Episode 179

Little Town on the Prairie ch. 5 "Working in Town". Join us this week as we discuss Mr. Clancy/Clayson, definition of "dry goods", the history of sewing machines, Mrs. White, 25 cents a day, thunderpumpers, going "Indian file", basting, bias facings, and a "shanty Irishman".

Episode 178

Little Town on the Prairie, ch. 4 "The Happy Days"

Join us as we discuss organizing the Congregational Church, why Laura wasn't a charter member of founding the church, skim-milk cottage cheese, setting a hen, what a pullet is, what a cockerel is, and when it is too old to be laying eggs.

Episode 177

Ch. 3 of Little Town on the Prairie, "The Necessary Cat"

Join us this week as we discuss Dakota Territory, the use of italicized words in the chapter, Pa losing his hair, Kingsbury County, what counties do, Amos Whiting, when cats' eyes open, and the cost of a cat.

Episode 176

Little Town on the Prairie ch. 2 "Springtime on the Claim"

Join us this week as we discuss who is the calf's father? How to skim milk. What a poll is. Laura wearing her hair up or down? What is a rolling coulter or mold board? Mary quoting Jeremiah and Job and Psalm 23. Pa mellows the dirt. What are angleworms? The blackbird nursery rhyme, and the bean plants popping out of the ground.

Episode 175

Ch. 1 of Little Town on the Prairie, "Surprise".

Join us this week as we discuss Laura working in a hotel, a little of the Ingalls' time in Burr Oak, 1941 in the context of Newbery Honor books and famous people born in 1941.

Episode 174

Ch. 33 of The Long Winter, "Christmas in May".

Join us this week as we discuss the tablecloth sitch, yeast cakes/sponge/light bread, seedless raisins, cream of tartar, how far the Boasts' claim was from town, a dripping pan, ways to mash potatoes, the Boasts' winter on their claim, "Where There's a Will There's a Way".

Episode 173

Ch. 32 of The Long Winter, "The Christmas Barrel".

Join us this week as we discuss whaleboned basques, fascinators, what "dove colored" is, Laura's jealousy about the Christmas barrel, talking turkey, and the presence of Mr. Boast.

Episode 172

Ch. 31 of The Long Winter "Waiting for the Train"

Join us this week as we discuss King Nebuchadnezzar, "The May Queen", positive stereotypes of people of Scottish descent, why the Ingalls air the bedding, what an emigrant car is, and Pa not caring about taking items from the railroad company.

Episode 171

Ch. 30 of The Long Winter, "It Can't Beat Us".

Join us this week as we discuss Carrie not helping with chores (?), no more lessons, Pa not singing his trouble song, Laura's light within her, the Chinook winds, and "beauty is only skin deep".

Episode 170

Ch. 29 of The Long Winter, "The Last Mile".

Join us this week as we discuss how Almanzo treats Prince, what a neckyoke is, what "tugs" are, "Is that the best you can do?", Laura clarifying the timeline of the narrative, what Loftus charges for the wheat, the physcial description of Pa and the toll the Long Winter has taken on him, the respect Pa commanded, "palaver", how they divided up the wheat, and Pa being too proud to ask for help carrying 125 lbs.

Episode 169

Ch. of The Long Winter "Four Days' Blizzard"

Join us this week as we discuss Pa yelling at the wind, "Song of the Freed Men/We Are All Here", "It Will Never Do to Give (It) up So", "Great Is the Lord/And Greatly to Be Prais'd", "When I Can Read My Title Clear", chilblained definition, and Pa revealing where he got his seed wheat.