Double Cross

The front and rear peaks of the St Joan of Arc Chapel at Marquette University. Looking at them this way, it's hard to believe they're parts of the same building.

Memorial Day

The annual Memorial Day observances were at Wood Memorial Cemetery again this year. The rows of white headstones with their flags is always a moving sight.

Misplaced Mallards

This morning I looked out the window and saw... ducks. One hen and two suitors were strolling about the neighborhood. While this may not seem unusual to some, we are at least three blocks from the nearest water, and I haven't seen a single duck on our street in the 6 years I have been here. Given that we got some pretty significant rain today, perhaps they were just telling us to get ready.

Cheap Seats

The Brewers played the second game of a series against the San Francisco Giants this afternoon, and we witnessed a first inning inside-the-park home run, as well as a game-winning suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the ninth. Sitting in the last row of the upper deck, it wasn't the best view of the field, but a great win made up for it.

Riding Through

The Tour of America's Dairyland is coming to town in a few weeks, bringing riders from around the country in search a win and the prize money that comes with it.

Eye in the Sky

With the return of warmer weather, the Coast Guard helicopter will be a regular fixture in the skies above the lakefront and downtown.

Rooms With a View

This condo building at the lakefront has an interesting design, allowing almost every tenant a balcony with a view that faces east toward the lake.

Found

When I woke up this morning, I wasn't intending to be standing at the lakefront with 1000 other people, but that's where I wound up. The Brewers, as part of their "Where's Bernie" promotion, had placed hundreds of these lawn gnomes around the city and state for people to find and take home. While not all locations were so well behaved, everyone at McKinley Park was orderly and generally courteous.

Summer Sign

This past weekend marked the annual opening of Bradford Beach, and the weather certainly cooperated. The mercury in the thermometer is still running up and down, but it looks like this weekend will be warm enough to play on the beach, even if the water is still frigid.

Tasty

The awesome weather today got us out on to the patio to grill some steaks for dinner, and we weren't the only ones on the block to fire up the grill and cook out. Throw in a couple baked potatoes and some garlic sauteed mushrooms, and you have a delicious summer meal.

Bright

We didn't have a lot of sun today, but when we did, it was welcome. This photo was taken down on the river, and a little post-processing brought out the reflection in the windows, making the building appear translucent.

Carrot

Another of the mosaics hanging at the West Allis Farmers Market. The bright colors and contrast of the piece really get your attention.

Making an Appearance

The Lilacs have finally started to make themselves known in the backyard. Their fragrance and color are a welcome addition to the garden.

Funky Flowers

I saw these rather unusual-looking tulips this afternoon... anyone know what they are?

Shell Shocked

I'm not sure where it came from, as I haven't seen any nests in the area, but this half of a robin's egg shell made an appearance in our garden this afternoon. The sprouting Asian Lillies made a great background for the blue shell in today's photo.

Han Horse

This Han dynasty horse sculpture is also part of the Chinese exhibition opening at the art museum next month. Almost 2000 years old, the tomb figure was desired because of the horse's association with games and sport.

Procession

We took a trip to the art museum this weekend to catch the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit before it closed. On display around the main entrance were a number of sculptures promoting the upcoming China exhibits. "The Emperor's Private Paradise", starting June 11, will feature over ninety objects from the Qianlong Garden in Beijing, never before seen by the public. Only three museums in the world will feature this exhibit.

Today's Photo is of a Ming Dynasty model of a funeral procession. The detail of the figurines and the fact that there are so many indicate that this probably came from the tomb of someone with very high social status.

Market Day

The Milwaukee Public Market was full of people today - whether they were shopping for meat, bread, cheeses, wine, spices, or ready-made foods to eat at the market or take home. It was also a great place to get out of the cold and rain and enjoy the shops.

Reflection

A lamp post and stoplight reflect off the smooth surface of the river.

Thursday: Flash of Gold

As the weather continues to warm up, the local wildlife population returns from their winter locales. This goldfinch is back in the yard, waiting for the coneflowers to bloom (and for me to fill the feeders).

Open and Shut

The Brewers played at Miller Park today, and the roof was partially open when the game began. About halfway through the game, the rest of the roof was closed, keeping most of the wind out and making it a little warmer. Today's photo is number 1000, a milestone to celebrate!

Tradition

At the end of a hard-fought seven game playoff series, one team moves on and one team goes home for the summer. This evening, the Admirals lost the game 4-2 and the series 4-3 to the Houston Aeros. After the series is over, the teams shake hands and congratulate each other on a good contest, as is tradition in hockey.

Good Advice

One of my favorite places to shoot is down in the Third Ward near the old swing bridge. I've passed this photo up a number of times, but after a little processing, I really like the way it turned out.

Pool's Open

The bird bath made its way out of the garage and into the yard this weekend. I was surprised at how quickly it was put into use by the neighborhood feathered friends.

Buds

The trees are starting to fill out, with the buds swelling and starting to become leaves. This tree is full of buds just ready to pop.

Almost There

A sunny, almost-warm day got me thinking about my trip to Spring Training in March. This photo of Cinco the Chorizo brought me back to warmer climes in a hurry.

Menagerie

The spring weather has brought all the local wildlife out of hiding. In the last week, I've seen numerous rabbits and squirrels, which are no big surprise. What was a shock was to see two foxes and a turkey recently, especially in the city.

Missing

It's been mentioned that the spring has been colder than normal. Going through some photos, I found this one, taken exactly one year ago today. The Columbine plants haven't yet shown any indication of flowering, so I suspect we're a good two weeks behind last year's growing season.

Looking Up

The North Tower of City Hall against the clouds on a sunny spring afternoon.

River Cruise

The Marquette Crew teams hosted the Milwaukee Invite a few weeks ago. If the weather warms up any time soon, it should be enjoyable to be on the water.

May Theme Day - Mailbox

The May Theme Day is Mailbox

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

April was a rather crazy month, and I'm glad to be back in the swing of things.

As I have in the past, I'm taking some artistic license with the monthly theme day to bring you a photo that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

Today's photo is of the Post Office boxes in Jerome, Arizona. I was passing through Jerome on the way to Sedona in March, and wandered into the tiny Post Office there, taken back in time when I saw the banks of boxes mounted in the walls.