Category: Trella Diaries

Saturday, September 29, 1990
MCHS 4 hrs
Started a new compost holding area built of brick along river fence E of Rhododendron. Rainy AM & hard rain about 8:00 PM. ½”
Dug 2 hills of sweet potatoes & got enough for a mess.

Balanced check book – Used up my $1,000 overdraft protection almost.

Friday, September 28, 1990
Tater Ault here & chewed up the locust stump by the burning bins. Left big high pile of mixed dirt & sawdust. Brought me 3 huge onions that might have beat out Ed Young at the Fall Fair. Says his bill will be $125 – 4 trees & about 6 shrubs & the hemlock stumps dug by hand.

Sowed grass seed across road. Tall fescue – “Rebel” – also fertilized.

Thursday, September 27, 1990
Letter from Guy Denny (scooping Dick Mosely’s formal notification) that Terradise has been approved for Natural Landmark Status by the Advisory Council.
Cleaned house somewhat- kitchen especially. In to Mayor’s Office at 2:00 for meeting of Centennial Committee. Don’t know why I was asked – purpose was to persuade Eula Watts & Claire Cooke to put on a Centennial Show at Palace in March.
I took opportunity to say that I would not market or raise finances for publishing book on Marion & would need at least 2 yrs to get it ready.
Took kids bankbooks to have updated. Have to have David’s signature to withdraw Jed’s money to go to France.
Home at 3:45 – Prepared Orange Roughy- green beans- pickled beets – fresh fruit. Mary H & Bill & Erma arrived at 5:30 & amazed at landscaping. Had dessert on deck. Pleasant evening.
Called Kathi & David & told them about Natural Landmard Status.

Wednesday, September 26, 1990
73-50
Moved more plants into greenhouse. Wrote story on Horticulture Show with winners & workers.
In to HH at 1:00 for my volunteer afternoon. Packed box with horticulture materials & put it in vault. Class card holders, ribbons, 1990 schedules.
Eula Rhoads came in at 3:00 especially to unload her grievances about Jack. Took 2 pages for me to list them. Financial irresponsibility, lact of prioritization, inability to accept suggestions – overwhelming ego.

Met Mary at Wendy’s for supper. Gave her a Oct 4 dated check for $110 – $88 to cover purchases at fanny’s sales & $20 for expenses. Used $10 for gas – it’s up to $1.34 a gal since the Iraq crisis – & $10 for 36 exp. Pix of Fanny’s sale – popcorn festival- Judge Myers party, laying brick at HH.

Tuesday, September 25, 1990
70-51 windy sunny
Wrote to Dave pointing our disadvantages of owning a house. In 2 years would gain only $1,000 equity & lose that in real estate selling fee. Sent David a note – couldn’t find box laser printer came in so can’t get my $50 back.
Mowed lawn with push mower & fertilized lawn. Grass showing green from seed planted 12 days ago.
Took bud vases back to Hemmerly’s & copied Marion Co. map to show Killdeer & Big Island Wildlife Areas & took to Marcell Taft. Took large potatoe to Heritage Hall for Walter Rinehart to pick up. He left it at the Fall Fair. Thern to Marion General Hospital for meeting of Garden Club of Marion. Fred Hower – Nurseryman spokesman very knowledgeable – Learned why tulips don’t regenerate – night temperatures too high during the spring – Also in depth on soil preparation.

Monday, September 24, 1990
Finished setting out plants from Wade & Gatton – Don’t like looks of fishworms under the weed barrier & the mulch.
Ray Foertsch & Brenda out & finished filling the holes where shrubs were taken out & planted grass. Then insisted they try to burn the mess of branches from Washington Thorn three that he put over burning pit. Couldn’t get it to burn.
Read Horticulture Magazines.

Sunday, September 23, 1990
Sunny – high 50 windy
To Fall Fair at 10:00 – Had to go to HH to pick up Membership & HH Brochure. Ate barbecue with Fogts & Cotrells. Good crowd & all went well – Not many watched 4H Horse Show – Bake Sale brought in over $300 & chicken barbeque $250 + gate receipts.

Saturday, September 22, 1990
5 hrs Fall Fair
To Fairgrounds at 10 to help set up for Horticulture Show – Tables hauled from Waldo by Ed Young – Norm in to help set them up. Helen & Dorothy put white paper on. I filled vases & put out class cards. NBorm had to make new holders again. Picked Mary up at 12:15 and got to Fanny Baker’s sales at 12:45. She watched from her picture window. 38 acres sold for $64,000, House for $48,000. I bought her bfst set for $20 & tea set for $12.50 but paid $50 for 2 groups of dishes that included glass pitcher & comport, fancy trays – Back to Fairgrounds at 4:00 – Bill & Erma judged.

Friday, September 21, 1990
MCHS Fall Fair 4 ½
Finished cards – 48 classes in Senior Class & 48 in Junior. Then made 150 entry slips. Wrote out instructions for when I won’t be there tomorrow. Called Wyandot Popcorn for snacks & arranged for Tom Wagner to pick up. Called Donna Ruth Fogt & Norma Primmer for backup tomorrow.
Called Mary H & Mary J & invited them to dinner to share garden string beans, tomatoes & cucumbers. Had minute steaks. Mary H brought fresh pineapple & cantaloupe.
Mary installed my TV whistle I got supper on table. Then we took a little walk around before it started raining.

Thursday, September 20, 1990
MCHS Fall Fair 3 ½
Ault here & trimmed low hanging branches on White Oak in center of lawn.
Worked on cards for Horticulture Show for each class – in WordStar until time to go to WMRN for interview on Morning Magazine with Terry. Then to Mary’s to ask her to go see Fanny Baker at Fairhaven in Upper Sandusky. Just felt compelled to talk with her before her sale Saturday – selling house, farm & all her possessions she hasn’t disposed of.
Found her in good spirits & using a walker – but much “brighter” than when we saw her early spring. She moved to Fairhaven last of June. She readlly unloaded all her deeply hidden feelings about Marty-Loren-Jessie. On the surface they all seemed congenial- travelled together, etc. But Fanny’s resentment of Loren taking over Mary’s estate, abusing Mary, & Jessie’s running after Loren – & then her getting Loren’s estate – life interest – & especially Loren putting his name in place of H. O. Baker on barn. She thanked us for letting her unload. Got Mary back in time to go to dinner with Walt & OPlgua – I tool Eber Baker beans to Heritage Hall for girls to bag up & picked up TV – $63.