A Visit to Sturbridge Village

We visited Sturbridge Village, a living history museum where you can learn about life in the nineteenth century, a few months ago. Look how nature is wearing its tawny colors in these pictures. Can you believe how green everything has gotten since then? (Scroll down to see my posting about green for some contrast!)

This kind of fencing was necessary in rocky places. I have also seen it along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia's mountains.

The men below used oxen to haul lumber for building a new fence.




This girl's tartan dress is very pretty. I like the ruffle in her bonnet, too.

Look at the clever way people could make a gate shut itself.

In Colonial Williamsburg, people used cannonballs for the same purpose.


It is fascinating to meet the people who work at living history museums. This cobbler was not only extremely knowledgeable about history, but very kindly and wise, too.

This tinsmith is soldering a cup.

I loved this collection of tin lanterns in his shop. Last winter I published a tutorial about how to make a simple tin lantern. You can find a link for it in the right hand column.


This little nutmeg grater might be the best thing I saw that day.

Here is another man, a potter, who exuded an air of wisdom and peace.

Here are some interior scenes.

One of the ways women and their daughters could earn money was by plaiting fiber for making bonnets.




Whenever I see washbasins, buckets, and chamberpots, I think about how much time people had to spend toting clean water and slops.


There was fresh cake in the farmhouse kitchen, baked on the hearth. I want to learn how to do that! I was very tempted by the tin reflector oven in the gift shop!

Look at the beautiful cheeses in the pantry!

This bucket is full of tools for dish washing.

When we heard that dish washing was the next chore coming up in the farmhouse kitchen, we skedaddled. I do enough of that at home!

This lamb was having a nice sunbath until

this calf came and chased him away.

The funny calf made us laugh!

Our dog had just died the day before, and I was thinking about him as the children petted the calf's soft coat.

This old ewe likes to be scratched.

I can't wait to visit again in the summer!