Every year on Harbor Island there is a reenactment of what it was like in the 1800's it is alot of fun to wander through the tent city to see how it was back then. People come from miles around to take part in this. I talked to one man who traveled from Indiana to display how to make perfumes from oils of different plants.We watched a war unfold before our eyes as the British and the Indians engaged in a mock war. The guns fired and made all kinds of noise but a remarkable thing no one got killed. It think this was a high point for kids who were watching the scrimmage.
People were dressed in period clothing and acting their parts just as if they were back in time.
This lady was cooking several different things at the same time over wood fire. She was melting sugar for a burnt sugar cake in one pan, in the hanging pot she had rhubarb simmering to make a pie, and down in the far left hand corner she had a venison roast in wine and onions simmering for their dinner that evening. Yikes, so much work and so many pots to watch!!! They were also preparing potatoes to make scalloped potatoes in another pot soon to be added to the hot fires. Very authentic cooking.
This kind of cooking just fascinates me and I could spend hours just watching how these women do all this work making meals. They would just finish up with one meal and have to be preparing for the next because cooking on wood fires take hours and constant watching so as not to burn or be under cooked. They make breads, rolls, cakes, pies, stews, entire meals in various cast iron pots.
This event seems to get bigger each year with people demonstrating different things, like Jewelry making, blacksmiths, wood carving, fur trading, candle making, how to build a canoe, so many others to numerous to mention.
Hatchet throwing was also something anyone could try their hand at even the kids, under close supervision of course.
I think I would like to volunteer to be part of this next year but I really don't know if I could wear all those layers of clothes, or make anything without my microwave. No electric anywhere to be found at this camp, not to mention I didn't see one bathroom or shower. I think bathing in the river this time of year would be a tid bit nippy, and no make up??.... well so much for the volunteering.
