State Center, Iowa-- “Snow place like home for the holidays!”

I grew up in Lake Wobegon.  Yes, Garrison Keillor talks about his mystical Minnesota town of Lake Wobegon....but if you listen to that radio program, you're listening to a man describe the State Center, IOWA.  "Where all the men are good looking, the women are strong, and the children are above average.”  Daria Wilkening Chestnut and I read the book by the same name and agreed, Lake Wobegon was State Center-- we just didn’t have a lake!

Most of us that grew up in the 1950's and 1960's had it pretty good.  We had a small town where everyone knew everyone.  You had to get over any spat that you had with a classmate....there were only two sections of each class and most of us that started kindergarten together graduated from high school together.  If you held a grudge, you wouldn't have many friends in a short amount of time-- and you were probably related to them anyway!

There were “Sock Hops” at the community hall after most home football and basketball games.  There was snake dance after the pep rally that was held the Thursday night before the Homecoming football game.  We brought our clamp on roller skates to school and played “7-Up” with a large rubber ball during recess.  It was a time of Red Rover, Red Light Green Light and Freeze Tag.

State Center had approximate 1,000 inhabitants (counting the cats and dogs).  It was a town where I walked to school at 5 years old and walked home for lunch.  I was envious of the county kids who got to eat hot lunch.  So, why am I waxing poetic about my hometown?

State Center has most of their utilities underground and they have their own power plant.  (Unique, huh?)  I have heard today that they are expecting a BIG SNOW storm.  But they have electricity!  People are watching the snow blow, trying to get ahead of the next drift by getting out their snow blowers, and either loving or loathing the first large snow of the season.  I miss the snow!

An active group of adults (they're my around my age and younger) (I almost said young people....) came together with a dream and started to fix up the downtown.  It looks beautiful.  They see potential in each other and in our town.  It is a “can-do” community.

The concept of small town life is true in my heart.  I grew up with some wonderful people and we have really stayed in each other’s lives via social media.  We celebrate the good times and the not so good times.  Be it a classmate’s untimely death, the birth of a new grandchild, or a strange colored squirrel eating out of a bird feeder, Central Iowa is in my heart.

So, I am missing my momma, my brothers, my childhood, and the snow today.  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you!  May the year 2016 bring you joy and peace!