We are back in Ohio, so I am going to use the blog posts this week to finish out our time of working at Fort Frederica.  Today is kind of a hodge-podge, with each paragraph something different that we have seen or done around Fort Frederica.

We worked a lot with various school groups this year, as in years past.  We had a middle school group that came and did service projects for the day.  The kids cleaned out the garden and cleared some brush piles for us.  They really worked hard.  We also had several batches of kindergartners.  Focus is a problem for this age kids, so I kept my games short and easy to understand.  Tom did a fort building exercise with them that turned into fort knocking down.  They enjoyed that very much.

We had the usual fun junior rangers.  The Junior Ranger program at Fort Frederica is excellent if you are a good reader.  Saturday, April 20, was National Junior Ranger Day and we had a slew of junior rangers that day.  They could be seen all over the park with their soldier hats and haversacks.  But we don’t confine junior rangers to a particular age.  We have adults who participate in the program – with or without kids.

One night we stayed open late because the island Cub and Boy Scouts wanted to have their crossing over at Fort Frederica.  They had a very short ceremony with a picnic supper afterward.  Even though Ranger Ellen had to stay late, we enjoyed seeing the scouts in the park.

Lizards and monarch butterfly caterpillars are frequently seen at Fort Frederica in the spring.  The lizards come in a variety of colors.  The monarch caterpillars stripped the leaves off the milkweed in February.  In March they became beautiful butterflies.  Then, this month, the caterpillars were back to eat the second growth of milkweed leaves.

And finally, a few people seen at Fort Frederica.  I always enjoy the kids who decide to make potholders at my weaving station.  I love the children with their energy and enthusiasm.  Two of our favorite visitors are the daughters of our boss.  I snapped a picture of them the evening Ranger Michael had to come into get set up for a meeting.  Tom kept them occupied at the kids’ tables while Michael worked.

During our three years here, we have seen so many things.  But there are always new things to see and new people to meet working at Fort Frederica.