Blog
As a curious observer of life, I blog on writing, marketing, my prairie - anything that interests me in the moment. I like to have conversations with readers, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I'll respond.
The woman sat bent over a card table in the far corner of the room. When Kara Langsdon of the Iowa City Public Library(ICPL) introduced me, the woman never looked up. When I launched into…
Read MoreI had the opportunity at the Midwest Old Thresher’s Reunionthis past weekend to picture how farming was done 100 years ago. When horses were the most common horsepower. When the shift to machines was just…
Read MoreJust being around certain things will trigger strong memories. I know that’s how it is with farm kids and tractors. Boys or girls remember the first tractor they drove. The Midwest Old Thresher’s Reunion gave…
Read MoreAugust came, and right on schedule, so did the tomatoes. We’ve been waiting for this. Our cupboards were bare. But dishpans full of tomatoes to can every third day can be daunting. Through a serendipitous…
Read MoreBackpacks loaded with new supplies? Check. Just the right clothes? Check. Camera ready for the first-day-of-school picture? Check. It may be one of the marks of good parenting to get that picture each year. This…
Read MoreThose of you who know me, know I’m all about the cows. I grew up on an Iowa dairy farm and spent 35 years promoting the dairy industry. So, this year’s Iowa State Fairhits me…
Read MoreFrancie Nolan grew up in an exceedingly poor Irish family in Brooklyn in the early 1900s. Her story is chronicled in the classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Facing hours on the…
Read MoreIn 1915, you could catch a train within 12 miles, anywhere in Iowa. In the heyday of Iowa train travel, you could ride an hourly commuter train between Boone and Des Moines. In Des Moines,…
Read MoreI always enjoy a walk down memory lane. One reason is you never know where the walk is going to take you. Yesterday, I joined a friend and her mother in Boone, Iowa, where her…
Read MoreYou know what the say about assumptions? Well, I made a big one when I saw the aqueducts running through Guamo, and assumed they were Roman era construction. Turns out, they’re much more recent. In…
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