Not (Quite) In My Back Yard!

Yesterday (Sunday) we went to the annual State Historical Society picnic. It's "Society-wide", which means open to all employees and families. It's held at a state historic site, and this year it was at Villa Louis, in Prairie du Chien.

I'm determinedly not launching into my discussion of why it's called "Plains of the Dog" when it has nothing to do with a dog. As you can see, the house, completely restored to its late 19th-century grandeur, is breathtaking, and the grounds! Stunning. Our day included a tour of the house (we've been, didn't go, we've been several times) and a tour of the Fur Post (we did go, in spite of being there many times - including just a couple of weeks ago). There was a "costumed interpreter" in the Fur Post, whom we know very well, so we visited with him for a while. There was also a place on the grounds with games for children or interested adults: hoop-and-stick, the game of Graces, stilt-walking. There were appropriately-dressed ladies throughout the house and on the grounds as well.

Of course, it wouldn't be a picnic without food, and I have to say, it was capital! There was fried chicken, delicious potato salad, fried green tomatoes (very popular in the 19th century here) and the beverages were in big stone crocks with a cloth over top and a large dipper. The flavor, if you will, was maintained. It was delicious, every bite (dessert! aaah - homemade gingerbread with fresh blueberries in syrup). And, as you can see, the weather was absolutely perfect -- warm but not hot, sunny but not glaring, breezy but not windy.

Oh - we rode down on "the bus" - we anticipated a regular bus with quite a few of our various colleagues, but as only seven had signed up for it, it was a van. Turned out to be very nice, though, as our seatmates included a very nice young woman (from Archives) and her two delightful daughters who entertained us playing clapping games. I LOVE those, they fascinate me, and some time I'm going to find me a girl who will teach some to me. AND...lest ye think me a piker, I knitted all the way down and back, on the baby wrap for Colorado....well, until about a half-hour from home, when I tore it all out, having decided I didn't like either the size or the pattern. Hence no pictures. Yet.

What else did you do this weekend, Dale-Harriet? I'm so glad you asked! Fortunately the weather cleared up Friday afternoon and it was beautiful. NOTE: this morning, as I write (Monday) it's thundering, dark, and raining hard. Our neighboring states are getting federal aid, being flooded all over the place.

However - Friday evening we went to Older Granddaughter's high school football game. (She shall be known as "K".) As we walked toward the field we were reminiscing, and I don't believe I've been to a high school football game since a home game at Washburn High, in...hmmm...1960? Whoooah.

Anyway, when we arrived, we discovered that the prior game was just ending - between two professional Women's Football teams! I didn't know there was such a thing - but there they were. I think "our team" won. Professional women's football. Imagine.

The weather was perfect for an evening high school football game, cool enough that I was comfy in my hooded sweatshirt. The game was pretty good, K's school won, 23-15. I like watching football, I really do. Don't know much about it, but I do know that when a guy has a football and is running pell-mell down the field, it's exciting. And when everyone in the stands gets to their feet, hollering, something's happening. I also figured out that the scoreboard tells you the score (hence the name) but also how many minutes are left in the game, and there's a cute little football shape on there so you can tell which side has the ball.

The truth is, I was there for the cheerleaders. They were down the way from us, but I have binoculars and could see them, and K, really well. They were adorable! All the cheers were very smartly done. I admit it, cheerleading and cheerleaders are a mystery to me, way outside my sphere of experience, both in high school and now. But it was a lot of fun to watch, and perhaps K will enlighten me as time goes by. We saw her briefly afterward "Hi, Grandma!" for our hugs, and went home very satisfied by the whole experience.

And before I went to bed I rooted around in the stash and found two skeins of French Bleu to start a toque for the Colorado mother (not needed until February, but I'd like to have it and the baby wrap well underway before we leave in the car next Monday).

Sure hope it clears up, I'm taking a feast of wild rice and smoked whitefish out to share with Lovely Daughter on her lunch hour. I hope the sun comes out later as advertised - my two skeins of French Bleu are the same color but different dye lots. I hope it's not a serious difference; otherwise I'll have to go yarn shopping. ::AAAhhhahahahahahaaa:: Ooops.