An All About Anne Day

Today was an "All About Anne Day"!!!

One block down from where we are staying is the town of "Avonlea" where Anne grew up. Obviously a make believe city set up to depict what it would have been like-but once you are there, it feels so real. 

The day started off with the folks from Avonlea greeting us at the train station.  We met Mr. Phillips, the school teacher who quizzed us on U.S. history...in 1908!  We did not do well.

Next we met Mrs. Lynde who quickly reprimanded us for wearing our bloomers in public.  (We did find a place to dress in more appropriate clothing). 

Anne and her friends greeted us (oh, that Gilbert Blythe IS handsome!) then we followed them to their first day of school.  

We watched Anne break her slate over Gilbert's head and Mr. Phillips get canned by Mrs. Lynde. 

Then off to the fishing shanty to watch the "Avonlea Showband" led by the accordion  player Mike Pendegrast (this is our first show with him-stay tuned).  Square dancing followed the concert and Therese got to dance with Gilbert!  

Then off to Mrs. Lynde's to learn how to make and dye yarn and weave it on a rainbow loom.

We also met Maurice Bernard a fabulous artist and sand sculptor extraordinaire who sketched our picture and sold us some of his amazing paintings. 

Back to the "Avonlea Showband" (our second show - Mike and the two other musicians are really good).  

We got to watch Anne and Diana's tea party where Anne serves mulled wine instead of Raspberry Cordial.  Then back to the "Avonlea Showband" (third show - can you tell we really like them?) 

The Avonlea Fair was next with potato sack races, manure tossing, and a pie eating contest.  And next......the Mike Pendegrast show with Mike by himself.  We missed the pig races because we had to actually introduce ourselves and talk to him after stalking him all day.

Towards the end of the day, we headed back to  the Avonlea School Concert.

We asked for a picture with them all at the end of this concert, not sure they were ready for the hugs we gave each of them as well.  We told them "It's just what we Clines do".  It was truly an amazing day living in the time of Anne!

We ended our day with a lobster feed dinner at St. Ann's, a meal our mom and dad told us was a must on this trip.  The meal was amazing - we North-westerners  did not know much about eating a whole lobster. Luckily we had Therese to give us some pointers.

The ambiance of the place reminded us of spaghetti dinners at St. Louise.  A great meal all around.

Funny thing.... the only two flyers on the bulletin board at St. Anne's were advertising two performances by none other then "our" Mike Pendegrast and one of them is tomorrow.

Guess we know what's on the agenda for Thursday night.