Marilin's Bears, Bags, Blooms & Bits: 1975 Garden Notes March 6

March 6-through March 21, 1975 --- 1^st Day of Spring!!

Bollman's Bird Bath - and What a BIRD!

So much for my determination to keep up with the garden notes. I said I was going to post the 1975 notes as they loosely coincide with the current week, didn’t I? So here it is March 16, 2011 and I am a little behind. All in all, it is better than being a big behind. And no smart talk outa youse guys, as we say in the City.

I am looking out my window at accumulated snow on sidewalks and cemetery headstones, don’t ask – and flying slush in the street as rush hour traffic speeds along Morganford Rd. What am I saying? All traffic speeds along Morganford, but that’s a story for another day.

Snow on March 14 is not all that uncommon but after the winter we have endured did we need this “surprise”? Yes, that was the caption to the news story this morning on Channel 5 - pasted across the screen - “Snow Surprise”. Apparently not the only surprise for local weathermen and the Missouri Dept. of Transportation…I’m thinking that somebody around there forgot to adjust their clocks to daylight savings time. About 1:45 this afternoon a weather alert was issued that the snow would continue to accumulate till NOON then change to all rain.

Garden Notes – March 6 – March 21, 1975 – 1^st day of Spring!!!!

Activity in the Bollman Garden is still in low gear but preparations in the form of spading, digging, tying up raspberries and generally putting the winter to rest is ongoing. Spring 1975 on California Ave. is on its way. I know that, not because of the calendar date but because on March 10 the Bollmans “woke up to 8 inches of fairyland snow”. And on March 16 Mary said “A lovely day, and did we enjoy it. Went to church….came home and stayed in God’s Good Sunshine”. Sounds like a harbinger of Spring to me.

Thursday, March 6, 1975 - Temp 30 - 46

Mostly cloudy & cool. Went shopping A.M. Worked outside P.M. but it was cool. Fixed up Jamie’s wedding present, also wrote Blue Shield about check rec’d. It was quite cool outside.

Friday, March 7, 1975 - Temp 33 – 57 at Midnite, 41 for High PM

Cloudy mostly. Otto took me to church to go to World Day of Prayer. Got home about noon. Otto was cooking dinner. Good Ham Hock & Sauerkraut & Potatoes. Cleaned a little and froze meat bought yesterday. Otto sliced the bacon.

Saturday, March 8, 1975 - Temp 22 – 35

Lovely winter sunny day. We cleaned a little around, went shopping, wrote letters P.M.

Sunday, March 9, 1975 - Temp 19 - 34

A.M. partly cloudy, P.M. it started to snow about 5:30. Went to church, read Sunday paper late…it’s still snowing at 9:30 PM

Monday, March 10, 1975 - Temp 28 - 32

Woke up to see 8 inches of fairyland snow and we shoveled it this AM. Afternoon, washed windows in bathroom & put up clean green curtains. Otto shoveled more snow. Read paper and other things till Tillie called.

Tuesday, March 11, 1975 - Temp 30 – 38 --- 6:30 PM 34

Went shopping as we moved the car. Got things ready to take to church, Mizpah Bake Sale and to Evelyn R. her recipe I promised and a few others and washed my hair. Raining this evening. Hope it doesn’t get slick.

Wednesday, March 12, 1975 - Temp 30 - 37

Cloudy all day. Otto and I washed kitchen windows and put up clean curtains. Signed contract with Excell for tuckpointing alley wall, etc. Otto made rain gauge. It rained about an inch and snow melted quite a lot.

Thursday, March 13, 1975 - Temp 19 – 30

Cold all day. Otto & I got Marie F. first boxes and took Marie & Mildred to Assoc. luncheon. About 60 people came to hear Celeste R________, policewoman from the Rape Squad of St. Louis. Very interesting. Stopped by Ruth’s as Mrs. Kurtz brought me that fan she was going to give her.

Friday, March 14, 1975 - Temp 26 - 42

Very Chilly but this PM beautiful & sunny. Went shopping this AM. Took Ruth along as she wanted to get Linoleum strips. She was sweet and had us to lunch. We came home and then went to Rausch’s to shop some more. It is 42° now at 6:45 PM – 41% humidity.

Saturday, March 15, 1975 - Temp 29 – 49

Very Chilly but sunny most of day. Watered flowers by Otto. Mary planted a few beans and we just did this and that. Went to Holy Cross fish fry for Carryout. It was good.

Sunday, March 16, 1975 - Temp 36 – 57 52 at 6:30 PM

A lovely day and did we enjoy it. Went to church, stayed for coffee hour by Circle #4 – came home and stayed in God’s sunshine.

Monday, March 17, 1975 - Temp 29 - 58

Cloudy AM. We washed and hung inside. Hung a few hand washables outside. Otto fixed the little Bird House & painted it.

Tuesday, March 18, 1975 - Temp 38 – 49

At 5:30 it’s 48° and raining. Otto raked strawberries & put on Crab Grass Killer between showers. Went shopping and got Anacin 300 for $2.70, also prunes 3 lb. $1.58. Got money order for Otto glasses & sent away to receive them. I ironed and now am patching.

Wednesday, March 19, 1975 - Temp 40 - 63

Beautiful day and we got our alley wall tuckpointed by Excell, 2654 Gravois. Also tuckpointed chimney and both sides of wall at end of alley at Winnebago. Mr. White [my Dad] helped Otto get Bird House down & we cleaned it and Otto started to paint it white. I tied up some Red Raspberries & folded the curtains. No heat today.

Thursday, March 20, 1975 - Temp 47 - 73

Beautiful day all day. We both were out spading, digging, tying up Red Rasp. No heat today.

Friday, March 21, 1975 - Temp 55 – 79
It is Spring and couldn’t be better. Just beautiful. Went shopping and paid our tuckpointing bill. We are glad that’s off our mind! We spaded our garden and have a little more to finish and bits to plant and also have rasspberries to tie up and trim. No heat in house today. Our Jonquils and Crocuses are in bloom. Took wool coverlet off our bed.

at 5:30 it’s 48.

Well, it's time for me to give it a rest and go out - in the pouring rain-sleet-or is it snow? - and fill food dishes for the homeless hungry alley kitties. Till next time....