Our Trip to Illinois

This last Sunday, very early in the morning we headed on down to Illinois to visit some friends. It was kinda like a big field trip and Arthur and I got home late last night. The rest of the kids, minus Isaac who is doing potato harvest, are coming home this next week sometime. One of the places we went for a picnic was a park with a 'chapel in the pines' spot. Yes, I know it looks like Priscilla is preaching, but rest assured, she's not! We had fun singing a hymn in the quietness of the woods with no one else around.
If you're ever in central Illinois, you need to go see the Funk family house. It was built around 1865-1868, or something like that, as a wedding gift for a Mr. Funk to give his wife. I guess she was shocked because she was expecting a small cabin. This family has done so much for our country that I can't name it all. One thing one member of the family did, that we remember is that he was the one who developed hybrid corn. Funk Seed if any of you farmers out there are familiar with it. Another member of the family wired the entire farm for electricity! That was way back before the nearby cities even had electricity. They were a very giving family and so they have preserved the house filled with original furniture and objects as a museum for all to see. I guess they helped Abraham Lincoln get elected, and helped a number of presidents with agriculture issues.
The man who gives the tours also lives on the property and can that man ever share history in a way you'll never forget! One of the Funk members also collected gems and rocks from all over the world and so there's a separate building with many rooms housing these gems, rocks, and fossils. The man is a believer in God's six day creation so that made it really interesting. The gems in this museum are worth millions I would guess. There are even rocks from the moon that a president contributed to the collection. Both the house and rock museum are free to go to with advance reservations. He does a special tour showing the gems of the Bible that I'd love to see.
Being in the Lincoln, Illinois area, everywhere you go are Lincoln statues.
The P. family took us to a small living history village, New Salem, that is a recreated village that Lincoln owned stores in. The P. family works there as "actors" in costumes and all, but this day they weren't working full staff so they let Jordan show us what she does when working there - spinning wool.
It was interesting hearing about those homes and businesses from the mid 1,800's.
We took a tour of the only house Lincoln ever owned. Very nice and so hard to imagine Abraham Lincoln walking the very places we walked!
This is Lincoln's tomb. We couldn't go in it that day but they actually have a guard full time because of how many times people used to try stealing the presidents bones! Now he's buried way deep down in marble. His wife and some children were buried there as well.
And then as we travelled we couldn't help but notice the gorgeous color in the trees in northern
Wisconsin. With this warm weather it's hard to believe it's fall but the trees say elsewise. Well, now that we're home again the maze takes priority. With three weeks left, we have about 10 private groups coming plus our weekends - we're going to be busy. Thank you so much P. family for your hospitality and thank you McC. family for having us over for supper and the good fellowship!