Chicago Architecture Center - Fulton Market District - Gin Alley - Wooden Alley - MyShadowProductions #220

Hola everybody and Welcome to the month of March !!

First off, I want to share some photos that allow the colors of tan and brown to be center stage and not competing with all the other “pretty colors”.

MORTON ARBORETUM 

Garfield Park Conservatory & Gardens 

Quaking Aspen Buds

I have been “struggling” with putting some Videos together but it’s “now or never” (not really, but the weather is warming up and that means more time outside :) so I am going to post them and hope for the best.

On February 15th I took a Day Trip from Aurora to the Chicago Architecture Center passing “Architecture” as I walked from Union Station to the corner of Wacker and Michigan Ave. The Center contains a lot of information about Chicago’s history shaping the present day Chicago.

Click Here for my recording of an 8 minute Video that plays in the Center about every 20 minutes. The “lighting” is a bit distorted at times because I recorded with my phone but I think the “story” was very interesting. Listen for the 3 nicknames given Chicago:

“City of the Big Shoulders - “Lightning City”  - “Porkopolis”

The present exhibit at the Center is titled “The Disappointed Tourist”. 

It was a little overwhelming to try and “read” every painting but I did see one “place” that I saw before it was “removed”, the Chesterfield Mall Carousel.

This one also caught my eye :)

CLICK HERE for a Video created from my photos walking to and visiting the Chicago Architecture Center.

OK, back to the present, I read that Chicago has over 1,900 miles of alleys and I was wondering if any of them would be worthy of photos by MyShadowProductions? :) I will keep my eye out for more but I found 2 (with the help of an internet search); Gin Alley in the Fulton Market District area (more photos in the summer and at night might be interesting) and Wooden Alley (see description below):

This Video visits both Alleys and captures some local sights nearby each of them.

I think that is all for this Post but I do have a little bit of a question?, realization?, observation?, ………….? We have 26 letters in our English language alphabet and there are hundreds of thousands of words and we only “use” 10 to 30,000? I just learned a few more, Phenology and Quercus (which I will share more about next time) and equanimous which sounds like a great adjective/idea/goal to “live”.

Before I go, a little more on GPC (Garfield Park Conservatory) :), the Spring Flower Show is off to a good start and the Tulips have popped up in the Artist’s Garden:

March 4, 2026
What Colors This Year ??

FULL BLOOM AHEAD !!

Another “TIFFANY DOME” - Portugal Paint by Number - New Idea - MyShadowProductions #219

Howdy everybody!! 

I think I am staying with the “Shadows Into Light Two” font, seems a shame to veer away from the “Shadow” connection :) I will continue as well to use the ROCK SALT font for the end of my posts :)

Also, I just want to remind everyone that I “create” my Posts on my iPad and sometimes when the Post is viewed on a phone some of the formatting may be out of line. I will try to prevent that but please understand.

The Video in my last Post ended with “To Be Continued” because I have another “Tiffany Dome” to share. This one is in the Macy’s building, also in downtown Chicago. Macy’s is in the old Marshall Field (not related to Sally, Wrigley, Soldier or Corn Field :) Building, an architectural gem!!

Here is a description of the Tiffany Dome:

Please pardon my “dome” shining in the reflection :)
Also, it was unveiled 48 years before my Birthday.

Click Here for a Video created from my Macy’s/Tiffany Dome photos and a walk to the Lake for some Sun, Snow & COLOR! (Feb 1, 2026)

Next, I managed to finish my Portugal picture Paint by Number painting :). In my last Post I gave some wrong information, the correct site I ordered from is MAGIC CANVAS, please do yourself a favor and try a painting of one of your favorite pictures.

Here is the original picture and my finished product:

You can see that the colors do not always “translate” exactly but overall “it works”. I took some “artistic liberties” as well; I added a centuries old Boulder to the beach, raised the water level in the Atlantic about one foot, stirred up some waves, adjusted the sun to reduce some shadows, hurried Spring by adding some yellow flowers, adjusted the clouds and called in a few birds. It gets “hard” for me to put down the brushes and call it “finished” but eventually I “sign it” and hang it on the wall :)

CLICK HERE to see the process :) One of the pictures is out of order, see if you can spot it (clue - paint color #8:)

Now for something new I want to try. I got the idea from my grandson Sam. Sometimes he watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on my TV, but he watches it through the camera on his iPad. He then takes photos or screenshots that he likes to look at later :). My idea is to take some screenshots from YouTube videos that I like to watch on my iPad and then make a Video like I do with my pictures. I know it’s “cheating”/“kind of weird” but it might be a good way to recommend a YouTube Video??

2 Teaser photos in Corsica by “But What’s Out There?” YouTube channel.

So, here it goes, a Video from 2 YouTube Videos by “But What’s Out There”, both on the French island Corsica.

If you are interested in watching the YouTube videos here are the links:

#1 - Hiking the GR20 in Corsica

#2 - Hiking the West Coast of Corsica

I hope 2026, it is mid February already, has been kind to you and until the next time -

FULL BLOOM AHEAD !!

FONTS - PAINT BY NUMBER - CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER - Other Stuff - MyShadowProductions #218

 Hola everyone! This is big news, I am trying a different FONT for my Blog Posts this year. (Caveat) ??

Hola everyone! This is big news, I am trying a different FONT for my Blog Posts this year. (Rock Salt) ??

Hola everyone! This is big news, I am trying a different FONT for my Blog Posts this year. (Dancing Script) ??

Hola everyone! This is big news, I am trying a different FONT for my Blog Posts this year. (Merriweather) ??

Hola everyone! This is big news, I am thinking about trying a different FONT for my Blog Posts this year. (Shadows Into Light, Bold is the font I have used since Post #53, July 15, 2021), but who’s keeping track?

I can’t decide, imagine that :) Any thoughts??

It looks like tomorrow, as I write this section, (Friday January 23) will be one of the coldest days this winter here in Aurora, IL so I will most likely be inside with plenty of time to procrastinate a decision :)

Luckily I planned ahead a little bit for the “cabin fever” days. I have a Custom Paint By Number that I have been painting away on :) I ordered one from Canvas by Numbers. I chose a picture I took in Portimão, Portugal on Praia dos Trés Castelos (Three Castles Beach). 

If you were following my Portugal trip Blog Posts you just might remember that there were A LOT of pictures to choose from :) I don’t know if I chose the “best one” but I know that I remember taking that picture and something about the view stayed with me! That trip was last year January 21 to February 6. I really enjoyed it and feel like I found a good bit of variety. 

Click this link for the Portugal Posts. Please make sure to click on “Older Posts” at the bottom of the scroll so you can see all the Portugal Posts :)

Ok, are you ready for my first day trip of 2026? On January 2 I took Metra into Union Station and then walked about 30 minutes to the Chicago Cultural Center. The “main attraction” there is the World’s largest Tiffany Glass Dome, yes, really! The building has a very unique and interesting history and has a second dome that is very impressive itself.

The largest Tiffany Glass Dome in the world is located on the 4th floor of the Cultural Center’s South Wing in Preston Bradley Hall. The dome measures 38 ft in diameter and spans more than 1,000 sq ft. The dome contains approximately 30,000 pieces of Tiffany Favrile Glass, cut in the shape of fish scales and framed in cast iron.

The dome includes signs of the zodiac at its apex. I know I am a Libra and that usually means Scales but I had to google the chart below to find Libra on the Dome. Do you see you? :)

The “other” Dome, is actually a little larger but not “Tiffany” glass. This dome is in the North Wing of the Cultural Center in the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Hall and has 50,000+ pieces of glass and 40 ft in diameter..

Click Here to learn more about the Chicago Cultural Center, also known as “The People’s Palace”. 

This Link will let you “walk through” the Cultural Center in a Video created from my photos.

I hope you enjoyed the Video. Google Photos has added more music choices to their Highlight Video tool, good news for MyShadow. The music I chose for this video (Top of the Morning * TrackTribe) caught my ear, it just sounded a little “different” and as it played I expected Bob Seger to start singing at any time :) 

Remember, my brain is slowly “freezing” with the “fresh cold air”!

Speaking of Bob Seger it has been a long time since I linked one of his songs in my Blog. 

Well, let’s change that, Click Here for “Till it Shines” by Bob Seger. One of several cool lines in the song, in my opinion, is “Like an Echo Down a Canyon, Never Coming Back as Clear.”

Changing the subject a little/lot :), the past few Wednesday and Friday mornings (my usual days to venture into Chicago for volunteer shifts at Garfield Park Conservatory) it has snowed a little bit, subtle reminders for me to really appreciate the “nature” inside those panels of glass.

Here are a few photos that I took while helping out in the Fern Room and the Palm House.

I couldn’t resist, Click Here for a quick Fern Room and Palm House visit :)

It never gets old to hear the kids (“adults” too:) say “WOW!!” when they walk through a door!

Please have a great week and, if it’s on your radar, enjoy the NFL Conference Championship games (be nice BEARS fans, there are a few fellow readers from the LA area, Denver area, Seattle area and the New England area). At least we know that the “best” team is watching too :)

FULL BLOOM AHEAD !!

New Popotillo, The Little Prince, Morton Arboretum & 2025 Photo Review - MyShadowProductions #217

Howdy to all, hope you remember me, I haven’t Posted since last year, haha :)

Welcome to 2026 with MyShadowProductions :)

I ended 2025 sending one of my photos to my Popotillo Guy (doesn’t everybody have a Popotillo guy?) to create a custom “Straw Painting” for me.

This link will show you my previous Post about Popotillo/Straw Art/Straw Marquetry. The post has a link for a Wikipedia history of the art and also a link about the family of Popotillo artists that have made Popotillos for me.

This is the picture I sent via WhatsApp:

Garfield Park Conservatory - Artist’s Garden
Purple Flowers are Mexican Bush Sage

This is the finished product, simply amazing!! Not “exact” but “exactly portrayed”.

Size is 8.5 inches x 11 inches

Enlarged Section to Show Detail

I still kick myself for not reaching out to the Artists when I was in Mexico City in February 2024 and asking for a visit and viewing of how they create the “straw paintings”. This is definitely on my list the next time I am in Mexico City!

Changing the subject, have you ever heard the question “Has the sheep eaten the flower?”, me either until a friend mentioned the book “The Little Prince” (a children’s book for adults :), I googled it and was able to find it immediately and after a quick review I could tell it was my kind of book, short, easy to read, with pictures and according to my friend, “a message”. (Danke schön)

I am not a big reader but once in a great while I can be literate :)

Here are a few “messages” that stood out to me as I enjoyed a quick read on Christmas morning:

“The Grown-ups are very strange.”

“The thing that is important is the thing that is not seen.”

“But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart.”

“One runs the risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed.”

and

“Has the sheep eaten the Flower?”

Here is the cover:

CLICK HERE to Read The Book.

There is no requirement for submitting a Book Report but the Final exam will definitely have a question or two about The Little Prince :)

Now, let’s start the New Year off right with a couple of Videos created from my photos adventuring around the Chicago area.

Click Here for Morton Arboretum with (Dec 7) and without (Dec 21) Snow, nothing spectacular but for me there is always something that catches my eye. I was fortunate again to spot a few deer and give them something to wonder about :)

For another Video, I went to Chicago and made my way to the Field Museum. I don’t know what it is about me but I find it hard to patiently walk through a “museum” absorbing/reading all of the available information but I still enjoy it. One fact that I remember reading is that Flowering Plants only started appearing 130 million years ago, but maybe 300 million years?? Either way, much earlier than “Humans”, possibly explaining why “flowers” are much more interesting than “humans”, I didn’t say that!, thinking doesn’t count, right?! :)

Click this Link for The Field Museum Video. (Complete with Kazoo music, when is the last time you heard that? :)

I haven’t done this in the past but in this Post I will try a quick 2025 in review using the iPhotos app suggested photos for each month, you might even be able to name the location of the pictures (if you have paid attention to my previous year’s ramblings/posts, haha :)

View 2025 Review now!

                  HAPPY NEW YEAR !!