Ah, we've reached the inevitable crossroads of every Summer...when the long, glorious days of freedom and unplanned hours--at first ushered in with thankfulness and joy after the repetitiveness and structure of the academic year--have become stale, and even (dare I say it) boooorrring. Yes, I'm talking specifically about that delightful moment when two brothers...who have thus far enjoyed each others' company and relished the extended moments of togetherness...begin to grate on one anothers' (and Mom's) Very. Last. Nerve.
Fortunately for all, the end of the week rolled around (at last), and you know what that means: Friday Field Trip time. A chance to discover something new and interesting. An opportunity to escape the activities and situations that cause us (and by that I of course mean "the boys") to bicker unbearably. And an excuse for three people to vacate the house and leave it in a state of utter peace and quiet, at a time when Husband reported that he could feel a full-blown migraine ominously developing. So, everybody seemingly would come out a winner in this one...
For today's excursion, I chose a nature destination: West Point on the Eno River. Supposedly there were hiking trails, scenic views, and historic buildings--so we could satisfy both our physical and mental requirements in one fell swoop. Setting our sights for Durham, loaded with snacks and water, we set off. And it all went well at first: we found the park with no difficulty, procured a map from the helpful guidepost sign, and headed for the first structure, right in front of us in our direct line of vision. This was an auspicious beginning...except....the door to the restored wooden house was firmly locked...and the posted hours informed us that it was open...Saturdays from 1-5. Reeeallly? That seems...unneccessarily restrictive? (And it would have been quite useful to note that information in the handy printed guidebook from which I chose our outing, don't you agree?)
Not to worry, there's a photography museum just a few yards away--that should be pretty cool...when it's available to tour...you guessed it, "Saturdays, 1-5". Sigh. Well, they can't close off the FOREST--so into the trees we went, winding our way along various paths through the peaceful landscape. There were little frogs to admire when they jumped skittishly across our trail. There was a lazily-flowing river to appreciate. There was some fascinating plant life to examine and discuss. Speaking of which: really, the only jarring moment came when I paused to photograph the biggest, most brightly-colored mushroom I've ever seen in my life...and Derek enthusiastically-yet-(hopefully) jokingly asked, "Ooh...can I lick it?" (High school? In 2 weeks? Ay yi yi...)
Finally, I wanted to try to find the "working mill" that I'd read about. The one with the authentic water wheel, that actually grinds grain into flour, which you can then purchase on site if you wish. And there it was! But wait a minute--the huge metal machinery was silent...yep, (theme of our day) "Open Saturdays, 1-5". Well, we did get a very nice hike out of the trip. There are actually many more acres of walking paths that we didn't even begin to cover in one visit. And this park is only about a half-hour away from us, so some weekend when we're not otherwise engaged, we can return to accomplish the "learning" portion that eluded us today. But definitely NOT tomorrow...I'll be busy from 1-5...resting my tired legs...
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