Rainah's World: Sand Dunes, Petting Zoos, and Fish Boils, Oh My!

A few weeks ago, Don read an article in the GR Press about something called a fish boil and he decided it was something we just had to check out. It was out in Shelby, about an hour and a half away, so we decided to go a little early and check out some things in the area. First up, we hit Mac Woods Dune Rides- we figured Rainah would love it, which she did. Every time we went down a hill, she'd scream, "Wheeeee". We stopped on the beach and got to play for a bit- it was gorgeous, with the most beautiful blue skies!

After that we drove out to a farm market/petting zoo. I was expecting goats, sheep, maybe some cows... we walked through the market and went out the back door and the first thing Rainah saw was a peacock just standing there. She, of course, had to chase it. We walked around and saw goats, horses, cows, wallabies, a camel, alpaca, and a baby zebra among other things. They also had slides and other fun things to climb on.

From there we went on to the fish boil. Apparently, fish boils are a Scandinavian tradition and consists of a large pot filled with water that is boiled over a large fire pit. Special spices are added, then red skinned potatoes, onions, and finally the whitefish. When it is finished, kerosene is poured on the fire, causing the oils that had been drawn out of the fish to boil over the sides. I am not a seafood person, so they kindly made me a turkey sandwich, but Don said that the food was great and he loved it. The farm also had a labyrinth that was beautiful, and Rainah had a fun time running around it and looking at all of the sunflowers. It was a busy day, but a great family outing!

Dune Ride: