taking a wrong turn

Saturday Excursion:

We had a general idea of where we were going - we wanted to explore the Patuxent River.  James Michener had made the Patuxent River and surrounding wetlands quite a rich place for us through his book "Chesapeake".  We figured the ten dollar admission fee to the conservation area would be totally worth it. 

But somehow we found ourselves down a long and windy country road and in a lesser known part of the rivershed.  At first it didn't look like much, but we ended up having such a delightful day!

Picnic lunch at the overview, close to the parking lot. 

This Bald Cypress was really neat.  The roots have sent up
woody projections ("knees") to help gather oxygen in the swampy environment.

A close-up of the Cypress knees.

Evidence of a beaver!  (Marijka has just finished reading a few books about Narnia,
so was feeling quite excited about being so close to a Mr. and Mrs. Beaver...
she was hoping  for an invite into their home.)

Deer!

Aidan caught several frogs!

We saw our first skink!

 

The bathroom sink was so cool: this machine first sprayed
water on your hands, then squirted soap, then more water,
then started to blow your hands until they were dry!
Pretty cool contraption for a small little place.
And we're quite easily amused.

A nondescript sign led us to this collection of museums on Patuxent rural life.  We were sure it would be some little collection, and almost didn't go check it out.  But what a place!  Thorough, informative and hands on!  

We first came upon this log home that was a typical slave cabin from the early 1880s.  This one was
built by Charles Duckett, a slave for the Trueman family just down the river in 1880.  He lived in this
home with his wife until 1920.  There's one room on the main floor with a loft (that's awfully hot!)
upstairs.  It's been set up all nicely inside to look like it would have looked in the 1880s.

This house was a mail-order home from Sears!  1923.  $400.  Apparently Sears sold 100,000 mail
order homes from 1908 to 1940!  We could go in and walk all around - three rooms, no bathroom (you
can order an outhouse for $40!), no electricity.  The house was heated by the kitchen stove.
Very quaint little place!

There was another museum set up as a series of stores or rooms.
Again, we were allowed to wander the place and touch things
and play... it was one of the most incredible museums
we've been in.  The kids played in the general store quite a bit.

 

The dentist equipment was really quite cool, even for someone like me who's queasy about dentists.  :)

Apple cider press - similar to the ones we've used.

Another museum talked about the importance of tobacco to the settlers.
This press would push tobacco leaves into barrels to prepare them
for delivery to England.  Such an informative place!

We highly recommend this place!  Jug Bay Natural Area