Traffic was pretty slow going on route 47 on my home today.  As I was dodging potholes and construction workers, I noticed a very large bird fighting against the wind.  I noticed that it wings were very long and were bent at the “elbows” and the wing tips were angled backward.  My first thought was Osprey, and as it flew over my car, I could get a better look.  The wind was slowing the flight of the bird down so I could get a good look at it, and an Osprey it was. 

I found my first flowering plant of the season. I came across a couple bunches of Round-lobed hepatica while hiking at Starved Rock State Park.  The petals were white with a lavender hue.  Lots of other plants were starting to sprout, so I look forward to seeing more as a sign that spring really is here.

With the beautiful spring weather today, we took a hike at Starved Rock State Park before lunch. We decided to take the trail to St. Louis Canyon. There aren’t too many stairs and it isn’t a very long hike to get to the waterfall at the end. At the beginning there are some steep cliffs without railings, so keeping little kids close is very important. There are a few bridges to cross the stream, and lots of bluffs to look at. Once at the end, there is a nice size waterfall, and a huge sand hill to climb. It’s a great short hike and easy for the whole family.