Autumn in the Midwest
Autumn made its annual trek to our small part of the Great Midwest a few days ago. Not officially, of course — the calendar shows that summer still has a few play days left — but anyone who has lived in Ames for any period of time recognizes “the signs” that fall is here. For one thing, our mornings have turned a bit cooler — dipping to a quite-chilly 44 degrees the other day. Afternoons are simply delightful — warm and sunny with those incredibly blue and crystal-clear skies that are a hallmark of Septembers and early Octobers in the Midwest.
And our so-far infrequent breezes have just started blowing the leaves off some of our trees. A few of those trees — not most, by any means — are starting to show the vivid fall colors that always brighten up our streets and neighborhoods this time of year.
Some of the flowers that grew so strong and tall during the summer are now starting to die back. That includes flowers that some of our neighborhood residents have planted to create “waystations” for Monarch butterflies. The butterflies use those “waystations” for nutrients and shelter when they migrate south for the winter. I know virtually nothing about things that grow in the ground, but during my brief time here, I’ve learned about yellow and purple coneflowers, milkweed and other butterfly-friendly plants that any “waystation” worth its name must have.
Another sure sign that fall is here is the corn harvest. It’s just getting underway, and though part of Iowa suffers from drought, this year’s harvest is expected to be good — perhaps quite good. And, yes, farmers around the state have often made use of so-called “harvest moons” — those full moons closest to the fall equinox — to work late into the nights. That’s a neat part of this state’s history, and it’s easy to visualize those hardy farmers in their fields, toiling underneath giant full moons on chilly September and October nights.
Another autumn indicator is the return of football — which seems to play a much bigger role in the lives and culture around these parts than it does out West. On Saturday mornings, our Ames Tribune is chock-full of stories about Friday night’s high-school games — and Sunday issues are dominated, of course, by stories about the exploits of our Iowa State Cyclones. Today’s Sunday Trib had several pages of features and photos about yesterday’s absolutely classic ISU-University of Iowa clash here in Ames.
It took place on a positively gorgeous Saturday afternoon. More than 61,00 fans crammed into Jack Trice Stadium — and remember, this is a community with about 60,000 residents. The spectators cheered and roared and laughed for the better part of a highly entertaining, back-and-forth game. Then, Iowa mounted a marvelous comeback to tie things up and send it into overtime. There, Iowa State opened with a field goal, but Iowa countered with the touchdown that clinched the game.
Normally, when “your” football team loses, you do not harbor positive feelings. But the truth is, this year’s Iowa State and Iowa squads are better than last year’s versions, and both teams legitimately harbor aspirations to a bowl game. But seasons tend to drag on and on, and many things can happen — and often do — to derail dreams. For now, though, both fan bases have honest reasons to be hopeful and enthusiastic.
Fall weekends in Ames are often filled with festivals — many of them on Main Street downtown. Next weekend, for example, the annual Octoberfest takes place, with live polka music, dancing, games and, of course, “authentic” German food. The weekend after that brings our annual Octagon Art Festival, when dozens of painters and photographers and crafts people will take over Main Street to show and, they hope, sell their wares. This one draws hordes of people who spend hours on the blocked-off Main Street, seeking the “perfect” this or that for their homes.
And every Saturday on Main Street — from late spring through October — hundreds of residents wander through the Farmers’ Market. It’s quite a sight, indeed — with Main blocked off so that vendors can set up their booths and tables that are absolutely loaded with fresh-off-the-farm fruits and vegetables. But all kinds of baked and fried goodies are also available, and tables are set up in the middle of the street for those who prefer their breakfasts or lunches al fresco.
I walk through the Farmers Market every Saturday morning, sometimes to buy things and occasionally just to enjoy the sights and sounds and smells. There’s always a band of some sort performing at Kellogg and Main, and the music is smooth and soothing — often jazz. Frequently, I’ll park myself on a nearby bench while I’m listening to the music and watching people of every age stroll by. All of us are here to enjoy a leisurely Saturday, and the atmosphere is what I can only describe as typically Midwestern — low-key and nice. Yep — Iowa nice.
This Sunday afternoon, as is my custom when I’m in Ames, I went with good friends Steve and Beth to the Prairie Moon Winery north of town. The winery hosts live band performances in its giant grassy “yard.” Those bands perform in a gazebo, and those of us in the audience sit in our lawn chairs under large trees. The bands vary in their size, quality and style of music. This afternoon’s group was “Burning Sensations,” and it played rock music loudly and with enthusiasm. Some in our large audience — primarily young women — got up and danced — and more folks (this time, all of them women) got in line when the band’s two drummers came out onto our green space and began marching through the crowd while the rest of the group, on stage, played “Sweet Caroline.” It was sweet and funny, and it created another indelible memory of my time here in the Midwest.
Another sure sign that autumn is here — no matter what the calendar claims — is the arrival of school board elections. Iowa law mandates that all local elections take place on the same date — and this year’s will occur Tuesday. Over the past few weeks, I’ve attended several school board candidate forums here in Ames, and they have been eye-opening. Three women and a man are on the ballot here for the three “open” positions on the board — and they are all impressive individuals. I could see myself voting for any of them — and, indeed, today’s Ames Trib ran an editorial in which editor Michael Crumb wrote that the candidates are “very strong and qualified” — and that “no matter which candidate you support, your vote will not be wasted.”
The Trib went on to say that the candidates “all deserve your vote,” so the newspaper declined to endorse anyone.
I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time on weekdays going to the library. Generally, I arrive in mid-morning after walking two or three miles through our historic neighborhoods. I read the Des Moines Register, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and even USA Today. Then I peruse the shelves for the latest Time magazine, or perhaps for the Economist. I’ll inspect the latest book arrivals, and check them out if they interest me. Then I walk home for lunch.
Generally while I’m eating, I tune into Trent Rice’s talk show on KASI Radio. He’s on from noon to 2 p.m. — after which he finally gets to go home. Trent is also the station’s news director, meaning he’s on the air with newscasts starting at 6 a.m. He and Mel Crippen — fondly known around town as “Mel in the Morning” — have anchored KASI’s morning show for a couple of decades. Mel specializes in homey interviews with everyone from the Chamber of Commerce to the owner of a shop that sells birds. Both Mel and Trent could have moved to bigger radio stations in larger cities, but they’ve turned down those chances in order to stay here. The result is a longevity that allows them to know just about everyone in and around Ames. And they sound oh-so-friendly on the air because, in real life, they are “oh-so-friendly.”
There’s another radio station — a newer one — that’s made a few waves in recent years. KHOI is a volunteer-driven FM outlet that specializes in a diverse music mix and in a morning news/talk program that features long-form interviews and local topics. I wandered into the station a few weeks ago — told the manager I had a bit of a broadcasting background — and found myself on the air a week later. One of these days, I’m going to have to remind the manager that I’m returning to California soon.
And return I must, because we still have a few obligations to attend to in Fresno. But aside from those obligations, being in the Valley in autumn has certain undeniable charms. The temperature has usually cooled from the 100-degree days of August and early September — the air might be (but often isn’t) a bit cleaner, and Fresno State is playing football again.
Well, at least the temperature has usually cooled.