NEARLY WORDLESS WEDNESDAY
I had forgotten how green and verdant and abundant the wildlife in Illinois is.
New ponds in the developments of east Bloomington have attracted ducks, like this mallard and his mate to backyard birdfeeders and birdbaths.
In the countryside, spreading oaks
and maples, boxwood, chestnut,
linden...
Hardwoods all, grow
and spread wide branches
that shade the land.
The Mackinaw river cuts across the Bloomington Moraine,
flowing abundance widely across the land.
As we drove home from Minier after dinner on Saturday night, I opened the window to appreciate the soft, water-laden breeze, and smell the delicate odors from the woods, and the
strong, fertile scent of the dark, rich soils.
In my head, a few remembered lines of the state song drifted past:
"By thy rivers gently flowing, Illinois,
Illinois...
...By thy prairies verdent growing,
Illinois, Illinois..."
That's all I remember. But it fit the mood and the
moment.
It's just so incredibly fertile... And the green is not delicate or retiring...
A softer, gentler beauty than what I have come to love here in New Mexico.
It's so green...
Yes, it is that time of year. The spring green in the midwest is so intense...and the smells and breeze, and animals, and swaying grasses in the fields, and the BIRDS! :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a duck in a birdbath though - cute!
Ooooh! It is pretty! Someday I'd love to take a driving tour of the country -- I've hardly seen any of it.
ReplyDeleteWow, Elisheva, those were wonderful pictures. A good reminder for this jaded central Illinoisan. I think we just need a little field/bike trip down the road to Moraine View park outside of Leroy.
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