Thursday, October 30, 2014

Friday, October 30, 1936

Stormy & windy & cold-
I washed 2 sweaters & wool skirt for Mother-
Clara came at noon-
took me for a ride and we unburdened our souls to each other-
I agree to stay untill Thanksgiving to see how things work out-
Harry came about one o'clock
I rec'd letter from Iliff-


Thursday, October 29, 1936

plesant & cool
full moon this eve-
I made ginger bread and put parafine on the jelly and put it away-
I dug the onions in the garden this afternoon and went to Mrs. Evans and got butter
Harry dug potatoes and Aunty picked them up this forenoon and he dug carots & beets this P.M and gor water from Evans'
He went to Half Acre 5 o'clock-
Rec'd letter & check $20.00 from Clara^-
paid to Nov. 4-
*Sent card to Iliff-

Envelope with Newburgh postmark Oct 27, 1936

First page of Clara's letter to Irene

Page 2 & 3 of Clara's October 1936 letter to Irene

Final page of the letter


^Clara's letter to Irene:
         P.S. I'm a great one, forgot to thank you for my pietuner. 
That was so nice of you to remember me.                                                  10/27/36
Dear Irene,
         I was glad to get your letter saying that you felt better. It must have been something we ate.
         I hate to wish time away but I'll certainly be glad when I can get home again.
         Auntie said you had a lovely cake for mother- and I do appreciate it so. Just don't know how we could manage without you. Did Mother like her flowers and was she awfully disappointed because I wasn't home? She may have forgotten that I usually did spend the day with her.
         I finally decided to go to Hudson. Anne Crawford was taken ill while I was there and had a doctor. It seemed to be a severe cold. Cousin Anne Meigs tells me she came within one of having pneumonia. There is an awful lot of it around. The more I think about it the more convinced I am that Mother should not go down to vote. It might be bad for both of them. Standing around waiting in the cold is not good for young people- and certainly not for old ones.
You have taken such good care of them Irene that I would hate to see them start off wrong this winter. If they can only be well and reasonably happy.
        I'll bet you miss your boy. How is he getting on?
        Had a letter from Harry- said he planned to dig your potatoes- no matter what we said.
        As soon as I mail this I'm taking off old ironsides (breaking in a new girdle)
        My little plant is full of green leaves. Sending a check for $20.00
                                              Lots of love
                                                                 Clara.

*This is written up the left hand, inside margin of the diary entry.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Wednesday, October 28, 1936

Cool & plesant
Sent letter to Clara
Rec'd letter from Iliff
Made fruit jello for desert
Combed Mothers hair and Harry took us to see the voting machine demonstrated^ and then went to Lansingville turned left at the little brick house and came out at Lake Ridge-
nice ride-
*Had plesant evening

1936 lever voting machine by Modern Mechanix^


^Women had only been voting for 16 years by this time. I'm glad the women in my family were taking their new found rights as full citizens seriously. < Image from the website Op Ed News. Read the full article on voting in the USA >

*This is written up the left hand, inside margin of the diary entry.


Monday, October 27, 2014

Tuesday, October 27, 1936

plesant but cold
Made chocolate custard for dinner-
cleaned out the reservoir to the to the kitchen stove-
Harry took Mother and I to Ithaca-
I made application to the Ithaca Service Bureau for another place*-
got my shoes half soled and a new corset and slip-
Wrote to Clara this eve-
Vera & Gibb called
Harry bought clams for soup.


*Is Irene looking for another job?


Sunday, October 26, 2014

Monday, October 26, 1936

rained all night
changing to snow flurries this afternoon and windy-
Roasted plate piece of beef Harry brought and cooked swiss chard-
Sent letter to Iliff and also one  to Chester with a dollar bill for his birthday-
Mother good all day but terribly flighty tonight and won't go to bed at 10-30


Saturday, October 25, 2014

Sunday, October 25, 1936

windy and cold
Made corn starch custard and combed Mothers hair and washed her neck and ears-
Harry Baker came for dinner and stay all night-
Mildred and Florence & Delbert called this late afternoon on the way to Francis-
I wrote letter to Iliff this eve-


Friday, October 24, 2014

Saturday, October 24, 1936

plesant and cool
Made a jelly layer cake and mopped the kitchen and done general Saturday work-
Aunty canned the quinces with sweet apples-
I do not get strength and feel quite like myself.
Mother good today-
Rec'd nice letter from Iliff-

Pancrace Bessa00
Quince By Pancrace Bessa (1772-1835)*

*Quince is a tree fruit similar to pears & apples. Because of fireblight, quince trees are no longer common in North America. < image attribution: Quince By Pancrace Bessa (1772-1835) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons >


Thursday, October 23, 2014

Friday, October 23, 1936

cloudy & little rainy spells all day with steady rain this eve-
I made 16 glasses of grapes jelly today part of them being pint glass jars-
No water in the well yet.
Mother good today


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Thursday, October 22, 1936

Cloudy & windy with rain this eve-
Rec'd letter from Aunt Sarah
Mother rec'd letter from Clara-
I sent card to Iliff-
I canned 7 quarts of tomatoes and put away jelly-
Mother has been good all day


Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Wednesday, October 21, 1936

plesant & warm, beautiful day-
Rec'd letter from Iliff and mailed one to him-
Harry  Baker & Mr. Fred Clark came to go hunting  this afternoon-
No game-
I made 4 pts cauliflower pickle-
Tapioca custard and ost flake cookies-
helped Aunty make 8 glasses of red grape jelly-
Leroy Bower called and asked me to go hunting -
Aunty told him I was sick so we did not go-


Irene's single barrel, 12 gauge shotgun



Monday, October 20, 2014

Tuesday, October 20, 1936

plesant & warm all day
canned 5 pints of blue grapes and 2 pints of Catauba grapes
Seem to feel a little better today.
Clifford Wooley came to look at Aunty's stove but wanted a round oak instead-
Rec'd a card from Iliff today-
Wrote letter to Iliff this eve-


Sunday, October 19, 2014

Monday, October 19, 1936

windy, cloudy & cool-
Hunting season opened and guns cracking in every direction-
Howard Simm called
I made corn starch custard and got meals and washed the dishes-
Went to bed this afternoon-
I do not get over this Intestinal Grippe-
I ache and am so sore and weak-
Mother has been good today-
Sent letter to Aunt Sarah-



Sunday, October 18, 1936

Cloudy, windy, & cool-
Made a lemon pie-
Combed Mothers hair etc-
Leroy Hall came and had dinner and sawed wood about 2 hours this afternoon-
Harry Baker came for dinner-
Iliff came for me after dinner and I spent the afternoon at Searles'
Mildred brought me back for supper
Iliff left for Buffalo 4-30 P.M.
Harry left for Auburn 7-45 P.M-



Friday, October 17, 2014

Saturday, October 17, 1936

Rainy day-
Rec'd a letter from Aunt Sarah
Felt badly all day and went to Dr. Trabell in Groton this eve-
He says I have Intestinal Grippe*-
Took my bath this afternoon and went over to Susie Harings for a pail of water-
Iliff and Mildred came this eve and took me to Groton-
get me pair of rubbers-
Mother has been good today.

From the Eagle-Bulletin Fayetteville, NY 04/23/1936*


*I am not sure what "intestinal grippe" is, but it made the local paper when someone came down with it. The above clipping is from a paper not too far from where Irene was living in 1936. See the paper HERE.


Thursday, October 16, 2014

Friday, October 16, 1936

Mothers birthday
I made a birthday cake and decorated it very pretty with Voguls decorations^-
I dug a pail of potatoes-
Clara and Lloyd sent a bouquet of crysianthemums beautiful things-
Mother was pleased and liked her cake & flowers
Aunty has had stomach trouble today-
vomited terribly-
feels better this eve-
Mother has been good today
*Harry did not come

Cake by Heather Dolton, Irene's great-granddaughter^


^I can't seem to find anything about Vogul's or Vogel's cake decorations, but I did find this site about birthday cakes. About half way down it mentions (children's) birthdays in 1936. Another site is The Food Timeline: cake history. <image by Heather Dolton, Pastry Chef. Check out her Facebook page >

*This line was written vertically up the left hand side of the diary entry.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Thursday, October 15, 1936

plesant all day-
Have not eaten much today-
Pulled Aunty's beans and poles
Mother and I called on Mr and Mrs. Clayton Haring to learn about voting^ in Ludlowville
He will see I am registered-
Ella Miller and Leroy Lobdell called-
I dressed a burn on her arm and we picked up wlanuts
Leroy Bower got uscereals in town-
Mother good today-
*Rec'd card from Christine Uncle Oscar died Tuesday eve Oct. 13-

League of Women Voters poster


^Irene is registering to vote for the upcoming elections. Way to go! 1936 was a presidential election year. 

*This line was written vertically up the left hand side of the diary entry. I don't know who Uncle Oscar is, but he is more than likely a Smith, if Christine Smith wrote about it to Irene.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Wednesday, October 14, 1936

plesant  and a little warmer-
I am still sick and nauseated yet today-
Sent letter to Iliff also one to Bertha & family-
Raked over the lawn  on south side and carried leaves & horse chestnuts to burnpile in orchard-
this afternoon-
Ed Emmons and Lena Hamilton called this afternoon-


Monday, October 13, 2014

Tuesday, October 13, 1936

snow squalls & cold
cloudy & dull all day-
Harry raked some horse chestnuts untill it got wet and bad-
I made chocolate pie for dinner
Harry got a can of water of Mrs. Evans and I got 2 lbs butter.
Lizzie Hughes came for afternoon-
I have been nauseated and sick yet today.
I rec'd nice letter from Iliff and the pictures from Heads'
Answered letter to Iliff this eve-



Sunday, October 12, 2014

Monday, October 12, 1936

snow squall this early morning-
Temp- 28 [degrees] F
I have been sick and dissy all day and have fasted-
Clara left us this afternoon 2 o'clock for Newburg and her school-
Clara gave Mother a bath and put on her clean clothes today-
Mother has been very good all day.



Saturday, October 11, 2014

Sunday, October 11, 1936

Sunday plesant day
Harry cleaned up horse chestnuts this forenoon-
I cooked chicken for dinner & made biscuits-
Clara called on Leroy Bower this forenoon and they went to Elmira to see Mr. Davis about the hay this afternoon-
Mr. & Mrs. Clayton Bower called
Harry, Mother, Aunty & I went to Auburn & Half Acre for a ride-
Leroy Bower took supper & spent evening with us-


Ludlowville, NY to Elmira, NY







Friday, October 10, 2014

Saturday, October 10, 1936

rainy forenoon-
plesant afternon-
Harry, Clara, Mother & Aunty went to Ithaca this forenoon-
I made 3 pumpkin pies and a plain cake and a pigeon pie and dressed a rooster for tomorrows dinner-
Susie Haring and Flora Sperry called to see Clara this afternoon-
Clara & Mother called on Leroy & Anna this eve
*Clara gave me a pair of nice silk stockings

Pigeon pie


*This line is written vertically up the left hand side of the diary entry.

^A nice pigeon pie can be made by following the recipe from the Jane Austen Cookbook founf on the BBC- Radio 4 website.


Thursday, October 9, 2014

Friday, October 9, 1936

plesant and warm
Stewed pumpkin* and swept and dusted upstairs this forenoon-
Swept and mopped the kitchen and dusted all through downstairs-
washed off kitchen and middle living room windows and mopped south porch
Combed Mothers hair-
Susie Harring and Flora Sperry called-
Rec'd nice letter from Iliff-

pumpkin


*Stewed pumpkin recipe & history can be found on the My Family Doctor website.


Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Thursday, October 8, 1936



plesant and cool
Finished the ironing
combed Mothers hair and washed her neck and ears
Harry came and brought 7 pigeons and pumpkins and 3 pts milk and cans of water and concord grapes-
We went to Ludlowville for tea and coffee and to Ben Worsells for Catauba grapes*-
We raked up the horse chestnuts-


http://www.hort.cornell.edu/reisch/grapegenetics/Varietyphotos/catawba.JPG
Catawba grapes <image Cornell>*


*Catawba grapes are an American hybrid popular for making sparkling and desserts wine in Central NY. Read more on the blog New York Cork Report. Or check out this article from Cornell. <Image from Cornell University: http://www.hort.cornell.edu/reisch/grapegenetics/Varietyphotos/catawba.JPG>

 


Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Wednesday, October 7, 1936

rainy forenoon
plesant afternoon & warmer-
I made butterscotch pudding and oat flake cookies* dug some potatoes and picked a pall full of tomatoes this forenoon-
Ironed this p.M.and mended this eve-
Rec'd a card from Iliff-
Mother has been good to day-



*If you are new to the blog, welcome. Oat flake cookies are one of Irene's favorite things to bake as regular readers are well aware. For my own oatmeal cookie recipe I take you back to January 21.


Monday, October 6, 2014

Tuesday, October 6, 1936

plesant but windy-
Done the washing and cleaned out under oven of the Kalamazoo range and picked up horse chestnuts this afternoon-
Rec'd a card from Alice-
Combed Mothers hair an
put on clean cap and sweater and apron-
Sadie Freese and sister Frane* from Maryland called-


*Not sure how accurate these names are as Irene's handwriting is a bit difficult to decipher here.


Sunday, October 5, 2014

Monday, October 5, 1936

plesant and cool
Harry mowed & raked off the lawn this forenoon-
We set up Auntys stove this afternoon-
I made a lemon pie for dinner-
Harry and I got a can of water over to Mrs. Evans this afternoon-
He went home
Mother had been good.
Three baby kittens gone mysteriously



Saturday, October 4, 2014

Sunday, October 4, 1936

Beautifull day-
Harry and I went over to Florence and Delberts to spend the day-
Had chicken dinner and a wonderfull time-
Helped get the canned fruit down to Searles-
Went over to Will Fenners to enquire about pears-
None
Iliff left for Buffalo^ about 7 o'clock-
Mildred for school*-



^Iliff was an iron worker.

*Mildred was a school teacher. She graduated from Cortland Normal School which became SUNY Cortland. My brother graduated from there about 70 years after Mildred.

Friday, October 3, 2014

Saturday, October 3, 1936

plesant & cool
Harry & I went to town and cashed the checks and got groceries, fruit, & vegtables
was back at 1-30 and got our dinner-
Elnora Evans came and brought us butter-
Aunty has been sore & cross today-
Mother has been good-



Thursday, October 2, 2014

Friday, October 2, 1936

Frost this A.M. plesant and cool-
Made Jello-
swept and dusted my bedroom and kitchen-
Combed Mothers hair etc.
Mrs. Evans came & brought us cottage cheese and dahlias-
Ella Miller and Leroy Lobdell came for afternoon-
Harry Baker came this eve to stay all night-


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Thursday, October 1, 1936

Cloudy & cool-
picked tomatoes & gathered carrots and done general work-
Picked up more horse chestnuts this afternoon-
Iliff and Harry came for me and took me to Half Acre
Had a wonderfull time together-
Back at 8 c'clock-
Rec'd letter and check for $20.00 from Clara paid to Oct 7-

Envelope postmarked Newburgh, NY Sep 29 9:30 PM 1936

First page of Clara's letter to Irene

Pages 2 & 3 of Clara's letter to Irene

Last page of Clara's letter to Irene






Additional note that accompanied the $20 check