Irene Dixon Bamford

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they arrive safe and sound. Will drove home the cows and put them in stanchions. Harry came home from Kingston enroute for St Lawrence N.A. X 7 p.m. A heavy and temendous storm of wind began just after they came in from the boat, blowing a hurricane and raining all night.

Friday 6th November 1896 A wild wild morning Wind S and blowing a tempest. Harry never before saw the reiver so rough and the rolling waves dash so high against the shore. A chilly day and we are glad to gather around the kitchen fire. We take our time and dont work very hard to day. Maud home from school. Grace poped [sic] corn white as a snow drift. A letter from Dad and the Whig is all our mail. McKinley presedent [sic] of the United States my dear native Rand, my eyes behold the [illegible] the shore

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Thursday 26 November 1896 Grace & Voltie came home this morning from D Woodmans at 4 Oclock and went to bed. I arose at 7 build a fire and got breakfast well under way when V gets up. Earth and trees covered thickly with ice completely encased. Maud gets up early enough to eat her breakfast and starts immediatley to school. The weather proves to be delightfully fair Sun shining out warm and clear from a cloudless sky. Scarcely a ripple on the river. The ice dropping from the trees in showers as the warm sun light loosens it and the grass is green again. Can & tub soon filled with water as the ice rapidly melts on the roof. Grace arose at 9 and is now washing a few things. Jen & Eveline gone to Kingston. Thanks giving day throughout the United States and Canada Flora came over to bring the butter print get the shortning.

Sunday 31st March A clear bright quiet calm day, new snow disapearing but millions of old snow every where, great banks to melt away yet. Wellington Burham's horse ran away from the church shed where he was hitched with cutter and in rounding the point at concession struck cutter and smashed it up breaking runners, fells dash board seat and cleared from the cutter, ran down the ice and away over towards United States and wheeled about and came home again. After dinner Grace went down the ice to Wellies. Jr at the barn nearly all day. Voltie up stairs. Maud & I here alone. My head always singing like August crickets. A cloud off in the south. Well I must go now and skim the milk for the calves for tis after 4 p.m.

Sunday 14 April 1895 A cloudy day, water hole gone and river clear of ice from Canada to United States. Skiffle are now passing from one government to another. Niles been over and returned. Grace over to her Grandmothers since breakfast, dishes were washed. Wellie came up awhile and I let him take 6 Yankee Blades. W Sr at the barn most of the time. This is Easter Sunday. The day on which arose our most blessed Savior. A quiet calm peaceful day. Grace came before dark. Said Frank Woodman and Bill Horn ate dinner at Wells. Evening visitors Frank Woodman & Bernard Morgan. Night dark and rainy.

18.

Tuesday 21st Jan 1908 Voltie not home this morning. Rachel not here. Only Sr and I. The day proves to be fine and warm, set the north door and window open well [sic] I finish writing to Muriel and dad takes it to post. Uncle Sam told Sr that the boat didn't cross to the city yesterday. Flynn's told some of the Woodman family that the islander didn't go to town yesterday on account of ice. So V staid somewhere. I work around, clear up the pantry, cook, sweep &c. Look at the old St Lawrence as it floats the great body of ice slowly floating along down with the currant [sic]. Sometimes it gets lodged between Canada and the United States but only for a short time, then slowly pushes its way down stream, miles upon miles of ice comes from above Carlton. Towards night it becomes cloudy and dark and begins to rain. Wells takes the lanter any [sic] goes across the field to the post office. The bright glimmer of the lantern relecting