This was our week NOT to travel, as we prepare for another 24
reassigned missionaries to arrive on Monday and Tuesday.
But then natural processes interferred.
If you have read recent July posts, you may recognize
the four Ellsworth Maine (Area) Elders
(Larsen, Sears, Greene & McBride), shown here, below,
on July 23 in front of auto #1, LEFT there on July 5th, as we
picked up their "extra" car to return to Manchester Mission
Office, making it available to ferry others to outlying areas.
One car for four Elders - an approach modified
slightly since that date in early July.
(Elder Sears is holding the Maine fishing regulations
booklet that Elder Warner brought him. Fishing has been
a great way of "street" contacting for Elder Sears,
before the COVID19 thing restricted them.)
A phone call from Elder McBride reported that there had
been an "accident" and a tree had smashed their car.
Here, below, is one of their pictures, showing where
the car was parked (waiting for quick beginning swerve to
the apartment lot 'loop' to avoid assisted-backing of the car).
And below is the forlorn broken tree, the 'split' trunk
having actually SPLIT and broken - the 'curse' side
of the tree abundance blessing here.
Partly in case insurance requires these images later,
I share the damage we viewed when we arrived:
smashed windshield making the car un-drivable,
with dented hood and window frame.
In the distance, you can see the broken trunk.
Back to the Office.
Before our "emergency dispatch mode" engaged,
one (recurring) project this week was updating magnet boards
that show each missionary in the NHMM complement.
This job typically falls under the secretary umbrella, but I have
become involved to assist Elder Wells who is very busy.
I always thought this magnet board work would be fun.
There is a mission office board, one for the President to
review at the Mission Home, and one in the President's Office
showing assignments and transfer locations in succession
- all done to help visualize, receive inspired guidance
and make plans. But the influx two weeks ago breached
a threshold so that alpha-ordered rows needed re-configuring.
Recognizing how overwhelmed I was feeling, sensitive
Elder Allison offered to take over for me, and did
a marvelous job. In comparison, this picture below
shows the burgeoning contingent June 19th (nearly
200 now), up from a low in late mid-March of around 95.
To demonstrate, below I am working at the task of
preparing the picture/data magnets for the mid July batch.
Elder Allison lifted and filled my lamp last week.
* * * * *
So did Sister Blackham, who while working/serving remotely
as Mission nurse from her south central Utah home,
found time and resources to sew these hundred plus
protective masks for the missionaries in NHMM,
mailing them so that we can distribute them here.
That is EXTRA MILE work from across the miles!
Now more about our first and then second trips to Maine.
Our original appointment with the Ellsworth Maine Elders
offered the hoped-for opp to visit Bar Harbor and
Acadia Nat'l Park, repeating on July 4th a visit made
a few years ago. It was a sunny day to start,
but the early morning fog returned as low cloudiness.
Vince asked me to shoot this picture, below, of
the Bar Harbor Whale Cruises operation through which
we had booked a puffin and lighthouses trip.
But alas - the fog and rain-iness rolled in seriously
by the next morning, and it was cancelled.
Can't resist a sailing vessel shot, below,
but the real reason I include it here is that
the islands appearing obscurely in the distance
will figure in the final notes of this post.
Most of July 4th was spent inside Acadia NP.
Crowds in the car ticket queue and at roadside parking
proved how many folks had eagerly waited as we did for
Acadia to re-open for visits after the COVID shutdown.
Here, I want to express gratitude to those whose
vision and investments elevated this area of beauty
above private ownership to benefit humanity.
Bless them! I hope they get their rewards!
John Muir's quote is on a sign at the Hull's Cove Entrance
(please imagine his Scottish accent delivering it):
Everyone needs beauty . . . where
nature may heal and cheer and give strength
to body and soul.
Mt. Desert Island - a most beautiful place!
Even the auto roads have been made beautiful.
We entered (free with our Pass as old seniors) and
made the car circuit around the park.
Here is Bubble Rock, below, one STOP and HIKE we took.
This is a glacial 'erratic' - a stone that was pushed along on
glacier ebb and flow current, then dropped high on a cliff
on this island as the glacier receded. It's geologic makeup
does NOT match anything around.
does NOT match anything around.
We paused at Jordan Pond House for lunch,
and had popovers and strawberry jam, then walked
for 40 minutes along the trail beside the pond.
See how dark and misty the day had become.
This is the picturesque split-log lined trail, below,
that serves one section to keep hikers above
and out of the sensitive woodland ecosystem.
Along the dirt roadway near the pond is this historic
stone carriage road bridge, below, one of seventeen unique
structures that are harmonious 'constructions' in the park.
As the afternoon waned and we approached the end of
the mostly one-way park loop road, we passed one
final turn out. Because of the low ceiling and fogginess
we had experienced all day, Vince turned to me, saying
"I had planned to go up to the top of Cadillac Mountain
to see the view. Do you think it would be worth it?"
As we counseled together, it did NOT seem promising,
though earlier he had been pointing out blue sky patches.
He impulsively (but mostly safely) reversed course and
we headed up. As the car climbed, the illumination gradient
improved, until finally near the summit we were above
the clouds. An amazing rush and surge of daylight!
Here is the eastern prospect as we crested on foot trail:
the top of the unending cloud cover, just like the view
through an airplane window.
But on the opposite side of this peak . . .
. . . our sightline was clear (seen below) ALL the way down
to Bar Harbor marina, and those islands that showed
in the introductory images in this post.
The Nat'l Forest Service host at the summit when I asked
said it had cleared only in the past few minutes.
Such a reward to us for "aspiring higher" and Vince's
quick decision to drive up. It proved to be the highlight
of a day filled with natural beauty and soul-delights.
Then, a most difficult thing -
to turn and descend DOWN the mountain again.
I suspect no soliloquy on moving toward higher ground,
or seeking the elevated viewpoint is necessary.
That day, enjoying God's world here in New England,
was the most poignant experiential example possible!
Hopefully we will retain it for our lifetime and beyond.
* * * * *
So my parting 'shot' is a view of a different 'over-achiever' -
this multiflora rose bush (I have been mistakenly calling these
'primroses' all my life) has already moved on to
its 'berry' or rose hip stage, and is offering
the lovely yellow/fuchsia/orange/ blend that I love so much!
It generates forward thinking toward autumn here,
even though we are still suffering with summer's high 90s.
If this advance on fall foliage color is already presenting,
I say, bring on the seasons change!
Hoping for improvements to other things, too!
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