Life in upstate NY

We added a few more pictures.  We have also been out to see part-member and families of deployed soldiers.  

This is a quilt top that mom made.  I  saw this pattern and it said "easy to make" so I did and it was!  I hope to teach the class this pattern come this fall.  I think that it would also be nice in fall or summer colors.

I was so intrigued with this.  Driving pass this home it looked like brick.  This home stands on the site of "Martin Harris's" farm.  They shipped these rocks from the St, Laurence River.  It took 2 to 3 days by wagon. 

More info and pictures.

This is a house in Carthage NY.  Two sets of missionaries have their apartment in the town of Carthage.  This home is more ornate than most however like so many homes around here it has 3 stories.  Many  homes have the 3 stories and also a basement.  We are still fascinated with the architecture around here of churches and homes.  Most homes have front porches that people actually sit on and visit with friends.

The creek in the backyard of the Chaplain Brizzee's  home.  He is currently in Afghanistan.  Families certainly miss their loved ones who fighting a war.  Lets all pray for both the Soldiers and their families.

Mom's creation to teach her sewing class.  It turned out cute.

LeRay Mansion located on Ft Drum.  LeRay owned 600,000 acres in the area.  Several towns, roads and buildings are named after his family.

LaRay Mansion built in 1825.  Original mansion was built in 1805 but burnt down.  LaRay was a very wealthy French man but lost most of his wealth supporting the Revolutionary War and the new nation.  He later married a wealthy women and rebuilt his personal wealth.  His wife never lived in the mansion but would visit on occasion from France.  They still hold major formal military functions in this house. We don't have are nametags on because we don't wear them on post.

This is the Bolt Castle.  Far left is the original boat entrance, the children's play house is next in the front, The play house is huge. It even had a bowling alley, a stage for puppeteers and it has 3 or 4 floors in it.  The castle is in the middle and the power house on the far right. (It had two large diesel generators for power)  To the left of the picture that you can't see is a island with house and boat docks and everything else that is for SALE.  

Just a little park in Alexandria Bay across from the castle.  This little park is dedicated to the Soldiers who are fighting terrorism.  It is a beautiful park and quite serene.  It would be awesome to take a few hours and sit on one of those benches and just watch all the boats go by.

We spent Friday, Saturday and today at a YSA Conference in Palmyra.  Such a peaceful place.  Had young folks from Canada, Virginia, New Jersey, Nova Scotia and of course New York.  Almost 300 total.  We worked mainly in the kitchen preparing the lunch and dinner meals but had lots of fun with other senior couples and local senior members.  There were all varieties and sizes of folks.  They had work shops, service projects a dance and two firesides with Daniel Rona (a well known Jewish man who converted to the church many years ago).  Lives in Israel but is  on a church history mission in SLC where he and his wife write church history of different countries. He knows Grandpa Craner from when they were at the BYU Center in Jerusalem.  Here are a few pictures from the events.
We had an excellent weekend.

Tent city at the camp ground next to the Hill Cumorah

/Angel Moroni Monument on top of Hill Cumorah

Palmyra Temple from the Smith Farm

Path to the Sacred Grove.

Just a couple more.

Ferry bringing people to the island

Bowling alley under renovaition.

Back yard and view from the Bishop's house

Large ship heading up the river to lake Ontario.  Also from the backyard.

Just thought I would share a few more pictures from the castle. This is the childrens play house on the island.  Inside was a little theater and a two lane bowling alley with special separate entrances for the pin setters (Those are the guys that would put the bowling pins in place for the bowlers)

Here we are in front of the apartment.  Beautiful sunny day  On our way to Ft Drum.

Sat 16 May we went to Bishop Beuttenmuller's house on the St. Lawerence River.  We then took a ferry out to Bolt Castle.  It was built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  He was building it for his wife because he loved her so much.  You can read all about it if you want on the internet.  To say the least he was a very wealthy man.  Shortly before it was finished his wife died so he ordered the work stopped and he never visited it again.  Over the years it was empty it was looted and vandalized.  Only is the last 30 years have they started to refurbish it.  Still a lot more to do.  Lots of pics.

From the castle back to the Bishop's house

Staircase in the castle

Domed ceiling

Multiple floors

Boat house where they stored their boats to go to the Island.

The castle

Boat house again

Staircase with the \Beuttenmullers

Just me.

Boat entrance to the castle.

Mom says thanks for the cards and phone calls.  We have been working with a less active family for a couple of weeks and they came out to church Sunday.  What a real treat.  A sweet tender mercy.

Some more pictures.  Mom's tomato plant and flowers (from the Bishop's yard) for Mother's Day.   Our apt in winter and now and also the street in front of our apt now.  Picture of the waking path at the park where we walk almost every morning.

Took a couple of pictures today to show the difference now that Spring has arrived.  Look at Apr 9th for overview of Watertown and then the pic below for current photo.  Also flowers Mom got for Mother's Day (She also got the traditional tomato plant).  Sunset pic is from the Watertown Bishops window.. They live on an island on the St Lawrence River. The other Island you see is Bolt Castle.  The guy built it for his wife but she didn't like it so it was never lived in.  It has now been renovated and is a tourist location.  Only accessible by ferry.  85 degrees and very humid.

Another day in upstate NY.

Life is great in NY.  We are getting to visit a lot more folks with nice results so far.  Went to a non-denominational bible study class Friday night (8 May).  They were very kind but they didn't realize we were LDS until in the end.  Wonder what they talked about after we left.

Also here are some more pictures of the area, the sister missionaries, churches, and me studying to teach institute and an Amish cart and horse parked in the handicapped parking at a shopping center.  The children's play area is at a park just across the street and up the hill from our apt.  It is 85 degrees and humid today.  10 degrees warmer than average.