Saturday 1st July 1944

Got up pretty early. It rained all day again! Spent morning transplanting kale and cabbages. Got parcel of summer clothes from home. We did not do much in the afternoon. We milked at 3.40 and caught bus to Wells. Saw “In old Oklahoma” had egg for supper.

Sunday 2nd July 1944

We were late this morning. Milked. I did pails after breakfast, then had a wash. Went for a walk with Gladys before lunch. Read Captain Moonlight. Had a bath. It simply poured all afternoon and evening. Milked before tea. Put pink dress on. Read and wrote.

Monday 3rd July 1944

We put up the wire round the little rick. Took two black heifers and calves over after lunch. I rode a Brown mare of Jim’s he was a bit lively. I nearly fell off the first time but I got better. Gordon is a wild young rider.

Tuesday 4th July 1944

It tried to rain in the morning but it cleared later on. Took straw over in cart. Came back and helped hitch out the horse. Sharpened spars did a bit of hoeing while Mr Howes pulled the roof of the rick. Had tea. Milked went down to get pump, Jack was not there. Met P. from rectory with Gladys. Snooks were hooking hay, Gladys and I picked honeysuckle, penned up.

Wednesday 5th July

Went down Emery’s for spuds but they were all gone. It poured, drew straw. I got fed-up in the afternoon and had a headache. Got cows in, milked, pulled thistles Walked down and got pump. Met Yank I saw the other night. Peggy came out with me and talked to him. He gave us a ¼ lb of tea. Saw Hewart, Raymond and someone in Mr W’s car going to see 100 acre farm near Bath. Hewart turned round ‘cause I said his name loudly. Peggy put my hair up. It will be all over Slade “Howes’ land-girl was walking with a yank!” Oh blow!

Thursday 6th July

Got up early. Milked I did a bit of thatching today while P went for straw. I like the job. Gladys went back today, it will seem quiet without her. Bunny Young is home from France, wounded. Thatched in the evening. Mrs Snook was hay-making Saw Hewart coming home. His braces were dropping!!!!!

Friday 7th July 1944

We were a bit later getting up. Our poor old ewe had two holes full of maggots. A cow had hooked her. We spent over 1 ½ hrs on her. Finished off rick. Went to sleep till 2.30! Cut thistles over the brow. Got mushrooms. It rained off and on all evening. Did ewe again. Had to shelter in the garage from the rain. Bubbles, Colour, Gerald C, Offy, Basil and Norman? Were there. Basil was painting Hewart’s lorry grey, they put paint on the windows. Knitted and listened to the wireless. Wrote a bit read and knitted until bedtime.

Saturday 8th July 1944

It was not a bad day. The evening was beautiful Harry White calved yesterday. Cut thistles all morning, did ewe after dinner. Put up my Brussel   sprouts. Had strawberries for tea. We saw “Candlelight in Algeria” it was good. Three yanks came we had a job to get rid of them. I went on to bed.

Sunday 9th July 1944

It poured with rain till tea-time. Went and milked out Harry White, she has a white heifer calf. Knitted and mended all morning. Went to sleep on my bed for an hour. Had a lovely deep bath. Milked before tea. I went down to Thrope. It was a very stormy evening went to Roemead and then on down Binegar Bottom and up round Binegar. Got wet on the way back. Jim had a heifer calving it took four of them. I rode punch. Had a cup of tea Gordon came home with me. Met Hewart and Ann in Bennet’s lane with a soldier at 10.30! Got a bit wet. Met Mrs Howes at corn stores was in bed by 11.

Monday 10th July 1944

Pouring with rain again all day this  time. Went down Kingdown and milked H.W. Washed stall went over rectory and saw calves. Had dinner, drew straw all afternoon, got cows in, the roan heifer’s calf went with Mr Wareham this morning, we tied her up with the cows. I milked her first and P finished her. Finished by 6. Spent evening knitting, writing, reading and listening to Monday night at 8. Lazy bones.

Tuesday 11th July 1944

Brought home Harry White, Jersey knocked the gate off it’s hinges and followed. Penned out the rick in clover ground. Did the ewe all afternoon and then milked Harry White. Peggy and I went for a walk round school lane and up by Martin’s. Darned two socks knitted and read till quite late. I am getting on “wi’ me drawers” Read “Five red Herrings” by Dorothy L Sayers.

Wednesday 12th July 1944

It was Grandpa’s birthday today. We were pulling thistles all day and hoeing in the kale. Two girls were on the tractor over at Martin’s. We did not get out till late. Mrs Costofedie did not turn up for tea, I went in just the same. Went down Thrope I was drunk and incapable!! I had some whiskey and it turned me giddy. I nearly went down dozens of times. I had to crawl upstairs.

Thursday 13th July 1944

It rained nearly all day. We were in the garden. I was shovelling away the burnt kale. Came in at 12 and read and knitted. Milked Harry White, we had a job. I am getting teased like anything about the whiskey episode. I had a nice ride last night on Punch up past Maidments where a horse was loose and round Mendip Inn. Saw Jimmy Warren and friend. A yank kept asking for a ride. He was a nuisance. Walked down Masbury and got our bikes.

 Friday 14th July 1944

Got up by 7 this morning, milked, washed pails. Went up and got some parsley for Mrs Bromwell. Put in kale in garden, hoed mangles. Had chick. Frances came home, she said Mrs Snook sent her home, she did not. Hoed kale over rectory. Milked H. White. We were early, fed hens. Stopped talking to people awhile, Peggy’s brother-in-law came, she went over Tuckers. Mrs Howes got nasty so I went out until the storm subsided. “Rupert” tapped on window and “thumbs up” Whoopee!! Came back and wrote.

Saturday 15th July 1944

Spent morning scrubbing the stall and rendering the gap out behind the old stall. Mended by the pond and then went and milked Harry White. Milked in a rush. It was drizzling but we went to Wells. Saw “The Girl they left behind them” We got soaked coming home. Saw Fred and Ronald Chard in their car. Pansy calved she had a roan heifer calf.

Sunday 16th July 1944

It was very dull this morning so I did not go down to Thrope. Knitted and wrote. Had a bath after lunch. Milked before tea. I rode Punch tonight. We went down Binegar Bottom and round Slade. It was a beautiful evening. P had a ride Punch was tired.

Monday 17th July 1944

Mummy is 42 today. Phyllis went to Farington. I hoed over the rectory till 12.30 Went hoeing in the afternoon. Came back and milked Harry White and Pansy. Laurie cut our further ground. Mr Bown was making us laugh “When a man gets old” Came in about 9.30

 Tuesday 18th July 1944

I was planting out kale and leeks all morning and digging a pea trench. Had lunch early. We turned the double swathe. It was very hot and thundery in the evening. Bowns were hauling hay opposite us. Hilda came.

Wednesday 19th July 1944

 It was very hot all day. We borrowed Polly. I walked up the road with R.S. I must be in love I keep making mistakes. We bought home the rake and swathe turner. Got one load of straw before lunch and one after. Put in cabbage. Got 2 lots of cows in. Milked. Had to turn hay etc so could not go to Thrope. Went collecting, Milly and John came up. Mr Howes swathe turned. Went up in Raymonds kale etc.

Thursday 20th July 1944

We were late getting up this morning. 2 yanks helped get in the cows and one milked dairy maid and Primrose. They were quite decent, they came in to breakfast. They are coming to help hay rake tomorrow. Hoed over rectory. Horse hoed. I pulled thistles after lunch till 3.45. Got 2 cows in. Milked . Had tea. Milked. Basil tedded further ground. Went down to meet P from Emerys. Came back. Wrote etc till bedtime.

Friday 21st July 1944

Late as usual again. Milked. Did pails and the stall. Our hay should have been fit tonight but the weather was dull and it threatened to rain all day. Pulled thistles. Gardened till 3.45. Milked two cows with calves. Mr and Mrs Kennion had tea. Went down to Thrope but they were out. Went out Green Ore and helped them hay make. Gordon let me drive the trailer. Saw some lovely horses galloping. Got back about 10.

Saturday 22nd July 1944

We were up before 7 this morning. Milked etc Had breakfast. Did pails and stall. Pulled thistles till 12.30. Basil came with the tedder before lunch. Our hay will be fit tonight. We were pitching till 3.30. We milked two cows had tea. Basil came in stall. We went out at 6 and finished by 8. Bromell was trying to overpower me he is quite human when you get to know him. Washed and changed. Laurie started mowing the home ground. Wrote and went to bed early.

Sunday 23rd July 1944

Laurie finished mowing the home ground. Raked round etc. Mended my breeches sitting under the big ash tree. I felt rotten as usual and went to bed until 3.30 after lunch. Milked went down Thrope. Came up here and met Phyllis. She had a ride as far as the crossroads. Punch went very well. Went to Maidments. Saw all family.

Monday 24th July 1944

Two calves went to market. Raymond took them in his old car. We washed stall and turned most of the double swathe. Norman came at 2 and we pushed in the rakings we rode in the car. I drove down to the gate. Went to see if the bobby was on the corner. Saw Jim with tractor. Finished swathe and corners. Got in cows. Milked. Pitched up rakings till 7.15. Rushed around and got down to Thrope around 8. Caught Punch and rode out to Green Ore. Had a glorious canter. Saw Colour mowing. Helped pitch. Rode back to thrope. Helped drive some cows as far as Masbury Station. Got back about 11.

Tuesday 25th July 1944

Got up after having a cup of tea in bed. We seemed to take ages milking with two extra. Got 19 ½ galls. Did pails. Went hoeing over rectory till 12.30 Made up roof and put on the sheet in further ground as it started to rain. Sharpened some stakes after lunch and we fenced out the rick. The cows went out there tonight. A long way to fetch them in. Mr Frowd and Fudge came to see my gardening efforts. Only 3 in the comp.Knitted, wrote. Went to bed early.

Wednesday 26th July 1944

We singled Swedes all day and nobody seemed to hear the 1o’clock blasting so we did not get back till 2. Had to phone Ma. Poochie coming here and Verity to Blackpool. Drew straw. Got cows in. Milked. Gordon and Mr W came for Sweep. I went down Thrope in the car. G rode my bike and did not appear until 9.30. I rode Punch round Binegar on my own and met P there. Played snap with Trix and G till 10.30. Saw Chards car and Fred waved. They must think we go after blackies.

Thursday 27th July 1944

Had a cup of tea in bed. It was pouring. Stormy and sunny in patches all day. Got my riding boots today. Put salt on Swedes. Singled Swedes until 3.45. Got cows. I went up Duddens. Finished panties. Saw Jim, G, Ivan Webb and T at corn stores. Mrs Snook passed. She will have something more to say. Had supper at 9. Wrote till I went to bed. I am going to have a good try at getting Sat. afternoon off!!!

Friday 28th July 1944

We singled Swedes until about 12.30, when we put Silver in the swathe turner. We had lunch early and then we turned hay all afternoon until 4. I went in to tea with Grandma. Mrs Costopadie is to take on some of Mrs Spencer’s work and will be my D.R. I went down and got Punch. Wareham’s were hay making up Palleston. I rode up here. P rode Punch while I had supper. Got back about 11.

Saturday 29th July 1944

T poured like anything in the night, now we will have to turn all that hay again. Singled Swedes it rained on and off all afternoon. Drew straw. I rushed round and got down Thrope at just after 5. Perry Butt and I rode to Wells gymkhana. There was a cloud-burst when we were in East Horrington. We got wet. It was an awful muddle. I went in for the musical chairs but Punch is too heavy. Trixie was miserable and would not even get on her pony. Saw Fred on the way home. We walked all the way home, I got fed-up and trotted on I was tired got home about 11.40

Sunday 30th July 1944

It was a lovely sunny morning but a bit cloudy in the afternoon. Went down Oakes for the other kitten. Mr Oakes showed us Mendip. She is very dark bay almost black and 16.2hh Ron chard is training her to jump on Aug. 12th at a gymkhana. He asked me to come down one evening. Whoopee. Had a bath. Finished my panties. Milked before tea. I went to church on my own as P could not find her hat “Talk about electric shock” J.W.

Monday 31st July 1944

 We did manage to get up a bit earlier this morning it was terribly hot and hazy all day. Pulled thistles. Norman tedded our hay after lunch. We were turning hay till 4. We had tea. Mrs H helped with milking. We had to use the hose and tumbler as the sweep went wrong we had to whack it in as a thunderstorm was coming. It spotted for ages. Finished just before 9. We started at 5.45. Offy and Mr Bromwell came. Went to bed after supper.

Russians 6 miles from Warsaw.

 

The Ash Grove

 

Down yonder green valley where streamlets meander
When twilight is fading I pensively rove.
Or at the bright noontide in solitude wander
Amid the dark shades of the lonely ash grove.
Twas there while the blackbird was cheerfully singing
I first met that dear one, the joy of my heart.
Around us [as] for gladness the bluebells were ringing
Ah! then little thought I how soon we should part.
 
Still glows the bright sunshine o'er valley and mountain,
Still warbles the blackbird its note from the tree;
Still trembles the moonbeam on streamlet and fountain,
But what are the beauties of Nature to me? 
With sorrow, deep sorrow, my bosom is laden,
All day I go mourning in search of my love!
Ye echoes! oh tell me, where is the sweet maiden?
"She  sleeps 'neath the green turf down by the Ash Grove."