Eastern Cicada Killer

Cicada wasps are the largest wasps in North America - females reach two inches long. They're solitary, ground burrowing wasps that hunt cicadas, drag them to their nests and lay their eggs on them for the larvae to feed upon. Late July and early August seem to be the most active times for these wasps at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, where I observed dozens on a single dune path. Because of their size, they can startle you, but left alone they ignore people. The males are territorial and may swoop down around you, but they don't have stingers. This is obviously a female - look at the size of the stinger.

Summer at Wind Point

I typically visit the Wind Point lighthouse during the winter months, but this year I decided to check it out on a hot summer day. Of course, I visited today and tours of the tower will take place next weekend!

A "coolish" breeze off of Lake Michigan was at my back as I captured this shot (a combination of 3 images stitched together), making the 90 degree temperatures seem more like 80.

Wind Point Lighthouse

In 1880, the Wind Point, Wisconsin lighthouse began guiding vessels into Racine Harbor using a kerosene lamp and a Third Order Fresnel lens.

At 108 feet tall, this lighthouse is one of the tallest on the Great Lakes, and it's light can be seen for almost 20 miles. The grounds are well maintained, and access to the rocky shore of Lake Michigan is a few steps from where this image was taken.

When we visited, the air temperature near the lighthouse was 90 degrees, but cooler on the beach just a few yards away due to the cold waters of Lake Michigan.

Sky

Interesting clouds over Lake Michigan on a hot summer morning. The green hues of the lake reminded me of the tropics.

Waiting for a Bite

Dan waits for a nibble on his fishing line as a hot summer day draws to a close. With the air temperatures near 90, we spend much of the day floating around the lake. The water wasn't much relief as it was probably in the mid to upper 80's as well.

Resting

A small female Ebony Jewelwing damselfly rests on a leaf in the morning sun.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Piper J-3 Cub Flying Low

While walking along the shore of Lake Michigan, this vintage Piper J-3 Cub flew by parallel to the beach. It must have been flying less than 100 feet above the water.

The Piper J-3 Cub was manufactured between 1938 and 1947.

Summer Stroll

The boys take a walk along the shore of Lake Michigan on a hot summer afternoon. A small stream empties into the lake in this area, and the mouth changes from day to day creating a different look each time we visit.

Abe's Cabin

The log cabin inside the memorial building at Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace, a national park in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Most likely not the original cabin, but similar in size and construction to the one in which Lincoln was born.

Lincoln's Birthplace

A monumental building surrounds what once was considered the log cabin in which Abraham Lincoln was born. Probably not the actual cabin, but it did tour around the country claiming to be, and the original cabin was probably just like it.

Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace
Hodgenville, Kentucky

Hanging Around

A dragonfly hanging around the Marram Grass along Kintzele Ditch, a small stream that flows between two dunes and into Lake Michigan.

Cooling Off

A father and his child cool off in the stream on a hot June afternoon. The falls of Waterfall Glen were a quite place to explore on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

High Water Levels

Recent heavy rains raised the level of the Little Calumet River, causing it to overflow its banks and flood nearby lowland areas. The Little Calumet River Trail of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was partially flooded - even the boardwalk that usually keeps hikers out of the mud and away from plants was under several inches of water.

Out of the Dark

This jumping spider was crawling around on a pane of glass. The flash illuminated the spider, but not the background.

Spring Falls

The canyons of Starved Rock State Park flow with water following a wet spring. This waterfall is in Kaskaskia canyon and is approximately 10 to 15 feet tall.

Spotlight

Dappled sunlight creates a spotlight effect over Lake Michigan's Indiana Beaches.

Taken from an 80 foot tall sand dune along Central Beach.

Sand and Shadow

A bit of fog over Lake Michigan, dappled sunlight and sand kicked up by waves created some great patches of light on the surface of the lake.

3 image panoramic.

Lake Falls in Spring

Sunlight and shadows highlight the moss and rocks of this Matthiessen State Park canyon on a spring afternoon.

Glowing Waters

A short climb down onto a rock ledge gave me a lower vantage point to photograph these falls. A foot behind me was the final cascade into Giant's Bathtub.

The bright sun illuminated the falling water in contrast to the shady canyon walls.

Bluebells

A field of bluebells and horsetail gives the gray canyons of Starved Rock some much anticipated color in early May.