July 4th Weekend Part 2

More pictures from the weekend. The Newburgh fireworks were postponed until Sunday because of the weather.

On Monday, Mike, Jen, Tom, Margot and I hit a couple of sites in Southern Indiana. This is a picture of the gardens at the West Baden Springs Hotel. I didn't take a picture inside because I "knew" I had one at home. Couldn't find it. The place has an interesting story.

Margot found the inside pictures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Baden_Springs_Hotel

Before the hotel we went to the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home Memorial. Took a few pictures of the living history farm there. Abe lived here from about age 7 to 21.

In front of the garden.

The type of cabin Abe lived in.

I learned that his mother Nancy Hanks died of "milk fever" when he was 7. Milk fever is caused by consuming the meat or milk of a cow that has eaten white snakeroot. It was quite the scourge of the frontier - the cause was unknown until the 20th century.

In the tradition of some bird pictures in every post.

July 4th Weekend

Pretty flat here in Indiana.











Tom and Margot and I went to the Howell Wetlands on Sunday afternoon. Not a great picture but the first Cardinal I've been able to get sort of close to. They don't come to our feeder.







This is a Green Heron as opposed to the Great Blue Heron from a few weeks ago. Margot spotted this one hopping around the log. She and Tom got bored and left before the bird and I were finished.






He was really quick. I didn't actually see him grab the fish. I don't see how he saw it. The pond is covered in Duck weed.








I'm not sure if this is the same bird or not. I included the picture so you can see how much they can extend their neck. He didn't jump in the water to catch the fish. Just leaned over and ZAP!









Earlier in the day Tom and Margot and I went to the Angel Mounds here in Newburgh. It is a pretty big state park. I gather that these were ceremonial mounds not burial mounds. The interperative center wasn't too bad but geared more for school field trips. Here is a shot out in the field. It is only a couple of miles from the house.




This killdeer was wandering around.











A couple of bird pictures from the backyard.










Actually this is from the front yard. Margot took this handheld with the big lens. That is pretty tough to do and get it sharp.





http://www.angelmounds.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Mounds





View Larger Map