A Woman of Influence

There are many women who have had an influence on me at different times of my life. Of course, my wonderful mother had the most influence on who I am today. But there have been teachers, my sister, my daughter and others as well. There is one woman whose influence I have felt throughout my life - as a child, and even now.

That woman is Laura Ingalls Wilder. Yes, I know she lived in another century. And, I never REALLY met her. For most of my life she has been a constant guide in the back of my heart. But lately, I have been thinking of her a lot. Here is why:

1. I recently read Prairie Fires, by Caroline Fraser. She wrote the story of Laura's life, a true biography. I loved this book. It expanded on her life in a way that the Little House books could not.

2. I recently was on a road trip that took me to two of the Laura Ingalls Wilder home sites. YAY!

As far as the home sites, I have already been to one. A few years ago I visited her home in Burr Oak, Iowa, quite by accident.

Laura lived in Burr Oak as a child, but she did not record it in her famous books. It was not the happiest of times for her. It was here that her baby brother died. But, it was a place where she lived, so I was thrilled to visit.

I loved her books. I read them all, borrowed from our library in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I loved what she loved; home, family, horses, outdoors - all of these things. I wanted to BE Laura.

When I was a girl the local museum in Kalamazoo was located on the second floor of the public library. Inside the museum was a Pioneer Room. The museum must have been free, because my sister and I would visit, and stand and imagine our lives in the cabin room. Over and over we did this. We loved everything about it!

When I was a young woman, my sister gave me the same bread plate that Laura had! Again - i was thrilled.

Look - here it is - still hanging in my kitchen!

As I have given this some thought, I realize that I DO a lot of things Laura did.

I dress in the clothing she wore. Not everyday, no, but when I participate in the Living History program at the museum. Also, I cook on a fire, or a wood stove while I am at the museum.

I love quilts, and I make quilts. This is another thing I have done a LONG time. I made my first quilt the first year I got out of college! Laura came kicking and screaming to the art of needlework, but as it turned out, she was quite good at it. There are examples of her handwork in the museum at Mansfield, MO.

I make bread. Well, with this book, I can make a lot of the things Laura had to eat!

I love horses, as Laura did. My favorite thing (as a young woman) was to go FAST on a horse. Yup - that's me a couple of decades ago!

This book is a relatively new release. It is her first book, Pioneer Girl, but this edition has annotations throughout so you can learn more about the people and places Laura mentions. I carried it with me on the road trip to Kansas.

So, to be able to visit more of the places where Laura lived , wow - I was so excited.

Here are the sites. As I said, I have visited Burr Oak a few years ago. This year, my husband and I went on a road trip from Arizona to Missouri for a family reunion. On the way we planned to see everything there is to see in Kansas. Also on this trip I planned to visit the Kansas home site, and the Mansfield MO house.

Well, it turns out that there is a lot to see in Kansas. One place that I loved visiting is the Tallgrass National Prairie Preserve. (I mean it, there is a ton to see in Kansas!) The preserve was special for me because Laura wrote so much about how she loved the prairie. I have never been to a true prairie before, so to be in this tall grass, and to see how the wind moves it under that big Kansas sky - well, I can see why Laura loved it.

Of course, another highlight for me was the Little House on the Prairie site, near Independence , Kansas.

We arrived in the afternoon, so plenty of time to walk around. This visit meant so much to me. I know the cabin is not truly the one Pa built, but it is the same size, and furnished as it was described by Laura in her book. It meant so much to me to walk in and see the checked tablecloth, and the china shepherdess on the mantle. It was wonderful.

A few days later, my sister and I drove to Rocky Ridge Farm, near Mansfield, MO, where Laura wrote the books. The house that she and Almanzo built is there, just as she left it when she died. There is also a very nice museum there. In the museum is Pa's fiddle, Ma's china shepherdess, Laura's bread plate, and so much more.

We also visited the Wilders' grave sites. This meant a lot to me too. We brought this tiny china wagon to leave on Laura's grave.

So, Laura.

My friend, yes. Someone who helped me become who i am, definitely. Literature can be so powerful, right? I never met her, but I feel I know her, and I am glad she has been a part of my life.