With the “heat wave” still keeping it in the 80′s in Chicago…
and we’re loving it by the way… looks like we don’t really need all the snow fence
along the lakefront anymore?! I think they place it “strategically” along the beaches
to prevent drifting & erosion over the snowy Winter months. But now, it’s kind of
just sitting there doing nothing… except making a cool photo!!!

The city was beautiful this morning. The sky was clear and the sun was shining!
And surprisingly warm… so I decided to ride my bike downtown to watch them dye
the Chicago River a beautiful shade of Irish Green! An annual tradition here in Chicago.
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY CHICAGO!!!

Let the games begin… and let the color “splash” across the Chicago River.

So the first boat drops the orange dye into the water… yes ORANGE!!!
The orange powder surprisingly turns an oddly phosphorescent lime green in the water!
As the powder is dropped in, the second boat follows closely to stir it up into the river.

After several passes back & forth, the river has taken on a vibrant shade of green.
Striking as it spreads and changes the entire look of downtown for one Irish day!

The dyeing of the river is an annual tradition, and yet somehow, I’ve never been downtown
to actually see them do it. But this being a Saturday, and an unusually sunny & warm day,
I thought it would be fitting to ride my bike down. I thought I was on top of my game.
Until I saw a bunch of kayakers in the river… color me JEALOUS!!!…
thinking I might need to try that next year?! What better vantage point could you find, huh?

And to top off the morning… they were passing out free swag!
Well it’s not my favorite flavor, but it was free… and oddly fitting for today! I guess their
marketing team gets this one day each year to promote their product!

The early morning sky was a beautiful shade of blue… with that one big blue cloud!
I was hoping for the sky to transform into some beautiful sunrise colors. Instead, it all
kind of fizzled out into patches of pastel colors.

This morning was very quiet & very serene. With deep shades of blue on the horizon
during this beautiful & unseasonably warm morning. And then I found a grove of
“spooky” trees just south of Belmont Harbor. Yes, I must have ridden past them
literally THOUSANDS of times… and just noticed them today! Finally.

Then, a little further down the path I stopped for a serene moment by myself.
Quiet. Relaxing. Reflective. All too soon it was time to turn around and head back home…

I returned to “the scene of the crime” and back to the spooky trees as the sun continued
to rise. A little brighter, but the trees still seem to be a little sad. Weeping as though
the Winter got the better of them. Although I know it was a surprisingly mild Winter?!

I still don’t know what kind of tree this is?!
Maybe I’ll be able to figure it out when the leaves start to come out in the next few weeks.

This morning was a bit windier than I would like.
Especially when the temps are still in the mid-thirties!
But the beautiful sunrise makes it worth the extra effort riding into the wind.

The clouds in the sky this morning made for a beautiful canvas
as the morning’s colors splashed across the sky. I love how these clouded
mornings seem to transform so quickly. From deep blues, through pinks & purples,
to orange and golden yellows… then back to clouded blues & grays.

Also this morning, for the first time ever, I had a “visitor” stop by to share my sunrise!
Luckily, my new-found furry friend was quite friendly and just wanted to play.

Quick break for a sunny bike ride along the lake…

Skies were blue with lots of white clouds passing quickly. It was very windy,
gusty and funny. I could never tell which direction the wind was even coming from?!
And now it’s back to the studio for more fun!

This morning started out with another beautiful, rosy sky. Such promise!
Kinda makes me feel like Spring may be closer than we think?!

Instead of “shining” this morning, it just kind of fizzled out. Back to gray!

This morning was beautiful as the sunrise created a rose colored splash across the sky.
Sadly, it didn’t last very long as the cloudy grey sky took over to cover the rest of the day.
Plus, there are rumors of rain & snow headed our way… glad I got out for a great morning
ride before the storm gets here!

After days & days of gray, it’s about time the sun came back out.
It’s been so gray & cloudy lately, every morning… blah.
Good sunrise today… finally… and I couldn’t wait to get out on my bike again!

Today was warm. When I woke up I was surprised how warm it was
with the “smell of Spring” in the air. I know it’s just the end of January…
but I’m already kind of encouraged that Spring may be on the way! Soon!!!
And to celebrate, it was a beautiful morning for another sunrise bike ride!

Although the weather was quite warm, the ice still has not melted off the lakefront rocks.
And who can believe that the big “storm of the century” was a year ago tomorrow!!!
Who knows… we could have “Snowmaggedon” all over again… tomorrow?!!!