The painting is progressing nicely. I decided to represent all of the seven children, as well as my great-great grandfather, Edward. He is in the top hat in the back ground with two of his daughters as they thank the woman who brought the bread. My great-grandmother Eliza is the young child on the ground dozing against the leg of her Mother, Sarah.

It is interesting to note that the Union Pacific Railroad was pushing west from Omaha, as fast as possible and at this time in June of 1868, the end of track was clear to Cheyenne, Wyoming. The pioneers in 1868 still went by wagons all the way to Salt Lake City. Of course, the next year on May 10 1869 at Promontory, Utah the continent was traversed as the two railroad companies pounded the golden spike. I am not sure why the 1868 pioneers couldn't travel by rail as far west as possible making the wagon trip shorter. There must have been some regulations preventing it, or it was still too costly.

There is still quite a bit to do on the painting. The boy in the foreground is still to be painted as well as a child figure in the back ground. Nothing is safe at this point. If something doesn't work, then it gets repainted or painted over.