July 23, 2014

July 23, 2014

Well, another week has zoomed by. We're right in the middle of summer, when we have two different pageants running: the British Pageant and the regular Nauvoo Pageant. Things are really hopping around here. During the pageant season, there is also a "country fair"--of sorts--for the visitors who come to view the Pageant. The fair begins at about 7:00 p.m. and continues until just before the pageant begins at 8:30. To give you an idea of what the fair looks like, I'm including a few random--or not so random--shots of some of its happenin's.

Come on in and celebrate!

This is what the fair looks like from a distance.

"Little Nauvoo" is set up for the little kids to become familiar with the various sites of Old Nauvoo.

There are lots of little competitions/games for members of our guest families . . .

. . . sack races . . . 

. . . handcart races . . . 

. . . climbing bears . . . 

. . . and log sawing competitions.

There's also a good ol' country fair dance, complete with its own country orchestra.

And what would a fair be without the bag pipers?!

And certainly no fair would be complete without Coca Cola! Right, Jeff!?

Nothin' like a handcart when it's time to move things.

Lots of little pioneers roam through the fair.

And there's even a few "junior" bag pipers.

These "pipers" march for the opening ceremony of the Pageant.

Aside from the Pageant activities, I noticed there was a little horsin' around on the Band Wagon while  I was driving it around Old Nauvoo last Monday.

A fairly common occurrence is the sighting of huge barge-tows that go up and down the Mississippi. These barge-tows are actually three barges wide and five barges long, all connected together and pushed by a tugboat. (It seems to me they should call these boats "push" boats rather than "tug" boats!) The barge-tows hold the amount of cargo that would fill about 870 semi trailers.

A barge-tow passing in front of Nauvoo.

I'm truly amazed at how fast the week goes by. I hardly have enough time to take a few pictures to put in our blog! But we truly feel blessed to be serving here in Nauvoo. There is a special spirit here because of the kinds of faithful people who settled and then were forced to leave this area. Although they left in a hurry and took with them only a few treasured possessions, they left a special feeling here for others to enjoy. I hope some of you get a chance to come here and enjoy it with us.