DAY 18 – A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

 

Even a dark, rainy day could not quell the excitement in the farmhouse because today was the day of the much-anticipated arrival. They would have loved to meet Ethel and Sadie at the depot, but Jack didn’t have an automobile (and never would have one). It wasn’t an easy trip, you know – ten miles up a steep and winding grade to the top of the ridge, but neighbors were willing to help each other when they made the trip. Shirley had asked around and found a neighbor willing to arrange his errands in town so that he could meet Ethel at the train depot. He was really happy to help out. Besides, Ethel was an interesting conversationalist. The trip would be enjoyable.

And then in the early afternoon, a car pulled into the yard. At last! Ina and Shirley ran out to meet Ethel and Sadie while Jack sauntered along behind. Ina handed a freshly-baked apple pie to the neighbor by way of thanks, and Jack and Shirley carried suitcases and satchels to the house. Of course, the three women talked at once, but Jack and Sadie just grinned at each other.

Ethel and Sadie were famished. Shirley had already set the table, so Ina hurriedly dished up the mid-day meal. Ethel was a good cook (she was!), but as she settled down to the roast chicken, potatoes, beans and fresh bread, she couldn’t help but think how good it felt to be home with her folks and eating Mama’s cooking once more. KW

DAY 17 – A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

Yes, the weather has been terrible. The snow is all gone off in a rain and dreadful reports from California over the radio last night – 12 inches of rain in 30 hours, lives lost, damage to houses, bridges, roads, etc. We never had such work before at this time of year. – Ina (Christmas, 1933)

The wind whistled and blew around the house all night long. At times it was just a little scary. Dick the Dog whined at the kitchen door, and Jack allowed him to lie beside the stove in the kitchen.

After living twenty years in the tiny log cabin, Ina was again grateful to have a solid farmhouse.

So many last-minute things to do today in anticipation of Ethel and Sadie’s arrival tomorrow. They were so busy that it felt like Christmas had come a week early. Shirley made diapers and little jackets and gowns for the baby doll while Ina finished an apron she had made for Ethel. Then they wrapped these gifts and hid them in the fabric stash under the stairs. “I hope we remember where they are,” said Ina.

Mid-afternoon, as daylight was waning, they made up the guest bed for Ethel and Sadie and made sure the room was in readiness.

 Jack brought more Christmas cards from the mailbox this afternoon, and after their light evening meal, they admired the cards and enjoyed the various letters. It was beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. KW

DAY 16 – A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

 

As always, Jack was up before daylight to "feed the chores," as he called his barn work, but Ina and Shirley slept later than usual. While Ina made a light breakfast – no point to cook a big breakfast since they were making a late start – Shirley dashed out to feed the chickens and made quick work of the breakfast dishes. By noon, she had finished tacking curls on the baby doll’s head and pronounced her finished, and Ina secretly heaved a sigh of relief. After all, Ethel and Sadie were due to arrive day after tomorrow.  

Shirley’s critique of her work was that her workmanship was very good but the doll didn’t look much like the picture and not at all like a baby doll. Maybe some baby-like clothes would help, so after lunch she took scraps of whatever textiles Ina would let her have from the box under the stairs to make diapers, gowns, and blankets.

It’s an odd thing, thought Shirley to herself, that the drawing from which she copied this doll made her look so babylike and appealing, while the reality was so much less. What was the world coming to?

Meanwhile, Ina finished packing the box for Pearl – remember, Pearl lives in northern Alberta – and sent it to the mailbox along with a dollar to cover postage. The rural mail carrier would leave her change in the mailbox tomorrow. It meant that Jack had to make two trips to the mailbox today – one to deliver the package, the other to retrieve the mail. I don’t think he cared too much. He didn’t have much to do these short winter days. KW

DAY 15 – A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

 

“Fiddlesticks!” exclaimed Shirley as she realized she should have left an opening in the doll’s side for stuffing instead of trying to do it from the top of the doll’s head. It was an unfortunate error but only a minor setback. She closed the opening on the doll’s head with neat stitches and carefully made an opening in the doll’s side. Then she resumed stuffing the doll with the old stockings she had shredded.

Ina didn’t knit or crochet, so they had no yarn on hand to make the doll’s hair and were at a loss to find a substitute. In the end, Shirley called a neighbor, Mrs. Boehm, and shyly asked if she might have a few hanks of yarn she could spare. Shirley needn’t have felt so timid. Mrs. Boehm said she was glad to share her yarn scraps – pieces too small for any purpose anyway. (And to be sure, the Boehms were glad to have Shirley call on them.)

So, on this windy December afternoon, Shirley walked briskly to the Boehm’s house, just a mile distant, where she was warmly welcomed. Mrs. Boehm presented her basket of yarn pieces, and Shirley chose a light yellow wool yarn – exactly what she needed. After a cup of tea and a sugar cookie, Shirley hurried home, and since she was going right past the mailbox, she picked up the day’s mail – half a dozen Christmas cards. KW

DAY 14 – A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

 

It’s another pre-Christmas Sunday, and it was Bertha’s turn to present the program at Sunday school. Last week Ina spoke about the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of the Christ. Her sister Bertha’s presentation today was on the three wisemen and the meaning of their gifts to the Christ-child.

After an early-afternoon dinner of roast chicken, potatoes, green beans, and apple pie, the family settled down to a quiet afternoon of reading, contemplation, and dozing. A snack supper of bread and butter was available at suppertime. Then they got ready for bed and enjoyed several good programs on the radio before turning in. 

Enjoy these vintage Christmas card interpretations of the wisemen. KW

DAY 13 – A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

 

We’re on the second half of our December countdown to Christmas.

Today, Mike and I made a run to the farm with goods for our present-day Christmas celebration. In my imagination, Ina and Shirley were there working at the dining room table. Ina was signing and addressing Christmas cards. Shirley was stuffing cotton balls into the cloth baby doll she’s making for Sadie.

I could tell that Ina knew I had come into the house. She stopped writing and looked up, her demeanor pensive. She felt my presence, but she couldn’t see me.

“Is something the matter, Mama?” asked Shirley.

“No. No, it’s nothing,” Ina responded and resumed her writing.

But it definitely was something. Across the decades, Ina and I shared a brief moment. Did she know I was Kathy, or did she think I was Sadie?

Well, never mind. The moment passed. Ina and Shirley faded from my consciousness as I’m sure I faded from Ina’s. I went on with my work, unpacking crates, hiding gifts, checking the pantry for supplies, making beds, etc., but I would have loved to watch Aunt Shirley bring that doll to life. KW

DAY 12 – A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

We are “about as usual,” (blessed phrase!). We sleep late and “eat hearty.” – Ina

It was the era when most women took pride in housekeeping and the rural home arts, and Ina was no exception. She kept a tidy house with a place for everything and everything in its place. If an item didn’t fit in, she tossed it out. Books and magazines were handed on and didn’t accumulate. She had no patience with dirt and dust, and that’s saying something in the farm environment.

After her regular chores – feeding the chickens, doing the breakfast dishes, and some light housekeeping, Shirley settled down to work on the doll she was making for Sadie. She had drawn a pattern and cut it from muslin yesterday, so she was ready to proceed with the sewing. First, she embroidered an adorable baby face. Should the eyes be open or closed? Shirley opted for open eyes and a little bow mouth.

Meanwhile, Ina checked her store of preserves to see what they could spare as gifts. She would give June a jar of huckleberry jam and send a jar of strawberry preserves to Earle and Bernice. They had harvested plenty of navy beans, so she would share with various ones of the community. And she would send some popcorn to daughter Pearl in Alberta. Jack was proud of the popcorn he grew.

Then it was time to fix dinner. The noon meal was the main one of the day, and I guess they ate heartily of the meat, vegetables, and fruits that Ina put up. Today they had bean soup, bread, cheese, and apple wedges.

Shirley quickly washed the dishes and got right back to her handwork. She was absorbed in the work of stitching by hand, backstitching with precision as Ina and Aunt Bertha had taught her. With short lengths of thread and taking the tiniest of stitches, she worked around the doll’s shape, leaving an open place at the top of her head for stuffing.

Jack returned from the mailbox this afternoon with two Christmas cards from Iowa relatives. “So early?” observed Ina in a tone something like disapproval. As sunlight began to wane, Jack opened the cards and Ina read the enclosed letters aloud while Shirley continued her stitching. When it was too dark to continue sewing, Shirley carefully put the unfinished doll into a little sewing basket and helped Ina prepare the house for the evening.

[In real time, yesterday’s high was 60 while the low this morning was 50. Such strange, unseasonable weather. It was breezy yesterday, but the predicted high winds did not develop here and we’ve had only a little rain, compared to the west (wet) side of the state where they experience devastating floods.] KW