Being Green in Leland Mississipppi

The Great American Field Trip would not be complete without a stop in Leland, Mississippi. Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, and voice of Kermit the Frog, spent his childhood in Leland. His genius, creativity, and unique, lovable puppets, taught a generation of kids everything from letters and numbers to feelings and life lessons like sharing and cooperation.

As a child, I was obsessed with the muppets. I had all of the stuffed animals which lived on my bed, had books and records, a subscription to Sesame Street magazine. I watched Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and of course the different Muppet movies.

Kermit the Frog was always my all time favorite.  One year, my mom let me have a birthday party for Kermit the Frog. Kermit's birthday included green paper plates and frog cupcakes.

While I did not have had the words then to describe what it was about Kermit that spoke to me,  I think I can put it into words now. Kermit was kind, he was fair, he was humble. He also was a bit of an underdog with unwavering optimism. You couldn't help root for him.

As a news reporter, on Sesame Street, he interviewed storybook characters such as Little Miss Muffet or Jack an the Beanstalk. Here he is interviewing Humpty Dumpty. 

Kermit was a natural born leader, physically, he was small and perhaps lacked brawn, but his influence on the other Muppets was huge. His distinct nasaly voice made him all the more lovable. His vulnerability made it so that you realized, you weren't the only one who dropped things, made mistakes, or misunderstood stuff sometimes. 

In Washington D.C. we saw the very first Kermit the Frog in the Smithsonian. Jim Henson made this puppet from his mother's old wool coat and two ping pong balls for the eyes.  The Smithsonian is a long way from the rural Mississippi town where Jim Henson spent his childhood.

The museum was small but Dorothy, a native a Leland was a wealth of knowledge. She was a few years ahead of Jim in school. (Henson would be 75 this year) 

Here are photos from the museum:

The museum is a reflection of the man Jim Henson was. The beauty lies in making everyone feel welcome.

 

 

 When you leave the museum, you follow the green frogprints along the road to the Rainbow Connection Bridge in Honor of Jim Henson.

 The rails of the bridge are painted green!

 View from the bridge... I have expected to see Kermit on a log with his banjo.

 Click here to see the opening scene of the original Muppet Movie when Kermit is playing is banjo in the swamp singing the Rainbow Connection.

"The Rainbow Connection"

Why are there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions, and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong wait and see.

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Who said that wishes would be heard and answered when wished on the morningstar?

Someone thought of that and someone believed it.
Look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing and what do we think we might see?

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
All of us under its spell.
We know that it's probably magic.
Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.

Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.

I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSFLZ-MzIhM

Hoping the new Muppet Movie will stay true to Jim Henson's simple genius.