Short Day Hike - Pocosin Mission Trail

The boys lumber down the fire road towards Pocosin Mission

Recently the boys and I were privileged to sneak out for a short day hike with my Aunt Ginny. We needed something short, as she and I are both swamped with gotta-do's, but we wanted something scenic and adventurous, too. Since we live close to Skyline Drive, we decided to head up to one of the short trails up there. Rooster has been bugging me to take him somewhere at which he can "explore old broken down buildings," so when I read the description of the trail to the old Pocosin Episcopal mission I knew that it was our winner.

The boys eagerly approach the ruins

It's a short hike downhill on a fire road to the little trail at the old mission. A portion of the hike is a part of the Appalachian Trail. The fire road is in good condition, and would work well with a jogger stroller if you had a small child.

The kids always enjoy looking for the colored blazes which mark the trail. They also enjoyed looking for scat and tracks - and there were plenty of each for them to identify!

Once the mission came into view, they really began to get excited.

Our only disappointment was that we didn't have more time, because the trail continues past the ruins on down to South River Falls and we all wanted to go!

Bo explores the ruins of the cabin at the old Pocosin Mission

The boys really enjoyed exploring the ruins. The old mission was established in 1904. There is much more left standing of the cabin than of the mission building itself. The old sink basin, buckets, and other relics have been left there for visitors to see.

There is quite a bit of rusted metal and broken glass around the cabin, so if you were to venture out with small children you would want to watch them very closely or carry them around the ruins.

The remains of the cabin at the old Pososin Mission

The ruins of the mission building include the stone foundation and stone steps, a small portion of stone wall, and part of a chimney. Rotting fallen timbers lie in the area, and vegetation is definitely overtaking the site.

Across the trail from the mission is an old cemetery, which would have been almost impossible to find had the leaves not fallen. Unmarked headstones are the only indication of the those whose bodies lie there.

The boys and Aunt Ginny on the front steps of the old Pocosin Mission house

The ruins are an ominous peek into life a century ago. It's amazing to think that prior to 1904 someone saw this beautiful site and imagined a place there where a community could live and worship together - and that people enjoyed worship and fellowship here at least for some time - and such a short time after, what we see is all that is left. Life certainly is fleeting.

I couldn't dig up much information on the history of the place; it leaves me wondering what it must have been like and why it was abandoned. I wonder how many group portraits were taken on these same front steps while the building was standing. It would be really neat to find a photo in a history book that covers our local area.

The boys and I inside the old Pocosin Mission house - near the remains of the stone wall and an old doorway

This was a very enjoyable outing - a refreshing walk on a cool, crisp autumn morning followed by a picnic lunch at Big Meadows. Aunt Ginny brought really sinful home-made trail mix complete with Reece's Pieces and M&M's and little cookies (the boys officially think she's awesome now) and we laughed until our cheeks hurt.

The boys commented that when I'm with Aunt Ginny I laugh a lot - I replied that when I'm with just about anyone on Nana's side of the family I laugh a lot. There's something delightfully contagious about it, and for some reason that's just what we do! (I'm not sure if their comment indicates that I laugh too much in the company of my mother and her family, or that I don't laugh enough at home. LOL)

If you live in or visit the Shenandoah Valley, I strongly recommend visiting Skyline Drive - it's worth it just about any time of the year. Just gorgeous. The Pocosin Mission Trail isn't a very scenic hike as the trail is very wooded, but if you enjoy visiting historic sites as much as we do, you will certainly enjoy this glimpse back in time. You can download maps of other hikes on Skyline here, or read reviews and directions for this and many other Virginia hikes here.

Fun at Watoga State Park and the Greenbrier River Trail

a post by K-Bird

Me, in the lookout tower at Droop Mountain Battlefield

Last week we went camping at Watoga State Park in West Virginia, and it was fun. We went on a bike ride on a trail there.

Riding bikes is fun - especially on the Greenbrier River Trail!

We saw deer while we were on the bike ride.

While we were on the bike ride we saw deer by this cabin

The bike trail was named Greenbrier River Trail. It goes where the old railroad tracks used to be. The bike trail is almost 80 miles long, and we rode 10 miles of it. The fall leaves were beautiful.

It is such a beautiful trail!

This is me and Dad eating lunch

My brothers and I really enjoyed the bike ride

All the autumn scenery was so beautiful!

This is another beautiful scene

While we were on the trail mom's bike pedal fell off her bike. Dad came to fix it, but he couldn't, so mom had to walk. While mom was walking she almost stepped on a snake, but she didn't.

We also went on a hike while we were there, but our mom didn't come with us. So my dad and brothers and I went on the hike. We didn't see any animals on the hike, but at the cabin we saw more deer. It was fun.

This is a scary hike with Dad - it was getting dark

We were creeped out

We had a lot of fun hanging out around the cabin. We played board games and spent time reading.

Look, here's our cabin!

In the cabin with a Hexbug

In the cabin

We visited a civil war battlefield that was close by.

Walking down the steps of the Droop Mountain Battlefield Lookout Tower

My awesome brothers - Rooster and Bo

We also went on more hikes, and explored around the cabin.

On a hike

Pretty scenery from the hike

Rooster climbs over a fallen tree

More pretty fall colors

Looking up into the tops of the trees

Boo! I'm behind you!

Best buddies!

I'm gonna chop up some wood

Hanging out on the front porch of the cabin

It was a very fun trip. Maybe you should think about taking your family there sometime. I think you would like it.

The Inner Life of a Cell

In an earlier post, I mentioned listening to a talk at the Creation Museum by Dr. Purdom titled "Wonders of the Cell". I wanted to tell you a bit more about it and share with you this video that she referenced. 

During the talk, she played several short clips of the video "The Inner Life of the Cell" by Harvard University, accompanied by the music only (without the voice-over that is included in the video I've embedded below) and then proceeded to explain to us what was happening. I heartily recommend this talk if you ever have the opportunity to hear it. A video of her presentation can be purchased in the Answers in Genesis Bookstore.

This video is an animation of what scientists have actually witnessed and studied as the process in which a white blood cell leaves the blood stream to locate and attack an infection in the body. It depicts the outside of the cell, moving then to the inside and all the amazing processes that must occur for the cell to change shape, flattening out to squeeze between the cells that make up the walls of the blood vessels.

What you watch here is a beautiful depiction of only a small portion of what goes on during this process. 

Our bodies are so amazing and complex! So many little changes, protein exchanges, and exchanges of information on a cellular level are critical to each minute function of life each second of each day. Indeed, we are fearfully and wonderfully made!

Spontaneous Field Trip - Creation Museum

Museum photo op :-)

Recently we made an impromptu trip to the Creation Museum in the Cincinnati area. My husband had taken the younger two boys back in January, and had taken our oldest son to the Apologetics Mega Conference that was held there this summer, so everyone had gotten to see the museum, except me. *pouts*

(Not really pouting – I was actually quite happy with my time while they were away – I really like accomplishing things I don’t have time for otherwise!)

Pouting or not, I was very excited to go this time.

We really, really enjoy the photo op as you enter the museum! (see top photo) As some sub-set of our family has been through multiple times, it's become a fun challenge to invent new ways to pose for the "scary" pose. I love how my husband is rising to defend us :-) I also love the low prices to purchase the photos afterward - it's extremely reasonable for a touristy-type thing - and I love that they offer all your poses on a CD along with the rights to reprint and post online. Good thinking!

One resource offered by the museum is a schedule of workshops for children. The boys had already attended two, so we looked at the museum’s schedule online and planned our visit during a time in which a workshop they had not completed was being offered.

On this occasion, they participated in a fossil workshop. 

 

In this workshop they learned about the process of fossilization (which we studied last school year, so it was great reinforcement!) and were able to see and hold a LOT of fossils. 



They also made necklaces from fossilized sharks’ teeth. 

I think many, if not all of the children’s workshops at the Creation Museum include a project or craft that the child is able to take home with them. 

The workshops are all complete with a presentation of the Gospel message. I was very impressed with the program overall. 

I was also impressed with the museum itself. 

This realistic robotic model is uber creepy!

Bo reading about how life lines up according to God's working

Rooster and Bird check read about the history of God's Word

Rooster - aka Mr. Serious and thoughtful

Bo and a pre-fall dinosaur

The boys do an interactive activity inside Noah's ark

It was high quality, interactive, and thoughtfully put together. 

The planetarium was by far my favorite part (even though I had to close my eyes during portions of the shows to keep from getting motion sick!). It was breathtaking. Digital planetariums are so much more vivid than the more traditional “pin-point” planetariums, and hearing a presentation which lines up with the historical truth of God’s Word is both refreshing and worshipful. Our God truly is amazing!

Additionally, the talks and shows offered were wonderful and very edifying. We enjoyed listening to Dr. Purdom expound on the biology of the white blood cell - sounds boring, but it was glorious and fascinating! The boys were even able to follow the presentation, and learn from it.

The Creation Museum's gardens are absolutely beautiful. 

Out in the beautiful gardens

across the floating bridge

Daddy, Bird, and Rooster out on the walk through the gardens

They provided a nice place for our picnic lunch, and a nice walk afterward. (Although all the food in Noah's Cafe smelled fantastic, I had already packed our lunch. Daddy did make sure he and the boys got a Bruster's Ice Cream while we were there - and I had a skinny latte from the coffee shop downstairs.)

The petting zoo was a lot of fun - the boys had not been able to really enjoy it on their previous trips (Rooster and Bird had been there in the winter, and when Bo was there it was for the conference so he and Daddy really didn't have time to do everything at the museum). 

A petting zoo is a petting zoo, I know - I do need to point out that this one was exceptionally clean with exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable staff and wonderfully friendly animals as well as unusual animals such as a Zonkey, a Zorse, and wallabies.

Bird feeding a llama at the petting zoo - looks like it tickles!

Bo really enjoyed feeding and petting the Zorse and the Zonkey (as did I - they were super sweet and friendly and full of personality!)

The goats were overly eager to get their snacks - Bird was trying to ration his handfuls evenly

Bo feeding one of the eager goats

Rooster was mainly interested in feeding the chickens...birds of a feather??

We really enjoyed our family time together, and all we did and saw on the trip. I highly recommend at least one visit to the Creation Museum – from the exhibits to the shows to the gardens to the zoo, it is all-in-all a wonderful and edifying experience.