{"id":10660,"date":"2013-07-06T22:00:51","date_gmt":"2013-07-07T02:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/?p=10660"},"modified":"2024-12-04T17:55:14","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T22:55:14","slug":"smack-dab-in-the-middle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/?p=10660","title":{"rendered":"Smack Dab In The Middle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"06<\/a>Linda Burton posting from Des Moines, Iowa <\/i>\u2013The Journey Across America<\/i> is 70% complete. I\u2019m wrapping up my stay in Des Moines, my 35th<\/sup> capital city. This time last year I was in Olympia, Washington. This time next year I\u2019ll be in Washington, DC. Right now, I\u2019m smack dab in the middle of the country, the part we call \u201cthe heartland.\u201d I\u2019ve found a lot of heart here on the prairie, where people live with wide-open spaces and rich, productive farmland. The cities aren\u2019t big, but the spirit is. Mother Nature commanded my attention as I drove between these last five \"04<\/a>cities \u2013 with floods and tornadoes and my personal favorite, lightning storms. But the people I\u2019ve met overshadowed the weather inconveniences; and that\u2019s what I\u2019ll remember. Like Wanda, and the 4th<\/sup> of July party she put together for many of us in the hotel, bringing her homemade potato salad, and having husband Max grill the burgers (and bring Cocoa in for us to pet). Like Josh and Patrick in Lincoln who took care of my car, adding a special \u201crain protector\u201d after the wash so I\u2019d be safer in the storms, cheering on the Journey<\/i>, and \"06<\/a>wishing they could tag along. Like Sheryl in Topeka, who stopped her work every morning to chat with me over breakfast, and wouldn\u2019t let me leave without getting our picture together by the car. Like Robyn in Jefferson City, who helped me track down facts on Daniel Morgan Boone; and William, who thanked me for writing about the concert at the capitol where he sang a solo. Like the security guys Robert and Fred in Springfield, who were tippy-toed with excitement that I\u2019d come to see their capitol, and followed me outside, still talking, wishing me a successful Journey<\/i>. What is better than that? <\/p>\n

\"06<\/a>Who could have a better work environment than me? I have Alex and Jack to keep me company, a regularly changing landscape, and brand new friends every day. Sometimes the sun rises over my computer; sometimes it sets; my rooms have faced both east and west. Sometimes I\u2019ve gazed at a capitol dome as I work; sometimes, just an ordinary parking lot. Once I wound up in a resort, with gardens surrounding the indoor pool and wrought-iron bannisters that reminded of New Orleans. I stay in hotel chains that welcome my cats; still \"06<\/a>there is great variation in room size, and amenities. Sometimes there are enough electrical outlets to hook up everything in just the right spot \u2013 the Keurig near the sink; the computer and printer on worktables near the window; the \"06<\/a>weather radio where it can pick up the signal. The configurations are always different so with each move I analyze my space; it keeps me on my toes, knowing I can adapt. And so can the cats \u2013 they\u2019ve learned to sniff things out as soon as we arrive, choose their favorite spots, and relax. Jack\u2019s folding chair travels with us; Alex prefers his red blankie on the bed, or a sunny windowsill.<\/p>\n

I hear the stories of people\u2019s lives, and get to share my own. I shared Jim Stembridge\u2019s\u00a0Fifty State Capitols<\/i> book with two young men from Ukraine, here for a summer work exchange; in the breakfast room one evening after their workday ended, we talked about government and \"06<\/a>looked at pictures of all the capitols. I explained why Tallahassee is the capital of Florida to a couple who was visiting from Tallahassee; they had never heard the story of the beginnings of their city; they said they\u2019d go back with greater appreciation for their home town. Young people have told me my Journey<\/i> makes them think about possibilities for their own life; older people have told me the same, and asked for specifics about what I\u2019ve done in the past, and how I planned the Journey<\/i> out. \u201cYou\u2019re 74?\u201d they marvel. \u201cMaybe I can do something like that too.\u201d<\/p>\n

The encounters impacted me too. I was touched by the gentleman who felt compelled to explain \u201cI\u2019m not stuck up, I\u2019m just deaf\u201d as his wife chatted with me, and he didn\u2019t. I was \"03<\/a>inspired by the lady who has chosen to live in the hotel because \u201cit\u2019s cheaper than a nursing home and I get to be my own boss.\u201d Our conversation began when I offered to move a chair so she could position her wheelchair at the table; she shooed me away telling me she had to keep doing things for herself; I understood just what she meant. I\u2019ve seen lives in the middle of change; the mother overwhelmed by day-care expense; she\u2019d been a big wage-earner in the past but was laid off; in her new low-paying job she couldn\u2019t make ends meet and was being evicted from her \"04<\/a>home. The elderly lady whose husband recently died; in the midst of her grief her house burned; the easy retirement years they had planned were not to be. The father about to give his daughter away in marriage; she was moving far from her hometown; \u201cshe says it\u2019s too small,\u201d her father sighed, thinking of the empty nest ahead. The young man in his last year of college, an honors student; graduate school, or straight to work? \u201cI want to work with animals,\u201d he said, \u201cthat is, animals that help people, like the Wounded Warriors. But I\u2019m not sure how to get into that.\u201d \u201cYou\u2019ll figure it out,\u201d I assured him, knowing that he will.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve met people who have faced change, and made their choice. Like traveling. The schoolteacher who had retired just the day before; she and her husband were traveling the country, dressed in playful Tshirts, driving every mile of Route 66 from Chicago to California, spirits high. \u201cWe\u2019re doing the Lincoln Highway next,\u201d they said. \u201cWe plan to see every inch of the USA.\u201d The couple from Germany; \u201cwe started in Washington and end our trip in San Francisco,\u201d they told me. \u201cFive weeks seeing the middle of the United States. Next year we\u2019ll do Canada, and then Mexico.\u201d The young park ranger who just had a baby; \u201cAs soon as he\u2019s three,\u201d she said, \u201cwe\u2019re traveling with him to every continent, we want him to see the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Or like staying put. The widows who have tickets to the Sunday matinees, getting together regularly in friendship and support, adjusting from their old life to their new. The volunteers at the historical sites who now spend their retirement time meeting new people and talking about the things they love \u2013 their town, its history and its current verve; blessed with the gift of gab, and perhaps, a listening ear. Like Jim in Jefferson City, who got the key and let me slip into the legislative chambers, even though they were closed to the public that day. Like Andrea in Topeka, who hand-letters special certificates for visitors on a \u201cquest\u201d to see all the capitols, she did one for me. Like Robert and Fred in Springfield, who greet every visitor with an infectious enthusiasm, starting their visit to the capitol on the right foot. Like Jamison, in Lincoln, who easily switched from telling children\u2019s stories to patiently answering questions for the remaining adults, after the children\u2019s capitol tour ended and they headed off for ice cream. Like Mel, in the Iowa Welcome Center, who loaded me with maps and brochures, and gave personal comments on the Very Best Things to see and do in her wonderful state. What is better than that?<\/p>\n

\"06<\/a>Then there are the animals I\u2019ve seen along the way. I\u2019ve spotted cattle loping down the hill for a noon-day dip in the pond; a horse taking in the sights as he rode down the highway, head out the window and mane blowing in the wind; a squirrel ignoring passersby and bopping along the sidewalk, picking up the bounty; a bunny tucked in the bushes right by the statues of Lewis and Clark, big ears still, and listening, as my camera clicked; dogs woofing it up in the hotel lobbies, twisting leashes around owner\u2019s legs at the check-in desk. \"06<\/a>And my cats, as I rouse them up at every state line, claiming them as \u201cIllinois Cats,\u201d or \u201cMissouri Cats,\u201d and so on. \u201cYou\u2019re 33-state cats now!\u201d I said at the Iowa line, and scratched their heads. (No Hawaii or Alaska for them, remember?) And my food adventures continue to be great; from the surprise of exquisite Thai food at the Blue Orchid in Lincoln, to the absolute perfection of Eggs \"06<\/a>Florentine at the Green Gateau in the same town. I\u2019ve had the fun of eating corndogs in Springfield, where they were invented; the kick of a hearty farm breakfast at the Machine Shed in Des Moines, served by staff wearing red-checked shirts and overalls. During Sunday brunch at the Blue Moose in Topeka, where I commented on the missing grits, the chef vowed to go purchase some and cook them for me immediately, IF I could verify I was from New Orleans, as he was. \u201cI just need Alabama grits,\u201d I answered, and so we laughed. And oh yes, I had barbecue at Bandanas in Jefferson City on Memorial Day \u2013 with choices of turkey, pork, or beef, and a zillion different sauces, including the Kansas City special. What is better than that?<\/p>\n

What new things have I learned? I didn\u2019t know diddly about pigs before I got to Iowa; now I know there are many breeds, I have a little book that lists 29 of them, including the \"06<\/a>Vietnamese pot bellied. I didn\u2019t know there were black squirrels till I got to Kansas. I didn\u2019t know that Kansas City, Missouri is bigger than Kansas City, Kansas, and is home to all those Kansas ball teams. I thought Kansas was flat, till I drove through the Flint Hills. I thought Lincoln was named to honor Abraham Lincoln, till I learned it was really a political ruse that failed. I didn\u2019t know that Frank Lloyd Wright came up with the prairie house design till I got to Illinois, or that Abe Lincoln was one of the first of the \u201cpermissive\u201d parents, letting his kids run around his office while he studied cases at his desk. I began to get \"06<\/a>the hang of why areas were chosen for the location of capital cities \u2013 almost always near rivers, or railroads, but definitely in a spot that was central to the population of the time, and was good for predicted future development. And oh yes, with the arrival of summer, I\u2019ve caught the roses blooming in nearly every town, and the yellow daylilies, reminding me so much of a yard that once was mine. What is better than that?<\/p>\n

Add another 1,605 miles to the 23,692 already traveled, for a total of 25,297 to this point; the Scion is still the perfect car, as far as I\u2019m concerned. Next up, Saint Paul, Madison, Lansing, Columbus, and Albany; by then the cats and I will be far to the east, getting closer and closer to completing our Journey<\/i>. Meanwhile, here\u2019s what I\u2019ve loved during the time I’ve spent smack dab in the middle of the USA.<\/p>\n

\"06<\/a>Springfield (left<\/i>) \u2013 I loved the \u201cEpcot-style\u201d Lincoln Museum and amazing movies there; the Lincoln focus in town, his home and office open to see, the reverence inside his tomb, his bronze-bust out front, pat his nose, lightheartedly; the preserved 50\u2019s kitsch of corn dogs and drive-ins; Route 66, heading west.<\/p>\n

\"06<\/a>Jefferson City (right<\/i>) \u2013 I loved the all-American look; the flag-lined sidewalks and petunias blooming everywhere; the patriotic concerts on Memorial Day; the capitol on a bluff and its expansive grounds; the well-organized history tours; weddings in the park; a community involved, and proud.<\/p>\n

\"06<\/a>Topeka (left<\/i>) \u2013 I loved the tall grasses flowing in the prairie wind; the brick-paved streets in the historic Potwin Place neighborhood; Old Prairie Town; my hand-lettered certificate from the capitol; sitting in the governor\u2019s chair and touring the governor\u2019s mansion; the warmth of friends.<\/p>\n

\"06<\/a>Lincoln (right<\/i>) \u2013 I loved the passion for parks, spread wide across the town; the high motivation of city planners with the Live Lincoln campaign, giving everyone the chance to speak out and participate; the urban forest and banners marking neighborhoods; the University atmosphere, Go Big Red<\/i>.<\/p>\n

\"06<\/a>Des Moines (left<\/i>) \u2013 I loved the lushness of the sprawling farms and rolling hills; the green, green grass in every suburb and every downtown park, well-tended and fine to see; the thoughtful use of riverfront space; the appeal of downtown living; layers upon layers of things to see and do.<\/p>\n

What is better than that?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Linda Burton posting from Des Moines, Iowa \u2013The Journey Across America is 70% complete. I\u2019m wrapping up my stay in Des Moines, my 35th capital city. This time last year I was in Olympia, Washington. This time next year I\u2019ll be in Washington, DC. Right now, I\u2019m smack dab in the middle of the country, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4587,1725],"tags":[2411,2412,2323,3088,2361,3089,3087],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10660"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10660"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10664,"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10660\/revisions\/10664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}