Hot again here in Iowa

 96º with "feel like" of 105º here in Clarinda, IA at 5:45 pm Wednesday - outside - I am guessing it is about 72º here in the basement at my desk -- much more comfortable.

This is our 10-year old great grandaughter
Jessica that visisted us back in July --  taken in 2017

Another old photo - about 25 years 
ago at our place west of town.

the Four Miles Brothers - 1996, Cape Girardeau

Solar Battery for pump under the leaves.

We are getting a few tomatoes every day from the four plants - two in containers.  I was wateriing them with the solar powered pump that dripped for 10 minutes four times a day.  But now I hand water, with some added fertilizer, each day as no sun reaches the battery charger. 

Little over a month ago the solar
didn't have competition.

Solar Pump is back under there, really!

Some roses on the little rose bushes planted last year.

Decided the white I had painted the rose trellis when I added the front three posts and four rails was to garish so repainted the 
trellis similar to house to camouflage it a little.  

We attended a meeting at Church Sunday with Linda, the Choir Director/Organist.  Starting practice middle of this month - we will be gone.  May be able to sing one Sunday in October before we head south.

Next time - LC

WWII. Rationing

 

      "July 1943. WWII. Rationing. Canned food went to troops. Fresh food barely made it to cities. USDA said: “Plant Victory Gardens. Feed yourselves.”

     In McPherson County, Kansas, the men were gone — drafted or working war plants in Wichita. Left behind: 42 widows, average age 67, all from German Mennonite families. Their kids called them the “Garden Grandmas.”

     Problem: no men to plow. No gas for tractors. County had 1 horse left — blind in one eye.

     So Grandma Hilda Penner, 71, organized them. They used push plows from 1890. Hooked 4 grandmas to a plow like oxen. Took turns. 6 AM to 9 PM. They broke 18 acres behind the church. Planted everything: potatoes, beans, cabbage, onions. No fences, so they slept in shifts with brooms to beat off rabbits and deer.

     They canned 9,000 quarts that fall. Ran a depot out of the church basement. Rule: take what you need, leave what you can. Nobody in the county went hungry in winter ’43. City folks from Wichita drove 60 miles with empty jars.

     The War Department sent a man to film them. He said “smile.” Hilda said: “We smile when the cellar’s full.” She was holding a plow, not a flag.

     They kept it up till 1945. Last jar was dated August 14 — V-J Day. Hilda wrote on it: “We won too.”

Some of my work

 Here are some of my recent fingertip paintings by number on the phone.

More later. LC

Almost end of August - nice weather in Clarinda, IA

 Well, it is 85º here in Clarinda, IA at 3:00 pm on Wednesday - bright sunny day.

I posted the last blog after midnight this morning by copying and pasting on the telephone.  We have always followed the Iowa State Fair and attended many times over the years.  Several years we were in our travel trailer.  We drove up just for the day a week ago tomorrow, parking at Southridge Mall and riding the provided city bus to the fairgrounds.  We were told the grass parking at the fair was pretty bad with the rains the several days before.  We always watch Iowa Public Television the 6 days they have fair coverage every year

Walked the Varied Industries Building and looked a bit around the grounds then went to the Maytag Theater building where we got off our feet in the air conditioning and sat while watching a cooking presentation.

This farmer and his mother made a dish with steak and Hollandaise sauce with a vegetable I forget the name of.  We all got a sample when it was finished.

Watched several heats of kids racing on hot wheels

Waited in line a bit at the Cattlemen's Beef Headquarters for lunch.  Phyllis had their Hot Beef Sundae and I had the Cattleman's Steak Wrap.  Good eating.

Walked through the Agriculture Building where the butter cow and several other butter sculptures were as well as lots of flowers and vegetables were on display.  With our age we didn't cover near the amount of ground as in years past, but saw a lot of things.  I wonder some times if I have Pre-mature  Rigor Mortis.  We took the bus back to the pickup and were back in Clarinda by 6:30 that evening - had left home before 7 am in the morning for the 132 mile drive.

This last Sunday was the last Sunday for our Paster Andy Rubenking -- retiring after 19 years here.  They had a noon pot luck Dinner that was quite well attended

Always mowing the grass, it seems.

They don't show up real well, but these bright
blue tiny flowers are in the Railroad ROW behind
and below our house.

This rose is on one of the 2-year old bushes

Till another time, LCM

2026 Iowa State Fair

 

2026 Iowa State Fair was Record Setting, History Making The 2026 Iowa State Fair wasn’t just another great Fair, it was a record-setting, history-making, 11-day celebration of everything that makes Iowa, Iowa. From record-breaking attendance and packed Grandstand shows to livestock milestones, new food favorites, championship performances and celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary, the Fair brought the energy, traditions and unmistakable Fair Spirit in a way we’ve never seen before. In 2026, the records didn’t just break. They were shattered all over the Fairgrounds. Single-day attendance records. Multiple-day attendance records. An all-time attendance record. Grandstand attendance records. Competition and livestock records and record-breaking fundraising. Among the record-breaking memories: Attendance: New single-day, multiple-day and all-time attendance records were set during the 11-day Fair. Aug. 16- First Sunday attendance record with 123,140 Aug. 17- Monday attendance record with 111,159 Aug. 21- Second Friday attendance record with 114,256 Aug. 22- Second Saturday attendance record AND largest all-time one-day attendance record with 130,654 Overall Fair Attendance record with 1,218,834 topping the previous record of 1,182,682 in 2024 Grandstand: Lainey Wilson drew a sold-out crowd of 17,360 on August 16, setting a new Iowa State Fair Grandstand attendance record and surpassing the previous record of 17,320 set by Chris Stapleton in 2021. Overall Grandstand attendance record set at 132,041 even with a cancellation by Rod Stewart and special guest Richard Marx. Livestock: “Big Bad Joe” set a new Iowa State Fair Biggest Ram record at an impressive 568 pounds. Sale of Champions: The 2026 Sale of Champions set a new sale record, totaling $734,000, as well as new record prices across multiple species including FFA Grand Champion Market Lamb, Grand Champion 4-H Meat Goat, Grand Champion 4-H Market Broilers and Grand Champion FFA Market Hog, benefitting the Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement scholarship fund. Woodcarver’s Auction: The woodcarver’s auction to benefit the Blue Ribbon Foundation on the last day of the Fair crushed the previous record raised at $79,137 in 2022 with a new record of $96,046 raised in 2026. But records were only part of what made the 2026 Fair unforgettable. The Fair also celebrated beloved traditions and milestone anniversaries. Fairgoers marked 20 years of Sarah Pratt as the iconic butter cow sculptor, 100 years of the Fair’s famous hog calling contest and the DNR Aquarium, 20 years of the Hot Beef Sundae at Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters and the Heritage Farm Awards, and 50 years of the Century Award from the Iowa Department of Agriculture. Celebrating 250 Years of American Spirit Fairgoers celebrated America’s 250th anniversary throughout the Fair with special exhibits and displays including the “Spirit of ’76 – Iowa Celebrates America250!” exhibit, the 250 Years of the American Flag display and the Iowa Veterans Memorial Walkway, along with patriotic competitions, commemorative artwork and nightly drone shows. The celebration even inspired a patriotic-powered giveaway on Sunday, August 16, when the Iowa Pork Producers Association gave away 1,776 pork chops in just 99 minutes, serving up a delicious tribute to America250. 80+ New Foods and Plenty of Fair Favorites With more than 80 new foods to try, competition for the coveted People’s Choice Best New Food title was fierce. After 15,954 Fairgoers cast their votes, the Porky Parm Gnocchi from Destination Grille claimed the 2026 title. The new drinks brought plenty of Fair Spirit to the competition as well, with Fairgoers voting on both alcohol-free and alcohol entries in the Official Iowa State Fair App. The Best New Drink with alcohol ended in a tie between The Depot’s Sour Batch Buddies Watermelon and JR’s Cotton Rocket Cooler, while The Depot’s Fizz Depot’s Stars, Stripes & S’mores earned Best New Drink (alcohol-free). Iowa’s Top Talent The next generation of entertainers took center stage during the beloved Bill Riley Talent Search. After weeks of preliminary competition and standout performances on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, Caleb Meiners of Ottumwa was crowned the 2026 Bill Riley Talent Search champion, winning a $10,000 prize. The 2026 Iowa State Fair may be over, but the records and the memories will last much longer. As final numbers continue to come in, there’s still more to celebrate from a truly historic 11 days of Fair Spirit. The countdown to 2027 is already underway! The Iowa State Fair returns August 12-22, 2027. Stay tuned for the announcement of the 2027 Fair theme and mark your calendars for Iowa’s greatest celebration because Nothing Compares. Congratulations to our 2026 Iowa State Fair Queen, Belle Werner from Tama County! Fair Spirit was filled with unforgettable memories. See a gallery with images from the 2026 Iowa State Fair! Looking for competition results? Find results on the Iowa State Fair website. Please note that results are still being processed. If you are looking for a specific department or class, please email info@iowastatefair.org. Thank you for your patience! The 2027 Iowa State Fair will be held August 12-22. We can't wait to welcome you back in 2027! Stay up-to-date on the latest Iowa State Fair news and events! Get the latest news on Facebook, X  and Instagram and through Iowa State Fair text alerts - just text FAIR to 844.844.8508 to get Fair info! Iowa State Fair 3000 E. Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA