Ponies!

While in the Maryland/Virginia area, a 'must-see' for our family were the ponies of Assateague/Chincoteague. The Assateague Island is in both states and the ponies are handled differently according to which side of the state line they reside. Virginia ponies are the ones that are guided across the bay from the island to Chincoteague once a year for a 'round up'. The volunteer fire department manages the ponies by agreement with the National Park Service. Some of the foals are auctioned off and the ponies are returned to the island.

In Maryland, the ponies are treated as wildlife, with one exception. The NPS has determined a need to manage the pony population. They shoot the mares with an injection 'dart' once a year with a vaccine that prevents pregnancy. That's right....pony birth control! Each mare is allowed to have one foal after they have reached prime age (around 6-7 years old). Then, the injections continue.

We watched a brief film about the ponies in the visitor center, then drove the park on our own to find the ponies. We didn't have to wait long before seeing a few here and there along the roadways.

We took a couple of strolls through the marsh areas in hopes of seeing some in more natural settings, but we only saw one lone pony well off in the distance.

The beaches are beautiful in this area, so we took advantage of the warm day to take in some rays...well, some of us did - these two decided to imitate Arabs in the desert with their beach towels...

That didn't last long - nor did their trip into the icy water!

The guys had fun playing in the sand for awhile - trying to build a fort wall that would withstand the surf. We enjoyed just sitting on the beach for awhile, listening to the breaking waves and feeling the breeze in our face.

A cold front was due to blow in and we could feel the wind change direction and temperature. We hightailed it to the truck and caught a few photos of ponies on our way out of the park.

This scene reminded us of spotting buffalo at Yellowstone Park. The ponies may be wild, but they certainly have adapted to human contact being in close proximity. Park officials warn of their unpredictable nature, so it's best to keep your distance!

In nearby Ocean City, we had a lunch of Maryland crab cakes. Most restaurants were closed for another week or so, but we finally spotted a local diner that advertised the local specialty - delicious! We then drove up to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware before making a circle through the farming areas back to the RV park.

Here's a sampling of the Atlantic views along the way.

As for the farmland, we were so entranced, we forgot to take pictures! With the trees beginning to get their leaves, the view had a slight variation and we could only imagine the autumn changing of color.

Birth of the Star Spangled Banner

We took a day trip from Washington D.C. to Baltimore MD to take in Fort McHenry. This fort was constructed after the Revolutionary war and was the main defense of the busy and strategic port of Baltimore. In our rematch with the British in 1812, we were getting roughed up pretty bad. The British attached and sacked our capital and burned many buildings including the president's residence. Afterwards, the British marched the troops toward Baltimore and sailed their fleet up the coast to the port.

The commander of the fort had commissioned a huge flag to be made to fly over the fort, "that was big enough for the British to see from a long way off". Prior to this visit, we had some exposure to the war of 1812 as we toured Andrew Jackson's home in Nashville TN. We also learned a bit as we saw James Madison's home in Virginia. As we filed into the National Achieves in DC to look at the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights we learned that the first lady, Dolly Madison, saved these documents just before the British stormed in to burn the capitol.

The centerpiece of the Smithsonian American History Museum, that we just visited, was the very flag that flew over this fort during the British attack and inspired Frances Scott Key to write the poem that became our national anthem. The visitor center did a very good job of describing the battle of Baltimore. (They even had a model of the rockets with the red glare in the display above)

They also did a good job through displays and a movie of telling the story of the poem and how the country embraced it as our national anthem. It struck me how little of this whole story I knew before this trip. I thank God for blessing us on this journey and allowing me the opportunity to give this great gift to my boys.

Linda was feeling a little under the weather, (...and I think she was a little tired of the tools of war), so she stayed at the visitor center while the boys and I trekked out to explore the fort. You see them here checking out the bomb shelter. It was a good one too. There were only 4 dead from the bombardment.

The fort was well designed and used. We see a well placed and protected magazine that effectively serves guns on the star points of the fort.

The boys pose at the entry gate with the massive doors of the fort.

Will looks at the guard house and says, "this is serious time out".

The door was open, so we decided to see if we could get two boys to a cell.

Boys look pretty small at the base of the pole flying the big flag.

A good view of enlisted barracks life around 1812. Nothing fancy.

Will would not have to grow much to fit an artillery man uniform.

Cory liked the officer uniform, especially if it comes with the cool pistol.

They did a good job of telling the story of the battle through the displays.

This shows one of several punch bowls that the towns people made out of the mortar shells that the British fired at the fort. Who says learning history can't be fun.