Monday, June 26, 2017 – Cool Morning Turned to Rain, Weeding & Cleaning Smith Family Cemetery with Elder Johnson & Elder Cantwell

This morning was cool and overcast, a perfect day to work outdoors. We all had to put our jackets on! As the morning wore on the clouds got thicker and darker until we were working in a light rain. However it didn’t stay light for long and we had to move our work indoors.

We started out weeding and cleaning at the Memorial to the Pioneers at the exodus point by the shore of the Mississippi River. The mulch seems to have kept the weeds down a lot so we were done pretty quickly. 

Next we move to the Smith Family Cemetery to pull weeds from the flowerbeds we planted a few weeks ago. Tomorrow at noon there will be a commemoration program there on the 143rd anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. This program will be put on by the Community of Christ Church who owns the cemetery. The LDS Church will hold its commemoration service tomorrow at 5:00pm on the grounds of the Carthage Jail. Last year we had over 900 in attendance.

 

Our next three stops were the Visitor’s Information Kiosk on the main highway into Nauvoo, the Wilford Woodruff Home and finally Browning gun. They all have flowerbeds that needed weeding plus all of the grounds around these sites need regular general cleaning and maintenance. There is litter, leaves, limbs and stick, hoeing, raking, sweeping and blowing of sidewalks to do.

 

We were still working in the herb garden behind Browning Home and Gunsmith when it started to rain so we took our work inside. Elder Kyle Johnson, Elder Cantwell and I worked in the “Hoop” greenhouse pulling Oxalis and other weeds as well and cleaning and sweeping out the whole greenhouse. It was a great indoor project while it rained.

Sunday, June 25, 2017 – Liz Lemon Swindle, Sociable, Artwork

This evening Sis. Johnson and I attended a “Sociable.” (That’s what they call a “Fireside” in Nauvoo.) The Sociable featured Sis. Liz Lemon Swindle, the famous LDS artist/painter. Her paintings include themes with Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, a series on the life of the Savior and much more. Sis. Johnson has several of her works hanging on our walls back in Arizona. Sis. Swindle will be opening a gallery here in Nauvoo soon. 

Tonight’s fireside by Sis. Swindle was truly great. For almost an hour and a half she told her story that lead her to change the subjects of her paintings. She talked about how a single piece of music on a CD about the death of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum changed her life. She was inspired and guided by the spirit to switch her art from fairies and fantasy to Joseph Smith, Church history and the Divine.  Her stories were funny, engaging and faith promoting.

Tonight’s fireside by Sis. Swindle was truly great. For almost an hour and a half she told her story that lead her to change the subjects of her paintings. She talked about how a single piece of music on a CD about the death of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum changed her life. She was inspired and guided by the spirit to switch her art from fairies and fantasy to Joseph Smith, Church history and the Divine.  Her stories were funny, engaging and faith promoting.

I don’t know how we got to be so blessed to be here serving a Senior Couple Mission in Nauvoo and have the blessing of being in the center of Church history, attending firesides of famous painters, authors, actors, composers and be visited by General Authorities. This is truly a blessing for Sis. Johnson and I.

Saturday, June 24, 2017 – Twin Fawns, Tomato HHornworm

On our way to go shopping this morning for P-day we saw a rare treat beside the road. Our neighbors, Elder & Sis. Winegar live only a few doors south of us. (Our grandson Elder Kyle Johnson and three other service missionaries live in the lower level). A few days ago the Winegar’s told us that a mother deer had left her two fawns in the grass of the yard next to their house. Today we noticed the two fawns were still there. Evidently that is where the doe leaves her fawns for safe keeping until she returns from browsing each day. 

Today when we returned from our P-day errands I discovered a lot of leaves missing off of our tomato plants. Last week I discovered a lot of stems eaten off by the deer so I closed the lid to the wire cage that surrounds the tomato planter so the deer would not be able to eat all of the leaves and stems. But today’s damage was inside the wire cage. Something else was eating all of the leaves.

Upon close examination of our six tomato plants I discovered worms, lots of Tomato Hornworms. I got to work hunting high and low for the culprits that were devouring my tomato plants. My search resulted in the capture and eradication of 24 worms. I hunted for quite a while and I’m sure I didn’t find them all. From now on I will be looking in the tomato plants everyday for worms. I am very stingy; I am not going to share my tomatoes with Hornworms.

Today Sis. Johnson and I treated ourselves to a movie. We went to the “Plaza 3 Cinema” in Keokuk, IA. It’s only 15 miles south of Nauvoo and we drive by the shopping center every week on our way to Wal-Mart to do our weekly shopping.

 We saw “Cars 3” the next sequel in the “Cars” movie franchise. It was very good, we liked it a lot. Sis. Johnson liked it so much she said we will be buying the two disc set when they are released.

Friday, June 23, 2017 – Cool rainy morning, Weeding Browning Again, Asian Lady Beetle

This morning arrived with a light rain (.15” Inch)and cooler temperatures. It was a nice morning but the rain stopped by 7:30 and after the sun came out it was another warm day in the sun to work outdoors. But the cooler temps and clouds were a nice change.

And for the third day in a row we weeded the back yard garden at the Historic Home of Jonathan Browning. We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I think we may be back to do a little finish up work early next week but we are almost done. 

 

This afternoon Elder Kyle Johnson found what he thought was a Lady Bug but it’s really the dreaded “Asian Lady Beetle.” Locally the common name for this Lady Bug impostor is “Corn Bug.”  They look a lot like a Ladybug but they bite, they stink, and they are invasive.  Their numbers are so great in fall that they invade homes, farms and other structures. They may help control aphids & other insects in the garden but they are stinky and messy when they invade homes.

We had a great night performing in “Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo” tonight. We had two sellout shows and the best part was Sis. Johnson and I got to play “George & Agatha” tonight. In both shows the guests were enthusiastic, loud and involved. Both audiences loved our show and the 8:15 crowd even gave us a standing ovation. We all loved it.

Thursday, June 22, 2017 – Tree Poison, Yearsley Home, Gheen Home, Jonathan Browning Home, Poison Ivy

Our first cleaning assignment this morning was the Historic home of David & Mary Ann Yearsley. We cleaned and weeded all of the flowerbeds. I also found half a dozen rogue sapling trees to pull out by the roots or kill with tree poison. Either way they all have to go because they are too close to the building. If left to mature they would damage the foundation.

Our next stop was at the historic home of William & Ester Gheen. The flowerbeds here needed to be cleaned and spruced up because this home is seen by so many visitors at they take the horse drawn wagon ride around Old Nauvoo.

 

Our final cleaning assignment for the day was at the Jonathan Browning back yard and herb garden. It is a large area and the guests that visit the Historic Jonathan Browning Gunsmith Shop leave the tour out the back door into the garden. So, the garden needs to always look good for the guests.

 

Part of the tour of the Jonathan Browning home is in the back yard where guest are taken to the grave of the Browning’s six week old daughter.  Jonathan and his wife Elizabeth purposefully buried their daughter in that spot in the back yard because they had a clear view of the Nauvoo Temple as a reminder that families are eternal and they would have their daughter with them again someday. 

While we were pulling weeds in the back yard of the Jonathan Browning Home, Sis. Johnson got into Poison Ivy or Stinging Nettle. We didn’t find the culprit but she ended up with big bad welts on her right arm and wrist. The oil from Poison Ivy can be on your clothes and transfer to your skin later so Sis. Johnson went home immediately to shower and put on “Safe” clothes. She says the pain is gone but I’m afraid the welts will last for a few days.