See Seven States

Driving down US 31 in Kentucky, I glanced back at this barn as we drove past. The blank, opposite side was what we saw as we approached, and as I checked the mirror, I saw this old advertisement.

These Rock City barns were once common along the highways of Kentucky and Tennessee before the Interstate system was rolled out. After the 1960s, Rock City, and Ruby Falls began a barrage of billboards along I 65 and I 24 - and even painted some barns along the way. Most of the ads on the backroads faded or were lost when the barns collapsed, so seeing one in person is a real treat.

The New Sherwood Hotel

Traveling along some of the smaller, county roads between cities and towns in Kentucky, I've come across some interesting things. This old Hotel in New Haven, Kentucky sits in the old downtown area, and right along the railroad tracks. I can imagine how this hotel was once used by people traveling by rail, and how that track was loaded with trains going all across the region.

This has to be one of the most conveniently located hotels one could imagine - step off the train and right into the lobby! Probably not so great when you're trying to sleep....

What happened to this kind of life? I never lived it, but I sure miss it (as long as the hotel had WiFi).

The Sinking Spring

Continuing to explore some new places as well as some familiar ones in small town America.

This natural spring was the source of fresh water for the Lincoln family when their son Abraham was born. The family farm was located in Hodgenville, Kentucky and is now a national historic site. The spring continues to flow, and since it's several feet below the surrounding grade, the air temperature is much cooler - probably around 30 degrees cooler today as the air temperatures were around 99 degrees. I wonder if the Lincoln's spent hot summer days sitting around the spring, taking advantage of the natural air conditioning.......

Old Coca Cola Sign

Driving the back roads of America yields some of the coolest things. Rather than use the interstates, when I have time, I prefer to get from town to town on the state and county roads.

This old Coca Cola advertisement is on the side of the Chapline Building in downtown Munfordville, Kentucky. Built in 1893, the building is now home to the Hart County Historical Museum.

Tiny Worm on a Blossom

Working in the garden last evening, I noticed a tiny worm on one of the Coreopsis blossoms. The blossoms are about as big as a dime, so this worm was really tiny!

It's interesting to see some of the structures of the flower- they seem like flowers within the flower.

Here's a photo of the flower to give you an idea of the size of the blossom. If you look closely, you can see the tiny worm near the center of the bloom.

Backlit Beach

Following a cool, windy early afternoon, the wind subsided and allowed the temperatures to climb into the mid 70s - perfect for a walk along the beach.

The early evening sun illuminated Danny from the back as he ran away from the waves of Lake Michigan and the approaching storm, to explore the sand along Kintzele Ditch.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Waves and Rays

An early June day started out in the low 60s with a cool wind off of cold Lake Michigan. In the mid afternoon, the wind suddenly stopped and temperatures climbed into the mid 70s. The waves continued to pound the beach, uncovering numerous fossil crinoids and other treasures which the kids promptly collected.

An approaching rain storm filters the sun before it hits the surface of the lake. In a matter of minutes, the entire horizon was dark with the threat of rain.

Opening

A tiny hoverfly rests on a newly opened wildflower at the top of a dune at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. This particular day was so foggy along the dunes, yet the fog disappeared about 200 yards from Lake Michigan - due to the warm air and the cold water.

Running Between Dunes

Kintzele Ditch flows between two large sand dunes on it's way to Lake Michigan. It's not an easy task to follow the creek inland; the dunes are not stable near the waters edge, and the sides are fairly steep, and the tops of the dunes are wooded in spots. The plan is to follow the creek as far as possible this summer..
Indiana Dunes National Lakehsore

Marsh Between the Dunes

As the sand dunes progress away from the shore of Lake Michigan, marshes form between the peaks, creating micro habitats for wetland plants and animals. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Dogwood Blossom

A fading dogwood blossom found in Cowles Bog, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Opening Up

Spring in the wetlands is a great opportunity to see plenty of interesting plants before they mature, and before other plants get too large and obscure the view.

This fiddlehead is beginning to open up to form a rather large fern.

Tulip Time

It's Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan, and Danny had to stop to smell every type and color of tulip in Holland! He's done this for the past 3 years, ever since he was allowed to walk around the festival.

The Tulip Time Festival runs all this week, May 1 to May 8.

Marsh and Dunes

Small wetlands form between the dune ridges of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The complete progression from sandy beach to mature forest can be experienced as you walk inland from the Lake Michigan Shore.

One of the best places to experience this is West Beach just outside of Gary, Indiana. A one mile looped trail, including boardwalks and over 250 stairs, will take you from the beach to the forest and everything in between. You'll even run into plant species that "shouldn't" be this far south, or this far north. Some species have established a hold here after the last ice age, in a small micro environment, while the same species have disappeared everywhere else for hundreds of miles around.

American Toad

Walking along a forest trail, we found this American Toad just sitting there. We approached and he didn't flinch. After a few minutes of taking his picture, I managed to get about two inches away from him before he hopped a few feet away.

I guess he figured he's big enough, and if he doesn't move, nobody will see him.

Beaver Dam Across the Canal

Certain points along the Illinois and Michigan Canal are very shallow or dry. A couple points between Utica and LaSalle are totally dry and you can walk across. This year, a beaver decided to build a dam across the canal about a thousand feet from Split Rock, raising the water level a bit.

If you enlarge the image, you can see his handy work of sticks, logs and mud.

Fiddlehead

April in Cowles Bog is a great time to see plant life begin it's growing season. The wetland areas are loaded with fiddleheads - soon to be two foot tall ferns.



Here, the early morning sunshine filters through the canopy and illuminates the Skunk Cabbage and fiddleheads.
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

East Side of Split Rock

To complete the I and M Canal, workers needed to cut through this stone outcropping. Not an easy thing to do with only hand tools and black powder. In later years, the railroad paralleled the canal, so a tunnel was carved through the rock about 100 feet from the canal itself. Much later, the modern railroad cut more of the outcropping to run new tracks between the tunnel and the canal.



On the opposite side of the towpath, Split Rock used to be a stop along the railroad. Another track ran on top of the outcropping, and a bridge spanned the canal. A pavilion was built on top of Split Rock as a place for recreation. The foundation and stairs to this structure can still be seen today if you climb up to the top.

Tulip

It seems a week or two early, but many tulips are in full bloom right now - must be due to the warmer weather we experienced this spring.

On interesting thing I noticed about this flower once I viewed the image large were the little purple tips on each anther of each stamen. It mocks the color of the petals.

Kilns

Used between 1837 and 1913, these kilns and other similar ruins are all that are left of the Black-Ball Cement Company 2 miles west of Utica, Illinois. Limestone was mined here on the site, and used to make concrete. The process included these kilns, which are still in recognizable shape for the most part.

After the cement company closed, these mines were used for making moonshine during prohibition, and then commercial mushroom farming in the 1950's.

The endangered Indiana Bat and other wildlife live in the abandoned limestone caves, which are now part of the Pecumsaugan Creek - Blackball Mines Nature Preserve.

Access is by permit only.