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Brinton discusses life on the farm, her involvement in the church and community, and holiday celebrations. She also recounts her experiences of events in American history like the election of William McKinley and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Brinton shares observations of her family dynamics, particularly with regard to marriage and extended family. She also discusses: pioneer life in Adair County, dairy farming, small town life in Stuart, Ladies Aid society, Epworth League, schools, childhood, picnics, cold winters, railroads, housekeeping, building a house, Chautauqua, Stuart Country Club, sleigh rides, threshing, poll tax, cinch bugs, hired hands, electricity, clothes washing, automobiles, World War I draft registration, gypsies, circus, and the school bus. This memoir was the basis of a 1989 article in the Annals of Iowa by Katherine Jellison titled, "Sunshine and rain in Iowa": using women's autobiography as a historical source. In the article, Jellison argues that the writings of "everyday" or "ordinary" women are important and often overlooked by historians.