The long trek west was hard but when we finally arrived at our homestead it felt good to own our own land and help build up the community. Here I am building a fire to warm some water for washing after dinner.
Smaller children, infants, sick and older folk got to ride inside the wagons with the belongins, but I walked on my own two feet! It was fun circling the wagons at night and playing games and dancing to the fiddle around the camp fire.
Me on fire duty again!! I'm good at startin a nice log cabin fire that keeps the embers nice and hot for cooking with a dutch oven... Or the high teepee fires for cooking with a kettle.
It took the men a while to fall enough trees to clear our land for the cabin and to make our fences, but with all the neighbors pitchin in it was done in no time!! Ma says the neighbors are mighty helpful which is nice, cause'en we may need the extra help when the new baby comes.
The House is grand. Much bigger than our last home on account of our family growing and all. Doc Martin has the grandest house in town, but I'm mighty pleased with the house I helped pa raise up.
Pa let me ride into town with him. The streets are mighty wide and there are all sorts of goods and tools and fabric in the general store. Me and my friends from school like playing on the barrels, but ma says it isn't proper. I haven't been able to go to school much because pa needs more help at home with ma in bed all day. I helped sew over an hundred diapers for our new little'n.
I'm happy to help with the chores so ma can rest up and have a healthy baby. Here I gather firewood to warm the house and cook supper.
Today we baled hay for the horses and rode some into town for the sellin. I love goin into town with pa. There are so many fine things to see and sometimes, if I work real hard, pa usually sees his way to getting me a peppermint stick. Mmmmmm...
I'm right proud of our garden this year. The rains came early, but we got a good enough yield to store up for winter.
This is how I gather the greens and spices to dry out for long term storage. It smells so delicious I can hardly stand it.
Dried out gourds help keep the crows n critters out of the garden. It's like a scarecrow, but it blows in the wind. Sometimes it works, but other times I fancy the smarter critters get hungry enough to take their chances.
Awe. Here is my sweet pa. I love him so!! This is another fine day we got to ride into the town to gather supplies for ma and the new baby.
I didn't think I was going to get a birthday this year because ma is down, but somehow she made a lovely heart shaped cake with real sugar and fresh strawberries!! I didn't expect a party either and I haven't been able to go to school for such a long time...and my friends from school all got together and sewed me a friendship quilt too!! It was the grandest birthday ever!
Here is pa with Doc Martin after he delivered the baby... Both ma and my little sister are doin fine. It's going to be a great new year.
