Chapter 9 - Blackbirds

I often ask myself, "How did Laura Ingalls Wilder get through hard times?" The Ingalls family didn't lack challenges.  Today we learn about destructive blackbirds, horrid corsets, and the uncertainty surrounding hoop skirts. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to reread Little Town on the Prairie to discover - What Would Laura Do?

After months of dreaming and saving money, it is finally happening. Mary is going to college in the Fall! Pa earned 100 dollars as a carpenter and the grains Pa planted are thriving. The oats and corn will be sold for cash to both buy coal and pay taxes. Plus, Ma's vegetable garden is going gangbusters! LIW writes, "There were little new potatoes for dinner, creamed with green peas, and there were string beans and green onions."

In order to "shock oats" you need to first tie bundles of oats with bands of oats. Then you must balance five bundles together and cover those bundles with two additional bundles. The stalks are spread to shelter the original five bundles. Easy Peasy!

Unfortunately, when the sun is shining on the Ingalls you can expect a plague of locust or a seven month blizzard to descend upon them. This time blackbirds beset the family. The pesky birds are eating the oats and leaving straw behind. Pa seems only mildly concerned about the birds. He says, "Never mind, there's a good crop of straw, and soon as I get the oats cut and shocked I'll clear out the blackbirds with a shotgun."  Ma sums it up by saying, "This earthly life is a battle." Can I hear an "Amen"?

Laura and Ma are making Mary's winter dress, along with six petticoats and three flannel union suits. Sewing is a complicated process involving newspaper patterns, dress maker charts, and lots of math. Laura realizes Ma hates sewing as much as she does. Bummer since women have to sew everything the family wears. If I had to sew everything for my family we would become minimalists with a capsule wardrobe of three items each. Or maybe two items. Do we really need more than a shirt and some pants?

Hand colored fashion plates from the Fall 1881 issue of Godey's Lady's book. During the "Little House" years a magazine subscription cost between 2 to 3 dollars. Ma never had a subscription and had to look at friends' magazines. 

Ma is worried. Rumors are circulating that hoop skirts are coming back into fashion. She has no way to verify fashion trends unless she walks miles to look at Mrs. Boast's Godey's Lady's book. Ma decides to cut the dress to accommodate hoops. I love how Ma and Laura want Mary to be fashionable at college. Ma's heart probably ached, knowing her sheltered, blind daughter would soon be living in a different state for seven years.   

Catch-stitching

LIW devotes pages of Chapter 9 to the tedious sewing process. Using all the pretty yarns and threads she received for Christmas, Laura is catch-stitching the hems of Mary's petticoats. Laura feels smug, knowing no one at college will have prettier underwear than Mary. 

For a tense moment, it appears Mary's dress doesn't fit. Ma, who faces every calamity head-on, seems ready to "end it" over Mary's dress. Luckily, Laura figures out that Mary's corsets are loose. The corset is tightened and the dress fits beautifully. Ma, not even caring about the sin of vanity, says "No matter where you go, you will be a pleasure to every eye that sees you. And, I am thankful to say, you may be sure your clothes are equal to any occasion."

Would Mary and Ma still wear their corsets during a pandemic?

Mary's loose corset ushers in a discussion of corsets. Ma and Mary wear their corsets 24/7. Laura cannot aide wearing her corsets to bed since she values taking full breaths of oxygen. Ma worries about Laura's figure and brags that Pa was once able to span her waist with his two hands. Laura gets a little saucy and retorts, "He can't now and he seems to like you." Laura is excited she will get to escape both her corset and sewing to help Pa with haying. 

Pa interrupts his farm work  in order to kill blackbirds. The birds have finished their first course of oats and have moved onto the second course of corn. Pa shoots so many birds that he runs out of cartridges. While Pa runs into town to buy more catridges, Ma and the girls run up and down the rows of corn SCREAMING. "And always the swirling wings rose and settled again. Always scores of blackbirds were clinging to the ears, and sharp beaks were tearing and pecking." Unfortunately, the blackbirds weren't scared and more uncommon blackbirds with red heads and yellow heads joined the common blackbirds in decimating the corn crop.

Clever Pa comes up with the idea of eating the blackbirds. Surprisingly, "Everyone agreed that they sere the tenderest, most delicious meat that had ever been on that table." One evening Ma even surprises the family with blackbird pie. As Ma always said - "There's no great loss without some small gain." Which makes me remember Prairie Pa's pandemic post - check out the link below if you happened to miss it.

Prairie Pa: Pandemic Musings

Laura begins to worry Mary will no longer be able to attend college. The corn and oats are gone. Pa will have to use his savings to buy coal and pay taxes.  But Pa surprises the family by saying to Ma, "Tomorrow's Saturday. If you'll plan to go to town with me, we can pick out Mary's trunk." 

Wait? What?!

 Pa is going to sell the heifer calf for 15 dollars and Mary will be off to college. Mary is worried that Pa is going to be set back an entire year, but intrepid Pa answers, "Now we've made up our minds you're going. A flock of pesky blackbirds can't stop us."

What Would Laura Do?

• Do her very best, even when it involves sewing
• Be generous with her sister
• Scream, wave arms, and run to save crops
• Try new foods
• Worry about finances

Okay Bonnetheads - see you soon for Chapter 10: Mary Goes to College. (Get your tissues ready.)

Prairie Eydie