We drove across Illinois on one of the United State’s oldest highways – US 50. Enjoy a snapshot of fall in the Midwest.
Category Archives: Art
A Glimpse of Autumn
Filed under Art, National Parks, Photography, Travel, wildlife
Atoning for our Sins
The Dakota Sioux controlled this quarry from 1700 to the mid 1850’s before American settlement started poaching the valuable mineral. This red/brown stone was soft enough to carve and durable enough to last centuries. Ceremonial pipes carved from the rock for thousands of years. This stone made its way all over the Americas before the Europeans arrived. The one square mile site is a sacred place for the Plains Indians even today. The United States government protected this valuable commodity and gave exclusive quarrying rights to the Sioux. The rest of us can still respectively enjoy the stunning red quartzite cliffs, the flowering prairie, and the waterfall fed forest.
An American Indian Monument
A quarry no longer used
This is either the pipestone or quartzite
regardless of type its stunning
The Town of Pipestone used Quartzite
The quartzite is abundant
The pipestone is much deeper underground
The trails through this monument surprise
sacred land for the Sioux and Crow
Minnesota – hard to believe
3/4 mile trail it’s worth an hour of your time
Active Quarry for American Indians
U.S. History omits the horror of assimilation
The trail surrounds a prairie
a river runs through the land
wild bergamont
lizard’s tail
Sacred ceremonies still continue
A peaceful place to commune with nature
Connections
Filed under American History, Art, National Parks, Photography, Uncategorized
Becoming a Voyageur
I ran into an off duty park ranger at the historic Kettle Falls Lodge in Voyageurs National Park. After we exchanged pleasantries, discovering we were both from a St Louis county in two different states, and joking about the St Louis Arch becoming a National Park, he asked, “Why did you come to up here? Let me guess – you have a list?” He continued to complain to me that the people of the lists just stop at the visitor centers and get “passport” stamps and never really see Voyageurs. He shook his head slowly.
Of course I have a list. This is my 50th National Park out of the current number of 62. My group had rented a boat and were seeing the park. I don’t think the ranger noticed. He may have just wanted to preach a bit. He finally sped away in his speedboat equipped with dual 150HP motors leaving us to slowly explore the park in our 50 HP powered, dinted pontoon boat. 
Pre-Cambrian rocks 2.8 Billion years old
Sunset in northern Minnesota. 48.6 degrees north latitude.
Time to “wake” up
Bracket Fungi
The Precambrian spine of North America
Voyageurs from St Louis MO to St Louis MN
Kettle Falls Beauty
Voyageurs met at this portage site for hundreds of years
Gulls stand like sentinels – no wake please
Filed under Art, National Parks, Photography, Travel
For the Love of Kansas
I am from Missouri, and I had no idea how much there is to appreciate about my neighbor state Kansas. With the Covid-19 running rampant my wife and I explored central Kansas. And it was lovely.
The Capitol Shines
The Keeper of the Plains
The Solstice Eye – Meet Me On The Equinox
Just A Simple Old Cow Town – Wichita
Filed under American History, Art, Photography, Travel
Indiana Dunes & Sky
Being socially conscious and finding safe places to explore, I discovered a little oasis in Indiana.
Blue Skies Over Lake Michigan
Easier going down to the lake than coming up.
What Goes Up, Must Come Down
192 feet may not seem very high, but hike it.
Such interesting discoveries
Filed under Art, National Parks, Photography, Travel
Sand Creek Sadness
This is the only National Park Land that uses the word massacre in it according to the Ranger. It focuses on the mistakes the US made rather than spinning the story to make it less bad. And this one is …bad. The US took responsibility for it and called it heinous. They promised reparations to the survivors. 155 years later – no reparations.
Captain Silas S. Soule, one of the two officers who refused to participate in the unprovoked killing of kids, women, elderly and the men, wrote a detailed report that was used by congress to figure out what happened. Soule was then killed in the streets of Denver. Even though the killers were identified. No charges were filed.
Hundreds of innocent Cheyenne and Arapaho were butchered and the soldiers took their scalps and genitals back to Denver to celebrate. They were given a heroes welcome. Down the road from the slaughter, the people named a city after the military leader in charge. Chivington, CO still exists.
I drove back to Missouri in a subdued mood. Saddened by all of this.
These are the true plains of Eastern Colorado – where the Buffalo once roamed
The United States Government decided NOT to sugar coat this story
The 750 Cheyenne and Arapaho were trying to live in peace on the little land that they had remaining.
They were told, fly this flag – you will not be harmed
Besides the death and mutilation, the entire Cheyenne and Arapaho nations suffered from the trauma
These letters resurfaced 135 years later.
No Charges for Anyone. No prosecution for a single person.
The sadness permeates the ground
The bodies are buried there – it is a sacred site
The flowers remember
The plants still mourn
It’s an ongoing tragedy still affecting people today
This area of Colorado was sheltered a large group of Chiefs and their people
I cannot imagine the horror as people tried to hide, tried to flee, and tried to fight
This chief and his wife survived
…changed forever…
This peace delegation was destined to die
I shed tears of sorrow centuries later
At least the Park Service has provided this memorial for us to remember. We must not forget.
Filed under Art, National Parks, Photography, Travel
Images from the Plains
Some people say that Kansas, Oklahoma and Eastern Colorado are a bit boring, a bit flat, and a bit desolate. I guess it depends on where you look…
singing on high
Osage Hills OK
Coneflower on the Marais des Cygnes KS
Marsh along the Arkansas River
Short Grass Prairie of Colorado
Tall Grass Prairie of Kansas
In the Prairie
In the Marsh
Pronghorn in Colorado
Sing in the shrubs
Great Sand Dunes NP
The Marsh of Colorado
Sand Creek
Rainbow over the Little Sahara OK
Deer on the Move in the Sangre de Christos Mountains
Killdeer in New Mexico
Great Sand Dune NP
Where the Old World and New World Collide
Sand Dune Joy
Sand Creek Sadness
June 21, 2020 · 2:06 pm
Alone Together Around the Lake
I go for my daily walk at one of two lakes with my little chihuahua-lab mix companion. Stashy loves to interact with every person and canine. During this time of quarantine, I’ve noticed that I pay more attention to other people, and they notice me more, as well. I’m not sure if the dog is teaching me how to be a better human, teaching others to be better humans, or the quarantine is causing people to be more like people. Besides being more attuned to others, I notice more of the world around me. I am fortunate to have the free time to enjoy this. I know many others are barely getting by. I feel helpless in that regard, so I just walk.
Filed under Art, Photography, wildlife
Rediscovering My Backyard
In the age of Quarantine 2020, I have spent time studying my backyard. I have noticed the robins, the amorous grey squirrels, the carpenter bees, and even the shrew. I have an abundance of flowers I have forgotten about. Even pulling weeds has been engaging.
Filed under Art, Photography, wildlife
Springtime Drizzle
The lightest of rain on the greyest of days didn’t bother the flowers at all.
Filed under Art, Photography, Uncategorized
Freshly "Pic'ed" 