Boreal Witch

Even when I was a jet-setting college student, I began my journey from Seattle and Chicago, never from New York. I've always wanted to go to Boston and even considered a college in Maine, but never applied.

Conneticuit was a bit out of our way - seven hours from Niagara Falls to be exact - but being the awesome parents that we are, decided to take Arthur and Balin to Mystic to see Astro. 

Astro became sort of a family celebrity when we studied Argentina back in February. When the boys discovered that penguins and sea lions lived in the southern part of South America, they immediately wanted to learn more. One of the books we checked out from our library was Astro the Steller Sea Lion. It became an instant hit with Balin, who wanted us to read it over and over again. 

Then Auntie Blythe bought him the book and Robinson bought him a sea lion stuffed animal in San Francisco. Balin pretended he was Astro, hunting penguins and performing tricks. 

Yes, it would have been a mistake to not try to fit it in, at least. 

Mystic quickly became one of my favorite places on the trip. I grew up next to an ocean (granted, it was frozen most of the year) and miss the fluidity and expanse of the water, the roaring of the waves, and collecting washed up trinkets on the beach. I love the farm and other rural places but whenever I visit the ocean, the wind and water beacon me and I never want to leave.

Quaint is probably the perfect description of Mystic. People adorn their lawns and houses with nautical  junk instead of plows, wagon wheels, and antique tractors as they do in the midwest. Wooden boats anchor at the docks, boat makers and their assistants dilligently making their repairs. There's a village to wander around in, filled with activities and demonstrations, costumed volunteers, and even a horse and wagon. 

It's a little town known for its pizza - we've still not seen the movie - and, for those in the ocean sciences, the aquarium. The pizza was pretty good, nothing amazing, but the fried pickles were  incredible: crunchy, salty, and somehow sweet at the same time. The dill dip (or maybe a bottled Ranch?) that accompanied the pickle platter paired perfectly. 

The boys had the most fun at the Mystic Aquarium. They got to see Astro and a gigantic green bullfrog, took in a sea lion show, watched penguins gracefully torpedoing through water, and even made some squished pennies: a sea lion for Balin and a frog for Arthur.

As we drove away the next day, we offered up some thoughts about our favorite things in Mystic. Robinson said his favorite part (besides the salted caramel ice cream at the little ice cream kiosk) was watching me ride on the 90-year-old motor boat, the breeze in my hair and a smile on my face. 

Blessed be.