Haddock and Dill: October 13, 1957 The Fall Yard Report, The Raging Flu, The Apples and The Popcorn

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Everything is so fall-like now. We had a dark, drizzling day and that seemed to change everything. The leaves began to fall and they are all colors now. My mums are beginning to open but I still can't tell what colors they will be. Last Sunday was such a wonderful day that I worked all afternoon in the yard and B cut the grass for the last time this year. The dahlias are still blooming hard even though the wind has broken them all to pieces. Next year I will know to use tall stakes. If it is nice tomorrow I want to plant peonies along our property line on the north side of the yard. Our neighbor on that side has the peonies and we planned this for a year. She has been sick but called me the other day and told me to come and get all I wanted to put any place. I told her I would try to put them where we first planned for they will look nice there. It will make a low hedge.

The flu is raging here but no one knows if it is the Asian kind or not. It takes a special test to tell & that has to be done in Chicago. School activities where food is brought in from homes have to be cancelled.

We had a party and a potluck supper planned for Bob's & Ann's rooms next week. It will give us a chance to catch our breath now that they have been cancelled.

Toni & I went to an orchard one morning and got apples (Grimes) for $1.25 a bushel. They aren't big but about right for the kids to eat.

Today was Edna's birthday. I took them some cream puffs for lunch. She is still having trouble with her back but is a little better. She hasn't been any place since the last of June and she misses it. She can't even go to church and sit that long.

Daddy sounds busier now than he did when he went to the store everyday. That old fence can wait a few days. You had better just decide on a time to come and then come.

I went to Quill Club last night but we are all home together tonight. There was a church supper but we decided to stay home.

Come over & we'll have popcorn. I think I'll go pop some."

Lots of love,

Bonnie

NOTE: Popcorn, in any form, was a family favorite. Every fall we looked forward to Baked Caramel Corn. A huge quantity was made, easily a leaf-bag full, and given to students who raked the yard, friends as Christmas gifts, and there was always plenty left to go around. It was stored in coffee cans and plastic buckets. I still associate the scent of popping corn with autumn!