Prairie Panorama. Early Fall

Larger version here.  As you may have noticed, I've been doing a fair number of panoramas recently.  A couple of which I kind of like.    This is another image from my favorite rest-stop, just south of Pontiac, IL.  One of the Wildflower restoration areas:

Quonset Barn

This Quonset Hut barn is about 3/4 mile south of the barn photo from last Tuesday.  These are along I-55, but I jumped off onto the frontage road to get a bit closer (and a lot safer to stop)...  As often (but not always), more here.

104 A and B

Another image from my cruise through Atlanta, Illinois.  Larger version here.  I didn't put this one in Panoramio, becasue I don't remember exactly where it was....

Hot 'Lanta #5614

Chubby's Bar & Grill, Atlanta.  No, not THAT Atlanta. Chubby's is in Atlanta, Illinois.  Just a few miles south of Funk's Grove.  See Here.  I've driven past Atlanta (Illinois) countless times.  Last week I decided to take a short detour through the town....

Nothing Is the Same

There's a rest-stop along I-55, just south of Pontiac, IL.  About 1.5 <--> 2 hours south of the Chicago area, depending on traffic.  It makes for a good stopping point on the way home, after the joys of driving in Chicagoland.   There's a great little stream that runs right behind the building, which (usually) provides some nice views.  Over the years I've taken quite a few images around this stop.

Except it has been a VERY dry summer in Illinois this year.  The view last week was quite....  well.....  bleh.

By comparison, try this one, from a few years ago.

Oh, and the title?  That's from the Grand Funk Railraod song from 1970.  Off the "Closer To Home Album"....  And yes, I have this one on vinyl.

Woods' Edge

Another panorama.  Just off I-55, Des Plaines State Fish And Wildlife Area.  This is several photos stitched together in Photoshop (Elements).  Larger version, and location HERE.

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more...

Ah, music humor.  It makes me laugh!

Bright Lights, Big City...

Another photo from my recent business trip to Chicago.  After a day of meetings, our hosts chartered a tour boat for the attendees.  They went up the river a ways, then out on Lake Michigan.  It made for a really nice evening.  Now if only more my business trips included such perks. 

This is from the area between where Lake Shore Drive crosses the river, and the lock connecting to the Lake.  I have a couple more images from this outing, I'll probably dribble them out bit by bit....

The title refers to the old Jimmy Reed song.  I have versions by Neil Young and Rick Derringer.  Both are good.

Will It Go Round In Circles?

OK, who remembers Spirograph???  A favorite toy for any budding engineer. Or, as Wikipedia decscribes it:  A geormetric drawing toy that produces mathematical curves of the variety technically known as hypotrochoids and epitrochoids!  Yep I remember playing digging on Spirograph way back when.

Well, I found a link to an online Spirograph!!  Way cool!!  At least for a little while.......

last one:

Meanwhile, the post title is from the Billy Preston song, #1 in the summer of 1973.  Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?

Skyscrapers At Dusk

A view of the Sears Tower at Sunset.  Taken from a tour boat on the Chicago River.  Large version here.

And yes, I know, it's now called the Willis Tower.  But from 1973 through 2009, it was Sears Tower.  And that's what I'll stick with.  And get off my lawn!

Oh, here's a "landscape" version:

On A Country Road

Country Road, near Farmersville, Illinois.  Not too long before the rains....

The title is from the James Taylor song, from the iconic Sweet Baby James album.

Sail on home to Jesus wont you good girls and boys

I'm all in pieces, you can have your own choice

But I can hear a heavenly band full of angels

And they're coming to set me free

I don't know nothing 'bout the why or when

But I can tell that its bound to be

Because I could feel it, child, yeah

On a country road

Blueswater

Just a followup, of sorts, to yesterdays post "Same Old Blues".

The image is an old abstract.  Abstracts are like Macros for me.  I never seem to do real well with them, but I make the occasional try.  This is reflections of tree trunks on water, taken at Silver Lake Park in Highland Illinois.  Color shifted to make BLUESwater...  Which is also the title to a pretty obscure (but not bad) song by The Outlaws.  From their pretty obscure 1979 album "In The Eye Of The Storm".  I used this song as a "seed" for an iTunes playlist today.

Trouble In The Fields

An old barn, along I-55, just north of Farmersville, IL.  Abouth an hour north of home.  Larger version / location here.  or check it out at FineArtAmerica.

The title is from the Nanci Griffith song:  "There's still a lot of love, here in these troubled fields"

I Got The Same Old Blues

I spent today driving across Illinois.  From Chicago suburbs to the St. Louis suburbs.  So, what was on the iPod??
BLUES!

More specifically:

• George Thorogood and The Destroyers - George Thorogood and The Destroyers (1st Album)
• Stevie Ray Vaughan - Couldn't Stand The Weather
• Roy Buchanan - A Street Called Straight
• Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Alright Again!
• John Lee Hooker - Chill Out
• Johnny Winter - Second Winter

That's some good stuff!  Almost makes me wish it was a longer drive!  I guess there's always tomorrow's commute!
 

Nightscape, Chicago River

This was taken with my Blackberry.  Not too shabby, huh?

Early Autumn, Corn Field

Another one taken yesterday, standing just a about where yesterday's panorama was shot.  Converted to B&W using a Photoshop plug-in called VirtualPhotographer from OptikVerve Labs.  I don't use VP very often, had even forgotten I had it.

Below is a color version, here's the Panoramio version.

Cornfield Panorama

Just a little something from a photo excursion this afternoon.  Larger version and location here.

Scout Popcorn!

My son's scout troop is selling popcorn today, outside WalMart and Wal-Greens!!  Fun, fun, fun!
We did the eary shif, and will be back later to "close". 
They're also doing on-line sales, if you want to help a scout you can click here and change who you're supporting the "Matthew L" at 62034.

Time, time, time, See what's become of me, While I looked around, For my possibilities

Inspired by "Hazy Shade Of Winter", the song by Simon and Garfunkel.  Although The Bangles had a bigger hit with their remake.  S&G peaked at #13, the Bangles peaked at #2.  I like both versions.  But I like them different...

The photo is from a few years ago, a challenge from a photo group I was in.  The "theme" was to use a disposable camera.

Way Back When #1771

My son, taken 11/22/2001, at my in-laws' place at Lake Arrowhead, Georgia.  He would've been 19 months old.  He's grown a bit since then, but still a good kid.  Come to think of it, my granddaughter is ablmost this old now...

Driftwood From Disaster

A real oldie, shot on film (Ektachrome) with my 35mm camera, June 1978.  This was in Dunkirk, NY, overlooking Lake Erielate afternoon.

Semi random title, from the Jules and The Polar Bears song.....

Symbolic

What can it mean??  I found this at Pleasant Ridge Park the other day, thought it looked kind of cool.  Nuthin' Fancy, really.  It's just posted upside down....

Branching Out

I suppose a counterpoint to Branching In....  Another from earlier this week, lunch at Pleasant Ridge Park.

Undergrowth

Still can't make up my mind if I like this one....  The branches / trunks in the center section are not very distinct.    I tried B&W, to get rid of the distracting colors, then added a hint of color back in to try and bring in some definition....  Just didn't quite get to what I wanted. 

Oh well, I'll share anyway/

Too Close For Comfort

I figure if I just keep trying with macro, eventually I might get a little better (less bad?) at it.  Here's a couple from yesterday, to go with yesterday's Nuts.  All taken during a lunch time wandering at Pleasant Ridge Park.

Both of these are from my point'n'shoot, there're both larger than life size on my 19" monitor. 

I should try with my DSLR and actual Macro lens.....

The post title is from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band song, from the 1981 album Jealousy.  Technically, they were just the Dirt Band at that point, but that was just a phase.

Beautiful Day....

What an outstanding day....  Mid 70's low humidity, nice (late) Summer Breeze.  Pretty much perfect, IMHO.

Nuts

A close up of some Acorns and a nut shell, found at the base of an Oak Tree.....

My Favorite Albums of 1974

I love the internet.  I recently found a series of Wikipedia pages listing the release dates of Albums through the years.  So....  looking at a randomly selected year (1974), what were my favorite releases?  Not the ones ranked highest by Rolling Stone, or Billbard or anybody else.  Just my favorites:

My Top 10 from 1974, ranked alphabetically:

• Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits
• Bachman Turner Overdrive - Not Fragile
• Bad Company - Bad Company
• Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties
• Charlie Daniels Band - Fire On The Mountain
• Doobie Brothers - What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits
• Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping
• Poco - Cantamos
• Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel 
• Yes - Relayer

Really great stuff, even 38 years down the pike...  I started 1974 as a 13 year old 8th grader, and finished it as a 14 year old High School Freshman.  Pretty dynamic times for any kid, and I was no exception.  And these albums pretty much define the soundtrack to my life back then.

Interesting side note:  I saw 7 of these 10 bands in concert during the 2nd half of the 70's.  Five of them more than once.  Missing the other three was merely a matter of opportunity (or lack thereof).  Yep, pretty much the soundtrack to my life.

The image at the top is from Richard Nixon's resignation, August 1974.... a little cultural reference for those dynamic times!

The Simple Dog, At Peace...

More wonderful humor found on Talkbass....

Check out the source article, I laughed out loud.... really!

Mitchell B-25 Bomber

Yet another from the airshow:  Mitchell B-25 Bomber

This is from the Commemorative Air Force Missouri Wing.

I've always found the B-25 to be one of the coolest planes from WWII. 

^--Tail Gun.      V--- Nose gun

"Show Me" refers to the Missouri CAF...  This led to a fun discussion with my 12 y/o son about the practice of painting pretty girls  (in often inappropriate poses) on airplanes...

If You're Tired Of Others Looking Down On You.....

I saw this the other day, got a kick out of it.  As a manager, I can relate.  Even more than as a father...

All the things we thought Weren't proper Could be right in time

Close up of one of the the engines / propellers of a B-25 at the airshow yesterday.  Art, huh?

The post title is from the Pure Prairie League song "Amie".  For some reason it popped into me head when I was thinking about propeller.....

Motor Glider - Isn't That An Oxymoron?

More from the airshow yesterday at Scott Air Force Base.  This is a Schweizer SGM 2-37, one of 3 they had at the airshow.  From the Tuskegee Glider Club.

The whole concept of a motorized glider seems a little contradictory, but they were fun to watch...

Like any glider, they have REALLY long, narrow, wings.

Skyrider

Another cool plane from the Scott Air Force Base airshow.

This is a Douglas Skyrider AD-5. 

Air Show!

This weekend is the air show at Scott Air Force Base.  My son and I went today, and had a great time.  The USAF Thunderbirds were the stars of the afternoon....

All the folks with massive lenese probably got better photos.....