Frogs and Thread in Willimantic, CT

My Sweetling sings in the  Columbus Girlchoir.  This year they were invited to sing with the Distinguished Concert Singers at Carnegie Hall.  And, of course, I had to be in the audience for the performance, so my Heartbeat took the opportunity to make this into a summer trip for us.

My only "must do" was to attend the concert. The rest of the trip I've left to my Heartbeat and Sweetling to plan and schedule. She is getting ready to start applying to colleges, so college tours seemed the thing to do while we're here...

But it's a holiday weekend. The concert was on Friday and the first college tour (Yale 🤗) isn't until Tuesday... We have to fill in the time with sightseeing in Connecticut 😄.

Again, I have to stress that at this point I'm just along for the ride.  Today is Sunday.  Our schedule is loose, I googled quilt shops in the area.  Nothing close.   Besides shops are usually closed on Sundays anyway.  And my Heartbeat found a Mark Twain museum he wanted to see...

We had our breakfast, pile into our rented vehicle, select some traveling music, and head down the highway.

The drive was absolutely gorgeous.  I'm pretty much convinced Connecticut is nothing but trees!  We drove for about an hour and I was starting to wonder how much further...

Then we drive into a quaint little town called Willimantic, CT and see these frog statues.

I think they're adorable. As we continued driving through town, it's very evident that this town has a thing for frogs! The story about the frogs is quite cute, Legend of the Windham Frog Fight. (But did you notice that frog statue is sitting on a spool of thread?  I didn't!)

Then my Heartbeat pulls into the parking lot of this building.  I'm a little confused because it doesn't say "Mark Twain." And when we get out of the car, the look on my Sweetling's face is pleased as pie... 

... because they took me to a MILL Museum located in the historic former headquarters of the American Thread Company!! It's mostly about the history of the thread making industry
but also includes textile arts.

Check out the Video link from their website.

 An extra bonus was a quilt exhibit!! Presented by SAQA members, the theme was "Inspired by Science".

 The museum has a fantastic collection of sewing machines!!

 And a collection of spinning wheels and weaving looms!

And in a separate building, the collection of thread making machines!!

This was quite the unexpected treat!! And honestly, touched me so deeply that my heart overflowed through my eyes!! How blessed am I with a wonderful loving family 😍💕!