You're Human: A Living History Conversation I'll Never Forget

We had several hundred students tour the farm yesterday. While answering their questions, one boy said, "How did those pioneers do their dishes?"

I pointed out, "Those pioneers were our ancestors. We ALL had ancestors that lived without electricity and running water."

The boy shook his head and said, "not me. MY ancestors were animals."

I thought he was joking. He repeated himself, "my ancestors weren't people, they were animals."

Another boy piped up, "They evolved!"...

A look must have crossed over my face, as the teacher wrapped her arms around him protectively and explained to the boy, "not everyone shares the same beliefs..."

I looked into the boy's eyes, wondering what I saw... Sadness? Emptiness? I couldn't figure it out.

Restoring the boy's dignity, I replied, "your ancestors were HUMAN."

Ignoring the look of the teacher, I said more firmly to the boy, "Your ancestors were human!"

One of the things I enjoyed most about volunteering at Pioneer Farms was answering children's questions. Every school tour was different, and you never knew what a student might ask next.

On this particular day, one young boy wanted to know how pioneer families washed their dishes before electricity and running water. It opened the door to a wonderful discussion about everyday life on the Texas frontier and just how much hard work our ancestors invested in the simplest household chores.

As the conversation continued, the discussion unexpectedly shifted toward where people came from and the beliefs different families hold. It reminded me that museums and living history sites often bring together visitors from many different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

For me, the most important lesson that day wasn't about winning an argument. It was realizing how important it is for young people to understand that history is personal. Every one of us has parents, grandparents, and generations of ancestors whose lives helped shape the families we belong to today. Learning about their daily lives—how they cooked, farmed, worked, and cared for one another—helps us better appreciate the comforts we often take for granted. 

This is also one of the reasons why I think travel is so important - to study other cultures and to appreciate other people's world views, whether we agree or not. 

Volunteering at Pioneer Farms gave me countless opportunities to encourage curiosity about history. If one child left with a greater appreciation for the resourcefulness and determination of those who came before us, then it was a day well spent.

Wild Watermelon Growing Along the Creek in Texas

While doing our morning walks, we've noticed this little watermelon patch growing wild along the creek nearby.

Every time we pass it, I'm tempted to dig one up and bring it home to replant. The last time the City came through to mow the area, I honestly held my breath, expecting the vines to be gone. Surprisingly, this is what survived.

I would have tried transplanting one sooner, but I wasn’t sure whether a watermelon vine already producing fruit could survive being moved.

Discovering the Story Behind the Wild Watermelon

Since first noticing this patch growing along the creek, I’ve done some digging and learned that what we likely stumbled across is what many people call a feral or volunteer watermelon.

These are watermelon plants that begin growing naturally from discarded seeds, flooding along waterways, wildlife activity, or even forgotten gardens from years past. In Texas and throughout parts of the South, it’s not unusual for old garden plants to occasionally reappear in unexpected places.

Some older generations referred to certain wild melons as citron melons or stock melons. These thick-rinded melons were sometimes grown for livestock feed because they handled heat well and stored longer than softer table melons. Farmers often fed them to pigs, chickens, and other animals during the hottest parts of summer when fresh moisture was important.

While some volunteer melons may come from edible garden varieties, others can have very firm or bitter flesh. That’s one reason many old homesteads used them more for preserves, animal feed, or simply allowed them to grow naturally along fence rows and creek banks.

A Reminder of How Resilient Nature Can Be

What fascinated me most wasn’t necessarily whether the fruit would taste good. It was the fact that these vines managed to survive on their own, growing wild beside a quiet creek with no one tending them.

Nature has a way of continuing on long after people move away, gardens disappear, or old homesteads fade into memory.

Historically, melons and squash have been grown in North America for centuries. Native American tribes throughout the South and Southwest cultivated varieties suited to harsh heat and dry conditions, often saving seeds from the strongest plants year after year. Over time, seeds naturally spread beyond cultivated gardens and continued growing wild near waterways and open land.

Whether these vines came from wildlife, an old garden, floodwaters, or simply a discarded watermelon seed, it’s still amazing to see something so familiar thriving completely on its own.

Wild Edibles 

Can You Eat Wild Watermelons?

That was naturally my next question.

Some volunteer or wild-growing melons are perfectly edible, especially if they originally came from common garden varieties. Others, however, may be bland, extremely firm, or bitter tasting. Bitter flavor is usually a good sign not to eat them.

Because wild melons can cross-pollinate with ornamental gourds or other melon varieties, it’s always best to use caution before eating unfamiliar fruit growing in the wild.

Even if this particular patch turns out not to produce sweet melons, it’s still been fascinating to watch nature quietly reclaim a small stretch of creekside ground.

Honestly, it makes me pay closer attention during our walks now. You never know what old seeds, forgotten plants, or hidden pieces of rural history might still be growing out there.

Wild Edibles & Natural Remedies 

Dreams DO Come True: How I Planned My First Budget Trip to Egypt and Israel

It was an odd dream. I was sleeping at a strange hotel in a foreign country. Rows of bunks lined the wall.

I woke up and mentioned the dream to Alan. He said hotels existed like that. They were called HOSTELS. How strange. The first time I ever heard of one was in my dream.

As I research the itinerary on my upcoming trip -- the more I learn about hostels, the better I like the idea. A hostel can run between $6 to $20 a night.

I was very amazed at how many hostels are located throughout the Middle East. Checking locally, there's even a nice hostel in Austin. I learn something every day.

To keep up with my travel plans, I've started a new section on my blog called, TRAVEL DIARY.

This is where I'll keep updates.

Right now, I'm currently trying to decide whether I want to fly open-jaw or round trip.

An open-jaw ticket is where you fly into one city and leave by another. My family had done this once when we had flown to Los Angeles and returned home from Las Vegas. Renting a car, we drove from California to Nevada.

My plans are to fly into Cairo, and leave by Tel Aviv. This way we won't waste any time backtracking. But the catch is price. We're talking about $300-$400 difference in airline tickets. Doing the math, I'm trying to determine if I break even on that return bus ride, and possible overnight.

My other concern is returning back to Egypt. From what I've learned, flying into Cairo I can acquire our visa's from the airport. Trying to get an Egyptian visa from the Israeli border is another matter. So many details I need to look into.

Half the fun is planning though!

Planning an international trip can be almost as exciting as taking the trip itself. Looking back, I smile at how much there was to learn before we ever boarded the airplane.

One of my biggest surprises was discovering hostels. Until then, I had always assumed hotels were the only affordable option for travelers. When Alan explained what a hostel was, I couldn't believe how inexpensive they could be. The more I researched them, the more I realized that budget travel opened the door to destinations I had only dreamed about visiting.

What Is an Open-Jaw Flight?

As I planned our itinerary, I also learned about something called an open-jaw ticket. Instead of flying into and out of the same city, an open-jaw itinerary allows you to arrive in one destination and depart from another.

For our trip, I considered flying into Cairo and returning home from Tel Aviv. That would allow us to keep moving forward instead of retracing our steps. Although the ticket cost more, I had to weigh that against the time, transportation costs, and extra hotel nights that returning to Cairo might require.

One thing I've learned over the years is that the cheapest airline ticket isn't always the least expensive trip.

Travel Planning Is Part of the Adventure

Researching visas, border crossings, transportation, hostels, and airline routes taught me that every successful journey begins long before you pack your suitcase. Each evening I found myself reading travel guides, comparing maps, and imagining what it would be like to finally stand beside the pyramids or walk the ancient streets of Jerusalem.

Looking back today, I realize those evenings spent planning became part of the adventure itself. Half the excitement wasn't simply reaching the destination—it was watching a lifelong dream slowly come together one decision at a time.

Boots and Backpacks

My daughter and I have been reading the book, Material World, for her geography lessons. Each chapter focuses on several countries representing each continent. We've learned how much the family earns a year, where they live, and what they consider important.

It was very eye-opening to see how many families got by on very little, yet they were very happy.

It was in the midst of our geography lessons that the thought crossed my mind for the first time -- Why don't Pamela and I travel overseas to see for ourselves?

Although we had discussed travel overseas many times, we were always daunted at the high costs of packaged tours. The possibilities seemed promising to do our own research, study up on geography, languages, and history. My husband, who does a lot of travel for his job, gave his blessings, and A few weeks later, our passports arrived!

Our backpacks are purchased, but not packed yet, as we're leaving March. I've been researching for hours our itinerary. We'll be flying into Cairo, and staying a few days before catching either a bus to Eilat Israel, or finding a ride into Jordan to see the lost city of Petra. After we cross the Allenby Bridge into Israel we'll be headed for Jerusalem.

So many things to research and learn before we go, making this the ultimate lesson in geography, math, history, social studies, and languages. We need to brush up on our Hebrew, learn Arabic, locate our embassies, make copies of our passports, extra visa photo's, learn our currencies and exchange... As anxious as I am to go now, I see the wisdom in waiting a few more months. We have so much to do.

So many decisions... Should I bring my laptop? Will everything get through airport security? After all, we're boarding the plane with just our boots and backpacks.

I've had many people express an interest in going with us! We plan to stay in hostels, eat street food, and ride the bus. It's not a vacation, but a trip. I haven't made up my mind how long we'll be gone. Two weeks, three, a month? Tickets won't be purchased till after Christmas, giving me time to plan our route. If I can find cheaper fare, I'd like to fly into Cairo and leave by Tel Aviv...

More later...

Hello Dolly: Miniature Stuffed Doll Necklaces from Fabric Scraps

Here's my newest creation - Miniature stuffed doll necklaces. Upon a search on the web, I do believe I'm the only one doing this. These are 100% hand sewn, and only 6" long.

My daughter and I are both sewing these for the Pioneer General Store at the living history museum where we volunteer.

We're having a lot of fun designing these!

One of my favorite parts of sewing has always been finding creative ways to use even the smallest scraps of fabric. Instead of throwing away leftover pieces after a project, I keep a basket filled with tiny bits of cotton, lace, ribbon, yarn, and trim. It's amazing what those little odds and ends can become.

These miniature stuffed doll necklaces are one of my favorite scrap-busting projects. Each doll is completely hand sewn, measures only about six inches long, and has its own personality. No two ever turn out exactly alike, which is part of the fun.

Sewing with Fabric Scraps

One thing I've learned over the years is that almost nothing needs to go to waste. Small pieces of cotton become tiny dresses, leftover lace makes perfect aprons or bonnets, short lengths of yarn become hair, and narrow ribbons turn into tiny bows.

Even worn-out cotton fabric can have one last purpose. Instead of buying fiberfill for very small projects, old clean fabric can be cut into tiny pieces and used as stuffing. It's a wonderful way to recycle materials that might otherwise end up in the trash.

Handmade Gifts with Character

Because each doll is sewn by hand, every one develops its own unique look. Changing the fabric, hair, or dress colors creates an entirely different personality. My daughter and I had so much fun designing these for the Pioneer General Store at the living history museum where we volunteered. They were small enough to tuck into a pocket, wear as a necklace, or simply display as a charming little keepsake.

One of these days I plan to create a step-by-step tutorial so others can make their own miniature stuffed dolls. Until then, I hope these little creations inspire you to look at your scrap basket a little differently. Sometimes the tiniest pieces of fabric become the most memorable projects. After all, sewing isn't just about making something beautiful—it's about using a little imagination to give every scrap a second life.