Cambridge
Ther [Thermometer] Friday, Jan. 26, 1917 [January 26, 1917] Wea [Weather]
Dull
The sun shone feebly up to 9 A.M.
after which the sky was overspread by
gloomy clouds. Air intensely chilly but
not much disturbed by wind which,
however, blew violently sometimes before
daybreak.
  Garden birds. One of the White-throat
Sparrows [White-throated Sparrow] back again feeding on bread
crumbs at back of house with about
a dozen "English" Sparrows. Two
Jays in lilacs. I noted nothing
else.
  Worked all day on Goose & Guinea hen
story but failed to finish it & 
indeed composed no more than a
half page of fresh matter. Perhaps
I am "trying to write better than I
can" as Chapman once suggested
might be my trouble but is not it
ever so with me? At least the joy
of it remains, however poor the product.
  Reading aloud by E. [Elizabeth R. Simmons] to C. [Caroline Brewster] & me this
evening. We no longer have Victrola music often.

Cambridge
Ther [Thermometer] Saturday, Jan. 27, 1917 [January 27, 1917] Wea [Weather]
8 [degrees] 20 [degrees] Fair
Partly sunny; largely cloudy; flurries of
snow flakes now & then. Very cold but
without much wind. Ground everywhere
covered uniformly with perhaps 4 or 5 inches
of hard-frozen snow.
  Garden birds. A White-throated Sparrow
with 10 or 12 House Sparrows in the
kitchen yard were all I saw.
  An unproductive day for which a 
vile, oncoming cold perhaps affords
some excuse. Despite it, but not
without approval of Dr. Jouett who
called about noon, I worked
in Museum as usual, writing
letters & cheques in forenoon, 
revising Goose & Guinea-hen story 
after luncheon.
  Usual reading of "Villette" this evening.
  Our winter bulbs coming on tardily.
Jonquils at their best & fairly good.
Not many tulips as yet & these
very unsatisfactory.