Harriet: Feb. 7, 1831 Oak Park, Ill.

Dear Friends,
Well I hope everyone had a good week. Mine was quiet. No additional dramas. The husband is still dealing with his foot. He did cut some firewood. I put it in the basement. So we have some wood in the basement but will have to put more in at a later date.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Harriet:

 As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                  Oak Park Ill.
                  Friday Aft.
Dearest Howard,
Am sorry I didn't
get to answer your letter
sooner. But will try and
do so next time.
      Well are you
working hard these days?
So am I. Don't you re-
member we were always
suppose to work hard for
a living ha! (superstitious)
we are.
  Have you any snow
up in that part of the
country yet.

      -2-
We haven't any here. We are really
having Florida weather- ha!-
I hear that you are having
quite a few parties at your house.
I bad I am not there & enjoy
some of them. What do you say?
Who does all come any of them
up north. Suppose Minnie is there.
   Had a letter from her yesterday.
reminding me of climbing ladders
again ha-
Do you ever see Clarence. What
is he doing for excitement-
I also heard that Dorthy M.
is married. Gee they sure are fast
up in that country.
   Wonder who's next. maybe you
Howard.
Had a letter from Gladys C. today
and also a picture of her and her boy
friend. So maybe there will be some
more wedding bells ringing-
  Yesterday was my day off so
bummed around so much that I'm
really tired or sleepy which ever it is.
Had a permanent so was in the
beauty parlor 4 hr so who wouldn't
get tired.
One has to suffer to be beautiful. they say ha

                 -3-
Gee I haven't any news. So will leave
it up to you to tell me some.
how's that?
  So guess I will ring off for this
time. With hopes & an speedy answers.
                   Love
                   Harriet
Answer
soon

641 n. Grave Ave

 Not a whole lot of much here. I wonder how often she got her hair done with a perm.
How many of their friends were getting married?
Was it as warm up here as it was in Oak Park at that time?
It sounds like Grandpa was a kind of party animal back then. I wonder how big his parties were and how often he gave them.
Just information that has forever faded away.

Here is a picture from the scrap book. 1936:

 The spring thaw has caused a rise in the Milwaukee river and the result is this striking-but not foreboding-picture of the stream out of its channel. Ice cakes are shown churning past a willow tree growing along the banks of the river, north of the Capital drive bridge. trees in that area are so close to the river that a rise of a few inches surrounds them with water.-Journal Staff Photo.

I wonder how often this tree had to put up with this kind of ice and how long did this tree live?

Here are a few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs". 1956:

A little fashion and a little advertising. Enjoy.

Here is a random picture:

Just a random logging picture. No idea when this was taken or who is in the picture.

Well, that's all I have to share with you to day.
Stay warm. It's almost below zero here. I just hope the weekend will be a little warmer. I'm not ready yet for cold temps.
Don't forget to drop by again real soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Harriet: Jan. 14, 1931 Oak Park, Ill.

Dear Friends,
Well, my weekend was nothing I thought it would be. The husband still can not step on his foot. So I have to help him with other things around the house that he usually does. Like helping him feed his cattle. I'm hoping he will heal fast so we can get back to normal around here. I hope everyone's Halloween is a safe one.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Harriet:

As always, for those of you that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                   Oak Park Ill.
                 Monday Eve
Dearest Howard,
Received your card
and thinks for same
and also excuse me
for not writing sooner.
Well how is every
body at Ogema & westboro?
Fine I do hope.
    So you have moved
to the big city of Westboro
now.
   I went to see (Allen
Shrattbult.) Saturday night
He sure was comical
and they sure had a crowd

         =2=
By the way what is new up
around there. Anybody gotten
married lately?
             How did you spend
New years eve. I went to a show
and from there to a party so had
a dandy time.
Ostrid Carlson left for Florida
to-day with the people she works
for. Ain't that grand?
        What is Bert doing thru
winter. and who is his latest?
Have you any snow down there.
It has been trying to snow here
all day. but can't succeed.
  Had a letter from Minnie the
other day. She still can't forget about
climbing ladders. ha! ha!
You better get her in practice
again, or haven't you any more
beer-
How's Margret. Send her my
best regards. or maybe you better
not.
Now don't be so evil minded Howard.
  Is Anna R. home thru winter
or is she still in Canada.
you will be getting tired of me

                 3
al asking all these questions.
So I am so sleepy can hardly keep
my eyes open any longer. So better
ring off for this time.
      With hopes of a speedy answer
                            lovingly
                               Harriet
                          614 No Grove Ave
                          oak Park Ill.

I know I got a lot of the names wrong. So I'm sorry. I wish I could have gotten the comics name right. I tried to look up comedians from 1931 hoping to find a spelling close to what she wrote, but could not find one. Maybe you can.
I wonder why she told him not to be so evil minded. I wonder what he said?
I guess I'll never know.
I wonder if Minnie had one to many beers and was climbing ladders. It sounds like they were having some fun.
I do wonder how much snow they had that year.

Here is a picture from the scrap book. 1936:

Because of deep snows, grouse and pheasants in the Kettle Moraine district near Elkhart lake
have been sorely in need of food. Among those feeding the birds was George La Budde (right)
of Milwaukee, whose summer home is in the area. He is shown here with Eugene Cole, Oshkosh. The
snow was so deep it was necessary to use snowshoes.

See there were very thoughtful people even back then when it came to caring for wildlife.

Here are a few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs":

Laughs for the working man. Enjoy.

Finally, a picture from a past winter with a reminder of what is in store for us very soon.

All I can say is Brrrrrrrrrr. Not ready for it.

Well, that's all I have to say today.
I hope you will come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy