I recently had the opportunity of traveling to Iowa in America’s heartland. It has been a few years since I ventured into that part of the country and I was struck, once again, by the warmth of the people and culture. My family hails from Iowa and I spent many childhood summers with my relatives on “the farm”. Bailing hay, helping Grandma bake zwiebach in the kitchen, playing heated euchre games, and running from farm to farm with my cousins. It is no less magical when I go back now than it was during my childhood.
This time, I managed to talk my Uncle Glen into allowing me to run the combine for a round in the cornfields. It’s quite a privilege to be allowed to run the combine & I certainly didn’t want to make any mistakes on such an expensive piece of equipment. Don’t run the snoot into the ground…don’t go too fast…watch out for the muddy spots…Aunt Janice ran dinner (lunch) out to us just as she has been doing for 50 years.
I visited the Amana Colonies on my last day, savoring one last day of the charm of these small farming communities. The Amanas are commercialized, but have managed to maintain their charm. The Amish furniture, woolen products and crafts are well worth a visit. This trip reminded me of the importance of slowing down and taking time in our hectic, fast-paced, social media driven lives. Breathe deep and look around!
