Category: Ray Romine Diaries

Tuesday, May 26, 1953
Hot, till evening. Washed windows sunroom & kithcen till blue in faces; staked & labelled irises here, garden, 229 E. Fairground St; helped Ray Hemmerly p.m. a bit & to Westwood 2 hrs or so. Supper, Heckers & Trella “did” Irises; I made Wesley Church talk 7:30-10 (Pomes)

Sunday, May 24, 1953
Nice, after poor cold start. I went Westwood early, looked, build fire!), trimmed up etc. Few visitors. Trella & I had Rockwells for supper, & visited their garden after. Home tonite (Trella had wedding a.m.)

Saturday, May 23, 1953
Up early and to Westwood- (cold out) found basement floor had flooded- scrubbed it good, looked posies till noon; headache (slight cold) & so slept most of pm while Trella took kids to Acres. Mowed lawn after supper, & Trella has the headache.

Friday, May 22, 1953
RAIN!! Cloudburst about noon – 3/4″ in 17′! We went Acres am- planted, unloaded rocks, talked Jim Weaver. Cat [sic- catalogued?] Irises my place; gathered for talk pm- Green Thumb Club, me, Hotel Harding (Trella’s arrangements). Westwood again eve; home tonite.

Thursday, May 21, 1953
VACATION: Got extra day- vacation was to be started [shorthand]. Westwood early- Irising, weeding, building bench. (1st named ones out here). PM, Ray Hemmerly & I “tractored” most of it- all but harrow I have now; visited Rocky & Mary’s garden after supper, ice cream & home.

Wednesday, May 20, 1953
Fair yet!! To Acres at noon – “picnic” dinner. Warm. Tonite, changed & to Westwood all evening. Supper. About 4 seedlings out now – worked sickling weeds, weeding. Trella had wedding, & took kids Ice Show tonite.

Tuesday, May 19, 1953
Fair again!! Day off, too. We delivered one greenhouse to Acres – Hemmerly’s truck. Got keys made at Hulls; to Westwood short visit. Labelled Hemerly garden iris pm, & got more stakes at Lockwood’s. Trella [illegible] meet at 4, I went Westwood & worked. Stopped Rocky’s, Trella & I, after supper. More labels tonite, inside.

Monday, May 18, 1953
Fair at last! Nice. We lunched Acres= they’re rock-lathing furiously & putting in heating! (walls). After work, mowed 552 lawn, bathed, ate with kids (Trella to Burroughs picnic Camp Young – her last as president). To Westwood peering at buds. To Doc McNamara for his exam again, & stopped see Mary & Harold.

Sunday, May 17, 1953
RAIN? All day – 9:15 on. (FIRST IRIS WESTWOOD – (Seedling opened)
I went Westwood, looked half-ter [sic?], driven in, I slept (Trella had wedding) worked bug collection over. Got Sandra Jean pm, nice ride & lesson. To Acres about 4:30 or so- battled river ala boat, Rocky & I! Home tonite, Irising, etc.

Friday, May 15, 1953
Stayed away & sick?= today. Did plant many things in mud at Acres am, lunched Westwood Drive & mowed lawn there & looked iris buds! Napped, too. Trella & Mrs. Deyson cleaned 552 today, good. Trella & I uptown shoppin’ tonite. Priced carpeting, etc.