A corn plant in the VE (emergence) stage. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
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The central-Iowa cornfield in these photos was planted on April 30th or May 1st, later than normal due to this spring’s wet, cold weather. The photos were taken Sunday, May 15th.
In the photo above, Jackson is pointing to a corn plant in the VE (emergence) stage. The first leaf collar is not yet visible; it is below the soil surface.
In the middle photo, the two little green spikes toward the top of the photo (you can see them by clicking on the photo) are also in the VE stage. Closer to the bottom of the same photo, the plants are in a more advanced stage. (The early stages are determined by the number of visible leaf collars.)
An explanation of corn growth stages, including leaf collars, is here. Photos, with explanatory captions, of corn plants at varying stages are here.
Corn plants in varying growth stages. (Click twice on photo to enlarge.)
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Jackson, Grandpa Bill and the neighbor's cornfield two weeks after it was planted. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
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The article excerpt below offers an explanation of early corn plant growth. The article makes reference to growing degree units/heat energy.
An explanation of GDUs is at this site. Included is a comparison of the average daily accumulation of GDUs in Spencer, Decorah, Boone, Atlantic, and Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, from 1996-2010 at key times during the growing season.
Click on this excerpt to magnify the text and photo. Note that the photo title includes the word "Pre-emergence." (I.e., this entire seedling was covered by soil until it was removed from the soil for the purpose of this photo.) Posted, with permission, from Field Connection, a newsletter of the Farnhamville, Iowa, Farmers Cooperative Co.
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(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
Bill and our curious grandson Jackson during Jackson's trip to Iowa. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
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Another make-me-a-kid-again time with Jackson has come to a close. With family times involving different combinations of family members and a combination of being in Iowa and Texas, I got to be with Jackson from May 6th until today.
On the way to the airport Jackson asked me why I paint my hair brown. (Sometime within the past few days the topic of painting hair was discussed.) I told him I “paint” it because I’m not ready to have gray hairs. He told me that little kids have brown hair so they don’t need to paint their hair. Then he informed me that in order for me to have brown hair without painting it, “Nanna, you need to go back in birthdays.”
Hmmm. That made me wonder. If I could “go back in birthdays” to any time in my life and stay there temporarily, what age would I choose? Glimpses of younger stages of my life flitted through my brain. While I don’t like wrinkles, nor the fact that my joints will never creak any less, I just couldn’t think of any stage I’d prefer over how my life is now. How thankful I am.
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I’ll soon get back to posting more frequently, including a sprinkling of Rolfe-related posts. I’ll also post more within the next month about Mother’s (Marion Gunderson) watercolors.
(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
The HoodLoupe 3.0 is sandwiched between my camera’s LCD panel and my eyeglasses. While I take photographs, the HoodLoupe hangs lightly on a lanyard around my neck; it is out of the way yet readily accessible. The purpose of the HoodLoup is explained below. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
I’m a little late for Mother’s Day and quite early for Father’s Day. Whatever the occasion, I think the HoodLoupe is a great gift idea for treating yourself or someone else.
This photo was taken on a snowy winter day. However, the HoodLoupe I’m using in the photo is intended for bright situations in all seasons.
The purpose of the HoodLoupe is to, no matter how bright the setting, allow for glare-free viewing of the LCD panel on a digital camera. No more bending over at the waist tucking the camera — with my eyes glued to it and my hand over it — to my chest in an effort to shade the LCD panel.
For about $75, Santa purchased for me the HoodLoupe at B&H Photo. It fits easily in my camera bag and seems weightless when I wear it, on the included lanyard, around my neck.
I’m extremely nearsighted. I like that the HoodLoupe has a +/-3 diopter to adjust for my vision.
The first 70 seconds of the video below illustrate how the HoodLoupe 3.0 from Hoodman is used.
Update 4-14-13: The original video I posted here is no longer available. Today I added a different explanatory video (below) that I think is even better.
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The front and back of the packaging are below.
Front of HoodLoupe packaging. Click on image to enlarge.
Back of HoodLoupe packaging. Click on image to enlarge.
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(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
Yesterday I was blessed to be with Abby, Jackson, Bill, Katie and Joe. We celebrated Jackson’s birthday with several of his little friends and their parents. I highly recommend the octopus float!
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(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
Inis Grove Park in Ames, Iowa. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
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This past Monday the OLLI Photography Field Trips class, of which I am a member, had a photo shoot at Inis Grove Park on the northeast side of Ames. This “Gunder Woods” sign (above) is in that park. Having the maiden name of “Gunderson,” I couldn’t resist including this photo today.
OLLI Field Trips instructor Sam Wormley is pictured here with one of the field trips participants. One of the fun features of the class is that participants get to "play" with Sam's "toys." I took this picture with Sam's 135 mm f/2.0 lens and my camera. Experimenting with Sam's lenses and other accessories helps me determine what I might want to put on my wish list. In contrast to advice from someone who sells cameras, the great thing about Sam's expertise is that there's no sales hype. (Click on image to enlarge.)
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The OLLI Photography Field Trips class will be offered again in the fall. I’ve taken it twice. Why twice? Because it is casual and I learn something new every session. If I can’t make it to every class, it’s no biggee. Also, the class is tailored to take advantage of participants’ growing points. I’m a novice as are many participants, but the course is equally geared toward more advanced photographers.
Sam Wormley is the instructor and will be again in the fall.
The only requirement for taking an OLLI course is that a person be at least 50 years of age. There is a nominal fee.
To have a fall course catalog sent to you electronically (i.e., via email) or via USPS, contact Jerilyn Logue. 515-294-3192 or jlogue@iastate.edu
Here is a list of the current spring OLLI course offerings.
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Also in Ames, on the Iowa State University campus beginning this Saturday, May 7, is David Rogers’ Big Bugs exhibit. In 2009 I took a few photos of and posted about Rogers’ Big Bug exhibit when it was at West Lake Okoboji.
Tomorrow, the creator of the Big Bugs exhibit will be on hand at Reiman Gardens. More information about the exhibit is at Iowa State University’s Reiman Gardens’ web site.
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(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
1971-72 Rolfe girls' varsity basketball team. Front row L to R: Michele Pomerenke (Piprude), Jr.; Joyce Baade (Coburn), Sr.; Louise Gunderson (Shimon), Jr.; Carol Wiegert (Franken), Sr.; Karen Brinkman (Vinson), Sr.; Julie Brinkman (Mintz), So. Back row: Head Coach Al Van Houten; Jean Brinkman (Longnecker), Jr.; Lynn Robinson, Jr.; Linda Pedersen (Tutt), Jr.; Lynn Neugent (Debel), So.; Connie Henderson (Boyd), So.; Becky Smith (Mcmullin), So.; Jeanell Winkleblack (Piconi), So.; Assistant Coach Dennis Duerling. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
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Below are video segments from two Rolfe girls’ basketball games during the 1971-72 season (the year after we went to Iowa’s state tournament). 1971-72 was my junior year. That year our team was minus Laurie Brinkman (Jensen) who graduated the previous spring. During her senior year Laurie led the Twin Lakes conference by averaging 39.6 points per game. She left big shoes that, beginning with the 1971-72 season, were filled by Julie Brinkman (Mintz) who was a freshman when Laurie was a senior.
I remember my dad (Deane Gunderson) would wear his long-sleeved dark red shirt to every one of our basketball games. He also filmed many of our games. The next business day, following each filmed game, he drove to Fort Dodge to deliver the film to the Don Peterson (sp) studio where the film was developed. He then ran the movie reel back to Rolfe so Mr. Van Houten could critique it for us during practice. For the critiquing he and the varsity were in the darkened art (I think?) room on the first floor of the older part of the building while the JV practiced in the gym. (The gym still stands; the art room does not.)
Toward the end of this post is the key* to players in the clip immediately below. The key** for the second clip is also included.
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*First clip — Forward court: Julie Brinkman (Mintz) #21 [short blond hair]; Karen Brinkman (Vinson) [short medium-brown hair]; Carol Wiegert (Franken) [short dark hair]. Guard court: Joyce Baade (Coburn) [medium-length blond hair]; Louise Gunderson (Shimon) [long dark hair in pigtails]; Jeanell Winkleblack (Piconi) short medium-brown hair. Toward the end of the clip: Lynn Neugent (Debel) [below-shoulder-length dark hair in pigtails].
Below is footage of our game when the Rolfe girls’* played against Mediapolis at the state tournament at Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. Rolfe was a Cinderella team; Mediapolis was a veteran state tournament team.
I believe the game was filmed by the Iowa girls’ athletic union. I’m not sure why, but on the 16mm reel that I have, there are not 32 minutes of play. (I.e., part of the game is missing.)
I guarded Barb Wischmeier. She was so tall that to set a screen she had to bend over for her teammates to see over her. You can see her doing that several times in the film. Barb scored 37 points against us and just a skosh more against Allison-Bristow and eventual-champion Farragut. In Mediapolis’ next game (after us), which was against Montezuma, Wischmeier scored 71 points.
Rolfe either scored more than any other team against Mediapolis that year, or else maybe only one or two other teams scored more than we did against Mediapolis. Whatever the case, Rolfe’s forwards scored a lot of points. Mediapolis’ forward court with the high scoring pair of Wischmeier and Mary Schulte was too much for us.
I have probably a couple more weeks of video and articles to post regarding the 1970-71 and 1971-72 Rolfe girls’ teams. Then I’ll get back to my usual variety of topics.
Rolfe (75) vs Mediapolis (103)
Veterans Auditorium, Des Moines, Iowa
March 10, 1971
I have to say that I’m still on cloud 9 after the April 16th celebration. I’ve heard only positive comments about the event. A true litmus test as far as the event’s success is that two people from Rolfe…both people associating with many people…told me as recently as today that they had not heard a single solitary negative comment. Both told me that is very unusual, no matter what type of event. No kidding! Hearing their pulse-on-the-community reports should give warm fuzzies to everyone involved.
It really was a sweet weekend, all the way from hearing two good bands at Wes’s Place in Rolfe to listening to John Young at the RAM Event Center (the former Rolfe school) tell about how he got his start in officiating. (I didn’t know it was Mr. Gilbertson who got John started.) We players got to work with each other once again on the floor during an afternoon scrimmage. (I was so proud of myself that I could still, barely, bring the ball up the court!) Of course, sharing memories with teammates, managers, cheerleaders and faculty in the afternoon and into the evening was the double-thick layer of icing on the cake.
Eight members of the 1971 state tournament girls’ varsity team attended, as well as three JV teammates, three managers and I think two cheerleaders. Also, the class of ’71 (of which Bill is a member) piggy-backed on the basketball celebration and had a class reunion. Faculty members who returned were Dave Spaulding, Dennis Duerling (our assistant coach), Al (and Donna) Gilbertson, Roger and Ilene Pohlman, Bob (and Suzie) Liston and Dick Barrett. And…our Rolfe community!
As my Great-aunt Ruth would say, “Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!”
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*Starters in the forward court were Laurie Brinkman (Jensen) [pigtails], Karen Brinkman (Vinson) [short medium-brown hair] and Carol Wiegert (Franken) [short dark brown hair]. Starters in the guard court were Joyce Baade (Coburn) [blond hair not pulled back], Michele Pomerenke (Pipurde) and Louise Gunderson (Shimon) [long dark hair not in pigtails]. Lynn Neugent (Debel) [dark long hair in a ponytail] played most of the game, especially after Michele Pomerenke was injured. Toward the end of the game the bench was substituted in including guards Jeanell Winkleblack (Piconi) [short medium brown hair] and Linda Pedersen (Tutt) [long blond hair] and forwards Julie Brinkman (Mintz) [short light blond hair, more at the bottom of the screen], Jean Brinkman (Longnecker) [short medium blond hair] and Lynn Robinson [shoulder length blond hair].
(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
This Rolfe vs Twin Rivers basketball game was played at the beginning of the 1971-72 season. I was a junior. 1971-72 was the year following our team’s trip to State. This was also the year we were ranked 8th in the state of Iowa at the end of the regular season. We finished post-season tournaments with a 24-2 record.
For the videos below the descriptions of Rolfe players in red uniforms are as follows. Forward court: Karen Brinkman (45) short medium-brown hair; Julie Brinkman (21) short blond hair; Carol Wiegert (35) short dark-brown hair. Guard court: Michele Pomerenke (13) upper hair pulled back into a semi-ponytail, medium-brown; Joyce Baade (33) short bangs, medium-brown hair; Louise Gunderson (53) long dark pigtails.
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For this game we had three officials. It was the only time we EVER had three officials. The story I heard is that for the double-header games (one boys’ and one girls’) that night, the men who showed up to officiate were subs for subs. One had never seen a girls’ game; the other had seen only one girls’ game.
Due to the lack of seasoned girls’ basketball officials, someone (I think our coach, Al Van Houten) had considered protesting the game. However, Al Gilbertson (then Rolfe’s high school track coach, athletic director and one of our math teachers) was in attendance at that girls’ game. Usually during our games Mr. Gilbertson was officiating games in gyms of other school districts. However, that particular night he was at our game because he had earlier sprained his ankle and therefore couldn’t run up and down the court to officiate.
When Mr. Van Houten saw Al Gilbertson in attendance at that TR game, Mr. Van Houten said he wouldn’t protest the game if Al Gilbertson would stand at half-court as a third official.
I remember as players we were told that Mr. Gilbertson would be at half-court. The made-known plan was that he would not call anything unless the game got rough. My recollection is rough, it was, and call, he did!
You can see the roughness in both clips in this post. In the clip below you can see more of Mr. Gilbertson at center court, including him calling a fowl on the TR player guarding Karen Brinkman.
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By the way, in all the fuss about the 1970-71 Rolfe girls’ basketball team going to State, we never mentioned that as a coach, Al Gilbertson not only led teams to State, but coached two Iowa championship teams. Those were track teams. The Rolfe high school 1967 girls’ track team was the 1967 Iowa Federated State Indoor Track Champion team. The Rolfe high school 1968 girls’ track team was the Iowa outdoor championship team.
Below is a photo* of the entire 1971-72 Rolfe Community School District high school faculty. Bill Hutchinson was the superintendent; Paul Strickfaden was the principal. Al Gilbertson is in the middle row (behind Dick Barrett in the plaid jacket) in the upper right photo.
Click on this photo to enlarge it. Click a second time to magnify even more.
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*This image is taken from the 1972 Rolfe RAM yearbook.
(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
Words cannot express how phenomenal this celebration weekend was in Rolfe. While I’ve received many very, very gratifying thank-yous, those same thank-yous go to the team and those in the Rolfe-and-beyond community who helped make the day/evening a success by volunteering their elbow grease, time and expertise, by contributing funds, by attending AND by offering their enthusiasm. Absolutely priceless.
I’m unwinding, sort of. There’s so much I want to say, although, I don’t know if I will say much because words seem so inadequate. Whatever I post about the weekend might take a little while. Perhaps check back in a week or two. Hopefully I’ll have something posted by then.
For certain, by Friday of this week I’ll post video of more Rolfe girls’ games from the early ’70s, and maybe even a Rolfe boys’ game or two.
(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
I posted the first quarter and second quarter and third quarter audio earlier this week. The game went into overtime. Unfortunately I do not have the audio from the overtime. But by winning 84 to 79 we earned the right to play in the Iowa Girls’ State Basketball Championship!
(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
Marion Gunderson Art (and the Farmer's Daughter) 