Our HOT but AWESOME Day in Amelia County Virginia

It was a record breaking HOT day in the 100s, but was a great day nonetheless! Today we traveled up to Amelia County Virginia for some fun and learning.

Ken completed his FIRST Blacksmithing class ever today! It was so exciting for us all. Ken has really wanted to try his hand at this incredible craft and finally was able to have the opportunity. The first class was free, but you had to pay for the materials which were $25, which was wonderful considering how much he learned and accomplished on his first day of class!

http://yesteryearschool.com/index.html



Ken Forging a Cross.



Ken at his forging station.





Ken - One happy guy with his new

toys tools.

Heating up the metal.



Shaping the metal.





Ken's Finished Products (in order of completion):

We added Ken's cell phone (a T-Mobile Tap) for size reference of his completed projects!



S Hook



Decorative Hook



Cross



Hook with Decorative Leaf



Dragon Poo (aka Clink) - It's the leftover material that didn't burn in the coal.



While Ken was busy foraging, Jewel and I watched for a bit, pet the old cows on site at the blacksmith's yard, and then took in some of the sites and history of the area.

This cow was such a sweet girl.





Their tongues are SO strong & so rough! We felt like they were going to pull our hands in their mouths! Oh, and they enjoyed the all the sweating we were doing! The salt improved out taste!



Ahhh... Food - Always a good way to make friends!



Jewel at Sailor's (Saylor's) Creek Battlefield. Which we learned was an incredibly important turning point in the Civil War, but is often overlooked as it occured only 3 days prior to final battle at Appomatox. The tour (just us and a docent/officer) was highly informative, the countryside lovely.
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/sai.shtm

Jewel at the Hillman Home and Sailor's (Saylor's) Creek Battlefield Hospital



Oh to have been a medic during those bloody battles. Check out those medical tools.



Overlooking Sailor's Creek Battlefield. At the time of the battle, the water was a real obstacle and would have stood about chest deep, versus the knee deep it is now.



Jewel standing by the graves of three of the Hillsman children (children of the residents who occupied the home) at Sailor's (Saylors) Creek Battlefield during the war. All three of these grave markers showed the children to be one year of age or under.



Marker in Honor of CAPT Moses Overton for service in the War of 1812. This was a little more obscure, we're going to try and learn more about CAPT. Overton and why this was next to the children's gravesites.