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Mammy Jane Book Discussion

March 29, 2011
7:43 am

Suzanne McMinn

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May 14, 2005

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To sign up to be on the traveling Mammy Jane list, go here:

http://chickensintheroad.com/f…..jane-book/

This topic is for discussion after you've read the book. You can read my experiences about the book here:

http://chickensintheroad.com/l…..eing-jane/

And here (which includes "the truth" about the Mammy Jane book, so only read AFTER you've read it):

http://chickensintheroad.com/l…..ammy-jane/

Clover made me do it.

April 2, 2011
6:11 pm

prvrbs31gal

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November 23, 2010

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I requested a copy of Mammy Jane from my Library's Interlibrary Loan. It arrived here in IL all the way from WV, and I read it in a day. I was so inspired by Mammy Jane and her work ethic… and while reading the book, I referred back to Suzanne's post several times to see what was fact and what was fiction. I loved it… despite the poor editing which really bothered me (incomplete sentences, grammatical errors, etc). I can totally understand Suzanne's 'obsession'… if I lived that close, I also would have made the trip to the house!!! I booger-snot bawled at the end… {SPOILER ALERT}

I found it so sad that out of like 20 kids, only one was there at the end. I was glad that it was his descendant who is in the house now.

Oh, and I want to learn how to store potatoes in the ground to winter them. When we move to VA this summer, we won't have a basement and I'm wondering how to store potatoes and apples and squash, etc!

April 2, 2011
6:37 pm

prvrbs31gal

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November 23, 2010

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Here's a link I found that might be of interest to Mammy Jane fans:

http://www.calhounchronicle.co…..s_Home.htm

The portraits are beautiful.

April 2, 2011
6:54 pm

BuckeyeGirl

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February 10, 2009

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What a great link prvrbs! Thank you for posting it and I for one will look forward to all the comments and thoughts people have after they read the book.

It will be very neat to follow the book's path here on the forum, and maybe someone can scan the signature sheet so we can see that too, maybe we'll have it to show around at the Retreat in September too? (not the book, but a copy of the sheets and names that have read it)

Located in N.E. Ohio

April 2, 2011
9:29 pm

Suzanne McMinn

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May 14, 2005

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I don't know if that's true or not that only one of her children was there when she died. I didn't ask Irene about that, though she did talk about the day Mammy Jane died. She said she was at the foot of her bed when she died, and I believe her mother was also there. Her father was Mammy Jane's son Dock (Spencer) and he was probably there. There may have been others there. Sybil's book was incorrect on other points. That's something I would have to ask Irene.

Another thing I'd love to ask Irene is if it's true about how Will died in the book. He was one of the characters I was most attached to! If you have questions you wish I'd ask Irene, post them here and before I go see her again, I'll make a list!

FYI, I saw those paintings at the house!!! The one with the carriage–that's Spencer and his wife (Irene's parents). The other paintings……. (Bubble bursting.) Irene said they were just some pretty paintings that SHE BOUGHT. Those weren't any of the Jarvis family members! They ARE hanging in the house, I saw them there, and asked Irene about them.

Clover made me do it.

April 2, 2011
9:32 pm

Suzanne McMinn

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oh–and get the book Putting Food By. It tells how to make all sorts of root cellars, including rudimentary ones such as described in the Mammy Jane book. You can get Putting Food By from Amazon and other places.

Clover made me do it.

April 2, 2011
9:46 pm

prvrbs31gal

Big Chicken

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November 23, 2010

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Questions for Irene:

1) Nutcake recipe? (LOL, I know you're gonna ask!) Or ANY of her recipes, for that matter. Although I'm willing to bet she really didn't have them written down.

2) What ever happened to Catherine? It seems she went and married the city-guy and basically was never heard from again. And Will's Catherine, too, did she keep in touch?

3) I'd love to know more about little Annie. Was she really raised by her father? (I know he had married Annie of the Flowers and divorced her when little Annie was 2…) I'm guessing it wasn't talked about much in the family if Little Annie thought she was illegitimate.

May be you could get Irene to go to the Retreat!!!! She'd be a superstar!

Thanks for the tip on "Putting food By"… it sounds familiar, so I'm wondering if I've seen it at the library!

April 30, 2011
8:39 pm