Battersea

Sweet Daughter and I headed down to Battersea Plantation last Friday afternoon for their annual 

Revolutionary War event. The forecast was calling for strong scattered thunderstorms all afternoon and evening. I don’t know what I did right in a previous life, but we got all set up and snug before the rain hit, and it did. Sideways. With gusto. Other than what blew in through the door flap, we stayed dry inside. SD read for a while, and when she finished her book, she entertained herself with shadow puppets. She thought it was absolutely hysterical that every time I untied the flaps to make a run to the porta potties, the heavens opened up and let loose.

 

Very funny.

The other part about this site is that it sits near a well-used railroad track. Tornado watch anyone? I finally just decided that if I heard a train and the tent was gone, we’d dive for the ditch behind us. No sense sitting up and worrying about the train/tornado question.

 

Saturday was beautiful. The AIT students from Ft. Lee were there, and they are always a pleasure to talk to. SD got to pick buttercups. The crowds weren't huge, but they were steady.There was a service for Major General Phillips and a battle reenactment. I wore my riding habit, and … got to sit on a horse! Of course, it was a last minute thing, and the pictures have the sun behind me, but … I got to get on a horse. I was thrilled.

 

Trying to get from the porch to the saddle sideways.

  

I really miss riding.

Sweet Daughter got a little horse-time, too.

They had 18th century dancing and SD learned a dance or two, and I reached back into dark, dim recesses of my memory and managed to keep up for the most part.

 

After the public left, they put on a dance just for the reenactors, with games and general jollification.

 

I cast a mighty fine shadow, if I do say so myself.

Sunday was cooler, but dry. There was a nice crowd for the battle. SD helped with the chores ...

 

 

... and went exploring. She made a friend for the weekend, and they had a blast running around exploring and whacking each other with wooden swords and the like. All in all a great weekend, and one of our favorite events!