Welcome!

Hello!

Welcome to a virtual tour of our property in Bull Valley, Illinois.

My goal for this website, is to tell visual stories of the flora, fauna, insects, birds and animals that visit throughout the year.

My conviction is that each and every life form possesses a perfect intelligence* that is ours to discover.

I've done my best to capture the unique personalities of the creatures and plants that share this bit of land with us.

All photos were taken on this 3 acre site by me, with a camera that I have yet to master.

Throughout the year, the plants and trees attract many species of insects, birds and animals;

If I am lucky enough to witness an event, I will post my observations here in a Journal.

Sometimes, taking a break in a lawnchair near the pond is the best place to observe wildlife at the end of the day.

Remain still, and nature says hello....

*Intelligence is based on how efficient a species becomes at doing the things they need to survive" Charles Darwin, 1871

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"To know fully even one field or one land is a lifetime's experience. In the world of poetic experience it is depth that counts, not width. A gap in a hedge, a smooth rock surfacing a narrow lane, a view of a woody meadow, the stream at the junction of four small fields--these are as much as a man can fully experience." -Patrick Kavanagh, 20th century Irish poet

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Native prairie, woodland and wetland reconstruction plants, trees and shrubs were sourced locally, in McHenry County, from these wonderful organizations:

Wildflower Preservation and Propagation Committee and The Land Conservancy