North Central Iowa Model Railroad

The past weekend found my sister and I in Hampton, Iowa with our grandparents for a railroad arts and crafts show (more details in a future post).

In the afternoon when sales were slow, Grandpa, Charity, and I walked down to the old Rock Island Depot.  In the basement, the North Central Iowa Model Railroad Club has an impressive model layout.  I am unsure of their hours, but with the railroad show in progress, admission was free.

Lessons I Learned at Bethany: Faith

One morning, walking from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus was hungry. He saw a fig tree with leaves, and found nothing but leaves.  Jesus said to the fig tree, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.” 

Bethany (Al-Eizariya) in 1940

The next morning, his disciples saw that the tree was dried up from the roots. Peter said, “Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.” Jesus said, “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”  

The Johnson Strings & an Auction

Sunday morning, my family and I went to a Johnson Strings concert at Zion United Church of Christ in Hubbard, Iowa.  We met the Johnsons in 2006 and listened to them for the first time in 2007.  They've been one of our favorite music groups ever since.

Autumn's Gold

 Autumn's gold is summer's goodbye.
Life is beautiful as it dies,
Leaving its joys in the glories for which we vie,
Bidding farewell and heaving a sigh.

How to Pick Apples Like a Pro

In case any of my readers are looking for a seasonal second job or a good way to incorporate a strenuous exercise regimen into crisp autumn days, this is a tutorial on how to pick apples like a pro (and live through it).   

Tears

This poem was written by my grandmother, watercolor artist Colleen (MacArthur) Carson, while she was in high school in 1947.  She recently found and gave it to me with permission to share with you. 

If each tear could tell its story, 'twould make the earth's bowels shake.

If each tear could tell its story, 'twould make the mountains quake.

Survey Results!

Many thanks to the 34 readers who responded to my survey!  As promised, here are the results.  On some questions the answers add up to more than 34 since multiple selections were enabled.  Where responses were written in "Other" (often to add more juicy details) I did my best to categorize them.  

    Question 1: How did you find my blog?

Seventeen of you found my blog because I commented on or followed your blog, 9 from browsing the blogosphere, 3 each from Facebook/Google+, FICS, and meeting in person, and at least 1 specifically from Wild Bird Wednesday (Other).

The Feathered Invasion of Waterloo

Sunday, October 5th, found my family and I enjoying a peaceful afternoon singing for a group of cheery senior citizens at a lovely apartment complex in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  The afternoon turned to evening, and we bid farewell to our audience, driving into the twin city of Waterloo as the sun set and skies darkened.  

We soon discovered that a small area of Waterloo, across the street from Mernards, had been invaded.  The invaders, relying on air-borne missions, had taken over the radio tower and were swarming over important electric lines.

Surveys! (+one for you!)

With the U.S. Senate and Iowa Gubernatorial election only 1 month away, I receive survey phone calls nearly every day.  Since this year is the first senatorial election in the state in 30 years where an incumbent has not run (and won), it is a fiercely contested battle between Republican Joni Ernst and Democrat Bruce Braley.

I figure it makes the phone surveyors' day when someone is willing to talk with them, and since I am a rather opinionated person anyway, I answer their questions.  By now I've completed so many surveys that I could probably be surveying the surveyors with all the typical questions from memory.  Some surveys are seemingly unbiased fact-gathering calls; however, the impartialness of others is questionable.

Photo Contest & Sunshine Award

Sarah at Trusting in the Lord  is hosting a photo contest at her blog to celebrate her 100th post.  The deadline for entering up to two photos is tomorrow, October 3rd.

It's an unfortunate practice of mine to enter contests the day (or even the hour) before they close.  I well remember an essay contest in my high school days that had a deadline of midnight Eastern time on New Year's Eve.  I did miss out on some of the fun of our New Year's Eve celebration, but I emailed my essay on time (15 minutes before the deadline).

If you'd like to join the fun with me as 11th hour photo contest contestants, you can visit Sarah's blog here for details.  My two entries are below.