photos

Here are some photos:

William S. Berry

I got into family history a few months ago. My great ++++ grandfather was killed as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints back in 1888 in the Tennessee Massacre. I found out I now live about 2 hours from the site. So I made the trip to see it. I took some photos.

Ironically, William Berry was born and died in Tennessee, but not before he moved to Nauvoo Illinois a few months after the prophet Joseph Smith was killed, and headed west with the pioneers and Brigham Young. After reaching the Salt Lake Valley, the Berrys were asked to settle in the St. George area. Finding their ambition was bigger than the area afforded, they moved just outside of town, and called their new home 'Berryville'. In those days, the town would give acreage to anyone willing to work on the canal that would provide Hurricane, Utah, with water.  I think William got about 10 acres out of the deal. He planted pecan trees on his land, and there are still pecan trees on the Berry side of town to this day.  After getting comfortable, William Berry was called on a mission to the Southern states by Brigham Young. He served in several areas in Tennessee before ending up in Hohenwald, TN.

Instead of retelling the rest of the story, here is a link to Bruce Crow's blog.

to knit

So, I learned how to knit. I know- not too manly. But only in America. Most other European countries, men are knitters, too. Granted, just try and find a magazine dedicated to men who knit (crickets chirp in the background). Well, for me, it started when Julie's mom had a kidney transplant in 2009, and Julie was so bored while at the hospital with her mom, so she asked if I had any ideas for what to do.

I said, "Ask her how to knit."

A few days later, Julie came home and showed me the 'knit stitch.' A week later, she showed me the 'purl stitch.' I was 'hooked.' I read all about it online- found the world's fastest knitter video, how to cast on, bind off, knit in the round, and with dpn's. I joined ravelry, and lion brand, and downloaded some patterns. I have knitted half a dozen hats, 2 pairs of socks, 3 scarfs, a pair of gloves (hobo gloves- the fingers are open at the end), a hoodie for Diesel, and I'm in the middle of a hoodie for Levi.

But it really started in New Zealand. All those people knit- men and women. I have some beautiful sweaters, (and some ugly ones, says Julie!), and a lady there tried to teach me to knit. I never had time to knit, I thought, and that was that.

Now I knit in my car while waiting in line at the bank, the doctor's office, the school, late at night. On a side note, it is really cold in my shed right now, and so woodworking has taken the season off.

October 2010