One of Our Best Family Days of 2011

Labor Day was approaching, and I really wanted to plan something fun for the family: our last shebang before school really got rolling. After some internet searches, I came upon a Folk Life Festival on the grounds of a pottery/art museum just outside Helen, GA, as well as a waterfall nearby. It was an hour and a half away, and we were game! We took in the festival first, Southern-style: we spent at least 20 minutes at each booth, and we were there for hours! We had a blast, and we learned so much about folk history. It was hot and sweaty but so much fun.

Here Madeline learned what it was like to be a miner and go inside dark caves with her headlamp (or should we call it a head candle?).

We got such a kick out of this guy. He knew so many things about Indian life; he was amazing. I think we spent the most time with him. Some lady in the crowd said that he was her former 8th grade Science teacher. I bet he was awesome.

Here he is showing us how to launch something really far with a lever-mechanism used by the Indians. He had no qualms about launching weapons across the grounds. Nobody was hurt, either.

Here he is about to blow an arrow onto a fake turkey he put out into the grass. This man was hilarious.

We were fascinated by all of his artifacts.

Madeline got to demonstrate again: she was a little timid about animal skins on her head.

The black squiggly lines on this vase were made by burning horsehair onto the outer edges. Fascinating. I think my dad would've loved this festival.

Emery was entertained despite the temperature.

The carriage ride was the girls' dream come true.

They are dying to have their own carriage. They bring it up multiple times a week.

This man and his wife played songs on their giant banjo (don't know the name for it) and their Appalachian something-or-other, and they were awesome! We spent a lot of time with them, too. They played a lot of Jimmy Buffet, which I loved.

The older girls and I spent a long time making corn husk dolls while Dallas pushed Emery and Choobers on the swings. These teenage girls taught us how to make them; they have their own little businesses making and selling these dolls.

I could not understand a word this guy was saying. Really. But Dallas spent a long time talking with him, and he could understand him. He made these incredible carvings.

I was blown away.

Raleigh enjoyed this corn-husking machine.

She was hooked!

These are authentic slave quarters showing reproductions of documents used to contract slaves back in the day. It was wild.

A couple of our finished dolls. I made Kensington's.

Dallas was still chatting.

Old-fashioned woodworking

When we were about to leave, here came trouble! "Trouble," the six-week-old puppy that Emery was so excited about. I could understand about every other word from these people.

Their dog was sure cute!

And we left the festival hot and thirsty and ready to go to the waterfall.

This was our view across the street. It was so fun to see the North Georgia mountains.

Part two coming soon.