Thursday, March 21, 2013

A Day at the Free Museum

It's so worthwhile to sleuth around and find out if you can get into regional museums for free.  Our library actually has free passes to 6 local museums that you can check out!

Recently, we took a day trip to a local museum for free - normally, tickets for our family would have been close to $30.  We packed a picnic lunch of bread, jarred salmon spread, cheese, salami, apples, cookies, and water; gas in the car was our only expense (although I almost bought a straw broom for the children).


Pretty:  Genevieve put a dried weed in her hair and posed in the sunshine.

 
And the lichens on the old rail fence were pretty.
 
 


Happy:  I am in a photo with my babies!  Thank you, Mr.Thrift.  It was a good family day.




Funny:  the children dipped some candles.  However, the colonial chickie did not explain anything to the kids, not even "dip the string down in the stuff that looks like water but is melted wax," so there was great confusion and timidity.  She acted annoyed with them, as if they had been colonial children who were responsible for making candles for the household every fall and why could they not form a line?  We didn't finish the candles and I didn't mind because they weren't beeswax.




Real:  I was reminded again how many labor-saving devices I have and how little time I actually spend on basic human necessities such as food and shelter.  The process for creating fabric to make clothes from was incredibly involved - no wonder people only had 2 sets of clothes and mending was an art.

I got to show the children this trundle bed, something we had read about in the Little House books.

 
Those are straw ticks, too, which sound so charming in books but in reality, when I touched it, I couldn't imagine sleeping on that scratchy, lumpy thing.  It's good to contrast my modern life with the olden days - I learn that I like my comforts and modern conveniences and I'm not as hardy as I think I am!

I'm linking up with Leila and Rosie's collection of pretty happy funny real.

12 comments:

Jacinta said...

Lovely pics of you and the kids Margo! It's nice when the mum finally gets into a photo! have a great day xo

Alica said...

Looks like a fun day! I wish we would've known about and used those passes when our kids were younger! But now you've got me curious as to which museum you visited! :)

jodi inkenbrandt said...

That museum looks awesome and fun! I love the photo of you with your babies. :) And you know what? I just found out the other day that our library does have free passes to otherwise expensive places like museums and such! I would have never known.

Meryl said...

Looks like fun was had! I'm with you though--it's great to dabble in old-timey arts, but I love my modern bed!

jenny_o said...

I agree, I like seeing how things were in former times, but I'm glad I have my comforts. It's good to remember that it was harder living back then, and to help our kids understand that too. Aside from the unhelpful "helper" (wouldn't you think someone would make sure that those working with people actually LIKE people?), it looks like you had a good day :)

Rebecca said...

That is so great! Love it when you can find free museum trips! Looks like a fun day- despite the candle-dipping experience. hehehe

Visiting from P.H.F.R to say hello!

And I have an almost GENEVIEVE. Our is an Adele' Genevieve. Middle names in our family are always namesakes but I do regret using such a beautiful name as a MIDDLE name now that I have done it. :-)

Unknown said...

Visiting from p,h.f.r - I love the family photo. Such a happy Mommy! Looks like you all had a fabulous family day!!

BLD in MT said...

That all sounds very cool (well, maybe not the impatient candle maker part!). What a good way to have some very cheap fun. And for all the "simple" ways of my life I too am grateful for the labor-saving devices that we do use. I've watched the shearing, carding, spinning, weaving of wool and was flabbergasted! What a process....I just get to go to the thrift shop! Jeepers!

Sew Blessed Maw [Judy] said...

What a fun family day..[And finding free tickets.just added to the great fun day]
I love going to museums and seeing the stuff of yesteryear.. So proud the kids got to attempt to make the candles, and sorry the worker was not patient.. How sad..
Love the photos of mom and kids.. lovely..
We are so blessed now adays, with all the modern conviences we have.

sk said...

That salmon spread? Your recipe?

Margo said...

sk, nope, it was a stocking stuffer from my sister at Christmas. It's British.

Christy said...

Margo, those are beautiful pictures of the three of you!