The Forest Park Nature Center is a 500-acre little surprise, nestled into the western hills overlooking the Illinois River Valley just north of Peoria. Established as such only 40-some years ago, the land was a Girl Scouts Camp for the preceding ten years; before that it was a tranquil sanitorium for tuberculosis patients. And before it took on that role in 1917, the area - initially cleared by French and British families for farming - hosted hops fields and large vegetable farm. The latter actually persisted side-by-side with the sanitorium until 1950.
Wild Flox were taking over the groundcover...
If you can make it down the 45degree hill on the main road, you can walk in the woods and take in the beauty - with plenty of company you may not find elsewhere.
"Hide!!"
and seek...
"Hide?"
and seek!
May 18, 2008
... otherwise known as Potowatami Trail, an 850-acre hilly creek-cut area of oak-hickory woods and little prairies. It is rumored the same lively company that made an appearance in the nature center are abound in McNoughton, but on this excursion, they kept well-concealed. 
We, on the other hand, abandoned the trail for the creek!
Eastern Redbud just sprawling...
Common bluebell, maybe? (Don't quote me on this!)
Again, they were thick on the woodland floors, beautiful!
Apple blossoms!
Look carefully - there is a reason for this picture!
Wild Flox were taking over the groundcover...
If you can make it down the 45degree hill on the main road, you can walk in the woods and take in the beauty - with plenty of company you may not find elsewhere.
"Hide!!"and seek...
"Hide?"
and seek! May 18, 2008
McNaughten Park ...
... otherwise known as Potowatami Trail, an 850-acre hilly creek-cut area of oak-hickory woods and little prairies. It is rumored the same lively company that made an appearance in the nature center are abound in McNoughton, but on this excursion, they kept well-concealed.(Perhaps because of little Caracu, ready to take on the scent!)
We, on the other hand, abandoned the trail for the creek!Eastern Redbud just sprawling...
- endless lavender-pink was in abundance on all over the park on our hike!
Common bluebell, maybe? (Don't quote me on this!)
Apple blossoms!
Look carefully - there is a reason for this picture!The Sunday afternoon hiking crew...
aka - Mary, Matt, LaDonna, genially regarding the photographers' statement,
aka - Mary, Matt, LaDonna, genially regarding the photographers' statement,"Smile - your in the way of the picture!"
Pied Beauty
GLORY be to God for dappled things—
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.
(Gerard Manley Hopkins)
GLORY be to God for dappled things—
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him. 
May 4, 2008
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