Gloria

@rideintothesunset

Retired to ride horses in Shawnee National Forest, Illinois. All photos (and a lifetime of memories) are mine. Alt text is my friend now. Please no DMs.

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Gloria@rideintothesunset· 25d

Color in the forest. Flowers, ferns, trees, and moss. Finding peace.

Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus), a beautiful native wildflower July 17, 2026 in southern Illinois.

Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) grows in wild abundance in its native territory in southern Illinois.

Pink Phlox growing in a small patch of sunlight, surrounded by moss, twigs, grasses, and other small green plants in Shawnee National Forest, southern Illinois, July 17, 2026.

Old cedar tree shows off its red roots in morning light. Moss grows on rocks at base and up the trunk. A pretty little fern adds green to the right. Perfect composition of texture and color in the forest.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 25d

The deer in Shawnee National Forest seem unusually calm and unafraid or horses and riders this year. This one stood right beside the trail and watched me approach, sprinting off at the last moment.

Whitetail deer, a young doe, in Shawnee National Forest, southern Illinois. July 17, 2026. She stands in her leafy home with a large tree and several small and medium deciduous trees behind her and a green mixture of plants covering the forest floor. Attentive, cautious, but not fearful.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 25d

Natural amphitheater. Imagine what the two main characters are saying to each other, or maybe singing if it is an opera. The chorus of small trees behind them is giving a good backup performance. And the spectator trees have left plenty of room for you to claim a rocky perch and join the fun.

The bottom of the 496 North trail in Shawnee National Forest, just before it reaches Hayes Creek in southern Illinois. Early morning sun casts shadows across the forest floor carpeted in leaves. Trees big and small nestle among moss covered rocks. A cool looking place even on a hot summer day in July.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 25d

She doesn't see it yet. Oh! There's a deer beside the trail.

Georgie, the bay Paso Fino mare, wonders why I stopped her and grabbed my phone camera. Like the good girl she is, she posed beautifully, totally unaware of the deer invisibly frozen in front of her. Two startled reactions as we continued on down the trail but all was fine as everyone went on their own way.

A calm whitetail deer doe stands perfectly still beside a trail in Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, camouflaged by trees and understory vegetation. She comes to life and bounds away as horse and rider approach.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 25d

Jackson Hole, Shawnee National Forest. Top to bottom wild beauty.

Water pools in a solid rock basin at the top of Jackson Falls in southern Illinois. Trees surround (of course as it is Shawnee National Forest).

A small stream of water winds its way across the solid sheet of rock towards the main waterfall at Jackson Hole in Illinois. Moss, lichen, trees, and blue sky set with white clouds complete the beautiful picture of forest solitude.

Water falling over the rock face at Jackson Hole. Not a huge or showy waterfall, but elegant in a southern Illinois kind of way.

Jackson Hole filled with water after a recent rain. Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, July 16, 2026.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 26d

Jewels of the forest floor.

Pretty red mushroom set like a gemstone on top of dark green moss. Trees behind filter a soft light through to the forest floor. Shawnee National Forest July 16, 2026.

The trail to the second waterfall at Jackson Hole in Shawnee National Forest is lined with spectacular lichen formations.

A different kind of mushroom, orange outlines slightly darker interior, nestled in pine needles.

Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) truly sparkles in the subdued light of the forest floor. Bright orange flowers beside a trail in Shawnee National Forest, southern Illinois. A lovely native plant.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 27d

5 inches of rain a few days ago filled all the creeks in Shawnee National Forest.

Rippling water, rocks large and small, green trees for plenty of shade, and blue sky with just a hint of a small fluffy white cloud. Perfect day for an early morning ride in July in Shawnee National Forest.

Small stream. First hydration stop for my horse yesterday. Only rode 7 miles in 2-1/2 hours 8:30-11:00 am. got back to camp before the real heat of the day started setting in. Leaving even earlier for today's ride.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 27d

Forest "flowers" of July. These mushrooms were everywhere yesterday.

Orange mushrooms July 15, 2026 beside a trail in Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois.

Orange mushrooms with green oak tree leaves to left and old fallen leaves on forest floor.

These orange mushrooms were thick everywhere I rode yesterday.

Moss, ferns, and mushroom on rocks bordering a trail. This small detail is a big part of the beauty and allure of riding in Shawnee National Forest.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 27d

Joy. Arrived at horse camp yesterday. Short early morning ride today then help finish a few inside details on the cabin to make it move in ready by the end of the week. Oh, and the not so fun part of doing a deep clean the RV to get it ready to sell.

Moss and rocks and twigs. Horse camp in Shawnee National Forest, southern Illinois. Nature's colors and textures are soothing. City dwellers could maybe trade an occasional anxiety therapy session for a walk in the woods. July 14, 2026.

Red door set into a metal log-look cabin. View as seen from the door of the soon to be sold and removed RV. Late afternoon shadows filter sun through tree cover.

Two red doors, two white windows, brown metal wood-look siding. Evening sun filtered through trees to create patterns on a small cabin almost complete at the western end of a southern Illinois horse camp.

Front "yard" at the horse camp. Gravel road, trees, moss covered rocks, leaf covered ground. Peaceful in July since most riders have the good sense to stay home when it is so hot.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· 29d

Clover diversity. Isn't nature beautiful and wise.

Red clover (top) and white clover (bottom) blooms in an unmowed patch of grass beside the barn. The horses love this area to graze as a treat after a ride.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 13

Yesterday was a mushroomy kind of day.

Fresh white mushrooms growing in a cozy nook between tightly packed trees in the woods. Green leaves add color.

Orange mushroom grows on a trail at home. Grass and last year's tree leaves surround.

A bright colored pinky reddish mushroom that looks like someone nibbled a few bites out of sits amid leaf and twig litter on a home trail.

A log pile has grown a quite luxurious crop of turkey tail mushrooms this year, on top of moss and lichen, with a side of poison ivy and other green leafed vines.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 13

Lichen and turkey tails mixing it up on a shady log.

Blue green lichen provides a nice background for a large group of light colored turkey tail mushrooms growing atop an old log.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 12

Velvet dreams.

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). A young male pauses, surrounded by tall grass and wildflowers, to stare towards the house. His little four point antlers are fresh and covered in velvet. This fellow looks healthy. July 11, 2026.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 11

Half red rose.

My miniature rose always surprises me with what color it is going to open to be with each bloom. Sometimes the classic pure red and pure white stripes, sometimes mostly red or mostly white. This is a first to have the left side nearly pure red and the right side mostly pink with red highlights.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 10

Ripples of life. Small fish in a very small creek.

A small school of approximately three inch long fish swim in the deepest pool of the small creek below the house. One fish popped up and created a circle of ripples in the water. Others appear as dark shadows below and to the left. Sunlight filters through trees to illuminate the rocky creek bottom.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 9

Garlic gone wild.

Garlic (Allium sativum) scape (flower) with delicate white blooms ready to open on a purple ball at the top of the stem.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 8

Cooling off in the creek.

Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) chills under the surface of clear water in a shallow creek. This medium-small (maybe a teenage but probably not mutant ninja) turtle stayed perfectly still, showing off an almost shiny black shell.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 7

Wildflowers of southern Indiana in July.

Rose Pink (Sabatia angularis) glowing in the morning sun in a spot that missed being mowed between two pastures July 6, 2026.

Wild carrot or Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) growing about three feet tall, all the better to show off a large umbel about five inches wide composed of tiny white individual flowers.

Self heal (Prunella vulgaris) growing among many other wildflowers in July.

(Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) slender mountain mint growing in large clumps with lacy white flowers and thin light green leaves.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 6

Neighbors sharing the shade.

Black cows stand and lie down in the shade on their side of the fence at the back of our property. Their pasture is bright green in the sun behind them. Blue sky overhead on a hot summer day. They are fixated on the horse I'm riding.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 5

Family reunion time again.

Groundhog (Marmota monax) prowled in the shade of a shelter house in a park in Henderson Kentucky on July 4, 2026.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 4

A friendly little mushroom for July.

Light tan, bumpy and shiny and silky smooth all at the same time. A nicely shaped mushroom sits proudly on a bed of old leaves in the shade of trees July 2, 2026.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 3

Horses in fog. Hot, humid, but the grass is good.

Three horses graze in the early morning July 2, 2026 around 6:00 am. Heat and flies will make them glad to go to their barn where a fan is turned on over their stalls during the day. Heat warning again today. Ah summer in southern Indiana.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 2

A creek runs through it.

Looking down from on top of a small hill to a small creek running through deciduous woods. Light from the morning sun filters through green tree leaves and silhouettes dark tree trunks. The scene creates a sense of calm.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jul 1

Nothing better on a hot summer day than a cool(ish) walk in the woods.

Ferns and other life fill the woods floor. Dappled sunlight highlights textures and shades of green through deciduous tree canopy. The barer tree covered pasture behind is kept cleared by the neighbor's cows.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jun 30

Last day lily for the last day of June.

Orange day lily bloom fades into evening as the last of its kind for this year at this place behind the barn. Bloom season for 2026: May 23 through June 28.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jun 29

Fascinating form. Deadly beauty. Unfortunately poor site selection.

Bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) nest attached to the side of the house directly under my deckchair. One came up to visit and stung me. We could not co-exist in peace apparently, so now the nest is gone.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jun 28

A red-tailed hawk glides through blue sky above its nest. Got to watch a bit of bird drama a couple of weeks ago. Angry hawk shrieked and swooped to chase a bald eagle out of the tree next to its nest. Eagle flew down to the pasture below before being escorted back in the direction of its own nest.

A large bird, red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), soars with wings outstretched against a perfectly clear blue June sky. It was keeping an eye on me as I rode a horse below its nest in the tree to the left.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jun 27

Woods have magic. Inspiration to so many authors and artists. Middle Earth, Hundred Acre Woods, Walden.

Portal to my world. Trail through mixed deciduous and pine trees.

Water in a small runoff in the backwoods on a sunny June day in 2026 in southern Indiana.

Georgie has a knack of putting herself in my photos. I wonder does she appreciate the beauty of ferns and woods like I do? Two different shades of green in ferns on the bank and filtered light through trees on a sunny day.

Trails go around, behind, and between three horse pastures. The east pasture here is used more by native residents than horses. Deer are a common sight, saw a hawk and a bobcat earlier this week. Bright green grass ringed by darker trees. Peace.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jun 26

First harvest of the year. Lovely and tasty cucumbers.

Five shiny green, freshly picked and washed, 7-inch long (17 centimeter) cucumbers sit on a decorative salad plate (Lenox-Autumn) on top of a granite kitchen countertop. Picked June 25, 2026. Eaten June 26, 2026.

Gloria@rideintothesunset· Jun 25

This now somewhat scraggly looking mushroom growth has become a waypoint on a trail in the woods behind a pasture at home. Georgie provided an ear for reference.