Winter 1935, Summary

State Tests Again: Billie Jo's class at school has done the best in the entire state of Oklahoma, and she feels proud. She wishes she could tell Ma about it and hear Ma say, "I knew you could." She sees now that it would be enough to hear those words again.

Christmas Dinner Without the Cranberry Sauce: At school, there is a Christmas dinner, and all the mothers come. Billie Jo's teacher, Miss Freeland, acts as mother to the motherless girls. They all make the dinner, and it actually turns out pretty good. In contrast, the meal Billie Jo makes at home isn't as wonderful. She doesn't make Ma's famous cranberry sauce, which is her father's favorite. She never had a chance to learn how to make it.

Driving the Cows: A local rancher named Joe De La Flor has a herd of...