Irene Dixon Bamford

Thursday 12 Nov 1908

A very chilly morning. Voltie drove to do dock with Grace, Rob't Jr and Isabelle & Maud. Grace is returning home to the city after a week visit. Grace, Kathleen and I do house work. V plowing. Dad quarrying stone. Wind blowing hard from the west all day. V drove to dock for Maud. They came quite early. Maud bring sold butter for 28 cts per lb. She bought me a new wrapper, postal cards, Kathleen & Grace each a movie card album

Friday 13 Nov 1908 Cold frozen last night. Wind blowing again to day. Voltie plowing. Kathleen ironing. Maud made a pie for dinner, made a cake. I see so much work to be done and dont do it. I cant sit at work but a very few minutes for I always have something to do around the house. We didn't get out of bed till till after 6 am. want to write to many people friends and relatives. I am trying to finish making sweet pickles. Received a letter from Belle the first since they moved to their new home.

Monday 29 June 1914 Wind blowing hard from west and still continues to rain. Howard here for Berries 2 boxes for dinner; a dreary dismal day but noise plenty a bedlam. E & E & Re & Ro Never any piece or quietness only when V is in the house. Evening passes very quietly J goes early to bed. V reads "Billy" the "quartette", play marbles.

Tuesday 30 June 1914 The last of June. Rained in the night. Cloudy this morning, very cool. John drove to the factory, came back ate breakfast then drove to P.O. with letters one for Grace from me. John sends a letter to Andy Mitchel Watertown. Reggie went to Niles for strawberry crates. Clouds gradualy clearing away John & Robert Jr went to the Briar farm for a load of wood. I washed breakfast dishes, scoured knives & forks, washed stove, milk pails, pots, pans, kettles, wrote a letter, picked over a pail of greens, pared potatoes and churned. I set Edith to churning while I pared potatoes. She didnt churn but turned the washing machine. V after doing all the chores picked 12 boxes of berries. V & Em & Reggie & John picking berries I wash dinner dishes. Robert is weeding salsify and onions. Van came over Lib sent me a small

to day from the hospital. Our load came at last. John, Voltie, Grace, Margarette, Isabelle, Robert Jr and Miriam Bruton and dog Buster.

Friday 3rd July 1914 A fine day; a heavy dew this morning. The cows in the grain this morning. Voltie and John build fence all a.m. Grace, Voltie and Emma picked berries all p.m. 120 which are for Kingston market. Reginald & John cultivate potatoes, beans, corn, tomatoes, turnips. Emma, Margaret, Miriam, Edith & Robert walked to the post office, brought a letter from Eveline with $25,00 dollars, express order from Welly, a card from Maud and one from Belle. Reginald and John & Voltie went to the lower boat house and got the motor all ready for tomorrow's trip to Kingston. Went at sundown. While they were all gone to P.O. & motor, Mrs Cheesemaker Watts came for berries while her hubby waited outside in buggy. Very sorry we had none for her. Jack Niles 4, Dian Berry 6, Woodmans 2, which makes 132 boxes to day.

Saturday 4 July 1914 Independence day once more bright and clear. Arose very early, Voltie gone to Kingston in motor carrying 120 boxes of berries for market. Found all the cows in our grain this morning. John tearing about, things dont go right

Wednesday 12 August 1914 Time flies and summer is hastening away. This is a cool day. Wind N.E. V and J drawing and stacking oats. I done some repairing of overalls and socks for the boys V & J. After dinner Rachel, Lottie and Louise came over awhile and staid a couple of hours. Wind hushed river still, river like a mirror. Lottie & Louise came and Emma and the two girls go out in the boat after supper. Edith pulled all the onions this day. The flies are very troublesome.

Thursday 13 August 1914 No one goes to town from here to day except Rachel. Voltie drives to the dock. We send by her for groceries and a hundred lbs of flour. Emma drives over with Voltie to send by Maggie Joslin for embroidery needles. Voltie and John draw and stack oats. V drives to dock. Reginald and Robert Jr came down on the boat leased to come home again. They bring me a letter from Grace saying they are going to move to Limerick or Brownville Grace has been over there, to Berts. All is well.

Friday 14th August 1914th 1914 The day is clear and very warm. I received a letter from Belle saying Grace is to be married next month (Sept). V rec'd a letter of thanks from Anglin thanking him for strawberry plants. The Standard and Montreal Herald and Weekly Star. We sat up to read the War News.

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Monday 31st May 1915 Another bright day and warm. V by help of Emma set a net then went over on R's place building fence all day. I was so glad to receive a letter from Grace. Emma washed all the curtains except the parlor curtains. Edith is washing her feet to day, and changing her stockings. Emma received a letter from Robert Jr, wherein he tells her all about his garden, and the May fair in Watertown on the 22, also about Mr Niles the aviator flying over Woolworth tower New York who is engaged to perform at the fair by doing all kinds of tricks in his monoplane even to looping the loop. V set two more nets this evening.

Tuesday 1st June 1915 A fine warm day. Edith at school. O why should I keep a diary or try to do any thing. I washed breakfsast dishes, jars pot, pans, kettles, cooked beans and rhubarb. V still building fence over on R's. Jim Morgan here to borrow little garden seed drill. Evening Roy Rattray here awhile. Ed came for Emma to stay with Sylve while Ed & Roy go to foot to Rubes for apples; they got none.