Why did the white-tailed deer cross the road? Obviously, to get to the other side. Well, that was how it seemed last Friday morning in metropolitan Alto Pass.A frog was taking in the warm and bright sunshine of a late September afternoon one day last week. The frog did not seem concerned at all about posing for a photograph.

Meanwhile...a deer...a frog...and a song...

Please read this...

If nothing else, Rocky is persistent. He paid another visit to our front porch last Sunday night. Well, I think our visitor was Rocky. We still have not been formally introduced.

Meanwhile...

Once again this week, we’ll make note of how well the Cardinals have been playing, which might be a bit of an understatement. Is there another World Series appearance coming?

Meanwhile...

Let’s start with that frog. Spotted the critter while I was on a weekly jaunt through a gem of a park in the Union County seat. Jonesboro, you know.

The park, as you may know, has a nice little pond. Which, given our recent rather dry weather, is rather low these days.

Several frogs were hanging around at water’s edge when I happened to wander by. Most of the amphibians jumped into the water. Just to be on the safe side, I suppose.

One of the frogs just stayed put, basking in the warm sunshine. Who knows? Frogs may be smart enough to realize that by late September in Southern Illinois, there won’t be many more warm days coming up. I took a few photographs and walked on. The frog stayed put.

Meanwhile...

Last Friday morning, your writer had to make a journey to the metropolitan Alto Pass area. The drive from Cobden to Alto Pass along Skyline Drive was uneventful, as is usually the case.

While heading to the village which is the home of the Quetil Trail, for some reason, the person driving the car  (that would be your writer) happened to ask himself: Where do white-tailed deer go during the day?

Seems like we don’t often see those majestic creatures in the middle of the day much. During the evening hours? Especially in a soybean field? Sure. At night, when a pair of eyes reflect in the glare of your headlights as you try to do the best you can to be alert for them? Yup. Quite often.

I made it to Alto Pass, took care of some personal business, and started to head back home to grab a bite to eat for lunch. On the way out of Alto Pass, I made a brief stop at the scenic Cliff View Park, which is right along Skyline Drive.

While I was at the park, for reasons unknown, I just happened to glance back into the direction of Alto Pass.

There, in the bright sunshine of a late September morning, was a white-tailed deer, standing along Skyline Drive. We looked at each other, from afar, and then the deer decided to cross the road.

Well...that was a totally unexpected, but appreciated, answer to the question I had asked myself while driving to Alto Pass.

Now, I knew what at least one deer did during the day time. At least for a brief moment in time...

Meanwhile...

Not long after finding out where a deer was spending its time on a Friday morning, I was standing along South Main Street, near the heart of downtown Anna, shooting photographs of the Anna-Jonesboro Community High School fall homecoming parade.

At one point during the parade, Steve and Eric, the Dueling Pianos dudes, happened to pass by on a float. They started playing a very popular song by the group Journey. You may know the song...and the tune...and the words to the song...

“Just a small town girl...Livin’ in a lonely world...She took the midnight train goin’ anywhere...Just a city boy...Born and raised in South Detroit...He took the midnight train goin’ anywhere...”

The words are from the song “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Often, when I hear that song, a few things come to mind...none of which involve white-tailed deer or frogs...

Your writer, I suppose, is a “city boy,” who happened to be born in Detroit. No big deal about that.

As far as the “small town girl” goes...when I hear “Don’t Stop Believin’,” my mind takes a trip down memory lane, to a bright, sunny and hot August day...The Other Half and yours truly were driving down South Broadway in downtown Lexington, Kentucky...

We had just dropped our daughter off at college for the start of the next big chapter in her life. As we were driving through Lexington, “Don’t Stop Believin’” came on the radio. At that moment, that song became part of the sound track of your writer’s life. 

When I heard the tune last Friday afternoon in downtown Anna, the moment was special...kind of like learning how one white-tailed deer spends the day...

Meanwhile...

I apologize to a certain late night television host who often has a “Meanwhile” segment on this show. I’ll admit, my use of the word is not original, but it sure is a nice way to transition from one topic to the next.

Meanwhile...

That’s all for this week, folks. Stay safe.

 

 

 

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
Office Number: (618) 833-2158
Email: news@annanews.com

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