Chicago in 2003 - Throwback Thursday | 3

Our first day trip to Chicago, to celebrate the end of Summer.
We departed early on the Amtrak train. Riding the train was a treat - we ate breakfast in the Dining car and spent most of the trip in the observation train, where the windows curved along the sides and roof of the car, giving the occupants a lovely, unobstructed view of the landscape.

You Can Barely Tell, but my Little Boy is Wearing a Fish Tale Shirt - Perfect for Today's Visit

We visited the Shedd Aquarium that day.

Yes, We Broke Down and Bought Her a White Seal Stuffed Animal - She Loves Animals

It was a fun day trip, but our experience with Amtrak was a little frustrating due to numerous delays (the track is shared with freight trains, and they get preference). In subsequent years, we opted to drive to the Chicago suburbs and take the commuter train into the city instead. Still, I'm glad we took one trip on Amtrak - there is something nostalgic and romantic about a true rail experience.

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The Sunset and Moonrise

What I saw while out walking this evening - the end of a perfect September day.

The sunset

I don't think I'll ever tire of sunsets (or sunrises) around here.

A Surprise

This is what my camera decided to Autofocus on while I was trying to shoot the sunset. Maybe my camera is smarter than me.

Another Surprise - the Moonrise

I wasn't even searching it out - and boom - there it was, this huge ball rising above the houses in the neighborhood. If I had been smarter, I would have been out along the prairie, watching for it. This is the lazy photographer's moonrise - and I'll take it - this time.

Did you see the Super Moon Rise last night?

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September 2014 Desktop Calendar - Free Download - Cape Cod

September's Desktop Calendar displays the beauty of Cape Cod's sand dunes - filled with wild sea roses.



I shot this image in 2011 while visiting my parents who spend their summers in Plymouth, MA, a town considered to be the gateway to Cape Cod. When I pulled up this month's calendar image, I was surprised (I curate my calendar images in December - I never remember what's coming next) and felt a bit nostalgic. Nostalgic because my parents recently decided to sell their Plymouth home, a beautiful, light filled place that sits high upon the hills, overlooking the pines. Whenever I visit, I'm filled with calm and serenity. I'll definitely miss the place.

To download September's Free Calendar, click on this link from Box.com:
September 2014 Calendar - Cape Cod

If you care to view some of the photos I've taken over the years while visiting my parent's place, I've compiled some of the photos into an album on my flickr stream.

Scenes from Plymouth

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Along My Run | 7 - August Rebound

I'm hesitant to say I've made a full recovery from my ankle injury, because I know these things can revert as quickly as the days have become shorter, so I'll just settle for a "running rebound" in August.

The days are noticeably shorter - each morning run starting a little darker than the previous day's. I've always noted that once the calendar flips to August, it feels like a light switch flips, and we become enveloped in darkness in the early morning and evening. The transition takes getting used to - getting up in the dark, donning reflective gear and lights. Soon, the entire run will be in the dark - I can't say I'm looking forward to it.

I am, however, looking forward to some cooler temperatures and less humid conditions! Summer, taunting the kids that started back to school, finally decided to show up. Walking out into the heavy, sticky air, the hardest step to take is that first one. Then I remind myself "I get to run today" and my perspective is changed. So we slog through the miles, drenched with sweat at the end, making sure to properly hydrate along the way.



1. Post Run - Felt good to get 12 miles in today, 2. Mile 6 Reward , 3. Fire and Water , 4. Parade In , 5. Walk on By , 6. Obstacle Course this Morning!, 7. Lose Yourself, 8. Settling Down , 9. Jump Over Or Splash Through? , 10. Sadly, this happens at the end of the run now., 11. Just the Start of Today's Long Run , 12. Good Morning, Sun , 13. Clouds and Wee Little Moon, 14. Misty Morning Run , 15. It was a Run in the Rain This Morning. Unexpected, but welcome! , 16. Like the Countryside , 17. Throw Me a Curve , 18. Pretty Tired of the High Humidity.

August's Stats: 136 miles, 9:16 minute / mile average pace. I'm happy with it all, considering how fast I ramped up the mileage in order to get back on track for the Chicago Marathon. I am also fortunate that I've got a good group of people to run the really long miles with - they are my support line. My goal is to simply stay healthy for the next 6 weeks and do the best I can.

I'll close with some running quotes that caught my eye:

No one ever drowned in sweat. Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts. – Dan Gable

Runners just do it – they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first. – Anonymous

The triumph cannot be had without the struggle. - Wilma Rudolph

Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing. - George Sheehan

Finally, something I hope to be true:
I plan to run for the rest of my life. It will always be a part of who I am. - Brian Sell

Even if you aren't a runner, these tenets hold true for any passion - I hope you hold on tight to those passions and never take them for granted.

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Long Time Friends - Throw Back Thursday | 2

I had so much fun digging up old photos for last week's #tbt (Throwback Thursday) post of my daughter's first day of school compendium, I culled a couple extra photos.

This could become a weekly feature here on the blog!

Background - I bought my first digital camera in 2003, a Nikon Coolpix. I finally organized all the photos from 2003 - 2010 onto one external hard drive, but most have not been imported into my Lightroom Catalog and uploaded to Flickr. My Flickr stream is up to date starting in 2009, so there are many gaps between 2003-2009 that I can fill.

Before 2003, I sent my film into a company called Seattle Filmworks, who offered a negative scanning / digital archiving option. Seattle Filmworks no longer exists, but it was bought out by Shutterfly and all of my photos from 1998 - 2003 are archived there. I opted to have a CD burned and transferred the files to my trusty (and backed up) EDD.

In short, I have several years of old photos to look back upon, and I really treasure all of them.

Enough with the blabbering, here are two treasured photos for Throw Back Thursday:



That's my daughter and her good friend, some ten years ago. The great thing - they are still good friends today! Both girls were at the house on Monday, getting ready to film their ALS Ice Bucket Challenge together (they threw the ice water on each other - it was quite funny). Of course, I had to show them this photo. I will take another photo of the two of them before the end of the school year.

Then there's this photo, taken in 2004:

Our kids with kids of our good friends, Dave and Dawn. Scott and I met Dave during our first year out of college when we worked for GE Lighting in Cleveland. We got to know Dave's future wife, Dawn and our lives have paralleled each others since. They live in Michigan and while we don't see each other in person all that often, we keep tabs on each other via Facebook.

In 2010, we traveled to Italy (sans kids) with Dave and Dawn and had a blast. Whenever we connect with them, we pick right back up where we left off - a mark of a true friend.

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The Brass

I love the brass section of a marching band. They provide a lot of the power for that genre of music.



My favorite brass instrument is the French Horn. Unfortunately, French Horns do not play in marching band. Instead, we get an occasional flugelhorn:


All three local High school bands entertained us last weekend at the street festival. Prior to their performances, a big rainstorm swept through, clearing the crowds and ushering in a tiny bit of cool relief from the sultry humidity. Of course, school starts and summer decides to show up!



Again, we get another "thumbs up" from my son. It must be his mantra for the year.

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First Day of School Photos - High Schoolers

The last time both kids attended the same school together, they were in elementary school.

Now it's high school for both, and I don't even have to drive them to and from - the girl has her license and a car, so little brother gets a free ride and mom gets some freedom.

The freshmen started a day earlier than the rest of high school, so I did take my youngest to his first day of high school. I don't think I could have not taken him, afterall, he's my baby!

Here he is on that first day. I don't think the cat would enjoy high school, although he looks pretty content at the moment....


The next day - we met the very specific time schedule my daughter outlined - photos at 7:30, leave the house by 7:40. She didn't raise a fuss about having her photo taken (you know, sometimes these teens are like "really, do you have to take my photo on the first day of school?" I think she may be getting sentimental on me...).

The boy was ready first, and this is what he wanted:


Always the jokester:


Then there is my "darling daughter who I do not deserve":

OK, I know I'm her mother, but she really does look lovely here.

Sister and brother:


And the requisite silly photo:


I hope they make the most of this school year - that they work hard, play hard, enjoy their friends and make great memories.

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