Happy 7th Birthday to Thomas

Ok. It's sideways. I can't figure out how to fix it now, so just turn your head -- or your computer -- to watch our little pirate ship sail away. Thomas will see it tomorrow.

Camping

In conjunction with a visit to Plimoth Plantation, we camped two nights in Plymouth, MA. 

We bought a tent big enough to fit 3 queen air mattresses and a pack-and-play with a bit of room to move around.  It's big.  We cooked meat over an open fire, scrambled eggs in an iron skillet on a camp stove, ate s'mores both nights, were pursued ruthlessly by really big mosquitoes, smelled strongly of Deep Woods Off, swam and boated in a lake, ate ice cream sandwiches from the camp store, and generally had a great time.  Steven and I were exhausted.  At one point, so was Patrick, who fell asleep in the stroller after swimming.

Setting up the tent, while Patrick is safely strapped into his eating chair.

We're off to go boating!  We took out two canoes, and Patrick stood between my knees, leaning over the edge to drag his fingers in the water.  He was life-jacketed, of course, but I was still glad to get our adventurous boy back to shore. 

While the younger three enjoyed the beach with me, Steven and Catherine went out in kayaks.

Some quiet book time around the campfire.

A post-swimming Uno game.

Our view from the campsite.  Watching pine trees sway in the barest of breezes is a bit mesmerizing.

Plimoth Plantation

We visited Plimoth Plantation last week (thank you, Uncle John!) just in time for some summer planting and not-too-hot sunshine. 

It's the Mooflower (get it?!).  The pilgrim stockings and buckle shoes are hilarious.

The Wampanoeg tribe used mishoon (canoes) for travel.  They're made by slowly burning the inside of a log to hollow it out.  If made from softwood it lasts about 10 years; hardwood lasts about 20 years. 

Turn your computer--or your head--sideways to see Catherine pound corn into cornmeal.

A weetu (home) at the Wampanoeg site.  These are surprisingly warm and inviting. 

This puts any woodpile I've ever seen to shame!  It's a solid, circular structure.

A view from the meeting house down on the rest of the English settlement.   Each house is furnished with replicas of what would have belonged to that particular family.   You walk from house to house and visit with the staff (who dress and act in character) who have deep knowledge of the person they are portraying and can carry on conversations about just about anything.  On this visit I learned all about the cloth trade and some gardening tips from a Dutch pilgrim....................That's Plymouth Bay in the background.  Cape Cod is too far away to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catherine is learning about cows.  The English settlers didn't bother to make butter, but they drank and cooked with the milk.  Their three cows came over by boat, so for a while there were exactly three cows in all of America.  They ate them whenever they had bred replacements. 

In the kids playroom Thomas and Anna dress in costumes and catch some fish.  There was also an English-style hearth with food and plates and a Wampanoag area for more pretend fun.  

Planting was done the same way in the Wampanoag and English settlements.  (1)  Hills of soil are made, and two herring fish are buried in each mound.  (The herring spawn this time of year, swimming upstream from the bay into brooks and streams where they're relatively easy to catch.)  (2) Three corn kernels are planted in the center.  (3)  Pole beans will be planted in a circle about halfway down the mounds, then (4) squash/pumpkins will be planted in a circle at the base of the mounds.  ......  so the corn grows, giving the pole beans something to climb, while the squash with its large leaves shades the mound, keeping weeds down and retaining moisture in the mound.