Rural Diary Archive

#OnThisDay 1869: "For the first time I saw a velocipede...it requires a great deal of practice to ride one." John Ferguson #rural #countrylife

#OnThisDay in 1926: "Spent a dead day without the Radio. Was reading most of the time. At night Jack and Ernie came and that made up for the rest of the day. Saw the end of February and the beginning of March and to bed at 12:30." ~ Jean Barker #ruralliving

#triviatuesday In 1900 diarist David Bergey purchases a bottle of "mucilage" from his local drug store for 20 cents. What might this have been used for? #ruralliving

#OnThisDay 1916: "The boys were at the Literary society meeting...taking part in a debate “Eastern Canada is more preferable to live in than Western Canada”. Rowand was the leader...(and) proved that it was preferable to live in the Eastern part". Elizabeth Oliver Burgess #rural

#triviatuesday In his 1884 diary, Forbes Moir lists the root of this wildflower in a recipe to make a digestive tonic for cattle. #ruralliving

#triviatuesday A "firkin" is a small wooden cask usually equal to approximately 1/4 of a barrel. What do you think this vessel would be used for? #ruralliving

#FeatureFriday Sweethearts Ernest Buck and Jean Barker both keep diaries of their courtship in 1926.  They go to dances, masquerades, concerts, debates and spelling bees. Ernest is quite the romantic. Discover their diaries at ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/diarists

#triviatuesday In his 1859 diary, David Martin describes the weather conditions as "drouthy". If this Scottish word is also used to describe a state of thirst, what did Martin likely mean? #ruralliving

#MysteryMonday Looking to try transcribing? Here's an easy entry to try: tell us what diarist Ernest Buck did for fun on a wintry Saturday in 1926 #ruralliving

#FeatureFriday Franklin McMillan is newly married, a new father, and is busy expanding his family fruit farm business. We have several of Frank's diaries ready for transcribers and more to come at ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/col…

#OnThisDay in 1923: "Milder with more snow roads bad, some cars running yet, but sleighs go the best." ~ Franklin McMillan #ruralliving

#TriviaTuesday What is a curry comb and how would it have been used on the farm? #rural

#OnThisDay in 1902: "I did a baking of five loaves of bread, patched father's clothes, peeled apples and canned them. In evening I read a paper and helped finish father's fur mittens. The day was cold down to zero but bright". Olive Esther Delmage #rural #countrylife

#OnThisDay "Ernie came in the evening...we spent the last of 1926...in front of the fire-place and I had the pleasure of having the head of the dearest boy I know, on my lap. Yes 1926 was even more wonderful then 1920 and that is saying something." ~ Jean Barker #HappyNewYear

#OnThisDay in 1878: "Christmas exceedingly cold and stormy the roads are blocked up, the boys went through the drifts on horseback to see the state of the roads. We had a goose and plum pudding" ~ Elizabeth Simpson

#FeatureFriday In 1915 Olive Philp takes over keeping the family farm diary from mother Elizabeth and sister Clara. Discover all of their diaries in our Philp Family Collection on ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/olive-philp

Many thanks to volunteer Alison Gammage for transcribing Jean Barker's 1926 diary, a charming story of #countrylife and love, forever preserved for the enjoyment of future generations #ruraldiaries

#TriviaTuesday What is bed-tick? Not to be confused with the icky arachnid of the same name! #rural

#FeatureFriday Ellamanda Krauter Maurer's diaries cover two world wars and the Great Depression. Her sense of fun is evident in her short entries. Learn more about Ella and try your hand at transcribing her diaries at ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/ellamanda-krau…

#OnThisDay in 1905: "Fine day but very cold, we made our pies. I went to the Pond to skate at night. very frosty." Mary Alice Cooper #ruralliving