A quilting machine!

Wed., August 7, 1935 - Mom and I mowed more lawn this morning.  Grandad walked out to Ola's this morning for threshing.  He was home again for dinner.  We baked bread and a meat loaf for Alma for the Luther League Convention that is meeting here today and tomorrow.  Mom went down town tonite and went to the convention vesper service at the church.  Came home with Alma.
Thurs., August 8, 1935 - Finished the top of my star quilt this morning!  Hurrah!  Mom and I went to church tonite to the League Convention.  Walked home with Alma.
Fri., August 9, 1935 - Worked on a quilting design this p.m.  Cleaned up house in a.m.  Went to lodge tonite, just 5 there including Verna Ditman.  There was no lunch committee so Alma took us to Bohe's and treated us.

Grandma got her star quilt pattern on May 25 and here she had it all pieced by August 8.  Never mind that she was also busy picking cherries and canning this and that, going to a dance out of town and losing some silverware, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, and running around with Grandpa on occasion.  Oh, and she finished a quilt she had already started before diving in to the star quilt.  I knew she was an amazing go-getter, but wow!

And here's an undated photo of Grandma looking fabulous.  And wearing a hat, which she normally did not do.  Hurrah!

Oats?

Sun., August 4, 1935 - To Sunday School and church again for a change.  Slept and read most of the afternoon.  We had a nice rain tonite.
Mon., August 5, 1935 - Worked on quilts today.  Annie and the kids were in this afternoon for our big coffee pot.  They're having threshers tomorrow.
Tues., August 6, 1935 - Mom and I worked on our quilts.  Chris Hansen came after Grandad's oats to take out to Ola's to be threshed.  Grandad went along and came back this evening.  Mom and I mowed part of the lawn tonite.

Where would Ola be growing and storing oats?  I sure wish Grandma or Grandpa or Grandma Anna were around to ask these questions to.

The photo is a random one -- I have no idea who those people are.

Darn weather

Thurs., August 1, 1935 - The kids left at 6:30.  Worked on my quilt again.  Mrs. Loebsack was here and asked if Mom would work for Freda at Sioux City.  Mom will go Monday morning.
Fri., August 2, 1935 - I washed clothes and Mom sewed this a.m.  Annie and Ola were here a few minutes.  They went to Wayne and Grandad went with them, business of some kind.  Mrs. Schellenberg and Florence were here this evening.
Sat., August 3, 1935 - Mom sewed at Florence Reinbrecht's this a.m.  I ironed and baked bread, good bread, too.  This is the first time I've done it alone.  Barbara L. came tonite and said Mom didn't have to go to Sioux City until a week from Monday.  Howard here this evening.  Chris and Clara were hailed out yesterday.

The photo is from hail damage to a farm just south of North Bend, Nebraska, date unknown.  I don't know what crops Uncle Chris and Aunt Clara planted, but devastation is devastation.  Currently we have the awful hurricane wind damage and flooding in Texas.  So very sad and impossible to wrap one's mind around.

I have no doubt that Grandma's solo bread making was a success.  Other than the loaf she regretfully sawed into pieces in Nancy's and my presence, I do not recall hearing of any bread-ly failures.

Kittenball!

Mon., July 29, 1935 - Peggy here all day while Mom worked on her dresses that Roxie brought yesterday.  I went up to Alma's tonite.  She was going to the show with Gerald so I talked to Mrs. L.
Tues., July 30, 1935 - Worked on my star quilt.  It was hot today and not a breeze blowing.  Alma came down tonite.  We lay on the bedspring until 11:30 and talked.
Wed., July 31, 1935 - Ardath and Peggy here this a.m. trying on dresses.  We had a good rain tonite.  Willie, Lillie, Louise and Marjorie Hamm were in town for a kittenball game.  They got caught in the rain and are staying all nite.

I, for one, have never heard of kittenball.  But not being one to let that stand in my way, this is what I found at hdwebpros.com:

     The earliest known “softball/kittenball” game was played in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day 1887 between Yale and Harvard alumni who had gathered at the Farragut Boat Club to hear the score of their annual football game. When the score was announced and bets were settled, a Yale alumnus threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The other person grabbed a stick and swung at it. A man named George Hancock called out “Play ball!” and the game began, with the boxing glove tightened into a ball, and a broom handle serving as a bat. This first contest ended with a score of 44-40.  The ball, being soft, was fielded barehanded.

     George Hancock is credited as the game’s inventor for his development of a softball and an undersized bat in the next week. The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders. Envisioned as a way for baseball players to maintain their skills during the winter, the sport was called “Indoor Baseball." Under the name of “Indoor-Outdoor," the game moved outside in the next year, and the first rules were published in 1889.

     In 1895, Lewis Rober, Sr. of Minneapolis organized outdoor games as exercise for firefighters; this game was known as kittenball (after the first team to play it), lemon ball, or diamond ball. Rober’s version of the game used a ball 12 inches (305 mm) in circumference, rather than the 16-inch (406 mm) ball used by the Farragut club, and eventually the Minneapolis ball prevailed, although the dimensions of the Minneapolis diamond were passed over in favor of the dimensions of the Chicago one.

     Sixteen-inch softball, also sometimes referred to as “mush ball” or “super-slow pitch," is a direct descendant of Hancock’s original game. Defensive players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves. Sixteen-inch softball is played extensively in Chicago, where devotees such as the late Mike Royko consider it the “real” game, and New Orleans. In New Orleans, sixteen-inch softball is called “Cabbage Ball” and is a popular team sport in area elementary and high schools.

The things you learn . . .  The date on the photo of kittenball players is quite fortuitous, but I do not know who those young ladies are or where they are from.

Bridal shower

Fri., July 26, 1935 - Waved Mom's hair this a.m.  Felt punk today and didn't do much of anything.  Tonite we went to the shower for Margaret Christensen Kallstrom.  They were married last Saturday.  She got a lot of nice gifts.
Sat., July 27, 1935 - Hot again today.  Mom went down town tonite.  Howard came up and we went for a ride.
Sun., July 28, 1935 - Roxie, Peggy, and Ardath came up this morning before we were up, that is about 9:15 and left at 11:00.  So we didn't go to church.  Today seemed like the hottest day this year.

Several new names here -- new to me anyway.  I do not know who Roxie and Peggy and Ardath are.  I did find out the Margaret Christensen Kallstrom has some great names connected to her.  Through the magic of the internet, I discovered her full name was Kiersten Margaretha Christensen and she was the daughter of Thorvald and Elsie Alvina Pedersen Christensen.  Her groom was Gilbert Waldo "Gabe" Kallstrom.  Interestingly, she died in 2005, just like Grandma.  And sure enough, the information I found says they were married on July 20, 1935 in Wayne.

For no particular reason at all, here's a photograph of a young and smiling Grandpa.  If I'm not mistaken, that same grinding stone ended up at Grandma and Grandpa's place in town.  Or maybe one very much like it.

Happy birthday little guy

Tues., July 23, 1935 - Ironed clothes.  Lena Nieman from Omaha and Midge Witte were here this afternoon to see Mom. 
Wed., July 24, 1935 - Embroidered on the sampler.  Lillie, Martha and baby, and Uncle Hans were here this p.m.  Today is Martha's baby's first birthday.  Mom and I went down town tonite.  Was to have been a free movie but the guy forgot part of the machine.
Thurs., July 25, 1935 - Mom went quilting this p.m. and I worked on my star quilt.  Tonite Bess, Irene, Dorathea, Helen, and I took the present to Verna at Stanton.

My limited, but sometimes successful, investigative skills have revealed the baby in question is Ronald Maas.  Grandma doesn't mention his name, but it is my understanding that back in the day, children were sometimes not named at birth but later instead.  But who knows what the case was here.

I hope the movie guy that forgot the part wasn't booed too loudly.

Back home

Sat., July 20, 1935 - This morning I traced patterns.  I drove Gilbert's car to Norfolk this p.m.  Hazel, Mrs. J. and Bud Maas, a kid from Pierce who is visiting here, went along, too.  Tonite Hazel and I went to Hoskins with Gilbert.  We stayed in the car.
Sun., July 21, 1935 - To S.S. and church this a.m.  After dinner we slept.  Mr. Behmer and Charlotte Faye came over about school business.  C.F. woke us up and talked to us.  Tonite Hazel and I went to League and church.  Gilbert brought us in.  After church they brought me to Winside.
Mon., July 22, 1935 - Rained good early this morning.  I spent most of the day embroidering the sampler I got in Norfolk Saturday.  Hot as blazes this afternoon.

I peeked ahead and it appears Grandma is done picking and canning for a while and can enjoy her needlework.

Just look at the cute kitty in the window of the sampler picture I found.  :-)

Mini-vacation for Grandma

Wed., July 17, 1935 - Canned 20 qts. of cherries and made some cherry jam.  I washed and waved my hair.  Helen, Irene, and Bess came for me to go to Norfolk to pick out the wedding present for Verna N. Ditman.  Too busy to go.  Went to Hoskins on train.  Talked to Mrs. Behmer and others until Hazel came.  Saw the free movies.
Thurs., July 18, 1935 - Talked most of the morning.  In the afternoon we took a nap and then looked at quilts and fancy work.
Fri., July 19, 1935 - I embroidered on my cutwork today.  This afternoon we looked through Hazel's patterns.

I don't know who Hazel is and do not know where she lived, so I am not sure how much of a getaway the vacation was, but Grandma looks to be enjoying a well-deserved break from picking and canning cherries.

Eclipse, then and now

Sun., July 14, 1935 - Mom and I went to church.  This p.m. I straightened my cedar chest and the covered box.  Howard here this evening.  We went for a ride.
Mon., July 15, 1935 - We got up at 5:00 this morning to pick cherries.  We picked a little over a bushel.  This p.m. canned 12 pints of peas, beans and carrots.  Saw a total eclipse of the moon tonite.
Tues., July 16, 1935 - Up early again to pick cherries.  We sold 3 bushels of cherries this summer and have a bushel or more for our own use.  Got a card from Hazel J. asking me to come tomorrow and spend several days there.

Well, well.  Here we are in 2017 gearing up for a total solar eclipse and there was a total lunar eclipse back in 1935 for folks to enjoy.  Not that I thought Grandma was fabricating, I did look up lunar eclipses in 1935 and found this:

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1935-july-16

(Just copy and paste if it isn't clickable.)  Isn't technology wonderful sometimes?

Where was the cherry tree?

Thurs., July 11, 1935 - We canned 5 quarts of pickled beets and 19 quarts of rhubarb.  By nite we were ready for bed.
Fri., July 12, 1935 - We picked a bushel of cherries this morning.  Mom and I washed our hair.  Baked a cake.  Went to installation tonite.  Mom along, too.
Sat., July 13, 1935 - Cleaned up the house.  Aired the bedding and cleaned the hall bedroom.  Howard was up here an hour this evening.

They sure picked a lot of cherries.  I do not remember a cherry tree at Grandma's house.  I will ask (in person) those people in the know for my own edification.  I do fondly remember the apricot tree right by the back door.  I remember being fairly sad when it had to come down.

Noisy moviegoers

Mon., July 8, 1935 - Hot! Hotter! Hottest! today.  Ray left here about 4:00.  He's going up to Stahl's and leave from there tomorrow morning sometime.  Rained some about 6:00 p.m.
Tues., July 9, 1935 - Up at 5:30 and picked cherries. Mom sewed this afternoon and I worked on my star quilt.
Wed., July 10. 1935 - We canned 7 pints of peas.  Mom went to Ladies Aid.  When we were upstairs this evening we heard a lot of noise down town.  We went down town and discovered they were having a free movie in the park.  Saw Howard and he brought us home.

Goodness, just how noisy was it at the movie in the park to catch the attention of those up the hill?

The photo is of Mitch, Anna and me yesterday while we were walking around East Campus.  I thought it was worth sharing.

Fun times . . . not!

Fri., July 5, 1935 - We slept late and played lazy all day.  Ray came home in the p.m.  He and Willie Stahl are leaving for the harvest fields Monday.  Picked peas this evening.
Sat., July 6, 1935 - I got up at 5:00 this a.m.  Washed clothes.  Ray, Grandad, and Mom went to Wayne over noon.  Canned 5 pints of peas.  Edwin came up this p.m. and told us about the Kahler family reunion tomorrow at Willie Kahlers.
Sun., July 7, 1935 - Mom, Ray, Uncle Hans, Aunt Emma, Sophia, Walter K. and I went to Dakota City today.  We left here at 11:50 and didn't get there until 3:00!  We didn't start sooner because Ray went up to Uncle Hans' last nite.  It rained there this morning and they needed chains on to get here.  On the way there we had 2 flat tires and car trouble, the engine didn't get gas the way it should.  Walter went along with us because his folks left half an hour before he got here from Norfolk.  He went home with his folks.  We left there at 8:00, got to Aunt Emma's at 10:00.  We had a lunch there before we took Uncle Hans home and then came to Winside.

What a heck of a time getting to a reunion they only heard about the day before.  I did not know any of the Kahlers lived near Dakota City, but I am not really versed on that branch of the family tree.  I guess Grussmother was not feeling well?

From Dakota City's website:

     One of Nebraska's oldest communities, the site of Dakota City, was first visited by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which reached the mouth of Omaha Creek on August 16, 1804. A town was not advanced until the location was designated as county seat shortly after Dakota County was established in 1855. A town site was platted the following year. J. D. M.Crockwell, an agent for the Dakota City Land Company formed by Augustus Kountze, chose the name in honor of the Dacotah (Sioux) Indians.

     The original plat called for a town two-miles wide from east to west, with its eastern end abutting the Missouri River. Broadway was to be 150 feet wide with plans for the construction of a "center canal" which could bring barges directly into the town. Showing remarkable growth, Dakota City was incorporated on April 5, 1858.

     Today our town contains 21 miles of streets, of which nine miles are hard-surfaced. Dakota City is adjacent to the four-lane highways of 77 & 20, making it only minutes away from Sioux City, and Iowa's newest and largest shopping center, Southern Hills Mall.

     Recreation focuses on the river, which is readily accessible in Cotton Wood Cove Park. There are 16 acres of land per 1,000 population devoted to parks, playgrounds, athletic fields and courts.

     Schools, with a long tradition of growth, reflected the need for reorganization in the 1960s. At that time a K-4 elementary unit was retained in Dakota City, with all other grades attending classes in South Sioux City.

     Dakota City has the first Lutheran church building built in Nebraska, the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, a Greek Revival style structure built in 1860. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

     The first pastor was the Reverend Henry W. Kuhns, who was a missionary sent by the Allegheny Synod to Nebraska Territory. Rev. Kuhns first preached in the front room of Bates House, a hotel, in November of 1850. The church was formally organized July 22, 1859.

     Plans were started for the building of the church, but their idea of moving an abandoned store from the abandoned town of Pacific City came to an end when a prairie fire destroyed the building as it was being moved to Dakota City. The present church was designed and built by Augustus T. Haase, a local carpenter and a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran congregation, at a total cost of $2,000. The building also served periodically as a Territorial courthouse, and religious services were still held on Sunday as usual. The church stands today as a proud monument to the tenacity and strength of purpose of the early Dakota County settlers.

     The church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.

The photo is of the church, grabbed from wikipeda.  There was a nice train photograph on the Dakota City website, and I wanted to use it for Wayne's sake, but I was not able to copy the image.

Scandalous movie poster?

Tues., July 2, 1935 - Up at 5:30 and picked cherries.  Went down town this morning, met Helen, and she brought me up the hill.  Howard took Mom and me to see Mayme tonite.  She's getting better.
Wed., July 3, 1935 - Worked like the dickens.  Baked 5 pies, bread and a cake.  Cleaned the house.  Mom finished some sewing in the morning and I pitted cherries.  Mom and I entertained R.N.A. tonite.
Thur., July 4, 1935 - Down to parade in a.m.  Home for dinner.  Down town again in p.m.  Wandered around in park.  Saw H.I. in p.m., in evening we went to the show, Joe Brown in "Son of a Sailor".

I found there is an actor named Joe Brown and another named Joe E. Brown.  I believe Joe E. is better known.  The plot of the movie from IMDB is this:

     A smooth-talking sailor looking for a quick date meets the granddaughter of an admiral and finds himself in a house full of top Navy officers, along with a couple of spies interested in plans for a new robot-controlled flight system.

Another poster claimed the movie was "a rollicking rib-tickling comedy".  I remember Joe E. Brown from "Some Like It Hot" and I am prepared to believe Son of a Sailor is probably pretty funny.

On another note, it appears those ladies in the poster above are undressed.  Good heavens!

Free beer

Sat., June 29, 1935 - At last my flower garden quilt is finished.  Mom sewed the last half of the last side for me.  Mom and I went to the Dane dance at Pete C.'s. barn.  Free beer there!  H.I. didn't know anything for awhile.  Got home at 4:00 a.m.
Sun., June 30, 1935 - Slept late of course.  Howard came in about 3:00 and we went for a ride.  Drove around south, east, and west of town.
Mon., July 1, 1935 - Hot as the dickens today.  I worked awhile on my star quilt.  One of the colors doesn't suit me so I'm going to try to get some material that will look better.

My goodness.  I don't think Grandma has mentioned beer before.  How scandalous.  Also, did Grandma Anna stay out until 4:00 a.m., too?  Crazy times.

I am only guessing that the Pete C. mentioned is Pete Christensen.  And with that in mind, here's a photograph of Uncle Pete and Aunt Margaret (far left and far right) with Uncle Nels and Aunt Mary Iversen, taken at Vona, Colorado.

A little monkey

Wed., June 26, 1935 - Finished the ironing today.  Mom went down town early to the free show.  I went down later.  Met Howard at Henry Fleer's store.
Thur., June 27, 1935 - Mom and I went to Norfolk on the train.  It rained practically all the time we were there.  Mom got some things to fix her new eyelet dress and a new white hat.
Fri., June 28, 1935 - Finished basting the border on my quilt and then started on the last part of stitching.  To Rebekah meeting tonite.  Howard and Irene served homemade ice cream and cake.

Yummmm, homemade ice cream!

Because we talked of the Brogren cousins today at lunch, I am including a copy of a photo and little article featuring Terry Brogren from the Lincoln Star on October 29, 1955.  I don't remember if I've used it before, but oh well.

I don't think I know these people

Sun., June 23, 1935 - Slept late this morning.  Didn't do much beside sleep the rest of the day.  Marie and Orville were here for dinner.  Clifford was doing business with Gurney Benshoof.  Marie took us to the cemetery.
Mon., June 24, 1935 - Washed this morning.  Rained when we were ready to hang out the clothes.  Cleared up in the afternoon
Tues., June 25, 1935 - Did part of the ironing today.  Spent the afternoon working on my quilt.

I do not believe I know any of the people mentioned here.  Will have to call in some back-up.

For no particular reason, here's a cute photo of Annabelle and Leeroy that I do not think I've used before.