January 5, 1917
Studio Building, 25 Severn Toronto
Dear Winnie,
Thank you for the Christmas gifts. I received the parcel when I got back to Toronto. I needed socks. My visit to Owen Sound was a swell time. I got to see Tom and Elizabeth in Annan. Father and Mother are doing well but my Father was starting to get ill when I left for Toronto. I am sure it’s nothing of worry.
It’s quiet around here. I don’t mind because I plan to get a lot of painting done. I hope to get back up North and early as possible in the spring to do more sketches. We’ve had an awful lot of snow here in Toronto and it’s colder than usual. There’s been more than the usual number of fires because people are burning everything they can for fuel and that makes for bad creosote fires that are impossible to put out. Usually the whole house goes down.
I hope work is going well. The women are working in the munitions factory and they are looking for more. The women’s employment bureau opened on Bay St. and there is always a line up. Remember me to your parents.I hope to stop by when I go in the spring. If I take early morning train I can come for an afternoon visit and the catch the afternoon connection to the Park. That way I don’t need to be put and I’ll be as little trouble to your parents as possible.
Affectionately yours,
Tom
P.S. The hat you made makes for a fine night cap. I keep the temperature as low as possible during the night. I’ll use it for outside when it’s closer to spring.
Tom Thomson's Last Spring 