Des Moines – Analog Artist Digital World

Pam’s sister, Jenni Schwartz and Roger Wood, are having a baby and we traveled to Iowa for several baby showers. Jenni lives in Des Moines, Iowa and that shower was held at the Raccoon River Nature Lodge. I was on task to help set up. Pam ordered several dozen tiny wicker baskets which were intended to hold thank you presents for this hot air balloon themed party. She ordered them online and had the boxes shipped to Jenni’s home. The baskets turned out to be VERY tiny only able to hold one candy. In desperation, she made a run to a party store which was going out of business. A few items were on the shelves but many items were scattered on the floor. It was a post apocalyptic scene.She did find some silk gift bags which fit three pieces of ganache and truffles, as opposed to the one that could be held by a basket. She wanted to leave the baskets behind to be returned, but I insisted they were a much needed decoration item.

The lodge had a gorgeous view overlooking a lake to the south. Floor to ceiling windows made the view amazing. We were responsible for all the set up and break down for the event. We rolled out 5 round tables and covered them with white plastic table cloths. Center pieces were rectangular blue place mats with a bowl of caramel/cheese popcorn and the candy bags scattered about. I discovered that the baskets were just big enough to hold 1 Starburst candy, so I raided all the candy to just find the Starbursts.

My main job was to build the balloon arch. I blew up most of the balloons. Jenni blew up the golden balloons since they were easiest to blow up. When they were inflated, golden confetti inside would blow around like they were in a tornado. All the other balloons were blue or white. That is a clue that baby Wood would be a boy. There was one very big blue balloon in the bag, so I tied a basket under it to make it onto a hot air balloon.

Pam designed cute cards with a fox and rabbit riding in a hot air balloon. She brought a stuffed red fox which sat on the serving tables and a metal basket containing baby diapers had balloons attached to it to make it resemble a hot air balloon. We also had paper hot air balloon decorations with a cloud and star hanging below each. I taped them to the blinds on each floor to ceiling window and they were raised or lowered based on how high or low the blinds were raised. The balloons didn’t have baskets, so I placed a basket on the window sill ledge below each making it seem like the balloons had launched without their baskets.

The cake was beautifully decorated reproducing Pam’s fox hot air balloon cartoon. However the cake imploded when we were transporting it. It had a creamy salted caramel filling which caused the layers to slip like tectonic plates. By the end of the evening the cake had slipped and twisted making it look like a California earthquake had hit. It was still incredible delicious….when eaten with a spoon.

About 35 people RSVP’d to the party, but only 15 or so arrived on this Friday night. When they arrived they were invited to put a fingerprint on a hot air balloon image with the fox and rabbit, and sign it, for it to later hang on the nursery walls. The diapers were to be inscribed with messages so the mother could have a giggle when she had to change them in the middle of the night. I drew a poop emoji and signed it. Some of Jenni’s co-workers were giggling and writing on diapers for most of the party.

The Salisbury House and Gardens (4025 Tonawanda Drive Des Moines, Iowa 50312) depends on volunteers for it’s survival. A volunteer sat patiently at the entrance waiting to guide the next guests around the historic property as I sketched the Great Hall.

Only a few rooms on each floor are available to tour. The first floor
rooms included the Great Hall, the Common Room and the Library.

Unfortunately the museum’s historian and curator was let go in order to save money which means the preservation and care of the collection is in danger. She was let go shortly after questioning the management by the executive director to the board. The historic home is not on a sustainable financial path. Nine people have been let go for lack of revenue or
have quit because of an increasingly toxic environment. Today, the nonprofit has no curator, no volunteer
coordinator, no full-time accountant and no marketing director, the
former employees said. The historic home has had a long history of financial difficulties.

Carl Weeks, founded a multi million dollar cosmetics empire in Iowa. On a trip to Salisbury England Carl and his wife Edith found the Kings house which became the model for the new home they wanted to build in America. Construction began in 1923 and took five years to complete. The cost was estimated at three million dollars. Art from around the world was collected by the couple. Most impressive was the library which contains 35,000 rare books.

The family moved into their new home just before the market crash of 1929. The house became too expensive to maintain. To survive they leased the home to Drake University with the stipulation that they could stay as tenants in the home until their youngest son graduated college. Eventually the home was purchased by the Iowa State Education Association for $200,000. The Weeks family moved into a much smaller home.

The Salisbury House Foundation was founded in 1993, to preserve and share the property for the cultural and educational benefit of the public. They began operating it as a historic house museum. Hopefully they are up to the task of preserving the home. But it seems there are bigger problems on the horizon due to mismanagement. Historic house museums have been closing and selling off collections around the country. The executive director admitted that the Salisbury is suffering financially. Revenue has dropped more than 40 percent in recent years, according
to IRS records. It’s serious enough that leaders are considering selling
part of the home’s vast collection. The increasingly skeletal staff seems unable to keep the place afloat. The home is struggling and depends on the generosity of supporters to sustain its existence. The future is very uncertain.