August 22, 2010 The Prairie

The Illinois Prairie-Not much left. We went to the Nachusa Grasslands, a tall grass prairie not far from Stillman Valley, where we stayed with our friends, Bruce and Joan. They always find a neat place to hike. It was hot; but we hiked through the groomed and ungroomed paths, taking pictures of the wildflowers and the butterflies. Overhead we saw what we thought was a northern harrier or a ferengous hawk. This is the prairie that was made famous in some circles because an eagle attacked a deer. No such drama while we were there.

We then moved on to the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour. Lots of history here that one may have forgotten from 6th grade history. John created the steel plow that led to the plowing under of the prairies. Gumbo earth-sticky, thick soil, was the norm and the steel plow cut right through it. What a juxtaposition of sites that we visited today; what the prairie looked like before the plow and what the plow brought about-rich farmlands.

As a fundraiser to refurbish the statute of Black Hawk, teepees were set up around the area and decorated. Sort of like the cows. Very colorful.