Category Archives: Festivals

MN Trip ~Day 8 Wolves & Wilderness at Tamarac

On day 7 we hung out with family and crashed.

It is amazing how much your feet hurt when you lay around vs. when you are using them constantly for a hiking.

I was trying to not laugh at all the aches and pains that were showing up from our hike.

As soon as I  put shoes on and got moving they faded away.

Although I did take pictures that day I decided they did not need to be shared on here so I am skipping to our last day.

tamaracfall

On our last day in Minnesota we decided to go to Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge again so we could go to their Fall Festival called “Wolves & Wilderness”.

table

They have educational stations set up about different aspects of the park and wolves.

rice

Wild Rice grows in the park so they had a demonstration of how they process it.

stages

ricemaker

The volunteers were very nice and full of information.

cabin2

It was held near these old cabins which were cool to look into.

touch

At the trapper tent they told my youngest he could touch the wolf trap they had.

He wanted to know if it was set to go off first.

Yes, they set it and are trying to trap the little children that come to the tent…

I guess that is a valid question if you have never really seen one before and therefore do not know if it is armed.

Of course his next question was if they would set it.

oldthreelegs

The event was centered around a wolf named “Old Three Legs” that terrorized the area in the early 1900’s.

Since Nick and I saw a wolf limping on our trip north, my youngest told everyone and said maybe it was three legs.

I don’t think you would have made it Maddie…

measure

Poor Maddie being compared to Old Three Legs.

wolves

You got a stamp in a book at each station and if you filled it you got a prize.

skull

What I like most at events like this is the spark it puts into my boys.

Even if they do not remember any of the information they hear, they are more likely to try to find out about that subject because they are interested now.

It would not surprise me at all if my youngest picked up a book on wolves at the library sometime.

closer

They had a storyteller tell the story of Old Three Legs.

He was a teacher and it showed.

close

blackandwhite

Nick’s mom and some of the boys cousins came as well.

different2

I really enjoyed listening to him.

game

It was really cold and we had a long drive back to Oklahoma ahead of us so we tried to hurry through the last activities.

I am sorry if I seemed rushed to any of the volunteers, I felt like we had a ticking clock following us.

cabin3

cabin

Does it get any better than a cabin in the woods?

Dream house.

Maybe one a little less drafty though.

book

I am glad that we started our drive a little late so we could attend this event!

They did a great job and the boys had a lot of fun!

posters

The boys earned their prize!

They got a wolf poster and some apples.

Those apples were really good!

silo

We ended up with a beautiful sunset on the way home.

I always enjoy my time in Minnesota so much.

It is a beautiful place.

What is your favorite state to visit?

Any fall festivals going on in your area?

Jenks Herb & Plant Festival ~Jenks, OK

succulantsSaturday was the Jenks Herb & Plant Festival.

herbfestWe stopped by after lunch for just a little bit.

bugcageI think the boys need these.

Maybe we can make them?

turtleThe little reading turtle needs in our garden…

dogThis vendor had so many cool things!

checkingitout

windchimeNow I want another wind chime.

Wind chimes make me happy, they sound so pretty.

Nick and I got one on our honeymoon so I always think of when we first got married when I hear them.

playingThe boys like smelling the herbs.

herbsWho am I kidding?

So do I!

herbs2Isn’t that what they are for?

spicesSpices!

flowres

flowersIf I wasn’t so horrible about watering, I would have some of these hanging on my front porch.

It would be a death sentence though.

festivalThis Herb Festival does not seem as crowded as the one in Sand Springs.

storeThis little store is open all season.

store2It is right in front of the Trading Post.

funnelcakeThe boys got to try Funnel Cake for the first time!

aherb7632

metal

funneleatWe had not been to this one since 2011 so it was fun to check it out again!

If you are sad you missed it, be sure to check out the one in Sand Springs this Saturday!

You can see posts from previous years, here and here.