Uploads from mastodont

Jensen Lake, Dakota County, Minnesota

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:27:39 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

The colors of the deciduous trees in spring before "leaf-out" are almost as delightful as their fall colors. The wind was almost non-existent and the light was coming down Jensen Lake from underneath the clouds behind me. A truly beautiful evening.
The eastern section of Lebanon Hills Regional Park is a wonderful place filled with lakes. Feels like you are miles away from the Twin Cities but you are not. This park was probably "way out there" back when it was first set up but now it is firmly in the outer sprawl zone, which makes it even more precious. It even features a set of canoe routes and portages. I had visited in March for a winter sunrise and decided to return in May. I will definitely stop by again on my next visit, later this summer.

Meacham Grove, DuPage County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:04:05 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Went back to Meacham grove early last week and there was a totally different feel. The canopy overhead was filling in and on the forest floor everything felt like it was heading to deep dark green. The trilliums were fading and the so was the open feel of early May. In these next few weeks almost all of the flowers will be gone and the green of summer will remain supreme. At least for a while until fall brings the colors back.

Tons o'Trillium, Wright Woods, Lake County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:29:52 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

One of the best things about our spring is the the woodland wildflowers. The Des Plaines River is back in its bed for now and it's a delight to be out. The sunlight was bouncing off of the trees but the direct rays of the rising sun were still moments away from hitting the forest floor. Have a wonderful week.

Wright Woods, Lake County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:29:48 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Tried to get a little feel in this shot of the diversity of species in a true northern Illinois Woodland.

Meacham Grove, DuPage County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:02:43 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

To all of the Moms (and future Moms) out there. Happy Mother's Day! Enjoy your weekend!

The Redfield Estate, Cook County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:09:33 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Once a private home and now the backdrop for many wonderful weddings. While I was taking this photo, I spoke with a couple and their teen-aged son strolling through. They had been married here in the late 1980's and were just reminiscing how memorable it was. I told them that my eldest son and his fiancee were going to be married here in a few weeks. They offered their congratulations and said how happy they were with their choice to be married here.

Hope that this upcoming weekend is a great one for you.

Pilfered the following from the Glenview Park District website
A Brief History of the Redfield Estate:

Built in 1929, The Redfield Estate was the home of Kennicott descendents who settled The Grove in the 1830s. Acclaimed authors Louise Redfield Peattie (American Acres) and Donald Culross Peattie (A Prairie Grove) were the first couple to live in the home. George G. Elmslie, a follower of the Louis Sullivan School of Chicago Architecture, designed the house. The home’s fabulous architectural style was inspired by the natural areas of The Grove. A stained glass circle on the large leaded glass window in the main room is placed in such a way that the moon appears encircled here on the vernal equinox in the spring and autumnal equinox in the fall.

Donald Culross Peattie was a famous botanist and naturalist which is fitting considering that his home here is just a short walk away from the home and grave of one of my favorite naturalists, Robert Kennicott.

Arriving early to Chapel, Kenosha County, Wisconsin

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:31:50 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Got up early last Sunday to take some sunrise shots of this delightful and simple outdoor chapel. Our spring campout turned into a winter campout with below freezing temperatures and a bit of snow. The chapel roof was wearing a solid coating of frost. After a week of rain and flooding throughout most of the Midwest, we had one last bit of winter, but it was a very good weekend nonetheless. In a couple of hours we will all join together and give thanks.

Pond at Middlefork, Lake County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:18:29 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Because it was pretty windy on Sunday. I waited until after the sun was more fully set before trying to take these shots. The wind did die down somewhat. I was hoping for a sharper reflection but because I've combined 3 shots it was difficult not to get at least one with a bit of rippling water. The area around this pond is recovering from controlled burns earlier in the year. That, plus the time of year make the area looks like 50 shades of brown. But wait until June-July-August when it will be bursting with color. All the best to you for this upcoming weekend.

Heading Towards Blue Hour at Elawa Farm, Lake County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:47:21 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Happy Wednesday!

Elawa Farm is a preserved gentleman's farm constructed in 1917. Because it is partially surrounded by Middlefork Savanna and Lake Forest Open Lands Middlefork Farm, It really gives this historic farm an open space feeling.

Bonneyville Mill, Elkhart County, Indiana

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:50:00 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Bonneyville Mill is one of our family's favorite places to visit. On warm, sunny afternoons, it's a great place to picnic and forget the world for a while. It's a very popular place on holiday weekends. We would always take a picture of the kids standing on top of the old turbine in front of the mill, take the tour of the mill, buy some flour or cornmeal (for johnnycakes) and for the grand finale we would hike to and climb the observation tower. We used to visit at least once a year when the kids were small but as they grew towards adulthood, our visits stopped. I took a few shots when we passed by in 2011 on our way to somewhere else. I have been trying to work more in black and white lately. I was really happy to be able to work on this one.
I appreciate your stopping by and hope that this upcoming weekend gives you a chance to perhaps think back on your own good times in your own favorite places.

Mill Stuff:
Bonneyville Mill is the oldest continuously operating (over 150 years) grist mill in Indiana. They grind flour every day May through October. When it was built, it was it was as modern as could be for its time. Turbines were in the process of replacing water wheels in the new mills.
Take a tour and see the ingenious technology that automated much of the whole process from grain to finished product. The entire structure is a machine with one purpose.
After the mill tour take a walk through the beautiful park. Appreciate the natural beauty of the area. Look at the placement of the mill within the valley, the layout of the dams and how the flow of water is handled. It makes you realize the intelligence and skill of the millwrights who set it all up.

Shoe Factory Prairie, Cook County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 08:23:31 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Please excuse the posting of a photo very similar to one I posted a while ago. I've been practicing my B&W and trying different processing techniques. I was able to use a slightly different shot taken a minute or two later. It has a bit more light and I was able to get a result I am more pleased with. Because of the time difference and more use of the red layer the sun is a bit stronger here. I like the better definition of the Rattlesnake Master, Big Bluestem, Indian Grass and Goldenrods. I hope that your week is going well. Thank you for visiting.

Lapham Peak, Waukesha County, Wisconsin

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:41:01 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Lapham Peak is named after Increase Lapham who was a gifted natural scientist whose expertise spanned many fields. Lapham and the Signal Corps set up a series of signal relay stations between this point and Pikes Peak in Colorado. Weather data from the west was received here and forwarded to the great lakes ports. Eventually, this operation evolved into the National Weather Service.
The tower is 45 feet tall and sits on top of a 1,223 foot a.s.l. glacial kame. The views from the top are outstanding. The kame is a part of the Kettle Moraine which is a medial moraine formed between the Green Bay and Lake Michigan lobes. The Ice Age Trail which runs on or near the Kettle Moraine in these parts passes just south (right) of the observation tower.

Wazee Lake, Jackson County, Wisconsin

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 11:31:36 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Wazee Lake was the site of an open-pit iron mine until 1983. "Wazee" means "tall pine" in the Ho-Chunk language. When the mine was abandoned and the pumps turned off, the mine naturally filled up with water. This lake is the deepest lake within the state of Wisconsin, with a maximum depth of approximately 355 feet (108 m). The waters of this lake are incredibly clear and pristine, supporting a large fishery. It is really a cool place to visit and is a mecca for scuba diving. For more information on diving in this lake go to www.co.jackson.wi.us and do a site intetrnal search for "Wazee Lake". Looks better on black. Have a good week!

Riley's Road Trip

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:20:43 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Our van is just like Riley's dog crate at home except it can go to wonderful places and its a bit larger so that we can all fit inside. Have a peaceful Easter weekend!

St. Paul skyline from Indian Mounds Park

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:02:05 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

We stopped to take our dog, Riley, for a walk at Indian Mounds Park. Indian Mounds Park preserves six remaining Hopewell Indian mounds located on bluffs high above the Mississippi River. The river, highways and railroads all dominate the area below the bluffs. There's also an airport on the other side of the Mississippi from here. I decided to try back a bit later and was able to grab some shots before the sun disappeared behind much thicker clouds nearer to the ground.

Poplar Creek, Cook County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 19:26:21 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

With the warming weather, I was hoping to get out for a bit and enjoy the snow before the rains came this weekend. Poplar Creek is a former prairie stream that is still a beautiful sight as it passes though the forest preserve. In spite of the nearby never-ending buzzsaw of traffic on Routes 59 and 58, I felt like I was worlds away. There was only a single set of ski tracks and my footprints in addition to the tracks of the local inhabitants. I saw a red fox bounding away on the other side of the creek as I was walking in. Hope that your weekend went well and wishing you a good week to come.

Poplar Creek, Cook County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 19:23:17 -0700

mastodont posted a photo:

Poplar Creek is a tributary of the Fox River and it flows through an area that is rapidly being paved over. These forest preserve soon will be an island in the expanding sprawl. Thanks to those folks who had the foresight to set these lands aside. Thanks for stopping by!

North Branch, Chicago River, Cook County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:50:40 -0800

mastodont posted a photo:

Mostly still blue light as the sunrise was just starting. Saturday was a beautifully cold morning 15 F or -9 C and SNOW! We actually had a little over one inch of snow. Our river levels are really low (almost drought) and the river ice was thickening except out on the horizon where the inflow of a small stream had melted through the ice. Right at this moment it is 40F (4C) with no ice anywhere to be found and tomorrow afternoon it is going to reach almost 60F (15C). Thursday the temps will drop to 4F (-15C). Gotta love our weather.

Fort Sheridan Preserve (again), Lake County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 20:23:35 -0800

mastodont posted a photo:

Hope everyone is having a good week. I know, another Lake Michigan shot. My only excuse is that I just like to spend time out here. The snow and ice were covered with small bits of gravel thrown up by the waves, giving a kind of "salt and pepper" look to the shore. The boulders were sheathed in a half-inch thick layer of ice. There were even bits of gravel frozen into the ice coating on the rocks. The wind was coming down the beach from the north so there was no place to be out of it. Watching the clouds over the lake, I was thinking of a fantastic shot with beautiful pastel colors reflecting in the bits of floating ice. Nope, in minutes the lake effect clouds thickened up and and completely blocked the sun. Never assume anything for weather out over the lake. Later, as the sun broke through the cloud bank a few degrees above the water it was at full brightness. Bad news for Color but perfect for Black and White.

Glacial Park, McHenry County, Illinois

nobody@flickr.com (mastodont) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:47:49 -0800

mastodont posted a photo:

In the background are the northern-most pair of glacial kames in the park. They were deposited approximately 14.000 years ago by meltwaters flowing off of the continental ice sheets. The kames and the surrounding land are reverting slowly back to the prairies that they were in the past. According to the maps I've looked at, the small wetland in the foreground feeds a stream that runs north-east into Nippersink Creek. Nippersink means "Place of the small waters" in Algonquian, a very descriptive name. Hope that you have a great week ahead.