Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Chicago’s Magnificent Parks and Museums
Maybe I stole ‘magnificent’ in my title from the ‘Magnificent Mile,’ the famous boulevard that runs through the heart of downtown, where we stayed on Michigan Avenue.
Sill, I think the adjective fits to describe the parks and museums we visited in Chicago.
Millenium Park
I’ll start with Millenium Park and my favorite things there – the bean – the fountain – and the garden.
‘Cloud Gate,’ more often called ‘the Bean,’ was designed by Anish Kapoor, and is one of the largest sculptures in the world. At 66 feet long, over 30 feet high, weighing 110 tons, it reflects everything nearby including the skyline and you and me!
Here, everyone can take a good selfie,
from any angle.
Just around the corner is Crown Fountain, designed by Jaume Plensa, which spews water out of the mouths of Chicago residents!
Surprising the first time you see it, but fun, don’t you think?
Lurie Garden is Millenium Park’s secret flowering oasis, full of native flowers and other wildlife, including a family of foxes raising their young, safely hidden away while we were there.
Art Institute of Chicago
Just across the street from Millenium Park is the Art Institute of Chicago, so I explored that as well.
Too many marvelous paintings and historic artifacts but I’ll only share a few of my favorite paintings.
The first is The Child’s Bath by Mary Cassatt, 1893, full of tenderness.
Quite the opposite, is Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, which conveys a kind of loneliness in the night of the city.
A Sunday on LaGrande Jatte, 1884, by Georges Seurat, is cheerful and uses the technique of pointillism, small distinct dots of color to form the image.
American Gothic, the 1930 painting by Grant Wood, portrays the occupants of a house in Iowa. Supposed to represent a father and daughter, most see a married couple. The actual subjects were modeled after the artist’s sister and dentist (I wouldn’t have wanted him as my dentist!)
Museum of Science and Industry
We took the bus to Hyde Park so Bob could see his favorite exhibit at the Science and Industry Museum, the only German Submarine in the United States, the U-505 captured in 1944.
It was an interesting exhibit, and while he toured the inside of the giant submarine, I toured a tiny fairy castle from the outside.
“Silent film star Colleen Moore was always fascinated by dolls and doll houses. She owned several elaborate doll houses as a child, but later in life her father, Charles Morrison, suggested that she should pursue her passion for miniatures and doll houses by creating the “doll house” of her dreams.”
Museum of Science & Industry website
Shedd Aquarium
We love a good aquarium and this one did not disappoint. On Lake Michigan, the views of the city and lakeshore were great.
Inside were amazing creatures of all shapes and sizes from around the world, including the arapaima from the Amazon, that breathes above water using its lung.
I loved seeing these tiny garden eels that swayed in the water like grass, you can see their little faces. When disturbed they disappear into the sand.
Finally, did you know there were upside-down jellyfishes? Neither did I till I saw the Cassiopea.
Hope you get a chance to visit the windy city sometime yourself. And don’t forget the fabulous architecture which you’ll find in these earlier posts: Postcards from Chicago & A River and a Lake
And that’s all for now.
~ Susanne
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Pink is for Petunias
This year’s June garden is bereft of pink, but these lovelies were growing last year, and I didn’t have a chance to share them – until now.
And by the way, did you see the monkey inside with a pair of binoculars?
Once you do, you will never unsee him!
Sharing with Sunday Stills, Pink and Cee’s Flower of the Day.
~ Susanne
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Enjoying the Great Outdoors in Olympic National Park
When I stepped outside this morning, the air was fresh and cool, mingled with the fragrance of evergreen trees, summer was in the air and it reminded me of our camping days.
Waking up in the middle of the forest,
to a roaring fire,
and having that first cup of coffee which somehow tastes better in the woods.
Our camping days seem to be over since we sold our last rig a couple of years ago. Before then we managed to camp all across the country, as far away as the Badlands in South Dakota, the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, and the Adirondacks in New York.
But most of our trips were in the national parks of the west including Redwoods, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and of course the three in Washington State – North Cascades, Mt. Rainier, and Olympic National Park, possibly my favorite. So that’s where I’ll focus this post, starting with Mora, a remote campground in the northern coastal section of Olympic National Park.
Here we were surrounded by dense rainforest, dripping with moss,
and discovered Rialto Beach,
and were enchanted with its ghost logs and giant seastacks.
I do miss camping!! But fortunately, we can still enjoy the same gorgeous landscape with far less trouble, by staying in lodges like this one at Lake Quinault.
Where we still wake up to views like this,
and walk through splendid rain forest trails like this.
So even though the tents and trailers are gone, our experience in the Great Outdoors lives on.
Sharing with Sunday Stills.
~ Susanne
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The Birds and the Bees in My Own Backyard
After a busy week in Chicago, I’m having trouble getting my blogging mojo back.
It happens.
But even though I’m somewhat wordless in Seattle, I do have some birds and bees to share with you, starting with this handsome junco. I seem to have more of them in my yard this year than any other bird. Perhaps they are just more vocal.
I heard this handsome boy before I saw him in the tree above, singing his heart out.
The hummingbirds have been missing in action this spring, preferring real nectar from flowers and shrubs, or maybe nesting and tending to young. I finally caught a glimpse of this male Anna’s dropping by last night for a drink, perhaps on his way home from work.
And what can I say about the bees that I haven’t said before? That I’m so happy they visit my garden and go about their business oblivious to me watching nearby. That I love how they stuff themselves into blossoms, their little legs and feet held this way and that,
still marveling that their chunky bodies are held aloft by gossamer wings.
A miracle, don’t you think?
~ Susanne
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Saturday Caturday in the Garden
It’s good to be back home in the Northwest, especially in my garden, where everything is lush and green.
The cats are happy too.
I’m ready to plant the catmint, yarrow, lavender, and salvia in the last empty garden bed, but not before Benji has a chance to sample them.
Happy Caturday!
~ Susanne
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A River and a Lake in Chicago!
You may not think of water when you think of Chicago if you’ve never been there before, but a river and a lake were top attractions on our recent trip. That, along with many wonderful parks and museums,which I’ll save for later. Because in this post, I’m linking up with Sunday Stills where there’s water, water, everywhere.
Chicago River
First up is the Chicago River, which flows through the city’s downtown core, out from Lake Michigan – a trick of reverse engineering performed over a hundred years ago.
“The river is also noteworthy for its natural and human-engineered history. In 1887, the Illinois General Assembly decided to reverse the flow of the Chicago River through civil engineering by taking water from Lake Michigan and discharging it into the Mississippi River watershed, partly in response to concerns created by an extreme event in 1885 that threatened the city’s water supply.”
Wikipedia
Aside from that notoriety, the Chicago River is lined with some of the tallest buildings in the world and boats of all shapes and sizes cruise her waters. There’s also a public promenade, the ‘Chicago Riverwalk’ on the south side of the river, where you can have a bite to eat and watch the boats go by.
Just 10 minutes from our hotel on the Magnificent Mile, we went to the river often to walk, the last night after sunset.
It was fun to see my two favoite buildings lit up – the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower.
Lake Michigan
Did you know the Great Lakes make up 20% of the world’s fresh water? Lake Michigan is one of the 5, number 2 by volume, and Chicago sits on the edge of its southern shore.
Navy Pier juts out into the lake and is one of the most popular tourist attractions as well as home to many cruises on the river and lake. (We did one of each.)
The Lakeshore Tour gave us another interesting view of the Chicago skyline.
The other direction showed the vast expanse of the lake as well as the breakwater.
The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse still functions today to protect the harbor.
And that will do for now.
~ Susanne
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Postcards from Chicago – Highlights of an Architecture Tour
Greetings from the Windy City!
I meant only to send a few postcards, but as often happens, I found I had a lot to say about them!
First of all, did you know that Chicago is home to the world’s first skyscraper? Well now you do!
So no trip to Chicago is complete without an Architecture Tour, and we’ll start by heading up the Chicago River from Lake Michigan.
There are many notable and historic buildings that line the river but I’ll only share a few of my favorites, starting with the tall, wavy building on the left, the St. Regis Chicago.
Isn’t she a beauty? At 101 stories, it’s the world’s tallest building designed by a woman, architect, Jeanne Gang. It’s also the third tallest building in Chicago. Though it only opened recently, I can’t imagine the river entrance without it.
Here’s a view from the other side.
Next is the Wrigley Building built in 1924. William Wrigley Jr, you may recall, was famous for his chewing gum. Back in the day, he had the market with his spearmint, doublemint and juicyfruit gum. His name is also affixed to one of the country’s oldest and most iconic baseball stadiums, Wrigley Field.
Across the street is the Tribune Tower, an iconic gothic structure, where Ann Landers finished her career answering your questions (she took on the role of advice columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times in 1955.) I grew up reading Ann Landers in Seattle’s P.I, rather than her equally famous twin, Dear Abby, who dished out advice in the Seattle Times.
Next up is, dare I say it? Trump Tower, the second tallest building in town. Surprising isn’t it, that he would allow his name to be attached to anything ranked second? Still, it’s a fine looking building.
Next is the smaller but more sophisticated Carbon and Carbide Building, which I thought looked like a giant tube of lipstick.
Built in 1929, and according to our tour guide, resembles a Champagne bottle to protest Prohibition. The top is covered in a (very, very) thin sheet of 24 karat gold, the height of luxury and excess.
I’ve shown you the second and third tallest buildings in Chicago, now here’s #1, the Willis Tower. When built in 1973, the ‘Sears Tower’ as it was then called, was the tallest building in the world, at 110 stories, 1,451 ft. tall, and it remained the record holder for nearly 25 years. The one in the middle below, somewhat eclipsed in this picture by one I’ve forgotten the name of! Best seen from a distance as in the last photo of skyline.
That will do from the river, but I still have a few more pictures to show you. The Water Tower is one of the only structures remaing from before the great fire of 1871.
In fact, it was the fire that turned Chicago into a blank slate, for architects to build upon.
Next door is the Hancock Tower, the fifth tallest in the city and the only one I’ve been to the top of, on previous trips. The observation deck is on the 94th floor and the views are great.
Before I go, here’s another shot of the Skyline from the lakeshore, at the Shedd Aquarium, where the ‘Sears Tower’ dominates.
And that will conclude our tour!
At least for now.
– Susanne
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What do you see in the Woods?
I see trees that block the sun
and swallow men.
That lean and bend before they fall
and are buried.
I see trails
guarded
by monsters
and camels, ready to give the weary hiker a lift.
What do you see in the woods?
~ Susanne
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Where’s Benji’s Playground?
Inside
Outside
Anywhere he wants.
Inspired by Sunday Stills, Pets and Playgrounds.
~ Susanne
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Splish Splash Taking a Bath – Birds in my Garden
This week has definitely gone to the birds!
After several days of record-breaking temperatures, I’ve been running the sprinklers in the early morning, which has drawn even more birds than usual. So, while I sit on the deck with my coffee and camera in hand (not at the same time) I enjoyed all the birds who stopped by for a bath and a bite to eat.
The first stars of the show were the Wilson’s Warblers, though if you kept up with my last post, I originally mislabeled as Goldfinches. The Goldfinch is Washington’s state bird and is resident year-round, though I rarely see them in my garden. These tiny warblers are only here in the Northwest during breeding season, and this is the first time I’ve seen them.
Here’s a few more pictures of those cuties, the female first, lacking the shiny black cap of the male, which follows.
I often see Spotted Towhees in my yard, but this is the first time I’ve seen a male and a female together. The Towhee is a handsome, large sparrow; the males also have the darker black head, the female lighter in color.
I also enjoyed my regulars including black-capped chickadees, house finches, and juncos.
Surprisingly the hummingbirds have been scarce the last few weeks, off nesting I believe. When I have seen them at the feeders, I’ve not had my camera in hand, or haven’t been quick enough to get good photos, as you can see below. Even so, I wanted to include them.
And that’s enough of the birds this week.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 