Seen in the heartland

Across highway 40 from Lambert-St. Louis airport was a billboard with signage from a local church:  "Face-to-Face Visits with Jesus".  I was in a taxi, so I couldn't go around the block to get a snap.  Sorry to disappoint. 

Up the Mississippi

Stopover between business trips to visit Mom.  We drove the Great River Road north to Alton IL.  On this part of the river are bluffs on the Illinois riverbank, where the ceaseless prairie winds blow east and drop the soil load onto the bluffs that arise from Vicksville MS and up north past here.  In the winter, the bald eagles fly south to stay on the bluffs and fish on Ole Man River.  Didn't really expect to see any eagles, as it is a bit warm here and the river up north is not frozen.  But there was one, a black dot at 11 o'clock in the sky. I pointed it out to Mom and we both watched, entranced, as it dove down, did a back flip with wings extended, and smoothly entered the water.  Could not see if it got lucky from the car, but we sure did get lucky to see such a skillful dive.