Last Wednesday, I looked at Windy.com—a weather forecasting app—and saw that there would be thunderstorms moving directly over the Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area. The storms would pass through, move east, and be followed by clear skies. I knew I had to leave soon in order to get to Cree Meadows in time to photograph the storms. I was out the door and on my way in fifteen minutes.

By the time I got to Crex Meadows, one storm had already passed to the east. Another was headed right for me. It was not a large storm, but it thundered constantly; rumbling like an approaching freight train. Before it passed overhead, the center of the storm had veered south; to my left. I parked as close as I could get to a small pump house so that my car would not act as a lightning rod. As it turned out, the storm produced only one lightning flash. I took my shot and hopped in the car as the rain began.

It only lasted ten minutes. It cleaned everything. Every leaf and blade of grass sparkled in the newly emerging sunlight. The birds were singing; they seemed happy. The air was clean; a wonderful smell. It was a joy to be outside. The sights, sounds, aromas—everything is delightful. Experiencing moments like this is the main reason I get out with my camera; to avoid the “dull backwater days of the quotidian.” *

There were four storms. The last one moved north of me, and I was able to photograph the edge of the storm. The gallery below is of Crex Meadows photos with one exception. The exception is a shot from Thursday: a large birdhouse and an eagle along and over the Mississippi River.

* Simmons, Dan, “The Fifth Heart”, 2015