Batteries Not Required

That day, we fled our home to escape the technology.

It was vacation and from the moment their eyes opened in the morning, the boys began playing Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii.  The girls slept in, having watched a movie late into the night.  I had stayed up too, watching one of the hundreds of channels available. I poured myself a strong cup of coffee and listened to the unnatural electronic background.  

Empowered by caffeine, I made an executive decision to head toward the town of Woodstock, VT to visit Mt. Tom and Billings Farm with the six children and my friend, Anai.  With a backpack filled with trail mix, water bottles, gummy bears, sunscreen and bug spray, we took off for the two-mile hike.  

The kids weren’t enthused.

The three teenage girls strode ahead (probably to get away from me) and left the three younger boys, Anai and I behind.  The boys stopped at every mushroom, uniquely shaped rock, interesting moss and creeping caterpillar.  They chose walking sticks and peeled the bark off as we slowly made our way up.  We threw a gummy bear into a pond and watched it grow to enormous size.  We all agreed the view from the top was spectacular.

Afterwards we trekked to Billings Farm – a pristine dairy farm set amongst picturesque rolling hills.  Looking around, you can picture a time before iPhones or SUVs.  On this farm, you stroll – not walk, around the barns in search of newborn calves, sheep grazing in the meadow, and the stocky horses swatting flies in their stalls.  Later, we sat in the stone courtyard, savoring ice cream cones, drinking in the sun, and gazing at the cornfields waving in the breeze.  

Cornhusk dolls were being made in another barn and we adults encouraged the six to join in the craft-making. They lined up at the table and followed the directions. First the head and then the skirt or pants were created with some bunching and tying with string and soon the dolls came to life. Quickly, the children’s banter turned to best ways to form cornhusk hats, shawls, feet, hands and bows.

Unexpected fun – the best kind -- was right there.  A little mountain to hike, cornhusks, glue, string, scissors (plus some prodding) was all it took - no electricity, batteries or sound effects required.