April Fun

The Sunday before Easter when we left Nauvoo for Kewanee (the branch we attend as part of our mission, about 2 hours northeast of Nauvoo) it was cloudy, but in a little while we noticed a few snowflakes. By the time we arrived, it was coming down pretty good and this met us as we came out of church to drive home.  So much for thinking I had the weather figured out.

I'm afraid that when I take walks I  get more pictures than exercise.

Sunset on Easter Day.

I love these purple blossomed trees. I think they are redbuds but not sure.

So, I had heard that last fall they had a bulb planting fest and put in tens of thousands of them around the sites. Now I am starting to believe it, and they are so pretty.

Having the green replace the brown is pretty nice too.

These cute little goose families are so adorable.

The local Sam's club is in Quincy, so we decided to try and see a few things while we were there.

What's amazing is that Quincy only had about 1500 residents and there were about 5000 saints that they helped to feed, clothe and house.

We discovered that a lot of things are closed on mondays in Quincy.

We visited Carthage, too.  This is the jailers kitchen on the 1st floor of the jail. He owned the building and lived here with his family.  He seemed to like Joseph Smith and invited him to eat with his family.

The jail cell

The stairs that the mob stormed.

The room where the prisoners were staying. This is the window that Joseph fell from and the bed that John Taylor rolled under for protection after being wounded.

The bullet hole is still in the door and it is surprising how big it is. The other thing about this room is the spirit that you feel here. It is a sacred place, made so by sacrifice. I am thankful for Joseph Smith and other prophets that have given their lives and then given up their lives for what they knew to be true.

Showing signs of Spring!

It looks like this was the last snow of the season taken March 8, 2019.

 I won't miss the cold but fresh snow is pretty.

To commemorate the organization of the Relief Society, our missionary group did a reenactment of the first meeting in the red brick store. I got to be Sarah Granger Kimball and Peter was John Taylor.

Here is the group out in front of the store. It is owned by the Community of Christ Church but they graciously allowed us to use the upper floor.

So we decided it was time to go visit Sarah's home. The site missionary was actually driving away and saw us walking down the lane and turned around so that she could give us the tour. 

I thought that she was related to Heber C. Kimball in some way but it turns out that is not true. 

She married Hiram Kimball, a wealthy businessman in Nauvoo. He was not a member of the church at the time, but later was baptised. She was always faithful and engaged in a good cause such as making shirts for the temple workers that led to the organization of the Relief Society.

The glass jar in the center is a fly catcher. The bottom curves upward inside with a hole to let the fly go in. They put  a little honey inside to lure them in.

Since the ice melted the water level has risen quite a bit. We have had some rain, too. Water is seeping into the low lying areas, but nothing out of the normal for here. Unfortunately there has been significant flooding along the Missouri river in Nebraska and parts of Iowa.

One of the most fun things that happens here in Nauvoo is running into people that you know. We were at the Arrival Center a few weeks ago greeting people as they prepared to go into the baptistry. None of us recognized faces, but we did recognize the Stubblefield name.This is Josh, whom Peter taught in band as a child and grew up in Yuba City. It was so fun to visit a bit and meet some of his children

When we look out our kitchen window, we see the back of the Lucy Mack Smith home.  We finally got around to going inside and touring the home. She lived here for about a year with her daughter's family. She stayed down here and slept in this cut little alcove with a curtain for privacy.  The family lived upstairs (and they are the tallest and steepest stairs I've seen here) 

This is a four o'clock stove.  It was in the children's room upstairs and they put coals into it around four o'clock to warm the room for the night with out a full fire.

We went over to the Scovil Bakery, too. This is a picture and quote from him about being called to go on a mission just as his family was heading west with the pioneers. It was hard, but he was obedient.

Advertising in Nauvoo

Last week I realized that when I wake up in the mornings I hear a beautiful loud chorus of spring birds singing their songs instead of the squawking honkers(well, there are still a few of those, too) 

I think spring has arrived!

March

We have been waiting to visit the Lyon Drug Store since it has been closed for some renovations. It is special to me since it belonged to Winsor P Lyon and Sylvia Sessions. Sylvia was my 3rd G grandmother with her 2nd husband  Ezekiel Clark. It was the 1st store built in Nauvoo and the biggest, I believe. 

Winsor was a pharmacist of the day(not necessarily formally trained), selling herbs and things that were used in medicine. His mother-in-law, Patty Sessions also had a knowledge of medicine, being a mid-wife throughout most of her life. I bet it was a family effort to grow, harvest and bottle the plants.  In the summer, the missionaries grow a garden around the store that represents what they probably would have grown. 

This is a pill maker

We also learned that Sylvia and Winsor buried 3 small children while they were in Nauvoo. We drove up to the old cemetery and were able to find their burial place. They had not only head stones, but foot stones as well. The stones were about 3 feet apart.

The headstone on the left is for 2 of the children.  The one on the right is for Marion. Right after she died, Joseph Smith was speaking at a meeting and changed his talk to speak some comforting words to the family and congregation.  So many of them had to bury babies and young children, including Joseph and Emma.

 This was in a little gazebo at the cemetery. On the walls are the names of those buried there.

On the way to and  from Keokuk we drive along the river and so we see it freeze and then melt and refreeze.  The frozen waterfalls are kind of fun.

On fast Sundays we gather in groups for dinner. This month we got to go to President and Sister Smith's, 1st counselor in the temple presidency.  They have a home south of town with a beautiful view of the river. Above is from the living room.  I never get tired of sunsets on the Mississippi.

On the first of March I looked out my kitchen window and thought I saw a hint of green. It was still pretty cold so it was probably my imagination.  Today is the 7th and there is a new blanket of snow on the ground. Winter isn't giving up yet!

Time is flying!

The past month has passed so quickly. Even in these slow winter months, there seems to always be places to go, things to do and people to see! And the weather is ever changing. 

You may have heard of the polar vortex that visited us. Note the "feels like" temperature. For us Californians it was a bit cold.

So we visited the blacksmiths shop! There was a roaring fire and it was so fun to visit with these brothers. On the left is Brother Flanders whose wife we had met at a different site and on the right is Brother Whiting who happens to come from Kuna, Idaho and knows my brother and sister-in-law very well. Such a small world.

My friend Sister Tolman modeling a "shirt apron" that we found at a quilt shop. Most of the Sisters took a day trip up north into Amish country to visit some quilt shops, a creamery and grocery store.

Here are most of us at a mall for lunch.

We visited the seventies hall and found some interesting artifacts upstairs.  I thought the clam shell buttons were pretty.  I would love to see how they made them.

In the Heber C Kimball home we found this family portrait. I thought the way the little girl was portrayed  was interesting.

So the snow melted, we had a heat wave in the 40's and  now it is snowing again.

The first weekend of February was the annual remembrance of the exodus of the saints in 1846.  We were in the temple for our regular Saturday morning shift so we missed the reinactment of everyone walking or riding in wagons down Parley street. So I took my own trek that afternoon. It is one of my favorite walks, anyway, down to the river where they crossed over to the Iowa side. Reading about my grandmother Patty Sessions experience at this time makes it come alive for me. She left a few days later. This is from her story, using her diary: " On the twelfth she crossed the river, remaining on the west bank while Mr. Sessions returned to Nauvoo for some forgotten things.  "Knit almost a mitten for him before he came back," she records.  "Gave breakfast to some people whose wagon had not caught up with them." Patty, who was sometimes regarded as being close in a deal, was indeed generous when she felt inclined to give.  She and Mr, Sessions moved on to Sugar Creek February 14th, "3 o'clock . . . Just done storming," she wrote.  "Ground covered with snow and water, is very bad underfoot.  Attended prayers, Father John Smith's tent.  Visited many of the sisters.  It was very cold.  The wind blows.  We can hardly get to the fire for smoke, and we have no tent but our wagon  Thursday 19 no tent yet, but wagon comfortable.  Wrote letters to children in Nauvoo.  Mr. Sessions sent a dollar yesterday for cloth to make the ends (of the tent).  It has come, but no twine to sew it with.  David (son) has come back.  It storms fast.  He takes dinner with us again and starts for home. 20. Friday.  It does not storm but the wind blows and it is very cold. 23. Monday.  We qot canvas for a tent.  Sewed some on it. 24.  Tuesday.  Stormed all day.  Finished sewing it together.  Mr. Sessions went home to get tent poles and other things. 25.  Wednesday.  Lie very cold this morning.     On Thursday, the 26th, she wrote, "So cold I could hardly stir Mr. Sessions and I went over to Nauvoo to get the stove and cow.  Saturday 28, came back.  Put our stove in the tent.  We put John Scott's wife to bed.  Miscarry.  Are comfortable."   Since living here and feeling that bitter cold and wind that comes off the river, I have a better understanding of what she meant about being cold. And she didn't have my sleeping bag coat, warm boots and fleece everything. I'm so glad they were able to get the stove for the tent. 

As part of the remembrance celebration, there was a fireside featuring Brother Ben Pykles from the Church History Department. He is an archaeologist, but spoke about building up  Zion. This was the last quote. The reference is covered up, but it is from the Times and Seasons.

One morning I was out for a walk and there were so many honkers out. Here are a few of them.  They were honking up a storm and it was beautiful to see them taking off and landing in groups.

Every Fast Sunday we divide up into groups for dinner. In February we were able to eat with President and Sister Irion in their home. They are on the right.

We never get tired of seeing the temple. 

For FHE on the monday before Valentines Day, we had a dance in the Cultural Hall. We stopped on the way up the stairs to see the quilt collection.  This one was Peter's favorite.

So this is where Emma and Joseph and the other's in original Nauvoo danced. The floor is original. This was taken from the little balcony up above. Most people aren't allowed on this floor, so it was pretty special to get permission for this activity.

First we square danced and then Elvis and his friend came. The suit looks tan here but is actually gold and looked pretty fun.  They are both temple engineers but sounded great singing oldies that we "missionary oldies" loved.

On our last P-Day, we drove to an Amish grocery store that was really fun. We found some great cheese at a great price which always makes us happy!

The store had everything from cheese to clothing to yardage to books to kitchen gadgets.  Here are a couple of ice cream makers. Guess how much the 5 gallon model costs. For serious ice cream lovers!

( $1400)

I don't know how he does it. but my sweetheart always manages to spoil me on special days like Valentines. He found some beautiful roses in little Nauvoo and delicious dark chocolate. And he takes me to the temple almost everyday. It doesn't get any better than that.