Stories from Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Think back to July 5. Right about the time the power went out over the lunch hour here in Spirit Lake, I was making my way out to one of the "big three" flea markets in the area. It was a business mission -- our galleries at dickinsoncountynews.com are filled with photos of holiday happenings around the Iowa Great Lakes. Judging by the crowds I saw on Friday, the 5th, flea markets are a pretty big deal to vacationers and residents alike...

We all could learn to listen better. All of us have at one point ignored the advice of our family and friends, brushed off the orders of our boss and even sometimes tuned out the warnings of authority figures. And even though we have all managed to make it through life to this point somewhat safely, we all could use a bit of a lesson on the art of listening...