Iowa

Hayfields on Central Iowa Farm

Iowa © 2010 Bo Mackison

I am taking a break from travel photography from the western National Parks to bring you a photograph from the last day of our trip — nearly home.

We detoured off the interstate for a break and came upon evidence of the rural American Midwest. Farm fields, mostly harvested. Silage wrapped neatly in the fields. Putting things to rest, getting ready for winter.

Barn in Lafayette County

Rural Wisconsin, Barn in Black and White

Barn in Lafayette County © 2010 Bo Mackison

I used one of the art filters, black and white grainy, that are on the Olympus E-P1 (PEN) but much of the time the filters are a bit over the top for my preferences. So I modified the black and white tones in Lightroom.

I went to the Apple store last week for an in depth discussion on Aperture 3. After waiting for 6 months, Aperture 3 is out and finally there is support for the Olympus PEN cameras (and all the other micro four-thirds). I liked using the Aperture program before I purchased the PEN (and then no longer had access to it) and I’m considering getting the upgrade. It means another learning curve while learning to a new program. Sigh!  And comes at a busy time for me, so I’m vacillating a bit.

I’ve got an appointment at Apple for next week…I’m thinking.

Finding Jewels Along the Way

On our recent travels to the Southwest, we spent two days driving west from Wisconsin to our first destination, and then two days driving east from our last destination back to the Midwest. We had much ground to cover–over 2200 miles–on those four days, and we were traveling on Interstates, something that neither of us particularly enjoy.

We didn’t want to squander four days of our two week vacation doing nothing but driving, so I researched our route before we left our home. Perhaps Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas don’t have a lot of well-known places to visit, but there is always something interesting to see if you are willing to look. And I found quite a few treasures that gave us an hour’s diversion from the monotony of the road.

Jewel Box Bank

Jewel Box Bank © 2008 Bo Mackison

Our first treasure literally was a jewel. We stopped at Grinnell, Iowa, which was just a few miles off I-80, to see the Merchant’s Bank, one in a series of architect Louis Sullivan’s Jewel Box Banks. Though Sullivan is most famously known as the “Father of skyscrapers”, he also left a legacy of these small banks, eight in all, dotting the Midwest.

Drat that car, but I wanted a photo of the front exterior showcasing the rose window medallion, and the car came with the exterior shot.

The window is designed with overlapping circles and squares that are in encased in terracotta ornamentation.

Terracotta Griffin

Terracotta Griffin © 2008 Bo Mackison

Griffins originally flanked both sides of the bank’s entrance, built vandals destroyed the East Griffin in 2006.  The terracotta and stained glass were a significant part of Sullivan’s designs.

Terracotta Griffin

Terracotta Griffin © 2008 Bo Mackison

When the bank opened on January 1, 1915, the townspeople of Grinnell were nearly unanimous in their approval. One citizen observed, “It sure looks nothing like Grinnell.”

Although that’s not entirely true. Grinnell, a small farming community, has an astounding number of buildings designed by well-known architects.

I think the building is best summed up by a newspaper journalist who wrote for the Grinnell Herald and was allowed a sneak preview prior to the grand opening for his article. He wrote:

“Go back to the north end and turn around to the south.  Raise the eyes above the partitions and brickwork and catch the massive simplicity of the long beams along the ceiling: study the windowed colored by Millet and its mosaic replica below which surrounds the clock with face of gold.  Raise the eyes still higher to the skylight…  If you are in just the right mood in time you can hear the dash of the waters over Niagara Falls, listen to the winds that sweep across the prairies of the West, see the blue that hovers over the land of the azure sky and understand something of what Sullivan meant when he talked about the genius of America.”

Iowa Sculpture

Corncob Sculpture

Corn Sculpture ©2008 Bo Mackison

You never quite know what you are going to see while driving down the highway in Iowa. Near Iowa City, I came across this interesting metal sculpture of – yes, of course – a yellow cob of corn in a green husk.

Because of popular request, I have asked Robin of Bountiful Healing to share her links for interesting vegetables and fruits, too. Always aiming to please and keep the customers happy.

So, yes, Robin has graciously supplied me with the site to her “veg porn” as it is lovingly called.

First the asparagus – you have to look for the second photo.

And if you still are curious, then there are flowers that also got in the act.

So there…enjoy. Robin has a lot of other great photos to see, so while you are there, explore a bit.

Peepers in the Marsh, Peeping

Peepers at the Marsh, Peeping

You can’t hear them or see them but earlier this week the air around this marsh was filled with the spring peepers doing what they do best – peeping. Spring peepers are actually tiny frogs (the northern ones are about 1 1/2 inches long with a brown X on their backs) and in spring they noisily sing their mating calls – by peeping, of course. It’s a lovely call – no wonder there are lot and lots of tiny peepers.

If you do not know what a peeper sounds like, take a listen. You may very well recognize it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Peeper (check under the media heading)

Wakonda State Park
LaGrange, Missouri
March 29, 2008