The author of this book is Grace Norris Salisbury. She was born on June 8, 1913, in Oregon. In 1932, after graduating from high school, she married Harold Norris. When the oldest of their two daughters was school age, they moved to Laurelwood Academy. After their divorce she began working at the Portland San (now Portland Adventist Medical Center) and later as housekeeper for some of the wealthy families in Portland. Her hobbies included gardening, especially flowers, and for several years she printed a newsletter and sent it to shut-ins. Grace wrote this book because she wanted to pass her grandmother's story on to others, show what life was like for the pioneers, and share the history of the Sabbath. After retiring, Grace cared for her mother in her final years, and in turn was cared for by her own daughter, Lou, until her death on March 17, 1998. Grace's daughter, Dona O'Daniel, submitted her mother's manuscript for publication to fulfill her mother's dream.