Weeks 2 & 3

May 29-June 2... then going backwards through the week

May 29 is the birthday of a darling 7 year old grandson and we were able to giggle and web chat with him!  How we miss those grandkids! May 30 is our 15 year old grandson's birthday!

We actually only have 1 day a week to see the sites,clean,shop,do laundry. These photos make it look like we play and travel around all the time.  Not so.  We work hard and just play hard.

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Nauvoo's Brass Band performs nightly. Talented young students who make you tap your toes.

Casey's Gas Station sells made to order Taco Pizza. That's lettuce and Doritos on top. (The lettuce is really green, not blue) It's quite famous here and Mike said it was yummy.

Sunset on the Mississippi makes it difficult to not pull out my camera nightly.

Our Preparation Day outing 35 miles from Nauvoo reveals the 2 first graves (after the Saints were driven from Nauvoo Feb. 1846.) This is Richardson's Point, Iowa. The rains created mud to their knees bogging down travel for 2 weeks in March.

Where the Saints crossed the

 Des Moines River in 1846.

Our friend, Sister Russell, waded briefly in the Des Moines River. She reported it was pretty warm in May 2016.

"Iron & Lace" This couple creates wrought iron objects, and pottery with the Queen Anne's lace blooms pressed into the clay then burned off in the kiln. Creates the lovely pattern so I toted a nativity piece home.

www.ironandlace.com

A lunch break at the Bonaparte Grist Mill gave us energy to continue our own "Mormon Trek". Here we sit like birds in the wilderness waiting to be fed. The pioneers used this Mill to grind their grains on their way West.

The Saints worked their way across the states by hiring out their labors in a variety of  jobs. This is on the Des Moines River in Bentonsport, Iowa. We didn't knock at the door.  Grandson, Mason, take note.

Center is the snake arrow. The older arrow heads did not have notches.

 Tony Sanders is an artist and collector. He built this log structure to house his collection of over 5,000 arrowheads. They are mounted on over 2 dozen types of different inlaid wood that he cuts with a coping saw then chisels to fit. He is still lining the ceiling with the inlaid.
 His oldest arrow he calls the 'snake' arrow. It's over 6,000 years old and is in the center of the table display. Tony has collected them since he was 7 years old. He's now 76.   He picks them up along the river beds after a heavy rain. They are all on the surface he says but I think he has a great eye and can see them below the mud.  The antlers are picked up in the Spring after being shed. He gives God credit for his talents since he's self taught and never passed the 4th grade.

 (google Tony Sanders Arrowheads for more info and photos)

Most handcart pioneers (mostly Scandinavian & Engllish)  rode the trains to Iowa City then pushed their handcarts from there 1,500 miles to the Salt Lake Valley. We drove this Blvd. on our way home from Church 2 weeks ago. Hopefully we'll locate soon the pioneer log cabin purported to be along there somewhere. 

 On our way to church this old ivy covered barn just begged to be photographed as we drove past it at 60 MPH.  The corn is just peeking up. Soon the barn won't be visible from the road....so the natives tell us.  We'll keep you posted on the corn.

Bridge UP for the Tug on the Mississippi our first 6:30 AM Sunday morning drive to Iowa City, Iowa for our 9 AM meeting time.

  Each Sunday we are assigned to attend the Student Young Marrieds ward (congregation) in Iowa City.  We're enjoying the them and their young families! Most of them are graduate students in medicine, law, business, etc.  Very competent folks!  The Kerr's ride with us and are delightful new friends from Redlands, CA.
Mike and I love and enjoy our daily assignments in the Nauvoo Temple. We spend all day (6:30AM-1:30 PM) Tuesdays helping in the Baptistry. Our other assignments vary the other 4 days. Those that know me well, know that's a bit earlier than I usually find myself functioning. The Lord blesses me to go to bed earlier and to wake up with a smile!