Flipping things around...
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Welcome to the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Flipside, or midweek, edition. This is a collection of posts that veer away from politics and policy and focus on food, family, farms, and funny stuff.
Here’s a lively lineup of this week’s Midweek columns from the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative — a mix of personal reflections, humor, travel tales, interviews, and unexpected heartstring tugs (read Phoebe Wall Howard).
Below are pictures culled from the various postings this week. Can you match them with the writer?
Music
Carol Montag
“Put a Fork in Me” — Carol Montag brings you a lyrical, melodic update worth tuning into.
🔗 Read it here
Chip Albright
25 years apart, Willie Nelson and Lukas Nelson brought timeless magic to the Val Air Ballroom. A heartfelt musical reflection.
🔗 Read it here
Kathryn Severing Fox
Discover the magic of "story songs" with Silver Creek Soliloquy—where every lyric is a chapter, every note a memory, and every song might just be about you.
🔗 Read it here
Around Iowa
Dana James
Retired Army Major Don North is leading a national effort to honor the trailblazing Black officers who trained at Fort Des Moines in 1917—challenging racism, rewriting military history, and finally receiving long-overdue recognition with a powerful historical marker unveiling on June 14.
🔗 Read it here
Darcy Maulsby
See why Mark Wilkins’ eclectic NAPA store remains a destination in Lake City.
🔗 Read it here
Robert Leonard
Bob Leonard and Violet the Dog share their almost daily adventures at Cedar Bluffs Recreation Area in SW Mahaska County. This week: golden oyster mushrooms and spider clouds.
🔗 Read it here
Sports
Maxwell Schaefer
When Ross Edwards returned to Raccoon Valley Little League, he found a field frozen in time. His volunteer effort revived it for the next generation.
🔗 Read it here
Books, Art
Rachelle Chase
On the "Reading with Rachelle" podcast, Rachelle Chase joins The Culture Buzz to discuss The Stories They Hear: Expecting Greatness as the Key to Success with Dr. William A. Keyes.
🔗 Read it here
Business
Tej Dhawan
"You shouldn’t have to have a son who is a pharmacist to get such care," says a mother. A reflection on access, inequity, and healthcare dignity.
🔗 Read it here
Entertainment & Travel
Lisa Grouette
Lisa Grouette takes you on a brief tour of sleepy-but-surprising North Iowa — a treasure trove for tourists.
🔗 Read it here
Marianne Fons
Fons recounts her recent travels, where neckwear items went missing in motion — a stylish travelogue with scarves gone rogue.
🔗 Read it here
Food & Dining
Katy and Julie Gammack
On rainy Sundays, when golf was off the table, our dad traded clubs for a chrome Waring Blendor—and whipped up popovers so sky-high and golden they’re still legendary (recipe for paid subscribers, with love from our pantry to yours).
🔗 Read it here
Human Interest
Phoebe Wall Howard
A mother of a 3-year-old assault victim tells her side of the courtroom struggle to achieve justice.
🔗 Read it here
Christie Vilsack
Christie Vilsack shares the story of Dr. Rachelle Karstens Keck, President of Grand View University and a former student.
🔗 Read it here
Humor
Vicki Minor
The Quest for My Name on a Coke Bottle — minor annoyance becomes a major obsession.
🔗 Read it here
Daniel P. Finney
Finney's 5: Unintended economic and social consequences of doing away with the penny.
🔗 Read it here
Dudley (Julie Gammack)
Julie Gammack's dog, Dudley, has been dictating a column through her for several months. He has authorized her to put it in the Iowa Writers' Collaborative Roundup. If you need a smile, Dudley is here to serve.
🔗 Read it here
Media
Joan Zwagerman
Teens are always on their devices. This column dives into how it affects their mental health, framed by the Netflix series "Adolescence."
🔗 Read it here
Lea Donovan
The usual delightful blend of Iowegian-British wit and wisdom — this time, Alan and the arts.
🔗 Read it here
Poetry
Kurtis Meyer
A big anniversary for St. Francis is the launching point for this thoughtful and poetic meditation on our common home.
🔗 Read it here
Religion
Pat Kinney
A Memorial Day tribute to two military chaplains from Northeast Iowa — the first killed in action in WWII and Vietnam.
🔗 Read it here
Spiritual
Dan Henderson
The proposed 2025 Republican budget prompts a reflection on disconnection — from each other, from values, and from the natural world.
🔗 Read it here
Strictly Personal
John Naughton
Abraham Davenport, once sentenced to death for theft in 1737, fathered a legacy of Revolutionary War heroes. A personal Memorial Day tale.
🔗 Read it here
Daniel P. Finney
Gratitude for readers' support and a candid look at what’s still needed.
🔗 Read it here
Connie Taylor
A woman drinking a beer in a cemetery with her late brother sparks a touching memory. Connie still toasts them both.
🔗 Read it here
Agriculture
Matt Russell
We need more cows, more farmers, and more people in rural America.
🔗 Read it here
Here’s what
says about the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative:I’m a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, a unique collection of over seventy(!) professional journalists, writers, and songwriters. Here’s the rosterof our writers. Please shop around and sample a few. When you fall in love with one of the writers’ work, think about transitioning to a paid subscription.