Last Wednesday, the Air Quality Index was as bad as it has ever been in this area. It approached 200. I’m in a sensitive group, older, and with challenged lungs. I’d stayed indoors the previous week to avoid the wildfire smoke. On Wednesday, I could no longer remain cooped up indoors. So I set out for the Lake Pepin area and spent the day rambling about.

The photo of Lake Pepin to the right is dramatic due to a combination of smoke, clouds, the sun, and the sun’s reflection. The headland illuminated by the sun’s rays is across the river (Lake Pepin is a wide spot in the Mississippi River) in Minnesota. I took the shot from Wisconsin.

My lungs didn’t seem to be bothered by the foul air, and I enjoyed the day.

The two birds below are a breeding pair of redwing blackbirds.