America the Beautiful | Northbound to MichiganAmerica the Beautiful | a 7 Image Story   After the current virus crisis has subsided, our beautiful country will still be here for us to enjoy.  These images remind me of the beauty in our country, in particular the Midwest, the Great American Prairie, and the American West.  Really, any nice image from any part of the country can remind us of how lucky we are to be Americans.  It’s easy to appreciate America while flying north along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.  On a clear day, you can see the lake shore forever!

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

America the Beautiful by John Williams & Boston Pops Orchestra

 

Yellowstone   This Yellowstone landscape,accented with an Elk herd, reminds me of our raw American beauty.  In the fall Yellowstone becomes a magical wilderness with fall color and the distinctive sound of an Elk bugling.  Fall’s brown grasses provide contrast for the new forest growing through an old burned forest.

Badlands Storm South Dakota   Thunderstorms rumble over the Badlands frequently during the summer months.  In fact, they are one of the trademarks of the Great American Prairie.  Nothing can remind us of America more than the Great American Prairie.

Illinois Tall Grass Prairie   Illinois was once covered with tall grass prairie.  This fertile land has been mostly converted to farming land.  See The Great American Prairie | a 7 Image Story for additional information and images,  Although Illinois was on on the far eastern edge of the Great American Prairie, it still contains several restored prairies to remind us of the natural beauty.

Montana High Country   The Montana countryside is sky clear and filled with contrasts. This image reminds me of the big beautiful skies in Montana.  With hay stacked sky-high, the Bridger Mountains stand many miles in the background.

Wyoming Grand Teton Flats   The Grand Tetons get many clear mornings. Low lying fog along the Snake River lingers to make a beautiful American image. Teton country provides many contrasts between the flats and the mountains.

Platte River Nebraska   The Platte River provides a beautiful sunsets in March and April each year as the Sandhill Cranes make their annual visit.  In the distance, the last Sandhills are landing to roost for the night as the last good light rests in the west.  Sandhill Cranes roosting with a beautiful sunset on the Platte River is truly America the Beautiful.

Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category America the Beautiful.

Click any image below for a slide show.