Cambridge
Ther [Thermometer] Friday, Feb. 23, 1917 [February 23, 1917] Wea [Weather]
20 [degrees] Fair
Thin cloudy with chill northerly wind.
Hard-frozen snow, glazed over with a 
thin coating of ice, still covers all land 
surfaces in sight from our house, to a
depth of about 5 inches.
  Garden birds. A screaming Jay & 
a cawing Crow the only native ones.
House Sparrows to the number of not
less than fifty, making a prodigous
racket in the lilacs. I shot one of
them, for fish food, 
whereupon the others became silent
& began stealing away but presently
were all back again & as noisy as ever.
It must be admitted that they are
admirably intelligent & canny birds,
however despicable in other respects.
  Working all day on Red-wing [Red-winged Blackbird]
story, not even yet completed.
C. [Caroline Brewster] at St. Pauls Cathedral.
Usual evening reading, in front
hall, from "Shirley".

Cambridge
Ther [Thermometer] Saturday, Feb. 24, 1917 [February 24, 1917] Wea [Weather]
February thaw Fair
Heavy rain last night. Sun shining
fitfully in overclouded sky to-day.
Very warm. Snow & ice going fast.
City streets afloat with water & slush.
A springlike quality abroad in
air & sky. Nothing quite like it
before this winter.
  Garden birds. Heard Crows cawing
long & loud at sunrise. A big
mob of House Sparrows. Nothing else.
  My deplorable condition of
mental unproductiveness seems to
have become hopelessly chronic.
It really looks now as if I should
never again write anything for
publication. The Red-wing story
is still unfinished and has
been more retarded than advanced
to-day. It simply will not
come out as I wish it to.
Our evening spent in hall with
usual reading by E. [Elizabeth R. Simmons] "Danny" back
from Boston hospital this P.M.