Today is Laura Ingalls Wilder's birthday.
Laura Ingalls (not yet Wilder) in 1884
I have read and re-read the "Little House" books so many times, I've lost count. I have made Laura's Gingerbread Recipe on numerous occasions. I've always wanted to try grinding wheat in a coffee grinder from which to make coarse brown bread, so that I could better understand the privations of The Long Winter.
As a child, I wore a sunbonnet and played "Little House" in a playhouse my father built for me. The playhouse seemed large to my child's eyes, but I realize now that it was probably no bigger than a typical prairie claim shanty.
From Laura's books, I learned so much about what things were like in another time and place. And yet, I also learned that some things, like the love of family, are timeless.
I think Laura explained it best:
"But the real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and
truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with the simple
pleasures and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong." --Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957)
For the countless hours of reading joy and lessons learned, I thank you, Laura.
