first snow, fat flakes

first snow, fat wet flakes

falling on the square through flags

honoring veterans

Always, it's moving to see hundreds of American flags standing at attention in rows all around the town square. They appear like magic on national holidays -- Veteran's Day and Independence Day. This year on the 11th day of November the flags really are moving, blown about by a wind bringing the first snow of winter. Two young women and a toddler, sensibly dressed in parkas, are strolling along the flag-bordered walks. They are greeted with wide arms by a man not so sensibly dressed -- shorts, no socks, no hat -- but their effusive group hug is enough to warm everyone.

portrait artist sketching

portrait artist sketching

two girls sitting in one chair,

one smiling at me

Two girls sit for their portrait during Artwalk, held every first Friday in and around the town square. The theme for July is Party in the Park. It's a clear, warm evening, so lots of folks turn out.

An entire family sits on one bench to share popcorn and listen to the band.

Teenage boys and girls gather in two groups, close but not yet together.

Two friends chat next to the bench with the statue of a Civil War soldier telling stories to a young boy.

A little boy wears a Frisbee on his head.

A magician amazes a group of children (and their parents) with a rope trick.

A tender moment between mother and son.

A father feeds his baby.

A grandmother holds her granddaughter.

Two boys play with two babies in a stroller.

A girl waits for customers at a concession stand.

A little girl enjoys a drink with two straws.

A toddler in a polka dot dress and shoes holds someone's blue shoe. I wonder whose?

A boy engrossed in playing with a green ball.

Two friends share a cozy moment at Flying Leap Art Gallery on the west side of the square.

riding in a wagon

riding in a wagon

lit up for Christmas, drawn by 

a pair of Clydesdales

The day after Thanksgiving, the town square gets all lit up for Christmas. The whole place looks like fairyland and everyone is in a festive mood. People wait in line for a free ride around the square in a big red wagon decorated with colored lights, drawn by a pair of Clydesdale horses. A little boy counts the reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh going round and round in the bandstand. Young children with their parents line up outside a little red hut for their turn to sit on Santa's lap and whisper what they want for Christmas. The days grow shorter, the nights longer and the weather colder, but holiday cheer warms the heart.

pop cans in their hair

pop cans in their hair,

eyes sparkling with green glitter,

am I going too fast?

We are in the midst of Dog Days, the sultriest days of summer, when Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, dogs the sun. I only wish we could blame the heat wave on a far off star. Still, it was a tad bit cooler for Art Walk, Fairfield's community festival held on the first Friday of every month. On the town square there's live music in the bandstand, food and craft booths, fun activities and lots of socializing. The theme for August is "Bark in the Park," featuring a parade of dogs. This year the Glitter Truck arrived for a new coat of glamour. These two bright stars with shiny pop cans rolled in their hair have been gleefully adding tinsel to the truck as well as sparkle to their eyes. Am I going too fast? Not if you're young at heart.

rainbows, stars, angels

rainbows, stars, angels

joyfully drawn with colored chalk

on the town square sidewalk

All Things Italian is one of our favorite annual events on the town square. The day begins early and goes late into the evening. On the sidewalk on the west side of the square, chalk artists create their colorful designs, some simple, taking just a few moments, others complex, requiring hours of patient labor. John Stimson is the artist of the amazing Giovanni angel, which took six hours to draw.

white alley divides

white alley divides

mannequins from revelations

of used books and pizza

An alley with a long white wall bisects the block between the town square and the county courthouse in Fairfield, Iowa. On one side, a small boutique with headless mannequins on display and a sign in one window: SHUT. On the other side, a large used bookstore with a wood-fired pizza oven, filled with consumers of food for the soul, with a sign on the door: OPEN.