Dear James,
It is now 7AM. The children and Mitzi have gone after the milk. I am sitting by the East window and the fresh morning breeze is blowing in upon me. We got up at 6:30 and had a nice shower before that so the world looks pretty good. We had another nice shower Monday night that put 2 ins, of rain water in the tubs.
I’ll answer the questions about the garden and let John write of other things. The potatoes are still green. The dry weather dried up the corn, the ears are awfully small and only the lower kernels filled out. We had a mess of peas on Monday, it may be the last we’ll get. The beans are still bearing, I get enough for a qt. of pickles each time. The cabbage still looks good and the vines have taken on a new lease on life since the rain. The tomatoes look the best and we should get quite a few ripe ones. They stood the dry weather better than anything else. I believe we’ll get a little popcorn too.
Ruth and John have been playing office this week. They each have an office fixed up. Ruth has the table and John, a chair and telegraph wires between them and lots of messages are sent back and forth. Ruth is printing me labels for our fruit jars and I pay her a penny a doz. for them, and she buys the paper from John, 4 sheets for a penny. I’m to pay them a penny a load for clearing away those old logs too. We cleaned out the old raspberry bushes on the N side of the house and are going to plant wild flowers there. Don’t you think it would pay to spread the straw out and plow that strip and set out some raspberry bushes now? I believe they should do better set out in the fall as they would get a good root-hold before next summer and stand the drought better, and that is what we have to contend with. I wish, if you can, that you would visit some farms that have their plants staked up and see how it is done. If we can get the plants started this would be a good source of income.
I ironed yesterday morning and sent your clothes. I mended all afternoon and got thru with that job except for a few stockings. I had a good sleep last night and feel fine. I take setting up exercises night and morning to limber up my back and it helps. We’ll be glad for the books. They both liked Hans Brinker”. Darryl has been over to play twice lately.
Will you send us some Toilet paper and a dozen oranges, medium sized, as John wants me to make some rhubarb conserve. Send me the sleeve length you like best, measuring from the under-seam to the outside edge of the cuff. How are your Mother and Father feeling? Do you think you can get a ride up with someone? The fishing seems to be pretty good now.
Take good care of yourself. One pole on the battery is loose and the wire jiggled loose from the other one. The car runs fine and the battery is strong. How much would a canvas to cover the whole car cost? I hope they decide about you boys soon. Lots of love from us all, Martha