Last Mornings

Last Monday we moved from Carbondale, Illinois to St.Peters, Missouri.  We needed to wait for our mail, as well as get some repairs done on our rig (one air conditioning unit went out) before driving any further.  A special bonus for having to park near St.Louis was being able to visit with my sister Julia, her husband Cal and their daughter Katie.  We expected very warm weather, however it turned out to be a cooler than normal week.  On Monday morning, before moving from Crab Orchard Lake, I took a walk down to the lake to view the profusion of holly hocks growing there.  On the way through the campground I could not help but notice a tent with its' own cooling unit.  It is a campground oddity to be sure!

The flowers, white holly hocks and others pictured below, blooming by the lake were quite beautiful.  One particular butterfly also was enjoying them.

 

Now it is our last morning here at Lakeside Park in St. Peters, where we have parked many times in the past.  I have encountered several people who have excitedly described the wildlife around the lake which they have seen in the early morning hours, so I decided to ride my bike out at sunrise before we move our home north.  I frightened out of their resting place about two dozen wild turkeys.  They were up and in the air before I could focus my camera on them.  I also saw several deer staring at me as I looked across the lake.  We have seen deer on that island in the past.

After I finished my ride around the two lakes I decided to retrace my steps to take a closer look at some yellow wildflowers which I had seen when starting out on my ride.  As I neared that area a bright yellow bird flew near the water's edge.  It was an  American goldfinch munching on his breakfast of plant seeds.

 

That was my interesting last morning here at Lakeside.  I was also later able to identify a yellow wildflower (partridge pea) which dotted the path along the lakeside.  It was the delicate fern-like leaves of that plant which caught my attention.  The seeds of the flower feed quail.