It Was Never a Dress

Musings and observations on sports, gardening, travel — and anything else I care to write about.

...Iowa, small towns, and saddle shoes

Black Iowa News is an independent news platform designed to highlight Black perspectives, showcase the Black community and amplify the voices of Black Iowans — online and in print.

Join me on my travels in Iowa outdoors.

If Iowa had a group chat, this would be it. Hosted by Julie Gammack, this Substack blends independent journalism, lively opinion, and unexpected voices from across the state. Think potluck, but with more insight and fewer Crock-Pots.

Reflections on change and transformation.

Essays in defiance of certainty.

Where writing and life meet—stories, reflections, and prompts to help you live more deeply and write more truly.

Fourth-generation Iowa journalist dives deep with unpredictable, well-reported writing on rural America's people, politics and culture.

How to be a more informed news consumer and understand why journalists do what they do

The politics and culture of Iowa, the Midwest, and beyond.

News, opinions and ideas from the Quad-Cities, where the river runs east to west

Column of news and observations from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls and greater Cedar Valley area.

Current events, rural living/consumer issues, women's challenges, Iowa life

Adventures in travel, food and fun. And Iowa sports, of course.

My interests are diverse: history, politics, current events, music, life experiences. I write about things that interest me, things I know about... often reflecting my (primarily) rural perspective.

Taking the silly seriously since 1989

Diverse people voice their opinions for the Iowa Writers Collaborative

Consistently ahead of the curve political commentary and analysis

My personal Substack

A view from rural America: immigration, agriculture, environment, politics

In this space, I’ll write about the people, places, and learnings that have helped to shape me and my journey here in Iowa.

opinions on topics

Connect with the Latino communities in Iowa.

Where you'll discover great food finds and the best restaurant experiences in Des Moines.

Linking readers and professional writers who care about Iowa.

Born in Saigon, Vietnam. Nearly lifelong Iowan writing about people, places, and things.

Where you get in-depth coverage and exclusive reporting about Iowa politics

Stories from along the thoroughfare and down the side streets, too

An award-winning Iowa journalist's observations on politics, current events, family and some random things, too.

A tale of two homesteads, one among the Amish, the other in Connemara, Ireland. A serialization of a new book of non-fiction.

Learn more about the economics of farming, the dirt on the politics of agriculture and tales from our ranch, Whippoorwill Creek Farm.

Retired English teacher, writer; lives in Iowa

Consider this a warning: I write about whatever inspires me. It's random, I know.