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Trinity Hanson, 9 years old, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the granddaughter of June Ottoway, who works at Piggly Wiggly in Dodgeville and was a longtime renter of my Mineral Point apartment. Trinity had the experience of her young lifetime recently when her school class was visiting the University of Iowa in Iowa City. When the bus arrived there was a whole bunch of security around and they were told to stay in the bus. When the "All Clear" sign came they filed off of the bus in single file and each one of the students got to shake hands with Barack Obama, the President of the United States, who happened to be campaigning in the area at the same time the students made their stop there. When telling her grandmother all about the experience, Trinity said, "Grandma - Do you know he's the most powerful man in the world?"
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It was "National Day of Poetry" day last week and the Dodgeville School District took part in the celebrating. Tym Allison's class toured the downtown in Dodgeville handing out poems to people to help make their day. I took a photo of the group and one of the students handed me a poem and I had her read it to me. She did a great job. It went like this: THE COW.  "The Cow is too well known, I fear To need an introduction here. If She should vanish from earth's face It would be hard to fill her place. For with the Cow would disappear So much that everyone holds Dear. Oh, think of all the Boots and Shoes, Milk Punches, Gladstone Bags and Stews. And Things too numerous to count, Of which, my child, she is the Fount. Let's hope, at least, the Fount may last Until our Generation's past" - Oliver Herford.
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There's a big celebration taking place in Hyde on Saturday, May 12. Hyde is located north of Ridgeway, heading towards Arena. It's call "Territory Days" and will feature a lot of activities and demonstrations from years ago like rope making and blacksmithing plus wagon rides. It should be a fun day in the area.
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There are plenty of plant sales in the area with the Spring Plant Sale May 5 at Ss. Anthony & Philip Church in Highland form 8 a.m. to noon and Iowa-Grant Schools plant and bedding sale starting May 8. There will be a bunch more, including the famous Uplands Garden Club's plant sale on May 19 from 8-11 a.m. at Harris Park in Dodgeville. St, Malachy Catholic Church in the town of Clyde will hold a plant sale & silent auction on May 12 from 8-noon in an effort to raise funds for maintenance to the church. There won't be a shortage of great looking plants to buy had if you want them!
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Another note - a special woman I had the chance to know through a special friend who died a few years back (Elden Hillary) by the name of Nancy Bonjour has been diagnosed with bone cancer. There is a fundraiser for her May 12 at Countryside Lanes in Hollandale from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. A stop there would help her out in a big way!
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Last week had to be "Iowa and illinois Visit Southwest Wisconsin Week". I cant tell you how many vehicles with those two license plates I saw either parked in a parking lot near a store or going down the street. I must admit the Illinois drivers have come a long way in learning to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. i believe it's now law to do so in that state. But, the Iowa people haven't learned yet! I walked out in front of vehicles with those Iowa license plates on them twice and forced them to stop for me to cross the street. you'd think when the vehicle coming from the other way has already stopped they'd get the hint - BUT NO! I had someone observe me walking out in front of one of the vehicles and forcing it to stop midway through the intersection and they said "one of these times they aren't going to stop"! I said that I knew that, but it's a challenge!