Waiting for summer.

In a little more than 4 months, Chicago and the Northern U.S. will be celebrating the “start of summer” as Memorial Day kicks off the annual tradition.

Looking at life outside right now, it’s hard to believe, but we say that every year; but sure enough, we gradually begin to see signs that “Mother Nature is alive and well and remembers the agreement she made when the cold weather came in the fall.” There have been a few years where she has fallen short; for example, last summer we didn’t have as many warm days and we truly missed it. We have a limited window for our weather, so when the window closes we have to batten down the hatches and wait till next year.

Although hard for me to understand, there are many people I know who really love this time of the year. We have little in common in our opinions about the weather---however, they like the cold, outdoor fun, and joys of the long winter season. I still don’t get it, and never will.

During the spring and summer here in Chicago life comes back and it comes back strong. We love the beach, being out of doors, and best of all the food that comes with the warm summer season. If you have been here during the summer, the sidewalks are full as visitors and dining tables push out to the streets with little room to maneuver. There is laughter, there is crowd watching, and best of all there is warm weather.

The beach is an area I really like to take photos; sure it’s great people watching, and the activities do make for very interesting photos. But it’s the special days and nights that really make the beach an incredible place----before anyone arrives you will experience incredible sunrises as the sun makes its entrance from over the lake. At the end of the day, we have incredible sunsets, but this time the sun makes its exit over the trees that are very much a part of the region. A setting sun shining through the trees, a brook, or a barn is something that you can’t describe with words, you need a picture.

The photo above was taken last winter; these structures are alive during the summer, but silent during the winter times. Obviously someone was hoping one of them was open as the foot tracks make a path to the window---give it 4 more months and we’ll see you at the beach.

Thanks for stopping by.