Ryan has been commissioned to paint the Smith's farm in Palmyra, NY during the Fall. So, that required him to head out there a.s.a.p. while it was still Fall :) And since I had played single Mom for 5 weeks, I told him, yes told him that I was going with him. I am so glad I did because it is just amazing there. Up state New York is gorgeous, I loved it. Rolling hills with tons of trees and so much land and space between the homes. I used to think that about Utah when I moved from California but New York was even better. We stayed in Webster which was about 20 minutes from the Village of Palmyra, did you know it was called a Village? Me neither. We saw the Martin Harris Farm, the four churches, the Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was first printed, the Hill Cumorah, the Palmyra temple, the homes that the Smith's lived in and of course the Sacred Grove. It was so amazing to see all these sites. The spirit at the farm was present and I learned so much about the Smith's and am so grateful for their example, their faith and the many sacrifices they made.
The Palmyra Temple is on the north east border of the Smith's 100 acres and it faces the Sacred Grove.
on the farm
The Sacred Grove
The view from the top of the Hill Cumorah
The monument atop the Hill Cumorah
the drive up to the Hill CUmorah, so pretty.
The Smith's frame home that they built while living in the log home but later had the dead stolen and moved back to the log home. This is the original home that they lived it.
This is a replica of the log home but the foundation is the original foundation. (the white building is the visitor center. The Smith's built it before moving west as recorded in the JSH. Just kidding, but it really is the visitor center) Although it isn't the original home the spirit is still there and it is quite powerful to be in JS room where angel Moroni appeared to him. And to look out the back door where Joseph would have walked out and headed for the forest to pray after reading from James. 
These trees are both "witness trees" in the Sacred Grove. They are at least 220 years old and would have been standing when Joseph Smith received the first vision. The one below used to have 12 branches jetting out but is starting to die and as you can see has far less.
This is Bob Parrot standing in front of the same "witness tree". He is the groundskeeper for the 100 acres. He has worked for the church for about 15 years and has totally changed the Sacred Grove. He grew up in Palmyra and is not LDS but is very knowledgable of the horticulture there and knows the sacredness of this forest. When he first started working, the church had it looking like a park with no under growth, everything cleared out and clean and in his words "you could see everyone who was in the sacred grove from one end to the other." He has since let nature take over and has allowed everything to grow back naturally back to how a grove of trees should look and how it would have looked when Joseph was there. He doesn't blow the leaves off the path or shovel the snow. He feels that the spirit is there more when it is left in it's natural state. And the spirit is definitely there. It was such a peaceful place and so gorgeous. He said he feels the spirit every time he walks in there and can't believe how members of our church walk through while talking on their cell phones, just hurry through looking for some sort of monument or let their children throw rock and pull on branches. So if you ever have the chance to visit the Smith's Farm and happen upon Bob, tell him "thank you" and that Ryan and Courtney Brown said "hi" :)
just another view of the farm.
and since we were in the area we decided to take a short trip to Canada and see Niagara Falls. New York is behind me.
the horshoe falls
