Here at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area, the morning is quiet and still. Soft flutters of nearby birds set the rhythm as the sun slowly rises just above our tent. I am awake and ready for the day after a night full of neighborly fire crackling and laughter. Bicycle brigades roamed through the campground deep into the night as we settled into a calm slumber. The afternoon's hike through cooling creeks that cooled our feet and endless prairie that warmed our hearts left us childishly peaceful. Our canoe ride was a great success - only one instance of dog overboard and no full rolls. I remained dry except for the droplets that scattered from Skyla's fur as she shook in satisfaction. Five fish were caught and it remains to be determined if the man or the dog is more proud. As for the evening's sunset across the lake and over the prairie, my words cannot do justice. It was the kind of night in which you could not distinguish between the sky and its reflection in the glassy water. Pastel yellows and oranges illuminated the clouds and the night grew into pink, purple, and navy tones until light was shone by only the moon and the stars. I could not look away.
I sigh at the morning and think, "I am as native to this land as the milkweed swaying among the grasses."
Brushy Creek State Recreation Area is located in Lehigh, Iowa (30 minutes southeast of Fort Dodge).
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