Prairie Grass Fire

 It was the annual prairie grass fire demonstration.  One acre of land is natural grass of the prairie, and each spring, the firemen come and burn it.  If you are late, you miss it, because it burns so fast!  The grass wasn't as long this year as some, but you can imagine how dangerous it would be to face such a thing for real. 

 Before the fire, the mission sponsored a hot dog picnic for all the missionaries and the community.  750 hot dogs were purchased, and I don't think there were many left!  They also cooked kettle corn in a HUGE kettle, and fed the mass of people.  Always well organized, it went quickly and smoothly. 

The temple is always a symbol of hope and peace. 

Welcome to Nauvoo, Illinois, 2014

 We are here again!  Happy to be serving in the Illinois Nauvoo Mission.  We live in Illinois, get gas in Missouri, and shop in Iowa.  It is amazing to watch the traffic on the Mississippi.

 We feel like we live in a wildlife refuge.  There are so many creatures that live in or by the river.  We were greeted by the friendly deer the first evening we arrived, and another night we counted nine of them in our back yard. 

 The cardinals are always fun to watch, and the first daffodil is now blooming in front of the Print Shop. 

 Our little apartment has one room for the kitchen, dining room, and living room, but at least I have a piano!  We also have one bedroom and a bathroom.  Not much to clean. 

 We have served at many of the sites so far, including the Family Living Center and Cultural Hall.  It is nice that so many of the things we learned before come back to our minds easily.  Almost like we never left!

 We have been performing in the Rendezvous show since our first week.  We are in the Sarah Granger cast.

 This picture of the ruins of the temple, drawn by an artist of the time, and hanging in the Heber C. Kimball home, has always been touching to me.  To imagine that beautiful temple destroyed is heart-breaking.  The new temple is so beautiful.

And, this is my view from behind the piano while playing for the Rendezvous show.  It is nice to be back!

Some Last Things

As wagon narrator on my last pioneer-dress-serving-day.  S/Holmstead and I cut each others hair!

At the Family Living Center

For President Gilliland's birthday we all got a cupcake after training meeting.  Lots of sisters helped make them, and he got a "surprise" cake and birthday song after the meeting.  He was surprised. 

Happy Birthday, President.

The Lyon Drug herb garden looks and smells so good!

They try to use you as much as they can up until you leave!

Farewell breakfast skit.  All of the people on the stage are leaving before October.

A lunch group meeting at Pete's.  It is whoever happens to be free at noon this day.

The funny part is that Pete's was closing the next day, so they had very limited choices.  Ice cream?  NO.  Carbonation for the drinks?  NO.  etc.  We finally just said, What DO you have left?  I shared fish and chips with S/Lyman.  Fun people to be with.

Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo

Thomas and Elizabeth are discussing why they have to leave so soon....

In the middle of winter, no less.  She is NOT going.

And he had better know that she has done more than her share!

OK, I guess she will go to the desert and sagebrush, and they sing about leaving Nauvoo.

They go willingly, because they have to.  No, they go willingly, because they WANT to. 

Emma Hale Cast Party

S/Harrop and S/Brown getting things ready for our end-on-summer cast party. It was held in the Facilities Management break room. 

Everyone was to bring finger foods or desserts.  Doesn't this look pretty?  It is carmel cream cheese stuff, with carmel and heath bars on top, surrounded by apple slices.  Fun. 

S/Openshaw and S/Jardine

S/McKnight and Me

Darling S/Munhoz from Peru, who can't speak much English.  Who needs to with a happy spirit like she has?!  She brought chopped seasoned chicken with mashed potatoes around that and then lightly coated and baked.  Very good. 

S/Bennett, who was present in Japan at the earthquake and tsunami. I have worked with her in the sewing room. 

 

E/S Daybell, recently released sewing room site leader.  They are leaving when we are. 

A Few More Memories

Elder Anderson loves the horses and the band kids liked him when he drove them around town. 

They stopped all over town to do little concerts every day. 

S/Homer, last day in the sewing room, before she left Nauvoo to go home.

Two of us cut 10 heads of hair right after the last High Hopes performance, so that the young Elders would be presentable to go home.  I cut hair for two hours.  It took longest to cut his curly hair.

This is our Relief Society meeting.

Greg loves to eat the blue plate special at the Bonaparte Retreat on the way to Cantril, Iowa.  A charming little place.  In the back of the picture, the Lymans were coming in, and I didn't see them until after this.  They joined us for lunch. 

Greg took this darling picture at the Milton store. 

Another customer's vehicle.

Sunset By the Mississippi

S/Endter took this picture, some of these guys were terrific gymnasts.

Beginning of the patriotic number, all 20 young performing missionaries

Singing "All God's Creatures", last verse.

before we start the show

S/Wilkey in the band wanted our picture.

The patriotic number always made me teary-eyed, especially when the veterans in the audience would stand.

The mosquitoes of Nauvoo are large and musical!

Everyone on stage, old and young, performs the opening and closing numbers, as well as a couple of others. 

S/Endter also took this picture.  The kids were really good. 

Sunset by the Mississippi is over now.  It is performed from Memorial Day until the second weekend in August.  The summer went really fast, and it didn't seem that hot.  Maybe that is already being repressed!  We kind of miss it now that it is over.  We certainly miss the performers who are all gone now, and we are left to our own old selves.