Tag Archives: Iowa

A Brief Tale

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Marty Ryan

Have you ever gone skinny dipping? If you were a boy living in Vail, Iowa, during the 1950s and 1960s there was just about no way to avoid the practice of diving into a farm pond sans clothing or swim … Continue reading →

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We, The Jury

Posted on March 19, 2022 by Marty Ryan

In many states, and in some federal jurisdictions, you may be excused from jury service if you are over the age of seventy – no questions asked.  Jury duty used to be something that many people disliked.  Not me.  I … Continue reading →

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The Tipsy Pine

Posted on April 6, 2021 by Marty Ryan

I was talking to my sister on the phone Easter Monday, and for some reason, the Tipsy Pine came up in conversation.  Good God, what a dive! We laughed and laughed at each other’s stories about that place.  The bar … Continue reading →

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The Vail Independent Basketball Tournament

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Dennis Mohatt

The Vail Independent Basketball Tournament was a cornerstone of our youth in Vail, Iowa; a waymark in the passage of every year, for every kid growing up in Vail.  The Tourney was sponsored each January by the Knights of Columbus, … Continue reading →

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Hey, Joe! Where you going with that gun in your hand?

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Marty Ryan

WARNING!  Do not read this while eating! After writing about one of my favorite watering holes when I was younger, I had a few people ask me to write to about Homer’s brother, Joe.  I blogged about Joe’s brother, Homer, … Continue reading →

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Big Yellow Taxi

Posted on October 28, 2020 by Marty Ryan

When I was a child, our home had a row of American elm trees separating our property from our neighbor to the south.  I climbed one of those trees so often that I could get to a branch 20 feet … Continue reading →

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