FEBRUARY 1900
Thu. Feb. 1st. Clear and cold, a hard freeze in morn, and some of ground in shade didn't thaw all day. Pa up and walked about some. Willie and I threshed peas at 9 to 12 in morn and most of eve and we threshed 4 bbls (rough). We finished all in cotton house and one beating out of flower pit. Nellie had baby here most of day.
Fri. 2nd. Clear and a hard freeze in morn, but a gentle breeze from SW all day and warmer in eve and all thawed. Pa up and walked about some. Nellie and Dean washed in morn and Willie and I threshed peas out of flower pit most of day. We beat out 3 beatings in morn and 2 in eve - 6 baskets at a beating - which made about 3 bu. (rough) and we beat out 15 bu. (rough) all day. Buddy and Dan and Gordon and Wiley and Willie went to Seymour's to fiddle at night and Rena and baby staid here all night.
Sat. 3rd. Bright, but cloudy some, with a damp S wind all day and no sun in eve and began to rain slowly at 4 in eve and got harder after dark and rained hard and wind high from SE at 9 to 12 at night with some distant thunder. Willie rode Dan to Seymour's early in morn and there till late in eve, helping Bob Fugler to break his mustang pony and Miss Minnie C and Bob came back with Willie and staid here all night. I hauled 2 cart loads of wood from NW of Wiley's by 11 1/2 in morn with Joe and I winnowed peas from Pa's gallery in eve and cleaned nearly 3 bbls by 4 and cut up wood and drew water and fed. Lewis helped Wiley to put in his sash on yesterday eve and this morn.
Sun. 4th. Bright and pleasant from NW and sunshined most of day. Wiley rode Goulden to his Pa's in morn and returned late in eve. I walked around wire fence from calf pasture to near creek early in morn to find where our calves got out on yesterday and I shut Coon field gate. The calves got out through the SW corner of field where Lewis took down wire to move it. Rena and baby came back with me at 10 1/4 and here till late in eve and Dan and Buddy and Gordon here most of day and Miss Minnie C here all day and at night again. Seymour and family and Bob Fugler here most of eve.
Mon. 5th. Cloudy all day, but bright, and pleasant from S and began to rain slowly at 8 at night and lasted most of night. Miss Minnie C here again last night and left in morn. Pa threshed corn stalks in field most of day and Willie cut trees around Luckett field. I hauled some stakes from yard to back gate of calf pasture early in morn (to fix fence there) and I cut some locust timber in back of field to make a harrow for us and one for Wiley and I brought it home and barked it by 12. I resalted meat in barn and recovered a horse collar with new lowells in eve. Rena and baby here late in eve and got some flowers to set out in their yard. Nellie was sick most of day with vertigo and headache.
Tue. 6th. Cloudy and no sun all day and a damp breeze from S and a very fine mist of rain most of day and warm and ground very wet in morn. Willie cleaned up in Luckett field in morn and he plowed a ditch with Dan to A plow in head of 3rd Cane hollow in eve. Pa about some today but didn't work much on account of wet. I worked on calf pasture fence E of back gate there all morn repairing it and I covered an old horse collar with new lowells in eve for Wiley.
Wed. 7th. It rained some last night and drizzled till 9 1/2 in morn from S and warm and bright and warm and sun shined most of eve from S. The ground was very wet all day. Pa didn't work on account of wet ground. Willie plowed a long ditch with Dan around E side of 3rd Cane hollow and he and I drew up the levee of ditch with hoes all day and finished it by late in eve. I took Joe and cart to field just after dinner and brought home 4 long locust posts to put over our well late in eve. Mr. Sims came late in eve and told us that he heard that peas had gone up to $1.50 per bushel. We have been holding our 70 or 80 bu. for a good price. Nellie had baby here most of day.
Thu. 8th. Dark cloudy and warm and rained in little sprinkles from W of S all morn and it rained pretty hard at 10 to 11 1/2 and quit at 11 1/2 and bright and cool from NW all eve and sun shined some in eve. I drove Joe to cart to Cohen's in morn. I started at 8 3/4 and it sprinkled on me all way but I didn't get wet. I carried 2 3/4 bu corn and exchanged for meal at the store and I got a bbl flour -$4.25- and a bolt of domestic -$3.50 - on credit. The domestic was $4.50 but I paid $1.00 on it and I got some other things which I paid for and I left store just as rain ceased and I got home at 1. I borrowed $5 for Willie and he rode Dan to town in eve and got a pair of pants and a hat for himself. I split up nearly 2 cart loads of wood (old beech log) just SW of cow pen and hauled it home by late in eve. Nellie washed in morn.
Fri. 9th. Bright, nearly clear, most of day and a hard freeze in morn and a chilly breeze from N all day but sun shined all eve and cloudy some late in eve and at night. Willie and I cut and hauled beech wood from W of Wiley's most of day. I hauled 4 cart loads in morn and 3 in eve with Joe. The baby was sick early in morn with sick stomach and Wiley rode Goulden to town at 9 to 12 and got a bottle of syrup of figs for her and she seemed better in eve.
Sat. 10th. Dark cloudy all day and no sun and chilly from N or NE and began to drop rain at 9 1/2 in morn and got harder at 11 to 2 1/2 and quit at 3 1/2. Willie drove Joe to Wiley's old buggy (with Seymour's harness) and carried Miss Minnie C home in morn. I cut up some wood and began to winnow peas out of cotton house but rain stopped me at 10 in morn. Nellie and I walked to Wiley's and back in eve. I had a dull headache all day but it left me at night.
Sun. 11th. Dark cloudy and chilly from N and no sun and dropped and sprinkled rain most of day and at night too. Lewis here in morn awhile and Wiley and Rena and baby came at 11 and here till late in eve. Miss Minnie C and Willie didn't return in eve.
Mon. 12th. We had a heavy rain from SW (or W) at 4 to 5 in morn and lasted on slowly till 2 in eve and misted again late in eve from W and cleared off early in night. I patched a bridle and 2 old back bands in morn and I worked on our old high buggy at 1 to 3 in eve trying to put an old shaft on one side of it, but didn't finish it and I took up manure and fixed water gap and packed 8 poplar rails from on branch W of cowpen and put on 2 manure pens by late in eve. Miss Minnie C and Willie returned about sunset and she staid all night.
Tue. 13th. Bright, nearly clear, and a cool wind from N all day but sun shined all day and pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Pa threshed cotton stalks part of day and Willie took Miss Minnie to Seymour's in morn on buggy with Joe and he cut down bushes in field all eve. I worked on calf pasture fence all morn repairing it on NW corner - E of back gate and on bank on W side and I winnowed peas out of cotton house most of eve and cleaned 2 bbls and put them in 3 sacks in cotton house. Rena and baby here late in eve.
Wed. 14th. Bright and quite cool early in morn but wind from SE and sun shined all day and pleasant after 10 in morn. Pa threshed cotton stalks most of day and Willie plowed some turf ground in Luckett field with Dan in morn and he plowed both Joe and Dan there in eve, listing ground with old A plow. I worked on calf pasture fence on W side (on bank) repairing it all morn and I winnowed peas most of eve out of cotton house and cleaned one bbl. B C and Dixie and baby came at 10 1/2 in morn and he went on to town and returned at 4 in eve. Rena and baby here in eve.
Thu. 15th. Cloudy some all day, but bright and calm and sun shined most of day, and warm. Pa threshed cotton stalks most of day and Willie listed ground in Luckett field (for cotton) till 3 1/2 in eve with Joe and Dan to old A plow and he split open the front end of beam (then) and came home and he walked to Seymour's late in eve. I cut down bushes and trees on fence row, just W of calf pasture gate, on roadside all morn and I repaired fence there most of eve and got it repaired as far as I cut in morn (about half way from gate to SW corner). Mr. Sims and Buddy here late in eve.
Fri. 16th. It sprinkled rain some last night and dark cloudy all day with a cold wind from N and began to freeze before night and wind high and very cold most of night. Pa stayed in house most of day. Willie plowed Joe and Dan most of day and listed ground on H ridge and hilltop of Persimmon and Cherry cuts. I cut down trees and bushes on fence row on roadside W of gate to cow pasture and finished to SW corner by 10 1/2 in morn and repaired fence there till 4 1/2 in eve and finished there then (to gate on roadside). Miss Minnie C came in eve and here all night.
Sat. 17th. Bright early in morn and cleared off at 9 and clear balance of day and night, and a very cold day, with a N wind all day and grew colder all day and night too, and didn't thaw but little all day (and that in sunshine) and a very hard deep freeze. We did nothing but pack and cut up some wood today and feed everything. It was too cold for Miss Minnie C to go home - she was here last night and today and at night again. Wiley drove up Ocean's red heifer with a red bull calf from field in eve.
Sun. 18th. Clear, and very cold, and didn't thaw in shade at all, and only on top in sunshine - wind from W of N till late in eve and seemed to be from SE then. I walked to Wiley's at 10 to 11 in morn and Wiley and Rena and baby here most of eve. Buddy here most of day and Dan and Gordon here awhile in eve. Miss Minnie C here all day and night too.
Mon. 19th. Clear, and a very hard freeze in morn, but wind from SE and pleasant in sunshine in eve and some clouds late in eve and dark cloudy at night from SW. Pa and I packed some old beech wood and threw over wire fence at NE corner of orchard by 10 in morn and I hauled it in 3 cart loads by 11 1/4 and I greased Wiley's buggy and fixed one wheel by 12. Willie rode Dan to Seymour's in morn and got Seymour's mare (Daisy) and harness and Miss Minnie taught school in morn and she and Nellie drove Daisy to Wiley's buggy to Mrs. James' in eve and Willie plowed Joe and Dan all eve. Wiley rode Goulden to store in morn and he plowed some in eve. I winnowed peas most of eve out of cotton house and finished all threshed. Rena and baby here all night.
Tue. 20th. Dark cloudy and a damp S wind all morn and began to rain slowly at 12 1/4 and rained in slow showers all eve and wind high from S late in eve, and rained hard then with some thunder and quit early in night. Pa threshed stalks in morn and Willie broke ground all morn in Cherry cut with Joe and Dan and I repaired calf pasture fence, from hog pen (at corner of garden) to gate on roadside and finished all by 11 3/4 in morn. We didn't work in eve om account of rain. Nellie and Miss Minnie didn't return and Rena and baby here all day and night too.
Wed. 21st. Bright, nearly clear, and windy and cool from NW. Pa cleaned up ground part of day in field and Willie plowed all day after 9 in morn, breaking ground in new SW corner (with Joe and Dan). I took cart to Wiley's early in morn and got some well curbing and brought here and I went back in calf pasture and hauled a load of old rails here for wood by 9 in morn (with Joe) and I took old top of our well curbing off just below ground (it was rotten) and I put a top curbing over well and drew all of water out of well (washing it out) by 12 and I dressed 4 locusts posts and put a new frame over well in eve. Nellie and Miss Minnie returned at 2 in eve from Mrs. James' and Miss Minnie here all night.
Thu. 22nd. Clear and quite cool early - but pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn - wind from NW and dry. Willie plowed Joe and Dan in morn and part of eve breaking ground and he took his B plow at 3 in eve and drove Joe to buggy to Cohen's at 3 1/2 to 6 in eve and got an A plow. Pa cleaned up ground most of day in field and I led Seymour's mare, Daisy, home early in morn and I washed our meat and put it to smoke by 11 1/2 in morn and I cut and packed some green wood to smoke meat and attended to meat in eve. Miss Minnie left in morn and taught school today.
Fri. 23rd. Bright early in morn and some frost, but damp wind from S and dark cloudy all day after 10 in morn and rained some in N and wind changed to NW. Pa cleaned up ground in field and Willie broke ground all day in water hole cut and 2nd Cane hollow with Joe and Dan to his new A plow (got on yesterday eve). I smoked our meat all day and put a shaft to our old high buggy and shaped some timber (locust) for a harrow.
Sat. 24th. Bright and a cold high NW wind most of day but sun shined all day after 10 in morn. Willie plowed Joe and Dan most of morn breaking ground and he broke the beam out of his new A plow at 9 in morn and he and I put the B plow beam on his plow at 9 in morn. Pa walked to Clara's in morn and returned in eve. I worked most of day just on W side of cow pen moving the old beech logs and I made some wood out of them and packed to the house. Willie rode Joe to Seymour's in eve and he and Miss Minnie walked here late in eve and back to Seymour's after dark.
Sun. 25th. Bright, nearly clear, and frost in morn - brisk wind from SW and pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Nellie and I walked to Wiley's and back at 8 3/4 to 9 in morn and Wiley and Rena and baby drove Fanny mule to Wiley's old buggy to Jack Deloach's in morn and Rena and baby are to stay a day or two. Miss Minnie C came at 10 in morn and she and Willie drove Joe to Lewis' buggy to Union church in eve but there was no preaching and they returned after sunset and Miss Minnie here all night. Dan and Buddy and Gordon here most of eve.
Mon. 26th. Bright and cool, but some clouds all day - and wind from SW. Pa cleaned up ground in field most of day and Willie plowed Joe and Dan all day breaking ground. I smoked our meat all day and worked most of day on a new locust harrow and got the frame put together and some of holes bored for teeth. Miss Minnie left in morn and taught school today. Wiley ate his meals here today -Rena and baby at Jack D's.
Tue. 27th. Bright, but some dark clouds, and a damp breeze from S all morn and wind pretty high most of eve and till midnight and rained a hard rain with some little hail and wind and thunder from N at 12 1/2 to 2 1/2 in night. Pa cleaned up in field today and Wiley and Willie worked on Donegal road most of day and didn't come home to dinner. I rode Joe to Cohen's in morn and carried a sample of our peas to sell but he only offered $1 per bushel and we want $1.25 and I carried 2 doz eggs and got a gal coal oil in a jug and brought back. I worked on new harrow most of eve.
Wed. 28th. Cloudy all day and no sun and a cold wind from NW and dropped snow a little in eve. Pa sat in house most of day. Willie and I cut a large hollow dead beech by cow pen gate on S side and it knocked a green beech too in hollow and we packed up a good deal of dry and green wood too from there by 10 1/2 in morn and I fixed water gap and cut a few bushes in calf pasture by 12 and I cut some bushes in hollow W of yard and rolled some old logs in gulley there in eve. Gussie brought Rena and baby home on Wiley's old buggy and one wheel of buggy (hind) broke down at Lewis' at 12 and they dined there and got to Wiley's at 2 and Gussie stayed here at night.