Personal blog about topics of history, humor, family, life, behavior, community, politics and more.
Gary Dickson shares a humorous encounter with a mountain lion named Nigel while hiking in Dakota Dunes. Instead of a threatening interaction, they engage in a lighthearted conversation about life, literature, and golf. Nigel’s playful demeanor contrasts with common fears, showcasing a whimsical perspective on wildlife encounters and their unpredictability. Continue reading I’m the guy who thinks he talks to mountain lions.
The late, great singer-songwriter John Prine wrote that he tried to stare down a bowl of oatmeal — and lost. I try to stare down an entire shelf full of different kinds of cereal each and every day. I usually win. But sometimes I lose.
And for the record, I don’t care much for oatmeal, so it doesn’t get any consideration here, except in its connection to John Prine, who I miss, a lot.
Anyway, I need my cereal. Why? Because it helps me keep the days of the week straight. Continue reading If this is Grape Nuts, it must be Thursday
A year ago, I found myself facing surgery for a cancerous nodule on my left lung. Here is a fractured recounting of what I remember the procedure was like.
After check-in, I started to wander aimlessly down the hallway towards the emergency room until Nancy and a nurse caught up with me and escorted me to a bank of elevators. The door to one slid open and I spread my arms across the doorway and stuck my head in peering left and right into the cavernous space.
“Is there room for all of us in here?” I said in my best Boris Karloff voice to the elderly couple waiting inside for my wife and me to join them. They may have been having second thoughts about riding the cage when they saw my wide eyes and shit-eating grin on my face. I turned around and gestured towards my wife and the nurse. “Come on in,” I yelled, “I think there’s room for the entire team!” Continue reading Adventures in surgery prep
There are a lot of places to go for a hike around Siouxland. But one of the most interesting places — at least in my opinion — is the hike across the Meridian Bridge that spans the Missouri River over in Yankton.
And if you look closely at the chainlink fencing beside the pathway, you’ll notice lots of padlocks. At least there were when I hoofed it across the span the summer before last. The bridge is an interesting structure without the padlocks, though. I remember crossing over it on my way to Bogner’s Steakhouse in Crofton, NE with a date during college and family during the 1970s. I recall hearing that the bridge used to be a draw bridge of some sort at one time or another. Anyway, lovers or sweethearts, put their initials or names on these padlocks and maybe even inscribe the date. Then they throw the keys into the river. It all symbolizes unbreakable love, I guess. Continue reading People lock their love to Yankton’s Meridian Bridge. But that’s heavy love.
There are always a lot of lofty claims associated with new products and services and this new FTTH has not been afraid to use them. One claim in particular is that the service will increase the value of one’s home. The claim is based on a single study done in 2015 and was sponsored by the Fiber Broadband Association, a national trade organization. Continue reading Does fiber broadband increase your home’s value?
I want to tell you about the next step in our news coverage here at The Siouxland Observer. You got an inkling of it on Saturday, Oct. 14 when I posted the story about the state of Iowa joining the pork producers’ challenge of a new Massachusetts law that bans the sale of pork that doesn’t meet strict hog-confinement requirements. Continue reading Some news about our news
By Gary Dickson garydickson@siouxlandobserver.com Ever since I was 12 years old, I’ve loved to go to car shows. That was when a buddy of mine begged … Continue reading Cars and Coffee event brings expensive European sports car owners and wannabes together for BBQ and car talk
This last Saturday I was up for a good wander. It didn’t take much convincing to get Nancy to accompany me on a journey northwest from Dakota Dunes – to SD 50 and west through Vermillion. Then by Mechling’s six … Continue reading Not Violin, but Volin
The other day I got asked two questions — both which are related to living in the Sioux City, Iowa area. The first question was one I commonly get from people who I’ve recently met: “What brought you to … Continue reading It’s not as bad as it smells
This film, co-produced and directed and written by Twin Cities photographer, filmmaker, teacher and poet Mike Hazard, provides an excellent insight into the late writer Frederick Manfred. Nicknamed Media Mike, Hazard has written, directed and produced five films that have been released nationally on PBS. His documentary on the late Senator Eugene McCarthy was awarded the D.L. Mabery Prize, Minnesota’s Oscar. Continue reading The Lizard, hungry hogs and a photo a day for eight years
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