Vermonty

Okay, so this probably is overload and will only truly be appreciated by our counterparts in Montana. But I finally got my videos of TVH in Vermont to load. I had them all in one, but they only worked broken into sections. The day we were visited Sharon, VT there were bugs flying everywhere. In this first one you can see them flying around the camera, then see our reaction.

This second one is just following him around.

And then there was the walk down to the Solomon Mack farmhouse.

Bostonty

I put together some videos of TVH but couldn't get them to load. Finally last night I got one to load, and here it is -> Sunday at the temple. I just followed him around and he found stuff to do.

Christ in Vermont - the Joseph Smith Memorial

The Visitor's Center at the Joseph Smith Memorial was pretty much like you might expect of the class act the Church is everywhere. But I thought this exhibit really set it off. I found out today (see below) that the exhibit is making the rounds of locations around back East here, and just happens to be here in Vermont now. Grandma's photos are wonderful but really cannot relay just how great these statues of Christ are, or the reverence they inspire.

Oh, and by the way . . . today in the Billerica, MA Ward we met a missionary couple serving in multiple states in New England. They are based in Boston and teach the Career Workshop at the Employment Center there. It is Uncle Max's brother & his wife. It was pretty interesting to see him walk in with his name tag on, Elder Excell, looking for all the world like Uncle Max. We had a great time talking about family and welfare resources and Senior Couples serving missions.

Sharon, Vermont

Last Monday we went to Vermont to see the birthplace of Joseph Smith, Jr. It was a bit of a trip, so TVH was just chillin' in the back seat. It took most of a couple of hours, but the scenery was marvelous. And there were some interesting caution signs along the way. In addition to the Deer Xing signs, we saw Geese Xing, Moose Xing, and Bear Xing - but none of the real thing.
Here we are at the memorial monument. It was a great day, a little warm, but with a breeze that kept things pretty cooled off. And as you can see, it was a beautiful Spring day, with leaves on the trees and flowers in bloom.

This is the actual doorstep of the house belonging to Joseph Smith, Sr., placed where it would have been in 1805. It is in South Royalton, Vermont.

This marker is on a rock placed where the rear of the house would have been (very close to the front door, by the way). According to Lucy Mack Smith Joseph, Jr. was born in the back of the house - in Sharon, Vermont - the boundary line between the two towns splitting the house in the middle.

TVH smelling the flowers. He does love the flowers.

There was a really nice walk from the monument down to where members of the extended family lived, Lucy's father and brother. It was all downhill on the way there and all uphill on the way back.

The stream they lived by.

Taking a rest. It was a bit warm and muggy down in the trees away from the breeze.

This is what is left of the foundation of the Solomon Mack home, down by the river. He had 100 acres along with this home, and sold his old home to his son-in-law, Joseph Smith, Sr.

This is a 200 year old bridge across the stream down in the valley. Still very sturdy.

A rock wall along the "old turnpike".

And here is TVH, after taking off with Grandpa's hat. He was really cute while we ran all over this area, and we have great videos, but I am having issues getting them loaded up.

But of all the things to look at . . . this is the one TVH was most impressed with.

Boston Temple

Last Sunday we all went to the Boston Temple on a beautiful Spring day. We parked just down the hill from the temple, in the parking lot of the ward house next door so we could walk up through the wooded area surrounding the temple.

The last little bit of the trail ran next to the retaining wall on the south side of the temple.

This is sort of like the wall that is left of the temple mount in Jerusalem, not the temple, but close to it. Here are a couple of views of the temple, a beautiful edifice - epecially with the spire.

And a Tyler. The flowers were out in full bloom and beautiful. Tyler loved smelling them.We sat on the grounds and talked and enjoyed the beauty of the grounds and the day.