World War II

We just finished a book for book club about World War II. And it just so happened their was a World War II exhibit at our local history museum so I decided to take the kids. It was cute. They had a section where you had to look around and identify WW 2 airplanes. That was right up Boop's ally. They also had a table about ration cards and another table about how to signal using Morris Code and flags. They also had information on growing a Victory Garden among other things.

We enjoyed our little trip. It was made better by some friends joining us! EG got to have her picture taken as Rosie the Riveter. Just yesterday, when the kids and I were at a restaurant with both their Grandmas, EG looked up and on the wall was a picture/display of ration cards and she picked them out right away. Proud mama/teacher moment.

I love when I don't have to work so hard to coordinate stuff. And it all just kind of falls together. Some days it is confirmation that I am on the right track . . .

St. Augustine

As I am sure I have mentioned numerous times before, our book club is studying Florida History.  One of the field trips we decided to take as a group was to the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine.  Our family has been there a number of times.  But, I will have to admit, that after reading quite a few books on the history of our state and this city, it made the a whole trip a new experience!

We have read a couple of historical fiction books about the area but also a couple of factual books about the city and surrounding areas as well.  It really brought the sites and architecture and the whole city to life.  

Flagler College.  More about that later.

The Castillo de San Marcos.

The Discovery Cross.

Shooting the canon of the fort.

The view from atop the Castillo.

In one of the historical fiction books we read, it told about the time the Spanish town inhabitants of St. Augustine had to stay in the Castillo while their soldiers fought the British.  Hundreds of people had to stay in the courtyard of the fort for many weeks.  In the story, a canon misfired and hurt the main character's father (if I remember correctly).  Anyway, Boop found this misfired cannon and was certain it was from the event in our book.

The courtyard where towns people would stay during war time.  Osceola stayed in the fort briefly.

Lunch in the park.

An old church across the street.  Its windows were Tiffany glass.

The architecture was phenomenal.

The old Ponce de Leon Hotel built by Henry Flagler is now the home of Flagler College.

Statue of Henry Flagler.  He spent much of his time and money developing Florida.  We read a great book called The Two Henrys about Flagler and Plant!

As you can see from the pictures, the campus is small but beautiful.  The kids want to go to college there!  I can't say I blame them.

Henry Flagler built the above church in memory of his daughter who died.  He and many other family members are buried there.  I can't even imagine attending a Sunday service there.  It is just so beautiful.

We had a great day with friends and I think learned just a little bit more about our state history.  What a neat experience to go to a familiar place with a little bit different perspective. . . .

Book Club and Field Trip

I have changed book club up just a little bit for this year.  We are studying our states history through great historical fiction so I had the great idea to try to do some field trips around town.

The books we have been reading have been so good.  The kids love them.  I only read a chapter a day and they always beg me to keep reading.  (Occasionally I do!)  We also have been studying little extras like the Native Americans in our area and the very early explorers.  This month is different towns and cities in our state.  Before book club begins we have a little "class" on whatever little extra subject we have been reading/studying about.

Our state has a pretty rich history dating back to the 1500s.  (Well, even before that because the Native Americans were here.)  Anyway, we have a lot of local historical sites around town and the pictures are from a field trip we took to one of them.  It is a museum of sorts based on a mission that was here in the area back in the 17th century.

The kids learned all about daily life in the mid-1600s.  We think, because there was also a school group at the mission the same time we were, that we got the benefit of the whole place being staffed with "actors."

The blacksmith showing us how to make a nail.

The soldier protecting the fort and sharing with us the life of a soldier.

The Friar.  I think the big hand was a way they taught music to the Native American children.

The mother of the house.

The garden and gardener of the house.  He shared with us what plants were native to the area and what they were used for.

We had been on a field trip to this place once before, but it had never been completely staffed.  It was a great tour and the kids (and I) learned a lot.  

I love history and book club and homeschooling . . . 

The First Part of Day Two

Bikes, Beach and a Little History.  That is how we spent day two.  Ft. Pickens is the site of a fort built in 1812.  It's main purpose, along with two other forts in the area, was to protect the country from foreign invaders.  Ironically enough, it was never used until the Civil War and Fort Pickens was Union and right across the bay, Ft. McRee was Confederate.

The Fort was a mile away on the Florida Trail.  So, a couple of the willing adults\took all the willing kids on a bike ride to the fort.  The rest of us rode in the car.  They enjoyed the ride but it was hot and a little tiring for some of the littler guys.  I think 7 of the 11 kids road their bikes.  

At one point in the fort's history there were 200 canons.

The kids were given the option to become Junior Rangers.  There first task was to pick up 10 pieces of litter.

The flag flying over the fort.  It made for some great pictures.  Wish I were a better photographer.

Ranger Mike starting us on our tour of the Fort.  He was a great guy and very knowledgeable.  Behind him was called the Parade where, at times 200 men, lived.  In tents, in woolen uniforms.  The officers had living quarters inside the Fort.

All the bigger kids working on their Junior Ranger badge.  It kept them busy during the tour.

The little girls.  They have grown up sooooo much.  It is still such a vivid memory when they couldn't hang out with each other and not fight like cats and dogs.  Now they are the bestest of friends!  Love!

Ranger Mike telling us about Geronimo and how he came to live at Ft. Pickens.  The residents at the fort would bring him out and charge admission to see him.  

Different views of the fort.  So old.  So beautiful.  So full of history.

The gang finishing up the tour.

Part of the tour that is reserved for schools is the tunnels built into the fort as a last defensive tactic in case of invasion.  Ranger Mike gladly showed us the tunnels.  We figured 11 kids and 6 adults qualifies as a school.  Now aptly named GGC Academy.  

The kids being sworn in as Junior Rangers.  The Rangers told us they could no longer "swear" the kids in.  It had to be a "promise."   We told them as the parents we gave permission to Ranger Mike to swear them in as Junior Rangers!

There was also a little book store there.  So, of course, I bought a couple of books about the history of the fort and the area and Geronimo.

Ranger Mike and all his Junior Rangers.  He took a picture of the kids himself to show his coworkers!

The kids getting on their bikes to ride back to camp.

More random pictures of the fort.

We got back to the campsite in time for lunch.  Next on our agenda was an afternoon at the beach.  Part two of day two . . .