Nauvoo memories

We take from Nauvoo many memories. We are glad to have spent four and a half days there, including time with our good friends the Roses. Among Becca's fondest memories are the large draft horses that pull the visitors in big wagons. On our last day Becca took this shot. These two old dappled bob tails are retired and out to pasture. The tour guide quipped "They have received an honorable release from their mission."

We learned about the painstaking physical labor to make bricks back in the day. Many houses in early Nauvoo were built with brick. Large houses could take 40,000 bricks to build. This little souvenir brick was fired in their kiln.

What's remarkable about this little horse shoe is it was crafted before our eyes. The blacksmith worked a quarter inch steel rod. He heated it red-hot and pounded it on his anvil, which made Becca jump. When he finished he gave it to Becca and said "If you finds a horse that this fits, come back and I'll make three more shoes for it." (rimshot!)

The "prairie diamond" rings he had pre-made from actual horse shoe nails. Here Gramma models.

For Christopher and any others plotting our path across this remarkable country, here's what we did today. We left Nauvoo going north on Hwy 96. We took Carman Rd up to IL34 to Galesburg. We merged onto I 75 continuing north. When it met I 80 we drove many miles east until we reach I 55 to exit 253, then left on Rt 59 to a frontage road until we got here. Whew!

Tomorrow we'll take the car to Batavia to visit with Gramma's cousin once removed in Batavia.