Friday, April 01, 2011

Starring Patty Mason, David & the food


Feed me well and I'll follow you anywhere --- one of the reasons why you'll understand if I say that from my point of view the meal was the star of last night's Wayne County Historical Society annual banquet and meeting down in Corydon. In the interests of fair disclosure, Patty Mason (who catered it) is married to David Mason (a cousin), who assisted. Ken, who reads here sometimes, will recognize (I hope) the Masons as sister-in-law and brother; Julia, Laura, Nancy, Linda and others --- they're your cousins, too.

Now the menu was similar to what's served at many events of this type --- meatballs, baked chicken in a sauce I really liked, cheesy mashed potatoes, green beans, a big broccoli salad with raisins and other stuff, Jello (of course), bread and killer dessert --- especially whatever looked a little like a rainbow, seemed to include cake, pudding and fresh fruit and was served up in generous portions in plastic cups. But it was cooked perfectly, was fresh, actually looked and tasted like home-cooking (rare in banquet fare) --- and if you hadn't piled your plate full enough the first time you could go back for seconds. It was wonderful!


The Prairie Trails Museum also stars in these annual events. I've told you before that this is the finest and best-arranged local history museum in Iowa and certainly at the top in the Midwest in general. Somewhere between 80 and 100 of us ate last night and you can get some idea of the size of the place by noting how much room there is in the commons area of the vast west gallery where events like this are held.


This is the museum from the outside. The sun was in the wrong place to encourage good photographs, but the huge barn east of the main building is where farm displays are housed and the main museum beyond.

This year's speaker was an interesting guy, too --- Mike Chapman, of Newton, a retired newspaper sports type who launched a couple of years ago a magazine called "Iowa History Journal." This is popular history, rather than scholarly history, so you don't have to be devoted to footnotes to enjoy it. It's issued six times a year and sounds like fun.

He had some really interesting things to say about a variety of Iowa sports legends --- including Nile Kinnick and Jack Trice. If the Journal sounds like something you'd be interested in, you can find out more about it by clicking here.

All in all, it was a great way to spend an evening. If you're in the Corydon area this summer, be sure to stop at Prairie Trails Museum --- you'll be amazed.

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Before I forget it again, I've been intending to pass along this link to the live cam that's been focused for several weeks now on an eagle's nest in a tree top at the state fish hatchery in Decorah. The eggs are just about to hatch, so the fun is about to really begin.


I've been watching since February (after the link was passed on to me by Dianne; thanks again). And since a heck of a lot of people do tune in every day, you already may know all about it (you will have to watch a commercial but don't worry, it doesn't last long).

When the hatch finally does occur, those of us who are regular watchers are going to feel just like new parents. I sure hope everything goes well.

1 comment:

Ken said...

Ummmm . . .. I can taste my sister-in-law's cooking now. It's sure hard to beat!