Tag: black and white

Mayaguez Town Hall

Continuing our visit to Plaza Colon in Mayaguez, PR, here is a shot of the Mayaguez Town Hall grand staircase. I am not quite sure that the locals call it the "grand staircase", but, I have decided to give them that name.
Continuing our visit to Plaza Colon in Mayaguez, PR, here is a shot of the Mayaguez Town Hall “grand staircase”. I am not quite sure that the locals call it the “grand staircase”, but, I have decided to give it that name. I love the black and white tile flooring! This building sits on one side of the Plaza, and a cathedral sits on the other. You can see the cathedral in the background in this post. I will be posting an interior image of the cathedral soon.

a couple of beans

Inside the Bean

Millennium Park is really a treasure! The actual name of this famous sculpture is Cloud Gate.

a couple of beans

Devil’s Lake

Spent a few days hiking around Devil's Lake in Wisconsin with my oldest son back in April. There are some challenging paths you can hike on the bluffs that surround the lake that are basically made up of giant boulders. This was the first of what we hope will be an annual hiking adventure!
Spent a few days hiking around Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin, with my oldest son back in April. There are some challenging paths you can hike on the bluffs that surround the lake that are basically made up of giant quartzite boulders. This was the first of what we hope will be an annual hiking adventure!

river tree

Normally, you can sit at the foot of this tree and do some fishing. We have had lots of rain - and flooding - in Illinois this summer...
Normally, you can sit at the foot of this tree and do some fishing, reading, meditating, singing, writing… well… you get the idea. We have had lots of rain – and flooding – in Illinois this year…

Masada

Snake Path

There are two ways to get to the top of Masada… the Snake Path… or…

Masada

…the gondola “path”.  We chose the Snake Path. It is a fairly difficult and fun hike to the top.

Masada

 If you ever go to Israel, this is a must see.

Masada3

under the bridge

Just in case you were wondering what it looks like underneath 5 Mile Bridge, here ya go!
Just in case you were wondering what it looks like underneath 5 Mile Bridge, here ya go!

Illinois River Bridge

Illinois River Bridge

I posted an image of this bridge here. This is a favorite destination on a hike that features the I & M Canal, and a train tracks. The bridge spans the Illinois River and I think it would be cool to climb those stairs…. it would also probably break some local ordinance or law! So… why not??

family joy

Soren!

I hope you will allow a little grand-parenthood indulgence…. Soren is our first grandchild, and, I highly recommend the great wide wonderful world of grandchildren. I only knew my father’s mom: a gentle, loving soul, so, for me, it’s an extra special joy to be able to make memories and share life with this little guy. And, of course, that’s my beautiful bride with Soren. Thank you for letting me indulge.

Ruth and Soren

5 Mile Bridge

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Before I post a couple of portraits I wanted to share another shot of what has become a favorite spot of mine to photograph. I have posted other images of 5 Mile Bridge here, and  here. I have been riding my bicycle quite a bit this year, and this bridge is about 14 miles from my house. This bridge – and the barns nearby – is special to me. I love the sense of history and forgotten tales that I find here. The old barns particularly point back to days when the prairies were a little younger, and life a bit simpler. I use this bridge to remind me that I have committed to pray for a family, so, it has become a kind of sanctuary on my journey. Finally, it’s the whole process of riding that I just love: seeing the country go by, the wonder of how a familiar place can take on such varying characteristics and feel so different as the weather and seasons change, and yet remain familiar, and therefore somewhat comforting, each time I visit. And that’s enough of my musings for today…

tranquil morning

It was foggy in the area this morning, with almost no wind and a peaceful river...
It was foggy in the area this morning, with almost no wind and a peaceful river… great conditions to ride…