domenica 21 febbraio 2016

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder.




Quest'oggi voglio raccontarvi della vita di una donna straordinaria che divenne, solamente in età avanzata, una prestigiosa scrittrice di libri per fanciulli e che rimane tutt'ora un'ideale da perseguire per ciascuno di noi per le lezioni che dalla vita seppe trarre.

Laura Elizabeth Ingalls nacque il 7 febbraio del 1867 nei Big Woods, I Grandi Boschi del Wisconsin, sette miglia a nord di Pepin, seconda di quattro figli. Quando ella doveva descrivere il carattere del padre, Charles Philip Ingalls, lo definiva come costantemente allegro, al punto da apparire persino sconsiderato, talvolta, sempre pronto ad allietare la famiglia prendendo il mano il suo violino e facendo suonare le sue corde per tenere alto il morale di tutti, mentre la madre Caroline Lake Quiner, insegnante, appariva agli occhi della figlia come una donna dolce ed educata, gentile, ed orgogliosa; le sue sorelle, erano Mary, la maggiore, nata nel 1865, Carrie e Grace, più giovani di lei, rispettivamente nate nel 1870 e nel 1877; Laura avrà anche un fratello minore, Charles Jr. (soprannominato Freddie), che nacque nel 1875 e che si spense all'età di soli nove 
mesi.


Caroline Celestia-Carrie, Mary Amelia e Laura Elizabeth fotografate nel 1875.





Charles & Caroline Ingalls, 'Pa e Ma'



Da bambina Laura si trasferì con la famiglia da un posto all'altro in tutto quello che potremmo definire il cuore dell'America; ispirato dalla legge Homestead Act promulgata da Lincoln nel 1862 che offriva 160 acri di "terra libera" ai coloni che vi avrebbero costruito una fattoria e avessero su di essa vissuto per cinque anni, Pa condusse la sua famiglia nelle grandi praterie.


 Interno di una tipica casa pioniera ed, accanto, la fedele ricostruzione della dimora in cui nacquero Mary e Laura nei Big Woods del Wisconsin. 



Era il 1868 quando la famiglia Ingalls lasciò il Wisconsin per la terra a circa 12 miglia da Independence, Kansas, entro i confini della Osage Diminished Reserve dove, aiutato da un vicino di casa, il signor Edwards, Pa edificò una casa ed una scuderia. 
Dopo la piantagione di numerose colture, la famiglia Ingalls fu costretta a lasciare questa terra nell'autunno del 1870, subito dopo la nascita di Carrie: Pa aveva udito voci secondo cui il governo aveva cambiato idea circa l'insediamento in quella porzione dello Stato e che i soldati erano in viaggio per costringere i coloni già stabilitivisi ad abbandonarla; egli non attese i soldati e nel 1871 ripresero possesso della loro vecchia casa nel Wisconsin, poiché la famiglia svedese a cui l'avevano venduta non intendeva ultimarne il pagamento ed aveva deciso di lasciarla, ma già solamente tre anni più tardi, nel 1874, gli Ingalls erano nuovamente in viaggio verso le praterie, questa volta del Minnesota, dove si stabilirono a Walnut Grove, vivendo dapprincipio in una casa-rifugio.



Due anni più tardi, si spostarono a Burr Oak, Iowa, dove Charles diverrà co-proprietario di un hotel, Caroline aiuterà soprattutto in cucina e le fanciulle si adopereranno per rassettare le stanze degli ospiti,



 The Masters Hotel, Burr Oak, IOWA



ma il richiamo che Pa avvertiva per la natura e la vita nella prateria, pur se ben più faticosa ed incerta, era talmente forte e dirompente che entro l'autunno del 1877 fecero tutti ritorno a Walnut Grove; nel 1879, lo spirito irrequieto di Charles Ingalls lo spinse a guidare la sua famiglia nel territorio del Dakota, dove si stabilirono in quella quella che sarebbe diventata De Smet, nel South Dakota, che rimase la dimora di Charles e Caroline per il resto della loro vita e purtroppo fu proprio durante quello stesso anno che Mary ebbe un attacco ischemico dal quale si riprese, ma perse totalmente la vista. Il loro secondo inverno a De Smet fu il peggiore che fu mai ricordato: numerose bufere di neve impedirono ai treni di consegnare tutte le forniture isolando la città da dicembre a maggio, e furono questi ricordi di giorni vissuti tra stenti e rinunce che segnarono la vita della giovane Laura forgiandone il carattere: ella ricorderà infatti, anni dopo, di aver cercato di sopravvivere allora alle rigide temperature, alla mancanza di cibo, di legna da ardere, e alla privazione di altre primarie necessità.



La famiglia Ingalls - Da sinistra verso destra: Ma Caroline Ingalls seduta, Grace Ingalls. Laura, Pa Charles Ingalls seduto, Carrie e Mary Ingalls, 1885-90.




Educata secondo i più saldi principi etici e religiosi, all'umiltà e alla rinuncia, alla disciplina e alla mansuetudine Laura, già di indole dignitosa e volitiva, crebbe con un carattere difficilmente rinunciatario e forte; a causa dei frequenti spostamenti della sua famiglia ella fu comunque in grado di frequentare la scuola con la sorella Mary, quando era loro possibile, altrimenti studiava a casa come autodidatta. Nel 1882, all'età di quindici anni, ricevette il suo certificato di insegnamento e per tre anni insegnò in una piccola scuola di campagna situata ad una dozzina di miglia dalla sua dimora a De Smet: fu in questo periodo che ella conobbe Almanzo James Wilder ( 13 febbraio 1857 )



di dieci anni più grande di lei, giovane dalle buone maniere che si era stabilito nelle vicinanze del piccolo centro nel 1879 insieme con il fratello Royal, il quale ben presto conquistò il suo cuore; Almanzo spesso accompagnava Laura a scuola o andava a prenderla al termine delle lezioni per ricondurla a casa con la sua slitta od il suo carro, a seconda delle stagioni, e spesso era invitato a casa dei suoi genitori per visite durante il fine settimana. 
Dopo averla corteggiata per poco più di due anni, Almanzo sposò Laura il ​​25 agosto del 1885 e fu così che la nostra giovane e capace insegnante fu costretta ad abbandonare l'insegnamento per aiutare il marito nella loro grande fattoria ed il 5 dicembre dell'anno successivo nacque Rose, la bellissima, unica figliola dei Wilders.



Sì, perché dovete sapere che se è vero che tutti i pionieri, ovvero quei coloni che tentarono di conquistare, stabilendovisi, nuove terre rubate alla natura selvaggia dell'America ancora inesplorata ed indomita, erano rassegnati a sopportare i disagi e l'incertezza della vita contadina, i Wilders dovettero provare il dolore causato da altre grandi tragedie che segnarono indelebilmente la loro vita: nel mese di agosto del 1889, Laura diede alla luce un bambino che morì poco dopo, un evento di cui non farà menzione alcuna in nessuno dei suoi libri; entrambi contrassero poi la difterite, una terribile malattia che causa problemi respiratori, ma se per Laura si trattò di una forma leggera che non lasciò alcuno strascico sul suo fisico, Almanzo rimase parzialmente paralizzato alle gambe, ovvero alle estremità e perciò, da allora, sempre bisognoso di assistenza; infine, la loro casa, costruita dallo stesso Manly - come Laura amava chiamarlo - venne rasa al suolo da un incendio divampato dalla cucina.

Dopo la malattia, Almanzo fu consigliato dai medici di recarsi in un luogo dal clima più mite e temperato da cui trarre giovamento per i suoi arti provati, e fu allora che i Wilders decisero di spostarsi in Florida, dove da tempo si era stabilito e viveva felicemente un cugino, ma si trattò di un periodo molto breve, una sorta di parentesi nella vita della giovane coppia che amava lavorare la terra del cuore degli States; senza altra dimora fecero quindi ritorno a De Smet, a quella che era per Laura la casa paterna, dove rimasero per un anno durante il quale ella trovò lavoro presso la sarta del paese e mise da parte quel denaro ( cento dollari ) che sarebbe servito loro per l'acquisto della casa dei loro sogni.


Si sentiva parlare di sviluppo del territorio delle Ozarks Mountains nel sud del Missouri, aziende del territorio facevano circolare immagini patinate di frutteti, di vitelli pasciuti, di colline alberate e torrenti impetuosi, il Missouri sembrava essere una terra promessa. Un vicino di casa di De Smet si recò negli Ozarks per dare un'occhiata e portò una mela dal Missouri e la diede a Laura: era più grande e la più rossa mela che avesse mai visto. 
Quella mela decise dove la famiglia Wilder si sarebbe successivamente stabilita.

Non appena i giorni di primavera cedettero il passo all'estate i Wilders cominciarono il loro viaggio verso Mansfield, nel Missouri, il luogo che avrebbero chiamato 'casa' per il resto della loro vita, 'La Terra delle Grandi Mele Rosse' ( The Land of the Big Red Apple ): era il 17 luglio del 1894, come ebbe ad annotare Laura nel diario che tenne durante tutto il loro viaggio quando il loro carro, bitumato a dovere da Almanzo, si lasciò alle spalle De Smet ( Laura non avrebbe più rivisto i sui adorati genitori ).
La sera prima il violino di Pa che suonava tutte le sere rallegrando l'intera famiglia anche nei periodi più bui e difficili, cui Laura era così affezionata, suonò per lei per l'ultima volta:

Quando il violino suonò le sue ultime note e giunse il momento di mettere a dormire Rose per un risveglio di prima mattina per la partenza, Pa chiese a Laura una promessa d'addio.
"quando me ne sarò andato, quando l'ora giungerà," le disse Pa "voglio che tu abbia il violino." 2



Giunti nel territorio degli Ozarks, i Wilders si trovarono in difficoltà nello scegliere una dimora, tante erano le fattorie disponibili ed i luoghi accattivanti in cui poterne edificare altre, ma Laura individuò facilmente il luogo che conquistò il suo cuore, aveva trovato ROCKY RIDGE FARM:


Manly indagò ed apprese che il prezzo della fattoria era di $ 400 - $ 10 per acro. Con essa venivano venduti 400 piccoli alberi di mele in attesa di essere piantati quando la terra sarebbe stata pronta. I precedenti proprietari avevano ordinato quegli alberi di mele da un vivaio. Poi avevano pensato ai lavori connessi con un frutteto e semplicemente abbandonarono le piantine di mele e la fattoria. Utilizzando la banconota da cento dollari a titolo di caparra, i Wilders acquistarono Rocky Ridge Farm il 24 settembre 1894 da The Bank of Mansfield.
Quando i documenti furono firmati in banca, Manly, Laura e Rose immediatamente si diressero verso la loro nuova casa. 3

"Il nostro ideale di casa era quella costruita da un uomo e una donna insieme", disse Laura.
La fattoria di Rocky Ridge dei Wilders crebbe grazie al lavoro congiunto di Laura e Manly che trasformarono la loro terra negli Ozarks in una fattoria frutticola, rinomata per la produzione di latticini ed avicola. Proprio come erano stati partner coltivando grano nel South Dakota, i Wilders erano determinati a creare una fattoria di successo nel Missouri e poichè Manly era ancora indebolita dai suoi storpi, aveva bisogno della rapidità e dell'energia di Laura che divenne la sua migliore aiutante. 4





Anche se entrambi erano interessati a tutti gli aspetti della vita della fattoria di Rocky Ridge, Manly e Laura decisero di dedicarsi ciascuno ad una specialità.
Laura scelse il pollame e parlerà sempre con orgoglio del fatto che vendere i suoi polli e le sue uova durante il primo inverno alla fattoria aveva contribuito a comprare il cibo ed i necessari approvvigionamenti in città. Manly decise che avrebbe gestito le mucche; egli sosteneva che Rocky Ridge fosse un caseificio naturale, con molto buona, limpida acqua di sorgente a disposizione e buona erba da pascolo che cresceva dove gli alberi erano stati abbattuti. Quando lui e Laura acquistarono altri quaranta acri di terreno da aggiungere alla fattoria, vi era davvero lo spazio necessario per allevare un'intera mandria di bestiame.

Il tempo del lavoro alla fattoria lasciava vacante qualche ora durante le giornate di Laura, la quale decise di cominciare a scrivere le proprie memorie, pensando a come erano velocemente cambiati i tempi nel corso degli anni in cui ella visse; Rose nel frattempo aveva trovato lavoro come giornalista e la spronò in questo suo intento che però non trovò riscontro alcuno; pensò quindi di cambiare uditorio e di rivolgersi ad un pubblico di età inferiore, che forse avrebbe trovato interessante la vita di una ragazza delle praterie, di una PRAIRIE GIRL: aveva trovato la chiave di volta per il suo successo !
Alla pubblicazione del primo libro, fece seguito quella di altri sette a comporre una sorta di saga della sua vita, ricolma di aneddoti curiosi, di saggezza, di buoni sentimenti.



 “I began to think what a wonderful childhood I had had. How I had seen the whole frontier, the woods, the Indian country of the great plains, the frontier towns, the building of railroads in wild, unsettled country, homesteading and farmers coming in to take possession…Then  I understood that in my own life I represented a whole period of American history” 






 Laura Ingalls Wilder ad una Fiera del Libro tenutasi a Detroit nel 1937



Perdonate la lunghezza della narrazione, ma la vita di Laura fu così ricca di eventi ed avventurosa ( e se vogliamo anche piuttosto lunga considerato che riuscì a compiere 90 anni ) che non mi è stato possibile decurtarla ulteriormente, ed omettere fatti significativi avrebbe rappresentato un pesante ostacolo alla comprensione della sua personalità e del suo carattere gioioso, solerte, pervicace, mansueto ...

Nella speranza che abbiate gradito questo mio 'ritratto' di una donna così tanto eccezionale, come sempre concludo augurandovi il meglio, miei carissimi amici e lettori, ed abbracciandovi con sempre maggiore gratitudine e riconoscenza,

a presto 












Fonti bibliografiche:

William Anderson, Laura Ingalls Wilder Country: The People and places in Laura Ingalls Wilder's life and books, Harper Collins, 1990;

William Anderson, Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography, Harper Collins, 1992;

Emma Carlson Berne, Nicole Elzenga, Laura Ingalls Wilder, ABDO Publishing Company, 2008;

Wendy McClure, The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie, Riverhead Books, Penguin Group USA, 2011.





Citazioni: 

1 - William Anderson, Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography, Harper Collins, 1992, pag. 141;

2 - Op. cit., pag. 145; 

3 - Ibidem, pag. 150;

4 - Ibidem, pag. 152;

5 - Ibidem, pag. 157.














- picture 1




Today I want to tell you the life of an extraordinary woman who became, only in old age, a prestigious writer of books for children, and who still remains an ideal to be pursued for all of us, because of the lessons that she drew from her life.

Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born February 7th, 1867 in The Big Woods of Wisconsin, seven miles north of Pepin, the second of four children. When she had to describe the nature of her father , Charles Philip Ingalls, she defined him as  a constantly cheerful man, even to the point of being reckless, sometimes, always ready to cheer the family taking his fiddle and playing its strings to keep up all in good spirits, while her mother Caroline Lake Quiner, teacher, was in the eyes of her daughter a gentle and educated woman, kind and proud; her sisters were Mary, the eldest, born in 1865, Carrie and Grace, younger than she, born respectively in 1870 and in 1877; Laura will also have a younger brother, Charles Jr. (nicknamed Freddie), who was born in 1875 and died at the age of only nine months.




- picture 2 - Caroline Celestia-Carrie, Mary Amelia e Laura Elizabeth in 1875.


- picture 3 - Charles & Caroline Ingalls, 'Pa e Ma'




As a little girl Laura moved with her family from place to place in that which could be called the heart of America; inspired by the Homestead Act law promulgated by Lincoln in 1862 which offered 160 acres of "free land" to the settlers that they would build a farm there and had lived on it for five years, Pa led his family to the great prairies.




- picture 4 - Interior of a typical pioneer's house and faithful reconstruction of the house in which Mary and Laura were born in the Big Woods of Wisconsin.




It was 1868 when the Ingalls left Wisconsin for the land about 12 miles from Independence, Kansas, within the boundaries of the Osage Diminished Reserve where, helped by a neighbor, Mr. Edwards, Pa built a house and a stable.
After planting several crops, they were forced to leave this earth in the fall of 1870, just after Carrie's birth: Pa had heard rumors that the government had changed its mind about the settlement in that portion of the State and that the soldiers were on their way to force the settlers to abandon it; he didn't wait for the soldiers and in 1871 they regained possession of their old home in Wisconsin, since the Swedish family to which they had sold it had no intention to ultimate their payment and had decided to leave it, but just only three years later, in 1874, the Ingalls were again on their way to the prairies, this time in Minnesota, where they settled in Walnut Grove, at first living in a dugout house.




- picture 5 - Their dugout at Walnut Grove




Two years later, they moved to Burr Oak, Iowa, where Charles will become co-owner of a hotel, Caroline will help especially in the kitchen and the girls will work to tidy up the guest rooms,




- picture 6 -  The Masters Hotel, Burr Oak, IOWA




but the lure that Pa felt for nature and the life on the prairies, although more laborious and uncertain, was so dramatic and profound than in the autumn of 1877 they did all return to Walnut Grove; in 1879, the restless spirit of Charles Ingalls pushed him to lead his family in the Dakota Territory, where they settled in what would become the De Smet, South Dakota, which will be the home of Charles and Caroline for the rest of their life and unfortunately it was during that year that Mary had an ischemic attack from which she recovered, but she'll lose completely her sight. Their second winter in De Smet was the worst that was ever mentioned: several snow storms prevented trains to deliver all supplies by isolating the small town from December to May, and the memories of these days lived among hardships and sacrifices will mark young Laura's life molding her character: as she'll have to say, years later, she tried to survive the cold weather, the lack of food, of firewood, and to deprivation of other basic needs.




- picture 7 - The Ingalls Family L-R: Ma seated Caroline Ingalls, Grace Ingalls, Laura, Pa Charles seated, Carrie and Mary Ingalls, 1885-90s


- picture 8 - Laura as a girl




Educated according to the highest ethical and religious principles, to humility and renunciation, to discipline and meekness Laura, already dignified and with a strong-willed character, grew up with an unlikely defeatist and strong character; in spite of the frequent movements of her family she was anyway able to attend school with her sister Mary, when it was possible for them, and when it wasn't, she studied at home as a self-taught. In 1882, at the age of fifteen, she received her teaching certificate and taught for three years in a small rural school located a dozen miles from her home in De Smet: it was at this time that she met Almanzo James Wilder (13 February 1857),




- picture 9 - Almanzo as a boy




ten years older than she, a well-mannered young man who had settled near the small town in 1879 along with his brother Royal, who soon won her heart; Almanzo often accompanied Laura to school or went to pick her up after her lessons to bring her home with his sleigh or his wagon, depending on the seasons, and was often invited by her parents' home for visits on weekends.
After having courted her for just over two years, Laura and Almanzo got married on August 25th, 1885 and that's why our young and capable teacher was forced to leave the teaching to help her husband in their large farm and on December 5th of the year after Rose, the beautiful, unique daughter of Wilders, was born.




- picture 10 - Rose




Yes, because you should know that if it's true that all the pioneers, or those settlers who attempted to conquer, establishing themselves on new lands stolen from the unexplored and indomitable wilderness of America, were resigned to endure the inconvenience and uncertainty of their peasant life, the Wilders had to experience the pain caused by other great tragedies that marked indelibly their lives: on August 1889, Laura gave birth to a son who died shortly after, an event she'll never mention in any book of hers; then, them  both contracted diphtheria, a terrible disease that causes breathing problems, but if for Laura it was a mild form that didn't let any consequence on her health and on her physical, Almanzo remained partially paralyzed in his legs, more precisely at his feet, and therefore, since then, more in need of assistance; finally, their home, built by the same Manly - as Laura liked to call him - was completely destroyed by a fire started from the kitchen.

After his illness, Almanzo was advised by doctors to travel to a place with warmer and more temperate weather from which to benefit for his tried arts, and it was then that the Wilders decided to move to Florida, where for some time he had settled and happily lived a cousin of theirs, but it was a very short period, a sort of parenthesis in the life of the young couple who loved to work the land in the heart of the US; with no other house they returned to De Smet, in what was for Laura her father's house, where they stayed for a year during which she found work by the seamstress of the town and put aside some the money (one hundred dollars) that would have been so useful to purchase the home of their dreams.




- picture 11 - Laura as a young woman




They heard of land development in the Ozarks Mountain of southern Missouri. Land companies circulated glossy pictures of orchards, fat cattle, tree-covered hills and rushing stream. Missouri seemed to be a land of promise. A neighbour from De Smet went to the Ozarks to look things over. He brought back a Missouri apple and gave it to Laura. It was the biggest, reddest apple she had seen. That apple decided where the Wilder family would settle next. 1

As soon as the days of Spring gave way to the Summer, the Wilders began their journey to Mansfield, Missouri, the place they'd call 'home' for the rest of their lives, 'The Land of the Big Red Apples': it was July 17th, 1894, as Laura wrote down in the diary she kept during their entire trip, when their wagon, properly bituminised by Almanzo, left De Smet behind itself (Laura wouldn't have seen her parents anymore).
The night before Pa's fiddle, playing every night rejoicing the whole family even in the darkest, most difficult times, which Laura was so fond of, sounded for her for the last time:

When the fiddle played its last notes and it was time to get Rose to sleep for and early-morning start, Pa gave Laura a farewell promise. 
"When I'm gone, laura, when the time comes," Pa told her, "I want you to have the fiddle." 2





- picture 12 - Pa's fiddle





Once in the Ozarks area, the Wilders were in difficulty in choosing a home, many farms were available and there were also attractive places in which to build others, but Laura easily spotted the place that captured her heart, she found ROCKY RIDGE FARM:




- picture 13 - Laura on the porch of her home




Manly inquired and learned that the price for the farm was $400 - $10 per acre. With the farm came 400 tiny apple trees waiting to be planted when the land was cleared. The previous owners of that land had ordered those apple trees from a nursery. Then they had thought with the work connected with an orchard and simply abandoned the apple seedlings and the farm. Using the hundred-dollar bill as a down payment, the Wilders bought Rocky Ridge farm on September 24, 1894 from The Bank of Mansfield.
When the papers were signed at the bank, Manly, Laura and Rose inmediateluy moved out to their new home. 3

"Our idea of and ideal home is one built by a man and woman together," Laura said. 
The  Wilders' Rocky Ridge Fram was developed through Laura and Manly working together to transform their Ozark land into a fruit, dairy and poultry farm. Just as they had been partners as wheat farmers in South Dakota, the Wilders were determined to create a successfull farm in Missouri. Because manly was still weakened by his creepled feet, he needed laura's quickness and energy. She became Manly's best helper. 4




- picture 14 - Laura taking care of the vegetable garden at Rocky Ridge Farm


- picture 15 - Collage of Rocky Ridge farm seen by outside, its living room and Almanzo at work in his fields




Although they both were interested in every aspect of the farming that was done on Rocky Ridge, Manly and Laura also decided to each select a speciality.
Laura chose the poultry; she was always proud that selling her chickens and eggs during the first winter on the farm had helped buy needed food and supplies from town. Manly decided that he would handly the cows; he said thet Rocky Ridge was a natural diary farm, with much good, clear spring water available and good grazing grass growing where the trees were cleared. When he and Laura bought another fourty acres to add to the vfarm, there was plenty of land for a herd of cattle. 5

The work time at the farm left vacant a few hours during the days of Laura, who decided to start writing her memoirs, thinking about how they were quickly changed the times over the years in which she lived; Rose in the meantime had found work as a journalist and urged her in this intent of hers, which, alas did not find any response; then Laura thought of changing audience and to speak to younger people, to children, that perhaps would  have found interesting the life of a PRAIRIE GIRL: she had found the key to her success!
The publication of her first book, was followed by that of other seven to compose a sort of saga of her life, full of curious anecdotes, of wisdom, of good feelings.




“I began to think what a wonderful childhood I had had. How I had seen the whole frontier, the woods, the Indian country of the great plains, the frontier towns, the building of railroads in wild, unsettled country, homesteading and farmers coming in to take possession…Then  I understood that in my own life I represented a whole period of American history” 







 Laura Ingalls Wilder speaking at a Detroit Book Fair in 1937






Forgive me for the length of the story, but the life of Laura was so eventful and adventurous (and also quite long, since she managed to turn 90) that it wasn't possible to me to further curtail it or to omit significant facts, which would constitute a heavy obstacle to the understanding of her personality and her joyful, diligent, stubborn, gentle character ...

In the hope that you have enjoyed this 'portrait' of such exceptional a woman, as usual I'm concluding by wishing you all my best, my dear friends and readers, and embracing you with ever greater gratitude and appreciation,


see you soon 














Bibliographyc sources:

William Anderson, Laura Ingalls Wilder Country: The People and places in Laura Ingalls Wilder's life and books, Harper Collins, 1990;

William Anderson, Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography, Harper Collins, 1992;

Emma Carlson Berne, Nicole Elzenga, Laura Ingalls Wilder, ABDO Publishing Company, 2008;

Wendy McClure, The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie, Riverhead Books, Penguin Group USA, 2011.





Quotations: 

1 - William Anderson, Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography, Harper Collins, 1992, pag. 141;

2 - Op. cit., page 145; 

3 - Ibidem, page 150;

4 - Ibidem, page 152;

5 - Ibidem, page 157.





LINKING UP WITH:


( and here I was featured, what a joy ! )







103 commenti:

  1. Hello, Laura Ingalls Wilder did live a adventurous life. I enjoyed reading your post sharing her story. I hope I can live to 90 years old. Thanks for sharing, enjoy your new week ahead!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Eileen
      you're so wonderful !
      Laura's life was really long and filled with so many adventures, teaching her such a lot, and thanks to all the adversities she met she became truly a wise woman I do admire so much.
      I wish you to live until not 90 but at least 100 years :) !!!

      Wishing you a most beautiful start of your week to come,
      I'm sending so much dear, sweet love to you, my dearest friend ♡❤♡

      Elimina
  2. Interessantissimo post! Mi hai dato modo di scoprire la "vera" Laura Ingalls , la sua vita , così ricca di avvenimenti e di sentimento, nella realtà storica americana ... hai fatto centro con me , che negli anni '70 non mi perdevo un episodio di quelli trasmessi in tv ( mi sembra una buona cosa che ancora oggi vengano mandati in onda su Rai3!I buoni sentimenti, la correttezza nell'agire e la speranza in qualcosa di migliore , sono valori validi, sempre, per ogni nuova generazione)
    Lieta settimana ,
    Franca

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Franca
      mia cara, mi entusiasma, mi rallegra e mi riconforta così tanto leggere dalle tue parole che anche tu condividi il mio punto di vista secondo cui i valori, eticamente parlando, non hanno un tempo e non invecchiano, sono sempre quelli a fare di una persona un'ideale da ammirare a da voler avere accanto !

      Ti abbraccio con il cuore augurandoti una splendida nuova settimana, preziosa amica mia,
      che il sole splenda per te ogni giorno ಌ❀ಌ

      Elimina
  3. What a wonderful backstory, Dany! I remember reading this series as a child. I don't think I ever knew that the stories were based on her life. Blessings on your week, dear friend!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ June
      dearest friend of mine, as a child I also was fascinated by all her adventures, but just as an adult I knew her as a woman who really lived this so difficult period in the American History, and appreciated her for every little teaching she, from her life, has drawn.

      May your new week be filled with Grace, Joy and fulfillment,
      ⊰♥⊱ sending so many dear hugs to you, with plenty of gratitude ⊰♥⊱

      Elimina
  4. What wonderful pictures, I enjoyed reading about her life.

    Hugs Diane

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Diane
      you're so welcome, thank you for this visit of yours and for your lovely words, may your day be filled with gladness ✿⊱╮

      Elimina
  5. Thank you so much Dany, for this lovely and detailed biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. I adored her books as a little girl and I loved the tv series that followed years later. I am always reminded of how very tough life was way back then; and how, despite the tragedies and hardships they encountered, everybody just seemed to get on with life. A lesson perhaps we can learn today. Another lovely and informative post, Dany.....thank you!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Kim
      my sweetest friend, I'm so grateful to you for your words showing enjoyment, I wholeheartedly thank you, it's always a so big joy to read such words filling my heart with enthusiasm, you're so dear to me !

      May your new week be ever so lovely and blessed,
      ༺❀༻ thinking of you with so, so much love ༺❀༻

      Elimina
  6. Our life today is so simple compared to that of those pioneers and settlers. We have good housing, hospitals, medication... I have not read Laura Ingall's books but of course seen the tv-serie.

    Thank you Dany for this interesting post. It makes me appreciate all nice comforts of my modern life.

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ riitta
      thank you for gracing my blog this morning with your presence here and your so lovely words of appreciation !
      You're so right, there's no comparison between our life today and that they lived just a little more than one century ago in the American prairies, but think that such life was the condition necessary for us to live our nowadays life in the way we are used to .. isn't it amazing ?

      Hope that your week is off to a great start,
      I wish you all my best for the days to come,
      with heartfelt love and gratitude ♡ஐ♡

      Elimina
    2. When I did genealogy research, I also read about the Great Starvation/Famine Years 1866-1868 in Finland. The crops failed here and in Europe and the Gulf of Finland froze, so cereal import was imposible. Appr 150.000 persons starved to death, 8% of the country's population.

      This tragedy is so recent, hard to imagine the life of hungry and starving people. History is not always beautiful - but interesting it is!



      Nälkävuosien aikana lasketaan väestönmenetys noin 150 000 hengeksi.[

      Elimina
    3. @ riitta
      History is not always a romantic novel, indeed, it quite seldom tells us beautiful tales ... it has been written with sweat, efforts and sometimes with blood too, but I'm so fond and curios of it, that's why I decided to take my first degree in it, just to deepen what at the normal school they don't allow us to learn.

      I hug you with so much love, precious friend of mine,
      thank you for your so interesting contribution ღ*ღ

      Elimina
  7. Risposte
    1. @ Deb
      it's my pleasure, believe me, you're so very welcome !
      With so much thankfulness, I wish you a happy week ❥

      Elimina
  8. Wonderful photos here, Dany. Laura was born not terribly far from where we live (in Wisconsin). The dugout you show is like what my great grandmother lived in for a time (long before I was born). They called it a soddy, because it's roof was sod.

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Judy
      so maybe you've also visited her birthplace !
      It amazes so much to see how fast American people have been able to grow and to became what they are today ... You see, you're talking about two generations before yours, not of so many centuries ago ... you're all so wonderful !

      May your day be blessed with Joy, my dearest friend,
      sending hugs and love to you ⊰✽♡✽⊱

      Elimina
  9. Ciao, interessantissimo post, ho scoperto il tuo blog per caso e...nuova follower!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Marshall
      ti ringrazio per le belle parole e per aver deciso di far parte della 'famiglia' di ~ My little old world ~, sei la benvenuta qui, credimi, ti accolgo con un caloroso e forte abbraccio !

      Ti auguro una serata colma di letizia, con sincera gratitudine ಌ•❤•ಌ

      Elimina
  10. bellissime foto e grazie per queste informazioni!
    un abbraccio simona:)

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ simona
      le tue visite e le tue parole sono sempre un piacere ed una gioia per me, mia cara !

      Contraccambio il tuo abbraccio con un grande bacio per augurarti una settimana all'insegna della gioia e della serenità,
      *♥* con tutto il cuore *♥*

      Elimina
  11. I enjoyed reading this wonderful and adventurous pioneers life story.The old photos completed the story. Thank you so much Dany!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Janneke
      I'm so very grateful to you for your lovely words, believe me, you've filled my heart with such a joy, my sweetest, loving friend !

      Hope your week is off to a great start, I wish you most beautiful days to come, thanks again so very sincerely ஐღஐ

      Elimina
  12. Thank you again, for another wonderful post! Showing and telling us more, about a famous person.

    Not a flamboyant woman, this time. :-) A very 'down-to-earth' lady, who worked hard during her life. And who also left us lovely writings, which can transport us back, to when she was growing up.

    And especially, thank you for the wonderful old photos!!!!

    Gentle hugs,
    Tessa

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Tessa
      thank you for gracing my blog today with your presence here and with your lovely words, my sweet, precious soul, I'm always in high spirits when I read your comments !

      Have a joyous new week, dearest friend, I wish you all my best for its remainder, with heartfelt gratitude !
      Sending dear love to you ❀≼♥≽❀

      Elimina
  13. Thank you for this interesting post.
    Have a good week!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Forest Dream Weaver
      I thank you for being here and for your appreciating my post, you're welcome !

      I wish you too a most wonderful week to come,
      ஐ sending hugs ஐ

      Elimina
  14. Laura Ingalls Wilder was, indeed, an extraordinary woman. She possessed great wisdom, which makes her very quotable. I enjoyed the photos and your summation of her life. This period of American history is so interesting. I live in NE Oregon where many people came on the Oregon Trail to homestead. Ranch and farm families here go back generations to those original homesteaders. We hear so many fascinating stories from these families. Have a lovely day, Dany, and thank you for sharing Laura and her family with us. ~ Nancy

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Nancy
      I'm so overjoyed to read that you've enjoyed this post of mine too, my darling, sweet and precious friend, it means so much to me !
      You live in a wonderful land, what was once called 'Far West', full of history and still so very charming, I'm sure.

      May your day be blessed with Joy and gladness, amiable friend, thinking of you with sincere love ♡*❖*♡

      Elimina
  15. Thank-you, thank-you and another thank-you for this!!! I so loved reading about an icon from my childhood. I grew up looking forward to "Little House on the Prairie" every week and would later re-watch episodes. I had never looked into Laura's life and history before and I'm not sure why, as I found it engrossing.
    What a lovely way to start the week. Have a great day Dany!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Andrea
      what a blessing to my heart ... your enthusiasm has brighten my evening, my loving friend !
      That's what she was to me too, when I was a child, an icon, whose example I tried to follow, I loved her way to approach friends and facts of life, but at that time I still disn't know that I was watching true stories of a child who truly lived and became a woman in that so difficult age !
      When I learned that Laura Ingalls Wilder had truly lived on the American Prairies during the pioneers' age, well, I appreciated her even more and began to deepen her biography, and I saw my enthusiasm and my interest, growing more and more.

      Thank you for all your words of appreciation, sounding like music to my soul, darling friend !
      May your week be the most joyous ever,
      I wish it to you with all my heart,
      sending sweet hugs and dear love across the Ocean ❥

      Elimina
  16. I so enjoyed this very much, I first grew up watching the Television show Little House on the prairie, where I first learned about her and the adventures they lived, I have read a couple books but not all of them. My sister has them all and I have recently seen that you can go and visit her homes or reproductions of them and I think that would be a fun thing for my sister and I to do, we live so far from each other that I don't know if we will get to that or not. I looked up her home in Missouri and it is 217 miles away would take us close to 4 hours to get there with traffic, I am putting that on my places to go and visit list.
    Hope you have a most wonderful week, and hope you get my card soon I am worried it was lost

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Connie
      what a pity you live so far from her Home-Museum, I think that would be such a great joy to both of you to visit it with all the memories of hers which are preserved there !

      As for your card, I hope it's on the way, they are so many days I don't see the postman, I even asked my parents a few minutes ago if he's been kidnapped {{smiles}} just thinking about your envelope ... let's hope it's arriving during this week ... sometimes mail coming from America is faster than here in Italy, sometimes it takes so much to arrive to its destination ... let's hope, taking our fingers crossed !

      Let me wish you all my best for the week just begun, my lovable friend, with so much gratitude I'm sending so big hugs to you ಌ❀ಌ

      Elimina
  17. I have been a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder since I was a young girl, so this recap of her life, including events not mentioned in her books, was delightful to me. Thank you so much!
    Blessings, Leigh

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Leigh
      you're so very welcome, and your so beautiful words truly warm my heart ... I'M SO GRATEFUL TO YOU !

      May your week be blessed with love,
      thanks most sincerely, again ✿⊱╮

      Elimina
  18. So happy that i found your wonderful blog.
    Nice greetings from austria your new follower
    Kuni

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ KUNI
      so you're from Austria, my beloved Land, where my ancient roots come from ...
      How glad I'm to have an Austrian follower, you're the very first ... glad and honoured by your lovely words, my new friend !

      I wish you a most beautiful week,
      with so much gratitude ♡❤♡

      Elimina
  19. I commend you, Daniela, for such a fantastic synopsis of Laura Ingalls' life! Her stories have long been my favourite girlhood reads. The whole family were remarkable & admirable in spite of all the harsh circumstances they faced.
    Thank you so much for sharing your research with us & the photographs!
    I LOVE this !
    Best wishes for a wonderful week!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Christine
      I feel speechless after reading your wonderful words ... thank you is the only word I can write, my dearest one, I'm much more than happy that you've enjoyed this post of mine !

      I wish you a most wonderful week ever, my loving friend,
      with so much gratitude and so dear love,
      ♡ஐ♡ sending so many hugs to you ♡ஐ♡

      Elimina
  20. The story of the Ingalls is a wonderful one, Dany....showing how early pioneers worked the land and lived...brave, hard working people. The TV show, Little House on the Prairie, was another wonderful way to learn the story of this family along with the Little House books.

    Donna@GardensEyeView
    and LivingFromHappiness

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Donna
      I wholeheartedly thank you for your visit and your words, my sweetest friend,
      may your week be blessed with much joy and love ⊰✽♥✽⊱

      Elimina
  21. I love Laura Ingalls....I have read her books many times. Thank you for adding all the photos, many of them I have never seen before.
    Have a wonderful day dear Daniela....from Shirley

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Shirley
      it's always such a blessing to have you here, delightful and lovable friend of mine !

      I wish you too a most wonderful day ever,
      and so many wonderful and blessed days to come, sweetie,
      sending so, so much love to you ღ*ღ

      Elimina
  22. I enjoyed this so much. Our family is a huge fan and we loved this.

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Mrs. Chrissy
      you're welcome, your words bless my heart with such a gladness, thank you !

      ⊰❀ Have a lovely day, today ❀⊱

      Elimina
  23. This is amazing, Dany. I began reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's biography two days ago! And what a wonderful post!
    Amalia
    xo

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Amalia
      what a lovely coincidence this is !
      You're so dear to me, my precious friend ... and your words mean so much to me, I thank you most sincerely.

      Sending hugs and love across the Ocean
      I wish you a remainder of your week blessed with joy and serenity,
      with gratitude ಌ•❤•ಌ

      Elimina
  24. Cara Daniela,
    Che vita avventurosa!! Devono aver passato periodi davvero difficili, in un'epoca che forse non aiutava la gente più umile. Ma penso che la storia di questa donna dimostri come la volontá, aiutata da un pizzico di fortuna, possa risollevare le sorti di un'intera famiglia.
    Grazie di avercela raccontata :)
    Ti mando un affettuoso abbraccio!
    Beatrice

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Beatrice
      ... avventurosa, persino perigliosa, ma altamente 'didattica'- passami il termine - fu la vita degli Ingalls prima e dei Wilders dopo, in una realtà ancora selvaggia e del tutto non civilizzata.
      Sono io a doverti ringraziare, carissima amica mia, per aver apprezzato anche questa mia narrazione !

      Contraccambio l'abbraccio con immenso affetto ed infinita gratitudine augurandoti un prosieguo di settimana all'insegna della letizia e della serenità,
      con il cuore ❥

      Elimina
  25. Ah però cara Daniela che vita avventurosa ha avuto tutta la famiglia Ingalls dapprima ed i Wilder poi!
    Un mondo a me completamente sconosciuto ma così affascinante.
    Grazie per questa preziosa e dettagliata narrazione.
    Un abbraccio Susanna

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Susanna
      grazie, grazie di vero cuore a te, dolcezza, ogni volta che leggo le vostre parole di apprezzamento mi fate un dono immenso per esprimere il valore del quale non esistono termini, mie care ragazze !

      Che la tua serata ti regali solo spensieratezza e gioia, mia cara, adorabile amica, e che il prosieguo della settimana sia lieto per te e per chi ti vive accanto, te lo auguro con sincero affetto e profonda riconoscenza ✿⊱╮

      Elimina
  26. Ho letto tutto con immenso interesse. Da piccola e poi da adolescente, non mi perdevo neanche un episodio della Casa nella Prateria. Laura Ingalls era il mio personaggio preferito. Con te ho imparato tante altre sue virtù e maggiormente apprezzato il suo spirito forte, volenteroso, audace e gioioso.
    Bacioni Alessandra

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Alessandra
      infatti è approfondendo gli argomenti e la storia dei personaggi che si viene a conoscenza anche degli aspetti meno noti del loro temperamento e della loro vita ... sapessi quanto entusiasmo mi muove in questo !

      Ti ringrazio tanto caramente e ti abbraccio con tanta dolcezza, mia romantica amica, sei così amabile e così tanto graziosa ... e mi sto affezionando a te sempre più !
      Lascia che ti abbracci ❀≼♥≽❀

      Elimina
  27. My best times as a young girl were spent reading here books.
    There are truly none better.
    Thank you for this wonderful post, sweet Dany. xo.

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Lisa
      your words sound like music to me and bless my heart with such a deep gladness, I thank you with all my heart for enjoyed and appreciating this topic too !

      I wish you a wonderful day, today, my dearest friend,
      sending you so much love across the Ocean ༺♡༻

      Elimina
  28. Laura Ingalls was a treasure in our American history. Writing these stories captured the memories of a child settling in the west for all of us. I read these stories and now they are in the curriculum for the 4th-5th grade in American schools. Love it! Great post.

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ The Charm of Home
      you said it, she is something like a 'milestone' in your history and I'm so very glad to become aware of the fact that her stories are read and taught at school, I think them to be very educational for children of that age.
      I'm so grateful to you, my dear friend, for your amusement gives me such an enthusiasm and a gladness you cannot even imagine !

      With boundless thankfulness, I wish you a most beautiful remainder of your week, sweet friend,
      ⊰♥⊱ sending hugs and love to you ⊰♥⊱

      Elimina
  29. I really enjoyed this Dany. Laura Ingalls Wilder is one of my favorites and I actually learned a bit more about her here! Such a rough life and yet, she remained inspiring to us all!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ JES
      your visits and your words always put a smile on my face, thank you, and your enjoyment means so much to me ... you're a so lovely lady I do admire a lot !

      May your day be blessed with true joy, my darling, sweetest friend, and may the days to come be filled with serenity,
      thinking of you with dear love and esteem ಌ❀ಌ

      Elimina
  30. Laura Ingalls Wilder is one of my favorite writers! I read all of her books to my children when they were young and I still have them for my grandchildren. I feel a special bond with her, as I moved across the country as a young bride and my husband, children and I built our home on raw land in the forest of the Pacific Northwest. Thank you for sharing this wonderful post and all the photos. xoxo Karen

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Karen
      adorable friend of mine, so you're something like a 'nowadays' Laura Ingalls Wilder, aren't you, sweetie {{smiles}}?
      Well, I'm sure you've lived your moving in quite different conditions, compared to the times she lived in, but I do believe you really have something in common !

      Thanking you with all my heart for the words of appreciation you wrote, I'm sending blessings on the remainder of your week,
      with so much love ♥♡♥

      Elimina
  31. I often read Little House books and love them so much. It is a view of what America was like for so long but is now no more. How sad that makes me.
    Sending you hugs

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ annie
      my sweetest, dearest friend, can you imagine how rueful am I thinking about the changes that took place during the last century ... that's the reason why ~ My little old world ~ was born, you know it, because of the nostalgia I feel for all the past times we were told by our elderly ... and we didn't live .. and so you understand my effort trying to make them live again .. but you already know it all, my darling, don't you ?!?
      Have a day blessed with so much joy, darling, sending big hugs to you ♡ஐ♡

      Elimina
  32. Pur non avendo perso neanche una puntata della " Casa
    nella prateria " non avevo idea che fosse tratta da una storia vera!!
    E quanto mi è piaciuto leggere il tuo post, che mi ha appassionato
    non poco!! E le foto? Meravigliose!
    Certo che Laura e la sua famiglia ne hanno passate tante. Sai dirmi se c'è il libro in italiano in commercio?
    Sarebbe stupendo poterlo leggere!
    Ti ringrazio per questo tuo nuovo bellissimo post, sei la mia insegnante di storia preferita...
    Un bacione, mia dolcissima e un abbraccio
    Love Susy ♥

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Susy
      sono felicissima, o forse ancor di più, per tutto l'entusiasmo che leggo nelle tue parole, tesoro, ma quanto mi spiace doverti dire che non esistono testi biografici di Laura in italiano ... onestamente avessi più tempo ti tradurrei uno dei miei, ma ora si sta preparando un momento di lavoro intenso qui a Tenuta Geremia ... sono triste per doverti negare questo piacere, comprendo il tuo desiderio, credimi !
      Vorrà dire che quando verrete qui la prossima volta te lo leggo ... a puntate, magari, un po' per giorno :) !

      Scherzi a parte, mi amareggia davvero non poterti aiutare in alcun modo, piccola mia !!!

      La tua insegnante di storia preferita ( mi piace !) ti augura un fine giornata sereno ed un bellissimo riposo, un risveglio su di una giornata primaverile, come ormai da giorni ci stiamo abituando a vivere, che ti colmi il cuore di gioia, di tanta gioia, che ti accompagni per tutto il resto della settimana.
      Con tutto il cuore ಌ•❤•ಌ

      Elimina
  33. What a fascinating life Mrs. Wilder lived! They say the best writers write about what they know and have experienced. No wonder her books are so treasured!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Lisa
      you're so very welcome, it's such a joy to have you here, my new friend !
      What you uphold about good writers is so true, and Laura Ingalls Wilder's life confirms this thought, which I fully support.

      May your day be filled with much gladness
      sending hugs to you
      fondly ❥

      Elimina
  34. Good morning Dany. This is such a beautiful post about an amazingly talented woman. I'm so happy to see that you are linking this with Thoughts of Home on Thursday. There's someone else whose very talented that will be thrilled to see this post...I'm going to send her your way. :)

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Stacey
      it's my pleasure to link my posts to your lovely blog party, believe me, dear friend !
      Yes, send her here, I'm so very happy to meet new friends !

      I wish you a most beautiful remainder of your week,
      with sincere love and admiration ღ*ღ

      Elimina
  35. Very interesting -- so much I didn't know about one of my favorite childhood authors (even though I used to watch the Little House on the Prairie program!). Interestingly enough, the woman who played Laura Ingalls on the series is now running for our state congressional seat here in Michigan.

    The photos are terrific. What a treat.

    ~jeanie from Marmalade Gypsy

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Jeanie
      I welcome you with a sweet hug !
      So the actress Melissa Gilbert has become a political woman ... who knows, I wonder if Laura were still alive today probably she also would have chosen that way, she had the suited nature, surely !

      Thanking you for you beautiful words af appreciation,
      I wish you a most beautiful remainder of your week,
      ༺❀༻ fondly ༺❀༻

      Elimina
  36. Carissima Daniela,che bel regalo mi hai fatto con questo post...
    Come dimenticare Laura Ingalls e la sua simpatica famiglia!
    Penso sia nel cuore di tutte ..noi bambine "anta",certo nella mia infinita ignoranza,non avevo idea che fosse esistita veramente,e questo mi fa amare ancora di più questo caparbio personaggio!

    Grazie infinite Dany,un bacio.
    A

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Antonella
      carissima, il regalo, meraviglioso, lo fai tu a me ogni qualvolta mi vieni a trovare e mi scrivi splendide parole come queste !

      Ti abbraccio, dolcissima, preziosa amica dall'animo colmo di buoni, vecchi sentimenti, ti abbraccio forte augurandoti una dolce notte ed un sereno weekend, anche se con un po' di anticipo, e ti mando un grande bacio, di vero cuore ♡❤♡

      Elimina
  37. che bei costumi, che belle foto e che belle ambientazioni!!! grazie per ogni post che ci regali! un abbraccio e a presto

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Minù
      carissima fatina mia, ti ringrazio di cuore per le bellissime parole e contraccambio con tanto affetto il tuo abbraccio !
      A presto dolcissima amica mia ⊰♥⊱

      Elimina
  38. Daniela~ You have done a lovely post on my family. Laura was truly inspirational. Laura Ingalls Gunn

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Laura
      I cannot believe it ... I thought yours to be a nickname, maybe due to a deep admiration for Laura Ingalls Wilder, but to get in touch with a real great-grandniece, I suppose, of hers, actually, make me feel breathless ... so Stacey was thinking of you, isn't it !
      Well, at this point also my words, for the emotion and the honour, don't come out anymore ... forgive me ... but I'm sure to have your understanding ... she was and still is an icon for me !

      With so, so much gratitude I wish you a most beautiful day, today, and a joyous remainder of your week,
      with sincere esteem ✿⊱╮

      Elimina
  39. Dany, thank you so much for this wonderful post. I loved the Little House books and television series and so was very excited to see you had delved into the life of the author and her family. Good job, my friend!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Jean
      thank you my sweetest friend, your words really brighten my day !

      Have a wonderful end of your week ahead, dearie,
      sending love and hugs to you across the many miles ಌ❀ಌ

      Elimina
  40. Thank you so much for this. I really enjoyed reading it. I loved these books when I was a kid, and I loved the television series. So touching about the fiddle. xoxo Su

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Su
      dearest friend of mine, your enjoyment means so much to me !

      May your day be blessed with joy, darling
      with so much gratitude I'm sending love to you ❥

      Elimina
  41. I loved reading this wonderful story about a woman I have admired since I was a young girl! Thank you ever so much for including such interesting background information and the lovely pictures! It has been so long since I have been able to visit here...it is always such a blessing, and I always leave refreshed in spirit. Thank you SO much for your dear, kind words on my blog...oh, they were so very comforting to me in my time of sadness! You are such a special blessing to me and to so many others. May Jesus bless you abundantly! Sending you much love and many hugs across the miles, sweet friend!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Cheryl
      what a blessing to have you here and how, how much I've been missing you, my so precious friend !
      You say that I gave you the support you needed in a sad moment, and I'm so very happy for this ... since I visited you yesterday I'm thinking of you ...
      Dearest friend of mine, I think that there is no age suited for losing our parents, we do always need their love, their comprehension, their help, their words of support, as children and as adults, and they, who gave us our life, are always so very happy to help us, whatever we need, without asking anything in change ... and when they become old, or ill, we seem to reciprocate their love taking care of them. And when it comes the moment for them to come back to the Lord, we're never ready .... but it's also true that, and I sincerely think, that there's no bigger pain for a human being, than to survive to his children, it's so against Nature !

      As for this post of mine, I'm so overjoyed to have given you some moments of enjoyment, sincerely, your words mean such a lot to me !

      With so much gratitude I wish you a most beautiful end of your week blessed with joy and wonder, my sweetest friend so very generous with me !
      Sending dear love to you too, dearie *♥*

      Elimina
  42. I enjoyed reading this post and scrolling through the old photos. The story of Laura Ingalls is fascinating. New follower too!
    Linda
    mysewwhatblog

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Linda
      I'm so, so very glad to have you here, I welcome you with so much joy and gratitude for your lovely fords and for having decided to follow ~ My little old world ~, new friend of mine, I'm truly honoured !

      May your Sunday be filled with joy
      with heartfelt gratitude ಌ•❤•ಌ

      Elimina
  43. I really enjoyed this post after many years watching Little House on the Prairie. This was a real joy to see the real Laura Ingalls and the home that she shared with her family. Thank you xx

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Chel
      dearest, sweetest friend of mine, I couldn't imagine what posting this writing of mine would have meant to me: I found so much enthusiasm in everybody for Laura Ingalls, for she was an icon of an age and an inspiring woman still today for us today, is one of the most read writers, for her works are read inside the primary school and with it I reached a descendant of hers just bearing her name and her surname who contacted me (whose comment is here above) ... I cannot believe all this magic !
      And to read about your amusement make me feel even more fortunate and joyous, believe me !

      Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday, I wish you a most wonderful start of your week ahead, my marvelous lady
      ⊰✽*✽⊱ sending dear hugs to you ⊰✽*✽⊱

      Elimina
  44. Ah, such delightful history, my sweet and precious friend! Your stories and love for sharing always move and inspire me.

    Thank you for sharing Laura Ingalls with Roses of Inspiration. How I love having you at the party.

    With love and sweet hugs!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Stephanie
      thank you for gracing my blog today with your visit and your so beautiful words touching my heart and blessing it with such a deep joy !

      I wish you a most wonderful start of your week, my wonderful, lovable friend,
      thinking of you with so much love ... always ... ♡ஐ♡

      Elimina
  45. Good morning Dany...so happy to see you featured at Strangers and Pilgrims On Earth this morning! Have a beautiful week....Shirley

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Shirley
      far precious friend of mine, actually I cannot believe it yet, this post has given me so many gratifications and such a joy I couldn't really imagine !

      Thank you for your gladness, my sweetest one, sending blessings on your new week just begun, with love and heartfelt thankfulness ♥♡♥

      Elimina
  46. This was such a wonderful biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Dany! I loved reading her stories and so did my daughter, and someday I hope my granddaughter will also enjoy them. Although her life was hard and rustic it was filled with joy of nature and parents and siblings that loved her. Her books tell so many wonderful tales iof early pioneer life-they are true treasures! Thank you for this wonderful review of her life.

    Hugs,

    Pat

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Pat
      my darling, I'm so overjoyed to read your delight, your pleasure and your appreciation in your words, Laura was truly an icon for us all !

      May the remainder of your week be blessed with joy,
      sending much, so much love to you across the many miles ✿⊱╮

      Elimina
  47. Grazie Daniela per queste belle foto e per le notizie relative a questa famiglia, che grazie alla serie è diventata parte della mia famiglia. Ho seguito tutta la serie, che ho amato tantissimo, ma seppur nella serie abbia visto le molte difficoltà che la famiglia ha dovuto affrontare, non avevo idea che avessero traslocato tante volte. Un uomo irrequieto e alla ricerca di un luogo sicuro e "ricco" per far crescere la propria famiglia Pa Ingals! Lo so che Laura è la narratrice della famiglia.... ma io sono curiosa cosa è successo alla povera Mary , dopo essere diventata cieca, non deve essere stata facile la vita per lei.
    Mi sono dilungata troppo, scusa e grazie ancora Patrizia

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Patrizia
      non ti devi assolutamente scusare, mia cara, leggo con estremo piacere i vostri interventi a cui sono molto interessata, perché accrescono il mio entusiasmo e la mia passione.

      Dopo l'ictus che la colpì lasciandola completamente priva della vista, Mary frequentò un college per ciechi, tra il 1881 e il 1889, l'Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton, situato nello stato dell'Iowa, appunto.
      La storia tace sul motivo per cui non fu presente a scuola per un anno, ma sta di fatto che riuscì a terminare i propri studi e a diplomarsi nell'arco di sette anni; tornata a casa a De Smet, visse con i genitori fino alla loro morte per poi andare a vivere prima con la sorella Grace, e poi con Carrie.
      Si spense il 20 ottobre del 1928 all'età di 63 anni di conseguenza ad un attacco di polmonite complicato da un un ictus. Con Ma, Pa ed il piccolo deceduto in tenera età, figlio di Laura e di Almanso, riposa nel cimitero di De Smet, nel South Dakota.

      Spero con ciò di avere soddisfatto la tua curiosità e, credimi, sinceramente compiaciuta per il tuo interesse, ti auguro un sereno prosieguo di settimana ༺❀༻

      Elimina
  48. Risposte
    1. @ Kim
      I'm so overjoyed by reading your words, sweet friend, I thank you most sincerely !

      Hope you're enjoying your week I wish you most beautiful days to come ಌ•❤•ಌ

      Elimina
  49. What a lovely post and beautiful photos ... It's hard to imagine those times ...Thanks so much for sharing at OBW!!

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Ros
      you're so heartily welcome, dear friend, I also think that surviving such hard times meant to be gifted with a very strong nature ... for sure !

      Wishing you the best of weeks, with so much gratitude ༺♡❀♡༻

      Elimina
  50. Such an interesting history, and beautiful old photos. Thank you for sharing this with us, dear friend! xx

    RispondiElimina
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    1. @ Wen
      it's my pleasure, believe me, both to share it with you and to have you here with your so beautiful words of appreciation filling my heart, thank you sweet friend !

      Hope your days to come hold much joy,
      I'm sending hugs and more hugs to you •♥•♥•♥•

      Elimina
  51. The little House on the Prairie was my favourite series as a kid!Thanks for reminding me so much about it!And thanks for sharing in OBW!AriadnefromGreece!

    RispondiElimina

I THANK YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS, SO PRECIOUS TO ME.