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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Road Trip Revisited

We're back from our road trip to Nauvoo and surrounding areas.  Actually we've been back for a while but it has taken me this long to post pictures.  Even though I have some clever  and funny things to say, I'll just get on with the slide show.   It won't take long, I'll choose just a few of the hundreds taken:

Nebraska landscape.  Notice how I inserted myself in to the picture? Hitchcock would be proud!


Winter Quarters Temple in Iowa.


Got to Nauvoo late Sunday night and checked in to our old and cozy hotel.  This isn't our hotel, it's just an old cabin but I thought I'd try to trick you.


This is our hotel room.  How quaint is this? The hotel was built in 1840 as a residence. It seemed like not much had changed since it was first built!  Luckily indoor plumbing was added to the building.


I thought the ice dispenser was fun.  


The Magnolia trees were beautiful!


This is a sampling of the beautiful bronze statues in the Monument to Women Memorial Garden that's just outside the Visitor's Center.


In the Family Living Center, we were taught how to make candles, ash bread, pottery, barrels, and rope.  Andy's helping to make the rope here. 
Notice that no one else is in the building?  We timed our trip perfectly.  Not too many people were there and we had many of the sites to ourselves!


Here's a typical bed that uses rope to support the straw tick.  The rope would loosen after several nights, so it needed to be tightened. This is where the term "sleep tight" comes from. 


This Bee Box is in Wilford Woodruff's home. This is a device to help lead you to find a beehive. Children would take half of this box, go out and catch a bee, return home and attach the rest of the box filled with flour, coat the bee in flour, and release the bee. The flour slowed down the bee and it was easy to follow it to its hive.


This is one of the missionaries making a miniature horseshoe in the blacksmith shop.


 The Nauvoo Temple is a beacon on the hill.  It's beautiful inside and out.


On the temple grounds is this statue of Joseph and Hyrum Smith on their way to Carthage.


This is the room in the Carthage Jail where Joseph and Hyrum were martyred by the mob.


This is the upstairs dungeon where Willard Richard placed John Taylor, who had been shot, to protect him from the mob. 


The Carthage Jail was a very spiritual place.   


We left Nauvoo and traveled through Missouri to see Liberty Jail and the Visitors Center in Independence.  Our final place to visit was Adam-Ondi-Ahman.  What a beautiful place. I was told that there's nothing here but a plaque...but there's more.


And it's not just Andy.


Taking this trip has helped me appreciate the spirit of the early Saints.  Their faith, dedication, obedience, commitment and strength is truly inspirational.

Are you still here?  You can wake up now.  Thanks for visiting.


26 comments:

lesa said...

I'm going to some of those places in a few months. Can't wait!

Teachinfourth said...

I've so been there! Of course, it was about 15 years ago...

Looks like you've had fun!

Yvonne said...

Love your pictures and, of course, your commentary. Didn't know where the term "sleep tight" came from--hope you're not just pulling my leg. Love the statue of Joseph and Hyrum on their horses.

I've been on the tour of Carthage Jail a couple of times and have always been so touched.

I have not been to Adam-Ondi-Ahman, but Allan has and I know he would definitely agree.

Julie said...

What a fabulous trip! So glad you got to enjoy your spring break.

It makes me realize that without little kids, I could drive and drive for days! Oh the adventures we'll have when they're older...

Tracy said...

Thanks for sharing your trip!! I'm glad your arrived back home safely! Looks you had an amazing time!!

Happy Easter!

Kristina P. said...

What an amazing trip! You clearly enjoyed yourselves.

Jenny Lynn said...

Looks like an amazing trip. One that I would like to make some day. I loved the ice chest!

Valerie said...

It's been about 7 years since we took a trip to Nauvoo. Inigo was just a toddler, so I'd love to go again so he can have memories.

Carthage was my favorite place. The spirit was so strong there.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED your cloud pictures!!!

Doran & Jody said...

Thanks for sharing!
We would LOVE to go visit the sites....someday...

Kerin said...

Beautiful pictures. What a wonderful trip, and how nice to be there at the time of year when you could take all the time that you wanted, and not feel rushed.
How blessed we are! I certainly appreciate my pillow top mattress even more :)
Have a wonderful Easter!

Barbaloot said...

I feel so homesick for all those places right now!!! Thanks for sharing. Looks like you had a wonderful time:)

mCat said...

Love all this! I went back there when I was 10 and most certainly did not appreciate it like I would now.

I noticed the old telephone on the nightstand. Love the quaint~

Julie Harward said...

I loved every picture..makes me want to go again! I loved the bee box story too..that as so smart! :D

Brenda said...

Thanks for sharing your pictures! Our family took the tour last summer. I love Nauvoo and all the surrounding church sites! I miss it through your pictures.
I also left with a greater appreciation.

Happy Easter to you and your family!

Ann Marie said...

I am so old-fashioned for my own good that I would have even enjoyed the hotel if it had an old out-house. lol!

I LOVED every picture.. and I can't wait to experience what you have in the past weeks.

I felt the spirit just looking at Andy staing there.. invisioning a Temple. Oh... I LOVE it all!

PS: You look fabulous my lady friend!

Ann Marie said...

Sorry.. "Standing" :)

Darla said...

Love Nauvoo and I agree my most spiritual experiences in Nauvoo was at the Temple and Carthage Jail. Looks like you had a great time!

gigi said...

You can really share more pictures with us, we wouldn't mind at all. Glad you had a great trip there and back. I have fond memories of this trip with my family. I'd go again in a minutes notice!

karen said...

I loved your pictures - it's somewhere LaMar and I would like to go one day soon. I particularly liked your shot of the temple - really beautiful! And what a fun little hotel! It's true though - it really gives you appreciation for what the early Saints went through, doesn't it?

Kelly said...

Never heard the bee story in my many trips to Nauvoo. We just returned from Palmyra and Kirtland.

wendy said...

I was awake the whole time!!
I really enjoyed those photos. I can imagine the reverance you'd feel at the jail....and of course the temples.
I fell in LOVE with the Magnolia tree. I would like to sit on the grass there and breath in that beautiful fragrance.
I am glad you had such a fun trip. Have a WONDERFUL, happy Easter my friend.

Kazzy said...

I am thrilled you got to go. I think it is a real testimony builder to be where Joseph was.

Joanie said...

Love all your photos, and commentary. Very interesting to learn about "sleep tight". Great you didn't have to fight the crowds, but wondering where your fanny pack was?

CB said...

I really really LOVe Nauvoo!! We have visited twice and I could go back 10 more times. It is such a spiritual place and so historic that is just feels good to be there.
Your pictures are wonderful!! I'm glad you got to spend time in the Temple there.

I love the last picture of your husband - so cute!

Kimmie said...

Okay, so I have been very "hit and miss" in blog-land and I'm SO happy to have saw this post.

BTW, don't feel bad about taking so long to post...I am almost a YEAR behind posting photos of our Yellowstone Trip and week long backpacking trip from last summer! It's really hard when you have 100's of photos to go through to pick out the best ones and then insert text.

I was chuckling to myself about your comment about how Hitchcock would be proud! You have such a fun and witty sense of humor and I always know I will laugh and be inspired when I visit your blog.

LOVE each and every photo you posted and was fascinated by the bee box story...so interesting! Oh to have lived in older times. I would love to be blinked back in Pioneer times for a week to truly see how things were. I connect greatly with our Pioneer Heritage.

SO neat that you got to spend time inside the Nauvoo Temple...i ist stunning in it's beauty!

The magnolia trees look amazing and someday I hope that we can make it there on a family trip as well.

PS...I have to agree with Ann Marie...you look amazing! I hope when I get to be your age that I look as GREAT as you do! All slim and trim and love your haircut! You radiate such beauty both inside and out!

Have a happy and wonderful week! I've truly missed you in Blog-land!!

Unknown said...

Doc and I were able to participate in the Nauvoo temple dedication -- so incredible! Love all these pics of our stomping grounds :)