Fun!
Georgia has its very own monadnock, right in…appropriately enough…. Stone Mountain! (I think I see a connection!) Stone Mountain is the largest exposed granite rock in the world (but not the tallest). Stone Mountain is 1,683 feet tall and its circumference measures more than five miles at its base.
You might be wondering why I am telling you all of this. My many travels this spring took me to Stone Mountain. While I didn’t actually ride all the way up to the top (wheeze… wheeze… I kinda get outta breath just thinking of that…) I did get to go to a festival very near the mountain at the campus of the archaeology & history company called, New South Associates. They had a wonderful line-up of events for their Archaeology Day, which coincided through no mere coincidence, with Archaeology Month sponsored every May by The Society for Georgia Archaeology.
Archaeologist Scot Keith (he’s the one pointing with authority!) supervises an excavation.
Visitors got to excavate with archaeologists, make Native American pottery, experience atlatals (spear throwers that Native Americans used), eat hot dogs and goodies, and take home archaeology bracelets and temporary tattoos. Boy Scouts even got a chance to work on their Archaeology Merit Badge!
Boy Scouts from Troop 27, Johns Creek, (left to right) Jackson Mills, Andrew Coco, Calvin McCurdy, and Davis Forney complete the requirements for their Archaeology Merit Badge. Patrick Severts from New South Associates demonstrates pottery techniques.
Well, even though they had a fantastic line-up of activities, obviously they needed a big gun with some celebrity sway to really get the public’s eye. Yep, enter me, Abby the ArchaeoBus.
Here I am (not really my best side showing) with my friend Pam Enlow, who was helping visitors with my ceramic puzzle and ethnobotanical boards.
Visitors peer into “Pepper’s Ghost.”
Diary, Archaeology Day was popular, with 150 people coming to play and learn! The kids and the adults had a great time participating in all the activities. They tried out all my table-top interactive activities under the tent and then came inside for more hands-on fun.
My new friends Pam Enlow and Lain Graham pose for this photo with me, while my old friend Al Vegotsky busily works the crowds.
One of the neatest things, though, was meeting a fellow mascot! See my picture of Captain Jack? (New South sent me all these lovely pictures for my scrapbook.) That is Captain Jack H. N. Stapler, official New South Associates’ Office Mascot! He and I became fast friends since we have so much in common. We are both mascots for our organizations. People always come up and want to visit with us. And we are both cuddly. Well, OK, I’ve never actually been called soft and cuddly, but I’ll bet Captain Jack has!
Captain Jack keeps me company on his perch on top my tallest bus cabinet.
What an exciting day I had in Stone Mountain with all my new friends at New South, including Mary Beth Reed, Julie Coco, Al Vegotsky, Joe Joseph, Scot Keith, Pam Enlow, Lain Graham, and my special IT buddy who helped hook me up, and all the other staff there! Thank you all! I sure hope I can come back and visit Stone Mountain again. Goodbye! Goodbyen Captain Jack!
Goodbye, Captain Jack.