March 28, 2013 St. Patrick's Day with a California Girl on the Partially Frozen Tundra of the Indiana Dunes

March 17th St. Paddy's Day - I am sitting in the back seat with my dogs because Chrissy and my cousin Michelle are sitting in the front seats. This gave me a chance to take pictures of my goofy dog Oslo while he stuck his head out the window.

 Michelle refused to stick her head out the window because it is an unseasonably cold day, even for Chicago.

 We ended up at the Indiana Dunes State Park and hiked Trail 7 from the Nature Center to the beach.

 The forested areas aren't very colorful this time of year so I did a few shots as black & white.

 Michelle, who lives in California but currently goes to school in Oklahoma, was very happy to be on a beach.

Roxie dragging Michelle down the dunes.

Oslo having a nice cold drink.

 We walked along the beach enjoying the views, the ice and the sunshine.

 Oslo checking on everyone and waiting for them to catch up.

 Chrissy & Roxie walking along the beach.

 

 

 As we headed back to the trail...

 ...Michelle slowed down, taking her time along the shore...

...Chrissy & Roxie were way ahead of us. So Oslo & I sat down on the beach. I took pictures as Michelle walked along the shore. She had told me how much she missed the beach. I fully understood. I told her how I can spend hours during the winter on the beach. The solitude is very relaxing. Today the waves crashing over the shelf ice were entertaining. So I sat and enjoyed my time on the beach and I think she did the same thing as she meandered down the shoreline seemingly deep in thoughts of her own.

 Obviously, there are not any deep thoughts in this goofball's giant head.

 

 After our hike, we had pulled pork sandwiches at Smokey's Southern BBQ ...

...then me and the dogs grabbed a little nap on the way back home.

 ...



March 25,2013 Winter Adventures 2013

 

February 3, 2013 Indiana Dunes

 

 After a record number of days without snow, it finally snowed. Here we are hiking Trail 8 at the Indiana Dunes.

The girls running down a dune.

 Unlike last winter, Lake Michigan has frozen over this year.

 Walking into a strong wind with Oslo.

 

Walking along the frozen edge of the lake.



 Chrissy cooling down after climbing the stairs up a dune.

Oslo cooling down by eating the snow.

 

February 17, 2013 The Hockey City Classic at Soldier Field

 

 Here's Eric & Chrissy during the first game which was between Chrissy's Alma Mater, Miami of Ohio and Notre Dame. 

 We sat in the south end zone, but the sun was behind us...

 ...so we joined the McDonnell clan in the sun filled north end zone.

It turned out to be just as cold in the sun but we stuck it out for almost six hours...

...so with the sun setting over the city and Wisconsin leading by three goals...

...we left for an amusing and amazing dinner at the very warm Mercat A La Planxa. It turned out that Eric & I didn't bring our reading glasses so we had to pass Chrissy's glasses around the table so we could order our dinners. The waitress was very amused. A pitcher or two of sangria had all of us laughing.

 

March 2, 2013 Bronnell Woods

 

 Oslo was tracking deer through the snow...

...while Roxie tried to keep up.

 

March 3, 2013 Indiana Dunes

 

It turned into a beautiful winter morning as we hiked out on Trail 10 and took Trail 2 back. One of my best friends Mike, joined us for a relaxing walk on a winter day.

 

March 6, 2013 Another Big Snow Storm

Oslo's prayers to the snow Gods continue to be answered.

 

March 16, 2013 63rd Street Beach

Due to the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Get Lucky 21K run along the lakefront trail, I could not find parking from Lincoln Park all the way down to the 31st Street Beach. So we ended up at the 63rd Street Beach on a miserable blustery morning. But thanks to the wind and waves, all the shelf ice was thrown up onto the beach. It was an interesting walk along the shore.