IMH 74:4 355

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Wednesday, December 8th.

The sky was clear the weather cold without much wind, averaging I believe about 20° above zero
during the day and sinking to 5° above before 9 o clock in the evening. Alvin spent the greater part
of the day in the shop working at his saw-mill which is going up slowly. Father fussed around at
nothing in particular. He went up to Bob Foster's after dark to recover his augers. He had old
Colonel rough shod on all four feet yesterday. Beyond chopping and splitting a little wood occasionally
to keep "in whack" I did nothing. My jaws though I can see nothing to hinder will not yet open more
than half an inch. Why is this thusly? Only about an inch of snow at most had fallen but little of if
went off to-day.

Teaching Notes: When a horse is rough shod it has horseshoes that are "cleated" in order to
prevent them from slipping as much on the ice. It was sort of like putting on your snow tires, but
even that practice seems to have dwindled at least here in the midwest.