August 19, 1944

August 19, 1944
 
Dear Grandmother:
 
Received your very nice birthday card and sure thank you for it. I am fine and hope the tribe is all well. Dad wrote me about the Dude cutting his hand and Marie taking a fall and hurting her eye. I hope this letter finds them both fully recovered. I sure have fallen behind in my letter writing and am going to do my best to catch up tonight. I would like you to personally thank all of your kids for remembering me on my birthday.
 
It is quite interesting the way these French put up hay. After the hay is cut and cured they make little bundles out of it and tie a few strands of long stems of hay around it. Then they load it on a one horse cart and stack it about ten feet high. Of course the old horse pulls up along side of the barn and they pitch it in bundle by bundle just like wheat. Well that’s about all for now. So long and keep writing.
 
Love,
Mel


Taken at the Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, France, on the "Red Ball" highway in August, 1944:




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