Iowa, what do you really think of it?

Hmmm. Until now I never really thought about Iowa. But now that I'm thinking about it, the University is nice.

Mainly flat. Interesting state shape. Cedar Rapids and Des Moines are the biggies, I think I've been to Des Moines (we went across the country when I was a kid, can't recall if we stopped in Iowa, I suppose we did).

The first thing that pops in my is the fact that Rosanne Barr Arnold whatever it is now went to live there....and I think Kevin Cosner.

I guess I think of it as the eastern edge of the midwest.

What do you think of Iowa Sassy?

I think of my mother's birthplace, Keokuk, which had what was in the early 1900's the worlds largest dam.

Corn and soybeans. Lots of both.

Mr B family hails frow the far reaches of western IA. We still venture out every so often to see his aging grandparents. Corn, soybeans, corn, soybeans....

Manly man Marries Fertile woman (Only in Iowa)

Hot in the summer; cold in the winter. Very.

Flat.

Corn.

Cows.

Also lots of warm fuzzy memories -- my 1st-3rd grade teacher was from Iowa and took us on an annual extended field trip (several days) where we'd see Laura Ingalls Wilder stuff, go fishing, and have a great time. Now, E.G.'s grandma lives there in a great old house where the whole (huge!) family congregates just about every summer.

I like going to Iowa.

Plus it's home to one of my very favorite A2K'ers. (Swimpy.)

If you drive through on I-80, you don't get a good impression, I admit. Corn & soybeans & piggies. You have to get off the beaten path to find the jewels.


Why do you ask?

The thread title makes me think of Bill Bryson's book on his tour of the US - I forget the title - where he recounted his quite short stay in Iowa. It made me growl in behalf of Iowans; I thought it was easy humor at a whole state's expense.

We're used to it, Osso. There's plenty to poke fun at, believe me. I'd just rather talk about the good things.

Is it Iowa City that has the hills? Whichever it was I liked it because the girls all had great calves.

You mean the cows have great calves.

Back in my faraway youth, my parents included me on a photoshoot of my dad's - he made an industrial film for Armour re a feed additive just around the time I was about to buy shoes for the convent. I got to go along as script girl. I took that seriously. I had a little background, as I spent some of my odd teenhood reading the books in my aunt's house, which included several of Zane Grey's, some very dry book about Wyatt Earp, a paperback of the Virginian. So, citygirl that I was, I wasn't entirely uninterested in the west and midwest; I had gotten interest through those books and tv about cowboys.

I ended up really enjoying that trip, and resetting my sights after that, for various reasons. We spent some time in Iowa filming at a cattle ranch, perhaps the Anderson ranch, and perhaps it was near Marshalltown. I remember liking being in Sioux City, which still had a small stockyard (I think).

Not much of a connection really, but I didn't like the quickdump from Bryson.

Pitter,

Iowa City's not that hilly. Are you thinking of Dubuque?

I don't think anything about Iowa-- I sing it!

<bursts into loud obnoxious song which will now be stuck in my head all night>

"You really ought to give Iowa a try!

Hawkeye, Iowa
DuBuque
Des Moines
Davenport
Marshalltown
Mason City
Keokuk
Ames
Cleaaaaar Laaaaake

Ought to give Iowa a tryyyyyy!"

heartland.... so named because the brain isn't there....