Saturday, June 15, 2019

Grandma's picture! Plus April, 1928


Thanks to my cousin Jacquelyn for this picture:  My grandma, Grace Masters Pierce.  Ta da!!!


April 1 – Sun
Very nice warm day. We had company from morning till night. Jim & Ida came first and then Raymonds came & Frank & Florence & Merle & Elsie & Deane & Maynard Underbakke & Cecil & Agnes and then Mrs. Blaess. Luella came over in morning & helped do up the work. Doris & Emil & kids came about 4 & Marion had changed so I would hardly know her.

April 2 – Mon
Very warm & such a wind. Luella came over & helped in morning. Doris & Emil went to Harmony in morning & in afternoon they went over to Allie Wards.  They took Margarette with them. Myrtle Manning was here in afternoon. I did a big washing & mopped.

April 3 – Tues
Warm again. Luella was here while Raymond went to Canton & he then went to Decorah & got their chickens – 30. Emil went over after Gladys Bryant to help for a week. In afternoon Doris & Emil went to Decorah & left the kids here. Emil went to Spring Grove after supper.

April 4 – Wed.
Very windy day. Gladys washed. Glen & Mr. & Mrs. Price were here in forenoon. Emil came about 3-30 & they took Margarette over to Allie Wards & when they came back they went over to Luella’s to supper & I went with them. It looked so rainy we came home early, but didn’t rain after all. The baby was a little fussy until 12 o-clock. This is LuVerne’s birthday, he is 10 years old. Elmer started seeding.

April 5 – Thurs.
Another windy day & colder. It rained some in the night. Doris & Emil went to Harmony in forenoon & she had a tooth pulled. I kept Margarette & Marion here & they were very good. They got ice & I made ice cream. Emil went to Harmony again in afternoon & then to Spring Grove. In eve Raymonds came over. Baby was very good tonight. It started to rain in night & rained all night.

April 6 – Fri.
Very rainy and nasty all day. Doris covered the baby basket & I washed & dressed all the kids. They were very good all day. Emil & Burnell came about 3-30 & Doris went over to Allies to try on her dresses. They were here to supper & then started to Spring Grove. Gee but I hate to see them go but it will only be two months before they are through up there.

April 7 – Sat.
Very stormy & ground is covered with snow. Elmer went to Prosper after coal. I washed out some things for baby, she is very good. Raymond came over after chick feed. Doris called me from Spring Grove & said they would not go until tomorrow. We all went to bed early tonight.

April 8 – Sun.  Easter
Nice & bright but very snowy. Elmer was to take Gladys home but the roads were too bad. He got hungry for ice cream so we made some in afternoon. About 6-30 Doris, Emil & kids came. They had started for Isle about 9 o-clock & couldn’t get through the snow banks so came back. I was so glad to see them again for it had been so lonesome all day without little Margarette.

April 9 – Mon.
Sun shone bright but was quite cold. Emil went to Spring Grove early. We did a big washing & Elmer took Gladys home about 11. Violet Louis & three kids were here a while. Luella & Roger walked over & got her at 11:15 & walked back home about 5.  Emil came after Doris & kids about 5-30 so they had to go again. They were to start early tomorrow morning & his father is going with them. Marilyn was quite fussy until after ten tonight.

April 10 – Tues.
Bright & nice but such a strong south wind. I ironed & washed out baby’s clothes. Elmer took 24 doz eggs to town & went down to Elsie’s & got eggs to set in incubator. Baby was quite restless most all night.

April 11 – Wed.
Colder & cloudy & turned to rain toward night but only rained a little. Elmer took the old male hog & a calf to Prosper, he sold them to Lloyd Knowlton for $45.20. Vernie Manning went with him. They brought back some coal. I washed out baby’s clothes same as I do every day, LuVerne came up & stayed to Raymond’s in afternoon & brought wood back.

April 12 – Thurs.
Very nice bright day. I washed & mopped & ironed. LuVerne stayed here again tonight & he and Elmer went to Canton in eve. They brought home ice cream.

April 13 – Fri.
Cloudy & colder & snowed a little in morning. Anita went to Canton & got her hair cut. It started to snow about 2 & kept it up all night & looks like Jan.

April 14 – Sat.
A horrid day, a worse blizzard than a week ago. There are big drifts everywhere. Elmer rode a horse over to Raymonds & went to B.O. with him. LuVerne rode his pony over with Elmer & stayed here all night. The mail man came but had a hard time to get through the drifts. The baby was so restless we had to give her the bottle twice today. I got a letter from Doris & they got home all right.


April 15 – Sun.
Very nice in morning & until 5 in eve when it started to snow for a change & was a regular blizzard. We went over to Raymonds for dinner & I ate so much I couldn’t eat any supper. We went in a lumber wagon & took a chair out to get in. This is Marilyn’s first trip & she was good. Anita & baby slept upstairs for the first time.

April 16 – Mon.
Everything is covered with snow but it is very warm. We washed & had a big one. Anita got a pretty hood & little skirt in mail for Marilyn, from Laurence & family. Elmer went to Burr Oak in afternoon & took 24 doz eggs.

April 17 – Tues.
A nice day but windy. The mail man’s team ran away & spilled him out & went down by the corner south of Louie’s & he caught them. Elmer went to Prosper in afternoon & when he got home had to take Myrtle Manning home & route the burglars, but it turned out there wasn’t any.

April 18 – Wed.
Rainy from noon on. Three truck load of hogs got stuck & had to drive the hogs up here from the corner & get them in the hog house to load them again. The wind blows so hard & it is as cold as winter. The baby has been very fussy today & one of us has held her most all day.

April 19 – Thurs.
Very cold wind this morning. The baby was very fussy so we called Fred Glise and had him send some Castoria over in the mail. She slept very good in afternoon but had a colicky spell in evening. Harold Reed brought the feed just after dark. Elmer was to B.O. in afternoon, took 12 doz eggs over & I sent the braid for Margarette’s coat.

April 20 – Fri.
Froze quite hard in morning but was nice & sunny. LuVerne rode his pony to school and stayed here all night while his folks went to the dance. They had a hot time at the dance & some of the women were drunk. The baby cried with colic until nine
o-clock.

April 21 – Sat.
Very nice day. LuVerne went home quite early & brought Margarette’s coat part way & I went and met him and got it. We told Guys to let us know when the mail went by & they didn’t so we didn’t get to send the letter or package & Violet was to let us know so we could send it with the Canton man & she didn’t see him so Louise took them to Canton at night. Violet, Opal & twins & Louise Krumm came up & were here until after 11. I raked nearly all the front lawn in afternoon. Elmer went to B.O. in eve.


April 22 – Sun.
A beautiful day, the nicest we have had yet. I am so lame from raking yesterday that I can hardly move. We were home all day & just layed around and slept. In eve Anita, Elmer & Marilyn went over to Raymonds after something. Raymond got to Harmony for Elmer & there was a big mud hole on the flat so they didn’t drive through. Elmer walked up after it.

April 23 – Mon.
Nice in the morning but turned very cold. We washed & did all the ironing. In afternoon it got very cold.

April 24 – Tues.
Cold as in the middle of the winter & a few snow flakes fell. I baked a pie & fried cakes & sewed on quilt in afternoon. Luella & Roger started over and got stuck so went back. In eve Elmer & I went to a play given by the Hesper people. “Mrs. Briggs of the poultry yard.”  Anita & Marilyn stayed home.

April 25 – Wed.
Cold in morning. Very nice day. We washed baby clothes & did housework & in afternoon Luella & Roger came over. Anita went part way after them & took them part way home. Mrs. Leistikow & Helen were here until nearly five Elmer went to B.O. & to Arthur Smiths in eve.

April 26 - Thurs.
Another nice day but cold in morning. Anita took some comforters over to Luella to have washed as Hughie was to demonstrate with the Maytag but they couldn’t wash them in it so we went after them about 4. Myrtle Manning was here in afternoon.

April 27 – Fri.
Very nice but quite cool in morning. I sewed on Anita’s dress all forenoon & we didn’t do much house work. After noon Anita & Elmer went to Decorah & I kept the baby. Mark & Jen were here. In eve Elmer & I went to play at Burr Oak given by Canton Folks “All on account of Polly.” It was very good.

April 28 – Sat.
Nice today & we did almost everything… washed, ironed, took off storm windows & washed windows. I bake a cake & picked & dressed a chicken. Marilyn was very fussy all day & one of us held her most of the day. Elmer went to B.O. in eve, Raymond went with him. We went to bed early, tired out.

April 29 – Sun.
Showery by spells & the wind blew terribly toward night. I made two cherry pies. We had company Stevie, Ethel, Alva & Raymonds family. We were tired tonight & went to bed early.


April 30 – Mon.
Oh such a wind – I never saw it worse but we washed & dried clothes all day. The wind nearly whipped them to pieces. Anita & I drove over to Luella’s to get Elmers shoes that they brought from Decorah. In eve Anita & Elmer went to Canton to the play “All on Account of Polly.” I kept the baby & she never woke up at all. Harry Harvey’s barn, corn crib & milk-house burned today.


Thursday, June 13, 2019

Grandma's Diary, March 1928


March 1 – Thurs.
Very cold and windy and blustery. Everyone is moving. Will McConnell’s moved & Mike Blaess moved in there. Hughies moved to Burr Oak. Elmer went to B.O. I sent my slippers over to be half-soled & a rubber lift on the heels. I got my black dress from Allies & it is a peach. Anita & I fried meat all day & are as tired as dogs. I sent a box of meat to Doris.

March 2 – Fri.
Very nice day. I went over to Gene Headington’s to a wedding anniversary. It is their 30th. I went with Jim & Eda. There was a big crowd and lots to eat. LuVerne stayed here all night because all of Hughies stayed there except Vere. Anita fried meat all day.

March 3 – Sat.
Nice & thawed a lot. I washed while Anita cleaned the house. Willie Walsh was here to fix horses teeth. Elmer went down to Frank Perrys after eggs to set & I went over to Allie Wards & she wasn’t there so I didn’t try my dresses on but visited with Stell. The roads are pretty bad.

March 4 – Sun.
Sunshiny but cold and windy. Raymonds were here to dinner & we made ice cream. Elmer took 25 doz eggs up to Roscoe Wicks to have them hatch for them.

March 5 – Mon.
Very nice day, and thawed a lot. We fried meat for a change.  I cut up a ham & shoulder & we got the ham fried. No letter from Doris today & am wondering if she is sick.

March 6 – Tues.
Not very nice. It snowed a little in the night. We fried up the last of the meat & thank goodness. Raymond & Roger were here a little while. Elmer went to Burr Oak with a grist. I got two letters from Doris that should have come yesterday.

March 7 – Wed.
A lovely day, warmer than any we have had yet. I cooked the head and made head cheese & got all the lard cut up at last. I got a letter from Doris but the mail man left it at Leistikous & they sent it down with Elmer. I sent some cookies to Margarette. I took Violets sugar home & a loaf of bread from here. I’m tired as a dog tonight.

March 8 – Thurs.
Ladies Aid Sale and such a stormy day. It rained in morning a little & turned to snow & snowed like fury all day. Elmer went over to the dinner & I went. I took cake & salad. I stopped at Allie Wards to try my dresses on. There wasn’t as big crowd as usual at the dinner & sale. We had a very good dinner, everything sold cheap. I rode home with Jim & Eda. We had another pair of twin lambs & some little pigs.
I bought Anita’s dinner & brought it home also home-made candy.

March 9 – Fri.
The ground is covered with snow but is quite warm out. Raymond came over & helped hitch up two colts in forenoon.

March 10 - Sat.
Not very cold today but cloudy. Elmer went to B. O. in afternoon & Amelia rode home with him. LuVerne rode his pony over & stayed all night while his folks went to a surprise party at Paul Wards.

March 11 – Sun.
Still cloudy & foggy but warm. We made ice cream & LuVerne stayed to eat some of it & help hitch the colts up. We had two pair of twin lambs in the night.

March 12 – Mon.
Quite warm & very windy. We washed & ironed some & I painted woodwork in one room up stairs. Tonight is the night the Prosper play “Rest a bit Mother” is at B.O.  It rained quite hard in evening. LuVerne was here to dinner. There wasn’t any school in afternoon on account of school meeting. Valida was put in director.

March 13 – Tues.
Much colder, the ground is frozen some. The mail man came but there wasn’t any mail because the train didn’t come up last night & hadn’t yet this morning when he came. Elmer went to B.O. tonight to Old Fiddler’s Contest but there wasn’t many there on account of bad roads so they put it off. Louie went with him. I painted room upstairs another coat.

March 14 – Wed.
Quite nice & bright & thawed a lot. Elmer went over to Raymonds to help get wood up. This is Raymond’s birthday & she is to have a party for him tonight. We send dishes & silverware over & she sent things for us to make an angel food, so we sent it over in eve when Elmer went to the party. I put alabastine on the walls in one room up stairs & it looks nice. Anita made brown sugar fudge with nuts in.  I got a dress that I sent for for Marion but there is a hole in it so will send it back.

March 15 – Thurs.
Bright & nice all day but didn’t thaw much. The mail man came with a team for the first time. I painted the floor in room up stairs. Anita cleaned her brooder house this afternoon.

March 16 – Fri.
Nice day but a little cold. LuVerne came up and stayed all night while Raymonds went to a dance at Burr Oak. Anita cleaned the cellar today & I painted an upstairs floor another coat.

March 17 – Sat.
Lovely day & warmer than any yet. We washed & did all the ironing and cleaned the whole house. Elmer went to B.O. in afternoon with a team and Amelia rode back with him. LuVerne went home in forenoon.

March 18 – Sun.
Nice day but not quite as warm as yesterday. We just sat around all day. I wrote letters and Anita slept & Elmer drove colts in afternoon.

March 19 – Mon.
Quite a nice day but cold northwest wind. In afternoon I went up to Jim’s. Elmer hauled straw from Jim’s. I got letters from Doris & Hazel. There was a party at B.O. for Willie Nelson’s but didn’t any one go from here.

March 20 – Tues.
Very nice day and warmer than any other day but the wind is in northwest yet. Elmer went to B.O. with a team. I sent over & had him pay my first half of taxes $52.67. Howard Rollins was here after eggs. I made a dress for Anita today.

March 21 – Wed.
A beautiful day. I washed and was through at nine o’clock. I made a peach pie for dinner & Anita cleaned the rooms & mopped. In afternoon Luella & Roger came over when Raymond went over west after cream. She was chock full of news. The club gave a supper to the cast at B.O. hall tonight. About every one that went got stuck. Alva Stead was here & he & Elmer had a horse trade.

March 22 – Thurs.
Another day nicer than yesterday. Just like summer. Elmer went to Prosper with Cecil Wicks & brought his horse home from Alva Stead’s. I went up to Leistikous in afternoon. Jack Gallagher was there too.

March 23 – Fri.
Very warm day and such a lazy feeling wind. Some people are working in the field. I washed the windows on the east porch.

March 24 – Sat.
Warm again. I washed windows in north room of upstairs and cleaned the room up & mopped the room next to it. Elmer went to B.O. in eve & took 18 ½ doz eggs at 24cts.


March 25 – Sun.
Very nice day but windy. Anita took me up to Adds in morning & they brought me home about 4-30. Had a very good visit & listened to some good music on the radio. It rained and thundered and lightened and then turned to snow.

March 26 – Mon.
The ground is covered with snow & it snowed like everything at times and got much colder toward night. Anita’s incubator is hatching & Olive Wicks called her & said their eggs had hatched up there. Elmer went to B.O. with a team. LuVerne rode the pony today.

March 27 – Tues.
Quite a nice day. We washed & ironed & mopped all the floors & Anita made a cake. Elmer went up to Roseves after the chickens, they have about 325 with the ones they hatched at home. They put them in the brooder house tonight.

March 28 – Wed.
Cold today, and a very raw wind. It turned to snow toward night and the ground is white. I baked bread & got buns ready to bake in the morning but they seem mighty heavy. Anita sent 12 doz eggs to town with Elmer & got 24cts per doz for them. I got a letter from Doris & they didn’t know when they would come down. Arthur Manning was up after two qts of milk tonight.

March 29 – Thurs.
The ground is white with snow. Anita came down stairs about 4 o’clock & said she had been sick all night so I called Dr. & Mrs. Emmons & they came right up and were here all day a 9 lb girl was born at 3-40 in afternoon and she was very sick and how glad we felt when it was over.The baby was good all night and Anita rested well too. I was so tired I couldn’t rest. We had 28 little pigs and a calf today also I called Isle at 8-30 and tried to talk to Doris at 9-25 but she couldn’t hear me so Lottie Murdock had to repeat.

March 30 – Fri.
Very nice but windy. Luella came over & dressed the baby and helped clean the rooms. I did a big washing & didn’t get it done until noon. LuVerne came up at noon as the teacher was sick. He stayed all night while his folks went to a dance. Louie & Violet & Opal & twins came about 9 o’clock and I was in bed but crawled out & jumped into my bath robe. Violet brought flowers from the Club girls. I had to feed the baby she was so starved.

March 31 – Sat.
A lovely day but a big frost in morning. Luella & Roger came over & she washed baby & made cake & swept the rooms and then went home. I worked all day at housework. We gave the baby castor oil & she is more restful & Anita feels good. Doris called me about 6-30. They arrived at Spring Grove at 5 o-clock. Elmer went to Burr Oak in eve.

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Connection


Connection is what it's all about. Just visit your local greeting card store and you'll see what I mean.  Here's a favorite poem to further the point:

Love’s Philosophy

The fountains mingle with the river 
   And the rivers with the ocean, 
The winds of heaven mix for ever 
   With a sweet emotion; 
Nothing in the world is single; 
   All things by a law divine 
In one spirit meet and mingle. 
   Why not I with thine?— 

See the mountains kiss high heaven 
   And the waves clasp one another; 
No sister-flower would be forgiven 
   If it disdained its brother; 
And the sunlight clasps the earth 
   And the moonbeams kiss the sea: 
What is all this sweet work worth 
   If thou kiss not me? 
Connection comes in many forms, but it is always tricky. We all want it, and then when we get it, we don't always know what to do with it.  Right? We want a life partner. We love the other, the other loves us. We get connected, and within months, things begin to change.  What happened?  Where is that wonderful spark that we loved so much?  We currently have a 50/50 chance of a lasting marriage. Connection is a challenge.

If you have raised children you will know that parent/child connections can stump us. Just as baffling can be our relationships with other family members. What to do?

Let's not overlook the fact that connection entails work. It's hard to put our egos aside, to practice self control, to try on the other person's point of view, to find ways to keep communication lines open.  I believe we are called to do these very things.  We are called to love one another.

My church has been particularly helpful in teaching healthy ways to connect with each other. We've learned how to speak calmly and directly to others, especially those who rile us. We have practiced the steps of a good apology. We've looked to scripture for direction. I'm so thankful for these faith connections.



Jesus taught us to love God first, and then love our neighbor's as ourselves.  He also said to love our enemies. None of these are easy commandments. Fortunately we have some roadmaps.  Here is one:

I Corinthians 13:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Best to you all for a month of good connections,
Karen