A warm, windy morning in mid October was the perfect day for dozens of kitesurfing enthusiasts to hit the waves along Michigan City's Washington Park Beach.
Gaining speed, the kitesurfers were able to jump over 20 feet above the waves.
The beach was lined with surfers waiting their turns, as well as spectators gazing in amazement.
Arriving at the beach rather early for a Saturday, gave us the opportunity to explore some other areas of the National Lakeshore.
We pass by this marsh every time we head to the beach, but only stop now and then. In the summer, it's almost impossible to tolerate the biting flies, so it's best to hold off until Fall to explore this area.
Along the trails, lots of wildlife can be detected, along with some remnants of humans - an occasional brick or concrete lump. Must have been part of someone's property years ago. Now it's being reclaimed by nature.
Thousands of beetles grouped together on Indiana's Central Beach during a windy morning. My best guess is they were clinging to anything that would keep them dry and in place.
At first glance, the beetles appeared to be debris on the sand, but closer inspection proved it wrong.
A sunny and warm Fall day, perfect for a ride in the country. Rural LaPorte County, Indiana.
Remnants of mining can be found in a relatively new park in Lockport, Illinois. Called Dellwood Park West, it borders the Illinois and Michigan Canal.
Early morning view of the cemetery at St. James at Sag Bridge Catholic Church. It's the oldest Cathloic church in the Chicago Archdioceses, and incorrectly called "Monk's Castle" by high school kids who tell tales of mean monks.
No monks have ever lived here, and they certainly don't make trespassers kneel in salt or on broom sticks.
My nephew Tom and I set out early Sunday morning to capture some shadows for his photography class. His work is all black and white, but I took advantage of the golden hour to catch some fall color.
A climb to the top of the tallest butte in Dellwood Park West gave us this view of the surrounding land.
Portions of the park were once used for mining and slag disposal from a nearby steel mill, while other parts were used for agriculture. It's an interesting place to visit.
Lock 2 of the Illinois and Michigan Canal on an early October Morning. The warm sunshine has given us one of the most colorful fall seasons in memory.
Leaves are changing in northern Illinois. Unusually warm weather and unobstructed sunshine made for some great fall color.
Two days of high wind gusts churned up Lake Michigan, creating waves exceeding 20 feet near the Indiana shore. Shoreline erosion was evident at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The entrance to Central Beach was no longer a hill, but a 6 foot drop to the beach.
Following several days of light rain, the sun finally appeared in the late afternoon sky creating a striking rainbow behind the colorful, fall trees.
The annual Wanatah, Indiana Scarecrow Festival marks the beginning of Fall each September with a parade, craft vendors, rides, food and fun.
Directly across the street from the festival, this house always decorates for the event.
During the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Duneland Heriage Days, the Bailey Homestead offered a glimpse into the past including dances by Native American Tribes.
Spectators were also encouraged to participate in the dance.
Durning the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Heritage Days, visitors were given a glimpse into the past. At the Bailey Homestead, visitors listen to some traditional French music performed by the trio Trois Canards. The instrument on the left is a Herdy Gerdy.
Trois Canards translated to English means: three ducks.
When most of the men in America were fighting WWII, the baseball games were sometimes played by women. This reenactment was part of WWII Days in Lockport, IL
A German soldier fires at a low flying Allied plane during a WWII reneactment. The spent casings can be seen as they are discharged from the weapon.
WWII reenactment
Dellwood Park
Lockport, Illinois
A German soldier uses his shoulders to support a machine gun during a WWII reenactment.
Lockport, IL
The Allies approach and two German machine gunners fire.
WWII reenactment
Dellwood Park
Lockport, IL
The Lockport, Illinois WWII Days took place on September 10th and 11th. It was a nice opportunity to see some of the weapons and tools used by both the Allies and the Axis forces.
During Sunday's battle, this German soldier watched as an Allied L-4 Liaison aircraft circled the front lines gathering information on the German positions.
