Out for a Ride



A sunny and warm Fall day, perfect for a ride in the country. Rural LaPorte County, Indiana.

Dellwood Park West Butte



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.

Sunrise at St. James at Sag Bridge



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.

Morning Light and Color



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.

October on Lock 2



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.

Fall Colors



Leaves are changing in northern Illinois. Unusually warm weather and unobstructed sunshine made for some great fall color.

Waves and Clouds



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.

Fall Colors Begin



It seems too early for autumn, but the trees never lie.

Fall Rainbow



Following several days of light rain, the sun finally appeared in the late afternoon sky creating a striking rainbow behind the colorful, fall trees.

Annual Scarecrow Festival



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.

Native American Dance Demonstration



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.

Trois Canards



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.

WWII Era Baseball



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

Shooting at the Allied Plane



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

On The Shoulders



A German soldier uses his shoulders to support a machine gun during a WWII reenactment.
Lockport, IL

Firing at the Allies



The Allies approach and two German machine gunners fire.
WWII reenactment
Dellwood Park
Lockport, IL

Watching the Allied Plane Overhead



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.

Tribute to 911



World War II Days in Lockport's Dellwood Park held a tribute to the 911 victims.
Immediately following the battle, the WWII reenactment participants -dressed in period uniforms- honored those lost on September 11, 2001.

Photo selected for Magazine Cover



Northern Indiana Lakes Magazine is the latest publication to use a photo of mine in one of their publications.

This barn is located in LaPorte County, Indiana and is one of the few I've encountered with a bale of hay hanging from the loft.

Round Leaf Sundew



A tiny carnivorous plant that thrives in Pinhook Bog, Indiana's only true peat bog. The plant is about the size of a quarter, and attracts insects. When an insect lands on a leaf, the leaf curls toward the center of the plant trapping the insect. It can then be digested.

The bog was formed about 15,000 years ago, right after the ice age, and is home to many unusual plant species. It's closed to the general public most of the year, but open a few hours here and there during open house events.