May 9, 1959 Things Just Got Cooked, Orville the Chicken Plans a Trip, Hot Radishes and Rhubarb Pie

Dear Mother & Dad,

"We have had some hot days too, and now it is cool again.  It is cloudy and we really need some rain.  The hot days felt good but things just got cooked.  The iris and tulips wilted almost as fast as they bloomed.  This isn't a good iris year.  Lots of the buds are rotten because we had too much moisture before the roots could ripen last fall.  Everything is beautifully green, though.

There was a special Mothers' Day service and tea at school last Sunday afternoon.  It was so hot that I got out a thin nylon dress and wore that.

I haven't done a handful of work this week.  There has been something all the time.  One of our faculty members died of a heart attack so that upset everyone too.  We all knew he was sick but thought he was going to be all right.  He was 55.

Bob plans to bring his chicken to you.  He knows he can't keep it here but he's had the fun of raising it.  He was real happy when you wrote that he could bring it. 

Everything is covered with gritty dirt.  We had some windy days when it was hot and lots of dirt from the yard blew in.  The chigger weed Daddy dug up for me last summer is coming up.  I put a stake by it to keep the kids off so I hope it keeps growing.

We have had lettuce and radishes out of the kids' garden.  The radishes are real hot but the kids think they are wonderful.  I want to find some time to work in the yard today and I'd like to make a pie or two.  One of my neighbors brought me some rhubarb.

I hope tomorrow will be a wonderful day for you both.  I got Charlotte's announcement but haven't had a chance to write to her yet.  I will soon, though."

                          Lots of love,

                               Bonnie

NOTE:  Chigger Weed is also known as Butterfly Milkweed or Pleurisy Root.  I had never heard of it but here are some details:  http://www.restoringthelandscape.com/2010/07/native-plant-of-week-butterfly-milkweed.html