Return to Southern Illinois

We probably did return north too soon, not because of cooler weather but because of spring rains and stormy weather.  A few days ago a tornado touched down in northern Illinois, here we have only dealt with strong winds and rain.  The night when strong winds rocked our home we thought it was also hailing, however the next morning we discovered that the wind had brought down a torrent of gum balls on our roof!  Scarey times, but we have survived.  Easter week-end we did have a break in the weather. On Saturday Epiphany church had an Easter egg hunt for the children.  Our grandson Nathan is still too young to understand what that is all about.  He had eggs all around him, but chose instead to pull on the grass.

Nathan took his first steps around Christmas time.  On Easter, early evening, he decided to walk across the living room.  There is no stopping him now.  Today, at a park, he laughed gleefully as he ran up and down some small hills.  He even stopped suddenly and turned around, quite smoothly I might add.  We are still carrying him when we are hiking, but soon he will be hitting the trails on his own legs!

 

He so loves the outdoors!  Last week we returned to Giant City park.  You may recall my posting on it last year about this time, with one picture of the large sandstone formation called the Devil's Stand Table.  This time I will post Balanced Rock, another one of the awesome formations in the park.

Hiking around this park we saw the first blooming wildflowers of the season, mainly Dutchman breeches.

What a beautiful flower with its delicate fern-like leaves!  Yesterday we hiked the Little Grand Canyon, also in Southern Illinois, where we saw an abundance of wildflowers.  More on that hike in my next posting.