Missouri River flooding

A few weeks back, I drove to western Iowa for work and stopped in Missouri Valley to fuel up my car.  Next door to the gas station was my favorite restaurant, Pizza Ranch, surrounded by sandbags.  The sign outside read: "Yes, we're open."

Missouri Valley is tucked in the scenic Loess Hills of western Iowa, just a few short miles from the Missouri River.

Iowa is anything but flat. It's home to one of only two Loess hill formations in the world.

Fortunately, Missouri Valley missed out on the predicted flooding from the nearby Missouri River.  I stopped in this Missouri Valley McDonald's on the way home for an iced latte caffeine jolt. The drive-thru was closed because of the 3-foot-tall sandbag barricade.

Unfortunately, many western Iowa towns didn't escape the flooding, including parts of Sioux City, Omaha and the small community of Hamburg.  The flooding started in June and continues today.  That means farmers and local residents have been separated from their homes for more than two months, and the flooding is projected to continue through October.  There hasn't been that much in the national news about this flooding, which is too bad it's not getting the attention it deserves.  Many families have lost their homes and prime farmland on an unprecedented scale.

If you want to learn more about the Missouri River flooding and its impact on farmers, I recommend visiting Sara's House HD to see aerial photos of the flood zone.  My prayers go out to all the families involved.  You are not forgotten, and you'll always find friends willing to help provide what you need.

Horsin' around

A few weeks back, I was looking for something fun and relaxing to do after a stressful week.  I heard that the Iowa State Fairgrounds was hosting the World Percheron Congress.  I've been fascinated with draft horses ever since I met a couple of Clydesdale owners from north Iowa a couple years ago.  They told me how much time, money and work goes into raising giant draft horses.  Now I have a newfound respect for these amazing animals and their dedicated owners.

Percherons are such graceful giants.  And so stylish in black :)

Love the little details of getting a horse ready for show.  It's like they are dressing for prom.

The wagons are also kept in prestine condition for the show ring.  Great to see a pink ribbon on the back of this ride.

Young contestants were preparing for the junior exhibit when I arrived.

The event took place in the beautiful new Jacobsen Exhibit Hall at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.  The hall was built specifically to bring world-class horse shows to central Iowa.

I stood outside on the sidewalk to watch the blue-ribbon winners take their victory lap.

I watched some of the judging during the junior show.  Unfortunately, I had to leave earlier than I wanted because of an unexpected allergy attack.  (Somehow, I always forget that I'm allergic to hay.) 

I'm looking forward to seeing more horse shows at the fairgrounds in the future.