Kalona, Iowa and lots of other things

I think I've become an every two week blogger.  The days just fly by and before you know it, two weeks have passed.

November week one

Standard Time started, Yea!  No more going to work in the dark. 

 6:45 A.M. Daylight Savings Time

6:45 AM Standard Time   - Moon Set

We continued to put the gardens to sleep.  It took lots of help from other FM missionaries, 1 employee, and 1 intern, but we finally finished everything at the Family Living Center.  While we were working there, the carpenters replaced the old, badly warped sign.

Sister Bailie

Elder Oedekirk

Pretty bloom in the greenhouse

Multi-colored hybiscus

Sam and Brooke organized the tool "shed".

Service project - helping a Community of Christ sister move

After a full week of work, we finally made it to Fat Jimmy's Smoke House in Montrose, but first we stopped by the place where the Saints landed in February 1846 after fleeing Nauvoo.  We also went up to the site where the last Saints, who were too poor or sick or aged to leave Nauvoo, were forced out.  They had no provisions, but the Lord sent a flock of quail into their camp to feed them.  When Brigham Young heard of their plights he sent wagons to the rescue.

Site of quail miracle with Carlsons and Bailies

Nauvoo from Montrose

Fat Jimmy's

 On Saturday we went with the Howards to Kalona, Iowa's historic village.  We had it all to ourselves.  This village is made up of late 19th century homes brought together to show us how our grandparents lived.  I loved it.

Sister Howard plays pump organ in Methodist Church

Guess what this is?

A "Grandpa House" built near the main house. 

Crazy quilt exhibit

     






















































There were two quilt exhibits - an Amish exhibit and an "English" exhibit.  English is what the Amish call non-Amish people.  I didn't take a photo of the Amish quilts, because they were just regular patchwork quilts, except the colors were very muted.  I did read an interesting history of Amish quilts.  They didn't make patchwork quilts for a long time because they were considered "modern".  Eventually they weren't modern, and so now they can make them.

 Kalona has a large population of Amish and Mennonites.  There are many stores scattered among the farms, but we only had time to visit the bakery.  Everything is made with fresh from the farm ingredients and tastes better than my homemade, because mine is made with ingredients that have been sitting on the store shelf .  If you are ever on I-80 going through Iowa City, I recommend that you take a little side trip to visit Kalona.  By the way, that object is a pre-electric vacuum cleaner.

November week 2 - really cold! 

This was one of those weeks in Nauvoo where unplanned events kept happening.  The first part of the week was in single digits. Monday it snowed and we had to shovel walks.  The next day, about 11:30, we were told to go see the Moroni statue on the temple be replaced.  It took all day, but we stood out in the cold as long as we could.  I stood out there until my camera died.  We live only a half-block from the temple and so I watched the rest of the operation from my warm kitchen. 

Wednesday we fastened pinecones to ribbons.  Greenery comes after Thanksgiving.

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Friday, November 16

We helped the conservation department decorate the Family Living Center.  Sister Bailie showed me the beaver dam. Then we worked on putting Wilford Woodruff's garden to sleep until it was time to meet some of the grounds crew for hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls at the Red Front.  That night we went to Burlington to see Fiddler on the Roof put on by the high school.  Several ward members were in it.  It was very good.

At the Red Front Store - my favorite place to eat out in Nauvoo

Sister Whiting took this from the Woodruff house.

Ice on the Mississippi

Beaver Dam under construction

Fiddler Cast takes a bow

 Can you see how time somehow slips away from me?  I'll try to keep up this week, because next week is really big - the children are coming for Thanksgiving!