Dear Daddy,
How are you I am fine. I’m sorry I didn’t write for so long. Say did I tell you I planted some lima beans? they have all sprouted. yesterday it snowed so hard that ten minutes after I swept of the steps the snow was that deep (1/4 in.) on them I dug some trenches in the snow and pretended there was a war and I made little holes in the snow and made some snow-balls and put in them. well I can’t think of any more so good-by love from John L
Dear James.
We’ve come to the end of another Sunday. It snowed last night and all day today, a very gentle snow. The temp. was around 30. John was outdoors most of the afternoon making snowballs and shoveling. His clothes were wet thru but when he came in we had a hot bath ready for him and he changed his clothes. Ruth read most of the day. I cleaned house, not exactly the way to spend Sunday, But I sewed all week and let other things go so decided to clean up and we’d have a nice time in the evening. I read to the children a while (john worked on his puzzles) and Ruth made us a dish of candy. They have said their prayers and are tucked into bed, where I am going as soon as I finish this letter,
We got 2 letters Sat. and your nice package. The mailman waited for the train and didn’t come until afternoon, and asked you to send your package earlier in the week if you can. They don’t like to keep it in the Post Office over Sun. for fear it might freeze. We have plenty of everything now until after pay day. There are 7 cans of milk, 1½ lbs. of butter, sugar enough and flour for 3 weeks and a half a can of kerosene. If you have a spare cake of toilet soap send it along long as we started on our last one today.
I finished one shirt for John and after it is washed I’ll make the others. I wish we could put in the crop ourselves this year. Couldn’t you look around and find an old Fordson tractor. That wouldn’t need any stable or care and if necessary I could run it (maybe). It has been a long cold winter. We got a letter from Canada, it was 52 below there and they have had lots of snow. Emma’s family is getting along all right. The baby (Glenn) is walking and learning to talk. Virginia is thru grade school and stays home. Cousin Anna’s husband, went to Sweden in the fall and won’t be back until March. Another cousin has 2 baby boys. So life goes on.
The wind is changing to the North and it may not be so warm tomorrow. I promised the children a snow-ball fight. Wish you were here to help me out. I didn’t mean to write less often last week. Let’s both write as often as we can and feel that each one is doing his best. Love, Martha
Dear James,
It snowed a little again last night. There are big drifts all over so that they can hardly use horses but our mail man gets thru regularly with his ski and tractor wheel arrangement. [called a half track]
We walked over to Shaw’s one evening. This morning Jack Wrightly stopped by and asked if he could drive across the farm saying something about feeding the pheasants. I didn’t see any reason he shouldn’t go thru so I said he might. Yesterday the teacher sent home a note asking me to keep John home until he can behave himself. She picks on him all the time and of course he teases her when he can. It’s amusing after getting a copy of the school laws saying I have to send the children to school.
Here are some books you might see if you can get at the Library:
The Call of the Wild, Jack London
White Fang
At the Foot of the Rainbow, Gene Stratton Porter
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, John Fox, Jr.
Betty Zane, Zane Grey
The Last of the Plainsmen
The eggs did not break and until I say otherwise send us a dozen every week and a lb. of butter. As soon as I can get these things around here I’ll let you know .The cheese, bacon and wieners were “extry” as Seth parker says.
Hope you keep well. Love from us all, Martha
Dear Daddy,
Please send me a role of six cent wall paper I just want to use the back of it so it dosen’t have to be pretty get it as soon as you can. I sure liked the valentine you sent me. Mother and John liked the pencels too. There is a big drift at the corner of the grove higher than the snow fence top well this is all love from Ruth,
Dear Daddy
We are sending a valintine to aunt Esther and uncle Alfred in this letter and want you to mail it or give it to her for us please. We are sending grandma and grandpa a valintine to and you one. I hope it comes when this letter dose. Tell me if it dosen’t. We are sending you a articul about our frends the chickadees and a pome is writen at the end of it. and say the funnyest thing you ever herd of happened yesterday. We were eating dinner the phonograph was open cause we had played it , well the cat jumped up on the stand and stuk her paw on the lever that made the wheel go round and started it up and say were we supryezed. Well I gess she won*t do that again. Well this is all the news
Love from Ruth
Dear Daddy how are you I am fine. Say Dad the wedge came out of the hammer. I’m sorry but the cocoanut was’nt any good. we have a different plan about the Buckwheat flour we have some gravy left over from yesterday and we’r going to mix the gravy and buckwheat and cocoanut well I can’t think of any more so good by love from John
say Dad I found my knife.
Dear James
Sunday night and the kids are tucked into bed, but not yet asleep. We had 2 more inches of snow today. The children spent most of the time reading. Ruth finished “Black Beauty” and John read in the “Animal Book.” They each had a lot of fun washing their own hair too. We all look a bit shaggy now. For dinner today we had baked potatoes, scalloped lamb, biscuits, and peach sauce, and tonight we had popcorn. We opened the coconut but it was sour.
I’m glad your leg is all right. It must have hurt a lot to try to work. And your getting so much work is good news too. Have you heard any more from Prettyman?
We’re all feeling well and looking forward to the time when we’ll see you. There always seems to be something lacking. As John says, everything would be all right if only Daddy was here too. Do you ever listen to Seth Parker?
The children have kept paths shoveled. They like to do it, most of the time without being asked. Friday there was a blizzard and the wind blew a lot of dirt from somewhere. The snow got as dirty looking as it does in the city.
(Monday morning)
John sneaked out of bed this morning and was dressed when the alarm rang at 6 o’clock. It was 10 below but the sun is shining bright and it promises to be a wonderful day. It is 9:15 and I have all the house work done but the dishes, and the children are busy mixing coconut and gravy and buckwheat flour together for the chickadees, so I’ll clean the kitchen after they are done. They are baking the stuff in Ruth’s little pans and see how it turns out.
I haven’t anything to send for a valentine except lots of love. Will that do?
We’ll be seeing you, Martha
(Wednesday morning)
We received your nice letter and a package yesterday and a package on Monday. The children went to school yesterday as it wasn’t so cold. I walked over with them to see how the road was but by evening the wind was blowing hard from the West and the snow drifting and this morning it was 25 below again so they stayed home. Only one or two children went to school all last week. They wore their new warm clothes to school so were not cold.
Believe me we’re counting the days until March 1, hoping you can come then. The children send lots of love and hugs and kisses. We’ll be seeing you.
Martha,
Supplies: Cocoa, English Breakfast tea, lard, Booth sardines in Tomato sauce, carrots, brown sugar.
(Friday.10 pm)
Dear James,
I thought I’d write a few lines before I turn in. The weather was decent in the morning but by noon a blizzard was blowing. The air outside the grove and in the road was full of whirling snow but we were sheltered from the worst of the wind. Ruth went out to the wood pile with me and threw down a lot of the big chunks you quartered and I split 3 loads of kitchen wood and John got a big box of kindling. So we are “all set”. We’ll all write a long letter Sunday. John’s cold is nearly gone. Ruth has had it today. It was 10 below tonight at 9 o’clock.
Love, Martha
Thursday morning, 9:30
Dear Daddy,
How are you? I am fine. This Morning I had a slight sore througt. If you can please send us some butter and eggs. Thanks for the candy harts you sent us we need some more ink we have but a very little left. Please send us another puzzle we got this one together and instead of taking three hours it took us three days. Please send your washing as soon as posabul. The cat is shedding so the lice doesn’t bother her much. John planted some lima been’s and I a white onyon Its at leest a half a foot tall. Well this is all love from us all.
Ruth.
Dear Daddy,
How are you? I am fine. I made a little rag man he is stuffed with wool from the lamb skin Ruth made a lady thay both got married then I made a airplane out of the matchbox you sent the candy in. thank you for the candy. I am writing with one of the pen pointes you sent. I made a parachute for my little man well the mailman will be coming any minute now so good by love from john L