Lunch with a deer friend

© (2010) Photographs by Vicki Polin

It was a warm day in December.  Everything was melting. I tried going to the beach yet with the melting snow, everything was mushy or slippery. I ended up going to St. Paul and Harms woods in Morton Grove and Glenview.  I took a break from picture taking to eat lunch, when I a spotted a lone deer in the woods.

Music by The Byrds - Turn, Turn, Turn

The Lincoln Park Niggun (Chicago, IL)

© (2010) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music - Magen Avot Niggun

It felt like the first day in weeks that the sun was shinning brightly.  I decided to take a walk in various locations in Lincoln Park.  I ended up spending most of my time by Montrose Harbor.  I don't know who this music is by, yet it just seemed to go perfectly with the mood of the day.

Sound of Music - Chicago Style

© (2010) Photographs by Vicki Polin

This represents the last two days of walking along the beach in Evanston and Chicago. I didn't realize until I went outside how much it snowed overnight. In some places with the snow drifts the snow went above my knees.

Music by Rogers and Hammerstein - Sound of Music

From Highland Park to West Rogers Park - Winter Wonderland

There are 3 different videos posted here from my day near the Lake Michigan.  The first group of pictures were captured at Gillson Park in Willmette, IL.  The second was my journey from Highland Park to Chicago along Sheridan Road and then into Juneway and Rogers Avenue Beaches.  The third is a movie of the ice covered waves along the beach.


1) Maoz Tzur - Rock of Ages (Gillson Park, Wilmette, IL)

Photographs by Vicki Polin

Music by Marc Cohen - Rock of Ages

It was pretty warm for a December day in Chicago.  I decided to go over to Gilson Beach for my daily walk.  It was like walking along in a winter wonderland.  Everything was frozen over.  The sand crunched with each step.



2) Cloudy
Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Simon and Garfunkel - Cloudy
I decided to drive down Sheridan Rd after visiting a friend in Highland Park.  I couldn't help but capture the snow as it was falling on this famous winding road on Chicago's north shore.  Once I hit the Chicago border I stopped off at Juneway and Rogers Ave. Beaches.



3) Watching the ice capped waves.
I wanted to capture the ice capped waves in motion.

Winter Solstice Bonfire (Northbrook, IL)

© (2010) Photographs by Vicki Polin

A friend told me about the annual Winter Solstice Bonfire at Somme Woods Forest Preserve in Northbrook, IL.  It was a balmy day for Chicago, I think it was in the upper 20's, so I went.

It was a gather of folks to celebrate teh season with music and a towering bonfire of buckthorn wood.

I was told that the custom was to think of things you want to let go of in your life, or changes you want to make as you throw wood into the fire.

The event started out in the parking lot and the bagpiper lead a procession through the beautiful winter oak woodland to a mountain of invasive brush that has been cut during the last year.

The event was sponsored by Friends of Northbrook Forest Preserves, North Branch Restoration Project, and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County.

I couldn't find bagpipe music so I figured Celtic music was pretty close.

Music by Ceoltorii - Scottish Real Set

Sunset on the beach on a warm December day

© (2010) Photographs by Vicki Polin

I happened to get to the beach just as the sun began to set.  It was a warm December day by Chicago standards.  I believe it was in the 20s.

Music by Simon and Garfunkel - Flowers Never Bend

This is what 7 degrees looks like. (Chicago, IL)

© (2010) Photographs by Vicki Polin


This is what the beach looked like after last nights storm. I was told by a neighbor that parts of Sheridan Rd. was closed because the waves were taking over the road.



This is what 7 degrees looks like. (Chicago, IL) from vickipolin on Vimeo.

Blowing in The Wind - Chicago Style

© (2010) Photographs by Vicki Polin

I went to a few forest preserves and along the lake to capture the wind.


Blowing Wind in Chicago from vickipolin on Vimeo.

Gilson Beach - Wilmette, IL (December 11, 2010)

© (2010) filmed by Vicki Polin

I wanted to go walking along the beach, yet the wind was blowing so hard I had to hold on to a tree while I tried to film this.

Hanukkah on the Beach (Chicago, IL)

© (2010) Photographs by Vicki Polin

28th of Kislev -- Last night it snowed in Chicago and I wanted to capture the beauty of the lake with the snow.  It was about 17 degrees outside.