From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a story about a 12-year-old girl and her younger brother who run away from home to live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. They sleep in a royal bed, hide in bathroom stalls to avoid security guards, collect coins from the fountain for vending-machine meals, and tag along with school groups to learn more about the exhibits. And they love it. seum of Natural History (BVMNH) in Bryan, Texas, allow visitors to peek into the past, to curiously observe the lives of people of different cultures, ancestry, values, and ways of viewing the world. By hosting events and activities, the BVMNH brings history to life. They present summer and winter camps, nature and science programs, display exhibits on a wide variety of topics including Texas and local history, the sciences, natural and cultural history including indig- enous peoples, and ice age and dinosaur fossils. They even have displays of live animals in their discovery room. Their largest fundraiser is the 8th Annual Boonville Days Living History Fair, tak- ing place on October 4-5. Showcasing Brazos County's pioneer history, the event features civil war re-en- actments, cowboy music and dance, and crafting activi- ties to make corn-husk dolls and pinch pots. Exhibits and demon- strations, like f lint- knapping, pottery, and blacksmithing, reveal how pioneers lived. the 5th Annual Buf- falo Stampede, where runners will take their at 7:30am, while the 5K run begins at 7:45am. The stampede includes water stops, a DJ playing music along the course, and race photography. Both races end at the BVMNH, where families can enjoy the living history fair. Winners re- ceive medals, trophies, and cash prizes by age groups. To please that hungry palate, visitors can also enjoy the 2nd annual Chuck Wagon Cook-Off, a unique and delicious com- petition for amateur (or "seasoned") chefs of the frontier variety. Each team receives enough ingredients to feed 40 ticket-holders and the judging panel, plus cooking occurs on outside wood-fires to make it authentic. Winners receive cash prizes for the tastiest dishes, including best meat, beans, and cobbler. Teams also compete for the most authentic trail- wagon, staying true to criteria like the brake system, chuck box, and appearance of the wagon and team. The cook-off is a two day event, spanning Friday evening through lunch- time on Saturday, and is limited to 12 wagon entries. The public is welcome to come Friday to watch the setup and cate us, and enrich our lives in the present by re- past. So, unless you have or a fossil collection in the hall closet, squint through Brazos Valley Museum of |