By The Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Riding in the Cars

Laura could hardly believe that the time had arrived for them to board the train and catch up with Pa. Plum Creek and the house they knew so well was now gone. They stood on the sunny platform near the ticket window, all of their clothing packed into two satchels. On that September day they were dressed in their finest as they sat and waited for the train to arrive. Mary could feel Carrie fidgeting, she also sensed and made it known that Laura too was fidgeting. "I can tell it without seeing," Mary smiled. Seemed they were all very nervous. "Pa will meet us?" Carrie asked concerned. Pa had to drive a day from camp but Ma reassured her he would be there.

When the train finally arrived at the station they took each other's hands and proceeded to board the very last car. A man in a dark suit helped them aboard and then grabbed their satchels. The red velvet seats on the train were filled with lots of people. Ma sat with Grace and Carrie, while Laura and Mary took the empty seats in front of them. Laura became Mary's eyes and proceeded to describe the train's interior in great detail. "I see," Mary said.

The engine whistled and the cars lurched forward. As the train built up speed the outdoor scenery flew by their windows. In one hour that train would go twenty miles; as far as the horses would have traveled in a whole day. A man in a dark blue suit with lots of buttons collected their tickets and punched each of them. The hat he was wearing told them he was the Conductor. Laura explained all this to Mary.

"I will see the people now," Laura told Mary. A boy came down the aisle carrying a basket on his arm. People took things out of his basket and gave him money. Ma purchased a little box of Christmas candy for ten cents. "We must celebrate our first train ride," Caroline said and she gave it to the girls to share. They each ended up with two pieces.

It was noon when they arrived in Tracy. "I hope you girls haven't spoiled your dinner with that candy." Ma then told them they would be eating their dinner in the hotel that night.

Synopsis provided by Lorrie

A Sad Day for Little House Fans: Merlin Olsen Dies at 69

What a shock it was to hear of the passing of Merlin Olsen on March 10th. He played Jonathan Garvey on Little House on the Prairie.

While many in the sports world knew Olsen as a player for the NFL, and later, a sports announcer, it was as Jonathan Garvey that I, and other Little House on the Prairie fans, got to know him.



The Garvey family, which included Jonathan's wife, Alice, and their son, Andrew, first appeared in Season 4. Like the Edwards family before them, the Garveys were great friends to the Ingalls family. Laura and Andrew, and later Andrew and Albert, got into plenty of mischief together.

Jonathan and Alice did not always get along. In The High Cost of Being Right, Jonathan and Alice argue over her taking a job as the post mistress after their barn burns down. When phone lines are installed in Walnut Grove in the episode Crossed Connections, Mrs. Oleson uses her time on the switchboard to snoop on her neighbors, which leads to her discovering that Alice Garvey had been married before. Angry that she kept this secret from him, Jonathan moves out. It takes an old, tired bartender to get Jonathan to realize just how lucky he really is.

We are devastated right along with Jonathan and Andrew when Alice is killed during a fire at the Walnut Grove School for the Blind. Jonathan takes to drinking, while Andrew is left to deal with the loss of his mother alone. With the help of friends, Jonathan is finally able to accept Alice's death, and he and Andy work on rebuilding their lives. Eventually, Jonathan and Andrew move to Sleepy Eye, which brings with it a new set of troubles for the Garveys.

Olsen left Little House on the Prairie to star in his own short-lived series, Father Murphy. And then the series, Aaron's Way, which only lasted one season.



Whether you remember Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen as a member of the L.A. Rams' Fearsome Four, Jonathan Garvey, Father Murphy, or as the spokesperson for FTD Florist, his distinctive voice and his larger-than-life presence cannot be denied. Many called him a "gentle giant". This is definitely how I have always pictured him.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time of loss. He will certainly be missed.

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Grown Up

There was a great deal of work to be done before Pa left in the morning. As Pa assembled the bows and canvas cover over the wagon, everyone else pitched in to prepare for Pa's journey. Jack stood looking on. Poor Jack was old and he was worn out and tired. His body was troubled with rheumatism. Laura soon realized what was troubling Jack--due to his age, he wouldn't be able to make the journey beneath the wagon, and he must leave with Pa in the morning because they would be following by train. Pa decided to make room in the wagon for him, but he didn't seem to want to go.

Since Mary, Carrie, and Ma had been sick with scarlet fever Laura had been neglecting Jack. "I didn't mean it," Laura told him and he understood. They always understood each other. Jack was her dog, her protector. That evening Laura fed him a good dinner and cleaned and refluffed his bed. Jack watched while she made it comfortable, all the while smiling and wagging his tail. After turning three times he nestled himself in and held his head high to look at Laura. "Good Jack, good dog," Laura chirped as Jack touched her hand with the tip of his tongue. Then he sunk his nose into his paws and closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep.

The next morning Pa found Jack's stiff body when he went to do the chores. They buried him on the low slope near the path he used to run up and down so gaily. Laura cried for Jack. It was then she realized she was not a little girl anymore. At thirteen, with both Pa and Jack gone, she knew it would be up to her to help Ma take care of the others.


Synopsis provided by Lorrie

By The Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Unexpected Visitor

Laura was washing dishes when Jack's growl alerted her someone was coming. Looking out the window she spotted a buggy being driven by a strange woman she didn't recognized. The house was untidy and both she and Ma were ashamed to have such company now. Mary, Carrie, baby Grace and Ma had all come down with scarlet fever and there hadn't been anybody around that could help Pa and Laura. The doctor had been there every day and Pa worried about how he would ever pay the bills. Far worse, the fever had robbed Mary of her eyesight. Laura described the woman in the buggy for Mary because Pa had said that she must now be Mary's eyes. The woman turned out to be the girls' Aunt Docia.

After a few hours of catching up on news from back home she explained the main reason for her visit--Docia's husband Hi was a contractor for the railroad. He was in need of a good man to be store keeper, bookkeeper and time keeper. Pa could have the job should he choose. It paid fifty dollars a month. Pa knew what that money would mean and he was itching once again to move further west. The grasshopper plague left a meager crop these past two years and the winter months didn't provide much meat to hunt and feed the family.

With Caroline's blessing Pa was able to sell the farm for two hundred dollars cash. It would be enough to square up on what they owed with a little extra left over. It was settled that Pa would leave with Docia in the morning, and in a couple of months when Mary was feeling stronger, the rest of the family would come to him by train.

Synopsis provided by Lorrie

Reading Group and Discussions of By the Shores of Silver Lake

Every once in a while, our group gets together and reads through the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It has been some time since we've had a chance to read, but we are starting with By the Shores of Silver Lake this weekend. Actually, I have over 60 books to review right now, so I won't be joining in, only participating in the discussions with the others using my memory of the many times I've read these books.

I'll be posting a synopsis of the chapters as they are provided to me by the coordinator. I hope you'll offer your insights and thoughts into this pioneering classic.