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This first one is sure to be a favorite on Valentines Day.
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Because nothing says I love you like petrified beef.
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Good God, do these things still even exist?
Please, for the love of all that’s holy… no.
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For when you really want to throw down like Hamlet.
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This.
This is really what’s wrong with America. We’re too damn lazy to sit up.
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Pfft. I call foul.
Everyone knows Alfred Von Wigglebottom wouldn’t be caught dead on anything less than Danish Modern.
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Remember Mr. H?
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The charismatic donkey that was built as a parade float but had recently been traveling around our town?
The one a local artist spent two years designing and building?
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Mr. H was well loved in our small rural community and people looked forward to seeing him cruising from place to place. Homeowners could request a Mr. H visit and he would happily park on your lawn for photo ops and climb aboards.
And then?
This:
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An event that’s shocked our close knit little town.
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The following is a statement from our town’s state representative –
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The artist donated this cat sculpture to our local elementary school and he happily greets children every morning as they start their day.
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I wish I’d known about the little memorial gathering. I would have attended and mourned his loss.
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As well as the loss of civility and common decency we’re currently experiencing in this country.
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Rest In Peace Mr. H.
I’m hoping everything you and the flag you stood for isn’t dead as well.
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I read something the other day that literally made me snort.
It was a list of people’s thoughts on visiting the United States for the first time…. and what they found unusual.
Here are a few.
I dare you not to laugh.
Because really…
Sometimes you need more from 7/11 than a raspberry Slurpee.
Well, we do like to super size things.
Including our hips, thighs and waistlines.
That’s so true you don’t have to laugh.
Also true.
And before your uber patriotic fingers start typing hate mail… we’re a family of veterans, I love my country. But you have to admit, we are very in your face about it.
Ha!
They have a point there.
The second half of the American Revolutionary War Museum in Yorktown, Virginia is the interactive outdoor exhibit re-creation.
First up…. the soldier’s encampment.
It’s one thing to read about these things and see them in your mind’s eye….. quite another when you can physically touch and experience them first hand.
See those little tents? 4-6 men slept in there….. and let me tell you, it wouldn’t have been comfortable for one.
Meals, such as they were… were cooked here.
And the fire was kept burning 24/7.
There were few doctors as we think of them today, and the surgical tent more than likely contained a barber with a bag of torture implements like these. Please note the large bottle of laudanum in the back. I’d be chugging that like iced tea, thank you very much.
Though if you were bitten by a mad dog?
They had you covered.
The General’s tent was a bit larger….
And served as his office as well.
The laundromat was a bit primitive.
Though you did get a discount if you brought your own soap.
And the entire camp was ringed with wooden spikes to repel attackers.
As well as providing excellent selfie backgrounds.
But there was so much to see and I’m not even covering an eighth of it.
Oh, stop.
A little knowledge won’t hurt you, although these might.
While I’m not a general fan of firearms…
Even I had to admit they were beautiful in the 18th century.
The silver work was lovely.
And the under sides of the butt caps really did have grimacing faces… but the lighting, the glass cases, and the reflections prevented any of my pictures from being post worthy.
Everywhere you looked you were surrounded by history.
Which is basically my nerdy idea of heaven.
When I die? I want to find out who killed JFK, how the pyramids were built and the location of ancient Troy.
And trust me, I have a lot of shoes.
Impressive, right?
There was even a tree of knowledge. If only I could spread some of it’s seeds in our nation’s capitol today…..
Naturally we had to check out the surround sound movie.
Complete with battle scene sequence smoke rolling by on the floor.
And in my experience?
There are very few museums who actively instruct you to touch their balls.
Yup.
Seriously big balls.
This now concludes the indoor museum section of our trip to Yorktown, Virginia.
Well, wait….
Maybe just one more thing.
Because who doesn’t love 244 year old rat skulls?
Really, they can.
For example…. is it me?
Or is Paul Revere a dead ringer for Jack Black?
See?
Fun!
America looked a little different in the 1700’s.
Back when this fellow was in charge.
And who knew ole Ben was a songwriter?
Not exactly top 40 material, but hey… he had other things on his mind.
We spent hours exploring…..
And were very impressed.
They brought history to life.
And there was even a little Revolutionary Name That Crap!
Can you guess?
And how about…..
Can you guess?
One more.
This was rusty so you know the husband loved it.
We learned a lot… and I won’t bore you with it all.
But it was a fascinating place.
Filled with fascinating things.
Admit it, you started humming Yankee Doodle Dandy when you saw that drum.
They even had shoes!
How great is that?
Part 2 of the historic triangle in the Williamsburg ,Virginia area is Jamestown. What I didn’t know before arriving was that there are 2 distinct ways to experience it…. the National Park site and the more touristy recreation.
We opted for the National site first, by way of the Colonial Parkway.
The Parkway is a beautiful 23 mile road that runs along the James River from Williamsburg to Yorktown.
We jumped off at Jamestown and drove the 5 mile Island Loop, a self guided tour that explores the natural environment and history of the area.
Then it was on to the visitors center.
I won’t bore you more than I already do with the story. You can read about it here. Suffice it to say Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement, the birthplace of Virginia… and basically, America.
There was a wonderful theater…
With multiple screens… where we brushed up on our high school history.
Outside there was a long boardwalk…
That led to a monument…
Which I’m sure the husband was glad he didn’t have to climb.
It was there we waited for our Park Ranger tour guide.
Who led us to the original settlers’ site.
That’s Pocahantas to the right… and yes, there was a Mockingbird on her head. A real one who proceeded to poop on her nose.
The only thing left from the original settlers’ buildings was one crumbling wall of a church.
But archeologists have been actively digging here for years….
Removing thousands of artifacts from the fort….
And various other buildings.
Here, the husband checks out a model recreation of the site.
The soldiers barracks.
Where the Queen visited a decade ago.
And the required selfie by the water.
There was an outline of a church with markers for the identified graves.
And a graveyard for unidentified remains.
It was a lovely spot.
But the history of the hardships the colonists suffered sure made you appreciate the wealth of opportunities and conveniences we have now.
Famine, civil unrest, severe weather, murder, Indian attacks…. even cannabilism. They experienced it all.
Second required selfie by the water to lighten the mood.
It was a fascinating tour…
And we learned a lot.
But it was lunchtime…. and the husband’s stomach was growling.
Not wanting to waste time and drive back to town, we were glad to find a small cafe on site.
You couldn’t beat the view.
Chicken salad spinach wrap with potato salad for me…
Tomato bisque and a Sloppy Joe with potato salad for the husband.
Thus fortified, we headed for the museum.
River's world..... 