31 July 2013: Taking Flight

Mine is a restless soul, always has been and probably always will be. Some evenings i watch the planes flying into and out of O'Hare and dream about where they are going and where they've been.

30 July 2013: Abstractions in Concrete

Ordinarily, these two pictures would have been posted in "How to Build a Substation" (and may still end up there the next time i post), but i thought the symmetry in them was interesting and merited a little added attention.

29 July 2013, Bonus: Holiday Cheer

Christmas in July: Joyeux Noël

29 July 2013: Farwell and Sheridan

Here are a few shots of the bulding at the corner of Farwell and Sheridan. The rehab is truly proceeding at the gut level, with seemingly little remaining but those incredibly solid brick walls (the window openings in the second picture give an indication of just how thick those walls are). I really hope they will be able to save those pretty windows at the top floor front, shown in the last picture.

Rear of the building

Southern exposure: Farwell Ave.

Southeast corner of the building (on the northwest corner of Sheridan and Farwell)

Front: Sheridan Rd.

28 July 2013: B'nai Zion Synagogue

The former B'nai Zion Synagogue at 1447 W. Pratt. Blvd.

I took this picture because i've always liked the look of this synagogue and find it sad that this lovely building has been sitting empty for the past ten years. It was the home of the B'nai Zion congregation from the time it was built in 1928 until the congregation merged with another synagogue in 2002. I also learned from visiting the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society website that, prior to the building of the synagogue, the home of heavyweight champion Jess Willard stood on this site. 

27 July 2013: Every Little Thing's Gonna Be All Right

He hopped off the train at Davis, singing "Three Little Birds" and playing rhythm on the detritus of our plastic-addicted society. "Is that song by Bob Marley?" a man asked him. He replied in a rich Jamaican accent, "Mon, I am Bob Marley." I gave him a dollar and a peach. The money was pro forma; the peach was to reciprocate the sweetness he brought to my day.

26 July 2013: The Evening Sky

The sky was so amazing and changeable this evening that i couldn't choose just one picture. The first two pictures were taken at 8:00, in the middle of a downpour. The sky to the south was dark and ominous, while to the north it was glowing with the sunset. I'm sure there was a rainbow somewhere, but i was too lazy to go looking for it. 

This final picture was taken just fifteen minutes later, but what a difference!

25 July 2013: One Sweet Ride

I don't know whose bike this is, but they have excellent taste in modes of transportation.

24 July 2013: I'm Taking the Day Off

No photo du jour today -- i exhausted all my picture-taking energy on How to Build a Substation.

23 July 2013: Bonus Photo

Unless, by some miracle, all the world's people suddenly realize that royalty is an overrated and
anachronistic concept, the future king of England was born yesterday.
Since it would appear that we are all obliged to acknowledge this event, here is my contribution.

23 July 2013: Surf's Up!

Today was as cool, clear, and windy as a perfect day in late September. 
Even the lake was dancing with delight.

22 July 2013: Abstraction

Garden sculpture made from found materials.

21 July 2013: Beach Meditation

The beach looked like a zen garden this morning. And at its edge, four young men
slowly and gracefully practiced tai chi against a backdrop of glistening water.

20 July 2013: Urban Chickens

Vegetable garden and chicken coop on Ashland Ave.

19 July 2013: Everything Looks Different after Dark

An ominous image for a stormy night

18 July 2013: A Cool Fountain on a Very Hot Day

Fountain and Farmers Market at Daley Plaza

By now, it's no secret that i'm inordinately fond of farmers markets. Today's mission was to get honey from Kress Apiary, and i'm pleased to say that i succeeded. Usually, they bring a glass enclosed section of a beehive with them so you can watch the busy bees at work, but today the weather was too hot even for the bees, who presumably remained at home in Burns Harbor, IN, lounging around the pool sipping nectar and Mai Tais. 

17 July 2013: Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk

I headed out of the 'hood today for a change of scenery and some fresh inspiration. 

This is what i found.

16 July 2013: Hey, I Know that Busker!

At the Lincoln Square Farmers Market

It's always nice to encounter a once-and-future student in an unexpected setting. 

Nice work on the banjo, Alexander!

15 July 2013, Create Your Own Caption

14 July 2013, Goats Invade the Farmers Market

These two adorable critters are Nadia (l.) and Matilda (r.), three-month-old
Nigerian dairy dwarf goats from Gretta's Goats, who are charming the crowds
at the Glenwood Sunday Market today.

13 July 2013, Amen Corner

United Church of Rogers Park

Although i'm not a religious person, every time i pass this cheerful sign for the United Church of Rogers Park, at the corner of Morse and Ashland, i find myself thinking that maybe i should stop by some Sunday morning. I don't know what "lively worship" is, but it certainly sounds like a lot more fun than the religion i grew up with. 

12 July 2013, Beach Weather

It's a gorgeous day; if i were more agile, i'd be doing handstands too.

11 July 2013, The Latest Fish

There's another new fish on the 6900 block of Glenwood Ave.

 -- this one is outside the Caribbean Cuts barber shop.

18 June - 10 July 2013, Retrospective

One of the reasons i decided to take a break from this blog was that i was starting to have a little difficulty finding interesting subjects every single day. So of course, i began to see irresistible sights within hours of my last post. When i spotted the 10,000 Ripples sculpture at Morse and the lakefront, i took the picture just to add to my collection (every time i encounter one of these lovely Buddhas i photograph it). But then the next day -- the first official day of my cyber-sabbatical -- i saw a guy and his dog riding a bike on Morse Ave. and couldn't resist asking if i might take their picture. Since then, i've continued to snap away, missing only a few days; here are the results:

17 June: Morse and the lakefront

18 June: How could i resist taking a picture of this cute pup catching a ride outside MorseL?

18 June: House in bloom on Pratt Blvd.

19 June: Chestnut tree in bloom on Greenview Ave. near the Common Cup

20 June: Classic ride in a body shop on Broadway north of Granville

21 June, morning: a better view of the chestnut trees on Greenview at Farwell in full bloom.

21 June afternoon: After a brief but powerful storm blew through,
the ground was covered with chestnut blossoms.

21 June, evening: Follow Me on Fridays
Alderman Joe Moore (in the bright turquoise shirt) at the Bop N Grill
where they were serving free sample-size umami burgers -- yum!

22 June: Super-moon over Lake Michigan

24 June: Weathervane in Rogers Park

25 June: Chinatown, Philadelphia

26 June: The house where my sister and her husband raised nine children.
 I spent many Christmas mornings in this kitchen, but now it's waiting 
for a new family to move in and create their own traditions.

28 June: Pastore's Orchards in Hammonton, NJ.
One of my favorite fresh-from-the-farm produce markets. 

29 June: Atlantic City in all its glory, viewed from Absecon Inlet.
The poor little lighthouse is dwarfed by all the hotels and casinos. 

30 June: the north end of Brigantine Island, NJ.
If it weren't for the diabolical green-head flies, this would be heaven on earth. 

1 July: Pies from Penza's Pies at the Red Barn deep in the Jersey Pine Barrens

1 July: Mighty Joe's gas station in Shamong, NJ.
We didn't run into the Jersey Devil in the Pine Barrens,
but we did encounter the rudest gas station operator ever.

3 July: Old City, Philadelphia

4 July: Lancaster County, PA.
What? You were expecting a picture of flags and fireworks or something?

6 July: Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

6 July: Rodin Museum. These two young students were sketching and giggling at Rodin's "Call to Arms."
Their irreverence was refreshing. 

8 July: Harpers Ferry, WV as seen through the window of Amtrak's Capitol Limited.

9 July: Soldier sleeping on the floor of the lounge car on the Capitol Limited.

10 July: Segway tour group at the base of the statue of Abraham Lincoln
at the south end of Lincoln Park, Chicago.