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Day five
Began as most of our days began in the very early morning. Out of the house we decided to beat the crowds and go see Watch Hill, the lighthouse, the kitschy little shops and the "flying horse merry-go-round" We got there and there were very few people wandering about, and only the places that had breakfast on offer were open. Plus some very tanned teenagers directing people to park at the marina. A small class of children were learning sailing basics. We spent some time taking pictures of the merry-go-round horses while it was off. We wandered out on the beach and over a spit of land to get a good view of Watch Hill Lighthouse. Then we wandered back and shopped - although not much caught our eyes. We decided to cap the experience off with ice creams - each of us got a single scoop - I chose the black raspberry frozen yogurt in a cup (some chose cones).
From there we went on an adventure in back roads to find the Tomaqoag Indian Museum. It only involved turning around once when we figured out one road seemlessly became another and the addresses were going down instead of up as we'd overshot our destination. The executive director of this tiny Indian museum showed us around and talked to us for over an hour an d a half. We were taken outside to see the garden the children in the school next door had put in, and proudly tended a few days a week. There is no other museum dedicated to the indigenous peoples wholly put together and run but the people and culture it is about. There is something un-museumly about it - five stars. But be warned it is slightly hard to find (not the hardest thing we went in search of, though).
We had planned to lunch in Goddard Park at a picnic table. Well, it was pouring by the time we got there, so we drove around the park and found that the best place would be to quickly make sandwiches from the tailgate of the car (small sport wagon, the hatchback trunk provided excellent cover) and run to the overhang for the public toilets and eat under the roof cover there. Thankfully, the toilets were clean (the park was deserted in the rain) and did not smell, so we stood and ate quickly before getting back on the road.
We trucked along to Foster to see the Swamp Meadow Covered Bridge - the only wooden covered bridge left in Rhode Island, took pictures and made friends with the cocker spaniel that lives next to it. And then went to see the Foster Town House which is the oldest building still in use as a town hall in the country. It was built in the early 1700's I think? And has been a town hall in some form or another since it was built, and it is still used for town meetings.
Then we were tired, and went home to recharge on the deck - thankfully the rain held off so we could eat on the deck, but moved in later that night to chase us inside.
Day six (our last full day together):
We started at the William Blackstone Monument in Cumberland. It is his grave marker set in a little park, but his grave is not there. In fact his body was moved so many times after he was dead, they lost the body. But it is a pretty little park and the monument was interesting to read.
We drove to the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket as it opened at the shockingly early time of 9:30am! The front desk/gift shop attendant gave us a little speech and set us loose to tour the museum, ring the "doorbells" to activate the audio bits of the tour, and see films of life and culture during the industrial revolution. From there we went to...
...Slater Mill in Pawtucket, which was a collection of three houses, Slater Mill, Wilkinson Mill and the Brown House - a pre-industrial homestead that had been moved to the property. The Slater Mill made spools of thread - and employed many children, some as young as six years old, working twelve hours a day (from "can't see" to "can't see" spinning cotton into thread. Wilkinson Mill has a working water wheel, and a machine shop that works on water power. We each got a chance to drill with the drill press using the water power. So cool!
Slow day, so we got to go home for lunch on the deck, and naps in the afternoon. Late afternoon went out to Judith Point Lighthouse, and in to Galilee for ice cream at Goody's. Leftovers for dinner, and relaxing last evening together sitting out on the deck watching the stars.
Leaving Day :(
Fog obscured the sunrise in the morning, but it was warmish and still lovely. With the fog in, it seemed as if we were the only people in the whole world - as the only houses we could see clearly were the ones next door. We spent as much time as we could in the house, on the deck, and together. We left the house at 10am - check out time. Hugs all around in the yard, and then we were gone. Vacation over.
I then went straight to auditions for a show - which I was cast in, but that is a story for another day.
Began as most of our days began in the very early morning. Out of the house we decided to beat the crowds and go see Watch Hill, the lighthouse, the kitschy little shops and the "flying horse merry-go-round" We got there and there were very few people wandering about, and only the places that had breakfast on offer were open. Plus some very tanned teenagers directing people to park at the marina. A small class of children were learning sailing basics. We spent some time taking pictures of the merry-go-round horses while it was off. We wandered out on the beach and over a spit of land to get a good view of Watch Hill Lighthouse. Then we wandered back and shopped - although not much caught our eyes. We decided to cap the experience off with ice creams - each of us got a single scoop - I chose the black raspberry frozen yogurt in a cup (some chose cones).
From there we went on an adventure in back roads to find the Tomaqoag Indian Museum. It only involved turning around once when we figured out one road seemlessly became another and the addresses were going down instead of up as we'd overshot our destination. The executive director of this tiny Indian museum showed us around and talked to us for over an hour an d a half. We were taken outside to see the garden the children in the school next door had put in, and proudly tended a few days a week. There is no other museum dedicated to the indigenous peoples wholly put together and run but the people and culture it is about. There is something un-museumly about it - five stars. But be warned it is slightly hard to find (not the hardest thing we went in search of, though).
We had planned to lunch in Goddard Park at a picnic table. Well, it was pouring by the time we got there, so we drove around the park and found that the best place would be to quickly make sandwiches from the tailgate of the car (small sport wagon, the hatchback trunk provided excellent cover) and run to the overhang for the public toilets and eat under the roof cover there. Thankfully, the toilets were clean (the park was deserted in the rain) and did not smell, so we stood and ate quickly before getting back on the road.
We trucked along to Foster to see the Swamp Meadow Covered Bridge - the only wooden covered bridge left in Rhode Island, took pictures and made friends with the cocker spaniel that lives next to it. And then went to see the Foster Town House which is the oldest building still in use as a town hall in the country. It was built in the early 1700's I think? And has been a town hall in some form or another since it was built, and it is still used for town meetings.
Then we were tired, and went home to recharge on the deck - thankfully the rain held off so we could eat on the deck, but moved in later that night to chase us inside.
Day six (our last full day together):
We started at the William Blackstone Monument in Cumberland. It is his grave marker set in a little park, but his grave is not there. In fact his body was moved so many times after he was dead, they lost the body. But it is a pretty little park and the monument was interesting to read.
We drove to the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket as it opened at the shockingly early time of 9:30am! The front desk/gift shop attendant gave us a little speech and set us loose to tour the museum, ring the "doorbells" to activate the audio bits of the tour, and see films of life and culture during the industrial revolution. From there we went to...
...Slater Mill in Pawtucket, which was a collection of three houses, Slater Mill, Wilkinson Mill and the Brown House - a pre-industrial homestead that had been moved to the property. The Slater Mill made spools of thread - and employed many children, some as young as six years old, working twelve hours a day (from "can't see" to "can't see" spinning cotton into thread. Wilkinson Mill has a working water wheel, and a machine shop that works on water power. We each got a chance to drill with the drill press using the water power. So cool!
Slow day, so we got to go home for lunch on the deck, and naps in the afternoon. Late afternoon went out to Judith Point Lighthouse, and in to Galilee for ice cream at Goody's. Leftovers for dinner, and relaxing last evening together sitting out on the deck watching the stars.
Leaving Day :(
Fog obscured the sunrise in the morning, but it was warmish and still lovely. With the fog in, it seemed as if we were the only people in the whole world - as the only houses we could see clearly were the ones next door. We spent as much time as we could in the house, on the deck, and together. We left the house at 10am - check out time. Hugs all around in the yard, and then we were gone. Vacation over.
I then went straight to auditions for a show - which I was cast in, but that is a story for another day.