The sunrise was pretty amazing… but the clouds blowing in behind it were a bit more ominous. A sign of things to come today…

And when one is down by the Museum of Science & Industry, you should always take a few minutes to explore the hidden treasure of the Japanese Garden just south of the museum. A beautiful & serene space… still preserved from the Columbian Exposition Worlds Fair! Complete with some STUNNING Japanese maple trees in full Fall colors!!!

Last Friday’s “bike escape” was south along the lakefront trail… and then a quick little side diversion to the Museum of Science & Industry. It was so quiet down there… barely another person around the museum. Made these stoic statues seem oddly appropriate.

Warm & cloud… with just a slight glimmer of color on the horizon. Only lasted but a few seconds… and then back to clouds… and a few blue skies peeking through!

Nothing but blue skies heading home from my afternoon “hooky” bike ride along the Lake! Always fun to see the City from the “other” side!

A quick ride down to the South Shore Cultural Center this afternoon… for a quick turnaround to head back home. No time to linger as I had to get back to teach my pottery class tonight!!!

It started out as a cold & clear morning sky… with some low-flying clouds to delay the sunrise! But then by the time I got down to the City, a large mass of clouds blew in from the west. Sure, the chilly breeze was coming in that way too… but it sure made for an interesting & colorful sky show over the City!

Finally a dry morning. Sure, it might have been a bit chilly in the thirties… but I was just happy that the streets & bike trail were dry. So I put on the layers and headed out for a cloudy bike ride. It looked like we were going to be clouded-out of a sunrise… but then, out of nowhere… we got an amazing little sky show under the cloud mass. Wonderful colors as the sun lit-up some of the smaller clouds as they blew by!

Cloudy & cool… but not cold… and luckily the gusty winds have subsided. We never got an actual sunrise this morning, but it was good to see that some of the colored leaves are still on the trees after all the wind yesterday!

So I was just driving home late tonight north along Lake Shore Drive… and I was concerned when I got downtown and traffic stopped to a halt with far too many blue light police cars, firetrucks & ambulances all in one intersection by the Yacht Club. Traffic STOPPED!!! We sat there… and then big plumes of smoke came up!!! Concern increased… something big & tragic must be going on ahead. Several of us carefully turned around and detoured through the City to get back on Lake Shore Drive further north of that intersection.

As I was driving north on Michigan Avenue, I was struck by even MORE blue lights & police cars on every block. I assumed it might be the “new normal” after all the the rioting we’ve had. Sad that THAT is the thought, right?!

But when I got home…
I found out that it was all for a MUCH cooler reason!!!
Kinda exciting… I feel much better now.

Click here to see what was going on downtown tonight!