After having worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for many months, I finally was given some Sundays off, the better to be able to spend some quality time with my husband! Although I’m a walker, he’s a cyclist, so I went online to find somewhere he hadn’t cycled that we could enjoy. So…
Two weekends ago, we ventured up Rt. 59 which, being a highway running through many Chicago suburbs, takes ages to deposit you anywhere. Not long before we would have arrived in Wisconsin, we pulled into Moraine Hills State Park, named for the rocky debris left by a glacier. As you might imagine, there are lots of marshes and wetlands here. In fact, there are several areas of wetland reclamation and where there’s water, there’s often good fishing!
While my partner in cycling crime stayed at the top of the stairs, I walked down to view some of the thousands of cattails. Cattails and salt don’t get along, so where there used to be many along the roads, winter salting has taken its toll.
However, in this salt-free environment, they thrive.
We saw lots of butterflies, birds, and insects of various kinds. Of course there were lots of flowers as well. One of the most unusual sightings, though, was the South Korean Alpine Club group at the picnic area where we parked. 🙂 My husband reminded me that the Winter Olympics were just in South Korea, but it still made me smile.
Lake Defiance is one of the few glacial lakes in Illinois in near-natural condition. It also has a few serious hills on the side from where I took this photo!
The light was striking these flowers just right as we came by, so I had to stop.
The light also picked out this resident, although s/he thankfully wasn’t as large as the photo implies!
After cycling about 15 miles, we headed for home, hot, tired, and happy. Shortly after leaving the park, I spotted my very own street. 🙂
for Jo’s Monday Walk
This, that and the other thing 
What an interesting ride and that spider is a very unusual colour
Thanks, Pauline. I agree about the spider color. Thanks for coming along.
Now I have street envy! 🙂 🙂 It looks beautiful countryside, Janet (and I forgive you for cycling 🙂 You did dismount once or twice.)
I dismount often to take photos! And it is nice to be able to cover some distance. Most importantly, it’s what my husband is comfortable doing. 🤪
Of course. Can’t beat a bit of togetherness. 🙂 🙂 We were at a ceilidh last night but Mick couldn’t dance because of his gout. 😦 I had dance double time!
😁💃
Nice little day trip! I enjoyed going along 😁
You were so quiet I didn’t even notice you. 🙂 You’d like it as well as the place we went the next weekend and the one yesterday. But one thing at a time!
Looks like you guys had an enjoyable day. I love the cattails. They are one of my favorite memories from my aunt & uncle’s farm in Ohio when I was a kid.
Happy Monday.
Ω
I like cattails, too, Allan, but didn’t realize why we don’t see as many now. It did my heart good to see them and how well the wetland reclamation is going. Happy Monday right back at you!
That seems like it was a fun day.- great pictures!
It was a very good day, Dan, especially as it was the first day in months and months that we’d had time to do something together. I’m glad you liked the photos, but they don’t do the place justice. The prairie has such a beauty.
I have seen some preserved prairie in Iowa, and it does have an amazing feel to it.
This was a combination of wetlands and prairie. Next week I’ll be posting about the tall grass prairie we visited, also fascinating. Yesterday it was the beach and saw grass. 🙂 We’re having fun despite the heat and humidity!!
Great walk and photos!!
Thanks. So glad you could come along. 🙂
🙂 oooh, you have a street named after you, Janet!
Cangratulations 🙂
Have a very HAPPY week!
Claudia 🙂
🙂 You as well, Claudia!
Serene relaxation in nature!
And as thanks for your wonderful blog entertaining us all for so long you really do deserve a street to be named after you!
Thanks very much. I’m happy you enjoy reading my blog, as I do yours. 😘
Is that wild phlox? That’s lovely whatever it is. Ooh 🙂
I didn’t know that about the cattails. That’s sad.
I didn’t even check what the flowers were. Yes, sad about the cattails, but it was wonderful to see so many of them here.
janet
[…] Monday walk (cycle)… Moraine Hills State Park […]
I’d never heard of cattails so had to look it up, it seems they are what we over here call bulrushes. I love the bright flower, I agree with Joey that it looks like phlox 🙂
Eunice, thanks for chiming in. It’s interesting how many plants have different names in different countries.
janet
Green is good for eyes and soul. Lovely walk(!).
That it is. Thanks for coming along.
janet