Continuing on the trail

As I was driving along Oregon, Illinois, I saw this statue and pulled over to get a closer look.

This statue, named "From The Waters Comes My Bounty," is by Ray Kobald.
"The young fisherman stops briefly as he exits the river with his full catch of the day. His slight smile shows the pride that he has as he carries his hoard. The largest fish he mounts on his head to display for his friends. It carries the worthiness of a helmet or the headdress of nobility. The stringer of smaller fish will help to sustain his crops with fertilizer as the river passes through the smaller channels to moisten the hearty soil. Their bounty for survival truly comes from the waters to provide most of the needs of his family."

Of course, we know Who our Provider is.  Genesis 9:2 says "The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands.  Everything that lives and moves will be food for you.  Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."

I have since found out that Oregon has a sculpture trail!  It includes this one of Black Hawk.  Earlier, I had seen the sculpture of Black Hawk and Abraham Lincoln that I posted a picture of in my previous post.

How could I have missed this?  I should do my research BEFORE I start my trip, but of course, I had no idea I would even go on this road.  I just kind of fly by the seat of my pants and decide the path I will go on as I drive!  Well, Al and I will have to make sure Oregon, Illinois is part of another trip sometime!

This school (now a museum) was across the street from that fish sculpture.  I can just imagine hearing the school bell ring in the mornings, the children of a by-gone era running to school, lunch pails in hand.  And after school, perhaps clapping the chalkboard erasers together for the teacher.  

 "A school was erected in the village of Chana in 1883. This wood frame school served the students of grades 1 - 8 for Chana and the surrounding farm kids. An addition was made to the school in 1893 to accommodate the large enrollment. This gave the Chana school a very unique architecture for schools of that era. The Chana residents voted on the prospect of starting a high school in 1888 however the initiative was voted down and the kids who wished to pursue schooling after 8th grade attended high school in Oregon.

The Chana frame grade school building continued to serve the community until a more modern building was erected in 1953. This building served as the Chana Grade School building until it too was closed in the mid 1960s when all students were bused to Oregon for their education."

It was almost demolished in 1997 (wouldn't that have been a shame?!), but a group formed to restore it.  It was moved to the Oregon Park East location by the Rock River and had a grand opening in 2003.  Chana School was added to the National Register of Historic Places

 Highway 2 ran along the Rock River.

 Nuclear power plant in Byron, Illinois.

I love old barns!

I drove around Rockford and then, a very welcoming sign!

 Here is some interesting information about Black Hawk.

The way North America was infiltrated was a sad time in history.

After Janesville, I veered off the highway onto 26.  I was not planning to go through Madison.  Nope.  Small, off roads for me!

Poor Tom.

"Turn around when possible!"

"Turn around when possible!!"

I was headed for the Horicon Marsh Wildlife area.

No one was at the visitor center by the time I got there except for this caveman and mammoth.

The purple martins had not arrived in Wisconsin yet.

Allen told me that they had shown up at our house!

I would have stayed here longer, but I knew I needed to get to Jill's before dark.

Adult blue morph snow goose and Canada goose

When we drive to Adam and Jill's house on 151, we can see these windmills to the south.  This time I was driving north on a county road through the farms.

I arrived at my destination as the sun was setting.

I was so excited to see my family!

The sunset this evening from Jill's house reminded me of Kansas sunsets!

"Turn around when possible"

I spent the night in Hannibal.  Last time I was here, I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast, but this time just in a Holiday Inn Express off the highway.  I wasn't going to do any touristy things in Hannibal this time.  Just needed to continue on toward Wisconsin.  I needed to stop!  I was so weary of the constant rain, plus I needed to stop before it got dark.  I am blind in one eye and have trouble when it is dark.

In the morning I left a little tip for the maid, as usual, but this time I also felt compelled to tear out a page from The Daily Bread to encourage her.

God surrounds His people - supporting and standing guard over our souls "both now and for evermore."  Thus, on tough days, look up, "unto the hills," as the psalmist puts it (Psalm 121:1).  God awaits with strong help, steady hope, and everlasting love.

When I went down for breakfast, I bowed my head in prayer.  The lady at the next table commented "You don't see that often enough!"  I smiled and said "Oh, I need Him daily!"  We should always thank Him for His provisions, yes?  She gave me a thumbs up.

So glad this day the rain was gone!  I crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois and continued north toward Quincy on 172.  It was such a nice road!  4-lane even!  I had to pull over to see this!

 There was no one around.  I looked it up and evidently this barn was built in 1914 at a cost of $2,000.  You can read more about this place here.

I continued north on 336 and 136 to Macomb.   Up 67 toward Galesburg.  I mentioned in a prior post that "Tom" (our GPS) is old and sometimes gets me lost.

"Turn around when possible....Turn around in 80 feet."

I almost expect him to say "Turn around, you idiot!  Can't you hear me?!"   

Actually, "Tom"  has a female voice, so I guess he is a she.  

 It happened again around Galesburg.  It did not recognize that the bypass was completed and it took me a weird way through town.  Getting lost can be an adventure!

Do you think they are in the process of painting this place, or perhaps the husband and wife couldn't decide on the colors so they compromised?

 Close to Moline, I ran into flooding.

 I did see that some roads were under water, also some houses, but the highway was not, luckily.  In case you are wondering, I just lift up my camera to the window and shoot without looking at it.  I never know for sure if it will turn out, but sometimes I can't stop to the side of the road.  I don't do this often.  And I only do it if there is no traffic about.  I prefer to stop by the road and get a shot I know will turn out.  I wish they could come up with a camera that would be attached to your forehead that you could somehow push a button and it would take a picture of what you are looking at!  Probably spies have something like that, maybe with their glasses.

At Dixon, Indiana, there was a sign for where Ronald Reagan grew up so I pulled off the road.  It was off season for tours, but I did look around.

It would be fun to stay at this inn sometime! 

Wouldn't this be a dream to purchase this home?!

I crossed a bridge over Rock River then stopped at their river walk.  The water was gushing!

I ran across this nursery, Anne's Garden Center and had to stop!

I just drooled.  I wanted to purchase some of these!  But probably not too practical.

As I left this garden place, I accidently went the wrong direction.  "Tom" kept saying "Turn around" but I didn't believe him for awhile until I realized I was headed WEST.  Oops.  Turned around and got onto Highway 2. 

 See things I get to experience going on this adventure?

This took me into Oregon.  Oregon, Illinois, that is.  

I had to pull over again!

What is this, I wondered.   

The adventure continues....

Battle of Lexington

I was traveling through driving rain and Al suggested that I stop for a while to let the rain pass.  Currently I was just driving along with it.  I was on highway 24 just on the east side of KC.

I came upon the city of Lexington and saw a sign advertising the historical site of the Battle of Lexington.  Missouri, that is.  There was another famous Battle of Lexington fought in Massachusetts.  That battle, fought on April 19, 1775 kicked off the American Revolutionary war as that and the battle of Concord were the first military engagements that won our country freedom from England.  This battle was a Civil War battle.  

I decided to pull off and see what this one was about.  The town had fabulous Victorian homes!!

 

 I always wanted to buy an old home, but my husband was not excited about them, with all the work that would need to go into it and all the money too.

 I found the place where the battle was fought.

The museum had no entrance fee!

 There was a 20 minute film that explained what happened here between the Union and the Confederates.

 "People called the Anderson house the best arranged dwelling house west of St. Louis.  But it became more famous as the center of a bloody three-day Civil War battle in 1861."  The Union forced the Anderson family out of their home and it became a hospital.  Then the Confederates took it over and then the Union had it once again.  If you want to read the story, you can click here.

The Southerners advanced on the fortifications by rolling large bales of hemp, which had been dipped in the river so they would not catch fire, in front of them.  In the end, the Confederates won the day.  The Union soldiers were simply out-manned.

In the museum I saw this interesting early sewing machine.  Never seen one like that, although we had a cabinet and pedal machine that Dad converted into electric. Our sewing machine was a newer model than this one though.

 The Anderson house that was turned into a hospital.

 They weren't giving tours yet, not until the end of the month.

 I was told I could peek in the windows since they weren't giving tours.

Missouri River where Mr. Anderson shipped his hemp for rope making.

 

I had been at Lexington, MO almost an hour and it was time to head out.  I had several hours ahead of me this day.  But it was still raining.  I looked at the weather app and it looked like the rain was continuing to build up behind me.  Oh well, it really was an interesting stop!  

I drove through rain all day long.  It is very wearying, with the windshield wipers at almost full speed all the way.  

Hwump hwump hwump hwump

ALL DAY LONG!!

But at least I HAVE wipers and at least I stayed DRY!  "Give thanks in ALL things", right?  And I am so glad I was able to have safe travels, despite the heavy rain.   On one stretch the water was starting to go over the road.

Flooding everywhere!