Tuesday, September 27, 2016

#15 Iowa State Quilt Square

Hi Dear Folk,

On to Iowa #15 State Quilt Square.

I have not traveled in the Mid West States with the exception of a short work trip to Waterloo, Iowa where I did some software training many years ago.  I flew from Philadelphia to Chicago and because Chicago is a big, busy airport hub city I almost missed my little puddle jumper of a plane to Waterloo.

It was in the middle of winter February I think and very cold with long nights.  I did enjoy looking at the patchwork of fields as we flew over and that aerial view certainly does look like a quilt, with little farmhouses set on corners with trees around to break the wind.

I read somewhere that the Prairies of the USA would be equivalent to the Steps in Russia, with a very similar weather pattern of extremes.

I remember eating lunch in what must have been an old Woolworth's store or something like that, with the tin ceiling and old wood floor.  We had a hearty taco style soup and it was so good.

A tragic happening to Waterloo, Iowa that has always stuck in my mind is the Sullivan brothers. It happened during WWII, in the Pacific, all five Sullivan brothers were in the Navy and all drowned when their ship sunk.  It seems that more would have survived if there had not been some kind of misunderstanding about the ship even being missing, lots of the sailors were eaten by sharks as they waited for help, which only came by chance.  After that terrible loss to one family it became policy not to have all the members of a family serving together.  There have been several documentaries about this and even a movie The Fighting Sullivans.


Christy

1 comment:

  1. Can't imagine the pain of those poor parents. I love looking out of the windows in a plane. How good to see all those fields and farms.

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