It seems that since the flood in Cedar Rapids that I'm greeted by something new every time I venture into downtown. On Saturday night, as I drove through Cedar Rapids on my way home from Des Moines, a beautiful Christmas tree was on display on Mays Island. It was breathtaking against the newly fallen snow and Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the background. It was so beautiful that I pulled to the side of the bridge then exited my car so that I could drink in the sights for a few minutes.
There are small things that I notice now that I didn't before. Maybe this is because I'm on the lookout for things, or maybe it is because even the little things seem more important and vulnerable now. In any event, I was captivated by steam rising from a street grate and almost missed the series of four ice sculptures sitting on the corner of 3rd Ave. and 2nd St.
I snapped a few pictures and then sat down on a nearby bench to check the shots. Up and down 3rd Ave. the trees have been strung with tiny white holiday lights. I decided to walk back toward the bridge, with the intention of trying to take a photograph of the Christmas tree on the island, and hoping to capture the lighted tree on top of Quaker in the distance. When I reached the intersection of 1st St. and 3rd Ave., I saw one of the strung trees on 3rd Ave. that had been engulfed in red "caution" fencing and traffic cones. It had a mid-size backhoe sitting nearby, which I'm sure didn't offer much protection from the winter elements. Still, the scene rather epitomized the state of life for much of Cedar Rapids.
You really should consider getting your butt back in the south. Iowa just looks too damn cold!