LHOP Adventure Day 7

Hard to believe we are almost done. Thinking back on my trip more than a year later, I can't believe I did it. The girl who rarely travels and who is petrified of flying got on a plane all by herself and traveled across the country to meet a bunch of women she had only known online. I ever learned to use a map. Wow!

Day 7 started with a quick breakfast at the hotel in Spring Valley. We knew we had a lot of driving ahead of us, so we got on the road early and headed to Burr Oak, Iowa. Laura fans will remember that after leaving Walnut Grove, the Ingalls family spent some time with Uncle Peter and his family in South Troy, Minnesota before making their way to Burr Oak, Iowa to help their friends manage the Master's Hotel.

Now a museum, this is where I am fairly certain I purchased not only some note cards, but t-shirts for my girls. 

After eating lunch at The Family Table in Decorah, we drove back to Wisconsin. To do that, we took a nice scenic route and crossed over the Mississippi. Oh, my gosh, how scary it was going up the bridge. I like bridges about as much as I like flying, so my knuckles were so tight around the steering wheel, I was afraid I might crush it. In the seat next to me, Dorothy kept asking, "Are you all right?" I couldn't look sideways or down because that bridge just kept going up, and up, and up. It was well worth the view once we were down on the other side. Check out the neat boats.

Finally back in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, we had supper at Ponderosa--didn't even know those still existed because we haven't had one around here in more than thirty years. 

It was tough to settle in that night because I knew all of us were flying home the next day. It would be hard to say goodbye to my wonderful friends, but I was also thrilled to know I would see my family again soon.

You can read our Day 6 adventures here.

LHOP Adventure Day 6

I'm coming close to the end of sharing my 2014 LHOP Adventure. My last post was on Day 5. It was great meeting the cast members and hanging out in Walnut Grove, but I have to admit it was a bit hectic there too, and we had to stay on a strict timeline to get everything accomplished.

We decided to go back to Red Rooster for breakfast, but before we left Walnut Grove, we made sure to take pictures with the entire cast. Then we made our way to Spring Valley.

For those familiar with the real life of Laura and Almanzo Wilder, Spring Valley, Minnesota is where Almanzo's parents moved their family in 1873. The Spring Valley Methodist Church was built in 1876, and James Wilder (Almanzo's father) contributed to its construction.

After Almanzo's stroke, he and Laura lived in Spring Valley for a year before moving to Florida.

The church is now a museum and holds numerous artifacts, including records that indicate Almanzo and Laura attended the church from 1890 to 1891.

We also visited the cemetery and Wilder barn, which the owner allows people to view from the street. The Wilder home has since been torn down. 

The night ended with supper at Pizza Palace, before we tucked ourselves into bed at the Spring Valley Inns and Suites (perhaps our nicest accommodations of the trip--besides Beth's house).

LHOP Adventure Day 5

I can't believe it has been six months since my last LHOP Adventure update. You will have to excuse my tardiness, because my new career as a real estate agent is booming and I haven't had time to blog much.

If you want to remember what happened on Day 4, you can check it out here.

We started the fifth day of our adventure by having breakfast at Nellie's "Little Cafe on the Prairie," where they only accept cash. I really didn't think my friends were serious when they told me to bring a lot of money. Who doesn't take credit cards? Well, now we know Nellie doesn't.

It had been raining, so some of the cast got a bit wet before sitting down to sign autographs. That morning, I waited in line for Hersha Parady (Alice Garvey), Radames Pera (John Sanderson Jr.), and Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle). All of them were so pleasant. 

Divas Beth and Lorrie get their autographs.

We did more sightseeing and had lunch in the park. I chatted with some local authors and collected their business cards. We also waited in line to get autographs from Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson), Dan McBride (Henry Riley--the guy who always ate at Nellie's Restaurant, but always complained about the food), and the Turnbaugh Twins who played Grace Ingalls. 

Nasty Nellie Oleson (but Alison is very nice).

We ate at Red Rooster for supper and then we hung out together until bedtime. Another day of traveling awaited us. 

The Protest: LHOP Inspired Fan Fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

The Protest

LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

Disclaimer: I do not own the Little House on the Prairie television series, book series, or any of the characters.

Almanzo poked his head out of the doorway of the Feed and Seed when he heard Eliza Jane call his name. "Yeah, Sis."

Her skirt swished as she walked up to the platform. "I have a favor to ask of you. Laura Ingalls is taking a temporary teaching job in Curry. Would you mind driving her back and forth?"

"I dunno, Sis." His eyes wide, he wondered how he could get out of this. "Can't Mr. Ingalls do it?"

Eliza Jane shook her head. "Caroline was just telling me the other day how busy he is at the mill with Mr. Garvey away. 

"And there's nobody else?"

"What's wrong with you, Mannie? Laura and you are friends and you're always saying Barnum could use the exercise."

Almanzo removed his hat and jumped down off the platform. "I just don't wanna give Beth the wrong impression."

She squinted. "What are you talking about?"

"I've tried my best not to encourage this crush of hers." He shrugged. "If I take her, she might think it means somethin' it don't."

Eliza Jane pursed her lips. "I honestly don't believe she feels that way for you anymore."

"Whatya mean?" he asked, surprisingly hurt by her remark. 

"I honestly think she's passed being enamored with you. She hasn't said anything about the buggy ride you took her on a few weeks ago, nor has she asked to go again. Besides, there are new young men coming into town all the time. And of course there's the matter of Perley Day. She seemed quite taken with him while he was here."

"Perley Day never woulda been a likely suitor for her," he said. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself."

Eliza Jane placed her hand on top of his arm. "I think you're being too hard on him. I know he's irresponsible and reckless at times, but he truly seemed to like her. I wonder what might have happened between the two of them if he had stayed."

"I don't wanna talk about him, Eliza Jane."

"Then why don't you tell me what's really bothering you."

He lowered his head. "I already told ya."

"I think you're making more of this than there is. All I'm asking is for you to drive her to and from work."

He shuffled his boots in the dirt. "What boys have been noticing her?"

"Jimmy Hill and Christie Kennedy are no longer courting, and I understand he was quite smitten with Laura when his family lived in town before. There's that new boy Seth whose father bought the old Jenkins farm, and even Bart Slater is taken with her...though he knows she would never have him."

"Whatya know about these boys?" he asked suspiciously. "I mean, we all know Slater is trouble, but what about the other two?"

Eliza Jane placed a hand across her chest. "Since when did you become so protective of Laura Ingalls?"

He was stunned by the question. "I…uh…I just don't wanna see her gettin' hurt is all."

"Well, if you ask me, you're acting like someone who is interested in more than mere friendship."

"Don't be silly. Beth is just a kid."

"If you say so, Almanzo. So, are you going to take her?"

"Seein' as there's nobody else, I suppose I havta."

"I suppose so."

"Don't make a big deal out of it when ya tell her."

"I wouldn't dream of it," she replied. After a moment she added, "You know, Almanzo, it seems the only one making a big deal out of this is you." She gave him that older sister look over the rim of her eyeglasses and then walked to Nellie's Restaurant to wait for him to finish working. He would pick her up when he was done.

Almanzo moseyed back into the office of the Feed and Seed. How could Eliza Jane accuse him of being interested in Beth? She was just a friend. They liked the same things and that's why he enjoyed spending time with her. He certainly didn't see Laura as a girlfriend.

He remembered the women he had courted since moving to Walnut Grove; all refined young ladies who could have been good wives, but something was missing — they didn't share his passion for the farm. They tolerated how he went on about his plans for purchasing another hundred acres, but when they sweetly smiled at him he could tell he was boring them to death. But not Beth. Her eyes lit up when he spoke about the farm of his dreams. She even helped him break in Barnum. He had to admit he had more in common with her than any of the young women he had dangled on his arm. Surely though, there was no future with her. She was so much younger than he.

Almanzo took off his hat and scratched his head. He walked onto the platform and gazed over at the schoolhouse. What was it that made him argue against bringing Laura to Curry? There wasn't really any reason he couldn't bring her. Work at the Feed and Seed had been kind of slow. He shook his head. Eliza Jane was right; all he was doing was bringing her back and forth to work. Why should Laura think there was more to it than that?

Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.

On This Date in Ingalls History: Charles "Pa" Ingalls Dies

On June 8, 1902 Charles Phillip Ingalls died of heart disease. His pioneering spirit led him across many states and territories before he finally settled his family in De Smet, SD. An esteemed member of the De Smet community, he helped organized the Congregational Church and held a variety of elected positions in town.

Many years later, Laura Ingalls Wilder captured her Pa's pioneering spirit in the opening pages of Little House on the Prairie:

A long time ago, when all the grandfathers and grandmothers of today were little boys and little girls or very small babies, or perhaps not even born, Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie left their little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin....Pa said there were too many people in the Big Woods now...Wild animals would not stay in a country where there were so many people. Pa did not like to stay, either. He liked a country where the wild animals lived without being afraid. He liked to see the little fawns and their mothers looking at him from the shadowy woods, and the fat, lazy bears eating berries in the wild-berry patches."

Photo from my visit last summer.