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.