All Iowa, Outside

It's been awhile since I've linked up with Amanda for her Tell Me About Your Town series.  It wasn't intentional, I just had other posts planned.  And that makes me sad for a few reasons - Amanda is awesome, you should know her.  And - I love Iowa, and love sharing my hometown with all of you.

This month's prompt is all about Earth Day, which, let's be honest, is perfect for Iowa.  Rolling hills, miles and miles of farmland (you are welcome for your delicious summer sweet corn), and lots of areas for an adolescent-Meagan to explore.

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Let's clear one thing up - I did not grow up on a farm.  Yes, I have been on one - No, I do not know how to detassle corn.  I grew up in a city of over 200,000 people.  That did not stop me from exploring my surroundings.  I loved to be outside.  All day, every day.  I was lucky enough to have woods in my backyard (not deep woods, more houses were about 100 yards back), I collected rocks, built forts and played in the local creeks.

We spent a lot of time at the Indian Creek Nature Center, which had trails and guides to teach us about the local wildlife.

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I'm not sure where it began, but when I was about five, I really got in to rocks.  I collected different types and my Dad even took me to a few local "rock shows", where I was allowed to pick out new pieces for my collection.  Did you know that the state rock of Iowa is the geode?  Have you ever seen one?  They aren't anything special on the outside, and are easy to overlook.  But if you knew what you were looking for, a special surprise was always waiting inside.

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I feel very fortunate to have grown up in a place that had natural beauty all around.  A place that put emphasis on being outside and exploring.  I am even more fortunate that my parents gave me the freedom to explore and gave me resources to learn as much as possible.  I hope that I am doing the same for my girls!

Linking up with Amanda.