What Kind of Wagon is THAT?

I've been to a LOT of museums in my lifetime and considering I grew up on a farm, was a 4Her and a daughter of a man who LOVES history I've been educated about antique farm equipment. But on our way home from Oklahoma on the Eight. Hour. Drive. I needed a break so we took a short detour to see a sod house museum. It was closed but there was plenty of equipment outside to take a look at. 

When I saw this wagon I was stumped. It looked like a beer barrel. Could they have hauled beer on a wagon? That didn't make sense. Though it would have been darn cool to have a huge keg of beer delivered! 

Especially when this was what the front looked like. I kept thinking if it were beer then the tap would have been at the back and that sure didn't look like a tap to me. But with the curved shape to the wagon it had to have hauled some sort of liquid...but why??? 

I was stumped and sent the photos to my dad who came through with the answer, of course. And I must say once I figured out what this wagon was for it was a "DUH" moment. Obviously, THAT was what it was used for!!! 

So, do you have any guesses?? What was this wagon originally used for? 

Answer tomorrow! 

Colorado Ghost towns and Waterfalls (lot's o' pics)

Ah, so you have bravely returned to hear about the remainder of our mini vacation in Colorado Springs eh? The last couple days I posted about Pikes Peak and the Cliff Dwellings which kept us busy Saturday morning. After a quick lunch we stopped by the Ghost Town Museum. 

The museum is actually old buildings from a ghost town housed inside. Within each building there were artifacts from the gold rush era; home and saloon furnishings, blacksmiths, general stores, you get the idea. 

The kids especially liked it because there was plenty of stuff for them to TOUCH and they weren't just stuck looking with their hands in their pockets. They climbed on saddles, turned a butter churn, climbed in a carriage, played a song on the player piano and listened in to a conversation on an old telephone. 

A 19th century dentist drill....I think I'd have been toothless! 

That thing looks scary!! 

All around the museum there were characters like this guy who would "talk" to us and give us a some information about their job in the town. 

Well look at that...did you know Indiana printed money? 

We even tried our hand at panning for gold. I think I may have even found a couple of flakes but since I didn't have anything to carry it in I left it for the next tourist to find :) 

After a morning packed full of sight seeing we were pooped! So we crashed in the hotel for a few hours. I would have preferred a nap but my kids were having none of that.....tv all the way for them!! My kids are deprived. There were two tv's in our hotel room and they kept running between them to see what was on both. You can tell we don't have cable! 

Toward dusk, after I finally peeled my kids eyes off the televisions, we headed to Seven Falls. What a beautiful place! It reminded me just a bit of Turkey Run back home in Indiana except, well, the hills are just a bit higher in Colorado! 

This part freaked me out just a bit. If you look close at the photo above you'll see a couple huge boulders surrounded by, what looks like, a mesh net. What was most disconcerting was those boulders were right above where visitors walk to see the falls. Yikes! 

A view with the falls behind us. I love Colorado! 

There is a Native American family that boasts three generations that have danced at the falls. My kids enjoyed it, especially when they chanted and danced to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. 

You are probably wondering why I'm talking about seeing waterfalls and yet to show you many photos of them. Well, it's because it's really hard to get a view of the entire falls together. You have to climb....a lot...to see see them! There are two sets of steps to view the falls. 

224!! I was dying, but Yahoo practically ran up them! This set took us right along side the falls. And across the falls you climbed 186 steps (or wimped out like me and took the elevator) to get a full view of the falls. 

At dusk lights turn on to make the falls appear to change colors. 

Look at those stairs!! Now, imagine walking up and down all of them with an independent three year old! I was stressing! 

Lovely! 

Okay, I promise, tomorrow's post is the very last one about our Colorado trip. 

I think. 

But come back and check it out. 

Our last step was definitely the neatest stop we made! 

Foody Friday - Heritage Recipes and Zucchini Casserole

Earlier this week I came across a website called Heritage Recipes; sharing old fashioned recipes and traditions. Their website states; 

These are more than just recipes.  These heritage recipes - our links with our past and our connections to special people and special events are tied to those scraps of paper.  At Heritage Recipes we are dedicated to the preservation of memories and old recipes.

I don't know about you but I prefer old fashioned recipes to modern ones that call for a number of prepackaged items and I love the idea of a website that shares them. In fact the website is always looking for new recipes to share. I sent in my great grandmother's tomato soup recipe, along with a story about her, and a relish recipe from a family friend. 

Then I started cruising their site. I found a website for zucchini casserole. (Remember my intense hatred for zucchini?) I didn't plant any zucchini this summer but I do have yellow summer squash that I've been sauteing in butter all summer...and I'm getting a bit tired of it. I thought it would work in a zucchini casserole. 

Although, when I pulled it out of the oven I had my doubts. It sure didn't look that appetizing. My kids, of course, hated it. My husband thought it had an odd texture. I, however, ate half the pan. Granted it was only a 9x9 pan but still, I had a stomach ache from eating so much! 

Heritage Recipe Zucchini Casserole 

Slice thin zucchini (no quantity given, I used 2 yellow squash)

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

4 large tomatoes (homegrown if possible, I only had 2), sliced

1 green pepper

1 onion (didn't have one)

Salt (no amount given, I just sprinkled some in)

1 T. brown sugar

2 bay leaves 

1 tsp. oregano

2 c. sharp cheddar cheese (I used mozzarella and only about a cup)

Melt the butter, add flour.  Stir constantly until flour begins to brown. Add sugar, bay leaves, oregano and salt.  In a baking dish, put a layers of zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and cheese.  Pour flour/butter mixture over and bake at 350 degrees.  (No time is given. I judged mine to be done after 45 minutes.)

I've learned that old fashioned recipes are more flexible than more modern recipes. Most of the time substitutions or detracting from an old recipe doesn't guarantee failures. 

I was very surprised how good it was! The vegetables had a warm buttery flavor and the cheese was just right without being overwhelming. I ate half the pan and I'm ready to eat the other half all by myself! 

Do you have a favorite Heritage Recipe to share? Why not hop on over to Heritage Recipes and send them an email? And don't forget to send me a copy too!! 

Look what showed up on my street.

Look what showed up on our street, right outside of my house, this weekend!

I looked out to see all these old cars but I was stirring jelly on the stove so I couldn't take too many photos or my jelly would burn. But I ran out to get a few shots from my front yard. 

I think that the owners were stopping at the museum for a meeting or something because, unfortunately, they didn't stick around too long. 

It was a nice view while it lasted though. 

The Old Ford

Found in Downtown Garden City, Kansas.

By golly, you could be Mater's brother.