Yuccabloom: A Memoir of Meaningful Meanderings: Lake Views in Chicago

Today, the weather was incredible: clear blue sky, not too hot and humid, punctuated by an occasional light breeze. I was itching to go out and enjoy the weather, but I am also trying to step up my efforts to clean and pack for my upcoming move. So far, I've been packing boxes in increments, but with only a couple of more weeks to go, I know I need to step it up. I have also been caught up in doing the customary goodbye rituals of meeting with friends and visiting my favorite places as often as possible before I go. So, I also needed to do something cheap today. Then it dawned on me that I haven't given Lake Michigan the attention it deserves, so I made the trek out to the Lake (only one block east from where I live!) with camera in hand. Here are some photos of the beauty I encountered.

Sunbathers, Edgewater Neighborhood, Chicago, IL

I confess that sometimes I look at a view like this, with the deep blue expanse of Lake Michigan meeting sand and modern high-rise buildings, and I pretend that this is some beautiful international location, like the photographs I have seen of Tel Aviv. Yeah, I know, that's hardly the case, but it's a good trick of the imagination, and I get a quick holiday out of the illusion.

The rippling waves of Lake Michigan, Chicago, IL

Another confession: I will miss having a large body of water, such as Lake Michigan, within close proximity to me. The desert is beautiful, but it's definitely an arid type of beauty, completely devoid of moisture. That explains why rainstorms are such a big deal in the desert. I remember one day when I was living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At that time, I was working briefly at Whole Foods. I was stocking shelves and saw people starting to rush into the store completely drenched and with smiles on their faces. "It's raining!," one woman exclaimed. By that time, I had been living in Santa Fe for six months and the desert climate was becoming the norm for me. So, I stepped outside briefly and watched the rare downpour of rain, simply transfixed by its beauty and the rhythmic sound of its falling. It was the same with every desert storm that rolled its way over Phoenix. But on a hot summer day in Chicago, one thing that is refreshing to the eyes is the sight of soothing blue Lake Michigan, with the cool mist that meets you when you stand at the shore's edge and a wave crashes in.

Facility, Hollywood Avenue Beach, Chicago, IL

I remember this at one time being the building for restrooms. It seems to be closed now, since new restrooms were built with the new concession stand. There is no reason for snapping this photograph, except for the beautiful mural that graces its walls. Nice and shining and summery, blue skies and sun.

Classic view of the skyline, Chicago, IL

This is truly a classic view of the Chicago skyline, at least for a born and bred Northsider like myself. This is the skyline I grew up with and used to draw as a kid. It starts off with the first tall skyscraper, the John Hancock Center, to the left, and concludes with the Sears Tower on the right. Just perfect!

City and park come together, Chicago, IL

There is nothing special about this sight. I just wanted a photograph of park greenery and the city together.

The Lake seen through a grouping of trees, Chicago, IL

I always wanted to take a photograph like this, with dappled sunlight streaming through green, overhanging treetops, cool green grass that lets on to a vision of calm, blue water. Here we are, in the thick of it. Let's find some cool shade beneath a tree!

Tree and Lake, Chicago, IL

Trees and Lake, Chicago, IL

Just two photos to show how beautifully the trees line the lakeshore. It's nice to find them so green, after the extreme heat and lack of rain we have been experiencing this summer. Happily, for all of the plants, we had a much-needed torrential downpour of rain yesterday evening.