Today is the 140th birthday of pioneering author Laura Ingalls Wilder who gave the world undying history lessons on westward movement, Indians, the threshing machine, butter making, construction of railroads, sewing machines, and so much more. I never had history so good.
My favorite book was (is) On the Banks of Plum Creek. Which one was (is) your favorite?
* * * * *
When the fiddle had stopped singing Laura called out softly, "What are days of auld lang syne, Pa?"
"They are the days of a long time ago, Laura," Pa said. "Go to sleep, now."
But Laura lay awake a little while, listening to Pa's fiddle softly playing and to the lonely sound of the wind in the Big Woods.
She was glad that the cosy house, and Pa and Ma and the firelight and the music, were now. They could not be forgotten, she thought, because now is now. It can never be a long time ago.
~ Ending of Little House in the Big Woods
Oh! Thanks for the heads up! This is just the excuse I need to start "Big Woods" as our read-aloud tonight!
Posted by: Theresa | February 07, 2007 at 07:30 AM
I've always been partial to The Long Winter.
Posted by: Jennifer | February 07, 2007 at 09:23 AM
"Farmer Boy" was my favorite. The food is fantastic and the baking is divine! Such wealth and simplicity, such happiness!
Posted by: Suzanne Temple | February 07, 2007 at 10:49 AM
I used to really love LIW until I read a biography of her daughter and discovered just what was going on behind the scenes. I still love her writing, but in a more complicated way. Plum Creek is my favourite too.
Posted by: patience | February 08, 2007 at 10:36 PM