Taking a day to play

Congratulations to Alicia! You're the winner of the Holiday Medley scrap strips. I'm up to my neck in new Harvest Moon fabric for market, so I'll have to wait until the weekend to make some sense of this pile. Thanks for commenting and for your patience :).

Robert and I took a rare day to play on Saturday even though I should have been chained to my sewing machine, making quilts for market. It was such a beautiful day we couldn't help but play hookie. AFter seeing an advertisement on TV, we headed to Wichita to the annual Cowtown Museum Civil War Reenactment. The North and South soldiers had camps there, with authentic (looking) tents, clothing, cooking utensils and guns. There are about a dozen homes from local politicians and town fathers that are furnished in the period. Very cool, but very small. The downtown boasts a dozen businesses including the blacksmith, forging hooks that were for sale at the General Store,

 and a dressmaker's shoppe with calicos for 8 1/2 cents a yard - oh my!

 The general store had a wonderful array of bottles and tins, dishes and dry goods. Many were reproductions, but well done and interesting.

 The tailor's shop had "Fine Men's suits for $12 each" and displayed some cool wooden templates...

 The funeral parlor boasted a "try-it-for-size coffin". I think Robert fits pretty well.

 A charming horsewoman dressed in red stopped to let her ride graze while she explained her role in the community of Mayor's wife. All the people in period dress were so knowledgeable and gracious. I kept wishing I'd brought a couple of the grankids that are studying American history. Maybe next year.

 After lunch at the saloon (a little disappointed in the hot dogs and chips, but the sasparilla was good), the reenactment of a civil war battle commenced in an open field next to a home set in the south. It was a bit disconcerting to me that the battle was won by the South. Hmmm.....

 Right next to us was a real live cowboy, cheering on the Southern soldiers and helping out with his own six-shooter. His parents kept asking him to sit down and be quiet, but he was half the entertainment!

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering thru garden stores and antique shops, inspired by all the wonderful vintage items in the living museum town. When we arrived back in Salina, we had about 2 hours to waste before going to see a movie (the last ones I saw were The Lorax and Kung Fu Panda II). We picked up some food at the drive thru and proceeded to the park to watch the geese and take a stroll. To our delight, it was prom night and dozens of young people were dressed in their finest, taking pictures at the gazebo and by the duck pond. We had a blast just watching them and remembering our own high school dances. Finally, we went to see The Hunger Games. I've been waiting for a free night since it came out weeks ago. I listened to the entire trilogy on my trip to WI last month and was totally and completely hooked. We seldom go to the theatre anymore, but I wanted to see if it lived up to the books. I liked it, but Robert was a bit lost in parts since he hadn't read it yet. I think that's just the nature of making books into movies. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but not if the character is thinking 2 pages worth of thoughts in one glance. All in all, a very nice day out with my best buddy.

Now back to business. This week's giveaway is (2) Holiday Medley Mini Charms (2 1/2" square). Comment here by Monday night and we'll see you next Tuesday.