What You See Is What You Get

Stalking the Clouds

Stalking the Clouds © 2008 Bo Mackison

This is central Illinois. Corn and farms. And more corn. Some soybeans. A small town here and there. And a city of moderate size once in awhile. And more corn. I grew up in west central Illinois. I grew up in a river city on the Mississippi – and still was surrounded on the other three sides by corn.

Vintage Vanilla

License Plates on Ice Cream Truck

License Plates on Ice Cream Truck © 2008 Bo Mackison

A vintage ice cream truck sports the license plate VANILLA, but the truck obviously doesn’t sport decent brakes considering the “security” rock placed in front of the front tire.

In the Pink

Everlasting Pea

Everlasting Pea © 2008 Bo Mackison

This wildflower was blooming in abundance in the meadows on Washington Island. It is referred to as the “everlasting” pea because of its long flowering season – mid June through the end of September. The plant has a fruit which looks like the cultivated garden pea pod, though it is inedible. The showy flowers attract butterflies and sphinx moths for pollination.

Meadow on Washington Island

Meadow on Washington Island © 2008 Bo Mackison

Washington Island, only 22 square miles, is sparsely populated. The island is 6 miles off the northern tip of Door County and it is hailed as “North of the Tension Line.” In this meadow, one of many wide open spaces on the island, the pea was prevalent; elsewhere there were stands of Queen Anne’s Lace and orange Day Lilies.

Sunset Harbor

Fish Creek Harbor

Fish Creek Harbor © 2008 Bo Mackison

The weather was changeable in Door County – sunny skies followed by thunderheads and a brief storm just after sunset. Then at midnight, the skies cleared and the Milky Way poured a hazy band of white light that spanned the sky in a celestial arch. The moon was fully new and the stars put on a deafening show.

Can stars be deafening?

In the northern part of Wisconsin, with no light pollution to diminish the show, yes – the stars were truly deafening in their splendor.

Day Lily on Fire

Red Day Lily

Red Day Lily © 2008 Bo Mackison

Doesn’t it look like it is aflame – such intensity in that yellow. Nearly glowing.