Solon Beef Days 2011

Solon Beef Days is like a little town fair, held the third week in July, in "little town" Iowa. In many ways it reminds me of the Warren City Fair, circa 1970's. Neighbors gather with a certain amount of expectation of seeing friends they haven't since, well, last Solon Beef Days.

Attending this celebration of all things beef (though locals refer to it jokingly as "Solon Beer Days", I'm sure you can guess why and correctly on your first attempt) has become one of my landmarks of fun during the year.

The first year I attended there was a really good Rod Stewart-Soundalike band.

Last night I got to watch my first "Hay Bale Toss Contest". It reminded me in a lot of ways of the first rodeo I had attended in Cheyenne, WY at Cheyenne Frontier Days. For a short while you're there watching, then wondering, what all the hoop and hollering is about, and before you know it, you're joining in the fun.

So it was last night as I found myself caught up in the groupthink atmosphere, soon cheering on a total stranger in the hopes he'd toss a bale of hay over (what appeared to be the local high school's pole vaulting equipment) 15 feet into the air. When he was done I found myself cheering with equal exuberance for another total stranger to do the same or best the previous attempt.

It was all good fun, complete with two pretty gals (much like the Rounds girl in a boxing match) to raise the bar during the competition.

It ended in a tie, by the way, when the two local farm boys simply could not out do each other any longer ... and with a hug these two beefy (remember it is "Solon BEEF Days") fellas, exhausted, clasped hands in a congratulatory salute that only the two competitors could fully understand.

Count Your Blessings Lemonade Stand

From July 6, 2011

Among one of the wonderful little gifts I received today was this ...

I was out for a morning walk on an already hot day, and just beyond the halfway point I happened upon a youngster shouting at the top of his lungs "LEMONADE! GET YOUR DRINK RIGHT HERE". I'm not sure to whom he was yelling, perhaps the cars driving by with occupants on cell phones or radios blaring sounds that on some level someone finds entertaining. All the same, undeterred, their he was ... advertising this joint venture. For a little further up the sidewalk were two more youngsters and a table and a large pitcher of lemonade and some very attractive plastic cups.

I was thirsty, but I also knew I didn't have much money on me.

No problem, even though I had the little earbuds in, and one little one's voice was already fading behind me, another youngster invited me, "would you like a free cup of lemonade?"

I acknowledged "I really couldn't pass up a free glass of lemonade on a day like this". As one youngster poured my cup, another one, with all the grace of a "The Price Is Right" model showed me the various ware and wristbands they had made and were available for a small donation.

Feeling kind of sheepish, I dug in my pocket and one of the youngsters was quick to remind me there was no charge for the lemonade ... I still didn't feel right and offered them a quarter I had been saving. I knew it wasn't much, but both of the kids were so gracious and flattered as I praised them for such a delicious cup of lemonade.

As I continued down the sidewalk, another well positioned youngster smiled and barked out "LEMONADE, GET IT RIGHT HERE", while she held a sign up high, and nodded a "thak you" to me for accepting a cup.

What a wonderful blessing in the middle of a little walk ... to happen upon such pure innocence of the lemonade stand of children, spreading good cheer under the watchful eye of Moms and Dads.

Thank You God for such a gift of purity and "Amazing Grace" to such a "wretch" as me on this day.

I've been wondering about this since 4th grade ...

and I think I figured it out yesterday while watching the Guy Lombardo Show on PBS ... (yes, I enjoy watching that and the Lawrence Welk Show as well ... there is humor, it is wholesome, and I like it).

Now, don't misunderstand me ... it is not as though I have been in deep continuous cogitation on this matter since elementary school ... but, I remember learning that the piano was part of the percussion family and that did not make sense to me until last night while I watched a performer play the harp with quite masterful speed and precision. As he played I noticed the similarity in sound between the music advancing and the sound of a piano ... but I was certain a harp is part of the string family, and, as already mentioned, I recalled that a piano is part of the percussion lineage.

So as I sat and watched I pondered what is the difference between the two instruments and how they are played, even though they are capable of producing similar sounds in the right hands?

What makes one a string and one a percussion?

I noted that the harp sounds are the result of the hands pulling or plucking on the strings, while the sounds of a piano result from the pushing or pounding of the hands on keys that result in a hammer striking the strings ... this pushing motion reminded me of the motions needed to elicit the sounds of other percussion instruments, like drums.

I concluded, therefore that this is why the piano is a percussion instrument, because of the percussing action that results in a sound.

When I "googled" it, I found out I had reasoned through to a correct conclusion.

Now, it is true I might have easily looked this up some time ago, but it was more fun this way!