Colonial Market Day

Whilst searching for some places for our weekly outings, Mama came across the Claude Moore Colonial Farm, a living history site reenacting the earlier colonial era. Each season the Farms hosts a special event for visitors, and this October was their Colonial Market Day. However though the Market Day was penciled into the schedule, a curious virus was not.

Saturday morning came, and we deliberated. Finally it was decided that those healthy enough would attend. So Jane Ellen, Gracie, Emmy Xiang, and Mom drove southwards to the beautiful Virginia and the Market Day.

We began our visit with a self-guided tour of the farm. First we came to the tobacco shed. Autumn is an interesting season to visit a colonial farm, for in place of all the areas marked "tobacco" or "wheat" or "rye" were fenced off fields of grass and wildflowers. All the crops were hanging in the tobacco shed or in the house to be used for the coming winter.

And then we came to the house. We loved walking around and through it. Actually, it quite reminded us of our playhouses back home when we used to "prepare" for winter, harvesting crops, gathering firewood, and drying meat (or in our case, pieces of bark...).

Of course, no farm would be complete without a few animals. Amongst many others were some pigs...

... and some sheep.

After the farm tour, we came to the market area. Here we found numerous vendors had set up shop and were making and/or selling their wares. This potter was most impressive. As he carefully and diligently formed a beautiful pitcher out of a mound of clay, we marveled at how our heavenly Potter forms and shapes each one of us so delicately, so intricately, so uniquely. Mama aptly hoped that this man had an apprentice, for what an incredible craft he knows!

Many ladies had shops brimming with clothes and jewels, soaps and perfumes, dishes and toys. But our favorite lady-shopkeeper was this one. She would, in less than ten minutes, cut silhouettes from black paper freehand. Nothing but the paper, some scissors, and a lot of talent!

A definite highlight of the market was the food that roast over a lovely fire. Filling the air with tempting aromas, the chickens on the king of all spits and the sausages in the largest of cast iron pans roasted to delicious perfection. We splurged and got a few bites -- they were heavenly!

Though Katie was unable to enjoy the atmosphere with us, she was there in spirit, for Mama succeeded in taking a "Katie picture," nice and artsy. :)

We had such a lovely time and are now eagerly anticipating the spring event at the fair. Hopefully no ailment but spring fever will plague us next time!