This seventh week taught us several things. First, children will eat vegetables they pick out at the grocery store. One day, after a routine doctor’s appointment, I took the kids to Kroger and showed them all the fruits and vegetables available. They knew most of them, but things like bok choy, artichoke hearts, and turnips looked unfamiliar to them.
My children at Fort Loudon Historic State Area
We do not use those veggies in our dishes, but I wanted them to know they exist. I have cooked turnips before, but I did not like them, so I stopped buying them. Plus, they remind me of rutabaga, and I have some bad memories about rutabaga. The less said about it, the better.
My daughter picked eggplants and radishes, plus some Chinese dumplings filled with tofu and veggies. She is excited about learning to cook eggplants. The dumplings tasted good, they said, although a bit greasy. Not something you want to eat every day. We do not fry our foods and these dumplings required frying. I wish I could have tried them, but they have gluten in them.
Inside Fort Loudon
As to bok choy and artichoke hearts, I need a little extra courage to buy and prepare them blindly. I did not grow up eating them, so I find it hard to get attached to them now.
My daughter and I, plus Tellico Lake
The Other Lesson
Secondly, we learned a lot about our state and our nation by visiting the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, as well as Fort Loudon Historic State Park in Vonore, TN. Located one minute away from each other, these two destinations make for a great field trip – two in one day!
Fort Loudon Park Ranger
Both are free to visit for the children. Adults have to pay $5 for the Sequoyah Museum, but they have discounts for veterans, AAA members etc. I also had to pay $5 for a colonial firearm demonstration at Fort Loudon. The children attended for free.
Sequoyah’s Alphabet
The park ranger dressed in a British soldier uniform and talked to us about the different firearms available between 1560-1760. Then, he “gave fire.” He shot each of them once, so we can see the difference in their sound and power.
Cherokee Printing Press – the entire museum reminded us that “verba volant, scripta manent”.
Fort Loudon lies on the shores of Tellico Reservoir, also known as Tellico Lake. For your information, that body of water used to be the Little Tennessee River, but then TVA built a dam, so it became a reservoir. It’s not technically a lake, mind you, but people like to call it that. There are many lakes in Tennessee, all man-made, except for one – Reelfoot Lake. I am excited about all the knowledge we get through our field trips.
