Housekeeping

[Image of nineteenth century log home with a red window.]

Housekeeping presented new challenges too. On occasion, the family was able to [short video showing shadow of a man splitting logs] hire “servants” to help with the chores and woodcutting. The cottage wasn’t [image of inside 19th century log cabin showing the open spaces and light between logs] insulated and the cold blew through the logs before they were plastered. When Anne [image of floorboards of 19th century log cabin with spaces and lights between logs] swept the floor upstairs, dust slipped through the open floorboards, creating a stream of dust downstairs in the afternoon light. [Close up image of red window showing glazing and putty] Even the window glazing was unfinished because the needed putty was sold in Peterborough, so without putty, windows needed to be stuffed to keep out the cold. [Anne Langton pencil sketch of Blythe Farm circa 1840 showing cut trees, outbuildings and John’s cabin] In the coldest nights, up to eight blankets were used.