Agrirama, Tifton, GA

the day after i had my surgery, we went to map’s annual employee appreciation day at the agrirama in tifton. the agrirama (the alligrama as rivers calls it) is a real life living natural history museum. complete with the littlel old men and ladies dresses in the attire that you’d seen them in way back in the day! if i could pick any era to live in, this would be the one i would go back to, the simple, homemade life. it’s hard to find that these days.  these signs greeted us everywhere we turned. made ya feel kinda special.the babes wanted to start off with face painting, and that was a good thing because later there were sooooo many little kiddies that the line seemed to go on for miles! and i think there were only two ladies doing the painting!? can you guess what rivers wanted?

a pretty sparkly butterfly! and ben? a FISH, of course!! what else?? what about jake?an American flag!  :) then we were off to the rock wall. we tried to get all the HOT stuff done before it got WAY hot! these two were hilarious!!! they only went up like head high because they were afraid that if they made it to the top that when they dropped they would hit the ground!!!! they ain’t stupid!!

jake looks like he went a lot higher than he did but……..he didn’t!this was the little old lady at the school house. it was exactly like little house on the prarie. we love that show and the kids thought it was pretty awesome that the school house in that show looks JUST LIKE THIS ONE!!!   rivers was peeking out the window tryin to get a little breeze. it was SO hot in there. i don’t know how in the world that little lady didn’t pass out from heat exhaustion!!it was SO SO hot!!!!here are the boys with their little house on the prarie school teacher lady! map would actually like one of these here grillin/ smokin pits. it was old timey but neat! maybe you can read this. it has some interesting facts on it. i love the olden days this was the dining area. jake snuk in this picture. he was finishin up his snow cone in a cup. we downed a lot of these this day! did i mention it was hot out!?   and YES, i would love to have learned of some of the recipes that were made up in this kitchen! this is where all the good stuff originated from. ya know, stuff that has lots of butter and lard and flour and milk and eggs!!!!! YUM!!this was a quilting room and bedroom. did i mention i love quilts too, and i would love to know how to make them BY HAND!!?? this piece was also sewn by hand…so pretty…..nothing made on a machine these days even holds a candle to things that were made by hand long ago. here’s a picture of an old farmer taking a rest in the old horse barn. i really like this picture too.this is the kind of house i’d like to live in now only a little more “fancied up”. it’s just neat lookin. and of course i gotta have the chicken pen out back near my little garden that i would have….that would actually GROW….unlike the one i have in the backyard now!!!! if our food depended on what we grew in our garden, we would be skinny as beanpoles!  we can grow tons on blueberries….but nothing else…..well, blueberries and babes!!   :) can you guess what this is? yep! the train depot! a real life working STEAM engine! everyone wanted to ride this thing! that was the easier way to get around the farn w/out havin to walk! the conductors! john boy walking his dunkey :) another old farmer. he kinda looks amish. i also love the amish way of life. it would take some adjusting but i could do it.fuel for the train!!!! WOW!!! like i said. real life steam engine! too bad cars can’t run on water! the old schoolhouse from the train… another old farmhouse. the little old ladies that work and give tours in these houses will often cook homemade lunch in the kitchens. i remember when we would go here on field trips when i was in school a hundred years ago, they ladies would be making biscuits!! OMG!!! can you imagine!?and this, well, meatloaf, meatballs, hamburger steaks w/ out gravy….. you get the picture….  view from the train on the other side of the pond….the farm the road less traveled…and my ben bob billy boo up there on the left.WOW!! little dirt paths….. grandma, pa, and the babes….. this was a neat little house too. they had a pretty garden here next to the house but i was about to pass out at this time so i snapped quick pix and walked…this is the tift house below….. the fanciest and richiest house on the farm. jake and i were gonna tour it but i couldn’t stand in the heat waiting for the next one to start. jake pointing out that this is made out of lighter wood…..i think he is gonna see if his dad or pa will cut him some wood pieces to try and construct one of these. map definaely wants one of these tillers for the garden.. the garden that WON”T grow! all i know is that this is a tractor… just remember: the anasthesia was still wearing off!!! i’d be broke FO sho  if one of these came around to houses now!!they got good stuff!! really, really really good stuff!! and this is what the boys and girl want their dad to turn their playhouse in to!!! how neat is this  little tiny two story cabin??! lovin this stove!! love the cast iron sittin on the stoves too! oooohhhhhh….here we are….oh to only be able to sew one of these beauties by hand! see…..you can look at the stitchin and tell it’s handmade….every-single-inch-of-it!! these will hold up longer than ANY quilt you buy in the store!! i promise! and how about the immaculate wedding dress and suit!? look at the sheen of the dress! a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y beautiful….and i guarantee this is handmade, too!this is a lacy little girls outfit. can you imagine beach pictures with your little angel wearing this!!??just look at the bustle of this dress! no words! this is a christening gown. i couldn’t get all of it in the picture. it pretty much went all the way to the floor. i can’t imagine being talented enough to make something this extravagant! and of course for the boys……tractors and more tractors……if you aren’t from around here and you come through this neck of the woods, be sure to stop by the agrirama and check out the past “in real life”.   :)