Tulip Hunting & More - MyShadowProductions #206

Hello everyone and hello to May as well !!

Kind of like the typical internet search “……… near me”, I tried to visit several places (near me) for a variety of Tulips and believe me there are plenty more locations that I wasn’t able to get to. Of course there are many other Spring actors with equally cool “displays” but this year I “focused” on Tulips. Other ideas could be daffodils (more later in this post), lilacs, red bud trees, magnolias, phlox, dandelions :), etc.

I saw Tulips in Geneva, IL at a private residence, Lilacia (Tulipia?:) Park in Lombard, IL, along The Magnificent Mile (Michigan Ave) in Chicago, the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago and at the Phillips Park - Sunken Garden in Aurora, IL.

I am guilty of the old warning about “a watched pot (tulip) never boils (blooms)”, but Mother Nature eventually ignored me and went Full Bloom Ahead :)

CLICK HERE for a Video created from my photos while “hunting tulips near me” :)

I hope that wasn’t TU much :)

I will say you’re welcome ahead of time, I wasn’t able to use Tiny Tim’s song of “Tiptoe Through The Tulips” for the video’s background music, but of course you are free to Google it and play it while you view my Video :)

Last summer, a Contractor for the City started a rehab project of a block long Prominade (sidewalk) along the East side of the Paramount Theater complex. The sidewalk is mostly cantilevered over the Fox River between E Galena Blvd and E Downer Place. I am always interested in construction projects and this one provided me an opportunity to take pictures as the work started and progressed. It was an opportunity because it is only a block from my apartment and an area that I walk past/through almost daily.

That being said, I can’t let the photos “go to waste” so I have made a Video of the work from start to finish. The project started in late July, 2024 and finished in April, 2025.

Click here to see the Video.

Hindsight tells me that it would have been nice to have some pictures during the inactive winter months showing the snow and ice on the River, oh well, my work in progress continues :)

On a different note, last November I shared a photo of a volunteer event that I participated in at Garfield Park Conservatory working with students from Leif Ericson school which is about 0.7 mile south of the Conservatory. There is an almost continuous “ribbon” of daffodils that have been planted/extended over the years between the Conservatory, through Garfield Park and to the School. This latest planting brought the “ribbon” to the edge of the School Grounds. Here are a few photos to help describe what I am talking about :)

Also, This Video shows a variety of daffodils within the Garfield Park Conservatory and then the “ribbon” to the School.

Ok, that is officially way too much rambling :) but sometimes it all has to come out!

Let’s All Have a Great Week !!

HAPPY EARTH DAY 2025 - MyShadowProductions #205

Hello again and Happy Earth Day 2025!

I just want to share via video a somewhat hodgepodge of photos that I have taken of “earthly” things around this area of the earth where I live :)

CLICK HERE for a Video created from my photos.

Have a great time exploring your “earth” and ….

FULL BLOOM AHEAD !!

EARLY SPRING 2025 - MyShadowProductions #204

Hola Amigos and Welcome to April !!

What do you think about this question?

Does March Madness turn into April Foolishness??

Might be a good “essay question” for the oft mentioned “Final Exam”? :)

I still haven’t seen the “busy beaver” that seems to live nearby but here is some evidence of his work :) The oak tree’s bark and branches seem to be the attraction/goal ?

The Morton Arboretum website has a “Spring Bloom Report” that they share each Wednesday. I decided to use it for an “Early Spring Scavenger Hunt”. 

As usual, when I pay attention I learn/relearn a few new things !! Their website also mentioned the sounds of birds and frogs in the ponds and marshes, I heard them but I just can’t seem to pick up the sounds with a video on my phone, remember, I am a “work in progress”, accent on the progress! :) And, cameras still do not have a “fragrance mode” to share the smells of all those beautiful flowers (get to work you inventer types :).

As you will see in the video, I did spot quite a few Turtles (eleven) and a nice Great Blue Heron let me film his “world” for about 4 minutes. I found it interesting that the Heron’s legs bend the opposite way than ours do at the “knee”. 

Also, if you watch closely, At about 04:48 in the video the Heron lifts his right leg and stands on his left leg only, for about one minute :)

CLICK HERE for an Early Spring VIDEO created from my photos at Garfield Park Conservatory and the Morton Arboretum.

Did you notice the quick little “Fluid Mechanics Refresher” photo/video ?? Interesting  ?? It’s ok to say no :) Don’t worry, it won’t be on the Final Exam :)

I think Aurora should have a “Going Over the Falls In A Barrel” Festival :)
No, I am not volunteering for that!

Click Here to see a “Bonus Video” for following along so faithfully :) A “Bee’s Eye View in GPC”

As the weather continues to improve I will explore other local areas than “just” my trusted Garfield Park Conservatory and Morton Arboretum. Like the old saying says - “Variety is the Spice of Life”, so I accept the challenge of sharing some “Spice” for the Life of me/you/us. Does that make sense or is it April Foolishness? :)

Somebody said “You can say that again!”

So, I will :)

FULL BLOOM AHEAD !!

ORCHID SHOW & Outdoor Gardens Walk - Chicago Botanic Gardens - MyShadowProductions #203

Hello again and Happy Spring !! 

Again, I wasn’t paying attention, I didn’t realize today (March 20, the day I started the rough draft of this Post) was the first day of Spring until my barber said something that morning while cutting my hair. Yes, cutting not styling :)

I am guilty of trying to rush Spring. I know full well that it comes slowly in most places and northern Illinois is no exception. The beautiful blooms and blooms and blooms inside the Garfield Park Conservatory (GPC) are “guilty” of feeding my “rush for spring” and the Orchid Show at the Chicago Botanic Gardens (CBG) is also an accomplice. Here are a few photos from the Spring Show at the GPC:

Click Here for a Video created from my photos at the GPC Spring Flower Show over the past month. Can you spot the changes as it progresses?

Even the Bees found a way in to “enjoy” the Show/Flowers :)

Now, back to the Orchids.

To me, orchids are simply amazing, and Wikipedia has a very detailed summary, read it here. Only 28,000+ species :)

That article reminds me why Biology was not a favorite subject of mine, I love the “results” but my mind just can’t go through all the “steps” :) No final exam questions on Orchids :)

How many Spring seasons have the Orchids experienced?

My first choice would be to see orchids in a natural setting but of course that isn’t always practical in Illinois or even when traveling. The Orchid Show at CBG displayed over 10,000 orchids. It was at times a “color overload” with many colors (flowers and containers and backgrounds) competing, like I have quoted a friend before, “a riot of colors”.

Along with the orchids I also made a short detour through the “desert house” at CBG for some added pictures.

After the Orchids I braved the wind, drizzle, sprinkles and cool air for a walk through some of the outdoor gardens and the Colors continued to present themselves. The number and variety of the cut off tree stumps I saw that day was surprising and interesting.

CLICK Here for a Video created from my photos at CBG.

Right on cue with the arrival of Spring, we had some snow and rain and even this Rainbow as seen from my apartment (I apologize for the quality of the picture, taken through the window glass) 

Have a Great Day !!

Full Bloom Ahead !!