Six days of driving a stick shift truck are fun, don’t get me wrong. But once business was over, this hoss just wanted to head for the barn. I’m so glad I didn’t drive straight home, though. Driving straight across Iowa to get to Omaha, NE, just to see someone else’s chickens was well worth the extra day.
Sunday morning was spent with the second Laura’s dogs in the garden. I dragged out goodbye as long as I could (hadn’t seen Laura in 20 years), then got on the road. I am not kidding when I say that most of the construction I encountered in 2,000 miles was in Illinois. So glad to get out!
Iowa, though all corn field like Illinois, is GORGEOUS, unlike Illinois. My memories of Iowa were flat dirt, nothing to see endlessly. Driving straight across the top? Beautiful, rolling farmland. I could have stopped every three miles just to take photos. Trip-weary, I only stopped for welcome centers and food. Fred and Bessie had to relieve themselves as well, so we found a welcome center with a nice restroom. Then stopped to enjoy the modern art.
My iPhone’s GPS took me straight into the middle of dirt roads and corn as far as the eye could see, with the occasional farm house in the middle of a field. Amazing.
Where it didn’t take me was straight to my friend Kevin’s house. I was a mile off. Look what greeted me, though, when I found his place:
Oh em gee. Good thing my Hunny said, before I left, “Don’t bring home anything that eats.” Does he know me or what? There are five of these little cuties. I’ll bet they would have loved a Jones Natural Chews jerky chew, what with their kitten-y needle teeth and all.
My friend and his lovely wife and spunky-cute kids were wonderful hosts. Zoryana and I were up till midnight, talking. It was friends at first sight, especially after she made for me frappucino and a delicious supper with farm-fresh vegetables. Zoryana is from Ukraine and full of fun stories about moving to the US. Her home is beautiful, her children adorable. In fact, I nearly tucked the fourth child away in the back of my truck when I left. He’s a little handful, full of vim and vigor, ready to take on the world. That boy’s a keeper.
So why did I drive all the way across Iowa to see an old college buddy and meet his family?
CHICKENS!!! Aren’t they beauts? Not very personable, though. The boys and I chased these girls all over the yard and couldn’t catch a one. Darn. The visit, though, more than made up for not holding a chicken. 😉 Taking photos of their hen house was worth the drive as well.
Day six. What can I say? Hours in a truck, wanting to be home. Missing my family. Driving through Kansas is pretty. Seeing miles of dying corn fields, not so pretty. I hurt for the farmers and their families. I hurt for all of us who’ll see a leap in grocery costs. This summer has been brutal.
My own chickens were happy to have me home.
And that’s it! Tomorrow I start blogging “fer reals”. Looking forward to hearing from all of you. Don’t be a stranger!
Until I write again …
Flea
