I enjoy sitting on my deck with a cup of coffee and watching the sun rise. A curious young fox often joins me nearby. It’s a peaceful initiation to the day that forces me to think beyond the urgent issues I will soon face. The young fox simply thinks I might toss part of the muffin I am eating to it. So I do.
While lifting my cup for another sip of coffee and blowing steam off the top, I caught out of the corner of my eye an oak leaf dancing briskly across the deck boards. Amidst its tumbling, the leaf abruptly stopped, as if to stare at me, much like the young fox does each morning. But this leaf didn’t look young. It was brown and dry and weathered, not typical of the other leaves in the midst of an Iowa summer. I noticed this early turning a few years ago and learned that a dry season and the Canadian wildfire pollution were making the oak leaves age. But this year, it seemed out of place, at least with the one leaf in front of me. I wondered why.
I looked up at the towering oak tree above me, and most of the leaves on it were green and vibrant and healthy. But not the crusted leaf in front of me that now seemed anchored to the deck. This leaf was clearly on its final journey.
That old oak leaf made me ponder about our own lifespans. Some of us live long, healthy lives, attached to our friends and family and providing a purpose in this world. Others of us become detached and wither away, alone and aging quickly. Many of us experience both.
My father lived a good life. He certainly faced challenges, but he did so head on in a positive way. Unfortunately, his life ended much too early at age 73. When I was a younger man, 73 sounded old. Now, as I reach the age of 56 in a few weeks, I realize that 73 is only 17 years away. Of course, I hope to live much longer than that. So did Dad.
I feel fortunate that I enjoy my job and the people I work with, I love my three daughters, I adore my wife, and I am eagerly awaiting the birth of my grandson. I have good friends and strong faith. If I knew I would die tomorrow, I would not have many regrets.
Some people in their final days may wish they would have traveled more, learned to speak another language, played an instrument, golfed a few more rounds or ran a marathon. And although some of those and other bucket list items may be enticing, I have learned to be happy where I am at — starting my day on the deck with a cup of coffee, talking with an old oak leaf and a young fox.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
See Shane Goodman's previous columns here. |
|
|
Clear Mortgage meteorology
A stray thunderstorm is possible today. Temperatures will continue to build into next week.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
|
|
| From the July issue of CITYVIEW | | | BELLY UP TO...
30hop
By Jackie Wilson
When approaching 30hop at The District at Prairie Trail in Ankeny, the colorful outdoor patio resembles a large downtown metro area. Maybe because, on the second story of the building, is a New York Life sign. Turning the corner, yet another patio provides both sun and shade options. Inside, the AC is cranked. Decisions. Decisions. Where to sit? The outdoor breeze in the shade seems idyllic on a warm Sunday afternoon to sit among vibrant flowers.
30hop is not a brewery with just 30 hops of beer, as some mistakenly believe. It’s a full-service bar and restaurant with double the amount of beer and spirits, and then some. 30hop established itself in Coralville 10 years ago, and a second location popped up in Cedar Rapids. The owners moved west with its third location in Ankeny, opening in October 2022.
[...] | | | READ MORE |
|
|
| CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | The results have been tallied and published in the February issue of CITYVIEW and online!
|
|
|
Woebegone Wednesday. Sale Barn Café in Lamoni is a wonderful accompaniment to the timeless spectacle of watching humans fighting with one another to control the fates of up to 500 large animals in a day. The cafe's breaded pork tenderloin is as good, and as big, as any in Iowa. Its thin onion rings are special too. The staff tells me they do the paperwork for the Iowa Pork Producers’ BPT contest but never hear back from anyone. That’s an injustice.
|
|
|
Kansas City's Country Club Plaza (CCP) - it's not just for Christmas lights anymore. CCP, which spans 15 blocks and a million square feet of retail and office space, was the country’s first super sized non-downtown shopping center opening in 1923. HP Village Associates purchased the property last month for $175 million. The Dallas-based developer plans to spend a further $100 million on renovations and bringing in new high-end tenants. (WSJ) The Country Club Plaza Intercontinental, which includes the former Ritz Carlton, has "foodie packages" starting in the low $200's per night.
Sinatra haunts, part X. Frank's favorite Old World haunt was the Grand Hotel Vesuvio in Naples, a five-star seafront hotel with views of Mount Vesuvius. Erected in 1882, the hotel attracted Humphrey Bogart, Grace Kelly, and Rita Hayworth, in addition to the Rat Pack. Most summer bookings there go for just under $500.
Today's deals. Kids eat free with every paying adult on Wednesdays at Chuck’s (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines)… Wednesday means a free slice of pie comes with any entree 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Village Inns... Wednesday is steak night at Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines). Steak, salad, potato and bread $14.95... Bordanaro's (6108 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday-Thursday only special on carryout pizza. They start at $6.50 for a 10-inch cheese pie. Each ingredient added is an extra charge, but this pretty much adds up to half-price pies... Barntown's (9500 S.E. University Ave., West Des Moines) Wednesday specials are a pound of chicken tenders with fries and two sauces for $11.99, plus $13 core pitchers of beer... Bottles of wine are half price on Wednesdays at Trostel’s Greenbriar (5810 Merle Hay Road, Johnston)... Tonight is steak night at Club 2000 (411 Indianola Rd.) with potato, salad and bread for $14.95.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
|
|
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Cultivation Center at Living History Farms. It's part of a $6.2 million project that will help attract visitors year-round. The center will include exhibit space, accessible amenities, admissions, the museum shop and offices. Construction is expected to be completed in 2026. Photo/Paul Houston. Below is an artist's rendition of the completed project. |
|
|
| Featured home for sale | | |
$557,000 15122 Buena Visya Drive, Clive, IA 50325
Welcome to this meticulously maintained two-story home in Clive, designed for family living and entertaining. Enjoy being the main hangout with a fenced-in backyard, two basketball hoops and walking distance to two parks, perfect for kids and outdoor activities. Enter through a grand two-story foyer with new wood-look tile floors that lead to the eat-in kitchen.
See the listing here.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
|
|
| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 1701 E. COURT AVE., DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-05-02
SALE PRICE: $35,000
SELLER: SOUTHEAST 23RD STREET PROPERTY LLC
BUYER: 20 E 18TH DES MOINES LLC
ACRES: 0.484
SQUARE FEET: 0 |
|
|
| From the July issue of Urbandale Living magazine | | | Yards with personality
Residents share how their landscaping choices reflect their style.
By Joe Baumgarten
A plethora of pots. A hillside of hostas. Wildflowers willy nilly. Manicured hedges and straight edges. From wild and unruly to precise and planned, the landscaping around a home often reflects the owner’s own unique style. While some prefer lush, thick foliage, others enjoy succulents among a garden of rocks. From a tropical vibe to the charm of a country cottage. From mad about mulch to mad for magnolias. Whatever their preferences, homeowners with a green thumb and plenty of imagination enjoy creating landscaping masterpieces with pizzazz.
Built by hand over time
Cliff Heck is a self-taught gardener. He and his wife have lived in their Urbandale home for more than 25 years. They've raised two sons and a daughter who have long ago grown and flown.
Living on a corner, one of the first things Heck did was build a perennial garden diagonally, facing the corner. He planted sedum (stonecrop) in the front, and it was doing so well that his next task was to halve each one to give it more room and provide a less-crowded look. Sedum is a hardy plant, needing little care other than to be cut down to the ground before winter.
[...] | | | READ MORE |
|
|
FROM KCCI: Des Moines police charge driver with homicide for crash that killed woman, injured 3 passengers. ...READ MORE
FROM WHO-TV: Audit of ESA administrator shows extra costs; Dept. of Ed provides explanation. ... Sand estimated that the amended contract doubled the amount that the state had to pay to Odyssey, around $2.7 million. ... READ MORE
FROM WOI-DT Local 5: Blue Zoo Aquarium in West Des Moines euthanizes shark that bit staff member. ...READ MORE |
|
|
ESPN: Team USA defeats Germany after WNBA All-Star Game struggles ...READ MORE
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Former Cowboys WR Michael Gallup Surprisingly Retires From NFL at Age 28 ... READ MORE
CBS Sports: Equestrian gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin withdraws from Olympics after video shows her mistreating a horse ...READ MORE |
|
|
1911: American historian encounters Machu Picchu ruins. On July 24, 1911, American history scholar Hiram Bingham gets his first look at the ruins of Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca settlement in Peru that is now one of the world’s top tourist destinations. ... READ MORE
1847: Religious pioneers settle Salt Lake Valley. After 17 months and many miles of travel, Brigham Young leads 148 pioneers into Utah’s Valley of the Great Salt Lake. Gazing over the parched earth of the remote location, Young declared, “This is the place,” and the pioneers began preparations for the thousands of followers of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as Mormons) who would soon come. Seeking religious and political freedom, the Latter-day Saints began planning their great migration from the east after the murder of Joseph Smith, the Christian sect’s founder and first leader. ... READ MORE
2005: Lance Armstrong wins seventh Tour de France. On July 24, 2005, American cyclist Lance Armstrong wins a record-setting seventh consecutive Tour de France and retires from the sport. After Armstrong survived testicular cancer, his rise to cycling greatness inspired cancer patients and fans around the world and significantly boosted his sport’s popularity in the United States. However, in 2012, in a dramatic fall from grace, the onetime global cycling icon was stripped of his seven Tour titles after being charged with the systematic use of performance-enhancing drugs. .... READ MORE
|
|
|
| Birthdays and notables | | | Happy Birthday Celeste Tilton!
These celebrities were born on this date: Jennifer Lopez, Dylan Hoffman, Benjamin Flores Jr., Bindi Irwin, Mara Wilson, Kristin Chenoweth, Rose Byrne, Cailee Spaeny, Danny Dyer, Anna Paquin, Mitch Grassi, Kyle Kuzma, Karl Malone, Barry Bonds, Lynda Carter, Emily Rickards, Torrie Wilson
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
|
|
The answer to yesterday's riddle:
Why can’t you wear glasses on the football field? BECAUSE IT IS A CONTACT SPORT! - Gail Tomlinson
Today's riddle
Where is happiness made?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
|
|
To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or the Iowa Living magazines, contact:
Jolene Goodman
Vice President
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 319
Mobile: 515-326-0082
jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com
©Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc., all rights reserved.
www.biggreenumbrellamedia.com. Add webmaster@dmcityview.com to your address book to ensure delivery. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Click here to get it delivered to your inbox for FREE! |
|
|
This email was sent to:
email@example.com
Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc.
8101 Birchwood Ct Suite D
Johnston, Iowa 50131
|
|
|
|
