Catchin' some perch...

So Brendan, Juan and I were hiking down the pier in Waukegan, it's like, oh, 150 degrees or it felt like it. The sun was blasting its heat on the top of our heads and as we walked by these two kids, Juan nonchalantly asks, "Catch anything?" They answer, "Yeah."
And for some reason, we keep walking, we all didn't listen for their answer. They were fishing so close to the shore and docks (see in background) that I personally wouldn't think any fish would come that far in and in warmer water. So the one red-haired boy yells at us, "I said Yeah!" and all three of us come to a dead halt, back-up and, of course we are all over these kids, "How many did you get?" "Where are they?" and up they pull a string of fish. "Cool, we all say." "That's great!" "Good job!" "Who's going to clean them?" "Are you going to eat them tonight?" (We all love kids).

This is one of the greatest shots I ever took. I wish I could of got a release. I could of sent it into the local paper. Don't they look happy and proud? It's a day in the life of an American boy.

By the way, I started a part-time job so I won't be posting every day anymore. So anyone who is linked to me and pulls me off because I'm not posting a picture a day-I won't cry.

Catching some lunch by Lake Michigan

On the left is my friend Juan (pronounced Ha-Juan to all Hispanics) and on the right, Brendan who is going to Graduate school in the fall to study Urban Planning. He has worked with the homeless population in Waukegan for the past year and before that was a social worker in Boston. He's smart and has a dry sense of humor. Juan is a also a case manager and is never without a joke or smile. He comes from Waukegan and has 13 bothers and sisters. His family was one of the first in Waukegan to immigrate from Puerto Rico. As we drive back to work Brendan and I are always indundated with murderous facts pertaining to various houses-"There was a murder in that house, and that one had a..." (details always follow). Today on our way back, as we were going down a street he told a gruesome tale of his cousin, who was riding his bike out into the road and not paying attention. He got hit sideways by a semi truck. You can probably imagine the gruesome details here, but Juan also said that this cousin was also his only friend as a child. Juan was a chubby kid who loved food and hated bathing. I threw in, "and you didn't brush your teeth, right?" he responds with a quick, "What for?!" So he was a smelly fat kid with bad breath and like Juan said, his cousin accepted him and was his friend. Juan said he cried so hard and so loud at the funeral his Mom made him leave.

contemplation man

Keeping in Shape

Rocks on the shores of Lake Michigan

Daucus Crota

Known also as Queen Anne's Lace, Wild Carrot, or Bird's Nest.

The common carrot was developed from an Asiatic form of this wild flower. The crushed leaves have a carrot odor and the roots have a carrot taste, though they are very tough. All of this led to its other common name, "wild carrot."

Typically, Queen Anne's lace is found in dry fields and along roadsides. It can grow to heights of five feet. The white flowering flat-topped umbel of the Queen Anne's lace makes it easy to spot.

This information taken directly from: http://www.all-creatures.org

a haiku about shoes

shoes hang over line
under the blue and white sky
dangling there still

South Milwaukee

Antioch, Illinois-view from a hill

The Lost Sandal

it's Lake Michigan

A Haiku about Dino

Dinosaur at night
Dinosaur with handles white
Green dino at night

Gennessee Street, Waukegan, Illinois

shadows, sandals, and shells on the beach

South Milwaukee near the old train station

Kid in a Pink Shirt

Here is my son, Matthew. We went on a bike ride tonight and went way too far. We had a blast, though. We started at 6 and got back at 9 at night. With $2 we muddled through with a bottle of water and a Snickers bar. We are thinking of starting a photo blog called 'kid in a pink shirt.' He had to be in every shot-which is fine and funny. He also had to take a lot of the pictures. Now he wants a camera for his birthday.

Saying good-bye to Leo

Here is Leonel, from Mexico, studying to be a Priest at the local seminary. He is going back to Mexico tomorrow to visit his 11 brothers and sisters and his mom and dad. We call him Father Leo and have inundated him with American food. Among the most exotic to him, Taco Bell. His favorite is the all you can eat Jumbo Buffet. Today we feasted on hamburgers and french fries at a lunch stand in North Chicago. The population is getting very Mexican so instead of a pickle with your burger you get hot peppers. Leo is always a good one to take a bite of a pepper. His eyes were watering when I took this shot.

Waukegan fences

The Boat Launch, Oak Creek Wisconsin

View from a hot dog stand-North Chicago