Deer Dike Park

The morning started out sunny and cool so I headed to the other side of the John Deere factory to Deer Dike Park. I walked along a dike road into the Mississippi. As I walked I saw clouds gathering to the north. I was warm enough with two sweaters, a rain coat to break the wind, and my high visibility vest. I just kept my hands inside my sleeves.

I didn't see any boats today. When I arrived there were two trucks with empty boat trailers. I never heard them come in but when I got back the two trucks were gone. Illinois is on the other side of the river.

I am glad I walked in the morning because by the time I finished my lunch in the car that flaky white stuff was falling from the sky. I groaned aloud.

I saw a great blue heron flying south. I saw a belted kingfisher, chickadees, blue jays, crows, a turkey vulture and dark eyed juncos. I thought I saw a small black bear but it turned out to be a guy wearing tan clothes which were the same color as the gravel road and his black dog. He probably wondered why I was taking his picture. As I approached my car some bird or animal was making a rhythmic smacking noise. When I stopped to listen the noise would stop. When I walked the smacking continued. I did this five times before I gave up. Then I went to a grocery store, bought the ingredients for a spinach pie, and went home and baked. This seemed like a good day to have the oven on.