Pooh Sticks

Another activity at Grandma and Grandpa's house is walking the ditch.
In the past the walk began with feeding the donkeys.  The people who owned the house by the ditch kept two little donkeys.  Grandma Ann loved to bring kids up to feed the donkeys (it even features on our family reunion t-shirts:).  But the donkeys didn't show up when we shook the gate, and some neighbors walking by told us that the family had moved, so we all grieved the loss of the donkeys.  The other activity begins when you reach the end of the path along the ditch.  This is when you throw in your stick that you picked and follow it back along the ditch to see which one reaches the culvert first.  I know you are thinking what a thrilling activity, but kids love it (I must confess that I do too), and it is a perk of the simple country life.  It is, however, a little tricky to play during the winter when the ditch water is low.  Anna won the race because she was the last competitor left (this is due to her replacing her stuck stick with a new one all along the course).

Walking the ditch and picking out our sticks

The Launch

  Following the Progress.

My stick shortly before getting hung up on the cat tails.

  Last One Standing.