Rambling ...

Deckview 2/8/24

Ok, definitely not my deck.

A gorgeous view from the Aerie’s Resort deck of the Mississippi and Illinois River confluence in Grafton, Illinois.

Pier Marquette

Feels like the groundhog-promised early spring,

Warm and windy,

WIth sunshine shifting in and out

Among high puffy clouds

In spite of an early Valentine dinner program taking place in the lodge,

The trails are nearly deserted for a Wednesday evening sunset stroll,

And Thursday morning hike.

Lewis and Clark Trail

Cloudy, warm, February 1st,

The woods are rustling with birds and deer and an armadillo

Ambling through thick piles of leaves

Clark Trail in one of my favorites, but today we walk it clockwise to incorporate the Lewis loop then backtrack to the trailhead.

It’s a beautiful circuit along the blufftops

High above the Katy trail and the slowly drifting Missouri River.

We didn’t get much, probably no more than a couple of inches. Even that was a bit of a surprise though. Last night it was barely a fuzz of frost on the deck, this morning puffy hummocks of drizzly snow.

The clouds are low and thick, filtering the early morning sun nearly twilight dim.

Deck View 1/1/24

Morning guest on a cold and cloudy New Year’s Day

He perched like a statue on the edge of the planter

As the squirrels skittered casually closer and closer

Eventually his head slowly swiveled to peer through the glass at me

Then, with a last bemused look at the brainless rodent staring him down,

He swooped into the air,

Leaving behind his breakfast buffet

Creve Coeur Lake

December 28th, it’s gusty and cold, clouds scuttling back and forth across the sun.

Rolling waves slosh against trailside bramble and the waterfall trickles sluggishly over the boulders.

The gravel pedestrian trail is nearly abandoned. Even the dog walkers stick to the asphalt today. It’s packed with birds, singing and calling and darting from tree to tree as I approach; then melting into the rushes when I stop to focus my camera.

Cliff Cave County Park

Spring Valley Trail

It’s sunny and slightly cool. We park at the lower lot along the Mississippi River where the breeze shivers off the water.

It’s always a question, how much to stuff into pockets and where. Do I want the gloves? Will the phone need to be accessible or can it go into the water pack? I know I’ll warm up pretty quickly, so there’s also the “where do I put it all when I’m done with it” consideration.

The paved trail up the hill is wide and busy, shaded by the cliffs. I’ve been on this section before. It’s nice, with a beautiful bridge that crosses the highway and an overlook of the sealed off cave.

Spring Valley Trail is new to me though. It branches off to the left as the path levels off. It’s a narrow dirt trail, obviously designed for mountain bikers, but mostly quiet on this Thursday morning.

It’s generally easy to follow. Several off-shoot trails lead in from the nearby neighborhoods, and there is an inner and outer loop. Trail signs and a couple of maps clear up most hesitation.

Birds call and skitter from tree to tree within the woods. A school bell tolls and children’s chatter briefly edges the trail. In spite of views through the bare banches of the neighborhood bordering the park, it feels like a morning deep in the woods.