Walking on water, part 2

There are more signs of spring as we walk along, all of them still rather damp.

Monday walk…walking on water

The DuPage River was well above flood stage by the time the rain stopped Friday. Saturday morning I headed for the park immediately after getting up, having the crazy idea that I might, possibly, be able to get onto the back path to check on the wildflowers.  This sign usually stands on a post on the bank of the river, well above the water, and the opening for the water flow through the dam is well under all the rubbish.

Friday flowers…finally wildflowers

My Monday walk this week took me through a lot of mud in search of wildflowers.  There were thousands of them (wildflowers, not mud, although there was a lot of that, too) waiting for the sunshine to warm the earth a bit more before bursting briefly into bloom.  I tramped through the mud in search of anything else, when suddenly I discovered this patch of wildflowers in full bloom.  I’ll be going back as soon as possible to check on the progress of the other flowers.  Despite the lack of flowers, it was a soul-soothing two hours.

I have no idea what these flowers are and I haven’t had any luck finding them online.  If any of you know what they are (Judy?), please share!  Trying to identify by online photos isn’t easy!

Monday walk…Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

That quote from the Wizard of Oz is, to mix books a bit, really more like something from Dr. Seuss’ To Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street, where the story keeps getting bigger and bigger until it deflates at the end. I didn’t actually see lions or tigers or bears, but I did see at least one very unusual thing, one imaginative thing, and many lovely things.  And to think that I saw them at McDowell Forest Preserve!

The morning was a chilly one and evidently there hadn’t been any people out recently because as I came to a turn in the path and looked up, I saw two deer, a doe and a buck. As I only had my phone, you’ll have to look closely.

When my eyes turned to the path, I saw another doe, and as I got a bit closer, her dilemma was clear:  “Should I stay or should I go?”

Wordless Wednesday…ice and light

Just hoping there’re no pups nearby!

for Six Word Saturday

Frosty fungi

A few days ago on my walk, I spotted this tree trying to be invisible and doing rather well.  I zoomed in a bit closer and found that one fungus amongus wasn’t quite like the others. But each had a delicate bit of frost, at least until the sun crept up higher.

Doe, a deer, a female deer

Mornings are cold at the park now, especially until the (ray, a drop of golden) sun hits.  But by the time I turned down this part of the path, I was warm enough to think about unzipping my jacket just a bit.  I hadn’t see anyone or anything other than birds, when I raised my eyes and saw something looking back at me (a name I call myself).

I immediately stopped, eased my phone out (no, I didn’t have my Nikon, more’s the pity), zoomed in, and took this first photo.

I stood still for a few minutes, then slowly and with camera still at the ready, walked slowly towards her.  Then I saw it.  Look just to the left of her, behind the bushes, and you’ll see it, too.

A crystal vision

I love finding the small beauties in the world and then photographing them. It’s too easy to see the big picture yet miss the individual pieces that make up that picture.  The park is full of these gems, in this case, gems made of ice.  However, I, unlike Stevie, don’t keep my visions to myself.  I share them with you!

Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions
Dreams, Stevie Nicks

I am grateful for the silence of winter mornings, for the beauty and wonder of the glint of sunlight in frost melting to dew, for the early-riser’s peaceful solitude that sets a mood of thankfulness, hope, and calm for the dawning day.
~Terri Guillemets

It’s not just about the flowers.

There aren’t just flowers in the park, there are also the natives.  On the morning of all the flowers, there was a plethora of rabbits as well.  This one was eating, but you can bet his/her little eye is well-fixed on me.  🙂