Pioneer Women Sang as They Walked, and Canned, and Gardened, and Made Pies, etc.

I just finished reading The Undaunted, by Gerald Lund. Now, just for clarification sake, I generally do not read LDS historical fiction. It's not that I am a snob (maybe I am), but that there is generally too much fiction and not enough history. I picked this one up because it was about the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition, or San Juan Mission, in 1880/81, where about 250 Latter Day Saint settlers were called to start a colony in the San Jaun Valley is south eastern Utah/South Western Colorado area. The only reason I am interested in this is because the President of the San Juan Mission, and leader of the Expedition, was Silas S. Smith, my great-grandfather.

It was a pretty good book. There was way too much story about these fictional folks and where they came from and what they said and how they felt, etc. However, the description of the climb through this rugged terrain and the sacrifices these people made and the exertion and pain and triumphs and blessings that came from following the call of a prophet made it worth the reading. I highly recommend it.

So, lately, I have gotten back to my Pioneer woman roots. I love stories of frontier women. Ever since I was in Jr. high. I love Willa Cather (My Antonia, etc.). A Latern in Her Hand and Mrs. Mike (about Canada) were some of my favorite high school reads. Letters from a Woman Homesteader is a book I couldn't put down (and it is real). I even loved The Revolt of Sarah Perkins (this was a dumb story about a plain-looking mousy New England woman who goes to the west to teach school and ends up saving the town from Indians, marrying the handsome rancher, and becoming beautiful in her own way -- I didn't say it was great literature, but when you're 14, it is the best!!)

So far this year, I have planted, canned, frozen, picked, and made pies!! I asked Bob to see if he could find a few apricots at the fruit stand in Brigham City so I could make a small batch of jam. He came home with a half-bushel. I made 4 batches of apricot jam, 2 batches of apricot syrup, 2 pies, and the pureed the last 8 cups and froze it for future jam. I also made 3 batches of raspberry jam, froze 15 pounds of beans, have a big pile of zucchini waiting to be made into bread, more tomatoes in Huntsville that I know what to do with. I've also learned several ways to cook turnips. If I could only figure out what to do with all those beets.

I have also started a fall garden patch. We built 2 4x4 boxes and Bob put them on wheels and I put it on the deck on top of the garage. I already have things growing. I just don't remember what they are. So, could be beans, could be radishes, could be spinach. Only time will tell.

Now, if you'll excuse me, Otto and I have to go plow the North 40.