More Nauvoo Blooms

I cannot get over the beautiful flowers that Richard chose last year for planting.  

Each of the beds and flowers are individually so incredible!

I am in awe of the majesty and beauty of God's creations.

There is no possible way that these magnificent flowers just appeared.

God's hand is so evident to me.

The flower beds in front of the Browning gun shop.

This one seems to change daily as more and more blooms open.

I actually helped plant this bed.

Enjoy!

Carthage Flowers

After making a delivery on Friday afternoon in Fort Madison, we went for a drive and ended up in Carthage.  It isn't any different in Nauvoo but I am astounded at the greenness of the grass on April 25th.  

The tulips along the entry path are in full bloom.  Very similar to what is planted in the Women's garden.

I love Spring flowers!  I've always loved tulips and daffodils but this year really gained an appreciation for the hyacinths as well.

The color combinations are so beautiful.  I will be sad when these are all done blooming.  I will not be sad that I am allowed to take as many as I want home to plant in my own yard.

The tulips behind Joseph and Hyrum are just beginning.  They will look like the ones in front of the Browning gun.  With so much quiet due to everything being closed, they seem to have nothing to oversee except the flowers.

Faux Wood Grain

For a large part of this quarantine, I have been working with Jared in faux graining the woodwork in some of the new homes in the temple district.  Jared is the employee who is the painter for the FM group.  He and I worked in the William Weeks home and now we are finishing in the Edward Hunter home.

Last week I went upstairs to do some clean up and take a trash receptacle to those who work up there.  Elder Flanders told me to go up into the attic and take a look out of the window facing the east.  These are the shots I took. 

The really odd thing about this home is that this window is in the attic where no one will look out of it to see the temple.  Yet on the upstairs level of the home there are many windows facing north, south and west.  Not a single one faces the east.

Here's a sample of one of the doors that Jared and I grained.  I found a flaw in it and when I pointed it out he wasn't happy, but said, "If this was for the temple we would redo it.  But since it isn't, we can leave it."  He talks about apartment quality as opposed to museum quality.  We are working on museum quality.  It has been an education and I've especially feel blessed to be working under the tutelage of a painter who knows his historic quality.  Can you find the flaw?

Busy Beavers

We went for a bike ride along the river to Sycamore Haven which is a dead end street so traffic there is not a problem.  There are some ups and downs with the road so we get to coast and also get to work.  I noticed these trees on the roadside.

I knew that beavers would gnaw on big trees but why work on such a big one when there are plenty of small ones nearby.

Also, once that tree is down, there is no way for a beaver or even several beavers to move it.  Unless their plan is to gnaw the limbs off and use them. 

I never saw wood chips with teeth marks in them before. Crazy beavers.  Now I understand the saying, "busy as a beaver".  These critters have a monumental task when they choose such a large tree.

Blessings Amid Quarantine

I believe we are now in our fifth, or maybe sixth, week of  our quarantine where we are not allowed to work with those who are not our companions or work out in the open as we are under a "Safer at Home" order.  We are trying to be obedient to the laws of the land so we are doing what we can.  Fortunately, the new temple district homes are considered essential as well as the grounds.  I was told that I could work with Jared if he needed my help.  

Jared was home sick for a week so I haven't worked with him the entire time.  I worked the first two weeks with my husband moving, cleaning, painting and organizing our new home and cleaning the old one.  Then we spent days ripping up carpeting and vinyl flooring in another apartment.  He's busy doing other jobs around our new place making it wonderful.

I look around and see all the things we cannot do.  We cannot go to church in Hannibal.  We cannot get together for our weekly training.  We cannot get together with others to have dinner or play games or anything else.  We can't play pickleball anymore.  We wear masks anytime we are near others or go out to get some groceries.  We try not to go anywhere we don't have to.  All the sites are closed which means there are no visitors.  Our family who had plans to come visit are unable to come.  There is question on whether or not there will be a normal summer season here with shows and pageants.

But, as I take a closer look, I can see so many things that I consider blessings.  I am still here while so many other missionaries were sent home.  We are able to meet for weekly training via Zoom.  While we aren't in the same location but we are together.  We have a "social" time via Zoom as well on Friday nights.  We have Sunday worship services together via Zoom.  We are able to have the sacrament each week until we are allowed to go back to church.  The daffodils, hyacinths and tulips are blooming beautifully!  I'm able to go to work every day and create something beautiful with Jared in the Weeks and Hunter homes.  Best of all, I get to be with my best friend and companion.  My sweetheart.

We are still able to Facetime with our children and grandchildren.  We are able to talk and see them daily if we choose to.  We have enough to eat.  Our bed is comfortable.  We have all the comforts we desire.  There is wonderful wildlife in our yard.  Deer, birds, squirrels and even raccoons.  We were sent the words and music for Sunset By the Mississippi.  That's a definite positive.  Will there be a usual summer?  I don't know.  I do know that whatever happens, I will remain happy and upbeat.  I do look forward to visitors and being able to sit next to friends at meetings.  I look forward to getting together with others and enjoying being together.

This quarantine will end.  God is in control.  I pray for an end to this but know it will be in His time.

Temple View

Our new apartment is just across the street from the Nauvoo State Park.  Right now it is a very still, quiet place but I anticipate that once this Covid 19 pandemic is over, that people will start coming to camp.  I look forward to not having so much privacy.

We were only here a day or two when I noticed that I could see the temple spire through the trees once it gets dark.  What a beautiful site!  I've never lived in a place where I could live so close to a temple.  I'm enjoying the sight even if it is closed at the present time.

The Sacrament

In the month since we have not been able to attend any church meetings, we have been able to partake of the sacrament only once.  I've never been in the situation where the sacrament hasn't been available to me.

Yesterday when I got to the mail room, there was something in our mailbox.  It is a sacrament packet.  I was so touched that I held back the tears.

With this coming Sunday being Easter I am so grateful that I will once again be able to partake of the emblems of our Savior. I hadn't realized how much I missed being able to listen to those prayers and lift those emblems to my lips.  This week I can shout Hosanna to His name and truly feel it!

Faux Painting

I have been working all week with Jared in the William Weeks house.  He is charged with faux painting the woodwork including the doors and window frames.  Apparently this was the fashion in the 1840's.  I don't understand covering up real wood with fake wood painting.

I've learned that faux painting is not about putting the paint on.  It is all about removing the paint. 

Once the faux grain is on and dry, a second coat of colored sealer goes over the top to give it a little more texture.  The above door is the front entry door to the Weeks home.

I feel like the nurse handing instruments to the doctor as I help Jared.  He had me do the prep work and then he goes to work.  The paint is a thin coat so it dries very quickly.  Therefore, Jared needs to work very quickly.  It helps that I can hand him the tools that he needs.  While working on this door, I painted and then put the faux on the side of the above door.  Not as straight as it could be but it's the edge so it isn't that important.

Then on Wednesday, Jared told me that I was going to do some painting.  I told him I didn't need to but he insisted.  The top panel of the above door is mine!  I think it turned out really great! 

This is another finished door.  It is the interior door that will be placed between the two rooms.  We had to do both sides of this door.  It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Jared on this project.  I'm grateful that I could help him this week while he has not been 100% feeling great.  I look forward to seeing this home finished!

General Conference April 2020

With all the craziness going on in the world right now due to Covid-19, I was looking forward to General Conference as never before just hoping to feel the peace that the Spirit brings through the messages given.
I have taken notes on the conferences in the past.  It helps me stay focused and awake when it gets tough.  It also helps me remember what each talk was about.  Lots of times I will write myself a question as a self evaluation.  Yesterday was no different.  I wrote a few sentences about President Nelson's invitation to "Hear Him!"
Then something changed.  I began to listen to what the Spirit was whispering to me.  Here are just a few things I heard.
"Unity in families helps to get through challenges."
"There's no way for me to make up for the mistakes/sins I've made.  That is why I need the Savior's atonement."
"Joseph Smith's marriage to Emma Hale was key in Joseph obtaining and translating the plates."
"Stay focused and I will accomplish all that God asks of me."
"I do not need to see Jesus Christ to know that he is real and that he lives."
"The Lord prepares, in detail, his missionary work."
"Do not remove the Savior's name from His church.  It inadvertently removes Him as the center of my life."

I love this new symbol that President Nelson introduced.  If this does not say that we believe in Christ then people are blind.  I was so filled with the Spirit as I listened to President Nelson.  I know he is God's prophet on the earth today.  It was so powerful that I listened as tears streamed down my face.  I look forward to even more truths being confirmed in my heart/life today!

Ripping Up the Vinyl

Over the past two days we have been tearing up the flooring in the Village Inn #7.  The carpet pulled up rather easily.  The hardest part was pulling out the staples that held the padding in place and that wasn't difficult at all.

When we got to the vinyl  in the kitchen it was a different story.  The glue held that stuff down pretty tightly.  We ended up using the skill saw to cut it into manageable pieces.  Then we used oscillating tools to get underneath the vinyl and pull it up.  Both of us ended our day when we finished the kitchen.

Tomorrow is the bathroom which is much smaller and shouldn't take too much time.  The toilet will have to be removed but Elder Pleshek is a whiz at doing that kind of thing.  Then we will be on to the next project.  Whatever that may be. 
This working together thing is kind of nice.  With the social distancing thing going on, we are not allowed to work with other missionaries.  With the Illinois governor's stay at home order, we are to work in places that aren't very visible.  Although, we may get to do some lawn mowing/yard work.