Iowa Pollen Dabbers . . .

Each year I eagerly await March so that I can return to my roots in Iowa. I visit both Jean's and my parents graves and catch them up-to-date on family and friends. We grew up on Maid-Rites, a loose steam cooked hamburger meat and an Iowa tradition. I normally arrive on Thursday in time to have two Maid-Rites for lunch . . . these I eat for Jean. Then, I go back and have two more for supper . . . these are my two.

Friday morning I was able to visit with a High School friend who graduated the same year as me in 1954, and find out who has died and who is still living. Surprisingly there are many still with us. Then I visited with a man I used to work with and for at the Colfax Tribune newspaper when I was in school. I had not visited with Junior for probably 15 years and although now 84 (10 years my senior) he still looked the same. I really enjoyed this visit and will not wait another 15 years to do it again.

Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting Richard Norris, one of the speakers for the Pollen Dabbers meeting at the airport and transport him to Marshalltown, the home of the Pollen dabbers meeting. We enjoyed daylily talk both directions. I so look forward to this meeting each year and the opportunity to visit with all my friends from Iowa and AHS Region 1.

This year there was a record number in attendance, somewhere around 45 daylily lovers. In the past, 25-30 was a good number. This is the only meeting that I know that has increased in size, most others have had fewer in attendance.

Don Lovell (left) and Phil Fass (right) are the head honchos for this meeting. Don kind of stepped back this year and let Phil carry most of the load, but Don had arranged it for many years. Iowa hybridizers have made great strides in their hybridizing programs much of which is due to Don's influence. I can't say enough about the work of Don, Phil, Nan Ripley, and a host of others do for this meeting.

Two of my good friends from the area are Barb and Bob Papenhausen from East Moline, IL, just across the mighty Mississippi River which borders the eastern edge of Iowa. Barb is an up and coming hybridizer who showed her images for a fist time and did a wonderful job. Bob just pays the bills! :-)

 

Two friends from Minnesota in attendance were Kyle Billadeau and Mike Grossman. Kyle is very active in Region 1 and is editor of "The Daylily Pioneer", the regional newsletter. Mike sells a lot of things on the Lily auction under the name of Mike144mann.

 

The Pollen Dabbers even went international this year. Vicki Aughenbaugh and Donna Steele from South Dakota were in attendance. Wait, Jean just told me that South Dakota is in the United States, must be North Dakota that is international. :-) Vicki is the Regional President and sent me a lot of information for a possible trip to the Badlands.

Next year's Pollen Dabbers meeting will be on March 18-19, 2011 . . . why not put it on your calendar now?