One day in May 1944, Doris (staying in Iowa to have her first baby) wrote Warren (teaching advanced cadets in Texas) that she’d just had a perfect day. She and her mother (Leora) did the laundry so she and “Bruce” (the baby-to-be) got lots of sunshine while hanging clothes out on the line. That afternoon, they’d walked up the hill to watch her father (Clabe) plow, then came back through the timber and picked wildflowers.
May is the essence of spring in Iowa, with blues and purples of wild violets, the frothy white of plum thickets, songs of migrating birds of all kinds, and an earthy, woodsy aroma.
For Mother’s Day, Doris bought flowers for the front steps for her mother, fixed her hair, and they must have gone to town since Leora is all dressed up.
Another day the ladies helped Clabe get a couple of sows penned in. Those sows didn’t want to give up their little weed patches for a hog house with clean straw, Doris wrote her husband, but with “a little maneuvering and persuasion,” they finally did.
“Isn’t that interesting?” she wrote. “Fourteen sows have little pigs, two cows have calves (so far), and two cats have kittens. Guess maybe I’ll be next.”
“Bruce” was due in a couple of weeks.
From Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II
So wonderful to have photos of your family back then! They are treasures for sure.
And the letters! Thanks, GP.
Of course!! When I re-read my Dad’s letters, I hear his voice so clearly!
I got to know my folks as new parents! (A little of that will show up next month.)
Your family pictures and correspondence are a real treasure! How-in the name of comfort-did they wear the shoes and restrictive clothes of the day, Bruce?
She sure didn’t dress like that often! Thanks, Nancy!
What a great “perfect day.”
It was fun to read the letters when my young parents were split up!
Wonderful photos and story Joy or is that Bruce….when my mother was unwell during our voyage back from Sri Lanka when she was 40, she decided to visit the doctor on our return to the village where we lived. He told her he believed she was suffering from dyspepsia… two months later she went back and told him ‘Dyspepsia has just kicked me’ five months later my brother was born… ♥
Dyspepsia, huh? Did he ever live that down? Thanks, Sally!
Great story- the details and photos put one “right there” in the story. Love it!
Thank you, Kelly. It was fun to read my mother’s letters before she became a mother!
I thought Leora looked as though she had just had her hair done!
I’ll bet Doris did it for her. Pin curls!
Five sons in the War. My heart breaks. I didn’t know about the service stars.
Blue is for serving. Leora pasted gold stars over three of them so signify losing three sons. I’ve donated it to the Dexter Museum in the little town where all seven kids grew up during the Great Depression. Thank you, Jacqui.
Wonderful pictures and story, Joy. ❤ Leora looks fabulous, ready to go to town.
I don’t think Leora had many chances to dress up in those days! Thank you, Tim.
Thanks for this story, Joy, and your photos are precious gems. 🩷
Thank you, Lauren. There are so many so that family members scattered across the country then could enjoy seeing homefolks.
Thank you for sharing this Mother’s Day story with us! Wonderful photos!
Thank you, Linda.