Violet with Spots

Tacoma, Washington ~ April 22, 2005

W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory

I don't know what this is. It's violet, it has spots. I think that's a good recommendation any day.

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Chicago Courtyard

Chicago ~ April 23, 2005

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Windows, Bloomingdale's

 Chicago ~ April 22, 2005

Bloomingdale's Department Store

Could this be Unofficial Windows Week? (See yesterday's post.) I found the window above in the most unexpected location - the women's bathroom. I don't remember why the angle is so intense.

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Diversity

Chicago ~ April 22, 2005

This is one of my now-getting-to-be-famous drive-by shots. It's not perfect, but it was too good to miss.

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Upswept Clouds

Near Volcan Baru, Panama ~ January 9, 2006

Panama's highlands surprised me, and it was nice to cool off.

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Chicago Storm

Chicago ~ April 22, 2005

I still find drenching wet weather like this exciting, and I find Chicago exciting. It was a good day.

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Rain and Rivers: Over the Yucatan

Over the Yucatan or Belize ~ January 30, 2005

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Clever

Chicago ~ April 21, 2005

I'd been trying to figure out why this says "Metra" instead of "Metro" or even "Metropolitain." Then I realized (duh) I could easily look it up. It turns out that Metra is the actual name of the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. Thanks, Wikipedia!

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Crater Lake: Blue Water, Twin Trees

Crater Lake, Oregon ~ May 7, 2005

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Alligator Snapping Turtle

Chicago ~ April 22, 2005

Shedd Aquarium

The alligator snapping turtle waits underwater looking like anything but a real animal. It's mouth is wide open, and its specialized tongue tries to make an unwary fish think there is something good to eat inside the jaws. I don't think so! But apparently the trick works. These turtles have been around for a very long time (about 40 million years). This is a small one. They get quite large.

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Hello, Whale!

Monterey, California ~ June 26, 2005

Monterey Bay Aquarium

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The Scene

Chicago ~ April 22, 2005

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Wailua Falls

Kaua'i, Hawaii ~ September 21, 2005

Wailua Falls

What you can't see in this photo are the cool Kaua'i chickens that were strutting around on the lookout point. Fortunately, I have one for you in this post.

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A Boring Shopping Center Made Pretty by Spring

Portland, Oregon ~ April 7, 2005

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Mural and Wrought Iron: La Samaritaine, Paris

Paris ~ May 4, 2005

Art Nouveau design inside La Samaritaine department store

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Segways in the Rain

Chicago ~ April 22, 2005

Just outside Shedd Aquarium

I've just been talking to someone who took Segway tours in Paris and other cities in Europe this summer. He said that in Italy, they didn't take tours, but you could rent Segways in many towns. This may be fun when your feet get tired. I'd love to try it! I'm clearly behind the times, because this photo was taken in 2005. I've never been on one. Have you?

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Made for Reflecting

Tacoma, Washington ~ May 22, 2005

Tacoma Art Museum

Weekend Reflections

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South Junction Without the Train

South Junction, Oregon ~ June 2, 2005

This is the railroad bed, site of two earlier posts (here) and (here) with the train. I love this wild landscape, I love trains, and there's a scenic river down the grade where people sometimes think they're going to catch a fish or two.

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In the Meadow

Near Crater Lake, Oregon ~ May 7, 2005

Weekend Reflections

When we found Crater Lake still packed with snow, we took a few photos and came down to lower ground. Here the walking was easier without snow gear, and the water was clear as crystal.

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I Love Eels

Chicago ~ April 22, 2005

Fire eels (Mastacembelus erythrotaenia) at the

Shedd Aquarium

As the title says, I love eels, and fire eels are among my favorite. I think of this species as small, because most of my experience with them has been in smaller home or pet store fish tanks. These two were probably between 12 and 18 inches long when I saw them at the Shedd Aquarium (maybe longer, it's hard to remember), but I've just learned that 3 feet is not an unusual size for a fire eel if your tank is big enough. The Aquatic Community web site says fire eels can be found in "floods and streams in India, Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Burma (Myanmar). The Fire eel has an elongated body that can reach a length of 100 centimeters (40 inches) in the wild." The ones in fish tanks tend to be shy and they don't bite. I wonder about the big ones. . . .

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