After I'd grown up a bit, I learned to appreciate my home state on its own terms. I think it's a common experience for lovers of natural history: a deepening appreciation of the world that goes beyond the biggest, the splashiest, the most touristy. From the fossiliferous limestone of the south to the glaciated landscapes of the north, from the humblest crinoid fragment to Arcdotus simus, Hoosiers have plenty of natural history to be proud of, to share with the rest of the world, and to inspire new generations. [emphasis added to denote my emphatic agreement with this statement.]I have to admit, it's exciting to see my birth state getting some respect. It certainly never got any from me. Every time I go back there, I end up suicidally depressed. It takes about 20-30 minutes before I'm willing to do something, anything, to get the fuck out of there and get back home to me mountains. But my own dear mother lives there, and I'm fated to visit her, so it's good to know I'll have interesting things to look forward to. Between Lyle and David's new blog, I do believe I'm set!
Go over and give David some love. Don't forget to drop by his other home, Love in the Time of Chasmosaurs, too.
After two years in Europe, my daughter is back in graduate school at Indiana University in Bloomington - which I myself attended for 5 years. I'll admit, northern Indiana can be a pretty depressing place: corn, wheat and soy bean fields for miles in every direction, framed by a distant, thin line of hardwoods. But southern Indiana can be a really beautiful place, especially the area around Bloomington and especially around this time of year. As I understand it, the last glaciers melted after having sanded the northern two thirds of the state down smooth and leaving behind some very rich soil. On the other hand the southern third was left untouched - which accounts for all the lovely hills, winding roads and only a few picturesque farms. Next time you are in Indiana Dana, try spending a couple of nights at the Nashville House in Brown County...
ReplyDeleteNorthern indiana is not all one flat plain, a lot is but there are also hilly areas of moraines. Angloa is one area of these. These are also areas of lakes and swamps (ex lakes) in the low areas between the hills. Nothing spectacular however. In addition there is a good bit of glacial story telling ranging from Lake Maumee on. (I spent the first 9 years in Decatur, In) So in particular if you are interested in glacial features northern In is a place to go.
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