Lottie Price V-Mail letters written to Arthur Price, 1945.

compare with Lottie Price's 1945 Diary

Background:

Lottie Price, her husband Henry and son Dean, were at the time living and working on the Price family farm southwest of Burr Oak, Winneshiek County, Iowa. Lottie and Henry's son Sgt. Daniel Arthur Price at the time was serving with the 117th Signal Radio Intelligence Company in France, Germany, and Austria. According to his personal notes written during the War, Sgt. Price's locations from January through August, 1945, were as follows:

January 1 - Lunéville, France
January 5 - Blâmont, France
February 20 - Neuyerhof (unable to determine location)
March 21 - Sarreguemines, France
March 26 - Landau, Germany
April 1 - Mannheim, Germany
April 5 - Mosbach, Germany
April 16 - Öhringen, Germany
April 22 - Heiningen, Germany ("30 K. E. of Stuttgart")
April 25 - Blaubeuren, Germany
April 28 - Kaufbeuren, Germany ("81 K. W. of Mun.")
May 1 - Wies ("near Steingaden")
May 3 - Partenkirchen, Germany
May 8 - Innsbruck, Austria
July 11 - Durlach, Germany

January 4, 1945

Dear Arthur:
And still our cold weather stays with us. It was about 10 below by our new thermometer & 20 by the old one this morn. Dad didn't think our old thermometer registered right so he wanted me too get a new one. We were down town awhile yesterday so I got one & there is about 10 degrees difference in them. Now we wont know which one is right but I know it is plenty cold. It was surely cold down town yesterday. I wasn't out on the street any more than I had to be. The thermostat on the car wasn't working so Dad thought it would be better too get it fixed right away than too have a lot of trouble so we went down & got it fixed. It sure made a difference coming home but the heater didn't warm the car as much as it did before. Suppose that's the way it will be unless we put a covering over the front & then Dad & Dean said it would boil the anti freeze out & that wouldn't be so good. I had planned on washing today even if it was cold but its rather dark & frosty so the clothes wouldn't dry at all. Guess we can go dirty. Don't know what was the matter with Glen this morn, guess his truck didn't want too start, he just got here & its after 10. Late for him. We got your letter, Tues., dated Dec. 14th & then yesterday we got your Xmas card. That was post marked Dec. 5th so it was held up somewhere. Thanks for the nice card & we were so glad too get your letter too. We are anxious too hear from you since that letter was written as so much has happened since then. I felt so badly about sending those sardines, as after I had sent them so many said you boys had so much of that stuff & that you wouldn't care for them. Was so glad too hear that you did enjoy them. I suppose we do send things that you don't need but we really don't know just what too send & we want too send things that you don't get & will enjoy. Was so glad you spoke about "your Army". We had no idea which it was until Ruth was home & then she said you had just written her which it was. Were you just put there or has it been for some time? no answer it? Harry Halse died very suddenly yesterday morn early. He & Nina had been living in Decorah since their sale. They were planning on moving too La Crosse before so very long. Am just wondering what Nina will do now. See Ralph & Audry in Decorah real often so don't know if they live near there or not. We are all just fine. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama.

January 10, 1945

Dear Arthur:
Another nice snow storm again last nite. It was just a steady downfall & lay just where it fell so that isn't as bad. A lot of it fell too, but its so light that it don't bother anything. Dad & Dean have been sweeping paths this morn, they didn't even have too shovel. Dean is sweeping a path or rather a road for the car from the garage too the road now. We are out of ground feed so Dad said he might take some oats too Decorah. It isn't too warm this morn but the sun is shining brightly now so it may thaw some. Am just wondering if our cold weather will last the rest of the winter. It was about 20 below yesterday morn but this morn just a little below zero. I washed yesterday & the clothes didn't dry very good but I brought them in & Dean put up a line for me in the north room upstairs so I have part of them up there finishing drying & the rest I dried down here around the stoves. Dad went up too Johnnie's & got another load of corn yesterday P.M. He is going too get some more yet, but after this he will have too go over too the house as he got the [last?] from Marion's barn yesterday. It isn't as good corn as ours by a long way. Maybe that at the house will be better. We should sell some hogs some of these days. Had a letter from Ruth Mon. & she said she had, had a letter from you written Xmas Day & that you had a good dinner that day. Did you get all your Xmas [boxes?] before Xmas? Ruth didn't write much but I guess she is plenty busy. Had a letter from Auntie "Dore" Mon. too. She is working in a doll shop tying on arms all day from 8 A.M. until 4:30 P.M. with 1 1/2 hrs. off at noon. She said she liked the work & it isn't hard. Seems too me she will be a lot better off with something like that too do instead of spending the long days alone with only her little bit of housework too do. She said they had just had 2 letters from Loyal so that helped a lot. They hadn't heard from Harlan for awhile though. I think by the way she wrote that he was still in the States. Have things all assembled & will send another box too you tomorrow unless it storms so we cant get up town. It is L.A.S. tomorrow so I should go. I may be sending you things you wont like but if so some other boy may like them so you can give them too him. One of your boxes should be there by your birthday so maybe you can call them birthday gifts. Write whenever you can & take good care of youself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama.

January 15, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Middle of Jan., and it soon will be spring ya! Everything is covered with frost this morn. It looks sometimes like it might thaw off & then again it don't. Yesterday was a nasty damp foggy day. Dad & Dean took me too church & we got stuck trying too get out too the road. Didn't have chains on. They had too shovel & push & work for a while but at last we made it. It is O.K. going without chains if you can stay in the track along the highway but if you would meet a car you might set there. They talked this morning about putting on chains as Dad has too go up too Fritz's & over too Louie's on school business. I don't think he could get in too Louie's without chains. I had too laugh at Mrs. K. at church yesterday. She asked Paul Power's folks too go home with them too dinner, but she said, "I haven't any butter & my house is dirty." That's Mrs. K. for you. Power's are the people who bought the Torg Thorson place that Torgen owned. They just moved there this winter. Mrs. said they hadn't heard anything from Roger yet & I suppose they haven't had time. Dean was over at Howard's yesterday P.M. awhile. He said Richard & his family & Leonard & his family were there & it was a regular mad house with all the kiddies. I'll bet they had a big time. Was talking with Bernice this morn & she said Dale A. is in the Hospital. They didn't know what was the matter only that he had a terrible fever. Guess its no wonder in that climate. We got another cream check this morn. $17.52. Butterfat 5[??]. The checks should be more from now on with 5 fresh cows & then of course more too come. I had too save out cream this morn too churn so that's a job for afterwhile. Do you have butter too eat where you are? So many of the boys here in the States say they don't have butter or have it only over a day. Are you getting any Journals yet? If you don't get it any better than you did for awhile I might as well not renew your subscription. I would like too have you have it, if it will only come to you because you get so much more news from it than I write, different news I mean & the boys pictures. There hasn't been so much about the boys though since the new men took over the paper. The men have too clean the hen house this A.M. It is getting pretty damp in there. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama.

January 22, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Well by golly the sun is shining this morn so maybe we will have a nice day. I hope so anyway as I am going too wash clothes as soon as the water gets hot enough. Its been so dark & dreary these past few days that it was no fun. Its cooler this morn too but that's O.K. Dad & Dean are getting ready too go over to Johnnie Carolans for the last load of corn. It will be nice too get it home while the roads are open & it isn't too cold. That makes $195 Dad has paid to Johnnie now this winter for corn & I hope it will be enough too last us for a while. It will if we get the hogs sold. Saw Maxine down town Sat. P.M. & she invited us over too her house for yesterday. Asked us too bring her Dad & Mother too so we went. Dean started out with us but he met Clyde coming down here so Dean got out & came back home. They hitched up the team & went sleigh riding. Arlin wasn't at home when we got there. He had bought some baled hay & was hauling it while he had help. Raymond Barth was helping him. Guess he does help quite a lot on Sat. & Sun. as he is in school the rest of the time. We had a nice dinner and they both seemed glad to have us there. There is something wrong there but what it is I can't tell. Dad said this morning that something was very much wrong there, you can tell it by the actions & talk. I'm sure sorry. Maxine likes her school very much. She says she has a nice place to board too. Says they are jolly people & very good too her. I just wonder what Dave & Lizzie think, but they don't say anything. Fred Walters invited us down there for yesterday too. He asked Dad but I had told Maxine we could come too her house so I had too call Jessie & say we couldn't come down there. We will have too try & get down too Fred's some time soon as he has asked us a number of times too come. I have never been in their new house yet. We saw so many meadow larks going over too Maxines's yesterday. Seemed funny too see them this time of year. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

January 24, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Dad's Birthday today as you know he is terribly old. I tried too give him a whipping this morn but I told him my arm got tired before I got all the spats on that he needed. Its Roy's & Bernice's 22nd Wedding Anniversary today too. Dad & I walked over there & spent last eve. Tried to get Deans' too go along but he was afraid of the school ma'am I guess, any way he wouldn't go. Ed A. was there so the men had a 3 handed euchre game. Roy wanted us too call back after we got over there & have Dean come on over but I knew there was no use in that. Its such a nice bright morning but its quite chilly. I imagine it will warm up though. Yesterday was such a dandy nice day & it thawed a lot. Dad took me up too Paul Wanless' in P.M. & Miriam & I got our Joan of Arc books straightened up. Fri. is Club day & then someone else takes over the job. Alice Wilbur takes mine & Maxine takes Miriam's. Tomorrow is L.A.S. day & we both get out of our jobs there too & it sure will be a relief too be through with them. Let someone else do the dirty work for a while. Lizzie has just had a letter from Merlin C. & he is in Luxemburg. He says they have plenty of snow & cold weather where he is. He is in the heavy artillery. Dean has the horses out & is going too clean out the calf pen. It hasn't been done for most of the winter so it is quite a mess. It was so cold for a while that he couldn't do it but now that it has thawed some he can get at it. This makes two V mail letters this week. I'm going too see if they come too you any quicker. Last I'll write this week though of this kind. Will write a regular letter Sat. Everyone is just fine. Have too be this nice weather. I'm going too make an angelfood for Dad's Birthday & I think we will have roast chicken I'm not sure yet. He likes that mighty well. The men have too clean the hen house again today too. It gets so damp in there, these days that it thaws. Wish I could turn the chickens out but too much snow. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama.

January 31, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Last day of this month & I'm not sorry too see it go. Jan. has been quite a wintry month. Maybe we will have lots worse weather though in the next 2 months. We could I know that. Its quite cold this morn about 10 below but its bright & clear I guess. It is about 7:20 so as you know it isn't daylight yet. Dad & Dean are milking & I'm waiting for them too come too breakfast as usual. We got up a little earlier this morn as Dad is going too sell a load of hogs & Mr. Dow said he would be here about 9:30 after them so the men will have too get busy & get the hogs separated. It shouldn't take too long though too pick out a load. Hogs should be top price now as there haven't been many in lately. Maybe everyone will think the same today & will send in a lot. I forgot too tell you O'Dean Leonhart is too be married next Sun. nite. He is marrying Marilyn Halverson, one of the Roy Halverson twins. I don't know if he was going with her before you went away or not but he has been going with her for quite some time. Its after 9 now & the men have the hogs sorted & part of their other chores done. Its plenty nippy out this morn. I know I got chilly doing my chicken chores but the sun is shining brightly so it will warm up some. The sun is getting high enough for that now. I had such a nice long letter from Loyal yesterday and I was surely surprised. I had sent him a Xmas card & he answered it with a letter. His letter was written Jan. 13th so that's not too long ago. He said at that time they hadn't received any of their Xmas boxes yet but had had Xmas cards & letters. Guess by the way he wrote they don't get mail very regular either. He wrote about their Xmas dinner & it was about the same as you had. We had too laugh at one of his speeches, sounded just like him too. He said his mother sent him a picture of Margaret Moran Snell and he said, "She looks too me like a pretty big hunk of meat, but not too bad looking." Isn't that just like him? Margaret is a big girl & I do mean big but as he says she isn't bad looking. Don't know as I will go too Decorah with Dad when he goes with the hogs. I need some things but guess they can wait until Sat. Its rather early too go. The chickens still need some attention & he may stay down for the Sale this P.M. so that would mean a long while too leave them. They are laying pretty good now. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama.

February 5, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Looks like it was going too be a nice day today. It isn't really day light yet but enough so one can see some. Everything seems too be covered with frost. Its about 10 below but quiet. We went too Decorah Sat. & Grandma went along. She was so afraid of falling down there. Dell had told her that it was slippery & she was afraid it was. It really wasn't only in crossing the streets. There is quite a lot of ice on Water St. & when you crossed that it was slippery in places. Guess she didn't enjoy herself any. There were quite a few things she wanted down town otherwise she wouldn't have gone I guess. It started to snow while we were down there, just before we started home, & did it ever snow. Snowed hard most of the way home but the nearer we got home the less it snowed & the less it had snowed. It sprinkled & snowed off & on in the eve. Of course we went up town in eve & it started too snow quite hard before we came home. Guess it snowed all nite & kept it up yesterday some too. The wind blew quite hard yesterday so we have some drifts. I thought maybe the roads would be filled up but the milk man went awhile ago & the school bus just went so I guess they cant be filled up too bad. The milk man comes on the north road past Harold Seelye's & the school bus comes in from the 4 corners so both roads must be passable. Hope the mail man comes. Maybe we will have a letter from you. Haven't had one for some time. LaVerne McC. was home last week from Sun. until Wed. He was going from Hot Springs too New Orleans. He will be stationed at N.O. for some time now. He is going too teach welding. Saw Joe Moran in the store a minute Sat. nite & he said Gerald & his wife were out in the car. They had just met the train at La Crosse, I think, & got them. Don't know how long they will stay but Iona said a while ago Gerald thought he would have a week at home. I'm bound to go cornerwise in my writing. Cant write straight I guess. Had quite a chat with "Happy" L. Sat. nite. He has been in Rochester & had an operation on one eye & has too go back after a while & have the same on the other eye. Something like a cataract. He talks too Dave & I but he still don't see Dad. A lot of foolishness if you ask me, but its none of my business. I'm surely glad we have our mail box here at home now though as long as you are in the Service. Don't know if I will wash clothes today or not. I'll see when it really gets day light. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama.

February 14, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Sent you a Valentine but I'm just wondering if you get it before today or not. Its been a dandy nice day here, thawed quite a lot & the snow is surely settling. We can see some green grass here in the front yard where the snow is gone. The weather report is for colder weather & snow or rain tomorrow but maybe we wont get it. We can expect cold weather & snow yet I suppose but the sun is getting up high enough now too make quite a difference. It was up too 50 here today. Of course it cools off at nite & last nite it was quite frosty. We went down town yesterday P.M. as we wanted too see about Dean's going for his exams. In the letter he got it told him too take along the same clothes as they told you too take when you went into the Service & of course we couldn't see why he should have too take that many clothes, just going too Fort Snelling for his physicals. But when we got down town & the men went too see Don Haugen they found out. He will go too Jefferson Barracks for his. They go by bus too Dubuque & by train from there & Haugen said there would be so many & going so far they would be gone 4 or 5 days any way & maybe more, so he surely will have too take some clothes. Howard was over late this P.M. & you can imagine how he takes on. He says if Dean has too go into the Service he might as well move away because it would be too much for him not too have Dean running in every day or so as he has done all the years we have lived here. I guess he could stand it as well as all the rest of us could, but Dean hasn't gone yet. They are just giving them their exams now so as too know how many do pass & to know where they stand. He hasn't been reclassified yet, is still in II C, but it don't take long to reclassify them. We are not crossing any bridges until we come too them though. There was another party for Leonard Olson at the Hall at B.O. last nite & we went. Had a pretty good time too. He makes a nice looking sailor boy. He has been over in the Island's but his ship was either sunk or damaged so that is the reason he is home. He goes back too Chicago tomorrow. Had a nice letter from Auntie "Dore" yesterday & a birthday present, cloth for an apron. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama.

February 19, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Auntie Olive's birthday today. We went down there yesterday for dinner. Marion came up from Cedar Rapids Fri. so he was home too. We had such a nice dinner as you know we would. Grandma was over there too. Marvin & Dean sure had a big time wrestling & fooling. Auntie Olive said Marion & Marvin were wrestling & jabbering all morning until she could hardly get anything done. Marvin gets so lonesome home alone. Guess Dean does too. It's 6:45 now & Dad & Dean must be nearly done milking. This is one morning when they did get up. As long as Dean has too be in Decorah at 8:30 it does make them step around a little. I see they have a light at Ludwigs. Dean was telling before he went out to milk that he thought perhaps Clyde wouldn't get up very early only just in time too go. He was out with his girl last night I imagine.
Tues. morn. Just got my letter started when Dad & Dean came in for breakfast so in all the hustle and bustle I didn't get it off yesterday. We got the boys, Clyde & Dean down town just after 8:30 & then they had too wait until 10:15 before they got started. They only had 2 busses & they were so crowded. Dean & Clyde & 2 other fellows had too stand up in the bus they were in. Don't know about the other bus. But I'll bet they were tired before they got too Dubuque unless some one else stood up awhile & let them sit down. Junior Schnitzler & Donald Gates were among the bunch too. It was darned cold standing around down there waiting too get the busses loaded & the boys all looked as if they were about frozen. It warmed up in P.M. and snowed off & on all P.M. & into the eve. Its rather dark & cloudy looking this morning but its not very cold. The weather report is for warmer weather too. Artie McIntire passed away Sun. morning early & his funeral is this P.M. Myrtle & Vernie were here a few minutes Sun. nite & Myrtle wanted me too help carry the flowers. Don't know how I will get down there. Dad had quite a lot planned out for today but he may have too take me anyway. We went over too Mabel yesterday P.M. & bought a new heating stove. We looked all over Decorah Sat. but Dad didn't like any of them very well so we went too Mabel & he found one he liked. Got it of the man we got our refrigerator & separator of. Circulating heater $90. Bro't it home in the truck. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself.
Love, Mama

February 24, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Gee but the days are getting quite a lot longer. Its 7:15 now & it is getting quite light outside. I noticed quite a lot of difference last nite too. Stayed lighter so much longer. Of course yesterday was a dandy nice bright day anyway so that made a lot of difference. All this past week has been dark & most every day it has snowed some time during the day or nite. It thawed a lot yesterday and its nice & bright this morn so I imagine it will thaw again today. Dean got back too Decorah about 9 Thurs. nite. He called home & Dad & I went down & got him & Clyde. They got too Jefferson Barracks in time for breakfast Tues. morn & all they had done that day was their X Ray's so he said they sat around in the barracks all that day & nite & then Wed. they had the rest of their exams & were shipped out of St. Louis Thurs. eve or late P.M. They got into Dubuque Thurs. P.M. He said the other bunch was right there ready too get on the train so he only said "hello" too Carol Jacobson, Harlan Whitney & Junior Reed. There were others from around B.O. in that bunch to. He did have a good time out of it but he was tired too when he got home. They only had the one nite in beds & he said it was so very warm in the barracks that he couldn't sleep very good. I know they all learned quite a lot. Howard was here when Dean called & we told him he could go too Decorah with us but he thought he wouldn't so he was over here yesterday morn just after we had breakfast. Then Dean went over there a while last eve. I had a letter & a card from Ruth yesterday. Of course we didn't have any mail the 22nd so they both came the same day. In her letter she told of getting a letter from you but it was like ours, old but [on?] the card she said she had just had a letter from you written Feb. 11th so it came in a hurry for sure. She was telling in her letter about playing in the Symphony. Its too bad she don't have more time for her music as she enjoys it so much. We like our new stove just fine. It keeps a more even heat in the rooms & it doesn't take nearly as much fuel as the old stove did. Of course we haven't had such cold weather since we got it so maybe it wont be as good then. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

February 28, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Last day of Feb. & where has it gone. Its been plenty nasty part of the time too. I'm just wondering what March will bring us. Yesterday was quite nice & warm & its nice & bright this morning, but I suppose March will come in like a lion. I washed yesterday & I had a big wash too. Got part of the ironing done but not all of it. Seemed like most of the clothes had too be ironed this time. Of course I didn't wash last week so that's what did it & then with Dean going down there that made more clothes & they were dirty too. Dad went too Decorah yesterday too see what he could find out about getting Dean deferred but he couldn't get anything out of Eldridge. He saw Don Haugen & he was very good about it but when he got up too the Court House & saw Mr. E. it was a different story, he was "ornery". Of course I suppose so many are after him that it does get too be an old story. He said the nothing could be done yet anyway. Dean will get another questionnaire too fill out & then he will be classified. If he is put in I.A. we have 10 days too appeal too the board here & if they wont do anything then we have 10 days too appeal to the State Board. I don't think we will do anything like that though, although Dad is quite disgusted. It does put the Board here in a tough spot as they are getting the devil from the higher ups for not sending in more men & the same from the people here for taking so many of the farm boys when there are needed so badly. We will just have too wait & see how things go. Dad got some feed for Howard in Decorah yesterday & he is just here after it. They are hitching up Billy this morning too drive him awhile. He wasn't drove last week at all & not yet this week, but as Dean says he will go O.K. We are all just fine. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

March 19, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Rather a cool morning but I guess its going too be nice. I hope so anyway as I have the wash water on too wash. Our snow is just about the thing of the past, until we get some more, which I'm sure we will. Last nite was really a spring nite. You know how the birds chirp at nite in the spring and the smell of spring was in the air, so I guess its on the way. The grass is beginning too show up the new little green shoots. I told Dad this morning he would have too dig some horse radish so we could have some of that too eat. It is coming up so green & nice & I'm sure it would taste good. Seems like this time of the year one wants something like that. Soon the time for winter onions too. Gee but there was an enormous crowd in Decorah Sat. Just like at Xmas time. It was a nice day & everyone took advantage of it. Saw lots of people that I hadn't seen in a long while. Grandma went down with us. She got pretty tired of running around she said. She hadn't been down for 4 weeks so she had quite a little too do. She is getting quite anxious too get back too her own home now & I suppose she will the last of the month. Dad & Dean took me up too church yesterday A.M. It wont be long now until Easter Sun. I did think of going down on the creek yesterday P.M. & then Dad laid down & went too sleep so I didn't say anything about it. I'll be some of the flowers are blossomed already. Some of these days we will go & see if we cant get a mess of fish too. I know they would taste good. Dad is feeling good now. Dean & I had a little cold but nothing like Dad's. So many have been having colds. Caroll Jacobson is sick now. Guess the trip to Jefferson Barracks was too hard on him too. Harlan & Junior R. are O.K. now. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

March 26, 1945

Rather cloudy this morning & cooler than it has been. Sat. Wasn't such a nice day after all. Cloudy most of the day & then about 5 P.M. it started too rain some & about 6 we had quite a hard shower with quite a lot of thunder & lightning. Up north of us they had a regular cloud burst at that time. The creeks were out of their banks they said. It rained most of the nite then & off & on all day yesterday & last nite. It isn't raining now though. Maybe it will brighten up today. The rain brought the grass in the yard just hiking along, I didn't get the yard all raked either. The leaves are coming out on the lilac bush & on the spirea bushes. We had planned too go down on the creek yesterday P.M., Dad too fish & I was going too look for flowers, but it was too rainy. Dad said this morning he was afraid our buds are coming out too soon. I hope not. Dad & Dean took me too church yesterday A.M. even if it did rain. Hope it don't rain next Sun. I'm not going too have any new duds for Easter but I do hate too see it rain on Easter Sun. Glen drove right up too the house this morn after the cream & he did make tracks, as Ole did with the tractor that time in the snow. I wish he would have stayed down by the garage but that's quite a ways too carry a can of cream too. Marion went too Decorah with us Sat. First time for quite a while. He is very friendly with "Happy" right now as he has been going with him quite a lot. Went to Rochester with him the other day too see Audry. She is getting along quite well. Marion came home with us too supper Sat. nite & then Dad & I took him up town in eve. Dean was a good little boy & stayed home. Marion went home from B.O. with "Happy" so we didn't have too go over that road after the rain. It isn't too good a road any more. We still haven't got our wood sawed but Raymond Halse told Dad yesterday that if he didn't have too start working for Roy this week he would saw it tomorrow so we will just have too wait & see. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

April 4, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Wish you could see all the snow & ice we have this morn. It snowed almost all day yesterday & sometimes it snowed so hard we could hardly see the barn. The wind came up in P.M. & piled the snow too & then last nite it rained so now everything is covered with a thick coat of ice. I'm wondering what it will do too the trees & bushes that were beginning to leave out. The lilac bush & the spirea were getting quite green but they are just a mass of ice this morn. Its hard walking too. In some places the crust is hard enough too hold a person up & then the next step you go through. It seems like it would be hard on the feet of the stock. It hasn't been very nice weather for the young stuff that were dehorened Mon. The wind was so chilly that day & then the storm yesterday & last nite & its still snowing this morning. The sun did come out & shine for a few minutes but it wasn't long until it was snowing again. Rex don't like this weather. He wanted too get in last nite so Dad let him in & he is in again this morn. We went over & got Martin A. Mon. nite & he got in just an hour yesterday morn. His axe handle was cracking so the men went up town yesterday P.M. too get a new one & he didn't come back with them. He will come back when this snow & ice are gone I suppose. Its no kind of weather too split wood now. Florence, Albert & Norris came over last nite & I went too Bluffton with them too see Donnie Baker about papering the church. We got him too. Albert didn't have his chains on going down but he put them on down there & it's a good thing he did or we would never have made the Lange hill. As it was we got up in the steepest part & didn't go any farther. Had too back up 2 or 3 times but at last we made it. They stopped a while when we got back here. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

April 9, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Another nice morning but a strong wind blowing from the south. Guess we are getting our March winds in April. Seems like it blows so every day. Dad & Dean went fishing yesterday but they didn't get so many again. O we had all we could eat for supper but they should have had more as they were gone most of the day. Maxine was over at Lizzie's Sat. nite & yesterday so she drove Roy's car too church yesterday morn & took all us women. That let Dad out so he could go fishing earlier. Grandma went too Decorah with us Sat. & then came home too supper with us that nite & we took her home in eve. That is the first time she had been here since New Year's day. She is sure glad too be home. She was out too church yesterday morn too. Don't know if Martin will come back today too split wood or not. He said he would so I suppose he will. Glen left Sat. P.M. from Decorah. He wasn't in any hurry too get to the bus Dad said. Martin A., Mart L. & Gilbert were trying too get him to hurry so he wouldn't miss the bus, but Glen said if he didn't get there right on time he didn't think they would do anything too him & he didn't care if they did. Said he had been over across long enough that he should have a few things his own way. That's Glen for you. Its getting quite cloudy by now & I would like too know if it is going too rain or not. Hate too wash & then have it rain. Howard was over a minute this morn but he couldn't stay long. Had too get back & get at his [racking?]. He doesn't have a great lot left too do. Some of his grain has been in the ground over a week so if it warms up it should be soon coming up. We are all just fine. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

April 16, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Another dark dreary morning. Its raining now & looks like it might have rained most of the nite. It rained off & on all day yesterday & was real chilly too with quite a breeze blowing. Just heard the weather report & it was for scattered thunder showers during the day. Guess we are getting our March weather in April. We went down town Sat. but as everything closed at 2:45 we came home then so Dad got in quite a little while discing after we got home He got lights for the tractor Sat. but Mr. K. didn't know just when he could come up & put them on. Dad wouldn't have got them just now but he thought as long as he had too borrow some machinery too use with the tractor he would better get the lights so as too use it as much as he could. I went down too see Gertie Donlan & her boy at the Hospital Sat. P.M. He is a fat little fellow with lots of black hair. I sent your box Sat. nite. Hope everything is O.K. Marion went down town with us. He run onto a service man who knew Red just after we got down town so he had plenty too drink by the time we came home. He didn't want too go home so we took him on up too B.O. He went home from there in eve with "Happy". Mrs. Dawley passed away about 4:30 yesterday morn. I just wonder what they will do there. She has always been the boss of the family. I had just gone too bed last nite when I heard central's ring & of course I got up & listened. It was Kate R. calling Dr. Lannin. She said Gust had a terrible nose bleed & had had it for over an hour & she wanted him too come down. I haven't heard anything yet this morn. Thought I would call a little later. It isn't 7:30 yet. Had another little calf yesterday. Bill Koenig & his bride came Sat. P.M. & went back last nite. Dad took Bernice, Lizzie & I too church yesterday morn & he heard up town that they had a charivari for Bill's at Walt's Sat. nite late. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

April 23, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Were we ever glad too get your letter Sat. It had been so long since we had had a letter from you although we had heard from Ruth about hearing from you so that helped a lot. Your letter was a little longer on the way than some of the others have been but I suppose that's the way the mail goes now days, other things are of more importance. Was glad too get that Nazi arm band. Took it up town too show it. No one had ever seen one like it so it is quite a curiosity. I imagine you boys see a plenty of such. It's such a relief too hear that you did at last receive that box with the pop corn in it. O I know I sent a little in another box but that wasn't much. Couldn't send too much anyway cause the darned stuff weighs up so. Auntie Olive said if you wanted any more too be sure & ask for it as she has a lot & I could have all I wanted too send too you. You should have rec'd that box before you did because I sent it the last of Dec. so it shouldn't have been that long on the way. I suppose it isn't too be wondered at if the packages do get smashed up on the way over there but we do try & tie them & fix them the best we can when they leave here. Of course its raining again this morn. Had another hard rain yesterday morn & a hard storm in the nite & the weather report is for rain today, tonite & tomorrow so we should get enough moisture. We haven't any grain sowed yet & we are not the only ones. There are lots in the same boat. I see this morning that Howard's grain looks quite green. He had oats in the field south of us. Dad thinks that grain may be much better than the grain that will be planted later, but it may be just filling when hot weather comes too & that wont be so good. Tomorrow is Dean's birthday so guess I'll make him an angel food this P.M. I know they will eat that if it is fit too eat. You never mentioned being made Sgt. When did that happen? Tell us about it, or isn't there anything too tell? Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love
Mama

April 30, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Last day of April & its sure cool this morn. About 30 degrees. Wind in the north of course. Hope that May will bring us some warmer weather, but of course for our oats & hay we don't want too warm a May. Dean finished the big piece of oats Sat. & now its just that small field down north too sow and that wont take too long when they get at it. Dad took me too church yesterday morn, Marion rode up town with us & then we went up too Grandma's for dinner. Willard Peacocks funeral was yesterday P.M. & they met at the house at 1 o'clock so we didn't have time too come home for dinner & then get back in time. Dad was a pall bearer so he had too be there in time. He took Grandma & I up too the church. Grandma got a catch in her back so it was pretty hard for her too get around. I tried too get her not too go to the funeral but she wanted too go so badly that she did go even if she didn't feel able. There was a very large crowd at the funeral. The church was full & many were out in the cars. They should have had a loud speaker system so people could have been in the basement & heard. Dr. [Hawkins?] couldn't stay for the funeral so the Advent minister spoke & Mr. & Mrs. Thompson sang. They are such good singers. Dad got a new suit Sat. Well he almost had too. He has gotten so fat that his other suit just don't come together. He got this suit at Bears & it fits him so well & he sure does look good in it. Its brown & of all the surprises he got new brown shoes too. He needed them bad enough too. Dean & I have been at him for a long while too get them. His other suit is still good but its just too small. I was in hopes we could get Dean a suit for his birthday but it doesn't seem like we can find out whether he is going into the service or not & if he has too it would be foolish too buy a suit because it wouldn't fit him when he would get back. So guess he will just have too wait a while. When Dad & I came home yesterday the young stock were out in the corn stalks so as soon as we got our clothes changed we went back & we sure did some chasing too get them all back. They had broken some posts off so the fence was down on the ground. So it will be fix fence now. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all
Mama

May 7, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Another chilly windy morning, and yesterday was such a grand day. The weather report is for showers today, and I wanted too wash clothes. It really was a regular summer day yesterday, quite a breeze & we get plenty of that all the time, but the sun was so warm. I didn't go too church yesterday. Dad had been wanting too go over too Cold Water too see if he couldn't get a trout, so I packed up a little lunch & we went over there & of all the cars. We didn't go clear up too Cold Water, just down on the creek north of the school house. As Dad said there were 6 people for every hole, so we didn't stay long. Albert Newhouse's were there too but they were not getting any. They said no one was getting any. We didn't stay long there. Came back & drove in the field at John McCauley's place & fished at a hole just north of the buildings. Sam Cassel's, Terry McConnel's & Billy Lange's were all there part of the time. Dad got 2 nice big suckers & he was the only one that got any. Dean went a bunch of young people for a picnic & fishing too. He brought home 2 nice suckers so we are having fish for breakfast, when they come in. When I woke up the horses were out, that is the ones across the road in the pasture so the men had too hustle around & get them in. They had broken the gate across the road from the house & gotten out. Thank goodness the cattle didn't get out too, or it would have been that much more work. So in getting them around it makes them later with their milking. Raymond & Eleanor Webb were down from Minneapolis for the week end but I didn't get too speak too them. Everyone said that Raymond looked so good. Pauline said he is getting fleshy. Ruth sent me a negative of you a week ago & I had it finished & got it Sat. It sure is a good picture. She said she had another negative from you but didn't have it finished yet. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all
Mama

May 16, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Well May is half gone now & we still aren't having anything like summer weather. Its darned chilly again this morn & rather cloudy. Yesterday was quite a nice day, but the wind blew hard & it was chilly. I washed & ironed and then went over too Pearl's awhile in P.M. The kiddies seemed quite a lot better. They cough now & quite a lot of the time they don't whoop. I hope they don't catch cold now so as too make them worse. Dean disced Mon. P.M. & Dad finished up out east yesterday A.M. & they took the disc back & got the plow again. Dad plowed in P.M. & then Dean went down & plowed after chores. Don't know what time he quit. He mowed the lawn yesterday P.M. & then hauled manure. Arthur Wilhelm is plowing for Fritz. He gets there in the morning about the time we get up so he surely don't do any chores at home. He doesn't quit at nite until dark either. Dad & I went out to Cresco Mon. P.M. with this radio again. I wish you were home & maybe you could fix it. Mr. Church fixed it up again so it works O.K. but he said he wouldn't guarantee it. Saw Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Haugen & Genevive out there. Genevive stays at home with her folks & drives the tractor for her Dad. Her husband is in the Service. Saw Roy Wernett his wife & baby but not too speak too them, saw Chas. too. Dad talked with him. He had his first baby pigs Sat. too from the sows he got from us. They school bus just went by. There are only 4 or 5 in the bus now days. Most of them are through of their exams so they don't have too go any more. Before the bus was sure loaded. The trees are getting so many leaves now we can hardly see the road from the house. I don't see how they can leave out as it stays so cold all the time. I'm afreaid we wont have many apples this year with all our cold weather. I noticed the blossoms at Howard's were brown like they had been frozen. I hope not all are killed. We do want some apples too can this fall. Grandma just called & said she had, had a letter from Auntie "Dore" saying that Loyal is home. He is O.K. but terribly nervous. He always was somewhat that way. Paul Reed passed away very suddenly this morn about 7. He hasn't been very well & went too La Crosse. They told him there it was leakage of the heart & he must quit work but he didn't. It is sure a shock. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all
Mama

May 21, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Rain, rain & more rain but the sun is shining right now so it may clear off & be nice today. Its so much warmer though & that helps a lot. Its been quite warm now since Fri. Yesterday morn we had a hard storm. Hail, & it was a plenty too some of the stones as large as quarters & it layed here in the grass for over an hour, lots of rain thunder & lightning & then early this morn we sure had a hard rain. These rains sure did wash. There was a regular river coming down off Ludwigs field this morn, down into our pasture & it looked like all that bottom was a lake. Glen said that over west in the hills it washed terribly. We can still hear Pine & Silver Creeks roaring so I imagine the river will be up after while. It's a good thing we didn't have any more corn planted or it would all be washed out. Plenty of washing in the oat field. Yesterday morn when Dad went up in the woods too see about his pigs, one sow had just had her pigs in the nite & they were laying in a puddle of water so he brought them too the house & got them dried off & warmed up. They carried dry bedding too all of them up in the woods yesterday morn & had too do the same again this morn. We have 59 little pigs now & 2 more sows too come in. That many from 10 sows so that's not too good. Maybe plenty good enough though if we have too buy corn too fatten them. Had our last little calf Sat., for some time, so that's done with. We are sure getting a nice lot of milk even if the pasture isn't too good. Its been so cold the grass has been so slow about coming. If it will just stay warm now with all this rain we have had the grass should come a popping. Dad & I went too Paul Reed's funeral Sat. P.M. & was there ever a crowd! The church & basement wouldn't hold them & crowds stood outside. Dad didn't think he looked at all natural but I thought he looked better than I had seen him for some time. Anyway he was clean & that's more than you could say about him most of the time. Maxine stayed at Dave's Sat. nite & she Bernice & Lizzie went too Mabel yesterday A.M. so I rode too church & back with them so Dad didn't have too take me. We are all just fine. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all
Mama

May 31, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Had a letter from you Mon. & another one Tues. and it surely seemed good as there was quite a while we didn't hear from you. That makes 3 letters since V.E. Day. It really is good that the censorship is lifted as much as it is so that we know where you are, or were when you wrote. We have a map of the world fastened up on the wall so we looked the first thing too see where it was on the map. I surely hope you had a good time on your trip too Paris. Is it anything like you thought it would be? We are so anxious too hear from you too hear what kind of a trip you had. That's a lot of furlough you have had since being in the Service 6 days. Maybe someday you will get more, we surely hope so. Its raining again this morn. It has really been nice though this week until now. It was just getting dry enough in our field so that they could do something. Dad planted corn for Roy Tues. P.M. & yesterday & would have finished this A.M. if it wouldn't have rained. Dean disced Tues. P.M. & yesterday P.M. but there were still places that were plenty wet. Roy sent Ray over yesterday P.M. with his team & then he used Barney & dragged so Dad could have started right in planting. But now this rain spoils everything. O well maybe we will get our corn in someday. There are lots of others that are in the same boat. Dean says the corn that Dad has planted is up. So maybe we will have a little corn. You asked how we celebrated V.E. Day. We worked as did everyone else around here. Everything was closed in Decorah & I guess in B.O. too. When Japan is whipped then we can celebrate but now before. We went up town last nite for somethings but everything was closed there except Fred Glice. Memorial Day. We went too Bluffton then & got what we wanted. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

June 2, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Still raining. Cant seem too get away from such. We had quite a hard storm yesterday P.M. & I heard in the news this morn that Chicago had a bad hailstorm with hail stones as big as baseballs. Cant seem possible does it? That's pretty good sizes hail stones. Its no wonder its so cool here this morn & last nite. I had a fire in the sitting room stove last nite it was so cool. The weather report is for clearing this P.M. & warmer tomorrow. We rec'd your package Thurs. It couldn't have been very long on the way was it? We are anxious too hear from you & hear what the brown arm bands & the cap mean. Have you rec'd the box I sent April 14th? Sure hope the moccasins are O.K. I thought of you going too Paris, & suppose you had too wear your heavy shoes didn't you? Or do you have dress shoes? Have been going too ask you which comes the faster V. Mail or regular letters? I have been writing mostly regular letters but get too thinking maybe these go faster. You write about not getting so much mail, or is it coming through better now? Seems like it should but I suppose there are other things too go, yet, instead of mail. Those darned little calves of Howards are here again this morn. Seems like they do like too hang around here. Plenty of feed out along the road here. There should be over there too. Dad & Dean were up town awhile yesterday P.M. Dad said Clara McCabe has the mumps. Sonny had them a little while ago so I suppose that's where she got them. Dad said the little boy had them too. Ruthie got the dinner but Gene was doing the work. Its so darned hard too find a girl who will work at a home. Everyone has a job at some other kind of work. Ray told Dad that Jim Matthews was going too be married. Can you believe it? I can't. Ray said he was going too marry Cady Potter's widow. Could be. Too many wedding too keep track of them all. We are all just fine. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

June 6, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Just a year ago today was D. Day. Don't seem possible that a whole year has gone by since then but I'll bet it seems like 2 or 3 years too you boys. Now if it could just be V.J. Day we would all feel so much better. Its quite a nice day again. Haven't had any rain yet this week although the weather report has been rain for every day but it has failed too get here thank goodness. Dad planted corn for Ray Mon. P.M. & then yesterday Roy sent Ray over here too drag & with Dean on the disc & Dad on the corn planter they got a nice lot done. Dad & Dean are dragging & discing this morning. Its so wet where they are working now that Dad couldn't plant until there was quite a lot of work put on that ground so he told Ray there was no use of his coming back today. I just hope it stays nice until some time tomorrow & then we should have our corn planted too. I went out there with a drink for them yesterday P.M. & down in that hollow it was so wet. Water standing in some places. Dean had been stuck with the tractor just before I got there. That's just about "mudding" the corn in isn't it? Dad was wishing he had bought more Pioneer instead of so much DeKalb. But thats the way it always is. Well Howard got rid of that bull this A.M. & I'm sure glad. I have been afraid too go over there, didn't know when I might run onto him along the road & I was so afraid he would get after the kiddies over there. I see Ludwigs are plowing corn with the tractor. I just wonder how that will go. They always went just as fast as they could with the horses, no matter what kind of a job they did, so I wonder what it will be with the tractor. Plenty of quack grass for them, as I can see from here. I just called Ruth too get Walter too come down & now the lawn. The men don't have time & its too much for me. It mows so hard this spring. The lawn mower needs sharpening too. Well it wont be long now until Ruth is home. I hope she takes it easy for a while. She has had a hard year of it. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love.
Mama

June 13, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Rec'd 2 letters from you Mon. One written May 14th & the other May 30th & then yesterday we rec'd your letter, free, written May 21st so you see a free letter came almost as soon as the air mail. I didn't suppose your city was such a swell city. Is is badly bombed or are those pictures of the city as it is now? Thanks for the picture of you boys. It surely is very good. I'll bet the boy on the left of you is Italian isn't he? The other 2 boys look so young. Ruth was over a few minutes Mon. P.M. so she read your letters & saw the picture. She got 2 letters from you yesterday & some negatives she told me. You wrote about "Wimpy". His mother got a letter from him Mon. & he said he was going too write you the nite he wrote her. He is at Mannheim so you boys are not too far apart. He said he was going too try & get too see you. So I suppose you have heard from him by now & perhaps you have seen one another. If not his no. is 667. Maybe you have forgotten the rest of it though too. T/5 Leonard M. Wicks 3711839, 63rd Chemical Dep. Co. A.P.O. #667. I do hope at last you boys can get together. Did you get too go to Hitler's home? It is a swell place they say. I do so hope that your letters will come too you sooner from now on as you say those letters did come. Seems like they should. Did you ever get your package with the slippers? I was going too ask you, your letter yesterday, was on Red Cross paper, do you go too the R.C. place now days? You wrote once that you had never had much good from the R.C. We planted potatoes yesterday & I also got my garden planted. Its mighty late but maybe it will come in a hurry. I hope so. It's a beautiful morning again & warm. We really have had a little warmer weather lately & its about time. Didn't get too the big wedding yesterday P.M., too busy. Nor did we get up too the Shower last nite. Dad thought it was all a mess of foolishness, but I would have liked too see the "big wedding". Every one is O.K. Just waiting too hear what you are going too have too do. Come home or stay there. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

June 18, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Another nice bright morning & hope it keeps on that way all day. It was very nice yesterday until late in P.M. it clouded up & looked like we were going too have quite a storm but we just got sprinkles. Some one else got the storm. Dad & Dean took Bernice & I too church in A.M. & then in P.M. Dean went down on Pine Creek & Dad & I too Silver Creek. Dean & I didn't get any but Dad got 5 little fellows. They bit good, took all our bait, but no fish. The storm chased us home or we might have got more. Dad got 2 nice boxes of candy for Father's Day. One from Ruth & one from Dean. The heifer that was left too come in, had her calf yesterday morn, but she died in P.M. Dad & Dean had too help her have her calf, it was so big. It died too of course. The darned telephone wasn't any good yesterday morn. I tried about a doz. times too get B.O. & so many others tried too but with no luck. The heifer seemed too be O.K. at noon when we came home from church but something happened. The rendering truck will be up this morn & get her. Its too bad because she was so nice. They had a fresh cow at Howard's Sat. & of course Verna & Darlene went down by the barn too see the calf & the cow got after them. She got Darlene down & tramped on her. She got a bad cut on her eye, just under the lid. They had too take her too the Dr. & have some stitches taken. Dean was over there a little while last nite & he said she was better. Baby Dean is some better to Pearl told him. Got 2 letters from you Sat. One written in Paris & the one with the handkerchief in. Thanks so very much. It is so pretty. We will be so glad when you find out what they are going too do with you & I know that you will be too. It's a strain on you boys I know in wondering all the while what is coming next. I suppose there will be a big time in Washington D.C. this A.M. as Gen. "Ike" & his crowd will be there with a big celebration. We are all O.K. & hope you are too. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

June 27, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Had quite a hard rain last nite & it should do a lot of good. Should make the corn step right along. It has been doing good the past week with our warm weather we have been having. I imagine if one went out this morning we would see a lot of difference from yesterday. Ludwig's corn shows up a lot more this morn & of course it would with the ground wet. Neva's funeral was yesterday P.M. at the Winn Co. Burial Ass. at Decorah & then from the Lutheran church at B.O. Dad was one of the pallbearers. He & Roy went about 12 with Roy's coupe & then I went with Bernice, Maxine & Lizzie with their big car later. Roy bought Dorothy's coupe. Dad was afraid we would have tire trouble so he didn't like too drive our car. He wouldn't care as much only he didn't want too have a flat tire in a funeral procession. Bernice, Audry & I carried the flowers & they did have some beautiful flowers. Not too many. 8 boquets & one big spray for the casket. Neva looked so much better than I have seen her for such a long while. But the undertakers can do so many things for the bodies now days. It was a blood clot on the brain that caused her death. All the relatives were up from Davenport & Rock Island. Ruth & Clarence [ate?] at Raymonds & will stay until Sun. & Ruth may stay longer. It was a hard thing too see the poor little girl feel so badly & no one could help her any. She isn't old enough too understand it all yet & still she does understand a lot of it. Dean got along fine with his house painting but with this rain he couldn't paint this A.M. Gladys Peacock called & said the telephone line was down south of Colonel Bently's so Dad & Dean have gone now too try & fix it up a little. I suppose that is what it will be from now on. Dad gets 65¢ an hour & his helper gets 50¢. Got a big cream check this morn $73.14 & of course the 2 weeks advertising is taken out too. Don't remember just what that was. We are all O.K. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

July 7, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Received my bottle of perfume Thurs. July 5th and the same day Ruth got hers & my pin. She brought the pin over & got here just as Dean was coming in with the mail so I got my two presents at the same time. O brother I'm afraid you spent too much money on your old mother, because I have read in the papers how much they charge the boys for everything you buy, but don't think I don't appreciate it. I want too thank you so very much for both presents. You know I like perfume and I have always wanted a pin like that so you surely got me something that I will enjoy. We had a letter from you yesterday that was written June 20th your mail must be like ours, coming by jerks. Do wish it could come more regularly it would help us both so much. It must be tough for you, not getting any more mail than you do. But you know we are writing all the time even if it don't get too you. I'll be looking for my phone call don't worry. Hope it comes through O.K. Its nice & bright this morning but cool. Its been cool now most of the week. Marion was over yesterday & day before helping Dad get the hay loader fixed up ready for work. Dean helped Louie put in hay yesterday P.M. and I think he is going too help him again the first of the week some. It will soon be haying here but it will be corn plowing too. Both together again as usual. The oats are headed out pretty much now as it wont be too long until harvest. I went up too Kate R's yesterday morning & bought some strawberries so we had a short cake for dinner yesterday. DO you have any kind of berries and garden stuff where you are? Our lettuce & onions & radishes are big enough now too use. Hope we do have a good garden this year & it does look good now. I forgot too tell you that Arlin said too tell you "hello" & that he could hardly wait until you got home so he could see you. We are all just fine. Going to Decorah some time today as usual & I suppose Grandma & Marion will go too. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama.

July 11, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Gee but it is cold this morning. It was only 42 when I went out first this morning & that's plenty cold for this time of the year. It was about 45 yesterday morning & we thought that was low but its worse this morning. I could see my breath this morn. Its nice & bright though so maybe it will warm up. It surely needs too warm up for the corn. I don't see how the corn can grow so much as it does as cold as it has been. We haven't had a warm nite yet & corn needs them as well as warm days. Dad & I had too go down town yesterday A.M. & we came home through the hills & our corn out east is surely growing. The beans are showing up good too. There was a bad accident right in front of John Carolan's yesterday morn. A truck loaded with feed & a big Buick. I don't see how the people in the car could ever have lived through such a jam but they did. A man & his wife from Chicago. They took them to the Hospital at Decorah. Both cars must have been going plenty fast by the looks. Dean helped Howard hay yesterday P.M. & I suppose he will again this P.M. & maybe tomorrow too. Dean says his hay is so coarse & so heavy its hard too get it dry. Dad plowed corn yesterday P.M. & if nothing happens he will plow today too. The corn is nice & clean. I'm going too wash clothes today. I hoed in the garden yesterday P.M. & planted some more radishes. The radishes haven't been very nice this year. All tops & not much radish. Our lettuce & onions are sure nice though. All the garden looks nice though even if it was late. Deans potatoes are sure coming nice. Dad & Dean both hoed at them awhile yesterday A.M. I wish the potatoes were big enough too eat because its almost impossible too buy them around here. Had a letter from you Mon. that was written June 14th telling of going too see "Wimpy". Its to darned bad you boys cant get together. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. Lots of love,
Mama

July 18, 1945

Dear Arthur;
A nice bright morning but its still cool. We had a rain Mon. nite that lasted about all nite I think, anyway it was plenty muddy yesterday morning. It rained some yesterday A.M. too but it was nice in P.M. We went too Decorah yesterday A.M. & Lizzie went along. She & I both got permanents so you know that we look pretty "spiffy" O ya! Saw Gilbert T. down town & asked him how he was getting along with his new horse and he said O.K. He said Duke didn't like the mower at all when he first hitched him up on it, but he soon got over that. He had always worked O.K. on the mower when we had him but he hadn't been hitched up for so long I suppose he had forgotten what work was. I hope Gilbert gets along with him & I'm sure he will. My but there was an enormous crowd in Decorah yesterday. Just about like at Xmas time. It was hard too get waited on in the stores & it was also hard too get any thing too eat. I went in too [Berge's?] & set there & waited a long while & they were too busy to wait on me so I walked out & didn't get any thing too eat. They said it was just as bad every where. Dad went & tried too get dinner but where he went their dinners were all gone & all he could get was a sandwich. That's unusual. Guess it saves some money for us though. We could see quite a difference in the corn fields yesterday. Seemed like they had grown a lot since Sat. Its time that they did. The oats are beginning too turn already so it will be haying & harvesting together again. Dean got your box Mon. & he has been smoking his pipe. Dad & I went too Prosper & B.O. Mon P.M. & Dad got him some tobacco but he couldn't get any in Decorah yesterday or B.O. last nite so he wont be able too do too much smoking for a while. Write whenever you can & take care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

July 25, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Its cool this morning only 60° & it is such a relief. It's been so very warm & last nite it was cool too sleep & it kept on. Yesterday was our hottest day I think, so did the men. Harry & Artie Q. came Mon. P.M. also Virginia with their tractor & wagon & they put 7 loads all there was down. Dean mowed hay in P.M. & was it ever a hot job for the horses. He was most of the P.M. mowing 4 rounds. His horses were wringing wet when he came too the house & so was he. Dad plowed corn & he said he just about roasted too. It clouded up late in P.M. & we had a sprinkle of rain but not enough too stop work. They will be haying today I suppose. Dad said if he didn't hurry the corn would be so tall he wouldn't be able too finish plowing it. I went too take the men a drink yesterday P.M. & I was measuring some of the corn & it is up under my arms if I stretch it up. It has surely grown this past week. The oats are ripening fast too. Howard started cutting grain yesterday. He came over here when he was going too start haying telling his hard luck story & wanting Dean too help him hay & he would help us back when we started haying but when we start haying he is too busy too help. Its always that way. Harry said yesterday that if he ever helped Howard he figured he was donating help. O well the poor little guy is always so busy. Well Merlyn Cassel is in La Crosse & is too be married this evening. Some of his folks from here are going up for the wedding but I don't know who all are going. He will have 30 days at home & then he expects too be sent too the Pacific. Rather foolish kids I think but they are the ones who are doing it. Had a letter from Auntie "Dore" Mon. They are just fine & hearing from Harlan real often. Loyal is close enough too home yet so that he is home every week end or so. Write whenever you can & take good care of youself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

July 30, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Well another month is nearly gone. It will be winter time before we know it & are ready for it. Its raining lightly this morning and the radio is quite noisy, sounds like a storm is on the way. It is a little cooler to. I was in hopes it would be a nice day today. Baby Dean Walters passed away Sat. P.M. & his funeral is this P.M. so I did hope it would be nice. Pearl & Howard took the little fellow too Decorah Sat. P.M. after he died & then Howard went & got the little body in his casket yesterday. I went over about 4 P.M. too see him. He looks just like a big doll laying there in his little white casket. He looks so much better than he did when he was alive. Pearl got such a pretty little dress for him and fixed up some pretty ribbon trimmings in it. I had 2 beautiful pink rosebuds yesterday so I cut them & put them in the refrigerator & I'll take them over this A.M. too put with him. Pearl feels bad but she doesn't take on like Howard does. He is not as bad as I thought he would be. It will be lonesome over there without him because he has been such a care, on their minds every minute so it will seem mighty lonesome without him. I went too Lutheran Church yesterday. The Gilbertson family had bought a painting in memory of Neal & it was unveiled yesterday. They had a very nice service and I got too see Jane, Irene & Bertha. Jane & Irene have been here for some little time but I hadn't seen them before. Bertha had her little girl with her but her husband had the baby at Harmony so I didn't get too see him. Ruth was over late yesterday P.M. & stayed for supper. She & I are invited too a birthday party for Beulah Stead at Nora Gossman's this P.M. & we are too take a vegetable salad. She made that while she was here & by gosh it looks good enough too eat. We are all O.K. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

August 6, 1945

Dear Arthur;
A nice cool morning & I do mean cool. The sun is shining brightly so it will be warmer later. We had another hard rain Sat. nite. I measured the water in a pail out in the yard yesterday morning & there was over 6 inches in it, so you can see we had a downpour. It rained Sat. P.M. too so they had too quit cutting grain and then with the nite rain on top of that we had a plenty. Don't know when they will be able too get back in the field. Dad was down in the north part of the oat field yesterday P.M. & he said it was twisted so badly he didn't know how they could cut it. They missed a lot of it here by the buildings too. I went too church with Maxine, Lizzie, Bernice & Betty ([Sara's?] girl) yesterday A.M. The power went off in the storm Sat. nite & it wasn't back yet when I went too church, but Dad had just finished separating when I got home. Dean went up too B.O. after chores yesterday morning and then he went too Decorah with Leonard Blaess too see the high water down there. He said there was plenty of water down there but they expected more by midnight last nite. Its too bad we have too have so much rain as we really don't need it. I'm afraid it will make the potatoes not too. Howard was over last nite & spent the evening. It's the first time he had been over too stay for any length of time for quite a while. I should go over there. Haven't been over there for a week. He, of course, was telling of all the work he has too do as he got so far behind in his work when Baby Dean was so bad. Your box of letters came Sat. Why did you keep all my old letters? Its different about other people's letters but your old mothers letters aren't that important. I'm glad you thought enough of them too save them though. Didn't you need your sweater any more? You may have some cold weather over there. There was an ice cream social up town Sat. nite. I went too it but didn't eat any ice cream, too cold. But I did have a sandwich, cake & coffee. That was better. We are all just fine. Heard yesterday that they were going too start threshing Thurs. but I don't think they will now. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

August 13, 1945

Dear Arthur;
We are still waiting & praying too hear the good news that Japan has surrendered. Its like it was before Germany surrendered, just waiting. Last nite Dad & I were outside & Dean was listening too the radio & he came tearing out, telling us that the flash just came of the surrender & then by the time we could get back in too the radio everything was contradicted. Its just terrible for those who have boys over there. I know what it was for us from April 28th to May 8th. I hope it wont be that long this time. Guess its going too be a nice day today. Its rather foggy & mighty damp but it looks like the sun might shine after while, if so it will be a warm day. Yesterday was a warm day too. Dad took me too church in A.M. & then they finished putting up what hay they had down. Some of the hay had been mowed since Wed. Fritz has the hay bailer up there & they bailed all day. "Happy" combined & quite a few others worked. Dad doesn't believe in working on Sun. as you know but he was so afraid it would rain some more & spoil the hay & we need it, and also they are planning on starting threshing at Fred's this morning, if it don't rain, so they wanted too get the hay up. They have 2 nice big stacks out in the field now. There is still the one small field of hay standing. He thinks he may cut it for [seed?], if he can find time away from the threshing. Had your Aug. 3rd letter Sat. so you see that came in just 7 days too, as it was post marked Aug 4th. We did have a while that we didn't hear from you as I guess you have heard by now; but after while the letters started coming. I don't see where they are held up. I heard them telling on the radio that when Japan surrendered the point system would go lower than 85 so that should fix Larry & those other boys. Just heard the weather report & it is too be warm today & tomorrow so that wont be so nice for threshing. We are all just fine. Wish you could have been at church yesterday. Ruth, Louie, & Shirley sang a special song & Ruth also played a violin solo. It was surely good. Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama

August 23, 1945

Dear Arthur;
Gosh but it is cold this morning. It was only about 45 when I first went out this morning & that's too cold for this time of the year, especially for corn. This cool weather is much nicer for the men who are threshing of course. It was cool yesterday too. They threshed for Ludwig & got up too Gust's & got all but 2 loads threshed out up there. They will go too Ole's from Gust's. Dad said if Gladys called not too answer as he was afraid they would ask for a team & he didn't want too take the horses up there. Ole wouldn't take a team any where, neither would Ray but they expect you too bring your team. Dean didn't even stop for supper at Gust's last nite & it was nearly 8 when he got home. I had the cows here so he could go right at the milking. Dad came not so long afterward. He had the car. Of course Dean wanted too go & see Iona last nite so that was why he was in such a hurry. Gust was asking Dad where you were & when Dad told him that you were near Karlsruhe, he said that was his mothers home town. That's rather odd isn't it? Marvin had an accident Mon. nite. He took his gun when he went after the cows & somehow tripped over something & shot himself through the wrist. The bullet went straight through, just missing bones& blood veins that might have caused serious trouble. Uncle Claude took him too the Dr. & Dr. put him right in the Hospital. We were down town Tues. P.M. & heard of it so Dean & I went down too see him. He said he wasn't in any pain but that he must stay there until Wed. nite, anyway, for observation, but Uncle Claude's went down after him yesterday & the Dr. wouldn't let him come home & didn't know as he could come today either. So he must not have been satisfied the way Marvin was coming. It happened too be his left arm which is a good thing. Uncle Marion is better but he says he doesn't have any pep. Norris is better too. We are all just fine. I just talked with Auntie Olive & she said that Marvin was coming as well as could be expected but he had too stay & take more "shots". Write whenever you can & take good care of yourself. With lots of love from us all.
Mama