Pond creatures...

There are many interesting creatures that can be seen around a pond ecosystem in Indiana in the summer, like this American bullfrog at left. Here are just a few of the more common sightings. :)

 A pair of midland painted turtles sunning on the limb of a willow tree.

 Another midland painted turtle.

 A frog that has not completely finished its metamorphosis from a tadpole.

 Another young frog in the shallows.

 Small dragonfly on our front stoep.

Eastern-eyed click beetle...

Have you ever got that feeling that something's watching you? Well, I looked down on our stoep and immediately saw two "eyes" looking right back at me. This is the eastern-eyed click beetle, and it has false eye markings on its back to scare away predators. It is a rather large insect at almost two inches or five centimetres in length. Despite being rather common and its large size, this was the first time that I'd come across this type of beetle in the USA or anywhere, for that matter. :)

A closer view of this striking beetle.

Helicopter on Pylon...

I spotted this helicopter sitting on top of a nearby electricity pylon recently. I'd never seen a helicopter being used to do electrical work in this manner before, and with the man strapped in a chair outside of the helicopter it looks like something out of a James Bond movie! Apparently the idea is that because the helicopter is not grounded, they are able to work on the live wires without being shocked and without the need for the electricity to be shut off. Rather him than me!

 Sitting atop the pylon nearby.

Heading off once the work was completed. Note the man sitting on the landing gear.

Candace's Portrait...

My talented friend Judy recently did a little watercolour of Candace and Riaan in front of Table Mountain. It was based on a photo that I had taken during our trip to Cape Town in March. I had it painted as a surprise for Candace, and my friend Judy posted it online on Mother's Day, which was perfect timing. Candace loved her little portrait and we received it in the post a couple of weeks later. Thanks, Judy! You can check out Judy's online shop here. :)

 My original photo taken in March.

 Judy's lovely postcard-sized portrait.

Another of Judy's lovely watercolour paintings. :)

Haunting skies...

We witnessed these hauntingly beautiful clouds in the sky as a summer storm passed nearby last month. They were dark and threatening, but filled with so much beauty and power. :) As the psalmist says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." (Psalm 19: 1 NIV.)

Beautiful storm clouds over the hen house.

The pond adds to an already beautiful scene.

Falls of the Ohio State Park...

Candace and I visited Falls of the Ohio State Park on Saturday 17th June, before we headed back home. Falls of the Ohio State Park is located in Clarksville, Indiana, just across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. We saw a number of interesting birds and enjoyed exploring the fossil beds (photo at right) on the banks of the river. It was a great way to end our flying 24-hour trip to Louisville to see U2! :)

 Louisville skyline from across the Ohio River.

 Entrance to Falls of the Ohio State Park.

 The Interpretive Centre.

 The foyer inside the Interpretive Centre.

 View across the Ohio River.

 Railway bridge with the fossil beds in the foreground.

 Exploring the fossil beds.

 My pretty wife. :)

 Many of the fossils are marine creatures.

 Osprey soaring above the river.

 Black-crowned night heron.

 Candace enjoying a swing over the Ohio River.

 Interesting root system.

 Lots of driftwood at the high water mark.

 George Rogers Clark Homesite in the Falls of the Ohio River State Park.

 It was from here that the Lewis & Clark Expedition started.

The McAlpine Locks and Dam hydro-electric plant.

U2 in Louisville...

Earlier in the year I had read that U2 were going to be touring the United States this summer as part of the 30th anniversary of the release of their ground-breaking Joshua Tree album. U2 is one of my favourite bands and so I made a mental note, but I didn't think that we would be able to go to any of their concerts. I had seen them in Cape Town in February 2011, but Candace had never seen them before.

And then earlier this month I discovered that the cheapest tickets had been slashed in half which made their Louisville concert suddenly more affordable. :) We bought two tickets for the 16th June concert, organised hotel accommodation and a babysitter for Riaan, (Thanks, Maleys!) and went and spent the night down in Louisville. (Louisville is just over two hours drive from our house.)

We enjoyed delicious pizza before the concert and then walked from our hotel to the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. We thoroughly enjoyed the appetiser, One Republic, and loved the main course of U2. They were awesome and it was such a good concert with a powerful message. One of my favourite moments was when a massive Boeing 747 jet flew over the stadium just as they were launching into "Where the Streets Have No Name." It was a fantastic evening!

 The stage with the Joshua Tree.

 U2 walked out on stage playing "Sunday Bloody Sunday."

 They then did a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr...

 And transitioned into "Pride (In the Name of Love)."

 The stage and big screen looked fantastic.

 "Where the Streets Have No Name."

 Performing with a full Salvation Army brass band.

 They took us into a Syrian refugee camp during one of the songs.

 A tribute to all the women of the world.

 Bono is an amazing artist and performer.

 They ended the concert with "Beautiful Day", "Elevation", and "Vertigo."

Saying farewell and thank you on the stage.