I think I like the background almost as I do the actual subject in this photo.

Arrowhead plant

They were huge...the above is a cropped portion of the photo below.

I sure wouldn't mind having a pond with these growing in it.

Mural seen in Illinois

Another grab shot as we were driving by...over in Illinois. 

Drive-bys for Barn Charm

IF I can remember, I want to link to Tricia's Barn Charm tonight.  I thought I would use the drive-by shots from the road trip to Effingham, Illinois.

By using the sharpen tool, I was able to improve these enough till I don't feel too bad using them.  I really would have loved to have had the opportunity to stop and take photos of this barn above...I really did like it.

The buzzard caught my eye on this one...actually there was two or three, but the other shot was beyond help, so showing this one with only the one buzzard.

And finally this last barn...I think I captured it on the way home...

Two turtles...

These are from the Heron Viewing Station north of Danville, Illinois....no, we did not see any herons or much of anything as far as wildlife. 

A haunting place...

Just a couple scenes from a place Roger and I passed

I know the general area this was in, but have searched and searched on Google Earth trying to find it.

You can click on the photos to expand the views.

Curled up and floating

This was a lily pad leave that had curled up and was floating on the water.  I think it is interesting to look at.

Lock & Safe

I snapped it as we were driving.  It was as we drove north on Route 1 in Illinois...and going by the photo numbers, it was in Danville, Illinois.

Note...no excuses for not blogging.  The kids were here for a couple of nights and it is so hard sometimes to pick up and start again after they leave.  So I have a lot of catching up to do.

A fence from the past...

This is not the greatest image...it is a scanned version of one taken in 1995!  From Cade's Cove in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

linking to Friday's Fences

Water lily

First the full version of the shot...

And then a cropped portion of the same photo.  The bee is just a little bonus that was there for a minute or two.

Yee-Haw....time for Barn Charm....

I forgot I had these to use for Barn Charm....took them just last week.

Notice the gate in the above picture...I used a view of it the other day in the Friday's Fences meme.

And let me give you this side view of this big old barn...it is the only view I got as we passed...

And there you have my Barn Charm.

Tunnel under

This is from October of last year...somewhere on the backroads after dropping Lorelei off to her mom.  That was some bright paint!

Seeds of autumn....

A sure sign that autumn is on its way.....for better or for worse...whether we love it or hate it.

Dragonfly....just waiting on a friend

It reminds me of a helicopter waiting to take off....

Just an old wooden gate....

Snapped this the other day when we were coming home from Goose Pond. Just an old wooden homemade gate that appeals to me....

Linking to Friday's fences....

Arrowhead plant flower

I have a pic without the blades of grass, but for some reason I still like this the best.
And just for fun, below is a close-up view.

I think the plant and the flowers are just beautiful.

A tree

Just love big ole trees...and know there are some others out that do out there in blog world. This really doesn't do justice to the tree. 

Barn Love!

I don't know why, but this barn really appealed to me.  Maybe it was they way it just sat there...alone on the prairie.

It is my entry for Barn Charm....

Butterfly

The third subject I captured while waiting for Lorelei.  That was the most productive 10 minutes I have ever had, I think. 

Autumn's yellow flowers

Now this is from a week or two ago...and it is something I associate with autumn.  I love the yellows of autumn.

After the bloom is gone...

This is what is left after the bloom is gone on a hibiscus...