Wonderfully wicked

They say you are wicked, and I believe them for I have seen your painted women under gas lights luring farm boys...

That lad Card Sandburg had a way with the words, eh?

Ronna and I spent the weekend in Chicago, our kind of town, for a double celebration -- her milestone birthday and the Hawks' long overdue capturing of the Stanley Cup.

We arrived downtown in time for the aftermath of the parade and rally.

We discovered that even at the Art Institute, hockey fever had gone to the heads of art lovers.

And we vowed to change the medication after checking out the Cloud Gate, better known as The Bean.

A good time was had by all.

The drought ends

A few years ago, we many long-suffering Chicago Blackhawks fans could barely find team merchandise to purchase, let alone display. The 49-year drought is over, and now summer can begin.

A child's view

There was something compelling about this child looking through a window as the world passed by him outside. In fact, although he seemed isolated, he was watching the crowds of bargain hunters converge on the Trash and Treasure sale in Vankleek Hill.

A fallen hero

Sylvie Lormand takes a sneak peek at the memorial dedicated to her son, Corporal Patrick Lormand, who was killed at the age of 21 while serving in Afghanistan last fall. The newly-created playground at Pleasant Corners Public School, midway between Hawkesbury and Vankleek Hill, Ontario, has been named Patrick Lormand Park. Since Patrick's death, we have all in our own way been sharing his family's grief and their celebration of his life as a fun-loving, caring daredevil whose motto was "Share The Luv." When I look at this shot I took of Mme Lormand, I wonder if her first instinct was to return the blanket to its original place and bundle up her son.

Unhappy landing

Yeah, well you might ruffle your feathers and squawk if, at the end of a long flight, you come in for a landing only to find out that some greedy members of your flock, when there are not taking up prominent positios, have gobbled up all the hand-outs.

(You can insert your own politically-charged metaphors here.)

Just ducky

Being a duck is not all what it is quacked up to be.

This plucky fowl was making like, well, a duck to water, despite an apparent handicap.

In fact, although the creature seems to be lacking a leg, appearances can be deceiving.

Belated

My Mom is 92, and, although she has had her rough patches lately, I always remember being in a good mood.

I don't know why, but I find her smile to be infectious.

Surviving

Early-emerging plants have had quite a shock lately, eh?

Spring apparition

Seems that everything is bursting to life when the weather shifts. This particularly excitable species (fuzzicus inditchinatus) tends to demonstrate its seasonal colours after a warm, breezy day, and then opts for a more sedate look for the rest of the year.

One happy cat

When you see a happy cat (and when are cats not happy) taking in some rays, you just have to feel happy, too. Barny had a rough start, but after Ronna rescued him in the dead of winter, he has had it pretty good. And yes, this photo accurately reflects his sunny disposition.

The 3Rs on RR3

There are still many abandoned one-room schoolhouses in the boonies. They do tend to look lonely at a wide-open crossroad.

Luck is holding

It seems that these horseshoes work -- this abandoned house is weathered, but it is still standing after all these years.

Fading frost

We look at Old Man Frost a little differently in April than we do in October, eh?

Keep moving

You never want to stand still too long whenever a vulture is patrolling.

Greening

Hair-like moss begins to appear on a fallen log as the forests seem to almost overnight shrug off the blanket of winter.