When Queens Ride By

Well now if the days aren't just buzzin' by as fast as can be! The autumn harvest was a success, praise the Lord! We had lots of help with the orchard. Church family came to help us, what a true blessing that was. Then one morn' a colored man showed up with a wagonload of folk and asked us if we needed help with the orchard. Seems they call these folks migrant workers.John said years ago his grandad would employ these kind of workers.  John explained to them we couldn't pay much and they were fine with what we could offer. The two abandoned shacks on the back acre where the orchard ends is where they stayed, guess this is where these kind of workers stayed years back when John's grandad had the orchard buzzin'.  Why I was right mortified and ran out there to try and clean those places up a bit, but their women folk already had it under control.  One thing I was able to do was share the food we had, I am so thankful I put up such a bountiful harvest.  John eve...

I have met so many nice folks the last months. Why the ladies at church are wonderful! And my dear friend Harriet up the road has been an angel sent from heaven. But, what I have been hoping for is a lady friend. One with a husband and children like me that I can have a cup of coffee or tea with here and there. Kind of share the troubles of the day with and know she'll have a sympathetic ear. Well, I found that friend a month ago! Or maybe she found me. Her name is Rosealee and she is a sweet lady for sure. Her and her husband Dominic have five children, three girls and two boys. They came here from Italy two years ago and have been living in the city with relatives. With enough money saved from her husband working in the family meat packing business they decided to buy the little abandoned farm up the road from us. It's a bit run down and needs lots of love to bring it back , but they ain't afraid of hard work and I think the Lord will bless them mightily. Dominic had vin...

My poor, poor journal! How I have neglected writing my days down here.  Let's see, where should I start. Well, me and Ruth Ann got over the sickness , but then the menfolk here got it. Made for a very interesting few weeks. I never in all my born days boiled so many chicken carcasses for broth as I did when those three were layed low.  Old Mac McCarthy from up the road came and helped with the milkin' and I can never repay his help and kindness. Of course, I fed him real good and sent him home with plenty of my canning, but all that help, I just feel like we should do more. I keep prayin' for the Lord to show me how to bless him so I will just wait for the sign. I planned my kitchen garden during the eves while the men were sick.  Got all the seeds too! I am not overextending myself. I remember all too clearly the toll all my ideas and back breaking labor took on my household and I don't ever want to go back to that.  No, my place is right here in the home, makin...

 Well here I lay covered in my grandmum's old quilt. Grandma could handle needle and thread better than anyone I have ever come across. I believe she made this quilt for her hope chest. Each time I visited her and Pop's home I would go to her bedroom and run  my hands over the little stitches and squares of pretty calico colors. Whenever I slept over there Grandma would cover me in her handmade quilt.  Grandma told me one time that everytime she worked on her quilt she prayed to God that it would bless whoever was under it. I think she prayed comfort and healin' into it.  Ruth Ann is laying right next to me. We're both sick. Terrible flu that is hitting the county hard. Even had to have Doc Layton out here twice. Poor John is trying his best to hold down the fort here. He has been seeing little Jim off to school and getting meals for him and the boys. I have smelt a few things burning on the stove, but John always yells up that it's alright, it's alright.  ...

Oh what a glorious Thanksgiving we had! The food was all too delicious, the warmth of the kitchen with all the good smells had all the family waiting anxiously for the dinner. Yet, to be truthful, the best part was to be surrounded by my family and dear friend Harriet. John was the jovial host. I swear he is becoming a bit less serious. He was sharing some funny stories from his childhood and had us all belly laughing. Although, I best have a word with him , some of the dangerous stunts him and his siblings pulled could have gotten him injured. No wonder his Mum went gray early!   And all the children just sitting listenin' to him , wide eyed. I could see on the boys faces they were already thinkin' of trying a few of his shananigans. I don't want none of my children taking the shovels and sleddin' down the north slope onto the pond! Why one never knows if it would be frozen or not--yes,  a word about that story is in order. Well, I am so excited for C...

Well now, finally I am finding time to get to puttin' my thoughts and memories of Thanksgiving in this here journal. I don't want to forget a minute of it, it was all too wonderful! My sister Emma and her husband Frank arrived Wednesday around 4pm with their boys Thomas and George. My how those boys have grown! Babes the last time I saw them. I must have hugged my sister for 5 straight minutes before I let her go, we both had tears streaming down our faces we were so happy to see each other.  The menfolk brought in the bags and I started a pot of coffe and got us a supper of potato soup and ham steaks going. Emma just couldn't believe how grown my children got to either. We both realized that time was speedin' by.  Us two got supper together while chatting wildly about this and that. My we had years of catchin' up to do. A lovely sup was had and we enjoyed some apple buckle with our coffee. Frank and John went out to do the evening milkin' with the boys while us...

Tonight I stayed up much too late. I was finishing up a new apron for myself. My others were showing terrible signs of all the work I have undertaken over the last two months.  I 'spose I could wear those aprons as a sort of badge of honor! Well, I didn't want to be a sight on Thanksgiving with my company so I picked up a very pretty light blue cotton check at Percy's store.  I was able to barter eggs for a nice cut of it   A bit of a ruffle on the sweeping edge and a ruffle around the bib too. Not only is it functional, but so pretty and right ladylike.  I also finished up my new dress which this apron compliments beautifully.  Fancy Jenny on Thanksgiving is what I shall be!  I also made a plain apron from the check fabric too, that way if a guest wants to put one on to help out, there is a nice, new apron to offer them.  My treadle has seen more treadlin' in the last few days than in the whole time I have had her since my Mum pas...