Saturday, October 11, 2008

The Hawkeye State

We've arrived! Still staying in a hotel, until the furniture joins us on Monday, but the driving is over at least.

A few initial observations on my new home state:

1) There's a lot of corn growing in Iowa. I mean, fields and fields and fields of it.

2) Premium gas is cheaper than regular here. Something to do, I assume, with ethanol and the aforementioned abundance of corn.

3) Although all the pollsters and pundits seem to have Iowa labeled as a solidly blue state, we saw scads of McCain signs as we crossed the state, and not one Obama one.

4) Wind farms are not only smart, but they have a majestic beauty as well. An awesome sight, really. Go, T. Boone -- you da man.

5) Wide expanses of farmland over gently rolling hills are downright beautiful. Certain individual farms, however, stink to high heaven. A few select spots here should be required to own a windmill to blow that stench into the stratosphere.

6) Ain't no marketing gurus naming Smalltown America. We drove through the thriving metropolises of Early, Moville, and Correctionville, among others. (However, I've got the perfect city motto for Moville: "Mo' is Mo' Better!")

7) My NJ friends who have never visited The Heartland simply can't conceive of how expansive and beautiful the sky actually is.

I've used the word "beautiful" several times here. I suppose that bodes well for our stint in the Hawkeye State, huh? :)

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Glad you made it there safely.

Carla

GJK said...

Thanks! So am I! :)

Robin Shreeves said...

Gwen,

I, too, am happy you made it safe. Thanks for the observations.

I agree with you about the majesticness of wind farms. When we were in Ireland this past summer, they were all over the hill tops. I found them very peaceful and hopeful to look at it.

Vianelli and Eastin said...

It's hard work moving. I'm surprised you got there safely. Eastin.

Anonymous said...

Gwen, congrats on your arrival and safe journey. Your new home town sounds so peaceful and beautiful. We also felt like we saw the sky for the first time when we arrived in Seaford, not sure it's the same, but it did give me a bigger image of our Creator. Blessings in your new home.
~Maria

Anonymous said...

I sure am glad you made it safely!

Anonymous said...

I am happy and relieved you made it well!! I was in Ohio last November and remember the sky you described...so wide, blue, and crisp...
I miss you a lot. Keep blogging, it's fun to know about all of you this way.
Love,
Eileen