Not my camera, not your computer

These were taken the other day when we ran over to Arthur, Illinois. It never rained really hard at any time, but misted. And if it wasn't misting, you just felt the humidity around you. There was always this slight fog or mist close to the ground in the distance. It was not my camera not in focus, nor is it your computer needing adjusting.
Today has been a different story as far as the rain...it has rained A LOT today...and about the time I think it is done, it comes around again. Just a little bit ago, I actually had the thought that it might be over with for today, but instead in about ten minutes, the rain moved back in and it just poured for about 20-30 minutes. Now, it acts like the sun might want to come out, but I am not going to let it fool me for a minute.
Doesn't it look lonely? And flat. I never can get over how flat it is. I would love to know how far one can actually see. And it is certainly a different kind of seeing than growing up in Tennessee.

When I first came to Indiana from Tennessee, I sure missed my mountains. I was just always so lonesome for them...and I guess to this day even though I have come to love some of the things of Indiana, my heart still belongs to Tennessee. Every now and then we come to an area and it will remind us of this or that place in Tennessee...and just for a minute we can pretend to be home.

She's adorable...

We went to Sarah's this morn and visited with our granddaughter, Lorelei. See that smile above--that is her getting ready to have her diaper changed! And see the picture below, that is right of in front of her changing table....those giraffes on the wall are ones Sarah painted for her room. And she seems to love them! She jabbers and coos and talks to them any time you put her on the table. If she is unhappy, take her in there and her mood usually changes.
And today her Grandpa seemed to really entertain her. She tried her best to talk to him. It isn't going to be long till she is running us all ragged keeping up with her.
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Now, to the previous post...I don't know why I said I had seen grouse out at the strip pits...I meant to say I saw two male pheasants. I have almost typed grouse before. So I hope everyone that seen that post at least sees this one. I have never seen a grouse in Indiana, and only one or two in Tennessee. I don't think they are native to Indiana, but not sure.

Below is the other new sighting for us...what do you think? Is it a Great Egret?
I wish these were better pictures, but am lucky they were this good.
I really have trouble focusing this lens...it is a cheap thing. I don't have near the trouble with the other lens.
Anyway, if you think you know for sure if this is or isn't a Great Egret tell me. I really do not know what birds at all.

Hi, I'm Blondie!!

It was a rainy, dreary day...we got up and fooled around a little bit. Roger finished up something in the garage and I was doing some laundry. He got done, and he knew that I had been needing some fabric...don't laugh! I really don't have very many purples or oranges in my fabric and I needed them for my new quilt for Lorelei.
Anyway, we headed to Illinois, and a quick run through the strip pit area was in order, as well as one on the way home. It is more or less a little detour to go through it. On the way there, we saw two male pheasant--(not grouse), a couple pair of blue winged teal, mallards, a painted turtle, and the usual red-winged blackbird. The normal sights.
On the way home, we saw a couple new things, this skunk among them. We did see one one other time, and it was white for the most part. And though it was an off-white, it wasn't as off white as this one. And it was too far away to get a good picture. This one, however was close enough. At first I thought he was going to come and investigate me, but he had second thoughts and turned and took off through the field.
So that is my one new thing from out there...and I will show you the other in the next day or two.
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We had planned to go mushroom hunting tomorrow, but instead are going to go see Lorelei. It has been at least a week since Roger has seen her and even though it was last Thursday for me, it seems an age and I can't wait to see her.
I found this mushroom right outside our fence, where my husband parks his trailer. I found it yesterday, but a day or two before when Roger was mowing the yard, he found a whole mess of morels. He done had them inside and in water when I came home. We had to have breakfast the next morning...emmm-mmm-good!