Chicago River #3

Finally, I am back to the blog. Life has been exceedingly busy the past few weeks and I simply have not had time to keep this current. I'll try to prevent that from happening in the future.

This is a photo of East Wacker Drive in Chicago taken from near the northwest corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge. The building on the left, which looks like a short building with a taller and skinnier building behind it, is located at 35 East Wacker. It was originally known as the "Jeweler's Building." At 523 feet tall, it was the tallest building outside New York City when it was built in 1927. When it opened it housed parking garages on the second through 22nd floors and included a 22-story car lift that allowed delivery vehicles to ride up to the jewelery merchants to make secure transfers.

Next to it is the Unitrin Office Building. This 525-foot tall, 41-floor building was completed in 1962 for the United Insurance Company.

Source: Google Earth

Pem Hall

This is Pemberton Hall, a women's dorm on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. When completed in 1909 it became the first women's resident hall in the State of Illinois. This historic building is named in honor of State Senator Stanton C. Pemberton  who was influential in securing funding for construction of the building.

About 215 women, and one ghost named Mary, live in Pem. Mary is a friendly spirit who overlooks the safety of the hall's residents.

Sunset Number Nine. Number Nine. Number Nine.

One of my favorite things to do after a hectic day at work is to sit on the deck, read a good book and watch the sun  set. And due to the location of our home I have plenty of opportunities to do this. Step out of my back yard and you are in the neighbor's field. It was corn last year which means we have a built-in natural privacy fence every other year. This year it will be soybeans.

Cleone Barn # 8

This is a second old barn on a farm at Cleone, Ill. Earlier I posted another photo from this old farmstead. I like how the evening sun gives a warm, but fading glow to the old, weathered oak timbers... the low angle of the light accentuating  the texture of the wood and also casting deep shadows into the building. I wonder what this farm was like in its day.