Capturing a Moment - Gettysburg & Camping

This past weekend we went camping in Gettysburg, PA and we went to the Eisenhower Farm. I've captured my weekend in the following bullets.

Campsite,  Campfire Pizza,  Abe and Dawn

Capturing the Campground:

*Hubby forgot the pork ribs, milk and OJ at home. I razzed him a bit for that.

*Two little girls stopped on the stone path, hugged each other for balance, and switched flip flops. The one girl sprung up and down testing her new flops. She nodded her approval and they continued walking.

*A scrawny gray squirrel began building a nest in a tree above a neighboring site. It bit off leafy twigs, some larger than itself, and took them back to the nest, shoving each one in place. The bundle shook in spurts. After about 10 minutes of work, the squirrel laid down on a bare branch to rest, legs hanging down. (That's how I felt too in the 95 degree heat!)

*The girls rented 4-wheeled peddle cars. They peddled their hearts out for the allotted ½ hour of joy and came back happy and sweaty.

*A shallow creek edged the back of the campground. Small crayfish hid in the warm water under silt and stones. We tried to wade out, but with almost every step, a crayfish would jet away. There were so many that we got out for fear of stepping on one or having one nibble our toes.

*It was Christmas in July at the campground. I wore my "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out" Christmas Story t-shirt in honor of it.

Capturing Gettysburg Nat'l Park and Eisenhower Farm:

*Our bus drive to Eisenhower Farm had a sarcastic sense of humor. He started off by asking us if we wanted to hear the dumbest park questions ever asked. Of course we said yes. Here are some of them:

How long is this 2-hour tour?
During the Civil War, did the soldiers use the monuments to hide behind?
What does the park service do with the monuments during the winter?
How come all the battles were fought on nat'l park land?

*Eisenhower farm – The Eisenhower’s were very down-to-earth Americans. Their house was pretty modest. They liked to entertain. Ike painted, golfed, and raised Angus beef cows. They liked the rolling PA farmland and were happy to call the farm home after all those years of traveling. 

Mamie's father retired a millionaire at the age of 37, but Ike and Mamie never lived extravagantly. They lived humbly in retirement. Mamie clipped coupons and they dined on TV trays on the sun porch. Though a 5 Star General and President, you got the impression from his home and farm that Ike was a well-grounded, ordinary person who lived life to the fullest.

*At the Eisenhower's Show Barn, we stopped to fill out the Junior Park Ranger booklet. The park volunteer had mercy on us. She gave our daughter many of the answers, as well as as a water-drenched paper towel to cool her down. My daughter said, "Mom, it's so hot, there is sweat on my upper lip!" Yep, we probably picked THE hottest day of the year to site see, but it was still fun.

Where have your gone this summer? Share one of your "Captured Moments"!