Thursday, December 24, 1936

plesant s wind
Made a layer cake with date filling and cherry pie and 2 shells and apple turn over for dinner-
Mopped the kitchen and dustedthrough the two living rooms & kitchen-
Clara & Harry came about four o'clock this afternoon-
Iliff came and took me over to the Searles' tree
Had a wonderfull evening-

My Christmas Tree from 2009

Wednesday, December 23, 1936

plesant S. wind
Dusted the kitchen and tidied generally-
Harry came for late dinner-
his car gone bad-
He had to be towed back by Claude Berdoff-
Claude called and told us Harry was back to Scotts all right-
Harry killed a rooster and I dressed him this afternoon-
Mother good today-

Monday, December 14, 1936

plesant all day
warmer this evening-
Done every day general work
stewed apples for supper-
wrote a letter to Clara with Aunty writing too-
Sent birthday card to Delbert-
Mended Mothers dress and made new button hole-
Harry called about an hour this afternoon-

Tuesday, November 24, 1936

plesant day & warmer
Thawed a little today-
about 4 inches of snow this morning-
Made oatflake cookies and stewed pumpkin this forenoon
sent letter to Iliff-
Combed Mothers hair and swept & dusted upstairs this afternoon-
Mother tired but good all day-
She prowled all night last night so was very tired-
gave her a pill-

Friday, November 20, 1936

plesant & warmer
Helped Aunty clean paint in her dining room-
Subscribed for the magazine "Sucessfull [sic] Farming" and "Better Homes & Gardens" $3.50
Mother was good today-
but does not want to go to bed-
Sent a letter to Iliff-

Better Homes & Gardens December 1936 issue

Thursday, November 19, 1936

plesant & cold
Made a rice pudding and finished cleaning the kitchen paint to day-
Rec'd a nice long letter from Alice also one from Iliff.
Aunty sent a letter to Clara
Mother has been good today.

Tuesday, November 17, 1936

plesant & warmer south wind-
snow melted away this afternoon-
I washed paint in kitchen this forenoon and after dinner
Mother stayed with us so I combed her hair then washed 8 windows on south side of house-
treated Mothers foot this eve and put on new corn plaster^-
*Rec'd note from Iliff of safe arrival 1-30 a.m.

1937 ad for corn plasters^

^Image courtesy of Modern Mechanix blog.

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

Monday, November 16, 1936

regular blizzard all day-
windy & cold 20 [degrees] above zero this eve-
snow covers everything
I made tapioca custard for dinner and washed off the porch furniture and carried it up stairs this forenoon-
mended two dresses this afternoon-
Mother is difficult this eve and hugs the stove and wont go to bed-

Sunday, November 8, 1936

Cloudy & thaws
Charles brought over groceries and took 20 qt can back and brought it full of water to drink-
I dusted through both living rooms this forenoon-
Took my bath this afternoon-

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-

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 >

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.

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.

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-

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

Saturday, September 26, 1936

plesant and cool
Made a minute tapioca custard and done Saturday cleaning and washed kitchen windows
Mary Delano came with milk this eve-
Mother has been very good all day-

Saturday, September 5, 1936

plesant & cool
I made butterscotch pudding and swept & dusted the two south living rooms and rubbed with cedar oil the furniture in Auntys north living room and washed the windows inside in the south room
Clara took Mother for a ride-
Took my bath at bed time.

The wedding announcement of Searles/Slocum*

*I am asuming this Mary L. Searles is a cousin to Irene's daughter-in-law (my grandmother) Mildred Searles Dolton.

Saturday, August 29, 1936

rained all night but plesant all day-
I mopped the kitchen and scrubbed the toilet and burned refuse from the wagon house this p.m.
Clara worked on Mothers chair cover
She has done a fine job-
Took my bath at bedtime-

Wednesday, August 12, 1936

pleasant all day Hot
I roasted a ham and swept and tried to get some what cleaned out-
and had a nice visit with Harry between times-
He split up some wood for Iliff-
while Iliff helped Alvord Baker thresh and press straw-

Monday, August 10, 1936

thunder shower all afternoon-
Finished the ironing this forenoon and swept and dusted Clara's room
and made up the beds all clean for their coming
Leroy Bower stopped on his way to town-
Aunty sent for roast of beef
Iliff came this afternoon a little while

Thursday, August 6, 1936

rained last night cooler today-
Washed more windows and washed off porch and furniture
Genie Hall came this afternoon and stayed to supper-
Vera and Gibb with Sadie Cockran came this evening-
They invited Aunty and I to go to Freeville Camp meeting* with them next Sunday eve-

Current Google map showing possible routes from Ludlowville to Freeville

*Freeville, NY in Tompkins County, only had one church, but held many camp meetings with tents & itinerant ministers coming to preach. Central & Western NY have a history of religious fervor, particularly in the early 19th century when the Second Great Awakening took hold, & lead to the regions nickname, the Burned Over District. This lead to the founding of Mormonism by Joseph Smith in Palmyra, & Spritualism with the Fox Sisters in Hydesville. There is an neat blog I found, if you are interested- Exploring the Burned Over District.