Eighty-seven years ago, Caroline Quiner Ingalls passed away. The world knows her (and loves her) as Ma Ingalls. Upon hearing of her mother’s death, Laura wrote the following passage for The Missouri Ruralist:
As a Farm Woman Thinks
By Mrs. A.J. Wilder
“Mother passed away this morning” was the message that came over the wires and a darkness overshadowed the spring sunshine; a sadness crept into the birds songs.
Some of us have received such messages. Those who have not, one day will. Just as when a child, home was lonely when mother was gone, so to children of a larger growth, the world seems a lonesome place when mother has passed away and only memories of her are left us, happy memories if we have not given ourselves any cause for regret.
Memories! We go thru life collecting them whether we will or not! Sometimes I wonder if they are our treasures in heaven or the consuming fires of torment when we carry them with us as we, too, pass on.
What a joy our memories may be or what a sorrow! But glad or sad they are with us forever. Let us make them carefully of all good things, rejoicing in the wonderful truth that while we are laying up for ourselves the very sweetest and best of happy memories, we are at the same time giving them to others.
June 1, 1924
Missouri Ruralist
Perhaps a good way to remember “Ma” would be to make up a batch of her famous Mixed Pickles…
1 gallon chopped cabbage
1 gallon green tomatoes
1 quart onions
3 green peppers
1/2 cup pickling salt
4 tablespoons ground mustard seed
2 tablespoons ginger
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon allspice
6 cups sugar
1 ounce celery seed
6 cups vinegar
Chop cabbage, tomatoes, onions and peppers; sprinkle with salt and let stand an hour or two; press out water. Mix in other spices, sugar, and celery seed and 6 cups of vinegar or enough to cover the vegetables. Boil slowly for 20 minutes. Pour into hot, sterilized glass jars. Seal. Process in boiling water bath (212 degrees F.) for 5 minutes.
(Originally published in 1914 Cream City Cook Book, adapted and republished in I Remember Laura by Stephen Hines, 1994).