Blue Shadows Farm: A Novel

Contents

vii Contents Prologue—November 2000 3 Part 1 1. Ambush—March 1865 9 2. New Orleans Hospital—March 1865 13 3. Limited Duty—April 1865 16 Part 2 4. Nature Hike—October 2000 23 5. Sophia—May 1866 27 6. Accident—May 1866 32 7. Cabin Building—May 1866 37 8. Olaf Hanson—May 1866 42 9. Sophia’s Garden—May 1866 47 10. Attack—October 1866 55 11. Gardening—October 2000 62 Part 3 12. School Board Meeting—October 2000 71 13. Memories—October 2000 80 14. Snowstorm—December 1866 86 15. Wolfgang and Amelia—December 1866 92 16. Housekeeper—December 1866 98 17. Kitchen Stove—January 1867 103 18. Opportunity—October 2000 106 Part 4 19. William Steele—October 2000 115 20. Blue Shadows—February 1867 119 21. Mixed Thoughts—May 1867 126 22. Wedding—July 1867 130 23. New Baby—February 15, 1868 137 24. Elsa—April 1872 142 25. Increase Joseph—Summer 1872 149 26. Going Home—August 1872 155 27 Modern Nature Educators, Inc.—November 2000 160 Part 5 28. Modern Nature Educators II—November 2000 167 29. Greed—Summer 1874 172 30. Borrowed Hay Mower—Summer 1874 177 31. Tornado—August 1875 182 viii Contents ix Contents 32. Silas and the Arrowheads—Summer 1876 189 33. Kate Dugan—November 2000 194 Part 6 34. Hiking Emma’s Farm—November 2000 205 35. Abe and the Kittens—May 1880 210 36. Quilting Bee—November 1885 215 37. School Days—October 1886 219 38. Christmas Program—December 1886 224 39. Picnic—July 4, 1895 230 40. Skinny-Dipping—August 1900 235 41. Abe Farming—May 1901 240 42. Ole Brothers Circus—July 1902 245 43. New House and Barn—Spring 1903 252 44. End of an Era—1905 256 45. Gravel Pit—1906 261 46. Merrifield Visits the Farm—November 2000 265 Part 7 47. How Dry I Am—1919 275 48. What Now?—Summer 1919 280 49. Visitors—Summer 1920 286 50. Purified Corn Water—Summer 1920 292 51. Living High on the Hog—Summer 1922 297 52. Sorrow-Joy-Sorrow—1925 302 53. Depression, Then War—Summer 1932 309 54. School Board Decision—November 2000 316 Part 8 55. Threshing Days—August 1945 323 56. Postwar—August 1945 328 57. Jim Lockwell—August 1946 334 58. Fishing—August 1947 339 59. New Year’s Eve—December 31, 1949 344 Part 9 60. Green Growing Farms—Summer 1960 351 61. Holding On—June 1980 355 62. Longtime Relationship—1986 359 63. Offer—November 2000 363 64. Secrets—November 2000 368 Epilogue—Present Day 373 Suggested Reading 377 x Contents Blue Shadows Farm ...