Picturesque

This is the bridge leading up the hill to the dam at the Fishing Pond, taken in early morning. One of many favorite spots for having a portrait/ picture taken. I had my family here earlier this month for some great casual shots.
Although there are many beautiful places in Effingham County for outdoor photos of friends and family, few places have as MANY different beautiful spots in one location as the Ballard Nature Center.







































See the beauty in nature every day. C M

2nd Creek Bridge Overlook

I was excited to come upon a new trail on one of my recent walks. It's a spot that sits several yards above the main entrance road and looks out towards the 2nd Creek bridge. This serene place is located at the top of the hill on the northeast corner of the kid's fishing pond. The overlook hosts a bench to rest and enjoy a great summer view of the peaceful setting. I liked the dragonfly on the sign below.

We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.
Albert Einstein

Help! I'm trying to identify the plant above. Is it Meadow Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis),
Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera) , or something else? I thought it was bee balm, but the color doesn't seem right. Whatever the plant, the bees were having quite a time with these flowers.

Many bees were out in the afternoon sunshine today searching for the sweet nectar on purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea). These are spotted throughout Illinois both on the prairies, in neighborhoods, and in my own back yard... yours, too?

See the beauty in nature every day. C M

Fishing Pond

A view of the kid's fishing pond at sunset. The new bridge is yet another example of the hundreds of special touches that workers and volunteers have completed to make the grounds at the Ballard Nature Center a beautiful and accessible place to visit. The purple flowers in the foreground can be seen in a close-up below.

These spire-like flowers in the picture above grace the landscape around the new bridge, growing to a height of over five feet tall. The prairie-blazing-star (Liatris pycnostachya) loves full sun and will bloom from July to September.

This cottonwood tree on the Second Creek trail has stood the test of time. I couldn't get the entire height of the tree in the picture. The identification sign, below, is nestled beneath the tree nearly hidden by the grasses and foliage.

This is not a clear picture of a rabbit that dashed down into the dry pond on Second Creek Trail. My camera lens is a bit whimpy when it comes to telephoto shots.

The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

Flora Whittemore

See the beauty in life every day. PrairieWalker

Cattails

The cattails, Typha latifolia, are at their full glory in July. I founds this trio on the Wetland/Prairie trail at Ballard Nature Center. Many cattails are scattered about the edges of the wetlands like Fourth of July bottle rockets ready to launch into the hot summer sky.

"We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship."
--The Weight of Glory, C. S. Lewis
See the beauty around you everyday. PrairieWalker

My First Blog

The summer morning was cool for July. The sun would only shine for moments before the clouds moved in as seen in the reflection in this lake at Ballard Nature Center.

The benches placed along many of the trails at Ballards give visitors a chance to rest and take in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature.

The blackberries are ripening fast and there are plenty for the birds to enjoy.