It was nice to have a morning without rain… but it was pretty apparent that
the rain had passed through fairly recently. I love how the raindrops cling to the
leaves. The plants are loving the wetter & cooler weather. Me?… not so much.
Although I can’t complain, the bad weather has helped my studio production time!

This afternoon was a beautiful bike ride up to the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Our first “kick-off” Garden ride for Chris & I… hoping to get back into the weekly routine!
The ride was great. The weather was great. And the gardens are already in bloom.
Crazy?!… it’s only April 2nd… we don’t usually get to ride up there for another month!!!

Plus, as if the ride & garden weren’t enough, we also counted 51 white-tailed deer
along the sides of the bike trail going up & back. Some in the fields, or hiding in the woods…
others right there on the trail. That’s somewhere around a deer-and-a-half per mile!!!

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!!!

Well, Christmas has come and gone…
after months of planning, decorating, shopping & wrapping.
And now it’s time to enjoy some of the gifts you’ve received from friends & family.
And for me, it was a “picture-perfect” present pairing.

First off, I received a beautiful photograph from a photographer friend of mine.
I’ve been “coveting” this photograph for a few years after meeting Brad Pogatetz
as my “Art In The Barn” booth neighbor. I’ve himmed & hawed for years…
and finally, tired of me putting it off I’m sure, my parents purchased a print of it for me
at the “One Of A Kind Show.” Of course, I had no idea. Brad didn’t tell me. Even Sarah,
who was totally in on it, didn’t tell me! Regardless, I love it. Now I just need to get it
framed and find a place to hang it!

I love Brad’s work. It’s an intriguing combination of architecture, history, urbanization,
ruin, vegetation, nature’s reclaiming power, and my favorite… rusty metal.
Check out more of his work on his website, click here – Brad Pogatetz Photography.

Also… as if that weren’t enough…
my parents also gave me a brand-spankin’-new Canon PowerShot camera!
Much like the one I’ve been using for years. Hundreds of sunrises later, a couple bad falls
and few pieces of tape holding it together… I guess it was time for a new camera?!
I’m very excited to start out the New Year with a new camera.
So I can continue my quest for the perfect sunrise!