Getting in touch with my Pioneer Roots

Original Post Date: September 15, 2006

am descended from good, hearty, pioneer stock. My ancestors crossed the plains. Some by wagon, some by train, some by Model-T (I don't know for sure on that one, though, but it sounds cool.) While I love reading about my forebearers (I didn't minor in History for nothing), reliving their exploits is something I'm not so keen on. I will not blow my hand off with nitroglycerin, just to get closer to my Great Great Grandfather, James Campbell Livingston. Although I think is WAY COOL that he kept his detached hand in a box in his basement and when he died, they put it in the casket. SWEET!!!!! I also don't intend to give birth in the dead of winter along the trail. My great great great grandmother did that. Yeesh!!!!

Anyway, the reason for my walk down Ancestor Lane today is because I have been doing something that I don't usually do. Today, I canned 7 dozen quarts of grape juice. I should say, am canning. I'm not done. they are processing right now, which takes a freaking long time. The juice will be heavenly, but the work sucks. I can't believe that my ancestors actually did this all the time, with most of their crops. Having Albertsons around the corner is a wonderful thing. My brother just went to go pick up pizzas for dinner. Brings a tear to my eye, that does.

It really amazes me that my female forebearers worked from sun up to sun down, bore litters of children, and did it all in long skirts and dresses. I was dying of heat in my tank top and knit capris!!! And I don't have 12 children to tend at the same time!!! And actually, we've only been working on this since noon, I think. Maybe it was 11:00. I think these will all be done by 7:00. I hope. (OHHHHH, how I hope!!)

So that's my story of the day. I'm going to read about my ancestors whilst eating Papa Murphy's pizza. And maybe I'll crack open some of last year's grape juice (that I didn't help can, because I conveniently wasn't around that day!!!)

Oh, and the other time I relived the past was on two separate hand cart treks. I am NEVER NEVER NEVER doing that again. At least not in May. 4 seasons in 4 days wasn't cool. Especially the SNOWING part. Ugh! I should add a funny picture of me from that trek. As soon as I'm on my actual computer (and not my sister's lap top), I'll add it on here.