Summer is officially here

Summer is officially here and we are enjoying it to the fullest. On June 21st we did indeed go to Almanzo Wilder's house. (We found out that his name is properly pronounced Al-MAN-zo which explains why they called him "Manly.") It was a perfect day. 78 degrees, sunny and clear. It rained for about 5 minutes as we drove there and that was it.

There was a lot to see, so I think we'll make it a point to go back when there aren't so many people. J's and my favorite part was the baby oxen. They were given the same names as Almanzo's oxen in the book: Star and Bright.

Sadly, I missed getting to see Dean Butler (the actor who played Almanzo on the TV series of Little House on the Prairie). I was crushed. Heartbroken, even. I sobbed all the way home. OK, maybe I didn't, but I WAS disappointed! It was all my fault. I thought I had plenty of time to get over to where he was and then he went on a long break that lasted until after we left.

I don't know about J, but I have certainly learned a LOT from reading Farmer Boy. I had never read it before because it was a "boy's book," but I am now glad that I finally did. The best part of the book was the lessons taught by the father to the son. Biblical, solid, clear lessons of right relationship with authority, the earth, and, most importantly, God.