Beautiful Spiders: An Evening with OVO

Sunday evening, K received a surprise email from the Science Museum of Western Virginia and Center in the Square.  The email offered invited guests--who I'd later learn were principally museum members and volunteers--the opportunity to attend a reception, at no cost excepting parking, celebrating Cirque du Soleil's OVO touring show and its arrival in town on Tuesday.  The insect theme worked for the science museum's connection, and the celebration was held on the Center's lovely rooftop.  What a wonderful way to end a workday!

Needless to say, G and K proudly RSVPed.  This was a low-cost, low-commitment way to introduce G to Cirque, something K felt she'd probably be fascinated by...but might be scared by if the timing was off.  She enjoys dancing and art, but it would be debatable whether or not she'd be awake and interested for a full Cirque show.  G got to attend the "fancy" party, enjoying cookies, crackers and cheese, as well as polite conversation with a new friend.

Then, G adored the main attraction, a brief performance by OVO's contortionist spiders.  She was transfixed and immediately approached them as soon as the photo op opened.  She even wanted to show the performers her pictures.

She took home flyers about the show including pictures of the "spiders' friends."  This settles it--a performance next year is likely in the cards for us.

While there, we saw flyers for a membership promotion from this our home science museum.  The ASTC Passport "add on" is free for the month of September when you purchase a membership with the Science Museum of Western Virginia.  Local parents willing to travel to nearby museums included in passport (translation: reciprocal membership, AKA free) museums like the Museum of Life + Science in Durham and Marbles Children's Museum in Raleigh, this is a great deal.  You do not have to live in Roanoke to join Roanoke's museum, but keep in mind ASTC reciprocity "kicks in" 90 miles from your "home" museum.  ASTC museums include many science centers, some children's museums, and some other nifty places, like the North Carolina Museum of Transportation.  Other places we've been on ASTC Passport?  Danville Science Center, Virginia Museum of Natural History, Virginia Living History, Science Museum of Virginia, and Whitaker Center.  For folks who travel with kids, this is a DEAL for most.  Look at the ASTC list for places that you might be near across the next year!

Naturally Magical: Boxerwood Garden in Lexington, VA

Labor Day weekend always thwarts us in some regard.  This year, we had planned a trip in the direction of Richmond, VA, and then, Hurricane Hermione made the weather in that direction too unpredictable for our easy day trip liking.  We wanted to be outside; we wanted to walk around; we wanted to keep it simple.  We heard Lexington's Boxerwood Gardens, a place we'd seen pitched in the window of the Lexington Visitor's Center some time back, calling.

Boxerwood, billed as a park and nature center, is a little chunk of paradise for outdoor exploring.  An outgrowth of industrious citizenship if you will, Boxerwood was a family collection of plants and now serves the greater good as a private recreation ground, giving it quite the history.  It's a little bit hippie and a lot magical, especially for young kid explorers.  There's a fantastical children's "trail" that is reasonably confined and includes fun tightropes of repurposed fire hoses, a giant birdhouse-shaped tree house, a mud pie restaurant, "doorways" between trees, and similar places for imaginative play. Beyond these gates, there are acres for the wandering along simple trails.  Seemingly random metal sculptures "pop up" and pathways bend off across swampy lands and near small ponds throughout the more-wild-than-manicured botanical garden setting. Don't expect a ton of signage or staff--this is a mainly volunteer, community-supported enterprise, and that is part of the charm.  We were a bit frustrated we never found the Fairy Garden, but we met some happy travelers who couldn't find it either and will simply have to return.

If you go, venture out in pleasant weather--and be dressed for it.  Consider bringing a picnic--or do what we did and work up a hunger for nearby Niko's Grille for an interesting combination of Greek food and all-day breakfast.  Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty and take along extra shoes--there's a creek in the children's area. There are no fees, but you can leave a donation in the box at the front.  GPS Boxerwood (963 Ross Road) knowing you will be entering a slightly-off-downtown residential section to get there. Visit dawn to dusk--Google told us it was "closed" weekends, but this definitely wasn't true.  They do host special events, and the best way to find out about those may very well be their Facebook page.  We easily combined this trip with pleasant walking in Lexington...

...to Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, also open dawn to dusk...

...to Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee University, a site with outstanding docents and a great glimpse into the school...

...to Virginia Military Institute, where K always stops to find the memorial plaques to fallen Alleghany High School classmate Josh Hurley...

...E even walked the Labyrinth at Robert E Lee Episcopal Church.  Maybe not prayerfully yet, but he walked it.

So, go wander.  For our young roadschoolers and afterschoolers, this was a pretty perfect outdoor classroom.