The Big Rhode Island Catch Up!

Hello there! We are on the road heading to our second (and primary) destination in Texas. Having recently discovered that I don't get car sick while using a computer, I'm going to take this opportunity to do a massive catch up photo tour of our trip so far. To our surprise it is colder here in Texas than it is in Vermont! We've dropped over 30 degrees since we started traveling this morning! What is your problem, Texas?! Maybe a trip through our warmer memories will help defrost my feet? Let's give it a try.

Newport, Rhode Island 

We got a great day for watching the ships.

Not a cloud in the sky! 

No clouds makes it a great day for finding fish bones. Not really.  Micaiah is certain this is a shark bone. I'm not sold.

Hoping to catch the wind and soar! (We were supposed to be visiting Fort Adams - seen in the back but we decided we just didn't want to go on a tour with a 2 year old that day. Parent Slackers.)

It sure is! 

Hoping to catch the attention of any modeling scouts walking by. (Either that or he's practicing for his too cool for school teenage phase.)

Cliff Walk, Newport, RI

We found Mowgli sleeping in a tree. (Oddly enough he is sleeping in the car right now too!)

Rock Climbing - AKA PE class

Racing Papa up the walls. 

Bouldering practice. 

They give me a lot of opportunity to practice my panicking but I like this sort of place cause they have harnesses.

No harnesses. 

Don't let his age or size fool you. He made it pretty far up there. 

Plimoth Plantation, Massachusetts 

(Plimoth Plantations is a living museum with a 17th century English village, Wamponoag village, a replica of the Mayflower - one of the ships the pilgrims sailed to the "new world" on and an operational grist mill. We got to do all sorts of fun stuff including sitting in on a lecture on Native American traditions of agroforestry and land management, help out during the weekly grist mill demonstration and eat a traditional foods from both the settlers and local Natives at the time.)

A legit long house at the Wampanoag Village.

Playing with the bones at the children's games area.

Comfy in the summer house.

17th Century English village. There were a number of homes and outbuildings that we could tour. The kids really enjoyed the interactive nature of everything and are now totally sold on living museums. 

He put himself.  It's either a highchair or a restraint system...or both. He also got himself out though.

Grinding the grain! (We also churned butter in another of the houses.)

Helping out at the real grist mill. (See Micaiah's post for more pictures.)

Grist Mill model.

Trying on the wares.

When I tell you we skateboarded, what I mean is we skateboarded like everyday. Sometimes two or three times per day and sometimes all day long. Here's some proof. 

It wouldn't be a complete visit to Rhode Island without attending at least one WaterFire. They light small fires all down Providence River in downtown. It's a beautiful sight. The fires are accompanied by music (sometimes live), street performances, fire dancers and an artist market. Gondolas sail down the river, if you want a $$$ up close view. Our nephew, Maison, enjoyed it with us this time. We like this event so much that we occasionally donate (our very meager) money to it. This evening we bought some dream orbs, made a wish, took some pictures and threw them into the river (I asked about the environmental impact of this and was assured that all our safe and cleaned up (and reused) afterwards.)

We attended a number of street festivals. Not the least of which was PRONK!, one of our old traditions. It's the Providence version of HONK - a festival of activist street bands (they have big horns and drums and funky outfits and talk about social justice - all things I LOVE!). We also attended a number of museums, including Slater Mill - the first mill in the US (we were studying the Industrial Revolution) and The Boston Science Museum and watch a glassblowing demonstration. Here's a look at some of those things. 

We also went to Allie's Donuts which, apparently, is a RI staple. This was news to me. We enjoyed Allie's (and clam cakes and all that jazz). 

Fun at the Pez store in Orange, CT (Orange you glad we didn't go to Apple - that's what Kai said when we arrived. Haha!)

And finally, presenting The RI/CT/MA Street Art Tour, the abridged version (did you know in Providence you can do a self guided street art tour? Right up our alley!)

 We left Rhode Island on my birthday but not before we had the opportunity to carve pumpkins with our family. 

We love Rhode Island, even though it's pretty rough around the edges. Being close to more of our family is always such a treat! Next up - Pennsylvania (which was short, so probably Mississippi too!). 

~The Wanderlings