2021 marks the seventh edition of my Iowa Nature Calendar, which is one of my favorite and most popular projects of the year. Highlighting Iowa's natural beauty has long been a primary goal of my photography, and it is an honor to be able to show my gorgeous home state as I see it and share these places that I know and love. This year's issue once again spans the Iowa landscape from river to river, and includes the following monthly features...
January
Ice droplets cling to grassy stems on a foggy January morning at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site near West Branch.
February
February invites a stroll through a winter wonderland with this snow-laced forest scene from Rock Creek Timber in Cedar County.
March
The moon peeks through still dormant tree limbs on a forest night in Palisades-Kepler State Park.
April
Tender green leaves emerge amid a backdrop of blossoming red buds as diffused light accentuates the picturesque spring palette on a rainy morning in Red Haw State Park.
May
I discovered this hillside in full yellow bloom while exploring Stephens State Forest near Chariton, traipsing cross country in search of a secluded pond I'd located via satellite photos, tucked away in the middle of the woods. My hope was to photograph aquatic life basking in the warm mid-May sun. While that eluded me on this day, there's always beauty to be found exploring the Iowa outdoors.
June
For June I chose a dandelion close-up... ever my favorite, and a sentiment I gladly share with those who hold tight to childhood memories, whimsey and dreams.
July
Queen Anne's Lace and clover fill a roadside ditch near the Hogback Covered Bridge in Madison County.
August
The late day sun shimmers through the trees over a boardwalk trail at Hitchcock Nature Center near Council Bluffs. In addition to this August feature, the cover shot for this year's 2021 Iowa Calendar was also taken here on the same day.
September
A beautiful mother doe with her fawn on a quiet country road in Cedar County, seen in magical September light.
October
Looking up toward the October canopy from a subterranean passage at Maquoketa Caves State Park.
November
There is such gorgeous intricacy in the feathery seeds that fill a milkweed pod- a fitting reminder that the enchanting yet overlooked fine details of nature can often rival the grandeur of the larger world- seen here in the November image from Rock Creek State Park.
December
December features a snowy path in Effigy Mounds National Monument.
2021 Iowa Calendars are now available for purchase and can be ordered through the link below, or you can pick up your copy from Family Foods in Tipton. Prints and note cards are also available and make perfect gifts to celebrate Iowa's natural world.
Click Here to Order Your 2021 Iowa Calendars