illinois river

ilinois river

We have had a rainy spring, so I thought it best not to walk on this dock while the river was a bit higher than usual.

in a quiet moment

quiet moment

in a quiet moment

winter barn

winter barn

Another favorite spot along the I & M Canal. This beautiful barn looks great all year long.

winter sun

winter sun

The second of three images from a favorite location of mine. The “snow disks” from the previous post are at the bottom right corner, just out of the frame of this picture. This is the locktender’s house at the Aux Sable Access along the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

ice pies?

snow disks

Not quite sure what else to call those ice disks. This is the first of three images taken at the Aux Sable access on the historic I&M Canal. The Illinois Michigan Canal is a 96 mile canal that connects the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. This is the first of three images taken at the locks at Aux Sable.

 

january river

january river

I have been enjoying the relatively warmer weather for January in the Chicago area (34 degrees is like a heat wave!) by taking some bike rides along the Illinois River. After being rather inactive, I am looking forward to some more exercise and racking up the miles!

river ents

river ents

Took another ride today…. the weather is unusually warm for January…. I waited to see if these Ents would say anything…. they didn’t.

snow rider

The Snow Rider rides again!

snow trek

The weather got a bit warmer and I got tired of nursing an achy knee…. so….

snow trek2

…the Snow Rider once again rode along the river…

snow horses

…and he was glad he did.

shadow rider

bridge and light

bridge and light

One of my favorite spots to photograph along the Illinois River. Must have been in a somber mood when I worked on this image 🙂

happy new year and thank you

winter's tree

Dear WordPress Family: thanks you for your kind words and encouragement. Thanks for stopping by, you are always welcome. May your new year be filled with a little more laughter, a tender hand to wipe away the tears, and the joy of family and friends. Remember this favorite quote: “The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.” Happy New Year.