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."

What a nice weekend we have had and with all this great weather it has lifted my sprits somewhat, and put me in the mood for some random thoughts. So let’s get started shall we?

1. I had a great time at Earlham’s Freedom Fest. The kids loved the parade and walking around the park afterwards. I noticed a comment in the paper asking why it couldn’t be as big as Old Settler’s and the answer to that is the answer for every one of the community events that are held in the small towns around us. In order to put on those kind of events, the groups need volunteers! It doesn’t take much to start something fun and sometimes a simple idea sparks bigger ones, although it does take someone willing to say “I’ll take on a project and see it through”.
2. Have you got your ticket to ride the steam train yet? Only a few days left…don’t miss out on this one folks and if you have kids, give them a little taste of what train travel was really all about.
3. Had a good time at the Dallas County Fair this weekend. Figure 8 races, tractor pulls and some strange racing where the cars were pulling boats….It’s been a very long time since I’ve been to the fair there, and it sure is a lot different than it was when I was a youngster in 4-H.
4. Ahem….Only 20 some day’s till the State Fair! Are you ready?
5. The rain has been good for the gardens, and the mosquitoes! And the sunshine has been great for everything else! Yeah sun!!!
6. Mom graced me with an early birthday present this year and so now I’m going to take up bicycling to try to get myself in a little better shape. I found a bike rack for the truck on craigslist the other day and picked it up and have been excitedly waiting for my first trip on the bike trail in 25 years. Hannah decided to go with and I will say even though Linden isn’t a very far ride from Redfield, I thought at one point I was going to need dial 911 for some rescue breathes. We rested for a while, and eventually made it all the way to Linden and back. I also learned not to let the 12 year-old set the pace as the old guy couldn’t quite keep up.
7. I need to join a group or something. I find myself going from home to work and back home again, and not really getting out and meeting people and doing things. I feel like I need that connection again.
8. I’m going to have to get some goats or start bailing the yard. I couldn’t keep up with mowing in between rains and when I finally got a nice day the mower broke down and this time it might be a little more than I can repair on my own.
9. I’ve been journaling for many years now, and the other night as I was sitting up I started to contemplate what I would change if I could do one thing over again in my life. What would your one thing be?
10. Finally this week, if you get the chance this week, take some time to stand in your yard and feel the sunshine on your face. I hate to tell you, but in about six months you and I are going to be wishing it was warm again.

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