H.A. Larson's Blog, page 4

A Life is a Terrible Thing to Waste

 

    I once read an article in which people shared the regrets of their dying loved ones. The regrets ranged from simple to big, sadness and anger, and even included some deathbed confessions. That article lingered in my mind long after I had read it. I couldn't stop thinking about what regrets I might have when I die. Inevitably, this turned into me wondering what regrets I'd have if I died today. 
Well, there would be a lot. To be clear, there wouldn't be many regrets for things I have done, but rather for what I haven't done. For instance, I have yet to see the Northern Lights or walk at least some of the El Camino de Santiago. I have yet to see the redwoods in California or sip a bold red wine near the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. I have yet to visit the lands of my Viking ancestors or gaze out over the ruins of the Colleseum. I haven't ridden a bike through an Eastern European countryside or glimpsed cresting whales near an iceberg.
The thought of leaving this world without having experienced these things leaves me feeling a bit wistful and twinged with a bit of panic. I never want to be a passive participant in my life, simply letting it pass by me. No, I want to be an active participant, experiencing all that I can while I can. 
It also got me thinking, again, about how I need to take better care of myself. I only have one life and only one body with which to live it. 
The question becomes, then: Do I sit back and waste myself and my life, or do I take it by the horns and give it hell?
I know what the answer is, and it's not the former.
Life, my friends, is a terrible thing to waste.

 

Day Trip Adventure: Two Small Towns in Iowa

You know I hate nothing about taking a Day Trip Adventure. It is an adventure, after all. But, it's even better when you can take one with family or friends - or even meet up somewhere. It's this last option that I took part in back in mid-March. My daughter and I drove up to Coon Rapids, Iowa, to meet up with my dad and stepmom for the day.


Coon Rapids is a small town - population 1,279. It has a sculpture park on the edge of town, which is where we met. We wandered around and looked at all of the sculptures, although I only took photos of some.



This one is called "The Dancers" and was created by Zach Bowman.



This sculpture of a woman's face is named "Irene" and was created by Jamie Burmeister.



This one was my favorite. It was made by Matthew Farley and is named "Shaping the Landscape"



"Bike Arch" was commissioned the year RAGBRAI came through town and is the creation of Denny Wurr. For more about the art at Coon Rapids' Sculpture Park, click on this link.



I happened to catch this deer running through the woods. I thought it was neat so included it here.
After our brief walk through the art, we headed to Whiterock Conservancy, also located in Coon Rapids. This 5,500-acre area of protected land really showcases the natural beauty of the area. It was created on the heels of one of the largest land gifts in Iowa's history. Given to the state by the Garst family, their hope was that the land could be preserved and enjoyed by the people for generations to come.



There are plenty of trails to explore, with the Main Loop being nearly 10 miles, although there are more than 40 miles of trails overall. This day, we opted for a short hike as it was breezy, cold, and my stepmom was waiting in the car for us. The short trail we chose leads you to a river overlook.



This lean-to shelter was near the crossroads of the three trails we came upon, so Nature Girl decided to pose for us. Funnily enough, my dad (who's very much into geocaching) found a random geocache right around here.



Even though it was a brisk day, it was beautiful and the sky was a deep, crystal blue.



You can see more of the Main Loop trail dead center in the distance.



We finally got the river view.



Here's an even better shot of it.



Might as well zoom out a bit and take it all in.
After a short, yet gorgeous hike, we went back into Coon Rapids to get some lunch. After that, we drove about 15 minutes west to a place I really wanted to check out: Templeton, Iowa. With a population of 343, it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind of place. There's really not much to do there.



But, it does happen to be the home of Templeton Distillery. Yes, that's right, Templeton Rye is distilled in a large plant smack dab in the heart of a podunk Iowa town.



Outside, right at the side of the road is this cool whiskey barrel "tree". I took a picture of my dad and daughter standing in front of it.



The large entrance is impressive and seems so massive in comparison to where it lives.



Inside is a mixture of a museum, storehouse, and bar. This room demonstrates how barrels are stored in the storehouse, but these are for show.



You can sign and date them if you'd like, which Nature Girl was all too happy to do.






A view of the bar area. I did order an amazingly delicious drink. My dad tried it and loved it!



After I finished my drink, the four of us wandered around the museum. Apparently, this area was quite the hub of moonshining during Prohibition Days. This photo is of a still that is used to distill whiskey/whiskey rye from grain.



The museum also gives some history into the town of Templeton, as well as of the period, in general.



I thought it was pretty cool of the Distillery to make their establishment an actual point of interest and showcase the history, not only of the area but of how important whiskey was to the town.



After we finished our walk through history, we stopped at the gift shop. Dad and I both purchased a bottle of rye, and I made sure to nab a recipe sheet for fun drinks I could make using it. After that, we made our goodbyes and headed off to our respective homes.
The next day I went for a hike with my bestie and my daughter. Afterward, we reconvened at my house for a few Templeton drinks and snacks.




Rebecca had an Iowa Mule and I had a Shirley Templeton. I'm sure glad I picked up that recipe sheet.  


Honestly, when I did the research for this DTA, I wasn't expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised at how many interesting things there are to do in such a low-populated area. If nothing else, it makes an interesting detour on your way to other Iowa destinations, like Madison County or Des Moines. So, if you live close by, or at least within a day trip distance, check it out. 

What's Been Going On?

 

It's only been a month since I last posted, yet it feels like it's been longer. I guess that's just how time seems to pass when you've been madly busy.
Late in June, my baby girl turned eighteen. Eighteen? Eighteen! You know, I started sharing posts that included my daughter, aka Nature Girl, eight years ago. She was only ten then, but I can still see her as she was then. My little girl was so cute, sweet, loved nature, and her family, but more than anything else, animals were her passion. While none of that has changed, the little girl has been replaced by a beautiful young woman ready to head off to college this Fall. The years have slipped through my fingers.
For the past year and a half of her high school career, I homeschooled her. Nothing personal against her old school, after all my son graduated from there six years ago and loved it, but some kids need more help than standard schools can provide. While we did schoolwork through the summer month, wrapping things up in February, I didn't graduate her until the last Saturday of June. Because I was the school, I had to do the ceremony (if you can call it that) and provide the reception. 
Graduation day was also my mom's birthday, so I planned a winery party for her the day between my daughter's birthday celebration and graduation celebration.
As you can probably imagine, all of this was a lot. I was in charge of planning, preparing, and putting it all together. I spent many sleepless nights thinking about everything that needed to be done for these three back-to-back events. I spent every day calming an anxious kid after working all day. 
I had a handful of people in town for several days - people whom I entertained and some who stayed in my home. I must've picked up and cleaned up around my house at least six times, and the amount of leftovers in my place was daunting to deal with. 
My son's car, already on its last legs, acted up enough that weekend that he decided he should get a new car while he was in town. He wanted me to come with him, so I did - and briefly lent him the down payment. After securing a new car, he was the last guest to leave town.
The following week was the 4th of July, which was on a Thursday, so I took the 5th off as well, giving me a four-day weekend. To say I needed it was an understatement - I was exhausted.
I spent the long weekend taking care of some much-needed tasks, including getting some much-needed R&R. After two days of that, I figured it was as good of a time as any to get back to all my favorite healthy activities. I did a lot of hiking, prepping some good food, and enjoying time with friends.
I will be getting back to my posting schedule...you know, the one I promised? I did finally get all of my photos downloaded onto my computer so now I just need to edit them and get some posts put together. 
For my newsletter subscribers, sorry for my lack of those as well.
I'm sure you all understand. See you soon!

My No-Buy Year Update

 

Back in January, I talked about my plans for a No-Buy Year. I told you I would update you every few months, so here I am, about six months later to do just that.
So, how is my No-Buy Year going? Well....it's a big fat failure. 



But, is it really, though? No, not really.

Let me explain. 

When I set out to do this challenge, my goal was to maybe set aside even more money than I do now. The only money to do this with is my Fun Money category - the money I can use on whatever I want. And truth be told, it's not a whole lot. 
See, I have a carefully crafted budget that reflects everything I want my money to do for me: pay bills, save for future purchases, and invest in my retirement as aggressively as I dare, all while still allowing me to have a life. These are all difficult feats considering my lower income. 
It didn't take long after declaring my interest in a No-Buy Year that I grasped the reality of it all. I wouldn't be able to buy some drinks for the weekend, indulge in Ladies Brunch once each quarter, grab a frozen pizza for my daughter on a rare Friday night, pack a bottle or two with a picnic lunch, buy that 32 oz diet fountain drink at the gas station on a 96-degree day, or have a few glasses of wine with my besties at the winery every few months. 
Not spending what little I have in spending money each month would banish me from having any life at all. Sure, there are free things I can do (and I don't plan to change that one bit) but I need a *little* bit of money for simple pleasures.
And, I don't have a spending problem. I'm a super-saver and a super-investor with a 6-month emergency fund, sinking funds, a bit of savings for things that might pop up, and I invest as heavily as I can.
In retrospect, it seems silly.
Now, if I was a careless spender who bought things on a whim, racking up debt and preventing myself from saving & investing, this challenge would have made sense. 
Having said all that, I definitely have had a few months of overspending, but that's due to me not planning as well as I should rather than being impulsive or careless. That is something I can easily change.
My friends, the No-Buy Year is officially over. I won't say I'll miss it.

Getting Older is a Joy

 Sometimes I look in the mirror and only see the things I dislike about myself: a bit of crow's feet around my eyes, a couple of sun spots, smile lines around my mouth, and the dreaded turkey neck. They are the (not so) subtle reminders that I'm not the young woman I once was. 

Growing old can sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow. If I dwell on it too long, I get wistful for the promise that my youth once held. I can feel my stomach sink when I think about how I wasted said youth doing stupid things and wandering through life without direction. That's the thing with youth, though, you think the future is so far away that you have ample time to bring forth the things you want from life.

News flash: you don't. If I could go back in time and confront my younger self, I'd slap her into reality. Alas, I do not have that luxury. 

Now, having said all that, there are things about being older that are truly great and magical. So, instead of pining for my lost youth, I'm going to focus on the here and now. Here are (some of) the things that make being older so great.

Saying no is incredibly easy. 

For many reasons, saying no can be difficult when you're young. Now that I'm older, if I don't want to do something I just say no. Rarely do I get anyone begging for me to change my mind, but when they do, I stick to my guns.

I quit caring about how others think of me. 

People might not like how I act, the things I do, the things I enjoy, or be upset if I'm not going to babysit their kid for them (as one example), but I don't give a shit. I'm not here to sacrifice my own feelings or my life for yours. 

I have better friends.

When you're younger you choose quantity over quality, but when you get older the opposite is true. I'd rather have a handful of amazing friends than an army of so-so friends.

I have confidence.

It's rare to be young and truly confident (not to be confused with bravado). We're all a little lost and trying to figure ourselves out for a long time after we first become adults. When you're older, you know who you are and what you want.

I have more control over my life.

I've got my shit figured out. I have learned and devised systems that help me manage my life thereby giving me a level of control that I never had when I was young. This is helped by the previous things on this list.

I know what I want and am always working towards those things.

When you get older, you figure out that you can't just let the chips fall where they may indefinitely. At some point, you need to mark out at least a 5-year plan or both 5 and 10-year ones. Goals without direction are just dreams, nothing more.

I find joy in all things, not just the big things.

Sure, the big things in life can bring us lots of joy, but so can lots of little things. I find joy in my first sip of weekend coffee, setting eyes on my son after a month apart, having charcuterie with friends, among many others. Life is short - enjoy EVERYTHING.

I'm happier.

All the above things make me a happier person. It helps that I also don't take crap. Like I always say, "I ain't got time for bullshit."

I feel secure.

Again, due to the aforementioned things. It also helps immensely that I am good with my personal finances as financial security IS security.

I'm still in decent shape.

If you put in even the smallest amount of effort to eat better and get some regular exercise, you can keep yourself relatively healthy. Except for a few aches and pains here and there, I still feel about as physically fit as I did in my 20s. Being able to live a long healthy life depends on your body being healthy. In other words, getting older isn't necessarily a health detriment as long as you put in the effort.

While I can't go back in time to my 20s, backpack around Europe, meet my European prince, and build a bougie life in an arrondissement in Paris, I can (and do) love my life now. Getting older has a lot of perks. I'd do best to remember that.

The Annual Sandhill Crane Migration

Image courtesy: https://visitkearney.org/sandhill-cra...

I've lived in Nebraska for twenty years and the one thing I've always wanted to do but never have is to see the annual migration of the Sandhill Cranes. Sandhill cranes, according to Wikipedia, "are a species of large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird refers to a habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills on the American Great Plains." These cranes migrate from north to south, stopping in Nebraska in February, but you'll see the majority of them stop in my state by the third week of March. Visitors flock to the region every year during this time, and I got to join them last year.
My dad and my uncle decided to make the trek there last year and invited me to join them, so I made the three-hour journey east from Omaha to Kearney on the last weekend of March 2023. My dad and my uncle are decent photographers with good cameras, so my dad lent me one of his to take nice pictures but hasn't gotten them sent to me, which is why I haven't made this post until now. Still, I took some (less nice) photos with my phone so I will share those along with my experiences during my time there.


After I arrived and dropped my stuff off at the Airbnb, we rode around on country roads looking for the cranes. They were, quite literally, everywhere so spotting them wasn't difficult.






Along the way, we stopped at the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary. 



This visitor center, like others in the area, specializes in the Sandhill Crane.






In addition to the visitor's center, some trails lead to different places along the river. Water is where the cranes can most often be found, particularly in the morning.



The end of these trails leads to viewing buildings/blinds, made to capture photos of the cranes. 



Which is exactly what we did.



Cranes sleep on these little "islands" in the river to protect them from predators. So, while we didn't see them here during the day so much, this is prime real estate for early in the morning when the cranes begin their day.



Here's my uncle looking for a perfect picture moment.



It was a lovely day for March and enjoyable walking around outside.



One of the viewing blinds/buildings. 



This one was definitely bigger than the other one. My dad is here next to me and my uncle is the one way down on the other end.



On the trail, heading back to the visitor's center.



The main visitor's center as seen from the main trail.



The next day we woke up to a completely different landscape - cold and snowy. We had originally planned to go to Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park in Kansas, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be. These semis were all lined up, held back by road conditions.



As a Midwesterner, I'm used to it being one season one day, and another season the next.



I took this photo because I love seeing the farm in the background set against the white.



Since we couldn't do our original day trip, we were back out on the backroads looking for cranes.









It was so cool to catch them in flight. 









Look at how many there are. 



Couldn't leave out the cows.  



The last morning before we checked out, we went to a popular viewing patio/boardwalk to try and catch the cranes taking off from their overnight encampments on the river islands.



It was so beautiful. I love winterscapes.



We didn't get that "worth a thousand dollars" type photo of the cranes all taking off at once so after a while, we headed over to the Crane Trust VC. One summer many years ago, I took the kids on a summer day trip to Grand Island, and we stopped here on our way back.



This is a great photo - too bad it wasn't taken with a real camera.






This VC has displays dedicated to the crane migration, as well as interesting information about other migratory birds that make their way through here.









Last photo before checking out and heading home.


I'm so glad that I finally got to have this experience. It's a truly magnificent thing to witness a powerful force in nature, especially after wanting to witness it for a few decades. My dad actually gifted me the camera he let me use during this trip as he has that newer one. Of course, this means that I'll get out there again one day with my kids and get some better photos.








 

Summer Vacation 2023: The Finale

 

Okay, it's time to wrap up this long-overdue vacation series from 2023, so let's get going!



As I mentioned in the first post of the series, the kids and I spent four nights camping on the banks of the Mississippi. This was our setup. We stayed at Rock Creek Marina & Campground, which was perfectly located for all the activities we had planned. But, they also have an eco boat tour every Thursday that's completely free - you just have to make a reservation and can only do it beginning the week prior.



Of course, I booked it the week before so we got to enjoy that our first night there after we got set up and settled. Here we are leaving the little "fingers" of the river that snake into the land.



After we got out of those, we were on the mighty Mississippi itself.



This was the best I could do to get a photo showing the true size of the Mississippi. It's massive!



The tour guide - who doubled as the captain - talked to us about the native species of plants and animals that live on the river. She also pointed out examples of these when they were present and pointed out interesting landmarks and structures that dot the shores.



I love a good sunset photo!



Beautiful.



How cool is it that during this vacation I got to take a boat ride on the Missouri River as well as the Mississippi River? Much like on that Missouri River ride, I took a photo of the wake.



That evening, and every subsequent evening of this trip, was spent around a roaring fire. Nothing better than that!



A few days later, after our time at Wildcat Den State Park, we made the drive to Davenport. While there's not a lot going on there, we wanted to check out their Skybridge. Its spans a road and connects a riverside park with a parking garage.



Once you climb the stairs to the top, you can walk to the end that overlooks the river.



You can also walk down to the other end, which we did. The color of the glass gave everything inside a greenish hue.



After checking out the Skybridge. we went back down and walked along the riverfront.
After this, we headed back north on Highway 67 to our campsite.



In the small river town of Le Claire, we discovered Oleatha Creek Winery, so we stopped.



It was scorching outside, but we wanted to take in the views so we sat on their covered porch. My son and I had wine, and my daughter had a soda. As you know, this was the year I started doing the Iowa Wine, Iowa Distilleries, and Iowa Breweries Passports. I visited enough Iowa wineries with our stop here that I scored a free Iowa Wine t-shirt.



After a glass of wine, we drove into Le Claire and stopped at the Mississippi River Distilling Company.



First up, I had a Bloody Mary - one of my favorites! I rarely drink one, but when traveling or at ladies' brunch, I like to get one. This was one of the better ones I've had.



Again, we sat outside in the shade and we got another view of the Mississippi River.



I had a second drink that included pineapple juice, but I cannot remember the name of it. I remember it was delicious, though.






Right next door is Green Tree Brewery, so we popped in there for one last drink.



Yet another river view with a drink. It really was a perfect vacation. I believe this was one of their seltzers. This stop also earned me another t-shirt, this time for the Iowa Beer Passport. After this, we headed to our campsite and our last fire of the trip. 

The next day we packed up and headed for home. It was a really fun trip and overall, I had a fantastic vacation. I got to see and do a lot in the 18 days I was off work. Makes me wish I was on vacation now. Soon....soon.

Twelve Years Later

The first post I ever wrote for this blog was on April 16, 2012. I originally started this project because blogging was a thing then - at least more so than now - and because I wanted to find my place in the world. It wasn't an exciting post, by any means, but rather a recipe for easy funnel cakes. I didn't post much because I didn't know what to post about. 
That changed when I started writing in late 2013/early 2014. I repurposed the blog to become a way to promote my writing. Along the way, I realized that only blogging about my writing produced few posts so I started incorporating other aspects of my life: homemaking, frugality & money, traveling, hiking, etc. 
It's wild to think that twelve years have gone by. In fact, as I'm writing this it is April 16, 2024 - twelve years to the day. Coincidence that I thought about my blogging career on its anniversary? Maybe. 
Over the years, I've developed a loyal (albeit small) reader base that has been here with me throughout it all. You were here during my married years, the tumultuous years when everything seemed to go wrong, all my book releases, my day trip adventures, vacations, single life, moving, and everything in between. 
Over the years, there have been a few times when I thought about scaling back or hanging it up altogether. I even rebranded one time, before changing back not too long after. 
Now, twelve years later, I'm still doing what I originally set out to do - promote my work and create blog posts that connect my readers and me. 
Thanks for being here, and for those of you who've been with me for years, I'm glad you stuck by me.





 

Summer Vacation 2023: Wildcat Den State Park

Good morning! I've got my cup of coffee (just like the good old days) and I've been editing photos for the long-delayed final posts from my Summer 2023 vacation. As you know from the previous posts in this series, the kids and I spent the tail end of my vacation in Eastern Iowa. When I proposed to the kids a trip to Eastern Iowa they were like, "What's in Eastern Iowa?" While I'm sure you'd think that, too, trust me when I say that Eastern Iowa is a gorgeous and pleasant surprise for anyone who's not been there before. Western Iowa has the majestic beauty of the Loess Hills and the mighty Missouri River, Eastern Iowa has its majestic cliffs, rock formations, and the even mightier Mississippi River.
On the third day of our four days out there, we made a trip to Wildcat Den State Park. It was incredibly difficult to pick a small amount of the numerous and fantastic photos I took, so I included as many as I dared. Enjoy! 


Right inside the entrance is an old school, so we checked that out first.



School's back in session for these two.



Right down the sidewalk from the school is the Pine Creek Gristmill which is on the National Register of Historic Places.






We started on the main floor, obviously, which has a lot of museum-type pieces scattered amongst the intact mill workings.

This mill ground various grains into flour.






This neat illustration describes the process of turning grain into flour.






Looking out one of the old windows gives you a view of Pine Creek - the driving force behind the Mill's power.



You can ascend these stairs to the second floor.






And yet another set of stairs takes you to the third floor of the Mill.



This is a diagram of how the Mill was set up inside.



The third-floor windows were home to some bats (and spiders, too). We also visited the basement after we went back down to the first floor.
We then left the Mill to hit the trails for some beautiful nature.






While not quite as impressive as our time at Maquoketa Caves, it was still impressive nonetheless.



My daughter stands at a wooden overlook into the heart of the park.



The caves weren't as massive as Maquoketa, but they were still amazing. Since we were there at the end of June/beginning of July, everything was so verdant and green.



Frank Roth wanted you all to know he was here on August 15th of 1890. I had to take a photo of it.



So beautiful!



Can you see why it was so hard to choose the photos for this post?



There were many of these footbridges crossing the creek that meanders through the park.






This was the biggest "cave" we saw on our hike.



Kids for perspective.















Man, I could put a house right here and look at this view all day.



After our hike, we begrudgingly left but drowned our sadness in a picnic lunch before heading down the road to the Old Stone Church.



That's Wildcat Den SP in the background.



While we couldn't go in, there were a few signs that talked about the history of the church.

As you can see, Eastern Iowa is nothing to scoff at. Its natural beauty would wow any nature lover. We sure enjoyed our time admiring it.
There's still one more post in this series, which I will get out next weekend. It's a post about our time in Davenport, a fun excursion we did at the campsite, and a few places to have a drink or two. Until then, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.



- H.A.








 

Sometimes It's Just Like That

Life has gotten in the way of me posting these last couple of weeks. Work, specifically, has been quite frustrating. Not only has my office been short-staffed every single day, but I've had a couple of crazy situations that ended up being complex, long, and not really being things I needed to be involved in. Throw in having a bigger than average workload and you have a recipe for job exhaustion. But, sometimes it's just like that. 
At least the adjoining weekends have been noteworthy.



The first weekend of April, I drove down to Missouri to spend the weekend with my friend Audrey. She had gotten us tickets to the KC Ren Fest's Kegs 'n Eggs event. It's an adult Easter egg hunt. I got about 8 eggs, 7 of which held candy. One egg, however, had a prize ticket in it. I won two wine glasses in this green bag.
There was also live music playing and you could get all the free booze samples you wanted. Booze samples came in these:


LOL Which is great except when you want to sit down and watch a band play with a full glass of a drink. So, my tactic was to get a shot (which is what the size of these samples really was) and then get a second one. I'd pour the sample into my prize wine glass and wander around getting samples that seemed like they'd mix well together and repeat.



So, I ended up getting three glasses altogether. Funny story: the first time I did this, I had the wine glass still in the green bag and the bag was taller than the glass. A woman saw me pour my sample into the bag, but not the glass. She stopped and asked, "Are you pouring beer into your BAG?!" I explained what was happening and we both had a good laugh.



I headed back home Sunday morning, making it back before noon. My bestie, Rebecca, picked up my daughter and me, so we could hike out at Hitchcock, one of my favorite spots. 



We took a hard trail, my first in a long time. Back on my healthy life path!



The next weekend, which was the past weekend, I took the kids to see one of my favorite bands from the 80s/90s - The Urge. Man, did they put on a hell of a show!
Sunday, we slept in, packed camp chairs, an outdoor blanket, snacks, and drinks, and headed to my local park, Elmwood Park. Like many city-dwellers, on a nice day, we gather in our green spaces to enjoy being outside. The kids laid out in the sun and I spent a long time with my bare feet on the ground.


Afterward, we drove through the old neighborhood and saw Not-My-Cat. It was a nice, 30-minute reunion.


Things have calmed down at work, and I have a few free weekends coming up, so I'll have those long-awaited posts up soon.

Until then, have a great week!