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Long Winter
Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
101 posts | 181 read | 1 reading | 14 to read
For the first time in the history of the Little House books, this new edition features Garth Williams interior art in vibrant full color.The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as Pa, Ma, Laura, Mary, Carrie, and little Grace bravely face the hard winter of 1880-81 in their little house in the Dakota Territory. Blizzards cover the little town with snow, cutting off all supplies from the outside. Soon there is almost no food left, so young Almanzo Wilder and a friend make a dangerous trip across the prairie to find some wheat. Finally a joyous Christmas is celebrated in a very unusual way in this most exciting of all the Little House books.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts"
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review
Maggie_Reads
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

I‘m still reading through the LHOTP series and just finished book #6. The descriptions of how the Ingalls family persevered and survived through such a long and difficult winter is something we, with our comforts and technology, can‘t relate to but only admire. Definitely one of the most interesting books in the series. On to book #7

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Eggs
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

The eldest Indian in central South Dakota tells how every 7th winter is long and hard; but the 7th of 7 hard winters is the longest and bleakest…6-8 months of very low temps and constant blizzards. Families are starving bc the trains can‘t get through the high snow drifts. What they lived through was unimaginable 🥶❄️
#InvolvesExtremeWeather
#NewYearNewBooks
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🩵❄️🥶 10mo
monkeygirlsmama Loved this series when I was younger. 10mo
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Eggs @monkeygirlsmama 🙌🏻🙌🏻 10mo
Bklover I just recently reread this one. Definitely one of my favorites of hers! 10mo
Eggs @Bklover Classic ❄️❄️ 10mo
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BarkingMadRead
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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PuddleJumper 💙❄️💙 11mo
37 likes1 comment
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Bklover
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

There‘s a group in Litsy reading the whole set of these books, and it got me thinking about this one. It‘s one of my favorites, and I wanted something wintery, and it did not disappoint. I hadn‘t read it in years and years and I enjoyed myself immensely!

perfectsinner Such a great, classic feel-good series for me. This series and Anne of Green Gables series always warm my heart and make me think of my childhood. 12mo
Bklover Exactly! It‘s wonderful to go back to childhood now and then! @perfectsinner 12mo
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CrystalE02
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

I listened to the audiobook of this book, I also own the physical copy of the book. This series was a big part of my childhood. This is one of my favorite books. I rated this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

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BarbaraJean
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

Catching up on belated reviews—I finished this a couple weeks ago. I‘m so enjoying reading the #LittleHouse books for the first time. There are those frustrating moments of casual racism sprinkled here & there, but properly contextualized, these books are a treasure of historical information. And the way Wilder is able to make what is basically an account of lots of blizzards into an interesting story is just wonderful. #SeriesLove2023

BarbaraJean Also, I‘ve apparently been talking about the Little House books so much that it inspired my dad to start reading them! He was telling me today how interesting they are and how much he liked Farmer Boy. 💜 1y
jewright I was obsessed with these books as a child. 1y
Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 1y
TheSpineView Awesome!📖📘📚 1y
42 likes4 comments
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BethM
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

Im loving this read along! Wish I had jumped in at book one. I‘ve never read these before and the adversity in this one astounded me! Catching up on the new read tonight!

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julieclair
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

This fictional account of the Ingalls family living through a snowbound winter in the Dakota Territory was fascinating but also terrifying. As with most of the Little House books, I wish I had read this one as a child, when I would have seen this as a wonderful, wintery adventure. As an adult, all I can see are the perils on every page!
Thanks @megnews , for another great #LittleHouse Buddy Read!

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staci.reads
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

I remember this one being my favorite growing up. I have vivid memories of winter storms rolling through as a child and imagining myself as Laura and then always feeling lucky to be cozy and warm. Images from this book stayed with me. I loved revisiting this and this time reading from an adult perspective, imagining trying to keep my family safe and fed. #littlehouse @megnews

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mrp27
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

#Serieslove2023 #littlehouse

Another great read in the Little House Series. The Long Winter was fascinating as the Ingalls family handled a cruel winter without many supplies. It‘s a wonder how they survived without modern technologies like heat and weather forecasts. Loved having the Wilder brothers in this one too.

Andrew65 Another classic series. Well done 👏👏👏 1y
TheSpineView Fantastic 1y
35 likes2 comments
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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I do not necessarily have wrap up questions but wondering your general observations of the book. I find it amazing Ingalls could bring out the interesting parts of what must have been a very long, boring winter to make the book stay interesting. Do you think the book is still good for middle grade to read today? I think it‘s a good example of Westward expansion motives and experiences with underlying political beliefs of the time. When taught 👇🏻

megnews In concert and context with other viewpoints, I think it‘s still a good resource for American history. What are your insights as you finish up this one? We‘ll talk again tomorrow as we continue our journey with 1y
julieclair I think this book was fascinating and terrifying. I simply cannot imagine facing a winter like that, including the very real possibility of starvation. As a first-hand account, even though fictionalized, I think this book is still valuable for today's middle schoolers. The prejudices shown, although abhorrent to us today, were very real at the time. 1y
Bookwormjillk Oh yes, there is a lot to learn about in this one! Agree with @julieclair 1y
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melissajayne This book is largely accurate. If you read the chapter on the long winter in Pioneer Girl, the chapter very much describes The Long Winter. 1y
Vansa This has been my favourite book of the series so far.Devastating, gritty, real and still readable for children -this is just excellent storytelling.I absolutely loved how there were so many signs from nature telling them something terrible was going to happen-this is how people live off the land! Great book. Still readable 1y
TheAromaofBooks I really enjoyed this one, and would be so interested to have more details about what parts are more fictionalized than others. For instance, I know that Almanzo is 10 years older than Laura, so their ages are off here - was she younger or was he older during this winter? Things like that. 1y
BarbaraJean I agree - I'm amazed at how fascinating she made this account of, basically, lots of blizzards. I definitely think it's still a great book for middle grade - SO much historical value. I've learned so much from reading this series! But as you said, the book needs to be contextualized. There are some books that for young readers, they HAVE have to be read with guidance. I'd put most of the books in the Little House series in that category. 1y
BarbaraJean I'm with @TheAromaofBooks, I would love to read something that matches up the Little House books with the biographical facts. Kind of a “what really happened“ - as far as we can know, anyway. It would be so interesting to find out what she fictionalized and why, whether for drama/storytelling purposes, or for more personal reasons (i.e. in the previous book, why she skipped over the scarlet fever that caused Mary's blindness). 1y
Bookwormjillk @BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I read a really good book about LIW a few years back, but I can‘t for the life of me remember what it was. I‘ll try to figure it out. 1y
mrp27 This is my least favorite in the series so far. It has booted Farmer Boy to a higher position. But saying that doesn‘t mean I didn‘t enjoy it. I was just too stressed out with everything on the brink of disaster! 😂 1y
BarbaraJean @Bookwormjillk Ooh, thank you!! I'll have to check those out! 1y
megnews @mrp27 that‘s funny. Farmer Boy remains my lowest just due to the king descriptions of things being done/made. 1y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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What better way to end a long winter than Christmas in May when the harsh weather finally breaks? Ingalls has a true knack with these Christmas chapters. Watch for some wrap up questions tomorrow and then Sunday we begin Little Town in the Prairie.

Bookwormjillk Yup, Little House Christmas is always the best no matter when it happens 1y
julieclair These lovely Christmas chapters are such a wonderful reminder that a simple holiday celebration can be very meaningful and joyful. 1y
AnnR Great comments already. I agree the Christmas chapters allow the stories to conclude on a joyful and hopeful note. 1y
mrp27 Always great Christmas chapters and those are the chapters that have been the most memorable. I didn‘t remember much of The Long Winter but I remembered the Christmas barrel. 1y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

There is so much I didn‘t remember since I read this 100 times as a kid. 😂
Enjoyed this reread and the discussion with the #LittleHouse readalong group.

sblbooks Thanks so much for heading this up! I have enjoyed rereading these. 1y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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The second train gets through and the Ingalls‘ Christmas barrel arrives. I‘m curious about the origin of the Christmas barrel. Is it something family members put together and send you? Or is it mail order that Pa or Ma placed? Is it a Christian mission type of thing? I haven‘t had a chance to look into it.

sblbooks If I remember right it is a Christian Mission. Churches in the east sent donations out west. 1y
Bookwormjillk Christian mission I think 1y
BarbaraJean Yeah, I thought it was a Christian mission thing as well. Didn‘t the Reverend Alden send this one? 1y
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megnews @sblbooks @Bookwormjillk @BarbaraJean I did my research after I posted and it was, indeed, a Christian mission. 1y
Bookwormjillk @megnews and once again I think it‘s weird that Pa has a depend on no one mentality but he‘s taking everyone‘s wheat and has no issues with a Christmas barrel. Different times I guess. 1y
Vansa @Bookwormjillk I find that fascinating,because you can trace a direct link from there to the way Silicon Valley CEOs think- hugely dependant on the state for many things,but espouse an extreme form of free market libertarianism.You could see it actually play out in the case of Silicon Valley Bank,where multiple tech Bros wanted the Fed to step in and protect depositors.This is what Didion means by the stories we tell ourselves to live! 1y
Bookwormjillk @Vansa oh wow. You are so right. 1y
mrp27 Ye, the reverend put this barrel together for them. I assumed it was made up of donations. @Vansa interesting indeed. 1y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Catch up post: Almanzo and Cap had a long, dangerous journey thru the snow but finally made it back. Mr Loftus showed himself not to be very neighborly with the price he wanted to charge. Laura wakes up in the middle of the night to the sound of melting snow (finally!). The train makes it thru only to find there are no groceries. The town has had enough and raids a car to take what they can get. What thoughts have you had over the last chapters?

Bookwormjillk They were all so lucky just to survive. 1y
BarbaraJean Once Almanzo and Cap set out, I couldn‘t stop reading—had to find out what happened! I was so mad at Loftus! Such a greedy jerk, especially when Almanzo and Cap didn‘t even ask for payment. I loved how they stood up to him, as well as Pa‘s suggestion of rationing it out based on what people needed. I was curious about the car they broke into—does anyone know what the emigrant car was? 1y
TheAromaofBooks @BarbaraJean - This article had some explanation - http://www.pioneergirl.com/blog/archives/4917 - but it kind of sounds like they just stole someone's food! I had such mixed feelings about everything that happened during these chapters, but in the end I think people do what they have to do to survive, and it's easy for me to judge there methods from my place of plenty - but if I'm honest, I would probably make different choices if I was starving. 1y
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TheAromaofBooks I really want to learn more about this winter, but I've seen mixed reviews about The Beautiful Snow. Any other options out there, or is anyone else interested in reading this next month? 1y
AnnR I also thought Loftus was such a jerk. I kept hoping his store would eventually go out of business because of his greedy attitude. 1y
Vansa Reading this as an adult brings it to you very forcefully that while Pa and Almanzo advocate for a very laissez faire attitude towards government, when it comes to dividing the food, it's a very socialist approach they take! 1y
Bookwormjillk @TheAromaofBooks thanks for that link. Yup definitely sounds like they stole someone‘s food! @Vansa yes, for sure 1y
mrp27 I agree I too felt a little uncomfortable with them taking from the train. Very stressed but very grateful Almanzo and Cap got some wheat and so glad Almanzo didn‘t have to sacrifice his seed. 1y
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Thank you for that link! It sounds worse than I was thinking 😒 I thought maybe it was a car full of supplies intended for a group of people, but it sounds like they stole stuff from a specific person, which seems worse!! Maybe in that scenario it would be easier to replace the goods or compensate the person, though. I agree with your point that people will do what they have to in order to survive. 1y
BarbaraJean @Vansa Yeah, the convenient change of mindset made me laugh! It‘s great to have a high value on independence and taking care of yourself when you can afford to be “self-sufficient” 1y
BethM I can‘t believe peiple haven‘t died 1y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Great discussion on the last chapter. To carry it on, have the Wilder brothers redeemed themselves at all by offering to go get the wheat out on the homestead? I can‘t recall but think Royal is about ten years older so he has no excuse. But I was giving Almanzo a break being only 19 and probably a bit oblivious. On a lighter note, I think we confirmed our suspicions that Pa doesn‘t like to play checkers if he can‘t win.

Bookwormjillk Lol Pa and checkers. I forgot about that. 2y
julieclair Great point about Pa and the checkers! 😉 And yes, I do think Alamanzo redeemed himself. Without the extra wheat, it truly seemed that many people would have starved. So scary and hard to imagine. 2y
mrp27 Wilder boys definitely proved their courage willingness to be helpful to their community. 2y
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AnnR @Megnews Are you doing okay? I'm not worried about the book discussion but was concerned about you. 2y
megnews @Ann_Reads thanks for checking. My depression and fibromyalgia flared up and all I had mental or physical energy for was work. I appreciate you checking on me. 1y
AnnR @megnews I'm so sorry you aren't feeling well. I do hope your flare passes soon and hopefully your mood will lift too. {{{ Gentle Hugs }}} 1y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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The Wilder Brothers seem to live on nothing but pancakes and they don‘t seem to be as worried about food running out as everyone else. Mighty bold of Pa to take their wheat like that.

Bookwormjillk This chapter never sat well with me. Pa acts like he has a right to that wheat. I get his kids are starving but with all his talk of self reliance he just isn‘t really. 2y
BarbaraJean I thought this was an odd chapter. It‘s not like Pa to ask for help, so his method of getting the wheat seemed pretty much in character to me! But the Wilder boys sitting there in comfort eating pancakes and ham, calculating out how long the town‘s provisions are going to last—and planning to ride off and find the rumored stash of wheat—it felt weird and privileged to me. Why don‘t you send some ham home for the kids, Wilder boys! Come on! 2y
mrp27 This chapter didn‘t sit well with me either. I didn‘t like that Pa just took what he wanted and I felt awkward that the Wilder boys had so much and didn‘t offer up any to the Ingalls family. It‘s rightfully theirs and they are not beholden to anyone, it just didn‘t make me feel good. 2y
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sblbooks I wonder why Pa never asked to buy bacon, pancakes or other supplies from the Wilder's? They might have been willing to part with that. I agree, the Wilder should have offered before now. They had to know how desperate their neighbors were getting for food. 2y
BethM Where are they storing all this food? Doesn‘t make sense. 2y
Vansa I think I've read ahead and posted comments on a previous post! Why on earth does Pa eat Al that bacon himself,and not take some home for his hungry family?!!!Pa gets worse and worse 2y
julieclair I agree with all the comments above. This chapter didn't sit right with me.... it left me disappointed in Pa and the Wilder boys. 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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In case anyone missed @julieclair comment and link about the button lamp, it also included this photo taken in 1881 around the same time as the Long Winter. Even as an Ohioan dealing with lake effect snow my whole life I can‘t imagine this staggering amount of snow.

BethM Tonight‘s chapter is equally insane. I legit don‘t know how they survived . 2y
E.Bolhafner mmm I haven't read these in so long. Nostalgia. And of course one sees things differently as an adult than they did as children. My kids actually were not into the series and I only got through the first book with them so it has been decades. 2y
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mrp27 That‘s a whole lot of snow. So hard to imagine. 2y
TheAromaofBooks Also can't imagine how terrifying it is to have the storms come up so fast! Now we get days and days of “get ready! It's coming!“ - vs not even knowing if you have half a day to get out to the homestead and back! 2y
julieclair Living in the South, where even an inch or two of snow shuts the world down, I can't even comprehend this amount of snow. 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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I was so mad at Foster in this chapter. What a terrible impact on the whole community.

mrp27 Agreed! Talk about jumping the gun. I felt bad for Almanzo too. 2y
TheAromaofBooks I have to think that everyone in town is secretly mad at Foster - what a fool! I was so relieved that Lady made it back okay, though. 2y
BarbaraJean Infuriating! I was so mad at Foster but also wondered why in the world Almanzo let him ride Lady (especially knowing how careful his father had been about their horses). And I was a little taken aback by the abundance of food the Wilders had—pancakes and bacon to share! I realize they were more well-off to start with, and were able to bring in more supplies, but what a contrast. 2y
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sblbooks Foster should have stayed home. If he couldn't ride a horse and didn't know any better than to try to shoot from that far away.😒 2y
BethM Saw that coming. I‘m glad Lady is ok! 2y
AnnR Wasn't Foster the one who nearly led the school kids off beyond the boundaries of town in a prior chapter, too? Maybe I'm remembering wrong. He really is lacking some necessary skills and common sense for survival in that environment. (edited) 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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I think we all knew this awful moment was coming. It‘s awful to hear. And now even scarier because now there‘s truly nothing left.
I‘ve been curious the last few chapters and keep forgetting to ask. Why twist the hay into sticks? Does it burn better than just throwing the hay in? I‘m guessing it must?

Bookwormjillk I was thinking it would burn slower. More like a small log than a handful of hay. This chapter was hard to take, but it‘s impressive what they can do with so little. 2y
TheAromaofBooks I was really struck by how they talked about how “modern conveniences“ made them unprepared to do without said conveniences. We had a mini version of that during the gov't lockdowns of 2020, when some things were hard to come by, that did inspire to try to find small ways of being more self-sufficient. Still haven't figured out how to make a button lamp, though!! 😂 2y
TheAromaofBooks I'm with @Bookwormjillk - I think twisting the hay makes it more dense so that it burns more slowly than it would if they were just dropping it onto the fire loose. 2y
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megnews @TheAromaofBooks yes and in 1999 when we were planning and preparing for computers to mot work. 2y
mrp27 Agreed about the hay, slower to burn because it‘s more dense. I had a chuckle when Pa made the comment about modern advancements, so true and more so today. 2y
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks @mrp27 Yes, I thought thosecomments about relying on modern conveniences were interesting, too. It‘s amazing how well Pa and Ma are able to improvise solutions, though, from the hay sticks to the coffee grinder and the button lamp! 2y
BarbaraJean Also, the sack with the last of the Wilder boys‘ wheat made me wonder about Almanzo‘s seed wheat, whether Royal has busted open the fake wall yet 🤔 (edited) 2y
sblbooks @BarbaraJean I wondered that too! I wonder what Pa would think about all the modern conveniences today? 2y
Vansa I wasn't too happy about Pa helping himself to Almanzo's wheat.I wonder how Almanzo felt about it,though it fits in with his libertarian views or you should take what you get!Also, Pa goes and eats bacon and so on with the Wilder brothers? Maybe he could take some home to his family?!! 2y
julieclair @TheAromaofBooks I was curious about the button lamp, so I checked with Uncle Google. Here‘s how to make one: https://www.littlehouseliving.com/simple-button-lamp.html 2y
TheAromaofBooks @julieclair - What a fun link!!! Thank you for sharing. I genuinely may try this as it looks rather fun!! 2y
mrp27 Ahhh… now I get it! Great link to the button lamp. Thanks @julieclair ! 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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The frozen laundry above is just wild to me. The Ingalls have another sweet Christmas together and then “While they were eating, the lamp began to flicker. With all its might the flame pulled itself up, drawing the last drop of kerosene up the wick. Then it fainted down and desperately tried again. Ma leaned over and blew it out. The dark came in, loud with the roar and the shrieking of the storm.”
Observations from this chapter?

Bookwormjillk Christmas sounded lovely, the laundry was fascinating, but the ending was ominous. 2y
keys_on_fire The thing that got my attention was ma instructing Grace to wait to open gifts until her turn. We used to take turns opening gifts when I was a kid so that everyone could see. It took patience, but I really miss that compared to what happens on Christmas with my nephews now. I don‘t get to see the reactions to my gifts because it‘s a free for all. This will probably be an unpopular opinion, but that‘s ok 😂 2y
megnews @keys_on_fire we did exactly the same thing and try to maintain it now. I agree as the gift giver the pleasure comes in seeing you‘ve chosen exactly the right thing to bring delight. I don‘t know why pa always has to go first though expect when Christmas is for kids. 2y
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AnnR Freeze dried clothes, lol. Couldn't imagine! It might be an interesting experiment next Winter, for those of you who live in super cold areas. 2y
AnnR @keys_on_fire We used to do the same. Maybe instant gratification is the norm now, which is sad. 2y
BarbaraJean The Christmas chapters are so wonderful! I was fascinated by the frozen laundry, too—I don‘t understand how it works! Wouldn‘t the water freeze into the clothes? Maybe it works if the wind is strong enough? @keys_on_fire Not an unpopular opinion! I think taking turns keeps the emphasis on giving and gratitude rather than getting. I don‘t remember how we did it when I was little, but with my nieces/nephews we always took turns. At first, anyway—😂 2y
mrp27 I‘ve seeing frozen laundry and I‘ve seeing frozen hair braids. I was on a skiing trip and the hotel room blow dryer was broken so I had to ski that day with wet hair, my braids froze and it felt as if I could snap them and break my hair off. Crazy. Anyway, another lovely Ingalls Christmas. Always catches me by surprise how quick and fierce these blizzards come. 2y
TheAromaofBooks I was intrigued by the hair receiver! I looked them up - little dishes literally to put hair into so you could use the hair for other things. Truly crazy how nothing was thrown away! 2y
BethM I loved how they made the best out of Xmas. I‘ve seen/had frozen laundry lol 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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The mood continues to be ominous. Interesting conversation between Almanzo and Royal about the mentality of a shopkeeper. Everything‘s for sale. I listened to this chapter and the narrator pronounced Almanzo Al man zo. Man as in a grown boy. I have been pronouncing it mon. What have the rest of you been doing? I thought I recalled it as mon from the show.

julieclair I, too, have been pronouncing it mon (rhymes with on). And I do hope that Almanzo is rewarded for carefully guarding his seeds. I hope it turns out to be the right decision, and he has a bumper wheat crop. 2y
Bookwormjillk In my head I just say ‘A‘ because I‘m never sure 2y
BarbaraJean I knew we were going to hear about that seed wheat again! This probably isn‘t its last appearance, either. Like @julieclair I hope the next time we see it he gets to plant it and gets a big return for his foresight! I‘ve been pronouncing Almanzo like you have, because that‘s how they said it on the show. The other way sounds weird to me! 2y
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AnnR I've mentally been pronouncing Almanzo's name incorrectly. (Guess the Little House show didn't do their homework on some things.) The seed wheat has already been brought up several times, so I suspect it is significant to the story somehow??? 2y
megnews @BarbaraJean it sounds weird to me as well. Doesn‘t roll off the tongue naturally. 2y
mrp27 The show pronounced it as “mon” and I do too. I have a feeling poor Almanzo is going to sacrifice his seed for the sake of the town. It‘s gotta be hard for Laura to try and maintain a positive out look when she clearly sees and understands how little supplies they have. 2y
megnews @mrp27 I‘m afraid his seed is going to be lost too. 2y
BethM Mon. He seems pretty intent on keeping it, his idea isn‘t a bad one. 2y
keys_on_fire I‘ve been pronouncing it Mahn, but now that you mention it, Laura‘s nickname for him was Manly. Maybe it IS supposed to be pronounced like man! 🤔 2y
megnews @keys_on_fire I had completely forgotten about that! 2y
sblbooks I've been pronouncing it like they did on the show. Mon. 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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They get a reprieve but then the snow just keeps coming. The story about the horse going chin deep in the Slough was interesting and I was surprised they could get out. I hope the mail makes it and they‘re able to keep clearing the train tracks.

Bookwormjillk The horses sinking in the snow sounds maddening. 2y
AnnR As I read my thoughts are, how are they going to get through this without freezing. Gathering hay between storms is so risky but I guess they have little choice now. 2y
BarbaraJean The constant optimism is wearing on me! This time, with Ma saying they‘ve had so many storms now that surely the good weather will last. 🙄 2y
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julieclair I keep worrying about the coal, the kerosene, the meat, the hay for the horses… and it‘s only December! It looks to be a long winter indeed. 2y
mrp27 I‘m stressed for the mail carrier! 2y
sblbooks @BarbaraJean I know...I guess Ma didn't believe the Indian when he said it was going to be a long, bad winter. 2y
BethM They‘ve got a rough road ahead! 2y
megnews @Ann_Reads I agree. They are putting a lot of trust in the wind not breaking that rope loose. 2y
megnews @BarbaraJean as a glass half empty person the constant optimism is wearing on me too. It‘s ok to face reality sometimes! 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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30 feet of snow needs to be removed from the tracks! No kerosene, coal, food? This is getting so scary. #LittleHouse

Bookwormjillk It really is. I‘m always so surprised when Pa is so comfortable about relying on the train. It just seems like everything he‘d be against. 2y
sblbooks It's getting scary, but I'm not surprised. Pa has never been a planner. He has always taken unnecessary risk. This is no different. 2y
Vansa What I can't understand is how Almanzo and his brother seem to have so much more food. I get that they're fewer people, but they're also much younger-was Pa short-sighted enough to not have even stocked up supplies? 2y
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Bookwormjillk @Vansa good question. I wonder if they started with more savings. 2y
these_dreams I reread all these last year and I‘m so glad I did. 2y
these_dreams @Vansa In reality Pa was an alcoholic. Reading it as a child, just makes Almanzo out to be a great future provider for Laura. Reading it as an adult, as I did last year…there were plot holes. And that‘s because Pa liked to drink and actually kind of sucked IRL. Unfortunately. (edited) 2y
Vansa @Bookwormjillk oh, I'm so stupid, of course it's probably that, the Wilders did seem a lot more prosperous than the Ingallses did! 2y
Vansa @these_dreams oooh this puts a lot of things in perspective!Thank you for sharing that!So I should also read a biography along with these books then, anything you could recommend? 2y
Bookwormjillk @Vansa no, it‘s a good question. Why wasn‘t he better supplied? 2y
Bookwormjillk @these_dreams interesting. That puts a whole new spin on all of his trips to the hardware store. 2y
megnews @these_dreams not doubting you, but can you point me to a source? Googling it, I find Michael Landon who played Pa was an alcoholic but I can‘t find anything about Charles Ingalls. 2y
keys_on_fire This is an interesting article that, for me, helps me to understand why Laura has said several times in these books that she doesn‘t like being in town near the people: https://pointshistory.com/2013/03/14/the-little-saloon-on-the-prairie/amp/ 2y
keys_on_fire I plan on reading Pioneer Girl (Laura‘s autobiography that was written before the Little House series but not published until recently) and the Caroline book after we are done with this readalong! (edited) 2y
mrp27 Oh now I‘m curious about Pa. Would explain some things. But in this instance of the long winter everyone else was in pretty much the same boat as the Ingalls. I‘d go nuts staying stuck indoors with out adequate heat and light. 2y
megnews @mrp27 I agree only so much planning can be done with so few resources and reliance on those outside resources like the train. I think the difference too is Almanzo came from money and is a farmer. Pa did not and is more of a hunter. 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Sorry #LittleHouse readalong. I‘ve been offline traveling for my daughter‘s graduation from UNC Pembroke.
What were your thoughts on the last couple of chapters?

CBee Your daughter is just lovely ❤️ 2y
marleed Oh congrats! 2y
Bookwormjillk Congratulations 🎉 Still mad at Pa and feeling guilty about being annoyed by Mary. 2y
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sblbooks Wow! Those four years went by fast.Congratulations to your daughter. 2y
Soubhiville Congratulations! 2y
RebL 🙌🏼🎓 2y
MallenNC Congratulations! That‘s a great picture. 2y
BethM Absolutely gorgeous! 2y
BethM @Bookwormjillk I don‘t find mary overly likable either. Also having experienced -40 wind chill I can not imagine living through that without modern heat and insulation. 2y
Hooked_on_books That‘s a great reason to be off Litsy! Good for her! 🥳🎓 2y
mrp27 Great picture and congratulations! 2y
batsy Beautiful! 2y
Roary47 Yay congratulations! I‘m so behind on reading since I‘m just audiobooking so I will get back to you when my senior students graduate. Please feel free to continue to tag me. 💛 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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I held my breath awaiting Pa‘s return. This chapter reminded me of the great plows that were eventually made to clear the tracks. I‘ve seen them at the Henry Ford Museum.

Bookwormjillk I love the Henry Ford Museum. Nice to see Mr Edwards again. 2y
CrowCAH @megnews and @Bookwormjillk are you both in Michigan? I‘m a #MittenLitten ✋🏻 2y
megnews @CrowCAH outside Cleveland Ohio. I‘ve taken many trips to the Detroit area to take the kids to the museum and village. 2y
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sblbooks @megnews that's interesting about the plow, I've never seen that before. I'm so glad they got to see Mr Edwards again 2y
Bookwormjillk @CrowCAH no, but family in Cleveland has us traveling to Michigan a lot. We love the lakes! 2y
CrowCAH @megnews awesome, glad you‘ve been able to get to The Henry Ford!!! 2y
CrowCAH @Bookwormjillk Michigan is a great state, we have a lot of attractions! 2y
Bookwormjillk @CrowCAH yes, we love it 2y
TheBookHippie I love that museum and greenfield village. 2y
BarbaraJean It was so great to see Mr. Edwards again! His comments on taxes and politicians were interesting, too—I read an article a while back that said your politics/view of government largely depended on whether you had lived mostly in rural or urban areas. I can see how true that is in a chapter like this—government doesn‘t seem so useful when there‘s little to no infrastructure and you have to clear the train tracks of snow yourself! 2y
mrp27 Interesting! Agreed, so happy to have a visit with Mr. Edwards. 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Great glimpse into the Wilder brothers and a bit more info on homesteading. Good thing Almanzo went with Royal or Royal might have starved to death. 😂

AnnR I don't know that I'd want to cook for these two. That's a whole lot of pancakes! It made me think of when I was younger and could eat a huge breakfast without even giving a second thought as to how many calories I was eating. 2y
mrp27 Agreed, I thought the info on homesteads was interesting but I felt a bit of foreshadowing with Almonzos seed wheat. Wonder if he‘ll still have it after the long winter. 2y
Bookwormjillk I loved Royal‘s logic: if you keep eating you don‘t have to do the dishes. 2y
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sblbooks @Ann_Reads I wouldn't want to have to cook for them either. They're used to those big home cooked meals from Farmer Boy.☺ 2y
BethM I didn‘t realize he was that much older than Laura. 2y
Vansa @BethM only 4 years, no? 2y
BethM @Vansa 5 I think? Isn‘t she 14 and he‘s 19? 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Today‘s photo does not do this chapter justice. This was scarey in so many ways. And I thought Cap was lost for sure. So glad they all made it home ok. I can‘t imagine snow making my eyelids bleed. How awful!

sblbooks Oh, me too! When he got separated from the group I thought that was it. 2y
Bookwormjillk This was a scary chapter 2y
BethM Yeah. Even as a midwesterner this scared me. 2y
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keys_on_fire Can you imagine how the teacher must have felt? Trying to decide between staying and going must‘ve been horrible! 2y
BarbaraJean Such a lighthearted illustration to start off such a terrifying chapter! @keys_on_fire I really felt for the teacher as well. And I loved the detail of Laura sitting there wondering if she should say something, knowing that she had weathered blizzards like this and the others hadn‘t. 2y
mrp27 It‘s so hard for me to imagine this kind of extreme weather and no forewarning. Thank goodness for daily weather forecasts! 2y
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BarbaraJean
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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“…even if she could get over being afraid, she could not like strange people. She knew how animals would act, she understood what animals thought, but you could never be sure about people.”

#LittleHouse

dabbe Ouch. #tootrue 💙💚💙 2y
BarbaraJean @dabbe True indeed! I don‘t understand animals like Laura does, but I get where she‘s coming from about people! 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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The Ingalls set up house yet again. Laura and Mary get to go to school. Laura is lucky to have a little sister to be brave for. Pa is talking about Oregon. And Ma puts her foot down. Pa is going to run out of room to move West soon.

Bookwormjillk Ma and Pa never used to annoy me this much. They just seem so careless with their kids. I was confused on this chapter. Did they move into the store on into a house behind the store? 2y
mrp27 Pa will never change. He will always want to move and I‘m not overly bothered by it. More bothered with Ma‘s prejudices. But I agree it‘s a little unclear exactly where they are living. In a back room of the store? That‘s what I‘m thinking but not entirely sure. 2y
megnews @Bookwormjillk @mrp27 I pictured it as a loft above the store in the back maybe? 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Late post
Ugh. I‘m just about sick of Ma‘s attitude toward Native Americans. This man could have let them all freeze to death but since he‘s watching out for his fellow man (who doesn‘t bother to watch out for him) he warns the townspeople of the coming harsh winter. And Ma‘s thanks is her racist attitude. Fear is one thing. That attitude toward someone who helped you is past my ability give her a break because it was how it was then.

sblbooks Same here, there's just no reason for it. 2y
Vansa Ma is extremely irritating,and I'm glad her comments are included in the books-its important to remember attitudes that once prevailed so we don't repeat those mistakes. I found this scene very powerful and moving,that he comes to warn the settler-colonialists,and that Pa has the sense to trust his experience and act on it to protect his family 2y
Bookwormjillk Agree 2y
mrp27 Yeah I was not a happy camper reading this part. She needs to show a little gratitude. (edited) 2y
keys_on_fire It just goes to show how our experiences with things are not necessarily how other people experience the same situation. Sticking stubbornly to our perceptions can be dangerous. Also, it would be interesting to consider if Pa‘s reaction would‘ve been different if he hadn‘t seen the muskrat house… 🤷🏻‍♀️ 🤔 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Those poor cows in yesterday‘s chapter! I couldn‘t post their picture. I‘m glad that little bird made it but we are still building up with the ominous feeling of things to come. #LittleHouse

sblbooks That scene reminded me of The Children's Blizzard. I'm glad they survived. 2y
mrp27 Ugh, the cows broke my heart! 2y
Bookwormjillk The poor cows, and Mary, ugh. She was so mean to Laura. 2y
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BarbaraJean I was afraid all the cows had frozen to death! It was a relief when Pa was able to help them and they went running off. All the talk of the strangeness to the weather is making me nervous. As well as the fact that Pa STILL hasn't weatherproofed the shanty better! @Bookwormjillk I was mad at both Ma & Mary! They completely dismissed Laura, then when they find she was right, there's no acknowledgement whatsoever that they'd been rude to her. Grrr. 2y
TheAromaofBooks I was glad it warmed up enough to let the little bird continue flying south. But the cow story was kind of terrifying!! I can't imagine it being cold enough for their breath to freeze! 2y
BethM I was worried for them! 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Well that went downhill quick. Once again we find ourselves thinking what the heck was Pa thinking? While the family takes things in stride as well as they can. I cannot stand being cold and I could not take things in stride like Ma. Do you prefer the heat or cold?

sblbooks It sure did. I'm not surprised. I prefer '70s but if I had to choose cold is better because you can at least put on warm clothes and stay under the covers. 2y
Bookwormjillk Yup, that about sums it up 😂 I used to hate the heat, but as I‘ve gotten older I have less and less cold tolerance. 2y
TEArificbooks I hate the heat, you can‘t shed your own skin. Love the cold, you can always add more layers and blankets. 2y
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mrp27 As a kid I didn‘t mind the heat and I loved summer but now as a woman of a certain age with hot flashes I can not stand the heat. I‘ve also experienced true winters with cold and snow and I must say I prefer the cold. 2y
mrp27 I think someone mentioned it before but I didn‘t understand why Pa didn‘t seem concerned about fortifying the shanty. 2y
BarbaraJean I prefer the cold—like so many have said, you can at least put on more layers! But I don‘t like snow and ice inside the house! 🥶 @mrp27 Same here, I don‘t understand why Pa didn‘t build a more weather-proof house in the first place, or insulate the shanty better. I get that he was in a hurry to move the family to their claim, and this is an early storm, but still. Pa should know better by now! 2y
AnnR I prefer the cooler temps but not the kind of cold the Ingalls family experienced here. It sounds like they could get frostbite indoors, even with the woodstove burning. I'm imagining a shed-like structure here, with gaping cracks in the walls and no insulation. 2y
BethM As a Wisconsinite I definitely prefer the cold. North of 78 and it‘s too hot for me😂 I‘m not surprised Pa didn‘t fortify the shanty but I do want to kick him for it. 2y
Vansa This chapter illustrated how important privilege is,to survive extreme weather!Pa continues to make one bad decision after another- it's a part of the world known for low temperatures!I find this an incredibly important chronicle of just how women survived the bad decisions the mengolf took 2y
Vansa *Menfolk! 2y
keys_on_fire It‘s all been said, but I have always preferred cold because I can always add more layers. Only so much you can take off before people start screaming! 2y
megnews @Vansa very true 2y
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megnews
Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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They‘re finishing the harvest and canning and preserving for the winter. It feels ominous. Will they have enough to get them through?

What‘s your favorite pie? I‘ve never like pumpkin but I love the smell. I‘m not really a pie person. I loved how excited the girls all were to present Pa with theirs though. #LittleHouse

sblbooks My favorite pie is pecan. You can see the handwriting on the wall, for sure. It's going to be a hard winter. 2y
Bookwormjillk I love pumpkin pie. This chapter made me hungry. I was just upstairs making bread dough to rise during my next meeting. 2y
AnnR I do like pumpkin, but also love cherry and apple. Then there are all the variations of chocolate cream pies.

It is amazing how Ma can take nearly any type of food and turn it into something palatable to eat for the family. (I'm not sure if it would taste good to me though.)

It seems Pa is reading the signs from nature correctly but he didn't have time (or chose not to spend his time) making the shanty more weatherproof. Yikes!
2y
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megnews @Ann_Reads chocolate pies are the only kind of pie I like. 2y
mrp27 I looove pumpkin pie and most pies in general. I‘ll take pie over cake anyday. Things certainly feel ominous with their small harvest and no game around to hunt. 2y
melissajayne I love pumpkin pie and most pies in general. Unlike @mrp27, it would depend on the cake available, especially if it was Tirumasu cake. 2y
melissajayne @Ann_Reads when I hear chocolate cream pie all I can think of is 2y
melissajayne @megnews chocolate pies make me think of 2y
TheAromaofBooks This lady was intrigued by the concept of using green pumpkins to make a mock-apple pie - this article has her thoughts and a recipe - https://foragerchef.com/green-pumpkin-pie/ - so interesting that the unripe pumpkin tasted like apple, not pumpkin! 2y
megnews @TheAromaofBooks that was interesting. I wasn‘t sure that was going to work well. 2y
AnnR @melissajayne 😂 We just watched the movie version again about 6 weeks ago. I would not want to eat that particular recipe. 2y
BethM I‘ve grown to like apple and pumpkin, but my favorite is anything with chocolate and whipped cream😂 2y
BarbaraJean This reminded me of Big Woods, wondering if they'd have enough supplies to last the winter. It makes me worried there'll be nothing to hunt! @Ann_Reads I agree about the shanty! 😬 @mrp27 I'll always choose pie over cake, too--I had pie for my wedding! My mom used to make boysenberry pie with fresh berries from the garden, and it was amazing. Fresh berries piled into a flaky crust, with glaze poured over the top. Served with whipped cream. 😋 2y
melissajayne @Ann_Reads Neither do I, but she ate the whole damn thing 2y
mrp27 @BarbaraJean Oh my that pie sounds amazing! 2y
Vansa This sounds like another poorly considered decision by Pa in the making! 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Laura and Carrie go to town and get lost on the way back, running into Almanzo for the second time. Have you ever been lost?

sblbooks The GPS got us lost on vacation in Charleston one time. At least I wasn't by myself. 2y
Bookwormjillk I got lost once riding my bike on Cape Cod. I was staying with my mom and went for a ride, but had no idea how to get back or the name of the place she was staying. This was before cell phones, so it took me forever to find it again. When I got back I adamantly denied I was lost and insisted I had wanted to take a five hour bike ride 😂

Laura was such a good sister in this chapter. (So much better than Mary was to her as mean as that is to say.)
2y
TheAromaofBooks One time I was staying with a group in a cabin, got up early and took a walk, foolishly headed up over a hill and got lost, but it was Ohio so I had to come out SOMEWHERE - about four miles away from where we were staying by the road. Walked all the way around and everyone was eating breakfast and thought I was still asleep 😂 2y
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mrp27 Ugh, after moving to NY from Cali I spent my first couple of years there getting lost on the subways, on the parkways, going over the wrong bridges. It was scary and frustrating. These were pre cell phone days and GPS. Eventually I got the hang of it. I agree that Laura was a good sister to Carrie in this chapter. 2y
BethM I get lost easily so I have far too many examples 😂 2y
megnews @sblbooks the gps cannot always be trusted. Once I wanted to go to a shoneys in WV and it took me to a winding dirt road where I could look down in the shoneys. 😂 2y
megnews @Bookwormjillk I love that you denied it. That‘s great! 2y
megnews @TheAromaofBooks that‘s too funny. 2y
megnews @mrp27 I usually do good on subways but can never figure the buses out. I once got on the wrong bus with my girls and ended up way in the outskirts of London and had to ask the driver to let us stay on at the last stop so we could get back. I had to act like I wasn‘t worried since I had my girls. When we got back my mom was in a panic wondering what was taking us so long. (edited) 2y
mrp27 @megnews Oh my! Sometimes getting lost can be fun but always less fun when you have others with you. 2y
megnews @Bookwormjillk I totally agree about Laura. She is such a good big sister. She really brought the feeling of being lost out in this chapter. 2y
BarbaraJean Like @BethM I have too many examples!! The one that stands out is the evening after I finished my 5-hour comprehensive exam for my M.A. I was heading home and because there was so much traffic, I decided to pull off the freeway and take surface streets. I was so exhausted that I turned the wrong way and didn't notice it until I got to the beach--20 minutes in the wrong direction and 45 minutes from home. 😂 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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As we begin The Long Winter, Laura is almost 14 and quite capable around the homestead. Pa never has to regret not having a son to help out with Laura around. We already have hints of the long winter ahead with the muskrat house. First impressions?

Bookwormjillk Make hay while the sun shines is one of my favorite sayings. Pa‘s anti- government we take care of ourselves because we‘re Americans rant stood out more to me than it has in previous readings. 2y
TheAromaofBooks Pa always seems to be so happy and contented with his family of daughters. I love the way he is always encouraging them. 2y
sblbooks I've already read ahead☺ I couldn't help myself. 2y
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BethM Ma‘s attitude of we don‘t do men‘s work annoyed me 2y
BarbaraJean There was a surprising amount of ideological commentary in this first chapter! As @Bookwormjillk pointed out, Pa‘s comments stood out. It was interesting to read his logic on God, freedom, and government—I wonder if that was a pretty common view at that time, especially for settlers pushing westward. @BethM That bothered me, too—especially with the spin she put on it. It‘s OK for “foreigners” but Americans are “above doing men‘s work.” 🙄 2y
mrp27 I too was annoyed with Ma‘s comment but I‘m assuming Pa‘s thoughts were the norm for the time. What stood out most was that Laura didn‘t get up and run and scream like a banshee when she saw the snake. 2y
megnews @TheAromaofBooks I agree about Pa. It‘s just surprising considering the times. With farming, men seemed to always be hoping for at least one son to help out. 2y
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megnews
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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The adventure continues …

#LittleHouse

keys_on_fire This has been such a fun read along!! 2y
sblbooks I can't wait!😀 2y
Bookwormjillk Yay! This is a good one! 2y
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TheAromaofBooks I am enjoying this read-through SO much!! 2y
staci.reads I remember this one being my favorite! 2y
melissajayne I‘m planning on joining in. And this is based on actual events. 2y
Vansa Please count me in. And a HUGE, heartfelt giant thank you for moderating this spectacular read along 2y
BarbaraJean Looking forward to continuing with this buddy read! Thank you for hosting! 2y
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Ruthiella
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Thanks for the tag @MoonWitch94 ! 😀

1. The tagged book was the first that came to mind.
2. I‘m just trying to keep my sanity till retirement...11 years to go.
3. I‘m grateful for the sunshine after a week of rain.

#WondrousWednesday

Eggs #1 such a great choice! I‘ve read that many many times 3y
Ruthiella @Eggs I haven‘t read it since I was a child but I have vivid memories of the blizzard depicted in it. 3y
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review
Larkken
Long Winter | Laura Wilder
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Pickpick

It‘s been a while since I read any “little house” books, so I picked this up for #wintergames2021
Interesting to read as an adult! I marveled at the depiction of life in the old west in the winter, though all the blizzards made me feel even colder than ever 🥶 (I‘m not ready)
Plus, my hubby and I completed our annual gingerbread house competition, so here‘s our holiday baking AND our holiday crafting for the competition! #mistletoemaniacs

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DebinHawaii
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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#GratefulHarvest

Today‘s #scarf prompt makes me think of the Laura Ingalls Wider books (especially the tagged book & These Happy Golden Years). All the scarves & bundling up for the long cold prairie winters. I loved the scene in The Long Winter with Ma bringing in the frozen laundry. 😆

LeahBergen My hands hurt just thinking about twisting those hay-sticks. That part has always stuck with me! 😆 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great choice 🧣 3y
DebinHawaii @LeahBergen Right? So cold and so tedious and difficult to do! 🥶 3y
Sparklemn This used to be one of me favorites from the series, but as an adult, the thought of being trapped in that little town with no way out for months is horrifying! 😵‍💫 3y
Eggs Great choice here❣️ I‘ve read this one numerous times - hard to imagine the grueling struggle to stay warm/alive, the twisting of all that hay to keep a fire going😔 3y
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ahoffkosik
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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For the first time since the earliest days of my podcast, the show returns to Laura Ingalls Wilder‘s Little House on the Prairie series, this time for a chat about The Long Winter. We open the episode with a frank conversation about the racist underpinnings of this series and similar books. From there we dive into The Long Winter, more specifically. And I can‘t overstate how lovely my guest — author Lauren Tarshis — is! ❄️ Link to listen in bio.

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Thousand-Lives
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

My January #doublespin was a comfort listen. I have fond memories of my dad reading this series to me as a young girl. There are certainly some similarities between the Covid pandemic and the many months of blizzards the Ingalls survived, but this story made me very thankful for our modern conveniences. A lovely, cozy read.

Reagan I want to reread these! Definitely a comfort read for me too. 4y
Thousand-Lives @Reagan I‘ve been slowly working my way through the series for the past few years and it‘s been very enjoyable. 🙂 4y
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review
melissajayne
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

4.5⭐️ There were things, like Laura‘s complaining, that really bothered me more this read, as a lot her own experience of the winter of 1880-81 is so similar to the pandemic we‘ve been going through. While the book has fictional elements, it‘s actually quite accurate. #2020 #fiction #littlehouseseries #bookreview #basedonatruestory #childrenslit #bookstagram #historicalfiction #wintergames2020 #readnosedreindeer +36pts

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melissajayne
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Even Ma Ingalls did sourdough starters...

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melissajayne
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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The context is that Laura is discouraged that school has canceled again due to a blizzard and therefore won‘t be able to make enough money to send Mary to the college for the blind. I think it‘s admirable that Ma realizes that her children‘s education doesn‘t have to stop because of a massive blizzard.

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melissajayne
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Can I count this as a holiday read for #wintergames2020?

MoonWitch94 Yes! Anything “winter” counts 4y
melissajayne @MoonWitch94 thanks; I wasn‘t sure. 4y
Tattooedteacher I loved this books when I was a kid. I even had the boxed set with all the books. Omg that was... jeez, 40+ years ago. 4y
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MittenGirlPeach
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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My cousin Elaine in Norfolk. It‘s been so long since we‘ve seen each other.

That I‘m mostly retired and happy in a lovely place, with a husband who‘s company I greatly enjoy.

Thanks for the tag, @RamsFan1963 !

Velvetfur Your number 2 sounds really lovely 🙂 4y
MittenGirlPeach @Velvetfur every time I get stressed (often these days!) I remind myself how very lucky I am. We‘re in a great spot to ride out a pandemic. 4y
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review
MittenGirlPeach
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

Heat! Many of us take it for granted, both the ease and the existence. Having just read the Long Winter, it was on my mind this morning. Also, it‘s back to normal November weather in Michigan, so it‘s hovering around freezing right now. Ergo, heat.

Once again, I loved The Long Winter. In fact, it had been just long enough since I last read it that I didn‘t remember everything, and I loved it even more. #Doublespin done!
#kindnessandpositivityweek

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! And I agree - even cold weather is only fun if you're warm and cozy looking out!! 4y
Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 4y
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MittenGirlPeach
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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And this is my #Doublespin! I normally read Long Winter every, well, winter, but in recent years I‘ve been remiss! My husband bought me a beautiful edition of all of Laura‘s books a few years ago, so I‘m digging in.

CaffeineAndCandy 😍❤❤❤ 4y
Andrea313 Enjoy! The Long Winter is one of my favorites. 💙❄️🌨️ 4y
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review
Posh_Salad..AKA..LazyLimaLife
The Long Winter | Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Pickpick

Since I never finished out the series I thought I‘d do it now. I believe I stopped before Laura married Almanzo. When I read the description of The Long Winter I couldn‘t remember it, even though I‘m sure I read it.

I started the Little House books in 3rd grade and a kid that young didn‘t really grasp what a tenuous position people were in during that outrageous winter in South Dakota. This time I‘m in awe at how everyone survived.

8little_paws I LOVED these as a kid and reread the series on audio last year. I did so so I'd be refreshed to finally read the tagged bio of LIW. I haven't picked it up yet....i should make it a goal to read it before the new year! 4y
rubyslippersreads @8little_paws I have that one on my TBR list too. 4y
rubyslippersreads I know that as a kid, I didn‘t realize just how long and hard that winter was. I reread this a year or so ago, and the description of making hay twists had me constantly using hand lotion. 4y
readingjedi I have fond memories of reading this as a child. I remember it being a bit of a chunk! 4y
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