us got very far away from the sheep till they were judged about ten o'clock. I tried to give them a little fixing up first but didn't make much difference in their looks. Lloyd-Jones man was trimming at his all the time and so were some fellows with Oxfords. Lloyd-Jones was the only other exhibitor of Shrops. Old Billy Beattie was the judge and we were most agreeably surprised when he gave us three second prizes and two third. Lloyd-Jones got all the firsts but still we thought we did very well considering it was the first time we ever showed. Our little loose fleeced ram lamb took second prize from one of Lloyd-Jones, but he didn't bring out one of his ram lambs. Our ewe lamb didn't get a prize and neither did one of the yearling ewes on account of some dark wool on her head, all the others got something. After they were judged Frank and I took in a little of the Fair and also a little dinner which we took standing up. About two o'clock we went down town as I wanted to find out if I could be examined for Military Service in Simcoe, but no board has been appointed yet. The only man I could find (after going to the Armouries and the Court House) who kenw any thing about it was George McKie and he is on <s>one of</s> the exemption tribunal for the North Riding. He told me I would probably be exempted on account of being a farmer, as he thought the only farmers who would be taken were those who have started farming within the last two months and those on farms which are overmanned. From what he said I think Charlie Quanbury must have been mistaken https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c3790745e0b37143572231dc1bba4c2e.pdf d556c1eb51da028dd9733a4318441cd7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. froze hard last night, so I went out and finished plowing the headland at the north end of the field while Dad. went over and doctored up the cow. I brought the team up when I finished plowing but didn't get any more done at the sheep before noon. This after noon Dad. worked on the land and Frank and I continued to trim sheep. I trimmed our loose fleeced ram lamb and made a wonderful difference in his looks but I am afraid his fleece is too poor. Cool. Wednesday October 3rd It has rained steadily all day and we were very glad to have it as the land is very hard and dry and lots of the wheat we sowed last week has not sprouted yet. Frank and I spent the whole day nearly with the sheep washing their necks & briskets where the oil was on the wool. Dad. fixed a pen over in the barn for the pure bred calf. This was the day of old Monteith's sale but we thought they would postpone it on account of the weather but we saw several buggies go past on the way home from it and Tom. told us to-morrow morning (I havent written this for some time) that there was a good crowd and the cattle in fact every thing sold very well. Thursday October 4th Frank and I washed up a few more sheep this morning and this after noon he and I fixed the wire across the gap going from the wheat field behind the barn into the hay stubble. Dad. cleaned out some of the ditches in the wheat. About four o'clock I took Joe down town and had her shoe put on as she broke one some way. I called for Aunty at Mrs. Battersby's on my way home and she came over here to tea. After tea it began to rain and was a nasty night so Dad. drove Aunty & me down as far as Mr. Fleming's and we walked the rest of the way. I went over to Miss McQueen's with Marj. and stayed all night at Aunty's. Cloudy & raw all day Friday October 5th Dad. worked on the wheat ground this after noon and thinks it will be ready to sow to morrow. He took down the stove pipe off the kitchen stove this morning and cleaned it out When I got home this morning Frank and I picked the King's and got about two bushels and then Frank went to the mill and got some of our oats rolled. This after noon we trimmed sheep and to-night I caught about 45 nice pullet<s>t</s>s and shut them up in winter quarters. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1184b285a9c342e3196196d4d91ed42b.pdf 34a4b3792b95e7f874675bdde831d674 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday October 6th Dad. worked on the wheat ground all day and got it drilled this after noon, there is just about three acres of it Frank and I cleaned up seed for him this morning and were at that nearly all the fore noon. This after noon Marj. and I went to Vittoria after chestnuts but didn't get any as they were not ripe yet and do not seem to be very well filled anyway. We went up to Dunkin's and he filled out an application blank for me to get the yearling ewe registered. He showed me his stock while Marj. was in getting warm. I stayed to tea at the Moore's and didn't get home till long after nine. Roy & Rebecca came up to-day on the three o'clock car to stay over Monday it being Thanksgiving day. It has been cloudy with a raw north wind all day. Sunday October 7th I was the only one from this house to go to church this morning and I drove down and brought Rebecca home with me while Roy & Aunty walked over Aunty Alice didn't feel like coming. This after noon I went down to the Moore's and had tea at Aunty's. Aunty and I went to church to-night and I went up afterward's to see Huby. Frank walked down to church and he & I went home to-gether. Jack Martin started teaching Sunday school again. Monday October 8th Dad. went out first thing this morning to run some furrows in the wheat and then he, Enah and the baby went down to Aunty's for dinner and to spend the after noon. Frank and I spent most of the day putting what we considered the finishing touches on our sheep. Still pretty raw but rather sunny. Tuesday October 9th The Quanbury boys brought their waggon in this morning and left it for us to take the sheep to Simcoe and they took our old one with them. Just as they left Jack Highland drove in and left the sacks for the bluegrass and we bagged it up and Frank and I took it down this morning to the car. We took the baby with us and left him at Aunty's for the after noon as Enah went to the Simcoe Fair with the James'. Frank and I didn't get started for Simcoe till about half past two as we had to load the sheep after dinner and as we had to walk all the way it was nearly five when we got there. I left Frank and the sheep up there and left the Fair Grounds at a quarter past five and was home here at half past six. I had Joe & Belle. Lloyd Jones shepherd had quite a flock of Southdowns and Shrops up there and as they were trimmed up to the queen's taste and in good shape I suppose they will https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e8cd3ca19ada6ee3ef8cfb3c9532e598.pdf 81e91dfd0d26306ae8ae9be19abe2f20 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday September 30th Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Frank walked down. Enah stayed down to dinner and to-night to tea as she had to go to Vittoria with the choir and to play in church to-night. The held Harvest thanksgiving services both here & in Vittoria to-day. Mr. Millman came up the other night and Ade. Orm. & Kathleen all came up in the car this morning to take Paw & Mrs. Millman home. This after noon Frank and I went down town. Kathleen and I went up to call on the Harry Moon's. Harry was lying on the sofa but the doctor told him he would have to stay in the house another week. His boils are pretty well healed but they have his lung straped in so that he can't breathe through it. Ade & Orm walked over here to the farm to see Dad. and Paw took all the rest for a ride in the car. I came home to tea but Frank stayed down Just before we had tea All the Millman's but Mrs. came over here in the car. I rode down with them about eight and after waiting for about <s>enough</s> half an hour for Mr. Farney to get through talking went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. and her. I called in at Aunty's on my way home but they had taken Enah and Frank home. It has been cloudy raw and windy all day and feels like frost to-night. Monday October 1st Dad. sowed my experimental plots of wheat this morning and I disked them in. We then hooked on the plow but before we got out all the Millman's came over to say good-bye to us and were here for half an hour or so. Dad. then went out to try plowing the rest of the strip along the side road that Frank started in the spring for corn. He plowed all the after noon and said it was very hard but could be plowed. This after noon Frank and I went down town and sold five baskets of tomatoes and got a load of shingles off Cousin Willie's barn roof. Windy & rather cool but sunny Tuesday October 2nd We got the ewes all over in the barn this morning and picked out seven that we thought were worthy of a place in the Simcoe show ring, two aged ewes three shearlings and two ewe lambs, we separated them and put the rest back in the orchard. Dad then went out to finish plowing and Frank and I started to trim the show sheep. Jack Martin's man came over to get Dad. to go and look at one of Jack's Jerseys which had got bloated up on the frozen clover as it https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/23e584acc2dbdd61192e03ef04aab3f5.pdf 9fe15c5dae3901886ccddcb89c557630 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to meet Aunty & Mrs. Millman who came up from Toronto to-night. Dad. and I met them at the station. We saw the Quanbury boys on our way home out experimenting with Charlie's tractor which he has concocted out his gasoline engine and an old mower and scrap iron. It seemed to be running all right on the road. Fine and dry. Wednesday September 26th I spent most of the day cleaning out the chicken house and getting it ready to put in the pullets. Frank picked and sorted tomatoes and this after noon harrowed on the wheat ground after Dad. who was disking. He disked on the pea stubble all day. The Quanbury boys were over this after noon to clean up a load of oats. To-night Mr. & Mrs. Colin McNellige & Miss Shand were over to spend the evening. Fine day, the ground is very dry. Thursday September 27th Frank and I have been over at Jack Martin's thrashing wheat all day and are not half through yet. The stacks are tough and the separator was stopped a good part of the time. The tough sheaves were very hard on the cylinder teeth. Dad. worked on the pea stubble all day and got started to drill about five o'clock. Frank and I came home to tea as we thought he would want to drill late but he stopped at six thinking we would stay to tea. I went to the picture show to-night with Marj. Nice day. Elgitha calved back in the gully to-night and the calf died. Friday September 28th We have been thrashing all day to-day again and are still at it. It went slower to day than yesterday. We only thrashed 90 bushels this morning. We moved down to Cawley's barn to-day but the stacks down there seem to be in just as bad shape. Dad. finished drilling the field to-day and Frank went over to help him drill the grassy piece west of the ditch. Lea Marshall came after him - Dad - this afternoon to go down to Bruce Smith's to see a colt he has down there. Enah and the baby went down with them in the car. Cloudy all day, rained a little last night. Saturday September 29th We finished thrashing at Jack's about four o'clock to-day The oats and barley came through a little faster but the spring wheat was in bad shape. In the three days we thrashed 976 bushels of stuff. Dad. ran out the furrows in the wheat field to-day and did a few other chores. Looks rainy to-day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3c90861dfd06ffa28486e0439ce04264.pdf c3e14fe26a01ed84fe1a0144df4671b7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. At last I came to the conclusion that the thing must be decided in some way so I resolved to let the results of the battle of Verdeen which was then at its height be the judge. If the Germans broke through to Paris I would enlist. If the French were strong enough to hold them back I would stay home. Dad. said this was a fair proposition, as the Germans are still outside the defence of Verdeen I am still on the farm. Whether I did right or not I don't know, it is for those higher up in authority to judge but I do know that I have done what I thought was the best and have not suffered any uneasiness since I eliminated sentiment from the case. Now that conscription is coming in force all responsibility is lifted and if they tell me I am to stay on the farm it will be a satisfaction to know I have done right but if they tell me I must go to the front I will do it without any shame for having stayed away so long. I must say I do not feel the same eager desire to go that I once did and will not be sorry if I am exempted but at the same time want to go if I am really needed. The boys at the front have got to be reinforced no matter what else happens and we haven't the time to haggle over technicalities in our constitution to deside whether or not we have the right to enforce conscription. It may be bordering on Prussianism but we must have the men and as a last resort I think are justified in adopting some of the German methods in order to cope with them. All this is a little outside my usual diary writing but these are unusual times and in future years when time has harrowed over and smoothed our memories I want to remember how keenly we feel all these things now. Tuesday September 25th In some way or other I have missed one day altogether and wote under the heading of Monday all the doings of to-day so I will now write Monday's record under today's heading. Dad. and I finished hauling out manure this morning. We cleaned the shed and covered the field. Enah and Frank went out to the Shand's to take Flossie some tomatoes and then went down town. This after noon Dad. disked. I flailed out some of my wheat and Frank rode down to John Watt's to see if he could get some second cut clover that he is just putting up and then he and I went after it. We just got a little to feed the ram lambs and traded a bag of oats for it. To-night I went down town and got my hair cut and Dad. Enah & the baby and I went to Aunty Alices https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0323790eca40622753f22cffafe0474a.pdf 621e80b4fc80eda3745cc17a9330f371 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and stoops to the barbarous position of a beligerent she is leaving nothing undone in the way of preparation for military efficiency. It is very inspiring to hear the Yankees talk of how they are "wielding the sword of liberty and democracy to annihilate a war-mad tyrant whose atrocious deeds of barbarism have shocked their refined natures and provoked their holy wrath It is a little hard for me to understand just why the sword of liberty and democracy was allowed to hang rusting over in Uncle Sam's chim<s>b</s>ney corner for two years and a half before his refined nature was shocked or his holy wrath provoked, because to the rest of the world the deeds committed by the war mad-tyrant early in the war such as the violation of Belgian neutrality and the wholesale murder of non-combatants, American women and children included, were just as atrocious as the destruction of U.S. shipping, however Uncle Sam is into the scrap now and every one is glad of it because if he never fires a shot off he can be very useful to the Allies in other ways, not the least of which will be the rounding up of the hordes of German spies within his borders. It is rather out of place for me to be looking critically at the motives for other country's actions when our own government in all its branches seems to be so rotten with party politics. An election is in sight and both parties seem far more interested in it now than the outcome of the war. The Grits spend all their time hunting up mud to throw at the Government and the Tories are exerting all their energies making plots by which they can remain in power. Parliament had prorogued and Borden has gone fishing but they did pass the Military Service Act by which it looks as if conscription would soon be enforced. That to my mind was the proper thing to do, for the voluntary system is certainly dead even if the Government did kill it and it was inefficent any way. It was based too much on sentiment and not reason. I have found out from my own experience that in a case like this sentiment is no use. Before a year ago last spring I was so tossed by the crossing winds of sentiment on the sea of indecision as to my course of action that I came nearly being wrecked on the rocks of lunacy. The lightship of duty was only a spot light which added confusion to the scene for it would first throw its lustre on the military troopship with the recruiting officers calling for more soldiers and then on the harbor of Home with Dad's pleadings and the athorities calling for greater production. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2d0d6517b9018e7856220d4912852f62.pdf 83c9dbf7ba68207a0b11cd462ca18e9b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. down to the last notch; so although it is very dry it chewed it up considerably, Dad. spent most of the day flailing out my three varietys of wheat; and I helped him clean it. The Imperial Amber was the nicest and best sample with the Banatka next best. Frank did odd jobs and went down town. Sunny, no wind, no clouds and quite hot. Froze last night. Now that we are well started on the fourth year of the war, it is just as hard to say when it will end as ever. All the talk of Germany's degeneration and being at the end of her resources in men, money and food is beginning to be looked on as foolish gossip especially since the U.S. Ambassador has come home and told the public that Germany's total losses in men is only about 3 million out of the 12 she called out with 400 thousand coming of military age every year, and that there was no chance of starving her out as the non-combatant population is making the home country as well as the conquered territory produce more than ever before. On the other had there seems to be no fear of her being victorious for the Allies with their unlimited resources are becoming stronger every day. They are on the offensive on nearly every front and are able to hold most of the gains they make in their various drives, not only that but if there is <s>only</s> any truth whatever in the reports we get the Allies seem to be able through the efficiency of their artillery and aerial scouts to make important advances with the minimum of loss among their own men but at the same time inflict heavy losses on the enemy both in the first drive and in the repeated counter-attacks which invariably follow an Allied drive. Then too, the Germans although not demoralized do not seem to be able to put the same force into their offensives as they did in the early days of the war. A recent example of this was in Russia where conditions are bordering on civil war most of the time. The Germans were within reach of Riga and the Russian troops instead of offering resistance marched away from that part of the battle line in revolt under Korniloff against their own Government under Kerensky. If that had happened two years ago the Germans would have been in Petrograd now, but in some way Kerensky checked the revolt and the Russians went back to the front and the Germans are not yet in possession of Riga and it doesn't look as if they would be. It seems that by next year Germany must give up all hopes of victory, for now that the U.S. has come down off her lofty seat of super-civilization where she was "too proud to fight" as Wilson said https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4651dbb0cb614eab787ad62de1df06a6.pdf 0443d35c9c1e29e24ed231344254f7d7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and did a few odd jobs and I disked on the pea stubble all morning. I would have gone thrashing instead of Dad. but I had promised to go up creek with Marj. this after noon and Dad. said as it was such a nice day I had better not postpone it so he went instead. They got through soon after dinner. I quit a little before noon so got down town fairly early but we had to go and hunt Jake Eyers up to get a boat as he was up digging potatoes and Marj. had to stop to express a basket of plums home which she picked at Miss McQueen's this morning, so it was about half past two when we left. We went up as far as we could row and had a dandy time getting back about half past five. I took a couple of pictures of Marj. It wasn't at all hot in fact some times when the sun went under a cloud or the breeze caught us it was rather chilly. I stayed to tea and all night at Aunty's Alice's. I was up town for a half an hour or so after tea and saw Brierly. Mrs. Barwell, Cousin Clair and Cousin Loll were down at Aunty Alice's for a rubber of bridge. Cold east wind this morning but sunny and warmer later. Sunday September 23rd I went home this morning right after breakfast and changed my clothes and then Dad. & Tid drove me down again to church. Dad. had to go over to Kolbes pig pens in the marsh to see a sick pig. He says the place over there is a fright. Ducks and chickens are so dirty they can't grow and the ducks won't go into the creek. The pigs with their mothers have had nothing to eat but fish and are not growing a bit. When I got home from church Frank informed me that all the rest of the family had gone to Caledonia with Ham Thompson to see Douglas. After dinner Frank went back to the gully and got some butter nuts, and I sat around and read and wrote in this. Mr. & Mrs. John Shand came to call but didn't stay when they found the folks away and Winnie was over for a little while, she wanted an impression of the crest to put on a signet ring. Frank and I did up all the chores and Frank went down to church I went down a little later and got home about eleven. Dad. Enah and Tid. got home about eight after having had a fine time down at Douglas's. I saw Hugh Bannister this morning for a few minutes, he has just got back from France having been on an American transport taking supplies to the U.S. troops. He has been pretty much all over the world since he left here 2 1/2 years ago. Lovely day. Monday September 24th I disked all day on the wheat ground to day and had the disks https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/48bd49f6d53f19a0fc29504e2cd316b9.pdf 1c8d3db1ffd18c1cd8f2026c64be9bfe PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. manure all day but only got out eleven loads. It was an unlucky day from the start. The trouble began before. Dad. left when Frank started out with the first load some thing, we think it was the end of the whipple-tree caught one of the rods at the side of the spreader and bent it so that it threw the section of gear that lifts the tailboard up against the other gear and we had to take it out and straighten it. Then when he got out in the field with the load he offended Belle in some unknown way and she balked and after losing considerable time with her we had to take her off and put Joe in her place. This was before Dad. left but he didn't have time to monkey with her. This after noon Paton came in with a mare that he said had swallowed an apple and was choking and I had to lose another half hour with him. I never saw Dad. treat a choking animal so didn't know just what to do but I ramed the probang down her neck as far as I could and that seemed to ease her. He left her here till Dad. got home when she appeared to be all right. About this time Frank began to feel squeamish in his stomach and although he was able to haul out a few more loads he didn't feel much like pitching on so didn't. He must have had too much of his own cooking I guess for although he helped me do up all the chores he was quite sick this evening and again during the night. Dad. got home about five but didn't "peel off" his good clothes as I had a card from Enah to-day saying she would be home to-night so Dad. went down to meet her. It was after dark when I got everything done and I had to do some tall foraging to find sustenance enough in the house to keep the breath of life within me. I was very thankful Frank was sick and couldn't eat for our store of provisions had dwindled down to scant rashion for<s>e</s> one, however by rumaging around in the stale bread crock where I found two or three crusts that were not mouldy and cleaning up some left over apple sauce and nibbling a slice or two of old cheese I managed to collect enough nourishment to maintain existence till Enah got home when I was able to supplement my supper with some sandwichs from Enah's lunch box. They had tea down at Aunty Alice's. Dad. and Enah both report that nearly all the corn they saw in their travels a few miles north of here is ruined by frost. Saturday September 22nd Dad. went down to Sam's to thresh this morning and Art Quanbury drove down with him. Frank felt pretty sick but poked around https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e44eb633f3909e27dc48a8fd735b0a01.pdf eecc88d9cd5bbf509e58e3eb5a7d51da PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the couker, one of the ten looked very small an thin after he was plucked so I gave him to Aunty Alice and she said he was all right. Dad. and I were up till eleven o'clock picking out pin feathers while Frank write a letter to Enah Wednesday September 19th I packed up my nine chickens first thing this morning and took them down to the Dominion Express office and shipped them to Waller's, Toronto. I never shipped there before but he proved all right as I got my returns on Friday and he gave me 26 cts per lb which was a cent more than he quoted. They were a nicer looking lot than the ones I sent to Barron as I had stuck most of them in the brain, had torn them very little and only broke a couple of wings. I had larger sheets of parchment paper to wrap them in too and so made a much neater looking package. I stayed down long enough for Joe Howell to put a shoe on Josie. Dad. and Frank were hauling manure from the cow stable shed when I got back but they had cleaned up a lot of seed wheat for Mr. Flemming This after noon we hooked Joe and Queen to the disks and I went over the part of the pea stubble which Dad. has manured. I guess it was the first time we have ever had five of our own horses working at the same time. I quit early and went down to tea at Aunty Alice's and afterwards went to the picture show with Marj. and saw "Snow white" which was acted truer to the old story than any of them I have ever seen. I stayed all night with Aunty Alice. Another fine day. Thursday September 20th I cut the lawns down at Aunty Alice's before I came home this morning and Dad. and Frank were out at the manure. I saw Uncle Ward on my way home and he told me he was going to walk over here to find out whether or not Dad. could act as bearer at Mrs. Boughner's funeral to-morrow, she having died yesterday, so when I got home and told Dad. he despatched Frank on his wheel to find out the details and to save Uncle Ward the walk. We hauled out manure all day. Aunty Alice came over this after noon and did up the house chores and boiled us some potatoes and made a pudding. Friday September 21st Dad. and I helped us put on a couple of loads this morning and then had to go as he had to go down town this morning and get his hair cut and stayed at Aunty Alice's to dinner then went from there to the funeral. Frank and I hauled https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5c68390b006c5db03605f1d9f9a55784.pdf 9f14ae0ea5a1fad32495eb1ef7ac780d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. of bachelor existance. Frank went down town to-night and stayed all night at Aunty Alice's. Lovely day. Sunday September 16th Dad. and I did did up the chores and partook of a cold and lonely breakfast after which I went down to church. Dad was home alone at dinner time and I don't believe he ate any as Frank and I stayed down at Aunty Alice's to dinner and had a good one. We came home right after and I hooked up Queen and took Marj. for a drive up into civilized borders of Charlotteville where we nearly got lost. Frank went down to Sam Law's and found that we could look for them to pull in here early to-morrow after noon. Dad. after entertaining Jim Waddle for an hour or so drove with him down town and stayed to tea at Aunty Alice's. Frank and I did chores after which I ate one hard biscuit and went down town and went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. after church and Frank went to bed. Fine and sunny day. Quite hot. Fly's bad. Monday September 17th Dad.and I hauled out what little manure we could this morning from around the old stack bottom, we got out I think nine loads. Frank cleaned up the barn and granarie's and just before noon went down and got Aunty Alice to come over and do things up in the house and prepare the supper for the threshers, they arrived about two o'clock and threshed all the oats out that were over the granary, there is my load of O.A.C. 72 to thresh yet. We got about 330 bushels which was not what we expected at harvest time but equal to any that has been threshed around here To-night I drove Aunty Alice down as far as the bridge. She simply would not allow me to drive her any farther for poor Joe might be frightened. Another fine day. Tuesday September 18th We threshed till noon and then finished with fifty bushels from my load of O.A.C. 72 and about 117 bushels of nice wheat from the 12 acres, to-gether with a pile of bluegrass which Jack Highland has since bought for 16 dollars. I went down about ten and got Aunty Alice who had to do some tall surrying to have dinner in time but she managed alright. After dinner Alfred Ryerse came up with his bags to get nine bushels of our Plymouth wheat for seed so he Dad. and Frank cleaned it up to-gether with our own seed and I spent the after noon killing my crate fattened chickens. I killed ten leaving the one with https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2cf7e69356439443b055e3750f9b35e4.pdf 4b49947ed31f367b05df3205c896f2af PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We had to take it over to Clarence Welsh's to weigh it and left it in the field on our way home it was about two o'clock when we got to the house. Dad. went back with the big team and started drilling right after dinner and when I had my dinner I took Joe and Belle back and started harrowing but changed team's with Dad. later and he finished drilling the field about dark while I brought the old team up as old Nellie was so tired she could hardly walk. Fine day Friday September 14th Dad. took Belle & Queen back this morning and harrowed over the field that he drilled yesterday and I disked on the pea stubble with the big team. Frank had to go down town Enah's brother and all his family and Fred Johnson came down in their car from Courtright yesterday and came over here this morning. Jean & Adelina stayed here to dinner. This after noon Frank and I had to go over to Ben Ivey's to help thrash Quanbury's oat stack and were over there all the after noon having tea at the Quanbury's. Dad. ran out the furrows in the wheat this after noon. Enah is getting ready to-night to go to Courtright with her brother to-morrow, they were in again to-night for a while. Tid says he doesn't want to go away but he got resigned to his fate before they left. Another fine day. Saturday September 15th The principal event of to-day was the departure of Enah and the baby for Courtright with the James'. The baby seemed quite happy in the excitement of going in the car but it wouldn't have taken much coaxing to keep him home, however it has since transpired that he was quite contented and happy during his sojourn and the constant opportunity of ac<s>c</s>ess to new and wonderful sights and things of interest such as the big boats on the river and the magic performances of machinery in his uncle's tin-shop, afforded, - warded off any attacks of homesickness which under other circumstances he might have suffered from. I didn't do any thing much all day but wash the buggy and go down town with Frank to get a ton of soft coal for which we paid the exhorbitant price of ten dollars. Dad. finished cleaning out the ditches over in the back wheat field and he and Frank hauled up the planks and sleepers of Ivey's bridge which last spring's {illegible} deposited in our gully. The planks we want to have handy to support the thrashing engine on the barn floor and they will be ready for Ivey's any time they take the trouble to come and get them but the sleepers which were cedar railroad ties, they sawed and split up for use during our coming week https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/dbe36b3d254e88cc561129ec01ef95dd.pdf 41039f3f4e46cfd3431473105ba08fc4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday September 11th Charlie and Art Quanbury drove in this morning on their way out to Tupper's so I rode out with them. This is the first day Art. has been out of bed since he was taken sick a week or more ago, so I think he is plum crazy but maybe not. Frank rode down town on his wheel to tell Aunty Alice that we would likely not be able to attend her theatre party to-night if we had to thrash late and he rode on out to Tupper's on his wheel. I went over to Charlie's place with the boys and helped them put on a load of wheat out of Charlie's barn as they wanted to thrash a load for seed. They thrashed it first and then started at Tupper's out of the field. He hadn't a sheaf in the barn. I hauled in with Tupper's team and waggon all day, and we worked till after six. The wheat was in awful shape but the oats weren't so bad. He got 416 bushels alto-gether and 44 of them were wheat. Fairly cool but sunny all day. Wednesday September 12th Dad. and I worked both teams on the land this morning and Frank patched at the stable roof. Aunty came over at noon to tell us she was going to Toronto in the morning to help Vernon christen the baby. Bill. Philips came in just after dinner to get Dad. to go up and see Miss McCoy's cow and while Dad. was gone Bill helped Frank and me put off the load of oats that was on the rack and get the twelve shocks out in the field and the wheat of my plots. Dad. got back just as we got in and said he had told Miss McCoy to send to Simcoe for Bert or Anderson. It is now over a week since I have made an entry in this book so that the records for the week following this will be brief and their accuracy and completeness may suffer somewhat from the effacing effect that time has on my memory. To-night I went down town and spent an enjoyable evening at "Uncle" Hughie Moore's, where I have since learned that I revised Miss Kerney's former impression of my character as she had formed the opinion that I was a "solemn appearin' boy". I spent the night at Aunty's to help her get to the station in the morning. Thursday September 13th Aunty got off this morning and had Mrs. Gordon for company all the way to Toronto. I went to the station with her and carried her suitcases, she took one full of vegetables to Roy & Vernon. When I got home I hunted up some bags and Frank and I took Joe and Belle on the waggon out to Bob. Ross's and got 17 bus {bushels} of seed wheat. Bob. was hauling in oats but Frank {illegible} his hay but on a load and he and I cleaned up the wheat. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7da035dbe026cea38a57de1c2697fc18.pdf 4ba15e123f27cfda2d7d6bc5120ff973 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This is a repeat of Index page 110} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/69bb26f166f191c3a28c63f197258602.pdf bd84cf80c142af4d244dd3345988adfb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. soaked it for an hour or more. The original spot seems to be healing nicely but the numerous breakings out around it are getting very sore. Dad. and Frank dug potatoes all morning and I went out for about an hour before noon to help them. Two of Ham Thompsons kids were down this morning to say that Ham was going to fill his silo this <s>morning</s> after noon so Frank and I went up after dinner. We were up there till after dark and then had tea up there but didn't finish the job as the corn was so wet it kept plugging up the blower so that they had to take the curved pipe and the distributor off. I worked in the field for an hour or so loading {stacks?} but my arm got so sore I had to come up and trade jobs with Tige McBride who was tramping in the silo. Old Mr. Miller was in there too. I didn't mind that job at all. On our way home Frank & I stopped in at the mill and got a bag of crate fattening mixture for another bunch of cockrels which I shut up last night but Tom had been here and said he couldn't get me any buttermilk. Dad. and I went out to-night and caught all the pullets we could find as Chris told Dad. to-day that he would be over Monday to take all that were any good for Jack and that he would give me 25 cts per lb for them. Fine day. Sunday November 4th All the household but me went to church this morning and as I had to soak my arm again I didn't get down till half past eleven and then went down to the doctor's. He dressed it again and gave me a hyperdemic for some reason or other and told me the new breakings out were infections from the original sore. It was very painful this after noon but principally around the spot where he inserted the needle. I went down to Aunty's for dinner and stayed there all day and all night I went up to see Marj. this after noon but she was up at the Bagley's as old Mrs. Hall just died and they wanted her to be at the door. Marj. was home after tea so I spent the evening with her. A goodly portion of the Bawlby family came down to Aunty's this after noon for an hour or so. Aunty Alice was over here to dinner and Enah came down town with her this after noon and took the five o'clock car for Simcoe to sing with a few others in the Dover choir at Trinity church where the Bishop of {illegible} was preaching. There was no service in our church to-night on account of his being in Simcoe and Aunty, Aunty Alice and Winnie went up on the seven car to hear him https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d11722dd90b28db092d6d158a5558fcf.pdf 5d052d92e445cf8c7ccd4844009843db PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday November 5th I had breakfast at Aunty's this morning and came home right after, but in accordance with the doctor's advice and the feeling of my arm have done no manual labor all day. I soaked my arm for an hour this morning and again to-night and Enah wrapped it up the way Dr. Cook did. This after noon I rode down to the mill with Tom. and paid Charlie Ivey 57 dollars on the account but was surprised to find that there is still over 73 dollars to pay. Chris came over this morning and picked out all the pullets and old hens that were any good and Jack paid me 17 dollars for them 18 pullets & 3 old hens. The government tractor a "Bull" is plowing over at Ben Ivey's to-day but is doing awful work. Frank plowed all morning and he and Dad. have been digging potatoes this after noon. They got them all in that they have dug to-night and were very agreeably surprised at the quantity as well as quality and size of the potatoes, very few were damaged with the frost. There are still four rows to be dug. To-night Dad. and Enah went down to Aunty's to celebrate Aunty Alice's birthday. Huby and Aunty Maude were there as well as the John Shand's. Froze hard. Lovely day. Tuesday November 6th I soaked my arm again this morning and then went down town to show it to the doctor. He didn't lance the sore's this time as I expected but sterilized each one of them by poking a wire with cotton balling soaked with full strength carbolic acid into the heads of them and working it around. It made me squirm somewhat as the carbolic burned. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and left on the one o'clock car for Simcoe. I went up and collected our prize money, eight dollars, and took Frank's and my own shoes to be half soled. I then went over to the Court House to what was supposed to be a meeting of Unionists to select a Union Candidate for the Union Government but I found it composed pretty largely of good or at least dyed-in-the-wool tories with a sprinkling of Grits. About all they did and under the circumstances I guess it was the best they could do was to pass a resolution authorizing the executive of the Conservite party in Norfolk to select twelve men representing different parts of the county, to meet twelve men selected in the same way by the Liberal's and between them they are to arrange a convention of delegates representing each party equally and they are to select a Union candidate https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4ebda82ad625b0e387fe4f4eed247dbe.pdf 69331b819e2edc0825ba83965fe581c1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. All the party men wanted to pick out their man to-day or at least not accept H.P. Innes's resignation and got to the Grits and tell them to pick out their man or else consent to the Torie's man but the fellows who wanted to be square opposed that proposition as what they are afraid of is that we will have two Union candidates one Grit and one Tory opposing each other and then a Laurier Liberal will work in as a farmer's man or some thing else and win the election, which of course would not be what Norfolk wants as Laurier still stands by his referendum scheme and his first act should he be elected would be to stop the working of the Military Service Act. John Wess was over this morning to ask Dad. & Frank to help him thrash to-morrow as there is another machine on the back road and he can't get hands. Dad. & Frank finished harvesting the potato crop to-day and pulled a few more mangels. Lovely day. Wednesday November 7th I have done nothing in the shape of work all day. Dad. & Frank went over to John Wesses to help him thrash this morning and Frank has been over all day but Dad. came home right after dinner. He didn't feel very well for awhile after he got back but feels all right to-night. He did chores and pulled a couple of more rows of mangels. I went down town this after noon and showed the doctor my arm which he said was doing well. I stayed to tea and spent the evening at Aunty's. Dad. came down after tea with a basket of the biggest of our potatoes (and there are some huge ones) for Aunty Alice to take down to show Roy on Saturday. He also brought down their milk as we are letting them have milk now three times a week. There was considerable excitement created to-day but the appearance of an aeroplane, the first one I think ever seen in this neighbourhood. Dad. told us about him first at noon as they had seen him over at John Wesses flying quite low. Then I saw him again this after noon but a long way off flying north east evidently for Toronto. It seems the aviator was a French-Canadian from Camp Borden and had got lost in a fog up around Lake Simcoe coming down here instead of Toronto & mistaking Lake Erie for Ontario. He almost landed in the school yard at noon or near noon and they let all the kids out to see him. He couldn't land https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8edd3349f5ccfa13f8b5e5fc94522fb6.pdf 067bea7452662c3753c36ef0af49e7c8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. in such a small space, however and went up to Holloway's place this side of Lynn Valley where he lit and went into Simcoe for gasoline They said he knew very little about his engine. A good proportion of the town saw him and heard him as he flew right down over the pond. It has been freezing hard the last few nights but the days have been mild and sunny, to-day especially nice. Thursday November 8th Although my arm has felt a good deal better to-day I have done nothing whatever to use it. Frank went back to John Wesses and thrashed till noon when they finished and he plowed all the after noon. Dad. did chores and sawed up some wood this morning and this after noon pulled up some more mangels besides doing chores. I helped Dad. saw up one limb of the old oak with one hand this morning and then went a walk back to the woods. I went to sleep before noon and was too lazy to get up to eat. This after noon I drove Enah & Tid down town and came home by the mill where I got a 40 lb. bag of oatmeal. To-night I went down town to see Marj. It has been a beautiful day and not freezing as hard to-night. Friday November 9th Frank went out with the Quanbury boy's early this morning and was out there till noon helping them thrash at Charlie's place. The job only lasted a couple of hours but I guess they didnt get started on time. Dad. plowed all morning and I didn't do any thing much but kill a couple of old hens for Enah and a cockrel for Aunty Alice to take to Roy to-morrow. This after noon Dad. and Frank got up the rest of the mangels except a few small ones and put them all in the drive house. I helped them a little, pulling. Pickford came in to ask Dad. to go over in the morning to operate on a couple of calves. He had been in Brantford to-day with Mrs. Pickford who has something wrong with her eye and has to go up every so often from now on to a specialist. Pickford was telling us that he has it figured out that it is going to cost him nearly fifty dollars, which fact I am afraid is causing him considerable distress. Art & John Quanbury came in with a load of oats to clean up and told Dad. that Jim Bannister had brought word at noon that Harry Ansley had had a stroke and was very low. Aunty came over just as they left and confirmed the news of https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d0b8615ba125dec640627bf1cdadbac7.pdf 4d2c5cb0a025aaede3040d14f6f9c658 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. dangerous condition but said he had not had a stroke but sort of convulsions and they think the trouble <s>was</s> is from his spine. The latest news to-night is that he is resting quietly having had theree convulsions, the first one before noon and lasting nearly an hour, the other two being lighter. I went down town to-night with Aunty Alice's milk and Roy's chicken and stayed all night so that I could help Aunty Alice get to the train in the morning. The war news to-day is bad, another revolution is taking place in Petrograd. Kerensky has fled to regions unknown and the revolutionists are demanding a separate peace with Germany. Prospects on the Italian battle front are not <s>showing</s> brightening yet either. The Italian army is still retreating from the immense hordes of Astro-Germans who have crossed the Tagliamento river and claim the capture of 250'000 prisoners and 2300 guns. The Italians claim that Cadorna's main army retreated unmolested and taking up defensive positions along the Piave river where strong British & French reinforcements are now massing and where it is hoped a decided stand will be taken as Venice is only fifteen miles behind this line and it is feared a further advance by the enemy would be liable to cause panic among the people who are already shaken but who are cheered by the presence of British & French aid in great strength from the Western front. If the fighting spirit of the Italians is still strong it is thought by some that an allied victory here is possible, and would mean disaster for the Central Powers who it is believed made this big drive partly in the hopes of demanding peace. The British forces under General Allenby are making headway against the Turks in Palestine having taken Gaza and closing in on Jerusalem. The Canadians are also doing fine work in France. Saturday November 10th I went up to the Tibbets as soon as I had breakfast this morning and Cousin Willie told me that they had had no call during the night so thought Harry Ansley was about the same. It was just about seven when I got back but as Aunty Alice was already we went down to the station and when she got in the car I came back. I came home almost as soon as the train went out. Frank plowed all morning and helped Dad. saw off and up another https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ffa4646580614b0f7ce80b717fc5fcd1.pdf 35314fa6d80d0862f679e0fea7a14377 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. oak limb. This after noon Frank went to Simcoe to get the shoes I left up there to be fixed and to see Rus Lampkins about the windmill as some thing has gone wrong with it, I don't know just what. Dad. didn't get back to plow as there were so many chores to do and he helped me sort some of the potatoes. Frank came down to the five car and went down town again to-night. Another beautiful day. Sunday November 11th Enah and I drove down to church this morning leaving Dad. Frank and the baby to get dinner. Frank I think spent the morning fixing the windmill following the instructions he got from Rus Lampkins yesterday. Aunty & Aunt Ida came over here to dinner I went down town right after dinner and Marj. and I went for a walk. She has a bad cold so didn't go to church at all to-day, she had an awful time with her cold yesterday but feels better to-day. I stayed up there to tea and for the evening. Rus. Skey was over here to tea and Dad. has been giving me very amusing accounts of his future dreams of leaving the bank which he has always detested and finishing his medical course coming to Dover and fixing up the old home putting in the remainder of his life (he figures he would have at least fifteen years for it) in scientific research practising on the Turkey Point decendants, gratis. He was also reviewing with Dad. the pugilistic incidents of their school days dwelling with special pride and joy upon the day he licked Bev. Powell. It has been a beautiful day, very warm & not freezing to-night. Monday November 12th Dad. & Frank both went back this morning one to plow and one to ditch. I had to go over and chase the sheep out of Jack Martin's field as they have discovered the way over and are determined to go. About nine o'clock there was a great commotion caused by the blowing of the factory, Canning factory and other whistles We thought there must be a fire so I hurried down as far as Uncle Ward's but every thing was quiet and undisturbed by then down town. There was a flag up on the factory and Uncle Ward had no idea what had caused the row. Aunty Lucy suggested news of victory while we thought possibly the completion of the dam (which is not yet completed) was responsible but later in the day we found out that at nine o' https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3d10a19d1ed9879402e4de098d5a3900.pdf 1a64b3387c9f179c1a1a065a9a098686 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. clock this morning the books are open for subscriptions to the new "Victory Loan" and all sorts of means are being resorted to to bring it to the attention of the public, this being one of them. I stayed talking to Uncle Ward till I nearly froze and when I came home found Frank sorting potatoes so helped him till noon. This after noon I intended going down to the doctor's again but Dad. wanted me to write to Dick so by the time I got that done it was pretty late and Enah said I might as well wait till after tea and then take Aunty's milk down so I did. I also took a basket of apples over to Marj. as she told me yesterday she had hardly tasted one all fall, she wasn't home to-night having taken Miss Kelly to the picture show. I went around to the doctors and got another bottle of dope and he burned out a couple more spots I stayed down all night at Aunty's. Dad. plowed this after noon and Frank pulled some more turnips. Raw East wind to-day & cloudy but clear to-night. Tuesday November 13th I came home about eight this morning and helped Frank bag up some oats to take down to be chopped. We took Belle and Queen and as they haven't been out for about a month were feeling pretty gay. Queen especially. It was about eleven when we started and they told us down there that we could get the grist in half an hour so we drove down town and got my box from Waller's and a bag of salts getting back about noon. Dad. plowed all morning. This after noon Frank went <s>down</s> back and plowed and Dad. and I spent most of the <s>morning</s> after noon cutting a block off the butt of the old oak. I went over to Ben's for a little while just before dark to see the tractor. It is plowing deeper than it did at first but has to make very wide {illegible} and leaves the ground very uneven. Cart. Bawlby was finishing up after it and had a big job as the pesky thing doesn't pretend to go straight. Cart. didn't think Ben was going to gain much in time or money by using it and then as he says it is only half plowed. Frank went down town to-night for a little while, there was a meeting in the town hall to-night to put the terms of the Victory Loan before the public. Froze hard last night but has been a nice day. Wednesday November 14th Enah, Tim and I went down town this morning and stayed at Aunty's to dinner. I went up again to the doctors and he punctured three more spots one a great big one like a blister and my hand is pretty sore to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c0fa163cf42fb4a468003396f5cc07b0.pdf 6576e3d56f781b65f234c9874bf4c5ff PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I got some carbolic acid to heal any spots that come myself from now on. I went up and got Aunty's mail right after dinner <s>but</s> and then came home but didn't do any work all the after noon. Enah and the baby stayed down till after dark. Dad. & Frank plowed and did chores all day and finished the back field to-night. They had a couple of rag-men for dinner to-day who presented them with a tin pail in payment. Word came on Saturday that poor old Skelly Long had been killed in action and to-day Enah heard that Fred George had got a bullet through the head. Thursday November 15th My arm has been pretty painful all day and I have been in the house nearly all day. Frank and Dad. spent the morning running out ditches in the fifty acre sod field east of the lane and Dad. just got started to plow it this after noon when Alan Law came to get him to cut the lump off old Ben's stifle. He was down there till nearly dark but they couldn't operate on Ben and will have to throw him. McEwen came in on the one o'clock car to look at the ram lambs but he said they were too small for him and advised us to keep four of them over, he bought the two best ones for twenty dollars apiece and we have to ship them to-morrow. Dad. took Aunty's milk down to her to-night. Cloudy, rainy & raw all day. Friday November 16th Dad. and Frank crated up the two ram lambs this morning and Frank and I took them down to the station and Dad. went out and plowed. When we got back I went over to John Wesse's to see how he was, he was plowing but his breath was pretty short. I then went over to Tupper's and bought a heifer from him. Frank said he would go in on the speculation with me. She is rather small but in good shape and due to calve in April. Tupper said he would take my note for 11 mos. at 5% and he taxed me sixty five dollars for her. I stayed there to dinner and went down to Frank Ryerse's with him after dinner. Sam had just pulled in there to thrash. I got a couple of boxes of Chamberlain salve from Mrs. Ryerse and then came over to Law's with Alan and he drove me home. He took Dad. back with him and they threw old Ben but didn't operate as Dad. said it would be a painful operation and they were not sure it would cure him so they thought as he was so old it wasn't worth it. Aunty and Aunt ida were over here to dinner and walked over and back. I went down to Aunty's for tea and went to the picture-show with Marj. but it was a miserable show. My arm is still pretty bad. I put Chamberlain salve on it this after noon. Fair day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d6ea6fe387916fef4528174e6513d7db.pdf 355a076d9378b3002a16860cb6f49f68 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday November 17th I didn't get home very early this morning as I went up town first and got some long envelopes to send McEwen's pedigrees up in. Just as I climbed Martin's fence Dad. was starting out with Harry & Belle, he had been out and plowed eight rounds in an hour with Harry and Queen and was now going to shake the keen edge off Belle. This after noon he plowed with Belle & Queen to-gether and they did fine. Frank worked Harry & Nellie. I fixed up McEwen's pedigrees and made out a promisary note for $25 for him and also made application for the pedigree of the yearlin ewe that is not registered yet. When Jim came at noon with the mail I ordered a postal note from him to pay for the pedigree and was fool enough not to think what I was doing and gave him McEwen's address instead of the "Live Stock Records at Ottawa so had to hike down to the post office and tell Cousin Willie to fix it when Jim came in. When I got home I walked out to Wilbur Ryerse's where Sam & Alan are thrashing and told Alan that he was welcome to old Dave if he wanted to come and get him to plow with in place of old Ben. so he said he would come up and get him. He says he would buy a new horse if he was sure of not being called up for service but he thinks he will be when {illegible} is called. Lovely day. Sunday November 18th None of us went to church this morning, I would have gone but took so long to fix my arm. I went down to see Marj. this after noon and stayed at Aunty's for tea then went to church alone this evening. Aunty didn't go to church to-night as she didn't like to leave Aunt Ida alone. Marj. and I went over to the McQueen's after church. They were rather upset over at the Moore's this after noon by the news of the death of Mat. Hudson down the lake shore Miss Herny informerd uncle Hughie one day last week that there would be a death in the family as she heard the death bell ringing in her ears. Huby & Mr. Lawrie were over here this after noon. Cloudy and raw all day. Rained a little, milder to-night. Bill Law arrived home from the war last night with just one leg. Monday November 19th I got home about half past nine this morning and found Dad. and Frank cutting more off the old oak. I got my old clothes on and about eleven walked out to the Shand's and had dinner with Willie & Winnie and then walked down to the cheese factory & paid Lea Marshall $7.40 for a year's buttermilk. Dad. and Frank were over helping Art Quanbury thrash this after noon till about five. Enah and the baby were down town all day. Charlie Shand doesn't know yet whether he will get exemption or not. Cloudy & raw but fine. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/46695df6d0c432df095fc735efcb7c61.pdf cbe39dd18d5e5e2f6bd29c3848ce6383 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday November 20th I didn't do any thing all morning but sit around and read "Saturday Nights". This after noon I went down and got my hair cut. Enah went down as far as Uncle Ward's to find out the particulars of Mrs. Schofield's funeral, she having died suddenly yesterday. Dad. and Frank plowed with both teams to-day but took quite awhile doing chores. The nominations for the federal elections were yesterday and it looks as if there was going to be quite a fight. In Norfolk, however, Innes withdrew at the last minute so that leaves Charlton, Liberal Unionist against Wallace, Laurier man. Cloudy & damp. Charlie Quanbury got word to-day that his claim for exemption has been refused. Wednesday November 21st Dad. and Frank plowed this morning and Frank this after noon but Dad. had to act as bearer at Mrs. Scoffield's funeral if he had been home they would have finished the oat stubble I sat around the house all day as I have a new boil on my knee which makes it pretty sore. Bruce was around this after noon soliciting subscriptions to the Victory Loan but we were unable to invest. I went down town to-night to see Marj. and stayed at Aunty's all night. Cloudy & raw. Thursday November 22nd I went down to get a fish for Aunty before I came home this morning and got home about ten. Dad. and Frank were cutting a block off the oak tree, they didn't plow any to-day as it rained or drizzled all the time. It turned colder towards night & snowed. I sat around the house all day as my knee was very sore and swollen, the spot on it seems just like the ones on my arm. Charlie and Art Quanbury were cleaning up wheat most of the day with our mill. Charlie's throat is in bad shape, he announces his intention of starting revolution. He's peeved. Friday November 23rd I have sat around the house and read "The Illiad" and "Titus Andronicus" all day to-day. It was frozen too hard to plow and has been very cold and windy all day. There is a half covering of snow on everything. Dad. & the baby went down to Aunty's this morning to bank up the house and stayed down to dinner. Frank got the apples down cellar this morning. This after noon they did chores. Enah walked down town this after noon to get some provisions. War news lately might be worse. British made a big drive the other day and took about 9000 prisoners. It was a complete surprise as no artillery were used to open the way. The tanks went first and broke the barbed wire. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/70b2b0259fd5575bc9c5a3341e765716.pdf d23339598261a085df5cef90e0cbd990 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday November 24th It froze very hard last night and has not thawed at all to-day. The wind was from the north all day and it has been cold enough for mid-winter although sunny. I sat around the house most of the day although my knee was very much better. Dad. and Frank spent the day getting wood amd doing chores. Alfred was in this after noon for quite awhile and paid Dad. the balance on the seed wheat. Frank went down town to-night. Sunday November 25th Enah, Dad, Tid. and I walked to church this morning but found a notice on the door saying there would be no service owing to the lack of gas, so I went to the Catholick church and the others went to the Presbyterian. I came home to dinner and Frank and I had it alone as the rest stayed down at Aunty's. I went back down town right after dinner and spent the after noon with Marj. had tea at Aunty's and went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. after tea but found she had gone to a service they held in the Sunday school with Cousin Willie presiding as Mr. Johnson is in Stratford. Aunty & Aunt Ida went to service to-night and said cousin Willie gave a very nice address. I went down there early and stayed all night. Froze hard again last night. Monday November 26th I spent most of the day killing and fixing up my 12 crate fattened cockrels. I am afraid they will niot bring as much as I have had very little milk for them and have not looked after them as I should have. It is still frozen up tight so FDad and Frank have been doing chores all day and this after noon they put the mangels down the cellar. They have been in the drive house but were not frozen. Enah was over at the Quanbury's this after noon and said there was quite a crowd skating on the pond. Tom. was in this morning and said John Watt's little shack burned down last night and people were lblaming him for it as old Jim McQueen was going to move into it to-day. It has been sunny but frosty to-day. Tuesday November 27th Frank and I went down with my chickens this morning which I shipped to Waller's and got the cellar window which has been at Mr. Jame's all fall owing to our forgetfulness. When we got home we went over to Tupper's and got our heifer getting back about noon. I had a bad cold anyway and the morning's operations knocked me out. I huddled over the stove all after noon, didn't want any tea and went to bed about seven o'clock. Dad. went down to-night and got leave from Clayton Ansley to do as he liked with old Nellie & the heifer. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/32421e2a258208d37473aca90e20d26c.pdf f0451faac42b0184b2d9cb8bc6ccef5d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday November 28th Dad. and Frank got some more wood from the old oak this morning and this after noon started to clean up the wheat. Lloyd Ryerse came up with his ferret this after noon and after helping awhile to clean up wheat he and Frank went after rabbits but didn't see any. Dad. went over to John Wess's to see how he was to-day. He feels pretty well as long as he keeps still but can't do any work. {Com.?} is home now. This after noon I wnt down town stayed at Aunty's to tea went up to see Marj.and stayed at Aunty's all night. Milder but still frozen up. Thursday November 29th I have been down at Aunty's all day. I went down to the station this morning to meet Aunty Alice who came home on the eleven o'clock train. This after noon I went up after Aunty's mail and then made three trips up to Col. Smith's after "Saturday Evening Posts" and "Country Gentleman's". He had a big pile of them and didn't want to destroy them so said we could have them. I left them at Aunty Alice's till we can get them in the buggy. Dad. and Frank finished cleaning up the wheat to-day. It held out pretty well with the machine. Dad. went down to see Aunty Alice to-night. Much softer. Freezing to-night. Friday November 30th Dad. and Frank hauled the wheat down to the mill this morning in two loads I went down with them on the second load. Dad. was well pleased with the way the wheat turned out. He didn't expect it would more than pay the bill at the mill but there were about 57 1/2 bushels and Charlie gave him $2.09 for it so there was about $44.00 coming to him after the account was paid. This after noon Dad. and the baby drove down to take Aunty Alice up to the cemetry but it rained so hard they didn't go. Frank went down to the mill again this after noon to get some feed. They took down some oats this morning and got part of them chopped and traded part off for shorts & feed flour. Rained most of the day. Saturday <s>November</s> December 1st Frank and I drove Belle and Queen to Simcoe this morning after the bbl. {barrel} of coal oil which Dad. ordered a week or so ago. We borrowed Mr. Flemming's democrat. Dad. only ordered 25 gallons but we had to take a 45 gal. bbl as there were no others. However it is two or three cents cheaper than we can get it here and is supposed to be better. Dad. Enah and the baby went down town this morning and did some shopping and Dad. drove Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. I didn't do any thing https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/eb62e422a32128d0be7b83fbbc018d24.pdf 2c4732f17deaa0e89cf710a64ac65d6b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. in particular this after noon, and Dad. & Frank just did chores. I gave my arm a good soaking before tea to-night. It is pretty sore again but there is only one big spot left to break on it. It seems to take a very long time to come to a head. Cold wind with snow all day. Freezing hard again to-night. Sunday December 2nd I was the only one of this family who went to church this morning and I was very late as we were late getting up. I came home to dinner but went down town right after and this after noon walked round the hill with Marj. after which we paid Miss McQueen a short visit. I had tea at Aunty's and to-night we went to church to hear the Bishop and see the confirmation ceremony. The church was packed and we had to get a few more seats from the Sunday school. There were about 22 candidates for confirmation, five of them coming from Vittoria. I stayed at Aunty's all night. Nice day but freezing. Monday December 3rd I hung around down at Aunty's this morning till about ten o'clock expecting Dad. down to go and see Niel Elliott about buying Harry Ansley's heifer, but as he didnt come Aunty & Aunty Alice thought I had better go down and see Niel myself so I did. He was down at the coal office weighing hogs and asked me to take his horse up town to Hec's barn so I did and while I was gone Dad. came and went down also to see Niel and so I am afraid may have given him the impression that we had some thing here we were anxious to sell. Dad. went on up town and got his hair cut so I came home. This after noon I went down again to get an order from Waller's cashed and stayed to tea at Aunty's Mrs. Jackson from Port Rowan landed in there to stay all night having come in on the five o'clock car, and she made herself very entertaining by her enlivening conversation which during tea time consisted chiefly <s>with</s> of accounts of the Port Rowan Christian Scientists and their doings. it is quite evident that they hold a very low place in her estimation. After tea I went up to hear Charlton, Rowell and a Mr. Starr president of the Toronto Conservative Association speak on behalf of the Union Government. I have heard from several sources that Rowell was a very forceful speaker but I couldn't see anything much in what he said and I think if any one changed their views on the situation <s>last</s> to-night, their conversion would be credited to Mr. Starr, who I thought was good. Cloudy & cold. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2ceb2e9d131e411babc0feeec5e0ea69.pdf ba5485a7bfe01bd20ed21129a5516477 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday December 4th I haven't done any thing in particular to-day, just sat around and read and husked a few hickory nuts. Dad. and Frank did chores and this after noon Frank went over to help Charlie Quanbury thrash seed. They didn't get started very early so didn't finish to-night. To-night Frank went down to a Red Cross dance in the town hall Dad. got the storm windows down and put some of them on. Raw. Wednesday December 5th Frank went out to help Charlie thrash first thing this morning and Dad. after he had done up the chores went over to help Pickford saw wood as he has Ot. Collins engine & saw there to-day. Dad. only stayed a few minutes as Frank got there soon after he did having finished thrashing at Charlie's. He stayed there the rest of the day and Dad. did chores. I didn't do much but my arm is I think "on the mend" as the big lump that has been so bad has at last broken and there are no signs of any more bad ones coming. I went down to tea at Aunty's to-night and afterwards up to see Marj. Frank & Enah came down after tea to attend one a Political meeting held by Wallace (Laurier man. or at least independant opposition) and the other choir practice. Roy came in on the seven o'clock car to stay for the night, going to Brantford in the morning. Thursday December 6th Frank has been over at Pickford's thrashing all day. Dad. went down right after breakfast to see Roy but just saw him for a minute. He found out that there was a car of coal in and that he could get some if he went down, so he came right home, harnessed the old team and got a ton. It began to look as if there wasn't going to be any for us this winter as very little came in and people who have had orders for a long time were served first, but now they expect there will be plenty in a week or so. Andrew Innes went over to Buffalo on behalf of the town and arranged for Kolbe to get it. I read most of the after noon but helped Dad. unload the coal and just as we got through Ham. Thompson came over after his ewes so it was nearly dark when we got them loaded. Enah went over to the McPherson's this after noon to teach Cecil a song for a Methodist concert. Dock Abbot got home from the front last night and there is great rejoicing down at Tom's Alan says he looks fine except for the deep cut in his face on account of which he is home and will have to go back for more treatment at the hospital, but all the grim yarns that were going around a few months ago about him being dumb and blind were false although for awhile he was in danger of losing one eye. Cloudy cold & raw. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/35aa878e7ebba0aa0c34fbcadfbc6325.pdf 2734a732a69fbb1dd44501fa30c699c9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday December 7th Frank thrashed all morning at Pickford's and got home soon after dinner. Dad. did chores this morning and went down to the mill in the buggy after some feed flour. Aunty Alice walked over to dinner. This after noon Dad. and Frank went out to Bob. Ross's sale and didn't get back till dark. They left before it was over and didn't buy anything everything went high. Tid and I walked down as far as Mr. Battersby's with Aunty Alice and then went for a walk through the "Sheep Pasture". Freezing all day but sunny and nice. Saturday December 8th We took the four head of cattle which Dad. sold to Niel Elliottt on Monday down this morning with out any trouble. There was the <s>three</s> two year old heifer and the two black yearlings and Harry Ansley's black heifer which Dad. could only get $25.00 for. He got $165.00 for our three which he figured as $80.00 for the two year old $45.00 for the yearling steer and $40.00 for the yearling heifer. He and Frank went up town to get the money and pay up various debts and I waited for them at Aunty's They didn't get down there will about noon so I didn't go home with them but waited for dinner and went up town and got Aunty's mail this after noon. I came right home then but didn't do much this after noon but a few chores, my arm is very much better and I think I can work with it now as there is no sign of any more spots and the old ones are all healing Dad. got the colts up this after noon as there is a terrific blizzard raging. It was bad this morning but is much worse this after noon and every thing is full of snow. Enah was to have collected for the Navy this after noon but couldn't go out. Yesterday's and today's papers are full of the news of the awful explosion in Halifax caused by a munition ship blowing up. Nearly the whole city is wrecked and there are at least 2000 people killed, some put it at 3000 while about every second person in the city is injured. To make things worse to-day's papers say there is a fierce blizzard raging down there. Sunday December 9th It was very cold and windy this morning and the snow was drifting badly, it kept increasing till this after noon there was one of the worst snow storms and most blinding blizzards I every saw, at this time of year anyway. I was still at it to-night but I think had stopped snowing but was freezing very hard. I was the only one left the farm to-day. Dad. and Frank spent the day doing chores and making the animals https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/11acce868165f46eaf32dfc58a937917.pdf fe6eaf7c2073cc5e6ef10adf98f419b6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. as comfortable as possible. I went down first thing this morning and shovelled Aunty's snow for them and had breakfast down there. By the time I got home and got dressed up it was too late to go to church but I went right down after dinner and took Aunty's & Elva's cream down. I went around to see Marj. but couldn't find her as she had gone down to Patterson's for dinner and from there over to Mrs. Perry's. I stayed to tea at Aunty's and went up after tea when I found Marj. home. I didn't go to church but I think they had service in the Sunday school. Monday December 10th I shovelled all the snow and opened the rain barrels down at Aunty's this morning and got home about ten o'clock Frank and I spent the rest of the morning putting the poles we got from Tupper ac<s>c</s>ross the bent in the old barn and covering them with straw to make a warm pen for the ram lambs and the young calves when they come. This after noon Frank went down to fix Aunty's cellar windows and Enah went out collecting for the Navy. I read most of the after noon but helped do chores and dug a snow house in a snow drift for the baby It has been very cold and windy all day and the snow was drifting badly but it did not snow any more Tuesday December 11th Frank and I spent most of the morning digging out the lane, there never was more snow in it since we have been over here. Tom came up this morning with butter and Dad drove up as far as Duncan's with him to see a lame horse which Annie told him about yesterday. Dad. and I just did chores this after noon and I read the papers, the mail trains didn't get through yesterday so we had both papers to-day. The most important news is that Jerusalem has surrendered to the British. Frank went down town this after noon and took the crosscut saw down to Uncle Wards and learned how to sharpen it. Enah made butter to-day. I spent the evening drawing a picture of a {puppy?} from the cover of "The Country Gentleman". Sunny & cold. Wednesday December 12th Young Gamble from the Lower Hotel came over this morning to get Dad. to go down and look at their cow which had milk fever so he did after a good deal "cussin". Frank & I did chores till he got back and then we got the bob-sleigh out of the barn and went down to Coleman's after a hog crate. It was after noon when we got back. Right after dinner we loaded old Gladys in the hog crate https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/baa95cd05f44f8ab822afca3f0bab589.pdf 5ef9231dc142256600cb2037110fb2da PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and took her to the slaughter house where Karl killed her for us. Frank stayed there the rest of the after noon to watch him. I took the hog crate back down town and then came home with the team. Dad. Enah & the baby drove down town in the cutter soon after I got back and brought Marj. back with them to tea. She was here all evening and I drove her home about half past ten. Nice winter day. Thursday December 13th Frank and I with the baby drove down to the slaughter house first thing this morning and got the remains of poor old Gladys and Dad. spent the rest of the morning cutting her up. Frank and I then went down town and around by the mill where we got a couple of bags of feed. It snowed hard all the after noon and we didn't do any thing much. Arthur Preston was over for quite a visit and told us that he had got a circular saying that there would be a meeting to-night to make more arrangement for Neff's Short Course this winter so Frank and I went down and Neff gave us each a route to canvass to create a little enthusiam over the course. Much milder to-night. Friday December 14th We have just done chores to-day and this after noon Dad. Tid and I drove Queen down town for exercise. Frank and I went down to a Union Government meeting to-night which was pretty good but late. Proff Law of Knox College & Frank Ried were the speakers. Cold and clear to-day, very frosty to-night. Saturday December 15th Did chores most of the day. Frank and I drove Queen down town this after noon and went down to Aunty's to tea to-night & spent the evening. Very cold. Sunday December 16th I went down alone to church this morning and just sat around the house all the after noon till it was time to do chores. Went down to-night and spent the evening with Marj. Monday December 17th Dad. and I drove out to Wiggin's this morning and Dad. voted for me as he said he wouldn't vote at all himself but as I was entitled to a vote but through neglect was not on the list he would mark the ballot the way I wanted it which was of course for Charlton & Union Government. Dad's finger is very painful and he can't do a thing with it. To-night Frank and I went down to hear the returns. Union Government is safe. Charlton got bigger majority than Wallace did https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/50eef980325018f01a5b6cdba93f8a53.pdf 5e8bdb782bb355e45de978b4859ee9f4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday December 31st When two weeks ago I discovered that I had only three pages left in this book I decided to wait till now and make a summary of the principal events of the old year's last couple of weeks instead of making three line entries for each day. About a month ago I started to condense my entries to an average of half a page a day and if there had been as I counted on three hundred pages, I would have been alright but it was not till I got this near the end that I found it fell short. Frank and I have had the chores to do ever since I wrote last as Dad's finger is still very sore. For four nights it was so painful that he couldn't sleep a wink and on the 19th he went down to Dr. Cook who was out of town so he went over to the old Dr. Toole who has just come to town and he diagnosed it as a felon and lanced it. Since then he has not suffered such awful pain with it, but it has been very sore and has been discharging a little every day till yesterday. My arm is aparently alright again and except for a toothache which I had for a couple of days before Christmas the rest of us have been able to work & in fine shape. All our snow and good sleighing went off with a thaw we had about the 20th but it froze up right away again and the last week it has been very cold one night going down to 14° below zero. Before the sleighing went Frank and I got around on our two routes canvassing for the Short Course. I went down the third concession from our side road to the town line and back on the fourth and Frank had up the Gravel and Radical roads part way and in to the farms on the lake front. The day <s>I</s> we went on my beat it was a beautiful sunny day and the sleighing fine, we did up the morning chores before we left, stayed at Bruce's to dinner and got back in time to do the night chores. Dad. let the colts out and put the cows in at noon.We got one or two to promise they would come but the majority of them were too busy but said they would like to come in when they could. We went on Frank's beat the next fore noon and met with about the same success. That afternoon I drove Dad. Enah Aunty & the baby out to Mrs. Jim. Waddle's reception, in the bobsleighs. It was not such a nice day and the sleighing was going fast. Christmas day we all went down to church in the morning which was not the usual Christmas service The church was undecorated and the choir & congregation were small. Harry Moon seems to have dropped out https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/158885c7dc7c31af377f44f045f34aeb.pdf 6bff20d51673bab4ec1882cd294c5810 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. of church life since Mr. Johnson made his election remarks in the pulpit the day before election. Christmas night we had a great dinner & tree over here, fifteen of us partaking of it, all from Aunty's, all from Huby's and all from the James. The roads were bare and icy and our horses unshod or smooth shod so that Dad. had to get Faulkner to bring over the ones who couldnt walk over and young Geordie came after them very early so that the evening was too short. Aunty Alice not being content with receipting my note to her on my birthday last summer gave me the cash to pay Douglas's note which comes due on the sixth. Frank and I haven't got very much work other than chores done lately so we have not been getting up before seven or half past but we did get over one load of hay over to the old barn for the cows and got the bent in the west end of the barn covered over with rails and straw and a fairly warm pen made in there for Frank's heifer which is due to calve in a day or two. We went skating two nights last week down on the creek with the Ryerse's and England's and to-night Enah and I printed pictures. I was just undressing when the Old Year left. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1911 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1913 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1914 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925-1926 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1926-1927 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1917 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 2, 1917 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress In Progress Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Inside front cover - blank}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Blank page}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday January 2nd</p> <p>Just did chores this morning and Frank and Dad cleaned out the hog pen and I cleaned out the first pen in the chicken house. Enah went down town this after noon and we didn’t do any thing much outside. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Harvey Shand came in for a few minutes to ask me about shipping some live chickens to Silverwoods. To night Frank and I went down town to get our hair cut but as there was skating on the pond Frank went there and I went down to the station on a chance of seeing Marj. and she came home. I went up with her for a few minutes and when I got down town the barber shops were closed. I found Joe up in the pool room and made further arrangements concerning the dance Thursday night but it is so much milder to-night I am afraid the sleighing will be spoiled, in which case we won’t go. He &amp; I both went home with Bob. and then I went down to Aunty’s they were all up at the Hardings' but left a note saying they would be back at ten so I sat down and went to sleep till they came home. There is a report around that Herb. Brooks, Sam George and Charlie Cawley were all killed the same day and before they had been in the trenches {illegible} but most people think it is false as there has been no word officialy.</p> <p>Wednesday January 3rd</p> <p>We tied Bobbie up again this morning and Dad filed down his {this sentence is incomplete}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>so to-night I went down to go although I know I was getting a cold but I saw Joe and he said the dance had been cancelled on account of the roads so I went down to Aunty's for a few minutes and then started to go to the club but changed my mind and went in to see Zeitha, she and I had a game of chess which she beat and I got home a little before twelve feeling rotten with a cold. Very mild &amp; soft. Winnie was over all the after noon and Frank went down with her and went skating</p> <p>Friday January 5th</p> <p>I felt pretty bad with my cold to-day and didn't get up till about nine o'clock and didn't do any thing in particular all day but as it rained nearly all day there wasn't much to do any way. It cleared up to-night and I went down to see Marj. for a little while Mrs Moon and Mrs. Misner were there. Mrs. Moon had a letter from Laura reading it aloud. She is at Malta now. I came back to Auntys and stayed all night. Miss Harding is staying there for a few days now</p> <p>Saturday January 6</p> <p>I didn't get up till late this morning and had breakfast at Aunty's Dick and I went down and tried the creek after breakfast and it seemed pretty fair. I stopped in at Jack Martin's to see about getting some roosters and he said he would get some ready for Dad. &amp; Frank to get as I expect to go to Guelph on Monday.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This is a repeat of the previous page.}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Toby's father picks up the diary writing}</p> <p>Monday, January 8th</p> <p>I was up at 4-45 this morning, and the others were up soon after to give Toby an early start for Guelph. Frank walked down with him and when he came home he told us that Tobe missed his car and went down to Aunties it was most provoking, however, I went down at noon to go to the station with {illegible?} and she told me that Tobe had gone on the 9 O'Clock car. Frank and I cut a little wood, (oak limbs) in the morning in the after noon we did little but chores. {Vie?} and Arthur were over this afternoon. Frank has gone skating tonight. Lovely day but windy.</p> <p>Tuesday, January 9th</p> <p>Frank and I put the partition in the old barn nothing of importance happened. Tom came for the cream. Frank has gone down to get his hair cut tonight. It has been mild and cloudy all day rained and snowed a little this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday, January 12th</p> <p><br />Frank and I hoped to get the last of the old trees down home cut to-day but did not manage it. It was so late when we got all the chores done we thought we would have an early dinner and go immediately after, but Art Quanbury came after me to look at his heifer then when we got down town we could not get a ladder. While we were there John H. McBride came to see me and we came home with him. Just as we had finished tea Guy Tuple came for me. This has been the coldest day so far this Winter 20° below, not so cold tonight. We had a fine letter from Tobe to day and the card we should have received on Tuesday. Frank feels miserable tonight lower back.</p> <p>Saturday, January 13th</p> <p>Frank is about all in. He did go over to Bens and fed the chickens but he feels pretty tough. I was doing chores most of the day. Hubert come over this afternoon with old Nig. We put him to sleep Hubert stayed to tea and he and the baby had</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday, January 15,</p> <p>When I went out in the kitchen this morning I saw that the poor plants had caught it. They were frozen stiff. I went out as soon as I had the fires going well and fed everything. Frank said he thought he felt a little better and would get up as soon as it got a little warm. He has been better today walked over as far as Jack Martins to get the roosters but Jack did not have them ready and said to come at 3 O'Clock, so I went over and got a couple. It is not so cold tonight but cold enough.</p> <p>Tuesday, January 16th</p> <p>Nothing much to report today. Frank felt much better and did quite a lot of the chores. I went down home this morning for a few minutes. Mrs. Quanbury was over this after noon and Lloyd Ryerse was here this evening. It has been cold all day and is cold tonight. They are cutting ice we will have to get our ice house ready.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>was too bad to attempt to go down to the Reids the crazy things were expecting to go. Frank has gone down town tonight to tell them we cant get out of our lane. Dick came over about 5 O'Clock he expects to go to New York on Saturday he only stayed a little while as he wanted to get the snow {shovel} for Auntie before dark. {Toby's stepmother picks up the diary writing} Heard from Toby today He is having a good time altho' kept pretty busy.</p> <p>Friday, January 19th</p> <p>We got up a little earlier this morning as Frank wanted to go after the buttermilk. He got started about 12.30 and went by way of town to see if the coal was in and it was not so went on to the factory. He had not been gone long when Tom came with the buttermilk so Frank had his trip for nothing. If he had only known, he could have taken a load of ice to Lea Marshal as they were drawing that day but Tom had forgotten to tell us. Very cold.</p> <p>Saturday, Jan. 20th.</p> <p>I started Friday's diary for today as we did not get up any earlier yesterday but did today so Frank got off this morning at 9:30 instead of yesterday.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>this morning and Dad, Tim and I went to church. There was no fire on account of the shortage of gas so Mr. Johnson, very wisely, omitted the sermon so we got home fairly early. Dad and Frank spent most of the afternoon doing chores. Dad went down town about 4.30 to shovel the snow for Aunty Alice so stayed for tea and I guess went to church. Cold and stormy all day. Mrs. Nells died yesterday</p> <p>{Toby's father picks up the diary writing}</p> <p>Monday, January 22nd</p> <p>I did not get up very early this morning as I did not sleep very well last night it blew so terribly that I could not sleep it rained very hard for a little while too then turned colder and put a crust of ice all over the snow. As soon as we had things fed Frank and I went down home in the sleighs, stopped at Jack Martins and got a crate to send some eggs in to Roy I cleaned the paths for the girls and then we came home as we could not get any ice as no one was there this forenoon it was too stormy I went down to the mail box as soon as Roy came and the first thing I saw was that Will Macdonald was</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and a bag of shorts, then down after Hattie. and baby. Charlie Butler was in to ask me about a horse that had been kicked and I gave him the certificate for his ram and his ear label. It has been a beautiful day. Thawing in the sun.</p> <p>Thursday, January 25th</p> <p>Frank and I were going to kill the crate fed chickens today. We did kill 4 but it has been a very rough day a regular blizzard, so we got very little done but the chores. The wind has died down and it is cold tonight.</p> <p>Friday, January 26th</p> <p>Frank and I cleaned out the box stalls this forenoon, hauling the manure out on the old garden. Harry Ansley was over to see if we would take his cow and calf for a month while he is away. It has been a cold day with a high west wind, tonight is clear, calm, and cold. Frank has gone down to the dance in the hall. Tim's cold is pretty bad.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>gave Loll a pair, sold one to cousin Clare a pair to Rev J.H. Johnson and the remaining 5 to Henderson. I gave the cows and calves a good oiling, after dinner Frank and I covered the ice with sawdust. It has been a very disagreeable day drizzling rain nearly all day and spoiling the sleighing.</p> <p>Tuesday, January 30th</p> <p>Did not get much done today but chores Hattie washed and baked bread, she and Frank went down town to see the Simcoe dramatic club perform. Tim and I kept house and went to bed early. It has been a beautiful day. Heard from Tobe.</p> <p>Wednesday, January 31st</p> <p>I drove down before breakfast, took Alice to the station and went around by Pickfords on my way home as Auntie told me he was very miserable. I asked Mrs Pickford if she would like me to take the doctor out and she seemed grateful for my offer</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday, February 2nd</p> <p>Frank took a couple of sacks of grain to the mill this morning to have it chopped but did not wait for it, after dinner I went down to see how poor old Dave is, they seem to have very little hope for his recovery. I think this has been the coldest day yet there has been and is such a wind. I went in to Clares for a few minutes the gas was very poor and there was quite a skimming of ice in the tank in her cellar and the water pipes were freezing.</p> <p>Saturday, February 3rd</p> <p>When I got up this morning I found things in the pantry frozen up tight. I was afraid they would be suffering down home so I walked down at noon but they were comfortable. Frank went down this after noon. The wind still blows a gale and it is colder than get out. We have been able to keep pretty comfortable in spite of weather except at breakfast this morning it was outrageous cold. 28 eggs today.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Toby's stepmother takes up the diary writing}</p> <p>Thursday February. 8th</p> <p>Tobe did not arise very early this morning as he was very tired. He did not do much but rest all until about four o'clock. He then drove down town. It snowed pretty much all day but was not cold. Harry and Frank drove down after tea and brought Aunts Ida, Nese, and Alice over also {Mard?} Sovereign. The Shand family with Miss Grey arrived later and we spent the evening in music. Mr. Shand brought his violin and Charlie his mouth organ and an "Octo-something" I forget what he called it but it made sweet music all the same. It was about 1.30 a.m. when they left.</p> <p>Friday February 9th</p> <p>It was late when we got up this morning as none of us got to bed until after three o clock, so we did not have breakfast until 10 oclock. The boys went up to Mr. Cantelon’s and got a load of gravel then we had lunch. They have both gone down town to a dance in the town hall. It has been very cold all day today. Marjorie Clarke has the measles.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Toby takes up the diary writing}</p> <p>business from A. to Z. Mr. Marcellus, his assistant was a younger man I think a graduate of the College and also very good natured with a pleasant manner. Between them they made the course very interesting for us with their lectures and general discussions. The lectures lasted from about 9 to 4 and before and after them we had to tend to incubators feed {pens?} of laying hens and bunches of fattening cockrels. Our incubators, all hatched about the same about {0° 9 %?} and they told us we had set a record for Short Course students for hatching At the end of the course we all had to kill and pluck our fattened birds. There were several evening lectures at the College and various subjects pertaining to Agriculture and I attended most of them. Other evenings I spent in different ways going to the show once, skating twice, often spending the time at the boarding house singing with my room mate Charlie Gray while Edna the landlady's daughter played for us. The last week I was up there I visited several of the sons-in law of the family and one night went to a country dance in a sleigh load composed of the church club of which Edna was a member The people were all very kindhearted and it did me good to be amongst them. I went from Guelph to Toronto when the course was over and went down with Hunter &amp; Fred {Presant?}. I saw Fred again in Toronto and spent the best part of a day with him but</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>season, and I told him I would see if I could get any one up here to handle him, as I would like very much to see one brought into this district. Aunty Alice and I got home on Wednesday night, after having a tedious journey and a long wait in Jarvis and I was very glad to get home. Frank and Dick met us at the station and Enah was down town and we drove home but upset in the lane, no one was hurt but Joe was frightened and broke the harness a little. The sky in the north-west was all aglow when we got in as that night the big Lithographing works in Simcoe burned down with a quarter of a million dollar loss Enah has written this up for the last few days since I got back as I have not got into the way of it yet, as she said we went to the old country dance in the town hall last night but I went first to see Marj. who has the measles - and then over to club. That was really enough for me as I have not been to bed before midnight for a week but I went on over to the dance and kept on my feet till about four o'clock then I sat down and began to feel sleepy so I came home and got to bed by five. Frank stayed till they wound up and got home about an hour later, consequently neither of us got up very early, however we managed to get another load of gravel hauled from Cantelon's and I took ten doz. eggs over to Jack Martin and he paid me 48. cts a dozen for them, three cts. over the market price. I went to bed early to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>till after three, the train was so late. When we did get out Frank &amp; I went down and got some groceries and 20 bags of cement which we didn't pay for, but we thought we would soon need it if we got making posts and {Clare?} Deal said the next lot they got in would be dearer and he didn't know how soon they would be getting any more. About 18° below zero last night and very cold all day.</p> <p>Tuesday February 13th</p> <p>Right after breakfast this morning Dad. Frank and I went over to Ben Ivey's and got a pretty good big load of rails. After dinner Frank and I went up and got another load of gravel. There were four other teams up there but we managed to get a load in a new place after one of the teams pulled out. it is getting almost to dangerous up there to take chances as the bank is undermined all around and is liable to fall in any time. We were working Harry &amp; Nellie all day so to-night Frank took Joe &amp; Belle to take a load to Jarvis to a dance. It was a sort of rotten night but he promised to take them. It is not so cold to-day but raw &amp; blustery</p> <p>Wednesday February 14th</p> <p>Frank got home a little after six this morning and just changed his clothes and went to work without a wink of sleep, but was pretty drowsy at teatime and went right to bed after tea</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>she would get him to call up the Quanbury's to-night. I was there quite awhile talking to Charlie who is home again in bed with the quinzy. They also got playing the new Victrola for me. Winnie was over to tea and she and Frank have just gone down town Frank is going to Club if there is any. Pommers got caught in the wire fence this morning and cut his hind leg pretty badly and is very sore on it. Another lovely day but not enough wind to {power?}</p> <p>Friday Februrary 16th</p> <p>We took another load of manure down to Aunty's this after-noon. We didn't get it loaded till noon. Frank's throat was sore so he didn't stay out long. Aunty and Aunty Alice rode over as far as Mrs. Battersby's with us they were going to see Miss Phipps. I went down there to tea to-night and after tea went up town to see Marj. and then up to Huby's didn't get home till quite late very nasty blustery morning with a lot of snow but quite a nice mild after noon and night.</p> <p>Saturday February 17th</p> <p>Les Dunkin telephoned the Quanbury's that if I wanted to buy seed corn I would have to get it either yesterday morning or this morning. I went up this morning. I got two bushels of</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and Frank had quite a bad cold. Aunty and Dick came over to dinner. While we were at dinner John Wess came over to get Dad to look at one of his mares, Mildred I think as she had taken a chill so Dad. and Frank went over with him and were gone most of the after noon. Elva, Said. Davis, Pansy Fischer and Mr. Bloodsworth all came over this after noon. While they were here Aunty and I went down town. I stayed down there for tea. Aunty Maude and Lila came in on their way home from Aunt Lucy's and they stayed to tea. None of us went to church. I went up to see Marj. but found that she had gone up to Miss Martin's for tea so I went up there and came home with her. Fram. Walker drove Aunty and me over this morning and informed us that they had a baby boy, his wife being at Mrs. Lawson's. They are very much grieved down home at the loss of their big black cat. He has been missing for two days and Jim. Mummery told Aunty this morning there was a cat down by the engine bridge, ran over. So I went down before tea to-night and identified him it was Tom all right. He had been cut right in two. He always was terrified of the train. On my way back there were a lot of kids sleigh riding down the hill in front of Ed's barn and accross the creek and one of them lent me his sleigh and I had a ride down the first one I've had down that hill for a long time. Beautiful day but colder to-night</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday February 21st</p> <p>It is still to icy to take a team out so we have done nothing but chores all day and sit around the house a good part of the time. Lila came over this morning and was over most of the day as there is no school, they can't get any coal. Tom. was in this morning and took the butter milk can he also went up to the mill for us and got some chop and chicken feed. Will Wright was in this morning to see Dad. about a cow and came back after him to-night about six and Dad. went up with him. I cleaned the separator out this morning and we started separating the milk to-night as we get enough to make it worth while now that John's calf is gone. Enah and I went down to church to-night, it being Ash Wednesday After church I went with Marj. down to Bessie Patterson's and was there for the rest of the evening. Enah stayed to choir practice and then went down to Aunty's to wait for me. Sunny, freezing in shade.</p> <p>Thursday February 22nd</p> <p><br />Haven't done any thing much all day but choies and I cleaned out the chicken dropping boards this after noon. Took 8 doz. eggs over to Jack this morning. Alan Law and Tom brought the butter milk up and Alex Jameison was in for a long visit at noon. I sent in a list of sheep owners around here to the Live Stock Branch. Sunny and milder to-day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday February 24th</p> <p>I went out this morning and pruned the Northern Spy tree but as the wind kept getting stronger I didn't tackle another tree as it wasn't warm enough out there although sunny I then started to help Dad. clean out the pen in the sheep barn where John and her calf were. While we were at it Frank who had gone down town after some groceries came back with Aunty Alice so we didn't do much else while she was here but she went back soon after dinner. Frank got a three cornered file down town and has been sharpening all the saws and making a pretty good job of it too. Enah expected Zeitha over this afternoon to practice a song she is going to sing in Church to-morrow but she didn't come. She expects to go to the other side next week. Nice day but cloudy this after noon and much colder to-night</p> <p>Sunday February 25th</p> <p>Frank and I were too late getting up to get to Sunday school this morning but we went to church. We all intended to go as we thought Zeitha was going to sing but Dad. and the baby were too late. Enah got in about 11.30. Dad. Enah and the baby stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. {Dick?} also stayed there. Frank and I came home to do chores and had dinner alone. Frank went skating this after noon</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>thinks it is high time Dick got a raise, as Dick himself is getting dissatisfied and would like to move some where else. Mr. Hobbes spoke as if he couldn't get along with out him and wouldn't hear of him being moved but said the financial condition of the bank was such that he couldn't expect more wages just now. He praised Dick up highly and said he had never had a bad report, but he doesn't seem to believe in telling Dick this. He, Dad, also got his hair cut and got home before me. I was talking to Ham. Thompson abput joining the Norfolk Fruitgrowers Association and he said if one of us came up and helped him spray he would lend us his spray outfitt. Zeitha was just leaving here when I got home so I said good bye to her. She is going on Wednesday to Philadelphia or near there. To-night I went down again and took Marj. to the picture show to se Mary {Pickford?}</p> <p>Tuesday February 27th</p> <p>I didn't do much this morning but wash out the incubators and get the lamps cleaned up. Dad. &amp; Frank finished cleaning out the pen in the barn where John &amp; her calf were. This after noon Dad. did up the chores while Frank and I got on a load of hay out of Preston's barn for Bob Ivey. Frank borrowed Art Quanbury's team to haul</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>went up to Cousin Clare's to tea. To-night Aunty and I went to church where Aunty Alice Joined. Enah was also down and stayed to choir practice and I met her at Aunty's. Huby and Aunty Maude were down there. A very nice sunny day but sharp.</p> <p>Thursday March 1st</p> <p>I spent most of the morning getting the incubators in shape to start. I lit the lamps in both of them. Dad. went down to Aunty's for dinner as Aunty left to-night for Toronto. She is going down for a couple of weeks to celebrate Rebecca's birthday. I didn't do much this after noon but went down and prowled around in Dicky Steven's orchard for awhile. To-night we all went over to the Quanbury's as they have been inviting us for quite awhile to come over and hear their new Victrola. Just as we were coming out the lane we heard voices down the road and waited to see who it was. It turned out to be Dick &amp; Dess who had been out for a walk and were coming to the farm but they came over with us to the Quanbury's but Dick had to leave before us as he promised Aunty Alice to stay down there to-night. It has been a very nice sunny day but with a raw wind.</p> <p>Friday March 2nd</p> <p>We haven't done much but chores to-day. Frank and I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>some provisions. I killed and picked a young cockrel that was out there for dinner. Tonight Frank has gone down to stay all night with Aunty Alice. Nice sunny day.</p> <p>Sunday March 4th</p> <p>I didn't get chores done in time to get down to Sunday school but drove Enah down to church. Aunty Maude was in church and asked me to drive her over to Aunt Lucy's so I did and then came back and drove Aunt Ida over here while Frank &amp; Aunty Alice walked over. Dick was over to dinner too. About four I drove Aunt Ida back down town and Aunty Alice walked. She said she would rather walk than drive. She stopped in at Uncle Wards on her way down and Aunty Maude came down with her. I let Aunty Maude Ida out at Allan's corner and took Aunty Maude in and drove her home. I drove in the buggy the roads are mostly pretty bare but icy in spots which made it hard for Josie as her shoes are smooth. I walked down to tea and went to church alone to-night. After chuch I went for a very short walk with Marjorie and then went up to see Cousin Loll. I called in at Aunty Alice's on my way home. Winnie was going to stay there all night. It has been getting much colder all day to-day and is snowing quite hard to-night with a strong north east wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This is a repeat of the previous page}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday March 6th</p> <p>We started to chop open the big barn doors going into the barnyard this morning so that we could get in with the sleigh to haul out the manure that was in Johns pen but when we got the doors opened we were interupted by Tommy Jackson who brought over his mare, the same one that Lorne had over last year, to have her teeth filed down. She was a very mean brute to handle and took all {illegible} of us She struck Dad. once in the head with her head and hurt his nose quite badly. Tommy thought our flock of sheep was improving in type. This after noon we loaded on the manure and Frank and I took it down to Aunty Alice's. When we got back Dad. &amp; Frank put what little there was left in the pen on the sleigh and Dad. and I took it out to the old garden. We also hauled the hay for the horse stable and cows over with the Sleighs. Froze hard last night but sunny &amp; mild to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday March 7th</p> <p>We cleaned out the sheep barn to-day. The first load we took down to Aunty Alice and the rest we put on the old garden. I think there were five loads altogether. We found the floor in very bad shape under it. In two or three places it went right through. Enah went down town</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday March 9th</p> <p>Dad's tooth ached badly last night so after we got the chores done this morning he went down to have it out, so I went down with him in the cutter and took Mr. Hobbes his three old hens. I went down to Aunty Alice's and waited there for Dad. He didn't come for about two hours and I had my dinner down there, he had to wait but got his tooth pulled. It is sore to-night more from the stuff Bill injected than anything. Lila came over with us as there is no High school this after noon Mr. Barron having gone away. This after noon Frank and I went down to the mill and as they had some {corn?} in I got four bags of it. To-night Frank has gone down to Club. Enah and "Aunt Annie" went over to Mrs. Battersby this after noon. Ada. told Dad. this morning that Alan tells in his last letter home that he saw fifteen dead children, killed from eating poisoned candies which were dropped from a German Zeppelin flying over one of the small French towns behind the trenches. I don't know whether that convinced Dad. that the Germans are any thing short of savages compared with the Allies in their tactics or not, as he always refuses to believe any such stories {unless?} hear of them through other sources. It has been fairly sunny to-day but a cold raw wind all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>but we went to a recruiting meeting in the town hall after church. One returned soldier spoke and a chaplain and although there was nothing wrong with what they said, I think a good many people are getting sick of recruiting meetings as it seems as if the Government was wasting valuable time and money on them with very small results while if men are so urgently needed it would only take the scratch of a pen to enforce the Militia Act, and they would have all the men in the country to do as they needed with. Very mild and muddy.</p> <p>Monday March 12th</p> <p>Frank went over this morning to see Taylor and ask him about his bees. I tested out my eggs and only took 35 out of the big machine and 23 out of the other. The big one had 135 in it and the little one 63 so I thought that was pretty good. This after noon Dad. and Frank fixed up a pen for the lambing ewes in the barn. I didn't do anything in particular. Enah, "Aunt Annie" and the baby went calling To-night I went down to see Marj. for a little while and then down to Aunty Alice's where I ran into a small bridge party and incidentally a feast of cake and sandwiches. Cousin Clare. was going</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday March 14th</p> <p>It snowed, rained and froze during the night and has been a miserable rainy fore noon, and although it did not rain after dinner. It has been dull and very windy with the wind off the lake. We just did chores this morning but this after noon Frank and I went down town with Harry and Belle and the waggon and I got some lumber to make a couple of chicken coops to put old hens with chickens in. To-night Enah and I went down to church and I walked up with Marj. and Miss Martin afterwards.</p> <p>Thursday March 15th</p> <p>I have spent most of the day working on one of my hen coops but did not finish, Dad. and the baby went down to Aunty Alice's to dinner so Frank and I did up the cow stables this afternoon. Enah went down to see Mr. and Mrs Alfred Ryerse this after noon. Windy and cloudy all day.</p> <p>Friday March 16th</p> <p>After I did chores this morning I worked at my chicken coop. Dad. lit a fire in the smoke house. Tom came in walking, and said he had been sick all week and that the butter milk can was still at the factory, so</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday March 18th</p> <p>I got ready to go to Sunday school this morning but as I saw I would be late I didn't go down but Enah and I walked down to church. Frank went down too but didn't go to Sunday school Dick came over with us to dinner but Aunty had a stiff neck so didn't come. I went down with Dick about four o'clock and went to Aunty's for tea. Cliff Lees was there all the after noon and they were all tired out listening to him. Aunty and I went to church to-night and after church Marj. and I walked up to Miss Martins. She lent me her "Mr. Britling see it through" which Aunty Alice has been going to get for me to read. Cloudy windy and raw.</p> <p>Monday March 19th</p> <p>Dad. and the baby went down to-day to help Aunty Alice clean up the garden. They were down there all day. Besides doing a few chores I took 10 doz. eggs over to Jack and worked a little more at my chicken coop. Frank had to go over to help Billy Mills put on and off a load of hay which Ben Ivey bought from Jack Martin. Ben sold all his own. Great war news to-day British and French have advanced on an 80 mile front to a distance in some places of 10 and 12 miles. I think though the Germans retired with out much fighting, but Bapaume is taken, and it must be a sign of the Germans weakening</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to look at the wheat. It is very brown but it is not heavy and seems to be alive still. To-night Enah, Frank and I drove down to church and Frank went to the show afterwards. It has been a lovely day. We still have the sow that Colin Ryerse brought in here last night. It went past here in the after noon with a couple of fellows who were driving some stock down the road and we thought it belonged to them but Colin said it went into their place and the fellows didn't bother with it and as they were afraid it might hurt the sheep Colin chased it back up here, thinking may be it was old Gladys. She is a nice looking white sow &amp; in good shape</p> <p>Thursday March 22nd</p> <p>This morning we did chores and I started to build another chicken coop. Frank is making a bird house to attract some blue martins to build as they are supposed to eat up house flys. We also took some pictures this morning one of the ram and one of Elgitha. This after noon Frank and Dad. went down home to cut the last of the locust trees in front of the house but I don't think they had much luck. I worked on my chicken coops and painted the one. Old Bill Roberts came in and claimed the lost sow. He said he would be after her to-morrow. It has been a beautiful, mild spring day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and then Frank and I took Harry and Belle and went down and got some more. Frank got his flats which Emery cut out for him for making bee hive supers. This after noon we took the little chickens out of the incubator and put them up in the loft under the four hens, two of which acted as if they would be very good mothers and two were cross but we covered the latter up with horse blankets and are hoping they will be all right in the morning. We only got 60 chicks out of the incubator which was pretty poor but the hens only hatched four. We put the unhatched eggs from the hens in the incubator. After we got them tended to I took a walk down to Dicky Stevens orchard. Young Awde and Ferris were fishing on the point and had three little horned ace and the ice isn't out of the pond at all below Goosey. It has been a bright sunny day a little windy.</p> <p>Sunday March 25th</p> <p>On account of having the little chickens to tend to this morning I didn't get down to Sunday school but Drove Enah down to church. We took Belle as Joe had her eye all swelled up this morning. Frank went down to Sunday school and Dick and Aunty Alice were over to dinner. Dick went down town soon after dinner and Frank went with him Aunty Alice went down about four o'clock and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>we put the bobsleighs away in the barn. I took six more chickens out of the incubator and as two more were dead this morning I think that makes sixty eight I have now They are all under three hens. I cleaned out the machine and set it again right away with 140 eggs. Old Bill Roberts came at last to-day noon after his sow. She seemed perfectly willing to follow him home behind the buggy This after noon Dad. and Frank fixed a fence accross the yard this side of the plum orchard so that he could put his two bee hives out with out the old ram bothering them. They were all flying to-day. We put them out to-night. I worked on my chicken coop. Beautiful day, fairly hot. Lila was over after school to say that a man would be down home to-morrow noon to cut the telegraph wires so that they could fell the locust tree across the track, so they will have to go down.</p> <p>Tuesday March 27th</p> <p>The weather turned up side down during the night and has been cloudy, rainy, snowy, windy, muddy and rottenly raw all day. Dad. Frank and the baby went down in the waggon this morning in the midst of one of the heaviest showers to lay low the last of the locusts down home, and in spite of the weather, the man was there to cut the wires and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday March 28th</p> <p>Frank went down early this morning to take a file to Uncle Ward to point up the crosscut saw, they left it there yesterday but Uncle Ward told me last night he had no file. Dad. and I took Frank's heifer up to Ham. Thompson's Ham wasn't home but we had a look at all the stock being showed around by old {Name?}. He entertained us by accounts of his experiences on big estates where stock was kept in the Old Country, but owing to his dialect I don't know which part of England it belonged to, we could only understand about half of it. It was getting near noon when we got home but Dad. went right down to help Frank saw up the locust tree. They were down all the after noon and when Dad. came home he had an awful headache but it was better after tea. I just did chores this after noon. There was no service to-night as Mr. Johnson thinks he is getting the measles. Tim has been busy all day making Jennie Millers out of plasticene and shooting them with his pop gun. Cloudy with raw wind all day.</p> <p>Thursday March 29th</p> <p>The Ben Ivey family is in the throes of moving, Ben having bought (so rumour they says) Cliff McBain's house over on</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and Sam. Butler's barn. Art Quanbury came through just before tea and said it had blown his barn about five feet back and racked it considerably, while his little 8 x 12 shack was turned completely over on its roof. To-day it has been sunny but raw and windy.</p> <p>Friday March 30th</p> <p>Frank has been helping Ben all day again and to-night I guess has him pretty well moved. Art Quanbury came in this morning before we had breakfast to see if he could get one of us to help him straighten his barn out so I told him I would go as soon as I could but as the first pair of lambs arrived this morning, and we had to trim the wool around the ewe's (Lop Ear's) bag it was pretty late when I got to Art's. However Tupper, {Trum?} Walker and John Quanbury were there and there wasn't much for me to do any way. I stood around and visited with them till noon and by that time they had the posts all jacked about plumb so we didn't have to go back this after noon I guess Art isn't going to try to move it back where it was This after noon Dad. and I took the black heifer up to Ham. Thompson's. Ham wasn't home. Winnie was over to tea and after tea Dad. and I walked down with her. Dad. {took?}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>moved up to the farm but broke the doubletrees on the skid before we got it into place. Frank joined us about four o'clock and we got his pump up and broke the pipe off at the {sucker?} while we were at it. Charle Quanbury came home this morning Another lamb arrived late to-night No 4 ewe. Very mild to-night.</p> <p>Sunday March April 1st</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school this morning but as Mr. Johnson has the measles there was no church so Marjorie and I went for a walk up the beach.It was a lovely morning cloudy and foggy after the rain but very mild and spring like. Aunty and Frank went to the Presbyterian church. As Aunty was coming over to dinner I went down to the house and waited for her till church was out. It began to rain before she came and has kept it up steadily all the after noon and evening, but Aunty came over and went down just before tea. I went to sleep on the sofa for most of the after noon and read all evening. Enah was reading "Sudden Jim" out loud at the same time, so I got it and "Mr. Britling" a little mixed up. Another pair of lambs arrived about tea time to-night. One of the three year old ewes that has lost her tag. It has since transpired that she was No. 5.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>well. She only had one. This after noon Dad. went down to Cooper's and I cleaned out the bay in the east end of the sheep barn while Frank fixed a place where we could let the ewes with the oldest lambs into it. Alan Law came in with the cream slip but didn't bring the cans back. As soon as Dad. got back I went down town to get my hair cut but as I didn't get down till nearly six I didn't go up town but had tea at Aunty's and went up right after tea, then I went up to see Marj. Dad. came down after tea to put their carpet down for them down home as they have started house cleaning. I took three more chicks out of the little machine to-day and set it again, one of the chicks died. Pickford was over this morning he wants Dad to go down and look at a lame horse he has down there. Mr. Duncan was also in this after noon and wants him to go up there to see a lame horse. It has been a very nice day and the mud is drying up fast.</p> <p>Wednesday April 4th</p> <p>Dad drove Enah and the baby down town this morning and went from there up to Duncan's. He got back about one o'clock and Enah and Tid were down all day. Frank and I pruned apple trees this morning. Dad. got a letter from Douglas to-day saying they were going to ship the heifer to-day, so Frank went right down after dinner to see if she came on the morning freight.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday April 5th</p> <p>Dad. and I went down as soon as we got up this morning to get the heifer. We picked Frank up at Aunty Alice's, he had been at the dance all night but had his clothes changed They were up down there had had toast and coffee ready for us Dad. had some but I didn't feel very well so didn't partake. We got the heifer with out help or trouble and she came home like a lamb. We didn't put her in the cow stable as it is so boggy at the door but tied her in the bay. It began to rain soon after we got home and has kept it up all day steadily, Gus. came over to renew the insurance application and Frank and I thought as we couldn't do any thing else we would go fishing as Frank has been at me for the last two weeks to go. We put on old clothes and went down to Pickford's to borrow his net. He went with us and we went all the way down to Art. Ryerse's and fished up to the culvert. They held the net and I "rallied" as Pickford calls it, but we never got a bite. We saw one. We got home about noon and changed all our clothes and I had all the fishing I wanted I felt rotten as my old rubbers leaked so and I had to wade through the creek occasionally and the water was sickeningly cold. This after noon we went to sleep after reading the paper and I slept all the after noon. I spent the evening drawing. It was snowing to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and added his testimony to Dad's advice on the favorability of turning out foundered pigs. Ham had a look at all the stock and was showing us his predigrees for his sheep and asking about them. It was about noon when he left. This after noon I started to rake up the rubbish under the old willow tree. Dad. and Frank did chores. Frank walked down to the mill and got a little chop and went down early to tea at Aunty Alices. It froze hard last night and although sunny it has been a cold windy day.</p> <p>Sunday April 8th</p> <p>Frank and I got an early start and went down to Sunday school and then to church. It being Easter Sunday there was a pretty good-sized congregation and we were rather late getting out, Dad. came down as far as Aunty's with the baby I guess he was too late to come to church and he waited there and went home with Enah, Dick went over with Frank but I stayed down town to dinner. After dinner Aubrey and I had a game of chess and then after Frank had come down again, Gladys, Aubrey, Frank and I went for a walk up the beach. Frank and I came home to tea but went down afterwards. Enah went down to church but we were too late. I went for. a walk with Marj. after church and went down to Aunty's for awhile before I came home with Enah and Frank</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday April 10th</p> <p>I didnt get up till after seven this morning, and didn't do much all morning. Aunty was here for breakfast but went down right after. Uncle Ward walked over and was here for a good part of the morning, he wanted to know what time Colin McNeillige's sale started this after noon. Aubrey Billings came over to dinner and this after noon he, Frank and I walked over to the sale and were there all the after noon, we didn't get anything I bid on the heavy set of harness but Jack King got it for 31 dollars. I got a ride home with Sam Law and the boys walked down the track. Frank went down town to-night but the rest of us went to bed early. It froze harder than ever last night but has not been quite so cold to-day but the wind was very raw. The paper to-day says the Canadians and British captured the Vimy ridge and gathered in about 6000 prisoners in a big offensive where they advanced two or three miles on a front of twelve miles.</p> <p>Wednesday April 11th</p> <p>This morning we moved all the little chickens out into the run this side of the plum orchard and it has been a lovely day for them Sunny and very mild. Dad. Enah and the baby all went down to Aunty's</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I went down to a party of Win's in Ada's ballroom. I was pretty late getting there and felt tired and sleepy when I left home, but got rather braced up down there. We had to say good bye to the Billing's to-night as they are going to-morrow morning, we were all very sorry to see them go. It looked very rainy early this morning but cleared off into a beautiful mild fore noon but this after noon it clouded up again and the wind veered to the north and got very cold and is freezing to-night.</p> <p>Friday April 13th</p> <p>Dad. got up early this morning and went down to see the Billings off. He had breakfast down there. We were rather late getting the chores done up but when we did we ear marked all the lambs and put the association number in the ears of last year's lambs. We were just going to mark the little lambs the way we did last year with lampblack and oil on their sides but Frank had been readin in Kleinheintz's book that they couldn't be too young to have the ear tags put in so we thought we would try it. It saves going over them twice and the lampblack and oil makes bad spots in the fleece but we hated to do it to the little fellows. We did the last five after dinner. About four o'clock</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>P.S. Mathew's came over this after noon and got Harry Ansley's cow and Mr. Bagley was over this morning and got a setting hen.</p> <p>a complete surprise. They caught Mr. Shand out in the barn cleaning up seed, he hadn't heard the first few rigs come in and he told Dad. that he had no idea there was going to be a funeral there to-day, that if they had given him any idea of it, he would have tried to have the corpse ready. Flossie said she had an awful time yesterday keeping enough stuff in the house for the occasion as they were supposed to have been all moved down town to-day. There were about sixty people there and they had a very nice time. Dad. had to make an after dinner speech and to play a game of six handed pedro but otherwise spoke as if he enjoyed himself. Frank and I did up the cow stables when we got through reading the paper which wasn't very early and then Frank went over to ask Ben Ivey about some rails, he said he would be right back but stayed to help Ben load his hog pen on to his dray. I went up to Ham Thompsons to ask him about getting spray material as I had a card to day from the Norfolk Fruit Grower's Ass'n saying their warehouse in Simcoe would only be open on certain days. Ham wasnt home having gone down to Bruce Ball's sale. Frank went down town to-night. The wind got around a little more to the west to-day but it has been cloudy and raw and is snowing quite hard to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>sowing clover seed on the wheat and got over the twelve acres. The wheat certainly looks sick but it is still alive. In a few places it was heaved and a few small patches killed out. Frank took Alfred's spear back to him this morning and went by way of the creek. He went up along Robert John's creek and came back along Charlie McQueens and got three or four more pike and some suckers so he presented Alfred with some of them. This after noon he made a cold frame for Enah to put her cabbage plants in, we will use the storm windows for the top. After I did up the cow stables I walked up to Ham Thompson's again. He said I would need a barrel of Lime Sulphur but that I should have ordered it beforehand so I got Art Quanbury to telephone up to-night to see if I could get it. Art. Pickford, Tupper and Jack Martin were all on the land to-day. Jack's men were drillng this after noon on the side hills. Frank thinks we can start to-morrow. Wind still in the north but milder.</p> <p>Tuesday April 17th</p> <p>Frank got out at seven with the team this morning and has been disking all day on the west half of the field east of the orchard. Dad. relieved him this after noon while he came in and looked through</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>price it is. He got 12 1/2 cts for them, but I don't know what they weighed. This after noon I cleaned out the colony house and did a little clearing up around it. I want to put the last batch of chicks in it. Wind in south much milder.</p> <p>Wednesday April 18th</p> <p>Frank has worked on the land all day. He cross disking all morning and part of the after noon and then harrowed. About five Dad. took the drill out with Belle &amp; Joe and drilled in all that was worked up. He sowed my three bushels of O.A.C. 72 oats on this side of the field and only sowed about two bushels of the others as he sowed mine thinly He sowed clover seed with the oats. This morning he and I treated 8 bushels of oats with formalin for smut, we spread it on the barn floor and sprinkled the grain. We also gave the sick lamb another dose of oil and some more injections but it was no good. She died this after noon. We also put three of the hens with chicks in the colony house. Huby was over for a few minutes this after noon. Very sunny and warm all day with a light thunder shower to-night which ought to do the wheat a lot of good if it doesn't get cold after it. Bill {George?} went past to-night just as the storm was coming up and as he said he could see "a bit at all" I lent him the lantern.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday April 20th</p> <p>it rained another little shower this morning so we have done nothing on the land to-day. Frank went down to Aunty's again this morning and helped them down there in the garden nearly all day, he got home about four. Dad. and I did chores and Dad. finished the cold frame and this after noon he and Enah planted it out with tomato and cabbage plants. I spent most of the day raking up the lawn and looking after the little chickens. I went down town early this after noon to have Dr. Lemmon look at my tooth, the one he filled last has been aching a little the last few days, but he said there was nothing wrong with it unless I had caught a little cold in it. I had tea at Aunty's, Aunty Alice is tired out but delighted at the progress of her work in the garden. Tonight Marj. and I went to the picture show which was pretty poor, I thought. Tom brought back the lantern that Bill {Tearque?} borrowed the other night all shined up and a new globe in it. I guess it was never so clean before.Lila came over this after noon while I was down town to get a job for the summer and in that way earn her certificate at school. It is a rather poor idea I think but they are all going to try it and she of course was very excited with the expectation but I was very sorry to hear when I got home that Dad. had dashed cold water on her hopes and wouldn't give her</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Dad. cultivated with the Spring-tooth and the big team on the other half of the field east of the orchard this after noon Cloudy and a coolvbreeze to-day with a little drizzle this after noon.</p> <p>Sunday April 22nd</p> <p>I didn't get up this morning till half past seven although I thought I was getting up at half past six so I coudn't get things done in time to get down to Sunday school. Frank went down and I drove Enah down to church. Aunty came over with us after church and Cousin Clare walked over to dinner Dick was over too. Soon after dinner I drove Dick down town and then took Marj. and Miss Acheson (Kaufman's milliner) for a drive We went down the Lake Shore and up Mud Street. The rest of the family all went back to the gully and got some wild flowers except Frank who went down to the Ryerse's. It was six o'clock before I got home so by the time I got chores done it was too late to go to church but I went down after church and Marj. and I went up to Miss Martin's and got my lettuce seed. We also stopped it at Miss McQueen's for a few minutes. I called in at Aunty's on my way home and gave Aunty Alice a pinch of my lettuce seed. It has been a beautiful day although a little windy. They have had the town flag up to-day to commemorate the second anniversary of St. Julien.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday April 25th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank worked both teams all day and Dad. finished drilling the field this morning. They got it harrowed over after the drill and the ditches run out Frank got nearly all over the six acre field west of the old garden with the disks and Dad. got it partly harrowed. I took twenty one chicks out of the little incubator this morning and put them under one of the old hens that was brooding parts of the last batch and gave her bunch to the other three hens. I didn't have a fresh setting hen but that worked all right. I set both incubators again with 220 eggs. I did chores and painted my second chicken coop as it was to windy to do much else. Very windy and cloudy with an intermittent drizzle all after noon. Thunder to-night</p> <p>Thursday April 26th</p> <p>It has been too wet to work on the land to-day, there was a heavy thunder storm last night and it has been drizzling every now and then to-day. This morning Frank and I went down in the waggon and got fifty tile for the ditch. I have been digging to drain the border on the east side of the lawn where I want to set out a hedge. I put</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday April 27th</p> <p>Frank has been disking all day cross ways on the six acre field this side of the old garden and got nearly all over it. Dad. spent the morning working at the mud hole in the lane and got it pretty well filled up for the present He just used the wheelbarrow this morning and got all the earth he wanted right in the lane. I cleaned up some more of the lawn and burned the two big heaps of rubbish down on the road that were the accumulation of two years from down under the willow tree. This after noon I did chores and Dad. and I treated four more bags of oats, there is just one bag left untreated as we may not need to sow it and if it is treated we wouldn't want to feed it. I let the three hens loose that were in the colony house this after noon and chased all the chicks out doors but I am afraid it was too cold for them as I found two or three dead ones. I suppose they had got lost from the others. To-night I went down town to see Marj. She had just been down at Dr. Cooks and Mrs. Cook had told her that poor little Orin England was killed to-day out at Shand's school house when the old wall of the old school house fell on him. They were tearing it down and he was playing inside when it fell, they had left it to-day with just the two walls standing. I got my hair cut before I came home. Fine but a cold northwest wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>over the report he had been able to make of the Easter vestry meeting which revealed an extraordinary improvement in the churches finances that he could not refrain from reading his report from the pulpit (I had been figuring on reading it during the sermon and for that reason had resisted the temptation to do so during the first lesson) and enlarging on every item. Aunty was very grieved that the subject should have been delivered from the pulpit as a sermon with a Biblical text as a title and so was I especially after the first half hour of it, for it seemed as if he couldn't come to a full stop. He commended the congregation for their loyalty to the church and their liberality in paying up. He held up John Walkers name as one worthy of the greatest honor and his generosity beyond words when he gave two nights proceeds at the picture show to the coffers of the church. Mrs. Jesse Thompson, we were led to believe, was a saint (I suppose in disguise) and I expect to see her next Sunday with a made-to-order halo from Eaton's, because she was the organizer and is the leader of that noble band of maidens the "Willing Workers" which provided the "caskets" for the choir. Dr. Cook and Mr. Hobbes deserved our deepest gratitude for the manner in which they had conducted themselves as wardens. Poor Mr. Hobbes hung his head in</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Miss McQueen. It was drizzling when I started home so I went down and spent the night at Aunty's.</p> <p>Monday April 30th</p> <p>I got home this morning just as the family were at breakfast. Frank disked on the pea ground all morning and said it worked fine. Dad. trimmed up all the ewes and I spent the morning with him although I didn't do much to help. We also docked the two last lambs. This after noon Dad. and Frank went out to England's to Orin's funeral and Dad. took Enah and the baby down town and called for them on his way home. Enah wanted to practice a duet with Mr. Johnson. I sowed a few lbs of clover seed on the oats at the road end of the field as Dad. didn't have quite enough seed to go over it all when he drilled it. I also sowed about four lbs of rape seed on the plum orchard and I think I got it on a little too thick. Alan Law brought back the manure spreader. I gave Tom Abbot a setting of eggs to-night It is the only way I can pay him for hauling the butter milk. Art. Quanbury was in to-night to ask about his new lamb. Milder but cloudy</p> <p>Tuesday April May 1st</p> <p>Frank drove Dad. down to catch the nine o'clock car for Simcoe</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This is a repeat of the previous page}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Bluffs for shelter. They made Dover harbor some time this after noon. They had been telephoning from here all day but couldn't get any trace of them. I suppose they went around the Point before day light and the Lifesaving crew didn't see them. Frank and I didn't get home till noon as we stopped in at Aunty's for awhile. This after noon we didn't do any thing but chores and sit around. Frank fixed or tried to fix his wheel. To-night I went down to see Marj. it being one of Essie's nights at the show and as it was nasty walking stayed down at Aunty's all night.</p> <p>Wednesday May 2nd</p> <p>I got up this morning before Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice not knowing that they weren't up and sat around for about half an hour reading Beltane the Smith which I borrowed from Marj. last night. Ont my way home I stopped in at the Quanburys and found Art. had fixed the post mould up yesterday afternoon and as he and Charlie were just ready to go up to Ben's to plow. (They are putting in stuff on shares) Charlie took the post mould home for me and gave me a ride with it. Bob Davis was in for a few minutes this morning, and said he hadn't sold his house so couldn't handle the Throughbred but if he was able to he would like to take him. Frank and I went over to John Wes's this morning to get a few final instructions</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>came back he made some more staples and straightened out a rod or two for the posts. Right after dinner Frank and I spread the manure on the old garden and Dad. came out and tried to plow it but he couldn't with the plow he had so he came up and tried to plow the headland of the pea ground along Ivey's fence but he couldn't work it either so he didn't get any plowed. Jim Bannister came in on his way home from his mail route to have Dad. look at his horse which had gone staggery this side of Art. Walker's and he had had to leave him at Bill Donald's and get Bill to drive him along the rest of the route. Fra k and I made another post this after noon. Sunny to-day but windy and cold.</p> <p>Friday May 4th</p> <p>Dad. plowed the headlands on the pea ground this morning Frank covered the garden back of the shop with manure out of the box stalls in the stable and I hammered out some more reinforcements and raked some of the earth into the trench where I dug the ditch. This after noon I harrowed the six acres north of the orchard where Dad sowed the oats last Saturday and which we never got harrowed again. It worked very nicely this after noon and I think most of the oats are covered now that the drill didn't cover. Frank finished disking the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>stayed down there to tea but went for a walk before tea down to the lake and up to Huby's. I found Huby planting potatoes. Cousin Clare was at Aunty's to tea. Aunty and I went to church to-night. After church Marj. and I walked up with Miss Martin. George Duncan came after Dad. this after noon to go and take a calf from a heifer but he got back before six. I don't know where Frank went to but I suppose back in the gully. It has not been much milder to-day and cloudy with an occasional drizzle.</p> <p>Monday May 7th</p> <p>Frank went down to Aunty's right after breakfast and has been down all day helping in the garden. He didn't get home till quite awhile after dark. Dad. has been ditching most of the day in the different fields. I spent the morning filling in the border bed along the chicken run fence with compost and earth. This after noon I levelled off the heap of clay in the drive house and made another fence post in there and mixed the cement on the floor of Billy's box stall. That took me about all the after noon. To-night I put the saddle on Queen and took her around the block. She went fine. Frank was telling us that Dave Low got a letter from Billy to-day from the hospital where he says he will have to be for three months. He said that he and young</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and ploughed a couple of furrows to plant potatoes. It is such a rich piece of ground that he thought it would be a great place for the Irish Cobblers he got from Art Quanbury. He also started to plow the garden back of the shop where we want to put mangels. He got it about half plowed. The manure on it makes it hard as he has to stop every round and rake it into the furrow, it is pretty wet too. I took Queen for another ride to-night. I started to go down the mill hill but she was afraid to go through the bad mud hole so I didn't make her but rode her down to Aunty's and back. We painted pictures to-night. It has been a nice day but looks rainy. Froze last night.</p> <p>Wednesday May 9th</p> <p>Frank and I among a few chores got another cement post made this morning and Dad. finished plowing the garden. This after noon Frank disked on the pea ground till about four o'clock and then the rain drove him in. I got the cutter out and started to clean it and Dad. went back to see Charlie Quanbury who was working back in Ben Ivey's orchard to see if he could borrow Ben's little disks and put Belle and Queen on them. Charlie told him to hook on to Ben's springtooth so we harnessed the team but Alan Law came in to have Dad. look at old Ned's mouth and before we recovered from his attack Bob. Law</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday May 11th</p> <p>Dad. harrowed and rolled the garden back of the shop this morning and this after noon went over my acre of alfalfa plot with the springtooth but he and Frank have worked the rest of the day on the pea ground and think it will be fit to drill to-morrow if all's well. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over about eleven o'clock and stayed to dinner and tea. Aunty Alice brought us over a pound of mangle seed half a pound each of red and yellow variety's so this after noon I went over and borrowed Quanburys seed drill and Aunty Alice and I sowed them all on the garden back of the shop we just had enough seed to go over it except for two rows of potatoes next the orchard fence which I planted this morning. They were Irish Cobblers. Aunty and Aunty Alice brought Frank and me each a dandy pair of gloves. Win. came over to tea to-night, she won a two dollar prize on her composition on "The High school boy &amp; the labor shortage" that wasn't just the title but it was the subject. To-night Enah and Aunty and Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's on their way home and Win and I went straight down town. I went in to see Marj. and as she had just got some trailing Arbutus from home we took a bunch of it down to Aunty. Billy Laings came into the Bagley's before we left with some chicken feed and we had to entertain him till Mrs. Bagley came home and relieved us. Billy was in a very {illegible}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday May 13th</p> <p>Frank and I didn't get ready int time to get to Sunday school this morning but we went down to church. Frank had to see Ben Ivey and as he was working over here we went around this way. Aunty came over with us for dinner. This after noon Dad. Dick and the baby went down to the gully. Frank went down to the Ryerse's and Enah, Aunty and I started down to look through the {Dicky?} Stevens orchard but we met Jim Waddle on the way out to the farm so Enah went back with him but Aunty and I went on and went all over the place. Jim Waddle and the girls were still here when we got back and when Aunty and I left for town. I went down with Aunty for tea and went to church with Aunty and Aunty Alice. Much warmer but breezy.</p> <p>Monday May 14th</p> <p>I was just getting ready to go to Ham's after the sprayer this morning when he and his man brought it down He said his trees were out too for now for the second spray so as he was coming down town any way he brought it down to us. We got the orchard and all the plum &amp; cherry trees sprayed by about five o'clock this after noon. We used nearly two tanks of spray but didn't put the second on nearly as thick as the first. To-night my two year old heifer</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>think it will last now. Before it broke every time after it had been in about a month. Karl Coleman came in while we were at it and helped us. He wanted to ask Dad. about a bloated lamb. I went over this morning and got some bone meal at Jack Martin's and Quanbury's seed drill to sow my alfalfa. After I got it Cawley and Chris both told me that Jack wanted to use it this after noon to sow mangels but he hadn't said anything to Quanbury's about it. Frank gave the acre a final harrowing and rolled it while I was gone and I started in to sow it before dinner. It took me till about five o'clock to get it done I got the three pounds on the acre but had to open the drill up to a larger hole for the last nine rows and I am a little afraid it didn't sow evenly. Dad. finished plowing the garden to-day and worked it up and ran out the ditches in the last drilled oat field and the pea ground. Frank and Enah started to sow the garden this after noon. I set out some dahlia and gladiolus to-night. Much warmer and very smoky. It looks like rain.</p> <p>Thursday May 17th</p> <p>Dad. and I took the four old hens which we put eightysix chicks out of the incubator under last night and put them in three coops in this end of the old hen house and in the other new coop outdoors. As soon as we got that done I went</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>down town and Marj. and I went up to the Radial to meet Mrs. Bagley who has been at some missionary conference in St Cathrines for a week. Poor old Dr. Jolly died this morning. He had a stroke the night before last and got delirious and while trying to induce Mrs. Bell to let him go downstairs he fainted or had another stroke and fell backwards all the way downstairs.</p> <p>Saturday May 19th</p> <p>Frank went over to Evans this morning with the plow shear to have it sharpened and Dad. plowed while he was gone. When he came back he plowed and Dad. and I stretched the wire along the posts we put in yesterday. We just had John Wess little wire stretchers and had to pull to each post as we went along so didn't get it very tight. While we were at it a fellow came in and introduced himself as Mr. Ferguson and said he had our application for a drainage survey and had come to do it. So we went out with him before dinner. This after noon he and I did the job. We staked out the runways first and then he took the levels. He will send us a blueprint when he gets back to the O.A.C. The holes at the north end of the field will drain easily into the gully but we couldn't drain the ones this way without making an eight or ten feet</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday May 21st</p> <p>I was up at five o'clock this morning for a change but didn't get much done. About nine o'clock I drove Mr. Ferguson up to young Bobbie Leith's which was his next job and when I got home went over to Mrs. Battersbys and got some rhubarb and some flag roots, which I set out this after noon. I didn't do much but putter around this after noon one job being to get the hop poles put up. Dad. set out about a hundred cabbage plants this after noon and nearly froze as there was a cold rain. Frank set thirty three duck eggs in the little incubator to-day. I read "Beltane the Smith" till about one o'clock to-night. It has been cold with an east wind all day and steady rain all the after noon &amp; to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday May 22nd</p> <p>Old Mr. Miller came after Dad. to-day before breakfast as his cow was sick so Dad. went up after breakfast. Just as he was going out of the lane George Duncan met him as he had a mare in trouble so Dad. was gone till noon. Frank and I made a cement post. Frank Ryerse was in to tell us the Government traction plow was at his place and to ask us if we wanted any plowing done but we are afraid our ground is too wet. This after noon we moved the three cement posts we had made out of the drive house and Frank and Dad. cut up some apple</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>town I ran across Harry Moon trying to put in a block of the pavement over his tile drain so I helped him till dark, then I met Bab. going up to Ben Ivey's with a telephone message so went up with her and then went down to Aunty's for awhile. It has been a miserable day. Cold, cloudy and drizzly also windy</p> <p>Thursday May 24th {Sketch of a Union Jack flag}</p> <p>It has been a rotten day. Cold windy and drizzling rain most of the time. We puttered around all morning. Frank started to clean out the shop and I took some eggs over to Jack Martin and he paid me Dad. has been digging ditches all day and feels about as blue as a sick fish over the weather. Right after dinner Frank and I made another cement post and then I went down to Miss Martin's to get my hollyhocks, she gave a baket full of stuff, besides hollyhocks were asters, snapdragons, nicotina and a few seedling dahlias. I set most of them out when I got home I stopped in at Aunty's for a few minutes on my way home. Although there were a few fishers went down the road to-day according to the annual custom, they were very few and the old creek was not bristling with fish poles from Art. Ryerse's to Coleman's point as it would have been if it had been a sunny day as it generally is. Hollie's ad. in the "Maple Leaf" is changed again. It is now "Wanted - Boys under 81 to make themselves generally useless about the fish house"</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>out to the plum orchard. Dad. then drove Enah and the baby down town and got back about six while Frank and I planted a few onion sets and a few potatoes in the old garden besides making afew observations on the actions of an old bee who appeared to be blind in one eye and to weak to fly and on a pair of humming birds out in the current bushes in the old garden. Frank went down town after tea. Winnie and Olive Ward were over this after noon to tell me that Mrs. Smythe had invited Aunty herself Winnie and me out there to dinner to-morrow but I said I couldn't go so maybe Frank will go instead. It has been sunny and warm all day but rained a little to-night.</p> <p>Sunday May 27th</p> <p>Frank and I went down for Sunday school this morning but as it was after ten when we got to Main St. we went down to the lake instead and circled around in time for church Dad. Enah and the baby came down to church. Dad. expected to hear Mr. Browne preach but Mr. Johnson announced that he would preach to-night. It was raining when we got out of church so Frank Aunty and Win didn't go to the Smythe's as they had intended (They were going up on the radial) but Frank and Win stayed down at Aunty's to dinner. Dick was over here when we got home. Dad had to go out to Charlie Teiple's to see a colt this after noon and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday May 29th</p> <p>We started on the rest of the sheep this morning alone and the first one seemed too wet to shear. Dad let them all out for a few minutes last night and the first thing they did was to go across the ditch and it was too swollen for the planks to go over it so consequently a good many of them got in. However we caught a drier one and I had it nearly sheared when Art. came. I didn't make a very good job of it as I didn't have the knives tight enough. About eleven o'clock I went down town to get some coal oil and on up to the mill for flour and chicken feed. The hill down here at Preston's where they have put the big stones is so bad I had to go both ways by town and was so delayed that I didn't get home till after one. Billy Mills stopped me to ask about Ben Ivey's line fences as Jack is going to turn cattle back there in Ben's gully. Cawley stopped me to ask about the same thing Uncle Ward nailed me and I had to go down to Aunty's. Aunty Alice is going to Toronto in the morning. Art. left at eleven o'clock and we finished the sheep at four o'clock this after noon. I sheared the last one, so we all are pretty fair at the job now. Counting the tags we had 195 lbs of wool taking the aggregate of the individual fleece weighs according to the spring scales. To-night I went down to Aunty Alice's with some eggs and cream for Roy. Raining this morning but cleared off with fine day, warmer.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>business and how Ansley through mismanagement was losing thousands of dollars, for Frank contended that it was just as easy to make money as it was to lose it. He also informed us that Ansley was the best man to work for that ever lived. To-night I went down to church and went up to Huby's for awhile. I telephoned Ham Thompson from there to see if the car for the wool was at the L.E. &amp; N. siding and he said it was but that he hadn't been able to get Neff all day to find out for sure if we should ship to-morrow. Edmond England wants to ship with us but hasn't sheared yet and he thought it wouldn't matter for a day or two. I came home around by the L.E. &amp; N. station but the agent had left so I didn't find out any more. It has been hot and sultry Looks very rainy</p> <p>Thursday May 31st</p> <p>Frank went down this morning to tell Art. Ryerse that the car was there to ship the wool and while he was gone Dad. and I sewed up the wool sack and put the tags on it. Young Jack Maxwell came over to get Dad. to go over to John Robert John's to look after a cow. He said he had been working over there all Spring and that poor old Robert John is just about dead. Art. &amp; Lloyd came back with Frank with their wool and scales and they weighed our wool and took it down to the car. Frank and I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>did not break under the jaw. Dad. calls it bastard strangles. We stayed long enough for him to have a good look at Queen as the object of our trip was partly to try to sell her. We went from there on down to Jimmy Horn's and took them the pedigree for the ram they got last fall. We were there about an hour as Dad. wanted to have a talk to the old man. While we were gone Frank went down to Art. Ryerse's and paid him for the freight on the wool as Art lent us the money yesterday. He also made a bee hive out of a nail keg to put up in the gully to see if he can catch another swarm and he put the supers on his two hives up here and got stung once.</p> <p>This after noon we made another post but didn't get much else done Dad. did some plastering in the kitchen Enah is house cleaning. To-night I went down town to see Marj. for a little while. Roy came to-night on the seven o'clock car from Simcoe, he was up there on business and will stay here till Sunday night any way. Aunty Alice with Vernon and Rebecca came up on the early Grand Trunk train and got here soon after Roy. Warm &amp; breezy.</p> <p>Saturday June 2nd</p> <p>Dad. and the baby drove down town this morning and were down all day. Dad. has been promising Aunty to go down for a long time to fix up her bay window bed and trim the walk</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Dick and Dess came over to see the little pigs. Not long after that Dad. Enah and the baby drove home and Aunty and Roy came over to tea Rebecca having come with Dad. Dick and Dess didn't stay long. To-night I went down town but none of us went to church to-night. I went up to Miss. Martin's where I found Marj. &amp; Mr. &amp; Mrs. McQueen. They had been in Grimsby all day and had come back on the seven o'clock car. They had intended going down with Jack Walker but it was such a nasty morning Jack didn't go so they went by radial and had a fine after noon. They went down principally to see peach blossoms but they weren't out yet and the cherry &amp; apples were gone but they had a good time. I stopped in at Auntys for an hour or so on my way home. Rainy &amp; very windy this morning but lovely by evening.</p> <p>Monday June 4th</p> <p>After I did chores this morning I planted out some gladioli and some mignonette &amp; Hollyhock seed. Aunty gave me the seeds and the hollyhocks were grown at Mt. Vernon and supposed to be some thing extra. Bert Thompson came over with a yearling heifer which he turned out here to pasture. I put in the rest of the day spudding thistles in the oats. Frank was down town getting Joe shod this morning and when he came back he cultivated mangels with the "Buko" as Aunty Alice calls the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>much higher. Frank and I made a cement post this morning and Dad. did some more work at the culvert in the lane before the rain. This after noon Dad. and Frank fixed up the wire fence around the barnyard and put a barbed wire on the top of it and through the middle of it. I spent the after noon hunting up data in my diarys where with to make a herd record. About five I went back to the gully after the cows but I only got the three we milk and the calves. Daisy May was up having had a red bull calf this morning. They took Jack Martin's young stock back to Ben Ivey's gully this after noon and as they were right down with our cattle along the lane fence Dad. was afraid our cattle would break through our old barbed wire so I went back again to get the rest of them. I had an old rubber coat on but I got soaked as I was back in part of the heavy storm.</p> <p>Thursday June 7th</p> <p>Frank, Enah, the baby and I went down town this morning in the waggon this morning, we took our lumber for the harness cupboard doors back down to Emery to change it for stuff that would not waste but Emery told Frank that for making doors with matched lumber it didn't matter about short pieces being put in without any thing to nail to as long as they weren't</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday June 9th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Aunty's as soon as we could get started this morning and got the grass that old Reed cut out in front on the road and we cut a lot more and brought it home in the waggon box for the horses. It was after eleven when we got home so I started to cut the lawn and finished it after dinner Frank helped Dad. (who has been working at the mudhole in the lane all day) till I got through with the lawn and then he and I went back and stretched a barbed wire along John Wess' line from the wheat to within a panel and a half of the little block of woods. We then came up and went over to the stump for a swim. It was the first of the season for us and I found the water pretty cold, so didn't stay in long. Dad. had a bad headache and felt sick just before tea to-night. Frank went down town to-night. It has been a very hot and sultry day.</p> <p>Sunday June 10th</p> <p>Frank and I started out for Sunday school but Frank saw Ben Ivey and wanted to see him so by the time he left there we were too late. We picked Dick up at the bank and we all three went to church and got nicely settled in the back seat when Aunty Alice came in and made us go up to the front. After church Mrs. Johnson invited me over there to dinner with Marj. and some young Omstead who is a Hamilton</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Alice and came back after dinner. Enah and the baby went down with him and he left them at Mrs. Woodson's on his way back as she arrived here Saturday. I spudded thistles in the peas this morning, there are not many of them but they are in one or two patches through the field. Dad. ditched and went back to see if Ivey's line fence in the gully was alright. He went out and gathered up the coils of barbed wire along the road and as Tom was just coming back with the cream can while he was out there he brought them up for him. Dad. and I had our lunch alone and after in we went back with a couple of coils of barbed wire and finished stretching it on John Wess' line, we also put in a post along the fence between the wheat and pasture field Dad. turned the cattle in on that field this morning. It was about half past four when we got back to the house but as Frank was home and had things ready he and I made another post. Ham Thompson was in to-night to get some lime sulphur and told me he wanted to spray to-morrow. Fine and hot to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday June 12th</p> <p>I went up to Ham's about half past seven this morning and was up there till the middle of the after noon and we got all over the orchard both sides The wind wasn't very strong but we didn't make</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday June 13th</p> <p>We sprayed what we could of the orchard this morning and as it was rather late when we got every thing ready we didn't finish till nearly noon. The wind was a little too strong to go all around the tree but we got most of the blossoms I think but if it changes in a day or two we will go over them again. This after noon Dad. had to go up to George Duncan's raising and he got back in as I was finishing milking. Frank and I spent most of the after noon fixing Jack Martin's and Ben Ivey's fence along the road so that the lambs couldn't get in. We fixed their's instead of our own so that the lambs can pasture on the road. We drove in a lot of stakes and stapled the bottom wire of the fence to the stakes and also banked sod up in several places so that the little fellows can't push under. When we got through we went through the mangels with Belle and the cultivator and also took it out to the old garden but there wasn't much stuff up enough out there to do anything. Jonas was in to-night and got a setting of eggs. Very hot day. Thunder storm to-night.</p> <p>Thursday June 14th</p> <p>Frank and I cut a bushel of seed potatoes this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>didn't try to come up it but went home around by town and it was after twelve when we got home. We didn't do much else this after noon but set out 100 tomato plants which took just about all there were in the cold frame. I went down town to-night and after going up to see Marj. for a little while I went down to Aunty's where there was a little party going on in honor of Mr. &amp; Mrs. Gordon who are here at Mrs. Skey's. It has been cold again to-day and cloudy this after noon. Looks rainy</p> <p>Saturday June 16th</p> <p>Frank has been over at Ben's all day helping him get his tomato plants out. He has had two or three men from the greenhouse and Bob. Leitch's team in the fore noon but didn't get them quite all out He had to work the land up as he went along. I drove Enah down town to get some provisions, right after breakfast and when we got back I went through the mangels with the Buko. up close to the row's. I got them all done by noon. This after noon I cut all the lawn and took some eggs over to Jack Dad. spent the day hoeing his potatoes and working in his garden back of the old barn. George Clark and Booze were over with Barwell's dog this after noon he got run over yesterday and is in pretty bad shape but Dad. told him he might pull through. Frank went down town to-night. It has been another cold day but a little more sun.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and although the storms all went over or around us we got just enough of them to drive us in but not to wet much We were entertained for about half an hour right after breakfast by Jack Robinson who came in to get a long tooth of his mare's filed down. He was giving us glowing accounts of the time he had in Saskatchewan last summer on "the boy's" ranch. When he left we all went out to the old garden to work at least all the rest but me and I started in to Bako the alfalfa but the rain drove us in and we didn't do much else but putter around before dinner. This after noon we tried it again but with the same results however we did get quite a little bit done. After tea Dad. and I hooked Queen up to the cart and I drove her down town and around the block, she went fine. While we were hooking her up she backed up and one wheel of the cart took the corner off our last cement post. It wasn't a very good one anyway and it was the thirteenth post made</p> <p>Tuesday June 19th</p> <p>I have been "Bukoing" alfalfa all day but am only about half way over the plot. The ground is pretty hard and the alfalfa very small so it is quite a job. Frank and Dad. finished hoeing the potatoes this morning and this after noon cultivated every thing they could with Belle. Frank half soled a pair of his boots before tea. It has been sunny and hot all day and a thunder storm to-night but not much rain</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>This after noon we started to haul manure on the corn ground but owing to delays only got out three loads. Frank did the driving and had Belle for third horse and as she hasn't been doing any thing lately was balky and caused a lot of trouble. Then Billy Mills was in for a long time. He brought our disks back and borrowed our corn marker. I didn't help Dad. and Frank much but hoed in my alfalfa most of the after noon. To-night Dad. &amp; Enah went down to a party at Aunty Alice's and Frank and I watched Tid. They were very late getting started as they had to wait till he went to sleep and as he had slept all the after noon he was in no hurry about it. Frank went in and lay on the bed beside him and I read all I could find in the "Globe" on the conscription debate and then went to sleep in the chair. Sunny but cool breeze.</p> <p>Thursday June 21st</p> <p>Dad. and Frank have hauled manure all day and I have hoed alfalfa. The ground is very hard in spots which makes it a slow and tedious job but the hoe does much better work now that the Buko, in fact the latter wouldn't work at all in some of the hard spots. We let the sheep in for about an hour to-day at noon on the oats in the plum orchard. One of the old turkey hens has reappeared and has been wandering about the yard here for the last two days. We don't know</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday June 23rd</p> <p>Dad. and Frank hauled manure this morning but didn't get so many out as they were cleaning out the box stall. The last load they put around the tomato plants in the old garden. I cut lawn till about eleven and then went and helped them get the hay out of the lane that Frank cut the other day. Just before dinner it commenced to rain and kept it up pretty much all the after noon. It was a nice gentle rain and will do a lot of good as the ground was getting pretty well baked after the heavy rains of a week ago. Frank and I made another post this after noon but didn't do much else and Dad. chored around. Frank and I went down town to-night and I got my hair cut. I took some eggs over to Jack.</p> <p>Sunday June 24th</p> <p>By the time Frank and I got chores done and got through monkeying around among other things looking at the marten's nests in the bird house, (there are three of them) it was too late to go to Sunday school but we went down to church. Dick and Aunty came over to dinner. Dick and Frank went down soon after dinner and Dad. drove Aunty down about four. Enah and I had a piano and horn concert and I went down to Aunty's to tea. Aunty Alice and I went to church to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and then it was most decidely wet as we had a very heavy thunder storm and it was rainy and sunny by turns all day. Frank and I didn't know whether to go down and get a load of slabs an run chances of getting wet or whether to stay home and make a post so we wound up by doing neither. Charlie Shand was in to tell us they were going to do road work next week, he had to go on over to Martin's, Quanbury's and Fleming's so I rode around with him and asked Jack Martin if I could ship my eggs with his and he said I could. I went down town to-night and had some strawberries at Miss Martin's.</p> <p>Wednesday June 27th</p> <p>Frank and I hauled two loads of slabs to-day one this morning and one this after noon, they were really only half loads as Hawey was charging two dollars a load and we thought we couldn't haul a big enough load for a whole one. When we came back this after noon we made another post. Kathleen Millman and her two friends Eva Williams or {Tow?} and Miss Kirtland were over this morning, they are here for a week staying at the Moon's. Dad. was up at Ham. Thompson's all morning with Daisy May looking at Hams. crops and stock. Dad. says he thinks he has a good crop of peas but they are not a patch on our Market.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday June 29th</p> <p>I woke up about four this morning and heard the water running in on the kitchen floor like the water out of a spout so got up and put a pan under it and banged my eye on the door while I was at it. About six Dad. came and called Frank to go after the cows, he had been back to the end of the lane but the gully was flooded so he didn't go down. Frank put on part of a bathing suit and got them he had to wade in water up to his waist. It must have been a terrific rain but it cleared up early and has been windy and sunny all day and by to-night is pretty well dried off. Dad. Enah and the baby went down town this morning and have been gone all day. Dad was going up to see Mrs. Miller to see if he could sell John, Old Miller was down to-night but didn't say what he thought about her. Frank and I made a post this morning and this after noon after spudding the thistles in the oats on the knoll by the old well, we went back to look at the ginseng and Golden Seal. The old ginseng root was dead but Frank located three seedlings. His Golden Seal looks fine. The wheat is just coming in head and looks pretty tough some of it is no good at all, but the hay has picked up quite a lot. I went down to tea at Aunty's to-night and went down to the station to help Marj. meet Glad Law, but she didn't come. We saw the three girls down there</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday July 1st</p> <p>It rained very hard again during the night and has been raining pretty much all day but cleared up enough for us all to get to church. As this is Canada's fiftieth birthday Mr. Johnson had a sermon or at least a compilation of historical facts and statistical figures supposed to be suitable to the occasion but as some of them were incorrect and the rest uninteresting no one seemed to appreciate it as being the proper celebration of the jubilee Dominion day. Dad. Enah and Tim. stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and Frank, Dick and I had dinner alone. Frank and Dick drove down right after dinner but I stayed home all the after noon. Dad. drove home about five and about six Ade. brought Enah, Frank and the baby home in the car. Ade stayed here to tea and took Frank &amp; me back down town in the car. The road was in pretty bad shape for it. I went for a little walk with Marj. &amp; Glad Law and then went down to Auntys and talked to Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman till bedtime. Nita. and Gwen. Canfield came in for a few minutes but except for passing them on the pier I didn't see any of the rest of the bunch. Dick came down before I left for a few minutes &amp; Frank was with the crowd all the evening &amp; didn't get home till after twelve. Warm after the rain but clearer to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>hardly any live ticks. We caught the old ram and Dad while examining him found some puss on his bag and after working it awhile got about a 1/2 cup full of matter out of it. We are afraid he may not be any good another year. When we got through with the sheep we hooked Queen up and Frank and I drove her around the block I went down to the "sheep pasture" for awhile to-night. Fine day. Old Mr. &amp; Mrs. Miller were in to-night to look at John. Mrs. Miller would have bought her but the old man wanted to come down again and try milking her. Tupper was in for a few minutes, he has Fred Misner's cattle shut up in his stable, they have been running on the road lately and getting into everyone's crops, they were in our oats to-day. Tupper took them to pound the other day up to Jim. Waddle's but Jim said he was never sworn in poundkeeper so wouldn't accept them</p> <p>Tuesday July 3rd</p> <p>We three and the team have been doing road work all day to-day. They are on the side road between the top of the hill and our corner cleaning and scraping the ditches and piling it in the centre of the road. They expect the road machine to finish the job. It is making an awful mess of the road at present but will probably be good for it in the end. I went down town to-night and went up to see Huby. Fine and cool.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>manure on in with corn and the rest of the piece with buckwheat. We won't expect any corn off it of course but will get some good fodder if all's well. Dad. and I took John up to the Miller's this morning and then Dad. took Enah down town and I thinned a few mangles before dinner. This after noon Dad. and I cultivated the mangels and potatoes and hoed some more. Dick and Dess came over about five and were here all the evening. It has been fine, sunny &amp; not too hot.</p> <p>Friday July 6th</p> <p>Frank has been plowing all day and Dad. and I have been hoeing potatoes. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over to-night for a little while with all tney could carry of the where with all to celebrate Dad's birthday to-morrow Dad. drove them home. Lila was over for a few minutes, the results of the H.S. exams were in the "Maple Leaf" to-day and her name headed the list and she took honors. Still fine and not hot.</p> <p>Saturday July 7th</p> <p>I went down to the mill first thing this morning and got a supply of chicken feed. I was staggered when Ross Smith told me my account down there was over $130. after all that I have paid them was taken off. When I got home I took a couple</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I went to sleep on the sofa soon after tea and some time before midnight was sufficiently aroused byt a clap of thunder to stagger off to bed being aware at the time of a stream of water coming through the kitchen ceiling into a pan that had been put under it early in the evening. About two o'clock my dreams were again broken by hearing Dad. &amp; Enah bailing out the kitchen. Dad. informed me that the storm was terrible and with that comforting knowledge I continued to slumber peacefully till about seven, when I got up donned a bathing suit and went after the cows. There was not as much water in the gully as I expected although it had been high but had run off. Frank got home just as I got out. We did up the chores and Frank and I went down to church Dad. drove us to the sidewalk. Dad and Enah &amp; Tid drove down to Aunty Alice's for dinner, we went down there after church intending to take Joe home but as they didn't get down till just dinner time we stayed and went home after dinner and did up the chores. We were to have been down again at five but by the time we got thing's done it was six when we got down and Dad. Enah &amp; Tim were having tea down there They went home as soon as they had tea and Frank and I had ours then went to church with Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice. After church I went up to see Marj. I didn't know she was</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday July 10th</p> <p>Frank and I went down town this morning with Joe and Belle in the waggon I took the three crates of old hens over to Jack and got $32.86 for them not a dollar apiece. We went on down town as Frank had to take his bank book to the Post Office to be fixed up. Granddaddy sent it to him Monday and he found he had thirty dollars in the Post Office savings bank that he didn't know any thing about. Granddaddy had opened the account long ago and the other day had intended to draw it out and invest it in a war bond for Frank but found Frank had to draw it himself so sent the book to him and asked him to buy a war bond, so I guess he will. We got some grass when we got home that Dad. had cut. He told us some young Andrews from Renton had been in while we were gone to ask about a ram lamb. This after noon Dad. &amp; Enah drove out to Trinder's to get a case of strawberries but they didn't get them. I went over to Jack's and settled up with him he gave me a check for $37.93 Then Frank and I made another post. To-night I went down to see Marj. Glad. Law and the two Walker girls were there. Marj. has been having an awful time with her throat but it is better to-night. Essie informed me the relapse was due to the talking she did Sunday night while I was there, but Marj. said it was from being out on Sunday. I went</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday July 12th</p> <p>I hung around for about an hour this morning waiting for Enah to get ready to go down town then I drove her with the baby down and they have been down all day. I came home with some two inch nails to finish making the lamb creep. The town appeared to be full of Orangemen this morning and they were to say the least a "seedy" looking crowd. They didn't "walk" till this after noon but they were all bedecked with their gorgeous orange &amp; blue collars and badges which did not accord well with the rest of their apparel which was in most cases faded, baggy and soiled. They all looked to be of the same tribe from the old men who shambled around the streets in bunches and looked as if they were regretting the days when the 12th of July was celebrated in a wet Ontario to the young bucks, who in the first flush of their pride in their membership of the Orange Lodge betrayed by their appearance that their idea of legitimate happiness was to prance around the streets on a gala day arrayed in their Sunday clothes and to smoke cigars or eat ice cream cones &amp; popcorn with their best girls. Of course there were mothers &amp; children intersperced through the crowd all no doubt imbued with the same spirit of patriotism and religion which inspired their fathers, husbands and elder brothers. Right after dinner</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>her. Lila was over for a few minutes but didn't stay long. To-night Frank and I walked down town. I met Marj. up town and she and I went down to Mrs. Perry's to say good-bye to her but she wasn't home so we went down to Aunty's. Aunty &amp; Aunt Ida were over Brant Hill but Aunty Alice was home. Marj. says her throat is much better and intends to leave for Toronto in the morning</p> <p>Friday July 13th</p> <p>Frank went over to pick strawberries this morning but about ten o'clock Enah saw his bees swarming so I went over to tell him, he said first he would let them go till noon and then try to find the queen and kille her so that they would all go back to the hive but when I got home they had settled in two clusters and Dad. was very much afraid they would leave so I went back again to get Frank. Dad. thought he had better hive them as the season is late and they ought to do well from now on. However he hadn't any thing ready and at noon the Quanbury's came in after a piece of ice and Art told him to hive both bunches separately as there would be a queen in each, it was what he called a swarm and an afterswarm. He hadn't enough frames for both hives so he took some out of the super of the old hive. When he got things ready he put one of my chicken house cotton-frames down under the cluster and the hive on it and then cut the branch off that they were clustered</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>dinner. Dad. was out digging ditches around his potatoes to drain the water off and Frank had put a handle in the round point shovel. This after noon Frank went down town to get some supplies for his beehives, he came back about four and got dressed up and went down again till tea tea and was down all evening He wanted to get down before the Post Office closed so that he could get his check for the savings account and buy a $25.00 war bond. Dad. and I sat around reading for quite awhile after dinner and then took Joe and Belle &amp; the waggon and went and got the grass that Dad. cut in the corner field the other day. When we came in I finished cutting the lawn. To-night Dad. Enah &amp; the baby drove down town to get some supplies. Sunny &amp; hot after noon</p> <p>Sunday July 15th</p> <p>Frank and I walked down to church this morning and Aunty &amp; Dick came back with us to dinner. Lloyd Ryerse came in driving right after dinner and he and Frank drove out to the England's. Dick rode with them as far as the corner but was back in about five minutes in the Millman's car with Ade, Kathleen, Paddy, Skinny and {Gwen?} Canfield. The four of them came up from Toronto last night without sending any word and went to the dance. Ade evidently left early and went down to Aunty's intending to get lodging there for the night but they had gone to bed so he slept</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>in the latters car. They brought Boy over, stone dead and wanted Dad. to see if he could tell what killed him. Huby said he was with him down at Hobbe's boat about a quarter after seven and that was the last he saw him till about a quarter to eight where he found him dead, so he must have died quickly and there was no sign of struggle nor he was not stretched out with his head back like they are when they get strychine neither was there any indication of a blow or that he had been shot; so Dad. couldn't tell what he had got. Huby brought an old sandwich over which he found near him but Dad. didn't think that had anything to do with it. It is too bad as Huby just had him nicely trained and said he wouldn't take a hundred dollars for him. We did all we could in Simcoe (but couldn't get any rock salt nor queen excluders) and got back about two o'clock. We didn't do much after we had our dinner but I blocked up all the holes I could find in the old chicken yard and this after noon &amp; to-night caught about two dozen of the biggest cockrels and shut them in there. Dad. says Hec. Henderson was over to-day as one of the committee they have in town to help the farmers out and urge them to grow more wheat next year Dad. told him we could get on all right and would put in (number obscured} acres of wheat if the weather would let us. Fine but looked rainy {word obscured}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday July 18th</p> <p>Frank and I made the other door for the harness cupboard this morning but didn't get them put on. I then hooked up Belle and Queen to the waggon and Frank and I went down to the mill and got a bag of mixed chop to crate fatten chickens. We went out and got the waggon box full of grass when we got home. We got Ben Ivey's cultivator as we went past and this after noon Dad and I cultivated the mangels except the far edge where it was too wet and we also went through the potatoes in the old garden. We took Ben's cultivator as it is a straight toothed one and goes throw the earth with out throwing it at all as ours does. When we got through with that Frank and I hoed potatoes till six and Dad. paris-greened a lot of them. To-night Dad and Enah went down town to get some provisions and Lloyd Ryerse came up to see Frank so I went with them back to Ben's cherry orchard where we tested a good many of the trees but didn't find any real sweet cherries but a good many real sour ones. When we got back I picked out most of the biggest cockrels I could find and put 14 in the fattening crate. Fine &amp; clear to-day.</p> <p>Thursday July 19th</p> <p>Frank has been plowing all day on the side hill next the woods. Dad. whent the first round with him and then came</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday July 21st</p> <p>Dad. plowed all morning and Frank and I hoed and cultivated potatoes. Right after dinner Dad. went back to the gully to bring up Maple Hill Nellie as he noticed this morning that she was going to calve soon. He had hardly got back there when Whit Dixon came over after the steer, so I went back to get him and Dad. and I brought all the cattle up and left Maple Hill Nellie all alone as she was to far gone to move. We got the steer loaded with out much trouble and then went back to Nellie she had moved from up in the curve in the bottom of the hills opposite the mound to way down in the lower half of the gully and calved while we were back there with her. Dad. helped a little. It was a dandy big red and white heifer. We left it back there all night as Nellie is very nervous. Frank raked up the hay this after noon and then came up here to put some more frames in his beehives. Dad. and I when we got through admiring the calf cocked hay till six and then we all three came went after tea and finished cocking just as it got too dark to see. Frank and I went down town to-night and I got my hair cut and about eleven o'clock went down to the swimming hole at the dam with, Carl Coleman, {Kindree?}, Clare Deal, Woodyer and Frank and had a good swim. The I.O.D.E. had a masquerade dance in the pavilion to-night Frank went over to watch it for awhile. Fine and hot all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>operate with them in taking off the pea crop. Charlie {put?} his team on our mower and mowed the piece east of the ditch while the other four of us followed the mower and kept the swath out of his way and bunched it. He got that piece down about nine o'clock and then we loaded up both our rack and theirs and Charlie &amp; Frank took them down We hooked up Joe &amp; Belle to the mower when they left and I started to cut the other side of the ditch while Dad. and Art. kept it out of my road.</p> <p>I didn't finish till after dinner, Frank and Charlie took all that was left down in two more loads but Charlie had about two tons on, he put all he could on to draw out of the field and then finished the load with what he could draw in a couple of waggon loads. When they went down with the two last loads Dad. Art. and I hooked to the waggon and went out and started to cut Charlie's. I cut till about five when the boys came back with the waggons but Charlie said they were filling up down at the factory so they couldn't haul any down to-night. We put the big team on the mower and Dad. went home with the little team and the waggon. The rest of us stayed till nearly half past six but as there was about an hour's cutting yet, we quit and Frank Art and I went home. Charlie stayed to monkey with his bees</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday July 25th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all morning and I finished cutting the five-acre field east of the lane and went about two rounds on the ten-acre corner field. Frank turned out the cocks in the five acre field as they were pretty wet in the bottom. He then hoed till noon. This after noon the Quanbury's brought our rack back and took their own and Dad. and I hauled in a couple of small loads with Joe &amp; Belle and put them off with the hay fork in the big barn. We couldn't haul big loads as it was too soft in front of the barn doors. Frank cut with the big team in the corner field but was bothered a lot with the mower. He will have to go to Simcoe and get a new boxing for the pitman rod as the old one has cut out so there is too much play. Art. &amp; Charlie were in to-night to tell us Art's peas will be ready to cut to-morrow. Hot but breezy</p> <p>Thursday July 26th</p> <p>We put in a great night last night trying vainly to sleep. I didn't undress completely but just flopped on the bed and when Frank came home from town he woke me up. Dad was running around trying to get cool and I was about melted so went and lay on the front step for awhile. Frank tried the hammok and Dad. the sofa in the hall. They eventually did go to sleep but</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>chased his bees till they lit on the willow in Pickford's gully and then he came back and got his outfit and went out on his bicycle and hived them. To-night I went down to see Mr. Browne and it was twelve o'clock when I got home. Hot but nice breeze</p> <p>Friday July 27th</p> <p>Frank went to Simcoe this morning by the seven o'clock car and got a new boxing for the mower and came back at nine. Dad. and I were out at Art's all morning and we got the east side hill off. We took it in two loads by hauling small jags off the hills with the little rack and piling them on the big rack which was at the top of the west hill on the level and then evening up the loads afterwards. It was nearly one when we got home so we left the big rack in front of our lane till after dinner and Frank took it down to the factory. When he got back he cut a few more rounds with the mower which worked better but the first round the new boxing got very hot. Frank thinks the knives need sharpening. Dad. and I cocked up all the after noon and got all that was raked cocked up. Cooler to-day. Big rain out north yesterday</p> <p>Saturday July 28th</p> <p>Frank and I sharpened the mower knives this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We all lay around all the after noon out on the lawn and let out tongues {lap?} out as it was terribly hot in spite of the fact that there was a good breeze. About five o'clock Aunty, Walter, Elsie and Dick started to walk down town as they wanted to stop in at Mrs. Battersby's and Mrs. Woodson's on their way. We had tea as soon as they left and did chores. Enah put the baby to sleep and she and Dad drove down to church, Frank and I stayed home &amp; slept.</p> <p>Monday July 30th</p> <p>Frank mowed in the corner field all morning and for an hour or two after dinner but his knives got so dull he had to stop so he went down town and got a carborundum stone as well as some other things and came back and sharpened up his knives and raked up all that was fit He went out after tea as it was moon light and finished cutting. Dad. cultivated his potatoes in the old garden and put paris green on them. He had to go back after dinner to finish the job. I cut lawn most of the morning. It was an awful job as it has got too long and it was suffocatingly hot I nearly got bushed two or three times, however I got all over it but in some places it looks more as if it had been chewed off by a horse with only two teeth than as if it</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>this after noon, as we expect to haul peas again to-morrow {Name?} was over to-night and says they are so rushed down there he would like us to just haul half of them to-morrow and the others the next day. Dad. and I mowed away a lot of the hay this morning while Frank was raking and Dad. dug some post holes along by his potatoes as we want to let the sheep in on the pea stubble as soon as we get the peas off so will have to fence in the potatoes. To-night Dad. and I drove Queen down town and she went fine, we passed and were passed by automobiles at which she never looked, we drove up to Huby's and down to Aunty's and Dad settled up with Mr. Bagley.</p> <p>Wednesday August 1st</p> <p>Charlie and Art came over this morning and we cut half of the Market Garden Peas and Charlie and Frank each took a load down about eleven o'clock we won't take the rest down till to-morrow morning. Before dinner Dad. and I got the wire over from the orchard to put up along the potatoes. This after noon we hauled three loads of hay off the corner field. To-night Dad Enah and Tim drove out to the Shands. Frank went down town to get some cow spray and I went to bed, being very tired. Hot but breezy. Another big British &amp; French drive has begun in Flanders.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 3rd</p> <p>Dad. and I hauled in all day but only got in five loads there is still half a load in the field. We didn't get out till rather late this morning as we had to bolt a piece on to the front ladder of the rack which is cracked. Frank cut till about four o'clock and then raked up what he cut this morning. He is cutting in the 8 acre feild between Ivey's line and the lane and just south of the gully. Quite cool all day nice to work</p> <p>Saturday August 4th</p> <p>Things have gone rather slowly to-day. We started put off the load that was on the barn floor this morning but the third lift one of the strands in the big rope cut right out and we had to quit. It is cutting on the spring in the car. Tom Cawley came over to borrow the binder as Jack's isn't working right and it was getting pretty late in the morning when he left. Dad. and I then went out and cocked up most of what Frank raked last night. After dinner we went out and Dad. got Art Quanbury to come over and see if he could fix our car for us so that it wouldn't cut and Art cut the end off the spring, we didn't want to put it up in the barn again as we want the next lot of hay to go in the horse stable. We pitched the last lift that was on the waggon off by hand and Frank and I went</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Pencil sketch of a woodland scene}</p> <p>Drawn from Nature.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday August 6th</p> <p>We all went out and cocked up this morning and finished the field by about eleven, we then came up and put the car up in the horse stable mow and Frank put a roller out of the old lawn mower on the outside of the barn just below the hole that the big rope goes out to keep it from scrubbing on the ends of the boards. This after noon we hauled in four loads but left the last one standing at the end of the horse stable. To-night Frank and I took Queen around the block past John Wess's. Rained a very small shower last night and looked rainy this morning, but cleared.</p> <p>Tuesday August 7th</p> <p>We just got in three loads of hay this morning as the mow is getting full now and it takes time to get up to mow it. This after noon we got a load and a half of good hay and put it in the horse stable but the last load we got composed mostly of couch grass, so we hauled it in to the barn and left it to put in the bottom of the bay and {over?} rails to put the wheat on. We got through early and Dad and I took Queen around the block, we took the {obscured word} with us. It has been cloudy and cool all day and this after noon there was too much wind to load hay</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>after noon. Dad. cut my four wheat plots and the barley this after noon with Alfred's cradle, the emmer plot is not ripe yet. He bound them and shocked them up to I guess the barley was to short and thin to bind. I cut hay with Frank most of the after noon Cool and cloudy all day looked very much like rain.</p> <p>Thursday August 9th</p> <p>Frank and I cut with two teams all day and got all the grass cut between the oats and the plowing along the side road and I took Jack's mower home. Dad. gathered up my barley to-day and hoed in the old garden besides doing some other chores. Lila was over this after noon. Quite cool all day, tried to rain a little {obscured word} after dinner. It is two or three days since I wrote this so I forget. Frank started to rake the hay he cut first right after dinner but the rain stopped him so he only got about two rounds cut and then helped me mow till we finished the piece. Dad. cocked up all the after noon.</p> <p>Friday August 10th</p> <p>Aunty came over before seven this morning with Mr. {name obscured} and was here all morning but walked back with the baby about three o'clock. I raked hay all morning and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>stop to look for the cause of the pounding in the {obscured word} which Cawley said he noticed the last after noon {he?} used it. They couldn't find it so Dad. went all the way up to John Wes's barn to ask him about it and he said he thought they would find it was the spring that holds the trip that was broken as his did the same last week. Sure enough that was the trouble so they {took?} the spring out of John's binder and it went alright but it kept them from getting any cut to speak of all morning. It went pretty well all the after noon and the only reason Frank didn't get more cut was owing to lack of speed on old Nellie's part. Sunny and warm to-day</p> <p>Saturday August 11th</p> <p>I took Joe down to Joe Howel's first thing this morning and had her shod but as he couldn't go at her for an hour or so it was about eleven o'clock when I got home. I spent most of the time down at Aunty's. I took Joe &amp; Nellie as soon as I got home and went out and started to rake up the rest of the hay. Frank had Harry &amp; Belle all day on the binder and finished cutting the wheat about seven o'clock. I raked hay all the after noon and finished the field about six. Dad. cocked up till about five</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>got down to the house Mr. &amp; Mrs. Passmore were there. Frank came in just after they left and drove home with me. Fine &amp; warm</p> <p>Monday August 13th</p> <p>We all three got out pretty early and started to cock the hay. It was very dark and about ten o'clock started to rain. It didn't rain hard and we worked for another hour but then had to stop as it was getting too {obscured word} Frank and Dad. mowed away the hay in the horse stable and then took Mary away before dinner while I pained letters on my chicken box. Frank and Dad. went back at the hay soon after dinner and worked all the after noon but didn't quite finish. I slew my twelve milk fed chickens and Enah picked the pin feathers out of them. I tried to stick {obscured word} in the brain but don't believe I hit the right spot with any of them so I hit them all a clip in the head with a club and that seemed to work just about as well, some of them tore pretty badly so I suppose I will be docked on that. We worked quite late to-night getting them all trimmed and put on the shaping board to cool. Dick was over to tea, he just got notice to-day to report in Winnipeg as soon as possible so is leaving here on Thursday. We hope it will be a good thing for him but hate to see him go</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>getting so full. Frank went down to Sam's right after dinner and was down there all the after noon. Dad. &amp; I got in two more jags and put them in the horse stable and Enah came out and told me when to trip. We threw one good big load and left it on the barn floor. To-night we all went down to Aunty's to seed Dick this being his last night here. Huby was there, raising cain and {making?}the baby wild. Win has gone into the bank to try it This was her first day. Frank and I rode down with Martin in his new car. Cloudy this morning but hot this {obscured word}</p> <p>Thursday August 16th</p> <p>Frank went over and borrowed Jack Martin's waggon this morning so that we could haul wheat with {obscured word} teams as it is so far back to go with one waggon. Dad. &amp; I pitched of the load of hay by hand into the east end {obscured word} We thought we could do it quicker than changing the {obscured word}Enah and the baby went back with us and Enah picked berries while we were loading up. It was rather late when we got started so we just made one trip this morning and {we} couldn't take very big loads as the sheaves are pretty {obscured word} in the butts yet. Frank had the old team and Jack's {obscured word} wheeled waggon and when Dad. {illegible} the wheel before</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We had to put very small ones on Pickford's waggon as the front axle was cracked and it is an old ramshackle affair anyway. Frank had to be very careful going downhill as there was a rivet in the bolster stake that caught under the rim of the front wheel. It was late when we got through and there are still three or four loads back there. Aunty was over this after noon for a few minutes with a card from Dick saying he had reached Roy's safely. Quite cold wind but fair to-day</p> <p>Saturday August 18th</p> <p>We pitched off the two loads of wheat that were on the barn floor first thing and Frank took Pickford's waggon home and Dad. and I hauled in with the big team and our own waggon. We thought there would only be two loads and that it would only take till about noon to get it but instead there were three big loads and seven shocks which we had to make another trip after all it was seven o'clock before we got them unloaded. Frank spent the day fixing the reel rods on the binder and mowing away the hay in the horse stable as we think we can get another load in there. Enah and Tid. were down town all the after noon and got home just as Dad. was about to start after them at dark. Not so cold to-day. Sunny</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday August 21st</p> <p>Frank cut oats all day and finished the last of them to-night soon after six. Dad. and I hauled a small load of hay and put it in the horse stable and then got a good sized load and hauled it in on the barn floor and changed the car from the horse stable to the barn. We started to put the load off after dinner but the latch in the gate at the peak of the barn wasn't properly caught and and when the first lift went up it came down and bent so that I had to go up and take the whole gate down and let Dad. straighten it before we could go on. It took most of the after noon and we only got in one more load Frank didn't have quite enough of our own binder twine to finish so Dad. went over to borrow some from Billy Mills but he was just out and said Cawley had gone to the barn to hook up and go down and get some, so Dad. chased after Cawley but he had gone so I went over to Pickford's and was lucky enough to get a ball, his last one. Enah and the baby were down town this after noon. Aunty got a telegram from Dick yesterday saying he had been shipped on out to Cadillac Sask. {Saskatchewan}. We sent away the application for the lamb's registration to-day. Cool breezy &amp; cloudy.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>but cooled off and there was more breeze this after noon I didn't do much this morning but clean out the colony house and trim and train up my Dorothy Perkins rose which is growing so fast I can't keep up with it. It nearly covers the east end of the house now. Dad. and Frank shocked up a few oats but got soaked and as the ground was dry under the sheaves they left them This after noon being the day set for Boughner Picnic Dad. the baby and I drove down town and Frank walked down after he had looked through his bees and found there was no honey. Dad. had promised Tid. to take him fishing and he had been making all sorts of plans and building on it, but when they got down to Aunty's, Dad. suggested they go down and see "The City of Dover" come in, so we went down to the dock. Aunty and Frank came too and Dad. Frank and the baby went in to the fish shanty where they saw a big snapping turtle so that seemed to take the place of going fishing. Frank and I got a canoe and went for an hour's paddle up creek and didn't upset as we rather expected as neither of us knew much about it, Frank never having been in one before. Dad. &amp; the baby went home but Frank and I stayed down at Auntys for tea and all the evening. We spent most of the time looking at copys of Fa's old letters and trying to find Cadillac on the map</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the temperature and it was very strong and from the west I worked with a coat on all day and was not too warm. This morning we shocked up the rest of the oats which were still pretty wet except where the wind &amp; sun had hit them. It was nearly eleven when we got through with them but we put off the load of hay that was on the barn floor and got a load in before dinner which was about one o'clock. This after noon we finished hauling the hay in three pretty good sized loads. The baby came out and rode in on the last load, the promise of which has kept him out of the field for the past week or two. Frank went down town to-night</p> <p>Sunday August 26th</p> <p>Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Frank walked down. Aunty Alice came over with us to dinner. She walked back soon after dinner and Dad. Enah and the baby went for a drive down the lake shore and wound up at Aunty's where they stayed to tea. I read, slept and wrote to Dick this after noon and Frank fixed his wheel and visited with Lloyd Ryerse most of the after noon and then went back to Ben Ivey's gully prospecting for butter nuts and sent the cows up.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>barn roof and make a couple of hog troughs. We wanted to get slabs but he couldn't let us have any. When we got home I went down to the mill and got some rolled oats for the sheep. This after noon Dad. and I put the doors on the harness cupboard but couldn't finish as we found we only had enough screws for three hinges instead of four. Frank put wire in his bee hive frames. About five o'clock Dad. went down to the mill and paid Charlie Ivey part of his account as Neil Elliott was in yesterday morning and gave him a check for Bobbie but said not to bring her down for two weeks. Enah and I printed pictures to-night</p> <p>Wednesday August 29th</p> <p>It rained most of the morning and I didn't do any thing much but read and try to trim a couple of the ram lambs Enah's friend Mr. Hall walked over in the pouring rain this morning and stayed to dinner. It cleared up about {obscured word} and Pickford came over to see if we would help him thrash this after noon as Sam couldn't do any thing with Al Boughner's alsike stack and said he would thresh Pickford out this after noon, however they didn't get moved down till about five o'clock so didn't thresh any to-day but Pickford was up to-night to see if two of us would go down in</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 31st</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day over on the side hill by the woods and got quite a bit turned over. After I did chores I unloaded the waggon load of wood that he brought up yesterday and then went up and set up the oats that had been laid down Some of them were very wet but none sprouted to speak of. When I got through I started to flail out my winter barley and finished cleaning it up after dinner. About three o'clock I hooked Joe &amp; Belle to the disk and started on the pea ground. I think it will work up nicely. I quit early and Enah and I went down at seven o'clock and had a ride on the "City of Dover" as she ran out to-night instead of Tuesday night when it rained. It was a lovely night to-night and we had a very nice ride Lila and Dess were with us. Dad. was about half the night doing chores as Mr. &amp; Mrs. Smythe came over to see the stock They have just got word within the last day or two that young Ernest Quanbury Chris's second son has been killed in action. It is just about a year ago now that Henry his brother died of his wounds. The Canadians are in heavy action these days around the coal pits of Lens and they are steadily pushing the German's out of the city. Conscription is now on the Canadian statute books having been passed by the Senate yesterday or to-day. Sunny &amp; breezy &amp; cool</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I went down to Aunty's just at noon and stayed to dinner and after dinner pruned a few of the old branches out of the barbery bush for Aunty. I got home about three o'clock and got most of the lawn cut over here. Lila was over here to dinner. Dad. plowed all the after noon and Frank made a couple of hog troughs. Dad. plowed up a nest of rabbits this after noon. He killed two of them with the plow but brought two live ones home. They are only a few days old and I am afraid they won't live. Sunny but cool.</p> <p>Sunday September 9th</p> <p>Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Aunty came back with us to dinner. Frank spent the morning in trying out some new kind of solder he got at the exhibition which is applied like sealing wax and Dad. did chores and shocked up the twelve oat shocks. Aunty says he shocked more than the oats. I started to read after dinner but went to sleep almost immediately and slumbered peacefully till Aunty was ready to go down town and then I went down there to tea and to church with Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice. After church I went home with Marj. who has changed her place of abode from the Bagley's to Miss Kerny's. I wrote Dick a short note when I got home. Frank and Enah walked down to church to-night. Fine, cloudy &amp; cool. Feels like frost to-night</p> <p>Monday September 10th</p> <p>Frank and I took Bobbie down to the car this morning. Frank led her and I drove in the buggy. Neil wasn't around but we left Bobbie in the pen, one pig was the only other occupant of the pen. We went around by the station and got a poultry crate which Frank got from Silverwood's to ship his ducks in. We saw Huby and he said there was a heavy white frost down at the station but no sign of it at his place. When we got home Frank sorted out the ducks he wanted to keep and let them loose and I raked up the lawn. After dinner I took Belle &amp; Queen and went back and disked on the back field where Dad. had been plowing all morning and Dad. finished plowing the field and started in to harrow it. It is going to work up fine. Mrs. Tupper came past this after noon and said Clem. wanted one of us to go and help thrash this after noon, as it was then about four o'clock and the machine wasn't there yet, we didn't think they would do much but I told her to go up and get Frank, so she did and Frank was over there helping Tupper till after tea. The machine just got there at dark. He wants two of us to help him to-morrow. According to today's paper the Russians are cutting up rusty again Korniloff is leading a revolt against Kerensky at the Provisional Government and marching with his troops away from the battle front. Cold wind all day &amp; to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday September 6th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day to-day and got on well. This morning Frank &amp; I hooked Queen up and drove down town to get his suitcase which he checked the other day and which didn't come and when we got back we drove down to Bruce's to get a set of double harness which Bruce told Dad. about a couple of months ago and which he said he wanted ten dollars for, we found Mr. Smith down there but Bruce had gone up to Hammond's to get some seed wheat. Mr. Smith gave us the harness however and it looks like a very strong one, there were no collars and only one crupper and one bridle check but the back bands and traces looke especially strong. Queen went fine but the roads were bad as it rained hard during the night and we didn't get back till about half past one. It was pretty well on in the after noon when we got through dinner and chores but I took Joe &amp; Belle and disked on the pea stubble and by six got all over it. Frank patched at the barn roof which he started at yesterday. Aunty Alice came over to tea and I walked down with her to-night. Poor Art Quanbury is having a very bad attack of his old trouble this week he was taken sick Monday and Charlie said to-night he was no better. Fine and cool.</p> <p>Friday September 7th</p> <p>I disked with Queen and Belle all day on the pea stubble and got pretty well over it lengthways of the field I was going crossways before. Frank plowed all day and Dad. was down town all day working in the garden down home. Enah went down town this after noon but missed Dad. and he had to go back after her but met her before he got very far. It began to drizzle rain about four o'clock and was raining quite hard by six. We quit early. I was about frozen when I got in and spent the evening reading "Saturday Nights" which Enah brought home all except Frank who was figuring out how much more it cost to farm with horses instead of tractors. He &amp; Dad. are in a cronic state of argument on the subject.</p> <p>Saturday September 8th</p> <p>It rained hard last night and Dad. thought it was too wet to work on the land this morning. We puttered around and did odd jobs among which were the lancing of an absess on the fat ewe's jaw and the filing of old Nellie's teeth. About eleven I shaved and went down town to to have Bill look at my tooth which has been bothering me a lot the last couple of days. He said there was nothing wrong with it that he could see but that I might have caught cold in it.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>as before I got all the chores done and they take quite awhile to do alone. Ham Thompson came in to look at the stock and just as he left old Mrs. Davidson, Julien the Pole and some fair damsel unknown to me came over with a little two year old Percheron filly which they said Dad. had told Aunty they could turn out here to pasture so I put her in the stable till we could put her with our colts. After I did have my lunch and was in the house reading Mrs. Lawrie and Edith came over but when the found Enah wasn't home they didn't come in Dad. and the baby walked home about five and left Enah down town to have tea with Aunt Ida as Aunty and Aunt Alice drove up to St. John's with Harvey Skey and his mother to a memorial service for the two Quanbury boys. I helped do up the chores and drove down town about eight o'clock I went for a walk with Marj. Glad. &amp; Miss Law from Ingersol who is a cousin of Glad's. Then I went down and drove Enah home.</p> <p>Monday September 3rd Labor Day</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day but as he thought it would be too wet after last nights heavy rain to disk I weeded out mangels all morning and disked this after noon with Belle and Queen. Enah went down town this after noon. Fine day</p> <p>Tuesday September 4th</p> <p>I disked this morning on the pea stubble with Belle and Queen and quit about half past eleven and went up to Ham. Thompson's. Dad. plowed all morning and at noon had to go over to Joe Long's to see a horse of George Thompson's that had been cut on barbed wire. It was rather late when we got started after dinner but we went out and turned out the shocks of oats that were left in the field east of the orchard and then hauled in a load but didn't quite clear the field. Enah helped us put off the load that was on the barn floor and we left the one we hauled unloaded. We got through fairly early, and I went down after tea and met Frank. His train was just on time so we got home quite early. He had a great time at the Fair and can think of nothing else but a rein drive tractor which he saw down there. Fine &amp; cool</p> <p>Wednesday September 5th</p> <p>We hauled in oats to-day and got them all in but twelve shocks. They didn't bulk up much I think there were only four loads on the six acre field. Frank and I went out after the last load about seven o'clock and it was eight when we got in, pitch dark and raining quite hard. Dad. came to meet us with the lantern. He milked while we were out. Cool.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 31st</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day over on the side hill by the woods and got quite a bit turned over. After I did chores I unloaded the waggon load of wood that he brought up yesterday and then went up and set up the oats that had been laid down Some of them were very wet but none sprouted to speak of. When I got through I started to flail out my winter barley and finished cleaning it up after dinner. About three o'clock I hooked Joe &amp; Belle to the disk and started on the pea ground. I think it will work up nicely. I quit early and Enah and I went down at seven o'clock and had a ride on the "City of Dover" as she ran out to-night instead of Tuesday night when it rained. It was a lovely night to-night and we had a very nice ride Lila and Dess were with us. Dad. was about half the night doing chores as Mr. &amp; Mrs. Smythe came over to see the stock They have just got word within the last day or two that young Ernest Quanbury Chris's second son has been killed in action. It is just about a year ago now that Henry his brother died of his wounds. The Canadians are in heavy action these days around the coal pits of Lens and they are steadily pushing the German's out of the city. Conscription is now on the Canadian statute books having been passed by the Senate yesterday or to-day. Sunny &amp; breezy &amp; cool.</p> <p>Saturday September 1st</p> <p>Dad. plowed all morning and I did chores and flailed out my emmer and sent off the report of it and the alfalfa experiment. This after noon I went down to Tom's and got the can of buttermilk, he had brought it as far as his place but his waggon broke down and he couldn't bring it any farther. Dad. turned out a few oat shocks while I was gone and when I got back we hauled in a good load, they might have been drier but weren't bad, we left the load on the barn floor. To-night I went down town and met Marj. &amp; Glad. Law, they came up to-night. Bright, breezy and cool.</p> <p>Sunday September 2nd</p> <p>It began to rain early this morning and rained hard till church time and then cleared up and was sunny and hot this after noon but cold to-night. We all drove down to church this morning as Enah had to play. There were very few there and Dad. and I had to take up the collection. There was some blind man there and Mr. Browne got me to pilot him up to the communion rail. I went home to dinner to do chores and Dad. Enah and the baby stayed down at Aunty's. I didn't get in till nearly half past three to get my lunch.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>down town to-night. Frank and I walked. Frank, Enah and the baby went up to the Sunday school but Dad. visited with Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida. Aunty was up at the Johnsons tending George who has the whooping cough while his father and mother were at the Sunday school. I went up to Andrew Innes's and got a pair of rubber boots and then took a little chicken up to Cousin Loll and by the time I had visited with her for half an hour it was too late to go to the {illegible}.</p> <p>Thursday November 1st</p> <p>I spent most of the morning doing chores and getting things ready for to-night as I expected to be up at Ham's this after noon with Frank helping him fill his silo. Dad. plowed all day. We went up right after dinner but Ham said it was too wet and didn't expect us up. It snowed quite a lot during the night and as his corn was all down in sheaf it would have been nasty handling. We came home and hooked Joe &amp; Belle to the waggon and went down to Art Ryerse's where we borrowed their root pulper. Lloyd told Frank the other day we could have it for all winter as they have no roots this year. To-night I went down town and after coming over to Silverthorne's with Marj. went to the show.</p> <p>Friday November 2nd</p> <p>Dad. and Frank were in the back field all day plowing and shovelling out ditches. I did all the chores up this morning. Aunty came over at noon and this after noon I went back down town with her and got my bank order from Waller's cashed and got some groceries. My arm has been pretty sore today and I gave it a long soaking again to-night. It has broken out in little blisters around the original spot and is quite badly swollen. To-night Chris Quanbury came over and got twenty pullets for which he paid me $0.50 apiece and four smaller pullets and a cockrel which I got $1.00 apiece for. I have decided to sell off the whole bunch except maybe ten or a dozen and pay Charlie Ivey (or try to) last winter's feed bill with what I receive for them as if I keep them and buy feed again this winter as I would have to I would be farther in the hole than ever even if they laid exceedingly well. Frank and I helped Chris take the bunch down to his place on wheelbarrows. Sunny and snow nearly gone but freezing in shade.</p> <p>Saturday November 3rd</p> <p>My arm was very sore again this morning so I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>dinner we sacked up nine bags of oats and Frank took them to the mill and got part of them chopped and part rolled. While he was gone Dad. and I cleaned out the stables which were not cleaned yesterday. The mud makes it an awful job. When he got back they hauled up the wood they cut from the oak and we took all the mangels that were up and in piles into the drive house where they can dry off and not be in such danger of freezing. Dad. went back early to-night after the cows and found the four turkey's which disappeared from their roosting place in the gully three or four weeks ago. He of course brought them up and they roosted to-night in the orchard. Enah had a queer visitor just before tea to-night. A young fellow who seemed too cold, sleepy or stupid to carry on much conversation came and asked for some thing to eat and sat for half an hour hovering over the stove. While there she managed to find out from him that he had tramped from Dunnville and was on his way to Simcoe to be examined. He dozed most of the time he was in here but between yawns he told Enah that he had been picking fruit most of the summer and that he didn't like the cold and wanted to go to Florida to pick oranges, but if he was fit for Military Service, would not be able to cross the line, hence his desire to be examined. He left here in time to catch the seven o'clock car and offered to pay for his supper. It has been cloudy, muddy and raw with spitting snow storms.</p> <p>Wednesday October 31st</p> <p>This has been a most miserable day. Raw and cloudy with quite a heavy snowfall which by to-night has covered every thing. It froze the ground quite hard last night so is very muddy. Dad. plowed all morning and I cleared up the shingles back of the woodshed and put the best of them in the woodshed. Frank chopped up the blocks they cut off the oak yesterday. Ham Thompson came down with his ten ewes to put with our ram and borrowed our waggon and rack to haul corn in to-morrow and he wants Frank and me to go up to-morrow after noon to help him fill his Silo. This after noon I just did up the chores and then walked back to where Frank was plowing and found Dad. over talking to John Wess. I went over there for a few minutes and then we came up early so that we could go down to the Hallowe'en party in the Sunday school. Just about tea time Bert Thompson came over and got his heifer. We all went</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday October 27th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank were back over the gully all morning &amp; most of the after noon one plowing and the other cleaning out ditches. I spent most of the morning fixing the fence around the old well as the sheep have taken to wandering around it and we were afraid one of them might get in. I did chores most of the after noon. It was a beautiful morning but it began to rain soon after dinner and it rained steadily but not hard till after tea and then it poured nearly all night. Dad. and Frank got soaked. Lila was over for awhile this morning.</p> <p>Sunday October 28th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and I went down a little later but was too late to go to Sunday school so went up to the bank and woke Clark up and got him to go to church. Aunty walked over with us to dinner and we found Charlie &amp; Flossie Shand here. They had started to church but they have the road past Penman's barricaded so were too late and came in here. This after noon I took Marj. for a drive up around by Lynn Valley. I went down town again to-night and went over to the Moore's. {Larry?} Skey preached in our church to-night but I was too late to go. Clark told me this morning that he has been moved to Ottawa and is leaving to-morrow so I went up to-night for a minute to say goodbye to him. Cool &amp; cloudy to-day. Mild night.</p> <p>Monday October 29th</p> <p>It has rained nearly all day steadily, it began last night and is still at it to-night. I spent the day killing my crate fattened chickens and it took me just about all day. Enah picked the pin feathers out for me. I made a pretty good job of them, I stuck nearly all of them in the brain and tore them very little. Dad. did chores and read to the baby most of the day. This after noon Frank went over to Mrs. Robert John Watson's sale and got soaked to the hide.</p> <p>Tuesday October 30th</p> <p>I took my box of crate fed chickens down this morning and expressed them to Waller's. I didn't do much more this morning after I got home as it was nearly noon. Dad. and Frank cut blocks off the old oak all morning. After</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday October 24th</p> <p>It has rained steadily all day and all evening. I haven't done any thing to speak of but my arm has been a lot better I didn't soak it to-day but bathed it well a couple of times. Dad. and Frank put a great fix on the back of the stove with a piece of tin and some stove cement. It doesn't smoke now and the water in the reservoir warms up quickly. I pasted a few snapshots in my new album this after noon and also shaved and went down to Aunty's to tea. Marj. was there too so we had a very nice evening. They had a letter from Quint down there saying that straw mattresses &amp; blankets had been issued so that he thinks he will be in England all winter.</p> <p>Thursday October 25th</p> <p>I came home as soon as I had breakfast this morning. I did a few chores this morning and then drove down town and got some groceries and went up around by Ham Thompson's to ask him about forming a Farmer's Club for co-operative marketing and buying. This after noon I cleaned out the colony house. Dad. did chores all morning and plowed this after noon. Mr. Flemming came in this morning to get one of us to help him thrash this after noon so Frank went down. Winnie came over to tea to-night and I walked down town with her and stopped in for awhile at Aunty's on my way home. I had a letter from Dick to-day saying he had registered at the Post Office for service. We don't just understand how he came to do it as he said before that he had sent his medical sheet to the Head Office where they would apply for exemption for him. It was cloudy and raw this morning but sunny this after noon &amp; clear to-night.</p> <p>Friday October 26th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank went up on the nine o'clock car this morning to the Principal Plowing match at Oak Park Farm near Paris, they were up all day coming home at five but all the prizes had been awarded yesterday so Dad. didn't see what he most wanted to, the plowmen with their teams. The tractors were working to-day so Frank was satisfied but from what they say their work didn't show up very well beside the horses'. I went down to Flemming's and thrashed all morning and for half an hour after dinner and have been doing chores all after noon. My arm doesn't feel any the worse. I caught 38 chickens to-night in the outside little coop and put them in the colony house. Nice day. Rainy night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>streaks running up towards my elbow. He told me to go home and soak it for an hour in hot water and then put some lotion on it which he gave me, so I started for home but met Dad. Enah &amp; the baby driving to church and Dad. told me to go to Aunty's and he came right down after leaving Enah at church and he got the water hot there on the gas much quicker than we could have at home. I soaked it for a good hour and it took the pain out a lot. I stayed there to dinner and tea. This after noon I went up to see Marj. but she had gone up to the Davises for dinner so I missed her. I knocked around with Charlie Quanbury all the after noon and to-night went to church with Aunty and then over with Marj. It was nearly twelve when I got home but I had to light a fire and soak my arm again as the Dr. told Aunty after church that I had better if the red streaks were still up the arm. Dad. &amp; Enah both came out in their night apparel &amp; hung around till I got through. Fine day but raw.</p> <p>Monday October 22nd</p> <p>I haven't done any thing in the way of work all day. I soaked my arm for an hour or more this morning and for a little while this after noon. This after noon I went down town and sent in my claim for exemption and then went down to show my arm to Dr. Cook. He said it was coming all right and opened it up more puting his probe down to the bone. I then went up and had my hair cut. Dad. plowed all day and Frank did chores Enah went down to Aunty's to tea and went up to Simcoe with the Hobbes to sing with the massed choirs of the deanery at the Deanery Meeting. Jack Martin brought her home.</p> <p>Tuesday October 23rd</p> <p>I haven't done much again to-day. I soaked my arm again this morning and this after noon drove down town to get some coal oil and came around by the mill and got a bag of bran. It rained all day so Dad. and Frank couldn't do much outside but Frank fixed the new trough in the pig pen and arranged the swinging door over it so that it would work easily and save him climbing over it every time he feeds the pigs. I stopped in at Aunty Alice's on my way down and she had just had a back tooth out. Dad. spent most of the day doing chores and ditching and this after noon he went over with me and took Jim Rosses chickens over to Jack Martin's and he shipped them for us</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday October 18th</p> <p>I have planted ginseng all day and to-night counted the seeds I had left and just have 565 so I will soon be through the job. If the seeds all grow and the plants live and the Chinese keep on wanting ginseng roots I should make some money in six or seven years provided some one doesn't steal them. Frank and Dad. got started plowing to-day in the back field by the bush. Dad. ran out the ditches and struck out a couple of times and Frank threw out the sods and this after noon plowed. This was Frank's birthday. Rained a little.</p> <p>Friday October 19th</p> <p>It rained steadily all morning and has been raw cloudy and windy all the after noon. I spent the morning writing in this and to Douglas. Dad. read to the baby and Frank went back to the gully and caught a rabbit in one of his muskrat traps. He skinned it but found so many dubious looking spots on it that he decided to use it for bait instead of eating it. This after noon I went back and planted 328 more seeds and will plant the 239 I have left up here some place in a box. Dad. went over to Jack Martin's this after noon to see if he could get a box to ship 6 pullets to Jim Ross.</p> <p>Saturday October 20th</p> <p>I drove down town this morning to get some groceries and to see if McEwen came down on the nine car, but he didn't show up all day. Frank and I picked apples the rest of the day and Dad. plowed. We got just two trees stripped clean but they were the heaviest laden with fruit I think. Frank went down town to-night and heard that young Henry I forget his first name was killed the other day when he fell of some engine at the gas well where he was working. Charlie Quanbury was in to borrow the straw knife this morning. He was up to be examined yesterday and was classed A.2. which is very queer as he has a very bad throat but he went to Simcoe and said they marked him A2 before they had him half examined. Joe Thompson &amp; George Clark are both A2 but Charlie Ferris was thrown out. Froze last night raw &amp; windy all day.</p> <p>Sunday October 21st</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school this morning but I had to spend so much time bathing my arm that I didn't get down. I walked down in time for church but went around to see Dr. Cook first to show him my arm as it was badly swollen this morning and red</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday October 16th</p> <p>I have been planting ginseng all day again to day and am just nicely started. I had no idea it would be such a long job and I am very thankful that I only bought half a pound of seed instead of a pound as I at first intended and as the doctor wanted me to. I am planting every seed separately and about three or four inches apart in rows six or eight inches apart and as there are supposed to be four thousand of them in half a pound I can't expect to do it in no time. Dad. and Frank felled the big oak just at noon. It was a big job as its diameter was nearly equal to the length of the saw It will make a lot of fire wood but it was time it was cut as the heart of the trunk and the limbs was all punk, and it had got past being very pretty. Enah was down town all day and the baby was at Aunty's Enah was up helping at the banquet which the Board of Trade gave to a large deputation of businessmen representing all the towns and cities within reach of the L.E.&amp; N. and {G.H.&amp; P.?} railways. They had a very successful day and everybody spread themselves to entertain them and they donated $100.00 to be divided equally between the Red Cross &amp; the I.O.D.E. McEwen sent our ram to-day and the Dominion Express Co. brought it right over to the farm. Enah and the baby stayed down to tea and Dad. &amp; Frank &amp; I droved down afterwards to go to the Jubilee Singers concert in the town hall. I hadn't intended going but Dad. wanted me to go down and telephone McEwen and tell him the ram came and ask him when he would be down to look at the ram's lambs so I did and found out he couldn't be down before Saturday. I stayed and talked to Bab. for awhile and then went down to the show, just as I got to the town hall corner Tip Varey came out and gave me a ticket, he said he was just looking for some one to give it to. The hall was packed. Nice day.</p> <p>Wednesday October 17th</p> <p>I have been planting ginseng all day. Dad. and Frank spent most of the morning cutting a block off the old oak and splitting it up. This after noon they trimmed up the ewes and would have started plowing but it rained so they didn't. Dave. Ward was in to look at the lambs to-day &amp; Gid. McHoy &amp; Everett were in yesterday but of course we can't sell them till McEwen sees them. I went down to-night to see Marj. The grass was wet but thanks to the new rubbers which Aunty Alice gave me I didn't get wet. It froze hard last night. Nice morning but wet this after noon.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>south west wind and when Dad. got home at three o'clock he found one of Mrs. Jim. Low's apple trees blown down across Aunty's lane so he had to chop it up before he could get out with Joe &amp; the buggy. They had a letter from Dick to-day and he said that Head Office had told him to be examined and send his papers to Winnipeg for them to apply for exemption for him. He was marked A2 which is the highest he could get without military training, but he thinks he will be exempted. He hadn't intended applying for himself.</p> <p>Saturday October 13th</p> <p>After I got home and got my clothes changed this morning Dad. &amp; I picked up the apples in the orchard which yesterdays high wind blew down, while Frank went to the mill with some oats to chop. This after noon Dad. and I pulled a few rows of mangels while Frank went back after the chop and when He got back He and Dad. went over to Tupper's and got some mow {illegible} I pulled another row or two of mangels but Dad. thought I had better not pull many as we would not be able to cover them all to-night. I went back to the woods for a little while. Edmond England was in to-night to have Dad look at his horse which was lame. Fair to-day but rather cold.</p> <p>Sunday October 14th</p> <p>Enah Frank and I drove down to church this morning and I walked home with Aunty Alice who came over here to dinner. This after noon Aunty and I drove up to Vittoria and I got a half pound of ginseng seeds from Dr. McInnes for which I paid him five dollars. We got home about half past six and came around by Port Ryerse. To-night I went down town and met Marj. &amp; Glad. coming out of church, we went up to the Law's for awhile. Young Ivan who enlisted about a couple of months ago is home on his last leave and expects to leave Hamilton for Halifax on Wednesday. It was raining quite hard when I started home so I stayed all night at Aunty's. Frank was down also as he is going to help them pack up a box of stuff for Walter in the morning.</p> <p>Monday October 15th</p> <p>Aunty got up early this morning and called me so that I got home before Dad. was up, as it was still wet I put on Roy's rubber boots and some old clothes but it turned out a nice day. I have been back in the woods all day planting ginseng seed. Dad. and Frank started to cut down the old oak at the south east corner of the lawn. It was dying anyway</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>apply for exemption from military service. I went right over to the Armouries from the car to get an early place in the line but we had to wait about an hour before the doctors began examining. When they did start they told us to be ready for them so as not to keep them waiting and accordingly we all stripped to a most distressing state of complete nakedness and lined up ready to go through the test. There were about twenty five of us when they started and more kept coming. Some of the boys were cold and put their coats on while they waited, when they came to me I first got on a set of scales and one doctor weighed and measured me in different ways &amp; also tested my eyes, another fellow listened at my heart and lungs and asked me if I had ever had any trouble with my feet or legs so I told him about my knee. He pinched it and said it was a bog spavin and I had better blister it, he then sent me over to a third doctor and he said the same thing, that I had better fire it. I said I didn't think much of firing spavins but he told me he had a little mare once which sprung a couple of {jacks?} and he took them off where upon another doctor began inquiring of him as to the whereabouts of some "little sorrel". Eventually he let me go saying I would have to be put in Class E as my knee couldn't be depended on. I said I hated to be put down so low and he said he could put me in C which is for service in Canada but that E was where I should be so I said that if any trouble arose in Canada I would go anyway and so he said "That's the way to talk". It makes me feel rather down in the mouth to think I am physically unfit but I suppose oughtn't to as they said I was in good shape every other way. I believe I have been half hoping all along that there might be a chance of me becoming a soldier yet but now I know that there is nothing left but "The cool sequestered vale of life" for me and of course in a way it is a satisfaction to know just where I am and what I have to plan for. I was just too late when I got to the L.E.&amp; N. station to catch the four o'clock car so I prowled around town till six and came down with Dr. Cook who had come as far as Brantford from Toronto in his Ford but had got so cold &amp; wet that he left the car in a garage and took the radial. Aunty Alice was waiting for me at the station and said I was to stay there all night as it was such a rotten night. There was a strong</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>about all of Class A being called out before any were exempted. I also went around to Moore's studio while I was up there. We went back to the Fair Grounds about half past three and watched a couple of horse races and then went over to the sheep pen where we found Dad. waiting for us. He had intended going back on the car but thought he was too late so we loaded the sheep up and he and Frank drove home, and I started out to walk although I believe If I had gone a little earlier I could have caught the car as it was late, however I got a ride from just out of Simcoe nearly to the Half-Way-House with some old {Oaks?} and then I walked to about Duncan's orchard when Johnnie Walker picked me up. I got home about half past six and Dad. and Frank about an hour later. Cloudy &amp; Raw.</p> <p>Thursday October 11th</p> <p>I went down this morning to dig Aunty Alice's potatoes for her but didn't quite finish the job. Dad. &amp; Enah came down to Mrs. Dillon's funeral and Dad. had to be bearer. Frank came down a little later with Ben's rack and he and I went up and got a load of old shingles from Cousin Willie's barn. Enah's sister Mrs. Johnson came over to tea and to stay all night. Lovely day, rain to-night.</p> <p>Friday October 12th</p> <p>Dad. and I had planned to go up to McEwen's by the seven car this morning and from there to the Caledonia Fair via Brantford but when Dad. got up at five it was pouring rain and had been all night so we decided not to go to the Fair and as it rained steadily but not hard all day we were glad we did. We thought however we had better go to McEwen's, as he had four yearling rams which he said he might sell any day and we have come to the conclusion that we can't depend on our old fellow. We drove down and left Joe in the barn and took the nine o'clock car intending to get back home at one o'clock but when we got up there we got talking to McEwen and looking at the sheep and the car went back before we knew it so we had to wait there till two and have dinner there. We spoke for one of his yearling rams which he wants sixty five dollars for, but we thought he was a dandy except for some little stubs of horns and a rather big ear but he is big and low down. We left McEwen's at two o'clock and Dad. took the car home but I thought since I was so near I would go on into Brantford and be examined as I have to be anyway some time within the next month, before I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>take all the prizes. The Shepherd invited Frank to sleep in his boxcar to-night so I guess he will. I just did up the horses when I got home and Dad. and I had tea alone and were just ready to start after Enah &amp; the baby when they came along. Enah had come down on the seven o'clock car. Miss Morgan &amp; Mrs. Brent were on the car and they told her that Mrs. Dillon died this morning in the Brantford hospital while undergoing an operation. I walked down town and went up to see Marj. for awhile and stayed all night at Aunty's. Nice day but raw.</p> <p>Wednesday October 10th</p> <p>I got of on the seven o'clock car this morning for Simcoe and found Frank prowling around the sheep pen at the Fair Grounds waiting for some place to open up so that he could get breakfast. Neither of us got very far away from the sheep till they were judged about ten o'clock. I tried to give them a little fixing up first but didn't make much difference in their looks. Lloyd-Jones man was trimming at his all the time and so were some fellows with Oxfords. Lloyd-Jones was the only other exhibitor of Shrops. Old Billy Beattie was the judge and we were</p> <p>most agreeably surprised when he gave us three second prizes and two third. Lloyd-Jones got all the firsts but still we thought we did very well considering it was the first time we ever showed. Our little loose fleeced ram lamb took second prize from one of Lloyd-Jones, but he didn't bring out one of his ram lambs. Our ewe lamb didn't get a prize and neither did one of the yearling ewes on account of some dark wool on her head, all the others got something. After they were judged Frank and I took in a little of the Fair and also a little dinner which we took standing up. About two o'clock we went down town as I wanted to find out if I could be examined for Military Service in Simcoe, but no board has been appointed yet. The only man I could find (after going to the Armouries and the Court House) who kenw any thing about it was George McKie and he is on one of the exemption tribunal for the North Riding. He told me I would probably be exempted on account of being a farmer, as he thought the only farmers who would be taken were those who have started farming within the last two months and those on farms which are overmanned. From what he said I think Charlie Quanbury must have been mistaken</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>froze hard last night, so I went out and finished plowing the headland at the north end of the field while Dad. went over and doctored up the cow. I brought the team up when I finished plowing but didn't get any more done at the sheep before noon. This after noon Dad. worked on the land and Frank and I continued to trim sheep. I trimmed our loose fleeced ram lamb and made a wonderful difference in his looks but I am afraid his fleece is too poor. Cool.</p> <p>Wednesday October 3rd</p> <p>It has rained steadily all day and we were very glad to have it as the land is very hard and dry and lots of the wheat we sowed last week has not sprouted yet. Frank and I spent the whole day nearly with the sheep washing their necks &amp; briskets where the oil was on the wool. Dad. fixed a pen over in the barn for the pure bred calf. This was the day of old Monteith's sale but we thought they would postpone it on account of the weather but we saw several buggies go past on the way home from it and Tom. told us to-morrow morning (I havent written this for some time) that there was a good crowd and the cattle in fact every thing sold very well.</p> <p>Thursday October 4th</p> <p>Frank and I washed up a few more sheep this morning and this after noon he and I fixed the wire across the gap going from the wheat field behind the barn into the hay stubble. Dad. cleaned out some of the ditches in the wheat. About four o'clock I took Joe down town and had her shoe put on as she broke one some way. I called for Aunty at Mrs. Battersby's on my way home and she came over here to tea. After tea it began to rain and was a nasty night so Dad. drove Aunty &amp; me down as far as Mr. Fleming's and we walked the rest of the way. I went over to Miss McQueen's with Marj. and stayed all night at Aunty's. Cloudy &amp; raw all day</p> <p>Friday October 5th</p> <p>Dad. worked on the wheat ground this after noon and thinks it will be ready to sow to morrow. He took down the stove pipe off the kitchen stove this morning and cleaned it out When I got home this morning Frank and I picked the King's and got about two bushels and then Frank went to the mill and got some of our oats rolled. This after noon we trimmed sheep and to-night I caught about 45 nice pulletts and shut them up in winter quarters.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday October 6th</p> <p>Dad. worked on the wheat ground all day and got it drilled this after noon, there is just about three acres of it Frank and I cleaned up seed for him this morning and were at that nearly all the fore noon. This after noon Marj. and I went to Vittoria after chestnuts but didn't get any as they were not ripe yet and do not seem to be very well filled anyway. We went up to Dunkin's and he filled out an application blank for me to get the yearling ewe registered. He showed me his stock while Marj. was in getting warm. I stayed to tea at the Moore's and didn't get home till long after nine. Roy &amp; Rebecca came up to-day on the three o'clock car to stay over Monday it being Thanksgiving day. It has been cloudy with a raw north wind all day.</p> <p>Sunday October 7th</p> <p>I was the only one from this house to go to church this morning and I drove down and brought Rebecca home with me while Roy &amp; Aunty walked over Aunty Alice didn't feel like coming. This after noon I went down to the Moore's and had tea at Aunty's. Aunty and I went to church to-night and I went up afterward's to see Huby. Frank walked down to church and he &amp; I went home to-gether. Jack Martin started teaching Sunday school again.</p> <p>Monday October 8th</p> <p>Dad. went out first thing this morning to run some furrows in the wheat and then he, Enah and the baby went down to Aunty's for dinner and to spend the after noon. Frank and I spent most of the day putting what we considered the finishing touches on our sheep. Still pretty raw but rather sunny.</p> <p>Tuesday October 9th</p> <p>The Quanbury boys brought their waggon in this morning and left it for us to take the sheep to Simcoe and they took our old one with them. Just as they left Jack Highland drove in and left the sacks for the bluegrass and we bagged it up and Frank and I took it down this morning to the car. We took the baby with us and left him at Aunty's for the after noon as Enah went to the Simcoe Fair with the James'. Frank and I didn't get started for Simcoe till about half past two as we had to load the sheep after dinner and as we had to walk all the way it was nearly five when we got there. I left Frank and the sheep up there and left the Fair Grounds at a quarter past five and was home here at half past six. I had Joe &amp; Belle. Lloyd Jones shepherd had quite a flock of Southdowns and Shrops up there and as they were trimmed up to the queen's taste and in good shape I suppose they will</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday September 30th</p> <p>Enah and I drove down to church this morning and Frank walked down. Enah stayed down to dinner and to-night to tea as she had to go to Vittoria with the choir and to play in church to-night. The held Harvest thanksgiving services both here &amp; in Vittoria to-day. Mr. Millman came up the other night and Ade. Orm. &amp; Kathleen all came up in the car this morning to take Paw &amp; Mrs. Millman home. This after noon Frank and I went down town. Kathleen and I went up to call on the Harry Moon's. Harry was lying on the sofa but the doctor told him he would have to stay in the house another week. His boils are pretty well healed but they have his lung straped in so that he can't breathe through it. Ade &amp; Orm walked over here to the farm to see Dad. and Paw took all the rest for a ride in the car. I came home to tea but Frank stayed down Just before we had tea All the Millman's but Mrs. came over here in the car. I rode down with them about eight and after waiting for about enough half an hour for Mr. Farney to get through talking went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. and her. I called in at Aunty's on my way home but they had taken Enah and Frank home. It has been cloudy raw and windy all day and feels like frost to-night.</p> <p>Monday October 1st</p> <p>Dad. sowed my experimental plots of wheat this morning and I disked them in. We then hooked on the plow but before we got out all the Millman's came over to say good-bye to us and were here for half an hour or so. Dad. then went out to try plowing the rest of the strip along the side road that Frank started in the spring for corn. He plowed all the after noon and said it was very hard but could be plowed. This after noon Frank and I went down town and sold five baskets of tomatoes and got a load of shingles off Cousin Willie's barn roof. Windy &amp; rather cool but sunny</p> <p>Tuesday October 2nd</p> <p>We got the ewes all over in the barn this morning and picked out seven that we thought were worthy of a place in the Simcoe show ring, two aged ewes three shearlings and two ewe lambs, we separated them and put the rest back in the orchard. Dad then went out to finish plowing and Frank and I started to trim the show sheep. Jack Martin's man came over to get Dad. to go and look at one of Jack's Jerseys which had got bloated up on the frozen clover as it</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to meet Aunty &amp; Mrs. Millman who came up from Toronto to-night. Dad. and I met them at the station. We saw the Quanbury boys on our way home out experimenting with Charlie's tractor which he has concocted out his gasoline engine and an old mower and scrap iron. It seemed to be running all right on the road. Fine and dry.</p> <p>Wednesday September 26th</p> <p>I spent most of the day cleaning out the chicken house and getting it ready to put in the pullets. Frank picked and sorted tomatoes and this after noon harrowed on the wheat ground after Dad. who was disking. He disked on the pea stubble all day. The Quanbury boys were over this after noon to clean up a load of oats. To-night Mr. &amp; Mrs. Colin McNellige &amp; Miss Shand were over to spend the evening. Fine day, the ground is very dry.</p> <p>Thursday September 27th</p> <p>Frank and I have been over at Jack Martin's thrashing wheat all day and are not half through yet. The stacks are tough and the separator was stopped a good part of the time. The tough sheaves were very hard on the cylinder teeth. Dad. worked on the pea stubble all day and got started to drill about five o'clock. Frank and I came home to tea as we thought he would want to drill late but he stopped at six thinking we would stay to tea. I went to the picture show to-night with Marj. Nice day. Elgitha calved back in the gully to-night and the calf died.</p> <p>Friday September 28th</p> <p>We have been thrashing all day to-day again and are still at it. It went slower to day than yesterday. We only thrashed 90 bushels this morning. We moved down to Cawley's barn to-day but the stacks down there seem to be in just as bad shape. Dad. finished drilling the field to-day and Frank went over to help him drill the grassy piece west of the ditch. Lea Marshall came after him - Dad - this afternoon to go down to Bruce Smith's to see a colt he has down there. Enah and the baby went down with them in the car. Cloudy all day, rained a little last night.</p> <p>Saturday September 29th</p> <p>We finished thrashing at Jack's about four o'clock to-day The oats and barley came through a little faster but the spring wheat was in bad shape. In the three days we thrashed 976 bushels of stuff. Dad. ran out the furrows in the wheat field to-day and did a few other chores. Looks rainy to-day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>At last I came to the conclusion that the thing must be decided in some way so I resolved to let the results of the battle of Verdeen which was then at its height be the judge. If the Germans broke through to Paris I would enlist. If the French were strong enough to hold them back I would stay home. Dad. said this was a fair proposition, as the Germans are still outside the defence of Verdeen I am still on the farm. Whether I did right or not I don't know, it is for those higher up in authority to judge but I do know that I have done what I thought was the best and have not suffered any uneasiness since I eliminated sentiment from the case. Now that conscription is coming in force all responsibility is lifted and if they tell me I am to stay on the farm it will be a satisfaction to know I have done right but if they tell me I must go to the front I will do it without any shame for having stayed away so long. I must say I do not feel the same eager desire to go that I once did and will not be sorry if I am exempted but at the same time want to go if I am really needed. The boys at the front have got to be reinforced no matter what else happens and we haven't the time to haggle over technicalities in our constitution to deside whether or not we have the right to enforce conscription. It may be bordering on Prussianism but we must have the men and as a last resort I think are justified in adopting some of the German methods in order to cope with them. All this is a little outside my usual diary writing but these are unusual times and in future years when time has harrowed over and smoothed our memories I want to remember how keenly we feel all these things now.</p> <p>Tuesday September 25th</p> <p>In some way or other I have missed one day altogether and wote under the heading of Monday all the doings of to-day so I will now write Monday's record under today's heading. Dad. and I finished hauling out manure this morning. We cleaned the shed and covered the field. Enah and Frank went out to the Shand's to take Flossie some tomatoes and then went down town. This after noon Dad. disked. I flailed out some of my wheat and Frank rode down to John Watt's to see if he could get some second cut clover that he is just putting up and then he and I went after it. We just got a little to feed the ram lambs and traded a bag of oats for it. To-night I went down town and got my hair cut and Dad. Enah &amp; the baby and I went to Aunty Alices</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and stoops to the barbarous position of a beligerent she is leaving nothing undone in the way of preparation for military efficiency. It is very inspiring to hear the Yankees talk of how they are "wielding the sword of liberty and democracy to annihilate a war-mad tyrant whose atrocious deeds of barbarism have shocked their refined natures and provoked their holy wrath It is a little hard for me to understand just why the sword of liberty and democracy was allowed to hang rusting over in Uncle Sam's chimbney corner for two years and a half before his refined nature was shocked or his holy wrath provoked, because to the rest of the world the deeds committed by the war mad-tyrant early in the war such as the violation of Belgian neutrality and the wholesale murder of non-combatants, American women and children included, were just as atrocious as the destruction of U.S. shipping, however Uncle Sam is into the scrap now and every one is glad of it because if he never fires a shot off he can be very useful to the Allies in other ways, not the least of which will be the rounding up of the hordes of German spies within his borders. It is rather out of place for me to be looking critically at the motives for other country's actions when our own government in all its branches seems to be so rotten with party politics. An election is in sight and both parties seem far more interested in it now than the outcome of the war. The Grits spend all their time hunting up mud to throw at the Government and the Tories are exerting all their energies making plots by which they can remain in power. Parliament had prorogued and Borden has gone fishing but they did pass the Military Service Act by which it looks as if conscription would soon be enforced. That to my mind was the proper thing to do, for the voluntary system is certainly dead even if the Government did kill it and it was inefficent any way. It was based too much on sentiment and not reason. I have found out from my own experience that in a case like this sentiment is no use. Before a year ago last spring I was so tossed by the crossing winds of sentiment on the sea of indecision as to my course of action that I came nearly being wrecked on the rocks of lunacy. The lightship of duty was only a spot light which added confusion to the scene for it would first throw its lustre on the military troopship with the recruiting officers calling for more soldiers and then on the harbor of Home with Dad's pleadings and the athorities calling for greater production.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>down to the last notch; so although it is very dry it chewed it up considerably, Dad. spent most of the day flailing out my three varietys of wheat; and I helped him clean it. The Imperial Amber was the nicest and best sample with the Banatka next best. Frank did odd jobs and went down town. Sunny, no wind, no clouds and quite hot. Froze last night. Now that we are well started on the fourth year of the war, it is just as hard to say when it will end as ever. All the talk of Germany's degeneration and being at the end of her resources in men, money and food is beginning to be looked on as foolish gossip especially since the U.S. Ambassador has come home and told the public that Germany's total losses in men is only about 3 million out of the 12 she called out with 400 thousand coming of military age every year, and that there was no chance of starving her out as the non-combatant population is making the home country as well as the conquered territory produce more than ever before. On the other had there seems to be no fear of her being victorious for the Allies with their unlimited resources are becoming stronger every day. They are on the offensive on nearly every front and are able to hold most of the gains they make in their various drives, not only that but if there is only any truth whatever in the reports we get the Allies seem to be able through the efficiency of their artillery and aerial scouts to make important advances with the minimum of loss among their own men but at the same time inflict heavy losses on the enemy both in the first drive and in the repeated counter-attacks which invariably follow an Allied drive. Then too, the Germans although not demoralized do not seem to be able to put the same force into their offensives as they did in the early days of the war. A recent example of this was in Russia where conditions are bordering on civil war most of the time. The Germans were within reach of Riga and the Russian troops instead of offering resistance marched away from that part of the battle line in revolt under Korniloff against their own Government under Kerensky. If that had happened two years ago the Germans would have been in Petrograd now, but in some way Kerensky checked the revolt and the Russians went back to the front and the Germans are not yet in possession of Riga and it doesn't look as if they would be. It seems that by next year Germany must give up all hopes of victory, for now that the U.S. has come down off her lofty seat of super-civilization where she was "too proud to fight" as Wilson said</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and did a few odd jobs and I disked on the pea stubble all morning. I would have gone thrashing instead of Dad. but I had promised to go up creek with Marj. this after noon and Dad. said as it was such a nice day I had better not postpone it so he went instead. They got through soon after dinner. I quit a little before noon so got down town fairly early but we had to go and hunt Jake Eyers up to get a boat as he was up digging potatoes and Marj. had to stop to express a basket of plums home which she picked at Miss McQueen's this morning, so it was about half past two when we left. We went up as far as we could row and had a dandy time getting back about half past five. I took a couple of pictures of Marj. It wasn't at all hot in fact some times when the sun went under a cloud or the breeze caught us it was rather chilly. I stayed to tea and all night at Aunty's Alice's. I was up town for a half an hour or so after tea and saw Brierly. Mrs. Barwell, Cousin Clair and Cousin Loll were down at Aunty Alice's for a rubber of bridge. Cold east wind this morning but sunny and warmer later.</p> <p>Sunday September 23rd</p> <p>I went home this morning right after breakfast and changed my clothes and then Dad. &amp; Tid drove me down again to church. Dad. had to go over to Kolbes pig pens in the marsh to see a sick pig. He says the place over there is a fright. Ducks and chickens are so dirty they can't grow and the ducks won't go into the creek. The pigs with their mothers have had nothing to eat but fish and are not growing a bit. When I got home from church Frank informed me that all the rest of the family had gone to Caledonia with Ham Thompson to see Douglas. After dinner Frank went back to the gully and got some butter nuts, and I sat around and read and wrote in this. Mr. &amp; Mrs. John Shand came to call but didn't stay when they found the folks away and Winnie was over for a little while, she wanted an impression of the crest to put on a signet ring. Frank and I did up all the chores and Frank went down to church I went down a little later and got home about eleven. Dad. Enah and Tid. got home about eight after having had a fine time down at Douglas's. I saw Hugh Bannister this morning for a few minutes, he has just got back from France having been on an American transport taking supplies to the U.S. troops. He has been pretty much all over the world since he left here 2 1/2 years ago. Lovely day.</p> <p>Monday September 24th</p> <p>I disked all day on the wheat ground to day and had the disks</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>manure all day but only got out eleven loads. It was an unlucky day from the start. The trouble began before. Dad. left when Frank started out with the first load some thing, we think it was the end of the whipple-tree caught one of the rods at the side of the spreader and bent it so that it threw the section of gear that lifts the tailboard up against the other gear and we had to take it out and straighten it. Then when he got out in the field with the load he offended Belle in some unknown way and she balked and after losing considerable time with her we had to take her off and put Joe in her place. This was before Dad. left but he didn't have time to monkey with her. This after noon Paton came in with a mare that he said had swallowed an apple and was choking and I had to lose another half hour with him. I never saw Dad. treat a choking animal so didn't know just what to do but I ramed the probang down her neck as far as I could and that seemed to ease her. He left her here till Dad. got home when she appeared to be all right. About this time Frank began to feel squeamish in his stomach and although he was able to haul out a few more loads he didn't feel much like pitching on so didn't. He must have had too much of his own cooking I guess for although he helped me do up all the chores he was quite sick this evening and again during the night. Dad. got home about five but didn't "peel off" his good clothes as I had a card from Enah to-day saying she would be home to-night so Dad. went down to meet her. It was after dark when I got everything done and I had to do some tall foraging to find sustenance enough in the house to keep the breath of life within me. I was very thankful Frank was sick and couldn't eat for our store of provisions had dwindled down to scant rashion fore one, however by rumaging around in the stale bread crock where I found two or three crusts that were not mouldy and cleaning up some left over apple sauce and nibbling a slice or two of old cheese I managed to collect enough nourishment to maintain existence till Enah got home when I was able to supplement my supper with some sandwichs from Enah's lunch box. They had tea down at Aunty Alice's. Dad. and Enah both report that nearly all the corn they saw in their travels a few miles north of here is ruined by frost.</p> <p>Saturday September 22nd</p> <p>Dad. went down to Sam's to thresh this morning and Art Quanbury drove down with him. Frank felt pretty sick but poked around</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the couker, one of the ten looked very small an thin after he was plucked so I gave him to Aunty Alice and she said he was all right. Dad. and I were up till eleven o'clock picking out pin feathers while Frank write a letter to Enah</p> <p>Wednesday September 19th</p> <p>I packed up my nine chickens first thing this morning and took them down to the Dominion Express office and shipped them to Waller's, Toronto. I never shipped there before but he proved all right as I got my returns on Friday and he gave me 26 cts per lb which was a cent more than he quoted. They were a nicer looking lot than the ones I sent to Barron as I had stuck most of them in the brain, had torn them very little and only broke a couple of wings. I had larger sheets of parchment paper to wrap them in too and so made a much neater looking package. I stayed down long enough for Joe Howell to put a shoe on Josie. Dad. and Frank were hauling manure from the cow stable shed when I got back but they had cleaned up a lot of seed wheat for Mr. Flemming This after noon we hooked Joe and Queen to the disks and I went over the part of the pea stubble which Dad. has manured. I guess it was the first time we have ever had five of our own horses working at the same time. I quit early and went down to tea at Aunty Alice's and afterwards went to the picture show with Marj. and saw "Snow white" which was acted truer to the old story than any of them I have ever seen. I stayed all night with Aunty Alice. Another fine day.</p> <p>Thursday September 20th</p> <p>I cut the lawns down at Aunty Alice's before I came home this morning and Dad. and Frank were out at the manure. I saw Uncle Ward on my way home and he told me he was going to walk over here to find out whether or not Dad. could act as bearer at Mrs. Boughner's funeral to-morrow, she having died yesterday, so when I got home and told Dad. he despatched Frank on his wheel to find out the details and to save Uncle Ward the walk. We hauled out manure all day. Aunty Alice came over this after noon and did up the house chores and boiled us some potatoes and made a pudding.</p> <p>Friday September 21st</p> <p>Dad. and I helped us put on a couple of loads this morning and then had to go as he had to go down town this morning and get his hair cut and stayed at Aunty Alice's to dinner then went from there to the funeral. Frank and I hauled</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>of bachelor existance. Frank went down town to-night and stayed all night at Aunty Alice's. Lovely day.</p> <p>Sunday September 16th</p> <p>Dad. and I did did up the chores and partook of a cold and lonely breakfast after which I went down to church. Dad was home alone at dinner time and I don't believe he ate any as Frank and I stayed down at Aunty Alice's to dinner and had a good one. We came home right after and I hooked up Queen and took Marj. for a drive up into civilized borders of Charlotteville where we nearly got lost. Frank went down to Sam Law's and found that we could look for them to pull in here early to-morrow after noon. Dad. after entertaining Jim Waddle for an hour or so drove with him down town and stayed to tea at Aunty Alice's. Frank and I did chores after which I ate one hard biscuit and went down town and went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. after church and Frank went to bed. Fine and sunny day. Quite hot. Fly's bad.</p> <p>Monday September 17th</p> <p>Dad.and I hauled out what little manure we could this morning from around the old stack bottom, we got out I think nine loads. Frank cleaned up the barn and granarie's and just before noon went down and got Aunty Alice to come over and do things up in the house and prepare the supper for the threshers, they arrived about two o'clock and threshed all the oats out that were over the granary, there is my load of O.A.C. 72 to thresh yet. We got about 330 bushels which was not what we expected at harvest time but equal to any that has been threshed around here To-night I drove Aunty Alice down as far as the bridge. She simply would not allow me to drive her any farther for poor Joe might be frightened. Another fine day.</p> <p>Tuesday September 18th</p> <p>We threshed till noon and then finished with fifty bushels from my load of O.A.C. 72 and about 117 bushels of nice wheat from the 12 acres, to-gether with a pile of bluegrass which Jack Highland has since bought for 16 dollars. I went down about ten and got Aunty Alice who had to do some tall surrying to have dinner in time but she managed alright. After dinner Alfred Ryerse came up with his bags to get nine bushels of our Plymouth wheat for seed so he Dad. and Frank cleaned it up to-gether with our own seed and I spent the after noon killing my crate fattened chickens. I killed ten leaving the one with</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We had to take it over to Clarence Welsh's to weigh it and left it in the field on our way home it was about two o'clock when we got to the house. Dad. went back with the big team and started drilling right after dinner and when I had my dinner I took Joe and Belle back and started harrowing but changed team's with Dad. later and he finished drilling the field about dark while I brought the old team up as old Nellie was so tired she could hardly walk. Fine day</p> <p>Friday September 14th</p> <p>Dad. took Belle &amp; Queen back this morning and harrowed over the field that he drilled yesterday and I disked on the pea stubble with the big team. Frank had to go down town Enah's brother and all his family and Fred Johnson came down in their car from Courtright yesterday and came over here this morning. Jean &amp; Adelina stayed here to dinner. This after noon Frank and I had to go over to Ben Ivey's to help thrash Quanbury's oat stack and were over there all the after noon having tea at the Quanbury's. Dad. ran out the furrows in the wheat this after noon. Enah is getting ready to-night to go to Courtright with her brother to-morrow, they were in again to-night for a while. Tid says he doesn't want to go away but he got resigned to his fate before they left. Another fine day.</p> <p>Saturday September 15th</p> <p>The principal event of to-day was the departure of Enah and the baby for Courtright with the James'. The baby seemed quite happy in the excitement of going in the car but it wouldn't have taken much coaxing to keep him home, however it has since transpired that he was quite contented and happy during his sojourn and the constant opportunity of access to new and wonderful sights and things of interest such as the big boats on the river and the magic performances of machinery in his uncle's tin-shop, afforded, - warded off any attacks of homesickness which under other circumstances he might have suffered from. I didn't do any thing much all day but wash the buggy and go down town with Frank to get a ton of soft coal for which we paid the exhorbitant price of ten dollars. Dad. finished cleaning out the ditches over in the back wheat field and he and Frank hauled up the planks and sleepers of Ivey's bridge which last spring's {illegible} deposited in our gully. The planks we want to have handy to support the thrashing engine on the barn floor and they will be ready for Ivey's any time they take the trouble to come and get them but the sleepers which were cedar railroad ties, they sawed and split up for use during our coming week</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday September 11th</p> <p>Charlie and Art Quanbury drove in this morning on their way out to Tupper's so I rode out with them. This is the first day Art. has been out of bed since he was taken sick a week or more ago, so I think he is plum crazy but maybe not. Frank rode down town on his wheel to tell Aunty Alice that we would likely not be able to attend her theatre party to-night if we had to thrash late and he rode on out to Tupper's on his wheel. I went over to Charlie's place with the boys and helped them put on a load of wheat out of Charlie's barn as they wanted to thrash a load for seed. They thrashed it first and then started at Tupper's out of the field. He hadn't a sheaf in the barn. I hauled in with Tupper's team and waggon all day, and we worked till after six. The wheat was in awful shape but the oats weren't so bad. He got 416 bushels alto-gether and 44 of them were wheat. Fairly cool but sunny all day.</p> <p>Wednesday September 12th</p> <p>Dad. and I worked both teams on the land this morning and Frank patched at the stable roof. Aunty came over at noon to tell us she was going to Toronto in the morning to help Vernon christen the baby. Bill. Philips came in just after dinner to get Dad. to go up and see Miss McCoy's cow and while Dad. was gone Bill helped Frank and me put off the load of oats that was on the rack and get the twelve shocks out in the field and the wheat of my plots. Dad. got back just as we got in and said he had told Miss McCoy to send to Simcoe for Bert or Anderson. It is now over a week since I have made an entry in this book so that the records for the week following this will be brief and their accuracy and completeness may suffer somewhat from the effacing effect that time has on my memory. To-night I went down town and spent an enjoyable evening at "Uncle" Hughie Moore's, where I have since learned that I revised Miss Kerney's former impression of my character as she had formed the opinion that I was a "solemn appearin' boy". I spent the night at Aunty's to help her get to the station in the morning.</p> <p>Thursday September 13th</p> <p>Aunty got off this morning and had Mrs. Gordon for company all the way to Toronto. I went to the station with her and carried her suitcases, she took one full of vegetables to Roy &amp; Vernon. When I got home I hunted up some bags and Frank and I took Joe and Belle on the waggon out to Bob. Ross's and got 17 bus {bushels} of seed wheat. Bob. was hauling in oats but Frank {illegible} his hay but on a load and he and I cleaned up the wheat.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This is a repeat of Index page 110}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>soaked it for an hour or more. The original spot seems to be healing nicely but the numerous breakings out around it are getting very sore. Dad. and Frank dug potatoes all morning and I went out for about an hour before noon to help them. Two of Ham Thompsons kids were down this morning to say that Ham was going to fill his silo this morning after noon so Frank and I went up after dinner. We were up there till after dark and then had tea up there but didn't finish the job as the corn was so wet it kept plugging up the blower so that they had to take the curved pipe and the distributor off. I worked in the field for an hour or so loading {stacks?} but my arm got so sore I had to come up and trade jobs with Tige McBride who was tramping in the silo. Old Mr. Miller was in there too. I didn't mind that job at all. On our way home Frank &amp; I stopped in at the mill and got a bag of crate fattening mixture for another bunch of cockrels which I shut up last night but Tom had been here and said he couldn't get me any buttermilk. Dad. and I went out to-night and caught all the pullets we could find as Chris told Dad. to-day that he would be over Monday to take all that were any good for Jack and that he would give me 25 cts per lb for them. Fine day.</p> <p>Sunday November 4th</p> <p>All the household but me went to church this morning and as I had to soak my arm again I didn't get down till half past eleven and then went down to the doctor's. He dressed it again and gave me a hyperdemic for some reason or other and told me the new breakings out were infections from the original sore. It was very painful this after noon but principally around the spot where he inserted the needle. I went down to Aunty's for dinner and stayed there all day and all night I went up to see Marj. this after noon but she was up at the Bagley's as old Mrs. Hall just died and they wanted her to be at the door. Marj. was home after tea so I spent the evening with her. A goodly portion of the Bawlby family came down to Aunty's this after noon for an hour or so. Aunty Alice was over here to dinner and Enah came down town with her this after noon and took the five o'clock car for Simcoe to sing with a few others in the Dover choir at Trinity church where the Bishop of {illegible} was preaching. There was no service in our church to-night on account of his being in Simcoe and Aunty, Aunty Alice and Winnie went up on the seven car to hear him</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday November 5th</p> <p>I had breakfast at Aunty's this morning and came home right after, but in accordance with the doctor's advice and the feeling of my arm have done no manual labor all day. I soaked my arm for an hour this morning and again to-night and Enah wrapped it up the way Dr. Cook did. This after noon I rode down to the mill with Tom. and paid Charlie Ivey 57 dollars on the account but was surprised to find that there is still over 73 dollars to pay. Chris came over this morning and picked out all the pullets and old hens that were any good and Jack paid me 17 dollars for them 18 pullets &amp; 3 old hens. The government tractor a "Bull" is plowing over at Ben Ivey's to-day but is doing awful work. Frank plowed all morning and he and Dad. have been digging potatoes this after noon. They got them all in that they have dug to-night and were very agreeably surprised at the quantity as well as quality and size of the potatoes, very few were damaged with the frost. There are still four rows to be dug. To-night Dad. and Enah went down to Aunty's to celebrate Aunty Alice's birthday. Huby and Aunty Maude were there as well as the John Shand's. Froze hard. Lovely day.</p> <p>Tuesday November 6th</p> <p>I soaked my arm again this morning and then went down town to show it to the doctor. He didn't lance the sore's this time as I expected but sterilized each one of them by poking a wire with cotton balling soaked with full strength carbolic acid into the heads of them and working it around. It made me squirm somewhat as the carbolic burned. I stayed at Aunty's to dinner and left on the one o'clock car for Simcoe. I went up and collected our prize money, eight dollars, and took Frank's and my own shoes to be half soled. I then went over to the Court House to what was supposed to be a meeting of Unionists to select a Union Candidate for the Union Government but I found it composed pretty largely of good or at least dyed-in-the-wool tories with a sprinkling of Grits. About all they did and under the circumstances I guess it was the best they could do was to pass a resolution authorizing the executive of the Conservite party in Norfolk to select twelve men representing different parts of the county, to meet twelve men selected in the same way by the Liberal's and between them they are to arrange a convention of delegates representing each party equally and they are to select a Union candidate</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>All the party men wanted to pick out their man to-day or at least not accept H.P. Innes's resignation and got to the Grits and tell them to pick out their man or else consent to the Torie's man but the fellows who wanted to be square opposed that proposition as what they are afraid of is that we will have two Union candidates one Grit and one Tory opposing each other and then a Laurier Liberal will work in as a farmer's man or some thing else and win the election, which of course would not be what Norfolk wants as Laurier still stands by his referendum scheme and his first act should he be elected would be to stop the working of the Military Service Act. John Wess was over this morning to ask Dad. &amp; Frank to help him thrash to-morrow as there is another machine on the back road and he can't get hands. Dad. &amp; Frank finished harvesting the potato crop to-day and pulled a few more mangels. Lovely day.</p> <p>Wednesday November 7th</p> <p>I have done nothing in the shape of work all day. Dad. &amp; Frank went over to John Wesses to help him thrash this morning and Frank has been over all day but Dad. came home right after dinner. He didn't feel very well for awhile after he got back but feels all right to-night. He did chores and pulled a couple of more rows of mangels. I went down town this after noon and showed the doctor my arm which he said was doing well. I stayed to tea and spent the evening at Aunty's. Dad. came down after tea with a basket of the biggest of our potatoes (and there are some huge ones) for Aunty Alice to take down to show Roy on Saturday. He also brought down their milk as we are letting them have milk now three times a week. There was considerable excitement created to-day but the appearance of an aeroplane, the first one I think ever seen in this neighbourhood. Dad. told us about him first at noon as they had seen him over at John Wesses flying quite low. Then I saw him again this after noon but a long way off flying north east evidently for Toronto. It seems the aviator was a French-Canadian from Camp Borden and had got lost in a fog up around Lake Simcoe coming down here instead of Toronto &amp; mistaking Lake Erie for Ontario. He almost landed in the school yard at noon or near noon and they let all the kids out to see him. He couldn't land</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>in such a small space, however and went up to Holloway's place this side of Lynn Valley where he lit and went into Simcoe for gasoline They said he knew very little about his engine. A good proportion of the town saw him and heard him as he flew right down over the pond. It has been freezing hard the last few nights but the days have been mild and sunny, to-day especially nice.</p> <p>Thursday November 8th</p> <p>Although my arm has felt a good deal better to-day I have done nothing whatever to use it. Frank went back to John Wesses and thrashed till noon when they finished and he plowed all the after noon. Dad. did chores and sawed up some wood this morning and this after noon pulled up some more mangels besides doing chores. I helped Dad. saw up one limb of the old oak with one hand this morning and then went a walk back to the woods. I went to sleep before noon and was too lazy to get up to eat. This after noon I drove Enah &amp; Tid down town and came home by the mill where I got a 40 lb. bag of oatmeal. To-night I went down town to see Marj. It has been a beautiful day and not freezing as hard to-night.</p> <p>Friday November 9th</p> <p>Frank went out with the Quanbury boy's early this morning and was out there till noon helping them thrash at Charlie's place. The job only lasted a couple of hours but I guess they didnt get started on time. Dad. plowed all morning and I didn't do any thing much but kill a couple of old hens for Enah and a cockrel for Aunty Alice to take to Roy to-morrow. This after noon Dad. and Frank got up the rest of the mangels except a few small ones and put them all in the drive house. I helped them a little, pulling. Pickford came in to ask Dad. to go over in the morning to operate on a couple of calves. He had been in Brantford to-day with Mrs. Pickford who has something wrong with her eye and has to go up every so often from now on to a specialist. Pickford was telling us that he has it figured out that it is going to cost him nearly fifty dollars, which fact I am afraid is causing him considerable distress. Art &amp; John Quanbury came in with a load of oats to clean up and told Dad. that Jim Bannister had brought word at noon that Harry Ansley had had a stroke and was very low. Aunty came over just as they left and confirmed the news of</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>dangerous condition but said he had not had a stroke but sort of convulsions and they think the trouble was is from his spine. The latest news to-night is that he is resting quietly having had theree convulsions, the first one before noon and lasting nearly an hour, the other two being lighter. I went down town to-night with Aunty Alice's milk and Roy's chicken and stayed all night so that I could help Aunty Alice get to the train in the morning. The war news to-day is bad, another revolution is taking place in Petrograd. Kerensky has fled to regions unknown and the revolutionists are demanding a separate peace with Germany. Prospects on the Italian battle front are not showing brightening yet either. The Italian army is still retreating from the immense hordes of Astro-Germans who have crossed the Tagliamento river and claim the capture of 250'000 prisoners and 2300 guns. The Italians claim that Cadorna's main army retreated unmolested and taking up defensive positions along the Piave river where strong British &amp; French reinforcements are now massing and where it is hoped a decided stand will be taken as Venice is only fifteen miles behind this line and it is feared a further advance by the enemy would be liable to cause panic among the people who are already shaken but who are cheered by the presence of British &amp; French aid in great strength from the Western front. If the fighting spirit of the Italians is still strong it is thought by some that an allied victory here is possible, and would mean disaster for the Central Powers who it is believed made this big drive partly in the hopes of demanding peace. The British forces under General Allenby are making headway against the Turks in Palestine having taken Gaza and closing in on Jerusalem. The Canadians are also doing fine work in France.</p> <p>Saturday November 10th</p> <p>I went up to the Tibbets as soon as I had breakfast this morning and Cousin Willie told me that they had had no call during the night so thought Harry Ansley was about the same. It was just about seven when I got back but as Aunty Alice was already we went down to the station and when she got in the car I came back. I came home almost as soon as the train went out. Frank plowed all morning and helped Dad. saw off and up another</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>oak limb. This after noon Frank went to Simcoe to get the shoes I left up there to be fixed and to see Rus Lampkins about the windmill as some thing has gone wrong with it, I don't know just what. Dad. didn't get back to plow as there were so many chores to do and he helped me sort some of the potatoes. Frank came down to the five car and went down town again to-night. Another beautiful day.</p> <p>Sunday November 11th</p> <p>Enah and I drove down to church this morning leaving Dad. Frank and the baby to get dinner. Frank I think spent the morning fixing the windmill following the instructions he got from Rus Lampkins yesterday. Aunty &amp; Aunt Ida came over here to dinner I went down town right after dinner and Marj. and I went for a walk. She has a bad cold so didn't go to church at all to-day, she had an awful time with her cold yesterday but feels better to-day. I stayed up there to tea and for the evening. Rus. Skey was over here to tea and Dad. has been giving me very amusing accounts of his future dreams of leaving the bank which he has always detested and finishing his medical course coming to Dover and fixing up the old home putting in the remainder of his life (he figures he would have at least fifteen years for it) in scientific research practising on the Turkey Point decendants, gratis. He was also reviewing with Dad. the pugilistic incidents of their school days dwelling with special pride and joy upon the day he licked Bev. Powell. It has been a beautiful day, very warm &amp; not freezing to-night.</p> <p>Monday November 12th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; Frank both went back this morning one to plow and one to ditch. I had to go over and chase the sheep out of Jack Martin's field as they have discovered the way over and are determined to go. About nine o'clock there was a great commotion caused by the blowing of the factory, Canning factory and other whistles We thought there must be a fire so I hurried down as far as Uncle Ward's but every thing was quiet and undisturbed by then down town. There was a flag up on the factory and Uncle Ward had no idea what had caused the row. Aunty Lucy suggested news of victory while we thought possibly the completion of the dam (which is not yet completed) was responsible but later in the day we found out that at nine o'</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>clock this morning the books are open for subscriptions to the new "Victory Loan" and all sorts of means are being resorted to to bring it to the attention of the public, this being one of them. I stayed talking to Uncle Ward till I nearly froze and when I came home found Frank sorting potatoes so helped him till noon. This after noon I intended going down to the doctor's again but Dad. wanted me to write to Dick so by the time I got that done it was pretty late and Enah said I might as well wait till after tea and then take Aunty's milk down so I did. I also took a basket of apples over to Marj. as she told me yesterday she had hardly tasted one all fall, she wasn't home to-night having taken Miss Kelly to the picture show. I went around to the doctors and got another bottle of dope and he burned out a couple more spots I stayed down all night at Aunty's. Dad. plowed this after noon and Frank pulled some more turnips. Raw East wind to-day &amp; cloudy but clear to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday November 13th</p> <p>I came home about eight this morning and helped Frank bag up some oats to take down to be chopped. We took Belle and Queen and as they haven't been out for about a month were feeling pretty gay. Queen especially. It was about eleven when we started and they told us down there that we could get the grist in half an hour so we drove down town and got my box from Waller's and a bag of salts getting back about noon. Dad. plowed all morning. This after noon Frank went down back and plowed and Dad. and I spent most of the morning after noon cutting a block off the butt of the old oak. I went over to Ben's for a little while just before dark to see the tractor. It is plowing deeper than it did at first but has to make very wide {illegible} and leaves the ground very uneven. Cart. Bawlby was finishing up after it and had a big job as the pesky thing doesn't pretend to go straight. Cart. didn't think Ben was going to gain much in time or money by using it and then as he says it is only half plowed. Frank went down town to-night for a little while, there was a meeting in the town hall to-night to put the terms of the Victory Loan before the public. Froze hard last night but has been a nice day.</p> <p>Wednesday November 14th</p> <p>Enah, Tim and I went down town this morning and stayed at Aunty's to dinner. I went up again to the doctors and he punctured three more spots one a great big one like a blister and my hand is pretty sore to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I got some carbolic acid to heal any spots that come myself from now on. I went up and got Aunty's mail right after dinner but and then came home but didn't do any work all the after noon. Enah and the baby stayed down till after dark. Dad. &amp; Frank plowed and did chores all day and finished the back field to-night. They had a couple of rag-men for dinner to-day who presented them with a tin pail in payment. Word came on Saturday that poor old Skelly Long had been killed in action and to-day Enah heard that Fred George had got a bullet through the head.</p> <p>Thursday November 15th</p> <p>My arm has been pretty painful all day and I have been in the house nearly all day. Frank and Dad. spent the morning running out ditches in the fifty acre sod field east of the lane and Dad. just got started to plow it this after noon when Alan Law came to get him to cut the lump off old Ben's stifle. He was down there till nearly dark but they couldn't operate on Ben and will have to throw him. McEwen came in on the one o'clock car to look at the ram lambs but he said they were too small for him and advised us to keep four of them over, he bought the two best ones for twenty dollars apiece and we have to ship them to-morrow. Dad. took Aunty's milk down to her to-night. Cloudy, rainy &amp; raw all day.</p> <p>Friday November 16th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank crated up the two ram lambs this morning and Frank and I took them down to the station and Dad. went out and plowed. When we got back I went over to John Wesse's to see how he was, he was plowing but his breath was pretty short. I then went over to Tupper's and bought a heifer from him. Frank said he would go in on the speculation with me. She is rather small but in good shape and due to calve in April. Tupper said he would take my note for 11 mos. at 5% and he taxed me sixty five dollars for her. I stayed there to dinner and went down to Frank Ryerse's with him after dinner. Sam had just pulled in there to thrash. I got a couple of boxes of Chamberlain salve from Mrs. Ryerse and then came over to Law's with Alan and he drove me home. He took Dad. back with him and they threw old Ben but didn't operate as Dad. said it would be a painful operation and they were not sure it would cure him so they thought as he was so old it wasn't worth it. Aunty and Aunt ida were over here to dinner and walked over and back. I went down to Aunty's for tea and went to the picture-show with Marj. but it was a miserable show. My arm is still pretty bad. I put Chamberlain salve on it this after noon. Fair day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday November 17th</p> <p>I didn't get home very early this morning as I went up town first and got some long envelopes to send McEwen's pedigrees up in. Just as I climbed Martin's fence Dad. was starting out with Harry &amp; Belle, he had been out and plowed eight rounds in an hour with Harry and Queen and was now going to shake the keen edge off Belle. This after noon he plowed with Belle &amp; Queen to-gether and they did fine. Frank worked Harry &amp; Nellie. I fixed up McEwen's pedigrees and made out a promisary note for $25 for him and also made application for the pedigree of the yearlin ewe that is not registered yet. When Jim came at noon with the mail I ordered a postal note from him to pay for the pedigree and was fool enough not to think what I was doing and gave him McEwen's address instead of the "Live Stock Records at Ottawa so had to hike down to the post office and tell Cousin Willie to fix it when Jim came in. When I got home I walked out to Wilbur Ryerse's where Sam &amp; Alan are thrashing and told Alan that he was welcome to old Dave if he wanted to come and get him to plow with in place of old Ben. so he said he would come up and get him. He says he would buy a new horse if he was sure of not being called up for service but he thinks he will be when {illegible} is called. Lovely day.</p> <p>Sunday November 18th</p> <p>None of us went to church this morning, I would have gone but took so long to fix my arm. I went down to see Marj. this after noon and stayed at Aunty's for tea then went to church alone this evening. Aunty didn't go to church to-night as she didn't like to leave Aunt Ida alone. Marj. and I went over to the McQueen's after church. They were rather upset over at the Moore's this after noon by the news of the death of Mat. Hudson down the lake shore Miss Herny informerd uncle Hughie one day last week that there would be a death in the family as she heard the death bell ringing in her ears. Huby &amp; Mr. Lawrie were over here this after noon. Cloudy and raw all day. Rained a little, milder to-night. Bill Law arrived home from the war last night with just one leg.</p> <p>Monday November 19th</p> <p>I got home about half past nine this morning and found Dad. and Frank cutting more off the old oak. I got my old clothes on and about eleven walked out to the Shand's and had dinner with Willie &amp; Winnie and then walked down to the cheese factory &amp; paid Lea Marshall $7.40 for a year's buttermilk. Dad. and Frank were over helping Art Quanbury thrash this after noon till about five. Enah and the baby were down town all day. Charlie Shand doesn't know yet whether he will get exemption or not. Cloudy &amp; raw but fine.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday November 20th</p> <p>I didn't do any thing all morning but sit around and read "Saturday Nights". This after noon I went down and got my hair cut. Enah went down as far as Uncle Ward's to find out the particulars of Mrs. Schofield's funeral, she having died suddenly yesterday. Dad. and Frank plowed with both teams to-day but took quite awhile doing chores. The nominations for the federal elections were yesterday and it looks as if there was going to be quite a fight. In Norfolk, however, Innes withdrew at the last minute so that leaves Charlton, Liberal Unionist against Wallace, Laurier man. Cloudy &amp; damp. Charlie Quanbury got word to-day that his claim for exemption has been refused.</p> <p>Wednesday November 21st</p> <p>Dad. and Frank plowed this morning and Frank this after noon but Dad. had to act as bearer at Mrs. Scoffield's funeral if he had been home they would have finished the oat stubble I sat around the house all day as I have a new boil on my knee which makes it pretty sore. Bruce was around this after noon soliciting subscriptions to the Victory Loan but we were unable to invest. I went down town to-night to see Marj. and stayed at Aunty's all night. Cloudy &amp; raw.</p> <p>Thursday November 22nd</p> <p>I went down to get a fish for Aunty before I came home this morning and got home about ten. Dad. and Frank were cutting a block off the oak tree, they didn't plow any to-day as it rained or drizzled all the time. It turned colder towards night &amp; snowed. I sat around the house all day as my knee was very sore and swollen, the spot on it seems just like the ones on my arm. Charlie and Art Quanbury were cleaning up wheat most of the day with our mill. Charlie's throat is in bad shape, he announces his intention of starting revolution. He's peeved.</p> <p>Friday November 23rd</p> <p>I have sat around the house and read "The Illiad" and "Titus Andronicus" all day to-day. It was frozen too hard to plow and has been very cold and windy all day. There is a half covering of snow on everything. Dad. &amp; the baby went down to Aunty's this morning to bank up the house and stayed down to dinner. Frank got the apples down cellar this morning. This after noon they did chores. Enah walked down town this after noon to get some provisions. War news lately might be worse. British made a big drive the other day and took about 9000 prisoners. It was a complete surprise as no artillery were used to open the way. The tanks went first and broke the barbed wire.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday November 24th</p> <p>It froze very hard last night and has not thawed at all to-day. The wind was from the north all day and it has been cold enough for mid-winter although sunny. I sat around the house most of the day although my knee was very much better. Dad. and Frank spent the day getting wood amd doing chores. Alfred was in this after noon for quite awhile and paid Dad. the balance on the seed wheat. Frank went down town to-night.</p> <p>Sunday November 25th</p> <p>Enah, Dad, Tid. and I walked to church this morning but found a notice on the door saying there would be no service owing to the lack of gas, so I went to the Catholick church and the others went to the Presbyterian. I came home to dinner and Frank and I had it alone as the rest stayed down at Aunty's. I went back down town right after dinner and spent the after noon with Marj. had tea at Aunty's and went up to Miss Martin's with Marj. after tea but found she had gone to a service they held in the Sunday school with Cousin Willie presiding as Mr. Johnson is in Stratford. Aunty &amp; Aunt Ida went to service to-night and said cousin Willie gave a very nice address. I went down there early and stayed all night. Froze hard again last night.</p> <p>Monday November 26th</p> <p>I spent most of the day killing and fixing up my 12 crate fattened cockrels. I am afraid they will niot bring as much as I have had very little milk for them and have not looked after them as I should have. It is still frozen up tight so FDad and Frank have been doing chores all day and this after noon they put the mangels down the cellar. They have been in the drive house but were not frozen. Enah was over at the Quanbury's this after noon and said there was quite a crowd skating on the pond. Tom. was in this morning and said John Watt's little shack burned down last night and people were lblaming him for it as old Jim McQueen was going to move into it to-day. It has been sunny but frosty to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday November 27th</p> <p>Frank and I went down with my chickens this morning which I shipped to Waller's and got the cellar window which has been at Mr. Jame's all fall owing to our forgetfulness. When we got home we went over to Tupper's and got our heifer getting back about noon. I had a bad cold anyway and the morning's operations knocked me out. I huddled over the stove all after noon, didn't want any tea and went to bed about seven o'clock. Dad. went down to-night and got leave from Clayton Ansley to do as he liked with old Nellie &amp; the heifer.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday November 28th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank got some more wood from the old oak this morning and this after noon started to clean up the wheat. Lloyd Ryerse came up with his ferret this after noon and after helping awhile to clean up wheat he and Frank went after rabbits but didn't see any. Dad. went over to John Wess's to see how he was to-day. He feels pretty well as long as he keeps still but can't do any work. {Com.?} is home now. This after noon I wnt down town stayed at Aunty's to tea went up to see Marj.and stayed at Aunty's all night. Milder but still frozen up.</p> <p>Thursday November 29th</p> <p>I have been down at Aunty's all day. I went down to the station this morning to meet Aunty Alice who came home on the eleven o'clock train. This after noon I went up after Aunty's mail and then made three trips up to Col. Smith's after "Saturday Evening Posts" and "Country Gentleman's". He had a big pile of them and didn't want to destroy them so said we could have them. I left them at Aunty Alice's till we can get them in the buggy. Dad. and Frank finished cleaning up the wheat to-day. It held out pretty well with the machine. Dad. went down to see Aunty Alice to-night. Much softer. Freezing to-night.</p> <p>Friday November 30th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank hauled the wheat down to the mill this morning in two loads I went down with them on the second load. Dad. was well pleased with the way the wheat turned out. He didn't expect it would more than pay the bill at the mill but there were about 57 1/2 bushels and Charlie gave him $2.09 for it so there was about $44.00 coming to him after the account was paid. This after noon Dad. and the baby drove down to take Aunty Alice up to the cemetry but it rained so hard they didn't go. Frank went down to the mill again this after noon to get some feed. They took down some oats this morning and got part of them chopped and traded part off for shorts &amp; feed flour. Rained most of the day.</p> <p>Saturday November December 1st</p> <p>Frank and I drove Belle and Queen to Simcoe this morning after the bbl. {barrel} of coal oil which Dad. ordered a week or so ago. We borrowed Mr. Flemming's democrat. Dad. only ordered 25 gallons but we had to take a 45 gal. bbl as there were no others. However it is two or three cents cheaper than we can get it here and is supposed to be better. Dad. Enah and the baby went down town this morning and did some shopping and Dad. drove Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. I didn't do any thing</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>in particular this after noon, and Dad. &amp; Frank just did chores. I gave my arm a good soaking before tea to-night. It is pretty sore again but there is only one big spot left to break on it. It seems to take a very long time to come to a head. Cold wind with snow all day. Freezing hard again to-night.</p> <p>Sunday December 2nd</p> <p>I was the only one of this family who went to church this morning and I was very late as we were late getting up. I came home to dinner but went down town right after and this after noon walked round the hill with Marj. after which we paid Miss McQueen a short visit. I had tea at Aunty's and to-night we went to church to hear the Bishop and see the confirmation ceremony. The church was packed and we had to get a few more seats from the Sunday school. There were about 22 candidates for confirmation, five of them coming from Vittoria. I stayed at Aunty's all night. Nice day but freezing.</p> <p>Monday December 3rd</p> <p>I hung around down at Aunty's this morning till about ten o'clock expecting Dad. down to go and see Niel Elliott about buying Harry Ansley's heifer, but as he didnt come Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice thought I had better go down and see Niel myself so I did. He was down at the coal office weighing hogs and asked me to take his horse up town to Hec's barn so I did and while I was gone Dad. came and went down also to see Niel and so I am afraid may have given him the impression that we had some thing here we were anxious to sell. Dad. went on up town and got his hair cut so I came home. This after noon I went down again to get an order from Waller's cashed and stayed to tea at Aunty's Mrs. Jackson from Port Rowan landed in there to stay all night having come in on the five o'clock car, and she made herself very entertaining by her enlivening conversation which during tea time consisted chiefly with of accounts of the Port Rowan Christian Scientists and their doings. it is quite evident that they hold a very low place in her estimation. After tea I went up to hear Charlton, Rowell and a Mr. Starr president of the Toronto Conservative Association speak on behalf of the Union Government. I have heard from several sources that Rowell was a very forceful speaker but I couldn't see anything much in what he said and I think if any one changed their views on the situation last to-night, their conversion would be credited to Mr. Starr, who I thought was good. Cloudy &amp; cold.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday December 4th</p> <p>I haven't done any thing in particular to-day, just sat around and read and husked a few hickory nuts. Dad. and Frank did chores and this after noon Frank went over to help Charlie Quanbury thrash seed. They didn't get started very early so didn't finish to-night. To-night Frank went down to a Red Cross dance in the town hall Dad. got the storm windows down and put some of them on. Raw.</p> <p>Wednesday December 5th</p> <p>Frank went out to help Charlie thrash first thing this morning and Dad. after he had done up the chores went over to help Pickford saw wood as he has Ot. Collins engine &amp; saw there to-day. Dad. only stayed a few minutes as Frank got there soon after he did having finished thrashing at Charlie's. He stayed there the rest of the day and Dad. did chores. I didn't do much but my arm is I think "on the mend" as the big lump that has been so bad has at last broken and there are no signs of any more bad ones coming. I went down to tea at Aunty's to-night and afterwards up to see Marj. Frank &amp; Enah came down after tea to attend one a Political meeting held by Wallace (Laurier man. or at least independant opposition) and the other choir practice. Roy came in on the seven o'clock car to stay for the night, going to Brantford in the morning.</p> <p>Thursday December 6th</p> <p>Frank has been over at Pickford's thrashing all day. Dad. went down right after breakfast to see Roy but just saw him for a minute. He found out that there was a car of coal in and that he could get some if he went down, so he came right home, harnessed the old team and got a ton. It began to look as if there wasn't going to be any for us this winter as very little came in and people who have had orders for a long time were served first, but now they expect there will be plenty in a week or so. Andrew Innes went over to Buffalo on behalf of the town and arranged for Kolbe to get it. I read most of the after noon but helped Dad. unload the coal and just as we got through Ham. Thompson came over after his ewes so it was nearly dark when we got them loaded. Enah went over to the McPherson's this after noon to teach Cecil a song for a Methodist concert. Dock Abbot got home from the front last night and there is great rejoicing down at Tom's Alan says he looks fine except for the deep cut in his face on account of which he is home and will have to go back for more treatment at the hospital, but all the grim yarns that were going around a few months ago about him being dumb and blind were false although for awhile he was in danger of losing one eye. Cloudy cold &amp; raw.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday December 7th</p> <p>Frank thrashed all morning at Pickford's and got home soon after dinner. Dad. did chores this morning and went down to the mill in the buggy after some feed flour. Aunty Alice walked over to dinner. This after noon Dad. and Frank went out to Bob. Ross's sale and didn't get back till dark. They left before it was over and didn't buy anything everything went high. Tid and I walked down as far as Mr. Battersby's with Aunty Alice and then went for a walk through the "Sheep Pasture". Freezing all day but sunny and nice.</p> <p>Saturday December 8th</p> <p>We took the four head of cattle which Dad. sold to Niel Elliottt on Monday down this morning with out any trouble. There was the three two year old heifer and the two black yearlings and Harry Ansley's black heifer which Dad. could only get $25.00 for. He got $165.00 for our three which he figured as $80.00 for the two year old $45.00 for the yearling steer and $40.00 for the yearling heifer. He and Frank went up town to get the money and pay up various debts and I waited for them at Aunty's They didn't get down there will about noon so I didn't go home with them but waited for dinner and went up town and got Aunty's mail this after noon. I came right home then but didn't do much this after noon but a few chores, my arm is very much better and I think I can work with it now as there is no sign of any more spots and the old ones are all healing Dad. got the colts up this after noon as there is a terrific blizzard raging. It was bad this morning but is much worse this after noon and every thing is full of snow. Enah was to have collected for the Navy this after noon but couldn't go out. Yesterday's and today's papers are full of the news of the awful explosion in Halifax caused by a munition ship blowing up. Nearly the whole city is wrecked and there are at least 2000 people killed, some put it at 3000 while about every second person in the city is injured. To make things worse to-day's papers say there is a fierce blizzard raging down there.</p> <p>Sunday December 9th</p> <p>It was very cold and windy this morning and the snow was drifting badly, it kept increasing till this after noon there was one of the worst snow storms and most blinding blizzards I every saw, at this time of year anyway. I was still at it to-night but I think had stopped snowing but was freezing very hard. I was the only one left the farm to-day. Dad. and Frank spent the day doing chores and making the animals</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>as comfortable as possible. I went down first thing this morning and shovelled Aunty's snow for them and had breakfast down there. By the time I got home and got dressed up it was too late to go to church but I went right down after dinner and took Aunty's &amp; Elva's cream down. I went around to see Marj. but couldn't find her as she had gone down to Patterson's for dinner and from there over to Mrs. Perry's. I stayed to tea at Aunty's and went up after tea when I found Marj. home. I didn't go to church but I think they had service in the Sunday school.</p> <p>Monday December 10th</p> <p>I shovelled all the snow and opened the rain barrels down at Aunty's this morning and got home about ten o'clock Frank and I spent the rest of the morning putting the poles we got from Tupper accross the bent in the old barn and covering them with straw to make a warm pen for the ram lambs and the young calves when they come. This after noon Frank went down to fix Aunty's cellar windows and Enah went out collecting for the Navy. I read most of the after noon but helped do chores and dug a snow house in a snow drift for the baby It has been very cold and windy all day and the snow was drifting badly but it did not snow any more</p> <p>Tuesday December 11th</p> <p>Frank and I spent most of the morning digging out the lane, there never was more snow in it since we have been over here. Tom came up this morning with butter and Dad drove up as far as Duncan's with him to see a lame horse which Annie told him about yesterday. Dad. and I just did chores this after noon and I read the papers, the mail trains didn't get through yesterday so we had both papers to-day. The most important news is that Jerusalem has surrendered to the British. Frank went down town this after noon and took the crosscut saw down to Uncle Wards and learned how to sharpen it. Enah made butter to-day. I spent the evening drawing a picture of a {puppy?} from the cover of "The Country Gentleman". Sunny &amp; cold.</p> <p>Wednesday December 12th</p> <p>Young Gamble from the Lower Hotel came over this morning to get Dad. to go down and look at their cow which had milk fever so he did after a good deal "cussin". Frank &amp; I did chores till he got back and then we got the bob-sleigh out of the barn and went down to Coleman's after a hog crate. It was after noon when we got back. Right after dinner we loaded old Gladys in the hog crate</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and took her to the slaughter house where Karl killed her for us. Frank stayed there the rest of the after noon to watch him. I took the hog crate back down town and then came home with the team. Dad. Enah &amp; the baby drove down town in the cutter soon after I got back and brought Marj. back with them to tea. She was here all evening and I drove her home about half past ten. Nice winter day.</p> <p>Thursday December 13th</p> <p>Frank and I with the baby drove down to the slaughter house first thing this morning and got the remains of poor old Gladys and Dad. spent the rest of the morning cutting her up. Frank and I then went down town and around by the mill where we got a couple of bags of feed. It snowed hard all the after noon and we didn't do any thing much. Arthur Preston was over for quite a visit and told us that he had got a circular saying that there would be a meeting to-night to make more arrangement for Neff's Short Course this winter so Frank and I went down and Neff gave us each a route to canvass to create a little enthusiam over the course. Much milder to-night.</p> <p>Friday December 14th</p> <p>We have just done chores to-day and this after noon Dad. Tid and I drove Queen down town for exercise. Frank and I went down to a Union Government meeting to-night which was pretty good but late. Proff Law of Knox College &amp; Frank Ried were the speakers. Cold and clear to-day, very frosty to-night.</p> <p>Saturday December 15th</p> <p>Did chores most of the day. Frank and I drove Queen down town this after noon and went down to Aunty's to tea to-night &amp; spent the evening. Very cold.</p> <p>Sunday December 16th</p> <p>I went down alone to church this morning and just sat around the house all the after noon till it was time to do chores. Went down to-night and spent the evening with Marj.</p> <p>Monday December 17th</p> <p>Dad. and I drove out to Wiggin's this morning and Dad. voted for me as he said he wouldn't vote at all himself but as I was entitled to a vote but through neglect was not on the list he would mark the ballot the way I wanted it which was of course for Charlton &amp; Union Government. Dad's finger is very painful and he can't do a thing with it. To-night Frank and I went down to hear the returns. Union Government is safe. Charlton got bigger majority than Wallace did</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday December 31st</p> <p>When two weeks ago I discovered that I had only three pages left in this book I decided to wait till now and make a summary of the principal events of the old year's last couple of weeks instead of making three line entries for each day. About a month ago I started to condense my entries to an average of half a page a day and if there had been as I counted on three hundred pages, I would have been alright but it was not till I got this near the end that I found it fell short. Frank and I have had the chores to do ever since I wrote last as Dad's finger is still very sore. For four nights it was so painful that he couldn't sleep a wink and on the 19th he went down to Dr. Cook who was out of town so he went over to the old Dr. Toole who has just come to town and he diagnosed it as a felon and lanced it. Since then he has not suffered such awful pain with it, but it has been very sore and has been discharging a little every day till yesterday. My arm is aparently alright again and except for a toothache which I had for a couple of days before Christmas the rest of us have been able to work &amp; in fine shape. All our snow and good sleighing went off with a thaw we had about the 20th but it froze up right away again and the last week it has been very cold one night going down to 14° below zero. Before the sleighing went Frank and I got around on our two routes canvassing for the Short Course. I went down the third concession from our side road to the town line and back on the fourth and Frank had up the Gravel and Radical roads part way and in to the farms on the lake front. The day I we went on my beat it was a beautiful sunny day and the sleighing fine, we did up the morning chores before we left, stayed at Bruce's to dinner and got back in time to do the night chores. Dad. let the colts out and put the cows in at noon.We got one or two to promise they would come but the majority of them were too busy but said they would like to come in when they could. We went on Frank's beat the next fore noon and met with about the same success. That afternoon I drove Dad. Enah Aunty &amp; the baby out to Mrs. Jim. Waddle's reception, in the bobsleighs. It was not such a nice day and the sleighing was going fast. Christmas day we all went down to church in the morning which was not the usual Christmas service The church was undecorated and the choir &amp; congregation were small. Harry Moon seems to have dropped out</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>of church life since Mr. Johnson made his election remarks in the pulpit the day before election. Christmas night we had a great dinner &amp; tree over here, fifteen of us partaking of it, all from Aunty's, all from Huby's and all from the James. The roads were bare and icy and our horses unshod or smooth shod so that Dad. had to get Faulkner to bring over the ones who couldnt walk over and young Geordie came after them very early so that the evening was too short. Aunty Alice not being content with receipting my note to her on my birthday last summer gave me the cash to pay Douglas's note which comes due on the sixth. Frank and I haven't got very much work other than chores done lately so we have not been getting up before seven or half past but we did get over one load of hay over to the old barn for the cows and got the bent in the west end of the barn covered over with rails and straw and a fairly warm pen made in there for Frank's heifer which is due to calve in a day or two. We went skating two nights last week down on the creek with the Ryerse's and England's and to-night Enah and I printed pictures. I was just undressing when the Old Year left.</p> </div> untranscribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5ee2e4232a0655e6563fe2d46b022868.pdf 3167a37deda29d5b7c45841969a7b926 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Blank Front Cover Inside page on the left} {Right side page} DIARY.1916 T.B.Barrett. Port Dover, Ontario. The Farm From January 1st 1916 to September 29th 1916 https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/40784bbbf1c90f60411148c305eaf65f.pdf c89fe169a53d22ac517a8781a59802ff PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday January 1st 1916 They tolled the church bell three times and rang it to herald the New Year and after spending about another quarter of an hour in church we went over to the dance Dad. & Enah were in church and they came over to the dance This being Leap Year all boys caught asking a girl to dance were supposed to be fined a quarter but I don't think many spotted up. They had a square dance which Mr Cope and Enah took part in Mr Cope aparently enjoyed him self immensely We danced till nearly three o clock and every body agreed that it was the best dance this year so far. Enah and I spent the remainder of the night at Aunty Alices but Dad. & Frank who we discovered had been up {several faded words} dance went home. Aunty Alice sat up as the baby was asleep and she thought he might wake up. Aunty Alice didn't call me till nearly ten o clock and I wasnt very anxious to get up then. It was raining hard so after I had breakfast I sat around and read till noon. We just sat down to dinner when Dad. drove down after Enah so I went up with him and got the mail, and then walked home. We just did chores this after noon except Frank who cut a lot more of the chicken house flooring. It has rained nearly all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/39d64ac3853006fdabd3d9af40fb6496.pdf b045295c0f484e7fae299e6ab474686c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday January 2nd It poured rain during the night and has been very soft and mild all day but is colder to-night I arose fairly early this morning and got ready in time to go to church Enah and I walked down and were late. After church Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida were going up to Huby's for dinner as they had goose and as Aunty Maude had told Aunty Alice to bring Dad. up too should he happen to be in church and as he didn't happen to be in church and as I was in no mood to walk home in the slush to dinner and right back I thought it would be all right for me to go to Huby"s so I did and had a very enjoyable dinner. Uncle Ward was the only other guest. I spent the afternoon down at the Bagley's and had tea there. We all went to our various churches. Monday January 3rd I did chores most of the morning and husked a little corn Dad. and the baby went down to meet Aunty who came up on the morning train to vote. Dad. was very anxious to have her vote because Vyse was running again against old Walker. They saw Ed. up town and he said to vote for Walker Moon & Wilson so she did. Walker got in by a majority of 8 Ed. headed the polls for councillors then came Harry Smith, R.M. Taylor and Mat. Wilson and the bylaw which was to give a fixed rate of assessment to the canning factory who in return are going to put up another big building carried so Aunty didn't lose a vote. Dad. stayed down to dinner, while he was gone and while I was husking corn out in the barn, the fattening steer got lose and got out behind the calves and into the alley in front of the cows I heard a commotion but didn't pay much attention but when I went to go in I found the black calf had either been frightened or hooked into the manger He was on his side with his nigh fore & hind feet sticking over the edge but he was wedged in so tightly that I couldn't lift him so had to tear the whole manger out, and he felt pretty wobbly when he did get loose. This after noon Dad. and I went out to try and set up some of the down shocks of corn but they were frozen in to hard. The mice are eating it badly and we cant haul it in till we thrash out our clover seed. Mr. Flemming was over to get a hand to help him thrash to-morrow but I dont think the machine is there yet. It was A.Y.P.A. social evening to-night. Mrs Clare Deal Miss Marshall and I were put on the committee to run it but except for meeting Mrs Deal on the bridge last night on my way https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9b8ebb59a470ef894a03309278bbe9aa.pdf 0d9d473ac5c3631421cea31954c9d391 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. home and telling her that what she had done couldn't have been improved on I haven't done a thing. However it came off all right only there were very few there Enah went down to tea at the James and she said Elva played a duet said Davis sang Aunty Maude gave us a little talk and we had refreshments. Frank and I went down to see Aunty on our way down as this is her birthday. Sunny, a little blizzardy but misty. Tuesday January 4th Dad. had to go over to Flemming's to thrash alsike this morning, they thrashed all day and got seven bags from eleven loads so it didn't turn out so well as the rest has this year. Dad. says Lloyd Crysler told them John Wess got eleven bushels to the acre. I was over for a few minutes this after noon and it looked terribly dusty {illegible} Dad. was nearly all in when he came home. Mr. Flemming never has enough men either. I didn't do much but chores to-day, and sorted out my chickens a little to-night. I got three more pullet's eggs to day. Much milder, south wind Wednesday January 5th It rained hard during the night and has poured rain most of the day but to-night it is freezing and the wind getting around to the north. Dad. and I did chores most of the morning and this after noon we got some more of the floor laid in the chicken shed. Thursday January 6th This morning Dad. and I got a little more floor laid in the chicken shed. Aunty Alice came over while we were working at it and stayed to dinner and walked back soon after via Mrs. Battersby's to see Miss Phipps who has been sick Dad. and I went down with the waggon to get a load of soft coal for the thrashers who may be here to-morrow. Alan was in to-night and said they would get moved down here to-morrow night maybe in time to thrash a little. To-night I went skating. Frank went down with me and spent the evening up at Huby's, he didn't get home till about twelve o'clock I was late enough as Essie & Marj. were down skating. I called for them but they had gone with Mr. Woodyer so I went up home with them and Marj. made some cocoa and we fed and sat around for about an hour, so it was pretty late. Dick was just getting ready for bed and said he had the grip. There is an awful lot of it in town. Much colder & freezing hard. Skating grand. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/062c779ceb4aabaf27d1df71fc0a225b.pdf df46de1e9e2c0e0b4529036cbc8b3a06 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday January 7th This was Dick's birthday, but as he has every thing he wants with in the limits of an ordinary man's fortune, we couldn't think of any thing to get him, but he happened to mention at breakfast that he broke his hockey stick yesterday so I got one for Frank and me to give him. Right after breakfast I went down to get Joe shod and took her up to Hallam's but as Bobbie McMullin seemed to be running things up there I made an excuse to see Hallam who was down at George Gambles and took Joe down to Joe Howell's, it was after twelve when I got home. This after noon we laid a little more of the chicken house floor. Frank stayed home and helped us. About four o'clock Sam & Alan came in with the clover mill & engine but it wasn't worthwhile thrashing any. To-night I went skating again Enah went down to choir practice with me. I went up to the Bagley's and Essie & Woodyer were just leaving but Marj. hadn't got back from a treat they were giving the Sunday school kids so I started off to get her but met her half way as Enah had told her there was skating on. We had a fine time as the ice is great but Essie had to leave at eight o'clock to go to choir practice. I could have had a ride home with Dick and Alan but thought I had better go down to Aunty's and see if Enah was there but she had just left before I got there. Dick & Frank both feel rather tough to-night. Nice day pretty frosty. Saturday January 8th We thrashed the clover this morning and finished it by a little after twelve and before dinner. We got over five bags of stuff from the six loads but it was more than half I think plantain seed. If we can ever get it separated though we will have enough red seed for our own use. Mr. Flemming and Tupper were the only ones extra we had. Aunty came over and helped Enah. This after noon Dad. and I went up to Ham Thompson's to see a sick cow, we were up there quite awhile looking at all the stock some of which is pretty nice. I drove down and got the mail when we got home. To-night I went skating again as it was a beautiful night and the ice was fine. There was a good bunch down there and we had a good time. I had a bath after I got home. Dick came home early and has not felt very well all day, his eyes are sore Frank has been in all day too with the grip. Still pretty cold and frosty. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3c95f48c46c21505b49f30488b5bccd1.pdf 42f6026be17a3bb8fe02ea9ae6eaddf5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday January 9th Enah and I walked down to church this morning and I have been down all day I had dinner and tea at Aunty's Miss Phipps was there to dinner. I spent the after noon & evening up at the Bagley's, before tea I got Cousin Loll & Cousin Phoebe to go over to the Ansley's with me as they had the key to the house and get a Wandering Jew plant which Cousin Bessy left there to freeze unless Aunty took pity on in so I took it down to her. The Ansley's all left for Toronto yesterday. They expect Joe Syer's battery to be moved to France next month. Aunty Alice and I went to church to-night. We thought Dad. would have been down but I found out that he had had to go up to Bill Duncan's to see a sick horse. Dick and Frank have both been in the house all day to-day so Dick must be pretty bad. There were quite a few skating this after noon but I didn't go. It is getting milder to-night. Monday January 10th It rained during the night and has rained a lot during the day but is colder to-night. I went over to Quanbury's to see Charlie this morning, he is better and sitting up but has had a bad time with his throat.On my way home I stopped in and got a setting of eggs from Jack Martin as one of the old red hens has been sitting for quite awhile and Dad. was very anxious to put some eggs under I thought it would be too early to have them come out. Dad & I didn't do much but chores this after noon Aunty came over before tea to stay all night as Dad. Enah and I went down to A.Y.P.A. and the boys have been in the house all day. Dick was bound he was going to work yesterday but when this morning came he wasn't at all anxious to go Glad. Law and Marj. Clarke had a Dicken's evening at A.Y.P.A. to-night and Dad. & Enah sang "What are the Wild Waves Saying" Cousin Willie, Jack Martin and Aunty Maude also took part but there were very few there. Dad. had to be chairman. Tuesday January 11th It was frozen up this morning so after we got the chores done Dad. and I got in a load of corn and another one this after noon, we took two rows at a time so got quite a strip of land cleared, there are about two loads left out there yet, we put it up where the clover seed was cut left the last load on the waggon, we couldn't get it in before on account https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/97451f4a86303d6805782abc25f761ff.pdf ee554ce8f95fca5166ae431015cb5f78 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. of the clover seed taking up the room. To-night I went skating the ice was in beautiful shape. Dad has felt sick all day. Wednesday January 12th Dad. has been in bed all day and feels properly sick I guess he has the grip like all the rest of them althoug he hasn't a cold. It has kept me busy all day just doing the chores. Frank has felt a lot better but not well enough to be out. Dick still {feels his?} eyes pretty sore. Nicholson & Hazen came over to see him this evening. They told him not to try to come to work. Hazen told me last night they were getting along fine Mr. {Name?} has sold about fifteen dollars worth of chickens and only spends about ten minutes a day in the bank. It has rained most of the day but is colder to-night. Tuesday January 13th Dad. has been sitting up to-day but doesn't feel much better I think. Frank has been well enough to-day to help me do some of the chores but we didn't get anything else done. Mrs. Dyer came over to see Dick to-day He doesn't feel much better. It has been cold and stormy to-day Friday January 14th I saw they had steam up over at Sam's this morning and about nine o'clock Alan came in to see if one of us could go over. I was just going in to breakfast but he said he had to go down town so I didn't need to hurry, I went over and hung around for half an hour and we got started about half past ten, but as there were only two loads of alsike we got through before noon, it turned out pretty well as they got three bushels. I was the only extra hand there. Bert and I pitched out of the mow and Sam & Alan did the rest. I had dinner over there but when I got home found Frank had all the chores done so this after noon he and I took a small grist to the mill, small because we could only find about half a dozen empty bags. Tonight I went skating there was a little snow on the ice but it was pretty good. Dess & {Name?} Dyer came over to see Dick to-night so Frank had to see them home and didn't get back till long after I did. Dick has felt a great deal worse to-day about the sickest he has yet although his eyes are better. Dad. says he feels better to-night but he is pretty weak. It has been a nice day but pretty cold. This was Aunt Ida's birthday and I called in to wish her a happy one. Aunty & Aunty Alice were both at church but I saw them on my way home https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fa4a6d74a0a831651bf12c641ee15ba3.pdf 917cf67dc1731403f3d2c5a3bffcfd2f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday January 15th Frank and I have put in a busy day besides doing the chores we got in two loads of corn, we only took two rows in the two loads but in some places it was badly frozen in so we didn't have time to take full rows. Dad. has felt very miserable to day and has not been out of bed at all his eyes ache {illegible}. Aunty has been over all the after noon and I walked home with her after tea and got the mail. Dick is a little better. Very blustery day especially this after noon. Strong wind with snow and very cold. Sunday January 16th Frank went to church this morning and I did chores I got them pretty well done up before dinner and this after noon Dick and I went down town Dick wasn't much better but vowed he was coming down and stayed down all night. Essie, Marj. and I paid a visit to the Prestons this after noon every female member of that family are sick in bed and Arthur and Mr. P. are keeping house. I came home about half past five and did chores and went down again after tea I was too late for church so I went up to Huby's for about an hour. Aunty Maude was sick with neuraligia and had gone to bed & I met Essie & Marj. on their way from Methodist Church and went with them over to the Smith's, Harry & Fred were both home for Sunday. Mrs. Smith looked very badly. I came home fairly early. Elva & Mr. James were over here this after noon and Huby was here when I got home before tea but didn't stay to tea. Aunty Alice was over to dinner and part of the after noon. Very cold nor'west wind all day. Blizzardy Monday January 17th Frank went to school to-day but came home early this after noon he said they had to let a lot of them out as the school house was so cold. I haven't tried to do a thing but chores as it has been so cold. Dad. has felt better and was out at the barn for a little while to-day. To-night I went down to A.Y.P.A. but as there was no body there to conduct the meeting it adjourned and Marj. Glad. Law & I went to the picture show where we enjoyed ourselves much better. I looked in at Henry Buoy's pool room on my way home attracted by what sounded on the street like quite a racket but which proved to be only Al. Faulkner talking. I found Frank up there https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/073bf87971174277ad22aa6b0beba2a4.pdf c4ece5492307524f474482d1a57f8038 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. watching a game between Bunyian and Fred Tuck. Bunyian was pretty well jagged and was shooting with the butt end of his cue. Frank and I stopped in at Aunty's on our way home and found Dick there for the night, he looks pretty rotten yet but says he feels all right. I tried on a couple of shirts which Aunty Alice made for Dad. but which were too small and which just about fit me so I inherited them. They're dandys too. I sat up till three o'clock after I got home and finished reading "Mr. {illegible} of {illegible}" It was pretty good but I thing I caught a bad cold over it. This I think has been the coldest day yet this winter frosty as well as windy. Tuesday January 18th Frank has been at school all day. I have just done chores and not tried to anything else, in fact the chores took up most of my time. Dad. went down town this morning and stayed at Aunty's to dinner and most of the after noon, he doesn't feel any worse for it what he suffers most from now is a peculiar, very disagreeable, undescribable and he says most rotten taste and sometimes smell that he gets on some of his food and most of all when he tries to smoke, he is longing for a smoke and hasn't had one for four days, he has filled and lit three different pipes but each one has the same taste and he just takes one draw then puts the pipe away with an exceedingly marked expression of utter disgust. Enah has caught the sore eye trouble in one eye and I have a peacherine of a cold in my head. Tid's eyes are both sore. It has been still cold & blizzardy all day but not so frosty as yesterday and I think is getting milder to-night. Wednesday January 19th It has been milder and sunny to-day and much milder to-night, but we haven't done anything but the chores.The little steer was off his feed this morning and I noticed he was badly bloated so Dad. has had a stick in his mouth most of the day to take the bloat down but it isn't all out to-night though better. Mr. Morgan was over here all the after noon and Dad. ordered six cherry trees from him and he is going to replace the two walnuts that died. To-night I went down to see if there was any skating but there was no one down. The ice is beautifully smooth where the wind has swept https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a5f9278e16ded303ef398bf44a3bfc68.pdf 34cf1f9e9c6210367edeb3220e9e64b3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. it clear but there is too much snow to make skating. I took my skates up to the garage and left them to be sharpened and then went down to Aunty's for a little while. Aunty was just going to bed and was not {doing?} at all well all day. Dick was down there looking tough and hasn't been out of the house all day but says he feels better, over here Dad. & Enah both have very sore eyes and Enah feels pretty sick besides I think. Frank went down to-night with me and went up to Huby's. Thursday January 20th It has drizzled rain all day and every thing as slippery as grease or partly inundated, we have just done chores I cleaned out the chicken dropping boards this morning and this after noon I husked a little corn while Dad. cut some shelves to put up in the clothes room, Frank and I did up the night chores and Dad. went down to Aunty's for tea, he wanted to see how Aunty & Dick were, he hasn't seen Dick since Sunday. Frank saw him up town to-day at noon. To night I went down town and stumbled on the opening meeting of the "Never-ready Club" which consists of Marj. Glad. Law & Essie. They were all knitting or crocheting so I joined and just talked to them and held some yarn for Marj. to wind into balls. I got home about twelve after waiting for nearly two hours in at Hec's for Alan Law. <u>Wednesday</u> Friday January 21st Enah has at last got the grip she has felt very miserable all day and not been able to sit up or eat at all. The baby has a bad cough. This morning I got the chores pretty well done up and this after noon Dad. and I got some more of the chicken shed floor down, it wont take very much longer to finish it. To-night I walked down to Aunty Alice's with a couple of dozen eggs. Aunty feels better and Dick was up working. I stopped in at Quanbury's on my way home and gave Mr. Quanbury a dollar to join the Horticultural Society. Charlie & Art. were out at the farm for a load of straw. Very mild all day just like Spring, no colder to-night Saturday January 22nd Dad. has been in the house all day nearly again to-day with a headache. Enah was in bed all morning but felt better and was able to be up this afternoon while the poor baby is about half dead with the croup. He barks just https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e8d67fb096eee0cf31c92f1953c86be4.pdf 60b2b2bacff46391136797eff0ea0a7a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. a little dog when he coughs and looks like the mischief and I guess feels as bad as he looks although he has been very good. Frank and I laid floor in the chicken house this morning and used up all the lumber we had, so this after noon we did up all the chores and drove down town in the waggon and got 20 {illegible} more, which we laid to-night after tea, we worked out there till nearly nine o'clock and only have it to finish up with a six inch board which has to be notched to fit the studding. Frank has developed a case of pink eye this after noon and has gone to bed to-night not being able to see out of his left eye. Dick came home to-night the first time since last Sunday. Very soft & mild. An April day. Sunday January 23rd Owing to the condition of the familys health this morning I had to most of the chores. Frank helped me clean out the cow stables after breakfast but he can't do much on account of his eye, he feels all right other ways and went back to the gully and set a rat trap this morning. Dad's head doesn't ache to-day and Enah says she feels a little better but the poor baby looks awful although his cough doesn't sound as bad. This after noon I went down town and also to-night. I came home at tea time to do chores, but Dad. & Frank had them all done. Aunty Alice has the doctor down to see Aunty this after noon, he says it is the regular grip she has It froze last night and has been colder to day but feels very like Spring. Monday January 24th Frank went to school this morning sore eyes and all. Dad. and I did up the necessary chores and then went out and got in the rest of the corn, there were three rows but we brought it all in one load and got it in about noon, this after noon Will Philips was in for quite awhile to ask Dad about a sick horse and then {Name?} McPherson came in to get us all to sign a petition to the Government to put through a total Prohibition Bill or submit it to the people, we all signed it. I would rather have waited to hear some more argument on the subject but as it stands it looks right enough to me. We then {cacked?} up a grist which I took down to the mill. To-night Frank and I went skating, the ice was great in spots but there were a lot of rough spots to skate into Dad has been out all day but feels too weak to work hard. Enah and Tid show very slight signs of improvement while Frank reports that Aunty though still in bed is a little better. Very mild all day & to-night. Spring. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/142eb7e56a907e9d610f3e54daaafa78.pdf f818743343133dd59c593a2504197550 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday January 25th This morning I went down to the mill and got the grist that I left there last night. I took the washing up to Mrs. McBride's as she was over this morning to say she could not come over to wash as Sam had to go out to Pow's and couldn't mind the kids, she gave me a whole pile of old cabbages which have been frozen two or three times for the chickens, soon after I got back Charlie Quanbury came over to get Dad. to look at old Corbett who Dad says is pretty sick, they drenched him the other night and Dad. thinks got some oil on his lungs. He didn't get back till noon as Jack Martin called him in there to show him a rooster with the chicken pox. I cleaned out the stables while he was gone.This after noon we were going to {polish?} the floor in the chicken house but just as we got the noon chores done Uncle Ward came over and visited all the after noon. About half past four we had to take Elgithe up to Ham Thompson's bull. She was very wild at first and we had a sling rope tied on to the end of her halter rope before we got out of the lane. I had caught my foot in the loop of the rope and had to let go and drop to get loose She dragged me a few feet before I got loose and then ran right down along the fence running into it and catchin in it every now and again, when she got to the corner she turned in Ivey's gate and ran for our line where we managed to head her off and catch her. Dad. took her on up and I went behind after she got a little cooled down she went as gentle as a lamb. To-night Frank and I went skating or at least down town to go skating but as there was no body on the pond we came to the conclusion that it was too soft so went down to see Aunty for awhile she is much better and came home. It has been very mild & muddy all day, looks very much like rain. Wednesday January 26th Dad and I have put in all our time to-day besides doing chores in putting down the last strip in the chicken house floor it only took one six inch board but Dad. had to cut it at each stud to make it fit right as the spaces between floor & wall were uneven between some of the streds, so it took a long time. Sam Law came in this morning to settle up accounts, we owe him six or seven dollars yet for thrashing. Alex Jamieson was in this afternoon to get some veterinary advice. To-night Dad. walked down https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/63173c9c5e1521ebe6bfdd09eb6d394f.pdf 26ef13be4863a106673b7c4bd6173904 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to see Aunty. Frank and I spent most of the evening catching pigeons. Hugh McQueen is buying them this time for a shooting match and paying thirty cents a pair for them. It has been too mild to day to wear a coat, but looks rainy. Thursday January 27th About the first thing this morning I went over to Mrs. McBride's and got the clothes. Aleta was there and Mrs. McBride away, they have all gone back to live with Sam and he has made all kinds of promises about acting like a good husband and father and they say he signed the total prohibition petition. Alan Law says it is all her fault anyway. He said this Christmas she asked him to go down to Jane's for dinner but Sam wanted to have their own Christmas at home and accordingly went down and bought a goose and presents for all the family when Christmas came he went home and as Alan says "No damned Susan there" so poor Sam had to eat alone, when she did come she "throwed" the presents and spoke very desparagingly of them. "Why" Alan says "How would you like it if you were a married man to go home there at night and have to get your own supper and have no woman to sit down and talk to and go to bed alone and have her come prowling in about midnight and then never get up in the morning to get your breakfast and the house all upset, its enough to make any man discouraged." He said " I've lived beside them a long time and know them both and there isn't a better man living than Sam McBride." "Yes" I said "I guess he's all right when he's sober" "Why" Alan said "I never found him out of the way when he was drunk, and if she was half the woman that he is a man there would be no drinking go on in that house." However they are a united family at present we'll see how long it will last. When I got home from there I took a chicken down to Aunty Alice and just got home by noon. Joe was feeling very much like what might be expected since she has done nothing whatever the last couple of weeks but stand in and eat oats and hay too of course, but the roads were so bad she couldn't do much, they say the frost is all out in some places, Alan says that Fred Rose down the Plank was digging post holes to-day. This after noon Dad. and I carried four big bundles of straw over to the the chicken's new floored scratchin shed. I think it is going to be a great improvement. To-night I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4c1b4718f4b6c43454ed9d89af6f01be.pdf 36d944dc7e020c0c13a615da38f6658e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. went down to the Red Cross supper in the Town Hall I was to have called for Aunty Alice at six o'clock but I was late so she had gone so I went alone but had my tea with Dick & Dess. There were some dandy cakes there but as usual in such cases my stomach became incapacitated long before my appetite was satiated. I went home with Marj. & Essie and later we went to the picture show, we had to use brute force to get Essie past the Methodist Church as there was a prayer meeting going on and she was supposed to be there to play and we literally dragged her away from it. It's a war prayer meeting and as I tell her the Germans are praying as hard as we are and I suppose there are lots of them just as good in God's sight as there are of us so in all probability God will wind it up in his own way in spite of all of us. I really think about like Aunty Alice that praying and fighting don't go very well to-gether that if we trust so much in our own strength we oughtn't to expect much help from Heaven or if we do want Divine help we should throw down our arms and pray for it, but of course that is out of the question as we are too human for that. I got a ride home with Dick & Alan. I don't know what has struck me to-night to write so much diary but it is half past twelve now so I am going to bed. Dad. has just been out for a while to smoke he got so hot in bed he couldn't go to sleep. This is really the most remarkable weather for January I ever heard of. It has rained a good part of to day and to-night was too mild to wear an overcoat. It is hard to believe that it is midwinter. Friday January 28th Dad. and I put off the load of corn which was on the waggon this morning and also nailed on the boards which block up the space over the south doors of the old barn We didn't do much this after noon but chores, we took the nests out of the rooster's pen and put them up in the pullets end of the scratching shed, the pile of straw we put in there has kept them busy most of the day, we also swept out the brooder and put it in the colony house. Tonight Dad. & Frank have gone down town Dick expects Ferdy to-night for a few days and as the roads are too bad to drive down Dad. took the lantern and is going to wait at Aunty's for them, they have to call on Dess & maybe take in the show before they come over. Colder to-day freezng to-night https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b030aabb92007cb5841a683d4a9cc327.pdf bbad5dd83134816cc2995438a21ca412 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday January 29th Ferdy arrived safely last night and aparently in good condition as whe Enah inquired after his health he expressed the fact "that he didn't have no kick coming." We haven't seen any thing of him since soon after breakfast as he has spent the day in town. Frank was down town most of the morning getting his teeth filled. I did a few chores but spent most of the day making a hopper in the chicken house and putting in a {illegible} and another couple of {illegible}. This evening I filled the two hoppers with a whole bag of rolled oats and also put in grit and dried meat scrap. Dad and Frank went down town and got a load of coal. To-night Frank has gone down again to get a link of stove pipe for the little {illegible} coal stove, it has to be made a {illegible} and {illegible} narrow {illegible} to put on the stove and be {illegible} six inch pipe. Dunn has sent over two {illegible} {Illegible} but none are big enough although Dad. took an exact impression of the hob on a piece of cardboard and sent it down but Dunn said he should have sent down the shape made of wire so he did this after noon. It froze fairly hard last night but except for a cold and raw east wind it has not been very wintry to-day. It is raining & freezing as it comes to-night. Sunday January 30th We all got up late this morning and none of us got ready in time to go to church. This after noon Dick, Ferdie & I walked down and I spent the afternoon and evening up at the Bagley's. I had tea at Aunty's and went to church with Aunty Alice. It has been a horrible day raining most of the time, to-night it was pouring rain and very dark when I went down to Aunty's after my overshoes so I stayed all night. Aunty feels quite a lot better to-day. Monday January 31st I got up fairly early this morning but it was still raining when I was ready to start for home so I thought I would wait and see if Dad. drove the boys down in which case I knew he would call for me. I finished reading "The Road Mender" by Michael Fairless which I started down there last fall when I was sick and have read part of since whenever I had time, then Aunty Alice and I had a game of chess I had nearly forgotten the game but she reminded me as we went along and we had quite a game. Neither one of us won because about ten o'clock we came to the conclusion that Dad. wasn't down https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ab9df3f3a645188f211e2318bccabb1d.pdf 6fedfdb7a262429bc2d0fc79be489fb3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and that we shouldn't be wasting any more time in the middle of the morning, so we quit without either being checked. By the time I got home and got my clothes changed it was nearly noon. This after noon we didn't do much but chores and husk a little corn. Ferdie went down town. Frank and I went down to A.Y.P.A to-night but they didn't do anything down there much but adjourn. Mr. Johnson was not there as he was called away very suddenly this morning to Muskoka to the supposed death-bed of his uncle. Glad Law brought the minute book as Marj. has the grip. I went in with Glad. after the meeting to see her. She looks the picture of health and says she feels alright as long as she is sitting down but she got so sick and dizzy in school this morning that she had to let the kids all out and go home before recess. I went down to Aunty's on my way home Aunty Alice had gone up to Cousin Loll's to play bridge. Frank came in while I was there and we came home to-gether. The marble season has commenced already I suppose on account of the open weather. Frank has been playing all evening and has about thirty he had none when he went down I borrowed some from him and we played odd & even all the way home and I had the same old luck that I used to have when Egg. Thompson & I used to play all day in school, started with about a dozen and only had about five or six when we got home. Dick and Ferdie where here when we got home, they got a ride with Alan. It has been very mild all day but is colder to-night. Tuesday February 1st It froze a little last night but not much after I cleaned out the stables I took some manure around to put on the front beds and the frost was all out in the sod. I took another strip off by the rhubarb bed that I started last fall. Dad. cut a piece off the stack. This after noon Aunty Alice came over and we didn't do much. Alan came in towards dark with ten bushels of potatoes he got from {Name?] Waddle at $1.00 and we were going to take four bushels and he was to leave five of theirs in our cellar as they have no place to keep them and he took one bag home to use. To-night Frank and I went out to catch some more pigeons for Hugh McQueen's match but could only catch two. Ferdie has been down town all the after noon in fact went before dinner. Poor old Tige has been sick all day. I don't know what is the matter with her, she doesn't seem to want to move. I guess she has the grip. It has been colder this after noon and is freezing hard to-night with strong N.W wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d3ba459ef571d836ee64e9cdbfcc2c37.pdf cd20e8a8a88bb6d63f0929a336b6a1dd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday February 2nd After breakfast this morning Dad. got started reading Happy Hawkins aloud so we didn't get out very early and didn't do any thing but chores. Enah went down town before dinner as Aunty Alice told her yesterday that her father was quite ill, she was down all the after noon, so Dad. Ferdie & I had dinner alone. This after noon we did chores and Dad. trimmed Queen's & Gingers hooves, he had a few chores to do around the house too. I went over to Jack Martin's to get a couple of roosters to mate up with my hens but they were too busy shipping birds to get them for me to-night. I went down to Quanburys with {illegible} nursery stock I {rest of sentence illegible} To-night Frank and I went down town. Frank took some eggs down to the store and his two pigeons which we caught last night. I went around to see Marj. she feels pretty wobbly yet but looks well (if looks were all that were concerned I wish she was {illegible} all the time allthough her every day looks are ok its been colder and cloudy to day Bear saw his shadow Thursday February 3rd This morning I went over to Martin's to get four roosters to mate my hens. I was over there quite a while and was just starting off with a couple intending to come back after the other two when Dad. came in he had helped Enah bring the baby through the field so he helped me take the four home. Enah spent the day down town again as her father is still very ill although a little better to-night. Ferdy went down with her and has been down town all day. The old hen hatched out four of the thirteen eggs I got from Jack but one of them got chilled to-day and died. Dad. brought her and the other three into the kitchen this after noon. I haven't done any thing but chores and read this after noon It has been cold and rather stormy so Dad went down to Aunty's about four o'clock to bring the baby home but Enah had taken him up to the Jame's and Dad. didn't go up there after him. Mrs. Hodge died to-day and the old man is just about all in. Bruce Dell was over before tea to get Dad. to go down and look at thier old cow which is bloated. Dad. gave Bruce a great raking over but has gone down to-night. I trimmed the tag locks off the hens to-night with the sheep shears. I got a fac-simile of the letter Dick got (the other day) from Pratt yesterday telling me it was my duty to join the 133rd Norfolk Battalion. Holly Bush got one but Holly says he won't answer the requirements as he https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c42a1ec69884b274fb50f7bb20dc5f10.pdf 9fc11bca78ee752c145bb07853eb4de9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. over the age limit (45 years) and under the minimum heighth which is 5 ft 2 but I am sure there are fellows down there shorter than Holly and he says he is only 5 ft 1 in. I think they are taking almost any body who will join. Old Bill George and two of his sons have enlisted. Old Bill will make a pretty figure in uniform. If they aim high enough he will make a good mark but they could shoot a good sized shell between his knees and him standing at attention. Hammy Innes joined yesterday too. Hammy joined on a bet. Hargreaves one of the boys in khaki bet Hammy he could spot him 25 playing pool and beat him. Hammy took him up. Hargreaves said if he did would he enlist and Hammy said he would so when he lost he kept his word. I thought he would some day anyway, he has been the butt of a good deal of sarcasm as there were a great many "patriotic" busy bodies who couldn't understand what their was to keep him home. They will have to turn all their attention to Cliff Lees now but I don't think it will affect him much. He is off to-day seeing L.G. Morgan & the Penman's Company for the pond or something or other. I think the lawsuit was to come off to day. If he beats them I guess he is smarter than most people took him for but he can't be any crookeder Friday February 4th We haven't done much all day but chores. Enah went over to the Martin's this morning and telephoned down to find out how her father was and found he had had a good night and was better. This after noon I got my duds picked out for the hard time ball and Enah cleaned them up. I got a long tailed coat of Dad's out in the wood shed and a light coloured vest and wore one of my new blue and white shirts that Aunty Alice made me with a little plaid bow tie after that I just sat around and listened to Dad. read Happy Hawkins. Enah, Dad. & the baby went down to Aunty's for tea so Frank and I had ours alone, Ferdy having gone down early in the afternoon to stay at the Dyer's or Henry's to tea and taken a suitcase full of clothes for himself and Dick. Frank and I went down as soon as I got togged up. I went into Aunty's for a minute or two and then went up to see how Marj. was, she has been at school the last two days and was waiting for Glad Law to go down and watch the dance for a little while I went down with them they all laughed heartily at my costume but when we got there we found very few dressed out of the ordinary https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a0e5ec9926f20183992400bc560ca6af.pdf 1a5d4e9c76d4979d59b8b6bcb5ef3d04 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Hazen was the best he had the doggonedest outfit on I ever saw great big coloured patches sewed all over his clothes and an old bit of side line for a belt with an alarm clock hanging to it for a watch it would go off every time there was a lull in the dancing The girls went home early and didn't dance at all. I went up with them and went in to show my self to Essie who had been at choir practice. She didn't say much and appeared shocked, it's part of her Methodist tomfoolery to think dancing, wicked, though I don't suppose she could tell why to save her neck. There wasn't such a big crowd there but we certainly had a good time Dad. & Enah didn't get there till quite late. Enah had a tray there which she had carved and which she raffled off. Sam Morris drew the lucky ticket, we got home before three o'clock. Enah staying down at Aunty's where Tid was. It has got milder this after noon and was snowing when we came home Saturday February 5th I did a few chores to-day but spent most of the time just sitting around and going to sleep. I wrote to Quint this after noon and read a good deal of the newspaper as it is full of the accounts of the awful fire at Ottawa which destroyed the Parliament Buildings, they don't know yet whether the fire was caused by accident or whether it was the work of Germans but they have arrested one man on suspicion. It was an awful fire as seven people lost their lives two of them women and one a member and it destroyed what they say was the most beautiful public building in <s>Canada</s> North America. It has snowed most of the day and is very much milder. Enah walked home with the baby this morning Dad. killed and dressed three chickens but none of us have done much. Frank husked corn & copied notes. Sunday February 6th Frank, Enah and I went to church this morning and were quite late, Frank and I especially, I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and spent most of the afternoon at the Bagley's I came back to Aunty's for tea and went to church this evening with Aunty Alice, she went around after church with the Tibbits and I went home with Marj. & Glad Law. We had a new preacher as Mr. Johnson is still up in Muskoka with his sick uncle, this man was a Mr. Low from Stratford and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7eba90814bbaeab75f3665e658da3cda.pdf d690d2ac4546390870af0d98d6b594ab PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. seemed like a very nice man as well as a fairly good preacher. I went in to Aunty's on my way home to say good-bye to Ferdy as he is leaving in the morning and is going to stay there all night so as he will be handy to the train. It has been quite mild to-day and has snowed considerably. Monday February 7th This has been a regular winter day cold, some snow and very windy. We didn't do any thing but chores and Dad. put cotton on the last frame for the chicken house. This after noon I went down and got a tooth filled and stayed at Aunty Alice's to tea. Arthur Anderson walked over this morning to get Dad. to give him an order for some binder twine but Dad. didn't and afterwards he changed his mind so I gave them an order for fifty lbs this after noon. Mr. & Mrs. Johnson, some people Aunty Alice knew in Fort Saskatchewan came in to-night and I went with her to the station to meet them. She spoke to to drive them up and he did but Mrs. {Name?} came in from {illegible} out of the hospital so he took her home first and had to drive very slowly and then as he was so close, went up to Davie's with Ida so by the time we got down to the house we might far better have walked. I went right back up with Al. and went around to call at the Moon's to say good bye to Miss Misner (Minnie) who is leaving in the morning to go with the Queen's University Kingston Corps to be a military nurse at Cairo, Egypt. She & Mrs. Moon were just leaving when I got there to go to the Sunday school were the A.Y.P.A. and Willing Workers were entertaining the soldiers and sent Miss Misener an invitation so I went with them. Mrs. Skey & Mrs. Col. Smith were there representing the I.O.D.E. and presented Miss Misener with an adress & a purse. The orchestra was there and Cousin Willie was chairman, after quite a programe in which the soldiers "did their bit" we had refreshments and it was quite late when Frank and I got home. Tuesday February 8th Dad and I took our steer down to Bagley & Miller's slaughter house where Whit Dixon is going to kill him for us We stopped in at Aunty's on our way back. Mr. & Mrs. Johnson wanted to come over this after noon and see Jack Martin's chickens and as Mrs. Johnson is a little lame they wanted me to come down after dinner and drive https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e8e5c861e8ea8fba437e6ba91271dbb1.pdf 777c4ee350407d1bdc14824caf78d469 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. her over so I did and Mr. Johnson & Aunty Alice walked over. Dad. came over and met us there and after we had seen pretty well all the plant he & Mr. Johnson drove over to the farm. I walked over and Aunty Alice & Mrs. Johnson called on Mrs. Martin and walked home. About half past four Dad. Enah & Mr. Johnston & the baby went down to Aunty {illegible} Frank and I did chores and had our tea alone. The Johnsons are going in the morning. Mrs. McBride has been here {washing?} all day. I am {illegible} there are hot times going on between the Martin's & Quanbury's, the latter accused the former of listening to their telephone talk and old Mrs.Martin and Mrs. Charlie went over and called the Quanbury's down and John says Charlie called the boys all kind of names Jack is away but he isn't mixed up in it any way. It has not been so cold to-day and has snowed all the afternoon. Wednesday February 9th We did chores this morning and I put cotton on the window in the old hen's pen and blocked it up with boards where the glass had come out. Dad. had another fall after dinner and hurt his elbow quite badly. About four o'clock we hooked the big team to the waggon and went down to get our beef, we went right over to the slaughter house but Whit wasn't there so I had to walk back up town to get him and he drove me back. He had the beef killed and halved so it didn't take long to get him, we weighed one side and figured the whole carcass at 376 lbs, hindquarter 100 lbs and front 88 lbs, we got home about five thirty and I carried the meat down cellar Dad. isn't able to lift much after his fall. It has been mild but raw & cloudy to-day a little more snow but not enough for sleighing. Thursday February 10th This morning after doing chores I tacked cotton over the other window in the old hen's pen. I took the two frames out to put glass in where it had come out but didn't have any panes to fit it so just put the cotton in. Dad. gave Jim a dose of salts she hasn't been just right since he was sick. This after noon he and I went down and got a load of coal, we took the waggon although there are a lot of sleighs out but we didn't think we could have a load over the road from here to the corner and around the hill Alan Law was in and got a couple of sacks of oats which https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6a2189cbcb29f1e9a68378732358de3b.pdf adb37565c76e6c97bafbcdfa45b54349 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. we owed him, they haven't a place yet but are thinking of taking Charlie McQueen's if they can ever get Charlie to make any agreement. To-night I went down town and just sat around and talked to Marj. all evening, she and Essie have each knitted a Red Cross sock so I tried them both on. Cloudy and raw wind all day. Clear and frosty to-night. Friday February 11th We didn't do much but chores this morning and unloaded our load of coal. This after noon I copied out a long letter I wrote to Lt. Col. Pratt in answer to the one I got on the recruiting subject. I sat up till two o'clock last night to write it About four o'clock Dad. hooked up Joe & Ginger to the cutter and took Enah & the baby down to Aunty's for tea, after tea Dad. Frank and I walked down as Aunty Alice's party that she has been talking about for the last month in honor of Dick's birthday All the family where there but noone else except Marj. & Dess. We had a great time Huby keeping us laughing most of the time and the baby enjoying himself but not very bad. I showed Huby the letter I wrote to Pratt and he advised me not to send it. Dick and I got a ride home with Alan Law but had to wait till after twelve in at Hec's for him to start. Rather stormy but not very cold. Saturday February 12th Did chores all morning and Dad. drove down and brought Enah & the baby home as they stayed down at Aunty's all night. This after noon we hooked Joe & Queen up to the cutter and went down town. Queen went fine, she balked a little when we first started out at a snow drift and broke her martingale. Jim isn't any better to-day Dad. gave her another dose of salts but she won't eat or drink a thing. It has been very blustery to-day but not very cold. Sunday February 13th Frank and I went to church this morning and Frank went down to Sunday school. This after noon I took Joe & Ginger with the cutter and took Marj. & Glad. Law for a drive it was pretty cold up the gravel so we didn't go far. I brought the team home and then went down to Aunty Alice's to tea, there was no church in our church to-night. Cousin Willie conducted the service this morning. Mr. Johnson is still in Muskoka. Art. Quanbury told me this afternoon that they had telephoned over from the Jame's to get Enah to go down first thing in the morning so I went up to inquire into things to-night and found Mrs. James was in bed with a swelled neck and Elva wanted Enah to go down in the morning so she could go to work. I then went around and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/132c312dcdda3fe2553d1429a5db804d.pdf 4b439d96a646dfc269a1f4dd18b1e236 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. helped Marj make valentines for her kids. It has been sunny to day but a very cold wind it is freezing hard to-night but a lovely night, moonlight and still. Monday February 14th Dad. took Enah down to the Jame's this morning and Dick & Frank went at the same time. Enah took the baby with her When Dad. got back we took a hindquarter of the beef down to Aunty Alice & Dad. cut it up partly for her. It was nearly noon when we got back. I went to sleep in the chair after dinner and didn't wake up till about two o'clock. Then Dad. and I went out and sacked up the wheat which was over in the big barn and hauled it over to the old barn we had to make two trips with it as we only had two bags but we filled the fifty bushel bin nearly, there was more here than we thought there was. To-night I went down to see "What {happened?} to Jones" which was put on by a bunch of Waterford amateurs and it was good and very comical. I was surprised to see Frank come in and sit down ahead of us with a nice looking little girl who Marj. told me was her cousin Olive Ward. He stayed down at Aunty's all night to get measured for a shirt. Enah and the baby also stayed down at the James. Poor Dad. had a very sad accident to-day as he killed his little canary, it flew out of its cage when he was giving it water as it often does and lit on the other cage which is suspended from the ceiling by a wire, he went to lift the cage up and instead of it coming off the wire the wire came off the ceiling and flopped over and broke the little fellow's back. It was a dandy singer and a great pet of Dad's. It is the last one, he has certainly had bad luck with them. Last night was the coldest night by a long way we have had this winter, the lowest reported temperature that I heard was 18° below zero and it has been very nipper all day but it is not so cold to-night. Tuesday February 15th Alan Law came in about half past nine this morning with his blue grass seed to take to sell so we threw on our (clover seed?) and he & I lit out for Simcoe. Frank & Aunty had just come over. We stopped in at Lynn Valley and Alan asked the fellow there what he would give him for his seed and the fellow told him just four dollars. Alan knew he had 210 lbs of it and Green had offered him 2 cts a lb the other night on a sample so Alan thought he might as well take it on to Simcoe, then it turned out that Green backed out and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/93596c42e7d5abf31b474f268b580049.pdf 24d3b6840c85183339fa4ddb3f75f4f1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. wouldn't give him more than 1 1/2 cts a lb. making the excuse that he couldn't see the other night and didn't know there was so much wild flax in it, but Alan says he promised him the 2 cts for it. He then began to wish he had left it at Lynn Valley so he went and telephoned the fellow and found he was still willing to pay four dollars so on our way home we left it, although we hated to as of course the fellow rubbed it in about not talking a man's word. They were about all the after noon cleaning my seed, they put it through about three times and out of the five bags & a half of stuff I took up I got one bag of clean seed but they got it pretty clean and charged me $1.25 for cleaning it. We didn't know what to do with all the dirt they cleaned out most of it plantain which looked like onion seed, but we loaded it on and when we got to Lynn Valley the fellow there told us to take in through to the back of the mill and dump it through a hole in the floor into the creek where he says he throws tons of it every year so we did saving one bag to fool Dad. with. We got done just about six after a very enjoyable outing. Frank stayed home all day and he & Dad. got all the oats over in the big barn sacked up and half of them hauled over to the old barn. Aunty was over all day and just before we got back Dad. drove her down and brought Enah and the baby back. Frank told me that Val. Leany had quite a patch of ice cleared to cut ice and there were a few skating on it when he went down so to-night I went down, there wasn't a soul there but I went accross the pond there and thought it was pretty good so went up and got Marj. it took a lot of coaxing to get her to come alone but she did and we had a dandy skate for about an hour. We saw a couple on snow shoes go up the pond and we judged from their voices it was George Henderson & Nell Hussey. When we got back to the Bagleys we found Nell. Smith & Bill Marchington, he is supposed to be sick so came up here to recover. Raw wind but much milder. Wednesday February 16th This morning we did chores and hauled the oats which Frank and Dad. sacked up yesterday over to the old barn. This afternoon we bagged up about twelve bags of barley and oats and I took them down to be chopped, that grist took nearly all the pile. About six I took Dad. Enah & the baby down town. Tid. stayed down at the house and Dad. & Enah went to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9d9181d473e76be4601b6d0290a425b6.pdf 1bf8c044d33e5c05843a9b77eb00dad9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the Methodist tea meeting. Frank and I had our tea alone. Frank has been in the house all day with a cold. It has been milder to-day and to-night there was a sort of sleet storm. Thursday February 17th First thing this morning I drove down in the bobsleighs after Enah and the baby as they stayed down all night. I took 3 1/2 doz. eggs down to Bagley & Miller's and got 27 cts for them. When I got back I went down to the mill and got the grist I took down last night. This after noon Dad. & I cleaned out all the chicken houses but not the scratching pens, that took us nearly all the after noon and haven't been able to clean off the dropping boards during the frozen weather and the floors were sadly in need of fresh sraw. Frank went to school to-day. It has been a beautiful spring day very soft and mild but misty and colder to-night. Friday February 18th This morning Dad. & I hauled the oats that he and Frank sacked up on Tuesday over to the old barn and took what few that were there cleaned up over to the horse stable. This after noon we sacked up what was left of the barley & oats but there wasn't much more than ten or twelve bushels. To-night Marj. and I went to the picture show but it wasn't much good. It has been pretty mild all day but blustery and cold to-night. Saturday February 19th Colin Ryerse came up before we had breakfast this morning to get Dad. to go down and tend to a cow which calved yesterday morning so he went down soon after breakfast. Frank and I did a few chores and then hauled the hay rack from the old barn over to the big one to put on a load of hay for the horse stable as we are just out there. We didn't get much on before dinner as I wanted to take it from the back of the mow and it was a long way to carry it. Then Charlie Quanbury came in with Dad's injecting pump which he had for Corbett and he delayed us quite awhile visiting and before he left Colin Ryerse brought Dad. back and he hung around and talked till about noon and then I took the car off the track over in the barn as Dad. thought we had better take it down while there was lots of hay under it This after noon Dad. & I soon put a load on and Frank loaded it and we got it hauled over and pitched off by soon after four. Bill Marchington came over and invited me to go with them to Simcoe to skate, he saw Dad. first and asked if Tobias https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/144914925bcf6b7350853fa5633a8b56.pdf a2c8cf6aa7d2919cfd45e917adff72d0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. was in, so Dad. took him for a recruiting officer as that is the way Pratt's letters have been addressed to me. However when I identified him Dad. showed him the sheep & horses and was friendly enough. Bill had hired a team and two seater sleigh from Faulkner and six of us went up, Nellie, Essie & Marj. Bill, Roy Dell & myself. I was appointed driver and so was in the front seat with Bill & Nellie. The nigh mare, Maud (which I think is the same mare Al. got from Walt McCall and which is widely known to be a devil) got started to go in a canter as soon as we started out and before we got to the head of Main St. my arm was just about all in trying in vain to bring her down to a trot. Once we got on the Gravel she lengthened out into a full run and there seemed to be no way of holding her. I stood up and see-sawed and at last Bill took them till I got my gloves off to get a better grip but he couldn't hold them at all and then we each took a line, all this time poor Nellie was getting more frightened, this method of driving of canter had its disadvantages and Maude got into the ditch and nearly upset us once and Bill had to get over in the middle to rest his arm so I was sitting on the arm of the seat and came within an ace of falling out, however when we got up about to Barwell's place we struck some loose ground and then Maude came down to a walk perforce and used all her energy to draw and from Bill Robert's corner to the halfway house we went at a stately walk, as I didn't want to get them sarted again till we turned the corner anyway and the girls were very well satisfied with the gait. Nellie was very nervous and Essie was inclined to be although she was in the back seat but I don't think Marj. cared a cent. They went at a delightful trot all the way into Simcoe and we certainly had a very enjoyable time at the rink, the band was there and the ice in lovely shape, afterwards we all went into Leas and had oyster soup, Bill standing treat for everything Roy didn't come home with us as he being in the 133rd Batt. band is practised in Simcoe and has to be on hand in the morning for church parade I suppose. The team acted fine coming home and we had a fine drive back. We started off with the three girls in the back seat but when we got down on the Dover Gravel Bill got me to stop and he changed places with Marj. and he and Esse nearly froze poor Nellie with their actions, Essie pretended to resist strongly but she enjoyed herself just the same Nellie didn't like it so well. I took the team to the barn after letting them all out at the Bagley's corner and I was about half dead when I got home about one o'clock. Dick came in half an hour later. It has been cold all day but milder to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6f1ac21e8f5b37c35ce3ddd4b67a64da.pdf 89333dea3fb8142a5668540bf2843894 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday February 20th Frank went down to Sunday school and Enah and I went to church. Dad. drove Enah down but I walked. The soldiers were all in our church this morning and behaved themselves very well right from Bunyan & Hammy down to Bill George. Hammond went to sleep during the sermon but didn't cause any disturbance and woke up in time to lead the boys out. Aunty came over here to dinner with Enah and Frank but I had dinner at Aunty Alices I spent the after noon at the Bagley's and also the evening. Nellie & Bill were there to tea so I stayed too. Marj. & I went to church and the rest all went to Methodist church but we all met again afterwards and had some music. Mr. Bagley went to the recruiting meeting in the town hall. They say Kelly (Redmond Kinsular) has enlisted with the Haldimand batt. and old Rickford went down to Toronto to enlist but couldnt qualify I went in to see Aunty for a few minutes on my way home, it has been very mild all day but is colder to-night. Monday February 21st It froze hard last night and has been pretty cold all day. We didn't do much but chores all day. Just before dinner Dad & I went back across the gully to see if we could get the plow and bring it up but it was stuck to fast with the frost so we took the doubletrees and chain off of it and brought them up. This after noon I drove Enah down to the dentists' and she walked home. To-night I went down and saw Harry Moon about taking the orchestra up Vittoria to play at a dance they are having on Wednesday night. I am afraid I won't be able to take them unless the roads improve for sleighing, but I am to let him know on Wednesday morning I went over to make arrangements with Marj. to go to the carnival in Simcoe to-morrow night but she wasn't home and I couldn't find her. Essie went up this after noon to the Russian concert. Dad. and Enah drove down to-night to go to a party at Aunty Alices and I went down there and drove Joe home. I then crawled into bed beside the baby's cot and went to sleep he woke up as usual but I took him in beside me and just let him cry for awhile and he soon went to sleep. Tuesday February 22nd We did chores and husked a little corn this morning and this after noon cleaned out the ice house, at least Dad. did I helped him till about three o'clock and then went in and got https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6a8b8366c10ae49f03a05e082ae1208a.pdf 7dcf22e020d05a2af632e0758453c162 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. my clothes picked out for the carnival and got fixed up. I got an old evening dress coat and a vest that Dad. wore at the Jacobite show and Aunty Alice and Enah fixed some lace around the throat of it. Miss Phipps and Aunty Alice came over this after noon. Miss Phipps didn't stay long and wanted Dad to read a poem on Saturday night as they are giving the soldiers another feed it being the anniversary of Paardeburg. Aunty Alice stayed to tea and later Miss Harding came <s>down</s> over and she stayed too I drove then both down when I went about six. I called for Marj. and found her all decked out in a suit covered with pennants of different towns and looked fine. We had a fine time, Essie went up yesterday and stayed all day to-day at the Hogg's so we stopped there on our way up but they weren't going in costume so we went on, we were surprised and rather disappointed at the very small crowd. There weren't more than a couple of dozen in costume I don't believe. However we had a good skate Essie Miss Hoag, Mr & Mrs Murray Hamilton and some Bob. Hunter a soldier and a cousin of Miss Hoag's came on after the judging was done and we were there till about ten o'clock, we then went down to the Hoags and had something to eat and drink altogether having a very nice time I think. Essie came home with us and we got in soon after one. We had to take the buggy as it has been very soft and sunny all day and the snow melted. Wednesday February 23rd Dad. and I went down first thing this morning and got a load of ice, there was a big crowd of teams around the platform and we had to wait quite awhile to get loaded. It snowed about an inch last night so we took the sleighs but the hill was about bare so I went over to the mill and told Harry Moon I wouldn't be able to take them up to night but when we got to the top of the hill with our load, we found they got up quite well so I went back and told Harry I would take them, he said they would much rather go in the sleighs than the automobile if it was possible. It was about noon when we got the load off. This after noon Dad. hauled two more loads and I did up the stables and chinked the ice we had in. To-night I took Harry & Joe and got down to Harry Moon's about seven or a little after. Besides the five members of the orchestra, there were five girls waiting to go. Winnie, Frances Slocombe, {Frances?} Dyer and the two Fisher girls. We got to Vittoria in about an hour, the roads were far better than I expected and we jogged along all the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a8f979a0d7a156072b12612226180953.pdf 39119e64c0e07ad554c5628657a547f6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. way at a pretty good rate, old Harry got pretty well warmed up but I got them in a stable at the hotel so I guess it didn't hurt him any. We had a fine time up there in the old hall. I had about the best time I ever had and every one else said the same. Carl Coleman and Pat brought another load up and there were several others from Dover up. Mr & Mrs. Rev Johnson were there and Mr Johnson had a high time. We stopped dancing soon after three but it was quite awhile before we got started for home. The return ride was a delightful one as the moon was well up and the air clear and frosty. By the time I got home, the team put away and into bed it was about five o'clock. The orchestra paid me two dollars for taking them and it cost me one dollar and sixty cents. Harry said I neen't have paid the dollar to dance as their driver alwas got in free but the proceeds were for patriotic purposes and I had such a whale of a time I didn't begrudge it. The hotel fellows soaked me fifty cents for putting the team in and ten cents for checking the robes. The soldiers all went to a dance in Port Ryerse to-night, they went in three loads and one load upset and the team got away according to reports coming home Hammy Innes was driving and it was the same team that took us to Simcoe last Saturday night. Very soft but cloudy all day. Thursday February 24th I didn't get up till half past nine this morning and have just being doing chores and chinking ice all day. Dad. didn't haul a load this morning but hauled a couple this after noon. The sleighing on the hill was completely gone so he had to haul in the waggon, nothing of importance happened to day it has been mild but there is quite a snowstorm to night. Friday February 25th It snowed hard about all night so there was plenty of it this morning to make dandy sleighing. Dad took the boys down in the bob sleighs and intended to bring a load of ice back with him but the engine down there was broked down again so he couldnt get any, he went down to the house and shoveled all their paths for them I did chores and chinked the last load of ice we put in last night. Dad. thought one of us ought to attend the annual meeting of the patron's of the Black Creek Creamery in the town hall this after noon so said he would haul a load of ice and I could go although I wasn't very keen on it. The secretary and auditors made their reports which were satisfactory and Lea Marshall hit them up for a raise. He gave a statement https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b8f5eb60c4a7a90c8a35165c14c66ca0.pdf d7959b0269a8cf6d192d1bede67b4d10 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. of his expenses and receipts at the request of George Hammond and explained that the factory was getting into a very bad state of repair while help was going to be scarcer an consequently much dearer next year so that he found he could not make butter for three cents a lb as he has been<s>g</s> doing and asked for a raise of half a cent. After hearing this explanation and also that Lea had been offered good big wages to go and make butter for other fellows no one demurred in giving the three and a half cents so it was resolved to give it to him. There was another speaker there from Guelph or some place Mr Hearns I think his name was and I think represented the Dairyman's Association and he gave us a nice address on the care of cream and the production of it, I'd heard it or read it all before more than once but still it was interesting. After the meeting I went upstairs to see the soldiers' clubroom, it was very nicely furnished and decorated and looked very comfortable, most of the boys were out on their march but Hammond and three others were playing cards up there and another one over in the corner running a phonograph I then went up and got my hair cut and went over to the Post Office to see when May Perry would be ready to go to the dance to-night, she promised to go but when I went over backed out and said she was too tired so I didn't urge her very much but I heard afterwards that she went to Simcoe to-night with Elva so if that's the case I'm through with her. I stopped in at Aunty's on my way home and Mr. & Mrs. {Name?} Bowlby and Eva were just leaving. Just as I got home Dad. was coming out in the cutter to go down and bring Aunty over to stay all night with the baby, so I went down instead. To-night Dad. Enah and I went to the country dance in the town hall, it was got up by George Crosbie, Charlie Long and Sid. McBride and there was certainly a crowd there I didn't get there till about eleven as I went over to see Marj. for a little while, but as it didn't break up till about half past four I was in lots of time to have some fun. I didn't dance anything much but square dances but it was mostly square dances and I didn't miss many. There was such a crowd that they could hardly dance a round dance. There were a few townspeople there including Toty Smith, the R.M Taylor's, the Si. Butlers, the Carl Coleman's, Mrs {Name?}, Mrs. Sinclair and a few others and every body from the country. Kelly was there all dolled up in his uniform, he is still teaching school but starts to drill on the first of March. Dad. and Enah didnt stay as long as they might have but I was there as long as any and the town clock https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/88a991a0b8e4d7cae1d755b3fee2cfe2.pdf 2ad1f4a2469787f5fc5f8832356a4967 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. struck five just as I was ploughing through the snow under the hickory nut tree over here in Martin's field and I didn't waste very much time in getting to bed. It has been a nice day Saturday February 26th I didn't get up till half past ten this morning as nobody woke me. I did wake up up when Frank got up at seven and thought of getting up then, but before I could get the proposition properly turned over in my mind, I had got myself comfortably turned over in bed and knew no more till ten thirty. Frank and Dad did chores and when I got out Frank and I chinked the load of ice Dad got yesterday and packed in sawdust while Dad. went down and got another load before dinner. This after noon Dad. took a load of ice down to the cheese factory as all the farmers are hauling one load for Lea Marshall. Frank and I did chores and Alan Law brought us over a load of ice. He said he wasn't going to be done out of hauling one load for us as it might be his last one if they move away. He was half way up the hill on his way home when he saw Dad. drive into the ice platform so he came back and offered to take a load over on his way home. Dad. didn't get home till late and was about frozen he brought a load of coal back with him, he said he had to break a track all the way down and it filled up as fast as he made it. Frank drove Enah down town this after noon to a supper and entertainment the ladies of the I.O.D.E. gave to the soldiers and cadets. I stayed in the house in case Tid. woke up and started to write this but went to sleep, however the baby didn't wake up till Dad. got home, we had tea with out Enah and about half past nine I drove down to Aunty Alices and got her. Cousin Clare came up up to-night from Hamilton very unexpectedly to stay for a week. The two latest recruits to sign up with the 133rd are to say the least a variety, they being Jonas Green and Ed. Moon. Neither have been examined yet so I don't think there is any chance of Jonas being accepted as he is terribly ruptured and it seems to be uncertain whether Ed is going in the ranks or is going to train for an officer. The war news for the week has not been very cheering. The big German offensive has become a terrific and desperate drive concentrated on the French line around Verdun. The French are falling back closer to the Verdun forts and will no doubt do every thing in their power to hold it as if it falls the road will be open for Paris, and those who should know say that if the Huns enter Paris, London will be in a very grave predicament. Very blizzardy day and snowing hard to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7fd98a628492d36765ecb690f68e5de4.pdf e1879cfd19ac81b0dbc951e1d0bdaf29 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday February 27th None of us went to church or Sunday school this morning as we didn't get up in time. I didn't do anything much all morning but got shaved and this after noon Dad. drove Dick and me down town. He had to drive through the lane a couple of times to break a track as it was filled right up. I took a couple of dozen eggs that were no good for Jack to Aunty Alice and two dozen and a half of Jack's eggs to Mr. Hobbes, he has been beggng and coaxing Dick to bring him some for the last week so I took them down and charged him a dollar for them and told him I couldn't possibly let him have any more, he gave me the dollar and thanked me very much for what I took. I spent the after noon with Marj. and had tea at Aunty's. I went alone to church to-night and they had a very slim crowd. Marj. was there and we went up and got Essie at the Methodist church and all went down to the town hall to hear Father {Nagel?} give<s>ing</s> a recruiting speech and he proved to be an exceptionally good speaker, he gave very strong reasons for those who could to enlist but didnt speak in a bullying or tantalizing style as most of them do. Mr. Johnson was chairman and Hammond gave a short appeal but both of them seemed very poor after hearing the priest. Poor old Lloyd I think was nervous and used fierce English, none of their eloquence brought forth any recruits there but for all I know some may have been hit as there was a good crowd there. Woodyer came home with Essie and we sat around for about an hour reading Burns and some gems of American humorists. I went into Hec's on my way home to see if I could get a ride home with Alan but he had ridden down as the roads were so bad, so I had to walk, I thought I was going to have a bad <s>tooth</s>earache to-night as my left ear felt as if it was full of water but it didn't ammount to anything. Very blizzardy and rough all the afternoon although sunny. Clear and cold to-night. Monday February 28th I haven't done any thing all day but chores and sit around the house. I have felt rather lazy I suppose on account of my cold. Dad. drove Frank to school this morning. Dick didn't come home last night and he felt a little anxious about him as he said positively yesterday he would be home, however he changed his mind when the time came and stayed all night at the bank. This after noon Dad. stowed the load of ice Alan brought on Saturday and about five o'clock he and I unloaded https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c8880499b20d88cb350431eaf37978c6.pdf a59debd37cb000e22ef22c36b8b8355b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the load of coal, a little after six Alan came in and borrowed our sleigh to go to Simcoe to-night with a load and left his here. This after noon we saw what we think was Faulkner's roan mare going by here on the run hitched to a cutter with nobody in it. Presently Colin Ryerse came after it bareback on his black mare and soon after came back driving the roan and leading the black. I went down to interview him, he said a couple of girls had upset coming up their hill which was full and the horse had got away, he caught it down at the mill bridge where it had stopped. The dashboard of the cutter was broken and it was full of snow. It has been a fine day fairly sunny and cold. Tuesday February 29th This morning Dad. went over to Quanbury's to arrange to have their party for us on Wednesday postponed till next week, while he was over there Ham. Thompson came after him to go and tend to a cow which had aborted. Ham is having bad luck with his stock this year as a mare aborted the other day too. He went over and got Dad. and he was up there most of the fore noon. This after noon he stowed and chinked the ice and did chores I have been in the house all day as my cold has been pretty bad, my ear ached last night and my throat was pretty sore. This morning I pasted pictures in my snap shot album and slept most of the after noon. Bright and cold, quite a snow storm this after noon. Wednesday March 1st I have not been out of the house to day but have felt a lot better, Frank stayed home to help Dad. Floyd Crysler came after him first thing this morning to go and see a sick calf and old Billy Lewis followed him over there and took him on out to his place to tend to a cow that had aborted. It is beginning to look a little like contagious abortion as Fred Misner had a case too. Dad. says it is rich to hear old Billy curse Pratt, as young Billy has been the recipient of letters like mine from him and they evidently take more stock in them. Young Billy has been down in Hamilton working in a munitions factory but is home again now. This after noon Dad and Frank got another load of hay over to the old barn and enough ice to fill the ice house and then went down and borrowed Charlie Quanbury's flat rack as they expect to go to Port Rowan in the morning to get a load of Aunt Ida's furniture https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/10f883c3387594702bda0f238278c831.pdf a5180cbacd451b4a8a07c990a3cabf57 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Mrs. Tupper made a call on Enah this after noon. Mr. Henderson was over this after noon to see if he could buy a couple of pullets but I didn't want to sell any. He also wanted a setting of eggs later on. The two girls who upset on Ryerse's hill on Monday were {Name?} Turner and the nurse who is there. Lovely winter day. Cold and sunny. Thursday March 2nd Dad. and Frank got started for Port Rowan about nine o'clock this morning, and I have managed to get all the chores done up all right. I didn't feel very badly but a little weak and didn't try to do any more than the chores. I came in the house about two o'clock and started to read but went to sleep and slept till half past four, but I was all through in time to have tea about seven o clock which is as late as we often have it under normal conditions. I didn't go down town to-night but went to bed fairly early. Lovely day, sunny and fairly cold. <s>Fridnes</s> Friday March 3rd I have felt quite a lot better to-day but didn't do anything but chores, there wasn't much else I could do alone except chink the last load of ice and I didn't want to get into the ice house with my cold. This morning I took nine dozen eggs over to Jack Martin and this after noon when I got through I came in and shaved. Dad. & Frank didn't get home till about five o'clock, they had a lot of furniture on {illegible} Aunt Ida sent over here and they left most of their load down at Aunty's. Dad. says there is more stuff up there including a walnut bureau and wash stand that Aunt Ida said we could have and he is going to make a special trip for them. To-night Dad. went down to Aunty's and put a lot of the furniture to-gether that he had to take apart to bring down Frank went down to a social that the High School pupils had in the school house, Lloyd Ryerse called for him, it is evidently going to be a grand affair as Frank has been talking about it for a week. Lloyd said the trustees not only gave their consent that they should hold it in the school house, but had gas lights put in for them, he said all the trustees were invited and I asked both of them if the the public school teachers were invited and the both said none of them but Mr. Smith were, so I went down to see Marj. as I haven't been down since last Sunday, but she had gone to the social with Miss McQueen, so I was there about half an hour talking to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4aa2c4e6fca36d388b0272fb13e63795.pdf 28b042990c40989031cf898959e33503 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Mrs. Bagley and then went down to Aunty's and waited there till Dad. was ready to come home and came with him. Mrs. Willie Steele died to-night. Walt just went to Brantford the other day and got a job in a mill up there, he has been with this mill since he was thirteen years old. Poor old Bill Duncan died very suddenly on Wednesday. Dad. and Frank met his funeral on the Gravel to-day. Dick says there is trouble brewing between Lt. Col. Pratt and the other officers of the 133rd Batt. It seems Walt. McCall wasn't supposed to assume the duties of liutennant till they went to camp in the Spring but he and Pratt got into a poker game in which Walt skinned Pratt for about $200.00 and Pratt ordered him into his uniform and on duty so now Walt is going around with a petition to have Pratt deposed, so I don't know how it will come out. Cold and not so sunny but a nice day Saturday March 4th Frank and Dad. chinked the ice and put in the sawdust this morning but I don't think they got it all covered. This after noon they went down town to get a load of slabs but couldn't get any. Hawey is going to let them know when they can get them, some time next week. I just puttered around all day this morning I put a cage up in the old hen's pen so that I could shut one of the roosters up every other day as one is boss. This after noon I fixed a rigging out in the cow stable to facilitate the weighing of the milk in the hopes of getting Dad into the habit of it. To-night we printed a lot of the old pictures, when I was pasting them in my album the other day I found that I had given away all the best ones so I sorted out my films and picked out about twenty five and printed them to-night. There seemed to be something wrong with the developer as as it took about a minute or more for them each to develop, afterwards we noticed a lot of crystals in the bottom of the developer bottle that didnt mixup with the rest of the liquid. Pretty cold all day but nice. Sunday March 5th Frank went down to Sunday school and church this morning and I would have gone to church but Dad. was going to Aunty's for dinner and said he would go to church if I did up the chores, so I did but he didn't get off in time for church but went to Aunty's for dinner, this https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9d01f59c9758633cecf5f0eb1cce87d7.pdf f83cb2275087ce5002a2c8a5ff0c1b39 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. after noon he went up to say good bye to Tiny as she is going to Toronto tomorrow night and sails for England on Saturday, he saw Harry Ansley and he took him up to the stable to show him a mare he bought in Toronto Dad. says he brought seven home. The mare is a Clyde about eight years old, has been working, is bred to a Percheron and due to foal the 2nd. of May, he wants Dad. to bring her over her and keep her till its time to wean the colt on any terms he likes, Dad didn't tell him he would but I said he might as well, as we can't lose much and might get quite a lot of use out of her this summer. Dad. also made a dicker with Al. Faulkner for a pair of geese for Frank, Al. has a pair he wanted to put out some place and said if Frank would take them he could have half the increase, so Dad. knowing Frank has been trying to get some geese thought that a pretty good proposition so Dad. did quite a stake of business if he didn't get to church. Dick and I drove down soon after dinner and Marj. and I went <s>with</s> for a a cutter ride and had a nice time although the roads were pretty drifted in spots, and a cold west wind but sunny and nice when the wind was in our back. To-night I walked down to church and after church Marj. and I went to hear Miss Templeton Armstrong from Port Rowan speak at the recruiting meeting. I didn't think much of her speech and much less of her looks, her hair was cut off short and she took her hat off to speak. Dad. says Uncle Massey used to call her the he-she and it certainly suited her. Frank came down to hear her and I went down to Aunty's on my way home and Frank was there so we came home to-gether. Monday March 6th I drove the boys down town this morning and took Frank around to Faulkner's to get his geese, he had quite a time finding him but did at last and I brought the geese home while he went on to school where he would be very late. When I got home I hooked Joe to the cutter and drove Enah down to see if Mrs. McBride would come over to-night and look after Tid if we all went to the concert. Mrs. McBride was at the Stamps, she could come and said she would while Enah was there and in seeing her mother for a few minutes I put Joe in the Methodist church shed and went over to see Harry Ansley about the Clydesdale mare. Tiny let me in and I talked to her for a quite awhile before I asked for her father and then I found he wasn't in so I went down to the fish shanties https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a8f3ffc856cddc34dc597c4bd7079241.pdf 2c34639d6087fd35b28a64fbf2784b38 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and all over town but couldn't find him so got Joe and started for Enah when I saw him with Huby, he went up with me and showed me the mare and told me we could either buy her now for $120.00 which is the price he paid for her or we could bring her over and let her raise her colt and sell her in the fall and share the profits so I told him we would get her soon, I got Enah down at Aunty's and we got home about noon. Tupper came after Dad. right after dinner to see a cow so I did up the chores and about five o clock drove down and got Mrs. McBride. To-night Dad. Enah and I drove down to the concert given by Zeitha Barwell, Miss Prest and Miss Martin and it was certainly worth hearing rather high toned an classical maybe for most of us but enjoyable nevertheless. It has been a very stormy and disagreeable day Strong east wind and a blinding snow storm this morning afterwards turning to rain and freezing. It was still raining when we got home but had got much milder and the ice was dropping off the trees and making a great row. We saw several vivid flashes of lightening while the concert was in progress and Mrs. McBride said that they heard thunder plainly over here. She stayed all night but hadnt gone to bed when we got home. Tuesday March 7th We did chores up this morning and about eleven I went over to shovell out a track at the top of the hill at the cut on the side road, as Charlie Butler told me yesterday that it ought to be done, and it was too windy and drifting to do it yesterday but when I got over there this morning it was all done. Dad. husked a little corn while I was there. This after noon I cleaned out the dropping boards in the chicken house as they have not been cleaned out for quite awhile on account of the frost. Al. Faulkner came over this after noon and brought over another goose for Frank. To-night, Frank and I drove down town in the bobsleighs to take a load of schoolkids down to Dave Ward's, Olive Ward asked Frank if he could get me to take them down and said Marj. was going too but when we got there they said that they had seen Marj. a little while before going to the doctor's about her neck and couldn't go, so as I didn't know what could be the matter with her, I was a little anxious to know and as I wasn't very keen on going with the kids anyway I excused myself and went up and spent the evening with Marj. she wasn't in a very serious condition but had a stiff neck. Frank took charge of trhe load and got back between three https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6bdc5a70dd2c1a4ea63e96b41d8033c4.pdf 5f60abe89f2446af3a05a5bb0441257b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and four o'clock, he said they had a great time down there dancing till twelve o'clock but not later as it was then Lent. The sleighing was poor but they had no accidents I heard to-night that Jack Martin has bought Vyse out. Sunny, but windy to-day quite a snow storm to night about midnight, but Frank and his pals missed it. Wednesday March 9th This morning Dad. and I drove down town and took the baby and we got Joe shod in at Bert Greenbury's who has started up in Butler's old stand. Aunty and Aunty Alice were at church as this is Ash Wednesday, but weren't long and Dad. stayed there with the baby till they got back. I took the buggy {illegible} down and we looked at the arms of Harry Ansley's buggy which is out in the barn down there, it looks as if it had been painted twice but is in pretty good shape, I got Joe out of the shop at noon and Dad. and I went up town found Harry Ansley at the post office and took him up with us and got his mare and brought her over. We left the baby down there to dinner. This after noon we did chores and about four o'clock drove down after the baby He wasn't at all anxious to come home. Frank was down at Aunty's and he and I went up and <s>got the</s> posted a letter of Enah's. Frank got a sheet to night showing a system of keeping Farm accounts as arranged by a Mr. Stark District Representative for Peel Co. we saw an account of it in an old number of the Farmer's Advocate so Frank wrote to him the other day. It seems like a very simple yet efficient system and only single entry. I spent the evening pasting snapshots in my album. Sunny but quite cold all day and very blizzardy to-night. Thursday March 10th Frank stayed home from school to-day to help us move some hay from the big barn, we did chores this morning and got a pretty good sized load over to the horse stable before dinner, and this after noon got another over to the old barn for the cattle, we had to get the chores done early to-night as we all went over to Quanbury's to tea at six oclock we had a great tea, but Dad. had to leave right after to attend a meeting to arrange for a reunion of all Mr. Smith's old pupils on the first of July. Enah, Frank the baby and I stayed till about half past nine and then Art drove us home as it was a fierce night. Billy {Falcon?} was in to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5491281332846feaba4a38c5acd4c4b1.pdf ddcc2139f7ea916a25040d0f7f18b887 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. see Dad this morning about a sick cow and Norman Holden came to get a dose for George's horse. To-night Charlie Butler tracked him over to Quanbury's to see about a sick cow, there is an awful lot of trouble among the cattle this year for some reason or other. This after noon Frank and I took Martin's sleighs back and got our own with Quanbury's rack on it as we had intended going to Port Rowan to-morrow but to-night it is the worst blizzard of the season, and a lot of snow fallen, so the drifts will be too bad to go through to-morrow and get back the same day as we want to. Dick walked home to-night and so did Dad. Dick said the drifts were as high as his waist down by Chris Quanbury's. Cold wind but sunny all day. Friday March 11th It was very evident this morning that we could not go to Port Rowan to-day so Frank went to school, he was going to stay home and do chores if we went. I spent most of the morning shovelling out paths through the drifts and cleaning out the stable. Dad. walked down town after he got the morning chores done and stayed at Aunty's for dinner, he shovelled all their snow for them. He wanted to find out more particulars about the financial state of the church. Jack Martin told him last night that they were about five hundred dollars in debt and that several members of the congregation had said they would not help to clear it unless there was a change made {illegible}. Dad. told Jack he didn't see how he could do much and didn't feel in duty bound to any way as he has kept up his share in the collection envelope. This after noon I cleaned out the incubator and got it in place ready to start down cellar. To-night I went down to see Marj. but found she had gone to Nanticoke to stay till Sunday night. I wasn't very surprised because I knew she had been intending to go these last two Friday nights. I went up to Huby's for most of the evening Aunty Maude and Lila were the only ones home, they didn't know where Huby was and Win was over the hill she came in before I left. They got cards from Quint yesterday saying he had left the mill and was now in New York and to expect him home soon. They are all very sorry he has left the mill especially now that Jack is not https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/721ca1b6016c75275fe57963a6846b6f.pdf a5d481c52aaceb0b0870f35017a89d6f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. at home. They can't think of any reason unless he has just got mad at some body. We thought {illegible} was coming home to enlist and Huby hopes that is the reason, he hinted at it in one of his cards. To-days war news is a little better. The French have checked the German advance in places and and made an advance themselves in one place but I think it is just about nip & tuck yet. Every one seems to think that this battle is going to be the turning point of the war for the victors. Nice day. Saturday March 11th Dad. and Frank shovelled out the lane this morning and I went over to Jack Martin's and got them to put my incubator thermometer in one of their machines to test it. Then I went down to the Quanbury's and got a bag of white carrots as Dad. wants to see if he can tempt Jim into eating one, but she just took a few bites and then wouldn't look at it. This after noon we hooked Queen and Harry up and went down town and got some oil and turpentine for Jim and also the mail. To-night I was out in the chicken house putting crude oil on the old hens legs for scaly leg when Colin Ryerse came past and called my attintion to a big fire in the west, we thought it looked about at Tom Myers or Wess Baughner's so started up to it, when we got to the mill it looked as if it was at Colin McNellige's so we started up the track, we soon could see it was still farther on but as it looked straight ahead on the track and we knew it wasn't over the top of the big hill we thought it must be some where in Doan's Hollow, but when we got there it looked just as far away as ever but we thought since we had tramped that far we would find out where the fire was if we had to go to Simcoe, so we did and reached our journey's end at Lynn Valley where we found Edmond's old mill burned to the ground, the walls had all fallen but there was a big blaze yet and quite a crowd around it. It seems they think it caught from overheated machinery as they had been working late chopping alfalfa meal, they had a carload of bluegrass all ready to ship so it was a big loss for Edmonds and they say the fellow that ran it, Graham, lost every thing he had. They say it wasnt discovered till the flames burst through the roof and when Graham pushed open the door down stairs the flames shot out in his face so it must have gone up like tinder. It made an awful blaze and could be https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c3d8a420b435b6bf4b5659f2f99a91df.pdf ef4e694bf8b5a77608e67d12ca8ff5ec PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. seen for miles, as far as Nanticoke, and it was in the hollow too, three Dover kids drove in with one of Faulkner's horses after we got there and were about frozen, they had driven all over the country trying to get to it and couldn't locate it from the roads, we hung around for half an hour and as we didn't see any chance of a ride back we hit the track again. Colin was invited to stay all night with his cousins but he didn't know what his folks would think so came back with us, we got home just about twelve and as it was a little after eight when we left home we didn't make bad time, we went up in about an hour and a half. They were up when we got home and Dick informed us that the fire was at Sutton's mill in Simcoe, but we enlightened them on that point. It has been sunny and soft all day but a raw wind. Clear, frosty and moon light to-night lovely for walking. Sunday March12th Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad Enah and the baby went down to church, this was the first trip for the baby to church since he was christened and was just an experiment. I was sure they wouldn't be able to keep him quiet for ten minutes but Dad. said he couldn't have been better, the soldiers were in church and Mr. Herbert preached, he has enlisted as a chaplin and is going to speak at the recruiting meeting to-night. Aunty Alice came over to dinner with them and was here all the after noon. I didn't go down town this after noon, but Dick did and Frank went down to Ryerse's to see the ferret that Colin bought at Bill George's sale. We had an early tea and Frank drove Aunty Alice and me down and I went to church. I spent the evening up at the Bagley's. Marj's cousins the Doughty's brought her home before tea and they had all just got home from church when I got there. I stopped in at Aunty's on my way home and got three pieces of cake and Uncle Hal's big coon skin coat as we intend to go to Port Rowan in the morning. I wore it home over my other one and nearly cooked as it was a very warm night. It has been getting milder all day and was raining for awhile to-night. Monday March 13th We all got up fairly early this morning and Dad and I got started soon after seven for Port Rowan https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ca54587b2d6edff91ac889b7cad2d8ef.pdf d5b6bdde6df7ba408bac4ad85cab7d9c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. with Harry and Joe. It froze a little during the night and there was a slight North west wind but the roads were grand, we couldn't have chosen a better day to go, the sun was hot and coming home the snow was pretty well off the roads in places, so we took longer to get back but went up in about three hours, we got our load on before noon and had our dinner over at Mr. Pete Backhouses Clara was sick in bed, we got a dandy great big walnut bureau and a heavy walnut washstand besides a smaller washstand also walnut but with two big holes cut in the top of it for basins, the first too Aunty Ida gave to Dad and also a bedstead supposed to be walnut. The bureau is the best of the lot hard built and built as solid as a house and walnut right through except the back, the only trouble is everything is varnished. We unloaded it after tea Art & Charlie Quanbury came in for awhile, they had been out to the farm with a load of manure. Frank went down to a travelling show that struck town called "The man from Canada". I went to bed fairly early as I was inclined to be tired. Tuesday March 14th Glen Ryerse came this morning about half past ten, we had begun to think he wasn't coming but he did and got the old shed all jacked up and in place by about four o'clock, it wasn't nearly the job to get the ends of the rafters on the purlin plate that we thought it would be when we raised the front posts Glen just pryed the ends of the rafters up and as the front raised the rafters slid in on the plate. The middle rafters didnt meet on the plate but Glen said if we raised the middle of the shed till they did meet there would be a hump in the shed roof the same as is in the barn roof and would look bad, the hump in the barn roof being caused by the corner posts rotting and settling. Frank stayed home from school and we could have got along without any extra help but I had told Art Quanbury to come over after dinner so he came, he had to tell Jack that Glen was going out to his own place to get off as he was very busy <s>Jack</s> Chris being sick. Art and I nailed pockets on the two rafters over the purlin plate so that they can't spread again so easily. Glen got through about four https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a2a39ddb5fa0513632a2d9ce483f2b0f.pdf ca61ed8f6a1c2182d97490f29d1fee75 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and just charged two dollars. Cloudy & cold east wind. Wednesday March 15th This has been a very rough day high cold east wind and snow I drove the boys down this morning and went down and shovelled Aunty's snow, they were just getting up when I got there so I had some breakfast with them as I was cold. I didn't do much the rest of the day but sat around and read or sleep. I put a new wick in the incubator lamp and lit it but I wont put the eggs in till it gets going all right. Dad & Enah have been working most of the day and all evening at getting the names out of Mr. Smith's old registers that Huby sent over, they were at it last evening too. To-night I went down to see Marj. The wind had gone down and it was a lovely moonlight night but cold. Thursday March 16th This morning we took a load of Aunt Ida's stuff that we brought from Port Rowan down with us, down to her, and it was noon when we left there as we were late getting started, we stopped in at Quanbury's on our way home and took their rack off and put on our own waggon box which has been there since the first trip to Port Rowan. Just as we got through dinner who should come along but Mr. Blaikie so he was here all the after noon and part of the evening but wouldnt stay all night, he came up to Alfred's on Tuesday, he was more than loaded with conversation and entertained us with his experiences in the peach country. We just did chores and visited with him all day although we should have gone to the mill. Blaikie wants us to take some of his boxes down to the train to-morrow as he is going to take some to Hamilton He is tired of the city and knocking around and says he is going to have a little place of his own before next winter. Frank went down town to tea to-night at Aunty's. Dad. was to have gone and gone to a meeting of the Mr. Smith reunion committee but as Blaikie was here and he didn't have the names all out he didn't go. Quint was to have come home to-night but didn't arrive. Aunty Alice intends to go to Toronto on Saturday to stay with Roy for a week. Vernon has been up in Brantford with Miss. Very sunny but raw wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/48d1ce1b588d85b62111a1cc67f8c94b.pdf ede9f981c98486de288540e22da50439 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday March 17th {Wee sketch of 2 shamrocks} It froze hard last night and has been very cold and raw all day though sunny. They say it was down to zero last night. We didn't do much this morning. I killed a chicken and Dad. plucked it for Aunty Alice to take to Roy if she goes to-morrow. I took four dozen eggs over to Jack Martin's. This after noon Dad. and I sacked up six bags of barley and oats and took them down to the mill and then went on down town and got a load of coal. We got back about four and I helped Dad. unload it and then got ready and went down to the St. Patrick's tea they had in the Methodist church, it was a dandy tea but the church was very cold so when we had tea I went home with Marj and waited for about an hour till the entertainment commenced and then we went back to the church. Marj. and Essie both took their knitting, but Essie had to accompany most of the performances. The church was cold as they can't get any gas the last few days but it didn't last long. I stayed down at Aunty Alice's to-night to help her get off in the morning. I wasn't very late going down but she and Aunt Ida had gone to bed but Aunty was sitting up. Saturday March 18th I went to the station this morning with Aunty Alice and she got off safely, we got nearly to the station when she remembered a box of eggs she was going to take to Roy so I had to hike back after them but I got them in time. I went right home and saw a poor little robin on the hill, it is the first one I have heard of this year and it looked about frozen, as it went down to ten below zero last night. Ever since that night on my way home I had been hatching a plot to go to Simcoe to skate to-night as the girls told me Bill Marchington was up and I thought it would be a g ood chance to get even on him for his trip, so I told Dad. and he suggested that I drive Dick down and then make arrangements for my load. I went to the Bagley's first and as Essie and Marj. seemed to favor the idea I was naturally very disappointed when I went over to the Smith's and Nellie told me that Bill had to go home to-night, and she wouldn't go if he didn't, he wasn't up yet. As I had got so far I thought I had better keep on with the load so Marj. suggested I ask May & Johnnie and three more boys. May & Johnnie jumped at the chance to go but I had an awful time finding any boys who were game https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b38af6d177ca9ff49288550ecae22733.pdf be389f8342719c764ec748f4f07ccd36 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I thought I could get Clark in the bank easily but he said he had been out every night so far this week & didn't want to go, and Dick didn't and Hazen didn't. I got Dick to telephone Woodyer and he said he'd go and then I got Milton Cruise and let it go at that. I got a hundred of sugar and came home. I didn't do much this after noon Charlie Quanbury came over and said old Jonas had telephoned Jack Martin last night to have Dad. go up there and see Nellie & the colt, they are both down and he doesn't know what to do. Dad did intend to get some hay over, but thought he had better go up and see Jonas and then some thing happened that we didn't get started in time and it wound up with Dad. & Frank going down town in the bobsleighs with Harry & the new mare and getting the mail and hauling enough hay over on the waggon box for tonight. Norman Holden came over about five o'clock to get a boll for his horse. Frank & I got started a little late for Simcoe but didn't have to wait at all in town as the load was all ready at the Bagley's when we got there. It wasn't a very nice night going up as it was snowing but wasn't a bit cold. We got up about half past eight and had an hour and a half's good skating as the ice was in good shape and then had a little supper before we came home, we got home about half past twelve and they said they had a good time. Frank drove up and I drove home. Frank stayed down town all night at Aunty's as she promised Aunty Alice she would have one of us stay every night. Dick was at the bank when we drove past and came home with me. There was a mince pie on the table and some cocoa that Enah had fixed so I had a cup of cocoa and some pie and Dick half the pie. Sunday March 19th I would have gone to Sunday school this morning but didn't feel very well after breakfast and sat around till I was almost too late to get ready for church, however I did get ready. John Wess & Lloyd Crysler came in for a few minutes John Wess wants Dad. to go over and have a look at Mildred who has lymphangites again. They left in time for Dad. to drive Enah & me down, Dad. took the baby with us and they came back home. I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and all the after noon and evening at the Bagley's. Mr. & Mrs. Bagley were out in Townsend visiting and hadn't got back at ten o'clock when I left. Essie & Marj. made https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/775d6355fb069ed3fe61245cbf0807fb.pdf dd293112459b504c41a8d8d920b5ccfc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. some candy this after noon to send to a friend of Essie's George Hunter who is in the trenches, that took a good part of the after noon as we had to crack nuts for it, but we went for a short walk. I stayed to tea and we all went to church or churches. Mr. Tarney brought in ours and was going to speak at the recruiting meeting afterwards we didn't go but went home and washed dishes instead. Quint came home yesterday noon he had been in Buffalo and Detroit; no-one seems to know why he left the mill unless it is that he just got tired of it. He and Huby went to Simcoe this after noon to see Alex McCall and interview him on the subject of enlisting. I guess Quint will enlist all right as Huby is very anxious to have him. Dad. was going up to old Jona's this after noon but Jim Waddle came over and he didn't get. He went over to John Wess' about five o'clock. Dick stayed with Aunty to-night. Monday March 20th Dad. went up to Jona's first thing this morning and left Frank and me to do chores, we hooked up old Harry & Nellie to the bobsleighs and cleaned out the box stall into the sleighs and hauled it out to the old garden we had about two loads in it and the stable and it took us till noon. When Dad. got home he said Jonas was going to lose Nellie and the colt he was sure as they were in awful shape, they were both down and Nellie had batted herself all to pieces trying to get up, nothing wrong with them but starvation, right after dinner Blaikie came along with his brother-in-law, Jim Andrews from Tyrell, he has been out there the last few days & thought it was too cold to monkey with his stuff but to-day they had the bobsleighs and he loaded it all on them and took it out there where he will sort it and leave it till he wants it. He had a good big sleigh load but it wasn't very heavy. Dad. & Frank and I had quite an argument about Blaikie's two chests, he had a big red one in behind the chimney with rope handle on it and a little green one that he had his tools in and which has allways been open and stood in front of the window and near the head of the stairs. He told us it was the chest his father had brought from Scotland in 1830 and they both say he said it was the other one. By the time tney got their load on and got started it was after three o'clock so we just had time to put on about https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f7ab98b644f95ffff5223fda925df436.pdf 3ce045d3413b72324ee321a712c49a45 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. half a load of hay and haul it to the horse stable and a little jag for the cows. To-night Dad. went down to the Mr. Smith's reunion committee meeting and Frank was down and stayed all night at Aunty's. Dick came home to-night but will have to start sleeping at the bank now as Hazen is to leave for Ottawa to-morrow night. It has been much milder to-day. Tuesday March 21st Art Quanbury came after Dad. this morning first thing to go and help him and Glen get their Art's barn jacked up ready to move and Dad. has been over there all day and says they are not through yet. Tupper helped them this after noon. It's the old barn in the lane on Tupper's place and Art bought it and is going to have Glen move it over on to his place. Frank came home instead of going to school and he and I have hauled three loads of wood from Carpenter's to-day besides doing chores. Dad. spoke to Carpenter yesterday about getting this wood. It is mostly body wood cut two years ago and piled up near the house. It is 16 inches long and $1.75 a cord when we haul it. We had the big new mare who answers pretty well to Nellie and Harry and she goes fine, steps right along the road without urging and is as quiet and gentle as a kitten but we have almost come to the conclusion juging from her looks and to-day and yesterday from her actions that she is not in foal, but she may be. Frank set some rat traps up in the pig pen last night and this morning Dad. found poor old Tits {illegible} in two of them by a front leg and her tail, we don't know whether her leg is broken or not. Enah took the baby in his sleigh down town this after noon and got the mail. Sam Law was in and got a bag of potatoes, he thinks now they will go down on John Watt's place. Aleta McBride was over here all day working. Very soft and cloudy all day & to-night. Wednesday March 22nd We were rather surprised this morning after yesterday's nice day to find it winter again this morning, but it was snowing and blowing and pretty cold. Art. didn't call for Dad. and we didn't haul any wood. We just did chores and Frank and Dad took down our bed and put up the walnut one instead which we got in Port Rowan. I took some more https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/24e63f90d1971969478c350166ad1031.pdf aee1eb5dbc1bf76153e490e7d85849bf PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. eggs over to Jack Martin's and asked Chris what was wrong with the incubator that I couldn't get it heating up and what made the flame go down Chris couldn't think of any thing but poor ventilation or poor oil and suggested that I clean the lamp out well and put fresh oil in, this I did when I got home and boiled the burner and put in fresh wick. This after noon Dad and Frank built a pen over in the barn for the ewes to lamb in and I put the saddle on Ginger and went down and got the mail, she went fine too. To-night Lloyd Ryerse brought over a note for me from Miss Walker inviting me down there to spend the evening so I went down early and went to church and then called for Essie & Marj. Nellie Smith went up with us, we had a very pleasant evening playing Pit and indulging in other forms of Methodist sport. Will {Currie?} was the only other one there and the three Walker girls. I stayd down at Aunty's to-night and it was about one o'clock when I got in. It had cleared off to night and was moonlight but very frosty. Thursday March 23rd Dick came down to Aunty's for breakfast this morning and she gave him his lunch. Hazen left on Tuesday for Ottawa where Nicholson is and so Dick has to sleep at the bank now. I came home right after breakfast but Dad. had gone with Art Quanbury. Frank and I went up after another load of wood, we are going to pile it home now and then measure it so as we can pile the box up with as much as it will hold and wont have to figure on each individual load. We got home in time to do most of the chores before dinner and got an early start after dinner, however we hauled all that was up there in one big load, there was a pile of apple wood freshly cut at one end, but we left it and and just took the two year old beech, it took us longer to get this load on as the bottom layer was frozen in and had to be knocked out with an axe, we didn't unload the load when we got home but piled a lot of what we had hauled. Enah and the baby went down town before we got back and were down all the after noon. Dad. got home about six and said they had got through or at least he had, he told Art. that we couldnt put a team on to help draw the building as we didn't have one that could draw, but he can get lots. Raw wind but sunny https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f0414a0a03147a7bef6ba9e0bec9474e.pdf 9c9ee8ba404c13a0deebb8e39b383ab9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday March 24th Frank got started this morning about nine o'clock to the Street Fair in Simcoe, it is the second one they have had, he took up the young gobbler and a turkey hen, he didn't get back till after five to-night. He sold the turkeys but could only sell them by the pound and just got $5.45 for them but it was the best he could do, he said there was quite a little bit of stock there but none of it went very high; he said there weren't many buyers. Dad. and I just did chores and piled some more of the wood. This after noon Dad. cleaned out the hog pen, the little pigs root the boards in the floor of their upstairs sleeping apartmens up and drop through into Glady's pen and then she goes for them This morning Harry Ansley and {Name?} Brock came over with a couple of horses which Harry wanted to hook up, one was a little mare so stiff she could hardly go he hooked them up to the bobsleighs and drove around the block with them. Alan Law came after Dad. just before dinner to get him to look at old Ned. who Alan said was {illegible} to death but Dad. said he couldn't see any thing the matter with him. Mrs. James and & Mrs. McCarter drove Dave Waddle's horse over here this after noon. I set my incubator to-day it seems to be going all right now. To-night I went down and got my hair cut and went up to see Marj. Glen Ryerse was telling Dad. yesterday that Tommy Jackson had sold his farm to Frank Ryerse. Sunny & mild to-day. Saturday March 25th This morning Dad. & Frank went down and cut down the trunk of the old locust tree and logged it up. I did chores and about noon took Harry & Nellie and went down after them and the wood. This after noon Frank and I went over to Vyse's sale and were there all the after noon. There was a good crowd and things went pretty well. I was going to look at the harness but it sold for $35. which is about ten dollars more than he paid for it about ten years ago, the cows went about as reasonably as any thing and they each had a calf last night. Jack Martin bought the red & white one for $82 and I think it was Geordie Boughner paid $90 for the black and white one. George Crosbie paid $152 for the old mare and young Powell gave $104 for the four year old filly which was all she was worth. Eliner Atkinson got Stan. the five year old for $70. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ae1e3b0ccec2b16ecb2c06b1a0844025.pdf 8b79ea4cc0bd7fde4717d27c64ab59e5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. He is the one Vyse was advertising in the Simcoe Reformer last year as a Sensation but they took care not to mention his breeding to-day as there were too many there that know he is out of the little Postmaster horse that Stan William's used to have. Tupper was there and we came home with him. To-night Dad. & I drove down to see Aunty Alice who came home to-night. Enah and the baby were down there so Dad. drove them home. The baby was invited to an "At Home" at John Harris Buck's this after noon. Quint was down there and I stood at Alan's corner for about an hour talking to him. He has signed up <s>and is going on duty</s> first has to go to Toronto for a day or so before <s>before</s> he goes on duty. Very soft, snow has gone off a lot. Sunday March 26th I got around in time to go to Sunday school with Frank this morning and so of course went to church. Quint & Dick were both in church and they came over to dinner I waited for them and we three came down town about three o'clock. Quint and I took a walk up Main St. and met Marj. & Glad Law so I went around to the house with Marj for a little while and then came home to tea. I had to come home to tend to my incubator, it doesn't seem to be running so evenly this time for some reason or other. I don't know what is the matter unless it is the oil. I went down town again after tea but wasn't in time for church. Marj. Glad Law & I went to the recruiting meeting after church. Dr. Jacques spoke and spoke well. I saw Sam Ja ques in uniform to-night This has been the first Spring day we have had and the snow is nearly all gone off the roads looks rainy to-night. Monday March 27th Spent most of the morning cleaning out the stable and the chicken house. I didn't work very fast nor do very much all day, I think owing to the fact that I have been suffering from a mild attack of Spring fever. This after noon I took a meander through Ivey's place and around the orchard on Frank Odd's place. When I got home I went down town and got some coal oil. Dad. piled the rest of the wood and threw some of the sawdust into the ice house. To-night we set three hens. Quint left for Toronto to-night, he has to go through an operation for rupture before he https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f76e2bfa87020fbcfe444d253bf8c292.pdf 44be248f163fbc7be58a1f39cbeb6bc8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. can be enlisted. He never said any thing about it to any one of the family, he told me on Saturday but told me not to say any thing about it so when Art Quanbury told Dad. to-night that Quint had told Charlie about it he was very surprised. Every thing is flooded to-day a very great deal of snow has gone off and it has rained two or three times, the roads all fierce for either sleighs or wheels. Tuesday March 28th It rained most of the morning so we didn't do much but just the chores and just before dinner we husked a little corn, we sat around for quite awhile after dinner while Dad. was reading from James Whitcomb Riley. I drove Enah down to the annual meeting of the Women's Auxillary about three o'clock and had to turn around and go after her again almost as soon as I got home, the roads are so bad, Joe couldn't go off a walk. Dad. & I took the top of the buggy and it makes it look queer but it was in bad shape. The first lamb of the season arrived last night some time and was all right out there this morning, he is a ram and belongs to 117 I think. Very mild but not sunny snow going fast. Wednesday March 29th This has been a real Spring day. Sunny and very mild, too mild to wear a coat or sweater and mud & water every where you look, the snow is nearly all gone except where there are drifts. After I did chores I spent most of the morning wheeling my compost heap down south of the well where it is low. This after noon Dad and I husked some corn. Dad. also put the saddle on Queen and I rode<s>r</s> her down the road a little way, just to give her a little exercise and to get her used to the bridle, she didn't do so badly at all. Frank Crysler was in for awhile to ask Dad. about a bad winded horse and Dad. told him he would go over to-morrow. To-night Frank & I walked down town and Marj. & I went to the soldier's concert. The hall was packed full and Jim Much and two McDonald girls had our seats and couldn't be induced to move. I stood there about five minutes trying to make {Sublimy?} Brock who was usher get me my proper seats and had a stream of humanity from the centre isle to the door blocked but as I saw they wouldnt move with out my creating conspicuous and unseemly disturbance https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/74c1be15b919e04ae078a03851825db5.pdf ce8795c1cad0830c338bb8cdba41ff37 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. we took their seats at the other end of the row. The concert wasn't bad at all. It was mostly of a vaudeville minstrel show nature, which neither Marj. nor I are particularly fond of but still it was good for its class and fairly decent. Lieutennant Doughty & Sh<s>a</s>rgeant Hawking were blacked up and did a good share of the entertaining. Jock Watt danced a Highland Reel accompanied by some other fellow and the music for them was furnished by Waddel with a Harmonica or what ever they call those things they pull in and out like bellows. Jock was dressed in kilts and looked very "cute" especially in some of the twirly whirl parts of his dance. In those actions it might have been deemed an improvement by a few folks if he had had a pair of some sort of pants on but I think it held the attention of the public better as it was as they didn't want to miss seeing everything The most remarkable performer of the evening was Pte. Glover, the Strong man, who I believe comes from Port Rowan and is a private in the 133rd. He would have done very well for a performance at Shea's and when one considers that he comes from so near home and it isn't his regular business, he was to say the least a surprise. First of all he took a quarter inch iron rod about eighteen inches long and took it in his teeth with a handkerchief around it and then pulled down on each end with each hand till it was bent to nearly a right angle, he then took similar rods and smote them on the muscles of his extended forearm till they burst at a slight angle. He next drove a five or an eight inch spike into a saw bench and got half a dozen of the boys to hold the bench while he wrapped a handkerchief around the head of it and took it in his front teeth and bent it back wards & fore wards till he broke it off, all these things he would throw into the audience to prove that they were genuine. He took Sid Stass and put him in a chair lifted him up and held Sid, chair, and all with his teeth by the back rung of the chair, the best part of that was to see poor Sid. turn pale green. He was so scared his knees shook and he certainly looked pleased to get safely down to land. His teeth and jaws weren't the only strong parts with him as he did all kinds of other stunts, such as lying down on his back and <s>raising</s> rising to his feet https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6c79622c10fc54c589971ff9eb5c0613.pdf e7b683ae939d30c34be07cedf977e32d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. with Billy Boughner standing in the palms of his hands and then getting down again and lying with his head on one chair and his feet on another and making his abdomen rigid enough for as many of the soldiers as there was room for from his head to his feet to stand on him. The last item on the programme and the one that proved about the most interesting was a recruiting rally. Mrs. Lamb a returned nurse gave us a good account of her experiences at the front and then made a very stirring appeal for more men using some extremely foolish arguments in favor of them leaving things here to go to a financial smash up and enlist to save Canada from the ravages of the Huns. Of course it sounds all right, but it would sound much better if they would mix up reason with sentiment. Major Innes from Simcoe then spoke and said he was going to ask Mrs. Lamb to get them twenty five men to-night, so she started by telling them she would knit a pair of socks for every man who enlisted to-night and said "Now who'll come up here." In a very short time there were about fifteen men on the stage but a strange feature of it was that with the exception of George Holden and {illegible} Paton fellow, no one seemed to know any of them so it looked as if there had been a little trouble taken beforehand to prepare the act. The soldiers went all through the hall trying to induce us, "safety first, home guard civilians." One fellow asked me if I wouldn't don a uniform and I told him I wanted to be sure there would be some fighting before I enlisted, as that is what they all say now that these fellows will never get over there before peace is made. Dick & Dess were up in the gallery and Frank said some drunken bum of a soldier was up there launching a terrible volley of abuse on poor old Dick, calling him a coward and saying he couldn't go because his girl wouldn't let him. Dick of course couldn't do any thing up there but I guess he felt like doing him up. Dick and I would both have gone two or three months ago and were eager to if Dad. had just said the word, but as he was so dead against it and as we were by no means a drag on the country and in fact were just a little <s>in</s> doubtful<s>l</s> whether we weren't doing as much good at home as in the trenches, we didn't feel it our duty to go, and now, when things are beginning to look as if the German's strength was failing and the end of the war in sight, the idea of weakening Canada's already sickly financial condition by enlisting and bum around for https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b056f3a949693c9e09ce0a0a5d4d829a.pdf 9f5bee42f3e9ca9cd284cae5fee8c14b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. about ten months and never get a poke at the Germans does not appeal to me in the least. If on the other hand the Kaiser should get a new lease of life by smashing the Verdun forts and breaking his way through to and entering Paris, then I will enlist right away, because I believe that in that case the British Empire will be nearer destruction than she has been for many years and it will be high time for every British subject to drop personal welfare and forget National finances and fight or help fight for all that is in them to save Britain from Germany and the devil. However I don't think Willie will ever see the inside of Paris with his army at his back because they have been hammering at Verdun now for over a month I believe and have had about 100,000 men slaughtered and are still on the outside looking in and Verdun is a long way from Paris and there are several fortified nuts to crack between the two. Thursday March 30th We hitched Queen and Joe up this morning and went out to Frank Crysler's. Queen went fine most of the way but got a little frightened going down the hill out here on the side road and nearly put us in the ditch, the roads were fierce and the frost is nearly out in places. Frank Crysler's mare was certainly in awful shape, she makes a terrible noise when she breathes hard and he let her out in the yard and chased her so that she would breathe hard just to show Dad. and it was awful the distress she showed and Dad. said she bled at the nose. Frank Crysler said Burt. told him that he thought there was a growth at the end of the windpipe, but Dad. looked at it with the speculum but he couldn't see any growth, what he thinks is the matter is caused by an incision they made in the windpipe last fall to put in a tracheaotmy tube when she had distemper healing and the edges of the cut turning in and blocking up the windpipe This after noon Dad. went out and opened up a ditch out of the barley stubble and I did chores. Vail the assesor was in this morning and raised the assessment about $100. Dad is pretty sore about it, but Vail said it was Hammond's fault, he was on the committe for putting a value on the land and he had charge of this part of Woodhouse and he valued all these farms at forty https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/86203950c7ea8b1f1beb536073cd9648.pdf c32256dfa7076efbee1c45a4ccf06bbc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. dollars an acre. Dad. doesn't want to say that John Wess isn't assessed big enough but his land is certainly worth more to the acre than ours is as it is all cleared {illegible} hills. Vail made it thirty seven dollars an acre I think. It has been another lovely Spring day, with lots of mud but sunny. Friday March 30th This <s>after noon</s> morning after I got the chores done I started to paint my colony house. I got one end and most of the back done before dinner. Aunty Alice was over for a little while and to dinner. This after noon Dad. and I went down to John Watts sale we got a ride down and back with Charlie Quanbury, the roads were awful we all had to walk up Monteith's hill and Charlie had the team and little light democrat. There wasn't such an awful crowd there and things didn't go especially high. It was a nice day but the sale was over by about four o'clock. Johnny Loan has sold out and enlisted and Erny Hinds of Nanticoke has sold out and every body supposes he has enlisted. Young Lee Boughner has enlisted and left his Dad with two farms on his hands and no man. Lee said he couldn't stand it any longer he couldn't go to town without them getting after him. To-night I went down to see Marj. for a little while. Another beautiful Spring day. Saturday April 1st It has rained off and on all day and we haven't done much but chores. I went over to Jack Martin's and got an inside hover that he wasnt using. He thought it would work better than my outside brooder. I was over there quite awhile poking around. Charlie Quanbury is quitting to-day and Jack's new man came, he is gping to live in Brirely's house and Brirely is going to move into Vyse's house. While I was gone Dad. & Frank sacked up some barley and Frank and I took it down to the mill this afternoon, we went up to Bert Thompson's and got an incubator of Art Quanbury's which Bert had but wasn't using and while Art said I might use. It is an Essex 70 egg machine. Huby and Lila came over just as we were taking the team off and they stayed till it was time to do the night chores. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b6989f7efc5d24504ed44098c03eff2c.pdf faa6bb61c7484d20fc732d2c4e97ec07 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Huby said that Larry Skey had telephone up to say that Quint had gone through his operation all right and was doing fine, the doctors said he was one of the finest specimens they had operated on for some time, and they do a lot of them. There are two fellows from Simcoe right next to Quint going through the same thing, the Government pays all their expenses. To-night Sid Marsh came after Dad. to go and see a mare of Carpenter's which foaled this after noon, but something had gone wrong with her and she died while Dad. was up there. Rainy & raw. Sunday April 2nd I got ready to go to Sunday school this morning but found I was late so didn't go but went down to church We all went to church even the baby and he was very good. Aunty came back with us and Dick was here when we got home. He slept too late to get to church. It was the first time we had seen him since last Sunday. He and I went down town again soon after dinner. Marj., Glad Law and I went for a walk around the hill. I came home to tea and went down again afterwards but didn't go to church. They didn't have any recruiting meeting to-night. Marj. & I went up with Glad Law to her place for a little while. I went down to Aunty's for a little while and came home early. Aunty expects to go to London to-morrow to attend the annual meeting of the W.A. Mr. Carson the canning factory manager died this morning he was only sick about a week. They had high jinks down town last night old Bill Caley got on a tear and wanted to lick every body in town and they had to put him in the lockup after he had smashed Bobby Leany's window Mrs. Caley told them to run him in and Jimmy helped, it took four or five of them to handle him. When I went out this morning I found another buck lamb belonging to Dad's yearling ewe. Very nice day. Monday April 3rd Old Splitear presented us with a pair of twins this morning. She is the first ewe to have twin lambs We spent a good part of the morning choring around I painted some more of the colony house this <s>afternoon</s> morning and finished it this afternoon. I didn't use all the paint so I put the rest on the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/923f46582a7052082a9c1921bf16eaf3.pdf f31b3e83fdfbb2b8129643241b758159 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. end of the old chicken house, but didn't have quite enough to do it all so it didn't improve the look of it much. Enah went down town this after noon and Dad. stayed in with the baby all the after noon. To-night Frank and I tested rthe eggs and took out 68 unhatchables, most of them were clear. It has been very mild and sunny all day. Tuesday April 4th We spent most of the morning tending to lambs. When I went out this morning there was old Greynose and a yearling with the tag our of her ear on the barn floor each with a pair of twin lambs and later on in the morning another yearling lambed out in the field, she had twins too, we pruned two or three trees in the orchard this after noon. Wyatt Waddle and some other fellow were in this after noon trying to sell Dad a cultivator but they didn't manage to do it. I took 8 doz. eggs over to Martin's this morning. Alex James was in this morning to ask Dad. about a sick cow. Aleta McBride was here washing most of the day. Very mild and no wind, sunny & nice. Wednesday April 5th Did chores and pruned a little more in the orchard to-day. Dad. has just been tending to sheep and doing chores most of the day, he went down to the mill on foot and got a bag of bran. Lorne Jackson was in before dinner to get him to file his old mare's teeth. Sam Law came in this after noon and invited us all down there to-night. He said a few friends were coming out and they wanted to have all the neighbours, they will be moving down to John Watt's in a few days. Dad. was quite alarmed about old Splitear to day, soon after he gave her some oats and bran both this morning and to-night, she got down and rolled and kicked and was aparently in pain, but neither spasm lasted so very long. Mild but not so sunny to-day. To-night we all went down to Law's and had a great time dancing, there wasn't any crowd there, just about enough for two sets and give every one a chance to rest Cliff {Name?} was the fiddler and {Tat?} Robinson who got up the dance did most of the calling off, though Alan did some Alan and Sam both danced all evening in their shirt sleeves. Dad. and Enah brought the baby home soon after mid-night and Frank didn't stay till the end https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5f824805e9f94b5686a9b1f68b380426.pdf 107e17ea7e960d64fc5ce20dff7ff125 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. but I did which wasn't very late abut three or half past, there were three or four other babies or very small children there and they all stayed till the last but all went to sleep. The bed was full of them after midnight. {Pete?} Furlong's baby which isn't a year old was there and never said a word all night. Alan had a graphaphone there which I think belonged to Ethel Leany. Every body had a good time. Thursday April 6th I didn't get up very early this morning and just did chores all morning. I went to sleep again after dinner on the sofa and was awakened by Dick and Dess coming in. They were here for about an hour and we went out and saw the sheep, they couldnt stay to tea as Dess had to go to work at six o'clock. While I was asleep another pair of lambs arrived from the wooly faced yearling I think No. 2. Dad spends most of his time with them. Bobbie presented us with a fine big red heifer calf to-night. It is the second heifer she has had, last year's being the first. It snowed this morning and has been cloudy windy and much colder all day. Friday April 7th The old white ewe had one ewe lamb this morning we were afraid at first she wasn't going to own it and then that she was sick as she seemed very stupid and wouldn't eat, but our fears on both points are by to-night aparently groundless. We watched her with more suspicious eyes anyway because she was the one that wouldn't own the little ram lamb last year, but last year she had three, and one died and she did own one. Besides doing chores and husking a couple of shocks of corn Dad. and I havent done anything but monkey with the sheep Dad. especially, I did work a little out in front this morning but this after noon we caught the lamb which has its eyelids turned under and Dad. put a stitch in each ey lid and each cheek and pulled them out and down and tied them there, according to instructions in an American sheep magazine which I got the other day as a sample copy. We had to do this to two and he put two stitches in one eyelid. It keeps the lids out all right but the look horrible and we had a hard time doing it as it hurt them to pierce the eyelid which was also tough. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8cdaa0eac09193f70d9e2fa438e46026.pdf da7ae120dfe727b401719c471137eb4c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We were afraid we were too late with one little fellow as his eyeball looks to have burst. To-night we all went down town. I went to Tips and got some samples for a new suit and then went up to see Marj. Dad. Enah and the baby went down to see Aunty Alice and to see Mrs. Johnson Enah's sister who just arrived from London where she has been attending the W.A. annual meeting. I think Frank was going to Huby's. I went down to Aunty's on my way home but the house was in darkness and I found the same conditions prevailing here when I arrived and see no sign of any one being home. It is now about eleven o'clock and still no one home and I'm going to bed. I am afraid they will ruin that child's health both physically and morally by permitting to be down town so late at night. Froze hard last night and has been cool all day but nice and sunny Cold east wind to-night. Saturday April 8th This morning Frank drove Enah and the baby down town in the waggon and they have been at the Jame's all day and walked home before dark. Enah brought back a bag of potatoes which Mrs. James sent to me and some turnips and parsnips she sent over. Dad. and I husked some corn while he was gone. This after noon Dad. cleaned out the hog pen and Frank and I worked in the shop. Frank at hanging an axe handle as he broke one the other day and I at making a frame to put cotton on for the front of the colony house. To-night I took some samples I got last night back to Tip Varey and ordered a suit. I then went down to Aunty Alice's and saw Aunty who just got home to-night from London. Aunty Maude and the two girls were down there. Raw cold day, Snowed all after noon and to-night. Sunday April 9th I didn't get to Sunday School this morning but Frank Enah and I went to church. I stayed down to Aunty's for dinner and spent the after noon with Marj. and Glad. Law but came home to tea and didn't go down again to night. Art. Quanbury came over to get Dad. to go and look at {Birson?} Ivey's horse which he had in his stable over here, before we went to church this morning and he was over again this https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3890a0121bd7ab687194af9756bfb462.pdf 538f066112754f1c3ee7226fcd118fa9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. this after noon and again to-night. It got down some time during the night and got its neck twisted and jammed up in one corner of the stall and now it can't get up or straighten its neck. Dad. says it doesn"t matter about it not getting up but he is afraid its neck twisted beyond recovery and it was one of a new team he had just bought in Brantford. Lila was over here most of the afternoon and to tea and Mr. James and Mrs. Johnson were over this after noon. Dick was over to dinner but of course I didn't see him. The little yearling ewe that has been out of sorts all winter had a pair of nice lambs to-day, but doesn't seem to have much milk for them. It has been rather cold & raw though fairly sunny I took my eggs out of the incubator this morning to cool them and went to feed the chickens, forgot them and left them out an hour and a half, but I don't think it will hurt. Monday April 10th Lorne Jackson came after Dad. at a quarter to four this morning to go over and see Frank Crysler's mare which was suffering from an attack of acute indigestion owing to her eating corn cobs which had been shovelled out with the cleanings from the hog pen. Dad. had to send Lorne down after some medicine and didn't go till he got back. He walked out but got there the same time as Lorne who was on horseback. Tommy Jackson was over there and had been doctoring her for which he apologised to Dad. but Dad. said he had done all right for he likes old Tommy and realizes that he knows a lot more that the majority of these self taught quack-doctors, but Tommy had been handicapped he went to look through his medicine chest but found that his ether which he wanted had eaten the cork out of the bottle and evaporated, so he gave the horse some laudnum. Dad. told him if they had administered a little whiskey, it would have been a good thing Tommy said they had had some whiskey, but as he and Frank who had been sitting up all night had suffered considerably from the cold, they consumed most of it themselves so it naturally didn't have a very stimulating effect on the horse. Dad. was over there to breakfast and got back here about nine. When I went https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f61147b7973d781aab539f82bd7d058f.pdf cc465f8813048cee2fa54e517533b5b0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. out this morning Ben Ivey was prowling around looking for Dad. He and Art Quanbury had been up all night with his horse and he was very anxious to try and sling him up on his feet as he said he had been thrashing around all night and he was afraid he would knock his feet all to pieces or get his head under the hay and smother so the consequence was that except for doing a few chores here Dad. and I have been over there all day and Dad. is just about all in to-night. Art Quanbury Dad. and I went down to Aunty's before dinner to see if we could find Dad's. old set of slings but we couldn't any where. Art. & I went down to the Customs office to ask Huby but he didn't know where they were so they had to rig one up with a couple of little single trees and an old piece of carpet. We went back after dinner to help lift and Landon & Morg. Williams came over from the greenhouse. They were a long time getting things ready and when we did get him up the beam they had the pulleys fastened too was not high enough so we had to let him down and they made it higher, then we hauled him up again but it was just as Dad. expected he couldn't use his legs when we did get him up and just pawed around so we had to let him down and all we could do for him was to turn him over. Dad. feels sure that the injury in his neck is causing all the trouble, and says there is a possibility of it recovering with him lying down as he eats and drinks alright, but if the spinal column is hurt much there is little hope for him. It was about five o'clock when we got home so we just did up the chores. Nice day, rather raw Tuesday April 11th This morning we cut the tails of six of the biggest lambs Dad. cut the first one off with a jack knife but it didn't work very well so we did the rest with a butcher knife hammer and block the same as last year and it worked fine, they all lived through it all right although the first one seemed very sore for quite awhile but I think it was owing more to some of the turpentine he put on getting on to more tender parts than it was intended than to the cut itself. I walked Belle up and down the road for a while this moring at least I rode her, just to make her take a little https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1a492c481dfaa20b68ec0f24747c8f53.pdf 2811ade3bcbe9d846a1c3dd278b525c0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. more exercise, as she is beginning to show signs of foaling soon, her time is up on the 25th of this month. When I put her in I started to rake up the annual crop of sticks and leaves under the old willow tree but only got it about half done before dinner and after dinner it was pouring rain and rained all the after noon we just did chores. Art Quanbury came over for most of the after noon, his last ewe had a pair of twins last night but he can't make one of them suck so he came over and borrowed our sucking bottle to give it a feed and sent it back with Frank. It thundered a little this after noon. Wednesday April 12th We havent done any thing much to-day I took Belle put for another little ride for exercise. Aunty Alice was over to dinner but didn't stay long after. The last ewe No. 67 lambed to-day, we watched her all morning as she seemed to be straining and Dad examined her but couldn't find any thing, but when we went out after dinner we found a dead lamb with her, it had come in a wrong position and was dead when it came, it was a fine big one too. About an hour later she had another dandy big ram lamb and it was all right and she seems to be all right to and has an enormous bag. To-night I went down to church, there were about a dozen or so there but there were no lights when we first got there I went up to see Marj. afterwards. I found her marking exam papers and suffering with an awfully sore throat. When I started for home it was pouring rain so I camped all night at Aunty's. It has been a very nice day. Thursday April 13th I just did chores after I got home this morning till dinner this after noon I took Belle out again, I saw Art. Quanbury he told me that Charlie and Ben Ivey had driven to Brantford yesterday morning to buy another horse and had not got home yet. He said he went up last night and turned Syd. (the one that's down) over and went up again this morning and found him dead. The little Ivey kid told me last night that his Daddy named his horses after the places he used to travel in Sydney & Halifax. I planted some old flower seeds in a box this after noon and put them in the kitchen window. I don't know that they https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/833763846fec8d24a1a0b9da58848714.pdf 5564bc20d76be550a9c5727c498ba8f2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. will grow as I think they are two or three years old. I also raked some more up under the old willow outside the fence, I finished inside yesterday. To-night I went down to a party of the Every-ready Club girls at Bessie Paterson's. We played Five-Hundred which I had never played before and which I didn't know any thing about so consequently didn't win one game. Colin Ryerse and I cut for booby prize and I got in a little tin watch and chain which proved a great source of amusement for the baby. Bill Davis & Johnnie I think got first prizes. We also had a hat trimming contest. Each boy had to trim a hat I did one for Hazel Silverthorne by just tying a couple of ribbons around it. I was quite tickled with the job I made. Sam Schram got first prize at that and George Henderson the booby. Marj. was there and said her sore throat was "all better". We all had a nice time and got away about half past one. It was pouring rain again to-night so I went down to Aunty's and stayed. They had half expected me as the bed was all ready to crawl into. It has been quite hot to-day and the fields are beginning to look quite green. Friday April 14th Aunty came over with me this morning and has stayed all day at least she went back about half past four. It has been cloudy, cold, windy and wet all day and we have just done a few chores, husk a little corn, keep our eyes on the incubator and sit around all day. Ham Thompson was in for a little while this morning to see the sheep. He has just invested in five Shropshires. He bought them at the Street Fair in Simcoe. They are supposed to be registered but he hasn't got the pedigree's and he says they have no tags in their ears. The chicks have been hatching all day but I am not looking for much of a hatch maybe twenty five or thirty. Saturday April 15th This morning Dad helped me take the chicks out of the incubator we took out twenty five but had to kill three which were crippled. I knocked their heads on a post and threw them over in the orchard, it was rather sickening but had to be done and I was sure I killed them but this after noon Dad. heard some cheeping and went out and found two of them had come to. I suppose I had only stunned https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3291ebe3e346ff2cc955ec4a23e63a39.pdf c443152edfb2f0a0e21867de53033571 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. them. We put them under two of the setting hens and put the eggs which were under the hens in the incubator. They are due to hatch on Monday. This after noon Frank and I drove the team down town and got some groceries, we went up to Mrs. Leslie Battersby's and got a lot of plants for Aunty which Mrs. Battersby is giving her as she can't take them all to Brantford with her. I got a lot of stuff out of the garden down at Aunty's and brought it over. I got some tulip and daffodil bulbs some lily of the vallet roots, some clematis and Virginia creeper and a little syringa tree all of which I put out when I got home and didn't help do any chores. It took me till dark and the ground was really too wet. Lila was over all the after noon and got some may flowers back in the woods. Frank went down with her to-night. Dad. had to go down to Mr. Flemming's after tea as Chris Quanbury came after him. Flemming's mare had a colt when Dad. got there and it was all right so he didn't stay long. Old Dave Lampkins was in to-night, his new horse that he got at Watt's sale had some sort of fit and he wanted to ask Dad. about it. Tom. Abbot told Dad. he had them before, but they didn't tell poor old Davie that. Lovely day, sunny & mild Sunday April 16th Frank went down to Sunday School and Enah and I went down to church we took the baby down and left him with Aunty in the back of the church, and we three boys sat up in the front seat with Aunty Alice and Enah went in the choir. The baby was very good as usual. Dick came over here to dinner but I stayed down at Aunty's. I wernt up to the Bagley's after dinner to see Marj. I got up opposite Kev. Henderson's barn when it began to pour rain. I hiked across the road in there till the heaviest was over and then I got out and up as far as Alfy Dell's barn when it started again so I ran in the lane, over the manure heap and over a couple of bars which were nailed across the open door and waited there till it subsided alittle and sallied forth again, this time getting past the Methodist Church shed before it began to pelt so I just ran for all I was worth to the Bagley's veranda but got rather wet however Mrs. Bagley mopped me off with a duster and I didn't suffer much. After sitting around an hour or so Marj. and I went up and called for Glad Law and went for a walk up to the head of Main St. I went into Bert Thompson's and got the thermometer that belongs to Art Quanbury's incubator. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6adfb2653c6394678ec53abe1136f533.pdf 5f4e13fa44f3bf8eba1e3f819ed2c6bd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I came home to tea and didn't go down again. Aunty & Aunty Alice want me to go down there and give them a whole day in the garden to-morrow if it doesn't rain. This was a lovely Spring morning and warm but wet this after noon. Monday April 17th It rained hard during the night and was cold dark & windy this morning so I didn't go down to work in the garden, it has been a very nasty day, hasn't rained much but has looked like it and been cold and windy. Charlie Martin came over this morning and was here for an hour or so visiting, he had three hams he wanted smoked but we took the meat out of our smoke house two or three days ago. Enah and the baby went down town to dinner and were down most of the afternoon. Bill Phillips came after Dad. Soon after dinner to go down and tend to Alfy Dell's cow which calved yesterday, so Dad. went down and charged them two dollars; he and Frank got home to-gether a little before six. I didn't do much but put the cotton on the colony house frames and husk a little corn. Bruce Dell came over after Dad. again to-night, the cow is worse and Dad. has gone down with him Tuesday April 18th Dad. went down town again this morning to see the Dell's cow and was down most of the morning, he said she was better. I did chores most of the morning and just before dinner Dad. put the saddle on Queen and I rode her down nearly to the corner, she didn't do so very badly. Dad said she looked fine. We spent most of the after noon trimming her up, Dad. cut the long hair off her legs & fetlocks with the scissors and singed most of it off under her jaw. About half past four when Frank got home we undertook to drive the eight pigs from the hog pen over to the bay on the old barn where Dad. thinks they will do better, we got five of them in with out much trouble but three we had an awful time with and had to just tire them out and the last one we had to tire out and catch but we had Tige to help us with her and the others we did alone, it nearly killed us. Dad. is anxious to get them finished for fear the price drops they were up to $10.75 per cent yesterday. Frank has gone on a hunting, trapping and fishing expedition with the Ryersies to-night Mrs McBride was here all day washing. It has been sunny but a very high wind all day. Mud has dried up a lot. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/25f3f150c51ecd4194352384027f160b.pdf 579e1af7314c2d2e2de6e141468a9584 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday April 19th This morning Dad. and I put the association ear tags in the old ewes and the two year olds' ears. Dad put the holes in their ears with the harness punch, we also marked all the lambs, their ears are too small to put tags in and we hate to punch the edges of them all up so we painted Roman numerals on their sides with lamp {black?} and oil, and then marked it down in a book which lambs belong to which ewes. This after noon we took the tails off eight more lambs, they are all done now except the two little ones. We then did chores and Dad. started to make a trough to feed the lambs. This <s>after noon</s> To-night Enah and I went down town, we weren't in time to go to church, but Enah was in time for choir practice. I went in to Tip's to see if my suit had come and he said he had got word from the firm that the stuff I ordered hadn't come yet from the mill and they didn't expect it for at least three weeks, so I told him to tell them to wait till the three weeks were up and then to make it up out of another choice if the first wasn't there as I didn't want to wait. I told him I would be down in the morning, I then went up to see Marj. She expects to go to London on Friday to spend her Easter holidays. I went down to Aunty's and called for Enah, Aunty Alice got home to-night from Ingersol, where she was spending a couple of days visiting Miss Parke, Uncle Hals sister. It has been a nice day but rainy to-night. Thursday April 20th Mr. Fleming came after Dad. this morning to go and see his colt, which Dad. is afraid has joint ill, which is almost impossible to cure. When he went down there I went down to Tip's and picked out another sample, the only one I liked much that wasn't on his list of "sold outs". I took a lot down to show Aunty and Cousin Clare, and they thought it would be nice too, so I stayed there to dinner and took them back after dinner, got the mail and came home. Dad. was here all alone as Enah and the baby had gone down to her mother's. Old Gladys made her nest this morning. Dad. put a lot of straw for her in the pen where the young pigs were but she carried it all out and put it in her own pen so has <s>far</s> too much, when Dad. went out https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fd1c54f69dde934fd2c9a8ed0af52dcb.pdf 1717c866850924f4cf1a228df7b1b5de PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. about twelve she was still making her nest and when he went out about an hour later she was covered with pigs and more coming, she had thirteen altogether but killed one to-night by lying on it, but she is very careful, and good to them. Soon after dinner or at least dinner time because Dad. hadn't bothered eating any dinner, Al. Faulkner came after him to go down and doctor Jimmy Leany's horse. He hated to go but did and got a dollar out of it, he has started charging folks in town as lately they have come after him from all directions. I spent most of the after noon cleaning out and heating up my two incubators. The little one was up to 103° before I went to bed to-night. About six o'clock we had one of the worst old thunder storms we have had since last summer. Frank Dad. & I were all besieged in different barns and couldn't get out till it was over. It seemed to come from the north and went right over us towards the lake There were a couple of cracks I though would hit the barn. Enah and the baby got home about eight and the baby seemed quite sick. Dad. and I greased the little chicken's heads to-night. It has been very warm all day Friday April 21st (Good Friday) I promised Aunty and Aunty Alice I would give them a day in the garden to-day but as it was so wet I didn't hurry down and put the eggs in the two incubators first, I put in 198. 135 in the big one and 63 in the other. I got a ride down as far as Fleming's with Sam Law who came in after a bag of his potatoes. I went in to tell Mr Fleming of an ant toxin for navel ill which Dad read of last night and which Dad. said he could telephone to Burt or Duncomb in Waterford for if he wanted to. When I got down to Aunty's they were just starting for church. Aunty Alice was terribly distressed that she wouldn't be there to work with me but I cleaned up a lot of old rubbish and boards that were in the road of where they want to have Val. Leany plan. This after noon they both got out and worked and I dug up a couple of patches and Aunty Alice put in some potatoes and multiplier onions. It started to rain about five o'clock so we had to stop I stayed to tea and came home about dark. Dick was down to dinner & tea, he has had a holiday <s>this after noon</s> to-day of course. I guess Dad. just did chores over here to-day. Frank was off hunting with the Ryerse's https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ab650fb95a46b3065583aa0938520529.pdf 7039da99ed1ba380b9e4bc63663322dc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Snowdrop had a big, black, bull calf, and Gladys killed anothe piglet. Ed. was over this after noon telling his adventures in the 133rd. He is Quartermaster Sergeant now. Nice day but rather cloudy and wet. Saturday April 22nd This morning we just did chores and Dad. had a bath and went down to Aunty's for dinner, he wanted to get his hair cut for Easter. He was gone all the after noon I cleaned out the horse stable and Frank started to house clean the shop, then we fooled around awhile and at last put the saddle on Queen and he got on and rode her down the road a little way. When Dad. came home he found he had missed bringing the paper so after we got the horses fed, <s>Frank</s> I put the saddle on Ginger and rode down to Aunty's and got it. Tonight Frank and I set two hens on thirty eggs. Fram Walker was in to-night to get a boll and to borrow the speculum for a lymphatic horse Sunday April 23rd This being Easter we all went to church Dad. took the baby who was pretty good but having Huby sit right across the isle didn't improve his behaviour any. Dick came over to dinner. This after noon Frank and I went over to John Wess' and Frank set some traps up in McQueens & Robert John's gully. We got home just in time to let Enah go to church. Dad. had to go down this after noon to see Dell's cow again, she isn't doing right. Charlie Quanbury came over twice since six o'clock to get Dad. to go and look at his colt. Dad. went back with him the last time and just got there in time to see it die, he is going back in the morning to hold a post mortem, it was the one he got in Brantford for fifty eight dollars. Lovely morning but cloudy & rainy later. Monday April 24th Dad. & Frank went over to Quanbury's this morning soon after breakfast Dad. to dissect the dead horse and Frank to skin it as Charlie told him he could have the hide if he would skin it. Dad. had to go down town to see Dell's cow, and so didn't finish his job before dinner and stayed at the Quanbury's to dinner, neither he nor Frank got home till nearly four o'clock, but he found out what was the matter with the colt. He had distemper last winter and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3ad0144ce4c749c0f819a47fc278d8ea.pdf 0b04b7fa350c12f5d271cb5b81c8583f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the absess did not form & break under the jaw as it should have done, and it seems when this does not happen, an absess is liable to form any place in the body, so in this case they found it in the bowells which had all grown to-gether around the growth which Dad said was as big as his head, so nothing could have saved him anyway I just did chores to-day and this after noon cleaned out the separator, we started separating again to-night. We got the chores done up fairly early and I went down to Aunty's to tea, to-night Aunty and I went to the picture show to see "Mistress Nell" with Mary Pickford. It was pretty good the play being in the time of Charles III. Harry Battersby and Dave Waddle were over this morning for a little while. Nice day but cloudy to-night. Tuesday April 25th Dad had to go down town again this morning to see Dell's cow and Frank went down to ship his horse hide to Hallam. Bob. Miller showed him how to fix it and ship it. I did chores all morning and this after noon husked a little corn. Art. Quanbury was over all the after noon and watched Dad. shear the two rams which he did in about four hours. The little fellow was very poor and alive with ticks. I rode down town to get the paper tonight. It has drizzled all the after noon and things are getting in awful shape. Wednesday April 26th Allan Law came up this morning with old Ned. the big bay, he was all humped up and the musles in his hip trembled. They had him hitched up coming up to Pickford's after their stove but when they got to Art Ryerse's they had to unhook and put one of Art's in. Alan said on Friday he gave his foot a bad cut when they were moving the big new engine for the factory from the car one of the skids ran up on ihs heel and cut a piece out and they haven't had him out of the stable since till to-day, but Dad didn't think that would affect him the way he was affected and didn't know what was the matter. This after noon Dad. caught old Splitear and sheared her they were all too wet from yesterday's rain to shear this morning, when he was about half done Alan came after him, he said old Ned had given up going down Art Ryerse's hill and Alan had managed to get him to the top of Monteith's but no https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f55153548e7feff4fc86befd7c93e81c.pdf f5d0fe2a1b8d224987bbcd2d5eb7b05c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. farther, so when Dad. finished the sheep he went down with him and didn't get back till after seven, they said they had got Ned home but he didn't understand the case He said he was down when he first got there but got up by himself afterwards. He read it up at tea time and came to the conclusion it was asoturia although it didn't show the regular symptoms, but after tea he walked down again to give it a boll, it must have been after midnight quite a bit when he got home I havent done much but chores all day cleared up a little around the back door. We moved the three hens and little chickens from the colony house outdoors to-day. Lila was over all day, she Quint and Win got back from Toronto last night. She and Frank went back to the gully this afternoon and Frank went down with her to-night. It has been much warmer to-day but didn't rain. Thursday April 27th Dad. went down to Sam's again right after breakfast and didn't get back till about two o'clock, he had dinner down there, he thought Ned was better. When he came home he and Frank sheared another sheep. I spent the day doing chores and clearing up Aunty came over this after noon and stayed to tea. I walked down with her after tea and went up to get my hair cut and went up to see Quint. I waited there till after ten and then found him down in Henry Biroy's pool room. I had quite a visit with him and didn't get home till about twelve o'clock. It has been fairly sunny to day and a strong east wind. Friday April 28th I haven't worked very hard to day as I had a sort of pain most of the time, this morning I made a sort of little desk and put it up in the cow stable to put our milk record book on. This after noon I took some eggs over to Jack Martin's, they seemed very busy over there shipping eggs. When I got back I cut a little strip of lawn but the old lawn mower is just about out of commission. Sam Law came up this morning and said old Ned was doing alright. Frank took a small grist to the mill this morning and got it this after noon. He went down the mill hill but it was so bad that he went around by town to get his stuff. He and Dad. burned some grass on the road this after noon. He got an express order https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/60531dfab0d7a226737d71a3098a05a8.pdf 525de277df99a4747b25296e38b22bf4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. from John Hallam today for $5.15 for the horse hide he shipped them and they had deducted 35 cts for freight. He thought that was good as he wasn't looking for much more than three Dad. was very surprised this morning when he went out to find a newly born lamb belonging to the little yearling which we were sure wasn't in lamb. The lamb was in the pen and she was outside, he was afraid at first he was going to have trouble making her own it but she did alright. Enah and the baby were down town most of the day. Enah said Aunty Alice had expected [Darycote?} to come and work in the garden but he didn't so she was out digging herself, so Dad. told Frank to tell them to-night (he went down to cash his order) that I would go down tomorrow if all was well and help them We saw in yesterday's casuality list <s>yesterday</s> that Kieth Aylen of Ft. Saskatchewan was killed in action.There seems to be quite a mess over in poor old Ireland. They captured Sir Roger Casement the other day who was leading a ship laden with arms and ammunition unto Ireland for rebels and they also sunk the ship which was a disguised German one, and since there have been serious riots of the Sinn Fein party in Dublin but the Nationalists are helping the loyal troops quell it so they think the rioting is just being carried on by a bunch of fanatics, however the whole of Ireland is under martial law. Sir Roger they think was a little out of his head anyway and they say he had done before now some great things for the British. He is sure now they say of the gallows but hopes they will hang him with a silken cord as he thinks common rope would be too degrading to man of his position. It has been a lovely day foggy this morning but sunny after. Saturday April 29th As soon as Frank went out after breakfast this morning he noticed Belle was not right, so called Dad. After watching her for a few minutes Dad decided some thing was wrong so made an examination and found a colt coming with Its head bent back. He had quite a time straitening it but managed to get it away but it was dead. Dad. said the first strainter had probably broken its neck. Frank and I were just ready to go down town and as Belle seemed all right we left and it was not till I got home at night that I knew that another dead colt had come in exactly the same position only on its back, they were a beautiful pair of mare colts one a bay with black mane and black points and the other a sorel with sorel mane and white points and each https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0f7bc29528e94cb87e9dfd99552a9998.pdf 94ac9448cdfd23b83f73566baa1ecd0a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and each with a white strip in its face.Dad says he had done nothing else but grieve all day, not that in itself it is such a loss but they were such a pair of beauties and no reason in the world why they shouldn't have lived if they had come straight. I went down with Frank and helped him put on a load of wood which was about half of the cord that Dad bought from Cousin Phoebe. I then went down and gave Aunty Alice another day in the garden, they couldn't get a man to come so had started to dig it themselves. Frank got anothe load after dinner but got it alone. It was nice beech and maple wood and she gave him a lot of old boards too. Huby went to Simcoe this after noon and heard about our twin colts up there before I did. I got home about dark and set out some little daisys, violets and a pansy plant that Aunt Nancy gave me. Lovely sunny day and quite hot. Sunday April 30th I was the only member from this house at church this morning. Frank & Enah having decided to go to-night instead. Dad. and the baby were about to get ready to go down when Ham Thompson came in and Dad. had to go up there with him, to take a colt away from his mare, it was dead. Ham has had about the roughest streak of luck with his stock this year that a man could have. He has one or two calves but four of his cows aborted and now both his colts are gone, He has no young chickens either. I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and Aunty Alice came over here, we didn't have any sermon this morning Mr. Johnson feels pretty badly over the news which came last week that his youngest brother was killed at the front. Quint and Bill Oakes went to Normandale early this morning so I didn't think Quint would be over to dinner but I saw him this after noon and he said they had got back earlier than they expected so was over to dinner, he said the trout didn't bite very well. This after noon Marj. Glad Law and I went up to Dixon's woods and got a few mayflowers. Tonight Enah and Frank went down to church and Dad. and I were rather late getting through with the chores. The Oddfellows were at our church to-night. George Duncan was in for quite awhile to see Dad. about a cow which has something wrong with it. I tested out my eggs to-night. I only took 48 out of the big machine but 38 out of the little one. I put all that were left into the big one. Nice day quite hot. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f1d7188c8b2d34d66507fc366599712e.pdf a52f2d3416d133ae8d5dc33cbbf66a5e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday May 1st Frank took a walk over the back field yesterday after noon and reported that the side hill was fit to go on but the top was pretty wet, so this morning he took Harry and Nellie with the disks back and has been working back there all day. Dad. went back with him to get him started, he got the side hill all gone over and of course couldn't turn on it so had to go across the top but threw the disks out, however it scratched it up a little and will help it to dry. It will take a lot of work yet as the rain has packed it so hard and the grass is pretty well started. While Dad. was back there I buried the twins in the garden up by the windmill. Tom Abbot saw them this morning and said he would give five dollars if they had lived. Sam Law came in while I was at it with some of Dad's instruments he had left down there and said old Ned. was just about all right again. When Dad. came up he sheared a sheep before dinner and two after dinner, he thinks he is getting on to it now. The last one he did I thought he did in a little less than an hour. This after noon I cut most of the lawn I didn't make much of a job of it with the old lawn mower but managed to get it haggled a little.Alex Jamieson came in to see Dad. about a cow he has "that ain't doin right." He told me that "Wilful waste makes woeful want" and that I ought to let the grass grow for hay or turn the old mare in on it. It has been a nice day but looks rainy to-night. Tuesday May 2nd It rained hard enough during the night to put a stop for the present to agricultural operations, but has been a nice sunny day with rather a cold wind. Mr. Fleming came after Dad. this morning his colt is not so well again and Dad. is afraid he will lost it yet. It was a lot better. Tupper was in too for awhile to ask Dad. about his colt which is leaking a little at the navel. Just before dinner we put all the unsheared sheep in the barn and cut the tails off the two little ones there is just one more lamb now to dock, the one belonging to the little yearling ewe. Dad. sheared two more this after noon but had heartburn pretty badly I spent most of the after noon digging the corner bed I made by the rhubarb bed outside the clothes room window. Frank husked corn and went down and got the mail. He went down again to-night with a message to Mrs. Dell about her cow. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e36ced2cf25163d8aecd5368efd5b8f4.pdf 0087d4272b4a69c39591dbe949f961be PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday May 3rd It started to rain sometime during the night and <s>has</s> kept it up all morning most of the time quite heavily so that underfoot conditions are in about as bad a state as they everwere. It cleared up after dinner but was cold all the after noon but was a very nice night. This morning I spent most of the morning in the house grinding bread crumbs for the chickens and writing in this. Dad. helped me get the little chickens into the colony house this morning as we were afraid the wet would be bad for them. Two of them did die with the sore eye trouble that they had last year. This after noon Frank and I did chores and husked a little corn. Frank spent all the morning packing his muskrat skins and after dinner he took them down and shipped them to Hallam and got the mail. Dad. sheared one sheep this morning and two more this afternoon, he has just one more to shear. I went down town to-night. Tom Abbot and other soothsayers and astronomers were predicting cold weather as the new moon was exceptionaly far North and slap on its back. Thursday May 4th Dad. sheared the last sheep this morning and as soon as he got through we packed the wool up and Frank and I took it down. We stopped at the Quanbury's to get a shovel as I wanted to get a little sand to throw in the chicken yard and Charlie gave us Art's three fleeces. Art himself was down {bathing?} Vyse's horse. Henderson gave us 30 cts. a lb for it, which was the highest payed in yesterday's paper, and to-day it has dropped a cent or two, but the mail hadn't come in when we sold it. We had eight six lbs and got $25.80. Art had 18 lbs and got $5.40. By the time we got our sand and a few more things up town we didn't get home till about one o'clock. This after noon we all cleaned up oats. Aunty was over for a few minutes after tea and brought me a new pair of working pants and three tea-roses which Aunty Alice bought from Ivey's. I set them out before she left. It has been a nice day but windy. Friday May 5th This morning Dad. Frank and I went around the gully fence or at least this end and got it so we think it will hold the cattle, Dad. wants to turn them out on Monday. Dad. and I came up a little before https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cb88331c6c668a94f56009d7dc1dd791.pdf 8bbb12e900839ae285c40cd1954e2a69 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. noon, but Frank stayed back there to set some traps for a coon he thought he saw tracks of the other day, he isn't sure whether it is a coon or a ground hog. This afternoon he went back and worked all after noon on the side hill, while Dad and I cleaned up more oats. Enah went down to choir practice to-night. Lovely day. Saturday May 6th Dad. got started down pretty early and worked all day in the garden down home fixing the paths all up the way they used to be. He had to cut the sod right off so it was a tedious job, but I went down to-night and they are all just tickled to death at the change in the looks of things He took the baby down with him. Frank worked all day on the land and says he got on fairly well. I worked around the garden all day and did chores. At noon while we were at dinner we head a cow bawl and on looking out saw they had knocked down the lane gate and were all back the lane. We tried to head them off but couldn't so let them go. Jim went back too although Dad wanted to put her in the orchard insted of back there as he was afraid she would not be able to navigate the hills but she managed pretty well Nice day rained a few times {illegible} I went down to-night and got my new suit. Sunday May 7th We all went down to church this morning. Dad. and the baby sat up in the front seat and the baby surpassed all past records for good behaviour. After church I walked down to the Customs office with Huby. and he was explaining the great ammount of complicated work he had to do and saying how much he liked it. He is just as interested down there as he used to be over here digging post holes or shovelling manure, he thinks his office is dandy with the view he gets from both windows of the lake and the marsh right outside full of all kinds of birds and he has every thing inside just as neat and slick as a button. We monkeyed around down there so long that I was afraid Aunty would have started dinner without me so I went up to dinner with Huby. Ada. was up there but Quint had come over here. This after noon Marj. and I started to walk around the hill but it was such a beautiful day and so hot that I with a little coaxing persuaded her to come out here till I hooked Joe up and we went for a drive. Dad. had just got through cleaning his probang and his hands were all dirty so he hooked up for us. The old https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/533f47505b7da0dbc473bc65a6d98412.pdf 2bb0365eb59f1268cf490ee924d59b1c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. buggy was all mud and looked terribly shabby with the top off but Marj. said she didn't mind so we had a nice drive as the roads are fine now except on the hills. I got home soon after five. Enah went down to church to-night as they wanted her to play for some fellow to sing a solo, he came down from Brantford with Meesa Dyer. Frank was off all the after noon on his wheel. We let the sheep all out in the lane for a little while to-night. Beautiful day. Monday May 8th We were all up fairly early this morning and Frank got his team all harnessed to get out on the land right after breakfast but about breakfast time and old soaker of a thunderstorm rolled in and everlastingly soused things. It got so dark we had to light the lamp and there were two or three claps of thunder that made our teeth rattle. The storm itself didn't last long but of course we couldnt think of doing anything on the land although it has been sunny and a very high west wind which dried things up a lot. We chored around all day, carried the apples & vegetables all up out of the cellar put the rest of the sawdust back in the ice house and packed it in docked a couple of the calves horns and this morning. Dad. and Frank took up a board in the woodshed floor to see if they could discover the source of a very disagreeable odour which has been pervading that part of the house lately. They found it all right, it turned out to be the cat that died last fall. I got the old lawnmower going to-night so that it makes quite a respectable looking job by setting the blade up against the knives Tuesday May 9th This morning Dad. and I drove Belle up to Yeager's and bred her to King Chocolate again. There was some New Yorker there looking for saddle horses and Yeager was asking Dad. about Ginger so before we left they said they would be down to see her this after noon. We got home soon after twelve and right after dinner Frank went down and got the mail and then took the big team back to disk he had looked at it this morning and thought it was fit. Dad. & I did chores and cleaned up the horses. About three o'clock Rus. Lampkins came in to borrow the pump and sink he left here a year or so ago to put up, so Dad. told him to take it as he didn't know when we would get a chance to put it in. He was here quite awhile and bought a setting of eggs from me but didn't pay for them. He was just leaving https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/409696e8cb19dd4bf86fda0e93fe1ebd.pdf ea4bd49d7e05fba5df08eb035d29e392 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. when Murray Hamilton came in with his car with Yeager Jack Davis and the New York saddle horse man, so then the horse show began, we brought out both Ginger and Queen, Yeager seemed to be trying to convince all the company that Ginger was in foal and she did look a little queer, Dad. just noticed it to-day but we knew by her actions she couldn't be so we attributed Yeager's talk to the whiskey that he was carrying but he told Dad. aside a little later that he knew she wasn't in foal he was just trying to make the fellow think he was working for him he asked me what I wanted for Queen and I said two hundred he laughed at me but later he told us to let Ginger go for what the fellow would pay and he would see that he bought Queen too after she has been handled a little more "but" he said "Remember the price of her is three hundred not two". so whether he meant all he said or not I don't know as he was pretty full. After I rode Ginger down the lane once or twice, Dad. sold her for one hundred and twenty five dollars and the fellow shelled out the hard cash and said he wanted her at Yeager's before six. As it was then nearly five we had to hurry but we left right away and were up to Charlie Bawlby's when they overtook us in the car, they had probably come around by town to get some more booze. We were there by six but both Joe and Ginger were about all in. We drove Joe to the buggy and led Ginger. The fellow seemed rather surprised that we made such good time. We left Ginger at Yeager's stable but he was going to ship her to New York to-night. Dad. hated to leave her but he told the man he was glad she was not going to the army. He said she would never see the army as he wants her in his riding school and if she doesn't stay there she will go to some rich man's stable for a lady's saddle horse. He said he would be back in a couple of weeks or so after Queen. We got home about seven and I dressed up right away and Marj. and I went to the picture show. It has been fair all day but a cold north wind. It was starting to sprinkle to-night when I got home. Wednesday May 10th It aparently rained all night and certainly rained most of the day, not very heavily except for a few showers but a lot of water fell. To-night it looked and felt like a big thunder storm but a very high wind got up and dispersed the clouds. We did chores and cleaned grain all day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9b415ea833bc6553ad1e518051e61943.pdf a1f9fc1fb21d82d7cf902e35be198dce PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We got all the oats cleaned and quite a lot of the barley. Charlie Butler was in tihs after noon for a minute or two, his mare Dad. thinks has an attack of lymphangitis. To-night I walked down to see if Marj. would like to go to Simcoe on Friday night to see the "Battle Cry of Peace" at the show. I guess she would have liked to go but thought she hadn't better. I stopped in for a few minutes to see Aunty & Aunty Alice. Thursday May 11th Dad. took a load of manure down this morning to Aunty Alice for the garden and Frank and I set out the two English walnuts and two of the cherry trees which we got from Mr. Morgan. This afternoon he went back and disked and Dad took Joe & Belle back and harrowed for awhile. I set out the other four cherry trees and just did chores. Very high strong west wind. Friday May 12th Mr. Carpenter came after Dad. this morning while we were milking to go and see his mare which was foaling, so Dad. had to go up there before breakfast, he went out and harrowed as soon as he got back and this after noon they took the drill back and six bags of barley & oats which we mixed on the barn floor at noon. He got it all sowed but didn't get over quite all the ground they had worked up. I just did chores. I took 45 chicks out of the incubator and put them under three hens but two died. Lila stayed here all night nice day. Saturday May 13th Frank has been back working on the land all day and Dad. was back this morning and finished drilling all that was in fit shape. I worked around here put the three hens with the chickens in the colony house and took five more out of the incubator but two of them were weak. I also cut some more of the lawn. This after noon Dad. and I hooked Joe & Queen to the waggon and went down town and took some furniture of Aunty's down to her as she had room for it now that Cousin Clare has moved into her new house. Just as we got opposite the "Titanic." Queen jumped at a rut in the road and piece broke of the end of the tongue causing the iron to bend and let the tongue down. Dad. tied it up with a strap which lasted https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cde7fb8ac0aa597f2240251731d01338.pdf 3d470a3814f50bd3a39c15153f6d342f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. till we got our furniture unloaded and got around to the blacksmith shop where Bert Greenbury took the iron off and I took the tongue over to the planing mill and got George Nunn to <s>put</s> splice a new end on it then Greenbury put the iron back on. I had some cream for Elva and when I got to the shop Dad asked me what I did with it and I suddenly remembered I had left it on the bank by the "Titanic". I went back for it <s>but</s> and it was all right. We went on up town and got the mail and Enah's wallpaper but didn't have time to do anything more than chores when we got home. Queen behaved very nicely. To-night Frank went down with Lila. Beautiful day. I took four dozen eggs over to Martin's. Sunday May 14th Guy Tuple came after Dad. this morning about nine o'clock to go and see a sick colt. He had his car so Dad. got back just in time to hitch Joe up for Enah & <s>I</s> me to go to church. Frank had gone, so Dad. and Tid went back to the gully to let the fence down to let the cattle in the other end of the pasture field but it began to rain so came back. It was raining quite hard when we got to church and kept it up all the after noon. We got rather went coming home. Dick walked over with Frank to dinner. I didn't go down town this after noon but went down to church again to-night, and went for a short walk with Marj. afterwards, but went down early to see Aunty & Aunty Alice. Monday May 15th Frank went down first thing this morning and borrowed Mr. Fleming's hog rack and we loaded up our hogs, we were only going to take four which were in pretty good shape but they were such a nuisance to separate that we loaded them all in the waggon and then Dad. threw the two smallest ones out but that still left two medium sized ones but they took them down. Dad. wasn't very well satisfied with what the brought, he never is and thought Neil didn't give them all there was in them. The six of them at $10.75 per cwt came to $92.98. As soon as they left I hooked up Joe and went down to get my teeth filled as I thought there were some holes in them. Bill couldn't get at them for quite awhile https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c8b72cc2109df8454dcad7d18cf31a7a.pdf 61f9213ddf517035d1ddf38f14f8ae78 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. so by the time he got through it was about noon, he filled two. Right after dinner we mixed up a sheep dip of zenoleum in a tub and dipped all the lambs. We got them all covered but it was rather an unsatisfactory job as the tub gave them such a chance to kick and splatter. When we got through with that Frank & I went down in the waggon and got some sand & plaster for Dad. to do some patching and four cement tile to put accross the lane at the big mudhole as the cows got into awful shape wallowing through it every day. To-night Frank and I did chores and Dad. Enah & the baby went down to Aunty Alice's to tea and after wards to the picture show to see Cinderella. Aunty, Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida all went to. They said it was good but a lot different from the old story. Dad. said the baby wasn't nearly so interested as he expected. About half a dozen or more fellows spoke to Dad. this morning about getting some of the little pigs and Ham Thompson told me he would take the whole litter. Morley Buck was over right after dinner to borrow Dad's wig for the masquerade dance to-night that the I.O.D.E. are giving. Old Monteith was in too and brought a couple of bushels of potatoes which Dad. bought and got four bushels of seed barley. Wet to-day feels like more rain. Tuesday May 16th Trinder came in this morning with some trees that I ordered from the Horticultural Society and as part of them were for Aunty I took them down and helped them put them in. They hurried me off to get my own in but Uncle Ward called me in there to show me some peach trees and he talked for about an hour. Then I had to stop in to pay John Quanbury so by the time I got home it was getting late. I got my crimson rambler rose bush set out before dinner but it began to rain before I was through and it rained steadily all the after noon so we didn't do much. Dad. was working in the house anyway doing some patching for Enah on the walls. Frank also helped them in there. It cleared up about tea time and to-night Frank and I went down to see Mary Pickford in Cinderella. We went up to Huby's after wards for a little while. We saw Lewis Woodson yesterday, he is here getting things ready for the rest. Wednesday May 17th This has been a most horrible day, cold, windy, cloudy and a cold rain about every half hour. Mrs. McBride was here all day papering in the dining room and the two bedrooms off it and Dad. has been helping her https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/283e0604607115753e5026fbfb2d7986.pdf a4f643a33c964c97ebe09d52b10ca7c9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. all day, she was here till eleven o'clock to-night and I had to drive her home or at least to the top of the hill where she cuts through Preston's orchard as the mill hill is about impassable I suppose. They got the dining room just about finished. I helped for awhile this after noon painting the wood work Frank and I set out the rest of the nursery stock we got yesterday. He got a Bartlett pear tree and I got a mulberry which I put in the chicken yard and a hydrangea. Art and Charlie Quanbury brought a young cow and a heifer over this after noon which they are going to pasture for the milk we can get from the cow which I guess won't be much. Ham Thompson was also in. Thursday May 18th Enah is the only one that is getting any work done these days, the rest of us don't seem to feel like it Dad. and I went back and fixed up the gully fence a little this morning and this after noon I drove down and got some groceries and paint for Enah. She is make the other part of the house look pretty nifty. I went down to see Aunty and Aunty Alice while I was down town and found Mrs. Jackson there from Port Rowan to see Aunt Ida. Dad. helped Enah this after noon I think, Frank has been gathering up old rags & junk for the rag man most of the after noon. Cloudy & cold Friday May 19th Dad. and Frank got started at grading the lane this morning and have been at it all day. They plowed as close to the fence on each side as they could and four or five furrows over and intend throwing the two outside furrows from each side into the middle so as to leave a ditch at each side and high in the center I just worked around here and planted some flower seeds. This after noon I took the wheel barrow and went over to Ivey's and Ben gave me a whole of flower roots of different kinds I didn't know the names of half of them but there were some larkspur chasta daisy's and a Dorothy Perkins rose bush. Dad. helped Enah paper this after noon for awhile. To night he had to go down to a meeting of the Mr. Smith's reunion so I went down with him to get my hair cut but the shop was closed. Enah paperd till twelve o'clock. Another heavy rain to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/45329d97d3c243d9977addc6e108baaf.pdf 7d3acf705d92b1efc8c16c65f259614f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday May 20th Dad. and Enah paperd nearly all morning and I think are just about through. Frank and I went out about ten o'clock to work at the lane and have been there all day, Dad. helping us this after noon I threw the sods from the side into the middle on the east side right back and they followed cleaning out the loose earth and culling the east edge of the ditch on a hebel so the cattle wouldn't tramp up and break it. We are only working north of the waterhole as they couldnt plow through that with the team. After we did chores to night and before tea we ran the buggy down the lawn to the ditch and washed it. After tea Frank and I went down town and I got my hair cut. Sunny & nice. But breezy. Sunday May 21st Frank and I went to church this morning. After church we picked Quint up and then Aunty Alice and they both came over to dinner, on the bridge we overtook Dess and Dick also on their way to the farm. Enah was rather surprised at the dinner party although she expected Aunty Alice, Dick thought I would be staying down to dinner when he asked Dess, however we got on all right. This after noon I went for a drive with Marjorie. We went out to England's first as Glad Law had gone out there with Bertha for dinner but they had gone off for a drive so we went on by ourselves. Dick, Dess, Frank & Quint all went back to the woods and Dad. took Queen out with just the surcingle on her, he said she went fine. Beautiful day. Monday May 22nd It began to rain before seven this morning and has kept it up steadily all day. About eleven it seemed to let up a little so Dad. and I took Daisy May up to Ham Thompson's, we were up there quite awhile as we had to have a look at all the stock some of which looks fine and so by leaving about twelve we got into an old soaker of a shower so got properly soused. We spent the after noon in the house. Dad. helped Enah put down carpets and Frank cleaned up over the woodshed. I sorted out all the Farmers' Advocate's. There were about seven years of them and we got them all sorted and tied in bundles and packed in a tea box. Frank has seventeen ducks out and has to feed them every two hours. He expects a lot more soon https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d73a4a073449af2ede93e3631e6a9e31.pdf 8206eb6149bcfea45c408340f88effa6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday May 23rd I didn't do anything much this morning but a few chores and go back to the gully to see if the cattle were all right as some of them didn't come up last night. I got a ride up with Jim Ryerse, he said they had twelve acres in but there were lots that had none. I saw the old turkey that hatched out on Sunday, she had lived through the storm and still had her six little ones and an egg that she left in the nest and which Art Quanbury gave me to put under a hen, hatched. This after noon I took 34 chicks out of the little incubator and cut some of the lawn. Frank and Enah went down town this morning in the waggon and got a lot of stuff. Frank went down to the mill this after noon and got different kinds of feed for his ducks. Dad. helped Enah put down the dining room. To-night I went down to see David Harum with Marj. at the picture show, it was pretty good. Very hot and sultry to-day feels like more rain. Wednesday May 24th Frank left about 9 o'clock this morning on his wheel for Port Ryerse to spend the holiday and left me in charge of his seventeen ducks which should be fed every two hours. He got back in the middle of the afternoon and hadn't been at Port Ryerse but went on up to Vittoria and saw Dr. McKinnes about some golden seal. He advised him not to get it till fall. Lila came over with him and he went back with her after tea. I spent most of the morning tending to chickens and trying to cut the lawn. I got all cut on the other side of the ditch but when I got into the tough thick grass near the house I couldn't make a go of it with the old lawn mower so came in and went to sleep for awhile. Then Dad. put Charlie Martins saddle on Queen and I rode her a little way down the road. She went a lot better but I couldn't get very used to the little saddle and the stirrups were too {illegible} for me and hurt my bad knee a little. I nearly went over her head once but didnt get quite that far. Aunty came over at noon and stayed most of the after noon. All day long there have been buggy and democrat loads of fishermen going both east to the creek and west to the pond or lake and I suppose that like other years Black Creek will be lined with them as it has a been a beautiful day to lie around in the shade https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ef25ab5ffda7c662947fd88959efc25f.pdf 78e576c69485cc41a98eb01b3890b9b9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. by the creek whether the fish bite or not. It has been swelteringly hot and yet a nice cool breeze. To-day is the proper day to plant corn around here but I doubt if there will be a grain dropped unless it is in some garden, there are dozen's who haven't a grain of any thing in the ground. Tom Abbot says he heard that Charlie Kinsular who has about four acres in is the only man between the Dog's Nest and the town line who has a seed in and their fields are all regular meadows and we're looking for more rain still. Thursday May 25th Dad. went back to see what the land looked like this morning and came back with the report that it was too wet to touch to-day, and a great big string of rock bass which were part of yesterday's catch. He had been over at John Wess's and said Cam. was cleaning a whole tub-full He, Dr. Bill, and Lloyd Crysler, were down at the creek all day and he said he thought they caught more fish than any one else on the creek and of course as usual it was lined from one end to the other. John Wess drove him and the lunch down as he can't walk very well on account of the veins in his legs, and had then come back and he & old Bill Wilkinson had put in the day target shooting. While Dad. was gone I worked a little trying to get some of the old cherry tree roots out of where I want to plant my hedge and when he came back we hooked Queen and Joe to the waggon and went up to McCoy's as Maria sent word down by her nephew the other night that Mike the old horse wasn't well and wanted Dad. to come up. There was aparently nothing the matter with Mike but the fellow gave him a bag of oats & hay for pay. Queen went fine. We hooked her up again this after noon with Joe and drove down to Ott. Collins with the lawn mower. We came back by the plank as this road was awful. (I have went to sleep.) Wyatt Waddle and Mr. Harris of the Massey. Harris firm were down for awhile to try and sell Dad. a corn cultivator but he didn't bite. He said Mr. Harris was the decentest agent he had seen for a long time as he didn't coax at all. Lovely day. Friday May 26th This morning Dad. and Frank did some ditching in the back field and Frank took his bee hive back to the woods to see if a stray swarm would take possession https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8f2c72b25d562891d0731a6a3e71257b.pdf c5abaaf8d049781358a9df84c21d18a0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. of it. This after noon Frank took the team back and worked all the after noon but says it isn't any to dry yet. John Wess made a start to-day too, Art. Quanbury came over this after noon and he and Dad. put the picture moulding up in the dining room I helped them for a little while but I measured one piece 23 inches instead of 32 (the yardstick was upside down) and then went to sleep so I went out and continued the work I was at this morning viz. grubbing out the cherry tree roots an digging the strip for my hedge. I got it all dug down to the ditch by to-night. Very hot to-day. Saturday May 27th It rained first thing this morning so nothing more could be done on the land. I don't remember what we did this morning but I don't reckon it was anything very exciting. Come to think, I believe I read and cleaned off Queen and Joe, and Dad. did chores and cleaned out the cellar. Frank went back to the gully and fastened his bee hive up in a tree. This after noon I had quite a snooze out in the hay and about four o'clock Dad. & Frank went down town in the waggon to look at the refrigerator Emery is making and I went down to the corner with them to get some of the little spruce trees that are thick down on the side hill in Dicky Steven's orchard. I was about an hour hunting for Frank Awde as Dad. said I had better get his permission to take them and at last found him over at Jack Martin's, he told me to take all I wanted as they were a nuisance, so I went back and got quite an armful pulled before Dad. & Frank got back with the waggon and they took them home for me. I got a few of them set out to-night before dark and heeled the rest of them in. I got them planted down to about the brow of the hill and from there down to the ditch it is heavy clay and I will have to get some other earth to put in. Aunty sent me over a root of the blue lilly but I didn't get it set out to-night. It got very black this after noon and looked like a proper souser of a thunder storm but it didn't ammount to much sort of a drizzle all the after noon Sunday May 28th This morning after we did most of the chores and I set out the lilly and before we had breakfast Frank and I went for a swim down below Quanbury's. The water was pretty https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/19c398ea56d765477833de9d7723ae23.pdf 3c08908be586187d408d028fa9ec1101 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. cold and I only had about one duck when I stepped on something pretty sharp and got a chunk out of the bottom of my foot, so had to quit. Just as we were getting ready for church Billy Miller came after Dad. to go over to the slaughter house to see a sick pig so Enah and I went to church and Frank stayed home and minded Tid and got dinner. I went up to Huby's for dinner and this after noon Quint and I went down to Harry Ansley's with some merells he got, and Huby told him to take them down to Harry. Lewis Woodson was there so we three went for a walk down to the dock. The lake was a little choppy so Quint took a notion to get a canoe and see if he could ride it, so we went down to Juke's with him, and he jumped into one the same as he would a boat and the consequence was it turned half way over, filled with water and put Quint in the creek, but he didnt get wet much above the tops of his puttees, and he went on out. He said to-night he went up the beach as far as {Wed lake's.?} Lewis then went back up town and I went home and stopped in at Aunty's on my way. I helped Dad. milk so was too late for church to-night but went down and went for a little walk afterwards with Glad. & Marj. Sunny and sultry to-day. Monday May 29th Frank got a good start this morning and has been disking all day. Dad. did a little ditching in the lane this morning and to Joe & Belle and harrowed this after noon. I spent the day getting my hedge in. I had to dig a trench and fill it in partly with dried rotted manure and partly with soil from the top of the garden and this after noon I set out the rest of the little trees. I just had enough to go to the ditch. It was about half past four then and a big thunder storm was rolling up and Enah had all the stuff from the clothes room out on the line so I gathered them in and just got them in when it began to rain and it everlastingly poured for a few minutes. Dad. & Frank came up in the middle of it both soaked to the skin, Frank was so wet he couldn't get any wetter so went back and brought the cows up. Marie Ryerse and Maudie Pickford sought shelter under the willow tree so Enah called them in and Tid had a great time with them for awhile. Enah put him to bed this after noon but he heard me outside so got up and talked to me out the window for a long time and then came out so while he was eating his tea to-night he went sound asleep with his head about in his plate. Tom Abbott said Ott. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/852cb38ff81a6b0704dc03d30e5a4c74.pdf 3b6dc8db63a35960aa0a47b689ce1619 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. fixed the lawn mower all right and he was going to bring it back with him when he brought the can but he forgot. Frank went down town to night and got the mail. The rag man that interviewed Frank the other day came again and gave me 55 cents for all the stuff Frank had gathered up and borrowed my lead pencil which he has got, he gave a haf a cent back in cash for rags or a cent in trade he was very anxious to trade but the straight pails he had were worth 35 & 40 cts and Enah said she could get them for 15 down town. Nice enough day till it rained pretty hot. Tuesday May 30th It rained hard again during the night and every thing has been too wet outside to do any thing. Frank and Dad. went down this morning to get some sand but there was a nice ridge of gravel washed up so they got a load of it and took it up to Aunty's to put on the walk and after dinner went down and got another load, so didn't get any sand to put in the mud hole at all. Dad. nearly broke his neck this morning. He was up over the woodshed and when he started to come down his foot slipped on the top step and he fell from there to the landing or rather slid and hurt his back and then instead of stopping at the landing he peeled head first off it and lit square on his head between a couple of stoves. He felt as he said like Pete {illegible} "Considerately shook up" all day. I didn't do any thing much all day except prowl around in the mud. This morning I made a mitre box which I believe is fairly true. After dinner I went back to the gully to see if the bars and gate were still shut as in their hurried exit yesterday Dad. & Frank hadn't taken much pains but they were all right. The oats and barley back there are well up now and look fine as there is no grass in them at all it seems. I brought the cows up with me and it was early but we got through early and Frank and I both went to the picture show to see Margeurite Clark in "The Crucible". It wasn't a bad show Marjorie Clarke & Glad Law went with me. It rained again a little shower about four o'clock but has cleared off. Cold to-night. Wednesday May 31st First thing this morning that Dad noticed was that Elgeitha wanted to take another trip to the bull. We were https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c0aaa95d3ab6ec22af54edcca1f64961.pdf 4caced122b6c7cc3d899d933b66db111 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. terribly disappointed as we thought she was safe in calf not having showed any signs for three months and she was so regular before. The only cause we could think of was abortion and Dad. was sure it wasn't that as we have been here nearly every night since we turned out, however he and I made a pretty thorough search of the gully this morning but couldn't find any signs of it. Dad. stood her in and was so undecided what to do with her between wondering if she had aborted and if Ham's bull was any good or if we should take her to John Wess' that we didn't do any thing with her and this evening when he let her out she made right straight for the gully all alone and was aparently all over her excitement. Aunty Alice came over a little before dinner and stayed till a little after. Harry Ansley and Billy Dixon were also in to look at Nellie but Billy didn't buy her, she wasn't what he wanted he said at all. I didn't do much this after noon but sit around, although I did haul enough rotted manure to mulch the hedge. Frank spent the after noon patching the wood shed roof. I guess he intends going over the whole house as it all needs it. Dad. didn't feel very well. Some fellow (a {...man?}, I think) with a couple of little kids came in to see if we had any rhubarb to sell and as we didn't he would like to get a setting hen or two so I sold him one for 75 cts. I spent the evening making a new milk record book for June. Thursday June 1st Tom brought the lawn mower back from Ott. Collin's this morning, so I have put in nearly the whole day working on the lawn. I started cut the longest of the grass with the scythe and didn't get it all done but this after noon I got all the shortest including all the other side of the ditch cut with the lawn mower, it looks nice and was no trouble to cut at all. Ott. seems to have made a good job. Frank spent most of the day patching the roof. About nine o'clock this morning Dad. took Aunty up to the cemetry, they took the baby too. When he got back from there he took the team and waggon and went down to the Widespread and got the new refrigerator. They had just finished it and as it smelled strongly of the alcohol in the shelack we had to leave it open and not use it to-day. It is a nice looking one and I think plenty big enough for us. This after noon Dad. was ditching in the back field he says it is very wet yet, but John Wess was out and calculated to sow a little to-night just to be able to say he had some in. "Very hot and sultry https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6e2b2abd093c4cbbfe260e4637b7f547.pdf 545396955cd386c582a6b62e7168bde0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday June 2nd After the big rain on Sunday people seem to have been of the opinion that the weather had "took up" using Mr. Fleming's expression, I don't know why unless it was because it turned cold after it and the wind changed around but it does that lately without a minutes notice any way, then there was a new moon and a good many thought that would fix it, but yesterday after noon public opinion veered round again and the general belief was that we were about to have another little "spell of weather", and this morning's sultry air and cloudy sunrise and the lake's growling convinced us all of the fail. Despite all these omens we got up pretty early and Frank went back about half past seven. Dad. intended to take his team back after Frank got started but the sky soon began to darken and the rumbling and growling in the west began to get nearer so we didn't go I mowed the rest of the hay on the front lawn with the scythe but that didn't take long. About half past nine it began to rain and I had just time to get into the shop when it came down in sheets. The awful flashes of lightening seemed so close that thunder almost cracked while it was there. This storm lasted for ten or fifteen minutes then it settled down to a sensible rain and soon stopped altogether. Frank came up with the team during this interval, he had been under a beech tree in the woods and was aparently dry. It soon began again however and I went into the house to put a new cloth on my foot and it developed into a worse storm than the first one, not only in rain, thunder & lightening but hail which seemed worse than the storm of last fall which did so much damage. It battered against the south kitchen window<s>s</s> like bullets and I was sure they would break it but they didn't. They weren't like ordinary hailstones being quite flat and the edges jagged. It didn't last so very long but the rain kept up most of the morning. Frank went down town after the mail after dinner and had a great time getting accross the ditch the water was so high. We didn't do anything much this after noon but I monkeyd around in the shop with the old moulding planes. Old Monteith was past this after noon and told Dad. he had never seen the water in the creek so high it was the wind more than the rain that caused it. Art's flats where he had his oats were completely inundated Dad. went down to a Mr. Smith's Reunion meeting to-night and as the walking was so bad stayed down all night at Aunty's. Enah spent the after noon house cleaning the front bedroom. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/eb443f54139f0dc4d6d7e6104783e0b4.pdf 18a867b440ea8be38180122a4b00328f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday June 3rd Dad. got home about six or before this morning just as I was starting to milk and about ten o'clock, he, Enah & the baby started for Simcoe with Joe & the buggy to <s>Simcoe</s> see the circus which was to be there to-day. Frank went soon after on his wheel. They told me they would be sure to be back by the middle of the after noon I didn't do much till dinner time but chores. Mrs. Jack was in for a few minutes to see Enah about noon. She is here for a few days and is staying just now at the Pickford's. Frank was down to see her last night. She only stayed a few minutes. After I had partaken of my solitary lunch I sat around and read for awhile, then went out and cleaned Queen and then started to rake up the hay on the lawn, while I was at that Aunty Alice came over thinking I would be getting tired of my own company and brought me the mail. There was rather bad news in the paper as a British fleet was engaged in the Skagerrack on Wednesday & Wednesday night by the entire German High Seas fleet and received quite a mauling. That seriousness lay in the great loss of men and ships they sustained as the Germans didn't gain any particular advantage and were fighting with the odds greatly in their favor. As soon as the main British fleet the Globe says hurriedly steamed to the scene of the action the German's left off pounding the overmatched ships they had engaged and scuttled back to port. The British loss was three Dreadnoughts three cruisers and eight destroyers while the Germans admit the loss of one battleship and two cruisers but it is believed there was more on both sides. They don"t know how many men were lost but if none were saved from the sinking ships there would be about six thousand. The greatest loss outside of the men was that of the battleship "Queen Mary" which was about the last word in battleship construction both in speed and the mounting of big guns She was a sister ship to the "Queen Elizabeth." Aunty Alice didn't stay long as she thought they would soon be back. I worked a while longer at the lawn and got some of it cut but I didn't start very early to do chores as I expected them back any minute. However it was after six when I got the cows up and in and no sign of them and I was just about through milking when they came in quite a bit after seven. They said the performance didn't start till so late, but they had a good day, the circus was a small one and they didn't have many animals but they had them very well trained. Frank rode in soon https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3f896a83a4965f1114f35d4811ef5fc6.pdf e4e34c25f95fec1eeb453bfaebf1055e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. after they came in. He had come down from Simcoe with Bill Barwell and had had tea at the Barwells. He & the rest of the family hadn't seen each other all day as Frank had been taking in all the side shows and had dinner on the fairground where the circus was while Dad & Enah had fallen in with Jim Waddle & his sisters and had gone to Miss Waddle's for dinner. It has been cloudy and rather cool but fine, it looked rainy for awhile. Sunday June 4th Frank, Enah, and I went to church this morning while Dad. & the baby stayed home and got dinner Aunty came over to dinner, Dick didn't come as he & Dess. <s>walked</s> went to Simcoe last night to stay all night at "Grandpa Meads" and were going to walk back this after noon. Frank stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and went this after noon to Vittoria with Aunty Alice & Aunt Ida in Mr. Johnson's car. After Aunty went back about four o'clock Dad. & I drove out to the Shand's as Harvey Shand was past here yesterday and said they had a colt leaking at the navel which they would like Dad. to look at and I thought I ought to go and see Charlie who just got home from the West a couple of weeks ago. They don't seem to think he is much better. It began to rain before we got home but we didn't get wet. It rained quite a lot all the evening. To-night Frank and I tested the eggs in the little incubator. We only took twelve out of sixty seven. Monday June 5th I spent most of the day raking up and cutting the front lawn and got all the part I had to mow with the scythe cut by to-night. Enah & Tid were down town all day as she wanted to get some teeth fixed but Bill wasn't there. Dad. helped her take the baby over in the sidewalk and saw Brirely over there who gave him a full account of his row with Vyse. Brirely has moved into Vyse's house and he says it was in awful shape, then one day Helen came over after something and got on Brirely's garden, he asked her not to run over it and she got saucy so he ordered her off and told her not to come back so that is what started it. He saw Vyse later up at the Quanbury's and Vyse spoke to him about it and in the course of their conversation told Brirely that if he felt better he would mop the sidewalk with him where upon Brirely invited him out to do it but Vyse declined the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4c9cdae6929572568b6b0df5ac4d8e99.pdf 9ba436cbbca72fd844b9eddbff35e7a3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. invitation and stayed on the other side of Quanbury's fence. While Dad. was over there Frank started down to Porter's with old Gladys who has been out since Saturday. He rode Joe down and drove Gladys; she knows the way pretty well anyway. He didn't get back till long after two and Dad. and I thought he was having dinner down there but he hadn't. Brirely came over after some little ducks Frank sold him. He took ten, six for himself and four for Gordon Dovecote, they were just hatched the other day so he borrowed the hen too, he gave ten cents apiece for them. Dad. spent the after noon putting up barricades behind the little cherry trees in the lane so as old Harry couldn't reach over the pasture field fence and nip the tops off them, Frank I think fixed his bicycle. About five o'clock, Mr. & Mrs Tupper & Clara drove in and brought Enah & Tid home. Nice day, but cool. Tuesday June 6th We spent quite a time this morning fixing Queen up Dad. powdered her cut and trimmed her hoofs a little besides giving her a general grooming. About ten o'clock he and I went back the lane to see if we could let some water off so that we could work at it. This after noon Enah went down to a reception at Mrs. Woodson's to meet Miss Glass, Carol's sister-in-law so Dad. had to stay in to watch the baby and I went out and dug around and tied a lot of the little poplars along the road, the mice have girdled & killed quite a lot of them. Martin's men were on the corner field disking & harrowing the oats in that had been sowed broad-cast. It looked to be pretty wet and seems rather foolish. Frank finished patching the roof this morning and has made a good job of it. This after noon he went down and got the mail and said there was a report came in after the mail that Kitchener & his staff were drowned, they were on their way to Russia when their ship struck a mine or was torpedoed. The Canadians have had stiff fighting too. Fine day. Wednesday June 7th It began to rain sometime in the night and with an east wind so we have had a steady downpour all day. Allan Law came in while we were at breakfast to have Dad. look at the sorel horse's mouth as he thought he wasn't doing right and he was here till about eleven. During the morning Mrs. McBride https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bf6b87d4c6fa296524ccb1cedfa1c36c.pdf 00cbf0ed091ad1bce3cbddf0139e5b2a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. waded in although they didn't look for her on account of the weather but she & Enah have been cleaning the parlor all day. Frank went out at eleven o'clock to feed his ducks this morning and found all but four of them in a heap out side the box dead, one wasn't quite dead but it soon died. He put the four live ones over in the barn as he thinks it was the rain killed them but they were all well at seven when he fed them before. We haven't done any thing but sit around all day I read "The Lay of the last Minstrel" This after noon Frank drove Mrs. McBride down town and got the paper which confirms the report of Kitchener's death. Mrs. McBride said that she was in Simcoe last night and and about eleven o'clock Bob Mead ran in and said the last report was that he was saved but the morning's paper had been issued since then. Kitchener was on his way to Petersgrad when the cruiser Hampshire which was carrying him & his staff struck a mine or was torpedoed off the Orkneys and they think no one has been saved. Sir Wm. Robertson it is thought will take his place in the War office. About five o'clock to-night Frank noticed a lot of our cattle down at Ben Ivey's corner at the end of the road so he and I went down to get them, they were all in Martins field. Ben Ivey told Frank that they had come up throug his place. There were only five of the cows and the three steers so I went back Ivey's lane to see if I could find the rest of them. I heard a young crow squawk back there in one of his pine trees and saw a little bedraggled looking fellow sitting on a limb so I threw two or three sticks at him and he at last flew down and lit in a mud-puddle where I easily caught him, so I brought him up in side my coat and put him in Dad's bird cage. I looked all through the gully for the cattle but as they had gone up or Dad. had brought them up I couldn't find them. I waded through the creek up to my knees more than once. Dad. said he had yelled at me when I was going down Ivey's lane but I hadn't seen him. It didn't matter much as I was soaked then. Thursday June 8th Charlie Quanbury was in here for quite awhile this morning and he traded collars as the one he had on Art's horse was too big for him. Frank & I took Daisy May up to Ham. Thompson's again and got back about twelve. Dad. beat https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bc7fbcc9fa2241f08d2d51c113ab4a07.pdf eadb0487c9b3d0014276243cdbc5b29d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the parlor carpet while we were gone. This after noon Frank and I rode out to Tupper's with Charlie Quanbury who was going to help Tupper dip sheep, we fooled around there for awhile and helped him weigh a veal calf and then went over to John Wess' to see if he would make up a cement post mould like his. He was hewing a cedar stick for a brace. We were over there a long time poking around. He said he had more work to do now than he would ever get done but if we couldn't get any one else to make us one he would so we told him we would find out down at the Widespread and he said he would lend us his for a pattern. We didn't get home till after six. Dad. had spent the afternoon putting down the parlor carpet. I learned the last of the second canto of "The Lady of the Lake" to-day. I started it on the 25th April so didn't take so long as I did learning the first canto two years ago I tried a little different scheme of writing it out which works better. It has been fair all day but a big thunder storm went around us to-night. Friday June 9th Frank left soon after breakfast this morning to go down and clean out Aunty's eave-troughs for her, he said he would be back right after dinner but he didn't get back till after six, he said it was a worse job than he thought. I spent the biggest part of the day raking up and cutting the lawn, but got it all gone over in front of the house. The actual time I took cutting it wasn't very long but it took along time to rake up the debris on the other side of the ditch left by the hail storm, then I was a long time getting the lawn mower set right. I think Dad. ditched around the barnyard most of the day but had to keep his eye on the baby this after noon after he woke up as Enah went down to Bill's to get her teeth fixed. He intended to go down to-night to a meeting of the W.H. Smith reunion committee but about five o'clock Ashbaw the castrator from Caledonia came in and as Dad. couldn't go with him to-night asked him to stay here all night and he would go to Mr. Fleming's & Ham. Thompson's with him in the morning as they are the only two around here who have entire colts except our Billy, so he agreed to the proposition and accordingly put his horse in, then it started to rain and turned out such a nasty night that Dad. stayed home and entertained Mr. Ashbaw by listening to his adventures in his many fields of occupation, which though numerous are all of about the same standard and as one would expect a https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/87e00a83c151a2b764538d2a39dc1876.pdf e251e49be62d685b77861e98bdf48670 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. man of his tastes would naturally devote his time to, as the work he is at now is what he enjoys above all things and his other vocations ranged from tending bars to travelling {illegible} and in the early spring grafting fruit trees which is about the most elevated sort of industry he indulges in. Dad. had to sit up till eleven o'clock with out his usual evening snooze and then suggest bed himself. It has been cloudy by spells. Bob. Davis was in this morning with Jaeger & Hamilton's big Percheron and tried Nellie and said he would be back next week as Harry Ansley told him to {breed her?} Saturday June 10th Dad. and Ashbaw left right after breakfast this morning for Mr. Fleming's and Ham Thompson's and Frank and I were to have gone back and brought our colts up but it began to rain and rained quite hard for awhile but we went back when it let up and didn't have much trouble in getting them up and Billy in the stable, a little while before they got back, and old Ashbaw fixed him up before dinner. This after noon we sat around for an hour or two till he left He invited Dad. & Enah & the baby to come down to see him Caledonia Fair, he said he would give them a bed three meals a day and treat them as mean as he knew how. He showed us how to graft trees as he is a professional grafter and told us what we never knew before and what has probably been the reason of our non-success that care must be taken to have the lowest bud on the scion just set level with the top of the branch. He also gave us a receipt for making grafting wax which was different and he says better than the old one, it was 4 lbs resin, 1 lb beeswax & 1 pint raw oil, melt & pour into cold water. After he left I don't think we did any thing very startling. It has been partly fair and partly rainy to-day. Frank went down to the mill and down town with the team and waggon this after noon, it rained while he was gone. Sunday June 11th Frank and I went down to church this morning and Dick and Aunty Alice came over with us to dinner This after noon we sat around till I thought it was too late to go out to Tommy Jackson's as Frank and I intended so he went alone down to the Ryerse's and they went over to Tommy's with him and looked over his museum as they call it. Frank https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c9b88e0061cd89f7f5c55e3fa26bc280.pdf d260890e268e75d12647cce000c8b4f2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. says he has sold over seven hundred dollars worth of stuff and a stranger wouldn't know there was any thing gone. They say he has all the buildings on the place including the house filled with old odds and ends which he has picked up at auction sales. Aunty Alice stayed till about half past four and then Enah and the baby who were going to have tea at the James<s>'</s>s' and then go to church went down with her. Dick went down earlier. Art Quanbury came over just before they left to get Dad. to go down to Mr. Fleming's to see old Prince the big {Sensation?} as they were afraid his leg was broken. Dad. got back about half past six and said his leg had been broken off right below the stifle and they had to send for Dave Waddle to shoot him. He said Mr. Fleming felt very badly but was going to skin him. I got the cows up and helped Dad. milk and about eight o'clock went down town. I happened to meet Marj. & Glad Law on their way home from Lola McBride's and was with them for awhile and then went in to see Harry Moon for a little while. Mrs. Moon was in bed with grip. I then went down to Auntys and got some tea, they persisted in feeding me and got home soon after eleven. Cloudy morning but nice day Monday June 12th This morning Dad. & the baby and I drove Joe & Queen up to Barwell's and took his two pigs up. Barwell showed Dad. all his crops which Dad. says look fine, this year has just suited his sand farm. We didn't get home till after <s>dinner</s> noon and went around by town. Dick got us the paper and gave Dad. & me our invitations to Mr. Smiths reunion. Miss McQueen had brought them into the bank. We stopped in<s>to</s> at the Quanbury's and borrowed their step ladder and paste board as they are going to paper the ceiling of the kitchen & bedroom to-morrow. This after noon I drove Enah down town as she had to get her teeth fixed and I left Joe & Quanbury's and had her shod, he soaked us $1.50 for putting on new shoes. I went up and got my hair cut while I was waiting and fooled around up town most of the after noon I waited till half past four at Aunty Alice's for Enah and then went home alone. She got home before six Dad. and Frank spent the after noon clearing everything out of the kitchen. It rained a little to-night but was a nice day. Zeitha Barwell invited me up there to tea to-morrow night to give her a riding lesson. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/78136dedd82b39c735c59acb0b20e9fc.pdf 82e6fbb5c74dbef9c29a18f921e05834 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday June 13th This morning I went down to Aunty's and took Tid with me to help work in the garden and incidentally to remove him from the impending operations to be carried on here as Mrs. McBride arrived just as we left and they have beend papering the kitchen ceiling all day and generally house-cleaning and they thought his presence would not be required. I spent the day digging the cellar banks and got them pretty well dug the houseside of the drain, but not the woodshed side, however they were well pleased they said with what I did and it certainly did make quite an improvement. I came home about four o'clock and did chores but didn't get through in time to get up to the Barwells for tea but left soon after to give Zeitha a riding lesson she got on fine. She had been reading up on it in the encyclopedia and tried to put the theory to practice and didn't lose her head or lose control of Joe so had a few good canters up and down the road. I didn't stay late. Winnie was over here to tea and Frank went down with her after tea and I guess they went to the picture show. Dad. says Ham Thompson was in to-night feeling pretty blue as another cow aborted just gone a few months and is afraid it is contagious abortion. Fine, hot & sultry. Wednesday June 14th Frank went over at seven this morning to help Jack Martin's gang set out strawberry plants and was there all day. Dad drove Enah down to the dentists' this morning and she was down all day too. Minnie Quanbury came over at noon to say Enah had telephoned over that she wouldn't be home. She got four teeth filled and one out so feels rather sore in the mouth. Dad. and I have not done any thing to speak of A few chores and I slept and read. Dad. of course had to watch the baby. He has been reading up on contagious abortion, and feels very worried for if Ham's bull is infected we have brought it into this herd by breeding Daisy May & Elgitha to him and we have to wait now anyway before we can find out as the only way to tell seems to be to see if other cows abort, so we won't dare breed Elgitha when she comes around again. Dad. had a letter from Douglas and he thought she must have aborted and said he would breed her at once but Tupper who has had experience of it says not to breed them till after the time they would have had their calf if they had not aborted. But any way we daren't breed her to another bull till we know for sure about Ham's or the thing will get spread all over. Very hot & sultry. Thundery. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/339a9fbef1a083de0763b9b22ffcf931.pdf 96c6cff53ecbc2ae0df421a210fa526f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday June 15th This morning Dad. & I did up the chores and then started to put a barbed wire on the top of the fence along the lane comin in from the road, we merely started there as we want to if we can stretch one all along every fence where the horses run as they will reach over and bend the top of the woven wire down. We got quite a long strand of wire from the fence down the road and tried to stretch it with the claw hammer but that didn't work well so I went over to John Wess' to borrow his wire stretchers. He was down fixing the well when I got there and when he came up it was beginning to rain and looked like a bad storm coming up. It was then just about noon so I stayed to dinner and there was a heavy rain for a while at noon After dinner Lloyd Crysler came over and wanted me to go fishing so we took a walk down to Frank Ryerse's where we found Wilbur and Lorne Jackson. We stopped in for {From?} Walker on our way down as Wilbur said he promised to go the next rainy day, but {From?} said he had to take his wife to town so Lloyd told him he would never ask him again. We got Lorne's nets but as Wilbur didnt want to get in the creek with the drag net we just used the gil net and strung it accross the creek and then I rowed Wilbur & Lorne up the creek a way and they whippet it down but we didn't get a fish Tige got in it once she and Lloyd's dog swam across about forty times. We fooled around for a little while before we came home and it was long after five when I came through John Wess' place to our gully Dad. came back after the cows he thought some thing must have happened to me he said but couldn't have done any thing on account of the wet and he had a very bad head-ache. Aunty was over to dinner and he drove her home this after noon, she is going to Brantford in the morning to pay a little visit to Miss & Mrs. Battersby. Frank didn't get a whole day in to-day on account of the rain but he only lost an hour or two I think they were still planting strawberries. He is having a great time over there with Joe Green. <s>Thursday</s> Friday June 16th Friday We chored around a little this morning and I got most of the lawn cut I was out there after dinner when a buggy came in and I was very surprised & pleased to see it was Ham. Thompson with Mr. Douglas of Caledonia. He had come up to Ham's to look at his bulls and then come over here. He was here till after four so we had a long visit with him. The https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/16a85adfeeb01647afaa1328b4f11de9.pdf db51845d4d5be597f293085fd0e616e0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. conversation dwelt mostly on contagious abortion as although Douglas has never had it, he seems to know pretty well about it. He says the only way to do if it gets in the herd is to live it down which takes in all about five years. He, unlike Tupper, says to breed the cows after they abort as soon as possible as they never abort more than twice and sometimes only once, but they can still carry the germ even if their own calves come all right and give it to others so that it could be stamped or worn out rather out of a herd of old cows in about three years but it would not be safe to breed any heifers for two more years. He said he was sure Ham didn't have it and he said he would certainly breed Elgitha the next time as if it was contagious she had it this time and if it wasn't we were only wasting time. To-night Dad. and I went down town, he went to a Mr. Smith's reunion committee meeting and I just took a little stroll around to see Marj. for a few minutes as she was all alone. I then went down to Aunty Alice's and stayed all night as Aunty went to Brantford this morning and she didn't like to be alone with Aunt Ida all night. It has been a nice day to-day. Frank put in another day. Saturday June 17th I got up in time to get home and help Dad. milk this morning. Frank went over to Jack Martin's and Dad. & I put the lambs all in and put the ear tags in their ears, we didn't have quite enough so didn't mark the two little ones nos. x. Douglas thought yesterday they were a "ripping" fine bunch of lambs, picked out two or three "right good ones" and said there wasn't a bad lamb in the bunch. We were nearly all morning at that job and this after noon we hooked up Joe & Queen to the waggon and drove down town to get some stuff, we just got back in time to do chores. Old Rollings stopped us down town and told Dad. he wanted to get a horse and hadn't seen any thing that suited him so well since he came to town as Queen, but it nearly flabergasted the old boy when Dad. told him the price was three hundred. To-night Frank went down town and I took a walk down to Odd's point and had a half a notion to go for a swim but didn't. Nice day but thundering. Sunday June 18th Frank and I went down to church this morning. Dick came over to dinner but went down soon after. This after noon I wrote and read till I went to sleep and about four o'clock started to do chores. Dad. drove Uncle Ward out to Colin Mc https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fd34a57eb749b4aa0409921acdba24c7.pdf 5adb2d194e7ec01ecce0b891c83060e2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Neiledge's as he fell the other day and paralyzed the nerve in his arm that is Colin did and Dad. thought Uncle Ward would like to go out and see him. He said he enjoyed the drive but the McNeiledge's were not at home. Frank spent the after noon back in the gully with the Ryerse's spearing frogs, he took them down to-night and sold them to Henry Buoy for ten cents a dozen. I got down in time for church to-night and had a little visit with Marj. Aunty Alice sent an<s>d</s> invitation to her by me to come down to a tea party to-morrow night but she said she couldn't come as there was another one on at Mrs. McQueen's and she had to go. Aunty Alice told me this morning that Mrs. John Watts was dead but she didn't die till to-night, but old Mrs. Watson Robert John's mother died yesterday. Rained this morning. Cool & Cloudy to-day. Monday June 19th Dad. went over to John Wess' right after breakfast and took him over a bag of oats & barley in return for a bag of oats we got some time ago. John Wess told him was hoping he wouldn't bring them for awhile as he was afraid now that he would feed them up. The object of Dad's visit was to warn him not to breed any cows that had been to Ham Thompson's bull and to be very careful what cows he did breed. Dad. is afraid yet of contagious abortion. I don't think I did any thing much while he was gone. Frank took the team out and disked up the sand knoll by {Name?} and said he got the top of the grass pretty well cut up but it didn't affect the roots any. I weeded a little in the rose border Dad. got home just before a big rain started which lasted all noon hour. Frank went back to the gully this after noon Dad. helped Enah paper the pantry ceiling. I read "The Gentle Shephard till four o'clock when I started to do chores. Jonas came in and peddled some fish. To-night Frank and I went down to Aunty Alice's party. She was rather distressed and the majority of boys over the girls. Zeitha & Miss Tinny couldn't come but Mis Herring was there and Elva, Ada & Dess. and besides us four boys there was Lewis Woodson, George Clark & Douglas Skey but we had a good time Quint <s>for</s> whom the party was for especially seemed to enjoy himself in Miss Herrings company. Aunty got home from Brantford to-day. Tuesday June 20th Gordon {Darecote?} came over this morning to get Dad. to go over and see Jack Martin's horse, so Dad. went over https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/17eb2ee956d04e7725646ae85f185972.pdf 5ab465f9442cad4d9f5969e73b9a6ec2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and Frank and I followed soon after. It was the bay pacer that Charlie bought from Beswitherock and evidently sold to Jack and Dad. & Anderson who was down from Simcoe agreed that he had tetanus, so Anderson gave him an injection of antitetnantic {antitetantic?} serum and left instructions for Dad. to give them every six hours. Dad. says he is sure the horse is too far gone to be helped and anyway there was no curative properties claimed for that stuff it being merely a preventative, however he has gone over three times and that is all he has to. This after noon Frank and I put through the few bushels of wheat in Ed's big bin which we were saving for chicken feed. Bruce Smith was in for quite awhile this after noon for a visit. Enah has been down all the after noon at the dentists' and felt pretty rotten over it to-night. It has been a nice day to-day. Wednesday June 21st It started to rain about six o'clock this morning and rained till about nine or ten o'clock. It wasn't a bad day after that sunny and cool. Dad. spent most of the morning over at Martin's the horse was so bad this morning that Joe Field's shot it. I didn't do anything much but help Enah tear the cover off the armchair as she wants to put a new one on. This after noon I read & slept most of the after noon but did go out and put the wheat back in the bun which Frank and I cleaned up yesterday. Just before tea Frank and I took Elgitha up to Ham Thompson's. Frank was down town this after noon. Thursday June 22nd This morning Dad. left for Charlie Dunkin's to see if he couldn't hurry him up to get the old ram registered and also to pay him the service fee of his ram. I would have gone but Dad. thought as Uncle Ward enjoyed his drive so much on Sunday he would ask him and I thought he would enjoy it more with Dad. than wth me so I persuade him to go. They left about ten o'clock and didn't get back till about five and I guess both of them had a great day of it. Dunkin wasn't home when they got there so they stayed to dinner. Uncle Ward knew him well, used to go to party's with him, and I suppose he had a great talk. Dad. says his crops and the crops of his near neighbors look immense but that is the only place they do. The rain has been just what they want up there. They saw Frank Marr on their way home and he told them that https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/297d8ea595bf140198386dcadc51619f.pdf 8062397d4c1007cdf157189ac58754b4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Dr. Harrison of Selkirk says that it is recorded in his father's diary of one hundred years ago that we had just such a spring as this and that it rained all summer and nothing was saved of either hay or grain, all stock starving to death in consequence the following winter, so that sounds hopeful. Frank has been over at Jack Martin's all day picking strawberries, he made $1.01. I did chores, weeded out the rest of the rose border, sprinkled the roses with tobacco water which Aunty Alice fixed for me by steeping some of Frank's old homegrown leaves and put in the rest of the day doing nothing. Aunty Alice and Winnie were both over to dinner and Win stayed most of the after noon but Aunty Alice of course couldn't. Nice day. Friday June 23rd Frank disked up the sand knoll by the old well again this morning and after dinner Dad ran out eleven furrows and Frank and I planted potatoes. Then Dad. covered them and Frank harrowed them in. Dad. also made a start at plowing the old garden back of the shop. It was very waxy. He hauled out manure out of the two boxstalls and put on the west side of it. I cut the lawn to-day. To-night Dad. went down to a reunion meeting and Frank and I went down to the stump but didn't have much of a swim as the water was cold. Dad. stayed in town all night. It was fair all day but rained a little to-night. Saturday June 24th Frank has been picking strawberries over at Martin's all day and made another dollar. This morning Dad cut some of the long grass down by the ditch and in the lane and I puttered around. Alex Jamieson came in after dinner and was here most of the after noon. It was time to do chores when he left. Uncle Ward had to go down to Art. Ryerse's to collect for the reunion some time before next meeting and Dad. told him he would drive him down this after noon but he couldn't, it rained once or twice any way and looked very cloudy so not likley Uncle Ward. would expect him. To-night Dad. Enah and the baby drove down town and Dad. drove Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. As soon as they were gone Frank & I decided to go over to Tommy Jackson's to tell him Frank would take a couple of skips of bees. Frank thought they https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/62fd2f7943947e02b5f7514cac37f857.pdf dea7832c45d25fd3214760e589f714ce PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. were pretty cheap on Tommy's terms. He offered him two skips of bees in Langstroth hives with frames and foundation comb for seven dollars and he can get them and pay for them any time he likes. It was about dusk when we got over there and Tommy was just getting started to milk, he milked two cows and then showed us around the apairy and it was pitch dark before we left but he had started in on the other cow and had the lantern out with him. Frank and I had quite a time extricating ourselves from Frank Ryerse's gully's in the dark and then got our legs soaking wet on the grass on our way home. Dad. & Enah were home and Dad. was getting ready to worry about our absence as we forgot to leave any word. Sunday June 25th The whole family went down to church this morning as Mr. Rennaud preached. He is here for a short visit, he used to be the rector here 41 years ago and gave a very emotional reminescent sermon. Dad. Enah & the baby stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and Quint and Dick came over here with us. They went off right after dinner to see the Oddfellows march and Frank left soon after to go for a ride on his wheel with Harve Taylor. I waited till Joe had time to eat her noon feed then took her down for Dad. & Enah to drive home. I sat down at Aunty Alice's for about an hour and then started to walk home but got a ride over as far as Martin's with Charlie in his car. I helped Dad. milk then went down to church and then went around with Marjorie to the house. This was his most holy of holy the right reverent Mr. J. Culp's last Sunday in the Methodist church and I guess he gave them a long wind-up sermon anyway. I had a very pleasant visit and left before any of the Bagley family appeared on the scene. I wouldn't have left so soon but poor Marj. seemed to be rather uneasy for fear they would catch me there although she said she didn't care. I went down to Aunty's for a few minutes and found Douglas Skey there. I supposed he had walked down with Mrs. Baker, Mr. Rennaud's daughter, who is staying with Aunty Alice & Aunty. It has been fine and hot to-day, regular Oddfellows day. Monday June 26th Frank went over to pick strawberries and to-day made $1.21. I left about nine to take Uncle Ward on his https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/18598ddddfe681f6fa19b5186ae32c61.pdf 784da3859fd808341b9601bab8a40f61 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. collecting circuit. I met Bob. just going into Woodson's and couldn't resist the temptation of driving her down town so Uncle Ward and I were a little late getting started, and then the shoulder strapring pulled out of the breast collar which caused a little more delay. We just called at Alfred's, Art's and Allan Law's, Uncle Ward hinted at getting a donation from Alfred for his daughters' but Alfred didn't bite, but they probably will. We only saw Mrs. Art. Ryerse as Art was way back and the kids all have the measles, she said she would tell Art. to call in some night and pay Uncle Ward. Alan Law was hauling gravel but Mrs. Law said he would drop in too. I gave him five dollars for Dad. and we three boys. We came up the Plank Road from the Dog's Nest and didn't get home till after one o'clock. This after noon Dad plowed some more of the garden but didn't quite finish as it is very tough and old Nellie started out a little balky after her holiday. I didn't do much but cut a few weeds and take some more eggs over to Jack Martin. After tea I rode Queen down to the corner and back, she hasn't been out lately and felt frolick. Mrs. McBride was here to-day and informed us that old Robert John was married, his mother died three or four days before. Fine & hot but looks rainy. Tuesday June 27th I spent most of my time to-day cutting weeds I finished cutting the dock in the raspberry patch first and then went back to cut thistles in the oats and barley. I didn't get on very fast as it is hard to tell where to go on the side hill Pickford and I think Clair Jackson were hauling Pickford's hay and their dog an Airdale pup started chasing Art. Quanbury's sheep. I didn't know it was Pickford's till I went up the road to tell Art and heard him call it off Art was working on his buckwheat ground and Tupper who had ploughed about four rounds as he said this morning was talking to old Evans who was disking right opposite. Tupper said he was very thirsty so we went down to Art's new well that he dug with the post auger but couldn't find anything but an old paint pail to dip the water with However that fitted in the well alright and we got enough to slake our thirsts, it was good cold water too. Dad. finished plowing the garden this morning and disked and rolled it. Frank went down to Porter's again with Gladys. He ploughed in the old garden this after noon. Enah was down town for tea. Frank and I had to take Daisy May up to Ham Thompson's to-night. Mrs. W.H. Smith died at five o'clock this morning. It has been a hot summer day. It really looks as if the weather had "took up" https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c050456d621c7f08e2b9d216e3b53d8e.pdf 15b5bf40e0c2d7852b7069e871a75e0c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday June 28th Frank has been picking strawberries all day again and made $1.35, this has been his best day yet. Dad. plowed in the old garden all morning, he and the baby and he finished it and disked it this after noon. I raked up the grass he cut along the ditch this morning and went out and spread a few piles of manure which were in his road for plowing. This after noon I went down town to get some stuff. Huby saw me and wanted me to go up and look at Bill Slocomb's buggy, he wants fifty dollars for it. It looks like a good one. I went down to Aunty's to cut a ham in two for them and Aunty Alice was at a bridge up at Miss Buckwell's. This has been another beautiful day. Thursday June 29th I went over to Art Quanbury's this morning and got our post auger and Dad and I put in a post at the gap between the two fields across the gully and put up the bar and let the cattle into the west field, we then went along Ivey's line in the gully but couldn't do much to it John was over in Ivey's having walked under the fence along the creek bottom. We had dinner on time and got ready and both of us went down at half past one to Mrs. Smith's funeral. We went up to the cemetry and there was a big crowd there. We went from there over to Barwell's and got Zeitha and brought her down, she and I were to have gone for a ride to-night but Enah asked some more over to have some music so we postponed our ride. We saw Mrs. Bagley & Marj. up at the cemetry and they said Essie couldn't come over to-night as it was choir practice but Marj. would only she didn't like to come alone, so Dad. told her if she saw Winnie coming over to come with her and if not to wait till I called for her, so as Winnie came over to tea I went right after tea to get Marj. I picked her up at Silverthorne's, she had come over to pay her Dad's lodge dues. We drove down town to see if we could get Elva but she had too bad a cold to come. We had a very nice evening being entertained by Zeith's & Enah's music on one hand and the baby catching moths on the other; he stayed up till midnight and except for evincing a few cannibalistic passions early in the evening when he bit poor Marj; he was very good and well-behaved. Dad. gave him a heart to heart talk on the occasion of his one offence and I don't think Marj. suffered any permanent injury. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5bc5dcc08ba0d4a92d7f9fd762b36e5e.pdf b0678ea12bce7453bd67551e5c614703 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I was to have taken the bunch home in the lumber waggon but <s>hi</s> Frank who has worked all day in the old garden left the neck yoke & doubletrees out there I couldn't and as it was raining, it didn't promise to be very pleasant walking, however it didn't rain hard so the four boys, Dick, Quint, Douglas Skey & George Clark walked down and I drove Dess & Marj down in the buggy Zeitha & Winnie stayed all night. There was an accident in town to-night. It seems Earl Long was going home and being very drunk was yelling at the top of his voice and frightened Barwell's horse which was tethered in Barny McMinny's yard and it ran over the engine bridge with the train after it, it got past that safely but when it got down to the station the chain that was on it caught and threw it so that it broke its leg, and Dave Waddle shot it. It has been fine and hot to-day but rather cloudy, Friday June 30th ) New moon is straight up and down so that the Indian can't hang his powder horn on it. Aunty Alice says it is a dry moon but Dad. scoffs at the idea. Soon after breakfast this morning we saddled Joe & Belle and Zeith and I started off for our ride. We went down to the mill and out to Edmond Englands corner then up to Chris Quanbury's corner down the side road to the Gravel and then to Barwell's, and I led Belle home. We had a nice ride but not a good one as Joe wouldn't travel up abreast of Belle and Belle was inclined to be a little mean, however Zeitha said she enjoyed herself. I didn't get home till nearly noon. This after noon I planted eighteen rows of turnips with Art Quanbury's seed drill which he brought over this morning. Dad. sowed clover seed on the garden and harrowed it well. Frank spent the day picking strawberries but didn't have such a good day to-day. To-night I went down town to see Roy & Vernon. Roy came to-night and Vernon last night. It has been sunny and hot to-day. Saturday July 1st This has been a great day, the weather couldn't have been better, hot and fine just the kind to make people enjoy the lake, and Dover certainly celebrated, although I saw very little of it. Dad. and Enah & the baby went down this morning and stayed to dinner and Dad. had a great time visiting all the old boys and girls who came to Mr. Smith's reunion. Frank and I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/eceac406af7e7510cb28172db37323cb.pdf 906e607c6805b9d32cde910ffc132249 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. didn't go down till noon, I started to cut the lawn but the mower broke so went out and helped Frank put in his school garden and I also sowed my Experimental Union plots of cabbage, kale & rape, and didn't get through till half past twelve, then we came in and got dressed up and intended to go for a swim at the stump but before we left we heard the school bell ringing so hurried down thinking we would be late, they didn't begin for quite awhile however and then all there was to it was a lot of speeches and we were up there till about four o'clock. I think every one got pretty tired of it. Jack Martin was chairman and made the presentation Mr. Smith didn't say much himself as he was in no mood for it but got Mr. Robertson to read a little that he had written for the occasion. After it was over Ray and I went right straight down to the house and I stayed there to tea. Dad. came down a little later, he had seen a good many old school pals and so had Ray. I saw Hubert Long and Egg Thompson and Fat Turner Col. A.C. Pratt got himself very much disliked by forbidding Mr. Smith's old boys in the 133rd coming down this after noon. He acted in a very small, sore headed way about it, and all Dover as well as a good part of Simcoe are pretty hot about it, he just did it for pure spite. Ed. Moon was down, he said he got leave by being on duty this morning at the picture show which the 133rd rented for the day to show the Willard Moran boxing contest but he said it wouldn't have made any difference he would have come just the same whether he got leave or not. Ray went over the hill to the Woodson's to get Vernon & Rebecca and I went for a swim in the creek, the water was fine. After tea I went up town and saw Fat. Turner and went over to the park with him to watch the fireworks, and I had a little visit with Marj. Her father is here and she is going home with him on Monday. Dad. and Frank who went home to do chores came down again after tea and I found the family up in the park and went home with them at a rather late hour. Sunday July 2nd Dad. Enah, the baby and I drove down to church this morning Frank didn't go. We were going to start early as Enah was going to practice with Zeitha who was to have sung a solo, but it began to rain so we had to wait till it was over, and we weren't there anymore https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a39a2278c2740201834b5b20ea0d6c7f.pdf f10d8fe27ff007609a10646d0193bae7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. than just on time, but it didn't matter as Zeitha was not there anyway. Just as we got into church an old soaker of a storm broke over us and it hailed till I thought it would break the church windows. It stormed pretty much all through church but was clear enough when we came out. Dick didn't come over to dinner and this after noon this family spent in peaceful slumber. We got the chores done early and Dad. drove Enah down to church they took the baby but he and Dad. stayed down at Auntys. Enah said she was the only girls voice in the choir and poor Harry Moon was so disheartened as he had expected a lot for to-day that he resigned from the leadership. They didn't see Roy or Vernon they being over at the Woodson's. Frank spent the evening getting his accounts system into working order and taking an inventory of the stock & implements. Monday July 3rd Frank went over to pick strawberries again this morning and has been over there all day. We started to plow the barley stubble again for buckwheat. Dad. struck out once but found it would tramp the long grass at the north end so started plowing right around the field, after one round I took it and plowed till noon, and he cut grass at the lane gate at the head of the orchard to get into that field with the mower. The grass was very thick and long there. After dinner the Quanbury boys and Glen Ryerse came in and wanted me to help them, they are moving Art's barn or at least trying to. We were there all the after noon and just got it turned around. They just hooked a cable on one corner of it and wound it up on a "capsule" as they call it but their chain broke two or three times and things went pretty slowly. It has been fine and hot to-day. By to-days paper the big drive on the Western front has begun. I didn't have time to read it but they have taken eleven villages and a lot of prisoners. The British & French are both at it. Tuesday July 4th The boys came after me again as soon as I had my breakfast and I have been over there all day, they came home to dinner. We had a pretty slow day of it first one thing would break and then another and all on account of it pulling too hard. Glen had the big rollers and saddles under her and we have come to the conclusion they are not much https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/457f4448ba763b4fe7f3655d1ab03a8d.pdf a21c63b274b9719350c5cf1f7f689d4c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. account unless maybe every thing is smooth and hard underneath. First we had a small new one under the hind corner and after breaking the chain two or three times trying to budge it, we decided it was too small and wasn't greased enough so we jacked it up and put an old big one under that was split and wired to-gether we moved a foot or two with it and then it broke, so we had to jack her up again and grease the small one and put it under and after pulling all the after noon and breaking chain & upsetting the capstan two or three times, we took it out and put under three or {four?} small rollers and no saddle. Mr. Evans was over helping us this afternoon, and so about five o'clock she started to go and from then till we quit we moved as far as we could without setting the capstan again so the boys went home in great spirits full of praisr for the small rollers. I nearly tore the clothes off me on their wire and nails and also hit my sore knee a lot with the end of the cable so I didn't feel so happy. Frank plowed all day and Dad. had to go up to George Duncan's this morning to look at a cow. Tupper. who was in Simcoe all day came over about five and killed the yearling buck. Fine & hot a shower at noon. Wednesday July 5th I have been out at the Quanbury's all day again and to-day we made a little better progress. We moved the barn more than the length of itself this forenoon but twisted the underpinning of Glen's capstan reel so at noon they went down and borrowed Kolbe's capstan and things went beautifuly we moved about seventy five paces. Over here they got a little more plowing done but nothing cut. Aunty, Vernon & Rebecca were over to dinner and to spend the after noon, Cousin Clare was over too. Frank and I had to take Daisy May up to Ham Thompson's again he was in bed when we got there but got up. Another beautiful day. Thursday July 6th The boys wouldn't have called for me this morning if we hadn't hailed them but I didn't want to see them stuck and we certainly needed all the men we have although Glen brought two with him but Evans didn't come back to-day. Glen had old Isaac Bush and Od. Frolic both venerable and hoaryheaded. Isaac is rheumatic and slightly palsied and told us he would much rather be doing what he was yesterday than https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3a87ace37d0ecef221ebef0ecd21883b.pdf 4435388bf787bfa82081a9d10380019a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. what he was to-day. We found by interrogation that yesterday's occupation consisted in riding from the Falls up here in Jim's car, as he hadn't been there since he was eleven years old, we didn't doubt his words in the least. He took my job of minding the capstan and once when they were unwinding it he got a bat in the leg with the lever that knocked him over. Old Od. is the same whom Dad. & I saw a year ago last winter down in Hammond's bush with Jack Richardson building a log hut for himself in which he still lives. That day his face was about completely covered with whiskers while now he is clean shaven down to the rim of his jaw and he has left border of grizzled hair right around, I suppose it is hard shaving around the corner. His hair is long and curls closely under an old reddish brown straw hat. His cheeks are just like a well smoked ham but his neck and nose are a lovely purple, his nose, hands & feet are enormous. I had a pretty good chance to study him to-day and he is an interesting looking old duck, he just kept plodding from one end of the barn to the other carrying plank and chewing to-bacco with his front teeth I guess he hasn't got any back ones. He didn't seem disposed to talk and didn't say half a dozen sentences all day not even when Glen would get mad and curse him into a heap, which he did occasionaly, it seemed rather hard lines to hear old fellows like Od. and old Bush just everlastingly damned up and down, but Glen doesn't care and shows respect to no-one, but he is good natured about it all and we take his blasphemous abuse as a matter of course. He was always alright with me and I found that even there a little blarney in small doses helped wonderfully to keep in Glen's good graces and also to get out of a lot of strenuous labor, which was my place or Charlies's to perform. I didn't feel any qualms of consience in laying my tasks on Charlie's shoulder's, because he really believes likes to work and I don't. We got on well with the barn to-day and to-night had it safely over the gully, I was to quit when we got that far but Glen coaxed me to come back to-morrow so I said I would. Dad. got a little more plowed to-day and Frank got started to cut the corner field. He & I had to go up to Ham Thompson's again to-night woth Quanbury's heifer. Nice Day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/75853b4b94c4dc216f220088e0e56069.pdf bdf34f43da5e61f568b34afec2839f8f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday July 7th Art. & Charlie didn't call for me this morning and I didn't see them go past so I walked out as I promised Glen I would go back. We were at it all day and just about six to-night got it into its place so we are through with it. It will take a little longer to level and block it up. Old Isaac & Od. were on the job to-day and Od. was almost as silent as yesterday but to-wards evening I managed to get him talking (because I was curious to see what he would say and how he would say it.) by remarking on the size of his wrists and then he started to tell me of the weights in logs that he had carried and before we quit had told me several interesting stories of the early days and the scythe & cradle, when men were plentiful and every one of them strong, and each vied with the other in feats of strength and powers of endurance. Dad. plowed a little more to-day and Frank finished cutting the corner field. This was Dad's birthday and Dick and Winnie were over to tea, we were late getting through chores. Frank got some raked up and Dad. got a load cocked up. Hot & fine Saturday July 8th I got out first thing this morning and started to cock up and Dad. & Frank came out very soon after and we put on a load of what Dad. cocked yesterday and hauled it to the horse stable where we pitched it off by hand and packed it around the well so that the sling loads hitting it wouldn't loosen like they did last year. When we got it off we went and cocked up till noon. This after noon Frank brought the team out to rake but only went a couple of rounds and then as it looked so rainy in the north stopped and helped us cock up. It was looking very angry and a continual low roar of thunder, we saw one storm go to the north but another one came up and it caught us when we had just about one more windrow to cock. It rained pretty hard for half an hour or so but not hard enought to hurt anything and would do good. I went to sleep for awhile and then shaved. Whit Dixon came over before tea to look at the steers but said they weren't ready for a <s>year</s> month yet. To-night Frank and I went down town and went for a swim in the creek and I got my hair cut. Walter & Roy came up to-night and we saw them for a little while. We got home soon after twelve. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e59bec83f61b920a63186fb3412f9bcb.pdf 0c3e7f20dd2ca40563d2a7d2487e25d5 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday July 9th Just as Dad. was getting ready for church this morning Alan Law came after him amd he had to go down there to administer unto a sick calf which died later in the day. I drove Enah and the baby down to church and as the baby didn't want to sit alone in church without some of the family, I had to sit with him in the front seat and hold him on my knee most of the time but he was very good. Enah. stayed down to dinner at Aunty's and Dad. came down after he got home from the Law's. Frank and I had dinner alone. About three o'clock I went down to Aunty's and left Frank asleep on the sofa. Huby was there and he Dad. Walter, Roy and I walked up to his place via the Dominion Hotel and Dave Waddle's in search of Dave but didn't find him, after inspecting Huby's garden and Bill Slocomb's buggy which Dad. thinks has been run considerably, we took a walk down to the Customs House stopping in to see Mr. Smith for a few minutes on our way down. While we were down there Dave Waddle came along with Geo. {Faulmsbe?} and Jack Davis. We went back to the house all of us but Huby. and I stayed there to tea. Dad. went home to do chores. Enah went up to her mother's to tea but left Tid. down at Aunty's and he and Rebecca had a good time chasing the cat. Jean Marks was there to tea and all of us but Aunty, Aunt Ida and the two kids went to church. Enah has played to-day as Elva jammed her finger in the safe door. Roy donned a surplice and sang in the choir at both services to-day. After church I walked home with Jean and was over there for a little while and then came back down to Aunty's to say goodbye to Roy who goes back in the morning. Dad. was there with Joe and I drove home with them soon after. It has been fine with a nice breeze to-day. Monday July 10th Frank raked the rest of the corner field this morning and Dad. & I have been cocking up all day but didn't finish it. After dinner while Frank was down after the mail Dad. and I finished grinding the mower knife which Dad. & Frank started on Saturday so we were late getting out. Frank started cutting the barley & oat stubble along the side road. Walter & Aunty were over to-night after tea. Fine & hot. Walter is to go back to Regina to-morrow night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/53364a206a54e86a4371bd41983b7822.pdf 9bb7c3c04b68e0869638c5d96a7f120f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday July 11th It took Dad. and me till noon to cock up the rest of the corner field and Frank finished cutting the other field by noon, he left the south west corner of it for alsike along with the wheat stubble next to it. He went down and got the mail after dinner and I got a letter from Lloyd Jones inquiring about the lambs Douglas had told him we had some nice ones. I wrote him to-night. We got one load in after dinner but spent all the rest of the after noon getting the car on the track and the ropes & pulleys in place ready for business, we just got our load off about six. Mrs. McBride was here to-day. It has been a fine hay day. Wednesday July 12th We got three loads in this morning but didn't put the last one off. We got out pretty early but Lloyd Crysler delayed us a little, he was in telling Dad. about a lame cow he had. Dad. said he would go over and see it if Lloyd would call for him at 4.30 but he didn't come. We have been getting out earlier lately as we all get up at five o'clock and Enah has breakfast ready before seven. It also makes a great difference havin the three of us in the field when we are hauling in. Frank loads and Dad. and I pitch on to-gether, we get on much faster and it is not nearly such hard work as when there is only one. This after noon Frank raked up the long field of clover along the side road which he cut yesterday and Dad. and I cocked up all the after noon. To-night Frank and I went for a swim in the pond just this side of the bridge at the bottom of Marshall's hill. Carl Coleman and a bunch from up town go in there every night, they have a spring-board rigged up so that they dive right into the deep hole where the man & horse were drowned years ago It has been sunny but pretty breezy this after noon. Thursday July 13th We all three cocked up this morning and just finished the field at noon, and just as it began to rain, it rained two light showers one just at noon and one after dinner when we were unloading the load that was in the barn, we didn't go out for an hour or two as we thought it would be too wet to haul. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ac0da0ba24baf5415b7710bdae12eae3.pdf 02a26c5dcbcd1e482aa08d38c86aac1e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. but Dad. took Queen out and bathed her leg, the last one she hurt it seems to be in rather bad shape and badly swollen. About three o'clock we went out and found the hay was perfectly dry so got in two loads. While we were putting off the first load Enah and the baby who had been down town to dinner came home and Elva with them, soon after them Vernon Jean & Betty came over and the whole four of them came out with us for the last load and seemed to have a dandy time in the hay and riding on the load. They stayed to tea and the Southerners had to leave right after to go to the bridge club but Elva stayed and I drove her down about ten o'clock. It has been hot to-day when it wasn't raining. Friday July 14th We got on fine this morning getting out early and getting four loads before dinner, but this after noon we had miserable luck with one load, the sling rope getting lost once, and an old one with a wire in it coming apart once and then the car sticking in the track like it did last year, we have come to the conclusion that that is caused by the horses going too slow and not givin the lift enough of a jerk into the car. They made two lifts of that from the barn floor and then didn't get it all. We got in three loads though, the last one I pitched to Frank alone as Lloyd Crysler came after Dad. to go and see his cow. We didn't get in with it till after six and didn't put it off. There is just one load left in the corner field. Hot. Saturday July 15th For some reason we didn't get on as fast to-day and only got in two loads this morning but had to change the car from one end of the barn to the other as the east bay is full enough to bother with till it settles a little. We got in three loads this after noon so that finished the corner field and took four loads out of the field along the side road, there is still quite a lot in there yet. Lloyd Jones came in for a little while this after noon, he motored down from Burford and bought the big lamb for $12.00, he wants him shipped the week after next. Frank and I went for a swim to-night. Very hot day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a787477b084cd052719d8c6d4f73e29d.pdf 5cd83b8ec93b0ddd3aaf8b9123266a31 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday July 16th We all went to church this morning but Frank and he went back to the woods and went to sleep. Roy was in church he came up yesterday to Brantford and down to Simcoe on the L.E.&N. and Cars. Rankin went up there and got him in his car, and I took him back this after noon at five so he can get to Toronto to-night and be on time at the office in the morning. I had intended asking Geo. Clark to go to Vittoria with me to see the Dunkin girls but hadn't made any arrangements and they were in church so when I told them they asked me to come up next Sunday. After we got into church I was very surprised to see old Quint. come in, I had an idea once they got to Camp Borden they wouldn't be back again until they left for overseas anyway but Quint said that about five thousand left the camp last night three hundred of which belonged to the 133rd and came down on a special, they will get passes if they apply every weekend and he said Pratt who has been acting a little better up there made arrangements with General Login to have them paid every two weeks so they can come home. He said the camp was a horrible place and the boys all hate it, it is all just like a bonfire bottom, and almost unbearably dusty while the heat is fierce, an awful lot of them have been knocked out temporally by it, but they have good water and cool nights. Roy and I left about four but didn't go very fast so just caught the car and had no time to spare. I came around by Vittoria to see if I could hurry Charlie Dunkin up a little getting the old ram registered and it was dark when I got home. I picked a couple of fellows up on the road who were walking from Pt Ryerse to Dover. Mr. Johnson came over in his car to get Enah to go down and play the organ and he brought her back. it has been pretty hot and dusty to-day. Monday July 17th We finished hauling the field on the side road to-day. We thought we only had about three or four loads out but there were five and a half and it took us all day. We left the last half load on the barn floor and Frank hooked to the waggon and went down and got a load of boxes at Mr. James that he has been saving for us. Hot and looks a little like rain. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/975f9246bf4baff161b37536fc5b0f1f.pdf ae89c532bbf5d039739ed71c30f8ef49 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday july 18th Frank started to cut the field next the gully and west of the lane this morning and the mower has been going all day in there but it is not quite down yet. Dad. & I ran the cultivator through the potatoes and turnips this morning, we used Belle. The ground was quite moist where we stirred it up but the bugs are at the potatoes badly. This after noon I hoed about half the turnips and Dad. cut while Frank hoed his garden and then Frank went back on the mower and Dad. hoed a few potatoes. Ben Ivey got the rake this after noon to rake up in his back field. He is beginning to howl for rain Things are getting very dry. It has been hot to day. Wednesday July 19th Frank finished cutting the field this morning but it took him longer than we expected and he didn't get through till about eleven. Dad. went over to Ivey's and got Ben to bring back the rake and when Frank got through cutting he hooked on to it and raked up what he cut first. I didn't do any thing much till then and then Dad. and I started to cock up. Frank raked for an hour or so after dinner but as it began to look a little like rain and the hay that was cut late yesterday was getting tough, he stopped and helped us cock up till it was time to do chores, we didn't quite finish. Ben came over again and got the rake as he had a little to rake up in his back field. To-night as we were milking Zeitha Barwell came in on horse back, she had Norman Holden's horse and saddle. She stayed awhile and then I rode Belle home with her. It has been another hot sultry day. Thursday July 20th We all three got out and cocked up for an hour or two this morning and then when Ben brought the rake back, Frank raked up the rest of the field that was in swathe and finished about noon, we cocked up all day and went out after tea and worked till after dark but had to leave a little more than a load uncocked it is a heavy crop and dandy hay mostly clover but a lot of alsike. When we came in for tea we found a note saying Enah & Tid had gone for a motor ride with Elva & Billy Baugner who is home on furlough to help on the farm. They didn't get back till we had our tea. Aunty https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/46b12160dead9e2cb52b8066c1d3cf2f.pdf 19238b434729c496a2741e1cd152ef3f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Alice came over to-night with a fine mess of peas from her own garden and Frank and I walked down with her. Vernon joined us at the Woodson's so Frank and I just went as far as the bridge and then went for a swim. Looked more rainy to-day but very hot. Friday July 21st We hauled in six loads to-day. The first two we hauled out of windrow and the next was the poorest hay we could find in the field and we put them in the barn, then the first load after dinner we changed the car over to the horse stable and put three loads in there, changing the car took us a little while and probably kept us from getting in another load, but we hope to nearly if not quite finish it to-morrow. Dad. and Frank went down town to-night. Dad. got a notice of a Mr. Smith committee meeting and went down but didn't get to it, got his hair cut instead. They heard that Mr. Gus. Smith was killed on the T.H.&B tracks near Hamilton. {Toby's father now writes the diary} Saturday July 22nd We beat all records to-day, hauled in 8 loads unloaded 7 in the horse stable and left one on the waggon in the barn, Roy and Vernon came over in the evening Just as Hattie, baby and I were about to start for town, so we did not go but Tobe and Frank went for a swim. Hot and dry. Sunday July 23rd Frank was not feeling well all day today as he took medicine that he got from Dr Cook last night. Hattie, Tobe, Timboy and I all went to church. Dick and Quint came back with Tobe for dinner here, the rest of us went to the James. In the afternoomn Tobe got Charlie Martins buggy and took Clark up to Vittoria and they had a great time, Billy Boughner brought me home and about 3 O'Clock and took Elva, Hattie and Mrs James and baby for a ride in his car, he brought Hattie and old Tim home about 5 and hattie made some sandwiches and w ehad a little tea out on the lawn. Very hot all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2cebfe9dc28f66cdd49b0478521d5a99.pdf 9695d7b1697cbcf460186b6e86c70cba PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {24th and 25th July and beginning of 26th July entries are missing - Toby is now writing the diary} up, although Dad. went out after tea and worked till Dark <s>and</s> I tested my eggs to-night and only took out seven out of the sixty three. Lila was over all the after noon and Frank went down with her to-night. Still hot. Thursday July 27th Frank raked up the alsike this morning. We were late getting around as we were delayed by one of the ram lambs we found him when we went out frothing at the mouth and bloated. Dad. shoved a long tube down his throat and that took the bloat down. When I did get out this morning I cut three of my four plots of wheat with the sickle, it took me till noon as it was mostly grass and I didn't want to get any thing but the wheat if I could help Dad. helped me cut the fourth plot after dinner, we got a fair sized sheaf of each plot. We got the binder out this morning and Frank got one round cut on the wheat field before dinner, after dinner he & Dad. finished the field and got the binder back in the barn before tea. I had to back and put Snowdrop and John out of Pickfords side hill field, they went through the culvert and we got the wheat all shocked up. To-night Frank borrowed Jack Martin's democrat and he and I took little Joe and went over to Tommy Jackson's after the bees but it was such a hot night they were hanging out on every hive so he told us we would have to wait till it was cooler. Friday July 28th We hauled hay to-day but didn't get very much done. We finished hauling off the field next the gully and west of the lane and got two and a half loads off it. We also hauled two loads off the field east of the lane. We put one load in the horse stable but that filled it up and we put the rest in the barn, it took some time to change the car. This after noon Neff. the District Representative came in to look at Frank's garden and said it was pretty good for being put in so late. Saturday July 29th Frank took the mower out this morning and started cutting the weeds on the old corn stubble https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8987329a241a3be5ddbbc34ba5f7ab05.pdf 28205f3d5565a2e5e79c586c075d1a7a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. he was at it all day and finished up to-night. I didn't do any thing much this morning but drove Enah and Tid. down to the L.E.&N. tracks where they embarked with the rest of the family for Scotland to attend the silver wedding anniversary of Cousin Harry & Lizzy Langs. Dad. walked down to Aunty's a little before with some cream and came up to the car wth Aunty she being the only representative from that household. All of Huby's family went but Winnie, and Cousin Clare represented the Langs portion of the family in Dover. They came back on the five o'clock car all except Huby who had to go back after his hat and who brought Clark Langs and Marion his daughter down with him on the nine o'clock car. They had a great time and a very hot day and I guess there was an army of folks there. I spent the after noon cocking hay north of the orchard but didn't finish. Roy came down to-night with the bunch from Brantford. I went down to the dance to-night. I intended going to the picture show first but ran into the Miss Dunkin's and they wanted to go to the dance right away so I went with them, we picked Clark up over there and had a hot time of it. I hardly missed a dance but it nearly killed me, the lake flies were bad too. Frank and Enah went down to the show. Another very hot day. Sunday July 30th I wwent down early this morning to see if Roy wanted to go for a swim and found him in the pond at the foot of the hill by the bridge with Vernon and Rebecca, they had an extra bathing suit so I went in with them, Aunty took Rebecca home after she had a dip, she evidently enjoyed herself immensely. I went up to Auntys with them and got dressed and then tried to go to sleep but didn't have much luck. I didn't go to church but just lay around I did get some sleep. Enah drove Joe down and I tied her up outside the house and Dick drove her home. I stayed down there and we had dinner about two o'clock and then I went up to the Park as the Miss Dunkin's said they would be there with a lunch I found them alright but Clark had missed them and gone in bathing but he found us later on https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d49c6bac9d01411b981076c0a43a0521.pdf b098cd7950e6c6e79c7805ebea0e32b6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and the four of us had tea together of home made bread sandwiches and cake which the girls brought with them, after tea Miss Dunkin and I went to church and then up the creek, we didn't get back to the park till after dark quite a lot and poor Hazel was nearly wild thinking she had lost her sister, but after their happy meeting Clark and I escorted them to Faulkner's stable and saw them safely started for home. Very hot. Monday July 31st Last night was the first night it was too hot for me to sleep, and I have felt lazy to-day in consequence. Frank was pretty miserable this morning, he was very sick yesterday owing to some treatment he is undergoing at the hands of Dr. Cook. Dad. and I put off a load of hay that was on the waggon and then got in a load of wheat and put it off in the old barn. This after noon Dad. and Enah went over to the Martin's to the funeral of Dr. McGlaughlin, he died of heart failure or apoplexy or heat prostration last Friday while he was visiting up at his uncle's above Waterford. Dad. was one of the bearers. This after noon I went to sleep till Dad came home and then we got another load of hay in. Frank ran errands with Joe all morning and this after noon took the big team down to the mill and got some chop and when he came home went out and disked the old garden where it wasn't planted, he tried I think to rouse me up to some sort of action but I wouldn't rouse, to-night he and Enah planted some cucumber seed out in the old garden. Hot this morning but much cooler to-night. Tuesday August 1st We hauled hay to-day I don't remember how many loads we got in but we didn't break any records nor finish the field. To-night Frank and I went out to Tommy Jackson's and got the two hives of bees. We didn't get to bed till three o'cock and had a time getting them. I got stung a couple of times and Tommy about a dozen. It has been cooler to-day and quite cold to-night. Wednesday August 2nd (New Moon) Aunty Alice says a dry one Dad says nothing in it.) We finished hauling in hay off that field this morning, there wasn't much out there but Dad. put most of it on alone and I stayed in the barn to mow https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/20fc19a503f47559eec0fa5b94f60788.pdf d72e03ee0c2fed65027585ff9e7dbc5c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. away as the barn is getting so full. We changed the car to the other end of the barn and filled it up so that the barn is now as full as we can fill it without wasting a lot of time. The last half load we put off after dinner. Alan Law drove in to inform us they were going to thrash to-morrow and wanted some help. When he left Frank went out and started to cut the timothy field, and Dad. and I hauled in the rest of the wheat. There were only about three jags. Aunty Alice came over to dinner and Frank went down with her after tea. I went to bed before nine. Still cooler but very dry. Thursday August 3rd Frank has cut hay all day but didn't get out very early this morning. He finished cutting the timothy and then cut the grass & weeds on the fall plowing between the wheat stubble and where Dad. replowed. He mowed over a bumblebees nest and one stung him over the eye and it swelled up so that he couldn't see out of it. This morning we waited around to see if they started thrashing over at Law's but as they showed no signs I went down town and bought a new lawn-mower with the money I got for the purpose on my birthday. Dad. sharpened the mower knives and tried to barricade the sheep out of Ivey's. Jack Martin borrowed our rack to haul in wheat. When I came home Dad & I spudded some of the buckhorn around on the lawn. This after noon we went over and helped thrash Law's wheat. Dad. filled bags and I pitched on in the field with Eph. Innes. Sam had his two teams there and his own and Pickford's rack and had Colin & Lloyd Ryerse driving teams and {Lat?} Robinson was there with his team and rack. We finished up about five o'clock and he only got 78 bushels off the 8 acres. It looked and felt very like rain this morning but didn't. The forest fires are again raging up in Northern Ontario or were a day or two ago. Two or three villages have been wiped out and about four hundred people killed. Friday August 4th This morning I raked up the timothy as Frank's eye being tight shut he couldn't see properly and said he couldn't see straight. He fixed his wheel and then helped Dad. bunch up the alsike https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/58f1f11f41a74cef8df8de3d49111a72.pdf 1c1ebe070ec3172247aeec26db0baaa2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Enah spent most of the day picking blackcurrants out in the old garden. Frank went down town after dinner and got the mail which contained an invitation for me to a party at Mrs. Hobbes this evening. This after noon we greased the waggon and got in one load of alsike and put it off over the granary in the old barn. To-night I went down to Mrs. Hobbes and tried to play five hundred with Miss Prest, Miss {Keenan?} & Lewis Woodson. Ida, Miss Cowdry, Miss Bain & Miss Buckwell and Geo. Clark were playing bridge. Douglas Skey came in about eleven o'clock and young Robinson a brother of Ellies came in about midnight. Bessie Lawrie was also there. We weren't very late. Hot and dry but breezy. Saturday August 5th It just rained enough this morning to keep us from getting out at the alsike for an hour or so. Dad. and I went out and blocked up some more holes under the fence where the sheep get through on to Ben Ivey's. We then started to thrash some of my wheat out as they wanted the report to-day if possible. Dad. thought it would be too tough to flail out so we did it with our hands It was an awful job It took us till noon to rub out and clean one sheaf the Banatka. I don't think we got as much seed back as we sowed but it was nice quality. This after noon we hauled in two loads of alsike but it bulks up so it hardly makes a hole in the field. To-night I went down to Aunty's and went for a swim in the creek and then up to the dance and had quite a time. Quint was there and was very anxious to go to Vittoria to-morrow to see the Miss Robinson's that are there from B.C. so he drove up with the Dunkin girls and I don't know whether he stayed there all night or not. I think he intended to. I rode up with them pretty nearly to Peter Bougner's and then walked home getting here about two o'clock or soon after. Hot. Sunday August 6th We didn't get up till late this morning but Enah and I got ready in time to drive down to church. Dick came over to dinner and we had some great ice cream that Enah & Frank made with https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/81189101cbf4120dc3aaf44951eb2e0c.pdf e57f7bdb16eb91e99a7f0670056f7d4b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Quanbury's freezer. This after noon Dad. and I were to have gone out to Tommy Jackson's but Dad. felt sick and it was so hot we didn't go. I did some chores and then went to sleep, and didn't go anywhere but to bed to-night. I took 17 chicks out of the incubator to-day only 11 black ones and had to kill one of them It was a very poor hatch I think I must have put too much water in the machine. Frank went out on his wheel to view rhe ruins of Lige. Farr's big barn this after noon It was burned to the ground night before last. Very hot. Life scarcely worth living this weather. Monday August 7th We didn't get on very well to-day just got in two loads of alsike and pitched off three, but Dad. felt very miserable all day and this after noon he didn't come out to help us put on the load but helped put it off. The wind was also pretty strong which made it hard pitching. We have the mow so full now that we are not going to try to put any more in. We will have to stack the rest of the hay & alsike unless we put a little in the old shed at the other barn. Much cooler to-day. Tuesday August 8th I woke up about three o'clock this morning and was so hot I couldn't get anything like comfortable. I heard it thundering and it seemed to be raining a little so as I heard Frank who was sleeping on a cot out on the lawn stirring around I got up and helped him move it to the hall. There was a little breeze coming from the West so I put the sheepskin down in front of the hall door and lay down there. I flounced around till I got pretty well off the mat on to the floor oilcloth which though cool was not very springy or soft and finally went to sleep with a faint breeze fanning me and a sort of drizzle coming in the screen door. Before morning I got so cooled off that I went back to bed and later even covered myself up. Dad. tried four different beds and then didn't get very comfortable so we spent a rather restless night. Dad. has felt a little better to-day but Frank has been completely knocked out and been in the house all day. The little rain we had although it didn't ammount to any more than a dew stopped us from hauling for a while so Dad. and I thrashed and cleaned https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fa8b3e26b23d063e5b79b9aeb8bd8c6e.pdf 617ea5480421ff08d93d9d00413ba038 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the rest of my wheat. We cleaned up the old barn floor and spread the binder canvas down and Dad. thrashed it with a flail. It didn't take nearly so long and we were surprised at how clean we got it. We got the last one done after dinner and I filled up the report. I found the Imperial Amber was the best, Banatka next but with soft straw American Banner next and our own Common mixed poorest as far as yield in lbs. went but it wasn't a good test as the flats never did well and I am going to try it again; our wheat had quite a little ball smut in it but we didn't see any in what came from Guelph, it was all treated. It was getting on to three o'clock when we got through and we both felt like a holiday as Frank couldn't help us so we went out to Tommy Jackson's. We found Tommy running around with a broken single tree as some one had bought his waggon and double trees and he had to fix a new outfit up before he could haul in any more hay or oats. He was rigging up a waggon out of the {illegible} of an old seperator but stopped to show us his stuff and he certainly has a pile of it a lot of it just implements which he intends to fix over in the remaining years of his life some ime, but every thing he has made or fixed has been done properly, he is a crack workman and aparently knows the secrets of all crafts. When we came to the harness Dad. found he was just too late to get a dandy set of double harness, which Tommy said had taken four sides of leather to make it and was all handmade. It was old but not a strap broken on it and far better now than our harness was when we got it but Lige. Farr had bought it yesterday for eighteen dollars. Dad. was bewailing his hard luck in this and Tommy told him he had a set of single harness in the house which couldn't be beaten anywhere. It also was all handmade but not so old but Tommy said he didn't want to lose more than about eight dollars on it as he had only used it once or twice and he figured it had cost him about sixty dollars. Dad. at first wasn't going to look at it as he said he couldn't afford to pay forty five dollars, Tommy's price but Tommy brought it down from upstairs, and when Dad. saw it and thought that with care it would last https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9680d7c61a29de05a2519966bbb4c685.pdf 1bc09eff512cc97e106f93044490ac95 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. a lifetime, while an ordinary one will only be good for about ten years, he at last promised Tommy his price, Tommy said he could have it for six months without intrest and at five percent after that as long as he liked. It was a beauty Tommy had selected all the leather himself and said it was the best oak-tanned leather that could be had, he had also cut out the patterns Every ring and buckle on it is stamped solid nickel so it is a beauty or will be when it is cleaned up. Dad. told me afterwards he would give it to me for a 21st birthday present, so now with Queen and it I will be pretty nicely hooked up and I am going to take the old buggy to Simcoe as soon as I get a chance to have it fixed. We didn't get away from there till six o'clock so were late getting through with the chores. Cooler to-day. Wednesday August 9th We were all morning nearly this morning getting a load of hay but Dad. discovered Jim prostrated down in the gully very bloated and so punctured her, he said he let out a lot of gas and just saved old Jim's life. {Toby's father takes up the diary} for a little while at least. Tobe fell asleep at this stage so I will try and write this up to date. I no sooner finished with Jim than I discovered John going through the fence into the oats so I had to go and get her out and fix the fence, we hauled hay the rest of the day. Pretty hot and dry. Thursday 10th I forgot to enter in yesterday's diary that we went back at night and got Franks bees down out of the tree and brought them up, we took Jim a pail of water and some hay. Today we hauled hay and had to stack it and gathering it out of the windrow is a low. Whit Dixon came along in the forenoon and delayed us some time buying the steers he bought my two for $135.00 and Tobys for $52.50 or 7 cts per lb if he comes to more than that. It looks like rain tonight. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b203afef6200f731d57abda8bcaf2743.pdf ee26e2102bf9f9175b414755c34c3078 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday August 11th We did intend cutting oats this morning but it looked so much like rain that we hauled hay and fixed our stack up it did sprinkle a few drops. After dinner we went at the oats Frank and I went back with the binder and Toby went back the lane to take Jim a drink he found poor old Jim past wanting water she was dead so we turned out early and as soon as Frank got up with the team he went over and got Ben Iveys stoneboat and after tea Toby went over to the old garden to dig her grave and Frank and I went back and got her after taking the hide off her and and putting her in and filling up the grave it was 12.30. It was a very cool night and I had a horrible toothache. {Toby resumes the diary} Saturday August 12th We got back at the oats this morning about nine o'clock, and Frank finished cutting at one I shocked up but had to go back to the house once to turn the windmill out. Dad went around with Frank most of the time but helped me shock up for awhile and after they got the binder loaded and Frank got started. It was about two o'clock when we left the field and after three when we had dinner. Dad then got dressed up and went down to Bill Lemon's to get his tooth fixed up but he found Bill just about loaded. He was up in the office and Sam {Fick?} was trying to get him to eat something. He could just mumble to Dad. that he couldn't fix his tooth to-day as he was "sh shick", so Dad. had to come home still suffering. Frank house cleaned the shop this after noon and I went to sleep. To-night Frank and I went down to Aunty's and had a swim in the creek, and Frank went up to get any mail tnat happened to be there. I was going up town but it began to rain so I stayed at Aunty's all night. Frank rode home on his wheel. It was a nice rain and lasted pretty well all through the night. Aunty Alice was up trying to telephone Vernon to find out how Roy was he has been suffering from indigestion, but couldn't get much satisfaction as the lines weren't working right and she had to talk to Vernon through the operator but found out Roy was better. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c305ca83bbd7da9dca62a5c052b3ce9d.pdf 449d3fc4eaeebb4cf4ce9d180305886a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday August 13th I walked home this morning right after breakfast, but Dad. had most of the chores done, I just fed the chickens. Frank and I walked back down again to church, after which Aunty and Aunty Alice came over with me to dinner. Aunt Iday went to Port Rowan the night before last for a short visit with Miss Wood and it gives Aunty and Aunty Alice a chance to both get out at once. Frank came over with Dick and they picked Cousin Clair came up and she came over too. Mr. James was over this after noon. I hung around here till about four o'clock and then went down town. I bummed around with Pud. Slocomb till six o'clock and then went up to Huby's to tea. I saw the Miss Dunkin's this after noon and they said they were going to church to-night so Pud and I went too and for a walk afterwards We had quite a lot of fun but Mrs. Dunkin was down too so we couldn't stay long. The girls came down this morning with Mr. Johnson in his car and {then he?} drove down to take them home to-night. Dad's tooth was so bad this after noon that he went down to Dr. Smith's to-night and got him to pull it. It has been much cooler to-day. Monday August 14th Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning as the oats were a little too wet to haul from Saturday's rain. We got started about ten o'clock to take the old buggy up to Joe Coates to get fixed up and Frank wanted to go to Brook's to look at their suits. We met Win. down at the corner coming over to the farm so took her along with us to Simcoe. We went pretty slowly on account of the old buggy being in such a critical condition and it was getting on to noon when we arrived in town. We went first to {Name?} tannery with old Jim's hide but only got six dollars for it. We then went up to Coates and just caught him before he left in his car for Brantford. He told us he would put new rims on, set the tires, fix the top and paint it for a little under $20.00, so we were very pleased as we thought it would come higher than that without the painting which is eight dollars, but when we got home Dad. said he thought it would need new tires so I wrote to tell him. We then went down town to do our shopping but discovered it was Simcoe's civic holiday and every thing was closed up, however we got some thing to eat in at Lea's and some hay for Joesie at Burt's. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a278c57d2533f35fc6ca540121813431.pdf d411cd32bd2b39848f8157883e8a267d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We then went over to the L.E.& N. station as Frank and Win had to come down on the car. They missed the one o'clock car but for some reason or other another went down at half past one so they took it. I brought the little saddle up in the buggy so rode Joe home. I didn't come very fast, but got home before Frank, who had been down town some place. When he got home, he Dad. & the baby went out with the waggon and cleaned up the rubbish around the old garden and the fence bottom between the corner field and the one north of it while I cut some of the thistles in the pasture field. This morning Dad, Enah and the baby went back to the woods and picked berries and Dad. shocked up some of the down oats. Nice day, cooler. Tuesday August 15th We hauled two or three loads of oats to-day and upset the first load on the side hill. It was a very neat upset waggon and all went and put the half load of oats we had on in a nice heap but didn't break a thing. Wednesday August 16th We finished hauling our oats out to-day. We hadn't much of a harvest, the oats and barley were good though what we had I think there were only five loads altogether and they together with the wheat just come up to the second {beam?} in the old barn. I am not writing this account very fully as it is over a week ago now since I wrote last. Frank took the mower back and finished cutting the weeds over {there?} on the fall plowing. Thursday August 17th Dad. had to go over this morning and help Pickford thrash and was over there all day but they didn't do much all morning something was broken. Frank and I & the baby went down town in the waggon and got a load of sawdust for Queen's boxstall some provisions a cedar post to put the mail box on and the mail box. We spent all the after noon dressing the post and putting up the mail box but made a good job of it. The only trouble was they had the name stencilled the name on the box with just one r. which made Dad. furious. I got a cwt of stuff from Charlie Ivey to-day to crate fatten some chickens I have to make a crate https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6c0518c75fa8645d350256e081b84c25.pdf 4c6e96c9f1f5aa7e1f98a1bead118ab0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Toby's father takes up the diary} Friday August 18th Frank and I went to Pickfords to help him finish his Alsike, he was in a terrible state with his cracked ribs. We finished about 10-30, he had a little more than 6 bags. I came home as soon as we were done and Frank went to the creek for a swim. Hot and dry still, in the afternoon we hauled hay and put it up over the shed. Saturday August 19th {Bow------?} are having their picnic in Simcoe today. We hauled hay in the forenoon and had a small load to haul after dinner then Frank and I burned weeds on the old corn ground. We put up two bees next to Tobe and he got 3 stings and has a lovely eye, he and Frank went down town in the evening. It has been very hot and no sign of rain. Sunday August 20th Toby and Frank went to church the rest of us stayed home. Dick came over before the others he did not go to church. {Name?} and Alice came to dinner and in the afternoon Elva and Byron came over. The boys all went of after dinner. Grl Hausker brought Elva over and Dick went back with him. Toby took Quint to Vittoria {Toby resumes the diary} in Charlie Martin's buggy. It was late when we got started and arrived at the Dunkin's just a little before six but we told them last night we wouldn't be up early. We had tea then went for a walk down to the mill and sang songs. When we came back we lay out on the lawn till about one o'clock and then Quint and I came home and Quint slept and I dozed most of the way home. Monday August 21st Frank and I went down in the waggon and got a load of slabs as well as some other things. It took us all morning. Dad. shined up the nickelon my new https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/226d2d824fba4a5dc99725dc862d1342.pdf 447d40fdb6c261cb0fe6b21d9c151da3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. harness. This afternoon Frank and Dad. burned the weeds on the old corn stubble and I worked some more at my chicken fattening crate. Huby came over and got Dad. to go down to tea with him and cut the tails of his two field spaniel pups which he got from some fellow in St. Thomas. We did up the chores and then Frank and I went down town. I stayed down at Aunty's all night so as to get started at seven thirty our picnic in the morning Terribly hot & oppressive. Tuesday August 22nd I got down to the dock at half past seven this morning and we waited around till nearly eight for some one else to come as {Name?} said Miss McInnes telephoned him that there were two to go from here at last Pud. Slocomb came along, Frances had brought him an invitation from the church concert last night. We picked the main picnic about twenty up at Port Ryerse and went from there over to the East End Lighthouse. I don't know how long it took us or at what time any of our proceedings took place but we had our dinner as soon as we got there and after that Cook the lightouse keeper showed us all around we went to the top of the lighthouse and saw the revolving light which is a wonderful bit of work especially the lens or prisms which throw the light so far. He also blew the foghorn for us and explained the wind velocity register. We all went to his house and signed our names. On our way back we stopped at the Anderson property and went in there for a few minutes. There was quite a sea on coming home and some of the elder ladies felt a little sick but we managed to get to Port Ryerse without any great trouble. The two Dunkin girls were very anxious to come down to Dover with Pud and me, go to the show and let Pud take us back to Vittoria but their mother objected and as she was sick they didn't like to do it. We got home about eight and had a dandy day. It was very hot here they say. Wednesday August 23rd Dad. and I finished building my fattening crate this morning Dad. nearly finished it yesterday. Old Felix came over to fix the suckers in the pump as it hasn't been working properly lately and Frank https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a7b1b235082ef86abca7c9c05b3b7748.pdf c63489914aa19eb8b86ad81c6b47b299 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. told him on Sunday he had better come and have a look at it. He was here till after twelve so had dinner. He put new suckers in but I don't know that it works much better. It throws a better stream but has to be primed. This after noon we went back and burned the weeds that Frank had cut on the piece which wasn't plowed but the fire would run on the fall plowing it was to thin. John Wess was plowing in his back field and said it was pretty hard. Cooler to-day. Thursday August 24th Dad. and Frank took two teams back this morning Frank to mow the weeds in the back field and Dad to rake them up on the fall plowing. I went back to open the gate for Dad. as he had the little team on the rake and couldn't leave them. When I got up behind the barn on my way back I heard a car honk and saw someone in the lane so when I got up I found it was Miss Herring and her cousin Miss Bain in a car belonging to a Mr. Harvey who brought them over. They had come to invite me to a picnic this after noon at Fisher's Glen and said they had been here ever so long but couldn't find anyone about the place. I told them I would be delighted to go at half past one so I had to hustle around to get ready, but got down alright in time. They were going in Harry Smith's launch and were just debating whether there would be too much sea or not as there was quite a breeze from the south west. However after every one arrived we all piled in and got out about as far as the breakwater and found there was quite a sea a couple of waves splashed up against the bow window and drenched all the ones in the bow of the boat and several of the ladies and they say Col. Smith were very frightened so we turned back. Harry could have taken us he said but thought under the circumstances it was the best thing to do. When we got back to dock there was quite a time deciding what to do next. Col. Smith, Jack Martin & Mr. Hobbes wanted to go up creek for the rest of the picnic but Lewis, Miss Herring and the rest who got it up wanted to get cars and go to Port Ryerse. Mr. Harvey offered to take two loads in his car and went and got it Lewis & Miss Herring went up to get Faulkner's but although the car was there they couldn't find Al. In the meantime Col. Smith had made arrangements with Harry Ansley for one of his flat bottomed pound net boats and a couple of the fishermen had gone over and got it and fixed it up https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1ddf3ab69398ae66a50a6c769af0d652.pdf 66a6c423b00be987cebf8ae1b7bbd31f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. with clean new fish boxes for seats so when Mr. Harvey arrived with his car and the others of the Port Ryerse faction they thought every thing was now settled for their wishes to be carried out and so it would have been but Col. Smith kicked and said those that wanted to could go but he was going up creek so to avoid any further trouble Mr. Harvey took his car back and we all went up creek. Dad. Brook and another fisherman took us up and called for us again at seven. They left us at the far end of the straight water at Will Smith's place and we had a dandy time. Two or three of us fished before tea but had no luck except Louise Herring who caught a mudcat and threw it back. Col. Smith and Jack Martin built a fire in an old stump and cooked a dandy supper fried eggs and bacon and hot coffee. We all ate enough to kill us. After tea we played Nuts <s>and</s> in May and had a lot of fun. I got yanked all over the place Lewis Woodson was champion he pulled them all but Jack Martin. He pulled Col. Smith over and so did Jack which made the Col. very mad. Mr. Hobbes had a headache but took several pictures of us and one of Miss Cope or her leg while she was lying down behind a log to dry out after her sousing with the waves. At supper the Col. said "Well I got soaked in that launch but I daren't tell you where" and Miss Cope said " Oh I know where, I got it in the same place." On<s>t</s> the way back the batteries played out and the engineer had to get out and tow us. It was pretty hard work and slow till Lewis got out and helped him row. When we got to town we all but Miss Prest and the Cowdry's went to the picture show and saw Granstork. Lewis and I went home with Miss Bain & Miss Herring and I got home about a quarter past twelve. Tom brought me up the creamcan full of buttermilk to-day and I started feeding fifteen cockerels. Friday August 25th Frank finished mowing the field of weeds this morning and this after noon cut the little side hill across the ditch from the oat stubble. Dad. disked witht the big team till Frank finished mowing and then Frank went on and disked and Dad. brought the little team up through the gully and Frank brought the mower up with him at six. Dad. cut weeds with the scythe after he came up and went back at six to help Frank out of the gates https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7995bbbd0b092cbeeeb94afe44777129.pdf 966865d4d7bd7d620af3891ccb53ef75 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. with the mower. I just chored around and tried to pull buckhorn out of the lawn this afternoon and did a little raking. This morning the baby and I went down to Aunty's and cut her corn that has all the ears picked off it and made one shock of it. We stayed there to dinner. It hasn't been quite so hot to-day. Saturday August 26th Frank has been disking all day on the oat stubble. They came to the conclusion that the fall plowing was too hard in spots. Dad. mowed the pig weed which comes up thick in the garden and a very even crop they were and also cut the weeds in the plum orchard. I raked up a little on the lawn and when he got through with the team I hooked to the waggon and went back and borrowed John Wess' cement anchor post mould and am going to try at put a few up next week while Dad. & Frank are working on the land or drawing out manure. This after noon Dad. and I dug one hole. We did it with John's spud and spoon and made it five feet deep but it took a long time. To-night Enah's brother and his whole family came in in a car. Mr. & Mrs James & Steward stayed here all night but Jean, Adelena and Fred Johnson who was with them stayed down town at the James. Cooler and cloudy to-day. Sunday August 27th All hands went to church this morning. We all went down in Mr. Jame's car although it was quite a squeeze and Dad. was scared half to death. After church he went up to cut the tail of another pup Huby got from the same litter as his first two. I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner and the rest all went over in the car and also Winnie and Miss McAlpine a friend of hers from Caledonia. Jean and Adelena went over too but Mrs. James stayed down at the old James and Mr. James brought the car back and stayed there to dinner. Dick wasn't in church but walked over and was <s>t</s>here when the bunch arrived. They said he didn't get down town till about four o'clock this after noon, then they all went down except Dad. who had to keep his eye on the sleeping baby When I got home long after six Dad. was just getting out to do chores as the baby had just wakend up and he daren't leave him before. The others didn't come home till about ten o'clock I guess and Dad. the baby https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5f2ad37508ddbcdabe6f052ab08cbf20.pdf 047b531a7aa7e06bb528b3c85831a3bf PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and I had our tea alone. Jean and Adelena came back with them to-night. I had a very nice after noon Went over to the Herring's cottage and found that Miss Bain, Miss Whitney, Lewis Woodson & Douglas Skey had walked to Port Ryerse for a picnic and Louise had gone part way with them but was coming back so I went down and met her just a little way up with the little Cook girl. We came back and went down town to call on Ada. She wasn't home when we first went up but we sat down and she appeared presently so we spent the rest of the after noon there. I stopped in at Aunty Alice's on my way home and got some corn. I also rat across Uncle Ward on my way home and he showed me his different potato patches which are as clean as a whistle but nothing on them. We didn't make any arrangements for a hay load party this after noon as Louise has hay fever and says she wont be able to go but insists upon us having it. Cooler to-day we had quite a shower this morning. Monday August 28th ( <s>)</s> "Another dry moon" says Aunty Alice though still scoffed at by Dad.) The automobile party left here about eight or a little after they didn't get away quite as soon as they had hoped and had to go down town I suppose to pick up Fred. We were late getting out and Dad. and I went out to our anchor posts again while Frank cleaned some perch he got from Mrs. Quanbury. We spent most of the morning getting the stakes lined up to suit us as we were in a sort of a quandry what to line to or sight from, but at last we started to sink the holes and trust to luck at having them straight. Charlie Ivey and Bob. Leitch were out on the road fixing the hole in the road over the culvert. This after noon Frank and I took Joe and Belle down town on the waggon to get some cement and a couple of 7/8 inch rods for reinforcement to the anchor posts. They were nine feet long and cost us 85 cts apiece the cement was $1.55 a bbl {barrel}, so we figured the posts would come pretty high when we got them built. When we got home we went over to Art. Quanbury's and got his flat rack to mix our cement on. Dad. started out after dinner to plow but had to change the shear on his plow and spent most of the after noon getting the old shear off so didn't get back till about four o'clock or half past. He got a few rounds plowed but says it is very hard but not the least bit bumpy. Quite cold this morning & night. Cool all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/43fa05b9305960cb4d63dadff13c49d2.pdf a7aeec708a8c675e4139b158411cbfdb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday August 29th Dad. has been plowing all day. Frank and I put up one anchor post. We didn't get started till about nine o'clock and didn't know what sized batches of grout to mix up so it took us till after one to get the thing finished. We didn't like to leave till we had dinner for fear the two batches wouldn't knit together. We used nearly a bag and a half of cement which Dad. thought was too much but he asked John Wess and he said that was about what he used. Dad. came out at noon and helped us finish. Art. Quanbury stopped on his way to and from the farm to make a few suggestions. He thought the reinforcing was too expensive and thought that pipe posts which could be got for 26 cts apiece and were 7 ft long would do as well but John Wess didn't think they could be much account at that price. Dad. saw him this after noon. Art. also thought that stubs in the ground for braces instead of full length posts would be just as good but John Wess says not for him. He says if it is not wired from the top of the brace posts it is bound to give a little at the bottom when the ground is soft and an inch give at the bottom gives enough at the top to let the fence go slack, so I guess if we want to be sure of things we hadn't better try to cut down expence. This after noon Frank and I put down or nearly did two more holes. We didn't get started till late as we were doing chores. Cooler. Wednesday August 30th We ran the binder out of the barn this morning and Dad. helped us try to get all the sheep in the barn to separate the rams from the rest of the flock but they didn't want to go in the barn so we left them till noon and Dad. went back and plowed and Frank and I went out and took the mould off our anchor post and spent a good part of the morning admiring it. It certainly looks fine but we won't be able to stretch the wire to it for a year yet and I know I will be scared stiff then for fear it will break. Lewis Woodson came over while we were at it and invited me down to Supper to-night. Aunty, Aunty Alice and Cousin Clare all came over to dinner. Frank and I spent the remainder of the forenoon gathering the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6be672ddeb27bd83de9ceca7d1dea812.pdf 3368acb78d82f8e0f019dfd41df40a8a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. burs out of the orchard so that the sheep wouldn't get them in their wool. After dinner we managed to get the sheep in the barn and separated the rams and put them over in the orchard. We had all the "women folks" out helping us and then had quite a time of it. Dad. didn't get started back till about three but plowed till six. After he went back Frank and I put up a gate at the end of the orchard in to the lane so that the sheep could run on the wheat stubble and old {meadow?} but not get under the bars. Frank then went down town to get a plow shear sharpened and I cut the weeds in the front lane and some thistles in the sheep pasture I quit a five and got ready and went down to the Woodson's for tea. Louise Herring and Amy Bain were there so I had a very pleasant time. We had a game of croquet before tea and afterwards all went down to the picture show and then around with the girls to the cottage where we had watermelon and cake and joked around till twelve o'clock. Cooler to-day and quite cold to-night. Thursday August 31st Ben Ivey was over last night to get Dad. to<s>o</s> look at a lame sow, and said he wanted to get some help for the next two weeks to get his work all finished and then he is going back on the road for the winter, so Frank went over this morning to pick tomatoes for him. Dad. went over to see his sow and says she seems to have sprained both of her front fetlocks. Ben knew it was some thing like that as she did it going down the hill at the gully. One of our ram lambs got back with the ewes out of the orchard and I put him back but I couldn't find out where he escaped. Dad. went back and plowed till noon and I deepened one of our anchor post holes enough to build the post although I didn't put it down the full five feet. It took me long enoug to put it down six inches more. I also got sand enough measured out to make a batch of grout to fill the hole to ground level. This after noon Frank had to go back to Ben's for awhile so Dad. helped me put up another post and it took us all the after noon. Tommy Jackson and Lorne came along and talked for an hour. Tommy said we were very foolish to pay such a price for our centre rods that we could get angle posts just as good and strong for thirty cents. He also told https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/67a80caf30ba8c9e34d7d174ac7978ca.pdf 0d65ad59fd196537524109f9e1bed22a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. us to be sure to keep the post well watered. Frank got through at Ben's early as Ben went to Brantford and so Frank borrowed his rack and went down and got eight more bags of cement. He and I went out after tea and loosened the nuts on the mould as John Wess said it would warp if we didn't. Cold nights & hot day. Friday September 1st Frank worked at Ben's all day raking (with our rake) and hauling & stacking clover seed. Dad. plowed this forenoon and I went out and took the moulds off our post and deepened the other hole for the brace post. This after noon Dad and I put it in. We made it tall like John Wess said but Dad. and I had a hot argument about it. He was bound that with a stub in the ground and a wire from the top of it to the bottom of the anchor post and a brace from the top of the anchor post to the top of the stub or the same point as the wire went that the anchor post would give more at the top than at the bottom if the stick gave at all in soft ground {Toby has sketched a drawing of his description} and I was bound that it couldn't, if it came at all it had to come at the bottom as at the top because if the top gave an inch the brace would free the stub an inch at the point where the wire bore on it and that would free the wire an inch over at the stub and unless it stretched which I don't think it does it would pull it an inch at the anchor post and as it is fastened to the bottom of the anchor post it would have to come an inch with it and yet the top couldn't come more than an inch on account of the brace. It looked plain enough to me but Dad. had got some idea in his head that as a thing always moves faster at the top than at the bottom the anchor post would have to cant if it moved at all and I couldn't convince him any other way. We argued most of the dinner away and all the time we each knew we couldn't convince the other and that if we did the other wouldn't admit it so we finally quit. I went down town to-night to see Helen Dunkin who with her mother is keeping house at the Rectory while Mr. & Mrs Johnson is away on his holidays. It rained a little shower and wet things up a little so I stayed at Aunty's all night. Saturday September 2nd Frank worked at Ben's all day and Dad. plowed but didn't quite finish as he didn't get out till about three https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3e5a8abf21f46d83047ef3170aefbff8.pdf 7fb4df900fa24fbb99c62fb999444812 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This is a repeat of the previous page}. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2d859e3ba073a4890ee3a721085707da.pdf 71c3244eaf3d1a0e67f62370371e7fec PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. o'clock after dinner. I didn't get home this morning till about eight or after and by the time I got my clothes changed and some chores done it was getting pretty late to start anything. I went out and wet down the three anchor posts and then decided to get Dad. to help me carry out a gate to measure the proper distance between the next post we are going to build and the first one we built, so I didn't start another post hole but went back to where Dad. was plowing and on over to where John Wess was hauling out manure with his new Massey-Harris low down manure spreader, he says he likes it to load much better than the high ones but I don't believe it spreads as well as it has an endless apron and no tailboard to hold the manure up to the beater. I started the argument with him about the brace posts and he explained it satisfactorly by saying the wire would stretch, which I didn't know and of course it is easily seen that there is not nearly the strain on the wire when<s>t</s> it is fastened to the long brace post on at the top as when it is fastened to the stub because as Dad. said the natural tendency for the brace post would {Toby has sketched a drawing of his description} be to move faster at the top than at the bottom but it can't with out taking the bottom of the anchor post with it. This after noon Dad. and I took the gate out and meausred between the posts and as we were putting it back Whit Dixon came in and talked for quite awhile. He told us that Bagley & Miller had their store advertised for sale in the "Globe". When he went Dad went back to plow and I did a few chores then caught three of Jack Martin's roosters and took them home. The fourth one was out in the field somewhere so I didn't take him. From there I went down to the mill to ask Charlie Ivey the address of Silverwoods Lmtd. to ship my crate fattened chickens to. When I got back from there I caught the little ram lamb which had got with the ewes and took him up with the others after first practising a little trimming on him I didn't improve his appearance much this time but maybe another operation will. I went down town to-night and got my hair cut. Nice day but almost frosty to-night. Sunday September 3rd We all went to church this morning, Loudon & Jack Ivey came over just before church in their car to have Dad. look at Jack's dog again which has distemper and which Dad. doesn't think will recover. They took Dad. Enah & Tid down in the car. Sam Law was in too just before they left to see if https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d10b0bc95bcc208e96625037c8224840.pdf fa2381d0baeb6f227e00b0711eeb4da0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. we wanted to thrash this week but Dad. didn't think we could get ready. Frank and I walked down to church. Cousin Willie officiated as Mr. Johnson is away on his holidays. Every body expressed great delight at the service and I didn't go to sleep during ther sermon. Zeitha Barwell was there for the first time this summer I think and sang a solo. She and I made arrangements for a ride to-night. The Dunkin girls were there and wanted me to go over there this after noon I wasn't very anxious to but said I would go for a while. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over to dinner and Dick was here when we got home, he slept too late to get to church and was disappointed as he wanted to hear Zeitha sing. He and I went down to-gether after dinner and I fooled around with the Dunkins for an hour or more and got home about five. I wanted to get up to Barwell's about six but Winnie and her two friends from Caledonia Miss McAlpine & Miss Lyons were here to tea so that delayed us a little and by the time we got the milking done, our horses saddled and up there it was seven o'clock Frank rode Joe up as Zeitha hasn't a horse of her own now to ride and I thought it would be awkward leading Joe. Frank waited there with Bill till we came back. It was after dark but there was a week old moon and it was cool so we had a great ride down the Radical as far as the town limit and then back up to the brick schoolhouse and accross to the Gravel and down to the Barwell's. We went rather slowly so it was pretty late when Frank and I got home. He and Bill had been back to the Cadet Camp on Fred. Duan's place Frank had been up there this after noon. Nice cool day. Monday September 4th - Labor Day. Dad. and Enah both felt rather tough to-day for some reason or other. They had colds and sore throats, the baby wasn't very well either. This morning Dad. and I went along the east side of the lane and tried to fix the fence at the bottom so that the rams couldn't get under. I then took the other rooster of to Jack Martins and went in to borrow Charlie's buggy for Dad. Charlie was knocked out too. To-day was the first anniversary of the Shand's school reunion of Mrs. Dolly Smith's pupils and all the people in the section got an invitation. Dad. and Enah were going but didn't know what time it was till Meritt Walker came in <s>and</s> on his way out to get Dad's advice about a horse with an colic and said they were to meet out there at eleven o'clock, and have https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bc63ee4c9f344ab4a47b9b5d26ea014b.pdf 999023d759d135a75a2ada1927b798f2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. dinner at twelve. It was too late then for them to go to dinner but Dad. thought they would go out after noon so I took Joe over and got Charlie's buggy but by the time they got there it was nearly over - and all they could do was to say Hello! to everybody, but they went on out to the Shands for tea and all evening so had a good time I guess. Frank spent the morning digging at another post hole and this after noon he filled up the hole in the stable floor back of Joe with cement while I pulled the burrs along the lane fence and wet down the anchor posts. We then stretched barbed wire along the top of the fence on the west side of the front lane between the drivehouse and the road where old Harry. bent the fence over leaning over it. After we did chores and had tea Frank hiked for bed as he has to work for Ben to-morrow but I waited till the rest came home. Tuesday September 5th I got up at five this morning but as Dad. didn't feel very well I got the cows and milked. Frank had to work over at Ben's to-day picking and sorting tomatoes. Dad. didn't feel much like working but did chores and oiled up the manure spreader but we didn't get out with it before dinner. I took Charlie Martin's buggy back with out hooking up to it and then came back and harnessed the team and went down to the mill to get a couple of bags of hay feed. This after noon I started a compost heap between loads and we got out six loads of manure on the corner field. Lila was over after school and got a lot of Frank's old school books. Hot to-day and looks very like rain. Flys very bad. Wednesday September 6th We didn't get started hauling manure till about ten o'clock this morning on account of chores and getting a late start, so we only got out ten loads all day. Dad. didn't feel very well either. Frank was over at Ben's all day. Ben<s>t</s> took a load of tomatoes to Hagersville this morning and got 35 cts a basket for them on the market. There are about 3 baskets in a bushel. Frank was all alone over there this morning. I went on with my compost heap and did odd jobs between loads. Art. Quanbury was in at noon to borrow the post auger to make some anchor post holes he wants to put in some cement posts He brought it back to-night and said the ground was too hard. Hot. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5ea43b87c7146aed3325d77cd3cda585.pdf 6d86c6c94203904597a7cd625683a67c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday September 7th We got a fairly good start this morning but only got out thirteen loads all day. I just chored around between loads. Tom Abbot was late coming for the cream this morning, he said he had been up at Charlie McQueens. He says it is a happy bunch Charlie has just got back from the {Fair?} and they have more whiskey than they have water. Charlie is full as a goose and Bruce is full they're all full, but the womans and Tom says if he'd stayed any longer he'd have been full. Frank has been over at Ben's all day. About six o'clock we had a great old rain next thing to a cloud burst we all got soaked to the skin, but were glad to see it. I went down town to-night and went up to see Marj. she and Glad. Law got back safely. I then went up to Huby's to see Quint all the soldiers came home to-night on a six day leave Quint and I went down to look at the dance The London Harpers were down but their train was late and there was a very small crowd I suppose owing to the wet night and the lateness of the season This was the last dance We didn't go in but saw Joe Thompson and Helen Dunkin outside and talked to them for quite awhile and then all four of us went up to the Rectory where Helen is all alone and were there till nearly one. It began to rain again about midnight and was raining when we left. I stayed all night at Aunty's. Friday September 8th I came home by the mill this morning as I left my umbrella up at Huby's last night and borrowed one from Helen Dunkin so returned hers and got ours and came home around the other way as it is just about as short from Huby's. I haven't done a tap all day. Aunty and Aunty Alice were over to dinner and all the after noon I had a nasty pain so just lay around on the sofa. Dad. went back with the big team and disked on the fall plowing and said it worked fine except for the grass. I went back about five o'clock and got the cows Zeitha came down to-night for a ride but I couldn't go with her but Frank went and they had a great time. It was a beautiful cool moonlight night. Zeitha stayed here all night. Frank worked all day for Ben. Cloudy and cool all day. Saturday September 9th Dad. has been disking all day but didn't quite get over https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e3936e6c326eb59c95876225583774ae.pdf df61f3fffd24535a28fc733df1b5df1c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the piece. Ben Ivey was over with one of his horses this morning which has a very bad case of Fistulas Withers Dad. opened it for him but says he is afraid the horse is ruined I took Joe and Belle over and borrowed Ben's little orchard disks and worked up a piece on the north end of last years barley stubble which was plowed last fall and again this spring and which we never got our buckwheat in on for my experimental plots. I got from the Experimental Union this fall seed of winter Emmer and Winter Barley It worked up nicely but will need harrowing and rolling to smash the lumps. The roller is out of commission and I was going to take the harrows out this after noon but couldn't find our doubletrees except the ones on the waggon and I didn't have a clevise that would fit them so I finished disking it crosswise and left it. Frank worked all day for Ben and got fifteen dollars from him to-night Ben paid him two dollars a day Enah and the baby went down town this after noon Zeitha walked home before dinner. Flossie Shand was in this morning and invited Dad. and Enah to go with them in their car to visit Maimie to-morrow. Warmish Sunday September 10th The Shands came in the car this morning for Dad. Enah & Tid in time to get to St. John's church, then they had dinner and spent the afternoon at the Baker's and got back here to tea. Frank and I went down to church and Frank rode home on his wheel to do the noon chores and then came back to Aunty's for dinner Dick wasn't at church but got down to <s>church</s> dinner. Morton Brown the piano-tuner took the services both morning and evening. This after noon I went over to the Herring's to inquire after Louise as Lewis Woodson told me this morning that she had been in bed with her hayfever. She was up this after noon, however, and I was there all the after noon, Ada came over and we all three walked down town. Louise gave me a pressing invitation to stay to tea but as I didn't know that Dad. would be home I told her I had to come back to do chores but promised to be back after tea. I did go over but was rather late as I met Marj. & Glad Law coming out of church and walked down to the pier with them. When I got to the Herring's, Lewis & Louise had gone home with Ada, but they came back before I left, and I was there for about an hour. Mrs. Woodson invited me in on my way home to have a piece of cake and I was there for another half hour. Huby and Quint went to the Point yesterday with the Iveys and were to have been back this after noon. Cool and breezy. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9ab681ac6966beceb582542d5106c88b.pdf 4193f89bc0460350ce847471f9ee8d1a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday September 11th Sam. Law went past this morning and asked Dad. if he would be ready to have them pull in here this after noon after they thrashed Ben Ivey out but Dad said 'No.' However on thinking it over he thought it would be better to thrash before seeding so as to have some feed and so I went down with the big team and waggon and got a load of slabs while Dad. cleaned out the barn and got all ready for them. I was down about all morning but got a good load. Enah went down with me and got some vegetables and some dandy tomatoes over at her mother's and I brought them home on the load. This after noon Dad. went over to Ben's to see Sam but John Wess had spoken to him over at Charlie's so he has to go there next but will be here to-morrow, probably by after noon as they just moved to John Wess to-night and didn't thrash any. I didn't do anything much this after noon. My cold made me feel rotten and I went in the house and went to sleep. Dad. continued to prepare. Tuesday September 12th I walked down town right after breakfast and got some meat for the thrashers and spoke to Chris for a man from Martins and also told Aunty & Aunty Alice. They came over about noon. Quint was over for a few minutes this morning in civilian clothes. He has to go back to Camp Borden this after noon. He says he is pretty sure they will get another leave before they go overseas and some of them think they won't go over this winter but stay in Simcoe again. The thrashing outfit pulled in and got all set up before dinner and we got thrashed out early in the after noon Frank Odd. and Pickford were the only two extra men we asked for but old Tom came up and said Sam had sent him to pay us for helping him at Pickford's. Ben let Frank off for the after noon. I felt pretty rotten but pitched on the feeder. We only got 115 bushels of oats & barley and about 25 bushels of wheat. The grain is small but nice The wheat I think has a little midge in it. I didn't do anything after we finished. Tonight Dad. and I went over to Quanbury's and each had a good hot bath in their bath tub. Looked like rain but didn't come. Wednesday September 13th I had to take Joe down and have her shoes set this morning before I went to Simcoe for the buggy https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/94fe222c6b3ef59cd9d055f157cda329.pdf f75a99d450b6bc22fa61ae8a5d1a3ef8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. so I rode her down. When I got there I found she had lost one front shoe so Bert Greenbury had to put a new one on. Bob Law and Albert Newcombe were in the shop and there was great interest evinced all around in a story Greenbury had told about young Fred Misner out here on Clark Mathews place giving Val. Leany a trimming last night. It seems they were up at McBains where Val. was hauling some lumber for McPherson & Nunn and made some uncomplimentary remarks about Farmers whereat Misner indulged in some repartee that Val. said he had never taken from anyone. Fred. then remarked that he would have to take it this time but Val. thought differently and got off his waggon, came back and made a "pass" at Misner, but Misner "wasn't there" but was there presently with a clip on the jaw for Val. which sent him to his knees, Val got up and clenched but Fred got away and hit him again, and then again this time flooring him, then George Nunn stopped the scrap. Nobody seems to know much about Misner but he must be a pretty good man to handle Val. I waited over at Aunty's till Joe was done. I rode up town to post a letter before I went home and met Louise Herring and her mother so said good-bye to them as they are to leave to-night. This after noon I rode to Simcoe but didn't get started till after two. When I got just above the half-way-house I found Joe had lost the new shoe Bert put on this morning so I had to go pretty slowly the rest of the way up and all the way home. I got the buggy and it looks fine and has a dandy set of wheels on it. I stopped to get the evener for the spreader at Anderson's and some rock salt at Edmond's and it was after eight when I got home. I found I had left Joe's halter in Simcoe. Dad. has disked all the after noon. Frank is getting to be king over at Ben's. Ben has to leave to-morrow night for Brantford, and then Frank will have to run the ranch and boss Mrs. Bush who is picking tomatoes. Thursday September 14th Dad. disked all day and has the field pretty well cut up but there are still a lot of grass and weed roots in it. I drove down this morning to get Joe's shoe put on and took the baby with me and left him at Aunty's while I went on up town to get some things and see if my chicken crate came to ship my live cockrels to London but it hadn't I saw Huby for a while and it was just about noon when we got home. They heard from Aunt Hattie and she expects https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f4d108cd8e49113c410c7b0332ef28ba.pdf afb251041cec500a65beef0067ae87d9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to arrive here to-morrow night. This after noon I just chored around and got all the loose straw around the stack packed in the barn. Helen and Mrs. Dunkin were over to call on Enah to-night. It sprinkled rain this afternoon and evening but didn't ammount to much Friday September 15th Dad. disked all morning but had to use Harry & Belle as old Nellie is quite lame. I did chores and then took a walk over to ask Mr. Fleming if we might have his diamond tooth harrows to us on that piece across the gully to rake the grass roots out. He was plowing in his back field next Art Ryerse's and I walked down along the creek & up through the woods. He said he wouldn't be using them before Monday, so that we might as well take them. I went over and talked to Art. till about noon. He was plowing too and Lloyd was disking. They got through seeding about a week ago but when they found this plowed so nicely, they thought they would put in a little more. This after noon I did up the chores then took Nellie & Joe down and got Mr. Flemming's harrows and took them back to Dad. He was just through disking so hooked on to them but they wouldn't work at all as the grass just bundled up thick under them, so he went up and got the horse rake and tried to rake the grass up with it but it wouldn't work either so he is going over tomorrow and borrow Martin's spring tooth cultivator. I took Ben Ivey's disks home and then put the team in. Frank had to go to Jarvis to-day with a load of tomatoes, and had a great day of it. He and I went down town to-night and saw Aunt Hattie. All of Huby's family were down there. I was up for a little while to see Marj. Quite cold & cloudy. Saturday September 16th I had to take Elgitha up to Ham Thompson's again this morning and that took most of the morning as I was up there quite awhile and had an awful time getting her up there alone. She got away from me just at his gate and if it hadn't been for a little kid heading her off I don't know how I would have caught her. This after noon I did chores and took Mr. Flemming's harrows back with Joe and Nellie. Dad. Spring toothed all day and has it pretty well ripped up. He is going to try the rake again now that the grass is loose. Frank and I went down town to-night I killed two of my crate fattened cockrels this morning and took https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/323e26693ff08d6940599071d5b72541.pdf 93d72bb0f194939570ca0b08aaaac224 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. one down to Aunty Alice to test it. Prohibition came into effect at seven o'clock to-night and we thought there might be some fun up town but I hung around till about twelve o'clock and although there were quite a few drunks around, most of them had gone home and things were very quiet. The baby was pretty sick last night and has not felt very lively all day. Very cold wind but cloudy & milder to-night. Sunday September 17th Enah, Frank and I drove down to church this morning and Dad. looked after Tid. Ben Ivey was over for quite awhile getting instructions as to the treatment of his horse which has a bad case of fistulas withers. He is just home for over Sunday and is still keeping Frank to run the farm Aunty Alice felt pretty sick to-day with her cold so none of them came over to dinner, but Dad. went down this after noon and had tea with them. I did chores and started to read this after noon but went to sleep. Frank and Lloyd Ryerse spent the after noon back in the gully and Frank and I did up the night chores. I went down to-night and caught Marj. & Glad Law coming out of church, there had been a Sunday school meeting after a service I saw Lewis Woodson on my way home and said good-bye. He is going back in the morning. Cold and cloudy all day rained a little this morning. Feels like fall. Monday September 18th I took Joe and Belle this morning and got Ben Iveys dray and went down to Burn Ball's after our ten bushels of seed wheat He had it all cleaned so I wasn't long getting it and got back just about noon. I came around by town and got my chicken crate at the station. Right after dinner Dad. helped me weigh up my cockrels from the fattening crate and put them in the shipping crate I had 82 lbs as near as I could make it with the old spring scales and 12 birds. I took them right down so they would go off on the 2.45 train. On my way up town Bob. and Johnnie hailed me for a ride so I took them up home and as Dad. had four bags of barley and oats bagged up so we took them down to the mill and waited for them to be chopped and went all through the mill. They came back to the gate with me and then walked on around the block to town. It is Civic Holiday in town so they were not working. Dick went to Toronto on Saturday and was coming back to-night or in the morning. When I got home I took the harrows out to my plots but forgot the doubletrees so couldn't work at it but took the horses in and started to do chores. Dad. fixed the roller this morning and rolled my plots and the fresh plowing this after noon. Frank worked all day with his tomatoes. He had three women working over there and got 119 baskets but didn't get his {number?} basket. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/88c078c8df04e16979cb67251c11493c.pdf 48b340b02ce6533e9ab4d196a7980733 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. order sorted in time to get it off to Brantford to-night. He didn't get home to tea till long after dark and then had to back after tea and also down town. Arthur Preston came over with him in a terrible state of agitation over one of his cows which was acting queerly. Dad. went back with him and said the cow was pretty sick. Cold all day but sunny and nice. Tuesday September 19th I disked this morning on the fresh plowing with Joe and Belle and Dad. brought the rake back again and raked over all the fall plowing with the big team. He got a lot of the grass in windrows but it is of course full of earth. This after noon I tried to burn it and it burned all right when the earth was shaken out but that took a long time and I only got a very little done at this end of the field. It will take too long to go over the whole field that way so I don't know just what we will do. Dad. finished disking the plowing with Harry and Nellie and then plowed a few rounds, he only has one more load and the headlands to plow. Enah and the baby went down town this morning to see Aunt Hattie and stayed to dinner. Some one brought my braking cart to-day but no one saw them. Froze last night pretty hard and has been cold all day but a little milder to-night. Wednesday September 20th Dad. finished plowing this morning while I shook out a few more windrows of grass. This after noon Dad. shook them out and although he got on faster than I did, didn't get many done. I rolled down all the grass plowing and then started to disk it. We just worked to one team Harry & Nellie to-day. Alan Law was in to-night and borrowed a couple of bushels of oats. The frost the night before last froze Ben's tomato plants and the buckwheat. John Wess and old Walker are cutting theirs to-day. It has been sunny and warm to-day but windy. Thursday September 21st I have disked all day to day and consequently feel a little sore in spots as some of the ground is pretty hard and chunky and is inclined to jolt a fellow. I finished disking the fresh plowing lengthwise and started crosswise of the whole field. Dad. shook out and burned some more grass roots this morning but had to go to Mr. Fleming's to thrash this after noon, he got home about five as a boxing on the engine melted and they had to quit. Aunty, Aunty Alice, Aunt Hattie and Cousin Clare were all over to dinner and Aunty and Aunt Hattie stayed to tea and Frank drove them home to-night. Aunty Alice's cold is still pretty bad. Cloudy and showery all day but not enough to wet much. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3975c49c6f8be87a5a29fbe72a2e5911.pdf 7db1878e57d8dda523fba919e7f2febd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday September 22nd I have disked all day but am not over the field yet. This morning Dad. blocked up the line fence between Ben Ivey and us so that the sheep couldn't get through, they have been getting very wayward lately and running all over Ben's place. He would have come back but Whit came after a steer and they had an awful time getting him I guess. They took mine. By this after noon they had the engine fixed so Dad. had to go down and finish helping Mr. Fleming. The machine moved over to Jack Martin's but they didn't thrash any there. It began to rain about six and we had quite a heavy shower for awhile and then a quieter one for an hour or two. I went down town after tea and went up to the Bagley's for a little while. Louise came up to-night to stay at Aunty's for awhile. I went down there and as it was raining when I was ready to come home so I stayed and slept on the sofa all night. Alan Law was telling Dad. Val Leany's version of his fight with Misner. According to him it was Misner who was doing the most talking and exasperated Val. till he slapped him. Then they clenched and Misner downed him but it wasn't long till Val. was on top and he choked Misner till he "hollered" enough and said he was sorry and he wouldn't have said so much if he hadn't been drinking. So which is the correct yarn is hard to say, but I believe I would sooner take Val's word than Misner's. Saturday September 23rd Dad. went over to Martin's this morning but found they weren't going to thrash as Sam thought the stacks would be too wet, so Dad. came home and shook out more of the grass roots he got them nearly all done. I disked all day and finished the field to-night. Dad. brought the other team back this after noon and harrowed the fresh plowed part and started to roll it. I got a check from Silverwoods to day for my 12 cockrels for $12.24 I was well satisfied as I thought the price would have dropped but I got 18 cts a lb. Cold and cloudy. Sunday September 24th I drove Enah down to church this morning, but Dad. Frank & the baby didn't go down. Frank was over with Ben Ivey all morning. Dick was in church and he came home with us and was here all the after noon but had to go down before dark to feed Mr. Hobbe's chickens as he is away on his holidays now. Dess is in Simcoe so Dick is having a respite from his ardent attention to her. He and I prowled around the farm a little but it was cold and looked rainy so we spent most of the after noon in the house. Enah had to play to-day as Elva's away so I drove her down again to-night. I went up with Marj. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/afe3a423d9bd1f5a5e688f2fc4cf7c30.pdf 78422cc58804f331a56a153579ade732 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. for a little while and picked Enah up at the Rectory as Mr. Johnson had coaxed her to go down there instead of down home as she intended and Harry Moon told me where to find her. It was raining when we came out of church and rained quite a shower. Monday September 25th Dad. went over to Martin's to thrash this morning and was over there till some time this after noon. They thrashed 800 and some odd bushels. The wheat on his own place went {18?} bushels to the acre but Dad. said it was very dirty with couch grass I went back and rolled and it took me nearly all day to roll the piece but I didn't get a very early start either morning or noon. John Wess came over and borrowed the rolling coulter to try on his plow but I went over this after noon and he said he couldnt work it on his plow. He says it is pretty hard for him to keep from swearing it is just like plowing through loose blocks of ice the way the clods slide around. Mr. Johnson was over here for a few minutes after dinner to bring Enah a book which she dropped last night getting in the buggy in front of his gate. She and the baby went down town this after noon. When I got through rolling I went down to Sam Laws and got his disk drill. Sunny and warmer to-day Tuesday September 26th We got our seed on the waggon this morning and all ready to start out to drill it in when it began to rain and so we had to back the waggon and drill in to the shed. We then went over to the barn and threw the hay off that was on the rack and ran the rack out of the barn, cleaned up the floor and started to clean up our own seed as what I got from Burn Ball will only sow part of the field. It cleared up soon after we got started. A little before noon I went over to Martin's to borrow some bags to sack it up as we didn't want to bother putting it in the bin and then taking it out again when we emptied our own bags. They didn't have any bags over there so I got two or three over at Ben. Ivey's and we sacked up the grain we had cleaned but it was noon then so we didn't clean up any more. We went back right after dinner with the seed and drill and Dad. drilled in all of Burn's wheat. The disk drill worked fine cut through everything and covered well. We had it set at 2 bushels to the acre so I guess have about five acres in I didn't stay back all the time but did a few chores and went back about four and waited till six and then helped Dad. out with the drill as it looked like rain. He and I cleaned up some more seed after tea to-night. Milder & cloudy. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bcfb643696adb98815ffcf0203362bd3.pdf 14fdd680c7b20ba67c18d549ec9853b1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday September 27th We had to clean up a little more grain this morning and by the time we got it sacked up, loaded and back there with the drill it was about ten o'clock. I helped Dad. get started and then came up and drove Enah and Tid down town, Aunty was having a little picnic over Brant Hill and they went to it. I took Enah up town first to get some things and then drove her over there. Aunt Ida came back last night and she, Louise, Aunt Hattie & Aunty all went over. Louis is going to Simcoe tomorrow as she heard from Annie Bowlby and she got an unexpected call to go back to the war-zone to nurse. This after noon I did chores and finished making enough stakes for my plots, about four o'clock Mr. Johnson brought Enah and the baby home so saved me a trip down after them. Dad. finished drilling the field by to-night and used nearly all the seed he had, so we think there must be a big 12 acres back there. Cloudy & warm Whit Dixon came in to-night and wanted the black steer shut up to-morrow Thursday September 28th I had to go over to Pickford's to thrash first thing this morning but he only had about three loads of oats so it only took about an hour I think he got a little over fifty bushels. Whit came after the steer just as I left and Dad. was just going back with the team when I got back. I took Joe and Belle and went back and brought the roller up and Dad. came up behind me with the waggon and trailing the disks. The head of the bolt in the roller broke again coming uphill but didn't cause any accident. Dad. took the disks out to my plots and disked them up and harrowed them before dinner. It rained a little just at noon. After dinner I went out with my stakes garden line and tape measure and Dad. helped me stake out the plots we had quite a time getting them all square but they are not too bad. Dad. sowed them all broadcast and disked them in. We sowed four plots of wheat my three from Guelph and one of Burn Ball's and one plot of barley and one of {illegible} both winter varietys. Dad. got them all furrowed out before six. Enah and the baby went down this after noon to a tea party at Aunty's and as it looked like rain about six I drove after them. It was raining hard by the time I got there and although they were all ready to stay to tea I thought we had better get home and it was a good thing we did as it turned out to be a two or three hour soaker. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d9fecff7ca7c4dac1f4b632bd2bc468c.pdf 84267d989b4220b42067d65ee91e9caa PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday September 29th It was too wet for Dad. to furrow out his field this morning so he did a few chores and I went down town with the waggon and got some shingles also the money for my steer from Bagley and Miller. I was down till noon as I had to do a lot of chasing around after the shingles. They had none at the Widespread and Hawey was working way up on St. George St. on Haymaker's new house and I had to go up there and get him. I got eight bunches for $7.50 I want to shingle the old part of the chicken house. This after noon Dad. went back and furrowed out the field and finished it and I cleaned out the ditches in my plots. Art. Quanbury borrowed our hay rack this morning to haul a load of furniture from Simcoe for Jack Martin's new man Cawley. He brought it back to-night. Frank brought us over ten bushels of potatoes from Billy Laing's who has just brought a carload in at $1.25 a bushel. Tonight I drove Enah down to choir practice. We took Miss Mathews down to the top of the hill but there she discovered she had lost her handbag so went back after it I got my hair cut and then went over to the drug store where I found Dick and Joe with Bob. & Johnny I sat there till half past ten and had a lot of fun, got Enah at Aunty's. Very cold and windy all day. {Blank page} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c9db667e8b2126e63be93d6290c25d9f.pdf 05fbed85572217f6d955012d410a2984 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Blank page} Saturday September 30th 1916 This morning I took Sam's drill back home. I didn't get started very early and was talking to Alan for awhile so didn't get home till noon. This after noon we all went down to see the new fish boat launched "The City of Dover". She didn't go in very well as one of the skids had more of a slant to it than the other so the stern end went in first and the other end bound but they got her in eventually without any injury, they then had to fill her with water to get her under the bridge. I went up town and got a tooth filled and Dad. got his hair cut, he drove Enah and the baby home and I got a ride home with Flossie Shand. It has been sunny and nice to-day but cold wind. Sunday October 1st I wernt to church this morning Dad. drove Enah down but didn't go himself but took Joe & Belle around to Auntys and got Harry Ansley's double carriage out of the barn and brought all the family from down there over in it to dinner. This after noon they all went for a drive except Aunty Alice and Aunt https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f3722c24e7f5aa33646ca4a91e90f46d.pdf 11b836c1af7624795337e999be8984d2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Ida. Dick Frank and I went over to Charlie McQueen's chestnut trees to see if they were getting ripe as we had quite a hard frost last night but the burrs were tight and the nuts very green but they were big ones and a lot on the tree. We came up to the house for awhile and then Dick and I went down town. We went up to the L.E.& N. tracks and ran into a bunch of girls. Dick took a couple of pictures of us all and I made a date with Bob & Johnnie to go after chestnuts next Sunday after noon and then went down to Aunty's for tea I think Dick must have had tea with Mildred Henry as he was with her when I left him and didn't show up down at the house. Aunty Alice and I went to church to-night and then Marj. and I went over to see Miss McQueen and we all decided to go after chestnuts a week from next Saturday. I went down to Aunty's for awhile before I came home. Aunt Hattie is staying over here to-night. Lovely fall day but cold wind Monday October 2nd I went down town this morning to get a load of slabs but found that there were only a few left at the planing mill and they wanted them so I couldn't get any I came around by the mill and got some chop I had taken a grist on my way down. This after noon I raked up the lawn Aunty came over about four and I drove her and Aunt Hattie down. When I got back Enah had a chicken all plucked for Aunty Alice which I had figured on plucking and taking down after tea so I went right back with it. Dad. has been cleaning out ditches all day but isn't through yet. John Wess was over to tell us he would want his post moulds if it stayed dry in a day or two, and Alan Law was in to-night to say they were going to thrash to-morrow and gave us a bid. Lovely day. Tuesday October 3rd Dad. drove down to Sam's to thrash this morning and got back about four o'clock, he said the oats were pretty good. I finished digging the hole for the anchor post that Frank started quite awhile ago and got every thing ready but didn't start to mix the cement till Dad. came which was pretty late, however we put in a post but had to work at it till seven o'clock https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/35ae2c912798d254a6cb7d4d3d67c7b9.pdf df11ca1cf9aea7226bc711eb5d3a1345 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We hurried at it and I am afraid got it a little out of line Enah went down to the deanery meeting this afternoon and had to stay to the choir festival or what ever it is to-night, she told me not to come after her but Dad. thought he had better so I went down, it was about nine o'clock when we got through tea so it was pretty late when I got down town and as I expected couldn't find Enah. I went down home for a while and when I got back we figured that I missed Enah as she was coming through Martin's field and Jack walked over with her. Frosty nights & hot days now. No wind. Wednesday October 4th We were very late getting out this morning and Dad. and I didn't quite get another hole dug by noon We finished after dinner and got another post up by six. We had quite a few visitors to-day which delayed us a little. Harvey Shand was past and said they expected a car of crushed stone in by Monday and wanted us to help unload it for the road. We havent done any road work yet this year. Another lovely day hot and no wind. Thursday October 5th Dad. and I spent most of the morning lining up the corner post at the crossroads but by noon we had a stake in that suited us. We just nicely got started to dig the two holes this after noon (we were going to put down the brace posthole the same time as the anchor post as we can put down two as fast as one, one digs while the other spuds) when Jack Highland came along and wanted us to take our bluegrass seed down to the car, so about three o'clock we went up and took our three bags and stopped and got six bags of Mr. Fleming's as he wasn't home, we got three dollars for our seed. We didn't have time to do any thing when we got home as we had to quit early to get down to Aunty Alice's for tea. We had a great time down there. Quint was there for tea but Joe Thompson called for him right afterwards to go to Vittoria I suppose to see the Dunkin's. Quint is home on what we suppose to be his last leave. The whole battalion is off. They have had a bad split in the 133rd. They have had a quarrel with Pratt and wanted him to resign but he wouldn't so Majors' Jackson, Burch and & Lieuts Hammond, Donovon & Capt. Slater did resign. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/83338b0005f4a580a1f0d3b76a53f20a.pdf 1366f75624221d7c3c6335df996e9395 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday October 6th Just as we were going out to work this morning (late) Ham Thompson came along to look at the ram lambs so I went back with him. He was here till nearly noon just visiting but I managed to sell him the old ram for fifteen dollars. Dad. went out and finished digging the corner post hole. Just before dinner we took the team and waggon out and moved our platform up to the corner. Right after dinner I took the team over to Ben Ivey's and borrowed his stone boat and we got the pickle barrel (in which we discovered a highly scented piece of corn beef) up out of the cellar filled it with water and hauled it to the crossroads corner on the stone boat. We then had to cut an inch gas pipe and a quarter inch rod which looks as if it had been a hoop for a vat and all of which we got down at Aunty's from under the barn yesterday for reinforcement. All of this took time and so it was quite late in the after noon when we got started to build our post and also quite late in the evening when we finished it and much later by the time we got the chores done and had tea. Dad. and the baby went back after the cows but it was dark and they were in the woods or some place and he couldn't find them so let them go. Enah went down town this after noon and stayed down to tea so she could go to choir practice to-night. I drove down after her about nine thirty and found her at Aunty's. We drove home around by<s>t</s> the post and I loosened the nuts on the mould. Nice day. Saturday October 7th Niel Elliot came in this morning and gave Dad. $45.00 for Spotty and I had to take her down to the car right after breakfast. Dad. asked him sixty but the cattle market has become glutted the last few days. I was down there till nearly eleven and then had to take Elgitha up to Ham. Thompson's. We had an awful time with her and I didn't get back till one o'clock. Dad. dug the hole for the brace post this morning and this after noon we put the post in and got it done by six o'clock. It has been a very nice day Sunday October 8th We all went to church this morning as it was https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/80d8083bdb472181032e81b7e0c50469.pdf f98841b139ff103b036f94733ad2efe0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thanksgiving Sunday. I was late as I went out and took the moulds of the post first. Roy and Vernon came up yesterday and so they and all the Aunty household were here to dinner. I left right after dinner and Dick and I drove down town. Bob & Johnnie were waiting for me at the drugstore and we hiked straight for Vittoria or the road south after chestnuts. The first tree we struck had no nuts and the burrs weren't open but we at last got one on Smythe's place that was loaded with wide open burrs and we stayed there till we got told to move on by the family (I suppose) who were just getting home. We moved across the road to the tree back of Farrar's barn which was just as well loaded. We stayed there till it was time to start for home and as we stopped at the Vittoria mill to get a drink and take some pictures it was late when we got home with a pumpkin and Johnnie's hat full of shelled chestnuts as spoils of war. I went down to Aunty's to see Quint as he is going in the morning at seven o'clock and I only saw him for about a minute the other night but he hadn't got back from Vittoria where he has spent most of this furlough at the Dunkin's, in away I'm just as glad I didn't see him when it was his own fault if this is his last leave. It has been hot to-day. Monday October 9th I took John Wess' moulds back first thing this morning and didn't get much else done as we all went down to Aunty Alices to dinner, except Frank who worked with Ben all day. After dinner Dad. Roy and I cleaned out one of the stalls in the barn down there so that George Mitchell can put his horse in and then Dad. trimmed the walks and Roy fixed the barn steps I stood around and watched him and lent a had occasionally Dad. and Enah went home to tea but I stayed and after tea went down to the station and met the first train, and was rewarded by meeting Marj. and walking home with her. Mr. Bagley was there to meet her but as I showed up he went to the picture show where our friend Essie was playing in Topsy's place. I was at the Bagleys for a short while and then went back down home but Roy & Vernon were up at Cousin Loll's so I didn't wait to say good-bye to them. They had intended going after nuts this after noon but it rained this morning and was cloudy and raw all the after noon so didn't go. Tuesday October 10th We were very late getting around this morning and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e689925720b4bec744817124a8f0a877.pdf dd7c3d87b04614dfb0922d79e79a8a72 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. were more delayed by Mr. Horn of Marburg who came to look at the rams. He liked them but thought they were a little "steep" in price so went off to Vittoria to look for some. He came back about four and said he hadn't found any one at home at Smythe's so after a lot of sizing up of the flock decided to take one of the $12.00 ones. Dad. shovelled out some more of his ditches this forenoon and I went out with the team and brought our barrell home from the cement posts and also took Ben's stoneboat home. This after noon Dad. and Enah went down to the Rural School Fair and I picked up what burrs I could find in the plum orchard and started to cut the lawn but didn't get much done at it. Froze hard last night has been cool all day. Wednesday October 11th Dad. has put in most of the day cleaning out ditches and finished to-night. I started to clean out the chicken house but didn't finish Louise came over to dinner and this afternoon she and the baby & I drove out to Shand's to see if the stone had come yet and came home by Marburg. Dad. & Enah drove Louise down to-night and went up to see how Aunty Maude came through her operation it was successful. Thursday October 12th We did chores this morning and I finished cleaning out and putting straw in the chicken house. This afternoon Dad. and I cut down the dead elm in the gully and sawed it up into logs that can be hauled up. When we came up we sawed up some wood. It has been a nice day but looks rainy. Friday October 13th We got up long before daylight this morning and although it was pouring rain Dad. and I went to the Caledonia Fair. It rained most of the day poured part of the time but was not cold. Although the show was a failure in one way as there was no crowd nor any races, there was a great show of cattle & sheep and the absence of people made it easier to watch the judging. We hung around the sheep most of the day and bought a yearling ram for $140.00 from Shield's of Canfield. He took second prize over a $150.00 imported ram of Young's and the first prize ram was Lloyd Jones and a half-brother to Shield's. Mr. Douglas was there and introduced me to a Mr. McEwen from Brantford who says he is coming down to buy our ram lambs, so we had a satisfactory day of it https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6f01abfe8dc3729050fe61094f97ad03.pdf 698f05a766d1400ec3ff9bd5c06108b7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday October 14th We just did chores this morning and oiled the buggy and this after noon I got down town by soon after one and got Miss McQueen and Marjorie and went to Vittoria after chestnuts, we went up to Farrar's to try the woods that Helen Dunkin told me the big nuts were in. The woods are ac<s>c</s>ross the road from the house and in front of them but two or three fields back, and there is a lane in to them. We drove Joe in the lane and tied her behind a clump of trees out of the wind and sight of the house. We trailed all through the woods which was nearly all chestnut trees but never found a nut but coming out we struck a little tree along the fence that was loaded and the burrs open. I climbed it and shook them all off and they picked up enough to satisfy them of big nuts very big ones. We then went up to Charlie Dunkin but he wasn't home, we tried a couple of other trees but didn't draw much in the way of nuts. I also took a couple of pictures and so did Marj. I didn't get home till nearly eight. Colder to-day. Sunday October 15th I went to church this morning but none of the rest did. Dad. Enah and the baby went out to Tupper's for dinner. Frank had to do Ben's chores but came down town for dinner. We three boys went to Aunty's for dinner I was in the drugstore all the after noon listening to Dr. Jolley expound his religion which is interesting though heterodoxy. At four o'clock when Bob. was relieved at the telephone by Golly Bob. Johnnie. Said. Davis, Pansy Fischer, Arlof McCarter & I walked around the hill and I went to Aunty's for tea. Aunty & I went to church to-night and afterwards I went home with Marj. who to my delight and surprise consented to go to the picture show on Tuesday with We had a new preacher to-day a Mr. Wright from Huron College. He wasn't bad till he got excited and then he went wild. To-night he was very much wrought up over some of Pastor Russel's literature which had been circulated about town during the after noon. It has been a lovely day Monday October 16th I took the crosscut saw over to Uncle Ward to sharpen and went on down and got him a file to do it. I then went back and cut the corn down at Aunty's and stayed there to dinner This after noon Dad. and I cut up some of the elm logs which he hauled up from the gully Saturday after noon, Enah went down town this after noon to get some thing's for Frank's birthday. Mild & cloudy https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9fe4cc3557732b9e88c174f3e46972b6.pdf eb32bb193e5d7704927f9c94d8e8fe93 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday October 17th It was too windy to do much this morning Dad. split wood and I painted the labels for my plots and put them in. The wind picked up Art's dray that we had out at the corner to mix the cement on for the anchor posts and blew it right out on the road, broke the cement post of below the ground and smashed Arts dray considerably. We went back and wired up the gully gate on the road. This after noon we had to haul stone for the road. We only got two loads hauled as we had to go down to Sam Law's and get his gravel box so were late getting to the car. Marj. & I went to the picture show to-night. It has been much colder to-day and freezing hard to-night. Wednesday October 18th I was down at the car at half past seven this morning a half an hour before any of the teams came and got quite a lot of the stone shovelled out of the car. I worked in the car steadily till I got the one half all cleaned out but before I finished, they had dumped the other half and Willie Shand helped me clean it out. I went down to Aunty's to dinner and this after noon quit for a couple of hours to go up town with Bob Ross and then home with him to sell him a $12.00 ram. I then went out and worked till six on the road with the rest of them covering the stone with earth, they put it on the side road at the bottom of our big hill. This was Frank's 18th birthday he went to Simcoe Fair this after noon. Cold. They say Hammy Innes has deserted and about 30 more of the 133rd. Thursday October 19th We were all up early this morning awakened by whistles & the fire bell but as it was raining hard and the fire didn't look very big none of us went down. Frank heard that it was one of the tugs either the "Two Friends" or the "Gambler" one was sunk and the other burned last night. It rained steadily all day not so hard towards evening as in the forenoon. We altered our plans a little about going to the Simcoe Fair and I cut strips of tar paper to put around the little trees to protect them from the mice and then after noon pasted pictures in my album. Tom was in for a long time this morning out of the rain but had to go out while it was pouring but Dad. covered him up with waterproofs. Friday October 20th I started to clean out the rest of the chicken house this morning but it rained all the after noon so we just sat around and read. Dad. went down this morning and took a nail out of his big colt's foot and Tupper brought old Pete in this after noon to have him lance an absess on his shoulder. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/61093cd2cb303e6a08f35764517feadb.pdf 7fe363474257ac576245fb2cccc3740c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday October 21st Dad. had to go up to Miss McCoy's this morning to tend to a cow. I drove him up and then went down town and got some stuff and called for him again. He did odd jobs this after noon and I continued to clean up the chicken house. Aunty was over to tea and she and Frank went down to-night. High wind last night. Cloudy & cold wind to-day Sunday October 22nd Enah and I drove down to church this morning. Dick was over to dinner. He and I went down to the 3 o'clock car to see Hazen off and then I went down and fooled around the {dook?} with Wodyer all the after noon. Dad. went down to tea and church to-night. I did chores and then went down in time to meet church coming out, went for a short walk & came home with Dad. Raw. Monday October 23rd Mr. McEwen came down this morning and bought the bunch of lambs & the old one, he gave $100.00 for the 8. I drove him down to the radial at 11 o'clock and then went up and told Ham I had sold his ram but he didn't care if he can use ours. This after noon I drove up to Dunkin's to hurry him up with the pedigree's but I don't know whether it was much use. To-night Frank and I went down town to see about getting a car to ship our sheep in. Dad did odd jobs and started shingling the hen house. Young Ham came and got his ram and paid for him. Lovely day but cool. Tuesday October 24th I went down to the station agan this morning and found if we took the rams down to-morrow night, they would go out the next morning and not stay all night at Norwich, Dad. took Sam's waggon home and I shingled and this after noon helped Dad. move the binder over from the big barn and Dad. cleaned the barn all up. Art Quanbury wants us to thrash in the morning. Cloudy but much milder Wednesday October 25th Dad. was over at Art's thrashing this morning for an hour or two and then came back and cleaned up around the big barn. I shingled and this after noon we took the eight rams down and loaded them. McEwen came down from Brantford as he thought he wasn't going to get the old ram in time but it was all right. Clair Jackson died this morning. Cold, rained all the afternoon Thursday October 26th I was down town most of the morning on messages and this after https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/19f38d936288eb7cab78c06f9d950e6e.pdf 6fd558360d9ebf414af6b3d68bbc34c6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. noon, I didn't do any thing but lie around my cold was so bad. Dad trimmed the ewes all up this morning and we put the ewe lambs in the orchard. Tommy Jackson was in and wants me to be pal bearer at Clair's funeral to-morrow. Enah went down town to wish Lila a happy birthday and got there just in time to meet Aunty Maude who came home with Ada on the five o'clock car. She also heard that 133rd leave for overseas tomorrow Aunty got a letter from Quint. Cold, cloudy and windy all day. Friday October 27th I didnt do any thing much this morning as it rained. This after noon we Dad. and I went down to Clair Jackson's funeral. When we came home we got the Shields ram which came on the eleven o'clock train. Aunty Alice was here to tea and Frank went down with her after tea and got his cobbling outfit from Eaton's. Nice afternoon Saturday October 28th Dad. and I spent the whole day cutting down the dead locust tree in front of Aunty's. It was a ticklish job and we were afraid of it going on the house but we managed to get it down without doing more than break a rafter in the wood-shed. It was a lovely day. Dad. & I caught chickens most of the night. Sunday October 29th We all went to church this morning but Dad. & the baby. I drove Aunty Alice up to the cemetry before church. Aunty was over to dinner. Marj. and I went for a long drive this after noon. Dad. went down to church to-night. I went down after church and paid a visit to the Moon's with Marj. Lovely day. Monday October 30th I forget what we did day by day since Monday as this is Friday and I have not written since. Frank is home from Ben Ivey's and Mr. Clark is doing things over there. Frank has been plowing most of the time and between him and Dad. they have kept the plow going pretty steadily, and if all is well will finish the wheat stubble this week. Frank planted his $5.00 worth of Golden Seal back in the woods on Monday and Dad. Mr. Fleming & I worked on the road and finished Monday after noon. That night I went down to help Marj. and her colleagues decorate the Sunday school and on Tuesday night, Enah Frank and I went down to the Hallowe'en tea and had a great time. Dick and Dess were over Thursday night. This (Friday) morning Dad. went down to see the doctor about his throat. It is so sore he can hardly eat, sleep or speak. I have been getting my chickens ready for winter most of the week. It has been lovely weather most of the time. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9deb4c767eca016d30315751ec73f0fa.pdf 4ef31c81063424bcc7bdd94b1e5c6c14 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday November 11th Frank and I hooked Joe & Queen to the waggon and went down and got his duck crate. When we got back we took Queen off and put Belle on and took the plow out to Evan's as he wanted it to fit the slide on that he made for us, he also sharpened a coulter. It was the old plow Dad. plowed all day with the other. Ham Thompson came over with his five ewes this after noon, and put them in with our {back?}. Cold wind but nice day. Sunday November 12th Frank and I went down to Sunday school & church but none of the rest came down. Dick was over to dinner. I drove him down town this afternoon and then took Enah down to Uncle Ward's to see Aunty Maude. To-night I spent church hour with Marj. as I knew she had a bad cold and would be home and that the family would be at church. She wouldn't let me stay after eight so I sat in the bank with Clark for a couple of hours and called in to see Aunty on my way home. Cloudy and a raw cold wind all day. Monday November 13th Dad. plowed all day. I raked the lawn this morning. This after noon Frank and I took his ducks down to ship to Silverwoods also took the geese back to Al. Faulkner's all but one, Frank's share, and got some more of the locust wood at Auntys. Dad. went down to see Aunty to-night. Cold all day. Quite a snow storm this afternoon & to-night. Tuesday November 14th The ground being covered with snow to-day Dad. didn't plow but we all moved the straw stack in so that we could let the cows in the yard. Cold, raw, cloudy, snowed a little. Wednesday November 15th Frank and I got our butter milk this morning and this after noon went down and got some chicken feed at the mill and went on down town. Dad. just did chores. I took my horn down to Harry Moon to-night to fix. It has been freezing all day in the shade & cold enough for mid winter Thursday November 16th We just did chores to-day. Enah went down to her mother's this after noon and the baby and I drove after her during a heavy snow storm. Art Quanbury got his heifer this morning. It has been milder to-day, but snowed all night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7f558df4e17a833c8adf8a3d99896499.pdf da0a66b63b5623fb3fbb16c86ccc6c54 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday November 17th We killed the squealing pig this morning. Just did chores this after noon. Bill Donald was in to ask Dad. & Enah to perform at the opening concert of the new Shand's School-house. I went down town to-night to attend the meeting of the club that Clark told me but found that they couldn't get gas so called it off. I called on Cousin Clare, Marj. Mrs. Moon (Harry was in bed) and Aunty. I got my horn. Nice day but cold to-night. Saturday November 18th Frank and I went down with the sleighs and got the rest of the locust tree at Aunty's. This after noon Frank went down and did some odd jobs for Aunty and went down again to-night. I washed the name of the mail box and painted it (the box) fresh with aluminum enamel. Alex Jennison was after a ram. Softer to-day. Sunday November 19th Frank & I went to Sunday school & church. Enah drove down to church. Dick's cold too bad to come over. Dad. went down to see him. I went down town to-night saw Marj. for a little while Essie was at church and then went up to Huby's. Thawed all day snow nearly gone Monday November 20th Dad. plowed all day. Frank was down at Aunty's most of the day doing odd jobs. I did chores this morning and this after noon painted the name on one side of the mail box. Enah drove down town this after noon. The yearling hens have started laying. Aunty Alice came home to-night. Much milder Tuesday November 21st Dad. and the baby were down at Aunty's all morning banking up the house I finished painting the mail box. Dad. plowed this after noon & Frank & I fixed the barnyard fence. Frank Enah & I went down to hear Mr. Fielding's lecture on Malay in the Sunday school to-night. Mild but freezing hard to-night. Wednesday November 22nd Frank and I went down to the factory this morning for the butter milk. This after noon he and Dad. moved some of the hay stack into the barn, and I cleaned up around the wood shed. Jack Martin came over and picked out six cockrels. Enah went down town to tea & choir practice and I went down after her. Much milder to-day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/43800dbbbf9857192fae0dbde76bc325.pdf 8aa53ef897bfbc3a3233268a3457c424 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday November 23rd It rained nearly all day. Ham & Bert Thompson came over this morning and bought all the thin roosters at 12 1/2 cts. Frank and I took them down after dinner I got $9.38 for them. I stopped in at Jack Martin's on my way home and he paid me $18.07 for eggs & cockrels. We picked three chickens in the shop this morning Harry Smith from the Lake Shore was in for about an hour to ask Dad about a sick cow. Friday November 24th Frank & I went down town in the waggon this morning. I banked some money and sent Douglas a checkqe for my note. $84.80. Just did chores this after noon. Dad. cleaned ditches this morning and plowed this after noon Went down to the first meeting of the club to-night in Mrs. Belle's cottage. There was quite a crowd there both boys & girls and we had a big time dancing & picking up a row. High cold wind. Freezing Saturday November 25th Dad. banked up the house this morning and I dug up the border where the hedge was and protected the three tea roses Aunty was over to tea. Frank and I moved the bees in the colony house to-night. Frank went down town with Aunty & Dad. & I tested the pullets to-night. Freezing all day very cold night. Sunday November 26th Frank and I went to Sunday school and church and I went up to Huby's for dinner and telephoned to Charlie Dunkin for the number of his Beattie ram. Came home soon after dinner and did chores. Dad. went down to tea & church. I went down to church and sat around the bank for awhile before I came home. Very windy but milder. Monday November 27th I spent most of the morning getting the sheep records ready and this after noon took them down and got a postal note for the fees and sent them off. Frank & Dad. took up the barbed wire off the old fence along the road. To-night Enah Frank & I went down to see "The Prince & the Pauper" at the picture show It was very good. Very mild, not freezing to-night. Tuesday November 28th Rained all day but not hard. Frank & I threw of the load of hay this morning Dad. packed his pork. This after noon he dug ditches and I cleared up the headland along the gully fence near the east of the fence. Enah went down town and got an old root of a tooth pulled out that has been bothering her. Read "The Lost World" by Conan Doyle till near mid-night https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ead180e7d157a885c378b17443c857b5.pdf 36dec6651917576e2e3c7220fb651e08 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday November 29th Frank and I went to the factory for butter milk this morning & took Joe & Queen Dad. finished plowing the field. This after noon Frank & I went to the mill for some chicken feed, and then he & Dad took Elgitha up to Ham's again. He has a new bull. It has been a nasty rainy day & raining to-night. Thursday November 30th Dad & Frank plowed in the plum orchard to-day but not at the same time, Dad. dug some more ditches. This after noon he went to Mrs. Fawcett's funeral. I did chores & dug the sod off the border in front of the hedge border. To-night I went down town to get my hair cut but Corny was closed up it being Thursday. Cloudy & raw. Friday <s>November</s> December 1st Frank finished plowing the plum orchard and he & Dad. got started on the field back of the old barn. I worked around in front of the house most of the day. To--night I went down to the club. Fine day & windy. Saturday December 2nd We got out early this morning and got a good day in plowing. I put manure on the roses & beds in front of the house and this after noon helped Frank shingle on the cow stable roof while Dad. plowed. Lovely day, mild. Sunday December 3rd Frank and I went down to Sunday school & church. Enah Dad. & the baby stayed down at Aunty's to dinner. I drove down after dinner and Dad. took Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. I sat around the bank all the after noon & went down to Aunty's for tea Aunty, Aunty Alice & I went to church to-night. Monday December 4th Dad. & Frank plowed all day between them, Frank and I cleaned some more ditches and shingled some more of the cow stable roof. It was a cloudy, drizzly day. Got word to-day that they want the Beattie ram's certificate at Ottawa. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/eee02d132142d8e0fd8c472100601709.pdf fac0da86b2ff3847b4adeddb04bc084e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday December 6th Went down alone after butter milk this morning Had to go slow as Joe lost a shoe yesterday. Didn't do much this after noon Went down to tea at the Barwell's to-night and Zeitha & I went over our parts in the cantata and then went down to a rehearsal in the Sunday school. Dad plowed all day to-day & yesterday. Cold wind but sunny. Thursday December 7th Dad. plowed all day. Enah and I went down town this morning and I got Joe's shoes set. Frank and I went down to a practice to-night in the Sunday school and then I went over to church after first going up to see letters from Quint & Roy Dell at Huby's I didn't get to bed till two o'clock as I was fooling around with Joe & the Dunkin girls. Friday December 8th Dad. got in a good day plowing to-day and is now finished all but the head-lands. Frank and I measured the field this morning & found it had about {6?} acres in it. This after noon I took the baby down to Aunty's to stay all night and then got Marj. and Uncle Ward and brought them over to tea and we all went out to the opening of Shand's new school house and had a high time. Dick couldn't get over. It has been a lovely day but cloudy at times and rained to-night. Saturday December 9th Dad. and I had to go out and help move Harvey Shand's piano home from the school house but it was snowing early so we didn't go out very early and then had to wait till Harvey Shand got back from town but we helped the trustees clean up. We didn't get home till the middle of the after noon. Fozen up tight to-night very blustery. Sunday December 10th I went to Sunday school this morning and to church both times. Dick was over all the after noon as Dess is in Brantford. I went over to a Sunday school meeting to-night and then up to Miss Martin's and then up to the ba<u>nk</u>. Freezing hard to-night but nice day Monday December 11th Did chores this morning. This after noon got some stuff at the mill. Ham Thompson got his sheep and showed me how to bleed & dry pick a chicken. Dad. went down and rustled some money to pay taxes. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/831f1dcb2f5df00a727f9d80ae12b215.pdf 587c80a598a1b3a9492462bd489c76a2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday December 12th Dad & I killed and picked the 9 cockrels left in the crate this morning and Frank took the pinfeathers out of them. I got some of them stuck in the brain alright but some I didn't. I went over to Quanbury's at noon and got them to telephone to Simcoe to see what prices were like but they weren't extra so I decided to ship them to Silverwood's. I spent most of the after noon cleaning the feet & heads & shaping them and had to go down to post a letter. Aunty Alice came over with me to tea. I went down after to a practice. Snowed a little to-day. Wednesday December 13th Frank and I packed up the chickens and shipped them to Silverwoods this morning. This after noon we went down to the factory and got the buttermilk. I went down to tea at Aunty Alice's to-night Marj. Win. Clark & Dick were there. Got the first pullets egg to-day. Snowed enough to make sleighing. Thursday December 14th Put a fire in the shop & Frank & I started to oil the new harness this morning Dad. & I went down this after noon and he put Aunty's cellar windows in. Frank kept on oiling harness but didn't finish Got a letter from Ottawa, they wanted more money for records. Went to practice to-night. December 31st Sunday. As I have neglected to write this for ovwer two weeks I will just summarize the principal happenings. I will begin with the weather as we have had more of it than any thing else and it has been different from any we have had at this time of the year since we came over here being one continual "spell" of cold weather since the 9th except for one day when it rained and took off a lot of snow. The rest of the time it has hardly been above freezing once although never I think has it been quite down to zero. The sleighing has been fine but the skating except for the last few days since the rain has been poor on account of the snow on the ice. We have been busy all the time but just at chores and small jobs I got my returns from Silverwood's promptly and got 20 cts a lb. for the chickens $8.40 for the 9. We have been looking for our sheep records very anxiously all this time and Dad wrote them at Ottawa a rather sharp letter on Monday and Thursday they came Friday Dad. got a very courteous reply to his letter saying they had been very busy. Friday Frank https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/36c01dc8d3efbfd75316fab296659981.pdf a384893f0604eb22317d75f9664ef8f2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and I took them up to McEwen, had dinner there and went on in to Brantford got some fire brick for the kitchen range at Buck's factory, saw Miss Batersby for a few minutes and got him on the 5 car. McEwen paid me $25.00. We sold four of our turkeys to people in town for 35 cts a lb. dressed One we had for Christmas dinner at Aunty's where all the family except Aunty Maude who stayed at Aunt Lucy's gathered Christmas night and they had a tree. It was a lovely day. Our concert came off and was voted a success by all both financially and otherwise. They took in over $50.00 from 20 & 10 ct tickets. We are having an awful time trying to get chestnut coal. There is none in the country and some trouble with the railway congestion of freight at the lines prevent any from coming in. We borrowed a little from Quanbury's and Frank and I managed to get a box of big furnace coal the other day, but Dad. has to crack it up with the hammer and then it isn't as good. The war is still progressing. Germany has made peace proposals but with such an arrogant air and offering no suitable terms so they have been ignored by all the Allies Most people look for peace next year. We all got Quint's picture for Christmas. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1911 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1913 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1914 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925-1926 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1926-1927 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1916 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 1, 1916 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress Done Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Blank Front Cover Inside page on the left}</p> <p>{Right side page}</p> <p>DIARY.1916</p> <p>T.B.Barrett.</p> <p>Port Dover, Ontario.</p> <p>The Farm</p> <p>From January 1st 1916 to September 29th 1916</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday January 1st 1916</p> <p>They tolled the church bell three times and rang it to herald the New Year and after spending about another quarter of an hour in church we went over to the dance Dad. &amp; Enah were in church and they came over to the dance This being Leap Year all boys caught asking a girl to dance were supposed to be fined a quarter but I don't think many spotted up. They had a square dance which Mr Cope and Enah took part in Mr Cope aparently enjoyed him self immensely We danced till nearly three o clock and every body agreed that it was the best dance this year so far. Enah and I spent the remainder of the night at Aunty Alices but Dad. &amp; Frank who we discovered had been up {several faded words} dance went home. Aunty Alice sat up as the baby was asleep and she thought he might wake up. Aunty Alice didn't call me till nearly ten o clock and I wasnt very anxious to get up then. It was raining hard so after I had breakfast I sat around and read till noon. We just sat down to dinner when Dad. drove down after Enah so I went up with him and got the mail, and then walked home. We just did chores this after noon except Frank who cut a lot more of the chicken house flooring. It has rained nearly all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday January 2nd</p> <p>It poured rain during the night and has been very soft and mild all day but is colder to-night I arose fairly early this morning and got ready in time to go to church Enah and I walked down and were late. After church Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida were going up to Huby's for dinner as they had goose and as Aunty Maude had told Aunty Alice to bring Dad. up too should he happen to be in church and as he didn't happen to be in church and as I was in no mood to walk home in the slush to dinner and right back I thought it would be all right for me to go to Huby"s so I did and had a very enjoyable dinner. Uncle Ward was the only other guest. I spent the afternoon down at the Bagley's and had tea there. We all went to our various churches.</p> <p>Monday January 3rd</p> <p>I did chores most of the morning and husked a little corn Dad. and the baby went down to meet Aunty who came up on the morning train to vote. Dad. was very anxious to have her vote because Vyse was running again against old Walker. They saw Ed. up town and he said to vote for Walker Moon &amp; Wilson so she did. Walker got in by a majority of 8 Ed. headed the polls for councillors then came Harry Smith, R.M. Taylor and Mat. Wilson and the bylaw which was to give a fixed rate of assessment to the canning factory who in return are going to put up another big building carried so Aunty didn't lose a vote. Dad. stayed down to dinner, while he was gone and while I was husking corn out in the barn, the fattening steer got lose and got out behind the calves and into the alley in front of the cows I heard a commotion but didn't pay much attention but when I went to go in I found the black calf had either been frightened or hooked into the manger He was on his side with his nigh fore &amp; hind feet sticking over the edge but he was wedged in so tightly that I couldn't lift him so had to tear the whole manger out, and he felt pretty wobbly when he did get loose. This after noon Dad. and I went out to try and set up some of the down shocks of corn but they were frozen in to hard. The mice are eating it badly and we cant haul it in till we thrash out our clover seed. Mr. Flemming was over to get a hand to help him thrash to-morrow but I dont think the machine is there yet. It was A.Y.P.A. social evening to-night. Mrs Clare Deal Miss Marshall and I were put on the committee to run it but except for meeting Mrs Deal on the bridge last night on my way</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>home and telling her that what she had done couldn't have been improved on I haven't done a thing. However it came off all right only there were very few there Enah went down to tea at the James and she said Elva played a duet said Davis sang Aunty Maude gave us a little talk and we had refreshments. Frank and I went down to see Aunty on our way down as this is her birthday. Sunny, a little blizzardy but misty.</p> <p>Tuesday January 4th</p> <p>Dad. had to go over to Flemming's to thrash alsike this morning, they thrashed all day and got seven bags from eleven loads so it didn't turn out so well as the rest has this year. Dad. says Lloyd Crysler told them John Wess got eleven bushels to the acre. I was over for a few minutes this after noon and it looked terribly dusty {illegible} Dad. was nearly all in when he came home. Mr. Flemming never has enough men either. I didn't do much but chores to-day, and sorted out my chickens a little to-night. I got three more pullet's eggs to day. Much milder, south wind</p> <p>Wednesday January 5th</p> <p>It rained hard during the night and has poured rain most of the day but to-night it is freezing and the wind getting around to the north. Dad. and I did chores most of the morning and this after noon we got some more of the floor laid in the chicken shed.</p> <p>Thursday January 6th</p> <p>This morning Dad. and I got a little more floor laid in the chicken shed. Aunty Alice came over while we were working at it and stayed to dinner and walked back soon after via Mrs. Battersby's to see Miss Phipps who has been sick Dad. and I went down with the waggon to get a load of soft coal for the thrashers who may be here to-morrow. Alan was in to-night and said they would get moved down here to-morrow night maybe in time to thrash a little. To-night I went skating. Frank went down with me and spent the evening up at Huby's, he didn't get home till about twelve o'clock I was late enough as Essie &amp; Marj. were down skating. I called for them but they had gone with Mr. Woodyer so I went up home with them and Marj. made some cocoa and we fed and sat around for about an hour, so it was pretty late. Dick was just getting ready for bed and said he had the grip. There is an awful lot of it in town. Much colder &amp; freezing hard. Skating grand.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday January 7th</p> <p>This was Dick's birthday, but as he has every thing he wants with in the limits of an ordinary man's fortune, we couldn't think of any thing to get him, but he happened to mention at breakfast that he broke his hockey stick yesterday so I got one for Frank and me to give him. Right after breakfast I went down to get Joe shod and took her up to Hallam's but as Bobbie McMullin seemed to be running things up there I made an excuse to see Hallam who was down at George Gambles and took Joe down to Joe Howell's, it was after twelve when I got home. This after noon we laid a little more of the chicken house floor. Frank stayed home and helped us. About four o'clock Sam &amp; Alan came in with the clover mill &amp; engine but it wasn't worthwhile thrashing any. To-night I went skating again Enah went down to choir practice with me. I went up to the Bagley's and Essie &amp; Woodyer were just leaving but Marj. hadn't got back from a treat they were giving the Sunday school kids so I started off to get her but met her half way as Enah had told her there was skating on. We had a fine time as the ice is great but Essie had to leave at eight o'clock to go to choir practice. I could have had a ride home with Dick and Alan but thought I had better go down to Aunty's and see if Enah was there but she had just left before I got there. Dick &amp; Frank both feel rather tough to-night. Nice day pretty frosty.</p> <p>Saturday January 8th</p> <p>We thrashed the clover this morning and finished it by a little after twelve and before dinner. We got over five bags of stuff from the six loads but it was more than half I think plantain seed. If we can ever get it separated though we will have enough red seed for our own use. Mr. Flemming and Tupper were the only ones extra we had. Aunty came over and helped Enah. This after noon Dad. and I went up to Ham Thompson's to see a sick cow, we were up there quite awhile looking at all the stock some of which is pretty nice. I drove down and got the mail when we got home. To-night I went skating again as it was a beautiful night and the ice was fine. There was a good bunch down there and we had a good time. I had a bath after I got home. Dick came home early and has not felt very well all day, his eyes are sore Frank has been in all day too with the grip. Still pretty cold and frosty.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday January 9th</p> <p>Enah and I walked down to church this morning and I have been down all day I had dinner and tea at Aunty's Miss Phipps was there to dinner. I spent the after noon &amp; evening up at the Bagley's, before tea I got Cousin Loll &amp; Cousin Phoebe to go over to the Ansley's with me as they had the key to the house and get a Wandering Jew plant which Cousin Bessy left there to freeze unless Aunty took pity on in so I took it down to her. The Ansley's all left for Toronto yesterday. They expect Joe Syer's battery to be moved to France next month. Aunty Alice and I went to church to-night. We thought Dad. would have been down but I found out that he had had to go up to Bill Duncan's to see a sick horse. Dick and Frank have both been in the house all day to-day so Dick must be pretty bad. There were quite a few skating this after noon but I didn't go. It is getting milder to-night.</p> <p>Monday January 10th</p> <p>It rained during the night and has rained a lot during the day but is colder to-night. I went over to Quanbury's to see Charlie this morning, he is better and sitting up but has had a bad time with his throat.On my way home I stopped in and got a setting of eggs from Jack Martin as one of the old red hens has been sitting for quite awhile and Dad. was very anxious to put some eggs under I thought it would be too early to have them come out. Dad &amp; I didn't do much but chores this after noon Aunty came over before tea to stay all night as Dad. Enah and I went down to A.Y.P.A. and the boys have been in the house all day. Dick was bound he was going to work yesterday but when this morning came he wasn't at all anxious to go Glad. Law and Marj. Clarke had a Dicken's evening at A.Y.P.A. to-night and Dad. &amp; Enah sang "What are the Wild Waves Saying" Cousin Willie, Jack Martin and Aunty Maude also took part but there were very few there. Dad. had to be chairman.</p> <p>Tuesday January 11th</p> <p>It was frozen up this morning so after we got the chores done Dad. and I got in a load of corn and another one this after noon, we took two rows at a time so got quite a strip of land cleared, there are about two loads left out there yet, we put it up where the clover seed was cut left the last load on the waggon, we couldn't get it in before on account</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>of the clover seed taking up the room. To-night I went skating the ice was in beautiful shape. Dad has felt sick all day.</p> <p>Wednesday January 12th</p> <p>Dad. has been in bed all day and feels properly sick I guess he has the grip like all the rest of them althoug he hasn't a cold. It has kept me busy all day just doing the chores. Frank has felt a lot better but not well enough to be out. Dick still {feels his?} eyes pretty sore. Nicholson &amp; Hazen came over to see him this evening. They told him not to try to come to work. Hazen told me last night they were getting along fine Mr. {Name?} has sold about fifteen dollars worth of chickens and only spends about ten minutes a day in the bank. It has rained most of the day but is colder to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday January 13th</p> <p>Dad. has been sitting up to-day but doesn't feel much better I think. Frank has been well enough to-day to help me do some of the chores but we didn't get anything else done. Mrs. Dyer came over to see Dick to-day He doesn't feel much better. It has been cold and stormy to-day</p> <p>Friday January 14th</p> <p>I saw they had steam up over at Sam's this morning and about nine o'clock Alan came in to see if one of us could go over. I was just going in to breakfast but he said he had to go down town so I didn't need to hurry, I went over and hung around for half an hour and we got started about half past ten, but as there were only two loads of alsike we got through before noon, it turned out pretty well as they got three bushels. I was the only extra hand there. Bert and I pitched out of the mow and Sam &amp; Alan did the rest. I had dinner over there but when I got home found Frank had all the chores done so this after noon he and I took a small grist to the mill, small because we could only find about half a dozen empty bags. Tonight I went skating there was a little snow on the ice but it was pretty good. Dess &amp; {Name?} Dyer came over to see Dick to-night so Frank had to see them home and didn't get back till long after I did. Dick has felt a great deal worse to-day about the sickest he has yet although his eyes are better. Dad. says he feels better to-night but he is pretty weak. It has been a nice day but pretty cold. This was Aunt Ida's birthday and I called in to wish her a happy one. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice were both at church but I saw them on my way home</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday January 15th</p> <p>Frank and I have put in a busy day besides doing the chores we got in two loads of corn, we only took two rows in the two loads but in some places it was badly frozen in so we didn't have time to take full rows. Dad. has felt very miserable to day and has not been out of bed at all his eyes ache {illegible}. Aunty has been over all the after noon and I walked home with her after tea and got the mail. Dick is a little better. Very blustery day especially this after noon. Strong wind with snow and very cold.</p> <p>Sunday January 16th</p> <p>Frank went to church this morning and I did chores I got them pretty well done up before dinner and this after noon Dick and I went down town Dick wasn't much better but vowed he was coming down and stayed down all night. Essie, Marj. and I paid a visit to the Prestons this after noon every female member of that family are sick in bed and Arthur and Mr. P. are keeping house. I came home about half past five and did chores and went down again after tea I was too late for church so I went up to Huby's for about an hour. Aunty Maude was sick with neuraligia and had gone to bed &amp; I met Essie &amp; Marj. on their way from Methodist Church and went with them over to the Smith's, Harry &amp; Fred were both home for Sunday. Mrs. Smith looked very badly. I came home fairly early. Elva &amp; Mr. James were over here this after noon and Huby was here when I got home before tea but didn't stay to tea. Aunty Alice was over to dinner and part of the after noon. Very cold nor'west wind all day. Blizzardy</p> <p>Monday January 17th</p> <p>Frank went to school to-day but came home early this after noon he said they had to let a lot of them out as the school house was so cold. I haven't tried to do a thing but chores as it has been so cold. Dad. has felt better and was out at the barn for a little while to-day. To-night I went down to A.Y.P.A. but as there was no body there to conduct the meeting it adjourned and Marj. Glad. Law &amp; I went to the picture show where we enjoyed ourselves much better. I looked in at Henry Buoy's pool room on my way home attracted by what sounded on the street like quite a racket but which proved to be only Al. Faulkner talking. I found Frank up there</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>watching a game between Bunyian and Fred Tuck. Bunyian was pretty well jagged and was shooting with the butt end of his cue. Frank and I stopped in at Aunty's on our way home and found Dick there for the night, he looks pretty rotten yet but says he feels all right. I tried on a couple of shirts which Aunty Alice made for Dad. but which were too small and which just about fit me so I inherited them. They're dandys too. I sat up till three o'clock after I got home and finished reading "Mr. {illegible} of {illegible}" It was pretty good but I thing I caught a bad cold over it. This I think has been the coldest day yet this winter frosty as well as windy.</p> <p>Tuesday January 18th</p> <p>Frank has been at school all day. I have just done chores and not tried to anything else, in fact the chores took up most of my time. Dad. went down town this morning and stayed at Aunty's to dinner and most of the after noon, he doesn't feel any worse for it what he suffers most from now is a peculiar, very disagreeable, undescribable and he says most rotten taste and sometimes smell that he gets on some of his food and most of all when he tries to smoke, he is longing for a smoke and hasn't had one for four days, he has filled and lit three different pipes but each one has the same taste and he just takes one draw then puts the pipe away with an exceedingly marked expression of utter disgust. Enah has caught the sore eye trouble in one eye and I have a peacherine of a cold in my head. Tid's eyes are both sore. It has been still cold &amp; blizzardy all day but not so frosty as yesterday and I think is getting milder to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday January 19th</p> <p>It has been milder and sunny to-day and much milder to-night, but we haven't done anything but the chores.The little steer was off his feed this morning and I noticed he was badly bloated so Dad. has had a stick in his mouth most of the day to take the bloat down but it isn't all out to-night though better. Mr. Morgan was over here all the after noon and Dad. ordered six cherry trees from him and he is going to replace the two walnuts that died. To-night I went down to see if there was any skating but there was no one down. The ice is beautifully smooth where the wind has swept</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>it clear but there is too much snow to make skating. I took my skates up to the garage and left them to be sharpened and then went down to Aunty's for a little while. Aunty was just going to bed and was not {doing?} at all well all day. Dick was down there looking tough and hasn't been out of the house all day but says he feels better, over here Dad. &amp; Enah both have very sore eyes and Enah feels pretty sick besides I think. Frank went down to-night with me and went up to Huby's.</p> <p>Thursday January 20th</p> <p>It has drizzled rain all day and every thing as slippery as grease or partly inundated, we have just done chores I cleaned out the chicken dropping boards this morning and this after noon I husked a little corn while Dad. cut some shelves to put up in the clothes room, Frank and I did up the night chores and Dad. went down to Aunty's for tea, he wanted to see how Aunty &amp; Dick were, he hasn't seen Dick since Sunday. Frank saw him up town to-day at noon. To night I went down town and stumbled on the opening meeting of the "Never-ready Club" which consists of Marj. Glad. Law &amp; Essie. They were all knitting or crocheting so I joined and just talked to them and held some yarn for Marj. to wind into balls. I got home about twelve after waiting for nearly two hours in at Hec's for Alan Law.</p> <p>Wednesday Friday January 21st</p> <p>Enah has at last got the grip she has felt very miserable all day and not been able to sit up or eat at all. The baby has a bad cough. This morning I got the chores pretty well done up and this after noon Dad. and I got some more of the chicken shed floor down, it wont take very much longer to finish it. To-night I walked down to Aunty Alice's with a couple of dozen eggs. Aunty feels better and Dick was up working. I stopped in at Quanbury's on my way home and gave Mr. Quanbury a dollar to join the Horticultural Society. Charlie &amp; Art. were out at the farm for a load of straw. Very mild all day just like Spring, no colder to-night</p> <p>Saturday January 22nd</p> <p>Dad. has been in the house all day nearly again to-day with a headache. Enah was in bed all morning but felt better and was able to be up this afternoon while the poor baby is about half dead with the croup. He barks just</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>a little dog when he coughs and looks like the mischief and I guess feels as bad as he looks although he has been very good. Frank and I laid floor in the chicken house this morning and used up all the lumber we had, so this after noon we did up all the chores and drove down town in the waggon and got 20 {illegible} more, which we laid to-night after tea, we worked out there till nearly nine o'clock and only have it to finish up with a six inch board which has to be notched to fit the studding. Frank has developed a case of pink eye this after noon and has gone to bed to-night not being able to see out of his left eye. Dick came home to-night the first time since last Sunday. Very soft &amp; mild. An April day.</p> <p>Sunday January 23rd</p> <p>Owing to the condition of the familys health this morning I had to most of the chores. Frank helped me clean out the cow stables after breakfast but he can't do much on account of his eye, he feels all right other ways and went back to the gully and set a rat trap this morning. Dad's head doesn't ache to-day and Enah says she feels a little better but the poor baby looks awful although his cough doesn't sound as bad. This after noon I went down town and also to-night. I came home at tea time to do chores, but Dad. &amp; Frank had them all done. Aunty Alice has the doctor down to see Aunty this after noon, he says it is the regular grip she has It froze last night and has been colder to day but feels very like Spring.</p> <p>Monday January 24th</p> <p>Frank went to school this morning sore eyes and all. Dad. and I did up the necessary chores and then went out and got in the rest of the corn, there were three rows but we brought it all in one load and got it in about noon, this after noon Will Philips was in for quite awhile to ask Dad about a sick horse and then {Name?} McPherson came in to get us all to sign a petition to the Government to put through a total Prohibition Bill or submit it to the people, we all signed it. I would rather have waited to hear some more argument on the subject but as it stands it looks right enough to me. We then {cacked?} up a grist which I took down to the mill. To-night Frank and I went skating, the ice was great in spots but there were a lot of rough spots to skate into Dad has been out all day but feels too weak to work hard. Enah and Tid show very slight signs of improvement while Frank reports that Aunty though still in bed is a little better. Very mild all day &amp; to-night. Spring.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday January 25th</p> <p>This morning I went down to the mill and got the grist that I left there last night. I took the washing up to Mrs. McBride's as she was over this morning to say she could not come over to wash as Sam had to go out to Pow's and couldn't mind the kids, she gave me a whole pile of old cabbages which have been frozen two or three times for the chickens, soon after I got back Charlie Quanbury came over to get Dad. to look at old Corbett who Dad says is pretty sick, they drenched him the other night and Dad. thinks got some oil on his lungs. He didn't get back till noon as Jack Martin called him in there to show him a rooster with the chicken pox. I cleaned out the stables while he was gone.This after noon we were going to {polish?} the floor in the chicken house but just as we got the noon chores done Uncle Ward came over and visited all the after noon. About half past four we had to take Elgithe up to Ham Thompson's bull. She was very wild at first and we had a sling rope tied on to the end of her halter rope before we got out of the lane. I had caught my foot in the loop of the rope and had to let go and drop to get loose She dragged me a few feet before I got loose and then ran right down along the fence running into it and catchin in it every now and again, when she got to the corner she turned in Ivey's gate and ran for our line where we managed to head her off and catch her. Dad. took her on up and I went behind after she got a little cooled down she went as gentle as a lamb. To-night Frank and I went skating or at least down town to go skating but as there was no body on the pond we came to the conclusion that it was too soft so went down to see Aunty for awhile she is much better and came home. It has been very mild &amp; muddy all day, looks very much like rain.</p> <p>Wednesday January 26th</p> <p>Dad and I have put in all our time to-day besides doing chores in putting down the last strip in the chicken house floor it only took one six inch board but Dad. had to cut it at each stud to make it fit right as the spaces between floor &amp; wall were uneven between some of the streds, so it took a long time. Sam Law came in this morning to settle up accounts, we owe him six or seven dollars yet for thrashing. Alex Jamieson was in this afternoon to get some veterinary advice. To-night Dad. walked down</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to see Aunty. Frank and I spent most of the evening catching pigeons. Hugh McQueen is buying them this time for a shooting match and paying thirty cents a pair for them. It has been too mild to day to wear a coat, but looks rainy.</p> <p>Thursday January 27th</p> <p>About the first thing this morning I went over to Mrs. McBride's and got the clothes. Aleta was there and Mrs. McBride away, they have all gone back to live with Sam and he has made all kinds of promises about acting like a good husband and father and they say he signed the total prohibition petition. Alan Law says it is all her fault anyway. He said this Christmas she asked him to go down to Jane's for dinner but Sam wanted to have their own Christmas at home and accordingly went down and bought a goose and presents for all the family when Christmas came he went home and as Alan says "No damned Susan there" so poor Sam had to eat alone, when she did come she "throwed" the presents and spoke very desparagingly of them. "Why" Alan says "How would you like it if you were a married man to go home there at night and have to get your own supper and have no woman to sit down and talk to and go to bed alone and have her come prowling in about midnight and then never get up in the morning to get your breakfast and the house all upset, its enough to make any man discouraged." He said " I've lived beside them a long time and know them both and there isn't a better man living than Sam McBride." "Yes" I said "I guess he's all right when he's sober" "Why" Alan said "I never found him out of the way when he was drunk, and if she was half the woman that he is a man there would be no drinking go on in that house." However they are a united family at present we'll see how long it will last. When I got home from there I took a chicken down to Aunty Alice and just got home by noon. Joe was feeling very much like what might be expected since she has done nothing whatever the last couple of weeks but stand in and eat oats and hay too of course, but the roads were so bad she couldn't do much, they say the frost is all out in some places, Alan says that Fred Rose down the Plank was digging post holes to-day. This after noon Dad. and I carried four big bundles of straw over to the the chicken's new floored scratchin shed. I think it is going to be a great improvement. To-night I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>went down to the Red Cross supper in the Town Hall I was to have called for Aunty Alice at six o'clock but I was late so she had gone so I went alone but had my tea with Dick &amp; Dess. There were some dandy cakes there but as usual in such cases my stomach became incapacitated long before my appetite was satiated. I went home with Marj. &amp; Essie and later we went to the picture show, we had to use brute force to get Essie past the Methodist Church as there was a prayer meeting going on and she was supposed to be there to play and we literally dragged her away from it. It's a war prayer meeting and as I tell her the Germans are praying as hard as we are and I suppose there are lots of them just as good in God's sight as there are of us so in all probability God will wind it up in his own way in spite of all of us. I really think about like Aunty Alice that praying and fighting don't go very well to-gether that if we trust so much in our own strength we oughtn't to expect much help from Heaven or if we do want Divine help we should throw down our arms and pray for it, but of course that is out of the question as we are too human for that. I got a ride home with Dick &amp; Alan. I don't know what has struck me to-night to write so much diary but it is half past twelve now so I am going to bed. Dad. has just been out for a while to smoke he got so hot in bed he couldn't go to sleep. This is really the most remarkable weather for January I ever heard of. It has rained a good part of to day and to-night was too mild to wear an overcoat. It is hard to believe that it is midwinter.</p> <p>Friday January 28th</p> <p>Dad. and I put off the load of corn which was on the waggon this morning and also nailed on the boards which block up the space over the south doors of the old barn We didn't do much this after noon but chores, we took the nests out of the rooster's pen and put them up in the pullets end of the scratching shed, the pile of straw we put in there has kept them busy most of the day, we also swept out the brooder and put it in the colony house. Tonight Dad. &amp; Frank have gone down town Dick expects Ferdy to-night for a few days and as the roads are too bad to drive down Dad. took the lantern and is going to wait at Aunty's for them, they have to call on Dess &amp; maybe take in the show before they come over. Colder to-day freezng to-night</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday January 29th</p> <p>Ferdy arrived safely last night and aparently in good condition as whe Enah inquired after his health he expressed the fact "that he didn't have no kick coming." We haven't seen any thing of him since soon after breakfast as he has spent the day in town. Frank was down town most of the morning getting his teeth filled. I did a few chores but spent most of the day making a hopper in the chicken house and putting in a {illegible} and another couple of {illegible}. This evening I filled the two hoppers with a whole bag of rolled oats and also put in grit and dried meat scrap. Dad and Frank went down town and got a load of coal. To-night Frank has gone down again to get a link of stove pipe for the little {illegible} coal stove, it has to be made a {illegible} and {illegible} narrow {illegible} to put on the stove and be {illegible} six inch pipe. Dunn has sent over two {illegible} {Illegible} but none are big enough although Dad. took an exact impression of the hob on a piece of cardboard and sent it down but Dunn said he should have sent down the shape made of wire so he did this after noon. It froze fairly hard last night but except for a cold and raw east wind it has not been very wintry to-day. It is raining &amp; freezing as it comes to-night.</p> <p>Sunday January 30th</p> <p>We all got up late this morning and none of us got ready in time to go to church. This after noon Dick, Ferdie &amp; I walked down and I spent the afternoon and evening up at the Bagley's. I had tea at Aunty's and went to church with Aunty Alice. It has been a horrible day raining most of the time, to-night it was pouring rain and very dark when I went down to Aunty's after my overshoes so I stayed all night. Aunty feels quite a lot better to-day.</p> <p>Monday January 31st</p> <p>I got up fairly early this morning but it was still raining when I was ready to start for home so I thought I would wait and see if Dad. drove the boys down in which case I knew he would call for me. I finished reading "The Road Mender" by Michael Fairless which I started down there last fall when I was sick and have read part of since whenever I had time, then Aunty Alice and I had a game of chess I had nearly forgotten the game but she reminded me as we went along and we had quite a game. Neither one of us won because about ten o'clock we came to the conclusion that Dad. wasn't down</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and that we shouldn't be wasting any more time in the middle of the morning, so we quit without either being checked. By the time I got home and got my clothes changed it was nearly noon. This after noon we didn't do much but chores and husk a little corn. Ferdie went down town. Frank and I went down to A.Y.P.A to-night but they didn't do anything down there much but adjourn. Mr. Johnson was not there as he was called away very suddenly this morning to Muskoka to the supposed death-bed of his uncle. Glad Law brought the minute book as Marj. has the grip. I went in with Glad. after the meeting to see her. She looks the picture of health and says she feels alright as long as she is sitting down but she got so sick and dizzy in school this morning that she had to let the kids all out and go home before recess. I went down to Aunty's on my way home Aunty Alice had gone up to Cousin Loll's to play bridge. Frank came in while I was there and we came home to-gether. The marble season has commenced already I suppose on account of the open weather. Frank has been playing all evening and has about thirty he had none when he went down I borrowed some from him and we played odd &amp; even all the way home and I had the same old luck that I used to have when Egg. Thompson &amp; I used to play all day in school, started with about a dozen and only had about five or six when we got home. Dick and Ferdie where here when we got home, they got a ride with Alan. It has been very mild all day but is colder to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday February 1st</p> <p>It froze a little last night but not much after I cleaned out the stables I took some manure around to put on the front beds and the frost was all out in the sod. I took another strip off by the rhubarb bed that I started last fall. Dad. cut a piece off the stack. This after noon Aunty Alice came over and we didn't do much. Alan came in towards dark with ten bushels of potatoes he got from {Name?] Waddle at $1.00 and we were going to take four bushels and he was to leave five of theirs in our cellar as they have no place to keep them and he took one bag home to use. To-night Frank and I went out to catch some more pigeons for Hugh McQueen's match but could only catch two. Ferdie has been down town all the after noon in fact went before dinner. Poor old Tige has been sick all day. I don't know what is the matter with her, she doesn't seem to want to move. I guess she has the grip. It has been colder this after noon and is freezing hard to-night with strong N.W wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday February 2nd</p> <p>After breakfast this morning Dad. got started reading Happy Hawkins aloud so we didn't get out very early and didn't do any thing but chores. Enah went down town before dinner as Aunty Alice told her yesterday that her father was quite ill, she was down all the after noon, so Dad. Ferdie &amp; I had dinner alone. This after noon we did chores and Dad. trimmed Queen's &amp; Gingers hooves, he had a few chores to do around the house too. I went over to Jack Martin's to get a couple of roosters to mate up with my hens but they were too busy shipping birds to get them for me to-night. I went down to Quanburys with {illegible} nursery stock I {rest of sentence illegible} To-night Frank and I went down town. Frank took some eggs down to the store and his two pigeons which we caught last night. I went around to see Marj. she feels pretty wobbly yet but looks well (if looks were all that were concerned I wish she was {illegible} all the time allthough her every day looks are ok its been colder and cloudy to day Bear saw his shadow</p> <p>Thursday February 3rd</p> <p>This morning I went over to Martin's to get four roosters to mate my hens. I was over there quite a while and was just starting off with a couple intending to come back after the other two when Dad. came in he had helped Enah bring the baby through the field so he helped me take the four home. Enah spent the day down town again as her father is still very ill although a little better to-night. Ferdy went down with her and has been down town all day. The old hen hatched out four of the thirteen eggs I got from Jack but one of them got chilled to-day and died. Dad. brought her and the other three into the kitchen this after noon. I haven't done any thing but chores and read this after noon It has been cold and rather stormy so Dad went down to Aunty's about four o'clock to bring the baby home but Enah had taken him up to the Jame's and Dad. didn't go up there after him. Mrs. Hodge died to-day and the old man is just about all in. Bruce Dell was over before tea to get Dad. to go down and look at thier old cow which is bloated. Dad. gave Bruce a great raking over but has gone down to-night. I trimmed the tag locks off the hens to-night with the sheep shears. I got a fac-simile of the letter Dick got (the other day) from Pratt yesterday telling me it was my duty to join the 133rd Norfolk Battalion. Holly Bush got one but Holly says he won't answer the requirements as he</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>over the age limit (45 years) and under the minimum heighth which is 5 ft 2 but I am sure there are fellows down there shorter than Holly and he says he is only 5 ft 1 in. I think they are taking almost any body who will join. Old Bill George and two of his sons have enlisted. Old Bill will make a pretty figure in uniform. If they aim high enough he will make a good mark but they could shoot a good sized shell between his knees and him standing at attention. Hammy Innes joined yesterday too. Hammy joined on a bet. Hargreaves one of the boys in khaki bet Hammy he could spot him 25 playing pool and beat him. Hammy took him up. Hargreaves said if he did would he enlist and Hammy said he would so when he lost he kept his word. I thought he would some day anyway, he has been the butt of a good deal of sarcasm as there were a great many "patriotic" busy bodies who couldn't understand what their was to keep him home. They will have to turn all their attention to Cliff Lees now but I don't think it will affect him much. He is off to-day seeing L.G. Morgan &amp; the Penman's Company for the pond or something or other. I think the lawsuit was to come off to day. If he beats them I guess he is smarter than most people took him for but he can't be any crookeder</p> <p>Friday February 4th</p> <p>We haven't done much all day but chores. Enah went over to the Martin's this morning and telephoned down to find out how her father was and found he had had a good night and was better. This after noon I got my duds picked out for the hard time ball and Enah cleaned them up. I got a long tailed coat of Dad's out in the wood shed and a light coloured vest and wore one of my new blue and white shirts that Aunty Alice made me with a little plaid bow tie after that I just sat around and listened to Dad. read Happy Hawkins. Enah, Dad. &amp; the baby went down to Aunty's for tea so Frank and I had ours alone, Ferdy having gone down early in the afternoon to stay at the Dyer's or Henry's to tea and taken a suitcase full of clothes for himself and Dick. Frank and I went down as soon as I got togged up. I went into Aunty's for a minute or two and then went up to see how Marj. was, she has been at school the last two days and was waiting for Glad Law to go down and watch the dance for a little while I went down with them they all laughed heartily at my costume but when we got there we found very few dressed out of the ordinary</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Hazen was the best he had the doggonedest outfit on I ever saw great big coloured patches sewed all over his clothes and an old bit of side line for a belt with an alarm clock hanging to it for a watch it would go off every time there was a lull in the dancing The girls went home early and didn't dance at all. I went up with them and went in to show my self to Essie who had been at choir practice. She didn't say much and appeared shocked, it's part of her Methodist tomfoolery to think dancing, wicked, though I don't suppose she could tell why to save her neck. There wasn't such a big crowd there but we certainly had a good time Dad. &amp; Enah didn't get there till quite late. Enah had a tray there which she had carved and which she raffled off. Sam Morris drew the lucky ticket, we got home before three o'clock. Enah staying down at Aunty's where Tid was. It has got milder this after noon and was snowing when we came home</p> <p>Saturday February 5th</p> <p>I did a few chores to-day but spent most of the time just sitting around and going to sleep. I wrote to Quint this after noon and read a good deal of the newspaper as it is full of the accounts of the awful fire at Ottawa which destroyed the Parliament Buildings, they don't know yet whether the fire was caused by accident or whether it was the work of Germans but they have arrested one man on suspicion. It was an awful fire as seven people lost their lives two of them women and one a member and it destroyed what they say was the most beautiful public building in Canada North America. It has snowed most of the day and is very much milder. Enah walked home with the baby this morning Dad. killed and dressed three chickens but none of us have done much. Frank husked corn &amp; copied notes.</p> <p>Sunday February 6th</p> <p>Frank, Enah and I went to church this morning and were quite late, Frank and I especially, I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and spent most of the afternoon at the Bagley's I came back to Aunty's for tea and went to church this evening with Aunty Alice, she went around after church with the Tibbits and I went home with Marj. &amp; Glad Law. We had a new preacher as Mr. Johnson is still up in Muskoka with his sick uncle, this man was a Mr. Low from Stratford and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>seemed like a very nice man as well as a fairly good preacher. I went in to Aunty's on my way home to say good-bye to Ferdy as he is leaving in the morning and is going to stay there all night so as he will be handy to the train. It has been quite mild to-day and has snowed considerably.</p> <p>Monday February 7th</p> <p>This has been a regular winter day cold, some snow and very windy. We didn't do any thing but chores and Dad. put cotton on the last frame for the chicken house. This after noon I went down and got a tooth filled and stayed at Aunty Alice's to tea. Arthur Anderson walked over this morning to get Dad. to give him an order for some binder twine but Dad. didn't and afterwards he changed his mind so I gave them an order for fifty lbs this after noon. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Johnson, some people Aunty Alice knew in Fort Saskatchewan came in to-night and I went with her to the station to meet them. She spoke to to drive them up and he did but Mrs. {Name?} came in from {illegible} out of the hospital so he took her home first and had to drive very slowly and then as he was so close, went up to Davie's with Ida so by the time we got down to the house we might far better have walked. I went right back up with Al. and went around to call at the Moon's to say good bye to Miss Misner (Minnie) who is leaving in the morning to go with the Queen's University Kingston Corps to be a military nurse at Cairo, Egypt. She &amp; Mrs. Moon were just leaving when I got there to go to the Sunday school were the A.Y.P.A. and Willing Workers were entertaining the soldiers and sent Miss Misener an invitation so I went with them. Mrs. Skey &amp; Mrs. Col. Smith were there representing the I.O.D.E. and presented Miss Misener with an adress &amp; a purse. The orchestra was there and Cousin Willie was chairman, after quite a programe in which the soldiers "did their bit" we had refreshments and it was quite late when Frank and I got home.</p> <p>Tuesday February 8th</p> <p>Dad and I took our steer down to Bagley &amp; Miller's slaughter house where Whit Dixon is going to kill him for us We stopped in at Aunty's on our way back. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Johnson wanted to come over this after noon and see Jack Martin's chickens and as Mrs. Johnson is a little lame they wanted me to come down after dinner and drive</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>her over so I did and Mr. Johnson &amp; Aunty Alice walked over. Dad. came over and met us there and after we had seen pretty well all the plant he &amp; Mr. Johnson drove over to the farm. I walked over and Aunty Alice &amp; Mrs. Johnson called on Mrs. Martin and walked home. About half past four Dad. Enah &amp; Mr. Johnston &amp; the baby went down to Aunty {illegible} Frank and I did chores and had our tea alone. The Johnsons are going in the morning. Mrs. McBride has been here {washing?} all day. I am {illegible} there are hot times going on between the Martin's &amp; Quanbury's, the latter accused the former of listening to their telephone talk and old Mrs.Martin and Mrs. Charlie went over and called the Quanbury's down and John says Charlie called the boys all kind of names Jack is away but he isn't mixed up in it any way. It has not been so cold to-day and has snowed all the afternoon.</p> <p>Wednesday February 9th</p> <p>We did chores this morning and I put cotton on the window in the old hen's pen and blocked it up with boards where the glass had come out. Dad. had another fall after dinner and hurt his elbow quite badly. About four o'clock we hooked the big team to the waggon and went down to get our beef, we went right over to the slaughter house but Whit wasn't there so I had to walk back up town to get him and he drove me back. He had the beef killed and halved so it didn't take long to get him, we weighed one side and figured the whole carcass at 376 lbs, hindquarter 100 lbs and front 88 lbs, we got home about five thirty and I carried the meat down cellar Dad. isn't able to lift much after his fall. It has been mild but raw &amp; cloudy to-day a little more snow but not enough for sleighing.</p> <p>Thursday February 10th</p> <p>This morning after doing chores I tacked cotton over the other window in the old hen's pen. I took the two frames out to put glass in where it had come out but didn't have any panes to fit it so just put the cotton in. Dad. gave Jim a dose of salts she hasn't been just right since he was sick. This after noon he and I went down and got a load of coal, we took the waggon although there are a lot of sleighs out but we didn't think we could have a load over the road from here to the corner and around the hill Alan Law was in and got a couple of sacks of oats which</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>we owed him, they haven't a place yet but are thinking of taking Charlie McQueen's if they can ever get Charlie to make any agreement. To-night I went down town and just sat around and talked to Marj. all evening, she and Essie have each knitted a Red Cross sock so I tried them both on. Cloudy and raw wind all day. Clear and frosty to-night.</p> <p>Friday February 11th</p> <p>We didn't do much but chores this morning and unloaded our load of coal. This after noon I copied out a long letter I wrote to Lt. Col. Pratt in answer to the one I got on the recruiting subject. I sat up till two o'clock last night to write it About four o'clock Dad. hooked up Joe &amp; Ginger to the cutter and took Enah &amp; the baby down to Aunty's for tea, after tea Dad. Frank and I walked down as Aunty Alice's party that she has been talking about for the last month in honor of Dick's birthday All the family where there but noone else except Marj. &amp; Dess. We had a great time Huby keeping us laughing most of the time and the baby enjoying himself but not very bad. I showed Huby the letter I wrote to Pratt and he advised me not to send it. Dick and I got a ride home with Alan Law but had to wait till after twelve in at Hec's for him to start. Rather stormy but not very cold.</p> <p>Saturday February 12th</p> <p>Did chores all morning and Dad. drove down and brought Enah &amp; the baby home as they stayed down at Aunty's all night. This after noon we hooked Joe &amp; Queen up to the cutter and went down town. Queen went fine, she balked a little when we first started out at a snow drift and broke her martingale. Jim isn't any better to-day Dad. gave her another dose of salts but she won't eat or drink a thing. It has been very blustery to-day but not very cold.</p> <p>Sunday February 13th</p> <p>Frank and I went to church this morning and Frank went down to Sunday school. This after noon I took Joe &amp; Ginger with the cutter and took Marj. &amp; Glad. Law for a drive it was pretty cold up the gravel so we didn't go far. I brought the team home and then went down to Aunty Alice's to tea, there was no church in our church to-night. Cousin Willie conducted the service this morning. Mr. Johnson is still in Muskoka. Art. Quanbury told me this afternoon that they had telephoned over from the Jame's to get Enah to go down first thing in the morning so I went up to inquire into things to-night and found Mrs. James was in bed with a swelled neck and Elva wanted Enah to go down in the morning so she could go to work. I then went around and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>helped Marj make valentines for her kids. It has been sunny to day but a very cold wind it is freezing hard to-night but a lovely night, moonlight and still.</p> <p>Monday February 14th</p> <p>Dad. took Enah down to the Jame's this morning and Dick &amp; Frank went at the same time. Enah took the baby with her When Dad. got back we took a hindquarter of the beef down to Aunty Alice &amp; Dad. cut it up partly for her. It was nearly noon when we got back. I went to sleep in the chair after dinner and didn't wake up till about two o'clock. Then Dad. and I went out and sacked up the wheat which was over in the big barn and hauled it over to the old barn we had to make two trips with it as we only had two bags but we filled the fifty bushel bin nearly, there was more here than we thought there was. To-night I went down to see "What {happened?} to Jones" which was put on by a bunch of Waterford amateurs and it was good and very comical. I was surprised to see Frank come in and sit down ahead of us with a nice looking little girl who Marj. told me was her cousin Olive Ward. He stayed down at Aunty's all night to get measured for a shirt. Enah and the baby also stayed down at the James. Poor Dad. had a very sad accident to-day as he killed his little canary, it flew out of its cage when he was giving it water as it often does and lit on the other cage which is suspended from the ceiling by a wire, he went to lift the cage up and instead of it coming off the wire the wire came off the ceiling and flopped over and broke the little fellow's back. It was a dandy singer and a great pet of Dad's. It is the last one, he has certainly had bad luck with them. Last night was the coldest night by a long way we have had this winter, the lowest reported temperature that I heard was 18° below zero and it has been very nipper all day but it is not so cold to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday February 15th</p> <p>Alan Law came in about half past nine this morning with his blue grass seed to take to sell so we threw on our (clover seed?) and he &amp; I lit out for Simcoe. Frank &amp; Aunty had just come over. We stopped in at Lynn Valley and Alan asked the fellow there what he would give him for his seed and the fellow told him just four dollars. Alan knew he had 210 lbs of it and Green had offered him 2 cts a lb the other night on a sample so Alan thought he might as well take it on to Simcoe, then it turned out that Green backed out and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>wouldn't give him more than 1 1/2 cts a lb. making the excuse that he couldn't see the other night and didn't know there was so much wild flax in it, but Alan says he promised him the 2 cts for it. He then began to wish he had left it at Lynn Valley so he went and telephoned the fellow and found he was still willing to pay four dollars so on our way home we left it, although we hated to as of course the fellow rubbed it in about not talking a man's word. They were about all the after noon cleaning my seed, they put it through about three times and out of the five bags &amp; a half of stuff I took up I got one bag of clean seed but they got it pretty clean and charged me $1.25 for cleaning it. We didn't know what to do with all the dirt they cleaned out most of it plantain which looked like onion seed, but we loaded it on and when we got to Lynn Valley the fellow there told us to take in through to the back of the mill and dump it through a hole in the floor into the creek where he says he throws tons of it every year so we did saving one bag to fool Dad. with. We got done just about six after a very enjoyable outing. Frank stayed home all day and he &amp; Dad. got all the oats over in the big barn sacked up and half of them hauled over to the old barn. Aunty was over all day and just before we got back Dad. drove her down and brought Enah and the baby back. Frank told me that Val. Leany had quite a patch of ice cleared to cut ice and there were a few skating on it when he went down so to-night I went down, there wasn't a soul there but I went accross the pond there and thought it was pretty good so went up and got Marj. it took a lot of coaxing to get her to come alone but she did and we had a dandy skate for about an hour. We saw a couple on snow shoes go up the pond and we judged from their voices it was George Henderson &amp; Nell Hussey. When we got back to the Bagleys we found Nell. Smith &amp; Bill Marchington, he is supposed to be sick so came up here to recover. Raw wind but much milder.</p> <p>Wednesday February 16th</p> <p>This morning we did chores and hauled the oats which Frank and Dad. sacked up yesterday over to the old barn. This afternoon we bagged up about twelve bags of barley and oats and I took them down to be chopped, that grist took nearly all the pile. About six I took Dad. Enah &amp; the baby down town. Tid. stayed down at the house and Dad. &amp; Enah went to</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the Methodist tea meeting. Frank and I had our tea alone. Frank has been in the house all day with a cold. It has been milder to-day and to-night there was a sort of sleet storm.</p> <p>Thursday February 17th</p> <p>First thing this morning I drove down in the bobsleighs after Enah and the baby as they stayed down all night. I took 3 1/2 doz. eggs down to Bagley &amp; Miller's and got 27 cts for them. When I got back I went down to the mill and got the grist I took down last night. This after noon Dad. &amp; I cleaned out all the chicken houses but not the scratching pens, that took us nearly all the after noon and haven't been able to clean off the dropping boards during the frozen weather and the floors were sadly in need of fresh sraw. Frank went to school to-day. It has been a beautiful spring day very soft and mild but misty and colder to-night.</p> <p>Friday February 18th</p> <p>This morning Dad. &amp; I hauled the oats that he and Frank sacked up on Tuesday over to the old barn and took what few that were there cleaned up over to the horse stable. This after noon we sacked up what was left of the barley &amp; oats but there wasn't much more than ten or twelve bushels. To-night Marj. and I went to the picture show but it wasn't much good. It has been pretty mild all day but blustery and cold to-night.</p> <p>Saturday February 19th</p> <p>Colin Ryerse came up before we had breakfast this morning to get Dad. to go down and tend to a cow which calved yesterday morning so he went down soon after breakfast. Frank and I did a few chores and then hauled the hay rack from the old barn over to the big one to put on a load of hay for the horse stable as we are just out there. We didn't get much on before dinner as I wanted to take it from the back of the mow and it was a long way to carry it. Then Charlie Quanbury came in with Dad's injecting pump which he had for Corbett and he delayed us quite awhile visiting and before he left Colin Ryerse brought Dad. back and he hung around and talked till about noon and then I took the car off the track over in the barn as Dad. thought we had better take it down while there was lots of hay under it This after noon Dad. &amp; I soon put a load on and Frank loaded it and we got it hauled over and pitched off by soon after four. Bill Marchington came over and invited me to go with them to Simcoe to skate, he saw Dad. first and asked if Tobias</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>was in, so Dad. took him for a recruiting officer as that is the way Pratt's letters have been addressed to me. However when I identified him Dad. showed him the sheep &amp; horses and was friendly enough. Bill had hired a team and two seater sleigh from Faulkner and six of us went up, Nellie, Essie &amp; Marj. Bill, Roy Dell &amp; myself. I was appointed driver and so was in the front seat with Bill &amp; Nellie. The nigh mare, Maud (which I think is the same mare Al. got from Walt McCall and which is widely known to be a devil) got started to go in a canter as soon as we started out and before we got to the head of Main St. my arm was just about all in trying in vain to bring her down to a trot. Once we got on the Gravel she lengthened out into a full run and there seemed to be no way of holding her. I stood up and see-sawed and at last Bill took them till I got my gloves off to get a better grip but he couldn't hold them at all and then we each took a line, all this time poor Nellie was getting more frightened, this method of driving of canter had its disadvantages and Maude got into the ditch and nearly upset us once and Bill had to get over in the middle to rest his arm so I was sitting on the arm of the seat and came within an ace of falling out, however when we got up about to Barwell's place we struck some loose ground and then Maude came down to a walk perforce and used all her energy to draw and from Bill Robert's corner to the halfway house we went at a stately walk, as I didn't want to get them sarted again till we turned the corner anyway and the girls were very well satisfied with the gait. Nellie was very nervous and Essie was inclined to be although she was in the back seat but I don't think Marj. cared a cent. They went at a delightful trot all the way into Simcoe and we certainly had a very enjoyable time at the rink, the band was there and the ice in lovely shape, afterwards we all went into Leas and had oyster soup, Bill standing treat for everything Roy didn't come home with us as he being in the 133rd Batt. band is practised in Simcoe and has to be on hand in the morning for church parade I suppose. The team acted fine coming home and we had a fine drive back. We started off with the three girls in the back seat but when we got down on the Dover Gravel Bill got me to stop and he changed places with Marj. and he and Esse nearly froze poor Nellie with their actions, Essie pretended to resist strongly but she enjoyed herself just the same Nellie didn't like it so well. I took the team to the barn after letting them all out at the Bagley's corner and I was about half dead when I got home about one o'clock. Dick came in half an hour later. It has been cold all day but milder to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday February 20th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school and Enah and I went to church. Dad. drove Enah down but I walked. The soldiers were all in our church this morning and behaved themselves very well right from Bunyan &amp; Hammy down to Bill George. Hammond went to sleep during the sermon but didn't cause any disturbance and woke up in time to lead the boys out. Aunty came over here to dinner with Enah and Frank but I had dinner at Aunty Alices I spent the after noon at the Bagley's and also the evening. Nellie &amp; Bill were there to tea so I stayed too. Marj. &amp; I went to church and the rest all went to Methodist church but we all met again afterwards and had some music. Mr. Bagley went to the recruiting meeting in the town hall. They say Kelly (Redmond Kinsular) has enlisted with the Haldimand batt. and old Rickford went down to Toronto to enlist but couldnt qualify I went in to see Aunty for a few minutes on my way home, it has been very mild all day but is colder to-night.</p> <p>Monday February 21st</p> <p>It froze hard last night and has been pretty cold all day. We didn't do much but chores all day. Just before dinner Dad &amp; I went back across the gully to see if we could get the plow and bring it up but it was stuck to fast with the frost so we took the doubletrees and chain off of it and brought them up. This after noon I drove Enah down to the dentists' and she walked home. To-night I went down and saw Harry Moon about taking the orchestra up Vittoria to play at a dance they are having on Wednesday night. I am afraid I won't be able to take them unless the roads improve for sleighing, but I am to let him know on Wednesday morning I went over to make arrangements with Marj. to go to the carnival in Simcoe to-morrow night but she wasn't home and I couldn't find her. Essie went up this after noon to the Russian concert. Dad. and Enah drove down to-night to go to a party at Aunty Alices and I went down there and drove Joe home. I then crawled into bed beside the baby's cot and went to sleep he woke up as usual but I took him in beside me and just let him cry for awhile and he soon went to sleep.</p> <p>Tuesday February 22nd</p> <p>We did chores and husked a little corn this morning and this after noon cleaned out the ice house, at least Dad. did I helped him till about three o'clock and then went in and got</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>my clothes picked out for the carnival and got fixed up. I got an old evening dress coat and a vest that Dad. wore at the Jacobite show and Aunty Alice and Enah fixed some lace around the throat of it. Miss Phipps and Aunty Alice came over this after noon. Miss Phipps didn't stay long and wanted Dad to read a poem on Saturday night as they are giving the soldiers another feed it being the anniversary of Paardeburg.</p> <p>Aunty Alice stayed to tea and later Miss Harding came down over and she stayed too I drove then both down when I went about six. I called for Marj. and found her all decked out in a suit covered with pennants of different towns and looked fine. We had a fine time, Essie went up yesterday and stayed all day to-day at the Hogg's so we stopped there on our way up but they weren't going in costume so we went on, we were surprised and rather disappointed at the very small crowd. There weren't more than a couple of dozen in costume I don't believe. However we had a good skate Essie Miss Hoag, Mr &amp; Mrs Murray Hamilton and some Bob. Hunter a soldier and a cousin of Miss Hoag's came on after the judging was done and we were there till about ten o'clock, we then went down to the Hoags and had something to eat and drink altogether having a very nice time I think. Essie came home with us and we got in soon after one. We had to take the buggy as it has been very soft and sunny all day and the snow melted.</p> <p>Wednesday February 23rd</p> <p>Dad. and I went down first thing this morning and got a load of ice, there was a big crowd of teams around the platform and we had to wait quite awhile to get loaded. It snowed about an inch last night so we took the sleighs but the hill was about bare so I went over to the mill and told Harry Moon I wouldn't be able to take them up to night but when we got to the top of the hill with our load, we found they got up quite well so I went back and told Harry I would take them, he said they would much rather go in the sleighs than the automobile if it was possible. It was about noon when we got the load off. This after noon Dad. hauled two more loads and I did up the stables and chinked the ice we had in. To-night I took Harry &amp; Joe and got down to Harry Moon's about seven or a little after. Besides the five members of the orchestra, there were five girls waiting to go. Winnie, Frances Slocombe, {Frances?} Dyer and the two Fisher girls. We got to Vittoria in about an hour, the roads were far better than I expected and we jogged along all the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>way at a pretty good rate, old Harry got pretty well warmed up but I got them in a stable at the hotel so I guess it didn't hurt him any. We had a fine time up there in the old hall. I had about the best time I ever had and every one else said the same. Carl Coleman and Pat brought another load up and there were several others from Dover up. Mr &amp; Mrs. Rev Johnson were there and Mr Johnson had a high time. We stopped dancing soon after three but it was quite awhile before we got started for home. The return ride was a delightful one as the moon was well up and the air clear and frosty. By the time I got home, the team put away and into bed it was about five o'clock. The orchestra paid me two dollars for taking them and it cost me one dollar and sixty cents. Harry said I neen't have paid the dollar to dance as their driver alwas got in free but the proceeds were for patriotic purposes and I had such a whale of a time I didn't begrudge it. The hotel fellows soaked me fifty cents for putting the team in and ten cents for checking the robes. The soldiers all went to a dance in Port Ryerse to-night, they went in three loads and one load upset and the team got away according to reports coming home Hammy Innes was driving and it was the same team that took us to Simcoe last Saturday night. Very soft but cloudy all day.</p> <p>Thursday February 24th</p> <p>I didn't get up till half past nine this morning and have just being doing chores and chinking ice all day. Dad. didn't haul a load this morning but hauled a couple this after noon. The sleighing on the hill was completely gone so he had to haul in the waggon, nothing of importance happened to day it has been mild but there is quite a snowstorm to night.</p> <p>Friday February 25th</p> <p>It snowed hard about all night so there was plenty of it this morning to make dandy sleighing. Dad took the boys down in the bob sleighs and intended to bring a load of ice back with him but the engine down there was broked down again so he couldnt get any, he went down to the house and shoveled all their paths for them I did chores and chinked the last load of ice we put in last night. Dad. thought one of us ought to attend the annual meeting of the patron's of the Black Creek Creamery in the town hall this after noon so said he would haul a load of ice and I could go although I wasn't very keen on it. The secretary and auditors made their reports which were satisfactory and Lea Marshall hit them up for a raise. He gave a statement</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>of his expenses and receipts at the request of George Hammond and explained that the factory was getting into a very bad state of repair while help was going to be scarcer an consequently much dearer next year so that he found he could not make butter for three cents a lb as he has beeng doing and asked for a raise of half a cent. After hearing this explanation and also that Lea had been offered good big wages to go and make butter for other fellows no one demurred in giving the three and a half cents so it was resolved to give it to him. There was another speaker there from Guelph or some place Mr Hearns I think his name was and I think represented the Dairyman's Association and he gave us a nice address on the care of cream and the production of it, I'd heard it or read it all before more than once but still it was interesting. After the meeting I went upstairs to see the soldiers' clubroom, it was very nicely furnished and decorated and looked very comfortable, most of the boys were out on their march but Hammond and three others were playing cards up there and another one over in the corner running a phonograph I then went up and got my hair cut and went over to the Post Office to see when May Perry would be ready to go to the dance to-night, she promised to go but when I went over backed out and said she was too tired so I didn't urge her very much but I heard afterwards that she went to Simcoe to-night with Elva so if that's the case I'm through with her. I stopped in at Aunty's on my way home and Mr. &amp; Mrs. {Name?} Bowlby and Eva were just leaving. Just as I got home Dad. was coming out in the cutter to go down and bring Aunty over to stay all night with the baby, so I went down instead. To-night Dad. Enah and I went to the country dance in the town hall, it was got up by George Crosbie, Charlie Long and Sid. McBride and there was certainly a crowd there I didn't get there till about eleven as I went over to see Marj. for a little while, but as it didn't break up till about half past four I was in lots of time to have some fun. I didn't dance anything much but square dances but it was mostly square dances and I didn't miss many. There was such a crowd that they could hardly dance a round dance. There were a few townspeople there including Toty Smith, the R.M Taylor's, the Si. Butlers, the Carl Coleman's, Mrs {Name?}, Mrs. Sinclair and a few others and every body from the country. Kelly was there all dolled up in his uniform, he is still teaching school but starts to drill on the first of March. Dad. and Enah didnt stay as long as they might have but I was there as long as any and the town clock</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>struck five just as I was ploughing through the snow under the hickory nut tree over here in Martin's field and I didn't waste very much time in getting to bed. It has been a nice day</p> <p>Saturday February 26th</p> <p>I didn't get up till half past ten this morning as nobody woke me. I did wake up up when Frank got up at seven and thought of getting up then, but before I could get the proposition properly turned over in my mind, I had got myself comfortably turned over in bed and knew no more till ten thirty. Frank and Dad did chores and when I got out Frank and I chinked the load of ice Dad got yesterday and packed in sawdust while Dad. went down and got another load before dinner. This after noon Dad. took a load of ice down to the cheese factory as all the farmers are hauling one load for Lea Marshall. Frank and I did chores and Alan Law brought us over a load of ice. He said he wasn't going to be done out of hauling one load for us as it might be his last one if they move away. He was half way up the hill on his way home when he saw Dad. drive into the ice platform so he came back and offered to take a load over on his way home. Dad. didn't get home till late and was about frozen he brought a load of coal back with him, he said he had to break a track all the way down and it filled up as fast as he made it. Frank drove Enah down town this after noon to a supper and entertainment the ladies of the I.O.D.E. gave to the soldiers and cadets. I stayed in the house in case Tid. woke up and started to write this but went to sleep, however the baby didn't wake up till Dad. got home, we had tea with out Enah and about half past nine I drove down to Aunty Alices and got her. Cousin Clare came up up to-night from Hamilton very unexpectedly to stay for a week. The two latest recruits to sign up with the 133rd are to say the least a variety, they being Jonas Green and Ed. Moon. Neither have been examined yet so I don't think there is any chance of Jonas being accepted as he is terribly ruptured and it seems to be uncertain whether Ed is going in the ranks or is going to train for an officer. The war news for the week has not been very cheering. The big German offensive has become a terrific and desperate drive concentrated on the French line around Verdun. The French are falling back closer to the Verdun forts and will no doubt do every thing in their power to hold it as if it falls the road will be open for Paris, and those who should know say that if the Huns enter Paris, London will be in a very grave predicament. Very blizzardy day and snowing hard to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday February 27th</p> <p>None of us went to church or Sunday school this morning as we didn't get up in time. I didn't do anything much all morning but got shaved and this after noon Dad. drove Dick and me down town. He had to drive through the lane a couple of times to break a track as it was filled right up. I took a couple of dozen eggs that were no good for Jack to Aunty Alice and two dozen and a half of Jack's eggs to Mr. Hobbes, he has been beggng and coaxing Dick to bring him some for the last week so I took them down and charged him a dollar for them and told him I couldn't possibly let him have any more, he gave me the dollar and thanked me very much for what I took. I spent the after noon with Marj. and had tea at Aunty's. I went alone to church to-night and they had a very slim crowd. Marj. was there and we went up and got Essie at the Methodist church and all went down to the town hall to hear Father {Nagel?} giveing a recruiting speech and he proved to be an exceptionally good speaker, he gave very strong reasons for those who could to enlist but didnt speak in a bullying or tantalizing style as most of them do. Mr. Johnson was chairman and Hammond gave a short appeal but both of them seemed very poor after hearing the priest. Poor old Lloyd I think was nervous and used fierce English, none of their eloquence brought forth any recruits there but for all I know some may have been hit as there was a good crowd there. Woodyer came home with Essie and we sat around for about an hour reading Burns and some gems of American humorists. I went into Hec's on my way home to see if I could get a ride home with Alan but he had ridden down as the roads were so bad, so I had to walk, I thought I was going to have a bad toothearache to-night as my left ear felt as if it was full of water but it didn't ammount to anything. Very blizzardy and rough all the afternoon although sunny. Clear and cold to-night.</p> <p>Monday February 28th</p> <p>I haven't done any thing all day but chores and sit around the house. I have felt rather lazy I suppose on account of my cold. Dad. drove Frank to school this morning. Dick didn't come home last night and he felt a little anxious about him as he said positively yesterday he would be home, however he changed his mind when the time came and stayed all night at the bank. This after noon Dad. stowed the load of ice Alan brought on Saturday and about five o'clock he and I unloaded</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the load of coal, a little after six Alan came in and borrowed our sleigh to go to Simcoe to-night with a load and left his here. This after noon we saw what we think was Faulkner's roan mare going by here on the run hitched to a cutter with nobody in it. Presently Colin Ryerse came after it bareback on his black mare and soon after came back driving the roan and leading the black. I went down to interview him, he said a couple of girls had upset coming up their hill which was full and the horse had got away, he caught it down at the mill bridge where it had stopped. The dashboard of the cutter was broken and it was full of snow. It has been a fine day fairly sunny and cold.</p> <p>Tuesday February 29th</p> <p>This morning Dad. went over to Quanbury's to arrange to have their party for us on Wednesday postponed till next week, while he was over there Ham. Thompson came after him to go and tend to a cow which had aborted. Ham is having bad luck with his stock this year as a mare aborted the other day too. He went over and got Dad. and he was up there most of the fore noon. This after noon he stowed and chinked the ice and did chores I have been in the house all day as my cold has been pretty bad, my ear ached last night and my throat was pretty sore. This morning I pasted pictures in my snap shot album and slept most of the after noon. Bright and cold, quite a snow storm this after noon.</p> <p>Wednesday March 1st</p> <p>I have not been out of the house to day but have felt a lot better, Frank stayed home to help Dad. Floyd Crysler came after him first thing this morning to go and see a sick calf and old Billy Lewis followed him over there and took him on out to his place to tend to a cow that had aborted. It is beginning to look a little like contagious abortion as Fred Misner had a case too. Dad. says it is rich to hear old Billy curse Pratt, as young Billy has been the recipient of letters like mine from him and they evidently take more stock in them. Young Billy has been down in Hamilton working in a munitions factory but is home again now. This after noon Dad and Frank got another load of hay over to the old barn and enough ice to fill the ice house and then went down and borrowed Charlie Quanbury's flat rack as they expect to go to Port Rowan in the morning to get a load of Aunt Ida's furniture</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mrs. Tupper made a call on Enah this after noon. Mr. Henderson was over this after noon to see if he could buy a couple of pullets but I didn't want to sell any. He also wanted a setting of eggs later on. The two girls who upset on Ryerse's hill on Monday were {Name?} Turner and the nurse who is there. Lovely winter day. Cold and sunny.</p> <p>Thursday March 2nd</p> <p>Dad. and Frank got started for Port Rowan about nine o'clock this morning, and I have managed to get all the chores done up all right. I didn't feel very badly but a little weak and didn't try to do any more than the chores. I came in the house about two o'clock and started to read but went to sleep and slept till half past four, but I was all through in time to have tea about seven o clock which is as late as we often have it under normal conditions. I didn't go down town to-night but went to bed fairly early. Lovely day, sunny and fairly cold.</p> <p>Fridnes Friday March 3rd</p> <p>I have felt quite a lot better to-day but didn't do anything but chores, there wasn't much else I could do alone except chink the last load of ice and I didn't want to get into the ice house with my cold. This morning I took nine dozen eggs over to Jack Martin and this after noon when I got through I came in and shaved. Dad. &amp; Frank didn't get home till about five o'clock, they had a lot of furniture on {illegible} Aunt Ida sent over here and they left most of their load down at Aunty's. Dad. says there is more stuff up there including a walnut bureau and wash stand that Aunt Ida said we could have and he is going to make a special trip for them. To-night Dad. went down to Aunty's and put a lot of the furniture to-gether that he had to take apart to bring down Frank went down to a social that the High School pupils had in the school house, Lloyd Ryerse called for him, it is evidently going to be a grand affair as Frank has been talking about it for a week. Lloyd said the trustees not only gave their consent that they should hold it in the school house, but had gas lights put in for them, he said all the trustees were invited and I asked both of them if the the public school teachers were invited and the both said none of them but Mr. Smith were, so I went down to see Marj. as I haven't been down since last Sunday, but she had gone to the social with Miss McQueen, so I was there about half an hour talking to</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Mrs. Bagley and then went down to Aunty's and waited there till Dad. was ready to come home and came with him. Mrs. Willie Steele died to-night. Walt just went to Brantford the other day and got a job in a mill up there, he has been with this mill since he was thirteen years old. Poor old Bill Duncan died very suddenly on Wednesday. Dad. and Frank met his funeral on the Gravel to-day. Dick says there is trouble brewing between Lt. Col. Pratt and the other officers of the 133rd Batt. It seems Walt. McCall wasn't supposed to assume the duties of liutennant till they went to camp in the Spring but he and Pratt got into a poker game in which Walt skinned Pratt for about $200.00 and Pratt ordered him into his uniform and on duty so now Walt is going around with a petition to have Pratt deposed, so I don't know how it will come out. Cold and not so sunny but a nice day</p> <p>Saturday March 4th</p> <p>Frank and Dad. chinked the ice and put in the sawdust this morning but I don't think they got it all covered. This after noon they went down town to get a load of slabs but couldn't get any. Hawey is going to let them know when they can get them, some time next week. I just puttered around all day this morning I put a cage up in the old hen's pen so that I could shut one of the roosters up every other day as one is boss. This after noon I fixed a rigging out in the cow stable to facilitate the weighing of the milk in the hopes of getting Dad into the habit of it. To-night we printed a lot of the old pictures, when I was pasting them in my album the other day I found that I had given away all the best ones so I sorted out my films and picked out about twenty five and printed them to-night. There seemed to be something wrong with the developer as as it took about a minute or more for them each to develop, afterwards we noticed a lot of crystals in the bottom of the developer bottle that didnt mixup with the rest of the liquid. Pretty cold all day but nice.</p> <p>Sunday March 5th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school and church this morning and I would have gone to church but Dad. was going to Aunty's for dinner and said he would go to church if I did up the chores, so I did but he didn't get off in time for church but went to Aunty's for dinner, this</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>after noon he went up to say good bye to Tiny as she is going to Toronto tomorrow night and sails for England on Saturday, he saw Harry Ansley and he took him up to the stable to show him a mare he bought in Toronto Dad. says he brought seven home. The mare is a Clyde about eight years old, has been working, is bred to a Percheron and due to foal the 2nd. of May, he wants Dad. to bring her over her and keep her till its time to wean the colt on any terms he likes, Dad didn't tell him he would but I said he might as well, as we can't lose much and might get quite a lot of use out of her this summer. Dad. also made a dicker with Al. Faulkner for a pair of geese for Frank, Al. has a pair he wanted to put out some place and said if Frank would take them he could have half the increase, so Dad. knowing Frank has been trying to get some geese thought that a pretty good proposition so Dad. did quite a stake of business if he didn't get to church. Dick and I drove down soon after dinner and Marj. and I went with for a a cutter ride and had a nice time although the roads were pretty drifted in spots, and a cold west wind but sunny and nice when the wind was in our back. To-night I walked down to church and after church Marj. and I went to hear Miss Templeton Armstrong from Port Rowan speak at the recruiting meeting. I didn't think much of her speech and much less of her looks, her hair was cut off short and she took her hat off to speak. Dad. says Uncle Massey used to call her the he-she and it certainly suited her. Frank came down to hear her and I went down to Aunty's on my way home and Frank was there so we came home to-gether.</p> <p>Monday March 6th</p> <p>I drove the boys down town this morning and took Frank around to Faulkner's to get his geese, he had quite a time finding him but did at last and I brought the geese home while he went on to school where he would be very late. When I got home I hooked Joe to the cutter and drove Enah down to see if Mrs. McBride would come over to-night and look after Tid if we all went to the concert. Mrs. McBride was at the Stamps, she could come and said she would while Enah was there and in seeing her mother for a few minutes I put Joe in the Methodist church shed and went over to see Harry Ansley about the Clydesdale mare. Tiny let me in and I talked to her for a quite awhile before I asked for her father and then I found he wasn't in so I went down to the fish shanties</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and all over town but couldn't find him so got Joe and started for Enah when I saw him with Huby, he went up with me and showed me the mare and told me we could either buy her now for $120.00 which is the price he paid for her or we could bring her over and let her raise her colt and sell her in the fall and share the profits so I told him we would get her soon, I got Enah down at Aunty's and we got home about noon. Tupper came after Dad. right after dinner to see a cow so I did up the chores and about five o clock drove down and got Mrs. McBride. To-night Dad. Enah and I drove down to the concert given by Zeitha Barwell, Miss Prest and Miss Martin and it was certainly worth hearing rather high toned an classical maybe for most of us but enjoyable nevertheless. It has been a very stormy and disagreeable day Strong east wind and a blinding snow storm this morning afterwards turning to rain and freezing. It was still raining when we got home but had got much milder and the ice was dropping off the trees and making a great row. We saw several vivid flashes of lightening while the concert was in progress and Mrs. McBride said that they heard thunder plainly over here. She stayed all night but hadnt gone to bed when we got home.</p> <p>Tuesday March 7th</p> <p>We did chores up this morning and about eleven I went over to shovell out a track at the top of the hill at the cut on the side road, as Charlie Butler told me yesterday that it ought to be done, and it was too windy and drifting to do it yesterday but when I got over there this morning it was all done. Dad. husked a little corn while I was there. This after noon I cleaned out the dropping boards in the chicken house as they have not been cleaned out for quite awhile on account of the frost. Al. Faulkner came over this after noon and brought over another goose for Frank. To-night, Frank and I drove down town in the bobsleighs to take a load of schoolkids down to Dave Ward's, Olive Ward asked Frank if he could get me to take them down and said Marj. was going too but when we got there they said that they had seen Marj. a little while before going to the doctor's about her neck and couldn't go, so as I didn't know what could be the matter with her, I was a little anxious to know and as I wasn't very keen on going with the kids anyway I excused myself and went up and spent the evening with Marj. she wasn't in a very serious condition but had a stiff neck. Frank took charge of trhe load and got back between three</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and four o'clock, he said they had a great time down there dancing till twelve o'clock but not later as it was then Lent. The sleighing was poor but they had no accidents I heard to-night that Jack Martin has bought Vyse out. Sunny, but windy to-day quite a snow storm to night about midnight, but Frank and his pals missed it.</p> <p>Wednesday March 9th</p> <p>This morning Dad. and I drove down town and took the baby and we got Joe shod in at Bert Greenbury's who has started up in Butler's old stand. Aunty and Aunty Alice were at church as this is Ash Wednesday, but weren't long and Dad. stayed there with the baby till they got back. I took the buggy {illegible} down and we looked at the arms of Harry Ansley's buggy which is out in the barn down there, it looks as if it had been painted twice but is in pretty good shape, I got Joe out of the shop at noon and Dad. and I went up town found Harry Ansley at the post office and took him up with us and got his mare and brought her over. We left the baby down there to dinner. This after noon we did chores and about four o'clock drove down after the baby He wasn't at all anxious to come home. Frank was down at Aunty's and he and I went up and got the posted a letter of Enah's. Frank got a sheet to night showing a system of keeping Farm accounts as arranged by a Mr. Stark District Representative for Peel Co. we saw an account of it in an old number of the Farmer's Advocate so Frank wrote to him the other day. It seems like a very simple yet efficient system and only single entry. I spent the evening pasting snapshots in my album. Sunny but quite cold all day and very blizzardy to-night.</p> <p>Thursday March 10th</p> <p>Frank stayed home from school to-day to help us move some hay from the big barn, we did chores this morning and got a pretty good sized load over to the horse stable before dinner, and this after noon got another over to the old barn for the cattle, we had to get the chores done early to-night as we all went over to Quanbury's to tea at six oclock we had a great tea, but Dad. had to leave right after to attend a meeting to arrange for a reunion of all Mr. Smith's old pupils on the first of July. Enah, Frank the baby and I stayed till about half past nine and then Art drove us home as it was a fierce night. Billy {Falcon?} was in to</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>see Dad this morning about a sick cow and Norman Holden came to get a dose for George's horse. To-night Charlie Butler tracked him over to Quanbury's to see about a sick cow, there is an awful lot of trouble among the cattle this year for some reason or other. This after noon Frank and I took Martin's sleighs back and got our own with Quanbury's rack on it as we had intended going to Port Rowan to-morrow but to-night it is the worst blizzard of the season, and a lot of snow fallen, so the drifts will be too bad to go through to-morrow and get back the same day as we want to. Dick walked home to-night and so did Dad. Dick said the drifts were as high as his waist down by Chris Quanbury's. Cold wind but sunny all day.</p> <p>Friday March 11th</p> <p>It was very evident this morning that we could not go to Port Rowan to-day so Frank went to school, he was going to stay home and do chores if we went. I spent most of the morning shovelling out paths through the drifts and cleaning out the stable. Dad. walked down town after he got the morning chores done and stayed at Aunty's for dinner, he shovelled all their snow for them. He wanted to find out more particulars about the financial state of the church. Jack Martin told him last night that they were about five hundred dollars in debt and that several members of the congregation had said they would not help to clear it unless there was a change made {illegible}. Dad. told Jack he didn't see how he could do much and didn't feel in duty bound to any way as he has kept up his share in the collection envelope. This after noon I cleaned out the incubator and got it in place ready to start down cellar. To-night I went down to see Marj. but found she had gone to Nanticoke to stay till Sunday night. I wasn't very surprised because I knew she had been intending to go these last two Friday nights. I went up to Huby's for most of the evening Aunty Maude and Lila were the only ones home, they didn't know where Huby was and Win was over the hill she came in before I left. They got cards from Quint yesterday saying he had left the mill and was now in New York and to expect him home soon. They are all very sorry he has left the mill especially now that Jack is not</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>at home. They can't think of any reason unless he has just got mad at some body. We thought {illegible} was coming home to enlist and Huby hopes that is the reason, he hinted at it in one of his cards. To-days war news is a little better. The French have checked the German advance in places and and made an advance themselves in one place but I think it is just about nip &amp; tuck yet. Every one seems to think that this battle is going to be the turning point of the war for the victors. Nice day.</p> <p>Saturday March 11th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank shovelled out the lane this morning and I went over to Jack Martin's and got them to put my incubator thermometer in one of their machines to test it. Then I went down to the Quanbury's and got a bag of white carrots as Dad. wants to see if he can tempt Jim into eating one, but she just took a few bites and then wouldn't look at it. This after noon we hooked Queen and Harry up and went down town and got some oil and turpentine for Jim and also the mail. To-night I was out in the chicken house putting crude oil on the old hens legs for scaly leg when Colin Ryerse came past and called my attintion to a big fire in the west, we thought it looked about at Tom Myers or Wess Baughner's so started up to it, when we got to the mill it looked as if it was at Colin McNellige's so we started up the track, we soon could see it was still farther on but as it looked straight ahead on the track and we knew it wasn't over the top of the big hill we thought it must be some where in Doan's Hollow, but when we got there it looked just as far away as ever but we thought since we had tramped that far we would find out where the fire was if we had to go to Simcoe, so we did and reached our journey's end at Lynn Valley where we found Edmond's old mill burned to the ground, the walls had all fallen but there was a big blaze yet and quite a crowd around it. It seems they think it caught from overheated machinery as they had been working late chopping alfalfa meal, they had a carload of bluegrass all ready to ship so it was a big loss for Edmonds and they say the fellow that ran it, Graham, lost every thing he had. They say it wasnt discovered till the flames burst through the roof and when Graham pushed open the door down stairs the flames shot out in his face so it must have gone up like tinder. It made an awful blaze and could be</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>seen for miles, as far as Nanticoke, and it was in the hollow too, three Dover kids drove in with one of Faulkner's horses after we got there and were about frozen, they had driven all over the country trying to get to it and couldn't locate it from the roads, we hung around for half an hour and as we didn't see any chance of a ride back we hit the track again. Colin was invited to stay all night with his cousins but he didn't know what his folks would think so came back with us, we got home just about twelve and as it was a little after eight when we left home we didn't make bad time, we went up in about an hour and a half. They were up when we got home and Dick informed us that the fire was at Sutton's mill in Simcoe, but we enlightened them on that point. It has been sunny and soft all day but a raw wind. Clear, frosty and moon light to-night lovely for walking.</p> <p>Sunday March12th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad Enah and the baby went down to church, this was the first trip for the baby to church since he was christened and was just an experiment. I was sure they wouldn't be able to keep him quiet for ten minutes but Dad. said he couldn't have been better, the soldiers were in church and Mr. Herbert preached, he has enlisted as a chaplin and is going to speak at the recruiting meeting to-night. Aunty Alice came over to dinner with them and was here all the after noon. I didn't go down town this after noon, but Dick did and Frank went down to Ryerse's to see the ferret that Colin bought at Bill George's sale. We had an early tea and Frank drove Aunty Alice and me down and I went to church. I spent the evening up at the Bagley's. Marj's cousins the Doughty's brought her home before tea and they had all just got home from church when I got there. I stopped in at Aunty's on my way home and got three pieces of cake and Uncle Hal's big coon skin coat as we intend to go to Port Rowan in the morning. I wore it home over my other one and nearly cooked as it was a very warm night. It has been getting milder all day and was raining for awhile to-night.</p> <p>Monday March 13th</p> <p>We all got up fairly early this morning and Dad and I got started soon after seven for Port Rowan</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>with Harry and Joe. It froze a little during the night and there was a slight North west wind but the roads were grand, we couldn't have chosen a better day to go, the sun was hot and coming home the snow was pretty well off the roads in places, so we took longer to get back but went up in about three hours, we got our load on before noon and had our dinner over at Mr. Pete Backhouses Clara was sick in bed, we got a dandy great big walnut bureau and a heavy walnut washstand besides a smaller washstand also walnut but with two big holes cut in the top of it for basins, the first too Aunty Ida gave to Dad and also a bedstead supposed to be walnut. The bureau is the best of the lot hard built and built as solid as a house and walnut right through except the back, the only trouble is everything is varnished. We unloaded it after tea Art &amp; Charlie Quanbury came in for awhile, they had been out to the farm with a load of manure. Frank went down to a travelling show that struck town called "The man from Canada". I went to bed fairly early as I was inclined to be tired.</p> <p>Tuesday March 14th</p> <p>Glen Ryerse came this morning about half past ten, we had begun to think he wasn't coming but he did and got the old shed all jacked up and in place by about four o'clock, it wasn't nearly the job to get the ends of the rafters on the purlin plate that we thought it would be when we raised the front posts Glen just pryed the ends of the rafters up and as the front raised the rafters slid in on the plate. The middle rafters didnt meet on the plate but Glen said if we raised the middle of the shed till they did meet there would be a hump in the shed roof the same as is in the barn roof and would look bad, the hump in the barn roof being caused by the corner posts rotting and settling. Frank stayed home from school and we could have got along without any extra help but I had told Art Quanbury to come over after dinner so he came, he had to tell Jack that Glen was going out to his own place to get off as he was very busy Jack Chris being sick. Art and I nailed pockets on the two rafters over the purlin plate so that they can't spread again so easily. Glen got through about four</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and just charged two dollars. Cloudy &amp; cold east wind.</p> <p>Wednesday March 15th</p> <p>This has been a very rough day high cold east wind and snow I drove the boys down this morning and went down and shovelled Aunty's snow, they were just getting up when I got there so I had some breakfast with them as I was cold. I didn't do much the rest of the day but sat around and read or sleep. I put a new wick in the incubator lamp and lit it but I wont put the eggs in till it gets going all right. Dad &amp; Enah have been working most of the day and all evening at getting the names out of Mr. Smith's old registers that Huby sent over, they were at it last evening too. To-night I went down to see Marj. The wind had gone down and it was a lovely moonlight night but cold.</p> <p>Thursday March 16th</p> <p>This morning we took a load of Aunt Ida's stuff that we brought from Port Rowan down with us, down to her, and it was noon when we left there as we were late getting started, we stopped in at Quanbury's on our way home and took their rack off and put on our own waggon box which has been there since the first trip to Port Rowan. Just as we got through dinner who should come along but Mr. Blaikie so he was here all the after noon and part of the evening but wouldnt stay all night, he came up to Alfred's on Tuesday, he was more than loaded with conversation and entertained us with his experiences in the peach country. We just did chores and visited with him all day although we should have gone to the mill. Blaikie wants us to take some of his boxes down to the train to-morrow as he is going to take some to Hamilton He is tired of the city and knocking around and says he is going to have a little place of his own before next winter. Frank went down town to tea to-night at Aunty's. Dad. was to have gone and gone to a meeting of the Mr. Smith reunion committee but as Blaikie was here and he didn't have the names all out he didn't go. Quint was to have come home to-night but didn't arrive. Aunty Alice intends to go to Toronto on Saturday to stay with Roy for a week. Vernon has been up in Brantford with Miss. Very sunny but raw wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday March 17th {Wee sketch of 2 shamrocks}</p> <p>It froze hard last night and has been very cold and raw all day though sunny. They say it was down to zero last night. We didn't do much this morning. I killed a chicken and Dad. plucked it for Aunty Alice to take to Roy if she goes to-morrow. I took four dozen eggs over to Jack Martin's. This after noon Dad. and I sacked up six bags of barley and oats and took them down to the mill and then went on down town and got a load of coal. We got back about four and I helped Dad. unload it and then got ready and went down to the St. Patrick's tea they had in the Methodist church, it was a dandy tea but the church was very cold so when we had tea I went home with Marj and waited for about an hour till the entertainment commenced and then we went back to the church. Marj. and Essie both took their knitting, but Essie had to accompany most of the performances. The church was cold as they can't get any gas the last few days but it didn't last long. I stayed down at Aunty Alice's to-night to help her get off in the morning. I wasn't very late going down but she and Aunt Ida had gone to bed but Aunty was sitting up.</p> <p>Saturday March 18th</p> <p>I went to the station this morning with Aunty Alice and she got off safely, we got nearly to the station when she remembered a box of eggs she was going to take to Roy so I had to hike back after them but I got them in time. I went right home and saw a poor little robin on the hill, it is the first one I have heard of this year and it looked about frozen, as it went down to ten below zero last night. Ever since that night on my way home I had been hatching a plot to go to Simcoe to skate to-night as the girls told me Bill Marchington was up and I thought it would be a g ood chance to get even on him for his trip, so I told Dad. and he suggested that I drive Dick down and then make arrangements for my load. I went to the Bagley's first and as Essie and Marj. seemed to favor the idea I was naturally very disappointed when I went over to the Smith's and Nellie told me that Bill had to go home to-night, and she wouldn't go if he didn't, he wasn't up yet. As I had got so far I thought I had better keep on with the load so Marj. suggested I ask May &amp; Johnnie and three more boys. May &amp; Johnnie jumped at the chance to go but I had an awful time finding any boys who were game</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I thought I could get Clark in the bank easily but he said he had been out every night so far this week &amp; didn't want to go, and Dick didn't and Hazen didn't. I got Dick to telephone Woodyer and he said he'd go and then I got Milton Cruise and let it go at that. I got a hundred of sugar and came home. I didn't do much this after noon Charlie Quanbury came over and said old Jonas had telephoned Jack Martin last night to have Dad. go up there and see Nellie &amp; the colt, they are both down and he doesn't know what to do. Dad did intend to get some hay over, but thought he had better go up and see Jonas and then some thing happened that we didn't get started in time and it wound up with Dad. &amp; Frank going down town in the bobsleighs with Harry &amp; the new mare and getting the mail and hauling enough hay over on the waggon box for tonight. Norman Holden came over about five o'clock to get a boll for his horse. Frank &amp; I got started a little late for Simcoe but didn't have to wait at all in town as the load was all ready at the Bagley's when we got there. It wasn't a very nice night going up as it was snowing but wasn't a bit cold. We got up about half past eight and had an hour and a half's good skating as the ice was in good shape and then had a little supper before we came home, we got home about half past twelve and they said they had a good time. Frank drove up and I drove home. Frank stayed down town all night at Aunty's as she promised Aunty Alice she would have one of us stay every night. Dick was at the bank when we drove past and came home with me. There was a mince pie on the table and some cocoa that Enah had fixed so I had a cup of cocoa and some pie and Dick half the pie.</p> <p>Sunday March 19th</p> <p>I would have gone to Sunday school this morning but didn't feel very well after breakfast and sat around till I was almost too late to get ready for church, however I did get ready. John Wess &amp; Lloyd Crysler came in for a few minutes John Wess wants Dad. to go over and have a look at Mildred who has lymphangites again. They left in time for Dad. to drive Enah &amp; me down, Dad. took the baby with us and they came back home. I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and all the after noon and evening at the Bagley's. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Bagley were out in Townsend visiting and hadn't got back at ten o'clock when I left. Essie &amp; Marj. made</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>some candy this after noon to send to a friend of Essie's George Hunter who is in the trenches, that took a good part of the after noon as we had to crack nuts for it, but we went for a short walk. I stayed to tea and we all went to church or churches. Mr. Tarney brought in ours and was going to speak at the recruiting meeting afterwards we didn't go but went home and washed dishes instead. Quint came home yesterday noon he had been in Buffalo and Detroit; no-one seems to know why he left the mill unless it is that he just got tired of it. He and Huby went to Simcoe this after noon to see Alex McCall and interview him on the subject of enlisting. I guess Quint will enlist all right as Huby is very anxious to have him. Dad. was going up to old Jona's this after noon but Jim Waddle came over and he didn't get. He went over to John Wess' about five o'clock. Dick stayed with Aunty to-night.</p> <p>Monday March 20th</p> <p>Dad. went up to Jona's first thing this morning and left Frank and me to do chores, we hooked up old Harry &amp; Nellie to the bobsleighs and cleaned out the box stall into the sleighs and hauled it out to the old garden we had about two loads in it and the stable and it took us till noon. When Dad. got home he said Jonas was going to lose Nellie and the colt he was sure as they were in awful shape, they were both down and Nellie had batted herself all to pieces trying to get up, nothing wrong with them but starvation, right after dinner Blaikie came along with his brother-in-law, Jim Andrews from Tyrell, he has been out there the last few days &amp; thought it was too cold to monkey with his stuff but to-day they had the bobsleighs and he loaded it all on them and took it out there where he will sort it and leave it till he wants it. He had a good big sleigh load but it wasn't very heavy. Dad. &amp; Frank and I had quite an argument about Blaikie's two chests, he had a big red one in behind the chimney with rope handle on it and a little green one that he had his tools in and which has allways been open and stood in front of the window and near the head of the stairs. He told us it was the chest his father had brought from Scotland in 1830 and they both say he said it was the other one. By the time tney got their load on and got started it was after three o'clock so we just had time to put on about</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>half a load of hay and haul it to the horse stable and a little jag for the cows. To-night Dad. went down to the Mr. Smith's reunion committee meeting and Frank was down and stayed all night at Aunty's. Dick came home to-night but will have to start sleeping at the bank now as Hazen is to leave for Ottawa to-morrow night. It has been much milder to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday March 21st</p> <p>Art Quanbury came after Dad. this morning first thing to go and help him and Glen get their Art's barn jacked up ready to move and Dad. has been over there all day and says they are not through yet. Tupper helped them this after noon. It's the old barn in the lane on Tupper's place and Art bought it and is going to have Glen move it over on to his place. Frank came home instead of going to school and he and I have hauled three loads of wood from Carpenter's to-day besides doing chores. Dad. spoke to Carpenter yesterday about getting this wood. It is mostly body wood cut two years ago and piled up near the house. It is 16 inches long and $1.75 a cord when we haul it. We had the big new mare who answers pretty well to Nellie and Harry and she goes fine, steps right along the road without urging and is as quiet and gentle as a kitten but we have almost come to the conclusion juging from her looks and to-day and yesterday from her actions that she is not in foal, but she may be. Frank set some rat traps up in the pig pen last night and this morning Dad. found poor old Tits {illegible} in two of them by a front leg and her tail, we don't know whether her leg is broken or not. Enah took the baby in his sleigh down town this after noon and got the mail. Sam Law was in and got a bag of potatoes, he thinks now they will go down on John Watt's place. Aleta McBride was over here all day working. Very soft and cloudy all day &amp; to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday March 22nd</p> <p>We were rather surprised this morning after yesterday's nice day to find it winter again this morning, but it was snowing and blowing and pretty cold. Art. didn't call for Dad. and we didn't haul any wood. We just did chores and Frank and Dad took down our bed and put up the walnut one instead which we got in Port Rowan. I took some more</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>eggs over to Jack Martin's and asked Chris what was wrong with the incubator that I couldn't get it heating up and what made the flame go down Chris couldn't think of any thing but poor ventilation or poor oil and suggested that I clean the lamp out well and put fresh oil in, this I did when I got home and boiled the burner and put in fresh wick. This after noon Dad and Frank built a pen over in the barn for the ewes to lamb in and I put the saddle on Ginger and went down and got the mail, she went fine too. To-night Lloyd Ryerse brought over a note for me from Miss Walker inviting me down there to spend the evening so I went down early and went to church and then called for Essie &amp; Marj. Nellie Smith went up with us, we had a very pleasant evening playing Pit and indulging in other forms of Methodist sport. Will {Currie?} was the only other one there and the three Walker girls. I stayd down at Aunty's to-night and it was about one o'clock when I got in. It had cleared off to night and was moonlight but very frosty.</p> <p>Thursday March 23rd</p> <p>Dick came down to Aunty's for breakfast this morning and she gave him his lunch. Hazen left on Tuesday for Ottawa where Nicholson is and so Dick has to sleep at the bank now. I came home right after breakfast but Dad. had gone with Art Quanbury. Frank and I went up after another load of wood, we are going to pile it home now and then measure it so as we can pile the box up with as much as it will hold and wont have to figure on each individual load. We got home in time to do most of the chores before dinner and got an early start after dinner, however we hauled all that was up there in one big load, there was a pile of apple wood freshly cut at one end, but we left it and and just took the two year old beech, it took us longer to get this load on as the bottom layer was frozen in and had to be knocked out with an axe, we didn't unload the load when we got home but piled a lot of what we had hauled. Enah and the baby went down town before we got back and were down all the after noon. Dad. got home about six and said they had got through or at least he had, he told Art. that we couldnt put a team on to help draw the building as we didn't have one that could draw, but he can get lots. Raw wind but sunny</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday March 24th</p> <p>Frank got started this morning about nine o'clock to the Street Fair in Simcoe, it is the second one they have had, he took up the young gobbler and a turkey hen, he didn't get back till after five to-night. He sold the turkeys but could only sell them by the pound and just got $5.45 for them but it was the best he could do, he said there was quite a little bit of stock there but none of it went very high; he said there weren't many buyers. Dad. and I just did chores and piled some more of the wood. This after noon Dad. cleaned out the hog pen, the little pigs root the boards in the floor of their upstairs sleeping apartmens up and drop through into Glady's pen and then she goes for them This morning Harry Ansley and {Name?} Brock came over with a couple of horses which Harry wanted to hook up, one was a little mare so stiff she could hardly go he hooked them up to the bobsleighs and drove around the block with them. Alan Law came after Dad. just before dinner to get him to look at old Ned. who Alan said was {illegible} to death but Dad. said he couldn't see any thing the matter with him. Mrs. James and &amp; Mrs. McCarter drove Dave Waddle's horse over here this after noon. I set my incubator to-day it seems to be going all right now. To-night I went down and got my hair cut and went up to see Marj. Glen Ryerse was telling Dad. yesterday that Tommy Jackson had sold his farm to Frank Ryerse. Sunny &amp; mild to-day.</p> <p>Saturday March 25th</p> <p>This morning Dad. &amp; Frank went down and cut down the trunk of the old locust tree and logged it up. I did chores and about noon took Harry &amp; Nellie and went down after them and the wood. This after noon Frank and I went over to Vyse's sale and were there all the after noon. There was a good crowd and things went pretty well. I was going to look at the harness but it sold for $35. which is about ten dollars more than he paid for it about ten years ago, the cows went about as reasonably as any thing and they each had a calf last night. Jack Martin bought the red &amp; white one for $82 and I think it was Geordie Boughner paid $90 for the black and white one. George Crosbie paid $152 for the old mare and young Powell gave $104 for the four year old filly which was all she was worth. Eliner Atkinson got Stan. the five year old for $70.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>He is the one Vyse was advertising in the Simcoe Reformer last year as a Sensation but they took care not to mention his breeding to-day as there were too many there that know he is out of the little Postmaster horse that Stan William's used to have. Tupper was there and we came home with him. To-night Dad. &amp; I drove down to see Aunty Alice who came home to-night. Enah and the baby were down there so Dad. drove them home. The baby was invited to an "At Home" at John Harris Buck's this after noon. Quint was down there and I stood at Alan's corner for about an hour talking to him. He has signed up and is going on duty first has to go to Toronto for a day or so before before he goes on duty. Very soft, snow has gone off a lot.</p> <p>Sunday March 26th</p> <p>I got around in time to go to Sunday school with Frank this morning and so of course went to church. Quint &amp; Dick were both in church and they came over to dinner I waited for them and we three came down town about three o'clock. Quint and I took a walk up Main St. and met Marj. &amp; Glad Law so I went around to the house with Marj for a little while and then came home to tea. I had to come home to tend to my incubator, it doesn't seem to be running so evenly this time for some reason or other. I don't know what is the matter unless it is the oil. I went down town again after tea but wasn't in time for church. Marj. Glad Law &amp; I went to the recruiting meeting after church. Dr. Jacques spoke and spoke well. I saw Sam Ja ques in uniform to-night This has been the first Spring day we have had and the snow is nearly all gone off the roads looks rainy to-night.</p> <p>Monday March 27th</p> <p>Spent most of the morning cleaning out the stable and the chicken house. I didn't work very fast nor do very much all day, I think owing to the fact that I have been suffering from a mild attack of Spring fever. This after noon I took a meander through Ivey's place and around the orchard on Frank Odd's place. When I got home I went down town and got some coal oil. Dad. piled the rest of the wood and threw some of the sawdust into the ice house. To-night we set three hens. Quint left for Toronto to-night, he has to go through an operation for rupture before he</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>can be enlisted. He never said any thing about it to any one of the family, he told me on Saturday but told me not to say any thing about it so when Art Quanbury told Dad. to-night that Quint had told Charlie about it he was very surprised. Every thing is flooded to-day a very great deal of snow has gone off and it has rained two or three times, the roads all fierce for either sleighs or wheels.</p> <p>Tuesday March 28th</p> <p>It rained most of the morning so we didn't do much but just the chores and just before dinner we husked a little corn, we sat around for quite awhile after dinner while Dad. was reading from James Whitcomb Riley. I drove Enah down to the annual meeting of the Women's Auxillary about three o'clock and had to turn around and go after her again almost as soon as I got home, the roads are so bad, Joe couldn't go off a walk. Dad. &amp; I took the top of the buggy and it makes it look queer but it was in bad shape. The first lamb of the season arrived last night some time and was all right out there this morning, he is a ram and belongs to 117 I think. Very mild but not sunny snow going fast.</p> <p>Wednesday March 29th</p> <p>This has been a real Spring day. Sunny and very mild, too mild to wear a coat or sweater and mud &amp; water every where you look, the snow is nearly all gone except where there are drifts. After I did chores I spent most of the morning wheeling my compost heap down south of the well where it is low. This after noon Dad and I husked some corn. Dad. also put the saddle on Queen and I roder her down the road a little way, just to give her a little exercise and to get her used to the bridle, she didn't do so badly at all. Frank Crysler was in for awhile to ask Dad. about a bad winded horse and Dad. told him he would go over to-morrow. To-night Frank &amp; I walked down town and Marj. &amp; I went to the soldier's concert. The hall was packed full and Jim Much and two McDonald girls had our seats and couldn't be induced to move. I stood there about five minutes trying to make {Sublimy?} Brock who was usher get me my proper seats and had a stream of humanity from the centre isle to the door blocked but as I saw they wouldnt move with out my creating conspicuous and unseemly disturbance</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>we took their seats at the other end of the row. The concert wasn't bad at all. It was mostly of a vaudeville minstrel show nature, which neither Marj. nor I are particularly fond of but still it was good for its class and fairly decent. Lieutennant Doughty &amp; Shargeant Hawking were blacked up and did a good share of the entertaining. Jock Watt danced a Highland Reel accompanied by some other fellow and the music for them was furnished by Waddel with a Harmonica or what ever they call those things they pull in and out like bellows. Jock was dressed in kilts and looked very "cute" especially in some of the twirly whirl parts of his dance. In those actions it might have been deemed an improvement by a few folks if he had had a pair of some sort of pants on but I think it held the attention of the public better as it was as they didn't want to miss seeing everything The most remarkable performer of the evening was Pte. Glover, the Strong man, who I believe comes from Port Rowan and is a private in the 133rd. He would have done very well for a performance at Shea's and when one considers that he comes from so near home and it isn't his regular business, he was to say the least a surprise. First of all he took a quarter inch iron rod about eighteen inches long and took it in his teeth with a handkerchief around it and then pulled down on each end with each hand till it was bent to nearly a right angle, he then took similar rods and smote them on the muscles of his extended forearm till they burst at a slight angle. He next drove a five or an eight inch spike into a saw bench and got half a dozen of the boys to hold the bench while he wrapped a handkerchief around the head of it and took it in his front teeth and bent it back wards &amp; fore wards till he broke it off, all these things he would throw into the audience to prove that they were genuine. He took Sid Stass and put him in a chair lifted him up and held Sid, chair, and all with his teeth by the back rung of the chair, the best part of that was to see poor Sid. turn pale green. He was so scared his knees shook and he certainly looked pleased to get safely down to land. His teeth and jaws weren't the only strong parts with him as he did all kinds of other stunts, such as lying down on his back and raising rising to his feet</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>with Billy Boughner standing in the palms of his hands and then getting down again and lying with his head on one chair and his feet on another and making his abdomen rigid enough for as many of the soldiers as there was room for from his head to his feet to stand on him. The last item on the programme and the one that proved about the most interesting was a recruiting rally. Mrs. Lamb a returned nurse gave us a good account of her experiences at the front and then made a very stirring appeal for more men using some extremely foolish arguments in favor of them leaving things here to go to a financial smash up and enlist to save Canada from the ravages of the Huns. Of course it sounds all right, but it would sound much better if they would mix up reason with sentiment. Major Innes from Simcoe then spoke and said he was going to ask Mrs. Lamb to get them twenty five men to-night, so she started by telling them she would knit a pair of socks for every man who enlisted to-night and said "Now who'll come up here." In a very short time there were about fifteen men on the stage but a strange feature of it was that with the exception of George Holden and {illegible} Paton fellow, no one seemed to know any of them so it looked as if there had been a little trouble taken beforehand to prepare the act. The soldiers went all through the hall trying to induce us, "safety first, home guard civilians." One fellow asked me if I wouldn't don a uniform and I told him I wanted to be sure there would be some fighting before I enlisted, as that is what they all say now that these fellows will never get over there before peace is made. Dick &amp; Dess were up in the gallery and Frank said some drunken bum of a soldier was up there launching a terrible volley of abuse on poor old Dick, calling him a coward and saying he couldn't go because his girl wouldn't let him. Dick of course couldn't do any thing up there but I guess he felt like doing him up. Dick and I would both have gone two or three months ago and were eager to if Dad. had just said the word, but as he was so dead against it and as we were by no means a drag on the country and in fact were just a little in doubtfull whether we weren't doing as much good at home as in the trenches, we didn't feel it our duty to go, and now, when things are beginning to look as if the German's strength was failing and the end of the war in sight, the idea of weakening Canada's already sickly financial condition by enlisting and bum around for</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>about ten months and never get a poke at the Germans does not appeal to me in the least. If on the other hand the Kaiser should get a new lease of life by smashing the Verdun forts and breaking his way through to and entering Paris, then I will enlist right away, because I believe that in that case the British Empire will be nearer destruction than she has been for many years and it will be high time for every British subject to drop personal welfare and forget National finances and fight or help fight for all that is in them to save Britain from Germany and the devil. However I don't think Willie will ever see the inside of Paris with his army at his back because they have been hammering at Verdun now for over a month I believe and have had about 100,000 men slaughtered and are still on the outside looking in and Verdun is a long way from Paris and there are several fortified nuts to crack between the two.</p> <p>Thursday March 30th</p> <p>We hitched Queen and Joe up this morning and went out to Frank Crysler's. Queen went fine most of the way but got a little frightened going down the hill out here on the side road and nearly put us in the ditch, the roads were fierce and the frost is nearly out in places. Frank Crysler's mare was certainly in awful shape, she makes a terrible noise when she breathes hard and he let her out in the yard and chased her so that she would breathe hard just to show Dad. and it was awful the distress she showed and Dad. said she bled at the nose. Frank Crysler said Burt. told him that he thought there was a growth at the end of the windpipe, but Dad. looked at it with the speculum but he couldn't see any growth, what he thinks is the matter is caused by an incision they made in the windpipe last fall to put in a tracheaotmy tube when she had distemper healing and the edges of the cut turning in and blocking up the windpipe This after noon Dad. went out and opened up a ditch out of the barley stubble and I did chores. Vail the assesor was in this morning and raised the assessment about $100. Dad is pretty sore about it, but Vail said it was Hammond's fault, he was on the committe for putting a value on the land and he had charge of this part of Woodhouse and he valued all these farms at forty</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>dollars an acre. Dad. doesn't want to say that John Wess isn't assessed big enough but his land is certainly worth more to the acre than ours is as it is all cleared {illegible} hills. Vail made it thirty seven dollars an acre I think. It has been another lovely Spring day, with lots of mud but sunny.</p> <p>Friday March 30th</p> <p>This after noon morning after I got the chores done I started to paint my colony house. I got one end and most of the back done before dinner. Aunty Alice was over for a little while and to dinner. This after noon Dad. and I went down to John Watts sale we got a ride down and back with Charlie Quanbury, the roads were awful we all had to walk up Monteith's hill and Charlie had the team and little light democrat. There wasn't such an awful crowd there and things didn't go especially high. It was a nice day but the sale was over by about four o'clock. Johnny Loan has sold out and enlisted and Erny Hinds of Nanticoke has sold out and every body supposes he has enlisted. Young Lee Boughner has enlisted and left his Dad with two farms on his hands and no man. Lee said he couldn't stand it any longer he couldn't go to town without them getting after him. To-night I went down to see Marj. for a little while. Another beautiful Spring day.</p> <p>Saturday April 1st</p> <p>It has rained off and on all day and we haven't done much but chores. I went over to Jack Martin's and got an inside hover that he wasnt using. He thought it would work better than my outside brooder. I was over there quite awhile poking around. Charlie Quanbury is quitting to-day and Jack's new man came, he is gping to live in Brirely's house and Brirely is going to move into Vyse's house. While I was gone Dad. &amp; Frank sacked up some barley and Frank and I took it down to the mill this afternoon, we went up to Bert Thompson's and got an incubator of Art Quanbury's which Bert had but wasn't using and while Art said I might use. It is an Essex 70 egg machine. Huby and Lila came over just as we were taking the team off and they stayed till it was time to do the night chores.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Huby said that Larry Skey had telephone up to say that Quint had gone through his operation all right and was doing fine, the doctors said he was one of the finest specimens they had operated on for some time, and they do a lot of them. There are two fellows from Simcoe right next to Quint going through the same thing, the Government pays all their expenses. To-night Sid Marsh came after Dad. to go and see a mare of Carpenter's which foaled this after noon, but something had gone wrong with her and she died while Dad. was up there. Rainy &amp; raw.</p> <p>Sunday April 2nd</p> <p>I got ready to go to Sunday school this morning but found I was late so didn't go but went down to church We all went to church even the baby and he was very good. Aunty came back with us and Dick was here when we got home. He slept too late to get to church. It was the first time we had seen him since last Sunday. He and I went down town again soon after dinner. Marj., Glad Law and I went for a walk around the hill. I came home to tea and went down again afterwards but didn't go to church. They didn't have any recruiting meeting to-night. Marj. &amp; I went up with Glad Law to her place for a little while. I went down to Aunty's for a little while and came home early. Aunty expects to go to London to-morrow to attend the annual meeting of the W.A. Mr. Carson the canning factory manager died this morning he was only sick about a week. They had high jinks down town last night old Bill Caley got on a tear and wanted to lick every body in town and they had to put him in the lockup after he had smashed Bobby Leany's window Mrs. Caley told them to run him in and Jimmy helped, it took four or five of them to handle him. When I went out this morning I found another buck lamb belonging to Dad's yearling ewe. Very nice day.</p> <p>Monday April 3rd</p> <p>Old Splitear presented us with a pair of twins this morning. She is the first ewe to have twin lambs We spent a good part of the morning choring around I painted some more of the colony house this afternoon morning and finished it this afternoon. I didn't use all the paint so I put the rest on the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>end of the old chicken house, but didn't have quite enough to do it all so it didn't improve the look of it much. Enah went down town this after noon and Dad. stayed in with the baby all the after noon. To-night Frank and I tested rthe eggs and took out 68 unhatchables, most of them were clear. It has been very mild and sunny all day.</p> <p>Tuesday April 4th</p> <p>We spent most of the morning tending to lambs. When I went out this morning there was old Greynose and a yearling with the tag our of her ear on the barn floor each with a pair of twin lambs and later on in the morning another yearling lambed out in the field, she had twins too, we pruned two or three trees in the orchard this after noon. Wyatt Waddle and some other fellow were in this after noon trying to sell Dad a cultivator but they didn't manage to do it. I took 8 doz. eggs over to Martin's this morning. Alex James was in this morning to ask Dad. about a sick cow. Aleta McBride was here washing most of the day. Very mild and no wind, sunny &amp; nice.</p> <p>Wednesday April 5th</p> <p>Did chores and pruned a little more in the orchard to-day. Dad. has just been tending to sheep and doing chores most of the day, he went down to the mill on foot and got a bag of bran. Lorne Jackson was in before dinner to get him to file his old mare's teeth. Sam Law came in this after noon and invited us all down there to-night. He said a few friends were coming out and they wanted to have all the neighbours, they will be moving down to John Watt's in a few days. Dad. was quite alarmed about old Splitear to day, soon after he gave her some oats and bran both this morning and to-night, she got down and rolled and kicked and was aparently in pain, but neither spasm lasted so very long. Mild but not so sunny to-day. To-night we all went down to Law's and had a great time dancing, there wasn't any crowd there, just about enough for two sets and give every one a chance to rest Cliff {Name?} was the fiddler and {Tat?} Robinson who got up the dance did most of the calling off, though Alan did some Alan and Sam both danced all evening in their shirt sleeves. Dad. and Enah brought the baby home soon after mid-night and Frank didn't stay till the end</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>but I did which wasn't very late abut three or half past, there were three or four other babies or very small children there and they all stayed till the last but all went to sleep. The bed was full of them after midnight. {Pete?} Furlong's baby which isn't a year old was there and never said a word all night. Alan had a graphaphone there which I think belonged to Ethel Leany. Every body had a good time.</p> <p>Thursday April 6th</p> <p>I didn't get up very early this morning and just did chores all morning. I went to sleep again after dinner on the sofa and was awakened by Dick and Dess coming in. They were here for about an hour and we went out and saw the sheep, they couldnt stay to tea as Dess had to go to work at six o'clock. While I was asleep another pair of lambs arrived from the wooly faced yearling I think No. 2. Dad spends most of his time with them. Bobbie presented us with a fine big red heifer calf to-night. It is the second heifer she has had, last year's being the first. It snowed this morning and has been cloudy windy and much colder all day.</p> <p>Friday April 7th</p> <p>The old white ewe had one ewe lamb this morning we were afraid at first she wasn't going to own it and then that she was sick as she seemed very stupid and wouldn't eat, but our fears on both points are by to-night aparently groundless. We watched her with more suspicious eyes anyway because she was the one that wouldn't own the little ram lamb last year, but last year she had three, and one died and she did own one. Besides doing chores and husking a couple of shocks of corn Dad. and I havent done anything but monkey with the sheep Dad. especially, I did work a little out in front this morning but this after noon we caught the lamb which has its eyelids turned under and Dad. put a stitch in each ey lid and each cheek and pulled them out and down and tied them there, according to instructions in an American sheep magazine which I got the other day as a sample copy. We had to do this to two and he put two stitches in one eyelid. It keeps the lids out all right but the look horrible and we had a hard time doing it as it hurt them to pierce the eyelid which was also tough.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We were afraid we were too late with one little fellow as his eyeball looks to have burst. To-night we all went down town. I went to Tips and got some samples for a new suit and then went up to see Marj. Dad. Enah and the baby went down to see Aunty Alice and to see Mrs. Johnson Enah's sister who just arrived from London where she has been attending the W.A. annual meeting. I think Frank was going to Huby's. I went down to Aunty's on my way home but the house was in darkness and I found the same conditions prevailing here when I arrived and see no sign of any one being home. It is now about eleven o'clock and still no one home and I'm going to bed. I am afraid they will ruin that child's health both physically and morally by permitting to be down town so late at night. Froze hard last night and has been cool all day but nice and sunny Cold east wind to-night.</p> <p>Saturday April 8th</p> <p>This morning Frank drove Enah and the baby down town in the waggon and they have been at the Jame's all day and walked home before dark. Enah brought back a bag of potatoes which Mrs. James sent to me and some turnips and parsnips she sent over. Dad. and I husked some corn while he was gone. This after noon Dad. cleaned out the hog pen and Frank and I worked in the shop. Frank at hanging an axe handle as he broke one the other day and I at making a frame to put cotton on for the front of the colony house. To-night I took some samples I got last night back to Tip Varey and ordered a suit. I then went down to Aunty Alice's and saw Aunty who just got home to-night from London. Aunty Maude and the two girls were down there. Raw cold day, Snowed all after noon and to-night.</p> <p>Sunday April 9th</p> <p>I didn't get to Sunday School this morning but Frank Enah and I went to church. I stayed down to Aunty's for dinner and spent the after noon with Marj. and Glad. Law but came home to tea and didn't go down again to night. Art. Quanbury came over to get Dad. to go and look at {Birson?} Ivey's horse which he had in his stable over here, before we went to church this morning and he was over again this</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>this after noon and again to-night. It got down some time during the night and got its neck twisted and jammed up in one corner of the stall and now it can't get up or straighten its neck. Dad. says it doesn"t matter about it not getting up but he is afraid its neck twisted beyond recovery and it was one of a new team he had just bought in Brantford. Lila was over here most of the afternoon and to tea and Mr. James and Mrs. Johnson were over this after noon. Dick was over to dinner but of course I didn't see him. The little yearling ewe that has been out of sorts all winter had a pair of nice lambs to-day, but doesn't seem to have much milk for them. It has been rather cold &amp; raw though fairly sunny I took my eggs out of the incubator this morning to cool them and went to feed the chickens, forgot them and left them out an hour and a half, but I don't think it will hurt.</p> <p>Monday April 10th</p> <p>Lorne Jackson came after Dad. at a quarter to four this morning to go over and see Frank Crysler's mare which was suffering from an attack of acute indigestion owing to her eating corn cobs which had been shovelled out with the cleanings from the hog pen. Dad. had to send Lorne down after some medicine and didn't go till he got back. He walked out but got there the same time as Lorne who was on horseback. Tommy Jackson was over there and had been doctoring her for which he apologised to Dad. but Dad. said he had done all right for he likes old Tommy and realizes that he knows a lot more that the majority of these self taught quack-doctors, but Tommy had been handicapped he went to look through his medicine chest but found that his ether which he wanted had eaten the cork out of the bottle and evaporated, so he gave the horse some laudnum. Dad. told him if they had administered a little whiskey, it would have been a good thing Tommy said they had had some whiskey, but as he and Frank who had been sitting up all night had suffered considerably from the cold, they consumed most of it themselves so it naturally didn't have a very stimulating effect on the horse. Dad. was over there to breakfast and got back here about nine. When I went</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>out this morning Ben Ivey was prowling around looking for Dad. He and Art Quanbury had been up all night with his horse and he was very anxious to try and sling him up on his feet as he said he had been thrashing around all night and he was afraid he would knock his feet all to pieces or get his head under the hay and smother so the consequence was that except for doing a few chores here Dad. and I have been over there all day and Dad. is just about all in to-night. Art Quanbury Dad. and I went down to Aunty's before dinner to see if we could find Dad's. old set of slings but we couldn't any where. Art. &amp; I went down to the Customs office to ask Huby but he didn't know where they were so they had to rig one up with a couple of little single trees and an old piece of carpet. We went back after dinner to help lift and Landon &amp; Morg. Williams came over from the greenhouse. They were a long time getting things ready and when we did get him up the beam they had the pulleys fastened too was not high enough so we had to let him down and they made it higher, then we hauled him up again but it was just as Dad. expected he couldn't use his legs when we did get him up and just pawed around so we had to let him down and all we could do for him was to turn him over. Dad. feels sure that the injury in his neck is causing all the trouble, and says there is a possibility of it recovering with him lying down as he eats and drinks alright, but if the spinal column is hurt much there is little hope for him. It was about five o'clock when we got home so we just did up the chores. Nice day, rather raw</p> <p>Tuesday April 11th</p> <p>This morning we cut the tails of six of the biggest lambs Dad. cut the first one off with a jack knife but it didn't work very well so we did the rest with a butcher knife hammer and block the same as last year and it worked fine, they all lived through it all right although the first one seemed very sore for quite awhile but I think it was owing more to some of the turpentine he put on getting on to more tender parts than it was intended than to the cut itself. I walked Belle up and down the road for a while this moring at least I rode her, just to make her take a little</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>more exercise, as she is beginning to show signs of foaling soon, her time is up on the 25th of this month. When I put her in I started to rake up the annual crop of sticks and leaves under the old willow tree but only got it about half done before dinner and after dinner it was pouring rain and rained all the after noon we just did chores. Art Quanbury came over for most of the after noon, his last ewe had a pair of twins last night but he can't make one of them suck so he came over and borrowed our sucking bottle to give it a feed and sent it back with Frank. It thundered a little this after noon.</p> <p>Wednesday April 12th</p> <p>We havent done any thing much to-day I took Belle put for another little ride for exercise. Aunty Alice was over to dinner but didn't stay long after. The last ewe No. 67 lambed to-day, we watched her all morning as she seemed to be straining and Dad examined her but couldn't find any thing, but when we went out after dinner we found a dead lamb with her, it had come in a wrong position and was dead when it came, it was a fine big one too. About an hour later she had another dandy big ram lamb and it was all right and she seems to be all right to and has an enormous bag. To-night I went down to church, there were about a dozen or so there but there were no lights when we first got there I went up to see Marj. afterwards. I found her marking exam papers and suffering with an awfully sore throat. When I started for home it was pouring rain so I camped all night at Aunty's. It has been a very nice day.</p> <p>Thursday April 13th</p> <p>I just did chores after I got home this morning till dinner this after noon I took Belle out again, I saw Art. Quanbury he told me that Charlie and Ben Ivey had driven to Brantford yesterday morning to buy another horse and had not got home yet. He said he went up last night and turned Syd. (the one that's down) over and went up again this morning and found him dead. The little Ivey kid told me last night that his Daddy named his horses after the places he used to travel in Sydney &amp; Halifax. I planted some old flower seeds in a box this after noon and put them in the kitchen window. I don't know that they</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>will grow as I think they are two or three years old. I also raked some more up under the old willow outside the fence, I finished inside yesterday. To-night I went down to a party of the Every-ready Club girls at Bessie Paterson's. We played Five-Hundred which I had never played before and which I didn't know any thing about so consequently didn't win one game. Colin Ryerse and I cut for booby prize and I got in a little tin watch and chain which proved a great source of amusement for the baby. Bill Davis &amp; Johnnie I think got first prizes. We also had a hat trimming contest. Each boy had to trim a hat I did one for Hazel Silverthorne by just tying a couple of ribbons around it. I was quite tickled with the job I made. Sam Schram got first prize at that and George Henderson the booby. Marj. was there and said her sore throat was "all better". We all had a nice time and got away about half past one. It was pouring rain again to-night so I went down to Aunty's and stayed. They had half expected me as the bed was all ready to crawl into. It has been quite hot to-day and the fields are beginning to look quite green.</p> <p>Friday April 14th</p> <p>Aunty came over with me this morning and has stayed all day at least she went back about half past four. It has been cloudy, cold, windy and wet all day and we have just done a few chores, husk a little corn, keep our eyes on the incubator and sit around all day. Ham Thompson was in for a little while this morning to see the sheep. He has just invested in five Shropshires. He bought them at the Street Fair in Simcoe. They are supposed to be registered but he hasn't got the pedigree's and he says they have no tags in their ears. The chicks have been hatching all day but I am not looking for much of a hatch maybe twenty five or thirty.</p> <p>Saturday April 15th</p> <p>This morning Dad helped me take the chicks out of the incubator we took out twenty five but had to kill three which were crippled. I knocked their heads on a post and threw them over in the orchard, it was rather sickening but had to be done and I was sure I killed them but this after noon Dad. heard some cheeping and went out and found two of them had come to. I suppose I had only stunned</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>them. We put them under two of the setting hens and put the eggs which were under the hens in the incubator. They are due to hatch on Monday. This after noon Frank and I drove the team down town and got some groceries, we went up to Mrs. Leslie Battersby's and got a lot of plants for Aunty which Mrs. Battersby is giving her as she can't take them all to Brantford with her. I got a lot of stuff out of the garden down at Aunty's and brought it over. I got some tulip and daffodil bulbs some lily of the vallet roots, some clematis and Virginia creeper and a little syringa tree all of which I put out when I got home and didn't help do any chores. It took me till dark and the ground was really too wet. Lila was over all the after noon and got some may flowers back in the woods. Frank went down with her to-night. Dad. had to go down to Mr. Flemming's after tea as Chris Quanbury came after him. Flemming's mare had a colt when Dad. got there and it was all right so he didn't stay long. Old Dave Lampkins was in to-night, his new horse that he got at Watt's sale had some sort of fit and he wanted to ask Dad. about it. Tom. Abbot told Dad. he had them before, but they didn't tell poor old Davie that. Lovely day, sunny &amp; mild</p> <p>Sunday April 16th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday School and Enah and I went down to church we took the baby down and left him with Aunty in the back of the church, and we three boys sat up in the front seat with Aunty Alice and Enah went in the choir. The baby was very good as usual. Dick came over here to dinner but I stayed down at Aunty's. I wernt up to the Bagley's after dinner to see Marj. I got up opposite Kev. Henderson's barn when it began to pour rain. I hiked across the road in there till the heaviest was over and then I got out and up as far as Alfy Dell's barn when it started again so I ran in the lane, over the manure heap and over a couple of bars which were nailed across the open door and waited there till it subsided alittle and sallied forth again, this time getting past the Methodist Church shed before it began to pelt so I just ran for all I was worth to the Bagley's veranda but got rather wet however Mrs. Bagley mopped me off with a duster and I didn't suffer much. After sitting around an hour or so Marj. and I went up and called for Glad Law and went for a walk up to the head of Main St. I went into Bert Thompson's and got the thermometer that belongs to Art Quanbury's incubator.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I came home to tea and didn't go down again. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice want me to go down there and give them a whole day in the garden to-morrow if it doesn't rain. This was a lovely Spring morning and warm but wet this after noon.</p> <p>Monday April 17th</p> <p>It rained hard during the night and was cold dark &amp; windy this morning so I didn't go down to work in the garden, it has been a very nasty day, hasn't rained much but has looked like it and been cold and windy. Charlie Martin came over this morning and was here for an hour or so visiting, he had three hams he wanted smoked but we took the meat out of our smoke house two or three days ago. Enah and the baby went down town to dinner and were down most of the afternoon. Bill Phillips came after Dad. Soon after dinner to go down and tend to Alfy Dell's cow which calved yesterday, so Dad. went down and charged them two dollars; he and Frank got home to-gether a little before six. I didn't do much but put the cotton on the colony house frames and husk a little corn. Bruce Dell came over after Dad. again to-night, the cow is worse and Dad. has gone down with him</p> <p>Tuesday April 18th</p> <p>Dad. went down town again this morning to see the Dell's cow and was down most of the morning, he said she was better. I did chores most of the morning and just before dinner Dad. put the saddle on Queen and I rode her down nearly to the corner, she didn't do so very badly. Dad said she looked fine. We spent most of the after noon trimming her up, Dad. cut the long hair off her legs &amp; fetlocks with the scissors and singed most of it off under her jaw. About half past four when Frank got home we undertook to drive the eight pigs from the hog pen over to the bay on the old barn where Dad. thinks they will do better, we got five of them in with out much trouble but three we had an awful time with and had to just tire them out and the last one we had to tire out and catch but we had Tige to help us with her and the others we did alone, it nearly killed us. Dad. is anxious to get them finished for fear the price drops they were up to $10.75 per cent yesterday. Frank has gone on a hunting, trapping and fishing expedition with the Ryersies to-night Mrs McBride was here all day washing. It has been sunny but a very high wind all day. Mud has dried up a lot.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday April 19th</p> <p>This morning Dad. and I put the association ear tags in the old ewes and the two year olds' ears. Dad put the holes in their ears with the harness punch, we also marked all the lambs, their ears are too small to put tags in and we hate to punch the edges of them all up so we painted Roman numerals on their sides with lamp {black?} and oil, and then marked it down in a book which lambs belong to which ewes. This after noon we took the tails off eight more lambs, they are all done now except the two little ones. We then did chores and Dad. started to make a trough to feed the lambs. This after noon To-night Enah and I went down town, we weren't in time to go to church, but Enah was in time for choir practice. I went in to Tip's to see if my suit had come and he said he had got word from the firm that the stuff I ordered hadn't come yet from the mill and they didn't expect it for at least three weeks, so I told him to tell them to wait till the three weeks were up and then to make it up out of another choice if the first wasn't there as I didn't want to wait. I told him I would be down in the morning, I then went up to see Marj. She expects to go to London on Friday to spend her Easter holidays. I went down to Aunty's and called for Enah, Aunty Alice got home to-night from Ingersol, where she was spending a couple of days visiting Miss Parke, Uncle Hals sister. It has been a nice day but rainy to-night.</p> <p>Thursday April 20th</p> <p>Mr. Fleming came after Dad. this morning to go and see his colt, which Dad. is afraid has joint ill, which is almost impossible to cure. When he went down there I went down to Tip's and picked out another sample, the only one I liked much that wasn't on his list of "sold outs". I took a lot down to show Aunty and Cousin Clare, and they thought it would be nice too, so I stayed there to dinner and took them back after dinner, got the mail and came home. Dad. was here all alone as Enah and the baby had gone down to her mother's. Old Gladys made her nest this morning. Dad. put a lot of straw for her in the pen where the young pigs were but she carried it all out and put it in her own pen so has far too much, when Dad. went out</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>about twelve she was still making her nest and when he went out about an hour later she was covered with pigs and more coming, she had thirteen altogether but killed one to-night by lying on it, but she is very careful, and good to them. Soon after dinner or at least dinner time because Dad. hadn't bothered eating any dinner, Al. Faulkner came after him to go down and doctor Jimmy Leany's horse. He hated to go but did and got a dollar out of it, he has started charging folks in town as lately they have come after him from all directions. I spent most of the after noon cleaning out and heating up my two incubators. The little one was up to 103° before I went to bed to-night. About six o'clock we had one of the worst old thunder storms we have had since last summer. Frank Dad. &amp; I were all besieged in different barns and couldn't get out till it was over. It seemed to come from the north and went right over us towards the lake There were a couple of cracks I though would hit the barn. Enah and the baby got home about eight and the baby seemed quite sick. Dad. and I greased the little chicken's heads to-night. It has been very warm all day</p> <p>Friday April 21st (Good Friday)</p> <p>I promised Aunty and Aunty Alice I would give them a day in the garden to-day but as it was so wet I didn't hurry down and put the eggs in the two incubators first, I put in 198. 135 in the big one and 63 in the other. I got a ride down as far as Fleming's with Sam Law who came in after a bag of his potatoes. I went in to tell Mr Fleming of an ant toxin for navel ill which Dad read of last night and which Dad. said he could telephone to Burt or Duncomb in Waterford for if he wanted to. When I got down to Aunty's they were just starting for church. Aunty Alice was terribly distressed that she wouldn't be there to work with me but I cleaned up a lot of old rubbish and boards that were in the road of where they want to have Val. Leany plan. This after noon they both got out and worked and I dug up a couple of patches and Aunty Alice put in some potatoes and multiplier onions. It started to rain about five o'clock so we had to stop I stayed to tea and came home about dark. Dick was down to dinner &amp; tea, he has had a holiday this after noon to-day of course. I guess Dad. just did chores over here to-day. Frank was off hunting with the Ryerse's</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Snowdrop had a big, black, bull calf, and Gladys killed anothe piglet. Ed. was over this after noon telling his adventures in the 133rd. He is Quartermaster Sergeant now. Nice day but rather cloudy and wet.</p> <p>Saturday April 22nd</p> <p>This morning we just did chores and Dad. had a bath and went down to Aunty's for dinner, he wanted to get his hair cut for Easter. He was gone all the after noon I cleaned out the horse stable and Frank started to house clean the shop, then we fooled around awhile and at last put the saddle on Queen and he got on and rode her down the road a little way. When Dad. came home he found he had missed bringing the paper so after we got the horses fed, Frank I put the saddle on Ginger and rode down to Aunty's and got it. Tonight Frank and I set two hens on thirty eggs. Fram Walker was in to-night to get a boll and to borrow the speculum for a lymphatic horse</p> <p>Sunday April 23rd</p> <p>This being Easter we all went to church Dad. took the baby who was pretty good but having Huby sit right across the isle didn't improve his behaviour any. Dick came over to dinner. This after noon Frank and I went over to John Wess' and Frank set some traps up in McQueens &amp; Robert John's gully. We got home just in time to let Enah go to church. Dad. had to go down this after noon to see Dell's cow again, she isn't doing right. Charlie Quanbury came over twice since six o'clock to get Dad. to go and look at his colt. Dad. went back with him the last time and just got there in time to see it die, he is going back in the morning to hold a post mortem, it was the one he got in Brantford for fifty eight dollars. Lovely morning but cloudy &amp; rainy later.</p> <p>Monday April 24th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; Frank went over to Quanbury's this morning soon after breakfast Dad. to dissect the dead horse and Frank to skin it as Charlie told him he could have the hide if he would skin it. Dad. had to go down town to see Dell's cow, and so didn't finish his job before dinner and stayed at the Quanbury's to dinner, neither he nor Frank got home till nearly four o'clock, but he found out what was the matter with the colt. He had distemper last winter and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the absess did not form &amp; break under the jaw as it should have done, and it seems when this does not happen, an absess is liable to form any place in the body, so in this case they found it in the bowells which had all grown to-gether around the growth which Dad said was as big as his head, so nothing could have saved him anyway I just did chores to-day and this after noon cleaned out the separator, we started separating again to-night. We got the chores done up fairly early and I went down to Aunty's to tea, to-night Aunty and I went to the picture show to see "Mistress Nell" with Mary Pickford. It was pretty good the play being in the time of Charles III. Harry Battersby and Dave Waddle were over this morning for a little while. Nice day but cloudy to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday April 25th</p> <p>Dad had to go down town again this morning to see Dell's cow and Frank went down to ship his horse hide to Hallam. Bob. Miller showed him how to fix it and ship it. I did chores all morning and this after noon husked a little corn. Art. Quanbury was over all the after noon and watched Dad. shear the two rams which he did in about four hours. The little fellow was very poor and alive with ticks. I rode down town to get the paper tonight. It has drizzled all the after noon and things are getting in awful shape.</p> <p>Wednesday April 26th</p> <p>Allan Law came up this morning with old Ned. the big bay, he was all humped up and the musles in his hip trembled. They had him hitched up coming up to Pickford's after their stove but when they got to Art Ryerse's they had to unhook and put one of Art's in. Alan said on Friday he gave his foot a bad cut when they were moving the big new engine for the factory from the car one of the skids ran up on ihs heel and cut a piece out and they haven't had him out of the stable since till to-day, but Dad didn't think that would affect him the way he was affected and didn't know what was the matter. This after noon Dad. caught old Splitear and sheared her they were all too wet from yesterday's rain to shear this morning, when he was about half done Alan came after him, he said old Ned had given up going down Art Ryerse's hill and Alan had managed to get him to the top of Monteith's but no</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>farther, so when Dad. finished the sheep he went down with him and didn't get back till after seven, they said they had got Ned home but he didn't understand the case He said he was down when he first got there but got up by himself afterwards. He read it up at tea time and came to the conclusion it was asoturia although it didn't show the regular symptoms, but after tea he walked down again to give it a boll, it must have been after midnight quite a bit when he got home I havent done much but chores all day cleared up a little around the back door. We moved the three hens and little chickens from the colony house outdoors to-day. Lila was over all day, she Quint and Win got back from Toronto last night. She and Frank went back to the gully this afternoon and Frank went down with her to-night. It has been much warmer to-day but didn't rain.</p> <p>Thursday April 27th</p> <p>Dad. went down to Sam's again right after breakfast and didn't get back till about two o'clock, he had dinner down there, he thought Ned was better. When he came home he and Frank sheared another sheep. I spent the day doing chores and clearing up Aunty came over this after noon and stayed to tea. I walked down with her after tea and went up to get my hair cut and went up to see Quint. I waited there till after ten and then found him down in Henry Biroy's pool room. I had quite a visit with him and didn't get home till about twelve o'clock. It has been fairly sunny to day and a strong east wind.</p> <p>Friday April 28th</p> <p>I haven't worked very hard to day as I had a sort of pain most of the time, this morning I made a sort of little desk and put it up in the cow stable to put our milk record book on. This after noon I took some eggs over to Jack Martin's, they seemed very busy over there shipping eggs. When I got back I cut a little strip of lawn but the old lawn mower is just about out of commission. Sam Law came up this morning and said old Ned was doing alright. Frank took a small grist to the mill this morning and got it this after noon. He went down the mill hill but it was so bad that he went around by town to get his stuff. He and Dad. burned some grass on the road this after noon. He got an express order</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>from John Hallam today for $5.15 for the horse hide he shipped them and they had deducted 35 cts for freight. He thought that was good as he wasn't looking for much more than three Dad. was very surprised this morning when he went out to find a newly born lamb belonging to the little yearling which we were sure wasn't in lamb. The lamb was in the pen and she was outside, he was afraid at first he was going to have trouble making her own it but she did alright. Enah and the baby were down town most of the day. Enah said Aunty Alice had expected [Darycote?} to come and work in the garden but he didn't so she was out digging herself, so Dad. told Frank to tell them to-night (he went down to cash his order) that I would go down tomorrow if all was well and help them We saw in yesterday's casuality list yesterday that Kieth Aylen of Ft. Saskatchewan was killed in action.There seems to be quite a mess over in poor old Ireland. They captured Sir Roger Casement the other day who was leading a ship laden with arms and ammunition unto Ireland for rebels and they also sunk the ship which was a disguised German one, and since there have been serious riots of the Sinn Fein party in Dublin but the Nationalists are helping the loyal troops quell it so they think the rioting is just being carried on by a bunch of fanatics, however the whole of Ireland is under martial law. Sir Roger they think was a little out of his head anyway and they say he had done before now some great things for the British. He is sure now they say of the gallows but hopes they will hang him with a silken cord as he thinks common rope would be too degrading to man of his position. It has been a lovely day foggy this morning but sunny after.</p> <p>Saturday April 29th</p> <p>As soon as Frank went out after breakfast this morning he noticed Belle was not right, so called Dad. After watching her for a few minutes Dad decided some thing was wrong so made an examination and found a colt coming with Its head bent back. He had quite a time straitening it but managed to get it away but it was dead. Dad. said the first strainter had probably broken its neck. Frank and I were just ready to go down town and as Belle seemed all right we left and it was not till I got home at night that I knew that another dead colt had come in exactly the same position only on its back, they were a beautiful pair of mare colts one a bay with black mane and black points and the other a sorel with sorel mane and white points and each</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and each with a white strip in its face.Dad says he had done nothing else but grieve all day, not that in itself it is such a loss but they were such a pair of beauties and no reason in the world why they shouldn't have lived if they had come straight. I went down with Frank and helped him put on a load of wood which was about half of the cord that Dad bought from Cousin Phoebe. I then went down and gave Aunty Alice another day in the garden, they couldn't get a man to come so had started to dig it themselves. Frank got anothe load after dinner but got it alone. It was nice beech and maple wood and she gave him a lot of old boards too. Huby went to Simcoe this after noon and heard about our twin colts up there before I did. I got home about dark and set out some little daisys, violets and a pansy plant that Aunt Nancy gave me. Lovely sunny day and quite hot.</p> <p>Sunday April 30th</p> <p>I was the only member from this house at church this morning. Frank &amp; Enah having decided to go to-night instead. Dad. and the baby were about to get ready to go down when Ham Thompson came in and Dad. had to go up there with him, to take a colt away from his mare, it was dead. Ham has had about the roughest streak of luck with his stock this year that a man could have. He has one or two calves but four of his cows aborted and now both his colts are gone, He has no young chickens either. I stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and Aunty Alice came over here, we didn't have any sermon this morning Mr. Johnson feels pretty badly over the news which came last week that his youngest brother was killed at the front. Quint and Bill Oakes went to Normandale early this morning so I didn't think Quint would be over to dinner but I saw him this after noon and he said they had got back earlier than they expected so was over to dinner, he said the trout didn't bite very well. This after noon Marj. Glad Law and I went up to Dixon's woods and got a few mayflowers. Tonight Enah and Frank went down to church and Dad. and I were rather late getting through with the chores. The Oddfellows were at our church to-night. George Duncan was in for quite awhile to see Dad. about a cow which has something wrong with it. I tested out my eggs to-night. I only took 48 out of the big machine but 38 out of the little one. I put all that were left into the big one. Nice day quite hot.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday May 1st</p> <p>Frank took a walk over the back field yesterday after noon and reported that the side hill was fit to go on but the top was pretty wet, so this morning he took Harry and Nellie with the disks back and has been working back there all day. Dad. went back with him to get him started, he got the side hill all gone over and of course couldn't turn on it so had to go across the top but threw the disks out, however it scratched it up a little and will help it to dry. It will take a lot of work yet as the rain has packed it so hard and the grass is pretty well started. While Dad. was back there I buried the twins in the garden up by the windmill. Tom Abbot saw them this morning and said he would give five dollars if they had lived. Sam Law came in while I was at it with some of Dad's instruments he had left down there and said old Ned. was just about all right again. When Dad. came up he sheared a sheep before dinner and two after dinner, he thinks he is getting on to it now. The last one he did I thought he did in a little less than an hour. This after noon I cut most of the lawn I didn't make much of a job of it with the old lawn mower but managed to get it haggled a little.Alex Jamieson came in to see Dad. about a cow he has "that ain't doin right." He told me that "Wilful waste makes woeful want" and that I ought to let the grass grow for hay or turn the old mare in on it. It has been a nice day but looks rainy to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday May 2nd</p> <p>It rained hard enough during the night to put a stop for the present to agricultural operations, but has been a nice sunny day with rather a cold wind. Mr. Fleming came after Dad. this morning his colt is not so well again and Dad. is afraid he will lost it yet. It was a lot better. Tupper was in too for awhile to ask Dad. about his colt which is leaking a little at the navel. Just before dinner we put all the unsheared sheep in the barn and cut the tails off the two little ones there is just one more lamb now to dock, the one belonging to the little yearling ewe. Dad. sheared two more this after noon but had heartburn pretty badly I spent most of the after noon digging the corner bed I made by the rhubarb bed outside the clothes room window. Frank husked corn and went down and got the mail. He went down again to-night with a message to Mrs. Dell about her cow.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday May 3rd</p> <p>It started to rain sometime during the night and has kept it up all morning most of the time quite heavily so that underfoot conditions are in about as bad a state as they everwere. It cleared up after dinner but was cold all the after noon but was a very nice night. This morning I spent most of the morning in the house grinding bread crumbs for the chickens and writing in this. Dad. helped me get the little chickens into the colony house this morning as we were afraid the wet would be bad for them. Two of them did die with the sore eye trouble that they had last year. This after noon Frank and I did chores and husked a little corn. Frank spent all the morning packing his muskrat skins and after dinner he took them down and shipped them to Hallam and got the mail. Dad. sheared one sheep this morning and two more this afternoon, he has just one more to shear. I went down town to-night. Tom Abbot and other soothsayers and astronomers were predicting cold weather as the new moon was exceptionaly far North and slap on its back.</p> <p>Thursday May 4th</p> <p>Dad. sheared the last sheep this morning and as soon as he got through we packed the wool up and Frank and I took it down. We stopped at the Quanbury's to get a shovel as I wanted to get a little sand to throw in the chicken yard and Charlie gave us Art's three fleeces. Art himself was down {bathing?} Vyse's horse. Henderson gave us 30 cts. a lb for it, which was the highest payed in yesterday's paper, and to-day it has dropped a cent or two, but the mail hadn't come in when we sold it. We had eight six lbs and got $25.80. Art had 18 lbs and got $5.40. By the time we got our sand and a few more things up town we didn't get home till about one o'clock. This after noon we all cleaned up oats. Aunty was over for a few minutes after tea and brought me a new pair of working pants and three tea-roses which Aunty Alice bought from Ivey's. I set them out before she left. It has been a nice day but windy.</p> <p>Friday May 5th</p> <p>This morning Dad. Frank and I went around the gully fence or at least this end and got it so we think it will hold the cattle, Dad. wants to turn them out on Monday. Dad. and I came up a little before</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>noon, but Frank stayed back there to set some traps for a coon he thought he saw tracks of the other day, he isn't sure whether it is a coon or a ground hog. This afternoon he went back and worked all after noon on the side hill, while Dad and I cleaned up more oats. Enah went down to choir practice to-night. Lovely day.</p> <p>Saturday May 6th</p> <p>Dad. got started down pretty early and worked all day in the garden down home fixing the paths all up the way they used to be. He had to cut the sod right off so it was a tedious job, but I went down to-night and they are all just tickled to death at the change in the looks of things He took the baby down with him. Frank worked all day on the land and says he got on fairly well. I worked around the garden all day and did chores. At noon while we were at dinner we head a cow bawl and on looking out saw they had knocked down the lane gate and were all back the lane. We tried to head them off but couldn't so let them go. Jim went back too although Dad wanted to put her in the orchard insted of back there as he was afraid she would not be able to navigate the hills but she managed pretty well Nice day rained a few times {illegible} I went down to-night and got my new suit.</p> <p>Sunday May 7th</p> <p>We all went down to church this morning. Dad. and the baby sat up in the front seat and the baby surpassed all past records for good behaviour. After church I walked down to the Customs office with Huby. and he was explaining the great ammount of complicated work he had to do and saying how much he liked it. He is just as interested down there as he used to be over here digging post holes or shovelling manure, he thinks his office is dandy with the view he gets from both windows of the lake and the marsh right outside full of all kinds of birds and he has every thing inside just as neat and slick as a button. We monkeyed around down there so long that I was afraid Aunty would have started dinner without me so I went up to dinner with Huby. Ada. was up there but Quint had come over here. This after noon Marj. and I started to walk around the hill but it was such a beautiful day and so hot that I with a little coaxing persuaded her to come out here till I hooked Joe up and we went for a drive. Dad. had just got through cleaning his probang and his hands were all dirty so he hooked up for us. The old</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>buggy was all mud and looked terribly shabby with the top off but Marj. said she didn't mind so we had a nice drive as the roads are fine now except on the hills. I got home soon after five. Enah went down to church to-night as they wanted her to play for some fellow to sing a solo, he came down from Brantford with Meesa Dyer. Frank was off all the after noon on his wheel. We let the sheep all out in the lane for a little while to-night. Beautiful day.</p> <p>Monday May 8th</p> <p>We were all up fairly early this morning and Frank got his team all harnessed to get out on the land right after breakfast but about breakfast time and old soaker of a thunderstorm rolled in and everlastingly soused things. It got so dark we had to light the lamp and there were two or three claps of thunder that made our teeth rattle. The storm itself didn't last long but of course we couldnt think of doing anything on the land although it has been sunny and a very high west wind which dried things up a lot. We chored around all day, carried the apples &amp; vegetables all up out of the cellar put the rest of the sawdust back in the ice house and packed it in docked a couple of the calves horns and this morning. Dad. and Frank took up a board in the woodshed floor to see if they could discover the source of a very disagreeable odour which has been pervading that part of the house lately. They found it all right, it turned out to be the cat that died last fall. I got the old lawnmower going to-night so that it makes quite a respectable looking job by setting the blade up against the knives</p> <p>Tuesday May 9th</p> <p>This morning Dad. and I drove Belle up to Yeager's and bred her to King Chocolate again. There was some New Yorker there looking for saddle horses and Yeager was asking Dad. about Ginger so before we left they said they would be down to see her this after noon. We got home soon after twelve and right after dinner Frank went down and got the mail and then took the big team back to disk he had looked at it this morning and thought it was fit. Dad. &amp; I did chores and cleaned up the horses. About three o'clock Rus. Lampkins came in to borrow the pump and sink he left here a year or so ago to put up, so Dad. told him to take it as he didn't know when we would get a chance to put it in. He was here quite awhile and bought a setting of eggs from me but didn't pay for them. He was just leaving</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>when Murray Hamilton came in with his car with Yeager Jack Davis and the New York saddle horse man, so then the horse show began, we brought out both Ginger and Queen, Yeager seemed to be trying to convince all the company that Ginger was in foal and she did look a little queer, Dad. just noticed it to-day but we knew by her actions she couldn't be so we attributed Yeager's talk to the whiskey that he was carrying but he told Dad. aside a little later that he knew she wasn't in foal he was just trying to make the fellow think he was working for him he asked me what I wanted for Queen and I said two hundred he laughed at me but later he told us to let Ginger go for what the fellow would pay and he would see that he bought Queen too after she has been handled a little more "but" he said "Remember the price of her is three hundred not two". so whether he meant all he said or not I don't know as he was pretty full. After I rode Ginger down the lane once or twice, Dad. sold her for one hundred and twenty five dollars and the fellow shelled out the hard cash and said he wanted her at Yeager's before six. As it was then nearly five we had to hurry but we left right away and were up to Charlie Bawlby's when they overtook us in the car, they had probably come around by town to get some more booze. We were there by six but both Joe and Ginger were about all in. We drove Joe to the buggy and led Ginger. The fellow seemed rather surprised that we made such good time. We left Ginger at Yeager's stable but he was going to ship her to New York to-night. Dad. hated to leave her but he told the man he was glad she was not going to the army. He said she would never see the army as he wants her in his riding school and if she doesn't stay there she will go to some rich man's stable for a lady's saddle horse. He said he would be back in a couple of weeks or so after Queen. We got home about seven and I dressed up right away and Marj. and I went to the picture show. It has been fair all day but a cold north wind. It was starting to sprinkle to-night when I got home.</p> <p>Wednesday May 10th</p> <p>It aparently rained all night and certainly rained most of the day, not very heavily except for a few showers but a lot of water fell. To-night it looked and felt like a big thunder storm but a very high wind got up and dispersed the clouds. We did chores and cleaned grain all day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We got all the oats cleaned and quite a lot of the barley. Charlie Butler was in tihs after noon for a minute or two, his mare Dad. thinks has an attack of lymphangitis. To-night I walked down to see if Marj. would like to go to Simcoe on Friday night to see the "Battle Cry of Peace" at the show. I guess she would have liked to go but thought she hadn't better. I stopped in for a few minutes to see Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice.</p> <p>Thursday May 11th</p> <p>Dad. took a load of manure down this morning to Aunty Alice for the garden and Frank and I set out the two English walnuts and two of the cherry trees which we got from Mr. Morgan. This afternoon he went back and disked and Dad took Joe &amp; Belle back and harrowed for awhile. I set out the other four cherry trees and just did chores. Very high strong west wind.</p> <p>Friday May 12th</p> <p>Mr. Carpenter came after Dad. this morning while we were milking to go and see his mare which was foaling, so Dad. had to go up there before breakfast, he went out and harrowed as soon as he got back and this after noon they took the drill back and six bags of barley &amp; oats which we mixed on the barn floor at noon. He got it all sowed but didn't get over quite all the ground they had worked up. I just did chores. I took 45 chicks out of the incubator and put them under three hens but two died. Lila stayed here all night nice day.</p> <p>Saturday May 13th</p> <p>Frank has been back working on the land all day and Dad. was back this morning and finished drilling all that was in fit shape. I worked around here put the three hens with the chickens in the colony house and took five more out of the incubator but two of them were weak. I also cut some more of the lawn. This after noon Dad. and I hooked Joe &amp; Queen to the waggon and went down town and took some furniture of Aunty's down to her as she had room for it now that Cousin Clare has moved into her new house. Just as we got opposite the "Titanic." Queen jumped at a rut in the road and piece broke of the end of the tongue causing the iron to bend and let the tongue down. Dad. tied it up with a strap which lasted</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>till we got our furniture unloaded and got around to the blacksmith shop where Bert Greenbury took the iron off and I took the tongue over to the planing mill and got George Nunn to put splice a new end on it then Greenbury put the iron back on. I had some cream for Elva and when I got to the shop Dad asked me what I did with it and I suddenly remembered I had left it on the bank by the "Titanic". I went back for it but and it was all right. We went on up town and got the mail and Enah's wallpaper but didn't have time to do anything more than chores when we got home. Queen behaved very nicely. To-night Frank went down with Lila. Beautiful day. I took four dozen eggs over to Martin's.</p> <p>Sunday May 14th</p> <p>Guy Tuple came after Dad. this morning about nine o'clock to go and see a sick colt. He had his car so Dad. got back just in time to hitch Joe up for Enah &amp; I me to go to church. Frank had gone, so Dad. and Tid went back to the gully to let the fence down to let the cattle in the other end of the pasture field but it began to rain so came back. It was raining quite hard when we got to church and kept it up all the after noon. We got rather went coming home. Dick walked over with Frank to dinner. I didn't go down town this after noon but went down to church again to-night, and went for a short walk with Marj. afterwards, but went down early to see Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice.</p> <p>Monday May 15th</p> <p>Frank went down first thing this morning and borrowed Mr. Fleming's hog rack and we loaded up our hogs, we were only going to take four which were in pretty good shape but they were such a nuisance to separate that we loaded them all in the waggon and then Dad. threw the two smallest ones out but that still left two medium sized ones but they took them down. Dad. wasn't very well satisfied with what the brought, he never is and thought Neil didn't give them all there was in them. The six of them at $10.75 per cwt came to $92.98. As soon as they left I hooked up Joe and went down to get my teeth filled as I thought there were some holes in them. Bill couldn't get at them for quite awhile</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>so by the time he got through it was about noon, he filled two. Right after dinner we mixed up a sheep dip of zenoleum in a tub and dipped all the lambs. We got them all covered but it was rather an unsatisfactory job as the tub gave them such a chance to kick and splatter. When we got through with that Frank &amp; I went down in the waggon and got some sand &amp; plaster for Dad. to do some patching and four cement tile to put accross the lane at the big mudhole as the cows got into awful shape wallowing through it every day. To-night Frank and I did chores and Dad. Enah &amp; the baby went down to Aunty Alice's to tea and after wards to the picture show to see Cinderella. Aunty, Aunty Alice and Aunt Ida all went to. They said it was good but a lot different from the old story. Dad. said the baby wasn't nearly so interested as he expected. About half a dozen or more fellows spoke to Dad. this morning about getting some of the little pigs and Ham Thompson told me he would take the whole litter. Morley Buck was over right after dinner to borrow Dad's wig for the masquerade dance to-night that the I.O.D.E. are giving. Old Monteith was in too and brought a couple of bushels of potatoes which Dad. bought and got four bushels of seed barley. Wet to-day feels like more rain.</p> <p>Tuesday May 16th</p> <p>Trinder came in this morning with some trees that I ordered from the Horticultural Society and as part of them were for Aunty I took them down and helped them put them in. They hurried me off to get my own in but Uncle Ward called me in there to show me some peach trees and he talked for about an hour. Then I had to stop in to pay John Quanbury so by the time I got home it was getting late. I got my crimson rambler rose bush set out before dinner but it began to rain before I was through and it rained steadily all the after noon so we didn't do much. Dad. was working in the house anyway doing some patching for Enah on the walls. Frank also helped them in there. It cleared up about tea time and to-night Frank and I went down to see Mary Pickford in Cinderella. We went up to Huby's after wards for a little while. We saw Lewis Woodson yesterday, he is here getting things ready for the rest.</p> <p>Wednesday May 17th</p> <p>This has been a most horrible day, cold, windy, cloudy and a cold rain about every half hour. Mrs. McBride was here all day papering in the dining room and the two bedrooms off it and Dad. has been helping her</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>all day, she was here till eleven o'clock to-night and I had to drive her home or at least to the top of the hill where she cuts through Preston's orchard as the mill hill is about impassable I suppose. They got the dining room just about finished. I helped for awhile this after noon painting the wood work Frank and I set out the rest of the nursery stock we got yesterday. He got a Bartlett pear tree and I got a mulberry which I put in the chicken yard and a hydrangea. Art and Charlie Quanbury brought a young cow and a heifer over this after noon which they are going to pasture for the milk we can get from the cow which I guess won't be much. Ham Thompson was also in.</p> <p>Thursday May 18th</p> <p>Enah is the only one that is getting any work done these days, the rest of us don't seem to feel like it Dad. and I went back and fixed up the gully fence a little this morning and this after noon I drove down and got some groceries and paint for Enah. She is make the other part of the house look pretty nifty. I went down to see Aunty and Aunty Alice while I was down town and found Mrs. Jackson there from Port Rowan to see Aunt Ida. Dad. helped Enah this after noon I think, Frank has been gathering up old rags &amp; junk for the rag man most of the after noon. Cloudy &amp; cold</p> <p>Friday May 19th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank got started at grading the lane this morning and have been at it all day. They plowed as close to the fence on each side as they could and four or five furrows over and intend throwing the two outside furrows from each side into the middle so as to leave a ditch at each side and high in the center I just worked around here and planted some flower seeds. This after noon I took the wheel barrow and went over to Ivey's and Ben gave me a whole of flower roots of different kinds I didn't know the names of half of them but there were some larkspur chasta daisy's and a Dorothy Perkins rose bush. Dad. helped Enah paper this after noon for awhile. To night he had to go down to a meeting of the Mr. Smith's reunion so I went down with him to get my hair cut but the shop was closed. Enah paperd till twelve o'clock. Another heavy rain to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday May 20th</p> <p>Dad. and Enah paperd nearly all morning and I think are just about through. Frank and I went out about ten o'clock to work at the lane and have been there all day, Dad. helping us this after noon I threw the sods from the side into the middle on the east side right back and they followed cleaning out the loose earth and culling the east edge of the ditch on a hebel so the cattle wouldn't tramp up and break it. We are only working north of the waterhole as they couldnt plow through that with the team. After we did chores to night and before tea we ran the buggy down the lawn to the ditch and washed it. After tea Frank and I went down town and I got my hair cut. Sunny &amp; nice. But breezy.</p> <p>Sunday May 21st</p> <p>Frank and I went to church this morning. After church we picked Quint up and then Aunty Alice and they both came over to dinner, on the bridge we overtook Dess and Dick also on their way to the farm. Enah was rather surprised at the dinner party although she expected Aunty Alice, Dick thought I would be staying down to dinner when he asked Dess, however we got on all right. This after noon I went for a drive with Marjorie. We went out to England's first as Glad Law had gone out there with Bertha for dinner but they had gone off for a drive so we went on by ourselves. Dick, Dess, Frank &amp; Quint all went back to the woods and Dad. took Queen out with just the surcingle on her, he said she went fine. Beautiful day.</p> <p>Monday May 22nd</p> <p>It began to rain before seven this morning and has kept it up steadily all day. About eleven it seemed to let up a little so Dad. and I took Daisy May up to Ham Thompson's, we were up there quite awhile as we had to have a look at all the stock some of which looks fine and so by leaving about twelve we got into an old soaker of a shower so got properly soused. We spent the after noon in the house. Dad. helped Enah put down carpets and Frank cleaned up over the woodshed. I sorted out all the Farmers' Advocate's. There were about seven years of them and we got them all sorted and tied in bundles and packed in a tea box. Frank has seventeen ducks out and has to feed them every two hours. He expects a lot more soon</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday May 23rd</p> <p>I didn't do anything much this morning but a few chores and go back to the gully to see if the cattle were all right as some of them didn't come up last night. I got a ride up with Jim Ryerse, he said they had twelve acres in but there were lots that had none. I saw the old turkey that hatched out on Sunday, she had lived through the storm and still had her six little ones and an egg that she left in the nest and which Art Quanbury gave me to put under a hen, hatched. This after noon I took 34 chicks out of the little incubator and cut some of the lawn. Frank and Enah went down town this morning in the waggon and got a lot of stuff. Frank went down to the mill this after noon and got different kinds of feed for his ducks. Dad. helped Enah put down the dining room. To-night I went down to see David Harum with Marj. at the picture show, it was pretty good. Very hot and sultry to-day feels like more rain.</p> <p>Wednesday May 24th</p> <p>Frank left about 9 o'clock this morning on his wheel for Port Ryerse to spend the holiday and left me in charge of his seventeen ducks which should be fed every two hours. He got back in the middle of the afternoon and hadn't been at Port Ryerse but went on up to Vittoria and saw Dr. McKinnes about some golden seal. He advised him not to get it till fall. Lila came over with him and he went back with her after tea. I spent most of the morning tending to chickens and trying to cut the lawn. I got all cut on the other side of the ditch but when I got into the tough thick grass near the house I couldn't make a go of it with the old lawn mower so came in and went to sleep for awhile. Then Dad. put Charlie Martins saddle on Queen and I rode her a little way down the road. She went a lot better but I couldn't get very used to the little saddle and the stirrups were too {illegible} for me and hurt my bad knee a little. I nearly went over her head once but didnt get quite that far. Aunty came over at noon and stayed most of the after noon. All day long there have been buggy and democrat loads of fishermen going both east to the creek and west to the pond or lake and I suppose that like other years Black Creek will be lined with them as it has a been a beautiful day to lie around in the shade</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>by the creek whether the fish bite or not. It has been swelteringly hot and yet a nice cool breeze. To-day is the proper day to plant corn around here but I doubt if there will be a grain dropped unless it is in some garden, there are dozen's who haven't a grain of any thing in the ground. Tom Abbot says he heard that Charlie Kinsular who has about four acres in is the only man between the Dog's Nest and the town line who has a seed in and their fields are all regular meadows and we're looking for more rain still.</p> <p>Thursday May 25th</p> <p>Dad. went back to see what the land looked like this morning and came back with the report that it was too wet to touch to-day, and a great big string of rock bass which were part of yesterday's catch. He had been over at John Wess's and said Cam. was cleaning a whole tub-full He, Dr. Bill, and Lloyd Crysler, were down at the creek all day and he said he thought they caught more fish than any one else on the creek and of course as usual it was lined from one end to the other. John Wess drove him and the lunch down as he can't walk very well on account of the veins in his legs, and had then come back and he &amp; old Bill Wilkinson had put in the day target shooting. While Dad. was gone I worked a little trying to get some of the old cherry tree roots out of where I want to plant my hedge and when he came back we hooked Queen and Joe to the waggon and went up to McCoy's as Maria sent word down by her nephew the other night that Mike the old horse wasn't well and wanted Dad. to come up. There was aparently nothing the matter with Mike but the fellow gave him a bag of oats &amp; hay for pay. Queen went fine. We hooked her up again this after noon with Joe and drove down to Ott. Collins with the lawn mower. We came back by the plank as this road was awful. (I have went to sleep.) Wyatt Waddle and Mr. Harris of the Massey. Harris firm were down for awhile to try and sell Dad. a corn cultivator but he didn't bite. He said Mr. Harris was the decentest agent he had seen for a long time as he didn't coax at all. Lovely day.</p> <p>Friday May 26th</p> <p>This morning Dad. and Frank did some ditching in the back field and Frank took his bee hive back to the woods to see if a stray swarm would take possession</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>of it. This after noon Frank took the team back and worked all the after noon but says it isn't any to dry yet. John Wess made a start to-day too, Art. Quanbury came over this after noon and he and Dad. put the picture moulding up in the dining room I helped them for a little while but I measured one piece 23 inches instead of 32 (the yardstick was upside down) and then went to sleep so I went out and continued the work I was at this morning viz. grubbing out the cherry tree roots an digging the strip for my hedge. I got it all dug down to the ditch by to-night. Very hot to-day.</p> <p>Saturday May 27th</p> <p>It rained first thing this morning so nothing more could be done on the land. I don't remember what we did this morning but I don't reckon it was anything very exciting. Come to think, I believe I read and cleaned off Queen and Joe, and Dad. did chores and cleaned out the cellar. Frank went back to the gully and fastened his bee hive up in a tree. This after noon I had quite a snooze out in the hay and about four o'clock Dad. &amp; Frank went down town in the waggon to look at the refrigerator Emery is making and I went down to the corner with them to get some of the little spruce trees that are thick down on the side hill in Dicky Steven's orchard. I was about an hour hunting for Frank Awde as Dad. said I had better get his permission to take them and at last found him over at Jack Martin's, he told me to take all I wanted as they were a nuisance, so I went back and got quite an armful pulled before Dad. &amp; Frank got back with the waggon and they took them home for me. I got a few of them set out to-night before dark and heeled the rest of them in. I got them planted down to about the brow of the hill and from there down to the ditch it is heavy clay and I will have to get some other earth to put in. Aunty sent me over a root of the blue lilly but I didn't get it set out to-night. It got very black this after noon and looked like a proper souser of a thunder storm but it didn't ammount to much sort of a drizzle all the after noon</p> <p>Sunday May 28th</p> <p>This morning after we did most of the chores and I set out the lilly and before we had breakfast Frank and I went for a swim down below Quanbury's. The water was pretty</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>cold and I only had about one duck when I stepped on something pretty sharp and got a chunk out of the bottom of my foot, so had to quit. Just as we were getting ready for church Billy Miller came after Dad. to go over to the slaughter house to see a sick pig so Enah and I went to church and Frank stayed home and minded Tid and got dinner. I went up to Huby's for dinner and this after noon Quint and I went down to Harry Ansley's with some merells he got, and Huby told him to take them down to Harry. Lewis Woodson was there so we three went for a walk down to the dock. The lake was a little choppy so Quint took a notion to get a canoe and see if he could ride it, so we went down to Juke's with him, and he jumped into one the same as he would a boat and the consequence was it turned half way over, filled with water and put Quint in the creek, but he didnt get wet much above the tops of his puttees, and he went on out. He said to-night he went up the beach as far as {Wed lake's.?} Lewis then went back up town and I went home and stopped in at Aunty's on my way. I helped Dad. milk so was too late for church to-night but went down and went for a little walk afterwards with Glad. &amp; Marj. Sunny and sultry to-day.</p> <p>Monday May 29th</p> <p>Frank got a good start this morning and has been disking all day. Dad. did a little ditching in the lane this morning and to Joe &amp; Belle and harrowed this after noon. I spent the day getting my hedge in. I had to dig a trench and fill it in partly with dried rotted manure and partly with soil from the top of the garden and this after noon I set out the rest of the little trees. I just had enough to go to the ditch. It was about half past four then and a big thunder storm was rolling up and Enah had all the stuff from the clothes room out on the line so I gathered them in and just got them in when it began to rain and it everlastingly poured for a few minutes. Dad. &amp; Frank came up in the middle of it both soaked to the skin, Frank was so wet he couldn't get any wetter so went back and brought the cows up. Marie Ryerse and Maudie Pickford sought shelter under the willow tree so Enah called them in and Tid had a great time with them for awhile. Enah put him to bed this after noon but he heard me outside so got up and talked to me out the window for a long time and then came out so while he was eating his tea to-night he went sound asleep with his head about in his plate. Tom Abbott said Ott.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>fixed the lawn mower all right and he was going to bring it back with him when he brought the can but he forgot. Frank went down town to night and got the mail. The rag man that interviewed Frank the other day came again and gave me 55 cents for all the stuff Frank had gathered up and borrowed my lead pencil which he has got, he gave a haf a cent back in cash for rags or a cent in trade he was very anxious to trade but the straight pails he had were worth 35 &amp; 40 cts and Enah said she could get them for 15 down town. Nice enough day till it rained pretty hot.</p> <p>Tuesday May 30th</p> <p>It rained hard again during the night and every thing has been too wet outside to do any thing. Frank and Dad. went down this morning to get some sand but there was a nice ridge of gravel washed up so they got a load of it and took it up to Aunty's to put on the walk and after dinner went down and got another load, so didn't get any sand to put in the mud hole at all. Dad. nearly broke his neck this morning. He was up over the woodshed and when he started to come down his foot slipped on the top step and he fell from there to the landing or rather slid and hurt his back and then instead of stopping at the landing he peeled head first off it and lit square on his head between a couple of stoves. He felt as he said like Pete {illegible} "Considerately shook up" all day. I didn't do any thing much all day except prowl around in the mud. This morning I made a mitre box which I believe is fairly true. After dinner I went back to the gully to see if the bars and gate were still shut as in their hurried exit yesterday Dad. &amp; Frank hadn't taken much pains but they were all right. The oats and barley back there are well up now and look fine as there is no grass in them at all it seems. I brought the cows up with me and it was early but we got through early and Frank and I both went to the picture show to see Margeurite Clark in "The Crucible". It wasn't a bad show Marjorie Clarke &amp; Glad Law went with me. It rained again a little shower about four o'clock but has cleared off. Cold to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday May 31st</p> <p>First thing this morning that Dad noticed was that Elgeitha wanted to take another trip to the bull. We were</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>terribly disappointed as we thought she was safe in calf not having showed any signs for three months and she was so regular before. The only cause we could think of was abortion and Dad. was sure it wasn't that as we have been here nearly every night since we turned out, however he and I made a pretty thorough search of the gully this morning but couldn't find any signs of it. Dad. stood her in and was so undecided what to do with her between wondering if she had aborted and if Ham's bull was any good or if we should take her to John Wess' that we didn't do any thing with her and this evening when he let her out she made right straight for the gully all alone and was aparently all over her excitement. Aunty Alice came over a little before dinner and stayed till a little after. Harry Ansley and Billy Dixon were also in to look at Nellie but Billy didn't buy her, she wasn't what he wanted he said at all. I didn't do much this after noon but sit around, although I did haul enough rotted manure to mulch the hedge. Frank spent the after noon patching the wood shed roof. I guess he intends going over the whole house as it all needs it. Dad. didn't feel very well. Some fellow (a {...man?}, I think) with a couple of little kids came in to see if we had any rhubarb to sell and as we didn't he would like to get a setting hen or two so I sold him one for 75 cts. I spent the evening making a new milk record book for June.</p> <p>Thursday June 1st</p> <p>Tom brought the lawn mower back from Ott. Collin's this morning, so I have put in nearly the whole day working on the lawn. I started cut the longest of the grass with the scythe and didn't get it all done but this after noon I got all the shortest including all the other side of the ditch cut with the lawn mower, it looks nice and was no trouble to cut at all. Ott. seems to have made a good job. Frank spent most of the day patching the roof. About nine o'clock this morning Dad. took Aunty up to the cemetry, they took the baby too. When he got back from there he took the team and waggon and went down to the Widespread and got the new refrigerator. They had just finished it and as it smelled strongly of the alcohol in the shelack we had to leave it open and not use it to-day. It is a nice looking one and I think plenty big enough for us. This after noon Dad. was ditching in the back field he says it is very wet yet, but John Wess was out and calculated to sow a little to-night just to be able to say he had some in. "Very hot and sultry</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday June 2nd</p> <p>After the big rain on Sunday people seem to have been of the opinion that the weather had "took up" using Mr. Fleming's expression, I don't know why unless it was because it turned cold after it and the wind changed around but it does that lately without a minutes notice any way, then there was a new moon and a good many thought that would fix it, but yesterday after noon public opinion veered round again and the general belief was that we were about to have another little "spell of weather", and this morning's sultry air and cloudy sunrise and the lake's growling convinced us all of the fail. Despite all these omens we got up pretty early and Frank went back about half past seven. Dad. intended to take his team back after Frank got started but the sky soon began to darken and the rumbling and growling in the west began to get nearer so we didn't go I mowed the rest of the hay on the front lawn with the scythe but that didn't take long. About half past nine it began to rain and I had just time to get into the shop when it came down in sheets. The awful flashes of lightening seemed so close that thunder almost cracked while it was there. This storm lasted for ten or fifteen minutes then it settled down to a sensible rain and soon stopped altogether. Frank came up with the team during this interval, he had been under a beech tree in the woods and was aparently dry. It soon began again however and I went into the house to put a new cloth on my foot and it developed into a worse storm than the first one, not only in rain, thunder &amp; lightening but hail which seemed worse than the storm of last fall which did so much damage. It battered against the south kitchen windows like bullets and I was sure they would break it but they didn't. They weren't like ordinary hailstones being quite flat and the edges jagged. It didn't last so very long but the rain kept up most of the morning. Frank went down town after the mail after dinner and had a great time getting accross the ditch the water was so high. We didn't do anything much this after noon but I monkeyd around in the shop with the old moulding planes. Old Monteith was past this after noon and told Dad. he had never seen the water in the creek so high it was the wind more than the rain that caused it. Art's flats where he had his oats were completely inundated Dad. went down to a Mr. Smith's Reunion meeting to-night and as the walking was so bad stayed down all night at Aunty's. Enah spent the after noon house cleaning the front bedroom.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday June 3rd</p> <p>Dad. got home about six or before this morning just as I was starting to milk and about ten o'clock, he, Enah &amp; the baby started for Simcoe with Joe &amp; the buggy to Simcoe see the circus which was to be there to-day. Frank went soon after on his wheel. They told me they would be sure to be back by the middle of the after noon I didn't do much till dinner time but chores. Mrs. Jack was in for a few minutes to see Enah about noon. She is here for a few days and is staying just now at the Pickford's. Frank was down to see her last night. She only stayed a few minutes. After I had partaken of my solitary lunch I sat around and read for awhile, then went out and cleaned Queen and then started to rake up the hay on the lawn, while I was at that Aunty Alice came over thinking I would be getting tired of my own company and brought me the mail. There was rather bad news in the paper as a British fleet was engaged in the Skagerrack on Wednesday &amp; Wednesday night by the entire German High Seas fleet and received quite a mauling. That seriousness lay in the great loss of men and ships they sustained as the Germans didn't gain any particular advantage and were fighting with the odds greatly in their favor. As soon as the main British fleet the Globe says hurriedly steamed to the scene of the action the German's left off pounding the overmatched ships they had engaged and scuttled back to port. The British loss was three Dreadnoughts three cruisers and eight destroyers while the Germans admit the loss of one battleship and two cruisers but it is believed there was more on both sides. They don"t know how many men were lost but if none were saved from the sinking ships there would be about six thousand. The greatest loss outside of the men was that of the battleship "Queen Mary" which was about the last word in battleship construction both in speed and the mounting of big guns She was a sister ship to the "Queen Elizabeth." Aunty Alice didn't stay long as she thought they would soon be back. I worked a while longer at the lawn and got some of it cut but I didn't start very early to do chores as I expected them back any minute. However it was after six when I got the cows up and in and no sign of them and I was just about through milking when they came in quite a bit after seven. They said the performance didn't start till so late, but they had a good day, the circus was a small one and they didn't have many animals but they had them very well trained. Frank rode in soon</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>after they came in. He had come down from Simcoe with Bill Barwell and had had tea at the Barwells. He &amp; the rest of the family hadn't seen each other all day as Frank had been taking in all the side shows and had dinner on the fairground where the circus was while Dad &amp; Enah had fallen in with Jim Waddle &amp; his sisters and had gone to Miss Waddle's for dinner. It has been cloudy and rather cool but fine, it looked rainy for awhile.</p> <p>Sunday June 4th</p> <p>Frank, Enah, and I went to church this morning while Dad. &amp; the baby stayed home and got dinner Aunty came over to dinner, Dick didn't come as he &amp; Dess. walked went to Simcoe last night to stay all night at "Grandpa Meads" and were going to walk back this after noon. Frank stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and went this after noon to Vittoria with Aunty Alice &amp; Aunt Ida in Mr. Johnson's car. After Aunty went back about four o'clock Dad. &amp; I drove out to the Shand's as Harvey Shand was past here yesterday and said they had a colt leaking at the navel which they would like Dad. to look at and I thought I ought to go and see Charlie who just got home from the West a couple of weeks ago. They don't seem to think he is much better. It began to rain before we got home but we didn't get wet. It rained quite a lot all the evening. To-night Frank and I tested the eggs in the little incubator. We only took twelve out of sixty seven.</p> <p>Monday June 5th</p> <p>I spent most of the day raking up and cutting the front lawn and got all the part I had to mow with the scythe cut by to-night. Enah &amp; Tid were down town all day as she wanted to get some teeth fixed but Bill wasn't there. Dad. helped her take the baby over in the sidewalk and saw Brirely over there who gave him a full account of his row with Vyse. Brirely has moved into Vyse's house and he says it was in awful shape, then one day Helen came over after something and got on Brirely's garden, he asked her not to run over it and she got saucy so he ordered her off and told her not to come back so that is what started it. He saw Vyse later up at the Quanbury's and Vyse spoke to him about it and in the course of their conversation told Brirely that if he felt better he would mop the sidewalk with him where upon Brirely invited him out to do it but Vyse declined the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>invitation and stayed on the other side of Quanbury's fence. While Dad. was over there Frank started down to Porter's with old Gladys who has been out since Saturday. He rode Joe down and drove Gladys; she knows the way pretty well anyway. He didn't get back till long after two and Dad. and I thought he was having dinner down there but he hadn't. Brirely came over after some little ducks Frank sold him. He took ten, six for himself and four for Gordon Dovecote, they were just hatched the other day so he borrowed the hen too, he gave ten cents apiece for them. Dad. spent the after noon putting up barricades behind the little cherry trees in the lane so as old Harry couldn't reach over the pasture field fence and nip the tops off them, Frank I think fixed his bicycle. About five o'clock, Mr. &amp; Mrs Tupper &amp; Clara drove in and brought Enah &amp; Tid home. Nice day, but cool.</p> <p>Tuesday June 6th</p> <p>We spent quite a time this morning fixing Queen up Dad. powdered her cut and trimmed her hoofs a little besides giving her a general grooming. About ten o'clock he and I went back the lane to see if we could let some water off so that we could work at it. This after noon Enah went down to a reception at Mrs. Woodson's to meet Miss Glass, Carol's sister-in-law so Dad. had to stay in to watch the baby and I went out and dug around and tied a lot of the little poplars along the road, the mice have girdled &amp; killed quite a lot of them. Martin's men were on the corner field disking &amp; harrowing the oats in that had been sowed broad-cast. It looked to be pretty wet and seems rather foolish. Frank finished patching the roof this morning and has made a good job of it. This after noon he went down and got the mail and said there was a report came in after the mail that Kitchener &amp; his staff were drowned, they were on their way to Russia when their ship struck a mine or was torpedoed. The Canadians have had stiff fighting too. Fine day.</p> <p>Wednesday June 7th</p> <p>It began to rain sometime in the night and with an east wind so we have had a steady downpour all day. Allan Law came in while we were at breakfast to have Dad. look at the sorel horse's mouth as he thought he wasn't doing right and he was here till about eleven. During the morning Mrs. McBride</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>waded in although they didn't look for her on account of the weather but she &amp; Enah have been cleaning the parlor all day. Frank went out at eleven o'clock to feed his ducks this morning and found all but four of them in a heap out side the box dead, one wasn't quite dead but it soon died. He put the four live ones over in the barn as he thinks it was the rain killed them but they were all well at seven when he fed them before. We haven't done any thing but sit around all day I read "The Lay of the last Minstrel" This after noon Frank drove Mrs. McBride down town and got the paper which confirms the report of Kitchener's death. Mrs. McBride said that she was in Simcoe last night and and about eleven o'clock Bob Mead ran in and said the last report was that he was saved but the morning's paper had been issued since then. Kitchener was on his way to Petersgrad when the cruiser Hampshire which was carrying him &amp; his staff struck a mine or was torpedoed off the Orkneys and they think no one has been saved. Sir Wm. Robertson it is thought will take his place in the War office. About five o'clock to-night Frank noticed a lot of our cattle down at Ben Ivey's corner at the end of the road so he and I went down to get them, they were all in Martins field. Ben Ivey told Frank that they had come up throug his place. There were only five of the cows and the three steers so I went back Ivey's lane to see if I could find the rest of them. I heard a young crow squawk back there in one of his pine trees and saw a little bedraggled looking fellow sitting on a limb so I threw two or three sticks at him and he at last flew down and lit in a mud-puddle where I easily caught him, so I brought him up in side my coat and put him in Dad's bird cage. I looked all through the gully for the cattle but as they had gone up or Dad. had brought them up I couldn't find them. I waded through the creek up to my knees more than once. Dad. said he had yelled at me when I was going down Ivey's lane but I hadn't seen him. It didn't matter much as I was soaked then.</p> <p>Thursday June 8th</p> <p>Charlie Quanbury was in here for quite awhile this morning and he traded collars as the one he had on Art's horse was too big for him. Frank &amp; I took Daisy May up to Ham. Thompson's again and got back about twelve. Dad. beat</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the parlor carpet while we were gone. This after noon Frank and I rode out to Tupper's with Charlie Quanbury who was going to help Tupper dip sheep, we fooled around there for awhile and helped him weigh a veal calf and then went over to John Wess' to see if he would make up a cement post mould like his. He was hewing a cedar stick for a brace. We were over there a long time poking around. He said he had more work to do now than he would ever get done but if we couldn't get any one else to make us one he would so we told him we would find out down at the Widespread and he said he would lend us his for a pattern. We didn't get home till after six. Dad. had spent the afternoon putting down the parlor carpet. I learned the last of the second canto of "The Lady of the Lake" to-day. I started it on the 25th April so didn't take so long as I did learning the first canto two years ago I tried a little different scheme of writing it out which works better. It has been fair all day but a big thunder storm went around us to-night.</p> <p>Friday June 9th</p> <p>Frank left soon after breakfast this morning to go down and clean out Aunty's eave-troughs for her, he said he would be back right after dinner but he didn't get back till after six, he said it was a worse job than he thought. I spent the biggest part of the day raking up and cutting the lawn, but got it all gone over in front of the house. The actual time I took cutting it wasn't very long but it took along time to rake up the debris on the other side of the ditch left by the hail storm, then I was a long time getting the lawn mower set right. I think Dad. ditched around the barnyard most of the day but had to keep his eye on the baby this after noon after he woke up as Enah went down to Bill's to get her teeth fixed. He intended to go down to-night to a meeting of the W.H. Smith reunion committee but about five o'clock Ashbaw the castrator from Caledonia came in and as Dad. couldn't go with him to-night asked him to stay here all night and he would go to Mr. Fleming's &amp; Ham. Thompson's with him in the morning as they are the only two around here who have entire colts except our Billy, so he agreed to the proposition and accordingly put his horse in, then it started to rain and turned out such a nasty night that Dad. stayed home and entertained Mr. Ashbaw by listening to his adventures in his many fields of occupation, which though numerous are all of about the same standard and as one would expect a</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>man of his tastes would naturally devote his time to, as the work he is at now is what he enjoys above all things and his other vocations ranged from tending bars to travelling {illegible} and in the early spring grafting fruit trees which is about the most elevated sort of industry he indulges in. Dad. had to sit up till eleven o'clock with out his usual evening snooze and then suggest bed himself. It has been cloudy by spells. Bob. Davis was in this morning with Jaeger &amp; Hamilton's big Percheron and tried Nellie and said he would be back next week as Harry Ansley told him to {breed her?}</p> <p>Saturday June 10th</p> <p>Dad. and Ashbaw left right after breakfast this morning for Mr. Fleming's and Ham Thompson's and Frank and I were to have gone back and brought our colts up but it began to rain and rained quite hard for awhile but we went back when it let up and didn't have much trouble in getting them up and Billy in the stable, a little while before they got back, and old Ashbaw fixed him up before dinner. This after noon we sat around for an hour or two till he left He invited Dad. &amp; Enah &amp; the baby to come down to see him Caledonia Fair, he said he would give them a bed three meals a day and treat them as mean as he knew how. He showed us how to graft trees as he is a professional grafter and told us what we never knew before and what has probably been the reason of our non-success that care must be taken to have the lowest bud on the scion just set level with the top of the branch. He also gave us a receipt for making grafting wax which was different and he says better than the old one, it was 4 lbs resin, 1 lb beeswax &amp; 1 pint raw oil, melt &amp; pour into cold water. After he left I don't think we did any thing very startling. It has been partly fair and partly rainy to-day. Frank went down to the mill and down town with the team and waggon this after noon, it rained while he was gone.</p> <p>Sunday June 11th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to church this morning and Dick and Aunty Alice came over with us to dinner This after noon we sat around till I thought it was too late to go out to Tommy Jackson's as Frank and I intended so he went alone down to the Ryerse's and they went over to Tommy's with him and looked over his museum as they call it. Frank</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>says he has sold over seven hundred dollars worth of stuff and a stranger wouldn't know there was any thing gone. They say he has all the buildings on the place including the house filled with old odds and ends which he has picked up at auction sales. Aunty Alice stayed till about half past four and then Enah and the baby who were going to have tea at the James's' and then go to church went down with her. Dick went down earlier. Art Quanbury came over just before they left to get Dad. to go down to Mr. Fleming's to see old Prince the big {Sensation?} as they were afraid his leg was broken. Dad. got back about half past six and said his leg had been broken off right below the stifle and they had to send for Dave Waddle to shoot him. He said Mr. Fleming felt very badly but was going to skin him. I got the cows up and helped Dad. milk and about eight o'clock went down town. I happened to meet Marj. &amp; Glad Law on their way home from Lola McBride's and was with them for awhile and then went in to see Harry Moon for a little while. Mrs. Moon was in bed with grip. I then went down to Auntys and got some tea, they persisted in feeding me and got home soon after eleven. Cloudy morning but nice day</p> <p>Monday June 12th</p> <p>This morning Dad. &amp; the baby and I drove Joe &amp; Queen up to Barwell's and took his two pigs up. Barwell showed Dad. all his crops which Dad. says look fine, this year has just suited his sand farm. We didn't get home till after dinner noon and went around by town. Dick got us the paper and gave Dad. &amp; me our invitations to Mr. Smiths reunion. Miss McQueen had brought them into the bank. We stopped into at the Quanbury's and borrowed their step ladder and paste board as they are going to paper the ceiling of the kitchen &amp; bedroom to-morrow. This after noon I drove Enah down town as she had to get her teeth fixed and I left Joe &amp; Quanbury's and had her shod, he soaked us $1.50 for putting on new shoes. I went up and got my hair cut while I was waiting and fooled around up town most of the after noon I waited till half past four at Aunty Alice's for Enah and then went home alone. She got home before six Dad. and Frank spent the after noon clearing everything out of the kitchen. It rained a little to-night but was a nice day. Zeitha Barwell invited me up there to tea to-morrow night to give her a riding lesson.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday June 13th</p> <p>This morning I went down to Aunty's and took Tid with me to help work in the garden and incidentally to remove him from the impending operations to be carried on here as Mrs. McBride arrived just as we left and they have beend papering the kitchen ceiling all day and generally house-cleaning and they thought his presence would not be required. I spent the day digging the cellar banks and got them pretty well dug the houseside of the drain, but not the woodshed side, however they were well pleased they said with what I did and it certainly did make quite an improvement. I came home about four o'clock and did chores but didn't get through in time to get up to the Barwells for tea but left soon after to give Zeitha a riding lesson she got on fine. She had been reading up on it in the encyclopedia and tried to put the theory to practice and didn't lose her head or lose control of Joe so had a few good canters up and down the road. I didn't stay late. Winnie was over here to tea and Frank went down with her after tea and I guess they went to the picture show. Dad. says Ham Thompson was in to-night feeling pretty blue as another cow aborted just gone a few months and is afraid it is contagious abortion. Fine, hot &amp; sultry.</p> <p>Wednesday June 14th</p> <p>Frank went over at seven this morning to help Jack Martin's gang set out strawberry plants and was there all day. Dad drove Enah down to the dentists' this morning and she was down all day too. Minnie Quanbury came over at noon to say Enah had telephoned over that she wouldn't be home. She got four teeth filled and one out so feels rather sore in the mouth. Dad. and I have not done any thing to speak of A few chores and I slept and read. Dad. of course had to watch the baby. He has been reading up on contagious abortion, and feels very worried for if Ham's bull is infected we have brought it into this herd by breeding Daisy May &amp; Elgitha to him and we have to wait now anyway before we can find out as the only way to tell seems to be to see if other cows abort, so we won't dare breed Elgitha when she comes around again. Dad. had a letter from Douglas and he thought she must have aborted and said he would breed her at once but Tupper who has had experience of it says not to breed them till after the time they would have had their calf if they had not aborted. But any way we daren't breed her to another bull till we know for sure about Ham's or the thing will get spread all over. Very hot &amp; sultry. Thundery.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday June 15th</p> <p>This morning Dad. &amp; I did up the chores and then started to put a barbed wire on the top of the fence along the lane comin in from the road, we merely started there as we want to if we can stretch one all along every fence where the horses run as they will reach over and bend the top of the woven wire down. We got quite a long strand of wire from the fence down the road and tried to stretch it with the claw hammer but that didn't work well so I went over to John Wess' to borrow his wire stretchers. He was down fixing the well when I got there and when he came up it was beginning to rain and looked like a bad storm coming up. It was then just about noon so I stayed to dinner and there was a heavy rain for a while at noon After dinner Lloyd Crysler came over and wanted me to go fishing so we took a walk down to Frank Ryerse's where we found Wilbur and Lorne Jackson. We stopped in for {From?} Walker on our way down as Wilbur said he promised to go the next rainy day, but {From?} said he had to take his wife to town so Lloyd told him he would never ask him again. We got Lorne's nets but as Wilbur didnt want to get in the creek with the drag net we just used the gil net and strung it accross the creek and then I rowed Wilbur &amp; Lorne up the creek a way and they whippet it down but we didn't get a fish Tige got in it once she and Lloyd's dog swam across about forty times. We fooled around for a little while before we came home and it was long after five when I came through John Wess' place to our gully Dad. came back after the cows he thought some thing must have happened to me he said but couldn't have done any thing on account of the wet and he had a very bad head-ache. Aunty was over to dinner and he drove her home this after noon, she is going to Brantford in the morning to pay a little visit to Miss &amp; Mrs. Battersby. Frank didn't get a whole day in to-day on account of the rain but he only lost an hour or two I think they were still planting strawberries. He is having a great time over there with Joe Green.</p> <p>Thursday Friday June 16th Friday</p> <p>We chored around a little this morning and I got most of the lawn cut I was out there after dinner when a buggy came in and I was very surprised &amp; pleased to see it was Ham. Thompson with Mr. Douglas of Caledonia. He had come up to Ham's to look at his bulls and then come over here. He was here till after four so we had a long visit with him. The</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>conversation dwelt mostly on contagious abortion as although Douglas has never had it, he seems to know pretty well about it. He says the only way to do if it gets in the herd is to live it down which takes in all about five years. He, unlike Tupper, says to breed the cows after they abort as soon as possible as they never abort more than twice and sometimes only once, but they can still carry the germ even if their own calves come all right and give it to others so that it could be stamped or worn out rather out of a herd of old cows in about three years but it would not be safe to breed any heifers for two more years. He said he was sure Ham didn't have it and he said he would certainly breed Elgitha the next time as if it was contagious she had it this time and if it wasn't we were only wasting time. To-night Dad. and I went down town, he went to a Mr. Smith's reunion committee meeting and I just took a little stroll around to see Marj. for a few minutes as she was all alone. I then went down to Aunty Alice's and stayed all night as Aunty went to Brantford this morning and she didn't like to be alone with Aunt Ida all night. It has been a nice day to-day. Frank put in another day.</p> <p>Saturday June 17th</p> <p>I got up in time to get home and help Dad. milk this morning. Frank went over to Jack Martin's and Dad. &amp; I put the lambs all in and put the ear tags in their ears, we didn't have quite enough so didn't mark the two little ones nos. x. Douglas thought yesterday they were a "ripping" fine bunch of lambs, picked out two or three "right good ones" and said there wasn't a bad lamb in the bunch. We were nearly all morning at that job and this after noon we hooked up Joe &amp; Queen to the waggon and drove down town to get some stuff, we just got back in time to do chores. Old Rollings stopped us down town and told Dad. he wanted to get a horse and hadn't seen any thing that suited him so well since he came to town as Queen, but it nearly flabergasted the old boy when Dad. told him the price was three hundred. To-night Frank went down town and I took a walk down to Odd's point and had a half a notion to go for a swim but didn't. Nice day but thundering.</p> <p>Sunday June 18th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to church this morning. Dick came over to dinner but went down soon after. This after noon I wrote and read till I went to sleep and about four o'clock started to do chores. Dad. drove Uncle Ward out to Colin Mc</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Neiledge's as he fell the other day and paralyzed the nerve in his arm that is Colin did and Dad. thought Uncle Ward would like to go out and see him. He said he enjoyed the drive but the McNeiledge's were not at home. Frank spent the after noon back in the gully with the Ryerse's spearing frogs, he took them down to-night and sold them to Henry Buoy for ten cents a dozen. I got down in time for church to-night and had a little visit with Marj. Aunty Alice sent and invitation to her by me to come down to a tea party to-morrow night but she said she couldn't come as there was another one on at Mrs. McQueen's and she had to go. Aunty Alice told me this morning that Mrs. John Watts was dead but she didn't die till to-night, but old Mrs. Watson Robert John's mother died yesterday. Rained this morning. Cool &amp; Cloudy to-day.</p> <p>Monday June 19th</p> <p>Dad. went over to John Wess' right after breakfast and took him over a bag of oats &amp; barley in return for a bag of oats we got some time ago. John Wess told him was hoping he wouldn't bring them for awhile as he was afraid now that he would feed them up. The object of Dad's visit was to warn him not to breed any cows that had been to Ham Thompson's bull and to be very careful what cows he did breed. Dad. is afraid yet of contagious abortion. I don't think I did any thing much while he was gone. Frank took the team out and disked up the sand knoll by {Name?} and said he got the top of the grass pretty well cut up but it didn't affect the roots any. I weeded a little in the rose border Dad. got home just before a big rain started which lasted all noon hour. Frank went back to the gully this after noon Dad. helped Enah paper the pantry ceiling. I read "The Gentle Shephard till four o'clock when I started to do chores. Jonas came in and peddled some fish. To-night Frank and I went down to Aunty Alice's party. She was rather distressed and the majority of boys over the girls. Zeitha &amp; Miss Tinny couldn't come but Mis Herring was there and Elva, Ada &amp; Dess. and besides us four boys there was Lewis Woodson, George Clark &amp; Douglas Skey but we had a good time Quint for whom the party was for especially seemed to enjoy himself in Miss Herrings company. Aunty got home from Brantford to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday June 20th</p> <p>Gordon {Darecote?} came over this morning to get Dad. to go over and see Jack Martin's horse, so Dad. went over</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and Frank and I followed soon after. It was the bay pacer that Charlie bought from Beswitherock and evidently sold to Jack and Dad. &amp; Anderson who was down from Simcoe agreed that he had tetanus, so Anderson gave him an injection of antitetnantic {antitetantic?} serum and left instructions for Dad. to give them every six hours. Dad. says he is sure the horse is too far gone to be helped and anyway there was no curative properties claimed for that stuff it being merely a preventative, however he has gone over three times and that is all he has to. This after noon Frank and I put through the few bushels of wheat in Ed's big bin which we were saving for chicken feed. Bruce Smith was in for quite awhile this after noon for a visit. Enah has been down all the after noon at the dentists' and felt pretty rotten over it to-night. It has been a nice day to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday June 21st</p> <p>It started to rain about six o'clock this morning and rained till about nine or ten o'clock. It wasn't a bad day after that sunny and cool. Dad. spent most of the morning over at Martin's the horse was so bad this morning that Joe Field's shot it. I didn't do anything much but help Enah tear the cover off the armchair as she wants to put a new one on. This after noon I read &amp; slept most of the after noon but did go out and put the wheat back in the bun which Frank and I cleaned up yesterday. Just before tea Frank and I took Elgitha up to Ham Thompson's. Frank was down town this after noon.</p> <p>Thursday June 22nd</p> <p>This morning Dad. left for Charlie Dunkin's to see if he couldn't hurry him up to get the old ram registered and also to pay him the service fee of his ram. I would have gone but Dad. thought as Uncle Ward enjoyed his drive so much on Sunday he would ask him and I thought he would enjoy it more with Dad. than wth me so I persuade him to go. They left about ten o'clock and didn't get back till about five and I guess both of them had a great day of it. Dunkin wasn't home when they got there so they stayed to dinner. Uncle Ward knew him well, used to go to party's with him, and I suppose he had a great talk. Dad. says his crops and the crops of his near neighbors look immense but that is the only place they do. The rain has been just what they want up there. They saw Frank Marr on their way home and he told them that</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Dr. Harrison of Selkirk says that it is recorded in his father's diary of one hundred years ago that we had just such a spring as this and that it rained all summer and nothing was saved of either hay or grain, all stock starving to death in consequence the following winter, so that sounds hopeful. Frank has been over at Jack Martin's all day picking strawberries, he made $1.01. I did chores, weeded out the rest of the rose border, sprinkled the roses with tobacco water which Aunty Alice fixed for me by steeping some of Frank's old homegrown leaves and put in the rest of the day doing nothing. Aunty Alice and Winnie were both over to dinner and Win stayed most of the after noon but Aunty Alice of course couldn't. Nice day.</p> <p>Friday June 23rd</p> <p>Frank disked up the sand knoll by the old well again this morning and after dinner Dad ran out eleven furrows and Frank and I planted potatoes. Then Dad. covered them and Frank harrowed them in. Dad. also made a start at plowing the old garden back of the shop. It was very waxy. He hauled out manure out of the two boxstalls and put on the west side of it. I cut the lawn to-day. To-night Dad. went down to a reunion meeting and Frank and I went down to the stump but didn't have much of a swim as the water was cold. Dad. stayed in town all night. It was fair all day but rained a little to-night.</p> <p>Saturday June 24th</p> <p>Frank has been picking strawberries over at Martin's all day and made another dollar. This morning Dad cut some of the long grass down by the ditch and in the lane and I puttered around. Alex Jamieson came in after dinner and was here most of the after noon. It was time to do chores when he left. Uncle Ward had to go down to Art. Ryerse's to collect for the reunion some time before next meeting and Dad. told him he would drive him down this after noon but he couldn't, it rained once or twice any way and looked very cloudy so not likley Uncle Ward. would expect him. To-night Dad. Enah and the baby drove down town and Dad. drove Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. As soon as they were gone Frank &amp; I decided to go over to Tommy Jackson's to tell him Frank would take a couple of skips of bees. Frank thought they</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>were pretty cheap on Tommy's terms. He offered him two skips of bees in Langstroth hives with frames and foundation comb for seven dollars and he can get them and pay for them any time he likes. It was about dusk when we got over there and Tommy was just getting started to milk, he milked two cows and then showed us around the apairy and it was pitch dark before we left but he had started in on the other cow and had the lantern out with him. Frank and I had quite a time extricating ourselves from Frank Ryerse's gully's in the dark and then got our legs soaking wet on the grass on our way home. Dad. &amp; Enah were home and Dad. was getting ready to worry about our absence as we forgot to leave any word.</p> <p>Sunday June 25th</p> <p>The whole family went down to church this morning as Mr. Rennaud preached. He is here for a short visit, he used to be the rector here 41 years ago and gave a very emotional reminescent sermon. Dad. Enah &amp; the baby stayed down at Aunty's to dinner and Quint and Dick came over here with us. They went off right after dinner to see the Oddfellows march and Frank left soon after to go for a ride on his wheel with Harve Taylor. I waited till Joe had time to eat her noon feed then took her down for Dad. &amp; Enah to drive home. I sat down at Aunty Alice's for about an hour and then started to walk home but got a ride over as far as Martin's with Charlie in his car. I helped Dad. milk then went down to church and then went around with Marjorie to the house. This was his most holy of holy the right reverent Mr. J. Culp's last Sunday in the Methodist church and I guess he gave them a long wind-up sermon anyway. I had a very pleasant visit and left before any of the Bagley family appeared on the scene. I wouldn't have left so soon but poor Marj. seemed to be rather uneasy for fear they would catch me there although she said she didn't care. I went down to Aunty's for a few minutes and found Douglas Skey there. I supposed he had walked down with Mrs. Baker, Mr. Rennaud's daughter, who is staying with Aunty Alice &amp; Aunty. It has been fine and hot to-day, regular Oddfellows day.</p> <p>Monday June 26th</p> <p>Frank went over to pick strawberries and to-day made $1.21. I left about nine to take Uncle Ward on his</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>collecting circuit. I met Bob. just going into Woodson's and couldn't resist the temptation of driving her down town so Uncle Ward and I were a little late getting started, and then the shoulder strapring pulled out of the breast collar which caused a little more delay. We just called at Alfred's, Art's and Allan Law's, Uncle Ward hinted at getting a donation from Alfred for his daughters' but Alfred didn't bite, but they probably will. We only saw Mrs. Art. Ryerse as Art was way back and the kids all have the measles, she said she would tell Art. to call in some night and pay Uncle Ward. Alan Law was hauling gravel but Mrs. Law said he would drop in too. I gave him five dollars for Dad. and we three boys. We came up the Plank Road from the Dog's Nest and didn't get home till after one o'clock. This after noon Dad plowed some more of the garden but didn't quite finish as it is very tough and old Nellie started out a little balky after her holiday. I didn't do much but cut a few weeds and take some more eggs over to Jack Martin. After tea I rode Queen down to the corner and back, she hasn't been out lately and felt frolick. Mrs. McBride was here to-day and informed us that old Robert John was married, his mother died three or four days before. Fine &amp; hot but looks rainy.</p> <p>Tuesday June 27th</p> <p>I spent most of my time to-day cutting weeds I finished cutting the dock in the raspberry patch first and then went back to cut thistles in the oats and barley. I didn't get on very fast as it is hard to tell where to go on the side hill Pickford and I think Clair Jackson were hauling Pickford's hay and their dog an Airdale pup started chasing Art. Quanbury's sheep. I didn't know it was Pickford's till I went up the road to tell Art and heard him call it off Art was working on his buckwheat ground and Tupper who had ploughed about four rounds as he said this morning was talking to old Evans who was disking right opposite. Tupper said he was very thirsty so we went down to Art's new well that he dug with the post auger but couldn't find anything but an old paint pail to dip the water with However that fitted in the well alright and we got enough to slake our thirsts, it was good cold water too. Dad. finished plowing the garden this morning and disked and rolled it. Frank went down to Porter's again with Gladys. He ploughed in the old garden this after noon. Enah was down town for tea. Frank and I had to take Daisy May up to Ham Thompson's to-night. Mrs. W.H. Smith died at five o'clock this morning. It has been a hot summer day. It really looks as if the weather had "took up"</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday June 28th</p> <p>Frank has been picking strawberries all day again and made $1.35, this has been his best day yet. Dad. plowed in the old garden all morning, he and the baby and he finished it and disked it this after noon. I raked up the grass he cut along the ditch this morning and went out and spread a few piles of manure which were in his road for plowing. This after noon I went down town to get some stuff. Huby saw me and wanted me to go up and look at Bill Slocomb's buggy, he wants fifty dollars for it. It looks like a good one. I went down to Aunty's to cut a ham in two for them and Aunty Alice was at a bridge up at Miss Buckwell's. This has been another beautiful day.</p> <p>Thursday June 29th</p> <p>I went over to Art Quanbury's this morning and got our post auger and Dad and I put in a post at the gap between the two fields across the gully and put up the bar and let the cattle into the west field, we then went along Ivey's line in the gully but couldn't do much to it John was over in Ivey's having walked under the fence along the creek bottom. We had dinner on time and got ready and both of us went down at half past one to Mrs. Smith's funeral. We went up to the cemetry and there was a big crowd there. We went from there over to Barwell's and got Zeitha and brought her down, she and I were to have gone for a ride to-night but Enah asked some more over to have some music so we postponed our ride. We saw Mrs. Bagley &amp; Marj. up at the cemetry and they said Essie couldn't come over to-night as it was choir practice but Marj. would only she didn't like to come alone, so Dad. told her if she saw Winnie coming over to come with her and if not to wait till I called for her, so as Winnie came over to tea I went right after tea to get Marj. I picked her up at Silverthorne's, she had come over to pay her Dad's lodge dues. We drove down town to see if we could get Elva but she had too bad a cold to come. We had a very nice evening being entertained by Zeith's &amp; Enah's music on one hand and the baby catching moths on the other; he stayed up till midnight and except for evincing a few cannibalistic passions early in the evening when he bit poor Marj; he was very good and well-behaved. Dad. gave him a heart to heart talk on the occasion of his one offence and I don't think Marj. suffered any permanent injury.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I was to have taken the bunch home in the lumber waggon but hi Frank who has worked all day in the old garden left the neck yoke &amp; doubletrees out there I couldn't and as it was raining, it didn't promise to be very pleasant walking, however it didn't rain hard so the four boys, Dick, Quint, Douglas Skey &amp; George Clark walked down and I drove Dess &amp; Marj down in the buggy Zeitha &amp; Winnie stayed all night. There was an accident in town to-night. It seems Earl Long was going home and being very drunk was yelling at the top of his voice and frightened Barwell's horse which was tethered in Barny McMinny's yard and it ran over the engine bridge with the train after it, it got past that safely but when it got down to the station the chain that was on it caught and threw it so that it broke its leg, and Dave Waddle shot it. It has been fine and hot to-day but rather cloudy,</p> <p>Friday June 30th ) New moon is straight up and down so that the Indian can't hang his powder horn on it. Aunty Alice says it is a dry moon but Dad. scoffs at the idea.</p> <p>Soon after breakfast this morning we saddled Joe &amp; Belle and Zeith and I started off for our ride. We went down to the mill and out to Edmond Englands corner then up to Chris Quanbury's corner down the side road to the Gravel and then to Barwell's, and I led Belle home. We had a nice ride but not a good one as Joe wouldn't travel up abreast of Belle and Belle was inclined to be a little mean, however Zeitha said she enjoyed herself. I didn't get home till nearly noon. This after noon I planted eighteen rows of turnips with Art Quanbury's seed drill which he brought over this morning. Dad. sowed clover seed on the garden and harrowed it well. Frank spent the day picking strawberries but didn't have such a good day to-day. To-night I went down town to see Roy &amp; Vernon. Roy came to-night and Vernon last night. It has been sunny and hot to-day.</p> <p>Saturday July 1st</p> <p>This has been a great day, the weather couldn't have been better, hot and fine just the kind to make people enjoy the lake, and Dover certainly celebrated, although I saw very little of it. Dad. and Enah &amp; the baby went down this morning and stayed to dinner and Dad. had a great time visiting all the old boys and girls who came to Mr. Smith's reunion. Frank and I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>didn't go down till noon, I started to cut the lawn but the mower broke so went out and helped Frank put in his school garden and I also sowed my Experimental Union plots of cabbage, kale &amp; rape, and didn't get through till half past twelve, then we came in and got dressed up and intended to go for a swim at the stump but before we left we heard the school bell ringing so hurried down thinking we would be late, they didn't begin for quite awhile however and then all there was to it was a lot of speeches and we were up there till about four o'clock. I think every one got pretty tired of it. Jack Martin was chairman and made the presentation Mr. Smith didn't say much himself as he was in no mood for it but got Mr. Robertson to read a little that he had written for the occasion. After it was over Ray and I went right straight down to the house and I stayed there to tea. Dad. came down a little later, he had seen a good many old school pals and so had Ray. I saw Hubert Long and Egg Thompson and Fat Turner Col. A.C. Pratt got himself very much disliked by forbidding Mr. Smith's old boys in the 133rd coming down this after noon. He acted in a very small, sore headed way about it, and all Dover as well as a good part of Simcoe are pretty hot about it, he just did it for pure spite. Ed. Moon was down, he said he got leave by being on duty this morning at the picture show which the 133rd rented for the day to show the Willard Moran boxing contest but he said it wouldn't have made any difference he would have come just the same whether he got leave or not. Ray went over the hill to the Woodson's to get Vernon &amp; Rebecca and I went for a swim in the creek, the water was fine. After tea I went up town and saw Fat. Turner and went over to the park with him to watch the fireworks, and I had a little visit with Marj. Her father is here and she is going home with him on Monday. Dad. and Frank who went home to do chores came down again after tea and I found the family up in the park and went home with them at a rather late hour.</p> <p>Sunday July 2nd</p> <p>Dad. Enah, the baby and I drove down to church this morning Frank didn't go. We were going to start early as Enah was going to practice with Zeitha who was to have sung a solo, but it began to rain so we had to wait till it was over, and we weren't there anymore</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>than just on time, but it didn't matter as Zeitha was not there anyway. Just as we got into church an old soaker of a storm broke over us and it hailed till I thought it would break the church windows. It stormed pretty much all through church but was clear enough when we came out. Dick didn't come over to dinner and this after noon this family spent in peaceful slumber. We got the chores done early and Dad. drove Enah down to church they took the baby but he and Dad. stayed down at Auntys. Enah said she was the only girls voice in the choir and poor Harry Moon was so disheartened as he had expected a lot for to-day that he resigned from the leadership. They didn't see Roy or Vernon they being over at the Woodson's. Frank spent the evening getting his accounts system into working order and taking an inventory of the stock &amp; implements.</p> <p>Monday July 3rd</p> <p>Frank went over to pick strawberries again this morning and has been over there all day. We started to plow the barley stubble again for buckwheat. Dad. struck out once but found it would tramp the long grass at the north end so started plowing right around the field, after one round I took it and plowed till noon, and he cut grass at the lane gate at the head of the orchard to get into that field with the mower. The grass was very thick and long there. After dinner the Quanbury boys and Glen Ryerse came in and wanted me to help them, they are moving Art's barn or at least trying to. We were there all the after noon and just got it turned around. They just hooked a cable on one corner of it and wound it up on a "capsule" as they call it but their chain broke two or three times and things went pretty slowly. It has been fine and hot to-day. By to-days paper the big drive on the Western front has begun. I didn't have time to read it but they have taken eleven villages and a lot of prisoners. The British &amp; French are both at it.</p> <p>Tuesday July 4th</p> <p>The boys came after me again as soon as I had my breakfast and I have been over there all day, they came home to dinner. We had a pretty slow day of it first one thing would break and then another and all on account of it pulling too hard. Glen had the big rollers and saddles under her and we have come to the conclusion they are not much</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>account unless maybe every thing is smooth and hard underneath. First we had a small new one under the hind corner and after breaking the chain two or three times trying to budge it, we decided it was too small and wasn't greased enough so we jacked it up and put an old big one under that was split and wired to-gether we moved a foot or two with it and then it broke, so we had to jack her up again and grease the small one and put it under and after pulling all the after noon and breaking chain &amp; upsetting the capstan two or three times, we took it out and put under three or {four?} small rollers and no saddle. Mr. Evans was over helping us this afternoon, and so about five o'clock she started to go and from then till we quit we moved as far as we could without setting the capstan again so the boys went home in great spirits full of praisr for the small rollers. I nearly tore the clothes off me on their wire and nails and also hit my sore knee a lot with the end of the cable so I didn't feel so happy. Frank plowed all day and Dad. had to go up to George Duncan's this morning to look at a cow. Tupper. who was in Simcoe all day came over about five and killed the yearling buck. Fine &amp; hot a shower at noon.</p> <p>Wednesday July 5th</p> <p>I have been out at the Quanbury's all day again and to-day we made a little better progress. We moved the barn more than the length of itself this forenoon but twisted the underpinning of Glen's capstan reel so at noon they went down and borrowed Kolbe's capstan and things went beautifuly we moved about seventy five paces. Over here they got a little more plowing done but nothing cut. Aunty, Vernon &amp; Rebecca were over to dinner and to spend the after noon, Cousin Clare was over too. Frank and I had to take Daisy May up to Ham Thompson's again he was in bed when we got there but got up. Another beautiful day.</p> <p>Thursday July 6th</p> <p>The boys wouldn't have called for me this morning if we hadn't hailed them but I didn't want to see them stuck and we certainly needed all the men we have although Glen brought two with him but Evans didn't come back to-day. Glen had old Isaac Bush and Od. Frolic both venerable and hoaryheaded. Isaac is rheumatic and slightly palsied and told us he would much rather be doing what he was yesterday than</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>what he was to-day. We found by interrogation that yesterday's occupation consisted in riding from the Falls up here in Jim's car, as he hadn't been there since he was eleven years old, we didn't doubt his words in the least. He took my job of minding the capstan and once when they were unwinding it he got a bat in the leg with the lever that knocked him over. Old Od. is the same whom Dad. &amp; I saw a year ago last winter down in Hammond's bush with Jack Richardson building a log hut for himself in which he still lives. That day his face was about completely covered with whiskers while now he is clean shaven down to the rim of his jaw and he has left border of grizzled hair right around, I suppose it is hard shaving around the corner. His hair is long and curls closely under an old reddish brown straw hat. His cheeks are just like a well smoked ham but his neck and nose are a lovely purple, his nose, hands &amp; feet are enormous. I had a pretty good chance to study him to-day and he is an interesting looking old duck, he just kept plodding from one end of the barn to the other carrying plank and chewing to-bacco with his front teeth I guess he hasn't got any back ones. He didn't seem disposed to talk and didn't say half a dozen sentences all day not even when Glen would get mad and curse him into a heap, which he did occasionaly, it seemed rather hard lines to hear old fellows like Od. and old Bush just everlastingly damned up and down, but Glen doesn't care and shows respect to no-one, but he is good natured about it all and we take his blasphemous abuse as a matter of course. He was always alright with me and I found that even there a little blarney in small doses helped wonderfully to keep in Glen's good graces and also to get out of a lot of strenuous labor, which was my place or Charlies's to perform. I didn't feel any qualms of consience in laying my tasks on Charlie's shoulder's, because he really believes likes to work and I don't. We got on well with the barn to-day and to-night had it safely over the gully, I was to quit when we got that far but Glen coaxed me to come back to-morrow so I said I would. Dad. got a little more plowed to-day and Frank got started to cut the corner field. He &amp; I had to go up to Ham Thompson's again to-night woth Quanbury's heifer. Nice Day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday July 7th</p> <p>Art. &amp; Charlie didn't call for me this morning and I didn't see them go past so I walked out as I promised Glen I would go back. We were at it all day and just about six to-night got it into its place so we are through with it. It will take a little longer to level and block it up. Old Isaac &amp; Od. were on the job to-day and Od. was almost as silent as yesterday but to-wards evening I managed to get him talking (because I was curious to see what he would say and how he would say it.) by remarking on the size of his wrists and then he started to tell me of the weights in logs that he had carried and before we quit had told me several interesting stories of the early days and the scythe &amp; cradle, when men were plentiful and every one of them strong, and each vied with the other in feats of strength and powers of endurance. Dad. plowed a little more to-day and Frank finished cutting the corner field. This was Dad's birthday and Dick and Winnie were over to tea, we were late getting through chores. Frank got some raked up and Dad. got a load cocked up. Hot &amp; fine</p> <p>Saturday July 8th</p> <p>I got out first thing this morning and started to cock up and Dad. &amp; Frank came out very soon after and we put on a load of what Dad. cocked yesterday and hauled it to the horse stable where we pitched it off by hand and packed it around the well so that the sling loads hitting it wouldn't loosen like they did last year. When we got it off we went and cocked up till noon. This after noon Frank brought the team out to rake but only went a couple of rounds and then as it looked so rainy in the north stopped and helped us cock up. It was looking very angry and a continual low roar of thunder, we saw one storm go to the north but another one came up and it caught us when we had just about one more windrow to cock. It rained pretty hard for half an hour or so but not hard enought to hurt anything and would do good. I went to sleep for awhile and then shaved. Whit Dixon came over before tea to look at the steers but said they weren't ready for a year month yet. To-night Frank and I went down town and went for a swim in the creek and I got my hair cut. Walter &amp; Roy came up to-night and we saw them for a little while. We got home soon after twelve.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday July 9th</p> <p>Just as Dad. was getting ready for church this morning Alan Law came after him amd he had to go down there to administer unto a sick calf which died later in the day. I drove Enah and the baby down to church and as the baby didn't want to sit alone in church without some of the family, I had to sit with him in the front seat and hold him on my knee most of the time but he was very good. Enah. stayed down to dinner at Aunty's and Dad. came down after he got home from the Law's. Frank and I had dinner alone. About three o'clock I went down to Aunty's and left Frank asleep on the sofa. Huby was there and he Dad. Walter, Roy and I walked up to his place via the Dominion Hotel and Dave Waddle's in search of Dave but didn't find him, after inspecting Huby's garden and Bill Slocomb's buggy which Dad. thinks has been run considerably, we took a walk down to the Customs House stopping in to see Mr. Smith for a few minutes on our way down. While we were down there Dave Waddle came along with Geo. {Faulmsbe?} and Jack Davis. We went back to the house all of us but Huby. and I stayed there to tea. Dad. went home to do chores. Enah went up to her mother's to tea but left Tid. down at Aunty's and he and Rebecca had a good time chasing the cat. Jean Marks was there to tea and all of us but Aunty, Aunt Ida and the two kids went to church. Enah has played to-day as Elva jammed her finger in the safe door. Roy donned a surplice and sang in the choir at both services to-day. After church I walked home with Jean and was over there for a little while and then came back down to Aunty's to say goodbye to Roy who goes back in the morning. Dad. was there with Joe and I drove home with them soon after. It has been fine with a nice breeze to-day.</p> <p>Monday July 10th</p> <p>Frank raked the rest of the corner field this morning and Dad. &amp; I have been cocking up all day but didn't finish it. After dinner while Frank was down after the mail Dad. and I finished grinding the mower knife which Dad. &amp; Frank started on Saturday so we were late getting out. Frank started cutting the barley &amp; oat stubble along the side road. Walter &amp; Aunty were over to-night after tea. Fine &amp; hot. Walter is to go back to Regina to-morrow night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday July 11th</p> <p>It took Dad. and me till noon to cock up the rest of the corner field and Frank finished cutting the other field by noon, he left the south west corner of it for alsike along with the wheat stubble next to it. He went down and got the mail after dinner and I got a letter from Lloyd Jones inquiring about the lambs Douglas had told him we had some nice ones. I wrote him to-night. We got one load in after dinner but spent all the rest of the after noon getting the car on the track and the ropes &amp; pulleys in place ready for business, we just got our load off about six. Mrs. McBride was here to-day. It has been a fine hay day.</p> <p>Wednesday July 12th</p> <p>We got three loads in this morning but didn't put the last one off. We got out pretty early but Lloyd Crysler delayed us a little, he was in telling Dad. about a lame cow he had. Dad. said he would go over and see it if Lloyd would call for him at 4.30 but he didn't come. We have been getting out earlier lately as we all get up at five o'clock and Enah has breakfast ready before seven. It also makes a great difference havin the three of us in the field when we are hauling in. Frank loads and Dad. and I pitch on to-gether, we get on much faster and it is not nearly such hard work as when there is only one. This after noon Frank raked up the long field of clover along the side road which he cut yesterday and Dad. and I cocked up all the after noon. To-night Frank and I went for a swim in the pond just this side of the bridge at the bottom of Marshall's hill. Carl Coleman and a bunch from up town go in there every night, they have a spring-board rigged up so that they dive right into the deep hole where the man &amp; horse were drowned years ago It has been sunny but pretty breezy this after noon.</p> <p>Thursday July 13th</p> <p>We all three cocked up this morning and just finished the field at noon, and just as it began to rain, it rained two light showers one just at noon and one after dinner when we were unloading the load that was in the barn, we didn't go out for an hour or two as we thought it would be too wet to haul.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>but Dad. took Queen out and bathed her leg, the last one she hurt it seems to be in rather bad shape and badly swollen. About three o'clock we went out and found the hay was perfectly dry so got in two loads. While we were putting off the first load Enah and the baby who had been down town to dinner came home and Elva with them, soon after them Vernon Jean &amp; Betty came over and the whole four of them came out with us for the last load and seemed to have a dandy time in the hay and riding on the load. They stayed to tea and the Southerners had to leave right after to go to the bridge club but Elva stayed and I drove her down about ten o'clock. It has been hot to-day when it wasn't raining.</p> <p>Friday July 14th</p> <p>We got on fine this morning getting out early and getting four loads before dinner, but this after noon we had miserable luck with one load, the sling rope getting lost once, and an old one with a wire in it coming apart once and then the car sticking in the track like it did last year, we have come to the conclusion that that is caused by the horses going too slow and not givin the lift enough of a jerk into the car. They made two lifts of that from the barn floor and then didn't get it all. We got in three loads though, the last one I pitched to Frank alone as Lloyd Crysler came after Dad. to go and see his cow. We didn't get in with it till after six and didn't put it off. There is just one load left in the corner field. Hot.</p> <p>Saturday July 15th</p> <p>For some reason we didn't get on as fast to-day and only got in two loads this morning but had to change the car from one end of the barn to the other as the east bay is full enough to bother with till it settles a little. We got in three loads this after noon so that finished the corner field and took four loads out of the field along the side road, there is still quite a lot in there yet. Lloyd Jones came in for a little while this after noon, he motored down from Burford and bought the big lamb for $12.00, he wants him shipped the week after next. Frank and I went for a swim to-night. Very hot day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday July 16th</p> <p>We all went to church this morning but Frank and he went back to the woods and went to sleep. Roy was in church he came up yesterday to Brantford and down to Simcoe on the L.E.&amp;N. and Cars. Rankin went up there and got him in his car, and I took him back this after noon at five so he can get to Toronto to-night and be on time at the office in the morning. I had intended asking Geo. Clark to go to Vittoria with me to see the Dunkin girls but hadn't made any arrangements and they were in church so when I told them they asked me to come up next Sunday. After we got into church I was very surprised to see old Quint. come in, I had an idea once they got to Camp Borden they wouldn't be back again until they left for overseas anyway but Quint said that about five thousand left the camp last night three hundred of which belonged to the 133rd and came down on a special, they will get passes if they apply every weekend and he said Pratt who has been acting a little better up there made arrangements with General Login to have them paid every two weeks so they can come home. He said the camp was a horrible place and the boys all hate it, it is all just like a bonfire bottom, and almost unbearably dusty while the heat is fierce, an awful lot of them have been knocked out temporally by it, but they have good water and cool nights. Roy and I left about four but didn't go very fast so just caught the car and had no time to spare. I came around by Vittoria to see if I could hurry Charlie Dunkin up a little getting the old ram registered and it was dark when I got home. I picked a couple of fellows up on the road who were walking from Pt Ryerse to Dover. Mr. Johnson came over in his car to get Enah to go down and play the organ and he brought her back. it has been pretty hot and dusty to-day.</p> <p>Monday July 17th</p> <p>We finished hauling the field on the side road to-day. We thought we only had about three or four loads out but there were five and a half and it took us all day. We left the last half load on the barn floor and Frank hooked to the waggon and went down and got a load of boxes at Mr. James that he has been saving for us. Hot and looks a little like rain.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday july 18th</p> <p>Frank started to cut the field next the gully and west of the lane this morning and the mower has been going all day in there but it is not quite down yet. Dad. &amp; I ran the cultivator through the potatoes and turnips this morning, we used Belle. The ground was quite moist where we stirred it up but the bugs are at the potatoes badly. This after noon I hoed about half the turnips and Dad. cut while Frank hoed his garden and then Frank went back on the mower and Dad. hoed a few potatoes. Ben Ivey got the rake this after noon to rake up in his back field. He is beginning to howl for rain Things are getting very dry. It has been hot to day.</p> <p>Wednesday July 19th</p> <p>Frank finished cutting the field this morning but it took him longer than we expected and he didn't get through till about eleven. Dad. went over to Ivey's and got Ben to bring back the rake and when Frank got through cutting he hooked on to it and raked up what he cut first. I didn't do any thing much till then and then Dad. and I started to cock up. Frank raked for an hour or so after dinner but as it began to look a little like rain and the hay that was cut late yesterday was getting tough, he stopped and helped us cock up till it was time to do chores, we didn't quite finish. Ben came over again and got the rake as he had a little to rake up in his back field. To-night as we were milking Zeitha Barwell came in on horse back, she had Norman Holden's horse and saddle. She stayed awhile and then I rode Belle home with her. It has been another hot sultry day.</p> <p>Thursday July 20th</p> <p>We all three got out and cocked up for an hour or two this morning and then when Ben brought the rake back, Frank raked up the rest of the field that was in swathe and finished about noon, we cocked up all day and went out after tea and worked till after dark but had to leave a little more than a load uncocked it is a heavy crop and dandy hay mostly clover but a lot of alsike. When we came in for tea we found a note saying Enah &amp; Tid had gone for a motor ride with Elva &amp; Billy Baugner who is home on furlough to help on the farm. They didn't get back till we had our tea. Aunty</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Alice came over to-night with a fine mess of peas from her own garden and Frank and I walked down with her. Vernon joined us at the Woodson's so Frank and I just went as far as the bridge and then went for a swim. Looked more rainy to-day but very hot.</p> <p>Friday July 21st</p> <p>We hauled in six loads to-day. The first two we hauled out of windrow and the next was the poorest hay we could find in the field and we put them in the barn, then the first load after dinner we changed the car over to the horse stable and put three loads in there, changing the car took us a little while and probably kept us from getting in another load, but we hope to nearly if not quite finish it to-morrow. Dad. and Frank went down town to-night. Dad. got a notice of a Mr. Smith committee meeting and went down but didn't get to it, got his hair cut instead. They heard that Mr. Gus. Smith was killed on the T.H.&amp;B tracks near Hamilton.</p> <p>{Toby's father now writes the diary} Saturday July 22nd</p> <p>We beat all records to-day, hauled in 8 loads unloaded 7 in the horse stable and left one on the waggon in the barn, Roy and Vernon came over in the evening Just as Hattie, baby and I were about to start for town, so we did not go but Tobe and Frank went for a swim. Hot and dry.</p> <p>Sunday July 23rd</p> <p>Frank was not feeling well all day today as he took medicine that he got from Dr Cook last night. Hattie, Tobe, Timboy and I all went to church. Dick and Quint came back with Tobe for dinner here, the rest of us went to the James. In the afternoomn Tobe got Charlie Martins buggy and took Clark up to Vittoria and they had a great time, Billy Boughner brought me home and about 3 O'Clock and took Elva, Hattie and Mrs James and baby for a ride in his car, he brought Hattie and old Tim home about 5 and hattie made some sandwiches and w ehad a little tea out on the lawn. Very hot all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{24th and 25th July and beginning of 26th July entries are missing - Toby is now writing the diary}</p> <p>up, although Dad. went out after tea and worked till Dark and I tested my eggs to-night and only took out seven out of the sixty three. Lila was over all the after noon and Frank went down with her to-night. Still hot.</p> <p>Thursday July 27th</p> <p>Frank raked up the alsike this morning. We were late getting around as we were delayed by one of the ram lambs we found him when we went out frothing at the mouth and bloated. Dad. shoved a long tube down his throat and that took the bloat down. When I did get out this morning I cut three of my four plots of wheat with the sickle, it took me till noon as it was mostly grass and I didn't want to get any thing but the wheat if I could help Dad. helped me cut the fourth plot after dinner, we got a fair sized sheaf of each plot. We got the binder out this morning and Frank got one round cut on the wheat field before dinner, after dinner he &amp; Dad. finished the field and got the binder back in the barn before tea. I had to back and put Snowdrop and John out of Pickfords side hill field, they went through the culvert and we got the wheat all shocked up. To-night Frank borrowed Jack Martin's democrat and he and I took little Joe and went over to Tommy Jackson's after the bees but it was such a hot night they were hanging out on every hive so he told us we would have to wait till it was cooler.</p> <p>Friday July 28th</p> <p>We hauled hay to-day but didn't get very much done. We finished hauling off the field next the gully and west of the lane and got two and a half loads off it. We also hauled two loads off the field east of the lane. We put one load in the horse stable but that filled it up and we put the rest in the barn, it took some time to change the car. This after noon Neff. the District Representative came in to look at Frank's garden and said it was pretty good for being put in so late.</p> <p>Saturday July 29th</p> <p>Frank took the mower out this morning and started cutting the weeds on the old corn stubble</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>he was at it all day and finished up to-night. I didn't do any thing much this morning but drove Enah and Tid. down to the L.E.&amp;N. tracks where they embarked with the rest of the family for Scotland to attend the silver wedding anniversary of Cousin Harry &amp; Lizzy Langs. Dad. walked down to Aunty's a little before with some cream and came up to the car wth Aunty she being the only representative from that household. All of Huby's family went but Winnie, and Cousin Clare represented the Langs portion of the family in Dover. They came back on the five o'clock car all except Huby who had to go back after his hat and who brought Clark Langs and Marion his daughter down with him on the nine o'clock car. They had a great time and a very hot day and I guess there was an army of folks there. I spent the after noon cocking hay north of the orchard but didn't finish. Roy came down to-night with the bunch from Brantford. I went down to the dance to-night. I intended going to the picture show first but ran into the Miss Dunkin's and they wanted to go to the dance right away so I went with them, we picked Clark up over there and had a hot time of it. I hardly missed a dance but it nearly killed me, the lake flies were bad too. Frank and Enah went down to the show. Another very hot day.</p> <p>Sunday July 30th</p> <p>I wwent down early this morning to see if Roy wanted to go for a swim and found him in the pond at the foot of the hill by the bridge with Vernon and Rebecca, they had an extra bathing suit so I went in with them, Aunty took Rebecca home after she had a dip, she evidently enjoyed herself immensely. I went up to Auntys with them and got dressed and then tried to go to sleep but didn't have much luck. I didn't go to church but just lay around I did get some sleep. Enah drove Joe down and I tied her up outside the house and Dick drove her home. I stayed down there and we had dinner about two o'clock and then I went up to the Park as the Miss Dunkin's said they would be there with a lunch I found them alright but Clark had missed them and gone in bathing but he found us later on</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and the four of us had tea together of home made bread sandwiches and cake which the girls brought with them, after tea Miss Dunkin and I went to church and then up the creek, we didn't get back to the park till after dark quite a lot and poor Hazel was nearly wild thinking she had lost her sister, but after their happy meeting Clark and I escorted them to Faulkner's stable and saw them safely started for home. Very hot.</p> <p>Monday July 31st</p> <p>Last night was the first night it was too hot for me to sleep, and I have felt lazy to-day in consequence. Frank was pretty miserable this morning, he was very sick yesterday owing to some treatment he is undergoing at the hands of Dr. Cook. Dad. and I put off a load of hay that was on the waggon and then got in a load of wheat and put it off in the old barn. This after noon Dad. and Enah went over to the Martin's to the funeral of Dr. McGlaughlin, he died of heart failure or apoplexy or heat prostration last Friday while he was visiting up at his uncle's above Waterford. Dad. was one of the bearers. This after noon I went to sleep till Dad came home and then we got another load of hay in. Frank ran errands with Joe all morning and this after noon took the big team down to the mill and got some chop and when he came home went out and disked the old garden where it wasn't planted, he tried I think to rouse me up to some sort of action but I wouldn't rouse, to-night he and Enah planted some cucumber seed out in the old garden. Hot this morning but much cooler to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday August 1st</p> <p>We hauled hay to-day I don't remember how many loads we got in but we didn't break any records nor finish the field. To-night Frank and I went out to Tommy Jackson's and got the two hives of bees. We didn't get to bed till three o'cock and had a time getting them. I got stung a couple of times and Tommy about a dozen. It has been cooler to-day and quite cold to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday August 2nd (New Moon) Aunty Alice says a dry one Dad says nothing in it.)</p> <p>We finished hauling in hay off that field this morning, there wasn't much out there but Dad. put most of it on alone and I stayed in the barn to mow</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>away as the barn is getting so full. We changed the car to the other end of the barn and filled it up so that the barn is now as full as we can fill it without wasting a lot of time. The last half load we put off after dinner. Alan Law drove in to inform us they were going to thrash to-morrow and wanted some help. When he left Frank went out and started to cut the timothy field, and Dad. and I hauled in the rest of the wheat. There were only about three jags. Aunty Alice came over to dinner and Frank went down with her after tea. I went to bed before nine. Still cooler but very dry.</p> <p>Thursday August 3rd</p> <p>Frank has cut hay all day but didn't get out very early this morning. He finished cutting the timothy and then cut the grass &amp; weeds on the fall plowing between the wheat stubble and where Dad. replowed. He mowed over a bumblebees nest and one stung him over the eye and it swelled up so that he couldn't see out of it. This morning we waited around to see if they started thrashing over at Law's but as they showed no signs I went down town and bought a new lawn-mower with the money I got for the purpose on my birthday. Dad. sharpened the mower knives and tried to barricade the sheep out of Ivey's. Jack Martin borrowed our rack to haul in wheat. When I came home Dad &amp; I spudded some of the buckhorn around on the lawn. This after noon we went over and helped thrash Law's wheat. Dad. filled bags and I pitched on in the field with Eph. Innes. Sam had his two teams there and his own and Pickford's rack and had Colin &amp; Lloyd Ryerse driving teams and {Lat?} Robinson was there with his team and rack. We finished up about five o'clock and he only got 78 bushels off the 8 acres. It looked and felt very like rain this morning but didn't. The forest fires are again raging up in Northern Ontario or were a day or two ago. Two or three villages have been wiped out and about four hundred people killed.</p> <p>Friday August 4th</p> <p>This morning I raked up the timothy as Frank's eye being tight shut he couldn't see properly and said he couldn't see straight. He fixed his wheel and then helped Dad. bunch up the alsike</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Enah spent most of the day picking blackcurrants out in the old garden. Frank went down town after dinner and got the mail which contained an invitation for me to a party at Mrs. Hobbes this evening. This after noon we greased the waggon and got in one load of alsike and put it off over the granary in the old barn. To-night I went down to Mrs. Hobbes and tried to play five hundred with Miss Prest, Miss {Keenan?} &amp; Lewis Woodson. Ida, Miss Cowdry, Miss Bain &amp; Miss Buckwell and Geo. Clark were playing bridge. Douglas Skey came in about eleven o'clock and young Robinson a brother of Ellies came in about midnight. Bessie Lawrie was also there. We weren't very late. Hot and dry but breezy.</p> <p>Saturday August 5th</p> <p>It just rained enough this morning to keep us from getting out at the alsike for an hour or so. Dad. and I went out and blocked up some more holes under the fence where the sheep get through on to Ben Ivey's. We then started to thrash some of my wheat out as they wanted the report to-day if possible. Dad. thought it would be too tough to flail out so we did it with our hands It was an awful job It took us till noon to rub out and clean one sheaf the Banatka. I don't think we got as much seed back as we sowed but it was nice quality. This after noon we hauled in two loads of alsike but it bulks up so it hardly makes a hole in the field. To-night I went down to Aunty's and went for a swim in the creek and then up to the dance and had quite a time. Quint was there and was very anxious to go to Vittoria to-morrow to see the Miss Robinson's that are there from B.C. so he drove up with the Dunkin girls and I don't know whether he stayed there all night or not. I think he intended to. I rode up with them pretty nearly to Peter Bougner's and then walked home getting here about two o'clock or soon after. Hot.</p> <p>Sunday August 6th</p> <p>We didn't get up till late this morning but Enah and I got ready in time to drive down to church. Dick came over to dinner and we had some great ice cream that Enah &amp; Frank made with</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Quanbury's freezer. This after noon Dad. and I were to have gone out to Tommy Jackson's but Dad. felt sick and it was so hot we didn't go. I did some chores and then went to sleep, and didn't go anywhere but to bed to-night. I took 17 chicks out of the incubator to-day only 11 black ones and had to kill one of them It was a very poor hatch I think I must have put too much water in the machine. Frank went out on his wheel to view rhe ruins of Lige. Farr's big barn this after noon It was burned to the ground night before last. Very hot. Life scarcely worth living this weather.</p> <p>Monday August 7th</p> <p>We didn't get on very well to-day just got in two loads of alsike and pitched off three, but Dad. felt very miserable all day and this after noon he didn't come out to help us put on the load but helped put it off. The wind was also pretty strong which made it hard pitching. We have the mow so full now that we are not going to try to put any more in. We will have to stack the rest of the hay &amp; alsike unless we put a little in the old shed at the other barn. Much cooler to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday August 8th</p> <p>I woke up about three o'clock this morning and was so hot I couldn't get anything like comfortable. I heard it thundering and it seemed to be raining a little so as I heard Frank who was sleeping on a cot out on the lawn stirring around I got up and helped him move it to the hall. There was a little breeze coming from the West so I put the sheepskin down in front of the hall door and lay down there. I flounced around till I got pretty well off the mat on to the floor oilcloth which though cool was not very springy or soft and finally went to sleep with a faint breeze fanning me and a sort of drizzle coming in the screen door. Before morning I got so cooled off that I went back to bed and later even covered myself up. Dad. tried four different beds and then didn't get very comfortable so we spent a rather restless night. Dad. has felt a little better to-day but Frank has been completely knocked out and been in the house all day. The little rain we had although it didn't ammount to any more than a dew stopped us from hauling for a while so Dad. and I thrashed and cleaned</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the rest of my wheat. We cleaned up the old barn floor and spread the binder canvas down and Dad. thrashed it with a flail. It didn't take nearly so long and we were surprised at how clean we got it. We got the last one done after dinner and I filled up the report. I found the Imperial Amber was the best, Banatka next but with soft straw American Banner next and our own Common mixed poorest as far as yield in lbs. went but it wasn't a good test as the flats never did well and I am going to try it again; our wheat had quite a little ball smut in it but we didn't see any in what came from Guelph, it was all treated.</p> <p>It was getting on to three o'clock when we got through and we both felt like a holiday as Frank couldn't help us so we went out to Tommy Jackson's. We found Tommy running around with a broken single tree as some one had bought his waggon and double trees and he had to fix a new outfit up before he could haul in any more hay or oats. He was rigging up a waggon out of the {illegible} of an old seperator but stopped to show us his stuff and he certainly has a pile of it a lot of it just implements which he intends to fix over in the remaining years of his life some ime, but every thing he has made or fixed has been done properly, he is a crack workman and aparently knows the secrets of all crafts. When we came to the harness Dad. found he was just too late to get a dandy set of double harness, which Tommy said had taken four sides of leather to make it and was all handmade. It was old but not a strap broken on it and far better now than our harness was when we got it but Lige. Farr had bought it yesterday for eighteen dollars. Dad. was bewailing his hard luck in this and Tommy told him he had a set of single harness in the house which couldn't be beaten anywhere. It also was all handmade but not so old but Tommy said he didn't want to lose more than about eight dollars on it as he had only used it once or twice and he figured it had cost him about sixty dollars. Dad. at first wasn't going to look at it as he said he couldn't afford to pay forty five dollars, Tommy's price but Tommy brought it down from upstairs, and when Dad. saw it and thought that with care it would last</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>a lifetime, while an ordinary one will only be good for about ten years, he at last promised Tommy his price, Tommy said he could have it for six months without intrest and at five percent after that as long as he liked. It was a beauty Tommy had selected all the leather himself and said it was the best oak-tanned leather that could be had, he had also cut out the patterns Every ring and buckle on it is stamped solid nickel so it is a beauty or will be when it is cleaned up. Dad. told me afterwards he would give it to me for a 21st birthday present, so now with Queen and it I will be pretty nicely hooked up and I am going to take the old buggy to Simcoe as soon as I get a chance to have it fixed. We didn't get away from there till six o'clock so were late getting through with the chores. Cooler to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday August 9th</p> <p>We were all morning nearly this morning getting a load of hay but Dad. discovered Jim prostrated down in the gully very bloated and so punctured her, he said he let out a lot of gas and just saved old Jim's life. {Toby's father takes up the diary} for a little while at least. Tobe fell asleep at this stage so I will try and write this up to date. I no sooner finished with Jim than I discovered John going through the fence into the oats so I had to go and get her out and fix the fence, we hauled hay the rest of the day. Pretty hot and dry.</p> <p>Thursday 10th I forgot to enter in yesterday's diary that we went back at night and got Franks bees down out of the tree and brought them up, we took Jim a pail of water and some hay. Today we hauled hay and had to stack it and gathering it out of the windrow is a low. Whit Dixon came along in the forenoon and delayed us some time buying the steers he bought my two for $135.00 and Tobys for $52.50 or 7 cts per lb if he comes to more than that. It looks like rain tonight.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 11th</p> <p>We did intend cutting oats this morning but it looked so much like rain that we hauled hay and fixed our stack up it did sprinkle a few drops. After dinner we went at the oats Frank and I went back with the binder and Toby went back the lane to take Jim a drink he found poor old Jim past wanting water she was dead so we turned out early and as soon as Frank got up with the team he went over and got Ben Iveys stoneboat and after tea Toby went over to the old garden to dig her grave and Frank and I went back and got her after taking the hide off her and and putting her in and filling up the grave it was 12.30. It was a very cool night and I had a horrible toothache.</p> <p>{Toby resumes the diary}</p> <p>Saturday August 12th</p> <p>We got back at the oats this morning about nine o'clock, and Frank finished cutting at one I shocked up but had to go back to the house once to turn the windmill out. Dad went around with Frank most of the time but helped me shock up for awhile and after they got the binder loaded and Frank got started. It was about two o'clock when we left the field and after three when we had dinner. Dad then got dressed up and went down to Bill Lemon's to get his tooth fixed up but he found Bill just about loaded. He was up in the office and Sam {Fick?} was trying to get him to eat something. He could just mumble to Dad. that he couldn't fix his tooth to-day as he was "sh shick", so Dad. had to come home still suffering. Frank house cleaned the shop this after noon and I went to sleep. To-night Frank and I went down to Aunty's and had a swim in the creek, and Frank went up to get any mail tnat happened to be there. I was going up town but it began to rain so I stayed at Aunty's all night. Frank rode home on his wheel. It was a nice rain and lasted pretty well all through the night. Aunty Alice was up trying to telephone Vernon to find out how Roy was he has been suffering from indigestion, but couldn't get much satisfaction as the lines weren't working right and she had to talk to Vernon through the operator but found out Roy was better.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday August 13th</p> <p>I walked home this morning right after breakfast, but Dad. had most of the chores done, I just fed the chickens. Frank and I walked back down again to church, after which Aunty and Aunty Alice came over with me to dinner. Aunt Iday went to Port Rowan the night before last for a short visit with Miss Wood and it gives Aunty and Aunty Alice a chance to both get out at once. Frank came over with Dick and they picked Cousin Clair came up and she came over too. Mr. James was over this after noon. I hung around here till about four o'clock and then went down town. I bummed around with Pud. Slocomb till six o'clock and then went up to Huby's to tea. I saw the Miss Dunkin's this after noon and they said they were going to church to-night so Pud and I went too and for a walk afterwards We had quite a lot of fun but Mrs. Dunkin was down too so we couldn't stay long. The girls came down this morning with Mr. Johnson in his car and {then he?} drove down to take them home to-night. Dad's tooth was so bad this after noon that he went down to Dr. Smith's to-night and got him to pull it. It has been much cooler to-day.</p> <p>Monday August 14th</p> <p>Frank and I went to Simcoe this morning as the oats were a little too wet to haul from Saturday's rain. We got started about ten o'clock to take the old buggy up to Joe Coates to get fixed up and Frank wanted to go to Brook's to look at their suits. We met Win. down at the corner coming over to the farm so took her along with us to Simcoe. We went pretty slowly on account of the old buggy being in such a critical condition and it was getting on to noon when we arrived in town. We went first to {Name?} tannery with old Jim's hide but only got six dollars for it. We then went up to Coates and just caught him before he left in his car for Brantford. He told us he would put new rims on, set the tires, fix the top and paint it for a little under $20.00, so we were very pleased as we thought it would come higher than that without the painting which is eight dollars, but when we got home Dad. said he thought it would need new tires so I wrote to tell him. We then went down town to do our shopping but discovered it was Simcoe's civic holiday and every thing was closed up, however we got some thing to eat in at Lea's and some hay for Joesie at Burt's.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We then went over to the L.E.&amp; N. station as Frank and Win had to come down on the car. They missed the one o'clock car but for some reason or other another went down at half past one so they took it. I brought the little saddle up in the buggy so rode Joe home. I didn't come very fast, but got home before Frank, who had been down town some place. When he got home, he Dad. &amp; the baby went out with the waggon and cleaned up the rubbish around the old garden and the fence bottom between the corner field and the one north of it while I cut some of the thistles in the pasture field. This morning Dad, Enah and the baby went back to the woods and picked berries and Dad. shocked up some of the down oats. Nice day, cooler.</p> <p>Tuesday August 15th</p> <p>We hauled two or three loads of oats to-day and upset the first load on the side hill. It was a very neat upset waggon and all went and put the half load of oats we had on in a nice heap but didn't break a thing.</p> <p>Wednesday August 16th</p> <p>We finished hauling our oats out to-day. We hadn't much of a harvest, the oats and barley were good though what we had I think there were only five loads altogether and they together with the wheat just come up to the second {beam?} in the old barn. I am not writing this account very fully as it is over a week ago now since I wrote last. Frank took the mower back and finished cutting the weeds over {there?} on the fall plowing.</p> <p>Thursday August 17th</p> <p>Dad. had to go over this morning and help Pickford thrash and was over there all day but they didn't do much all morning something was broken. Frank and I &amp; the baby went down town in the waggon and got a load of sawdust for Queen's boxstall some provisions a cedar post to put the mail box on and the mail box. We spent all the after noon dressing the post and putting up the mail box but made a good job of it. The only trouble was they had the name stencilled the name on the box with just one r. which made Dad. furious. I got a cwt of stuff from Charlie Ivey to-day to crate fatten some chickens I have to make a crate</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Toby's father takes up the diary}</p> <p>Friday August 18th</p> <p>Frank and I went to Pickfords to help him finish his Alsike, he was in a terrible state with his cracked ribs. We finished about 10-30, he had a little more than 6 bags. I came home as soon as we were done and Frank went to the creek for a swim. Hot and dry still, in the afternoon we hauled hay and put it up over the shed.</p> <p>Saturday August 19th</p> <p>{Bow------?} are having their picnic in Simcoe today. We hauled hay in the forenoon and had a small load to haul after dinner then Frank and I burned weeds on the old corn ground. We put up two bees next to Tobe and he got 3 stings and has a lovely eye, he and Frank went down town in the evening. It has been very hot and no sign of rain.</p> <p>Sunday August 20th</p> <p>Toby and Frank went to church the rest of us stayed home. Dick came over before the others he did not go to church. {Name?} and Alice came to dinner and in the afternoon Elva and Byron came over. The boys all went of after dinner. Grl Hausker brought Elva over and Dick went back with him. Toby took Quint to Vittoria {Toby resumes the diary} in Charlie Martin's buggy. It was late when we got started and arrived at the Dunkin's just a little before six but we told them last night we wouldn't be up early. We had tea then went for a walk down to the mill and sang songs. When we came back we lay out on the lawn till about one o'clock and then Quint and I came home and Quint slept and I dozed most of the way home.</p> <p>Monday August 21st</p> <p>Frank and I went down in the waggon and got a load of slabs as well as some other things. It took us all morning. Dad. shined up the nickelon my new</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>harness. This afternoon Frank and Dad. burned the weeds on the old corn stubble and I worked some more at my chicken fattening crate. Huby came over and got Dad. to go down to tea with him and cut the tails of his two field spaniel pups which he got from some fellow in St. Thomas. We did up the chores and then Frank and I went down town. I stayed down at Aunty's all night so as to get started at seven thirty our picnic in the morning Terribly hot &amp; oppressive.</p> <p>Tuesday August 22nd</p> <p>I got down to the dock at half past seven this morning and we waited around till nearly eight for some one else to come as {Name?} said Miss McInnes telephoned him that there were two to go from here at last Pud. Slocomb came along, Frances had brought him an invitation from the church concert last night. We picked the main picnic about twenty up at Port Ryerse and went from there over to the East End Lighthouse. I don't know how long it took us or at what time any of our proceedings took place but we had our dinner as soon as we got there and after that Cook the lightouse keeper showed us all around we went to the top of the lighthouse and saw the revolving light which is a wonderful bit of work especially the lens or prisms which throw the light so far. He also blew the foghorn for us and explained the wind velocity register. We all went to his house and signed our names. On our way back we stopped at the Anderson property and went in there for a few minutes. There was quite a sea on coming home and some of the elder ladies felt a little sick but we managed to get to Port Ryerse without any great trouble. The two Dunkin girls were very anxious to come down to Dover with Pud and me, go to the show and let Pud take us back to Vittoria but their mother objected and as she was sick they didn't like to do it. We got home about eight and had a dandy day. It was very hot here they say.</p> <p>Wednesday August 23rd</p> <p>Dad. and I finished building my fattening crate this morning Dad. nearly finished it yesterday. Old Felix came over to fix the suckers in the pump as it hasn't been working properly lately and Frank</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>told him on Sunday he had better come and have a look at it. He was here till after twelve so had dinner. He put new suckers in but I don't know that it works much better. It throws a better stream but has to be primed. This after noon we went back and burned the weeds that Frank had cut on the piece which wasn't plowed but the fire would run on the fall plowing it was to thin. John Wess was plowing in his back field and said it was pretty hard. Cooler to-day.</p> <p>Thursday August 24th</p> <p>Dad. and Frank took two teams back this morning Frank to mow the weeds in the back field and Dad to rake them up on the fall plowing. I went back to open the gate for Dad. as he had the little team on the rake and couldn't leave them. When I got up behind the barn on my way back I heard a car honk and saw someone in the lane so when I got up I found it was Miss Herring and her cousin Miss Bain in a car belonging to a Mr. Harvey who brought them over. They had come to invite me to a picnic this after noon at Fisher's Glen and said they had been here ever so long but couldn't find anyone about the place. I told them I would be delighted to go at half past one so I had to hustle around to get ready, but got down alright in time. They were going in Harry Smith's launch and were just debating whether there would be too much sea or not as there was quite a breeze from the south west. However after every one arrived we all piled in and got out about as far as the breakwater and found there was quite a sea a couple of waves splashed up against the bow window and drenched all the ones in the bow of the boat and several of the ladies and they say Col. Smith were very frightened so we turned back. Harry could have taken us he said but thought under the circumstances it was the best thing to do. When we got back to dock there was quite a time deciding what to do next. Col. Smith, Jack Martin &amp; Mr. Hobbes wanted to go up creek for the rest of the picnic but Lewis, Miss Herring and the rest who got it up wanted to get cars and go to Port Ryerse. Mr. Harvey offered to take two loads in his car and went and got it Lewis &amp; Miss Herring went up to get Faulkner's but although the car was there they couldn't find Al. In the meantime Col. Smith had made arrangements with Harry Ansley for one of his flat bottomed pound net boats and a couple of the fishermen had gone over and got it and fixed it up</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>with clean new fish boxes for seats so when Mr. Harvey arrived with his car and the others of the Port Ryerse faction they thought every thing was now settled for their wishes to be carried out and so it would have been but Col. Smith kicked and said those that wanted to could go but he was going up creek so to avoid any further trouble Mr. Harvey took his car back and we all went up creek. Dad. Brook and another fisherman took us up and called for us again at seven. They left us at the far end of the straight water at Will Smith's place and we had a dandy time. Two or three of us fished before tea but had no luck except Louise Herring who caught a mudcat and threw it back. Col. Smith and Jack Martin built a fire in an old stump and cooked a dandy supper fried eggs and bacon and hot coffee. We all ate enough to kill us. After tea we played Nuts and in May and had a lot of fun. I got yanked all over the place Lewis Woodson was champion he pulled them all but Jack Martin. He pulled Col. Smith over and so did Jack which made the Col. very mad. Mr. Hobbes had a headache but took several pictures of us and one of Miss Cope or her leg while she was lying down behind a log to dry out after her sousing with the waves. At supper the Col. said "Well I got soaked in that launch but I daren't tell you where" and Miss Cope said " Oh I know where, I got it in the same place." Ont the way back the batteries played out and the engineer had to get out and tow us. It was pretty hard work and slow till Lewis got out and helped him row. When we got to town we all but Miss Prest and the Cowdry's went to the picture show and saw Granstork. Lewis and I went home with Miss Bain &amp; Miss Herring and I got home about a quarter past twelve. Tom brought me up the creamcan full of buttermilk to-day and I started feeding fifteen cockerels.</p> <p>Friday August 25th</p> <p>Frank finished mowing the field of weeds this morning and this after noon cut the little side hill across the ditch from the oat stubble. Dad. disked witht the big team till Frank finished mowing and then Frank went on and disked and Dad. brought the little team up through the gully and Frank brought the mower up with him at six. Dad. cut weeds with the scythe after he came up and went back at six to help Frank out of the gates</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>with the mower. I just chored around and tried to pull buckhorn out of the lawn this afternoon and did a little raking. This morning the baby and I went down to Aunty's and cut her corn that has all the ears picked off it and made one shock of it. We stayed there to dinner. It hasn't been quite so hot to-day.</p> <p>Saturday August 26th</p> <p>Frank has been disking all day on the oat stubble. They came to the conclusion that the fall plowing was too hard in spots. Dad. mowed the pig weed which comes up thick in the garden and a very even crop they were and also cut the weeds in the plum orchard. I raked up a little on the lawn and when he got through with the team I hooked to the waggon and went back and borrowed John Wess' cement anchor post mould and am going to try at put a few up next week while Dad. &amp; Frank are working on the land or drawing out manure. This after noon Dad. and I dug one hole. We did it with John's spud and spoon and made it five feet deep but it took a long time. To-night Enah's brother and his whole family came in in a car. Mr. &amp; Mrs James &amp; Steward stayed here all night but Jean, Adelena and Fred Johnson who was with them stayed down town at the James. Cooler and cloudy to-day.</p> <p>Sunday August 27th</p> <p>All hands went to church this morning. We all went down in Mr. Jame's car although it was quite a squeeze and Dad. was scared half to death. After church he went up to cut the tail of another pup Huby got from the same litter as his first two. I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner and the rest all went over in the car and also Winnie and Miss McAlpine a friend of hers from Caledonia. Jean and Adelena went over too but Mrs. James stayed down at the old James and Mr. James brought the car back and stayed there to dinner. Dick wasn't in church but walked over and was there when the bunch arrived. They said he didn't get down town till about four o'clock this after noon, then they all went down except Dad. who had to keep his eye on the sleeping baby When I got home long after six Dad. was just getting out to do chores as the baby had just wakend up and he daren't leave him before. The others didn't come home till about ten o'clock I guess and Dad. the baby</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and I had our tea alone. Jean and Adelena came back with them to-night. I had a very nice after noon Went over to the Herring's cottage and found that Miss Bain, Miss Whitney, Lewis Woodson &amp; Douglas Skey had walked to Port Ryerse for a picnic and Louise had gone part way with them but was coming back so I went down and met her just a little way up with the little Cook girl. We came back and went down town to call on Ada. She wasn't home when we first went up but we sat down and she appeared presently so we spent the rest of the after noon there. I stopped in at Aunty Alice's on my way home and got some corn. I also rat across Uncle Ward on my way home and he showed me his different potato patches which are as clean as a whistle but nothing on them. We didn't make any arrangements for a hay load party this after noon as Louise has hay fever and says she wont be able to go but insists upon us having it. Cooler to-day we had quite a shower this morning.</p> <p>Monday August 28th ( ) "Another dry moon" says Aunty Alice though still scoffed at by Dad.)</p> <p>The automobile party left here about eight or a little after they didn't get away quite as soon as they had hoped and had to go down town I suppose to pick up Fred. We were late getting out and Dad. and I went out to our anchor posts again while Frank cleaned some perch he got from Mrs. Quanbury. We spent most of the morning getting the stakes lined up to suit us as we were in a sort of a quandry what to line to or sight from, but at last we started to sink the holes and trust to luck at having them straight. Charlie Ivey and Bob. Leitch were out on the road fixing the hole in the road over the culvert. This after noon Frank and I took Joe and Belle down town on the waggon to get some cement and a couple of 7/8 inch rods for reinforcement to the anchor posts. They were nine feet long and cost us 85 cts apiece the cement was $1.55 a bbl {barrel}, so we figured the posts would come pretty high when we got them built. When we got home we went over to Art. Quanbury's and got his flat rack to mix our cement on. Dad. started out after dinner to plow but had to change the shear on his plow and spent most of the after noon getting the old shear off so didn't get back till about four o'clock or half past. He got a few rounds plowed but says it is very hard but not the least bit bumpy. Quite cold this morning &amp; night. Cool all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday August 29th</p> <p>Dad. has been plowing all day. Frank and I put up one anchor post. We didn't get started till about nine o'clock and didn't know what sized batches of grout to mix up so it took us till after one to get the thing finished. We didn't like to leave till we had dinner for fear the two batches wouldn't knit together. We used nearly a bag and a half of cement which Dad. thought was too much but he asked John Wess and he said that was about what he used. Dad. came out at noon and helped us finish. Art. Quanbury stopped on his way to and from the farm to make a few suggestions. He thought the reinforcing was too expensive and thought that pipe posts which could be got for 26 cts apiece and were 7 ft long would do as well but John Wess didn't think they could be much account at that price. Dad. saw him this after noon. Art. also thought that stubs in the ground for braces instead of full length posts would be just as good but John Wess says not for him. He says if it is not wired from the top of the brace posts it is bound to give a little at the bottom when the ground is soft and an inch give at the bottom gives enough at the top to let the fence go slack, so I guess if we want to be sure of things we hadn't better try to cut down expence. This after noon Frank and I put down or nearly did two more holes. We didn't get started till late as we were doing chores. Cooler.</p> <p>Wednesday August 30th</p> <p>We ran the binder out of the barn this morning and Dad. helped us try to get all the sheep in the barn to separate the rams from the rest of the flock but they didn't want to go in the barn so we left them till noon and Dad. went back and plowed and Frank and I went out and took the mould off our anchor post and spent a good part of the morning admiring it. It certainly looks fine but we won't be able to stretch the wire to it for a year yet and I know I will be scared stiff then for fear it will break. Lewis Woodson came over while we were at it and invited me down to Supper to-night. Aunty, Aunty Alice and Cousin Clare all came over to dinner. Frank and I spent the remainder of the forenoon gathering the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>burs out of the orchard so that the sheep wouldn't get them in their wool. After dinner we managed to get the sheep in the barn and separated the rams and put them over in the orchard. We had all the "women folks" out helping us and then had quite a time of it. Dad. didn't get started back till about three but plowed till six. After he went back Frank and I put up a gate at the end of the orchard in to the lane so that the sheep could run on the wheat stubble and old {meadow?} but not get under the bars. Frank then went down town to get a plow shear sharpened and I cut the weeds in the front lane and some thistles in the sheep pasture I quit a five and got ready and went down to the Woodson's for tea. Louise Herring and Amy Bain were there so I had a very pleasant time. We had a game of croquet before tea and afterwards all went down to the picture show and then around with the girls to the cottage where we had watermelon and cake and joked around till twelve o'clock. Cooler to-day and quite cold to-night.</p> <p>Thursday August 31st</p> <p>Ben Ivey was over last night to get Dad. too look at a lame sow, and said he wanted to get some help for the next two weeks to get his work all finished and then he is going back on the road for the winter, so Frank went over this morning to pick tomatoes for him. Dad. went over to see his sow and says she seems to have sprained both of her front fetlocks. Ben knew it was some thing like that as she did it going down the hill at the gully. One of our ram lambs got back with the ewes out of the orchard and I put him back but I couldn't find out where he escaped. Dad. went back and plowed till noon and I deepened one of our anchor post holes enough to build the post although I didn't put it down the full five feet. It took me long enoug to put it down six inches more. I also got sand enough measured out to make a batch of grout to fill the hole to ground level. This after noon Frank had to go back to Ben's for awhile so Dad. helped me put up another post and it took us all the after noon. Tommy Jackson and Lorne came along and talked for an hour. Tommy said we were very foolish to pay such a price for our centre rods that we could get angle posts just as good and strong for thirty cents. He also told</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>us to be sure to keep the post well watered. Frank got through at Ben's early as Ben went to Brantford and so Frank borrowed his rack and went down and got eight more bags of cement. He and I went out after tea and loosened the nuts on the mould as John Wess said it would warp if we didn't. Cold nights &amp; hot day.</p> <p>Friday September 1st</p> <p>Frank worked at Ben's all day raking (with our rake) and hauling &amp; stacking clover seed. Dad. plowed this forenoon and I went out and took the moulds off our post and deepened the other hole for the brace post. This after noon Dad and I put it in. We made it tall like John Wess said but Dad. and I had a hot argument about it. He was bound that with a stub in the ground and a wire from the top of it to the bottom of the anchor post and a brace from the top of the anchor post to the top of the stub or the same point as the wire went that the anchor post would give more at the top than at the bottom if the stick gave at all in soft ground {Toby has sketched a drawing of his description} and I was bound that it couldn't, if it came at all it had to come at the bottom as at the top because if the top gave an inch the brace would free the stub an inch at the point where the wire bore on it and that would free the wire an inch over at the stub and unless it stretched which I don't think it does it would pull it an inch at the anchor post and as it is fastened to the bottom of the anchor post it would have to come an inch with it and yet the top couldn't come more than an inch on account of the brace. It looked plain enough to me but Dad. had got some idea in his head that as a thing always moves faster at the top than at the bottom the anchor post would have to cant if it moved at all and I couldn't convince him any other way. We argued most of the dinner away and all the time we each knew we couldn't convince the other and that if we did the other wouldn't admit it so we finally quit. I went down town to-night to see Helen Dunkin who with her mother is keeping house at the Rectory while Mr. &amp; Mrs Johnson is away on his holidays. It rained a little shower and wet things up a little so I stayed at Aunty's all night.</p> <p>Saturday September 2nd</p> <p>Frank worked at Ben's all day and Dad. plowed but didn't quite finish as he didn't get out till about three</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This is a repeat of the previous page}.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>o'clock after dinner. I didn't get home this morning till about eight or after and by the time I got my clothes changed and some chores done it was getting pretty late to start anything. I went out and wet down the three anchor posts and then decided to get Dad. to help me carry out a gate to measure the proper distance between the next post we are going to build and the first one we built, so I didn't start another post hole but went back to where Dad. was plowing and on over to where John Wess was hauling out manure with his new Massey-Harris low down manure spreader, he says he likes it to load much better than the high ones but I don't believe it spreads as well as it has an endless apron and no tailboard to hold the manure up to the beater. I started the argument with him about the brace posts and he explained it satisfactorly by saying the wire would stretch, which I didn't know and of course it is easily seen that there is not nearly the strain on the wire whent it is fastened to the long brace post on at the top as when it is fastened to the stub because as Dad. said the natural tendency for the brace post would {Toby has sketched a drawing of his description} be to move faster at the top than at the bottom but it can't with out taking the bottom of the anchor post with it. This after noon</p> <p>Dad. and I took the gate out and meausred between the posts and as we were putting it back Whit Dixon came in and talked for quite awhile. He told us that Bagley &amp; Miller had their store advertised for sale in the "Globe". When he went Dad went back to plow and I did a few chores then caught three of Jack Martin's roosters and took them home. The fourth one was out in the field somewhere so I didn't take him. From there I went down to the mill to ask Charlie Ivey the address of Silverwoods Lmtd. to ship my crate fattened chickens to. When I got back from there I caught the little ram lamb which had got with the ewes and took him up with the others after first practising a little trimming on him I didn't improve his appearance much this time but maybe another operation will. I went down town to-night and got my hair cut. Nice day but almost frosty to-night.</p> <p>Sunday September 3rd</p> <p>We all went to church this morning, Loudon &amp; Jack Ivey came over just before church in their car to have Dad. look at Jack's dog again which has distemper and which Dad. doesn't think will recover. They took Dad. Enah &amp; Tid down in the car. Sam Law was in too just before they left to see if</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>we wanted to thrash this week but Dad. didn't think we could get ready. Frank and I walked down to church. Cousin Willie officiated as Mr. Johnson is away on his holidays. Every body expressed great delight at the service and I didn't go to sleep during ther sermon. Zeitha Barwell was there for the first time this summer I think and sang a solo. She and I made arrangements for a ride to-night. The Dunkin girls were there and wanted me to go over there this after noon I wasn't very anxious to but said I would go for a while. Aunty and Aunty Alice came over to dinner and Dick was here when we got home, he slept too late to get to church and was disappointed as he wanted to hear Zeitha sing. He and I went down to-gether after dinner and I fooled around with the Dunkins for an hour or more and got home about five. I wanted to get up to Barwell's about six but Winnie and her two friends from Caledonia Miss McAlpine &amp; Miss Lyons were here to tea so that delayed us a little and by the time we got the milking done, our horses saddled and up there it was seven o'clock Frank rode Joe up as Zeitha hasn't a horse of her own now to ride and I thought it would be awkward leading Joe. Frank waited there with Bill till we came back. It was after dark but there was a week old moon and it was cool so we had a great ride down the Radical as far as the town limit and then back up to the brick schoolhouse and accross to the Gravel and down to the Barwell's. We went rather slowly so it was pretty late when Frank and I got home. He and Bill had been back to the Cadet Camp on Fred. Duan's place Frank had been up there this after noon. Nice cool day.</p> <p>Monday September 4th - Labor Day.</p> <p>Dad. and Enah both felt rather tough to-day for some reason or other. They had colds and sore throats, the baby wasn't very well either. This morning Dad. and I went along the east side of the lane and tried to fix the fence at the bottom so that the rams couldn't get under. I then took the other rooster of to Jack Martins and went in to borrow Charlie's buggy for Dad. Charlie was knocked out too. To-day was the first anniversary of the Shand's school reunion of Mrs. Dolly Smith's pupils and all the people in the section got an invitation. Dad. and Enah were going but didn't know what time it was till Meritt Walker came in and on his way out to get Dad's advice about a horse with an colic and said they were to meet out there at eleven o'clock, and have</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>dinner at twelve. It was too late then for them to go to dinner but Dad. thought they would go out after noon so I took Joe over and got Charlie's buggy but by the time they got there it was nearly over - and all they could do was to say Hello! to everybody, but they went on out to the Shands for tea and all evening so had a good time I guess. Frank spent the morning digging at another post hole and this after noon he filled up the hole in the stable floor back of Joe with cement while I pulled the burrs along the lane fence and wet down the anchor posts. We then stretched barbed wire along the top of the fence on the west side of the front lane between the drivehouse and the road where old Harry. bent the fence over leaning over it. After we did chores and had tea Frank hiked for bed as he has to work for Ben to-morrow but I waited till the rest came home.</p> <p>Tuesday September 5th</p> <p>I got up at five this morning but as Dad. didn't feel very well I got the cows and milked. Frank had to work over at Ben's to-day picking and sorting tomatoes. Dad. didn't feel much like working but did chores and oiled up the manure spreader but we didn't get out with it before dinner. I took Charlie Martin's buggy back with out hooking up to it and then came back and harnessed the team and went down to the mill to get a couple of bags of hay feed. This after noon I started a compost heap between loads and we got out six loads of manure on the corner field. Lila was over after school and got a lot of Frank's old school books. Hot to-day and looks very like rain. Flys very bad.</p> <p>Wednesday September 6th</p> <p>We didn't get started hauling manure till about ten o'clock this morning on account of chores and getting a late start, so we only got out ten loads all day. Dad. didn't feel very well either. Frank was over at Ben's all day. Bent took a load of tomatoes to Hagersville this morning and got 35 cts a basket for them on the market. There are about 3 baskets in a bushel. Frank was all alone over there this morning. I went on with my compost heap and did odd jobs between loads. Art. Quanbury was in at noon to borrow the post auger to make some anchor post holes he wants to put in some cement posts He brought it back to-night and said the ground was too hard. Hot.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday September 7th</p> <p>We got a fairly good start this morning but only got out thirteen loads all day. I just chored around between loads. Tom Abbot was late coming for the cream this morning, he said he had been up at Charlie McQueens. He says it is a happy bunch Charlie has just got back from the {Fair?} and they have more whiskey than they have water. Charlie is full as a goose and Bruce is full they're all full, but the womans and Tom says if he'd stayed any longer he'd have been full. Frank has been over at Ben's all day. About six o'clock we had a great old rain next thing to a cloud burst we all got soaked to the skin, but were glad to see it. I went down town to-night and went up to see Marj. she and Glad. Law got back safely. I then went up to Huby's to see Quint all the soldiers came home to-night on a six day leave Quint and I went down to look at the dance The London Harpers were down but their train was late and there was a very small crowd I suppose owing to the wet night and the lateness of the season This was the last dance We didn't go in but saw Joe Thompson and Helen Dunkin outside and talked to them for quite awhile and then all four of us went up to the Rectory where Helen is all alone and were there till nearly one. It began to rain again about midnight and was raining when we left. I stayed all night at Aunty's.</p> <p>Friday September 8th</p> <p>I came home by the mill this morning as I left my umbrella up at Huby's last night and borrowed one from Helen Dunkin so returned hers and got ours and came home around the other way as it is just about as short from Huby's. I haven't done a tap all day. Aunty and Aunty Alice were over to dinner and all the after noon I had a nasty pain so just lay around on the sofa. Dad. went back with the big team and disked on the fall plowing and said it worked fine except for the grass. I went back about five o'clock and got the cows Zeitha came down to-night for a ride but I couldn't go with her but Frank went and they had a great time. It was a beautiful cool moonlight night. Zeitha stayed here all night. Frank worked all day for Ben. Cloudy and cool all day.</p> <p>Saturday September 9th</p> <p>Dad. has been disking all day but didn't quite get over</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the piece. Ben Ivey was over with one of his horses this morning which has a very bad case of Fistulas Withers Dad. opened it for him but says he is afraid the horse is ruined I took Joe and Belle over and borrowed Ben's little orchard disks and worked up a piece on the north end of last years barley stubble which was plowed last fall and again this spring and which we never got our buckwheat in on for my experimental plots. I got from the Experimental Union this fall seed of winter Emmer and Winter Barley It worked up nicely but will need harrowing and rolling to smash the lumps. The roller is out of commission and I was going to take the harrows out this after noon but couldn't find our doubletrees except the ones on the waggon and I didn't have a clevise that would fit them so I finished disking it crosswise and left it. Frank worked all day for Ben and got fifteen dollars from him to-night Ben paid him two dollars a day Enah and the baby went down town this after noon Zeitha walked home before dinner. Flossie Shand was in this morning and invited Dad. and Enah to go with them in their car to visit Maimie to-morrow. Warmish</p> <p>Sunday September 10th</p> <p>The Shands came in the car this morning for Dad. Enah &amp; Tid in time to get to St. John's church, then they had dinner and spent the afternoon at the Baker's and got back here to tea. Frank and I went down to church and Frank rode home on his wheel to do the noon chores and then came back to Aunty's for dinner Dick wasn't at church but got down to church dinner. Morton Brown the piano-tuner took the services both morning and evening. This after noon I went over to the Herring's to inquire after Louise as Lewis Woodson told me this morning that she had been in bed with her hayfever. She was up this after noon, however, and I was there all the after noon, Ada came over and we all three walked down town. Louise gave me a pressing invitation to stay to tea but as I didn't know that Dad. would be home I told her I had to come back to do chores but promised to be back after tea. I did go over but was rather late as I met Marj. &amp; Glad Law coming out of church and walked down to the pier with them. When I got to the Herring's, Lewis &amp; Louise had gone home with Ada, but they came back before I left, and I was there for about an hour. Mrs. Woodson invited me in on my way home to have a piece of cake and I was there for another half hour. Huby and Quint went to the Point yesterday with the Iveys and were to have been back this after noon. Cool and breezy.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday September 11th</p> <p>Sam. Law went past this morning and asked Dad. if he would be ready to have them pull in here this after noon after they thrashed Ben Ivey out but Dad said 'No.' However on thinking it over he thought it would be better to thrash before seeding so as to have some feed and so I went down with the big team and waggon and got a load of slabs while Dad. cleaned out the barn and got all ready for them. I was down about all morning but got a good load. Enah went down with me and got some vegetables and some dandy tomatoes over at her mother's and I brought them home on the load. This after noon Dad. went over to Ben's to see Sam but John Wess had spoken to him over at Charlie's so he has to go there next but will be here to-morrow, probably by after noon as they just moved to John Wess to-night and didn't thrash any. I didn't do anything much this after noon. My cold made me feel rotten and I went in the house and went to sleep. Dad. continued to prepare.</p> <p>Tuesday September 12th</p> <p>I walked down town right after breakfast and got some meat for the thrashers and spoke to Chris for a man from Martins and also told Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice. They came over about noon. Quint was over for a few minutes this morning in civilian clothes. He has to go back to Camp Borden this after noon. He says he is pretty sure they will get another leave before they go overseas and some of them think they won't go over this winter but stay in Simcoe again. The thrashing outfit pulled in and got all set up before dinner and we got thrashed out early in the after noon Frank Odd. and Pickford were the only two extra men we asked for but old Tom came up and said Sam had sent him to pay us for helping him at Pickford's. Ben let Frank off for the after noon. I felt pretty rotten but pitched on the feeder. We only got 115 bushels of oats &amp; barley and about 25 bushels of wheat. The grain is small but nice The wheat I think has a little midge in it. I didn't do anything after we finished. Tonight Dad. and I went over to Quanbury's and each had a good hot bath in their bath tub. Looked like rain but didn't come.</p> <p>Wednesday September 13th</p> <p>I had to take Joe down and have her shoes set this morning before I went to Simcoe for the buggy</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>so I rode her down. When I got there I found she had lost one front shoe so Bert Greenbury had to put a new one on. Bob Law and Albert Newcombe were in the shop and there was great interest evinced all around in a story Greenbury had told about young Fred Misner out here on Clark Mathews place giving Val. Leany a trimming last night. It seems they were up at McBains where Val. was hauling some lumber for McPherson &amp; Nunn and made some uncomplimentary remarks about Farmers whereat Misner indulged in some repartee that Val. said he had never taken from anyone. Fred. then remarked that he would have to take it this time but Val. thought differently and got off his waggon, came back and made a "pass" at Misner, but Misner "wasn't there" but was there presently with a clip on the jaw for Val. which sent him to his knees, Val got up and clenched but Fred got away and hit him again, and then again this time flooring him, then George Nunn stopped the scrap. Nobody seems to know much about Misner but he must be a pretty good man to handle Val. I waited over at Aunty's till Joe was done. I rode up town to post a letter before I went home and met Louise Herring and her mother so said good-bye to them as they are to leave to-night. This after noon I rode to Simcoe but didn't get started till after two. When I got just above the half-way-house I found Joe had lost the new shoe Bert put on this morning so I had to go pretty slowly the rest of the way up and all the way home. I got the buggy and it looks fine and has a dandy set of wheels on it. I stopped to get the evener for the spreader at Anderson's and some rock salt at Edmond's and it was after eight when I got home. I found I had left Joe's halter in Simcoe. Dad. has disked all the after noon. Frank is getting to be king over at Ben's. Ben has to leave to-morrow night for Brantford, and then Frank will have to run the ranch and boss Mrs. Bush who is picking tomatoes.</p> <p>Thursday September 14th</p> <p>Dad. disked all day and has the field pretty well cut up but there are still a lot of grass and weed roots in it. I drove down this morning to get Joe's shoe put on and took the baby with me and left him at Aunty's while I went on up town to get some things and see if my chicken crate came to ship my live cockrels to London but it hadn't I saw Huby for a while and it was just about noon when we got home. They heard from Aunt Hattie and she expects</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to arrive here to-morrow night. This after noon I just chored around and got all the loose straw around the stack packed in the barn. Helen and Mrs. Dunkin were over to call on Enah to-night. It sprinkled rain this afternoon and evening but didn't ammount to much</p> <p>Friday September 15th</p> <p>Dad. disked all morning but had to use Harry &amp; Belle as old Nellie is quite lame. I did chores and then took a walk over to ask Mr. Fleming if we might have his diamond tooth harrows to us on that piece across the gully to rake the grass roots out. He was plowing in his back field next Art Ryerse's and I walked down along the creek &amp; up through the woods. He said he wouldn't be using them before Monday, so that we might as well take them. I went over and talked to Art. till about noon. He was plowing too and Lloyd was disking. They got through seeding about a week ago but when they found this plowed so nicely, they thought they would put in a little more. This after noon I did up the chores then took Nellie &amp; Joe down and got Mr. Flemming's harrows and took them back to Dad. He was just through disking so hooked on to them but they wouldn't work at all as the grass just bundled up thick under them, so he went up and got the horse rake and tried to rake the grass up with it but it wouldn't work either so he is going over tomorrow and borrow Martin's spring tooth cultivator. I took Ben Ivey's disks home and then put the team in. Frank had to go to Jarvis to-day with a load of tomatoes, and had a great day of it. He and I went down town to-night and saw Aunt Hattie. All of Huby's family were down there. I was up for a little while to see Marj. Quite cold &amp; cloudy.</p> <p>Saturday September 16th</p> <p>I had to take Elgitha up to Ham Thompson's again this morning and that took most of the morning as I was up there quite awhile and had an awful time getting her up there alone. She got away from me just at his gate and if it hadn't been for a little kid heading her off I don't know how I would have caught her. This after noon I did chores and took Mr. Flemming's harrows back with Joe and Nellie. Dad. Spring toothed all day and has it pretty well ripped up. He is going to try the rake again now that the grass is loose. Frank and I went down town to-night I killed two of my crate fattened cockrels this morning and took</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>one down to Aunty Alice to test it. Prohibition came into effect at seven o'clock to-night and we thought there might be some fun up town but I hung around till about twelve o'clock and although there were quite a few drunks around, most of them had gone home and things were very quiet. The baby was pretty sick last night and has not felt very lively all day. Very cold wind but cloudy &amp; milder to-night.</p> <p>Sunday September 17th</p> <p>Enah, Frank and I drove down to church this morning and Dad. looked after Tid. Ben Ivey was over for quite awhile getting instructions as to the treatment of his horse which has a bad case of fistulas withers. He is just home for over Sunday and is still keeping Frank to run the farm Aunty Alice felt pretty sick to-day with her cold so none of them came over to dinner, but Dad. went down this after noon and had tea with them. I did chores and started to read this after noon but went to sleep. Frank and Lloyd Ryerse spent the after noon back in the gully and Frank and I did up the night chores. I went down to-night and caught Marj. &amp; Glad Law coming out of church, there had been a Sunday school meeting after a service I saw Lewis Woodson on my way home and said good-bye. He is going back in the morning. Cold and cloudy all day rained a little this morning. Feels like fall.</p> <p>Monday September 18th</p> <p>I took Joe and Belle this morning and got Ben Iveys dray and went down to Burn Ball's after our ten bushels of seed wheat He had it all cleaned so I wasn't long getting it and got back just about noon. I came around by town and got my chicken crate at the station. Right after dinner Dad. helped me weigh up my cockrels from the fattening crate and put them in the shipping crate I had 82 lbs as near as I could make it with the old spring scales and 12 birds. I took them right down so they would go off on the 2.45 train. On my way up town Bob. and Johnnie hailed me for a ride so I took them up home and as Dad. had four bags of barley and oats bagged up so we took them down to the mill and waited for them to be chopped and went all through the mill. They came back to the gate with me and then walked on around the block to town. It is Civic Holiday in town so they were not working. Dick went to Toronto on Saturday and was coming back to-night or in the morning. When I got home I took the harrows out to my plots but forgot the doubletrees so couldn't work at it but took the horses in and started to do chores. Dad. fixed the roller this morning and rolled my plots and the fresh plowing this after noon. Frank worked all day with his tomatoes. He had three women working over there and got 119 baskets but didn't get his {number?} basket.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>order sorted in time to get it off to Brantford to-night. He didn't get home to tea till long after dark and then had to back after tea and also down town. Arthur Preston came over with him in a terrible state of agitation over one of his cows which was acting queerly. Dad. went back with him and said the cow was pretty sick. Cold all day but sunny and nice.</p> <p>Tuesday September 19th</p> <p>I disked this morning on the fresh plowing with Joe and Belle and Dad. brought the rake back again and raked over all the fall plowing with the big team. He got a lot of the grass in windrows but it is of course full of earth. This after noon I tried to burn it and it burned all right when the earth was shaken out but that took a long time and I only got a very little done at this end of the field. It will take too long to go over the whole field that way so I don't know just what we will do. Dad. finished disking the plowing with Harry and Nellie and then plowed a few rounds, he only has one more load and the headlands to plow. Enah and the baby went down town this morning to see Aunt Hattie and stayed to dinner. Some one brought my braking cart to-day but no one saw them. Froze last night pretty hard and has been cold all day but a little milder to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday September 20th</p> <p>Dad. finished plowing this morning while I shook out a few more windrows of grass. This after noon Dad. shook them out and although he got on faster than I did, didn't get many done. I rolled down all the grass plowing and then started to disk it. We just worked to one team Harry &amp; Nellie to-day. Alan Law was in to-night and borrowed a couple of bushels of oats. The frost the night before last froze Ben's tomato plants and the buckwheat. John Wess and old Walker are cutting theirs to-day. It has been sunny and warm to-day but windy.</p> <p>Thursday September 21st</p> <p>I have disked all day to day and consequently feel a little sore in spots as some of the ground is pretty hard and chunky and is inclined to jolt a fellow. I finished disking the fresh plowing lengthwise and started crosswise of the whole field. Dad. shook out and burned some more grass roots this morning but had to go to Mr. Fleming's to thrash this after noon, he got home about five as a boxing on the engine melted and they had to quit. Aunty, Aunty Alice, Aunt Hattie and Cousin Clare were all over to dinner and Aunty and Aunt Hattie stayed to tea and Frank drove them home to-night. Aunty Alice's cold is still pretty bad. Cloudy and showery all day but not enough to wet much.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday September 22nd</p> <p>I have disked all day but am not over the field yet. This morning Dad. blocked up the line fence between Ben Ivey and us so that the sheep couldn't get through, they have been getting very wayward lately and running all over Ben's place. He would have come back but Whit came after a steer and they had an awful time getting him I guess. They took mine. By this after noon they had the engine fixed so Dad. had to go down and finish helping Mr. Fleming. The machine moved over to Jack Martin's but they didn't thrash any there. It began to rain about six and we had quite a heavy shower for awhile and then a quieter one for an hour or two. I went down town after tea and went up to the Bagley's for a little while. Louise came up to-night to stay at Aunty's for awhile. I went down there and as it was raining when I was ready to come home so I stayed and slept on the sofa all night. Alan Law was telling Dad. Val Leany's version of his fight with Misner. According to him it was Misner who was doing the most talking and exasperated Val. till he slapped him. Then they clenched and Misner downed him but it wasn't long till Val. was on top and he choked Misner till he "hollered" enough and said he was sorry and he wouldn't have said so much if he hadn't been drinking. So which is the correct yarn is hard to say, but I believe I would sooner take Val's word than Misner's.</p> <p>Saturday September 23rd</p> <p>Dad. went over to Martin's this morning but found they weren't going to thrash as Sam thought the stacks would be too wet, so Dad. came home and shook out more of the grass roots he got them nearly all done. I disked all day and finished the field to-night. Dad. brought the other team back this after noon and harrowed the fresh plowed part and started to roll it. I got a check from Silverwoods to day for my 12 cockrels for $12.24 I was well satisfied as I thought the price would have dropped but I got 18 cts a lb. Cold and cloudy.</p> <p>Sunday September 24th</p> <p>I drove Enah down to church this morning, but Dad. Frank &amp; the baby didn't go down. Frank was over with Ben Ivey all morning. Dick was in church and he came home with us and was here all the after noon but had to go down before dark to feed Mr. Hobbe's chickens as he is away on his holidays now. Dess is in Simcoe so Dick is having a respite from his ardent attention to her. He and I prowled around the farm a little but it was cold and looked rainy so we spent most of the after noon in the house. Enah had to play to-day as Elva's away so I drove her down again to-night. I went up with Marj.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>for a little while and picked Enah up at the Rectory as Mr. Johnson had coaxed her to go down there instead of down home as she intended and Harry Moon told me where to find her. It was raining when we came out of church and rained quite a shower.</p> <p>Monday September 25th</p> <p>Dad. went over to Martin's to thrash this morning and was over there till some time this after noon. They thrashed 800 and some odd bushels. The wheat on his own place went {18?} bushels to the acre but Dad. said it was very dirty with couch grass I went back and rolled and it took me nearly all day to roll the piece but I didn't get a very early start either morning or noon. John Wess came over and borrowed the rolling coulter to try on his plow but I went over this after noon and he said he couldnt work it on his plow. He says it is pretty hard for him to keep from swearing it is just like plowing through loose blocks of ice the way the clods slide around. Mr. Johnson was over here for a few minutes after dinner to bring Enah a book which she dropped last night getting in the buggy in front of his gate. She and the baby went down town this after noon. When I got through rolling I went down to Sam Laws and got his disk drill. Sunny and warmer to-day</p> <p>Tuesday September 26th</p> <p>We got our seed on the waggon this morning and all ready to start out to drill it in when it began to rain and so we had to back the waggon and drill in to the shed. We then went over to the barn and threw the hay off that was on the rack and ran the rack out of the barn, cleaned up the floor and started to clean up our own seed as what I got from Burn Ball will only sow part of the field. It cleared up soon after we got started. A little before noon I went over to Martin's to borrow some bags to sack it up as we didn't want to bother putting it in the bin and then taking it out again when we emptied our own bags. They didn't have any bags over there so I got two or three over at Ben. Ivey's and we sacked up the grain we had cleaned but it was noon then so we didn't clean up any more. We went back right after dinner with the seed and drill and Dad. drilled in all of Burn's wheat. The disk drill worked fine cut through everything and covered well. We had it set at 2 bushels to the acre so I guess have about five acres in I didn't stay back all the time but did a few chores and went back about four and waited till six and then helped Dad. out with the drill as it looked like rain. He and I cleaned up some more seed after tea to-night. Milder &amp; cloudy.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday September 27th</p> <p>We had to clean up a little more grain this morning and by the time we got it sacked up, loaded and back there with the drill it was about ten o'clock. I helped Dad. get started and then came up and drove Enah and Tid down town, Aunty was having a little picnic over Brant Hill and they went to it. I took Enah up town first to get some things and then drove her over there. Aunt Ida came back last night and she, Louise, Aunt Hattie &amp; Aunty all went over. Louis is going to Simcoe tomorrow as she heard from Annie Bowlby and she got an unexpected call to go back to the war-zone to nurse. This after noon I did chores and finished making enough stakes for my plots, about four o'clock Mr. Johnson brought Enah and the baby home so saved me a trip down after them. Dad. finished drilling the field by to-night and used nearly all the seed he had, so we think there must be a big 12 acres back there. Cloudy &amp; warm Whit Dixon came in to-night and wanted the black steer shut up to-morrow</p> <p>Thursday September 28th</p> <p>I had to go over to Pickford's to thrash first thing this morning but he only had about three loads of oats so it only took about an hour I think he got a little over fifty bushels. Whit came after the steer just as I left and Dad. was just going back with the team when I got back. I took Joe and Belle and went back and brought the roller up and Dad. came up behind me with the waggon and trailing the disks. The head of the bolt in the roller broke again coming uphill but didn't cause any accident. Dad. took the disks out to my plots and disked them up and harrowed them before dinner. It rained a little just at noon. After dinner I went out with my stakes garden line and tape measure and Dad. helped me stake out the plots we had quite a time getting them all square but they are not too bad. Dad. sowed them all broadcast and disked them in. We sowed four plots of wheat my three from Guelph and one of Burn Ball's and one plot of barley and one of {illegible} both winter varietys. Dad. got them all furrowed out before six. Enah and the baby went down this after noon to a tea party at Aunty's and as it looked like rain about six I drove after them. It was raining hard by the time I got there and although they were all ready to stay to tea I thought we had better get home and it was a good thing we did as it turned out to be a two or three hour soaker.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday September 29th</p> <p>It was too wet for Dad. to furrow out his field this morning so he did a few chores and I went down town with the waggon and got some shingles also the money for my steer from Bagley and Miller. I was down till noon as I had to do a lot of chasing around after the shingles. They had none at the Widespread and Hawey was working way up on St. George St. on Haymaker's new house and I had to go up there and get him. I got eight bunches for $7.50 I want to shingle the old part of the chicken house. This after noon Dad. went back and furrowed out the field and finished it and I cleaned out the ditches in my plots. Art. Quanbury borrowed our hay rack this morning to haul a load of furniture from Simcoe for Jack Martin's new man Cawley. He brought it back to-night. Frank brought us over ten bushels of potatoes from Billy Laing's who has just brought a carload in at $1.25 a bushel. Tonight I drove Enah down to choir practice. We took Miss Mathews down to the top of the hill but there she discovered she had lost her handbag so went back after it I got my hair cut and then went over to the drug store where I found Dick and Joe with Bob. &amp; Johnny I sat there till half past ten and had a lot of fun, got Enah at Aunty's. Very cold and windy all day.</p> <p>{Blank page}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Blank page}</p> <p>Saturday September 30th 1916</p> <p>This morning I took Sam's drill back home. I didn't get started very early and was talking to Alan for awhile so didn't get home till noon. This after noon we all went down to see the new fish boat launched "The City of Dover". She didn't go in very well as one of the skids had more of a slant to it than the other so the stern end went in first and the other end bound but they got her in eventually without any injury, they then had to fill her with water to get her under the bridge. I went up town and got a tooth filled and Dad. got his hair cut, he drove Enah and the baby home and I got a ride home with Flossie Shand. It has been sunny and nice to-day but cold wind.</p> <p>Sunday October 1st</p> <p>I wernt to church this morning Dad. drove Enah down but didn't go himself but took Joe &amp; Belle around to Auntys and got Harry Ansley's double carriage out of the barn and brought all the family from down there over in it to dinner. This after noon they all went for a drive except Aunty Alice and Aunt</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Ida. Dick Frank and I went over to Charlie McQueen's chestnut trees to see if they were getting ripe as we had quite a hard frost last night but the burrs were tight and the nuts very green but they were big ones and a lot on the tree. We came up to the house for awhile and then Dick and I went down town. We went up to the L.E.&amp; N. tracks and ran into a bunch of girls. Dick took a couple of pictures of us all and I made a date with Bob &amp; Johnnie to go after chestnuts next Sunday after noon and then went down to Aunty's for tea I think Dick must have had tea with Mildred Henry as he was with her when I left him and didn't show up down at the house. Aunty Alice and I went to church to-night and then Marj. and I went over to see Miss McQueen and we all decided to go after chestnuts a week from next Saturday. I went down to Aunty's for awhile before I came home. Aunt Hattie is staying over here to-night. Lovely fall day but cold wind</p> <p>Monday October 2nd</p> <p>I went down town this morning to get a load of slabs but found that there were only a few left at the planing mill and they wanted them so I couldn't get any I came around by the mill and got some chop I had taken a grist on my way down. This after noon I raked up the lawn Aunty came over about four and I drove her and Aunt Hattie down. When I got back Enah had a chicken all plucked for Aunty Alice which I had figured on plucking and taking down after tea so I went right back with it. Dad. has been cleaning out ditches all day but isn't through yet. John Wess was over to tell us he would want his post moulds if it stayed dry in a day or two, and Alan Law was in to-night to say they were going to thrash to-morrow and gave us a bid. Lovely day.</p> <p>Tuesday October 3rd</p> <p>Dad. drove down to Sam's to thrash this morning and got back about four o'clock, he said the oats were pretty good. I finished digging the hole for the anchor post that Frank started quite awhile ago and got every thing ready but didn't start to mix the cement till Dad. came which was pretty late, however we put in a post but had to work at it till seven o'clock</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We hurried at it and I am afraid got it a little out of line Enah went down to the deanery meeting this afternoon and had to stay to the choir festival or what ever it is to-night, she told me not to come after her but Dad. thought he had better so I went down, it was about nine o'clock when we got through tea so it was pretty late when I got down town and as I expected couldn't find Enah. I went down home for a while and when I got back we figured that I missed Enah as she was coming through Martin's field and Jack walked over with her. Frosty nights &amp; hot days now. No wind.</p> <p>Wednesday October 4th</p> <p>We were very late getting out this morning and Dad. and I didn't quite get another hole dug by noon We finished after dinner and got another post up by six. We had quite a few visitors to-day which delayed us a little. Harvey Shand was past and said they expected a car of crushed stone in by Monday and wanted us to help unload it for the road. We havent done any road work yet this year. Another lovely day hot and no wind.</p> <p>Thursday October 5th</p> <p>Dad. and I spent most of the morning lining up the corner post at the crossroads but by noon we had a stake in that suited us. We just nicely got started to dig the two holes this after noon (we were going to put down the brace posthole the same time as the anchor post as we can put down two as fast as one, one digs while the other spuds) when Jack Highland came along and wanted us to take our bluegrass seed down to the car, so about three o'clock we went up and took our three bags and stopped and got six bags of Mr. Fleming's as he wasn't home, we got three dollars for our seed. We didn't have time to do any thing when we got home as we had to quit early to get down to Aunty Alice's for tea. We had a great time down there. Quint was there for tea but Joe Thompson called for him right afterwards to go to Vittoria I suppose to see the Dunkin's. Quint is home on what we suppose to be his last leave. The whole battalion is off. They have had a bad split in the 133rd. They have had a quarrel with Pratt and wanted him to resign but he wouldn't so Majors' Jackson, Burch and &amp; Lieuts Hammond, Donovon &amp; Capt. Slater did resign.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday October 6th</p> <p>Just as we were going out to work this morning (late) Ham Thompson came along to look at the ram lambs so I went back with him. He was here till nearly noon just visiting but I managed to sell him the old ram for fifteen dollars. Dad. went out and finished digging the corner post hole. Just before dinner we took the team and waggon out and moved our platform up to the corner. Right after dinner I took the team over to Ben Ivey's and borrowed his stone boat and we got the pickle barrel (in which we discovered a highly scented piece of corn beef) up out of the cellar filled it with water and hauled it to the crossroads corner on the stone boat. We then had to cut an inch gas pipe and a quarter inch rod which looks as if it had been a hoop for a vat and all of which we got down at Aunty's from under the barn yesterday for reinforcement. All of this took time and so it was quite late in the after noon when we got started to build our post and also quite late in the evening when we finished it and much later by the time we got the chores done and had tea. Dad. and the baby went back after the cows but it was dark and they were in the woods or some place and he couldn't find them so let them go. Enah went down town this after noon and stayed down to tea so she could go to choir practice to-night. I drove down after her about nine thirty and found her at Aunty's. We drove home around byt the post and I loosened the nuts on the mould. Nice day.</p> <p>Saturday October 7th</p> <p>Niel Elliot came in this morning and gave Dad. $45.00 for Spotty and I had to take her down to the car right after breakfast. Dad. asked him sixty but the cattle market has become glutted the last few days. I was down there till nearly eleven and then had to take Elgitha up to Ham. Thompson's. We had an awful time with her and I didn't get back till one o'clock. Dad. dug the hole for the brace post this morning and this after noon we put the post in and got it done by six o'clock. It has been a very nice day</p> <p>Sunday October 8th</p> <p>We all went to church this morning as it was</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thanksgiving Sunday. I was late as I went out and took the moulds of the post first. Roy and Vernon came up yesterday and so they and all the Aunty household were here to dinner. I left right after dinner and Dick and I drove down town. Bob &amp; Johnnie were waiting for me at the drugstore and we hiked straight for Vittoria or the road south after chestnuts. The first tree we struck had no nuts and the burrs weren't open but we at last got one on Smythe's place that was loaded with wide open burrs and we stayed there till we got told to move on by the family (I suppose) who were just getting home. We moved across the road to the tree back of Farrar's barn which was just as well loaded. We stayed there till it was time to start for home and as we stopped at the Vittoria mill to get a drink and take some pictures it was late when we got home with a pumpkin and Johnnie's hat full of shelled chestnuts as spoils of war. I went down to Aunty's to see Quint as he is going in the morning at seven o'clock and I only saw him for about a minute the other night but he hadn't got back from Vittoria where he has spent most of this furlough at the Dunkin's, in away I'm just as glad I didn't see him when it was his own fault if this is his last leave. It has been hot to-day.</p> <p>Monday October 9th</p> <p>I took John Wess' moulds back first thing this morning and didn't get much else done as we all went down to Aunty Alices to dinner, except Frank who worked with Ben all day. After dinner Dad. Roy and I cleaned out one of the stalls in the barn down there so that George Mitchell can put his horse in and then Dad. trimmed the walks and Roy fixed the barn steps I stood around and watched him and lent a had occasionally Dad. and Enah went home to tea but I stayed and after tea went down to the station and met the first train, and was rewarded by meeting Marj. and walking home with her. Mr. Bagley was there to meet her but as I showed up he went to the picture show where our friend Essie was playing in Topsy's place. I was at the Bagleys for a short while and then went back down home but Roy &amp; Vernon were up at Cousin Loll's so I didn't wait to say good-bye to them. They had intended going after nuts this after noon but it rained this morning and was cloudy and raw all the after noon so didn't go.</p> <p>Tuesday October 10th</p> <p>We were very late getting around this morning and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>were more delayed by Mr. Horn of Marburg who came to look at the rams. He liked them but thought they were a little "steep" in price so went off to Vittoria to look for some. He came back about four and said he hadn't found any one at home at Smythe's so after a lot of sizing up of the flock decided to take one of the $12.00 ones. Dad. shovelled out some more of his ditches this forenoon and I went out with the team and brought our barrell home from the cement posts and also took Ben's stoneboat home. This after noon Dad. and Enah went down to the Rural School Fair and I picked up what burrs I could find in the plum orchard and started to cut the lawn but didn't get much done at it. Froze hard last night has been cool all day.</p> <p>Wednesday October 11th</p> <p>Dad. has put in most of the day cleaning out ditches and finished to-night. I started to clean out the chicken house but didn't finish Louise came over to dinner and this afternoon she and the baby &amp; I drove out to Shand's to see if the stone had come yet and came home by Marburg. Dad. &amp; Enah drove Louise down to-night and went up to see how Aunty Maude came through her operation it was successful.</p> <p>Thursday October 12th</p> <p>We did chores this morning and I finished cleaning out and putting straw in the chicken house. This afternoon Dad. and I cut down the dead elm in the gully and sawed it up into logs that can be hauled up. When we came up we sawed up some wood. It has been a nice day but looks rainy.</p> <p>Friday October 13th</p> <p>We got up long before daylight this morning and although it was pouring rain Dad. and I went to the Caledonia Fair. It rained most of the day poured part of the time but was not cold. Although the show was a failure in one way as there was no crowd nor any races, there was a great show of cattle &amp; sheep and the absence of people made it easier to watch the judging. We hung around the sheep most of the day and bought a yearling ram for $140.00 from Shield's of Canfield. He took second prize over a $150.00 imported ram of Young's and the first prize ram was Lloyd Jones and a half-brother to Shield's. Mr. Douglas was there and introduced me to a Mr. McEwen from Brantford who says he is coming down to buy our ram lambs, so we had a satisfactory day of it</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday October 14th</p> <p>We just did chores this morning and oiled the buggy and this after noon I got down town by soon after one and got Miss McQueen and Marjorie and went to Vittoria after chestnuts, we went up to Farrar's to try the woods that Helen Dunkin told me the big nuts were in. The woods are accross the road from the house and in front of them but two or three fields back, and there is a lane in to them. We drove Joe in the lane and tied her behind a clump of trees out of the wind and sight of the house. We trailed all through the woods which was nearly all chestnut trees but never found a nut but coming out we struck a little tree along the fence that was loaded and the burrs open. I climbed it and shook them all off and they picked up enough to satisfy them of big nuts very big ones. We then went up to Charlie Dunkin but he wasn't home, we tried a couple of other trees but didn't draw much in the way of nuts. I also took a couple of pictures and so did Marj. I didn't get home till nearly eight. Colder to-day.</p> <p>Sunday October 15th</p> <p>I went to church this morning but none of the rest did. Dad. Enah and the baby went out to Tupper's for dinner. Frank had to do Ben's chores but came down town for dinner. We three boys went to Aunty's for dinner I was in the drugstore all the after noon listening to Dr. Jolley expound his religion which is interesting though heterodoxy. At four o'clock when Bob. was relieved at the telephone by Golly Bob. Johnnie. Said. Davis, Pansy Fischer, Arlof McCarter &amp; I walked around the hill and I went to Aunty's for tea. Aunty &amp; I went to church to-night and afterwards I went home with Marj. who to my delight and surprise consented to go to the picture show on Tuesday with We had a new preacher to-day a Mr. Wright from Huron College. He wasn't bad till he got excited and then he went wild. To-night he was very much wrought up over some of Pastor Russel's literature which had been circulated about town during the after noon. It has been a lovely day</p> <p>Monday October 16th</p> <p>I took the crosscut saw over to Uncle Ward to sharpen and went on down and got him a file to do it. I then went back and cut the corn down at Aunty's and stayed there to dinner This after noon Dad. and I cut up some of the elm logs which he hauled up from the gully Saturday after noon, Enah went down town this after noon to get some thing's for Frank's birthday. Mild &amp; cloudy</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday October 17th</p> <p>It was too windy to do much this morning Dad. split wood and I painted the labels for my plots and put them in. The wind picked up Art's dray that we had out at the corner to mix the cement on for the anchor posts and blew it right out on the road, broke the cement post of below the ground and smashed Arts dray considerably. We went back and wired up the gully gate on the road. This after noon we had to haul stone for the road. We only got two loads hauled as we had to go down to Sam Law's and get his gravel box so were late getting to the car. Marj. &amp; I went to the picture show to-night. It has been much colder to-day and freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday October 18th</p> <p>I was down at the car at half past seven this morning a half an hour before any of the teams came and got quite a lot of the stone shovelled out of the car. I worked in the car steadily till I got the one half all cleaned out but before I finished, they had dumped the other half and Willie Shand helped me clean it out. I went down to Aunty's to dinner and this after noon quit for a couple of hours to go up town with Bob Ross and then home with him to sell him a $12.00 ram. I then went out and worked till six on the road with the rest of them covering the stone with earth, they put it on the side road at the bottom of our big hill. This was Frank's 18th birthday he went to Simcoe Fair this after noon. Cold. They say Hammy Innes has deserted and about 30 more of the 133rd.</p> <p>Thursday October 19th</p> <p>We were all up early this morning awakened by whistles &amp; the fire bell but as it was raining hard and the fire didn't look very big none of us went down. Frank heard that it was one of the tugs either the "Two Friends" or the "Gambler" one was sunk and the other burned last night. It rained steadily all day not so hard towards evening as in the forenoon. We altered our plans a little about going to the Simcoe Fair and I cut strips of tar paper to put around the little trees to protect them from the mice and then after noon pasted pictures in my album. Tom was in for a long time this morning out of the rain but had to go out while it was pouring but Dad. covered him up with waterproofs.</p> <p>Friday October 20th</p> <p>I started to clean out the rest of the chicken house this morning but it rained all the after noon so we just sat around and read. Dad. went down this morning and took a nail out of his big colt's foot and Tupper brought old Pete in this after noon to have him lance an absess on his shoulder.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday October 21st</p> <p>Dad. had to go up to Miss McCoy's this morning to tend to a cow. I drove him up and then went down town and got some stuff and called for him again. He did odd jobs this after noon and I continued to clean up the chicken house. Aunty was over to tea and she and Frank went down to-night. High wind last night. Cloudy &amp; cold wind to-day</p> <p>Sunday October 22nd</p> <p>Enah and I drove down to church this morning. Dick was over to dinner. He and I went down to the 3 o'clock car to see Hazen off and then I went down and fooled around the {dook?} with Wodyer all the after noon. Dad. went down to tea and church to-night. I did chores and then went down in time to meet church coming out, went for a short walk &amp; came home with Dad. Raw.</p> <p>Monday October 23rd</p> <p>Mr. McEwen came down this morning and bought the bunch of lambs &amp; the old one, he gave $100.00 for the 8. I drove him down to the radial at 11 o'clock and then went up and told Ham I had sold his ram but he didn't care if he can use ours. This after noon I drove up to Dunkin's to hurry him up with the pedigree's but I don't know whether it was much use. To-night Frank and I went down town to see about getting a car to ship our sheep in. Dad did odd jobs and started shingling the hen house. Young Ham came and got his ram and paid for him. Lovely day but cool.</p> <p>Tuesday October 24th</p> <p>I went down to the station agan this morning and found if we took the rams down to-morrow night, they would go out the next morning and not stay all night at Norwich, Dad. took Sam's waggon home and I shingled and this after noon helped Dad. move the binder over from the big barn and Dad. cleaned the barn all up. Art Quanbury wants us to thrash in the morning. Cloudy but much milder</p> <p>Wednesday October 25th</p> <p>Dad. was over at Art's thrashing this morning for an hour or two and then came back and cleaned up around the big barn. I shingled and this after noon we took the eight rams down and loaded them. McEwen came down from Brantford as he thought he wasn't going to get the old ram in time but it was all right. Clair Jackson died this morning. Cold, rained all the afternoon</p> <p>Thursday October 26th</p> <p>I was down town most of the morning on messages and this after</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>noon, I didn't do any thing but lie around my cold was so bad. Dad trimmed the ewes all up this morning and we put the ewe lambs in the orchard. Tommy Jackson was in and wants me to be pal bearer at Clair's funeral to-morrow. Enah went down town to wish Lila a happy birthday and got there just in time to meet Aunty Maude who came home with Ada on the five o'clock car. She also heard that 133rd leave for overseas tomorrow Aunty got a letter from Quint. Cold, cloudy and windy all day.</p> <p>Friday October 27th</p> <p>I didnt do any thing much this morning as it rained. This after noon we Dad. and I went down to Clair Jackson's funeral. When we came home we got the Shields ram which came on the eleven o'clock train. Aunty Alice was here to tea and Frank went down with her after tea and got his cobbling outfit from Eaton's. Nice afternoon</p> <p>Saturday October 28th</p> <p>Dad. and I spent the whole day cutting down the dead locust tree in front of Aunty's. It was a ticklish job and we were afraid of it going on the house but we managed to get it down without doing more than break a rafter in the wood-shed. It was a lovely day. Dad. &amp; I caught chickens most of the night.</p> <p>Sunday October 29th</p> <p>We all went to church this morning but Dad. &amp; the baby. I drove Aunty Alice up to the cemetry before church. Aunty was over to dinner. Marj. and I went for a long drive this after noon. Dad. went down to church to-night. I went down after church and paid a visit to the Moon's with Marj. Lovely day.</p> <p>Monday October 30th</p> <p>I forget what we did day by day since Monday as this is Friday and I have not written since. Frank is home from Ben Ivey's and Mr. Clark is doing things over there. Frank has been plowing most of the time and between him and Dad. they have kept the plow going pretty steadily, and if all is well will finish the wheat stubble this week. Frank planted his $5.00 worth of Golden Seal back in the woods on Monday and Dad. Mr. Fleming &amp; I worked on the road and finished Monday after noon. That night I went down to help Marj. and her colleagues decorate the Sunday school and on Tuesday night, Enah Frank and I went down to the Hallowe'en tea and had a great time. Dick and Dess were over Thursday night. This (Friday) morning Dad. went down to see the doctor about his throat. It is so sore he can hardly eat, sleep or speak. I have been getting my chickens ready for winter most of the week. It has been lovely weather most of the time.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday November 11th</p> <p>Frank and I hooked Joe &amp; Queen to the waggon and went down and got his duck crate. When we got back we took Queen off and put Belle on and took the plow out to Evan's as he wanted it to fit the slide on that he made for us, he also sharpened a coulter. It was the old plow Dad. plowed all day with the other. Ham Thompson came over with his five ewes this after noon, and put them in with our {back?}. Cold wind but nice day.</p> <p>Sunday November 12th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school &amp; church but none of the rest came down. Dick was over to dinner. I drove him down town this afternoon and then took Enah down to Uncle Ward's to see Aunty Maude. To-night I spent church hour with Marj. as I knew she had a bad cold and would be home and that the family would be at church. She wouldn't let me stay after eight so I sat in the bank with Clark for a couple of hours and called in to see Aunty on my way home. Cloudy and a raw cold wind all day.</p> <p>Monday November 13th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day. I raked the lawn this morning. This after noon Frank and I took his ducks down to ship to Silverwoods also took the geese back to Al. Faulkner's all but one, Frank's share, and got some more of the locust wood at Auntys. Dad. went down to see Aunty to-night. Cold all day. Quite a snow storm this afternoon &amp; to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday November 14th</p> <p>The ground being covered with snow to-day Dad. didn't plow but we all moved the straw stack in so that we could let the cows in the yard. Cold, raw, cloudy, snowed a little.</p> <p>Wednesday November 15th</p> <p>Frank and I got our butter milk this morning and this after noon went down and got some chicken feed at the mill and went on down town. Dad. just did chores. I took my horn down to Harry Moon to-night to fix. It has been freezing all day in the shade &amp; cold enough for mid winter</p> <p>Thursday November 16th</p> <p>We just did chores to-day. Enah went down to her mother's this after noon and the baby and I drove after her during a heavy snow storm. Art Quanbury got his heifer this morning. It has been milder to-day, but snowed all night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday November 17th</p> <p>We killed the squealing pig this morning. Just did chores this after noon. Bill Donald was in to ask Dad. &amp; Enah to perform at the opening concert of the new Shand's School-house. I went down town to-night to attend the meeting of the club that Clark told me but found that they couldn't get gas so called it off. I called on Cousin Clare, Marj. Mrs. Moon (Harry was in bed) and Aunty. I got my horn. Nice day but cold to-night.</p> <p>Saturday November 18th</p> <p>Frank and I went down with the sleighs and got the rest of the locust tree at Aunty's. This after noon Frank went down and did some odd jobs for Aunty and went down again to-night. I washed the name of the mail box and painted it (the box) fresh with aluminum enamel. Alex Jennison was after a ram. Softer to-day.</p> <p>Sunday November 19th</p> <p>Frank &amp; I went to Sunday school &amp; church. Enah drove down to church. Dick's cold too bad to come over. Dad. went down to see him. I went down town to-night saw Marj. for a little while Essie was at church and then went up to Huby's. Thawed all day snow nearly gone</p> <p>Monday November 20th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day. Frank was down at Aunty's most of the day doing odd jobs. I did chores this morning and this after noon painted the name on one side of the mail box. Enah drove down town this after noon. The yearling hens have started laying. Aunty Alice came home to-night. Much milder</p> <p>Tuesday November 21st</p> <p>Dad. and the baby were down at Aunty's all morning banking up the house I finished painting the mail box. Dad. plowed this after noon &amp; Frank &amp; I fixed the barnyard fence. Frank Enah &amp; I went down to hear Mr. Fielding's lecture on Malay in the Sunday school to-night. Mild but freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday November 22nd</p> <p>Frank and I went down to the factory this morning for the butter milk. This after noon he and Dad. moved some of the hay stack into the barn, and I cleaned up around the wood shed. Jack Martin came over and picked out six cockrels. Enah went down town to tea &amp; choir practice and I went down after her. Much milder to-day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday November 23rd</p> <p>It rained nearly all day. Ham &amp; Bert Thompson came over this morning and bought all the thin roosters at 12 1/2 cts. Frank and I took them down after dinner I got $9.38 for them. I stopped in at Jack Martin's on my way home and he paid me $18.07 for eggs &amp; cockrels. We picked three chickens in the shop this morning Harry Smith from the Lake Shore was in for about an hour to ask Dad about a sick cow.</p> <p>Friday November 24th</p> <p>Frank &amp; I went down town in the waggon this morning. I banked some money and sent Douglas a checkqe for my note. $84.80. Just did chores this after noon. Dad. cleaned ditches this morning and plowed this after noon Went down to the first meeting of the club to-night in Mrs. Belle's cottage. There was quite a crowd there both boys &amp; girls and we had a big time dancing &amp; picking up a row. High cold wind. Freezing</p> <p>Saturday November 25th</p> <p>Dad. banked up the house this morning and I dug up the border where the hedge was and protected the three tea roses Aunty was over to tea. Frank and I moved the bees in the colony house to-night. Frank went down town with Aunty &amp; Dad. &amp; I tested the pullets to-night. Freezing all day very cold night.</p> <p>Sunday November 26th</p> <p>Frank and I went to Sunday school and church and I went up to Huby's for dinner and telephoned to Charlie Dunkin for the number of his Beattie ram. Came home soon after dinner and did chores. Dad. went down to tea &amp; church. I went down to church and sat around the bank for awhile before I came home. Very windy but milder.</p> <p>Monday November 27th</p> <p>I spent most of the morning getting the sheep records ready and this after noon took them down and got a postal note for the fees and sent them off. Frank &amp; Dad. took up the barbed wire off the old fence along the road. To-night Enah Frank &amp; I went down to see "The Prince &amp; the Pauper" at the picture show It was very good. Very mild, not freezing to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday November 28th</p> <p>Rained all day but not hard. Frank &amp; I threw of the load of hay this morning Dad. packed his pork. This after noon he dug ditches and I cleared up the headland along the gully fence near the east of the fence. Enah went down town and got an old root of a tooth pulled out that has been bothering her. Read "The Lost World" by Conan Doyle till near mid-night</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday November 29th</p> <p>Frank and I went to the factory for butter milk this morning &amp; took Joe &amp; Queen Dad. finished plowing the field. This after noon Frank &amp; I went to the mill for some chicken feed, and then he &amp; Dad took Elgitha up to Ham's again. He has a new bull. It has been a nasty rainy day &amp; raining to-night.</p> <p>Thursday November 30th</p> <p>Dad &amp; Frank plowed in the plum orchard to-day but not at the same time, Dad. dug some more ditches. This after noon he went to Mrs. Fawcett's funeral. I did chores &amp; dug the sod off the border in front of the hedge border. To-night I went down town to get my hair cut but Corny was closed up it being Thursday. Cloudy &amp; raw.</p> <p>Friday November December 1st</p> <p>Frank finished plowing the plum orchard and he &amp; Dad. got started on the field back of the old barn. I worked around in front of the house most of the day. To--night I went down to the club. Fine day &amp; windy.</p> <p>Saturday December 2nd</p> <p>We got out early this morning and got a good day in plowing. I put manure on the roses &amp; beds in front of the house and this after noon helped Frank shingle on the cow stable roof while Dad. plowed. Lovely day, mild.</p> <p>Sunday December 3rd</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school &amp; church. Enah Dad. &amp; the baby stayed down at Aunty's to dinner. I drove down after dinner and Dad. took Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. I sat around the bank all the after noon &amp; went down to Aunty's for tea Aunty, Aunty Alice &amp; I went to church to-night.</p> <p>Monday December 4th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; Frank plowed all day between them, Frank and I cleaned some more ditches and shingled some more of the cow stable roof. It was a cloudy, drizzly day. Got word to-day that they want the Beattie ram's certificate at Ottawa.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday December 6th</p> <p>Went down alone after butter milk this morning Had to go slow as Joe lost a shoe yesterday. Didn't do much this after noon Went down to tea at the Barwell's to-night and Zeitha &amp; I went over our parts in the cantata and then went down to a rehearsal in the Sunday school. Dad plowed all day to-day &amp; yesterday. Cold wind but sunny.</p> <p>Thursday December 7th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day. Enah and I went down town this morning and I got Joe's shoes set. Frank and I went down to a practice to-night in the Sunday school and then I went over to church after first going up to see letters from Quint &amp; Roy Dell at Huby's I didn't get to bed till two o'clock as I was fooling around with Joe &amp; the Dunkin girls.</p> <p>Friday December 8th</p> <p>Dad. got in a good day plowing to-day and is now finished all but the head-lands. Frank and I measured the field this morning &amp; found it had about {6?} acres in it. This after noon I took the baby down to Aunty's to stay all night and then got Marj. and Uncle Ward and brought them over to tea and we all went out to the opening of Shand's new school house and had a high time. Dick couldn't get over. It has been a lovely day but cloudy at times and rained to-night.</p> <p>Saturday December 9th</p> <p>Dad. and I had to go out and help move Harvey Shand's piano home from the school house but it was snowing early so we didn't go out very early and then had to wait till Harvey Shand got back from town but we helped the trustees clean up. We didn't get home till the middle of the after noon. Fozen up tight to-night very blustery.</p> <p>Sunday December 10th</p> <p>I went to Sunday school this morning and to church both times. Dick was over all the after noon as Dess is in Brantford. I went over to a Sunday school meeting to-night and then up to Miss Martin's and then up to the bank. Freezing hard to-night but nice day</p> <p>Monday December 11th</p> <p>Did chores this morning. This after noon got some stuff at the mill. Ham Thompson got his sheep and showed me how to bleed &amp; dry pick a chicken. Dad. went down and rustled some money to pay taxes.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday December 12th</p> <p>Dad &amp; I killed and picked the 9 cockrels left in the crate this morning and Frank took the pinfeathers out of them. I got some of them stuck in the brain alright but some I didn't. I went over to Quanbury's at noon and got them to telephone to Simcoe to see what prices were like but they weren't extra so I decided to ship them to Silverwood's. I spent most of the after noon cleaning the feet &amp; heads &amp; shaping them and had to go down to post a letter. Aunty Alice came over with me to tea. I went down after to a practice. Snowed a little to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday December 13th</p> <p>Frank and I packed up the chickens and shipped them to Silverwoods this morning. This after noon we went down to the factory and got the buttermilk. I went down to tea at Aunty Alice's to-night Marj. Win. Clark &amp; Dick were there. Got the first pullets egg to-day. Snowed enough to make sleighing.</p> <p>Thursday December 14th</p> <p>Put a fire in the shop &amp; Frank &amp; I started to oil the new harness this morning Dad. &amp; I went down this after noon and he put Aunty's cellar windows in. Frank kept on oiling harness but didn't finish Got a letter from Ottawa, they wanted more money for records. Went to practice to-night.</p> <p>December 31st Sunday.</p> <p>As I have neglected to write this for ovwer two weeks I will just summarize the principal happenings. I will begin with the weather as we have had more of it than any thing else and it has been different from any we have had at this time of the year since we came over here being one continual "spell" of cold weather since the 9th except for one day when it rained and took off a lot of snow. The rest of the time it has hardly been above freezing once although never I think has it been quite down to zero. The sleighing has been fine but the skating except for the last few days since the rain has been poor on account of the snow on the ice. We have been busy all the time but just at chores and small jobs I got my returns from Silverwood's promptly and got 20 cts a lb. for the chickens $8.40 for the 9. We have been looking for our sheep records very anxiously all this time and Dad wrote them at Ottawa a rather sharp letter on Monday and Thursday they came Friday Dad. got a very courteous reply to his letter saying they had been very busy. Friday Frank</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and I took them up to McEwen, had dinner there and went on in to Brantford got some fire brick for the kitchen range at Buck's factory, saw Miss Batersby for a few minutes and got him on the 5 car. McEwen paid me $25.00. We sold four of our turkeys to people in town for 35 cts a lb. dressed One we had for Christmas dinner at Aunty's where all the family except Aunty Maude who stayed at Aunt Lucy's gathered Christmas night and they had a tree. It was a lovely day. Our concert came off and was voted a success by all both financially and otherwise. They took in over $50.00 from 20 &amp; 10 ct tickets. We are having an awful time trying to get chestnut coal. There is none in the country and some trouble with the railway congestion of freight at the lines prevent any from coming in. We borrowed a little from Quanbury's and Frank and I managed to get a box of big furnace coal the other day, but Dad. has to crack it up with the hammer and then it isn't as good. The war is still progressing. Germany has made peace proposals but with such an arrogant air and offering no suitable terms so they have been ignored by all the Allies Most people look for peace next year. We all got Quint's picture for Christmas.</p> </div> transcribed https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2ec1494bf0b5e6604180e5be7bb49cbf.pdf c949edd07f5058fab477f5f9bc51fccc PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {Blank Front Cover Inside page on the left} {Right side page} DIARY. 1915 T.B.Barrett, Port Dover, Ontario. The Farm From January 1st 1915 to December 31st 1915. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/386a95eb794297f88bfa030495166992.pdf e88c48211d812d09ebecd6621270cdee PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday January 1st 1915 When The New Year came in all of us who were dancing joined hands in a circle and sang "Should Auld Aquaintance be forgot", after which we had refreshments and danced for a couple of more hours. Ferdy didn't dance but was down there till the last and I suppose saw one of the girls home. He, Dick and I met at the bank and got home a little before three and turned in a half an hour later. After a few hours slumber I got up and did chores for the rest of the day. This evening I distressed Aunty Alice by sitting around and not going to bed and pleased Aunty by sitting up till nearly eleven o'clock and repeating the first canto of "The Lady of the Lake" off by heart. Charlie Teeple was in this morning and spoke as if Jim Waddle rather wanted to see Dad. so he and Enah drove out there this after noon. They want Dad. for one of the bearers. Dick and Ferdy stayed in bed till noon and spent the after noon and evening down town. Not cold all day turning very windy & stormy to-night. Saturday January 2nd It snowed and blew all night and has kept it up all day to-day so all the roads & tracks are drifted full but except for the wind it has not been very cold. I drove https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/88536facce84829ece96f3a8069e4d5c.pdf 1b4a593123579d28a4cdebff0928c96e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Aunty Alice and Dick down town this morning in the bob sleighs and came home by the mill and got some chop Aunty Alice had to go down to the dentist's and stayed down to dinner. This after noon Dad. & I drove out to Mrs. Waddle's funeral, he was a bearer so I drove up to the cemetry to bring him home. We didn't know when we started but we had to go up to St. John's. Dad. & I both got our feet pretty cold. We came home around by town and brought Aunty Alice home. She got five new fake teeth. Sunday January 3nd We were too late this morning for Aunty or Frank to get to Sunday school although it was Aunty's birthday but I drove Enah, Aunty & Frank down to church in the bob sleighs and drove down again to bring them home. Winnie & Lila came over to dinner. This after noon Frank, Lila & I went back to the gully to try the tobaggan that Ferdy & Frank made yesterday out of a cheese box. It worked fine and went over the drifts beautifully. I lay down on it once to go down and when I came to the bottom of the hill it stopped and I slid ahead and banged my head. Dick and Ferdy didn't get up till noon and after dinner went down town. It has been a beautifully bright day with not a breath of wind. Rather cold this morning but milder to-night. Monday January 4th Frank stayed home from school to-day to see the last of the hogs. It took us quite awhile to get the waggon box rigged to hold them but with plank and stakes managed to make a satisfactory rack. We had no trouble in loading them as the whole seven ran right in to root in the fresh oat straw which was in the bottom, but they were very troublesome to unload. Neil weighed them. Dad. hoped Ed. would be there but he was up town electioneering but I guess Neil gave him good weight. They just weighed 1250 lbs and as the price has gone up to $7.40 percent. Dad. got a little over $92.00 out of them. We came around by Huby's on our way home and got a load of shingles for kindling. We boys and Fa. stored them away down there in the woodshed when they shingled the house. Hammond was in this morning to urge Dad. to go out and vote for him this after noon and take old Jonas with him so he did drive out to Wiggin's. He took Enah and Tiddums as far as the Shand's and left them while he & Jonas went on out to vote. Tom came back with the car while he was gone and said if he thought Dad. would vote for Hammond he'd quit hauling his cream. Frank and I did chores and unloaded the shingles. The two Miss Hardings came over this after noon but nobody was home as Aunty & Aunty Alice went down to Huby's before dinner and are https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/be927ae1306386be94adb7f889064ced.pdf e904080d5a2bc0ed297526ef4376dca8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. not coming back before they go to Toronto. To-night I hooked up Joe and Belle to the bobsleighs and took a bunch to Simcoe to see the hockey match between Simcoe & Welland. Dad. went down with me to see how the election went and learned to his satisfaction that Wm. Walker beat Vyse by 31 of a majority and Hammond beat Baughner by 240. The only town councillors that qualified were Wms. Laing & Caley so they will have to have another nomination. They defeated Local Option in Simcoe on an even vote by a majority of fiftynine. I got Quint in down at the house and the rest of the load which Dick had invited were waiting at the Dyer's. They consisted of Dess & Fraser Dyer, Rachel Henry and May Rankin. Dick and Ferdy. Cars. Rankin came home with us. They all went over to the rink right away but Quint and I went to the Armories and Quint went later to the rink. They had no lights again to-night so we had a short drill in the street. Thern I went over to the match. They had only been playing ten minutes when I got there and the score was one in favor of Simcoe. It was a good game and there were very few penalties handout but a lot of offsides but it wound up with a score of five to four in favor of Welland. The girls in our bunch had attracted two Simcoe fellows, Charlie Barker & Sam Hasley and after the match we all went over to the Battersby House to get warm and cut up over there for half an hour or so except Ferdy and Cars. who went over to the quick lunch as they hadn't had any supper. It was a junior O.H.A. match to-night but Cars. didn't play. I guess he doesn't know whether he is on the team or not yet. He has had a room up there at the Melbourne ever since the season opened trying out for it. We had a lovely drive home. It was a little misty but frosty and bright moonlight. I dare say we left in our wake a good many suddenly awakened farmers. Joe and Belle made a very suitable team for although I didn't go at all furiously they slid along at a good steady trot without any urging. Faulkner passed us going up with a load of eighteen all men or boys. Herb Lowril took another cargo of the same kind up. We got home about one. It has been a very nice day sunny and mild. Tuesday January 5th Frank went back to school this morning and Ferdy who for the first time nearly since he has been here got up about ten o'clock and had breakfast and spent the rest of the day down town saying goodbye. He went down to Huby's about two o'clock to say goodbye down there and had his dinner. This after noon Dad. Enah Tiddums and I drove down in the bob sleighs to say goodbye to Aunty and Aunty Alice who went to-night to Toronto https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c1a349e10eb0e0914007b3530ef89dfe.pdf 478dfdac84632393bfbf3d1816496839 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to stay with Roy and Vernon for awhile. Dad. settled up with his creditors and bought me a new pair of shoes and overshoes at Andrew's without telling me. Andrew seemed very cheerful and didn't mention election. Dad. got a postcard to-night he is sure it was from Ed. with a little verse on it applying to Vyse It's a long way to the old farm / Good-bye Council Chamber It's a long way to go / Farewell Andrew dear It's a long way to the old farm / It's a long, long way to the old farm Where I have got to go / And my heart's not there. Misner was in this morning to have Dad. look at a horse and said Old Stringer had had his cutter out yesterday to get Ellis Ryersie to vote and had broken it, so Dad's conjectures were evidently right. Last night on his way home he saw somebody drive very carelessly around Geordie Long's corner at the top of the hill and up towards Vyse's where they went in. He heard the driver yell at Vyse and he thought the voice sounded like Old Stringer's. When Vyse came to the door Old Stringer asked him if he had won and Vyse answered very gruffly for him in the negative. It has been a beautiful day sunny & mild. Wednesday January 6th Dick drove Ferdy to Simcoe this morning so that he could catch a 10.45 train at the Air Line station. I think they took Dess. Dyer up with them and Dick didn't get back till after twelve. We did nothing but chores to-day. Mrs. McBride was here washing all day. Frank went over to a Sunday school entertainment after school and stayed to tea. Enah was to have gone down but it was to bad a night. It has rained nearly all day and our January thaw has set in. Thursday January 7th This was Dick's birthday but we didn't celebrate it in any way and postponed it until Sunday. We did chores all morning and Dad. helped me clean the straw out of the chicken shed as the water ran in last night and flooded it. Allan Law came over and borrowed our bob sleighs to take their seed to Green in Simcoe as Fess isn't buying this year. This after noon Dad. and I drove down town and Dad. told Toty Smith he didn't want to qualify again for school trustee. Frank went over to John Wess' to-night canvassing for subscriptions to "The Farmer's Advocate" but didn't get any. He had a long and amusing conversation with old Mrs. Watson. There has been an awful wind all day and it has been freezing. According to the papers the Germans will soon be starving. The French are making great progress in upper Alsapce and the Russians are trimoving the Turks in great shake. The British took the capital of German East Africa the other day and the British and French are trying to force their way into the Dardanelles but the Turks have sunk a lot of old ships in the straits laden with stone and earth which for the present holds them. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1cb9cbe66022ef07e25ab0c0744339ce.pdf 39df5c66f17ea269bdab99f5f3011d6a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday January 8th When Allan Law brought our <s>waggon</s> sleighs back this morning Dad. got him to go up to Duncan's and get us a load of the rails he bought from Duncan last Spring, he didn't like to sell a load as there is only about another load up there but as we can't get back over the plowing to get any wood he said he wouldn't see us stuck so I went up and helped him put on a load. We got back a little before noon. This after noon Dad. Enah and Tiddums drove down town and I went skating for a little while. The pond is a glace of ice all over except around the edge which is all water there being only about three places connecting the land with the ice but it is inclined to be rough. Sunny but cold with a little wind. Saturday January 9th Dad. drove Dick down this morning and went in to ask Hec' Henderson if Neil Elliott wanted to buy Charlotte as Dad. didn't tell him positively whether he would sell her or not the other day but just as he got home Neil and his man drove in and they not only bought Charlotte and her calf for fiftysix dollars but gave us seven for Joe Lamb and took him with them. Frank Dad. & I went down right away with Charlotte. I drove ahead with the calf in the cutter and the others followed. We went up town and Dad. cashed his check and got his new suit at the tailor's. After dinner Dad. Enah and Tiddums drove down town and got Dick some birthday presents. Frank went back to the woods and cut down some more trees. I cleaned the straw out of the hen houses and put fresh in. Bob. Ellis was in before tea representing Tyler's tea Company of London and left a couple tins here. I don't think he would have if he had been anybody else. Poor old Bob. he looks rather seedy. He has been working down at Tom Fearge's all fall. Cloudy and mild. Sunday January 10th We were late this morning so Frank was the only one who went to church. Dad. and I got the chores pretty well done up and we had an early dinner and celebrated Dick's birthday. This after noon Dad. Enah. Tiddums and I went out to the Shand's and were out there all the after noon. Winnie & Lila came over just as we were starting off and so had to go back Frank and Dick were skating on the pond all the after noon I think. Tonight I walked down to church. All Huby's family including Huby himself were in church and I went around afterward to see them, but Huby had gone around to see Jim Greenbury so I missed him. I wanted to say goodbye to Quint especially as Jack Herring has got him a job in one of his <s>woollen</s> cotton mills in New Bedford and Quint is leaving on Tuesday moring so if he takes the job and stays I won't seem him again maybe for a couple of years. Nice day to-day. Not very sunny but mild. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ff587b0a259ee3ffee5513ac2f9deda0.pdf d2876b90eac8c446535e586da8ed37a4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday, January 11th We were all up pretty early this morning as Toby had to leave for Guelph at 6-30. I drove him down and we got there in time, but he had very little time to get his ticket, the train was moving out when he came out of the station. I drove round by Huberts to get him but he was not ready so I had to go in and wait for him. Lila came over with us, she and Frank had a holiday as Mr Smith had gone to Toronto to attend Birdie's wedding. Frank and Hubert went back to the woods and worked there all day. I worked around the place. It began snowing about 3 O'Clock and I drove Hattie down to Mrs H. Cooks to get measured for her dress. Lila has gone down to get the mail and post a letter and just got back in time to go with us. Quintin came over in the evening to say goodbye, he leaves D.V. in the morning for New Bedford. He, Hubert and Lila went home before tea, after tea I fell asleep as usual. When Dick came home he asked me to call him at 6 he wanted to go down and see Quint off I gave the Windmill a good oiling. It has been a lovely day, very mild and did not storm much. Tuesday January 12th I jumped out of bed this morning owing to some crazy dream I suppose and thought it was 6-50, but when I struck a match and looked at the clock I found it was only 4-40 so I went back to bed and stayed there nearly an hour. I called Dick and Frank at 6 and they got up and went to see Quintin off. Hubert did not come over with them as he thought it looked like rain but said he would come if it cleared off. I let Frank stay home from school as they might work in the woods together but Hubert never showed up all day and old Frank worked alone. I cleaned out all the hen houses and hog pen, killed 6 roosters and Mrs McBride cleaned them. It has been colder today with a high N.E. wind but it has been thawing all day. Dick came home to tea tonight and had gone to a dance and will be tired out. It is terribly lonely and only two days gone. I am nearly asleep now. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7250e701dcc36b3e4e78c034b4816108.pdf cd7be536d23666bba0735abef17c8556 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday, January 13th We were not up so early this morning. Hubert did not get over till nearly noon. Frank and I fixed a fence for the steer we are trying to fatten and Hubert helped us move him, after dinner Hubert and Frank went back to the woods. I did up all the chores, it has been a lovely day, quite a strong wind. Thursday, January 14th Hubert and Frank worked all day in the bush and got a pretty good day in, I did considerable fixing up at difficult things cow stable and rocking chairs etc. Harry Ausley drove his new horse over just as I was busy with the evening chores and it made me late. Has been a lovely mild day, barely freezing in the shade. Friday, January 15th Hubert got over this morning about 9.30 and he and Frank went to the woods, after I did all the morning chores I went to the mill with Joe and the cutter and got 200$ chop $1.75 per {cent?}. The boys took their lunch to the woods with them so Hattie, Sunny Jim and I had a rather lonesome dinner. Hattie started for town about 3 O'Clock to mail a letter to Tobe and to get the mail. We did hope for a letter from Toby but none came. Hattie took the baby down in his carriage but brought him home in a grand red sleigh that his grand-dady made him it is a beauty. I went back to the woods and brought up a load but it is quite bare on the ploughed land we cant haul much till we get more snow. It has been a beautiful day more like Spring than mid-winter. I got 4 eggs today. Saturday, January 16th As soon as we had everything fed this morning Frank and I cut up the load of green wood I hauled yesterday. Hubert did not get over until after 11 O'Clock, he sawed up a lot of rails. Frank carried all the wood we cut into the woodshed, he and Hubert worked at it nearly all the afternoon, quit in time to husk some corn. I worked at the chores. It has been another lovely day. Frank and I had a bath tonight. Hattie had a long letter from Toby and we all knocked off work to hear it. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d5c1d2521cdc9115bd7ecdbfd29fc6db.pdf 71697b3c3a78e89a39f080cb3eedfa59 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday, January 17th It rained last night and was very dark this morning I thought our trip to the Shands was off, but it turned out a beautiful day and we all left in the bob-sleigh soon after 12, the sleighing was not too bad. We drove Joe and Belle. We did not have dinner till 2 O'Clock. Mr and Mrs Harvey Shand and Charlie were over, Flossie and Willie had to stay with Mrs Nixon. We had a very nice day and did not get started for home till 5 O'Clock. We all got home safely but had a little mix up putting the horses away, Frank was doing up Belle and I did Joe, and through some mistake Joe's line was left fastened to Belle's bridle with the result that as soon as the stable door was opened Joe jumbed in as she always does and would have taken poor Belle's head with her if the bridle and bit had not broken. Old Sunny Jim had the time of his life prowled all over the house and they just let him go, he was very good and a great nights sleep. The sleighing was almost completely gone when we came home. It has been just like a march day. Dick went to church this evening Monday, January 18th I was up early this morning and wrote Toby a short letter, Frank got up and helped me do some of the chores before he went to school. Mrs McBride came quite early for her, we did not expect her until tomorrow. Hubert did not get over till nearly noon, he told us that poor old T. L. Gillies dropped dead in his lumber yard about 10 O'Clock. I cleaned the straw out of one end of the chicken shed as it was pretty wet. Hubert husked corn all the afternoon. Frank went down with him this evening as he had forgotten the paper. They have all gone to bed now and I must go too. It snowed quite a lot this morning and several times through the day it was very wet almost rain, I think it is getting colder tonight. I got 10 eggs today. Tuesday, January 19th Hubert did not come over at all today, he had some insurance to look after. Frank went to school. I did up the chores and we had an early dinner https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4c8fbd3d012370e2b4cf0b3be5967e3e.pdf 931c06b44321254fcc693e9a1f5a05c7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. as soon after as possible I drove Hattie and baby down to Mrs Herb Cooks, left them there and went on down town and mailed a letter to the girls, came back got Hattie and baby and went out to the Waddles, Jim was in Simcoe so I did not see him. The sleighing is splendid not it snowed a lot last night and it was a wet heavy snow and stuck in spite of the wind. After tea Frank and I drove out to the H. Shands and did not get home till midnight. Colin was there and we had a great talk. It has been a fine day. Wednesday, January 20th Hubert got over about noon today. After dinner I drove him down to Art Ryerses, he wanted to see Art about the insurance on the new school, but he had gone to T. L. Gillies funeral. We then went a got a load of wood and were back at 3 O'Clock so I went after another load and Hubert stayed and sawed up rails. Dick came home for tea and we had it early and he started for Simcoe to see a Hockey game. Hubert stayed to tea and drove down with him. It is now after 10 O'Clock and he is not home yet. it has been a lovely day. I had a long letter from Toby and Frank and I wrote him tonight. Thursday, January 21st Nothing of importance was on today. I did not get up till nearly 7 O'Clock. I waited up for Dick last night and it was almost 2 O'Clock when he and I went to bed. Hubert was not over at all today. Frank went to school. I did the usual round of chores and got up two loads of wood. Hattie made dough-nuts and cookies beside all her ordinary work, she is stocking up against Toby's homecoming. We had letters from the girls today and I had a card from Quint today and am going to write him now. It has been much colder today and is freezing pretty hard tonight. Friday, January 22nd Owing to Toby's absence from home the diary has so far been kept by Daddy but as he is almost asleep tonight I am going to try a turn at it. This has been rather a blustery https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ae63be4b9c2c09346ab22dd8374b739f.pdf 38038ce85e9ea814b5cac7a87d357bf2 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. day, the worst day we have had this year. Cold East wind and snow. Hubert did not come over today. Lila told Frank he was fixing the smoke house. Daddy had to do everything himself. He killed and dressed three roosters. The little steer that we have shut up to fatten has been "off her feed" for the last two days but Daddy thinks she is some better tonight. Frank came home from school via Mrs. Cook's and brought my dress also a couple of rolled oats from the mill. He said Mr. Cook told him that Col. Thompson is dead and was to be cremated. He died out in California. Frank went down to the "Movie" tonight to see "The Millionaire Cowboy." He invited me to go but the weather looked too <s>disaggreeable</s> disagreeable for me. We are expecting Toby tomorrow evening and will be very glad to have him home again Saturday January 25th I see the family have been very faithful in keeping account of events of the past two weeks but as soon as I got within forty miles of home their efforts ceased and as I didn't pull in till to-night I don't know exactly what happened to-day, but perhaps a summary of my history of the last fortnight would not be out of place just here. The first day I arrived in Guelph I found the place full of strangers like myself prepared to take some of the short courses at the O.A.C. I was lucky enough to get the last place in a boarding house within walking distance of the College. The last place turned out to be a cot several inches too short for me in a room already occupied by two fellows in a double bed. There were only three bedrooms and seven of us. I slept in the cot the first night but my knee was bad the next day so as one of the other fellows said I could sleep with him in a decent bed I decided to do so, but in order to accomplish this I had to displace another and sentence him to the cot. This could not be done peaceably so we had to use force. This disturbed the household and the old man appeared in his nightshirt to inform us that it would be expedient for me or more of us to hunt a new boarding house. However things went smoother after that and I have slept in a bed ever since and instead of us any of us departing another was introduced and another cot erected for his benefit a week before I left. They weren't a bad bunch of fellows all students at the College. Two of them Jim De Leplante and Copelan were regular students https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9418bcc329dadbf10b44128ce5c8534b.pdf 9203edf5a76ee2407cd37c0e84d5d0e1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and the other four {illegible}. Ben Tex & Jack were taking the short three months dairy course and Coatsworth the last addition to the family was also a dairyman. One of then was from Toronto two from Buffalo one from Prince Edward Island one from England originally and Jack the fellow that got kicked out of bed was from a little town somewhere near St. Thomas. Tex who was my bedfellow proved to be the wildest and most entertaining of the bunch. His father lived in Chicago but owned a factory in Guelph. Tex wasn't bound much by home ties and said his father had threatened to disown him on one occasion for some of his rash actions. He had put in a lot of time in Texas and the West and would talk a blue streak about his numerous adventures. I would like to say whether they were all true or not. There was another very nice fellow up there by the name of Hamilton and he has had some experiences about as thrilling as Tex's and after hearing him recount them a fellow can just about bank on them being straight. He is altogether different from Tex a steady going well educated fellow and very interested in his studies. He has a great scheme about a chicken ranch and a market garden in his head, which if he doesn't make good on I don't think will be his fault. The life at the boarding house was very interesting and the life at the College was none the less so and much more educative. Our classes started at half past eight and every morning we had seed judging for an hour and a half. Prof. Javitz conducted all those classes but the last three which were devoted to the study of weed seeds and were taken by another fellow who name I don't remember. After the seed classs we went to the judging pavillion and put in the rest of the day. The first day we had sheep judging and an old breeder Mr. Harding did most of the talking but Prof. Day was the chief instructor. He was there for all the stock except the horses. The method they took every day was to give a discussion on whatever species of livestock we had before us then give the students a chance to place them in what they thought was the order meriting prizes and then for the proffessor or breeder to place them right and give reasons the students being permitted to ask all the questions they liked at any time. After the sheep we had swine with Mr. Bretham to talk on them then fat cattle and an old fellow named Mr. Gosling then Dairy Cattle with Mr. Bull of Brampton for Jersey's and Mr. Brenan for Holsteins and another for Holsteins. Last of all we had horses and Dr. Hugo Reid took Prof. Day's place. We had all the different types of horses. Some of the sheep cattle & hogs they killed and brought the dressed carcasses into the ring to demonstrate the relations between the live and the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c1ee5a3b988a701e77b2b94a407e16f5.pdf 1b2b19faf2cfc225c311e49d0f906d50 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. dressed. We used to get through as a rule soon after four and would have time to look around the farm or go for a swim in the gym or go over to the library as they had a fine one in connection with college. I went over to the poultry department and had a talk with Prof. Graham one night. He told me he was going to bring his class down here to see Jack Martin's chickens in a couple of weeks Two or three evenings they had a lecture or something on which was always interesting. I would have had lots of skating as they had a dandy rink at the College and two or three down town but my knee was bad nearly the whole time. However I did go and skate after a carnival they had and as I knew Hammond who is a second year man up there I got an introduction to several of the girls. I spent one evening with the Graeser's who are friends of Miss Scott and the Millman's so taking it all round I had a mighty good two weeks of it my knee being the only drawback. Sunday January 24th Frank was the only member of this family who went to church this morning and Dick was the sole representative to-night. I had a sore throat all day and felt pretty tough. Dad. spent the day doing chores and about five o'clock took Enah and Tiddums for a short drive. Frank spent the after noon in the woods. Cold but lovely day, sunny and bright. Monday Janaury 25th Frank stayed home from school to-day and he and Dad. did chores and cut wood all day. They got a big pile cut. I felt too rotten to go out of the house at all. Cold day but nice. Tuesday January 26th Frank stayed home again to-day and this morning he and Dad. took the little steer over to the slaughter house. Whit. killed it and dressed it to-day and they went over and got it in the bobsleigh to-night. Enah and Tiddums went down town with them and waited down town while they went over and got the meat. They took one quarter down to Huby and another to Mrs. McBride. He just dressed 352 lbs. Mrs. McBride was here washing all day. Cold & bright. Wednesday January 27th Dad. cut up one of the quarters of beef this morning and this after noon he Enah & Tiddums drove down to Law's to get one of them to haul ice to-morrow Sam was there and he said if Alan couldn't come he would https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/74f4e7640640e85bbf078a51b2b4dcce.pdf 9bdccdec5237138d28c72182102d94d9 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Frank went to school to day but Huby came over and cleaned out the ice house. We had a long visit from Jonas to-night. Still cold and bright. Thursday January 28th Dad. and Huby have been busy to-day filling the ice house Alan came and hauled eight loads. it is nice ice now but the blocks are thick Huby came over just before dinner on Alan's second load. He voted first they are voting for councillors to-day. Dick came home for tea to have a feed of beef heart and he told us that Ed. headed the poles with Mat. Wilson second. Harry Smith just missed by one vote There were just the three running and only two were to be elected. I felt better to-day and took Tiddums out for a ride in his dandy new sleigh which his Granfather made him Weather about the same as yesterday. Friday January 29th I have been out a little more to-day and did a few chores and put the cotton on another of my window frames. Huby has been over all day packing sawdust around the ice. I guess we will have to get another load. Dad. took a load of ice down to Lea Marshall's this after noon as all the farmers are helping him fill his ice house. Frank went down to see a broom-ball match to-night which they are having between the East and West side of Main St. Very cold and windy to-day. Snow drifting. Saturday January 30th Alan Law came over this morning and borrowed our sleighs to haul ice for Bob. Miller but left his here so Dad. and I cleaned out the horse stable and boxstall which had been cleaned out for two weeks so altogether there were two good sleigh loads and Dad. hauled it out on the old garden. I also made a rack in the chicken house to hold the window frames when there are not in use. Huby came over about noon and he and Frank cut wood all the afternoon Dad. and I did chores. Lila came over with Huby. Dad. Enah and Tiddums drove down town about five o'clock They took down eight dozen eggs and got 32 cts a doz. Very cold last night and cold all day but very sunny and still. Sunday January 31st We were very late getting up this morning and except for Frank and Dick nobody has been off or on the farm all day Frank went to church & sunday school this morning and Dick who didn't get up till after noon went down town about three o'clock. Dad. & I did chores most of the morning and I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3324bf214ad7a218881f0abca96b1645.pdf dcf56289f4fa5eb4ed3a38ab8d61aa49 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. read this afternoon. To-night Dad. wrote letters and I drew Enah. went to sleep and Frank wrote a letter to Aunt Leena. It has been mild and cloudy all day snowed this morning turning to an icy rain. Monday February 1st It rained all night last night and this morning everything was flooded so I drove the boys down to school and the bank. It began to freeze before noon and the wind got up so by to-night there was a fierce storm raging with a cutting sleet and it was pretty cold. We didn't do anything but chores all day and not any more of them than was necessary. We sat around and read most of the after noon. Tuesday February 2nd This has been the worst storm we have had for quite awhile. It stormed all night and all to-day but to-night is quieter. No trains came in at all to-day and they took the engine of the freight to pull the Stratford train out Dave Turner got out a mile or so but came back. The snow is so solid it is just like sand drifts. I walked down town this morning and got my hair cut This after noon put cotton on another window frame for the chicken house. It was nearly full of snow this morning. Frank came home about three o'clock as there was hardly anyone at school and the room was so cold the snow which drifted in didn't melt all day. Mrs. McBride came over this morning I don't know whether she intended to wash or not but she didn't. The old bear didn't see his shadow to-day but its very doubtful if he stuck his nose outside his log all day, so I suppose we should have an early spring. Wednesday February 3rd Dad. and I spent most of the fore noon shovelling snow as everything was drifted full. Tupper and Mr. Evans broke the trail from the Winding Hills to the mill bridge. Tupper was in here to get a cure for ringworm he has a patch of it near his mouth. I don't think any trains went out to-day but the mail train got in about five o'clock to-night. Frank went down after tea to get the mail and see another broom ball match. Dick didn't come home at all last night. This has been a lovely day. Cold but very sunny and not much breeze. Frank has just come home and said it was the snowplow which came in instead of the mail train but the track is clear now. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a484f87e4d38ab5131f396d300c6503e.pdf 194fc4fcc9ad59f432460ad741ce6655 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday February 4th Tims and I are alone tonight, the others are all down at the Cadets' concert and as they thought there would be a dance after it I suppose they will be late getting home so I think when I have written this I will go to bed. I have read a lot of the papers Miss Newell sent to Frank we have had no mail since Monday and I dont believe there has been a train in on the Hamilton road since the storm. We prepared for Mrs McBride today but she did not come. Toby and I got a couple of loads of wood up today, it was quite a job breaking the road there is a lot of snow now. It has been a very fine day pretty cold but bright. Friday February 5th We were late getting up this morning but managed to get the chores done up in time to haul up one load of wood. We took Tiddums back with us and he had a fine time. Coming home he showed signs of uneasiness I think owing to the fact that his feet were cold although he declared they were not but when Snoop and Bluch threatened to have a passage at arms he cheered up considerably.The dogs didn't fight however as Sam called Snoop home. Yesterday they had a little set to but old Bluch settled the dispute very quickly. Snoop is game but Bluch is too much for him. It was beginning to rain when we got in and when we got the load off Dad. went down to the mill and got <s>a</s> bags of flour, chop, & rolled oats. By after dinner it was raining too hard to go back to the woods and it kept it up all the after noon and is still raining to-night. I put in the after noon making a door for the partition between the two pens in the chicken shed. Dad. did chores and took the pork out of the pickle and put the beef in. I was going up to Simcoe to-night with a load that Cars. Rankin got up to see a hockey match but as it was raining so hard I didn't go. I don't suppose the rest would as I don't think the ice would be any good let alone the unpleasantness of the trip. The train came in on the Hamilton track to-day for the first time since the blockade and we got out mail to-night after being without it for three or four days. This has been one of the worst storms we have had for a long time. They say the snowplow and two engines ran off the track down by the Creamery yesterday and smashed the snowplow all to pieces and injured one of the engineers quite severly. The last we heard of the Port Rowan train it was stuck in a snowbank a couple of miles south of Simcoe https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8079e58264beacf6c13af090121c3493.pdf ba19b389753124a612167fe7279d9e80 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday February 6th It rained all fore noon and turned later to snow it has been cold and raw all day. After chores I spent most of the day fixing around the chicken house and made a door for the opening at the east end of the shed. Dad. and Frank sawed wood all morning and right after dinner hooked up and went down after a load of shingles and pickets to make a {sheep rack?}. Huby had them in the woodshed down home. Win came back with them and stayed to tea. After they got home we separated the calves from the sheep and put the former over in the barn near Deadnought's stall. After tea Win, Frank and I went down to the Moving Picture show Win & I got in at the first show but Frank and Lila who were a little later couldn't get in on account of the crowd but they got in at the second show and saw The "Million Dollar Mystery" which was the principal thing we went to see. The films didn't come till the late train so Win. & I missed it. One of the ewes the old fat one looks very sick to-night. Her legs seem stiff and she is panting very hard and not eating, we don't know what ails her but she looks to be pretty sick I have got up fairly early in the morning to write this and although I have the fire lit. It is still so cold in here that I have put on my gloves and cap and pulled down the ear tabs in the hope of feeling comfortable Sunday February 7th Frank went down to church and Sunday school this morning and Dad. & I did up the chores. Dick got up in time for dinner. We all got ready to drive down to see the wreck of the snowplow after dinner on the bobsleighs but just as we got ready a terrific snowstorm came up and in the midst of it Elva, Said. Davis & May Perry came over and were here all the after noon and evening. Then we hooked up to the bobsleigh & Dick Frank and I drove them down home. We had a mighty pleasant time but poor Dick didn't get down at all to see Dess and he was terribly afraid she would be mad. It has been a lovely day most of the time but for a snowstorm now and then. The sick ewe was a lot better to-day but something is wrong with her. Monday February 8th I got up fairly early this morning and got most of my chores done before breakfast. I didn't do much during the morning but make some buttons to hold the frames in the chicken house. We had dinner early and hooked up to the bobsleighs and all drove down to meet the one o'clock train as Aunty & Aunty Alice came in on it from Brantford as they had gone over there from Toronto to see Miss Battersby. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1c94179f486823e6e1601fa1bca91109.pdf aa546933aeab6190a635642c948eae72 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. They went to Huby's and so we didn't see much of them to-day. When we got home Art Ryersie and Colin came in to settle up some accounts. They were here a long time and Art was expressing his opinion of the war, hard times, and the outlook for feeding till Spring and others which are troubling the most of us just now. To-night just about six Jack Highland came in and wanted Dad. to take down the three bags of bluegrass seed. Huby told me the other day that he wanted it to-day but we didn't know whether he meant it or not so forgot it, so Dad. & Frank had to take it down to-night. I went to Simcoe to drill to-night and took Colin Ryersie with me but when I got there I found them practicing for another patriotic concert in the Armories and they weren't having any drill and wouldn't let Colin in at all so we didn't stay long and I got home before Dad. went to bed. Raw & Cold. Tuesday February 9th We were going after a load of wood this morning but Jack McBride came after Dad. to see a sick cow so I did up the chores and cut a little wood for Mrs McBride who was here washing. This after noon I went over to Jack Martin's thinking Prof. Graham would be there from the O.A.C. with his short course students as he told me he was coming down about this time and John Quanbury told us yesterday he was coming to-day but I found out he had come last night and been over here this morning so I missed them. After I got back Dad. & Tiddums drove down in the bobsleighs and brought Aunty & Aunty Alice over. it has been a nice day, sunny but pretty cold. Wednesday February 10th Dad. and I went back this morning and got a load of rails. We got all we could and nearly all there were but there are still a few under the snow. While we were at dinner Cars. Rankin came over to task me if I would take a load to Simcoe to-night. He said there were three or four fellows promised to go and an equal number of girls and that it would be worthwhile Dad. told me to tell him I wouldn't go so I did and then Dad said if i wanted to take Belle & Joe I could so I promised him I would. This after noon Dad. and I went up and got a load of gravel at Cantelon's and I had to hurry to get down town at the right time When I got there I found ten girls waiting and only one boy Charlie Nun. The others had disappeared and Cars. had gone up on the train. They all piled in and then I remembered that in my hurry I had come away without https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a79166e7c5a887bbdeb0c7b1aa356921.pdf 68f405e3413e8e2cd1d1bfa493f0ffcf PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. my skates so they said for me to go around by home and get them which I did but it made us late and we didn't reach Simcoe till nearly nine o'clock and there Charlie Nun proved himself to be worth all the rest of the bunch put to-gether who promised to go and didn't for he paid for most of the girls' way in to the rink and also for my ticket Dick had gone up on the afternoon train so he took Dess over. The game was between the Simcoe O.H.A. Juniors and Waterford. Cars. played with Simcoe and their team proved to be far more than a match for the Waterford fellows and the score was 7-3 I think favor of Simcoe. It was a pretty poor game and pretty dirty on the Waterford side especially. We had a half an hour or so skating after the match and got well warmed up and left for home before twelve. I nearly knocked one of my teeth out and Mildred Henry's brains at the same time while we were skating We were playing tag and I was it and as she was skating towards me I made at her to tag her. She saw me coming and turned around as I thought to skate away, but instead tried to dodge me or some thing with the result of a great collision and the above mentioned consequences. Dick and Cars. came back with us and we got back about half past one or two. Lovely day & night but pretty cold. Thursday February 11th This morning Dad. hauled wood while I did up the chores and this after noon we hauled another load of gravel from Cantelon's. There was a bunch up there including John Wess & Tupper. Rus. Lampkins also came in but decided he couldn't get through to Lynn Valley with a load so didn't stay. This morning Art Munroe came over after Dad. as their (Ivey's) black mare was down and they couldn't get her up She was over in the back field by the woods and had an attach of the colic. She got up after a while but was pretty stubborn about it. It has been pretty cold and breezy to day. Friday February 12th Dad. hauled wood all day to-day, he got up four loads which was all there was back there. I did up the chores and worked around at odd jobs while he was gone and helped him to unload the loads of wood. The last load out but one Dad. took Enah and Tiddums down to Alfred's and called for them again when he had unloaded. He and I also went down to the mill and got a bag of buckwheat and a bag of shelled corn for the chickens. Frank went down town to-night and asked Huby if he would come over to-morrow and help him saw wood. Huby said he would. Very mild and Spring like to day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7b66c1b83cebc349bcff0e00dd5bdbe8.pdf 7b593abf7da9b58ee41cff8d14ae5930 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday February 13th Huby and Lila came over this morning and have been here all day Huby & Frank cutting wood most of the time. This morning Dad. Lila and I went up and got another load of gravel. Yesterday's thaw made the roads pretty slippery and in some places the snow was nearly all gone, we had no trouble getting home with our load however, although Preston's hill was pretty bad in spots. As Frank wanted to make a trip to the Gravel pit he and Dad. went up for a load this after noon. They wanted to put it off way up at Sam's corner but when they crossed the ditch the bobs got stuck and they had to throw the load of where it was, unleach the team as Harry fell down and pull the sleighs out with the cham. Huby helped me put the netting on the chicken house windows this after noon and then Enah. Tiddums and I drove down town. Enah took down seven dozen eggs and got 28 cts for them. We saw Dick down town and while Enah was shopping he, Tiddums and I had a great drive around town which apparently delighted Tid. to the utmost. It rained this morning and hasn't frozen all day but the wind is much colder. Sunday February 14th I just watered the horses and fed the chickens this morning and then got ready and went down to Sunday school with Frank. Hazen started back a few weeks ago so I thought I would keep him company. I went around and called for him. He invited me over to dinner so I went after church. Hazen, Dave & Booze were keeping hatch to-day and Hazen did the cooking. We had a chicken which was mighty good. I was over there all the afternoon and didn't get home till after five. Just as I was coming over the bridge Dad overtook me with the team, sleigs and all the family, they had been out at the Shand's and had come around by town to get Aunty's and Aunty Alice's luggage as they are going to stay over here for awhile. To night We all listened to Aunty read "Little Lord Fauntleroy." Very mild and Spring like all day with quite a heavy shower of rain after dinner. Monday February 15th I happened to get up early this morning and while poking around heard a sheep blat. I lit the lantren and went out and saw the ewe which as been sick all week No 24 looked very much like lambing so I called Dad. and sure enough before long there was a lamb and before breakfast another and soon after a third but it was dead. Dad. has been running back and forward to the barn all day with first one and then the other to keep them warm and also to feed them as the ewe so far has hardly any milk for them, but to-night they look fairly comfortable https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/70ea2d3d9645221565e86fcb007e0b48.pdf 0f8516202ce5e14d7519585c0f0508f3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We built a pen over in the barn this after noon and shut the ewe and her lambs in it which separates them from the other sheep. Dad. helped me put the gate on the chicken yard and to-night I separated the three pens but haven't them sorted out yet. To-night Dad. & Enah went down to a concert by the Nanticoke Minstrel's. Frank went down to change a vest he got at Butler's. It has been mild to-day but cloudy. Tuesday February 16th This morning I went over first thing and got some roosters from Jack Martin. I got four to mate up with about fortytwo or three hens. I also got a little brandy from Mrs. Quanbury for the lambs as one of them was nearly all in this morning when Dad. went out but when I got home this one little fellow was dead. However the brandy revived the other one and by to-night was quite lively. This after noon I spent most of the time being coachman for the family. First I drove Aunty down town as she wanted to go to auxilliary Just as I got home Enah was ready to go down town to I drove her down. Then I nicely got back to the head of the lane when Mrs. McBride who has been here washing all day came out on her way home so I turned around and drove her home. I then was able to put Joe in for about an hour or so and then drove down and got Aunty & <s>Aunty</s> Enah and brought them home. To-night Dad. helped me get all the single comb hens out from the others and by themselfes and also to even up the other two pens a little better, so now I have about twenty hens and twenty two or three pullets. There may be a pullet or two in with the hens. It was colder to-day and cloudy and threatened to snow all day. I sat up till half past one reading "The Broad Highway." Wednesday February 17th I did chores most of the morning and nothing else much all day as I spent the time reading My "Broad Highway" I intended only to read at it odd minutes but it was too much for me and I put in nearly the whole day with it, after reading it, going back to feeding chickens and cleaning stables seems an unbearably tame way of living. This being Ash Wednesday Aunty & Aunty Alice went down to church this morning and Miss Harding came back with them to dinner She was here all the after noon and drove down to-night with Enah and <s>I</s> as we went to church this evening. Frank walked down to church but came back with us. The other lamb died to-day. About 9.30 to-night Tupper came after Dad to see a sick ewe. Sunny & thawing but raw. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/95df3d2350562df0149f73b3a9ab6917.pdf e83ab0aeac5ddfd21c679e18a9ed8080 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday February 18th This morning I drove Aunty to Vittoria to catch the 11.40 train for Port Rowan as she went up for the day to see Aunt<s>y</s> Ida. I didn't come straight home but went around to see if I could come down the front road but I saw both the Dunkin's and they said I couldn't get through that way so I had to come back around by Vittoria. Mr. Dunkin told me that he hadn't had the sheep registered yet and got me to give him the numbers again. As I wasn't in a special hurry I drove down the road that goes past the mill but after getting along it quite a way had to turn back but I wasn't sorry I went as it is so pretty. I think I have been through before but it must have been a long time ago and in the summer, it is just a pretty in winter, as the little stream is running along just the same, and the snow, sunshine and evergreens all combine to give it a very cosy & comfortable appearance and the narrow little roadway bounded by the artistic old rail fences over which you occasionally catch a glimpse of a field keep you in mind of the fact that you are still within reach of civilization but at the same time fits in beautifully with the fairyland surroundings. That is certainly a lovely country up there if it isn't much good. I didn't get home till after the rest had had dinner and as Sid. McBride had been here to tell us our wire had come Dad. and I had to go down after in this after noon. Dick came home to tea to-night and afterwards he and I went down to the Orchestra's dance. We had a dandy time, there were not many boys there but lots of girls. I danced pretty nearly every dance and with pretty nearly every girl and by half past two wasn't any more than able to toddle home. Perce Brock was down with his troops and so with him and Murray combined we couldn't help but have dandy music, the rest of the Orchestra was there too of course. The old ewe who has lambed could not get up to-day and all the after noon has been stretched out flat and although she was chewing her cud this after noon to-night she is just about dead. It has been a beautiful day fairly cold breeze but very sunny Friday February 19th Dad. and I didn't do anything all morning but tend to sheep and lambs. The sick ewe died during the night. Dad thought of skinning her but when he saw that her skin was all mottled he decided not to touch her as he was afraid of blood poison and besides the wool came right off her I suppose from fever. He took the fleece of her by pulling it and it came as easily and left the skin https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9333e53d21aada957b875718ff29f31d.pdf e25a9d4de1f1e4f439c59a3e946b82a8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. as clean as a whistle. First thing this morning old ewe No 117 had three lambs, the first one not much bigger than a half grown kitten, the second one a little bigger but weak and the last one the biggest and huskiest. The first two were not only weak but didn't know enough to go and get their natural breakfast so Dad. has been carrying them back and forward to the house to feed them and keep them warm. About noon old Splitear had a pair of twins but they were bigger and much more sensible. This after noon we did chores principally and Dad. buried the dead ewe. Colin Ryersie came in for quite a visit To-night Frank went down to the train and Aunty came home with him Lovely sunny day Saturday February 20th We didn't do much this morning but chores and I put Queen in Ginger's stall and cleaned her up and monkeyed with her for quite awhile till when I was washing her stifle she kicked me on my sore knee which settled me till after dinner. Jim Waddle and the two little girls came in and were here for a long time staying till dinner time. Frank tore down some of the barbed wire fence along the road. This after noon I drove Enah and Tiddums down town Aunty went as far as Uncle Ward's with us. To-night we all stayed home and Frank and I had a bath. When Dick came home he stayed up till three oclock reading "The Money Moon" which Aunty Alice gave him Very mild and soft to-day. Sleighing nearly gone Sunday February 21st I went down to Sunday school again this morning with Aunty and Frank and also to church. Aunty and Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Key's for dinner. This after noon Frank and I went for a ride, he took Belle with the little saddle and I was mounted on Joe. We had a dandy galop We went up the Gravel to the corner this side of the Half-Way-House crossed over to the Radical at the Brick School House and down the Radical through town and home. We were rather stiff to-night and Frank went to bed at eight o'clock but before I hit the strawpile we had some music. Softer and sunnier than ever to-day Sleighing no good at all Monday February 22nd Dad. didn't go to bed at all last night on account of the sheep. His ewe had one lamb about one oclock, it is very small and just as foolish as the others were about nursing we didn't pay much attention to it all day just holding https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/60f02cce0fc2b458dd37288341c6f1cc.pdf 86c0208afda7ecdb028906b9c33d4dae PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the mother a couple of times for the lamb to suck but this evening when Dad. went to look at it it was nearly dead. He brought it in the house and has been tending to it and feeding it out of the bottle with brandy & milk all evening and although for awhile he and Aunty Alice thought they had a hopeless case but now it has revived a little I haven't done much all day but chores and cleaned out the far chicken pen I also gave Queen a little brushing off and cleaned out the boxstall it has been a very rainy after noon and I read the "Money Moon" for an hour or two. Jonas came over before tea and bought a setting of eggs It has been very soft and Springlike but cloudy with a little rain. Tuesday February 23rd It has rained nearly all day to-day so we didn't do anything much except chores and Dad. put in a lot of time tending to the sheep. His lamb died to-day so he is going to try to put the little pet lamb on his ewe although she hasn't much bag. This after noon Dad. & I drove Aunty & Aunty Alice down town in the bobsleighs although the roads were mostly mud. They are going to stay down till Sunday. We brought Blaikeys old iron pot back from Butlers where it has been ever since Blaikey gave it to us <s>since</s> when he had his sale three years ago. Mrs. McBride was here to wash to-day and hung the clothes in the woodshed. Wednesday February 24th This morning we did up the chores and I put the harness & bridle on Queen but didn't take her out. I also went over to Jack Martin's and got an egg crate to start saving eggs for him. Old Mr. Silverthorn was over to see what we would send to the men's banquet on Friday night and put us down for some cream. Dad. & I took a walk back to see what the wheat looked like before dinner. The piece next Ivey's looks fine and there is no water lying on it although Ivey's place is flooded in spite of his tile. The other piece doesn't look so well especially on the knoll where it seems to be killed out and there are several places where the water is lying on it. Charlie Quanbury brought Chris' hams over to be smoked this after noon and I went out to his farm with him. He was fixing up his cow stable as he wants to get moved out in a week. He is going to keep hatch. I am afraid it will be pretty lonely for him but he thinks he wont mind. Frank went down to church to-night. It has been cloudy & very mild all day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/95b8302d3feb9373671360fff9ac3da1.pdf 045226a27b329248c9329329fa6ff6c1 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday February 25th This morning we put the pork in the smoke house and Dad. started a fire in the old iron pot we got from Butler's He thought it would make a fine firebox as there is a big hole in the bottom of the side which he thought would do for a damper (which it certainly did). He went out after dinner to see it and the pot had melted a hole in the ice for the smoke house had been flooded and when the pot sunk the water ran in the hole and put the fire out. This after noon I started to tidy up the shop and Dad. and I cut a little wood. To-night Dad. & I walked down to see Aunty & Aunty Alice and Dad. got his hair cut. They are staying up at Cousin Loll's for a day or two & Cousin Loll & Willie have gone to Toronto to see Hugh. They thought it very queer that last night Cousin Loll dreamt all night about Hugh She thought he had come home and it was so real she woke up and got up, then went to sleep again and dreamt the same thing over again, so she thought surely she would get a letter to-day from him but was disappointed, but late this afternoon Cousin Willie came up and said Hugh had just telephoned him from Toronto as he was there on business but wouldn't have time to come to Dover so wanted them to go down there. Cousin Willie had planned to go down anyway to a board of trade meeting so Cousin Loll went with him this morning and they expect to be back to-morrow night. Aunty & Aunty Alice expect to leave for the West Monday night. Tom Abbot and Billy {Haron?} were in this after noon Tom's mare has flatulent colic which is the same as Tuple's horse died of the other day so poor Tom was pretty frightened and wanted Dad to go down but Dad. gave him some medicine instead. It has been much colder and very blustery with snow today. Friday February 26th Dad. and I cut some wood this morning besides doing up the chores. This afternoon we were preparing to go over and pay Tupper a visit when Tom Abbot came in to get Dad. to go down and see Maude so we all walked down there judging from appearances Maude didn't seem in bad health except that she was a little bloated, but she was active and attentive and didn't seem in any pain however Dad. left Tom some medicine and advice. It was after five when we got home. I went down to the Men's missionary hangout for supper. I bought a ticket from Dick for fifty cts the other day so thought I had better use it. The cadets waited on the table and as I happened https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2b38b105e22509ca7532b9ca13f12910.pdf 9e32e6f34c34531778e3c90e9b4da0ea PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. think I was doing too badly when I could run up the G. scale two octaves and pretty nearly come down again and could also scrape off "Drink to me only" & "Sun of my Soul" so that you could tell what I was trying to play. Dick went down town this after noon after spending the first half of the day in bed according to custom and got home to-night about twelve It has been a sunny day but a cold raw wind. Monday March 1st The first thing on the programme this morning was the presentation of another pair of lambs by Greynose 118. I found them about half an hour after Dad. had looked in and found nothing. They were both dandy big fat strong ones and didn't need any nursing at all. When the sun got good and hot Dad. turned the old ewe and lambs in the shed where they were out of the wind. We did chores all morning and this after noon went down to say good-bye to Aunty & Aunty Alice as they left for the West to-night and are going to stay with Roy & Vernon to-night. I took 6 dozen eggs over to Jack Martin and Enah took five dozen down town. Jack said he wanted to send over a couple more roosters to put in the single comb pen. Mrs. McBride was here washing all day. To-night Dick and I went to Simcoe as Dick wanted to see a hockey match between Simcoe & Hamilton. Dad. assured us that the roads would be impassable as they said they were last Thursday but as Dick heard from several that they were good and as two or three had come down in automobiles and as it was a lovely full moon to-night we thought we would risk it, we were very glad we did for the roads were as smooth and hard as could be hardly any snow left on them except in one or two spots. It was a very good game between the Seniors & Hamilton and finished in two periods with a score of 4-2 in favor of Simcoe. I think the Hamilton fellows were a little the best team but Simcoe's goal-tender saved them. I went over to the Armories before the match and had about half an hour's drill. The third contingent fellows of which there are about thirty from the 39th are living at the Armories. They are going to have target practice down in the basement next Wednesday and cut out the drill one night a week. Sunny but cold to-day. Tuesday March 2nd I felt rather tough to-day as I had a sore throat and a cold I suppose due to my last night's exploit as Dick & I did considerable singing on the road home. First thing I went over to Martin's and got a couple of cockerels for the single comb https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8b07ca2ae1a8d9561defb5f0dcd9a133.pdf e459e8ee78aeae10f10c47d99a11252f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to sit down at a table which was under the supervision of Ed. Lindsay who didn't seem to do anything but run around with a large pitcher of hot coffee, I think I could have got a much better tea at home for nothing only I wouldnt have had three different kinds of cake. After supper we had to sit for about three hours and listen to speeches from fellows from Simcoe and Toronto as well as our own local talent. They didn't do or say anything much but crack jokes and talk about the war and the Kaiser and the missionary movement. Frank came down after tea and waited till I went home Dick was at the supper but had some excuse about having to work so missed the speeches. Cold wind and blustery. Lovely night. Saturday 27th February We didn't do anything much this morning but chores and cut a little wood. Frank and I had a good boxing match in the shop, he's not bad with his fists at all. Winnie & Lila came over to dinner Winnie had a collection box collecting to buy surplices for the choir. I donated a very nice two inch nail which I happened to have in my pocket. Winnie didn't seem very appreciative. Tom came in after dinner to tell Dad. that Maude isn't well yet although she is getting her appetite back having eat four bran mashes and is ready for as many more Dad. said she was doing all right but gave Tom a ball to give her. The minute Tom came in Tiddums solicited a nickel from him and got it. Just after Tom left Tupper came in and was here most of the after noon just visiting. Frank went down to-night to help eat up what was left over from last night's banquet. He'll get his supper for ten cents and won't have to listen to any speeches. It has been freezing all day with cold wind but sunny. Sunday February 28th Frank and I went down to Sunday school & church and Enah came down to church as they had a hymn sang to the tune of "Tell Aunty Rhody the Grey Goose is dead." And so Harry Moon sent her a special invitation to be there Aunty was in church and she & Aunty Alice came over here to dinner. They went back before tea however as Aunty Alice has a bad cold and didn't want to be out after sundown Dad. went down to church to-night and around to see them They expect to leave for the West to-morrow night. They were able to get cheap tickets after all. This evening Enah & I played a few duets but the parlor was pretty cold so I spent the rest of the evening practicing on the fiddle. Last night was the first time I ever tried it so didn't https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/824711f085aae4ab1f0bb86e1c577cc5.pdf 048a0812b156559aacb89ce89f4619ab PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. pen I also took the little cockerel which has been running with them over but they said he was too small to be any good so I brought him back and shut him in the corn crib with the Old Plymouth Rock & Rhode Island Red to await execution. When Dad. went out the cow stable this morning he found a heifer calf belonging to Jim. so that has taken up a little extra time but it is a fine red calf & good & strong but a little finer than Mary, Dad. thinks Martha would be a good name for it. This after noon Enah went down to Auxiliary and I minded Tiddums who was wonderfully good but didn't seem to be able to satiate his ravenous appetite for apples and I didn't like to give him too many. Dad took the old Rhode Island Red hen down to Alfred's and traded her off for a rooster to kill. We hated to kill her as she is laying. It has been a sunny but very windy & raw day. Wednesday March 3rd I didn't do anything to-day but chores as I felt rather tough with a cold and there was a cold high wind all day Dad chopped the smoke house door open again and put a fire in. I got twenty five eggs to-day, they are picking up. To-night Enah and Frank went to church & choir practice and I went to a party at Pat's & Bessies. I went up to the bank first and went down with Dick & Hazen. There was a big crowd down there playing pedro, we had a mighty good time but didn't get home till about two o'clock so I suppose will feel the effects later. Dick <s>one</s> won the gentleman's first prize which was a book. Art. Lawdon got the booby I think he was one game lower than me. Thursday March 4th As I expected I felt tough to-day but more on account of my cold than anything. I did chores and pruned some of the peach trees this morning and slept most of the after noon Dad. went down to the mill and had quite a visit with old Ivey and made arrangements to get about forty bushels of seed oats and run his {face?} for them I guess he succeeded all right and will get them to-morrow. Nice sunny day. Friday March 5th We hooked up the team this morning and went down to the mill to get our seed oats. We got forty bushels and put them in Ed's big bin It took us nearly all morning to fix things to hold them We left some right in the bags. We hauled over a few forkfuls of the old thrashed bluegrass out of the shed to the other barn. This after noon I took Ivey's sacks back to him and did chores. Old Jonas paid us quite a visit https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/99ad5c195a154c5a96541e57e5d09c07.pdf b3d94cf10254e0078df6d5fdd7ce439b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. last night. He has rented Hew Morgan's property up the radical roads about twenty two acres, house & barn some fruit and a grape vine for $75 a year. He thinks he will be able to make it growing vegetables. To-night Enah & I went down to Elva's to another pedro party. We got there early so I went back to town and came over with Dick & Harry {Wrey?}. We had another very enjoyable evening but didn't get home till two o'clock. Dick won a box of blacking this time for the booby prize with the inscription "If you can't shine at the head shine at the foot. There has been a rather raw wind all day and this after noon it began to snow it was still snowing when we came home but the wind had gone down and it had turned very soft. Saturday March 6th I havent done anything but chores all day and havent been very swift at them. I had a short nooze before dinner Tonight before six Frank & I went down and got the mail & some coal oil. Tony Bannister came over after dinner an he and Frank went back to see if there were any fish in the creek but there wasn't any water in it yet. Truman Walker was in at noon and borrowed the saddle as he was taking one of his mares to Simcoe to sell her for an artillery horse. His father is in Toronto having his eye treated and has been gone for several weeks Trum. says it will be a long time before he will be back It has been cloudy and snowing a little but very soft. There were quite a few cutters & sleighs out to-day but I guess it sleighing is pretty poor Sunday March 7th Frank was the only member of this family at church or Sunday school this morning and he stayed down at Huby's for dinner. My cold was so bad that I didn't do a pesky thing all day but sit around, practice on the fiddle write a letter to Quint. and read. Dad. did all the chores and this morning drove Enah and Tiddums down to the latter's Grandma's where they had dinner and <s>and</s> spent the afternoon Dad. brought them home at five o'clock. Dick got up about two o'clock and went down to see Dess for the rest of the day & a good part of the night. I went to bed right after tea. Snowed a little but mild. Monday March 8th I didn't get up till after noon to-day and have just sat around all the rest of the day. Dad. went down this morning to ask Sairy if she wanted his blind lamb to look after and this after noon Jonas came after it. They are getting all ready to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e60b797ec3bfb5c4b13e4218b3231fa2.pdf ed58d59c958fbd7e3056dde3e0798dc0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. move up to their farm to-morrow. The chief item of intrest was Dick coming home to tea to-night to help us eat roast chicken, not only that but he stayed home all evening and went to bed quite early not before we had a grand musicale however with Dad. & Enah <s>and</s> the fiddle & guitar and Dick on the mouth organ and tin whistle Dick became so jubilant that he could not refrain from dancing very noisily around the kitchen and waking up Tiddums who came running out here in his bare feet and wouldn't go back to bed for about an hour. Dick had brought him home a tin drum full of animal shaped biscuits which he aparently enjoyed very mucch. It froze pretty hard last night but has been very sunny & soft today. Tuesday March 9th I got up for breakfast this morning but have been in the house all day. This morning Billy Hawn came after Dad. to go down and see John Watts mare but Dad. didnt have time so gave him some medicine. Then Alfred came up as the old black horse was sick again & Alfred wanted <s>them</s> her put out of her misery either kill or cure so Dad. went down but said She wasn't dangerously ill. I guess Alfred rather wishes She would die as she is 25 years old and as long as he has her he hasn't got room for another and yet when she is well she can do her share of work so he hates to kill her. This after noon Dad Enah & Tiddums drove down town and back then Dad. drove Mrs. McB home who has been here washing all day. Cecil MacPherson came over with Frank after school and borrowed one of Dad's canary cages the breeding cage as his mother is going to raise canarys. Very mild & sunny all day. Wednesday March 10th My cold was much better to-day and I have been outside most of the day. Dad. helped me bring the incubator up out of the cellar this morning and I cleaned it out and started the lamp. The door of the egg chamber is warped or rather swollen that it won't shut, we thought the spare room would be the best place to run the first hatch through this year as the cellar is so full of apples & vegetables that we were afraid the air would not be pure enough and it would take a long time to get it ready down there. John Wess came in to see Dad. this morning about one of his mares and Sat. Robinson was in this after noon for vetinary advice. This evening the assessor, Mr. Austin of two years ago was around and knocked off the five hundred dollars that Vair put on the assessment last year which pleased Dad. greatly https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3fcfee3c09d54cda167a4cffef9737d2.pdf b3e54d4b2179341a2427447cda67798f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. To-night Frank went down to the weekly Lenten service presumably to sit and watch Rosy. Sunny & mild all day. There are some very fishy stories going the rounds just now about Henry Hoffman being arrested in New York as a German Spy and having on him papers concerning Canadian Government buildings & forts which everyone should not know. Thursday March 11th I went over to Martin's this morning to ask Chris about the incubator, I was afraid the thermostat had gone wrong but he said it was all right. When I got back Dad. & I went down to Hammonds bush and got a waggon box full of sawdust to put on the ice. We didn't get back till after one I saw for the first time a very interesting looking character in the person of Ad. Frolic. I never heard of him till a little while ago but Dad. says he has been around here ever since he can remember, he & Jack Richardson were building a log hut down in the bush where Ad. intends to live in future. It doesn't look as if it would be a very comfortable habitation and is in great contrast to the mansion on the other side of the road where Oscar Howden has built up his old shack into a hip roofed structure of very prepossessing appearance or will be if Oscar ever takes time to paint it or clear up the rubbish around it but I suppose he wont have time for that kind of foolishness. Regarding the personal appearance of the above mentioned Mr. Frolic at a distance he looks very much like the gentleman universally known as Santa Claus as he <s>is about</s> wears his whiskers the same way and is about the same size & shape except that there is not such a large portion of the abdomen which shakes like and rhymes with jelly. On closer inspection however he would never be taken for old St. Nick as his face would I think have the opposite effect upon that part of humanity which the other so delights. It is of a rich reddish purple colour and all puffed and shiny and is used up nearly altogether to make up his nose which is bigger than any other two noses I ever saw. He was just going home to {dinner?} when we saw him and he had pulled on his old overcoat without bothering to pull the collar from where it had rolled under on his back. When I told Tom Abbott the other day that I didn't think I had ever seen him Tom. said he guessed I hadn't as I would be sure to remember if I ever had and I think I most certainly would. I spent the after noon washing out the incubator and getting it in shape to run but to-night the temperature hadn't gone up at all beyond 98°. Tonight Sam & Mrs. Law came over to spend the evening. It was rather cold https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4c9bdadb4cce9911deea7728126ee208.pdf 899934ef24b2dd8d958e521bed044a86 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. in the parlor so we didn't have any music. They were here till about eleven o'clock. It has been sunny but rather raw to-day Friday March 12th I took the mate to the rooster that died over to Martin's this morning and brought two more back here I didn't want to bring just one and put him in with the other for fear they would fight. When I came back I pruned a couple of trees in the orchard. Dad. took a look at the wheat and reported it all right so far. This weather lately has been hard on it as the snow is all off it and it looks terribly brown. This afternoon I started to clear up some of the rubbish around the windmill. It has been sunny and mild but cold breeze. We got a letter from Aunty to-day saying they arrived safely in Fort Saskatchewan. Saturday March 13th This morning I took Chris' ham over to him as Dad. thought they were smoked enough. I wanted to ask him about the incubator, this morning when I went in the temperature had gone down to about sixty seven and the flame was aparently just the same. Chris said it might have been on account of the outside temperature and advised me to put the eggs in, so I did when I got home. I put in 136 eggs and let it go. It has got up to 103° to-night and I put a screen up to keep the cold air from the window off it. I just did odd jobs the rest of the morning and Dad. & Frank went out and opened up the potato pit and found them in good condition so they sacked them all up and hauled them in this after noon. The baby went out to the field with us in the waggon and I took him back as far as the gully while they were loading. When we got in I rode down town and got the mail. Winnie & Lila were over all the after noon & Frank went down with them to-night to play poker. Snowdrop presented us with a black & white heifer calf to-day. Sunny & mild but freezing nights. Sunday March 14th Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning <s>and</s>. They had service in the Sunday school as the church is in a state of upheaval owing to the cleaning of its inside walls and ceiling. Dad. did chores most of the day and Dick slept till dinner time and then went down town. Colin Ryersie rode up this after noon on Lady and as I was thinking of going for a ride myself I took Joe and we had a great ride for a couple of hours or so. Joe was full of mischief and I didn't have to urge to go at all. Frank went down to church to-night. Dad. has been reading Happy Hawkins to us all evening. Beautiful day no wind & very mild just like Spring. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a9d05ebb5ee256551d76ec2865e5e7fa.pdf e7e5caeb220ee9589cd1a3f2a461c502 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday March 15th I got up at five this morning and we got the chores done up fairly early. Dad. & I drove out to Jim Waddle's this fore noon as he had a steer out there with an absess on its jaw which he wanted Dad. to look at, it was nothing serious though, we poked around out there looking at the stock for about an hour and came home around by town and got the mail. Dad. also saw Old Walker and asked him if he could borrow fifty dollars to buy our seed with till we sell one of the two year old steers Old Walker said he could have as much as he liked for as long as he wanted it. This after noon I rode Joe down and got her shod so that took up most of the after noon. When I got back I went over to Jack Martin's with a doz. more eggs. Tonight I walked down and got my hair cut. Mrs McBride Nice day. Tuesday March 16th After we did chores this morning we put on a load of oat-sheaves and hauled them over to the horse stable, it took about an hour to chop the ice so that we could open the barn doors. This after noon we put on a load of hay which had been under the oat sheaves and hauled it over to the other barn for the cows we just left it on the waggon. Dad. then put the harness on old Dave and gave him a little exercise. Tiddums was out with us for a long time so long that he went in of his own accord. We got a letter from Aunty & Aunty Alice to-day. It has been sunny but a very cold wind to-day. Mrs. Charlie Martin started getting milk from us to-day. Wednesday March 17th We went down to the mill this morning as soon as we could and got some oats chopped and I got some short bran & corn for the chickens. Dad alao got 9 bushels of O.A.C. No 21 barley for seed It was $1.15 a bushel but was a lovely clean sample When we got back we cleaned out the box stall there was over a waggon load and Dad. hauled it out to where we had the potatoes in the old garden last year This after noon I took Dave out for a little exercise. We tried to get the chores done up as early as possible as Frank & Enah went down to a St. Patrick's Day tea at the Methodist Church and Winnie came over to tea to go to Simcoe with me as she wanted to pay Norah a visit. We had to go way up to the other end of the town to find the house. I went down to the Armories and we had target practice, it is the third one they have had. I made 12 out of 30 which was worse than most but not as bad as some. When I went back to the Cunninghams I found Norah & Winnie had gone to the picture show and I had https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/93ffca7b561831d8a46d24ad1b67f37b.pdf 0f7688f31a0d9d687a80896d9a819442 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to wait quite awhile for them but Norah's younger sister Hildaguard was home so I didn't much mind the wait. Win & I didn't get home till quite awhile after twelve Dick and I had an invitation to a big dance down in the town hall to-night but neither of us went. Allan Law & one of the Powells down the lake shore got it up It has been a nice day but a rather raw wind. Thursday March 18th This morning we did chores and then treated the two youngest calves horns with acostic potash to kill them. Mary, Mully's calf, didn't have any horns so she escaped the ordeal, we haven't quite decided on a name for the other two calves but we thought that for Jim's calf coming next after Mary, that Martha would suit very well and for Snowdrop's blackie we thought "Just Gone along" might fit in, the only thing with that name is I am afraid that when she becomes of age and is eligible to be sworn at it will be rather a nuisance. This afternoon Dad. drove Enah & Tiddums down to the mill house to call on Mrs. Josef Ivey and he drove on down town and got a bushel of clover seed from Billy Laings. Charlie Nunn sent word over by him that he was having a party and wanted me to go down so I went. There were just a few there, the Henry girls and May Rankin & Mabel Almas and two or three boys but we had a good time and still got home soon after twelve. We didn't play cards or any such tame sport as that but we just cut up all the time peeled the rugs of the floor & danced and played a lot of games which we could run around at. It has been a nice day but rather a raw wind. Friday March 19th This afternoon morning Dad. Tiddums & I drove up to Billy Dixon's and got our seed corn we got all we think we will need for a dollar. Dad. stopped in on the way up & saw George Duncan about getting some rails George told him they were going to tear down a lot of fence around the big orchard & Carpenters bush and that we & Allan Law could start in to haul it right away so Dad. went down to see Alan when we got home and he said he could go tomorrow morning. It was a lovely morning and I think Tiddums enjoyed himself but couldn't keep awake to enjoy the latter half of the journey and when we came through town he was sound asleep on my knee Dick & Harry Ausley both wanted to wake him up, he did open his eyes but shut them again immediately. This after noon I took both Dave & Queen out for a little exercise. Queen https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d9ee7cdab541c7a667a2a7ca4d3783fb.pdf 564591ffcfa0b44a7db60496046f6176 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. went fairly well but Dave took me unawares once and got away. We had quite a little trouble catch him and getting him quiet. Lila came over after school to-night to stay all night. It has been a lovely day. They say Art Ryersie was working on the land to-day his flats too. Saturday March 20th Dad & Frank got off about eight o'clock to haul rails from Duncan's Alan went up with his team at the same time, he had Frank McBride to help him. They got back just about noon with a good sized load. They came down through town and around by Mrs. Munroes instead of around the hill or up Preston's hill. They got off about two o'clock after another load, they didn't expect Alan to be there this after noon but he was there ahead of them. Dad. said the field was very bad pulling and he told Alan he intended to haul half a load out to the road at a time instead of pulling a full load through the soft field but Alan was so sure his horses could pull it and so he piled on all the rails he could and the consequence was he got bogged in the middle of the field and had to throw half load all off besides tramping the sod all up. They got home about five. I did chores and this morning pruned apple trees but the wind was too cold for that this after noon so I just puttered around. I went down to the mill and paid them $20.00 on the account and then took 1/2 dozen eggs over to Jack Martin. It was a lovely day this morning but a rather cold wind has been blowing since dinner. Sunday March 21st I didn't get the chores done in time to go to Sunday school but Frank went down and Enah & I drove down to church. They had the church all cleaned up in great shape but Mr. Johnson was sick so Cousin Willie ran the service and did twice as well as Mr. Johnson. This after noon I coaxed Dick into going for a ride he took Belle & I took Joe, we had a nice little ride but Dick says he got terribly sore. When we got back I rode down and asked Colin Ryersie if he wanted to go to Simcoe Wednesday night, riding, and he said if his horse wasn't working to hard he would. They have got some seed in the ground down along the creek and part of the side hill is sowed. Dick went down town when he got home. To night I practiced on the fiddle. Frank went for a ride on his bicycle this after noon. There has been a cold wind all day to day and to-night was spitting snow. I broke an egg in the incubator to-night and found a live chicken in it.'' https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a01dd5b27b5e3745458b2587f4258ee1.pdf 43776b49ff0b5c16e4cc196edaad5dc3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Monday March 22nd Dad. got off about half past eight this morning after rails and got with a pretty good sized load about noon he was there quite awhile before Alan so was all alone as I didn't go with him this morning but stayed home and did chores. I got everything done up so went up with him this afternoon. Alan was a little more careful to-day and this after noon hauled half his load out to the road. We both had on a big load to-night. Alan seemed greatly troubled over the fate of Jack Wardell who he was talking to on the road He hired out to Ged. McSloy for a year with the intentions of getting married to Bert Sindon's daughter but her parents wont let her get married so he threw up his job and was going home yesterday. Alan gave him some very good advice and told him to make a date with the girl to-night and scoot and get married but he thought he would go home and let the matter settle for awhile. To-night Frank and I tested the eggs we saved out forty one out of one hundred and thirty six but after cracking one of the ones we saved out and finding a chicken in it we put six back so that leaves a hundred and one still in the machine. It was inclined to want to snow this morning and to rain this after noon but didn't do either very vigorously and has not been very cold but a raw wind all day. Tuesday March 23rd Dad. & I got off pretty early this morning and got back with a good big load of rails by noon. This afternoon we went up and hauled what were left all except a few panels which were behind a big pile of rails.We only had half a load on this after noon. Alan didn't haul at all to-day but was in at noon for a few minutes, he has an awful cold and can hardly speak. Dad. told him last night that rum was the best thing on earth for a cold so he said he was going to try it. This after noon when we got home we unloaded our rails put the waggon in the shed and hauled the bobsleighs over into the barn as up till now they have been standing out in the lane. Mrs McBride was here washing to day. Sunny & mild but a raw wind. Wednesday March 27th This morning Dad, Tiddums and I drove around to John Wess' and Dad. made arrangements with him to come over the day after to-morrow with his engine and saw and cut up our rail pile as he promised to come over when we got enough rails to make it worthwhile last fall. He said he went over to the Shands the other day and cut up sixty cords of ash which were {illegible} tops and limbs from the logs they sold this winter. We drove up as far as Duncan's https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a8379e046c744496cf52f3cf449b3a86.pdf d21e7b4f2febc2bb88716522a27884a0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. orchard as Dad. wanted to pay George for the rails but he didn't see anything of him around outside he didn't go in as he was afraid he might see old Bill and not be able to get away from him for the rest of the day. This afternoon we didn't do anything much for an hour or so after dinner Dad. had a snooze and I read chunks of Charles O'Malley then we went out and started to clean out the calf pen but didn't finish the job before it was time to do chores. Colin Ryersie was up here about six o'clock on his black mare to go to Simcoe with me. I wasn't quite ready so we didn't get started till nearly half past six and although we didn't ride at all hard we got there about half past seven and as we were home much earlier we decided that riding was the ideal way to go. We had rifle practice again and I made five more points than I did last time. I hit the bull once. The first shot I had I blazed away at a hole in the wall instead of the target but I got another shot Pud. Smythe was there to-night. It has been a pretty cold wind all day and looked very much like rain this after noon and to-night but didn't. Lovely night Enah and Frank went down to church to-night. Thursday March 25th It rained most of the day to day so we couldn't do much outside Dad and I spent a large part of the morning trying to take a nut off a bolt in the oven damper of the old stove we got from Cousin Bessie but all out efforts were in vain for although we soaked it in coal oil and heated it and had all manner of instruments from a flat rasp to Dad's equine dental forceps we could not budge it so we left it, we put the sleighs away however over in the big barn. This after noon I sat around and read for quite awhile and about four o'clock drove down town to get some household supplies. There was a great {tril?} going on this after noon between Sam Jacques and Nichols the new hotel keeper over a bottle of whiskey which Sam got hold of a couple of weeks ago. I went up for a few minutes but the place was packed and it was rather late so I didn't stay long. Frank was up there and when I left said he guessed he wouldn't come home just yet but we were rather surprised and Dad. very much annoyed when he didn't turn up till about eight o'clock. He had stayed till the thing was over but he said they couldn't come to any decision. It was much colder to-night. Friday March 26th Frank didn't go to school this morning and he and Dad. went over in the waggon to help John Wess load his engine & saw and bring it over. They got back about eleven with the saw but https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/445f8ba8e4e1337f04f520a1c72ce27d.pdf bc9b18f66fa19ec4ab5b58045c0edab7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. John Wess didn't come as it was so windy, he said it was a horrible job with a wind as the sawdust gets in the eyes. He said he would be over the first fine day. I did chores while they were gone and helped Enah entertain a visitor who was here in quest of old rags & rubbers and also to sell wonderful pails which were guaranteed forever against leaking, burning, melting, bruising, bursting & breaking and which Hugh McQueen could make for a quarter at the bargain prices of 45 cents & 25 cts. We gathered up some old rubbers and gave them to-gether with 10 cts for one of his small pails to induce him to proceed upon his journey to the Doy's next whether he said he was bound. Frank went to school this after noon & Dad. & I just did chores and sat around. It has been very cold all day and windy. To-night the wind has gone down but it is freezing hard. It snowed a little this morning. Saturday March 27th I got up early this morning and wrote to Aunty & Aunty Alice as I heard from them yesterday. After we did up the chores Dad. Frank. Tiddums & I amputated the tails of the six lambs. It should have been done before as the lambs were big and bled pretty freely, however I think to-night they are all right. Dad. & I finished cleaning out the calf pen before dinner and Frank cleaned out the old musty straw and hay out of the hay in the big barn. This after noon we hauled it and the thrashed bluegrass which was over the shed over to the other barn and Dad. is going to use it to bed the cows. We then put on a load of hay and hauled it over to the other barn for the cows. We didn't take it off the waggon. Tony Bannister was over here all the after noon. The German from Jack Martin's came over this after noon and got my eggs I had 10 1/2 doz. for him. Lila has been over since before dinner and went back after tea. Nobody has been down town to get the mail to-day but Lila brought us over three "Jack Canucks" which Dad seems to be enjoying. It froze very hard last night but has been sunny though cold wind. Sunday March 28th When we went out this morning we found a big, red heifer calf depending on the maternal instincts of Bobby for protection & sustenance. It is the first heifer she has ever had and is the sixth heifer to come this year or rather this season as some came before the New Year. Last year they were all steers but one. I didn't get chores done in time to go to Sunday school and instead of going to church I looked after Tiddums and induced Dad. to go. I don't know whether I will get the job again or not as I let him play out on the front lawn and incidentally https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fac3c538b2d419838b5bbbaad4010378.pdf eea2a54c41158d32f4f9980775d2ce59 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to fall into the ditch, he went to walk over the plank that lies accross the ditch and not looking where he was going stepped one foot off and fell k-spat in and got soaked. It didn't hurt him but he must have been frightened for I couldn't under any conditions persuade him to stop crying till he got ready and then when I had all his wet duds off and he was beginning to take a more optimistic view of the trials and tribulations of life when he happened to touch a wet spot on his dress. This incident aparently called back visions of the forgotten-for-the-present past for he burst forth again with renewed energy and wept profusely. However Dick was up and we soon got him into a more cheerful frame of mind and kept him there till the folks got home and assumed the responsibility for his conduct and disposition and as far as I was concerned were most welcome to it. This was not the only adventure of the morning in which a change of raiment due to the effects of aqua pura was concerned but time, space and my accursed bashful nature will permit me to give no more details. This after noon Colin & Floyd Ryersie came up on horseback and I joined them. We had a very enjoyable ride although I started out a little too vigorously considering the dinner I had just partaken of and consequently felt some qualms of consience of stomach. I was not in a position then to figure out which but upon reflection I have become convinced it was the latter troubled me most. We went down the lakeshore to Corbett's had a talk with Corby went through their lane to the plank down the plank to the {illegible} and from there home. This evening I intended to go to church but failing to get ready in time I went down after church and called on the Harry Moons, and it was after midnight when I "hit the hay" It has been cold and raw all day. Snowed a little tonight and freezing hard Monday March 29th This morning Dad's tooth was so bad that he went down and had it pulled. It was broken and in awful shape as it was all ulcerated. Bill Lemmons injected some of his dope into it to ease the pain but it didn't do any good and Dad. has been nearly sick with it all day. This after noon Enah went down to the dentist's and got some teeth filled Mrs McBride was over here washing this after noon Enah expected her this morning but she had been over at Preston's where they are all sick. I did chores and sat around all day. Frank and I managed them with Dad. assisting us only by instructions. This has been a fierce day very windy with snow, a regular blizzard and and raging this after noon. To-night it is freezing hard and the ground is white. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/46cee9eac798973547b13b58face66cb.pdf 2364df41089708476804448834aa6e19 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {There is a wee sketch of a conifer tree at the top of this page} Tuesday March 30th Dad. fed the calves this morning but hasn't been out of the house since and feels very miserable. His head ached to-night. It took me all day just doing chores. I went over to Martins for a minute or two this after noon. To-night I spent an hour and a half leg banding the pullets with stove pipe wire. Cold & windy to-day, not so bad as yesterday. Wednesday March 31st Although Dad. has felt much better to-day he was not able to get out of the house at all, so I was busy all day with chores and Frank helped me when he came home, this after noon I rode Joe down to the Ryersie's to tell Colin I couldn't go to Simcoe to-night. This morning a man walked over here from town to see the old duelling pistols. He is a traveller but told Dad. that at his home is in St. Mary's and that he had over two hundred firearms besides swords, dirks and suchlike. He would have liked to have bought them but didn't like to say so. He said the sight of them was well worth the walk. Sid McBride was in to-night selling fertilizer & binder twine. Dad <s>offered</s> ordered 50 lbs of the latter. We heard on Monday from Roy they are coming up to-morrow for Easter. It hasn't neen nearly so cold to-day but cloudy. Thursday April 1st Dad. helped me milk this morning but his mouth was pretty sore and he wasn't going out again but John Wess came over with his engine to saw up the rail pile so Dad. had to be out all day. As Vernon & Rebecca were coming up on the eleven o'clock train I had to leave to go down and meet them, that made us short handed so I called in at the school house and sent Frank home He was very good about it and didn't seem to mind very much. Huby was down at the station and I got him to come over. So this after noon there was lots of help and they got through in lots of time. Vernon & Rebecca arrived safely. Dick Huby & Aunty Maude were down at the station. I did chores most of the after noon and to-night drove down to meet Roy. Miss Ethel Phipp's came up on the same train so we drove her home. Not at all windy but rather cold. Friday April 2nd When we got up this morning the ground was white as it had snowed a little in the night so as there was no wind I went out before breakfast and sowed about half the clover seed on not quite half the field of wheat which is on the old alsike stubble. I spilt a little of it by pulling https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e31c8b29fe9af394687a0c6abd871f0f.pdf 7e2abc4df4e26122f2ad5315d92f864e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the feed lever back too far till it caught and it sowed too thickly anyway. This being Good Friday Dick had a holiday and Enah, Vernon & Frank went down to church Dad & Roy looked after the babies. I watched the incubator most of the day. The eggs are beginning to come out and Roy & Vernon are very much interested in them especially the latter, she sat in the room for about an hour watching the little fellows pick themselves out and drop overboard in to the nursery below. This after noon Dad. helped me get the brooder down from over the hog pen and put it in the empty chicken shed. Very nice day Saturday April 3rd I got up this morning and sowed the other half the wheat field and had quite a lot of seed left so Dad. thinks it isn't thick enoug and will have to be gone over again. I had the machine shut tighter and walked quite a lot faster. Roy & I spent most of the morning getting the brooder in shape and he fixed up Enah's dairy thermometer to put in the brooder. Dad. did chores most of the morning This after noon Dad. went down to Carl Coleman's to see a sick cow and then on down town to the dentist's as his tooth was still sore and Bill picked out some pieces of bone. We hooked up the team to the waggon and took the whole family down town, Roy, Frank & I went down to the beach and got a part of a load of sand for to put in front of the brooder to soak up the mud. Mr. Pickford was down there getting a load and we had quite a visit with him We came up around by town and got Enah, Vernon & the two babies on, we had to go down to Mrs. Skey's stepping block to let Vernon in as her skirts were too narrow to get in on Main St. Dad. walked home as he had to go in on his way back again to see Carl's cow. When we got home Roy & I put the sand in in front of the brooder. To-night Vernon & Roy went over to Mrs. Battersby's to tea and I drove Enah down to choir practice. I drove down after her about ten o'clock and met her coming home with Truman & Topsy Walker. It has been a very nice day. Vernon has been dyeing hard boild eggs for the kids to-night. Sunday April 4th Roy got up early and went down to early communion this morning so that he could keep Rebecca and let Vernon go down to the other service but Vernon stayed home and kept house so the whole bunch of us went down at eleven o'clock even Dad. & Dick. This after noon we moved the chicks to the brooder, there were just fifty eight and some of them were https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/edb5cccf9f19874fb29c2dcc17c7d950.pdf 158d39f48f67bea6ee240d056227af0f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. crippled. The two Ryersie boys came up on horseback and got Frank and me to go with them Frank took Belle & I took Joe. We had a dandy ride and called in for Corby and got him to go with us. We went way down the lake shore to the town line from there to Mud Street and up it home. A couple of times we rode down on the beach and then made the horses climb the hill. It was nearly six o'clock when we got home. Roy went down to Huby's for tea and He Frank and Enah went to church. Enah had to play for Zeitha Barwell who sang a solo. Tiddums wouldn't stay with Vernon after Enah left and I came in and found him under the table just yelling for all his might but he soon cheered up when I took him out and showed him old Gladys and the horses. It has been a very nice mild day but raw breeze Monday April 5th This morning Frank and I took down three sacks of oats to the mill to be chopped and then went down and got a load of sand and unloaded it before dinner and went back down to the mill and got our grist. Dad. drove Vernon & Tiddums out to Tommy Jackson's as Vernon wanted to see Mrs. Jackson about getting some eggs. (Toby and Frank are going down to Huberts tonight so I said I would finish this up as it is behind it now being Wednesday night). He did not do much in the afternoon, worked at the brooder a little. It has been a raw day and threatened rain several times this afternoon. Roy went down town and Vernon and Rebecca went to Mrs Battersbys to play bridge. I drove Hattie down there for tea. We took the baby with us and he came home with me. Willard won the big fight. Tuesday April 6th We were all up early this morning and I drove Roy to the station. Mrs McBride came to do the washing, the boys and I put a load of hay over the horse stable, after dinner Toby and I took a little hay to the cow stable and then we hitched to the other wagon and took the girls and babies down town on our way we picked up Mrs Jack Martin and Miss Cope. We unloaded at the Post Office then Toby and I went to get a load of sand, brought it home hitched Joe to the buggy and started to see Vernon off, but it took us so long to get home with the sand on account of the roads that we missed the train https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/835995821ec25d8afb375d278202720c.pdf db86116dde0564171bea7f1da65ff414 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Frank had been fishing all the afternoon with his usual luck. Toby walked home and I brought Hattie and the baby. It has been a beautiful day, mild and bright. Wednesday April 7th As soon as all the morning chores were done I sowed oats in the little orchard, then I went over to Charlie Martins to telephone to Atkinson about pulling up the headstone for Alice they said they would put it up between 1 and 2 O'Clock so I got ready and Hattie gave us an early dinner and I started with Hattie and baby a little after 12, but they had the stone up and gone. Mrs Charlie Munro said they left about 10-30. Toby started Frank on the disk and he worked up the little orchard in good shape and then harrowed it. Toby and I went back to see how the land was over the gully and decided we would try and sow tomorrow. The boys as I said before have gone down to Huberts. Thursday April 8th Out of bed at five o'clock and on the hump ever since is a summary of to-days record. Dad. & I got back to the back field about half past eight and Dad. started to sow the oats broadcast right on the furrows and I followed with the disk. The ground except in one or two spots where it was a little wet was in beautiful shape to work as it is just as the frost left it without having had any big rains on it to pack it and it works up just like an ash heap. Some of the travellers on the side road thought Dad's method a queer one and didn't seem to approve of it but Dad. says they always used to do it out West & Charlie Batty was past and said they used to do it here with success. Dad. thought it was better to get the seed in & covered before a rain than to work the land all up and then run chanches of getting a big soaker on it. We took back six bags of oats with us this morning and Dad. sowed nearly all of it and although he couldn't tell exactly he wanted to sow {2?} bushels ot the acre. Dad. disked this after noon and finished he had sowed but couldn't go crossways very well on account of the piece in the centre which he didn't get plowed last fall Allan Law was harrowing for a couple of hours this morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5b7297a39a0c2c8d5e0994d30c0f4c00.pdf f2d718214976eb64c65584abbdb4673f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. on their side hill but he didn't come back this after noon. Huby & Lila came over this morning and this after noon they burned the grass off the back field next the woods It looks as if there would be good pasture there soon Last night when I came home from town I went to look at the brooder and found that the temperature had gone down to forty on account of the window being left out and this morning there were nine dead chickens in the brooder and four have died since. Chris. told me yesterday that lake sand would kill them so we got some yellow sand and covered up the lake sand which was in the pen. The white ewe had a pair of twins this morning but won't own one of them so has to be caught every now and then to give the lamb a chance to suck Lovely Spring day with a south westerly breeze and not freezing to-night. Mrs. Lorne Myers was in to-night and got Dad's hen canary which he was has been wanting to get rid of for quite awhile. Friday 9th April Dad. and I got back fairly early this morning and Dad sowed about four bushels more seed while I harrowed the hill I crossed it which necessitated marching up and down hill all morning I didn't mind it much but I guess it was pretty hard on the horses. This afternoon I disked what Dad sowed this morning and he harrowed with Joe & Ginger. We got all the seed pretty well covered when it began to rain and is still keeping it up. We took the little team back in the shape of a four horse team with them as the leaders but Joe was no good for a leader as she lagged. Lila came over this after noon and is staying all night. It has been fine and very mild all day and this is a warm rain which was needed for the wheat & hay badly. Saturday April 10th We didn't get started so early this morning as we didn't know whether it had rained enough to make things too wet or not, however we found it hadn't rained much so Dad. went back to finish plowing the little piece on top of the hill which was left over from last fall. He finished it about three o'clock in some spots it was very wet & sticky and other places the frost isn't out yet but it is pretty good. He intended to sow it as soon as he got done and work it in but when I went back at three o'clock the wind was so strong and it looked so rainy that we both came up and Dad. drove Enah & Tiddums down town to get the mail. I took some eggs over to Martin's this morning and Frank got the cyclone clover seeder from Vyse and when I came https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bfa86df4ce96e4325eabc9496c69f61e.pdf c66fbe825d1e73b5cbba56af93ccb031 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. back I sowed the half of the wheat field that I sowed the thinnest over again. Chris. didn't seem to know what ailed my little chickens they are aparently as lively as can be one day and the next there will be two or three dead and two or three more getting ready to die. I have lost nearly half of them now and don't know what to do for them. Cloudy mild windy & showery. It thundered and rained heavily to-night. Sunday April 11th I didn't get ready in time to go to Sunday school with Frank this morning but Enah and I drove down to church. It was a beautiful mild sunny morning and Dad. intended to drive Enah over to the Tupper's this after noon but it began to rain so they couldn't go and we had a musical instead. It rained quite hard for awhile and it is colder & windy to-night. It is wonderful to see how much greener the grass & wheat have got during the night. Monday April 12th Dad. was ditching in the back field all morning and I drove down town to get some coal oil and I took a pair of guinea fowl down to Cousin Bessy. She told me to shut them up and Julien the {illegible} would show me where to put them, but she had so much difficulty in making Julien who doesn't speak English very well understand what she wanted that she told me to put them in a little coop which had a wired in yard to it. I let them both in there but while I was talking to her the cock bird got out of a patched up hole in the wire, he went over into Joe Jacques backyard and Jacques dog scared it up into an apple tree. Cousin Harry had appeared by this time and said he knew the yard wasn't tight and that they would watch the guinea cock and catch him to-night but Dick who came home for tea said they had caught him. This after noon we sat around till about three o'clock and then put on a jag of timothy hay and hauled it over for the cows. Dick was home for tea but had to go back, he said Huby was working over at Jack Martin's now but didn't know how long he would be there. It has been cloudy and raw all day with a drizzling rain most of the time. Tuesday April 13th Huby came over after breakfast this morning to get his smock and I went back over to Martin's with him and took an old sick rooster over whose comb was all black and that had been sitting around with no life in him for two or three days. Brirely & Chris said he had indigestion https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fb9db988b6597b4b205b77b8f11d99d5.pdf 02678e48c8531b3edfcd7a7a0bffdb3d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. so I left him over there. When I came back I started to rake up down under the old willow tree. Dad. & Enah worked at the stove and at last succeeded in getting the nut which caused us so much vexation the other day, out by cutting the head off with a cold chisel. This after noon Dad went back to look at John Wess' cow as John Wess came after him, he was over there quite awhile and then opened out some ditches in the field we have in. I continued to clean up down at the road and but to-night have it looking pretty nice I burned the grass all along the road so there will be some nice pasture there soon. Huby came over after six to-night and borrowed the alarm clock as their timepieces are all broken down there and he needs his watch. He was giving us a very amusing account of his duties He says the watering the chickens takes too much brain work going the rounds with a pail and a dipper filling the little drinking cups and rinsing them out and hooking the myriads of doors and gates all gets on his nerves. Dad. said than one of the England kids came in after school to-night to John Wess' with a great big bunch of hepaticas for Mrs. McBride we didn't think they were out yet. It has been a lovely day sunny & mild. They gave Bunnian a hearing down here to-day but will have to put the trial off till the Vigilant comes in with some witnesses. Wednesday April 14th Dad has been opening up ditches in the field out here where we intend to put the barley all morning, he says it is pretty wet. I cleaned out the roosters in the chicken pens this morning and raked up along the old fence bottom which divided the field from the yard in front of the big barn & horse stable. This after noon I went back to see what the new piece of plowing on top of the hill looked but it was pretty wet so I got some earth along the creek and brougt it up and planted tomato seed in it. Frank got home early, he has had a holiday all day as Mr. Smith is sick in bed with La Grippe. Frank, Billy Miller & Harv. Taylor were fishing up creek and on the pier all morning. Billy Barlow was in to-night for a short visit. Another lovely day. Tuesday April 15th Dad. was back ditching again this morning, he thinks the back field will be dry enough to go on to-morrow if it doesn't rain. I went down to Vyse's and borrowed his post auger and he gave me a ride home on his way down Mud Street to sell machinery and as he thought he was going to feel cold and had come away without his overcoat he borrowed mine. Dad. didn't seem to approve of being https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/71b2189294137f9ca130a3e6d7710a4b.pdf c0648df3c10ff79d25c3e5072324e59a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. at all friendly to Vyse, but I have nothing in particular against the poor cuss and this backbiting sore head business gives me a pain anyway. Dad's always friendly enough when he happens to meet him and I don't see why he isn't other times or why if he hates him so much as he says he does, he doesn't tell him so. I spent the rest of the morning and most of the after noon boring the post holes and inserting posts there in to stretch a piece of chicken wire on to divide off another yard for the single combed hens. Dad. made a gate for the yard. Lila has been over all day as she & Frank are both home on account of Mr. Smith's illness. Winnie came over after four and stayed to tea but Lila had to go back and have her music lesson. Huby was over to dinner. Tonight Frank and I went down with Winnie and Huby, Aunty Maude, Lila. Frank and I spent the evening playing poker. Enah & Frank have been been house cleaning all day. It has been a nice sunny day & is a mild night but looks like rain. <s>Thursday</s> Friday April 16th When we got up this morning the sky was the color of lead and has been all day but except for one pretty heavy shower this morning has rained very little only a very light drizzle part of the time but still enough to keep us off the land and to keep Dad's spirits down. This morning he and Frank helped me put the wire on the posts in the chicken yard and put the gate on. This after noon Dad. helped Enah house clean and I just puttered around and raked some leaves and old grass out of the ditch at the foot of the lawn. Frank went fishing down at the East pier but said they weren't biting, he has about the poorest luck of any body I ever heard of I don't remember of his having caught a fish since he has been here. He says he is going to get up early some morning to try his luck and if it isn't any better he is going to quit. I had a practice on the fiddle to-night. I am making a little progress. Saturday April 17th Although we had visions of doing a little work this morning of some kind or other just to keep in trim but we wound up in doing nothing but receive callers the number of which was two. First Alfred came over with some cabbages for us and he was here a long time talking of every thing under the sun except the war which is getting rather played out as a topic of conversation amongst us farmers now that Spring work has commenced and the weather is of such vital importance to us. Alfred thinks it is going to be fine now for awhile I guess like Dad that the wish https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/114c5302bfeae3d875e0055fec26d5c0.pdf 8276440dc3a544afcecf41f103475447 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. is father to the thought. He hadn't been gone long when John Wess drove in and wanted Dad. to give his mare a ball so Dad did but she was the worst one he said he ever tackled not that she was very mean although she scraped about half the skin off the back of his hand and took a chunk out of the end of his finger, but her mouth was so narrow that he couldn't get the dose back far enough but at last after two unsuccessful attempts he managed to get one down her. This after noon we hauled a load of hay over to the horse stable and a jag over to the barn for the cows. Frank cleaned out the shop and now has it very tidy. Before tea we got the old stove we got from Cousin Bessy set up on its blocks but Dad has to cut a piece off the stove pike to make it fit the chimney It has been a lovely sunny day and is a nice clear night although the wind as gone around to the south an its pretty hard to say what it will do The new moon is nearly flat on its back and that is a positively certain sign that one of the two prophecies concerning it in that position will prove correct. Some say it is that way so the indians can thang their powder horns on it and stay in camp as it will rain or else when in that shape it will hold water and not spill any consequence being a dry "spell" Sunday April 18th I got up fairly early this morning and was able to get around in time for Sunday school with Frank. Hazen was there and volunteered to teach Mrs. Tuck's class. After Sunday school he & I went to inquire after Mr. Smith, he came to the door himself and said he was feeling better but that Harry would not let him go to school to-morrow He seemed very worried about missing so much school at this time of year, he said Mrs. Smith was very ill and that if Harry hadn't come up the other day she would have never got better but as he did she was better this morning. Instead of going to church we took a walk up the lake shore and got quite a few mayflowers in McCoy's & Dixon's woods then Hazen came over with me to dinner. This after noon we took another walk back to the gully and through Charlie McQueen's place and I went part way down town with Hazen. Colin Ryersie came up to go for a ride so Frank went with him. Dad & Enah went over to Tupper's the took Tiddums but he kicked up an awful row they said when they tried to take him in the house but was alright after they got in. It has been a lovely day but looks very much like rain. Monday April 19th We have been working on the land all day. This morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4e2ad4f5fb584d569c4e0de993945146.pdf 69bf2289ca6938d59bed22b84f9cf675 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Dad. sowed the little piece of spring plowing on top of the hill and I worked it in. This after noon (Tobe has gone to sleep over this so I will take it) We worked two teams on the other part of the field over the gully I had Joe and Dave, Dave went first rate for his first hitching. Beautiful day warm and bright. Sunday April 20th I worked on the field alone this forenoon, finished disking. After dinner I took Harry and Dave and Tobe Belle and Joe and we cross harrowed and disked the field, finished about 5 O'Clock then Tobe came up with Joe and Dave and I put Harry and Belle on the drill and drilled until 6-30. Tobe and Frank were busy at odds and ends all forenoon. Another fine day but cooler. We got the good news to-day that {Wese?} and Alice were coming home. Wednesday April 21st Toby and Frank cleaned out the cellar this forenoon and I went <s>f</s>back and finished drilling and began harrowing. Young Porritt came way back then with one of Hugh McQueens hounds to have me sew it up. I told him I could not do it there but to leave it tied up in the barn and I would fix it up at noon, that and other chores made me so late that I thought I would not go to the back of the place but would begin on the corn stubble it works up all right. Frank went back to see if he could measure in some way the number of acres we have sowed he has not made his calculations yet. Hattie is tired to night she has been house-cleaning the clothes room and it is a big job. Frank has gone down town Toby to bed and I must go too. I nearly froze on the disk this after noon it was very cold a nasty North East wind all day but bright. Thursday April 22nd Dad. finished harrowing over the gully this morning and has been harrowing on the corn stubble the rest of the day he had Joe & Ginger all day. Frank disked for an hour or two this morning while I finished up with the chores and then I went out till noon but Frank has been disking all the after noon with the big team. The corn stubble will take a https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cc17e7b4f25b8c8480b783ea48ddd744.pdf cd420e0432a304ded15ad62577c85c41 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. lot of work on this side as it is so soddy. I did chores all the after noon and went down to the mill to see if they had any barley for seed as Dad. thinks he will mix oats & barley to sow on the corn stubble. They only had the O.A.C. No 21 and it was $1.10 a bushel but I guess Dad. will get some. There were a couple of fellows down this morning from Simcoe Murdock was one of them and they want Dad. for a witness at a lawsuit that is coming off next Tuesday Murdock says that Hamilton & Yeager hired Lea to skin him on a horse deal. The horse is the big grey stallion with the crooked legs that was travelling down here last spring and as Dad. saw him they want him to say that he was unsound. Poor old Bluch has a pretty sore leg to-day and can only hop around on three legs. He & Snoop Law got into a scrap yesterday and aparently Snoop was the best dog for once in his life. It has been milder to-day with the wind in the south but very cloudy with a little rain. Friday April 23rd It rained hard enough during the night to prevent us from going on the land but will do a lot of good as it was hot & cloudy all morning and will make things grow Frank and I drove down to Billy Langs this morning to see if he had any barley cheaper than they had at the mill, but Jack was at school and poor Billy was sick <s>and</s> in bed. We went up to the house and after I chased around from the front to the back door three or four times to discover a fain hallo! which I was sure I heard in answer to my knock I discovered it was escaping from a partially raised window which evidently belonged to the room where Billy was in bed. His voice sounded unnaturally weak as he told me he hadn't any barley so Frank and I went on up and got six bushels at the mill. We found Dad. with the old white ewe half sheared when we got home and he & Frank finished her by noon while I did chores. This after noon Dad. helped me get my incubator down cellar again and then we mixed the oats & barley out on the barn floor. We put one bag of oats through the fanning mill so see if we could clean any of the straws out of it but we got more good oats out behind than we did dirt so we stopped. It is pretty clean anyway. Dad. & I then put the beans through and got most of the dirt out of them while Frank went down town. Dad. has felt very miserable all day Saturday April 24th We didn't do much but chores all morning and <s>Dad</s> I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a71f3ab1b957e1e21c9f1065bffe8ed3.pdf 711098feaa04d55eb72100df074d1131 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. cleaned out the bull's pen. Dad felt pretty miserable all morning but still worked around he & Frank went out to look at the field to see if it was dry and they thought it would do to go on after dinner, so Frank got out early and got a good half day in at it while Dad. sheared old Greynose. I helped him hold her and according to my nature when I am not in action, went fast asleep. I also went over to Jack Martin's to see what I could get fifty eggs for to set under the hens I got from Tupper and I was agreeably suprised when he told me he would trade evenly with me and that I could get them Monday. I thought it was pretty decent of him as he said they would be better eggs than mine and I could toe punch the chicks for cockrels. Dad. went out about five to relieve Frank who came in and went down to Huby's to tea as this was Winnie's birthday. I went down after tea as Huby was over to dinner and said we would have a game of poker but there were two or three girls there who didn't care to play poker so we played catechism instead. We got home early. It has been hot all day and is very hot to-night feels very much like rain. Sunday April 25th I got up at five o'clock this morning so managed to get to Sunday school and church with Frank. As Topsy has resigned Enah had to go down and play the organ Dad. drove her down and came back after her leaving Tiddums in Dick's charge. This after noon Charlie Dunkin & Frank Bond drove in and Dunkin brought us the registration papers for the ewes, at last we thought we were never going to get them, they were here most of the after noon but Dad & I wernt back over the wheat to the gully and Tiddums followed us. The wheat is pretty fair only spots which don't look very well. I drove Enah down to church again to-night but came back home. Frank has been down all the after noon so he will be at church. Colin Ryersie rode in after dinner but we thought it was too hot to go for a ride so he went down the lake shore alone to get Corby. It has been very hot all day but is a little cooler to-night. Looks rainy Monday April 26th Dad. & Frank got out good and early this morning <s>and</s> with both teams and I got out about eight to take Franks team as he had to go to school to-day. Mr. Smith being well enough to be on the job again. Sam Law came over to give us a day with his springtooth I had the disks and Sam & I got over to the middle of the field by noon & Dad. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/42ee485cea97a7fe2325274ec3d7af8a.pdf 3c68205e83e9f69adbc2aa4c292a2dbb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. got it all harrowed. This afternoon Dad. took the drill out and got four rounds drilled when it commenced to rain a thunderstorm had come up very suddenly and there were two or three very close flashes of lightening. It seemed to be all around us, it rained very hard for a few minutes and Sam went home. Dad. brought the seed in and after it was over went out to bring in the drill. When he got out there he found it had soaked right in and has scarcely wet the ground so he went right on & harrowed and then came & got the seed and finished drilling, he worked till after dark and then didn't have enough seed to sow the headlands. He started with the drill set at two bushel of oats to the acre but he found it was going too fast all to-gether, as when it is set for two bushels of oats it is three of barley so he tightened it up a little but it was still going too fast so he finally got it sowing two bushels of barley which is the same as one of oats he sowed what seed there was left at this rate. I just did chores this after noon and went over to get my eggs from Jack Martin to-night I set them under five hens. Mrs McBride was here all day. Tuesday April 27th Dad. went out first thing and sowed the headlands of the corn stubble broadcast with oats out of the granary & harrowed them in, he then started harrowing on the barley ground I did up the chores and came out about half past nine to relieve him, as he wanted to leave for Simcoe at half past eleven to be at the court house at one. I harrowed all morning and got nearly all over it. It works up beautifully. Frank came home at noon and after he did up the noon chores he came out and disked while I just did chores around. Dad. took Enah & Tid with him and they didn't get back till about eight o'clock so Frank and I had to look after ourselves. We were rather disappointed to hear that after all they settled the {illegible} without any lawsuit, but Dad. had to wait up there all the after noon to find it out. He saw everybody he knew up there though and got the harness fixed. Bob. Davis went past to-day with an enormous black Percheron stallion with a white strip in his face he would weigh about twenty one hundred and twice the size of Bickler's. In to-day's and yesterday's papers there are long lists of Canadian casualties. They had their first serious engagement on Friday & Saturday at Langemark where they recaptured some lost guns & ground and prevented a wedge of Germans from surrounding and taking a body of French troops. The paper said their losses were heavy but they saved the day. Nice day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/877d22eb14898258a32563d2955a3774.pdf bf7cc55d7f3c266123f1d80830f26f89 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday April 28th Dad. took the big team out first thing this morning and disked and as soon as I got the chores done I went out with the littlle team. Dad. took them and harrowed over the corn stubble and I disked on the barley ground till noon. This after noon Dad. took the big team and ran out the land furrows in the corn stubble it took him all the after noon and he didn't get any cross ditches run. We didn't work the little team as they had a pretty hard morning of it and we didn't want to put Ginger on a tongue anyway so I did chores all the afternoon. The cows broke out of the barnyard and I thought if I let them on the road they wouldn't go far as there is some lovely pasture but they weren't content to stay anywhere so after chasing around for about an hour I had to put them in. Win came over to tea to-night and Frank has just gone down with her. Bickler was down here to day with "Trachety". It has been sunny all day with cool breeze a little thunder shower early this morning Poor Ade Millman was married to-day. Thursday April 29th Dad. finished running out the ditches this morning while I did chores and then I took the big team and disked the rest of the barley ground while Dad. shovelled out the ditches in the barley & oats, he says he dug up quite a few wireworms. I just finished disking by noon and took the disks up. This after noon I harrowed with the little team and Dad followed me with the drill. He didn't get started till after four so it was dark before he finished but he got through all but a plot 20 yds square in the north east corner which we left to sow my O.A.C. No 72 oats on. Enah got an announcement of Earney Skey's wedding, he was married yesterday. Nice day but cool wind all day. Friday April 30th Dad. went out first thing this morning and sowed the little plot of O.A.C. No 72 oats and harrowed them in as he sowed them broadcast he said they were a little thin in the centre of the plot as he ran short of seed. When he came in, he Tiddums and I went down town in the waggon and got Aunty Alice's trunks which were at the station having been checked right through and took them up to Hubys My little chestnut tree from Glen Bros was there too. It cost me $1.00 duty & expenses. We got some cream jars over at the James' and some oats chopped at the mill Dad took a whole waggon load of bags up to the mill for old Ivey and we also got a bushel of clover seed at Billy Laings to sow on the barley and oats. It was raining a little when we got back https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2fbda31c5b56898320da9a9311b776ec.pdf 41a201de8998cf55719457b4d07a91bb PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and Tiddums was just about asleep. Dad. helped me set out my chestnut tree before dinner, we put in the same place where one of the little English walnuts had been and filled the hole up with nice black earth from the garden and back of the barn instead of the stiff clay of the lawn. This after noon old Mr. Evans came after Dad in a great state of alarm as he had let his cows out on the road and one of them came home very bloated. Dad. went over with him and found John Wess & Cam there looking at the cow but didn't seem to know what to do. Dad just tied a stick in her mouth and he said the never saw bloat go down so fast, before he left she was chewing her cud and old Evans was tickled to death. Dad. was over there the best part of the after noon and when he got back he put the dining room carpet down for Enah. I spent the after noon cleaning out the chicken houses. Harry Smith drove in to-night with the little Pecan tree I ordered from Brown Bros. through Mr. Morgan. It wasn't wrapped up at all and had a long tap root about twice as long as the top and very little fibrous roots I just heeled it in for to-night. Harry stood out in the rain for about half an hour dicussing the future prosperity of Dover in his comical and <s>characestistic</s> characteristic (or however you spell the dum word) way and telling us the difficulties he had in getting money on the lots he sold over Brant Hill, but he thought the war couldn't last for ever and hard times would be over some day and when the new railway "come in from Brantford" and they established a lake traffic and "drudged the mashes" all out up the creek, why he looked for a big boom. Old Ivey told us this morning that last nights paper had the news that Blight had been completely burned out and Dick said to-night that it was reported he had lost thirty thousand dollars as he had just put in seventeen thousand dollars worth of new machinery It has rained most of the day but it has been a nice gentle rain Saturday May 1st Dad. put in another whole day on the barley ground, this morning he rolled it and this afternoon harrowed it and ran out the ditches and started to clean some. Frank and I spent most of the forenoon trying to catch the old white ewe or her lamb to give the little fellow a suck but she was too cute for us and wouldn't get in a corner at last we got her around in the shed and managed to catch her and put her in the barn. Tiddums followed us all over the field saying he was having a good time, he could hardly walk part of the time for laughing at us and the ewe. We then https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f7b9421f7ce0e9b25045a6c9299f4adc.pdf b13ae34d10fbdbaf0d34421592832677 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This is a repeat of the previous page} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1a9635c78b4954f7c83e650c6312811c.pdf 410db8860e9b0317fb344e7039b1cb18 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. went out with a rail & a chain and started to pull the posts along the old fence bottom which is between the barley field and the corner field. Frank took Dad's place on the roller and Dad. helped me pull posts, we got about half of them out by noon. This after noon I went over to Jack Martins with some eggs and borrowed their post auger, when I came back I dug a hole with it in the lane in front of the house and Frank helped me plant my Pecan tree in it. I have my grave doubts about it ever ammounting to anything although it had root enough. Frank went over to Preston's and sacked up four bushels of potatoes as we are out of them now and when Dad finished harrowing we took the team & waggon and went and got them they were forty five cents a bushel. I went in for a few minutes to see Arthur who has been laid up for about a month and he looks tough, he hasn't had energy enough to shave and with his beautiful beard is the image of the old man. Bluch followed us down there and while prowling around saw Mrs. Herb. Cook's tame rabbit and took after it. The rabbit was too fat to run so the consequence was he killed it. Darn him! I spent the whole evening practicing on the fiddle and piano. Dad. was up at five o'clock this morning and took a letter he had written to Aunty down to post then while he was separating the milk Jack Anderson came after him to tell him his grandfather's cow was choking on an apple Dad. was hopping mad at old Lige sending after him but he went down and fixed the cow and said he gave Lige an awful calling down and told him never to send for him again. Lila and Dorothy Anderson have been over here all the after noon. Today's paper has another long list of Canadian Casualties and the 48th Highlanders have lost heavily. Fred McDonald is missing and his picture is in the Globe, it says the missing are either prisoners or their bodies still lie in the no man's land between the two armies. It has been cooler to-day and cloudy but no rain. Sunday May 2nd I was up fairly early this morning but didn't get to Sunday school, Frank went and Enah and I drove down to church, we were late so I sat up behind the organ. It was communion sunday and after the sermon I thought I would go out till those of the choir who didn't stay <s>could</s> went out and I went down and was talking to Pud. Slocombe for awhile and when I got back to church I was too late to go in This afternoon Colin Ryersie came up and he Frank & I went for a ride. Colin's mare "Lady" & Belle had both been https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3c7074e48e2f9fdc693954997d399c20.pdf 60a0a93cda85faa54b1edadd702db263 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. working all week so we didn't ride them hard, we went down the Lake Shore to Corbett's but Corby didn't go with us. When we got home Enah, Dad. & Tiddums had gone back to the gully for a walk. Cool & rather cloudy all day but no rain. Monday May 3rd Dad. cleaned at the ditches in the barley field most of the morning but didn't quite finish them. Enah, Tiddums & I went down town in the lumber waggon as Enah wanted to get some oilcloth for our bedroom and some other stuff. We got a post auger at James', he said it was the best kind he knew but it was just like Vyse's. When we got back Dad. and I gathered up the good posts that we pulled the other day from the fence bottom between the barley & corner fields and took them back to the gully to fix the cross fence. On our way back we gathered up the other posts that were pulled and what rubbish there was and brought it up to the house. This after noon Dad let the cattle back the lane and we went back with them to fix fence, we were back there most of the after noon and got soaking wet as we were out in the biggest part of a cold rain, but we put in four posts and got the fence fixed fairly well. The cattle as soon as they got out instead of gorging themselves on grass took a walk around every fence to see if there was any place where they could get out. Mary who Dad. let out of the barn for the first time this morning didn't know what grass was and was afraid of the mudhole in the lane so didn't go back with the others, but I think she will soon be acquainted with the outside world. Charlie Quanbury was in on his way home from his farm to-night, he said Steve Powell hadn't heard anything from or of Cecil since the big battle so they supposed he wasn't in it, the last letter they got from him he was in the hospital with pneumonia which he contracted after spending forty eigh hours in the trenches. I saw Herb. Cooke this morning and he informed me that in retaliation for the sudden death of his pet rabbit he was going to shoot Bluch the next time he came around his place I told him to go ahead and shoot him. Cloudy and a cold east wind to-day. It rained all the after noon and evening but will likely do good. Tuesday May 4th Dad. & I went back to the gully to finish fixing fence but while we were back there John Wess came along to ask Dad. about a cow that stood around and didn't eat but grunted. Dad. told him to give her a dose of salts but he said he did so we went back with him to see her. We had a look at her and then turned her out for a bite of https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/62b5314663c5f9a284ac8ed47aa1962f.pdf c278ceaa243f6d32fcc807f12e6a3e15 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. grass, had a look at his new bull which is a beauty but very small, got weighed on his new scales, I weighed 156 lbs and Dad. shrunk a few pounds since the other day when he was over so that he didn't weigh so much as John Wess. We then all had a drink of cider and a look at the sick horse and the young calves and went in to the house to see the new 25. calibre rifle that Cam brought home and the new telescope sight he brought for his father, he also brought him a little 22. and we had a few shots out of it at a target while Dad. was talking to Mrs. McBride and when he came out he wanted to know where the sick cow had got to so we had to go and look for her. John Wess and I had forgotten all about her but she was out behind the barn nipping a little grass but it was beginning to rain so we put her in. John Wess gave us about a peck of peas for seed in the garden and after having a look at the little pigs and the wheat we started for home, his wheat looks beautiful it is so even and clean. The piece that was sowed first was on a summer fallow and was up a little higher than that on the pea stubble which was in pretty late but was not so good a color. One part of the pea stubble field next the lane didn't get any manure on it and there is about four inces difference in the growth of it and the other part of the same field. He has a dandy catch of clover but clover is going to be thicker than we expected but the {illegible} is thicker still. It was nearly one o'clock when we got up and Enah and Eliza McBride were waiting dinner for us Mrs McBride is in Buffalo on a visit so Eliza<s>s</s> is on the job to-day. They said the two Quanbury boys had been over and had looked all over the farm and the whole length & breadth of the gully for us to get their pigs but couldn't find us of course. Just after dinner Mrs. Tom Cooper and old Mrs. Billy Anderson tramped over in the pouring rain to see Dad. about old Mehaley's little dog which got a crack over the back with a club the other day. As they were soaking wet there was nothing for it but for Dad. to hook up and take them home. It poured rain all the after noon so we didn't do much but sit around and get in Enah's & Eliza's road. I was pretty lucky this after noon though in steering clear of job for Eliza is just as bad as her mother to work. I drove her home after tea. It has been a cold rain but no thunder. Wednesday May 5th Dad and I took a walk over the barley ground or around it rather and around the barley & oats but there https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3ca2aae71517fdbee0c05dcc8db4ead1.pdf 8df5c738103e3292469a6520754d3dcd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. was very little water lying but the ditches were all full Dad. of course thinks we got altogether too much rain but we saw Tupper coming along the side road and he gave us a ride around to the house, he thinks we just got enough rain as it is really the first rain to ammount to anything all year. Tupper wanted some advice from Dad about a cow with a teat torn so that the milk came out of the side of it. He turned his cattle on the road the other day and they got up near Walker's lane and Trum set the dog on them and he took after the best cow Tupper had. Dad. told him to put a siphon in it and draw it up and wrap it with adhesive tape. I spent the rest of the day cutting the lawn and got it looking better although the old lawn mower doesn't work very well and leaves it all streaked. Dad. helped Enah paste up some wallpaper in the hall and this after noon went back to set a couple more fence posts. The war news is not very cheerful to-day. The Allies are advancing all right in Turkey but the Russians are being driven back by the Austro-German advance in Galicia and the Germans are bringing in a half a million fresh troops to the Western Front. I don't think we know much about it from these papers. There has been rain and sunshine by spells all day to-day. Milder Thursday May 6th Dad. Tiddums and I went down to the mill first thing this morning as I was right out of chicken feed. When we got back we went out and pulled the old posts that were in the old garden and the few that were left in the old fence bottom and hauled them back to the gully and strewed them along the road fence. Tiddums went with us but got pretty sleepy. We had to go up the road to turn around and Art Quanbury had left his waggon on the road with his horse food in it and Evans & Lampkins cows were all into it. Art. was plowing but I guess it would be too wet. This after noon Dad. & I went back and fixed more fence in this end of the gully, we got the crossfence and the north fence pretty well fixed. About five o'clock we went over to John Wess' to see his sick cow He had her out although she wasn't feeling right yet. She ate and chewed her cud but still grunted. We were there till nearly six visiting. We shouldn't have stayed so long as it made us too late to get down to the train and Aunty & Aunty Alice came home to-night. Frank went down to meet them and Dad. & I went down to Huby's later to see them. It has been nice and sunny to-day but a rather cold wind. The Quanbury's got their four pigs yesterday. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/687fce7aae54f2c973c2fd11da498ee9.pdf 49603258415e2218b36c047c41063591 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday May 7th It rained before we got up this morning and has been raining pretty much all day although there were a few patches of sunshine. This after noon there was a terrific downpour but it didn't last long. The ground is full of water now and of course Dad. thinks or says he does that we are ruined, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we lived through it all and maybe even through next winter without starving to death. I tested the eggs in the incubator this morning and they tested out about half I took out sixty four and left a lot of doubtful ones in. I didn't expect much of a hatch anyway as the eggs were old. I hard boiled all the ones I took out and am going to keep them for the little fellow. This after noon Dad. Enah and Tiddums went down town to see Aunty & Aunty Alice, they didn't get caught in the heavy rain but got some of it. I spent the day making hen's nests for setting hens and a coop for hens and chicks or rather repairing an old one which Williams left here. To-night I went down and got my hair cut and then down to Huby's to see Aunty and Aunty Alice. Everybody is talking now about the news in to-night's paper. The Germans have torpedoed the "Lusitania" and about fifteen hundred passengers were drowned. They gave warning to passengers in Washington before she sailed but everybody had such confidence in her great speed being such a protection to her that they didn't pay any attention to the warnings of the German embassy. Dad. thinks they were perfectly justified in sinking her as she was carrying a large consignment of ammunition and other contraband of war, but even then it doesn't seem to me to be any excuse for sinking so many women and babies. I think the Captain and the Cunard line were also very much to blame for allowing women passengers to go with such a cargo. There were about 150 babies on board and they all either drowned or died of exposure about six hundred people were saved. They were in the Irish Sea about ten miles out from the Irish coast and there were a lot of ships came out immediately she sank but it was so sudden and she sank in thirty minutes that there was no time to get ready for it. Aunty & Aunty Alice came home on the train with a little woman 21 years old with a four months old baby who was going from her home in Saskatoon to her father in Englan as he was all alone, his five sons being at the front and she was the only other child. She was to have sailed on the Lusitania. The porter on the train begged her not to go on that boat as she was doomed but she said she was not afraid. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d49bbfe6e378fdb80d358094f9d05e38.pdf 51fa6279eb217c21ac589cd8651d610d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday May 8th Instead of fixing fence this morning as we intended Dad. & Frank worked all morning cleaning out the woodshed while I weeded out the rose bed and got it looking much better. This after noon Aunty & Aunty Alice came over and we all except Enah went back to the woods for awhile. They intended to go back down town after tea but it rained so hard they had to stay here all night. I got a letter from Ottawa to-day with a copy of the Canada Gazette enclosed with a law marked in it prohibiting the importation of chestnut trees from the States and saying that I would have to either export it back or destroy it. I was naturally pretty mad about it as I thought they should have never let it cross the line and not sent it up here and let me pay duty on it and get it all set out, however I wrote them a nice letter asking them to let me keep it if possible. It has been a lovely day but rained to-night. Sunday May 9th I didn't get ready in time this morning to get to Church or Sunday school so Dad. drove Enah down and went down again after her. I wrote to Quint instead of going to church. Aunty & Aunty Alice came over to dinner with Frank and Win also came over for the afternoon. After dinner we had a little music and then Dad. drove Aunty & Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. Soon after they left Mrs. Smythe & Pud drove in and were here all the after noon and to tea Pud. and I went to the back of the place and wandered around Enah, Mrs. Smythe, Frank & Win. went down to church while Dad. Pud & I stayed here to guard Tid in case he woke up Dicky Smith was in for a while after tea to get some information concerning the dehorning of a cow. Charlie Quanbury & Colin Ryersie were both in a different times this after noon on horseback. Nice day but cooler. Monday May 10th We fixed fence all day to-day but as we were working along the road we didn't get on so amazingly fast, but we got it pretty well fixed from Evan's line down to the gate into the big gully, we also fixed the gate which got all broken to pieces during the winter or on Hallowe'en, I forget which The two Quanbury boys were pulling posts on their side of the road and that was conducive to considerable mutual visiting and restarted progress. This after noon Art. Walker came along and told us all his experiences during his ten weeks stay in the General Hospital having his eye https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a6974fc2364cff4d346f961383bb3550.pdf 01171c389a2d6f2b637461bb2e9faa5a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. treated. As it was the longest period Art. ever spent away from home, there was much to tell. Then Tupper appeared on the scene with about half a dozen boards in his waggon & had evidently been down town all the after noon at the very least but we were up on the hill and couldnt hear him talk very well on account of the wind so he didn't stay long with us but went up and spent half an hour or so talking to the Quanbury boys. To-nights paper says that Fred McDonald is a prisoner in Germany and Aunty got a letter from Cousin Carrie which confirms the report. They heard through some lady in London whose son is sharing the same fate at Fred. Cousin Carrie said that if they had received the news ten days ago it would have been awful but after the suspence they have been in since he was reported missing it is a happy relief. George Duncan came over to-night on his motorcycle and said the rails which Dad spoke for are in their road now as they have to put their fence up so Dad. told him we would be up to-morrow after them, although we hated to stop our other work. Sunny and warm. Tuesday May 11th We got a good early start this morning and managed to get home two loads of rails before one o'clock. This after noon we only got one load as we were delayed considerably. Jack Davis came in before we left with King Chocolate. I think we will use him this year with Belle as we can't seem to get any colts from a heavy horse and we don't know of a thorobred stallion in the country. Sensation has gone to Montreal where he stands for $100. and I guess King Chocolate is the next best we can get. We were stopped again on the road by Wess Buchner who wanted to ask Dad. about his horse's shoulder. He, Jack McBride, Wm. Walker and another fellow are all riding the road machine to-day and seem to be having a very sociable & enjoyable time of it, they have changed the beats now and those fellows come right down to our corner, Dad. told them he wouldn't raise any kick if they scraped our lane for us and we were very much surprised to-night to find they had. Our next holdup was when we reached Duncan's as old Bill was in the lane clipping weeds when we went up and coming back. He would have been talking yet but happily they were hauling manure so we had to move on in a little while to get out of the men's way. We didn't get home till nearly six o'clock and there is still a load up there which https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3407742f57dd6c51fc96fea0b09efe5c.pdf e66a9199dcbf06a79869e5c5e4888bd0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. we will have to get in the morning. Mrs. McPherson & Mrs. Myers were in this morning each with her "youngest". Mrs. Myers brought back the hen canary she got the other day as it wouldn't mate with hers. Dad. thought that as he had given it to her she might have had the decency to keep it as we don't want the pesky thing. Aunty & Aunty Alice came over to-night to stay awhile. We saw in to-nights paper that Earl Dewar who was at the front with the 10th Battalion was dead. I think he must have died of some illness and not wounds as we saw a week or so ago that he was seriously ill. Very hot & sunny to-day Wednesday May 12th This morning we went back after our last load of rails. We were gone all morning as Dad. had to stop in at Wess Buchner's to lance his horses' shoulder. He had two of them each with an awful shoulder. He just ran the exploring needle into one and says it will have to be opened again. On our way out of Duncan's lane with our rails we ran across old Bill again. He was worrying to death because one of the manure spreaders wouldn't work. He says he worries all the time and can't help it. he is afraid everything will go wrong when he isn't at the head of things and every little mishap he sees drives him nearly crazy. George is in reality doing fine. We had a very early dinner and right after it Dad. drove Aunty & Aunty Alice up to the cemetry and I spent the after noon disking, harrowing and rolling the garden and disking & harrowing the strip in the plum orchard where we are going to put the raspberries. After they got back Dad. caught his ewe and sheared her and before tea Aunty Alice put in some onion sets or multipliers at the head of the garden. Aunty and Tim-boy worked all the after noon at the flower bed in front of the house.Very nice day not so hot as yesterday. Thursday May 13th Aunty Alice and I worked in the garden all morning and got in a row of squaw corn which she brought from the West three rows of peas which John Wess gave us five or six rows of Dad. Atkinson potatoes and Aunty Alice went over to the Quanbury's and got some cabbage and tomato plants and put them out We then ran out of seed but Enah had to go down town this after noon to give Miss Dyer some instructions about playing the organ in church and she got some more https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4105e0dbf815430bd97e4e5312e5f95f.pdf 4cf72ad797109a6993357ac452571f88 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Dad. sowed clover seed on the barley & oats and alsike on the wheat this morning and this after noon ran a ditch up through the garden and helped me set out some raspberrys which I dug up out of the old garden. It was very hot this morning but got cloudy and cooler. Friday May 14th I helped Dad. stick up some wire this morning between the orchard & the plum orchard as there is fine pasture in the one while the oats in the plum orchard aren't big enough to turn on yet. I then helped Aunty Alice put in the rest of the garden we put in beets, carrots, beans and a lot of Golden Bantam corn which I planted with the planter and some radish, lettuce & pepper seed and some lettuce plants which came up from seed. This after noon Dad. & I worked at the gully fence again and got it pretty well fixed along the road. Aunty & Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's to roll bandages for the Red Cross Mr. Quanbury gave Aunty Alice some more cabbage plants and lettuce plants as the old gobbler ate a half a dozen of the other cabbages. Miss Harding and Winnie were over to tea to-night. I got word yesterday that my little chestnut tree must go back to the States or perish here. Nice day. Saturday May 15th Frank had to go to school this morning for some special exam so Dad. & I spent the morning fixing the fence along the north side of the gully at least he did but I just sat around most of the time. It is a job that two have to be at part of the time but part of the time one is out of a job. This after noon Frank helped him and I dug up my little tree and took it down and expressed it back to Glen Bros. asking them to refund my money but I don't suppose they will, Aunty & Aunty Alice went down town too. We were in at Huby's for a little while He has been working all week at his garden and has it all in now. He says he is coming over to the farm on Monday There has been quite a cold wind all day and it froze last night but not enough to hurt anything here. Sunday May 16th Dad. woke up somewhere about four o'clock this morning and was reminded that he didn't turn the windmill out by hearing it going so he got up to do it, and on taking a look behind the old barn found Ginger with great big mouse colored colt as fine as a fiddle. As it was beginning to rain and was cold Dad. got me and we put https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ba2209f90319149a1f5035db5860c71a.pdf ce877c3d8c894cfa82f869ad6b27382a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. them in the box stall. Billy is a dandy horse colt as straight as a string two white feet and a spot in his forehead. Dad. thinks he will be black. Aunty, Frank and I drove down to Sunday school and church this morning but none of us ezxcept Dick who followed his usual course of action went anywhere else all day but spent the after noon reading and I had a little practice on my horn with Enah. It has rained a quiet drizzling rain nearly all day but has been cold. Monday May 17th Huby came over at seven this morning and he and Dad have worked all day up at the cemetry doing some work for Aunty Alice. They took a waggon load of rich earth up and a lot of sod. This after noon Aunty, Aunty Alice and Tid. went up with them and they were rather late getting home. I spent the day cutting the lawn and doing odd jobs, my chickens are all starting to hatch to-day and there seems to be quite a bunch of them. I wernt over to Jack Martin's a couple of times to see if I could get some chicken feed but just enough for to-night and the morning. Albert Buck was over to-night to see if he could sell Aunty Alice his house. Everyone seems to be deluded into thinking that she wants to buy although she has never had the slightest intention of it. Some even went so far as to say she had bought Maneers house on Main St. Enah and Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's after tea and when they got back Enah and I had a little practice on the fiddle & piano. It has been cloudy and very raw and cold all day. Tuesday May 18th Dad & I took the chickens out of the machine this morning and stuck them under the old hens over the hog pen. They only had thirteen between the three of them and one hen didn't hatch any at all. About thirty came out of the incubator and they are still hatching. I put the eggs which weren't hatched from under the hens in the incubator. Dad. got started to plow the corn ground but Bob Miller & Whit Dixon came over to look at the steers and they were here about an hour. Dad. wouldn't sell either of his steers but Whit came over to where I was and asked me what I wanted for my steer. I thought likely he had been dickering with Dad or I wouldn't have sold him but Whit said the market was glutted so I let him go for seventy dollars and they get him when they want him. I guess I lost on him but if I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c881cfe22f32b3c784302b0ce0a3e097.pdf 321e171910b3f8da7d42a74a73e968da PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. can get my money for him right away it will be worth something. Huby dug up enough more raspberries out of the old garden to finish the line we started and another one. After we set them out after dinner, we went back and grubbed out some old trees which were along the old fence bottom at the north end of the <s>gully fence</s> wheat stubble and where Dad is plowing He is going to plow it up the fence bottom and put potatoes on it if we ever get around to it as Peter McArthur says. We didn't finish this job till it was time to come up and do chores. Aunty & Aunty Alice went up to the Smythe's to-day to stay for a day or two. It is still cold and raw. It froze last night and will again to-night. It is bad weather for all the crops. Wednesday May 19th Huby has been over all day and has been grubbing out dead trees in the plum orchard most of the day and got them all cleaned out. I did chores most of the morning and this after noon went over and got 559 lbs of mixed feed from Jack Martin for the chickens. I had to sack it up myself so was gone quite awhile. Chris told me to hook old Jack up to the democrat and bring it home which I did. Dad. quit plowing about five and we all went down to get Aunty Alice's freight which Dick told us came yesterday. Enah & the baby went down with us and stayed at Huby's till we came back from the train, we left the boxes at Huby's. I got a letter from Glen Bros. to-night saying that they could not accept the tree as it was not barred from entering the Dominion. They sent me a copy of a letter they received from the Government Botanist of B.C. saying there were only two varietys of chestnut trees barred. They also sent me a copy of a letter they wrote to Mr. {Gusson?} telling him he was wrong. To-night I rode out to the Smythe's to see how they were out there and found them all right It was after half past nine when I got there so I didn't stay long. Huby brought over two little <s>chest</s> butternut tree which he got on his way over and set them out. It has been cloudy & cold all day but is not going to freeze to night. It did again last night. Charlie Quanbury lost 600 tomato plants in a cold frame. Thursday May 20th Huby came over this morning and has been digging out old peach trees in the old garden all day, while Dad. plowed. Sam Law came over and borrowed the disks, roller & harrows to work up his garden and and his lane which he graded up. I did a lot of chores aided by Tid both after breakfast & after dinner. I have about sixty little chicks all to-gether under three hens, the incubator did better than I expected. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/450d43953eaa56b1d58c5286d11972f7.pdf 51b096a460715330198a378694007735 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. after I did chores I went out and helped Huby We got out all the old peach trees and all but a few of the old currant bushes We left a few for this summer's crop. We also burned the old haycocks which were out in the field. It began to rain about five o'clock and we had to come in. It has been a little warmer to day but a cold wind and cloudy. Friday May 21st It has rained off and on nearly all day clearing up late this after noon. Dad. plowed three rounds but got pretty wet. It would stop raining every time he got to this end of the field and look so clear that he would start off again when it would immediately start in again to rain, this kept up for three rounds but the fourth he quit anyway although in the dry but it was wet again before he got to the house We didn't do much all day but chores. This after noon we hooked up to the waggon and went down to the mill after some chop & flour. Tid. went with us. We saw John Wess who was telling us about his neighbor Smith who is Bill Oakes son-in-law and who just moved down on Wright's place this Spring. He is sick in bed with Typhoid fever and the other day John Wess had to go over and bury his horse which got over a barbed wire fence and cut itself so badly that it bled to death. It was a fine big three year old which he had been offered $275.00 for this Spring. About seven o clock Mrs. Smythe brought Aunty & Aunty Alice back. Frank spent the evening down town playing poker with Huby & Aunty Maude as Win & Lila were at the show. Milder since the rain. Saturday May 22nd Dad. got in a pretty good day plowing to day. Frank had to go to school this morning and I just did chores. This after noon he & I levelled up the water troughs. The one at this end had sagged so that when it filled the water ran out of the top instead of the overflow pipe but I think we got it fixed pretty well. When we got that done Frank, Lila & Dorothy Anderson went back to the woods and I started to hoe the patch where the currant bushes are. Enah went down town this after noon and I drove down after her about half past five. Aunty & Aunty Alice went down town this morning and Aunty stayed at Huby's to dinner. She & Winnie came over this after noon & Win. went down with me before tea. Mrs. Col. Smith & Mrs. Hobbes came over this after noon and Aunty Alice and Tiddums entertained them. It has been a fine day but rather windy and cool much milder that it was though. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5445f6d9b0d2b1598b80fc86f692647b.pdf 9b1ad900daa43897b4fd5c756252666d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday May 23rd Aunty & Frank got <s>a pretty</s> down to Sunday School & church this morning and Dad. & Enah got a pretty good start for the Smythe's so that they were able to get to St. John's for church Mrs. Smythe invited them up there to dinner to see Louise as she came up from Toronto yesterday with the Evan's in their car to the Bowlby's but as they found they would see much more of Louise if they went to the Bowlby's to dinner so Mrs. Smythe was nice enough to let them go, they were there all the afternoon and Dad. got back in time to help me milk. They left Tiddums in Aunty's & Aunty Alice's care and he was very good and didn't cry a bit. At dinner he got a little egg on his dress and he looked up at Aunty and said "I usually wear a bib." This after noon Mr. Lawrie & Hubert came over for awhile they are here for over the 24th. Aunty Alice & I had a little concert this after noon. Frank went up to Walleys to look for Ginseng but didn't find any. Frank went down to church to-night. Nice sunny cool day. Monday May 24th Dad. plowed all day to-day, he helped me get the brooder out of the shed this morning and put it in the plum orchard and I was quite awhile cleaning it out and working around out there. I let the three old hens with their broods run loose to-day. I went over to Jack Martin's and got some chick food & scratch food. This after noon to celebrate the day Enah, Tiddums and I took a long and very pretty drive up around Vittoria & Port Ryersie, we took some pictures. Frank was down town all the after noon. Dover & <s>Simcoe</s> Nanticoke were playing baseball, but Dover got beaten by nine runs. Cars. Rankin accidently hit Art. Lawson in the eye with a bat and broke his glasses cutting his eye. Dick was down town all day too. Frank went with Winnie to the Moving Picture show to-night. Huby and Skinner Manning drove over to see Dad this after noon. It has been a lovely day. Sunny & warm Tuesday May 25th Dad. plowed till about five o'clock but had to stop as his shear was so badly worn so he disked till six I did up the chores and hoed every thing that was up in the garden I hoed a little more around the currant bushes it took me a good part of the day doing chores as the little chickens take up so much time. Aunty & Aunty Alice went down to have dinner with Mrs. Allen at the Norfolk House to-day and stayed down at Huby's to-night. Huby was over all day and got all the old rubbish out in the old garden https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/10ac5cdf07d7d84b06b3bcd86314f7ce.pdf 194210716c07d1ac3fa2d1081f42b646 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. burned and the old post holes filled up. Frank went down town to-night to get Aunty to help him with his lessons. Very warm all day and a lovely gentle rain to-night. Bred Belle to King Chocolate this morning. Wednesday May 26th I did chores nearly all morning and sorted out the barrel of apples down cellar. I also started the incubator going. Huby came over and after he finished cleaning up the old fence bottom beween the barley and the clover field which he started yesterday, we started to line up for the chicken fence which I want to put up along east of the raspberries in the plum orchard. We were at that all the after noon and got stakes set and enough old posts and rails which we will use for posts between the bigger posts. We got enough old boards off the road fence to put along the bottom. Dad. plowed all day but didn't quite finish. He was delayed at noon by Bickler's man coming in with Truchety and we bred Ginger. He quit about five and to-night he & Enah went out to the John Shand's, they didn't get back till about twelve. Aunty & Aunty Alice came over this after noon but Tid didn't wake up. Colin Ryersie went past this morning and said they had started plowing the big flats yesterday, they were going to start two or three weeks ago. Colin said "It is just eighteen years ago the day before yesterday that Paw and {Drake?} Watts were out before the crow flapped her wings in the morning and planted the big field by one o'clock, then went down to play football for the Queen's birthday sports in the after noon". That was the last time the flats were plowed and Huby says it is just about that long ago next October when the creek was the highest he ever saw it and was running full with corn shucks, pumpkins, rail fences and down around the swing bridge apple barrels where they had floated off the cars at the station. This may account for the long span of years that Art's big flats were left in sod, but the creek is about two feet lower now than it was in those days. It has been cloudy and a very cold north wind all day and it looks like frost to-night. Thursday May 27th Huby didn't come over to-day so I spent the most of the morning doing chores but got the two lines of raspberries hoed and some of the old manure out of the chicken yard put around them. Dad. finished plowing the corn ground and got nearly over it with the disks it will take a lot of work. This after noon I drove Enah & Tid. down town for some groceries just as we got back Mr & Mrs Johnson & George came in with their car and they took Aunty Aunty Alice Enah & Tid up to the cemetry. Lila https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/828fe31360f9c9f05700b0830b9e07ce.pdf 5ba4dc22324669075d1d571e89503714 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. came over with them. To-night Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's to borrow a book and I went with her. I also took Mrs. Charlie Martin a setting of eggs for which she paid me forty cents. I see by to-day's "Norfolk Reformer" that Capt. Simpson left this morning for England to join the Army Service Corps, I wish I had been up to drill before he went. Dick said to-night that May Ivey who is at the Culp's with plural pneumonia is not expected to live through the night. It froze hard again last night and did a lot of damage I guess. Some of our tomato plants in the garden were nipped and some were not, has been sunny but a very cold wind all day from the north. Friday May 28th After I did up the chores this morning I went out and took the team and Dad. came up and took the old sow down to Porter's, he was down there to dinner and didn't get back till four o'clock. I rolled the corn ground and got started to harrow it. Huby was over all day and set the posts in the plum orchard for the fence along the raspberries Something has been wrong with Snowdrop all day and to-night Huby Dad. & Frank examined her but couldn't see much but a little spot on her jaw which Dad. didn't think would affect her much, she went around all day with her nose to the ground and didn't eat at all. He ran the probang down her throat but everything seemed clear. Frank and I went down to Huby's to-night and had a game of poker. They had a baseball game down town to-night between the married and single men. Frank took it in but I didn't get down in time The single men men beat 6-5. Much warmer to-day. Saturday May 29th I worked on the corn ground all day to-day. I finished harrowing it and got it disked over lengthwise. Dad & Frank sheared sheep all day, they got four done I think Dad. says he is getting quite expert at it. Lila and Dorothy Anderson were over all the after noon and I let them ride the horses in from the field to-night which they seemed to enjoy, they had been waiting around for about an hour for me to unhook. Snowdrop is aparently all right to-day, we don't know what could have been wrong with her unless there was something in her throat that Dad. loosened with the probang and didn't know it. Aunty Alice has been tending to the little chickens for me, a lot of them have their eyes swelled shut. I think they have caught cold. It has been sunny all day but there has been a cold east wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d090d963625b1d257109536464505e6d.pdf 40371d2541c37a14a0b4b05e3852c890 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday May 30th Aunty & Frank and I went to Sunday school and church. Enah came down to church and Dad. brought the baby down and went over with Enah to the James' for dinner and to spend the after noon, they took Tid. down to the lake for a little while and had an early tea down there. I saddled Joe and went for a ride after dinner. I went down to the Ryerse's but none of them went for a ride so I went out to the Shand's and got Charlie to go with me. His uncle John had the little sorel which he generally rides so he had to take Billy the big grey and the consequence was we couldn't go much off a walk. We went down to Marburg and up the third concession. I stopped in to see Sid. McBride but he wasn't home. I wanted to ask him about getting some more of his hog-meal. We also saw Hammond on his way home from Sunday school, we were talking to him for about an hour. He was telling us all his Guelph experiences, he would like to go to the war but his Dad. won't let him, the whole three of us would go if we got the chance, but Charlie is not well at all. I don't know what is wrong with him. Frank rode to Simcoe this after noon on his wheel, when I got home he was back after the cows. He was gone a very long time and upon investigation I found that a newly arrived calf was causing the delay, it belonged to Spot and Frank was bringing it up to the barn. It was a fine big red & white bull and had evidently been born quite early in the day. Dad. just got home as we got it up into the yard. Aunty and Aunty Alice went down to stay at Huby's for a week It has been a fine day but a cold east wind. Monday May 31st I disked crosswise on the corn ground all day but didn't get quite over it. Dad. sheared some more sheep, I think he only has two more to do now. Huby was over all day and put a post in at this end of the lane to put the gate latch on, he also fixed the fence at the end of the lane between the gatepost and the anchor post, he didn't feel very well to-day. To-night Frank and I went down to see another baseball match between the married and single men. The single beat 5-4. I fooled around town till about nine o'clock and then went down to Huby's for a little while. Frank was down there and Aunty was going over his lessons with him. They were all working late in the bank to-night as it is the end of the month. It has been quite hot all day to-day but the wind is still from the East. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/dcd4d5dc969feb5a650bade0b97b6c7f.pdf 50d35ece2f7abbc0db0cac811b4eccdd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday June 1st This morning I finished disking the corn ground and got started to roll it At noon I drove Enah and Tiddums down to Mrs. Leslie Battersby's for dinner and brought Huby over, he said he felt well enough to work but didn't like to walk over, he sat in the house and shelled corn all the afternoon. I also got old Daddy's collar from Val. as Dad was going to hook Joe & him up but he sheared the last sheep instead, he sheared the other one this morning, he took the team till I got out after I had my dinner. I finished rolling and started to harrow crosswise, about five Dad. came out and relieved me and I drove Huby home. I drove him out to Charlie Tuple's first to get some archangel which is a weed that grows in a ditch out there and which Charlie claims to be a cure for Huby's ailment, he steeps it and makes a tea of it. We went around to see Bill to see if he could come and mark the corn ground for us to-morrow after noon he went down and asked his boss at the canning factory and said he could get off. He was telling us that they operated on his son-in-law over here who has just got over typhoid fever for apendicitus last night and Bill doesn't think he will live through it. May Ivey is still alive and I guess stands a chance of pulling through. Hot to-day. Wednesday June 2nd I drove Dick down to work this morning and went around to Billy Laing's to see if I could get any seed corn as Dad. is afraid to use what we have. Some of the cobs were mouldy when Huby shelled it and some Dad. planted in a flower pot only tested about 60%. Billy didn't have any and didn't know where there was any Aunty went up to Mrs. Battersby's with me and got some dahlia bulbs to send over here. When I got home Huby went over and telephoned to the Smythe's and they said they had a little so I hiked right out there but found it was just in the crib and didn't look as if it would be as good as what we have so I didn't get any. It began to pour rain just as I lef so I got pretty wet. This after noon after it stopped raining I cut part of the lawn. Huby spent the after noon building a fence two panels long from the pig pen to the orchard fence to make a small yard for the little pigs. Dad. rolled this morning but it was a little too wet this after noon so he hoed in the garden. I drove Huby down to-night and we saw Bill Oakes and told him not to come over till he thought the ground was fit to mark. Frank saw Billy Laings to-night and he said he could get us some corn in Simcoe. Cloudy and wet all day raining to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/770ae9a0e3c1f20902deb626165f96fe.pdf 3eeaaef834ecd9fbadecc310cae67fe3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday June 3rd It rained hard during the night so that everything was flooded this morning but it was a good rain and as it has been pretty hot all day will do a lot of good. Dad. is beginning now to talk about a big crop of wheat this fall. This being the King's birthday Dick had a holiday. There wasn't any school but Frank went down to see and was down there all morning. I didn't do very much but cut a little lawn. Huby & Lila came over but it was too wet to do anything much so Huby went back home. Dad. opened up a few ditches. This after noon Frank and I drove to Simcoe to see if we could get any seed corn but we found that Simcoe has begun already to shut up Thursday after noons so we couldn't get in anywhere but Edmond's and they didnt have any, we got some rocksalt there. We went down to see what Brook's Mill was paying for wool and they said the same as it was quoted at in Toronto and in to-day's paper they have removed the embargo and unwashed fine which is ours has jumped from 18cts to 23 & 25cts. We saw all the Dover cadets up there they went up to take part in some contest but as near as I can make out they were the only company present so took the prizes. Frank McBride got four dollars and a medal for shooting. Friday June 4th This morning I finished rolling the corn ground and Dad. fixed fence in the gully as the cattle have been in on the oats the last two mornings. Frank saw Bill on his way to school this morning and Bill came over this after noon and marked the corn ground. It was in nice shape on top. Huby came over this after noon too and tore down fence along the road. After Bill started to mark crossways I started to plant instead of helping and Dad. helped him. It was a little too wet to plant but I got quite a lot done when Charlie Martin came over and wanted Dad. to go and look at his old mare's leg which Sam Law's mare had kicked and he was afraid had broken. She had been running at pasture in Sam's gully. Dad. went and Charlie took Huby with his shotgun over. Dad. said it was properly smashed, so Huby cut a shell and shot her. I had planted smart-nose corn from Charlie Dixon's as far as I went but when Frank came home he said Billy Laing's told him we could get some down at Jack Mason's so he and Dad. went down after tea and got about half a bushel. Aunty came over to dinner to-day and brought a piece of the blue lilly from home which we set out in the front bed. Nice day and very warm https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/38c065d990bf30a8c37f7956290ace72.pdf 149c07fa328b1546f6d57ab1cb390874 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday June 5th Huby and I started in first thing to plant corn and have been at it all day. Dad. has suffered intense agony from a pain in his back which stabs him with terrible torture if he gives it the slightest twist, he doesn't know what caused it unless he hurt it a little yesterday after noon when he was helping Bill. He rolled down part of the barley and oats this morning and before noon drove out to Lorne Kniffens and took Aunty Lila & Tiddums with him to get some more seed corn as Kniffen stopped this morning and told him that Billy Laing said we were short and that he had about half a bushel left, we also got about a peck from Jack Martin this morning so that we got the biggest percentage of the field in with "Longfellow" instead of "Santrose" Dad. helped us plant this after noon till Frank finished rolling the barley & oats and then Frank helped us finish while Dad. did chores but we got it all in before six and think it ought to be a good crop. Aunty, Aunty Alice & Cousin Clare have been over all the after noon and Winnie was over to tea Aunty & Aunty Alice stayed all night. It has been very hot all day. Sunday June 6th Frank and Aunty went to Sunday school this morning and I went for a swim down at the Quanbury's. Mrs. Quanbury was very anxious to have me use their bathroom instead of the pond but I didn't and the water was fine. She gave us some asparagus and <s>lettuce</s> onions to bring home. Art has been sick and got pretty well behind with his work so Dad. told him last night that I would take the team and give him a day on Monday and he seemed very pleased. When I got home I got dressed up and Dick, Aunty Alice, Enah & I went down to church. This afternoon soon after dinner Jim Waddle and the two little girls came in and were here for quite awhile, before they left Uncle Ward & Bob. Ellis came in. Bob. didn't stay very long but went down to see Clarence Ferris but about five o'clock Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Shand came in and they & Uncle Ward stayed to tea. Frank and I did the milking and Mr. Shand drove Uncle Ward home before he & Mrs. Shand left. Dad's side has been better to-day but there is still quite a pain there when he twists it. It has been very hot to-day and feels like rain. Monday June 7th Dad's back felt worse again this morning but he helped me milk. It was nine o'clock however before I could get out with the team and started for Quanbury's https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0d3ba24ddaa647174fa45058809af034.pdf f3ee89c5580fb66633e873d8494beee6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. with the disks, Charlie was disking with their team and Art. was setting out tomato plants. We worked up a pen to put more tomatos on. We all went over to Charlie's place where Charlie cooked dinner, he said he didn't approve of cold lunches. After dinner we had a look around Charlie's ranch, he has corn planted on the flats and he marked it himself. It is so crooked the crows cant follow the rows to steal it. Art. hooked his team on to the waggon to drive back to his place but Charlie & I each rode one of my horses and had "some time" on the return trip. It began to rain about five o'clock so Art. who was equipped with a rubber coat drove my team home and their old team went home without driving, while Charlie & I took to the woods and walked home after the rain had dried up a little. It was hot all day but sultry. Tuesday June 8th I saddled Joe first thing this morning and rode over to John Wess' as he was going to telephone up and find out what wool was worth in Simcoe. I found it was only 20 cts which was what Henderson told Frank he was paying so when I got back Dad. & I weighed it all up and put it in a sheet and loaded it into the buggy but found it was too big a bundle to take in the buggy so we caught Belle & harnessed Joe & her and put the wool in the waggon. Old Ivey from the mill came in for awhile and talked He wanted to put his horse out to pasture for a couple of weeks but I don't know whether he will or not. By the time I got started down town it was getting near noon I didn't stop at the mill on the way down but went and got Huby to hold the team for me and when we got back Henderson had gone to dinner El. Ryerse was there so we put the wool in the warehouse and left it. I was going up to see about some locust fence posts which Dick Faulmsbe had but Huby saw Place and he said he had a car load of cedar posts on the way here so I thought we had better wait. When I got home Aunty & Aunty Alice had gone to the Harding's for dinner and Enah was due to go but Tid. wasn't awake yet so I had to hook Joe to the buggy and drive them down when he did wake up. On my way home I stopped in at the mill and got the money for the wool which was 97 lbs I got 20 cts. $19.40 When I got back I had my dinner and then Dad. & I went down to Mr. Flemming's and got a load of old shingles for Kindling as he has put a new roof on the west side of his barn and told us we could have what shingles we wanted to pick up. Dad. felt a little better to-day but not much It has been pretty hot to-day but a cool breeze https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0214abe27901d4754f0bc84db50dec76.pdf e5da275ef92679fe34b12b1d725e2ef0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday June 9th We didn't do anything much this morning but putter around and talk about going down town but Dad. was pretty lame so we didn't get around to it till after dinner. This after noon Dad. Aunty, Tid & I went down in the waggon and were down most of the after noon Aunty didn't come home with us but walked home to tea. Dad. went to the doctor and got an electric shock on his sore back and some medicine. I got a roll of poultry netting and Mr. James loaded up the waggon with boxes. We saw Bruce up the street a little farther and were talking to him for quite awhile. Dad. & Bruce held a sort of court of advice on Main St. as farmers from all over came flocking around with tales of woe concerning their livestock. Aunty didn't come home with us but walked over. Winnie & Rosa Jack came over to tea. Mrs. & Miss Woodson were in for a minute or two after tea before going to a bridge party at Mrs. Martin's. We had some music this evening but the girls went home early. Frank & I went down town with them. Nice day. Thursday June 10th This morning we hooked up the team and Dad & I went down to Flemming's to get another load of shingles. We took Tid. with us. Just as we got there we noticed that our colts were out of the gully and in the field so I struck right accross to put them back but I couldn't head them off alone and so they got out on the road and ran up the lane to the house. There with Enah's & Aunty Alice's help I managed to get them into the barnyard. I had to go back to the gully and fix up the place were they got out. I took the shotgun with me in case there were crows on the corn field but there weren't so I went on over to the woods but didn't see one. It was nearly noon when I got back but Dad. & Tid weren't home yet so I walked over to see if they were waiting for me but just as I got there they had left but I ran accross Vyse and he kept me in conversation for half an hour. Aunty & Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's for dinner in honor of Mrs. Skey's birthday. This after noon Dad. & I took a strand of barbed wire and stretched it over the piece of fence where the colts broke out and fixed it a little better. It was in the middle of the new gully fence where we left a place for gates but only stretched a piece of wire by hand. I think old Dandy probably caught his foot in it. Dad. felt quite a bit better in his back to-day but felt a little sick. Nice day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/228399b1fecdea62c4baa0a08b73b046.pdf d30e5f2b74fd260dd99242b63d9b9348 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday June 11th I don't remember just what we did this morning but this afternoon I drove Enah down town for provisions as we just got word last night that the Millman's are coming up to-morrow to stay over Sunday & take Aunty and Aunty Alice back with them. When we got back Dad. & I started to clean out the floor of the big barn where the sheep were all winter. Dad. hauled a couple of loads out to the old garden to plow under. While we were there old Ivey from the mill brought his horse over to turn in the pasture. Aunty went down to a Red Cross party at Mrs. Buck's this after noon. Aunty Alice got word to-night that Mr. Billings was dead. He died at the hospital in Montreal and Mrs. Billings left right away for the West so Aunty Alice won't see her as She hoped. She feels very badly about it. Another nice day. Saturday June 12th When Dad. got up this morning he found old Ivey's horse over in Thos. A's oats. Harry must have kicked him over during the night as they didn't seem very friendly. I spent nearly the whole day cutting the lawn but I got it all cut front and back and it looks pretty nice I also dug up the rhubarb bed but not the plants. Dad put in all the day cleaning the manure out of the barn and got it looking pretty slick. We put old Ivey's chariot and our buggy in there as we will put the Millman's car in the drive house Frank spudded thistles to-day in the barley. Dick came home to tea to-night to see the Millman's. They got here just before tea. Mr & Mrs Millman, Kathleen & Orm who acted as chaffeur. After tea Orm took us three boys, Kathleen & Enah to Simcoe also Winnie & Lila. It has been hot to-day but breezy. Frank and I went down to Huby's to sleep to-night. Sunday June 13th I came home as soon as I got up this morning but Frank stayed down to go to Sunday School and church. Aunty was the only one who went down from here. Orm. Dick and I went for a swim this morning as soon as they got up, the water wasn't bad at all. After dinner I took Joe out and jumped on her back and as Kathleen was so anxious for a ride Orm out her up behind me but we didn't go very far as it was too strenuous to hang on without a saddle so then I put the saddle on her and Orm took a short ride while Kathleen was putting on an old pair of overalls then she had a little ride. They both seemed to enjoy it. This after noon Orm took all but Aunty, Aunty Alice Frank and me https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6cde8e9585b41e410a43ec28a595d105.pdf a8a17e04f135ad778084b0f0602cca08 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. down to Hammond's bush to see old Ad. Frolick's log cabin, he got some of them down at Huby's too. When they came back Orm. Frank, Kathleen, Tiddums & I went for a ride down town and up to see Globe Park. They thought it had changed a lot since they used to summer there. We took Aunty down to stay at Mrs Leslie Battersby's to tea. After tea we took Cousin Clare home as she had been down here all the after noon - got Aunty and went up to Cousin Loll's for awhile came home again, then Orm took Frank and me down to Huby's so the car had a busy day of it. Dick was down town all the after noon. It has been very hot all day. Monday June 14th Huby came over with Frank and me to breakfast after which Huby, Mr Millman, Orm and I left for Billington's armed with fishing tackle and arms ammunition and a spade as Paw was anxious to get some ground hogs and trout We didn't get up there much before noon and spent an hour or so hunting woodchuck. Mr. Millman killed one and shot at two others at once but they went down the hole. He also set Huby and Orm to work digging one out but that got too tiresome so we quit for dinner. The Billington Bros. were very pleased to see us and gave Huby & me a pressing invitation to come up again some Sunday for a fish. We fished most of the after noon <s>was had</s> but they weren't biting, we caught four fish alto-gether. Mr. Millman one and I caught three. Before we came home we had another groundhog hunt but didn't get any. It was after eight when we left but it didn't take long to get home. We went through Normandale and saw old Bowlry Oakes. Tonight Orm took the notion that he wanted to sleep in the barn so of course none of us would be stumped and the whole four of us gathered up all the robes and quilts we could find and made a very comfortable bed but we didn't get into it till midnight and Dick was telling stories when I went to sleep but I never woke up till daybreak. It was pretty warm all day but a cool breeze. Tuesday June 15th It rained during the night and has been rather wet all morning but cleared off and was a fine afternoon Mr. Millman wanted to start for home this morning but we thought the roads would be too wet for the car so I drove Dick down to the bank this morning and took Orm with me before he was up. When Orm & I got back we thought they had decided not to go to-day so we went down again and took Kathleen with us. I took Joe down and had https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3e2cf607693ddd73c8bea3b0b91d858c.pdf 2c0971ac9755ab351736f97efacf6317 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. her shod so we didn't get back till noon but fooled around down town all morning. At dinner we were very disappointed to find that Mr. Millman was determined to go this after noon, we did our best to persuade him that the clay roads of Walpole would hold him up but it was no use. They didn't get started till two o'clock but I guess they got home safely, the place seems lonely with so many gone all at once. I don't know how the chickens will get along without Aunty Alice. A special train came up from Hamilton this after noon with about 15 members of the Board of Trade and a brass band, they were here for about an hour and the Dover fellows took them around town in their automobiles. They delivered a few speeches. R. L. Tobey from Hamilton made a speech from all accounts principally about Huby and said he wanted to see him, but Huby wasn't up town. Huby used to be in the store in Chatam when Tobey was errand boy Huby said they used to kick him all over and never had much use for him. Enah and I & Tid. drove down for a little while but were late, we met all the automobiles on the hill and had to turn around. We saw the cadets march down town. There was crowd enough for the first of July. I went to bed about the first thing after tea to-night. Wednesday June 16th Huby came over this morning and started going over the cornfield and planting the hills which the crows and blackbirds have taken. He saw a blackbird pulling some up but the crows don't come around when any one is near. I worked around the garden most of the day. This after noon Dad. & I cultivated it. We went over to Mrs. McBrides this morning and got five bushels of dandy potatoes some of which we will use for seed. Bickler's man was in this after noon and we had to breed Ginger again. Fine and warm to-day. Thursday June 17th Huby got over the rest of the cornfield to-day and we got a bushel or so of potatoes planted. Huby & I planted and Dad. plowed them in. We put them right on the sod in every third furrow. When Frank came home to-night he told us that Place's carload of posts had come. Sunny & hot. Friday June 18th Dad. went down first thing this morning and twenty five of the new cedar posts. He brought Huby over with him and they went right back to John Wesses line with them and burned the old stump that was in the line. Shand came in while https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a97d4b830929cf47630b9b0902433c73.pdf bb43b6afdad8b676011b5ecc74b10414 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. they were gone and said the two cars of crushed rock had come and he wanted us to turn out this after noon and help haul it, so Dad. & I went down with the team and waggon I stayed down there at the car loading waggons all the after noon. There were nine or ten teams hauling all to-gether. Dad had a tight box so he hauled the fine stuff. They are putting it on the big hill on the side road out here by our place It has been sunny and sultry all day, looks like rain. Saturday June 19th I got up good and early this morning and Dad. & I went down to haul stone again. I spen the whole morning in one of the cars shovelling out the side that didn't dump. I finished it all but about a wheel barrow load by noon but it was heavy work. They hired Huby for the day and he & Tupper's man were in the other car. They finished hauling the stone by soon after dinner, but Dad. was all the after noon hauing the fine stuff. There wasn't nearly enough of it to cover the big stones so they had to use earth which I am afraid will not be nearly as good. I stayed down at Huby's to dinner. Enah and I printed pictures to-night. Frank took Gladys down to Porter's this morning and this afternoon caught old {Dadudy?} and cultivated corn. Rained a little last night. Hot to-day but windy. Sunday June 20th Frank went to church & Sunday school this morning but Dick and I went down to Quanburys for a swim, we both swam across to the stump and back. The water was elegant but the wind rather cold. This after noon Dad. Enah & Tid went for a drive out to Mt. Zion Church. Frank went for a ride on his wheel and Dick down town I wrote to Aunty Alice. Five or six of my littlest chickens disappeared yesterday and I suspected a cat and to-night Frank caught the white cat running under the shop with one so to-night Frank put her in a sack and took her down to the fish shanties to lose her. It has been sunny all day but there has been a cool breeze. Monday June 21st We were all ready to get at the roadwork again this morning when Harvey Shand came in and said that there was another car with some fine stuff on the road and he thought it would be better to wait for it than to cover the stones up with earth, so after breakfast. We took the little jag we had on the waggon from Saturday night and put it on the road. Enah and Tiddums went with us and picked some wild straw berries along the road. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/446ed4a541905762a490370d4b38bcca.pdf 46ed8cfa42b6a035379cf639fef1cb5c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Huby came over and when we got back we planted some more potatoes. We have been at that all day and Dad. is plowing them in. Huby hoed corn while Dad. was plowing the empty furrows and I pulled the sour dock in the barley. We quit early to-night and Enah & I went down to the the picture show to see Mary Pickford in "Tess of the Storm Country". It was pretty good. Frank rode down on his wheel, his exams started to-day, he had History, Hygiene, Composition & Spelling, he thinks he did pretty well except in the spelling which he isn't sure about.There has been a strong East wind all day and it rained quite a spatter to-night. Tuesday June 22nd I went over to Martins with some more eggs this morning and Jack said he wouldn't be wanting any more. Huby didn't get over till late as he thought it would be too wet to do any thing but he and I put the boards along the ground on the posts he set in the plum orchard for a chicken run. Mr. Morgan came over and was here to dinner, he talked to Dad. all morning who was hoeing in the garden. He told me he would get me other walnut trees and a pecan for the ones that died. This after noon we didn't get out very early but I disked over the potato patch that was planted and we planted two or three more lines all tnat we will plant I think. Huby hoed some more corn and then went back to the woods to see if he could shoot a crow but was unsuccessful. He took a couple of sitting hens down to-night to set on some Plymouth Rock eggs he is going to get from Mrs. Flemming. The white cat came back from town last night some time and was purring around complacently this morning when we went out so to-night we caught her and put her in a bag with a lot of stones and I threw her over the dam bridge, so don't expect to see her back. I hated to do it and it may bring bad luck but I don't think it is very lucky to keep her here and feed her chickens. I went down to-night for awhile and got my hair cut. Sunny but cool breez all day. Wednesday June 23rd Dad. finished plowing the patch between the potatoes and the corn this morning and disked it up well. I went over to Jack Martins with the roosters and took some bags over to get chicken feed, he said he would fill them and I could get them in the morning. Huby came over and we rolled out the poultry netting along the posts and found it https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f0841f640613b4960e607494a586b59c.pdf 6971dab217b16c4bf4492d39f106a448 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. till about eleven and then went down town and got some wire to finish the chicken fence. Dad. helped me put it up after dinner before he went out to cultivate. I planted some pop corn in the garden between the potatoes rows and then spudded thistles till chore time. Charlie Shand was in to tell us the stone had come for the road. Quite warm to-day but nice breeze. Huby set nine posts along J.W's line to-day. Saturday June 26th Dad. & I got down to the car about half past eight this morning and I stayed there until we got it all unloaded. Huby was there too. There was only half a car for us, the other half was a little coarser and was for Dave Lampkin's bridge but they had a little more than they wanted so we took two or three loads of it. We were really through at noon but Dad. & Tupper said they wouldn't mind coming back for the sake of having it done right so instead of going home to dinner I went out to the Shand's and saved a long walk. Dad. went home. This after noon we got some sandy loam along Tupper's fence and covered the rest of the stones on the Winding Hills. We didn't work very hard but got it all done by six o'clock. Frank cultivated corn all day and has big blisters on his feet. Huby came over at noon and set some more fence posts. It has been pretty hot and sunny all day. We need a good rain now. Sunday June 27th Frank went to Sunday School and church this morning but Dick and I went down to the Quanbury's for a swim. Dad. Enah and Tid drove up to the cemetry. This after noon Dick and I went down town and Frank went for a ride on his wheel and didn't get home till about eight o'clock. The Oddfellows marched this after noon and went up to the cemetry but they didn't have any band. I just hummed around the beach and park all the after noon It was very hot and sunny all day Monday June 28th th Frank has put in another good long day in the cornfield with old Dandy. It is beginning to look pretty nice. Huby has been setting fence posts all day and this after noon Dad. went back with him and slashed down a lot of young ash that were in the road. It is pretty hard digging back there now. This morning Dad. & I sharpened the mower knives and I got started culling on the corner field. It is so weedy Dad. wants to get it done before the frist of July as he doesn't want sojourners into Dover to see it. I got a pretty good start with it but was bothered considerably with the brass boxing at the end of the pitman rod heating and had to take it off two or three times. Chris Quanbury from Lynn Valley came down to https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d9152aa51ec894c28a735a44241a6fbc.pdf 9b45606abad7a9b68a22b12fa714f69f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. night with a crate of straw-berries for Enah at eight cents About nine o'clock Elva Said. Davis, May Parry & Bessie came over with Billy Boughner in his car to see if we knew where they could get some Brown Eyed Susan's to decorate Billy's car with on the First, but I guess it is a little early for them. I took Bluch back after the cows this morning and tied a plow shear to his rope and let him chase them hoping it would teach him not to be so savage. It holds him back a little but I don't know how it is goin to work. Very warm all day and feels a little like rain. Tuesday June 29th Frank and I went down town in the waggon this morning and got our hog meal at the station a bag of sugar for Enah to do up all her strawberries and I got some wheat screenings at the mill for the little chickens. When we got home I mowed & Frank cultivated corn till noon Dad. & Huby spent the morning at the fence and have it nearly ready to turn the cattle in the back field. This after noon I raked up what was cut yesterday while Dad. Huby and Frank cocked up. Then I cocked up while Frank went on and mowed. He kept on till it was too dark to see and then Dad. finished the field. The rest of us came in and had tea at six o'clock and then Dad. milked and Huby & I went right out again and cocked up till dark. There is only about one side of the field in windrow now and it is beginning to rain a little to-night. Pretty hot all day. Wednesday June 30th It rained part of the morning so there was nothing doing in the hayfield. I drove Dick down town this morning and got some turnip seed and some cabbage plants at the Quanbury's. Dad. & I set them out before dinner over in the old garden next the potatoes. We put out over a hundred. Huby came over after dinner and he and Dad. worked all the after noon at their fence but it isn't quite ready yet to put the wire on Frank cultivated corn with Belle all the after noon I went over to Charlie Quanburys and got his little seed drill to plant the turnips and when I got back went over to Mrs. McBride's and got another bushel of potatoes, then planted the turnip seed. The drill was certainly a great improvement on last years method. I planted nine rows the full length of the old garden in a little over an hour. Changing the lines took the most time as I didn't have a marker on. Sultry all the after noon but a nice breeze https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/82af03fe865d473b8b05c39115a69abd.pdf fa2b29a6eb45a35e6937ba52ce69e897 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. was seventeen paces too short so I went down town and got some more but got just seventeen feet instead of yards, so it still about ten yards short but Dad. & Huby put it up on the posts as far as it went this after noon and let the sheep & hens out into the oats. The sheep instead of going for the oats as we expected kept pecking right around the chicken coops and nibbling what suckers they could find around the trees. I went out and rolled the potato patch over a couple of times and then harrowed it. There has been a very cold north west wind to-day and it looks as if it might freeze to-night. Cold enough for overcoats. Thursday June 24th First thing this morning Frank and I went over in the waggon to Martin's to get my chicken feed. They hadn't it mixed up yet so we had to go over to Bush's barn to get some buckwheat and then wait for Chris to mix it so we were quite awhile but when we got back Dad. was out cultivating corn with Dandy and Frank went out and relieved him. Frank has been cultivating all day and has got all over the cornfield lengthwise and started over crosswise going twice in a row. After I got my chicken feed put away and some chores done I went out and spudded thistles in the barley till noon. I had some chores to do after dinner but got a couple more hours in this after noon in the barley Huby & Dad. have been back at John Wess' all day getting a line staked out for the fence. John Wess thought William's had crowded the last fence they put up a little and so they wanted to get it right and had to measure from the road. They found it about three feet shorter at one end than the other. To-night Dad. & Enah went down to a concert for the Patriotic Fund. Tiddums of course woke up and I had to tell him Jack & the Beanstak till we both went to sleep, we were both sound asleep in the big chair when they got home. It has been much milder to-day but there is still a cool breeze Fruday June 25th Dad. & Frank were figuring on getting in a good day in the cornfield to-day cultivating with Belle & Dandy but young Harv. Leany came & got Dandy just before seven. They were disappointed but Dad. took old Harry and got Ivey's cultivator and tried it. He got quite a lot done but I guess old Harry was very exasperating. Frank and Belle got on all right and kept at it steadily all day. They are going crosswise and twice in the cow. I spudded thistles https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f769a48549923a1f6cacd52b647e8332.pdf 2451d6e2f099bc22c7a4ac0b77a01874 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday July 1st Dad. and I went back first thing this morning and fixed the wire on the posts that Huby put in on John Wess' line and Dad. let the cattle into the back field. There is some lovely pasture in there and it is beginning to get short in the gully. Frank went down town to celebrate and has been down all day but came home at supper time to help Dad. do chores I went down after dinner, stayed at Huby's for tea and went up and sat around the park till half past ten. Enah and Tid went down this morning and stayed at the James' all day. Dad. drove after them to-night. It was a fine day for the celebration and there was a big crowd. It was sunny but not too hot or dusty. It looked very black this after noon but all blew over but they say there was an awful storm down east. Besides the usual list of foot races and tug of war, they had the cadets perform and representation of the "Queen Elizabeth" under Rear Admiral John Gordon bombard the forts at the Dardanelles Harry Moon was very much in evidence in this performance with a long tailed blue coat and flowing beard. He yelled himself hoarse through an instrument which served equally well for a megaphone, ear trumpet or funnel when he took a drink from a black bottle which was suspended in mid-air on a gallows which later in the day served to stretch the neck of an imitation Kaiser. Another item on the list of sports which I think was an original idea was a duck chase in the harbor. They let an old tame duck loose in the harbor and gave a prize for the one that caught it. There were a good many boys swimming after it but they couldn't catch it. They tried diving and coming up under it and cornering it but it was no use so at last they drove it up on land and let young Dickerson catch it. Huby was down there with the scow and Lila went in after the duck. Young {Brufy Cooker?} got a chill from being in the water too long but apart from that I didn't hear of any accidents and everyone had a good time. Friday July 2nd We thought the hay was a little to damp to work in this morning so Dad. hoed corn and I cut some of the lawn. Before dinner we greased the waggon and put the stakes for the slings on the rack, as it looked rainy and we thought it would be better to get a load in first and then rake up what was in swath. We got a small load in after dinner but it was very heavy and short. We put https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/85d120c8b99c59835b3cf2b17dc68252.pdf a5f5361ffa452572bef439c6d00635cd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. it over the horse stable and the last lift came broadside of the stakes in some way and broke them both off. When we got the load off. We went out to rake but just as we got there it began to rain. It just rained enough to dampen the hay and make it unfit to rake so we came in and Dad. & Frank fixed the sling stakes. Frank cultivate corn all morning but young Harve Leany came after him before dinner so Frank helped us this after noon. I went down town to-night and fooled around for awhile It has been cloudy and not too hot to-day Saturday July 3rd It was too wet to go out first thing this morning into the hay, so I washed the buggy. Ed. Forest came over to have Dad. look at his horse's tail as she had hacked through the window during the night and he thought there was some glass in there. Dad probed around and succeeded in extracting three pieces of glas two of which were large pieces. About ten o'clock Dad. & I went out to put up the rest of the hay. It looked very black in the West but Dad. went a couple of rounds with the rake before it commenced but then we had to quit. We had a good steady shower and were glad to see it as every thing needs it. The oats are commencing to head out and are only about six inches high. Whit Dixon was over to ask us to put my big steer in Sunday night as they want him Monday. This after noon Dad. & I ground the extra mower knife. Frank rode Belle down town after the mail and was down most of the after noon, he said it was raining hard down there but it didn't rain much over here It cleared up about five and to-night I went down town to see Marj. I didn't get to bed till about twelve o'clcock Sunday July 4th Dick got up fairly early this morning and we all then went for a swim and then Dick went down town to go to Brantford with the Dyer's. Frank and I went down to church I drove Enah down. This after noon Marj. & I went for a drive, we had a very happy time, when I got home Mrs. Lawrie & Edith & B. Kains were here to tea. It has been a lovely day as near as I can remember. Monday July 5th It rained very hard last night so we couldn't do any thing with the hay this morning. Dad. & I cut thistles in the barley & oats till noon and after dinner Dad. started to rake hay but just as he did start a shower blew in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ce5e4213a646fcd0fdeaf8941b107382.pdf 4adb114b5d4bd6c37166bffa0717191f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. for about two minutes and soaked things so he came in We just sat around the rest of the afternoon and every now and then a little shower would come up. It has been cold and a strong west wind all day. Whit. came over this morning and got the big steer of mine which we put in for him last night. Billy Barlow was in this after noon to try and buy the others but Dad. told him he had promised them to Bob. Another fellow was around buying cattle to-day. Billy said it was likely Lea from Simcoe. Old Joey brought a couple of fellows over in a car to look at his horse and later two other fellows drove in to look at him but none of them took him away Dad. was wishing they would because he leans over the fence and eats Ivey's oats and bends the fence all over. Mrs. McBride was here washing to-day. Enah and Frank painted the kitchen this after noon and every body is forgetting about it in spite of the smell and getting into it. Dad. was going down town to-night but he woke the baby up getting dressed and it took him about an hour to put him to sleep again so he stayed home, but Frank went down to Huby's to play poker. Tuesday July 6th Dad. thought it was too wet to work in the hay this morning so he and I hoed a patch of couch grass in the corn. Frank cultivated with old Dandy all day but Harve Leany came after him to-night. This after noon Dad. raked up the rest of the hay and he and I cocked up. It looked rainy after tea to-night so we went out after tea and got quite a lot more cocked before dark. Landon Ivey sent over after the rake when we were through with it and told Dad. he could have the upstairs part of the root house over there for Enah to paint the oil cloth in the kitchen. Vernon & Rebecca were to have come up this morning to stay at the Woodson's Nice day but windy. Wednesday July 7th We got in four loads of hay to-day, we would have got in another but the rain prevented us, but we hauled in out of the windrow and what is left out is in cock except a few windrows of couch grass. Frank bunched it up ahead of us and Dad. <s>loaded</s> pitched on & I loaded. We put it all in the horse stable but we are going to change the car to the barn for what is left. This being Dad's birthday, Win & Lila came over to see him this morning. Enah & Tid went down to see Vernon so we had a cold lunch but had dinner to-night when Dick came home and stayed home all evening. I drove down town town after tea and right back again to get my pants from Tip and some pictures. Windy & cool all day cool rain. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/67414012f6536c93ef4888f88fd6a8a5.pdf c8a9ce4fb45b146e6fb266021045af94 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday July 8th It rained hard nearly all night so we couldn't do any thing in the hay. Dad. drove Dick down town and got his hair cut. Frank and I fooled around here and went over to Ivey's to measure the upstairs part of their root house to see if there was room to put the kitchen oil cloth down to paint it, we found there would be lots of room. When Dad. got home we took Joe and drove out to McPherson's with the beehive as Mrs. McPherson is going to give Frank another skip for the one which died. This after noon Dad. and I changed the car from the horse stable to the barn and Dad. tied a pulley up in the west end of the barn he had to do it with one hand and nearly fell once so we are afraid it wont hold when the strain comes on it. Frank spent the after noon making a super for his bee hive he made a dandy, he then worked half the night making a stick for the reel of the binder as one got broken. We took up the kitchen oilcloth this after noon and Dad. & I took it over to Ivey's root house. To-night I went down town & Marj. & I went to the show. Dick came home with me as I was driving. It has been sunny & windy all day Friday July 9th I cut the lawn this morning and worked around the garden Dad put some sleepers down in the hay in the big barn and put some rails a<s>c</s>cross them to keep the hay up off the ground This after noon we put rails across the two beams over where we ran some implements in so that the hay wouldnt come right to the floor. We then went out and brought in a load, but the rope that Dad. was afraid of broke and we were so long getting it fixed that we could only get the one load. Dad put another rope up but couldn't fix it very strongly as there wasn't enough hay in the bottom to shove the ladder up very high. To-night I rode down town and got the mail. Cousin Clare came over this morning and is going to stay all night. Nice day Saturday July 10th We hauled in hay all day but only got in five loads and left the last one on the floor. We would have finished the field but we were bothered a lot with the ropes breaking.Two lifts just got on the track when, with the first one the rope on pulley in the end of the barn broke and we couldnt uncatch the car from the gate so we had to trip the lift on the barn floor and pitch it into the east hay by hand. The next one that acted that way https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2c4326cd161b5b5754e76fc4c464b72e.pdf 43beec4eb1f6836b84a4908d88af4d68 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the pulley over the door gave<s>y</s> way splitting the rafter it was attached to and pulling the hook right out. We had to trip this lift too but lay a sling rope on the floor and managed to catch most of it so saved pitching by hand. We came to the conclusion that the track being so loose was what was causing the trouble so Dad. managed to tighten it a little at the risk of his life, however all our delays prevented us from cleaning up the field. Frank and Dad. brought the last load in and I rode down to Nanticoke and right back. Cousin Clare went home to-night. It has been hot all day and was a warm night. Sunday July 11th Frank and I went for a swim this morning Dick has a game knee so didn't get up to go, he doesn't know what is the matter with it but he is very lame. Frank went down to Sunday school from the pond and I came home and got ready to go to church. Enah & I were going to drive down but just as we were ready to start it began to rain and poured down from then till about four in the after noon After dinner Dick and I drove down town. We both came back to tea. We saw Huby and Bill Oakes down town they had been out to Old Ed. McQueen's funeral. Monday July 12th It was too wet to work in the hay to-day so I drove Dick down first thing and when I came back I set out a lot of asters and stocks. Dad. & Tiddums drove down to Law's <s>after the butter</s> to pay for the butter and Frank went over to Ivey's root house and gave the oil cloth another coat of paint. Dad. also made a short ladder to nail up in the east end of the big barn to tighten the nut on the rod as he has it screwed up as tight as it will go at the other end. This after noon I drove Enah down town, she wanted to see Cousin Loll as it was her birthday and as it was too wet to work I went around to take Marj. for a boat ride She, Essie & Joe Brown who is staying there were down at the lake swimming, so I went down there by the time they got dressed and Marj. was ready it was about four o'clock and looked very black in the north but we went down to Jakes and got a boat as he said he didn't think it would rain. We met Bird Smith and her husband Mr. Parker and Nell Smith and her lover in two canoe's at Coleman's point and they told us it was going to rain but we went up as far as the Willows below Joe Long's before we turned back and then it began to sprinkle so we got back to Jake's as fast as possible and just got inside https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3fb3afb13633e69198493e963b303e4d.pdf a258d627b141c36391c1df2eb0114b4d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. his place when it began to pour and then followed the heaviest rain we have had for a long time. In a few minutes the foot of Main St. was a lake and there were torrents running down each side. Bird was in at Jake's and her husband was over trying to get a white fish at the fish shanties. Nell's beau had to get off on the {fire?} train so they had gone home and had to come back down to the station in the bus. After the train went out it was impossible to get from the station to Jake's so we four had ice cream and peanuts watching poor Nell over in the door of the express shed, where she stood for about half an hour, then when the storm had abated a little she sent Al. Faulkner over with his car as he had been imprisoned in the station too and got us all in and took us home. Al. had to make three or four attempts to get up Main St. but he managed at last I waited at the Bagley's till about six and then it was pretty well cleared off I went around to the Jome's after Enah and the baby but found they were going to stay to tea so I stayed down too.The town was a pretty mess. All the cellars and low spots were flooded and they said there were boxes floating all over Anderson's store. Very nice day but poor hay weather. Tuesday July 13th I drove Dick down town this morning and as the roads were next to impassable I drove around to bring Mrs. McBride over but she had left before I got there and I didn't catch her till she was half way up this road. I didn't do any thing much all day but set out the rest of the stocks out under Dick's bedroom window. This after noon I drove Enah & Tid. down town for the mail and as Mrs. Charlie Martin is having a tobaccoshower for the soldiers to-morrow Enah had to get some of it. Dad. cut thistles in the plum orchard this morning and this after noon took a walk over the place. He says the oats in the barley & oats have come on wonderfully since the rains and that what last week looked like a field of straight barley now looks like a field of straight oats but the oats across the gully although the grains are filling well are very short & thin. Lila has been over all day and she & Frank have picked cherries and Frank put a shelf up in the shop this after noon. He went down town to-night with Lila. I had a little practice on the fiddle to-night It has been hot & sultry all day. This seems to have been the only place that got any rain yesterday. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/db35f27b20ff8ca603eb9f4f69b6ffdd.pdf 6c402090cdacfdae99dfb5a5ff628e32 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday July 14th As soon as the dew was off this morning Dad. started to cut the clover and bluegrass east of the orchard. It was high time it was cut as the bluegrass was a little too ripe. Frank and I went out and turned out few cocks there were in the corner field. They were all damp but not in such very bad shape. Tupper came along and talked for about an hour so we were out there the best part of the morning, when we got through I staked a few of the little poplars along the road and Frank went over to Ivey's to give the oilcloth another coat. This after noon I staked the rest of the poplars and Dad mowed till I quit about four o'clock, he got all the one field down and got several rounds cut on the field north of the orchard. It looks to be a nice quality and fairly heavy for this year. We then put of the load that was on the barn floor and got another in of what we turned out this morning It was still a little damp and so heavy, but we thought we had better get it in. There is still a load out there We left it on the barn floor. To-night I went to the picture show with Marj. Dick came home with me. It has been fine & hot all day. Looks rainy to-night. Thursday July 15th It began to drizzle here before breakfast this morning and kept it up most of the morning. It cleared off in the after noon but this evening there was a very heavy thunder storm. This morning I levelled off the hay in the big barn where it had just been left as the slings dropped it and Dad. cut the grass & weeds around the fences of the meadows he cut. Frank tidied up the shop and before noon we picked some cherries for Enah. This after noon Dad. finished cutting the field north of the orchard. Tiddums followed him out and rode around on his lap most of the after noon. Betty Jean & Rebecca all came over this after noon. Frank was in the "Reformer" to-day that he has passed Entrance and feels so elated over the fact that he actually wants to go back to school after the holidays. Dick walked home to-night and got covered with mud. Thursday July 22nd I have neglected writing in this for a week as I have either been away or too sleepy at night and not up in time in the morning and too busy all day. It was too wet of course to work in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6567cdaada5642ba2f7fba5b425323b7.pdf f2d5cba022abaa95b4cf23caf0f7cc24 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. the hay Friday so Frank and I hauled a load of broken tile and two loads of sand and put them in front of the cow stable door as there was an awful mud hole then Dad. cleaned the muck all out and we put the broken tile in on the solid ground and the sand on top of them, The cows didn't appreciate the improvement much and we had an awful time making them go over it. Saturday was a fine hay day - and I went down about eight to get Huby. He came over and cocked up all day. Dad. raked up both<s>e</s> fields which were down and we got the one all cocked up by noon. We all four cocked up till about four o'clock and then Dad. & I hauled in the one load which was left on the corner field. It was pretty dark so we hauled it in the old barn and will put it up over the granary. Huby & Frank cocked up till dark but we had a lot of trouble with the callte. We had to put Bluch after them to make them go in and he chased Snowdrop over the barnyard fence. She hit on her head and turned a beautiful summersault. We couldn't get John it at all so she didnt get milked to-night. I drove Huby & Lila home to-night and brought Enah back. Poor John R. Davis died very suddenly this evening, he had a sort of stroke over on the bowling green and died in a few hours. Sunday Dick, Frank and I went for a swim and Frank went from there to Sunday school, Dick and I came home but drove down to church with Enah. This after noon Marj. and I went for a drive and I stayed down at the Bagleys to tea. Marj. and I went to church but as we were about ten minutes late we didn't go in but went for a walk and then up to see Glad. Law to tell her about the visit we paid the Preston's this after noon. Monday was a fine day although it looked very rainy all day. Dad. Frank and I cocked up in the field north of the orchard till about ten o'clock and then Huby came over, he had been up to see Harry Ansley about getting the Customs House job in John R. Davis' place. Harry said they would do all they could for him and are going to get out a petition to be signed by all the conservative voters they can. Huby and Frank cocked up the rest of the hay and finished by to-night. Dad. & I hauled in and got in three loads After tea I went down and got Marj. and drove her to Simcoe to get C.P.R. tickets for herself and Mrs Bagley. She is going to the {illegible} & Mrs. Bagley out to Saskatchewan. We went to the show up there and got home a little after twelve. We had a lovely time. Dad. rode Belle out to Jim. Waddle's to get his influence in getting Huby the job but Jim said he had applied for it himself. Tuesday https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/bb8757ff50b33914238e9038ea89cff3.pdf 54f6c62a6ec93b97881519472a729840 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Huby came over first thing and mowed away or hoed in the garden. Dad. & I hauled in two loads this morning but as he & Huby went to John R's funeral this after noon we had to quit on time. Dad. went with the Masons. In the after noon Frank & I hauled in two loads, we cleaned up the field east of the orchard and got one load off the other field. When Dad. got home he & I got in another load. After tea I walked down town and got my hair cut. It rained a little. Haib died yesterday he has been sick about a month and was only twenty eight years old. The then Dyers kids (boys) were over here picking wild raspberries in the woods all day, they are thick back there Dad. & Frank got up at half past three this morning and went back and picked a lot. Wednesday I got up before five and got fixed up and went down to see Marj. off. She & Mrs. Bagley left for Toronto and from there up the lakes. It was too wet to haul all morning so Dad. & Frank cultivated the garden and the raspberries I didn't do much but hoe a little We put off the load that was on the barn floor before dinner and this after noon Dad. & I got in three more, we were going out after the fourth when it commenced to rain. It had been raining all around us all the after noon and we got a piece of it at night. It rained pretty hard for about an hour. I went back after the cows and got soaked. Aleta McBride was over all morning picking cherries. This morning Thursday, Dad. & Enah & Tid. have been out all morning canvassing the country for names to go on Huby's petition for the custom's office. Dad. got about a dozen nearly all the ones he saw were very anxious to sign it as they all think the job belongs to Huby A lot of them had signed Huby's in town. Mr. McPherson was the only one who didn't sign and he said he was very sorry but he had another man in view. The other man was aparently Wilson as they saw him on their way out and he told them that he had applied for the job but when he saw Huby's petition last night he put his name on it. Huby and Sandy Leitch were over after dinner in the latter's car and Huby had a paper three feet long filled with two columns of names. He had over 200 to-night. Frank mowed all morning the field north of the old garden he finished it soon after dinner. I cut the lawn this morning. Aleta McBride was over and picked the rest of the cherries. After dinner Dad. went out and turned out a lot more hay and about four we hauled in a load. Then we went out and cocked it all up again https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4bb37ddeec760a0eb1da968abbb64025.pdf ecb4faafec22dcc6a6da0b1bd7668bec PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. as it looked very rainy. However it didn't rain here although we could see a terrific storm raging north of us. Dad. & Enah drove down town to-night and took Mrs. McBride's share of the cherries around to her. They went down to see Huby and he had just heard from Jack Herring saying poor old Quint was in the hospital. Huby was pretty anxious about him but I don't believe he is very bad. Lila is also laid up with biliousness Friday July 23rd We put off the load that we hauled on the barn floor last night and then Dad. took the team and raked up what Frank cut yesterday. Frank and I threw the tops of the cocks which didn't get turned yesterday and then came in and changed the car from the barn to the horse stable. Dad. came in before we were through but the time we got that done it was half past eleven - and not worthwhile going after a load, we got out fairly early after dinner and got three loads in leaving the last one on the barn floor, we quit early as Huby was over and wanted Dad. to go to Simcoe to-night with him, Barwell & Ansley to see Alex McCall about Huby's job. Frank and I did the chores. Dad. said that it looks pretty well for Huby as McCall wants him to have it and says in the face of the petition that Huby has over 250 names it would not be right to let it go anywhere else but of course he hasn't all the say and Jim Waddle has all the Conservative committe on his side outside of Dover, but they think there is a chance of him dropping out. It has been sunny and breezy to-day a good drying day. Saturday July 24th This being my birthday Dad. & Enah presented me with a tripod for my camera, Frank with a necktie and Dick with a box of Holeproof hosiery. Aunty sent me a shirt and Aunty Alice a dollar so I came off pretty hicky. We hauled hay all day, got the load and and a little over that was on the field north of the orchard and then hauled in off the bluegrass field which Frank cut on Thursday. We got it all in but about half a load. There were only about three loads on it, but it took a long time to haul as it was in windrow and Frank just bunched it up ahead of us It was in nice shape though as it didn't get wet at all. Dad. and Frank did up all the chores to-night as I felt rather sick. I haven't felt extra well all day but to-night I felt really rotten. It has been a nice day sunny and windy, looked a little hazy this after noon https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/5e1582f6016086b9b965e7be7da82b6e.pdf 8d97390e7a8c6d57799d74b63a503808 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday July 25th I didn't feel up to much all day and Enah was right down sick so nobody went to church all day. Dick & Frank went for a swim before dinner. Huby was over for a little while this morning, he said he didn't feel very well either I don't know what is the matter with all of us but Enah and I felt better to-night. I drove Huby home. This after noon Dick went down town and Frank went back to the woods and discovered a black cherry tree with dandy big cherries on it right at the edge of the woods. He also reported that the wild raspberries were thick back there Sam Law came after Dad. to go and see a sick pig he had Dad. went and saw it, came back to get a syringe and when he got back the pig was dead. I wrote a letter to Aunty & Aunty Alice. Enah spent the after noon in bed. About four o'clock Rus. Ickey cam over and stayed to tea. We were of course highly entertained by his conversation. Fine day. Monday July 26th Frank and I spent the morning back in the woods picking raspberries and supplying breakfast to the one million hungry mosquitos which inhabit that portion of the ranch We got a nice lot of berries. Enah put down five quarts and we had some for dinner and tea. Dad. cut hay all morning. Just after dinner it began to rain and we had quite a long shower so couldn't do any thing more in the fields. I wrote a letter to Mr. Yussou about my chestnut tree and also one to Prof. Zavitz asking for another potato platform in place of the one I lost. When it stopped raining I put up a bit of two foot poultry netting across the bottom of the raspberry patch and shut the five young dudes in. Frank spent most of the after noon making a whipple tree for the cultivator out of a piece of hickory. He is making pretty good job of it. They got word from Quint to-day or rather of him, they are afraid of typhoid fever, his temperature goes up at night to over 103° and down in the morning, they are pretty anxious about him. Tuesday July 27th Dad. and I spent the whole morning hoeing potatoes out in the old garden but got on very slowly owing to the grass which has come up so thick with the potatoes since the rain. Frank finished cutting the old timothy sod and brought the mower up as everything is cut now. At noon Sam Law came over to see if Dad. would go down with our binder and cut his wheat and let him come up here, but Dad. told him he had better bring his team up and hook on the binder. Their binder won't work at all the knotter https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/dd47e3aa73987ad824b79752d24c4400.pdf 98dd723cfef53c5994fb9402449bf886 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. seems to be at fault. Krompart told them he would be down to day but Sam is anxious to get his wheat cut and thrashed before he goes out with the thrashing outfit which he expects to have to do about the end of the week. Dad. & Frank went over with Alan after dinner and they got things going with our binder when Krompart & the General Agent came along and they were there all the after noon, put a new knotter on but it didn't work any better At last they discovered that the tension sit screw had been turned up as tight as it would go and that was what was causing all the trouble. Then they took a link out of one of the chains on our binder which was too loose and which Dad. never could tighten, but it was four o'clock or after before Dad. got home. However Dad. went out and raked up what hay was down and got it all up in windrow by about half past seven. Frank and I did up all the chores. I went down town right after dinner to get some coal oil and the mail and some cucumber plants from Huby which I set out when I got home. I don't know whether they will live or not as they were pretty big to move, but I also fixed some hills in the garden to plant seed in. To night Frank and I went over to McPhersons and got the bees they have been in the hive over a week. Percy Millman was down at Hubys to dinner to-day, he came up to look for a cottage, he said that the rest were all coming up Friday in the car and Aunty was coming with them. Cloudy and warm all day. Wednesday July 28th We were going to haul in what Dad. raked up last night right out of windrow but just as we got the team hooked up to draw the load that was on the barn floor out and unload it, we decided that it looked so black it would pay to go and cock up as we could get more cocked up than we could loaded and it would be in fair shape while if left in windrow it would be an awful mess. We hadn't been out there an hour when it commenced to rain and rained pretty hard for the best part of the fore noon. After dinner Frank and I drove down town and got the mail, they heard from Quint down at Hubys, he has typhoid all right but it has been running for sixteen days and they think the worst is over with. I went around to Howey's saw mill and found they had lots of stuff to build a colony house if I can only scrape up money enough to buy it. When we got home Frank and Dad. went over to Law's to load the binder and bring it home but just nicely got there when it commenced to rain and poured for about two hours from four to six. I went out and separated the old hens from last years, I want to see if they are laying and if not I will kill them off. I went to bed early to-night as I have started getting up earlier. I have come to the conclusion that an hour to read & write in the morning is worth about two at night. I got up at four this morning and got quite a lot done beside getting a good early start for the day's work. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f50e8728dbb6a229a66327976919ad8d.pdf af93035fc5ee0200d9b925a7513f5b46 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday July 29th It was of course too wet to do any thing in the field this morning so Dad. & Frank went over to Law's and loaded the binder on the trucks and Alan hauled it home and borrowed the manure spreader. I went over to Martins to get a few more pointers on building an 8 x 10 colony house and when I got back Frank and I went down with the team and waggon and got all the lumber I wanted at Howey's. I was a little surprised to find the bill was only $15.10 as I thought it would be more, but I acting on Mr. Howey's advice I got Hemlock for the walls instead of pine as he said if painted there was no fear of it warping. Right after dinner Frank and I drove<s>d</s> down in the buggy to get the mail and some stuff we couldn't get this morning. Bob. Miller & Whit Dixon drove over right after dinner and Bob gave Dad. his price $140.00 for the two steers much to Whit's disgust who said it wasn't in them. The evidently had some altercation about the red & white one's disposition as Dad. was very anxious that he would act as quietly as mine did as Whit said he was a wild nervous brute. They want to take him in the morning so we put him in the cow stable to-night without much trouble. Herb Cook came over and took old Dandy, I suppose to work for awhile as his mare is lame. Zeitha Barwell came over to see if Enah could play for her at the concert to-morrow night but as we expect the Millman's Enah told her she couldn't. When we got home Dad. went and turned out some hay and Frank and I started in on the colony house. We did pretty well and apart from getting a rather warped scantling for front sill and putting the floor on up side down, we did pretty well for a first attempt. I was going down to Tom Abbotts to-night to see some half grown chickens he wants to sell but it got too dark Cloudy & sultry. Friday July 30th Frank and I got out as soon as possible this morning and worked on the colony house all morning. Whit came over after the steer and we had to help load him Dad's hopes for his good conduct were not realized by a long shot as he raised cain. We managed to get him loaded but Whit's horse waas frightened so we had to take him out and put old Harry in his place. Dad. went down with him and they were nearly all morning getting him tied up over at the slaughter house. I think Whit was rather pleased that he did cut up so that he could say "I told you so" to Dad. who said he that if the bottom of the rack was not so slippry he would have been all right. This after noon Dad & I https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/aa16b7a725238da4e467f7c02e7dc234.pdf b952bb77a6e77b80410d5fb55d9a5c88 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. went out and started to cock up the hay that Dad. turned out yesterday but scarcely got out to the field when we heard the wind and rain sweeping across the cornfield so we lit for the house. We just got there in time as the rain came down it torrents. We went in the shop and ground the binder knives till it was over, we then went out and worked a little more at the hen house and got quite a little bit more done. Allan Law and Frank McBride brought back the manure spreader. The Millman's hadn't arrived by six o'clock and we thought there was no chance of them getting here, but they did seven strong including Aunty. Their car was covered with mud and they said the roads had been awful but they had got a bit of rain. Nita and Billy came up with them this time. Percy with his wife, baby, maid & dog came up on the train this morning and is boarding down at Harry Moon's for a couple of weeks. After tea we all went down town again to see Percy and went down to Hubys to see Walter who came up on the train to-night. We four boys slept in the barn to-night. Saturday July 31st The ground was too wet to cut wheat this morning so Dad. & I worked nearly all day at the colony house and it is beginning to look quite respectable. Frank and Nita drove Dick down this morning and Kathleen & Orm spent most of the morning with us. They all went down in the car about eleven o'clock to bring Walter & Huby over to dinner but didn't get back till after one and Walter walked over and was here before them. He was here for only a short time after dinner as he had to go back to Toronto to-night. He is going to stay wth Ray till after Monday which is Civic Holiday in Toronto and then is going back to Regina. All the Millman's and Enah and the baby went down to the lake for a bathe which they all enjoyed very much except Tid. who {sadly?} cried Win was down there and they said she nearly got swamped She was out in the deep water and got a mouth full. Fortunately Percy noticed her as she couldn't call and was about all in. To-night we went down to the dance, we were just going to look on but Kathleen, Orm, Dick & I went in and I had about every dance. Enah, Nita & Billy watched from outside or rode around in the car. Dick & Orm saw girls home but I came home in the car with the rest and the other two with Alan Law. Frank was sound asleep in the hay when we got home so we joined him and sang ourselves to sleep. It has been cloudy & squawky all day rained to-night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/33612e97890ce930724753ee35f7c3f5.pdf 41ac0837fcf31d6b403a7ed1ba21596c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday August 1st This morning Orm, Dick, Frank and I went for a swim before we had our breakfast and didn't get back until ten o'clock, we just lay around under the willow tree with the rest of the family till dinner time. After dinner we had a little music and then Billy, Kathleen, Orm, Dick Frank and I went down to the lake for a swim. The rest went to Port Ryersie and took Harry Ansley, he & Mr. Millman went up to interview H.P. Innes on Huby's behalf. They said they had a satisfactory consultation. Nita drove the car and Dad. went up with them. Dick and Orm separated from us when we got down town and Frank went to some nouk of his own to undress when we first got there, we couldn't get an empty bathing house, there was such a crowd in but at last one was vacant in the men's section and we all three used it Kathleen undressed first and then Billy and I. Orm came down after awhile with Mildred Henry and used it too but managed to get another one for Mildred. Percy & his wife were down there and we were in a long time as the water was fine. We went up to Huby's to tea where Mr. & Mrs. Millman, Nita and Enah joined us. Dick and Frank went to Dyer's and home respectively. We sat around down at Huby's most of the evening. Some of them went out to the Ansley's and Tibbits for awhile. it has been hot and sunny all day. Monday August 2nd Dad. started to cut the wheat this morning and worked till after dark to-night but got it all the one 8 acre field down. We didn't get it nearly all set up but if it doesn't rain we want to haul it right in. The Millman's all left this after noon. They went down to the lake this morning and didnt get back till about one when the were supposed to have started but they all got off soon after dinner. We went out after tea to-night to run the binder in the barn and were about an hour at it. It was half past ten when we got back to the house. It has been a fine day to-day but looks black. Tuesday August 3rd We were preparing for a good day hauling in to-day but first thing before breakfast a heavy shower came up and dashed our plans to pieces. I drove Dick down to the bank and got some roofing paper for the new chicken house. Dad. and I worked at the hen house the rest of the day <s>althou</s>. About five o clock we went out to look at the wheat and shocked a little of it up. I went after the cows at half past five and just as I got to the gully it began to rain and kept it up for two or three hours of heavy pelting. I sought https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e8b65475f0119675377e56df69e0d50e.pdf b1a539fa79a7ca279ba89831db7d992e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. shelter under some trees for awhile but soon found that I was getting very little and losing considerable time so I struck out into it. I couldn't see the cows so tramped all through the woods and back as far as John Wess' and then saw them all in behind a point of the hill on this side of the gully. By the time I got to the house I was soaked through and had to change all my clothes. Enah and Frank were down town so they got pretty wet too. Wednesday August 4th Dad. Frank and I went out this morning and started to set up the wheat. Dad. devised a new and under the circumstances improved method of putting up one sheaf at a time. We couldn't have done it if the sheaves hadn't been as heavy and big as they were, but by jabbing them down hard on the ground we managed to make them stand pretty well of course an occasional one would fall. It took longer than to shock but it certainly dried quicker. The heads would all separate with the jar and by noon the ones we set up first were perfectly dry in the heads but of course wet under the band. We didn't get through by noon so Dad. & I went out again but the wind kept getting stronger and the last ones I did I had to put up two at a time. We got it all up by to-night. Frank took Aunty down town this after noon. They heard from New Bedford to day and Quint's temperature is down nearly to normal. We saw by today's paper that yesterday's storm was far worse all around us than it was here. Toronto was the worst hit in Canada, trees and gardens being destroyed but in Erie there was a regular flood and twenty five people were killed, two thousand homeless and about three million dollars damage down. Thursday August 5th Morley Buck came over in his Ford this morning to get Dad. to go down and see their horse. When he came back we went out and shook out the hay again. What was in windrow was very wet and all except the pure bluegrass was spoiled but what had been shaken out was not in such bad shape. This after noon we worked at the hen house and got most of the roof on but it rained again towards evening. Friday August 6th We set up the wheat again this morning, there was quite a lot of it down and we had to put most of it two sheaves to-gether. This after noon Frank took Bluch over to Bob. Ross. He lost his old dog and wanted a new one and Tom said he was very good to his dogs so we thought as old Bluch was so https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ab2c119754976fd97003cea6227fcedc.pdf a0770e82702b6b170e4035f134c2baf7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. rough with the cattle and they were getting to be afraid he might hurt the baby who would persist in teasing him, that we thought we had better let him go. Frank said old Bob. was delighted to get him but Bluch coaxed to come home, however he will soon get used to it. I rode down town soon after dinner and got the mail. When I got back Dad. and I worked some more at the hen house. Very hot and rained again. Saturday August 7th This morning Aunty and I tied up the dahlias and worked a little at the flower beds. Then Dad. and I went and worked at the chicken house. Dad. made a door and I put in the dropping board. This after noon Dad. put a latch on the door and I cut the lawn. Frank pretty sick this after noon but he drove Aunty and Tid. down town. To-night he felt so miserable that I thought he would feel better sleeping alone so I went out and camped in the horse stable. Rained a little more. Sunday August 8th Dick and I went for our weekly swim this morning but Frank didn't feel like joining us. As soon as we got home Dick left with Joe & the buggy to take Dess. to Simcoe to spend the day with "Grandpa & Grandma" Mead. I started to get ready for church but just about time to leave an awful shower came up so I didn't go. Aunty had gone down to Sunday school and by after church it had cleared off so she came home to dinner. I was going down town this after noon to see if I could find the Millmans but it began to rain again and this time proved to be about the worst storm I ever saw, and it kept up for two or three hours, in the middle of it there was a hail storm with hail stones as big or bigger than marbles. When they rolled off the rooves they were inches thick and didn't all melt by to-night. There are huge lakes all around us and the ditch in front of the house is six feet wide and rushing about forty miles an hour. I don't know when we will be able to get on the ground to cut the rest of the crops. We didn't do any thing much this after noon but lie around. Dick got home about half past nine, he said it rained & hailed heavily in Simcoe but not as badly as it did here. He said some fields of Wess Buchner's and J.A. McBride were about two feet deep with water. He said he saw Vyse & Aiken's hauling in wheat this morning, they just got in one load before the rain. Monday August 9th When Quanbury's went past this morning they told Dad. that the hail storm yesterday had broken 10,000 panes of glass in Ivey's greenhouses. They had it far worse down town and up the gravel than we did, the stones were as big as walnuts down https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c72b7e21cf4fe415c2b0db9145bfc410.pdf 575e3d063fef0607f415751220693020 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. town Alan Law said and they say it broke thirty panes of glass in Bill Duncan's house but down east at the Dog's Nest & on down they didn't get a hit nor they didn't get it at Shand's school house and very lightly at John Wess's. I drove Dick down town this morning and when I got back went out & helped Dad. & Frank set up the sheaves which were down. We got through about eleven and then went over to see the oats across the gully and wandered over to see John Wess's stuff. Blaikie was out turning shocks. It is in about the same shape as ours and beginning to show signs of sprouting. I took the camera with me and took a picture of our wheat field and of John Wess, Blaikie, Cam, Dad & Frank in the barn over there we didn't get back till about one. After dinner Dad. drove Enah & Tid down town and Aunty as far as Mrs. Battersby's Frank and I shelac'd the knots on the chicken house and worked at it full the after noon and got it all ready for the chickens. To-night Dad. Frank and I moved them over. We took two big boxes of them and had sixty one all to-gether. Alan Law was in to-night & says they want to thrash. It looks a little better to-day & clearer to-night. Tuesday August 10th Dad. <s>Frank</s> and I & Tid. drove Aunty down town this morning We were going around to get Kathleen and bring her over but we met her on the way, so I came back with her and when Dad. came home with Joe, Kathleen and I drove down to Tom Abbots to see his chickens he wants to sell, they are a nice looking lot if he doesn't want too much for them. Kathleen had to go back for dinner so I drove her down, she was greatly distressed because she got her nice clean middy blouse mud spattered. This after noon Dad. & Frank went over to Sam's to thrash. Frank said he would sooner go over there than go to the Sunday school picnic, so he did but I guess there wasn't much for him to do. Huby was over for a few minutes to get Aunty's suitcase which they forgot to take out of the buggy this morning but I was just going to drive Enah & the baby down to the picnic so I took it. After I took them down I came home and fixed a bed along the house under the kitchen windows. To-night Dad. & I did chores and Frank drove down after Enah & the baby Aunty came back with them because Landon Ivey brought over some raspberries and she wanted to do them up to-night. It looks fair to-night and has been all day Wednesday August 11th It was a very heavy dew last night so we couldn't start hauling in very early, but Dad. & I went out and turned out a few which we thought we could haul and they were in pretty fair shape except around the bands. Frank cleaned https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a329742c729a3384557e1c6311aec04e.pdf d2dda340154bd3c22489b242da47c652 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. up the barn floor and harnessed the team. Art Quanbury came in to see if he and Charlie couldn't help us haul in so they did and we hauled in with both teams, the consequence is that we have the field nearly cleaned, it certainly gave us a great lift. We could only haul small jags as the ground was so soft but we got in {blank} of them and there are three or four out there yet. Frank turned out nearly all the sheaves in the field and then turned them in the mow for us when we unloaded. It has been pretty hot & sultry all day and looks rainy to-night. Thursday August 12th It rained hard again last night and this morning so we have not been able to do anything much all day. Dad. has felt sick with a headache and sour stomach all day. I think brought on principally by worry and discouragement at the wet weather, it is really beginning to look very serious. Up around Port Rowan they say they have turned their hogs into lots of the uncut fields. This morning I drove Dick down and went around and got Kathleen and brought her over, we went down around by Hubys and got some poppy roots, which I set out when I got home, we didn't do anything all morning but this after noon I drove Enah, Tid & Kathleen down and we went for a short swim in the lake and dressed up at the James'. Enah was going to stay down there to tea but the baby was too cranky so she had to bring him home. Her sister, Mrs. Johnson was coming to-night so Frank drove her down after tea and he went to some rail road meeting. I let my chickens out of the colony house to-day and about a dozen of them came back to the brooder to roost to-night. It has been hot and muggy all day cloudy to-night. Friday August 13th It was very black this morning and rained several times during the fore noon but cleared off nicely this after noon. Dad. has felt pretty miserable all day, he drove Dick down town this morning and this after noon set up the little bit of wheat that was left out. I put the wire over the colony house windows this morning and Frank and I spent the rest of the morning digging in the ditch in the timothy sod, we were just levelling it to get the proper fall before we started digging deep enough for the tile. After dinner we went down to Tom Abbot's and I got thirteen of his chickens, we then went down for the mail and took the baby with us. It was time to do chores when we got home. Saturday August 14th This morning Frank and I hooked Joe & Belle to the waggon and took the harrows down to Hallam's the new black- https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1046e395e43bff64358e30c14ae07373.pdf 8e4971ccf49f83f858d8d60f0f03194d PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. smith to be sharpened, we took Dick down with us. We then went down to the station and got a barrel of freight which came for Aunty Alice and took it up to the house, there was a whole bunch of girls there with Win. and they wanted to go over to Martin's to see the chickens so piled in the waggon and came over with us Aunty and Lila came over to the farm with us. This after noon we were going to haul in the rest of the wheat but right after dinner Archie & Clark Langs, his daughter and Mrs. Jack Foster came in and paid us quite a visit so it was late by the time we got out. We got in four more jags but there are still two or three left. About half past six the four Millmans and Aunty Alice arrived, we didn't expect them quite so soon but they said the roads were fine and they made very good time. Billy & Orm wanted to go for a swim to-night so Frank and I went down with them. We went down and got Percy at the Moon's and also Kathleen but she didn't go in, we all undressed down below the park in the car except Billy who undressed & put on his bathing suit right in the car in front of the Moons house with Kathleen standing on the running board beseeching him to behave himself. After we had a swim Billy went in with Percy and the rest of us came over here Orm. wanted to go down to the dance so we got Enah and came right back. Enah went into the store to see Mrs. Johnson and from there around to the house where Percy picked her up and took Billy & her home about ten and then left the car down at the Moon's for Orm. I didn't go into the dance but Orm went in and Kathleen went in once or twice with him. Frank went off some where and came back in time to get a ride home We started off for home as I thought right after the dance was over, and after Kathleen and gone home, and picked Dick up at the Methodist Church when Orm. said he would like to take Mildred Henry for a drive, so we went around there and as Donald Ingram & Stan Sutton were there she said to come back in about ten minutes so we went up and got Dess. I thought he was just going for a short spin up the Gravel but the first thing I knew we were well on the road for Simcoe and so went in and Orm got some sandwichs at the chink's before we came home. It was half past two before we got home, we had a good time but it was a crazy thing to do, we all went to bed in the barn as Orm was afraid to go in the house for fear of waking some body up. It has been a nice day but rained a little to-night. They brought news in to-night that J.G. {illegible} was killed by the train in Hamilton. Sunday August 10th I woke up about five this morning by hearing Orm & Dick crawling out, they said they hadn't slept a wink all night on https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/e95d73cf949ee1335d072db728b7654d.pdf e3cc44b3cb7039eb0dc21415216cb6c4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. account of mosquitos, they had taken off most of their clothes so they were bothered worse than I was. Orm got down and dressed and then went to bed again and stayed there till after ten while Dick sought rest in the automobile and then went and curled up in the house for awhile. Billy said he had lain over on one side of the bed most of the night expecting someone to come & sleep with him and he didn't get much of a rest either. We sat around most of the morning but after they routed Orm out we went down to the lake for a swim. I didn't go in but sat around. They got Kathleen, Percy & family and took them down too. Boxer, Percy's dog got into a little scrap with another dog came along and started it and Boxer got his eyelid a little torn. Anybody would have thought there had been a baby murdered but the fuss the kicked up Mrs. Millman came with a club swearing vengeance on the dog and the owners while Percy who came in from the lake at his wife's shouts said he was going to kill it. It was nearly <s>noon</s> dinner time when we got home and we found Archie Lang and Uncle Roebuck here to dinner. He said Queen was a dandy but he had one a little better. They say he has the rails on the fence all worn smooth where he sits and watches it eat. They left soon after dinner and the Millmans left about four. Orm went down town first and got Kathleen and her impedimenta which included a mud turtle & Boxer. Billy was very annoyed at the idea of Boxer accompanying them and said it was a wonder Percy didn't have cheek enough to send his baby. We got the chores done early and this <s>after noon</s> evening Dad. Enah and I drove down to church. Mr. Leigh prought and I went sound asleep. I think more from the fact that I had only had three hours the night before than any soothing effects of the sermon. We went over to the Jame's after church and didn't get home till about ten. Earl Brown and Walter Fletcher came in in Brown's Ford. after we got home and were out there a long time getting Dad's advice about Fletcher's horse It has been a lovely day sunny and a cool breeze. Monday August 16th This morning I cut the grass around the back of the house and Dad. opened up a few ditches around the hog yard. This after noon we hauled in the rest of the wheat, there were three more jags of it. It began to rain before we got through and rained quite a shower. When we got through Dad. went over to the Quanbury's and had a hot bath as they have given<s>t</s> him several invitations to make use of their bathroom. To-night he & Enah went down to a musical at the Hobbes for the Red Cross Bandage club. Aunty & Aunty Alice were here to watch Tid if he woke up and he did. It has been very hot all day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/1d397ba3a221214a73c5596190173666.pdf c366a87e2257e4793b6e4ea78a941498 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday August 17th This morning Dad. Frank & I all dug a little more at the tile ditch out in the old timothy sod and this afternoon got started to cut the barley, but only got a few rounds cut as it was in awful shape, all tangled up and in some spots as Colin Ryerse says, the big wheel "drug." I spent a long time to-night catching young chickens which came back from the colony house to roost around the brooder, there are a couple of dozen which persist in coming back to the yard everyday and then don't go back. I had quite a time catching them as I had shut them out of the brooder and they were roosting on a sheep's back and when I went out the sheep got frightened and ran away up the orchard with the chickens. It hasn't rained all day and looks like fair weather for awhile. Wednesday August 18th It took us the whole day to finish cutting the barley and then we didn't get much of it shocked up. It was in such a tangled mess and thislley that we didn't take our hands to it but Frank and I shocked it up with forks what little we got done. Dad. cut my O.A.C. 72 Oats the last thing and we got 37 nice straight sheaves out of them some of them about four feet long. I didn't feel very well to-day. Aunty & Aunty Alice went to Pt Rowan to-night. Thursday August 19th We decided to haul the barley right in to-day instead leaving it for although some of it was pretty green in the butts it would be in a hopeless mess if it ever got rained on so we hauled in all day but didn't finish, it was very slow as there was so much loose stuff and we hauled good big loads, we only got in four loads. Walt. McCall came over this after noon and got Dad. to go over to see Jack Martin to see if he would go to Simcoe in Huby's interests but Jack wasn't home. Huby came over to night at half past twelve and wandered all over the house before he could wake any of us up and he wanted Dad. to go with Harry Ansley & Cousin Willie in the morning to Delhi and Waterford to see executive of the Conservative committee to whom the appointment of customs officer is left. This was Dover's Boughner Picnic but I guess they didn't have much of a crowd as all the farmers were too busy to attend and besides they had one in Simcoe last Saturday, there has evidently been a split in the house of Broughner over the decision of a suitable place to hold their annual reunion. Aunty & Aunty Alice were home from Port Rowan to-night, they were in Simcoe all the after noon and had Lila go up and meet them to give her a treat in Simcoe but as it was Thursday after noon all the stores and restaurants were closed and no-one on the streets. Fine day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4083e034aff97ae51ecda490cc85f03d.pdf 31e2f26ef95c6d3c537efe31b2feab8e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday August 20th We had hoped to get a good early start this morning and get the barley all in by noon but Dad. had to be down town at eight o'clock so we didn't manage it. Frank drove him down and brought Aunty Alice back. He was supposed to be back by noon but he didn't get back till about six. Al. Faulkner took them, Cousin Willie & Harry Ansley went with him. They went to Waterford and Delhi to interview the fellows who are responsible for the Customs appointment, and Dad. thinks they had a pretty satisfactory time, he says Harry Ansley is certain of Huby's success but Dad. isn't so sure. They are supposed to decide to-morrow. Frank and I didn't get out till about nine o'clock and just got in two loads before dinner, we didn't know how we were going to manage to get the stuff mowed away at the back of the mow by the cow stal but Enah voulanteered her services and thanks to her timely assistance we got on fine. She helped us put off two loads by passing the sheaves from Frank to me. We got in another big load after dinner and so cleaned the field but left it on the barn floor. It was four o'clock when we got in. We thought we would have time to go and have a try at cutting the wheat, so we hooked on the waggon and I went out and loaded about half of my O.A.C. 72 Oats on it while Frank was oiling up and then we tackled the wheat. Frank drove and we got one round cut but about halfway around the twine got tangled in the twine box and it took us quite awhile to get it threaded and at the far end, the wheat was so heavy and a little down that it wouldnt elevate at all and Frank had to stop every few feet for me to rake it off the table so by the time we got back to where we started we thought we had better quit. I took the team and was hooking on the waggon while Frank was putting the canvass on the binder when old Wallace Brock who has been helping Vyse all day came over and said Vyse was stuck and wanted us to pull him out so I didn't put any more of my oats on but we went over. He had thrown most of his load off so Frank had no trouble in getting our team to lift it and when we got it out we helped him load it again and hauled it out on the road for him Dad. just got home at the same time we did. It has been fair but hot & sultry all day & looks rainy. Saturday August 21st It was raining when we got up this morning and has been at it pretty much ever since although the sun was out for a little while this morning. Dad. & I drove Dick down this morning and Dad. went down to see Huby for quite awhile. We didn't do much the rest of the day but sit around and I cleaned out the chicken house. Dad. & Frank drove down about five o'clock and got the mail, but Huby hadn't heard any thing yet. He and {Sam Fick?} have been working for the last few days building a retaining wall of plank in https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/58398ee926e8c404c892ca7e1a15cad1.pdf e06810b41a02755e6b76ca00e74aba2f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. front of the Johnston's house. He was working at it all the after noon in the rain. Yesterday's paper reported the sinking of a White Star liner westward bound and several lives were lost. The U.S. is mighty hot over it but Wilson is waiting to find out for certain if they had no excuse, they say if she was convoyed they had if not it was an unjustifiable act. It begins to look doubtful if Wilson's patience will last much longer. Sunday August 22nd Huby walked over this morning about seven to bring the tidings of his success. The committee was unanamous in his favor all but one man and he voted for Huby when he saw how he stood, the two Waddle men were not there, so Huby's recomendation has gone into Parliament already and of course he is nearly certain notw of getting the appointment especially as Mr. Millman has things shaped at the Ottawa end of it. Of course Dick enlightened Dad. with the cold facts this morning when he was half asleep but Huby embellished them with all the details. The news I think saved Dad. from considerable worrying as it has been raining all night and every thing is flooded. I went back after the cows and had to wade up to my knees across the creek channels and parts of the flats are flooded. All the family but Aunty Alice & Tid went down to church this morning. Frank drove Huby and me to the sidewalk and then came back after Dad. & Enah Huby and I went to-gether. After church Dad. & I went up to the Ansley's as Dad. wanted to congratulate Harry and also express his gratitude for the time & labor he has spent on Huby's behalf. We waited there till Frank came with the buggy & called for us after he had driven Enah & Aunty over home. This after noon I started to read but was soon overpowered by sleep and wasted nearly all the after noon under the influence of that great enemy of my leisure & willpower, when I woke up it was time to do chores and Aunty had gone down to church. She & Aunty Alice stayed down all night. Dad. drove Aunty Alice and the baby up to the cemetry this after noon. Tid. took the poor old German Roller canary up in a matchbox and buried him this after noon, the poor old fellow has been sick for a long time and died the other night. Fine day. Monday August 23rd I went out this morning about five and caught some of the young chickens and took them out to the wheat stubble in the hope that they would stay there all day and then go to roost in the colony house but they are bound to come back here. This morning Frank and I went down to Howe and got a load of slabs as it was too wet to do any thing https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/caa6067b20b1ca98caf42a89ead96706.pdf bb2bd90df6e52465533fe7be21f5a1c4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. else and this after noon we got another load. I cut some of the lawn after I got back. This morning Frank drove Dick down and brought Aunty back and Dad. & I brought in the rest of my O.A.C. 72 oats and stacked them around in the barn Aunty Alice walked over this after noon and to-night she, Enah, Frank & I played pedro and Aunty Alice told our fortunes by our hands. It is a pity we couldn't bank on the prophecies because the future certainly looks brilliant for most of us. Fine day but sultry. Tuesday August 24th I spent most of the morning digging and weighing up my two plots of Guelph potatoes, they were a very slim crop and weren't ripe but I thought they were going to rot anyway so I dug them. There was only enough for two or three good square meals on both plots, but the Davies Warrior outclassed the Eureka in every respect. They were larger and more of them and not so many rotten ones Fred. Johnson came over this morning and he and Frank went out with the guns this morning to shoot a hawk but didn't get him. Huby came over about noon to tell us he thought things were nearly settled as Porter the head office man in Simcoe had been down to see him and get his age and suchlike. I drove him down before dinner and got the paper. It began to rain soon after dinner and poured most of the after noon, it was one of the worst we have had and to-night there were some pretty close claps of thunder. Mrs. McBride was here all the after noon. To-night Aunty, Aunty Alice, Fred, Frank & I had a game of rum under Fred's instructions. We didn't do any thing all the after noon but sit around the house Wednesday August 25th Frank drove Dick down this morning and Aunty went down with them to stay for awhile as she wants to fix things up a little down there. Frank brought Mrs. Johnson over with him and she has been here spending the day with Enah. Billy Louis was in for quite awhile this morning to see Dad. about a sick cow or some thing and they were bewailing our common sad plight but Billy has got past his streak of profanity and come to the conclusion that there are other poor devils worse off than we are. Frank, Fred & I pulled the weeds out in the raspberry patch but didn't do much else all morning This after noon I drove Aunty Alice down town and she is going to stay down with Aunty. We met Lila on the way down and she informed us with great glee that Huby had just been sworn in and passed his medical examination or https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fc2c429c8d11a2afdfc845f45e1f6bab.pdf ab0c1a394a9a1e7d3dca96df197ce2c8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. whatever they call it and is to start work to-morrow morning. We saw Huby later down town. I put Joe in at Hallam's and had her shod and went down town and got hair cut and a new felt hat. We also heard that the mill was going to open up again to-morrow and the full staff is going to work full-time on Monday, the paper also had very cheerful reports from the Dardenelles which they hope to have forced in a few weeks, to cap all this good news, we heard to-night that Quint was going to be home on Friday having recoverd enough since he left the hospital to travel. It has been cloudy but a cold north wind all day and doesn't feel rainy Thursday August 26th This morning we all went down town, Enah & the baby went up and spent the day at the James' and Dad. Frank & I started to cut down the old bad locust tree in front of Hubys. We were afraid to cut it at the roots as it was so tall we were afraid it would fall on the telegraph wires so we sawed it through about half way up and Frank climbed up as high as he could and tied a rope to it so we had a good purchase. We didn't get it sawed enough before dinner so stayed at Hubys for dinner. After dinner we went up two or three times and sawed it through as far as we thought we dared before we pulled it down. We also had it notched on the side we wanted it to fall on but the wood was so tough that we had to saw it nearly through or else we would have broken<s>t</s> it off at the roots. Sandy came over as Dad. had borrowed a rope from him and he spent a very enjoyable after noon advising & assisting us and also telling us a long story about a tree he cut down up in Colbourne. At last when the top did come over it crashed right down through the little maple tree and broke about half of it. Dad. told Sandy he could have the broken limbs off the maple which brought forth several grunts of satisfaction & gratitude. When all this was accomplished I went up town and took my pants up to Tip to see if he could match them with any of his samples as I want to get a coat if possible but Tip wasn't there. I fooled around with Hazen for awhile and then came home. I overtook Dad. Frank Win. & her friend Kitty Lyons in the bugg<s>g</s>y heading for home talking to Huby. This has been his first day in office and he has been fairly busy. Win & Kitty got our tea for us and after tea Dad. drove down and got Enah & the baby, to-night. I printed a lot of pictures for Win, who with her friend stayed all night. They say poor old Ed. Turner (Dave's) is just about all in and they are going to bring him home to-morrow night to die. Quite cloudy and cold to-day but fair. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f537f85387a2cf4d3a2631fc0e05836d.pdf ba2ca8a7bf0bee3ae55817918c4427be PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday August 27th We went out this morning and tried the binder again both on the wheat and the barley & oats, we got once around but had to quit as it dragged in several places. Sid. McBride went past and said down there around Marburg they were putting chains on their binder wheels to make them pull through the mud. This after noon we hauled out manure and got out six loads, we put it on the clover sod east of the orchard which we hope to get in with wheat. We couldn't go through the lane on account of the mudhole at the gate so Dad. had to haul out by the road and around the barley stubble. I cut lawn between loads but had to use the scythe as it has got so long the lawnmower wont work. Dick went to Hagersville this morning and met Quint. who came in on a through Michigan Central sleeper from Boston to Chicago. Dad. Aunty Alice & I walked down to-night to see him and Frank rode his wheel down. He looks fine only a little thin. Aunty Alice stayed down Cloudy & cool all day. Saturday August 28th We hauled manure all day to-day and got out and got out thirteen loads. I worked on the lawn all the time between loads To-night I walked down town and got my pants back from Tip he couldn't match them with any of his samples. I fooled around up town for awhile and then went down to Hubys for awhile. Huby seemed very provoked because Quint had killed his pet snake. Huby says he has always killed every snake he saw as he thought it was good luck but has he never had any good luck he quit killing them about a month ago and his affairs have been in a blossoming condition ever since, and he had this special snake with its tail cut off which used to live some where in the garden. It has been a little warmer to-day but cloudy and is drizzling to-night. Sunday August 29th Dad. & I went back at half past five this morning and got Pommers out of John Wess' back field where I found him last night, we had to take the wire down off two of the posts to let him through. About eight before we had breakfast Frank and I went over to Quanbury's for a swim. Mrs. Quanbury saw us going down to the pond and got John to call us back and invite us to indulge in the luxury of their bathroom, as it was a rather raw morning we did and it certainly was lovely but it took much longer and by the time Frank had had his bath breakfast was plum ready and we had to stay and partake of it with them the consequence was we didn't get home till about ten https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/479c2a8c4c5b172e92f0bd585007b8d2.pdf 241cd2cadc3bf6a6ab0241a8a1e13a0a PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. o'clock and it was too late to get ready for church & Dad. couldn't go either but took Enah down. Frank got dinner ready and Dad. drove down and brought Enah & Aunty Alice back from church.This after noon Colin Ryersie rode in but we didn't want to take either of the horses out as they are working so Colin, Frank & I went for a walk back as far as Charlie Quanbury's farm and as Charlie wasn't home we ate all the platable fruit there was on the place before we came home but didn't do very much damage any where in our travels. Dad. Enah & Tid were out at the Shand's when we got home, but Aunty & Aunty Alice were here. Frank and I did chores to-night and Dad. went to church with Aunty & Aunty Alice. It has been fair but cool to-day. Monday August 30th We at last got started to cut the barley & oats this morning the wheat ground was still too soft to get on with the binder, we didn't get much done as it was so close to the road, first old Ham. Butler came along and stopped and called us over to tell us that he had heard that by getting off the binder and walking it would go through the wet spots all right but also told us every thing else he knew about the weather and how he had never seen the ground so wet except once before and that was in the fall. Tupper came past about noon to get Art. Quanbury's gasolie<s>n</s> engine. They are going to put it on the binder back of the table and put a pulley on the packers shaft and let the engin run the binder and the horses just pull the weight of the binder, they hope by that means to go through the soft place all right. Mr. Flemming was over this morning to get one of us to go over and help him thrash this after noon. Sam moved down there from Iveys. I cut lawn till they left Iveys and then went down. Dad. kept on cutting but quit early as the horses were tired and helped Frank shock up for awhile, still fair with cold breeze. Tuesday August 31st I went over to Flemmings to thrash about seven this morning and we got through in a couple of hours he only thrashed out part of his wheat and four loads of oats which came of six acres he only got 96 bushels off the six acres, the hail pounded the whole field flat he said and thrashed out way more than half of them, when I got home Frank & Dad. were still shocking up and hadn't got started to cut yet but Dad. got the team out when I got there. I went over to Tupper's for awhile to see how the gasoline engine was working but they had taken it off as it ran things too fast and they thought it wasn't worth while monkeying around getting a larger pulley https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/71d4d58a75169cdf830e78f323ead2ae.pdf 0c15dccccff6e9e4c9afbae9623277a0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. We didn't get through with the oats & barley till to-night and didn't have time to get started at the wheat. Old Joe Ivey, Charlie & Bruce Smith came along in the Ivey's car this after noon and old Ivey wanted to know if Dad. was like Woodrow Wilson and had some thing wrong with his eyes that he was cutting oats before he was wheat, he says Woodrow can't see that Germany is kicking the U.S. in the face. They quarrelled away for about half an hour. About four o'clock Dad. got so disgusted with the way things were going that he was mad enough to quit, the binder would drag in places and the green stuff wouldn't elevate so Frank volunteered to drive it. Dad. told him if he thought he could do it any better to go ahead but he knew he couldn't, however he did do it better I suppose because he is lighter so now he is established as binder driver and both he & Dad. are delighted with the change. Still fair & cool. Wednesday September 1st We got started getting the wheat as soon as it was dry enough this morning it took quite awhile to get around it as it is so thick and hard to elevate, but by cutting a narrow swath Frank managed fairly well, he had to cut through north of one of the water holes and he cut that piece of separately, and it took all day to cut it. It is slow work as he has to take such a narrow swath. Dad. & I shocked up, what bothered mostly was the wild buckwheat which has grown up fairly thickly in spots and it is twined around the wheat and pulls a lot of it off the table. We lost an hour or so at noon as one of the slats on the table canvas broke and poked a hole in the canvas so Dad. took it off and brought it up to the house and fixed it with a piece of hook iron and Aunty Alice patched it. Frank drove down and brought Mrs. Leigh & Herbert over to dinner Mr. Leigh walked over. Frank was showing Mr. Leigh the bees after dinner and one stung him (Frank) above the ear. Much warmer to-day but fair. Thursday September 2nd We finished cutting the wheat to-day, that is all we can cut with the binder, there is still some left around the water hole that we will have to get with the mower or scythe. It went better to-day as Dad. rigged a stick at the end of the table to catch & break the buckwheat stems. It would have been easily a forty or forty five bushel to the acre crop of beautiful wheat if we could have saved it but now it is all sprouted and an awful lot of it shells out on the ground. We ran out of binder twine so to-night Frank went down to Billy Langs and got some. He drove Aunty & Aunty Alice down to church and they going to stay down. Quint, Win & Hilda Leigh were over to dinner to-day. Mr. Smythe was down this morning and bought the one ram lamb that will register for ten dollars but didnt take him. Much warmer to-day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/22ee1236354146980bd7a50b1e036dde.pdf b8866332031e30af3b632fa9f05e3bb4 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This a repeat of the previous page}. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ff96bb248c6fee086768402fd3053721.pdf d88649789602ea99d470ec12c5c81645 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday September 3rd This morning Frank & Dad. went out and loaded the binder and took it over the gully, it took quite awhile and as they didn't go out very early on account of the dew they just got one round cut before noon. I guess it was a big job cutting it as they had to go around the side hills. I spent the morning taking the sod off a strip down along the fence extending from the south end of the rose bed to the ditch the same width as the rose bed and as soon as I get it fixed in shape I want to fill it in with roses from down home. This after noon it looked pretty rainy so Dad. thought we had better haul in what we could of the barley & oats, we had to pitch off the load of barley which was on the waggon and it took us quite awhile so we only got in two loads, we put them in the old barn on top of the barley & wheat, it was slow moving it away but to-morrow we hope to unload in the big barn with the slings. It has been very hot & sultry to-day Aunty was over to dinner. Saturday September 4th Dad. went out this morning and turned out nearly all the barley & oat shocks, while he was doing that Frank and I changed the car from the horse stable to the big barn and put the sling standards on the rack. When we got ready I took the team out and we put on a load but as we had to move the calf out of the barn to the orchard and spread out a pile of hay which was in the bay so it was twelve o'clock <s>so</s> before we unloaded but it only took us a very few minutes to take it off with he slings. This after noon we got five more loads and all there was on the field except a few shocks, we worked till about seven o'clock and it was dark before we got in. We got a letter & a telegram from Mr. Millman to-day one saying they would be up here to-night and the other saying they found they couldn't get away. It has been pretty hot to-day & looks rainy. Sunday September 5th Dad. & I got up & half past five this morning as the calves and young stock which were shut in the lane got through the bars at the end of the orchard and came around by the road in to the drive house, but they hadn't done any damage. Frank and I went for a swim before breakfast and got back in time to get ready for church Frank went down to Sunday school. Dad & Enah drove down to church & left Tid in Dick's care I walked down to Huby's and went up to church with Quint. This after noon Dick & I drove down town and I went around to see Marj. she has come back to teach in Miss Watt's place. To-night Dad. Aunty & I drove https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/c9f573991bbcb66c0e94495826ff9308.pdf b847c041103b02752232ef3d40c13180 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. down to church. It was Mr. Leigh's last Sunday so Dad. wanted to say good bye to him. It has been very cloudy and has rained several times during the day but not hard. Monday September 6th It was too wet to cut Dad. thought this morning so he drove Aunty, Aunty Alice & Tid. up to the cemetry. I cut lawn most of the morning but wasted a lot of time with Dick who as it was Labor day got a holiday. This after noon I got ready and went down about four o'clock to a picnic the Ever-ready club were having down the lake shore, we had a great time and nearly every body in town was down there. We had a lot of fun but it looked rainy so we got home early. Most of them went over to the pavillion to the last dance of the season but I went around home with Marj. for awhile and intended going to the dance but it was beginning to rain when I started for home and I was a little tired so I thought I wouldn't go and walked part way home with Charlie Quanbury and borrowed his umbraella as it was raining, but it didn't ammount to much. Tuesday September 7th Frank started back to school this morning in high spirits His passing Entrance must have created a high degree of intrest for study in him, because he didn't have to go back unless he wanted to. Lila McBride is assistant in the High School this year so likely she will make them toe the scratch. Dad. & I started to plow this morning Dad. plowed four or five rounds in the little gully in the clover sod next to the orchard & then I took it till noon, the north side of the hill is very hard & chunky and it is all most impossible for me to hold the plow in the ground but the south bank plows nicely. This after noon Frank didn't have to go back to school as we expected and so we went back over the gully and cut oats, we had to ride the table going around the side hill, we didn't get very many rounds cut as we broke the doubletrees when the big wheel dropped into a ditch on the side hill, they were Sam Law's too, we had broken a hook on one of ours & Dad. went over and took Sam's off his binder which was back in the field. Bert Munroe came over this morning and borrowed the disks for Sam. Mrs. Harding died last night. It has been fair & hot all day. Tuesday September 14th I have got so behind with this through neglecting to write that I cannot remember what we did day by day, but I know we got all the oats cut across the gully and left them as they dropped from the binder thinking they would dry out. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f543c478f77962ab43824cf52d1ebf80.pdf 53e0e314d7afcf3c2c034adffed7b4ed PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and Saturday we got in I think three loads of wheat and put it in the mow over the oats & barley, we got a little more plowing done but Saturday morning while Dad. was plowing old Harry walked through his harness breaking the strap which connects the tug with the harness. Dad. went down to Mrs. Harding's funeral on Thursday afternoon and I borrowed Joe Field's boat and went over to watch the steam shovel for a little while. Poor old Ed. Turner died on Wednesday. It rained a little shower on Friday night and rained hard on Sunday so Dad & I spent all day yesterday setting up the oats across the gully but didn't quite finish. The Millmans all came up again Friday night, but not here as they have taken a cottage for a month over Brant Hill. They were all down here Sunday night to tea. Nita came up with them but of course Orm. was the only one of the boys and he & Paw had to go back yesterday. Last night Marj. & her sister Dorrie & I went to the show which wasn't much good but it was the only time Dorrie could go as she & her father were here over Sunday and are going back to-day. I worked all day setting up oats across the gully and then didn't finish. It was slow work doing it alone and was very hot down around the side hill. Dad. plowed all day and finished the little side hill, it was very hard.To-night I went up the beach to a corn roast. There was a big bunch of girls up there but very few boys. I found Dorrie Clarke & her father had changed their plans and aren't going till to-morrow morning so she went with us. We had a good time eating sand & burned corn and weren't very late. Very hot all day & a nice breeze to-night. Wednesday September 15th I set up some more oats this morning and Dad. plowed. George Duncan came up after him to see a colt with a lame foot and he went up there right after dinner and took Enah & the baby with him. I shocked up till he got back and then we hauled in a load of wheat and found it in dandy shape. Colin Ryersie rode in to-night and after tea he, Frank & I went for a swim. I had a bad cold to-day so went right to bed as soon as I got home. It has been very hot all day Thursday September 16th Tid and I drove over to Tupper's this morning to get his man as he promised to lend him to us when we could use him most but he had gone over to help old Dave Lampkins haul in his oats but Tupper said he would send him over to-morrow. I have this all wrong as I haven't written it lately. It was Wednesday that John couldn't come and we hauled in our wheat alone. Thursday https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cfb3c1cfb0737235d06091f40381d50d.pdf f29bba44436265ba0f871f3ae8074e64 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. (to-day) he did come and helped us in the mow hauling in oats I felt too sick to work after I had put on the first load after dinner so he went back and pitched on a load. I came in and had a rest and felt much better. Alan Law and Frank McBride came in after the roller while Dad. was back after the load. Enah & the baby went down town to see the flower show this after noon and stayed over at the Millman's cottage to tea. After tea Dad. drove down after them and I went down with him and went up to see the flower show. Charlie Quanbury & Fat Turner bought a dandy watermelon and invited me to help eat it. We went up to the Turner's & partook of it all by ourselves in the kitchen. I came home with Charlie about half past eleven. Aunty & Aunty Alice are staying down at the old house now and are awfully busy getting it cleaned up and ready for papering. Huby has got all moved and pretty well settled I guess up in Bill Slocomb's house next to Gus. Smith. Another pretty hot day. Friday September 17th Dad. & I went back after a load of oats first thing this morning and we rather expected John Robins back to help us as he said he would be but he didn't show up and when Dad. came down the hill with the load and went to back up for me to unlock the wheel the neck yoke snapped right in two so I ran over to Tupper's to borrow one and he said he had to keep John home to-day as he needed him, he kept talking to me so long that Dad. thought I wasn't coming we got that load off before dinner but didn't have time to get another. We got two loads in this after noon. To-night I went down town to see the Millman's. I stopped in to see Aunty & Aunty Alice and found Mrs. Millman in there waiting for Nita and Kathleen who were up town getting ice cream & the mail. Quint came in and after we had eaten the ice cream and visited for awhile Quint & I & Frank who had come down on his wheel went over to Brant Hill with the Millman's and visited for a long time. Not so hot. Saturday September 18th We all got up early this morning and got a good early start, we had to start our stack with the last load we hauled last night. We also hauled up a load of old hay last night and we used it for the bottom of the stack and to top it out with. There was a very dense fog till late on in the morning which made things almost as wet as a rain but we hauled in just the same and finished the oats to-night, we left the last load on the barn floor & kept https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f72979317c02361d5b013d18400da9ca.pdf 9d4cc5453ae470b25db0d5f96b6d5c41 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. four loads in the stack, making altogether ten loads of oats off the back fields. John Wess came over and borrowed the manure spreader he has bought a new one but can't get it yet. Later in the day Lundon Ivey came over to borrow the drill. It has not been so hot to-day. Sunday September 19th It was too cold to go for a swim this morning but Frank went down to Sunday school and Dick & I went to church I drove Enah down and Dick walked. I got up fairly early this morning and washed & oiled the buggy. This after noon I took Marj. & Essie for a drive we had a dandy time and went up by Port Ryersie. The Millman's all came over here and got Enah & Frank to go for a swim. Ed. Moon was over here and they took him down town with them and told him that they were all going to stay over Brant Hill to tea, he met Mr. & Mrs. Bagley and told them that they were going to stay to tea so <s>she</s> Mrs. Bagley invited me to stay there and I did and as there wasn't any Methodist church we all went to ours. When I got home about eleven I found that they had changed their plans and had come back here to tea. It has been a very nice day, fair & cool {The following entry has been written by Toby's father}. Thursday September 30th There has been an unavoidable lapse in the chronical of events, so I wont try to put down the doings of each day. I began ploughing the piece of sod East of the orchard on Monday Sep 20th and it was very hard. The weather was hot and dry all week and the flys bother the horses terribly. Toby went to help Vyse thrash on Thursday 23rd and got very sick. Old Felix was over that day fixing the pump at the windmill. Toby could not hold his head up Friday and Saturday. Sunday was a very wet day up till noon I drove Hattie down to church in a down pour. We were all to have gone over to have dinner with the Millmans and they all got there but Alice, Toby and me. Ormond brought {name?} and Hattie and the baby home about 4-30, it was getting much colder then and it has been cooler ever since freezing pretty hard every night since. I finished ploughing on Monday and as it was too wet to work I took the table down home and Toby went with me and stayed with the girls until today. Kathleen and Nila were over to tea last night and Frank went home with them, Toby https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3f320917b3744f1adc4cdbe042515284.pdf df58a8668675ef55663099ca0aec8a59 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. came home this morning and we got his plots of wheat sowed. Frank and I went down to Sam Law's and got eight bushels of wheat and I got nearly half of I sowed bought. I think this is a fair summing up of the doings of the last ten days. {Toby now resumes his diary} Friday October 1st Dad. finished drilling the four acres this morning and harrowed it I had to go over to Sam's and get about a peck more seed to finish the headland. This after noon Dad. Enah & the baby got all ready to go down to the Rural School Fair but the weather got so bad they changed their minds. Dad. gave Queen a good cleaning instead, he is getting her looking & acting petty nicely I got my membership tickets for the fair this morning and expect to go up and enter Queen to-morrow Dad. didn't get the ditches run out in the wheat field yet. It is a pretty small field to put in but I guess to try to put in more now would be foolish I haven't done any thing much all day It drizzled all morning and rained hard all the afternoon and is still raining. East wind. Frank came home from school but went right off again in the rain to go to the Millman's for tea and stay all night with Quint. Saturday October 2nd It was too wet to furrow out the field this morning so we just did chores. I spent quite awhile cleaning out the chicken house dropping boards as they haven't been cleaned for a week. I then dressed a couple of posts which I want to put in for a grapevine trellis. Dad. cut the burs around the pasture as we want to turn the sheep in, he also killed and cleaned a couple of old hens. Frank stayed down town all night over at the Millman's but came home before breakfast. Mr. & Mrs. Millman & Orm. came up in the car last night they didn't get here till after ten and Frank said the car was in awful shape. He went back after breakfast to see if Orm would mind taking the car up to Simcoe this after noon but they said it was too wet and muddy so Dad. & I drove up. We went in to see Yeager and he advised us not to show Queen as he said there was no chance of her taking the money as there were two more that he knew of that had been training all summer and could step as high as a tree and then as he said it wasn't going to do her any good in fact she would be far better running out. He says to hang on to everything we have in the shape of horses as they are going to be worth all kinds of money soon. He says they have drained the U.S. of horses and have held the Canadian ones in reserve. We took his advice and didn't enter Queen as https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ad97abc093d082f8d1a2ed7d207f67dd.pdf bd2552cffa5e8221e03b84a545c3d7ed PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. we intended but went on into Simcoe and I got my watch fixed and the halter fixed. I drove Dad. down to Sam Law's corner when we got home and he went on down and opened Sam's pig which just lay down and died without any warning before dinner. Dad. says its lungs were full of froth and it has choked to death but from what cause he couldn't imagine. I went on down town while he was down there and got Enah & the baby who had walked down and brought them home. It has been cloudy & cool to-day. Sunday October 3rd Dick Enah & I drove down to church this morning and Frank rode his wheel down. The Millman's all went down to Aunty's & Aunty Alice's for dinner so they couldnt come over here. This after noon Marj. & I went for a drive. I got home about six o'clock and Mr. Millman was here waiting for Dad. to get through with the chores to go over to their place to tea. Orm. Paw & Quint were all back in the gully shooting crows so Dad. Enah, Frank & the baby all went over there but I had tea alone and walked down to church and spent the evening down town. Cool but Sunny. Monday October 4th This morning we didn't get up very early and I spent most of the morning putting patches of roofing paper on the chicken house roof. Dad. started to make a corn horse and as I was standing out there holding it for him I suddenly felt so sick and weak that I had to go in and lie down till noon Alfred came in to get one of us to go thrashing to-morrow morning he was here for about an hour and then Dad.went out and furrowed out the wheat ground and sowed the other plot of wheat for me and I raked it in and smothed the edges of the furrows he ploughed through the flats. I went down town to tea to-night and walked up with Aunty to a Sunday school meeting. It began to rain soon after tea and was such a bad night that I stayed down there all night. Quite warm all day. Tuesday October 5th I had breakfast down at Aunty's this morning but came home right after wards and got here about eight o'clock. Dad. & Frank were just leaving for Alfred's to go thrashing. I fed the chickens and found that the roof had leaked about as badly as ever so I went up and put some of the tar over the seams and I also put tar on the roof of the colony house which had never been done. Dad. & Frank got home about noon so Frank went to school but Dad. had a headache so didnt https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/8c142390a3f7946c4e4f1b85f1f5757b.pdf e4b1741403178fd8ca9ca70a8783e8bd PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. do much this after noon. I made a couple of legs for the corn horse out of rails and put them in I then took it out to the field and went over to Sam Law's and got our sickle and cut five shocks of the smutnose corn. I started in on it because it looked a little the ripest but I don't know that it really is, up at that far end of the field the grass is nearly as long as the corn so it was a nasty job. I intended to go down to a dance to-night which the girls are getting up for Helen Anderson who is just home for three weeks but I thought maybe I hadn't better so stayed home. Much cooler & cloudy. Wednesday October 6th I have spent the day cutting corn and finished cutting the row across the end and one the length of the field over forty shocks. I started about half past eight and quit before five so I think I could cut about fifty a day Dad. cleaned out his ditches this morning and went back and put up the {illegible} from the gully into the back pasture field and went on over to see John Wess for a minute or two. He was cutting his corn, he has about given up the idea of getting his <s>summer</s> fall pea stubble in with wheat. This after noon among othe things he husked a bushel of corn for the pigs Win came over to tea to-night Cool & cloudy all day looks rainy Thursday October 7th I cut corn all day and got another long row & nine shocks cut forty six cut to-day. I quit cutting at half past four and husked four shocks of the smutnose up at the far end of the field we thought it was more mature than the Longfellow but although the stalks seem drier the corn itself I don't think is Dad. took the plow back over the gully this morning and has been plowing all day around the big hill. The war is getting more mixed up than ever, the British & French the latter especially have made considerable advances lately on the western front and taken a lot of the Germans elegant trenches which they thought were impregnable and the German drive in Russia has about petered out, but it is now certain that Bulgaria has cast in her lot with the central powers and has begun an invasion of Serbia, and in Greece they are fearing civil war as the premier has resigned, he and the people want to keep their treaty with Serbia and lend help in case of Bulgaria's invasion but the King will not fight with his brother-in-law the Kaiser. Frank and I drove down to Ot. Collins to-night as he wanted to get some ball bearings for his bicycle, warmer to-day https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2ee761f68f34b7af3be3c8e235def37b.pdf 62ad2a6a8ae6f13b2481fcbf29b76218 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday October 8th Dad. & I hauled manure all day to-day and got out twelve loads we want to get the yard cleaned up as soon as possible so that we can thrash when the machine comes down here again to thrash out Art. Ryersie. Between loads I got a couple of holes dug to set the posts for a grapevine trellis east of the house but I didn't feel very well after the first load or two so didn't do much. Mrs. Millman was over this after noon for a little while, she expected Paw. Orm, and a Mr. Brown some freind of Orm's up to-night. Aunty Alice was over to dinner and bought a couple of young cockrels from me I killed them to-night & Dad. plucked them but didn't clean them they weighed 8 1/2 lbs uncleaned and she gave me 18 cts a lb. which is the same price as at Coleman's. Colin Ryerse rode in for a little while too. Art & George have gone off to the Caledonia fair so Colin is taking things easy Mrs. Millman told us that Roy. Vernon & Rebecca landed in down at Aunty's for dinner, so to-night I took Enah down to choir practice and after making a few calls one of which was to get Roy's suitcases at the station I went down there and waited for Enah, all the Woodson family & Cousins Bessy & Harry Ansley were there Jean Marks came up with them this morning. There has been a cold wind all day and is cold to-night. Saturday October 9th Dad. got in a pretty good day's plowing to-day across the gully, this morning I sawed some wood oiled the buggy and did a few chores while Frank husked five shocks of corn and went down and got some flour. This afternoon I went nutting with Essie & Marj. We went way up the front road above Port Ryerse and got a few hickory nuts, a few chestnuts and quite a lot of wallnuts. The chestnuts are hardly ripe yet although some of the burrs are wide open. We would have got more on Farr's place but the trees were so close to the barns that we didn't dare make much noise clubbing and across the road on Smythe's place we thought we saw some of them coming after us so didn't take time to gather as many as we might have. However I think we all enjoyed ourselves and didn't get home till long after dark. Frank & I had to go down town again after tea as I forgot to call for some stuff @ Bagley & Miller's Frank went up the Radical Road with the Millman's and got a few chestnuts but their outing was spoiled by poor old Orm jumping over a fence and spraining his ankle. It was very painful and Nita had to drive the car home. To-night Dr. Jolley looked at it and said he had broken a bone & torn some ligaments, it is so swollen that he couldn't tell much about it. It has been rather cloudy & raw all day with occasional spits of rain. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4304f7ecb0c24e44af338218f241985f.pdf dad20b10d56ecc721a007936bb319e6f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday October 10th We didn't get up till after seven this morning but Frank Enah and I managed to get down to church. This afternoon I sat around the house for awhile and then Dad. drove down to see Huby so I went down with him as far as Aunty's and stopped in there. Roy & Vernon had gone up to Huby's so Aunty Alice & I walked over Brant Hill to see the Millman's. Orm's foot wasn't paining so much but looked very bad and he couldn't bear it to the ground. Quint had borrowed a pair of crutches for him from Mrs. Lawson. About five they all went down town to say goodbye to the Ansley's & Tibbet's so I rode down as far as Aunty's with them and then home with Dad. to do chores. They all but Mrs. Millman came over in the car a little later and Mr. Millman, Mr. Brown, Quint, Frank & Nita all went back to the woods to shoot crows. When I got dressed Kathleen and I walked back over to the cottage stopping in for a minute at Aunty's and the rest all came over in the car soon after. We were all over there to tea and all evening. Nita brought us home about ten o'clock. They all intend to go back in the morning so we bid them good-bye. Sunny but cold wind all day. I didn't see anything much of Roy or Vernon to-day as they went over to the Woodson's to tea. Monday October 11th We have been hauling out manure all day but only got out about {19?} loads as we didn't get started till late and quit early. Roy, Vernon, Rebecca & Aunty were all over to dinner and Aunty asked Dad. Enah and Tid down there to tea so Enah and the baby went down with them and called on Mrs. Battersby on their way down. Dad. did chores and then walked down. Frank and I had our tea alone and then drove down leaving Joe down at the house for Dad and Enah to drive home and we went to the picture show as they had Charlie Chaplin on to-night. I went around and got Marj. It was laughable but absolutely nonsensical. It was eleven o'clock when we got out and we went around to see how Mr. Smith was as he had an attack of colic or something to-night, he was still pretty sick and they were sitting up with him so Essie went over to stay all night with Nellie. I stopped in for a few minutes on my way home to say goodbye to Roy & Vernon they are going back in the morning. It was after twelve when I got to bed. I guess they had a great reunion out at Shand's schoolhouse to-day of all the scholars that went to school out there to Mrs. Dolly Smith who taught there for seventeen years. Mrs McBride has been talking about it for weeks, she's one of them It has been a lovely fall day sunny and mild. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/86cfe8273798121a4cf47d3b6a0e6af5.pdf 75a25d9ce44b4cdc5b3b7f7473de67e8 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday October 12th We got on a little better to-day and got out 12 loads of manure. Dad. went down to Art. Ryerse's to see Sam Law as they are thrashing down there to see what his programme was He expected to be through at Art's to-night but said he didn't suppose anyone would want to thrash to-morrow or Thursday as the Simcoe show is on so he said if we could be ready he would pull in here Friday morning so Dad. said all right, we thought we could get enough manure out for the stack and we wont try to get the big barn ready to thrash out as we can do that when we thrash the clover seed. It has been a nice day but looks a little like rain. Wednesday October 13th We got out 9 loads to-day but quit soon after dinner as Alan & Bert came in with the thrashing outfit and we had to sped the rest of the day getting ready for them, we had to take the binder out of the other barn and put it in the wood shed. About five o'clock we went down to the fish shanty and got a load of soft coal for them We also took down the old kitchen cupboard a little stand and a rocking chair to Aunty. She was in Simcoe to meet Aunt Ida who came to-night and is going to stay a month with them and maybe longer. To-night Frank drove down town to get a load of groceries and I went down with him and went up to the Bagley's to print pictures, we didn't get as many done as we expected as Essie's weren't done yet and Marj. couldn't find a lot of hers, but we printed mine and they were pretty good. It rained most of the evening so I went down to Aunty's to sleep. It has been a very fine day. Thursday October 14th It was raining when I got up this morning and has been cloudy & wet all day. I had breakfast down town and got over here about eight o'clock, Enah was sick not having slept all night as She had a very lame back, but she said she felt better when she got up, Frank had intended going to Simcoe on his wheel to-day but changed his mind on account of the weather so I drove him & Dick down to school and the bank. I got some stuff at Bagley & Miller's and then went down to Aunty's to return some rain clothes I had borrowed and Aunty was just going up town so I drove her up, it was after ten when I got home. Sam Law had been over and told Dad. he could just as well thrash the other barn out as not so Dad. thought we had better and we have been busy all the after noon getting it cleaned up. Before tea I saddled Belle https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/2a723b1a6c210dcdb48a0f6fcf6b06e7.pdf b09bf8d803b74a25e21473eabbcff8c0 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and rode down to Mr. Flemming's and out to Tupper's to get their help thrashing. Tupper wasn't home yet from the Fair so I left a note for him. It has been a bad day for the fair and their aeroplane which was to have been the chief feature didn't arrive. Word just came the other day that Gordon McCall who enlisted with the second contingent has died of wounds Friday October 15th We have been thrashing all day and got on faster than we expected. We got the old barn all thrashed out before four o'clock and got moved over to the other barn and got most of the wheat over there thrashed out. We got 268 bushels of wheat at the other barn 200 of which is very little sprouted and 68 bushels not badly, but the worst sprouted is in the big barn and is not running out nearly so fast, There were 156 bushels of barley 45 of barley and oats and 80 of oats out of the stack, all the grain was in excellent shape except the oats and they were soaking wet as the stack was drenched. If we had got all the grain we would have had a bumper turn out. Aunty Alice has been over all day helping Enah and is staying all night, she sorted out her books to-day and gave me a lot of them, the old ones, there is nothing I would rather have. Cool & cloudy. Saturday October 16th We finished thrashing about noon and according to the tally got 896 bushels of grain altogether, but as I wasn't out there much I don't know how much of each there was, there was only about seventy five or eight bushels of the sprouted wheat I think but a nice pile of barley & oats and quite a few oats which are pretty good though badly discolored. My O.A.C. 72 Oats turned out four bushels. Just as I got the chores done this morning I got such a sick feeling that I had to go and lie down for an hour or so, but felt allright the rest of the day. I drove Aunty Alice down town this morning to get some more meat for dinner and when we got back I cleaned up part of the old barn floor and spread the wet oats out over it. This after noon Dad. helped us sack up a grist before he went down to help Flemming thrash and Frank and I took it down to the mill, we then came back and took one of the big bookcases down home and a load of books, we got the mail and came around by Vyses and got our fanning mill, we then went back to the mill and got our chop. It was time to do chores when we got home. We were pretty well through when Dad. got home, he said he had had a hard day of it down at Flemming's as he was shorthanded. Cloudy all morning but lovely after noon https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/6f40300047af080404099a41594e2e33.pdf f448018d8b34ee0f06d2e069726736a3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Sunday October 17th Frank rode his wheel down to Sunday school and church this morning and Dick, Enah and I drove down, it was Children's day in church so the service wasn't very long We sat in the back seat and were very amused all through proceeding's at the actions of a man across the isle who was aparently in a sleepy state of drunkenness He had a little girl with him who was just as lively as he was dull - and they made an interesting pair. When we got home we found Dad had the meat roasted as he had been pestered all morning with visitors. Val Leany came over and got old Dandy and took him home. Dick, Frank and I went out to the hickory nut tree and Dick climbed it and shook all the nuts he could off and Frank and I gathered up two basketfulls of shells and all. Frank spent the after noon picking up the rest and got a bag full of husks and all and a peach basket full of husked nuts. Marj. and I went for a drive down the Lake Shore and I came home at half past five and helped Frank do chores as Dad & Enah & the baby stayed down to tea at Aunty's they went down to see Aunt Ida When Frank and I had our tea we drove Joe down and left her for Dad. to drive home. I didn't go in down there but went on up town and met Aunty Alice & Dad. coming out of church and going up to Huby's so I went up with them for a little while Aunty Maude has to go to Brantford in the morning for an operation, none of us knew any thing about it till to-day. I left Dad. & Aunty Alice at the Bagley's Corner and although there was no one home there I soon found Essie & Marj. coming home from church so spent the remainder of the evening with them. It has been a lovely autumn day and a beautiful night. Monday October 18th Dad. has been down at Flemming's all day thrashing but they got through to-night. He said Mr. Flemming didn't thrash quite as much as we did. I did up the chores and then went back and plowed, I didn't get on very fast but still didn't do so badly going around the side hill. I got ten rounds ploughed all day about four o'clock the bolt came half way out of the drawchain and bent so I had to quit at noon. I thought it was going to rain so spent half an hour or so cleaning up the barn floor to run some stuff through the fanning mill but it didn't rain so I went back with the team instead. This is Frank's birthday. It has been dark and cloudy with little spits of rain all day and I went out and boxed up the cockrels in the colony house https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/7a82bec5378bd943bbaa8e171dcf8ffe.pdf c24691377ade9bdf421c398735ee5022 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Tuesday October 19th First thing this morning I took the team around and got the cockrels in the colony house which Frank and I caught last night and brought them up and shut them in the yard here at the house with the others. Dad. went over to Quanbury's last night to have a bath and they wanted to get us to give them a lift with the team on Charlie's wood shed which he is moving to make into a hog pen so we went out this morning and took the baby, we got the thing moved and back home by noon. John presented us with a heifer calf yesterday. This after noon Dad. plowed and I cut corn, we both got on pretty well. Mrs. McBride was here washing to-day and gave us a great account of the reunion at Shand's schoolhouse, she evidently enjoyed it. To-night Dad. & Enah drove out to the Shand's as it was old Mrs. Nixon's birthday. She had gone to bed but they saw her. Charlie they told them went to the hospital in Brantford a week ago for the rest cure. They also were invited out there on Thursday night to a kitchen shower for Marnie who is to be married next Wednesday. Tid. didnt wake up all evening. Colin Ryerse was in for awhile on horseback as it was a beautiful moon light night. Rather cloudy all day Wednesday October 20th Dad. has been plowing all day and I cut corn I didn't get started very early and quit about four but got quite a lot cut and finished the fourth row. Frank came right home from school and he and I got the fanning mill set and a few of the wet oats run through. To-night I went down town and took Marj. for a drive. It was a lovely moon light night but very foggy, however I enjoyed it very much and I think she did. Doc. Hicks was down to-day and said Aunty Maude was getting on as well as possible. She had to go to Brantford on Monday for an operation. Cloudy & Rainy looking all day. Thursday October 21st I have been cutting corn all day and just got another row cut. Dad plowed all day and is getting the side hill across the gully nearly cornered. Pud. Smythe was in this morning to get their lamb and paid me ten dollars. To-night Dad & Enah drove out to the kitchen shower they are having for Marine. Aunty was over here to dinner and she and Enah walked down town this after noon. It has been a beautiful sunny & mild day and is a lovely night. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/65bf883b09165b8e5db70eac788b961b.pdf 1303061564d0e034a2075c5bf8c4ba28 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday October 22nd Old Tid. woke up last night at twelve o'clock last night and when I woke up soon after he was howling like a savage. I managed to get him pacified but he refused to lie down again and sat bolt upright till two o'clock or after when they got home I managed to keep him in a cheerful mood but I was nearly frozen and asleep in my tracks. They had a grand time out at the Shand's, there were over fifty out there and the {John?} Shand's hadn't the slightest idea there was any thing up. This morning we didn't get up till late and Whit Dixon came after the steer they bought last summer before we had breakfast so we had to go back to the gully and bring them up We didnt' have much trouble loading him and he was much quieter than the last one was, but Whit thought it would be safer to take old Harry than his horse so Dad. had a little breakfast and went down with him I just did chores till they got back and then Dad & I went back and tried to catch Ginger to cut clover seed with Joe & her but she was full of mischief and we couldn't so we came up and trimmed up a couple of the ram lambs before dinner. After dinner we sharpened a mower knife and Dad. started to cut the clover seed with Belle & Harry. I started to cut corn but couldn't make much headway as the corn is light and dry now and it was very windy. Frank came home early and as he was stiff from his fall off his wheel yesterday he took the team and mowed till dark and Dad. & I came up and cleaned up the oats which were on the barn floor. Aunty Alice came over to tea to-night. Frank went down with her and is going to stay all night with Quint, they are going after nuts to-morrow with Bill Slocomb's horse & rig. Morley Buck drove Zeitha Barwell over to-night to say good bye to Enah she is going to Toronto in the morning. It has been sunny but a cold wind all day Saturday October 23rd We didn't get out very early again this morning and as Dad. discovered that the oats which we put in on top of the barley & oats was getting pretty hot so we ran it through the mill and spread them out on the floor That took nearly all the morning but I went out when we got through and cut four shocks of corn before noon and Dad. cleaned three old hens which we killed this morning. Henry Awde came over when we were at dinner and picked a couple of bags of Tolman Sweets for his wife https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/a9b2b724f7c38375ca531ff7a19a50bf.pdf 3933eb9303c7c8a3b2c85cb39e12b5a3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and as I had to go down right after dinner for some groceries & the mail I drove them down for him. I hurried back but it must have been after half past two when I got out to the corn field but by working till after sundown I managed to get the row cut through, it kept me busy as there must have been twenty five or six shocks. Dad. cut clover seed all the after noon and says it won't take long to finish, he caught a little rabbit out there and we brought it up to the house but it seemed so frightened that we let it go out on the lawn, we saw a black sqirrel go up the willow tree the other morning, they say they are thick this fall and grey too - as it has been close season for them for four or five years but I guess they are shooting lots of them now although the season isn't open except two weeks in November. Frank got home soon after tea he had his down at Auntys, he said the nuts were nearly all gone, he hiked back down town again as soon as he changed his clothes. It froze hard last night, beautiful day. Sunday October 24th Dad. Dick and I drove down to church this morning and after church Dad. drove Aunty Alice up to the cemetry All Huby's family were over to dinner, which was rather late. Quint, Dick, Frank and I went out and picked up a lot more hickory nuts before dinner. This after noon I drove Huby home and then took Marj. for a drive, she was keeping house all alone as Mr. & Mrs. Bagley had gone to Simcoe and Essie was out at Marburg, so we drove around by Marburg but didn't see her. I went down to church to-night and spent the evening up at the Bagley's. It froze very hard last night and has been sunny but cold all day. Monday October 25th Dad. plowed this morning as it was to wet to cut clover seed but he cut all the after noon but didn't quite finish I cut corn all day and got started on the eighth row Tom Abbot came in to-night and got a bag of wheat and a bag of barley & oats in part payment for the chickens I got from him, he is going to take it all in feed. I have to pluck a hen to-night for Aunty Alice. Frank is busy pasting weeds on a big piece of cardboard and Dad. is denouncing the Education Department for causing such a foolish waste of time. Milder to-night and looks like rain Tuesday October 26th I cut corn all morning and finished another row. This https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/99a7fe87a3cd7889b4a18cc011b862b9.pdf a9c8f593ed999be543fca1b2c46e0d99 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. afternoon I helped Dad. clean up some oats and barley and move the fanning mill and then I raked up clover seed till night. Dad. put Enah's shelves in the clothes room this morning and then finished cutting the clover seed This after noon he started to clean up the barn floor so we could haul in the clover seed. It was a big job as he had to carry most of the dirt out to the chicken yard or big yard and then dump the oats which were in the box on the floor with the other oats and fill the box with the barley & oats from the bin and then put the oats on the floor into the bin, so he didn't get nearly finished, he didn't feel very well and had Tid to help him. To-night I took Joe down town with the saddle on her and both Essie & Marj. got on her, neither of them could reach the stirrups so they couldn't ride far and I held Joe's head most of the time. I had the big saddle on so couldn't shorten the stirrups but I promised to bring her down again with the little saddle. I went down to Aunty's for awhile before I came home, they expected Aunty Maude to-night but she didn't come. Nice day, very windy Wednesday October 27th I cut corn all morning and got on fairly well, Dad. finished cleaning up the barn floor and this after noon we hauled in two loads of clover seed, out of the wind row, we left the last load on the barn floor. Charlie McBarty was in to-night and bought the biggest ram lamb for eight dollars. Enah and the baby were down town this after noon. We saw Mr. Robertson going out the side road this after noon so we supposed Maime Shand's wedding came off all right. Ray Hammond was to be married to-day too, to Miss Austin out on the town line. Enah said she saw another wedding party down town of which Miss Bloxom & Mr. Todd were the chief figures. Very cloudy & cool. Thursday October 28th I cut corn all morning and got about 24 shocks cut. Dad. chored around till the dew dried off about ten o'clock and then raked up the clover seed or part of it, he didn't quite finish by noon, he just raked one way of the field so that we didn't have so much turning. This after noon we hauled in a couple more loads, the first was rather a small one, and we left the last on the waggon. Dick came home about two o'clock and took Josie and went to Simcoe as Dess is up there visiting. Enah has been house cleaning the dining room all day. Alan Law told us that Pickford has bought their farm and they will have to get off, we were sorry to hear it. Cloudy mostly & windy https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ce3a8587abfb30190d9b21b2b45d2f93.pdf a77713eca80353af95544b2da0bcc51f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Friday October 29th We put off the load we hauled last night first thing this morning and then Dad. went out and raked up the rest of the field. I mowed away what was up there and then dug the rest of my rose border before he came in, we then went out and loaded till twelve but didn't have much of a load. After dinner we put it off and hauled two more. Frank got home early and helped us mow away the first and the second we left on the barn floor, we got all the stuff in that had any seed in it but there is still a load of couch grass out there To-night I put the little saddle on Joe and took her down to give the girls another lesson. Essie had to go to choir practice but Marj. rode down to Perry's and we got Marj. to go for a little ride, the little saddle was a great improvement. I went down to Aunty's for awhile before I came home. It has been windy & cloudy all day quite cold Saturday October 30th I cut corn all day but didn't get on extra well as it was so windy. Frank and Dad. took a grist to the mill this morning and also took the other bookcase and a lot of books & the old sofa down to Aunty's, and brought back a little sofa that Elva gave Enah. This after noon they put off the load of clover seed and went out and got the load of couch grass, it took a long time to put it on as it was so light and the wind was so strong, Dad. fixed Enahs shelves in the <s>pantry</s> clothes closet. To-night Frank and I went down town and he took a basket of hickory nuts down for the ones at Aunty's, he went to the picture show and I got my hair cut, there were a lot in town and a lot of kids out as they are celebrating to-night as Hallowe'en. It has been a nice day but cloudy & windy. Sunday October 31st I walked down to church this morning and Dad. Enah & the baby drove down they left the baby with Aunty Alice and then went there for dinner. I brought Joe home and we three boys had dinner alone. After dinner I drove Dick down town and got Marj. & Glad. Law who is up here for a week convalescing and we drove out to Renton I wanted to get the number of the ram we sold to Nixon & Berger last fall and we had a great time finding the place as I took the wrong turn at Wiggins school house, we did find it at last but they didn't know the number but said they would find it and send it to me It was late when we got back but I stayed at the Bagley's. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3a51cb9cfd54fdb0c5f4f059666e61d9.pdf c8baec6de6c5d0ffb046ca9001793423 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. to tea and put Joe in at Faulkner's. Glad also stayed and we then didn't go to church like the family but stayed home and washed the dishes and played with Charlie the kitten. I came home early and brought Dick with me. Just as I was about ready to get into bed to-night I heard the screen door open and then the kitchen door very quietly and I watched it open quietly and stealthily for it seemed like a long time and I didnt know what on earth was coming when Frank stuck his head in, he had been out somewhere and I didn't know it. It was rather dark in the bedroom and I was sure he was in bed, so I was getting ready for a scrap. It has been a lovely day but cloudy. Monday November 1st I cut corn all day and have about twelve shocks more to cut to finish the field I thought I would have finished but there are two more rows of corn in the last row of shocks and it makes a big difference, Dad. ploughed all day and finished the piece he was at. Edmond England was in with a Court of Revision notice that some body had complained that my name was wrongly ommeted from the voter's list, but I guess I don't have to go down. Another nice day but windy & cloudy. Tuesday November 2nd We were up fairly early this morning and Dad. got a good morning in ploughing. Frank found one of the ram lambs dead this morning so we concluded he had got too many apples so Frank and I got the roll of wire from behind the barn where it had been around the stack and put it up where it was before from the orchard fence over to the chicken yard and shut the other two rams in the plum orchard I then went out and finished cutting the corn it was an awful job as the wind was very strong, and it took me nearly till noon, when I got up Frank and Felix Perkins had a "hickey" on the pump and were fixing it, the rods had come disconnected as the collars where the lengths join had worn out agains the pipe. Aunty Alice came over to dinner, she was going to pick apples but it was too cold & windy, but she picked up a lot of hikory nuts. Mrs. McBride was here too so we had an exceedingly interesting dinner party especially when Dad. & Felix got arguing about the new school. I set out some rose bushes Aunty sent over after dinner & Dad. lost all the after noon working with Felix. Frank stayed home too. I drove Felix home about four o'clock and got Joe shod at Joe Howells. Very cold cloudy & windy https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b07e9647f3eaff8b5691e35b15492732.pdf 5d03e7e73f8739979ab2c8f51676a58f PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This is a repeat of page 133} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/3a70bf7d5eb290f8419a6b12b3fbf182.pdf 6bd67554ad0c03320f30ced0421092c7 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. {This is a repeat of page 133} https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/79ed849fa272c9705e81997d49c06d08.pdf 6ead3d7e8eb173f1eeabd6bcae3f7695 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday November 3rd I drove Dick down this morning and went on up to Dunkin's to see if I could get a ram, but he said he didn't know of one in the country, but he has Lloyd-Jones first prize Simcoe ram with his ewes and said I could bring my five yearlings up if I liked so I thought I would. I got home about noon and Dad. had to go over and give Charlie Quanbury two or three hours thrashing so I plowed till he got back and then I husked a little corn. I got ready and went down to Aunty's to tea. To-night Marj. & I went down to the show. It has been cloudy, cold, windy & damp. Thursday November 4th It rained quite hard early this morning so I drove Dick down again and found out that I could get Coleman's stock waggon to take the yearling ewes up to Dunkins I thought it was going to be rainy so Dad. couldn't plow and I could take te big team, so I went down to Coleman's before dinner and got it and we got all the sheep in the barn tagged then and let them all out except the five yearlings and the lamb which will register. I got started right after dinner for Dunkin's with the six ewes It was slow going up and I didn't get there till about four o'clock, but I didn't have any accidents or adventures, and got home by six o'clock. It turned out to be a beautiful after noon and every body along the road was plowing so it seemed a shame to have the team and keep Dad. from plowing. Dad. helped Enah house clean Friday November 5th I buried the dead ram this morning and picked a few of the spies when Gordon {Doracot?} came over to get me to go thrashing over at Jack Martin's. I went over but we only thrashed the buckwheat and there were only 121 bushels of it as the hail had ruined it. The spring on the governor broke and also a pipe running down into the boiler and as the engine had to cool off to fix it we couldn't thrash any more to-day and after we all had dinner over at Jack's we went home. I picked more apples this after noon. Bill Bush was cutting weeds over in his gully this after noon and cut the leg off one off our guinea's which was sitting I caught it and killed it. Dad. plowed all day, but will have to with me to thrash to-morrow. Enah went down town and stayed to tea at Aunty Alice's as it was her birthday. I walked down to-night to wish her a happy birthday. It has been a nice day but cloudy & cold. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/76182452d8ce3113606729a57b84e37f.pdf 9b792142ab6ad43c3b88445d987d8a60 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday November 6th Dad. and I went over this morning to thrash and put in a strenuous fore noon of it. I carried away and it kept me very busy as the wheat rolld out faster than the oats and there were 210 bushels Dad. had the dirtiest job as he was in the straw and they put some of it in the barn, there were over 400 bushels altogether, we didn't get through till after dinner. I didn't do much after I got home as I felt a little tough but I picked a few apples Dad. tried to plow on the barley stubble as he thought it wasn't worth while to go back over the gully but it was too hard so he had to quit. Aunty Alice came over this after noon and she & Frank picked up a lot of hickory nuts. Frank walked down wth her to-night and was down till about midnight. I had a bath instead. Pretty cold wind to-day. Sunday November 7th Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. Dick & I drove down to church. Aunty Maude was in church this morning, it was the first walk she has taken since she came home, so Dad. drove her home after church. Quint drove over to dinner with us. This afternoon I went down town and got Essie & we drove down to Nanticoke and got Marj. who has been down at the Banfield's since Friday night, we didn't stay down there long although they wanted us to stay to tea but Essie had to get back to play the organ so we came back I put Joe in the church shed and stayed with them to tea and then took Joe home while they went to church I just got home as Dad. was about ready to start down town after Enah so I went back and got her, she had been down with the baby to a duck dinner at Huby's, when we got home I walked down again and spent the evening at the Bagley's. Ed & Marion were over there this after noon. Lovely day but cold wind. Monday November 8th Dad. got in a good day to-day plowing. Frank didn't go to school this morning but rode down to Geo. Miller's to see about getting a new dividing wall for the separator as the old one won't stay up in the hauls, Mrs. Miller told him it would be better to get a new one. He came around by Tommy Jackson's to see about getting some honey for his bees but Tommy hadn't extracted yet so he will have to use sugar. I drove Dick. down to the bank and around to see if Neil Elliott would give me $100.00 for Mully but he said he wouldn't but would come to look at her. Tid. went down with me and I took a bag of Tolman Sweets down to Aunty Alice. When I got back I went out & https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/37c7758ec78f45980b41dc4ba948402b.pdf aad83a7a6e5d88dc9e5bc50e4779a036 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. burned the old hay we left out on the timothy sod. This after noon I picked apples and got pretty much all that were any good out there. Mrs McBride was here washing to day. Aunty came over to tea and to stay all night. Very much milder to-day but cloudy this after noon Tuesday November 9th Dad. got a good early start this morning but just nicely got hooked up when {Leo?} Horn got him to come up and look at his mare, so he was delayed for over an hour, the mare was up here in the stable, she was sweating terribly and seemed in awful pain so Dad. said he thought she had a touch of spasmodic colic he didn't have any thing to give her but she seemed to get better so he took her home. I spent the day cleaning up the garden and putting the vegetables & apples in the cellar. I also put off the load of couch grass which was on the waggon and Dad. took it over to the other barn at noon. This after noon I cleaned the barn floor and threw the oats out again out of the bin. To-night I took Joe down town again with the saddle on her and gave the girls another ride. Marj. is getting on fine but it was only the second time for Essie. I got home about half past ten. Very windy all day and freezing hard to-night. Wednesday November 10th Dad. got a good day in plowing to-day and only had one interruption when Will Philips came over to ask him about his sick cow. He got the east half finished and got quite a lot done on the west side. I hardly got anything done as I had so many visitors I got started twice to husk corn but I first old Felix came after some wheat that Dad. gave him for wages and then Neil Elliot came to look at Mully He said she was only worth $75. This afternoon I drove Enah and Tid down to the Jame's and then went over to the slaughter house to see Whit Dixon, he said if he were in my place he wouldn't sell Mully for less than $90.00 I was over there quite awhile and it was getting late when I got home and Huby had sent some historical man over here to look at the mound. I took him back to see it and he said he was sure it was a natural formation although a very peculiar one. He is here to see about putting up a little monument on the spot where a party of French explorers wintered about 200 years ago, he says they have located the spot where their hut stood from the rough map they drew and the description of the place and have found the place has never been disturbed. It is up Black Creek a little way in a little ravine about 200 feet in from the creek. Lovely day, sunny & not windy. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/97a598221b958d90f582f98e7ac702c4.pdf 6b998a004c33ad0bdaf4c6a717e88152 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday November 11th It rained a little during the night so I thought it would be a little wet to husk corn so spent the morning working in front of the house I am going to take the sod all off in front of the dining room window where the rhubard bed was and put it down by the road where the grass doesn't grow, then I want to dig the other up and put some flowers in and train a grape vine across in front of it from the corner of the house to the plum orchard fence. Neil Elliot came in about ten o'clock and I went back with him to look at the steer and see Dad. about buying Dreadnaught, he said he would give $45 for him and Dad. said he'd take it. I asked him $125 for Mully & the steer but he said the steer was only worth forty and Mully seventy five, but he came up five dollars on Mully & then two & a half so I thought I wouldn't stick for two & a half and let them go, and to-night I wrote to two men who advertise dual purpose Shorthorns in the Farmer's Advocate. This after noon I went out to husk a little more corn but didn't get much done when it began to rain so I came in Mr. Waterbury the historical man was here, he wanted to know the way to get to Tommy Jackson's and I told him the shortest way was to go up the creek and he said as it was raining so he wouldnt go to-day, he wanted to see if Tommy would donate an old axe that old Stringer had of his to their museum, he brought over the book telling of the travels of the French exploring party and which was originally writen by one of two French priests who were with the party. It was written in French & English both and there was an old map which they had drawn of their voage, it was pretty crude but still wonderfully correct when they had only the shoreline to go by. It gave a great description of this country where they wintered and called it the "earthly paradise of Canada." There were also a couple of pictures in the book of Black Creek and the spot where their camp stood, it was al-to-gether a most interesting book but Frank has to take it back to Huby's office in the morning. I didn't do much this after noon but pain the names of my different plots of wheat on some stakes for labels. Enah started to read the history book to-night but we all went to sleep in spite of it being so interesting. Friday November 12th I spent all the morning working out in front and got nearly all the sod taken off and put down by the road. This after noon I went out and put the lable stakes in my wheat plots https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/9c150bb28b7a5dce0b74d88c7b12b550.pdf b40dc1a9d794184f706e4fbc9b67f203 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and stretched the garden line around each of them and hoed around each one so that there would be more come up outside the line I then husked a little more corn. Dad. got in a good day plowing. It has been a beautiful day. Saturday November 13th We had to take our stock down to Neil Elliot to ship to day so I went back right after breakfast to bring up the steer, he seemed determined not to come up and I had to bring the whole bunch to get him. We left him in the yard with Mully while we tied the calf in the waggon box, we thought Mully would follow the calf and the steer go with her and Dad. lead the bull we got as far as the road when the calf got loose and while we were tying him up the steer got back in the lane and jumped into the field with the rest. After a lot of chasing we got him out as far as the road again, when Dreadnaught in some way twisted the snap on the stick out of his nose and got loose and he & the steer ran up into the wheat. Enah came out wielding a broom. However we got them in and at last got well started. They ran into Martin's but Art. Quanbury came down from there with us Dad. Frank & Art came right home when they were unloaded. Frank drove the lumber waggon with the calf in it down so they came around home by Aunty's and got Mis Buckwells sofa which they bought and brought it home. I went up town and got the honey and left it in the {illegible}. This after noon Frank and I took a grist to the mill and got a walnut table up at Mrs. McBrides we got Jack Martin's skids and took them over to the colony house which I want to move up as soon as possible Dad. & I then cleaned up some wheat to pay Sam Lees back and also some oats for Art Quanbury while Frank shot three guinea hens. Frank and I took the wheat back about dark. It has been a nice day but a cold wind. Sunday November 14th Frank rode his wheel down to church this morning and Dick, Enah & I drove down. Aunty Alice came over with us to dinner. This after noon Marj. & I went for a walk up the Radical Road and got full of burrs. I went down to Aunty's for tea and went up with Aunty & Aunt Ida to church Dick & I got home to-gether about half past ten. The Nixon's were here this after noon and left the number of the ram. Dad. had to go over to Frank Lemon's to see a horse and didn't get back till dark. Enah & the baby went down to the Jame's for tea and Elva https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/adca70d4d4df423910fb1fa6c6f3daf5.pdf ec917efafe16e71b7a8d66f0e6622422 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Said. Davis, May Perry & Gladys Fischer came over with her after church. It has been cloudy and cold all day. Monday November 15th Dad. got a good day in plowing to-day but didn't quite finish the oat stubble. I spent most of the morning tidying up the rubbish between the wood shed and the shop and cleaned the windows and swept down the cobwebs in the <s>cow</s> horse stable. This after noon I chopped down the rest of the cherry trees which were along the plum orchard fence and started to get a trench dug for my hedge. Holly Bush came in to-night to get a loaf of bread. He brought Enah over a sack of flour the other day to have her bake a loaf or two of bread a week. Very windy and cold all day. It snowed a little and is freezing hard to-night. Tuesday November 16th This morning as it was pretty cold I got Dad. to help me move the colony house It took quite awhile to get it on the skids but once it was loaded it slid along in fine shape. We put it in the yard where we set out the raspberries. Dad. went right back and plowed when we got it over and has plowed all after noon. He finished the oat stubble and got started to plow in the weeds. I separated the chickens put the pullets in where the cockrels were as that is to be their winter quarters, put the cockrels in where the old hens were and put the old hens in the colony house. I then ran the wagon out of the shed and started to pick up some apples off the ground in the orchard for cider. I picked all the after noon but didn't get the wagon box full. It was milder to-night but was snowing quite hard about dark. <s>Tuesday</s> Wednesday November 17th Quint came over with Dick last night to stay awhile so he Frank and I picked up a few more apples and took them up to Walker Waddle's for cider. Dad. drove down in the buggy and got two of the kegs from down at Aunty's for us to take up as he didn't want us to drive way down around that way. We didn't get back till after one o'clock. We didn't have quite enough apples we filled the two ten gallon kegs and put about thirty in the barrell, we came back by town and left a keg at Huby's and one at Aunty's. Dad. drove Aunty up to the cemetry this morning and had to go over to Tupper's to thrash this after noon. Aunty stayed here to dinner and I drove her back this after noon, when https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d09d67b7b08f6b1350e719218512e58e.pdf 54ad67535ae6356a359bf97583ac45ee PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I got back it was pretty late so I just took back Jack Martin's skids and Quanbury's chain and did chores. Quint and Frank husked a basketfull of corn and then set some traps back in the gully. There has been a cold wind to-day and it has been freezing in the shade all day. Thursday November 18th Dad. has been over at Tupper's all day thrashing. He says the stuff is in awful shape. It is full of thistles and weeds and is so tough they can hardly stick a fork in it. This morning I didn't do much but chores and clean up around the wood shed. Quint wanted to go for a ride so I put the little saddle on Joe and he took her down town and back. When he got back the saddle blanket was gone and he hadn't missed it. He said she nearly put him off once and just about got away from him. He and I walked back the road to look for the blanket and found it hanging on the sidewalk railing below Marshals place. After dinner Quint helped me stand all the rails up that were out in the pile in front of the shop and we got it slicked up nicely. Quint went down about three o'clock. I quit early to do chores and about half past five left for Woodhouse to a chicken pie social. I picked Marj up on the way and we had a hot time. When we got there the place was crowded and I couldn't get Joe in the sheds but got her in a sheltered spot. We had to get in line for supper and were nearly squashed flat, after about an hour's waiting we got in to the dining hall where we had a sumptuous repast of roast chicken and then had to wait another hour for the programme to commence, but we were lucky enough to get good seat so enjoyed ourselves, the entertainers were principally composed of Doverites, and all came up in a load Essie presided at the organ and the male quartette did most of the singing. Mrs. J.H. Butler also performed several times and Miss McGillvary from Simcoe <s>also</s> sang. Frank Reid was chairman and Mr. {Geoff?} and all the Methodist preachers in the country spoke, it was about twelve o'clock when we got out, and Joe didn't seem in a mood to travel very fast so it was after one when I got home. We came down the Radical as there was no other traffic on it. It has been a beautiful day and a very mild nigh. It started to rain a little about midnight and was raining quite hard when I got home. Friday November 19th I had to go over to Sam Law's to thrash this morning https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/ff6408fec72077dfcc45f23db2809dde.pdf d0fa1c790598a795f94ca5e6dba073e3 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. and Dad. went over to Tupper's to finish up. We only thrashed for about half an hour and then as there was such a headwind we quit. The straw was blowing everywhere and the roof was covered. Sam. said if it was his he wouldn't care but he didn't want to do anything mean as he was leaving. I stood around over there about an hour talking to Sam and Art Ryersie and listening to their discussion of various farming problems. Soon after I got home Enah and Tid. wanted to go down town so I drove them down, on my way back I picked up Jack Martin and he came over and had a look at the cockrels, he said there would be some he could take. I had my dinner all alone but Dad. came home before I finished. He had had his and they had finished over at Tupper's. This afternoon it rained quite a lot. Dad. & I got the cider barrel in the wood shed and about half past three I drove down after Enah and the baby who were then at Aunty's. It rained heavily last night and has been raining a lot to-day. Raw west wind. Saturday November 20th It was still very windy this morning and has been all day so I knew there was no use going over to Sam's to thrash. This morning after we did up the chores rather late I stripped the north wall of the old barn next Dreadnaughts stall {illegible} of straw as we want to get the calves in now. Dad. killed and dressed a couple of chickens. After dinner {name?} came after Landon Ivey's calf so we went back with him and brought them all up and the horses too. I did chores then and Dad. built a manger over against the granary wall for the calves. Just before dark I put the bridle on Queen and got on her back. The other horses were all there so she trotted around the straw stack with them a few times and then they all cantered out of the yard into the field. Just as we got out the gate, she began to rear a little and I wasn't looking for it so after a few of them I found myself on my back on the ground with my feet in the air. Queen got away with the bridle on her and got back with the rest but luckily they didn't go into the gully and I chased them back to the barn where Dad. got the bridle off her, she hadn't got the reins down either. To-night we put Ginger & Billy in the box stall. Dad. got his steer in too that he is going to kill for home consumption. Whit Dixon was over this morning and got our veal calf. Tupper came https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/92f55360258438bf7e4b7513144cabfe.pdf 3ff4fd74fbb3345ff33a3a957724ff41 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. over last night to kill our ram but when he felt him he said it would be foolish as there wasn't much more than a good meal on him, so Whit looked at him this morning and said if we fed him awhile, he might be worth killing, so Dad. has him tied up in the stable now. To-night Dad. has gone down to see the folks. Frank has a bad cold and sore throat. He went over to Tupper's this morning to set some traps for a skunk. Cloudy, windy and a little rain to-day. Sunday November 21st Frank's cold was too bad to go out of the house to-day so Dad. & I drove down to church alone. Aunty came back with Dad. and I stayed down there to dinner and tea. This after noon I went visiting and also to-night after church. There was quite a commotion down town this after noon when Perce Ryerse's house, his new one caught on fire. I went up but they got it under control before it did any damage beyond smoking the house all up. It seems the kid set fire to a pile of rubbish down cellar. I went to church to-night and saw Dick to speak to for the first time to-day. Huby and Lila wemt down to Aunty's to-night and killed all his spring chickens, there were eight of them most of them cockrels. I went down about ten o'clock and got the old hen I lent him last summer to hatch them out. I don't know what the neighbors thought as she let out a series of the most unearthly squaks I ever hard as far as Allan's corner and then she wasn't so bad unless I {jabed?} her. Dick caught up to me at Uncle Wards. When we got home I put the old hen up to Frank's ear and pinched her and old Frank didn't know what was coming off. I had her in a bag and the next thing she did was to get loose in the kitchen and of course caused a terrible commotion while I was catching her. Very windy and blizzardy to-day. Monday November 22nd This morning I went over to Sam Law's to thrash. It was still windy but a little more from the West so didn't blow right in the barn, we were there till about eleven o'clock. I was on the blower most of the time but the stack got too high to put all the straw on so we had to let it go to one side. We had dinner over there and I got back before they had dinner here. This after noon I did up the chores and then put the little saddle on Ginger. I got on her in the drive house but she was https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cf12cd2898b5d3cdd8d7aa014d13bf79.pdf 7d246bb80a3fadc66ea897f67716b834 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. so nervous with the curb bit, saddle and being away from Billy that she wouldn't go out at last she got herself worked up into such a state that she started to back up, she backed up into a pile of rubbish and sat down. I got off her and took her outside and got on her, she still refused to go and went through the same performance again this time though when I went down I hit my head and my back and she came over pretty heavily on my leg. I tried her again without success so took her down to the road and then up to where Dad. was plowing in the barley stubble and he started her off and she came back all right. Frank who has been sick in the house all day wanted me to go out to Tupper's and look at some trap he set for some skunks so i put the big saddle on Joe and went out there. Dad. started to plow the barley stubble to-day as the creek was so high he didn't want to go back over the gully and he thought if it should freeze the stubble would freeze first. Enah went down town this after noon and Aunty Alice came back with her to tea. Dad. went down with her after tea. To-night all the Harvey Shand's but Willie came in. Charlie is going out West some time next week and came over to say good bye. Rather cold wind and cloudy to-day. Tuesday November 23rd This morning I did up the chores and put the big saddle on Ginger to give her another lesson, she behaved pretty well putting it on, but coming out of the door she gave a jump, caught the stirrup in the door and tore the strap right off at the saddle. I felt pretty sick about it and put her back in and went out and husked corn. I husked corn all the after noon and to-night I went down town and gave Marj. a carving lesson. It was raining when I <s>got</s> started for home but I got a ride out with Dick and Alan Law. Cloudy, but mild to-day. Wednesday November 24th We didn't get out very early this morning and I just did chores. This after noon I went to Simcoe and got the saddle mended and also a lot of other harness. I was up there for quite awhile and stopped in to see Louise at the Bowlby's for a few minutes on the way home so it was pretty late when I got home. Enah and the baby were waiting for me down town but I came home first. Dad. got in and drove me down and I stayed down at Aunty's all night as I want to leave for Caledonia in the morning. Dad. plowed on the barley stubble all day, he doesn't feel very well. Frank https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/dd1eb723f4c19077d932e9c4ded997c0.pdf cf5a2695aa9efbd5d631db49f1f69e82 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. is not very well either and has not been at school to-day. Aunty Alice & Dick left for Toronto to-night to see Billy Millman play, he is in Toronto all this week with Taversham in "The Hawk." Cloudy this morning but nice day. Thursday November 25th Aunty got up at six o'clock this morning and got my breakfast and I left for Caledonia. When I got there there was no sign of Douglas so the fellow at the station said I had better telephone him so I did and found that as I had said on my card I would D.V. be down Thursday morning he didn't quite understand and thought it meant to drive down, however he came right in after me in his Ford and we got out to his place about four miles out about ten o'clock, he showed me all through his cattle, he has over a hundred head and it was like going to a show, he has both Bates bred and Scotch bred Shorthorn's and some of the familys have been on the farm for sixty years. I wanted to get a cow with a record and giving milk now if I could but as he lets his calves suck all his cows so of course had no records and he advised me not to get a cow that has had a calf sucking her as he said they never let their milk down as well when milked by hand so I wound up by buying a two year old heifer from him which he said was from the best milking cow on the farm and of a good milking family, she was just bred yesterday and so I will have to run chances of having to breed her again to some bull around here. I gave $180.00 dollars for her $100 cash and my note for 12 mos @ 6% for the $80. He is to ship her up next Wednesday. I had dinner there and visited with Mr. Douglas for an hour or so after and then he took me down town where I waited for the 6.40 train for Dover. Mr. & Mrs. Brad. Bowlby were on the train coming up from Toronto. They had heard Billy Sunday give his temperance lecture. Mrs. Bowlby was terribly shocked and thought he was too wild all to-gether. I stopped in at Aunty's on my way home but had tea over here. It has been a beautiful day. Friday November 26th Dad. has plowed all day to-day and I did chores and set out my two grapevines or at least transplanted them. It took me the best part of the after noon as I took considerable pains about it and put some tile https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/b4f353ba932268b977a45c5bd8c0d63d.pdf e92a6f692ffd7fbbc8c14eb2995e7aaf PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. in the bottom at the base and mixed the earth up with mould from around the big barn and some wood ashes. Art. Quanbury & Ive Fields were around Jack Martin's fence fixing it and I was over talking to them for awhile. It has been another most beautiful Indian Summer day. Saturday November 27th Dad. left here at seven<s>l</s> o'clock this morning to get Huby and go down to Mr. {Faurey's?} funeral, he didn't get back till nearly ten, he got some lime down town and Frank whitewashed the cow stable. This after noon they got a grist ready for the mill and Frank took it down but it was too late to get it to-night. I did chores and went over to Martin's to find out how strong to make the solution of coal oil and carbolic acid for scaly leg. {Brilely?} said zenoleum would do as well as carbolic acid and and not to use more than a table spoon full in a cup of water so to-night Dad. and I went through them we got all the young pullets & cockrels done but not all the old yearling hens as they were so thick we couldn't tell which had been done and which hadn't. It has been a very disagreeable day. It rained this morning and has been cold and windy. Sunday November 28th Enah Frank and I went down to church this morning. Frank rode the wheel down and we drove. I was down town all the after noon and went up the beach for a walk and stayed down at Aunty's for tea. Dad. walked down and he Aunty and I went up to church to-night and I spent the evening up at the Bagley's. It has been a most beautiful and very mild day but it was a wild night when I started for home raining and a terrific wind so I went down and stayed all night at Aunty's. They had all gone to bed when I got there but I sneaked in and lit the light and then went up and told Aunty I was there, she was glad I came. Monday November 29th I had breakfast down at Aunty's this morning and got home about nine o'clock. I then went down to the mill and got the grist that Frank left there on Saturday. I took a bag of wheat down and Clarence said it ought to be worth about 90 cts but by today's paper Ottawa has comandeered a lot of Canadian wheat so whether that will affect prices here or not I don't know. This after noon I did https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/cf84814b2314ac754d97469a903ddee3.pdf a0b73ab2f3165a2fb1bb9fbd6fb247ba PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. up the chores and then husked a basket of corn. Dad. plowed all the after noon. To-night Frank & I went down to the A.Y.P.A. and had a fairly good time. I got my hair cut and went down on my way home to see Aunty Alice she came home to-night. Frank met her at the train. It has been a raw windy day and is freezing hard to-night. Tuesday November 30th This morning being cold and blustery Dad. decided to put the calves in, it took quite awhile to finish the preparations for their reception and still longer to get them in and tied however we did by about ten o'clock and we think they will soon settle down in contentment. It wasn't worthwhile for Dad. to go out and plow before dinner so we went down and got the coal stove that Mrs. James gave Enah, it is a dandy, we had to get some groceries and by the time we got home and got the stove unloaded it was about two o'clock. Dad. plowed after dinner but didn't quite finish the barley stubble he is going to plow the old fence bottom in with it. I did up the chores, cut some wood and went out and opened up a ditch in the plowed field. Mrs. McBride was here this morning, washing. Cold raw & windy. Wednesday December 1st Frank stayed home from school this morning and he and I did chores while Dad. finished plowing the barley stubble. Then the whole family went down in the lumber waggon and Dad. & I put on a load of chestnut coal for the new stove, it just come in. Frank got some stuff up town and then took the coal home while Dad. and I got my heifer which came in on the noon freight, she was like a mad bull she was so wild in spite of the blind old Douglas had put over her head, we couldn't do anything with her at the station so they shunted her over to the yard by the brickyard much against one of the men's will who was very much put out at wasting so much time and kept up a running stream of oaths, however with two long ropes one of which was Ed's and one which Dad. got over at the slaughter house we got her out in a short time without hurting her. Ed. helped us bring her over and came all the way over with us but wouldn't stay to dinner. Enah & the baby walked home. Dad. is highly delighted wth the heifer and she certainly does look nice in the stable with the others and she is getting quieted down. This after noon I helped Frank and Dad. get the stove in place and then https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/0b169a112ade53cb183d20ea6041bec4.pdf 601573af59191e27e96af3e1727cae3b PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. I went up to the Bowlby's after Louise. Frank went to school till recess and then met Dad. down town and they got another load of coal. Louise and I got back about six. Cold all day snowed all after noon & evening Dick didn't quit work for yesterday till 3.30 this morning and then walked home. It was the end of the year & month. Thursday December 2nd Dad. & I did chores most of the morning and fixed up a corner out in the old barn to put the bull calf as he is too mean to leave with the heifer calve we also unloaded the load of coal he got yesterday afternoon into a bin he fixed up in the wood shed. We two had dinner by ourselves as Enah, Louise & the baby all went down to Aunty's to dinner and to spend the afternoon. This afternoon Dad. & I hauled in a load of corn stalks most of which were unhusked and put them in the bay of the old barn. To-night Dad. read "Going Some" out loud it is a funny story by Rex Beach. It has been cold & raw all day anbd is freezing hard to-night. Friday December 3rd Dad. has plowed across the gully all day and says it plows better than it has<s>s</s> all fall, he was surprised that it did as when he went back he was afraid he couldn't make it go it froze so hard last night, he got quite a lot done although he didn't get back there very early. I went over to see Charlie Shand this morning as I told him I would before he left; he is going West next Tuesday He showed me all over and we were up in the silo. Louise went down to Aunty's to dinner and Aunty came back with her to tea. I just did chores this after noon. To-night I went down town with Aunty and went to the picture show with Marj., this being her birthday. On my way home I looked in at the Commercial hotel and saw Alan Law and Dick sitting there waiting for Alan to finish his cigar to go home so I joined them. George Henderson was with them sitting with his feet up on a table, his cap down over his eyes and a smile on his face which showed he was just awake enough to enjoy his comfortable state. Presently a man evidently a traveller came in from the back room and expressed his intention of "going to roost" where at George stretched himself out of his chair and over to the register and the traveller registerd and went to bed. This sort of aroused the party and when Alan had bought another cigar we left for home. Alan was drawn from the https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/24134baec17ec50a3adf3700d493288a.pdf d776460144344e3e97e6c177e9223b83 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. familiar channels of his conversation to-night by extolling the many virtues of a new nine dollar & a quarter corduroy coat with fur felt lining that his girl sent away and got for him for a Christmas present. When we got home the whole family was listening to Enah read "Going Some". Dad. had had his snooze on the sofa and had evidently brought down the house a few minutes before we came in by waking up with a wild burst of laughter caused by his dreaming of the story Enah was reading and exclaiming "I don't see how people can be so dam' funny", this being a quotation from the book He got up then so I occupied the sofa for the remainder of the evening, it then being close to midnight. Raw & cloudy, freezing to-night. Saturday December 4th Dad. has been plowing all day again to-day.This morning Frank did up most of the chores and I husked corn in the barn, he helped husk some too. This after noon he went back with Dad. to help him run out some cross furrows and I drove Louise back to the Bowlby's. I got home before tea. We have never let Alguitha out yet but she is beginning to show signs of getting tame but she won't let us take the halter off her head yet. They have according to the "Maple Leaf" got all the officers for the 133rd overseas regiment which they are going to try and recruit in Norfolk. A.C. Pratt the little shrimp is colonel an Murray Dillon one of the lieutenants neither one of them I suppose know any more about military matters than a young rabbit, but I suppose each is pulling down a nice fat salary from it. Murray is recruiting officer for these regions. Cold & cloudy to-day but not so windy. I guess Murry is only a provisional lieutenant and has to try his examinations yet. Sunday December 5th Enah and Frank were the only ones from here at church this morning. I drove Enah down but it was so late I didn't go in but waited down at Aunty's for them. Aunty Alice drove over with us to dinner. I spent the after noon down town and went for a walk up the beach. I had tea at Aunty's and Dad. came down with Aunty Alice to tea and he Aunty & I went to church. I spent the evening down town. Nice day but cloudy and cold. Monday December 6th I find I have only <s>ten</s> eleven pages left in this book so if I am going to get the rest of the year in I will https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/07d1b1eed907726db9302b2d88b6d43e.pdf 65f871291b37d14f04fad4722d0de843 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. have to considerably boil down the news. Dad. has plowed all day but says the frost is beginning to make it stiff. Mrs. McBride was here all day. I did chores and went over to Martin's to hurry them up after my cockrel's. Enah went down to church this after noon. The Bishop was here and confirmed Mrs. Jack & Mrs Chas Martin, Mrs Cope, Bill Dunbar, Joe Thompson & Alf Powell. Frank & I went down to A.Y.P.A. to-night. Hazen read us a story. Cold & Cloudy to-day & freezing hard to-night. Tuesday December 7th Dad. didn't plow to-day but we hauled two loads of corn stalks instead one in the morning and one this afternoon, besides doing up all the chores. Jack Martin & Chris came over this morning and took eleven of my cockrels and left a few more here to grow awhile, they were not as fat as they should have been and we discovered the cause was mites. To-night Dad. & I leg banded all the pullets. Much milder to-day. Wednesday December 8th I went down to the mill this morning and borrowed fifteen bags to haul out our wheat, we just did chores this morning and Dad. killed and cleaned three cockrels and I painted the roosts in the old part of the hen house with crude oil for mites. This after noon we cleaned up about 35 bushels of wheat but didn't have time to haul any. Quite mild to day but very cloudy and a little snow which melted. Thursday December 9th Frank stayed home to help us to day. Dad. hauled the load down we cleaned up yesterday and we cleaned two more and hauled them to-day. We hauled 16 bags each trip and they averaged a few pounds over 34 bushels so it weighs pretty well and scarcely any cleans out but there isn't going to be as much by about 40 bushels in the granary as there was from the machine. We could have got more done but we had to quit early for chores It has been cloudy with a very cold north wind all day. Friday December 10th Dad. hauled two more loads to-day, we cleaned up all the wheat in the granary and took the last half load out of the big bin. It is sprouted worse but it cleans up to just about as good a sample. Dad. said he didn't think they made any difference down at the mill. Cold, cloudy and windy again to-day. Dick says Cecil Powell got back from the front to-night, there was a big crowd to meet them https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/4084c48bfb453565f01f480ba16d2046.pdf 04e831508eec5a7a24e423d5e7640d1c PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Saturday December 11th We cleaned up all the wheat left over in the barn this morning which was about 13 1/2 bags. Dad. hauled it down before dinner and I think it brought the total up to a little over 199 bushels, he didn't settle with Ivey this morning as they were so busy. This after noon I went down town to get some groceries. Art Quanbury paid me 21 dollars for the three ewe lambs. Frank went back to the gully and found a hole with three skunks in it but didn't get one - it got him properly - phew! He has gone down town to-night. They are going to present Cecil Powell with a watch but I am reading "The Amateur Gentleman" so can't go down. It has been cold again to day but it has also been sunny. Sunday December 12th Frank and I were the only ones that went to church from here this morning. I drove down and brought Aunty and Elva back with me. Jim Waddle & the two little girls also were here to dinner, Dad wanted to have them as we had roast duck. Dick and I didn't get down town very early this after noon as we <s>both</s> each smoked a cigar first, and Marj. had gone for an automobile ride to Waterford. I stayed down to tea at Aunty's and Mrs Smythe and Pud. were there I went to church and Marj. & I went up to Glad. Law's for awhile afterwards. Nice day snow to-night. Monday December 13th The ground was covered with snow this morning so we thought it was time we were getting the sheep home from Dunkin's. Dad. went down to the mill and settled up with Ivey paid him ${?} and got $130.00 back. This after noon we borrowed B & M's cattle waggon and went up and got our sheep. We took old Harry & got back about six. To night Frank and I went down to A.Y.P.A. Colder and pretty cloudy. Tuesday December 14th I took B & M's waggon back this morning and took Art Quanbury his three lambs. I hurt my thumb down town slapping my hands to get them warm and havent done anything much all day. Uncle Ward came over this after noon to see Algitha and was here most of the after noon. We let her out for the first time to day got her in without much trouble but are afraid she is not in calf. Colder & blizzardy Wednesday December 15th I have done very little all day my thumb is stiff and a<s>w</s>kward I went down this morning and orderd some flooring at the Widespread for my chicken shed. Aunty Alice came back with me and stayed to dinner. Huby came over before tea and got Dad. to go down and cut up a pig for him. Dad. and Frank have gone down to-night. I sat up till 3 o'clock this morning to finish the "Amateur Gentleman" Nice day cold wind. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/d83a60d3aeec9e347500d3fae1eb738d.pdf 734ebcc454a8ecbafc2f67644c95459e PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Thursday December 16th We did chores all morning, my thumb was still stiff so I didnt do much. This after noon I took a grist to the mill and went on down to get my lumber but they hadn't it ready yet, I stopped in at Aunty's for a few minutes, and got my chop when I got home. To-night I went to the show with Marj. To-night Aunty Alice had a bridge party, Toby Smith and Miss Buckwell and I stopped in there on my way home and got some cake Very mild but cloudy. Booze Waddle was over saying his father would come to morrow to kill pigs Friday December 17th It began to rain about six this morning and has been a wet miserable day. I drove Dick down to the bank and saw Dave. he said he and Val Leany would be right over if we could work in the dry so we rigged up a place in the old barn, and so before two o'clock the four pigs were all dressed. We then had dinner but they wouldn't take anything for pay. Just {chore?} then. Saturday December 18th Frank and I went down with the team this morning and got my lumber for the chicken house floor. This after noon I unloaded it and we hauled the pigs (dead ones) over to the house and took one down to Sam's, it weighed 145 lbs by Alfred's scales. Dad. & Frank caught all the little ones and put them in the pen where the other four had been Dad. cleaned it all out this morning. Lila has been over all day. Cloudy and colder freezing. Sunday December 19th We got up late this morning and none of us but Frank went to church. I went down town this after noon and stayed at Aunty's to tea. Aunty and I went to church to-night, after church Marjorie and I walked down with her. I came home with Dick & Alan Law It has snowed hard most of the day but has not been cold. Monday December 20th This being Tid's birthday all the family celebrated at Aunty's but me. I drove them down in the bobsleigh but came back and had dinner with Mrs. McBride here. Dad. came back soon after dinner and helped me do the chores. To-night I drove Essie & Marj. down to Marburg Sunday school Christmas tree and we had a great time Wilson Porter drove Essie home. Frank went with the Ryerse's to the Lake Shore school concert, he walked It has been colder to day and our sleighing has frozen dry and blown off. Tuesday December 21st Besides doing chores I cleaned out chicken house and Dad. cut up a pig. Jack Martin paid me $20.93 for eggs & cockrels Dad. & I went to the Patriotic Rally to-night. Nice day. https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/fbb5138fe0da8ce9ba73beaf6453b669.pdf a3cda73edf388bedb288d67691f22207 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. Wednesday December 22nd We hooked up Joe & Queen to the bobsleighs this morning and drove down town with Aunty Alice's cream and beets Queen went fine considering it was the first time she has been hooked up to anything. Frank got home at noon and his Christmas holidays have begun. He and I husked some corn this morning and about five o'clock Dad. & I & the baby drove Joe & Ginger down to the cutter. Tonight I went down town and stayed down at Aunty Alice's all night. Aunty left for Toronto this morning to stay with Roy for Christmas week. Walter & Elsie are coming there tomorrow but sleighing not good. Snowed most of day. Thursday December 23rd I went down to the train this morning to wish Marjorie a Merry Christmas before she left for home. Essie was down to see her off Aunty Alice got up and had breakfast ready for me when I got back. I walked home in time to drive Dick down as it was raining hard. It has rained most of the day and the snow is nearly all gone. I husked corn and did chores most of the day Dad. has cut up pigs and has them all cut up and Enah has most of the lard rendered out. Frank has been making a knife drawer for Enah. Last night Frank went down to the Mud Street school show (Bertha England's) with the Ryerse's, they went in bobs this time. Friday December 24th I spent most of the morning cleaning out the chicken houses and tacking cotton in the windows. Tom Abbot came in and got a rooster. This afternoon Dad. went down town to get his hair cut and Frank and I to do some Christmas shopping. Dad. and I came home to-gether. The town seems to have quite a few soldiers home for Christmas. I saw Billy Loan in uniform didn't know he had enlisted. Frank is going to try and catch some pigeons for Hec. Henderson's shooting match to night. Very mild but cloudy all day. Christmas Day I drove Enah and Frank down to church in the cutter this morning with Joe and Ginger but as all the chores had to be done up this morning and one of us had to look after the baby so I came back home again. Dad. and I then dressed up and drove Joe down in the buggy to the James where the whole family of us partook of Christmas dinner we took the baby down with us, the McPherson family were all there too. We had a dandy time especially Frank who had a cigar after dinner and spent the remainder of the after noon in the Catholic church shed. We came home about four and then I drove Harry & Belle down and got Aunty Alice and Aunty Ida and https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/f857a98d0ea29f2b7ec6353363fddacf.pdf 59827e3e250400fab4cbb227e13cf326 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. all Huby's family except Aunty Maude who is at Uncle Wards look after Mrs. Scofield who got "took bad" the other day but is now better. We just had tea over here but had a Christmas tree for Tid. and Huby acted as Santa Claus. He nearly gave poor Aunt Ida a fit laughing at his actions and words, there was quite an array of dandy presents considering nobody was going to give any. I drove them all back in the sleigh quite early but had to leave Huby at the Sovereign's as Mrs. Scofield wouldn't mind them and he had to pretend he was the doctor, so Win & Lila stayed at Aunty Alices all night. It has been very soft and mild all day but is colder to-night. Sunday December 26th Dad. & Frank stayed home this morning and Enah and I walked down to church. The choir was out in its new "shrouds" as Whit Dixon called the surplices. This after noon Dad. & I walked over to Frank Crysler's to see his bull but weren't very stuck on him. To-night I went down to Aunty Alice's to tea and to church. Went up to Huby's after church and was there quite awhile as Win was there all alone. Lovely day bright and colder than yesterday. Monday December 27th Dad. and I went down to nomination this after noon but it was pretty slow reeve & counsillors went in by acclamation reeve is Gilbert and same old council except Nath. Butler who takes Gilbert's place. Frank and I went down to-night to our nomination and it was much more fun Billy Langs & Bill Coley nearly got into a scrap Vyse and old Walker are going to run again for reeve. Snowing to-night. Tuesday December 28th Dad. & I went over to John Wes's this morning to see his bull and stayed over there till one o'clock watching John Wess & Robert John Watson kill a pig. This after noon Dad. went up to see Ham Thompson's bull and Frank went skating. I did chores. To-night Dad. and I went down and stayed at Aunty Alice's. Nice day. Wednesday December 29th Dad. and I went down to Caledonia this morning to see Mr. Douglas. He came in for us in a cutter and we spent the whole day out there as it was a terrible day, a regular blizzard cold east wind and snow. While we were there two fellows Mr Brook & son drove down from Paris (24 miles) in the teeth of the gale, there were two other batches of visitors there relations of the Douglas' so there was a housefull, but we had a good look at the stock and a great visit with Douglas and Dad. was highly delighted with the cattle. Douglas drove us in after we had https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/files/original/203859135be077c52a289687680ba9a6.pdf d9fa6a519e77fc911db6e27973f18db6 PDF Text Text � Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. tea in time to catch the train but we had to wait about an hour as the Hamilton train was held up at Caledonia by the storm, and the Dover train had to wait at Rymal to get through, we saw Win. and two of her friends at the station for a minute or two. Thursday December 30th We have put in all our spare tme to day putting the floor in the chicken shed and got all the joice in place and spliced and nearly a third of the floor laid. Frank was here to help us, no he wasn't either. I have got a little mixed up Dad. and I just got some of the joice in to-day Lovely day sunny and cold. Frank took the old sow down to Porter's. Friday December 31st To day after we did chores we worked at the hen house floor and Frank cut the boards for us and it was to-night when we quit that we had nearly a third of the floor down. Dad. drove Enah and the baby down to Aunty Alice's to tea. To night I went down to the dance the girls were having to raise funds for the Red Cross. I got there about nine but they hadn't started and there were not many there but they soon started to come and eventually there was a big crowd. At 11.30 I went over to the church with some more of them as they were having service and praying for victory. This has been a black year for the world. Very mild all day, raining Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-1925 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Table Of Contents A list of subunits of the resource. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1911 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1913 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1914 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1916 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1917 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary & Transcription, 1918 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1919 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1920-1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1921 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1925-1926 Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1926-1927 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary, 1915 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theobald "Toby" Barrett Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1915 Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20th Century, Norfolk County, Woodhouse Township, Ontario Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 1, 1915 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Theobald "Toby" Barrett Diary Collection Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Scanned Manuscript UG Transcription Progress Scripto transcription progress Done Scripto Transcription A written representation of a document. <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{Blank Front Cover Inside page on the left}</p> <p>{Right side page}</p> <p>DIARY. 1915</p> <p>T.B.Barrett,</p> <p>Port Dover, Ontario.</p> <p>The Farm</p> <p>From January 1st 1915 to December 31st 1915.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday January 1st 1915</p> <p>When The New Year came in all of us who were dancing joined hands in a circle and sang "Should Auld Aquaintance be forgot", after which we had refreshments and danced for a couple of more hours. Ferdy didn't dance but was down there till the last and I suppose saw one of the girls home. He, Dick and I met at the bank and got home a little before three and turned in a half an hour later. After a few hours slumber I got up and did chores for the rest of the day. This evening I distressed Aunty Alice by sitting around and not going to bed and pleased Aunty by sitting up till nearly eleven o'clock and repeating the first canto of "The Lady of the Lake" off by heart. Charlie Teeple was in this morning and spoke as if Jim Waddle rather wanted to see Dad. so he and Enah drove out there this after noon. They want Dad. for one of the bearers. Dick and Ferdy stayed in bed till noon and spent the after noon and evening down town. Not cold all day turning very windy &amp; stormy to-night.</p> <p>Saturday January 2nd</p> <p>It snowed and blew all night and has kept it up all day to-day so all the roads &amp; tracks are drifted full but except for the wind it has not been very cold. I drove</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Aunty Alice and Dick down town this morning in the bob sleighs and came home by the mill and got some chop Aunty Alice had to go down to the dentist's and stayed down to dinner. This after noon Dad. &amp; I drove out to Mrs. Waddle's funeral, he was a bearer so I drove up to the cemetry to bring him home. We didn't know when we started but we had to go up to St. John's. Dad. &amp; I both got our feet pretty cold. We came home around by town and brought Aunty Alice home. She got five new fake teeth.</p> <p>Sunday January 3nd</p> <p>We were too late this morning for Aunty or Frank to get to Sunday school although it was Aunty's birthday but I drove Enah, Aunty &amp; Frank down to church in the bob sleighs and drove down again to bring them home. Winnie &amp; Lila came over to dinner. This after noon Frank, Lila &amp; I went back to the gully to try the tobaggan that Ferdy &amp; Frank made yesterday out of a cheese box. It worked fine and went over the drifts beautifully. I lay down on it once to go down and when I came to the bottom of the hill it stopped and I slid ahead and banged my head. Dick and Ferdy didn't get up till noon and after dinner went down town. It has been a beautifully bright day with not a breath of wind. Rather cold this morning but milder to-night.</p> <p>Monday January 4th</p> <p>Frank stayed home from school to-day to see the last of the hogs. It took us quite awhile to get the waggon box rigged to hold them but with plank and stakes managed to make a satisfactory rack. We had no trouble in loading them as the whole seven ran right in to root in the fresh oat straw which was in the bottom, but they were very troublesome to unload. Neil weighed them. Dad. hoped Ed. would be there but he was up town electioneering but I guess Neil gave him good weight. They just weighed 1250 lbs and as the price has gone up to $7.40 percent. Dad. got a little over $92.00 out of them. We came around by Huby's on our way home and got a load of shingles for kindling. We boys and Fa. stored them away down there in the woodshed when they shingled the house. Hammond was in this morning to urge Dad. to go out and vote for him this after noon and take old Jonas with him so he did drive out to Wiggin's. He took Enah and Tiddums as far as the Shand's and left them while he &amp; Jonas went on out to vote. Tom came back with the car while he was gone and said if he thought Dad. would vote for Hammond he'd quit hauling his cream. Frank and I did chores and unloaded the shingles. The two Miss Hardings came over this after noon but nobody was home as Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went down to Huby's before dinner and are</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>not coming back before they go to Toronto. To-night I hooked up Joe and Belle to the bobsleighs and took a bunch to Simcoe to see the hockey match between Simcoe &amp; Welland. Dad. went down with me to see how the election went and learned to his satisfaction that Wm. Walker beat Vyse by 31 of a majority and Hammond beat Baughner by 240. The only town councillors that qualified were Wms. Laing &amp; Caley so they will have to have another nomination. They defeated Local Option in Simcoe on an even vote by a majority of fiftynine. I got Quint in down at the house and the rest of the load which Dick had invited were waiting at the Dyer's. They consisted of Dess &amp; Fraser Dyer, Rachel Henry and May Rankin. Dick and Ferdy. Cars. Rankin came home with us. They all went over to the rink right away but Quint and I went to the Armories and Quint went later to the rink. They had no lights again to-night so we had a short drill in the street. Thern I went over to the match. They had only been playing ten minutes when I got there and the score was one in favor of Simcoe. It was a good game and there were very few penalties handout but a lot of offsides but it wound up with a score of five to four in favor of Welland. The girls in our bunch had attracted two Simcoe fellows, Charlie Barker &amp; Sam Hasley and after the match we all went over to the Battersby House to get warm and cut up over there for half an hour or so except Ferdy and Cars. who went over to the quick lunch as they hadn't had any supper. It was a junior O.H.A. match to-night but Cars. didn't play. I guess he doesn't know whether he is on the team or not yet. He has had a room up there at the Melbourne ever since the season opened trying out for it. We had a lovely drive home. It was a little misty but frosty and bright moonlight. I dare say we left in our wake a good many suddenly awakened farmers. Joe and Belle made a very suitable team for although I didn't go at all furiously they slid along at a good steady trot without any urging. Faulkner passed us going up with a load of eighteen all men or boys. Herb Lowril took another cargo of the same kind up. We got home about one. It has been a very nice day sunny and mild.</p> <p>Tuesday January 5th</p> <p>Frank went back to school this morning and Ferdy who for the first time nearly since he has been here got up about ten o'clock and had breakfast and spent the rest of the day down town saying goodbye. He went down to Huby's about two o'clock to say goodbye down there and had his dinner. This after noon Dad. Enah Tiddums and I drove down in the bob sleighs to say goodbye to Aunty and Aunty Alice who went to-night to Toronto</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to stay with Roy and Vernon for awhile. Dad. settled up with his creditors and bought me a new pair of shoes and overshoes at Andrew's without telling me. Andrew seemed very cheerful and didn't mention election. Dad. got a postcard to-night he is sure it was from Ed. with a little verse on it applying to Vyse</p> <p>It's a long way to the old farm / Good-bye Council Chamber</p> <p>It's a long way to go / Farewell Andrew dear</p> <p>It's a long way to the old farm / It's a long, long way to the old farm</p> <p>Where I have got to go / And my heart's not there.</p> <p>Misner was in this morning to have Dad. look at a horse and said Old Stringer had had his cutter out yesterday to get Ellis Ryersie to vote and had broken it, so Dad's conjectures were evidently right. Last night on his way home he saw somebody drive very carelessly around Geordie Long's corner at the top of the hill and up towards Vyse's where they went in. He heard the driver yell at Vyse and he thought the voice sounded like Old Stringer's. When Vyse came to the door Old Stringer asked him if he had won and Vyse answered very gruffly for him in the negative. It has been a beautiful day sunny &amp; mild.</p> <p>Wednesday January 6th</p> <p>Dick drove Ferdy to Simcoe this morning so that he could catch a 10.45 train at the Air Line station. I think they took Dess. Dyer up with them and Dick didn't get back till after twelve. We did nothing but chores to-day. Mrs. McBride was here washing all day. Frank went over to a Sunday school entertainment after school and stayed to tea. Enah was to have gone down but it was to bad a night. It has rained nearly all day and our January thaw has set in.</p> <p>Thursday January 7th</p> <p>This was Dick's birthday but we didn't celebrate it in any way and postponed it until Sunday. We did chores all morning and Dad. helped me clean the straw out of the chicken shed as the water ran in last night and flooded it. Allan Law came over and borrowed our bob sleighs to take their seed to Green in Simcoe as Fess isn't buying this year. This after noon Dad. and I drove down town and Dad. told Toty Smith he didn't want to qualify again for school trustee. Frank went over to John Wess' to-night canvassing for subscriptions to "The Farmer's Advocate" but didn't get any. He had a long and amusing conversation with old Mrs. Watson. There has been an awful wind all day and it has been freezing. According to the papers the Germans will soon be starving. The French are making great progress in upper Alsapce and the Russians are trimoving the Turks in great shake. The British took the capital of German East Africa the other day and the British and French are trying to force their way into the Dardanelles but the Turks have sunk a lot of old ships in the straits laden with stone and earth which for the present holds them.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday January 8th</p> <p>When Allan Law brought our waggon sleighs back this morning Dad. got him to go up to Duncan's and get us a load of the rails he bought from Duncan last Spring, he didn't like to sell a load as there is only about another load up there but as we can't get back over the plowing to get any wood he said he wouldn't see us stuck so I went up and helped him put on a load. We got back a little before noon. This after noon Dad. Enah and Tiddums drove down town and I went skating for a little while. The pond is a glace of ice all over except around the edge which is all water there being only about three places connecting the land with the ice but it is inclined to be rough. Sunny but cold with a little wind.</p> <p>Saturday January 9th</p> <p>Dad. drove Dick down this morning and went in to ask Hec' Henderson if Neil Elliott wanted to buy Charlotte as Dad. didn't tell him positively whether he would sell her or not the other day but just as he got home Neil and his man drove in and they not only bought Charlotte and her calf for fiftysix dollars but gave us seven for Joe Lamb and took him with them. Frank Dad. &amp; I went down right away with Charlotte. I drove ahead with the calf in the cutter and the others followed. We went up town and Dad. cashed his check and got his new suit at the tailor's. After dinner Dad. Enah and Tiddums drove down town and got Dick some birthday presents. Frank went back to the woods and cut down some more trees. I cleaned the straw out of the hen houses and put fresh in. Bob. Ellis was in before tea representing Tyler's tea Company of London and left a couple tins here. I don't think he would have if he had been anybody else. Poor old Bob. he looks rather seedy. He has been working down at Tom Fearge's all fall. Cloudy and mild.</p> <p>Sunday January 10th</p> <p>We were late this morning so Frank was the only one who went to church. Dad. and I got the chores pretty well done up and we had an early dinner and celebrated Dick's birthday. This after noon Dad. Enah. Tiddums and I went out to the Shand's and were out there all the after noon. Winnie &amp; Lila came over just as we were starting off and so had to go back Frank and Dick were skating on the pond all the after noon I think. Tonight I walked down to church. All Huby's family including Huby himself were in church and I went around afterward to see them, but Huby had gone around to see Jim Greenbury so I missed him. I wanted to say goodbye to Quint especially as Jack Herring has got him a job in one of his woollen cotton mills in New Bedford and Quint is leaving on Tuesday moring so if he takes the job and stays I won't seem him again maybe for a couple of years. Nice day to-day. Not very sunny but mild.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday, January 11th</p> <p>We were all up pretty early this morning as Toby had to leave for Guelph at 6-30. I drove him down and we got there in time, but he had very little time to get his ticket, the train was moving out when he came out of the station. I drove round by Huberts to get him but he was not ready so I had to go in and wait for him. Lila came over with us, she and Frank had a holiday as Mr Smith had gone to Toronto to attend Birdie's wedding. Frank and Hubert went back to the woods and worked there all day. I worked around the place. It began snowing about 3 O'Clock and I drove Hattie down to Mrs H. Cooks to get measured for her dress. Lila has gone down to get the mail and post a letter and just got back in time to go with us. Quintin came over in the evening to say goodbye, he leaves D.V. in the morning for New Bedford. He, Hubert and Lila went home before tea, after tea I fell asleep as usual. When Dick came home he asked me to call him at 6 he wanted to go down and see Quint off I gave the Windmill a good oiling. It has been a lovely day, very mild and did not storm much.</p> <p>Tuesday January 12th</p> <p>I jumped out of bed this morning owing to some crazy dream I suppose and thought it was 6-50, but when I struck a match and looked at the clock I found it was only 4-40 so I went back to bed and stayed there nearly an hour. I called Dick and Frank at 6 and they got up and went to see Quintin off. Hubert did not come over with them as he thought it looked like rain but said he would come if it cleared off. I let Frank stay home from school as they might work in the woods together but Hubert never showed up all day and old Frank worked alone. I cleaned out all the hen houses and hog pen, killed 6 roosters and Mrs McBride cleaned them. It has been colder today with a high N.E. wind but it has been thawing all day. Dick came home to tea tonight and had gone to a dance and will be tired out. It is terribly lonely and only two days gone. I am nearly asleep now.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday, January 13th</p> <p>We were not up so early this morning. Hubert did not get over till nearly noon. Frank and I fixed a fence for the steer we are trying to fatten and Hubert helped us move him, after dinner Hubert and Frank went back to the woods. I did up all the chores, it has been a lovely day, quite a strong wind.</p> <p>Thursday, January 14th</p> <p>Hubert and Frank worked all day in the bush and got a pretty good day in, I did considerable fixing up at difficult things cow stable and rocking chairs etc. Harry Ausley drove his new horse over just as I was busy with the evening chores and it made me late. Has been a lovely mild day, barely freezing in the shade.</p> <p>Friday, January 15th</p> <p>Hubert got over this morning about 9.30 and he and Frank went to the woods, after I did all the morning chores I went to the mill with Joe and the cutter and got 200$ chop $1.75 per {cent?}. The boys took their lunch to the woods with them so Hattie, Sunny Jim and I had a rather lonesome dinner. Hattie started for town about 3 O'Clock to mail a letter to Tobe and to get the mail. We did hope for a letter from Toby but none came. Hattie took the baby down in his carriage but brought him home in a grand red sleigh that his grand-dady made him it is a beauty. I went back to the woods and brought up a load but it is quite bare on the ploughed land we cant haul much till we get more snow. It has been a beautiful day more like Spring than mid-winter. I got 4 eggs today.</p> <p>Saturday, January 16th</p> <p>As soon as we had everything fed this morning Frank and I cut up the load of green wood I hauled yesterday. Hubert did not get over until after 11 O'Clock, he sawed up a lot of rails. Frank carried all the wood we cut into the woodshed, he and Hubert worked at it nearly all the afternoon, quit in time to husk some corn. I worked at the chores. It has been another lovely day. Frank and I had a bath tonight. Hattie had a long letter from Toby and we all knocked off work to hear it.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday, January 17th</p> <p>It rained last night and was very dark this morning I thought our trip to the Shands was off, but it turned out a beautiful day and we all left in the bob-sleigh soon after 12, the sleighing was not too bad. We drove Joe and Belle. We did not have dinner till 2 O'Clock. Mr and Mrs Harvey Shand and Charlie were over, Flossie and Willie had to stay with Mrs Nixon. We had a very nice day and did not get started for home till 5 O'Clock. We all got home safely but had a little mix up putting the horses away, Frank was doing up Belle and I did Joe, and through some mistake Joe's line was left fastened to Belle's bridle with the result that as soon as the stable door was opened Joe jumbed in as she always does and would have taken poor Belle's head with her if the bridle and bit had not broken. Old Sunny Jim had the time of his life prowled all over the house and they just let him go, he was very good and a great nights sleep. The sleighing was almost completely gone when we came home. It has been just like a march day. Dick went to church this evening</p> <p>Monday, January 18th</p> <p>I was up early this morning and wrote Toby a short letter, Frank got up and helped me do some of the chores before he went to school. Mrs McBride came quite early for her, we did not expect her until tomorrow. Hubert did not get over till nearly noon, he told us that poor old T. L. Gillies dropped dead in his lumber yard about 10 O'Clock. I cleaned the straw out of one end of the chicken shed as it was pretty wet. Hubert husked corn all the afternoon. Frank went down with him this evening as he had forgotten the paper. They have all gone to bed now and I must go too. It snowed quite a lot this morning and several times through the day it was very wet almost rain, I think it is getting colder tonight. I got 10 eggs today.</p> <p>Tuesday, January 19th</p> <p>Hubert did not come over at all today, he had some insurance to look after. Frank went to school. I did up the chores and we had an early dinner</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>as soon after as possible I drove Hattie and baby down to Mrs Herb Cooks, left them there and went on down town and mailed a letter to the girls, came back got Hattie and baby and went out to the Waddles, Jim was in Simcoe so I did not see him. The sleighing is splendid not it snowed a lot last night and it was a wet heavy snow and stuck in spite of the wind. After tea Frank and I drove out to the H. Shands and did not get home till midnight. Colin was there and we had a great talk. It has been a fine day.</p> <p>Wednesday, January 20th</p> <p>Hubert got over about noon today. After dinner I drove him down to Art Ryerses, he wanted to see Art about the insurance on the new school, but he had gone to T. L. Gillies funeral. We then went a got a load of wood and were back at 3 O'Clock so I went after another load and Hubert stayed and sawed up rails. Dick came home for tea and we had it early and he started for Simcoe to see a Hockey game. Hubert stayed to tea and drove down with him. It is now after 10 O'Clock and he is not home yet. it has been a lovely day. I had a long letter from Toby and Frank and I wrote him tonight.</p> <p>Thursday, January 21st</p> <p>Nothing of importance was on today. I did not get up till nearly 7 O'Clock. I waited up for Dick last night and it was almost 2 O'Clock when he and I went to bed. Hubert was not over at all today. Frank went to school. I did the usual round of chores and got up two loads of wood. Hattie made dough-nuts and cookies beside all her ordinary work, she is stocking up against Toby's homecoming. We had letters from the girls today and I had a card from Quint today and am going to write him now. It has been much colder today and is freezing pretty hard tonight.</p> <p>Friday, January 22nd</p> <p>Owing to Toby's absence from home the diary has so far been kept by Daddy but as he is almost asleep tonight I am going to try a turn at it. This has been rather a blustery</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>day, the worst day we have had this year. Cold East wind and snow. Hubert did not come over today. Lila told Frank he was fixing the smoke house. Daddy had to do everything himself. He killed and dressed three roosters. The little steer that we have shut up to fatten has been "off her feed" for the last two days but Daddy thinks she is some better tonight. Frank came home from school via Mrs. Cook's and brought my dress also a couple of rolled oats from the mill. He said Mr. Cook told him that Col. Thompson is dead and was to be cremated. He died out in California. Frank went down to the "Movie" tonight to see "The Millionaire Cowboy." He invited me to go but the weather looked too disaggreeable disagreeable for me. We are expecting Toby tomorrow evening and will be very glad to have him home again</p> <p>Saturday January 25th</p> <p>I see the family have been very faithful in keeping account of events of the past two weeks but as soon as I got within forty miles of home their efforts ceased and as I didn't pull in till to-night I don't know exactly what happened to-day, but perhaps a summary of my history of the last fortnight would not be out of place just here. The first day I arrived in Guelph I found the place full of strangers like myself prepared to take some of the short courses at the O.A.C. I was lucky enough to get the last place in a boarding house within walking distance of the College. The last place turned out to be a cot several inches too short for me in a room already occupied by two fellows in a double bed. There were only three bedrooms and seven of us. I slept in the cot the first night but my knee was bad the next day so as one of the other fellows said I could sleep with him in a decent bed I decided to do so, but in order to accomplish this I had to displace another and sentence him to the cot. This could not be done peaceably so we had to use force. This disturbed the household and the old man appeared in his nightshirt to inform us that it would be expedient for me or more of us to hunt a new boarding house. However things went smoother after that and I have slept in a bed ever since and instead of us any of us departing another was introduced and another cot erected for his benefit a week before I left. They weren't a bad bunch of fellows all students at the College. Two of them Jim De Leplante and Copelan were regular students</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and the other four {illegible}. Ben Tex &amp; Jack were taking the short three months dairy course and Coatsworth the last addition to the family was also a dairyman. One of then was from Toronto two from Buffalo one from Prince Edward Island one from England originally and Jack the fellow that got kicked out of bed was from a little town somewhere near St. Thomas. Tex who was my bedfellow proved to be the wildest and most entertaining of the bunch. His father lived in Chicago but owned a factory in Guelph. Tex wasn't bound much by home ties and said his father had threatened to disown him on one occasion for some of his rash actions. He had put in a lot of time in Texas and the West and would talk a blue streak about his numerous adventures. I would like to say whether they were all true or not. There was another very nice fellow up there by the name of Hamilton and he has had some experiences about as thrilling as Tex's and after hearing him recount them a fellow can just about bank on them being straight. He is altogether different from Tex a steady going well educated fellow and very interested in his studies. He has a great scheme about a chicken ranch and a market garden in his head, which if he doesn't make good on I don't think will be his fault. The life at the boarding house was very interesting and the life at the College was none the less so and much more educative. Our classes started at half past eight and every morning we had seed judging for an hour and a half. Prof. Javitz conducted all those classes but the last three which were devoted to the study of weed seeds and were taken by another fellow who name I don't remember. After the seed classs we went to the judging pavillion and put in the rest of the day. The first day we had sheep judging and an old breeder Mr. Harding did most of the talking but Prof. Day was the chief instructor. He was there for all the stock except the horses. The method they took every day was to give a discussion on whatever species of livestock we had before us then give the students a chance to place them in what they thought was the order meriting prizes and then for the proffessor or breeder to place them right and give reasons the students being permitted to ask all the questions they liked at any time. After the sheep we had swine with Mr. Bretham to talk on them then fat cattle and an old fellow named Mr. Gosling then Dairy Cattle with Mr. Bull of Brampton for Jersey's and Mr. Brenan for Holsteins and another for Holsteins. Last of all we had horses and Dr. Hugo Reid took Prof. Day's place. We had all the different types of horses. Some of the sheep cattle &amp; hogs they killed and brought the dressed carcasses into the ring to demonstrate the relations between the live and the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>dressed. We used to get through as a rule soon after four and would have time to look around the farm or go for a swim in the gym or go over to the library as they had a fine one in connection with college. I went over to the poultry department and had a talk with Prof. Graham one night. He told me he was going to bring his class down here to see Jack Martin's chickens in a couple of weeks Two or three evenings they had a lecture or something on which was always interesting. I would have had lots of skating as they had a dandy rink at the College and two or three down town but my knee was bad nearly the whole time. However I did go and skate after a carnival they had and as I knew Hammond who is a second year man up there I got an introduction to several of the girls. I spent one evening with the Graeser's who are friends of Miss Scott and the Millman's so taking it all round I had a mighty good two weeks of it my knee being the only drawback.</p> <p>Sunday January 24th</p> <p>Frank was the only member of this family who went to church this morning and Dick was the sole representative to-night. I had a sore throat all day and felt pretty tough. Dad. spent the day doing chores and about five o'clock took Enah and Tiddums for a short drive. Frank spent the after noon in the woods. Cold but lovely day, sunny and bright.</p> <p>Monday Janaury 25th</p> <p>Frank stayed home from school to-day and he and Dad. did chores and cut wood all day. They got a big pile cut. I felt too rotten to go out of the house at all. Cold day but nice.</p> <p>Tuesday January 26th</p> <p>Frank stayed home again to-day and this morning he and Dad. took the little steer over to the slaughter house. Whit. killed it and dressed it to-day and they went over and got it in the bobsleigh to-night. Enah and Tiddums went down town with them and waited down town while they went over and got the meat. They took one quarter down to Huby and another to Mrs. McBride. He just dressed 352 lbs. Mrs. McBride was here washing all day. Cold &amp; bright.</p> <p>Wednesday January 27th</p> <p>Dad. cut up one of the quarters of beef this morning and this after noon he Enah &amp; Tiddums drove down to Law's to get one of them to haul ice to-morrow Sam was there and he said if Alan couldn't come he would</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Frank went to school to day but Huby came over and cleaned out the ice house. We had a long visit from Jonas to-night. Still cold and bright.</p> <p>Thursday January 28th</p> <p>Dad. and Huby have been busy to-day filling the ice house Alan came and hauled eight loads. it is nice ice now but the blocks are thick Huby came over just before dinner on Alan's second load. He voted first they are voting for councillors to-day. Dick came home for tea to have a feed of beef heart and he told us that Ed. headed the poles with Mat. Wilson second. Harry Smith just missed by one vote There were just the three running and only two were to be elected. I felt better to-day and took Tiddums out for a ride in his dandy new sleigh which his Granfather made him Weather about the same as yesterday.</p> <p>Friday January 29th</p> <p>I have been out a little more to-day and did a few chores and put the cotton on another of my window frames. Huby has been over all day packing sawdust around the ice. I guess we will have to get another load. Dad. took a load of ice down to Lea Marshall's this after noon as all the farmers are helping him fill his ice house. Frank went down to see a broom-ball match to-night which they are having between the East and West side of Main St. Very cold and windy to-day. Snow drifting.</p> <p>Saturday January 30th</p> <p>Alan Law came over this morning and borrowed our sleighs to haul ice for Bob. Miller but left his here so Dad. and I cleaned out the horse stable and boxstall which had been cleaned out for two weeks so altogether there were two good sleigh loads and Dad. hauled it out on the old garden. I also made a rack in the chicken house to hold the window frames when there are not in use. Huby came over about noon and he and Frank cut wood all the afternoon Dad. and I did chores. Lila came over with Huby. Dad. Enah and Tiddums drove down town about five o'clock They took down eight dozen eggs and got 32 cts a doz. Very cold last night and cold all day but very sunny and still.</p> <p>Sunday January 31st</p> <p>We were very late getting up this morning and except for Frank and Dick nobody has been off or on the farm all day Frank went to church &amp; sunday school this morning and Dick who didn't get up till after noon went down town about three o'clock. Dad. &amp; I did chores most of the morning and I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>read this afternoon. To-night Dad. wrote letters and I drew Enah. went to sleep and Frank wrote a letter to Aunt Leena. It has been mild and cloudy all day snowed this morning turning to an icy rain.</p> <p>Monday February 1st</p> <p>It rained all night last night and this morning everything was flooded so I drove the boys down to school and the bank. It began to freeze before noon and the wind got up so by to-night there was a fierce storm raging with a cutting sleet and it was pretty cold. We didn't do anything but chores all day and not any more of them than was necessary. We sat around and read most of the after noon.</p> <p>Tuesday February 2nd</p> <p>This has been the worst storm we have had for quite awhile. It stormed all night and all to-day but to-night is quieter. No trains came in at all to-day and they took the engine of the freight to pull the Stratford train out Dave Turner got out a mile or so but came back. The snow is so solid it is just like sand drifts. I walked down town this morning and got my hair cut This after noon put cotton on another window frame for the chicken house. It was nearly full of snow this morning. Frank came home about three o'clock as there was hardly anyone at school and the room was so cold the snow which drifted in didn't melt all day. Mrs. McBride came over this morning I don't know whether she intended to wash or not but she didn't. The old bear didn't see his shadow to-day but its very doubtful if he stuck his nose outside his log all day, so I suppose we should have an early spring.</p> <p>Wednesday February 3rd</p> <p>Dad. and I spent most of the fore noon shovelling snow as everything was drifted full. Tupper and Mr. Evans broke the trail from the Winding Hills to the mill bridge. Tupper was in here to get a cure for ringworm he has a patch of it near his mouth. I don't think any trains went out to-day but the mail train got in about five o'clock to-night. Frank went down after tea to get the mail and see another broom ball match. Dick didn't come home at all last night. This has been a lovely day. Cold but very sunny and not much breeze. Frank has just come home and said it was the snowplow which came in instead of the mail train but the track is clear now.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday February 4th</p> <p>Tims and I are alone tonight, the others are all down at the Cadets' concert and as they thought there would be a dance after it I suppose they will be late getting home so I think when I have written this I will go to bed. I have read a lot of the papers Miss Newell sent to Frank we have had no mail since Monday and I dont believe there has been a train in on the Hamilton road since the storm. We prepared for Mrs McBride today but she did not come. Toby and I got a couple of loads of wood up today, it was quite a job breaking the road there is a lot of snow now. It has been a very fine day pretty cold but bright.</p> <p>Friday February 5th</p> <p>We were late getting up this morning but managed to get the chores done up in time to haul up one load of wood. We took Tiddums back with us and he had a fine time. Coming home he showed signs of uneasiness I think owing to the fact that his feet were cold although he declared they were not but when Snoop and Bluch threatened to have a passage at arms he cheered up considerably.The dogs didn't fight however as Sam called Snoop home. Yesterday they had a little set to but old Bluch settled the dispute very quickly. Snoop is game but Bluch is too much for him. It was beginning to rain when we got in and when we got the load off Dad. went down to the mill and got a bags of flour, chop, &amp; rolled oats. By after dinner it was raining too hard to go back to the woods and it kept it up all the after noon and is still raining to-night. I put in the after noon making a door for the partition between the two pens in the chicken shed. Dad. did chores and took the pork out of the pickle and put the beef in. I was going up to Simcoe to-night with a load that Cars. Rankin got up to see a hockey match but as it was raining so hard I didn't go. I don't suppose the rest would as I don't think the ice would be any good let alone the unpleasantness of the trip. The train came in on the Hamilton track to-day for the first time since the blockade and we got out mail to-night after being without it for three or four days. This has been one of the worst storms we have had for a long time. They say the snowplow and two engines ran off the track down by the Creamery yesterday and smashed the snowplow all to pieces and injured one of the engineers quite severly. The last we heard of the Port Rowan train it was stuck in a snowbank a couple of miles south of Simcoe</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday February 6th</p> <p>It rained all fore noon and turned later to snow it has been cold and raw all day. After chores I spent most of the day fixing around the chicken house and made a door for the opening at the east end of the shed. Dad. and Frank sawed wood all morning and right after dinner hooked up and went down after a load of shingles and pickets to make a {sheep rack?}. Huby had them in the woodshed down home. Win came back with them and stayed to tea. After they got home we separated the calves from the sheep and put the former over in the barn near Deadnought's stall. After tea Win, Frank and I went down to the Moving Picture show Win &amp; I got in at the first show but Frank and Lila who were a little later couldn't get in on account of the crowd but they got in at the second show and saw The "Million Dollar Mystery" which was the principal thing we went to see. The films didn't come till the late train so Win. &amp; I missed it. One of the ewes the old fat one looks very sick to-night. Her legs seem stiff and she is panting very hard and not eating, we don't know what ails her but she looks to be pretty sick I have got up fairly early in the morning to write this and although I have the fire lit. It is still so cold in here that I have put on my gloves and cap and pulled down the ear tabs in the hope of feeling comfortable</p> <p>Sunday February 7th</p> <p>Frank went down to church and Sunday school this morning and Dad. &amp; I did up the chores. Dick got up in time for dinner. We all got ready to drive down to see the wreck of the snowplow after dinner on the bobsleighs but just as we got ready a terrific snowstorm came up and in the midst of it Elva, Said. Davis &amp; May Perry came over and were here all the after noon and evening. Then we hooked up to the bobsleigh &amp; Dick Frank and I drove them down home. We had a mighty pleasant time but poor Dick didn't get down at all to see Dess and he was terribly afraid she would be mad. It has been a lovely day most of the time but for a snowstorm now and then. The sick ewe was a lot better to-day but something is wrong with her.</p> <p>Monday February 8th</p> <p>I got up fairly early this morning and got most of my chores done before breakfast. I didn't do much during the morning but make some buttons to hold the frames in the chicken house. We had dinner early and hooked up to the bobsleighs and all drove down to meet the one o'clock train as Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice came in on it from Brantford as they had gone over there from Toronto to see Miss Battersby.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>They went to Huby's and so we didn't see much of them to-day. When we got home Art Ryersie and Colin came in to settle up some accounts. They were here a long time and Art was expressing his opinion of the war, hard times, and the outlook for feeding till Spring and others which are troubling the most of us just now. To-night just about six Jack Highland came in and wanted Dad. to take down the three bags of bluegrass seed. Huby told me the other day that he wanted it to-day but we didn't know whether he meant it or not so forgot it, so Dad. &amp; Frank had to take it down to-night. I went to Simcoe to drill to-night and took Colin Ryersie with me but when I got there I found them practicing for another patriotic concert in the Armories and they weren't having any drill and wouldn't let Colin in at all so we didn't stay long and I got home before Dad. went to bed. Raw &amp; Cold.</p> <p>Tuesday February 9th</p> <p>We were going after a load of wood this morning but Jack McBride came after Dad. to see a sick cow so I did up the chores and cut a little wood for Mrs McBride who was here washing. This after noon I went over to Jack Martin's thinking Prof. Graham would be there from the O.A.C. with his short course students as he told me he was coming down about this time and John Quanbury told us yesterday he was coming to-day but I found out he had come last night and been over here this morning so I missed them. After I got back Dad. &amp; Tiddums drove down in the bobsleighs and brought Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice over. it has been a nice day, sunny but pretty cold.</p> <p>Wednesday February 10th</p> <p>Dad. and I went back this morning and got a load of rails. We got all we could and nearly all there were but there are still a few under the snow. While we were at dinner Cars. Rankin came over to task me if I would take a load to Simcoe to-night. He said there were three or four fellows promised to go and an equal number of girls and that it would be worthwhile Dad. told me to tell him I wouldn't go so I did and then Dad said if i wanted to take Belle &amp; Joe I could so I promised him I would. This after noon Dad. and I went up and got a load of gravel at Cantelon's and I had to hurry to get down town at the right time When I got there I found ten girls waiting and only one boy Charlie Nun. The others had disappeared and Cars. had gone up on the train. They all piled in and then I remembered that in my hurry I had come away without</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>my skates so they said for me to go around by home and get them which I did but it made us late and we didn't reach Simcoe till nearly nine o'clock and there Charlie Nun proved himself to be worth all the rest of the bunch put to-gether who promised to go and didn't for he paid for most of the girls' way in to the rink and also for my ticket Dick had gone up on the afternoon train so he took Dess over. The game was between the Simcoe O.H.A. Juniors and Waterford. Cars. played with Simcoe and their team proved to be far more than a match for the Waterford fellows and the score was 7-3 I think favor of Simcoe. It was a pretty poor game and pretty dirty on the Waterford side especially. We had a half an hour or so skating after the match and got well warmed up and left for home before twelve. I nearly knocked one of my teeth out and Mildred Henry's brains at the same time while we were skating We were playing tag and I was it and as she was skating towards me I made at her to tag her. She saw me coming and turned around as I thought to skate away, but instead tried to dodge me or some thing with the result of a great collision and the above mentioned consequences. Dick and Cars. came back with us and we got back about half past one or two. Lovely day &amp; night but pretty cold.</p> <p>Thursday February 11th</p> <p>This morning Dad. hauled wood while I did up the chores and this after noon we hauled another load of gravel from Cantelon's. There was a bunch up there including John Wess &amp; Tupper. Rus. Lampkins also came in but decided he couldn't get through to Lynn Valley with a load so didn't stay. This morning Art Munroe came over after Dad. as their (Ivey's) black mare was down and they couldn't get her up She was over in the back field by the woods and had an attach of the colic. She got up after a while but was pretty stubborn about it. It has been pretty cold and breezy to day.</p> <p>Friday February 12th</p> <p>Dad. hauled wood all day to-day, he got up four loads which was all there was back there. I did up the chores and worked around at odd jobs while he was gone and helped him to unload the loads of wood. The last load out but one Dad. took Enah and Tiddums down to Alfred's and called for them again when he had unloaded. He and I also went down to the mill and got a bag of buckwheat and a bag of shelled corn for the chickens. Frank went down town to-night and asked Huby if he would come over to-morrow and help him saw wood. Huby said he would. Very mild and Spring like to day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday February 13th</p> <p>Huby and Lila came over this morning and have been here all day Huby &amp; Frank cutting wood most of the time. This morning Dad. Lila and I went up and got another load of gravel. Yesterday's thaw made the roads pretty slippery and in some places the snow was nearly all gone, we had no trouble getting home with our load however, although Preston's hill was pretty bad in spots. As Frank wanted to make a trip to the Gravel pit he and Dad. went up for a load this after noon. They wanted to put it off way up at Sam's corner but when they crossed the ditch the bobs got stuck and they had to throw the load of where it was, unleach the team as Harry fell down and pull the sleighs out with the cham. Huby helped me put the netting on the chicken house windows this after noon and then Enah. Tiddums and I drove down town. Enah took down seven dozen eggs and got 28 cts for them. We saw Dick down town and while Enah was shopping he, Tiddums and I had a great drive around town which apparently delighted Tid. to the utmost. It rained this morning and hasn't frozen all day but the wind is much colder.</p> <p>Sunday February 14th</p> <p>I just watered the horses and fed the chickens this morning and then got ready and went down to Sunday school with Frank. Hazen started back a few weeks ago so I thought I would keep him company. I went around and called for him. He invited me over to dinner so I went after church. Hazen, Dave &amp; Booze were keeping hatch to-day and Hazen did the cooking. We had a chicken which was mighty good. I was over there all the afternoon and didn't get home till after five. Just as I was coming over the bridge Dad overtook me with the team, sleigs and all the family, they had been out at the Shand's and had come around by town to get Aunty's and Aunty Alice's luggage as they are going to stay over here for awhile. To night We all listened to Aunty read "Little Lord Fauntleroy." Very mild and Spring like all day with quite a heavy shower of rain after dinner.</p> <p>Monday February 15th</p> <p>I happened to get up early this morning and while poking around heard a sheep blat. I lit the lantren and went out and saw the ewe which as been sick all week No 24 looked very much like lambing so I called Dad. and sure enough before long there was a lamb and before breakfast another and soon after a third but it was dead. Dad. has been running back and forward to the barn all day with first one and then the other to keep them warm and also to feed them as the ewe so far has hardly any milk for them, but to-night they look fairly comfortable</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We built a pen over in the barn this after noon and shut the ewe and her lambs in it which separates them from the other sheep. Dad. helped me put the gate on the chicken yard and to-night I separated the three pens but haven't them sorted out yet. To-night Dad. &amp; Enah went down to a concert by the Nanticoke Minstrel's. Frank went down to change a vest he got at Butler's. It has been mild to-day but cloudy.</p> <p>Tuesday February 16th</p> <p>This morning I went over first thing and got some roosters from Jack Martin. I got four to mate up with about fortytwo or three hens. I also got a little brandy from Mrs. Quanbury for the lambs as one of them was nearly all in this morning when Dad. went out but when I got home this one little fellow was dead. However the brandy revived the other one and by to-night was quite lively. This after noon I spent most of the time being coachman for the family. First I drove Aunty down town as she wanted to go to auxilliary Just as I got home Enah was ready to go down town to I drove her down. Then I nicely got back to the head of the lane when Mrs. McBride who has been here washing all day came out on her way home so I turned around and drove her home. I then was able to put Joe in for about an hour or so and then drove down and got Aunty &amp; Aunty Enah and brought them home. To-night Dad. helped me get all the single comb hens out from the others and by themselfes and also to even up the other two pens a little better, so now I have about twenty hens and twenty two or three pullets. There may be a pullet or two in with the hens. It was colder to-day and cloudy and threatened to snow all day. I sat up till half past one reading "The Broad Highway."</p> <p>Wednesday February 17th</p> <p>I did chores most of the morning and nothing else much all day as I spent the time reading My "Broad Highway" I intended only to read at it odd minutes but it was too much for me and I put in nearly the whole day with it, after reading it, going back to feeding chickens and cleaning stables seems an unbearably tame way of living. This being Ash Wednesday Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went down to church this morning and Miss Harding came back with them to dinner She was here all the after noon and drove down to-night with Enah and I as we went to church this evening. Frank walked down to church but came back with us. The other lamb died to-day. About 9.30 to-night Tupper came after Dad to see a sick ewe. Sunny &amp; thawing but raw.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday February 18th</p> <p>This morning I drove Aunty to Vittoria to catch the 11.40 train for Port Rowan as she went up for the day to see Aunty Ida. I didn't come straight home but went around to see if I could come down the front road but I saw both the Dunkin's and they said I couldn't get through that way so I had to come back around by Vittoria. Mr. Dunkin told me that he hadn't had the sheep registered yet and got me to give him the numbers again. As I wasn't in a special hurry I drove down the road that goes past the mill but after getting along it quite a way had to turn back but I wasn't sorry I went as it is so pretty. I think I have been through before but it must have been a long time ago and in the summer, it is just a pretty in winter, as the little stream is running along just the same, and the snow, sunshine and evergreens all combine to give it a very cosy &amp; comfortable appearance and the narrow little roadway bounded by the artistic old rail fences over which you occasionally catch a glimpse of a field keep you in mind of the fact that you are still within reach of civilization but at the same time fits in beautifully with the fairyland surroundings. That is certainly a lovely country up there if it isn't much good. I didn't get home till after the rest had had dinner and as Sid. McBride had been here to tell us our wire had come Dad. and I had to go down after in this after noon. Dick came home to tea to-night and afterwards he and I went down to the Orchestra's dance. We had a dandy time, there were not many boys there but lots of girls. I danced pretty nearly every dance and with pretty nearly every girl and by half past two wasn't any more than able to toddle home. Perce Brock was down with his troops and so with him and Murray combined we couldn't help but have dandy music, the rest of the Orchestra was there too of course. The old ewe who has lambed could not get up to-day and all the after noon has been stretched out flat and although she was chewing her cud this after noon to-night she is just about dead. It has been a beautiful day fairly cold breeze but very sunny</p> <p>Friday February 19th</p> <p>Dad. and I didn't do anything all morning but tend to sheep and lambs. The sick ewe died during the night. Dad thought of skinning her but when he saw that her skin was all mottled he decided not to touch her as he was afraid of blood poison and besides the wool came right off her I suppose from fever. He took the fleece of her by pulling it and it came as easily and left the skin</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>as clean as a whistle. First thing this morning old ewe No 117 had three lambs, the first one not much bigger than a half grown kitten, the second one a little bigger but weak and the last one the biggest and huskiest. The first two were not only weak but didn't know enough to go and get their natural breakfast so Dad. has been carrying them back and forward to the house to feed them and keep them warm. About noon old Splitear had a pair of twins but they were bigger and much more sensible. This after noon we did chores principally and Dad. buried the dead ewe. Colin Ryersie came in for quite a visit To-night Frank went down to the train and Aunty came home with him Lovely sunny day</p> <p>Saturday February 20th</p> <p>We didn't do much this morning but chores and I put Queen in Ginger's stall and cleaned her up and monkeyed with her for quite awhile till when I was washing her stifle she kicked me on my sore knee which settled me till after dinner. Jim Waddle and the two little girls came in and were here for a long time staying till dinner time. Frank tore down some of the barbed wire fence along the road. This after noon I drove Enah and Tiddums down town Aunty went as far as Uncle Ward's with us. To-night we all stayed home and Frank and I had a bath. When Dick came home he stayed up till three oclock reading "The Money Moon" which Aunty Alice gave him Very mild and soft to-day. Sleighing nearly gone</p> <p>Sunday February 21st</p> <p>I went down to Sunday school again this morning with Aunty and Frank and also to church. Aunty and Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Key's for dinner. This after noon Frank and I went for a ride, he took Belle with the little saddle and I was mounted on Joe. We had a dandy galop We went up the Gravel to the corner this side of the Half-Way-House crossed over to the Radical at the Brick School House and down the Radical through town and home. We were rather stiff to-night and Frank went to bed at eight o'clock but before I hit the strawpile we had some music. Softer and sunnier than ever to-day Sleighing no good at all</p> <p>Monday February 22nd</p> <p>Dad. didn't go to bed at all last night on account of the sheep. His ewe had one lamb about one oclock, it is very small and just as foolish as the others were about nursing we didn't pay much attention to it all day just holding</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the mother a couple of times for the lamb to suck but this evening when Dad. went to look at it it was nearly dead. He brought it in the house and has been tending to it and feeding it out of the bottle with brandy &amp; milk all evening and although for awhile he and Aunty Alice thought they had a hopeless case but now it has revived a little I haven't done much all day but chores and cleaned out the far chicken pen I also gave Queen a little brushing off and cleaned out the boxstall it has been a very rainy after noon and I read the "Money Moon" for an hour or two. Jonas came over before tea and bought a setting of eggs It has been very soft and Springlike but cloudy with a little rain.</p> <p>Tuesday February 23rd</p> <p>It has rained nearly all day to-day so we didn't do anything much except chores and Dad. put in a lot of time tending to the sheep. His lamb died to-day so he is going to try to put the little pet lamb on his ewe although she hasn't much bag. This after noon Dad. &amp; I drove Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice down town in the bobsleighs although the roads were mostly mud. They are going to stay down till Sunday. We brought Blaikeys old iron pot back from Butlers where it has been ever since Blaikey gave it to us since when he had his sale three years ago. Mrs. McBride was here to wash to-day and hung the clothes in the woodshed.</p> <p>Wednesday February 24th</p> <p>This morning we did up the chores and I put the harness &amp; bridle on Queen but didn't take her out. I also went over to Jack Martin's and got an egg crate to start saving eggs for him. Old Mr. Silverthorn was over to see what we would send to the men's banquet on Friday night and put us down for some cream. Dad. &amp; I took a walk back to see what the wheat looked like before dinner. The piece next Ivey's looks fine and there is no water lying on it although Ivey's place is flooded in spite of his tile. The other piece doesn't look so well especially on the knoll where it seems to be killed out and there are several places where the water is lying on it. Charlie Quanbury brought Chris' hams over to be smoked this after noon and I went out to his farm with him. He was fixing up his cow stable as he wants to get moved out in a week. He is going to keep hatch. I am afraid it will be pretty lonely for him but he thinks he wont mind. Frank went down to church to-night. It has been cloudy &amp; very mild all day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday February 25th</p> <p>This morning we put the pork in the smoke house and Dad. started a fire in the old iron pot we got from Butler's He thought it would make a fine firebox as there is a big hole in the bottom of the side which he thought would do for a damper (which it certainly did). He went out after dinner to see it and the pot had melted a hole in the ice for the smoke house had been flooded and when the pot sunk the water ran in the hole and put the fire out. This after noon I started to tidy up the shop and Dad. and I cut a little wood. To-night Dad. &amp; I walked down to see Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice and Dad. got his hair cut. They are staying up at Cousin Loll's for a day or two &amp; Cousin Loll &amp; Willie have gone to Toronto to see Hugh. They thought it very queer that last night Cousin Loll dreamt all night about Hugh She thought he had come home and it was so real she woke up and got up, then went to sleep again and dreamt the same thing over again, so she thought surely she would get a letter to-day from him but was disappointed, but late this afternoon Cousin Willie came up and said Hugh had just telephoned him from Toronto as he was there on business but wouldn't have time to come to Dover so wanted them to go down there. Cousin Willie had planned to go down anyway to a board of trade meeting so Cousin Loll went with him this morning and they expect to be back to-morrow night. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice expect to leave for the West Monday night. Tom Abbot and Billy {Haron?} were in this after noon Tom's mare has flatulent colic which is the same as Tuple's horse died of the other day so poor Tom was pretty frightened and wanted Dad to go down but Dad. gave him some medicine instead. It has been much colder and very blustery with snow today.</p> <p>Friday February 26th</p> <p>Dad. and I cut some wood this morning besides doing up the chores. This afternoon we were preparing to go over and pay Tupper a visit when Tom Abbot came in to get Dad. to go down and see Maude so we all walked down there judging from appearances Maude didn't seem in bad health except that she was a little bloated, but she was active and attentive and didn't seem in any pain however Dad. left Tom some medicine and advice. It was after five when we got home. I went down to the Men's missionary hangout for supper. I bought a ticket from Dick for fifty cts the other day so thought I had better use it. The cadets waited on the table and as I happened</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>think I was doing too badly when I could run up the G. scale two octaves and pretty nearly come down again and could also scrape off "Drink to me only" &amp; "Sun of my Soul" so that you could tell what I was trying to play. Dick went down town this after noon after spending the first half of the day in bed according to custom and got home to-night about twelve It has been a sunny day but a cold raw wind.</p> <p>Monday March 1st</p> <p>The first thing on the programme this morning was the presentation of another pair of lambs by Greynose 118. I found them about half an hour after Dad. had looked in and found nothing. They were both dandy big fat strong ones and didn't need any nursing at all. When the sun got good and hot Dad. turned the old ewe and lambs in the shed where they were out of the wind. We did chores all morning and this after noon went down to say good-bye to Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice as they left for the West to-night and are going to stay with Roy &amp; Vernon to-night. I took 6 dozen eggs over to Jack Martin and Enah took five dozen down town. Jack said he wanted to send over a couple more roosters to put in the single comb pen. Mrs. McBride was here washing all day. To-night Dick and I went to Simcoe as Dick wanted to see a hockey match between Simcoe &amp; Hamilton. Dad. assured us that the roads would be impassable as they said they were last Thursday but as Dick heard from several that they were good and as two or three had come down in automobiles and as it was a lovely full moon to-night we thought we would risk it, we were very glad we did for the roads were as smooth and hard as could be hardly any snow left on them except in one or two spots. It was a very good game between the Seniors &amp; Hamilton and finished in two periods with a score of 4-2 in favor of Simcoe. I think the Hamilton fellows were a little the best team but Simcoe's goal-tender saved them. I went over to the Armories before the match and had about half an hour's drill. The third contingent fellows of which there are about thirty from the 39th are living at the Armories. They are going to have target practice down in the basement next Wednesday and cut out the drill one night a week. Sunny but cold to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday March 2nd</p> <p>I felt rather tough to-day as I had a sore throat and a cold I suppose due to my last night's exploit as Dick &amp; I did considerable singing on the road home. First thing I went over to Martin's and got a couple of cockerels for the single comb</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to sit down at a table which was under the supervision of Ed. Lindsay who didn't seem to do anything but run around with a large pitcher of hot coffee, I think I could have got a much better tea at home for nothing only I wouldnt have had three different kinds of cake. After supper we had to sit for about three hours and listen to speeches from fellows from Simcoe and Toronto as well as our own local talent. They didn't do or say anything much but crack jokes and talk about the war and the Kaiser and the missionary movement. Frank came down after tea and waited till I went home Dick was at the supper but had some excuse about having to work so missed the speeches. Cold wind and blustery. Lovely night.</p> <p>Saturday 27th February</p> <p>We didn't do anything much this morning but chores and cut a little wood. Frank and I had a good boxing match in the shop, he's not bad with his fists at all. Winnie &amp; Lila came over to dinner Winnie had a collection box collecting to buy surplices for the choir. I donated a very nice two inch nail which I happened to have in my pocket. Winnie didn't seem very appreciative. Tom came in after dinner to tell Dad. that Maude isn't well yet although she is getting her appetite back having eat four bran mashes and is ready for as many more Dad. said she was doing all right but gave Tom a ball to give her. The minute Tom came in Tiddums solicited a nickel from him and got it. Just after Tom left Tupper came in and was here most of the after noon just visiting. Frank went down to-night to help eat up what was left over from last night's banquet. He'll get his supper for ten cents and won't have to listen to any speeches. It has been freezing all day with cold wind but sunny.</p> <p>Sunday February 28th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school &amp; church and Enah came down to church as they had a hymn sang to the tune of "Tell Aunty Rhody the Grey Goose is dead." And so Harry Moon sent her a special invitation to be there Aunty was in church and she &amp; Aunty Alice came over here to dinner. They went back before tea however as Aunty Alice has a bad cold and didn't want to be out after sundown Dad. went down to church to-night and around to see them They expect to leave for the West to-morrow night. They were able to get cheap tickets after all. This evening Enah &amp; I played a few duets but the parlor was pretty cold so I spent the rest of the evening practicing on the fiddle. Last night was the first time I ever tried it so didn't</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>pen I also took the little cockerel which has been running with them over but they said he was too small to be any good so I brought him back and shut him in the corn crib with the Old Plymouth Rock &amp; Rhode Island Red to await execution. When Dad. went out the cow stable this morning he found a heifer calf belonging to Jim. so that has taken up a little extra time but it is a fine red calf &amp; good &amp; strong but a little finer than Mary, Dad. thinks Martha would be a good name for it. This after noon Enah went down to Auxiliary and I minded Tiddums who was wonderfully good but didn't seem to be able to satiate his ravenous appetite for apples and I didn't like to give him too many. Dad took the old Rhode Island Red hen down to Alfred's and traded her off for a rooster to kill. We hated to kill her as she is laying. It has been a sunny but very windy &amp; raw day.</p> <p>Wednesday March 3rd I didn't do anything to-day but chores as I felt rather tough with a cold and there was a cold high wind all day Dad chopped the smoke house door open again and put a fire in. I got twenty five eggs to-day, they are picking up. To-night Enah and Frank went to church &amp; choir practice and I went to a party at Pat's &amp; Bessies. I went up to the bank first and went down with Dick &amp; Hazen. There was a big crowd down there playing pedro, we had a mighty good time but didn't get home till about two o'clock so I suppose will feel the effects later. Dick one won the gentleman's first prize which was a book. Art. Lawdon got the booby I think he was one game lower than me.</p> <p>Thursday March 4th</p> <p>As I expected I felt tough to-day but more on account of my cold than anything. I did chores and pruned some of the peach trees this morning and slept most of the after noon Dad. went down to the mill and had quite a visit with old Ivey and made arrangements to get about forty bushels of seed oats and run his {face?} for them I guess he succeeded all right and will get them to-morrow. Nice sunny day.</p> <p>Friday March 5th</p> <p>We hooked up the team this morning and went down to the mill to get our seed oats. We got forty bushels and put them in Ed's big bin It took us nearly all morning to fix things to hold them We left some right in the bags. We hauled over a few forkfuls of the old thrashed bluegrass out of the shed to the other barn. This after noon I took Ivey's sacks back to him and did chores. Old Jonas paid us quite a visit</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>last night. He has rented Hew Morgan's property up the radical roads about twenty two acres, house &amp; barn some fruit and a grape vine for $75 a year. He thinks he will be able to make it growing vegetables. To-night Enah &amp; I went down to Elva's to another pedro party. We got there early so I went back to town and came over with Dick &amp; Harry {Wrey?}. We had another very enjoyable evening but didn't get home till two o'clock. Dick won a box of blacking this time for the booby prize with the inscription "If you can't shine at the head shine at the foot. There has been a rather raw wind all day and this after noon it began to snow it was still snowing when we came home but the wind had gone down and it had turned very soft.</p> <p>Saturday March 6th</p> <p>I havent done anything but chores all day and havent been very swift at them. I had a short nooze before dinner Tonight before six Frank &amp; I went down and got the mail &amp; some coal oil. Tony Bannister came over after dinner an he and Frank went back to see if there were any fish in the creek but there wasn't any water in it yet. Truman Walker was in at noon and borrowed the saddle as he was taking one of his mares to Simcoe to sell her for an artillery horse. His father is in Toronto having his eye treated and has been gone for several weeks Trum. says it will be a long time before he will be back It has been cloudy and snowing a little but very soft. There were quite a few cutters &amp; sleighs out to-day but I guess it sleighing is pretty poor</p> <p>Sunday March 7th</p> <p>Frank was the only member of this family at church or Sunday school this morning and he stayed down at Huby's for dinner. My cold was so bad that I didn't do a pesky thing all day but sit around, practice on the fiddle write a letter to Quint. and read. Dad. did all the chores and this morning drove Enah and Tiddums down to the latter's Grandma's where they had dinner and and spent the afternoon Dad. brought them home at five o'clock. Dick got up about two o'clock and went down to see Dess for the rest of the day &amp; a good part of the night. I went to bed right after tea. Snowed a little but mild.</p> <p>Monday March 8th</p> <p>I didn't get up till after noon to-day and have just sat around all the rest of the day. Dad. went down this morning to ask Sairy if she wanted his blind lamb to look after and this after noon Jonas came after it. They are getting all ready to</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>move up to their farm to-morrow. The chief item of intrest was Dick coming home to tea to-night to help us eat roast chicken, not only that but he stayed home all evening and went to bed quite early not before we had a grand musicale however with Dad. &amp; Enah and the fiddle &amp; guitar and Dick on the mouth organ and tin whistle Dick became so jubilant that he could not refrain from dancing very noisily around the kitchen and waking up Tiddums who came running out here in his bare feet and wouldn't go back to bed for about an hour. Dick had brought him home a tin drum full of animal shaped biscuits which he aparently enjoyed very mucch. It froze pretty hard last night but has been very sunny &amp; soft today.</p> <p>Tuesday March 9th</p> <p>I got up for breakfast this morning but have been in the house all day. This morning Billy Hawn came after Dad. to go down and see John Watts mare but Dad. didnt have time so gave him some medicine. Then Alfred came up as the old black horse was sick again &amp; Alfred wanted them her put out of her misery either kill or cure so Dad. went down but said She wasn't dangerously ill. I guess Alfred rather wishes She would die as she is 25 years old and as long as he has her he hasn't got room for another and yet when she is well she can do her share of work so he hates to kill her. This after noon Dad Enah &amp; Tiddums drove down town and back then Dad. drove Mrs. McB home who has been here washing all day. Cecil MacPherson came over with Frank after school and borrowed one of Dad's canary cages the breeding cage as his mother is going to raise canarys. Very mild &amp; sunny all day.</p> <p>Wednesday March 10th</p> <p>My cold was much better to-day and I have been outside most of the day. Dad. helped me bring the incubator up out of the cellar this morning and I cleaned it out and started the lamp. The door of the egg chamber is warped or rather swollen that it won't shut, we thought the spare room would be the best place to run the first hatch through this year as the cellar is so full of apples &amp; vegetables that we were afraid the air would not be pure enough and it would take a long time to get it ready down there. John Wess came in to see Dad. this morning about one of his mares and Sat. Robinson was in this after noon for vetinary advice. This evening the assessor, Mr. Austin of two years ago was around and knocked off the five hundred dollars that Vair put on the assessment last year which pleased Dad. greatly</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>To-night Frank went down to the weekly Lenten service presumably to sit and watch Rosy. Sunny &amp; mild all day. There are some very fishy stories going the rounds just now about Henry Hoffman being arrested in New York as a German Spy and having on him papers concerning Canadian Government buildings &amp; forts which everyone should not know.</p> <p>Thursday March 11th</p> <p>I went over to Martin's this morning to ask Chris about the incubator, I was afraid the thermostat had gone wrong but he said it was all right. When I got back Dad. &amp; I went down to Hammonds bush and got a waggon box full of sawdust to put on the ice. We didn't get back till after one I saw for the first time a very interesting looking character in the person of Ad. Frolic. I never heard of him till a little while ago but Dad. says he has been around here ever since he can remember, he &amp; Jack Richardson were building a log hut down in the bush where Ad. intends to live in future. It doesn't look as if it would be a very comfortable habitation and is in great contrast to the mansion on the other side of the road where Oscar Howden has built up his old shack into a hip roofed structure of very prepossessing appearance or will be if Oscar ever takes time to paint it or clear up the rubbish around it but I suppose he wont have time for that kind of foolishness. Regarding the personal appearance of the above mentioned Mr. Frolic at a distance he looks very much like the gentleman universally known as Santa Claus as he is about wears his whiskers the same way and is about the same size &amp; shape except that there is not such a large portion of the abdomen which shakes like and rhymes with jelly. On closer inspection however he would never be taken for old St. Nick as his face would I think have the opposite effect upon that part of humanity which the other so delights. It is of a rich reddish purple colour and all puffed and shiny and is used up nearly altogether to make up his nose which is bigger than any other two noses I ever saw. He was just going home to {dinner?} when we saw him and he had pulled on his old overcoat without bothering to pull the collar from where it had rolled under on his back. When I told Tom Abbott the other day that I didn't think I had ever seen him Tom. said he guessed I hadn't as I would be sure to remember if I ever had and I think I most certainly would. I spent the after noon washing out the incubator and getting it in shape to run but to-night the temperature hadn't gone up at all beyond 98°. Tonight Sam &amp; Mrs. Law came over to spend the evening. It was rather cold</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>in the parlor so we didn't have any music. They were here till about eleven o'clock. It has been sunny but rather raw to-day</p> <p>Friday March 12th</p> <p>I took the mate to the rooster that died over to Martin's this morning and brought two more back here I didn't want to bring just one and put him in with the other for fear they would fight. When I came back I pruned a couple of trees in the orchard. Dad. took a look at the wheat and reported it all right so far. This weather lately has been hard on it as the snow is all off it and it looks terribly brown. This afternoon I started to clear up some of the rubbish around the windmill. It has been sunny and mild but cold breeze. We got a letter from Aunty to-day saying they arrived safely in Fort Saskatchewan.</p> <p>Saturday March 13th</p> <p>This morning I took Chris' ham over to him as Dad. thought they were smoked enough. I wanted to ask him about the incubator, this morning when I went in the temperature had gone down to about sixty seven and the flame was aparently just the same. Chris said it might have been on account of the outside temperature and advised me to put the eggs in, so I did when I got home. I put in 136 eggs and let it go. It has got up to 103° to-night and I put a screen up to keep the cold air from the window off it. I just did odd jobs the rest of the morning and Dad. &amp; Frank went out and opened up the potato pit and found them in good condition so they sacked them all up and hauled them in this after noon. The baby went out to the field with us in the waggon and I took him back as far as the gully while they were loading. When we got in I rode down town and got the mail. Winnie &amp; Lila were over all the after noon &amp; Frank went down with them to-night to play poker. Snowdrop presented us with a black &amp; white heifer calf to-day. Sunny &amp; mild but freezing nights.</p> <p>Sunday March 14th</p> <p>Frank and I went down to Sunday school and church this morning and. They had service in the Sunday school as the church is in a state of upheaval owing to the cleaning of its inside walls and ceiling. Dad. did chores most of the day and Dick slept till dinner time and then went down town. Colin Ryersie rode up this after noon on Lady and as I was thinking of going for a ride myself I took Joe and we had a great ride for a couple of hours or so. Joe was full of mischief and I didn't have to urge to go at all. Frank went down to church to-night. Dad. has been reading Happy Hawkins to us all evening. Beautiful day no wind &amp; very mild just like Spring.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday March 15th</p> <p>I got up at five this morning and we got the chores done up fairly early. Dad. &amp; I drove out to Jim Waddle's this fore noon as he had a steer out there with an absess on its jaw which he wanted Dad. to look at, it was nothing serious though, we poked around out there looking at the stock for about an hour and came home around by town and got the mail. Dad. also saw Old Walker and asked him if he could borrow fifty dollars to buy our seed with till we sell one of the two year old steers Old Walker said he could have as much as he liked for as long as he wanted it. This after noon I rode Joe down and got her shod so that took up most of the after noon. When I got back I went over to Jack Martin's with a doz. more eggs. Tonight I walked down and got my hair cut. Mrs McBride Nice day.</p> <p>Tuesday March 16th</p> <p>After we did chores this morning we put on a load of oat-sheaves and hauled them over to the horse stable, it took about an hour to chop the ice so that we could open the barn doors. This after noon we put on a load of hay which had been under the oat sheaves and hauled it over to the other barn for the cows we just left it on the waggon. Dad. then put the harness on old Dave and gave him a little exercise. Tiddums was out with us for a long time so long that he went in of his own accord. We got a letter from Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice to-day. It has been sunny but a very cold wind to-day. Mrs. Charlie Martin started getting milk from us to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday March 17th</p> <p>We went down to the mill this morning as soon as we could and got some oats chopped and I got some short bran &amp; corn for the chickens. Dad alao got 9 bushels of O.A.C. No 21 barley for seed It was $1.15 a bushel but was a lovely clean sample When we got back we cleaned out the box stall there was over a waggon load and Dad. hauled it out to where we had the potatoes in the old garden last year This after noon I took Dave out for a little exercise. We tried to get the chores done up as early as possible as Frank &amp; Enah went down to a St. Patrick's Day tea at the Methodist Church and Winnie came over to tea to go to Simcoe with me as she wanted to pay Norah a visit. We had to go way up to the other end of the town to find the house. I went down to the Armories and we had target practice, it is the third one they have had. I made 12 out of 30 which was worse than most but not as bad as some. When I went back to the Cunninghams I found Norah &amp; Winnie had gone to the picture show and I had</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to wait quite awhile for them but Norah's younger sister Hildaguard was home so I didn't much mind the wait. Win &amp; I didn't get home till quite awhile after twelve Dick and I had an invitation to a big dance down in the town hall to-night but neither of us went. Allan Law &amp; one of the Powells down the lake shore got it up It has been a nice day but a rather raw wind.</p> <p>Thursday March 18th</p> <p>This morning we did chores and then treated the two youngest calves horns with acostic potash to kill them. Mary, Mully's calf, didn't have any horns so she escaped the ordeal, we haven't quite decided on a name for the other two calves but we thought that for Jim's calf coming next after Mary, that Martha would suit very well and for Snowdrop's blackie we thought "Just Gone along" might fit in, the only thing with that name is I am afraid that when she becomes of age and is eligible to be sworn at it will be rather a nuisance. This afternoon Dad. drove Enah &amp; Tiddums down to the mill house to call on Mrs. Josef Ivey and he drove on down town and got a bushel of clover seed from Billy Laings. Charlie Nunn sent word over by him that he was having a party and wanted me to go down so I went. There were just a few there, the Henry girls and May Rankin &amp; Mabel Almas and two or three boys but we had a good time and still got home soon after twelve. We didn't play cards or any such tame sport as that but we just cut up all the time peeled the rugs of the floor &amp; danced and played a lot of games which we could run around at. It has been a nice day but rather a raw wind.</p> <p>Friday March 19th</p> <p>This afternoon morning Dad. Tiddums &amp; I drove up to Billy Dixon's and got our seed corn we got all we think we will need for a dollar. Dad. stopped in on the way up &amp; saw George Duncan about getting some rails George told him they were going to tear down a lot of fence around the big orchard &amp; Carpenters bush and that we &amp; Allan Law could start in to haul it right away so Dad. went down to see Alan when we got home and he said he could go tomorrow morning. It was a lovely morning and I think Tiddums enjoyed himself but couldn't keep awake to enjoy the latter half of the journey and when we came through town he was sound asleep on my knee Dick &amp; Harry Ausley both wanted to wake him up, he did open his eyes but shut them again immediately. This after noon I took both Dave &amp; Queen out for a little exercise. Queen</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>went fairly well but Dave took me unawares once and got away. We had quite a little trouble catch him and getting him quiet. Lila came over after school to-night to stay all night. It has been a lovely day. They say Art Ryersie was working on the land to-day his flats too.</p> <p>Saturday March 20th</p> <p>Dad &amp; Frank got off about eight o'clock to haul rails from Duncan's Alan went up with his team at the same time, he had Frank McBride to help him. They got back just about noon with a good sized load. They came down through town and around by Mrs. Munroes instead of around the hill or up Preston's hill. They got off about two o'clock after another load, they didn't expect Alan to be there this after noon but he was there ahead of them. Dad. said the field was very bad pulling and he told Alan he intended to haul half a load out to the road at a time instead of pulling a full load through the soft field but Alan was so sure his horses could pull it and so he piled on all the rails he could and the consequence was he got bogged in the middle of the field and had to throw half load all off besides tramping the sod all up. They got home about five. I did chores and this morning pruned apple trees but the wind was too cold for that this after noon so I just puttered around. I went down to the mill and paid them $20.00 on the account and then took 1/2 dozen eggs over to Jack Martin. It was a lovely day this morning but a rather cold wind has been blowing since dinner.</p> <p>Sunday March 21st</p> <p>I didn't get the chores done in time to go to Sunday school but Frank went down and Enah &amp; I drove down to church. They had the church all cleaned up in great shape but Mr. Johnson was sick so Cousin Willie ran the service and did twice as well as Mr. Johnson. This after noon I coaxed Dick into going for a ride he took Belle &amp; I took Joe, we had a nice little ride but Dick says he got terribly sore. When we got back I rode down and asked Colin Ryersie if he wanted to go to Simcoe Wednesday night, riding, and he said if his horse wasn't working to hard he would. They have got some seed in the ground down along the creek and part of the side hill is sowed. Dick went down town when he got home. To night I practiced on the fiddle. Frank went for a ride on his bicycle this after noon. There has been a cold wind all day to day and to-night was spitting snow. I broke an egg in the incubator to-night and found a live chicken in it.<i></i></p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Monday March 22nd</p> <p>Dad. got off about half past eight this morning after rails and got with a pretty good sized load about noon he was there quite awhile before Alan so was all alone as I didn't go with him this morning but stayed home and did chores. I got everything done up so went up with him this afternoon. Alan was a little more careful to-day and this after noon hauled half his load out to the road. We both had on a big load to-night. Alan seemed greatly troubled over the fate of Jack Wardell who he was talking to on the road He hired out to Ged. McSloy for a year with the intentions of getting married to Bert Sindon's daughter but her parents wont let her get married so he threw up his job and was going home yesterday. Alan gave him some very good advice and told him to make a date with the girl to-night and scoot and get married but he thought he would go home and let the matter settle for awhile. To-night Frank and I tested the eggs we saved out forty one out of one hundred and thirty six but after cracking one of the ones we saved out and finding a chicken in it we put six back so that leaves a hundred and one still in the machine. It was inclined to want to snow this morning and to rain this after noon but didn't do either very vigorously and has not been very cold but a raw wind all day.</p> <p>Tuesday March 23rd</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I got off pretty early this morning and got back with a good big load of rails by noon. This afternoon we went up and hauled what were left all except a few panels which were behind a big pile of rails.We only had half a load on this after noon. Alan didn't haul at all to-day but was in at noon for a few minutes, he has an awful cold and can hardly speak. Dad. told him last night that rum was the best thing on earth for a cold so he said he was going to try it. This after noon when we got home we unloaded our rails put the waggon in the shed and hauled the bobsleighs over into the barn as up till now they have been standing out in the lane. Mrs McBride was here washing to day. Sunny &amp; mild but a raw wind.</p> <p>Wednesday March 27th</p> <p>This morning Dad, Tiddums and I drove around to John Wess' and Dad. made arrangements with him to come over the day after to-morrow with his engine and saw and cut up our rail pile as he promised to come over when we got enough rails to make it worthwhile last fall. He said he went over to the Shands the other day and cut up sixty cords of ash which were {illegible} tops and limbs from the logs they sold this winter. We drove up as far as Duncan's</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>orchard as Dad. wanted to pay George for the rails but he didn't see anything of him around outside he didn't go in as he was afraid he might see old Bill and not be able to get away from him for the rest of the day. This afternoon we didn't do anything much for an hour or so after dinner Dad. had a snooze and I read chunks of Charles O'Malley then we went out and started to clean out the calf pen but didn't finish the job before it was time to do chores. Colin Ryersie was up here about six o'clock on his black mare to go to Simcoe with me. I wasn't quite ready so we didn't get started till nearly half past six and although we didn't ride at all hard we got there about half past seven and as we were home much earlier we decided that riding was the ideal way to go. We had rifle practice again and I made five more points than I did last time. I hit the bull once. The first shot I had I blazed away at a hole in the wall instead of the target but I got another shot Pud. Smythe was there to-night. It has been a pretty cold wind all day and looked very much like rain this after noon and to-night but didn't. Lovely night Enah and Frank went down to church to-night.</p> <p>Thursday March 25th</p> <p>It rained most of the day to day so we couldn't do much outside Dad and I spent a large part of the morning trying to take a nut off a bolt in the oven damper of the old stove we got from Cousin Bessie but all out efforts were in vain for although we soaked it in coal oil and heated it and had all manner of instruments from a flat rasp to Dad's equine dental forceps we could not budge it so we left it, we put the sleighs away however over in the big barn. This after noon I sat around and read for quite awhile and about four o'clock drove down town to get some household supplies. There was a great {tril?} going on this after noon between Sam Jacques and Nichols the new hotel keeper over a bottle of whiskey which Sam got hold of a couple of weeks ago. I went up for a few minutes but the place was packed and it was rather late so I didn't stay long. Frank was up there and when I left said he guessed he wouldn't come home just yet but we were rather surprised and Dad. very much annoyed when he didn't turn up till about eight o'clock. He had stayed till the thing was over but he said they couldn't come to any decision. It was much colder to-night.</p> <p>Friday March 26th</p> <p>Frank didn't go to school this morning and he and Dad. went over in the waggon to help John Wess load his engine &amp; saw and bring it over. They got back about eleven with the saw but</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>John Wess didn't come as it was so windy, he said it was a horrible job with a wind as the sawdust gets in the eyes. He said he would be over the first fine day. I did chores while they were gone and helped Enah entertain a visitor who was here in quest of old rags &amp; rubbers and also to sell wonderful pails which were guaranteed forever against leaking, burning, melting, bruising, bursting &amp; breaking and which Hugh McQueen could make for a quarter at the bargain prices of 45 cents &amp; 25 cts. We gathered up some old rubbers and gave them to-gether with 10 cts for one of his small pails to induce him to proceed upon his journey to the Doy's next whether he said he was bound. Frank went to school this after noon &amp; Dad. &amp; I just did chores and sat around. It has been very cold all day and windy. To-night the wind has gone down but it is freezing hard. It snowed a little this morning.</p> <p>Saturday March 27th</p> <p>I got up early this morning and wrote to Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice as I heard from them yesterday. After we did up the chores Dad. Frank. Tiddums &amp; I amputated the tails of the six lambs. It should have been done before as the lambs were big and bled pretty freely, however I think to-night they are all right. Dad. &amp; I finished cleaning out the calf pen before dinner and Frank cleaned out the old musty straw and hay out of the hay in the big barn. This after noon we hauled it and the thrashed bluegrass which was over the shed over to the other barn and Dad. is going to use it to bed the cows. We then put on a load of hay and hauled it over to the other barn for the cows. We didn't take it off the waggon. Tony Bannister was over here all the after noon. The German from Jack Martin's came over this after noon and got my eggs I had 10 1/2 doz. for him. Lila has been over since before dinner and went back after tea. Nobody has been down town to get the mail to-day but Lila brought us over three "Jack Canucks" which Dad seems to be enjoying. It froze very hard last night but has been sunny though cold wind.</p> <p>Sunday March 28th</p> <p>When we went out this morning we found a big, red heifer calf depending on the maternal instincts of Bobby for protection &amp; sustenance. It is the first heifer she has ever had and is the sixth heifer to come this year or rather this season as some came before the New Year. Last year they were all steers but one. I didn't get chores done in time to go to Sunday school and instead of going to church I looked after Tiddums and induced Dad. to go. I don't know whether I will get the job again or not as I let him play out on the front lawn and incidentally</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to fall into the ditch, he went to walk over the plank that lies accross the ditch and not looking where he was going stepped one foot off and fell k-spat in and got soaked. It didn't hurt him but he must have been frightened for I couldn't under any conditions persuade him to stop crying till he got ready and then when I had all his wet duds off and he was beginning to take a more optimistic view of the trials and tribulations of life when he happened to touch a wet spot on his dress. This incident aparently called back visions of the forgotten-for-the-present past for he burst forth again with renewed energy and wept profusely. However Dick was up and we soon got him into a more cheerful frame of mind and kept him there till the folks got home and assumed the responsibility for his conduct and disposition and as far as I was concerned were most welcome to it. This was not the only adventure of the morning in which a change of raiment due to the effects of aqua pura was concerned but time, space and my accursed bashful nature will permit me to give no more details. This after noon Colin &amp; Floyd Ryersie came up on horseback and I joined them. We had a very enjoyable ride although I started out a little too vigorously considering the dinner I had just partaken of and consequently felt some qualms of consience of stomach. I was not in a position then to figure out which but upon reflection I have become convinced it was the latter troubled me most. We went down the lakeshore to Corbett's had a talk with Corby went through their lane to the plank down the plank to the {illegible} and from there home. This evening I intended to go to church but failing to get ready in time I went down after church and called on the Harry Moons, and it was after midnight when I "hit the hay" It has been cold and raw all day. Snowed a little tonight and freezing hard</p> <p>Monday March 29th</p> <p>This morning Dad's tooth was so bad that he went down and had it pulled. It was broken and in awful shape as it was all ulcerated. Bill Lemmons injected some of his dope into it to ease the pain but it didn't do any good and Dad. has been nearly sick with it all day. This after noon Enah went down to the dentist's and got some teeth filled Mrs McBride was over here washing this after noon Enah expected her this morning but she had been over at Preston's where they are all sick. I did chores and sat around all day. Frank and I managed them with Dad. assisting us only by instructions. This has been a fierce day very windy with snow, a regular blizzard and and raging this after noon. To-night it is freezing hard and the ground is white.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{There is a wee sketch of a conifer tree at the top of this page}</p> <p>Tuesday March 30th</p> <p>Dad. fed the calves this morning but hasn't been out of the house since and feels very miserable. His head ached to-night. It took me all day just doing chores. I went over to Martins for a minute or two this after noon. To-night I spent an hour and a half leg banding the pullets with stove pipe wire. Cold &amp; windy to-day, not so bad as yesterday.</p> <p>Wednesday March 31st</p> <p>Although Dad. has felt much better to-day he was not able to get out of the house at all, so I was busy all day with chores and Frank helped me when he came home, this after noon I rode Joe down to the Ryersie's to tell Colin I couldn't go to Simcoe to-night. This morning a man walked over here from town to see the old duelling pistols. He is a traveller but told Dad. that at his home is in St. Mary's and that he had over two hundred firearms besides swords, dirks and suchlike. He would have liked to have bought them but didn't like to say so. He said the sight of them was well worth the walk. Sid McBride was in to-night selling fertilizer &amp; binder twine. Dad offered ordered 50 lbs of the latter. We heard on Monday from Roy they are coming up to-morrow for Easter. It hasn't neen nearly so cold to-day but cloudy.</p> <p>Thursday April 1st</p> <p>Dad. helped me milk this morning but his mouth was pretty sore and he wasn't going out again but John Wess came over with his engine to saw up the rail pile so Dad. had to be out all day. As Vernon &amp; Rebecca were coming up on the eleven o'clock train I had to leave to go down and meet them, that made us short handed so I called in at the school house and sent Frank home He was very good about it and didn't seem to mind very much. Huby was down at the station and I got him to come over. So this after noon there was lots of help and they got through in lots of time. Vernon &amp; Rebecca arrived safely. Dick Huby &amp; Aunty Maude were down at the station. I did chores most of the after noon and to-night drove down to meet Roy. Miss Ethel Phipp's came up on the same train so we drove her home. Not at all windy but rather cold.</p> <p>Friday April 2nd</p> <p>When we got up this morning the ground was white as it had snowed a little in the night so as there was no wind I went out before breakfast and sowed about half the clover seed on not quite half the field of wheat which is on the old alsike stubble. I spilt a little of it by pulling</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the feed lever back too far till it caught and it sowed too thickly anyway. This being Good Friday Dick had a holiday and Enah, Vernon &amp; Frank went down to church Dad &amp; Roy looked after the babies. I watched the incubator most of the day. The eggs are beginning to come out and Roy &amp; Vernon are very much interested in them especially the latter, she sat in the room for about an hour watching the little fellows pick themselves out and drop overboard in to the nursery below. This after noon Dad. helped me get the brooder down from over the hog pen and put it in the empty chicken shed. Very nice day</p> <p>Saturday April 3rd</p> <p>I got up this morning and sowed the other half the wheat field and had quite a lot of seed left so Dad. thinks it isn't thick enoug and will have to be gone over again. I had the machine shut tighter and walked quite a lot faster. Roy &amp; I spent most of the morning getting the brooder in shape and he fixed up Enah's dairy thermometer to put in the brooder. Dad. did chores most of the morning This after noon Dad. went down to Carl Coleman's to see a sick cow and then on down town to the dentist's as his tooth was still sore and Bill picked out some pieces of bone. We hooked up the team to the waggon and took the whole family down town, Roy, Frank &amp; I went down to the beach and got a part of a load of sand for to put in front of the brooder to soak up the mud. Mr. Pickford was down there getting a load and we had quite a visit with him We came up around by town and got Enah, Vernon &amp; the two babies on, we had to go down to Mrs. Skey's stepping block to let Vernon in as her skirts were too narrow to get in on Main St. Dad. walked home as he had to go in on his way back again to see Carl's cow. When we got home Roy &amp; I put the sand in in front of the brooder. To-night Vernon &amp; Roy went over to Mrs. Battersby's to tea and I drove Enah down to choir practice. I drove down after her about ten o'clock and met her coming home with Truman &amp; Topsy Walker. It has been a very nice day. Vernon has been dyeing hard boild eggs for the kids to-night.</p> <p>Sunday April 4th</p> <p>Roy got up early and went down to early communion this morning so that he could keep Rebecca and let Vernon go down to the other service but Vernon stayed home and kept house so the whole bunch of us went down at eleven o'clock even Dad. &amp; Dick. This after noon we moved the chicks to the brooder, there were just fifty eight and some of them were</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>crippled. The two Ryersie boys came up on horseback and got Frank and me to go with them Frank took Belle &amp; I took Joe. We had a dandy ride and called in for Corby and got him to go with us. We went way down the lake shore to the town line from there to Mud Street and up it home. A couple of times we rode down on the beach and then made the horses climb the hill. It was nearly six o'clock when we got home. Roy went down to Huby's for tea and He Frank and Enah went to church. Enah had to play for Zeitha Barwell who sang a solo. Tiddums wouldn't stay with Vernon after Enah left and I came in and found him under the table just yelling for all his might but he soon cheered up when I took him out and showed him old Gladys and the horses. It has been a very nice mild day but raw breeze</p> <p>Monday April 5th</p> <p>This morning Frank and I took down three sacks of oats to the mill to be chopped and then went down and got a load of sand and unloaded it before dinner and went back down to the mill and got our grist. Dad. drove Vernon &amp; Tiddums out to Tommy Jackson's as Vernon wanted to see Mrs. Jackson about getting some eggs. (Toby and Frank are going down to Huberts tonight so I said I would finish this up as it is behind it now being Wednesday night). He did not do much in the afternoon, worked at the brooder a little. It has been a raw day and threatened rain several times this afternoon. Roy went down town and Vernon and Rebecca went to Mrs Battersbys to play bridge. I drove Hattie down there for tea. We took the baby with us and he came home with me. Willard won the big fight.</p> <p>Tuesday April 6th</p> <p>We were all up early this morning and I drove Roy to the station. Mrs McBride came to do the washing, the boys and I put a load of hay over the horse stable, after dinner Toby and I took a little hay to the cow stable and then we hitched to the other wagon and took the girls and babies down town on our way we picked up Mrs Jack Martin and Miss Cope. We unloaded at the Post Office then Toby and I went to get a load of sand, brought it home hitched Joe to the buggy and started to see Vernon off, but it took us so long to get home with the sand on account of the roads that we missed the train</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Frank had been fishing all the afternoon with his usual luck. Toby walked home and I brought Hattie and the baby. It has been a beautiful day, mild and bright.</p> <p>Wednesday April 7th</p> <p>As soon as all the morning chores were done I sowed oats in the little orchard, then I went over to Charlie Martins to telephone to Atkinson about pulling up the headstone for Alice they said they would put it up between 1 and 2 O'Clock so I got ready and Hattie gave us an early dinner and I started with Hattie and baby a little after 12, but they had the stone up and gone. Mrs Charlie Munro said they left about 10-30. Toby started Frank on the disk and he worked up the little orchard in good shape and then harrowed it. Toby and I went back to see how the land was over the gully and decided we would try and sow tomorrow. The boys as I said before have gone down to Huberts.</p> <p>Thursday April 8th</p> <p>Out of bed at five o'clock and on the hump ever since is a summary of to-days record. Dad. &amp; I got back to the back field about half past eight and Dad. started to sow the oats broadcast right on the furrows and I followed with the disk. The ground except in one or two spots where it was a little wet was in beautiful shape to work as it is just as the frost left it without having had any big rains on it to pack it and it works up just like an ash heap. Some of the travellers on the side road thought Dad's method a queer one and didn't seem to approve of it but Dad. says they always used to do it out West &amp; Charlie Batty was past and said they used to do it here with success. Dad. thought it was better to get the seed in &amp; covered before a rain than to work the land all up and then run chanches of getting a big soaker on it. We took back six bags of oats with us this morning and Dad. sowed nearly all of it and although he couldn't tell exactly he wanted to sow {2?} bushels ot the acre. Dad. disked this after noon and finished he had sowed but couldn't go crossways very well on account of the piece in the centre which he didn't get plowed last fall Allan Law was harrowing for a couple of hours this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>on their side hill but he didn't come back this after noon. Huby &amp; Lila came over this morning and this after noon they burned the grass off the back field next the woods It looks as if there would be good pasture there soon Last night when I came home from town I went to look at the brooder and found that the temperature had gone down to forty on account of the window being left out and this morning there were nine dead chickens in the brooder and four have died since. Chris. told me yesterday that lake sand would kill them so we got some yellow sand and covered up the lake sand which was in the pen. The white ewe had a pair of twins this morning but won't own one of them so has to be caught every now and then to give the lamb a chance to suck Lovely Spring day with a south westerly breeze and not freezing to-night. Mrs. Lorne Myers was in to-night and got Dad's hen canary which he was has been wanting to get rid of for quite awhile.</p> <p>Friday 9th April</p> <p>Dad. and I got back fairly early this morning and Dad sowed about four bushels more seed while I harrowed the hill I crossed it which necessitated marching up and down hill all morning I didn't mind it much but I guess it was pretty hard on the horses. This afternoon I disked what Dad sowed this morning and he harrowed with Joe &amp; Ginger. We got all the seed pretty well covered when it began to rain and is still keeping it up. We took the little team back in the shape of a four horse team with them as the leaders but Joe was no good for a leader as she lagged. Lila came over this after noon and is staying all night. It has been fine and very mild all day and this is a warm rain which was needed for the wheat &amp; hay badly.</p> <p>Saturday April 10th</p> <p>We didn't get started so early this morning as we didn't know whether it had rained enough to make things too wet or not, however we found it hadn't rained much so Dad. went back to finish plowing the little piece on top of the hill which was left over from last fall. He finished it about three o'clock in some spots it was very wet &amp; sticky and other places the frost isn't out yet but it is pretty good. He intended to sow it as soon as he got done and work it in but when I went back at three o'clock the wind was so strong and it looked so rainy that we both came up and Dad. drove Enah &amp; Tiddums down town to get the mail. I took some eggs over to Martin's this morning and Frank got the cyclone clover seeder from Vyse and when I came</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>back I sowed the half of the wheat field that I sowed the thinnest over again. Chris. didn't seem to know what ailed my little chickens they are aparently as lively as can be one day and the next there will be two or three dead and two or three more getting ready to die. I have lost nearly half of them now and don't know what to do for them. Cloudy mild windy &amp; showery. It thundered and rained heavily to-night.</p> <p>Sunday April 11th</p> <p>I didn't get ready in time to go to Sunday school with Frank this morning but Enah and I drove down to church. It was a beautiful mild sunny morning and Dad. intended to drive Enah over to the Tupper's this after noon but it began to rain so they couldn't go and we had a musical instead. It rained quite hard for awhile and it is colder &amp; windy to-night. It is wonderful to see how much greener the grass &amp; wheat have got during the night.</p> <p>Monday April 12th</p> <p>Dad. was ditching in the back field all morning and I drove down town to get some coal oil and I took a pair of guinea fowl down to Cousin Bessy. She told me to shut them up and Julien the {illegible} would show me where to put them, but she had so much difficulty in making Julien who doesn't speak English very well understand what she wanted that she told me to put them in a little coop which had a wired in yard to it. I let them both in there but while I was talking to her the cock bird got out of a patched up hole in the wire, he went over into Joe Jacques backyard and Jacques dog scared it up into an apple tree. Cousin Harry had appeared by this time and said he knew the yard wasn't tight and that they would watch the guinea cock and catch him to-night but Dick who came home for tea said they had caught him. This after noon we sat around till about three o'clock and then put on a jag of timothy hay and hauled it over for the cows. Dick was home for tea but had to go back, he said Huby was working over at Jack Martin's now but didn't know how long he would be there. It has been cloudy and raw all day with a drizzling rain most of the time.</p> <p>Tuesday April 13th</p> <p>Huby came over after breakfast this morning to get his smock and I went back over to Martin's with him and took an old sick rooster over whose comb was all black and that had been sitting around with no life in him for two or three days. Brirely &amp; Chris said he had indigestion</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>so I left him over there. When I came back I started to rake up down under the old willow tree. Dad. &amp; Enah worked at the stove and at last succeeded in getting the nut which caused us so much vexation the other day, out by cutting the head off with a cold chisel. This after noon Dad went back to look at John Wess' cow as John Wess came after him, he was over there quite awhile and then opened out some ditches in the field we have in. I continued to clean up down at the road and but to-night have it looking pretty nice I burned the grass all along the road so there will be some nice pasture there soon. Huby came over after six to-night and borrowed the alarm clock as their timepieces are all broken down there and he needs his watch. He was giving us a very amusing account of his duties He says the watering the chickens takes too much brain work going the rounds with a pail and a dipper filling the little drinking cups and rinsing them out and hooking the myriads of doors and gates all gets on his nerves. Dad. said than one of the England kids came in after school to-night to John Wess' with a great big bunch of hepaticas for Mrs. McBride we didn't think they were out yet. It has been a lovely day sunny &amp; mild. They gave Bunnian a hearing down here to-day but will have to put the trial off till the Vigilant comes in with some witnesses.</p> <p>Wednesday April 14th</p> <p>Dad has been opening up ditches in the field out here where we intend to put the barley all morning, he says it is pretty wet. I cleaned out the roosters in the chicken pens this morning and raked up along the old fence bottom which divided the field from the yard in front of the big barn &amp; horse stable. This after noon I went back to see what the new piece of plowing on top of the hill looked but it was pretty wet so I got some earth along the creek and brougt it up and planted tomato seed in it. Frank got home early, he has had a holiday all day as Mr. Smith is sick in bed with La Grippe. Frank, Billy Miller &amp; Harv. Taylor were fishing up creek and on the pier all morning. Billy Barlow was in to-night for a short visit. Another lovely day.</p> <p>Tuesday April 15th</p> <p>Dad. was back ditching again this morning, he thinks the back field will be dry enough to go on to-morrow if it doesn't rain. I went down to Vyse's and borrowed his post auger and he gave me a ride home on his way down Mud Street to sell machinery and as he thought he was going to feel cold and had come away without his overcoat he borrowed mine. Dad. didn't seem to approve of being</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>at all friendly to Vyse, but I have nothing in particular against the poor cuss and this backbiting sore head business gives me a pain anyway. Dad's always friendly enough when he happens to meet him and I don't see why he isn't other times or why if he hates him so much as he says he does, he doesn't tell him so. I spent the rest of the morning and most of the after noon boring the post holes and inserting posts there in to stretch a piece of chicken wire on to divide off another yard for the single combed hens. Dad. made a gate for the yard. Lila has been over all day as she &amp; Frank are both home on account of Mr. Smith's illness. Winnie came over after four and stayed to tea but Lila had to go back and have her music lesson. Huby was over to dinner. Tonight Frank and I went down with Winnie and Huby, Aunty Maude, Lila. Frank and I spent the evening playing poker. Enah &amp; Frank have been been house cleaning all day. It has been a nice sunny day &amp; is a mild night but looks like rain.</p> <p>Thursday Friday April 16th</p> <p>When we got up this morning the sky was the color of lead and has been all day but except for one pretty heavy shower this morning has rained very little only a very light drizzle part of the time but still enough to keep us off the land and to keep Dad's spirits down. This morning he and Frank helped me put the wire on the posts in the chicken yard and put the gate on. This after noon Dad. helped Enah house clean and I just puttered around and raked some leaves and old grass out of the ditch at the foot of the lawn. Frank went fishing down at the East pier but said they weren't biting, he has about the poorest luck of any body I ever heard of I don't remember of his having caught a fish since he has been here. He says he is going to get up early some morning to try his luck and if it isn't any better he is going to quit. I had a practice on the fiddle to-night. I am making a little progress.</p> <p>Saturday April 17th</p> <p>Although we had visions of doing a little work this morning of some kind or other just to keep in trim but we wound up in doing nothing but receive callers the number of which was two. First Alfred came over with some cabbages for us and he was here a long time talking of every thing under the sun except the war which is getting rather played out as a topic of conversation amongst us farmers now that Spring work has commenced and the weather is of such vital importance to us. Alfred thinks it is going to be fine now for awhile I guess like Dad that the wish</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>is father to the thought. He hadn't been gone long when John Wess drove in and wanted Dad. to give his mare a ball so Dad did but she was the worst one he said he ever tackled not that she was very mean although she scraped about half the skin off the back of his hand and took a chunk out of the end of his finger, but her mouth was so narrow that he couldn't get the dose back far enough but at last after two unsuccessful attempts he managed to get one down her. This after noon we hauled a load of hay over to the horse stable and a jag over to the barn for the cows. Frank cleaned out the shop and now has it very tidy. Before tea we got the old stove we got from Cousin Bessy set up on its blocks but Dad has to cut a piece off the stove pike to make it fit the chimney It has been a lovely sunny day and is a nice clear night although the wind as gone around to the south an its pretty hard to say what it will do The new moon is nearly flat on its back and that is a positively certain sign that one of the two prophecies concerning it in that position will prove correct. Some say it is that way so the indians can thang their powder horns on it and stay in camp as it will rain or else when in that shape it will hold water and not spill any consequence being a dry "spell"</p> <p>Sunday April 18th</p> <p>I got up fairly early this morning and was able to get around in time for Sunday school with Frank. Hazen was there and volunteered to teach Mrs. Tuck's class. After Sunday school he &amp; I went to inquire after Mr. Smith, he came to the door himself and said he was feeling better but that Harry would not let him go to school to-morrow He seemed very worried about missing so much school at this time of year, he said Mrs. Smith was very ill and that if Harry hadn't come up the other day she would have never got better but as he did she was better this morning. Instead of going to church we took a walk up the lake shore and got quite a few mayflowers in McCoy's &amp; Dixon's woods then Hazen came over with me to dinner. This after noon we took another walk back to the gully and through Charlie McQueen's place and I went part way down town with Hazen. Colin Ryersie came up to go for a ride so Frank went with him. Dad &amp; Enah went over to Tupper's the took Tiddums but he kicked up an awful row they said when they tried to take him in the house but was alright after they got in. It has been a lovely day but looks very much like rain.</p> <p>Monday April 19th</p> <p>We have been working on the land all day. This morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Dad. sowed the little piece of spring plowing on top of the hill and I worked it in. This after noon (Tobe has gone to sleep over this so I will take it) We worked two teams on the other part of the field over the gully I had Joe and Dave, Dave went first rate for his first hitching. Beautiful day warm and bright.</p> <p>Sunday April 20th I worked on the field alone this forenoon, finished disking. After dinner I took Harry and Dave and Tobe Belle and Joe and we cross harrowed and disked the field, finished about 5 O'Clock then Tobe came up with Joe and Dave and I put Harry and Belle on the drill and drilled until 6-30. Tobe and Frank were busy at odds and ends all forenoon. Another fine day but cooler. We got the good news to-day that {Wese?} and Alice were coming home.</p> <p>Wednesday April 21st</p> <p>Toby and Frank cleaned out the cellar this forenoon and I went fback and finished drilling and began harrowing. Young Porritt came way back then with one of Hugh McQueens hounds to have me sew it up. I told him I could not do it there but to leave it tied up in the barn and I would fix it up at noon, that and other chores made me so late that I thought I would not go to the back of the place but would begin on the corn stubble it works up all right. Frank went back to see if he could measure in some way the number of acres we have sowed he has not made his calculations yet. Hattie is tired to night she has been house-cleaning the clothes room and it is a big job. Frank has gone down town Toby to bed and I must go too. I nearly froze on the disk this after noon it was very cold a nasty North East wind all day but bright.</p> <p>Thursday April 22nd</p> <p>Dad. finished harrowing over the gully this morning and has been harrowing on the corn stubble the rest of the day he had Joe &amp; Ginger all day. Frank disked for an hour or two this morning while I finished up with the chores and then I went out till noon but Frank has been disking all the after noon with the big team. The corn stubble will take a</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>lot of work on this side as it is so soddy. I did chores all the after noon and went down to the mill to see if they had any barley for seed as Dad. thinks he will mix oats &amp; barley to sow on the corn stubble. They only had the O.A.C. No 21 and it was $1.10 a bushel but I guess Dad. will get some. There were a couple of fellows down this morning from Simcoe Murdock was one of them and they want Dad. for a witness at a lawsuit that is coming off next Tuesday Murdock says that Hamilton &amp; Yeager hired Lea to skin him on a horse deal. The horse is the big grey stallion with the crooked legs that was travelling down here last spring and as Dad. saw him they want him to say that he was unsound. Poor old Bluch has a pretty sore leg to-day and can only hop around on three legs. He &amp; Snoop Law got into a scrap yesterday and aparently Snoop was the best dog for once in his life. It has been milder to-day with the wind in the south but very cloudy with a little rain.</p> <p>Friday April 23rd</p> <p>It rained hard enough during the night to prevent us from going on the land but will do a lot of good as it was hot &amp; cloudy all morning and will make things grow Frank and I drove down to Billy Langs this morning to see if he had any barley cheaper than they had at the mill, but Jack was at school and poor Billy was sick and in bed. We went up to the house and after I chased around from the front to the back door three or four times to discover a fain hallo! which I was sure I heard in answer to my knock I discovered it was escaping from a partially raised window which evidently belonged to the room where Billy was in bed. His voice sounded unnaturally weak as he told me he hadn't any barley so Frank and I went on up and got six bushels at the mill. We found Dad. with the old white ewe half sheared when we got home and he &amp; Frank finished her by noon while I did chores. This after noon Dad. helped me get my incubator down cellar again and then we mixed the oats &amp; barley out on the barn floor. We put one bag of oats through the fanning mill so see if we could clean any of the straws out of it but we got more good oats out behind than we did dirt so we stopped. It is pretty clean anyway. Dad. &amp; I then put the beans through and got most of the dirt out of them while Frank went down town. Dad. has felt very miserable all day</p> <p>Saturday April 24th</p> <p>We didn't do much but chores all morning and Dad I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>cleaned out the bull's pen. Dad felt pretty miserable all morning but still worked around he &amp; Frank went out to look at the field to see if it was dry and they thought it would do to go on after dinner, so Frank got out early and got a good half day in at it while Dad. sheared old Greynose. I helped him hold her and according to my nature when I am not in action, went fast asleep. I also went over to Jack Martin's to see what I could get fifty eggs for to set under the hens I got from Tupper and I was agreeably suprised when he told me he would trade evenly with me and that I could get them Monday. I thought it was pretty decent of him as he said they would be better eggs than mine and I could toe punch the chicks for cockrels. Dad. went out about five to relieve Frank who came in and went down to Huby's to tea as this was Winnie's birthday. I went down after tea as Huby was over to dinner and said we would have a game of poker but there were two or three girls there who didn't care to play poker so we played catechism instead. We got home early. It has been hot all day and is very hot to-night feels very much like rain.</p> <p>Sunday April 25th</p> <p>I got up at five o'clock this morning so managed to get to Sunday school and church with Frank. As Topsy has resigned Enah had to go down and play the organ Dad. drove her down and came back after her leaving Tiddums in Dick's charge. This after noon Charlie Dunkin &amp; Frank Bond drove in and Dunkin brought us the registration papers for the ewes, at last we thought we were never going to get them, they were here most of the after noon but Dad &amp; I wernt back over the wheat to the gully and Tiddums followed us. The wheat is pretty fair only spots which don't look very well. I drove Enah down to church again to-night but came back home. Frank has been down all the after noon so he will be at church. Colin Ryersie rode in after dinner but we thought it was too hot to go for a ride so he went down the lake shore alone to get Corby. It has been very hot all day but is a little cooler to-night. Looks rainy</p> <p>Monday April 26th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; Frank got out good and early this morning and with both teams and I got out about eight to take Franks team as he had to go to school to-day. Mr. Smith being well enough to be on the job again. Sam Law came over to give us a day with his springtooth I had the disks and Sam &amp; I got over to the middle of the field by noon &amp; Dad.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>got it all harrowed. This afternoon Dad. took the drill out and got four rounds drilled when it commenced to rain a thunderstorm had come up very suddenly and there were two or three very close flashes of lightening. It seemed to be all around us, it rained very hard for a few minutes and Sam went home. Dad. brought the seed in and after it was over went out to bring in the drill. When he got out there he found it had soaked right in and has scarcely wet the ground so he went right on &amp; harrowed and then came &amp; got the seed and finished drilling, he worked till after dark and then didn't have enough seed to sow the headlands. He started with the drill set at two bushel of oats to the acre but he found it was going too fast all to-gether, as when it is set for two bushels of oats it is three of barley so he tightened it up a little but it was still going too fast so he finally got it sowing two bushels of barley which is the same as one of oats he sowed what seed there was left at this rate. I just did chores this after noon and went over to get my eggs from Jack Martin to-night I set them under five hens. Mrs McBride was here all day.</p> <p>Tuesday April 27th</p> <p>Dad. went out first thing and sowed the headlands of the corn stubble broadcast with oats out of the granary &amp; harrowed them in, he then started harrowing on the barley ground I did up the chores and came out about half past nine to relieve him, as he wanted to leave for Simcoe at half past eleven to be at the court house at one. I harrowed all morning and got nearly all over it. It works up beautifully. Frank came home at noon and after he did up the noon chores he came out and disked while I just did chores around. Dad. took Enah &amp; Tid with him and they didn't get back till about eight o'clock so Frank and I had to look after ourselves. We were rather disappointed to hear that after all they settled the {illegible} without any lawsuit, but Dad. had to wait up there all the after noon to find it out. He saw everybody he knew up there though and got the harness fixed. Bob. Davis went past to-day with an enormous black Percheron stallion with a white strip in his face he would weigh about twenty one hundred and twice the size of Bickler's. In to-day's and yesterday's papers there are long lists of Canadian casualties. They had their first serious engagement on Friday &amp; Saturday at Langemark where they recaptured some lost guns &amp; ground and prevented a wedge of Germans from surrounding and taking a body of French troops. The paper said their losses were heavy but they saved the day. Nice day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday April 28th</p> <p>Dad. took the big team out first thing this morning and disked and as soon as I got the chores done I went out with the littlle team. Dad. took them and harrowed over the corn stubble and I disked on the barley ground till noon. This after noon Dad. took the big team and ran out the land furrows in the corn stubble it took him all the after noon and he didn't get any cross ditches run. We didn't work the little team as they had a pretty hard morning of it and we didn't want to put Ginger on a tongue anyway so I did chores all the afternoon. The cows broke out of the barnyard and I thought if I let them on the road they wouldn't go far as there is some lovely pasture but they weren't content to stay anywhere so after chasing around for about an hour I had to put them in. Win came over to tea to-night and Frank has just gone down with her. Bickler was down here to day with "Trachety". It has been sunny all day with cool breeze a little thunder shower early this morning Poor Ade Millman was married to-day.</p> <p>Thursday April 29th</p> <p>Dad. finished running out the ditches this morning while I did chores and then I took the big team and disked the rest of the barley ground while Dad. shovelled out the ditches in the barley &amp; oats, he says he dug up quite a few wireworms. I just finished disking by noon and took the disks up. This after noon I harrowed with the little team and Dad followed me with the drill. He didn't get started till after four so it was dark before he finished but he got through all but a plot 20 yds square in the north east corner which we left to sow my O.A.C. No 72 oats on. Enah got an announcement of Earney Skey's wedding, he was married yesterday. Nice day but cool wind all day.</p> <p>Friday April 30th</p> <p>Dad. went out first thing this morning and sowed the little plot of O.A.C. No 72 oats and harrowed them in as he sowed them broadcast he said they were a little thin in the centre of the plot as he ran short of seed. When he came in, he Tiddums and I went down town in the waggon and got Aunty Alice's trunks which were at the station having been checked right through and took them up to Hubys My little chestnut tree from Glen Bros was there too. It cost me $1.00 duty &amp; expenses. We got some cream jars over at the James' and some oats chopped at the mill Dad took a whole waggon load of bags up to the mill for old Ivey and we also got a bushel of clover seed at Billy Laings to sow on the barley and oats. It was raining a little when we got back</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and Tiddums was just about asleep. Dad. helped me set out my chestnut tree before dinner, we put in the same place where one of the little English walnuts had been and filled the hole up with nice black earth from the garden and back of the barn instead of the stiff clay of the lawn. This after noon old Mr. Evans came after Dad in a great state of alarm as he had let his cows out on the road and one of them came home very bloated. Dad. went over with him and found John Wess &amp; Cam there looking at the cow but didn't seem to know what to do. Dad just tied a stick in her mouth and he said the never saw bloat go down so fast, before he left she was chewing her cud and old Evans was tickled to death. Dad. was over there the best part of the after noon and when he got back he put the dining room carpet down for Enah. I spent the after noon cleaning out the chicken houses. Harry Smith drove in to-night with the little Pecan tree I ordered from Brown Bros. through Mr. Morgan. It wasn't wrapped up at all and had a long tap root about twice as long as the top and very little fibrous roots I just heeled it in for to-night. Harry stood out in the rain for about half an hour dicussing the future prosperity of Dover in his comical and characestistic characteristic (or however you spell the dum word) way and telling us the difficulties he had in getting money on the lots he sold over Brant Hill, but he thought the war couldn't last for ever and hard times would be over some day and when the new railway "come in from Brantford" and they established a lake traffic and "drudged the mashes" all out up the creek, why he looked for a big boom. Old Ivey told us this morning that last nights paper had the news that Blight had been completely burned out and Dick said to-night that it was reported he had lost thirty thousand dollars as he had just put in seventeen thousand dollars worth of new machinery It has rained most of the day but it has been a nice gentle rain</p> <p>Saturday May 1st</p> <p>Dad. put in another whole day on the barley ground, this morning he rolled it and this afternoon harrowed it and ran out the ditches and started to clean some. Frank and I spent most of the forenoon trying to catch the old white ewe or her lamb to give the little fellow a suck but she was too cute for us and wouldn't get in a corner at last we got her around in the shed and managed to catch her and put her in the barn. Tiddums followed us all over the field saying he was having a good time, he could hardly walk part of the time for laughing at us and the ewe. We then</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This is a repeat of the previous page}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>went out with a rail &amp; a chain and started to pull the posts along the old fence bottom which is between the barley field and the corner field. Frank took Dad's place on the roller and Dad. helped me pull posts, we got about half of them out by noon. This after noon I went over to Jack Martins with some eggs and borrowed their post auger, when I came back I dug a hole with it in the lane in front of the house and Frank helped me plant my Pecan tree in it. I have my grave doubts about it ever ammounting to anything although it had root enough. Frank went over to Preston's and sacked up four bushels of potatoes as we are out of them now and when Dad finished harrowing we took the team &amp; waggon and went and got them they were forty five cents a bushel. I went in for a few minutes to see Arthur who has been laid up for about a month and he looks tough, he hasn't had energy enough to shave and with his beautiful beard is the image of the old man. Bluch followed us down there and while prowling around saw Mrs. Herb. Cook's tame rabbit and took after it. The rabbit was too fat to run so the consequence was he killed it. Darn him! I spent the whole evening practicing on the fiddle and piano. Dad. was up at five o'clock this morning and took a letter he had written to Aunty down to post then while he was separating the milk Jack Anderson came after him to tell him his grandfather's cow was choking on an apple Dad. was hopping mad at old Lige sending after him but he went down and fixed the cow and said he gave Lige an awful calling down and told him never to send for him again. Lila and Dorothy Anderson have been over here all the after noon. Today's paper has another long list of Canadian Casualties and the 48th Highlanders have lost heavily. Fred McDonald is missing and his picture is in the Globe, it says the missing are either prisoners or their bodies still lie in the no man's land between the two armies. It has been cooler to-day and cloudy but no rain.</p> <p>Sunday May 2nd</p> <p>I was up fairly early this morning but didn't get to Sunday school, Frank went and Enah and I drove down to church, we were late so I sat up behind the organ. It was communion sunday and after the sermon I thought I would go out till those of the choir who didn't stay could went out and I went down and was talking to Pud. Slocombe for awhile and when I got back to church I was too late to go in This afternoon Colin Ryersie came up and he Frank &amp; I went for a ride. Colin's mare "Lady" &amp; Belle had both been</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>working all week so we didn't ride them hard, we went down the Lake Shore to Corbett's but Corby didn't go with us. When we got home Enah, Dad. &amp; Tiddums had gone back to the gully for a walk. Cool &amp; rather cloudy all day but no rain.</p> <p>Monday May 3rd</p> <p>Dad. cleaned at the ditches in the barley field most of the morning but didn't quite finish them. Enah, Tiddums &amp; I went down town in the lumber waggon as Enah wanted to get some oilcloth for our bedroom and some other stuff. We got a post auger at James', he said it was the best kind he knew but it was just like Vyse's. When we got back Dad. and I gathered up the good posts that we pulled the other day from the fence bottom between the barley &amp; corner fields and took them back to the gully to fix the cross fence. On our way back we gathered up the other posts that were pulled and what rubbish there was and brought it up to the house. This after noon Dad let the cattle back the lane and we went back with them to fix fence, we were back there most of the after noon and got soaking wet as we were out in the biggest part of a cold rain, but we put in four posts and got the fence fixed fairly well. The cattle as soon as they got out instead of gorging themselves on grass took a walk around every fence to see if there was any place where they could get out. Mary who Dad. let out of the barn for the first time this morning didn't know what grass was and was afraid of the mudhole in the lane so didn't go back with the others, but I think she will soon be acquainted with the outside world. Charlie Quanbury was in on his way home from his farm to-night, he said Steve Powell hadn't heard anything from or of Cecil since the big battle so they supposed he wasn't in it, the last letter they got from him he was in the hospital with pneumonia which he contracted after spending forty eigh hours in the trenches. I saw Herb. Cooke this morning and he informed me that in retaliation for the sudden death of his pet rabbit he was going to shoot Bluch the next time he came around his place I told him to go ahead and shoot him. Cloudy and a cold east wind to-day. It rained all the after noon and evening but will likely do good.</p> <p>Tuesday May 4th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I went back to the gully to finish fixing fence but while we were back there John Wess came along to ask Dad. about a cow that stood around and didn't eat but grunted. Dad. told him to give her a dose of salts but he said he did so we went back with him to see her. We had a look at her and then turned her out for a bite of</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>grass, had a look at his new bull which is a beauty but very small, got weighed on his new scales, I weighed 156 lbs and Dad. shrunk a few pounds since the other day when he was over so that he didn't weigh so much as John Wess. We then all had a drink of cider and a look at the sick horse and the young calves and went in to the house to see the new 25. calibre rifle that Cam brought home and the new telescope sight he brought for his father, he also brought him a little 22. and we had a few shots out of it at a target while Dad. was talking to Mrs. McBride and when he came out he wanted to know where the sick cow had got to so we had to go and look for her. John Wess and I had forgotten all about her but she was out behind the barn nipping a little grass but it was beginning to rain so we put her in. John Wess gave us about a peck of peas for seed in the garden and after having a look at the little pigs and the wheat we started for home, his wheat looks beautiful it is so even and clean. The piece that was sowed first was on a summer fallow and was up a little higher than that on the pea stubble which was in pretty late but was not so good a color. One part of the pea stubble field next the lane didn't get any manure on it and there is about four inces difference in the growth of it and the other part of the same field. He has a dandy catch of clover but clover is going to be thicker than we expected but the {illegible} is thicker still. It was nearly one o'clock when we got up and Enah and Eliza McBride were waiting dinner for us Mrs McBride is in Buffalo on a visit so Elizas is on the job to-day. They said the two Quanbury boys had been over and had looked all over the farm and the whole length &amp; breadth of the gully for us to get their pigs but couldn't find us of course. Just after dinner Mrs. Tom Cooper and old Mrs. Billy Anderson tramped over in the pouring rain to see Dad. about old Mehaley's little dog which got a crack over the back with a club the other day. As they were soaking wet there was nothing for it but for Dad. to hook up and take them home. It poured rain all the after noon so we didn't do much but sit around and get in Enah's &amp; Eliza's road. I was pretty lucky this after noon though in steering clear of job for Eliza is just as bad as her mother to work. I drove her home after tea. It has been a cold rain but no thunder.</p> <p>Wednesday May 5th</p> <p>Dad and I took a walk over the barley ground or around it rather and around the barley &amp; oats but there</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>was very little water lying but the ditches were all full Dad. of course thinks we got altogether too much rain but we saw Tupper coming along the side road and he gave us a ride around to the house, he thinks we just got enough rain as it is really the first rain to ammount to anything all year. Tupper wanted some advice from Dad about a cow with a teat torn so that the milk came out of the side of it. He turned his cattle on the road the other day and they got up near Walker's lane and Trum set the dog on them and he took after the best cow Tupper had. Dad. told him to put a siphon in it and draw it up and wrap it with adhesive tape. I spent the rest of the day cutting the lawn and got it looking better although the old lawn mower doesn't work very well and leaves it all streaked. Dad. helped Enah paste up some wallpaper in the hall and this after noon went back to set a couple more fence posts. The war news is not very cheerful to-day. The Allies are advancing all right in Turkey but the Russians are being driven back by the Austro-German advance in Galicia and the Germans are bringing in a half a million fresh troops to the Western Front. I don't think we know much about it from these papers. There has been rain and sunshine by spells all day to-day. Milder</p> <p>Thursday May 6th</p> <p>Dad. Tiddums and I went down to the mill first thing this morning as I was right out of chicken feed. When we got back we went out and pulled the old posts that were in the old garden and the few that were left in the old fence bottom and hauled them back to the gully and strewed them along the road fence. Tiddums went with us but got pretty sleepy. We had to go up the road to turn around and Art Quanbury had left his waggon on the road with his horse food in it and Evans &amp; Lampkins cows were all into it. Art. was plowing but I guess it would be too wet. This after noon Dad. &amp; I went back and fixed more fence in this end of the gully, we got the crossfence and the north fence pretty well fixed. About five o'clock we went over to John Wess' to see his sick cow He had her out although she wasn't feeling right yet. She ate and chewed her cud but still grunted. We were there till nearly six visiting. We shouldn't have stayed so long as it made us too late to get down to the train and Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice came home to-night. Frank went down to meet them and Dad. &amp; I went down to Huby's later to see them. It has been nice and sunny to-day but a rather cold wind. The Quanbury's got their four pigs yesterday.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday May 7th</p> <p>It rained before we got up this morning and has been raining pretty much all day although there were a few patches of sunshine. This after noon there was a terrific downpour but it didn't last long. The ground is full of water now and of course Dad. thinks or says he does that we are ruined, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we lived through it all and maybe even through next winter without starving to death. I tested the eggs in the incubator this morning and they tested out about half I took out sixty four and left a lot of doubtful ones in. I didn't expect much of a hatch anyway as the eggs were old. I hard boiled all the ones I took out and am going to keep them for the little fellow. This after noon Dad. Enah and Tiddums went down town to see Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice, they didn't get caught in the heavy rain but got some of it. I spent the day making hen's nests for setting hens and a coop for hens and chicks or rather repairing an old one which Williams left here. To-night I went down and got my hair cut and then down to Huby's to see Aunty and Aunty Alice. Everybody is talking now about the news in to-night's paper. The Germans have torpedoed the "Lusitania" and about fifteen hundred passengers were drowned. They gave warning to passengers in Washington before she sailed but everybody had such confidence in her great speed being such a protection to her that they didn't pay any attention to the warnings of the German embassy. Dad. thinks they were perfectly justified in sinking her as she was carrying a large consignment of ammunition and other contraband of war, but even then it doesn't seem to me to be any excuse for sinking so many women and babies. I think the Captain and the Cunard line were also very much to blame for allowing women passengers to go with such a cargo. There were about 150 babies on board and they all either drowned or died of exposure about six hundred people were saved. They were in the Irish Sea about ten miles out from the Irish coast and there were a lot of ships came out immediately she sank but it was so sudden and she sank in thirty minutes that there was no time to get ready for it. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice came home on the train with a little woman 21 years old with a four months old baby who was going from her home in Saskatoon to her father in Englan as he was all alone, his five sons being at the front and she was the only other child. She was to have sailed on the Lusitania. The porter on the train begged her not to go on that boat as she was doomed but she said she was not afraid.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday May 8th</p> <p>Instead of fixing fence this morning as we intended Dad. &amp; Frank worked all morning cleaning out the woodshed while I weeded out the rose bed and got it looking much better. This after noon Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice came over and we all except Enah went back to the woods for awhile. They intended to go back down town after tea but it rained so hard they had to stay here all night. I got a letter from Ottawa to-day with a copy of the Canada Gazette enclosed with a law marked in it prohibiting the importation of chestnut trees from the States and saying that I would have to either export it back or destroy it. I was naturally pretty mad about it as I thought they should have never let it cross the line and not sent it up here and let me pay duty on it and get it all set out, however I wrote them a nice letter asking them to let me keep it if possible. It has been a lovely day but rained to-night.</p> <p>Sunday May 9th</p> <p>I didn't get ready in time this morning to get to Church or Sunday school so Dad. drove Enah down and went down again after her. I wrote to Quint instead of going to church. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice came over to dinner with Frank and Win also came over for the afternoon. After dinner we had a little music and then Dad. drove Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice up to the cemetry. Soon after they left Mrs. Smythe &amp; Pud drove in and were here all the after noon and to tea Pud. and I went to the back of the place and wandered around Enah, Mrs. Smythe, Frank &amp; Win. went down to church while Dad. Pud &amp; I stayed here to guard Tid in case he woke up Dicky Smith was in for a while after tea to get some information concerning the dehorning of a cow. Charlie Quanbury &amp; Colin Ryersie were both in a different times this after noon on horseback. Nice day but cooler.</p> <p>Monday May 10th</p> <p>We fixed fence all day to-day but as we were working along the road we didn't get on so amazingly fast, but we got it pretty well fixed from Evan's line down to the gate into the big gully, we also fixed the gate which got all broken to pieces during the winter or on Hallowe'en, I forget which The two Quanbury boys were pulling posts on their side of the road and that was conducive to considerable mutual visiting and restarted progress. This after noon Art. Walker came along and told us all his experiences during his ten weeks stay in the General Hospital having his eye</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>treated. As it was the longest period Art. ever spent away from home, there was much to tell. Then Tupper appeared on the scene with about half a dozen boards in his waggon &amp; had evidently been down town all the after noon at the very least but we were up on the hill and couldnt hear him talk very well on account of the wind so he didn't stay long with us but went up and spent half an hour or so talking to the Quanbury boys. To-nights paper says that Fred McDonald is a prisoner in Germany and Aunty got a letter from Cousin Carrie which confirms the report. They heard through some lady in London whose son is sharing the same fate at Fred. Cousin Carrie said that if they had received the news ten days ago it would have been awful but after the suspence they have been in since he was reported missing it is a happy relief. George Duncan came over to-night on his motorcycle and said the rails which Dad spoke for are in their road now as they have to put their fence up so Dad. told him we would be up to-morrow after them, although we hated to stop our other work. Sunny and warm.</p> <p>Tuesday May 11th</p> <p>We got a good early start this morning and managed to get home two loads of rails before one o'clock. This after noon we only got one load as we were delayed considerably. Jack Davis came in before we left with King Chocolate. I think we will use him this year with Belle as we can't seem to get any colts from a heavy horse and we don't know of a thorobred stallion in the country. Sensation has gone to Montreal where he stands for $100. and I guess King Chocolate is the next best we can get. We were stopped again on the road by Wess Buchner who wanted to ask Dad. about his horse's shoulder. He, Jack McBride, Wm. Walker and another fellow are all riding the road machine to-day and seem to be having a very sociable &amp; enjoyable time of it, they have changed the beats now and those fellows come right down to our corner, Dad. told them he wouldn't raise any kick if they scraped our lane for us and we were very much surprised to-night to find they had. Our next holdup was when we reached Duncan's as old Bill was in the lane clipping weeds when we went up and coming back. He would have been talking yet but happily they were hauling manure so we had to move on in a little while to get out of the men's way. We didn't get home till nearly six o'clock and there is still a load up there which</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>we will have to get in the morning. Mrs. McPherson &amp; Mrs. Myers were in this morning each with her "youngest". Mrs. Myers brought back the hen canary she got the other day as it wouldn't mate with hers. Dad. thought that as he had given it to her she might have had the decency to keep it as we don't want the pesky thing. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice came over to-night to stay awhile. We saw in to-nights paper that Earl Dewar who was at the front with the 10th Battalion was dead. I think he must have died of some illness and not wounds as we saw a week or so ago that he was seriously ill. Very hot &amp; sunny to-day</p> <p>Wednesday May 12th</p> <p>This morning we went back after our last load of rails. We were gone all morning as Dad. had to stop in at Wess Buchner's to lance his horses' shoulder. He had two of them each with an awful shoulder. He just ran the exploring needle into one and says it will have to be opened again. On our way out of Duncan's lane with our rails we ran across old Bill again. He was worrying to death because one of the manure spreaders wouldn't work. He says he worries all the time and can't help it. he is afraid everything will go wrong when he isn't at the head of things and every little mishap he sees drives him nearly crazy. George is in reality doing fine. We had a very early dinner and right after it Dad. drove Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice up to the cemetry and I spent the after noon disking, harrowing and rolling the garden and disking &amp; harrowing the strip in the plum orchard where we are going to put the raspberries. After they got back Dad. caught his ewe and sheared her and before tea Aunty Alice put in some onion sets or multipliers at the head of the garden. Aunty and Tim-boy worked all the after noon at the flower bed in front of the house.Very nice day not so hot as yesterday.</p> <p>Thursday May 13th</p> <p>Aunty Alice and I worked in the garden all morning and got in a row of squaw corn which she brought from the West three rows of peas which John Wess gave us five or six rows of Dad. Atkinson potatoes and Aunty Alice went over to the Quanbury's and got some cabbage and tomato plants and put them out We then ran out of seed but Enah had to go down town this after noon to give Miss Dyer some instructions about playing the organ in church and she got some more</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Dad. sowed clover seed on the barley &amp; oats and alsike on the wheat this morning and this after noon ran a ditch up through the garden and helped me set out some raspberrys which I dug up out of the old garden. It was very hot this morning but got cloudy and cooler.</p> <p>Friday May 14th</p> <p>I helped Dad. stick up some wire this morning between the orchard &amp; the plum orchard as there is fine pasture in the one while the oats in the plum orchard aren't big enough to turn on yet. I then helped Aunty Alice put in the rest of the garden we put in beets, carrots, beans and a lot of Golden Bantam corn which I planted with the planter and some radish, lettuce &amp; pepper seed and some lettuce plants which came up from seed. This after noon Dad. &amp; I worked at the gully fence again and got it pretty well fixed along the road. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's to roll bandages for the Red Cross Mr. Quanbury gave Aunty Alice some more cabbage plants and lettuce plants as the old gobbler ate a half a dozen of the other cabbages. Miss Harding and Winnie were over to tea to-night. I got word yesterday that my little chestnut tree must go back to the States or perish here. Nice day.</p> <p>Saturday May 15th</p> <p>Frank had to go to school this morning for some special exam so Dad. &amp; I spent the morning fixing the fence along the north side of the gully at least he did but I just sat around most of the time. It is a job that two have to be at part of the time but part of the time one is out of a job. This after noon Frank helped him and I dug up my little tree and took it down and expressed it back to Glen Bros. asking them to refund my money but I don't suppose they will, Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went down town too. We were in at Huby's for a little while He has been working all week at his garden and has it all in now. He says he is coming over to the farm on Monday There has been quite a cold wind all day and it froze last night but not enough to hurt anything here.</p> <p>Sunday May 16th</p> <p>Dad. woke up somewhere about four o'clock this morning and was reminded that he didn't turn the windmill out by hearing it going so he got up to do it, and on taking a look behind the old barn found Ginger with great big mouse colored colt as fine as a fiddle. As it was beginning to rain and was cold Dad. got me and we put</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>them in the box stall. Billy is a dandy horse colt as straight as a string two white feet and a spot in his forehead. Dad. thinks he will be black. Aunty, Frank and I drove down to Sunday school and church this morning but none of us ezxcept Dick who followed his usual course of action went anywhere else all day but spent the after noon reading and I had a little practice on my horn with Enah. It has rained a quiet drizzling rain nearly all day but has been cold.</p> <p>Monday May 17th</p> <p>Huby came over at seven this morning and he and Dad have worked all day up at the cemetry doing some work for Aunty Alice. They took a waggon load of rich earth up and a lot of sod. This after noon Aunty, Aunty Alice and Tid. went up with them and they were rather late getting home. I spent the day cutting the lawn and doing odd jobs, my chickens are all starting to hatch to-day and there seems to be quite a bunch of them. I wernt over to Jack Martin's a couple of times to see if I could get some chicken feed but just enough for to-night and the morning. Albert Buck was over to-night to see if he could sell Aunty Alice his house. Everyone seems to be deluded into thinking that she wants to buy although she has never had the slightest intention of it. Some even went so far as to say she had bought Maneers house on Main St. Enah and Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's after tea and when they got back Enah and I had a little practice on the fiddle &amp; piano. It has been cloudy and very raw and cold all day.</p> <p>Tuesday May 18th</p> <p>Dad &amp; I took the chickens out of the machine this morning and stuck them under the old hens over the hog pen. They only had thirteen between the three of them and one hen didn't hatch any at all. About thirty came out of the incubator and they are still hatching. I put the eggs which weren't hatched from under the hens in the incubator. Dad. got started to plow the corn ground but Bob Miller &amp; Whit Dixon came over to look at the steers and they were here about an hour. Dad. wouldn't sell either of his steers but Whit came over to where I was and asked me what I wanted for my steer. I thought likely he had been dickering with Dad or I wouldn't have sold him but Whit said the market was glutted so I let him go for seventy dollars and they get him when they want him. I guess I lost on him but if I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>can get my money for him right away it will be worth something. Huby dug up enough more raspberries out of the old garden to finish the line we started and another one. After we set them out after dinner, we went back and grubbed out some old trees which were along the old fence bottom at the north end of the gully fence wheat stubble and where Dad is plowing He is going to plow it up the fence bottom and put potatoes on it if we ever get around to it as Peter McArthur says. We didn't finish this job till it was time to come up and do chores. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went up to the Smythe's to-day to stay for a day or two. It is still cold and raw. It froze last night and will again to-night. It is bad weather for all the crops.</p> <p>Wednesday May 19th</p> <p>Huby has been over all day and has been grubbing out dead trees in the plum orchard most of the day and got them all cleaned out. I did chores most of the morning and this after noon went over and got 559 lbs of mixed feed from Jack Martin for the chickens. I had to sack it up myself so was gone quite awhile. Chris told me to hook old Jack up to the democrat and bring it home which I did. Dad. quit plowing about five and we all went down to get Aunty Alice's freight which Dick told us came yesterday. Enah &amp; the baby went down with us and stayed at Huby's till we came back from the train, we left the boxes at Huby's. I got a letter from Glen Bros. to-night saying that they could not accept the tree as it was not barred from entering the Dominion. They sent me a copy of a letter they received from the Government Botanist of B.C. saying there were only two varietys of chestnut trees barred. They also sent me a copy of a letter they wrote to Mr. {Gusson?} telling him he was wrong. To-night I rode out to the Smythe's to see how they were out there and found them all right It was after half past nine when I got there so I didn't stay long. Huby brought over two little chest butternut tree which he got on his way over and set them out. It has been cloudy &amp; cold all day but is not going to freeze to night. It did again last night. Charlie Quanbury lost 600 tomato plants in a cold frame.</p> <p>Thursday May 20th</p> <p>Huby came over this morning and has been digging out old peach trees in the old garden all day, while Dad. plowed. Sam Law came over and borrowed the disks, roller &amp; harrows to work up his garden and and his lane which he graded up. I did a lot of chores aided by Tid both after breakfast &amp; after dinner. I have about sixty little chicks all to-gether under three hens, the incubator did better than I expected.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>after I did chores I went out and helped Huby We got out all the old peach trees and all but a few of the old currant bushes We left a few for this summer's crop. We also burned the old haycocks which were out in the field. It began to rain about five o'clock and we had to come in. It has been a little warmer to day but a cold wind and cloudy.</p> <p>Friday May 21st</p> <p>It has rained off and on nearly all day clearing up late this after noon. Dad. plowed three rounds but got pretty wet. It would stop raining every time he got to this end of the field and look so clear that he would start off again when it would immediately start in again to rain, this kept up for three rounds but the fourth he quit anyway although in the dry but it was wet again before he got to the house We didn't do much all day but chores. This after noon we hooked up to the waggon and went down to the mill after some chop &amp; flour. Tid. went with us. We saw John Wess who was telling us about his neighbor Smith who is Bill Oakes son-in-law and who just moved down on Wright's place this Spring. He is sick in bed with Typhoid fever and the other day John Wess had to go over and bury his horse which got over a barbed wire fence and cut itself so badly that it bled to death. It was a fine big three year old which he had been offered $275.00 for this Spring. About seven o clock Mrs. Smythe brought Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice back. Frank spent the evening down town playing poker with Huby &amp; Aunty Maude as Win &amp; Lila were at the show. Milder since the rain.</p> <p>Saturday May 22nd</p> <p>Dad. got in a pretty good day plowing to day. Frank had to go to school this morning and I just did chores. This after noon he &amp; I levelled up the water troughs. The one at this end had sagged so that when it filled the water ran out of the top instead of the overflow pipe but I think we got it fixed pretty well. When we got that done Frank, Lila &amp; Dorothy Anderson went back to the woods and I started to hoe the patch where the currant bushes are. Enah went down town this after noon and I drove down after her about half past five. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went down town this morning and Aunty stayed at Huby's to dinner. She &amp; Winnie came over this after noon &amp; Win. went down with me before tea. Mrs. Col. Smith &amp; Mrs. Hobbes came over this after noon and Aunty Alice and Tiddums entertained them. It has been a fine day but rather windy and cool much milder that it was though.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday May 23rd</p> <p>Aunty &amp; Frank got a pretty down to Sunday School &amp; church this morning and Dad. &amp; Enah got a pretty good start for the Smythe's so that they were able to get to St. John's for church Mrs. Smythe invited them up there to dinner to see Louise as she came up from Toronto yesterday with the Evan's in their car to the Bowlby's but as they found they would see much more of Louise if they went to the Bowlby's to dinner so Mrs. Smythe was nice enough to let them go, they were there all the afternoon and Dad. got back in time to help me milk. They left Tiddums in Aunty's &amp; Aunty Alice's care and he was very good and didn't cry a bit. At dinner he got a little egg on his dress and he looked up at Aunty and said "I usually wear a bib." This after noon Mr. Lawrie &amp; Hubert came over for awhile they are here for over the 24th. Aunty Alice &amp; I had a little concert this after noon. Frank went up to Walleys to look for Ginseng but didn't find any. Frank went down to church to-night. Nice sunny cool day.</p> <p>Monday May 24th</p> <p>Dad. plowed all day to-day, he helped me get the brooder out of the shed this morning and put it in the plum orchard and I was quite awhile cleaning it out and working around out there. I let the three old hens with their broods run loose to-day. I went over to Jack Martin's and got some chick food &amp; scratch food. This after noon to celebrate the day Enah, Tiddums and I took a long and very pretty drive up around Vittoria &amp; Port Ryersie, we took some pictures. Frank was down town all the after noon. Dover &amp; Simcoe Nanticoke were playing baseball, but Dover got beaten by nine runs. Cars. Rankin accidently hit Art. Lawson in the eye with a bat and broke his glasses cutting his eye. Dick was down town all day too. Frank went with Winnie to the Moving Picture show to-night. Huby and Skinner Manning drove over to see Dad this after noon. It has been a lovely day. Sunny &amp; warm</p> <p>Tuesday May 25th</p> <p>Dad. plowed till about five o'clock but had to stop as his shear was so badly worn so he disked till six I did up the chores and hoed every thing that was up in the garden I hoed a little more around the currant bushes it took me a good part of the day doing chores as the little chickens take up so much time. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went down to have dinner with Mrs. Allen at the Norfolk House to-day and stayed down at Huby's to-night. Huby was over all day and got all the old rubbish out in the old garden</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>burned and the old post holes filled up. Frank went down town to-night to get Aunty to help him with his lessons. Very warm all day and a lovely gentle rain to-night. Bred Belle to King Chocolate this morning.</p> <p>Wednesday May 26th</p> <p>I did chores nearly all morning and sorted out the barrel of apples down cellar. I also started the incubator going. Huby came over and after he finished cleaning up the old fence bottom beween the barley and the clover field which he started yesterday, we started to line up for the chicken fence which I want to put up along east of the raspberries in the plum orchard. We were at that all the after noon and got stakes set and enough old posts and rails which we will use for posts between the bigger posts. We got enough old boards off the road fence to put along the bottom. Dad. plowed all day but didn't quite finish. He was delayed at noon by Bickler's man coming in with Truchety and we bred Ginger. He quit about five and to-night he &amp; Enah went out to the John Shand's, they didn't get back till about twelve. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice came over this after noon but Tid didn't wake up. Colin Ryersie went past this morning and said they had started plowing the big flats yesterday, they were going to start two or three weeks ago. Colin said "It is just eighteen years ago the day before yesterday that Paw and {Drake?} Watts were out before the crow flapped her wings in the morning and planted the big field by one o'clock, then went down to play football for the Queen's birthday sports in the after noon". That was the last time the flats were plowed and Huby says it is just about that long ago next October when the creek was the highest he ever saw it and was running full with corn shucks, pumpkins, rail fences and down around the swing bridge apple barrels where they had floated off the cars at the station. This may account for the long span of years that Art's big flats were left in sod, but the creek is about two feet lower now than it was in those days. It has been cloudy and a very cold north wind all day and it looks like frost to-night.</p> <p>Thursday May 27th</p> <p>Huby didn't come over to-day so I spent the most of the morning doing chores but got the two lines of raspberries hoed and some of the old manure out of the chicken yard put around them. Dad. finished plowing the corn ground and got nearly over it with the disks it will take a lot of work. This after noon I drove Enah &amp; Tid. down town for some groceries just as we got back Mr &amp; Mrs Johnson &amp; George came in with their car and they took Aunty Aunty Alice Enah &amp; Tid up to the cemetry. Lila</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>came over with them. To-night Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's to borrow a book and I went with her. I also took Mrs. Charlie Martin a setting of eggs for which she paid me forty cents. I see by to-day's "Norfolk Reformer" that Capt. Simpson left this morning for England to join the Army Service Corps, I wish I had been up to drill before he went. Dick said to-night that May Ivey who is at the Culp's with plural pneumonia is not expected to live through the night. It froze hard again last night and did a lot of damage I guess. Some of our tomato plants in the garden were nipped and some were not, has been sunny but a very cold wind all day from the north.</p> <p>Friday May 28th</p> <p>After I did up the chores this morning I went out and took the team and Dad. came up and took the old sow down to Porter's, he was down there to dinner and didn't get back till four o'clock. I rolled the corn ground and got started to harrow it. Huby was over all day and set the posts in the plum orchard for the fence along the raspberries Something has been wrong with Snowdrop all day and to-night Huby Dad. &amp; Frank examined her but couldn't see much but a little spot on her jaw which Dad. didn't think would affect her much, she went around all day with her nose to the ground and didn't eat at all. He ran the probang down her throat but everything seemed clear. Frank and I went down to Huby's to-night and had a game of poker. They had a baseball game down town to-night between the married and single men. Frank took it in but I didn't get down in time The single men men beat 6-5. Much warmer to-day.</p> <p>Saturday May 29th</p> <p>I worked on the corn ground all day to-day. I finished harrowing it and got it disked over lengthwise. Dad &amp; Frank sheared sheep all day, they got four done I think Dad. says he is getting quite expert at it. Lila and Dorothy Anderson were over all the after noon and I let them ride the horses in from the field to-night which they seemed to enjoy, they had been waiting around for about an hour for me to unhook. Snowdrop is aparently all right to-day, we don't know what could have been wrong with her unless there was something in her throat that Dad. loosened with the probang and didn't know it. Aunty Alice has been tending to the little chickens for me, a lot of them have their eyes swelled shut. I think they have caught cold. It has been sunny all day but there has been a cold east wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday May 30th</p> <p>Aunty &amp; Frank and I went to Sunday school and church. Enah came down to church and Dad. brought the baby down and went over with Enah to the James' for dinner and to spend the after noon, they took Tid. down to the lake for a little while and had an early tea down there. I saddled Joe and went for a ride after dinner. I went down to the Ryerse's but none of them went for a ride so I went out to the Shand's and got Charlie to go with me. His uncle John had the little sorel which he generally rides so he had to take Billy the big grey and the consequence was we couldn't go much off a walk. We went down to Marburg and up the third concession. I stopped in to see Sid. McBride but he wasn't home. I wanted to ask him about getting some more of his hog-meal. We also saw Hammond on his way home from Sunday school, we were talking to him for about an hour. He was telling us all his Guelph experiences, he would like to go to the war but his Dad. won't let him, the whole three of us would go if we got the chance, but Charlie is not well at all. I don't know what is wrong with him. Frank rode to Simcoe this after noon on his wheel, when I got home he was back after the cows. He was gone a very long time and upon investigation I found that a newly arrived calf was causing the delay, it belonged to Spot and Frank was bringing it up to the barn. It was a fine big red &amp; white bull and had evidently been born quite early in the day. Dad. just got home as we got it up into the yard. Aunty and Aunty Alice went down to stay at Huby's for a week It has been a fine day but a cold east wind.</p> <p>Monday May 31st</p> <p>I disked crosswise on the corn ground all day but didn't get quite over it. Dad. sheared some more sheep, I think he only has two more to do now. Huby was over all day and put a post in at this end of the lane to put the gate latch on, he also fixed the fence at the end of the lane between the gatepost and the anchor post, he didn't feel very well to-day. To-night Frank and I went down to see another baseball match between the married and single men. The single beat 5-4. I fooled around town till about nine o'clock and then went down to Huby's for a little while. Frank was down there and Aunty was going over his lessons with him. They were all working late in the bank to-night as it is the end of the month. It has been quite hot all day to-day but the wind is still from the East.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday June 1st</p> <p>This morning I finished disking the corn ground and got started to roll it At noon I drove Enah and Tiddums down to Mrs. Leslie Battersby's for dinner and brought Huby over, he said he felt well enough to work but didn't like to walk over, he sat in the house and shelled corn all the afternoon. I also got old Daddy's collar from Val. as Dad was going to hook Joe &amp; him up but he sheared the last sheep instead, he sheared the other one this morning, he took the team till I got out after I had my dinner. I finished rolling and started to harrow crosswise, about five Dad. came out and relieved me and I drove Huby home. I drove him out to Charlie Tuple's first to get some archangel which is a weed that grows in a ditch out there and which Charlie claims to be a cure for Huby's ailment, he steeps it and makes a tea of it. We went around to see Bill to see if he could come and mark the corn ground for us to-morrow after noon he went down and asked his boss at the canning factory and said he could get off. He was telling us that they operated on his son-in-law over here who has just got over typhoid fever for apendicitus last night and Bill doesn't think he will live through it. May Ivey is still alive and I guess stands a chance of pulling through. Hot to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday June 2nd</p> <p>I drove Dick down to work this morning and went around to Billy Laing's to see if I could get any seed corn as Dad. is afraid to use what we have. Some of the cobs were mouldy when Huby shelled it and some Dad. planted in a flower pot only tested about 60%. Billy didn't have any and didn't know where there was any Aunty went up to Mrs. Battersby's with me and got some dahlia bulbs to send over here. When I got home Huby went over and telephoned to the Smythe's and they said they had a little so I hiked right out there but found it was just in the crib and didn't look as if it would be as good as what we have so I didn't get any. It began to pour rain just as I lef so I got pretty wet. This after noon after it stopped raining I cut part of the lawn. Huby spent the after noon building a fence two panels long from the pig pen to the orchard fence to make a small yard for the little pigs. Dad. rolled this morning but it was a little too wet this after noon so he hoed in the garden. I drove Huby down to-night and we saw Bill Oakes and told him not to come over till he thought the ground was fit to mark. Frank saw Billy Laings to-night and he said he could get us some corn in Simcoe. Cloudy and wet all day raining to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday June 3rd</p> <p>It rained hard during the night so that everything was flooded this morning but it was a good rain and as it has been pretty hot all day will do a lot of good. Dad. is beginning now to talk about a big crop of wheat this fall. This being the King's birthday Dick had a holiday. There wasn't any school but Frank went down to see and was down there all morning. I didn't do very much but cut a little lawn. Huby &amp; Lila came over but it was too wet to do anything much so Huby went back home. Dad. opened up a few ditches. This after noon Frank and I drove to Simcoe to see if we could get any seed corn but we found that Simcoe has begun already to shut up Thursday after noons so we couldn't get in anywhere but Edmond's and they didnt have any, we got some rocksalt there. We went down to see what Brook's Mill was paying for wool and they said the same as it was quoted at in Toronto and in to-day's paper they have removed the embargo and unwashed fine which is ours has jumped from 18cts to 23 &amp; 25cts. We saw all the Dover cadets up there they went up to take part in some contest but as near as I can make out they were the only company present so took the prizes. Frank McBride got four dollars and a medal for shooting.</p> <p>Friday June 4th</p> <p>This morning I finished rolling the corn ground and Dad. fixed fence in the gully as the cattle have been in on the oats the last two mornings. Frank saw Bill on his way to school this morning and Bill came over this after noon and marked the corn ground. It was in nice shape on top. Huby came over this after noon too and tore down fence along the road. After Bill started to mark crossways I started to plant instead of helping and Dad. helped him. It was a little too wet to plant but I got quite a lot done when Charlie Martin came over and wanted Dad. to go and look at his old mare's leg which Sam Law's mare had kicked and he was afraid had broken. She had been running at pasture in Sam's gully. Dad. went and Charlie took Huby with his shotgun over. Dad. said it was properly smashed, so Huby cut a shell and shot her. I had planted smart-nose corn from Charlie Dixon's as far as I went but when Frank came home he said Billy Laing's told him we could get some down at Jack Mason's so he and Dad. went down after tea and got about half a bushel. Aunty came over to dinner to-day and brought a piece of the blue lilly from home which we set out in the front bed. Nice day and very warm</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday June 5th</p> <p>Huby and I started in first thing to plant corn and have been at it all day. Dad. has suffered intense agony from a pain in his back which stabs him with terrible torture if he gives it the slightest twist, he doesn't know what caused it unless he hurt it a little yesterday after noon when he was helping Bill. He rolled down part of the barley and oats this morning and before noon drove out to Lorne Kniffens and took Aunty Lila &amp; Tiddums with him to get some more seed corn as Kniffen stopped this morning and told him that Billy Laing said we were short and that he had about half a bushel left, we also got about a peck from Jack Martin this morning so that we got the biggest percentage of the field in with "Longfellow" instead of "Santrose" Dad. helped us plant this after noon till Frank finished rolling the barley &amp; oats and then Frank helped us finish while Dad. did chores but we got it all in before six and think it ought to be a good crop. Aunty, Aunty Alice &amp; Cousin Clare have been over all the after noon and Winnie was over to tea Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice stayed all night. It has been very hot all day.</p> <p>Sunday June 6th</p> <p>Frank and Aunty went to Sunday school this morning and I went for a swim down at the Quanbury's. Mrs. Quanbury was very anxious to have me use their bathroom instead of the pond but I didn't and the water was fine. She gave us some asparagus and lettuce onions to bring home. Art has been sick and got pretty well behind with his work so Dad. told him last night that I would take the team and give him a day on Monday and he seemed very pleased. When I got home I got dressed up and Dick, Aunty Alice, Enah &amp; I went down to church. This afternoon soon after dinner Jim Waddle and the two little girls came in and were here for quite awhile, before they left Uncle Ward &amp; Bob. Ellis came in. Bob. didn't stay very long but went down to see Clarence Ferris but about five o'clock Mr. &amp; Mrs. Harvey Shand came in and they &amp; Uncle Ward stayed to tea. Frank and I did the milking and Mr. Shand drove Uncle Ward home before he &amp; Mrs. Shand left. Dad's side has been better to-day but there is still quite a pain there when he twists it. It has been very hot to-day and feels like rain.</p> <p>Monday June 7th</p> <p>Dad's back felt worse again this morning but he helped me milk. It was nine o'clock however before I could get out with the team and started for Quanbury's</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>with the disks, Charlie was disking with their team and Art. was setting out tomato plants. We worked up a pen to put more tomatos on. We all went over to Charlie's place where Charlie cooked dinner, he said he didn't approve of cold lunches. After dinner we had a look around Charlie's ranch, he has corn planted on the flats and he marked it himself. It is so crooked the crows cant follow the rows to steal it. Art. hooked his team on to the waggon to drive back to his place but Charlie &amp; I each rode one of my horses and had "some time" on the return trip. It began to rain about five o'clock so Art. who was equipped with a rubber coat drove my team home and their old team went home without driving, while Charlie &amp; I took to the woods and walked home after the rain had dried up a little. It was hot all day but sultry.</p> <p>Tuesday June 8th</p> <p>I saddled Joe first thing this morning and rode over to John Wess' as he was going to telephone up and find out what wool was worth in Simcoe. I found it was only 20 cts which was what Henderson told Frank he was paying so when I got back Dad. &amp; I weighed it all up and put it in a sheet and loaded it into the buggy but found it was too big a bundle to take in the buggy so we caught Belle &amp; harnessed Joe &amp; her and put the wool in the waggon. Old Ivey from the mill came in for awhile and talked He wanted to put his horse out to pasture for a couple of weeks but I don't know whether he will or not. By the time I got started down town it was getting near noon I didn't stop at the mill on the way down but went and got Huby to hold the team for me and when we got back Henderson had gone to dinner El. Ryerse was there so we put the wool in the warehouse and left it. I was going up to see about some locust fence posts which Dick Faulmsbe had but Huby saw Place and he said he had a car load of cedar posts on the way here so I thought we had better wait. When I got home Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice had gone to the Harding's for dinner and Enah was due to go but Tid. wasn't awake yet so I had to hook Joe to the buggy and drive them down when he did wake up. On my way home I stopped in at the mill and got the money for the wool which was 97 lbs I got 20 cts. $19.40 When I got back I had my dinner and then Dad. &amp; I went down to Mr. Flemming's and got a load of old shingles for Kindling as he has put a new roof on the west side of his barn and told us we could have what shingles we wanted to pick up. Dad. felt a little better to-day but not much It has been pretty hot to-day but a cool breeze</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday June 9th</p> <p>We didn't do anything much this morning but putter around and talk about going down town but Dad. was pretty lame so we didn't get around to it till after dinner. This after noon Dad. Aunty, Tid &amp; I went down in the waggon and were down most of the after noon Aunty didn't come home with us but walked home to tea. Dad. went to the doctor and got an electric shock on his sore back and some medicine. I got a roll of poultry netting and Mr. James loaded up the waggon with boxes. We saw Bruce up the street a little farther and were talking to him for quite awhile. Dad. &amp; Bruce held a sort of court of advice on Main St. as farmers from all over came flocking around with tales of woe concerning their livestock. Aunty didn't come home with us but walked over. Winnie &amp; Rosa Jack came over to tea. Mrs. &amp; Miss Woodson were in for a minute or two after tea before going to a bridge party at Mrs. Martin's. We had some music this evening but the girls went home early. Frank &amp; I went down town with them. Nice day.</p> <p>Thursday June 10th</p> <p>This morning we hooked up the team and Dad &amp; I went down to Flemming's to get another load of shingles. We took Tid. with us. Just as we got there we noticed that our colts were out of the gully and in the field so I struck right accross to put them back but I couldn't head them off alone and so they got out on the road and ran up the lane to the house. There with Enah's &amp; Aunty Alice's help I managed to get them into the barnyard. I had to go back to the gully and fix up the place were they got out. I took the shotgun with me in case there were crows on the corn field but there weren't so I went on over to the woods but didn't see one. It was nearly noon when I got back but Dad. &amp; Tid weren't home yet so I walked over to see if they were waiting for me but just as I got there they had left but I ran accross Vyse and he kept me in conversation for half an hour. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went over to Mrs. Battersby's for dinner in honor of Mrs. Skey's birthday. This after noon Dad. &amp; I took a strand of barbed wire and stretched it over the piece of fence where the colts broke out and fixed it a little better. It was in the middle of the new gully fence where we left a place for gates but only stretched a piece of wire by hand. I think old Dandy probably caught his foot in it. Dad. felt quite a bit better in his back to-day but felt a little sick. Nice day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday June 11th</p> <p>I don't remember just what we did this morning but this afternoon I drove Enah down town for provisions as we just got word last night that the Millman's are coming up to-morrow to stay over Sunday &amp; take Aunty and Aunty Alice back with them. When we got back Dad. &amp; I started to clean out the floor of the big barn where the sheep were all winter. Dad. hauled a couple of loads out to the old garden to plow under. While we were there old Ivey from the mill brought his horse over to turn in the pasture. Aunty went down to a Red Cross party at Mrs. Buck's this after noon. Aunty Alice got word to-night that Mr. Billings was dead. He died at the hospital in Montreal and Mrs. Billings left right away for the West so Aunty Alice won't see her as She hoped. She feels very badly about it. Another nice day.</p> <p>Saturday June 12th</p> <p>When Dad. got up this morning he found old Ivey's horse over in Thos. A's oats. Harry must have kicked him over during the night as they didn't seem very friendly. I spent nearly the whole day cutting the lawn but I got it all cut front and back and it looks pretty nice I also dug up the rhubarb bed but not the plants. Dad put in all the day cleaning the manure out of the barn and got it looking pretty slick. We put old Ivey's chariot and our buggy in there as we will put the Millman's car in the drive house Frank spudded thistles to-day in the barley. Dick came home to tea to-night to see the Millman's. They got here just before tea. Mr &amp; Mrs Millman, Kathleen &amp; Orm who acted as chaffeur. After tea Orm took us three boys, Kathleen &amp; Enah to Simcoe also Winnie &amp; Lila. It has been hot to-day but breezy. Frank and I went down to Huby's to sleep to-night.</p> <p>Sunday June 13th</p> <p>I came home as soon as I got up this morning but Frank stayed down to go to Sunday School and church. Aunty was the only one who went down from here. Orm. Dick and I went for a swim this morning as soon as they got up, the water wasn't bad at all. After dinner I took Joe out and jumped on her back and as Kathleen was so anxious for a ride Orm out her up behind me but we didn't go very far as it was too strenuous to hang on without a saddle so then I put the saddle on her and Orm took a short ride while Kathleen was putting on an old pair of overalls then she had a little ride. They both seemed to enjoy it. This after noon Orm took all but Aunty, Aunty Alice Frank and me</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>down to Hammond's bush to see old Ad. Frolick's log cabin, he got some of them down at Huby's too. When they came back Orm. Frank, Kathleen, Tiddums &amp; I went for a ride down town and up to see Globe Park. They thought it had changed a lot since they used to summer there. We took Aunty down to stay at Mrs Leslie Battersby's to tea. After tea we took Cousin Clare home as she had been down here all the after noon - got Aunty and went up to Cousin Loll's for awhile came home again, then Orm took Frank and me down to Huby's so the car had a busy day of it. Dick was down town all the after noon. It has been very hot all day.</p> <p>Monday June 14th</p> <p>Huby came over with Frank and me to breakfast after which Huby, Mr Millman, Orm and I left for Billington's armed with fishing tackle and arms ammunition and a spade as Paw was anxious to get some ground hogs and trout We didn't get up there much before noon and spent an hour or so hunting woodchuck. Mr. Millman killed one and shot at two others at once but they went down the hole. He also set Huby and Orm to work digging one out but that got too tiresome so we quit for dinner. The Billington Bros. were very pleased to see us and gave Huby &amp; me a pressing invitation to come up again some Sunday for a fish. We fished most of the after noon was had but they weren't biting, we caught four fish alto-gether. Mr. Millman one and I caught three. Before we came home we had another groundhog hunt but didn't get any. It was after eight when we left but it didn't take long to get home. We went through Normandale and saw old Bowlry Oakes. Tonight Orm took the notion that he wanted to sleep in the barn so of course none of us would be stumped and the whole four of us gathered up all the robes and quilts we could find and made a very comfortable bed but we didn't get into it till midnight and Dick was telling stories when I went to sleep but I never woke up till daybreak. It was pretty warm all day but a cool breeze.</p> <p>Tuesday June 15th</p> <p>It rained during the night and has been rather wet all morning but cleared off and was a fine afternoon Mr. Millman wanted to start for home this morning but we thought the roads would be too wet for the car so I drove Dick down to the bank this morning and took Orm with me before he was up. When Orm &amp; I got back we thought they had decided not to go to-day so we went down again and took Kathleen with us. I took Joe down and had</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>her shod so we didn't get back till noon but fooled around down town all morning. At dinner we were very disappointed to find that Mr. Millman was determined to go this after noon, we did our best to persuade him that the clay roads of Walpole would hold him up but it was no use. They didn't get started till two o'clock but I guess they got home safely, the place seems lonely with so many gone all at once. I don't know how the chickens will get along without Aunty Alice. A special train came up from Hamilton this after noon with about 15 members of the Board of Trade and a brass band, they were here for about an hour and the Dover fellows took them around town in their automobiles. They delivered a few speeches. R. L. Tobey from Hamilton made a speech from all accounts principally about Huby and said he wanted to see him, but Huby wasn't up town. Huby used to be in the store in Chatam when Tobey was errand boy Huby said they used to kick him all over and never had much use for him. Enah and I &amp; Tid. drove down for a little while but were late, we met all the automobiles on the hill and had to turn around. We saw the cadets march down town. There was crowd enough for the first of July. I went to bed about the first thing after tea to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday June 16th</p> <p>Huby came over this morning and started going over the cornfield and planting the hills which the crows and blackbirds have taken. He saw a blackbird pulling some up but the crows don't come around when any one is near. I worked around the garden most of the day. This after noon Dad. &amp; I cultivated it. We went over to Mrs. McBrides this morning and got five bushels of dandy potatoes some of which we will use for seed. Bickler's man was in this after noon and we had to breed Ginger again. Fine and warm to-day.</p> <p>Thursday June 17th</p> <p>Huby got over the rest of the cornfield to-day and we got a bushel or so of potatoes planted. Huby &amp; I planted and Dad. plowed them in. We put them right on the sod in every third furrow. When Frank came home to-night he told us that Place's carload of posts had come. Sunny &amp; hot.</p> <p>Friday June 18th</p> <p>Dad. went down first thing this morning and twenty five of the new cedar posts. He brought Huby over with him and they went right back to John Wesses line with them and burned the old stump that was in the line. Shand came in while</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>they were gone and said the two cars of crushed rock had come and he wanted us to turn out this after noon and help haul it, so Dad. &amp; I went down with the team and waggon I stayed down there at the car loading waggons all the after noon. There were nine or ten teams hauling all to-gether. Dad had a tight box so he hauled the fine stuff. They are putting it on the big hill on the side road out here by our place It has been sunny and sultry all day, looks like rain.</p> <p>Saturday June 19th</p> <p>I got up good and early this morning and Dad. &amp; I went down to haul stone again. I spen the whole morning in one of the cars shovelling out the side that didn't dump. I finished it all but about a wheel barrow load by noon but it was heavy work. They hired Huby for the day and he &amp; Tupper's man were in the other car. They finished hauling the stone by soon after dinner, but Dad. was all the after noon hauing the fine stuff. There wasn't nearly enough of it to cover the big stones so they had to use earth which I am afraid will not be nearly as good. I stayed down at Huby's to dinner. Enah and I printed pictures to-night. Frank took Gladys down to Porter's this morning and this afternoon caught old {Dadudy?} and cultivated corn. Rained a little last night. Hot to-day but windy.</p> <p>Sunday June 20th</p> <p>Frank went to church &amp; Sunday school this morning but Dick and I went down to Quanburys for a swim, we both swam across to the stump and back. The water was elegant but the wind rather cold. This after noon Dad. Enah &amp; Tid went for a drive out to Mt. Zion Church. Frank went for a ride on his wheel and Dick down town I wrote to Aunty Alice. Five or six of my littlest chickens disappeared yesterday and I suspected a cat and to-night Frank caught the white cat running under the shop with one so to-night Frank put her in a sack and took her down to the fish shanties to lose her. It has been sunny all day but there has been a cool breeze.</p> <p>Monday June 21st</p> <p>We were all ready to get at the roadwork again this morning when Harvey Shand came in and said that there was another car with some fine stuff on the road and he thought it would be better to wait for it than to cover the stones up with earth, so after breakfast. We took the little jag we had on the waggon from Saturday night and put it on the road. Enah and Tiddums went with us and picked some wild straw berries along the road.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Huby came over and when we got back we planted some more potatoes. We have been at that all day and Dad. is plowing them in. Huby hoed corn while Dad. was plowing the empty furrows and I pulled the sour dock in the barley. We quit early to-night and Enah &amp; I went down to the the picture show to see Mary Pickford in "Tess of the Storm Country". It was pretty good. Frank rode down on his wheel, his exams started to-day, he had History, Hygiene, Composition &amp; Spelling, he thinks he did pretty well except in the spelling which he isn't sure about.There has been a strong East wind all day and it rained quite a spatter to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday June 22nd</p> <p>I went over to Martins with some more eggs this morning and Jack said he wouldn't be wanting any more. Huby didn't get over till late as he thought it would be too wet to do any thing but he and I put the boards along the ground on the posts he set in the plum orchard for a chicken run. Mr. Morgan came over and was here to dinner, he talked to Dad. all morning who was hoeing in the garden. He told me he would get me other walnut trees and a pecan for the ones that died. This after noon we didn't get out very early but I disked over the potato patch that was planted and we planted two or three more lines all tnat we will plant I think. Huby hoed some more corn and then went back to the woods to see if he could shoot a crow but was unsuccessful. He took a couple of sitting hens down to-night to set on some Plymouth Rock eggs he is going to get from Mrs. Flemming. The white cat came back from town last night some time and was purring around complacently this morning when we went out so to-night we caught her and put her in a bag with a lot of stones and I threw her over the dam bridge, so don't expect to see her back. I hated to do it and it may bring bad luck but I don't think it is very lucky to keep her here and feed her chickens. I went down to-night for awhile and got my hair cut. Sunny but cool breez all day.</p> <p>Wednesday June 23rd</p> <p>Dad. finished plowing the patch between the potatoes and the corn this morning and disked it up well. I went over to Jack Martins with the roosters and took some bags over to get chicken feed, he said he would fill them and I could get them in the morning. Huby came over and we rolled out the poultry netting along the posts and found it</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>till about eleven and then went down town and got some wire to finish the chicken fence. Dad. helped me put it up after dinner before he went out to cultivate. I planted some pop corn in the garden between the potatoes rows and then spudded thistles till chore time. Charlie Shand was in to tell us the stone had come for the road. Quite warm to-day but nice breeze. Huby set nine posts along J.W's line to-day.</p> <p>Saturday June 26th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I got down to the car about half past eight this morning and I stayed there until we got it all unloaded. Huby was there too. There was only half a car for us, the other half was a little coarser and was for Dave Lampkin's bridge but they had a little more than they wanted so we took two or three loads of it. We were really through at noon but Dad. &amp; Tupper said they wouldn't mind coming back for the sake of having it done right so instead of going home to dinner I went out to the Shand's and saved a long walk. Dad. went home. This after noon we got some sandy loam along Tupper's fence and covered the rest of the stones on the Winding Hills. We didn't work very hard but got it all done by six o'clock. Frank cultivated corn all day and has big blisters on his feet. Huby came over at noon and set some more fence posts. It has been pretty hot and sunny all day. We need a good rain now.</p> <p>Sunday June 27th</p> <p>Frank went to Sunday School and church this morning but Dick and I went down to the Quanbury's for a swim. Dad. Enah and Tid drove up to the cemetry. This after noon Dick and I went down town and Frank went for a ride on his wheel and didn't get home till about eight o'clock. The Oddfellows marched this after noon and went up to the cemetry but they didn't have any band. I just hummed around the beach and park all the after noon It was very hot and sunny all day</p> <p>Monday June 28th th</p> <p>Frank has put in another good long day in the cornfield with old Dandy. It is beginning to look pretty nice. Huby has been setting fence posts all day and this after noon Dad. went back with him and slashed down a lot of young ash that were in the road. It is pretty hard digging back there now. This morning Dad. &amp; I sharpened the mower knives and I got started culling on the corner field. It is so weedy Dad. wants to get it done before the frist of July as he doesn't want sojourners into Dover to see it. I got a pretty good start with it but was bothered considerably with the brass boxing at the end of the pitman rod heating and had to take it off two or three times. Chris Quanbury from Lynn Valley came down to</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>night with a crate of straw-berries for Enah at eight cents About nine o'clock Elva Said. Davis, May Parry &amp; Bessie came over with Billy Boughner in his car to see if we knew where they could get some Brown Eyed Susan's to decorate Billy's car with on the First, but I guess it is a little early for them. I took Bluch back after the cows this morning and tied a plow shear to his rope and let him chase them hoping it would teach him not to be so savage. It holds him back a little but I don't know how it is goin to work. Very warm all day and feels a little like rain.</p> <p>Tuesday June 29th</p> <p>Frank and I went down town in the waggon this morning and got our hog meal at the station a bag of sugar for Enah to do up all her strawberries and I got some wheat screenings at the mill for the little chickens. When we got home I mowed &amp; Frank cultivated corn till noon Dad. &amp; Huby spent the morning at the fence and have it nearly ready to turn the cattle in the back field. This after noon I raked up what was cut yesterday while Dad. Huby and Frank cocked up. Then I cocked up while Frank went on and mowed. He kept on till it was too dark to see and then Dad. finished the field. The rest of us came in and had tea at six o'clock and then Dad. milked and Huby &amp; I went right out again and cocked up till dark. There is only about one side of the field in windrow now and it is beginning to rain a little to-night. Pretty hot all day.</p> <p>Wednesday June 30th</p> <p>It rained part of the morning so there was nothing doing in the hayfield. I drove Dick down town this morning and got some turnip seed and some cabbage plants at the Quanbury's. Dad. &amp; I set them out before dinner over in the old garden next the potatoes. We put out over a hundred. Huby came over after dinner and he and Dad. worked all the after noon at their fence but it isn't quite ready yet to put the wire on Frank cultivated corn with Belle all the after noon I went over to Charlie Quanburys and got his little seed drill to plant the turnips and when I got back went over to Mrs. McBride's and got another bushel of potatoes, then planted the turnip seed. The drill was certainly a great improvement on last years method. I planted nine rows the full length of the old garden in a little over an hour. Changing the lines took the most time as I didn't have a marker on. Sultry all the after noon but a nice breeze</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>was seventeen paces too short so I went down town and got some more but got just seventeen feet instead of yards, so it still about ten yards short but Dad. &amp; Huby put it up on the posts as far as it went this after noon and let the sheep &amp; hens out into the oats. The sheep instead of going for the oats as we expected kept pecking right around the chicken coops and nibbling what suckers they could find around the trees. I went out and rolled the potato patch over a couple of times and then harrowed it. There has been a very cold north west wind to-day and it looks as if it might freeze to-night. Cold enough for overcoats.</p> <p>Thursday June 24th</p> <p>First thing this morning Frank and I went over in the waggon to Martin's to get my chicken feed. They hadn't it mixed up yet so we had to go over to Bush's barn to get some buckwheat and then wait for Chris to mix it so we were quite awhile but when we got back Dad. was out cultivating corn with Dandy and Frank went out and relieved him. Frank has been cultivating all day and has got all over the cornfield lengthwise and started over crosswise going twice in a row. After I got my chicken feed put away and some chores done I went out and spudded thistles in the barley till noon. I had some chores to do after dinner but got a couple more hours in this after noon in the barley Huby &amp; Dad. have been back at John Wess' all day getting a line staked out for the fence. John Wess thought William's had crowded the last fence they put up a little and so they wanted to get it right and had to measure from the road. They found it about three feet shorter at one end than the other. To-night Dad. &amp; Enah went down to a concert for the Patriotic Fund. Tiddums of course woke up and I had to tell him Jack &amp; the Beanstak till we both went to sleep, we were both sound asleep in the big chair when they got home. It has been much milder to-day but there is still a cool breeze</p> <p>Fruday June 25th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; Frank were figuring on getting in a good day in the cornfield to-day cultivating with Belle &amp; Dandy but young Harv. Leany came &amp; got Dandy just before seven. They were disappointed but Dad. took old Harry and got Ivey's cultivator and tried it. He got quite a lot done but I guess old Harry was very exasperating. Frank and Belle got on all right and kept at it steadily all day. They are going crosswise and twice in the cow. I spudded thistles</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday July 1st</p> <p>Dad. and I went back first thing this morning and fixed the wire on the posts that Huby put in on John Wess' line and Dad. let the cattle into the back field. There is some lovely pasture in there and it is beginning to get short in the gully. Frank went down town to celebrate and has been down all day but came home at supper time to help Dad. do chores I went down after dinner, stayed at Huby's for tea and went up and sat around the park till half past ten. Enah and Tid went down this morning and stayed at the James' all day. Dad. drove after them to-night. It was a fine day for the celebration and there was a big crowd. It was sunny but not too hot or dusty. It looked very black this after noon but all blew over but they say there was an awful storm down east. Besides the usual list of foot races and tug of war, they had the cadets perform and representation of the "Queen Elizabeth" under Rear Admiral John Gordon bombard the forts at the Dardanelles Harry Moon was very much in evidence in this performance with a long tailed blue coat and flowing beard. He yelled himself hoarse through an instrument which served equally well for a megaphone, ear trumpet or funnel when he took a drink from a black bottle which was suspended in mid-air on a gallows which later in the day served to stretch the neck of an imitation Kaiser. Another item on the list of sports which I think was an original idea was a duck chase in the harbor. They let an old tame duck loose in the harbor and gave a prize for the one that caught it. There were a good many boys swimming after it but they couldn't catch it. They tried diving and coming up under it and cornering it but it was no use so at last they drove it up on land and let young Dickerson catch it. Huby was down there with the scow and Lila went in after the duck. Young {Brufy Cooker?} got a chill from being in the water too long but apart from that I didn't hear of any accidents and everyone had a good time.</p> <p>Friday July 2nd</p> <p>We thought the hay was a little to damp to work in this morning so Dad. hoed corn and I cut some of the lawn. Before dinner we greased the waggon and put the stakes for the slings on the rack, as it looked rainy and we thought it would be better to get a load in first and then rake up what was in swath. We got a small load in after dinner but it was very heavy and short. We put</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>it over the horse stable and the last lift came broadside of the stakes in some way and broke them both off. When we got the load off. We went out to rake but just as we got there it began to rain. It just rained enough to dampen the hay and make it unfit to rake so we came in and Dad. &amp; Frank fixed the sling stakes. Frank cultivate corn all morning but young Harve Leany came after him before dinner so Frank helped us this after noon. I went down town to-night and fooled around for awhile It has been cloudy and not too hot to-day</p> <p>Saturday July 3rd</p> <p>It was too wet to go out first thing this morning into the hay, so I washed the buggy. Ed. Forest came over to have Dad. look at his horse's tail as she had hacked through the window during the night and he thought there was some glass in there. Dad probed around and succeeded in extracting three pieces of glas two of which were large pieces. About ten o'clock Dad. &amp; I went out to put up the rest of the hay. It looked very black in the West but Dad. went a couple of rounds with the rake before it commenced but then we had to quit. We had a good steady shower and were glad to see it as every thing needs it. The oats are commencing to head out and are only about six inches high. Whit Dixon was over to ask us to put my big steer in Sunday night as they want him Monday. This after noon Dad. &amp; I ground the extra mower knife. Frank rode Belle down town after the mail and was down most of the after noon, he said it was raining hard down there but it didn't rain much over here It cleared up about five and to-night I went down town to see Marj. I didn't get to bed till about twelve o'clcock</p> <p>Sunday July 4th</p> <p>Dick got up fairly early this morning and we all then went for a swim and then Dick went down town to go to Brantford with the Dyer's. Frank and I went down to church I drove Enah down. This after noon Marj. &amp; I went for a drive, we had a very happy time, when I got home Mrs. Lawrie &amp; Edith &amp; B. Kains were here to tea. It has been a lovely day as near as I can remember.</p> <p>Monday July 5th</p> <p>It rained very hard last night so we couldn't do any thing with the hay this morning. Dad. &amp; I cut thistles in the barley &amp; oats till noon and after dinner Dad. started to rake hay but just as he did start a shower blew in</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>for about two minutes and soaked things so he came in We just sat around the rest of the afternoon and every now and then a little shower would come up. It has been cold and a strong west wind all day. Whit. came over this morning and got the big steer of mine which we put in for him last night. Billy Barlow was in this after noon to try and buy the others but Dad. told him he had promised them to Bob. Another fellow was around buying cattle to-day. Billy said it was likely Lea from Simcoe. Old Joey brought a couple of fellows over in a car to look at his horse and later two other fellows drove in to look at him but none of them took him away Dad. was wishing they would because he leans over the fence and eats Ivey's oats and bends the fence all over. Mrs. McBride was here washing to-day. Enah and Frank painted the kitchen this after noon and every body is forgetting about it in spite of the smell and getting into it. Dad. was going down town to-night but he woke the baby up getting dressed and it took him about an hour to put him to sleep again so he stayed home, but Frank went down to Huby's to play poker.</p> <p>Tuesday July 6th</p> <p>Dad. thought it was too wet to work in the hay this morning so he and I hoed a patch of couch grass in the corn. Frank cultivated with old Dandy all day but Harve Leany came after him to-night. This after noon Dad. raked up the rest of the hay and he and I cocked up. It looked rainy after tea to-night so we went out after tea and got quite a lot more cocked before dark. Landon Ivey sent over after the rake when we were through with it and told Dad. he could have the upstairs part of the root house over there for Enah to paint the oil cloth in the kitchen. Vernon &amp; Rebecca were to have come up this morning to stay at the Woodson's Nice day but windy.</p> <p>Wednesday July 7th</p> <p>We got in four loads of hay to-day, we would have got in another but the rain prevented us, but we hauled in out of the windrow and what is left out is in cock except a few windrows of couch grass. Frank bunched it up ahead of us and Dad. loaded pitched on &amp; I loaded. We put it all in the horse stable but we are going to change the car to the barn for what is left. This being Dad's birthday, Win &amp; Lila came over to see him this morning. Enah &amp; Tid went down to see Vernon so we had a cold lunch but had dinner to-night when Dick came home and stayed home all evening. I drove down town town after tea and right back again to get my pants from Tip and some pictures. Windy &amp; cool all day cool rain.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday July 8th</p> <p>It rained hard nearly all night so we couldn't do any thing in the hay. Dad. drove Dick down town and got his hair cut. Frank and I fooled around here and went over to Ivey's to measure the upstairs part of their root house to see if there was room to put the kitchen oil cloth down to paint it, we found there would be lots of room. When Dad. got home we took Joe and drove out to McPherson's with the beehive as Mrs. McPherson is going to give Frank another skip for the one which died. This after noon Dad. and I changed the car from the horse stable to the barn and Dad. tied a pulley up in the west end of the barn he had to do it with one hand and nearly fell once so we are afraid it wont hold when the strain comes on it. Frank spent the after noon making a super for his bee hive he made a dandy, he then worked half the night making a stick for the reel of the binder as one got broken. We took up the kitchen oilcloth this after noon and Dad. &amp; I took it over to Ivey's root house. To-night I went down town &amp; Marj. &amp; I went to the show. Dick came home with me as I was driving. It has been sunny &amp; windy all day</p> <p>Friday July 9th</p> <p>I cut the lawn this morning and worked around the garden Dad put some sleepers down in the hay in the big barn and put some rails accross them to keep the hay up off the ground This after noon we put rails across the two beams over where we ran some implements in so that the hay wouldnt come right to the floor. We then went out and brought in a load, but the rope that Dad. was afraid of broke and we were so long getting it fixed that we could only get the one load. Dad put another rope up but couldn't fix it very strongly as there wasn't enough hay in the bottom to shove the ladder up very high. To-night I rode down town and got the mail. Cousin Clare came over this morning and is going to stay all night. Nice day</p> <p>Saturday July 10th</p> <p>We hauled in hay all day but only got in five loads and left the last one on the floor. We would have finished the field but we were bothered a lot with the ropes breaking.Two lifts just got on the track when, with the first one the rope on pulley in the end of the barn broke and we couldnt uncatch the car from the gate so we had to trip the lift on the barn floor and pitch it into the east hay by hand. The next one that acted that way</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the pulley over the door gavey way splitting the rafter it was attached to and pulling the hook right out. We had to trip this lift too but lay a sling rope on the floor and managed to catch most of it so saved pitching by hand. We came to the conclusion that the track being so loose was what was causing the trouble so Dad. managed to tighten it a little at the risk of his life, however all our delays prevented us from cleaning up the field. Frank and Dad. brought the last load in and I rode down to Nanticoke and right back. Cousin Clare went home to-night. It has been hot all day and was a warm night.</p> <p>Sunday July 11th</p> <p>Frank and I went for a swim this morning Dick has a game knee so didn't get up to go, he doesn't know what is the matter with it but he is very lame. Frank went down to Sunday school from the pond and I came home and got ready to go to church. Enah &amp; I were going to drive down but just as we were ready to start it began to rain and poured down from then till about four in the after noon After dinner Dick and I drove down town. We both came back to tea. We saw Huby and Bill Oakes down town they had been out to Old Ed. McQueen's funeral.</p> <p>Monday July 12th</p> <p>It was too wet to work in the hay to-day so I drove Dick down first thing and when I came back I set out a lot of asters and stocks. Dad. &amp; Tiddums drove down to Law's after the butter to pay for the butter and Frank went over to Ivey's root house and gave the oil cloth another coat of paint. Dad. also made a short ladder to nail up in the east end of the big barn to tighten the nut on the rod as he has it screwed up as tight as it will go at the other end. This after noon I drove Enah down town, she wanted to see Cousin Loll as it was her birthday and as it was too wet to work I went around to take Marj. for a boat ride She, Essie &amp; Joe Brown who is staying there were down at the lake swimming, so I went down there by the time they got dressed and Marj. was ready it was about four o'clock and looked very black in the north but we went down to Jakes and got a boat as he said he didn't think it would rain. We met Bird Smith and her husband Mr. Parker and Nell Smith and her lover in two canoe's at Coleman's point and they told us it was going to rain but we went up as far as the Willows below Joe Long's before we turned back and then it began to sprinkle so we got back to Jake's as fast as possible and just got inside</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>his place when it began to pour and then followed the heaviest rain we have had for a long time. In a few minutes the foot of Main St. was a lake and there were torrents running down each side. Bird was in at Jake's and her husband was over trying to get a white fish at the fish shanties. Nell's beau had to get off on the {fire?} train so they had gone home and had to come back down to the station in the bus. After the train went out it was impossible to get from the station to Jake's so we four had ice cream and peanuts watching poor Nell over in the door of the express shed, where she stood for about half an hour, then when the storm had abated a little she sent Al. Faulkner over with his car as he had been imprisoned in the station too and got us all in and took us home. Al. had to make three or four attempts to get up Main St. but he managed at last I waited at the Bagley's till about six and then it was pretty well cleared off I went around to the Jome's after Enah and the baby but found they were going to stay to tea so I stayed down too.The town was a pretty mess. All the cellars and low spots were flooded and they said there were boxes floating all over Anderson's store. Very nice day but poor hay weather.</p> <p>Tuesday July 13th</p> <p>I drove Dick down town this morning and as the roads were next to impassable I drove around to bring Mrs. McBride over but she had left before I got there and I didn't catch her till she was half way up this road. I didn't do any thing much all day but set out the rest of the stocks out under Dick's bedroom window. This after noon I drove Enah &amp; Tid. down town for the mail and as Mrs. Charlie Martin is having a tobaccoshower for the soldiers to-morrow Enah had to get some of it. Dad. cut thistles in the plum orchard this morning and this after noon took a walk over the place. He says the oats in the barley &amp; oats have come on wonderfully since the rains and that what last week looked like a field of straight barley now looks like a field of straight oats but the oats across the gully although the grains are filling well are very short &amp; thin. Lila has been over all day and she &amp; Frank have picked cherries and Frank put a shelf up in the shop this after noon. He went down town to-night with Lila. I had a little practice on the fiddle to-night It has been hot &amp; sultry all day. This seems to have been the only place that got any rain yesterday.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday July 14th</p> <p>As soon as the dew was off this morning Dad. started to cut the clover and bluegrass east of the orchard. It was high time it was cut as the bluegrass was a little too ripe. Frank and I went out and turned out few cocks there were in the corner field. They were all damp but not in such very bad shape. Tupper came along and talked for about an hour so we were out there the best part of the morning, when we got through I staked a few of the little poplars along the road and Frank went over to Ivey's to give the oilcloth another coat. This after noon I staked the rest of the poplars and Dad mowed till I quit about four o'clock, he got all the one field down and got several rounds cut on the field north of the orchard. It looks to be a nice quality and fairly heavy for this year. We then put of the load that was on the barn floor and got another in of what we turned out this morning It was still a little damp and so heavy, but we thought we had better get it in. There is still a load out there We left it on the barn floor. To-night I went to the picture show with Marj. Dick came home with me. It has been fine &amp; hot all day. Looks rainy to-night.</p> <p>Thursday July 15th</p> <p>It began to drizzle here before breakfast this morning and kept it up most of the morning. It cleared off in the after noon but this evening there was a very heavy thunder storm. This morning I levelled off the hay in the big barn where it had just been left as the slings dropped it and Dad. cut the grass &amp; weeds around the fences of the meadows he cut. Frank tidied up the shop and before noon we picked some cherries for Enah. This after noon Dad. finished cutting the field north of the orchard. Tiddums followed him out and rode around on his lap most of the after noon. Betty Jean &amp; Rebecca all came over this after noon. Frank was in the "Reformer" to-day that he has passed Entrance and feels so elated over the fact that he actually wants to go back to school after the holidays. Dick walked home to-night and got covered with mud.</p> <p>Thursday July 22nd</p> <p>I have neglected writing in this for a week as I have either been away or too sleepy at night and not up in time in the morning and too busy all day. It was too wet of course to work in</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>the hay Friday so Frank and I hauled a load of broken tile and two loads of sand and put them in front of the cow stable door as there was an awful mud hole then Dad. cleaned the muck all out and we put the broken tile in on the solid ground and the sand on top of them, The cows didn't appreciate the improvement much and we had an awful time making them go over it. Saturday was a fine hay day - and I went down about eight to get Huby. He came over and cocked up all day. Dad. raked up bothe fields which were down and we got the one all cocked up by noon. We all four cocked up till about four o'clock and then Dad. &amp; I hauled in the one load which was left on the corner field. It was pretty dark so we hauled it in the old barn and will put it up over the granary. Huby &amp; Frank cocked up till dark but we had a lot of trouble with the callte. We had to put Bluch after them to make them go in and he chased Snowdrop over the barnyard fence. She hit on her head and turned a beautiful summersault. We couldn't get John it at all so she didnt get milked to-night. I drove Huby &amp; Lila home to-night and brought Enah back. Poor John R. Davis died very suddenly this evening, he had a sort of stroke over on the bowling green and died in a few hours. Sunday Dick, Frank and I went for a swim and Frank went from there to Sunday school, Dick and I came home but drove down to church with Enah. This after noon Marj. and I went for a drive and I stayed down at the Bagleys to tea. Marj. and I went to church but as we were about ten minutes late we didn't go in but went for a walk and then up to see Glad. Law to tell her about the visit we paid the Preston's this after noon. Monday was a fine day although it looked very rainy all day. Dad. Frank and I cocked up in the field north of the orchard till about ten o'clock and then Huby came over, he had been up to see Harry Ansley about getting the Customs House job in John R. Davis' place. Harry said they would do all they could for him and are going to get out a petition to be signed by all the conservative voters they can. Huby and Frank cocked up the rest of the hay and finished by to-night. Dad. &amp; I hauled in and got in three loads After tea I went down and got Marj. and drove her to Simcoe to get C.P.R. tickets for herself and Mrs Bagley. She is going to the {illegible} &amp; Mrs. Bagley out to Saskatchewan. We went to the show up there and got home a little after twelve. We had a lovely time. Dad. rode Belle out to Jim. Waddle's to get his influence in getting Huby the job but Jim said he had applied for it himself. Tuesday</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Huby came over first thing and mowed away or hoed in the garden. Dad. &amp; I hauled in two loads this morning but as he &amp; Huby went to John R's funeral this after noon we had to quit on time. Dad. went with the Masons. In the after noon Frank &amp; I hauled in two loads, we cleaned up the field east of the orchard and got one load off the other field. When Dad. got home he &amp; I got in another load. After tea I walked down town and got my hair cut. It rained a little. Haib died yesterday he has been sick about a month and was only twenty eight years old. The then Dyers kids (boys) were over here picking wild raspberries in the woods all day, they are thick back there Dad. &amp; Frank got up at half past three this morning and went back and picked a lot. Wednesday I got up before five and got fixed up and went down to see Marj. off. She &amp; Mrs. Bagley left for Toronto and from there up the lakes. It was too wet to haul all morning so Dad. &amp; Frank cultivated the garden and the raspberries I didn't do much but hoe a little We put off the load that was on the barn floor before dinner and this after noon Dad. &amp; I got in three more, we were going out after the fourth when it commenced to rain. It had been raining all around us all the after noon and we got a piece of it at night. It rained pretty hard for about an hour. I went back after the cows and got soaked. Aleta McBride was over all morning picking cherries. This morning Thursday, Dad. &amp; Enah &amp; Tid. have been out all morning canvassing the country for names to go on Huby's petition for the custom's office. Dad. got about a dozen nearly all the ones he saw were very anxious to sign it as they all think the job belongs to Huby A lot of them had signed Huby's in town. Mr. McPherson was the only one who didn't sign and he said he was very sorry but he had another man in view. The other man was aparently Wilson as they saw him on their way out and he told them that he had applied for the job but when he saw Huby's petition last night he put his name on it. Huby and Sandy Leitch were over after dinner in the latter's car and Huby had a paper three feet long filled with two columns of names. He had over 200 to-night. Frank mowed all morning the field north of the old garden he finished it soon after dinner. I cut the lawn this morning. Aleta McBride was over and picked the rest of the cherries. After dinner Dad. went out and turned out a lot more hay and about four we hauled in a load. Then we went out and cocked it all up again</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>as it looked very rainy. However it didn't rain here although we could see a terrific storm raging north of us. Dad. &amp; Enah drove down town to-night and took Mrs. McBride's share of the cherries around to her. They went down to see Huby and he had just heard from Jack Herring saying poor old Quint was in the hospital. Huby was pretty anxious about him but I don't believe he is very bad. Lila is also laid up with biliousness</p> <p>Friday July 23rd</p> <p>We put off the load that we hauled on the barn floor last night and then Dad. took the team and raked up what Frank cut yesterday. Frank and I threw the tops of the cocks which didn't get turned yesterday and then came in and changed the car from the barn to the horse stable. Dad. came in before we were through but the time we got that done it was half past eleven - and not worthwhile going after a load, we got out fairly early after dinner and got three loads in leaving the last one on the barn floor, we quit early as Huby was over and wanted Dad. to go to Simcoe to-night with him, Barwell &amp; Ansley to see Alex McCall about Huby's job. Frank and I did the chores. Dad. said that it looks pretty well for Huby as McCall wants him to have it and says in the face of the petition that Huby has over 250 names it would not be right to let it go anywhere else but of course he hasn't all the say and Jim Waddle has all the Conservative committe on his side outside of Dover, but they think there is a chance of him dropping out. It has been sunny and breezy to-day a good drying day.</p> <p>Saturday July 24th</p> <p>This being my birthday Dad. &amp; Enah presented me with a tripod for my camera, Frank with a necktie and Dick with a box of Holeproof hosiery. Aunty sent me a shirt and Aunty Alice a dollar so I came off pretty hicky. We hauled hay all day, got the load and and a little over that was on the field north of the orchard and then hauled in off the bluegrass field which Frank cut on Thursday. We got it all in but about half a load. There were only about three loads on it, but it took a long time to haul as it was in windrow and Frank just bunched it up ahead of us It was in nice shape though as it didn't get wet at all. Dad. and Frank did up all the chores to-night as I felt rather sick. I haven't felt extra well all day but to-night I felt really rotten. It has been a nice day sunny and windy, looked a little hazy this after noon</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday July 25th</p> <p>I didn't feel up to much all day and Enah was right down sick so nobody went to church all day. Dick &amp; Frank went for a swim before dinner. Huby was over for a little while this morning, he said he didn't feel very well either I don't know what is the matter with all of us but Enah and I felt better to-night. I drove Huby home. This after noon Dick went down town and Frank went back to the woods and discovered a black cherry tree with dandy big cherries on it right at the edge of the woods. He also reported that the wild raspberries were thick back there Sam Law came after Dad. to go and see a sick pig he had Dad. went and saw it, came back to get a syringe and when he got back the pig was dead. I wrote a letter to Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice. Enah spent the after noon in bed. About four o'clock Rus. Ickey cam over and stayed to tea. We were of course highly entertained by his conversation. Fine day.</p> <p>Monday July 26th</p> <p>Frank and I spent the morning back in the woods picking raspberries and supplying breakfast to the one million hungry mosquitos which inhabit that portion of the ranch We got a nice lot of berries. Enah put down five quarts and we had some for dinner and tea. Dad. cut hay all morning. Just after dinner it began to rain and we had quite a long shower so couldn't do any thing more in the fields. I wrote a letter to Mr. Yussou about my chestnut tree and also one to Prof. Zavitz asking for another potato platform in place of the one I lost. When it stopped raining I put up a bit of two foot poultry netting across the bottom of the raspberry patch and shut the five young dudes in. Frank spent most of the after noon making a whipple tree for the cultivator out of a piece of hickory. He is making pretty good job of it. They got word from Quint to-day or rather of him, they are afraid of typhoid fever, his temperature goes up at night to over 103° and down in the morning, they are pretty anxious about him.</p> <p>Tuesday July 27th</p> <p>Dad. and I spent the whole morning hoeing potatoes out in the old garden but got on very slowly owing to the grass which has come up so thick with the potatoes since the rain. Frank finished cutting the old timothy sod and brought the mower up as everything is cut now. At noon Sam Law came over to see if Dad. would go down with our binder and cut his wheat and let him come up here, but Dad. told him he had better bring his team up and hook on the binder. Their binder won't work at all the knotter</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>seems to be at fault. Krompart told them he would be down to day but Sam is anxious to get his wheat cut and thrashed before he goes out with the thrashing outfit which he expects to have to do about the end of the week. Dad. &amp; Frank went over with Alan after dinner and they got things going with our binder when Krompart &amp; the General Agent came along and they were there all the after noon, put a new knotter on but it didn't work any better At last they discovered that the tension sit screw had been turned up as tight as it would go and that was what was causing all the trouble. Then they took a link out of one of the chains on our binder which was too loose and which Dad. never could tighten, but it was four o'clock or after before Dad. got home. However Dad. went out and raked up what hay was down and got it all up in windrow by about half past seven. Frank and I did up all the chores. I went down town right after dinner to get some coal oil and the mail and some cucumber plants from Huby which I set out when I got home. I don't know whether they will live or not as they were pretty big to move, but I also fixed some hills in the garden to plant seed in. To night Frank and I went over to McPhersons and got the bees they have been in the hive over a week. Percy Millman was down at Hubys to dinner to-day, he came up to look for a cottage, he said that the rest were all coming up Friday in the car and Aunty was coming with them. Cloudy and warm all day.</p> <p>Wednesday July 28th</p> <p>We were going to haul in what Dad. raked up last night right out of windrow but just as we got the team hooked up to draw the load that was on the barn floor out and unload it, we decided that it looked so black it would pay to go and cock up as we could get more cocked up than we could loaded and it would be in fair shape while if left in windrow it would be an awful mess. We hadn't been out there an hour when it commenced to rain and rained pretty hard for the best part of the fore noon. After dinner Frank and I drove down town and got the mail, they heard from Quint down at Hubys, he has typhoid all right but it has been running for sixteen days and they think the worst is over with. I went around to Howey's saw mill and found they had lots of stuff to build a colony house if I can only scrape up money enough to buy it. When we got home Frank and Dad. went over to Law's to load the binder and bring it home but just nicely got there when it commenced to rain and poured for about two hours from four to six. I went out and separated the old hens from last years, I want to see if they are laying and if not I will kill them off. I went to bed early to-night as I have started getting up earlier. I have come to the conclusion that an hour to read &amp; write in the morning is worth about two at night. I got up at four this morning and got quite a lot done beside getting a good early start for the day's work.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday July 29th</p> <p>It was of course too wet to do any thing in the field this morning so Dad. &amp; Frank went over to Law's and loaded the binder on the trucks and Alan hauled it home and borrowed the manure spreader. I went over to Martins to get a few more pointers on building an 8 x 10 colony house and when I got back Frank and I went down with the team and waggon and got all the lumber I wanted at Howey's. I was a little surprised to find the bill was only $15.10 as I thought it would be more, but I acting on Mr. Howey's advice I got Hemlock for the walls instead of pine as he said if painted there was no fear of it warping. Right after dinner Frank and I droved down in the buggy to get the mail and some stuff we couldn't get this morning. Bob. Miller &amp; Whit Dixon drove over right after dinner and Bob gave Dad. his price $140.00 for the two steers much to Whit's disgust who said it wasn't in them. The evidently had some altercation about the red &amp; white one's disposition as Dad. was very anxious that he would act as quietly as mine did as Whit said he was a wild nervous brute. They want to take him in the morning so we put him in the cow stable to-night without much trouble. Herb Cook came over and took old Dandy, I suppose to work for awhile as his mare is lame. Zeitha Barwell came over to see if Enah could play for her at the concert to-morrow night but as we expect the Millman's Enah told her she couldn't. When we got home Dad. went and turned out some hay and Frank and I started in on the colony house. We did pretty well and apart from getting a rather warped scantling for front sill and putting the floor on up side down, we did pretty well for a first attempt. I was going down to Tom Abbotts to-night to see some half grown chickens he wants to sell but it got too dark Cloudy &amp; sultry.</p> <p>Friday July 30th</p> <p>Frank and I got out as soon as possible this morning and worked on the colony house all morning. Whit came over after the steer and we had to help load him Dad's hopes for his good conduct were not realized by a long shot as he raised cain. We managed to get him loaded but Whit's horse waas frightened so we had to take him out and put old Harry in his place. Dad. went down with him and they were nearly all morning getting him tied up over at the slaughter house. I think Whit was rather pleased that he did cut up so that he could say "I told you so" to Dad. who said he that if the bottom of the rack was not so slippry he would have been all right. This after noon Dad &amp; I</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>went out and started to cock up the hay that Dad. turned out yesterday but scarcely got out to the field when we heard the wind and rain sweeping across the cornfield so we lit for the house. We just got there in time as the rain came down it torrents. We went in the shop and ground the binder knives till it was over, we then went out and worked a little more at the hen house and got quite a little bit more done. Allan Law and Frank McBride brought back the manure spreader. The Millman's hadn't arrived by six o'clock and we thought there was no chance of them getting here, but they did seven strong including Aunty. Their car was covered with mud and they said the roads had been awful but they had got a bit of rain. Nita and Billy came up with them this time. Percy with his wife, baby, maid &amp; dog came up on the train this morning and is boarding down at Harry Moon's for a couple of weeks. After tea we all went down town again to see Percy and went down to Hubys to see Walter who came up on the train to-night. We four boys slept in the barn to-night.</p> <p>Saturday July 31st</p> <p>The ground was too wet to cut wheat this morning so Dad. &amp; I worked nearly all day at the colony house and it is beginning to look quite respectable. Frank and Nita drove Dick down this morning and Kathleen &amp; Orm spent most of the morning with us. They all went down in the car about eleven o'clock to bring Walter &amp; Huby over to dinner but didn't get back till after one and Walter walked over and was here before them. He was here for only a short time after dinner as he had to go back to Toronto to-night. He is going to stay wth Ray till after Monday which is Civic Holiday in Toronto and then is going back to Regina. All the Millman's and Enah and the baby went down to the lake for a bathe which they all enjoyed very much except Tid. who {sadly?} cried Win was down there and they said she nearly got swamped She was out in the deep water and got a mouth full. Fortunately Percy noticed her as she couldn't call and was about all in. To-night we went down to the dance, we were just going to look on but Kathleen, Orm, Dick &amp; I went in and I had about every dance. Enah, Nita &amp; Billy watched from outside or rode around in the car. Dick &amp; Orm saw girls home but I came home in the car with the rest and the other two with Alan Law. Frank was sound asleep in the hay when we got home so we joined him and sang ourselves to sleep. It has been cloudy &amp; squawky all day rained to-night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday August 1st</p> <p>This morning Orm, Dick, Frank and I went for a swim before we had our breakfast and didn't get back until ten o'clock, we just lay around under the willow tree with the rest of the family till dinner time. After dinner we had a little music and then Billy, Kathleen, Orm, Dick Frank and I went down to the lake for a swim. The rest went to Port Ryersie and took Harry Ansley, he &amp; Mr. Millman went up to interview H.P. Innes on Huby's behalf. They said they had a satisfactory consultation. Nita drove the car and Dad. went up with them. Dick and Orm separated from us when we got down town and Frank went to some nouk of his own to undress when we first got there, we couldn't get an empty bathing house, there was such a crowd in but at last one was vacant in the men's section and we all three used it Kathleen undressed first and then Billy and I. Orm came down after awhile with Mildred Henry and used it too but managed to get another one for Mildred. Percy &amp; his wife were down there and we were in a long time as the water was fine. We went up to Huby's to tea where Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman, Nita and Enah joined us. Dick and Frank went to Dyer's and home respectively. We sat around down at Huby's most of the evening. Some of them went out to the Ansley's and Tibbits for awhile. it has been hot and sunny all day.</p> <p>Monday August 2nd</p> <p>Dad. started to cut the wheat this morning and worked till after dark to-night but got it all the one 8 acre field down. We didn't get it nearly all set up but if it doesn't rain we want to haul it right in. The Millman's all left this after noon. They went down to the lake this morning and didnt get back till about one when the were supposed to have started but they all got off soon after dinner. We went out after tea to-night to run the binder in the barn and were about an hour at it. It was half past ten when we got back to the house. It has been a fine day to-day but looks black.</p> <p>Tuesday August 3rd</p> <p>We were preparing for a good day hauling in to-day but first thing before breakfast a heavy shower came up and dashed our plans to pieces. I drove Dick down to the bank and got some roofing paper for the new chicken house. Dad. and I worked at the hen house the rest of the day althou. About five o clock we went out to look at the wheat and shocked a little of it up. I went after the cows at half past five and just as I got to the gully it began to rain and kept it up for two or three hours of heavy pelting. I sought</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>shelter under some trees for awhile but soon found that I was getting very little and losing considerable time so I struck out into it. I couldn't see the cows so tramped all through the woods and back as far as John Wess' and then saw them all in behind a point of the hill on this side of the gully. By the time I got to the house I was soaked through and had to change all my clothes. Enah and Frank were down town so they got pretty wet too.</p> <p>Wednesday August 4th</p> <p>Dad. Frank and I went out this morning and started to set up the wheat. Dad. devised a new and under the circumstances improved method of putting up one sheaf at a time. We couldn't have done it if the sheaves hadn't been as heavy and big as they were, but by jabbing them down hard on the ground we managed to make them stand pretty well of course an occasional one would fall. It took longer than to shock but it certainly dried quicker. The heads would all separate with the jar and by noon the ones we set up first were perfectly dry in the heads but of course wet under the band. We didn't get through by noon so Dad. &amp; I went out again but the wind kept getting stronger and the last ones I did I had to put up two at a time. We got it all up by to-night. Frank took Aunty down town this after noon. They heard from New Bedford to day and Quint's temperature is down nearly to normal. We saw by today's paper that yesterday's storm was far worse all around us than it was here. Toronto was the worst hit in Canada, trees and gardens being destroyed but in Erie there was a regular flood and twenty five people were killed, two thousand homeless and about three million dollars damage down.</p> <p>Thursday August 5th</p> <p>Morley Buck came over in his Ford this morning to get Dad. to go down and see their horse. When he came back we went out and shook out the hay again. What was in windrow was very wet and all except the pure bluegrass was spoiled but what had been shaken out was not in such bad shape. This after noon we worked at the hen house and got most of the roof on but it rained again towards evening.</p> <p>Friday August 6th</p> <p>We set up the wheat again this morning, there was quite a lot of it down and we had to put most of it two sheaves to-gether. This after noon Frank took Bluch over to Bob. Ross. He lost his old dog and wanted a new one and Tom said he was very good to his dogs so we thought as old Bluch was so</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>rough with the cattle and they were getting to be afraid he might hurt the baby who would persist in teasing him, that we thought we had better let him go. Frank said old Bob. was delighted to get him but Bluch coaxed to come home, however he will soon get used to it. I rode down town soon after dinner and got the mail. When I got back Dad. and I worked some more at the hen house. Very hot and rained again.</p> <p>Saturday August 7th</p> <p>This morning Aunty and I tied up the dahlias and worked a little at the flower beds. Then Dad. and I went and worked at the chicken house. Dad. made a door and I put in the dropping board. This after noon Dad. put a latch on the door and I cut the lawn. Frank pretty sick this after noon but he drove Aunty and Tid. down town. To-night he felt so miserable that I thought he would feel better sleeping alone so I went out and camped in the horse stable. Rained a little more.</p> <p>Sunday August 8th</p> <p>Dick and I went for our weekly swim this morning but Frank didn't feel like joining us. As soon as we got home Dick left with Joe &amp; the buggy to take Dess. to Simcoe to spend the day with "Grandpa &amp; Grandma" Mead. I started to get ready for church but just about time to leave an awful shower came up so I didn't go. Aunty had gone down to Sunday school and by after church it had cleared off so she came home to dinner. I was going down town this after noon to see if I could find the Millmans but it began to rain again and this time proved to be about the worst storm I ever saw, and it kept up for two or three hours, in the middle of it there was a hail storm with hail stones as big or bigger than marbles. When they rolled off the rooves they were inches thick and didn't all melt by to-night. There are huge lakes all around us and the ditch in front of the house is six feet wide and rushing about forty miles an hour. I don't know when we will be able to get on the ground to cut the rest of the crops. We didn't do any thing much this after noon but lie around. Dick got home about half past nine, he said it rained &amp; hailed heavily in Simcoe but not as badly as it did here. He said some fields of Wess Buchner's and J.A. McBride were about two feet deep with water. He said he saw Vyse &amp; Aiken's hauling in wheat this morning, they just got in one load before the rain.</p> <p>Monday August 9th</p> <p>When Quanbury's went past this morning they told Dad. that the hail storm yesterday had broken 10,000 panes of glass in Ivey's greenhouses. They had it far worse down town and up the gravel than we did, the stones were as big as walnuts down</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>town Alan Law said and they say it broke thirty panes of glass in Bill Duncan's house but down east at the Dog's Nest &amp; on down they didn't get a hit nor they didn't get it at Shand's school house and very lightly at John Wess's. I drove Dick down town this morning and when I got back went out &amp; helped Dad. &amp; Frank set up the sheaves which were down. We got through about eleven and then went over to see the oats across the gully and wandered over to see John Wess's stuff. Blaikie was out turning shocks. It is in about the same shape as ours and beginning to show signs of sprouting. I took the camera with me and took a picture of our wheat field and of John Wess, Blaikie, Cam, Dad &amp; Frank in the barn over there we didn't get back till about one. After dinner Dad. drove Enah &amp; Tid down town and Aunty as far as Mrs. Battersby's Frank and I shelac'd the knots on the chicken house and worked at it full the after noon and got it all ready for the chickens. To-night Dad. Frank and I moved them over. We took two big boxes of them and had sixty one all to-gether. Alan Law was in to-night &amp; says they want to thrash. It looks a little better to-day &amp; clearer to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday August 10th</p> <p>Dad. Frank and I &amp; Tid. drove Aunty down town this morning We were going around to get Kathleen and bring her over but we met her on the way, so I came back with her and when Dad. came home with Joe, Kathleen and I drove down to Tom Abbots to see his chickens he wants to sell, they are a nice looking lot if he doesn't want too much for them. Kathleen had to go back for dinner so I drove her down, she was greatly distressed because she got her nice clean middy blouse mud spattered. This after noon Dad. &amp; Frank went over to Sam's to thrash. Frank said he would sooner go over there than go to the Sunday school picnic, so he did but I guess there wasn't much for him to do. Huby was over for a few minutes to get Aunty's suitcase which they forgot to take out of the buggy this morning but I was just going to drive Enah &amp; the baby down to the picnic so I took it. After I took them down I came home and fixed a bed along the house under the kitchen windows. To-night Dad. &amp; I did chores and Frank drove down after Enah &amp; the baby Aunty came back with them because Landon Ivey brought over some raspberries and she wanted to do them up to-night. It looks fair to-night and has been all day</p> <p>Wednesday August 11th</p> <p>It was a very heavy dew last night so we couldn't start hauling in very early, but Dad. &amp; I went out and turned out a few which we thought we could haul and they were in pretty fair shape except around the bands. Frank cleaned</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>up the barn floor and harnessed the team. Art Quanbury came in to see if he and Charlie couldn't help us haul in so they did and we hauled in with both teams, the consequence is that we have the field nearly cleaned, it certainly gave us a great lift. We could only haul small jags as the ground was so soft but we got in {blank} of them and there are three or four out there yet. Frank turned out nearly all the sheaves in the field and then turned them in the mow for us when we unloaded. It has been pretty hot &amp; sultry all day and looks rainy to-night.</p> <p>Thursday August 12th</p> <p>It rained hard again last night and this morning so we have not been able to do anything much all day. Dad. has felt sick with a headache and sour stomach all day. I think brought on principally by worry and discouragement at the wet weather, it is really beginning to look very serious. Up around Port Rowan they say they have turned their hogs into lots of the uncut fields. This morning I drove Dick down and went around and got Kathleen and brought her over, we went down around by Hubys and got some poppy roots, which I set out when I got home, we didn't do anything all morning but this after noon I drove Enah, Tid &amp; Kathleen down and we went for a short swim in the lake and dressed up at the James'. Enah was going to stay down there to tea but the baby was too cranky so she had to bring him home. Her sister, Mrs. Johnson was coming to-night so Frank drove her down after tea and he went to some rail road meeting. I let my chickens out of the colony house to-day and about a dozen of them came back to the brooder to roost to-night. It has been hot and muggy all day cloudy to-night.</p> <p>Friday August 13th</p> <p>It was very black this morning and rained several times during the fore noon but cleared off nicely this after noon. Dad. has felt pretty miserable all day, he drove Dick down town this morning and this after noon set up the little bit of wheat that was left out. I put the wire over the colony house windows this morning and Frank and I spent the rest of the morning digging in the ditch in the timothy sod, we were just levelling it to get the proper fall before we started digging deep enough for the tile. After dinner we went down to Tom Abbot's and I got thirteen of his chickens, we then went down for the mail and took the baby with us. It was time to do chores when we got home.</p> <p>Saturday August 14th</p> <p>This morning Frank and I hooked Joe &amp; Belle to the waggon and took the harrows down to Hallam's the new black-</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>smith to be sharpened, we took Dick down with us. We then went down to the station and got a barrel of freight which came for Aunty Alice and took it up to the house, there was a whole bunch of girls there with Win. and they wanted to go over to Martin's to see the chickens so piled in the waggon and came over with us Aunty and Lila came over to the farm with us. This after noon we were going to haul in the rest of the wheat but right after dinner Archie &amp; Clark Langs, his daughter and Mrs. Jack Foster came in and paid us quite a visit so it was late by the time we got out. We got in four more jags but there are still two or three left. About half past six the four Millmans and Aunty Alice arrived, we didn't expect them quite so soon but they said the roads were fine and they made very good time. Billy &amp; Orm wanted to go for a swim to-night so Frank and I went down with them. We went down and got Percy at the Moon's and also Kathleen but she didn't go in, we all undressed down below the park in the car except Billy who undressed &amp; put on his bathing suit right in the car in front of the Moons house with Kathleen standing on the running board beseeching him to behave himself. After we had a swim Billy went in with Percy and the rest of us came over here Orm. wanted to go down to the dance so we got Enah and came right back. Enah went into the store to see Mrs. Johnson and from there around to the house where Percy picked her up and took Billy &amp; her home about ten and then left the car down at the Moon's for Orm. I didn't go into the dance but Orm went in and Kathleen went in once or twice with him. Frank went off some where and came back in time to get a ride home We started off for home as I thought right after the dance was over, and after Kathleen and gone home, and picked Dick up at the Methodist Church when Orm. said he would like to take Mildred Henry for a drive, so we went around there and as Donald Ingram &amp; Stan Sutton were there she said to come back in about ten minutes so we went up and got Dess. I thought he was just going for a short spin up the Gravel but the first thing I knew we were well on the road for Simcoe and so went in and Orm got some sandwichs at the chink's before we came home. It was half past two before we got home, we had a good time but it was a crazy thing to do, we all went to bed in the barn as Orm was afraid to go in the house for fear of waking some body up. It has been a nice day but rained a little to-night. They brought news in to-night that J.G. {illegible} was killed by the train in Hamilton.</p> <p>Sunday August 10th</p> <p>I woke up about five this morning by hearing Orm &amp; Dick crawling out, they said they hadn't slept a wink all night on</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>account of mosquitos, they had taken off most of their clothes so they were bothered worse than I was. Orm got down and dressed and then went to bed again and stayed there till after ten while Dick sought rest in the automobile and then went and curled up in the house for awhile. Billy said he had lain over on one side of the bed most of the night expecting someone to come &amp; sleep with him and he didn't get much of a rest either. We sat around most of the morning but after they routed Orm out we went down to the lake for a swim. I didn't go in but sat around. They got Kathleen, Percy &amp; family and took them down too. Boxer, Percy's dog got into a little scrap with another dog came along and started it and Boxer got his eyelid a little torn. Anybody would have thought there had been a baby murdered but the fuss the kicked up Mrs. Millman came with a club swearing vengeance on the dog and the owners while Percy who came in from the lake at his wife's shouts said he was going to kill it. It was nearly noon dinner time when we got home and we found Archie Lang and Uncle Roebuck here to dinner. He said Queen was a dandy but he had one a little better. They say he has the rails on the fence all worn smooth where he sits and watches it eat. They left soon after dinner and the Millmans left about four. Orm went down town first and got Kathleen and her impedimenta which included a mud turtle &amp; Boxer. Billy was very annoyed at the idea of Boxer accompanying them and said it was a wonder Percy didn't have cheek enough to send his baby. We got the chores done early and this after noon evening Dad. Enah and I drove down to church. Mr. Leigh prought and I went sound asleep. I think more from the fact that I had only had three hours the night before than any soothing effects of the sermon. We went over to the Jame's after church and didn't get home till about ten. Earl Brown and Walter Fletcher came in in Brown's Ford. after we got home and were out there a long time getting Dad's advice about Fletcher's horse It has been a lovely day sunny and a cool breeze.</p> <p>Monday August 16th</p> <p>This morning I cut the grass around the back of the house and Dad. opened up a few ditches around the hog yard. This after noon we hauled in the rest of the wheat, there were three more jags of it. It began to rain before we got through and rained quite a shower. When we got through Dad. went over to the Quanbury's and had a hot bath as they have givent him several invitations to make use of their bathroom. To-night he &amp; Enah went down to a musical at the Hobbes for the Red Cross Bandage club. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice were here to watch Tid if he woke up and he did. It has been very hot all day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday August 17th</p> <p>This morning Dad. Frank &amp; I all dug a little more at the tile ditch out in the old timothy sod and this afternoon got started to cut the barley, but only got a few rounds cut as it was in awful shape, all tangled up and in some spots as Colin Ryerse says, the big wheel "drug." I spent a long time to-night catching young chickens which came back from the colony house to roost around the brooder, there are a couple of dozen which persist in coming back to the yard everyday and then don't go back. I had quite a time catching them as I had shut them out of the brooder and they were roosting on a sheep's back and when I went out the sheep got frightened and ran away up the orchard with the chickens. It hasn't rained all day and looks like fair weather for awhile.</p> <p>Wednesday August 18th</p> <p>It took us the whole day to finish cutting the barley and then we didn't get much of it shocked up. It was in such a tangled mess and thislley that we didn't take our hands to it but Frank and I shocked it up with forks what little we got done. Dad. cut my O.A.C. 72 Oats the last thing and we got 37 nice straight sheaves out of them some of them about four feet long. I didn't feel very well to-day. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice went to Pt Rowan to-night.</p> <p>Thursday August 19th</p> <p>We decided to haul the barley right in to-day instead leaving it for although some of it was pretty green in the butts it would be in a hopeless mess if it ever got rained on so we hauled in all day but didn't finish, it was very slow as there was so much loose stuff and we hauled good big loads, we only got in four loads. Walt. McCall came over this after noon and got Dad. to go over to see Jack Martin to see if he would go to Simcoe in Huby's interests but Jack wasn't home. Huby came over to night at half past twelve and wandered all over the house before he could wake any of us up and he wanted Dad. to go with Harry Ansley &amp; Cousin Willie in the morning to Delhi and Waterford to see executive of the Conservative committee to whom the appointment of customs officer is left. This was Dover's Boughner Picnic but I guess they didn't have much of a crowd as all the farmers were too busy to attend and besides they had one in Simcoe last Saturday, there has evidently been a split in the house of Broughner over the decision of a suitable place to hold their annual reunion. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice were home from Port Rowan to-night, they were in Simcoe all the after noon and had Lila go up and meet them to give her a treat in Simcoe but as it was Thursday after noon all the stores and restaurants were closed and no-one on the streets. Fine day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 20th</p> <p>We had hoped to get a good early start this morning and get the barley all in by noon but Dad. had to be down town at eight o'clock so we didn't manage it. Frank drove him down and brought Aunty Alice back. He was supposed to be back by noon but he didn't get back till about six. Al. Faulkner took them, Cousin Willie &amp; Harry Ansley went with him. They went to Waterford and Delhi to interview the fellows who are responsible for the Customs appointment, and Dad. thinks they had a pretty satisfactory time, he says Harry Ansley is certain of Huby's success but Dad. isn't so sure. They are supposed to decide to-morrow. Frank and I didn't get out till about nine o'clock and just got in two loads before dinner, we didn't know how we were going to manage to get the stuff mowed away at the back of the mow by the cow stal but Enah voulanteered her services and thanks to her timely assistance we got on fine. She helped us put off two loads by passing the sheaves from Frank to me. We got in another big load after dinner and so cleaned the field but left it on the barn floor. It was four o'clock when we got in. We thought we would have time to go and have a try at cutting the wheat, so we hooked on the waggon and I went out and loaded about half of my O.A.C. 72 Oats on it while Frank was oiling up and then we tackled the wheat. Frank drove and we got one round cut but about halfway around the twine got tangled in the twine box and it took us quite awhile to get it threaded and at the far end, the wheat was so heavy and a little down that it wouldnt elevate at all and Frank had to stop every few feet for me to rake it off the table so by the time we got back to where we started we thought we had better quit. I took the team and was hooking on the waggon while Frank was putting the canvass on the binder when old Wallace Brock who has been helping Vyse all day came over and said Vyse was stuck and wanted us to pull him out so I didn't put any more of my oats on but we went over. He had thrown most of his load off so Frank had no trouble in getting our team to lift it and when we got it out we helped him load it again and hauled it out on the road for him Dad. just got home at the same time we did. It has been fair but hot &amp; sultry all day &amp; looks rainy.</p> <p>Saturday August 21st</p> <p>It was raining when we got up this morning and has been at it pretty much ever since although the sun was out for a little while this morning. Dad. &amp; I drove Dick down this morning and Dad. went down to see Huby for quite awhile. We didn't do much the rest of the day but sit around and I cleaned out the chicken house. Dad. &amp; Frank drove down about five o'clock and got the mail, but Huby hadn't heard any thing yet. He and {Sam Fick?} have been working for the last few days building a retaining wall of plank in</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>front of the Johnston's house. He was working at it all the after noon in the rain. Yesterday's paper reported the sinking of a White Star liner westward bound and several lives were lost. The U.S. is mighty hot over it but Wilson is waiting to find out for certain if they had no excuse, they say if she was convoyed they had if not it was an unjustifiable act. It begins to look doubtful if Wilson's patience will last much longer.</p> <p>Sunday August 22nd</p> <p>Huby walked over this morning about seven to bring the tidings of his success. The committee was unanamous in his favor all but one man and he voted for Huby when he saw how he stood, the two Waddle men were not there, so Huby's recomendation has gone into Parliament already and of course he is nearly certain notw of getting the appointment especially as Mr. Millman has things shaped at the Ottawa end of it. Of course Dick enlightened Dad. with the cold facts this morning when he was half asleep but Huby embellished them with all the details. The news I think saved Dad. from considerable worrying as it has been raining all night and every thing is flooded. I went back after the cows and had to wade up to my knees across the creek channels and parts of the flats are flooded. All the family but Aunty Alice &amp; Tid went down to church this morning. Frank drove Huby and me to the sidewalk and then came back after Dad. &amp; Enah Huby and I went to-gether. After church Dad. &amp; I went up to the Ansley's as Dad. wanted to congratulate Harry and also express his gratitude for the time &amp; labor he has spent on Huby's behalf. We waited there till Frank came with the buggy &amp; called for us after he had driven Enah &amp; Aunty over home. This after noon I started to read but was soon overpowered by sleep and wasted nearly all the after noon under the influence of that great enemy of my leisure &amp; willpower, when I woke up it was time to do chores and Aunty had gone down to church. She &amp; Aunty Alice stayed down all night. Dad. drove Aunty Alice and the baby up to the cemetry this after noon. Tid. took the poor old German Roller canary up in a matchbox and buried him this after noon, the poor old fellow has been sick for a long time and died the other night. Fine day.</p> <p>Monday August 23rd</p> <p>I went out this morning about five and caught some of the young chickens and took them out to the wheat stubble in the hope that they would stay there all day and then go to roost in the colony house but they are bound to come back here. This morning Frank and I went down to Howe and got a load of slabs as it was too wet to do any thing</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>else and this after noon we got another load. I cut some of the lawn after I got back. This morning Frank drove Dick down and brought Aunty back and Dad. &amp; I brought in the rest of my O.A.C. 72 oats and stacked them around in the barn Aunty Alice walked over this after noon and to-night she, Enah, Frank &amp; I played pedro and Aunty Alice told our fortunes by our hands. It is a pity we couldn't bank on the prophecies because the future certainly looks brilliant for most of us. Fine day but sultry.</p> <p>Tuesday August 24th</p> <p>I spent most of the morning digging and weighing up my two plots of Guelph potatoes, they were a very slim crop and weren't ripe but I thought they were going to rot anyway so I dug them. There was only enough for two or three good square meals on both plots, but the Davies Warrior outclassed the Eureka in every respect. They were larger and more of them and not so many rotten ones Fred. Johnson came over this morning and he and Frank went out with the guns this morning to shoot a hawk but didn't get him. Huby came over about noon to tell us he thought things were nearly settled as Porter the head office man in Simcoe had been down to see him and get his age and suchlike. I drove him down before dinner and got the paper. It began to rain soon after dinner and poured most of the after noon, it was one of the worst we have had and to-night there were some pretty close claps of thunder. Mrs. McBride was here all the after noon. To-night Aunty, Aunty Alice, Fred, Frank &amp; I had a game of rum under Fred's instructions. We didn't do any thing all the after noon but sit around the house</p> <p>Wednesday August 25th</p> <p>Frank drove Dick down this morning and Aunty went down with them to stay for awhile as she wants to fix things up a little down there. Frank brought Mrs. Johnson over with him and she has been here spending the day with Enah. Billy Louis was in for quite awhile this morning to see Dad. about a sick cow or some thing and they were bewailing our common sad plight but Billy has got past his streak of profanity and come to the conclusion that there are other poor devils worse off than we are. Frank, Fred &amp; I pulled the weeds out in the raspberry patch but didn't do much else all morning This after noon I drove Aunty Alice down town and she is going to stay down with Aunty. We met Lila on the way down and she informed us with great glee that Huby had just been sworn in and passed his medical examination or</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>whatever they call it and is to start work to-morrow morning. We saw Huby later down town. I put Joe in at Hallam's and had her shod and went down town and got hair cut and a new felt hat. We also heard that the mill was going to open up again to-morrow and the full staff is going to work full-time on Monday, the paper also had very cheerful reports from the Dardenelles which they hope to have forced in a few weeks, to cap all this good news, we heard to-night that Quint was going to be home on Friday having recoverd enough since he left the hospital to travel. It has been cloudy but a cold north wind all day and doesn't feel rainy</p> <p>Thursday August 26th</p> <p>This morning we all went down town, Enah &amp; the baby went up and spent the day at the James' and Dad. Frank &amp; I started to cut down the old bad locust tree in front of Hubys. We were afraid to cut it at the roots as it was so tall we were afraid it would fall on the telegraph wires so we sawed it through about half way up and Frank climbed up as high as he could and tied a rope to it so we had a good purchase. We didn't get it sawed enough before dinner so stayed at Hubys for dinner. After dinner we went up two or three times and sawed it through as far as we thought we dared before we pulled it down. We also had it notched on the side we wanted it to fall on but the wood was so tough that we had to saw it nearly through or else we would have brokent it off at the roots. Sandy came over as Dad. had borrowed a rope from him and he spent a very enjoyable after noon advising &amp; assisting us and also telling us a long story about a tree he cut down up in Colbourne. At last when the top did come over it crashed right down through the little maple tree and broke about half of it. Dad. told Sandy he could have the broken limbs off the maple which brought forth several grunts of satisfaction &amp; gratitude. When all this was accomplished I went up town and took my pants up to Tip to see if he could match them with any of his samples as I want to get a coat if possible but Tip wasn't there. I fooled around with Hazen for awhile and then came home. I overtook Dad. Frank Win. &amp; her friend Kitty Lyons in the bugggy heading for home talking to Huby. This has been his first day in office and he has been fairly busy. Win &amp; Kitty got our tea for us and after tea Dad. drove down and got Enah &amp; the baby, to-night. I printed a lot of pictures for Win, who with her friend stayed all night. They say poor old Ed. Turner (Dave's) is just about all in and they are going to bring him home to-morrow night to die. Quite cloudy and cold to-day but fair.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday August 27th</p> <p>We went out this morning and tried the binder again both on the wheat and the barley &amp; oats, we got once around but had to quit as it dragged in several places. Sid. McBride went past and said down there around Marburg they were putting chains on their binder wheels to make them pull through the mud. This after noon we hauled out manure and got out six loads, we put it on the clover sod east of the orchard which we hope to get in with wheat. We couldn't go through the lane on account of the mudhole at the gate so Dad. had to haul out by the road and around the barley stubble. I cut lawn between loads but had to use the scythe as it has got so long the lawnmower wont work. Dick went to Hagersville this morning and met Quint. who came in on a through Michigan Central sleeper from Boston to Chicago. Dad. Aunty Alice &amp; I walked down to-night to see him and Frank rode his wheel down. He looks fine only a little thin. Aunty Alice stayed down Cloudy &amp; cool all day.</p> <p>Saturday August 28th</p> <p>We hauled manure all day to-day and got out and got out thirteen loads. I worked on the lawn all the time between loads To-night I walked down town and got my pants back from Tip he couldn't match them with any of his samples. I fooled around up town for awhile and then went down to Hubys for awhile. Huby seemed very provoked because Quint had killed his pet snake. Huby says he has always killed every snake he saw as he thought it was good luck but has he never had any good luck he quit killing them about a month ago and his affairs have been in a blossoming condition ever since, and he had this special snake with its tail cut off which used to live some where in the garden. It has been a little warmer to-day but cloudy and is drizzling to-night.</p> <p>Sunday August 29th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I went back at half past five this morning and got Pommers out of John Wess' back field where I found him last night, we had to take the wire down off two of the posts to let him through. About eight before we had breakfast Frank and I went over to Quanbury's for a swim. Mrs. Quanbury saw us going down to the pond and got John to call us back and invite us to indulge in the luxury of their bathroom, as it was a rather raw morning we did and it certainly was lovely but it took much longer and by the time Frank had had his bath breakfast was plum ready and we had to stay and partake of it with them the consequence was we didn't get home till about ten</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>o'clock and it was too late to get ready for church &amp; Dad. couldn't go either but took Enah down. Frank got dinner ready and Dad. drove down and brought Enah &amp; Aunty Alice back from church.This after noon Colin Ryersie rode in but we didn't want to take either of the horses out as they are working so Colin, Frank &amp; I went for a walk back as far as Charlie Quanbury's farm and as Charlie wasn't home we ate all the platable fruit there was on the place before we came home but didn't do very much damage any where in our travels. Dad. Enah &amp; Tid were out at the Shand's when we got home, but Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice were here. Frank and I did chores to-night and Dad. went to church with Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice. It has been fair but cool to-day.</p> <p>Monday August 30th</p> <p>We at last got started to cut the barley &amp; oats this morning the wheat ground was still too soft to get on with the binder, we didn't get much done as it was so close to the road, first old Ham. Butler came along and stopped and called us over to tell us that he had heard that by getting off the binder and walking it would go through the wet spots all right but also told us every thing else he knew about the weather and how he had never seen the ground so wet except once before and that was in the fall. Tupper came past about noon to get Art. Quanbury's gasolien engine. They are going to put it on the binder back of the table and put a pulley on the packers shaft and let the engin run the binder and the horses just pull the weight of the binder, they hope by that means to go through the soft place all right. Mr. Flemming was over this morning to get one of us to go over and help him thrash this after noon. Sam moved down there from Iveys. I cut lawn till they left Iveys and then went down. Dad. kept on cutting but quit early as the horses were tired and helped Frank shock up for awhile, still fair with cold breeze.</p> <p>Tuesday August 31st</p> <p>I went over to Flemmings to thrash about seven this morning and we got through in a couple of hours he only thrashed out part of his wheat and four loads of oats which came of six acres he only got 96 bushels off the six acres, the hail pounded the whole field flat he said and thrashed out way more than half of them, when I got home Frank &amp; Dad. were still shocking up and hadn't got started to cut yet but Dad. got the team out when I got there. I went over to Tupper's for awhile to see how the gasoline engine was working but they had taken it off as it ran things too fast and they thought it wasn't worth while monkeying around getting a larger pulley</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>We didn't get through with the oats &amp; barley till to-night and didn't have time to get started at the wheat. Old Joe Ivey, Charlie &amp; Bruce Smith came along in the Ivey's car this after noon and old Ivey wanted to know if Dad. was like Woodrow Wilson and had some thing wrong with his eyes that he was cutting oats before he was wheat, he says Woodrow can't see that Germany is kicking the U.S. in the face. They quarrelled away for about half an hour. About four o'clock Dad. got so disgusted with the way things were going that he was mad enough to quit, the binder would drag in places and the green stuff wouldn't elevate so Frank volunteered to drive it. Dad. told him if he thought he could do it any better to go ahead but he knew he couldn't, however he did do it better I suppose because he is lighter so now he is established as binder driver and both he &amp; Dad. are delighted with the change. Still fair &amp; cool.</p> <p>Wednesday September 1st</p> <p>We got started getting the wheat as soon as it was dry enough this morning it took quite awhile to get around it as it is so thick and hard to elevate, but by cutting a narrow swath Frank managed fairly well, he had to cut through north of one of the water holes and he cut that piece of separately, and it took all day to cut it. It is slow work as he has to take such a narrow swath. Dad. &amp; I shocked up, what bothered mostly was the wild buckwheat which has grown up fairly thickly in spots and it is twined around the wheat and pulls a lot of it off the table. We lost an hour or so at noon as one of the slats on the table canvas broke and poked a hole in the canvas so Dad. took it off and brought it up to the house and fixed it with a piece of hook iron and Aunty Alice patched it. Frank drove down and brought Mrs. Leigh &amp; Herbert over to dinner Mr. Leigh walked over. Frank was showing Mr. Leigh the bees after dinner and one stung him (Frank) above the ear. Much warmer to-day but fair.</p> <p>Thursday September 2nd</p> <p>We finished cutting the wheat to-day, that is all we can cut with the binder, there is still some left around the water hole that we will have to get with the mower or scythe. It went better to-day as Dad. rigged a stick at the end of the table to catch &amp; break the buckwheat stems. It would have been easily a forty or forty five bushel to the acre crop of beautiful wheat if we could have saved it but now it is all sprouted and an awful lot of it shells out on the ground. We ran out of binder twine so to-night Frank went down to Billy Langs and got some. He drove Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice down to church and they going to stay down. Quint, Win &amp; Hilda Leigh were over to dinner to-day. Mr. Smythe was down this morning and bought the one ram lamb that will register for ten dollars but didnt take him. Much warmer to-day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This a repeat of the previous page}.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday September 3rd</p> <p>This morning Frank &amp; Dad. went out and loaded the binder and took it over the gully, it took quite awhile and as they didn't go out very early on account of the dew they just got one round cut before noon. I guess it was a big job cutting it as they had to go around the side hills. I spent the morning taking the sod off a strip down along the fence extending from the south end of the rose bed to the ditch the same width as the rose bed and as soon as I get it fixed in shape I want to fill it in with roses from down home. This after noon it looked pretty rainy so Dad. thought we had better haul in what we could of the barley &amp; oats, we had to pitch off the load of barley which was on the waggon and it took us quite awhile so we only got in two loads, we put them in the old barn on top of the barley &amp; wheat, it was slow moving it away but to-morrow we hope to unload in the big barn with the slings. It has been very hot &amp; sultry to-day Aunty was over to dinner.</p> <p>Saturday September 4th</p> <p>Dad. went out this morning and turned out nearly all the barley &amp; oat shocks, while he was doing that Frank and I changed the car from the horse stable to the big barn and put the sling standards on the rack. When we got ready I took the team out and we put on a load but as we had to move the calf out of the barn to the orchard and spread out a pile of hay which was in the bay so it was twelve o'clock so before we unloaded but it only took us a very few minutes to take it off with he slings. This after noon we got five more loads and all there was on the field except a few shocks, we worked till about seven o'clock and it was dark before we got in. We got a letter &amp; a telegram from Mr. Millman to-day one saying they would be up here to-night and the other saying they found they couldn't get away. It has been pretty hot to-day &amp; looks rainy.</p> <p>Sunday September 5th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I got up &amp; half past five this morning as the calves and young stock which were shut in the lane got through the bars at the end of the orchard and came around by the road in to the drive house, but they hadn't done any damage. Frank and I went for a swim before breakfast and got back in time to get ready for church Frank went down to Sunday school. Dad &amp; Enah drove down to church &amp; left Tid in Dick's care I walked down to Huby's and went up to church with Quint. This after noon Dick &amp; I drove down town and I went around to see Marj. she has come back to teach in Miss Watt's place. To-night Dad. Aunty &amp; I drove</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>down to church. It was Mr. Leigh's last Sunday so Dad. wanted to say good bye to him. It has been very cloudy and has rained several times during the day but not hard.</p> <p>Monday September 6th</p> <p>It was too wet to cut Dad. thought this morning so he drove Aunty, Aunty Alice &amp; Tid. up to the cemetry. I cut lawn most of the morning but wasted a lot of time with Dick who as it was Labor day got a holiday. This after noon I got ready and went down about four o'clock to a picnic the Ever-ready club were having down the lake shore, we had a great time and nearly every body in town was down there. We had a lot of fun but it looked rainy so we got home early. Most of them went over to the pavillion to the last dance of the season but I went around home with Marj. for awhile and intended going to the dance but it was beginning to rain when I started for home and I was a little tired so I thought I wouldn't go and walked part way home with Charlie Quanbury and borrowed his umbraella as it was raining, but it didn't ammount to much.</p> <p>Tuesday September 7th</p> <p>Frank started back to school this morning in high spirits His passing Entrance must have created a high degree of intrest for study in him, because he didn't have to go back unless he wanted to. Lila McBride is assistant in the High School this year so likely she will make them toe the scratch. Dad. &amp; I started to plow this morning Dad. plowed four or five rounds in the little gully in the clover sod next to the orchard &amp; then I took it till noon, the north side of the hill is very hard &amp; chunky and it is all most impossible for me to hold the plow in the ground but the south bank plows nicely. This after noon Frank didn't have to go back to school as we expected and so we went back over the gully and cut oats, we had to ride the table going around the side hill, we didn't get very many rounds cut as we broke the doubletrees when the big wheel dropped into a ditch on the side hill, they were Sam Law's too, we had broken a hook on one of ours &amp; Dad. went over and took Sam's off his binder which was back in the field. Bert Munroe came over this morning and borrowed the disks for Sam. Mrs. Harding died last night. It has been fair &amp; hot all day.</p> <p>Tuesday September 14th</p> <p>I have got so behind with this through neglecting to write that I cannot remember what we did day by day, but I know we got all the oats cut across the gully and left them as they dropped from the binder thinking they would dry out.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and Saturday we got in I think three loads of wheat and put it in the mow over the oats &amp; barley, we got a little more plowing done but Saturday morning while Dad. was plowing old Harry walked through his harness breaking the strap which connects the tug with the harness. Dad. went down to Mrs. Harding's funeral on Thursday afternoon and I borrowed Joe Field's boat and went over to watch the steam shovel for a little while. Poor old Ed. Turner died on Wednesday. It rained a little shower on Friday night and rained hard on Sunday so Dad &amp; I spent all day yesterday setting up the oats across the gully but didn't quite finish. The Millmans all came up again Friday night, but not here as they have taken a cottage for a month over Brant Hill. They were all down here Sunday night to tea. Nita came up with them but of course Orm. was the only one of the boys and he &amp; Paw had to go back yesterday. Last night Marj. &amp; her sister Dorrie &amp; I went to the show which wasn't much good but it was the only time Dorrie could go as she &amp; her father were here over Sunday and are going back to-day. I worked all day setting up oats across the gully and then didn't finish. It was slow work doing it alone and was very hot down around the side hill. Dad. plowed all day and finished the little side hill, it was very hard.To-night I went up the beach to a corn roast. There was a big bunch of girls up there but very few boys. I found Dorrie Clarke &amp; her father had changed their plans and aren't going till to-morrow morning so she went with us. We had a good time eating sand &amp; burned corn and weren't very late. Very hot all day &amp; a nice breeze to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday September 15th</p> <p>I set up some more oats this morning and Dad. plowed. George Duncan came up after him to see a colt with a lame foot and he went up there right after dinner and took Enah &amp; the baby with him. I shocked up till he got back and then we hauled in a load of wheat and found it in dandy shape. Colin Ryersie rode in to-night and after tea he, Frank &amp; I went for a swim. I had a bad cold to-day so went right to bed as soon as I got home. It has been very hot all day</p> <p>Thursday September 16th</p> <p>Tid and I drove over to Tupper's this morning to get his man as he promised to lend him to us when we could use him most but he had gone over to help old Dave Lampkins haul in his oats but Tupper said he would send him over to-morrow. I have this all wrong as I haven't written it lately. It was Wednesday that John couldn't come and we hauled in our wheat alone. Thursday</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>(to-day) he did come and helped us in the mow hauling in oats I felt too sick to work after I had put on the first load after dinner so he went back and pitched on a load. I came in and had a rest and felt much better. Alan Law and Frank McBride came in after the roller while Dad. was back after the load. Enah &amp; the baby went down town to see the flower show this after noon and stayed over at the Millman's cottage to tea. After tea Dad. drove down after them and I went down with him and went up to see the flower show. Charlie Quanbury &amp; Fat Turner bought a dandy watermelon and invited me to help eat it. We went up to the Turner's &amp; partook of it all by ourselves in the kitchen. I came home with Charlie about half past eleven. Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice are staying down at the old house now and are awfully busy getting it cleaned up and ready for papering. Huby has got all moved and pretty well settled I guess up in Bill Slocomb's house next to Gus. Smith. Another pretty hot day.</p> <p>Friday September 17th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I went back after a load of oats first thing this morning and we rather expected John Robins back to help us as he said he would be but he didn't show up and when Dad. came down the hill with the load and went to back up for me to unlock the wheel the neck yoke snapped right in two so I ran over to Tupper's to borrow one and he said he had to keep John home to-day as he needed him, he kept talking to me so long that Dad. thought I wasn't coming we got that load off before dinner but didn't have time to get another. We got two loads in this after noon. To-night I went down town to see the Millman's. I stopped in to see Aunty &amp; Aunty Alice and found Mrs. Millman in there waiting for Nita and Kathleen who were up town getting ice cream &amp; the mail. Quint came in and after we had eaten the ice cream and visited for awhile Quint &amp; I &amp; Frank who had come down on his wheel went over to Brant Hill with the Millman's and visited for a long time. Not so hot.</p> <p>Saturday September 18th</p> <p>We all got up early this morning and got a good early start, we had to start our stack with the last load we hauled last night. We also hauled up a load of old hay last night and we used it for the bottom of the stack and to top it out with. There was a very dense fog till late on in the morning which made things almost as wet as a rain but we hauled in just the same and finished the oats to-night, we left the last load on the barn floor &amp; kept</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>four loads in the stack, making altogether ten loads of oats off the back fields. John Wess came over and borrowed the manure spreader he has bought a new one but can't get it yet. Later in the day Lundon Ivey came over to borrow the drill. It has not been so hot to-day.</p> <p>Sunday September 19th</p> <p>It was too cold to go for a swim this morning but Frank went down to Sunday school and Dick &amp; I went to church I drove Enah down and Dick walked. I got up fairly early this morning and washed &amp; oiled the buggy. This after noon I took Marj. &amp; Essie for a drive we had a dandy time and went up by Port Ryersie. The Millman's all came over here and got Enah &amp; Frank to go for a swim. Ed. Moon was over here and they took him down town with them and told him that they were all going to stay over Brant Hill to tea, he met Mr. &amp; Mrs. Bagley and told them that they were going to stay to tea so she Mrs. Bagley invited me to stay there and I did and as there wasn't any Methodist church we all went to ours. When I got home about eleven I found that they had changed their plans and had come back here to tea. It has been a very nice day, fair &amp; cool</p> <p>{The following entry has been written by Toby's father}.</p> <p>Thursday September 30th</p> <p>There has been an unavoidable lapse in the chronical of events, so I wont try to put down the doings of each day. I began ploughing the piece of sod East of the orchard on Monday Sep 20th and it was very hard. The weather was hot and dry all week and the flys bother the horses terribly. Toby went to help Vyse thrash on Thursday 23rd and got very sick. Old Felix was over that day fixing the pump at the windmill. Toby could not hold his head up Friday and Saturday. Sunday was a very wet day up till noon I drove Hattie down to church in a down pour. We were all to have gone over to have dinner with the Millmans and they all got there but Alice, Toby and me. Ormond brought {name?} and Hattie and the baby home about 4-30, it was getting much colder then and it has been cooler ever since freezing pretty hard every night since. I finished ploughing on Monday and as it was too wet to work I took the table down home and Toby went with me and stayed with the girls until today. Kathleen and Nila were over to tea last night and Frank went home with them, Toby</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>came home this morning and we got his plots of wheat sowed. Frank and I went down to Sam Law's and got eight bushels of wheat and I got nearly half of I sowed bought. I think this is a fair summing up of the doings of the last ten days.</p> <p>{Toby now resumes his diary}</p> <p>Friday October 1st</p> <p>Dad. finished drilling the four acres this morning and harrowed it I had to go over to Sam's and get about a peck more seed to finish the headland. This after noon Dad. Enah &amp; the baby got all ready to go down to the Rural School Fair but the weather got so bad they changed their minds. Dad. gave Queen a good cleaning instead, he is getting her looking &amp; acting petty nicely I got my membership tickets for the fair this morning and expect to go up and enter Queen to-morrow Dad. didn't get the ditches run out in the wheat field yet. It is a pretty small field to put in but I guess to try to put in more now would be foolish I haven't done any thing much all day It drizzled all morning and rained hard all the afternoon and is still raining. East wind. Frank came home from school but went right off again in the rain to go to the Millman's for tea and stay all night with Quint.</p> <p>Saturday October 2nd</p> <p>It was too wet to furrow out the field this morning so we just did chores. I spent quite awhile cleaning out the chicken house dropping boards as they haven't been cleaned for a week. I then dressed a couple of posts which I want to put in for a grapevine trellis. Dad. cut the burs around the pasture as we want to turn the sheep in, he also killed and cleaned a couple of old hens. Frank stayed down town all night over at the Millman's but came home before breakfast. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Millman &amp; Orm. came up in the car last night they didn't get here till after ten and Frank said the car was in awful shape. He went back after breakfast to see if Orm would mind taking the car up to Simcoe this after noon but they said it was too wet and muddy so Dad. &amp; I drove up. We went in to see Yeager and he advised us not to show Queen as he said there was no chance of her taking the money as there were two more that he knew of that had been training all summer and could step as high as a tree and then as he said it wasn't going to do her any good in fact she would be far better running out. He says to hang on to everything we have in the shape of horses as they are going to be worth all kinds of money soon. He says they have drained the U.S. of horses and have held the Canadian ones in reserve. We took his advice and didn't enter Queen as</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>we intended but went on into Simcoe and I got my watch fixed and the halter fixed. I drove Dad. down to Sam Law's corner when we got home and he went on down and opened Sam's pig which just lay down and died without any warning before dinner. Dad. says its lungs were full of froth and it has choked to death but from what cause he couldn't imagine. I went on down town while he was down there and got Enah &amp; the baby who had walked down and brought them home. It has been cloudy &amp; cool to-day.</p> <p>Sunday October 3rd</p> <p>Dick Enah &amp; I drove down to church this morning and Frank rode his wheel down. The Millman's all went down to Aunty's &amp; Aunty Alice's for dinner so they couldnt come over here. This after noon Marj. &amp; I went for a drive. I got home about six o'clock and Mr. Millman was here waiting for Dad. to get through with the chores to go over to their place to tea. Orm. Paw &amp; Quint were all back in the gully shooting crows so Dad. Enah, Frank &amp; the baby all went over there but I had tea alone and walked down to church and spent the evening down town. Cool but Sunny.</p> <p>Monday October 4th</p> <p>This morning we didn't get up very early and I spent most of the morning putting patches of roofing paper on the chicken house roof. Dad. started to make a corn horse and as I was standing out there holding it for him I suddenly felt so sick and weak that I had to go in and lie down till noon Alfred came in to get one of us to go thrashing to-morrow morning he was here for about an hour and then Dad.went out and furrowed out the wheat ground and sowed the other plot of wheat for me and I raked it in and smothed the edges of the furrows he ploughed through the flats. I went down town to tea to-night and walked up with Aunty to a Sunday school meeting. It began to rain soon after tea and was such a bad night that I stayed down there all night. Quite warm all day.</p> <p>Tuesday October 5th</p> <p>I had breakfast down at Aunty's this morning but came home right after wards and got here about eight o'clock. Dad. &amp; Frank were just leaving for Alfred's to go thrashing. I fed the chickens and found that the roof had leaked about as badly as ever so I went up and put some of the tar over the seams and I also put tar on the roof of the colony house which had never been done. Dad. &amp; Frank got home about noon so Frank went to school but Dad. had a headache so didnt</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>do much this after noon. I made a couple of legs for the corn horse out of rails and put them in I then took it out to the field and went over to Sam Law's and got our sickle and cut five shocks of the smutnose corn. I started in on it because it looked a little the ripest but I don't know that it really is, up at that far end of the field the grass is nearly as long as the corn so it was a nasty job. I intended to go down to a dance to-night which the girls are getting up for Helen Anderson who is just home for three weeks but I thought maybe I hadn't better so stayed home. Much cooler &amp; cloudy.</p> <p>Wednesday October 6th</p> <p>I have spent the day cutting corn and finished cutting the row across the end and one the length of the field over forty shocks. I started about half past eight and quit before five so I think I could cut about fifty a day Dad. cleaned out his ditches this morning and went back and put up the {illegible} from the gully into the back pasture field and went on over to see John Wess for a minute or two. He was cutting his corn, he has about given up the idea of getting his summer fall pea stubble in with wheat. This after noon among othe things he husked a bushel of corn for the pigs Win came over to tea to-night Cool &amp; cloudy all day looks rainy</p> <p>Thursday October 7th</p> <p>I cut corn all day and got another long row &amp; nine shocks cut forty six cut to-day. I quit cutting at half past four and husked four shocks of the smutnose up at the far end of the field we thought it was more mature than the Longfellow but although the stalks seem drier the corn itself I don't think is Dad. took the plow back over the gully this morning and has been plowing all day around the big hill. The war is getting more mixed up than ever, the British &amp; French the latter especially have made considerable advances lately on the western front and taken a lot of the Germans elegant trenches which they thought were impregnable and the German drive in Russia has about petered out, but it is now certain that Bulgaria has cast in her lot with the central powers and has begun an invasion of Serbia, and in Greece they are fearing civil war as the premier has resigned, he and the people want to keep their treaty with Serbia and lend help in case of Bulgaria's invasion but the King will not fight with his brother-in-law the Kaiser. Frank and I drove down to Ot. Collins to-night as he wanted to get some ball bearings for his bicycle, warmer to-day</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday October 8th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I hauled manure all day to-day and got out twelve loads we want to get the yard cleaned up as soon as possible so that we can thrash when the machine comes down here again to thrash out Art. Ryersie. Between loads I got a couple of holes dug to set the posts for a grapevine trellis east of the house but I didn't feel very well after the first load or two so didn't do much. Mrs. Millman was over this after noon for a little while, she expected Paw. Orm, and a Mr. Brown some freind of Orm's up to-night. Aunty Alice was over to dinner and bought a couple of young cockrels from me I killed them to-night &amp; Dad. plucked them but didn't clean them they weighed 8 1/2 lbs uncleaned and she gave me 18 cts a lb. which is the same price as at Coleman's. Colin Ryerse rode in for a little while too. Art &amp; George have gone off to the Caledonia fair so Colin is taking things easy Mrs. Millman told us that Roy. Vernon &amp; Rebecca landed in down at Aunty's for dinner, so to-night I took Enah down to choir practice and after making a few calls one of which was to get Roy's suitcases at the station I went down there and waited for Enah, all the Woodson family &amp; Cousins Bessy &amp; Harry Ansley were there Jean Marks came up with them this morning. There has been a cold wind all day and is cold to-night.</p> <p>Saturday October 9th</p> <p>Dad. got in a pretty good day's plowing to-day across the gully, this morning I sawed some wood oiled the buggy and did a few chores while Frank husked five shocks of corn and went down and got some flour. This afternoon I went nutting with Essie &amp; Marj. We went way up the front road above Port Ryerse and got a few hickory nuts, a few chestnuts and quite a lot of wallnuts. The chestnuts are hardly ripe yet although some of the burrs are wide open. We would have got more on Farr's place but the trees were so close to the barns that we didn't dare make much noise clubbing and across the road on Smythe's place we thought we saw some of them coming after us so didn't take time to gather as many as we might have. However I think we all enjoyed ourselves and didn't get home till long after dark. Frank &amp; I had to go down town again after tea as I forgot to call for some stuff @ Bagley &amp; Miller's Frank went up the Radical Road with the Millman's and got a few chestnuts but their outing was spoiled by poor old Orm jumping over a fence and spraining his ankle. It was very painful and Nita had to drive the car home. To-night Dr. Jolley looked at it and said he had broken a bone &amp; torn some ligaments, it is so swollen that he couldn't tell much about it. It has been rather cloudy &amp; raw all day with occasional spits of rain.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday October 10th</p> <p>We didn't get up till after seven this morning but Frank Enah and I managed to get down to church. This afternoon I sat around the house for awhile and then Dad. drove down to see Huby so I went down with him as far as Aunty's and stopped in there. Roy &amp; Vernon had gone up to Huby's so Aunty Alice &amp; I walked over Brant Hill to see the Millman's. Orm's foot wasn't paining so much but looked very bad and he couldn't bear it to the ground. Quint had borrowed a pair of crutches for him from Mrs. Lawson. About five they all went down town to say goodbye to the Ansley's &amp; Tibbet's so I rode down as far as Aunty's with them and then home with Dad. to do chores. They all but Mrs. Millman came over in the car a little later and Mr. Millman, Mr. Brown, Quint, Frank &amp; Nita all went back to the woods to shoot crows. When I got dressed Kathleen and I walked back over to the cottage stopping in for a minute at Aunty's and the rest all came over in the car soon after. We were all over there to tea and all evening. Nita brought us home about ten o'clock. They all intend to go back in the morning so we bid them good-bye. Sunny but cold wind all day. I didn't see anything much of Roy or Vernon to-day as they went over to the Woodson's to tea.</p> <p>Monday October 11th</p> <p>We have been hauling out manure all day but only got out about {19?} loads as we didn't get started till late and quit early. Roy, Vernon, Rebecca &amp; Aunty were all over to dinner and Aunty asked Dad. Enah and Tid down there to tea so Enah and the baby went down with them and called on Mrs. Battersby on their way down. Dad. did chores and then walked down. Frank and I had our tea alone and then drove down leaving Joe down at the house for Dad and Enah to drive home and we went to the picture show as they had Charlie Chaplin on to-night. I went around and got Marj. It was laughable but absolutely nonsensical. It was eleven o'clock when we got out and we went around to see how Mr. Smith was as he had an attack of colic or something to-night, he was still pretty sick and they were sitting up with him so Essie went over to stay all night with Nellie. I stopped in for a few minutes on my way home to say goodbye to Roy &amp; Vernon they are going back in the morning. It was after twelve when I got to bed. I guess they had a great reunion out at Shand's schoolhouse to-day of all the scholars that went to school out there to Mrs. Dolly Smith who taught there for seventeen years. Mrs McBride has been talking about it for weeks, she's one of them It has been a lovely fall day sunny and mild.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday October 12th</p> <p>We got on a little better to-day and got out 12 loads of manure. Dad. went down to Art. Ryerse's to see Sam Law as they are thrashing down there to see what his programme was He expected to be through at Art's to-night but said he didn't suppose anyone would want to thrash to-morrow or Thursday as the Simcoe show is on so he said if we could be ready he would pull in here Friday morning so Dad. said all right, we thought we could get enough manure out for the stack and we wont try to get the big barn ready to thrash out as we can do that when we thrash the clover seed. It has been a nice day but looks a little like rain.</p> <p>Wednesday October 13th</p> <p>We got out 9 loads to-day but quit soon after dinner as Alan &amp; Bert came in with the thrashing outfit and we had to sped the rest of the day getting ready for them, we had to take the binder out of the other barn and put it in the wood shed. About five o'clock we went down to the fish shanty and got a load of soft coal for them We also took down the old kitchen cupboard a little stand and a rocking chair to Aunty. She was in Simcoe to meet Aunt Ida who came to-night and is going to stay a month with them and maybe longer. To-night Frank drove down town to get a load of groceries and I went down with him and went up to the Bagley's to print pictures, we didn't get as many done as we expected as Essie's weren't done yet and Marj. couldn't find a lot of hers, but we printed mine and they were pretty good. It rained most of the evening so I went down to Aunty's to sleep. It has been a very fine day.</p> <p>Thursday October 14th</p> <p>It was raining when I got up this morning and has been cloudy &amp; wet all day. I had breakfast down town and got over here about eight o'clock, Enah was sick not having slept all night as She had a very lame back, but she said she felt better when she got up, Frank had intended going to Simcoe on his wheel to-day but changed his mind on account of the weather so I drove him &amp; Dick down to school and the bank. I got some stuff at Bagley &amp; Miller's and then went down to Aunty's to return some rain clothes I had borrowed and Aunty was just going up town so I drove her up, it was after ten when I got home. Sam Law had been over and told Dad. he could just as well thrash the other barn out as not so Dad. thought we had better and we have been busy all the after noon getting it cleaned up. Before tea I saddled Belle</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and rode down to Mr. Flemming's and out to Tupper's to get their help thrashing. Tupper wasn't home yet from the Fair so I left a note for him. It has been a bad day for the fair and their aeroplane which was to have been the chief feature didn't arrive. Word just came the other day that Gordon McCall who enlisted with the second contingent has died of wounds</p> <p>Friday October 15th</p> <p>We have been thrashing all day and got on faster than we expected. We got the old barn all thrashed out before four o'clock and got moved over to the other barn and got most of the wheat over there thrashed out. We got 268 bushels of wheat at the other barn 200 of which is very little sprouted and 68 bushels not badly, but the worst sprouted is in the big barn and is not running out nearly so fast, There were 156 bushels of barley 45 of barley and oats and 80 of oats out of the stack, all the grain was in excellent shape except the oats and they were soaking wet as the stack was drenched. If we had got all the grain we would have had a bumper turn out. Aunty Alice has been over all day helping Enah and is staying all night, she sorted out her books to-day and gave me a lot of them, the old ones, there is nothing I would rather have. Cool &amp; cloudy.</p> <p>Saturday October 16th</p> <p>We finished thrashing about noon and according to the tally got 896 bushels of grain altogether, but as I wasn't out there much I don't know how much of each there was, there was only about seventy five or eight bushels of the sprouted wheat I think but a nice pile of barley &amp; oats and quite a few oats which are pretty good though badly discolored. My O.A.C. 72 Oats turned out four bushels. Just as I got the chores done this morning I got such a sick feeling that I had to go and lie down for an hour or so, but felt allright the rest of the day. I drove Aunty Alice down town this morning to get some more meat for dinner and when we got back I cleaned up part of the old barn floor and spread the wet oats out over it. This after noon Dad. helped us sack up a grist before he went down to help Flemming thrash and Frank and I took it down to the mill, we then came back and took one of the big bookcases down home and a load of books, we got the mail and came around by Vyses and got our fanning mill, we then went back to the mill and got our chop. It was time to do chores when we got home. We were pretty well through when Dad. got home, he said he had had a hard day of it down at Flemming's as he was shorthanded. Cloudy all morning but lovely after noon</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Sunday October 17th</p> <p>Frank rode his wheel down to Sunday school and church this morning and Dick, Enah and I drove down, it was Children's day in church so the service wasn't very long We sat in the back seat and were very amused all through proceeding's at the actions of a man across the isle who was aparently in a sleepy state of drunkenness He had a little girl with him who was just as lively as he was dull - and they made an interesting pair. When we got home we found Dad had the meat roasted as he had been pestered all morning with visitors. Val Leany came over and got old Dandy and took him home. Dick, Frank and I went out to the hickory nut tree and Dick climbed it and shook all the nuts he could off and Frank and I gathered up two basketfulls of shells and all. Frank spent the after noon picking up the rest and got a bag full of husks and all and a peach basket full of husked nuts. Marj. and I went for a drive down the Lake Shore and I came home at half past five and helped Frank do chores as Dad &amp; Enah &amp; the baby stayed down to tea at Aunty's they went down to see Aunt Ida When Frank and I had our tea we drove Joe down and left her for Dad. to drive home. I didn't go in down there but went on up town and met Aunty Alice &amp; Dad. coming out of church and going up to Huby's so I went up with them for a little while Aunty Maude has to go to Brantford in the morning for an operation, none of us knew any thing about it till to-day. I left Dad. &amp; Aunty Alice at the Bagley's Corner and although there was no one home there I soon found Essie &amp; Marj. coming home from church so spent the remainder of the evening with them. It has been a lovely autumn day and a beautiful night.</p> <p>Monday October 18th</p> <p>Dad. has been down at Flemming's all day thrashing but they got through to-night. He said Mr. Flemming didn't thrash quite as much as we did. I did up the chores and then went back and plowed, I didn't get on very fast but still didn't do so badly going around the side hill. I got ten rounds ploughed all day about four o'clock the bolt came half way out of the drawchain and bent so I had to quit at noon. I thought it was going to rain so spent half an hour or so cleaning up the barn floor to run some stuff through the fanning mill but it didn't rain so I went back with the team instead. This is Frank's birthday. It has been dark and cloudy with little spits of rain all day and I went out and boxed up the cockrels in the colony house</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Tuesday October 19th</p> <p>First thing this morning I took the team around and got the cockrels in the colony house which Frank and I caught last night and brought them up and shut them in the yard here at the house with the others. Dad. went over to Quanbury's last night to have a bath and they wanted to get us to give them a lift with the team on Charlie's wood shed which he is moving to make into a hog pen so we went out this morning and took the baby, we got the thing moved and back home by noon. John presented us with a heifer calf yesterday. This after noon Dad. plowed and I cut corn, we both got on pretty well. Mrs. McBride was here washing to-day and gave us a great account of the reunion at Shand's schoolhouse, she evidently enjoyed it. To-night Dad. &amp; Enah drove out to the Shand's as it was old Mrs. Nixon's birthday. She had gone to bed but they saw her. Charlie they told them went to the hospital in Brantford a week ago for the rest cure. They also were invited out there on Thursday night to a kitchen shower for Marnie who is to be married next Wednesday. Tid. didnt wake up all evening. Colin Ryerse was in for awhile on horseback as it was a beautiful moon light night. Rather cloudy all day</p> <p>Wednesday October 20th</p> <p>Dad. has been plowing all day and I cut corn I didn't get started very early and quit about four but got quite a lot cut and finished the fourth row. Frank came right home from school and he and I got the fanning mill set and a few of the wet oats run through. To-night I went down town and took Marj. for a drive. It was a lovely moon light night but very foggy, however I enjoyed it very much and I think she did. Doc. Hicks was down to-day and said Aunty Maude was getting on as well as possible. She had to go to Brantford on Monday for an operation. Cloudy &amp; Rainy looking all day.</p> <p>Thursday October 21st</p> <p>I have been cutting corn all day and just got another row cut. Dad plowed all day and is getting the side hill across the gully nearly cornered. Pud. Smythe was in this morning to get their lamb and paid me ten dollars. To-night Dad &amp; Enah drove out to the kitchen shower they are having for Marine. Aunty was over here to dinner and she and Enah walked down town this after noon. It has been a beautiful sunny &amp; mild day and is a lovely night.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday October 22nd</p> <p>Old Tid. woke up last night at twelve o'clock last night and when I woke up soon after he was howling like a savage. I managed to get him pacified but he refused to lie down again and sat bolt upright till two o'clock or after when they got home I managed to keep him in a cheerful mood but I was nearly frozen and asleep in my tracks. They had a grand time out at the Shand's, there were over fifty out there and the {John?} Shand's hadn't the slightest idea there was any thing up. This morning we didn't get up till late and Whit Dixon came after the steer they bought last summer before we had breakfast so we had to go back to the gully and bring them up We didnt' have much trouble loading him and he was much quieter than the last one was, but Whit thought it would be safer to take old Harry than his horse so Dad. had a little breakfast and went down with him I just did chores till they got back and then Dad &amp; I went back and tried to catch Ginger to cut clover seed with Joe &amp; her but she was full of mischief and we couldn't so we came up and trimmed up a couple of the ram lambs before dinner. After dinner we sharpened a mower knife and Dad. started to cut the clover seed with Belle &amp; Harry. I started to cut corn but couldn't make much headway as the corn is light and dry now and it was very windy. Frank came home early and as he was stiff from his fall off his wheel yesterday he took the team and mowed till dark and Dad. &amp; I came up and cleaned up the oats which were on the barn floor. Aunty Alice came over to tea to-night. Frank went down with her and is going to stay all night with Quint, they are going after nuts to-morrow with Bill Slocomb's horse &amp; rig. Morley Buck drove Zeitha Barwell over to-night to say good bye to Enah she is going to Toronto in the morning. It has been sunny but a cold wind all day</p> <p>Saturday October 23rd</p> <p>We didn't get out very early again this morning and as Dad. discovered that the oats which we put in on top of the barley &amp; oats was getting pretty hot so we ran it through the mill and spread them out on the floor That took nearly all the morning but I went out when we got through and cut four shocks of corn before noon and Dad. cleaned three old hens which we killed this morning. Henry Awde came over when we were at dinner and picked a couple of bags of Tolman Sweets for his wife</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and as I had to go down right after dinner for some groceries &amp; the mail I drove them down for him. I hurried back but it must have been after half past two when I got out to the corn field but by working till after sundown I managed to get the row cut through, it kept me busy as there must have been twenty five or six shocks. Dad. cut clover seed all the after noon and says it won't take long to finish, he caught a little rabbit out there and we brought it up to the house but it seemed so frightened that we let it go out on the lawn, we saw a black sqirrel go up the willow tree the other morning, they say they are thick this fall and grey too - as it has been close season for them for four or five years but I guess they are shooting lots of them now although the season isn't open except two weeks in November. Frank got home soon after tea he had his down at Auntys, he said the nuts were nearly all gone, he hiked back down town again as soon as he changed his clothes. It froze hard last night, beautiful day.</p> <p>Sunday October 24th</p> <p>Dad. Dick and I drove down to church this morning and after church Dad. drove Aunty Alice up to the cemetry All Huby's family were over to dinner, which was rather late. Quint, Dick, Frank and I went out and picked up a lot more hickory nuts before dinner. This after noon I drove Huby home and then took Marj. for a drive, she was keeping house all alone as Mr. &amp; Mrs. Bagley had gone to Simcoe and Essie was out at Marburg, so we drove around by Marburg but didn't see her. I went down to church to-night and spent the evening up at the Bagley's. It froze very hard last night and has been sunny but cold all day.</p> <p>Monday October 25th</p> <p>Dad. plowed this morning as it was to wet to cut clover seed but he cut all the after noon but didn't quite finish I cut corn all day and got started on the eighth row Tom Abbot came in to-night and got a bag of wheat and a bag of barley &amp; oats in part payment for the chickens I got from him, he is going to take it all in feed. I have to pluck a hen to-night for Aunty Alice. Frank is busy pasting weeds on a big piece of cardboard and Dad. is denouncing the Education Department for causing such a foolish waste of time. Milder to-night and looks like rain</p> <p>Tuesday October 26th</p> <p>I cut corn all morning and finished another row. This</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>afternoon I helped Dad. clean up some oats and barley and move the fanning mill and then I raked up clover seed till night. Dad. put Enah's shelves in the clothes room this morning and then finished cutting the clover seed This after noon he started to clean up the barn floor so we could haul in the clover seed. It was a big job as he had to carry most of the dirt out to the chicken yard or big yard and then dump the oats which were in the box on the floor with the other oats and fill the box with the barley &amp; oats from the bin and then put the oats on the floor into the bin, so he didn't get nearly finished, he didn't feel very well and had Tid to help him. To-night I took Joe down town with the saddle on her and both Essie &amp; Marj. got on her, neither of them could reach the stirrups so they couldn't ride far and I held Joe's head most of the time. I had the big saddle on so couldn't shorten the stirrups but I promised to bring her down again with the little saddle. I went down to Aunty's for awhile before I came home, they expected Aunty Maude to-night but she didn't come. Nice day, very windy</p> <p>Wednesday October 27th</p> <p>I cut corn all morning and got on fairly well, Dad. finished cleaning up the barn floor and this after noon we hauled in two loads of clover seed, out of the wind row, we left the last load on the barn floor. Charlie McBarty was in to-night and bought the biggest ram lamb for eight dollars. Enah and the baby were down town this after noon. We saw Mr. Robertson going out the side road this after noon so we supposed Maime Shand's wedding came off all right. Ray Hammond was to be married to-day too, to Miss Austin out on the town line. Enah said she saw another wedding party down town of which Miss Bloxom &amp; Mr. Todd were the chief figures. Very cloudy &amp; cool.</p> <p>Thursday October 28th</p> <p>I cut corn all morning and got about 24 shocks cut. Dad. chored around till the dew dried off about ten o'clock and then raked up the clover seed or part of it, he didn't quite finish by noon, he just raked one way of the field so that we didn't have so much turning. This after noon we hauled in a couple more loads, the first was rather a small one, and we left the last on the waggon. Dick came home about two o'clock and took Josie and went to Simcoe as Dess is up there visiting. Enah has been house cleaning the dining room all day. Alan Law told us that Pickford has bought their farm and they will have to get off, we were sorry to hear it. Cloudy mostly &amp; windy</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Friday October 29th</p> <p>We put off the load we hauled last night first thing this morning and then Dad. went out and raked up the rest of the field. I mowed away what was up there and then dug the rest of my rose border before he came in, we then went out and loaded till twelve but didn't have much of a load. After dinner we put it off and hauled two more. Frank got home early and helped us mow away the first and the second we left on the barn floor, we got all the stuff in that had any seed in it but there is still a load of couch grass out there To-night I put the little saddle on Joe and took her down to give the girls another lesson. Essie had to go to choir practice but Marj. rode down to Perry's and we got Marj. to go for a little ride, the little saddle was a great improvement. I went down to Aunty's for awhile before I came home. It has been windy &amp; cloudy all day quite cold</p> <p>Saturday October 30th</p> <p>I cut corn all day but didn't get on extra well as it was so windy. Frank and Dad. took a grist to the mill this morning and also took the other bookcase and a lot of books &amp; the old sofa down to Aunty's, and brought back a little sofa that Elva gave Enah. This after noon they put off the load of clover seed and went out and got the load of couch grass, it took a long time to put it on as it was so light and the wind was so strong, Dad. fixed Enahs shelves in the pantry clothes closet. To-night Frank and I went down town and he took a basket of hickory nuts down for the ones at Aunty's, he went to the picture show and I got my hair cut, there were a lot in town and a lot of kids out as they are celebrating to-night as Hallowe'en. It has been a nice day but cloudy &amp; windy.</p> <p>Sunday October 31st</p> <p>I walked down to church this morning and Dad. Enah &amp; the baby drove down they left the baby with Aunty Alice and then went there for dinner. I brought Joe home and we three boys had dinner alone. After dinner I drove Dick down town and got Marj. &amp; Glad. Law who is up here for a week convalescing and we drove out to Renton I wanted to get the number of the ram we sold to Nixon &amp; Berger last fall and we had a great time finding the place as I took the wrong turn at Wiggins school house, we did find it at last but they didn't know the number but said they would find it and send it to me It was late when we got back but I stayed at the Bagley's.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>to tea and put Joe in at Faulkner's. Glad also stayed and we then didn't go to church like the family but stayed home and washed the dishes and played with Charlie the kitten. I came home early and brought Dick with me. Just as I was about ready to get into bed to-night I heard the screen door open and then the kitchen door very quietly and I watched it open quietly and stealthily for it seemed like a long time and I didnt know what on earth was coming when Frank stuck his head in, he had been out somewhere and I didn't know it. It was rather dark in the bedroom and I was sure he was in bed, so I was getting ready for a scrap. It has been a lovely day but cloudy.</p> <p>Monday November 1st</p> <p>I cut corn all day and have about twelve shocks more to cut to finish the field I thought I would have finished but there are two more rows of corn in the last row of shocks and it makes a big difference, Dad. ploughed all day and finished the piece he was at. Edmond England was in with a Court of Revision notice that some body had complained that my name was wrongly ommeted from the voter's list, but I guess I don't have to go down. Another nice day but windy &amp; cloudy.</p> <p>Tuesday November 2nd</p> <p>We were up fairly early this morning and Dad. got a good morning in ploughing. Frank found one of the ram lambs dead this morning so we concluded he had got too many apples so Frank and I got the roll of wire from behind the barn where it had been around the stack and put it up where it was before from the orchard fence over to the chicken yard and shut the other two rams in the plum orchard I then went out and finished cutting the corn it was an awful job as the wind was very strong, and it took me nearly till noon, when I got up Frank and Felix Perkins had a "hickey" on the pump and were fixing it, the rods had come disconnected as the collars where the lengths join had worn out agains the pipe. Aunty Alice came over to dinner, she was going to pick apples but it was too cold &amp; windy, but she picked up a lot of hikory nuts. Mrs. McBride was here too so we had an exceedingly interesting dinner party especially when Dad. &amp; Felix got arguing about the new school. I set out some rose bushes Aunty sent over after dinner &amp; Dad. lost all the after noon working with Felix. Frank stayed home too. I drove Felix home about four o'clock and got Joe shod at Joe Howells. Very cold cloudy &amp; windy</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This is a repeat of page 133}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>{This is a repeat of page 133}</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday November 3rd</p> <p>I drove Dick down this morning and went on up to Dunkin's to see if I could get a ram, but he said he didn't know of one in the country, but he has Lloyd-Jones first prize Simcoe ram with his ewes and said I could bring my five yearlings up if I liked so I thought I would. I got home about noon and Dad. had to go over and give Charlie Quanbury two or three hours thrashing so I plowed till he got back and then I husked a little corn. I got ready and went down to Aunty's to tea. To-night Marj. &amp; I went down to the show. It has been cloudy, cold, windy &amp; damp.</p> <p>Thursday November 4th</p> <p>It rained quite hard early this morning so I drove Dick down again and found out that I could get Coleman's stock waggon to take the yearling ewes up to Dunkins I thought it was going to be rainy so Dad. couldn't plow and I could take te big team, so I went down to Coleman's before dinner and got it and we got all the sheep in the barn tagged then and let them all out except the five yearlings and the lamb which will register. I got started right after dinner for Dunkin's with the six ewes It was slow going up and I didn't get there till about four o'clock, but I didn't have any accidents or adventures, and got home by six o'clock. It turned out to be a beautiful after noon and every body along the road was plowing so it seemed a shame to have the team and keep Dad. from plowing. Dad. helped Enah house clean</p> <p>Friday November 5th</p> <p>I buried the dead ram this morning and picked a few of the spies when Gordon {Doracot?} came over to get me to go thrashing over at Jack Martin's. I went over but we only thrashed the buckwheat and there were only 121 bushels of it as the hail had ruined it. The spring on the governor broke and also a pipe running down into the boiler and as the engine had to cool off to fix it we couldn't thrash any more to-day and after we all had dinner over at Jack's we went home. I picked more apples this after noon. Bill Bush was cutting weeds over in his gully this after noon and cut the leg off one off our guinea's which was sitting I caught it and killed it. Dad. plowed all day, but will have to with me to thrash to-morrow. Enah went down town and stayed to tea at Aunty Alice's as it was her birthday. I walked down to-night to wish her a happy birthday. It has been a nice day but cloudy &amp; cold.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday November 6th</p> <p>Dad. and I went over this morning to thrash and put in a strenuous fore noon of it. I carried away and it kept me very busy as the wheat rolld out faster than the oats and there were 210 bushels Dad. had the dirtiest job as he was in the straw and they put some of it in the barn, there were over 400 bushels altogether, we didn't get through till after dinner. I didn't do much after I got home as I felt a little tough but I picked a few apples Dad. tried to plow on the barley stubble as he thought it wasn't worth while to go back over the gully but it was too hard so he had to quit. Aunty Alice came over this after noon and she &amp; Frank picked up a lot of hickory nuts. Frank walked down wth her to-night and was down till about midnight. I had a bath instead. Pretty cold wind to-day.</p> <p>Sunday November 7th</p> <p>Frank went down to Sunday school this morning and Dad. Dick &amp; I drove down to church. Aunty Maude was in church this morning, it was the first walk she has taken since she came home, so Dad. drove her home after church. Quint drove over to dinner with us. This afternoon I went down town and got Essie &amp; we drove down to Nanticoke and got Marj. who has been down at the Banfield's since Friday night, we didn't stay down there long although they wanted us to stay to tea but Essie had to get back to play the organ so we came back I put Joe in the church shed and stayed with them to tea and then took Joe home while they went to church I just got home as Dad. was about ready to start down town after Enah so I went back and got her, she had been down with the baby to a duck dinner at Huby's, when we got home I walked down again and spent the evening at the Bagley's. Ed &amp; Marion were over there this after noon. Lovely day but cold wind.</p> <p>Monday November 8th</p> <p>Dad. got in a good day to-day plowing. Frank didn't go to school this morning but rode down to Geo. Miller's to see about getting a new dividing wall for the separator as the old one won't stay up in the hauls, Mrs. Miller told him it would be better to get a new one. He came around by Tommy Jackson's to see about getting some honey for his bees but Tommy hadn't extracted yet so he will have to use sugar. I drove Dick. down to the bank and around to see if Neil Elliott would give me $100.00 for Mully but he said he wouldn't but would come to look at her. Tid. went down with me and I took a bag of Tolman Sweets down to Aunty Alice. When I got back I went out &amp;</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>burned the old hay we left out on the timothy sod. This after noon I picked apples and got pretty much all that were any good out there. Mrs McBride was here washing to day. Aunty came over to tea and to stay all night. Very much milder to-day but cloudy this after noon</p> <p>Tuesday November 9th</p> <p>Dad. got a good early start this morning but just nicely got hooked up when {Leo?} Horn got him to come up and look at his mare, so he was delayed for over an hour, the mare was up here in the stable, she was sweating terribly and seemed in awful pain so Dad. said he thought she had a touch of spasmodic colic he didn't have any thing to give her but she seemed to get better so he took her home. I spent the day cleaning up the garden and putting the vegetables &amp; apples in the cellar. I also put off the load of couch grass which was on the waggon and Dad. took it over to the other barn at noon. This after noon I cleaned the barn floor and threw the oats out again out of the bin. To-night I took Joe down town again with the saddle on her and gave the girls another ride. Marj. is getting on fine but it was only the second time for Essie. I got home about half past ten. Very windy all day and freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Wednesday November 10th</p> <p>Dad. got a good day in plowing to-day and only had one interruption when Will Philips came over to ask him about his sick cow. He got the east half finished and got quite a lot done on the west side. I hardly got anything done as I had so many visitors I got started twice to husk corn but I first old Felix came after some wheat that Dad. gave him for wages and then Neil Elliot came to look at Mully He said she was only worth $75. This afternoon I drove Enah and Tid down to the Jame's and then went over to the slaughter house to see Whit Dixon, he said if he were in my place he wouldn't sell Mully for less than $90.00 I was over there quite awhile and it was getting late when I got home and Huby had sent some historical man over here to look at the mound. I took him back to see it and he said he was sure it was a natural formation although a very peculiar one. He is here to see about putting up a little monument on the spot where a party of French explorers wintered about 200 years ago, he says they have located the spot where their hut stood from the rough map they drew and the description of the place and have found the place has never been disturbed. It is up Black Creek a little way in a little ravine about 200 feet in from the creek. Lovely day, sunny &amp; not windy.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday November 11th</p> <p>It rained a little during the night so I thought it would be a little wet to husk corn so spent the morning working in front of the house I am going to take the sod all off in front of the dining room window where the rhubard bed was and put it down by the road where the grass doesn't grow, then I want to dig the other up and put some flowers in and train a grape vine across in front of it from the corner of the house to the plum orchard fence. Neil Elliot came in about ten o'clock and I went back with him to look at the steer and see Dad. about buying Dreadnaught, he said he would give $45 for him and Dad. said he'd take it. I asked him $125 for Mully &amp; the steer but he said the steer was only worth forty and Mully seventy five, but he came up five dollars on Mully &amp; then two &amp; a half so I thought I wouldn't stick for two &amp; a half and let them go, and to-night I wrote to two men who advertise dual purpose Shorthorns in the Farmer's Advocate. This after noon I went out to husk a little more corn but didn't get much done when it began to rain so I came in Mr. Waterbury the historical man was here, he wanted to know the way to get to Tommy Jackson's and I told him the shortest way was to go up the creek and he said as it was raining so he wouldnt go to-day, he wanted to see if Tommy would donate an old axe that old Stringer had of his to their museum, he brought over the book telling of the travels of the French exploring party and which was originally writen by one of two French priests who were with the party. It was written in French &amp; English both and there was an old map which they had drawn of their voage, it was pretty crude but still wonderfully correct when they had only the shoreline to go by. It gave a great description of this country where they wintered and called it the "earthly paradise of Canada." There were also a couple of pictures in the book of Black Creek and the spot where their camp stood, it was al-to-gether a most interesting book but Frank has to take it back to Huby's office in the morning. I didn't do much this after noon but pain the names of my different plots of wheat on some stakes for labels. Enah started to read the history book to-night but we all went to sleep in spite of it being so interesting.</p> <p>Friday November 12th</p> <p>I spent all the morning working out in front and got nearly all the sod taken off and put down by the road. This after noon I went out and put the lable stakes in my wheat plots</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and stretched the garden line around each of them and hoed around each one so that there would be more come up outside the line I then husked a little more corn. Dad. got in a good day plowing. It has been a beautiful day.</p> <p>Saturday November 13th</p> <p>We had to take our stock down to Neil Elliot to ship to day so I went back right after breakfast to bring up the steer, he seemed determined not to come up and I had to bring the whole bunch to get him. We left him in the yard with Mully while we tied the calf in the waggon box, we thought Mully would follow the calf and the steer go with her and Dad. lead the bull we got as far as the road when the calf got loose and while we were tying him up the steer got back in the lane and jumped into the field with the rest. After a lot of chasing we got him out as far as the road again, when Dreadnaught in some way twisted the snap on the stick out of his nose and got loose and he &amp; the steer ran up into the wheat. Enah came out wielding a broom. However we got them in and at last got well started. They ran into Martin's but Art. Quanbury came down from there with us Dad. Frank &amp; Art came right home when they were unloaded. Frank drove the lumber waggon with the calf in it down so they came around home by Aunty's and got Mis Buckwells sofa which they bought and brought it home. I went up town and got the honey and left it in the {illegible}. This after noon Frank and I took a grist to the mill and got a walnut table up at Mrs. McBrides we got Jack Martin's skids and took them over to the colony house which I want to move up as soon as possible Dad. &amp; I then cleaned up some wheat to pay Sam Lees back and also some oats for Art Quanbury while Frank shot three guinea hens. Frank and I took the wheat back about dark. It has been a nice day but a cold wind.</p> <p>Sunday November 14th</p> <p>Frank rode his wheel down to church this morning and Dick, Enah &amp; I drove down. Aunty Alice came over with us to dinner. This after noon Marj. &amp; I went for a walk up the Radical Road and got full of burrs. I went down to Aunty's for tea and went up with Aunty &amp; Aunt Ida to church Dick &amp; I got home to-gether about half past ten. The Nixon's were here this after noon and left the number of the ram. Dad. had to go over to Frank Lemon's to see a horse and didn't get back till dark. Enah &amp; the baby went down to the Jame's for tea and Elva</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Said. Davis, May Perry &amp; Gladys Fischer came over with her after church. It has been cloudy and cold all day.</p> <p>Monday November 15th</p> <p>Dad. got a good day in plowing to-day but didn't quite finish the oat stubble. I spent most of the morning tidying up the rubbish between the wood shed and the shop and cleaned the windows and swept down the cobwebs in the cow horse stable. This after noon I chopped down the rest of the cherry trees which were along the plum orchard fence and started to get a trench dug for my hedge. Holly Bush came in to-night to get a loaf of bread. He brought Enah over a sack of flour the other day to have her bake a loaf or two of bread a week. Very windy and cold all day. It snowed a little and is freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday November 16th</p> <p>This morning as it was pretty cold I got Dad. to help me move the colony house It took quite awhile to get it on the skids but once it was loaded it slid along in fine shape. We put it in the yard where we set out the raspberries. Dad. went right back and plowed when we got it over and has plowed all after noon. He finished the oat stubble and got started to plow in the weeds. I separated the chickens put the pullets in where the cockrels were as that is to be their winter quarters, put the cockrels in where the old hens were and put the old hens in the colony house. I then ran the wagon out of the shed and started to pick up some apples off the ground in the orchard for cider. I picked all the after noon but didn't get the wagon box full. It was milder to-night but was snowing quite hard about dark.</p> <p>Tuesday Wednesday November 17th</p> <p>Quint came over with Dick last night to stay awhile so he Frank and I picked up a few more apples and took them up to Walker Waddle's for cider. Dad. drove down in the buggy and got two of the kegs from down at Aunty's for us to take up as he didn't want us to drive way down around that way. We didn't get back till after one o'clock. We didn't have quite enough apples we filled the two ten gallon kegs and put about thirty in the barrell, we came back by town and left a keg at Huby's and one at Aunty's. Dad. drove Aunty up to the cemetry this morning and had to go over to Tupper's to thrash this after noon. Aunty stayed here to dinner and I drove her back this after noon, when</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I got back it was pretty late so I just took back Jack Martin's skids and Quanbury's chain and did chores. Quint and Frank husked a basketfull of corn and then set some traps back in the gully. There has been a cold wind to-day and it has been freezing in the shade all day.</p> <p>Thursday November 18th</p> <p>Dad. has been over at Tupper's all day thrashing. He says the stuff is in awful shape. It is full of thistles and weeds and is so tough they can hardly stick a fork in it. This morning I didn't do much but chores and clean up around the wood shed. Quint wanted to go for a ride so I put the little saddle on Joe and he took her down town and back. When he got back the saddle blanket was gone and he hadn't missed it. He said she nearly put him off once and just about got away from him. He and I walked back the road to look for the blanket and found it hanging on the sidewalk railing below Marshals place. After dinner Quint helped me stand all the rails up that were out in the pile in front of the shop and we got it slicked up nicely. Quint went down about three o'clock. I quit early to do chores and about half past five left for Woodhouse to a chicken pie social. I picked Marj up on the way and we had a hot time. When we got there the place was crowded and I couldn't get Joe in the sheds but got her in a sheltered spot. We had to get in line for supper and were nearly squashed flat, after about an hour's waiting we got in to the dining hall where we had a sumptuous repast of roast chicken and then had to wait another hour for the programme to commence, but we were lucky enough to get good seat so enjoyed ourselves, the entertainers were principally composed of Doverites, and all came up in a load Essie presided at the organ and the male quartette did most of the singing. Mrs. J.H. Butler also performed several times and Miss McGillvary from Simcoe also sang. Frank Reid was chairman and Mr. {Geoff?} and all the Methodist preachers in the country spoke, it was about twelve o'clock when we got out, and Joe didn't seem in a mood to travel very fast so it was after one when I got home. We came down the Radical as there was no other traffic on it. It has been a beautiful day and a very mild nigh. It started to rain a little about midnight and was raining quite hard when I got home.</p> <p>Friday November 19th</p> <p>I had to go over to Sam Law's to thrash this morning</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>and Dad. went over to Tupper's to finish up. We only thrashed for about half an hour and then as there was such a headwind we quit. The straw was blowing everywhere and the roof was covered. Sam. said if it was his he wouldn't care but he didn't want to do anything mean as he was leaving. I stood around over there about an hour talking to Sam and Art Ryersie and listening to their discussion of various farming problems. Soon after I got home Enah and Tid. wanted to go down town so I drove them down, on my way back I picked up Jack Martin and he came over and had a look at the cockrels, he said there would be some he could take. I had my dinner all alone but Dad. came home before I finished. He had had his and they had finished over at Tupper's. This afternoon it rained quite a lot. Dad. &amp; I got the cider barrel in the wood shed and about half past three I drove down after Enah and the baby who were then at Aunty's. It rained heavily last night and has been raining a lot to-day. Raw west wind.</p> <p>Saturday November 20th</p> <p>It was still very windy this morning and has been all day so I knew there was no use going over to Sam's to thrash. This morning after we did up the chores rather late I stripped the north wall of the old barn next Dreadnaughts stall {illegible} of straw as we want to get the calves in now. Dad. killed and dressed a couple of chickens. After dinner {name?} came after Landon Ivey's calf so we went back with him and brought them all up and the horses too. I did chores then and Dad. built a manger over against the granary wall for the calves. Just before dark I put the bridle on Queen and got on her back. The other horses were all there so she trotted around the straw stack with them a few times and then they all cantered out of the yard into the field. Just as we got out the gate, she began to rear a little and I wasn't looking for it so after a few of them I found myself on my back on the ground with my feet in the air. Queen got away with the bridle on her and got back with the rest but luckily they didn't go into the gully and I chased them back to the barn where Dad. got the bridle off her, she hadn't got the reins down either. To-night we put Ginger &amp; Billy in the box stall. Dad. got his steer in too that he is going to kill for home consumption. Whit Dixon was over this morning and got our veal calf. Tupper came</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>over last night to kill our ram but when he felt him he said it would be foolish as there wasn't much more than a good meal on him, so Whit looked at him this morning and said if we fed him awhile, he might be worth killing, so Dad. has him tied up in the stable now. To-night Dad. has gone down to see the folks. Frank has a bad cold and sore throat. He went over to Tupper's this morning to set some traps for a skunk. Cloudy, windy and a little rain to-day.</p> <p>Sunday November 21st</p> <p>Frank's cold was too bad to go out of the house to-day so Dad. &amp; I drove down to church alone. Aunty came back with Dad. and I stayed down there to dinner and tea. This after noon I went visiting and also to-night after church. There was quite a commotion down town this after noon when Perce Ryerse's house, his new one caught on fire. I went up but they got it under control before it did any damage beyond smoking the house all up. It seems the kid set fire to a pile of rubbish down cellar. I went to church to-night and saw Dick to speak to for the first time to-day. Huby and Lila wemt down to Aunty's to-night and killed all his spring chickens, there were eight of them most of them cockrels. I went down about ten o'clock and got the old hen I lent him last summer to hatch them out. I don't know what the neighbors thought as she let out a series of the most unearthly squaks I ever hard as far as Allan's corner and then she wasn't so bad unless I {jabed?} her. Dick caught up to me at Uncle Wards. When we got home I put the old hen up to Frank's ear and pinched her and old Frank didn't know what was coming off. I had her in a bag and the next thing she did was to get loose in the kitchen and of course caused a terrible commotion while I was catching her. Very windy and blizzardy to-day.</p> <p>Monday November 22nd</p> <p>This morning I went over to Sam Law's to thrash. It was still windy but a little more from the West so didn't blow right in the barn, we were there till about eleven o'clock. I was on the blower most of the time but the stack got too high to put all the straw on so we had to let it go to one side. We had dinner over there and I got back before they had dinner here. This after noon I did up the chores and then put the little saddle on Ginger. I got on her in the drive house but she was</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>so nervous with the curb bit, saddle and being away from Billy that she wouldn't go out at last she got herself worked up into such a state that she started to back up, she backed up into a pile of rubbish and sat down. I got off her and took her outside and got on her, she still refused to go and went through the same performance again this time though when I went down I hit my head and my back and she came over pretty heavily on my leg. I tried her again without success so took her down to the road and then up to where Dad. was plowing in the barley stubble and he started her off and she came back all right. Frank who has been sick in the house all day wanted me to go out to Tupper's and look at some trap he set for some skunks so i put the big saddle on Joe and went out there. Dad. started to plow the barley stubble to-day as the creek was so high he didn't want to go back over the gully and he thought if it should freeze the stubble would freeze first. Enah went down town this after noon and Aunty Alice came back with her to tea. Dad. went down with her after tea. To-night all the Harvey Shand's but Willie came in. Charlie is going out West some time next week and came over to say good bye. Rather cold wind and cloudy to-day.</p> <p>Tuesday November 23rd</p> <p>This morning I did up the chores and put the big saddle on Ginger to give her another lesson, she behaved pretty well putting it on, but coming out of the door she gave a jump, caught the stirrup in the door and tore the strap right off at the saddle. I felt pretty sick about it and put her back in and went out and husked corn. I husked corn all the after noon and to-night I went down town and gave Marj. a carving lesson. It was raining when I got started for home but I got a ride out with Dick and Alan Law. Cloudy, but mild to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday November 24th</p> <p>We didn't get out very early this morning and I just did chores. This after noon I went to Simcoe and got the saddle mended and also a lot of other harness. I was up there for quite awhile and stopped in to see Louise at the Bowlby's for a few minutes on the way home so it was pretty late when I got home. Enah and the baby were waiting for me down town but I came home first. Dad. got in and drove me down and I stayed down at Aunty's all night as I want to leave for Caledonia in the morning. Dad. plowed on the barley stubble all day, he doesn't feel very well. Frank</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>is not very well either and has not been at school to-day. Aunty Alice &amp; Dick left for Toronto to-night to see Billy Millman play, he is in Toronto all this week with Taversham in "The Hawk." Cloudy this morning but nice day.</p> <p>Thursday November 25th</p> <p>Aunty got up at six o'clock this morning and got my breakfast and I left for Caledonia. When I got there there was no sign of Douglas so the fellow at the station said I had better telephone him so I did and found that as I had said on my card I would D.V. be down Thursday morning he didn't quite understand and thought it meant to drive down, however he came right in after me in his Ford and we got out to his place about four miles out about ten o'clock, he showed me all through his cattle, he has over a hundred head and it was like going to a show, he has both Bates bred and Scotch bred Shorthorn's and some of the familys have been on the farm for sixty years. I wanted to get a cow with a record and giving milk now if I could but as he lets his calves suck all his cows so of course had no records and he advised me not to get a cow that has had a calf sucking her as he said they never let their milk down as well when milked by hand so I wound up by buying a two year old heifer from him which he said was from the best milking cow on the farm and of a good milking family, she was just bred yesterday and so I will have to run chances of having to breed her again to some bull around here. I gave $180.00 dollars for her $100 cash and my note for 12 mos @ 6% for the $80. He is to ship her up next Wednesday. I had dinner there and visited with Mr. Douglas for an hour or so after and then he took me down town where I waited for the 6.40 train for Dover. Mr. &amp; Mrs. Brad. Bowlby were on the train coming up from Toronto. They had heard Billy Sunday give his temperance lecture. Mrs. Bowlby was terribly shocked and thought he was too wild all to-gether. I stopped in at Aunty's on my way home but had tea over here. It has been a beautiful day.</p> <p>Friday November 26th</p> <p>Dad. has plowed all day to-day and I did chores and set out my two grapevines or at least transplanted them. It took me the best part of the after noon as I took considerable pains about it and put some tile</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>in the bottom at the base and mixed the earth up with mould from around the big barn and some wood ashes. Art. Quanbury &amp; Ive Fields were around Jack Martin's fence fixing it and I was over talking to them for awhile. It has been another most beautiful Indian Summer day.</p> <p>Saturday November 27th</p> <p>Dad. left here at sevenl o'clock this morning to get Huby and go down to Mr. {Faurey's?} funeral, he didn't get back till nearly ten, he got some lime down town and Frank whitewashed the cow stable. This after noon they got a grist ready for the mill and Frank took it down but it was too late to get it to-night. I did chores and went over to Martin's to find out how strong to make the solution of coal oil and carbolic acid for scaly leg. {Brilely?} said zenoleum would do as well as carbolic acid and and not to use more than a table spoon full in a cup of water so to-night Dad. and I went through them we got all the young pullets &amp; cockrels done but not all the old yearling hens as they were so thick we couldn't tell which had been done and which hadn't. It has been a very disagreeable day. It rained this morning and has been cold and windy.</p> <p>Sunday November 28th</p> <p>Enah Frank and I went down to church this morning. Frank rode the wheel down and we drove. I was down town all the after noon and went up the beach for a walk and stayed down at Aunty's for tea. Dad. walked down and he Aunty and I went up to church to-night and I spent the evening up at the Bagley's. It has been a most beautiful and very mild day but it was a wild night when I started for home raining and a terrific wind so I went down and stayed all night at Aunty's. They had all gone to bed when I got there but I sneaked in and lit the light and then went up and told Aunty I was there, she was glad I came.</p> <p>Monday November 29th</p> <p>I had breakfast down at Aunty's this morning and got home about nine o'clock. I then went down to the mill and got the grist that Frank left there on Saturday. I took a bag of wheat down and Clarence said it ought to be worth about 90 cts but by today's paper Ottawa has comandeered a lot of Canadian wheat so whether that will affect prices here or not I don't know. This after noon I did</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>up the chores and then husked a basket of corn. Dad. plowed all the after noon. To-night Frank &amp; I went down to the A.Y.P.A. and had a fairly good time. I got my hair cut and went down on my way home to see Aunty Alice she came home to-night. Frank met her at the train. It has been a raw windy day and is freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday November 30th</p> <p>This morning being cold and blustery Dad. decided to put the calves in, it took quite awhile to finish the preparations for their reception and still longer to get them in and tied however we did by about ten o'clock and we think they will soon settle down in contentment. It wasn't worthwhile for Dad. to go out and plow before dinner so we went down and got the coal stove that Mrs. James gave Enah, it is a dandy, we had to get some groceries and by the time we got home and got the stove unloaded it was about two o'clock. Dad. plowed after dinner but didn't quite finish the barley stubble he is going to plow the old fence bottom in with it. I did up the chores, cut some wood and went out and opened up a ditch in the plowed field. Mrs. McBride was here this morning, washing. Cold raw &amp; windy.</p> <p>Wednesday December 1st</p> <p>Frank stayed home from school this morning and he and I did chores while Dad. finished plowing the barley stubble. Then the whole family went down in the lumber waggon and Dad. &amp; I put on a load of chestnut coal for the new stove, it just come in. Frank got some stuff up town and then took the coal home while Dad. and I got my heifer which came in on the noon freight, she was like a mad bull she was so wild in spite of the blind old Douglas had put over her head, we couldn't do anything with her at the station so they shunted her over to the yard by the brickyard much against one of the men's will who was very much put out at wasting so much time and kept up a running stream of oaths, however with two long ropes one of which was Ed's and one which Dad. got over at the slaughter house we got her out in a short time without hurting her. Ed. helped us bring her over and came all the way over with us but wouldn't stay to dinner. Enah &amp; the baby walked home. Dad. is highly delighted wth the heifer and she certainly does look nice in the stable with the others and she is getting quieted down. This after noon I helped Frank and Dad. get the stove in place and then</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>I went up to the Bowlby's after Louise. Frank went to school till recess and then met Dad. down town and they got another load of coal. Louise and I got back about six. Cold all day snowed all after noon &amp; evening Dick didn't quit work for yesterday till 3.30 this morning and then walked home. It was the end of the year &amp; month.</p> <p>Thursday December 2nd</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I did chores most of the morning and fixed up a corner out in the old barn to put the bull calf as he is too mean to leave with the heifer calve we also unloaded the load of coal he got yesterday afternoon into a bin he fixed up in the wood shed. We two had dinner by ourselves as Enah, Louise &amp; the baby all went down to Aunty's to dinner and to spend the afternoon. This afternoon Dad. &amp; I hauled in a load of corn stalks most of which were unhusked and put them in the bay of the old barn. To-night Dad. read "Going Some" out loud it is a funny story by Rex Beach. It has been cold &amp; raw all day anbd is freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Friday December 3rd</p> <p>Dad. has plowed across the gully all day and says it plows better than it hass all fall, he was surprised that it did as when he went back he was afraid he couldn't make it go it froze so hard last night, he got quite a lot done although he didn't get back there very early. I went over to see Charlie Shand this morning as I told him I would before he left; he is going West next Tuesday He showed me all over and we were up in the silo. Louise went down to Aunty's to dinner and Aunty came back with her to tea. I just did chores this after noon. To-night I went down town with Aunty and went to the picture show with Marj., this being her birthday. On my way home I looked in at the Commercial hotel and saw Alan Law and Dick sitting there waiting for Alan to finish his cigar to go home so I joined them. George Henderson was with them sitting with his feet up on a table, his cap down over his eyes and a smile on his face which showed he was just awake enough to enjoy his comfortable state. Presently a man evidently a traveller came in from the back room and expressed his intention of "going to roost" where at George stretched himself out of his chair and over to the register and the traveller registerd and went to bed. This sort of aroused the party and when Alan had bought another cigar we left for home. Alan was drawn from the</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>familiar channels of his conversation to-night by extolling the many virtues of a new nine dollar &amp; a quarter corduroy coat with fur felt lining that his girl sent away and got for him for a Christmas present. When we got home the whole family was listening to Enah read "Going Some". Dad. had had his snooze on the sofa and had evidently brought down the house a few minutes before we came in by waking up with a wild burst of laughter caused by his dreaming of the story Enah was reading and exclaiming "I don't see how people can be so dam' funny", this being a quotation from the book He got up then so I occupied the sofa for the remainder of the evening, it then being close to midnight. Raw &amp; cloudy, freezing to-night.</p> <p>Saturday December 4th</p> <p>Dad. has been plowing all day again to-day.This morning Frank did up most of the chores and I husked corn in the barn, he helped husk some too. This after noon he went back with Dad. to help him run out some cross furrows and I drove Louise back to the Bowlby's. I got home before tea. We have never let Alguitha out yet but she is beginning to show signs of getting tame but she won't let us take the halter off her head yet. They have according to the "Maple Leaf" got all the officers for the 133rd overseas regiment which they are going to try and recruit in Norfolk. A.C. Pratt the little shrimp is colonel an Murray Dillon one of the lieutenants neither one of them I suppose know any more about military matters than a young rabbit, but I suppose each is pulling down a nice fat salary from it. Murray is recruiting officer for these regions. Cold &amp; cloudy to-day but not so windy. I guess Murry is only a provisional lieutenant and has to try his examinations yet.</p> <p>Sunday December 5th</p> <p>Enah and Frank were the only ones from here at church this morning. I drove Enah down but it was so late I didn't go in but waited down at Aunty's for them. Aunty Alice drove over with us to dinner. I spent the after noon down town and went for a walk up the beach. I had tea at Aunty's and Dad. came down with Aunty Alice to tea and he Aunty &amp; I went to church. I spent the evening down town. Nice day but cloudy and cold.</p> <p>Monday December 6th</p> <p>I find I have only ten eleven pages left in this book so if I am going to get the rest of the year in I will</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>have to considerably boil down the news. Dad. has plowed all day but says the frost is beginning to make it stiff. Mrs. McBride was here all day. I did chores and went over to Martin's to hurry them up after my cockrel's. Enah went down to church this after noon. The Bishop was here and confirmed Mrs. Jack &amp; Mrs Chas Martin, Mrs Cope, Bill Dunbar, Joe Thompson &amp; Alf Powell. Frank &amp; I went down to A.Y.P.A. to-night. Hazen read us a story. Cold &amp; Cloudy to-day &amp; freezing hard to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday December 7th</p> <p>Dad. didn't plow to-day but we hauled two loads of corn stalks instead one in the morning and one this afternoon, besides doing up all the chores. Jack Martin &amp; Chris came over this morning and took eleven of my cockrels and left a few more here to grow awhile, they were not as fat as they should have been and we discovered the cause was mites. To-night Dad. &amp; I leg banded all the pullets. Much milder to-day.</p> <p>Wednesday December 8th</p> <p>I went down to the mill this morning and borrowed fifteen bags to haul out our wheat, we just did chores this morning and Dad. killed and cleaned three cockrels and I painted the roosts in the old part of the hen house with crude oil for mites. This after noon we cleaned up about 35 bushels of wheat but didn't have time to haul any. Quite mild to day but very cloudy and a little snow which melted.</p> <p>Thursday December 9th</p> <p>Frank stayed home to help us to day. Dad. hauled the load down we cleaned up yesterday and we cleaned two more and hauled them to-day. We hauled 16 bags each trip and they averaged a few pounds over 34 bushels so it weighs pretty well and scarcely any cleans out but there isn't going to be as much by about 40 bushels in the granary as there was from the machine. We could have got more done but we had to quit early for chores It has been cloudy with a very cold north wind all day.</p> <p>Friday December 10th</p> <p>Dad. hauled two more loads to-day, we cleaned up all the wheat in the granary and took the last half load out of the big bin. It is sprouted worse but it cleans up to just about as good a sample. Dad. said he didn't think they made any difference down at the mill. Cold, cloudy and windy again to-day. Dick says Cecil Powell got back from the front to-night, there was a big crowd to meet them</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Saturday December 11th</p> <p>We cleaned up all the wheat left over in the barn this morning which was about 13 1/2 bags. Dad. hauled it down before dinner and I think it brought the total up to a little over 199 bushels, he didn't settle with Ivey this morning as they were so busy. This after noon I went down town to get some groceries. Art Quanbury paid me 21 dollars for the three ewe lambs. Frank went back to the gully and found a hole with three skunks in it but didn't get one - it got him properly - phew! He has gone down town to-night. They are going to present Cecil Powell with a watch but I am reading "The Amateur Gentleman" so can't go down. It has been cold again to day but it has also been sunny.</p> <p>Sunday December 12th</p> <p>Frank and I were the only ones that went to church from here this morning. I drove down and brought Aunty and Elva back with me. Jim Waddle &amp; the two little girls also were here to dinner, Dad wanted to have them as we had roast duck. Dick and I didn't get down town very early this after noon as we both each smoked a cigar first, and Marj. had gone for an automobile ride to Waterford. I stayed down to tea at Aunty's and Mrs Smythe and Pud. were there I went to church and Marj. &amp; I went up to Glad. Law's for awhile afterwards. Nice day snow to-night.</p> <p>Monday December 13th</p> <p>The ground was covered with snow this morning so we thought it was time we were getting the sheep home from Dunkin's. Dad. went down to the mill and settled up with Ivey paid him ${?} and got $130.00 back. This after noon we borrowed B &amp; M's cattle waggon and went up and got our sheep. We took old Harry &amp; got back about six. To night Frank and I went down to A.Y.P.A. Colder and pretty cloudy.</p> <p>Tuesday December 14th</p> <p>I took B &amp; M's waggon back this morning and took Art Quanbury his three lambs. I hurt my thumb down town slapping my hands to get them warm and havent done anything much all day. Uncle Ward came over this after noon to see Algitha and was here most of the after noon. We let her out for the first time to day got her in without much trouble but are afraid she is not in calf. Colder &amp; blizzardy</p> <p>Wednesday December 15th</p> <p>I have done very little all day my thumb is stiff and awkward I went down this morning and orderd some flooring at the Widespread for my chicken shed. Aunty Alice came back with me and stayed to dinner. Huby came over before tea and got Dad. to go down and cut up a pig for him. Dad. and Frank have gone down to-night. I sat up till 3 o'clock this morning to finish the "Amateur Gentleman" Nice day cold wind.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Thursday December 16th</p> <p>We did chores all morning, my thumb was still stiff so I didnt do much. This after noon I took a grist to the mill and went on down to get my lumber but they hadn't it ready yet, I stopped in at Aunty's for a few minutes, and got my chop when I got home. To-night I went to the show with Marj. To-night Aunty Alice had a bridge party, Toby Smith and Miss Buckwell and I stopped in there on my way home and got some cake Very mild but cloudy. Booze Waddle was over saying his father would come to morrow to kill pigs</p> <p>Friday December 17th</p> <p>It began to rain about six this morning and has been a wet miserable day. I drove Dick down to the bank and saw Dave. he said he and Val Leany would be right over if we could work in the dry so we rigged up a place in the old barn, and so before two o'clock the four pigs were all dressed. We then had dinner but they wouldn't take anything for pay. Just {chore?} then.</p> <p>Saturday December 18th</p> <p>Frank and I went down with the team this morning and got my lumber for the chicken house floor. This after noon I unloaded it and we hauled the pigs (dead ones) over to the house and took one down to Sam's, it weighed 145 lbs by Alfred's scales. Dad. &amp; Frank caught all the little ones and put them in the pen where the other four had been Dad. cleaned it all out this morning. Lila has been over all day. Cloudy and colder freezing.</p> <p>Sunday December 19th</p> <p>We got up late this morning and none of us but Frank went to church. I went down town this after noon and stayed at Aunty's to tea. Aunty and I went to church to-night, after church Marjorie and I walked down with her. I came home with Dick &amp; Alan Law It has snowed hard most of the day but has not been cold.</p> <p>Monday December 20th</p> <p>This being Tid's birthday all the family celebrated at Aunty's but me. I drove them down in the bobsleigh but came back and had dinner with Mrs. McBride here. Dad. came back soon after dinner and helped me do the chores. To-night I drove Essie &amp; Marj. down to Marburg Sunday school Christmas tree and we had a great time Wilson Porter drove Essie home. Frank went with the Ryerse's to the Lake Shore school concert, he walked It has been colder to day and our sleighing has frozen dry and blown off.</p> <p>Tuesday December 21st</p> <p>Besides doing chores I cleaned out chicken house and Dad. cut up a pig. Jack Martin paid me $20.93 for eggs &amp; cockrels Dad. &amp; I went to the Patriotic Rally to-night. Nice day.</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>Wednesday December 22nd</p> <p>We hooked up Joe &amp; Queen to the bobsleighs this morning and drove down town with Aunty Alice's cream and beets Queen went fine considering it was the first time she has been hooked up to anything. Frank got home at noon and his Christmas holidays have begun. He and I husked some corn this morning and about five o'clock Dad. &amp; I &amp; the baby drove Joe &amp; Ginger down to the cutter. Tonight I went down town and stayed down at Aunty Alice's all night. Aunty left for Toronto this morning to stay with Roy for Christmas week. Walter &amp; Elsie are coming there tomorrow but sleighing not good. Snowed most of day.</p> <p>Thursday December 23rd</p> <p>I went down to the train this morning to wish Marjorie a Merry Christmas before she left for home. Essie was down to see her off Aunty Alice got up and had breakfast ready for me when I got back. I walked home in time to drive Dick down as it was raining hard. It has rained most of the day and the snow is nearly all gone. I husked corn and did chores most of the day Dad. has cut up pigs and has them all cut up and Enah has most of the lard rendered out. Frank has been making a knife drawer for Enah. Last night Frank went down to the Mud Street school show (Bertha England's) with the Ryerse's, they went in bobs this time.</p> <p>Friday December 24th</p> <p>I spent most of the morning cleaning out the chicken houses and tacking cotton in the windows. Tom Abbot came in and got a rooster. This afternoon Dad. went down town to get his hair cut and Frank and I to do some Christmas shopping. Dad. and I came home to-gether. The town seems to have quite a few soldiers home for Christmas. I saw Billy Loan in uniform didn't know he had enlisted. Frank is going to try and catch some pigeons for Hec. Henderson's shooting match to night. Very mild but cloudy all day.</p> <p>Christmas Day</p> <p>I drove Enah and Frank down to church in the cutter this morning with Joe and Ginger but as all the chores had to be done up this morning and one of us had to look after the baby so I came back home again. Dad. and I then dressed up and drove Joe down in the buggy to the James where the whole family of us partook of Christmas dinner we took the baby down with us, the McPherson family were all there too. We had a dandy time especially Frank who had a cigar after dinner and spent the remainder of the after noon in the Catholic church shed. We came home about four and then I drove Harry &amp; Belle down and got Aunty Alice and Aunty Ida and</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>all Huby's family except Aunty Maude who is at Uncle Wards look after Mrs. Scofield who got "took bad" the other day but is now better. We just had tea over here but had a Christmas tree for Tid. and Huby acted as Santa Claus. He nearly gave poor Aunt Ida a fit laughing at his actions and words, there was quite an array of dandy presents considering nobody was going to give any. I drove them all back in the sleigh quite early but had to leave Huby at the Sovereign's as Mrs. Scofield wouldn't mind them and he had to pretend he was the doctor, so Win &amp; Lila stayed at Aunty Alices all night. It has been very soft and mild all day but is colder to-night.</p> <p>Sunday December 26th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; Frank stayed home this morning and Enah and I walked down to church. The choir was out in its new "shrouds" as Whit Dixon called the surplices. This after noon Dad. &amp; I walked over to Frank Crysler's to see his bull but weren't very stuck on him. To-night I went down to Aunty Alice's to tea and to church. Went up to Huby's after church and was there quite awhile as Win was there all alone. Lovely day bright and colder than yesterday.</p> <p>Monday December 27th</p> <p>Dad. and I went down to nomination this after noon but it was pretty slow reeve &amp; counsillors went in by acclamation reeve is Gilbert and same old council except Nath. Butler who takes Gilbert's place. Frank and I went down to-night to our nomination and it was much more fun Billy Langs &amp; Bill Coley nearly got into a scrap Vyse and old Walker are going to run again for reeve. Snowing to-night.</p> <p>Tuesday December 28th</p> <p>Dad. &amp; I went over to John Wes's this morning to see his bull and stayed over there till one o'clock watching John Wess &amp; Robert John Watson kill a pig. This after noon Dad. went up to see Ham Thompson's bull and Frank went skating. I did chores. To-night Dad. and I went down and stayed at Aunty Alice's. Nice day.</p> <p>Wednesday December 29th</p> <p>Dad. and I went down to Caledonia this morning to see Mr. Douglas. He came in for us in a cutter and we spent the whole day out there as it was a terrible day, a regular blizzard cold east wind and snow. While we were there two fellows Mr Brook &amp; son drove down from Paris (24 miles) in the teeth of the gale, there were two other batches of visitors there relations of the Douglas' so there was a housefull, but we had a good look at the stock and a great visit with Douglas and Dad. was highly delighted with the cattle. Douglas drove us in after we had</p> </div> <div class="mw-parser-output"> <p>tea in time to catch the train but we had to wait about an hour as the Hamilton train was held up at Caledonia by the storm, and the Dover train had to wait at Rymal to get through, we saw Win. and two of her friends at the station for a minute or two.</p> <p>Thursday December 30th</p> <p>We have put in all our spare tme to day putting the floor in the chicken shed and got all the joice in place and spliced and nearly a third of the floor laid. Frank was here to help us, no he wasn't either. I have got a little mixed up Dad. and I just got some of the joice in to-day Lovely day sunny and cold. Frank took the old sow down to Porter's.</p> <p>Friday December 31st</p> <p>To day after we did chores we worked at the hen house floor and Frank cut the boards for us and it was to-night when we quit that we had nearly a third of the floor down. Dad. drove Enah and the baby down to Aunty Alice's to tea. To night I went down to the dance the girls were having to raise funds for the Red Cross. I got there about nine but they hadn't started and there were not many there but they soon started to come and eventually there was a big crowd. At 11.30 I went over to the church with some more of them as they were having service and praying for victory. This has been a black year for the world. Very mild all day, raining</p> </div> transcribed