5034_4-1-13

This is 20 May Saturday 1905

Have not written in this diary since 9th of May, many events have occured since then; my dear old mother died on the 12 of May 1905 of paralysis at the age of nearly 90 years. Frank Woodman came over to tell us. Sunday the body was brought to the island and laid in the vault as it was her request to be burried here. Voltie went for Belle, and she came home with him and staid till after the funeral. Will and Flora, Ethel, Lottie, Belle, Charley, Mary, William & Stanley Woodman and Rachel and Frank Woodman and Johny Bamford here to dinner. Voltie carried them all back over the river, they went in two skiffs. V rowing one and Will D the other. V came back towing one of the skiff home again through the thick fog on the river. The weather is disagreeable, windy rainy and cold. I think V has lost all his tomato plants by setting them out on a cold windy day, plants will die.

sure, this very morning is nearly cold to freeze. V coal tared [sic] the punt this morning going to set a net for fish. The spring work goes slowly on; onions, cabbage, lettuce, peas are sowed &c. Rachel and Lottie came over awhile after dinner. Mr Roadhouse came down from the cemetery made a long prayer.

Sunday 28 May 1905 month nearly gone Not clear and bright but cloudy yesterday (Saturday). V arose early went to Kingston driving up by the road to the villiage. chickens hatching in the incubator. V came bringing brooder and groceries and woven wire for chicken yard. Evening visitors Mr & Mrs Daily, Rube & Mary McFadden Robert Percy & Bob Henderson' This morning Voltie took the chickens from the incubator 80 of them and tranfered them to the brooder.

Saturday 19 Nov 1904 The most beautiful Nov. day I ever saw, warm, bright like June. Wells Sr shingling stable. Voltie building addition to poultry house. Maud done the Saturdays cleaning up. Irene made pumpkin pies, fried cakes, cooked breakfast, dinner & supper & washed all the dishes and separator.

Wednesday 8 Nov 1904 Not a very bad day for the season. Dress 7 fowl & two ducks for market. Rachel came over and helped me finnish [sic] picking fowl and staid—no she didnt and sent her shoe over here for Maud to take to Kingston for repair. V plowing another

November

Sunday 20 1904 A warm hazy day, wind south blowing rather briskly. Very heavy thunder in the night but little rain.

There has been no rain or snow for nearly three weeks, though the ground is, or has been frozen so hard, plowing could not be done for more than a week ago. It is a drouth [sic] in November a very unusual thing, or occurance for this month. I sat down to write in the diary and wandered off into dream land for half an hour or more when Maud arouses me to pare apples for dinner. Sr up stairs all forenoon. The sky is overcast with thick dark clouds and so thick and smoky Carleton Island is entirely hidden from view. Away off in the South we hear the rumbling of distant thunder but no rain.

Monday 21 Nov 1904

A beautiful day N wind not cold. Wells Sr & Voltie plowing over the way. June cut out the pillow ticking. Maud made one and took the last of the pumpkin from the poles and Irene put it in the bag and washed separator and mixed bread and washed the Churn and prepared for churning, washes dishes and helped get dinner. Maud swept and made beds.

Tuesday 22nd Nov 1904 A fine day and also the anniversary of my birth 71 years old to day. I am nearing the other shore. I wrote and send a letter to Jen. This is a very poor pen and worse ink. I'm sleepy and go fast asleep while writing. The Weekly Herald didnt come.