June 21st, 1894 thru June 22nd, 1894

I will not be transcribing each entry since most of Bert's diary is pretty clear. You can read the original more easily by clicking on the image above to view a larger version. I will be including this paragraph, or something similar in each entry so that new readers will know they can click the image to enlarge it for easier reading. Also, there will be some links to the right of the page with relevant information that may be of interest. If you follow Bert's diary regularly, you can skip this paragraph. My notes will include the basics of what Bert talks about each day, along with my own personal thoughts, research, information gleaned from past or future entries, etc. If you have information or suggestions that may help my research, please e-mail me.

Thursday, June 21st, 1894 -- Short entry - cultivated potatoes, fixed fence, done chores - Hot

Friday, June 22nd, 1894 - "Hot, Hotter, Hottist"  Bert "staked" some rail fence, and then got two more loads of rails, and fixed some more fence.  Bert went to the woods and cut some poles to go on the top of some wire fence. I'm guessing the rail fence was something like the one in the picture below?

 

Later, Bert's brother Herman - my great grandfather - brought him 65 cents worth of Glycerine and Whiskey.  65 cents sounds like a pretty good price for a pint! - I'm wondering if this was area home brew - maybe even Herman brewed it?  (Glycerine is added to cheaper grades of alcoholic beverages to make them more "smooth".  I find this interesting as I'm fairly sure that alcohol never was part of my Grandmother's life - Herman's daughter.  I'm wondering if maybe the men folk had their drink "hidden" from the rest of the family,  This is  the second mention of alcoholic beverages by Bert.) 

Bert built some more fence around the garden area, and then Russell and Bert put up a wire fence "acrost the rode" from the house, and let two of the horses - Kit and Glory - outdoors for the first time this season. Then chores of course.  Bert ends the day's story with "Amen".  I think he thought this was a lot to have accomplished on a "Hot, Hotter, Hottist" day!