June 1st - Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker

"Northern Flickers are large, brown woodpeckers with a gentle expression and handsome black-scalloped plumage. On walks, don’t be surprised if you scare one up from the ground. It’s not where you’d expect to find a woodpecker, but flickers eat mainly ants and beetles, digging for them with their unusual, slightly curved bill. When they fly you’ll see a flash of color in the wings – yellow if you’re in the Midwest (hence the name!)– and a bright white flash on the rump. The song of the Northern Flicker is a loud wick wick wick wick or a squeaky flick-a, flick-a as in it's name."

Now that I know what I'm looking at, I'll keep my eyes and ears open!

06.01.09

May 31st - Beatific

Stunning stained glass at St. Michael's

05.31.09

May 28th - Iron Lace

Detail on vintage wrought iron

05.28.09

May 27th - I Feel The Need...

the need for speed!

05.27.09

May 26th - Pay To Play

The new fancy new parking meter at the train station parking lot

05.26.09

May 24th - Eyes

Windows to the Soul

05.24.09

May 21st - Watercolor Sky

Evening Brushstrokes

05.21.09

May 20th - Turtle Parade

“Try to be like the turtle -- at ease in your own shell”
- Bill Copeland


A trio of turtles sun themselves at the intersection of Winfield & Geneva.

05.20.09

May 19th - Perspective

Even though it may seems like there is nothing to see...

05.19.09

May 17th - Playdate

Frolicking with a friend is FUN!





05.17.09

May 16th - Mother Nature Cuts Us Some Slack

Saturday's sunshine does it's best to make up for the fiasco that was Friday.



05.16.09

May 15th - Soggy

After 10 solid hours in the pouring rain, the plants were happy. I however was not.

05.15.09

These Leaves are Bananas - B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

The newest addition to the patio garden.

05.14.09

May 13th - Celebrities

A donation of award-winning geraniums from Shady Hill Gardens for our Plant Sale.

05.13.09

BILTOLAST


The bridge on the Prairie Path looking serene and steadfast in the morning mist.



05.12.09

May 11th - Hostas...Finally!

"There is something magically addictive about growing hostas. It is the Friendship Plant, bringing people together to form new and lasting relationships."
- Herb Benedict

Counting the days until Memorial Day Weekend, when I will finally be free to play in the garden!

05.11.09

Happy Mother's Day!

My Mom is just so doggone sweet!


05.10.09

Wedding Bells!

Congratulations P. & A. - Lots of love and best wishes for a long and happy life together!


05.09.09

Breaking Through

When I realized that the picture in the last post had snow in it, it occurred to me that I had obviously stopped looking around at the world. And when I stop looking, I stop photographing things. And when I stop photographing things, it is a pretty safe guess that I have slipped way down to the bottom of my priority list – and that is never a good thing! I made this sadly, not-so-shocking revelation on April 21st – meaning almost two weeks had past since I’d added anything to this creative endeavor. So in an attempt to put myself back on track, I looked to the two places where it is easiest to find inspiration – up and then down.

04.20.09









04.21.09









But realization does not always mean rectification and here it is another two weeks without a post. Fortunately it has not been a total creative drought. A delightful weekend at EIU found me a wonderful photographic cohort in G. and the Garden Party fundraiser at E. & B.’s could not help but inspire. (in fact it resulted in some of the most satisfying images I’ve made in a while!)

05.03.09











So hopefully this means I’ve shaken off some of the dampness that apparently leeched into my soul this spring and am ready to soak in some sun. I’m keeping my fingers crossed (and since I just found out that Mercury is in retrograde – my mouth shut!) and once again I'll look up.

05.07.09

Life Will Out

“April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go.”
- Christopher Morley, "John Mistletoe"


04.07.09

Spring in Chicago...


04.06.09

April 5th - April????


04.05.09

April 2nd - May God Bless You


04.02.09

March 31st - Stratum 3


03.31.09

March 30th - Stratum 1 & 2


03.30.09

Gray

“The color of truth is gray.”
- Andre Gide

I pass this bog on my way to work. Today the reflections appeared so other-worldly that I turned around to try and capture even a little of their monochromatic glory.

03.27.09

March 26th-Waves

“Sit in reverie, and watch the changing color of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind”
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

03.26.09

Now That I Have Access, Do I Have Anything to Say???

I should be pleased with possibility of reconnection and the opportunity to regroup and recommit to my simple resolutions, but in truth the muscle fibers in my shoulders and the blue veins in my hands ache with discontent. I struggle to find inspiration and will lean on poet Mary Oliver like a crutch:

Praying

It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

Source: Thirst

Will also look to Maira Kalman and her gorgeous blog "And the Pursuit of Happiness" and cling to her ever-so-relevant interpretation of Lincoln at this time of palpable internal and external distress.