ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM (LONG VERSION)

We were able to tour the Presidential Museum in Springfield, Illinois and I have the utmost admiration for this outstanding museum.  I will return one day to walk about at a slower pace and soak more of it all in.  So much to see and read.  I'll let my pictures speak for themselves as I reminisce.  A bit blurry...I think it's time for a new camera.  I totally enjoyed this place with awe.  State of the Art Museum.   

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Sojourner Truth

George B. McClellan and Ulysses S. Grant

conversing with refreshments outside the White House.

Galleries of various types.

Willie is ill and bedridden.  His Bedroom was extra dark and my camera took blurry pictures.  Mary is tending to Willie as Abraham stands at the door with Willie's favorite toy.

Willie  passes away and Mary grieves.

Willie and Tad became ill in early 1862, possibly with typhoid fever. Tad was relatively lightly affected but Willie gradually weakened; his parents spent much time at his bedside. He died on February 20.

Both parents and Tad were deeply affected. Lincoln said, "My poor boy. He was too good for this earth. God has called him home. I know that he is much better off in heaven, but then we loved him so much. It is hard, hard to have him die!"; after the burial, he shut himself in a room and wept alone. Mary Lincoln remained in bed for three weeks and was unable to attend Willie's funeral or look after Tad. Abraham Lincoln took solace in caring for and comforting Tad, who remained very ill and was grieving himself for his brother's death. Tad also lost the companionship of Bud and Holly, whom Mary refused to allow in the White House anymore, as they reminded her too much of Willie.

Willie was interred at Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown. After Abraham Lincoln's assassination in 1865, he was re-interred at Oak Ridge Cemeteryin Springfield, Illinois, first in a temporary tomb and in 1871 in a state tomb alongside his father and his brother Eddie. Tad and Mary Todd Lincolnwere also later placed in the crypt of the Lincoln Tomb.

A picture's worth a thousand words, 

but a painting tells a visionary story at a glance.

A bigger than life MURAL has many stories frozen in a moment of time to see.

Serious discussion happened in this room.  I was impressed with the themed rooms with statues  telling a story.  The interior decorating used spoke volumes.  For just a few minutes I was transported to a different time.  

The younger days of Lincoln are shared as well.

Courting Days.  It is rumored that these two had a turbulent relationship which carried into marriage.  He was her Mr. Lincoln and she was his Molly.

Mary was a TALKER and when she spoke Abraham listened.

Days at the Law Office after children were born were very active.  Abraham was known to ignore his children's flaws.  Books thrown on the floor was the norm as the boys threw ink wells like baseballs.

Some would have said that Lincoln's behavior 

as a Father was debatable.

Attending the Ford's Theatre on Good Friday would be the last time President Lincoln was conscious before John Wilkes Booth shot the President.  Lincoln would pass away the next morning.

I'd like to return to the Museum again and walk through it slower deliberately reading everything.

I'll need a new camera before that day as the one I have is on its last leg.

As we were leaving the Museum, 

we shopped the Gift Shop.

Now I can say I have been to Springfield, Illinois.

A very enjoyable day.  

One that I will not forget any day soon.

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MIDDLE OF THE WEEK

THE DAY BEGAN WITH A FRUIT SALAD for Red Day on the Color Wheel Diet.  Sliced Honeycrisp red apple, red grapes, bing cherries and raspberries for the RED DAY BREAKFAST SALAD.  All organic from Natural Grocers in Topeka.  My strawberries were frozen so I'll let these thaw out and use in the Lunch Salad along with more Honeycrisp apple.

Off with a bang.  Lunch will be a large Salad made of Red leaf lettuce, red bell peppers, radishes, kidney beans, red beans, honey crisp apple, strawberries, with a sprinkling of cranberry cheese and 2 tablespoons of organic salad dressing made with apple cider vinegar and oil.  It should be really good.  Supper will be Salmon Steak, beets and red potatoes.  Looking forward to this.

Yesterday, I took my list of groceries with me to Topeka to shop.  Trying to group together on one day organic foods on one shopping spree day.  I already know I will have to make another shopping day for my Green, Blue and Purple days if I don't have enough goods in the fridge. 

Had Apple Pecan Salad for lunch from Wendy's and unsweetened iced green Tea from Starbucks which last me 4 hours.  Sat in a shady spot in the car to eat.  Went to Hy-Vee to purchase some cheese that has cranberries in it and another with blueberries.  I'll crumble a small amount of the cranberry cheese over my Lunch Salad today.

After shopping Hy-Vee, we went to God's Storehouse because it was Senior Discount Day.  If Tuesday Morning were still open we'd have gone there on this Tuesday.  Sigh.  I miss them.  We'd buy our Ginger Snaps there all the time.  I only picked up a couple of items like clear glass Princess House Fantasia cups and saucers.  Terrific purchase for a quarter.  A quarter!  Food feeds me nutritionally, but the thrift shopping feeds my soul and makes me a very happy camper when there are super sales like this.  Cha-Ching. 

Skipping on over to Natural Grocers, picked up radishes, red leaf lettuce, mixed bell peppers, peaches, apple, green beans, asparagus, boxed soups, salsa. cherries, grapes, kale, red beans, kidney beans, chaired, avocados, beets, olive oil, avocado oil, salsa verde, Yukon potatoes, mints, bananas, raspberries, apricots, Co Q 10, beet powder.  Still needed a few more items for Color Wheel Diet.

Stopped by ALDI for salmon steak and then off to Menards for a paint brush.  When shopping in Topeka there is quite a lot of driving about.  The traffic wasn't so bad today, but it was a hot 90 degrees where the air conditioning ran full blast.  We were blessed that the car ran without incident.   

THANK YOU, God for showing us where to shop to get healthier foods for our temples.  Amen.  

It was nice not driving HOME in the dark.  Hubby unloaded groceries for me as I rested my back.  He is wonderful.  Supper was grass fed beef hamburger patties with organic ketch-up, asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce and a small baked potato with iced tea.  Supper was late, but oh so good and within calorie intake for the day.  A wonderful meal before another week round of the Color Wheel diet. 

Ended the night with watching a 1998 made for television movie, THE DAY LINCOLN WAS SHOT to get my fix about this President.  It was actually pretty good.  I believe I watched it years ago, but since it's been so long, it was like watching it for the first time.  The interior designs and costuming were good as well as the acting was.

I liked the way Lincoln was portrayed by actor Lance Henriksen.  By historical accounts, Lincoln's voice was not bass like Henriksen's but a higher pitched tenor like actor Daniel Day-Lewis's in the movie, Lincoln.  Still it was a good movie.  Donna Murphy portraying Mary Todd Lincoln wasn't hysterical enough when Lincoln was dying.  According to reports made, she was over the top grief stricken with shrieks crying out with great pain.  She could not be consoled and did not attend her husband's funeral.  Stayed in bed for a month.  

Need to do some laundry and of course some paperwork needing thinned out.  And away I go.  

TODAY will unfold as it goes and I pray it goes well.

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LINCOLN'S TABLE

A VERY PLEASANT AND PEACEFUL DAY AT HOME!  A delight to stay HOME and rest.  Paperwork worked on.  More to do.  This week I hope to thin out so much paper my head will spin.  Laundry worked on.  Priming the Dining room walls.  AND drum roll please...I will go shopping so I can eat the color wheel again.  This diet helps me to simplify what to eat for the day.

It's low cal, low carb and I need that as I reduce my body size.  Each day is a different color of foods.  This go round I will start with a RED DAY on Wednesday, go YELLOW on Thursday, next ORANGE, relax with GREEN, praise the BLUE foods, then end with a purpose eating PURPLE foods.  Relax and have a left overs day and reflect how the week went.  Eat some real meat, dairy and nuts in combination with fruits and vegetables.

So a shopping I will go.  

ON THE HOME FRONT:  I took a load of goodies to the Goodwill store.  I'd like to do this weekly for awhile as I thin out items throughout the house.  This is slow paced and this is what I can handle right now as I make plans to continue downsizing.  

Hubby has been cutting strips of wood that need to be applied to the screened in porch windows. He has primed and painted the first coat of paint.  He is taking this slow as he can only get what he can get done.  Soon this will be wrapped up and called finished.  

Excited that the book I ordered arrived in the mail.  'LINCOLN's TABLE' by Donna D. McCreary.  Victorian Recipes from Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois.  Gently used.  In very good condition.  I ordered this cook book as it has many recipes from the Civil War era.  Mary Todd Lincoln's White Almond Cake recipe is published in it.  I have to try this, truly I do. 

As I thumbed through the book, I thought of Springfield, Illinois where we were two weeks ago.  I had such an awesome time getting away for a few days.  

I had wondered what Abraham Lincoln ate?  Some said he'd only ate an apple for the day.  Tall and lanky.  Light eater.  President Lincoln was 6'4" tall weighing 180 pounds and as the Civil War went on, he dwindled down to 160. Incredibly skinny for his height.  

Will share recipes later. 

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