XCountry Adventure: Kansas & Oklahoma Haunts

Fabulous feets at the cross roads

A few more pictures from my drive across country from Iowa to Los Angeles. This part of the drive was through Kansas and Oklahoma, which included some rather fascinating abandoned areas. The gloomy rain clouds also contributed to the desolate atmosphere. I find a kind of haunted, yet serene beauty in places like these. Click on image to see it full size. Enjoy! 

 

Snowflake is a wonderful xcountry travel companion!

XCountry Adventure: The Pollinator Prairies of Madison County

Fabulous Feet enjoying the prairie

Enjoy these photos from an hour spent among the prairie around the Roseman Bridge of Madison County, Iowa. While on my drive from Iowa City to Los Angeles, I stopped here in search of a very special locally made type of honey I had purchased from the gift shop the year before. Alas, the store was closed, but I enjoyed engaging with the various pollinators surrounding the area instead. The sight of around a dozen different giant yellow swallowtail butterflies among the prairie sunflowers was inspiring.

Roseman Bridge (where "Meryl and Clint" fell in love)

Can you spot the two butterflies bookending the pic?

Down by the riverbank, some tiny Eastern Tailed Blues gather together for suckling the moisture

You can see the flash of blue on top their wings.

Underside of a Comma Butterfly

Comma Butterfly with wings open

A popular thing for visitors is to sign their name on the bridge, as this German tourist is doing.

A scene from another era