What a trip!

Last week we took a short road trip.  Usually there is nothing short about our road trips.  Last summer we were gone six of the nine weeks of summer.  Whew!  We had to go back to school to rest from all of the running!

Our first trip this summer found us in Ringing Rocks Park near Pottstown, PA.  What is there you ask?

This sign....

Seven acres of rocks....

And some plants, including but not limited to, poison ivy.

We had great fun pounding on the rocks with hammers. (I bought my rock buster at a yard sale for a dollar!  Now I have an extra hammer.  YEAH!)  The rocks make a very interesting sound!  Dad was having a smashing good time!

We went on to Valley Forge next.  This is a free admission national park for all of you who might be looking for a low cost fun time.  (My husband, Dan, is a social studies teacher so I learn way too much on these little outings.)  Here are some highlight pictures:

A reproduction of a cabin that the troops would have lived in for the winter.  They started building these in the middle of December.  A little late in the season, I think.  They built about 2,000 of these in the area.  Each housed 12 men.  Cramped quarters to say the least.  I guess they had plenty of time to do this.  (No cable TV to distract them.)

 This is the National Memorial Arch that is dedicated to the soldiers that wintered at Valley Forge.

This is the Washington Memorial Chapel.  We ate at the Cabin Shop located behind it.  They had the sweetest volunteers working there.

 This is an eternal flame monument.  I think it is the Patriots of African Descent Monument (but I could not find a picture of it in the brochure to confirm this....hmmmm.)

And last, but not least, Washington's headquarters.  You didn't think that he lived in one of those tiny cabins, did you?

We stayed the night in York, PA.  The next day we headed to Gettysburg.  We bought an audio self-tour CD with sound effects.  I had forgotten how commercialized Gettysburg had become.  It was rainy and yucky...not good for walking anyway.

Here are some pictures:

This is down in Devil's den.  The rock formations fascinate me.  They do not look like they belong with the rest of the area.  There were snipers hidden in the rocks during the battle.  

 A token cannon picture for your viewing pleasure.

 This is the Pennsylvania soldiers' monument.  It is large and impressive.

 There are bronze panels on the four sides at the base with all of the infantry soldiers' names listed.  Isn't this an artful photograph?

 This is the decoration in the stairway leading to the top of the monument.  It is very quilty, don't you think?  After all, this is a quilt blog!

 These plaques were all along the edge on the top balcony of the monument.  They show distances to the battle sites, cities, etc.  I am easily entertained and thought they were cool.

 This is the view from the above plaque.  That is my red car waaaaaaay down there.  (If you are into Gettysburg history....that is the Big and Little Round Top in the distance.  Devil's Den is in front of those, but behind the trees.)

 This was the angel at the top of the monument.  She is fantastic...beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

 On the way back out of the monument, I had to take at least one artful picture of the decoration on the ceiling.

We also visited a quilt show in Lancaster in our travels.  No pictures were allowed.  I know that right now, based on their prices, that I am sitting on about a million dollars worth of quilt tops and fabric in my sewing room.  

My husband made a snorting noise when I shared that theory with him.  Maybe it was all the pollen in the air.

Have a great Father's Day!  Don't forget to enjoy your family.  (Yes, I meant "enjoy".)

Later,

Lorrie