fields of opportunities

After a long drive across an incredibly boring state (Nebraska), I made it to Iowa, where, if you were unaware, there are fields of opportunities!  Seriously; there are!  If you don't believe me, check out their welcome sign!  You know, while we are on the subject, I think some states need to do some serious self-reflection.  I mean, in no universe should Nebraska ever be known as "the good life" and we have already talked about New Mexico.  I just think it shows a lack of critical self-reflection.  I am sure there are things Nebraska and New Mexico are good at, but their state mottos do not accurately depict those things...

But I digress...

After a free concert downtown, dinner, and a wonderful walk around a gorgeous campus with Alandis and Grrtrude, it was time to head to bed after a long day of driving.  Alandis then lovingly treated me to a morning of rest, taking Grrtrude out for her morning walk.  Honestly, I don't even know how I got such brilliant and wonderful friends!  We then went to the farmer's market with Alandis and Grrtrude only to be told that pets were not welcome.  Hmm - funny...there seemed to be a lot of kids running around...I kid. (But seriously - no dogs in an open air farmers market?!  Who made that dumb policy?!)  Here are some pictures of the farmers market and then the lovely coffee drinks we got on our walk back!  Oh, and we also found some awesome graffiti!

farmers market whaaaaat?!

this place was huuuuuuge!

fun folk music being played for the kiddies

i ended up stirring this, but doesn't it just look lovely??  the scone was good too!

hello warrior...

ce n'est pas une pipe or the bespectacled smoking man

a wider view showing off this piece's wonderfully secretive placement

We then went thrifting, which was highly successful and very fun!  I got Alandis this dashing Iowa cutting board, lest she ever forget where she lives....

you are the proud owner of a wonderful cutting board, Alandis!

I also found a nifty vintage suitcase and this nice piece - it is so lovely in its archaic nature.  Plus, it is a freakin' piece of music!  Who would ever make a song named In My Harem?!  Either way, it is a piece of ironic kitsch that I love and want to frame in my new flat...

best thing ever

I also found this and thought it was cute, but not $15 cute...

really wonderful, but so not worth the cost...i do love the statement though!

And look - it's Grrtrude and Tucker, her friend from Tucson!  

bark bark - brush away the clouds, rainy face grrtrude!

I head out for Dayton tomorrow, but had a glorious day with Alandis that was capped off with drinks with my friends Tracy and Georgianna and then Georgianna stayed after Tracy headed home and we had a wonderful dinner the three of us.  You know, it is pretty incredible - I have been sad to leave the places and people I have been seeing along my trip, but my days keep getting better and more lovely.  It is like with each passing day I am relaxing and unwinding all the more from the last four years in Arizona.  It feels so good, and knowing that I am heading toward this goal of my PhD program at Miami (OH) makes it feel all the better.  Gah - it is all so amazing that it is actually happening!  

Tomorrow I am off to Dayton for a couple days and am hoping to head to Cincy one afternoon to check out that whole scene.  It will be nice to see Keri Jane and to unload some of my stuff from my apartment, which her and her wife Rachel are selflessly storing for me until I move into my flat in Oxford!