The Norske Castle: Getting Ready to Work at Rock Ledge Ranch

Right next to Garden of the Gods is a living history museum open during the summer months and it is called Rock Ledge Ranch. You can go and see how people in Colorado lived in the late 1800's. There are different areas to visit . . . Native American, Homesteading, etc.

This spring Gabriel was interviewed for one of their children volunteer docent positions. They only choose the children to work half the summer for just shy of 6 hours a week. I was told a lot of kids apply and only a certain number are chosen. I told Gabriel if he didn't get chosen we'd know it wasn't what God had planned for him. I thought it would be a good experience for him to go through an interview and see what it is like no matter what the outcome.

He went into his first interview with the man that seems to be if not at the top of running the museum than near it. It was a full fledged interview asking him question after question. "If you could go back to any time in history what time would it be?" or "If a child was visiting the museum and did . . . what would you do?" I was in a room somewhat close but couldn't really hear the words just the tone. It sounded like they were having fun! Sure enough Gabriel came out and told me that he actually really enjoyed it and that the man was really nice!

Warning Parental Bragging Paragraph for my own memories and Gabriel's future encouragement

Feel free to skip over!!!!:

Time went by and one day a voice mail was left for me saying Gabriel had been selected and how impressed they had been with him. I later I talked to the lady she told me more about how they really were impressed by him and told me that usually kids don't score very high on the interview points and she said Gabriel got a perfect score!!! Gabriel doesn't know that he just knows he had a lot of fun talking to this man!

Gabriel started his training this week. He came home even MORE excited. I was excited about what he was learning too. Learning, of course, how to talk to the people who come through and about interpreting history to the people who come. They also had a safety chat, etc. He was so excited.

Saturday after the tournament I took the kids to the ranch to pick up Gabriel's period costume. It was one of those beautiful only in Colorado type days. Ok, maybe not only in Colorado but it doesn't get much better than Colorado!! Not to cold not to hot just beautiful! Gabriel picked up his costume which again made him even more excited. Then the kids wanted to stay and just explore around for awhile. Gabriel said to me "I can't believe I'm going to work here!" He is excited about doing homestead WORK. He was selected to work at the homestead sight. He seems excited about whatever that entails even if it is shoveling manure.