What Did You Do Today

A good friend told me about Connor Prairie Interactive History Park in Fishers, IN.  I found that I was only 34 miles away so decided to check it out.   If you would like to see what life was like in the 1800's then this is a must see.    I like history and found quite a bit that I did not know about that time period.  I did not stay to tour the home of William Conner and his Lenape Indian spouse.  To make a living, he brought furs from Indians who trapped the forests.  You can visit the trading post and see a Indian tepee that does not look like what you see on TV.   During that time the tepees were made from bark and when ships were leaving the area, they would get rid of their old torn mast by trading with the Indians who used them for the top of their tepees.

 

I was unable to ride the hot air balloon because we were told it was too windy.   Well, maybe next time.   From there I went to the trading store and talked to the proprietor that told me that I should make sure that I go to the loom room to meet the weaver.  

 

Back into the Indian village area I met a  Delaware Indian, Michael Pace, from Oklahoma who had been the historian for the museum until he retired.  He now comes back a few weeks in the summer to give talks.   We talked for quite sometime and then he invited me to come to Oklahoma for Memorial Day and the biggest Pow Wow in the country.  He said that his family has a camping area there and he would like me to join them for the week.  I would not have to pay anything but be willing to participate in the dancing most of the night and eating all day.   I told him that I would be there.  He gave me his email address so that I can contact him for directions and he would be sure to save me a space..   So it looks like Memorial Day 2014, I will be in Oklahoma.

 

It took a little while but I finally found the Loom House.   There was a barn loom, natural dyed yarn hanging by the fireplace, old and  modern spinning wheels.  I met the weaver and we had a good time talking about weaving.

 

After running around the area a little longer, I headed to the town.  All along the way were signs,

 

The first house I went into I saw a lady making farmhand water.  She said that you used apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and lemon juice added to water.  It was suppose to be good for you as well as refreshing.

 

There was even a furnished house for sale.

 

I also went to the boarding house and found  out that the price was $2.00 a week for room and board.  I was excited until the proprietor told me I had to share a bed, right there I decided that it was not for me.

 

There was also this sign outside

 

My goodness....

 

There was a lot more to see but you will have to see for yourself, I do not want to give it all away.

 

I had lunch in the café and then headed to Hobby Lobby because I wanted to make these book wall decorations.  The idea is to glue the open book to a backing board and then fold the pages in different ways.  I had picked the books up at a Goodwill but I needed a glue gun and backing board.

This is the results

 

This is Wet n Wild weekend at the campground, even 53 year old men got into it.

 He had modified a water gun so that he had a constant flow of cold water.

 

Then my neighbor that stops to have coffee with me in the morning drives up in her golf cart and says, "they are starting Water Wars, come on.  Do you have a bathing suit?"  I said no I did not but got on the cart anyway.  Before I knew it, we were back at her campsite were her husband had rigged up a barrel and made a water cannon that he strapped to the back of the cart.  I was given a bucket with several smaller water cannons and her daughter was on the back manning the large one.   We were now the target because everyone wanted to get a piece of us.   I did not know that a golf cart could go so fast.  The pictures below are before the water cannon was put on the cart.

 

 

Another day in the life......