Another Wedding!

This is Al's nephew, Kyle Miedema, and his new bride, Abby. They were married last Saturday in West Salem, Wisconsin. I was working at St. Francis Hospital in LaCrosse, Wisconsin the night Kyle was born. I remember his father, Ray, hunting me down to tell me his little boy had been born. He was so proud he was about to burst! I was privileged to be one of the first to see Kyle's wild head of blond hair.

I think it is the 5th wedding we've attended this year. Children of friends and friends of our children are getting married right and left. It's making me feel monstrously old. And yet not even a remote hint of marriage for either of our older boys. I worry I'll be senile before I hold my first grandchild.

It was also a good opportunity to capture a rare photo of all three of the Miedema siblings, Linda, Ray and Allen. My Al has been grey since he was about 30, but Linda and Ray have not a grey hair on their heads...what's with that?!

Old McDonald Had a Wind Farm?

When I was a young child growing up on a farm in northeast Iowa, most farmers had a little of everything - a herd of cattle, a couple of pig barns, some chicken coops, and fields of corn, oats, soybeans, and alfalfa. In the late 70s and 80s, farmers became more specialized. Large hog barns, cattle feeder lots, and huge chicken confinement buildings like my father had became the norm. Farming has always focused on raising either animal or plant products.

Until now. Witness the latest "farming" trend popping up across the plains. Wind farms! These farms harness the power of wind with giant turbines, and convert it to electricity which is sold to energy companies. Last Saturday we saw a couple of these "farms" just south and north of Mason City, Iowa. On our return later that night, red lights atop each turbine dotted the black sky for miles. If we hadn't seen the turbines in the light of day, we would have had no idea what the hundreds of red lights were. It was quite a sight!

If pigs "Oink" and cows "Moo," I wonder what wind turbines say?

Tournament Time!

Right now our lives consist pretty much of softball, sandwiched between work and softball and mowing lawn and more softball. So far we have had weekend tournaments in Adel and at home in Johnston. Next week it's a road trip to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. The girls are winning a few games, losing a few games, and developing skill and character along the way. Because of this immersion in all things related to yellow balls, I don't have a clue what else may or may not be going on in the world. I'll have to trust the rest of you to keep me informed. In return, I'll treat you to a few highlights.

30 is a very BIG number

A dozen roses is an incredibly touching gift. Two dozen roses is absolutely indulgent. But a bouquet of 30 roses? Extravagent.

This is what greeted me upon return to my office after morning rounds in the critical care units.

In case you have forgotten where you were 30 years ago today, here is a clue.



Thirty years have passed since Al and I tied the knot on June 2, 1979. We were 20 years old, and utterly clueless. Styles have changed a lot since this wedding took place. Quite a few hairlines and waistlines have changed as well. But several things have not changed:
- Family remains the most important relationship on this earth
- Love is not demonstrated through flowers and diamonds (as nice as they are) but through common, and often inconvenient acts that meet the needs of others. Changing flat tires; wiping snotty noses; getting up in the middle of the night with a crying child; bailing a wayward son out of jail; learning to make hamburger helper and spagetti; and countless hours spent in parking lots waiting for the end of baseball and football and softball and wrestling practice and piano lessons.
- Commitment is hard. It's a choice every day to stay when you'd rather not; to serve when you'd rather be served; to deny oneself and carry a cross. Al and I had some role models for this in our parents. Their marriages weren't perfect, but they were committed to sticking it out. We are grateful for their example.
- And at the end of the day, another warm body in the bed is usually a nice thing.

Happy Anniversary, Honey! You are still a hunk and I'm looking forward to 30 more years.

Capitol Hill - Iowa Style

If you stand at the top of the hill on East Grand Ave. in Des Moines on a clear night, the view in just about every direction is breathtaking. I've been wanting to photograph it for a long time. Every time I'm in the vicinity, there is some excuse...it's too late and everyone wants to get home; it's raining; it's too light; it's too cold. Most often the excuse is that I don't have my camera along. But Saturday night I set aside all excuses and actually remembered my camera. It took me trying all three of the lenses I own and about 25 shots to capture this. I will confess that there is just a bit of editing, but not much.

At 10 p.m. on a Saturday, the city is alive with activity. The sounds of the East Village drift up the hill - cars and music and people laughing. Lovers sit on the Capitol steps and savor the lights of downtown. Photographers (like me?) try their hand at capturing the splendor of the golden domed Capitol building. From time to time a stilled hush envelopes the hill and everyone simply enjoys the visual feast. I would highly recommend it as a place to relax and reflect (unless, of course, the weather was unfriendly.)

Here is the view facing east.



And here is the view facing west. Click on either photo to view it larger.