Ball Town

My friend from Saint Cloud sister-in-law grew up in Iowa and she suggested I travel to Ball Town. She said it was her favorite place on earth. So I went there at about 8 a.m. as I left Dubuque. When I left Dubuque a large flock of snow geese flew over my car. She was right. The scenery was awesome.

The temperature was 45 degrees when I left and 31 degrees when I arrived. The drive was beautiful.

Snow started falling in northern Iowa. I stopped at an Amish shop to buy a loaf of Amish bread. The clerk there said there is no Amish bread in Harmony. I would have to back track 3 miles to Canton. I decided against doing that.

I had lunch in Rochester and took my old computer to Best Buy so they could recycle it.

 

Four Mounds

Tomorrow I am leaving Dubuque so today I packed up most of my stuff and put it in my car. Then I went to a park that is an 11 minute walk from here. That is the Mississippi River down there. Just to the left is the John Deere plant. I didn't know I was living so close to the river. I should have figured that out earlier as my address is on River Vista Lane.

I cannot remember ever eating a raspberry in November. I ate 6 of them and they were good.

Four Mounds Park was donated by a family member. The original owner raised pigs up here.

The scenery is amazing.

Some people live in this park. I'd like that!

I put these girls on I Nat and my phone told me they were jungle fowl. I fed them so weeds through the fence.

Then I walked down the hill near the entrance.

This is the entrance.

Heading back to my car I found this high ropes experience. A sign read not to climb unless the instructor is there. That's fine. I wasn't going to climb anyway. Twice I heard a Carolina wren sing. To me it sounds like the wren is singing "time to eat. time to eat. time to eat right now." Once in my car I continued my Duo Lingo program. I am on day two. I'm learning Japanese. So far I know sushi, rice, green tea, water, and, and thank you.

 

Mines Of Spain

As I was leaving today my host met me in the garage and asked me where I was going. I said I was going to a local park but I couldn't remember the name of it. He suggested I go to the Mines Of Spain. I wasn't going to go that far but I thought, what the hey, I'll go.

I am glad I went. Look at the beauty of this Horseshoe Bluff Interpretive trail. Gorgeous, just gorgeous.

I hiked to the lookout.

Julien Dubuque's Monument.

This is above where Catfish Creek meets the mighty Mississippi.

This is a National Historic Landmark.

This is a sign inside the biffy. I thought it was funny.

This is one of Iowa's Watchable Wildlife Areas. I saw a butterfly, a belted kingfisher, and some woodpeckers.

I apologize for this picture being on it's side. It reads "Church of Christ. Site of first Congregational Meeting held in Iowa in a cabin 220 yards SW of this site. October 1, 1835 by John Gaugh." This park, just south of Dubuque has 1437 acres. This is archery/deer season so I wore my high visibility green sweatshirt.  I saw one other guy wearing high visibility clothing but everyone else didn't. I could hear guns shooting in the distance. I even heard an automatic rifle. I looked for gun clubs on the map but didn't see any near this place. I guess it was a local farmer practicing.

 

Mathias Ham

Just 3 blocks down from Eagle Park was another historical park so I pulled in here at Mathias Ham Historic Site.

They have a green house.

He made much money selling ham and bacon.

His fortunes ebbed and flowed.

No way am I going in the lead mine. I have had enough exposure to lead working at the nuclear pharmacy where I had to carry radioactive injections in lead pipes.

The oldest one room school house was transported here from some where else. The school houses were also a community gathering place.

 

August Is The Busiest Month

Yes, I went overboard on taking pictures again. Here is a Homer Winslow picture at the Woodward Fine Arts Museum.

I am too cheap to pay for parking so I had to keep repeating 5th and Hill so I could remember where I parked. Another Homer Winslow.

The nice lady at the desk said they have the third largest collection of Homer Winslow art in the state of Iowa.

Here is his door.

His painting of a shepherdess.

The lady at the desk said I should visit the Methodist church about 6 blocks away to see more stained glass. This picture was taken at the art museum.

This picture was taken at the church.

As I walked out I learned that this is the oldest church in the state of Iowa.

Either that is where the choir sings or it is the crying area.

I got back to 5th and Hill by 3:05 so I thought I had time to go the Eagle Park. The art museum had a PBS show playing about how this park was a WPA project.

The park was designed by a landscape architect from Chicago who went to school with Frank Lloyd Wright.

This style of architecture has more horizontal lines. The vertical lines are subdued.

They used rough hewn rock from a mile north of here and local lumber.

I didn't know Dubuque had a lock.

I saw a couple of young guys walking by and I asked if it was Okay for me to be in here. The gate was locked. They said they didn't know. We all laughed.

The Koi pond is dry. I think it's strange that they close the park all winter. Why can't people snowshoe in here? Why can't they rent the buildings for parties and family gatherings?

The man on the PBS video said few people ever see this part so I had to see it.

I love the prairie style.

I wanted to get back to my car by 4:15. I did.

The park has some round areas for family or friends to gather and still feel separate from the other park patrons.

There are many parking places here. I'll bet August is the busiest month.