Chapter 26 "A Breathing Spell" for the Ingalls

I often ask myself, "How did Laura Ingalls Wilder get through hard times?"  The Ingalls family didn't lack challenges.  There were frostbit noses, cancelled checker games, and shrieking winds.  During this period of self-quarantine, I decided to reread The Long Winter to discover - What Would Laura Do?

Chapter 26 - "Breathing Spell"

It is just another Winter day in DeSmet.  Carrie is turning, turning, turning the coffee mill's handle.  Laura and Mary are in the lean-to twisting hay.  They can only twist two to three sticks before needing to go inside and warm their hands.  Ma decides to skip washing clothes that week.  Clothes washing energy needs to be funneled into twisting hay. 
   

Grace Ingalls LOVES Pa's sense of humor.

Pa only hauled one load of slough hay.  Digging hay out of snow drifts was extremely time consuming.  Despite exhaustion and malnutrition, Pa still jokes with three year old, Grace.  Pa jests that his ears and nose grow longer every time they freeze.  He tells Grace he will look like an elephant by winter's end.  

Pa routinely rubs his nose and ears with snow to thaw them.  This never made sense to me as a kid.  Pioneers believed in treating frostbite by "slow warming."  Once in a warm environment, they would rub snow on frostbit skin so the skin would slowly get used to warmth.  Frostbite is now treated by warming the frostbit skin, rather than refreezing the skin.

How is Grace occupied during these months?  Walking around my neighborhood, I am seeing trampolines and inflated "Water Parks" pop up like colorful weeds.  I am guessing Pioneer parents didn't feel the need to entertain their children.  Sigh.  Maybe I would like being a Pioneer parent after all.

Mr. George C. Bradley came to DeSmet in 1880 and was the town's pharmacist and a darn good checker player.

Later, the Ingalls eat their one meal of brown bread and tea.  (How is Ma making the two pounds of tea Pa bought in the Fall last SO long?  I brew through at least one pound of coffee a week.  I am happy there is tea because it is one thing that gives Laura joy.)  Pa decides to go watch the bachelors play checkers at Bradley's Drug Store.  Ma encourages Pa to play a game as well.  Pa tells her,  "I'll just look on but I don't know there's anything more enjoyable than watching a good game of checkers."

Pa soon returns because the drug store was too cold for checkers.  As usual, Pa returns with some juicy news.  He tells the family, "Almanzo Wilder (19 years old) and Cap Garland (15 years old) are going after that wheat south of town." Mr. Loftus, a General Store owner, has fronted the money to buy the wheat. 

Pa lists the "ifs" surrounding the venture's success.  The venture will be succesful . . . 

• If Almanzo and Cap can find the shanty
• If the wheat's owner will sell the wheat (and not hoard it like Almanzo)
• If the clear weather holds
• If the  courageous teens make it back alive

Laura goes to bed thinking about Almanzo and Cap leaving in the morning.  Later, Laura is woken by the wind's howls.  "There has only been one short day of rest.  The blizzard would let nobody start out tomorrow to look for wheat."  

WWLD Summary:

• Complete necessary chores consistently
• Be realistic 

Prairie Eydie  entertaining a young Prairie Lulu 

See you soon for lengthy Chapter 27 - "For Daily Bread."

Prairie Eydie