Author: David Haldeman

Saturday, April 12, 1947
Cleaned bedroom & living room thoroughly. Mother & daddy stopped in at noon & she ironed bedroom curtains. Wally helped daddy in garden. Up to Camp Young at 2 set out the red pines Mr. Warner promised but those there before us had it all done. Put out 47. Wally helped roll line fence into storage house. We explored the house. Part of it is log cabin. Took a little hike around & birds were plentiful. Home at 4 – baked cookies – made pillow covers for living room – helped plat beets, radishes, lettuce, carrots. Wally got Mary & Vivian Adams at the station – it is Golden Saxifrage – & a new county – Delaware. Jones is entering it at [OSU] herbarium as a new record.

May J. to Burrough’s dinner with me. Daddy, Mary & Ray in for Arthur Harper talk & pictures. Very good. Met him afterwards – he knew about Mary going to conservation camp from Jones & said he’d be delighted to come for a field day at Camp Young with Girl Scouts.

Wally played ping pong with Florence – all up here for cookies & ice cream & discussion. Vivian thought we were all naturally nuts.

Friday, April 11, 1947
Mopped & cleaned back rooms. Early lunch – kids to mothers & out to Country Club for Garden Club meeting. Took the 2 flats of plants I have been growing to use for my talk. Everyone enthusiastic about it. Also got in a plug for Camp Young as a sanctuary & about Skunk Hollow.

George & Jo Stafford with Roger dropped in while Wally was bowling. They are getting ready to move to their new home soon! They left shortly after Wally got here & then the Romines dropped in for a few mintues. Wally’s team is back in first place but it’s a close race.

Thursday, April 10, 1947
Warmed up to about 75 but still cloudy. Hepaticas & harbinger of spring blooming. Maple trees coming into blook, birds on Lilac about to burst & forsythia almost ready to bloom.

Can’t seem to get rested up from my strenuous week end. Was supposed to work on my talk for Garden Club today but Mrs. Danner called saying they had lots of business so I could make it short.

Wally home after supper to transplant tomatoes again – washed Kathy’s hair – baths for kids – washed my hair – read papers – both & to bed about 10:30.

Kathy & David are playing out all the time these days – with other kids of all ages – The things Kathy picks up are sometimes disconcerting. And she is so afraid she will miss a mintue of play it’s hard to get her to eat.

Wednesday, April 9, 1947 Sunny but cool – evening temp 45

To Camp Young with Va. Feaver & Mrs. Frew. Left Kathy with mother & took David. Met Mr. Warner – conservation officer for Wyandot County – Found man gathering up fence across timothy field so sheep could be put in there. Put a stop to that – I hope! I set out plants brough from Skunk Cabbage Hollow but the hill is mostly clay – not at all like the rich soil on the hill they came from.

Home long enough to grab bite – refuse Mrs. McClure’s offer of Literature Chairman for Woman’s Society – make reservation for Burrough’s dinner Saturday – exchanged kids – took Kathy with me to Troop Camp Operating Committee. Planned field Day for May 17 & we’ll put tents up 14th. Gave report of what I’ve done on planting. Shopped for groceries.

Wally transplanted tomatoe plants to individual pots in flat before we went to Romines. Ray had the set specimens from Ireland in a box – very similar to some of ours – & then stuff from Peru on mounting boards was beautiful. Ping Pong etc. & home about 10:15.

Cleaned up leather boots & purse.

Got $100 refund from Amlings so now all we have to do is collect outstanding accounts.

Tuesday, April 8, 1947
Cleaned up house so we at least can get through – then washed. When Wally came home at 3:30 we loaded up & went to Skunk Cabbage Hollow. Had tumbled that probably golden saxifrage grew there & after pulling one apart found the orange stamens so am very sure it is it!! Collecte 3 backset of hepaticas, bloodroot, dutchmen’s breeches, wild ginger – delphinium to take to Camp Youg.

Just finished eating & got David in bed when Ray & FLo dropped in. Decided we made enought to take Skyland cabin for 3 nights. Discussed itinerary, etc.

They left when Wally went to play poker – I wrote letters, pressed golden saxifrage – etc. till midnight – to bed dead tired.

Got my 8×25 Clement Binoculars & while the field is small for the money I am quite satisfied.

Monday, April 7, 1947
Grandma Sheneman’s birthday
Simple worn out! Weather cold & cloudy again.

Figured up Easter accounts. Sold approximately $435 worth of corsages – expenses about $335 – gave mother & daddy $10 & that will leave $90 divided by 5 or $18 each for Mary H – Ray & Flo – Trella & Walt.

To Circle meeting at Glenna Phillians. Installation of officers – I’m vice president & program chairman. Nice large group for a change. Cerrelda was wearing her orchid & it looked grand. Talked to Thelma Arthur about her family being in the Children’s Day program.

Sunday, April 6, 1947 EASTER
To Sunday School – wearing the orchid. And it does something for one – Especially with no new clothes. Sun shining beautifully but strong wind.

Had a call complaining a corsage wilted & another one blew away but everything serene otherwise. Had dinner at mother’s – Uncle Meck still here.

Romines met us at Kenton Pike & Fairground Street & we stopped at a woods north west of “Sally Ann” corner. Daddy & Mary – FLo & Wally & Kids went on to Kenton to see Mary Baker who was operatied on last Tuesday. Ray & I walked through the woods – saw tufted titmouse – found grapeferns – 2 kinds & harbinger of spring. Finally found a few spring beatuies blooming grudgingly. Tried to see frogs making so much noise but no go. Found round leaf hepatica on north side of road. Mary & I rode home with Ray.

Out to Romines for supper – after cleaning up. Kids along so it was a little hectic.

Saturday, April 5, 1947
Up at 7 & over to mothers when Wally went to work. Delores with kids all day. Florence & Marcella Haldeman in shortly after 8. Put Marcella on gardenias – Florence helped me wire & tape caarnations. Ray quit early & got up ready to help about 12:30. Mother had chili for our lunch. I couldn’t eat all day. Nervous excitement. Some of the gardenias weren’t too good & I worred about 5 extra orchids. But sold all orchids execpt 1 & only 2 gardenias unable to sell. Had to juggle a few orders. Both Marcella & Ray right on the ball in helping me make up the corsages & Florence stuck right at taping. Got 50 more roses from Smith & Young & used them all. Bernard Brooks helped Wally deliver & Rosina helped mother – on phone & on will calls. Everyone cooperatied beautifully. Got throught about 9:30 but messed around cleaning up & eating till about 11. Pretty well pooed out & profit looks like about $50 for all of us. But got rid of everything. Paid off Marcella & the Brooks in flowers.

Uncle Meck & Aunt Lily *up part of the day.

[*Ivaloo Sheneman Hemmerly’s siblings. Meck lived in Cleveland and Lily in Marion.]

Friday, April 4, 1947
Mary Hemmerly Birthday
Wally quit at 11 – left kids with Mother & started for Columbus. Ate in hamburg joint & got to Smith & Young about 1 – no extra gardenias! No roses or carnations. So took 16 camellias at $1.50 each. THe 12 gardenias I got were $1.25 each! And had 13 orchids – so over to Columbus Cut Flower & got 2 doz gardenias & 1 doz red roses. $114 at Smith & Young & $24 at Columbus Cut Flowers. Stopped a little at Lazarus & then up to Museum to see Ed Thomas. Spent most of the time of Ray’s moths – Plate in Holland’s is wrong & one specimen was just a variation. Fun under a microscope. His advice on Camp Young is let it alone. Gave me some bulletins on bird sanctuaries.

Picked up Mary & home about 5. Got everything set up ready to work – flowers all in water – ribbon out, etc.

Forgot morning activities. Flowers from Chicago were in when I called at 7. – But C.O.D whehn I had sent more than enought ot cover things. So had to wait for bank to open to get cash. Wrote Amlings asking for $1.00 refund.

Thursday, April 3, 1947
Sandra Romine birthday

Ray & Florence up in evening & we made more bows. Electricity off for half hour so worked by candle light.