Every Day's A Holiday

No Clue

Discovered these paper mache birds at The Magic Hedge/Montrose Harbor.  

Getting Ready

The new 31st Street Harbor -- almost ready for the start of the boating season.

The Bridge is Up

The Columbus Bridge being raised, as viewed from Upper Columbus

A Spring Thing

Ramps are in season.  It's a short season so get them while you can.  Make pesto and pasta sauce, omelets and pizza, pickle them, freeze ramp butter.  So many options, so little time!  

What are ramps, you say?    Allium Tricoccum.  Wild leeks.  And, a few sources say, the reason for the name "Chicago".  The Potawatami word for Wild Onions (also skunk, but I choose to ignore that variation) is Checagou.  Apparently, ramps were plentiful and the are had a distinct - but pleasantly garlicky oniony 'aroma'.

Askew

Tangled

Distorted

Spooky

Sparkly

There Be Me Pot o' Gold

I found it ... over by Navy Pier.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

  

(Please remember to celebrate responsibly:  Wearing more than

  one article of green clothing - or more than two shades of green 

can be harmful to the health of those around you)     

An Extra Foggy Day

Does anyone else wonder why the ancient calendar makers decided to put Leap Day in February instead of in - oh, any of those lazy Summer months?  But, February?  Isn't winter - even a mild one like we've had - already long enough?    

The Art of the Elevator

One of the carvings in an elevator in the Palmolive Building (formerly known as the Playboy Building) 

Inspired by Champagne

The design of the Carbide and Carbon Building on a Spring-like Winter Day was allegedly inspired by a Champagne bottle.  The green terra cotta tower representing the bottle with a gold leaf top representing the shiny foil cover on the cork.

Utopia

32 Taps, No Waiting

Pink Sky

Day and Night

Bright Flowers

These colorful flowers, brightening up some dull winter days, are on the 212 South State Street Building in the Loop.  The building is owned by the General Services Administration.  They partnered with a group called Portraits of Hope to create a uplifting mural on the doors of the building.  

Exploring Chinatown: Architectural Details

A collage of some artistic details on buildings in Chinatown.

Exploring Chinatown: Ping Tom Park

You can get a unique perspective of the skyline - where else can you see the Sears Tower as a backdrop to a canyon wall? - from Ping Tom Memorial Park. 

Exploring Chinatown: Year of the Dragon

Last Fall we went exploring in Chinatown but I didn't have time to post the photos.  Until now.  In honor of the Chinese New Year (it's the Year of the Dragon), today, here are the nine dragons on the Chicago Chinatown's Nine Dragon Wall.

Chicago Lights

The Loop Alliance is leaving the music-synchronized lights along State Street up through February.  It started out in December with Christmas and Holiday songs and greetings.   Now all the songs are love songs. (Today, I heard "My Funny Valentine", "I Will Always Love You", "All You Need is Love".)  

On a dreary winter day, as the 2012 blizzard begins, a little color is nice to see.  But, come Spring, I hope they bring the tulips back.

Makes Sense

In a way, it makes a lot of sense.

Tahquamenon Falls

The swirly waters of Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan's Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

Sunset at Mackinac Bridge

Used the car door as a tripod to get this long-exposure sunset photo.

Best of Both Worlds

Ice Crystals and Sand on the beach

Patterned Pine

A little dusting of snow on pine trees makes an interesting pattern.

Ice is Cool*

*Pun Intended ;)

Found a little bit of Winter up in Northern Michigan recently.  This is a photo through the railings on the breakwall in Charlevoix, Michigan.  

Full Wolf Moon

According to The Farmer's Almanac, the January Full moon is known as the Full Wolf Moon because during "the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages."  Today's temperatures were in the high 40s.  Tomorrow is forecast to be in the 50s.  If there are wolves howling out there, it's because they're celebrating this unusual almost-Spring like weather.

P.S.  Sorry to be gone so long.  Between prepping for a home improvement project, the holidays, and a winter vacation, I didn't have time for posting.  I was still taking photos, though, so I should be able to post more regularly.