Free Image Tuesday

I want to share these two diaries I received just yesterday. They are simple pocket diaries, one from 1913 and one from 1914. They were filled out everyday either by Otto Pierson or Grace, his wife. I believe they were country folks, but there is no indication of where they lived. It must have been in the Northern US because the winter weather was sometimes 14 below. How do I know this? Because they recorded the weather everyday. Just a short entry. Sometimes it just says, " Awful hot" or "Awful cold".
Otto writes who visited that day or if he walked his little daughter Martha up to his Momma's house for supper, which he called "going up home". Grace records the eggs that were laid and sold. Every item they purchased was recorded and the amount they paid. He notes if the town doctor gave him a ride home in his automobile. There were church meetings, ice cream socials and picnics at Llyod's Grove.Otto loved his wife and was concerned if she was ill. He recorded the illnesses of her and Martha, the birth of his son William on May 18, 1913 and then again almost a year later William's death on March 24, 1914 from Cerebral Meningitis. After that entry he records every cemetery visit, which were usually made on Saturdays or Sundays after church. Grace didn't make anymore entries after William died.
I read them over and over and each time I pieced their lives together from those short entries. These two simple books transported me into Otto's and Grace's life for an afternoon. They are cherished treasures.


I thought if any of you are in a Halloween mood you could use this creepy little gal. I am sure she was a very sweet, cute girl, but older tintypes sometimes get this silvery look about the eyes.

I haven't been a very active blogger lately. I am hoping to get into an ETSY routine so I have more time here. Thank you for all of your sweet words and support.