Pow Wow

My scouts went to a pow wow last weekend to earn the Indian Lore merit badge. Does this batch look like a bunch of braves in training?

Here's our personal trainer, a Florida Muskogee Creek

One option for the merit badge was to make an item of Indian clothing. The scouts thought that this outfit that the Indians wore when they met the Pilgrims in Massachusetts might be the easiest, though the scouts opted not to wear it in public.

They learned how to cook, how to hunt and gather food and how to build houses. The picky eaters in the bunch were glad to see that the foods the Indians added to our diet are just good old American potatoes, corn, squash, tomatoes, and beans. Alligator shown here might be more of a Florida specialty.

They also saw a demonstration of the cracker horses the Indians in Florida rode.

Here two scouts are being challenged to join the Indians in their dancing,

I didn't get a picture of them dancing but the audience loved it--best of the show they said.

The scouts loved showing off their marksmanship as they perfected their blow dart, hatchet and javelin throwing, and archery skills.  They were inspired by the things they could make out of animal skins if they developed their tanning skills, especially the disguises they used when hunting or going to war. They had so much fun I think they were ready to join the tribe by the tine we finished, We'll see what new skills they show off at our next camp out.

Tempting Peter Rabbit

Now that the garden is fenced to keep out Peter Rabbit, we're preparing and planting the garden.

 Of course you can't see the seeds in the ground. but you can see the red stepping stones separating the various sections of the garden. Since it is still February, there is still time to plant winter crops such as potatoes, peas, carrots, cabbage, and broccoli. March1 we can plant everything else but since this winter has been so warm we may get a head start and plant now. Just imagine the corn and melon patches, the tomato paradise (if you click on a picture you may be able to see the many wire cages awaiting the tomato plants we are starting in our kitchen), the bean and squash patch, the potato hills, and the veggie sections with chard, lettuce, cilantro, onions and other great things to eat. I'll show another picture in a month or two to show that we've been able to help Peter Rabbit resist temptation.