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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Late Summer Rambles


This morning, Alfie and I went on one of our rambles around the prairie and the countryside.  I've written about the prairie before (here and here), but today, rather than our usual circuit, Alfie and I went to the "dog prairie."  The dog prairie is the section where dogs are allowed off leash, in contrast to the main prairie where everyone lets their dogs run illegally.  The dog prairie is a much newer section which is being restored to prairie from corn fields.  It shows.  It's basically a flat field with mown paths.

Views of the dog prairie
Still, Alfie had a good time, running and sniffing, wild and free.  And while many plants were still in bloom, like goldenrod and sunflowers, there were others beginning to go to seed.  I love the texture of the dried seed heads.

Coneflower and Black-eyed Susans (I think)
Driving home, we took a roundabout way down country roads through the fields.  Around here the main crops are corn, soybeans, and wind.  There's something great about driving down a gravel road on a cool, sunny morning, windows down, through acres of corn with huge wind turbines stretched out like a row of sentinels.



And then a gorgeous red barn before turning for home.




22 comments:

  1. So nice to be able to view your part of the world. Looks like you and Alfie had a fabulous day to be out. That barn is gorgeous. Have a great afternoon and evening. Mildred

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  2. p.s. here in GA, the goldfinches love the seedheads of the coneflowers!

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  3. How pretty! I bet Alfie really enjoyed his-self being allowed to run freely. Sophie would absolutely love that. As a matter of fact, if I turned her loose, I would probable never see the fast little thing again! Love the barn.

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  4. Those photos are just amazing - such low, huge blue skies. Thank you so much for sharing these - your part of the world looks completely gorgeous! You're giving me itchy feet to go travelling!

    Sarahx

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  5. It's lovely to see the countryside near you and where you take Alfie for his walks. Maggie xx

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  6. Great photos. I love when the flower heads start to go to seed. It gives a whole new dimension to the fields.

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  7. Ollie would love to run around the dog prairie! The barn is beautiful. Thanks for sharing your day!!

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  8. Beautiful photos! Bubba would love to run someplace like that! And I'm with you, there is something awesome about a Sunday drive in the country!

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  9. looks wonderful....and I never thought of wind as a crop before. :-)
    Debbi
    -yankeeburrowcreations

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  10. Just beautiful! The last composition is very nicely done.

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  11. Lovely photos! It looks a little more greener than I would have thought - are you getting rain now?

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  12. looks like a perfect place to run free. I too like a bouquet of seed heads

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  13. The red barn is gorgeous indeed! And it is wonderful to have a dog prairie, sounds so humane for the dogs - they often spend way too much time on a leash...

    By the way, I read about the bad effect turbines have on local climate, hope it is not the case where you live!

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  14. I love taking my dogs to parks where they can run around and not be on the leash. And that barn is gorgeous. We don't see too many sites like that in Sydney! xx

    And I'm trying to work out how to subscribe to your blog. I can't see where it is that I subscribe!

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    Replies
    1. Charlie, I've added a Follow by e-mail gadget. I hope that works. (I'm kind of clueless about this stuff!)

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  15. Ahhh, visions of the Midwest! Such a lovely view and place to roam free. :-)

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  16. What a gorgeous photo of the red barn. I wonder what kind of flowers those little blue ones are in the foreground of that photo...so pretty!

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  17. How fun to get out with the pup and play! That barn is fabulous! Sounds like you had a good day!
    Rebecca

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  18. BEAUTIFUL!! Some of these photos look like they came right out of a van Gogh!

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  19. What a lucky dog, Alfie is. SO happy for him! Your surroundings are gorgeous! Lynnette where do you live again, remind me? That barn is amazing! just like the cartoons and the story books! I want one!

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  20. Ah, you're making me miss the prairie with these photos. And, yes, those are black-eyed susan and coneflower seeds.

    Give me a gravel road anyday for meandering. Love.

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  21. What gorgeous photos! I bet Alfie loved it! We need to see some updated pictures of that little darling!
    -Shelley

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