JULY 1903
Wed. Jul. 1st. Cloudy some but bright and a damp S breeze all morn and a thundercloud came up from SW at 12 1/4 and we had a hard rain then and slowly most of eve. Howard harrowed cotton middles with Joe on hilltop of Luckett field and in new ground near it in morn and finished all but a little and Willie molded cotton with Ella in new ground at back of our field till 11 in morn and came home with toothache then. We didn't work in eve on account of rain. Bernice here last night and today and went home late in eve.
Thu. 2nd. Warm and cloudy some and dropped rain some in morn and a damp S breeze most of day and a cloud came up from S at 1 and we had a hard shower till 2 and quit and bright in eve. Willie and Howard and Wiley and Ray and I patched up our cow pasture fence on creek and put 4 head of Fosselmann's cattle out but they came back in pasture and we left them there and we got back home at 9 1/4 and I cut 8 poles and 5 forks and got 5 more old forks and put them up for 2 bean arbors by 11 and Howard brought me 51 canes from field by 12 and I stuck all of beans by 3 3/4 in eve and packed and cut up some wood. Willie and Howard hoed most of eve.
Fri. 3rd. Bright and warm and damp and ground very wet and rained around in thundershowers most of day after 10 in morn and we had a little one at 12 to 1. Willie and Howard and I marked our calves and pigs by 8 in morn and Willie and Howard hoed in cotton balance of day and I hoed our okra and beans in orchard at 8 1/4 to 11 in morn and in eve. Nellie and Minnie washed in morn and cooked some cakes in eve.
Sat. 4th. Bright and quite warm but cloudy some all morn and rained around in thundershowers after 8 in morn and we had a big one from W at 2 in eve and slowly till 3 1/2. Howard didn't work today. Willie drove Joe to town in morn and got some things and 100 of ice and returned at 1 and I hoed my watermelons and tomatoes in Sims' corner by 8 1/4 in morn and I hoed cucumbers and beans in garden by 11. Joe Miller and Allen came at 9 1/2 in morn and dined at Wiley's and they and Wiley and family and all of Clara's folks but Dan and Chunk here in eve and we had ice cream and cakes at 4 to 6 1/2 in eve. Willie had a bad toothache most of eve and till 9 1/2 at night.
Sun. 5th. Bright and very warm after 10 in morn and no rain in sight but thundered far off most of day. Wiley went to his Pa's in morn and Rena and her 2 children here most of day and we had some ice cream at 10 in morn - made with some ice left from yesterday. Willie and Minnie and Carmell and I walked to Sunday School in eve and Bernice too.
Mon. 6th. Bright and very warm all morn and till 4 in eve and began to rain around in thundershowers from N then and we had a hard one at 5 to 6. Willie and Howard hoed cotton in morn and Howard in eve till rain and Willie molded cotton in new ground at back of our field with Ella in eve and got soaking wet. I rescraped the 7 rows of red potatoes in orchard in NE part of it by 8 1/2 in morn and hilled most of them with hoe by 4 1/2 in eve and rain stopped me then.
Tue. 7th. Bright, nearly clear, and very warm all day and no rain here but a thunder cloud blew up from NE at 6 3/4 in eve and we had a good breeze but no rain. Willie molded cotton in Luckett field and in new ground by it most of day with Ella but ground was very wet. Howard hoed cotton in Sims' corner today. I hoed up grass in water furrows and our red potatoes E of hayhouse most of day but ground was too wet all day to hoe well. Bernice here most of day.
Wed. 8th. Bright and warm but some clouds all morn and rained around in thundershowers at 10 1/2 in morn till 12 and most of eve and it sprinkled here at 10 3/4 and a heavy thundercloud came up from E at 1 and we had a little shower then and cloudy some all eve. Willie finished molding cotton in morn in Luckett field on hilltop and he plowed sugar cane in 2nd Cane hollow and some cotton in Gate cut in eve. Howard hoed cotton in Sims' corner all day. I hoed grass out of red potatoes on E side of hayhouse and hilled up some of them today. Nellie and Carmell at Wiley's most of day. They had a big barbecue in Woodville today.
Thu. 9th. Bright and warm till 4 in eve and a thundercloud came up from N of E at 4 1/4 but didn't rain any here but we had a good wind. Willie plowed cotton in Gate cut (2nd time) with Ella all day and Howard hoed cotton in Sims' corner today. I hoed and hilled up red potatoes in patch E of hayhouse most of day and finished all but a little by late in eve.
Fri. 10th. Bright and warm till 12 and a thundercloud came up then from E but only dropped a little here and cloudy some all eve and rained around in thundershowers all eve till late but none here. Willie plowed cotton in Gate cut in morn and finished there and he harrowed cotton in Sims' corner with Lewis' side harrow in eve and Howard hoed cotton all day in Sims' corner. Nellie and Minnie washed in morn and I got wood and water for them and dragged home our old harrow and the A plow from field and I barred or scraped off all of our cane in orchard with Joe to A plow by 11 1/2 and got very warm and wet. I finished hoeing last of our potatoe patch E of hayhouse and hoed cucumbers in garden in eve.
Sat. 11th. Cloudy and warm all morn and rained around in little showers and some here at 9 in morn and we had a big rain at 12 to 3 from N and cloudy all eve. Willie plowed cotton in Sims' corner in morn and Howard hoed there. I hoed cane in old cow pen corner by scraping down both sides of rows in morn and we didn't work in eve. Willie rode Joe to Ogden's store late in eve and I got wood and water and milked our 3 cows. Nellie and Carmell walked to Wiley's late in eve.
Sun. 12th. Cloudy some and wet early in morn and rained around in little thundershowers most of morn from NW and we had a big one from there at 12 and another at 7 to 8 1/2 in eve. Nellie and Bernice and Carmell and I drove Joe to buggy to Clara's at 9 in morn and we had Buddy's birthday dinner and we got home at 5 1/2 in eve. Willie and Minnie and baby dined at Wiley's today.
Mon. 13th. Cloudy and very wet and sprinkled rain some in morn from NW and cool and bright all eve and cool from NW. Willie and Howard hoed grass out of cotton most of day and I hoed cane in cowpen corner by scraping both sides of rows most of day and finished that corner by 5 in eve and packed and cut up some wood and got some butter and pole beans and okra in orchard late in eve and gave part of them to Rena. Tom Hatfield and Dr. Cage here late in eve.
Tue. 14th. Bright, nearly clear and cool, with a breeze from NW and no rain in sight and ground dried good deal today. Howard hoed grass out of cotton all day and Willie too all morn and Willie plowed cotton in Sims' corner with Ella all eve. I hoed sugar cane by scraping both sides of rows in NE part of orchard most of day. I got wood and water late in eve and brought home a sack of bird -eaten boat corn from E of hayhouse too for mule and hogs.
Wed. 15th. Clear and cool early in morn but warmer in eve - a beautiful and pleasant day. Howard hoed grass out of cotton in Sims' corner today and Willie plowed cotton there with Ella all day. I hoed cane in NE part of orchard all morn and finished at 11 1/4 and I hoed over most of garden (beans and cucumbers) in eve and some pepper too. I had a dull headache most of day but it left me late in eve.
Thu. 16th. Bright and sun shined all day but some clouds and calm and warm after 10 in morn and quite warm all eve. Howard hoed cotton all day. Willie got up Joe just after breakfast and I hoed in garden till he got him and I plowed cotton most of day with Joe to A plow on hilltop of Persimmon cut where we had potatoes last year and I finished there and plowed 2 rows on hilltop in Sims' corner. Willie ran side harrow with Ella all day in Cherry cut. I gathered a little bucket of figs at 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 and Nellie carried them to Wiley's in eve.
Fri. 17th. Bright and quite warm all day and some clouds in eve and looked a little like rain but none in sight. Howard hoed grass out of cotton in Cherry cut all day and Willie ran side harrow there and in sugar cane in 2nd Cane hollow and in cotton in Pine corner all day with Ella and I plowed cotton all day on hilltop in Sims' corner with Joe running 4 furrows. I gathered a little bucket of figs for Rena and children at 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 and Nellie carried them to them late in eve. Willie and Howard and I ate 2 watermelons in field at 8 1/2 in morn and I brought a large one home at 9 in morn.
Sat. 18th. Bright and warm all day and some dark spots of cloud all eve and lightened in N and NW after dark. Howard hoed cotton in Cherry cut in morn and Willie side harrowed cotton in Pine corner and the large cotton in Gate cut, which has been plowed out 2nd and last time, all morn and part of eve and didn't quite finish Gate cut. I plowed cotton on hilltop in Sims' corner with Joe till 10 in morn and finished there and I plowed cotton on upper side of Cherry cut till 11 1/4 and again most of eve. I got a sack of boat corn and wood and water late in eve. Nellie and Carmell went home with Rena and her 2 children late in eve to stay all night.
Sun. 19th. Bright and warm till 2 and a thundercloud came up then from NW but didn't rain here and sultry and cloudy some all eve. Buddy and Gordon and B C and family and Rena and her 2 children all here most of day. Wiley went to his Pa's in morn. Willie and Minnie and I walked to Sunday School in eve.
Mon. 20th. Bright and warm and no rain near here but thundered far off in eve. Howard hoed cotton in Cherry cut today and Willie plowed cotton in Sims' corner with Ella today and he rode Joe to Ogden's store late in eve and got some sugar for us and some for Rena to preserve figs. I plowed cane and okra in orchard all morn and till 4 in eve with 4 furrows with Joe and finished all then and I gathered a little bucket of figs for Clara at 4 to 4 3/4. Effie and Henderson here then and Rena and her 2 children here in eve. I gathered a bucket of figs for Rena at 1 1/4 to 1 3/4. I got wood and water and a sack of boat corn from field E of hayhouse and milked 3 cows late in eve.
Tue. 21st. Bright and warm and dry and calm and no rain in sight today. Howard hoed grass out of cotton in Cherry cut today. Willie plowed cotton in Sims' corner part of morn and finished then and he plowed some in Pine corner and some in Cherry cut balance of day with Ella. I plowed cotton most of morn in Cherry cut with Joe. I gathered a big bucket of figs at 9 in morn and gave to Lewis and West in field near Cherry cut. Mrs. Maggie Smith and Minnie's sister, Maggie, came here at 9 1/4 in morn and here till late in eve. I didn't go to field in eve. I set steel trap on a speckled hen which a hawk killed out E of fig orchard at 3 in eve and caught the hawk late in eve and I packed and cut up wood and drew water and gathered a bucket of figs for Mrs. Smith and brought in a sack of boat corn in eve. Rena and her 2 children here all eve.
Wed. 22nd. Bright and calm and warm and dry and no rain in sight. Howard hoed grass out of cotton in Cherry cut on W side and in Pine corner today. Willie and I plowed cotton on W side of Cherry cut in morn and Willie finished there early in eve and harrowed some cotton in hollow in Sims' corner and I put some ashes in garden and hoed all of pepper and beans in there in eve and got wood and water and a sack of boat corn from field E of hayhouse.
Thu. 23rd. Cloudy all day and very little sunshine and a little breeze from N but warm and dropped rain some in morn at 9 to 12. Willie harrowed cotton in 3rd Cane hollow and in new ground at back of our field with Ella and Howard hoed cotton in Pine corner all day. I gathered some figs for Nellie to preserve just after breakfast and Wiley gathered some for Rena to preserve at same time and I walked to Lewis' watermelon patch in bottom and sent by him to town to get some coffee and sugar. He carried a wagon load of watermelons to town and I hoed and picked grass and weeds out of cane in 2nd Cane hollow most of day.
Fri. 24th. Cloudy and very little sunshine in morn with a breeze from NE all day and bright and sun shined most of eve and a thundercloud came up from NE at sunset but only sprinkled here and another cloud came up from E at 11 in night and we had a big rain, and much needed too, with some wind and a little hail and thunder and quit at 12 1/4. Nellie and Minnie washed in morn and Howard hoed grass out of cotton in Pine corner and in new ground at back of our field today and Willie hoed with him in eve. Willie finished harrowing cotton in new ground and some in Luckett field in morn and left a little there too hard to harrow well. I hoed and picked grass and weeds out of cane in 2nd Cane hollow most of day.
Sat. 25th. Cloudy some but bright and warm in morn and began to rain around in thundershowers from S at 10 in morn and we had a little one at 10 1/2 to 11 1/4 and a big one passed around E from S at 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 and we had a hard one then and bright after 3 1/2 in eve. Willie and Minnie and Carmell and Marion drove Joe to Mrs. James' in morn and Willie and Carmell returned at dusk and left Minnie and baby to stay there a few days. I packed 3 turns of old rails from roadside to cow pen and put on manure pen and packed and cut up some wood by 10 in morn and Howard hoed in flowered yard. Gussie and Helen and Viola came to Wiley's at 11 1/4 and Gussie came on here and dined here. I gathered a basket of figs after dinner and carried to Wiley's at 3 1/2. All of them but Wiley came back with me and here till late in eve.
Sun. 26th. Bright and warm from S all morn and a thundercloud passed around E from S at 12 1/2 to 1 but only dropped a little here and thundershowers passed around W of here most of eve from S but only sprinkled here. Willie rode Joe in field and on to Clara's early in morn and returned at 10 1/2. I carried some tomatoes (about 1/2 bu) to Rena's for Helen to take home with her early in morn and got wood and water and a sack of boat corn by 9 1/2. Wiley and Rena and their 2 children and Tigner D here most of day. We got ready to go to Sunday School in eve but rain prevented us. Bernice here all night.
Mon. 27th. Cloudy some but bright and warm most of morn and rained around in thundershowers at 11 1/4 to 2 in eve and we had a hard one at 12 1/2 to 2 and cloudy all eve - all from S. Willie and Howard hoed cotton in new ground at back of our field in morn and they cut down briars and bushes just E of fig orchard most of eve. I gathered some figs for Nellie to preserve early in morn and West and Chunk came then and I helped them to gather 2 big buckets too and I got some vegetables for dinner and I hoed in sugar cane in 2nd Cane hollow at 9 to 11 1/2 in morn. Bernice and I walked to my tomatoe patch in Sims' corner and got about 1/2 bu of ripe ones in eve and I got wood and water and packed baby home for Rena late in eve. Bernice here last night and today and at night again.
Tue. 28th. Bright and warm from S till 1 1/2 in eve and rained around in thundershowers from S most of eve but only sprinkled slowly here at 2 to 3 1/2 and bright balance of eve. Howard hoed cotton in new ground at back of our field most of day. Willie drove Joe to Mrs. James' in morn and returned at dusk with Minnie and baby. I packed and cut up some wood early in morn and gathered last of our apples, about 1/2 bu, and carried part of them and a few of the apple pears to Wiley's at 10 in morn and brought in a sack of boat corn by 11 1/2. Rena is sick today and took Calomel early in morn and Wiley and baby dined here. Nellie and Bernice and Carmell walked to Wiley's in eve. I gathered some cucumbers and tomatoes in garden in eve and milked cows and walked to Wiley's cow pen and caught Ella there at sunset and brought her home. Chesley Netterville here at 3 to 4 in eve.
Wed. 29th. Bright and warm all morn from S and rained around in thundershowers from S at 12 1/2 to 1 1/2 and we had a little one then and cloudy but bright all eve. Willie plowed cotton in Luckett field and in new ground at back of our field today with mule and Howard hoed cotton there in new ground. I hoed and picked grass out of sugar cane in 2nd Cane hollow most of morn and I packed and cut up some wood in eve and got about 1 peck of tomatoes in Sims' corner and got some okra and butter beans in orchard late in eve. Rena and her 2 children here most of day and Wiley dined here too.
Thu. 30th. Bright and warm from S and sprinkled rain at sunrise and at 10 in morn and a thundercloud came up from S at 12 1/4 and we had a hard shower till 1 and bright but cloudy all eve. Howard hoed cotton in new ground by Luckett field in morn. Willie had fever and headache last night and lay in bed all morn but up and better in eve. Little Henderson came early in morn and got a big bucket of figs to preserve. I hoed in sugar cane in 2nd Cane hollow early in morn and finished last of it at 9 and I hoed in cotton on hilltop of H ridge till 11 1/4. I packed and cut up some wood and gathered some vegetables in eve. Howard cut down briars and bushes out E of fig orchard in eve.
Fri. 31st. Bright and warm from SW till 1 1/2 in eve and a thundercloud came up then from SW and we had a big washing rain till 3 1/2. Howard hoed cotton on hilltop of Luckett field in morn and didn't work in eve. Willie patched buggy harness in morn. Nellie and Minnie washed in morn and I got wood and water for them and I hoed around some fig and apple trees NW of barn. I sold 1 peck of tomatoes to Dago for 10 cts. of sugar and got a few things from him at 9 1/2 in morn. I fixed water gap and carried a few figs and pears to Wiley's in eve at 4 to 5 1/2. Bernice here all night.