Barges

One of the things I like about being in a new place is how it has inspired our interest in the local scene. Lately it's been an obsession with river traffic, primarily Barges. Every time we drive through town, we drop down to the low road to see if we can spot any on the Big River. We read about them, we pretend about them, we sing about them. DaddyHealy even took D to the lock & dam museum last weekend.

This obsession of barges brought back memories of a Girl Scout Camp song that I would spontaneously break into now & then. They picked up on it fast, and though I only knew one verse, D was quick to remind that we could just "google it" and so google it we did. We found the lyrics and even a YouTube production of Barges, which we have watched over and over and over. The lyrics we found are even better than mine because they sing about pirates, so we've adopted this version as our official Barges Song:

"Out of my window looking through the night
I can see the barges’ flickering light
Silently flows the river to the sea
And the barges they go silently...

Barges I would like to go with you
I would like to sail the ocean blue
Barges have you treasure in your hold
Do you fight with pirates brave and bold

Out of my window looking through the night
I can see the barges’ flickering light
Starboard shines green and port is glowing red
You can see them flickering far ahead... Chorus

One of these days and it will not be long
You will look for me and I’ll be gone
Face to the wind far out upon the sea
Where the whales and dolphins sing to me... Chorus

Some library books I found on the subject of the summer....
Some child-led activities I encountered....moving equipment across our kitchen floor on barges
and snack time tugs pushing barges