I’ve lived in Iowa for almost 28 years.
        And honestly, I don’t remember ever hearing the term, “Corn Sweating.”
     That sounds crazy, especially since I spent 7.5 years working part-time at a seed corn production site.
       I know about corn drying down as it gets closer to harvest, but “Corn Sweating” seems like a new term for me.
       I was sharing this news with Debbie the other day and she seemed surprised that I had never heard the term, “Corn Sweating.”
       “Maybe I have, I just don’t remember,” I replied.
      According to information on the internet, corn sweating is a natural process where corn draws in water, then releases it into the air through evaporation.
      One fellow said, “That is great for the corn, but when more than 90 million acres of the crop across the country sweats, it releases a lot of moisture into the air, and it makes it more humid.
    According to the USDA Agricultural Research Service, sweating corn can contribute between 3,500 and 5,000 gallons of water per acre to the atmosphere over the course of one to two days. A typical swimming pool contains 18,000 – 20,000 gallons of water.
     I guess that is the reason that it is so humid in Iowa and the Midwest. It’s all the corn grown here sweating like a hog at the county fair.
     That reminds me that I have been photographing hogs at the county fair for 29 years (three times at the Iowa County Fair and 26 times at the Poweshiek County Fair), as of this last week in Grinnell.
     Somehow, I pull it off each year and take pride in capturing some great hog photos with the kids and their prize-winning banners through the years.
      Some of these 4-H’ers and FFA kids spend hours getting their animals ready for the county and Iowa State Fair.
    I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to showcase these youngsters and their prize-winning animals for my readers.
      Back to humidity.
      Growing up in Tulsa it was humid and hot in the summertime.
       I remember many summer days when the temperatures were in the low 100s.
     The hottest I remember was 109. I think a few years ago I read on the news that it reached 114 in Tulsa.
       Toss in the high humidity and that makes for a heck of hot day.
       My folks didn’t get an AC until I was about 10-years-old. They bought a 400 BTU Frigidaire window AC.
       My mom had a rule when I was a kid that it had to be 92 or higher before she would turn on the AC. It ran most of the summer.
      At night, we’d shut the AC off and open the windows. Our house had an attic fan that kept us cool in the evening and night time hours.
       Sometimes we’d have a blanket on by morning.
      Debbie and I took a trip to my native state of Oklahoma in early June to attend a cousin reunion in Tulsa.
      She always keeps an eye on the sky and before we got out of Iowa on the trip, she was warning me of possible storms and tornados during our stay there.
       And that was what happened. Our first night in the motel, she woke me around 1:30 a.m. and asked that I get dressed in case we had to move to a lower floor. It was pouring rain outside and flooding in parts of Tulsa as she watched the storm coverage on the television.
       “Where is this,” she asked, pointing to the map of Tulsa on the television.
       “Right here where we are at,” I replied.
       Thankful there were no tornados in Tulsa that morning, just heavy rain and strong winds.
It rained again the second night during our four-day stay. The storm caused the power at the motel to go out for a couple hours.
     Lots of towns across the country in numerous states are experiencing heavy rains, flooding and weather events this summer.
       North Carolina and Hurricane Helene last fall and the flooding in Texas that caused much destruction and lost lives earlier this month are two of the major weather events.
    My prayers go out to all these families affected by these storms and to the many volunteers who are spending countless hours helping folks put their lives back together.
      In fact, this week, a church youth group from Montezuma traveled to North Carolina to help with cleanup of storm damage from last fall.
       They can all use our prayers and financial support.
     I encourage you all in these tough times to look for the positives and find ways to be difference makers in the lives of others.
       Prayer is a good place to start!
       Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

        I judged 4-H photography at the Washington County Fair on Saturday, July 12.
        This was my third time judging at the WCF and my 13th year since 2012 to judge 4-H photography.
      I have judged in Washington, Iowa, Benton, Poweshiek, Johnson, Polk (Iowa State Fair), Linn, Mahaska, Marion, Warren, Keokuk and Davis counties through the years.
     There were just more than 400 photos entered this year at the WCF and judged. I was one of five photography judges.
       It was a good day as I handed out a number of purple ribbons for some nice photos. My beef photo I gave a purple ribbon to won the best beef award this year. I believe the Washington County Beef Producers hands out that award. I had one, maybe, two photos advance to the Iowa State Fair.
         I handed out several red ribbons and many blue ribbons.
        I typically give red ribbons to out of focus photos or those without a subject or goal. Sometimes a 4-H’er will take a photo of a sunset or sunrise and it ends up being a brush pile or row of trees with no focus or subject.
       I try to suggest they find a fence or fence post with barbwire or something within the brushy area that they can focus on.
        I always explain that a red ribbon is not a negative, but to give a 4-H member an opportunity to learn and improve.
      I have been known to give a 4-H’er a blue ribbon for a photo that has some focus issues. I tend to lean more toward the positive side and honor 4-H’ers for their efforts, even if there is some focus or structure issues.
      For instance, one young 4-H’er entered a photo of her ballet shoes. It was mostly out of focus. I awarded her a blue ribbon because I liked her effort. She was trying something new and that was what I liked about her photo.
      That reminds me of a time some years ago when I was giving photo tips to Poweshiek County 4-H’ers prior to the county fair.
     We had gathered at the Drake Community Library meeting room and area 4-H members brought their photos and I visited with each one about their county fair entries.
     There was one young fellow from Jasper County who was in a Grinnell 4-H Club that participated. He showed me a photo of a herd of cows.
        I asked him what was his subject.
        He said the cows.
        All these cows were in a field and there was no focus or subject.
        So, I suggested that he return and take a close up of one cow.
        He did and it went on to win a blue ribbon at the Iowa State Fair.
       Thankfully, I didn’t hand out any white ribbons this year. A white ribbon is awarded to those entries that do not meet the average standard.
       According to 4-H info on white ribbons, the level of accomplishment is less than expected. Extremely poor workmanship or little thought is given to the exhibit.
        I have handed out white ribbons on a few occasions, but most certainty don’t like to do so.
4-H is a wonderful organization that is making a difference in young people’s lives and I’m happy to play a small role in helping them learn and grow.
       I was not in 4-H, but did enjoy being in Cub Scouts, Webelos and Boy Scouts as a youngster. I attended Boy Scout camp for five years, 1972 – 1976, at Camp Garland near Locust Grove, Okla.
         Locust Grove is about 50 miles east of Tulsa.
         While on my recent trip to Oklahoma, Debbie and I drove by the camp.
         The entrance seems to have changed.
         It’s been many years since I’ve been there and I might have been at a different part of the camp.
      When I was in Boy Scouts, my troop spent a week at camp the second week of June. We enjoyed the shooting range, archery range, swimming pool, canoe races in Spring Creek, the mess hall, snack bar, flag raising and outdoor chapel.
        These days, the camp caters to Scouts, non-scout groups and families for camping adventures.
        One of my favorite memories of camp was attending chapel each morning.
         I liked to eat, but did not enjoy being on mess duty.
       And other time I went on a five-mile hike outside of the camp for a merit badge and was awarded with many blisters on my feet for not having the proper hiking boots and socks.
       The group I was with then built makeshift tents for an overnight adventure, only to have them destroyed in a wind and rain storm that evening.
        My sleeping bag was soaked and I had to let it dry out before being able to use it again.
        Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

        I bought my first batch of sweet corn in Montezuma late last week.
Bud Doane, who sells sweetcorn and watermelon in the old Subway parking lot in town, had 2.5 dozen ears left when I arrived, so I bought it all for $20.
       I gave most of the corn to family members and a half dozen ears to our neighbor to the north. I cooked the remaining four ears of corn for Debbie and me on Sunday evening, lathering it up with butter and salt.
        It was so good!
     My mom sometimes cooked sweet corn when I was kid growing up in Oklahoma. She had a yellow Tupperware Butter Hugger with a salt shaker that we used to spread butter on our corn. The butter hugger was a popular Tupperware item back in the day. I may still have my mom’s in our kitchen.
       In the late 1960s and early 70s, my folks and another couple from our church in Tulsa grew a huge garden on a spot of land on the east side of Tulsa.
        My dad spent hours working in the garden after a shift at his factory job.
      He’d haul his Montgomery Ward Rototiller in the back of his 1967 Chevrolet C-10 pickup to the garden where he plowed the earth and hoed the weeds.
      The two families grew a large assortment of vegetables including sweet corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, okra, beets, cabbage, onions, carrots, radishes, zucchini, squash, lettuce and more.
Fourth of July
       Besides enjoying sweet corn, Debbie and I attended Fourth of July parades and festivities in Grinnell and Montezuma last week where I took photos.
       The Grinnell parade, held on July 4, drew upwards to 100 entries, including one fellow with a toilet stool float advertising his plumbing and drain cleaning business.
     A couple people commented to me about the toilet stool float, saying it was one of their favorites. A member of the Malcom Fire Department also sprayed kids along the parade route. There was plenty of candy being tossed to parade attendees along the route.
      Debbie and I enjoyed a hamburger cookout with the family that evening, followed by a nice fireworks display hosted by our middle nephew, Sawyer.
        The best part of the Fourth of July holiday is spending time with family.
Montezuma also held a nice parade on Saturday with more than 80 entries. There were kids’ bouncy games and a number of food options and vendors selling their wares after the parade. The Montezuma Lions Club also served their famous chicken BBQ meal with the fixings.
       The Lions fire up the charcoal grill pits across from the Montezuma Memorial Hall at 4 a.m. Volunteers and club members cook more than 800 chicken halves.
       The local club has been serving the chicken BBQ for years and the money raised benefits community organizations, scholarships and other events and good causes.
        The annual Montezuma Fireworks display was on hold due to the heavy rains that evening, but did get underway around 10 p.m. Those in attendance said it was a great show.
          Since my cancer surgery in March, I’m thankful to be able to continue covering community events.
        I’m slowly getting my J.O. mojo back, and will soon be going full-speed ahead. I appreciate the many kinds words and thoughts I have received throughout this ordeal. It’s much appreciated.
4-H photography
        I’m judging 4-H photography at the Washington County Fair on Saturday, July 12. This is the 13th year that I have judged 4-H photography. The only year I missed was 2014.
      I remember my first judging experience at the Southern Iowa Fair in Oskaloosa in 2012. I was quite nervous that first time and had to ask for help from some of the other judges on a few occasions.
        The one area that all 4-H’ers can improve on is their project writeups. Taking time to fill out the writeups makes for a better overall experience.
       As for photography, it’s a place where 4-H’ers can share their thoughts about a photo they entered and what drew them to that subject or photo opportunity.
       A few times, I’ve had 4-H’ers who not only filled out the writeups, but they also wrote a separate story about each photo.
        Some tips when taking photos include being aware of the background and trees and brush growing out of people’s heads, making sure your photos are in focus, trying different angles, taking photos from above and from underneath, framing your subject in a window or between two trees, learning to get close to your subject and learning to shoot in manual if you have a DSLR camera. 
Poweshiek County Fair
       The Poweshiek County Fair gets underway on July 12 with conference judging, the bull riding event and county fair queen contest.
        This year’s fair, which is held on July 12 and July 15 – 20, will be my 26th to cover. It starts with the dog show and open class judging on Tuesday, July 15 and ends with the cattle and swine shows on Saturday with a few wrap up events on Sunday, July 20.
        I enjoy being at the county fair and taking photos and writing stories about 4-H’ers and FFA members. It’s one of my favorite times of the year as a community journalist.
        I’ve taken a lot of photos through the years and am now taking photos of kids who I photographed their parents years ago.
       Come on out to the fair and enjoy some good food, good company and watch a show while you are there.
        Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

        If the Guinness Book of World Records had a “stuff” category, we’d win in a landslide.
       We are not hoarders, we just have “stuff” that has been piling up for years. This includes items from two estates – my parents and Debbie’s grandparents.
      After my parents’ estate auction in April 2011, we rented a big moving van to bring “stuff” to Iowa from Oklahoma. Most of those items, including family photos, are still in the garage.
     We’ve sold some of the items through the years via garage sales or online through Facebook. These included an older riding lawnmower, books, toys, television stand, furniture, a quilt rack and household goodies. But there is much more tucked away in our garage and house. One year, we held at least five garage sales.
       A week or so ago, we started the process of decluttering for what seems like the umpteenth time.
      Our goal is to be able to get our Suburban into the garage when a storm brews up. Right now, it’s next to impossible.
     With the help of our oldest nephew, Gavin, we are going to have an online decluttering auction at the Parker house this summer.
       Gavin is owner of Hometown Treasurers, a Montezuma-based business that holds auctions for area folks.
We are currently just over halfway through the garage going through items. In places, plastic tubs and boxes are four deep. 
       And to be honest, it feels good.
     Outside of getting our vehicle inside, just having a sense of organization and being able to find things without sending out the search and rescue team, is calming.
      A few years back, we took part in a decluttering exercise. It was 2017 and the goal was to get rid of 2017 items from Jan. 1 – Dec. 31.
      We made it, but not by much.
      I ended up cleaning out the kitchen junk drawers to meet the goal. There must have been 50 or more ink pens that didn’t work. They all went into the trash.
      And if you are like me, “stuff” seems to sprout legs and walk away.
       “I laid it right there last week,” you try to reason while searching for whatever it is you are looking for.
       Somehow it ended up on the floor under a stack of unread mail or pile of laundry in another room.
       “How did it end up there?” you wonder.
       Sometimes it is a challenge to find the salt and pepper shakers at supper time.
      Debbie seems to know where I put things and while I’m in a panic, she calmingly knows right where I left it and will get it for me.
       It is good to have someone on your side when in a panic or any life situation.
       I admit, it is hard to get rid of things.
     We are doing good. I’ve only pulled one item back out of the auction since we started – a John Deere fire ring that I bought in Oklahoma some years back. I consider that a small victory.
      My hope to have it welded to a tractor or semitruck rim and set up a fire ring in our backyard.
      I also found a nice embossed ice tea pitcher with animals in my parent’s items. My plan is to enter it in the Heritage Division at the Iowa State Fair this year.
     I’ve been entering antique items in the Iowa State Fair for more than 15 years. I won a sweepstakes ribbon a few years ago for an antique Will Rogers clock Debbie bought me on Ebay. It was made by the United Clock Company in the 1940s.
    Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash in Point Barrow, Alaska on Aug. 15, 1935, was considered Oklahoma’s native son. He is also the namesake for my high school in Tulsa.
      And while we are cleaning, I might find a few more collectables to enter in the state fair. And I’m sure there are some important papers or photos that got tucked away on a shelf that will reappear.
       While searching for decluttering tips online, I found a number of helpful hints and rules on how and what to do first and how to toss and what to keep.
       I don’t know if there is any right or wrong way.
      For Debbie and me, we have two tubs – one for keep and one for discard. And the trash can is close by to toss things that need to go.
     By the time we get done, the Parker house is going to be decluttered and as my friend, Ron the Barber would say, looking good.
      The key challenge will be keeping it that way.
       Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

          It’s always good when I get a chance to return to my hometown of Tulsa, Okla.
      It’s amazing how much that place has changed since I left to return to college at the University of Missouri-Columbia in August 1992.
         That was the case earlier this month when Debbie and I made the 500 plus mile trek to the Sooner state to attend a cousin reunion in Tulsa.
      The idea of holding reunion was mentioned by a cousin at the funeral of my Aunt Alice Deese of Fayetteville, Ark., and formerly of nearby Prairie Grove, Ark., in January 2024.
         My cousin mentioned that we have to quit meeting like this.
       Sometime around Christmas 2024, I reached out to my cousin Ronnie, who lives near Fayetteville, Ark., and is the son of my Aunt Alice, about hosting a reunion.
         My mom’s maiden name is Horton.
       My cousin Ronnie put out the word to all the cousins earlier this year about holding a reunion and the response was better than expected.
        We found a restaurant to meet at in Tulsa and set the reunion for Saturday, June 7.
        It was a great event and we all had a chance to reconnect.
       My cousin Dana, who is from February to September older than me and lives in Houston, Texas, made the trek to Tulsa to attend. I haven’t seen Dana since the 1980s. Dana’s brother, cousin Ray was there, bringing his sense of humor and always cracking jokes.
      We also invited a few cousins from my grandmother’s side of the family and three of the four Jackson girls stopped at the reunion.
      We left Iowa on June 5 and drove from Montezuma to Tulsa.
     We spent June 6 touring the McFarlin mansion, which I wrote about in last week’s column, visiting a long-time friend and driving by my boyhood home.
     That evening, we joined friends, John and Sandy, at the Texas Roadhouse for good food and catching up. We last saw John and Sandy in March 2016 during a trip to Branson.
      John, who was born in Iowa and grew up in Riverside, Calif., played a big role in my life. In the early 1980s, John had moved to Tulsa for a fresh start in life.
      We met at a newspaper delivery stop in Tulsa and have been friends for more than 40 years. We worked together for the Newspaper Printing Corporation as district managers. Our job was to make sure the Tulsa newspapers were delivered on time.
      We had weight loss bet in February 1983. The person who lost the most weight in two months would receive $50. I won with 39 pounds lost to John’s 26.
     He didn’t have the money, later giving me his camera, a Konica FP-1. That led to me going back to community college and then MU where I earned a BS degree in Agricultural Journalism (photojournalism) at the age of 38 in 1997.
      We were able to see my brother, Tom, and enjoyed visiting, telling jokes and eating out on Sunday evening.
      And Debbie and I made a stop at the cemetery in Broken Arrow, Okla., to visit the graves of my parents and family members.
      We also visited a long-time friend of mine, Rob and his wife, Diane, at their new home in south Tulsa. They also have a cabin on Spring Creek about 50 miles east of Tulsa near Locust Grove, Okla.
     We left Tulsa on Monday, June 9 and made a stop at Rob and Diane’s cabin, and then on to Fayetteville, Ark. to visit with my Aunt Lynette, who is in a nursing home there. And we visited my cousin Ronnie’s insurance office in the Fayetteville suburb of Farmington, Ark.
    After a night in Springdale, we headed north and northeast through Neosho, Monett, Springfield and Lebanon, Mo., where we visited an antique mall and the Shepard of the Hills Outlet Mall.
    We also connected with Eric, a college friend of mine at MU. He is a photography and art teacher at Lebanon High School. Eric is always gracious to meet with Debbie and me when we are in town.
      We enjoy the Lake of the Ozarks area, but staying there during the summer months is next to impossible. We opted instead to stay the night in Columbia, Mo. that evening.
      On Wednesday, June 11, we drove about 40 miles east of Columbia on I-70 to Williamsburg, Mo., to visit the Crane Country Store. I used to make the trek there on occasion when in college as the store features a deli with fresh-made deli sandwiches, cold drinks and an array of Carhartt wear and other clothing, hunting and household items.
     We didn’t eat there, but on the way back west, we stopped at Artichoke Annie’s Antique Mall in Millersburg, Mo., before heading north.
      I bought some postcards, a cigar box and a Pepsi glass and Debbie found a framed Wizard of Oz coloring book.
      We had planned to eat at Dairy Queen, but ended up at Pizza Hut in Macon, Mo. The food was awesome, especially the salad. A stop at Culver’s in Ottumwa for ice cream was in order before arriving home that evening.
     I’m so thankful for the opportunity to celebrate life with Debbie and catch up with family and friends, especially in light of having colon surgery in March and various other unwanted health issues in recent weeks and months.
      We hope to make the trek back to Tulsa in the near future.
      We hope you are taking time this summer to enjoy life and reconnect with family and friends.
       Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.