Monday, September 01, 2008

In Good Hands

I have some time left, before I leave for the northern lights. This lady is one of my hostesses. Notice her fashion accessory. Women up north don't have much use for handbags. I guess no one will be arguing with her!

12 comments:

Ace said...

I LOVE this picture. I always used to hear stories of and read stories about the Women who used to guard the home and help carve out an existence (that is often remembered fondly by their children) with their Husbands. I pity anyone who thought that Women are weaklings and messed with these Women. They were VALUED not for the size of their boobs or their makeup (and traded in when that got boring) they were the Queens of their castle...and that made their Husbands..KINGS. Those that MAKE and GUARD the home are my heros.

Many Blessings :)
Ace

Lydia said...

Ace,

For some reason, the value of these women just doesn't impact the mind of the young men and women the way that I wish it could. Yes, women were valued so highly that men would have given their lives to protect them and women would have given their lives to protect their children and their homes. What was prized so highly was their loyalty and their love for their homes and their seriousness about life, as well as their good sense. They weren't trophies or playthings although they could shoot a trophy and catching a fish or a bagging a grouse was necessity and sport at the same time. Maybe we could exchange a few gun stories and a few fish stories ....or bear stories.

You remember the old Daniel Boone series on t.v. in the 50's. He used to say he could grin down a bear. That meant he just kept grinning and the bear would back down. My mother was even more skilled than that. She once stared down a bear. The bear walked down the road to the goat shed and she stared down her rifle site and the bear turned around and ran. Daddy had been gone to work in the oil fields for a long time and she was alone, with little children, and also pregnant. She had trained her dog to obey her every command, and he helped her stare down that bear. Those women were disciplined, they disciplined their children, and their methods were effective.

Anonymous said...

I live in the land of the northern lights and I think it would be so much fun to meet you while you are here. I live in Anchorage, though. It looks like you are going to the Kenai area.

Janice

Lydia said...

I am going back to Anchorage a day early to visit there before I return on the plane and would be happy to meet you. Just email me ladylydiaspeaks@comcast.net

Domestically Inclined said...

A picture is worth a thousand words! My first winter in North Idaho about 16 years ago, I was struck by the dress up here. When it gets cold, function, not fasion is important, and yet women, still look like women. Boots, rifle, work apron and skirt! Have fun on your trip Lady Lydia!

Anonymous said...

the rifle is my favorite fashion accessory. I just wish they made them in pink.

Dawn said...

Great picture! :-)

LOL...to the anonymous wanting a pink rifle. :-) Put some little sparkles and doo dads on there and it would look awesome...lol. :-)

September blessings,
Dawn

Anonymous said...

I love how you referred to this lady's gun as a "fashion accessory"...my husband & I really got a kick out of that!!

Brenda

Lydia said...

Tell you what: I'll feel safe, with her. Something about that pose says "If you stay on the right side of me, I'm your friend, but if you get on the wrong side...." We need presidents like that.

lori said...

Hi Lydia!
I'm glad to se you made your trip..You look right at home standing by your lake. It must be a great feeling to be "just breathing the air" again. Have a good trip home, see you then.
Love Lori

Anonymous said...

:O) I must admit, the first time I looked at this entry I thought the fashion accessory you were speaking of was her apron! (chuckle) But after your latest entry, with you packing iron, I now see the real accssory. :O) Be careful up there.

Kimberline said...

Hoping you have a lovely time in Alaska, Lydia. This woman looks like she will be a good companion and have plenty of her own stories to tell about living in a wilderness.

She reminds me of the statue of the pioneer woman who has a toddler
holding onto her skirt, a baby held on one hip and a rifle in her
other hand. Copies of that statue are in so many places and I always
relate to the archetype of that kind of woman. She is strong and
gentle at the same time. She is a defender of her family and yet
maternally attentive to the children. Velvet over steel. :D

This also reminded me of the Little House on the Prairie books where Laura tells about Ma slapping the bear. Of course she didn't realize she was slapping a bear until after it had moved off. I am sure the bear thought it just shouldn't tangle with a human woman who has the nerve to slap it full in the face.

I will probably look a lot like your hostess in the very near future as we will soon be purchasing a shotgun and some rifles. (Had to get my FOID card first) We have a lot of critters only too happy to do us out of our farm grown vegetables and fruit. Also, we are planning to have laying hens eventually and they draw in animals wanting to make them their dinner. Shooing a racoon off from the corn or the hen house only works for an hour tops. Using the rifle is a permanent solution. I can't leave handling that job solely to my husband as he often has to travel for his job and the racoons don't leave just because he does.

I did want to say my apron will not be as simple as hers, but will probably have plenty of ruffles. You just can't beat an apron for its handiness in the garden or around the house. I'm thinking maybe a couple of big pockets would be handy, too, for extra shotgun shells?

Thank you for all the different things you share. Your life
experiences make wonderful stories and the pictures you share tell all
their own stories so plainly.

It will be interesting to hear, when you return, how your adult eye
views the places you last saw with the eyes and heart of a child.

God Speed,

Kimberline