In the Water

The viewing area for the two underwater tanks allows visitors to see either or both from the same location. On this day, both of the black bears were enjoying a dip.

Bears on the Prowl

Just over a year ago, Brookfield Zoo added the new Bear Territory and is it worth a look. Three separate pens, two of which have underwater viewing capability, make it easy to enjoy watching the two black bear and the three polar bears.

Height

Giraffes are among the interesting stars of the show at Brookfield. On a pleasant day, they are outside under the trees.

Brookfield Zoo

Always a great place to catch some shots. Here are two in the gorilla house.

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Eclectic

Car shows are by nature eclectic. Cars of every age, size, color and style are represented. The only option not included is rundown and shabby. Each show is different and each one will yield some great images.

Details

The cars on display at the Frankfort Show are meticulous on details. Here we see a mint condition Chevy from the 1950s . . . . and the two Chicago city stickers on a different 1955 beauty. Seeing stickers on a car from when I was turning 8 and 9 was quite interesting.

Reflections on the Cars

And I mean that title literally. Look closely to see a nice portrait of the car owner . . . . you will need to "reflect" to get that.

Classics

Cars of every era were seen at Frankfort, but a high concentration last week seemed to be in the "vintage" or "classic" category. These are the sort of cars that might take more TLC from the owner, and a bigger slice of the owner's budget, but these old beauties get plenty of show attention.

Cars in Frankfort

From Funny Cars to fuzzy dice, there is a lot to see at the weekly car show in Frankfort. Here are a few examples.

Greenery

Everyone visiting a fine garden such as the Healing Gardens in St. Charles will be struck by the many vibrant colors. We looked at several such images in previous posts. Our final look will check on the most prevalent -- and often overlooked -- color in the garden. Not just the lawn, but much of the flower is green. And some of the blossoms are green, too. Here are a striking pair of greens.

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SUNDAY POEM

The latest in my series of posters concerning the fight against cancer. Don't back down from that wave!

Rainbow of Colors

Any lover of flowers will love the rainbow of colors at Healing Gardens. Every direction has a palette of tint to relax and interest the eye.

Relaxation

A single rose standing tall in a small bed of flowers. A hammock swing under the shade of a mature tree. The beauty of the flower beds at Healing Gardens is highlighted by the convenient benches, chairs, and this swing inviting us to slow down, to relax, to heal.

Surrounded

The farmhouse on the property of the Healing Gardens is literally encircled by the gardens, which are spacious enough to have several fully sunsplashed areas for those flowers that love sunlight as well as plenty of shade for those flowers. A tour of the area could take a few minutes . . . or all afternoon.

Solitude

Quiet paths with several places to sit and think, lots of flowers in the sunny afternoon light. The Healing Gardens are a wonderful place to spend a portion of Sunday afternoon.

The Whisper of God

Love the quote found at the Healing Gardens in St. Charles. Emerson may have channeled a quote from I Kings which suggests the Holy Spirit often nudges us with a "gentle whisper."

The other image shows about as much texture as one tree bark is capable of carrying.

Healing Garden

An early Sunday dinner gave me the chance to head out to St. Charles, where Stone Hill Farm opens its beautiful Healing Gardens on the second Sunday of each month from spring to fall. Quiet, peaceful, and dedicated to those in need of healing, primarily from heavy diseases such as cancer, the Gardens are a family labor of love.

We will look at some images of the Healing Gardens in the next few posts.

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More Butterflies

This week's butterfly sent me into the archives to locate a couple more images of the delicate beauties.

Flutterby

I was minding my own business, sitting on the porch with a book. A couple of books, actually; I like to switch up at times and always have a couple in progress. And then I was moved to get up, go indoors and up the stairs to get the Nikon.

This blue-bodied beauty was worth the effort!

Spring!

Hot weather, bright sun, and some real spring visitors were in my yard this week. Both the butterfly and the peony are eyecatchers powerful enough to get me off the lounge chair, upstairs to grab the Nikon, and online to post these results.

Coldstream Guard

Those involved in re-enacting are often meticulous with the uniforms and the many details that enrich a presentation. Uniforms and their details can be learned through relatively simple research in some cases, with deeper effort in other cases. But every action, including the details of salutes and march cadences mean that the homework adds up quickly in the life of the true re-enactor.

Here my friend Ernie Klapmeier is resplendent in his Coldstream Guard uniform, that of an officer, both aboard his mount and during the salute of The Star-Spangled Banner.

Re-Enactors

One of the highlights of the Geneva Memorial Day Parade were several Re-Enactors in full dress who took part. Ernie Klapmeier rode Nighthawk in his uniform as a British Coldstream Guard officer, while his daughter Tiffany and her fiance Brian Jones rode in Brian's restored Willys in their uniforms as members of the British Army during World War II.

Memorial Day, Geneva

The Memorial Day Parade in Geneva was an outstanding event. A local resident, who is a retired colonel, gave a fine speech, the cemetery was filled with the stars and stripes, and a good crowd showed up to enjoy the sunny day.

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