Heritage Festival

I managed to get Sarah's new dress sewn in time for us to go to the Heritage Festival at the local community college.

Pioneer Days

The Township that my parents live in had a "Pioneer Days" and they asked us to set up our Civil War tent and do a mini reenactment.  Because it was only for part of a day, we didn't bring our whole get up, but we did bring the little tent and some furniture.  I also didn't take very many pictures.

Andy got his "big boy" outfit ☺

This Month in the Civil War: First Battle of Charleston Harbor

150th Anniversary
(1863–2013)
This Month in the Civil War: First Battle of Charleston Harbor

Over the course of the Civil War, ironclad ships were used with varying degrees of success in attacking fortresses on land from the sea. These newest ships in the Union Navy were not nimble, but they had large and effective guns which were engaged in many attacks throughout the war.
On April 7, 1863, Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont led nine ironclad ships into Charleston Harbor. The flotilla included seven monitors, the USS New Ironsides, and the experimental USS Keokuk, a heavily plated ironclad which proved completely inadequate in the battle. Her hull was pierced by ninety projectiles causing the ship to take on water and sink off Morris Island.
Weather originally delayed the attack. Torpedoes and obstructions in the harbor were difficult to negotiate, and a strong tide adversely affected navigation and ultimately the success of the offensive. The Confederate guns at Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie fired shots and shells outnumbering those from the ships nearly thirteen to one. The ironclads spent much of the two-hour battle simply trying to navigate the currents and obstructions in the harbor.
The armor of the ironclads protected the men aboard. While all ships suffered some damage, casualties on both sides were light. The battle was seen as a Confederate victory as the Union Navy, despite high hopes of a tremendous victory, suffered the failure of not even making it past the first defenses in Charleston Harbor.

(taken from email from http://www.fold3.com )

Rogue River Reenactment 2011

The kids watching the opening ceremonies on Saturday

I'd found this info on a website (that doesn't seem to be working anymore):

Short hair was common for little girls and young teens. The hair was blunt cut, usually at a length to about the base of the neck. The hair was neatly pinned back or a ribbon was tied in the hair like a hair band to keep it off the face.

Long hair was usually braided for play (parted in the middle and braided on each side just behind the ear), then pinned in rolls to the sides of the head. Braided hair was rarely left to hang down, this is only seen on farm/frontier children. Long hair might also be contained in a hair net or rolled into a bun at the nape of the neck. Long hair would only be left down for special occasions, when it would be curled into ringlets

So, since Sarah's hair is longer than the base of her neck, she got a "hair do" (for which Emi was very jealous)

Andy riding the rocking horse

Everyone is nice and warm in their wool outer wraps

Me spinning on National Spin in Public Day!

winding on my new singles yarn I just spun

my basket of wool and my spindle

The cousins playing with the new wagon

Lee Mulder singing tradional Irish folk songs
Lee is the "spinning lady" but I didn't get a picture of her with her wheel

Cartographer

Our camp

Grandpa and Will listening to Lee sing

Will washing dishes with Grandma

man powered lathe

carving a bowl

my attempt at a family picture

nap time ☺

Getting a drink
This is how Will was most of the weekend - barefoot!

Will cooking with Grandma

Emily making her own stew

"petting" a bear fur

Trapper

Huge gourd full of beanpods

shucking beans

Beautiful beans

Sarah checking out the Indian's wares

French & Indian area

The kids watching the Civil War photographer colorizing a photo

S'mores!

Little Red Riding Hood pulling Little Gray Riding Hood

This is how William looked whenever there were "booms"

Boom! 
(Opening Ceremony on Sunday)

The photographer asked if he could take our photograph

Us getting our Tin type likeness taken in the authentic Civil War way

It in the chemicals afterwards

The kids look so "period"!

Indian children playing

Chart showing the types of beans he had

The beanpods he gave me to plant next year

From upper left clockwise: Iroquois Cranberry, Potawatami Lima Pole Bean,
Potawanami Rabbit bean, Cherokee Trail of Tears Bean, ? and center ?

Voyageur's cool tent

I liked this rocking chair