Quit bugging me

Had a Yucus family reunion of sorts at Lowell Park in Dixon today. All of my Grandma Hansen's extended family was there, including my aunts, uncles, first cousins and a few in-laws and beaus.
Took to the trails to see what I could find. It's a beautiful park, and the sun was shining down through the trees with very lovely golden hues.

I didn't find any great "sun shining on something beautiful" shots, but I did find some bugs inspecting a few wildflowers. I positioned myself as close as I could, and let them do their thing. It's safe to say I'm getting hooked on "macro" photography.



It appears what we have here is a condylostylus dining on an American Bellflower  (thanks to Matt Baker for help with IDs). As per the fly, those wings look so incredibly delicate.

Hanging around at the office. It's a bug's life.



Coming in for the landing (I love the cross-shpaed shadow of the stigma courtesy of the aforementioned golden sun).

This guy looks content, lapping up some nectar. But as always is the case in nature, he's never quite safe.... (Note the little  orange circle underneath him.)



....it turns out there's always a little trouble in paradise.

Just in case bugs aren't your thing, a solo shot of a flower for the ladies.

King Corn

Drive during summer time in the Illinois Valley and you are sure to be surrounded by corn. The ubiquitous plant is how the Midwest was won, and is only interrupted by brief patches of soybeans and a few other assorted crops in the fields that line nearly every road.

There is a new source of revenue sprouting up in northern Bureau County alongside the mile after mile of magnificent fields of maize -- windmills.
The two battle for dominance of the landscape, the corn rows stretching endlessly into the horizon, the blades of the windmills arching upward towards the heavens.





Windmill, in corn field, just off of Route 26 north of Ohio.



Of course, long rows of corn need long rows of grain bins for harvest time.

It was hot out Thursday with temps right around 100 degrees, so not a lot of multiple takes and preening on this mini-shoot on the way home from visiting the family. Mom and Jen had just returned from their trip to Uganda, so it was a very nice visit.