Kirtland

In an effort to make my brother jealous I present the results of my trip to Kirtland last Saturday:

'Twas beautiful weather in Kirtland, headquarters of the LDS Church from 1831–1838.


Had I lived then, I would've set my rocking chair here, on the porch of the Newel K. Whitney Store, and played Parcheesi all day.



The temple and the historical houses are pretty great, don't get me wrong. But the best part about Kirtland is this: a real working sawmill. It blows my mind that all you need to build this wood factory is a blacksmith and some guts. You just jimmy up some great big gears and some levers and BAM, you're cutting day and night. I gotta build me one of these.

Isn't it beautiful? Oh that I were a pioneer!


See, the waterwheel turns the gears,


and the saw blade goes up and down,


and the logs move back and forth and get cut into beautifully straight planks.


Ramming Speed!


Yeah, so who's jealous now? Who cares about pyramids and canyons o' the crescent moon and domes o' the rock? Who cares about the pillars of Hercules and deepest darkest Africa.

Shut up. You stink.