Sailing along...

On the last full day of our trip we went to canal days. This was a grand affair with many vendors selling many things. I was not tempted to spent much as I knew I had to find room in my suitcase to bring it home.
We took a boatride down the Erie canal.

The above bridge is one of a kind. All four corners are able to raise up indenendant of each other while still allowing people to cross over the bridge.

Me enjoying some R&R and letting someone else do the driving.

Another picture of the bridge.
I don't have any pictures of the 24 hours that it took us to get from Rochester to Salt Lake and nor would I want any visual memories of trying to sleep on the floor of the Denver airport.
Chicago weather sucks let me just say. As we bumped our way home I kept saying it is just jello sliding on a plate and we will get home safely. It seemed to do the trick.
Scott picked us up and both Dad and I took a nice long nap later in the afternoon.

Palmyra

The sacred grove has always been a place of beauty and serenity for me. As I sat and contemplated the events that took place there my heart was full.
How grateful I am for the Prophet Joseph. I know that he saw what he saw and he did what he did.

The grove, I believe, looks today the same as it did in 1820.

Windy day, what can I say. This was at the Hill Cumorah. As we approached the hill, there were the strains to the hymn, Praise to the Man", wafting across the land. We looked to the top and there was a young man playing the bagpipes. It was so touching. We talked to he and his family when we reached the top. He told us that there are only a few hymns that can be played on the bagpipes. The others that he knew were, Come Thou Fount, and A Poor Wayfaring man of Grief. Was so glad that he played the one he did and not the others.
My feelings were so close to the surface as in the morning we had gone to the temple and Trudi came with me. Enough said.

Victory

The day we went to Niagra Falls Dad had hayfever so bad that I drove as he could not see his eyes were watering so bad.
All of a sudden there appeared on the landscape the bridge that you can barely see in this picture. It went up high, in my eye, and, of course, over the water. I was terrified. I kept saying I can't do it , I can't drive over that bridge. Dad is saying pullover but I kept going for some reason. As I drove over I was breathing and saying relax on each exhale. I made it over only to find another a few miles further down the road.


On the way back Dad drove and as we approached the bridge I looked through different eyes. They didn't seem that high and I was calm and even looked out to the side over the water.
One day I will get to the point of being calm when faced with heights and water.

"N" day

Haven't learned how to get my pictures in order and so we are starting at the end.
This is a bridge over the river that leads to another part of the park and view of the falls.


Here we are outside the visitors center to Niagra Falls. I told the worker at the falls that I had some issues with fears and he said water or heights. I said both and asked what I would enjoy. He said I could do the boat ride. On further inquiry was told to get to the boat I would have to walk on a pathway 176 feet above to river to the elevator to ride down to the boat.

This is one picture of the falls.

This is as close as I got to the falls. The picture does not do justice to the look of terror that was on my face.

Don't know what flowers these are but I think they would look great in the backyard. Janae, need help with the name of them.

Here I am on the same bridge as the first picture of Dad.

Lighthouse

Dad finished his class Thursday and we set off to see the lights. The above is the lighthouse at Soudas Bay on the shore of Lake Ontario. There are fifty-two steps to the top of the ligthouse and I have a certificate to prove that I climbed to the top. The steps wound around and became further apart the closer you got to the top.

Here I am on the shores of the lake. I tested the water and it really was not that cold. It is quite dirty due to pollution in the area.


I loved the interior of the bathroom that I took a picture of it as you can see by the mirror.

This flag I believe is an early English one. The union jack in the corner is what is on the Australian flag.

I finally got the camera away from Pa and took a picture on him and his early counterpart.

Modesty here it comes as this is an early swimsuit, note that is actually a two piece suit. My mother had one similar to this, it was green with yellow stripes but, knowing mother it was one piece.

Fear revisited

Those of you who know me will recognize the facial expression I am wearing because of what is in the background. In downtown Rochester are the falls in the background. I am standing in the middle of a very wide bridge that spans the river below and am still terrified. I am amazed that I stood still long enough for Dad to take the picture.

The power from the falls powered a flour mill for many years and the city is now restoring the mill.

Green and yummy

With Dad in school every day I decided to brave it on my own with "Garmin" and go exploring. One of the flyers at the hotel told of a museum where "Jell-O" was invented. So off I went.
The town where it was located was where black slaves stayed on their way to Canada. The house above was a safe house. The way you could tell if it was safe was by the quilts that were hung over the front porch.


This is the walkway up to the museum.

This shows many different packages of jello from countries all over the world. There was even a coffee flavor, I believe from Egypt.

The person who made jello famous for many years on TV., Bill Cosby.


Sorry this is sideways, it is a display from Utah and the 2002 Olympics and the famous green jello pin.

New day

One evening Dad and I went to the Erie Canal to see what there was to see. Many of the stores were closed but we found a cute clothes store. As we had tickets for "Wicked" the following evening I bought a new skirt and top.

There are boats that you can ride along the canal and see the sights.

Some even like fishing in the canal even though the only fish that you can catch are trash fish, but I guess the thrill is the catch and not what is on the end of the hook.

This is Dad in front of one of the many bridges over the canal.

We found an old fashioned ice-cream store and we had to have a taste. I chose watermelon and you'll never guess Dad's choice. Of course, vanilla.

Big Apple

Dad and I took off for upstate NY last week and found the the nicest neighbors. Quiet, kept to themselves, but friendly. I had hoped to adopt one of the babies but could not come up with a way to bring them home or a way to get them away from their parents without a big fuss.