Leaving the Lake

Having a last view of Lake LaGrange through the prairie grass on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Blackhawk Segment, near the village of LaGrange in Walworth County, Wisconsin (USA). The purple flowers are milk thistle (Silybum marianum)

Cloudscape

Some impressive clouds roll in along the Blackhawk segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in southern Wisconsin (USA).

Stormy Sky

It looked threatening, but it just blew over. This is Lake LaGrange in southern Wisconsin (USA), viewed from the Blackhawk segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

Stormy Sky

It looked threatening, but it just blew over. This is Lake LaGrange in southern Wisconsin (USA), viewed from the Blackhawk segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

In the Forest

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Arbor Ridge Segment runs into the heart of the forest near Janesville, Wisconsin (USA).

On the Moraine

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail winds along the side of a glacial moraine in the Arbor Ridge segment near Janesville, Wisconsin (USA).

Crick Creek

Crick, Creek, or however you say it, it's a couple of miles along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Arbor Ridge segment, from the Janesville Schools Outdoor Lab. It's all down hill (one way, of course) and worth the effort. What a beautiful forest.

Eastern Daisy Fleabane

These beautiful little flowers are only 1/2 to 3/4 inch (1 - 2 cm) across. Eastern Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus), also known as Annual Fleabane, is an indiginous (in the US) and ubiquitous member of the aster family, found throughout most of the continental United States.

Beautiful Mess

The tree isn't majestic anymore, but it still shelters some of the smaller forest creatures, and it's still beautiful, when you look closely at its colors and textures. The tree slowly returns to the soil, and by its dying, nourishes the miracle of new life.

Alderberry Flowers

In August, the berries will be ripe and delicious. Right now, they're only pretty flowers.

Hues

The trees in the forest have taken on hues of bright yellow, orange and red in this image. Some of them are still green, but most will soon fall into line.

The Way to Go

It's hard to lose the way. The ice age trail is well marked and most places it is impeccably maintained by volunteer workers. This image is from the Arbor Ridge segment of the trail, in Rock County, near Janesville, Wisconsin (USA).

Kissed by the Sun

The sun angle, above the upper right, illuminates the autumn leaves, imparting an almost magical glow in the temple of the forest. This view is on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Arbor Ridge Segment, near Janesville, in Rock County, Wisconsin (USA).

Magic LIght

Hiking along the Arbor Ridge Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, in Rock County, near Janesville, Wisconsin (USA).

Autumn Colors

The colors of autumn are a feast for the eyes along the Arbor Ridge segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Rock County, near Janesville, Wisconsin (USA)

Perception of Light

The sun shines through the leaves of an autumn forest, in a rich display of colors and textures. Where does it exist? Why, in your head, of course. However, the scene was captured on the Arbor Ridge Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Rock County, Wisconsin (USA), near the city of Janesville. Processing was done by me, and your occipital lobe (and darktable, Luminance HDR, and GIMP (the Gnu Image Manipulation Program)). Let the light shine in. May you percieve beauty everywhere.

Ice Age Autumn

Early autumn color is seen on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Arbor Ridge Segment in Rock County, Wisconsin (USA) near Janesville.

Still Nice

It was a nice day for a walk in the early autumn woods along the Ice Age Trail in southern Wisconsin (USA).

Autumn Woods

This is a view along the Arbor Ridge segment of the Ice Age National Scenic trail, in Rock County, near Janesville, Wisconsin (USA).

Going Up

As autumn settles in, the sunlit forest canopy begins to take on traces of gold and crimson as it reaches into a perfect blue sky.

Autumn Colors

The colorful trees are just starting to show in southern Wisconsin (USA). So far it has been mostly yellow, but now we're starting to see a little orange and red. I saw this beauty as I walked along the Arbor Ridge Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail near Janesville, in mid October, 2017.

Sun Glow

The autumn sun plays among the leaves of this white oak tree, along the Arbor Ridge segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, near Janesville in Rock County, Wisconsin (USA)

Forest Light

The warm afternoon sun shines through early autumn leaves, against a blue sky and fair weather clouds. Arbor Ridge Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, in Rock County, near Janesville, Wisconsin (USA).

Changing Seasons

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Quote from the Christian Bible (Ecclesiastes 1-8) and song lyric "Turn Turn Turn" by Pete Seeger, still a great song, famously performed by (musical group) The Byrds in 1965.

Sunshine Leaves

Only the least interesting parts are in focus here, but that allows the beautiful colors to melt and glow in the glorious sunshine. Best seen with your third eye.

Sylvan Pathway

This is the Devil's Staircase segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, in Janesville, Wisconsin, USA. Here, the trail runs through the forest, between the Rock River on the left, and some interesting limestone bluffs on the right.

On the Bank

This is a view of the lazy Rock River from the Devil's Staircase segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, on a pleasant summer day, in Janesville, Wisconsin, USA.

Devil's Staircase

This craggy staircase is hewn into the bluff over the Rock River, feeling as if it were part of some mysterious path in an ancient epic poem. It is part of the Devil's Staircase segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Janesville, Wisconsin (USA).

Down By the River

This is the Rock River at Janesville, Wisconsin (USA) on a quiet Sunday afternoon in February, 2017. With the temperature in the mid 60s F (18 Deg C), It was a little muddy, but a beautiful day to be out on the Ice Age trail with my beautiful lady.

Secret Havens

In the woodland secret havens; forest creatures shelter. Mortality haunts ruthlessly. Some live, some die, no quarter.

Ancient Citadel

To ancient citadel progress; drawn by mystic forces. What wizardly druidic spell; compels us ever onward?

Gentle Grace

The forest coats of downy white; provide with tender care. Sleep 'til the time of spring returns; and gentle grace awakens.

Freezing

Those patches that you can see drifting down the Rock River are a skin of freshly formed ice, and they contain bits of sediment from the river bottom. If I remember my high school chemistry correctly (no guarantees), water reaches its maximum density at about 2 deg C (36 deg F), and becomes about 10% less dense when it undergoes the state transition to become ice. It freezes at 0 C (32 F), and the extra 2 C is lost due to the energy consumed by the state transition. Therefore, that skin of ice contains unlovely yellow-green traces of whatever was on the bottom of the river when it froze. That's my theory. Anyone care to correct me?

Winter Arrives

Winter arrives in Wisconsin. It's about ten days early if you go by the calendar. So much for nice days and pretty autumn colors...

Artifacts

Well, as the title implies, this one is more about the defects than the scene. I just thought it was interesting and sort of pretty with all the lens flares and chromatics going on.

Fire in the Sky

Light of afternoon sun; illuminate oak leaves. Adorn like frozen fire; against the azure sky.

Bittersweet

The leaves as they spark into wild color just before they die are the world’s oldest performance art, and everything we see is celebrating one last violently hued hurrah before the black and white and silence of winter. ~Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way

October's Song

The softened light, the veiling haze, The calm repose of autumn days, Steal gently o'er the troubled breast, Soothing life's weary cares to rest. ~Phebe A. Holder, "A Song of October"

Born Again

Winter dies into the spring, to be born again in the autumn. ~Terri Guillemets

Sun Glow