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Tag Archives: Chicago Park District

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David Wallach Fountain at Promontory Point

I spotted a photo in the “Snapshots” section under “Fawned Memories” with this caption and thought I should take my own photos (July 8, 2023).

Children drink from the David Wallach Memorial Fountain in 1955. When Wallach died in 1894, he left $5,000 for a fountain near the lake to supply water for “man and beast.” Sculptors Elisabeth Haseltine Hibbard and Frederick Cleveland Hibbard collaborated on the fountain, installed at the 55th Street entrance to Promontory Point in 1939. Elisabeth modeled the bronze fawn after a doe at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Her husband created the marble fountain, which includes a well in its base with water for pets and wildlife. Both had been students of Lorado Taft, who created the Fountain of Time sculpture on the Midway and taught at UChicago. Elisabeth also taught at the University from 1943 to 1950. 

University of Chicago Magazine, Summer 2022
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The David Wallach Fountain
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Detail from the David Wallach Fountain
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Detail from the David Wallach Fountain
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Partial view of Lorado Taft’s Fountain of Time for reference (2012)
September 20, 2023 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Photography Tagged art, Chicago, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, photo, Promontory Point Reply

Indian Ridge Marsh redux

words and images Posted on September 9, 2023 by dlschirfSeptember 9, 2023
August 29, 2023

J and I decided to see Save the Tunes at Chellberg Farm, but detoured to Indian Ridge Marsh, or Park 565 in Chicago Park District nomenclature. The last visit to Indian Ridge Marsh was in 2019, when the area by the Norfolk Southern tracks was open water.

Indian Ridge Marsh with neighboring industry
Open water with hydrology meter in 2019 (facing north)
Indian Ridge Marsh
Open water in 2019 (facing south)
Indian Ridge Marsh, no longer open water
Facing north in 2023
Indian Ridge Marsh, no longer open water
Facing south in 2023

First, we had to get there. We passed meadows of native flowers, including compass plants whose disappearance Aldo Leopoldo eloquently lamented. They’re thriving in natural areas in and around Chicago, such as the Calumet Region here and at Morton Arboretum.

We spotted monarchs and other insects, including an army of goldenrod soldier beetles intent on perpetuating the species.

A surprise awaited us at the end of this westbound trail (another trail, too wet and muddy to negotiate in 2019, heads south). The open water had filled in with aquatic plants in on both sides of the trail. which dead ends at the Norfolk Southern line. I hope they’re native. There was a piece of heavy equipment in the area, so I’d guess the Chicago Park District and volunteers are working on it.

I didn’t want to miss Save the Tunes, so  I didn’t dawdle on the way to the lot. J called me back to look at beetles, which I never saw because was distracted by this:

White-banded crab spider
Female white-banded crab spider, an ambush predator — it’s not a sharp photo partly because it was quite breezy

This is a female white-banded crab spider, the same species of spider I witnessed killing a painted lady, an Eastern tiger swallowtail, and a skipper at Perennial Garden. They choose a flower and lie in wait for their unsuspecting pollinator prey. This one may have turned slightly yellowish after a few days on this tall tickseed flower. The ones I’d seen before (when I noticed the dying or dead butterflies) were embedded in the more intricate blooms of a butterfly bush or other flower and were nearly impossible to see. The male, by the way, is smaller and more colorful, and dines on nectar.

My final sighting of the day was a pair of American goldfinches on a pair of compass plants, with the female closer to the trail. At Perennial Garden, I’d noted the goldfinches favored the tiny stand of compass plants there.

Aldo Leopold would be happy.

Indian Ridge Marsh, August 27, 2023
Indian Ridge Marsh, August 27, 2023
17 photos
Common eastern bumble bee on field thistle
Common eastern bumble bee on field thistle
Common eastern bumble bee on field thistle
Common eastern bumble bee on field thistle
Common eastern bumble bee on field thistle
Indian Ridge Marsh
Wild bergamot
Goldenrod soldier beetle
Tall tickseed
Why are marsh wetlands so important? /¿Por qué son importantes las marismas bumedales?
Indian Ridge Marsh, no longer open water
Indian Ridge Marsh, no longer open water
Smooth blue aster
Plain gentian
Milkweed pods
White-banded crab spider
Goldenrod soldier beetle
Posted in Adventure, Blog | Tagged Chicago, Chicago Park District, insect, nature, photo, wildlife | Leave a reply

Summer’s rainy day rainbow

The windy, rainy day overall put me in an autumn mood, and I thought I’d take video of Lake Michigan’s wave action. Instead, I was struck by this unexpected rainbow — the sun wasn’t out.

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The part of a full rainbow I could capture from my window
August 5, 2023 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Photography, Weather Tagged Chicago, Chicago Park District, Great Lakes, Hyde Park, Lake Michigan, photo, Promontory Point, rainbow, weather Reply

Drought, downpours, tornadoes, and rainbows

After months of abnormally dry to severe drought conditions, Chicago had a near record “rainfall event” the weekend of July 1–2, especially on Sunday.

To me, it seemed like a normal rain, but I don’t have a personal basement to worry about. I gave up any thought of outdoor activities and stuck to reading, TV, etc. I figured I’d be grateful if this rain, plus a few others that preceded it, would put a dent in the severe drought conditions.

As of July 11, Chicago was still abnormally dry, but look at the difference.

June 10, 2023:

Yellowing dry grass on Chicago Lakefront Trail
Chicago Lakefront Trail at 57th Street

Same area, July 9, 2023, a little less than a month later:

Green grass instead of dry yellow grass in the same area
Same area

When I noticed the orange light on my weather radio flashing the evening of July 12, I was hoping for beach hazards or at worst a flash flood watch, but, no, it was a tornado watch. As the sky got darker, it flipped to the red light — tornado warning. Not long after that, the sirens started — an eerie sound in the eerie premature twilight.

Over the next hour or so I saw several reports of tornadoes, starting with Summit in the southwest suburbs. Then it seemed like they were everywhere — southwest, west, north.

The sky brightened for a moment, then darkened, then brightened again just as another brief deluge descended. I looked — yes, there was a rainbow (and a very faint second mirror image rainbow). It faded, then reappeared, or maybe it was a second one in a similar spot. The second, with a faint mirror image like the first, was the full arch, which I couldn’t capture from my window.

It faded as blue sky appeared to the east, then pink from the setting sun tinged the clouds that had piled up.

The storms had passed.

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Time: 19:45
Rainbow at Promontory Point
Second rainbow at Promontory Point
Time: 19:51
Second rainbow at Promontory Point
Clouds over Lake Michigan to the east after the storms
Time: 20:05
Clouds over Lake Michigan to the east after the storms
Pink-tinged clouds to the east over Lake Michigan reflecting sunset
Time: 20:22
Pink-tinged clouds to the east over Lake Michigan reflecting sunset
July 17, 2023 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Photography, Weather Tagged Chicago, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, Lake Michigan, photo, Promontory Point, rainbow, sunset, weather Reply

“Walk with a Future Doc” at Promontory Point

July 23, 2022

Chicago Parks Foundation is sponsoring “Walk with a Future Doc” at a couple of parks, including Promontory Point. The inaugural walk had three future doctors (in the middle). The sky threatened rain, and when it began to thunder it was time to hightail it home. We got probably a half mile in and information about sleep health as well as a great photo. I missed the next one (every two weeks) as I’m forgetful and it was too hot for me, but maybe later this month I’ll try it again.

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“Walk with a Future Doc” (or three) at Promontory Point
August 10, 2022 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Weather Tagged Chicago Park District, health, Hyde Park, photo, Promontory Point, weather Reply

Steelworkers Park and Jackson Park

words and images Posted on August 29, 2021 by dlschirfSeptember 18, 2023
August 29, 2021

Steelworkers Park doesn’t seem to get much traffic, but on this day a family was having a picnic not far from the sculpture. It turned out to be Roman Villarreal, the artist. A former steelworker from a young age, he posed with his work.

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Roman Villarreal with Tribute to the Past

I realized Mr. Villarreal had been behind this gem at Big Marsh Park.

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Animal-themed sculpture by Roman Villarreal at Big Marsh Park
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Animal-themed sculpture by Roman Villarreal at Big Marsh Park

Back to Steelworkers Park: Some of the old infrastructure has been repurposed into a climbing wall.

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After a summer storm on the way back, a rainbow appeared, mandating a stop at Jackson Park near La Rabida Children’s Hospital.

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Rainbow over Lake Michigan seen from Jackson Park near La Rabida
Posted in Adventure, Blog | Tagged Chicago, Chicago Park District, Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, nature, photo, rainbow | Leave a reply

“Seeing the Parks Through the Eyes of the Community”: Chicago Parks Foundation

The Chicago Parks Foundation featured one of my Sherman Park photos in their Instagram series, “Seeing the Parks Through the Eyes of the Community.” I am flattered.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chicago Parks Foundation (@chiparksfdn)

March 15, 2021 by dlschirf Posted in Adventure, Blog, Photography Tagged Chicago, Chicago Park District, photo, wildlife Reply

Google Maps, part 2: Sherman Park

Earlier, I had posted my Google Maps photos that had been viewed 10,000 or more times. In many cases, that milestone took awhile, months or even years. For this photo, however, reaching 10,000 views took about a week. This is Sherman Park in Chicago, designed by John Charles Olmsted, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., and Daniel Burnham — any of those names sound familiar? History of Sherman Park here. Canada geese love the lagoon, which was open in places and icy in others.

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Sherman Park, Chicago Park District — 11,655 views as of today

December 31, 2020 by dlschirf Posted in Adventure, Blog, Photography Tagged Chicago, Chicago Park District, photo, wildlife Reply

Storm damage in Jackson Park

From the August 10 storms that swept through around 4 p.m. The Flamingo lost a dead tree and most of a live one.

August 10, 2020 storm
August 10, 2020 storm
9 photos
August 12, 2020 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Weather Tagged Chicago, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, photo, weather Reply

Pollinator Week (2020)

words and images Posted on June 24, 2020 by dlschirfJune 23, 2022

I almost missed Pollinator Week. I think I’m going to make last year’s posts evergreen. Enjoy.

Untitled
Posted in Blog, Nature | Tagged butterfly, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, photo, Pollinator Week, wildlife | Leave a reply

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Copyright © 1996–2023 Diane Schirf. Photographs and writing mine unless noted.
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