1968: According to the caption in our family photo album, this is OUR HOMESTEAD. Not long after they got married (and before I was born), my parents bought a parcel of land near Belen, New Mexico (south of Albuquerque, where they met). They bought it at as an investment, with maybe the vague idea that they’d build on it some day if it was worth something.
(Note that the mountain is not included.)
Of course, when I was a kid in Chicago I always imagined that we’d wind up here and build a shanty or something. My parents did end up moving back to New Mexico in 2006, but they bought a place with running water and electricity and a hot tub in the backyard, because they’re no fun at all.
Apparently my dad still owns the land, and it still looks exactly like this.
1979: Our very own Long Winter in Oak Park, Illinois. I’m pretty sure the Blizzard of ’79 coincided with my Little House reading years. The snow in Chicago was so heavy that garage roofs began to collapse around the city. One night my dad had to go out on the roof of the front porch and shovel off those snowdrifts—a feat that seemed at least as thrillingly treacherous as Cap and Almanzo’s seed wheat rescue.
I remember being disappointed that I couldn’t look out my bedroom window and see the snow at eye level the way Laura could.
1980 (?): You may have already read about how I was in a community theater production of A Christmas Carol and got to wear a bonnet. And a long dress. And a crocheted shawl.
This was pretty much the high point of my life, I think.
1981 (?): Here I am at my own version of Plum Creek, at a campground west of Chicago that we’d visit two or three times a year, mostly on holiday weekends. I fished (badly), waded, caught crayfish (or at least watched people catch them), and tragically lost swim toys to the current. If I could have done all of it while wearing a calico dress, I would have.
I also tried my damnedest to grow my hair long enough to braid. You might have been able to wrench a couple of pathetic pigtails out of that mess, but just barely. That’s the longest I’ve ever been able to grow it.
2009: But who needs good hair when you have a BONNET? I bought at this one the Little House on the Prairie Museum in Kansas and preened in the mirror of my motel room in Springfield, Missouri. The first of many bonnets I would buy, and many, many more dorky photos.
Speaking of pictures, I’m in the process of putting up more photos of my Little House trips and shenanigans on The Wilder Life’s Flickr page as well as the Facebook page, so stay tuned.
Also! Book review blogger extraordinaire The Girl from the Ghetto has posted a truly EPIC review and giveaway of The Wilder Life today, so if you want another chance to win a copy of the book before it officially launches a week from Thursday, GO ENTER.
You’d wear bonnets 24-7 if you could. Just admit it.
Yep, I still own the land in Belen and last time I checked it was virtually worthless. But it was cheap and if we hadn’t purchased it I would have lost the money on technology stock instead. It’s still a thrill to own virgin, untouched land that’s never been built on or cultivated. It sent a chill down my spine to realize that I was the first person to ever litter that land. For a city kid that’s huge.
We have read the book and seen the show and visited many of the sites, I think its funny to have a debate between the different groups who read or watch, the books are so much better then the show thanks for this book
Wendy, I was delighted (and surprised, pleasantly!) to see your name pop up on Shelf Awareness this morning, and I couldn’t resist clicking over!! What a terrific project: I can think of at least four readers: my own daughters, now grown, who reenacted the lives of the Wilder children in Oscar-quality style! Later in the day I will scan you a photo of them skating in costume! Here in CT, you have some true soul sisters! best, Doe (Tassy Walden Chair)
Just wanted to say I LOVED the book. I won an ARC from Goodreads, and couldn’t put it down. I re-read all the Little House books every couple of years, amazing how they hold up. Thanks for the great read!
Wendy!! Awesome review from Salon.com today!! Congratulations – I’m looking forward to reading it as soon as it arrives in my hot little hands. I especially love the description of Chris as “wisecracking, but winningly game”. (Hugs to you both!)
Oh, Wendy. I LOVE THE BOOK! It came from Amazon on 4/14, and even though I am a very busy mother of twin toddlers, I have managed to almost finish it! It is wonderful– so many of your thoughts and memories are so close to mine about all things Little House that it’s freaky. Thank you so much for writing this book, because I am having the best time reading it!
I read your book while I was on vacation on the beach this past weekend. Nellie was right when she said “howlingly funny.” There were bits I had to read to anyone within earshot, mostly inlaws who said they liked reading the books but tuned out a little when I went on about the history and what REALLY happened and whether her daughter REALLY wrote the books and and and …
Also, I grumbled to my husband that I had gotten to “the crazy bitch chapter” when I started reading about Miss Mommy Issues.
I just checked my blog stats for the first time in week–sorry I missed this kind shout-out from you.
I’m so glad one of your long-term blog followers won a copy of your book.
I am reading “The Wilder Life” right now and absolutely love your writing and the perspective you bring to the series. You capture so many of my own feelings about Little House and Laura World and the dissonance one feels in trying to explore Laura’s life outside of the books.
After being a crazy LIW devotee as a kid (at age 8, after reading the books a million times, I actually attended a Living History camp in Iowa, where I got to wear my calico dress and sunbonnet (made by my mom) and live Laura-style for a week — NERD ALERT! (yet 100% awesome)), I re-read the books a few years ago after something shitty happened in my life. They were so comforting to re-read, yet some parts were disconcerting (Pa as…a darky? oof). And then, much like you, I delved further into LIW biographies and whatnot, and in a way I almost wished I hadn’t. As you have written, I have always felt like the books were so TRUE, and knowing that the reality behind them was often strikingly different is kind of sad in a way.
Anyway, I had thought about writing a book very much like yours with my best friend (also a life-long LIW addict), and going around to visit all the sites and all that. But you did a better job than I could have, and I am excited to get through the rest of the book!