Searching for Elwood

Ann really wanted to find Elwood, the world's largest concrete garden gnome, so we headed off to Ames, Iowa to find Reimen Gardens (on the campus of University of Iowa) where he lived. When we arrived we discovered that dogs were not allowed in the garden. Ann pleaded with the woman who said, "If you put a blanket over him and I don't see him then I won't know I let a dog in." So...Charlie went undercover on our quest.

Although not much was blooming yet, it was beautiful with sunshine and birds singing.

Flying pig sculpture.

Water features.

Longhorn cattle made from scrap metal.

This eagle was made entirely from kitchen utensils.

Tower gong.

The Midwesterners love their bike races.

We found him!

Elwood sat right around the corner from the children's garden.

We then drove to the campus library to view the Grant Wood mural series. He's the artist who did American Gothic. We ended our trip here eating lunch at the campus cafe.

Traveling in the heart of Lincoln country.

Ottowa, Illinois is the site of one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates.

We found a local place that had an outdoor patio so we could go out to dinner. They had fantastic onion rings and beer.

If you read the book Radium Girls you know the sad, true story of radium poisoning of female workers who painted watch dials with self luminous paint.

Ottowa was also the site of one of the Whispering Giant series by artist Peter Toth. He honors the Native Americans and has carved one of the Whispering Giants in all 50 states.