Learning from Ms. Wilder~

  I began reading the Little House Series this summer. It is my first time EVER  to read them. I’m reading the last of my own books and I read them out of order… I don’t have Farmer Boy or Little House on the Prairie. 

Of the books I’ve read so far I’ve learned and identified with so very much!  I thought I post a little list in no certain order.

• Living on a Homestead is hard work.
• Mending your clothes is important and sometimes necessary work.
• No matter where you live- whether the floor is dirt , the roof thatch, the walls logs, or snow blows in from the outside… always sweep it clean, hang curtains, wash dishes and make the bed. Be house proud!
• It’s ok to expect payment for a meal and a place to sleep. You can still be hospitable and not be taken for granted (ie: It’s ok to charge for room and board)
• Sometimes Grasshoppers, Mosquitoes and drought come.
• Don’t be so attached to some thing (house, livestock, ability, etc) that you miss an opportunity to trade up.
• Watch for opportunities to teach a younger woman.
• There is always room to improve your skills; and an opportunity to earn money with it. (Sewing, cooking, cleaning, tutoring, etc.)
• Don’t be afraid to barter.
• Pay attention to industry/ machinery; you will be more appreciative, but not necessarily dependent upon it.
• Eat what is set before you.
• Cherish family, family gatherings and times of gathering in general.
• When the opportunity to send a letter to a friend or loved one presents itself—Always write a letter.
• Go for a walk; it makes for an interesting journey through an otherwise boring day!
• Christmas always comes.

This summer my life has paralleled these books so closely. I’ve been immersed in the stories. They are timeless- I’ve enjoyed reading them.
I recommend  them if you’ve not ever read them or perhaps you have, why not read them again?
God Bless you and thanks for reading!