The Daily - September 18, 2023 - Monday

Another wild dream - I’m in a cabin where I need to change clothes for upcoming travel. A group of people come up to cabin’s open screened window and spray mace inside. Or something like a smoke bomb. I gather my things and go. Then I’m at the airport and the gate is up at some mezzanine level between the first and second floor. I take the special stairs and enter an area that feels like a viewing box at an arena. Then I’m called to the gate and have to climb over people. I discover my ticket is to Germany, not home to Champaign. I’m traveling for Cabot but don’t have any of the phone numbers and I’m trying to figure all of that out. I realize I can make the flight change at the gate with the agent and I wake up. So weird!!!

 

 
30 minute bike, 20 laps and 20 minutes in the sauna. It’s chilly outside this morning and I’m now hanging out by the pond wrapped in my swim parka!

 

 
I followed up on medical insurance tasks which always makes me anxious - I know it shouldn’t but that’s something I need to work on. I did find out the local Walgreens is part of the prescription network so that is good and I can transfer any existing scripts from the CVS.

 

 
I learned a photo I had submitted to Champaign Forest Preserve’s calendar contest was short listed for inclusion in the calendar. The final process allows people to vote on their Facebook page to select the top 14 photos. I submitted two photos and this one made the cut. I took the photo in late July at the Buffalo Trace Prairie. The title is "Surprise Visitor" - can you tell why?

 

 

 
I cooked the pork dumpling meatballs and they were very tasty. I looked in on Janice’s cats. Scott came home and we ate, took a walk then went to the Aldi. I was disappointed with the empty produce shelves but happy with the selection of grass fed steaks at a nice price - we had great rib eye steaks over the weekend - so yummy.

 

 
I didn’t sleep great last night so was very tired once the sun set (7pm). We’re trying to keep lights low once the sun goes down - emphasizing that circadian rhythm element to gain better sleep.

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Spring Retirement 2023

Another year, another update. Short and sweet, I've officially retired from my engineering job. I'm just starting week 4 of retirement and so far I haven't been (too) bored. The temperate spring weather enables all sorts of activities, from gardening to outdoor fitness to photographing all sorts of spring flowers.

 

 

 

 
I'm settling in, navigating and tweaking a new daily rhythm which includes working on my photography, writing and other creative activities. So more to come.

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Butterfly Dreams

I don't ever recall a season filled with so many monarch butterflies. Maybe the orange wildflowers (Mexican Sunflowers) my husband serendipitously planted led them to our house. These wildflowers also attracted the elusive hummingbirds to our property so I say the random package of seeds thrown into the soil wins the MVP for this year's summer - fall. It feels good to attract these important pollinators to our back yards.

 

 

 

 

 
Perched on a cosmos, another wildflower sown from seed.

 

 
And then, in our neighborhood park, filled with prairie grasses and flowers, the bees and butterflies found ample food and pollen to collect. The monarchs sought shelter in this pear tree, a new sight for me to behold. I stumbled upon them by chance - walking through the park Sunday afternoon. At the time, I didn't have a camera / phone on me; I went back later to capture these photos with my Z6II.

 

 
Feeding on prairie asters

 

 
By the next day, this group of migrating monarchs had departed. Moments are fleeting, so be sure to capture what you can or observe the marvel unfold in front of your eyes.

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April's First Blue Bells

Last April I posted about the Wild flowers spotted along the forest floor - nature moving right along in spite of external circumstances like a global pandemic, signaling warmer days ahead

 

 
Here we are, a year later, and still experiencing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, although it feels like we continue to move forward to a "new normal" - lighter days ahead. Of course, nature forges on, showing us beauty at every turn.

 

 
Last year was the first time I experienced the sea of spring blue bells available locally for our enjoyment. I wondered how I let such beauty pass by in all my years foraging through the forest preserves. I then realized past Aprils' were consumed by long distance training runs on roads and subsequent races. Without these diversions, I discovered a wondrous and fleeting new world. So, I have the pandemic to thank for that discovery.

 

 
Armed with the knowledge that "Blue Bell season" would soon emerge, I scoured local social media for clues. The blue bells came earlier this year - nudged ahead by a few warm days. I didn't want to miss out on the show, so I headed out on a rainy Sunday morning for my first blue bell encounter of the year. I even convinced two friends to join me in spite of the cold rain.

 

 
We spotted blue, pink, lavender and even white versions of the nodding flower.

 

 

 

 

 
Proof we were there:

 

 
Over an hour later, we retreated to the comfort of our cars - cold and wet, but hearts full.

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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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Spring Emerging - Earth Day 2020

Blossom by blossom Spring begins, unthwarted by troubles of this world....

And so Spring's transition, which starts imperceptibly with longer days, slightly warmer temperatures, faint touches of chartreuse on dormant wood and the stirring of frogs and birds, finally emerges with an explosion of blooms and fluttering leaves.

Daylight comes earlier now as evidenced on my morning activities which only a few weeks ago were shrouded in darkness, now reveal the start of the day.


The forest floor comes to life, awakened by wildflowers:
Dutchman's Breeches


A Sea of Bluebells




The bluebirds settle into their summer homes.


Even with Shelter in Place restrictions, we are able (even encouraged) to spend time outside. The Illinois State parks are closed, but the local county forest preserves remain open. I normally hike the forest trails on the weekend and enjoy the lovely gardens.






Happy Earth Day and Welcome Spring!

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Travel Adventures - Anchorage, AK

Last August my extended family (parents, sisters and their families) took a cruise together through Alaska to celebrate my father's 80th birthday. With most of us scattered around the globe, such family trips happen maybe every other year. The last time we were all together was in 2016. As my children are officially adults, I know these family vacations will wane with each passing year, so each opportunity is to be cherished.

As the un-official (yet default) photographer / memory keeper of the family, I am tasked with curating the content and creating the Family Reunion Photo book. Fortunately, advances in technology, the prevalence of cell phone cameras and the ability to share photos easily means I am no longer the sole chronicler of trip and I love seeing the various perspectives from family members.

I am however, still responsible for assembling the photo book.

I am happy to report that I completed the Chang Family Reunion Alaskan Cruise Photo book last weekend. Whew, I am glad that is done.

And as a result, I have fresh blog material to share!

First up - photos from Anchorage, Alaska - Along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

The LeMays and Burrows arrived the week before the cruise in order to travel north to Denali. Flying to Anchorage takes a full day and we arrived late Monday evening. I woke up early the next morning and wandered to the breakfast area that hadn't opened so settled for a coffee. I ran into my sister Teresa who was preparing to go out for a run! We drove out to Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park to access the Tony Knowles coastal trail as the sun was starting to rise. We rounded the Westchester lagoon and under the rail before reaching the official trail. My sister ran while I took photos. I passed the Fish Creek Estuary where most of these photos were taken.





I posted earlier about Alaskan Fireweed


Why should the pretty pink flowers get all the attention?




When visiting Anchorage, this coastal trail is a great way to get away from the city and into nature. The coast trail covers 11 miles with beautiful views.

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July 2019 Free Desktop Calendar - Alaskan Fireweed

We traveled to Alaska last summer with my parents and all my sisters' families to celebrate my father's 80th birthday. The fireweed that grows wild throughout Alaska gives the rugged landscape a pop of color and has become the most recognizable plant in the state. The blooms up the plant's stalk indicate how much longer summer will last - by the time the showy pink flowers reach the pinnacle, fall is right around the bend.



(We visited in August - still some summer left according to this plant)


To download the July calendar, click on this link from Box.com
Link --> July 2019 - Alaskan Fireweed

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Black and White Wednesday - Skeletal

It's time for a photography challenge - to exercise my creativity. Fellow blogger, Nicki at Bended Road Photography, posts a black and white photo on Wednesdays and I'm a member of a Black and White photography group on Facebook, which is hosted by Susan Licht. So black and white challenge on Wednesdays it is.

I personally find it hard to visualize in black and white. One can't simply convert any photo to monotone and call it done. Some scenes don't work in black and white, while others are completely transformed. Therein lies the challenge.

When I shot this, I knew the final image would be black and white.

A Skeleton of My Former Self

Shared with Black and White Wednesday

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