Color Around the Bend

Color Around the Bend
A gloomy Fall morning on the Hennepin Canal near Geneseo, Illinois; Very near peak color for this area. This particular area just west of Lock 24 is much wider than most of the canal - perhaps this was a turning basin or an area where canal boats gathered before going through the locks. The much reduced flow of the canal has allowed sediment to collect, and lotus plants have taken over some of this area. The familiar beehive-looking seed pods rise above the fading plants. The seed pods are often seen in potpouri and crafts.  the seeds themselves are used for medicine and foods in Eastern cultures. I'm not certain if these are the same variety, so I refrained from tasting them!

One can only imagine the view the operators of the canal boats had in Autumn back in the early 1900s, with the colorful leaves reflecting in the canal.

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