ISLAND IN THE SKY CREEK I didn't have to wait

I didn't have to wait long before the colors of the sunrise were revealed and the sun breaking the horizon

A dusting of snow fell overnight as the soft light from the morning sun illuminates this frozen landscape with a honey locust tree lining the banks of a frozen Wildflower Lake

they were usually quick and could be elusive so I had to be also with the camera

I noticed a few tall purple flowers standing out from the other wildflowers and knew that those were the blazing stars

A very nice wooded trail was constructed to gain easy access to wildcat cat canyon waterfall and eagle cliff point over looking the Illinois River

ISLAND IN THE SKY CREEK I didn't have to waitThis morning I decided to head out and photograph the storm clouds in the park that were coming through the area. You can usually get some pretty dramatic looking cloud patterns from the thunderstorms and that was my hope this morning. With my camera gear and tripod in hand, I reached the trailhead before 5: 00 am. The morning light was filtering through the bluish purple grayish storm clouds and some lightning was coming through, once about every 30