Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Tuesday, March 29 - sunset

After bicycling this evening, I wound up following the sunset instead of going straight home. I hastened to the first place I could get a good look, then wound up stopping again at the spot above. Absolutely gorgeous, between the sunset colors and the bars of cloud in the sky. No one photo captured it all. I am so glad I was out there to see it.

Monday, March 28, 2011

March 28 - Herrick Lake

I included a similar photo shot at the same place in my Lenten photo series in 2009. I just like the patterns of the logs and the reflections in the water.

March 27 - cat togetherness

Considering that we weren't sure Krissy (black & white) would ever accept the orange cat when we brought him in...it was nice to see them peacefully coexisting close together in the sun.

Saturday, March 26 - profession

We had two new members make their lifetime profession in the Secular Franciscan Order on Saturday. I love this stained glass window at St. Patrick's Church on Crane Road.

March 25 - another architectural pattern

Last week was largely gray, gloomy, and COLD. At least the sun was out on Friday. I liked the reflections in the windows over the entrance to yet another logistics warehouse.

March 24 - at the Westin Hotel Yorktown

I went to a talk after work, and was looking for something in the hotel lobby that would work for a photo. This "wall of water" was interesting, and I decided I liked my own reflection in the wall.

March 23 - architectural abstract

Yes, this is part of a building - one of those big logistics warehouses, in fact.

March 22 - river at night

I was coming home from the grocery store and wondering what I would find to photograph. I decided that stopping by the river for a couple of minutes would work. I think it worked fine.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Monday, March 21 - another day, another ride

The weather was good today and it's going to be rainy tomorrow, so I went for a bike ride on my own today (and pushed harder than I did last week when I went out alone). As you can see, other than the bike trail, some parts of the river look pretty wild (at least when the islands obscure the houses on the other side).

Sunday, March 20 - spring and hail

I was at a meeting in Crystal Lake on Sunday afternoon, and we had three episodes of hail. It was hard to walk when I got outside - as you can see, there was a LOT of hail.

I saw my first crocuses of the year...beaten down by the hail. That would probably have been a better photo, but this is what I got.

When I got home, the weather was just fine - we'd had rain before I left but it had cleared up. What a difference 30 miles can make.

Saturday, March 19

Saturday was a beautiful day, but I had meetings and was busy and didn't get anywhere that inspired me to take a picture. So this tree at VERY late twilight worked for me. (At least this year I am taking some photos of tree branches - I always enjoy seeing them, and this blog certainly demonstrates that they are as easy subjects for me as cats are.)

Friday, March 18

On the way home Friday, the best thing I could see was the neat cloud formations. I stopped in a subdivision where I thought I could get a good view and snapped a couple of pictures. The guy in his driveway on the cul-de-sac probably wondered what I was doing.

Thursday, March 17

The Thursday night club rides are usually too fast for me, but I figured it would be OK at the start of the season. It was tough (especially with hills!) but it was good. There is a huge difference between how hard I push myself on my own and how hard I push when I'm trying to keep up with other people.

Wednesday, March 16

It was a nice evening and no club ride, so we went for a walk down by the river. This is along the riverwalk next to the dam.

Tuesday, March 15 - first club ride of the season

The Fox Valley Bicycle and Ski Club has its official bicycling season from the start of daylight saving time to the end. Tuesday night, two days after we set the clocks ahead, was our first evening ride of the season (and just barely warm enough - the normal cutoff is 40 degrees and it was barely that to start). As you can see, people were bundled up for the occasion.

Monday, March 14

I had to go to a meeting about an hour's drive away Monday night. I hadn't taken a picture yet and was sort of watching as I drove. The sky was gorgeous for the first few minutes when I reached my destination - I was glad I was a few minutes early. What beauty!

Sunday, March 13, 2011 - first bike ride of the year

Catching up on postings after a busy week...biking season has begun, plus I had plenty to do over the weekend (oh, and work too). A week ago Sunday, Dave was still recovering from the flu, but it was a nice day and I got out on the Fox River Trail and rode up to St. Charles and back - about 15 miles before I got through, which I thought was a good start (even if it was pretty slow).

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Another gray, gloomy day...so I sought inspiration in my china cabinet. A glass paperweight, a pewter flower-shaped bowl, and sidelighting from an LED flashlight, and voila.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Looking forward to daylight saving time and fewer nights when I'm near offices in the dark...

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Taken while stopped at a traffic light.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The presentation at the Fox Valley Bicycle and Ski Club for this month.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

This odd photo (which I kind of like) is the result of not getting around to doing ANYTHING until late.  I used a flashlight through a cut glass vase to shine a pattern on the wall, then photographed the wall. I had the camera on my GorillaPod (no hands free for anything else) and used LiveView (which I rarely use on my DSLR) to set up the picture. Desperation for a subject? Yes...and didn't spend a lot of time on it. But at least I did try some different techniques.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Monday, March 7

I'm ready for spring and bicycling weather...anyone else?

Monday, March 7, 2011

Sunday, March 6, 2011

On this day, I was privileged to attend the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Living Water Korean Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order. The members processed into church carrying the various candles you see above, placed around a statue of St. Francis. The significance is that all these unique individuals, represented by the candles, are one in their fraternal desire to follow Christ more closely through the example of St. Francis. Beautiful.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

We had a day of reflection on the Admonitions of St. Francis of Assisi on Saturday, presented by Fr. Chuck Faso, OFM. Here is a moment in action.

We were each given an admonition at random to reflect on. I had Admonition 22:

XXII. THE FRIVOLOUS AND TALKATIVE RELIGIOUS
1. Blessed is the servant who, when he speaks, does not reveal everything about himself in the hope of receiving a reward, and who is not quick to speak (cf. Prv. 29:20), but wisely weighs what he should say and how he should reply. 2. Woe to that religious who does not keep in his heart the good things the Lord reveals to him (cf. Lk. 2:19, 51) and who does not manifest them to others by his actions, but rather seeks to make such good things known by his words. 3. He thereby receives his reward (cf. Mt. 6:2, 16) while those who listen to him carry away but little fruit.


My important takeaways from this were: 1) Think before you speak (something I am not always good at) and 2) If someone has done good for me (thereby showing me the love of God), I should learn from that and do likewise to others.

Friday, March 4, 2011

The rain/snow Friday night made this tree sparkle in the street lights...more beautiful than the picture captures, but worth remembering anyway.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

It was gloomy (after a couple of nice days) and I didn't have a lot of ideas...so trying the "headlight/taillight" trick again was as good as it got.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Similar to the Tuesday picture, but a little earlier, very much in "golden hour" light. I took a detour on the way home from work to find a high spot where I could photograph the sky...with a tree, of course.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

On the way to the bike club walk (next to last for the season, next week we RIDE!) I saw how beautifully the sky was lighting up. I also love the form of trees in winter...so here are both together.