the quality goes in before the name goes on

If the title's promise rings a bell, you're of a certain age. Remember the ads for Zenith radios and televisions gave us or our parents that assurance? And so its been since 1923 when the Zenith corporation was incorporated in Chicago. The rest is our history.

The letter Z finishes up this round of ABC Wednesday sponsored by Z for Zenith. Happy listening.

D is for Damson

as in plums. I took this photo when I lived in Chicago. Walking through Hyde Park to catch the train each day, I always passed one house with a small plum tree next to the front gate. Season by season I'd watch them grow from blossoms to these beauties. Then one day, just like that, when I'd walk by to admire them, they'd be gone! Probably already in jars on the counter.

For more tasty D words visit ABC Wednesday.

happy Wednesday

ABC Wednesday begins anew with the letter A for Alcea, or better known as Hollyhock. I don't see them in gardens as much as I used to--I took this photo in Chicago visiting Audrey last year. And a black one at that.

windows: the daydreamer's tools of the trade

examples of sublime windows in Chicago and D.C.

looking out the window at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove, Minnesota

So they all went away from the little log house. The shutters were over the windows, so the little house could not see them go. It stayed there inside the log fence, behind the two big oak trees that in the summertime had made green roofs for Mary and Laura to play under.
Laura Ingalls Wilder

More W fun at ABC Wednesday here. 

Winter's on the run

I've been under the blog radar for the past week or so, visiting Chicago and family. Because the days there were cloudy with rain and, no surprise, wind, it was lovely to be back up north to see the blue sky and measure how far winter had receded in my absence. Thus, these two photos this week as I scanned the skies. The first is the sun rising over the Mississippi casting its coat of many colors on Canada Geese rising. And who doesn't thank the Robins for coming back so soon!

You'll be than

kful for the opportunity to see many more skies @ Skywatch Friday.

'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?'

See more beautiful red at Mary's meme:

singin' the blues

The sky may be blue but it changes from state to state. I took this photo of the contrail filled sky over where Erica's neighborhood in D.C. as we were leaving for Philadelphia after graduation.
This was the Eastern Pennsylvania sky I saw over the carpeted rolling hills near Wilkes Barre after we left Philadelphia for home.

Back home in the Midwest I took this view of the big sky and flat terrain of Illinois on the way north to Minnesota.

See more panoramic views of the 'big blue' at Skyview Friday.

I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.
Maya Angelou

for a song

If you know me you know that in my world blue is a good thing. Lately I've been remiss in posting additions to my pitcher collection from my travels and especially since I've adopted some delightful blue ones. The top left solid blue pitcher matches a 1950's stoneware coffee pot I have [50 cents] and two matching cups I bought for a quarter each at a yard sale. Then there's a unique antique milk glass pitcher I found during my milk glass craze [its over now, or at least until I laid eyes on the pink variety. . .] bottom right from another antique shop coveted because of the blue cornflowers. Bottom left my latest prize in my favorite turquoise color, made in Japan and nabbed for 60 cents at a thrift store.Speaking of blue, I retrieved this photo I took in Chicago of the most charming cat who would laze on a garden fence and pose for me whenever I walked by on my way home each day. I have yet to see such blue eyes on a cat like this guy had. He makes his debut on Misty Dawn's meme, Camera Critters this weekend.

And my gift to you as we celebrate the coming weekend; give him a listen!

she sees the light

Planned obsolescence being what it is, first it was the great hard drive crash of 2009 and more recently the burn out of our computer monitor, leaving me in the dark all week. Just as quickly and for another monetary investment, I'm up and running again.
I can't seem to remember how I ever managed before the digital age. . . but Al said it best:

There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.
—Albert Einstein

time traveling

That old buttermilk sky in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood this May. Once a predominately Polish village, Pilsen is now gentrified, including a large Hispanic population as well as hipsters. This tall church gave me the feeling of being in another century and place.

See more sky views here.

One’s destination is never a place,

but a new way of seeing things.

– Henry Miller

sweet memories

Summer's memories with flecks of red. . .I was so taken by these kites or windsocks fabric art installations on Loyola Beach in Chicago.and early fall at the Farmer's Market. I amaze myself at how clever I am (roll eyes here) because I actually wanted to post this photo to show the colors of those gorgeous heads of cauliflower. Red by any other name. . .?

Visit Mary's meme Ruby Tuesday for more red delights.

siftin' sand

The letter I is the letter of the week for Round 5 of ABC Wednesday. For me it stands for the illusive nature of the sand and rocks that are washed up on the beach. And my wild imaginings of where they came from and just how old they might be.


These are a few of the rocks I found while walking on the Lake Michigan shore. I always look for heart shaped rocks and wasn't disappointed this time. As you will recall from Geology 101 [which I barely passed with a C] these are predominately igneous rocks [the others being your metamorphic and sedimentary types]. Below are some good examples of the variety of 'wash up' I found, including two pieces of sea glass...most likely old beer bottles...plus wonderful little shells and fragments of shells.

All day, all night, Marianne

Down by the seaside siftin’ sand

Even little children love Marianne

Down by the seaside siftin’ sand

from the 1950's song 'Marianne' by Terry Gilkyson, Frank Miller and Richard Dehr

fun times

This weekend was bustling with activity in the Twin Cities [a visit from Pres. Obama, opening game of the Vikings and the U of M Gophers] and not the least of which a small 'fall festival' at a local church near our apartment. This usually means that the car collectors cruise around and park where they can be seen during the festivities. Thus the gorgeous blue Chrysler sporting a reflection of the red Barracuda next to it. Groovy, I thought.What's Ruby Tuesday without some red flowers? I snapped these variegated blooms in this garden at Loyola University in Chicago. I've never seen anything quite like them.


Visit Ruby Tuesday here for more gorgeous red to rock your world!

red sky at morning

Early morning sky over Lake Michigan at the beginning of September--late summer or early, early fall?

Click here for more skies

Chicago rojo!

For Mother's Day Dave sent me to Chicago to visit with Audrey. I had a delightful visit which included a lot of walking in her neighborhood of Pilsen. This was originally a Polish area and now is Hispanic with gentrification inching its way in on the fringes. Every block is colorful with great panaderias, churches and random Mariachi band members walking down the street.

See more red at Mary's Ruby Tuesday meme.

I try to be as honest about what I see and to speak rather than be silent, especially if it means I can save lives, or serve humanity.

Sandra Cisneros