This has been one busy year. We’ve had so much going on with work, school, soccer, Girl Scouts, on and on, that we’ve barely had a chance to even go for a walk.
So today, when I woke up and realized we had zero plans and there was promise of sun and 60s, we did some quick packing and headed for Starved Rock State Park. It’s been years since our last visit.
Last we were there the falls were bursting with cold snowmelt and spring flowers were blooming.
There were no falls this time, but we weren’t lacking for color. The fall leaves were brilliant, inspiring my son to plan his next painting. And we enjoyed breathtaking view after breathtaking view sometimes with each step.
Our first stop in the park, came after we decided to take the scenic route, or as my kids call it “the long-cut” through Ottawa, or as my kids call it, “mural city.”
At first I was convinced there was a string of white bouys in the Illinois River just north of the park. But as we got closer, it was obvious these bouys were alive. Turns out they were huge American white pelicans, migrating south, stopping off for a snack.
The kids were already getting exciting about the hike, but the pelican encounter had all of us giddy and agreeing that this impromptu outing was well worth the two-hour drive.
I’d hoped we’d find a pumpkin patch at some point on our trip. Indeed, just outside of Utica, we found a delightful little farm that grows the largest variety of pumpkins I’ve ever seen.
We can’t wait to get carving.
Virtual Farmgirl 