Alphabet Adventures: Q is for Quarry and R is for Rocks

So despite the fact it's been a busy fall, we were still able to fit in another Alphabet Adventure almost a month ago. Unfortunately that same evening I forgot the camera at a family members' home, and needed to wait a while to get it, so it's taken a while to post it.

The Adventure

We had originally planned to travel north and group Q and R together with a trip to the Rock of Ages in Barre, VT. Our thinking was we would see a currently operating quarry and explore how they use the rocks pulled from the quarry. But then we were given a great tip to try out a trail along the sides of the old quarry in the Barre Town Forest. The trail can be accessed by stopping at the Millstone Hill Touring and Recreation Center and was free for hikers. The trail allowed us to see the old quarries, the piles of unused rocks, edges of stones which had been cut or blasted, and even some old equipment. There were some historical markers, which provided information about the significance of the trail and the site (this was a little more relevant to the grown-ups than the kids.)

Although a chilly November day, we enjoyed the hike and loved the view at the top. We were even surprised with some more recent carvings along one discarded wall. 

We came back down as the sun started and all of us felt like it had been a successful adventure.  

The Projects: Q is for Quarter and R is for Red

We followed up the adventure a week later with two alphabet projects. For the first project we used real quarters and taped them to cardboard. Big Brother than used crayons to create rubbings of the taped quarters. 

For the second project we created a "red" collage. I set out a collection of different materials which were all red. Big Brother used the materials, scissors, and glue to create a collage. 

So although we continue to take longer than expected, we're still moving onward. Next up, letter S!

Another Q adventure idea could be going to a quilt show.

Other R adventure ideas include a rodeo, a race track, and a rose garden. 

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