Montgomery Heritage Festival

Well, we are all thoroughly back to school, finding our bearings in a new routine (some of us better than others. Adele.). This means our adventures as a family will become sparser and, in general, tamer. But living where we live, adventures are going to keep calling out to us from every weekend. We had nothing planned for this past weekend besides attendance at the Christ Church Yard Sale, but we ended up coming back to church on Sunday for a Shape Note Sing.

I had been craving an old fashioned hymn sing.

 It was wholesome and beautiful. And fortunately for me, traditional music was used in addition to the hieroglyphics that were the shape notes. I am too old for new tricks. But the harmonizations were fresh and powerful/ Miles gamboled around and pretended to conduct us, and Adele sat and sucked her thumb with wide eyes as the singers made the parish hall ring.

That was Sunday. But Saturday, thanks to a tip we got in the morning, we were able to check out Heritage Day at the Montgomery Museum. We went all the way to Christiansburg for our festival fix this week! (A 15 minute drive, but we're spoiled and don't usually have to go that far)

It was a festival meant to celebrate the history of Montgomery County.

Apparently the 19th Century happened here, too! Who knew?!

They had a swell garden to stroll in:

Got to breathe in some powerful lavender.

Miles was even more excited about the antique cars than I expected he'd be.

He was also delighted to be able to turn the crank on this machine that de-kernels corn. Anyone know what this process is rightly called?

I asked; they can use it for animal feed OR for popcorn.

These farm animals are not exotic, but we get to see them only about as often as we see elephants and giraffes.

These we got to pet, though. A baby cow!

A skittish sheep. Who jumped almost as much as Miles whenever the horse would sound off.

You should have seen Miles' face whenever that horse would neigh. All the toy horse sounds and parental imitations while reading childrens' books doesn't prepare one for the reality of that sound. It's alarming, and then hilarious. His face was something like this:

 

But more open-mouthed and big-eyed.This face is for an antique car.

Adele was excited her uptight mother let her down to browse in the grass and manure.

She made her Noises for Cats as she gazed at the livestock. I think they appreciated it.

Sometimes she'll let go of things she's holding and stand unsupported. And then, Wile E. Coyote-style, she'll realize what she's done and sit down fast.

A wabbit!

This chicken was raised from an egg by this girl. She told us all about it.

We had a long groovy recline at the 19th century toys area.

I can't wait to see what else the New River Valley has in store for us this year.

Coming up: Miles' first week of preschool!