1953 April 18th Saturday
Bright until clouds, cold N.W. wind and in p.m. some snow flurries just at times. Men gave cattle 1 stack alfalfa, 1 stack wild hay and cared for calves to see that they were fed. Never worked at Fence nor plowed for alfalfa on Wagner Land where Will did yesterday. He nearly froze then. Thomas, Athel and Jimmie to Wales. Doris and David here for awhile and I played Canasta with them until Will was all in so went to bed so they went to Wales for eve. This was field day at Mission so Athel took the school children to Spelling & Arithmetic tests and Pat Heiden went to Frank Van Epps for night and there will be school tomorrow, so then she goes home to Maggritts. Edward. Lilly Mae and Cheryl live [there] and do the work as Mr. had a leg taken off. I have the black with flower print percale dresses finished but buttons and holes on 1 and bolts to put sleeves to waist and waist to skirts. These are heavier so may put away for winter next, if it don’t get warmer this spring. I may have to wear them now. Will and Dan went to mail letter of lease to register to Rosebud for William Abbott from Noble Moore, Sr., a land lease. They got rest of posts bought from Bud (Harold Whiting).
1953 April 19th Sunday
Broken, dark clouds in N.W., sun shone here but chilly strong N.W. wind here. Wales went to Mission or Winner Drive-In last eve and Will had to call Dan to get up to help cold calves [to] get warm. All O.K. and mothers fed them later. I baked an apple-spice cake, washed all the dishes. Had only Sausage Beef Burgers. Wrote in diary to date. Guess Wales are home this eve. We played Canasta in p.m. and eve. I got eats and [played] some solitaire. Will had to look about cows and calves now and then all day but they are O.K. Men took Jersey Milk Cow (Abbotts’) away from calf or left calf with other ones in bull pen so a lot of milk now.
1953 April 20th Monday
Sun shine and a nice day so men fed cattle hay and looked about calves. Dan worked at fence around new tree ground west of those trees west of our house, and Will, after getting Dan lined out for a straight, plowed at the ground. Bus McKee came this late p.m. with their drill and disc, took his tractor home but first he and Dan pulled a dead calf as Dan got cow in on Alabam. Will in pick up to Mission about 4:30 p.m. and had supper there, got 2300 Chinese Elms from Tom H. Pazarnsky, Soil Conservation, Mission, and got home a little while before dark. I got eats, played solitaire and finished 2 everyday dresses; next will make another quilt. Betty was up with milk but no Calvin, but Will said he was out in yard playing while she [was] here.
1953 April 21st Tuesday
Bright, nice day but south and strong [wind]. Will and Dan gave cattle hay, then Wales went in their pick-up to Valentine and home in eve. Will plowed and finished for trees and disced it once. I got eats and sewed another quilt top, played some solitaire.
1953 April 22nd Wednesday
Bright day. Men gave cattle hay and looked about calves. Will disced the tree ground second time and harrowed it and in p.m. they gave cattle 3 old stacks hay, just hauled stacks out. Dan fixed fence this a.m. Got disc & harrow ready to finish alfalfa. I got eats, sewed on quilt tops and some solitaire. Betty was up with milk.
1953 April 23rd Thursday
Sun shone and not a bad day, in fact very nice in morning. Will went to disc on Strids, some old alfalfa ground that was most[ly] weeds and the wind came up from S.E. about 10 a.m. very strong rest of day. Nearly moved a person when walking. Dan finished fence around trees (new ones). Will had to come [home] early eve. Evelyn, Bobbie, Patsy and Danny, born Feb. 6th, at Wales and here. I washed clothes and put all on line but dish & hand, Will did this. He brought them in as [they] dried quickly.
1953 April 24th Friday
Rained last night and some this early a.m., then strong N.W. Men gave cattle hay and as the Soil Conservation tree planter (Dan Harper), Mission, never came on account [of] rain, they went in our Mercury Car to Winner to get brake repairs at Studebaker’s Garage (Veck Viceka). They had dinner there, that is at Holms Cafe, and it was raining so they came home early then put Dan’s pick-up brakes in shape to run. Dan and Betty and Calvin got our mail last eve and Remnant packages from South Carolina Mills, Spartanburg, S.C. came for me and just what I need for to finish quilt tops. Betty & Calvin to Athels where Athel gave her a hair curl and family back this eve to give the finish to hair. I sewed on quilt top, played solitaire, got eats. It was last eve Wales to Thomas’s and yesterday a.m. Betty got her hair tamed.
1953 April 25th Saturday
Snowed last eve and Real Blizzard this a.m. but let down so men got in calves and cows last eve and had to haul some in on wagon and Dan [in] pick-up. Our pick-up was too icy to move until in p.m. A few cows bawl for calves but men can’t get them to claim any and gave cattle hay before noon, then Will stayed indoors and laid down. Dan started a play pen for Calvin north [of] their clothes line this p.m., and he looked at cows but Will went out and they fussed with cows and calves rest of late p.m. I finished quilt top and got eats and played solitaire. Will was nearly froze while so hot had to have door [open] on North Porch. Dan brought us milk so we have a lot now.
1953 April 26th Sunday
Sun shone bright and a nice overhead day but muddy roads. Will had to look to cows and 2 no calf but lost them in creek in snow storm Friday night, so Legion Meeting at Wm Colombe’s but we no go. Dan worked at Calvin’s pen. I washed dishes, cleaned kitchen & front room, wrote in diary. Will and I played Canasta in p.m.
1953 April 27th Monday
Sun shone until towards eve, then got damp and some clouds but no rain. Men gave cattle hay and Dan fixed fence between us and Kleins. Will went out to harrow alfalfa field on Strids, and Dan Harper came in his pick-up just as Dan came so he went with Harper from east gate into bull pen, they got Will at Strids, got trees and Dan took out M Tractor to west trees to put more in. Will helped Harper plant. Dan drove tractor. They quit for night, worked from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., got half patch finished with Chinese Elms. Harper went home to Mission and Will looked at cows and calves and men quit for night. I got eats, made a small quilt top, 50 X 72 for Calvin, also played some solitaire. Dan got mail and Betty brought it up then he and Calvin went in pick-up to Whiting Store and got mail late p.m. Began to cloud and looked stormy. Men ate pie and mince pie this p.m. before planting trees, also after I baked 2 this a.m. and roasted beef.
1953 April 28th Tuesday
Cloudy misty S.E. wind and men gave cattle hay and Harper came so they finished planting 2300 trees west of trees west of house, 2 rows trees along the west side and Harper took planter to Whiting Store and on to Mission. He plants for Bud Holsclaw near Eagle Creek, also a Huggins somewhere down there. Dan at store yesterday, Sadie told him that Tom Sazama died Sunday and funeral at Winner Wed. at 2 p.m. Will & I to Valentine after we ate dinner, on west road to 18 via Mission. He got a hat, nice light brownish tan dress hat, a brown tie, dress socks, throw rope, some groceries, and I a black small hat wtih light flowers and veil and a pair nylon hose. We got groceries. Return via Mission, no stop at Sazamas as looked to rain. Mr. & Mrs. Tate left note about funeral. Thomas, Athel & Jimmie to Dan’s. David, Doris & Pat here first to play Canasta in eve then they went down to Dan’s.
1953 April 29th Wednesday
Started to rain last night and kept it up all day, not too much fell at once, just steady rain and about 40 above. I got eats, played solitaire, wrote in diary and boiled beef, laid down in p.m. Will fussed with a newborn, had to warm it in cab of pick up and the heater on then left it out with mother, ate some broth and in p.m. brought the calf home and put in barn, gave it milk from our supply to use for eats twice in p.m. Dan came up twice this morning but last time Will was so mad he had to fuss alone with cow and calf that he splurted off about getting someone to help him. Dan went saying alright but later they met at garage where Dan fixed throw rope and some other repairing. It is he just doesn’t want to get out in rain or snow, just when Will needs him the most. At 2 p.m. was to be Tom Sazama’s funeral at Winner, Mason Funeral Home, but I guess too rainy, let up a little here at 3 p.m. Never saw Dan any more this day. I am making Calvin a patchwork quilt and have it nearly done.
1953 April 30th Thursday
Rain and cold, about 40 above. Men gave cattle hay and brought them into the yards south [of] house and barn and between creek and round corral, made a gate to keep them in, had to find mothers for 2 calves left out at lake bed state land. One cow claimed one at once and left one in hay S.W. house. Will and Dan worked O.K. I got eats and tied quilt for Calvin, played solitaire. Betty don’t come. Dan brought milk.