May 4, 1957 The Tree, The Speech, The Joke, The Dogwoods and Henry

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"We've been having lovely days but it is cold again and frost is predicted for tonight.  Fruit trees and lilacs are in bloom all around and everything looks so pretty.  Part of my iris are budded and I'm anxious to see what colors I have.  My roses are really growing now and we got the trellises up for them.  I told B I really needed a hoe so I could cultivate my roses.  He reminded me that Mothers' Day was soon--they got me a spading fork last year.  Our friends thought it was a good joke but I liked it.  They all know I do most of the puttering in the yard and that B doesn't enjoy it.  A friend gave me some fine dahlia tubers and I'm anxious to get them out.  They are purple ones.

Our tree is gone but the men worked in the rain and did a lot of damage to our yard.  I was really mad.  Their truck got stuck and they left bad holes & ruts.  They promised to fill them up but didn't half way do it.  Now our problem is to get some good dirt to fix it up again.

We don't intend to plant anything across the back until fall or next spring--I mean, anything permanent.  We want to get rid of the stump and we want to go thru a summer without that tree to see how much we miss it.  We did see a 3 rail fence that I would like but we may change our minds about that too.

B is at school of course this morning.  He's writing a speech to give at Eureka College next Wed. night.  There is a dinner and program honoring the students who have made the highest grades.  This is a Christian college and our church helps support it but the speech was arranged thru the University.

I'm still trying to make costumes but don't seem to get much done.  I worked most of two days in the yard cleaning up sawdust and twigs.  We couldn't mow until this was done.

Ann came home with another joke this week.  A little rabbit had climbed into a refrigerator.  When the woman opened the door and found him she said, "What are you doing in here?"  The little rabbit said, "Isn't this a Westinghouse?"  and when she said, "Yes", he answered, "Well, I'm just westing."

I forgot to tell you that Henry is fine.  We left him covered up on the trip home and he didn't get a bit excited.  I thought he might just fall over with fright.

I'm sending you a copy of the children's school paper.  Ann has a poem on the back.

Are the dogwoods out yet?"

                         Lots of love,

                                Bonnie

Thanks so much for the Mirror.  There usually isn't too much in it, but we always look forward to having it.  Love, B

NOTE:  Henry was a parakeet that belonged to our Aunt Rosalynn.  All of the grandkids and cousins took turns taking him home.  We had him quite a while and Bob was successful at teaching him to say mildly derogatory, funny things about his friends...which amused all of them immensely.