Trippin' with Susan Straley

 Greetings from Iowa! The ride to Iowa from La Crosse was lovely, the rolling hills here covered in golden soybeans and the occasional Red Maple.  I went through areas with wide shoulders dented in the middle from the hooves of Amish horses pulling buggies. I was listening to a radio program and the experts were talking about the extra stress of 2020 and how we need to find little pieces of joy to focus on.  I turned off the radio and enjoyed the views. I am in a small town called Lime Springs, Iowa.  The town has two restaurant bars it appears, and on the outskirts of town where Hwy 63 passes through (from Canada to Texas I am told) there is a Casey's gas station and convenience store.  Next to Casey's is a meat processing plant , or slaughter house to us vegetarians.  There they had four cases of COVID-19 months ago.   But there has been no news since.  I know these things because Dean told me.  Dean is my neighbor down in Florida.  He recently bought a place here in which to

  Sometimes you start moving forward or your are just plodding along with your life and then you encounter something that surprises you, thrills you, feeds your heart, and reminds you what is great about living. Heather Cox Richardson has been writing a lot about our political landscape lately, but today she paused and instead of the news she shared a picture of a woman in red, on a dock, by an old white fishing boat, playing her cello.  A bit of beauty in a world in turmoil.    I left you last time after my sister and I had visited my grandparent's homestead.   After that, I had a few fun things to do, but I felt like my summer was coming to an end.  I had all my reservations for my journey home, I had even reserved some campsites for after I get home! One day I had a date to visit some friends from Waukesha that have a summer home about an hour from my campsite in Minoqua area. Diane and Rick had visited me in Inverness a couple years ago and we went kayaking together.  On my vi