Visiting the Encampment

 Last weekend the historical society in our area hosted a Historical Day at one of the beautiful parks in our area.  And we got to go!  It was such a fun day.  There was a hatchet throw, which the boys got to participate in.  Here's Cricket learning how it's done.

 

 Give me a try already!  He did great, and after a few tries actually got the hatchet to stick into the wood slab.  Can you see the small white rectangle on the target?  That's a playing card.  The goal in the competition is to hit the card, or better yet slice a chunk off it!

 Badger's turn.

 He nailed it after just a few tries.

 And of course the big boys had to try to.  Here's papa measuring out the paces to know where to stand.  (7 paces away from the target)  J actually hit the card, but that was after breaking off part of the woodslab's stand with a wayward hatchet.  The trick apparently is not to throw it hard, but to take advantage of the natural spin of the hatchet. 

 There was also a blacksmith demonstration.  The boys have been interested in smithing for awhile now, and were anxious to see it up close.  We had the chance to talk with the blacksmith for quite awhile and the boys even got to hold the metal as it was being cooled in the water.

 There was also a large tee pee.  With a fire inside, and all different kinds of animal furs and hides.  The boys loved going inside and talking with the man about it.

 And games.  Here's J and Badger practicing the three legged race.

 My dad and Cricket joined them.  Such fun!

 And of course a potato sack race. :)

Such an awesome morning. :)  Followed by a very nice afternoon, where J and I actually got to get away for a little while and just walk our small town by ourselves. (thanks mom and dad)  We have so much fun when it's just the two of us, not that we don't have fun with the whole clan, and it's so refreshing to be away.  We both greeted our week this week with a little more peace and gentleness of spirit than usual.  And it seems we need it.  Two boys are sick, J and I are both recovering from long colds, and we still have so much work to finish on the house and garden before winter arrives.  I will just trust that God will continue to take care of us, and go about my days, my moments, with a quiet trust in my heart.  And I'll remember these fun days that get put in there with all the rest.  Life is really beautiful.