Illinois and Michigan Canal

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I and M Canal and DuPage River Confluence
Channahon, Illinois

Chicago's growth and importance in America can be traced back to the building and opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848. Following more than a decade of work digging and blasting, the canal became the main mode of transport from Chicago to the rest of the world. Connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, and ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico, goods could finally be moved by water from world markets directly to Chicago.

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Lock 6 and the Lock Tender's Home
Channahon, IL

A series of locks raised and lowered the water level appropriately so canal boats could navigate both upstream and down. The boats were pulled by mules and sometimes horses along a parallel towpath, parts of which still exist today and are used as the I and M Canal trail for hiking and cycling.

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View from Lock 7
Channahon, IL

The locks were created out of Limestone hand-quarried from Lemont, IL. Most of the locks are still visible today in some form or another, but only a few can still show us exactly how the locks worked.

Everything is Falling

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Falls and Leaves

It's autumn and things in this photo appear to be falling - leaves, elevation, water, temperatures - almost everything. An autumn walk through the canyons of Matthiessen State Park is a sure way to celebrate the arrival of Fall and the colors that go with it. I'm not sure what I enjoyed more, the colorful trees or the leaves on the ground and in the water.

You'll need to get there fast if you're thinking of exploring the park - I think this weekend will be the last before most of the leaves are off of the trees.

Walking Over the Falls

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Falls Filling Giant's Bathtub
Matthiessen State Park

One of the great things about Matthiessen State Park is that you can freely explore the canyons, streams and waterfalls. This freedom allows you to see each waterfall from many different perspectives, and if you don't mind getting wet, you can go under them too!

These falls lead from Lake Falls into Giant's Bathtub, a wider pool of water that catches the reflections of the woods surrounding it.

Fall at the Falls

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Autumn Frames Lake Falls

Fall at Matthiessen State Park near Utica, Illinois is quite spectacular. Last Saturday was no exception.

Look Mom, No Hands!

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St. Peter and Paul Church is undergoing some clock repairs, so the hands have been removed for the time being.

Last Hurrah

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Evening on the Lake
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Last weekend was unusually warm for October - 85 degrees on Sunday. The kids were feeling better, so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to get out to the beach for one last "comfortable" walk.

Arriving at the dunes just before 5:00, we figured we'd be treated to a colorful sunset. Just on the horizon was a band of clouds that kept us from seeing the sunset, but we were treated to some great colors prior to the clouds getting in the way.

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Downtown South Haven, Michigan

The trees are beginning to change color, so it's the perfect time to explore the outdoors while the weather is still warm. Last weekend was no exception - 85 degrees and sunny in South Haven, Michigan, where we spent the day shopping and enjoying the beach. The last time I was in South Haven, it was around 3 degrees and the lighthouse was covered in ice.

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South Haven Lighthouse in Winter

At least we were all able to walk out to the lighthouse this time.

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Paddling in Lake Michigan
South Haven, Michigan

Chrome

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Danny in Chrome

One thing I miss about new automobiles (besides engine power and large body size) is chrome.
This Studebaker certainly had enough to go around.

Strider's Shadow

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Water Strider and Shadow

Water Striders are always interesting to watch, but one of the first things I noticed is how the sun plays with their shadows. The surface tension on the water creates a shadow larger than the creature, but also reflects down to the bottom of the stream making interesting rings of light around the shadow.

Skylines, Lights and Shadows

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Glass Reflections

Saturday was a bit too cool to spend splashing around in the lake, so we spent a bit more time than usual inside. The early Fall sun washed into the house through the blinds and created some great patterns as it passed through a piece of depression glass.

On the upper right hand of the photo, you can see where I'd rather be -- in the lake. I guess it wasn't too cold for the canoe - there's always next weekend!

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Chicago Skyline on the Horizon

On a clear day, you can see the Chicago skyline from Michigan City, Indiana, some 50 miles across Lake Michigan. Washington Park is free again (from October to May) so it's a great time to explore the lighthouse on the end of the east pier. Since the weather is cooler, there aren't too many people to get in the way of your shot either! Wait until January and February - I'll once again be the only human on the beach.

From the Keeper's Catwalk

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Michigan City Lighthouse
Michigan City, Indiana

Every now and then you just have to ignore the "no trespassing" signs and wander a bit off course. That's what I did on Saturday, when I decided to climb up to the catwalk that goes out to the Michigan City East Pierhead light. You get a totally different perspective from up there, one that only the lighthouse keepers would normally see.

The friends of the lighthouse managed to save the catwalk from demolition a few years back. Catwalks are not too common on lighthouses outside the great lakes, and this one is still complete (many have had their walkways removed).

Maybe one day, when it's very cold and deserted, I'll trek all the way out to the lighthouse via the catwalk. It'll take some time for the Coast Guard to spot me - and in frigid weather, even they won't want to come out to chase me off!

Afternoon at the Lake

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Kintzel Ditch

Between two tall sand dunes is Kintzel Ditch, a small stream running from Michigan City, Indiana, through the wooded sand dunes, and ultimately into Lake Michigan. It's been interesting this year to watch the mouth of this stream change almost daily. In early spring, the mouth was almost in line with the stream. In mid summer, it was several hundred feet south, and ran parallel to the shore of Lake Michigan, creating a neat little island of sand between. Now, it's just a few feet south of the stream and changed every day by the wind, waves and water level.

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Chris Setting Up His Next Photo

Last Saturday was a perfect day to photograph the sand dunes and the stream, as the skies were perfectly blue and the lake was relatively calm, creating some great reflections.

Scarecrow Festival

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Festival Float

The 14th annual Wanatah, Indiana Scarecrow Festival took place last weekend. Wanatah is a town of about 1000 people in LaPorte County, Indiana, about 20 miles from Michigan City. The town is named after the Potawatomi Indiana Chief and means "knee deep in mud" - the town was built on a large marsh turned into farmland.

The scarecrow festival celebrates the harvest and for a town of 1000, they really had a crowd. The population must have quadrupled on Saturday during the parade.

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Hair Dresser Float

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Bicycle Show Off

Certified Pre Owned

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A Row of Ford Model "A" s

Motorists passing by Westfield Ford in Countryside on Sunday were treated to a few dozen Ford Model A cars. An interesting thing was that they were shown on the used car lot (enlarge the photo to see the sign in the background). I'd rather have one of these than most of the new cars out today! They've lasted 80 years so far, and I'd be able to work on them too.

A Sunday Drive

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1931 Model A

All stitched up and bandaged, we headed out on Sunday to a Ford Model A car meet in Countryside, IL. Our friends Jim and Janet had their 1931 Ford Model A pickup truck at the show, and we wanted to see it up close.

Not only did we get to see it, the kids got a ride too. The first thing they were confused about was the lack of seat belts after Janet told them to put them on!

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The Boys in the Driver's Seat

There were lots of other antique cars too, including a really cool wood bodied pie truck and a 1928 Model T. We definitely need to get to the next public show.

Left Behind

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Left Behind
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Racing toward the last sunset of summer, Danny tries to keep up with mom and Chris. I'm in no hurry for summer to end, but it was a perfect evening for a long walk on the beach - most of which was completely empty.

The wind and waves picked up making our hunt for fossils nearly impossible as the waves covered most the rocks with sand.

Amber Evening

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Door Prairie Horse Barn
LaPorte, Indiana

The Door Prairie barn in LaPorte, Indiana was built in 1882 and is the last example of a nine-sided barn in the country (and possibly the world). Nine pie-shaped stalls extend from a central feeding silo that extends up to the cupola. Chutes carry the silage down to each of the stalls to feed the horses. While this barn looks rather small when you pass by, it's really large when you stand next to it.

No longer used to keep horses, this barn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is owned by Peter Kessling, an antique car enthusiast who built the Door Prairie Auto Museum next door in 1993, only to donate the building to the county of LaPorte to house the county museum.

Little Sable Point Lighthouse

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Little Sable Point Lighthouse

Activated in 1874, the Little Sable Point lighthouse stands 107 feet above the dunes along the Michigan shore of Lake Michigan, making it the tallest lighthouse on Lake Michigan. Originally, the keepers dwelling was attached immediately to the east of the tower, but was razed in 1955. Shortly after the tower was automated in 1977, the white paint was removed from the tower, exposing the original brick seen today.

An interesting fact about the tower's Third Order Fresnel lens is that it is divided into thirds, and only the top two-thirds turn. This means the light seen by ships is a constant dim light (from the fixed bottom third of the lens) along with a brighter, occulting light (from the rotating top two-thirds of the lens). It's a rare Fresnel, and especially rare on the great lakes.

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Central Supported Spiral Staircase
Interior of Little Sable Point Light

The lighthouse is located in Silver Lake State Park, between Ludington and Muskegon Michigan, and well worth the drive up. Self-guided tours are given on weekends in the summer, and only cost $2 for adults.

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View from the Top

Summer's End

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Last Sunset of Summer 2008
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

The last day of summer 2008 was spent with family along the shore of Lake Michigan. I think we visited these beaches once or twice every weekend since April! Temperatures in the high 70s, and no crowds- a perfect Sunday to hunt for crinoid stems and other 200 million year old fossils. We generally get a large hand full each week if the surf is calm enough to wash the sand off of the pebbles along the shore.

We'll still visit each weekend until late November, then the holidays keep us busy until February when we'll start again. Last year at the beach

Attack

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Garter Snake


An irritated Garter snake shows it's serious about attacking if we get any closer. The recent floods have driven these snakes from their hiding spots, and we found no less than 30 in our 10 minute walk around the lake. Every snake that couldn't slither away fast enough would coil up and lunge at us!