Montauk & The Harvester

I have driven by this home many times and never stopped to look in. Montauk was owned by Iowa's 12th Governor. Back in the day when we named our mansions. Today the modest home would not be called much of a mansion, but I'm certain back in 1874, this was something special. It is currently a working farm. In fact the day I was there, they were picking some vegetables. Some of the last of the season. It also has a few short trails. There are also 4 statues of Union Generals on the property. I assume these were added later and the Governor didn't have those amongst the crops. Despite all of the reading that I have done I can't seem to find out why the Union Generals also have statues here. I was really drawn to these statues mostly because of a good friend. He happens to be from Mississippi and as I was dating my wife I used to make quite a few driving trips into the south. There are many constant reminders of the Civil War throughout the south. There are Battlefields, the flag which causes much controversy and monuments to those days gone past. There are also the memories of the people and still even years later much bitterness. I'm still a yankee to many of the places of business that I go to, I can't escape that.

Through many discussions with Bubba, I found the correct way to say richt-yonder and over-yonder and the difference between the two. (Who knew!) I will admit to making a very odd sounding Reich-yonder like I was from France on one of these dialect coaching classes. when I came across these statues. I had to take photos. I wasn't even aware that Iowa sent any soldiers to the Civil War, I was informed differently here.

I worked on details in this series of photos. I have never been accused of being great and covering them, but in this case, I think I did OK. As each of my readers know I like grand vistas, but most of the time, life truly is captured in the small details. I hope you see that in what I collected.

The last series of pictures is from The Harvester. Some will note that I did these blogs out of order when I talked about this course in an earlier blog. I know each of my faithful readers you hate when I blog out of order, but indeed in this case it was necessary.

The Harvester was a wonderful place to play and highly recommended it. Just North and slightly west of Des Moines, in Rhodes it has hole names like Big Hog, Serendipity and Holy Cow. Bales of hay are alongside many of the holes. Unlike Erin Hills you see what the trouble is in front of you and you can plan. I foolishly played aggressivly on hole 9 and got a double bogey for my efforts. On 18 which is laid out almost L-shaped around a lake I found myself in perfect position and carried a 3-wood all the way to the front edge of the green. Needing Birdie to break 80 I was in a perfect spot. A poor chip later and an indifferent putt I meekly took bogey. Nothing is more exciting though than having the chance to break 80 and having nothing but open water in front as you rip a 3-wood to the final green.

I ate in the resteraunt after my meal on the veranda looking over that same 18th hole. Good food. As I left I thought I should have had a cigar and watched the sun set. Alot of fun either way.

As always you can see the whole collection in slideshow format here.

You can also go through the gallery at your own pace here.

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