Spinning at the Pioneer Homestead

I've been going through old pictures lately. These were stuck on my old computer whose fan had gone out and only worked about 10 minutes before getting too hot and "freezing up." They've now been transferred to my newer computer and I am having a good time going through them; many I had completely forgotten about.

September of 2007, a friend of mine and I went with our group of civil war dancers to a neat pioneer homestead festival. We were given free admission and sasperilla in exchange for dancing a few dances every hour. The rest of the time we were able to wander around and look in all the buildings, some of which were furnished with period pieces (or replicas). One of the other demonstrators was a kind lady who was spinning. I spent much of my time with her and was even given the opportunity to use her drop spindle. I'd been wanting to learn for at least a year by then, so that I could use my angora bunny's wool.



I do wish I had gotten more pictures of the other buildings and especially the two story cabin. There was also a one room school house all set up with a big chalkboard, desks, and hornbooks. We sat in on a hymn singing service in the chapel and purchased souvenirs in the general store. There was also a working printing press in the post office. Mules were trodding out a circle around the press which squeezed out the juice to make sorghum molasses. Other demonstrators showed how to make lye soap, quilts, and handmade brooms.

Matthias showing off his stilt walking skills:



My friend, Amy, on the cabin's porch:



Unfortunately, Amy's young daughter tripped up the very steep steps in the cabin and cut her forehead on the edge of the step. We spent an hour or two in the ER (in our civil war era dresses). One of the other people waiting in the ER asked us if we were Amish!

This is an annual event which occurs every fall, maybe we can go again this year!
-Jayne