We have a winner!

Just a quick note, since most of you are busy with holiday weekend stuff. Someone correctly identified my little plant as ASTILBE. Yes, I do believe this is what it is, after looking at photos. I don't know the identity of the winner since she signed in anonymously. If you would like to claim that free ATC I offered as a prize please look me up on Facebook under Lisa Foreman Richards and leave me a PM with your name, address and what you would like me to draw on the card. :) I was going to put my email address here, but that might not be a good idea.

I took my customary 2 mile walk yesterday, heading west on the Heartland Trail which runs through our small town.

 Our lilacs are very late this year.

 I took lots of photos of foliage and tree trunks to use as reference photos for painting. I won't bore you with all of them!

 Lake Belletaine-and you can see a little bit of the county road that follows the trail.

An interesting bit of fungus.

 A lot of the chokecherries have this blight on them.

These were taken on Friday, but there were already quite a few people using the trail. Some friendly, some just ignored me. That's humanity for you! I heard a few "on your left"s as bikers came up behind me.

 PI?

 This is the old Catholic cemetery, which is to my right as I'm walking. It's also my turn around point, so I decided to walk in and pay a visit.

 As I walk toward the cross, I glance to my right. This is part of the horse trail that runs parallel to the walking trail. It's a nice green place to walk, and I have taken that route a lot over the years.

 There are only a few headstones behind that little fence. It looks like the cemetery hasn't been used since the '50's. There is another Catholic cemetery closer to town, but I think it's about reached its capacity.

 

I believe they moved the cemetery after the  '50's because they purchased some lakeside property and moved it there. The Lakeview Cemetery is a very pretty spot, but now I see they have some stakes with flags around the open part of this older property, and I think that means they are going to begin using this old cemetery again.

 This is a nice, cool spot to read on a hot day.

 Yesterday my four little grands and three of their cousins had a fun evening at the park in Walker, which is a lakeside town about 15 miles from home. This was to celebrate the last day of school! Their auntie treated them to ice cream at the local DQ. :) Front to back is Audrey, Cali, Hazel, Damien, Della, Max and Sully. (And Aunt Ashley.)

That was a little longer note than I intended! Everyone have a pleasant Memorial Day weekend!
Shalom!