My View...

Finally, a sunny day! The image I’ve included is the view from my desk. I have to admit, I really love my office and the view it affords me of our fairgrounds. When I’m stumped, need to collect my thoughts or just take a short break as I wrestle with numbers, I gaze out my window. I’m always amazed at the activity that I see going on, even without the Fair. For instance…

 

As I snapped this picture a maintenance truck was going by loaded with snow. With the Iowa Beef Expo starting next week, our maintenance department is trying to clear snow out of the barns area for all the cattle and trailer traffic. On several days next week, I’ll look out and see pickups and trailers parked along the road in front of our office.People walking their dogs or running. Yes, even on these cold days, I always see two or three people go by.

 

School buses – I’m assuming they are drivers in training. And speaking of drivers in training, many a “mean” parent has made a child stop and start a manual transmission car on the road in front of our office. I just hope that they don’t want them to practice parallel parking between my car and another!

 

Tactical units – one summer day I observed a tactical unit practice hostage rescue by storming the Cultural Center. And, when a presidential candidate visited, a Secret Service agent (fully armed) walked by to take up a position on our roof.

 

I know the Fair is about two months away when I see the golf carts go back and forth from the Cultural Center to Grand Avenue for the Pork Expo; a month away when our crews put up the tarps on the AE Dairy Stage and about two weeks away when Campbell’s moves in their Corn Dog stand.

 

And I get such pleasure in the simple act of watching the squirrels. On hot summer days, I’ll often see one taking a break by laying spreadeagle on the top board of the bench outside. And, now in this snow covered world, I’m amazed how they can seek out a nut they buried in the fall -though I have to admit it hasn’t been recently. (I’m just waiting to see a salted nutroll rather than an acorn get uncovered some day.)

 

The fairgrounds is always busy, no matter what time of the year and I feel lucky that I get to see it from such a neat vantage point. As I watch the seasons change out my window, I’m reminded again and again of what the Foundation is trying to accomplish and how worthwhile it is to preserve and improve such a treasured fairgrounds. As Allyson mentioned in her opening blog, we really hope you’ll be able to get a new appreciation of all that happens during the year and how much we value your support.