The Selected Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder ~ A Delight Directed Review

The Selected Letters is of Laura Ingalls Wilder by William Anderson and read by John Morgan and Tish Hicks review is not one of my normal book reviews. I listened to this book on Scribd. I was completely delighted, and spontaneously wrote this review for Scribd after I listened to it. 

I will link to Scribd below, and I will share my Amazon affiliate link.

 Oh my, this book was truly wonderful! It touched my heart like no other book has for some time. I first heard my teacher, Mrs. Pamela Higgs, read this to me and my fourth grade class way back during the Bicentennial celebration.  Laura Ingalls Wilder caught my attention and held it raptly. I saved my allowances of fifty cents each week to buy her books, which then cost $2.50 in paperback with the Garth Williams illustrations. Mrs. Wilder was one of the most influential people in my life as I read, re-read, and asked for her books for every birthday and Christmas. 

I've read several books about Mrs. Wilder's life over the last forty plus years. None touched me like The Selected Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder written by William Anderson and Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I believe that this is largely because Tish Hicks read Laura's letters brilliantly. As Mrs. Hicks read, I felt that I was listening as  Laura was speaking.  She even started with a young voice and aged with Laura as the years passed. 

It's hard to say what this meant to me. It felt a bit like closure. Something that was stirred to life in me as a ten year old has grown through the years  I've learned to do myself, to make do, and make something out of nothing, and it has come to full fruition as I listened to this wonderful antholology of letters that Mr. Anderson collected and put into order then explained as each was read. 

She was little Laura, Laura the young wife, Laura the mother, Laura the writer, and Laura the beloved elderly author.  I was little Laura, Laura the young wife, Laura the mother, Laura the writer and who knows what my future holds. 

I am richer for "knowing" Laura Ingalls Wilder, and that William Anderson, John Morgan, and Tish Hicks have given a middle aged woman a great deal of pleasure.

Sincerely,

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

P.S. I listened to this book on Scribd. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

 

Laura Lately ~ Covid Update

Photo by Phillip Larking on Unsplash

 Thank you all for praying for our family during our Covid illness and quarantine. It was a very long month. We are all well now, and I am regaining my strength and stamina. I still tire easily, but I am breathing much better now... as long as I don't move about the house picking up and such too quickly!

 There is much that I've gotten behind on during my illness, but I trust that if I pace myself, I shall get things in order a bit at a time. The garden is looking wild, but the cucumbers keep coming. I'll be making sweet pickles this morning. Little cherry tomatoes are bountiful. We have bigger tomatoes that are still green on the vine. I hope they ripen soon. There is nothing like a fresh tomato sandwich!

 Bless you all, and thank you again for praying!

 Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

Favorite First Lines... Anne of Green Gables and Thoughts on Reading

"Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops, and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde's Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde's door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her door, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof."  

Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery

I'm sure this sentence would make even the brightest of English teachers scratch her head!  I absolutely love Anne of Green Gables.  It's full of fun, fancy, dreams, and drama.  My favorite part, though, is that it's full of twenty dollar words!  It would be a perfect book to enjoy reading aloud with your family.  A family read aloud time goes far to help your children love reading. Not good at it?  No one is when they start.  Remember, these little, or not-so-little, ones adore you.  You are the most beautiful, the smartest, the bestest in their eyes.  Gather them to you and cuddle for an old-fashioned good time.  

Are they little?  You can read picture books to them.  You will be surprised, however, how soon they will enjoy chapter books if you will read to them.  I read to my children so much when they were younger, my youngest fairly skipped picture books because she preferred chapter books! They can also understand at a much higher level than they can read when they are young. Share experiences in books. Give your family new things to learn and talk about together.  Go ahead. Make memories. 

Blessings,

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage


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May I suggest?
Home... Emily Dickinson
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Featured at A Return to Loveliness

I am Recovering from Covid

 Hello,

I want you to  know that I am recovering well from Covid. My doctor prescribed iv antibodies. The treatment helped my body to fight the virus. I'm still taking things slowly because I get short of breath. I also get tired easily. 

But God! 

God has taken wonderful care of me and my family. All four of us who live here at the cottage have had Covid. We are all doing very well. We have been quarantined for almost a month. I wanted togive you an update and tell you I should be back to blogging early next week. 

Thank you all very much for your prayers. You have been so faithful to pray for us. I am blessed with wonderful blog friends. 

God bless you all. 

Laura 

P.S. These are the socks I knit during quarantine. They will get a good wash!

Advice From Marmee

Michael and Me
14 and I'm not telling!

"Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty." ~Louisa May Alcott Marmee's Advice in Little Women

I've got to get this figured out and fast!  
I'm too busy to do the important things right now!

Blessings,
Laura


Shared:  
No Rules

Tired... Prayer Request

 🚲 Why can't a bicycle stand alone?

It's two tired. 😴

I am too tired. My family has been fighting covid since the end of June. I got my diagnosis yesterday. Given my history of cancer and pneumonia among other things, the dr sent me to get IV antibodies today. 

You all were so good to pray me through cancer. I wanted to share this with you so that you could pray my family through covid.

My eldest daughter is over it. My second daughter has a very mild case. My husband is almost over it. And by faith I'm getting better. Still waiting for that to manifest. Smile.

Just wanted you to know what's going on. I probably will not blog until I'm well.

I will live and not die and declare the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Thank you. God bless you all.

Laura

Carrying an Atmosphere ~ J.R. Miller

“Everyone carries an atmosphere about him. It may be healthful and invigorating, or it may be unwholesome and depressing. It may make a little spot of the world a sweeter, better, safer place to live in; or it may make it harder for those to live worthily and beautifully who dwell within its circle.” 

~J.R. Miller~

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May I suggest?

Thoughts About Children

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A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #167 and Chicken Scrap Soup

  Welcome to another...

Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!

 I'm so glad you've found me! Each week I share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God. 

Harvest Lane Cottage
Est. 2019

I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!

Do say hello!

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♥♥♥

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Hello ladies,

This week has been a challenge. My husband has been ill all week. We've been in quarantine. He's going to be fine. It's just a challenge to try to keep us all healthy and help Lowell regain his health. We're taking lots of vitamins to fight it. I plead the blood of Jesus over him, our family, and everyone fighting this virus. Thank you Jesus for your healing power.

Prayers requested for my Lowell.
He is ill with Covid but getting better in Jesus' name.

On a good note, my husband is self-employed. He's a business consultant who helps small business owners improve productivity and get systems in place so that they can focus on their passion. He's been able to do most of his work by phone or internet with naps in between. ~smile~ I expect he's on the mend even as I type this Thursday night.

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♥♥♥

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Prayers requested for my Penny. She has limp tail. She's had it since the 4th. It's a temporary thing that should heal on it's own. I think it was from too much stress on her system. We had a couple of weeks with thunderstorms then fireworks for several nights. She is not in any pain. 

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♥♥♥

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A Verse for You

"Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise."

Jeremiah 17:14

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♥♥♥

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Here's what we've been up to this week.

~ My daughter, Amy, made some fun greeting cards. She is so talented. She takes after her Grandma Barb who was artistic and crafty.

~ We all stayed home all week. We saved on gas, coffee, and everything else we all spend money on when we go out!

~ My husband cleaned our central air conditioner. It's running so much better now. We were able to turn up the thermostat.

~ My husband also cleaned the dryer vent. The dryer's working better now.

~ I made Chicken Scrap Soup. I boiled the scraps from our roasted chicken. After straining it, I added cut up potatoes, onion, and carrots. I seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme. When the veggies were tender, I added the meat I removed from the bones. It was rich and delicious.

~ It turned out that there was a clogged pipe in the ac that my husband couldn't fix. We had a repairman come out, and he found a leak where the cold air was going into our crawl space instead of into the house. It was cold down there! So, he fixed it, and now we've set the thermostat four degrees higher! Thrifty because it will work better now.

Dill Pickle Slices

~ I made a small batch of dill pickles from the first cucumbers in our garden. Five pints is a good start! First time to make pickles without breaking a jar. It's because I bought a new rack last summer that fits in the bottom of my soup pot.

~ I made a low calorie strawberry vinaigrette with Smucker's sugar free strawberry jam. This is for fresh use with lettuce, zucchini, and cucumbers from our garden. The tomatoes will be ready soon!

Strawberry Vinaigrette

~ I turned the heel on my second red and blue sock. I'm now knitting up the leg.

~ I planned menus and ordered things we needed from Walmart pick-up. That saves us money, because whoever goes shopping usually has a few impulse purchases. 

That's my thrifty week.

What are you doing in your home this week?

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♥♥♥

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ღLauraღ

...doing what I can with what I've got

where I am on a short shoestring budget!

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♥♥♥

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For those of us who are praying for healing....

* One thing that helps me keep busy is listening to audio books on Scribd. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

I get well over $9.99 a month in value. I love it.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd  link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

In love since 1981.

For richer or poorer since 1986.

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♥♥♥

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Simple Little Reminders... of Grandma Mamie

Mamie Ramsbottom
1922- 2015

~ Passion!
~ flying
~ printshops

~ type setting
~ free shopper papers
~ fireflies
~ Que Sera Sera Whatever Will Be Will Be
~ vinyl records
~ printing presses
~ small airplanes
~ tadpoles
~ sparklers
~ 4th of July
~ car races
~ carnivals
~ firecrackers

~ sparklers

~ town square
~ menus with advertising on them
~ little towns
~ foggy car windshields
~ little corner grocery stores
~ little diners
~ drive-in movies
~ A & W root beer
~ semi trucks
~ RVs
~ Good Sam Club stickers
~ Black Hills gold
~ line dancing
~ Juicy Fruit gum
~ guys who hold the stop and slow signs for roadwork
~ homemade cocoa
~ homemade chocolate pie
~ soap tied up in a washcloth
~ honey on bread
~ little small town diners
~ typed cafe menus in plastic sleeves
~ dollar movies
~ hot summer days
~ swimming at the beach
~ vinyl signs on cars

~ roller skating

~ 2nd hand book stores

~ flea markets
~ flirtation and batting eyelashes

~ birthday candles that relight

~ her birthday July 6th.

I miss my grandma. My life was richer because of her.

It's Not Just About Firecrackers and Picnics!

 Happy Independence Day!

We are a blessed nation still.

2 Chronicles 7:14 gives the solution to this nation's troubles.

It all depends on us.

"If my people, which are called by my name,
(Christians)

shall humble themselves,
("having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance")

and pray,
(just talking to God)

and seek my face,
(worship, Bible reading, prayer, praise, quiet listening)

and turn from their wicked ways;
(What are you watching on t.v. or movies? What are you reading? Is it wholesome? Are you seeking a clean pure heart? Kind to others, even those in your home? Honest? There are all kinds of sins that some Christians overlook. We need to really seek the Lord and ask him to reveal those to us. We need to repent! We need to be different than the average American.)

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land."

Let's do our part!
Thank you God!

From the National Archives

See also:

Blessed is the Nation

Independence Day Memories

Drip Drip Drip Boom!

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #166

  Welcome to another...

Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!

Post includes affiliate links.

 I'm so glad you've found me! Each week I share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God. 

Harvest Lane Cottage
Est. 2019

I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!

Do say hello!

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

  Last week was full of gifts and surprises. All good and perfect gifts come down from the father of lights. Thank you God! You are so good to meet my need and some of my wants, too! 

  This week has been a week of dosing up on vitamins and trying to stay well. We've had some sickness at our house. So, neither week has been super productive, but I'll share what we've done.

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♥♥♥

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A Verse for You

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." 

- John 14:1-2

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♥♥♥

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Here are my thrifty things and my blessings!

~ My friend, Virginia, gave me a box of beautiful skeins of cotton yarn in blue and red. They were leftovers from making KU Jayhawk sweaters. 

She also gave me some fabulous sock yarn with cashmere in it and some sturdy Kroy sock yarn. I am a happy girl. Thank you Virginia! I see socks and hats in the future!

~ My friend, Diane, gave me a big box of fabric and clothes. I immediately went though it, pulled out what I can use, gave something to my neighbor that she can use, and donated the rest. I am so thankful for the gift and for a friend who lets me pass on what I can't use. Thank you friend!

~ Another friend, Sharon, sent me a box of fabric, notions, and linens. Thank you so much Sharon! I did the same with this box. There were some nice table linens as well as a bunch of zippers, fabric, crochet thread and other things. I now have plenty of zippers to make project bags with for awhile. 

  There was a time when I would have kept everything. I'd feel responsible to use it all. No more! I'm learning to take joy in the gift and giver. I simply explain prior to receiving hand me downs that I will be happy to accept them if I can pass on what I cannot use. Everyone agrees, and we are both blessed!

~ My husband used a $10 gift certificate from our butcher towards purchasing ground chuck for the freezer.

~ I'm reading books and knitting with things given to me this week. 

~ My daughter returned some items that did not fit right that she'd ordered online.

~ I cut up an old t-shirt to make ties for our tomato plants.

~ I made up half a dozen muffin in a mug mixes ahead of time. When I'm ready to use them, I'll add an egg, 2 T water, 1 T of coconut oil or butter, and a spoonful of blueberries, sugar free butterscotch chips or whatever I want for flavor. This will save me time and keep me from grabbing a sausage biscuit!

~ I made taco salad with lettuce from our garden and ground beef bought with the $10 coupon. 

~ I'm crocheting dishcloths for my gift stash. They make lovely shower gifts.

~ The garden is growing and we've begun harvesting cucumbers, zucchini, and jalapeno peppers.

~ I received Mysteries of the Messiah free for review. I've been listening to it on Scribd* already.

That's my thrifty week.

What are you doing in your home this week?

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♥♥♥

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ღLauraღ

...doing what I can with what I've got

where I am on a short shoestring budget!

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

* One thing that helps me keep busy is listening to audio books on Scribd. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

I get well over $9.99 a month in value. I love it.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd  link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

In love since 1981.

For richer or poorer since 1986.

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♥♥♥

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