Principal Dad's Birthday!

Brian's birthday was this Saturday. He requested salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, corn and salad for dinner and I made a flourless chocolate cake with homemade peanut butter ice cream. It was filling but very yummy! Then we had some silly present opening.

On Sunday we took a road trip to Hogback Mountain, Vermont. There is a gift shop with the required too costly trinkets, maple syrup and cheddar cheese but attached is the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum. The Museum is the collection of a man named Luman Nelson. He collected specimens from about the turn of the last century to 1960. Many of the specimens he collected are either extinct (passenger pigeons!) or something that can no longer be collected. There was so much packed into a small space it was amazing! 

view from the parking area looking east

There were live animals as well. Turtles, spiders, frogs, fish and birds of prey that cannot be released into the wild. We really liked those the best. 

eagle feather

Unfortunately for us but probably good for the birds there was grating on the windows so we could see the birds but they couldn't see us. It was impossible to take pictures of any birds other than the eagles. 

a new quote for my education wall over the sink!

After we ate some lunch (including cheese from the gift shop!) we took a hike across the street on Hogback Mountain. 

taking a heading

tiny mushrooms we think are red-orange mycena

the look of the day...just keep going....

We cannot figure out what these are! We have looked in the wildflower field guide, the mushroom field guide and the fern guide with no luck. Anyone have any ideas??

Thank you Poppa Bill and Mamaw Mary!! These are Indian Pipes.

On the way home we went through Bennington and stopped for coffee at a little shop in the village. The owner was all excited to talk to us about Bennington and pulled out a map to show us a couple of things! After we left we decided to go visit the Bennington Monument. Maddie quite enjoyed that as you can tell!

face of the day again....

General Burgoyne's cooking pot from the Battle of Saratoga!

Views from the top! 

Then we moved on to the covered bridges....

We saw this on the way into Vermont but I didn't have my camera! However I was ready on the way home!! Mamaw Mary these are for you! 

A good day all around!!