Morning and Evening

I just love the interesting clouds and weather patterns that keep sliding through Chicago.  The top photo is from Thursday morning (around 9), the bottom photo is from the early evening (around 5:30).  The middle of the day was actually rather sunny.  

Autumn Sunrise

Temperature-wise, Winter has been here for awhile. Astronomically, it is still Autumn.

Lock Down

I've been holding on to this photo for about a week now because I was trying to figure out what they are doing to the Chicago River locks. They are currently closed and there seems to be some type of maintenance work going on. I think the gates are being replaced, but I can't seem to find anything about what they are actually doing. I don't think it is related to the Asian Carp threat, even though carp-related articles are about all that show up when I google "Closed Chicago River Locks November 2010".

Hunter's Moon

According to the Native Americans in the Great Lakes region, the October Full Moon, which rose yesterday evening, is known as the Hunter's Moon. It is so named because this is the month for hunting and storing for the long winter.

Personally, I've been storing all summer - in the form of freezing raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries - to help get through that long winter ;)

Autumn Sunrise

Thursday's sunrise included a jagged layer of clouds at the horizon. I'm thinking that was probably the weather front that came through that dropped our temperatures by about 20 degrees again (no worries -- we're supposed to be back in the 70s early next before another thermometer plunge.)

April Sunrise

The sun just peeking through the morning clouds yesterday.

Winter Rising

Yesterday's sunrise over Lake Michigan. Interesting clouds and lovely colors.

Darn Cold

Yes, that is steam.
Yes, it is coming off of Lake Michigan.
It was darn cold on Thursday.

Darn cold.

Seasonal Signs

All of a sudden (due to the time change) it is dark enough to see the moon rise when it does so at 4:18pm. Native Americans kept track of the seasons by, among other things, giving names to the full moons. The November Full Moon is called the Beaver Moon because it signaled that it was time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs.

I'm not into furs so if I were naming moons this one would be called The Flannel Sheets Moon as it signals the time to change over to the warmer, cozier flannel sheets.

Late Summer Sunrise

I don't need a calendar to tell me that summer has hit its peak and we're moving into meteorological Autumn. This sunrise looks very different than the peak summer sunrises we've had. Not sure why the prism showed up in the picture - help, anybody? - but left it in because I didn't want to crop out the Chicago Harbor Light and the gold tipped clouds

Coming in for the Mackinac

The Chicago to Mackinac race is this weekend. This is the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinac, in Chicago to escort the racers.

Simply, Sunrise

Saturday, April 18, 2009, 6:05am

Ice Illusion

I had a completely different photo ready to post today. But when I saw today's sunrise -- well that other picture can wait. The way the light was hitting Lake Michigan obscured the ice, making it look like the lake was dead calm (something that does happen periodically in the summer) and letting the Chicago Harbor Light cast a reflection in the ice.