Just a bit of whining!

I couldn't resist these shots of the thistle...

Not sure how bad out of focus this will look to you...the center is not too bad for me, but the bottom of the pic is pretty bad and the outer portion of the top is none too good.

(In this shot above the outter stickery parts are more in focus.)
 It is the fault of the wind...it never stops here in the Midwest.  At least any time I am trying to take a picture of something like this, it is either blowing or it starts to blow.

So, any picture that is in focus, is simply a stroke of luck and timing.

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It poured the rain last night...at least 3 different times that I am aware of.  The river was up yesterday, but I would bet it is out of the banks today after all that rain last night.  I don't think I have ever seen it rain this hard, except maybe one time in the 1990's.

We were coming home from Indianapolis...I am not sure why we were over there.  We had a Dodge minivan and it was relatively new, so had to be along 1992-93-94...it started raining.  Just literally like pouring water out of a bucket.  Our windshield wipers quit working...the wiper motor torn up.  I have always believed it had something to do with the amount of water they were trying to deal with.  I think it stripped something in the motor.

We were on a state highway, no place to pull off the road.  I had to open my window, hang my head out and watch the side of the road to tell Roger how to drive.  The rain slowed down right after this happened, thank goodness. He could half way drive, and I didn't get soaked too bad.

Anyway, that is the type of rain we had last night, and got up to actual coolness this morn, but it has heated up some this evening.  It was 82ºF the last time I looked.  I just now hung out a load of clothes.  I think they will get most of the way dry.  Rain is in the prediction for almost every day this week...depending on whose forecast you are going by so I wanted to do what I can.

Signposts...

When we were over in Marshall, Illinois, I saw this and could not resist a quick snapshot of it.  that was a big old RV there to the side.  One I would not want to drive...I would love to know how long it was.  I felt like it was as big as some school buses, and bigger than others.
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We had rambling fever today and headed north to the swamp area close to Coffing Brothers Orchard, and from there went on over to Danville, Illinois to the Heron viewing station.  I did get some good shots of a Great Blue Heron, but was disappointed in other ways.  Saw about three of the small water lily blooms, and that was all the blooms I saw.

It was if there had been a huge storm...I have not ever seen as much water in that area as was there today.  There just were not water lilies to speak of and I am not sure why.  And I only seen two turtles.

I am too weary to get much of a post together tonight...I will say it was another glorious cloud day.  So expect some more of those in the next few days, also some more thistle shots if nothing happens. 

Ride 'em, Cowgirl!

When we went to see the kids the other day, Sarah was volunteering at a fun fair that evening after work.  So, off we go to it when the time arrives.  (In the background is a real pony for sure.  They had just got there when Lorelei got to ride.)

Believe it or not, Lorelei got to ride this horse..or maybe she is a pony.  I know at least one of the two there was considered a pony just from listening to the owner talk to someone else.  It was just an inch or so shy of being tall enough to be considered a horse.  I really had no idea that either one would be called a pony.

Lorelei did enjoy it...
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We were supposed to have showers and thunderstorms off and on all day today.  It was overcast this morn, but has been sunny most of the day.  It is 2:00 in the evening and I am going to go ahead and hang out a load of clothes.  That will bring on the rain if anything will.  LOL