Stops Along the Road

I added a slide show with some of my travel photos.  I hope you enjoy them. :)

Laura Ingalls Wilder - I'm hooked!

What is my life-long obsession about Laura Ingalls Wilder?  She was the J.K. Rowling/Martha Stewart/Oprah Winfrey of her time.  Does that sound like an overstatement?  It's not.

When I was in grade school, I read the "Little House" books over and over again.  I could not get enough of them!   On a family vacation in 1972(spring break), we made a stop at the Wilder's Rocky Ridge Farm, in Mansfield, MO.  The home ( picture above from April 2006) and museum weren't open at the time, but we were able to walk around the grounds and see the outside of the house where they lived. 

While we were walking around a lady came up and spoke to us.  Her name was Mrs. Lichty and she had known the real Laura--I was so impressed!  Mrs. Lichty opened the museum for us and personally showed us around.  During that hour we spent with Mrs. Lichty, I made the connection from Laura, the character from the "Little House" books, to Laura, the author of the books, who as a young child had moved west with her family in a covered wagon and had lived on this very farm until 1957.  From that moment on I wanted to know everything about Laura's life.

I have an old photo of me in front of the house wearing my lilac bellbottom pants suit.  As soon as I find it, I'll scan it and upload it! :)