Pickled for Passvoer

Pickling Spices, Salmon, and Onions, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

It's not just celebrants at the Seder who get pickled for Passover.  Every year we make pickled salmon, just as Marc's family has done for generations.  This is a close-up of how it looks right before we pour the pickling brine on it.  After 7-10 days, it's ready for eating!

A Big Splash

Aqua Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA

With its wave-like balconies, the eighty-two story Aqua makes a big splash on the Chicago skyline.

Studying the Heavens

Adler Planetarium on Lake Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, USA

When we arrived at the Adler Planetarium, it was raining cats and dogs.  The rain just wouldn't stop.  While we were studying the heavens inside, the rain poured from the heavens outside.  Just as we finished our visit, the sky cleared and it became a spectacular summer afternoon on Lake Michigan.

Warm and Happy

Smile in the Snow, Evergreen, Colorado, USA

We don't know what the groundhog saw a few weeks ago, but we are glad to see the ice and snow melting and the temperature rising to milder levels.

Name that Flower

Flower, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

We found this flower near the base of a "beehive" formation at Zion National Park.  We have no idea what kind of flower it is, but it sure is unusual and beautiful.

Night Swim

Swimming Pool and Hot Tub, Springdale, Utah, USA

The swimming pool and hot tub at the Majestic View Lodge were not empty this day because it was cold, or dirty, or uninviting.  These were empty because neither could compete with the scenery all around.  After dark, when travelers had completed a day of touring Zion National Park, the pool and hot tub came alive and we were rewarded with soothing waters and a beautiful night sky.

Celebrity Convenience

Men's Bathroom, Los Angeles, California, USA

This bathroom at the historic Los Angeles Athletic Club is a real throwback to a different era.  The building dates back to 1912, but we suspect this bathroom has been renovated many times since.

Over the years, many movie stars and famous athletes (many Olympians) have belonged to the club.  In this room, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and Johnny Weissmuller may have discussed their next picture or stunt.

Weissmuller, like fellow club member Esther Williams, was an award winning swimmer who parlayed athletic prowess into a movie career.

Where Are the Plains?

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA

While we see no waving wheat and no open plains for the wind to come rushing down, we can see that you're doing fine Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city in Oklahoma.  The North Canadian River (bottom of the photo) passes through the city and is temporarily renamed the Oklahoma River for those few miles.

Like so many aerial photos taken from a commercial airliner, the original shot was washed out.  We used Picasa's I'm Feeling Lucky filter to enhance the photo's colors and contrast.

Start Your Day Right

French Toast, Springdale, Utah, USA

When you're on vacation, there is nothing so good as a filling breakfast to start your day.  A nutritious, well balanced breakfast is also important.  This delicious French Toast breakfast at Wildcat Willies included a starch (toast), protein (whipped cream), and fruit.  What could be healthier?

Orange You Thankful?

Sweet Potatoes, Portland, Maine, USA

This Thursday is Thanksgiving in the USA and there's a good chance we'll be eating sweet potatoes.  Between sweet potatoes, carrot souffles, and pumpkin pies, it's surprising that we don't all turn orange after our Thanksgiving feasts.

Saucy Cooking

Thunderbird Restaurant, Mount Carmel, Utah, USA

We didn't eat at the Thunderbird Restaurant, but we did like their colorful sign.

Somewhere in the Middle of the Nowhere

Pottery Gallery, Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia, USA

While aimlessly roaming the back roads of North Georgia, we discovered the Mark of the Potter gallery along the Soquee River.  The gallery is large and sits atop an old mill.  Here is their relaxing back porch overlooking the river where we could watch the water and feed the trout.  Despite the remoteness, the gallery has been in the same spot for over four decades and is worth a look next time you're on Georgia Highway 197.

Sunny and Warm Paris

Eiffel Tower, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Like all things in the modern Las Vegas, the Paris Las Vegas hotel and casino is an evocative fantasy.  With a half-size Eiffel Tower and architecture and decor reminiscent of Paris, this Gallic fantasy sits directly across from the Bellagio's Lake Como (from where this photo was taken) and just down the strip from the Venetian's Venice.

Living in the City

Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA

This little roadway in Chicago near Millennium Park is a hodgepodge of 20th Century urban living.  From the fire escapes, to the lack of natural daylight, to the narrow roadway, this showcases how folks lived and worked in the earlier days of cities.  Naturally, these buildings are still in use, but this style of living has been replaced by more bright and airy ideas.

A Wild Virgin

Virgin River, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

The Virgin River runs wild for just a few weeks of the year.  Most of the time, it is but as trickle.  This photo was taken during a very busy time for the river, which shaped much of the surrounding scenery.

Reflecting on Michigan

Marina, Chicago, Illinois, USA

These boats were quietly awaiting their next jaunt out onto the open water of Lake Michigan.  This protected marina made the water seem almost glassy on a very windy day.

Green In Between

Seashore, Mackworth Island, Maine, USA

The multicolored rocks on the shore of Mackworth Island are teeming with algae.  Even up close, the sun, algae, water, and rocks combine to make a lovely scene.  We love walking in and around the island whenever we're up near Falmouth and Portland.

Succulent Strawberries

Strawberries, Hod HaSharon, Israel

These freshly picked strawberries were incredibly juicy and delicious.  We could have eaten buckets of these!

Frozen Nuts

Squirrel, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

We spied this squirrel eating nuts from a feeder in the snow.

A Quiet Show

Bryce Amphitheater, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA

This amphitheater has no seats and the performances are unscripted and ever changing.  The stars are the hoodoos spotlit by the sun (or moon).  We could spend hours sitting and watching this show.