Rose

    As we drove from Independence, Kansas to Mansfield, Missouri we listened to the last of These Happy Golden Years.  As in all of Laura’s books, there are vivid, beautiful descriptions of the trials and the joys of pioneer life.  Laura writes about flowers, the prairies, the grasses, the stars and even the wind.  She often describes wind – from gentle breezes to the fury of blizzards.  As we listened, we heard her describe the cyclones that hit the prairies that year.  Although we made it through Kansas without seeing one, we were reminded of them when we arrived there.  Do you know why?  Yesterday Google had a picture of Dorothy and Toto on their way to Oz because it was the 71st anniversary of The Wizard of Oz!  We don’t have very many pictures of wind, but we do have a lot of pictures of prairie flowers.  I think even Toto would like these pictures.

Prairie flowers

 

Prairie flowers

    At the end of the story, Laura marries Almanzo.  The best part was when Almanzo took her to their new “little grey house” and on the doorstep was a dog named Shep.  Little dogs like me feel all cozy inside to hear about families with pets.  I hope Shep will keep her company when Almanzo has to work.

Prairie flowers

 

 

 

 

Prairie flowers

    Guess what!  Laura was in church one hot Sunday and in through the open doors came a kitten, and then a dog.  The kitten tried to get away from the dog and climbed up the hoops under Laura’s skirt!  It clung safely there while Laura tried not to laugh out loud!

 

Prairie flowers

Prairie flowers

    Laura mentions prairie flowers throughout her books.  The ones she describes in the most vivid detail are violets and wild roses. We got to our last book, The First Four Years in the car today, and Laura and Almanzo have their first baby, and they name her “Rose.”  Sigh…

 Prairie flowers

Prairie flowers

    On our long hot ride today we saw animals along the side of the road.  There were many armadillos and a few foxes.  We finally arrived at Rocky Ridge, Laura and Almanzo’s last house.  Laura wrote all her books in this house, and everything is still there exactly as she left it. It was 103 degrees, but little dogs were not allowed to go in, so I waited in the shade.

Puppy in the shade of Laura and Almanzo’s last house

Waiting, and waiting, and waiting...