Dear Daddy – The Farm Letters

Dear James,

Everyone is well and the weather continues fine. Spring seems to have come overnight. The crows were cawing early this morning and I heard a phoebe yesterday. There is still plenty of snow but it is settling fast. The children found a big pine that they can climb to the top of, and has branches like swings.

We were glad to get the letter and package but would so much rather it had been you. We’ll try to bear up however, and plan to see you April 1st. Everything in the package was in good shape; the ink, the book, and the eggs. The book is a dandy, you must read it before you take it back. I wish you would get some school books too; an arithmetic, speller, geography and history, 4th grade books.

One set will do for both. Also some new maps, especially of the U.S. and Alaska. When we had Ruth’s geography here we looked up places in Alaska as we read about them and had lots of fun.

Today is another fine spring day. The sun was just peeking over the horizon when I got up a little after 6, and everything is bright and cheery at 9. We had a breakfast of cakes again and last night we had fried ham for supper. Living up here has taught us the value of food–believe me we don’t waste one speck or drop of anything. I guess we can learn something of value from every experience if we try.

All of the seed catalogues have come. We’ll send you our list of seeds for your official O.K., except the children’s stuff; They can send for what they want. Their desires have changed with each new catalogue. It’s good to know the bills are getting paid and we won’t be having any fuel bills hanging over our heads this summer. I hope the pictures are all right. It was a little cloudy when we took the last two. Shall we start taking milk from the Jensons again? We can get along with the supplies we have and butter and eggs and a few things I’ll mark down on an extra sheet of paper. $2.00 will be enough. No one has gone by here in ages except old Mr. Jenson walked by one morning and we said “”hello”.

The county agent’s name is Mr. Olson, address; Park Rapids. It has taken me just an hour to write this with interruptions. Jack Wrightly owns the place where Shaws live. I’ll ask about other places. It would be nice to have neighbors of our own kind; a group of us would get along fine.

Dear James,

Sunday night again. It is 9:15 and the children are sound asleep. It has been another real spring day, the temp. was over 50. We spent rather a lonesome day. I did a little ironing this morning and baked a raisin pie for dinner. We all worked at the puzzle a while and I read about half of ” The Call of the Wild” This evening we got out the new album and the pictures and looked them over but it was too big a job to put them away again. I wish we could have a good long talk together. I’d especially like to know how this check is holding out. If possible you must buy yourself a couple of shirts and some collars and get your suit cleaned and your shoes fixed.

Love, Martha

Monday morning, Feb 27

Another nice spring day with a strong wind blowing from the East, It is clouding up as tho it might rain. I hope things don’t break for you yet awhile. Just sit tight and whatever happens there’ll be another way out. There is no use worrying as long as we don’t know what’s ahead so just keep up your spirits and keep busy as you have been and we’ll do the same. I hope your leg is better and that you can come up soon. “We’ll be seeing you.” Love, Martha

Dear James,

I hope you are all right. We haven’t heard anything from you since last Saturday and naturally we are worried. Mr. Wheaton says the trains haven’t been coming thru. Do you know anything about it? We are all feeling well and do the best we can to keep cheerful.

We have a lot of snow. A big tractor ploughed out the road south of us. It seems somebody big in Wadena by the name of Mason has a cottage near here and decided to go there by car so they cleared the road for him. I heard the noise but didn’t know what it was all about until Mr. Wheaton told me.

We have 3 seed catalogues, one from Faribault, one from N.Y. and one from Wisconsin. The kids make up a list from each one. I hope you are getting our letters and are all right.

Lots of love, Martha