One thousand. That’s a milestone number for us, as it signifies the number of editions of The Daily Umbrella we surpassed last week. Our first issue was posted on Jan. 11, 2021, and we have been sending out this daily newsletter every weekday — including holidays — since.

We write a lot of stories for our various publications, each of which is targeted to a specific group. As such, none of you see all of our work. In fact, most of you are only familiar with a handful of our publications. I wanted to find a way to introduce more of our work to more of you, and we came up with the idea of this daily newsletter that would include stories from our publications, our niche sections, our contests and our events. In addition, I wanted it to have “extra” elements you can’t find elsewhere like our homes for sales, commercial real estate transactions, food and dining news, fuel reports, the day in history, birthdays and, of course, our morning chuckle. We also share news and sports from other sources, both locally and nationally.

What I didn’t expect was the overwhelming amount of positive feedback I receive from our readers — much more than anything else we do. Many of these comments can be seen in our Friday mailbag, with the overflow publishing on Thursdays at times, too. I select some of the letters I find the most interesting and run those with links to the previously published items the readers are commenting on.

Just like everything else we publish, access to The Daily Umbrella is free. Since we don’t print or mail this, our costs are minimal. That’s a good thing, as we limit our advertising to no more than five spots, which doesn’t generate a lot of money. But that’s OK. We also see this as a marketing tool for our news and information, and truly effective marketing is never free.

I owe a big thanks to our editor, Tammy Pearson, who puts The Daily Umbrella together every weekday morning and sends it to each of you, and to Beckham Miller, who designed the original piece and continues to tweak it today.

Speaking of tweaking, I am asking a favor today. We created a simple ranking questionnaire to gather input from each of you on what you enjoy in The Daily Umbrella and what you could do without. We will use this feedback to decide on any changes we make. It won’t take more than two or three minutes, so please take the time to complete the brief survey. And thank you for helping us surpass 1,000 issues!

Have a meaningful Monday, and thanks for reading

Shane Goodman
Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com 

DES MOINES FORGOTTEN
Raccoon River Retreat was a clothing-optional campground adventure

By Kristian Day

I’m coming out of left field for this, but the story is too good not to write about. Since it’s the month of November, we often read about Thanksgiving, family and traditions. I am going to be tradition and family adjacent with a long-forgotten, all-male camping/party spot called “Racoon River Retreat” that used to be located near Adel. Personally, I can’t say I ever indulged in a clothing-optional campground adventure, although a few of the nudie cutie/nudist camp films by Doris Wishman cycled through my VCR. That might sound a little dirty, but I can assure, by today’s standards, movies like “Hideout in the Sun” (1960), “Nude on the Moon” (1961) and “Diary of a Nudist” (1961) are the safest racy films you could catch your kids watching.

...

Embracing the Waukee lifestyle
Ripperger and VanHaecke enjoy community

By Lindsey Giardino

When Lynne Ripperger and Tim VanHaecke moved to Waukee in February 2022, they were drawn by the blend of charm and convenience that the town offers. Nestled in a lovely townhome with a picturesque view, they quickly realized they’d found their ideal community.

“We loved the location of the townhome we moved into,” Ripperger explains.
With an appreciation for nature and outdoor spaces, they found the nearby park was a major plus. Living close to it has provided a sense of tranquility, as well as plenty of entertainment for the couple and their dog.

...

These celebrities were born on this date: Nathan Kress, Owen Wilson, Kirk Hammett, Chloe Sevigny, Damon Wayans Jr., Mike Epps, Mekia Cox, Fabolous, Michael Ward, David Ortíz, Han So-Hee, Henry Martin

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to the last riddle: Did you hear about the farmer who played guitar out in his cornfield? The audience was all ears! - Gail Tomlinson, William Snyder, Paula Becker, Carolyn Rogers. Or, it was better scaring away the crows than a scarecrow! - Rex Post

Today's riddle: Who should you consult if you’re having a hard time setting priorities?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the The Daily Umbrella or CITYVIEW, contact:

Mary Fowler
Account Executive
515-953-4822 x311
c: 641-485-0555
mary@dmcityview.com

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