Monday, July 12, 2010

Wetlands...

Me and the heathen took a drive yesterday mornin' to catch an early glimpse of the wildlife in the area...and just to get away from the work that always awaits...

I love it when I see this sign, Pheasants Forever, it means that a parcel of property has been purchased for the restoration of wetlands. This is not far from my home, my husband used to hunt Canada geese here every season...we were married not far from here in a wetland restoration area...cool huh!

We decided to take a stroll to the scenic overlook...alotta sniffin' goin' on here...

This is the vast hardwood forest that the first Americans would have viewed from the bluff...and the Mississippi River...so sad that only 1% of all these forests are left in Iowa.

Come on Ma...

Vast waving fields of prairie wildflowers line the walkway...
I'm in my element here...

Buck brush...

and marsh mallow...

and cattails, always bordering the farm ground...soybeans...

a mighty river over steps it's bounds...

...and a field of dreams at the entrance of this fabulous wetland sanctuary, fertile river bottoms
still farmed on this century farm...some day it too may be a part of this valuable, irreplaceable wetland...ancient native American hunting grounds...
we can only hope!