Clive, Iowa. A long drive through America's breadbasket today--the corn fields remind me of where I grew up. The further East we get, the lighter my heart feels. As much as the Southwest desert reached its bony fingers into my ribcage and wrapped itself around my heart, I never stopped missing the North land with its big lakes and rivers and trees and acres and acres of corn fields. Today was hot and humid, as only the Midwest can be, and the wind over the fields looked like music. Hot, sweaty music. James is watching the Live Earth concert right now as I write this. More hot, sweaty music. Appropriate background music for my blog-writing.

We stopped in at the Fort Cody Trading Post this morning before leaving North Platte, NE. I took the risk of tying Casey outside the shop door and going in with James to look at all the corny Wild West kitsch for sale. I've never left Casey outside like that before and had no idea how he'd handle it. I figured he'd bark his fool head off as usual when we leave him anywhere. But no--he sat politely by the bench where I'd tied him, wagging his tail at everyone who went by, acting like the Perfect Puppy Dog! Which we all know is just an act. But we were very pleased anyway! Of course, tonight when we left him in the motel room during dinner, he barked his fool head off, apparently for the entire hour and a half we were gone. Jerk-wad. So now he's flaked out by the bathroom, exhausted from his anxious labors. He certainly gets our money's worth out of the $10 Barking (aka Pet) Fee we have to pay.

Tomorrow it's across Iowa, around Chicago, and into Indiana. We'll be staying near the Dunes and will hopefully have the time and energy to explore them a bit before leaving. I was there in 1970--I remember the date because we have a home movie of us running up and down the dunes with our then new puppy, Jenny. So 37 years later, I'd love to be able to run up and down them with Casey, and James.

FAVORITE PLACE NAMES FOR TODAY: NE--Ogallala, Cozad, Wahoo; IA--Pottawattamie County, Nishnabotna River, (and not on our route but fun nonetheless) Oskaloosa, Ottumwa