I'm in love with Iowa. One of the most rewarding, and frankly one of the easiest, parts of my job as a nature photographer is debunking those sad old stereotypes about the Hawkeye State. We've all heard them. "Flat as a tabletop and about as interesting as its bottom..." "Nothing but pigs, cows and cornfields..." "Best potatoes in the world..." -No wait, that one's Idaho. Or is it Ohio? Unfortunately to some, we're all the same. (To be fair, though, my friends at Buffalo Ridge Orchard do grow the best potatoes around!) Even for those who zip through on Interstate 80 without so much as exiting for lunch, it seems inexcusable not to realize that the Iowa landscape has so much to offer. We may not have oceans or mountains, but our natural world is equally beautiful to those willing to open their hearts and look. Remnant prairies, endless rolling hills, deep hollows, caves and magical woods. It all waits anyone willing to see for themselves and explore. And honestly, this has been one of the key motivations of my photography from the start. I love to share the views of my home state with those who are unfamiliar, and also to encourage my Iowa friends to appreciate all that can be found right outside their doors. My Iowa themed note card sets are a celebration of this, and a way for fellow Iowans to join in sharing our treasures with the world.
The Iowa 10 Note Card set (seen below) features all the classic scenes found in the 5 pack: sun breaking after a thunderstorm along a quiet country road, a lone cottonwood in a pasture lane at sunrise, gray headed coneflowers in a patch of restored prairie, ice formations on the Cedar River, and a salsify seed head, which looks almost identical to a dandelion only a bit larger, hence the whimsical name. Additionally the 10 pack includes a gorgeous rainbow over a sunlit barn, prairie wildflowers at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site near West Branch, the Loess Hills in Harrison County, Malanaphy Springs near Decorah, and yes, we do grow a little bit of corn too, so the final card features a bicycle against a fence post with a cornfield in the background and cyclists riding by. (It's from that big bike ride that sweeps across the state year after year.)
Each handcrafted 5x7 artisan note card comes with the original photo on an embossed cover, and is stamped and labeled with title and location on the back. Cards are blank on the inside, which make them great for any occasion and perfect for sharing words and sentiment uniquely your own. Envelopes are also included. Please enjoy complimentary shipping on your order.
