The Dermody Family: Snake Alley in IA

Journals/Blogs

President Kimball said, "People often use the excuse that their lives are uneventful and nobody would be interested in what they have done. But I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records, they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to your families, to your children, your grandchildren, and others, on through the generations. Each of us is important to those who are near and dear to us—and as our posterity read of our life's experiences, they, too, will come to know and love us. And in that glorious day when our families are together in the eternities, we will already be acquainted."

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you.
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you,
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows might go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Kahlil Gibran

Build Wisely

A HOME IS MUCH MORE THAN A HOUSE BUILT OF LUMBER, BRICK, OR STONE. A HOME IS MADE OF LOVE, SACRIFICE, AND RESPECT. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOMES WE BUILD. WE MUST BUILD WISELY, FOR ETERNITY IS NOT A SHORT VOYAGE. THERE WILL BE CALM AND WIND, SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW, JOY AND SORROW. BUT IF WE REALLY TRY, OUR HOME CAN BE A BIT OF HEAVEN HERE ON EARTH. THE THOUGHTS WE THINK, THE DEEDS WE DO, THE LIVES WE LIVE NOT ONLY INFLUENCE THE SUCCESS OF OUR EARTHLY JOURNEY, THEY ALSO MARK THE WAY TO OUR ETERNAL GOALS.

--THOMAS S.MONSON

Monday, August 2, 2010

Snake Alley in IA

"Ripley's Believe or Not" named Snake Alley in Burlington, IA "The Crookedest Street in the World." It was constructed in 1894 by German immigrants as an innovative way to connect two parts of the city together, a neighborhood shopping district and the downtown business district. It's patterned after vineyard paths in France and Germany. The road is made of cobblestone and runs a block and a half and has 7 turns over 275 feet.
It turned out not to be such a great idea for the horse and carriage, and so other similar roads were never constructed as originally planned. Today it's a fun tourist attraction, a bike race venue, and host to things like local art shows. My kids love it! It is rather fun to drive too, but it is closed in the winter for obvious safety reasons. For more information slither over to www.snakealley.com.