February was soooo cold that even the ducks couldn't get their ducks in a row.

Administrative Assistant

 Keely, our cat, is busy fulfilling her duties as an Administrative Assistant.  She is concentrating on assisting me to complete a proofreading project.

Getting Colder

7 Degrees and the Lili wants one more chance to show its colors, and the bunny rabbit gets tucked into his leaf bed.

 

Helpful Bluejay

 I needed help raking so this guy pitched in. He was awfully slow though.

Combining the beans

Combining the beans in North Liberty, Iowa.
 

Combining Corn

Our son Stephen called and told me that the field next to them was being harvested. I’ve got photos of the beans being harvested, now I have the corn. @ North Liberty, Iowa
 

Matching Trees

 I was trying to get a photograph of pelicans along the Mississippi River and wasn't having any success.  They were just out of range of my 500mm lens.  However, when I turned around the real picture was behind me. The matching trees.

Baled Corn stocks

Baled corn stocks along an Iowa highway.

Standing Alone

 Standing all alone in a cornfield.

Mississippi Palisades State Park

 Took a trip along the Mississippi River on the Illinois side and stopped at the Mississippi Palisades Park. There was color but I think the week of October 13th will be peak week.

Right Place Right Time

 On our way to Cedar Rapids, I saw this combine working to bring in the beans. I just had to have the photo so pulled over (just happened to have my camera and a long lens) and took this shot. Right place, right time.

Ellie

Granddaughter Ellie's senior picture.  I have taken the Senior Pictures for all of the grandkids, except Ellie.  COVID-19 got in the way. Ellie lives in Minnesota so my daughter and son-in-law, both who know their way around a camera, took the photos (Senior portrait by proxy). They sent them to me and I did the editing and put them on my online store (https://rallenhill.pixieset.com/).

 

Old Barn

An old barn along one of Iowa’s highways. There are fewer barns today than two weeks ago after the derecho came through and destroyed a lot of the barns.

Samuel Gallagher

Proud grandpa:

A New Visitor

A new visitor to the neighborhood.

Tucked in to Weather the Storm

This little guy was tucked in to weather the rain.

Left Over Wedding Guest

I’m always looking for new visitors in my tree. I saw this guy this morning. I’m not sure how I saw him since I’m vision challenged, but he landed so I could see him, opened his wings and held the pose. Perhaps he was a left over wedding guest from Mother Nature’s sponsored wedding yesterday?

Birds Singing A Song

Birds alive and singing a song.

New Web Banner

Currently working on a new logo/web banner.  Since I retired I've been catching up on a few things I've put off - including a nap or two.  I will try to blog a bit more.  I've got to say though, Facebook and Instagram have received most of my attention.  I will try to remember that - but, with the Blog I have 17 followers and on Facebook over 350.  I'll have to weigh where I put my efforts.  I hate to do a post and have to post it 3 times.

Retired

I retired from my credit union job on the 2nd of January 2018. I find myself beginning a new adventure - retired.  Although I'm retired from the credit union job I am still doing photography and writing projects and working on the at home projects that have often been ignored.  It seems we have a basement filled with projects.

I have also discovered that a chunk of my "social calendar" is being spent with doctors and dentists.  I am thankful for great insurance.

It is my goal to do more blogging and posting of photographs but will likely take me a month or two to acclimate.

Baptism

Our newest Grandson, Joseph James Gallagher is being baptized today.  We seem to be a bit Early - I grew up in the Navy and where if you were 15 minutes early you were already 15 minutes late.

Mothers Advice

It has been a while since I have Blogged and I am going to try to remedy my lapse.  I could offer a long list of whys - but will not.  Suffice it to say I have been otherwise engaged.

I know that most of us when our Mothers told us something when we were teenagers, probably didn't take the advice.  Perhaps we filed her advice away in some distant place in our brain. 

My Mothers advice found its way to the top of my mind last week.  I am working on a credit card promotion for the credit union I work for, and part of the promotion is to encourage everyone to be aware of opportunities to ask people if they would be interested in one of our credit cards.

The memory of what my Mother told me when I was about 14 came rushing to the surface, "You know that they're going to say either yes, or no.  If you know that NO may be the answer and are prepared for it, then ask the question.  If you don't ask the question, the answer will always be no."

How many times have we been to shy to ask some one for something?  I find myself failing to ask the question - not as frequently as in the past.  But, I am prepared for no, and you know what?  Yes is quite frequently the answer.  So - go ahead and ask!

Steve Jobs Movie

Waiting for a matinee movie to start -  the Steve Jobs Movie.  So far we're the only ones here.  Gee just like a huge movie room at home - not!!

Proud To Be From Iowa

A Safe Place

This story was related to me by a friend and I thought it deserved wider distribution than just my 2 ears. 

 

Last weekend was Sturgis Falls weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa (a local celebration with parades, food vendors, music, and a lot to do for the weekend).  My friend and her husband live several blocks from the main activity.  As they were coming home on Sunday afternoon from an outing her husband took the dog for a walk and she saw a "little old lady" sitting on the corner in a lawn chair.  She thought that odd.... as there was no parade due, so she went over to visit.

 

The lady explained that her and her friend had been to some of the festivities and were looking for her car and they couldn't find it, so her friend had her sit on the corner as "she" went to find the car.  She left with the admonition, "Do not leave this place."

 

"How long have you been sitting her?" my friend asked - "A couple of hours" she replied.

 

"Oh my, how are you, can I help - would you like some water?"

 

"Yes, that would be nice, and may I use your restroom?"

 

After being refreshed the little old lady (who was 82) came right back out to the corner to wait for her friend to find her.  After a bit she saw her son coming up the sidewalk and she was so grateful, but now she was concerned about her friend who had not returned so she sent her son to find her...again leaving the lady to wait.  In the middle of this a policeman wandered by and inquired as to what was happening.  And after hearing the story decided to wait until everyone was found. 

 

It seems that the ladies were several blocks past where they thought they parked their car.  Her friend went to find the car and couldn't so she went back to the corner, where she "thought" she left her friend - she was gone.  She panicked and called the little old ladies son who came to help search for his mother.  After several misses all were soon reunited and off they went.

 

I ask - where, but in a small town in Iowa can you leave an 82 year old lady sitting on a corner in a lawn chair, and not have her attacked, robbed or molested?  On the contrary - she was taken in by a stranger, made comfortable, and had someone to wait with her.  Makes me proud to be from Iowa.

 

Pressure Cooker Registration

I imagine that since pressure cookers were used as a deadly weapon (sadly) that before long we will see the creation of a new regulatory department - "The Department of Pressure Cooker Compliance" (PPCC).  The department will be tasked to register all current pressure cookers, establish regulations for the control, sale and registration of pressure cookers, and the department will participate in new designs of pressure cookers which would minimize the fatal nature of the cookers.

Train Travel

My spouse, her sister and their mother are taking a train to California.  I dropped them off earlier today at the terminal.

I just received a MMS Photo of a picture of their berth in the sleeping car.  A couple of minutes later I received another picture stating "this" is our room.

Curiosity got the better of me so I called...It seems that she was in someone else's room and after she took the picture she rang for the porter and asked about their luggage - like where was it?

Her luggage was in her berth - in the next car...

The Toilet

Old Throne

Last Sunday as I was leaving the church I needed to make a quick restroom stop.  I closed the door to discover that someone had put paper towel into the toilet (the church has a cistern system and we have paid thousands of dollars for one problem or the other this year alone.  Paper towel going down the system creates difficulties.)  At any rate - I fished it out and then went to flush the toilet to discover that it was busted.  They just don't make toilets like they used to...

I called the church to let the Church Secretary know about the issue and then later in the day sent an email to the priest to let him know as well.

It seems that he had 7 or 8 people tell him while he was still at the church, and received another 1/2 dozen or so emails later in the day.  When I spoke with him the next day he simply said, "I wish I could get that quick of response from a  stewardship letter."

Early Bird Gets The Worm

I heard an interesting quote today...  "The early bird may get the worm, but the 2nd mouse gets the cheese."  

Perhaps I need to get over my need to be first in line...

The Last Thing You Want...

I was making a trip from Waterloo, Iowa to Ankeny, Iowa and as is typical - I waited until the last moment to take a potty break. The LAST THING I needed to see was a bus, filled with football players pull in just ahead of me...  One of the few times I encountered a line into the men's room.  The line was sooooo long I was contemplating a tree...

Iowa Back Roads

A friend of mine turned me on to this site -CLICK Here for Iowa Backroads - a photo a day from Iowa's back roads or click on the orange title of this post.  Worth a visit (the site and Iowa)!!

Fountain Prank

Fountain in Cedar Rapids

A coincidence I SWEAR!!  Those who know me are aware that during my college days I placed a box of tide into a fountain.  The story can be found on this blog The Bubble Bath. As it turns out my wife and family were having lunch across the street from the soap filled fountain.  The owners of the fountain had a sense of humor about it - something I did not encounter in 1969.

Kids Say The Funniest Things

Looking for Lunch

Four of our seven grandkids visited for the weekend and to keep them entertained we took them to a couple of museums.  At one of the museums there was a snake exhibit.  Grandma has a great fear of snakes and the closest she would get to the snakes was the top floor (snake exhibit was in the basement) and if she could have had a choice - the building next door would have been too close.  Grandpa was elected to take whoever wanted to go see the snakes - (oh joy)....  One of the girls want to go see the snakes so off we went and we were ever so lucky (sarcasm) a demonstration was starting in 5 minutes where you could "pet" the snake if you wanted to...

The guy who was the snake handler came into the room with 2 pillow cases and one very large container.  There were probably about 15 kids and 5 adults in the room.  He proceeded to take the snakes out one at a time and explained about their origin, what they ate, etc.  It was interesting - even though I didn't particularly enjoy being in a room where I could "be" lunch.  He let the kids touch the snakes if they wanted to...

Right after he started the presentation a little girl, probably about 5 or 6 years old raised her hand and asked him, "Do you have a snake in your pants?"  You could tell from his reaction that this was the first time he had been asked this question during a demonstration and after an awkward moment he patted his pants pockets and said, "No, I don't think so."

The adults in the room were stifling giggles as the handler squirmed as the girl continued, "Then why is it wiggling?"

This nearly put the adults over the edge, and made the handler stutter as he tried to figure out what the little girl was talking about and then it dawned on him.  It was one of those "light bulb moments" where you could see the exact moment he figured it out, "Do you mean the pillow cases?"

"Yeah, over there they're moving!"

He was relieved that the moment was over and continued with the demonstration.  I enjoyed it, learned some things about snakes I didn't know and had a good giggle at the same time.

A Day In An ER

My spouse was having severe abdominal pains this morning so we rushed her to the ER. Starting at the end of the story - she has a severe abdominal infection and is receiving antibiotics via IV and will be in the hospital for about 5 days.

Now, back to the beginning. We arrived at 8:40 AM to a not very busy ER, but that quickly changed. We had been there a short while when we heard a woman wailing, "...That's my little girl...why won't he let me say goodbye?" She wailed and wailed. I cannot imagine the heartbreak she was feeling. Someone else was screaming in pain, and yet another went buy our room unconscious.

Then there was a guy who arrived in an ambulance with his finger arriving later in a separate vehicle; the county sheriffs were there for (Or were delivering) someone, and I believe one gentleman passed away from complications of a heart attack. Another lady was having chest pains and was prepped and taken for an angiogram. I watched one EMT take 2 hours of verbal abuse from an obvious drunken (or crazy) man. It was abuse, mean spirited, vile, nasty and on occasion physical. If had been the EMT I would have decked him or tied his ears to the table...I saw the EMT later in the day and told him, "Whatever they're paying you is not enough - thank you for what you do."

Ambulances came and went all day - broken this, broken that, fall here, fall there, fainted female, cut male - the tragedy went on and on and on...

My youngest daughter is an ER Nurse and during a break today I asked how she could stand all of the human tragedy? She simply told me the rewards far outnumber the bad moments and that I had just had a glimpse into her life.

Through the entire day the nurses and doctors, while not as attentive as I'd like them to have been (I understand others had more serious problems), they all had a smile, were caring and were genuinely concerned for our welfare.

We were there for a shift change and we saw a bunch of tired people leave - and a new energetic group arrive. I imagine their night shift will be as busy as the day shift, but with perhaps an added stabbing or gunshot wound.

Memorial Day 2010

I am always amazed at the twist and turns my life takes. Last fall I had visited a grade school classmate of mine and during our visit she told me about the town of Williams, Iowa (where I grew up until I was 10) and the Veteran's Monument the town had erected and celebrated on Memorial Day 2009. Several months after that conversation I had been visiting the farm where I grew up on (taking photos and remembering my jump off the windmill) and I decided to stop in Williams and visit the Monument. While I was sitting on the stone bench reading the names, and at the same time remembering those that I had served with, a gentleman came up to me and introduced himself. He was a WWII Veteran, member of the local American Legion and one of the "shakers and movers" who brought the Monument from idea to reality.

We exchanged stories and he knew my folks when they lived in Williams and after I told him I had served in the Navy for 30 years he said my name should also be on the wall. True to his word he added my name as you can see in the above photo. We attended this year's Memorial Day Services in Williams and then travelled around the area visiting the cemeteries where my grandparents, parents and aunts and uncles are buried.

We stopped by the Boondocks USA for brunch and sat next to a guy who everyone called "Bob". He struck up a conversation and we visited while we ate. It turns out that, "Bob" was the owner of the Boondocks and the hotel and has been since the early 1970s. When I told him my name he asked me who my Dad was and I said, "George Hill".

"Did he work as an accountant at Kramers Corner?" I said that he had indeed worked there for a while after he had sold his farm. Well... he then proceeded to tell me a story about my Dad.

I didn't start the day expecting to hear a story about my Dad from a complete stranger - literally in the Boondocks - but I did and it made for a great Memorial Day 2010.

Silly Sign

I like to pont out stuff that is, well, less than bright. This was a sign located in an exam room at my doctor's office. Now, it seems to me if I am reading this sign in the exam room, and I feel like I have H1N1 symptoms, than I am ALREADY in the building. A bit late don't you think? Perhaps I should have called the office and let them know that was in Exam Room 7?

Snake Vs Mouse

This story is to good not to repeat - my youngest daughter is visiting from Minnesota and told us about a friend of hers who has a pet snake. Her friend had been feeding the snake "freeze-dried" mice for it's meals, but suddenly one day the snake stopped eating them. After several days she took the snake to the vet and the vet told her she would have to switch to live mice.

Being a bit on the squeamish side she didn't want to witness the mouse's demise so she turned out all the lights and went to bed. In the middle of the night she heard a racket and banging in the living room. When she went to check out the noise she discovered it was her snake banging it's head against the cage frantically trying to get out of the cage...it seems that the mouse had a grip on the snakes tail and was eating it like corn on the cob. She said the mouse ate all the way to the spine. She quickly dispatched the mouse and took the snake to the vet the following morning. It seems that this not unique behavior on the part of the mouse or the snake. The vet told her she had to give the snake a benadine wash to keep the wound from becoming infected. So...she prepared the solution in a tub of water and dropped the snake in.... What she did not realize was that the variety of snake she owned did not know how to swim so the snake was thrashing around and drowning. By the time she got the snake out it was limp - not dead - but, exhausted from being nearly eaten to death and then drowned.

She ended up putting a compress on every day and the snake got over his refusal to eat "freeze dried" mice. He probably didn't want to face another snake eating mouse. To me...it ll seems fair that occasionally the mice get to eat the snake!!

Consolidating

I am currently experimenting with Wordpress as a publishing option and have “sucked in” two of my Blogs - “Windmills of my Minds” and My Daily Project 365. Take a look and sign in to keep updated... PHOTOSBYRALLENHILL. There is a META box on the bottom right hand side where the first option is Register. It allows you to comment, and I believe get email updates - more on that later...

Cast In His First Production

Daniel Mason, my newest grandson, has been cast in his 1st theatre production. He was born on the 7th of November and has been cast as the "baby Jesus" in a live Nativity in Corraville, Iowa. It will be fun to watch him grow and see what he becomes...the other 6 grandchildren provide as much entertainment and keep us guessing. We may have musicians, scientists, inventors, gymnists, artists - who knows? It's fun to watch...

Comments

I apologize for the new Comment Controls on this blog, but I have been getting spammed by a Japanese Porn Site. I removed the post it was consistently appearing on (in excess of 50 times) and have instituted a new comment process where after you use the "funky" word thing I will have to approve the comments before they appear. I will delete all Japanese Porn messages!!!

Virginia Harlan Myers Hill

July 13, 1915 to October 22, 2009
I had to attend a credit union meeting in Des Moines today and on the way home I felt an over-whelming urge to stop in Iowa Falls. We had put my mother in Hospice a couple of weeks ago, and as I was returning to Waterloo this afternoon I wasn’t going to stop in Iowa Falls because I had a board meeting to attend – but I felt compelled to stop.

When I arrived at the nursing home I could tell that my mother was in her final stages. I sat with her about 10 minutes and at the encouragement of my youngest daughter (via phone) I took her hand and told my mom it was ok to go. I told her to make sure to say hi to Uncle Oliver (he died 2 weeks ago), to Dad and to Jesus...she took one more breath and was gone.

I believe 4 things (1) there was Divine Intervention in my urge to visit Iowa Falls, (2) my Mother was waiting for me to tell her it was ok to go, (3) there was a flock of people waiting to meet her in heaven and (4) my last words to her were, “Say hi to Jesus.” And she promptly delivered the message.

It’s been a long week and a very long day. We will be having her services on October 31st – yes, Halloween. It’s All Saints Day plus my mother loved to dress up for Halloween – when I was younger I sometimes think she enjoyed Halloween more than the kids. So – next week remember Virginia when the Goblins come calln’ at your house...one of those ghosts - you never know...

Right Baby

My Uncle Oliver passed away a week ago. He was 89 years old. He had been doing some yard work and had bumped a wasp nest and they subsequently stung him over 40 times.

He went to the hospital and because of the stress caused by the wasps he had a heart attack and passed shortly thereafter. The funeral was held Saturday, October 10th, 2009. He was not the first Uncle or Aunt to pass, but it is the first time in quite some time that all of the 1st cousins have been together and it was great catching up on 40 some years. The picture is where we are waiting to have our picture taken.

So, what does that all that have to do with "Right Baby"? When I was young I had 2 dolls and I had called one "Right Baby" and the other one had come to be called "Wrong Baby". Ann, one of my cousins, remembered those dolls, as they had once been hers (something I just learned) and asked me, "Bobby, why did you called one of those dolls "Right Baby" and the other one "Wrong Baby"?

"Did you love one more than the other?"

It seems she had thought about this every once in awhile over the last 40 years. Ann and her sister Judy Lee frequently took care of me when I was little. Their Mother, Aunt Mildred, kept me supplied in comic books. I was a sickly kid and spent a good portion of the 4th grade in and out of the hospital. Aunt Mildred would visit me frequently, especially when my Mother couldn't get into town. And ever time she came she came loaded with comic books and I guess at some point in time the "Babies" came into my possession. Both babies did well and I loved them both the same.

"No, Ann, that wasn't it at all. I was sick one day and threw up on one of the dolls and she started to smell so I called her "Wrong Baby". It didn't matter how much my mother cleaned the doll she still carried that stigma [and smell] of puke with her. I ostrazied her and made her sleep at the foot of the bed and when all of the other dolls and stuffed animals were having a party she was never invited. She had to sleep at the foot of the bed."

"Oh..." Ann seemed a bit disappointed, but was glad the mystery had been solved for her.
I still have "Right Baby", "Wrong Baby" has long since passed.

"Right Baby" is the ugliest doll I have ever seen and she curretly resides in a box with her head wrapped in plastic (her head started to melt several years ago). I won't be taking her picture as I want to remember her as she was before her head started to melt.

Carded

I was speechless and flabbergasted last night. I was at Target and had to by some canned air to dust off my keyboards and screens. Upon check-out the girl asks, "May I see your ID Please?"

"My ID?," I ask, "For what?"
"The air, sir."
"The air. You're kidding right?"
"No, sir, I need to see your ID.

She then made me take my license out of my billfold, she looked at it and then scanned it into their system.

Still speechless (or at least nearly), I managed to ask her what this is all about. It seems that people buy air to get high and that the state law enforcement authorities track those who buy air to make sure they are not buying an exorbitant amount.

I have never heard of such a thing. I have for meth ingredients, but air? How do you get high on air? Can't you just take a deep breath and be high on life? I don't get it...

So, what about the air hose at the gas station? Do people addicted to air sneak into the station in the middle of the night and stuff the hose up their nose? I don't think I have ever read about anyone busted for possesson of air?

Solution to Health Care

Bicker...bicker...bicker...that's all I hear about health care reform. They said, he said, she said...bicker...bicker...bicker.

In his morning homily today our priest suggested that the health care debate could be settled by the teaching, "..the last shall be first and the first shall be last." I have thought about what he suggested all day and that is if the voters could (sadly we cannot), vote to suspend all of the Senators and Representatives Health Care Plans they could experience life without health insurance. It just might be an impetus for them to move faster. It seems alot of them are getting up there in years and are probably taking a ton of medication for a variety of ailments. If they had to worry about how to pay the bill, perhaps their sense of urgency would be faster.

The congress should listen to the adage, "...walk a mile in my mocassions...". They should visit a Walmart, or a Walgreens pharmacy and observe the people who have to make a choice - do I eat or do I buy medicine? I've witnessed an elderly man choose - eat, because he couldn't pay the cost of the prescription.

Perhaps the congress should also visit an emergency room and observe all of the people who use these facilities as their "primary" caregiver, because they do not have insurance. Stop the line of people who are testifying before comittee, after committee and go out and stand in line in an emergency room.

Both the Republicans and Democrats agree that something needs to be done. However, (isn't there always a however?) each party is so busy "defending" their point of view that they are not aware of the people who have very real medical insurance needs.

My message to the Congress - don't use your health care plan until you come up with a plan for everyone. Plus, each member of congress should go to an ER on a Friday night and sit and watch. Dress down so no one knows who you are and just watch.

As my grandmother used to say to me, "Come now, get busy!!"

Fame

I had dinner this evening in a Boston's Restaurant in Coralville, Iowa. While I was in the restroom (a nice remodeled restroom) I noticed that someone had scrated their initials into the top if the urinal. I guess I have a couple of questions: (1) Why? and, (2) What were they thinking - that they'd gain some sort of urinal fame? Well, Mr. SU and Mr. MR you have found fame on the internet...

Minnesota Rude

I've been attending the Minnesota State Fair for years and have always been impressed with "Minnesota Nice". This year, however, was "Minnesota Rude". I was pushed, pulled, bumped, prodded, and cursed at. Perhaps the economy and national health care debate has everyone on edge and grouchy - but, hey, no need to be rude. Being nice is easier

Plain Cheese Burger

Be careful when you order a plain cheesburger at Wendy's. My wife ordered a plain cheesburger, "Plain cheeseburger, just bread meat and cheese. And a diet coke please."

I sure don't know what the cook was thinking when he made a "plain" CHEESEburger without the cheese...? Am I wrong - doesn't that make it a plain hamburger?

Successful Class Reunion

We had a great 40th Reunion July 3-5 filled with a lot of activities. We started Friday with a sit down dinner, followed by a dance that broke up at 1:00 AM Saturday (it nearly killed me to stay up so late). There was a Silent Auction where posters and mementos from the the 60s were auctioned and we raised nearly $2,000 for our Memorial Arboretum Project.

On Saturday we had a memorial service in memory of our 14 fallen classmates which touched the hearts of everyone who attended. There was not a dry eye in the place. I heard the service described as the "heart and Soul" of our reunion.

We had lunch at the Princess Cafe in downtown Iowa Falls, took a walking tour from the Old High school to downtown, and toured the new museum housed in the old Carnegie library. We then had a wine and cheese tasting party follwed by viewing the Iowa Falls fireworks from the best place on the river.

Sunday morning we took a cruise on the Iowa River enjoying a great view with perfect weather. After the cruise we had a picnic in Foster Park where again we ate and had a chance to visit with our classmates.

Our next reunion is in 5 years and it will probably take me that long to recover...

40th Reunion

My 40th Class Reunion is coming up this weekend and somewhere between the 35th Reunion and now I managed to find myself on the defacto planning committee. It has been a great experience. The committee has grown close over the last 2 years and while we knew each other in high school, we were not close. We are now close.

During our planning stages what has surprised me the most are the grudges and hidden feelings some of our fellow classmates still carry after 40 years. I've got to say - we are not the same people we were 40 years ago, we have grown, and we have cool stories to tell.

During our planning an idea was floated that we should do something to remember our deceased classmates. The short version is that after discussing and cussing several ideas we ended up arranging a sponsorship of a walking Arboretum at the Calkins Nature Center in Iowa Falls. The Hardin County Conservation people picked out and planted and will care for our trees. It will be designed so that over time all of our 159 classmates will have a memorial tree - a living tribute to the memory of the Iowa Falls Class of 1969.The response from families has been nothing short of amazing and we expect a large attendance on Saturday morning as we remember our classmates. I'll probably be an emotional wreck.

One short story here - we have been soliciting donations from the class and have been successful in raising funds (need to raise more funds so that number 159 has a tree) but people are giving from their heart. One of our classmates who is down on their luck, has been saving money so that they could give. He who had little - gave much -

So, what does that have to do with the photograph? We are staying with one of the committee members in Clear Lake making our final battle plans - and this was the view last night. I'll have additional observations so stayed tuned...

Generations

We went to a picnic a couple of weeks ago and I caught this moment where a Grandpa is explaining the finer points of throwing a football to his Grandson. I'm envious of the moment (from the grandson point of view) because when I was growing up I did not have a Grandpa that was capable of passing along his "secrets". My Grandpa on my Father's side was long gone before I was born and my Mother's father was either unwilling or unable to relate to a child.

I have a few memories of my grandfather - the smell of tobacco from his pipe, the fact that he had lost 2 fingers on the farm - and that he didn't talk much.

Grandmothers on the other hand - taught me alot - not one of them showed me how to throw a football, but if I ever need to darn a sock - I'm there!!!

Ye Olde Drug Store

This building is in Williams, Iowa. Up the street from here is the Methodist church where I attended as a kid. The building is currently a small store, has a few groceries, has a few antiques, plus you can buy ice cream (that much hasn't changed in 40 years).

I have a vivid memory of getting in trouble here when I was 5 or 6. I had been fussy in church and my grandmother brought me here and bought me an ice cream cone. Now, the lesson she taught me was that if I don't want to sit in church, all I have to do is be fussy and I'll get to leave and get a treat. Lesson learned...

The following week I tried out what I had learned from my grandmother on my mother... well, the getting out of church part worked, but as soon as we hit the outdoors - SWAT on my behinder!!! New lesson learned - you can get away with more with grandmothers than mothers...

A Memorable Moment

A friend of mine sent me an email this evening regarding an old Brownie Camera. It seems that the camera was 68 years old and still had film in it which when developed revealed pictures of the attack on Pearl Harbor from 1941. I was interested in both aspects of her email - the Navy history and the fact a Kodak Brownie camera could survive 68 years and still yield photos.

Her email did spark a memory regarding Pearl Harbor. Most of the time I spent in the Navy was in the Continental United States and during the first part of my career on 3 cruises to the Mediterranean. It wasn’t until my last tour when I was serving as the Command Master Chief of a Recruiting Detachment in Alameda did I make a trip to Hawaii.

I was there visiting the recruiters and made it a point to visit the U.S.S. Arizona. A commander I once worked for had an uncle entombed in the Arizona and I promised him I would pay my respects. I went with the local supervisor, a Chief Petty Officer, and we were both in our summer whites (quite a spiffy uniform)... at any rate, as we were getting off the launch after having visited the memorial a young Japanese girl, probably 10 or 12, asked if she could have her picture taken with us. We agreed and she gave her camera to her mother and stood between us and smiled... when they were finished they thanked us by bowing and said something in Japanese that we couldn’t understand, but the smiles told us they were appreciative.

As we started to leave we discovered a line, a very long line, of Japanese tourists who wanted their picture taken with 2 U. S. Sailors. We couldn’t say no to any of them and we stood there for what felt like 2 hours having our picture taken. We didn't leave until the last picture was taken. It was a moving and memorable moment...

Not An Eagle

A hectic day, busy, busy, busy!!! When I got home I was moderatly grouchy, and moody. I could offer excuses, but I won't... I didn't want to sit in the house and re-live the day in my mind so I grabbed my camera and wife (m-m-m-m reverse the order - grabbed my wife and then the camera) and set out on my Eagle Hunt.

I have been obsessed the last several months with getting a picture of an eagle and I learned recently that there may be some eagles hanging out at the Cedar Falls power plant. So off we went - When we got to the power plant I was almost "giddy" because as I looked up I saw what I thought were eagles just hanging out, sitting on a rail and visiting..., but when I zoomed in I noticed red on their heads and kind of a crooked neck - they're not eagles. I believe they are a turkey vulture of some sort...

damn... the hunt continues... As I was recovering from the disappointment of not finding an eagle I noticed the sun was setting and decided to chase it (is that like chasing windmills?). I caught up to it at a bend in the Cedar River in Cedar Falls and as it was setting the colors were gorgeous. After shooting 82 pictures (I always take a lot) we just sat and watched as the sun went down. It was relaxing and the perfect end to a day. I'll look for the eagles tomorrow...

A beautiful sky...