Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge – Through a Window

This week, Cee is asking us to look through a window for her Black & White Photo Challenge. The following pictures were taken on our recent visit to Milwaukee, the first two at the Milwuakee Art Museum.

Windows seemed to be the prevailing theme on this trip as evidenced by these two images captured at The Domes in Mitchell Park.

For more on Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge go to Through a Window

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Weekly Photo Challenge – Story

Every city, town or village has a story to tell and Marion in southern Illinois is no exception. Whenever we visit somewhere that is new to us we like to explore and find out as much as we can about the place, not only about the present but also the past, and the best place to learn about the history of Marion is undoubtedly the Williamson County Historical Society Jail Museum and Library.  Every floor in this building is packed with interesting memorabilia and artifacts. The jail itself has a story of its own which can be seen here  in Jail Time

The past and present are defined by the mix of buildings in the Town Square vicinity, some of which date back to the early 1900’s.  While many of these buildings have been well-maintained, some, like the old offices of the Marion Daily Republican newspaper have fallen into disrepair.

The Marion Cultural and Civic Center has undergone extensive renovations but I was happy to see that they had preserved the old entryway inside the new lobby.

This memorial in the Town Square tells another story about the terrible destruction that Marion suffered during a tornado, one of the largest in Illinois history, that touched down in 1982, killing ten people and causing close to $100 million in damages.

It’s interesting to see the different styles of architecture in this city of some 17,800 inhabitants, from the stark lines of the First Baptist Church to the more ornate exterior of the Carnegie Library and even a touch of whimsy as evidenced by a mural painted on the side wall of a local artist co-op that tells its own story.

For more on The Weekly Photo Challenge at The Daily Post go to Story

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Treasures of the Lizzadro

Cee has reached the final letter in her ‘alphabet with a twist’ segment of the Fun Foto Challenge and I had no problem coming up with a subject for the letter z.

The wonderful thing about the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art in Elmhurst, Illinois, is that it combines the beauty and splendor of nature with the skill and craftsmanship of artisans who have created some of the most breathtaking pieces of artwork that you will ever see.  Here are just a few of the treasures that you will see if you visit the Lizzadro.

A turquoise carving donated from the collection of Cheng Kong Man Ying.

The Lohan, Buddhist monks carved in ivory.  Although I deplore the use of ivory, the incredible skill with which these figurines are carved cannot be denied.

An Italian cameo is delicately worked onto a helmet shell.

A bracelet set with 288 sapphires and 45 diamonds in white gold,  a ruby and diamond bracelet set in platinum by Tiffany & Co made in 1928 and a seed pearl parure by Bailey & Co made in 1850.

This Chinese figurine, one of a pair, is made of rose quartz.

Beautiful little snuff bottles, intricately carved on ivory, agate, porcelain and other natural materials.

A gorgeous Chines figurine carved in jadeite.

Two impressive Chinese spinach green vases carved in nephrite.

Detail from an Italian statuette of Henry IV, King of France carved in ivory and set with gemstones.

Two exquisite Japanese pieces carved in ivory.

Two skulls made of carved and polished stone from the “Faces of Eternity” exhibit at the Lizzadro.

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Letter Z anywhere in the word or people or animals catching some Zzz’s

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Any Old Iron

Cee’s ‘alphabet with a twist’ photo challenge this week is calling for things beginning with i and I may be giving away my family’s cockney roots here when I tell you that this is a song that my grandparents and parents used to sing to me when I was a child and which I passed on to my kids and grandchildren.

“Any old iron? Any old iron?
Any, any, any old iron?
You look neat. Talk about a treat!
You look dapper from your napper to your feet.
Dressed in style, brand-new tile,
With your father’s old green tie on.
But I wouldn’t give you tuppence for your old watch chain,
Old iron, old iron.”

As I mentioned in a previous post, we have spent a lot of time at historical museums and farmhouses and these are just a few of the items that I assume would have been made of cast iron.

The first two images were captured at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago, Illinois. The next one was taken in the farmhouse kitchen at Spring Valley in Schaumburg.

And the following pictures were taken at the Historical Museum in Marion, Illinois.

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Letter I – Needs to start with the letter I

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge – Signs

This week, Cee has us looking for signs for her Black & White Photo Challenge.  Plenty of signs in the photo files but this first image, taken on Sunday, is the most recent.  Neidhammer’s in Indianapolis was the venue for our grandson’s wedding celebrations (more on that in a future post.)

Chicago museums provided two images for this challenge; the first at the Adler Planetarium and the second at the Chicago History Museum.

Plenty of signs along the main street on Mackinac Island in Michigan.

A sign with an important message at the American Lung Association Walk at Hamburger University in Oak Brook, Illinois.

For more on Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge go to Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Signs

 

Weekly Photo Challenge – Delta – The Passing of Time

Erica, at The Daily Post, asks us to share our interpretation of the passing of time for the Weekly Photo Challenge, and what better way than using time itself.  Going through the photo files I found that there were many images that included clocks, watches and various other methods of telling the time including these sun dials, the first two, at the Chicago Botanic Garden and the third, the Millennium Sundial on John T Myers  Pedestrian Bridge, in Lafayette, Indiana.

Time spent in Wisconsin, at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers and at The House on the Rock in Spring Green.

Time as a focal point in Mitchell, South Dakota, historic downtown Long Grove in Illinois and Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Time and architecture in Elk Grove Village in Illinois, Bartholomew County Courthouse in Columbus, Indiana, and at the race track and the Village Hall in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Classic timepieces at the Stephenson County Historical Museum in Freeport, Illinois, Cuneo Mansion in Vernon Hills in Illinois and Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina.

Time waits for no man, not even at Scooby’s Hot Dogs in West Chicago, State Street in downtown Chicago or at the Elgin History Museum where many timepieces made at the Elgin National Watch Factory are featured.

For more on the Weekly Photo Challenge at The Daily Post go to Delta

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge – Couples

This week, Cee has us looking for two of anything for her Black & White Photo Challenge. Going through the photo files it wasn’t too difficult to find pairs both in nature and everyday items.

Pairs of shoes at the Stephenson County Historical Museum in Freeport, Illinois.

Two horses waiting to pull a hay wagon at Willow Springs Garden in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Two ducks enjoying a sunny day at Historical Wheeler Farm in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A pair of warriors at the Chinese Lantern Festival in the Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis.

Two of the elk in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

For more on Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge go to Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Couples, Twins, Two of Anything