JUNE 1885
Fri. 19th. Bright and warm - no rain - it showered far off in W. I molded cotton and watermelons and plowed out mids in all of long straight rows on lower side of Cherry cut by 11 1/4 in morn. Willie rode old J and I rode young J to Cohen's in eve and carried 8 doz eggs and got 15 cts per doz for them. I paid Charlie the $2 I borrowed two weeks ago and got 50 cts sugar, 1 pd soda, 1/2 doz thread, 2 yds cottonade for Willie, 3 yds jeans for myself, 1/2 bu salt, 1 pr pins and paid for all except 25 cts which I promised to pay next time I go there. We returned at 6.
Sat. 20th. Bright and warm, no rain but showered far off in SE and E most of eve. I plowed out mids in Cherry cut of cotton from long straight rows on the S side to 6 or 7 rows below sasafrass stump and finished last of that cut by 8 in morn. Willie and I cut oats at 8 1/2 to 10 1/2 and finished cutting last of oats. I tied them up and hauled them home (about 21 bundles) at 4 in eve and hoed some cotton in corner where old cowpen was and cut some poles and stuck my 6 hills of pie squashes by Buckley in new ground late in eve. Seymour, Gus and Dudley Wigner here most of eve. Dudley stayed all night.
Sun. 21st. Bright and warm in morn, cloudy and sultry in eve - wind from NW and very dry. Dixie rode old J and I rode young J and Willie and Dudley walked to Sunday School in morn and all of us came home to dinner. Nellie and Rena rode old J and Dixie rode Rosa and I rode young J by Pa's and on to chapel to preaching. Dr. West preached. We returned just before sunset.
Mon. 22nd. Bright and warm in morn - thundershowers passed around from E most of eve but only rained a good sprinkle here at 3 1/2. I harrowed all of cotton mids in Dewberry cut (twice to row ) by 10 1/4 in morn and children and I gathered some blackberries at 11 and had a pie for dinner. I molded cotton and plowed out mids in Dewberry cut most of eve and got to oak stump from hilltop by 6 and cloud ran me home but it didn't rain here.
Tue. 23rd. Bright and warm in morn and a dark cloud passed around from SW to E at 2 to 4 in eve and rained a slow rain here from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 but not enough to run on hard ground for it is dry. I molded cotton in Dewberry cut and finished molding it and plowed out 10 to 12 mids on lower side by 11 1/2 in morn. Dick D came for oats but didn't get any (for my oats gave out today). He dined here and left at 1 1/2. Willie, Rena and I picked some dry English peas at 2 1/2 just before rain. I stretched vines and set some in gaps in the 3 rows of sweet potatoes in the orchard at 5 to 5 3/4 in eve. Children and I got some green corn stalks for horses (the 1st) late in eve. I had a dull headache in right side all eve and night.
Wed. 24th. Bright and warm all day. It showered around some in eve but only sprinkled here at 5. I plowed out mids in Dewberry cut and finished that cut and last of my cotton by 10 (all being plowed over 1st time). I dug 2 rows of the Irish potatoes in orchard at 10 1/4 to 11 1/2. I hilled some cotton and hoed some of watermelons on lower side of Cherry cut all eve. I turned young Julia and colt in Mr. Sims' pasture (1st time) early in morn and they came home at night. Mary Turner was bitten by a rattlesnake in morn.
Thu. 25th. Bright and warm till 1 and a dark cloud came up from SW and passed around and only sprinkled here. I hoed in watermelons and cotton on lower side of Cherry cut all day and got up to circling rows just below Cherry stump by sunset.
Fri. 26th. Bright, warm and dry till 1 1/2 and a cloud blew up from SW and it rained slowly here from 2 1/2 to 6 but not enough to wet the ground or run. I hilled cotton in Cherry cut and got up 2 rows above Cherry stump by 11. I cut a cane at 11 1/4 and made a blowgun for Willie in eve (and didn't work any in eve). Aunt Tilda dined here. Beauford and Bud came late in eve and ate supper here.
Sat. 27th. Bright and warm most of day - thundershowers passed around some in eve but didn't rain any here. Willie rode old J and I rode young J to Cohen's in morn and paid the 25cts which I owed on since June 19th and got 1 bu meal, 6 pds lard, 1 washboard, 2 1/4 yds brown jeans for Willie and 1/2 doz thread and paid for all. I got a pair of button shoes for Dixie ($2.50) which I promised to pay for next time I go to store. We returned at 9 3/4 and hauled a cartload of green corn stalks by 11. I dug 2 last rows of Irish potatoes in orchard in eve.
Sun. 28th. Bright, warm and dry all day - wind and clouds from NW. Dixie rode old J and I rode young J to Sunday School (I rode in Sims' pasture to get her in morn early) and all of us came home to dinner. Beau C came from Mr. D's here in eve and stayed here all night. We had a good hard shower from N just at 8 to 9 1/2 at night which was very much needed although it didn't thoroughly wet the ground for it was very dry and deep.
Mon. 29th. Bright and warm - wind from NW. A cloud came up from N just at sunset and sprinkled here at dusk. Beau C stayed here last night and left early in morn. I plowed up the 4 Irish potatoe rows in orchard and 4 more of oat ground by them (with 6 furrows) for sweet potatoes by 8 in morn and plowed up some of oat ground in field by 10 1/2 in morn. The oat ground was wet - about 2 inches deep with last nights rain and dry below that. I drew up the 4 Irish potatoerows in orchard with hoe for sweet potatoes from 2 to 3 and hoed balance of eve in Cherry cut hilling cotton between lower Cherry stump and sassafras stump.
Tue. 30th. Bright and warm most of day - showers passed around at 12 to 2 and rained enough here to run from eaves of house . I broke up some of oat patch on H ridge in lands and hoed around cushaws and Conk peas there till 10 1/2 in morn. Sally and Emma hilled cotton all day and Aunt Martha with them all eve on H ridge to pay for sewing. I set out the 4 Irish potatoe rows in orchard in sweet potatoe vines at 1 1/2 to 3 1/4 in eve and hilled cotton in Cherry cut just below sassafras stump balance of eve.