Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - February 10, 1931

Old Mission, Michigan Feb. 10th 1931

My dear Miss Taft: -

No one is here today so I'm all alone My thoughts have been mostly of you so thought I would try and write you a few more lines. The wind is dreadfully cold today I can hardly keep warm in the house. Feb and March always bring these raw cold days. I suppose you have quite warm weather down there off an on. I saw by the Grand Rapids Press that they are nearly out of water there I hope by now you have had a good down pour. The ground won't be in any shape for Spring if you don't have rain there We had rain here last Fall and plenty of snow and I'm so thankful for that.

If school should close then would it open later on? Or how would they do it. There are over three months of school left yet in fact nearly four. I wish our house was in shape for winter you could come and stay here but as it is now you couldn't stand it as we have no way to heat the other rooms until we have a furnace installed and we don't like to do that until we expect to move there as you said it would only rust out. Jos. want to put a basement under the house as soon as he can as the walls are all open now for the wind to blow thru. I will be glad when it warms up again so I can take my Spring ironing up there.

The cherry buds look good so far later on I will mail some to you so you can see what we look like. Do you hear any thing from Mr. Lardie in regards to the extra money we haven't heard any thing of late.

Henry and Dora Gore expect to come back from Fla. within the next few wweeks. It seems as tho' if I went there I would like to stay until the winter weather is over. Its easy to contract phneumonia when coming from a warm place to where it is so cold. Mrs. Gore was quite sick last year from doing that. Did I ever mention about Russel being married he is the one that stayed at home in fact Mr Gore sold him the place some time ago. So Milton Gore + wife bought a home in Traverse City. They say no house is large enough for two families.

Roger is very busy these days trapping skunks he says its a pretty smelly job but its a good way to earn a few cents. Of late he hasn't had much luck. It helps to keep boys at home when they are real busy. Hazel is just as busy as ever sewing and drawing.

I have most of my Spring sewing to do yet. Have you got yours done? I'm not going to do as much as I did a year ago. I wish I had some carpet rags to sew My old rugs are worn out and I need more for this room. All I have are 8 old aprons and not much left of those. Hazel's clothes are always too good to tear up so hand them over to other little girs.

Well I can't think of any thing more just now so will say good bye for now.

Yours as ever Essie K.