A Party at the Creek

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Thursday, August 1, 1912:

August will fly fast enough,

And at its eve will again will be

The dear old school days.

So farewell to July.

Half of the Summer has vanished,

And half of it yet to come.

Yet the days glide on as ever,

And August another month begun.

We had our S.S. class up along the creek today. All were there and had a splendid time. Such a time as we had a losing of things, but they were all recovered. I lost the heel off of my shoe and didn’t miss it for awhile afterwards. I feel like a stuffed toad this evening.

Recent photo of the stream that flows through the farm Grandma grew up on. The old Muffly barn is in the background.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

It sounds Grandma and her sister Ruth were the hostesses for the Sunday School party. What fun! . . . good friends. . . good food. . . wading in the creek . . . the perfect summer day (in spite of a broken shoe heel).

Monthly Poem

Grandma began every month in the diary with a poem. Each month I ponder whether she wrote the poem or whether she copied it from some source.

Since she’s mentioned that school will be starting in about a month in several recent posts, this month I’m voting that she wrote the poem herself.

Watermelon: Good For Your Health

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Monday, July 29, 1912: There is really nothing worth writing for today.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Since Grandma didn’t have anything worth writing a hundred years ago today, I’ll share a fun tidbit about watermelons that I found in the June 1911 issue of Pure Food Magazine.

Watermelons furnish a delicious and most healthful luxury for the hot season. They keep the system cool, and help to ward off fever. That is why nature has supplied them so bountifully to us during the warm season. The name “watermelon” is most appropriate for it is nearly all water—91.9 percent. Hence, it is also an excellent thirst quencher. Its other nutriments add wonderfully to its healthfulness. . . The water you get in the watermelon ripened on the vine contains no impurities.

I’m always learning new things from doing this blog. Today I learned that when people worried about water quality a hundred years ago, that one alternative to drinking the water was to eat watermelon.

Next time I’m somewhere with questionable water I’ll just have to hope that watermelons are available.

Parents Away–Had Friends Over

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Sunday, July 28, 1912: Pa and Ma went away to spend the day. Went to Sunday School this afternoon. Had company this afternoon.

Recent picture of the house and yard where Grandma lived when she wrote the diary.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Where did Grandma’s parents go? Her father’s sister Mary’s funeral was on July 20. Mary had lived with two other brothers. Maybe Grandma’s parents went to the brothers’ home in Ottawa (Pennsylvania). Families often gather soon after a funeral to write thank you notes, sort things and reminisce.

Since their parents were gone, I suppose that Grandma and her sister Ruth invited friends over for a fun afternoon.

Soon Will Be Fall

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Friday, July 26, 1912: Just a month from today and study hours will be resumed. How glad I will be when they arrive. Carrie came over this afternoon and evening.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Just as Grandma felt a hundred years ago, I sense that fall will be here soon. The days are getting shorter . . . and, as my father says, “The wind is blowing over the wheat stubble.”
Carrie refers to Grandma’s friend Carrie Stout.

An Embroidery Pattern and A Balloon

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Thursday, July 25, 1912: Spent nearly all afternoon in getting an embroidery pattern reversed so as to have the whole design. It’s finished now and stamped on the material.

For several evenings I’ve seen a balloon go up, but tonight I saw only the gas.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Help!! I don’t understand this diary entry—and am hoping that some of you can help me make sense of it.

Embroidery Pattern

How do you reverse an embroidery pattern and then stamp it on cloth? I can remember using an iron to transfer the patterns to cloth when I was child—but I have no idea how Grandma reversed the pattern and then stamped it.

Balloons

Was Grandma referring to a hot air balloon?

Hot air balloons were popular attractions at fairs and festivals in the early 20^th century. Steve Shook has a wonderful picture of hot air balloons at a festival in Valparaiso, Indiana that was taken around 1910.

But what did she mean when she said that she only saw the gas?

Will be Glad When School Starts

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Monday, July 22, 1912: Heard that school starts on the 26th of August. I’ll be glad when that day arrives. I’d rather go to school than have to hardly anything else, and I’m not going any places any ways.

DSC04308.crop — Recent photo of building that once housed McEwensville School.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

When I was a teen I always dreaded the end of summer vacation—but Grandma seemed to miss school.

. .. . though she probably had to work harder on the farm during the summer months than I did. And, I suppose she missed her friends.

Rain Makes Mud and Rain Makes Corn

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Sunday, July 21, 1912: Went to Sunday School this morning. Had to go through the mud coming homeward. Hence it rained today. Went over to see Miss Caroline May, though it rained, for it won’t hurt me.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Grandma saw rain and mud. . . Did her father give a sigh of relief and see more corn? (Somehow this brings to mind that crazy country song about rain making corn.)

Farmers worry about the weather–too much rain (not good) . . . too little rain (not good).

This year so many farmers are worried about a drought and the possible failure of their corn crop. Did Grandma’s father have similar worries a hundred years ago?

To get lots of corn in the fall it is vital that the corn plants get enough water in July when the corn is tasseling, and the ears are beginning to form.

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Miss Caroline refers to Grandma’s friend Carrie Stout. Carrie lived on a nearby farm.