Making Do and Hanging On

The end of February, 2009 and I can almost smell the garden when I go out the door.  The weather hasn’t stabilized yet, and we could even get snow again tonight, but little greens are growing both in the homemade greenhouse and in the recently constructed coldframe.  I haven’t gone outside yet this morning to check on the baby greens,  but I feel that a little chill won’t hurt them as long as they are under the protection of their covers.  There is something corollary about  the hardening off  of plants, and  the hardships of life that gives strength to the individual.  

I have been reading the book  “”Making Do and Hanging On,” with the subtitle “Growing Up in the Apple Country Through the Great Depression”, by Bruce Foxworthy.  I feel honored to learn about the challenges that the generation that grew up during the 30’s  has to share with us.  The history of Entiat is very young, and Mr. Foxworthy’s family epitomized the kind of people  that lived by principles of hard work and honesty that living in a beautiful but harsh environment required.  I can say that I have met no more friendly and giving people than those from that generation, and from this valley.  As we and our children’s generation are entering our  own hard times ahead, I hope that we can thrive and come out even stronger than before.  In a way, (as I was telling Ruthie last night) I am kind of looking forward to a  Depression.  

You are all invited to attend a program at the Entiat Public Library (or the Entiat Grange if need be)  featuring Bruce Foxworthy on Tuesday, April 14th at 7:00 PM.  He stopped by the library the other day to donate a book to the branch and we arranged a date for him to speak.  The next week, Tuesday, April 21st at 7:00 PM we are hosting Carl Allen who performs Woody Guthrie songs of the Depression era, as well as the song Roll On, Columbia – Washington’s State  Song.