After all of last summer's adventures, DJ came back for more!  

We drove straight (well, with a quick stop for coffee after her red-eye flight) to the Arkansas Archaeological Survey research station to meet Dr. Emily for a tour.

She led us through a walk through her Woodland, Mississippian, and Colonial period gardens.  My curiosity was whetted last week when I took a continuing education class about foodways in Arkansas history, and I wasn't disappointed on our tour!

I think everybody's favorite part of the tour was when we got to try throwing the atlatl.

We paused for a picnic lunch at a gorgeous overlook.  Our little Arkansas mountains are nothing compared to DJ's big California mountains, but they are beautiful and look like home to me.

After lunch, we drove over to the Rock House Cave tour at Petit Jean State Park.

The cave is beautiful all by itself, 

but when you throw in the amazing remnants of paintings done thousands of years ago, 

 then the whole thing is really spectacular!