1930s: Starting to rebuild a community

As 1934 rolls around, the mood in the Sinclair-Lemotte house is a bit hampered by the events of the previous year, but everyone still tries to remember the things they are grateful for. Their five healthy children, each other, the house they have, the animals on the farm.

And life is better for them than it is for many others. The depression still holds the countryside hostage, and severe dust storms across the midwest, eroding away the very soil in the ground and making farms essentially worthless, only makes matters worse as a new waive of migrants arrive looking for work after loosing everything they had. One evening Anna sees a random stranger going through the trash outside looking for food. Something must be done to help people!

Luckily the New Deal has started, and the government try to help with government funded projects, work programs, and relief funds. While Nash is mostly keeping an eye on the many banking reforms, hoping it will stabilize the market enough to give him a proper job once more, Anna makes use of the funds available to add a new house on the farm and hiring farm hands. §50 a month, housing and food is all that is required. Shortly three new men now mill about the ranch, tending to the animals and plants.

Through the church they go to on Sundays, steps are also taken to restore the town itself. One day the community gathers at the very rundown park, and together start fixing the place. Josephine helps with the planting and Nash and Johnny helps to build a treehouse for the kids to play. There is a basket added for basketball and playground equipment for kids. The barn is painted and restored. While there, Josephine takes the chance to sell some produce and some of her preserves as the kids play in the new playground. 

Soon it's time for Arthur to age up to a boy! Josephine can't believe he's already set to start school. Now it will only be her and Barbara home during the days (and Anna, Nash, Johnny and three ranch hands). They throw a modest little birthday party for the birthday boy who ends up being adventurous just like his aunty Anna.

But while life is progressing in the small ranch, news from Europe still has Anna worried. As Nash and Johnny both avoid talking about anything that could remind either of them of the war, and Josephine is completely uninterested in anything connected to politics and state of the world, these are news Anna follows on her own, and write with her friends about. Papers talk about the death of Hindenburg, of how the ruler seizes the power of the presidency for himself and emerge stronger than ever. There is news of widespread boycotts against Jews, about laws limiting their movements and preventing them from holding certain jobs, about book burnings and civil unrest in the nearby Austria. Pictures in the papers from Germany show the difference in the city view. Are you very worried? Anna writes to Georgette as the news reach her that the ruler is rebuilding the German army, in spite of the Versailles treaty dictating otherwise. We would be fools not to be. If they come to France, I do not know that we can stay.

As much as Anna's instincts is to leap into action to help those in need, she knows that with this there is nothing she can do. Instead she focuses more on training her horses. Bronco is growing fast and while he still suckles his mother at times, he's learning to feed himself now. The stallions too are developing, and are now worth many times what Anna paid for them when she rescued them. She isn't done yet, however. Her goal is to make them champions before she sells them, and then save more starved horses to train up and sell. The first major competition for the year is happening on Boxing day and Anna intends to be in it with one of her stallions. She's surprised at how easy it is for her to sign up, having expected some resistance against women competing. She needn't have worried. In this part of the world Anna is following in the footsteps of several well known cowgirls. "The first women to compete here was Bernice Walsh McLaughlin*," she's told as she signs up.

Christmas this year comes with a wonderful surprise as Abigail and Joseph decides to take Anna up on her invitation and show up to spend Christmas with them. They've rented a small cabin and shows up on Christmas Day without warning. The family is delighted.

Finally, they get to meet Johnny, who they have only heard about through Anna. A bit more awkward is that Alice and Cora has also come to spend Christmas with them. While they have met Cora before, her presence is still a surprise. "Cora has no family of her own," Alice explains. "I could not leave a friend alone on Christmas." Abigail is deeply touched by her daughter's capacity for friendship. "You would be such a good wife to someone worthy enough of you. Are there really no decent men in Del Sol Valley?"

It's a happy night, with plenty of food, and gifts and conversation and no one minds that it's a bit cramped and that you need to spread out. Anna and Alice naturally find some time to themselves. "I didn't know," she says. "It's okay, it's not like we can be honest with Josephine either, is it?" Alice whispers. And it seems like Cora is good at getting along with everyone. At the end of the night even Father Winter arrives with more presents.

And then, finally, Boxing Day is here, and Anna is set to compete. Everyone comes along to watch her and she hopes Starbuck will do well. They gather outside the equestrian centre before the show. As on cue the world has turned white over night and the snow adds a new dimension to the town. Anna is a bit nervous, but takes a deep breath, whisper in Starbucks ears and heads into the competition.

She finishes third! Not bad for a frist time competitor. She's utterly pleased with Starbuck, and spoil him a bit more than normal as the group heads back home to celebrate.

That evening they all have a nice time, talking, laughing, sharing their favourite moments of the competitions of the day. Next morning it's time for Alice and Cora to return to Del Sol Valley for another grand New Years Eve party and for Abigail and Joseph to return to Willow Creek. But as 1934 turns to 1935 the families all have warm new memories of this Christmas.

* Bernice Walsh McLaughlin competed in and won the Canadian Rodeo Champion High Jump contest in 1911, setting a new record. In comparison, women weren't allowed to compete in riding events in the Olympics until the 1950s