Mill Festival Time!

October here means "Mill Festival"!  Even though we've gone the last 3 years or so and nothing really changes, the kids love going.  They look forward to it every year.  This year was especially fun.  We were joined by our friends and that made the day even more fun for the kids.  We stopped to talk to many of the people running the various machines and we learned a lot.  Ok, so I learned a lot.  The boys mostly played with rocks and Grace came and went as she floated by on her own little cloud of oblivion.

The steam powered saw mill.  This particular set up would have been post Civil war, but not much if I recall correctly.

This gentleman very kindly answered all our questions about the coal-fired steam engine you see in the background.  It was powering the sawmill.  

It was a very exciting time when he opened the door to put in more coal.  

I have no idea what this contraption was, but the walking stick on top of it captivated us.  Unfortunately, I am not good enough with a camera to do it justice.

Andrew and Byron pose with the pig scalding set up.    My boys were quite fascinated with the process of pig butchering.

Byron weaves.  I was chatting with Ruth about the fireplace in the room when suddenly I turn  round and there is Byron.  Weaving.  I have no idea if she asked him or he asked to do it or what, but he did enjoy himself.

Ruth is part vampire.  She loathes the sun.

My best group shot.  The one where everyone is looking turned out blurry and in my crazy face shot, one of the kids is inadvertently making a rude gesture.  Ahh...such is life.

I cannot turn my back on that boy.  Ever.  If he's not asking me whether President McKinley had completely rotted or not, he's sword fighting Padawan style.

Ahhh...freshly baked bread.  There is nothing better.  Except maybe this: A man making it!

My little scholars +2.

They take their education very seriously.

Can't.stand.another.day.here.

Move over!

Thoroughly enjoying their day.

The day included a tour of the old mill and several other buildings, a lunch out and ending the day with a dinner Friendly's.  A brilliant first field trip.