Northern Illinois Farm

Taken in November 2006. I think it's best viewed in large.

I'm looking through these older shots this week as I start to put together my annual photography calendar. All of my family and many of my friends will already be recieving one as their traditional Christmas gift (hope I didn't ruin the surprise, haha), but if anyone else is interested in purchasing one, send me an email at kristen@kudzuplanet.com and I'll add you to the order list!

Autumn 2006

Taken at the Chicago Botanic Garden, fall 2006. Still one of my favorites.

Autumn by the lake

Fall came very late to Chicago, but I did manage to get a few shots along the lake last weekend.




Not quite the same bench as this one from last winter, but I think just a few feet away!

Happy Birthday Joe!

Today is my nephew Joe's birthday. I wanted to take some photos of some fire trucks around here, but I couldn't get a good one. Also, I live in a city area, so getting a good shot of a tractor or farm equipment was kind of tough. So I looked and looked all over Chicago, and I think I found some vehicles put together in a way he's probably never seen. Check this out!



Yes, that's a pile of real cars all stuck together on a pole! Up in the air! See?



I know, it's crazy. But it's real! It's even been shown in movies!



That's Uncle Richard's favorite kind of car on the top: a Volkswagen Beetle. We play Slugbug all the time.



I like that one because it's kind of arty. :)



Chicago has some weird stuff, don't you think? I'll find some other cool things to show you when you come to visit, promise.

Happy Birthday, Joe!

Even leopards enjoy Halloween!

For those of you still checking in, I am still around! I'm just getting banged around like this pumpkin right now at my new job, and so I'm still adjusting my time management. But I expect to be back soon with new photos -- thanks for hanging in there with me!

Taken at the Brookfield Zoo, November 2, 2006.

Happy Birthday, Patrick!

Happy Birthday to my Lego-loving nephew! Here are two very big Lego creations we have here in Chicago. When you come to visit, I will take you to see them in person!

Yesterday you saw them close-up, now you can see the full image. It's amazing what you can make out of Legos.

A Mystery to Solve

My nephew Patrick's birthday is tomorrow, so I am posting two mystery shots today. Any guesses as to what these are and where I took them? Here's a hint: these specific ones were in downtown Chicago, but you can find them almost anywhere in the world.

Answers revealed tomorrow!

Tabletop at the Palmer House

The Palmer House is a gorgeous old-school hotel in the heart of downtown Chicago. Just walking through the lobby can be a luxurious treat.

Polish Onesies

The Hamtramck Labor Day Festival had a fantastic assortment of funny Polish t-shirts, full of phrases I have never seen on fabric before. Two of the dirtier sayings included:

-You bet your dupa I'm Polish!
-Of course I'm Polish. Wanna see my kielbasa?

Haha. I decided to keep it family-friendly and post a shot of the baby t-shirts available. The larger view allows you to see the actual phrases. Very cute!

Officer Friendly

Look at the glower on his face! Not sure what he has to be grumpy about -- he was tootling about on his Segway, spinning and showing off for the crowd, on a beautiful fall afternoon in downtown Chicago.