Travel and Other Adventures On Tap...

On tap for the winter...travel plans to explore the Little House on the Prairie 75th Anniversary exhibit, "Laura's Enduring Tale," honoring all things Laura, at the Mardigian Library at University of Michigan-Dearborn.  The exhibit has been extended a bit through this weekend, so I'm making the pilgrimmage to spy copious collections of artifacts and meet up with a few LauraPalooza friends.  Bill Anderson told me it was a must-see, and, while it is true that Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History, I think Laurel Thatcher Ulrich would forgive me for doing what I'm told (just this once!).  To that end, I am following directions and checking out the artifacts of our very dear, though only-slightly-rebellious, Laura Ingalls Wilder, her devoted Farmer "Boy" Almanzo, and their mischievous-but-loveable daughter Rose!

By all accounts, this exhibit is absolutely worth a 15-hour drive...30 hours round-trip...and I'm certain I will NOT be disappointed.  Full report to follow, I promise.

Being pressed for time and braving the early-winter lake effect snows which are sure to come about, I'll stick relatively close to greater Detroit for this adventure...but there's no way I'm going to bypass Cuba, NY for a little nod to Pa's childhood. Through an interesting twist of Providence, I've recently gotten in touch with a photographer who is native to Cuba and will be planning a shoot in the spring...perhaps at the Charles Ingalls Birthplace dedication???

Meanwhile, one of my favorite New England living history sites, Old Sturbridge Village, has invited me to present day-long programs for 2 different events in April and May!  OSV has been on my roadtrip circuit for over 13 years and my membership card is ragged from all the visits, yet it never loses its charm for me.  Being able to bring Laura to a village which evokes the time of her maternal grandmother, Charlotte Tucker Quiner Holbrook, and (bonus!) within a short distance of the area where Charlotte spent her youth, is a pleasure indeed.  One program is designed especially for Girl Scouts and focuses upon the changes in culture and society within Massachusetts and New England throughout the last 200+ years.  "Laura" will engage the children in a discussion about the differences in daily living experience and the wider worlds of society, work, and technology between her own youth and that of her Grandma Charlotte.  The second program is particularly for home-schooled students who are studying Westward Expansion, and Laura will help the children understand how a person makes a decision to pack up and move to unfamiliar territory...and what to expect along the way!

Then there are the low-key events, such as the meeting of the NH Antiquarian Booksellers Association, and some oddball requests, such as perhaps a visit to a hardware store that has a history as long as Laura's.  People want to talk to Laura, so who am I to say no to a little chitchat around a woodstove with a checkerboard?

...Other programs are coming along, as well, and I'll tell more about them as the plans are solidified.  If you would like to check out my programs, either by attending a presentation or discussing one designed especially for your school, museum, or group, drop me a line:  info@meetlauraingallswilder.com  and I can give more details to you directly while my website, Meet Laura Ingalls Wilder!, is under re-construction.  Hitting the road for now, but I'll see you later and talk to you soon!