The Eagles!

We had been told when we first came to Nauvoo that one of the amazing things we would see would be the hundreds of bald eagles that winter in nearby Keokuk. They apparently live right below the dam where they can catch lots of fish. Monday, we drove to Keokuk (to do our grocery shopping), and sure enough as we crossed the bridge we could see 20-30 of the flying around and once in a while swooping down to catch a fish, but they were too far away to get a good picture. We decided to drive down by the river and see if we could get any closer to them. At first, all we could see were geese, and ducks, but then I spotted 4 eagles in some trees right at the river edge. Unfortunately, I don't have a very good zoom lens, and the road was too far away to get a good picture, so I quietly got out of the car and started to walk towards the tree. One by one, they started to fly away, which was a beautiful sight because their wing span is to big....but of course my camera could not catch that!!!.....however two of them stayed and I was able to get a pretty good picture, at least for me!
One of them even looked right at me before finally flying away! It was an awesome experience. They are an amazing bird! Keokuk has an "Eagle Days" celebration in a couple of weeks...don't know exactly what they do, but I want to come over and see.

The geese....taking off. They didn't like their picture taken either!

The ducks....I can't understand how they can swim in such cold water...there was still chucks of ice floating around them!

The two remaining eagles...the one is right above the other, hidden by the branches of the tree!

Here he is....looking right at me....cool!!

Sunday Dinner

Yesterday we had 3 other couples over for Sunday dinner....the Benches, Eickbushes and Phillipes. We do this quite often, or  we are invited somewhere. It is fun having so many close friends here. Here are some pictures of the occasion.



Elder Evans and Sister Eickbush filling the glasses. See how nice the table looks. Sister Romrell left me this table cloth.

Sister Phillips took this picture...

And Rick took this one.

The Benches...I wanted  you to see the throw on the couch...Salvation Army. $5.00.
Gotta love that place !

It's Winter again!!

SO...after have rain and warm weather for a couple of days...Christmas night it started to snow and it turned REALLY, REALLY COLD! By Saturday morning we had several inches of snow on the ground and it continued to snow all day on Saturday. So we did get our white Christmas.... JUST A DAY LATE. Everything is sooo beautiful, I love it!




Joseph and Brigham looking out over the Mississippi

The Oxen ride wagon...but where are the Oxen?

Here they are...eating that good hay! Wonder if they get cold?

Looking out across the field towards the Temple. Can you see the prairie grass in the background? They will burn that in the spring.

Brigham Young's home

John Taylor home

The Printing Office

and The Post Office

The Scovil Bakery and home  (see how they put candles in the windows of all these homes and buildings?  It makes it look like the olden days)

CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER

Christmas afternoon all of the Temple and Site missionaries met at the Stake Center for a wonderful Christmas Dinner and program.  Some of the missionaries had family visiting and they were invited also.  Altogether, there were about 250 of us! 




Our Temple choir practicing before the dinner...we sang in the program

Ready to eat!  The Churches, the Chipmans, the Talbots and Sister Brimhall

The Centerpieces on the tables were darling birdhouses made out of cardboard!  We have lots of cardinal birds in this area so they had those all around and when we first arrived there was a recording playing of cardinals singing.  It was neat.

Looking ouver the crowd.  That is President Ludwig standing on the left  He is the Nauvoo Mission President over all the Site Missionaries and the Young single missionaries when they return in the summer.  We are looking forward to that!!  They are so fun to have around.

All the couples at our table....the Foote's

The Jaussi's

The Coon's

and us!

Rendezvous Christmas Eve

After the party at the St. Center, we decided to go the Cultural center and support the site missionaries in their performance of Rendezvous... They perform it almost every night and there are not very many people there in the winter time ...some times only President and Sister Ludwig

"Agnes & George" with the Editor

"Who are you calling old!!"

"WE went willingly...because we HAD TO!!"

Caroling on the Temple Steps

It is tradition for all the missionaries to sing Christ carols on the Temple steps on Christmas Eve. Last year they said it was -17 degrees with the wind chill factor!!....and they only sang for about a half hour. Well, this year, it wasn't very cold...probably about 40 degrees, but it was pouring rain! It did let up a little for about 1/2 hour while we sang, but then it just started to pour...we were getting soaked!!
So we all hurried to the Stake Center for hot chocolate and sweet bread. It was a fun night!

How do you like my red boots...I got a lot of comments on them :)

Gathering on the porch out of the rain. Wallentines, Jaussis, Hepworths, Footes, and Sis. Hollingsworth

With Elder and Sister Ross.  They were missionaries here for 18 months, and now they have called him to be an assistant recorder, so they will be here for about 18 months!

The whole group..gathered to sing!  Do we look miserable?  We are over to the right about half way up to the top.  Can you see me? 

A close up of us in the group.  This was taken by Brother Baca with his new camera!

 

Waiting for hot chocolate at the Stake Center

Elder Bench, the Brady's and Sister Bench between them...Brother Coon in the back .

The Sheppards...cousins of my roomate from BYU.  I had been looking for them...they are new site missionaries...and then I just "happened" to sit down by them at the State Center!  WOW!

Cute Sister MacKay helping in the kitchen...she is such a doll!

Nauvoo - Christmas Eve

By Christmas Eve ALL the snow had been melted by the rain...but when the rain stopped for a little while, I decided to go take some pictures of the various sites, so you could see how they decorate for Christmas here....very simply, as you can see. 



Lucy Mack Smith home

The Wilford Woodruff home

The Heber C. Kimball home ...right around the corner from us.

The Post Office,  John Taylor home, and the Printing office

The Pentleton School house and home

The Browning gun shop and home (with the old cabin in the back)