The story of the little museum, big watermelon, and how to not get wet in a splash pad.

We drove through Sparta on our way home at for the first time ever I saw that the little mud house was open. Also known as Ye Olde Forge and Anvil, this little blacksmith's shop was built in 1827 of clay and straw by a Mr. Keller from England. The walls are very thick. During the Mackenzie Rebellion of 1837, militia horses were stabled here. In 1944 E.A. Smith gave the building to the Sparta Sorosis Women's Institute, who used it as a meeting place for many years. They turned it over to the Sparta Historical Society in 1995. It is currently being used as a museum; a very interesting little museum.

We managed to pick up a new letterbox planted by Jiggs, took a few photos of the First Avenue bridge being demolished (to be shared in a separate post) . . . and then headed to Waterworks Park for a picnic supper.

What boy doesn't love a huge piece of watermelon. I kind of miss the real watermelons with black seeds that we used to spit at each other. Those were the good old days . . . LOL . . .

After dessert, the two younger boys wanted to play in the splash pad. The oldest g'son stayed with his grandpa I the rest of us headed off to play.

Grandpa warned the boys that if they got wet they would have to walk home. We didn't have extra clothes or towels and he wasn't letting any wet kids into his van. Well the gauntlet was thrown, and the boys used every bit of their clever brains to figure out ways to play in the splash pad without getting their backsides wet. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much. I have very clever grandsons.

After a while, even the oldest couldn't resist and joined in the fun.

Guess what? They were wet everywhere but their backsides so Grandpa had to let them in the van and drive them home . . . LOL.

I love it when I can have a great day with Hal and the boys like this one.

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