The only way to get to this park, is by a small plane. Port Allsworth serves as the hub. lake Clark Airlines out of Anchorage makes it fairly simple, not inexpensive, but straightforward. The park provides a remote setting with gorgeous vistas. The Ranger Station and Visitor Center are closed on Sundays.
Filed under National Parks, Photography, Travel
In St Louis Missouri, we are generally prepared for rapid changes in the weather. On my walk this evening, I watched the storm brood on the horizon, but I didn’t realize how fast it was moving.
Innocently, my dog and I meandered along the trail. I took photos, while Stash sniffed every shrub.
The balmy 79 degrees F felt almost sticky at the beginning. Stash was so happy to be out on a walk.
The temperature dropped 20 degrees, the wind kicked up 20 mph, and the horizontal rain pelted us.
Stash knew trouble was afoot, she dragged me back to the car. She was disgusted in me that I resisted too long and she was left to be molested by the swirling leaves.
I will have to regain her confidence. She just hasn’t lived through enough seasons in St Louis.
Filed under Art, Photography, storms, wildlife
Since the Covid shut down all my vacations in 2020 I have been heading out on short trips to see parks, small towns, geological formations, and wildlife. On Halloween, I visited some of the most rural areas in the Midwest – central western Illinois. You can’t find any coffee shops, there aren’t any museums, there are barely any people. The land is glaciated and generally flat. There is lots of corn. And of course, colorful trees.
After the Mexican war and Blackhawk war soldiers were given land in Illinois. One gentleman, George Meyer, was given a beautiful piece of property in western Illinois near the Illinois River. This land had a spring and a small town grew up around it. The man lived to be 104 years old, so everyone believed the water was healing. After George passed on, a real estate man got his hands on it and sold the water for decades. Later this area became Siloam Springs State Park. This history is hidden among the picnic pavilions and hiking trails.
We left Siloam Springs for the biggest town in the region – Jacksonville: the county seat of Morgan county. When we arrived, it too was a ghost town.
Or…
I don’t know if the coffee shop was really closed today or everyday. I don’t know how it could survive with no people. I walked into the bakery to see if I could find a doughnut. The door was open but nobody was inside. I could see cakes and cupcakes – but no doughnuts. And no people.
We wandered to another remote state park – Beaver Dam State Park. We heard there was people there.
So we headed home.
Filed under American History, Art, Photography, Travel
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
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
During my walk tonight, I became more aware of my surroundings. It was as if I just started to see the the things I had tuned out. Not necessarily attractive, but intriguing none the less.
Filed under Photography
Freshly "Pic'ed" 