I had a day off, so I headed off to the great outdoors. Iowa, to be specific. Iowa? Well, the high, woodsy bluffs right across the river. Full disclosure? I really like trees. I like walking under them. I like the shade. I like the way the wind blows through them, and the birds who live in them. And double points, if there’s a river or a lake in there, somewhere.

I edited my fingers out of this picture just for you.

Well, it was a fingers over the lens kind of a day. I took several pictures at the overlook here… and my fingers photobombed all of them.

As soon as I got to the park, and settled in to fill out my registration form (for Non-Iowa residents) I saw a deer. I think she probably worked for the Parks Department. She watched the whole time I was filling out paperwork.

And about two minutes later, another deer. And loads and loads of gray squirrels. (And not a single skunk in sight. Right now, that seems like an important thing to mention. I’d probably mention No Skunks, even if I were reviewing a restaurant in Greenwich Village.)

I don’t think I got through even a tiny fraction of the park. I need to plan ahead a little bit more so I can see more of it before I hit my time limit. I’m thinking about options for having lunch in the park. Uhm… with a hiking companion with a restrictive diet. And maybe choosing the trails a little bit better.