AUGUST 1885

Sat. Aug. 1st. Bright and warm most of day. It showered little from SE late in eve at 4. Harrison and boys came early in morn and we gathered 2 or 3 ripe peaches and he took them to town to sell. I rode young J and Willie rode old J to town at 8 to 1 1/2. I carried a bucket of peaches to Mrs Van Eaton. I got some corks and sealing wax and 1 pd sugar and 1/2 bushel meal and 1 bottle machine oil and oiling can for machine. Bud and Beau C and Lewis here when we came home at 1 1/2. Uncle Joe Lindo came at 3 and got some peaches. I took up manure and got some wood and green corn. Willie, Nellie, Dixie and I went to Mr. D Chambers at 3.

Sun. 2nd. Cloudy most of day. The sun shined some. It thundered around all day and showered far off and a dark cloud came from NW at 2 and rained a little shower and another slow shower late in eve at 5 to 6. Nellie rode Julia to Pa's early in morn and I rode young J to Sunday School. Dixie stayed at Mr. D Chambers last night and she and Willie went from Sunday School to Pa's. Rena has been there since last Wednesday. I came home to dinner. I rode young J to Pa's at 2 and carried a bucket of peaches and all of us got home at 5 1/4 in eve just as slow shower of rain began.

Mon. 3rd. Bright and pleasant breeze from NW till 4 in eve and then a dark thundercloud passed around N and NE of here and another one came up from NW at 5 and sprinkled here. Dick D came for Nellie early in morn and she went there and stayed all day and night. Clara gave birth to a son in morn. I hoed cotton in Gate cut from 7 to 11 in morn and on H ridge in Willie's cotton from 2 1/2 to 4 3/4 in eve and cloud ran me home.

Tue. 4th. Bright and warm till 3 and then a cloud came up from NW and we had a hard little shower. Another cloud came up from NW at 6 and we had another good hard shower. Willie rode old J for Nellie (to Dick's) and she came home at 9 1/4 in morn and we sent Willie to Cohens' at 9 3/4 to 12 1/2. I hoed cotton in Gate cut from 6 to 9 1/4 and on H ridge from 10 to 11 1/2 in morn. Gus came and got a bucket of peaches at 12 to 1 1/2. Dixie and Rena went to Dick's in eve at 2 to 5 1/2. I set out gaps in slip patch on H ridge at 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 in eve.

Wed. 5th. Bright and warm till 1 1/2 and a very dark cloud came up then from N and we had a heavy rain with some close thunder and lightning (the heaviest of the cloud passed around NE of here) at 2 to 3. It drizzled rain most of eve. I hoed cotton in Gate cut in mid part till 11 in morn. Kesiah Ward got some peaches at 12. I cleaned out spring and got some canes to make blowguns for Fugler's boys at 4 to 5. Lewis here late in eve.

Thu. 6th. Bright and warm all day, no rain, wind from W and some clouds. I sawed a molasses bbl and made 2 large tubs for Nellie early after breakfast and hoed cotton in Gate cut from 7 to 11 in morn. Mr. Newman came at 8 1/2 to 10 and ate watermelon and peaches but I didn't quit work. I gathered peaches all eve - about 6 or 7 bushels to take to town tomorrow. Nellie and Rena walked to Dick's in eve and back by sunset.

Fri. 7th. Bright and warm - no sign of rain, wind from SW. Seymour, Willie and I took about 7 or 8 bushels on Mr. D's wagon (I rode old Julia) and we sold $3.70 worth at 50 cts per bushel. I got a bedstead from Joseph for Nellie at $4.50. We got home at 4 in eve. I awoke with a dull headache and came home very sick and vomited all eve and all night and slept but little.

Sat. 8th. Bright and warm - no sign of rain. The headache left me after breakfast in morn. Henderson and Lewis Magruder came out in buggy early in morn and got some watermelons and peaches. Mr. Newman here at 9 to 10 in morn. I made 1 blowgun in morn and 2 in eve by spring. I spoiled 1 of those made in eve while finishing it and made a short one. Nellie put up some peaches in bottles in eve and went to Clara's late in eve to stay all night.

Sun. 9th. Bright and warm most of day - thundershower passed around not far off in eve but only sprinkled here. Nellie stayed at Clara's last night and came home for breakfast. I rode young J, Dixie rode old J and Willie walked to Sunday School. All of us and Beau C came back to dinner. Mr. D, Bud and Bythel Pool here at 2 to 5. Dick and Tom C came late in eve and got some peaches.

Mon. 10th. Bright and warm till 1 and began a shower from E at 1 1/2 and lasted till night. We had a good deal of thunder and lightning at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 but no wind (from E). We had a good soaking rain. I harrowed all of cotton middles in Dewberry cut -twice to row - and finished by 10 in morn. I made 4 blowgun arrows for Willie and Rena from 10 1/2 to 11 1/2 . I made 2 blowguns in eve from 2 1/2 to 5 and gave 1 to Gus (he was here all eve) and the other was for one of the Fugler Boys. I made 2 for them on last Saturday.

Tue. 11th. Bright and warm till late in eve. Thundershowers passed around late in eve and dropped rain here at sunset. I cleaned out spring early and Mr. Sims and Ed came and got some peaches to preserve early after breakfast. I hoed in Willie's cotton on H ridge in short rows by path next to Cherry cut from 7 1/2 to 10 1/2. Bud came at 10 and got some pills for Dick. He is sick. I gathered some peach seed and washed and dried them for 3 persons in Woodvile - Dr Magruder, Col. Neilson, and Mr. Cooper and gathered about 2 1/2 pecks of preserving peaches for Mrs Van in eve.

Wed. 12th. Bright and warm till 3 in eve, although it sprinkled rain at 7 1/2 to 9. Thundershowers passed around most of eve and dropped rain here for 2 hours in eve but not enough to wet ground any. I rode old J to town in morn and carried a bucket of eating peaches and about 3 pecks of preserving ones to Mrs Van and I carried peach seeds to Col N and some to Dr Magruder and some to Mrs Cooper. I got 4 glass preserving jars, $1.20, from R and W and $1 worth of sugar, 1/2 doz thread, 1 box mustard, and 9 yds feather ticking from Mayer and Schaefer and paid for all. I got home at 12. Nellie and Willie went to Dick's in eve. Dick was quite sick. Dr. M there in eve. I suffered with toothache most of eve and did nothing.

Thu. 13th. Bright and warm all day and rained far off in SE late in eve but none here except it sprinkled here at 12. I gathered some peaches for Nellie to preserve early in morn and she made 2 1/2 gal jars of preserves by 12 1/2. Children and I got some watermelons and Dan got 4 at 9 1/2. I scraped some of slips on H ridge by roadside at 7 1/2 to 10 1/2 in morn. I rode to Dick's at 2 to 6 in eve. He is sick in bed with fever.

Fri. 14th. Cloudy and dropped rain from 6 to 9 1/2 in morn. Bright and warm in eve and thundered and rained far off. I scraped slip potatoes on H ridge from 6 to 11 1/4 in morn and finished all but 2 rows. I scraped the 2 rows of slips on H ridge and hoed in Willie's cotton there next to old road and finished cutting off this way by 5 1/4 in eve and quit. Nellie and Rena went to Dick's in eve and carried some peaches. Rena went to Pa's with Alice and baby to stay till Sunday.

Sat. 15th. Bright and not warm much most of day. It thundered and showered far off some in eve but none here. Wind and some clouds from SW. I gathered some figs early in morn and helped Nellie to peel them to preserve. Then I gathered some peaches and helped Nellie and Willie peel them to dry. Willie and I rode old J around in field at 9 1/2 and brought home 15 watermelons in 2 trips. Willie brought some on Julia - I packed 2 on each trip - by 10 1/2. I sent Willie on Julia to Dick's from 2 to 5 in eve to carry some watermelons. I put a bottom and rockers on old cradle in eve and went to Sims' pasture and brought home young J and Nan and saw Sims' Fannie mare dead by Coon place. I got some corn and some water and wood late in eve. I ate some fig preserves for dinner and had toothache all eve.

Sun. 16th. Bright early in morn and quite cool. It clouded up some at 9 in morn and a dark cloud came up from SE at 3 1/2 in eve and rained hard here in eve. Dixie rode old J and I rode young J and Willie walked to Sunday School. Nellie went to Mr. D's (Seymour is sick) and Dixie stopped there for dinner. Willie and I came home and dined. I sent 6 watermelons to Mr. D's by Gus at 11 1/4. Willie and I started to Chapel to preaching at 1 1/2. I carried a bucket of peaches to Clara and we went up to Pa's. He is quite sick with fever and vomiting. Willie, Rena and I came home from Pa's. We started at 3 1/2 and rain met us at creek. We got under the old hickory tree there but got soaking wet and came home through rain at 4 1/2. Nellie and Dixie came through rain from Mr. D's late in eve for it rained slowly till night.

Mon. 17th. Cloudy and dropped rain at 8 to 9 1/2 and we had a hard shower of rain at 1 to 2 and rained slowly most of eve from SE. I rode to Mr. Sims' early after breakfast and told him about seeing his little mare on last Saturday and then I rode in field and brought home some watermelon at 8 1/2 to 9. Nellie walked to Pa's early in morn and stayed there all day helping Alice make her dress and the creek was up and she stayed there all night.

Tue. 18th. Bright and warm and thundershowers passed around from SW most of eve but not near here. I rode old J to Cohens' and carried a bucket of peaches to them at 7 1/2 to 11 in morn. I paid $2.60 of $4.60 owing them and got some lace and ribbon and material for Alice and 1/2 bushel of salt and 1/2 doz thread, 3 lbs sugar for us and paid for them and got 1 small bottle of Indian Blood Syrup on credit (50 cts). I worked on gate W of barn next to cowpen most of eve and finished fixing it late in eve. Nellie came home from Pa's before breakfast in morn and finished Alice's dress and sent it back by Willie in eve.

Wed. 19th. Bright and warm most of day. Thundershowers passed around from NW most of eve but only dropped rain here at 1 and again at 5 in eve. Willie and I went to patch and brought home some watermelons and canteloupe early in morn and I took 1 watermelon and 2 canteloupes and cradle to Clara's and Rena went with me. Rena and I walked through to creek and Willie rode Julia around Sims' to creek. He came back and Rena and I went on to Pa's. We came home at 11. I went around pasture fence from cowpen around and back and stopped all of pig holes except Spring gate and 4 or 5 panels of Mr. D's fence fallen down and finished by 5 in eve.

Thu. 20th. Bright and warm in morn and thundershower passed around near at 2 and again at 4 1/2 and sprinkled here at 2 and at 4 1/2 from W. I hoed down weeds by Spring gate and fixed the gate and fence by it by 10 in morn and fixed Mr. D's fence by pasture bars at 2 to 5 in eve. I put the 2 white guinea pigs and the 1 that Alice gave Nellie in pasture at 5 in eve.

Fri. 21st. Cloudy and dropped rain till 9 in morn and bright most of day after then although thundershowers passed around in eve but it didn't rain here. Children and I brought 11 small watermelons from patch early in morn and I hoed up about 1/2 of garden for turnips by 11. Nellie rode to Pa's in eve and borrowed some meal. I hoed down fence corners from NE corner of front yard on field side all the way in front and all around garden and hoed some in garden in eve.

Sat. 22nd. Bright and warm all morn and cloudy some. Thundershowers passed around not very far off in eve but none here. I made a slide early in morn and cleaned out henhouse and hauled the manure (nearly 2 large baskets full) in garden by slide by 10. I got up young J and colt by 11. I ate some peaches and figs at 11 1/2. All of us went to Mr. Henderson's to his burying in eve. Nellie and Rena rode old J, I rode young J, Dixie rode Poca and Willie walked. Clarissa stayed here in eve. Beau C came back with us but left before supper.

Sun. 23rd. Bright and warm till late in eve and clouded up then from SW but didn't rain here. Dixie, Willie and I went to Sunday School in morn. Nellie and Rena stayed home. Willie, Gussie and I came back to dinner. Dixie stopped at Mr. D's. Nellie and children went there in eve. I stayed about house most of eve and shaved clean all but mustache for first time in good many years.

Mon. 24th. Bright and warm all day. It thundered far off late in eve. I hauled 4 large baskets of manure from pen beyond cowpen to garden on slide by 9. Willie and I brought 11 small watermelons from patch just after breakfast and I gave Seymour and Gus 8 at patch to take home. I hoed all of ground for turnips in garden which I hoed last Friday and planted all of turnip seed that we have by 11. Nellie and Dosia rode to Mr. Henderson's in eve. I cut 2 peach trees and 5 fig trees in fig orchard by 3 and Willie and I picked 45 lbs of cotton (the first) in Gate cut at 3 to 5 1/2 in eve. Miss Lola here all eve.

Tue. 25th. Bright and warm most of day. It was cloudy some and sultry late in eve. I hoed up some of cowpen and grass around my 4 hills of conch peas on H ridge by 8 1/2 in morn. Willie, Rena and I picked 45 lbs of cotton in Gate cut by 10 1/2 in morn. I gathered some peach seeds for Mr. Haines at 1 to 2 and grabbled a mess of "Queens" (the first) at 3. Willie and I picked 15 lbs cotton in new ground. Beau and Tom C here for supper. They left at 9 1/2. I was very wakeful last night and tonight.

Wed. 26th. Cloudy most of day from N and rain came slowly from 9 in morn to 10 1/2 from N but not enough to run and it rained a little in eve from 2 1/2 to 4 but not enough to run. Willie, Rena and I picked 45 lbs of cotton in Gate cut by 9 in morn and rain stopped us and we didn't pick anymore today. Bud came at 11 1/2 from town and dined here and left at 2 1/2 in eve. I cleaned out cotton house at 4 to 5 in eve.


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