Anders had a hankering for homemade pretzels, so he whipped up a nice batch and sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar. What a treat for lunch!
Branch and the other boys went next door to help Pop move some of his chickens and chicken pens. These little Silkies are pretty, aren't they?
Heave! Ho! Pick it up higher. It certainly is nice to have strong fellas to lend a hand with heavy projects.
Friday we traveled to St. George Island to spend the day. On the way, we stopped by Wright's Lake for an early breakfast and a field trip of sorts. It was so peaceful out by the water.
There's nothing better than homemade bran muffins and sausages on a cool morning. We really enjoyed this stop.
Branch found a little tree for a cozy picnic area. Notice the orange soda? For breakfast? Let's just say that there was a little oversight in planning the drinks for the day. It's hard to think of everything, ya know.
Teresa led them out into the woods on a flora scouting expedition. We're planning on another trip of this sort in the Spring to observe different types of wild flowers. The Apalachicola National Forest is a big, beautiful place.
Each child was given a length of string to mark off a circular area. They were then instructed to count the number of species within their circle. It's quite amazing how much can be found in such a small area.
The Girl really enjoyed her little spot. Tiny plants were everywhere, and she ended up with 12 species.
A field guide was very useful in identifying and naming the varied flora.
Anders brought back a Foxtail Bog Clubmoss to show. He left it behind after everyone had a chance to look at it.
"Take nothing away but memories. Leave nothing behind but footprints."
We then made a stop at Fort Gadsden, off the beaten trail. It was so quiet there by the river, and the history of the place was very moving. We enjoyed this time very much. The kids are all history buffs, so places like this are a real treat for us.
Teresa read aloud the sad account of the explosion in the munitions storage of the Fort and of the 270 deaths. The stillness of the place made the history even more poignant; we could
almost hear the soldiers and noises of the Fort.
We were the only visitors that day and were quite pleased when a tour guide showed up to give us a full account of Fort Gadsden's history. We then walked a trail to the Renegade Cemetary where the Americans buried the remains from the munitions explosion.
Most of the survivors of the attack were hung on this limb in the photo below. It's hard to imagine, but this tree has been here for some 300 years. It certainly has seen its share of seasons and sorrows...
We then headed out to St. George Island to spend the day at a friend's beach house. ChubChub was fascinated by the high stairs.
The boys quickly grabbed their fishing gear and headed out to the bay to set their lines. Meanwhile, the ladies ordered pizza and got ready for the appetites to head back in.
The Girl and ChubChub snuggled up in the sunshine with a snack. Aahhhh!! This is the life...
"Oh...oh...oooohhh...I really want to touch these shells, but Mama said No..."
After 5 large pizzas disappeared, so did the boys. Back down to the bay to check the lines...
We took the kids over to the beach for about an hour. The breeze was cool, but the sun was hot, and sunburn is always a possibility. ChubChub started right in on a sand castle.
The water was quite cold, especially with the cool breeze blowing. The boys were the only ones on the beach brave enough to get in the water. Gotta be a boy thing.
ChubChub really wanted to get in, too, but the sound of the waves was a bit too frightening. He would run back as soon as the waves met land.
Unfortunately, he ran a bit too quickly, tripped and fell into the cold water, and headed back to Mean Ol' Mama a little on the unhappy side.
He finally settled on building a sand castle with Branch. They made quite an elaborate little palace but were unaware that the water was climbing higher. Suddenly,
swoosh...and the walls came a'tumbling down...It was a wonderful day for us all, especially because our beloved Poppins was able to be with us.
Branch and the other boys went next door to help Pop move some of his chickens and chicken pens. These little Silkies are pretty, aren't they?
Heave! Ho! Pick it up higher. It certainly is nice to have strong fellas to lend a hand with heavy projects.
Friday we traveled to St. George Island to spend the day. On the way, we stopped by Wright's Lake for an early breakfast and a field trip of sorts. It was so peaceful out by the water.
There's nothing better than homemade bran muffins and sausages on a cool morning. We really enjoyed this stop.
Branch found a little tree for a cozy picnic area. Notice the orange soda? For breakfast? Let's just say that there was a little oversight in planning the drinks for the day. It's hard to think of everything, ya know. 
Teresa led them out into the woods on a flora scouting expedition. We're planning on another trip of this sort in the Spring to observe different types of wild flowers. The Apalachicola National Forest is a big, beautiful place.
Each child was given a length of string to mark off a circular area. They were then instructed to count the number of species within their circle. It's quite amazing how much can be found in such a small area.
The Girl really enjoyed her little spot. Tiny plants were everywhere, and she ended up with 12 species.
A field guide was very useful in identifying and naming the varied flora.
Anders brought back a Foxtail Bog Clubmoss to show. He left it behind after everyone had a chance to look at it. "Take nothing away but memories. Leave nothing behind but footprints."
We then made a stop at Fort Gadsden, off the beaten trail. It was so quiet there by the river, and the history of the place was very moving. We enjoyed this time very much. The kids are all history buffs, so places like this are a real treat for us.
Teresa read aloud the sad account of the explosion in the munitions storage of the Fort and of the 270 deaths. The stillness of the place made the history even more poignant; we could almost hear the soldiers and noises of the Fort.
We were the only visitors that day and were quite pleased when a tour guide showed up to give us a full account of Fort Gadsden's history. We then walked a trail to the Renegade Cemetary where the Americans buried the remains from the munitions explosion. 
Most of the survivors of the attack were hung on this limb in the photo below. It's hard to imagine, but this tree has been here for some 300 years. It certainly has seen its share of seasons and sorrows...
We then headed out to St. George Island to spend the day at a friend's beach house. ChubChub was fascinated by the high stairs.
The boys quickly grabbed their fishing gear and headed out to the bay to set their lines. Meanwhile, the ladies ordered pizza and got ready for the appetites to head back in.
The Girl and ChubChub snuggled up in the sunshine with a snack. Aahhhh!! This is the life...
"Oh...oh...oooohhh...I really want to touch these shells, but Mama said No..."
After 5 large pizzas disappeared, so did the boys. Back down to the bay to check the lines...
We took the kids over to the beach for about an hour. The breeze was cool, but the sun was hot, and sunburn is always a possibility. ChubChub started right in on a sand castle.
The water was quite cold, especially with the cool breeze blowing. The boys were the only ones on the beach brave enough to get in the water. Gotta be a boy thing.
ChubChub really wanted to get in, too, but the sound of the waves was a bit too frightening. He would run back as soon as the waves met land.
Unfortunately, he ran a bit too quickly, tripped and fell into the cold water, and headed back to Mean Ol' Mama a little on the unhappy side.
He finally settled on building a sand castle with Branch. They made quite an elaborate little palace but were unaware that the water was climbing higher. Suddenly, swoosh...and the walls came a'tumbling down...It was a wonderful day for us all, especially because our beloved Poppins was able to be with us.
