Wacker and Wabash

Can you spot the one major difference between these two shots?


Also available in large.



Also available in large.

Inner Workings

I am continually fascinated by the inner workings of a tropical greenhouse. So much is going on just behind all those palm trees and leaves.

February 6th storm

My dad said he wanted to see how bad it was out here, so here you go! I didn't venture out past my street because it was getting dark and I didn't want to get the camera wet. But it's enough for now.


This is my street. Can you see the street part? Me either.


Pull up a chair and enjoy the sleet!


Already building up on the shovel again!

Garfield Park Conservatory

Note to my dad, the weather junkie: we have at least five inches of snow on the ground, and the storm hasn't completely passed us yet. It's hard to tell how much is out there because the wind has blown it all over. But at least my car will be easier to clean this morning!

To avoid thinking about that, here are some more photos of greenhouses, this time at Garfield Park Conservatory, located in the middle of the west side of Chicago.

The main entrance:



The great hall:



Next week: details, and more flowers!

Oak Park Conservatory

More lushness in the middle of winter. Oak Park was such a sweet little conservatory. So bright and cheery!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful!

The temperature dropped 50 degrees in about 5 hours last night -- down to -1 this morning -- accompanied by bone-chilling winds and snow.

So here, have some hothouse flowers. There's a tiny little conservatory in Oak Park, and it's full of them.

A welcome shock of green

Just what I needed to see in the middle of a cold, white winter. Taken at Garfield Park Conservatory, January 2008.

Crown Fountain was the answer

As Andre guessed, the photo from last week was taken at Crown Fountain.



Hard to believe that old mug would inspire love declarations, isn't it? ;-D

Little Girl Skating

I was captivated by her ruddy cheeks and determined expression. The rink was crowded, but she was in her own world.
Taken at the ice rink at Millenium Park in downtown Chicago, January 2008.

Yesterday's Art Institute photo was published on Chicagoist. Cool!

Skate-off: Detroit vs. Chicago

Which downtown ice rink is prettier?

Chicago:



(Better viewed in large.)

Detroit:



(Better viewed in large.)

I have to give it to Chicago, even though I prefer the buildings and expanse of the ice in the Detroit shot. The problem is Detroit picked terrible colors for the banners and the tree; the blues clash with the red and green of the tree, and the tree colors themselves are too drab and harsh. (The particular hue of green of the tree makes it look dead, even close up.) I did try to crop out the blue line of the rink's edge on the bottom, but it didn't help the color scheme.

Such a shame, because it could be such a pretty scene, right in the middle of downtown. The colors of the buildings are all so complimentary right there, but the decorations drag your attention away from them. Alas!

Detroit under Fog

Here's what it looks like outside our window on the 54th floor of the RenCen at 8:30 am this morning.





As a frame of reference, here is the Ambassador Bridge as I shot it two nights ago.

It's amazing as it rolls in over the city.





Good thing we're driving rather than flying today!

First Winter Storm, December 2007

Taken out my bedroom window, 9:30pm yesterday

We got some snow last night! About 5-6 inches so far, and after a very brief lull right during my morning commute, it's coming down again. This was pre-dawn this morning out my back window. Check out the clouds rolling in over the house on the right!



I had my camera on the drive in, so we'll see if I got anything good when I get home. Which might be a bit tougher than it was getting in this morning...

Ivy Fountain: Winter and Spring

Another start of a four-season series.

Winter:




Spring:

Tree in two seasons: Spring and Winter

The plan is to do a four-season series of this majestic oak.

From this winter:




From this spring:

Millenium Park Ice Rink

The rink awaits its final visitors of the season; it closed on Sunday, March 18, until next winter. Just one more sign spring is coming!

Island of the Gods

I'm back with another comparison set! This one is of the Island of the Gods at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The Japanese Gardens there are made up of separate small islands in the middle of the lake that are connected by a series of bridges. There is one island, called the Island of the Gods, which is not linked to the others in order to be preserved so only the gods can walk around on it. (However, I have proof that geese like to walk around to it and on it when the lake has frozen over and they can reach it on foot.) Luckily, we mere mortals can still enjoy it from afar.


October 20, 2006



December 1, 2006



March 8, 2007


(With the lake frozen over and covered with snow, this last shot almost looks like the reverse of the first winter shot, doesn't it?)

There are two more side-view shots available in the Pairs set at Flickr. I'm looking forward to seeing it again in the spring!

Beach Fence through the winter

I know I did a 5-Days-Later series about this beach earlier this winter, but I've been going back every week and chronicling the changes in the ice and the water all through this bitter winter. It surprised me how much the ice sheets melted and grew back in the middle; I assumed they would stay intact through the cold weather, but that's not what happened, as you will see. The entire set is at Flickr, too.


January 16, 2007



January 21, 2007



January 26, 2007




February 7, 2007



February 21, 2007 (oops, missed a week)



March 5, 2007

Cedar Waxwing

According to some bird-watchers I met along the path of the Chicago Botanic Garden, this is a Cedar Waxwing. It's not the best shot I've taken, but wildlife photography is a lot tougher than it looks, especially without a powerful zoom lens. Someday soon I'll have one, but until then I'll just keep practicing!

A shock of pink

From the Arid Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden, taken March 8, 2007. I don't know about you, but I needed a nice jolt of color to savor today.

Casino Riverboat on the Fox River

This is the Grand Victoria casino riverboat in Elgin. It never leaves the dock, which is a good thing because it's well and truly frozen into the water. (Best viewed at largest size.)