I found the pattern for this 8" Girl's Joy quilt block in 5500 Quilt Block Designs by Maggie Malone. It was originally published by Ladies Art Company.
In this diary entry, Grace is a neighbor and a hired girl. Ted is Hattie's almost-15-year-old brother.
Saturday, July 8, 1916 -
"It has been a long day. I was up before 5:30, and it is now nearly eleven. The others have all been complaining of the heat, but I have not felt warm at all. I cleaned downstairs this morning, and this afternoon I cleaned my room and did several other things. Then I rested a little and mended and helped Grace fix her dress and then had a bath and dressed for supper.
"Ted was in such an awful accident this afternoon that we all feel very thankful to think that he escaped with so few injuries - a sprained ankle and considerable scratching. Some way the mules jumped a ditch and caused the slug rake teeth to go down into the ditch, and Ted was hauled ahead of the team and then run over and dragged a little ways under the slug. My! How near that was to being very dangerous, perhaps fatal! But he is very brave and good about it and is resting."
Howard H. Woodbury, great-grandson of Fred H. Woodbury writes, "Most of Fred's farm work was done with mules. Mules couldn't be worked to death like a horse because a mule, unlike the horse, would quit when he got tired instead of working himself to death. Three mules were used on the walking plow. . . Woodbury Farms acquired its first tractor in 1922. It was an eight horse-power Woods tractor that was used to grind cattle feed and saw wood to heat the big house." - from "Woodbury Farms: 104 years of continuous ranching in the East Central Kansas Flint Hills" by Howard H. Woodbury, 1985
You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post:
http://www.starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2012/02/fourth-of-july-quilt-block.html
Another lovely block!! I was raised (and still live) on a ranch, and those accidents are always in the back of your mind!! So glad Ted wasn't hurt!! See, I told you that I'm experiencing it with you!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed week!
love that block as well
ReplyDeletehow big is this block?
ReplyDeletePretty block. I am desperate to find the fabric. I've been searching for a red and aqua for 6 months. Carla
ReplyDeletedollartistcarla at aol dot com
Love the block.
ReplyDeleteHah, I just finished reading 'The Giving Quilt' by Jennifer Chivarini(sp) and this pattern name was mentioned in it. You just saved me an internet search, thanks. 9-)
ReplyDeleteMe too, DJ...just beginning the same book, on CD.
ReplyDeleteVery nice picture of a lovely quilt and intriguing book excerpt!