Hello sweet friends! Welcome to Lessons With Laura The First Four Years. This is the tenth post in an eleven-week series. You can find all of the Lessons With Laura posts HERE.
Lessons With Laura The First Four Years
In this post, we will feature two readings from The First Four Years along with some accompanying activities.
We will be looking at a pinner apron, planting holiday paperwhites, and share how picnics were prepared in the Victorian era.
This post works in conjunction with my YouTube channel.
THE FULL-LENGTH VIDEO CAN BE VIEWED BY CLICKING HERE.
It includes this delicious looking picnic fare.
Pinner Aprons
For this week’s historical fashion feature I share a pinner apron. Laura often described aprons in her books and she probably wore an apron very much like the one shown. A pinner apron is fairly plain. They feature a bib that pins to the dress at the corners.
The bib can also be tucked into the waistband to create a half apron which I demonstrate in the video.
Planting Paperwhites
Laura married Almanzo in August and delighted in setting up her new home. One order of business was planting some red geraniums. Since it is currently close to the holidays I thought paperwhites would be a great choice. It is a wonderful project for children and makes a perfect gift for friends and neighbors.
In the video, I share how to plant paperwhites.
Here is how to care for them.
- Place the container in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
- Check the bulbs frequently to ensure the water level remains just under the bulb.
- Once the bulb produces roots move the container to a sunny spot.
- You can support “leggy stems” with a bit of twine and small wooden skewers.
- After blooming is finished you can plant the bulbs in your yard or place them in the compost pile.
I have shared paperwhites previously HERE and HERE.
Pretty Picnics
Last weekend I attended a picnic with the Dallas/Fort Worth Costumers Guild. In trying to be historically accurate I packed a picnic similar to one that the Victorians would have done.
Even the centerpiece for the portable table was placed in an antique biscuit jar.
The arrangement featured crab apples, pink hypericum berries, boxwood, and of course roses as a nod to Rose Wilder Lane.
I will share more of the picnic on Friday.
YOU CAN VISIT THE SITES
Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes
105 Olivet Ave.
De Smet, South Dakota 57231
(605) 854-3383
I hope you have enjoyed today’s lessons.
Laura
All so very pretty, Laura. I love the pinny apron. I’ve always wanted to do paperwhites and never have. I guess they’ll have to wait till next year. No going out for bulbs for this girl!
Get em by mail! I buy all my bulbs from white flower farm in CT but there are many other sources.
I bought 150 bulbs to plant this fall – still have about 20 left but I am limping from the challenge of making a new bed and planting the rest!
First time visitor to your site. Think I’m hooked!. Originally a Southern Gal, Decatur, Montgomery and Huntsville, been a Texas Girl since 1947 when my family of three, moved to Ft. Worth looking for work after THE WAR number II.. My dad was in the Navy and was safely returned to us..
Where in the world do you live now? Are you my neighbor? I recognize some of the backgrounds in your pictures.
You know something? It is true, you cannot take the country or state in this case, out of the girl. Alabama is my home. Sadly we are a very small family and are slowly dying off. Some too young to leave us but God has His way.
I love everything English and a bit of French mixed in. Plus a bit of country tooooo. Like a few watering cans, etc.
I’d love to know a bit about you and how in the world you got where you are. And NO I’m not interesting in being a blogger or anything like that. My health has failed but do truly enjoy things of beauty. Enjoyed the pictures of the English weddings. Lets me know why I love English! Almost gaudy but then there’s that simple side too.
A short email telling me a bit about how you got to Texas and into the loves you have.
Thanks,
Lynn