thoughtful Thursday

Thoughtful Thursday

thoughtful Thursday

Planting season has finally arrived in the Chicagoland area!

Spring Fever

52 weeks ago!

Around here, we are discontentedly waiting for spring to truly arrive. After a long, cold winter, warm sunshine and bare toes in the grass is a welcome feeling. But we're still waiting. We've had one or two decent days, but spring is dragging its feet. It's almost May, and I'm seriously contemplating moving south again. 

Maybe it's because I'm a gardening writer and am just itching to get my hands dirty with some gardening projects. (I'm in serious plant envy of gardeners in warmer zones.) Or maybe it's because I really want to get out and take some photos of the spring-flowering trees and daffodil glades at the Morton Arboretum. But it's been too cold, too windy, too overcast. Too un-spring-like. The magnolia tree in the neighbor's yard is trying desperately to flower, but isn't quite getting the job done. Last year at this time, it looked like this: 

I finally put away the snowblower last week and got the lawnmower out -- just tempting Mother Nature to dump some more snow on Illinois. (She didn't.) This week threatens some more rain and cooler-than-normal temperatures. I'll have to settle for planning the garden plantings and dreaming of warmer spring days. 

The Sun Will Shine Again

Street art from last weekend's 8x8 Gallery photo walk
in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. 

Mother Nature teased us with a taste of spring earlier this week. It's coming. There are signs of it everywhere. 

My Oregano survived the brutal Chiberia winter!
I started prepping my garden bed Sunday, 
even though it's still pretty early here in zone 5. 

A walk through the Morton Arboretum yielded sunshine, ponds released from winter's grasp, and even a nice surprise on a path. 

I can't wait until this crabapple tree bursts with blooms!
This pond was frozen solid just a few weeks ago. 

I was really excited when I found these snowdrops
just off a path on the west side of the Morton Arboretum! 

Thoughtful Thursday

Sometimes you have to adjust your perspective to see things you didn't realize were there all this time -- just waiting for you to notice. 

Winter Wonderland

It's hard to believe it's March -- and that two years ago, we were in short-sleeved shirts in downtown Chicago for St. Patrick's Day! It's cold, it's another couple inches of snow, most people are way over winter...but you have to admit it's pretty.

I headed over to the Morton Arboretum to play with the camera. Here's a few shots from Instagram and my phone camera. (More photos from my "real" camera tomorrow!)

And this one's my favorite: 

Garfield Park Conservatory

I had a difficult decision to make Saturday: which Instagram photowalk to go to: the IGersChicago one on Northerly Island or the 8x8 Gallery one at Garfield Park Conservatory? In the end, plants and the warm temperatures at the conservatory won out (even though it turned out to be a beautiful Chicago day). 

Some of my favorite shots: 

There was a lot of green! It was nice to experience warm temperatures (and, dare I say it, humidity!) for an hour or two. Spring is a little more than three weeks away! 

--all photos copyright Lisa Florey---