On Sunday, July 6, 2025, Chicago’s Shia Muslim Community observed Āshūrā (عَاشُورَاء) in Daley Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali, the prophet Muhammad’s grandson.
All in Flowers
On Sunday, July 6, 2025, Chicago’s Shia Muslim Community observed Āshūrā (عَاشُورَاء) in Daley Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali, the prophet Muhammad’s grandson.
Chicago’s Ukrainian community commemorated Mother’s Day with a rally in Jane Byrne Park (location of the historic water tower). The moms were out with their kids, handing out flowers to shoppers on Michigan Avenue while pleading Ukraine’s case. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day.
Today, I attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration marking the six-month anniversary of the war between Israel and Hamas that began on October 7, 2024. Here are my thoughts about and images from today’s demonstration.
Saturday afternoon Chicago’s Ukrainian Community celebrated Ukrainian Independence Day with a march, followed by a rally along the Chicago River. Flags, K-Poppers, and Ukrainian War Veterans showed up, together with 2,000 demonstrators. Here are my thoughts about and observations from the day’s events
I made my third trip to Highland Park yesterday. The downtown had reopened. Two vigils were scheduled. Here are my thoughts and images from the day
Air Flows Past a Plant Resting on a Ledge in the Garfield Park Conservatory
Click on the photograph to enlarge it, and for Jack B. Siegel’s commentary and additional photographs.
Click on the photograph to enlarge it, and for Jack B. Siegel’s commentary and additional photographs
Click on the photograph to enlarge it and for Jack B. Siegel’s commentary and additional photographs—all infrared.
Click on the photograph to enlarge is and for Jack B. Siegel’s background commentary.
Click on the photograph to enlarge it and for Jack B. Siegel’s commentary.
Click on the photograph to enlarge it and for additional commentary]
The 3-acre Washington Square Park sits just south of the Newberry Library. The American Land Development Company donated the land to the City of Chicago in 1842 for a public park. It hoped to make the area more attractive for high-end residential development. While its intentions were good, the Company probably never envisioned that the park would be a center for boisterous vocal debate, attracting what today might be described as left-wingers and Occupy Wall Street types. The resulting racket probably was not the first preference of local residents.
[Click on the photograph to enlarge it and for additional commentary]
It was an unusually cold day today, with the driving winds whipping the willow tree branches about and chilling the air and my hands. Not a good day for outdoor macro photography. Nor did I find it a particularly good day for photographs providing overviews of the Japanese or English gardens. The light was just too cold and harsh.