Friday, September 7, 2012

THE Trip - Day 9 (Trivia Learning)



Life is filled with learning.  Much of this knowledge is basically what I call trivia that I may never use or need – but interesting in and of itself.  I learn my trivia in various ways – through books; TV and  documentaries; in research for discussion groups; and for creating presentations as part of the Retirement in Learning Group – Omnilore. 

A couple of years ago, as part of a Study/Discussion Group on food and food processing, I did a presentation on turkey farming and cranberry production.   In researching about cranberries, I was fascinated by how long this crop has been harvested, how limited the number of regions are where cranberry bogs are able to survive, how they are raised, and how they are harvested.  My enthusiasm for this little red fruit must have come through in my talk.  At times, fellow members of the class have run into me at other Omnilore functions and introduced me to their guests as the “individual who did the presentation on cranberries”.    Not a very glamorous intro – but at least I made an impression.  
 
Today as we finished visiting the Interpretive Center for the Lewis and Clark Expedition, I read a small item in the many pages of tourist information we had collected for the region around the Columbia River as it runs between the states of Washington and Oregon.  It read “Cranberry Museum 2.5 miles north of Long Beach, WA”.  The words CRANBERRY MUSEUM just jumped out at me.  A whole museum on cranberries. This was an opportunity not to be missed…and so close to where we were!!
 


For the first 30 minutes of our visit and self-guided tour around the cranberry bog, we were the only people at the museum.  This little educational museum was a splendid refresher on what I had learned about all phases of cranberry growing and production  The attendant for the museum was surprised that someone from ‘down near the LA area’ was so familiar with the entire process.
 
 
It was a delightful hour of wandering around the cranberry bog in the sunshine and going down a memory lane journey.  We purchased some edible souvenirs – cranberry preserves and cranberry spread. 

It just proves that you never know when the pursuit of knowledge and trivia will come in handy …in strange ways…and strange places.


1 comment:

  1. So where is the picture of you in your hipwaders?? This was a perfect museum for you!

    ReplyDelete

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