Well, let's see - two days off Internet. I think I'm in withdrawal! OK, so I had to go back and see where I left off....at Auburn, NY. We took off and drove across New York. Stopped at the Pittsfield Shaker Village and spent a couple of hours roaming around there, learning about the Shakers. They had a very interesting round barn that I found fascinating. You can ask me about it later....or not. :-) We decided to stop in Lenox, south of Pittsfield since we were entering the Berkshires and I thought affordable housing might be in short supply. We stayed at the Wagon Wheel Motel in Lenox, ate dinner at Dakota Restaurant (I had salmon) and breakfast at a neat little chain called Friendly's. Then we drove up to the Mohawk Trail, a very beautiful autumn trail and as we were driving to the trail, I really felt as if I were feasting my eyes on all the beautiful colors. It really is spectacular. Ben has taken some pictures but pictures won't do it justice!! We decided to get closer to Boston so we found a Super 8 in Watertown. However, it was your very typical Super 8 but they wanted $130 a night!!! Ouch!! We drove back AWAY from Boston :-) and thanks to Gypsy (gps) found a Red Roof in Southborough for $85. Found a washateria close by and rushed to get our laundry done so we would be fresh and clean for our tour! This morning we drove into Boston and boy was I glad it was Sunday. Gypsy did a good job but I would have been a nervous wreck had it been a weekday. Bad enough on Sunday. So we find where we want to go and begin looking for parking. See a Public Parking garage, drive in and see something like $10 for twenty minutes (yes, that's MINUTES) and it went up from there. Fortunately on Sunday it was a flat rate of $13. Otherwise I'm sure it would have cost between $30-$50. Insane!!! Now I'm REALLY glad I found the FREE Freedom Trail tour put on by the National Park Service. We asked one or two people and found the building just in time for the tour. Walked the tour - of course, they start at one place and end 2 1/2 miles later and good luck to you getting back! The guide was very good. Saw a lot of historical places, learned some history. Then we walked across a big bridge across the Charles River to see the USS Constitution. We took the grand tour that left every 30 minutes and were glad we were 20 minutes early so we could SIT DOWN!!! The ship was very interesting. Then we backtracked to find Mike's Pastries and get some Cannoli. I have not had mine yet - waiting for dessert - but apparently it is a Boston specialty. Found our way back to the parking garage with not too much difficulty and made our way to Trifty Car Rental where we were leaving our car for the week we are on tour. Got that all taken care of and the Thifty shuttle dropped us off at the Hilton. I'm sure we don't fit the Hilton image in our t-shirts and jeans! LOL In fact, I came back down to ask a question - get this, Hilton doesn't have FREE Internet access in the rooms (thus I am on a computer in the lobby). These high prices and they chargef for Internet. Geeeesh!!! Anyway, I'm asking about the Internet and as I walk up the desk agent says "Hello, Mrs. Williams. How can I help you?" I said she had a good memory and she said something about she could remember me. I didn't want to know HOW she remembered me so I didn't ask. LOL Well, if you're still awake and have gotten this far, I think I have you pretty much up to date on what has happened thus far. Orientation meeting tonight and we start out in the morning on the tour. Dinner tonight will be in the hotel. $16 for a sandwich. That better be SOME sandwich!! Oh, let me mention this...in all these little towns and Boston they parallel park everywhere on both sides of the streets. Man, I don't think I could do that!!! And in Boston there are signs for "Resident Parking" only on the STREETS! And I saw some signs telling when they would clean the streets and you couldn't park on the street during that time. I'm so glad I don't live in Boston or even the Northeast!
The North Church is the church where the signal went out "One if by land. Two if by Sea" We went inside and it was interesting - divided into sections as you can see. The people "rented" their box and the ones closer to the front were more expensive than the ones in the back proving that they were not Baptists when the rents would have been the reverse! :-)
This is two story. They can drive the wagons up a ramp to the second story and drop the hay bales down to the first story where they can fork the hay to the cows. They can put the cows in stations to hold them still. Then the cows can eat while they are milked> Notice the ledge. The cows rear legs are at the edge of the ledge so the manure falls off the ledge to keep the cows from stepping in it and then they can sweep the manure into the pits (you can see the lids) which falls down to be shoveled to the gardens for fertilizer. 
Spoke of this earlier and now I can post a picture :-) Dam was built to provide power for the quarry.
The Wise's made it to Buffalo and now we are Four!! Went back to Niagara Falls this morning. Did the Journey Behind the Falls where we descended down and went out on an observation desk beside the falls. Yes, we DID get a little wet (they provide rain ponchos)!! Then we again enjoyed a leisurely stroll enjoying the falls as we made our way to the Maid of the Mist, the boat that takes you right in the midst of the falls. Yes, we got WETTER (again, we got ponchos) Ben likened it to being in the middle of a hurricane. It was like being in a hard rain. Words can't describe it. Seeing the falls from below is such a different perspective of the falls!! We did have a waterproof camera. Hopefully those pictures will tell the tale. Then we took off Route 20 towards Massachusetts. It was rainy off and on throughout the afternoon. At one point, we saw a beautiful rainbow. Since I knew this trip was about foliage, Niagara Falls and nature, I borrowed an idea from Beth Moore and prayed that God would "show off" His creation to us - in the foliage - in the falls - in His creation. Today He really did show off with the falls and with this fantastic rainbow. To God Be the Glory!!
