After waiting in a line of cars for 20 minutes, we finally got into the state park where the festival was. We paid $5 to get in, which was the suggested donation. Not bad. We parked the car, and were aparently one of the last cars to fit in the park. Cars were parked all alongside of every road we could see, and they started having cars park OUTside the park. We waited maybe 10 mins for a trolley to come get us and take us up to the festival.
We started our little "tour" at the first thing we came to: (well, actually we passed by a snow cone stand first...but whatever) it was a booth with owls and snakes and a few other things. The kids loved it. A lady had the cutest little owl perched on her hand, and Zack was really interested. He recently learned to say "oo, oo, oo" like an owl. Another lady had a small crocodile out and was holding it in her arms. We got to pet it, and see how soft its underside was. Zack liked that, too.
We tore ourselves away from that and found some lunch: hotdogs for everyone. Zack ate his bun first. He loves bread!
After a really pleasant al fresco meal, we wandered around, checking out all the old-fashioned activities: wood carving, chicken raising, butter churning, corn grinding, blacksmithing, and I can't remember what else. It was so fun! Almost all the booths had something to taste or try out. The boys loved using the primitive wood working tools. Tim is still raving about the fresh fried cornbread we tasted, and I'm relishing the fun pictures I got along the way!
When we had sampled all the fun (sampled, but not filled up on) we headed to another set of activities: "civil war re-enactment"...it was really more of a living portrait of camp life. We watched a demonstration of "cannon firing"...can't remember the real name if the weapon. It was a nice demonstration with lots of information.
We rode horses (well, actually we paid $3 each to be led around a small corral about 3 times, but it was worth it! When I asked who wanted to ride Zack started pounding his chest. He was EAGER to get on the horse with me, and cried when we got off. Samuel also rode. )
We took a nice walk and saw "the tallest waterfall in Florida". It was very pretty, with lots of ferns and greenery.
To top it off, we went back to the reptile booth where Trevor and I both held a corn snake All By Ourselves. Trevor was in heaven. He's talking about it right now out in the kitchen.
When we were thoroughly tuckered out we headed back to the car. Zack was asleep by the time we left the park.
The day was so unexpectedly nice. What a blessing. Thank you, Father! Our family needed that.
