Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - June 1, 1927

Old Mission, Mich June 1st 1927

My Dear Miss Taft: - Received your very welcome letter yesterday & was more than glad to hear from you and to know the time is drawing near for your vacation. Oh dear some times I would like just a week to call my very own. I am sure I wouldn't care to spend it in Ill. tho' it must be dreadful there when the weather is real hot. When I was in Chicago it seemed as tho' there wasn't any fresh air to breathe I felt like a fish does out of water.

Marion has learned to drive the Buick now so can go when she pleases. We wanted a new car this year but the cherries look kind of discouraging we had another white frost last night it is nice & warm today & the sun is shining so pretty. Your cherries are like the rest some are fairly good they blossomed out good so maybe they will turn out pretty good after all. It is very hard to tell yet as they are not out far enough. I will let you know from time to time how things progress. This trying to tell a person how their fruit looks is like feeling in the dark.

Joseph had to take the Kauic cow again this A.M. by what we hear she has always been hard to breed but is a nice little cow & gives good clean milk. I saw our dear old Bossie cow & little calf 2 weeks ago Sunday while we were out on a picnic. I felt like jumping out of the car & going over to her. It made me feel lonesome to see her. I don't suppose I should feel that way towards the animals but I do like them all. Jos. asked Mr. Willobee this A.M. what his charges were on the drill & when he said $.50 per acre he nearly fell over it will be about a $2.00 bill. It is hard now days to rent tools so suppose we should feel satisfied. But that looks steep to me. We will ask him for receipt to give to you.

Miss Taft I was looking in Montgomery catalog at oil stoves & a new one with short burners is around $6.00 and small oven $1.56. I will pay you for the oven and buy the stove from you if no one else should want in in case you should sell soon. They heat very well for Summer weather & you can't imagine how nice they are to have & would pay for its self in fuel in a very short time. Joseph says the little cook stove is so rusted & worn out that it isn't safe to use. I haven't used it for so long that I don't know much about it. But the insurance men drop in & inspect chimneys & stove now & then they were here two years ago & said we were safe but told us to be careful with poor stove or pipes. Now if you want to do this let me know will you please and then when I buy an oven I will try & buy the large size it is nice to have both sizes as it saves a lot on fuel. If a person wants to bake some small dish of food there isn't any use in burning 2 burners when one will do just as well. The way you spoke we supposed your plans were to use an oil stove. I don't think it will be very cool much longer. If you want Joseph to he can bring our heating stove over there & set it up. He could get some one to help load it but I couldn't as it is too heavy. Wouldn't want you to be cold & half freeze. But am sure you wouldn't if you used a small stove like the picture of this am sending.

Why can't Helen wait she will be married a long time when once the knot is tied. I think girls are so foolish to be in a hurry.

I can't think of any more to write just now so will close & hope to hear from you soon.

With love Essie K. over

Carpenters house & nearly all of contents burned flat to the ground Sat. Maybe I am an old grandma but I am dreadfully afraid of fires insurance never covers near all the loss.