I went running on trails in these woods this morning.  The hills were killer but it wasn't too bad once my muscles loosened up.  There were down trees criss-crossing the trails at places and I felt like I was a deer, especially when one trail spit me out into a little meadow.  

State bird of Iowa, the gold finch, eating seeds from a native prairie flower, the purple cone flower.  

I went and saw the Dark Knight Rises with a Chem E grad student that I met this week and loved it!  I love all the batman movies and this one was no exception.  Anne Hathaway is one of my favorite actresses.  The grad student was pretty entertaining too.  He's from Anchorage, Alaska.  And we figured out that we both have biochem degrees!  I love engineers that appreciate biology.  Too bad he graduates in December and I'll probably never see him again after I leave next week.  Oh well!