Amtrack and Art in Flash

Thursday night in Lacrosse.

These are not real great pictures. It was getting dark and the light wasn't terrific. They were taken with cell phone and two of them are cropped. But I like them anyway. There is a romance to trains - to passenger trains too. The idea of people going places.

I bet there's rich folks eating in a fancy dining car
They're probably drinkin' coffee and smoking big cigars.

Then last night Jim and I went to rub elbows with culture at the art center in McGregor. We were in farmer mode and stuck out like sore thumbs. We need special wardrobe for meeting the outside world. Was a bit like the grizzly bear hunt in Prince Rupert - that's an inside joke. Anyway the art was beautiful and very interesting. There were still wooden bowls, a fabulous $7200 painting of the Lansing bridge, there were Fish Sticks - art made from found objects/read trash from along the river. Here's a link

We ended up going to Old Man River to eat with one of the artists and her traveling companion - at dark haired china doll who is the poet in residence in the artist's town. The poet's day job is teaching at the university of Alaska in Anchorage. She is from Georgia with I believe Rhode Island roots.

The Old Man River was also entertaining a bunch of teachers from Cedar Rapids on spring break. We were all pretty darn lively.

Note: The food and service and ambiance and whatever you want from a place like that were very very good. Prices were fine too. They've come a long way from when we would wish we could bring our own waitress. Pat was perfect.

Then!!!! We went to a bar!!! I have not been in a bar since to quote the man in black 'can't remember when'. The bar was spectacularly well lit which was ok too. Nice time with vast conversation continued to ensue until like Cinderella I had to come home and get my 750words finished. May 30th will be my 500th day. The artist and poet understood perfectly.