Irene Dixon Bamford

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Thursday 21 Sept 1897 The same old thing get out at four am. Arthur catches tons and Grace loads in more baskets than usual. A basket of butter for us and one for Eveline, a basket of crab apples for Mabel G, a basket of apples for Nellie Grey and Arthur going home to visit for the day carying [sic] a small basket of apples and nuts to his little sister Florrie. Maud drives them to the dock. Afterward Maud and I milk cows in stable. I scratch around and get a little wood to start fire when Will and Charlie come over & Will chops wood enough to last all day. Maud feeds hogs and I send Maud to Jen's for fruit strainer and to Aunt Ruths for vinegar and make 10 bottle of tomato catsup. Maud milked all the cows at evening. Will came over and fixed the strap to harness and drove to dock for Grace and her things. Grace today paid in office Kirk and Rod $106 dollars $7,40 cts to Rathbun Co 10 to McDowel. sold the butter 11 pounds on Market, bought all her own groceries & other things sold Eveline butter and bought more groceries and things. bought all Jens. Hubert called on Nellie went up to G's ate her and super on the Pierpont. Shell & Jen then went up to day. Shell says she (Shell) is very proud Oh my

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Friday 22 Sept 1894 A very fine day. Grace goes to Evelines to make mustard pickles carrying all kinds of spices, onions and vinegar. Hubert & Muriel came up for their groceries, sugar, tea & spices. After a while Muriel came back for Maud to go with her to Sam's for vinegar but they had none for her and were sorry for Aunt Ruth had let me have all they had to spare so I sent them up to Mrs Niles but she has none. A very good outlook three great orchards Niles, Bamfords and Woodmans, and barrels of cider made from the three orchards every fall and not vinegar enough among the trio to make pickles. I suppose the barrels leaked at the tap. Oh well cider is more proffitable [sic: profitable] than vinegar, cant drink vinegar very well and cider slips down very easily. Well I told Muriel if they could not get any from Rube, Grace and Eveline may have the vinegar I am keeping for cucumber catchup. Arthur brings in 6 eggs which makes over 10 dozen laid down for winter. I make pumkin pies and use two eggs for pies. I wrote a letter to V and one to Sr. Evening mail Whig, Family Herrald, two from England, News of the World and comic, a letter from Voltie, one from Bob, postal from

nearly all their living carried from here now; flour, kerosine - well I'll not begin to innumerate or specify each article the list is two long. We cook beans again. Maud irons the clothes. I sow flower seeds, Japanese Morning glories, Verbinas, astors, Pansys. R went to Samy's for a bag of oats came from there, here. had an egg in her hand and two apples in her apron. The egg she had picked up in the barn yard but at first pretended she had brought it from home to buy a yeast cake with. The apples Aunt Ruth had sent to grandmother. She blowed around awhile about Jen & old Mary Anne said she had just mailed a letter to Will giving him to plainly understand she is not going to endure this thing any longer. I gave her beans, cake,

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Sunday 1 March 1903 Wind blowing all night but freezing hard. Ground nearly bare, ice froze hard enough to bear heavy loads. cutters flying up and down the ice. work done up early. wish V would come. Van & Sid drive in here at 10 have horse put in stable over coats off. cider brought up from cellar, tongues loosened up and talking begins about moving horse trots and Maud & Irene get dinner. we set the table with our new dishes, for we have company fried pork, mashed potatoes, gravy, brown bread, white bread, onions, pickles, cookies, honey, butter, pepper, salt, tea, cream & sugar thats all. after dinner more cider more talk: Voltie came just in time for dinner too. Sid and Van went up to see aunt Ruth and Lib Patterson Van brought me some seed beans. I sent Lib a peck of seed potatoes—russets, and lent her book the "Heart of the New Thought" and two 'new Thought" magazines. At last away they go carrying 60 lbs sugar with them smuggling 30 lbs of the sugar was mine that Voltie brought home to day which we let Sid have for dollar. Voltie bought 1,00 lbs and left 70 in Kingston so I have now only granulated sugar. We all sit and read till 9:30 Forgot to say Maud tried skating but too rough Maud goes to Church a 3 pm.

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Thursday 4th Dec 1903 Maud went to Kingston and carelessly got left in Town; after putting the baskets and groceries aboard the Pierpoint. A very cold day but Irene works around and keeps every thing snugly and cozy.

Sunday 8 March 1903 Wind blowing a gale all night from south, the morning reveals a windy foggy rainy most miserable day for weather but I enjoy it all the same, it speaks of a quiet lazy day at home when we can read, write and have a good time jeneraly [sic: generally]. Maud dressed and goes to church at 1/2 past 10 service. No one came. old Bill and Sid cant get here to day so the cider barrels will take a rest.

Monday 9 March 1903 A find day Wind North froze last night. The funeral at 10 am Mrs Woodman (Aunt Ruth) remains laid in the Vault. Wells, Voltie and Maud went to funeral. I staid home and prepared dinner all ready piping hot when they came. After dinner Voltie goes to Alice Michea [illegible] bee. 10 helpers they put up 90 cakes of ice. Voltie home early. Wallace came to bring home a pitch fork visited a whole hour or more. Cloudy towards evening I churn and get supper. Maud made pillow tuck and pulled it and made a sheet.