The Pioneer.

I laid the axe against the old walnut tree, I had torn down the second chicken coop of the day and had salvaged all that I could from it.

It was getting late in the day so I went to check the mail. On the way back in I stopped and stood at the gate just to soak in the view. I just looked over the small homestead we had built up in the past six years. It had once been full of life, but now it was just empty.

Lately, with us in the process of getting things ready to move to our new homestead, I have been thinking back on a book I had, "The Josephina Story Quilt". I thought of something the mom in the book had said, "We all must leave things behind," she said gently. "I love this rocker, but there is no room for it on the wagon." I can imagine many pioneer women had to say that very same thing when it came to heading West.

"We all must leave things behind," she said gently. "I love this rocker, but there is no room for it on the wagon."

We've gotten rid of so much lately to prevent from having so much to move when the time comes to start packing. Baby stuff, the Mennonite buggy, most of the chickens... It's bittersweet, but I am ready and feeling a mixture of fear & excitement.

I'm really relating hard to how the pioneers loaded up in wagons and headed to their new homes in a new land and created a new homestead.

If you need me, I'll be sitting with my nose in a Laura Ingalls Wilder book taking plenty of notes!

- Lady of the Farm