What do you love and hate about living in Iowa? (Des Moines: university, tornado)

[capitalcityguy]

^ It sounds like you have several challenging issues going on in your life. IMO, you'll be best served by getting involved with a supportive church you trust. Any good church organization will have tools to assist you. Don't let yourself be reliant on gov't supported programs or you'll continue this pattern of being disappointed.

Good luck and may God bless you too.

[Meemur]

Originally Posted by quixotic22

Sure its okay to raise a family and if your an old woman with cats that likes to knit you'd love it..

True? I'm a 50-something with cats from Columbus, OH looking at Iowa City. I have a German-Lutheran background, like to knit and do crafts, church activities, and visit fairs. So far when I've visited, people have seemed friendly. I'm from Michigan originally, and both OH and IA folks seem a lot more friendly than where I grew up.

Will it be a good fit for me? I have good winter clothing and would cross-country ski if there is enough snow. Central Ohio gets tons of ice, not good for x-country skiing most years.

[zz4guy]

Originally Posted by Meemur

True? I'm a 50-something with cats from Columbus, OH looking at Iowa City. I have a German-Lutheran background, like to knit and do crafts, church activities, and visit fairs. So far when I've visited, people have seemed friendly. I'm from Michigan originally, and both OH and IA folks seem a lot more friendly than where I grew up.

Will it be a good fit for me? I have good winter clothing and would cross-country ski if there is enough snow. Central Ohio gets tons of ice, not good for x-country skiing most years.

I think you'd love it here. Lots of Lutherans, Germans and not many young people. Winter is a bit more brutal than central Ohio, but nothing I'm sure you can't handle. Enjoy...

[leilay]

Originally Posted by Meemur

True? I'm a 50-something with cats from Columbus, OH looking at Iowa City. I have a German-Lutheran background, like to knit and do crafts, church activities, and visit fairs. So far when I've visited, people have seemed friendly. I'm from Michigan originally, and both OH and IA folks seem a lot more friendly than where I grew up.

Will it be a good fit for me? I have good winter clothing and would cross-country ski if there is enough snow. Central Ohio gets tons of ice, not good for x-country skiing most years.

There are plenty of Lutheran churches in Iowa; I'm sure you would easily find a place you feel at home.

Iowa City has plenty to offer; I'm just not sure about the specifics of what you're looking for there. Here in Davenport, there's a *fabulous* knitting community and a great group meets at the Fairmount Library. There's also the German American Heritage Center, though I haven't visited personally. I could probably give you 5+ suggestions for Lutheran churches in Davenport alone, and do know a couple of cat ladies. So if you are somewhat flexible, I'd recommend looking into the Davenport/Bettendorf area as well. The winter here has snow, but it doesn't really stick around that long compared to Michigan or Minnesota. I personally love seeing the grass every once in awhile, but I don't know if cross-country skiing would work out. There is a skiing club in the QCA that welcomes cross-country skiiers, so that may be something to look into if you are seriously looking into the area. There is an annual fair, the Mississippi Valley Fair, as well. There's no reason not to move to Iowa City, but I wanted to speak up when I saw that a lot of what you're looking for is offered here. Best of luck with your decision!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by zz4guy

I think you'd love it here. Lots of Lutherans, Germans and not many young people. Winter is a bit more brutal than central Ohio, but nothing I'm sure you can't handle. Enjoy...

Iowa has a higher percentage of younger people than many other places in the country.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by leilay

There are plenty of Lutheran churches in Iowa; I'm sure you would easily find a place you feel at home.

Iowa City has plenty to offer; I'm just not sure about the specifics of what you're looking for there. Here in Davenport, there's a *fabulous* knitting community and a great group meets at the Fairmount Library. There's also the German American Heritage Center, though I haven't visited personally. I could probably give you 5+ suggestions for Lutheran churches in Davenport alone, and do know a couple of cat ladies. So if you are somewhat flexible, I'd recommend looking into the Davenport/Bettendorf area as well. The winter here has snow, but it doesn't really stick around that long compared to Michigan or Minnesota. I personally love seeing the grass every once in awhile, but I don't know if cross-country skiing would work out. There is a skiing club in the QCA that welcomes cross-country skiiers, so that may be something to look into if you are seriously looking into the area. There is an annual fair, the Mississippi Valley Fair, as well. There's no reason not to move to Iowa City, but I wanted to speak up when I saw that a lot of what you're looking for is offered here. Best of luck with your decision!

Snow doesnt stick around here? HUH?

Other than last winter (which was awesome) winters are typically snow covered from early November to March, with no hope of seeing the ground in between. Just white.

[leilay]

One, there's actually a climate zone difference between Davenport and Des Moines - I'm not saying snow doesn't stick, but it is NOT white from November to March here at all, at least not in the 10 years or so I've had relatives here/lived here. It can snow in October and in April, but there are breaks in between. The weather is warmer by a little and we miss some of the snow that comes through the west and central parts of the state as well. For someone who is not used to an Iowa winter it's still plenty cold and snowy, but compared to Minnesota, Davenport was a VERY welcome return for me weather-wise. I didn't realize how much I missed seeing the grass once in awhile until I was somewhere there literally was snow all winter. My apologies if the "stick around that long" came across as not sticking at all. I don't cross-country ski, so I was hesitant to endorse that in an area that differed snow-wise from where I saw a lot of CC skiing - in Minnesota.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by leilay

One, there's actually a climate zone difference between Davenport and Des Moines - I'm not saying snow doesn't stick, but it is NOT white from November to March here at all, at least not in the 10 years or so I've had relatives here/lived here. It can snow in October and in April, but there are breaks in between. The weather is warmer by a little and we miss some of the snow that comes through the west and central parts of the state as well. For someone who is not used to an Iowa winter it's still plenty cold and snowy, but compared to Minnesota, Davenport was a VERY welcome return for me weather-wise. I didn't realize how much I missed seeing the grass once in awhile until I was somewhere there literally was snow all winter. My apologies if the "stick around that long" came across as not sticking at all. I don't cross-country ski, so I was hesitant to endorse that in an area that differed snow-wise from where I saw a lot of CC skiing - in Minnesota.

There's a climate zone between Des Moines and Davenport? Hmmm...well you must live in a special part of the state that is also different than Burlington where I lived almost 30 years. It was also white for most of 4 months every winter ; the winters it wasn't were the rare ones.

[duster1979]

Iowa does get snow frequently in a typical winter, but the idea that we constantly have snow on the ground from December through March is false. We haven't had a winter like that since about 1979. A typical snowfall is 2-4 inches, it's usually here about a week before we have a couple of days in the 40s when it all melts off. Then a couple of weeks later we'll have another snowfall. Des Moines usually gets one BIG dump a year that might take a couple of weeks to melt off.

In a non-typical year you might get a crapton of snow over a six week period where it never goes away, but when that happens it's usually all you get for the winter. And every few years we have a winter like we did last year where it pretty much just forgets to snow.

This is how it is from the southeast corner up to just north of I-80. I've never spent a winter north of Highway 20 or east of I-35 so I can't speak for those parts of the state.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by duster1979

Iowa does get snow frequently in a typical winter, but the idea that we constantly have snow on the ground from December through March is false. We haven't had a winter like that since about 1979. A typical snowfall is 2-4 inches, it's usually here about a week before we have a couple of days in the 40s when it all melts off. Then a couple of weeks later we'll have another snowfall. Des Moines usually gets one BIG dump a year that might take a couple of weeks to melt off.

In a non-typical year you might get a crapton of snow over a six week period where it never goes away, but when that happens it's usually all you get for the winter. And every few years we have a winter like we did last year where it pretty much just forgets to snow.

This is how it is from the southeast corner up to just north of I-80. I've never spent a winter north of Highway 20 or east of I-35 so I can't speak for those parts of the state.

Okay then all the winters I have spent here (every one since I was born) must have all been "freak" winters when the snow never melts. Also the last several (except this last one) have been very snowy as in it snowed nearly every day. Nothing melted in those winters for sure as it never got warm enough and and more snow just kept piling up. Seeing the city trucks hauling show away a few winters because there was no place to put it is an image I won't soon forget.

I absolutely hate snow and I always make note of how much it snows and his often. And I always long for the days where everything isn't ugly white outside in winter. Those days are few and far between and usually arrive early March.

And a winter like last winter? VERY rare and definitely not every few years. I do not remember a winter so mild and I definitely would have remembered that as much as I hate the rest of the winters.