Foto Friday--Favorites from Twin Falls

When I was eleven years old, I participated in a program at Herrett's Museum where I taught school groups a few of the skills used by the Shoshoni Indians--making arrowheads, using a bow to start a fire, and demonstrating how to use an early drill. I had never taken my kids to Herrett's Museum--until this last trip.

We looked at solar flares

and found Venus

in the museum's telescopes.

As we wandered through the halls, I kept watching for something that looked familiar.  The museum has been remodeled many times since 1980, I'm sure, and the little lecture hall I remembered had been changed into a gallery.  I was beginning to think that I would not get to share my primitive skills with my kids, but then we came upon a long table surrounded by kids and adults.

There it was.  The primitive drill demonstration.

Hyrum was the only one who would try it, but I loved showing him how to do it.

And I still knew how to do it.  Shocking, really.

This next picture was not staged in any way.

My niece Holly came running to find me, exclaiming that Lily was stuck and needed help.

Boy did she ever!

Thinking she'd be funny, Lily stuck her head in the mouth of this mosasaur skeleton and then couldn't get it out.  Look at how the teeth are digging into her cheek.  Yeah, she was really stuck, but I was laughing, the kids were laughing, even Grandma was laughing, and before I tried to extricate her, I of course grabbed my camera.  She kept asking, "Are you going to put this on your blog????"  And when I said I had to post this, she was pretty good natured about the whole situation.  Lucky for her, the top lifted off its metal post and was easily replaced.

I think she learned her lesson.

 This next series of pictures I've titled, "Waiting for Grandpa."  I'll let them tell the story.

It takes a long time to get the horses saddled and ready.

And one of my favorite favorites of all.

Grandpa Tucker has told the grandkids "Scratch" bedtime stories as long as I can remember.  Scratch is a fictional character--a mountain man--from a favorite book series of Dad's.  He has told and retold the stories from the books, mixing in stories from his own adventures in the mountains, replacing Scratch with himself as the main character.  He weaves in family members, his own beloved horses, and some of his most exciting adventures.  The kids love to pile all together on their sleeping bags, ready for bed, and listen to Grandpa tell stories of the things and the places that he loves. Then, all the grandkids and Grandpa fall asleep together, with Grandpa nearby in case there's an emergency potty trip or nightmare in the night. I love this tradition more than I can even express.

Evie is snuggled up on Grandpa's lap with the little boys huddled around the flashlight.

 

This past trip, Dad set up his canvas camping tent in the backyard and all the little boys and Evie slept outside cloaked in the beautiful Idaho summer nights.

And all was well.