Summer in the Shade

Mid summer normally means hot, humid and sunny days. But this July has been cool with ample rain to fuel the prairie landscape, now lush with wildflowers. I've been visiting various parks every other Monday, to get me out of the house and explore something new. Today I'm at Meadowbrook Park - I think it's been over a year since I last visited. I generally feel this prairie centered park will be too hot or too sunny for me to enjoy outside of early / late golden hours. I was wrong - at 10am I'm able to find ample shade amongst the flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 
The early summer 13 and 17 year cicada broods have peaked, leaving us with the annual species, their familiar sounds now fill the air. The regular cicadas weave their distinctive buzzing in waves through the trees. It’s a pleasant ebb and flow of sound. I’m in a shaded area drinking my matcha. I'm happy to have found flowers dappled in gentle light under the tree canopy. The wildflower prairie glistens in gold from a distance. I choose to stay in the cool shade, but maybe in a couple weeks I'll explore the prairie.

 

 

 

 

 

 
I admit I took many of these photos for the bokeh backgrounds were too beautiful to pass up. Light has the way of transforming the mundane into an ethereal scene.

 

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The Daily - September 19-24, 2023 - Summer into Fall, The Charlie Days

9/19/23 - Tuesday

 

 
45 minutes strength workout which included an interesting warm up - get up and down from the floor - get down and lay on stomach then get up. Repeat but get down to different positions - on your right then left side, into plank, your back. Then do it while keeping your right hand glued to your right knee / left hand to left knee / right hand to left knee, etc / hands behind your back! Five minutes of this was tough! It really forces you to move through different positions, increasing mobility. I will incorporate something similar into a daily or every other day routine.

 
I prepped cauliflower for cauliflower Mac and cheese, tried the low carb shiritake noodles for the first time in a spicy miso broth with broccoli, carrots, mushroom and a poached egg. It was really tasty. I doubt I would eat this type of noodle any other way and I don’t know if I can find this product locally but will look for it in the Asian market.

 
The weather has been so perfect - I can take a walk without roasting and sweating. I also painted outside.

 
Erica arrived home late. She will leave tomorrow for London with Lindsay.

 

 
9/20/23 - Wednesday

 

 
Tough 45 minute bike boot camp. I also took my 600th strength class in an afternoon live class (got a shout out!). Took Erica to the train station - she will take it to Chicago, meet up with Lindsay at her apartment before heading to O’Hare to catch their flight to London!

 

 
I made the mushroom low carb ravioli in tomato cream sauce and wow it was delicious. I took Charlie on a walk before Scott arrived home. He ate dinner, Charlie enjoyed a rawhide bone and we all enjoyed an evening walk together.

 

 
9/21/23 - Thursday

 

 
Erica and Lindsay made it to London and reunited with Amira. Today is Brian’s 24th birthday!

 

 
It’s raining this morning - a steady soaking rain. This made it slightly difficult to walk Charlie but we took a very short one after my hard 30 minute bike class. I left her in Erica’s room while I went to the Y to swim. I cut the swim and sauna time short to get back. Now I’m enjoying coffee outside in the front breezeway with Louie on my lap and Charlie next to me on a thick blanket. She seems to miss Erica by sighing.

 

 
We took a long walk after coffee heading towards Porter park. Got caught in a pop up shower just as we entered the park but that quickly burned out and we enjoyed the empty park, taking photos here and there.

 

 
Another post dinner family walk by the retention ponds and we relaxed the rest of the night.

 

 
9/22/23 - Friday

 

 
Early morning rain again as I went to Pilates class. I opted to skip coffee with Brenda Michael and Davonne to get back home to Charlie. Even at 6:30am the roads are dark - kind of depressing - and it’s only the first day of Fall.

 
We took coffee outside on the back patio and I brushed Charlie. I took Charlie to the Pet smart store to buy bones and fish oil. She likes going on these outings especially when the cashier offers her a milk bone.

 

 
Then back home and a long walk through the park. I finished up Noelle’s photos, grilled a bunch of meat and took Charlie on a very short walk. Scott arrived home and I left shortly afterwards to attend the Pygmalion festival in town. This was my first time attending the actual performances - at the Rose bowl. Jill spearheaded the outing since there was a comedian performing. This was to make up for the cancelled Colin Jost show.

 

 
We had access to performances across two stages and the arts vendor area. It was a perfect night for milling around outside and taking in the bands. We watched 2 bands and the comedian inside the Rose Bowl bar and 2 band outside before calling it a night. I normally wouldn’t attend such an event so I’m glad Jill suggested we go. I can see myself attending in future years.

 

 

 
9/23/23 - Saturday

 
25 laps and a 45 minute bike class. Swimming has been frustrating - I don’t seem to getting back to my baseline lap times. It was a short session so I could get back home in time for the live Peloton class. That class wasn’t too bad because I had a strenuous workout on Thursday.

 
Coffee outside with Charlie and Louie. Took Charlie on a walk. Left the house at 1:45 for the 2:30 Illini football game. Scott and I drove separately as I planned to leave at half time to get back to Charlie. The game was fine - the weather was a little warm but with an afternoon game, we get shade half way through the first quarter. The Illini were slow to start but once they found a rhythm got past the Florida team. Scott and I took Charlie on another walk after dinner.

 

 
9/24/23 - Sunday

 
Ah, I got to sleep in! Until 6:30, which is very late for me. I had coffee outside on the patio with all the animals - Charlie by my side, Louie on my lap and Hannah next to Charlie. Scott took a photo and it is funny.

 

 

 
I met Jill and her mom at lake of the woods for a hike in the woods. It was nice. After lunch I made Honey twist bread for Janice. Her son is home from the hospital now which is great.

 

 
We took Charlie on her third walk of the day, played ball with her and settled in for some football.

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Herald The Cherry Blossoms

I finally had the chance to see this season's cherry blossom bounty yesterday, on the most perfect spring day. Sunny, barely 70 degrees F and no wind set the backdrop of a lovely two hour stroll around the Japanese Garden grounds. Armed with my cameras and accompanied by photo friends who don't mind looking at a single tree or flower for over 10 minutes, we studied the light, looked for bees and tried to capture the essense of these pale pink and ivory clusters of flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
In comparing these photos with my earlier Crab Apple blossoms, I had to research the difference between the Cherry and Crab Apple blossom since they really look the same. I learned the Cherry Blossom centers only have one single main stem Stigma carried on a Style, surrounded by numerous Anthers. A Crab Apple blossom Style branches out several Stigmas. That is the only difference! The petals of both local varieties are notched in the center.

 

 
Bonus photo - taken from my sister's backyard in North Carolina, where spring is 2-3 weeks ahead. Another Cherry Blossom - this one is a double style blossom, a Kwanzan Cherry. I did not know there was such a variety - they are so beautiful!

 

 
Finally, a group selfie of me and my photog friends, who will go to great lengths to get "the perfect shot":

 

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Spring Blossoms - Early Magnolia and Crab Apples

Warmer temperatures and longer days bring on Spring's fleeting show of blossoms - cherry blossoms, flowering crab, magnolia, pear and other flowering fruit trees burst with fluffy petals that create a beautiful landscape. We started "sakura watch 2022" two weeks ago, monitoring tree branches for bud formation and progress. Early to bloom trees like magnolia and some crab apples kept us occupied while we waited for the full explosion of Sakura blossoms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The photos above were taken early last week, before I had to leave town, and here is what the official sakura branches looked like:

 

 

 
Of course, the Sakura burst into bloom the day I left town. I'm back now and hope to get out to see them before the show fades away.

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Winter 2022 At the Japan House

Even though spring is less than a week away, I have photos taken during winter that I’d like to share. This year’s winter started slow then decided to sock it to us in the form of a huge winter storm in February and another ice - snow storm two weeks later.

 

 
Honestly, I really like snow - the white brightens the dull landscape and when sun gets mixed in, there’s so much brilliance to enjoy. During the mid February storm, we received almost a foot of snow over 2 days. I opted to work from home and took some time to shoot snow selfies as the snow was falling. This was shot in my backyard with the iPhone 13 Plus in selfie portrait mode. I really like the results.

 

 

 

 
After two days of active snowfall, the sun came out so I invited two friends to visit the Japan House. We visit here often, mainly in the Spring and Fall. I had been waiting for a snowfall to complete my "seasons at the Japan House" Photo series.

 

 

 

 

 
Two weeks later and a snowy Sunday morning found us back. Friend My, texted me unexpectedly in the morning and after a pause, I kicked the lazy Sunday morning inertia to the curb and headed out. What an enchanting morning - snow fell lightly at first then suddenly we were blanketed by soft fluffy flakes. We were so happy to have gone out on this photo walk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Finally, here's another snow selfie with my photo partner in crime, My.

 

 
Winter may be gone but not forgotten!

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Here Come the Sunflowers

Repeating the success of last summer, a local realty group has teamed with a local farm and planted a field of dreams - with sunflowers.

 

 
Last year’s sunflowers brought much joy to the local community, worn down and weary of the pandemic’s impact on summer - in the sunflower field, we could all enjoy being outside with plenty of space in the midst of these happy blooms. It was the end of August, a time of transition and potential hope that the Fall would usher in better days. The sunflowers buoyed those hopes.

 

 
This year’s field, while larger, is located to the north of town and was planted earlier so the sunflowers are peaking in July vs at the end of August. Or, maybe last year’s field was planted late; I found it more enjoyable to visit in the cooler August weather than mid July’s heat and humidity.

 

 
My visit this year happened on a morning right after a torrential overnight rain. Can you say streams of mud and standing water everywhere? Still, the massive field provided that same magical sense being enveloped and safe in something bigger than our own sphere of life. The flowers teemed with bees and pollinators, all doing nature’s great work.

 

 
Since my visit in mid July, the weather has turned downright delightful, giving us cooler and drier conditions to enjoy, which means more people will visit the sunflower field.

 

 
Bonus - I caught this engagement photo session during my visit. What troopers - it was early Sunday morning in the heat and humidity. I shot this behind the scenes photo.

 

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To The Class of 2020 - Sam

The last of my High School subjects, Sam and I started in his small-town downtown area before heading to the forest preserve.

One of the parking lots downtown features this great brick wall covered with meandering vines. That's the backdrop for this first photo:

And a cool fire escape. I looked around the corner and knew it was a great spot to take photos:

But I admit I'm most comfortable taking photos in the woods

Another local senior headed to the University of Illinois - Congrats to you Sam (and mom Mary)!

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Finding Calm

I'm at a loss for words given current events. My heart aches, so I retreat to that which brings me solace: Flowers, nature, the outdoors, ambient sounds of gurgling water, the birds and even the buzzing insects.

I met with running friends last weekend at Allerton Park to take photos of the peonies in their full glory. Through our running connection, I learned a few of us also shared a passion for photography. This was the first time we gathered for a photo-centric outing and I suspect we will do this again in the future.

Choosing to hold our outing on Sunday evening meant less crowds, nice evening light, and by chance, no wind...

This is Yahsin - she shoots with film and develops her own photos. This is something I plan to take up once I retire. You can see the expanse of the Peony garden - we are lucky to have this gem a short drive away from town. This was my first visit with the flowers in bloom. I made a visit several years ago, during the summer.

We found calm in the presence of beauty, nature and the singing mosquitos.

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To The Class of 2020 - Addison

I'm about half way through my Class of 2020 Seniors - and here is Addison, the daughter of long time friends / co-workers, fellow runners and Tae Kwon Do family. I've known Addison since she was maybe 5 years old. Her dad, Chris, works with me and inspired me to run a full marathon. He is also a Full IronMan Triathlete, having completed that grueling event three or four times.

The idea for Addison's Senior portraits originated from Luke's mom, who works with Addison's mom, Amber (small-ish town means less than 6 degrees of separation between people). I consider Addison as a low maintenance person, who doesn't conform to cultural norms (like typical senior photos) but her mother wanted them, so she showed up. No outfit changes, just what she was wearing, a total first for me.

In hindsight, one outfit completely worked because I simply focused on Addison - her lovely smile and beautiful blue eyes.



We met at a local park that features a sculpture garden, so Addison picked out an edgy, stainless steel sphere to interact with.




I, of course, am drawn to the beauty of woodlands and other natural areas, so this one is my favorite (and one of the last photos we took that fall evening):


Addison completed her High School requirements last December and immediately jump started her higher education journey by taking college classes at the local community college. She will start at Illinois State University in the fall, studying speech pathology. Congratulations Addison!

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Wildflowers of the Forest

Alternately, the photos I took during our failed hunt for morel mushrooms.

Apparently, morels have been spotted at the local forest preserve I frequent. Last weekend, I took a hike out there and spotted a heron, ducks, deer and an owl. Friend Janice called me Friday afternoon for a spur of the moment visit to hunt mushrooms. I thought, heck, why not.

While we didn't find any of the elusive fungi, the wildflowers continue to impress.

First up - delicate white wildflowers called "Spring Beauty".


Additional Photography note: I focus stacked three photos for the composite below:


The blue sea of Bluebells provided a distraction from the empty hunt.


The occasional Bluebell "rebel" in white:


Finally - we spotted some young deer in the thicket.


Being out in nature provides a salve for the soul - I hope you can get out where you are to enjoy.

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