Iowa Before the Caucus

 After Monday night, all of Iowa will be breathing a sigh of relief as the presidential candidates vacate the state, turning their attention to New Hampshire and beyond. I live just across the bridge in Nebraska, and I'm getting sick of all the television ads too-at least we're spared the telephone calls.
As you've probably guessed by the green grass, I'm not really standing in a field in Iowa, but in front of a nifty backdrop at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum.

I had to laugh at the Guardian coverage of the Iowa campaign. The photo-essay that's supposed to tell you all about Iowa and corn has a farmer (out)standing in his field...but it is a field of soyabeans, not corn. I know there's corn in Britain-perhaps not as much as the US, but there is corn. I think the problem is more a generation of editors that grew up with Birdseye, and have no idea what it looks like growing. Could have been an American editor that messed it up. Damn kids wouldn't know a vegetable if they had it stuck up their ass. *Ahem*.  Anyway, to help out the youngsters-corn is the tall stalky stuff with the tassels at the top, and funny offshoots at the sides. Soyabeans grow on leafy bush-like green plants closer to the ground. "The corn is as high as an elephant's eye, and it looks like its climbing clear up to the sky..." Soyabeans...well, no one writes songs featuring them (that I'm aware of).

I enjoy this museum, and they frequently update the exhibits keeping each visit interesting. The museum is staffed by former Union Pacific employees that can answer just about any question a railroad buff can throw at them. 

I've written about the museum before, so instead I'll just post a few photos that might get you interested enough to plan a visit to Council Bluffs. If you do plan a visit to Council Bluffs, get in touch with me because I know where all the good thrift stores are *wink*

 There's a great display of the various china and silver services used on the trains over the years.

 You can listen to the dispatch centre too.

 When the movie, Union Pacific was made, locals turned out for the premier in period dress. Some of the costumes are on display in the museum. I've never seen the movie, which seems wrong. I'll have to track down a copy.

So that was our visit to the museum. We're expecting a horrible storm on Monday evening (foot of snow, 50 mph winds-that sort of horrible) and there's some concern that people might not want to turn out to caucus, particularly in rural areas. I think perhaps the media underestimate Midwesterners, though I did go ahead and cancel some plans I had for Monday and Tuesday. It does sound like it will be bad, taking into account the tendency for the media to exaggerate storm threats. We'll see. It was 56 degrees today. Go figure!

 The museum is in the former city library. A volunteer told me an interesting bit of trivia I'd not heard before. During the war, the city had all the original stained glass windows removed for safety, and they were eventually tracked down, and replaced when the building was restored as a museum-except for one that remains missing. I'm sure it will turn up at some yard sale years from now and has been sitting in someone's basement since the war!

Man, I look like I've been hidden away in a basement since the war...well, the Vietnam war anyway. `

Here's a close-up of the lace trousers. They're lined, and comfortable enough to wear, but the devil to photograph! Lace and beads. 

 I swear it hadn't dawned on me that a carpetbag probably wasn't the best thing to wear to Iowa right before an election when they are inundated with politicians from all over the country. Danny was sure I did it deliberately (I didn't).

 Outfit Particulars:
1970's polyester jacket-Thrift World
Blouse-Marshall's a few years ago
Black tunic beneath it all-Dots, about 16 years ago
Lace trousers-Fairy Tail Costumes, Omaha
Clogs-Dillards, ages ago
Necklaces-Both thrifted
Earrings-K Mart
Bracelets-Both Hand-Me-Ups
Butterfly brooch on jacket-Thrift World
Carpet bag-Thrift World
Lippy-Estee Lauder Maplesugar
Fragrance-Judith Muller Bat-Sheba (there's a whole LOT of patchouli and oak moss happening in there!)

"Yeah?" 

Oh look- a glimpse of myself as a sullen teenager. I swear I'm not in a bad mood!

 I won't try this pose in a gale-might end up over the rainbow or something.

I do love the trousers, but they're not a very good width, so I'll be taking them in. I don't mind wide trousers, but these aren't quite wide enough, or slender enough to be useful. I have another similar pair that are unlined to be worn with interesting leggings beneath-I'll leave those wider.

If the forecast is correct, I won't be needing a holiday to play in the snow.

We have a small party planned for Monday evening to watch caucus coverage, play a vintage board game called, "Candidate" and possibly fit in the new X-Files. The storm is expected late in the evening so hopefully we won't lose power. At least if the power does go out, it will be cold enough to store the contents of fridge and freezer outdoors.

Hang-in there Iowa, the end is in sight!