Lately, I’ve spent more than my fair share of time in the dentist’s office.  Each time I’m there, I actually hope I have to wait for a while in the waiting room since that gives me time to browse through a wonderful photo book entitled Iowa Simply Beautiful.  The photographs by Larsh K. Bristol and Curt Maas are absolutely amazing.  Some are breathtaking in fact.  I looked on ebay hoping to find the book there but could not.  What I did find though is Iowa Simply Beautiful II by Larsh K. Bristol, Curt Maas and Kent Foster.

Paging through some of the photos, I have to look twice to be sure that I am not looking at photographs of Vermont, Virginia, parts of Kentucky or the hills of the Tennessee Cumberland Plateau.  Beautiful rolling hills, exquisite squares of patchwork green farmland, rivers, waterfalls…all in Iowa!  For those of you who think Iowa is “flat farmland”, think again!  It’s time to start traveling and see as much of this beautiful state as I can.

I’m reconciled to the fact that it is going to take a while for me to get to the British Isles, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.  I may never get there, although I hope I do.  In the meantime, I’ve decided that there is very little standing between me and some of the places I’d really like to see in Iowa!  This is not an exhaustive list by any means! So here goes…

• The Amana Colonies    Their 2014 Oktoberfest sounds wonderful.  I will actually be in Memphis the first two weeks of October this year but there’s no reason YOU can’t make it!  I definitely want to see The Amana Colonies.  Check out the link – it looks like a terrific place to visit.
• The Iowa State Capitol  Here, I’ve been in Des Moines for almost two years and have not scheduled a tour of the historical, 23 karat gold leaf-topped, Capitol building!
• The Blank Park Zoo   Also sad to say that this animal lover from way back has never been to Des Moines’ wonderful Blank Park Zoo
• The Bridges of Madison County.  Have you seen the movie by that title with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood?  I’d love to see and photograph these famous bridges.
• The Danish Windmill and The Danish Museum.  Just about an hour from here is The 1848 Danish Windmill and Danish Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa.  Since I love the old classic movie Foreign Correspondent, partially filmed in Holland, I’d love to see this authentic windmill!
• Field of Dreams.  I enjoyed the movie and would like to see the setting for it in Dubuque County, Iowa.

This post may have to be without photos until I have and/or make time to wander the beautiful Iowa countryside and farmlands and capture some of what I see and love on film!  On my Pinterest site (Click Follow Me on Pinterest sidebar at right).  On the site, there is a board of photos for the Amana Colonies!

Note:  Sadly, I read that Curt Maas passed away on September 7, 2005 and Larsh K. Bristol died in 2006 in an automobile accident on one of his beloved Iowa river roads.