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.

1926 April 23rd Friday

Real windy N.W. and sand-storm and getting colder. Louise to school and in worked on her dress. I had such a cold and head-ache, just made bread & cake and in bed rest of day. William & George disced in barley. Will finished strawberries, took horse to William and helped me. Mrs. Elshire stopped on way to store, broke single-tree.

1936 April 23rd Thursday

Southwest wind changed to Northeast and was colder and began to cloud in N.E. and was real storming looking in eve, cloudy and smoky. I got meals, slept in p.m.,  had a headache so only looked at catalogues, made lemon-pies in p.m. Will was sick with a cold so stayed in bed until in p.m., got up, took eggs to the store, got groceries and was too all in but got a heifer and took her calf then he put them in the barn and laid down rest of eve, except to read at supper time. LeMoyne fed cattle, went around cattle on State Land. Thomas disced until noon, then he and LeMoyne put up a stack of hay at Schmidt in terrible dust and wind and brought a load to cattle.

1946 April 23rd Tuesday

Bright, nice day after cool night. I got meals, played solitaire, read some, listened to radio. Will and I went to Tom Whiting Jr.’s, no Nibbles there so we took Doris and I went to Whiting Store, saw Bud painting store, no sheep (?) Nibbles there either so home for Will to feed calf as best he could and it is hard to get this calf for he won’t suck its mother. Will disced on Wagners this p.m. and helped Van Epps load their hog-house on hayrack with tractor pull. Elsie and Billie came in car. They were there yesterday also and got a trailer load of things. Art Bachman, Ainsworth, Nebr., came in his car to get the trailer that Mr. Bachman left here several years ago and went to Wm Abbotts to get a hog-house and will load it on trailer and take it to Witten, S.D. I got meals, fried steak and hamburger and put it in grease to keep.

1956 April 23rd Monday

Bright day. Vere gave cattle hay and Doug took harrow to Scisson Land. Lillian got him and brought a fixed Dinner for Doug & Vere, cold potatoes, meat at home and she made a stew out of this, also brought a cake and topping of brown sugar & butter sauce. Will and I went to Doug and he finished harrowing on this level off of East Scisson Land so left harrow at Fence line and brought Ferguson home to fix wheel. Vere fed cattle and Johnson came home as no heater so went away to stay last night and fixed their things this day and late p.m. Leslie helped Vere load hay butts, haul out to cattle, used the Cat to put on sled. Will and I got mail, went to Stanley’s to return spark plug wrench. I got meals, played solitaire and read some to Will as he can’t see yet.

1926 April 22nd Thursday

Bright and real hot mid-day and in p.m. still a little smoky. Will was sick in a.m. with pain in chest and I still have a cold but we got incubator ready and light and Will set out strawberries. J. R. Martin and Dr. Malster inquired on way to Elshires and Clausen who owns school-house land stopped today.

1936 April 22nd Wednesday

Cloudy, cold until in p.m. warmer. I got meals, sewed on my nightgowns and slept in p.m. The men chored and LeMoyne and Thomas took the hay-stacker to Schmidt land and Will hung some smoke meat on kitchen porch to dry, then he went in car. They came for dinner and put up 3 stacks and LeMoyne and Will got in to do the chores and Thomas brought the horses home. They got the mail this noon. Lawrence Wright and Plenty Horse brought us 5 corner posts and 50 other posts this eve. Thomas and LeMoyne got in at midnight from the Van Epps chivaree but was on the job to-day. Will has a cold these days.

1946 April 22nd Monday

Bright, beautiful day. I got breakfast and supper. Will chored and went to get Wm Abbott to help him feed that calf and we took him home, looked at a cow in River Pasture that got out when Will left gates open when he went to Abbott. Will and I on to Winner to get fresh beef out of locker at Ice Plant, groceries, chick feed & had dinner at Margarets Cafe, and went to Sweet Shop for Malted Milk, etc. but Will got in a sweat so we came home, left a lb. of butter at Abbotts and brought Cora Ann home from school. Will saw Bill and Elsie and Billie at Abbotts for they took Marjorie to school and she is to stay at Abbotts until school is out, which will be in 4 weeks, also Chas. McCormick came to Abbotts. We looked through cows after we got home then unloaded the car. Will fed the chicks as I was writing down the transactions from trip to Winner and was slow in doing the work. We saw Mr. & Mrs. Lew McKee in town but never got to speak to them for they were too fast for us, as we turned corners they were gone.

1956 April 22nd Sunday

Bright, nice day. Athel brought bread and spark plug. Johnson car came to Tenant house and went away and in p.m. a green pick-up, ours, and Johnson’s car brought all their things, they got table at Vere’s. Leslie & Bob came up here. We knew Bob when 6 yrs. old, used to come here with folks. Fr. Helmuller came after 12 o’clock Mass. Vere, Will and I to look at cattle.

1926 April 21st Wednesday

Real smoky so that could scarcely see a mile away although sun shone bright. Will & William sowed barley after Will got the seeder and home late dinner. William got in horses and Will plowed for straw-berries. Louise to school and I was all in with a cold in my head and George & William still have colds and Louise starting to have a cold.

1936 April 21st Tuesday

Bright, nice day but quite cold in a.m. and chilly all rest of day, some clouds in eve. I got meals and baked bread yesterday so gave old bread to chickens this morning, also canned the pickled head-meat, soaked some of the salt so as to dry it and rubbed salt on the meat in cellar and slept in p.m. Will chored, looked at cattle and another calf and E.R.A. cow was on her back in old road on State Land so he got her up, helped Stanley Whiting get 1st load of corn in barn, for Stanley brought 100 bu. from A. E. Brown for us and he had dinner here, then unloaded last load and went home. Thomas feels none too well but he and LeMoyne bunched hay on Ed Schmidt Allotment and Will got them for dinner and took them back and they brought a load of any for cattle in eve. Will fixed stacker and worked at Turkey-Shed in p.m. and chored in eve. He took Thomas and Lemoyne to the store after supper so they could go with crowd to chivaree of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Van Epps at Lattimores. Frank was here in p.m. for a plow to put in garden.

1946 April 21st Sunday

Easter. Bright, nice until evening it rained a real rain, after we went to bed was more than the first shower. We had a chicken this day for meat is gone now. Will got Thomas, Athel, Doris and David in eve, so Thomas could help Will feed a calf that won’t suck. I went back with them before the rain as they hadn’t milked their cows yet. We looked through cows on way home. Will had to deliver this calf that won’t suck and spent this Easter Sunday fussing with cows and I would get my duds out to put on for we were going to Big Pasture to look at wells and horses and on to Hank Haukaas’s to see about alfalfa seed.

1956 April 21st Saturday

Bright day and Will & I to Thomas’s to see if they go to Mission R.E.A. Meeting this p.m. to vote on Office to be at Valentine, Mission or White River. Lillian brought Doug, and she and Victoria Prue went to Mission. Doug finished leveling on Scisson and brought Tractor home. Will & I to Thomas’s but no one home. Leslie Johnson, wife, son, daughter came to put things in house west over hill, they took our Pick Up to bring more things tomorrow. Vere and Doug moved things to North House and put table in house but Johnsons want it back tomorrow.

1926 April 20th Tuesday

Bright, hot day and late eve clouded and Lightninged and Thundered south of here. William a little better so in eve to Tom’s and drove out cattle. Will set out trees and rhubarb and went to Wisenbergers in the eve. George disced in barley and home late eve to do the chores so late supper. Fred brought Louise at 8:30 a.m. from Leo Furber’s north of Winner where they saw Bess Angel and spent the night. Rose at Winner Hospital with new Lorraine Rose so not home. Fisherman went by here.

1936 April 20th Monday

After a real warm night, wind changed from S.W. to North, was cooler and wind strong and dusty. I got meals and slept from 12 to 5 p.m. just so sound I never heard a bit of noise, for LeMoyne filled water-pails and I never heard him come in house. Thomas and LeMoyne gave cattle alfalfa, then worked at Turkey-Shed for the men are fencing the open side so as to lock turkeys in, to get the eggs. LeMoyne chored alone in eve for Will got back from Winner just at supper-time for he left this morning to take Frank Van Epps and Tina Lattimore to Winner to be married.

1946 April 20th Saturday

Bright nice day until in p.m. got warm. I got breakfast and we had dinner at Carl Gehlsen’s. Will chored and he and I went to Wm Daniel Van Epps as they are loading their things to take to their place 4 1/2 miles west of here. Carl Gehlsen with his truck made 2 trips. Mary Chauncey took Marjorie and a load of things in their car. Lawrence Klein had their car and trailer so he hauled all of Van Epps stoves. We took breakable things in our car such as clock, dishes, etc. Wm, Elsie and Billie took a trailer of calves, and some breakables in their car. Wm, Delores, Billie Abbott and Elmer Chauncey took Van Epps’ milk cows and heifers to calve up there and they got there shortly after we all did. Will and I took Carl Gehlsen and Elmer Chauncey in our car and Lawrence Klein took Wm and Elsie, Wm, Delores and Billie Abbott. Mary Chauncey went right on with Marjorie and Billie Van Epps to help get dinner. They had beef-steak, gravy, mashed potatoes, beans, peas, relish, bread, butter, cream, coffee, kolaches (rolls with prune center), homemade bread, apricot sauce. I had to choke just as I was enjoying the meals. Elmer and Carl came in truck. Klein with his car. Van Epps came back to load in p.m. The Abbotts came back horseback just as we got back to west of Wagner Place from McKee’s where we went after dinner and leaving folks at Van Epps, so we took Wm Leo with us and looked through cattle. Home for tools to fix well near Strids, had to go to old Mill in hills at Cement Tank to get bolts and finished the Mill so it is pumping water. Had oranges and cookies for lunch. We took Abbott home and it began to cloud. We got the mail and it started to rain, so we came home to eat and Will only chored, partly on account of rain.

1956 April 20th Friday

Bright day. Will and I went to Stanley’s to see if we could use their oil stove to put in tenant house for Vere to use to cook meals and Lillian when she brought Doug and got their dinner, then she went home to take folks place, Winner, Rosebud, White River different days and all kinds of business. Will and I also mailed letters, one to Wards for underground trench wire from barn to north tenant house. Saw Tom Colombe and he said a meeting at Rosebud on 25th or 26th to stop taxes on Indians if possible. Vere is hauling out hay butts and looking about calves.

1926 April 19th Monday

Bright but such a strong wind, a real dust-storm from the south. Mr. Hugh Smith & son Wm and Will went via O’Kreek to Rosebud and back at 1 p.m. and Smith right on home to Dallas. Will went to the prairie fire that raged East and N.E. of here between Baileys and Nelsons and home at 9 p.m. George disced in barley as William still has the flu. William Pierce was here twice on way to Rosebud and return. Dick Schmidt and Cousers went to fire in the eve. Fred Menz came and Louise on return of school went with him to Winner.

1936 April 19th Sunday

South-west wind real strong, very warm and continued warm in night. I got meals and mended boys’ clothes. Will washed breakfast dishes after he chored and I churned butter and baked biscuits for dinner and visited with Louise and Dorothy while Lee, Harley, Ben Clausen and LeMoyne went to Moore Creek, for Will took them in our car to fish but no fish so they brought Harry and Fred back here and they went home after eating a bum lunch. Stanley came and Thomas and Lemoyne went with him to Show at Winner. Ben Clausen paid Will for the pasture of MacKay Land. Frank Van Epps came this a.m. and told Will he and Tina would get married to-morrow so Will will take them and some of Lattimores to Winner tomorrow. He came back in p.m. with Pearl, the horse he borrowed to work, and Furreys then knew he was to marry.

1946 April 19th Friday

Sun shone, a Northeast wind quite strong and cool indoors without fire. I had to put cobs in heater once in awhile. I laid down this forenoon and played solitaire, read some, wrote in diary, got 2 meals for Will left with Ranger from Rosebud to inspect McKees, ours, and Willie Ross’s pastures. Hank took his wagon and horses home this morning. Ranger and Will did not go to Ross’s. We took boxes to Van Epps and had supper there. They are packed to move. Mary Chauncey is helping

1956 April 19th Thursday

Kelly and Rainier’s Religious Marriage. Bright, nice warm day. Doug is leveling ground and Vere feeds cattle hay. He gave them hay butts and turned them out on wheat grass and State & Wagner. Will & I went to Jim Hawk’s and Mrs. went along to Molly Eagle Horn land where Jim, Karen and July were setting or filling in trees at Southeast Corner. July went back with us. Jim & Family to Wessington Springs, S.D. tomorrow eve to 46 yr. Wedding Anniversary and after next week will wire tenant house.

1926 April 18th Sunday

Bright but cold N.E. & East wind. George went home with Zeitner boys from Mission and back in eve with his car. Mr. Hugh Smith and Son William came at mid-day and stayed for the night. Mr. & Mrs. William Colombe came for some eggs. Rena, Charlotte, Helen, Edward & Leo came this p.m, also tree men brought our trees and Wm Welch and another man were here. William still has a cold. I have sore throat so not much done but the meals and some cake and pie made. Will stayed indoors until p.m. when all the men went fishing. The Menz’s were here in eve and Louise and Fred went to the store.

1936 April 18th Saturday

A S.E. wind and changed to S.W. Will got in water and he and I washed clothes after he chored and he hung them out and brought them in, in eve. I turned a few of the heavy ones over so they all dried. Thomas disced for oats west of the alfalfa all day Lemoyne helped Henry Arcoren, who came horseback last eve and stayed all night, get started with his 9 head of cows and 2 horses to go back to St. Francis, their home. LeMoyne gave cattle alfalfa and he and Will fixed windmills. Will went to Pierce’s for Ernie & Billie said they have oats to sell, then to A. E. Brown’s to get 100 bu. corn and cream at Ben Clausen’s.

1946 April 18th Thursday

Bright, warm with South wind, some clouds in eve but no rain here. I got meals, laid down in a.m. and p.m. Will chored and he and Van Epps cubed cattle and Van Epps goes to his place with their hogs to-day, after supper he and Elsie came for boxes to pack things into as they move on Saturday. Hank helped Elmer Chaunceys dehorn their cattle so came back this eve, got in his horses from River Pasture and stayed for the night. Will planted garden and looked at cows, took eggs to Whiting Store. I washed my feet, read the mail, played solitaire and listened to Radio. Mr. Joe Iddings and Mr. Dick Adrians of Winner came yesterday to see if Will would sell horses and Monday Tell Wade was here but Will is waiting for Big Hank of Hastings, Nebr. to sell to.

1956 April 18th Wednesday

Prince Rainier married Grace Kelly. Bright warm day in fact hot. Lillian brought Doug and got him in eve. I roasted beef and Vere took some home. Lillian fixed the rest of their eats. Herman, Mrs. & Beverly Larson came to see about moving here but we will get Johnsons and Vere is here, also Doug in day. Will and I to Furreys in p.m. Mary on bike at school and we met her going home, and Billie is harrowing ground Northwest of home place. Harley and Harry were fixing fence and letting out cows and calves to graze as hay is short, 3 stacks left. Saw Athel, Jimmie & David Whiting, Lillian & Doug Janis, Vere Wright. Will and I came home via pasture & Pierces on the South side, also went that way. Doug leveled ground on Scisson and Vere gave cattle hay.

Note from Lisa: Before getting to today’s diary entries, I want to share some news about a new publishing venture. For a while now, I’ve wanted to launch a small publishing company named, in honor of Hattie, Hidden Timber Books, and I was waiting for the right book to come along.

That book is a delightful children’s picture book titled The Adventures of a Sparrow Named Stanley, written by Betty Sydow and illustrated by Carolou Lennon Nelsen. The paperback just became available on Amazon this week, and the hardcover will be listed early next month (ebooks to follow as well).

I love everything about this book. The fable-like story of Stanley the sparrow begins when Stanley leaves his mother’s nest and is on his own in the world. He tries everything he can think of to be famous and get noticed, thinking this is how he can make friends. Finally, a wise gray owl gives him the advice he really needs. Stanley’s tale offers lessons in friendship, persistence, and being true to who we are. The read-aloud book will be enjoyed by ages 3-11 and the young at heart of all ages, and the independent reading level is grades 3-5. Easy-to-read typeset makes the book perfect for grandparents to read to grandchildren. The book’s Amazon page has “Look Inside” pages for samples.

The first-time author and illustrator team are themselves inspiring. Betty stumbled upon a creative writing class after she retired from a 30-year nursing career, and she was hooked. The story of Stanley began as a fable and over a year’s time grew into a children’s book. She asked her artist friend Carolou if she would illustrate Stanley’s story. Carolou, who has a master’s degree in social work, was immediately drawn to the book’s message of the strength of individuality.

For a chance to win a free signed copy of the book, click here (you will be taken to my personal blog, where you can leave a comment to enter the drawing). You can also visit Hidden Timber Books’ website and Facebook page.

1926 April 17th Saturday

Real smoky around horizon, otherwise bright, cold and North wind quite strong, changed to N.E. in a.m. and east wind in p.m. Will & George disced in barley all day and William stayed indoors on account of the flu. Louise cleaned the lamps and up-stairs then went via the boys with Mr. A. Elshire in our buggy to O’Kreek and home early eve. I cleaned the down-stairs a little but a cold in throat so not pert. John Wisenberger came for harrow and Jake came for Jake Jr.’s eggs. E. Elshire family went by all dressed up to the store.

1936 April 17th Friday

Bright, nice day. I got meals and sewed or rather finished a rug I started over a year ago. Thomas disced west of alfalfa for oats. LeMoyne gave cattle alfalfa, fixed gate on State Land and got the cattle in there, some were to Lundermann Land. Will went to Valentine in p.m. to cattle sale for he and Lemoyne fixed Big Pasture fence in a.m. Plenty Horse and Lawrence Wright brought us 71 posts but had to unload at hill west of the place towards store and they came in just as Will came from Valentine, so he came in and had checks made out to them and took it back to them. Will brought Will Morrisey’s bird-dog here.

1946 April 17th Wednesday

Bright, warm and wind from west quite strong and chilly when out in it. I got meals, laid down awhile near noon and got up when Narvin, Donna and Johnny came. We had dinner. Men looked at cattle and when Boyds went home late p.m., Will and I went around cattle and got our mail at Van Epps. Will had to turn Hank’s horse out of barn to where Horses we work in River Pasture are. Donna has tooth-ache so will go to Valentine tomorrow to have it attended to. Johnny likes to feed chickens and he is 3 years old, a large boy and live one.

1947 April 17th Tuesday

Bright, nice day. Lillian got Doug and brought him and he took Cat to Scisson Land to lease bought field ground and Lillian got dinner and went away to take some folks to White River. Chester and Ellen got their cook stove and a tank of Skelgas in their car and Vere’s bedding so we had to give him something in eve, also an electric plate to cook meals. Will has to rest but he and I to see Doug getting a start on leveling Scisson land. Vere fed cattle and worked at fixing things at Garage. Lillian cooked meals and took eggs home this eve. Will talked to Abbott and Billie as they got our plow. Athel was here this p.m. I got eats and not much else but played solitaire.