The Two Souvenirs I Bought on our Trip

The first souvenir I bought is a Keokuk Geode. These geodes are the claim to fame of Keokuk, Iowa where they are found along the Mississippi River. I usually prefer rockhounding for my rock collection, but bought this one because I didn't have much time.

A geode is a circular-ish hollow rock that frequently has crystals inside. This is the geode. The quarter is for scale. Looks like an ordinary rock, right?

Ordinary, until it is cut in half!

The other thing I bought. Who knew there was such a thing? Apparently it is a requirement for making gumbo, whatever that is. I will google a recipe at some point and try to make it, preferably vegetarian.

I am sure having the OU is a requirement for the regular everyday gumbo eater.

BTW, the quarter in the first photo is a Mississippi state quarter.

I also brought home some air plants. Probably some sort of bromeliad. They look like a cross between Tillandsia and Spanish Moss.
These were scavenged. Hard to imagine, but I found them just growing on trees!