Dear Daddy – The Farm Letters

Dear James,

We got home all right and it is just as well that we left Park Rapids early as the wind kept rising. We drove into the yard of that farm house and an old man, a Finlander came out. We told him what we wanted and he said his boy would help us. He took the wheel and drove us through the corn field and onto the road by the mail box. He had a little trouble driving through a drift in one place but got through without shoveling. Our tracks on the road had filled in but I drove thru on low. When we were a little past Henry’s, I noticed the engine was hot so stopped the car for a few minutes and then drove on home. I drained the car, covered it with the canvas and tied it down with a rope. We are thawing out now, have both fires going, and I’m having a cup of coffee and a cookie and the children just a cookie. I offered the man some money but he refused it, said he had nothing else to do. They were very obliging. We got home about 3 o’clock. It is a very lonesome place, believe me, and we must try to pay up our bills and get fixed financially so that you can come up and stay as soon as possible. I hope you found company on the train.

I shall wash dishes, play some rummy with Ruth and sew a while and then to bed. We’ll all have to keep busy so the time will go by fast and just remember that your job is the only thing that buys our food and clothing and try to like it and do your best. Tell us if this blizzard reaches Mpls. I hope you make some money out of it as long as it has to come. We’ll keep the heater fire all night just as you did and we’ll be comfortable.

Love, Martha

P.S. The wind stopped blowing at 2 A.M. It was 6 below this morning at 8 o’clock; We kept the fire all night and missed the fireman. Ruth.

Dear James,

Well this has been a busy day, even if it was Sunday. When we got up it was snowing a fine snow that looked as though it could keep up all week, so after breakfast Ruth stayed inside to keep the fires going and tidy up and John and I went to work on the wood pile. The children had scattered the wood around a lot when they built their houses, and we filled John’s house with big chunks and John filled Ruth’s with kitchen wood, as we call it. There are a lot that don’t need splitting and a lot that need to be split only once so we have wood for several days, dry and easy to get at. It snowed the same all day, about 3 inches.

The ends of my fingers and nose were frostbitten last week, and I have had a time trying to sew or knit or do anything. I am knitting a little outfit for Ruth’s doll and we can give her the cloth and ribbon and she can make the doll dress herself, and if you want to make a little boy happy give him that ax. Held rather have that than skates or anything else and I don’t believe he’ll get hurt. They can change off using Ruth’s skates if the ice is still good.

We had a baked dinner today, a pork roast baked with sweet potatoes and onions, and mashed potatoes. It was so good I thought you might like to try it. Get a thick pork chop and brown it on both sides, then put it in the baking dish with a 1/2 inch of water and surround it with peeled and quartered sweet potatoes onions and apples, cover and bake slowly until done, about 3/4 of an hour. We used cranberry sauce instead of apples.

(Monday)

It is 20 below and the children are staying home. We need some matches and salt. They will write letters while they are home. I’m baking bread. We are all well and hope you are taking good care of yourself.

Lots of love from us all. ” We’ll be seein’ you “, Martha