Today is the start of the long holiday Labor Day weekend. How could the summer go by so quickly? I wanted to go check out the new Joann store in Plymouth, but wasn't sure how the Rte. 3 traffic would be. After debating this morning I picked up my friend, Shirley and we headed to Plymouth. The traffic was not bad at all, surprising for a Friday in the summer. We went to Exit 5 to the Shops at 5, to the new Joann store that opened. All the fabric I bought was on sale.
After shopping in Joanns, I mentioned to Shirley that today was the last free event Friday of the summer and there would be free admission (normally the entrance fee is $25 for adults and $15 for children) to Plimoth Plantation. I asked if she wanted to go, because it was just a short drive down the road from where we were. We weren't really prepared to do a lot of walking, as we had worn sandals and not good walking shoes, had no hats, and today it was hot (88 degrees), walking up and down those dusty trails thru the Wampanoag Indian village and then thru the Pilgrim Settlement, we probably walked 5 miles. The place was packed and I felt bad for all the little ones.
Once again...I only had my small digital camera in the car..ugh!!!!
As you arrive, you go to the visitors center to watch a short film and then proceed to the Indian village, then to the Pilgrim settlement.
Welcome signPlimoth Plantation is a recreation of the Wampanoag Indian village and Pilgrim homes from 1627, 7 years after the Pilgrims landed. The Indians had camped along the Eel river for hundreds of years before the Pilgrims arrived. It's amazing what the Indians did with so little.
smoke hole 
another winter lodge
slabs of bark cover the roof and sides of the winter lodges for added warmth from the harsh New England winters. In the center of each lodge there was a fire pit for cooking and heat, with an opening in the roof to let out smoke.
reed wall mats cover the walls of the lodge for added insulation
herbs hanging to dry inside a Indian lodge. The inside walls were covered with woven reed mats to keep in the heat and keep out drafts. 
near the walls...sleeping platforms that also double as sitting areas. The platforms are covered with reeds. Cooking pit in the center of the lodge 
Shirley sitting in a lodge
inside winter lodge
Indian woman tending the fire as she cooked a turkey on a spit over an open smoldering fire
tending the fire
Indian girl tending to cooking pots
part of the cooking area
rack for drying fish
deer hide drying
hollowed out log..used as canoes
handmade fishing net 
down by the Eel river..hollowed out log canoes that happen to be filled with rain water after the latest rain storm. The Indians built fires in the logs and tended them day and night for 5 days, chipping out the burnt wood.
you can see the stakes in river that held the Indians fish nests
Indian toy deer hide doll and hollowed out canoeEntering the Pilgrim Settlement ..stepping back in time. Click on the photos to see the photos better.
Settlement overlooking Plymouth Beach
thatched roofs
inside the stockade with lookout there were benches and a pulpit for worship
fenced field on the right as you walk down a step road to enter the settlement
huge stack of cut firewood and pile of brush
most of the houses were one room with dirt floors and sparsely furnished, no glass on the windows just bars with canvas or skins that could be rolled down for bad weather.
firewood under the bed along with a chamber pot 
kitchen table, bed with chamber pot under the bed
bed in another pilgrim home surrounded by curtains for privacy and to keep out drafts
mattresses on fence airing out
outdoor baking oven
pewter dishes on a wall shelf inside of a house 
inside house..fireplace, kitchen table and a bed
fireplace with hanging herbs, pots and pans
herbs drying on the side of a fireplace just inside the enterance to a house
pilgrim lady sewing..this ladies home had 2 rooms..one room was a bedroom
lovely carved storage cabinet with pewter dishes to hold precious belongings
close up photo of the carving on the center door of storage chest
door
working a 2 man saw on a very hot afternoon
lady that tended the goats
goats
cow in fenced pasture in yard of home
hops growing in the garden for making beer
pole beans growing in a garden
I hope you enjoyed your virtual visit via my photos of Plimoth Plantation. Below are just a few links, but if you do a google search you will find many, many more.
http://www.plimoth.org/what-see-do
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plimoth_Plantation
http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/webcast.htm
Plymouth has lots to see and do. I went to high school in Plymouth. In fact, they just built a huge new high school and are in the process of tearing down the old Plymouth - Carver High School that was brand new the year I started there.
After leaving the Plantation, I drove to Nelsons Beach to enjoy the water. It was low tide when we arrived, but the breeze was most welcome. Shirley and I were both tired and hot from all the walking in the hot sun.
We were going to stop by Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower, but the waterfront area was really busy and there were no parking spaces, but here are some photos that I took before.
Mayflower 11
low tide..Nelsons Beach, PlymouthOn the way home, we stopped for an early supper in Halifax, at the Grille 58. I had scallops and Shirley had fried haddock.
Oh, I forget to mention..have you seen the beautiful full moons we had this month. For the past 2 nights we have enjoyed the huge 2nd full moon in August. I believe tonight is the last night of the full moon. When there are two full moons in one month the 2nd full moon is called a Blue Moon. The next Blue Moon will be in 2015. Tonight it is very cloudy, but I did snap a couple of photos before the moon was completely covered by clouds.
kind of pretty with the clouds surrounding the moonFull Moon...blue moon
finally no clouds..10:25 P.M.
Heard on the TV this morning that many of the Cape Cod beaches are closed this weekend due to sharks being sighted close to shore.
Have a safe long holiday weekend.
Elaine
