More about Marge's farm days

There was a gravel pit near, but that was really off limits. However working in the onion was allowed at all ages. That was hot work. I did not like to eat onions but they sure did smell good.
The granddaddy of all smells was Ferd Fribley's mint fields.
After working the onions, we would grab the soap, jump into ole Avery(topless vehicle,actually i think it was 4 tires and not much else) -off to Huffman lake to clean up. Some days if you got too hot, you might get to jump in the horse tank.

Ironing was a big job and was done with irons heated on the cook stove., which were also used to warm your feather bed in the winter. Sometimes I got to iron handkerchiefs, or sugar sacks made into dishtowels.

I loved to go in the store building, there seemed to always be something in there I had not noticed before.

G.G. was very busy with her church and D.W. was an ever present figure of authority. They took their Christian teachings very serious. We went to Millwood Chapel and sometimes to Stony Point. We got on our knees to pray, and to pass the sermon time away I made dolls in a hammock with a handkerchief, which had a corner for your gum if need be. There were lots of wonderful people at Millwood. I could name so many but some stand out. Walter Thomas who was the only man good enough for my mother to marry. Dallas Hartzell who could really play the piano if you needed to hear it. Lilli Harmon to teach everybody to sing, except the two Mary Joaneses Orlie's Mary and Henry's Mary. They already knew how to sing.
Rev. John Hartman kept you at attention with his sermon deliveries I will never forget staying with he and Lilly. Going to church , prayer meeting , ect was never discussed as to whether you were going or not. You knew you were going.
In the winter it seemed that we always returned home to the sickly smell of sulpher burning. So you got your chest greased, a warm flannel rag over it and upstairs fast to escape the smell that was to save us from ills.

D.W. had a very large dictionary on a table that always interested me, but I know I was not to touch it. I can still see the table with two shelves, likely made at Atwood school. I can still see so many things-a picture of a baby in a doctors bag, a pretty vase with flowers embossed. I never wanted anything changed. G.G. said don't you want me to ever have anything new???

Animals had names for the most part, but I cannot remember a single cats name. The mules were Jack and Jen. The dog Dolly was beloved by all. As the story goes Dolly killed 42 rats in one day---what a dog!