1/28/2016 - SkyWatch Friday - Lake Michigan #1282016

Howdy Folks!   If you would like to view skies from all over the world click here: http://skyley.blogspot.com/.  Our SkyWatch Friday hosts are:  Yogi, Sandy and Sylvia.

Lake Michigan -  January, 2016.

This year the lake water is frozen in bits and pieces of thin ice.  I can hardly tell where the sky ends and the lake water begins.  I walked putting my foot into one frozen footprint after another frozen footprint in the sand till I reached the shoreline and of course, walked back to the sidewalk and the parking lot.  I am so grateful that my husband sat patiently waiting for me in the car on this cold winter day.  I didn't have a mishap.  Lucky me!

Lake Michigan, 2015.

This is the way Lake Michigan was frozen last year.  Signs were posted not to climb on these hills but folks did it anyway regardless of the danger.  Odd to see these mountains in an area which is noted for being flat land and/or water as far as the eye can see. See you next week!

1/27/2016 - Outdoor Wednesday - #368 - Solitary Tree

Howdy Folks!   If you would like to view Outdoor Themes click here: http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/.  Thank you Susan for being our hostess.

"I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines."
~ Henry David Thoreau

To tell you the truth, I don't tramp eight or ten miles through snow but I do walk a long way for me through snow, ice and frozen sand to get a photograph of this tree by Lake Michigan.  

Gray days and more gray days but somehow I get used to them. I stopped wondering when the sun will shine again here because I know that the sun is shining somewhere in the world.

1/26/2016 Thinking Outside the Box - Let There Be Light 2016

1/23/2016 - SkyWatch Friday - Mt. Dora, Florida - Palm Trees

What day is it?   What time is it?   Oh my goodness.   Better late than never. Click here if you want to view skies from all over the world:  http://skyley.blogspot.com/.   Our Skywatch hosts are:   Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy, who we certainly do appreciate their hard work each and every week.

Mt. Dora, Florida-2015.

My husband and I went to the shores of Lake Michigan yesterday.   I took a few photographs expecting to post them on SkyWatch Friday.   Lo and behold, when I tried to load the images from the phone to the computer no luck.  Now, I remember that we brought the cell phone to AT&T Phone Store maybe a week ago.   The camera was not working but was fixed that day.   Evidently, I need to tweek something mmmm, but what?  Miss Techie I am not.   I guess, when my son comes over Monday, I'll have him take a peek and hopefully, he can fix the problem.  Click this.   Click that.   I'm hoping.  Lesson relearned:   Take the big boy camera along on photo shoots too for back-up.

I was searching  old files to post something rather than nothing.  I found this image of palm trees, can't help dreaming of warmer days ahead.  There is something about palm trees that makes my heart sing....

1/20/2016 - Outdoor Wednesday - #367 - Snow - Quote 2016 Rabindranath Tagore - Trees

Howdy Folks!   Would you like to view photographs with Outdoor Themes click here: http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/.  Thank you Susan for being the hostess.

"Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven."
Rabindranath Tagore, Fireflies, 1928

2016 has greeted both my husband, John and I with a cold/flu bug. Chicagoland has been wrapped around with ice, snow and very cold temperatures. Although we really can't complain because it has been such a warm winter so far compared to the last two years.   Today we are going to venture out for breakfast, do some errands and claim our lives back.  

1/18/2016 - Thinking Outside the Box - Ode to Joy

Ode to Joy

My husband and I were driving back from Des Plaines, Illinois heading toward Lake Michigan which is East. When all of a sudden, I saw this brick building.  I asked my husband, John, to STOP and park please.   I got out my camera phone and then walked around the abandoned restaurant shooting helter skelter.  I used the lens by squatting, then standing on my tip toes, and just trying to see what is unseen to me and to the camera. Upstairs was an apartment building in use.  It was very cold out but I did the shoot anyways.

Hidden among the bricks and mortor and wooden frames was this gem.  I see an eye.  I see a mouth.  I see a nose.   Yes, I even see a forehead and cheeks and a chin.  I call it Ode to Joy.  Photography to me is magical.

What do you see?

1/16/2016 - SkyWatch Friday - McCormick Blvd. During a Snow Storm

Howdy Folks!    If you would like to view skies from all over the world click here: http://skyley.blogspot.com/.  Our Skywatch Friday hosts are:   Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy.

Photo taken of McCormick Blvd., Evanston, Illinois during a snow storm.

This week my husband and I went down to Lake Michigan to get some photographs of what the ice and snow looks like at the lakefront right now.   However, it wasn't meant to be.   All the shots I took came out black.   So, we headed for the AT&T Store.   A fellow named Bob, fixed the camera on my Nokia.   Whew....saved once again.   First the Averatec computer died.   Then my phone.   Now all is well.  

Tuesday I had a 24 hour Flu bug.   Am eating lots of chicken soup.   Getting stronger each and every day. Today, I am going to meet with the Red Hat ladies for lunch.   Then my husband and I will watch some football games.  Dinner tonight will be crappies and blue gills we caught last summer in Hayward Lakes Area.  Can't get much fresher than that.  Think I'll stop by Kentucky Fried Chicken and purchase some Cole Slaw for a side dish.  Yum!  

1/13/2016 - Outdoor Wednesday - #366 - Abandoned Church

Howdy Folks!   If you would like to view photographs with an Outdoor Theme click here: http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com. Thank you Susan for being the hostess.

My husband and I keyed into the GPS how to drive from Orlando to Mt. Dora, Florida.  On our travels we stopped at this abandoned building so I could take some photographs.  A homeless person was resting on the stoop.  All the things she owned were with her.   She said she was hungry.   I gave her some money.   I respected her image and didn't take it.  If only this abandoned church building could talk.   If only....

I would like to explain why I haven't been online lately.   My Averatec computer was dying.   I would like to say a public THANK YOU to Norm Meyer, who found parts, ordered them, had parts delivered to the house and then was able to revive my computer.  I appreciate his help immensely.

1/7/2016 - Skywatch Friday - Palm Trees

Happy New Year!   If you would like to view skies from all over the world click here: http://skyley.blogspot.com/.  Our Skywatch Friday hosts are:   Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy.

Palm Trees saying "Here's looking at you kid."

1/06/2016 - Outdoor Wednesday - #365 - Outing Brunch at Lyfe Kitchen

Happy New Year!   If you would like to view Outdoor themes click here: http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/.   Thank you Susan for being our hostess.

These photographs were taken at Lyfe Kitchen, 1603 Orrington Street, Evanston, IL.   My husband, John and I had brunch at Lyfe. It was a "new" experience for us. I liked the fresh herbs growing right in the restaurant.   I especially liked the quote by Maya Angelou on the ceiling.  Location, location, location....Lyfe Kitchen has location right in downtown Evanston.   Notice from the top photograph where a person could partake of their drinks.    There were three menu's to pick from. Orders are taken and paid for at the counter and then food is prepared and brought to each table later. The choice is yours to experience a new way of dining or not.  I rated the food top notch.