From our weather correspondent in Iowa. LZP is the new Jim Cantore.

Is this baby Nell Drake? To tell you the truth, I don’t really know.

This is a tintype I found and now I am wondering if it is a girl or a boy. Unfortunately, some of these old pictures from both sides of my family were mingled together in a small group of drawers.

Of the subject now: I notice that I write “sort of” a lot – an awful lot. I just deleted it from the above sentence right after typing it because as the words appeared in front of me, I went, “Ack! Another ‘sort of’ situation.” I suppose this happens because I don’t really write here; I transcribe the little narrative going on in my head. Perhaps, if during my life, I had seen my words in cartoon balloons beside my head, I would be able to chat more concisely. As it is, I usually go round the barn in my stories. I also see that I use qualifiers a lot. Well, the heck with it, if I tried to change now, I probably wouldn’t be able to walk and talk at the same time. Come to think of it, I don’t walk and talk at the same time very much. I am a person who goes from point A to point B  – and I guess that’s why I don’t like to go on exercise walks with a buddy. I’m out there to WALK and another person just keeps interrupting my thoughts. Sheesh.

Back on the subject of the picture now – pun noticed but not intended.

Those eyes look familiar. I think I have seen them before. Then, again, maybe my mother scooped this old tintype up at the GoodWill on a whim. Maybe this is Sadie Bergenski from who knows where?

And, while I am on the subject – here’s another lady.

I want to say this is my Great Grandmother Sarah Kline Shimp. I remember some relative mentioning a lady standing in a  flowering garden . . . but I don’t remember what relative it was that said that. I think she looks like my grandpa, but, hey, I am the one who can’t tell if the baby above is a boy or a girl.