Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa

 Welcome!

Continuing my series of state fact bits (really, what else should I call them?) today let’s focus on the “I” states:

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

As before, I am going alphabetically.

IDAHO

Twin Falls, Idaho

I discovered something about myself. I love waterfalls! When gathering photos for each state, it seemed like they were all waterfalls - and they were! The ones shown above are just gorgeous and represent the state quite well.

Idaho is the 14th largest state, out of 50 total. It sits in an area called ‘the Pacific Northwest’.

This term is usually meant to describe the areas of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and parts of Canada. Sometimes it is expanded to include Alaska and Northern California. (Idaho is the area tannish/gold colored on the upper right).

In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln signed the bill making Idaho a US territory. 27 years later (in 1890) it became the 43rd state to join the Union. In those 27 years there were 16 governors, and 4 of them never even visited Idaho!

Courtesy James DeSanti

It’s called ‘the Gem State’ because you can find more than 72 different precious and semi-precious gems in this state. One of the largest diamonds ever found in the US (nearly 20 carats) was found near McCall, Idaho.

To give you some idea, this is a cut 19 carat diamond ring. Of course the diamond found was in the rough.

Idaho grows around 13 billion  pounds of potatoes every year, making it a leading producer. Wow. They even have a Potato Museum that features the world’s largest potato chip.

Idaho has more whitewater river miles than any other state. It has lakes, hot springs, volcanoes, forests, waterfalls and lots of farmland. There is even part of the Rocky Mountains that extends into central Idaho.

WordSearchAddict.com

Sawtooth Wilderness, Idaho

Song sheet cover, c. 1912

ILLINOIS

Amos W. Woodward Millhouse history museum, Rockford, Illinois

Illinois was the 21st state to join the USA, in 1818 when James Monroe was President (he was the 5th). The name “Illinois” comes from an Algonquin Indian word. It could mean ‘warrior’, ‘tribe of superior men’ or ‘best people’. Any of those interpretations are pretty cool sounding. Oh, and when you say ‘Illinois’ you do NOT pronounce the ‘s’ at the end.

Many famous people have been born in Illinois. To name just a few, they are:

Ronald Reagan, Harrison Ford, Charlie Kirk, Cindy Crawford, Jean M. Auel, Amelia Earhart, Walt Disney, L.Frank Baum, Jack Benny, Emil J. Brach, Marlon Brando, Edgar Rice Burroughs— and I’m not even mentioning all the sports coaches and players.

Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois; approx 1930

The state capital is Springfield. Abraham Lincoln lived here for 24 years. There are many official sites and historical places that commemorate him, including his Presidential Library and Tomb.

State Capitol, Springfield, Illinois

Illinois has no National Parks, but does have over 65 State Parks and around 50 protected areas. You can find here canyons, unusual rock formations, the Mississippi River, Lake Michigan and waterfalls. There are many scenic routes, hiking trails and the historic Route 66.

Matthiessen State Park, Illinois

(You knew I had to slip in a waterfall, right?)

Illinois is nicknamed “The Prairie State”. Early settlers called it this because of the endless grasslands they encountered. It is also called “Land of Lincoln”, in honor of Abraham Lincoln.

Midwest Living

Fun trivia:

The first McDonald’s franchise was opened in 1955 in Des Plaines, IL.

Can’t feature Illinois without mentioning Chicago. I spent more than a couple of nights in the O’Hare International Airport, sleeping on benches, the floor and luggage carousels. Why? Because we were there to pick up my dad from a business trip, and it would become snowbound with no planes landing and we were stuck! (I was 1-4 years old).

Ah, the good time memories!

Chicago’s O’Hare airport has 8 runways, the most of any airport in the whole world. That translates to: 

A lot of planes.

Satellite photo, August 2023, O’Hare Int’l Aiport

INDIANA

c.1922

Indiana, Illinois and Iowa are all part of the US known as the Midwest Region. Indiana is known as

The Hoosier State.

Hoosier? What does that mean? Well, there’s a good debate that goes on about where that word even came from. In 1833 a fellow by the name of John Finley wrote a poem. It became popular and was titled “The Hoosier’s Nest”. Also in that year the Indianapolis Journal started using  Hoosier to describe people who lived in Illinois. The then governor of Illinois began publishing a newspaper (in 1833) called “The Hoosier”.

Busy year for Hoosiers.

Indiana became the 19th state of the US in 1816. During the Civil War it remained faithful to the Union, and recruited a higher proportion of soldiers. Especially in the South and central parts, however, there were many economical, social and family ties to the South. This caused a lot of friction and discord during the War.

Autumn Park, Brown County, Indiana

Colonel Sanders, of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, was actually born in the small town of Henryville, IN. Orville Redenbacher, of popcorn fame, was born in Brazil, IN.

Want to eat like a Hoosier? Then help yourself to a slice of ‘Hoosier’ pie (a sugar cream pie).

c.1917

Can’t write a blog about Indiana without mentioning the Indy 500. This is a motor racing circuit built in 1909 by Carl G. Fisher. It is the 3rd oldest permanent automobile racetrack built in the world. Home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 (formerly known as the United States Grand Prix) it is a course 2.5 miles in a rectangular oval. While some modifications have been made it is essentially the same since it was built.

Indianapolis 500 race track and stands

Indiana has quite a population of bats, both cave-dwelling and migratory (they move according to the seasons). There are still caves being discovered, with the longest one ever, Indiana Caverns, having an underground river you can even explore with a boat! Found in 2010 it contains bones and fossils they think are from the Ice Age.

I love bats, so let’s find out a bit more about them. There are 12 different species in Indiana. Out of that 9 are either federally endangered and/or state special concern (almost endangered). 2 of them have not been seen in Indiana since 1962 and 1977. That’s really sad. These bats eat insects. Literally tons of them. It is estimated bats save the US agriculture $3.7 billion every year due to the amount of insects they eat. I would say that makes them pretty important to us.

Little brown bat, endangered

Indiana has more than 500 lakes, carved out by pre-historic glaciers. 

The first successful goldfish farm was opened in Martinsville, IN in 1899. No mention of what defines success, vs. failure. But then, if I failed at goldfish farming I probably would not go around telling a lot of people about it…

Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana; Beach Travel Destinations

IOWA

Vintage song sheet cover, c.1921

Iowa was the 29th state to join the USA in 1846. It is known as ‘The Salt State’ due to the large salt deposits explored in the 1800’s. It is also known as ‘The Hawkeye State’. Why Hawkeye? A couple of reasons. First, to honor Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk Indian tribe who was a warrior in the Black Hawk War of 1832. Secondly, after the fictional scout ‘Hawkeye’ from James Fenimore Cooper’s novel ‘the Last of the Mohicans’, published in 1826. Another possible influence was Stephen Sumner  Phelps, a Mississippi River fur trader that local Indians nicknamed “Hawkeye” due to his excellent marksmanship. Around 1838 territory officials accepted the term as describing their upcoming state.

Chief Black Hawk, 1832, artist George Catlin

And Iowa? It is translated from a word that means

 ‘Bah-kho-ji Tribe’. Okay, the Who? Well, first the Baxoje is a term that means ‘grey snow’, a reference to how their lodges look in the winter amidst the cooking smoke. They are also called the Ioway Tribe. This is a French adaptation of the Dakota Sioux word for this tribe (which means sleepy ones). They probably were not BFFs. It certainly is not what they called themselves.

Sooo I still have never heard of them.

Oh, but they were part of a set of tribes closely related to the Winnebago Indians, and other Missouri tribes.

Those I have heard of!

These peoples are now known as the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, and the Iowa tribe of Oklahoma. (They were forcibly removed from their homelands in the 1820s - 1830s).

Oh what a mess of things our forefathers created back then.

Iowa

‘Our liberties we prize,

and our rights we will maintain.’

That’s the state motto incorporated into the Great Seal of the State of Iowa in 1847. Iowa is a state of covered bridges, rolling farmland, and border defining rivers (the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers). 85% of its land is used for agriculture. Their State Fair has a good reputation and features a 600 pound butter sculpture of a cow. Wonder what happens to it after the Fair is over?

Iowans like to have things declared as state, so they have a state flower, state bird, state mammal, state tree, state fruit, state…oh it’s easier to post a picture!

Many things have been invented in Iowa. To name just a few, Iowans have invented (1903) Crayola crayons,  (1920s) root beer floats, (1938) chocolate chip cookies, (1930s) a combine (machine to help harvest crops), and (1943) the Slinky.

Iowa, USA

As always, I could write an entire blog on just one of these states. I hope your curiosity is tickled and you check out more things about our states than I have mentioned.

Personally, I have lived in 9 different states, and visited 15 other states. That makes 24 out of 50. I think I better start planning some more road trips….

‘Til next time,

inkspired

Christmas Displays

 Welcome!

I’m one of those who gripe at stores for putting out Christmas merchandise before Halloween. I grouse about people that turn on their Christmas lights before Thanksgiving.

However

I am also a crafter. I get started on Christmas presents in January. By July I’ve planned out what new Christmas decorations I might want to have this year, and researched the best and most cost effective place to purchase supplies.

Just trying to explain why I have a blog about Christmas decorating in November.

Posted Pinterest, Janice Hurst

I found some creative ideas, mostly on Pinterest, and wanted to share them with you. Hopefully this will give you plenty of time for any prep work before life gets crazy busy for the holidays. I am also big on nothing too complicated, expensive or disposable. I really like recycled things.

Lady DeClutter, Pinterest

As an example, the holiday display with candles above you only need wine glasses, some smaller ornament bulbs, a tea light (battery or wick) and some ribbon. Optional: gold paint.

A great resource for supplies, besides your own home, is your local second hand store. You may find sets of 3 or 5 there in the dishes department. These are great for decorating projects. As an added bonus, if you break one, or discover the idea that looked so cute in the magazine looks like something you would not give your worst enemy, you haven’t invested a lot of $$.

I think this is a clever way to display a collection of vintage tree toppers:

Mismatched brass candleholders and a scrap of artificial greenery - that’s all you need! Use a little putty if they seem top heavy.

This next idea is similar. Clear glass candleholders can be found in all sorts of sizes and shapes.

SheKnows, Pinterest

Or, using more assorted brass candlesticks:

Have mismatched candleholders? Buy a can of gold spray paint and paint them all the same color. Now they will group together very nicely.

Another quick holiday decoration for your table are tea cups. Feel free to mix and match patterns. There are some basic rules that will help your display look pretty and not thrown together and amateurish.

My teacup collection

First, choose a unifying theme. This can be shape (all teacups) or color (all brass colored). You could choose all rose patterns, or candles all the same color. When displaying a collection (such as matchbox cars) find something that is similar. Place all the same year together, or same style (like all convertibles, or all trucks). We call this ‘cohesiveness’. Sometimes all it takes is the same red ribbon in bows to tie items together. 

Christine Darge, Pinterest

This teacup display uses candles all the same size, and the same berries and greenery, to make a pleasing arrangement.

Let’s move off the table to the walls. This is an area often neglected in Holiday decorations, but it’s so easy to remedy! Do you have existing pictures framed on your walls? Simply wrap each one like a present, including ribbon and bow, and re-hang.

You can easily add some cheer to any room you choose this way, for little cost or effort.

I like the kitchen cabinets wrapped in ribbon and bows in this photo:

Thrift stores are great places to purchase picture frames for very little $. I found some pretty decorating ideas that just use a frame, ribbon and ornaments.

You can attach the ribbons with staples or small nails. You could probably even use thumbtacks, depending on what the frame is made of. If you want it to be temporary, just be sure the ribbon is secure so you don’t have it coming loose and crash goes your ornament onto the floor.

Adding the ribbon and frou-frou in the upper corner is a festive touch.

Here are several photos grouped together all with similar display ideas. Some of them appear to be a deeper frame, like you might find in a shadow box. This is something to consider when choosing ornaments to hang. If the ornament is too big, it will not hang straight down from the frame. Experiment before you attach everything permanently.

I thought this next idea was very clever. Get out that old elf-on-a-shelf, varying sizes of ornaments and your glue gun. This crafty person even used glitter covered styrofoam balls in the mix.

ingelaboking, Pinterest

For whatever reason, you can’t have a tree this year? I love this display. Use spring loaded curtain rods (Walmart, Home Depot) and place them in a window. Hang ornaments from the rods.

Spooky Hoagie, Pinterest

If you live close to a beach, this next display costs almost nothing but time and a little hot glue and ribbon:

No beach? Any fallen branch could work.

What makes this work is the color grouping, and mixing up the sizes. Yet all the small are the same size, all the medium are the same size, etc. Adding in pine cones and glitter snowflakes is a nice touch.

Do you have a covered entryway? Then this umbrella idea is for you! Do notice however that your visitors are either all short people, or everyone is going to have to duck to get to your front door.

Julia Evenson

The expandable mug racks were very popular in years past. You can still find them in thrift stores. Underneath the ornaments is a charming display of ceramic Christmas trees. I have seen many similar ones in second hand stores.

Do you see what the frame is? Bed springs from a twin or crib mattress bed! The greenery around the edges softens the entire display from harsh to pleasing. You could wire (or use twisty ties) to attach fresh greens into the metal frame. You could also use silk greenery and use ribbon or twine to tie in place.

Therurallegend.com

I really like this unique Christmas ‘tree’. You can find all you need at your local thrift store, or even at a hardware store. Or, if you are like my house, just go look in the basement and see what’s stashed there! Various, graduated sizes of wire lamp shade bases and a way to keep them stacked is all you need. I would probably use a good weight wire to attach the frames. The bottom stand is a lamp base spray painted a neutral color.

I love this next one!

For the nutcracker display tree you will need a vertical piece of wood, and then varying sizes of 1x2 strips of wood. Measure and cut the strips in tree shaped dimensions. Attach to the vertical support. Add hardware to hang the support piece(s). You can use putty to attach your nutcrackers to the shelves so they won’t fall off. Want to make it permanent? Hot glue should be fine. Add a little fake greenery between the feet of the nutcrackers and you have a unique and interesting decorative display.

Used all your ball ornaments on your tree? Have a mirror and a bag of bows? Here you go:

 Do you have a collection of dolls or nutcrackers, or? Add some mini lights and greenery along one side of your staircase. Tuck in on every step a doll or nutcracker, gingerbread men, or? Keep in mind safety so don’t get all excited and over-decorate. Keep it simple and not too wide.

Lovely Harbor

This person featured their collection of globes with a few nativity sets to make a one-of-a-kind Christmas display on a shelf unit.

Instagram, Courtney Snowden 

Adding the letter banner helps tie it all together.

Itsmeencreates

I found a few variations on this stacked book theme. I chose this one as it is temporary and you don’t have to damage any books to create it. Use a cake stand as a base. Stack your books as shown. Add a bow with long ends to the top. Attach silk flowers and ribbons as desired by using wire, and tucking the ends in between your books. Finish by draping a strand of pearl chain. Want it to be a bit more sturdy? Wrap the books with ribbon as you would a package. Fasten the ends together or knot at the top. Cover with the top bow as mentioned above.

I will end with a few photos that are pretty self-explanatory about how to put them together.

Casa Lory

I hope I have encouraged you to try a couple of new decorating ideas. Make the project your own by tweaking and adding your own personal touches. But most of all, have fun and get ready to enjoy the upcoming holiday season.

‘Til next time,

inkspired