mommato3boys

Journal Entry August 27

(Disclaimer: By no means am I suggesting any of this as birth control. This is just what I have been able to find on the internet. DO NOT I repeat DO NOT take this as gospel. I have never used any of these methods no do I know anyone that has used them- please do your own research and talk to your medical person…now with that said on to our UNREAL discussion)

V, E, Beth and I spent the day with Q and we dug through our "women" books looking for answers to birth control and women issues. What we discovered is a lot of the information was lost during the witch hunts and when many places banned mid-wives. I wish I had paid better attention to my grandmother when she was trying to impart her Native American mother’s information to us granddaughters. My head is still spinning from all that we read and discussed today. We were able to find a little bit of information. Not only herbal but we discussed natural methods also.

First we made a list of NATURAL birth control like

Ovulation Method, also known as the cervical mucus method, this technique is not for every woman. It requires a woman to be very comfortable with her body since she will need to regularly check her cervical mucus. But it can also help a woman become much more attuned to the changes that happen within her body every month. This family planning technique is based on the idea that a lack of cervical mucus indicates that an egg has not yet been released by the ovaries. Additionally, without the mucus, sperm will not be able to survive inside a woman until the time that an egg is released.

Calendar rhythm method relies upon calculating a woman's fertile period on the calendar. Based upon her 12 previous menstrual cycles, a woman subtracts l8 days from her shortest menstrual cycle to determine her first fertile day, and 11 days from her longest menstrual cycle to determine her last fertile day. She can then calculate the total number of days during which she may ovulate. If a woman's menstrual cycles are quite irregular from month to month, there will be a greater number of days during which she might become pregnant. The calendar method is only about 80% effective in preventing pregnancy and when used alone is considered outdated.

Basal body temperature (BBT) method is based upon the fact that a woman's temperature drops 12 to 24 hours before an egg is released from her ovary and then increases again once the egg has been released. Unfortunately, this temperature difference is not very large. It is less than 1 degree F (about a half degree C) in the body at rest. The basal body temperature method requires that a woman take her temperature every morning before she gets out of bed. A special thermometer that is more accurate and sensitive than a typical oral thermometer must be used, and the daily temperature variations carefully noted. This must be done every month. To use the basal body temperature as a birth control method, a woman should refrain from having sexual intercourse from the time her temperature drops until at least 48 to72 hours after her temperature increases again.

Symptothermal method combines certain aspects of the calendar, the basal body temperature, and the mucus inspection methods. Not only are all these factors taken into consideration, but so are other symptoms such as slight cramping and breast tenderness. Some women experience lower abdominal discomfort (in the area of the ovaries) during release of an egg (ovulation).

Withdrawal method is where the man withdraws his penis from a woman's vagina before he ejaculates so that the sperm released from his penis does not enter her vagina. Withdrawal is also called coitus interruptus. There are problems with using withdrawal as a contraceptive method. First, a man may release sperm before he has an orgasm. Secondly, a man needs self-control and a precise sense of timing to be able to withdraw his penis from the woman's vagina before he ejaculates. Because this can be difficult for the man to do successfully, the withdrawal method is only about 75-80% effective in preventing pregnancy.

Lactational infertility is based upon the idea that a woman cannot become pregnant as long as she is breastfeeding her baby. It is true that a woman may not ovulate quite as soon after giving birth as she would if she were not breastfeeding. Women who are breastfeeding usually start ovulating again between 10-12 weeks after delivery.

A nursing mother may start ovulating again and not realize she is fertile, as ovulation can occur prior to the return of her menstrual period. If this happens and the mother has unprotected sexual intercourse, she can become pregnant at the same time she is still breastfeeding her baby. If a nursing mother does not wish to become pregnant again, she must again start to use an appropriate method of contraception.

We did discover some herbal birth control but we don't know what we have available here in the valley. The following we discovered are more like herbs that cause miscarriages.

Vitamin C - no buffers or fillers. Dose: 500 mg every hour for 12 hours up to 5 days.

Toxicity: possible kidney irritation, loose bowels.

Ginger - Zingiber officinale, Dose: 1 oz. fresh or dry root to pint of water. Toxicity: possible light-headedness.

Pennyroyal - Mentha pulegium & Hedeoma pulegiodes, Dose: 1/4 cup of herb to 1 quart water once a day for no more than 6 days. Toxicity: nausea, numbness in hand and legs, liver irritation, kidney and bladder irritation, diarrhea, the essential oil is fatal internally. Contraindications: kidney conditions.

Angelica root - Angelica archangelica, Dosage: 1/4 cup herb to 1 quart water as tea. Tincture - 10-20 drops every two hours. Dried root less toxic than fresh. Toxicity: irritant to kidney and liver, not studied as much as pennyroyal. Contraindicated in diabetes as it raises blood sugar levels.

Mugwort Leaf - Artemisia vulgaris, Dosage: 3 teaspoon per cup tea, 3 cups per day, for no more than six days. Toxicity: higher doses can cause liver damage and convulsions. Nausea. Contraindications: Uterine inflammation or recent pelvic infection.

Black Cohosh Root - Cimicifuga racemosa, Dosage: 3 teaspoons per cup, 4 times a day. Tincture 20 drops every 6 hours. Toxicity: Diarrhea, dizziness, headache, decreased pulse rate, tremors, fatalities can occur in large enough doses.

Tansy - Tanacetum vulgare. Note: Do not confuse with tansy ragwort, Senecio jacobaea, which is a poisonous plant known to cause death in cattle thru liver failure. Dosage: Tea, 4-8 teaspoons per qt. sipped throughout day. 10 drops tincture in warm water every two hours til bleeding commences, for no more than 5 days. Toxicity: breast lumps, possible hemorrhage, liver irritant. Essential oil is fatal - do not ingest.

Another herb that we found that was a “natural herbal” birth control is wild carrot aka Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota - QAL for short). However, it is more of a morning after “pill” than something to take before hand. QAL has a reputation as an effective contraceptive. A teaspoon of crushed seeds of QAL has long been used as a form of natural birth control. Research conducted on albino mice found that wild carrot disrupts the implantation process probably due to inhibition of progesterone, which reinforces its reputation as a contraceptive. It has been found that 1 teaspoon of QAL seeds, freshly ground just before use and stirred into a glass of cold water is the most efficient dosage. Drink one glass, 8-12 hours after intercourse, or at least within 24 hours. Traditionally, dried or fresh seeds were chewed, 1 teaspoon per dosage. But, if vaginal dryness occurs it is recommended to crush seeds. Take one to three doses after intercourse. It is noted that wild carrot may be less effective if taken daily. It appears to be at its most reliable when used simply as a "morning-after" herb, taken 8-24 hours after intercourse, up to 3 times within a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 72 hours. All methods of usage are limited to 1-3 times after sexual intercourse.

We had a history lesson out of all of this. We discovered what the condoms and sponges were used way before modern times….Long before the condom and diaphragm were developed men and women utilized barrier methods of birth control. The first condoms were made in France out of animal gut tissues. It is said that these condoms were made during 1640 to protect soldiers from contracting sexually transmitted disease from prostitutes during the war. Women have utilized barrier methods since prehistory. The most common was the use of pessaries, any device inserted into the vagina to block sperm penetration, made of seed wool. Back in the 1500s women ground dates, acacia tree bark and honey into a paste and apply it to the wool before inserting. Studies have concluded that "since acacia ferments into lactic acid, a well-known spermicide, this method may have been effective." Sea sponges, often used in combination with lemon juice as a spermicide, have also been used successfully as sperm barriers. Cervical caps made of oiled paper or beeswax was common in the Orient and Europe, and both have proven to be effective.

Beth and E both came to the realization that there was no sure fire way of not getting pregnant if they were going to share their husband’s bed. However, both believe with a combination of these methods they can avoid getting pregnant for a while. Both really want to wait until we all see just how harsh the winters, E is used to a very mild winter she is from south Alabama and Beth is from South Carolina her winters were a little harsher but she is certain that it will be nothing like this first winter. Not only that but Beth wants to be more comfortable using a wood stove, hauling water and milking goats. She comes from a pampered lifestyle so she had to get her feet under her so to speak.

We also discussed wedding plans. E is way taller than her mother so her mother’s wedding dress is more a tea length. It fits her so we are going to alter the hem some and make it a nice tea length dress. She had opted out of a veil; she wants to just wear her hair. Beth is going with a nice simple white dress she has. It has spaghetti straps and a shawl but she wants to turn the shawl in to a veil of shorts sort of like a veil from medieval times. Something that would just cover the back of her hair. Q made some suggestions and we worked the rest of the afternoon trying to get the girls dresses ready.

Ray and P are going to do an OLD fashion tradition they are going to pick the girl’s bouquets themselves. They have their eyes on some wild flowers and herbs they are trying to keep the goats away from them. LOL.

We have received notes from many of the women telling us not to worry they were bring this or that for the dinner. Chef has decided he is going to try his hand at wedding cakes. That should be interesting. The guys are digging the pits next week and we will roast two pigs and make pies to take with us. V is going to handle the vegetables. I can’t believe it just over a week and P will be married…..sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Sorry I have a post ready but I forgot to post it Thursday before I left work and I didn't back it up on my flash drive so you will have to wait until I get to work tomorrow morning.

It is on birth control so just giving everyone a heads up. It will not be for the faint of heart. Sorry Michael but a girl has to think of these things.

I will try to get another post ready next week but it is the end of the semester for me and I don't have a lot of time at least not until after graduation. But I will post something on the wedding soon too.

This next week is the last week of classes then finals start. Graduation is the weekend after mother's day so hopefully I will be back to writing then. If I survive that is. The whiners are driving me crazy (and no I am not talking about the students LOL)

P, Beth and Abby were the only ones that went to the lodge yesterday. They went to get the rest of Beth’s personal stuff. She and Abby have put a real feminine touch on the cabin. She has curtains up now rugs on the floor and little knick-knacks sitting around. She has made it real homey and warm feeling. I sent a note with them to give to Q if they saw her or any of he family if no one was there they were to stop back by and drop it off at her house. It was just to let her know we would be visiting later in the week. We are taking our herb books over and some of our other “women” books. We are still looking for natural birth control.

We are working in overdrive trying to get the gardens empty. Still need more wood. Also need to get curtains made to help keep the cold out. Need to get draft stoppers made. Using the yard to crotchet blankets, just using chain stitch since that is about all I know how to do but hey it works. Started stitching together the denim squares that I brought with me to make a king size quilt but I am going to make two twin quilts for Connor and Aidan. They are going to need warm bedding this winter.

Washing…I must do washing tomorrow or we will have nothing to wear. Sure am missing that electric washer and dryer; made shelling dry peas easier too. I remember my dad and mom putting bags of dry peas in the dryer and running them about 20 minutes and the hulls would split open and all we had was pick out the hulls and the peas were ready to store.

SF and I sat down with R&V and worked a breeding schedule with the animals. We are trying to avoid later winter deliveries. We really don’t want any babies before March at the earliest. April would be better. So for now the males and females have been separated.

For the goats and sheep they will be put together in October and left together until the end of January. The cows have already bred for the season. So we will just leave them together. The horses we hope are bred and will keep them separate until spring. Their gestation is almost a year plus we want to give them time to build back up after the long trip here and all the hard work this summer. They are not used to that. The oxen well from what I can find their gestation is the same as cows since they are part of the bovine family. The chicken and ducks are on their own. The sows we will put with the boars in January and leave them together until all females breed. We will have a total of 6 sows breeding twice next year so there will be a lot of bacon on the mountain. We normally would not breed them twice but we have a waiting list for piglets. So we will breed all six sows the first time then hopefully we will only have to breed 1 or 2 after that. The later females will be first timers so we want to wait until the weather is warm before they deliver. Something else I miss is the constant of the computer. Now we are back to doing it the old fashion way. I WANT MY EXCEL spreadsheets back. It would be so much easier.

Well must fall into bed tomorrow is another early day. Laundry day yippeeee

1 – tomato 2 – tomato 3-tomato MORE…..

I am having horrible flash backs to my childhood oh wait its not flash backs we are really up to our elbows in tomatoes. LOL The past few days we have been so busy fighting the wild life off our crops and trying to get as many put up as possible. The guys are taking turns in acting as scare crows at night. N brought down a big buck last night. It was eating the bush beans.

We sent the older children to pick plums today. We wanted to gather the plums while they were still slightly green so they would last longer. We found newspaper that wasn’t used for Sasha and the puppies so we are wrapping fruit in it and storing it in the cold cave. We will dry most of the fruit. But I still want some fresh fruit for the children to eat through the winter.

Today at lunch R&SF went and dug around in one of the potatoes hills and they decided that we would dig them the week after the wedding. SF said we would dig all the root crops then…the onions, the potatoes and the carrots.

One task was done. All of the wheat and oats are cut and stacked. This afternoon after lunch we started harvesting the field corn. But that won’t take long it will be cut and hung from the rafters in the barn. It will be animal food for the winter.

After supper I thought I was going to get to bed early but Beth caught me and wanted to talk. She said she needed a woman to talk to since she didn’t have her mother. So we walked out to my ledge and sat down. Thank goodness I was sitting and was not close to the edge because her first statement threw me…”I don’t want to get pregnant.” I must have a shocked look on my face because she laughed. She then said well not this year at least. She went on to explain that when she come to the valley she had not thought about marriage and family so she is not “prepared” I told her I understood now that we were on the same page and she giggled. I went on to explain that birth control is relatively new. I said follow me, we went in the cabin to my bedroom and pulled out several boxes of books that I have just for emergencies. Well not so much as emergencies, I just did not want them to fall into little hands if you know what I mean. Before we left I visited a used book store and found a goldmine in women’s health. There were several on natural family planning, natural child birth – midwifery and well amongst other things. So I loaded up. I opened the box and started handing her books. She was thrilled. I asked her if her and her mother had ever talked about marriage, birth control, child birth and family planning. She turned beet red and said no. Her mother never had “the talk” with her. And here I thought I had gotten off lucky since we had all boys and that SF’s job. We talked for several hours until P finally knocked on my bedroom door and said they had to go or he would not be able to see to cross the river.

After they were gone SF asked if everything was ok. I told him yes it was just a girl thing. As we lay in bed I told him my heart went out to all of these young mothers and girls that were just having babies or not married yet and dreaming of having a family. We had it so easy. The best medical care, and here we didn’t even have an extra machine. It was scary to think what these mothers would be facing when it came time for them to give birth. Oh I know women have been giving birth for thousands and thousands of years it is just one area that I was not really prepared for. My childbirth years are over with and I really hadn’t given thought or preparation for this aspect of life. I guess I need to get with Q and discuss some of this with her.

Journal Entry for August 11

So much is going on too many irons in the fire so to speak.

I totally forgot to write about R&V additions. They took in a brother and sister, they are preteen/teenagers. Margaret (Maggie) is 12. She just turned 12 last month and Murphy is 14. Sweet kids, but like the other orphans they are all out of sorts. One minute Maggie is a happy smiling child, the next she is angry, then in a blink of an eye she is crying and gnashing teeth. Murphy flip flops between being angry to withdrawn but he is always protective of Maggie. It seems their family had lost their home and they were living on the streets when their mother and father were killed. Murph as we have all started calling him has bonded with R&V’s son B. Actually I think B just took him under his wing. There is only 3 years difference in their ages so they get along rather well. Maggie on the other hand does not want to get close to anyone. The best we figure she feels like if she gets close to anyone she will forget her parents.

I feel like I am sleep walking ok maybe sleep writing. My thoughts are so jumbled. I had just finished a note and sent Conner over to the Q’s with it. I wanted to let Q know there was going to be a wedding. And to plan on being at the lodge Labor Day Sunday. Abby and Mr. S arrived with Beth. P had brought up his clothes and bed roll over and at first he was going to sleep in the barn but Ray talked him in to staying with him. N tried to get him to stay at his cabin but P said he would be too close to Beth so he decided to go stay with Ray at night. I was floored by all the stuff that Beth had. Mr. S laughed at my expression. He said no they did not bring all of that with them, their mother and father had sent it all to the valley a couple of years ago when they were making plans to come here. Abby has the same amount. He said their parents made sure the girls would be able to set housekeeping. There was a spinning wheel, a churn, cast iron cookware, wash tubs; all the stuff that they would/could possibly need. Beth came over and said that she would need lessons on how to use all of that stuff. Bless her heart she is so overwhelmed and heart broken too. I could tell she had been crying. P said she has cried off and on for the past few days because her parents will not be here for her wedding.

While Mr. S, SF and P, Beth and I were all standing around talking we heard raised voices. We turned just in time see Abby slapped N. I just knew he was going to slap her back. We have taught the boys they are never ever to strike a lady. But there was steam coming out of his ears. I have never in all HIS life seen him this angry. P and Sf went after him. Mr. S was yanked Abby back from going after him and was chewing her out. N was so angry he didn’t take time to saddle the horse he was ridding bareback. Thank goodness he had grabbed Mister. Mister comes when SF whistles no matter who is riding him. I thought for a minute Mister was going to unseat N because he was fighting him to keep him from going to SF but he just slid off of Mister and headed out on foot. He had gotten as far as the small pond where the moose water each morning. P caught with him and stopped him from leaving. Next thing we know Mr. S was dragging Abby down to the pond where P and N were demanding that she apologize to N. I asked SF if he thought one of should go down and he said he would. He still had Mister so handed me the reigns and headed down.

It all happened in slow motion after that. SF was about half way to them when P & Mr. S turned and headed back up the mountain. They had taken 4 or 5 steps when the yelling and screaming started again. Abby drew back to smack N again but he was quicker this time and penned her arms behind her back, picked up and threw her in the pond. I tried to yell a warning, P saw me reach my hand out as if I could stop it from where I was. He and Mr. S turned to see what was going on just as Abby splashed. N stormed away. No one stopped him this time. Abby came out of the water stomping her feet and fussing, I don’t know if it was Mr. S’ look or if he said something but she turned and followed N. She was jogging trying to catch him. He as half way to his cabin when she finally caught him. There were a lot of flying arms pointing fingers and stomping away. Well they each tried to walk away but the other one would not let them. We all stood on the ledge and watched the drama unfold. Mr. S chuckled and said all we need is the signs and we would have the silent movies again. We all laughed. I asked SF if he thought they needed a referee and him and Mr. S both said no at the same time. Mr. S said that Abby had to learn she could not go throw her weight around and demand to get her way. She was too old for temper tantrums.

N side stepped Abby and walked on to his cabin. She stood there a minute turned and ran after him. She leaped and landed on his back knocking him down. That spurred Mr. S and SF in to action. Both grabbed horses and headed down. We watched as they barreled down the hill pulled up short and turned back towards us. Mr. S reached over and slapped SF on the back. When they rode back in the yard SF said they had worked things out just fine. We all chuckled Beth was jumping up and down.

Right in the middle of the drama R&V and their group showed up. W&A arrived and the twins woke up. I could tell this was going to be a doozie of a day especially with all of the drama before breakfast.

After breakfast we canned and canned some more then we canned even more. We had both water bath canners and pressure canners going. The children were shelling peas and snapping beans, some of us worked on tomatoes, some worked on pickles and some worked on beans. All in all we had a very productive day. Tomorrow will be more ketchup, tomato sauce, and spaghetti sauce.

V and I tried pickling okra. Nellie had sent her pickled okra recipe so we tried it out. SF loves her pickled okra and was thrilled when he found out we were going to try it.

3 1/2 lb. sm. okra pods

4 cloves garlic

2 sm. hot peppers, cut in half lengthwise

3 c. white vinegar

3 c. water

1/3 c. canning salt

2 tsp. dill seed

Pack the okra 4 pint jars straight from hot from boiling water. Leave 1/4-inch head space. Put 1 clove garlic and 1/2 hot pepper in each jar.

Boil water, vinegar, salt and dill seed. Pour into jars, remembering to leave head space. Remove air in jars. Water bath process 15 minutes.

We dried okra and also canned okra. I have never canned okra but my mother used to can it so that later she could fry it. I can remember her opening a jar and laying them on top of black eyed peas when they were just about done. We would have black eyed peas and boiled okra.

V is going to be here early in the morning. We are going to make a list of what we have done and what we have to do.

Oh the guys surprised us today. The guys took a break during the heat of the day and built storage boxes. We were concerned how we were going to store all of the food and they built storage boxes. Well they are more like trays. They used 1x4s and screen wire and built stackable trays. It is more like a big shifter. They used 12-1x4s between the first second rows they placed screen wire so that air would circulate. Then they stacked 1x4s on edge using dowels and glue to hold them together. It was great we could layer all sorts of fruits and vegetables in there and stack them. They even built a platform to stack the trays on so that they would not be on the ground. Now we have trays of squash, melons, and fruits. We just about filled them up. The guys will have to build more when we harvest the potatoes. But for now this is a good start.

Things are still touchy between N & Abby but they are holding hands and sitting by each other. It is funny in a way when Abby on a tare N would just look at her and say Abigail. She would settle down. Beth just watches them and smiles. After supper Beth was talking and told us that it was about time Abby found someone that could handle her. That she was wild child and needed a strong man that would not cave to her drama. She said their daddy had spoiled Abby, she was his little princess. P told her she was spoiled too. Beth just smiled and said in a way but she had been groomed to take over daddy's business. Actually she had been groomed to marry the guy that would take over daddy's business. She said she attended all the country club and other club meetings with her mother while Abby was out swinging from trees. Beth said that her mother had called a wild-child more than once and every time her mother would get on to Abby their dad would come to Abby's defense. There was sadness in Beth's voice as she talked about her parents. I could tell this had been harder than anyone realized. She felt responsible for Abby felt like she had to protect her. Beth was way more mature than her 23 years.

Journal Entry August 10

With the reality that Mother and her family were gone I just could not get in the grove of things. But V and her girls and A got behind me and pushed all day.

We divided up into teams. Everyone was working the garden. Some gathered and put in storage. Some just gathered and toted to the summer kitchen, by the end of the day I was feeling better about our chances of survival this winter.

The biggest project was the wheat. Since we were harvesting it by hand we wanted to harvest it as early as possible to avoid as much loss as possible. So last night after my melt down when I finally cried out and fell asleep. SF pulled out the book on wheat and read about harvesting it. It said watch for the signs that the wheat is ready to be harvested. It should have a large, brushy top full of grain seeds and beginning to turn golden yellow. The seed is ready when the grain is hard, but you can still dent the seed with your thumbnail. Use the scythe or sickle to cut the stalks of wheat close to the ground. Bundle the wheat into large stacks and tie each stack with a length of heavy string. Stack the bundles upright in an area where they are protected from moisture. Allow the wheat to cure thoroughly before attempting to thresh and winnow. The wheat will be hard and you will no longer be able to dent the kernel with your thumbnail.

So early this morning SF went down to the fields and decided that we should go head and harvest the wheat. We took over half of W’s barn so that we could store the wheat until it had a chance to dry. Thank goodness he has a large barn. All the guys worked at harvesting the wheat until lunch. When the grains (oats, wheat and corn) were planted they were planted acre fields alternating fields. So by lunch time with they had knocked out about a 1/3 of the wheat. At lunch the discussion turned to the oats. We would need some for human consumption but most the oats were planted for the animal grain. Did we want to leave it in the field or cut it…that was the topic of discussion. They finally decided to cut it and sack the grain and then bale the stalks for grain. Thursday they hope to harvest oats. The field corn is going to be left until the last so that it will dry faster.

The women and children worked hard also. They gathered all the fruit that they could find that was ready. Then headed to the gardens, the melons, squash, peas and beans had to be harvested today as well as the tomatoes, okra….eeeekkkkkkk…looks like everything is coming in at once. We need longer days and more bodies. It looks like we will all be working from sunup to past sundown the next couple of weeks. What is scary my bones are aching which means a storm is coming. At least the ripe melons are in and they will not burst from the added moisture. We will have to stay on top of the tomatoes gathering the ripe ones daily so if it does rain they won’t burst.

V is coming over tomorrow to bring more canning jars and all of their canners. We will be doing beans and tomatoes tomorrow. I need more drying racks, what I would not give for an electric dehydrator or two about now….

We still have potatoes, peanuts and carrots to dig. But they can wait a little longer if need be. We don’t have that many peanuts planted but I want to make peanut butter.

Elizabeth arrived later in the day and stayed for supper. She and P dropped the bomb shell on us. They plan on getting married on Sunday during Labor Day weekend. That is 26 days away (fainting here) they have worked out all of the details with Mr. S and I have been told he couldn’t be happier. I asked Beth if she and Abby were speaking again. She said sort of, Abby was being stubborn. Both P and Beth looked at N then. He looked up and said “What?” We all chuckled. Ray cleared his throat and announced that he and E were getting married the same weekend. N caught on and said NOPE not going to happen NO WAY. That woman will drive me to an early grave. Everyone laughed but we could tell that he was hurt. Beth told me later that N had made several trips to the lodge to see Abby but they were getting no where. As she started to leave she asked if it would be ok for her and Abby to come and help with the harvest. She wants to help especially since she will be part of this family soon. I told her the more the merrier. I told her we would be working with tomatoes and beans tomorrow. Beth said she would bring her stringing and snapping fingers. LOL.

Thank goodness supper was light and everyone pitched in to help because I think I would have fallen asleep and drowned in the dishwater. As I dropped into bed later I told SF we needed to slaughter one of the pigs and pit cook it. He said he was thinking the same thing. He asked did we have meat for lunch tomorrow. I told him yes we had jerky that I had planned on soaking and making burritos out of tomorrow. He said good then he and the guys would take care of preparing the pig tomorrow afternoon and putting it in the pit overnight. That way it would be ready for lunch.

He told me that Beth’s visit tomorrow will serve two purposes one is to help but P told him that she was also bringing most of her stuff down here. He said P would be moving into our barn for a few weeks and Beth was going to go ahead and move into the house. She is hoping Abby will come and keep her company. I was a little surprised but SF said that she had not unpacked anything since their arrival and she wanted slowly unpack and get things in order so that they will be set for winter. Mr. S told her that after Labor Day we would have 6-8 weeks at most before winter sets in and we have snow.

I fell asleep with 9-11 weeks running through my head…9 weeks – 63 days…oh man I like the 9 weeks better, 3 months sounds even longer. Either way you slice it we have little time left to prepare for winter and the question is will we be able to make it. So much to do….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I was devastated. I cried all the way home. We went by the hill and no one was there and as we started up the trail to mothers and ran in to Chef and Mr. H they said they had already left. LEFT? But how did they get up the hill. Mr. H said they went out the north side down a fire trail. Mother left without saying good bye? Tears were streaming down my face. Mr. H and Chef both were choked up. Chef said Mother had left something at the lodge for me.

We turned and rode back to the lodge with Mr. H and Chef with me crying the whole way. We didn’t stay long at the lodge. Only long enough for Mr. S to hug me and hand me the package that Mother had left. He also told me that P had been to see him and asked to marry E. I felt bad but I told him Abby and Beth had had a big fight last night and we would coming back to lodge today sometime. He just nodded. He said P had said something about it. I didn’t know what else to say so I took the letter and the package and climb back atop Mister and SF and I started back home.

I felt totally lost it was like I had lost one of my own family members. I couldn’t believe she was gone. I know in her position I would have done the same thing but….

We passed Beth and Abby on the way P and N were riding with them back to the lodge. Beth said that E had come over to stay with the children. I could tell things had gone from bad to worse the girls were not speaking. Abby was riding in the wagon with N and Beth was riding a horse along side P. We stop and I hugged their necks and told them they were welcome back anytime. Beth said she would be in touch concerning the wedding. She wanted a small affair. I laughed and said that would not happen. Everyone would want to attend. He and P just looked at each other. I told them it did not have to be fancy they could get married in jeans but do not deny these people something to celebrate. Smiled and nodded.

As we left the kids I cried that much harder because mother would not be here for the wedding. SF pull his horse closer and wrapped his arm and me and said maybe we should have stayed at the lodge and I just shook my head. He chuckled and said maybe we should have brought the wagon and I shook my head again. He asked if I could make it I just nodded so we picked up the pace and headed home.

After the children were bathed and in bed I took the packages and letter to the bedroom and read them…

Dear M23B,

Since you are reading this letter you know we left the valley. I am sorry we didn’t have time to tell each and everyone of you good-bye. I am not really sure I could have said good-bye in person. Each of you mean so much to me. I will send word as soon as we arrive. Please keep us in your prayers and we will do the same. I will always carry with me the memories of the trail ride here and the many nights spent around the campfires.

Mr. S is holding another puppy for you if you want it if not he will find it a home. I knew you were wanting another puppy for Aidan. The packages are quilts for the P&N I saw how they were looking at Mr. S’ goddaughters so I gather there will be weddings soon and it my way of saying thank you to them for helping the rest of my family to get into the valley. Take care and remember to check on Quilty.

Love

Mother

SF found me curled up in a ball on the bed with more tears streaming down my face. He scooted me to the center of bed and laid down beside me and just held me while I cried.

We had so much fun gathering wild greens. We even found milk thistle. I remember my grandmother rubbing the sticky substance you get when you crush the stems and leaves on my hand one time when I burned it. It took the pain away and it didn’t blister.

Well we were able to pick tomatoes today. I didn't realize it but we have a lot of tomato plants. It was like they all turned red at one time. We canned tomatoes today...tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and ketchup. My hands are so raw it is not funny. I forgot I how allergic to tomato juice I was until I started peeling tomatoes. Oh well it will be all worth it. The green beans were ready also. So we taught the children how to make leather britches. They had fun "sewing" the beans. The next couple of bushels of beans will be canned. The field peas will mostly be left to dry in the fields but some of those will be canned also. I also made more pickles today. The early summer squash is just about finished producing but I have planted a several more plants in the green house. Hopefully those will start producing here soon and we will have a second harvest. But for now all of the squash has been gathered either dried or divided among us and stored in root cellars or cold caves.

SF and the guys harvested the sweet corn and the white corn today. they cut stalk and all and hung them upside down in the cold caves or in the root cellars. They should last several months that way. The field corn will be left to dry in the fields then shelled as needed to feed the animals. The brussel sprouts that were planted in the gardens have been harvest. But we also planted some in all the green houses. Next to be harvested will be the root crops. SF dug a few potatoes today and they are various sizes. Yesterday evening I did get onions bulbs planted in the green house.

Between hay, firewood, and gathering in the harvest and getting things for winter we are staying busy. It is hard to believe that is the middle of August. So much to do and time is getting short. I worry about Mother leaving the valley so late. I wonder how far they will have to travel and if their family will have sufficient food for the winter. I wish they would stay till spring, but I know they want to be there and settle before winter so that they can start planting in spring. I am envious of her in a way she will have all of her family together. As much as I love my children and so thankful they are with me I wish I could be closer to our families. Tomorrow SF and I are leaving at first light to ride over to Mother’s to see if she needs help. We will leave everyone here. Beth and Abby have agreed to watch the children. I have made sandwiches for SF and I to take with us and we will be going by horseback so we can travel faster. It will still take us half the day to get there.

Today P& Beth had a big blow up but I think they finally said how they feel about each other. One minute they are arguing and yelling next minute they are lip locked and didn’t look like they were coming up for air any time soon. Well that was until N yelled get a room and cracked up laughing. P glared at N and mouthed some words that would have gotten his mouth washed out with soap and Beth turned 50 shades of red. Every time they were together after that there they were either holding hands or had their arms around each other. Now if the other two would just follow their lead things on the mountain would be a lot more peaceful. May be not as entertaining but more peaceful.

After Abby and Beth retired for the evening P asked to speak to he dad alone. I just smiled and headed inside to check on the twins. After P left SF told that he had planned on riding to the lodge tomorrow to talk to Mr. S and ask for her hand in marriage. It was about that time we heard yelling and screaming outside. We rushed out to see what was going on and Abby and Beth were arguing. It seemed Beth told Abby that P had asked her to marry him and she said yes. Abby turned to us and announced that when we returned from Mother’s that she and Beth would be moving back to the lodge. SF and I were speechless but told the girls if that is what they felt they must do then we would help them. Abby stomped off back to the tent leaving Beth standing with us in tears. She apologized for disturbing us and headed back to the tent. SF and I both went to bed with heavy hearts. So much was happening in the valley that was beyond our control.

Dear Journal,

Was so busy yesterday to finish writing last night. Yesterday we worked at unloading the wagon and getting the stuff stored. One of the crates contain fruit trees well small saplings. It will take years before they produce. But it is fruit that will thrive in this zone. I laughed when I saw how the boys had transported the canoe. They were able to obtain some yeast, baking soda and baking powder. Oh sugar, powder sugar, brown sugar and granulated sugar. There were a few other things but I don’t even remember now that I am writing.

The rider arrived early this morning he came with shocking news. Mother and her clan was leaving all of them. I was crushed, I couldn’t believe they were leaving.

The Q's and family arrived a short time later. I was surprised when she brought the children with her but she said that she wanted them exposed to the chicken pox since they could not remember having itchy red spots. I couldn't blame here I did the same thing with my boys. I wanted them to have them when they small so that it would not be so bad on them.

Today the women, V,E, K, Q, A, Beth and myself all went to gather wild greens and herbs. Abby stayed behind with the twins. The guys went firewood hunting. They wanted to get everyone at least 12 cords before winter set in.

As we gather wild herbs and greens I couldn’t help but think I sure wish Mother was here. I had my herb book with me and tags to put around the plants so I would know what they were when I got back to the green house. We gathered some young plants so that we could plant them in the green house.

That evening I told SF I wanted to ride over to Mother’s before she left. He said we would leave at first light and head that way. They would have to go up the hill so we would go by there.

Sf told me that each family has at least 3 wagon loads (which he figured was 9 cords) of firewood. They even gathered some for the Q’s.

I had to move, I couldn’t lie here anymore. I needed to find out if I was dreaming last night of if the boys were really home. I quickly dressed and headed to find SF. As I walked out the front door there sat our wagon loaded down and SF, P&N sitting in the summer kitchen drinking coffee. N asked me if I was awake this time and I told him yeah I thought so. They were telling their dad what it was like outside the valley. Everyone especially Mr. H had tried to get the Rocks to come on this trip but they are still holding out. Mr. H seems to think they are waiting on someone but he didn’t know who.

They said T was at the farm when they got there. He had been able to secure some stuff for Mr. Rock but wasn’t able to get all that I had asked for. N said he had gotten a call from his CO while he was there. His CO was just checking to see if the cell number was still good. He has six months left on his recall contract. I smiling like the cat that got into the cream and said well it doesn’t work here so they can’t call you. We all laughed until P reminded me that they could track the GPS. I reached over and took the phone from N and took the battery out. P said mom they probably already have his coordinates and could find him if they wanted to. I glared at him and said only as far the Rock’s ranch. I didn't tell them but my stomach did flip flops and sank to my knees at that tidbit of news.

I asked N how he liked his new cabin. He said it was great and he was really grateful to those that helped rebuild it. P said he like having the separate bedroom. The original cabin was sufficient but he liked having the separate bedroom instead of sleeping in the loft. He will now use the loft as a storage and extra sleeping space. I asked N if they build his cabin with a loft. He said no but he did have a large room with a kitchen off to the side with a storage room there. Plus he has a large closet storage area in the bed room. They both said it would last them until they were married and had children.

We moved on to discuss what still needed to be done. W had arrived by now. He said A was keeping the kids home so they would not bother the twins. SF said that 3 of the 4 lofts were filled with hay. W’s barn needed hay and his loft was the biggest. It would probably take what is left right around us to fill his loft. R&V are using caves for barns and storage and they have their hay gathered The field corn is being left in the field to dry as long as possible then it will be cut and hung in the barns to finish drying. P&N each still need a smoke house and root cellars so those are top priority right now. They are going to go look at W’s root cellar today. Since W’s will serve a dual purpose as a storm shelter as well as a root cellar.

Ray was the topic of discussion next. SF told the boys how he had pitched in and helped while they were gone and we felt obligated to offer him some produce as payment. They all agreed on that. Ray had told us that Mr. S had said he would provide for them the first winter since they were brought along as security and hired hands. But the next year they would be expected to provide most for themselves. Ray had also selected land across the river and was helping R&V well actually he was helping K&E more since they had their own place. P&N raised their eyebrows at that. My boys were overprotective of K&E they were like their sisters. I told them that E was probably the reason Ray chose the land that he did. They just looked at each other. W spoke up and said he was a great guy and was treating K&E rather well. That seems to appease P&N.

The topic moved on to water storage. SF explained what he wanted to about the water tower. P said that we could dig a well by hand. SF said that would work for down in the valley but we are sitting on the side of a mountain…rock…lots of rock. They started discussing possibly tapping in to the spring and running water into the house but then again we come back to what happens if the spring freezes or it source freezes. We were all stumped. It is hard to pump water hill but that looks like what we may have to do.

Talk moved to winter foliage for the animals. SF suggest the fields that are planted in wheat and oats be turned and winter grass be planted for the animals. We have enough grass seed for a few years. Especially if we sow it thin and let it fill in.

I changed the topic to food for the humans. We started discussing what canned, stored and dried. We talked about what plants were going in the green house, and then came meat. I did not want to use the freezer. SF said that he was pretty sure that the meat could hang in the smoke house through the winter. We were high enough that the weather would be cold enough to keep the meat at a safe temperature. We discussed how much meat we would need. I said I did not want to butcher any of the livestock this year well except for the boars. I wanted to up the number of sows to 4 and breed them twice next year. The goats we would need to breed as often as possible to increase our stock as well as the sheep. So far in the valley and on the mountain we have seen goats, sheep, elk, moose and deer. Just out side the valley is bison but it would be too hard to get in to the valley. But it would be nice to have a large animal like that one would feed half of us for almost the entire winter when supplemented with the elk and deer. P said he would talk to Mr. S but he was against going out right now. Even close to the valley are poachers and renegades. It would be too dangerous to go out and try to bring a bison in.

It was going to be a very long day and we had not even gotten started unloading the wagon….so we were off to take care of that right after breakfast.

It was dusk and the girls and I were in bed. They were asleep and I was just on the edge of sleep when I heard the dogs barking. I couldn't wake up enough to go and see what was happening. Then I heard voices some one was here. Its dark something must be wrong I needed to get up but my body would not cooperate. They continued to whisper but I recognized those whispers then I was wide awake and sat straight up in bed. That was N I knew that laugh anywhere. I scooted to the end of the bed grabbed my robe and tripped all over myself trying to get out of the room without waking the twins. I opened the door and literally feel right into P's arms. I was crying they were laughing Abby slipped behind me to check on the twins and close the door so we didn't wake them. I kept pinching myself to make sure I was awake. I couldn't believe it they were home.

I don't know who was more shocked P or N when I turned called the girls Beth and Abby instead of Elizabeth and Abigail. The girls blushed when I introduced them. Then I realized they remembered each other from the last WT. I just couldn't believe it they were back. W&A and their family were there, along with R&V and their whole clan.

P handed me a thick letter from T it was more like a book. I laid it aside and said I would read it later. Then I noticed this strange guy standing there I didn't recognize. Every one noticed me staring and P spoke up and introduced Jerry. Jerry? Wait are you Q's boy? He nodded and said yes ma'am. He didn't stay long he had just ridden in with P&N he wanted to get home before it was too dark to see. I told him to tell his mother we would see them all Friday. He said he would and then he headed out.

Everyone sat around talking and I fell asleep in the rocking chair with P&N sitting on the floor on either side of me. SF woke me and he guided me to bed. I said I wanted to stay up and talk. He laughed and said they had all left but would be back for supper tomorrow. My boys were home FINALLY we were all back together safe and sound.

Back up back up back up…the draft horses were good at this but then again we have done this many times before. Things were going smoothly today except for one of the first wagons. It was heavier than we expected. We will be breaking for lunch soon. If we didn’t need so many people we would eat in shifts and keep working stopping only long enough to change out horses on the counter weight.

N has some of the group and all of the animals around and down the long way. He said he would be back up top after lunch. Our two wagons will be the last to go down. Whoa boy it’s okay just a little more and we will down the hill with this one; only about half dozen more to go. You will be home tucked away in your stall tonight with an extra portion of grain. Yeah you like that don’t you ol’boy well looks like that wagon is down the hill, well one more then lunch time.

(Mean while at the bottom of the hill)

Hey N, Hey Jerry glad to see you made it. How are you settling in? Good, it is great to be back with Mom and the kids they took in are quite entertaining. Wow N have you ever seen so many pretty girls in one place. N had noticed that a lot of people were here since he knew his family wasn’t here he hadn’t been looking for anyone. Well he did look for Abigail but he didn’t expect to see her since Mr. S was at the top. He was disappointed in a way. Uh no Jerry I can’t say I have seen so many pretty girls in one place. You don’t really see them do you N. Humm not really, oh I looked when I first come down but no one caught my attention. So who is she? Jerry I think you have taken too many knocks on the head. He does protest too much. N looks long and hard at Jerry…Marine staring down Army but rank/age won out. Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t. Come on give a name. Fine Abigail. Whoa Mr. S goddaughter? Yeah you know her? LOL yeah I got to know her and her sister at the ranch, you will have your hands full with that one buddy. Me???…P is smitten with her sister. Elizabeth? Same one. Man you guys are braver than I am. First of all those two are spoiled brats and two they are Mr. S goddaughters, that would be like dating the general’s daughter. Well Jerry I dated a master sergeant’s daughter and lived to tell about it and P dated a colonel's daughter and lived so I guess I will have to deal with the spoiled brat. Jerry shakes his head and walks off mumbling something about him not being the one with too many knocks on the head. N watches him as he leaves then heads over to get something to eat.

Just as he gets his plate he feels a slap on the back it was P he had come down with the last wagon to eat. They have brought all the women, children and animals down. How many wagons are left P? About half dozen two of which are ours. Mr. S thinks we will be finished in 4 or 5 hours once we get started back. Good we will be home before sundown. Stop looking around P they are not here. I wasn’t look for them. Oh don’t go there Jerry has already nailed me to the wall. He is here? Yeah he said something about going on and driving a couple of the wagons down. Maybe I will see him at the top then. We switching after lunch P? Yeah I guess. We will change out the horses too. Oh Mr. S told me on the way down that our team of oxen and wagon will be used to haul stuff to the lodge and we can pick them up there. Ok maybe we will ride in together and pick it up later in the week. I was just thinking that N. Well looks like everyone is finished. Let’s get this show on the road. I am so ready for my bed in my new house. Oh that’s right N you haven’t seen your new house. Well you did run back to get your rifle. Wait that was still up the mountain at mom and dad’s wasn’t it. Yeah it was I rode past it but it was dark so I really didn’t see it. I heard Mr. S remodeled yours also. What?!?! Yeah dad said something about Mr. S adding on to yours and putting the finishing touches on that you didn’t get to before you left. Now this I have got to see. Well the sooner those wagons are down the sooner we can go home. Well what are you waiting on N Christmas?

(at the southern most end of the valley up on the mountain…)

You are up early M23B. I guess I am Abby. The girls slept better last night so I was able to cat nap. I need to get my days and night straight especially since we are going wild green gathering Friday. I figured I would take a nap this morning then go to bed with the girls, we will sleep in my bed that way if they wake up they will wake me up. So what is on the agenda for today? I feel like I have lost a week, I never was any good working the night shift. Abby and Beth looked at each other (they had hoped to surprise M23B with the laundry but now that she is up they didn’t know how that would work.) Beth spoke up and said well since you are up you and Abby can check out the lower garden and see how the corn is coming along. And see if there are anymore strawberries you would probably want to dry some more. Abby jumped right in and followed Beth’s lead and said yeah Beth can stay up here and entertain the twins. Sounds good to me let me grab some baskets and then we will head down. Abby jumped up and said I will get them I will meet you at front. Ok?!?!? (something was up but I didn’t know what) I will look in on the twins and then we will head down. Where is SF and the boys? They are cutting hay again today. They almost have all of the hay lofts full. I think they are working on W’s now. They filled yours Monday then yesterday they were able to P’s and half of N’s filled so today they are finishing N and starting on W’s. SF said he wanted to get all the lofts filled before fall and before the rain gets here. He said that it looks like it will rain tomorrow. Oh I hope it does rain tomorrow that means it will make transplanting wild plants easier. Plus we need the rain. Abby was back with the baskets so we headed down the mountain to the first plateau to check on the garden there.

The girls were acting strange but I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Maybe they are ready to move back to the lodge. So Abby how are you liking the valley? Well to tell you the truth I am not sure. It is totally different than what we are used it. OH honey it is different that what any of us are used to. Remember we were used to having running water and a toilet that would flush. Abby laughed and yeah I guess you were. But I meant we grew up with servants and we didn’t have to do anything but be social butterflies. This life style is so different so demanding. I didn’t know what to say to Abby. She didn’t realize it was different and demanding on all of us. We were quite for a few minutes then she said something that surprised me…Yes I like the valley. There are some really nice people here. There are some really nice guys here to…real southern gentlemen. She blushed when she said that.

Abby I don’t how to say this so I am just going to ask it flat out. She looked at me kind of funny. I took a deep breath and said how much longer to you and Beth plan on staying with us. She looked hurt before I could finish. I went on to explain that we were concerned about them staying in the tent and we did not want them to get trapped at this end of the valley without some type of solid roof over their heads. I told her it is not that we don’t enjoy having them we were just concerned about their safety if bad weather set in. She smiled then and said they had been talking about it and would like to stay until the harvest was over then go back to the lodge. I told her that SF said we were just going to have to add another addition on to the cottage for them. She laughed and said no that we wouldn’t have to do that. She said they were actually using us to learn all they could because there were a couple of certain gentleman they wanted to impress. I told her I thought that usage was a two way street. They had been a BIG help to us not only with the gardens but now with the twins. She asked me if I thought life was like this when the settlers first started coming west. I told her I was pretty sure that every time a new settlement was started from the pilgrims to those that settled in California and Alaska it was done this way.

We worked in silence for a while longer then moved on down to the lower garden. SF and the boys come by and stopped to help gather corn. SF told that he had planned on cutting the stalks and hang them in the barn to dry. Then we could shell off corn to grind this winter for cornmeal. Right now I was just working on getting enough for a couple of meals. We rode back up the mountain in the buckboard as we pulled in we caught Beth hanging the last load of clothes then it hit me what they were up too. I hugged both her and Abby and told them they didn’t have to do the laundry but I surely appreciated it. I think it embarrassed Beth that we caught her.

Lunch was fresh vegetables. We grilled corn, and stir-fried green beans and grilled squash. We even had a couple of ripe tomatoes and red onion. And there was muskmelon. Yummy juicy muskmelon. The watermelons are not ready but that was the best muskmelon I had eaten in a long time. The twins loved it I think all they ate was corn and muskmelon good thing there was two of them. Labor Day we should have a good supply of corn, watermelon and muskmelons. The okra is coming in I will need to start canning and drying that next week.

There is so much to do and right now all I can think about is a nap.

Peeking in on M23B's mountain.

Well girls how were the patients today. They were not as cranky earlier today, but this evening their fever spiked again. Abby is M23B still asleep? Yes sir the girls were clinging to her this morning and didn't want her to go to bed so it was almost lunch time before she went to sleep. I appreciate you girls staying and helping. I don't know what I would have done with you. V is tied up helping K with Zoe, she has a bad case and is really cranky but at least she doesn't have to watched 24/7 kept from scratching. That is true and there is only one of her. LOL Beth that is so true. Well lets see what we can come up with for dinner. Oh M23B made hobo dinners and stuck them in the fire pit she said they should be ready by dinner time.

SF I am worried about M23B she doesn't look well. Beth she is not a night person. She tried working night shift before and nearly drove us all over the edge. Well Abby and I could switch with her. Good luck Beth but I think she had rather do it this way she can handle the girls at night by herself but they need one on one during the day. Plus this way she can can stuff at night when it is cooler. I saw all the beans this morning she had canned. Yeah Connor and Aidan had picked them yesterday. She also sliced the squash and zucchini and set it to drying. Well girls let's let her sleep a while longer are the twins alseep. Yes Beth and I gave them another oatmeal bath and then Beth read to them they have been asleep for about 30 mins now. Well lets go outside so we dont' wake them.

Checking on with P&N (around the camp fire at the top of the hill)....

Hey P can you believe it we will be home in our beds in less than 48 hours!

Can't come soon enough N. I am so trail weary I don't think I went to see a wagon or saddle for the next 6 months.

LOL P what are you going to do ride you bike?

Or walk...as much as I love horses I am tired of traveling. Say N what are you going to do when we get to the valley?

I have been thinking about that at first I thought I would look up Abigail but I think I would like sleep and a hot shower and shave first.

Yeah she would probably appreciate the hot shower and save (whoomp...towel bounces off P's head)

Yeah well at least I remembered soap on this trip.

I can't help it we used all of mine on the last trip.

So P what are you going to do once everyone is down the hill?

Probably the same as you but you know we will have to stop by and see mom before heading to our place.

You don't think she is already at the bottom of the hill?

You have a point ok so we will have to go and have dinner with her and we will have to deliver all of her stuff.

Dibs on the canoe...

If you think for one moment that mom is going to let you have that canoe you are crazy anyway if she doesn't want it I get it.

You just how do you figure that

Well N I am the oldest and I figured out how to get it here.

Excuse me but it was my suggestion to tie the hammock to the bows of the wagon cover and store the canoe in the hammock.

Fine if you are going to be such a baby and you are the baby of the family then I guess we can share it.

Emma and Sophie are the babies now. I wonder how they are doing. Think they have forgotten us over the last 5-6 weeks?

I doubt it but who knows. Oh darn N please tell me you remembered to pack those dolls that got left behind.

Dolls what dolls (P gives N dirty look) Oh you mean those dolls. Of course, some brother you are just now remembering them.

Hey at least I remembered the perfume and nail polish for Abigail and Elizabeth.

Fine we will call it a draw.

Hey P what do you think of Abigail?

N you could do worse. What do you think of Elizabeth?

You could do worse. (The towels lands on top of N's head) Do you think they have taken to valley life yet.

Oh gag me with a spoon we live in the "valley" LOL (N just shakes his at at P as him does his Valley Girl impersonation)

Well N since you don't like my valley girl impersonation I am turning in. Hopefully we will be able to get an ealrly start and get everyone down the hill.

Just as P started to climb in to the wagon Mr. S rode up. Well boys looks like it is finally the end of the trail for now. Yes sir hopefully the next group will be the Rocks. I hope so too boys. Well I come to give you some news. No sure if it is bad but the twins have the chicken pox they woke up Monday covered in spots so your family will not be at the bottom of the hill. Mr. S, yes P, do they know we are here. No your dad delivered a wagon and a team of oxen Sunday but at the time I wasn't expecting you to next Monday so I told him y'all would be here within a week. He had already left when the messenger arrived letting me know you were 3 days out then when your dad arrived to give the news of the chicken pox I wasn't at the lodge and Chef didn't think to let him know you would be here today. Wonderful...P looked at N...Wonderful? Sure P don't you see we can surprise mom. She doesnt' know we are here. Hum boys do you really want to do that I mean she has two 3 yrolds with the chicken pox. Sure we do. Mr. S you don't know our mom. We never get to surprise her. She always figures things out. Never once have we been able to give her something without her figuring it out before hand. Wait P there was that one time we hid her box of chocolate in the freezer under all of the eggplant. LOL oh yeah N I forgot about that but she had had the flu the whole week before Mother's day that she could have cared less if we knocked the house down around us as long as we let her sleep. When was this boys? Uh...well Mr. S I guess that would have been last year. LOL Ok well I will let you boys turn in I want to start at sun up so we can be through before night fall. Mother's clan is here to help along with a few others. I know you parents are going to be upset with me for not letting them know but I know they need to focus on the twins right now. And there are plenty of strong bodies to help this time. Mr. S did Jerry and the mule team make it oka. Sure did N. Jerry said they came on with no problem, well of to bed boys this time tomorrow you should be in your own beds. See you in the morning Mr. S. Night boys

Well SF and I finally got to talk this morning. He joined me on my “ledge” this morning. He asked if I had gotten any sleep. I told him not much the girls had been restless all night and had cried in their sleep. I ended up sleeping in their room. I put them both in the same bed and took the other bed. He told me that I should take a nap with the girls today that I looked dead on my feet. I laughed and gee thanks honey I love you too. He chuckled and said he didn’t mean it that way he just meant I looked exhausted. And he was right I am exhausted. We chatted about the visit yesterday. He said he got a chance to talk to Mr. S and told him what he would like to with the water tower and Mr. S was interested. He said that is something that needs to be looked into. SF said he explained to Mr. S about trying to obtain metal bands and Mr. S said he would see what he could do to about locating some. Mr. S told SF that he would send Mr. Rock a message and have him start looking. Mr. S also thanked him for bringing our wagon and a set of oxen. He told SF that he expects the WT within the week.

SF told me he saw Mrs. Q and said she would love to go gathering wild plant life. I told him we should go Friday especially since the WT would be here within the week. I want to get as many of the herbs gathered so I can dry some and also transplant some to the greenhouse. SF said he would ride over this morning and tell her. He also told me that all the men were going to gather firewood. SF wants to move to gathering wood between our cottage and the back of The Q’s. He and Connor have already gathered a lot of the dead wood between us and the river. SF said there is probably another 4 or 5 cords but he wants to check out the other side of us. I told him that I am sure the Q’s need help gathering wood. SF said when P&N get back they are going to start at the trapper’s cabin and work around to the river. Making sure everyone has at 12 cords of wood. R said they had been working on their wood and pretty well set. So far he B and Ray had gathered 10 cords gathered for K and 8 for R&V. Ray has 5 cords. I was glad to hear they had been working like crazy getting ready for winter.

As SF and I were talking I noticed E and K crossing the river and headed to the garden they were in the strawberry patch. SF told me that V said they would be ok come winter. Her and the girls were trying to put up 3 months of fresh food each. They didn’t want to take away from our family since they came with lots of dried food. Said they would need mostly fruits and meats. They would like some potatoes, onions and winter squash but would not be upset if there was not enough for them. She wants us to give any extra to Ray. V sent word that she would be over to help me put stuff up that she needed the practice. I told SF I was glad that V and family came prepared that I had been worried about not having enough planted for everyone. SF said that he was sure they would be ok through this winter and through the summer until next years garden started producing. I told SF that once I was sure we had enough to see us, P&N and W&A through winter and into next summer then I would send the extra over to Ray. SF said that V wants to go with us when we gather the wild plants. He said that Ray hold told him the women over the river had been busy getting the green houses up and going. They had turnip greens, collards, onions, along carrots and other winter crops. That made me feel so much better. I don’t know why I was worrying about them they lived a farmer’s lifestyle and knew the dangers of not being prepared.

Out of the blue SF started laughing, I asked him what was so funny. He told me that he saw Mt.Rider and she was asking about the weather at this end of the valley. She wanted to move down here because of the wind. I laughed and told him did he tell her that the wind had been nasty at this end also. He said yeah and said she just huffed. He was still laughing. I said they must have had some strong winds earlier this week. He said they probably got the brunt of it since it was blowing from the south. I told him come winter she will be glad she is at that end of the valley. We will get the northern wind and freeze out butts off. SF said he doesn’t know how the boys are going to like living near the river this winter. That wind off the water brrrrrrr.

SF surprised me and said he was concerned about some of the people in the valley. I just looked at him. He went on to explain that he heard people talking about how they were going to barter for what they needed this winter. I didn’t say anything I just kept quite and let him talk. I didn’t tell him that is what had concerned me the most. I knew Mr. S&H had stocked the lodge with supplies but with so many coming on WT 2&3 those supplies will be put to the test. SF was shaking his head and said unless Mr. S asked us to barter he really didn’t want to not this year. We really didn’t have anything to barter other and a few pigs but he wanted to make sure all of our clan had plenty. We really didn’t have the herds to slaughter this year. Other than the 12 roos that I was going to cull we really couldn’t cull the chickens. R&V brought a couple steers but that is just enough for each family to have a side of beef and the single members will only get a ¼ of a side. It was decided when they arrived that the beef would be divided based on size of family. Sf told me that R&V had been approached by Mr. S about taking in a couple of the orphans coming in. I asked what they said, he just grinned and said what do you think they said. I smiled I knew they loved kids as much as we did so they will be getting a new family. We continued to discuss the storage situation when we heard Connor hollering. We took off running. SF and his long legs ate up the ground faster than I could so he arrived about 10 paces ahead of me.

Emma and Sophie stood in the door crying and covered in spots…Chicken Pox. Abby and Beth had heard Connor hollering and come running also. Beth said they had the pox so they would help with the twins. Great I sent Beth to boil some oatmeal I told her to make it thin and then pour it in the tub. I told her to strain the mush through cheese cloth and then tie the cloth up and toss it in the water. SF went to get the tub ready. The girls were covered from head to toe. I asked Connor if he had ever had the Chicken Pox he said that he got them from Aidan when he was a baby. Thank goodness. I asked him if anyone at the ranch had spots on them. He said that one of the worker’s kids had had them before they left. SF was back and I told him what Connor said about the worker at the ranch children having spots before they left. He said he was headed to The Q’s now and warn them. He would also go by and let K know so she can keep an eye on Zoe and he would let W know so that they can watch their kids. He would also ride to the lodge and let them know so the messenger could be sent out. I cringed when I thought of all the children that had come in on WT#2. SF asked what I wanted to do about the plant gathering hen party, I told him to tell Q we would schedule it later, Abby told me to keep the date that she would stay with the girls while we were gone. That she knew we needed to get those herbs gathered. I smiled and told him to tell Q we would go Friday if none of hers were sick. By then the girls should be over the worse of it. We would have to keep in out of the sun. SF went and run a cord from the converters to the girls room and set up a fan that he had brought with us. He said they needed to be kept cool and if need be we would unplug the freezer. He said it was time those solar panels were tested.

Beth came and said the bath was ready. She had also made dry toast. The boys ran to do chores, SF headed out to deliver messages. That left Abby and I to bathe the girls. SF had to tub full of cool water and I noticed a cheese cloth full of oatmeal. I left Abby to watch them in the tub while I made some Chamomile tea. I hoped to get a couple of tablespoons down each one of them both were running fevers. The cool bath would go a long way in bringing down their temperature but they couldn’t stay in there all day or they would get chilled. I headed to drag out the medicine tote, I was pretty sure I had come calamine lotion. We will have a body painting party they will like that and they both love pink. Oh socks for the hands, can’t have them scratching. I also went and found a couple of SF’s white undershirts for them to wear.

With my stash in hand I headed back to the tub to help get the girls out. Both Abby and Beth were with the twins so I ask them just to wrap the girls in towels and bring them into the cabin. I handed Abby and Beth each a cotton ball and the bottle of calamine and told them to dab each spot and to let it dry before dressing the girls in the t-shirts. I headed to get their tea and toast. When I got back they looked so cute in their pink polka-dots. After we were sure the lotion was dry we had a tea party at the kitchen table. They didn’t like the tea though it was diluted but we did manage to get a good bit down them along with their toast. Abby read Dr. Seuss books to them. I now know why I hung on to those books even after all these years.

After One Fish Two Fish both girls were asleep. It was still cool in the cottage so we didn’t turn the fan on. Abby join Beth and I in the kitchen and we discussed what would need to be done for the next few days. This little surprise has set us back but nothing to be done about it. I pulled out my herb book and showed Abby and Beth the elderberry pictures and I told them where I had see them. Beth knew exactly what I wanted. She said that her grandmother made elderberry juice and had helped pick the berries when they were little. That was until their mother saw their hands and refused to let them help anymore. So they headed out to pick berries so we could make elderberry juice.

V arrived a short time later with the makings of chicken soup. K had taken Zoe back to home and told her mom what was happening at our place so V come to help. We talked a few minutes and I told that Abby and Beth were gathering elderberries for juice. We talked about her new family then she sent me back to bed and told me to rest since I would be the one on night duty. Before going to lie down I showed her my stock of Chamomile tea and I told her they girls had willow bark tea and toast about an hour ago. She shooed me off to bed and headed out to the summer kitchen to make chicken soup.

A couple of hours later I hear the twins stirring so I went to check on them and they were still running a fever. I had children’s liquid Motrin and liquid Tylenol but I wanted to give the tea a chance to work. I have them some strawberries and Chamomile tea and we were reading Green Eggs and Ham when Abby and Beth returned. Abby come to check on the girls and found them in bed with me. She said they were working on the juice now. The girls dozed off again but it was a fitful sleep so I knew they would not sleep long. V come back in the cabin and said the soup was just about ready. She said she cheated and had about a half gallon of juice just about ready. I just looked at her, she said ok so I didn’t let it set over night and I squished the berries before boiling them. She said that the girls had picked enough berries to make about 2 gallons of juice so she has some going the old fashion way and then she rushed some so the twins would have it to drink today.

I told her their temperatures were not coming down with the tea so I was going to give them some children’s Tylenol if that didn’t I had the liquid Motrin also. I told her about the freezer and asked her to freeze some water in some zip lock bags. I told her if the fever didn’t come down then we would pack them in ice. I gave her a box of quart size freezer bags and asked her to freeze about a dozen bags. She laughed she said she couldn’t believe we had brought a freezer. I told her it was a tiny one only 5 cubic ft and it was a chest freezer. That is where we have been keeping the meat. Call me paranoid but until the weather drops and it starts staying in the 30s the freezer will be used. I went on to explain how we got it here and she couldn’t believe that W had rigged the wheels of the wagon to charge the batteries. I told her that he had been a life savior that I had hit a big reduced meat sale just before we left and didn’t have time to can it so we froze it all and brought it with us. She went to fill the bags with water and freeze them. When she came back she said that she had only filled them half full but had laid them on their side so they would freeze faster.

The girls were up and crankier so we feed them soup and elderberry juice which they loved and I gave them each a dose of Tylenol. So we went back to bed and read and colored. They were asleep again in about an hour. This time I slept with them. It was later when I woke and I was alone. V had Beth and Abby give the twins another bath this time it was with cooler water and she put baking soda in the water. They were still running a fever but it wasn’t as high. She dressed them in t-shirts again and Beth was reading to them in their room. Abby and V were working on dinner so I went back to bed.

V left later in the evening and Abby and Beth entertained the twins until bed time. I had slept most of the afternoon so I was ready for night duty and as cranky as they were I could tell it was going to be a long night. SF said he would take their room and they could sleep in our room with me.

We gave them another bath and painted them pink again. Put socks back on the their hands to keep them from scratching and we were having a tea party when SF came in. I told him I was trying to get the Chamomile tea down them to help them sleep tonight. So he joined the tea party. I had added a little honey to their tea to help sweeten it. We were able to get a whole cup down each one of them. SF tucked up in bed and we read some more in about an hour they were asleep.

By morning I felt like I had newborns in the house. They were awake every two hours last night and they were miserable. But between the tea and calamine lotion we had survived the first 24 hours. Abby and Beth were back on duty. So I headed to bed. SF stopped and told me that Megan had said they had all had the chicken pox. A said that Sean and Kyle had both the chicken pox so it looked like the only ones we were worrying about now was the twins and Zoe. Our worst fears were confirmed about an hour later when Ray rode into the yard. Zoe woke up this morning covered in spots. V sent word that she was staying with K today and they had everything under control.

I asked SF if Q’s group had had the chicken pox and he said he didn’t ask he just told them that the twins had broke out and that Connor had said that one of the kids from the ranch had had the spots before they left. He said he would check on them later. But for now I was to go to bed.

(IRL have pulled my back sneezing. Stop laughing it is pollen season and I have been having sneezing fits)

Emma wasn't feeling up to snuff this morning so SF took Connor, Aidan Beth and Abby and they rode to the lodge. The twins and I stayed at home. SF wanted to talk to Mr. S and I asked him to drop a note off there for Q asking her if she wanted to go with me to gather wild greens and herbs. SF told me not to worry about food for them they would make do with sandwiches. I made blueberry muffins last night and used some of my long term storage sausage and make a breakfast casserole. I knew we would be leaving early so I fixed it last night and set it in the cave so it would be ready to eat this morning. I left beans on the cook stove cooking over night to make burritos for lunch today.

After SF and the others left both girls were cranky so we went back to bed. We curled up on my bed and read to them until they were both asleep. Moved them to their bed and then set up my quilting rack by the fireplace. I wanted to get several more quilts made before winter. I had quilts and blankets for our bed but needed quilts for the children's bed. In the last delievery of fabric there was some fleece in there to make blankets and sheets out of so I will need to get those sewed up soon. Right now I am working on a jean quilt. (IRL) I took all the worn out jeans that the guys had and cut them into squares and am making a quilt.

This also gave me time to think about what is left to do before winter. Mr. S told us we would probably start having freezing temps at night around the middle of October if not before. He also told us not to be surprised if there was snow on the ground before Thanksgiving. Here it is the first of August and we have 8 weeks of good weather. So much to do so little time. We need more firewood. SF has gotten us up about 5 cords of dead wood but that will burn fast since it is so dry. We need at least 10 more cords. SF said he probably could get 5 more cords of dead wood but then he would have to start cutting trees. Neither of us really want to cut trees.

Meat we were going to need fresh meat for the winter. It is still too hot to go hunting. Hopefully after the harvest is in then the guys can go hunting. I have about a dozen chickens that I am going to cull, too many roos. We have a couple of lambs we will cull this winter also. They are males and have been casterated so SF doesn't want to feed them through the winter. Plus we have all those pigs but we are hoping to use some of them to barter with. Darn I forgot to tell SF to put a sign up at the lodge about the pigs. I know we need to send a couple to the lodge.

The twins were still asleep so I headed to the garden. Beth and Abby had picked a bunch of cucumbers yesterday and they said they left quite a few because they were not sure if they were big enough. I don't want them too big for pickles. There were a bunch of little cucumbers that would make perfect size sweet pickles. Two buckets later the twins were calling me. So I headed back to the cabin. I figured they would be hungry so I sat them at the table with milk and muffins. I sat about making bread and butter pickles and sweet pickles. I plan on using the cucumbers the girls gathered yesterday for the bread and butter pickles since they are bigger and the baby cukes I gathered for the sweet pickles.

I dug out my bread and butter pickle recipe and started to work.

25 or 30 med. cucumbers

8 lg. white onions

2 lg. sweet peppers

1/2 c. salt

5 c. vinegar (white 40 to 50 grain)

5 c. sugar

2 tbsp. mustard seed

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. cloves

Wash cucumbers and slice thin. Chop onions and peppers. Combine all with salt and let stand three hours and wash and drain. Combine vinegar and sugar and spices. Put in large pot and bring to boil. Add drained cucumbers. Heat thoroughly. Do not boil. Pack while hot in sterilized jars and seal.

I set about cutting the cucumbers and copped the onions and peppers and added the salt and let them standing. I turned my attention to the sweet pickles. For this recipe I am going to use the little cucumbers. This is my grandmother's recipe.

1 qt. vinegar

4 c. sugar

2 tbsp. salt

1 gallon cucumbers, sliced(or 8 pounds of baby cucumbers the no bigger than your little finger)

2 tbsp. mixed spices

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and spices and bring to boil. Add cucumbers, heat until cucumbers are hot through or turn color, not more than 5 minutes. Place in sterilized jars and seal. Process jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

By the time that SF and everyone was back the twins and I had 24 pints of sweet and crunchy pickles canned and had started working on the Bread and Butter pickles. I hope to put up at least 24 more pints of each. I also need to put up pickle relish and a few pints of dill pickles. We don't each many dill pickles the guys eat them mostly with BBQ sandwiches. I need to send word to V that her and her girls need to come and gather cucumbers. I am sure the ones down the mountain need gathering also.

While I finished the bread and butter pickles Beth and Abby set about making burritos. They were disappointed that I didn't wait on them to do the pickles but I told them that there were plently more out that and I still wanted to make another batch of both. Plus we needed to make relish and dill pickles.

The twins were still cranky so they were put down for naps. Abby said they would not go down for naps yesterday so that is probably what is wrong. I agreed but we will see how they are tomorrow.

Roof over our heads - check

Green house - check

Barn - check

Outhouse - check

Smoke house - check

Root cellar - check

Ok so we have all the basic buildings in place thank goodness for the cold cave I would have hated to have to dig a root cellar up here on the mountain. But that leads to the next problem we may face…water in the winter. We are concerned that since our springs are feed by a water source on up the mountain if they will freeze up this winter. We are even concerned about the cold spring in the cave. So this morning SF and I left the children in Beth and Abby’s care and rode up the mountain and then on foot until we reached the top. We rode the donkeys since they seem to have more sure footing on the loose stones than the horses. What we saw was breath taking and down right scary.

When we got to the top we looked back over the valley and it was beautiful and breath taking. We had our field glasses so we could see for miles. I thought the view from my “ledge” was beautiful this was awesome. The valley looks like thumb print in the middle of a cookie. The river that runs through the valley comes out on the backside of our mountain in a waterfall. If the looks of it from here it is a steep drop off so whatever or whoever gets stuck in the river and we don’t get them out well it looks like they will go over the fall.

Looking around we really didn’t see anything other than a few bison grazing below. It was eerie quite. I don’t know if it was because we were so far up and couldn’t hear or just no one is around. We followed the rim of the mountain as far we could and we got close to R&V place. The back side of their mountain was greener I guess because the rain doesn’t always make it over the mountain. But still no signs of life.

We did find the source of our stream, it is a natural stream and we found out why it is so cold. There is a big chunk of ice still up there. Sf said he was afraid of that, he said it will probably freeze this winter and we will be without water. We did not find the water source for the cave so I am hoping it is a natural stream inside the mountain and it doesn’t freeze.

On the way back down the mountain we discussed what we would do for water this winter not only for us but for the animals. SF only solution was to store it. He said he doubted we would be able to dig a well since he is pretty sure 3 ft down we would his stone. On the ride back down I was thinking we would have to store a lot of water and I did not have a sufficient means of storing water. He said he would talk to R and Ray when we got back and see if they had any ideas. They will face the same problem we will face.

I suggested that we fence in the area around the pond for the animals this winter. We can always bust the ice so they can have water. Sf agreed that might work since the pond is fed by and natural under ground spring. I asked what are the chances of us building something like a water tower like they used back when the trains ran on steam. He looked at me like I was crazy but said nothing. As we were just about home he said it may work. I said what may work SF said you idea for the water tower. He asked if any of the books I brought had anything on water towers. I told him I wasn’t sure but if I didn’t have something I was pretty sure the library did and if they didn’t we could send a letter to the Rocks. He said he was going to have to send a letter to the Mr. Rock anyway, we would need metal bands to hold it all together.

SF said we needed to ride into the lodge tomorrow. So we needed to hurry home and get things ready. It was just about dusk when we rode back into the yard. You would have thought we had been gone weeks by the way we were greeted. The girls were upset with us because we left them and the guys were starving. Beth said they didn’t like what they cooked. I asked what did they cook and she said mac&cheese and vegetables. Connor whispered after Beth walked away that the noodles were still crunchy. Sf chuckled but a swift poke in the ribs form my elbow stopped it.

I told them well since we missed supper and we were starving we would have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I actually think Abby looked relieved. Abby and Beth went about gathering everything up while we washed up and Connor and Aidan took the mules to the barn to settle them in for the evening. Once everyone was back we told them what we had seen and about the water. The information went over Aidan and the twins head but Connor caught on that we were worried about the water source. Abby and Beth asked about the cave water and we told them we didn’t find the source for it that we are hoping it is a natural feed spring like the pond. We told them that we would be fencing in the pond for the cattle this winter and if it froze we could just break the ice. Connor asked what we were going to do about water. SF told him right now we would have to store water.

We sent them all off to bed Abby and Beth stayed behind to help get food ready to go to the lodge tomorrow. SF sent them off to bed quickly though he told them that we would leave early in the morning.

As we crawled in to bed I told SF I wanted to go back up the mountain this next week I saw a lot of plants that I recognized from my plant book and I want to take it with me and if it was really the plant I needed to harves some. He said ok he told check with Q and V and see if they wanted to go also.

Seven weeks now that P&N have been on the trail. I will be so glad when they are back in the valley. I am worried about them on this trip. After so much happened with the last group coming in I am just deeply concerned for their safety. They should be here in a couple of weeks. If I guess correctly they will be here around the 15th give or take a week. Hopefully the weather will hold and they will travel from sun up to sun down.

I was deep into my pity party mourning P&N not being with us and working with the squash and zucchini when everyone returned for lunch. SF had gone fishing yesterday evening caught enough for lunch today. So we are having gilled fish and veggies today. I wasn’t expecting any extras for lunch today so when Mr. S rode in to the yard with SF I was a little surprised. I was pleased to see him it is not often we get visitors. Actually I was hoping he had news of the wagon train but he said he hadn’t heard anything. He expected then around the middle of the month. He said if they had not arrived by the 15th then he would send some men to look for them. He had ridden out to check on Beth and Abby…they are still Elizabeth and Abigail to him but to us and the children they are Beth and Abby. He got a funny look on his face when Sophie called Abigail Abby at lunch. It was funny in a way. After lunch Beth and Abby took Emma and Sophie and got them cleaned up for their afternoon naps. Beth and Abby have started taking turns reading to them while they “rest” in the hammock. Mr. S was speechless as to how the young ladies had matured and grown. He asked how they were doing and SF told him that he had been thinking about adding another addition on the cottage for them. We all chuckled over that. I told him they had been very helpful and had been taking notes. As a matter of fact Beth is the one that prepared lunch today. Mr. S seemed pleased that they had been willing to learn and were learning rather quickly.

Mr. S noticed the deer skin that we had been tanning and said the second part of his visit was to check the wild life at this end of the valley. He wanted to know the quantity of wild life we had here. SF and I both started listing animals we had seen like elk, deer, pheasant, squirrel, rabbits, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, plus the streams and river were full of trout, bluegill, and bass. We had also seen dove, quail, grouse and turkeys. I told him we had wild strawberries, blackberries, grapes, and raspberries. I explained that I was not that familiar with the wild plant life as I was just learning but I knew we had lots of lambs quarter and thimbleberries. There was what I thought was elderberries and chokecherries but since I had never used those before I wanted someone with more experience to verify that that’s what they really where.

Mr. S also asked about our live stock and if we had planned on using any for bartering. SF told him that we had some pigs we had planned on bartering with and maybe even some chickens. Our goat and sheep herd was still small and we would need to build them up before we started slaughtering them. We also had geese and ducks but again they were few and would need at least another year or so before we even thought about slaughtering any of those. We were using them for eggs right now.

SF gave me a strange look then flat out asked Mr. S was there some that were not prepared for winter. Mr. S assured us that everyone was working as hard as they could but with the last two wagon trains coming in he was concerned especially since this was our first winter here. He was also concerned with the gardens going in late if they would produce enough to get everyone through the winter. He said they did have some food stored at the lodge but he had hoped that it would not be depleted the first year. SF and I felt sorry for him. He looked like he had the weight of the world (ok so the weight of the valley) on his shoulders.

I told him that the gardens really didn’t go in too late for this hardiness zone. Since we were in zone 5 May started our planting season. Not only that but we were still having really cool nights the first of May. I told him that I was pretty sure that there would be enough wild life to provide meat and with what we could produce in the gardens could be supplemented by the wild fruit and greens we could find. SF told him not to worry about us or anyone at this end of the valley we would not starve this winter. That we may be eating dried beans that we had brought with us but we would not starve. SF also told him that R&V parents had taken extra precautions and had sent them well prepared for the winter. He told him that Buster and Nellie knew R&V and their family would arrive too late to really get a garden going so they had sent them well stocked on dried and canned food. Plus we had planted extra when we learned that they were joining us here in the valley. I told Mr. S that I also had the green house up and going and had planted quite a bit already. I still had collards and turnip greens to plant but those would go in the ground in the next few weeks. SF even told him not to worry about the Q’s and their group that we would make sure that they would get through the winter. Especially now that Jerry was here he would take care of his parents and new siblings.

Mr. S was concerned since we were the farthest away from the lodge that when winter set in we would probably be cut off. SF motioned Mr. S to follow us as he took my hand and led Mr. S to my ledge. Mr. S just smiled when looked around. He had a clear view of W&A’s place as well as N’s and P’s place. SF told him with field glasses he could R&V and their family across the river and the chimney smoke from the lodge. I pointed out that we could see smoke from the Q’s and knew about what it looked like on a daily basis so if we didn’t see smoke or saw too much we knew to go and check on them.

Mr. S surprised to see the bridge that was being constructed at our end of the valley. He asked how it going. SF told slowly, that we were hoping that my brother had been able to secure some cement for us. Mr. S said if he could to let me know that he might have a solution. We looked at him funny and said ok. Mr. S asked when we planned to work on it again. SF told him after the boys got back and we knew about the cement. Right now we were cutting logs and gathering rocks. It was sort of an on going project. Our goal was to have it finished before winter set in so that we would not have cross in the ice cold water. Mr. S just nodded and said he would get with SF after the last wagon train was in and he would see about getting help down here to get the bridge built. He said he was glad to see that we had allowed for flooding and had built back up on dry land a good ways. SF said yeah that we remembered what happen with the bridge at the lodge when we first arrived.

Mr. S left us and went to speak to Abby and Beth but stopped and come back. He had this impish look on his face and asked since when did the girls go by Abby and Beth. I smiled and said ever since they have been here the twins have called them Abby and Beth. He just hooted with laughter. I asked why, he said well they have never allowed their names to be shortened before even when they were little they would correct any that tried to shorten their name and say that is not my name my name is Abigail or Elizabeth. I just shrugged my shoulders and told him That Emma and Sophie have a magic about them. He turned to leave chuckling while he walked across the yard.

SF went back to work in the field he was cutting more hay today. I headed back to work with the squash and zucchini I had asked SF to send any V’s group up that I had a bag of squash and zucchini to go across the river. He said that B would be back and he would make sure he rode up before going home. I know V and the girls were gathering more berries today and setting them to dry. We will need to pick the strawberries again tomorrow. I really need to go visit Q and get her to confirm if these are elderberries or not.

Journal Entry July 28

Three more days in July and panic is setting in...the gardens are taking FOREVER!!! to come in, about the only thing we are getting are the early crops. Back home we would be planting round two of the summer garden here well we are hoping round one is able to be harvested before the first snow fall. So this has gotten me to thinking - what happens if we have a hard freeze and we loose everything. I have been so focused on getting the garden planted and harvested that I really haven’t made a plan “b” so today is plan “b” It gave me something to think about while I was bent over pulling weeds.

The nagging question is “How can I adjust our diet to be less dependent on a massive garden that may or may not produce?” I have slowly been unpacking the boxes that we brought with us that had cook books, magazines, and a few other books. I ran across a Paleo cookbook and thought you know people didn’t always plant gardens but they still survived. So I thought if we focused more on the hunter/gatherer life style of the native Indians then we could supplement it with what food we able produce in the garden. This means detailed list of what was planted this year, what produced, how long it took to produce, what did not produce because it did not adapt to the climate here. Oh and earliest possible plant date as well as the first frost date in the fall.

With that in mind after lunch I went in search for my herb and wild plant books. I have been slowing trying to learn how to use herbs for food and medicine. (IRL I just discovered the weed that has taken over our yard is Lambs quarter) I know along the trail here Mother and some of the others picked “weeds” and ate them. So I need to figure out which of these “weeds” I can feed my family. I kept hearing lambs quarter talked about so I looked it up and OMG it is all over the mountain. According to my herb book the plants can grow to about four feet in height (4ft tall? they are taller than the twins-check) with multiple branches forming off of a main squarish looking central stem. (square stem-check with multiple branches-check) Lambs quarter leaves often have a white, pollen-like substance coating their undersides. (white substance on the underside-check) Now to figure out what to do with this “weed” According to the book it can be eaten steamed, or the young tender leaves can be eating raw in a salad. Ok so add lambs quarters to the list what else can we eat off the land?

There are nuts - well that is if we can beat the squirrels to them. Berries, we have been blessed with berries but are still waiting on some to come in. It looks like I am going to have to adjust our time line from living off the garden from June or July to August. It looks we will only have 90-110 max for garden growth instead of the 150-180 that I am used to, I want my zone 7 back! Thank goodness I will have the green house but it will still need the sunlight. I wonder about the length of days this winter. We are on the southern mountain range so we will have just a tad but more light than parts of the valley since we are up the face of the mountain some but once the sun cross the mountain ridge the light out goes fast.

Any way back to changing our diet for long term survival. What is around us that we can survive off of…I have seen thimbleberries – the book says thimbleberries are delicious, raw or cooked. They look like little strawberries. They make excellent jams and preserves, it can also be dried for later use, they are very seedy, and rich in vitamin C (vitamin C that is good.) Young shoots can be peeled and eaten cooked or raw. The shoots are harvested as they emerge in the spring, and while they are still young and tender. They can be cooked like asparagus and are rich in vitamin C too. The flowers are edible raw.

Of courses there is wild garlic, onion, daisies, grape leaves, evening primrose and more. Like I said this slow producing garden has made me realize that our days of growing food will be very limited and we have to have a back up plan not just for us but for the domesticated animals also. I personally would like for it to be a change now while there is some food scenario instead of OMG the garden failed however will we feed the children scenario. So we are going to start by limiting grains. We should be able to keep enough fiber in our diets with vegetables and wild greens and fruits. Next we will need to introduce a variety of protein in our diets without unbalancing the eco system here in the valley. Instead of just pheasant, deer and a mountain goat every once in a while we will have to introduce moose and elk into our diets. Well maybe not the moose that come to water at the stream below our cottage in the mornings and entertain me but other moose and elk. I have never had either of these so hopefully they will fairly easy to incorporate into our diet.

We will need to learn to use nut flour instead of just wheat flour. I have to broaden my horizon on the use of different herbs and move away from salt and pepper for seasoning foods. Salt is going to be hard to replace once it is gone. We don’t use a lot of it (even IRL a box of salt will last me at least a year) so it won’t be like that is a great sacrifice or anything.

Oh man so much to think about…back to the drawing board.

Peeking in on P&N

You know something N. Yeah I know a lot Yep N you a real know-it-all. LOL P what you like to know I thought dad had the talk with you a long time ago especially with you being the oldest and all. All right you keep that up and you will be walking back to the valley. Hummmm…well P it might just be a bit faster than this wagon train. Why does it seem like this one is slower? I don’t know N but like you I feel like I have been on the trail for a year now. Yeah I guess it does seem that way. Mom started packing us up and gathering stuff up before Christmas of last year. We have been in WT mode for a while now. Like you I will be glad when this trip is over with. Yep the Rocks will be the last one coming in and most of their stuff is already there and waiting on them. Mr. Rock told me they expect to pull out any day now. I know most of the ranch hands that are still there wish they would go ahead and go. Yeah they are P but Mrs. Rock said they are trying to wait out the harvest. They don’t want to leave it behind. I suspect they will be there by Thanksgiving.

I glad Uncle T is headed north. I know mom will be glad she was worried about him. P you think he will make it. Yeah he is pretty sure he will make it; he is meeting up with another group and headed that way. I know he was disappointed he couldn’t get the stuff mom wanted. Hey N what do you think are in those crates back there that he got for her. Oh he told me, they are whiskey. Whiskey, all 3 crates? Nope only one case is whiskey the other two are bourbon and rum. What is in the barrels? Let’s see he said one had fishing poles, line, hooks, and sinkers and there is also a reloader in there. Along with some casings and some fishing weights and molds, he said mom would know what to do with them. No gun powder? (N looks innocently at P and grins) Well P it is like this I wouldn’t bounce too hard if I was you. You are sitting on about 10 pounds. What? Sit down P you are going to fall out of the wagon. N what in the h*** do you mean I am sitting on it. You see those boxes under the seat? Yeah there are two here that look like the wooden boxes that mom and dad gave us one Christmas. Yep that’s the ones I am talking about. N you mean to tell me they have gun powder in them? Yep that is exactly what I am saying five pounds in each. T and I split what little powder he had. I gave him half of my shot gun shells and he gave me powder. So that is why you went flying back to your place the night before we left. Yeah I couldn’t let mom or dad know or she would have had a fit and P you can’t tell her. Mom is not to know about this trade. Why not? Well you know she still does not trust T. That is true N she doesn’t but why wouldn’t she like the trade. It is not that she won’t like it; well she won’t at first until she realizes we have a reloader and the necessary materials to make more rifle shells. N something tells me you are not telling me the whole story.

Dang P you are as bad as mom. No it is not the whole story. I traded T my shot 30-06 and the 726 for bows and arrows. WHAT?!?!?! Are you crazy two guns for bows and arrows? Kid mom is going to have your hide when she finds out. P that is why I said she couldn’t find out, plus she had no say in the matter I bought and paid for those two myself. *sigh* N if you believe that then I know the sun has baked your brain these past 10 weeks. All right N how many bows and how many arrows? Are you going to keep your trap shut? Well N that depends on how many bows and arrows you got. Fine three compound and 2 recurve and 1 gross of arrows but an additional 2 gross of arrow shafts and 1 additional gross of arrow heads plus some mag lights and a case of batteries and a couple of dozen knives. Well N not a bad trade but you are right mom is not going to like the loss of two long guns. What is in the second barrel? I don’t know T said that one was for mom. He was upset that he couldn’t get all of her stuff. I think the only thing he was able to get was more yeast, baking soda, and baking powder. There two 25# bags back there one is soda and one is powder. There are some seeds, and 100# of charcoal. But that was all he was able to get food wise. Supply wise well other than the fishing equipment and the bows he didn’t have anything else. The booze was payment from a guy. And the bull? Well he said don’t ask about the bull he would tell me no lies. Great I hope it doesn’t have a tracking device. LOL What is so funny N? Well T said to tell mom not to worry about the chip that they took care of it. So what are these other packages of hers? That is stuff she ordered. Mrs. Rock seems to think a couple of them are seedlings since they are from a nursery and a couple of them are fabric. There is thread and needles also. How do you know all of this? Well P while you were helping Mt.Rider’s family load their wagons Mrs. Rock and tried to pack stuff in our wagon as tight as we could so I opened a couple of the packages and wrapped them in brown paper and left the boxes behind. I am curious though. About what? Well P there is that box back there with a lock on it. T didn’t give me a key to it. P you know something don’t you. Well T sent mom a key last trip and told her she would know what to do with it when she got the package. What do you think is in it? Which one the one wrapped up like Ft. Knox? Yep that one. Have no clue but T said we were to deliver that one to mom and no one else. Well all I know it is not heavy probably weighs about 5-10 pounds.

P I am so glad that this is the last trip. I wish Abigail and Elizabeth had been on this trip. What have you lost your mind? Now I know your brain is baked N. No it is not think about it they at least made the time pass faster. Well that is true between them and the kids the day sure went by faster. I wonder how Conner and Aidan are doing. No P the better question to ask is how mom is doing with two little girls. N was you as surprised as I was when mom refused to let them be split up? You mean you were surprised? P you don’t know our mother very well do you. I see your point N, no matter what we went through mom always made sure we were together no matter what. I guess I really wasn’t surprised after all. However, you may just have a point there. Mom never knew what to do with little girls. I wonder what she is doing their hair. OMG P you don’t think she cut their hair do you. I don’t know N I guess we will find out when we get there. P you gonna visit Elizabeth when you get back. Haven’t thought about it N I suspect we will see her and Abigail when we get back. They are staying with Mr. S at the lodge so we will see them when ever we make it down to the lodge. How do you think they are taking to their new life N? Well seeing as Chef is cooking for them and Mr. S is handling everything else they probably are handling the washing ok. You know N Abigail is not bad looking a man sure could wake up looking at that face every morning. What is your point P? Well I was just saying you two make a fine looking couple. What about you and Elizabeth? Haven’t given it any thought N. Sure you haven’t you have been too busy planning my future with Abigail. P if you know what is good for you, you will stay out of my love life. Oh so you have a love life now huh do tell. P you know a gentleman never kisses and tells. N you are no gentleman. P I am telling mom you said that. Well ok I concede that point; she did try to turn us in to gentlemen didn’t she? Yep at least we know which fork to use and we know not to wear flip flops to meet the president. LOL I will never forget that girl’s basket ball team wearing flip flops to the white house. I though our mother would have a cow right there in front of the TV. For weeks she ranted on that.

You realize that winter will come early this year. P do you wish we had stayed behind to help? Yeah in a way I feel bad about leaving them all behind to deal with the crops and all while we were gone. At least the payment for these two trips will be worth it all. N did you tell dad what our payment was? No I thought you did. Nope I didn’t. Well the extra land will be worth it.

Well P I am going to ride on up ahead and see how much longer before we stop for the night. It is getting late and I know Mr. H doesn’t want to travel at night. We should be getting pretty close to that stream. Hey N...yeah…tomorrow you drive the wagon. Why? Well I don’t like setting on a powder keg. You will be ok P it is well packed for shipping. Well if it packed so go then you can ride sitting on it. Fine P I will drive the wagon tomorrow. Good I had rather be on the back of the horse anyway. Ahhhh so the truth comes out. Oh shut up and go find out how much longer before we stop for the night.

Sorry I haven't posted lately but real life has stolen my unreal life. I will try to post something this week. We are in the last 4 weeks of the semester at work so things are getting crazy, so much to do so little time and we are right in the middle of registration.

Well it was our turn for a smoke house. R&V have theirs built and W&A have theirs built. R built K one at the same time as he built theirs. Ray also built him one. So that left us and P&N.

The building will be 8 foot wide by 4 foot deep by 6 foot tall building and will be divided in half. One side will be nothing but hanging meats like sausage hams etc. It will have rods attached to the walls to hang sausage over and then hooks from the ceiling to hang large pieces of meat from. For the other side I will use the grill racks that we brought with us as shelves. The shelf side with the racks will be for fish, roast and chickens.

The house is being constructed out of adobe bricks and will have a tin roof. There will be 3 screened vent holes one on each side and one in back to allow the smoke to escape. The doors will be wood to also allow circulation.

SF has the older children making the bricks he showed them this morning how to make them and left Connor in charge. This will be a two day project for them and should be quite interesting. When I was in the lower garden this morning I could hear them arguing. Connor has helped make bricks before but Megan hasn’t and she didn’t want to do it his way. Can’t wait until after lunch when all her bricks crumble and the boys’ bricks hold together. Megan has issues with following instructions she has to do it her way. She will cow tail to W&A but does it with a lot of sassing. However if one of the other kids suggest something heaven help them. Connor has learned to let her do her own thing and then she will have egg on her face. I pulled SF aside when I went back up the mountain and told him what was going on. He said that if her bricks crumble she will have to redo them under Connor’s supervision since Connor was the one in charge and she didn’t do what he said, we both laughed because we can see it now. Like I said this should be quite interesting.

Today’s lunch was fresh veggies. The few days of picking I got enough field peas for a meal, they are just now starting to come in; we also have okra, squash and potatoes (little new red potatoes.) I am making corn bread to go along with all these veggies. Oh and mac & cheese the kids wanted back and cheese. SF surprised me with a red tomato. For the past few days we have had grape tomatoes but all the large tomatoes were still green. This one was on the last plant in the row and got the most sun. It looks yummy can’t wait to slice into it.

This has been a busy week for the garden. All of the early summer vegetables are in and ready to harvest. We have been gathering squash, cucumbers, zucchini, sugar peas, broccoli, radishes, and cauliflower. We dried, cold stored and canned just about everything. We have gathered berries until our fingers are pin cushions from all the thorns; they have been dried or turned into jams and preserves.

The field corn is looking good. Which we are most thankful for since that and the oats will be the main food source for the animals. SF and the guys started cutting come of the oats today. They were trying to get it before it all opened and we had a high % of field loss (that is where you leave the grain in the field until it is ripe and then gather it. You loose a lot that way because the seeds fall on the ground.) We will lay them on drying racks in the sun. The stalks will be cut, baled and used as hay for the animals also. They guys had a big pow-wow this morning and decided they would try another planting of oats. If they can get it in the ground by the end of the month then we would be able to harvest it around the first of October before it freezes. The guys are trying to ensure that we have enough food for the amount of animals we have. They figure we will have more goats, and pigs by then plus the chickens will need food. It is just overwhelming.

I am hoping that T can find metal garbage cans. We brought 6 with us we used them to store grain in for the animals and us on the way. But that is no where near enough to store a years worth of grain. We need a good many of them. I ordered barrels before we left and they were supposed to be delivered to the ranch but only two arrived. So I am hoping the rest are there waiting on P&N. We have put an order in with the ones making them here in the valley but we are way down the list so no telling when we will get ours. We have plastic totes also to store food in but we are hoping to save those for the cold cave. I have made several more baskets and we are in need of more of them. I have started a winter to do list and making baskets is on top of the list.

P will be pleased when he gets back his rice is doing well. It should be ready to harvest the first of October. If I remember correctly the stalks will turn yellow when it is ready to harvest. However, he will be disappointed to see that his water oats pretty much washed away. There are some still there but only about half of what he planted. Good thing not many of us are rice eaters. 100 pounds of rice last us a year so with what we have and what he will be able to harvest we should be okay for rice.

Things are slowly coming together. Mr. S has been out a couple of times checking on Abby and Beth. He has brought them rifles, shotguns and hand guns. He seems pleased with they have learned so far. SF has been working with them on using the hand gun. Beth is better with the guns than Abby only because Beth is not intimated by them. Abby is skittish when it comes to firing the shotguns but she is getting better.

Around 3:00 I rode down with SF to check the bricks and to see how many they got done. Just as we suspected the guys’ bricks turned out rather well. They followed directions and did what they were told to do. Megan however, had egg on her face when SF picked up the first brick and it fell about in his hand. He picked up every one of the bricks she made and the same thing happened with all of them. Afterwards he was none too gentle with her he called her on the carpet big time. But then again he has a way of knocking a kid down and building them back up. After he got through chewing her out because she did not follow instructions he walked her through the process again making bricks right along beside her. I think was killed her the most was when SF mounted his horse he told Megan she had to remake all of her bricks she had made and told Conner to watch and make sure she did it correctly. She said something obviously it was a smart remark (I couldn’t hear her she was on the side of SF and she was mumbling) and SF just looked at her and told her if she had followed instructions the first this would not have happened. He explained to her that our survival this winter rest on everyone’s shoulders even hers. We did not have time to waste remaking stuff that someone did not make correctly the first time because they refused to follow directions. She stomped off in a huff but I noticed she made sure that she did exactly what SF showed her to do. Teddy her younger brother started making fun of her but SF called him down and told him that he had better watch it because his bricks would be inspected also. We rode over to talk to W&A for a few minutes. SF wanted to stay and watch to see how Megan handled Conner being in charge. I had never been more proud of Conner, after the first few bricks (making sure she did them correctly) he pitched in and helped her remake her bricks. At first she snubbed him but then as the sun moved it ways across the sky she seemed thankful that he was helping.

It is a hard adjustment time for these children. And time is not something we have to give them right now. Everyone is expected to pull their weight and pitch it. From what W&A have been able to gather Megan has always been the leader and things were done her way. But here she is out of her element and has to follow other peoples lead. So not only is she dealing with loosing her family, she is no longer queen of the hill. I know we had some problems with Conner at first because he was used to running the show but he has seemed to be relieved that there are adults now that are shouldering most of the responsibility.

Journal Entry for Sunday, July 18

After the ordeal with the coyote Ray came to stay at our place while Paul and I rode to the lodge. Kyle stayed While W&A went and B stayed while R, V, K&E all went. Next week we will rotate and someone else will stay behind. I am not all together today so we are going to the prayer service and picking up our packages, getting books and headed home. Everyone else is on their own today. The early wake up of Ray killing the other coyote has thrown me all out of kilter. I should have just stayed up but I hadn’t been asleep long. I couldn’t sleep while SF was on watch. The animals are all in the lower pasture today so the ones that stayed behind could take turns.

At the library Aidan and I were using sign language and there was the one lady that kept staring at us. Come to find out she was with Mother’s group and doesn’t speak. Mother mentioned she was learning sign language. I told her I had a beginner signing book back at the cottage I would get to her. It was for every day use so she would enjoy it. She was very shy but seemed real nice. I will have to make a point to visit mother and spend some time with her.

SF found me and we headed to the lodge. There was a message there from the boys. It seems they passed the mule train along the way and sent a message from my brother. It seems T has had enough he has one more delivery out our way so he is dropping of surprise for me then he is headed for Canada. He has some friends up there that own a hunting lodge and they want him to come up there. I am glad to know he will no longer be on the road. I just hope he can get there.

We had some packages that had finally arrived. It I have no idea what I have ordered and what I have received. I still have some packages I have not ordered that I need to open. I hope one of these has yeast in it. We had letters also.

It was time for church service and the girls were restless so Emma was the first one to fall asleep, she was in SF lap and Sophie was in my lap. Bother of them were sleep before the singing was over. Zoe was being an angel she was just cooing and blowing bubbles. K and Zoe had bonded so well. I hope and pray T will make it here soon.

I don’t know who was more surprised to learn that Beth and Abby wanted to stay another week Mr. S, or myself. I figured after the grueling week they had they would want to come and sit under Chef and learn to cook. Mr. S asked if we minded and we told him know they had been a blessing and the kids love them.

It was late after noon when we finally pulled back into the yard. The animals were still in the lower pasture and Kyle was watching over them. We noticed B and Ray were napping under a tree down there. Kyle waved as we started pass and jogged over to where we were. He said thing had been quiet and every couple of hours they would split up and ride up to the homesteads and check things out at 4 different homesteads. So far no signs for anymore coyotes. SF old him that we needed to send word to the Qs also about the coyotes. He said we didn’t see them at the lodge but that doesn’t mean they weren't there; we left them a note. Kyle said Ray was going to go as soon as everyone was back. He just didn’t want to go and leave us short handed. SF said that was fine. Kyle asked if we were going to post guards again tonight SF said it might not be a bad idea but he was going to take a nap first. Beth and Abby said they would stay and help get the animals up the mountain. Connor and Aidan hopped out of the wagon also. We told them we would see them at the top.

Dinner was going to be light, I had already planned on having chicken Caesar salad the lettuce was already gathered, chicken was cooked it just needed to be put together. Then it would be an early night for all of us.

Journal Entry for Monday, July 19

Since the root cellars were finished the men folk started on smoke houses. They want to get them up and going so that we could smoke some fish.

We started drying vegetables today and storing them in bins in the cold cave. I showed the girls how we were going to dry the beans, I gave them each a needle and thread and showed them how to put them on the string. I left them stringing up beans. I headed back to the garden to gather more squash. I sent word to V and her girls that they needed to check the lower garden. I saw A was out in the garden and had baskets of stuff picked already. We have baseball size tomatoes but they are still green. The yellow sweet corn will be ready to harvest by weekend.

At lunch everyone meet at our place to discuss what we were going to can and what would get dried. While everyone was finishing up their lunch I started reading the letters we got. There was also the reply from mother in there concerning the fire wood. 10-15 cords? I almost fell out when I ready she was going to put up 10-15 cords of wood. Oh man my calculations are way off. I was thinking 6-8 cords. SF asked me what was wrong and read him Mother’s reply. We were all speechless except for Ray he just nodded and said that sounds about right. SF asked him if he had ever used wood before he said no but his grandmother had and could remember his dad and uncles (there were 4 total) each taking two pick up trucks full of wood to their mother’s house each summer. They always gather her fire wood in the spring and summer so that it would be dry by winter. He said she had a fire place and a cook stove that she used to heat her house and then she had a summer kitchen like this one. Ray said she always had a couple of rows left when summer rolled around but since it was just her she used the cook stove more than the fire place. We asked where his grandmother lived. He said when she was alive she lived in Kentucky. Ray looked so said we didn’t ask any more questions but went back to planning the collection of wood. SF said we should start with dead wood and see how much we get from there. Ray said that with 4 homesteads it shouldn’t take long. I reminded him that P&N would be back then and we would have 6 homesteads that would need wood. Ray blushed and said he had forgotten about them.

I went back to reading as talk turned to wood. My sister had gotten a letter through and said they had arrived safely. At the last minute mother refused to go and went to stay with her sister. She said Aunt L made the suggestion. So they traded Aunt L got mother and Aunt L’s kids went with E to their safe zone. E said she has mixed fillings about it but there was no talking mother out of the idea. She said in a way it was go because mother would have never made the trip. She said the last 15 miles was horse back and pack mules. She was right mother never would have made that trip. She told me that she had heard from T and he was headed for Canada some time in August and he was going to try and deliver this letter to the ranch or a post office closer to the ranch in hopes that I would get it. She sent her love and pictures of her family. I was heart breaking to know I may never see them again.

The next letter was from a seed company I had ordered from they had been able to replace the trees that I had ordered and were shipping them out again. Trees? Oh geez what trees did I order. I need to find that information and see what all I have ordered and what I have received. One of the packages had baking soda another had baking powder there was also some cocoa in the package as well as some bark and chips. I finally got my order of brown sugar and powder sugar but it was only half of what I had ordered. None of our plumbing materials arrived nor the tools that were ordered. Maybe they are at the ranch waiting. There were more seeds and a couple grape vines and blueberry seedlings that looked pitiful. I will have to put them in posts and transplant them next year or the year after right now they are too small to put out. My strawberry plants were bigger than these blueberry bushes. Well at least I got them.

Some of the larger packages were fabric. Yes there is a bolt of heavy twill for pants for the guys. There were packages for the children that Mrs. Rock had ordered. She had ordered them shoes which I was so thankful for I had sent a list with P&N they had passed it own to T hopefully he will be able to find some of the stuff. Mostly it is shoes and coats for all the kids. Oh goodie this package is wool yarn oh my stars I ordered this before we ever left. I am so glad it found its way here. Needless to say it will make some good sweaters. It was like Christmas after lunch. I still had packages in the cottage I needed to open but I would get to those sooner or later. Right now I am going back to reading the letters. Some of these have been in transit for months.

Saturday July 17

Strawberry Day…next year we need to have a strawberry festival in the valley. I will have to suggest that to Chef and Mr. S.

V and her girls were here early this morning. I had just wrung one of the rooster necks when they arrived. He was a mean ol cuss. He would chase the other chickens and you if you would let him. Well after he tried to attack me I decided he would make good dumplings tonight. SF told me to go on and work on the strawberries he would just skinned the chicken feathers and all and set it in the cold cave. I told him if he would clean it I would get everything ready and just put it in the coals and let it cook while we did the preserves and jam today. As soon as he was finished he headed down the mountain. The guys were on weed control duty again.

The women folk got busy and made jam, preserves, and syrup. K and Abby picked more of the strawberries this morning. They are ripening faster than we can get them put up. (IRL V has more strawberries than she can handle she has a contacted the little mom and pops local grocery store and they have agreed to buy any extra she has it is funny in a way because she thought she had lost them all to the snow and deep freeze they had earlier this month) Between the wild strawberries and the ones we planted we have been able to put everyone 12 jars each of strawberry preserves and jam and 3 jars of syrup. We did the syrup first we started out with 8 cups of crushed strawberries, 2 cups water and 4 cups sugar. We brought that to a boil and then lowered the heat and simmered for 10 minutes. We poured the mixture through sever layers of cheesecloth pressing pulp with a spoon. (save the pulp for preserves) Measured juice back into sauce pan adding 1 cup sugar for each cup of juice, then you bring it to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes then skim off foam. (IRL I have always stop right here just poured this in sterilized jars and store in the refrigerator because it does not last at my house; however since we are in the middle of no where and I am posting my grandmother’s recipe and she always canned hers…) add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and stir pour in to sterilized jars and water bath for 10 minutes.

Next is strawberry Preserves. For each cup of fruit we used 1 cup of sugar and for every 4 cups of fruit we used 1 tablespoon cider vinegar. We diced the fruit and added the pulp from that was left from the syrup. We brought fruit and vinegar to a boil and boiled for 2 minutes then added the sugar and boiled for 10 more minutes. Added to jars and water bath for 10 minutes.

By now we were sick of looking at strawberries but we still have jam to make and we are going to use honey in this batch and use the same jam recipe that we used for the blackberries.

By late afternoon everyone was headed home. I was so thankful that A had handled lunch for the guys today. She even kept the twins and Zoe. I don’t know who had a harder day her or us. I know when I dropped off her preserves and jams she looked beat. She said she only had the younger ones and the oldest girl (she had stayed to help with the little ones) but like she said they were all out of routine and wanted to do their own thing. I noticed the girls were dragging when they climbed on the back of the buckboard. I swing by where the guys were working SF handed me a mess of corn. He said it is starting to come in. The field corn looks good but the white corn we planted is not doing as well as the yellow corn he said he would be surprised if we got 20 bushel off of the field. My heart sank We had planted 5 acres of white corn and he said we may only get 20 bushel not good not good at all. On average you get about 100 bushels per acre oh…..that is going to make us short on corn meal and hominy The white corn was supposed to be for cornmeal, hominy and canned corn. The guys love it when I stir fry corn. Hummmm. Hopefully this last rain will help. SF said we needed a week of good rain. Rain in July yeah right.

It is getting late the sun is touching the west mountain and we still have animals in the lower pasture. As we all started back towards home we could hear the dogs going crazy. SF and the older men road off to see what was happening. Connor was a little miffed that he couldn’t go but SF told him and Aidan he needed him to see me and the girls safely home. I handed Connor my rifle and Connor handed Aidan his 22 so they could escort us home. One was on each side of the wagon. As we got to the base of the mountain we heard gun fire but we could tell it wasn’t any of the guys they were still riding hard to go up the mountain. Connor told the girls to lay down and hang on. Thank goodness I had used horses today instead of oxen. As we pulled into the yard I noticed Beth was leaning over Abby. I was frozen in fear for only a minute then I leaped from the wagon and was in a all out run. Connor and Aidan took the wagon and the keep the girls there. R grabbed in mid-flight and said she was okay she just fainted after she shot the coyote.

Fear still had a hold of me all I was focused on was Abby, Beth and SF. R still had a hold one me and wouldn’t let me go. He finally got me to focus and it started sinking in coyote shot…fainted…she is ok. I thought I was going to faint then. Abby started coming around and SF picked her up and headed to the cottage with her. Beth handed Ray the rifles and went to fetch water. I looked at the animal and said that is no coyote that is a dang wolf. It was as bigger than boss and he is a black lab weighing in at 120 pounds. Ray looked at it and said no it was a coyote the snout was longer and thinner than a wolf’s. R agreed and said that means there is more coyote’s travel in packs.

After Abby had come around and both her and Beth had calmed down they said they heard the chickens acting up and the goats crying. So they went to check on them and saw a couple of coyotes trying to get chasing the baby goats and they shot in the air to chase the coyotes away because they didn’t want to hit the goats but then they went after the chickens again that is when Abby shot the coyote. Ray said he would stay over here and run night guard. SF told him to go ahead and bed down in the loft and he would wake him later that he would take the first watch. B told W he would take the first watch on the animals down there and R said they would just move what animals they had in to the cave they are turning into a barn and he and V&E would keep watch over there. Ray said he would bed down as soon as he took care of the coyote. It was decided that they would burn it since we didn’t know if it had rabies or not. I noticed that Connor and Aidan had gotten the twins in the house and unhitched the wagon. I told them to go with SF and get the animals up we needed to get them in the barn before it got to dark. Everyone scattered and headed to take care of business.

Dinner…what was going to be dinner. Oh crap I total forgot about dumplings and it is too late now. Well we will just have chicken Cesar salad. I headed to the garden and gathered a huge bowl of lettuce. I pulled out the bread and made croutons, we had left from lunch yesterday and headed to find cheese and dressing. I shredded half of the chicken, I will save the other half for dumplings tomorrow. Dinner was quite everyone was worn out and some of us were still shaken up a bit. I suggested the girls sleep in the front room of the cottage but they said with SF and Ray on watch they would stay in their tent.

Later I told SF I was surprised that the coyotes came out in broad daylight he said he was afraid something like this would happen they are getting braver and are not as afraid of us anymore. I asked him what were we going to do we couldn’t all go to the lodge tomorrow. He told me to take Connor, Aidan and the girls and go. He knew we had packages there and mail so we needed to pick them up. I told him we need to notify the Q’s he said he would ride over and tell them first thing in the morning and if I saw them tat the lodge I was to tell them.

Since we were not all going tomorrow we would just take sandwiches with us and I would make dumplings when I got back. I don’t when I actually fell asleep but gunshots woke me early this morning. It seemed Ray had gotten the other coyote. That still didn’t make me feel any better. This one was a female and we could tell she had pups but that she was drying up so that means they were 8-10 weeks old. I headed back to bed to try and get more sleep before heading to the lodge later.

Oops sorry forgot to post yesterday

Friday, July 16

The girls were up and at the chores early. They have gotten more comfortable with milking and herding the animals, even gathering eggs. They don’t let the animals intimidate them any more.

During breakfast we got to talking about the mule train that was coming and if P&N would be coming in SF said no that the mule train is just that mules. I said then why do they need wagons. SF they don’t Mr. S wanted my help unloading the mule train and then our wagons when the wagon train come in. I said oh well yesterday you had me all confused. He laughed and said that is not hard to do. I just looked at him and reminded him his roots were blond not mine. He chuckled.

After breakfast SF took the boys down to the fields to cut hay for mulch for the gardens. The weeds are trying to take over and we need to mulch SF said they would do the corn fields and wheat fields. He said he was sending Connor over to see if those on the other side of the river could help. I just looked at him, he said don’t worry Connor can handle crossing the river and riding over there. He has his rifle and whistle. Plus he got his brother and sisters to the ranch remember. SF reminded me I can not coddle them out here. I have to let them take on responsibilities early. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know but it is still not right they need a childhood.

After the kitchen I headed to the garden to see how much lettuce there was. And was surprised it looked like every strawberry had turned red over night. So I got Abby and Beth to help me pick strawberries. I told them tomorrow we would make strawberry preserves and canned some pie filling; today we would start some to drying. OMG I can’t believe I planted this many plants. Those hundred plants didn’t look like so many going in the ground. Plus the wild ones around here and the 50 more I have to go in the green house. I am going to have strawberries out the yin yang. That is if I can keep the twins from eating them all. They pick one and they eat one. They are so cute they have strawberry all over their face.

SF sent Connor up to say cook extra for dinner that there were going to an extra 6 people for dinner. Good thing it is pizza day. I will just make a few extra cheese pizzas, and a bigger salad. I have a pound cake in the oven so we will have strawberry shortcake. Supper will left overs I like left over day.

Mr. S rode in with SF and the others at lunch he had come to check on the girls and let them know they had packages at the lodge. It seemed the mule train had arrived. Mr. S said Q’s son Jerry had brought it in. The girls were excited to see him and were talking his ears off already. They started talking about what all they had done since they have been here. They talked about canning and making blackberry jam and tomorrow (Saturday) we were making strawberry preserves. They had helped cut and stack hay. They had cleaned fish. Mr. S seemed impressed that they girls had tried so much. Mr. S thanked me for taking the girls under my wing so to speak. I told him I had been very impressed with them. I was expecting whiners but they had not whined they had been real troopers. I told him that SF had to speak to them one time but after that they had been angels. I said they had even stayed in their tent the other night when it rained instead of sleeping in the main room of the cottage.

Mr. S told me he had worried about taking them in had he not promised their father that he would see that they were cared for if anything happen to him and his wife then he would not have brought them out here. He said their father had always dreamed of moving but it wasn’t to be. I told him that they would get used to this life. I went on to tell him they were worried because they realize just how unprepared they are. They realize they do not have the basics like cast iron cookware, a cook stove, dishes, quilts or the means to make them. Mr. S just nodded I could tell there was something he wasn’t saying but I wasn’t going to press him especially with everyone gathering around in the kitchen to eat.

During lunch SF told me that they had a system going few were cutting and the rest were spreading the hay out in the fields. Abby said she would go down after lunch and help Beth said count her in too. I thought Mr. S was going to choke on his pizza, I just smiled at SF and he grinned. I told SF about the ton of strawberries we picked this morning and there were twice that many still out there but were still green. I looked at E and told her to tell her mom and K to come over the first of next week and pick strawberries. She said she would but they were picking wild berries today. I laughed and told E that we were going to have more strawberries than anything. The girls ran and got Mr. S a jar of blackberry jam. They told him they had help make it.

During lunch it was decided that we would pick out packages up Sunday when we went to the lodge. Mr. S suggested that we bring some of those berries to the trading post that he was sure they would find good homes. He also suggested that I jar up some of that honey and trade it for empty jars. I told him I would think about it.

After lunch Mr. S left and he said something about stopping in and seeing the Q’s and Jerry but he also wanted to make the rounds and check on everyone also.

Everyone but the twins and me headed back down to mulch more. They have plans to finish the vegetables gardens today and then work on the corn fields and wheat fields. I went back to hulling strawberries and slicing them to dry. I told the girls they could sleep in the hammock again so they ran to get their pillows and bears they sleep with. I think they were asleep before the hammock stopped moving. I had two trays of strawberries drying and was working on hulling the ones for tomorrow.

Oh shoot I just realized that with Jerry in the Q’s will need tomorrow as family time and time for Jerry to get settled. Humm oh well maybe next weekend. Sure wish P&N had been with the mule train. They have been gone forever. I will be so glad when they are back here. Let’s see they have been gone almost 2 weeks. I wonder if they have been able to shave some time off since they were traveling empty and the days are long. I sure hope so. I know it takes 3 weeks to travel to the ranch. I am hoping and praying they are back here quickly we will need them in a few weeks to help harvest.