Howdy, partners!

How would you like to travel back in time and experience the history, wildlife, and artifacts of Central Oregon, all without the aid of an expensive DeLorean? Well, that is exactly what I did today when our local museum provided the public with a day of free entry! I went with 3 friends and 2 babies, and although the weather outside was gloomy I had a nice time. I've actually been to this museum several times since I was a kid, and it was interesting to see how the place has changed since my previous visit.

Many exciting things happened including:

• Meeting a goat named Donut
• Waiting in line to see a teenaged otter who's apparently very moody and did nothing but sleep
  
• Looking at the world through the eyes of a bug
• Catching an earful of a fun band
• Petting a wolf pelt
• Meandering through a saw mill
• Wandering through a spooky mine shaft
  

One of my favorite aspects of this museum is that there are recreations of how people lived back in the late 1800s. It's so much fun to glimpse into the stores, offices, and homes and see what a difference (or not) 100 years have made on our lives.

At one point I wandered into a model town square with saloon, bank, and stores to find this:

Sheriff (actor): (to a little girl) We've got to watch out for trouble around these here parts. One time a man came to down, robbed the bank, and I had to shoot him dead. He bled to death right where you're standing. (My friend and I cracked up so hard when we heard him saying this to a little girl! Maybe that's not the right response, but we thought it was darn funny.)

Outside there was also a homestead with a family working and tending to their ranch. Here are a few conversational gems of our time there:

Uncle Hycum (actor): Don't go throwing rocks at any of my chickens. That what I've got my pistol for. Each chicken cost 4 dollars!
Random kid: (excited) 4 dollars! Mom, can I have one?

Grandma (actress): That pastor never comes down from (a local town) anymore.
Uncle Hycum (actor): He's 40 miles away, Grandma! It takes him a long time to get here.
Grandma (actress): He'll come when I'm dead. And you'll all be having a party.

Oh, 1880s Grandma, you are a sassy one, aren't you?