Streator Autumn

[JessWunman]

Leafy 'sailboats' navigate the creek behind Wunman's place...

www.zippyvideos.com/5202464756244586/prairie_creek_scene/

[DumDave]

I used to go sledding down the hill that leads to the creek when I was just a litlle boy.
Very nice video Juss.!!!!
-Dave

[JessWunman]

Thanks Dave. Folks have told us that Prairie Creek is more commonly known as... Stink Creek 'round these h'yar parts. Does that ring a bell with you?

[JessWunman]

Ms Wunman and I "adopted" a Highland Park Princess this fall (the tiny bright Maple among her great elders)

[Job]

jesswunman said:

Thanks Dave. Folks have told us that Prairie Creek is more commonly known as... Stink Creek 'round these h'yar parts. Does that ring a bell with you?

Adults used to refer to Coal Run Creek as stink creek. Kids had another name for it, a name which also began with the letter S.

[JessWunman]

So, it's 'Coal Run', and not 'Prairie' creek? That's great to know! I've always hated telling folks that our property is "nestled on the banks of Stink Crick".

Unfortunately, I am very familiar with "S. Creek", and have taken many a trip along it's meandering path... sans paddle.

[JessWunman]

The Fall session of the 2006 Highland Park Heat the Homeless Festival is in full swing! Today, as I drove by, I heard someone crooning who sounded remarkably like Gene Kelly...

We're burning in the rain
Just burning in the rain
What a glorious feelin'
We're happy again

We're coughing in clouds
So dark all around
The sun's out of sight
The leaves are all down

Let the smoky clouds chase
Every bird from the place
Come on with the rain
I've a smirk on my face

We'll walk down the lane
With a choking refrain
Just burnin',
Burnin' in the rain

[Stephanie]

Yeah! Jess is here! Great video and pics!

[JessWunman]

Thanks mom3, it's good to be here!

This isn't exactly a 'Streator Autumn' scene, but it should qualify as 'Streatorland Autumn'. (That's what I should have named this topic. Is it too late to change it?)

I noticed a couple of does grazing as we drove past Starved Rock Marina. They didn't seem to mind when I stopped to 'shoot'. Something spooked them and they instantly became a mirror image of each other.

Can you identify the background noise (not the passing car)?

www.zippyvideos.com/3868470866261646/deer_near_starved_rock_marina/

[DumDave]

Real Nice Jess. I really like that RED tree in the 1st video, too!
-Dave

[Stephanie]

I can't make out the background noise.

[JessWunman]

Here's a clip of the noisemakers... literally tens of thousands streaming into a reedy backwater, for as long as we hung around to watch. The narrow view of the camera doesn't nearly do justice to the enormity of the flock.

www.zippyvideos.com/4334224986277586/blackbirds_flocking/

[John]

I recognized the noise in the first video. About 2 weeks ago my son and I were over at Starved Rock and we saw literally thousands of birds flying in what seemed like a never ending stream. Many of them were landing in the tree tops on Plum Island and you could hear the noise up by the lodge.

[Stephanie]

jesswunman said:

I can see the house I've always wanted to own in that pic.

[JessWunman]

Since you can see it, it must be upwind.