MARCH 1903
Sun. Mar. 1st. Bright with a very cool wind from N but pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Buddy and little Bud here most of
day and Wiley and family too and Wiley and Bernice and Willie and Minnie and Carmell went to Sunday School in eve. Clara and Effie here in eve awhile. I lay on floor and slept some in morn but suffered with coughing and very short breath most of day. I slept sitting up till 11 1/2 in night and drank coffee and lay down and slept again at 12 3/4 to 3 3/4.
Mon. 2nd. Bright and cool in morn and cloudy and cool in eve late. Willie and Howard threshed peas at hayhouse most of day and finished last of them and Willie thinks he has about 100 bus. of clean ones in all. I slept some early in morn and burned up 2 hens' nests at wagon shed with lice and I set 3 more hens and got some wood in eve. Rena and her 2 children and Viola here awhile in eve. I coughed good deal in early part of night but slept well after midnight.
Tue. 3rd. Cloudy and began to rain at 10 in morn from W and rained balance of day and till midnight, a big fall of water in all. Willie and Howard planted some Irish potatoes in cow pen corner in orchard in morn and rain stopped them before they planted all. Minnie and I cut the potatoes. I began in morn to take Hall's Catarrh cure again. I coughed good deal at 8 to 11 at night but slept well at 11 1/2 to 3 1/2.
Wed. 4th. Cloudy and warm but bright and sun shined some and sprinkled rain several times in eve. Aunt Susan Wells died last night and Ray drove Goulden and Jack to town in morn and Wiley rode Joe and went too and got a coffin and they returned at 2 and Howard drove Ella and Jim to wagon and carried corpse to Cherryfield Church in eve and returned at dark. Willie rode Joe in Sims' field hunting up our cattle in eve but didn't see all of them. I coughed most of night and slept very little.
Thu. 5th. Warm and cloudy some all day but bright in eve and sun shined most of eve. Willie rode Joe in fields and found all of our cattle but Neats heifer in morn and he and Howard cleaned up ground in field in eve and Howard threshed corn stalks in morn. I lay on floor and slept till 9 1/2 in morn and I got some timbers for a feed coop for young chickens in eve. I coughed good deal through night and slept but little. Old Aunt Angeline here today and told us that Cohen's bookkeeper, Young, shot a Negro early in morn.
Fri. 6th. Misty and wet early in morn from W of S and bright and warm after 10 in morn and rained around in little showers late in eve but only dropped here. Willie began in morn to break up land (his first plowing) and he plowed Joe and Ella most of day and Howard cleaned off ground in field. I lay on floor and slept till 10 in morn and I worked on a feed coop balance of day and finished it at 5 in eve. Minnie and Nellie washed on machine early in morn and worked in flower yard balance of day. I coughed and wheezed good deal at night but slept some.
Sat. 7th. Warm and cloudy but bright part of day and a thunder cloud came up from SW at 8 1/2 at night and we had a very heavy fall of water and some hail and wind and a great deal of close thunder at 8 1/2 to 10 and rained most of night. Willie broke ground with Joe and mule all morn and rode Joe to town in eve. I put up an old gate on E side of garden at 8 1/2 in morn to 4 in eve and Howard plowed up garden with mule in eve and cut up good deal of wood. I rested easy at night but didn't sleep much.
Sun. 8th. Cloudy some all day but bright till late in eve and rained good deal through night and warm from S. Wiley and Rena and their 2 children and Buddy dined here. Wiley rode Buddy's horse (Fox) to town in eve and got Goulden. Seymour rode Goulden and Ida rode a grey to town in morn and took hack for Centreville. Willie and Minnie went to Sunday School in eve. I slept till 10 1/2 in night and made and drank some coffee and slept again at 12 to 4.
Mon. 9th. Warm and cloudy some from S but bright and sun shined some and rained in little sprinkles some late in eve. Willie and Howard cut trees in cow pasture all morn and cleaned up ground in Luckett field in eve. I made 3 sassafras hoe handles and put one of them in my hoe by 11 1/2 in morn and lay on floor and rested at 11 1/2 to 12 1/2. I got wood and water in eve and burned up some chicken lice in a setting hens' nest under our chimney. I slept till 11 in night and made and drank coffee and slept again at 1 to 4 1/2.
Tue. 10th. Warm and cloudy and a damp breeze from SW early in morn and sprinkled rain some and a thunder cloud came up from NW at 12 1/2 and we had a heavy rain at 12 3/4 to 2 and slowly most of eve and night too. Willie and Howard cut and deadened trees in cow pasture in morn and didn't work in eve. I put rails and old pickets around garden on pasture sides of it to keep out hogs by 10 1/2 in morn. I slept till 11 1/2 in night and made and drank some coffee and slept again at 2 to 5 1/2.
Wed. 11th. Cloudy all day but bright and a little cool from NW and no rain today. Willie and Howard and Ray cut trees in cow pasture all morn and Willie and Howard cleaned up in field in eve. Wiley and Rena and Bernice and baby drove Jim mule to Jack D's in morn to attend Tom McGraw's wedding at night. I covered an old horse collar with new lowells in morn and cut up wood and drew water and helped Willie to feed our stock and Wiley's too late in eve. I slept till 2 1/4 in night and again a little at 4 to 5.
Thu. 12th. Cloudy and cool from E of N and no sun and began to rain slowly at 12 1/4 and lasted all eve and night too. Willie plowed Joe and mule (breaking land) all morn and till 3 in eve in Persimmon cut and Howard cleaned up ground. I worked on calf pasture fence on roadside by gate most of morn repairing it. Luella and Mittie and Thelma here today from Lewis' and he came in hack for them late in eve. Wiley and Rena and children came from wedding at 11 3/4 in morn and here in eve awhile. I arose at 2 in night and drank coffee and lay down and slept a little more.
Fri. 13th. It rained slowly most of day from E and some in night too. Willie and Howard deadened some bay trees on E side of our yard at 1 to 2 3/4 in eve and Willie rode Joe to Clara's hunting our cattle late in eve. I walked to Wiley's and back and got wood and fed and milked Jersey in eve. I slept till 1 1/2 in night and again at 3 to 4 1/2.
Sat. 14th. Cloudy and wet and began to rain in sprinkles from E at 12 and quit at 1 and we had a hard one at 4 to 5 in eve from E of N. Willie and Howard cleaned up ground in field in morn and Willie rode Joe to town in eve and returned at 8 in night. Nellie and Minnie washed on machine in morn and I got wood for them and nursed baby and I packed and cut up some stove wood in eve and milked Jersey cow. I slept till 2 1/4 in night and a little more at 3 1/2 to 5.
Sun. 15th. Cloudy some all day but bright and sun shined some today and only dropped rain a little late in eve. Buddy here awhile in morn and Wiley went to his Pa's in morn and Rena and her 2 children dined here and all of us went to Sunday School in eve. Lewis' children were sick in eve and Ernest Lee had spasms and West went for Dr. Woods late in eve and Nellie went back to Lewis' and Willie too and returned at 10 at night. I lay in bed till 4 at night without getting up.
Mon. 16th. Bright and warm and no rain - wind and clouds from E. Willie and Howard stripped planting cane till 9 1/2 in morn and planted balance of day in 2nd Cane hollow and finished after sunset. I took down and rolled the wire around cane rick by 9 1/2 in morn and dropped cane till 11 1/2 and I packed and cut up wood and set 2 hens in eve and milked and fed. I lay in bed all night till 5 in morn without getting up.
Tue. 17th. Bright and warm from S and no rain in sight today. Wiley got wagon early in morn and planted his cane today. Willie plowed Joe and mule and Howard plowed Goulden and Dan and broke ground all day in home field. I hoed up ground in garden most of morn and planted Irish potatoes in NW corner of garden most of eve and got wood and water and milked Jersey cow and fed. I rested pretty well all night.
Wed. 18th. Warm and cloudy and a damp SE wind all day and night too and dropped rain at 9 in morn but bright after 10 in morn. Willie broke ground with Joe and mule and Howard with Dan and Jack mule all day in home field. I worked in garden most of day and planted onion sets and radishes and lettuce and beets and got wood and water and fed and milked Jersey cow in eve. I lay in bed all night and rested well.
Thu. 19th. Warm and cloudy some but bright and a damp breeze from S all day and a thunder cloud came up from SW at 10 at night and we had a good hard shower then. Willie and Howard broke ground in home field all day as on yesterday and I worked on calf pasture fence on roadside near cane most of day repairing it by taking it down and rebuilding with mostly new rails and I put good deal of brush and rails in cane in eve. Wiley and Ray came at 10 3/4 in morn and I helped them to shuck and shell 7 pecks of seed corn by 12 1/4. I got wood and water and fed and milked Jersey cow and measured up 3 3/4 gal of molasses for Julia Sims late in eve. The keg would not hold 5 gal (which she paid for).
Fri. 20th. Cloudy but bright and ground very wet early in morn and cool from NW most of day and rained a hard shower at 2 1/2 in eve and some through the night with a cool breeze from N. Wiley and Ray drove Ella and Jim to wagon to town in morn and got some things for Wiley and for us too and they returned at 2 3/4 in eve. Willie plowed Joe and Goulden and Howard Dan and Jack and broke ground most of morn and till 3 in eve in Luckett field and rain stopped them then. I worked on calf pasture fence on roadside most of morn and part of eve repairing it. I rested pretty well at night.
Sat. 21st. It rained slowly with a chilly NE breeze part of last night and till 10 1/2 in morn and quit then and cool and cloudy from NE balance of day and night too. We didn't work on account of rain. I patched crown of an old black hat with cloth in morn by 10 1/2 and nursed baby some for Minnie till 12. Nellie sick in bed most of day with headache and Carmell not well too. I cut a dead pecan tree in orchard and packed and cut up some of it for stove wood at 1 1/2 to 3 and walked to Wiley's and back by 5 and milked and fed. Willie rode Dun mare to Clara's late in eve and got mail.
Sun. 22nd. Cloudy and cool from N all morn and bright in eve and sun shined most of eve. Nellie went to Wiley's in morn and carried Carmell with her and there till late in eve. Lewis here awhile in morn and Gussie and Viola came at 12 1/4 just after we finished dinner and they and Willie and Minnie and Carmell and Wiley and Bernice and I went to Sunday School in eve. Seymour and family went back to Wyoming on last Friday and none of them came to Sunday School today. I rested well at night.
Mon. 23rd. Bright and sun shined all day and cool from W of N and ground dried good deal today. Nellie and Minnie and Net scoured and cleaned up in morn and washed in eve. Willie got up horses from pasture early in morn and he broke ground with Joe and mule most of day in SW corner. Ray plowed Dan and Jack (for Wiley) and Howard and I hauled out all of manure (2 pans) at hayhouse and put on ground just E of there for potatoes. We hauled 9 cart loads in morn and 9 in eve and put out in little piles - 3 piles to the load. Willie James and a Negro man came at 10 3/4 in morn and dined here and got 1 bu of seed corn and 1 of potatoes and left at 1 1/4.
Tue. 24th. Cloudy but bright and a very cool breeze from N all day. Willie broke ground in SW corner all day with Joe and mule and Howard and I hauled out manure from old cow pen with Jim and put on ground E of hayhouse for potatoes. We hauled 10 cart loads in morn and 9 in eve and I was very tired at night but rested pretty well all night.
Wed. 25th. Bright, nearly clear, and near about cold enough for frost early in morn and a very cool breeze from NE most of day but pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Willie finished breaking ground for corn in home field at 10 in morn and broke ground on E side of hayhouse road balance of day with Joe and mule. Howard and I hauled out 11 cart loads of cow manure from old cow pen and 3 of stable manure and ashes from near Joe's stable and finished last of cow manure and finished manuring potatoe patch on E side of hay house by 3 1/2 in eve and we spread some of manure with a hoe and a shovel late in eve and I got wood and water and fed late in eve and was very tired at night but slept and rested well most of night. We put 50 cart loads of manure on our potatoe patch in all.
Thu. 26th. Cloudy some but bright and very cool early in morn but a breeze from E and warmer in eve. Willie plowed up the potatoe ground E of hayhouse and balance of ground near it and a little patch beyond road with Joe and mule today. Howard and I spread the manure on potatoe patch early in morn and finished it at 10 and Howard cleaned up ground till 12 and I set out 1 qt of onion sets in garden and took off 2 hens with chicks at 10 to 11 3/4. Howard and I took Jim to cart to Wiley's just after dinner and hauled 2 loads of cow manure in Wiley's garden and hauled 8 loads out on Gate cut and put in 1 load piles in eve. I got wood and water and fed late in eve. Little Marion was sick with cold and cried good deal through night.
Fri. 27th. Cloudy and calm all morn and thundered in W and NW most of morn and began to rain in thundershowers from W or NW at 12 1/2 and lasted till 6 in eve, a big fall of water in all - and bright at night. Willie harrowed ground for corn E of hayhouse and on H ridge with Joe and mule in morn and Howard and I hauled out 9 cart loads of cow and stable manure from Wiley's and put on Gate cut in one load piles by 11 3/4 and I patched cart breeching in eve. We hauled the manure in morn with Jim mule and finished last of Wiley's manure and all of ours is hauled out but our stable manure. I rested well all night.
Sat. 28th. Cloudy and ground very wet early in morn and a cool breeze from N all day and dropped rain late in eve and rained slowly in night awhile. Willie and Howard packed some old timbers to old cow pen and put up a frame for a manure shed in morn and I repaired fence around old cow pen in morn. Willie got up Joe and Ella and Jim from cow pasture by 11 1/2 in morn and he rode Joe and Howard drove Ella and Jim to wagon to town in eve. I made a table out of 2 old table leaves and some sawed off bed posts for Nellie to put flower boxes on in eve and got wood and water and milked and fed.
Sun. 29th. Bright, nearly clear, and a cool breeze from W of N all day. Dan and Buddy and Clara and Effie and Rena and her 2 children all dined here and we had a birthday dinner for Minnie and myself. Wiley and Willie and Effie and I went to Sunday School in eve. I have a cold in my throat but rested well all night.
Mon. 30th. Bright, nearly clear, and a cool N breeze most of day. Willie broke ground in Cherry cut with Dan and mule all day and Howard and I hauled out manure from our stables and 2 loads of cow manure from hayhouse pen (9 cart loads in all) and put in load piles on Gate cut. I hauled the manure with Joe and Howard dug it up in stables and we finished it and last of our manure by 11 1/2 in morn and Howard carried the cart to Sims' and left it there for Sims to haul out his. Howard and I spread manure in Gate cut in eve with baskets.
Tue. 31st. Bright and pleasant from S. Willie broke ground in Gate cut all morn and Howard and I spread manure there till 9 3/4 in morn and finished it and I hoed onions and radishes in garden by 11 1/2. We began in eve and planted boat corn all eve in land E of hayhouse and on H ridge. Willie opened with 1 furrow with mule and I drilled corn and Howard covered with Joe to harrow running twice to row for the ground was rough and too wet to cover well.