She did all three. And found a new husband.
It's hard to imagine how she hacked through the jungle that was the Florida of her time and made it livable. But you don't have to imagine it because Cross Creek is still pretty much like she left it only now it's called Majorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park.
In our class at Rollins we discussed Marjorie. Two of her books were made into movies that were set - and made - in Florida.
The Academy Award winning "The Yearling" was filmed in 1946 and stared Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman. It was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning book, published in 1939. I'm sorry to say I've neither read the book nor seen the movie.I read "Cross Creek" a few years ago. I was amazed. Marjorie was quite a woman! She was strong, bull headed and drank too much but old southern recipes are interspersed throughout the book as well. Last week Dave and I, while sitting on our nice comfy couch with the A/C going full blast, enjoyed the film staring Mary Steenburgen. I highly recommend it. It seemed very real and true to the book. Of course, it should feel real because it was filmed at Cross Creek.
As soon as the weather cools, Dave and I are making a day trip Majorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park to check out her cracker-style home at Cross Creek.
Maybe then I'll be motivated to read "The Yearling."
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