no gingerbread for me

Well, I attempted to go the Pomona Library's Gingerbread Sociable for Laura Ingalls Wilder's birthday. Again. But apparently you really need to get there when it first begins in order to see anyone dressed in calico dresses...oh, well.

I still poked around and looked at the Little House exhibit, however, though I'm a little late in posting this. As I've previously mentioned, Pomona holds a number of Laura's precious original manuscripts and letters since she corresponded with the children's librarian. It's interesting to see the tablet with the Little Town on the Prairie draft and compare it to the final published version. It's amazing to look upon it and know that a woman I admired so much used that very paper to write about literaries and birthday parties with oranges and fashionable autograph albums.

The letters, newspaper clippings, and programs from various events over the years are specific to Pomona Library, and it is the photocopies that are on display. One of the letters contains a copy of her famous gingerbread recipe and was clearly written when she was in her late 80s after her husband died. I know she lived a long and happy life, but it still made me rather sad to read:

I'm living alone and it is very lonely without Almanzo, but it would be lonely anywhere and I would rather stay in my own, old home.

I do hope the original letters are locked away somewhere for safe-keeping, as it's a little worrisome that the photocopies and books on display are so faded and worn. I also wish there were more explanations for the artifacts...are those a family member's shoes? Where did the dolls come from? One of these days I'll have to go back and hunt down a librarian to answer some questions. In the meantime, it was really nice to see evidence of her legacy, however. And it's always nice to be amongst other Laura-lovers.