Monday, October 31, 2011
Is that a face?
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Finishing strong
[sigh] Last weekend was our last appearance at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market for 2011. This year's growing season for ended for good when our first hard freeze turned all the dahlias black from top to bottom.
This year was a first for us as vendor at the DSM Farmers Market. In the past we've always gone as one of the many thousands who patter up and down Court Ave., 3rd, 4th, and 5th Streets on Saturday mornings, sampling this and buying a bit of that.
I can't remember what the key motivator was that prompted us to send in an application for booth space and actually give this a try. However, when you have a yard filled with amazing blooms like this one below, it seems a shame to not share them and let others enjoy their stunning beauty too.
The past several weekends this fall started with Jamie filling the back of the van to overflowing with a carpet of blooms in all sizes and colors.
Then I got to help unload these blooms with the rest of our gear in the wee hours of each Saturday morning. We popped up the tent, lined the table with buckets filled with blooms, and got psyched for a busy morning of hustling on our feet helping assemble bouquets and answer multitudes of questions.
The last step to getting ready for the morning was a trip around the corner to Java Joes for a piping hot cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea to warm fingers and help us wake up and recharge for the busy day ahead.
Watching dawn creep in was never the same. Each Saturday sunrise has been a whole new experience.
When the clock in the tower of the Polk County Court House chimed seven AM the Farmers Market was officially open.
Each morning, all morning long we head comments like, "Wow! I've never seen flowers that big before," and "Look at all the colors!"
I can't remember how many times we answered questions like, "What are these? Are they all dahlias?" And we answered countless times, "Yes - they are."
It was always refreshing when the dahlia paparazzi paused a moment to ask if they could take photos of the blooms before clicking their camera shutters into a frenzy of photo-taking.
We finished our last day at the FM with a late lunch at a nice restaurant to celebrate another successful outing and to thank our friends and family for much-appreciated their help.
This year was a first for us as vendor at the DSM Farmers Market. In the past we've always gone as one of the many thousands who patter up and down Court Ave., 3rd, 4th, and 5th Streets on Saturday mornings, sampling this and buying a bit of that.
I can't remember what the key motivator was that prompted us to send in an application for booth space and actually give this a try. However, when you have a yard filled with amazing blooms like this one below, it seems a shame to not share them and let others enjoy their stunning beauty too.
The past several weekends this fall started with Jamie filling the back of the van to overflowing with a carpet of blooms in all sizes and colors.
Then I got to help unload these blooms with the rest of our gear in the wee hours of each Saturday morning. We popped up the tent, lined the table with buckets filled with blooms, and got psyched for a busy morning of hustling on our feet helping assemble bouquets and answer multitudes of questions.
The last step to getting ready for the morning was a trip around the corner to Java Joes for a piping hot cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea to warm fingers and help us wake up and recharge for the busy day ahead.
Watching dawn creep in was never the same. Each Saturday sunrise has been a whole new experience.
When the clock in the tower of the Polk County Court House chimed seven AM the Farmers Market was officially open.
Each morning, all morning long we head comments like, "Wow! I've never seen flowers that big before," and "Look at all the colors!"
I can't remember how many times we answered questions like, "What are these? Are they all dahlias?" And we answered countless times, "Yes - they are."
It was always refreshing when the dahlia paparazzi paused a moment to ask if they could take photos of the blooms before clicking their camera shutters into a frenzy of photo-taking.
We finished our last day at the FM with a late lunch at a nice restaurant to celebrate another successful outing and to thank our friends and family for much-appreciated their help.
My beloved has started digging tubers and corms already and soon they'll be packed safely away for spring. In the meantime, we're looking ahead to repeating all this again next year and looking for early risers who may want to hang out at the Farmers' Market with us on some Saturday mornings next fall.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Double-shot rainbow
God was smiling down on me tonight. And not because of anything I did. Nope. Wanna know how I know this? He drew a gorgeous double rainbow across the sky that I got to drive under all the way home. Note - I said DOUBLE rainbow (you can faintly see the outer rainbow to the right of the big one).
Nosirree. God didn't skimp on rainbows today. He made this a double. All bright and sparkly. Well, I guess it really wasn't like a flashy kind of sparkly - just very brilliant in the setting sunlight. I walked out the door after work and stopped. And stared. And then I smiled. Because God drew that rainbow for me on a day when I really could use one. And He didn't just give me one rainbow - He made it a double shot. That meant double the promises and double the reminder that He's always there for me, for us. And that was just the reminder I needed today.
After standing and gawking at that rainbow for quite awhile, I thought I really should be going on home. As I turned around to go towards the car, I was stopped by the beauty from the setting sun's rays lacing the edges of the cloud bank to the west. Ahhh... [pause to drink in the view]
The day's stresses and frustrations melted away in that moment of reflection and gratitude and I finished the last couple of steps to the car refreshed. At peace. And so thankful for God's double-shot rainbow and what is meant to me today.
Nosirree. God didn't skimp on rainbows today. He made this a double. All bright and sparkly. Well, I guess it really wasn't like a flashy kind of sparkly - just very brilliant in the setting sunlight. I walked out the door after work and stopped. And stared. And then I smiled. Because God drew that rainbow for me on a day when I really could use one. And He didn't just give me one rainbow - He made it a double shot. That meant double the promises and double the reminder that He's always there for me, for us. And that was just the reminder I needed today.
After standing and gawking at that rainbow for quite awhile, I thought I really should be going on home. As I turned around to go towards the car, I was stopped by the beauty from the setting sun's rays lacing the edges of the cloud bank to the west. Ahhh... [pause to drink in the view]
Monday, October 10, 2011
Flowers, food and spices
I don't think we could have fit anything more into our Saturday. We started the day in the wee hours of the AM setting up our booth at the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market. Setup went quickly thanks to all the help from Jamie's parents and our friends, John and Mary.
We were ready to open in no time at all. Thankfully that left plenty of time for a visit to Java Joe's around the corner to stock up on enough coffee to finish waking us up. We're still not used to getting up around 4am. We enjoyed the pre-dawn glow and finished getting ready for a super busy morning.
Business was brisk and we had a blast helping people put together bouquets. As the morning went on, the wind grew stronger and we became increasingly thankful for all the extra pairs of hands to help hold down the canopy too. To thank everyone for their all of their help, we headed to Jethro's BBQ for lunch. We'd all seen Adam Richman from Travel Channel's "Man vs Food" fail the "Adam Emmenecker Challenge" in an episode last fall and so decided to share the generous meals. So glad we did and can't wait to go back.
After lunch we experienced another "first" together and we all went to Penzeys Spices in Clive. Friends recently told us about Penzeys and we've been eager to stop by ever since.
Who knew there were so many different kinds of cinnamon! We enjoyed opening the sample tins and smelling the differences between the various kinds.
After Penzeys we went home and Jamie gave everyone a tour of the garden. Then we shared dessert together and laughed over stories. It was a great day and we're so very blessed to have great family and friends to share good times with.
We were ready to open in no time at all. Thankfully that left plenty of time for a visit to Java Joe's around the corner to stock up on enough coffee to finish waking us up. We're still not used to getting up around 4am. We enjoyed the pre-dawn glow and finished getting ready for a super busy morning.
Business was brisk and we had a blast helping people put together bouquets. As the morning went on, the wind grew stronger and we became increasingly thankful for all the extra pairs of hands to help hold down the canopy too. To thank everyone for their all of their help, we headed to Jethro's BBQ for lunch. We'd all seen Adam Richman from Travel Channel's "Man vs Food" fail the "Adam Emmenecker Challenge" in an episode last fall and so decided to share the generous meals. So glad we did and can't wait to go back.
After lunch we experienced another "first" together and we all went to Penzeys Spices in Clive. Friends recently told us about Penzeys and we've been eager to stop by ever since.
Who knew there were so many different kinds of cinnamon! We enjoyed opening the sample tins and smelling the differences between the various kinds.
After Penzeys we went home and Jamie gave everyone a tour of the garden. Then we shared dessert together and laughed over stories. It was a great day and we're so very blessed to have great family and friends to share good times with.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Kissed with sunshine
To celebrate a wonderfully sunny and warm October day, today Jamie treated me to a picnic lunch at Ledges State Park and a fun afternoon of exploring the hillsides and drinking in the sunshine and views.
Neither of us had really explored Ledges State Park before so we didn't know what to expect. Once we left the parking area and started down a path I felt like I was back at Ponca State Park where my family used to spend many weekends every summer growing up.
We discovered the view from "Table Rock" and further down the path, we spied this interesting split stone which Jamie nicknamed "Chair Rock."
Every so often we'd come across rugged stone steps. You could tell whomever built them decades ago took pride in their work because they still look so good today. Even so, the steps were so very steep and we were glad we were going down them rather than up!
In the bottom of the valley we discovered why the lower roads were closed - they were under water and washed out in several places. Along one steep limestone wall we found this old faded billboard that someone painted directly onto the limestone wall. Neither of us could make out what the whole thing said because it was so weathered and old.
Above the sign the cliff swallow nests hung tightly into the nooks and crannies of the ledges above our heads. At the very top of the ledge was a path. Next time we come here we'll be sure to save time to find out where that path goes.
One of the best parts about being married to a horticulturist is having an expert wherever I go - so today when I discovered shag bark hickories for the first time - Jamie could tell me all about them. We were trudging tiredly up the hill to go back to the car when suddenly things started falling all around us and I thought we were under attack from squirrels. Jamie was amused and chuckling at me when I stopped to look around at whatever was pelting us from above. As he pointed out, it was only falling hickory nuts.
We have this constantly evolving list of all sorts of cool and unusual trees, shrubs and flowers we want to plant someday when we have an acreage and more space. Shag bark hickory trees will definitely enjoy a permanent spot on that list! Just look at how the bark looks like a bear just shredded it!
Back at the top of the hill we paused to drink in the view and congratulate ourselves on making it all the way to the bottom and back up to the top again.
Probably one of the most unexpected views of the whole day had to be this clever seating! I hadn't exactly expected to see anyone enjoying the autumn colors from a scarlet love seat with white trim at the back of the clearing. I looked around to see if this was actually for a photography shoot for Better Homes and Gardens or Martha Stewart's Living. I didn't see anyone with a camera, so decided to snap a shot myself.
Want to know what surprised me the most of all today? Jamie told me Iowa doesn't require park permits or charge fees to enjoy the state's parks. So while we may have spent a few bucks on lunch and gas money to get here - the whole day was really priceless!
Neither of us had really explored Ledges State Park before so we didn't know what to expect. Once we left the parking area and started down a path I felt like I was back at Ponca State Park where my family used to spend many weekends every summer growing up.
We discovered the view from "Table Rock" and further down the path, we spied this interesting split stone which Jamie nicknamed "Chair Rock."
Every so often we'd come across rugged stone steps. You could tell whomever built them decades ago took pride in their work because they still look so good today. Even so, the steps were so very steep and we were glad we were going down them rather than up!
In the bottom of the valley we discovered why the lower roads were closed - they were under water and washed out in several places. Along one steep limestone wall we found this old faded billboard that someone painted directly onto the limestone wall. Neither of us could make out what the whole thing said because it was so weathered and old.
Above the sign the cliff swallow nests hung tightly into the nooks and crannies of the ledges above our heads. At the very top of the ledge was a path. Next time we come here we'll be sure to save time to find out where that path goes.
One of the best parts about being married to a horticulturist is having an expert wherever I go - so today when I discovered shag bark hickories for the first time - Jamie could tell me all about them. We were trudging tiredly up the hill to go back to the car when suddenly things started falling all around us and I thought we were under attack from squirrels. Jamie was amused and chuckling at me when I stopped to look around at whatever was pelting us from above. As he pointed out, it was only falling hickory nuts.
We have this constantly evolving list of all sorts of cool and unusual trees, shrubs and flowers we want to plant someday when we have an acreage and more space. Shag bark hickory trees will definitely enjoy a permanent spot on that list! Just look at how the bark looks like a bear just shredded it!
Back at the top of the hill we paused to drink in the view and congratulate ourselves on making it all the way to the bottom and back up to the top again.
Probably one of the most unexpected views of the whole day had to be this clever seating! I hadn't exactly expected to see anyone enjoying the autumn colors from a scarlet love seat with white trim at the back of the clearing. I looked around to see if this was actually for a photography shoot for Better Homes and Gardens or Martha Stewart's Living. I didn't see anyone with a camera, so decided to snap a shot myself.
Want to know what surprised me the most of all today? Jamie told me Iowa doesn't require park permits or charge fees to enjoy the state's parks. So while we may have spent a few bucks on lunch and gas money to get here - the whole day was really priceless!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Lunch with a view
Today I enjoyed lunch with a couple friends at Legends. We were thrilled to get a table right by the windows and enjoyed the view of ISU's campus from the 7th floor. The fall colors are amazingly brilliant this year.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Found every last one
Towards the beginning of this year's Iowa State Fair I stumbled across this cute little concrete cow in the lawn in front of the Ag Hall.
And then I found another a few feet away. Jamie just had to pose in the photo with it.
And then Jamie told me there were 60 concrete cows scattered all over the fairgrounds this year in honor of the butter cow's 100th birthday or anniversary or whatever you'd like to call this centennial celebration of sculpted bovine butter. And then the challenge was on: Find all 60 concrete cows in the 11 days of the ISF. I wondered if I should pace myself and set a daily number to find so I wouldn't finish too quickly and spoil the fun. I needn't have worried. Between trying to find these buggers amongst the crowds and then trying to remember which ones I had already found and which were new, this was waaaaaaayyyyyy more challenging than I'd expected. When the second weekend crept up and I still had 20+ cows to find, I started to get nervous.
I was so excited to find out a special map had been created to help show the areas where the cows had been placed on display (click here to see it). Checking off the cows as I snapped their photos helped me keep track. I hadn't realized how hard it would be to remember which of the many different cows I'd already found or had left to discover.
For someone who's been to several Iowa State Fairs in a row, this challenge created an exciting way to explore and see all of the fair and grounds in a whole new way.
Thanks to a hint from a friend and Jamie's keen eye, these last two were found the last weekend of the fair - just in the nick of time!
To whomever planned and organized this project - my hat's off to you! Great idea! And done so well too! Thanks too, to all the artists who spiffed up their concrete cows in such varied finery.
And in parting, here are two bonus concrete cows NOT included or noted on the map I discovered at this year's Iowa State Fair:
After all this fun, I'm casting my vote for another great scavenger hunt across the grounds at next year's Iowa State Fair. Any other takers?
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| "Gone to the Fair" - Creations by Melinda |
And then I found another a few feet away. Jamie just had to pose in the photo with it.
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| "Barrettville" -Art by Kat |
And then Jamie told me there were 60 concrete cows scattered all over the fairgrounds this year in honor of the butter cow's 100th birthday or anniversary or whatever you'd like to call this centennial celebration of sculpted bovine butter. And then the challenge was on: Find all 60 concrete cows in the 11 days of the ISF. I wondered if I should pace myself and set a daily number to find so I wouldn't finish too quickly and spoil the fun. I needn't have worried. Between trying to find these buggers amongst the crowds and then trying to remember which ones I had already found and which were new, this was waaaaaaayyyyyy more challenging than I'd expected. When the second weekend crept up and I still had 20+ cows to find, I started to get nervous.
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| "Butter Up!" - Palmer Farms |
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| "Bedwell Gardens" - Bedwell Gardens |
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| "Faces of Hope" - Optimae Life Services |
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| "Moo-saic" - Grinnell High School Art Club |
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| "100 Cows of Butter on the Wall" - Iowa Craft Beer Tent |
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| "Salute to the ISF Fire Dept. and Hall of Flame" - B.J Ho man |
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| "M.A.K.-Magnicent Art Keeps Us Coming to the Fair" - Peggy Kaldenber-Shaer |
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| "Udder-ly Amazing Times at the Iowa State Fair" - Nora Kinsey |
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| "Represent Iowa" - Tony Kukla |
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| "Keep on the 'Sunny' Side of Life" - Angie Wittmer |
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| "Pirates of the Cowibbean" - Nobbies Party Store |
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| "Marine Pride or Moorine Pride" - Mary Crouse |
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| Touchstone Energy Cooperatives - "Corn Belt Power" |
For someone who's been to several Iowa State Fairs in a row, this challenge created an exciting way to explore and see all of the fair and grounds in a whole new way.
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| "Luther College Sesquicentennial Cow" - Luther College |
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| "Organized Doodles" - Brandon Kintzer |
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| "Fair’s the Word" - Lynn Grove Hustlers 4-H Club |
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| "Starry Eyed" - Emily Alexander |
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| "Coral Reef Beef" - Natalie Cooley |
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| "Pioneer Hi-Bred" - Pioneer Hi-Bred |
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| "Dairy Potter" - Kylie Peterson |
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| "Udder-ly Cool" - Pleasantville Preschool/Missy Card’s Class |
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| "Flutter Cow" - Angela Vandell |
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| "Mercy Children’s Center on the Mooove" - Mercy Hospital |
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| "Rivalry" (Cyclone side) - Iowa State Fair Paint Shop |
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| "Rivalry" (Hawkeye side) - Iowa State Fair Paint Shop |
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| "Reduce, Renew, Reuse-Houle" - Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc. |
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| "Providing Cow-Pital to Rural America" - Agri-Access |
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| "Make Love, Not Hamburger" - Tracia Owens Art |
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| "Cow Chip" - Renae Scott |
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| "Iowa Caucuses" - The Des Moines Register |
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| "Greetings from Bovine Vista" - Buena Vista University |
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| "Where’s the Beef in the Beatitudes" - Lutheran Church of Hope |
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| "Meals from the Heartland" - Meals from the Heartland |
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| "Purple is the New Green" - Greenstar Recycling |
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| "The Blue Between" - Children and Family Urban Ministries |
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| "350 Cow" - Ellen Johnsen |
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| "Hagie Culture Cow" - Hagie Manufacturing Company |
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| "Iowa Angus Herd" - Messy Missy’s Studio |
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| "Cow Divided" (Cyclone side) - Lindsey Wanderscheid |
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| "Cow Divided" (Hawkeye side) - Lindsey Wanderscheid |
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| "Hereford/Baldy" - Lane Ritcher |
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| "Hereford/Baldy" (other side) - Lane Ritcher |
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| "Flat Duffy" - ISU Extension |
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| "Addie The Iowa 4-H Adventure Cow" - ISU 4-H Interns & Sandy Cannon Spilker |
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| "Moo-will of the Heartland" - Goodwill of the Heartland |
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| "Moo Tat Toos goes to the Iowa State Fair" - Kathy Hoch |
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| "Miss Buttermilk Pancake" - Centerville High School Students |
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| "The Quilted Cow" - Jenna Smith |
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| "Pearls Along the Mississippi" - Cyndy Simmons |
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| "Kaleidoscope Cow" - Marne Steinke |
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| "Jazzy Cow" - Allison Waterman |
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| "Glimpse of A Grand Ol’ Fair" - Pamela Kline |
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| "Cow le Flower-In the Discovery Garden" - Polk Co. Master Gardeners |
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| "Andersonium: Greek Goddess of Dairy" - Anderson Erickson Dairy |
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| "Kids Cancer Squad Quilted Cow" - Janie Ostrem |
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| "100 Years and Cownting" - Trilix |
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| "Holy Cow! Harry Carey" - Agri Power FFA |
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| "Clearfield Lions Shuttle Cow" - Clearfield Lions Club |
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| "KIX 101.1 Cow; Making Mem-'Moo'-ries" - Hallie Krouse |
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| "Moo-will of the Heartland" - Goodwill of the Heartland |
Thanks to a hint from a friend and Jamie's keen eye, these last two were found the last weekend of the fair - just in the nick of time!
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| "Goofy Skates to the Fair" - Iowa Events Center |
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| "Crimson-The Spice Lady" - Mary A. Walter |
To whomever planned and organized this project - my hat's off to you! Great idea! And done so well too! Thanks too, to all the artists who spiffed up their concrete cows in such varied finery.
And in parting, here are two bonus concrete cows NOT included or noted on the map I discovered at this year's Iowa State Fair:
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| Special Christmas Cow in the Ag Hall from Quilted Garden Nursery |
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| Larry & Barry - the artists who created the "Christmas Cow" from Quilted Garden Nursery |
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| Spotted Inside the Dairy Barn |
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