EXTRAVAGANT MORNING FROZEN BRANCHES I left the house around

I left the house around 4:30 am and headed to the Burnidge Forest Preserve

I began photographing the wildflowers that consisted of blue vervain

Some false sunflowers appeared and were in perfect condition so

photographing any kind of sunrise was out of the question

A male ring-necked pheasant forages for food on this prairie landscape scene during an early spring morning at Wildflower Park

EXTRAVAGANT MORNING FROZEN BRANCHES I left the house aroundA slight breeze moves across Wildflower Lake leaving soft ripples of peace as the morning colors of the sunrise shifts from the purples and pinks to the oranges on this beautiful spring morning in Northern Illinois. (501 19)