Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more beautiful…

Amy and I decided to get up early and go hiking before the Northwoods Art Tour.
So we set the alarms and bundled up to head out into the frozen morning air.
Bundled up, we set out on the McNaughton Trail for some early morning beauty.

And then we made our way around to a smaller lake where the morning mist
had not dissipated yet. And to make the morning even more magical, the mist had
frozen and “frosted” all of the beautiful plants along the lake’s boardwalk.

And then it was back to Amy’s… for another day of the Northwoods Art Tour!

For more photos of my time in the Northwoods… check out my Facebook page.
Do a search for “Fire When Ready Pottery” and click the LIKE button. Then check
out my photo albums for a whole lot more photos!!!

After working in the morning, and a meeting downtown, I hopped into the car
last Thursday to head up to the Northwoods. My friend Amy lives up in Lake Tomohawk
so it was going to be around six hours of driving… plus any “excursions” along the way?
It’s a long drive, but luckily, as the trip started to get a little “long”… that’s when the
fall colors started to burst on the scene! The second half of the trip was beautiful.
So of course I had to stop a couple times to take some pictures along the highway.
I even pulled off a couple times just to “explore” and see some color!

By the time I got to Amy’s place it was already dark. And up there in the Northwoods,
when I say it’s dark, I mean REALLY dark. Pitch black. With no street lights?!
Amy was still at a business workshop, so I sat out on her front porch all bundled up
in a blanket and watched the stars. So much cooler than the few stars we may
occasionally get to see here in Chicago! While I was sitting there, minding my own
business, two deer decided to stroll right past the deck – about five feet away from me!
I think I scared them just as much as they scared me?! Beautiful.
And a great “welcoming party” to the Northwoods!!!

Okay, so here goes…
Last weekend I went up to the Wisconsin Northwoods for a long weekend getaway.
The Fall colors were vibrant & intense. The perfect weekend for a Fall excursion.
Even better, because it was also the Northwoods Art Tour! And my friend
Amy Higgason of Pigeon Road Pottery was stop #14 on the tour. So I decided to
drive up, hang out and help her for the weekend.

I’ve finally gotten around to editing my photos… but there are still a LOT of pictures.
So I’m warning you now… this may get lengthy?!

Plus, if you want to see the photos, but not suffer through my verbose ramblings,
you can also go to Facebook and see my photo albums at “Fire When Ready Pottery.”
Do a search, click “Like” – then open the photo albums. And enjoy…

I hope you’ve enjoyed sharing my photos over the years.
I love taking them. I enjoy capturing my experiences. I love the challenge of creating
a beautiful image through photo composition & framing… and now I need your help!

Again this year, CBS 2 Chicago is sponsoring a photo contest to get published in their
upcoming photo book “Capture My Chicago.” If you recall, they did the same project
last year and I was lucky enough to get two photos included in the book. And with your help,
I would like to get published again in their year’s version of the book. But I need your votes…

Simply go to www.CaptureMyChicago.com
Register with a quick e-mail address – then start voting for your favorite photos!
Do a search for “Gary Jackson” – and then click on my shmarmy mug shot.
That will take you to my collection of photos which I hope you’ll vote for.
You have a choice to “Dig It” or “Nix It.” So vote early, vote often!

I currently have over fifty photos uploaded for your voting consideration.
And will continue to post more over the next few weeks. I’m not sure when
the deadline is for the book, but I hope to get a lot of votes so I can get published
once again. Please send this out to everyone… put it on your Facebook…
Twitter it… e-mail it… do whatever it takes to get the word out there!

Stop by today and start voting… www.CaptureMyChicago.com

Simple. Brilliant. Inspirational.
Go out and have some fun… play outside… play with the moon!