#14 – Live After Five

Enjoy Live After Five Friday evenings during July and August in Central Park, 102 West Fourth St., Ottumwa, call 641-682-7541.

#89 – The one where we go to market

Visit Farmers Market in the Market Street parking lot, Ottumwa, Wednesdays, 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm and Saturdays, 7:30 am – 10:30 am throughout the summer.

I am not ashamed to admit it, but I like markets.  I spent a bit of time in Europe, and visiting the markets on Saturday morning was always a great thing to do – so much activity, such a variety of stuff, so many people to see.

#49 – A cop, an indian, a sailor, and a construction worker want to work out

Young men!  There’s a place you can go!

Work out at the YMCA, 611 N. Hancock, swim , exercise, call for more information.

Off the List – Children’s Theatre

Driving home from work one evening (okay, more likely late at night), I noticed a promotion on the Bridgeview Center board touting the upcoming production by The Ottumwa Community Children’s Playhouse (whew, say that seven times fast) of “The Pied Piper”.  Since not much else was going on that weekend, plans were made.

#45 – Oooh, Aaaah, Ohhhh!

Get your mind out of the gutter – the Red Garter Parlor closed down a long time ago.

Watch the fireworks in Ottumwa Park on the 4th of July, HWY 34 & 63.

It was bloody miserable out – 93 degrees, according to the notes I have, with a humidity in the 80s.  Sticky, hot, damp from the floods and previous rains… but the 4th of July is a tradition, and my wife’s favorite holiday.  So trek out to the park we did.

#22 – Look! Up in the Sky!

Attend Ottumwa Pro-Balloon Races held in June of each year

After being told for several months how big a deal the annual pro balloon races were, I was excited for the big weekend to arrive.  The fact that it came on the heels of flood watch only served to buoy many people’s spirits.

#7 – Go Gothic

Take your picture in front of the American Gothic House, one of the world’s most recognized images made famous by Iowa artist Grant Wood.

It is part of an American icon, but probably three-quarters of the country does not know it actually exists.  The house portrayed in Grant Wood’s American Gothic is located in southeast Iowa, in a town of less than one thousand people (as of the millennial census), Eldon.