After the Great Flood of Illinois 2013

So the “Great Flood of Illinois” came and went rather quickly. You can see my last post of pictures. It did not take long before the water receded and things were getting back to “normal” for some. Plenty of flooded basements and unhappy people.
I returned a week later, on April 26th, to the Naperville Riverwalk to see what has changed. Here is a look. Our town is behind the rest of the country in terms of Spring “blooming.” The wacky weather changes from warm 65 to 50, to sunny, then back to cold, wet and rainy again.

Here you can see how the water has receded by the covered bridge and you can now see the walkway along the river.

Spring tulips are finally in bloom.

A closer look at the stairs and walkway as you can see the statue of Dick Tracy is not half-way under water anymore. The water came up to the top of these stairs by the metal railing.

The water was up to the knees of these statues. All clear now.

In the distance you can see the outdoor theatre. This was covered entirely during the flooding.

I don’t have pictures of the Centennial beach being flooded or images of it being drained. Located nearby this Riverwalk, it is a man-made beach which is emptied and filled again every year. If April showers bring May flowers, we surely got our share all in one day. Some neighbors got unfortunate basement floods. I’m looking forward to when the weather will stay warm and sunny, but for now we seem to go from extremes in temperatures during the week.

The Great Illinois Flood of 2013

The rain began to fall the evening of Wednesday April 17th with thunderstorms and heavy rain. Little did I know that the viewing of the forecast for rain every evening would result in ONE night of massive rain so heavy with up to five inches that it caused flooding of roads, ponds, and overflow in the rivers and nearby streams. The next morning the local schools were closed as they were closed again on Friday.

Traveling around the neighborhood two days after the storm in Naperville, IL you can see the small streams became huge rivers and the retention ponds everywhere were filled up like ponds to the max.

The ducks and geese loved their new places to hangout while local businesses around town closed shop and stacked sand bags around their windows.

My “dirty little ducks” (as seen in a previous post) found a new home to explore in the streets.

The downtown Riverwalk now has a new meaning as no one is walking there…
Dick Tracy is not coming to your rescue…
No stepping down this walk…

The covered bridge met the water at its level…

The goose found a comfy place to rest amongst the chaos…

The covered bridges were all blocked off from traffic…

The park across the local football college stadium at North Central College…

A familiar central park overflows with water…

A local canoe man is out to have some fun with his companion dog. A dry piece of land that has now been made a body of water…

After seeing other images from reporters and photographers in this State, my photographs don’t even show the worst of the rain. Cars were under water, a piece of road fell in and trapped three cars, traffic was halted in many places, manhole covers burst and flooding in indoor places.

I’m not sure what the longterm impact of this storm will have, but I have seen too many rugs rolled up by the sidewalk knowing that so many have had to salvage what remains of their basement dwellings…

Onto sunning days and dryer days…..

Reflections of A Past….

Reflections of A Past

Yesterday the sun,

Bright Leaves,

Fall flowers,

Busy waters.

Today, images remain.

Clouds,

Blue Skies,

Budding Trees,

Ripples in the Pond.

Tomorrow hours away.

Green grass,

Bees pollinate,

Yellow skies,

Daylight lingers,

Reflections of A past.

Not long ago.

Today,

Becomes yesterday.

Dick Tracy here….

..to celebrate the weekend for those who don’t have to work or be stressed. This Dick Tracy statue resides here in my downtown Riverwalk of Naperville as a constant reminder of the few American Icons ever.

The original creator, Chester Gould, illustrated Dick Tracy from 1931 until 1977. The second illustrator, Dick Locher took over that legend in 1983, won a Pulitzer prize and has recently retired creating the new comic strips in 2011. He currently lives here in Naperville where this statue resides.

I have to say, I was not really a fan of Dick Tracy as a child, but I can certainly appreciate a great illustrator, awesome storyteller and fabulous artist. The legend of Dick Tracy will forever live on. I have always admired the timepiece he wore on his wrist and how much it reminds me of the smart phones we have today.

Hats off to legends in their time, the current Dick Locher and his predecessor Chester Gould. There have been other artists who also worked on the Dick Tracy comic strip, such as Dick’s son John, Rick Fletcher both of whom passed away. The current team consists of Mike Curtis and Joe Staton.

Winter’s Majesty

Winter here in the Chicagoan area is finally showing its true colors with the blanketing of about four inches of magical white today.

Imagine for a moment.

The dirt disappears,

Dull colors are decorated,

Branches are beautified with contrast,

Potholes are covered up.

Everything, everywhere,

Has a blank slate.

To begin again,

Start over,

With a fresh new outlook.

Until…

The snow plow gets started,

Shovels hit the pavement,

People leave their footprints,

Children make snow angels.

Sledding leave its tracks,

Snow isn’t white anymore.

To begin,

All over again.

P.S. Those dirty little ducks I blogged about earlier, are back again, stay tuned for a future posting.

From my Heart

“From my Heart”

Feelings of loving and being loved.

From doing good and helping others.

May the good feelings overshadow any bad ones.

Show random acts of kindness.

Put any negative past behind you.

Move forward.

Will there ever be peace in the world?

Hopefully in this lifetime.

It starts here,

Right now,

Wherever you may be,

With whomever you are with,

On this Valentine’s Day.

Tomorrow,

and

Forever let it be,

Better today than yesterday.

(c) 2013 Martina L.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That is solemn we have ended,-
Be it but a play,
Or a glee among the garrets,
Or a holiday,

Or a leaving home; or later,
Parting with a world
We have understood, for better
Still it be unfurled.”

` Emily Dickinson’s “ENDING”

Leaves of Trees

Tis winter, I shivered and thought as I passed by this tree.

Not a speck of sun on a cloudy day.

What are those leaves doing on this tree anyway?

“Leave me alone,” beckons the tree to me.

“I am what I am, let me be.

My leaves stay with me, winter, spring, summer and fall.

I decorate the landscape,

Pretty for all to see,

Even for you photographers.

My beauty remains,

It’s my life.

Colors from branches,

Contrast the sky,

This is me,” rhymed the tree to me.

“Just let me be, can’t you please?” Reiterated the tree to me.

I positioned my viewfinder,

Captured my image.

“I see, I see, I see, thank you, thank you, have a nice day,” the last words spoken from me.

Let me take you on a Vacation….

I came across these photos as I searched for some baby photos for my kids to take to school.
These photos perked me up and brought a smile to my face while making me feel better about the bitter cold.
The weather here in the mid-west of Illinois has been cold, sad and depressing with no chance of me getting out much other than to run a few errands. The cold has not brought the snow that the environment so desperately needs and I had a sick child home last week and this week.

So….I’m resorting my mind and imagination to a place where the weather is warmer and fond memories linger…Hawaii and the surrounding islands. Let me take you there.

That’s me on the left, co-piloting a Cessna. I actually passed my ground written pilot test, but didn’t actually take the flying portion of the test. I didn’t have my pilot license at the time, but I don’t think this pilot next to me heard me correctly. He actually let me take control of the plane flying over Maui. I just can’t explain the feeling I felt controlling the plane over the open blue ocean water along the gorgeous cliff shores of splashing waves. I can tell you that I don’t ever wish to pursue the job of flying a plane, ever. It’s way too easy to move the plane in the wrong direction. So…. hey it was an extreme adventure while it lasted and I survived with my heart beating off the charts.

These other shots were taken around the Island of Maui or Kauai or from a tour guided helicopter ride where I sat next to the pilot who was the likes of someone who looked just like Jon Bon Jovi (lucky me).
This island is of Molokai.

Another gorgeous blue sky view.

Looks like an abandoned ship from here. Took a jeep four-wheeling to get to this beach. I really thought we were going to flip over at certain points, the roads were so filled with holes and bumps everywhere. Hold on to your hat!!

This trusted jeep brought us to safety, through my stomach hell and back again, what a ride.

That’s it, this rock says “Garden of the Gods” in the middle of the 4-wheeling trails. That’s what saved us…

What a wonderful view of the smoother portion of the dirt roads…

Well…I’ll never see that body again, this is a pre-kids photo.

I’ll end this adventure with a beautiful beach on a warm tropical day in the middle of the ocean where my mind so much wants to go and did. I needed this perk and perhaps taking a look back at a fond memory in a warm place can do wonders. I am so very much ready for Spring today to bring me out of my “blue” days, how about you?

Dirty Little Ducks

What could these two little dirty ducks have been up to? As in “Dirty” take a look at their beaks.

On this fine foggy morning, these two ducks walked along the riverwalk path with a bunch of other ducks. Suddenly one Mallard stopped and stared at the other.

What could they both be thinking?

Do you suppose this was their carpe diem to connect before venturing on with the rest of the group?

Perhaps it was the moment of silence they were waiting for…

Until “click” there goes a nosy photographer with her lens in their faces.

“Yes, I am looking at YOU with that the big camera in our business, get out of here,” Mrs. Mallard says to me.

“Ok, Ok, I got the hint, Mrs. Mallard,” I reply.

“We are off to be alone together. We did not sign a photo release either,” Mr. Mallard adds.

“Do not follow us either.” Both of them quack.

“Well, have a nice day you two, wherever you are going and whatever it is you are doing.” I shout back.

~~The End~~

Keys to 2013

What’s under lock and key in your mind? Do you have the keys to unlock your creativity for 2013?
As we enter a new year I hope to unearth much more of what has been tucked away in my mind and to be shared with you as the year unfolds. As a photographer who captures images in viewfinder, words of wisdom and ideas begin to surface as the photo is framed, ergo the writer in me emerges.

As each New Year announces its beginning and we say goodbye to the past year, I am usually the first with a pen and paper making a list of what I want to accomplish in the next 12 months.

So with this new year, I got sick, lost all my energy to write or think about anything I wanted to do and I didn’t worry about it at all.  My health mattered more than writing down all my goals.

I declared I would stick to only manageable realistic goals in hopes to accomplishing them.
I’m still thinking of some of them even after the new year, and well, it’s ok, I’m not adding any more pressure to myself if I don’t complete something on time. Who’s keeping track anyway?

Here is a list of goals as they pertain to my photography blog and writing, I never refer to them as resolutions.

1.  Blog at least once a week using my story telling images and how they convey their message.
2.  Make my writing blog public as a separate blog for more detailed stories, link it to this blog by February 2013.
3.  Visit the blogs of the new people who comment or like my blog.
4.  Seek and discover at least one new blog a week and leave a comment.

Without an audience, like you of support, there would be no motivation to publish the photographs or writings that I do, so I sincerely thank all of you.

Best wishes to you in whatever is in your heart to unlock 2013.