Guiding Light, but Gothic.

I took this picture in Toledo Iowa, just outside of my mother in law's house in December of 2024.

Guiding Light.

My wife grew up in a tiny single stop light town in Iowa called Toledo with a close knit community, that to this day, still seems as wholesome as it likely was 50 years ago. Everyone knows everyone. People seem to look out for each other. It's not perfect, but it's nice. I've been visiting Toledo 2-3 times a year for over 15 years, and I almost always find something new and surprising about this sleepy midwestern town every time I'm there.

It's probably important to know that Toledo was settled on the Meskwaki Indian Settlement (not a reservation) as a friend with Meskwaki ancestory once explained. Her ancestors saw what was coming, and they made sure that they owned the land before the Europeans came to take it. Most people don't know that prior to European's arrival native American's believed that land belonged to the community, not to the individual. That concept worked for literally thousands of years, until the white man showed up.

What a concept, right?

So, with that in mind, I want to dedicate this picture to the idea of finding and sharing things you love with your community. Be a positive force in world full of negatives.

Thanks for supporting this. If you'd like a print, get in touch. George@idlemediaanddesign.com

Hugs and Hi-Fives.