Mother

MTR and I had a nice chat this afternoon. She's going to try to be on as soon as possible. In the mean time I will be getting her clan and mine down the mountain pass. (Couldn't leave her UP there ) I will post it as soon as I get it finished......(been a busy day). Annarchy, CeeGee, ?, if you have family coming in on this train you may go ahead and tell about getting your family down. My own clan will be last down tonight and the stock animals will be coming down right behind us. (We couldn't bring them earlier as they would have ruined the trail for us all) The animals will be put into the holding pen at the base camp at the bottom of the switch back trail and anyone having animals will be able to find them there. I would suggest you don't try driving/herding them tonight though. They will be there with guards until you are ready to gather them up. The empty wagons up on the pass will be leaving tomorrow to go back to the Rockin J. driven by some of the Rockin J ranch hands that helped bring them out and any of the valley folks that might be helping out. They will be making a turn around trip with MTR's family and anyone else we are bringing in. (four weeks maybe?) It will most likely be the last train of people to enter the valley. Okay, I'm off to write a post and hopefully that will explain things a bit more. See you all at the bottom..

Thanks for letting us know, Darlene. I'll check with her to see what she wants us to do.

After our late breakfast Mom and I had debated if we should try to work in picking the raspberries today but we had promised the family we’d stay close. In the end it was a good thing for one of the Witlock boys showed up about an hour after we had finished eating to make sure we were okay. When we told him that we’d almost gone berry picking he said he’d be glad to go along if we wanted him to and we jumped at the chance. We hated to let the berries go to waste. We grabbed several buckets and calling the Lab to come we were soon picking berries as fast as we could. The patch was pretty thick and we only managed to pick the outside edges but it didn’t take us more than an hour to pick the buckets full. Tom Witlock kept us laughing with his wittiness the whole time and we barely noticed the work. When we got back to the homestead it was almost noon and we asked Tom to stay for a sandwich. He agreed readily but said he would need to get back soon or his brother would come looking for him. After two sandwiches, a half dozen cookies and two tall glasses of cold milk he crawled back on his horse, more cookies and sandwiches for his brother in his saddle bag and a full three gallon bucket full of raspberries hanging from his saddle horn. He was singing a silly song as he went down the lane and Mom and I smiled at each other, having thoroughly enjoyed the part of the morning that didn’t include trying to find the bull. All afternoon we worked at cleaning the raspberries and getting most of them ready to dry in between trying to get the rest of the baking and cooking done we’d planned for the day. Mom made more noodles while I baked a large raspberry cobbler. When that was done Mom made sour dough cinnamon rolls and between the two the kitchen smelled like a bakery. I worked on the milk we’d set the night before, using it with the mornings milk to make a large batch of vinegar cheese. I saved the cream back to whip for the cobbler. I went out in the late afternoon to start the chores by myself. Mom was cooking some of the thinly cut noodles to cool to use for a pasta salad. She would be putting a homemade Italian dressing on it with soaked dehydrated onions, peppers, carrots, and celery for color and flavor. We would set it in the spring water to stay cold until the kids came. We had given up on them coming today yet and didn’t bother to make a big meal. When I got out to the barn area I found the bred cow restless. I was surprised because I hadn’t expected the calf for another couple of weeks. I was tired and it took me longer to do the chores than normal but finally I brought the milk into Mom and told her I only had to move the bull. She came out to help, both of us carrying a bucket of water for him. We set the water near where I intended to tie him and then cautiously approached him. Tonight he was pulling on the chain and he kept throwing his head when I tried to get the lead on his nose ring. Mom suggested we just leave him for the night but I knew he had the ground almost bare around him. I figured that part of the reason he was being fractious was the fact that he’d been lose in the morning and I hadn’t lead him back. I couldn’t let him think that was okay so I spoke sharply to him and he gave me a look that said he was trying to decide if he should obey me or not. I spoke again and when he held still I snapped the lead rope on and then quickly gave him a piece of the dry bread I’d brought along. I gave a tug and he followed me willingly enough and was ready for a deep drink when I got him to the buckets. While he was drinking it was an easy matter to make sure he was chained, securely this time, and walk away. Well, it was an easy matter until he turned at the last minute and SLOBBERED all over me. HE and I are going to have to come to an understanding one of these days. But the look he gave me was so much like a smile that I had to laugh. He is definitely a bull with a sense of humor. Once again Mom and I spent the evening in the setting room working on various projects until almost ten and then we went out to check the animals before bed. Unfortunately we found the cow going into labor and though she seemed to be having no trouble I knew I wouldn’t sleep until the calf was born. I sent Mom into bed telling her I’d wake her if I needed her and then settled down to write. I will check the cow again in a few minutes and then try to doze a bit between checks. She sure hadn’t picked a good night to have that baby.

Trimming the wick does help. Also, sometimes when you first try to light a new wick it hasn't picked up the oil totally and the wick itself smokes and burns. Trimming it was a good idea for that too. The size of the globe can make a difference compared to the size of the wick but usually if your globe fits securely on the base it will be okay. I'm glad you get it figured out. If it doesn't seem bright enough try putting a mirror behind it or to the side to direct the light a bit.

NO! It just means you get a break once in a while.....

They were all tired. It had been a trying day with all the unloading up above and using the sledge to slide the items down that pass. C was glad that there had been others below who unloaded the sledge and fitted it all like puzzle pieces into wagons. They had short rests between to wait for the loaded wagon below to start on it’s way into the valley. From his vantage point he could watch as they made the long trek down. Without the radios there would have been a tangled mess because that switchback trail was too narrow most places for the wagons to pass each other. The B’s group went down first and the next group belonged to N and P who C had gotten to know. They were great guys and he felt sorry for them that they’d been saddled with the two spoiled girls. He had to chuckle though. They protested verbally but their eyes said something different. It kind of reminded him of L and their stormy first few months. N and P’s group had a lot of wagons to unload. It took a lot of trips to get it all down and the wagons below packed and on their way but finally he saw them wending their way down the switchback. The Rockin J group were next. He’d gotten to know most of them pretty well in the time he’d spent at the ranch. When they started to unload the first wagon Chef introduced him to Mr. Smith; whose wagons had met the Rocks at the bottom of the pass and would be taking their stuff down. He really liked him and could see that even though he and Mr. Jones owned the valley they just wanted to do what they could to help others. Chef explained to Mr. S who C’s parents were and he said he’d heard quite a bit about C. C wondered just what his parents had told the man but he liked Mr. S and could see he was well respected among the people even aside from the fact that he and Mr. Jones were the owners of the valley. They had some glitches with the Rockin’ J goods. The ties on one of the sledge loads came undone and everything spilled down the slope. It took them over a half hour to get it all loaded and back on. It wasn’t easy working on that steep slippery surface. By the time the Rock clan was down and headed into the valley it was too late to try more before dark. As it was he wondered if the Rock party would even make it to the bottom before dark. His Dad, brother, BIL, and both the grandsons had taken the horses and followed the Rocks down. They would be bringing the family wagons up first thing in the morning. When he got back to the main fire he found his sister, niece, and almost niece working at the fire with Chef. Even his young nephew was helping by stacking wood neatly nearby. They all had such a confident way about it that he couldn’t help but wonder how long it would take his family to get that comfortable with the life. He went back to his wagons expecting to just check on L and the kids but he found L in tears. Karen and Anna were standing helplessly by, Karen holding the baby in one arm and her good arm around c’s oldest who was holding the next youngest. Anna was trying to put her one good arm around the other girls who were also in tears and C had no idea what was wrong. He’d had lunch with them all and they had seemed fine. He pulled L into his arms and looked over her head at Karen who just shrugged her shoulders. Karen had been an invaluable help the last couple of weeks though she still didn’t talk. Anna usually talked for her and both the girls were great with the younger children. C’s niece showed up about that time to tell them all that the meal was ready but taking one look at the group she turned to Karen instead and suggested they take the kids and get them eating. As they walked away he could hear his girls giggling at something she’d said to them and he was relieved that at least he wouldn’t have to deal with them right away. L was normally so strong. She was always the one to make the decisions and he questioned her cautiously to see if she was hurt or in pain. She shook her head and just leaned into C’s arms. He heard a noise and turned to find some of L’s family there and ready to step in but he just shook his head at them and after some hesitation they went on towards the fire. He edged L towards the wagon and then helped her in and got her to lie down on the bed. He lay beside her until she fell to sleep and then eased his way out to go see to the girls. He found L’s cousin feeding the baby small bites of macaroni and cheese and she asked him how L was and what was wrong. When he said she was sleeping and he still had no idea what was wrong his sister spoke up. She told him he was dumb if he couldn’t see that L was as tired as he was. She said that he needed to think about the stress, and the physical work she’d had to deal with and now, here they were, so close to their destination and they were stuck for another day on the top of a mountain. She held out two full plates and told him to go back and spend some time with L even if it was only to watch her sleep. He looked around him and found even L’s family nodding their agreement and after a quick hug for the girls he took the plates and returned to the wagon. He found L still asleep but she roused when he crawled into the wagon. He handed her a plate and she sat up to take it. She ate half-heartedly and C suddenly realized she hadn’t been eating well the whole trip. He told her he was really worried about her and she started to cry again. He just took the almost empty plates and laid them aside then slid under the covers with her and held her until they both fell to sleep. It wasn’t even dark but he never heard his oldest as she quietly crawled into the wagon, grabbed their nightgowns and some diapers for the baby and then left the wagon.

CeeGee that is GREAT!!!! I am so excited about the medical resources you are bringing in, and an extra military personelle too. We might get some help with defense. I'm looking forward to that story. So many questions, are you bringing everyone in on this train,, on the next? Are you getting that church built and is it near the lodge or in the country? Of course, you don't have to answer them HERE.....I'll be watching the VALLEY for all that

Mom and I were up early, neither of able to sleep longer with so much to do facing us. Mom started working on the stove and I grabbed the milk buckets to start the chores. It was chilly this morning and I was glad I’d grabbed a jacket. I was only half way to the barn when I suddenly realized the bull was no longer tied to the tree. I looked around hoping he was grazing near but he was nowhere to be seen. I even walked to the edge of the plateau to see if he had wandered down near the sheep but nothing. I could look out over the fields and they weren’t tall enough yet to hide him and there wasn’t any movement in the timber that I could see. I took the buckets back to the kitchen and told Mom I was going to have to go look for him. I’d automatically grabbed my little 22 pistol when I got dressed this morning but now I went for the rifle too. Mom wouldn’t hear of me going alone though and I waited for her to grab a warm jacket and another gun. I called to the lab and the herd dog to come along but Sasha wouldn’t be left behind and we had to take time to lock the pups in the barn before we could leave. We went to the south first to check to see if he had gone to the pond for a drink. That would have been the most familiar path for him though we’d used him a time or two hauling in logs from the north also. The pond was mirror still this morning and we both stopped to admire the peaceful setting. The birds were chirping merrily in the trees and bushes so I knew the bull wasn’t disturbing them if he were near. The dogs wandered up the path along the falls but were soon back and nosing down river and I prayed the bull hadn’t headed in that direction. The only reason I could think of that he might wander at all would be if a cow were in heat somewhere but I knew that MtR’s oxen would be with them. I finally called the dogs and we walked back to the homestead, stopping to put more wood in the stove and to tie out the bred cow to get some grass. She didn’t want to cooperate and I suspected she was very close to calving. I wanted her out of the barn when she did, as the clean up would be a lot easier. I thought about doing the milking before we looked further but decided that we didn’t know how long he’d been gone but if it were just a little while we needed to find him before he wandered further. We checked the area around the hot springs and then wandered down the logging trail towards the berry patch. We found no sign of him at all, no droppings, no footprints, nothing. We did find that the raspberries bushes were loaded with fruit yet and we made up our minds that they would not go to waste but first we had to get that dumb bull back and the rest of the chores done. After a half hour of searching we gave up and went back to the homestead. I retrieved the milk buckets and headed once again to the barn. Between the two of us we managed to get all the chores done and even the sheep tied out for the day. Neither of us was hungry so we just strained the milk and took care of it and then headed back out to look for the bull. We again locked the puppies in the barn with the herd dog and her pups, called to Sasha and the Lab, and headed once again to the pond intending to look for tracks up the path to see if perhaps he had headed up above the homestead. When we got there I took some time to really search the edge of the pond for tracks and finally found a couple that looked fairly fresh along the edge. Mom and I stood for a time debating which direction to take but as the dogs were wandering up the path we decided to follow them. We were almost to the path to the cave behind the falls when we found a pile of manure and I was encouraged. The dogs headed down the path towards the cave and we followed along behind after finding some tracks just beyond the turn into it. Sure enough, the bull was calmly lying in the cave behind the falls, chewing his cud. I had the lead rope with me but I wasn’t sure he would let me lead him that far and I looked at Mom to see if she had any ideas on how to get him back. I found her looking across the cave and turned in time to see the dogs disappear behind some big boulders there. I called them back and they came but only nosed around us and then headed back to disappear once again. Mom was curious and followed them around the rocks but was soon back to have me come take a look. Because it was darker in the cave we had thought the rocks were solid but there was a small path between the boulders and Mom and I made our way through them. On the other side of the rocks was a big opening much like the one we come in on our side but this one was thick with tangled briars and vines. There was a slim path though where wildlife had obviously come and gone and when I pointed it out we decided to follow it to see where it went. I worried about the bull but when I checked he was still laying quietly. Once the dogs found we were following they took off down the path, leaving us to gingerly make our way through the grabbing thorns. The land was flat on that side of the falls and the path fairly straight. It soon led into a clearing that was about half as wide as our home plateau and not quite as long but still substantial. It was in front of another cliff wall with trees growing in front of and above it and we could immediately see there were cave openings all along it. We wandered along the area and could see that some of the caves looked deep and some were just a cleared area cut into the cliff. This cliff face did not have an overhanging ledge but was almost straight up. It was the area below the plateau that caught our attention. To the west, all along the river, the land sloped in graceful plateaus just like our side of the river but with more trees and only a few clearings visible. All I could think of was that it might be a homestead for C and L and her family and with the cave under the falls connecting the two areas there would always be a way to cross even if the river was high, unless the water was running over the edge on our side. When we went back to the cave we did a little exploring and it looked like it would be possible to even drive a wagon through both openings if we could get the big boulders out of the way. Both sides would have to be cleared and the path leading down to the homestead plateau would have to be widened and cleared some but I thought it might be possible. It would be something to explore further at least and something to suggest to our son. We still faced the problem of getting the bull back home and tied out and we finally decided we’d need the herd dog for the job. Mom was going to stay to watch the bull while I went back but we had only started out of the cave when the bull got up and followed us. We weren’t going to be able to keep him in the cave with nothing to tie him to and once outside he just barged ahead of us and lumbered down the path the dogs happily following behind. There was nothing left for Mom and I to do but follow along. Once on the main path the Lab ran ahead and started down to the pond and the bull automatically followed. He went right to the pond to get a drink and then proceeded to follow the dogs back towards the homestead. When Mom and I got there he was contentedly grazing grass near the kitchen door. By this time I was a bit put out that he’d led us such a merry chase that I just stamped up to him, hooked the lead on the nose ring and led him across the plateau. Mom went ahead to get the chain and we tied him to a post on one of the first pigpens to graze the grass in that area. It was 9 o’clock when we walked into the kitchen to find the stove out and the teapot cold again. We were hot and tired and hungry and we still had a lot to get done before night. Mom is looking up a recipe and I am writing this as we wait for the water to heat. It just looks like it’s going to be a long day.

The first of the wagons were getting ready to unload their supplies onto the sledge to go down the pass. C had taken a look at it and the pulley set-up the night before and wondered how they’d managed to get the wagons down at all when his parents had come in. He knew it was going to take a monumental effort to unload and load all the supplies and goods. He was just unloading a box from one of the B’s wagons when he heard his name called. He turned and had just time to set the box back into the wagon before he caught his sister as she threw herself into his arms. She was crying so she couldn’t talk and neither could he. His Niece and Nephew-in-law showed up from the back of the wagon train where they were herding animals and his sister turned to throw herself at her DD next and then suddenly the whole family was hugging and trying to stem the tears. When they finally all stepped back he could see the strain of the last couple of months on their faces but then realized that it must show on his too. Still they looked healthy and somehow more alive, even his older brother with his lung problems looked better. Suddenly he looked around and asked where his mom and grandma were and he felt the sadness hit him when he learned they had stayed behind, sadness and then a touch of fear. His dad assured them that they would be fine until the family got back and that they were being checked on daily but he could see doubt written in his father’s face. C’s own wagons were way back in the line up and he took the family back to see the rest. It was a pretty joyous reunion for everyone, as L’s family had known his family for years. It wasn’t long though before they all went back to work at the head of the pass helping to unload wagons. C watched in amazement as his sister helped with the horses on the pulley set up. She’d always been good with horses but she now handled them as if she lived on them. In truth, she might. C had no real concept of the life his family had been leading; the life his own would be living from now on. Later tonight maybe they would catch up on that as some of his family would be staying on the pass overnight to help tomorrow while some of them would be riding back down to bring the wagons up when it was their turn. He kept watching his dad and the way his family was careful not to let him handle anything too heavy by himself and to save him as many steps as possible. He noticed that his young nephew rarely left his side and he smiled to see the young boy doing so much work. He felt a hand on his arm and turned to find his sister there. She pointed to where her son was toting a box almost too big for him to the sledge and told C she was glad there would be more kids for him to be with as he really was growing up way too fast. He just gave her a hug and then they both turned back to the tasks at hand.

Morning all... As you can see, I pinned the new thread up top. I'm not sure why it pinned below the top one but somehow that is fitting as it's really still part of the Big Valley scene. I'm looking forward to the new challenges of trying to care for double the people in a wilderness setting. It makes me think about the possibility of someday having a 'survival' situation in real life and having the same thing happen. In the valley we have the benefit of writing in what the families are bringing in with them plus the resources of wild foods and garden produce. In real life we might not be so fortunate. Those people/orphans might come with nothing but a willingness to work and maybe not even that. I look at what I have now, in real life, in my home and have to wonder just how many people could I realistically care for without jepordizing all. I have to ask myself what I would do. In the valley we had some prior knowledge of the arrival. IRL the very people I am bringing in could very well show up on our doorstep in the middle of the night if things got bad. Where would we sleep them? Could I clothe them? How long could we feed them? What about sanitation? How do we handle attitudes, personalities, disagreements, work load, and etc? I came up with two words, organization and tact. I'm not sure about the rest of the writers but I know even if I do have the family coming in with 'some' supplies and animals, I'm going to be learning a lot about survival in that situation. I hope everyone not only enjoy's the next chapter but also stops to think of what they would do in a similar situation. Now I'm off to help Mom tend the homestead and maybe,,,, just maybe get my family off the pass.

OH SORRY,,,, I didn't make that clear... I meant it won't be long until the WAGONS get here. I don't think you'll have to worry about an ending for a little bit. I think we are on (pardon the pun) a roll again. I am SO glad you are enjoying our writing. It sure has been a learning experience for us. Thanks for your wonderful support. (((((AMarthaByHeart))))))))

Wednesday The family was up before light and helped with the chores. They had a quick breakfast and then hitched the teams while Mom and I finished putting the rest of the food into the wagon. It wasn’t as hard to see them leave as I’d thought it would be. They were only going to be gone a couple of days and Mom and I had plenty to do to keep us busy. We watched them out of sight and then turned to kitchen. We sat for a time eating our own breakfast and making a plan of action so we’d get as much done as possible. After cleaning up the kitchen and setting a large batch of sour dough bread to rise we headed out to fill straw ticks. I guess in this case they were grass ticks though and that was fine as they’d be a bit softer maybe. We only had six double ones and several single ones to fill. That’s all the material we had to make them with. There were only three double and four single bunks built but a couple of these could be used on the floor and we figured the family would have some mattresses of their own. At first it wasn’t easy to get the grass into the casing and not have it be lumpy but after about the third one we were doing pretty good and it was going faster. We didn’t have enough grass for the last single one but we decided to leave it for now. We stopped to have a cup of tea and then began working the bread into loaves to let rise again. We had plenty of cookies made up but the sweetener was mostly syrup from cooked dried fruit with the fruit cut into small pieces and used as bulk for them. We were trying to save what sugar we had just in case we didn’t get any in our order. We wanted to make sure we had some left for holidays, especially Christmas. Mom started on making noodles while I started on mixing up a big batch of biscuit mix that would be usable just by adding water or milk for a number of different foods. The kids had ground a lot of wheat and other grains before they left but I used only about half wheat and the rest mixed flours. We had been doing the same with everything lately but it wouldn’t be long and we’d have no wheat left except for the seed we’d held back in case our crop this year failed. I was sure that there would be wheat coming in soon as the winter wheat should just about be ready to harvest but we had decided, like other things, not to count on it. We worked for a while putting the mattresses on the bunks and covering some of them with our spare sheets in case it was late when the family reached home and the kids needed to be tucked in soon after. We talked about how even with a couple of brightly colored blankets and quilts it looked pretty dreary in the building but it would just have to do. There just wasn’t time or the resources to make it “homey”. Our wagons had carried mostly necessities except for a few personal mementos and we’d not had time for the niceties of life yet. Maybe this winter when we had a bit more leisure, maybe. By the time we finished in the sod house and got the bread in the oven it was almost time to start chores. We had decided we’d do the chores well before dark and I went down to make sure the pigs, sheep, and geese had food and water and were secure in their pens. The horse was tied on the grass down there and I took her to get a drink from the spring before bringing her up to tie near the barn. Mom had the poultry done by the time I got back and was bringing the goats and kids into the barn one by one. I took over that while she went to get chunks of meat, vegetable, and cooked grain scraps for the dogs and cats from the kitchen. It was not quite dark when I finished milking the cows. I could see that the dry cow’s udder was filling with milk and knew it she would be having that calf soon. I left her in the barn enclosure but tied the other two outside, with the calf following along behind. I knew he wouldn’t stray far from his mom and the dogs would be on guard. The last chore was my least favorite and the one DH worried about the most. I had to water the bull and move him to fresh grass. He had been watered at the pond this morning and been given a bucket of water besides but the bucket was empty and on it’s side. I brought a bucket of water from the spring room and took it to the area where I was going to tie him and then went back for the bull. The lab and Sasha came with me and I noticed Mom standing at the kitchen door watching as well but I still approached the large animal with care. He was tied by a huge leather collar around his neck but he didn’t lead as well with that as with the nose ring and I reached up with a short lead to hook it on the ring. I expected him to jerk away or snort or something as I’d seen him do to the others a time or two but he just reached over and gently nudged me on the hand to see if I had anything for him. I snapped on the lead, unhooked the tie out chain and started towards the tree where he would be tied for the night. He just walked calmly by my side, let me tie him and unhook the lead, took a big drink of water, and then nibbled the dry bread I’d brought out for him. I didn’t let out my breath until I was outside the reach of his chain but I could have saved myself the trouble, the dumb animal was settling down under the tree for the night, I swear, with a smile on his face. Mom and I had everything closed up by dark but we worked on the milk and a few last minute things in the kitchen before taking our light supper into the sitting room in the sod house where we were a bit more secure. We shared a pleasant evening with her sewing and me measuring out warp thread on a make shift warping board DH had made for me. The loom was almost ready to be used and I wanted to be able to warp it as soon as possible. We went out just a while ago with flashlights and guns to check on the animals and found all safe and secure. Mom has gone to bed but I wanted to write this all down before I head to my own. It will seem strange sleeping alone. There have only been a few times in our entire married life that’s happened. I will say some special prayers for my family tonight. I will pray they are all as safe as we are.

The awful things is,,,,,even the WRITERS don't know what the end is. Won't be long now though.

Okay,,,,, do NOT blame me if I have forgotten someone/something. I'm old and entitled to senior moments.. Animals/livestock: Nigerian Goats: I doe with three kids 1 doe due in July 2 bucks 2 yearling does bred to kid in Fall Milk cows: 1 Jersey cow with bull calf 1 Jersey cow still milking (due in fall) 1 Jersey cow due in July 1 young jersey bull. Sheep: I ewe with three female lambs (born June 11) 1 ewe with one buck one ewe lamb (born June12) one ram sheep 1 goose 1 gander 11 goslings Chickens, roosters and chicks 6 ducks (hatching in June/July 3 pigs (2 gilts, 1 boar) 1 crossbreed herd dog with (mostly) Border collie pups (3 female, 2 male) 1 male lab Saint Bernard, female belongs to DD Sasha (Saint Bernard) with 2 male, 2 female puppies (after Mt3b too one male and one female, MtR took a female, one of the B’s group took a female) 3 cats, one with 4 kittens 6 riding horses : 2 Gypsy horses (one bred, one stallion)[sometimes called gypsy vanners or cobs or Romany horses etc.], 2 bred Norwegian Fjords, 1 bred Friesian, 1 bred Morgan 1 pony (Icelandic horse really,bred) Technically these horses all belong to DD as she bought them with (supposedly) the sale of her farm. (IRL I chose the Gypsy Vanners as I always wanted some and she chose the other four breeds way back when this all started in October) 2 draft horses (one bred, one gelding) Percherons, came with purchase of camper wagon 6 oxen (two bred, unusual as are bulls to use on long arduous trip but they took what they could get) Humans Dh and myself Mom (my mother) DS (our second oldest son) DD (our only daughter) SIL (DD’s spouse) DGS (her oldest son) SO (DGS’s fiancé) DGD (her daughter) GSIL (DGD’s spouse) YGS (DD’s youngest son) Coming on #2 wagon train (we think) C. (Our youngest son) L. (his wife) B., A, H, E., and T. (their daughters) L’s family: FIL, MIL, BIL1, SIL1 BIL2, SIL2 CILF, CILM (cousin’s in law and her spouse) and two kids (girl 11, boy 2) Orphans: 2 brothers ( Benjamin 8 and Matthew 10 years old 2 sisters (Anna 13, Karen 16) Animals they are bringing ( still unknown)

You want me to remember what I call everyone???? I can't remember their names IN REAL LIFE!!!! (Mother goes of to ask her family what their names are and what position they hold in the famly, and do they remember what I called the horses last week?)

Tuesday June 29 The last few days have been so busy I haven’t even been able to write. I haven’t had time to answer Q’s note and I’ve barely had time to think. Mom and I will be staying at the homestead to take care of the animals. The family is not happy about leaving us but that wagon train is going to need every able bodied person they can get to help move those supplies and personal goods. It won’t be easy getting them down that pass. The family will be leaving in the morning to make sure they get to the area below the pass before dark. We all remember how long that switch back took to get down into the valley, going up is going to be even more time consuming. DH is hoping that they can take the wagons across the river at MT_R’s place instead of having to go clear to the lodge crossing as that will save about almost a couple of hours, if not a bit more. If the wagon’s get to the meadow above in good time we might be able to expect them to get back to the Hobbit Hole by dark on Thursday but it will depend on which wagons are unloaded first. I’ve made up my mind that I will not really look for them before Friday just in case there is a glitch. I sure don’t want them taking those animals down that switch back trail in the dark. The kids spent most of this afternoon getting things set up to be easier for Mom and I. I’m pretty sure we will have no problems. Most of the large stock will be with them other than the milk cows and one riding horse. There is a large stack of hay in the sheep’s pen so we don’t have to let them out at all. The geese will stay in as well. I’ve been doing most of the milking as it is and we haven’t started milking the goat yet and the other one hasn’t kidded, though I expect her to any time now. The poultry are fine and we have the dogs to help with protection. Mom and I have been cooking most of the day. They kids went hunting yesterday and brought back enough game to feed us all, even the new family members, until at least Monday but I was concerned about the weather turning so warm. It was still 42 or 43 degrees where we were hanging the large game but that was just a few degrees too warm for safety. They brought back a few rabbits but we cut them up and roasted them for supper. What we didn’t eat would be put into the insulated cookers as stew for the family to take along. We replaced one of the 12-volt refrigerators into the camper wagon and restocked it to make sure it could be cooked in, using the small camper stove and oven that was still installed there. A water barrel had been installed on the outside again as we remembered that the spring was some distance from the pass. The family could fill up there on their way up and again on the way back down. While the family is gone, Mom and I will keep busy. We still have to fill the straw ticks we have been making the last few days. The kids have a large pile of dry grass beside the kitchen, covered with tarps. They will go on the beds that were built in the second sod building. It will be a sort of bunkhouse for anyone who wants to sleep there. We have some blankets and sheets for them but we assume the kids will have their own along. We have some extra that we will use to close off different areas for privacy but we thought we could do that when we figured out where everyone was sleeping. We’ll also be doing some baking for when the family gets back. It’s going to be pretty chaotic for a while and we want plenty of ready to eat foods on hand. Even though I know we were going to have a lot of people to feed very soon, I gave the family last minute instructions that they were to bring back any of the orphans that needed a place. There is always room for more and we'd somehow figure out how to feed them. Mr. S had told me that he was sure the Rocks would be sending whatever they could spare to make sure the orphans were cared for. Mom and I have agreed not to leave the homestead plateaus except for feeding the animals on the orchard one. There is really no need to, as I believe that the kids and DH have thought of almost everything. We will be fine. Am I afraid? You bet I am. I would be a fool not to be somewhat fearful because fear, if it’s not allowed to get out of hand, is what makes us cautious. The only problem I anticipate is when I have to say good by to the family, and trying to find the patience to wait for them all to return. That will be the hard part!

((((((((Quiltys)))))))))))

We didn’t decide until the last minute to go to the Lodge this morning. There is so much to do but we also wanted to see what the plan was for getting the families off the pass. DH, Mom, and I went in the camper wagon with the horses. The horses were frisky and made fast work of the trip and we arrived in plenty of time for Mom and I to visit the library and return the books we’d borrowed. We found more books of course and had a good time trying to decide just which ones to choose. I met Mr. S on the way out of the room and he told me I had a message from Q and went to get it for me. I was so excited. I just couldn’t wait to be able to receive messages regularly. I scanned the note quickly and then started to giggle. I drew a couple of strange looks from a people near me so I shared the words roses and romantic music and goats all in the same question about breeding and we all were laughing. I love Q dearly. She has a wonderful sense of the ridiculous and so do I. It is so easy to laugh with her. I sure miss her. Of course, I sat down right away and jotted a note back so she would get it sooner. I told her that I’d answer her herbal questions in a longer letter but that I wanted her to know that the best way to breed her goats would be to sing love songs to them and feed them chocolates for about two weeks before she puts them with the bucks. She could give them roses too but they would most likely eat them also. I told her there wasn’t anything particular she had to do with the bucks (those male goats) but that it helped if she pinned pictures of the does up on their fence for a couple weeks before she introduced them. Before she started tearing up the note I quickly also added that the doe she got from us was bred just before she got her and I figured she would be kidding some time in late October. And that all she had to do was slowly start milking the goat less and less so the does milk supply would dwindle and finally quit about five or six weeks before she was due to kid. That way she’d have a rest before kidding. I told her she would have to check with MT3B about the other doe to see if it had been bred or would need to be. Truthfully, a goat can keep milking for two or more years without kidding but that doesn’t increase the size of your herd. Nigerians, like the little one she got from us, can breed year around but most of the bigger goats breed best in the fall so if she wants a spring baby (it takes about five months) she would need to put it with a buck this fall. Usually a goat will come into heat every 3 weeks and in most of them it was easy to tell. They get a bit more noisy, flag their tail back and forth and get crabby. They might push the other goats or try to ride them and sometime another doe will try to ride the one in heat if a buck is not around. They usually stay in heat for two to three days but can be as short as six or eight hours. I told her she could probably borrow a buck (sometimes goats are called nannies and billies) and just keep him with her for a few days right around that time. I was laughing as I folded the note and put her name on it. Quiltys is so much fun and I’m pretty sure she will have some come-back that I deserve. The services were just what I needed to center me for the coming times of stress. Both the good kind of being reunited with our families and the bad kind of trying to make ends meet to feed a large number of people from the supplies on hand and what we can gather. The fellowship of the services and the potluck we shared was warming and soothing. After the meal Mr. S told us that they had heard very little from the wagon train but that it was expected to be at the top of the pass by the 1st of July (Mar. 4th IRL or this Thursday) The idea was to have our wagons there waiting for them with enough help to transfer the supplies and personal goods. He hoped that we’d be able to start doing that as early on the first as possible. He reminded us of the daylong trek our wagons had taken on that switch back trail but he hoped we’d have the first of the wagons to the bottom of the valley before dark. He really didn’t want people traveling at night especially if they had kids and offered the to let them stay at the lodge overnight. I brought up the fact that most of us were short on oxen now with all that we’d sent back to the Ranch. Our family would be using our pregnant oxen even though I hated to do so but we’d also have to use one team of our riding horses if we sent all five wagons. It was suggested that perhaps some of the wagon train oxen could be brought into the valley to pull wagons back and forth but that would take a lot longer with all the coming and going. In the end we were all encouraged to do the best we could. Someone reminded us of how tired we all were trying to get down off that pass and suggested we bring ready to eat foods along and to be prepared to sleep in the wagons or tents if some needed to stay over at the pass. I sat listening but also thinking ahead. We had already decided that all the able bodied people in our family would be taking the wagons up on Wednesday and would be camping over below the pass. If the wagon’s had reached there by then some of them could go up and help for the night but at least they would be there for the morning. If I figured right our family would be coming in with six wagons and we’d only have five to bring to the pass but we would try to get all the people back to the homestead as soon as possible first and then go back for the rest of their things. I kept thinking of that trip down though and if they didn’t get an early start off that pass the whole bunch might just have to stay at the lodge even though it’s only two and a half or three hours to the Hobbit Hole. Even six hours from the pass to the valley is a lot of hours for teams and humans alike. Mr. S talked some about the orphans that were coming with wagon train #2. He didn’t know how many there were all together but said that some already had homes lined up. Others would need to be taken in and he encouraged us all to do that if we could. He said that we’d all be working together to see that everyone was fed and clothed throughout the winter but to expect that it might be tough going. It would all depend on the harvest and on what this train had brought with them and what the last train could bring. He told us it was really getting bad out there and that even the Rockin J was having difficulties getting supplies so not to count on anything and if it came it would be a blessing. Again, he told us that he and Mr. J had some long-term storage supplies we could fall back on if we had to but that with the numbers coming into the valley, it would have to be rationed. I left the meeting feeling all sorts of emotions. I was excited about seeing our son and his family. I knew the valley was still safer than being in the chaos out there but I was concerned for the future. Obviously Mr. S and J were as well because they stopped me before I left the building to speak with me. They asked if I could meet with Mt.R and them sometime soon to do some brainstorming and I agreed. I knew it was going to take some very clear thinking to figure this thing out and I hoped we were up to it. It was so good to see everyone today. I always enjoy the gatherings of friends but it’s always good to get home too. The kids had told us they were going to just take it easy today but when we got home we found the door on the greenhouse and the second sod building all finished as well. As we drove up the lane to the homestead I could see how the whole thing might look through the eyes of the families that were coming in and I couldn’t help but wonder what they would think. From a distance, other than the reflection of the setting sun on the plexiglass, the whole thing seemed to blend in with the cliff face. As we got closer it almost looked like the Anasazi’s, the cliff dwellers of the past might have lived there. Even the fields in front gave that impression. I was pretty sure that our DIL would take one look at it and say she wasn’t about to live in a cave. Strange, even to me it didn’t feel like we lived in a cave. I could even go in and out of the kid’s bedroom without too much trouble now, though I doubted I could ever sleep inside them. They were fixed up really nicely with quilts hanging on the walls below hand made shelves that held mementoes and hid the hanging clothes. There were curtains at the windows and covering the fronts of totes and crates, set on their sides, that were being used as dressers. Each had solar lights hanging from the ceiling with switches by the doors and each had candles in holders along with a few oil lanterns. Hand made log chairs and couches and beds were covered with sleeping bags and quilts and blankets and the whole appearance was of rustic brightness. In comparison to the sod of our bedroom walls they were bright and cheery. Even our sod and log walls had shelving with quilts and curtains to hide the clothes like mini closets and our living area next to the greenhouse was bright with sunshine all day long unless we pulled the heavy curtain across. Lately we’d been leaving the curtains open at night because the moon had been bright enough to watch the animals playing in the evening. It will still be bright a few days after the family gets here but when the dark of the moon comes I wonder how they will handle the absolute blackness that we have here in the valley. Now setting here after coming back from using the outhouse after dark I was reminded again that we needed to get another outhouse finished before the family arrives. I hoped they have a few camp potties with them for night as we only have just so many of them. I also needed to ask the kids if they were sure all the dangerous or unexplored areas of the cave were well sealed so I didn’t have to worry about losing a child or even an adult in there. For a while at least, there were going to be a lot of people to keep track of. One of my worst fears about caves…Getting lost in them.

Umm P.S. Q has a dead man in a cave, Annarchy has a plane in her small lake, MT3B's has been plagued with hearing loss, mountain lions, a bear, and a lightening strike that took out N's cabin, and Annarchy had a run in with wolves, and MtR sent us HAIL and wind.......Just in case you need MORE excitement. (((( ))))

Cee Gee, you will be fine. really. Start with a service maybe. We've really missed them and I came in to the Lodge today (not posted yet) just for the fellowship. Maybe a book report is needed to help you out? Lets see, we've been working on building our various homestead, all diffierent. Annarchy and her families are mostly adobe, Q's in a cabin already found with additions being built on...MT3B and family various cabins/barns, existing homesteads, and etc. MtR and our family in caves with part of ours being sod. AH has not been posting but has a wonderful start on a log cabin and homestead. The lodge is now the focus of several home based crafts and cabins of the B's family and others. There is also a medical building behind the lodge and a greenhouse being built there as well. The settlement is all very primative yet but growing.(just in need of a church?) There is a wagon train coming in the 1st of July (this thursday we hope) with several of our families and various orphans that many are going to be taking in. ( you have any family you want to bring in?) There is another wagon train, the last one, coming in after this one (in five or six weeks) that will be bringing MTR's DD and famiies and her Mom and Dad and Brother and etc. and other last minute people as we decide. (Mt R has a side story about her family going that is very intersting and exciting) The country outside the valley is falling apart and chaos is raining down. Food is scarce out there, looting and theft and etc abound. Even the Rockin J Ranch is seeing troubles and will be sending some of their people into the valley. We are all desperately trying to get more crops in, more garden in and looking for all the wild edibles we can gather so we'll have enough to feed everyone for winter. Does that help some? Please, don't worry, just jump in with one of your warm loving post and you will be back just fine. ((((((((CeeGee)))))

Yeah, we have that here too. One morning after a new snow we had perfect giant cursive lower case "e's" in the pasture. Looked just like some little child was practicing his writing all across the area. We discovered later it was a fox chasing a mouse. We're not sure who won but we found where the fox dived into the snow with his nose and snowshoveled it for almost ten feet. :bighug:

These people are doing great work raising heirloom poultry and seeds in Iowa. Their turkeys will breed naturally but I believe they incubate all their poultry eggs by artificial means. http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/catalog/turkeys.html I do know that wild turkeys breed, hatch out, and raise their poults in the wild and prosper. They can be pretty mean even when hand raised and can be endearing when they stand outside the glass door and beg to be fed. We have a flock of about 25 in our timber. We see them constantly in the driveway where they leave tracks in the snow that makes me suspect they hold Hoe Downs in the night and dance to Turkey in the Straw.....They are there right up until the monring of hunting season,,,,,,,then they are nowhere to be seen, even before the first chamo shows up in the woods. I want to know who sets their alarm clocks???

Yes, olive an other oils can be used for lighting. However, I don't find they work well in your typical oil lamp. Lehman's has special wick holders that are floated in the oil to facilitate the burn. They do not give off the brightest light but they are not difficult to use. In an emergency almost any fat can be used for light. http://www.continentalline.org/articles/ar...;article=950405 Look up fat lamps or Betty lamps for more ideas. Here's an interesting link to making a Button Lamp. http://educational-kids-crafts.suite101.co...der-button-lamp For a whole lot of info on lighting,,, try this link http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?sh...2&hl=button

I didn’t get a chance to write here yesterday so thought I’d catch up today. I was better yesterday morning and I spent most of it in the garden while the guys finished working on the greenhouse. It still needs a door and beds built inside but it is all covered and we hope waterproofed. We won’t know until it rains. The afternoon was spent cleaning out the barn. Even with letting the chickens and ducks run during the day, it still was almost a daily job to clean up after them. We had started a compost heap at the edge of the garden but it was hard work to take the cleanings a shovel at a time to the pile so we drug it over on the plastic sled then shoveled it onto the pile. Not ideal but it got the job done until we could get a wheel barrel or cart made. I had wanted them to use the wheel that had been sent for the pottery wheel but DS wouldn’t hear of it. Instead he said we could easily make a wheel for the cart from slices of hard wood logs. The pottery wheel had to be much more precise. Besides, he almost had the kick wheel done. It was late afternoon when we saw the horses coming up the trail. It was the kids returning home but they had extra’s with them. It turned out to be Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones. I was happy to see them and invited them to set under the tarp while DH and DS saw to the horses with the kids. Mom came and greeted them with glasses and a pitcher of cold tea and a plate of cookies hot from the oven. We joked about our place being high enough that we had enough warnings of visitors that we could put on a whole meal if needed. They asked if they could see the Hobbit Hole before they sat down and the kids eagerly took them through the whole cave. They emerged about a half hour later from the other hot springs end of the plateau and looked over the gardens as they made their way back. We sat under the tarp in the shade and talked for a while about the homestead and our plans for it and then switched to the work done on N’s cabin and the addition on P’s but then the two men got down to the business that had really brought them out with the kids. Several businesses really. First, they wanted to talk about setting up a regular daily messenger service for the valley. They felt we were too far spread out for real security and wanted to make sure that at least once a day we were all checked on. The messengers would be young men or women, usually working in pairs for safety. They would be working for Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones in return for land in the valley. Besides Mr. Hugh’s cabin, which was about a mile and a half further north of us, we were the most distant from the lodge in this area and they wanted to ask if we could house fresh horses so that the riders would always have fresh mounts to head back to the lodge. Of course we agreed. We had plenty of graze for now and the men assured us they would supply grain and help with the hay for them for the winter. They told us that the riders would be starting a regular route today though we haven’t seen them yet. The route would take the messengers across the North river to AH’s place, from there back and up to Big D’s. Then they would then head east to Annarchy’s place. From there they would be going past Mr. Hugh’s cabin even if he wasn’t there, just to check on it. They would be coming to our place next where they would change horses and then head down to the Cleft in the Rocks and back to the lodge. Separate riders would head south from the Lodge to check on all the people there and eventually across the south river to the west to check on the Rock’s area. As the riders were going separate routes at the same time it might mean our letters or messages to each other might be delayed by a day but at least we’d have communication, as long as the riders could get through safely that is. That wouldn’t always be possible with summer storms raising the rivers and winter storms closing off the routes. Once the Rocks arrived in the valley they planned to modify the process to add riders to the west route to save on the horses and were even now working on having a boat built that could be used on the lake to save even more time. They explained that the kids were late coming back because they had stopped with the B’s group to help build a small cabin along the lake to the south to be used as a sort of line-shack for when the riders were delayed as that route was much longer than the north one. It would also be usable by travelers from the south if they got caught out and couldn’t reach home before dark. Here in the north they would be using Mr. Hughes cabin if needed and we told them they could always stay with us too. The next ‘business’ they wanted to talk about was the incoming immigrants. They were extremely concerned with the impact of so many people on the valley. Because I had formerly been a wild life rehabber they wanted my opinion especially on the impact on the wildlife. I was honest with them. I was concerned. The more disseminated we were in the valley, them more impact we’d make on their habitat. Two hundred square miles seems like a terrific amount but not to the wildlife. First there was the problem of cutting the trees. There were thousands of trees in the valley, it was true, but if each 16 by 20 cabin took about 90 trees and each family had not only one small cabin but also larger ones, barns, smokehouses, outhouses, fences, and etc, it would take a lot bigger toll than we might anticipate. And even if the cutting didn’t affect the wild life, the humans would. Unlike the pioneer of old, we are an extremely mobile population now, being raised to jump in the car and just going. The more movement in the valley, the more noise in the valley the more confusion we would create among the natural inhabitants. I told them that the real problem was that the animals were here in this valley for the same reason we were. Security. It had been quiet, full of habitat, and the ecology had reached a balance. Now that it was disturbed they would soon be more leery and harder to hunt, soon they would be looking for safer pastures and to the game animals at least, that meant the surrounding National Forest where man was normally absent in any large numbers. Once the hungry hoards started to run lower on food, however, they were going to turn their attentions further away. They were already turning to rustling and theft in the farms and ranches and it would only be a step from there to the National forest. If there were a lot more hungry people or people who felt they could make a profit from hunting we could start to see a real problem with the numbers of game. Admittedly this might not happen overnight but certainly soon. When they brought up the domestic animals we were raising and asked if we could support ourselves with those and the gardens we could raise. I had to take a minute to formulate my reply. The answer of course was perhaps. Yes, we did have animals, and we had a large diversity to keep the gene pool safe but there was a trade off, the same one’s our ancestors faced. More animals meant more feed for those animals. More feed meant a lot more work for man. In the past man invented/manufactured machinery to make that work easier but in the valley, the very access that protects us is the very problem that keeps us from having access to modern energy/time saving devises. At some point the whole process becomes self-limiting just as living the life of hunter/gatherer would become self-limiting. We talked about the orchard behind the lodge that Mr. Smith had planted years ago and even the stray domestic trees that had escaped cultivation that some were finding here and there in the valley. The small amount of fruit trees that had escaped the neglect of years was not going to produce enough to support the number of people coming in and the new plantings wouldn’t produce for five to ten years. We would have to depend on the wild fruits until then but to keep them from being over harvested we would have to be very cautious. Over harvesting anything in the valley would also mean the quicker exodus of the animals because of disturbing the ecological food balance for them as well. When they asked me what I would suggest I brought up another point that seemed unrelated. That of governing the people. They looked at me strangely and then replied that they had hoped for a limited government and that would be by the people as our original U.S. government was meant to be. I told them that was admirable thinking but what about the continuation of life in the valley. At what point does individuality overcome the good of the whole? Because of the small size of our world now, some form of control would be essential or we would destroy our world around ourselves. I don’t think they were too happy when I pointed out that so far they were the major landowners in the valley as no one had been here long enough to “prove up” their homestead. They had no proof yet that we would respect not only the land but also each other’s rights. They DID have proof that we’d brought our modern personalities with us, our modern needs, our modern greed, and our modern thinking and they were bringing in a lot more ‘unknown’ people who did not even have the prepping backgrounds. They knew that we’d have to support those people until they could establish for themselves and that would be a balancing act in itself. That meant that for now, they, Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones, were the major guardians of the land. When they said they didn’t want to be the sole decision makers and asked me if I had any ideas. I suggested that perhaps they could ask each family to choose a spokesman to start a discussion on what should be done. I said no more but I saw the look exchanged between them and I knew they would be taking that idea seriously. I was sure that we’d be having a meeting at the lodge in the near future. Something that they now realize should have been done right away. I wanted them to stay the night with us as it was late in the day by the time they took their leave but they said they were well armed and had headgear with lights and would be fine. I stood watching them until I could see them no more. I could see them earnestly talking and did no envy them the position they were in. Continuation of life in the valley would depend on a very delicate balancing act.