Popcorn

One of my favorite childhood stories is that of the Little Red Hen. Maybe that's why I actually enjoyed spending a couple of days picking popcorn; I will be the one who ends up eating half it so I'm glad I was able to contribute.

It helped to have a loyal dog as a companion.
Towards the end of the project I realized an unexpected benefit: For the next year I can call my sister and say, "So how do you like eating the popcorn I picked?"

When I told her that she said she'd have to volunteer to shell the popcorn (a harder job). So Dad is the big winner of sibling rivalry. Otherwise he'd have done it all by himself.

Once the popcorn is picked it is placed in onion sacks and left to dry with fans and dehumidifers. After it is dry and it can be shelled. I hope you enjoy doing that, Miriam.
Dad has been developing a couple of different varieties of popcorn. The latest is all white ears.

The best news is that I'll be able to take back 30-40 pounds. Good week.

Gluttony Tour of 2010

Cari is one of my closest friends from the '90's. We lost touch and joined up at the Tic-Toc for tenderloin Tuesday. I commented that this would be part of the gluttony tour of 2010.

Cari: You are NOT putting this on your blog as part of the gluttony tour!
Steve: Why not?

She replied with something like, "Seriously, you are warped."

OK, so Cari is not part of gluttony. She simply joined me on a day where I continued my gluttony. The mushrooms and the full order of fries (against the waitress' advice) were worth it.

In the end I bought lunch because Cari's birthday was a few days ago.

Cari protested, "But your birthday is next week!"

"That's right," I replied, "and you can fly over to the Emirates and buy me lunch next week!"

*****
Seeing casual friends while I'm back has one vibe. Seeing close friends that I've lost contact with has a different vibe. Fortunately, they have all seemed to click. If any theme has developed it would be: Do we become more introverted as we grow older? Ten years ago I lived/loved talking with someone I had lost touch with. Now I often think it will be work; and don't want to do it. Is that experience and/or learning from experience or my low self-esteem?

Regardless, Cari is a fantastic person and I'm very grateful she was able to join me on the gluttony tour. In almost 2 hours for lunch we were never at a loss for conversation. That's the textbook definition of a good friend.

I didn't get anything done around the house that I had hoped, but I'll still call this day a winner.

Old Threshers Reunion

It's been 21 years since I last traveled to Mt. Pleasant for the Old Threshers Reunion.

Since then I've come to a better understanding of the evolution of machines that have made all of our live's better. They had over 1000 old steam and gas engines on display. All were designed to make life easier - even if the machines were enormous by today's standards.

This was one of the world's first washing machines.
And this is a well to pump water.

Teepees

Teepees are not particularly noteworthy to those who grew up in Iowa. But I know I have some non-American readers so I took this pic. These were the living quarters for many native Americans and much cooler than tents.

School house

The lady explained that children of all ages attended this one room school house. Boys sat on one side and girls on the other.

Not quite like teaching in the Emirates, but I get the idea.

Corn picker

In the foreground is an old two row corn picker, similar to the one my dad used when I was growing up. Dad's was better (as this one is from the 1930's) but the basic technology is the same. The price tag for this was $550 back then.

In the background is a modern day corn picker (combine). The price? $387,000.

The times have changed.

Staying on the subject of corn, this kid is using a machine to chop the corn into smaller pieces to make it easier for cows to eat. That was his story and he stuck to it even as I asked, "Do cows need it chopped up for them?"

Sorghum

I'm not overly wild about the sorghum. In the days before sugar being readily available it was a common sweetener. I bought several sample bottles to take back to the Emirates. I suspect it will go over as well there as my bringing dates to the US.

Work those kids!

Part of the reenactment of pioneer life is depicting children working. I like the outfits.

Wearing a t-shirt, this kid clearly didn't get the memo. Fortunately, Dad lent him a flannel shirt.

This girl is churning apple sauce.

You might be a redneck if...

As I was walking out I noticed this guy. He was the only shirtless guy AND the only one I noticed wearing a confederate belt buckle and matching hat.

Yes, boys & girls. This is the face of a redneck.

A closing picture

She dressed up in her Sunday finest and joined her partner of many years to look at the machines even older than their love.

And they're clearly still in love.

A wonderful dog

Today I spent a couple of hours picking popcorn. Gus had to be with me. After a while he developed a look of, "Can we please go?" and he'd come scratch my leg.

I was picking popcorn exactly one week before I fly out. The weathter was beautiful. I had NPR playing on the radio. I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing. My parents were concerned that I was "wasting my time" picking corn in my last week. My thought, "Wasting my time? How could I possible spend it better?"

UPS crash in Dubai

A 747 being flown by UPS crashed in Dubai two days and there's been virtually no press coverage in the US. I'm not sure why.

The plane had enough fuel to get it Germany. Hence, it is not surprising that the crash and explosion left only tiny scraps. Here's a picture from The National:

There's no visible sign left that it was even an airplane.

The fact the plane was only three years old and the pilots detected smoke in the cockpit 30 minutes before the crash should have made this newsworthy.

I've flown on this model (747-400) a couple of times - including my trip back to the US in June. Until they discover the cause I'm happy to know that I won't be on this model on my trip back next week.

Two sides of one song

(I know most of my readers check this blog during work. Watching two four minute videos simply won’t happen. If you can, watch the first minute of each. You’ll get the idea.)

This weekend I was at a tiny Wal-Mart in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. At least half of the customers were Somalis and most of the rest were of various ethnicities. I’m used to being one of the few anglo-saxons in a store in the Emirates. It was surprising to find it in the Midwest.

The experience was intensified because of an interview I heard last week with K’Naan. He sang the song that was adopted as the theme for the World Cup. I posted it earlier this summer and here’s a version with better subtitles:

It’s upbeat and inspiring.

In the interview I learned that K’Naan is Somali and the original version of the song tells a sad story: A violent prone nation with a street life that we simply can’t imagine here.

This is the original song with a few lyrics changed. (It also seems to have a slightly slower beat but I'm not sure that is my imagination.)

Young men and and women carrying automatic rifles on dirt streets.

The video was also educational. It refers to “Buffalo soldiers.” It’s an American reference and I didn’t know it. Without using Google, I’m curious if I’m the only one who didn’t know what it meant.

Wine at the fair

Over the next couple of days I plan to post a few pictures I never got to from the Iowa State Fair.

In the past few years the wine industry has exploded in Iowa. I was still surprised to see a wine tent:

It looks much more classy than the beer tents that are still running.

Even more surprising was a wine barn on the other side of the fair grounds.
They took a small old barn that was nearly falling down and completely refurbished it.

They even have a giant tub where people can sign up to stomp grapes:
Publish PostThe little bar graph on the tub shows sales of Iowa wines. They are clearly growing.

This will change your life!

Fairs are packed with vendors trying to sell their stuff.

I can't believe how many people are willing to sit through a sales demonstration. I think some sit through these just to have a chance to sit down.

I can see me doing this job. Sad, but true.

Egyptian cotton

Spending for $204 for sheets is life changing. Anywhere I see Egyptian cotton sheets I am checking out the price and quality.

I was sold on the spot when she said the price: $25 for any size set of sheets.

They threw in some extra pillow cases and a pillow. What a deal!

I'll let you know if they are as nice when I try them out back in the Emirates.

Chicken lips

The sign you can partially read explains that chicken lips are breaded/fried chicken breasts served on a stick with BBQ sauce.

I took a pass.

Old stuff

One section of the Iowa State Fair is packed with old stuff.

I have no idea how old these tractors but they are much older than me.
In this case probably older than my father.

The lighting wasn't good to take pictures of the creepy old hospital equipment.
This old dentist chair is a reminder of a time when dentistry was barbaric. They used to have something that looked like a pair of pliers sitting on the plate. Knowing that extractions were done with no more than a shot of whisky for anesthesia gave me nightmares when I saw this as a kid.

Mall of America

As much as I like SpongeBob and Dora the Explorer it just doesn't seem right for Camp Snoopy to be missing from the Mall of America. (Charles Schultz was born in St. Paul.)

I also didn't like the near monopoly Pepsi has on the place and the Bank of America monopoly on ATM's.

*****

The trip was exactly what I needed. Had I returned to the Emirates without leaving Iowa for three months I'd have been very depressed. Although Minnesota isn't a major change in scenery it was good to just get away. The trip was short - 3 days. Due to unforeseen complications explained below I completely missed some college friends and Ann's sister Joan. I also inexplicably did not take pictures of several friends I saw... like two whole families and the guy nice enough to put me up for two nights and drive me around Minneapolis.

Regardless, I wish I had done more short trips like this. I'm going to be kicking myself for the entire year ahead.

From the department of "Huh?"

Sighted at the Mall of America.

As a person who plans to remain childless I'll have to take their word on this one.