| Iowa's Geology | Iowa's Artists | "You Are My Sunshine" Lyrics | Cacti and Succulents | Nectarine Trees |
When you view the landscapes of Iowa, it is easy to see the marks left by the glaciers. The rolling hills were created when the glaciers melted, leaving behind the large amount of debris it had accumulated in its southern push. You can still see a number of rocks called erratics, which came from places north of Iowa. They stand out because they are igneous or metamorphic, while native rocks are sedimentary.
Besides these large rocks and smaller pebbles, the glaciers also left behind fine silt, called loess (rhymes with bus). The closest equivalants I can think of would be sand or dust. It is lightweight and can be piled high and steep before grains begin sliding off. Because of this quality, it will suddenly condense and collapse when too much moisture is added. Loess is one of the unique geological features of Iowa. It can be found elsewhere, but not in such quantity. Other places to find loess include eastern China and eastern Europe. Loess, as well as being a unique aspect of our environment, also has helped to make our state one of the most productive (see my section on Iowa's economy), since it is way fertile.
Another unique feature of Iowa's geological landscape is the geode. The geode is pretty cool, and, since it is so plentiful here, it's also our state rock. Iowa isn't the only place to find it, but it does abound here. It looks like a regular, round rock, but inside it has beautiful crystals. There are different theories about how they are created, so I won't even discuss that. Just go to the Iowa Geological Survey Bureau to find out more about them and the rest of the topics I just covered, plus some I didn't cover. Go there at least to look at all of the pretty pictures they have.
The most well-known of Iowa's artists is Grant Wood.
Grant Wood is famous for his paintings of Iowa's rolling farmland. Everyone has at least seen "American Gothic". He's one of my favorite painters, because his works aren't perfectly realistic. They have a cartoon aspect. The landscapes have so much roundness to them that they almost seem 3-dimensional. They have something in common with paintings by Salvidore Dali (another of my favorite painters). The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art has the largest collection of works by Grant Wood, so you should check them out. They give a brief biography and show a bunch of his artwork.
This is one of my favorite songs, as well as the state song of Louisiana (Jimmie Davis was a politician there). I couldn't find a website that had the complete lyrics, so now they're on my page.
The other night Dear
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
But when I woke Dear
I was mistaken
and I hung my head and cried.
Chorus
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are gray
You'll never know Dear
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
I'll always love you
And make you happy
If you will only say the same
But if you leave me
To love another
You'll regret it all someday
{Chorus}
You told me once Dear
You really loved me
That no one else could come between
But now you've left me
And love another
You have shattered all my dreams
{Chorus}
I have three cacti, but I'm not sure exactly what they are. One of them is some sort of opuntia and is winter hardy. Other hardy cacti and succulents are sedum spathulifolium, opuntia rhodantha, opuntia vulgaris, opuntia camanchica, opuntia polyacantha, and echinocereus triglochidiatus. This is what I gleaned from the books I read, but there is a web site that has a longer, more detailed list of cold hardy plants. I have one succulent, the Jade Plant. It is quite popular, probably because it's very easy to keep and has nice, green, rounded, plump leaves.
Nectarines are one of my favorite fruits. I prefer them to the peach, because I don't like that fuzzy feeling on the inside of my mouth and the flavor is a bit yummier. Nectarines actually are the same thing as peaches, though. They can come from the same tree and fruit that looks like a nectarine can develop into a peach. They originated in Asia, but have prospered in the southern part of the U.S. Most of them are not hardy and die if it gets very cold. If you want to grow some, the best way is to take a cutting from an existing plant, because by the time you get a seed to grow into a fruitful tree the tree is too big for quality fruit. If you keep the tree in a pot, though, it restricts growth of the roots and keeps the tree small.
...and this little piggy went Wee, Wee, Wee, all the way
