February 1906

Thurs. February 1. 1906

 

 Fine day. 30˚ mng. About 40 rest of the day. Finished chopping my wood  and went over to Chet’s. He had been to city after coal. We came over with Frank’s old wagon to draw my wood. Drew one load. But the 2d was too much for one hind wheel. It collapsed and we had to leave it. At Henry’s this evening. Haven’t felt hardly able to drag around all day. Must do something for myself before long, I guess, but don’t hardly know what is left to do.

Met Goodspeed and Belle.

 

 

Fri Feb. 2. 9 P.M. 4˚

 

Zero weather all day. Fine but awfully cold. Put the wood we drew yesterday into barn. Went over to Henry’s and got sour milk. Made lot of ginger snaps. First experience, pretty good but nothing to brag of. Chet came and we finished drawing all my wood. I had cut 4 loads. A good pile of it. This evening too cold to go out, so made applesauce, boiled cabbage, turnip, carrots and potatoes, fried pork and had a good hot supper.

 

 

Sat. Feb. 3   8˚ A.M. 6˚ Eve.

 

Cold day. Put my wood all in the farm. Chet came after Frank’s wagon which I had fixed so he could take it home. Patsy found Louis King’s cap which was lost last night. I left it a Cole’s this evening. Looks Stormy, color around the sun.

 

 

Sun Feby 4. 12˚

 

Not quite as cold. At home all day. Henry Cole called this P.M. At Chet’s in eve. Chestie and I cut pictures. He was pretty tired and sleepy. Chet gave me a chicken which I brought home. Stopped at Farmer’s. Looks stormy, 12˚

 

 

Mon. Feby 5 0˚

 

Snow storm this mng. Lasted until mid P.M. Very cold all day and tonight. At Henrys P.M. Henry Lyndall there. Hard N. wind. Easier tonight. Martin Cross called for papering tools.      

 

 

Tue. Feby 6, 1906.

 

15° 7 a.m. 0° Noon 10° 9 p.m. The coldest day that I have seen since coming ashore. Wind N.W. and the bay frozen over again the 2d time. Two days ago it was half open. Haven’t been out at all today as I considered it a very good day to stay near a good fire which I have had. Picked and dressed and cooked my chicken and made some oat flake biscuit. Washed a weeks dishes, swept floor etc. Opened a new bbl of “Pillsbury’s Best”

 

 

Wed. Feby. 7. 10° 7 a.m. 4° 10 p.m.

 

A fine 0° day. Sunny and pleasant. No wind tonight. Sawed and split wood in barn. At Chet’s at supper. Chestie more than glad to see me. looking at seed catalogs. Stopped at farmers coming home Joe Bessett called also. Mr. Carey’s 74th birthday next Friday. Ruth and Ray think of going up there at that time. Frost has been so thick on windows for several days that I couldn’t see through them. But it is melting off some tonight. Henry’s fish shanty lies away out in the ice. Patsy drew wood on sled.

 

 

Sun Feby 11

 

Cold as ever. Though this has been a fine day. We now have 6 to 8 inches of snow which is now commencing to drift. Eclipse through night and Fri mng. I didn’t see it though. A big snow storm all Friday. Yesterday from 9 to 9:30 p.m. it snowed as hard as I ever seen it: otherwise the day was fine. Sawed wood Fri and Sat.  Today made 2 loaves bean bread and 8 apple pies. At Henry’s this evening. S. wind rising. 

 

 

Mon. Feby. 12

 

Fine day.  Mercury just below freezing point all day.

Some wind and snow drifing.   Sawed wood.  Expect finish tomorrow.  Chet came at 11.30 to see if I was snowed in.  Expects to meet Capn at Essex tomorrow night and bring him home.  Hope he will do so.  Folks all well as usual.

 

 

Tue. Feby. 13

 

Warmer.  40° at midday.  Considerable bare ground in sight.

Finished sawing wood about noon.

Went to King’s and got a pail of buttermilk.  Stopped at Hardy’s and Farmer’s.  Hard travelling and it seemed as if I never could get back home.

Mrs. Young and her daughter Mrs. Gilbert were at Farmer’s.

 

Wed. Feb. 14   9 P.M. 13°

 

Snowing hard all day.  Have only been out to mail-box.  Boiled dinner.  Washed dishes and swept.  Picked over beans.  Joe Bessett called and said he had bought Mrs. Tatro’s old place for $325.00.  Temperatures about 20° most of the day.

 

 

 Thur. Feb. 15

 

A cold day.  Sawing wood all day.

 

 

Fri. Feb. 16

 

Some warmer.  Finished my wood and swept barn floor about 2.30 PM and then went over to Chet’s.  Chestie and I had a great time singing and playing.

 

 

Sat.  Feb.  17

 

Zero in mng., but thawing at noon.

Chet and I went to city.  Got Blacksmith’s coal and lumber for wagon box.  Chet went to Winooski for load of manure.  Bought leggings and overshoes and a few other things at Saigers which I forgot.

 

 

Sun. Feb 18  9 P.M.

 

Almost thawing all day.  Chet’s folks went to Colchester.   I guess Ray and Chestie stayed.

Henry called on me and sampled my bread and doughnuts.  Baked 4 loaves and some raised biscuits.  All were first class.  Stewed some pears for sauce, also some apples for pies but deferred making them till I feel more like it.

At Henry’s this evening.  Frank there also.

 

 

Mon. Feb 19

 

Quite warm and thawing about all day.  Chet drew down a load of wood which I split and sawed and put in shed.  Chet went after maure at Winooski and drew load of wood for Porter to city.  I went on a scout through the woods trying to spot the wood thief who is taking wood from Chet’s lot.  I failed however but am not discouraged.  Called at Raytee’s.

Chet got my groceries which I forgot last Saturday.

A fine evening and not very cold.  Chestie come home from C.

 

 

Tue. Feb. 20   9 P.M.  40°

 

Thawing all day.  So. Wind.

Borrowed at 5/16 bit and 2 prs ice tongs of Henry.

After dinner I took them and the long handled ice-pick over to Chet’s and we worked on the new wood rack but didn’t finish it.  Looks very much like rain tonight.

Chet paid Edson $7.00 on hay.

 

 

Wed. Feb. 21  9 P.M. 40°

 

Thawing and cloudy all day.  At Chet’s all day.  We finished the wood-rack in AM and PM we cut and drew a load of wood and fitted part of it for the stove.  Hi went to the Island and later his 2 horse team with Harvey and hired man followed to get ice if they could.  I think they are still there and we are going down in the morning to commence work on ice if it doesn’t storm.

 

 

Thu.  Feb. 22  10 P.M. 20°

 

Washington’s Birthday.  No Mail.

Thawing through middle of the day, though freezing this morning.

Chet + I cut and put 96 cakes 16½×25¼×10’’ into Stone’s ice-house. Had good luck.   Coming home the mare jumped and stood me on my head in the sand + snow; but no harm was done. Hi finished his icing + went home. Peter Cole had a very severe epileptic fit to-day, and his folks feared he would not recover. Better to-night.

Feel pretty tired to-night + somewhat lame, but guess I will be all right to-morrow.

 

 

Fri Feb 23    10 P.M    35  ̊

 

Fair day. Snowing a little but not much. Cut + packed ice at W. Pt. for Stone. 54 cakes. + put in a lot of sawdust. Marked out our days cutting for to-morrow. Went + came on ice between the sand-blow and the Point. Porter called around to see us, as inquisitive as ever. I was so lame and my back ached so that I wasn’t worth much and I feel pretty badly to-night. It has been the hardest day I have experienced for a long time. I dread the day to-morrow, for it must necessarily be a hard one for both Chet and myself. I’m too tired to build a fire so am going to bed without one as I did last night.

 

 

Sat. Feb. 24

 

Quite a warm day. Finished putting in Stone’s ice and also put in most of the saw-dust. Had to hustle after dinner or loose our ice, it thawed so fast. Broke through a big crack near So. Beach coming home about dark. Scared me some but no damage done except wetting the old mare. Had a good time with Chestie telling stories after supper.

Pretty nearly played out, but still I did better to-day than I did yesterday.

Northern lights flashing to-night.

           

 

Sunday Feb 25

 

Still thawing.  Didn’t get up until late. Went to Henry’s after papers. Came back + went to see how Peter Cole getting along. Dinner at Cole’s, Henry came from Shaeffer’s on skates through the slush. Pete took him back. Rain the P.M. + evening.

 

 

Mon. Feb. 26.  9.P.M.  23˚

 

Rain +thaw nearly all day. Snow + freezing tonight. Haven’t done much except trying to recuperate for the next ice harvest. Over to Henry’s + made ice-pick + ice-chisel. Supper at Henry’s + a good visit this evening.

 

 

Tue. Feb. 27.   10.P.M. 15˚ West-wind

 

Cold day. Fair. Chet + I went to Benlaw.  Marked out 400 cakes of ice 20” sq. cut + pulled out 60 of them + came home. Ice 7½” thick.

Chestie + I had a short good time after supper.

He looks pale and has poor appetite, I am greatly troubled about him, more so than any one else seems to be. Chet brought me home, and took home a half bbl of coal. Farnum says Weather Bureau at Washington telephones that snow will come tomorrow. It looks pretty dark + hazy to-night anyways. Hope it continues good weather until we can finish getting ice in.

 

           

Wed.Feb.28.               10.P.M. 4˚    NW Fresh

 

The coldest for some time. Squally all around but not here. Pleasant after 7 A.M. Chet + I went to Benlaw and broke road + made other preparations for drawing ice and drew 60 cakes cut yesterday.

Wind has been terrible all day. Fresh + cold. We took our dinner in Hiram’s fish shanty. Nice + warm. Came home early. Frank Gilmore to help to-morrow. Shall be glad when icing is over. I know Watkins won’t be satisfied when he finds ice-house is not repaired. Standard Coal + Ice Co. preparing to take ice from Muck Hole to R.R.R. and car it to Burlington.

Everyone has feared an ice famine this winter but this weather seems reassuring.

Northern Lights flashing again to-night.

 

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