Dreams on the Oregon Trail
By BarbaraLinsley
Two girls travel the Oregon Trail route. Becky travels in 1848, facing the hardships and responsibilities of an elder daughter in a large farm family.
Her descendent, Jenna, travels the trail route along modern highways in a truck camper with her mother. Each night that Jenna is traveling, she dreams a day in Becky’s life. At first, she is intrigued with the dreams. She doesn’t want to tell
her mother about them because she assumes her mother will dismiss them as “just dreams.”
Each night, Jenna sees the trail through Becky’s eyes; Kansas along the Little Blue River, Windlass Hill at Ash Hollow, Fort Laramie, South Pass, Three Island Crossing and at Laurel Hill in Oregon. Jenna is amazed at the expectations and hardships the children experience as well as the changes she sees along the trail route. When Becky is at Ash Hollow, it is noisy, filled with people, loud with shouted directions, busy with wagons being prepared and lowered, Native Americans trading with them and other wagons gathering behind them. When Jenna visits, it is quiet. Nothing is heard but the birds and the wind in the grasses. Jenna becomes close to Becky and her family, enjoying the companionship of so many sisters and brothers. But as the days go on, Jenna finds Becky’s memories intruding on her waking hours. Jenna begins making mistakes, confusing her own life with Becky’s. Her own experiences are now shaded by those memories.
Then, when tragedy strikes Becky’s family, Jenna becomes fearful of telling her mother not only of her dreams, but of the waking memories as
well. Will her mother think she is crazy?
Through Becky’s experiences, Jenna starts making realizations and stronger connections with her own mother.
After her final dream, Jenna finds the memories fading, the connection broken. She knows she has to share them with her mother. She makes a deal with her. She will share what has been distracting her on the trip if her mother will finally tell her about a brother her
parents lost before she was born.
By BarbaraLinsley
Two girls travel the Oregon Trail route. Becky travels in 1848, facing the hardships and responsibilities of an elder daughter in a large farm family.
Her descendent, Jenna, travels the trail route along modern highways in a truck camper with her mother. Each night that Jenna is traveling, she dreams a day in Becky’s life. At first, she is intrigued with the dreams. She doesn’t want to tell
her mother about them because she assumes her mother will dismiss them as “just dreams.”
Each night, Jenna sees the trail through Becky’s eyes; Kansas along the Little Blue River, Windlass Hill at Ash Hollow, Fort Laramie, South Pass, Three Island Crossing and at Laurel Hill in Oregon. Jenna is amazed at the expectations and hardships the children experience as well as the changes she sees along the trail route. When Becky is at Ash Hollow, it is noisy, filled with people, loud with shouted directions, busy with wagons being prepared and lowered, Native Americans trading with them and other wagons gathering behind them. When Jenna visits, it is quiet. Nothing is heard but the birds and the wind in the grasses. Jenna becomes close to Becky and her family, enjoying the companionship of so many sisters and brothers. But as the days go on, Jenna finds Becky’s memories intruding on her waking hours. Jenna begins making mistakes, confusing her own life with Becky’s. Her own experiences are now shaded by those memories.
Then, when tragedy strikes Becky’s family, Jenna becomes fearful of telling her mother not only of her dreams, but of the waking memories as
well. Will her mother think she is crazy?
Through Becky’s experiences, Jenna starts making realizations and stronger connections with her own mother.
After her final dream, Jenna finds the memories fading, the connection broken. She knows she has to share them with her mother. She makes a deal with her. She will share what has been distracting her on the trip if her mother will finally tell her about a brother her
parents lost before she was born.
THING WILL BE BETTER
An 1849 Journal on the Oregon Trail
Fifteen year old Crispinus Fletcher has been left orphaned along with his twelve year old sister. A neighbor has moved in to their Missouri farm, telling authorities that he will keep the farm going for the children, but Cris knows that he means to take the farm and the man has improper designs on Cris’ sister, Phemy.
Cris and Phemy realize they must leave. Selling their pair of oxen for a few dollars, Cris takes his father’s rifle, some clothes and food and the two of them set off for Independence to find a wagon train heading west.
Cris finds a position driving a freight wagon. Phemy is hired by a well-to-do family traveling with their three young children. Also driving freight wagons with Cris are a young Irishman, whose brother is driving the wagon of the family who hired Phemy and a freed black man and his seven year old son.
During the first part of the journey, the emigrants deal with cholera and unusually rainy weather. Cris befriends a retired French voyageur heading back west with his Métis wife. Cris is lead on numerous adventures and faces hardships and the death of a close friend. He comes to realize the hardships his sister had faced while he managed their farm. More and more, he realizes the risk he has taken.
Upon arriving in Oregon Territory, Cris is faced with how he is going to care for his sister as well as a child orphaned on the trail for whom he has taken responsibility.
The final chapter is 10 years later. The family which hired Phemy to care for their children hires her to continue with her duties and allows Cris to stay on, eventually taking over the management of their furniture-making business.
THING WILL BE BETTER
An 1849 Journal on the Oregon Trail
Fifteen year old Crispinus Fletcher has been left orphaned along with his twelve year old sister. A neighbor has moved in to their Missouri farm, telling authorities that he will keep the farm going for the children, but Cris knows that he means to take the farm and the man has improper designs on Cris’ sister, Phemy.
Cris and Phemy realize they must leave. Selling their pair of oxen for a few dollars, Cris takes his father’s rifle, some clothes and food and the two of them set off for Independence to find a wagon train heading west.
Cris finds a position driving a freight wagon. Phemy is hired by a well-to-do family traveling with their three young children. Also driving freight wagons with Cris are a young Irishman, whose brother is driving the wagon of the family who hired Phemy and a freed black man and his seven year old son.
During the first part of the journey, the emigrants deal with cholera and unusually rainy weather. Cris befriends a retired French voyageur heading back west with his Métis wife. Cris is lead on numerous adventures and faces hardships and the death of a close friend. He comes to realize the hardships his sister had faced while he managed their farm. More and more, he realizes the risk he has taken.
Upon arriving in Oregon Territory, Cris is faced with how he is going to care for his sister as well as a child orphaned on the trail for whom he has taken responsibility.
The final chapter is 10 years later. The family which hired Phemy to care for their children hires her to continue with her duties and allows Cris to stay on, eventually taking over the management of their furniture-making business.
My Life in Dogs chronicles the special dogs with whom Barbara has shared her life. Full color with over 180 entertaining, heartwarming photos and stories.
From the hilarious story of the family vacation in the family station wagon, complete with unruly kids, the family dog, a duck, two turtles, two guinea pigs, a rabbit and a fish to the touching story of how Barbara's beloved dog, Brynna, lost her eyesight but went on to live a surprisingly active and full life.
Several stories are of dog adventures on the road in summer vacations in the trusted truck camper. From the amazing encounter with a wild deer that became buddies with her border collie to the fun adventure of taking a puppy on her first cross-country trip. The stories include a wonderful mix of the emotions shared, both good and bad, when we are fortunate enough to share our lives with those special, loyal companions.
From the hilarious story of the family vacation in the family station wagon, complete with unruly kids, the family dog, a duck, two turtles, two guinea pigs, a rabbit and a fish to the touching story of how Barbara's beloved dog, Brynna, lost her eyesight but went on to live a surprisingly active and full life.
Several stories are of dog adventures on the road in summer vacations in the trusted truck camper. From the amazing encounter with a wild deer that became buddies with her border collie to the fun adventure of taking a puppy on her first cross-country trip. The stories include a wonderful mix of the emotions shared, both good and bad, when we are fortunate enough to share our lives with those special, loyal companions.
I Can Help on the Farm follows children on Family owned dairy farms. Family farms are not a job, they are a life-style. Children not only work along side their parents, they also have their own play areas and get to show their cows. The book is set up as an I Read You Read for a beginning reader and reading partner.
