Palmanova, Ravenna & Venice
Palmanova was a very interesting stop that we made on our way home from Slovenia to Vicenza. I had heard about it from a couple of friends in recent months, and was intrigued enough to suggest it to Chelsea, Garret, and Paula. They were so excited as we crossed the border into Italy, I could have suggested just about anywhere and they would have happily gobbled it up!
Palmanova is a famous star-shaped city that began in 1593. Built to commemorate the Venetian victory over the Ottoman empire, it was also designed to serve as a premier fortress against future invasions. The designers consisted of a team of Venetian engineers and architects, whose goal was to construct a Citta Ideale (the "Ideal City"). It was a large Renaissance concept at the time.
The plan for the fortress included a 9-pointed star shape which would be perfectly symmetrical. It would also be surrounded by a moat, ramparts, bastions, and geometric streets that all radiated out from a central hexagonal point (Piazza Grande). I wish Scott had been with us that day, along with his drone. We could have gotten a birds' eye view from up above, showcasing the unique shape of the city down below. You should definitely look it up online to see what I'm talking about . . .
Video of the entire Piazza: (17 seconds)
An interesting fun fact is that after Palmanova was completed, nobody wanted to move in! Despite its state-of-the-art defenses and mathematical perfection, people were reluctant to be the first ones to settle. The Venetian government had to offer free land and tax exemptions to pardoned criminals in order to get any takers . . . WOW, ha ha. What a beginning!
Palmanova was captured by the French when Napoleon rolled into the area. He soon added another ring of fortifications around the outside of the 9-pointed star. When Napoleon's Army was eventually defeated, the Austrian Empire then took control.
Starting in 1848, the citizens of Palmanova rose up to try to take control of their city again, but it didn't work. They tried a second time, and that didn't work either. Not until 1866 during the Third Italian War of Independence did they finally have success. Palmanova was officially annexed into the Kingdom of Italy.
During WWI and WWII, the location of Palmanova and its proximity to the eastern border, meant that it served as a major and logistical base for the Italian military.
In 2017, Palmanova joined the ranks of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the "Venetian Works of Defense during the 16th and 17th Centuries". It is also recognized as one of The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.
Something we just barely missed was their annual Palma alle Armi Festival (Palma to Arms), which is held during the first weekend of September. This is the largest 17th century Renaissance reenactment in all of Europe!! Over 1300 reenactors come from dozens of countries to transform the town into a massive living history museum.
Palma alle Armi Festival (Per AI): Meant to commemorate the Uskok War (the final conflict between the Republic of Venice and the Austrian Empire), visitors can walk through a sprawling military camp at the Porta Cividale bastions to witness historical cooking, blacksmithing, and military training. The highlight features simulated open-field battles outside the city walls complete with cavalry, pikes, muskets, and booming cannons. [1, 2, 3, 4]
As soon as we were done eating, we used the free bathroom at the back of the pizza shop and then we went on a little explore. There's a large explanatory sign next to the Piazza Grande, complete with an aerial photo of Palmanova.
Another map in the Piazza directs you to certain points of interest as part of "An Architect's Walk" . . .
Probably a few items leftover from their big reenactment festival 3 days earlier . . .
This next sign has a QR code that you can use to connect to 12 videos and behind-the-scenes stories relating to how fortresses are built . . . (There are English options available)
Below: A description of one of the replicated tools sitting in the Piazza - this one was for grinding powder. (Click photo to enlarge - there's an English explanation down in the lower left corner)
We marveled at the bright paint colors on the buildings, discussing which one we'd prefer to live in . . .
(clockwise from the bottom) Me, Paula, Chelsea, and Garret.
At the very end of the street that led from the Piazza, we found a narrow footpath leading up a hill to something . . .
Video of Chelsea leading the way: (5 seconds)
Turns out we were now standing on top of what is now called the "Ring of Fortifications" walk. This was where the Bastions were originally built - we were standing on a massive piece of history! Although we didn't know it at the time (plus we could hear thunder off in the distance), not only are there a series of walking trails to explore in this very spot, but visitors can see the old trenches and even check out the underground military galleries from the 17th century.
Per Gemini (AI): The underground military galleries of Palmanova are an engineering marvel, hidden directly beneath the Parco Storico dei Bastioni. These subterranean tunnels formed the invisible backbone of the city’s defense strategy and are central to its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [1, 2]
The Strategy: Countermine Warfare (Contromina)
The primary network consists of Gallerie di Contromina (Countermine Galleries). During the 17th century, a common siege tactic was for attackers to dig their own underground tunnels toward a fortress, pack the ends with gunpowder, and blow up the walls from below. [1]
To prevent this, Venetian military engineer Vincenzo Verneda designed an intricate web of tunnels extending deep into the earth beneath the outer rings of the star: [1, 2]
- Listening Posts: Venetian military miners (minatori) would sit in the pitch-black tunnels for hours, pressing their ears to the stone walls to listen for the faint vibrations of enemy shovels scraping outside. [1, 2]
- Preemptive Blows: Once they calculated the enemy's location, the defenders would pack small chambers at the end of their own branches with gunpowder and detonate them. The resulting underground shockwave would cave in the enemy's tunnel, burying the attackers alive before they could reach the town. [1]
Different Types of Galleries
The underground system wasn't just for mines. It was a complex logistical network divided into specific zones:
- Gallerie di Sortita (Sally Ports): These were larger, wider underground ramps used to secretly deploy troops. Large enough for groups of fully armed infantry or even cavalry to move through quickly, they allowed defenders to stage surprise counter-attacks directly into the moat and catch the enemy off-guard. [1, 2]
- The Countermine Network: Located deep inside the Baluardo Donato (Donato Bastion) and Rivellino n. 2 (Ravelin No. 2), these narrow, brick-lined tunnels sit about 9 meters (30 feet) below the surface and snake horizontally for hundreds of meters. [1, 2, 3]
Visiting the Galleries Today
A 550-meter section of the underground network has been completely restored, illuminated, and opened as a safe tourist attraction. [1]
- Where to Go: The main hub for the experience is the Galleria 2R di contromina del rivellino veneziano, located right at the Donato Bastion.
- The Atmosphere: Walking through these cold, damp, perfectly preserved brick arches offers a stark, immersive glimpse into the harsh realities of 17th-century military life. If you look closely at the walls, you can still see centuries-old graffiti left behind by Venetian soldiers.
- Logistics: The tunnels are generally open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets cost just a few euros and include an informative audio guide that walks you through the gunpowder niches, construction methods, and tactical purpose of each intersection. [1, 2, 3]
Too bad we weren't able to see any of the tunnels when we were there . . . With more rumbles of thunder reverberating across the town, we quickened our steps back toward the Piazza. Each intersecting street is one big circular loop, like a ripple on the surface of a pond, with the Piazza at its center.
Next, we passed by what is now known as the ex-Caserma Ederle complex . . .
Commissioned by Napoleon, it once housed him and his men as part of a large barracks. The 45,000 square-meter complex had a long history up until 1992. It was most recently used as a headquarters for the Italian Cavalry Regiment from Genoa for almost 50 years after WWII. After the structures sat empty for a time, locals have recently reclaimed the property. The former military spaces are being reimagined into a multi-functional hub for culture, tourism, sports, and educational services. It will take some time, but it will be beautiful in the end.
Following the circular route on our way back to the car, we then passed by one of the 3 entry portals that allow cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians into the inner fortress. This portal was called Porta Udine, on the NW perimeter, and was completed in 1605.
It was a very active intersection, with a traffic light regulating the one-way flow of cars. I had to patiently wait for a while between light cycles just to stand in the middle of the street for a photo, ha ha.
Video as Chelsea opened the creaky church door for me: (11 seconds)
WOW. So many tiny details . . . And what an imagination you'd need to have in order to "see" the vision of what it would eventually become as you attach one little piece of mosaic tile at a time.
What a fabulous little pitstop Palmanova was!! I would highly recommend it, especially for the festival and military reenactment period in September.
Literally, as we were climbing into the car, raindrops started to fall. We had Palmonova almost entirely to ourselves - without rain - for a couple of hours, and then it poured for a good while on the rest of our drive home.
Thursday, September 10th: Chelsea and Garret celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary by spending the day wandering around downtown Vicenza together. Paula had a fabulous day exploring the downtown area on her own, including several of the nearby museums and shops. Their hotel was right in the heart of Vicenza, which meant they could just step out the door and enjoy the Basilica, the Piazza, the Farmers Market, along with all the shops and restaurants. I had loaned them a few of our rain jackets and umbrellas the night before, which turned out to be very helpful in the downpours that followed . . .
With a day to myself, I did some laundry and grocery shopping. Not so glamorous or touristy, but still things that needed to be done!
I also heard from the sister missionaries - some of my favorite people in the world - and we arranged to go to our favorite lunch spot together: Brunch Republic. There were 5 of us in all: (from L to R) Sister Fullmer, Sister Howell, Sister Vitale, and Sister Dwomoh.
As we waited for our food, I got to know the two new sister missionaries a bit better. Sister Howell has been in Vicenza for a while now, and her companion (just for the day) was Sister Fullmer. She was such a hoot!! As soon as they got into my car, Sister Fullmer says from the back seat: "Okay, Sister Harmon. I want to know your whole life story. Ready, Go!" LOL
And while we were sipping on our smoothies, Sister Fullmer says, "So, how did you meet your husband? I want to know your whole love story!"
Sister Vitale was back in Vicenza because she had a follow-up dental appointment. She's been having a lot of health issues, so I let her fill me in on everything that's been going on lately. Poor thing. Her companion from Turino was Sister Dwomoh, who accompanied her to Vicenza for the weekend. I learned that she is from Accra, Ghana. I asked her, "This might be a long shot, but do you happen to know a senior missionary couple that served in Accra a couple years ago - their last name is Brundage...?"
"Yes!", she answered. Wow, what a small world. Her father works with the senior missionary couples in Ghana as part of the mission leadership, so he often brings the senior couples into their home for dinner or on other occasions. She remembered Lee and Connie Brundage!!
The Brundages used to live behind us in Idaho Falls for many years, until they got their mission call to Accra, Ghana. They decided to sell their house before they left, so that when they came back they could just decide where to live at that time. They have since moved down to Utah to be closer to their adult children and their families. Lee Brundage built our new front porch with the Trex decking material as a surprise gift for Scott before he came home from Saudi Arabia in 2019, and he helped our family numerous times with other problems that we encountered (flooding, structural issues, etc). He also hired both our boys to help him during the summer months with roofing and other contractor jobs.
I reached out to Connie Brundage later that night and sent her the photo of me with all the missionaries - including Sister Dwomoh. She remembered their family and marveled at what a small, small world this is!
From Sister Dwomoh, I also learned that Ghana is an English-speaking country that is surrounded by several French-speaking countries. There is often a lot of violence over the border into Nigeria, but not a lot of border checks or border control. People come to Ghana because it is such a peaceful country and they want a piece of that, for however long they can stay. She is an older missionary at 25 years old, and has been in medical school for several years already. She is still trying to decide what specialty she wants to go into for a career path. I really enjoyed hearing her stories and learning a little bit about life in Ghana.
And the food - as usual - was fantastic.
Friday, September 11th: The gang was back at it again, riding a series of trains down to Ravenna for the day. Our first leg was from Vicenza to Padova, where we changed trains to head south. Unfortunately, the trains were running a little behind schedule up north, which meant that when we arrived down in Ferrara, we had to leap off the train as fast as we could and then RUN to try to catch our next one . . . but we didn't quite make it. The attendant was blowing his whistle and the train started pulling away just as we got to the platform, all of us winded and out of breath. Garret really put in a good hustle with his longer legs, but even that wasn't enough. We stood there and watched our train leave without us.
The unspoken rule here is that if you miss your assigned train - especially if it's through no fault of your own - you are entitled to take the next available train. In this case, we had to wait a whole hour for the next one to arrive. A little frustrated, but undaunted, we eventually made it to Ravenna by lunchtime.
Chelsea - with her first mosaic photo op . . . a small tiled tower in a park across from the train station.
Chelsea and me, with the Sedici restaurant behind us . . .
At first, all the tables were occupied outside, so we accepted a table inside. But when an outside table became available a few minutes later, we asked our server if we could move outdoors. She happily assisted us in carrying our placemats, silverware, etc.
Garret ordered a beautiful coffee, with edible flowers on top and a heart-shaped biscotti placed lovingly on the accompanying spoon.
I ordered a green smoothie, with healthy ingredients that I cannot now remember . . . ha ha
For my brunch, I ordered the toast with salmon, eggs, and avocado . . . (*chef's kiss*)
It was getting toasty warm outside by the time we finished our lunch, and I had forgotten to bring a hair tie to pull my humid hair up off my neck. We popped into a nearby Tigota shop, with cosmetics, shampoos, and all your toiletry needs - including claw clips and hair ties. NOW we were set to do some sightseeing.
Via Giuliano Argentario, the street that leads to the Basilica of San Vitale has several mosaic and specialty shops to pop into at your leisure.
First, you'll need to stop in the Infopoint Turistico on that same street to get tickets to enter the Basilica. You can purchase combo tickets to see a few other points of interest if you want, or just a single ticket. Then it's just a hop, skip, and a jump up the street to begin your tour of the Basilica.
Scott and I visited here a couple years ago, but it was still really special to see it all again.
Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Basilica di San Vitale was built in the 6th century AD, between 526-547. The skillful and meticulous edifice was funded by a wealthy Greek banker, whose name was Julianus Argentarius (the street outside was named after him). He contributed roughly 26,000 gold pieces from his own fortune to make sure the project was completed.
Roman tombs of the same era often had symbols from mythological battles or Pagan rituals. But in Ravenna, the sarcophagi showcased early Christian and proto-Byzantine art. On the Ravenna caskets (especially those that belonged to people of importance), the symbols often included images of:
- The Lamb of God: Frequently carved in pairs facing a central cross/sacred monogram, symbolizing Christ and His flock.
- Peacocks: Ancient peoples believed that peacock flesh never decayed, thus the bird became a symbol for immortality and the resurrection.
- The Chi-Ro Monogram: The first two letters of Christ's name in Greek (x and p), usually encircled by a laurel wreath of victory over death.
- Rosettes and vines: Flowing decorative tracks represent the vines of paradise or the sacrament of the Eucharist.
This one was carved with lambs and rosettes during the late part of the 5th century AD . . .
Below: I have mistakenly assumed twice now that this was a baptismal font. But as I researched further, I learned that it was created for a completely different purpose. San Vitale was a 2nd century Roman soldier, and was also Christian. He was martyred and buried alive in a deep well at the time. A few centuries later, when the Basilica was being built over the same spot where San Vitale died, architects designed and made space for this sunken basin as a sacred monument to him.
It is difficult to capture the entirety of the height and grandeur of the interior . . .
Scenes from the Old Testament and the New . . . with Prophets and Apostles of old . . .
It is awe-inspiring to stand where so many people have stood for centuries . . .
After we were done gawking in the Basilica, we tore ourselves away to visit a few of the shops nearby. Chelsea was really looking forward to finding a set of mosaic tiles that she could bring home and incorporate into some creative projects of her own.
Each shop has its own sort of specialty. Some focus a little more on the pieces of mosaic tiles, with dozens of colors and mixed kits that you can purchase. Other focus a bit more on thoughtful mosaic pieces that they have created FOR you, which you can then purchase if you wish.
I bought a couple of kits for the grandchildren, plus a kit for myself. The one I purchased for myself will someday be the cutest little mosaic snail that you've ever seen! I also splurged and purchased some individual pieces that constitute a good sized Nativity scene. Please don't ask me how much I spent . . . I figured I could justify my purchase because it's for Jesus . . . and Christmas . . .
We were now running out of time in Ravenna, but we had one more stop to make: a visit to Koko Mosaico, the studio where my friends and I participated in a mosaic class almost two years ago. I really wanted Chelsea to see some of the inner workings, and the instructors are always so nice and welcoming to visitors.
They let her practice splitting and cutting some rocks with some of the tools available in the studio . . .
Video of an instructor explaining how they cut marble the same way as in ancient times: (50 seconds)
Video with Chelsea practicing the cutting techniques: (20 seconds)
Some of the cheery mosaic pieces that have been assembled in the Koko Mosaico Studio . . .
We spent some time visiting with Luca Barberini, a co-founder of Koko Mosaico (along with his wife). He let us all go into his personal studio at the back of the building to see some of his older pieces, and he explained how he gets his inspiration - usually from a dream or while he's in a meditative state. He recently cut his finger quite severely, so he has been sidelined from his creative work for a time, but he keeps busy with other aspects of their business, including promoting their art in various countries. He was a really friendly guy - very down to earth and authentic.
Because we got a late start with our arrival into Ravenna, the hours for sightseeing were quickly diminishing. We began to research some train departure times for getting home, and noted that we needed to get going if we didn't want to get back to Vicenza at midnight! Thankfully, there was a McDonald's at the station where we could order some dinner-to-go, which was fine because Garret was curious about what all the hype was with McDonald's in Europe vs the USA.
This was my Mediterranean chicken burger and it was delicious. I can't remember what Garret got, but I'm pretty sure he enjoyed it.
Saturday, September 12th: We got up bright and early to catch ANOTHER train, this time to Venice. I always tell people that it's better to arrive at the earliest hour you can muster, before the bulk of the crowds start pressing in.
We paused near the Santa Lucia Station on the Grand Canal for a light breakfast . . .
While we were sitting there enjoying our smoothies, coffees, and eggs, I noticed a really cute souvenir hat at a booth nearby. The sun was quite warm on my head already, and we had a full day ahead of us! Paula and I tried a few hats on until we found a good fit in the colors that we wanted, and then it was time for some photos.
We rode the water bus over to a stop that was near the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a place that has a unique family history connection and one that Chelsea selected from my list of pinned locations in Venice.
Jeronimo de Bassan was the leading pifaro player at this school. It was a school, or brotherhood, and a secret Venetian confraternity, of which the Bassanos were members. Jeronimo led sacred musical processions through the streets of Venice to honor the dead with illuminated candles. This was actually at the forefront of what we know today as "Carnivale".
Now, I have a 15th great grandfather named Jeronimo de Bassan, or Bassano, who lived from approximately 1480 - 1545. It IS possible that there was another Jeronimo de Bassan besides MY direct ancestor, but either way, I know that my ancestors lived and worked in Venice before moving to London in the early 1600s. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that MY ancestor = this same Jeronimo de Bassan who led the musical processions through the streets of Venice to honor the dead.
I've written extensively about my Bassano ancestors in previous blog posts (mainly in 2024 and 2025), but in case you're new here, the Bassanos are on my mother's side of the family tree. The Bassanos married into the Lanier family, who were French Huguenots and also ended up in London around the same time as the Bassanos.
Here is a little peek through one of the storefront windows in Venice, with several colorful assortments of lunch options.
We walked over to St. Mark's Square, took a few photos, and then made our way over to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and its neighboring island of Giudecca. It was a perfect solution for lunch, right on the water's edge, but hardly any other tourists to be seen (other than those passing by on the water busses). The water bus only takes about 3 minutes to get from St. Mark's Square to Giudecca, and this restaurant is only a 1-minute walk from where you get off the boat.
The restaurant - Ristorante I Figli delle Stelle - was rated only 4.4 stars out of 5, but in my opinion, it should have been much higher!! Also, the translation of the restaurant's name = Children of the Stars Restaurant.
Our signature "Thumbs Up" inside joke . . . What a fun bunch we are!!
The water level was a bit higher than usual, so whenever a large boat chugged past, waves would spill over the edge of the pavement and come splooshing over toward our table. We took it all in stride, just lifting our feet up each time the water tumbled over to where we sat, still eating our food and chatting away like it was nothing, ha ha.
I wasn't able to finish much of it, though, because I had to race off to a meeting. As I stood up to give hugs to everyone, Paula held onto me, with tears running down her cheeks. It was just the sweetest and most precious thing ever!! Even though this wasn't our last goodbye, she was still feeling some deeper emotions and they just happened to spill out of her eyes.
As my boat began pulling away from the dock, I noticed a young bride and groom coming out of one of the nearby churches . . .
As I traveled past the restaurant where I had just been enjoying a meal with my loved ones, I could see them standing there, waving to me and giving me two enthusiastic thumbs up apiece!! XOXO What a joy!! What a fabulous bunch they are!! Man, we had such a good time.
In our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have Stake Conference twice a year. Stake Conference usually means that the 8-10 wards (or congregations) meet together to be taught by the Stake Presidency and other leaders. Sometimes it is split into different sessions or locations if all cannot be accommodated in one building.
Here in Italy, our Venice Stake is spread throughout much of Northern Italy and includes Trieste (on the very NE edge of Italy, bordering Croatia and Slovenia), Udine, Pordenone (near Aviano and the Air Force Base), Venice, Padova, Vicenza, and all the way down to Bologna.
On this occasion, the leaders of each ward were invited to come to Mestre (which is what they call "mainland" Venice) for some special training on that particlar Saturday afternoon. Since I am a newly called Relief Society President, my counselors and I felt it would be a good idea to go to the Relief Society leadership training meeting.
I needed to get from that cute little restaurant on the island of Giudecca over to the Santa Lucia train station, catch a train over Mestre, and meet up with Addie Mae and Emily who would be there to pick me up and drive me over to where the meeting was. It was a lot of steps, but somehow we made it there without a single extra minute to spare!!
Because we are living in Italy, the training was of course in Italian. But thankfully, our Stake Relief Society President has a very capable and multi-lingual husband named Luca. He sat behind us and translated everything that was being said. It was difficult to concentrate for the entire duration of the meeting, with people speaking in Italian at the same time as Luca, who was trying to translate everything into English for us, but we still managed to get something positive out of the experience.
We were reminded of the importance of ministering to those whom we serve in a Christlike way. There were several role-play scenarios with a problem that needed to be resolved, and then we got to discuss how to minister more effectively after each group finished. The one example that I remember best was this:
Two ladies were pretending to be in a car together. The driver, we'll call her Isabella, was talking up a storm to her passenger, we'll call her Liesa. After driving several miles while talking, talking, talking, Isabella suddenly realized that Liesa had not said a single word. Isabella begins to think that somehow she's offended Liesa, and now she probably hates her. Isabella finally blurts out, "I know you probably hate me and I've offended you, but I hope you can somehow forgive me." Liesa is somewhat surprised by this, and responds with, "No, I don't hate you. And no, you haven't offended me at all. I've just been very content to listen to you chatter away. It's been very peaceful for me, and it doesn't bother me at all."
We then had to dissect the situation and discuss how it applies to ministering and caring for the needs of the women that we serve. What I got out of it was that sometimes we are wrapped up in our own needs (like Isabella's need to talk and talk and talk), but we don't really take enough time to acknowledge the other person. We could be asking more questions to draw the other person out, and show an interest in their life, their needs, and their situation. We also shouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions or place unnecessary judgments on the other person.
This was just one of the several scenarios that we discussed in our meeting. There were about 50 women in the meeting, with just 4 English-speaking Americans in the whole room. :)
Once the meeting was over, Addie Mae drove me back over to the Mestre Station where I caught a train back to Vicenza. Scott then picked me up and drove me home. It was a long and full day, but a GOOD ONE.
Sunday, September 13th: Scott and I drove in separate cars to pick up Chelsea, Garret, and Paula - plus all of their luggage, ha ha. We brought them back to our house for a little send-off breakfast before they departed down to Florence and then they'd travel home from there. I served some French toast, scrambled eggs, and a few fruits. We got to hear the stories of where they all went after I ditched them during lunch the day before, which included the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore and the Jewish Quarter (always one of my favorite places in Venice).
It was hard to let them all leave . . . and I didn't want to say goodbye . . .
Garret, Chelsea, Me, and Scott . . .
Buuut, they had a train to catch, so we kind of HAD to say goodbye. We drove them over to the station in two cars, and then dang it all, off they went . . .
What a FUN WEEK!! What a blessing and a treasure it was to spend all of those days together, talking, hiking, debating, regaling, eating, adventuring, and mostly just laughing endlessly. I love them all so much!!
They went on to have 4 additional days in the Florence area, sharing photos with me each night of all the things they saw and did each day. At the end of it all, their flights home to Denver were on time and all was well.
After we got home from the train station that Sunday morning, we tried to watch the Zoom link for Stake Conference which was being broadcast from Bologna, but the connection wasn't that great. Plus, it was extremely difficult to focus on the English translation that overlapped with the Italian speakers. It was like two people were speaking at the same time, at the same volume, and it was so hard to tune the one out while tuning in to the other . . . We soon gave up listening and turned it off after just a short time.
Scott then noticed that Bruno was outside working on the shrubs below, pruning them and then sweeping and bagging up the big mess he'd made. Scott practically RAN downstairs to help him, bless his heart. He really loves Bruno a lot, and anytime he's home and can help with some yardwork, he's all in.
I can't think of a better way to spend the Sabbath Day. Even Jesus, the Savior of the world, would often set aside his own agenda to help someone on the Sabbath. :)
Next Blog Post:
~ A grape harvest experience
~ Several food events
~ Visitors from FRANCE
Comments
Post a Comment