31:365 The Old Traffic Court Building

This is the Reid Murdoch Building. It's across the river from where I work. Now it's home to Encyclopedia Britannica, but for many years (1955 to 2000), it was the old traffic court building. It's on the National Register of Historic Places and is also a Chicago Landmark building. And I see it every day on my way to and from work.

30:365 Emerald City

This is an African violet. It's called Emerald City. This type of blossom is called a chimera because of the greenish stripe down the center of each petal. Raising and showing African violets is a hobby of mine. I'm not going to show in June, so I let a few of them come into bloom.

29:365 Silk to Spin

These are silk hankies, dyed in some of the colorways of Blue Moon's Socks That Rock yarns. Lucky; Truly, Madly, Deeply; and Farmhouse. Ever since I learned to work with silk hankies, I have wanted some more to spin. These should be fun!

The Last Saturday in January

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful comments on my 365 Project photos. :-) I really appreciate them, and it's nice that you like seeing Chicago through my everyday eyes. The photos have been mostly Chicago so far - that's what I see a lot of every day.

Today it's a day of catch up - I made a list for myself yesterday - and I've managed to get quite a bit of it accomplished. Plus, I changed out all the burned out light bulbs in my hall lights, and finished a Church Lady Knitting lap robe. Yay! and it's not even 10 a.m. yet!

Last Saturday, I drove up to The Fold with my sister-in-law MJ. She is also a knitter. What a great time we had! The weather was a little wild - we saw 12 accidents on the tollway from O'Hare on - but we got there safe and sound. We met one of the ladies who works for MJ there, too - it's a horrible photo of me, but everyone else looks really nice. L to R, Jan, MJ and me. We all got some awesome stuff, and all the books were 30% off, which I can never resist . . . And lately, I can't resist the Socks That Rock yarn either. Since I didn't make it to the New Year's Day sale, I didn't feel too bad about shopping a little ;-)

Not all this is for me- I bought some for some gift knitting. But most of it's for me. And there are two skeins of Farmhouse - one mediumweight and one lightweight. And ever since I learned how to work with silk hankies, I've been wanting do to more of it . . . so there are three there . . . and one is Farmhouse. What's with me and the Farmhouse?! And some FiberOptic. A one-off color called Royale - you can't really see it in the bag, but the purple is electrifying. A couple of books and another set (i.e., 2) of Addi Turbo sock needles. And then we had lunch at Flatlander and it was great!!

I'm jealous of a friend of mine who is in Hawaii right now - and I'm watching the political upheaval in Egypt . . . For those of you worried that I might be caught up in it - don't worry. It's looking dim for us to leave next week and my trip will likely be postponed until later in the year.

And now - it's time for me to pull out my list and get cracking - there is still a lot to do this weekend!

28:365 The Last of the Christmas Cheer

I have a seriously green thumb, which is why this poinsettia still looks pretty good. It's lived on my desk ledge since before Christmas, but it's on its last legs now - losing leaves and bracts daily, even with plenty of water. Time for this last bit of holiday cheer to go . . .

27:365 They Might Be Giants

Someone where I work has a ledge full of wind up toys. I waited until they went home . . .

26:365 State Street, that Great Street

Looking north at the corner of Randolph and State. There is truly no place like home . . .

25:365 The Old in the New

This new building is where CBS studios are now located. It's been open for a very short time - in fact, it is surrounded by scaffolding at this time. The Chicago Temple Building is reflected in the glass. The Temple Building has been around since 1924, and is home to the First United Methodist Church.

24:365 Inside Out

I love that the days are getting longer and it's not all the way dark any more when I leave the office at 5. This is inside the Thompson Center, looking over toward the Chicago Title and Trust building and the Daley Center. Many buildings in Chicago are known by their names rather than their addresses. The Thompson Center = a former governor; Chicago Title is a company name; and the Richard J. Daley Center = the father of the current mayor. It's also the building formerly known as the Civic Center. I upped the brightness and contrast just a little.

23:365 Pinboard Memories

The morning sun on my pinboard - memories of so many of the places I've been and the trips I've taken, all placed in a vague shape of the US, with Europe and the rest of the world over to the right.

22:365 A Tisket, A Tasket, Fonty in a Basket

Spent the day at one of my favorite places - The Fold - one of the most amazing knitting and spinning stores in the Illinois/Wisconsin area. It's the place to go for all things fiber/spinning/knitting related. I confess I've not worked with Fonty, but I couldn't resist this gigantic basketful

21:365 Waking Up

It was so very cold here today - I thought I would expire just sticking my hand out the back deck door to try to capture the sun as it rose this morning.

20:365 The Face in the Handle

From the time I was a child I have seen faces in ordinary things. When I was little, it was often kind of scary. Not so much any more, though :-) This one I see almost every day on the train - it always looks to me like it's giving the lock the side-eye :-D

19:365 Good Night Moon . . .

Through the trees on its way across the night sky.

18:365 Good Morning, Starshine

OK - not so much. It was a cold, icy, dreary morning here today. The train's headlight is just visible in the fog. Someday the sun will shine here again. I hope it's soon. January in Chicagoland . . .

I take the train to work every day. I love it - it means I don't have to drive. I lived in LA for awhile. Once you have to drive to work in LA, you never want to have to drive to work again. Ever.

17:365 Columnea 'Aladdin's Lamp'

Columneas are cousins to the African violet. I raise and show African violets, and have a few of what are called "companion plants" or "other gesneriads." Columneas fall into this category. Sometimes they are called the "flying fish plant," for obvious reasons. I love them and have three different hybrids. Aladdin is my favorite :-)

16:365 Baby, It's Cold Outside

It really is cold here in Chicagoland today - I was chilled all day long, so when I got home, I tossed some logs on the fire and let it rip.

15:365 The Last Cactus

The last bloom of the season on the Christmas cactus that belonged to my mom. These blossoms do not last all that long, so I decided to seize the moment.

I spent a wonderful day today with my friend, Knifty Red. She's helping me create the handout for my knitting class, and today she came over to take some photos for it. She talked me into putting extra makeup on and trying for a new headshot. Unfortunately for her, I'm afraid, she learned that for whatever reason, I'm not an easy subject. Still, I'm quite sure if there is a good photo of my face to be taken, she'll be the one to take it, and it will be very good. She's talented like that :-)

We spent the day having moderately healthy snacks, taking photos, and knitting. It was the perfect way to spend a chilly Saturday.

I finished my St. Brigid's Carnamoyle Stockings! These are my first YOSS socks for the year! Yay! They are great, but the pattern was not particularly well put together. Still, with the help of Darthknitter, who shared her notes, quite a few people made these socks this month! The yarn is leftover Briar Rose Abundance. It was left over from my Abundant Hearts sweater and was perfect for these socks!


AND, I finished the mate to the sock-in-a-day that I did in December. Yay! These are for my cousin, K - she really loves my handknit socks :-) The yarn is Araucania Ranco Multi, and the pattern is just a plain vanilla sock. Nothing fancy :-) The yarn is actually more blue than it appears in the photo.

So - that's the day - it was lovely. And now, it's time to hit the proverbial hay :-)

14:365 Welcome Home

Me, just home from work, needing a haircut - long week . . . glad to be home. I think I look like I'm walking out of the past somehow . . . I played with the hue/saturation in Photoshop.

13:365 Ballet by Night

Every night, on my way to the train, I see the dancers of the Joffrey Ballet, rehearsing. On the corner of Randolph and State, on the second and third floors, above Loehmann's, where the Walgreens used to be.

My Cousin has been FOUND :-)

It is with great joy that I let you know that my cousin, Kristen Longhi, has been found, about 30 minutes ago, in Indiana. Her mom and closest cousin are on their way to pick her up even as I type this to you. Many of you have emailed me, posted here on my blog and on Facebook and kept Kristen and my family in your thoughts and prayers today.

You all have my deepest gratitude - thank you all so very much.

In Search of Kristen Longhi . . .

6:45 p.m., January 13, 2011: My cousin has been found. Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, comments, emails and good wishes. You have my deepest gratitude.
*******************************************************

I will be keeping this post up at the top of my blog for awhile, 365 photos will return later.

Please, read the following. Thanks very much.

On January 11, 2011, my cousin, Kristen Longhi, wandered away from Timberline Knolls, a treatment facility in Lemont, Illinois, where she has been a resident since July 2010. She was last seen around 12:40 p.m. on Tuesday, January 11, 2011, when she told a nurse she was going for a walk. Since then, a missing persons report has been filed with the Lemont Police, and we are told that she has been added to the National Missing Person's database.

Kristen has a mental illness; her mother is her court-appointed legal guardian and has given the Lemont Police the permission to speak to anyone who calls in regarding Kristen. A Facebook page, In Search of Kristin Longhi, has been created. If you are on Facebook and are so inclined, please post the link on your wall - the more people who see her photo, the better chance there is of locating her quickly.

My family asks that you take a look at the pictures here. Kristen is 22 years old, 5' 3" inches tall, and weighs approximately 145 pounds. She has brown hair and dark hazel eyes. She occasionally wears glasses. We believe she was last seen wearing a green coat and purple stocking cap. She has an Indian tattoo on the top of her right foot.

Kristen has a history of walking away from treatment and has previously been located in both Colorado and Texas at various times. She has bipolar disorder and suffers from delusions and paranoia. She requires medication in order to function. That she is gone from Timberline means that she is off her medication, and according to her mom, who is also a nurse, the meds Kristen must take should not be withdrawn suddenly as seizures and/or other unpleasant symptoms can and often do occur.

If you see Kristen or have any information regarding her whereabouts, please contact Sgt. Jonikas, of the Lemont, Illinois Police Department, who can be reached at 630-243-2750, or through the main number of the Lemont, Illinois Police Department: 630-257-2229.

Thank you.

12:365 The Way Out

This is the way out of the station. I was the last one today . .

11:365 Snow on the Picasso

I brought the snow home with me from Colorado. I heightened the contrast on this in Photoshop.

10:365 Snow on the Runways

My only vague shot of the Rockies - and the butt end of a plane . . . It was cloudy the entire trip.

9:365 Mega Snow in Colorado

It snowed all day long. This is the same area as yesterday's photo of the coyote.

8:365 Colorado Coyote

He was just strolling along.

7:365 Winter Cover

In Chicago, all the plantings in the city change for each season.

6:365 Another Day, Another Dollar

This is the lobby of the building where I work. When it was renovated, they discovered this skylight that was part of the original building - the building has since been built "up" over this. It is now lit to give the appearance of the sky.

5:365 Nighttime on LaSalle Street

This is is the Chicago Board of Trade - Ceres at the top. It's down the street from where I work. I see it every day - when I take the time to look.

4:365 The Puppet Bike!!!!

I'm sure took technically better photos today - but none that I love as much as I love The Puppet Bike. It has my heart every time I see it - I will cross the street for it. I will catch the late train for it. I always stop for The Puppet Bike. It never fails to make me laugh like a kid. And today, for the first time, I had camera in hand . . .

That's the photo for 365 Project, but here are two more.






A close up - they posed for me :-)















And then decided to participate in my impromptu photo session!


The Puppet Bike used to have a blog, but they don't post there anymore. If you are ever walking around downtown and see the Puppet Bike. Stop. You'll be glad you did.

3:365 My Kind of Town . . .

Chicago is. Nearly dark, Italian lights, the L headed out - I see this every evening when I leave my office.

2:365 Welcome to the Jungle . . .

January 2, 2011

This is how the neat half of my sunroom looks most of the time . . . yarn somewhere, at least one spinning wheel somewhere, and plants everywhere :-)

The 365 Project . . .

As mentioned not long ago, the content on this blog has been a bit thin lately. As also mentioned, that's about to change. I stumbled upon the 365 Project about a week ago, and knew immediately that it was something that I wanted to do in 2011.

For some reason, I feel that this year is going to be very important, and I'm going to chronicle it by taking part in the 365 Project. I will share the photos here, too - with and without comments - as much as I can.

After all that snow - a heat wave - this is 001_365.010111, i.e., the first of 365 photos, January 1, 2011. The rickety sundial in my backyard on what was a very chilly New Year's morning . . .

My friend, Knifty Red is also going to do this, so we are cheering each other on. It's a big challenge to think of taking at least one photo every day. Takes me back to my high school and college days - I studied photo in both, and for many, many years was never without a camera in my hand . . .so for me, it's back to the future :-)

I was behind the door when they were passing out fine artistic talent - I never had the eye/hand coordination to be able to see something and draw it. My creative talents lay elsewhere - I think that was why I took up photography. I realized that I could usually see the photo in the frame - so even if I couldn't draw it, I could shoot it. I'm already enjoying this project :-)

It was a nice day for me here today - I've mopped up the basement (yes, it was wet but it could have been MUCH worse than it was), managed a 20 minute walk on the treadmill (yay feet!!), and I've cast on for my January YOSS socks. I also changed out my DVD player - and can I just say how nice it is to put a DVD in the player and have it spin up on the first try? Wow!

Happy New Year, everyone. I wish for you all good things in this new 2011 year :-)