Last Saturday morning began with a tradition we have kept for three years, now- Heritage Days.

Heritage Days is a celebration of our history, local and national, that has taken place here for twenty-two (22) years now. Heritage Days demonstrates, to some small degree, what life was like in the days of the 16th and early 17th centuries (ie ~1700 to ~1850). Such things as the dress, technologies, and food of those times are simulated and recreated in a grassy field on the campus of Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL for two days, a Saturday and a Sunday, each year. This recreation is composed of such things as a primitive encampment, black powder and cannon demonstrations, a fife and drum corps, and numerous booths- the inhabitants of which might teach you how to make rope, operate a loom, or might sell you dessicated alligator heads or kettle fried potato chips.

Unlike our past attendances, we arrived early enough to see the opening ceremonies which consisted of the raising of 5 flags- those of French and British forces that had occupied the area in times past, and three of the different flags that have represented our nation over the years, some words by a very talented Merriwether Lewis impersonater, and a few numbers by the fife and drum corps, including The Star Spangled Banner. As the raising of each flag was completed, the cannon was fired. Isaiah didn't appreciate the booms of the cannon, but after the ceremony was over, the cannons were the first thing he wanted us to look at.

Ruth's aunt Ruth is a member of the board of the Heritage Days society, so we are slightly more than just attendees. After we looked at the now inactive cannons, we passed by the information booth to say "Hi" to Aunt, as we call her. She was glad that the weather was perfect; last year it was grey and cool both days. Ruth's mom was also helping out. She was cutting onions and peeling potatoes for the giant pot of stew the participants share at the end of each day. On the way to visit Nanie as Isaiah calls grandma Nancy, Ruth's mom, we stopped to see Aunt's best friend and Isaiah's "official extra grandmother" Wilma in the quilting booth.

One of our Heritage Days traditions is to sample a buffalo burger or two. Well, or three. Last year 2 was enough for Ruth, Isaiah,and I. This year we figured Isaiah would want one all his own, or mostly his own, anyway. It didn't work out quite that way, though. As I ate my buffalo burger, Ruth broke off bits of Isaiah's and handed them to him. He wasn't eating them very quickly though. U'd look down to ask him if he wanted another bit, and instead tell him to finish the one he still had. He kept this up till mine was gone at which point I began on his. I'd break off a piece for him and than eat it, since he hadn't finished the one he had. Predictably, it was just about the time I had finished his buffalo burger when he decided he was ready to eat for real, but he was out of luck.

Black powder and buffalo burgers-
We're looking for ward to next year already