Flowers Around the Memorial
~ Summer 2008~ "Dark Horse"

I have slowed down a bit with painting because the country store where I was selling them, closed. Eaton's Sugarhouse (a restaurant with gift shop) has a few, but haven't sold any there as yet.
Just made cornbread for "Meet the Mitchell's" tonight at the Memorial. The new directors are busy getting the word out and inviting people to visit. We have both had colds and are sooo ready for winter to be over. We hear there is more snow on its way this week...can't wait!
We will be ordering about 2000 annual flowers for planting around the grounds for this May. Since we are the only missionaries who will be here this spring, I have the responsibility of planning the gardens (hopefully another couple will be coming in April when the Sanford's go home). It has been fun, but quite a challenge. I used a lot of the flowers we used last year. Some that flowered the longest and were the hardiest. Also, ordering more flowering annuals and not so many just green leafy fillers. We had some vegetables in the flower gardens last year, I really didn't like them in the formal beds. I have learned a lot about flowers while being here, but it is not my best thing. Hope the gardens will turn out nice!!

A few random thoughts for a winter's day!

We have new directors at the JSB Memorial, the Mitchell's. They have lots of great ideas for attracting guests to the Visitors Center. Family history classes, garden tours, talking in all Wards and encouraging members to bring investigators and so much more! They are real go-getter's. They have already gotten us to wear our missionary tags while serving on the grounds as well as during our off times. The paid church employees, we work with do not like the idea of calling us Elder & Sister. But Elder Mitchell, is very much in favor of it. We think it is great. And have always wondered why it wasn't always the practice.

We are just over the half way mark of our mission. Sometimes it feels like it has flown by, other times I would love to go home tomorrow! It will be different this summer with so many new missionaries (should be 4 new couples coming out and with the new directors). It will be very interesting and exciting!

Over the hills the through the woods, to our little apartment in the woods we go. Can't wait for Spring, it has been very cold, but know it is still a long time away. So we will enjoy the winter beauty for a few more months.

The little village of Tunbridge, one of our favorite drives through the woods, about 10 minutes from where we live.

Last weekend we were able to travel outside our mission boundaries to attend the Boston Temple. Elder & Sister Vorwaller invited us to go with them. We had a very nice time and only got lost a few times. We ate lunch at the temple, went to the Distribution Center, tryed to see the inside of the old North Church (but no place to park) and drove though Salem on the way home. It was a great day!