Caught before it all turns green

As I was writing the title of this post, I realized I was creating a pun without even thinking about it.  Saturday is, of course, St. Patrick's Day.  A big, big, big day in Chicagoland.  I've been known to become Irish myself that day in the past. But, that's not what I was insinuating in the title.  It was more of the fact, that with the weather we've had here recently(80 degrees plus) over the last few days, it won't be long till the branches of trees sprout green buds/leaves and then at some point during summer all the beautiful "ponds" cover themselves with green algae/slime.  Hasn't happened yet, though, and that's why I'm feel fortunate to have caught this pic in time.

Show offs

The last couple weeks the kids have had some events happen that they were very proud of.  Derek's school has a display case where a kid is selected each week to display for one week a collection they have . Finally, Derek got his to shot display his evergrowing Spongebob collection.  He was a proud collector that week.

That same week Ashley performed in the season finale for the pom squad she belongs to, as well as her final jump rope performance club appearance of the year(they didn't have fun clubs like that when I was in school.  We had fun clubs like, "Disassemble and reassemble your tractor" club.  Just doesn't work as a basketball halftime enterainment show.)
I tell ya, if you want to try and expand your skills in photography and be frustrated beyond all belief, try to photograph 75 girls doing routines with poms or a bunch of girls jumping up and down over a rope.  Yikes. Gives me a much greater appreciation for sports photographers.

One final "horseplay" for the year...I hope

Since this last weekend was, hopefully, the last major snowfall of this season, everyone was out enjoying it.  Even this guy.

Do Not Enter

As much as I would have liked to leave fresh footprints in the snow on the other side of the gate, I didn't.  Alot of people here have guns.

Surviving Winter

After looking at this picture for 20 minutes, I realized this could be the only title for it.

Mother Nature thinks she's funny

In the Chicago area, there seems to be a misconception amongst many, not all, of the people in the area.  Once March 1st hits, we are home free.  No more winter.  Break out the swimsuits.  Yeah, right.  On the radio on Thursday, Chicago's most respected weatherman was rattling off the statistics of how seldom we get any snowfalls of any accumulation after March 1st.  I know everyone of us who have lived here through a few winters can remember a storm or two, but he was saying how rare these occur and we shouldn't expect anything happening this year, especially after the warm winter we've had.  Well, mark Friday March 2nd down in the "rare" column.  We got hit once again, on a Friday, during rush hour home.(Seems that all winter storms this year have come on Friday afternoon, during rush hour.)  About 5-6 inches of the heavy wet stuff.  I must say, if you were behind the walls of your home, it was really quite beautiful.  And, thankfully, I was actually able to get out early this morning and get some shots of picturesque scenes outside.

It ain't the wildlife of Alaska

Many of my customers know of my fondness for photography.  So, when I do my regular visits they are prepared with an album of pics from their last trip/vacation.  This happened the other day with a customer who just got back from roaming Alaska for 3 weeks. And this is trip after doing the same thing last year spending almost 3 weeks doing the same thing in Yosemite National Park.  Just him, his camera and gear, and camping supplies.  Yeah, I said 3 weeks doing nothing but photographing wherever we went and whatever he saw.  It was incredible what he was able to capture. Unfortunately, a trip like the above two aren't in my plans for the future.  So, here we settle for the breathtaking shot of our local wildlife.