What an utter and joyful surprise this week from Kim! I opened my mail to find one of Leonard’s roosters! I was going to save sharing this happy little surprise for later when Grandma mentions that he’s making them again but as I try not to read ahead in Grandma’s journal, I’m not sure when that will be so I’m sharing it now because I’m just thrilled with it. He definitely had some talent when it came to needlework. The back is so smooth and error-free. I have cross-stitched since I was a teenager and the backs of my projects are usually filled with knots I can’t get out, and rather than do it properly, I don’t always swap colors properly and tuck in loose ends so strands cross back and forth across the flip side like a roadmap. Len’s is just perfectly done. I remember quite well painting with Len in the garage when I was about 6 or 7 but wow, I wish I had received embroidery lessons instead! Anyway, I’m so blessed that Kim thought to give me one of these. Now I have two different textile items to get framed and preserved from our family! Just beautiful – thank you, Kim!
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
May 28, 1977 – Got up 7:30 Went out early and started trimming the street and mixed the sand and peat for my planting. Set out pieces. Also yellow Barberry 2 Japanese barberry and 1 more shoot from Rosies bush.
Watered my beans and put more grass on potatoes – Grass from the plume grass. Keeps down the weeds.
May 29, 1977 – Got up 8:00 – Watered hanging baskets and outdoor potted plants. Bath and hair wash. Got a thunderstorm this afternoon – good! Caught up on my April [Circleville] Heralds.
Amy [Stewart] graduates this evening. Not getting to go. Cleaned grass from Pyracantha. New shoots are growing.
May 30, 1977 – Got up 7:30. Dug out old mums from 1st fence flower beds while Len worked in garden and planted 1 row beans – I potted up couple green mums I’d started in water. Set out 7 wax begonias I’d started in water. Set out three purple vine wandering jews. Finished putting grass between potato rows.
May 31, 1977 – Got up early 7:30 A M – worked in the flowers until Len got up. Cut his hair in the forenoon. Swept the kitchen and living room – Looked up more summer clothes – Got things ready for trip to the Dr – Didn’t work in the garden. Have to rest up for tomorrow.
Got my 2 big ferns carried outside – I’ll put one of them in the iron kettle with some purple vine.
June 1, 1977 – Got up 7:45 Len got get-well cards from Mom and Ray. Took Len to Dr. Today. Cleaned out all the dead tissue until the hole bled – Awful nerve-wracking.
Stopped at Steak Plus for lunch – Also Jones’ when we came home. Ethel and I took walk around the yard. Everything so wilty and dry. Stunted and yellow.
Have to take Len to Dr. again June 22 11:30.
Watered the privet in the half barrel – Still nice and green yet.
June 2, 1977 – Got up 7:30 Worked 7:45 until 9:00 pulling weeds and agrees, old stalks from last years flowers from west bank beds.
Cleared away all flowers and weeds from around tiger lilies so they can get circulation.
Dusted the potatoes. Watered the row of beans Len planted and put straw on them – I had enough to hold in the moisture.
June 3, 1977 – Got up 7:15. Transplanted Jeru. [Jerusalem] cherry trees into pots and put fresh sil on the orange tree. Set out Marys Joseph’s coat plant Ethel gave me.
Took tools out for Len to work in the garden – Only worked an hour or so. Hauled out three cart loads of trash I dug from flower beds yesterday.
Len cleaned around the rose bush east of the drive. Loaded up two loads of grass and weeds he dug out today – but did not get them emptied.
Watered my flowers bed beans – Potatoes looking fine.
Baked double batch of apple sauce squares and a big strawberry shortcake. Froze some of both.