On a recent road trip, there were numerous sightings of deer on or near the road. This fawn was in the road, but it ran to one side of the road while its sibling and mother ran to the opposite ditch. I’m sure it was glad when I left so that it could rejoin its family.
Fawn Waiting
The morning rain created some water puddles and I watched a big crow enjoying a temporary water bath. The butterflies, like this Giant Swallowtail, also seem to like the moist soil after a long dry spell.
Giant Swallowtail
At the end of some frilly green leaves, a splash of pink color of the yarrow displays in the late summer sun.
Pink and Green
While the quiet stream today looks peaceful, in the past the rushing water had power to cut a deep gorge in the rocks. Sections of the stream cuts under the cliff which eventually will cause more huge boulders to fall as seen downstream.
Quiet Stream Under Cliff
Reaching a waterfall may be a short hike from a parking lot, or a very long hike and even a walk that involves crossing a stream several times. And while a hike to Twin Falls isn’t that long, it does require getting your feet wet if you are unable to hop across the rocks. And even if you manage not to slip off a rock and keep your feet dry, it is sometimes easier to walk upstream in the water than climbing around boulders as you near the falls.
Crossing Larson Creek
The weather is nice today, but I’m not sure I would climb the bell towers at Holy Hill during a thunderstorm. The third and present church on the site was completed 1931. A diary found, which dated to 1676, described how the author dedicated the hill to Jesus’s mother Mary after making a stone altar and raising a cross, which corresponds with the late 1600s Jesuit missionary work in the area. Holy Hill Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christian is located in southeast Wisconsin.
Third Church on Holy Hill
As the fair season continues during the summer months, many show goats seem to want some attention, especially more treats. The larger breeds, like these Alpine goats, even try to climb out of their pens. I like the little pygmy goats instead as the fences don’t need to be as tall and the little babies are cute.
Climbing Goats
There was some remaining clouds at sunset after the morning’s welcome rain, but one of the cloud layers was blocking the sun causing some interesting rays in the pink sky.
Sunset Gaps
It is a good thing that the male Eastern tiger swallowtails uses pheromones to entice the female butterfly since this male wouldn’t not get high marks for being handsome with his damaged and ripped wings.
Battered Butterfly
I took this old barn and silo photo about nine years ago and I wonder if they are still standing today. Many of the old wooden barns that I had photographed in the past have fallen or have been taken down, so soon it will be hard to find any remaining old barns on my wanderings on back roads.
Disappearing Structures
