Sunday Icy Aqua Sunday!

I went on one of my typical sojourns today - this my last Sunday in Chicago for a while!

I loved that the blue/green Lake Michigan was showing through… It almost felt like I was on a glacier in Alaska.

Sunday Blizzard Sojourn….

I held out until now to post this, as I wasn't sure if I'd have another shot at capturing the beautiful snow falling in Chicago today!

As the day has gone on…. the conditions have worsened. I've decided to hunker down and enjoy the view from inside.

What I love about this image is that it really captures Chicago at it's best in the heart of a winter storm. Park paths (not just roads) were already paved and runners still out and about.

It's a sojourn, outside…. and a story of someone, all in one!

Sunday, Frigid Sunday!

I set out to capture a little taste of the storm hitting my east coast friends and family tonight/tomorrow…. While we only got a coating of snow (just a tiny fraction of the blizzard hitting back east!), the lake was ferocious and it was freezing out!

My sojourn was very brief as I didn't properly prepare for the cooler real feel temps by the shore.

Be safe everyone! 

A New Day To Create a Better World

"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better." Martin Luther King Jr.

Ice, Snow and Sun + Lake = Beauty.

Photo(s) 226 - Cold Spring.

Photo(s) 225 - Purple with a Touch of Snow.

Yep, it snowed last night…. So this morning, I made the most of it and went out to capture the beautiful spring flowers unusually dusted with snow.

Here are a few….

Photo 184 - Thawing.

We are getting there.

Photo 183 - Chilly Self Shadow.

Foster Beach, Chicago.

Photo 144 - Lake Snow and Ice.

Photo 143 - Squirrel Hello.

Photo 142 - Cold Haze.

Photo(s) 134 - Melting Sunrise.

What a difference a few days makes…. but there is still plenty of ice and snow out there.

Photo(s) 131 - Post-Polar Vortex.

Having been on the east coast during the polar vortex on Monday, I thought I was missing out on many  photo ops…. Finally back in Chicago, I ventured out to the Lake this morning and was happy to find lots of ice and snow still in tact.

It was desolate - only one person in sight… so it was also quiet. I could literally hear the ice shifting as it thawed with the above zero temps.

Nature is amazing.

Large Icicles. 

No Swimming. 

Tower Reflection.

Animals are back out and about. 

One Lone Frozen Leaf.

Photo 97 - Early Cold.

I visited the Twin Cities this last weekend where the real feel was a low of NEGATIVE 24! Unbelievable!

Peace of Snow

There is always some magic in a snowstorm.

Everything stops - people avoid getting in their cars, schools close and grocery stores are stripped of most commodities the night before, so that people can stay in and marvel at the snow from their window. Silence.

For me, I like to think of it as a sign to slow down... An excuse to enjoy the people that you are sheltered with or a chance to relish in some alone time.

And then the peace of snow breaks. The sound of snow plows immerse and the shovels come out.

So next time it snows where you are - think of it as an excuse to check out and just enjoy the moment OR play in the snow (before the peace of snow breaks)!

Crayola Challenge: WHITE.

I couldn't resist utilizing the obvious subject of snow for my WHITE. What I love about this picture is that it is a black and white in it's natural state... there was no processing to this photo.

Foster Beach, Chicago, IL.

Chicago Blizzard - Two Days Later

The sun was shining and the skies were blue! There's still a lot of snow removal happening out there today... 20 inches is a lot of snow!

I took a sick day today.... By this afternoon, I was restless, knowing that it was probably just beautiful out there. I decided to take another trek out with my camera and get some fresh air. I was happy, both to get some fresh air (despite the cold - it actually made me feel better!) and to capture the following pictures. While snow is a one of the more difficult elements to be out in than other weather conditions, it sure does make a beautiful canvas, especially when the sky is so blue! (And you can actual see the lake today!) Enjoy!

Chicago Blizzard

What a storm! For the first time in my life, I experienced thunder snow... really wild! I had to go out and get some shots while the snow was fresh this morning... Here's just a few to give you a taste of what Chicago and Lake Michigan look like after the blizzard!

 Just out ahead is Lake Michigan...

 The snow drifts were taller than me... some probably close to 8 feet tall!

The wind is still fierce! This is the result of a lot of blowing snow!

Drift and Light at the End of the Tunnel!

ABC Challenge - Y

Two in one picture... I got my "Y" and captured a glimpse of the first snowfall in Chicago all in one shot. Only one letter left....

Roger's Park, Chicago, IL