This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
July 16 1978- Sunday - 64° at 7AM. Foggy. 25 Mallards on lawn - most so far - one has one leg and waits until others have corn to eat. To 9:30 Mass - used vacuum and washed kitchen floor first. Wes checked bank statement To Rosses at 12:30 - luncheon for Dan Macklin Millicent Sattler co-hostess - met Gloria Sally - Schaeffs of Wilton - all other neighbors. Home at 3:30 - walked about 1979 - Monday - 72° at 6 AM. Foggy. Off and on hot sunshine - muggy - heard thunder in afternoon but no rain here. To Mass. Golf following. Played with Bill Frazee - we had many good shots; some poor - scores 51. Watered veg garden and perennial garden - rabbit didn't get in - threw out more broccoli, rest of romaine lettuce. Cut grass despite heat and drought. Family of 5 mallards - almost full grown - on bank 1980 - Wednesday - 72° at 5:30. Cloudy off and on - hot and humid - high 92°. NYC 99° hottest July 16. Played golf 8-10. Watered terrace pots - deadheaded. Wes had shop hour then cut lower limbs from maple at lower fence line. Cut grass terrace. Lawns [[??]] burned. Hoped for thunderstorm - only few drops. Picked first berries - lots cucumbers & squash. Saw Mama Duck & 8 babies after a day's absence. 1981 - Thursday - 49° at 5:30. Clear - beautiful Ate quickly - off to Tarrytown to pick up Eileen and drive to NYBG - van from there to Planting Fields Arboretum, Oyster Bay, L.I. - Ruth Clausen directed tour - beautiful trees on former William Coe Estate - then to Old Westbury Gardens - perfectly beautiful gardens and mansion - demonstration gardens of raised vegetables. Reached Eileen's at 1:30 - she gave us dinner 1982 - Friday - 68° at 6 AM. Sun coming up in a big red ball - a little fog - going to be hot - it was Golf 8-9:35 - fast game - Wes was good - I was a little better - couldn't see our ball off the first tee in the fog. Wes started wall on southeast side - off veg garden. I watered - cultivated. To Billie's for a swim at 4 o'clock - quit early account heat, but not bad in the house and on deck in evening. July 17 1978 - Monday. 64° at 6 AM - Rain during night - not all over - 17 Mallards. 1/2 inch rain - some light drops until 4 o'clock when cleared. To Mass. Decided play golf first - luckily - more mist later on. Course very wet. To Dolan's for salt hay - Marcus for milk. Spread salt hay in veg garden - threw on compost some lettuce and dug out rhubarb. Picked zucchini, first yellow squash and blueberries Wes went to Nutmeg but saw not yet repaired. 1979 Tuesday - 64° at 5:45. Hazy - cooler - became mostly sunny, hot & humid. Hour shop work. Joe Keller here at 9. Wes replaced West gate of veg garden with wire to keep out rabbit. Joe pulled seaweed out of pond and trimmed. Wes graded road - took out biggest stones. Tom Dent took junk to dump - phoned him in morning (his ad in Press) came couple hours late. To O&G Industries to ask about stone for road - came at 3 pm - two loads - 30 tons - looks great - Wes has to spread spots. I staked perennials watered vegetables - many more ducks - shower at 6 pm - huray 1980 - Thursday - 68° at 6 AM - Partly cloudy - To Mass. Thunderstorm at 9 AM - only 1/4 inch rain cleared later to hot and humid but with a breeze. Artists (6) from Wooster School sketched grounds. Wes trimmed (lifted) maple trees at old shed - I deadheaded cultivated back and below wall. Put strings & stakes around bush beans. Picked peas - squash. To Stoddards for grilled lamb at 6:30. (Wes killed muskrat in afternoon) 1981 - Friday - 54° at 6:30 - Beautiful day - dry of course. Joe Keller worked 8-3. Finished weeding outside fence - did trimming - weeded under weeping birch and blueberries. Wes took down pea fence. Was bitten by wasps fixing veg garden drain. Watered perennial garden. I went to cheese shop and Stop & Shop - visited Bogus to decide on doors 1982 - Saturday - 70° at 6 AM - Hazy - hot - humid Breeze in late afternoon. Wes cleaned shop & vacuumed - had time in shop and continued work on south stone wall. I washed, ironed - made nut cake in microwave - too dry - I watered azaleas in wood knoll - some tops are drooping in heat and drought. To Billie's for a swim at 4:30 - had drink with her - home at six. Over 90° here during day.