Irene Dixon Bamford

Continued - Wallace and Geo Farr gone to the back woods and lakes of Canada fishing, carried with them a barrel of fish nets, guns, ammunition &c &c

Friday 20 Nov 1896 A quite pleasant Nov day. Grace cooking all fore noon for a surprise party at Bells this eve. We get dinner early, and Grace fills her "basket with apples, pie & cake and goes aross the fields to Uncle Sammy's, and goes up with the mail as far as Berry's Corners, and walks the rest of the way carrying the basket which must have been very heavy. I think it must have been a surprize to Belle and the children when they saw her come in so unexpectedly, the company were not many only V, and G, & Shell, Frank, Ed Weaver, Geo Morgan & Alice F, Hank & Dick Halliday, Lewis & Dick Lerush and Hanks' lad Jim Hunter. Rachel came over awhile. Maud and I alone all the evening and all night. Maud at school. A letter from Wells Sr

Wednesday 17 February

Snowing this morning. Verandah floor covered an inch with snow. Wells Sr after thinking the matter over a while goes to Kingston for sill lumber and other building material. Frank Leatherland called here on his way to Kingston and is as polite and darling as ever. Dick Halliday here for V to go with him and invite for a dance at Bells next monday eve. Devers Breakey drove here to see V for some thing. Wall Niles Drove in here for Miss Quinn to accompany him in cutter to Wellies. Will here a little while. Grace went to sleep after dinner awhile. Got up and cleaned floors. Wellie here for butter. Weather shimpy and soft. Evening visitors Will Dixon, Wall Niles Shell Niles, George Morgan, & Jim Morgan, Agnes Staley, Ed Weaver, Miss Quinn. Danced in kitchen & Grace stood over the hot stove and popped corn for them till she is

13. Tuesday 23rd February 1897

This morn the storm has abated - no wind but the horse track so filled no use looking for it. Voltie gets or borrows J.N.'s bobs and goes over river for saw dust. Sr ceiling kitchen. Sr drove with Maude to school. Clouds appear like breaking away and becoming clear again. Wellie here for butter and cleaning up a grist for mill. paid. Buchanan was over looking for his rig but had not found it yet had been to Clayton and Gananoque but no clue. Dick Halliday here this eve, says going to dance at Charleys tomorrow night for Dick has bought the oysters. Aggy gone home with Shell to stay over night.

Sunday 24 March 1895 Not a very pleasant morning. Wind S. snowing and raining, regular March weather. Such a day as no one comes to see us and we sit around the stove and read & nod over our books and papers while the weather grows worse and the wind rises and howls dismaly around the house. Voltie gone to bed. Wells Sr reading the Whig. Grace and Maud reading. Would like to know how the family over in the Snow house are this morning and if they have any thing for breakfast, poor things. Had a nap while Grace got dinner. Sun shining clearly all pm. Dick Halliday drove down to make a visit for the first time in two years & staid to supper, went down cellar with Voltie and looked at the potatoes, think he wants to buy. Heard those people that yesterday moved into the old snow house ar ar [sic] gypsie vagrants belonging to a gang of thirty or more prowling around the country.

tiresome days are passed since I last wrote in this diary & little events have taken place that go to make up our every day life and passed by forever. Grace and Maud have been to Veron and made a two weeks visit, came home on 11 July bringing Harry W. and Fred Smith with them for a weeks visit which lasted till 18 July. Marjorie stayed with me three weeks. Mother here more than a week. Belle and her children and Dick Halliday here, Dordane Sid Percy, Alda and two young ones here. Rachel, Will and all of Jen's children here several times. Mrs Park here. Two patrons meetings hen. Mr Niles and Wallace working here. Shelly Niles here. Frank Woodman here. Allen LaFleu here. Weather very dry. Smiths boarders here 5 of them