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Iowa Tradition – Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Many years ago, I lived in Iowa. Being new to town… The folks from work took me to a local Restaurant | Midtown Family Restaurants | United States to try the Iowa tradition — an enormous Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. The tenderloin was at least 2 times larger than the bun and barely fit on plate.…
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Dolliver Memorial State Park in Lehigh, Iowa
Dolliver Memorial State Park, IA, October 2024 Dolliver overlooks the Des Moines River Valley south of Fort Dodge and north of Lehigh in Iowa. It is unique in Iowa for its natural canyon bluffs, natural geologic formations, flatlands, and Native American mounds. The park has a campground, but there are only 30 short electric sites.…
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Fort Dodge Farmers Market
Fort Dodge, Iowa, Oct 2024 I’ve made it a habit to look for and attend local farmer markets. This farmers market was located in Fort Dodge, Iowa on Tuesdays and Saturday. Since it’s the fall and 2nd to last farmers market of the year… The market consisted of fall vegetables (pumpkins, onions, potatoes, kohlrabi, Squash,…
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Oleson Music Pavilion Park in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, IA, October 2024 One of the sights to see near Brushy Creek State Park is the Oleson Music Pavilion in Fort Dodge, Iowa. It was built in 1938 in a Modernist style with Art Deco overtones. Its construction was part of the Federal Works Progress Administration’s attempt to create jobs and stimulate the…
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Photography: What is Your Perspective
Lots of people snap pictures of whatever they are looking at: family, pets, or scenic overlooks. This is perfectly fine for capturing memories, but these are not always all that interesting beyond the sentiment and remembering the moment. One of the worst insults you can say to a photographer is “Oh, that is pretty. It…
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Danville, Looking for Lincoln and Vermillion County Museum IL
Danville, Illinois Danville Illinois started out as a hub for 3 Native American Tribes – Kickapoo, Miami, and Potawatomi. In 1827, 80 acres of land was donated and lots sold which started Danville. In 1838, the Potawatomi Trail of Death camped and passed through Danville. Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer with the 8th Judicial Court.…
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Pontiac, Pontiac, or Obwaandi’eyaag?
We went to Pontiac, Illinois to get Kate’s National Park Passport Book stamped, but we parked in the wrong place about two blocks away. Instead of the museum complex, we parked near the Pontiac-Oakland Auto Museum that had a bunch of Pontiac cars. Ironically, Pontiac, Illinois is not named for the Pontiac car, and no…
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A Limit of One Cat Per Hand…
When Kate and I talked about cats, I always told her that she could only have one cat per hand because you can not pet more than two cats at once. If you have more than two cats, the cats will feel neglected. She would also be in danger of being a crazy cat lady.…
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Kennekuk County Park with 1000 gallon tank!
Vermillion County Illinois used to be known for coal mines and manufacturing. When the coal mining ended and manufacturing decreased, parks were created. Kennekuk Park boasted a 1000-gallon aquarium. This sounds huge but turns out to not be as big as you think. Can you find the fish? The park also boasts Lake Mingo, multiple…
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Heron County Park with tower, boardwalk, etc. But where’s the Herons?
Heron County Park is in Vermillion County and started opened 2004. The park came about when Aqua Illinois, Inc. donated the land to the county. In 1992, the water was increased by 4 1/2 feet and a 950 foot boardwalk was built at a cost of $145,000. After that a 30+ foot observation tower was…