Wednesday, February 22, 2012

January 10, 1945 - Holland


Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976
5th Auxiliary Surgical Group
APO 339
c/o Post Master
New York  New York

Holland
January 10, 1944

Dearest Mother:

Will get this off to you today and hope it reaches you as soon as it would have if mailed yesterday.
Outside the window this morning there is a beautiful scene of winter.  The large trees and the smaller evergreens are all as they would be seen on a Christmas card and the dormant shrubs are simply beautiful with the ice and snow here and there are a few little birds sitting in little groups of chirping now and then.
We are now through with the inventory and I am rather glad as we have done the same thing about three times previously and it is becoming worn out by inventory.
Received a letter yesterday from Ray Coates in San Antonio.  He had a nice idea for a Christmas card on V-Mail which he made himself.  The design was of two deer holding up a sign entitled Camp Mystic and above “Greetings from”.  In all a very nice block print accompanied by his photo small size.  At the base he wrote his letter.
As to the plants which I want saved I will start at the side bed on the East side of the house.  I want nothing saved from there.  The East front bed you can save the spider lily and the other bulbs to the right of steps (snowflakes and scilla) also the tuberous if they still exist and take a few of the white crocus aloud the border.
In the West bed front and the driveway strip between house and drive I want nothing saved since there is disease in there and should not be transplanted anywhere.  I can think of only the narcissus and the roses along Miners’ fence and would like some double poinsettias.  They should all be pulled up if you leave.  In the rear bed you can save some of the cacti and the red rose.  Along and around the garage I certainly want the gerberas and perhaps samples of the carnations and I would like the grapes.  In the rear bed along the fence I want the yellow Iris and a few of the purple ones.  In the beds along the fence I want the bulbs.  They perhaps are coming up now and you may have to take them up if so merely heal them in somewhere.
And above all the Iris (Dutch) that are at each end of the bed.  The tree should be destroyed.  The cymbidiums of course should be taken up.  That is the two which are in the ground and placed in pots.  The Caladium (elephant ears) should also go along and also the Nile Lily and the ground orchid next to the Belbergia, the one I had stakes around.  Also the Belbergia (Poor man’s orchid) I want some of.  Otherwise I can think of nothing else other than potted plants and of course things you want.  You should prime back everything you move.  If the bulbs have not come up yet and you are going to move.  Take them up and put them in wooden boxes with soil as they very likely will leave started to sprout.  Then tear the box apart and set them in the ground elsewhere.  This is about all for now on the plants so enough of this.
I saw a very interesting any good picture the other day, entitled “Old Acquaintance[1]with Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins and found it very good for a change.  That is from the old type of silly card, same old story type.
Well this is now about all I can think of for now and will write more later.
Enclosed find some *4) German stamps which you may add to my collection.

All my Love,

Stanley

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