Through Illinois and Indiana

Southern Illinois, a world away from Chicago. A land of hidden lakes.We saw this one from the road and a friendly girl and her dog, "Lone Star", emerged from a wooden house by a tumbledown barn and invited us to get a better picture.

A land of autumn colours still vibrant, it being that much further south..

A land of big, big sky

A sunset fence in the grounds of  Hickory Lodge in Carbondale, erstwhile home of the Martin family and donated to become the offices of "Keep Carbondale Beautiful".  Much of the interior is a timewarp, untouched since 1976, including a bathroom with a chandelier, pink bath and dark brown wallpaper. I hope they never change it.

Down a country lane by the edge of a conservation area, a persimmon tree.

Previously, Persimmon to me meant Edward Vll's racehorse, not the odd, orange fruit, tasting of apricot and caramel, which is only ready to eat when it's fallen on the ground

Back to the airport and passing another lake, silver in the dawn.

Southern Illinois is a land of farms

That co-exist, seemingly in harmony, with working oil wells (so many fields had a pump, busily bobbing up and down) and tanks. Was that why a sign pointed to a village called "Texas City"?

Approaching a toll bridge over the Wabash River, though no one was collecting. The trailer says "Fun Finder". The mind boggles.

And into Indiana and the town of Mount Vernon,

With its war memorial

And exquisite courthouse.

So many of these all over America.

The sky is bright but the air ferociously cold. Winter is coming, even here.