1926, May 30th Sunday

Bright, beautiful morning but got real hot at mid-day and clouded in evening, but not much rain. Helen and I went to communion and early Mass, and Will took in Legion doings and joined it and had a dinner there, but Helen and I just walked around and lunched, so am all in. Came home from Saint Francis in the evening via Mission and Ed’s, and dark when home. William and George went to Clearfield and played with Dorian, and home when we did. Memorial Services at St. Francis were fine.

1936 May 30th Saturday

Bright, nice until around mid-day a strong South wind and dusty. I got breakfast then washed dishes, fixed lunch, got ready, for Will and I went to O’Kreek to Memorial Services. The Legionnaires decorated 2 graves in Catholic Cemetery, several in Episcopal Cemetery, had a program at Guild Hall in connection with O’Kreek School Americanism program. Then we took Billie Gunhammer, Dolly Mae Haukaas, and another little girl to Boarding School. We went on to Cemetery near there where Legionnaires decorated the graves, to Mission Park, had dinner, back to Boarding School to Americanism Program by O’Kreek, Mission and Parmalee. Mission got first trophy given by Dan Dorian Post No. 245. It is a banner of Legion Colors and Emblem. We came back to O’Kreek, watched ball-game, O’Kreek vs. Wood, then to Furreys where we stopped awhile, home for supper, for Thomas and Lemoyne stayed home all day, chored, got their dinner, cleaned the house, went swimming, and Stanley came for them in evening to go to dance somewhere.

1946 May 30th Thursday

Rained at times all day, was cool. Had to have fire in Heater. Sun shone awhile in afternoon and only partly cloudy rest of day. I got meals, laid down in forenoon, for Will milked cow and had to stay in bed until we went to Pasture awhile after dinner on River to look at cattle. We never got in milk cows this evening, and I had to do most chores.

1956 May 30th Monday

Bright, cool day. N. W. wind strong. Vere went with us to O’Kreek Service at Graves. Chester & Vere in firing squad. Henry Sells and John Jensen color Bearers. Flag Guards Jack & Harry Jensen, Commander Wayne Holmes, Chaplain Wilbur Miller, Flower Girl Barbara Jansen, flower boy Bobbie Holmes, Program & Eats (sold) at school House.

1926 May 29th Saturday

Bright, warm day and towards p.m. clouded and a shower late eve. Will went to C. Elshires and hauled in the cows as he & George moved steers last eve and in p.m. to St. Francis. Helen & I along, took in entertainment and a cool reception but got by. George & William listed corn. We stopped at Hidden Timber and traded and in a.m. did ordinary work. Rena, Seth & LeMoyne came from Hidden Timber and Helen’s did not come so I gave them Louise’s clothes so she could go along to St. Francis.

1936 May 29th Friday

Quite a few floating clouds and south wind cool indoors. It was 3 years ago this night at 10 o’clock that I got me bone above ankle cracked lengthwise and rheumatism in knee and stiff ankle, left one, and the hip is out a fraction so I have a time to walk at times. I got meals, for the men finished the hay on Moore Creek and brought hay stacker and one sweep and got in for dinner at 1:30 p.m., so in p.m. LeMoyne and Thomas started to clean manure away from house-banking, then LeMoyne went around cattle late p.m. and Thomas started to chore. Will made a screen-door for the outside hall basement door, then he helped chore for they milked and separated this eve, for the first time in eve this season. I baked bread and a cake for here and picnic to-morrow.

1946 May 29th Wednesday

South wind blew quite hard and got to S.W., clouded and a real rain in eve. I got breakfast and supper for we ate dinner at Rosebud Cafe, got groceries at Mission, came home for Will to lay down as his back pains very much but he got in milk-cow and fed chickens. We  took Hank Arcoren to St. Francis. He had to drive part way. Will all in with back injury. I got Breakfast and we had a lunch in eve.

1956 May 29th Tuesday

Rained some last night and damp this morning but Will took Vere and Leslie to Abbotts, came back to get our branding irons. Chas. McCormick came with him, they went right back to where Vere, Leslie, Gene, Dick Whiting, Don Holclaw, Bud Whiting, Thomas Whiting and David, Stanley, Gary & Curly Whiting and W. J. Whitcher were, as he opened gates and talked count. He was to come home but no do until after dinner, when folks went to Dreys. Athel & Doris and Babe Drey helped cook. Mrs. Abbott had fried chicken, roast meat, gravy, potatoes, scalloped corn salad, noodles (chicken), rolls & butter, bread, coffee, cream, lemon, cherry pies, cakes, pickles. Johnson’s washed some clothes.

1926 May 28th Friday

A regular lightning and thunderstorm and so much rain last night and a.m. bright but at midday and into p.m. real rains for awhile but bright at 3 p.m. until eve. Will went to Carter, took Ben Clausen as he was going home at noon so he and George went to Ed’s in p.m. and got Ed’s car. George & William listed in a.m. and William alone in p.m. Mr. Menz came in p.m. and got his team of horses and cut Will’s hair. Curtis Elshire came and said 2 cattle struck by lightning.

1936 May 28th Thursday

Cool south wind, floating clouds and toward eve clouds in west heavier but no rain. I got 2 meals, baked bread, washed glass jars and bottles, finished buttons and button-holes on my everyday dresses, laid down in p.m. and played solitaire. The men took lunch after choring in morning and put up 4 stacks of hay for Furrey and back to chore in eve again. Will had sweep-tooth run in ground so got thrown off and hurt his right leg. A car drove in here and right out so I never got to see who it was. We drink root-beer up supper these evenings and it is good.

1946 May 28th Tuesday

South wind to South East. Sun shone until about 4 p.m. got cloudy, some clouds easier but passed. Hank chored, for Will can scarcely walk, he to look at cattle in field, came in to get to bed, staid all rest of forenoon. I got meals, laid down in forenoon and p.m. wrote in diary, played solitaire. Bus McKee stayed and helped Hank put 3 stringers for Wagner House of cement. They finished at 2 p.m. so took Will to Winner to have treatment at Dr. Jansen’s. They had supper at Winner. Home at sunset so ate ice-cream, 1 gal. brought from town. Bus took his tractor and lister and went home. Hank chored, for Will can scarcely walk but helped Hank do some choring. We ate more ice-cream before bedtime.

1956 May 28th Monday

Bright nice day except windy from N.W. quite strong. Leslie finished drilling in alfalfa on Scissons and in p.m. he and his father-in-law Mr. Shamrock went to Valentine with Pick Up as it stops at times, we left it at Ford garage and Mr. Otis O’Neill said that they would look into it and let us know when finished, so they came back with us. We got groceries and gas on 20 at East end. In p.m. Vere took dirt off west basement window and put it on low place North of kitchen. Shamrocks and Johnsons are home. Will & I ate lunches as he not in notion to buy anything.

1926 May 27 Thursday

Sun shone only a little in a.m., cool S.E. wind and in p.m. dandy showers so quite a bit of water fell and on retiring looked like rain. Ben and Will listed corn and Will went to Shop and got lister fixed in a.m. and in p.m. rain prevented work. William is sick so went to the store to see when Tom will go to town but already went. We put in some seeds and set some hens. Fred Menz went by in the rain to the store. The ducks & turkeys are a nuisance but hope to raise a few. Mail from Hidden Timber to Valentine, Neb. and return 2 times a week so William brought mail home. I did ordinary work but cooked beans, sauce & chicken to cook on stove.

1936 May 27 Wednesday

Quite a strong south wind and a few clouds but no rain. I got meals, washed the clothes, hung them out and brought them in. Will got the water for me. He went to stack but Shorty Snyder of 12 miles east of here brought 2 mares to breed so went for Will, they had dinner then visited with Noble Lunderman Sr. and a man from Herrick. Will brought lunch home, forgot it so boys never ate until 3 p.m., they put 2 stacks up, had to fix stacker in p.m.

1946 May 27 Monday

A very Strong South to South east wind and it was chilly indoors and got real cloudy and hazy in eve. I got meals, laid down in forenoon and p.m. played solitaire, visited with Thomas, Athel, Doris and David Whiting who came for setting hens and eggs. Will and Hank put in forms to put braces or stringers for Wagner House in p.m., for Hank got the cement mixer at Devoraks this a.m. Bus McKee came with his lister and listed 15 acres of corn on Wagners and stayed all night.

1956 May 27 Sunday

Bright, nice day. Rained in p.m. Mass was at 12 o’clock noon and I thought being a nice day we could go but Will’s eyes bothered, had to rest all a.m., and p.m. we went out to look at cows and calves up My Creek and State Land and wheat grass. 1 heifer had a calf N.W. corner of State Land, was OK and we looked at this it this morning but no calf until late p.m. Bob Brinda, wife and little girl came and he & Leslie & Shirley, 8 year old girl and Jerry’s sister looked them over when we were out. It rained some in p.m., was muddy. Brindas went home after supper and Vere isn’t home. Vere got him last eve and they were at Parmalee vs. Wood, rained out, so back to Pete Farner’s as blew out tire & tube and broke well. Will and I alone this eve as it is damp so had to have a fire as dampness enough to make cool. We don’t see any other folks but those here.

1926 May 26 Wednesday

Cool in night and early morn so after breakfast I put a fire in cookstove and got dinner but warm in p.m. and clouded in eve but no rain. Will & William listed corn and George finished discing out west for corn and got in horses, Ben breaking sod. I did ordinary work and fussed with ducks & turkeys. Rena, Edward, Helen, Charlotte, Kenneth & LeMoyne came in p.m. and brought back those setting hens as they got the eggs. Several folks went by but none stopped.

1936 May 26 Tuesday

Cool South breeze but bright, nice. I got breakfast and Supper, for the men took lunch to Moore Creek and put 4 stacks up then broke down and Thomas and Will took Fred back to Furreys and went on to O’Kreek where they had car fixed, home for supper. LeMoyne went horseback to look through cattle and came back, went to tell Bill Smith that his corn-hog check was at the store, for Ben got his of $450. He took our oil-stove to use for a few days. I put dope in my hair twice to-day and finished everyday dresses but buttons.

1946 May 26 Sunday

Bright nice day. We had breakfast. Hank chored. Will got ready. I fixed a Picnic lunch of beans, fresh tomatoes, frankfurters, cheese sandwiches, jello, coffee and milk. Put it in car. Will took us to church, stopped at Thomas Whitings, they no go. We went to Wm Abbotts after Mass, got Mr. & Mrs., Billie, Cora Ann and their lunch of scalloped potatoes, rolls, pumpkin pies. Got to Schuppans Picnic grounds west of Kriz ball diamond where Nelson Furrey School having a picnic. Oh! so much eats. Chicken and dressing, scalloped and potato salads, baked beans, spaghetti and tomatoes, several cakes, pies, pickles, jello, sandwiches, coffee, milk. 2 Ball games between Kriz team with O’Kreek and Ideal, 15 miles north of Winner. 5 innings each game. Kriz won over O’Kreek and Ideal over Kriz’s. Louise, Anthia Furrey and I visited during game and had so much pleasure. Will had to sit on chair by front part of car and visited with Wm Pierce, Bus McKee, Mr. Chauncey Sr. and he said that he had a good time also. We left Abbotts at their home and Brownie Anderson’s wife, Margaret, Margaret Ann, Joyce Marie and Mrs. Fredericka Anderson brought Delores Abbott out from Winner. Mrs. Wm Pierce, Mavis and Carroll Lee visited with us at our car. Clarice Chauncey had a picnic at Sampsons to-day.

1956 May 26 Saturday

Today bright so Vere and Leslie in Pick Up to Tom Sr. & Bud’s cattle at corral north of Thomas’s house where Bud, Tom Sr., Thomas, David, Curley & Gary and Dick and Stanley Whiting, Don Holsclaw, Wm and Billie Abbott were. They worked until late p.m. They brought a roll-away bed from Thomas’s which was at Stanley’s to Johnsons as Jerry’s father and mother of Rochester, Minnesota, also Grandmother, a sister of Jerry’s and small girl cousin got in towards eve. Lew and some other folks got Vere this eve for the week. Billie and Jerry up for eggs this a.m., last few days 32 down to 10 is all the eggs we have, 7 yesterday, 13 this eve and hens not in sight.

Because of some work deadlines, Stanley duties (The Adventures of a Sparrow Named Stanley is now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble online, and iBooks) and an upcoming out-of-town trip, I need to pause Hattie’s diary entries for a couple of weeks. Please accept my apologies. The entries will resume in a couple of weeks.

Hattie, of course, never paused in her diary writing.

1936 April 26th Sunday

Very chilly S.W. wind and cloudy but no rain. I got meals, baked a cake before church also cooked meat and potatoes. Will washed dishes and took me to church at 10:30 a.m. and I was late, he came for me at noon and in p.m. took LeMoyne and Thomas up to store to practice ball, then he went to look at cattle, had to get LeMoyne to get in an heifer and her new-born calf for mother wouldn’t claim it, as they took it out on State Land and Lemoyne got in cow and Will got the calf in car. Thomas walked home in eve and the men chored and 5 yearling colts gone so Thomas and Will in car and Lemoyne horseback found them N.W. corner State land.

1946 April 26th Friday

Bright warm day. Will chored and he looked at cattle and fussed so much, never went out to disc. I went with him, some looking at cattle, got eats, played solitaire, read some, listened to radio and had an awful cough.

1956 April 26th Thursday

Bright a.m. but got cloudy late p.m. in Northwest, was hazy and not so bright going to Valentine via Littleburg so not so bad on Will’s eyes to drive to Valentine. Athel, Danny and Patsy were here yesterday on way to Johnsons to get census then on to Carmen to clean dishes, floors. We got to Valentine. Will saw Dr. and he fixed bows on Will’s glasses, got Vet Medicine for cows, got battery etc. for Tractor & Pick Up repairs, groceries. Saw State Bank about Helen Holtman land and deed sent back for witnesses and notarized so will be here soon. We got bananas, boiled ham, and I took some bread and rolls given to us by Jerry Johnson. They are delicious. I put butter on rolls, also on bread, took chicken and carrots boiled together for me as Will did not eat. Went to Crookston, Nebr., on to Rosebud to a tax meeting of Indians being taxed. Them Whiting Sr., Wm George and Loyd Pierce, Herman Haukaas or maybe Hank (Henry), Tom and Louise Colombe, Mrs. Wm Colombe and Gus Knob of Norman and a lot I do not know will ask Attorney General at Pierre legal advice if we have to pay taxes. We came home just as was spitting rain on windshield but quit before we got home, came to Mission, South to west of Sells on 83, then to our road and to Hidden Timber and home. Vere fed bulls & calves hay in barn lot. Others out in home pasture N.W. North and up My Creek, had to get a calf backward and fix a cow that had wethers out. Mrs. Johnson and children home. Flat tires, we got patches. Billie Abbott came for 3 of their cows in River.

1926 April 25th Monday

A beautiful morn after cold night and real warm until towards eve clouded and a dust-storm. Smiths left for home after loading some pigs traded cutter for. George and William went to the barley field to harrow. Will got in saddle horses and took them to boys, then chored. Ed, Rena, Leo, Edward & Charlotte here. Mr. Menz, Edward & Charlotte here. Mr. Menz, Mr. Truedell and Fred passed by and Mr. M. inquired of Smiths. Louise to school and in eve sewed on her apron. I made bread but it was a small batch.

1936 April 25th Saturday

Some clouds and sprinkles of rain during day so I had to dry clothes indoors that I washed this a.m. Will got seeder and wagon at Lattimores but only fixed the wagon as it was too damp to sow oats, so he and LeMoyne cut horses’ hoofs and trimmed work horses’ manes, then Thomas, LeMoyne and Will cleaned the barn. I also mopped floors and got meals, ironed some clothes and mended same. Thomas disced for oats west of place in a.m. LeMoyne fed cattle and looked at cows to have calves.

1946 April 25th Thursday

Bright, warm day. Will chored and he has to put a lot of time on the cows calving but after dinner went to disc on Wagners, then Joe Iddings and a trucker came and we took our car and went out to get Will and he came in from Wagners with the tractor and Will and Mr. Iddings in our car and trucker on Alabam got in horses in River Pasture, took 2 to Van Epps. Had time to corral them. Wm Abbott came with tractor to get hay and to move Bachman hog to Witten. I did usual work and went with Will to look at cattle.

1956 April 25th Wednesday

Still cold and damp as a shower of rain last night so no Janis’s today. Vere and Leslie gave cattle hay, are feeding most hay butts and turned out on the wheat grass, State Land and Wagner west Side and North of barn on Meadow. Vere looks about calving and had to turn one calf around to have it come right. Will goes out to look around as he is tired of sitting and not reading nor working. Athel came to bring separated milk and some pie plates that we had frozen pies in and had to use as no juice for deep freeze, kept some until gone out on porch.

1926 April 24th Sunday

Bright and a beautiful morn but north wind strong and dusty. The men branded & vaccinated south cattle this day. Louise & I got meals, dinner of lemon pie & chicken and eve a warmed up meal. Mr. L. Lattimore, John Wisenberger and another man, Guy & Ray Bailey, Tom and a boy were here today on more or less missions. Several prairie fires broke out today northeast and west but quickly were out. A man from N.E. and son and a Nelson boy came for a calf in Smith’s herd.

1936 April 24th Friday

Cold, sun shone bright after cloudy a.m. and a sprinkle of rain. I got meals and wrote checks to Will could mail for leases. Ben came so he and Will went to store, on to Ed’s, got LeMoyne’s slicker and a box of our tools at Ed’s, back for dinner. LeMoyne fed cattle alfalfa, went around cattle in a.m. and horses in p.m. Thomas disced for oats all day. Ed, Rena and Clarence came for eggs to set in p.m. Will and I went to windmills in pasture, took salt to horses, on to Furreys, got 3 links for seeder chain, on to Lattimores where we asked to use wagon and seeder, got cream at Ben Clausen’s on way to Lattimores, back home and LeMoyne got eggs for his folks. We paid Ed for pasture or winter-feed of bulls, they went home right away. LeMoyne chored in eve and did not haul posts from hills west of place as it was late. I wrote in diary and Will had me get supper so I quit and we ate at 7 p.m.

1946 April 24th Wednesday

Northwest breeze. Sun shone and was beautiful but I am sick so just necessary work of meals, laid down in p.m., played solitaire, wrote in diary and accounts, listened to Radio. Will chored, home late to eat dinner. I got up to see Mr. & Mrs. Roy Drey, Wm Abbott and Will working at the sorrel bronco mare that Dreys brought some time ago, they trimmed and put a halter on in round corral so Will no disc on Wagners this p.m. He and Abbott looked at cows before they came to eat a lunch this late p.m. and Dreys and Abbott took the Sorrel Mare home then Will and I looked through the cattle.

1956 April 24th Tuesday

Cloudy and a little snow and very cold so Leslie and Vere fed cattle and this was chilly so fixed at things at Garage and had to stay in as was too chilly. Doug and Lillian came, she brought lunch meat of pork, 2 1/2 lbs cheese and cooked rice. Being too chilly, they went home to go to Winner and if it is still damp, may not come to disc tomorrow. I got eats and usual pastime of card playing solitaire because Will couldn’t see to play. Johnson gave us hot rolls, were good.