New England's White and Red

I explore "White" churches and "Red" barns in this post.

But first . . . 

As we turn the calendar 'leaf' to land on All Hallows Day,

we officially enter that awkward "Tweens" period, in which

we have many things to accomplish but begin to feel

somewhat superfluous. Our minds are turned with love toward

our western HOME while our hearts are being wrenched at parting!

A cute Sister missionary pose may represent our unease!

Sisters Melver and R. Campbell (serving in Keene, NH)

texted this image to Elder Warner to accompany an apology 

regarding delayed submission of their DVR report.

(Incidentally, New Hampshire was recently judged 

"State with Most Fall Spirit", also tied with Vermont for having 

the most pumpkin patches per capita - facts worth noting!)

One highlight was receiving a slightly-delayed

hand-illustrated birthday card from granddaughter Bay.

(Grandpa Vince is grinning with JOY, but typically

has the corners of his smile turning down!)

A surprise on MLC morning when two "greenie" companions

of leaders traveling in to the Manchester building to train

were unexpectedly available to help me package fruit

and cookies that were part of the grab-and-go lunches

that replaced our former completely-prepared meals

served at mid-point of the all-day conferences.

Wish the masks did NOT interfere with our ability to

see what fine and handsome young men these are:

Elders Viazzo from Dublin, CA & Jenkins from Columbia, MO.

As the conference of leaders broke up, we took opportunity

to pose with three of the young missionaries from

our "flight group" back in June 2019. Below, Elder Alex Johnson 

(right) is with co-Zone leader Elder Christian Petersen.

(They agreed to risk taking masks off.) Also there were

Sisters Semadeni & Worthington, (later Elder Dane Peterson).

I unearthed my MTC sign

as we pack up, and wanted some "after" shots.

We used this sign outside the Provo, UT MTC cafeteria to flag

missionaries there preparing to join NHMM, as our only means

to connect with them in our three days of overlap there.

(We love these young people SO DEEPLY!)

Finally on that busy Tuesday, Vince packed up these 11 Elders

(plus sisters/others in a separate mission vehicle,

for the last trip under his jurisdiction to Arlington, MA 

to pick up 12 new Equinoxes to replace 'retiring' cars.

(Elders Larson, Ostvig, Peterson, Bigler, Allison,

M. Smith, with Hammond and Emmett in back)

Poetic words from Margaret Sangster to introduce my topic:

Long may the dear old spire,

from the heart of the busy town,

Lift the thought of the people

from all that binds it down

One New England tour service blogger has a current article that

"explores towering white church steeples set against vibrant fall colors."

The seasonal phenomenon that brings "us peepers" back

time after time is only ONE of the un-numberables we will miss.

Plentiful congregations with their church buildings represent

religious fervor in the 1820s that was part of the tapestry that prompted

young Joseph Smith Jr. to ask God directly which church to join.

Belief in the resulting Restored Gospel and affiliation with

the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is why

we serve. Ergo, churches in NE seems a fitting 'final' post topic,

because of that "purpose" and also because these figure prominently

in reasons we wanted to return to be HERE as missionaries.

(Forever thankful our 'selection' matched our 'assignment'.)

From the instant, we have relished so many picturesque church

structures, beautiful at any time, but GORGEOUS presenting

white steeples against luxurious autumn display!

(This post will be a selected travelogue to help us remember.)

Here, above, is a prominent church near the common in

Concord, MA. Below, just across the green, was this beauty.

And around the corner this classic, below!

Downtown Concord has an abundance to view. Indeed,

most established towns and villages across New England

also can offer a similar kind of beauty. Since religious

commitment was a strong ethic from Day One,

a church building was often the initial community project,

sometimes beginning more modestly, then updated,

enhanced or replaced with growth and prosperity.

A favorite children's book "When I was Young in the Mountains"

explains about the "public meeting house" serving functions

for worship, but also for civic meetings and education.

This, below, is a most recent addition to my visual collection,

from Canterbury Center, on my way to visit the Shaker Village.

Somewhat modest. Still iconic. Engendering calm.

Establishing community. Right across from the cemetery.

Here, below, is a professional/commercial photo that I

have borrowed from Charles Cormier (consider this advertising:

his photographs are stunning and available online)

of the chapel and foliage in Wonalancet, NH.

Its style that I identify as those zinging my heartstrings

is known as Gothic Revival. Church structures and layout

reflected the Old Country, of course, and offered a communal

beauty possible with combined resources for steeples,

finials, weather vanes, decorative moldings, turrets

and cupolas. Alike but also varied.

This First Church of Deerfield shown below is a beautiful 

example of red brick and white steeple that I also love,

demonstrating as with so many others the difficulty

of photographing churches - distanced to include steeple

and not close enough to show details.

A final element that shows these off so well is

a foreground of water, like this from-the-lake view

of the church steeple in Danville, NH.

We saw glimpses like this along the Maine ocean coastline

while traveling there - though with choppier waves.

Here I transition:

The other "top" inspirational architecture that we have

so thoroughly enjoyed (and will miss) has been the abundance

and similar variety of barns, like this my FAVORITE on

Mountain Base Road in Goffstown, NH. I photographed it

in the three seasons worth capturing.

It's a slightly dressier version of the barn in this photo, below,

by Jeff Newcomer, (Partridge Brook Reflections) 

near Keene, NH, in the Monadnoc region that I was able to

purchase as matted print and obtain rights to reprint

for our Christmas 2019 from New England card.

Jeff Newcomer, retired physician of 30 years,

 has devoted significant time as traveling photographer 

dedicated to preservation via images of historic structures before

they collapse completely. Here, perhaps, is one main difference

between churches and barns - the former often receives funding

for restoration by "Mother Church" or at least civic authorities.

(Alas, and of course, there are broken down churches, too.)

Here, below, is the ceramic barn with its classic gambrel roof,

cupola and vane, that I purchased from Marylyn Yonika 

out of Wilton, NH. Already awaiting our return, 

(transported back in March),

it will serve to represent and remind us of all we miss.

The artist studied the historic barn structures amidst which

she lived for accuracy and realism. Therefore she included details

such as the cupola/vent on top, the wagon door on back, and on

front the hood extension over the hay track where a hoist would lift

forage through loft doors to be stored above the rafters. 

This hillside barn is a favorite from the uphill drive

to the Joseph Smith Birthplace monument site

in Sharon, VT.

Delightful to have acquaintances aware

and willing to share barns they see. Here's one, below, 

by way of friend Anita Nickulas, who spied this somewhere

not too far from Manchester, and sent image along.

Studying to learn more about barns, I can label this one

as an English barn, with dome hooded silo.

This beautiful barn, below, is from Enfield Shaker Village,

and shows one smart innovation, the high-drive entry.

Wagons could drive up the incline outside, into the stable barn

at loft level, have hay unloaded into elevated storage,

then often continue straight out the barn and down

a second incline. Ever tried to back up a team and wagon?

From there, the fodder would be distributed "using the 

gravity system" - that is, from off-load level above 

to stalls below.

Barns and other farm structures were designed for

practicality, of course. Pure blessing that folks prized beauty

where it could be incorp'ed. Here is a woodblock style illustration

from my field guide. It was part of promotion for this style of barn

pitched to New England farmers researching what to build.

In the first century of settlement, barns were planned and saved for

during several years. While some farmers could also be "framers",

they most often seemed to employ a "master builder" for their

projects. The masters, heavily recruited to come to the colonies,

had a small crew of skilled timber joiners who could work 

efficiently and fast. Sometimes these structures were built during 

a community barn-raising, but this perhaps is romanticized.

Weathered structure, below, is a side-hill barn on Shaker Road

in Canterbury. Early barns were built from hardwoods,

to resist deterioration. But as forests were used up,

hardwoods were reserved for the main structural members

or pinning pegs. Vast and rich is the vocabulary of barns.

Structure elements: Ridgepole, purlin, tie beam, post, brace, sill.

Styles of rafter construction: king post (single) or queen (double).

Wood preparation began as "scribe" ruled where a mortise was

cut into the first beam, then the tenon (peg) estimated onto

the second, carved, fit to mortise, then trimmed up to match shape

and planes of the first beam. Later, with machining, "square" ruled

involved more standardized measuring, cutting to 'fit' size,

 and commercial stock availability.

Continuing the vocabulary, hand tools used in early days

were broad hatchet, adze, fro and spoke shave.

Architectural styles included English, gambrel roofed,

balloon, high-drive, side-hill, gable front or side, cellar shed.

This stylized barn at Canterbury Shaker Village represents

buildings originally at that site, with top "cupola" also called "vent". 

(Explanation: manure was an important resource, often stored

at the ground floor, sometimes below the animal stalls level,

where it helped climatize the interior until needed as fertilizer.)

This structure from Shelburne Museum, VT, is a classic

Shaker round barn, useful because the dairymen could

stand in the center and efficiently refill troughs for milk cow 

stalls around the perimeter.

Next, below, is the picturesque barn toward the back of

a home lot along Historic Deerfield Main, with gray-brown aged

wood siding contrasting so wonderfully with the white

clapboard sides of the home it backs.

Just across and up the street is this smaller barn-like

out building, near the raised garden. 

Why were barns so often painted red?
Seems there is not ONE absolute answer. 

Farmers wanted to protect their precious timberworks from

deterioration, so they needed some kind of coating, which

began as somewhat plentiful and inexpensive linseed oil

that dried relatively quickly and hard but also rather orange.

For a more desirable color, they added ferrous oxide (rust)

which apparently also was a natural fungicide. (Barns in the

arid west would never have a roof moss problem!) Later, milk

was added by dairy farmers to extend or to improve texture.

Red became the fashion color of barns.

(When whitewash became less expensive, 

white barns in turn became popular.)

This pastoral scene, below, is made complete with gray barn

and shade-resting sheep, in Old Sturbridge Village, MA.

Also in Sturbridge is this more traditional English barn . . .

. . . and here is the view inside with stalls below

and straw storage visible.

Couldn't resist a parting shot of this gambrel roof farmhouse,

which shares the yard (opposite side) with the barn above.

I won't ever tire of 'confronting' this kind of view:

green 'fields', blue sky, and red barn.

At the end of this journey, there are things we WON'T miss:

food preparation for large zone conferences; 

late Daily Vehicle Reports each month; 

doing laundry in a shared washer room;

walking the groceries in from a distant parking lot;

confronting often the temporary nature of volunteer work;

returning after a day of office work too tired to resist that nap;

tense nerves at double-merge on/off ramps on the highways; 

being away from our loved ones in Utah, Idaho & Arizona;

plus all the COVID-19 particular challenges that colored 

the last half year of our time in New Hampshire.

What we will MISS --like memorable red barns & white steeples --

are the many friends, fellow members of the Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and beloved missionaries.

I dislike goodbyes with all my heart, when my emotions take control.

So I'll sign off this time with --

God be with ye!

Until we meet again!

Of Stone and Earth and Final Rest

 

Environs just below my apartment 'studio' window

demonstrate why this season is called "FALL".

Fading fast. Still thrilling. Something about that Autumn aroma!

Made a 'final' detour to Quechee Gorge and Woodstock, VT

on Tuesday, after helping with Follow Up training in Sharon.

Another thing that filled our lamps was the uplift in energy

and 'spirit' in the Mission Office as Sister and Elder Blackham

have arrived after driving cross country from Central Valley, UT.

First day photo: (l to r) Jodi, Vince, Cami & Don Blackham,

Elders Bigler & Larson (Tech Specs), Elders Emmett

& Wells, Elders Allison & T. Smith.

As we listen to these young Elders describe their experiences

here in New Hampshire Manchester Mission, we've become

accustomed to "missionary speak". But I admit I gasped

when I overheard a phrase months ago that refers 

to the circumstance where a companion remains while

the other missionary returns home as term of service is completed.

At end of the final transfer, the companion is said to have

 "killed off his/her companion."

Seems like a colloquialism fit for the upcoming festival! 

It's Halloween Week, and for missionaries who are charged

to be inside, off the streets early on October 31st, that

means "Deep Clean Halloween". We've been 'saving' a spooky

experience we had shortly after our move to Greenview Drive.

Seeking walking routes, our exploration

led to a nearby residential street, and at the far end, a trail

into the woods. Twas' a dark and stormy night -- or at least

evening -- and as we stepped into the unfamiliar woods,

we both were stopped short by the hint of a ghostly figure nearly

concealed behind a tall dark oak. Can you imagine 

the trepidation with which we edged forward?

FYI: It seemed much darker than this image represents.

(You'll need to stay through to the end to see what it WAS!)

My somewhat seasonal topic will deal with cemeteries 

in New England, and some intriguing and special

experiences at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, MA,

(shown below in autumn), and the Old Burying Ground

at Historic Deerfield.

Part of our early Sept. trip traveling to middle Massachusetts

was a swing into Amherst to visit the homesites

of Emily Dickinson and family members. Pandemic impacts

restricted us to visit only the grounds and not inside the center.

This, below, is the Homestead which she seldom left during

the final 20 years of her reclusive, but passionate life.

Here, following, is the exterior of Evergreens across the lawn

where her brother Austin and wife lived, who comprised all

of Emily's in-person social world.

Any familiar with the poetry of Dickinson will recall

the peculiar talent and vision she evokes. Favored topics

were her relationship with Deity, and exploring death

while pondering the meaning of life.

Borrowed here a stanza as theme preamble:

Because I could not stop for Death --

He kindly stopped for me --

The Carriage held but just Ourselves --

And Immortality.

From our first days as new residents here, we counted

town cemeteries as plentiful as red barns or white steeples.

Find, below, a small cluster of gravesites we pulled over to

view on a backroad near Georgetown, Maine. So typically, 

this cemetery is on the established route leading to

the next town, always near the village center or at crossroads.

Early Americans remembered their departed, and kept

the insistence of mortality close to their daily sight-line.

As smaller towns grew, burying grounds expanded,

or multiplied, very often near or next to the various houses

of worship. With passing years, those hallowed grounds

often interfaced with differing activities or community needs.

Here in Manchester, one example of this is shown, below,

where Merrill Cemetery has become a tiny notch in a busy

commercial district. (That cement-colored building 

at left background is the nearby Mall of New Hampshire,

across the street is a Japanese restaurant and

the Barns & Noble bookstore, and just up the street

from auto repair and personal fitness businesses.)

Nearer downtown Manchester is this fence-bound

cemetery, completely surrounded by commercial

and dense single and multi family dwellings.

In a more rural setting on Mountain Base Road

just yards from my favorite Red Barn in Goffstown

we spied this community burying ground,

set high on a hill -- a smart choice to keep gravesites

sound and protected from water/flood damage.

I was already interested in grave marker stone art.

Then I met Sarah, below, at a craftman's fair in

February, where she explained her New England Impression

hand-crafted fired-clay jewelry. She takes molds

of certain portions of carved head stones, then creates

small pieces for necklace pendants or earring danglers,

and provides information about where designs originated.

(You can ask to see what I purchased sometime, if you like.)

Online, I stumbled upon an advert by a Maine gentleman who

has chronicled more than one historic cemetery near Portland, ME.

His focus recently is on these "billboard" style headstones

that are unique to New England. 

Here is another example, from a cemetery near Yorktown, ME.

Why are cemeteries often places of picturesque beauty?

Take this one, below, that I recently discovered on

a backroad as I traveled through Canterbury Center, NH.

They offer an open view (especially in a place where 

the forest encroaches), are cared for and public, are consecrated as

a place for quiet reflection away from other noisier activities.

They have several things going for them.

Why the interest in grave markers?

As a designer, I'm never disappointed at the bounty

of inspiration and visual delights that burst upon the eye.

This sample is from Sleepy Hollow Cemetery near Concord MA.

Our early junkets to Concord's Old North Bridge

took us into Concord town, where on a steep hill

above the main village street is the 'Old Hill Cemetery".

This below is the view downhill toward town's shopping district.

And here, the view up the hill. 

We enjoyed visiting multiple times.

Here is a more modern addition describing some of

the important individuals whose graves are found here.

The one that I know most about is Col. John Buttrick

who was involved in the Battle of Concord

at Old North Bridge - site of "the shot heard 'round the world."

So fun to see the interesting artwork that expressed

more primitive views of life and death in those historic eras.

As a wordsmith, I read these only in metered amounts,

because I get agitated at the carvers' choice

to simply continue the words or phrases tightly between

the side margins, then onto the next line when he

ran out of room. Fun, also to see the scribed guidelines -

these were sculptor artisans, not programmed machines.

Not far from Concord is Lexington, where this historic

cemetery marker documents a different pandemic's

rampage through that community. This ground-level

billboard sign includes six members of one family,

adults and children taken suddenly.

Historic Deerfield's Old Burying-Ground was a destination we 

looked forward to visiting. This thin book, below, helps me

remember the important function of documenting and exploring

cemeteries, a genealogical tool that links families through

generations. Reading these epitaphs, transcribed by a woman

concerned that they might soon be lost to weather and time,

(and taken up by a different lady after the first herself passed),

I'm struck by the differences over time at how death and

the life-after are viewed, memorialized and illustrated.

Here's one line I like from a verse that gets dark later on:

Life glows  and smiles with prospects bright

And another whose meaning I'm still deciphering:

Hark they whisper

Angels say, Sister

Spirits come away.

Older stone carvings on most ancient graves

here at Deerfield present passing in terms of skulls

and the angel of death, with epitaphs calling readers

to repentance and more awareness of mortality, interspersed

with lovely roses and vines like those on the side panels here.

Individuals buried there range somewhat evenly between very young

and reasonably old (to 70s and 80s).

Here is another ghostly skull carving.

And a third with angel-wings and skull. 

Appropriate for Halloween, I'm guessing.

Later, the artwork took a more sympathetic outlook.

This table-style headstone, below, marks the gravesite of

a former "important person" in the town, 

such as pastor or civic leader. Beyond, graves are marked

with tall head stones and shorter foot stones.

I've  already shared this headstone in a previous post.

Each time I see this image, as when I viewed the stone

in person, I am touched by the simplicity of the mother

with child carving. So tender, and so expressive:

what mother would not - and does not- venture to

the brink of death, or to the grave, for the sake of her child.

Now I want to share the remarkable day of contrasts

when I found opportunity to finally enter Sleepy Hollow,

near Concord, MA. My desire was to visit Author's Ridge

where many influential writers were laid to rest.

What I experienced was much more remarkable.

My day was plotted to visit Walden Pond, then travel

over to Concord. I expected to find a contemplative walk

through nature that had inspired a transcendentalist.

Instead, I was shocked by merry-making humanity

and abundant commercialism there at Walden.

As I drove through the gates and the sun peeked out

from the intermittent cloudiness, I found at the cemetery 

the peace and solitude that I had been seeking.

(This image, below, shows a page from a guidebook

presenting many of the artists, authors and poets 

laid to rest here.)

Authors' Ridge includes many familiar names.

Indeed, the question (Where's Waldo) that I posed in my post 

about Walden Pond could be answered: he is here!

Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke at the 1855 Sleepy Hollow dedication

suggesting that the valley of this graveyard was "happily divided by

Nature as to admit the relation between the Past and the Present."

This is the Hawthorne family plot . . . 

. . . and the grave marker of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Across and down the path is the family plot of the Alcotts,

including this tiny ground level marker for Louisa May,

author of "Little Women".

This is the Thoreau Family plot, with the marker of

Henry David at left edge with the objects in memorial

left by visitors who come to pay homage.

This, below, is the view across the "happy valley" from

Author's Ridge, again under overcast sun.

Quiet. Serene. Evocative of green and growing life

and also of life passing. I unexpectedly felt an upsurge

of joy and calm. When, back inside my parked Subaru,

I answered a cell phone message from my son Cory.

I described the contrast between

the morning and the afternoon experiences.

Hopefully, he could tell, across the miles, 

that I had been touched!

Reflecting as I often do, about the passing of my two

most beloved life influencers, mother Helen

and father Gus, I evaluate what is left behind once

we have toiled and struggled, made good or bad choices,

failed sometimes, but continued to repent and try again.

Is it only the marker that is left, and a 300 word obit?

Of course NOT! But it makes for valuable introspection.

As a quiltmaker, I hope some of my creations will pass along

to loved ones who will remember their mother or NanaJo

who loved many things, including stitching.

To assist with that stored visualization, I have planned

for a 'funeral quilt' to drape my closed casket, spread

beneath the cascade of beautiful flowers in the hours

before my remains find final rest. I've been working

on it during this mission sojourn, and am happy to report

that the top is completed.

Here, above, was the collection of fabrics in my selected

color scheme, with hand piecing templates, ready to travel.

Below, a few of the completed blocks with one underway,

photographed in April when I was banished from daily office

work to minimize interaction and exposures to COVID-19.

Having my hands 'full' and busy, is my response

to Mr. Rogers' advice to "find something to do

while you're waiting", so the extra time spent at home

(in apartment) did not overly trouble me.

Here, below, I stand with my wall-pinned top,

now awaiting layering and quilting at and for a future time.

Please remember this special time when it was pieced.

(Patchwork pattern is often called "Winding Ways"

which I think is fitting to describe a life's journey.)

Now, if you were shaking your head that my planning

has become a little pathological, 

what will you think of this next image?

Explanation:

When my parents came to the end of their mortality,

their preparations blessed our lives - the children -

to let us focus on feeling, together time, and healing.

From that time, we Warners have endeavored to get to some

equivalent level of readiness. Here is our self-designed

grave marker, carved and placed on the pre-need purchased

plot in Lehi City Cemetery. Dates to materialize later.

And lastly . . . 

here is the specter that awaited us on our

river trail walk, cap and elbow poking from behind

the tree.  No explanation about when or why, but

someone has a sense of humor backed by actions!

And it gave us a chuckle to accompany our alarm.

We oldies are speaking too regularly now with 

Medicare supplement experts, reminding us of aging. 

One good thing that comes with age is a better perspective

on end of life, what is valuable, or not so much.

I certainly don't mind cemetery strolls like I may have

as a pre-adolescent. And acceptance of the end

makes for meaningful existence in the middle.

Much firmer in our understanding and embracing

of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our Savior,

"the author and finisher of our faith" than when younger.

We rely on his Grace on this side of the resurrection,

and on his powerful Atonement on the other.

Hope your spooky season can be mirthful,

but perhaps thoughtful, as well.

Happy Halloween! Happy life!