The Girl I mean to Be...

In case some of you readers of this blog are getting tired of reading about picking cucumbers, cutting peppers, chicken drama, etc.... I decided to do this post on some of the reasons why I am here, and the woman I mean to become.

• I have just re-started reading my core book, and in the first couple of chapters it keeps saying... "And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us; and we did take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness." Here I am learning about seeds. I am learning when to plant them what to look for when I harvest and how to save seeds. In fact there is this one watermelon that the Bledsoes call Indian Cave Watermelon because these seeds in a leather pouch were found in a cave around these parts.
• I am learning how to work hard.
• I am learning about nutrition.

After reading Laddie by Gene Stratton-Porter I had a clearer understanding of why I am here and what part of my life's mission might be. A little backround on what I am about to discribe. I have always been drawn to the thought of being like the accomplished lady described in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Which if you are unfamiliar with it is at the part where Jane is sick at the Bingly's and Lizzy is there. It simply says ..."No one can really be esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this she must posess a certain air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address, and expressions or the word will be but half deserved. All this she must posess, and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading."

Yet Gene Stratton-Porter also has a description of what a lady is and what a women should aspire to be. Gene Stratton-Porter's is more lengthy yet I think every word is important. Laddie's Mother is talking to this gentleman who I can't remember his name I just know it starts with a "P". "Anyone in petticoats is not a lady by no means! A lady must be gentle by nature, and rearing. She must know all there is to learn from books, have wide experience to cover all emergencies, she must be steeped in social graces, and diplomatic by nature. She must rise unruffled to any emergency, never wound, never offend, always help and heal. She must be perfect in deportment, virtue, wifehood and motherhood. She must be graceful, pleasing, and beautiful. She must have much leisure to perfect herself in learning graces and arts-.... when I think of the life a women must lead in order to be truly a lady, when I think of the life I have been forced to live to do my share in making this home, and rearing these children, the contrast is too great. ... Believe me, my highest aspiration is to be a clean, thrifty housekeeper, a bountiful cook, a faithful wife, a sympathetic mother. That is life work for any woman, and to be a good women is the greatest thing on earth. Never mind the ladies, if you can honestly say of me, she is a good woman, you have paid me the highest possible tribute. To be a good wife and mother is the end toward which I aspire. To hold the respect and love of my husband is the greatest object of my life."
Mr. P. : "Then you have succeeded. You stand a monument to wifehood; and your children prove your idea of motherhood. ... How in this world have you managed it?" Laddie's mother: "By educating ourselves before their coming and with them afterward. Self-control, study, work, joy of life, satisfaction with what we have had, never-ending strife to go higher, and to do better. ... Before any daughter has left our home for one of her own, she has been taught all I know of cleanliness about a house, cookery, sewing, tending the sick, bathing and dressing the new born. She has to bake bread, pie, cake, and cook any meat or vegetable we have. ... They can knit, darn, patch, tuck, hem, and embroider, set a hen and plant a garden. I go on vacation and leave each of them to keep house for her father a month before she enters a home of her own."

I want to know these things. I want to be like this. I feel that part of my life's mission is to help Women be women again. Children to be children. Men to be men. I can do all of these if I strive to be the woman that has just been described by Jane Austen and Gene Stratton-Porter. I feel I can learn a good bit of those things here at the farm. I don't believe this is just my romantic side wanting to go back in time. I think it is partly because when a society is simple in many ways they are more willing to turn to the Lord. I think that my Heavenly Father has put these desires in my heart for a reason. I actually feel more alive every time I read, say or write these characteristics.


If you are still wanting to read news from the farm here it is....

• Our best milking goat Uno died last week. We had to put her down, she had an infection that wasn't healing, and she was miserable. She wouldn't eat or drink.
• I cut up another two bushels of peppers last week.
• Tomatoes are getting fewer!!!!
• This week Jen, Amelia, and I sorted through a TON of onions, and tied them in bundles to hang to dry. Some on the bottom of the pile were starting to mold. Rotting onions smell sooooooooooo NASTY!
• There was a storm that lasted 15 minutes but felt like 5. In those few minutes we got 0.6 inches of rain. And usually the average rain fall here if I understood correctly is 4 inches every year. I might be wrong, cause my memory is disagreeing with itself. I have never seen a storm like it. There was lightning, wind, rain, and hail. You couldn't see past 3 feet in front of you. It came and then was gone as sudden as it had come.
• Several of the turkeys have figured out how to fly over their fence. During the storm our chicken coop rolled over a couple of times and squashed 3 chickens. (not going to go into any more detail.)
  
• We are no longer bottle feeding any of the baby goats, they have all moved in with the big goats and are now eating hay.
• Wild rabbits better stay hidden and out of the garden/farm because Monte takes his gun down every morning and evening. After working on a farm you don't like the story of Peter Rabbit as much and you sympathize with Mr. McGregor more.
• I think my favorite type of watermelon is the YELLOW verity. And this IS watermelon. Working on the farm you realize that there are Many verities of every vegetable or fruit.

I believe that is all to report. I apologize that this is so late for last weeks post.
Despite all the difficulties and adventures of farm life, I love it here.

ttfn :D