Those of us who live in climates with four seasons often revel in the bright ones. The gorgeous push of Spring, when crocuses beat their way out of hard ground. The lush colors of mid-summer. The auburn-crimson nature of Fall.
I love these high notes, as my Flickr will attest, but I also love to snap pics of the fallow in-betweens.
And I love Thanksgiving because it’s the ultimate of the in-betweens. It’s neither the bombastic mid-summer fireworks nor the emotional festival of lights. It’s a holiday of reflection and gratitude, of preparation and review.
That’s why I was really happy to spend some time at Lincoln Marsh in Wheaton, IL the other day. Here’s my report.
First off, this was the first time I’d seen the completed work on the Manchester/ Wesley bridge project that resulted in a completely reconfigured approach over the tracks:
and a new pedestrian bridge to Lincoln Marsh from downtown Wheaton.
Really well done.
I like to snap infrastructure info plates like this:
Taking a look at these numbers, we can see that Sec. 97-00084-00-BR relates to a State of Illinois Department of Transportation contract for $416,250. The money was kept in-state (even in-county), with Dunnet Bay Construction of Glendale Heights. And this one:
The bridge itself was made by ConTech Solutions in Minnesota. Everything’s a solution these days. No one makes products anymore.
All of this flows nicely into the existing pedestrian bridge over the tracks.
Infrastructure has a certain beauty and rhythm.
The Marsh itself has had some improvements lately. Here’s a new overlook:
With some great marsh-like detailing in the woodwork:
Anyway, back to the mid-Autumn midpoints. I love this pre-freeze state of decay:
Some sort of berries are nearly done for now:
The closing-up process quickens:
Purples can still surprise you:
Orderly yellows and browns dominate what was once green and lush:
Odd prickles take over:
And bare trees gather in thin conspiracy, steeling for what’s to come.
