Chicago Botanic Gardens in early March

Chicago Botanic Gardens in early March 
© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by The Beatles - Places I remember

Spent some time strolling through the Chicago Botanic Gardens on a warmer day early in March, 2014.

Wild Chicago in the Winter

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Christina Perri - "Thousand Years"

I was at both Gillson Park and Montrose Harbor and was amazed to see the wildlife.  I never saw wild swans at Gillson Beach before, let alone a huge hawk and opossum hanging out at Montrose Harbor.

Glencoe and Tower Beaches in the Winter

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Simon and Garfunkely - "Sounds of Silence"

It was a warmer winter day in the Chicagoland area when I decided to stop by at both Glencoe and Tower Beaches on the Northshore.

The lake was frozen over going about mile out, with icebergs frozen in place. I wish I go there a little earlier to capture the shadows as the sun set, yet I think these images tell a pretty good story.

Winter at the Chicago Botanic Garden

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - "Ahi Wela - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"

How I wish I could be in Hawaii, yet if you just use your imagination with these pictures you can almost feel the warmth of the sun.

Icebergs on Lake Michigan

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin

Music by Sarah McLachlan - "I will remember you"

Even though it was bitterly cold, I had this strong desire to capture a few images of Lake Michigan. I couldn't go to my regular haunts due to the fact there were snow drifts wthat were over 2 feet deep, so I found two beaches where the snow wasn't so high.

At the time it was -13 with a windchill factor of -45 by the lake. It was absolutely beautiful. I wish I could have stayed longer, yet the temperature was getting to me and had to get inside my car to warm up again. BRRRRR it was cold!

South Blvd Beach - January 6, 2014 (Evanston, IL)

© (2013) Filmed by Vicki Polin

Who needs beaches in Miami, the Caribbean, Mexico, or Hawaii when you can bask in the sun on one of the beaches on Lake Michigan in Chicago?  

This was filmed on January 6, 2014.  It was a balmy -45 degrees (with the windchill factor) at South Blvd Beach in Evanston, IL

Chi-beria's Northshore

Chi-beria's Northshore

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin

Music by Zlotchover Rebbe's Niggun

I think everyone should take 10 minutes out and see the beauty that winter can offer in the Chicago area.  

I needed to make one last run to Trader Joe's before the arctic blast hit Chicago.  

I decided to take the long way so I could go out and capture images of the snowstorms of the last few days.  I really wanted to go out to the lake and get good images of the icebergs, yet when I got there the snow drifts went way above my knees and couldn't get as close as I wanted to, yet I did capture some brief movies of the water.  

Some of the places of interest included this film clip include the Skokie Sculpture Park, Grosse Point Lighthouse Beach, Bahai House of Worship and the Skokie Lagoons.

Welcoming in 2014 - Happy New Year!

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by James Taylor - Auld Lang Syne

Happy New Years Everyone!

These are the first images that I took in 2014.  Chicago got hit by a snowstorm on New Years Eve that lasted until January 2, 2014.  I went out to capture some of the beauty the storm had to offer.

Chicago Botanic Garden - Early Fall

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Evanscence - "I'm Immortal"

I had time to go strolling through The Chicago Botanic Gardens on October 26th.  The leaves were just beginning to change colors.

Wandering along Sheridan Road

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Paco Del Lucia  - El Vito

Took some friends on a tour of some of my favorite places on Chicago's northshore.  We stopped at Grosse Point Lighthouse, Baha'i House of Worship and Gillson Beach.

Chicago Botanic Gardens

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by R.E.M - Everybody hurts sometime

I took these earlier this month at the Chicago Botanic Gardens in Northbrook, IL

Tashlich (2013)

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Simon and Garfunkel - Groovy

Tashlich (תשליך) is a tradition observed by many Jews between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, where they go to a flowing body of water to "cast off" their sins of the previous year by tossing pieces of bread or another foodr. Just as the water carries away the bits of bread, so too are sins symbolically carried away. In this way the participant hopes to start the New Year with a clean slate.

Chicago Botanic Gardens (August, 2013)

Photographs by Vicki Polin

Music by Melanie - Look What They've Done to My Song

Had the chance to wander around the Chicago Botanic Gardens.  I can go here a zillion times and every time I go I can find something new and interesting

Bristol Renaissance Faire (August, 2013)

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Paco De Lucia - Virgen De Amor

 The following pictures were taken during my first trip to the Bristol Renaissance Faire (Bristol, Wisconsin).

Taking the backroads to Gettysburg

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Mumford and Sons - Awake my soul

While I had the chance I took the backroads to Gettysburg with Murray, who is my photography coach.

I used to love going down Old Bachmans Valley Road. On this trip I was able to stop, get out and take several pictures of one of my favorite great big old, rustic farm.

The day ended by photographing the sunset over the battle fields in Gettysburg, PA.

Bixler Family Cemetery (Manchester, MD)

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music: A time for us

Was wandering around with a friend taking the backroads to Gettysburg, when we found this old Cemetery dating back to the late 1700s. There's even a marker of someone who died fighting during the civil war.

The cemetery is located off of Bachman Valley Road, next to the Bixler's United Methodist Church.

There are different spellings of the surname, some "Bixfler" or "Bipler" or "Buscher" or  "Bichsler" or "Bipher" with most families settling on the "Bixler" spelling in the 19th century.  One suggested original meaning for the surname was "box maker".

Come and Go Farm (Maryland)

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Simon and Garfunkel - America

I went wandering the back roads between Baltimore and Gettysburg with a friend when we came across this magnificent farm with long horn steer.

Quick Drive Through Hunt Valley

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Janis Joplin - Mercedes Benz

Back in July I spent a few weeks in the Baltimore area.  I was fortunate enough to be able to take one more ride through Hunt Valley.  At one point during this short trip, I looked down at a riverbed and saw a stream of butterflies.

The Birds of Lake Redman (York, PA)

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Bob Dylan - The times are a changing

During my trip back to Baltimore I had the opportunity to go out one more time with a dear friend, who also happens to be my photography coach.  He brought me out to Lake Redman to capture what ever nature we could.

Falls Road and Beyond (Baltimore County, MD)

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin
Music by Paul Simon - American Tune

During my trip back to Baltimore, MD I had the opportunity to take a ride down Falls Road and beyond.  I truly miss being so close to this absolutely breathtaking part of the United States.