19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, July 30, 1914: About the same as the other days.
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Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma did not write much a hundred years ago, I’m going to share another set of’ ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures that were in the April, 1914 issue of Ladies Home Journal. The title of the article was: “What was Done in Some Towns and What You And Do in Yours.”
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19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Wednesday, July 29, 1914: Nothing much these days.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write much a hundred years ago today, I thought that you might enjoy this advertisement.
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, July 28, 1914: Nothing much these days.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write much a hundred years ago today, I’ll share an old seasonal recipe for Spiced Blueberries. They make an excellent relish to serve with pork and other meats.
Spiced Blueberries
6 pints fresh blueberries
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons whole cloves
Combine blueberries, sugar, and vinegar in 5-quart pan. Put cloves in a cheesecloth bag and add to the mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for approximately 25 minutes, or until the liquid begins to jell.*
Remove cheesecloth bag, and ladle into hot pint jars, filling to 1/8 inch of jar top. Wipe jar rim, and adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Makes approximately 4 pints.
*The Portland Preserve website has a nice description of how to tell when the jellying point has been reached.
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Monday, July 27, 1914: I just finished writing several letters. So you see I am in the mood for writing this evening. A regular down pour of rain drenched the earth this afternoon. Am glad of it, for I realized how deep the dust was, when I went off on an errand of Pa’s this morning. I took the nearest cut and went across the field. This involved climbing fences or crawling through them as the case happened to be. I chose the latter, when I found a place large enough to admit my ponderous body. I still cling to the idea that I am big and fat, but nevertheless I am losing weight as the summer advances, so you see, the time may come, when I will be reduced to normal weight.
The people here have gone to bed, so I will shut up for awhile.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma-
How much you weigh? It can’t be very much. What is a “normal weight” for your height?
On March 23, 1914, you wrote:
Got a streak of sewing today. I get the streaks quite often in many variations. Another one is to get rid of some of my superfluous fat. 140 pounds (January) is entirely too much for a girl of my age. I don’t weigh that now, since I lost six and gained about three. Intend to take advantage of the other three and fight for dear life.
And, on March 29, 1914 you wrote:
. . . Am rather tired of dieting by this time. Have lost ten pounds.
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My memory is that Grandma was quite short—probably 5 feet 1 inch . . . maybe 5 feet 2 inches. She probably was a little taller than that as a teen, but she definitely was not very tall.
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, July 26, 1914: Went to church this afternoon. I was pretty warm.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma-
Whew, it doesn’t sound pleasant. I bet that it was hard to concentrate in the heat. Was there a breeze coming in through a window?—or was the hot air still? Did you have a fan?
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, July 25, 1914: Nothing doing.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma-
You must have done something. Do you and your 9-year-old brother Jimmie ever go fishing on hot summer days in the the nearby Warrior Run Creek ?
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, July 24, 1914: Nothing doing.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma-
I hope that you aren’t doing “nothing” because you’re still in pain from the hay-loading accident two days ago.
If you’re stiff and sore, maybe Sloan’s Liniment would help. It kills all pain in man or beast.
