We’ve been making our way down the eastern seaboard from Maine for several weeks now, and we spent last week in lovely coastal Connecticut. It was my first time!

Milford, Connecticut

Our trifecta of essential locations (1. Cracker Barrel for sleeping, 2. Planet Fitness for exercising and showering and 3. Panera Bread for working) happened in Milford, CT, so that is where we spent our work-weekdays.

Milford has a picturesque downtown, where we spent several hours walking around and pointing out colonial-era architecture and scenic rivers and ponds.

This should really be a postcard, right?

Dan found some great running trails! And, I very much enjoyed a beautiful walk and photo session with the trees! As you can see, fall colors are still vibrant here–even though it is late October.

And, speaking of late October, we spent Halloween night in Milford. And, WOW, that was a good decision! We found a Halloween party hosted by Walnut Beach Creamery, and we stayed from about 5pm to 9pm having an amazing, wonderful time!

Walnut Beach Creamery gives out FREE ice cream on Halloween night to anyone in costume. So, we went to Target and got these awesome hats. (Dan’s got quite a bit more attention than mine.) And, his lit up, so it was extra awesome in the dark! By the way, the ice cream was ahhh-mazing!

Crowds gathered right in front of the creamery for the annual candy rain from the rooftop. In the beginning, it was one-piece-at-a-time. About fifteen minutes in, they started really making it rain–throwing handfuls and then bucket-fulls! They had SO much candy!

I met a mother-daughter duo–Eva and Anna, and we stood together and watched the candy rain. Anna (the 26 year old daughter) said October 31st was her birthday, and she has come to this event in Milford every year for as long as she can remember. She had the biggest smile on her face, and I could feel her happy energy coming off of her like sunlight. It was sheer, childlike joy!

I remember candy rains from when I was little. Brother Mark, Brother Jack, and Brother Tom would get up on the roof of the church on Easter Sunday after service and shower us kids with candy. For little me, it was absolutely thrilling! Lisa, Tonya, Cindy, Sonya, Melissa, Aaron, Tommy….anyone else reading this remember candy rains? I have officially decided I need more of this in my life, how about you?

After the candy rain, and just as the sun was starting to go down, we got to see another exciting Milford Halloween tradition. A parade of witches marched down the street and stopped right in front of the creamery and danced for us. The song was, “Day-O” from Beetlejuice. I was having so much fun, and laughing so hard I was crying! The coolest part for me was knowing how all of these witches were women and men of the Milford community who came together and learned a choreographed dance–all in the name of fun. Bravo, witches! (Oh, and there were a few wizards, too!)

We drove past the Athenian Diner every day when we were in Milford, and because of the genuine awesomeness of it’s vibe, we decided we should eat there. We were both feeling like we needed a little protein, so I got steak and Dan got ribs and chicken. The food was a solid 3 out of 5 for me, but the atmosphere was pretty special. I’m glad we stopped.

New Haven, Connecticut

For our big weekend excursion, we went to Yale. (Does this mean I could actually say, “I went to Yale?”) Maybe I’ll try that for my two-truths-and-a-lie someday.

The first gorgeous piece of architecture I spotted was Harkness Tower–which of course made me think of Agatha Harkness from the Marvel series we just finished watching, “Agatha All Along.” But sadly, it has nothing to do with that.

Harkness Tower, constructed in 1917, is 216 feet tall and a symbol of Yale and New Haven, Connecticut. And, you can see one of the clocks here–which chimes every hour, on the hour, to help students get to class on time.

It really is a gorgeous campus. The topic of conversation for Dan and I as we strolled around was about what it might have been like if we had gone to a university like that. I won’t speak for Dan, but I will tell you it most definitely would have been different than the small fundamentalist bible college I attended in the 1990’s! Quite thought-provoking, indeed!

Sterling Memorial Library, constructed in 1930, is Yale’s largest library. Lucky for us, it was open to the public, and we got to go inside!

When we entered the library, this breathtaking mural was the first thing to capture our attention. I learned that she is Alma Mater, Queen of Yale, and the book she holds has the words, ‘Lux et Veritas,’ (light and truth), which is the motto of Yale. Adorned in school colors, she stands under the, “tree of knowledge,” and causes everyone from religion, science, music, and art to bow down to her. The mural was painted by  Eugene Francis Savage, a former graduate of Yale School of Fine Arts (Class of 1924).

From the library, we discovered an exit to an inner courtyard. If I were a Yale student, this would be my study spot, for sure. And, I’m glad they don’t rake the leaves here. I loved the way they crunched beneath my shoes. And, they made a fun feet picture!

I tried to read the words on this building–but no luck. Anyone else want to take a crack at it? I just took the photo because I love the door.

But, I can read this one! “In Memory of the Men of Yale who gave their lives that freedom might not perish from the Earth. ” It is a World War I memorial, honoring the 225 Yale students and alumni who died in service. (1918)

The Rare Book and Manuscript library happened to be open to the public (at least parts of it), so we went inside and walked around. They had a very moving Holocaust exhibit showing artifacts and videos of survivors. I want to remember to look up an author named David P. Boder, and read his book titled, “I Did Not Interview the Dead,” which was published in 1949–after interviewing dozens of holocaust survivors by tape recorder.

This is just a small glimpse of some of the library’s more than one million rare books and manuscripts.

As we walked out of the library, Dan and I simultaneously pointed out the bulletin board. It appears there is a lot going on at Yale. And, I wonder how many students stop to read these bulletins. Being someone who often thinks in song lyrics (anyone else do this?), I was thinking, “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign…”

All that walking around Yale made us very hungry. I love to research and find the best foods in the areas we visit, so here’s where we landed based on an internet full of recommendations. All I can say is YUM! Frank Pepe, you know what’s what!

And the line makes me think the word is out….

Lighthouse Point Park

Just a short 15 minute drive from Yale is Lighthouse Point Park. And (spoiler alert), there is both a park and a lighthouse! There is even a carousel–which was closed while we were there–but maybe next time! I sure had fun on the swings!

The inscription below says, “Near this spot a portion of the British troops under General Tryon of New York landed July 5, 1779, intending to burn New Haven. The opposing force became so large that the British retreated to their boats on July 7.”

Dan loves to climb on rocks. And most things. This is one of the reasons I think his Chinese Zodiak sign is so fitting–The Monkey.

The sun and wind were beating on us–but we got the shot!

And, you know I love to close a blog post with a good animal portrait. What a beauty!

Bye for now!

XOXO,

Joanna