Whittier, Stone City, Springville, Waubeek . . .

I went and visited the in-laws this Easter weekend.  I took the K Model in the truck so I could get away and explore the twisty, hilly backroads of this part of Iowa.  I cut through fields, worked trails, crossed about a dozen streams(small bridges of all sorts) and basically rode every road in the area.  Mercer Road is a hilly ripper of an adventure !   All types of old gas stations (make cool shops), buildings, mills, etc.  This old, Catholic stone church was quiet as a mouse on Easter morning.  A beautiful piece of pride and togetherness - once bustling and ringing with small children and church hymms - quite sad.  The artist Grant Wood helped establish an art colony in the 1930s here.   I took a break, as I shut down my bike, and relaxed in the grass - taking it the beautiful view of Stone City below.   I wonder what this church looked like on Easter morning in 1908, 1920. 1941 (with boys gone off to war), 1965 . . . ?  (I'll bet there wasn't a '52K with hot cams parked by the front door.)  A clump of wild Daffodils growin' in the ditch (I've never seen that !)   Lots of history - a great weekend all together . . .