Another beautiful day in Chicago. The sun was shining, the sky bright blue and some of the honey locust trees on the side of Lillstreet are still in full golden splendor. I taught class this morning and worked in the studio all afternoon… but that doesn’t mean you can’t sneak out for a quick break now & again, right?!

The overnight temperatures dropped quickly, and it looks like the ginkgo trees dropped their leaves quickly too! Still more leaves to go… but for now, there’s a beautiful carpet of golden leaves on the ground.

Sure, the beautiful 70-degree days may be gone, but it was still an amazing day for another bike ride. The Fall colors are trying their best to hang on for a few more days… and I’m very thankful. Blue skies, a few more clouds and a few more miles! Giddy-up!!!

Another strange find this morning… possibly the largest leaf ever… sitting perfectly on a wire chair on my back porch?! Now I live on the third floor, so this leaf had to “travel” pretty high to land just right on the chair?! Thank you Autumn.

These past few days of INCREDIBLE weather has been simple amazing!!! Sure, I’ve been trying to stay focused in the studio getting ready for my kiln firing. But with the sun shining and temps in the 70’s what’s a guy to do. The struggle is real. So I tried to sneak out a couple hours each day to enjoy the weather & natural beauty all around us… setting out on my bike again & again to explore the lakefront trails. The Fall colors have been amazing and seem to have stuck around a lot longer than normal.

Thank you for sharing Mother Nature!

After yesterday’s “frozen icicle morning”… it was quite a treat to get out this afternoon in my bike shorts & sleeveless jersey for a beautiful Fall bike ride along the lake. The colors are hanging in there, the weather was amazing… and I was playing hooky from all of the glazing I “should” have been doing!!!

Icicles, already?!!!
You’ve got to be kidding!

Sure, it felt a little colder this morning when I set-out on my bike… but I am by no means ready for THIS!!! It was a beautiful sweeping sunrise with a nice splash of color! But it was the frozen splashes on the pier fencing making the first icicles of the season that really struck me. Yep, struck me as too soon. TOO SOON!!!

A lot of leaves have already fallen… but I think I found one of the nicest red trees along the lake! Still hanging on… a monochromatic moment along the bike trail.

Another beautiful afternoon bike ride. So happy that there are still Fall colors hanging onto some of the trees. And that late afternoon lighting just made them STUNNING!!! Sure… I should have been in the studio working… but c’mon… look at this!!!

How could I miss out? It will be gone all too soon!

On Sunday I went for a little drive… knowing that the Fall colors will be leaving soon! A simple road trip through Central Illinois to see the sights, visit with friends & to create some sweet Halloween treats!