Blogging a Bike Break....

 ...early on Sunday morning, it appeared it might rain, as it was off in the distance. We're on I-80 heading west toward Joliet...

 ...a typical wooded vista along the Wauponsee Glacial Trail in Will Co. IL. It's mainly crushed limestone and a pretty good surface, except for minor mushy spots....our trip was 42 miles.

 ...a railroad used to be here. As a bike trail, it means you can ride long distances without having to worry about automobile traffic...not a lot of people on the trail today: perhaps 2 dozen bikers, 8 ladies on horseback and a few runners....

 ....just a countryside view from the trail....After seeing the trails in PA, these prairie-field-woods trails aren't as compelling for me. After the adorable towns to explore in MO, ditto.

....Hubsy found this: he calls it an "exterior framed box car" probably retired from rail service in the 1930's. Someone started--but didn't finish--making it into a cabin. Evocative (my favorite word). Hubsy loved the trail and could go back next week; the songbirds were abundant. There were enough clean outhouse-style potties and water available. But no adorable towns to see; no "can't miss" eateries of any kind--pretty grim.

FlowerGirl Dance Recital 2.0....

 ...yep. Just pick a hellishly hot day in June, fill a warm school auditorium with family, friends and screaming baby siblings. Dress a hundred or more little- and medium-sized girls in colorful, sparkly, hot and scratchy dance outfits....(they were all precious)....

 FlowerGirl is third from the right in the Jasamine Tea Dance. The show was very good this year.

 ....she is a serious little dance student. She likes her classes and does well. But after the show, it's time to unwind, and she's hot and she's tired and hungry--maybe thirsty too. And she's part goof-ball, so she could not pose properly with her bouquet like a good little ballerina...

....What would you do with this ballerina, Edgar Degas?? What?

Homage to a Lovely Portrait....

....no, not mine!! Please enjoy Virginia's Post From Birmingham Alabama Daily Photo. What a sweet, evocative little face!   (and another excuse to run one of my own favs).

One for the Blonde Guy...

...we are with visitors to the RiverTrails Nature Preserve along the DesPlaines River. Forget the other visitors, look at the structure that serves to provide a place to put information and maps of the area. About 8 years ago, this structure and two others like it were donated and built by Our Blonde Kid (and his fellow Scouts) as his Eagle Scout Project. I'm not surprised the shelters are still there--they were well-planned and built; I'm a little surprised they are in such great shape!!

The Class of 2011--Columbine Group....

...these were some of the prettiest.

The Photographic Combo-Platter...

...shapes, shadows, angles, lines, colors and textures, oddly framed and balanced; but it works ok. It's the barn at Wagner Farm in Glenview; the one where you go to see what the barn cats and kittens are doing.

One More Weird Animal at The Grove's Nature Center....

...and we'll move on. It looks like an eel about 2 ft. long, but it's an amphibian with stunted little leggy things up near it's snout. OK, it's called a Siren, it's an aquatic salamander and they aren't native to Chicago-land, thank Goodness. I like animals, but these look slimy and freaky. Kinda like the congressman and the twitter story that's makin' the rounds..... oh, forget that! Go visit Critter Cam