Inside the Barn

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License Plate on Barn Floor

Once inside the old barn in Orland, I found several old license plates ranging in dates from the 1930s to the 1950s. Most were recycled-nailed to the floor to cover the holes created by whatever was kept inside the barn. The floors have been worn down by decades of use and exposure to the elements, giving them lots of character.

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License Plate Patch

Forgotten Barn

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Forgotten Barn
Orland Park, IL

I spotted this barn a few years ago on my way to work. It was about a block off the main road and hidden by trees. In the winter, I could just make out a building trough the branches. I finally decided to pull over to investigate, and I'm glad I did.

This is one of those hidden treasures that I hope is around for a long time, but will probably be razed soon to make way for a fitness club.

I was sure to capture this place from every angle, including the inside. I'll post more pics all this week.

Winter Stream

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Stream In March

Stained Glass

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Stained Glass Window
Koten Chapel

Architectural Detail

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Detail over Entrance to Seminary Building
Naperville, IL

Helping Remove the Old Marble

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Chris Helping Out

Chris helped a lot today... we removed the old powder room marble tile in preparation for new 18 inch square travertine tile. The removal took over 6 hours with a tile removng tool similar to an ice breaker you'd use outside. The old adhesive was very hard to get off the floor - largely because there wasn't enough room to attack the stuff from more than one angle.

The new tiles were cut, fit and set in under 3 hours. Tomorrow I grout and Tuesday the toilet and sink get installed.

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New Stone Set, Waiting for Grout

Thoughts of Warm Places

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Clearwater Beach, Florida
Just After Sunset

Old Main

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Old Main
Naperville, Illinois

Countless puddles cover the campus as temperatures near 50 melt the week-old snow.

Snowdrift

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Snowdrift
February, 2007

Generating Power...and Steam

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Midwest Generation Power Plant
Romeoville, Illinois

The Midwest Generation Power Plant seen here on a sunny but bitterly cold day with highs right around zero.

Frozen Fireplace

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Fireplace in the Snow

Not sure if this is the only thing left of an abandoned cabin, or if it's just an outdoor fire pit, but I would have liked to see a fire in it that day.

February in the Woods

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Woods in Winter

Curving Path

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Snow Covered Path
Naperville, IL

A sunny February day with temperatures near 40 degrees made it a perfect day to get out and grab some images before the snow melts! This little hidden park was just a few feet from the place I've been eating lunch for a year - And I just discovered the path to it yesterday.

Thawing Stream

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Stream During February Thaw
Naperville, IL

Small Men or Large Snowman?

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10 Foot Tall Snowman
Created by four students at
North Central College, Naperville, IL

These students took advantage of the warm (40 degree) temperatures and melting snow to create a huge snowman in front of their dorm.

The 10 foot snowman took about two hours to build, wears a straw hat and has eyes made out of lime slices.

Mike 'n Ice

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Mike Freezing
Fish Lake, Indiana

Leaving the ice fishing derby - and zero degree temperatures - behind, Mike is hoping the car is close by. It's time to warm up!

Soaking in the Sun...Waiting for Spring

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Waiting for Spring

Time to Leave the Ice

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Ice Fishermen Heading for Warmth
Fish Lake, Indiana

Tired of 40 mile per hour winds and bitter cold temperatures hovering around 0 degrees Fahrenheit, these ice fishermen gave up and headed for the warmth of the American Legion Hall.
The 35th annual Ice Fishing Derby didn't attract too many fishermen this year, but at least there was enough ice on the lake to support the 50 or so that showed up.

Digging Out on Valentines Day!

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Digging Out
8 AM February 14

A gusty winter storm dumped several inches of snow on the Chicago area. Over 9 inches fell, but it's difficult to tell how much actually accumulated because the winds blew the snow into deep drifts.

After a four day weekend celebrating Lincoln's birthday, the local schools were closed Tuesday and Wednesday making it a six day weekend.

As of 9:30 AM, it's still snowing even though the sun is shining!

Cupid is going to need a shovel!

Swing Bridge in Winter

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Old Railroad Swing Bridge
Romeoville, Illinois

Fresh snow cover an old swing bridge in Romeoville, IL. It's now used as part of a bike trail network through Lily Cache Island. It's a great spot to see deer - and the Citgo Refinery!

You can see the old bridge tender's hut above the roadway. It must have been quite a lonley job waiting for the trains to come by.