We went to the Walking with Dinosaurs show when it came to St. Paul, and I thought it was very good. Designed for the younger crowd (according to the droves of elementary- and younger-aged kids in attendance) this show was educational and entertaining.

Only one actor served as the guide through this tour of prehistory. His monologue identified the various dinosaurs that came onto the arena, painting a picture of what it was like in the days when dinosaurs walked the earth, as well as the paleontologist’s perspective.

Here T-Rex enters the stage. Humongous, isn’t she?

I understand that as many as three puppeteers maneuvered the large dinosaurs and they did a spectacular job. These photos don’t do justice, as your eyes are naturally drawn to the base that moves the puppet. But the puppeteers were masters at movement — making the dinosaurs act completely lifelike. And when T-Rex roared - WOW! I totally felt like I was there in prehistoric times.

The multimedia display was very well done. In addition to the two-story-tall puppets driven by three people, some were costumes designed for just a single person (see the raptor photo above.) There was also film projection, a light show, and these awesome plants and flowers that would blow up (bloom) or deflate (die) to illustrate climactic changes.

My husband wasn’t that impressed, and my kids thought it was “cool”. I thought it was awesome, but I was really caught up in the artistry of it all. I guess it all depends on what you’re looking for!

(I’m pretty sure Shannon’s “five ingredients or less” request was supposed to be edible. I wouldn’t eat this one, but I strongly encourage you to try it anyway. And a scrumptious edible suggestion is at the bottom of the post. Enjoy!)

If you’re looking for a fun activity/experiment to do with the kids, this one is a hit. It’s not my idea - Darla first saw it done at school. All you need is a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke (diet works better) and a pack of Mentos.

Unscrew the sealed cap on the soda and insert the Mentos. The more Mentos, the better, and it helps to use a funnel or rolled paper to insert the Mentos quickly.

Then RUN!!! Apparently the air bubbles in the candy hyperfizz with the carbonation in the soda. The geyser only lasts for a short while, so have your camera ready.

For a total of about $2.50 in supplies, this was a fun diversion. (Mamacita tells me this is a Steve Spangler original - find lots more fun activities here.)

If you’re actually looking to eat your five ingredients or less, I recommend this:

Five slice-and-eat discoveries at a farmer’s market or grocery store. This plate served four and includes canary melon, blackberries, strawberries, sweet corn and summer sausage. The fresher the better — and the less cooking the better. Only the corn was hot in the pic. (P.S. The wine is mine. Get your own;)))

For more fun ideas, visit Rocks in My Dryer on Wednesdays.

This weekend we went to a park gathering hosted by the church our friends belong to. It was designed as an activity for families, as well as a benefit for a young woman in the community who is seriously ill.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the event was far better organized and fun than I assumed it would be.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed the Velcro wall and booth games where Craig filled his pockets with candy.

But what struck me was the feeling that this must have all been done before. How else could such a large gathering, with a band, food booth, dunk tank and carnival games result in such a successful turnout?

And then I watched who was doing the work. I knew that while the organizers of the event got together to plan, Darla’s friend babysat their kids. I knew this church family had created a community, where members depended on each other.

But there was another thing. I saw one mother giving out the free tickets for carnival games — her young child at her side. I saw another mother managing a game booth. Her teenage daughter managed the one next to her. I saw a Dad helping kids into the Velcro booth. Craig’s 10-year-old friend stood in line for his turn to get dunked in the dunking booth. I saw Darla’s friend collecting money at the food booth, with her mother next to her - and her married sister sat with her new husband selling raffle tickets.

Of course these events are successful. During the planning, execution and enjoyment of the events, families are doing the work together. They’re learning together. And they’re having fun while they do something wonderful for everyone who attends — in addition to the young woman who’ll benefit from the dollars raised.

What an inspirational system they have for event-planning: Growing a servant’s heart.

What a remarkable way to pass the torch.

Other torch-passers:
Looking Toward Heaven - That’s my girl
We are THAT Family - Who will I be?

What does passing the torch mean to you? Is it teaching? Passing traditions? Or good news about youth? Join us each week for Pass the Torch Tuesday.Former PTT posts.

I took this photo along our rustic roadside on the way to town. It seems every time I meander these three miles, I discover a new wildflower bursting with color.

The lilac season is nearly over, but looking at this photo, I can almost conjure their beautiful scent. It reminds me of cotton candy. Our neighbor at the cabin has the white variety and some days when the breeze is just right, I’ll catch a whiff of these amazing domestic flowers, from yards away. It’s like opening a present. I can’t think about anything else, during the moment the fragrance overwhelms my nose.

My appreciation for flowers has changed throughout the years — along with many other things. Priorities constantly shift and in recent years it seems for me there’s more space for simple gifts.

Fresh flowers. As a child I picked them. For years I ignored them. Now I photograph them. And one day I’ll learn all their names.

Each weekend I share moments that help me journey toward occasional “presence” — explained in A New Earth — to appreciate the small gifts life brings. This post is also a part of Fussy’s Happiness Project every Thursday.

When we visited Washington DC, our first visit was to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home. It was a gorgeous day, and Mount Vernon is always open, so the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, this was a good place to spend the day. The siding on the home looks like stone, but it’s actually beveled wood sprayed with sand in the wet paint.

George and Martha Washington’s tomb.

I came to appreciate George Washington a great deal, as we learned about him. He was an agricultural scientist and inventor - always finding new ways to generate better crop yields, grow his own seeds and invent new types of plants. This “tree fence” was his brain-child also. By growing trees and digging a ditch around paddocks, he was able to make a sustainable and strong living barrier to control livestock.

I always appreciate living history exhibits. These people were spinning yarn and teaching us about crop rotation.

We had arrived to the estate early, but we foolishly wandered around the grounds first, rather than getting right to the mansion tour. This resulted in an hour-long wait in line later.

Darla is teasing here, since we’d already stood in line for 45 minutes prior to reaching this sign.

The kids’ favorite part of the grounds was the “ha-ha” wall. Another of Washington’s inventions, the ha-ha wall separated the cattle from the mansion lawn. It was named for the way people would laugh at unsuspecting wanderers that fell over it.

Washington DC series:
View from Washington Monument
Mount Vernon