Gettysburg

The growing season has come to a standstill in Texas and the break has allowed my father to come to visit. The great thing about the area we live in is that we are a short drive from so many great sights. We decided on this visit that we would take my dad to Gettysburg and through the *Amish country, two places he has wanted to see. Matt stayed behind for work, but Chloe, the two dogs and I went with my dad last Tuesday to tour the battlefield.

On Little Round Top with PaPaw.

Chloe did surprisingly well touring the sights. I guess she really didn't have a choice considering her mom is a former U.S. History teacher. Besides, when it got boring to her she stuck with it knowing that she could go swimming when it was all over. For a five year old, she had a pretty good understanding. She asked lots of questions and freely shared what she knew---that the South lost-- and she wanted to know where the east and west were at during this conflict.

She liked seeing all the monuments (over 1300 on the battlefield) and told me while visiting the site of the Pickett-Pettigrew charge that Gen. Armisted "tripped" over a monument and fell and died there during the attack. I guess the monuments can get distracting, especially when you're 5 and don't know they were not there during the battle.

This was my third visit to Gettysburg and my dad's first. We toured the park over three days and followed along on each of the days events. I really enjoyed it and would love to return with Matt next summer to tour it again, this time on bicycles.

Now, we are taking my dad to Boston for our 2nd leg of our American History tour.