As is my custom I snapped some photos at Anna, Illinois this morning. Jonathon recommended Kiki’s Coffeehouse for a good cup of joe! He was so right. Did you ever enter a business establishment and feel the kind atmosphere? That is Kiki’s! Great coffee and I noticed an area where apparently live music is performed. They also have wonderful little chairs for children and coloring books. There were several gnomes in the front of the store and when I saw them I was hooked…I like gnomes!

Anna is the largest town in Union County.

I am well into my second year of photographing the little towns and villages and hamlets of Southern Illinois. Everywhere I go I meet friendly people with a ready smile and hard work as their history.

As I was snapping these photos I wondered what the people were thinking who erected these old buildings. When they were building them they were at the zenith of their powers and the shining buildings were a testament to the strength and determination of the folks who built them. Old churches intrigue me. There is so much handiwork and craftsmanship in the churches of Little Egypt. Faith can be found in the intricacies of the stonework and the bell towers.

I have lived in three separate towns in Southern Illinois. Each had its own personality. Just a few miles separating one town from another can be like entering another world…