PRECIOUS SUNNY DAY

This has been the longest, grayest winter in my long memory. Thankfully and at last, a beautiful sunny and spring-like day in Chicago. I grabbed my camera and took a stroll down to the Lake and on up a bit, towards Lincoln Park, my usual route.

I have to admit that the moment I stepped out of my building I nearly wept. Veils of tender green leaves on small trees on my street were illuminated by the afternoon sun. Glorious.

Lake Shore Drive was full of dog-walkers, joggers, old folks on bikes they rented from Lincoln Park. The flowers in the well-landscaped fronts of buildings and boulevards had yet to be in full bloom but we know it’s coming at last.

Going up Lake Shore Drive to the park and turning left brings you to Astor Street. Here, just across the street from the beginning of Lincoln Park, is a gigantic mansion known as The Cardinal’s Mansion, formerly home to important clergy and owned by the Catholic Diocese of Chicago. Presently, I believe only a single individual resides there. Its address covers the entire portion of the block between State and Astor.

Not far down State, turning the corner at State and West North Avenue, is one of my favorite front doors in the Gold Coast neighborhood.

There are little gems everywhere you look-unusual windows, fences, gates, building ornament, but sometimes you come upon something a bit different than expected. Here are two that I found on this walk, one a bit incongruous for the Gold Coast and one a reminder that no matter how lovely a place we live in, others are finding their lovely places destroyed.

An unexpected Lake Shore Drive testament to neglect.

Just off Lake Shore Drive