Polaroid does BlackHawk Memorial

 

While I was at the memorial, an elderly, gentleman offered to take our picture in front of the memorial. I quickly took inventory, one Polaroid sx-70, one dSLR (Canon 10D) with a Lensbaby attached and one film camera loaded with b&w film. I thanked him kindly for his offer but had to decline as my mind struggled to tell him how to focus a Lensbaby or mess with manually focusing the film camera.... and let a stranger touch my newly acquired sx-70... tempting but still, I declined.

Blackhawk as seen through the Lensbaby.

Have a great Monday. Mine got better after running to the store for milk so I could make my daily latte. :)

*Now Playing: For America by Shawn Mullins - Honeydew

Volo Bog

Every summer, we head to the Volo Bog at least once in search of birds and a natural experience. Normally, for some odd reason we head out on the hottest day of the summer and experience the heat and the bugs in full force. This year, it was a pleasant 68° with a refreshing breeze at times. Still, the bugs were buzzing and biting even with the bug spray we applied. We've decided the best time to visit the bog just might be January if you don't want to find the bugs. The peacefulness of the area is vanishing as more car traffic and housing developments encroach on the area.

On a side note, new signs now welcome dogs on the main trail with pretty blue pooper scooper bags. In the past, it was a no dogs permitted preserve area. Maybe next time, The Wonderdog will join us.... in January when the only thing flying will be the snow.

Wrong Way

Or the story of my life. We did the trail around the lake at Moraine Hills SP in reverse or the Wrong Way and of course managed to miss a connection making our walk a bit longer and more stressful as we were short on time.


The wrong way did yield a surprise or two in this pair of Cedar Waxwings. My first sighting . The photo is more of a record image as the lighting was low and I was unprepared but still, I am pleased.


The Queen Anne's Lace was blooming along the way and looking so pretty against the backdrop of the park.


As we continued our walk, I used the camera less and less as the lighting was awful and eventually we came to the realization it was turn around and go back or walk in the dark as we missed that all important connection. Actually, it was more that we weren't paying attention and should have gone right when we went left. Go figure. The Wonderdog did see her first deer. She just stood there until it moved and then she wanted to chase it.

Is there a better sight than this.... Back to Maya!!



This morning has yielded an unpleasant surprise in the form of ants, little flying ants all over my back door. I've been swatting them all morning and stepped outside to really give them a dose of medicine. I hate using chemicals but this was war. I hope I won this war with one battle as today was the first and only day I'd seen them.

And on the weather front, it's going to be another hot and humid one. Stay cool.

*btw, the Wrong Way is more for those on bikes (cross country skies in winter). Foot traffic can walk in either direction and I feel is normally best to walk "The Wrong Way" to actually see the bikers before they come up behind you.

Another Friday

Another Friday has arrived just in time for a weekend of storms, scattered though, just like my thoughts.

Yesterday's quote was about trying to be like somebody else but today, I realize that I try to be the person that those around me expect to the point that I have forgotten who I am. Ever wonder how you wind up where you do? It's an uphill battle, trying to rediscover the me I am supposed to be and that's all I'll say on this subject especially since I've yet to have a cup of coffee.

Have a beautiful day and make it a great weekend.

Cooling off

The short walk to the waterfall found lots of people playing in the water. I cropped to just show these two (actually, I only wanted the girl in the hat but the boy walked into the frame). When the sun is shining and temperatures are in the 80's, people come out of their winter cocoons and play. Another pinhole photo as part of Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day.

Des Plaines River

Today is/was Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day and I spent it out at a not so local spot. Waterfall Glen and surrounding area. You couldn't ask for a prettier day with a hint of the summer to come. Yes, it was hot and people were enjoying the coolness of the river.

My thumb has it's moments of discomfort, mostly in the morning and when I bump it, but it is healing. The Wonderdog is slowly recovering from a foot wound of her own that had her limping and resulted in a trip to the vet for medication and injections. Fingers crossed that the treatment does the trick.

Hope your Sunday was beautiful.

Mallard Lake

I can't seem to resist these signs. I find them humorous with their alien appearance. Oh, and no problem on the no swimming. That hill back there is a capped landfill that also does duty as a sledding hill during the winter months. The network of trails weaves around the lake and is handicapped accessible making it an easy walk. A word of caution, though. The trails are exposed to the sun and can become quite hot. There are a few unmarked trails that go off into the woods. Fishing is permitted as well as carry-in (non-gasoline) boating (with permit).

I'm off soon to get a haircut. Yes, dear readers, a haircut and it's only been about 6 weeks in between and not my usual, oh 4 months.

For more info on Mallard Lake. The photo was taken with a Lensbaby.

Grace

I had the pleasure of viewing two pairs of Mute Swans Sunday. I was up close and personal watching them for quite some time as they were feeding. This pair is immature (young). What a wonderful way to let go of a nasty phone call I'd had earlier.

Today is another day with much rain. But I'm not going to complain because tomorrow brings us back to winter. Freezing rain, ice and snow in the forecast.

A Closer Look

Apple River Canyon State Park in Northwestern Illinois.

Caught

A leaf travels downriver....

Swirling and whirling.

Often in life, we're stuck in an eddy of our own, waiting for life to lesson it's hold on us. Much like a leaf as it makes it's way downriver, flowing freely only to be caught up on a rock.....

A whisper of wind releases the leaf just as a whisper from the heart releases us. We may be banged up and it might take time but we will be released to continue downriver on life's big adventure.

Yes, life has me caught in a whirl so in the words of Jimmy Buffett, I'm going to....
—Breathe In-Breathe Out-Move On.

And clear my muddled thoughts to listen to that whisper that comes from my heart.

River Reflections

Apple River Canyon State Park in Northwestern, Illinois.

I find myself, when my mind is cluttered and troubled, drawn to the water in search of quiet reflections to clear my thoughts for it's only in an uncluttered mind that truthful thoughts can be heard. It's a take on a famous quote "Only in quiet waters things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world."— Hans Margolius

Mallard Lake

A small forest preserve in DuPage County, this lake (80 acres) is the districts largest recreational lake. It became a preserve in 1956 with a land donation of 111 acres. In 1974, a need for solid waste disposal resulted in part of the land becoming a landfill. In 1999, the landfill (the hill in the background) was capped and will become part of the park. The lake sits on top of the Valparaiso Moraine, a formation left behind during the Ice Age (Wisconsin Glacier's retreat into Lake Michigan). The gravel and peat left behind were mined during the 1950's.

Photo Notes:
Through the Viewfinder-Brownie Starflex
Toned in Photoshop 7
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