Dear Stella,
I hope this letter finds you well. I have arrived safely at the claim, much to father's dismay, I'm sure. Though I suppose he really doesn't care what happens to me, so long as I'm not "embarrassing the family". You don't want to hear me complain about that, though. The countryside here is very beautiful. My new home is nestled in a forest at the base of mighty snow-capped peaks. Spring here is cool, though I've been told that the summer will drive away the chill. My nearest neighbours are some distance away; close enough to reach in a day, but far enough that a round trip is not feasible in the same day without great haste. The town, Raven Brook, is even further. It takes almost a full day just to reach it from my home. The people have been polite, though not particularly warm. Hopefully they will warm to me with more time.
I wish I could tell you that I've settled in seamlessly to frontier life, but I would be lying. Father's claims that the land was ready for farming was, to be generous, greatly exaggerated. The "farmstead" that was here has clearly not been maintained in years. I have scarcely had time to write this letter with how much has needed to be done. While I did a great deal of reading before embarking, I was simply not prepared for the extent of the work that would need doing. The land is wild, and I have been scrambling to get my feet under me. I am writing this to you in a tent, as the cottage was in such a state that I believe it is past repairing and will simply need to be demolished. I have spent what little money I had procuring material, labour, and instruction, and that still has not been enough. As I do not expect Father would send money, nor would I suffer the indignity of asking him for it were he inclined, I have had to pawn all my jewellery to finance my endeavours. I will not miss most of it, though I am worried that, if my progress continues to be as slow as it has been, that it will not be enough. I will figure something out, I'm sure. Don't worry about me.
How have you been? Last I heard, you had gotten engaged. Congratulations. I wish I could be there for your wedding, but I doubt that will be possible with my current finances and the work that needs to be done on the farm. I'm sure it will be wonderful, though. I don't know when you will get this, or when I shall receive your reply. Raven Brook is well off the rail routes, and we only get mail once a month at most. That said, I will write as often as I can. I miss you dearly. Give my love to mother.
Your sister,
Eveline
This was written using prompts generated by Tyler Crumrine's Grandpa's Farm