by Sue *
Member since:
July 31, 2006

Sunday Afternoon In The Heartland (photo essay)

July 09, 2008 10:20 AM EDT
views: 158 | comments: 58

     Living in the Midwest my entire life, I sometimes take my surroundings for granted. I have always wanted to live in the South, so I tend to see my area as flat, boring and just the "land of black dirt." Recently one of my connections (Apryl just Apryl) has mentioned how beautiful my area is, and my first thought was, "no way."

     Sunday afternoon, feeling the need to stretch our legs a bit, we headed out to our area nature center for a hike. We've been there several times, although I always avoid it in the summer when  those dreaded ticks are in season. I put on long pants, socks and Nikes, sprayed myself with Deep Woods Off and donned a baseball cap (not a pretty sight) and off we went. I couldn't see a thing as I took the pictures; I had on my non-prescription sunglasses. Imagine my surprise when I loaded in the pictures and saw the beauty in the nature around me.

Ballard Nature Center

We've had so much rain that the water is muddy.

Berries were everywhere.

Look closely, one of the flowers has a visitor.

Let's go for a walk...

School children come here on field trips or for nature classes.

Watch out for the troll-just like around here!

We crossed the troll bridge.

The wildflowers are amazing.

Walking the pathway to the small "kid's fishing lake."

You can see why kids love this place.
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Comments: 58

t b. Jul 9, 2008, 10:24am EDT
Beautiful photo essay Sue!
Lainie - Just Lainie Jul 9, 2008, 10:28am EDT
My favorite picture is the fourth up from the bottom.

While these are nice, it's obvious that I'm a city girl because I see the beauty in the buildings and chaos of the city... Not that I don't enjoy the natural beauty too...

I should go to the arboretum up here and take some pictures for you. : )
Ron (in complete sheeple overload) W. Jul 9, 2008, 10:31am EDT
I told you so, lol. Beautiful job, Sue.
Doyle ( IS SOOO 7 for 7 soon... ) C. Jul 9, 2008, 10:33am EDT
"I couldn't see a thing as I took the pictures; I had on my non-prescription sunglasses."
SNAP! You did that without seeing? Showoff! Great stuff Sue . . . I appreciate (like Lainie) the beauty in urban and rural areas alike . . . but prefer rural. :)

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
sharon SugarMomma is a wise woman, Jul 9, 2008, 10:36am EDT
Now how in heavens name did you miss the pretty before? Dang woman.
Lisa Frost Jul 9, 2008, 10:40am EDT
While I love living in my small town suburb of the big city, I do miss the seasons in the country. Each having a beauty and majesty that only God could create!

Great photos, and a wonderful essay!
Stephanie B. Jul 9, 2008, 10:44am EDT
I'm an urbanite clear through, but I grew up on a farm and can appreciate nature especially from a distance. The berries made my mouth water and the whole essay reminded me fondly of my grandfather's place in Maryland where I spent 3 years of my youth.
Sue * Jul 9, 2008, 10:46am EDT
Well, no seashells, no ocean, no Hibiscus, no little lizards...I just sort of like that southern water stuff. But, these pictures did surprise me.

Lainie-I love nothing more than a city skyline. Driving Michigan Ave. with the buildings on one side and the water on the other is beautiful, for sure. I just couldn't drive there!
Rob Appell Jul 9, 2008, 10:49am EDT
Reminds me of home. Though we'd got hills and valleys, this looks just like visiting the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge we have right outside of town...the largest preserve in the northeast and a major stop off for millions of migratory birds.
I know just what you mean! I grew up in SD and it was boring with a capital B... but oh, how I love that place now... even the "boring" treeless prairie is like heaven. It took seeing it through the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time, though, to make me see it that way. I took my second husband there for a visit and he fell in love with it as a first-timer.

This is an exquisite photo essay!
Vicky P. Jul 9, 2008, 11:00am EDT
It's amazing what you can see, when not really looking. Beautiful photo's.
Wow, you do have a lot of beauty where you are at! Love all of the pictures~
Jennifer F. Jul 9, 2008, 11:57am EDT
This place is fantastic! I grew up in the midwest and I miss that natural beauty so much. This place reminds me of the small nature preserve that our elementary school used to go to each year on the last week of school. We all had ticks after each excursion there -- and if we were wading in the water, we often got leaches too -- which we thought were "cool". Of course, this was pre-Lyme disease days :-) I wish it wasn't so oppressively hot here - I would love to spend a day enjoying nature like you did. Fantastic photoessay!
Chuck M. Jul 9, 2008, 12:21pm EDT
That was nice! Great photo essay!
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Jul 9, 2008, 12:37pm EDT
You are surrounded by such beauty Sue, you just didn't realize it since you see it every day. Beautiful photos and essay.

Thanks so much for posting this to
my group
Tonia, who hugs trees G. Jul 9, 2008, 12:40pm EDT
Yes, you do have beauty all around. This was a wonderful essay - I could feel tension draining away as I looked at your photos.
Corina Carrasco Jul 9, 2008, 12:49pm EDT
Forget the kids! I'd love this place!
Sue * Jul 9, 2008, 12:56pm EDT
Jennifer-it was hot, but not so much back in the trees. I prefer going there in the fall when the temps are better.
Bhawana 'Gather Proud Mom' Jul 9, 2008, 2:03pm EDT
Lovely pics Sue, you took these?
Phyllis R. Jul 9, 2008, 2:58pm EDT
This is a beautiful photo essay Sue, --- I really enjoyed going on this little trip too!!! All your pictures are fantastic, I just love the little troll bridge, -- it is so neat!! I think we all get so 'comfortable' with our surroundings that 'we can not see the forest for the trees', -- sometimes it does take someone not familiar with our surroundings to 'open our eyes' and allow us the see the beauty in our own backyards!
Sue * Jul 9, 2008, 3:11pm EDT
Buzzy...yes, I did, even though I couldn't see very well without my glasses.
Apryl Just Apryl Jul 9, 2008, 3:30pm EDT
I told you! I love the photos and it reminded me of all the beautiful landscape I saw when I came through. I also saw lots of wild life, Breath Taking!
Sue * Jul 9, 2008, 3:40pm EDT
Apryl-you inspired me to look around a bit! I've been there several times, but I tried to see it through your eyes.
These were gorgeous shots, Sue! I always think my area is dull and boring, too. (Except for the lake, of course!) Flat land and few trees. Sometimes we have to close our eyes and reopen them so we can see what we're missing.

I loved the troll reference!
flit . Jul 9, 2008, 5:12pm EDT
I'm glad the pictures uploaded ....definitely worth seeing :)
Anne Marie A. Jul 9, 2008, 6:37pm EDT
It is a pretty area!
donna h. Jul 9, 2008, 7:10pm EDT
That is a beautiful area Sue....I would love it
Bhawana 'Gather Proud Mom' Jul 9, 2008, 10:17pm EDT
revisted to see your wonderful photography.

hugs
Bert Van Essen Jul 10, 2008, 7:27am EDT
In western South Dakota we have few trees. But it has its beauty especially in the morning and evening with the slanting sun. We have a park like this in eastern South Dakota and like the one you visited is beautiful and refreshing! And we have ticks!
elizabeth e. Jul 10, 2008, 9:20am EDT
Great hike with the trolls today.
Jessica S. Jul 10, 2008, 9:24am EDT
Beautiful! Reminds me of Vermont in many ways. I hope you gave a quarter!
Melinda ~choosing happiness~ S. Jul 10, 2008, 5:36pm EDT
Congrats on being featured! Gorgeous photos- I do love the Midwest!
necee t. Jul 10, 2008, 6:03pm EDT
oh Sue... this was a wonderful afternoon stroll through the Heartland...
thank you for taking me... i enjoyed the troll bridge and the fields of flowers and i can see why the kids love it here... excellent photo/essay... Blessings...


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MySpace Thursday Comments
Ron (in complete sheeple overload) W. Jul 10, 2008, 6:14pm EDT
Congrats on the front page feature, Sue.
Connie C. Jul 10, 2008, 7:47pm EDT
Wow That was really cool. What a great photo essay. I loved the photos
Kay M. Jul 10, 2008, 8:56pm EDT
Very pretty photo essay
Judy Kiser Jul 10, 2008, 9:07pm EDT
Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing them.
Congratulations on the front page feature!

You go, my very good girlfriend!
j - Frugal Mom - r. Jul 10, 2008, 9:17pm EDT
Wow, I love your photos Sue....congrats on your feature. You really do live in a beautiful area.
J W. Jul 10, 2008, 9:26pm EDT
great photo essay
Sue * Jul 10, 2008, 9:26pm EDT
Thanks j...trade you!
Bruce K. Jul 10, 2008, 10:03pm EDT
Given the exciting nature of world events lately, boredom sounds real good to me ... beautiful photos, thanks.
Corina Carrasco Jul 10, 2008, 11:37pm EDT
Just saying hi! Great to see you on the home page!
April H. Jul 11, 2008, 3:24am EDT
Stunning photos in a lovely essay
Janet Somewhere Up On The Mount Jul 11, 2008, 5:52am EDT
Great essay.
The pictures are great.
The one of the berries looks so real it's like you could just reach in an pick one..
~*Jackie Ferrari*~ Jul 11, 2008, 8:12am EDT
Awesome pics and essay.

I love the fishing lake! :-)
Santa Claus Jul 11, 2008, 8:24am EDT
That was a beautiful hike. Thanks for taking us along.
jennifer b. Jul 11, 2008, 8:44am EDT
Very cool, Thanks for sharing!
Phyllis R. Jul 11, 2008, 9:03am EDT
Way to go Sue, ---congrats on being featured on the homepage.....that is awesome! This is a wonderful photo essay, - one of the best and I really did enjoyed taking this trip with you!! :o) Let me know when we can go on another one, --- I am always ready to go!!
LeeAnn D. Jul 11, 2008, 9:11am EDT
Sometimes when one lives in an area for a long time, you get desentized to it's beauty. No matter where you live. In the lush green tropics or the barron dessert. Each place has it's own unique beauty. You just have to take time out to enjoy it and soak it up.
I lived in Oklahoma most my life and thought it was a pretty boring dust bowl. Not much there, but now that I have lived away for so long and go back couple times a year to visit family, I see what I had come so accustom too and blocked out. It's beauty.

Just take some time out and take a good look around and appreciate what surrounds you. You'll find beauty you never knew was there.

Awesome photo essay. Thank you for sharing.
☃ Aunt Shanny Jul 11, 2008, 9:47am EDT
I have always thought the midwest is one of the most beautiful places in the country! We still have acres and acres of undeveloped land and all the beautiful lakes!

Honestly, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Yeah, it might snow a bit, but we aren't in the "snow belt", so it's not so bad.
☃ Aunt Shanny Jul 11, 2008, 9:47am EDT
And I can't believe the places all the trolls go!
Vicky Duggins Jul 11, 2008, 5:04pm EDT
Really beautiful, Sue. That's one thing we've learned from geocaching. The seeking takes us to beautiful places around here that we have overlooked for years. We just forget to look under our noses.

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