Our new friends
August 17, 2017
Each morning after preparing the Knight residence to receive tours, we head over to the Stowell residence where we also prepare it for tours. This morning when we arrived at the Stowell home, the elderly couple that lives across the street was outside so we decided to talk with them. We found out that the husband, Earl, was born and raised in the Stowell residence. He still owns the land adjacent to the home, and obviously across the street where he now lives, but the Stowell home was the property of his family for nearly 100 years. Joseph Smith lived there and worked for Josiah Stowell over 190 years ago, and Earl knows the significance of the home in our Church history, although he is not a member. He appreciates the fact that we love the home as much as his family did and that it is being properly cared for. Eric asked Earl if it was his family that gave the Church members problems in the area back in Joseph Smith's time, and his wife, Nina, said, "No, we had nothing to do with that!" Of course, this was all in fun, and we had a nice visit with Earl and Nina.
We had a really great couple come for a tour this morning from Canada named Pat and Sam Tsumagari. Sam is the stake patriarch in their area and Pat teaches seminary there. They knew a lot about Church history and were very well read on all of the events that took place in the Harmony and Colesville areas. I think they did more talking than we did throughout the tour of both homes, and we definitely spent more time with them than we have any other tour we have done. They were interested in seeing absolutely everything in this area that is of Church historical significance. Sam is of Japanese descent, but grew up in Hawaii, and Pat is from England. An interesting side note is that Pat and Sam know Eric's Haitian translator very well. She lives in their stake. It is such a small world, and the Church definitely makes it even smaller.
This afternoon we took the opportunity to do a quick load of laundry in the basement of the Stowell home, and then we drove around the area behind the home that used to belong to Josiah Stowell. He owned 810 acres of rich, fertile farmland and was considered a squire due to his extensive land and property ownership. It is a beautiful area that is still farmed today and we have loved driving through the rolling hills behind his home and photographing them.
All of the pictures in this section are taken in the hills behind Josiah Stowell's home where his property would have been.
This evening as we were cleaning up the dinner dishes, we looked out the back window at the Knight home and saw four deer grazing in the field below the home. They were under one of the apple trees back there eating the apples that have fallen onto the ground. After they had their fill of apples they headed towards the Susquehanna, perhaps for a cool drink. There is abundant wildlife in this area, and we have seen the biggest wood chucks we have ever seen here. There are also squirrels everywhere that are so cute. We have enjoyed sitting out on the deck in the evenings and watching fireflies dart around through the trees. It is so pleasant here right now. We have had lovely days with rainy nights that water everything so well that we have only had to water once since being here. We haven't been bothered too much by the humidity. In fact, it hasn't even been an issue.
Each morning after preparing the Knight residence to receive tours, we head over to the Stowell residence where we also prepare it for tours. This morning when we arrived at the Stowell home, the elderly couple that lives across the street was outside so we decided to talk with them. We found out that the husband, Earl, was born and raised in the Stowell residence. He still owns the land adjacent to the home, and obviously across the street where he now lives, but the Stowell home was the property of his family for nearly 100 years. Joseph Smith lived there and worked for Josiah Stowell over 190 years ago, and Earl knows the significance of the home in our Church history, although he is not a member. He appreciates the fact that we love the home as much as his family did and that it is being properly cared for. Eric asked Earl if it was his family that gave the Church members problems in the area back in Joseph Smith's time, and his wife, Nina, said, "No, we had nothing to do with that!" Of course, this was all in fun, and we had a nice visit with Earl and Nina.
 |
| Front entrance of the Josiah Stowell home |
We had a really great couple come for a tour this morning from Canada named Pat and Sam Tsumagari. Sam is the stake patriarch in their area and Pat teaches seminary there. They knew a lot about Church history and were very well read on all of the events that took place in the Harmony and Colesville areas. I think they did more talking than we did throughout the tour of both homes, and we definitely spent more time with them than we have any other tour we have done. They were interested in seeing absolutely everything in this area that is of Church historical significance. Sam is of Japanese descent, but grew up in Hawaii, and Pat is from England. An interesting side note is that Pat and Sam know Eric's Haitian translator very well. She lives in their stake. It is such a small world, and the Church definitely makes it even smaller.
This afternoon we took the opportunity to do a quick load of laundry in the basement of the Stowell home, and then we drove around the area behind the home that used to belong to Josiah Stowell. He owned 810 acres of rich, fertile farmland and was considered a squire due to his extensive land and property ownership. It is a beautiful area that is still farmed today and we have loved driving through the rolling hills behind his home and photographing them.
All of the pictures in this section are taken in the hills behind Josiah Stowell's home where his property would have been.
This evening as we were cleaning up the dinner dishes, we looked out the back window at the Knight home and saw four deer grazing in the field below the home. They were under one of the apple trees back there eating the apples that have fallen onto the ground. After they had their fill of apples they headed towards the Susquehanna, perhaps for a cool drink. There is abundant wildlife in this area, and we have seen the biggest wood chucks we have ever seen here. There are also squirrels everywhere that are so cute. We have enjoyed sitting out on the deck in the evenings and watching fireflies dart around through the trees. It is so pleasant here right now. We have had lovely days with rainy nights that water everything so well that we have only had to water once since being here. We haven't been bothered too much by the humidity. In fact, it hasn't even been an issue.
| A woodchuck |
 |
| The deer eating the apples under the apple trees |
We are headed back to the Priesthood Restoration Site in the morning so Eric can speak to the missionaries that are serving there. We will have to get up bright and early to make the 8:00 meeting.
Comments
Post a Comment