tend your bees & doom your flies

Last night was my first intro to my new calling as  Mia Maid advisor – Personal Progress interviews. To soften the general sighs and uggh’s, the YW President amused us all with this info from a time long gone.

In 1916, every female over fourteen was a Beehive girl until she entered the Relief Society; there were no Mia Maids or Laurels. The following are out of the 373 requirements possible for a Beehive girl to earn her awards:

1. Care successfully for a hive of bees for one season and know their habits.
2. Give the distinguishing characteristics of six varieties of hen and cattle and tell the good and weak points of each.
3. Exterminate the mosquitoes over an area of BD mile square by pouring a little kerosene on the surface of all standing pools of water twice each month during April, May, and June.
4. Make two articles of underwear by hand.
5. Cover 25 miles on snowshoes in any six days.
6. Learn to float in Great Salt Lake and propel yourself 50 feet.
7. During three consecutive months, abstain from candy, ice cream, commercially manufactures beverages, and chewing gum
8. For one month, masticate your food so thoroughly that it slips down without any visible effort at swallowing it.
9. Successfully put a new washer on a faucet.
10. Care for at least two kerosene lamps daily.
11. For three month, take care of milk and cream from at least one cow and see that the pails, pans, strainer, and separator are thoroughly cleansed.
12. During two weeks, keep the house free from flies or destroy at least 25 flies daily.
13. Have your toilet moved to an isolated place in the garden. Have a frame of chicken wire built about three feet away and plant a quick-growing vines such as cucumber or morning glories to screen it from observation.
14. Whitewash your toilet inside and out.
15. Know and describe three cries of a baby.
16. Without help or advice, care for and harness a team at least five times; drive them 50 miles during one season.
17. During two summer months, clean ice chest thoroughly twice a week.
18. Discover ten reasons why the Columbine should be the national flower.
19. Clear sagebrush off of an acre of land.
20. Know six blazes used by the Indians.

There you go…I think #8 cracked me up the most. Or perhaps #12. I can just imagine the daily mental fly tallies.

 

11 to go. 

Physical labor has never been my strong suit, so my Gratitude for the “now” multiplies when I consider life for women in other time periods. Clear sagebrush off an acre of land??! I complain about laundry being strenuous.

My book club met on Tuesday to discuss These is My Words. The conversation was amazing. Great insights on education, mothering (I need to write some of these down before I forget!), marriage, suffering…Life! A few quotables:

• “Taking up marriage is a good excuse for taking up cursing.”
• Speaking of her relationship with her sister-in-law: “Sisters under the skin closer than some by nature.”
• “I’d rather be around Jack in a bad mood than most other men when they’re trying to pay me a compliment.”
• “Education doesn’t keep a person from being a fool, and the lack of it doesn’t keep a person from being intelligent.”

Some of the ladies claimed a desire to live in the time & place of the book – AZ territories 1880’s to early 1900’s. I was stunned. I exited the book with a clear & strong Gratitude for physical ease. Yes, we have our battles, but our hands don’t have to be calloused and our chickens come plucked. I do sometimes wonder if it’s easier to lose your soul when the battles fought are more emotional & mental. Hard labor leaves little time for the kind of idleness that leads to Wandering of spirit or Squandering of talents. These women didn't sew or cook beautifully because it was a fun "hobby".  These talents emerged because they had to...life depended on it.  Perhaps there’s something to that. Perhaps that’s why Amy M.’s weekly projects call to me. Keep busy, expand Talents & continually improve your Haven.

Or simply pull on your snowshoes for 25 miles of Work. Start your sewing of a new bra. And definitely don’t forget the fly count.

Comments

[Mandy]

I liked this post but it made me wonder how I would have survived back then. I am kind of a wimp and I can't sew to save my life or anyone else's for that matter.

This is why I enjoy blogging. Someone is always giving me a reason to appreciate what I have. It's not that I don't, it's just nice to be reminded of how good I have it.

On a side note, I have trouble killing flies, or anything for that matter. For some reason, and this is embarrassing to tell, but after I see a dead bug, I feel like it's in the back of my throat. I don't know how to explain it. I may need therapy.

[JoDee]

Loved, loved your post. When hearing about the old days or pioneer stories I always admire how strong, and faithful they were. Then I always tell people that for me, Heavenly Father knew exactly what he was doing when he didn't turn me into a pioneer. He knew I would of complained, dragged my feet and probably would not have made it anywhere near the Salt Lake Valley! For that I am so grateful and feel very blessed and thankful for all of my modern convienences and blessings. What a wonderfull Father we have who knows so much about us and what we can handle. By the way, my girls always fight over who gets to kill the flies in our house and who kills the most. They would make amazing beehives.

[Megan]

When I read your post I kept thinking how much I would have loved living back then. I enjoy physical labor, hard work, keeping busy, and the simplness that kind of lifestyle would bring. I think that todays world is too crazy and there are too many evils all around us. My favorite times in life are when I'm away from the city or working outside. Plus I think of how thin I would be working non-stop and not eating chocolate everyday.

[jenny]

I think it's a good thing I didn't live back then. Some of those requirements are pretty hard. Definitely an eye opener. But I do agree heavy labor does leave little time for idolness. I think that is why my parents told me I needed to be involved in school activities or get a job.

[Shanon]

Congrats! I didn't know you are with the Mia Maids now!! That is my favorite group of YW! I am jealous. I love being in YW's. Good Luck!

[Mandi]

I can totally see Megan out there hacking the wood to build a house! I wouldn't make it out there - I can't barely be outside for more than an hour without having to go in and wash my hands!!!!

I agree wholeheartedly that it's a totally different, and probably more difficult battle today (spiritually & mentally, not physically). I swore on my mission as I was hand-washing my clothes every p-day that I would never complain about laundry again with a machine . . . and here I am, 6 years later, dreading laundry! Why don't they make a machine that folds it too???? and maybe puts it away???

Anyway, as for the list, I understand the concept of hard labor, but what could the purpose possibly have been of some of those? I believe in purposes.

[Kelly]

Number 8 cracked me up the most! Why would this be a goal?? I will be thinking of this as I masticate throughout my day. But, your fly picture was a close runner-up. My Grandpa T. used to be obsessed with fly swatting. He would have made a good beehive.

On a serious note, there aren't many things on that list I am capable of. I think outhouses are the main reason I was born in modern times.

[rebecca]

Lovely thoughts today. I am one generation removed from the salt of the earth didn't go to high school farmer crowd, and you can be sure that none of them owned a treadmill. No need, they labored hard and were good at it. We take up hobbies today on a whim, but will likely never match the skill of that generation. I feel that I need to be grateful for my luxuries but far more vigilant because we all squander our down time; everything is a compromise.

[Annalisa]

It's true. The pioneers needed the mental and physical challenges those days provided. I need the challenge of warding off idleness from the easy life. Faith during trials would have been easier for me.
I often think about how amazing the world is today. I love modern conveniences. I love being a woman in a time when we can think and speak our minds. I could not imagine not being able to learn or the boredom of mundane physical labor for me. There is no way I would want to live any other time.

[love squalor]

i love that list! #16 freaks me out though.

[Emily]

Well, I'm off to have my toilet moved to an isolated part of the garden! This list was so funny to read. I'm afraid I would have never made it back then.

[sista #2]

This is always a hit to show the YW/Beehives.
It is an eye -opener! Do you love being their leader? I bet they love you. Can be lots of fun, huh? -ciao

[crystalyn]

i never would have made it during that time. thank goodness for everything we have. masticating our food til that point? oh boy! that's hilarious!

[Aunt Judy]

My vote is with Mandi. I believe there should be an observable purpose.

From your book club notes, your 4th bullet was, “Education doesn’t keep a person from being a fool, and the lack of it doesn’t keep a person from being intelligent;" loved it and for some reason it made me think of a quote I have in my office:

"A teaching certificate guarantees about the same success as a marriage license."

Do you suppose if we rip the wings off of flies they could be called, "Walks?" Oh gee, I think reading the list did something to me, even if I loved every minute of it. The most fun was trying to keep my mouth closed, but it kept falling open.

You're going to be a fabulous Mia Maid teacher.

[regina]

That list is crazy. I think I'd want an award for accomplishing one of those tasks, and I'd want a lot more than a madalion and a certificate for doing all of them.

[Amy]

Regina! You were my new "least likely to comment"! I'm so happy to see you here.

[Price Cream Parlor]

This list is hilarious! Honestly - can this be real? Too funny! I agree, I love the modern life that we have and easily enjoy. I do think living back then would be a draw for me at times because things were simple. Simple not in regards to things were easy - but things were really just black and white - nothing much in between. You did things back then to survive. I think we really have it too easy. Things come too easily for us - and we expect that.
THESE IS MY WORDS is one of my most favorite books. I even made my husband read it long ago. - I would love to see your notes from your book club..
(I'm the Mia Maids advisor as well!)

[Laralee Anderson]

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this post. It was fascinating! I am so grateful to live in the time that I live in. That list was so bizarre. The only one that was close to being normal was #7. I am just so appreciative to be able to speak my mind and to express what I feel. Well, I would write more but I have to go float in the Great Salt Lake...