Kudzu Planet

Queen Anne's Lace at Sunrise

2008-07-17T09:29:00.002-05:00

It's a hot one out today.

African Daisies, in all the stages of blooming

2008-07-16T06:19:00.000-05:00

The first time I've seen a grouping in all the different stages of bloom. The curled-in petals are the last stage, and the wide-open traditional daisies on the bottom are the first.

If I were a kid again

2008-07-15T06:57:00.003-05:00

If I were a kid again I could go to camp and make construction paper chains and staple them to a paper plate and watch them swing in the summer breeze, instead of going to an office and staring out the windows longingly.

Although, who am I kidding? When I was a kid I liked to stay inside and curl up on the couch and read or watch TV and wait for my mom or grandmother to yell at me to go outside already and play in the sun while it was still nice out. I would do it better if I could do it again. I think. :)

Monday, a week ago

2008-07-14T06:40:00.001-05:00

Overlooking Lake Michigan from in front of Buckingham Fountain.

Enjoying the summer downtown

2008-07-13T08:56:00.001-05:00

Oak Street Beach and Lake Shore Drive

Even better in large.

Echinacea, or purple coneflower

2008-07-12T09:26:00.000-05:00

Stormy Monday skyline

2008-07-10T05:34:00.003-05:00

Downtown on a summer Monday morning is very different when it's raining.

A splash of color

This only happens when it rains: an empty Bean.

Closed for lunch

Yesterday's field in wider perspective

2008-07-09T06:21:00.000-05:00

I love my city.

Orange and Purple Coneflowers in Field

2008-07-08T06:57:00.001-05:00

You won't believe where this was taken. Tune in tomorrow! :)

Tiffany dome restoration

2008-07-07T19:52:00.003-05:00

They restored the Tiffany glass dome at the Chicago Cultural Center recently, so when I had an hour to kill downtown today I made sure I went to see it. It's absolutely stunning.

Here is what it looked like before:

Here is what it looks like now:

Before:

After:

The details are astonishing. Look at the pinks and greens! The woodwork!

They removed the copper outer dome, too, so the light coming through is natural now. And what a light it is!

Amazing. I hope they do the other one too!

Fireworks, Midwestern-style

2008-07-05T07:33:00.004-05:00

My sister and her family are visiting this week, so we all went to watch the fireworks last night. Instead of going to the main park in Glenview where they are held, we decided to go to the lookout in the park at Lake Glenview. It's not a big hill, but it's in the middle of what used to be a naval air base, so the land around it is especially flat and they aren't any mature trees around it. You can see for miles.

Which is exactly what we did. We watched the fireworks from all the surrounding towns -- we counted at least 20 different shows that we could see pretty well, and at least another half-dozen where it was just a faint blip on the horizon. At first we watched the ones south of us, maybe 10-15 miles away, and they didn't seem like much; I was afraid for about fifteen minutes that I had dragged my sister's family up there only to be disappointed and embarrassed. Then the sun finally went down all the way, and the ones along the North Shore began, bigger and louder. We could see five in a row, boom boom dazzle dazzle boom. Then six, then eight up the shoreline. At one point we thought we could see the Navy Pier show downtown; we used the blinking red light of the Sears Tower as our reference. Then Northbrook, the town immediately north of us, started, and it was huge and close and we were all captivated. We start turning around in every direction, pointing and oohing, as it seemed every town in the Chicago suburbs lit up the sky and we could see them all. Glenview began their show last, to the south of our lookout hill, and then we spun between it and Northbrook's, the two biggest and in opposite directions. It was so cool.

My husband declared it to be, "Fireworks, Midwestern-style." My sister and her husband laughed and agreed; the hills in Connecticut preclude anything like this happening.

Unfortunately for you, I didn't take any pictures, although I had my camera and my tripod with me. The hill actually got very crowded with people (there were none there last year when we drove by and belatedly realized it was the perfect viewing spot) and between all the no-see-um bugs swarming around us (they disappeared as soon as the sun fully set) and the people all along the hill, it was too crowded to set up the tripod, and then by the time the big ones came, it was too late. Besides, to really capture the expanse of the horizon, with three-six-oooh-there's-another displays all at once, I need a wide-angle lens. Maybe next year!

(If you really want to see some fireworks shots, here are the ones I took last year.)

Today we're heading down to Naperville for Ribfest. There's a big kid's carnival section, and of course a ton of ribs. YUM. I'm also considering ordering one of these:

Do you think that will keep me on my Weight Watchers plan? ;-D

Glenview Fourth of July Parade

2008-07-04T16:27:00.003-05:00

All taken this morning at the annual Glenview 4th of July parade. There are more in this set, but these are my favorites:

Red Flags

Minutemen

Drill Team in flight

If he didn't have a kilt on, I would have thought he snuck in.

Stilts Woman

Best Friend Girl Scouts

Bolivian Dancer

The End!

Fireworks tonight! They'll be posted tomorrow.

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-03T08:39:00.001-05:00

Have a great July 4th, everyone!

Gargoyle Fountain, Spring Edition

2008-07-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

Remember this photo?

This is what it looks like in the spring.

Taken at the English Walled Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. I am due for another visit soon!

Old Schoolin' It

2008-07-01T06:53:00.003-05:00

Haven't done a flower post in a while, so here are some shots from the Anderson Japanese Garden in Rockford IL.

Irises around the pond

Faces to the sun

A welcoming entrance

Do you think the reception is still good?

2008-06-30T05:52:00.001-05:00

Notice anything unusual about this shot?

Like this?

Taken in Rockford, Illinois.

Where in the World is Matt?

2008-06-29T14:22:00.001-05:00

Note: I don't know this person, and this has nothing to do with my photography. But I think this idea, and this video, is so wonderful I wanted to share it all my blog readers.

This is Matt. He is a very bad dancer. Somehow he convinced a company to send him around the world and do his bad dance. People joined in and danced with him, from India to Ireland to Istanbul to Illinois. I defy you to watch it and not want to go outdoors and throw your elbows around in joy.

The whole story, and more vids, is at Where In The World is Matt. The outtake video is especially great.

Tabletop: Algonquin Lobby Bar

2008-06-27T06:32:00.001-05:00

New York. My 40th birthday.

Beignet Break

2008-06-26T06:09:00.001-05:00

Outside the Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. I love the confectioner's sugar on the ground all around him. Even on break, he can't get away from it.

Umbrellas

2008-06-25T06:28:00.002-05:00

Detroit Yacht Club

New Orleans storefront

Anderson Japanese Gardens

Every month, a new doorway to a different world.

2008-06-24T06:38:00.003-05:00

French Quarter alley, New Orleans, April 2008

Anderson Japanese Garden South Gate, Rockford IL, May 2008

Mission San Xavier courtyard, Tucson, June 2008

Mission San Xavier: Icons and details

2008-06-20T09:39:00.002-05:00

For all the vivid ornateness of the Mission San Xavier del Bac in Tucson, there were features that bespoke its 200+ year history.

Handless Icon

Fading Mural Paint

Broken Cherub

Pew Bench, worn from devotion

Also, if it wasn't clear from yesterday's comment, the coyote window bars were from the Mission as well.

Mission San Xavier: Coyote Window Bars

2008-06-19T06:24:00.003-05:00

You don't see a lot of this style around Chicago! ;-)

Mission San Xavier del Bac

2008-06-18T06:41:00.000-05:00

Mission San Xavier del Bac was founded by the Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Kino, in 1692. The present church was built under the direction of the Franciscans. Construction began in 1783 and was completed in 1797. The church continues to serve as the parish for the Tohono O'odham and a shrine chruch for many visitors.

A View from the Top

2008-06-17T05:46:00.003-05:00

I am back from my week in Tucson! I stayed in the Marriott Starr Pass resort up in the foothills, which was lovely and posh beyond words. I had a spa treatment, swam every afternoon in the lazy river, ate delicious meals, and oh yeah, went to a conference. :) I didn't actually take a lot of photos, but I did get a few.

This was my view every morning. It was still cool then, but by 7am the temperature started shooting up. It was 105 most afternoons. Yikes!

The view in the late afternoon. That's Tucson in the distance.