Friday Field Trip To The Falls!

Hello future readers,

We all woke up early this morning and broke camp. (that's what people say when you take down the tents, and clean up the camp site). We went to the restrooms again to get dressed, brush our teeth and comb our hair. Then we went to the Mess hall and had granola and fruit for breakfast. Right after breakfast, we went back outside for the Flag ceremony. Just as we were finishing the Star Spangled Banner, I saw a big, yellow school bus coming down the road toward the day camp. Yay! It was almost time for the field trip! Laura told us all to line up outside the main building.

She took roll call to make sure everyone was there to get on the bus.

"Vivienne?"  "Here!"
"Betta?"   "Here!"
"Kevin?"  "Pre-SENT!"
"Evelyn?"  "Here!"
"Lydia?"   "Here!"
"Julie?"     "Here!"
"C.J.?"   Silence.
"C.J.?"  More silence.

"Clay Julian Fleagle! You better answer up right now, or I'm calling your mother and sending you home!", Laura shouted.
"He's just pretending he's invisible, Laura", I told her. Then I elbowed C.J. "Hey C.J., knock it off!"
He pulled his hat off of his face. "Here", he mumbled.
"And Marcie?"   "Here!"

Laura told us how we should be safe on the bus and stay in our seats, and said once we got to the Falls, we all had to use the Buddy system and not wander off.

Well, we all got on the bus for the 20 minute ride to the Falls. We sang the camp song, and I started with "Hey Bus Driver", and everyone else joined in. Laura just sat in the front seat, shaking her head. Guess what? The bus driver, Mr. Crenshaw doesn't like that song any better than our bus driver in Springfield, Mr. Sanders. Laura could see he was getting kinda mad, so she called back, "All right, that's enough of that, you guys." A few minutes later the bus pulled up to the entrance to the state park where the  Falls are. This park is a historical landmark because the Battle Of Falling Waters was fought here. We could see the Confederate flag waving above us.

Near the entrance were 2 plaques about the  Battle of Falling Waters.

We saw Stonewall Jackson's tablet.

We really wanted to see the Falls, so we decided to hike on the trail.

I was ahead of the others, and I heard Laura calling to me to wait for everyone else.

Then we got to the sign for the bridge and the Falls! Far out! I was so excited. I had never actually seen a real waterfall before. We walked a little further and there it was! It was so beautiful! I'm glad I had my camera with me!

Wow! So that what our day camp is named after! It was funny, but with me standing there wearing my camp shirt of the falls, it almost made me feel like I was a part of it. It was time for lunch, so we hiked a little further until we came to some big rocks which was the perfect spot to sit and eat. After we cleaned up,  we asked some other hikers we met if they would take our picture.

It was time to get back on the bus, because Laura said we were gonna stop at Hammond House, from the ghost story we heard last night. Wow, a ghost story come to life! That's pretty groovy! Hammond House is across the street from Falling Waters Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Fleagle (Kevin, Betta and C.J.'s mom) works there and all my WV friends go to church there too.

This is part of the graveyard that is all around the church. Hammond House was actually used as a hospital for the soldiers in the Civil War. The "Bloody Soldier" from the ghost story last night died there, and people say his ghost doesn't know he's dead so he haunts Hammond House and the nearby highway where cars pass today. He'll stop cars, just like in the story, trying to find someone who will help him.

It was time to head back to the day camp. Mrs. Walton and the other parents would be waiting to pick everyone up. This was the last day of Camp Falling Waters. I gave Laura a hug and thanked her for such a dynamite week! She told me it a nice that I could fly out here to go to camp with my friends, and she hoped to see me next year.

Back at Vivienne's house, Mr. Walton was working late, so Mrs. Walton said we could have our dinner on the sun porch! All right!  We had been telling her about the camp-out and the ghost story, our trip the the Falls and Hammond House.

 She told us about her great aunt, Nellie Lucille, who lived during the time of the Civil War. Then she told us she had some old dresses of Nellie Lucille's in a trunk and asked us if we'd like to see them! That sounded like fun so we went up to the attic.

It was dark and dusty up there. Mrs. Walton found an old trunk and opened it. Inside were these long beautiful old-fashioned dresses and frilly hats with big feathers on them..

Wow, they look just like the dresses I've seen in those old-time movies on television. We asked if we could please try them on, and Mrs. Walton said yes! Far out!

Don't we look pretty? It's like we stepped into a time machine or something. Mrs. Walton told us that her Great Aunt Nellie Lucille really loved hats, and her favorite one was the one Vivienne was wearing. We pranced around the attic like we were in a fashion show. Then Mrs. Walton got the most super idea! Since it was still light out, we could drive over to Hammond House, and take a picture in front of it. Outta site! Oh..uh.. I mean...that's a simply mah-velous idea, dahling! Hee!

I wonder what the neighbors thought as they watched us getting into Mrs. Walton's car in those dresses! Maybe they thought we were going to a costume party! *giggle*

When we got to Hammond House. Vivienne and I stood on the stairs posing, trying to look as grown-up as we could. I bet my mom will love this picture!

Well day camp is over, so tomorrow Vivienne and I are just gonna relax and take it easy for my last day in West Virginia. I hope they have good Saturday morning cartoons here. I'm looking forward to sleeping in and playing all day! Tune in tomorrow!

Until then future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman