One of my grade school classmates died suddenly this week from some yet-unknown health issue. Eventually, after the autopsy is finished, family and friends will know what struck down the man liked by so many, but now all we can do … finish reading The Loss of a Friend
The Buffalo Chip Lady
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I love looking at old photos collected on historical internet sites like KansasMemory.org. One of the most famous photos, that of a woman gathering cow chips, depicts the typical life of a pioneer woman in many people’s minds. Here’s this … finish reading The Buffalo Chip Lady
Why were these Quilts kept?
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We had a warm sunny day this week, so I pulled out a tub of quilts I inherited from Lois, my mother-in-law. They had been stored in a cedar chest, made as a high school project by her future husband … finish reading Why were these Quilts kept?
Orphaned Quilt Blocks find a new Home
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I found three quilt blocks, tucked in different drawers in different dressers, when sorting for my parent’s move from the farm into town recently. I wondered when these orphaned blocks were sewn, and why they were not incorporated into a … finish reading Orphaned Quilt Blocks find a new Home
Pick a Trail of Thread for your Christmas Gift
Need to finish your Christmas shopping? Or maybe start your shopping? I heard from one reader that bought a Kindle as a gift, and was downloading books for the recipient to read right away. She had downloaded my TRAIL OF … finish reading Pick a Trail of Thread for your Christmas Gift
A Great Story is a Great Gift
I got an email from another author with this headline today and I thought—this statement is so true. The author was promoting his books for the Christmas season, and it was a good opening line. I like the statement because … finish reading A Great Story is a Great Gift
The Pioneer’s Cyber Monday Sales
While we’re ordering our holiday gifts online today because of Cyber Monday sales, I can’t help but think of the contrast of now, versus 150 years ago, when Kansas was being homesteaded by pioneers of several different nationalities. Think how … finish reading The Pioneer’s Cyber Monday Sales
Our Family’s Thanksgiving Table
As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, my mind wanders back to the simple Thanksgiving days of my youth—50+years ago—when my mom, grandma, or aunts hosted the noon meal. Each year we rotated to whose house we would go … finish reading Our Family’s Thanksgiving Table
Flooding Memories
(This month I’m posting excerpts from my books and telling you the story behind them.) I remember several floods while growing up on the farm I featured in my Butter in the Well book series. The creek runs through the … finish reading Flooding Memories
The Story behind the Immigrant’s Journey
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When researching the history of our family farm for my book, Butter in the Well, I found stories written down by Julia Olson that her mother—Kajsa Runneberg—had told her about their homesteading days. Julia was our neighbor to the north, … finish reading The Story behind the Immigrant’s Journey
