Isaac Morley farm where they let Joseph & Emma stay.

Kirtland Ohio.   Ashery where they made potash.  Below, I loved the corn cob checker game.  Great idea!  

Asher's where they make potash.  Used to make soap. makeup, tanning hides, fertilizer. etc.  It was a great cash income for the community of saints.

A stop at the Isaac Morley Farm just north of Kirtland, Ohio

We went to visit the Isaac Morley farm just north of Kirtland, Ohio.  A great day to travel because we had finished our cleaning assignments at the Temple.  This time we got to clean one of the locker rooms, and both of the Sealing rooms with their beautiful crystal chandeliers, and lighting.  Great assignment to complete.  Then we had the rest of 2 weeks to tour around.  So off to see the sights around here.  

At the Morley farm the School of the Prophets was organized. In Kirtland we visited the Kirtland Temple.  

Then off to Toronto Canada to go to the Temple there.  When we arrived, we found no hotel rooms, because there was a hockey championship going on between the Canadians and the Americans.  Finally found a room from a member who rents out rooms in her home.  What a sweet lady.  By the end of the night she had 4 couples staying for the night.  All Missionaries from Palmyra Temple!  

We left exchanging Phone Numbers, and emails, and grateful to have spent time together.

We loved Kirtland, Ohio.  The Kirtland Temple, Issac Morley farm ,Ashery, Sawmill,etc.  

 

A little time to spare before we pick our friends for Church. A quick stroll through the falls at Niagara Falls is the perfect way to begin the day seeing Gods creations in perfect form.

Wine country, where we drive through miles and miles of grape vines.

The Temple is closed for 2 weeks for cleaning and up keep, so after we spent 2 days cleaning we left for Toronto Canada and are on vacation.  We spent the morning at Bills in Niagara Falls,then went to do the helicopter ride over the Nigara Falls Gorge.  Unbelievably amazing sight from straight up.  

Yesterday, on our way up to Niagara we took the scenic route through miles and miles of grape vine fields. This is big wine country, and big money to be made here.  They even have their ice wine vines caged up all ready to keep the birds off them until the weather gets down to 16 degrees below zero for

a length of time to make this specialty wine.  Big business if the weather cooperates!

some pictures from the Niagara Falls Canadian side.

 These are some pictures from our trip to Niagara Falls today.   This is a walk around the Canadian side.  This is the horseshoe falls from the Canadian side.   This spot is in the shape of a horseshoe, and from the air it is a perfect horseshoe shape.

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This picture shows how far back the falls have receded since 1678 to today.  

Elder Jensen's final leg of biking the Erie Canal Bike path from Palmyra to Albany, New York

Our back door neighbor, Elder Terry Jensen, set the goal before they came here on their mission to bike the Erie Canal from Palmyra, New York, to Albany, New York, a total of 363 miles.  He has spent many "off days" from the Temple, to complete this goal.  This last week was his final stretch!  These are some of the sights along the way!  

Above is an Amish Carrage traveling the Highway.  A not so common sight, but a great surprise when you see them. 

Quite a great adventure through some of the most beautiful stretches of scenery.  It was great to be there through this last stretch of the trail!  Thanks for sharing this adventure with us!  It was amazing to be there.

This is the big city of New York, New York!  Big sights & Big City!  Below is the Education Building that is in the Ginus book of world records for the most pillars in a single building.  It has 50 Pillars.  

Terry on another stretch of the trail.  See you at the next stop.  The picture below is of an Amish wagon going down the highway.  A not so common sight, but worth seeing!

This is a battle sight along the way.  There are many found along the country roads out here.  

This is the Education Building in Albany, New York, known for its 50 Pillars.  It is in the Ginus Book of World records for the most Pillars in one building.  Amazing!  Albany is the Capital of NewYork.

Below is the State Capital of New York.  We didn't go inside, but it is in a magnificent square of legislative and government buildings.  We loved being here!  We also learned that they don't jay walk here.  

A beautiful place to celebrate the last leg of the journey on the Erie Canal bike path.  Congrats Terry!!!

A special evening with a couple visiting from Australia!

Today a couple from Australia, Dick & Jill Byrnes, came to the Temple to do a session at the temple.  Later we ran into them in the Sacred Grove.  After our walk through the grove we invited them to go to dinner at the Craeps Restaurant in Lockport.  We enjoyed a wonderful evening laughing, and sharing great stories.  They said the hardest part of being here was to drive on the wrong side of the road.  We talked about kangaroos, and kookaburra's in ther back yards in Austrailia.  It was a great night with new friends.  

The next day after we came home from the Temple we found a sweet card, flowers, and chocolates on the porch.  This mission has brought so many sweet memories to take home with us!    We will remember this night with big smiles!  Thanks to our new friends, Dick & Jill Byrnes, from down under in Austrailia!  

 

Palmyra Temple Group Missionary Pictures!

We are getting Group pictures  before the 6 month Missionaries leave on the 29th of October.  It is kind of a sad time knowing that our time here is coming to an end.  We have come to love each other, and will miss our close association  on a daily basis at the Temple.  It feels like home for us now, and we will miss our Temple  family experiences here!  

Above is the side of the Temple that is the windows in the Baptistry.  This area is one of everyone"s favorites!  I will miss the groups of youth that come often.  There is The Bissic family who come regularly, and they feel like family to all of us.  

Last week a large group from West Point came to do Baptisms.  They even had 5 or 6 sisters in their group.  What a sharp looking group of LDS  warriors  doing amazing things! 

Thanks to Brother Brent Walton, our photographer, we hope to have some great pictures of everyone to remember this  sacred time together.  

When we finished the photo shoot, we went to President Blacks home for FHE where Sister Black gave a wonderful presentation on the Art works that are displayed in the Palmyra Temple, and also on the Stain Glass Windows and doors in the Temple as well, and their significance in the  sacredness of their design.  

Needless to say, it was a memorable evening for everyone!  Sister Black is a very classy woman, and we have come to love her and president Black so very much!

This has been a very sacred place to serve, and we will bring our sacred experiences, and our new found family home with us in our hearts!  They have touched our lives forever, and we are grateful for our sacred connections.  

If you get a chance to come here you will not be disappointed.  Last week there was a family staying in the apartments behind us.  We left our Tandem bike on the porch for them to use.  The farther and son went on a ride to the Sacred Grove and when they got to the Sacred Grove,  they were greeted with the sound of the 2 Sister Missionaries playing  Hymns with  their Violins in the Sacred Grove.  It was a perfect welcome to them as they entered the Grove.   It doesn't get better than that!  A perfect moment for many people that day.  This happens often, and is unforgettable for those who are lucky enough to share those sacred moments.  

Missionary Barbecue at President Blacks home on Temple road. Rod was dressed to cook!

Sister Schwendiman posing with her cane.  

Sister Schwendiman loving the Cardinal cane that Rod made her.  She loves it and takes it everywhere.  We love every chance we can to get together with our group of the best couples ever!  Couldn't ask for a greater group of Missionaries!  Our gatherings are always filled with laughter and fun times!            After dinner we enjoyed being entertained by "Denny and her escorts".  Bro Dobbs and his group have been performing together for 25 years, and sang all the old tunes we all remembered and love.  It was a wonderful evening of good food and great company!            

   

Br Dobbs and his 3 legged routine with song and dance.  Great for a big laugh!  

Rod takes advantage of every time he gets to wear his Missionary Barbecue apron.  " Looking stylish & handsome!"

Our patio garden welcome planter, "Samantha". A warm welcome to our guests.

This is our front porch garden.  We purchased it at Cosco in April, and named her Samantha.  She is over running her planter in an amazing way, and greets all our guests that come to visit.  I call it my small White House Garden!   It is a small welcome to our home on Stafford  Road.

A Day at the New York State Fair with our neighbors, Marsha &Terry Jensen, and Brent & Karen Miner of the Temple Presidency

A day at the New York State Fair on our day off at the Temple, where we enjoyed our Temple day off.

Our back donor neighbors, Terry & Marsha Jenson from Pocatello, Idaho, and Brent & Karen Miner from our Temple Presidency at the Palmyra Temple.  Off to a great day at the Fair.

First stop was not at the quilt show but the food court where we sampled Canollies, which are a delicious pastry filled with cream cheese,  cheesecake on a stick and dipped in Chocolate, and cheese curds.  They started off our day just right.  Also at the food court was their famous Olympic Sculpture made from Butter.   iIt is encased in a refrigerated display to preserve its integrity throughout the Fair week.  Pretty good if you ask me!

It began to rain so we went into the arts and crafts display where we found great quilts, wood carvings, etc.  These were a few of our favorites!

We enjoyed a show put on by the Police rescue dog team who are trained in drug detection , and rescue efforts, and protecting their police partners.  Everyone was mesmerized with their show, and repelling abilities.  Pretty impressive.  Their dogs are trained from age 6 months, and are part of their family, and are out working in the public for about 6 years, then are retired to go home with their police handler who they have worked with to continue as a member of their family through the rest of their life.  A family member for sure!  

We know what that feels like in our family, don't we!  We love our animals.  They are family for sure!

Then off to the animal displays where we were greeted by these Clucking chickens!  I knew the grandkids would love these Easter colored Chickens.  

We also saw some magnificent horses in the horse barns.  They had them perform in the arena where they performed their unique gaits. It was one of our favorites, and brought back great memories of when we had our horses and enjoyed so many great times with them.  I remembered when we had all the cousins down for a family Easter party I think, and one of the grandkids fell off Duke and landed under his belly on the ground screaming his head off.  Duke just stood there and kept looking down at the screaming kid on the ground under him.  When the grandkid was finally rescued from under Him, and the Saddle adjusted, Duke took the next kid for a walk around the pond. He was an amazing horse who gave us many fond memories we cherish.

It was a great day at the New York State Fair!