Today is Museum Day 2008, presented by Smithsonian.com.  I checked it out and our local museum was on the list of participating museums, so we’re taking an impromptu trip today.

Just fill out your name and address and print out an admission card.  It is valid for you and a guest, today only.

It works out for us, because hubby and I will get in free…and at our particular museum, children 5 and under are free!  What a nice, COOL, cheap way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

It turns out they have a berry picking date night.  I thought it sounded like a lot of fun and guess what?  There were only two date nights left this summer and one of them fell on my birthday!

So, last Thursday night, my husband and I drove (and drove) and arrived at Riley’s Farm.  We were greeted by women in colonial era clothing.  They gave us two pint baskets and we were told we should pick our raspberries before dinner since it was getting dark.  So off we went, taking a short walk around some of the buildings and through a grass field.  We were completely clueless as to what a “good” raspberry looked like, so it became a matter of trial and error.  The first one I pulled came with the stem, which means it wasn’t ripe.  We found that the deeper the berry, the sweeter they were.  However, some of them came off and smashed in your fingers – a little too ripe.

We finally filled up our baskets and walked back.  They had several tables set up in a grassy area behind the barn.  The centerpiece was a kerosene lantern and the dinnerware was a canteen set.  They immediately brought out our dinner which was wonderful!  We got half of a BBQ chicken, corn bread, salad with raspberry vinegarette, and a baked potato.  You could just taste that everything was made from scratch.  For dessert we got a dish made of peaches and raspberries with chocolate chips and whipped cream.  It was so incredibly beautiful that night and we finished our dinner, the stars came out.

I have not had that much fun in a long time and it was such a simple evening.  On our way to the car I was scared to death by the sounds the goats were making.  Remind me to never own goats!  On the drive back home, as we came out of the hills, we saw a snake in the road.  We had to turn around and go back to see it and sure enough, it was a rattlesnake!  We watched it slither to the safety of the other side of the road.

I would do it again in a heartbeat, and get this…the whole evening only cost $35!  I can hardly wait to do it again next year!

Traditionally, the fifth anniversary gift is wood.  Add that to my previously mentioned goofy personality and I came up with the idea that we would take a trip to the woods!  I had about a week to plan it and started researching it on the internet.  I came up with a nice day hike for the two of us and let me tell you, I couldn’t have had a better time.  And how much did it cost?

• Gas:  $10
• Day Adventure Pass: $5
• Snacks: $5
• Two HUGE bottles of water: $3
• Dinner at McDonalds afterward: $9
• Desert at Krispy Kreme: $3

Grand total:  $35

Do Your Own Hike

First of all, before you balk at the idea of a hike, it really is a lot of fun.  You get to spend time in the great outdoors, get some exercise, enjoy the solitude and you get a little lesson in determination.

Research hiking areas around where you live and it’s likely you can find trails in the cities, mountains and beaches.  Make sure the difficulty and distance match your fitness level.  If it’s easier, you may be able to go further – but take it from me – this isn’t the time to think that you’re superman (or woman).  My husband and I are in poor physical condition and we did a 6 mile moderate hike.  I would say that was pushing it since we were sore for a week!

Once you pick a location, make sure you get all the necessary permits.  Some may require wilderness permits and some may require parking permits.

And lastly, pack a day pack (a soft backpack will be fine).  Alter this list according to the length of your hike and your needs, but here is a good starting point:

• Trail/area maps
• Water
• Snacks
• First aid kit and moleskin
• Flashlight
• Knife
• Matches
• Poncho
• Extra socks
• Sunblock
• Bug repellent
• Sunglasses
• Lip balm
• Camera
• Toilet paper & hand shovel
• Hiking stick

So really look into it.  The price was right and it at the end of the day, my husband and I were closer than ever.  Besides, it was better than the modern gift of silverware!