Today my husband and I visited the John M. Olin Nature Preserve for the first time.  Located in Godfrey, Illinois along the Mississippi River.

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We had some heavy rain and thunderstorms last night and early this morning so we stuck to the paved trail.


![420A9A24-445C-40C7-8204-841FB2C46BC8.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmPPqxuYnQoww4tPYMmVomdzZLvTQhiCjtNi217oDMAZSz/420A9A24-445C-40C7-8204-841FB2C46BC8.jpeg)

We were still able to take in many forms of natural beauty including wildflowers.

![6F569B3E-8225-44DF-8937-4C5D762AB83A.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmeCvtZcoBZUNGHpSeUBGfg56buXrArY5bMnh7Nis9gPvq/6F569B3E-8225-44DF-8937-4C5D762AB83A.jpeg)

![3D68331D-195E-4295-BC66-1266998D1345.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmaqTxw9kDZkjQhNk6GLV6LjHCQJqHuQ15g9GfkbEMRkWP/3D68331D-195E-4295-BC66-1266998D1345.jpeg)

![53AF84ED-6724-4F32-86FA-0758E65E0F34.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdC25bEPTgpuMV5DzNeGr3ujTBfit7RzvVYbTDN9NDsDc/53AF84ED-6724-4F32-86FA-0758E65E0F34.jpeg)

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About halfway through our walk we were amazed by the viewing area overlooking the Mississippi River.


![C4B65F32-71AB-49E9-B51F-996EF84BEA7A.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmeZo8ztFnF2e6aPR4hVhTqYnXtPPuGWem3pr2EGj5kBqg/C4B65F32-71AB-49E9-B51F-996EF84BEA7A.jpeg)

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The second half of the trail took us through a more wooded area.


![7F0BD72C-DEEA-4355-8A24-6575DFF9D9D9.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmZMY39gmxL7oMAsF27L3MN7QwV2J3tYjQECCyXyv1McBy/7F0BD72C-DEEA-4355-8A24-6575DFF9D9D9.jpeg)

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As we emerged from the woods and began heading back to the car we had one last surprise.  These two young ones stood still a very long time.  Say “cheese”!


![8DAFC873-210A-4CDD-87EB-85F42D735F50.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmZF5YijMTfzFbYJoq2s7KKSGAo881CR34afj5aTRc6cxi/8DAFC873-210A-4CDD-87EB-85F42D735F50.jpeg)


![F041C803-99DE-4374-A7E0-42E70FE50D28.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmYzVCsEj9kH73914AfcqnAqMLVbWcP9wdtbfLTv4YejUb/F041C803-99DE-4374-A7E0-42E70FE50D28.jpeg)

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I can’t wait to go back when the unpaved trails are not so waterlogged.  We did not get to the waterfall/creek and larger prairie restoration area today 😞.