Whimsical Architecture

It has a silhouette reminiscent of a farm house and silo.  But the glass is saved for the other side and capturing the sunrise.

The neighboring houses look pretty small and prosaic by comparison.

That is, until you see them from the other side.

Cut it out, You Fool - Greetings from Zion Illinois

Zion, the town just to the north of Waukegan, has a very unusual history having been founded as a religious nut that outlawed all kinds of sinning.

This is just one of the hilariously belligerent signs placed at every route leading to the city. I think this is on the route from Waukegan on Sheridan road.

More signs  - even more belligerent signs - can be found at the Zion Public Library's website.

Not all of Waukegan is a wreck.
Sometime in the mid-twentieth century, people were doing fine here, and they build mid century modern houses.
Very pretty Waukegan.

Look at my town in 1870! This was November 22, 1870, to be precise. I found this photo on another blog loving Waukegan. Look at the skinny horse in the foreground and plank sidewalks flanking a dirt road - this is Genesee just south of Washington. There is history here, but I wonder if there's anything of it left at all.

My Town in 1910 and 1911

This postcard is postmarked 1910. Already, the mercantile district was quite developed and the town fathers had, for some reason, allowed industry to lay waste to the town's beautiful lake shore. Not only did this town boast a beautiful shore, river and ravine system, it possessed natural deep springs with reputed health-giving waters.



If only the town fathers had built on the salubrious springs and pastoral beauty of the area and built resort spas like another old town 30 miles west of Chicago, its story might be so much different today. This postcard is postmarked 1911. This section of road running along the ravine no longer exists, but it was located almost directly behind the courthouse mentioned on the previous post card.

Late Winter Sunrise Over Lake Michigan

March 13, 2009. - A late winter sunrise over Lake Michigan includes floating ice and sea ducks.

"Sunsets we always liked because they only happen once and go away."
"But Lena, that's sad."
"No, if the sunset stayed and we got bored, that would be a real sadness."

Lena Auffmann
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

The same is true of sunrises. Why didn't Mr. Bradbury mention the lake sunrises in his book?




The sea ducks are called Goldeneyes.

Today is a dreary day in my town by Lake Michigan. I felt lively for about the first hour after waking. I enjoyed the big, orange, cloud banded sunrise for the minute between the sun's appearance out of the lake until it rose behind the heavy curtain of gray clouds never to be seen again. I'm sorry I didn't have my camera handy today.

A few days ago, on an equally dreary morning made more atmospheric by Spring fog, I took this photo of one of the old beauties in my downtown.

The store window glowed warm and, for the first time ever, I felt an inviting pull to investigate that old shop. The lovely old building has survived on scant attention for many decades after its heyday a century ago and stands proudly to lend this town some character. If it draws decent attention, I hope it won't be from those hoping to raze it.