Diary_pages_g_1893_11-12

Sun Dec 10 Mostly clear and rather warm with a west wind. Lew and Mary went up to Harry Dixons got home a little after dark. Frank went over to Ringlands and I brought up the rear.

Mon Dec 11 Mostly clear and warm with quite a brisk wind some of the time. We all chored around at various things. Frank and I ground three axes one grubhoe for an adz one hand ax two hatchets. Lew and Frank sawed quite a good lot of wood and Lew got things ready to start for the ranch in the morning and Frank split up some wood. I cut down some trees for wood then I renovated the hen houses with soap suds and coil [coal] oil. Charleys folks came over to night [tonight] and are going to stay with us over night.

Tues Dec 12 Looked like snow this morning but it cleared off this afternoon so the day has been calm. Lew went up to Spring Canion [Canyon] ranch this morning will be gone several days maybe. Frank and I hauled a couple of loads of hay and filled the pens for the beef cattle this afternoon. Frank went up to the red stone quarrys to try for a job but only got a little encouragement for some time ahead. I filed a couple of saws for Charley and Franks wood saw then chored about some.

Wed Dec 13 Clear still and nice. Frank and I worked at making floor plank out of slabs.

Thurs Dec 14 Clear and nice until about noon but since that it has blowed from every point of the compass. Frank and I got the floor done in the 3 south stalls and that used up the slabs and the day.

[Fri Dec 15 missing]

Sat Dec 16 Quite nice in the morning but about 10 O clock the wind began to howl and kept it up for the best part of the ballance [balance] of the day. Frank and I put some hay into the feed pens for the beef cattle and Frank went and got a couple of turkeys of Will Wright. They weighed 27 lbs which at 7 cts pr [per] pound makes $1.89. Then this afternoon he went with the cream. I tinkered at some things and Lew got home with a small load of cottonwood.

Sun Dec 17 Clear still and warm. Mother and I went up to Charleys and had a good little visit with Charleys folks and Johns folks came after a little and we got home all right. Found the chores about done. Frank had done them. Lew and Mary had not got home yet. they went to Reas's place last night.

Mon Dec 18 Cloudy some fo the day but still all day. Lew went to Greeley on the 11 O clock train to try to get a job on a farm near there. Frank took him over to town and fetched back a load of coal and this afternoon he done sundry chores. I worked up at the lake this forenoon and didnt do much this afternoon.

Tues Dec 19 Nice not very cold and tolerable still. Frank and I filled the feed pens for the beef steers this forenoon and this afternoon Frank gathered up wood and I worked at a spout to put in below the lake to keep the cattle from tearing things up.

Wed Dec 20 Been a nice still day and Frank and I cleaned up some wheat and oats and chaff to get the alfalfa seed out of it. Then we done some other chores. Lew has not got back from Greeley yet but Mary has gone over to town after him.

Thurs Dec 21 Nice again to day. Lew went over to Charleys to see if he would take his cows and Frank and I worked up at the lake this afternoon. Lew and Frank butchered Frosty and I went over to Mr Bees and Howards and Marbles to see if they wanted any beef.

Fri Dec 22 Pretty as a peach. Lew and Frank took Lews 4 cows and his young bull over to Charleys. Frank and Mary went to town this afternoon. Lew tried to find a market for some beef but it was a hard job to see much these hard times. I worked in the shop a tinkering at one thing and another about all day.

Sat Dec 23 Fine again. Lew and I filled the hay pens this forenoon and Frank went to town. Then this afternoon Lew went to town and Frank and I done sundry odd jobs about the place.

Sun Dec 24 Somewhat cooler with a cold N E wind. Franks Mary was quite sick this morning was taken in the night. Meda got up and nursed her as well as she could and she seemed quite a bit better. Frank went over and saw Dr Miller and got some medicine and Doc told him that Mary must have the Pleuracy [Pleurisy]. She thinks she feels quite a bit better to nigh [tonight]. The rest of us kept Sunday in our way.

Mon Dec 25 and Christmas The day was fine and we had a very merry time too. Had Charleys folks Reas's folks and John Dragers folks were here 30 in all ate dinner and we had plenty and lots left over and I suppose that there will be quite a big crowd here to night [tonight] to dance but I cant write any record of that yet.

Tues Dec 26 Clear and cool. We had a large crowd here last night but they were very nice and civil and I think they had a good time. To day the boys gathered up the rubbish for wood and then hauled manure this afternoon. I worked at making a screen to clean alfalfa seed.

Wed Dec 27 Pretty fair this morning but pretty windy most of the day. The boys filled the racks for the beefers and then hauled 4 loads of manure. I tinkered some in the shop etc.

Thurs Dec 28 Pretty good only the wind blew some of the time like blue blases [blazes]. The boys hauled lots of manure used Charleys mare and Nell. They put some on the strawberries. They are fixing to go to the Spring Canion [Canyon] ranch tomorrow after Cottonwood. I finished the screen and cleaned out the hen houses and gve them a good scrubbing with soap suds and coal oil.

Fri Dec 29 Rather more cool and some what cloudy. The boys got home with a good load of cottonwood. I worked in the shop this forenoon and didnt this afternoon.

Sat Dec 30 Pretty nice only somewhat cold. The boys got another good load of cottonwood from the Spring Canion [Canyon] rance [ranch]. I done the chores very dutifully and worked in the shop some.

Sun Dec 31 Beautiful and comfortable. Mother Meda and Aggie went up to Mr Dixons to visit but Mr and Mrs Bush came to see us and Frank went up and brought Mother home and we had a real old fashioned visit. It really seemed good to see them and see them looking so well too and this is the end of 93 the old man the old woman and little Aggie.