Dexter Iowa Community Site

Consider this quote from Abe Lincoln

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

There are some weeks, which just defy me to come up with something interesting and worthwhile to write. My recent sparing match with insomnia I believe has lead me to an impasse where the thoughts in my head aren’t transferring to words on paper. However, this lead me to yet another train of thought and suddenly as though I had parted the Red Sea the words began to flow forth and life all made sense again. Now before we all get overly excited the thoughts in my head weren’t quite interconnected so as I tend to do when I get into a rut I pick up that list of notes and put them to print in a way we all describe as random thoughts…

1. We should know this week if the Iowa State Fair Board has decided to tear down the home that was part of the original homestead that made up the farm the Fair now sits on. The house, which once a gorgeous seven-room home has been so “remodeled” over the years it isn’t really as grand as it once was, but still it is hard to see a piece of history go away. For most of us, we really won’t know it when it isn’t there. But it brings to mind a much larger thought about preservation of historic homes. Oh how we wish that the old Robinson home still stood in Dexter (in between the city hall and retirement apartments) with its gingerbread and tall spire. In these days of vinyl siding homes loose some of the charm they once had.

2. I do tend to read a number of blogs online. A gentleman in Chariton Iowa writes one, which has caught my attention. The “lucascountyan” is filled with interesting historical descriptions, photos and information that makes me wish I had the energy to start doing that with this area.

3. On a drive to Adel the other day I noticed that the eagles are nesting just south of Redfield. Glad the warm weather has hopefully made it a little easier on them, and the rest of us, so far.

4. About a month ago I wrote a column about things you should do before Christmas. In that column I had mentioned stopping by a well-known local shop. My apologies to anyone who actually took time to do that and had to suffer, like I did, to the unpleasant nature of the shopkeeper. I don’t care how crazy your holiday season has been; if I’m coming into your place of business to spend money with you the least I could ask for is a pleasant experience. It was enough to make me afraid of recommending to people to stop there.

5. I have dropped my reading glasses the other day and scratched a bit of one of the lenses. It’s driving me crazy because if I forget that it is there I start thinking I have cataracts, but still not enough to make me want to go spend $25 on a new pair of glasses.

6. I actually heard someone complaining about the lack of snow the other day. Come on folks…do you remember two years ago when we all sat inside our houses because we didn’t feel like shoveling any more? Besides, just think of all the money you won’t have to pay the gas company.

7. Finally this week, I was digging through my filing cabinet here at home looking for a place to store some papers and came across my copy of the Iowa Atlas. This handy book of maps shows nearly every small gravel road in the state. One thing that confused me was something I have seen on other maps online. Straight south of Dexter, about two to three miles south of Dexter there is a spot they are calling “Caldwell Siding”. Never heard of it…have you?

See you next week…Remember, we’re all in this together.