The Signs Of A Severe Winter

 Even though everyone was exhausted and cold the wagon master told the people that they had to continue on because the weather was going to get bad. An early winter was being predicted by signs of the woolly worms and the persimmon trees fallen fruit. The woolly worms were showing black and brown. Old stories that had been handed down from generation to generation told that the longer the rusty brown color on the woolly worm meant a mild winter, but if it was black or black tail meant it was going to be a very cold and severe winter. 

The persimmons were showing a spoon like inside indicating a shovel for deep snow. Marlee said, "Grandma B has persimmon trees on the mini farm. I pick them and give them to the animals. They love them.

 As far as the travelers were concerned they were heading into their first very harsh winter with little to no shelter if they didn't hurry to some kind of a settlement. These settlements sometimes had big buildings surrounded by  tall fences called forts. They were armed with Army soldiers that offered shelter to travelers as well as keeping themselves and their families safe from the Indians that were angry at the folks that were trespassing on their land. These folks were hunting and fishing in their woods and streams making them fearful they would take all of their food including buffalo.

We call these folks Native Americans because they lived in the United States before anyone else did. 

Nell was so very lonesome for her friend, Ethel. She hoped she had made it across the river safely. She now was riding with other folks, but mostly walked to make the load lighter for the oxen. One day the trail master held his arms up meaning to stop the wagons. He pointed to the west and there was a sight to behold. A huge herd of buffalo. Nell had never seen anything like it in her life. They were huge and very ugly in her estimation. Grandma Lu said most folks don't think of buffalo  being in Iowa, but way back then they roamed the prairies. They came from Mexico and roamed clear up to Canada. They provided the Indians with meat and their thick skin and furry hides made very warm shelters called teepees and heavy blankets and robes, moccasins, and many other things they needed.

When the buffalo moved in the opposite direction of the wagon train they continued on before the snow came. The skies were getting hazy and the sun provided little heat when it did shine.

Nell was worried when the trail master said they needed to reach Ft. Des Moines in two weeks time to beat the first big snow storm. Nell was to discover that Ft. Des Moines was like no other Fort built by the government. It was built to protect the Indians and would open the door to her future with her new family.