Ohio is not the Midwest

What is home?

- Mel

The concept of home is something I’ve struggled with since I first left Cleveland in 2004-ish. It was a brief “pack everything I own and drive across the country” relocation that found me returning to Ohio approximately 8 weeks later. Tail between the legs, financially broke, romantically heartbroken, et al., ad nauseam, shit you go through in your 20s when you try to run away from your problems both figuratively and literally.

I moved away “for good” over 9 years ago – first, living in Pittsburgh for 6 years, and now the Des Moines area for over 3 1/2 years. I’ve had varying degrees of emotional attachment to Cleveland since relocating. When we lived in Pennsylvania, it was an easy road trip several times a year. I struggled with feeling disconnected, particularly after my grandparents passed away. There was no longer an open drop-in location. Going back to Ohio meant the trappings of stress, anxiety, not recognizing anyone anymore when we went out… guilt. I was determined to make this Pittsburgh-is-my-home identity my replacement.

I mean, it mostly worked… except for falling back in love with the Browns and clinging hardily to that fandom amongst a sea of everything black-and-gold. WHO EXPECTED THAT?!

Now, living in Iowa, we’re required to take at least two flights to get back to Ohio. The trips are fewer – at least once per year, but sometimes twice. The travel stress is different, and after setting boundaries and a rotating holiday schedule a few years ago, the feelings of guilt have dissipated. I’ve started to cry at the airport the last two times I’ve left, including this most recent trip over the weekend. It was such a wonderful homecoming for a cousin’s wedding that included none of the tug-of-war for visitation. We all had to be at the same place at the same time, and most of us (ahem) were on time.

“Where are you from?” people ask when I say I’m not from Iowa. It usually starts with, “Well, I moved here from Pittsburgh…” or “Originally from Cleveland, but I was in Pittsburgh for six years before here.” The definition of home is kinda fuzzy, but I find myself more using Ohio as my answer. I can still shit on its insistence that it is the midwest (because I’m from there and it is NOT). Sure, I get sad when I leave, mostly because of honest-to-goodness happy memories that were made. But I can also honestly say that I don’t miss it, especially when I return to Des Moines and I am bursting of love of this place we’ve made our new home.

It’s a complicated relationship.

Farm Report: 3.29.19

- Mel

Picked up my bike from its fresh tune-up at Rassy’s (newly-outfitted with a sweet new rack and pack for extended outings and insulated storage for Farmer’s Market picks) – and I am ready for warmer weather outdoor adventures. I am a huge fan of winter, but this one really bummed me out. Conditions were often not fun (or safe) to be out and the amount of snow and ice we received held a lot of barriers for outdoor access. Last weekend, I was FINALLY able to do one of my long training runs outside for the first time in this half marathon plan. I am SO READY to be outside more regularly: more skating, more running, more biking, more hiking, more general adventuring without 18 layers of clothing.

MOOtube

I’m a little obsessed with live animal cams PARTICULARLY around birding breeding season. I was pretty excited to learn of a live cow cam from Iowa Dairy Center… until I attempted to log-on and error boxes screamed all WRONG BROWSER (only compatible with Internet Explorer, which… who uses that besides work organizations and what workplace is going to allow you to watch live cow cams?). So, if you’re at your work computer reading this, let me know how it is!

Cow Cam selfie
Feeling cute. Might delete later.

come to the corn

I recently celebrated my third anniversary of moving to Iowa. And while I’m not originally from here, moving away from a larger city was… a relief. We can endlessly argue whether Ohio – where I am from originally – is actually the Midwest (FWIW, I don’t). But one thing’s for sure, I am positively in love with this state I call my new home.

extra credit: Moving back to the Midwest {via Vox}

midwest shenanigans

80/35 announced their festival line-up for this summer, and I. Am. PUMPED.

Have Volvo, Will Travel

- Mel

One of my favorite things is a road trip. Being in the heart of the US has offered me the opportunity to visit – ha, LIVE IN – states that sat empty and unloved on my Visited States map. Since moving to Iowa, I have crossed off Minnesota (not where Milwaukee is), Wisconsin (pretty sure this is where Milwaukee is), and Nebraska (I have since traveled there 4x in two years). States where I drove through while “finding myself” (aka running away from all my problems over a decade ago) that I have since revisited: Oklahoma and Missouri. For some reason, me and Illinois can’t break up because I have road-tripped there more than enough for one sane person’s lifetime. Oooh, and I get to cross off South Dakota this fall when I travel for a derby bout.

states I visited road trip blogger

I once went to a rowdy New Year’s Party in Manhattan, Kansas ten years ago (BH = Before Husband) to celebrate the drunken life in this country’s Little Apple. This was before Uber and all I remember is standing in an auto wash waiting for a cab to return us to our creep motel on the other edge of town. In other words, I’ve got Kansas covered and crossed off.

Adventures are fun. And you don’t know fun until you visit the Puppet Museum in Independence, MO.

So where do you consider the Midwest line to end and the Great Plains border to begin? We can argue for eternity about our Eastern cousins. Hahahaha, GET OUT OHIO. I’m pretty certain that Idaho is not in the Midwest… but is that Great Plains or considered the West? West to me is Arizona and California, and Pacific Northwest is Washington (where I FINALLY visited this past summer).

Farm Report: 3.16.17

- Mel

Rain and snowy sleetish shit today… and of course, WIND. There’s never not any wind here in Iowa. Chicago, the declared Windy City, can bite me.

so cornfused

Based on the number of birds and deer grazing in the fields (and my front yard) over the last week, I would have assumed that the seeds have been planted for the upcoming growing season. That may be true for my grass, but corn is not seeded until early April (the more you know! *ding*). I learn something new every day living in this great Corn King state.

cows in ponds

I hurt my ankle somehow yesterday, and I SWEAR that I am not on any drugs (unless you count an entire box of Honey Nut Cheerios as medication), BUT I am positively entertained by images of cows in ponds. They stand in leg-deep water and just… chill. It’s hilarious!

SEE?!

midwest shenanigans

Did you pick a Midwest team in your Final Four? MIDWEST IS STACKED. I don’t know, that’s something that ESPN says. I picked Cincinnati to win. If we go by the Ohioan standard, they technically claim themselves to be Midwest (though NCAA does not), so however you need to reconcile that is fine by me. But also know that I have never won a bracket challenge when I didn’t pick Kansas.

Farm Report: 6.16.17

- Mel

Not your average baseball scouting notes! But seriously — why are so many baseball players from Iowa? In this weekly wrap-up, I’ll start with an argument over why Ohio is/isn’t in the Midwest. Spoiler alert, Cleveland: Iowans don’t think it is! I’ve always preferred the Great Lakes regional moniker. But what say you?

gratuitous corn shot

32-foot long ear of corn

summer lovin’, happened so fast

My tomato plants and I are loving this sunshine! And I’m pretty sure the Iowa corn has grown 2 feet in one day. Preparing for a few days of high heat & humidity, and the rain this weekend should help keep everything green and blooming.

PS: Was Sandy dead?

midwest shenanigans

Speaking of Ohio, I’ll be returning home over the weekend to eat some midges.

And afterward, I’ll be having brunch at Urban Farmer.

How fitting.