Dancing with the Moon.....
by Cathy Grafton on 10/02/11Last night I sat with friends around a blazing fire at the Lincoln Log Cabin site near Lerna, IL. We were there for the weekend to demonstrate our crafts at the Harvest Festival. At nght the starry sky and crescent moon filled the sky. It was going to be a chilly night, and before heading off to my tent, blankets and buffalo robe, I was soaking up as much heat from the fire as possible. The coals were glowing, we searched out the big dipper for the children who were sitting with us and listening to the farm animals moving about as they settled down for the night.
As I looked up at the moon above, it seemed to be dancing. This was because I was seeing it though the shimmering heat from the fire. We talked about how the moon was dancing and that thought stayed with me as I walked across the grounds to my sleeping place with the moon still dancing in my thoughts.
The Lincoln Log Cabin and Sargent Farm historic site is so worth a visit. It truly feels like a step back in time. Mr. Thomas Lincoln lived out the end of his days here on this land, and it carries the imprint of the mid 1800's and rural farm life at every turn. The pace of this little festival is slow and relaxed and mostly about being outside on a lovely fall day. Craftsmen line the walkways to both the farm and the cabin-- showing a variety of skills to visitors. The volunteers and site staff demonstrate their dutch oven cooking and ask visitors about their views on slavery - a hot issue in 1845. They feed us well with biscuits and sausage gravy to start the day followed by burgoo for lunch and molasses cake and dutch oven apple pie.
The strong sense of place on the farm and at the cabin permeate the day. Most of the visitors gather for the ladies skillet toss, the three legged race and the two man saw contest while Hezekiah, the calf, looks on. But my favorite time is later in the evening, when the visitors leave and those of us spending the night, sit before the fire - to watch the moon dance.
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