Here’s what I’m loving this month.
What I’m Reading
I’ve been on a bit of a Laura Ingalls Wilder kick lately. Our oldest read through the series on her own this winter, which prompted my own re-read. Revisiting the Little House series made me want to do some more reading into the history behind the story.
Before Little House, there was Pioneer Girl. Wilder wrote Pioneer Girl as an autobiography before she ever dreamed of writing for children, but the manuscript never found a publisher. Wilder later drew on the material in Pioneer Girl to write what became the Little House series. Pioneer Girl has now been published in a gorgeous annotated edition–tons of maps, footnotes, pictures, and notes on how the original manuscript was shaped into the stories we’ve come to know and love. I’ve had this on wait order for several months, but it finally landed in my hands a couple weeks ago. If you want to explore the history behind the series, this book is well worth the investment.
The second book I’ve enjoyed in my Laura Ingalls Wilder binge was Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer’s Life . A Writer’s Life is a biography of Wilder that focuses on her as an author and how she developed the Little House series. The book also explores the complex relationship between Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane, Laura’s daughter and editor. A Writer’s Life also argues strongly that Wilder, not Lane, deserves the credit for authoring the Little House books. Lane served as editor, but she was not the ghostwriter some have claimed her to be.
I’ve never read much about Rose before, but I enjoyed reading more about Laura’s daughter in the novel A Wilder Rose. A Wilder Rose is written from Rose’s point of view and deals deeply with the complex relationship between Rose and her mother. A Wilder Rose also portrays Rose as having more of a ghostwriting role in the series. That doesn’t seem substantiated by the other reading I’ve done, but I’m not an expert or a historian. If you read A Wilder Rose, you might also want to check out the author’s Pinterest board. Susan Wittig Albert has put together a great collection of documents and pictures relating to the book. She also has a free readers’ guide and bibliography available on her website.
What I’m Knitting
I’m nearing completion on a lap blanket I’ve been working on for the last several months. Here’s the pattern: Banyan Love Super Sampler (Ravelry Link). It’s turned out beautifully, but I have discovered a new aversion to knitting cables.
How I’m Sweating
One of my goals this year is to do a better job of self-care through simple things like eating better, exercising, and getting enough rest. (Novel concepts, I know). Refit has really helped me out in. I discovered their YouTube channel last fall, but this January I treated myself to a streaming subscription. I love it. The routines are fun and the songs are clean. No provocative moves, everyone actually has clothes on, and it’s nothing I worry about showing my kids. I love that they end every class with prayer and incorporate some Christian songs into their playlist. I’ve kicked around the idea of signing up for an instructor training so I could teach a local class but haven’t because a) it’s not like I need anything else to do and b), while I like to feel that my dancing looks like this:
I suspect it’s actually something more like this:
Other miscellaneous stuff:
There is a deep and mysterious connection between a pastor’s theology and his jeans.
One of my friends shared this picture. I don’t know the original source, but wanted to share it with you. (And if anyone knows where this came from, let me know so I can credit appropriately).
My top posts this month:
Thanks so much for reading along with me–and let us know in the comments what you’re loving this month!
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8 comments
I just realized that I have never read Little House on the Prairie. I think I might have to pick it up. I loved that article from Relevant. It made me laugh so much.
It’s one of my favorite series, and it was really fun this winter watching my daughter discover it. It’s different reading it through adult eyes, though. I’d recommend it!
I will have to check out Pioneer Girl and refit. Sounds like you have a lot on your plate! I know I do too, but I’ve realized that I have to drop some balls sometimes. I can only do so much before my exhaustion (physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual) gets in the way of properly handling the tasks I must do. I want to be the woman pictured in the graphic, but realize that being real about who I am means being honest about what can’t fit into my life right now. Tough to find a balance for sure.
The balance is tough to find, that’s for sure. I’ve been thinking lately about the principle of Sabbath and embracing it as a way of life. Still have some growth to do there, but embracing the principle of limits is part of it–which is why I’m dancing by myself in my living room. 🙂
Thanks very much, Leigh, for your comments about Rose. She was a complex woman with a deep commitment to the welfare of her parents. If she hadn’t cared so much for her mother and father, we wouldn’t have the Little House books–it’s as simple (and as complicated) as that.
Thanks for taking the time to drop by and comment. I enjoyed getting your take on Rose’s life and legacy.
Thank you! I love Laura Ingalls Wilder and I’m actually close friends with a descendant who inherited her gifted writing genes in High School. I think it’s pretty cool. I can’t knit to save my life (although I have all the tools and supplies and I said I’d try). I also am working out more by doing Zumba because I’m a Zumba instructor – I think dancing is an effective way to move more while you have fun! Although I get the issue with the clean music + clean moves. Zumba as a company actually has the artists re-record their music and change the lyrics so that they aren’t just bleeping or replacing bad words, they’re changing the whole content of the song (it makes a difference if you know Spanish! And I do!). As an instructor I’m more on the modest side in how I dress and on the culturally appropriate side of the dance moves I incorporate (not every style of music was designed to be sexualized, Zumba inc. doesn’t do that, but some instructors in their individual classes do). Anyhow, enough about me. Enjoyed reading your post!
Thanks for commenting and sharing your perspective!
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