Mon 20 Feb 1922
Mary's Journal Entry
rainy but B & I took J’s spring to Escondido rained nearly all day waiting for spring back 4 P.M. rained all eve.
[Letters sent home. See Appendix B.]
[Received letter. See Appendix C.]
Letter Sent Home
Dear ones at home
We are in the Rest. waiting for our steak to fry. we come down this morn. with J.P.’s spring & waiting to take it home with us. this is a drizzly day rained a little when we left the ranch. last week was fine nice & warm I tho’t I would never get a chance to mail a letter home. this week I am going to write a little every day & try to be ready when a chance comes so may close very suddenly. Yes. P.M. we backed out “Lizzie” & took a ride went to a rubber ranch where they grow rubber bush they cut the bush & grind up the whole thing & press the juice out. from there we went to a goat farm a frenchman Mr. Bongene he was a jolly man said in French Bon was good & gene was John so in French his name was Good John he took us in his batchlor’s shanty & treated us to wine like they made in France. I had no white ribbon on so had a taste. now about the goats he had 28 goats bro’t from Switzerland the hot climate &c he only saved 9 one kidded 4 weeks ago. she gives 7 qts of milk a day her udder was as large as my head he expects $1000.00 for her & when her buck kid is 6 weeks old $500.00 one imported buck he refused 1500.00 for they were some goats guess he had 20 or 25 kids & all. some time ago I suggested we get a milk goat & learn it to ride on the run-board so we could have milk but we did not buy one. the one a caught in the brush or this same man helped him catch (lost her kid) their milk tastes just like cows milk I kept at Uncle Will till he tasted it to keep me still. he has had a lame back lifted to hard on stone (so he thinks) pa gets more dynimite today he struck some job but J.P. has the worst of it he has to draw away the pieces. not much going on in the country not even any mail Sat. the carrier that brings the mail from here to Valley Center broke down so no mail. notice my new tablet paper. I forgot before Carrie S wanted one of the Post cards will send you the last one give it to her if you get a chance. have not heard from Hollis since we were out there. well our dinner is settled steak, potatoes, rolls & butter, rice apricots, cab. salad & coffee (35¢) I wish Mrs. R had a sewing machine in the shack on the ranch. I’d try it. but I am out doors all I can be tag the men around. pa has just got busy, wrote Mary yes. & sent O. a birthday card today also Aunt Elsie & Louise Small. every one we talk to advises us not to start East to soon on account of wash outs if it don’t stop raining I will come by rail. Hope you are all well. we are all fine.
Love to all, Ma
Now dear Boys its time I told you about Uncle Will well he has got to be a regular hunter he has shot & killed three Jack rabbits. he come in last night with an old buster. I skined it then found it was no good so gave it to Hoover & he has not wanted any thing to eat all day a joke on me to skin it for the dog. we ate the other two & one that G.pa shot they were fine. did you folks ever see their ears? I think Hoover has the tummy ache he lays around in the sun & don’t seam to care for anything to eat. I tell you that Phil & Prince are heros how they do pull the stone around now they are on the scraper filling up where the stone was grandpa shot two wild doves going to try to cook them for supper I guess they are about 40 years old
With hugs & kisses 2 close G-ma
Our new No. Plate is white with blue letters & Cal. 410471. don’t look for it yet it’s to far away
Well my Dear girls,
I must write you a few lines & tell you what a nice spanking I gave G.pa the first thing yesterday morning right on his - bare skin he hollered ouch pretty good I done that so he would know I tho’t of his birthday if he did forget mine. & I made him a nice frosted cream pie for his dinner & baked him a birthday cake. I will draw a picture of it so you can imagine how it looked I had no candles so trimed it the best I could with what i had. he acted as if he tho’t it was pretty nice anyway & all ate two pieces. I had a little sliver of a taste just because it was his cake. Fern how is Spottie a lady on the next ranch has a smoked Persian its a beauty & very rare she has to comb its hair so it wont mat together when she has it in the city Riverside it wears a colar & tag just like Rex ought to. now girls I must close & write the boys xxxxx
Lots of love to all Grandma
Well Will I have tried to find out about contracts here there is no canning Factorys but too (2) Packing Houses they say there is no other way but to organize everything is packed & sold by the Organization it is Sunkist here also in Los Angeles Pasadena & all over the country do not see any provisions in contract for electing officers take it for granted they must be elected by growers does your officers from the old association apply for the new association the Raisin Growers has increased their business 100% by organization
While waiting for spring went out and tried to find out something about Grapes but failed to get what I wanted. so will wait and try on way to L.A. when we go
We are both feeling fine
Pa
cards for M & R - next time
clearer & cooler
Ask Uncle Will anything he knows about as much as a “Jack rabbit”
[Second letter started 20 Feb, mailed 21 Feb]
Letter Received
Dear Uncle Ben,
This is Washington’s birthday and I have vacation today and hope this card reaches you on your birthday. I have not missed a day of school this year. This morning when we woke up the trees and everything were covered with ice. We have had an open winter. We are all usually well and hope this finds you the same and enjoying yourselves.
Your niece Eilene