A Moffat house in Iowa City:
Corn to the horizon:
Can't hold a camera straight at all!!
Near Decorah:
Our route took us up the east shore of the Mississipi, quite rain-swollen and lapping at the low banks. There are many large and gorgeous estates facing the river, some for sale; tempting! The back roads pass through small towns, rich and poor, each with a radar trap for the unwary, the speed limits going up and down faster than the stock market. A passing farmer redirected us after we'd found ourselves running east when we thought we were headed north. An early Mormon settlement, Nuavoo, is in pristine condition, while some of the poorer towns are barely holding it together. One wonders how and why they exist.
We were treated to a wonderful dinner by friends Benn and Cel in their charming, eclectic and most comfortable home in Iowa City. Their laughter, warmth and generosity are a testament to the American spirit; without prying, you'd never guess how hard the depression has hit them. Benn's very spiritual too: he fixed my camera just by holding it! (Benn - we never got photos of you guys! Send some, please!) Toured some 'Moffat houses', quirky one-offs built without plans out of what-have-you, and quite 'collectable' hereabouts, then had a huge breakfast at Hamburg Inn No. 2, (another burger bar favored by Obama. And Clinton!) and reluctantly parted ways.
It's rained a bit, but The Weather Channel shows storms across the entire U.S., so we don't feel hard done by, and the break from the heat has been most welcome. We're leaving the cornfields behind, and headed into the sun again today, to explore the lakes of Minnesota.
No comments:
Post a Comment