Nauvoo, Carthage & Back to Iowa

As Rachel and I finished our Nauvoo experience we went to the famous Red Brick Store where the Relief Society was organized. Here we are standing by the pot-bellied stove in the reconstructed store. The store is the property of the Community of Christ so we felt fortunate to get this photo.

We ended our trip with an endowment session at the Nauvoo Temple. It was the highlight of my trip! The temple looked so beautiful when we came out after dark! Unfortunately, my pictures didn't turn out too great!

Friday we drove over to Carthage to visit the Carthage Jail. This photo is of the infamous window on the top story of the Carthage Jail with the well in the foreground . . .

. . . and here I am standing by the inside counterpart.

When we arrived at the Visitor Center in Carthage we took photos of this family-famous piece of artwork, but the lighting did not cooperate with us too much. As you might be able tell, this is a "study" of the one we are familiar with, however with fewer characters. We also gave the Missionaries who were serving there copies of some information my Mother had given me in 1979 about the artist and our father who helped convert him to the Gospel.

Rachel and I couldn't help but pose in front of the artwork, poor lighting and all, just to get the family connection - 3 generations if you count my Father (in the painting) and Rachel's Grandfather!

Our fun side trip to Nauvoo and Carthage was now complete and we headed back to Iowa. Naturally, I had to go shopping for some Hawkeye T-shirts to bring home, and may I add, I had my first and only piece of macaroni and cheese pizza at a little pizza joint, called Mesa's, in Iowa City by the University! The proprietors tell us that it is their best-selling crowd favorite, and it was simply delicious! Who would have guessed?

On Saturday we drove a few miles to an apple orchard to handpick some of the best tasting apples I've ever had! And, the apple pie we made later that day was THE BEST I have ever made!

At the end of the apple picking, Nathan and Rachel picked out this cute little pumpkin for their home.

The trees had begun their annual changing of colors, not too many, but just a few. These trees were on the campus of ACT, the college-test, business center.

All too soon, it was time to say "goodbye" to Iowa, Nathan and Rachel and their cat, Kronk. I enjoyed my trip to Iowa and look forward to another!

Til we meet again!