Sparkling Springtime

In Sparkling Springtime, the 2nd of the NOW THE HARVEST books, we revisit the Four Little Girls growing up with their siblings on a small farm in the Midwest prior to the Internet, prior to TV--even, in earliest years, prior to electricity being available in rural areas like theirs. It was a place and time where 'most anything needed to sustain life was built, grown, gathered, or prepared by hand. As the family tried to rebuild their lives after the Great Depression and World War II had taken their dreadful toll, they cooked on a wood-burning stove and washed clothes in a gasoline-powered washing machine. The baker's dozen children created their own entertainment, and did their homework at a worn oak kitchen table by the light of a kerosene lamp. With no nearby fire, medical or rescue services (and no phones to reach them even if there had been), life and death emergencies were just that. The author's article series And Now . . . the Harvest provided glimpses into that time and place where, despite poverty, the family's faith, hard work and music kept dreams alive. The stories selected for Sparkling Springtime depict happenings in that bright and promising time of year. Included with each vignette is an authentic recipe, complete with detailed instructions.