Baby Apple

This is probably one of the last apples to ever grow on the ancient apple tree in my backyard.  Though we love the tree, it has suffered from years of abuse.  Insects, disease, woodpeckers, people, and squirrels have wreaked havoc on the old man tree over the years.  Large sections of the tree are dead, and the squirrels leave us virtually no apples to enjoy in the fall.  Scores of immature apples litter the grass, each plucked by a squirrel, only to be tasted once and dumped.  What a waste.  Recently, I noticed a section of tree up high where an animal (squirrel) has been chewing the live bark off.  Teeth marks and all. 

The tree will probably go next year.  But for now, it keeps pushing on, bearing fruit in the face of adversity.

Rooftop Balloons

Key Personnel, U.S. Cellular

The Grayland Theatre

The Grayland Theatre, 3940 N Cicero Ave, was built in 1909 and opened as a theater in 1912.  Much like the nearby Jefferson Nickelodeon, this was a small, single screen theater that featured silent films accompanied by live organ.  Designed by architect William Ohlhaber, it probably was the premiere theater in the area until 1920, when the much larger and fancier Portage Park Theater (later shortened to Portage Theater) opened just around the corner on Milwaukee Ave.  Today, the building houses Rasenick's, a work and utility clothing store.  I first wondered about the building in the summer of 2007, when I visited Rasenick's for the first time.  I was to pick up a pair of safety shoes for work, so a coworker and I stopped by on our break.  Entering the building, I noticed that a segment of the drop ceiling was missing, revealing a gorgeous ornate terra cotta design along the wall and ceiling.  When I went home later that day to investigate, I learned that in fact this was once a theater.  On a return trip, I asked the manager of the store if he had any information regarding the history of the building.  He was well aware of its cinematic past, and told me that before it opened as Rasenick's in the late 70's, it was a delicatessen for a number of years.  He had worked at the store since it opened in (I believe) 1978, or, as he assured, "before (I) was born". 

One very intriguing feature of the former theater is the area of facade which is covered in several peices of sheet metal.  This looks very much like where an epigraph or small marquee would have been.  The manager of the store assured me there was nothing behind it.  But I think there is...otherwise, there's no need to obliterate a blank section of the facade.  I understand if Rasenick's wants to call their business Rasenick's and not Grayland Theatre, but one day I would love to be there if and when they remove the sheet metal to take a peak at just what is there, hiden in secrecy. 

Upon further research, I found a very interesting story regarding the Grayland Theater, as told by Dan Kelly (http://www.mrdankelly.com/, http://www.chicagosteppes.com/).  Mr. Kelly has done some extensive research in this theater, and other local points of interest as well.  One fascinating anecdote on the Grayland Theater, as told by Dan Kelly:

"Albert Schmidt was unhappy with his recent purchase.

It was October 26, 1926, and he’d just called the previous owner of the Grayland Theater, Samuel Wertheimer, telling him to get over to the place as soon as possible that night. He was having a problem with the ventilation system, and he needed Wertheimer to come over and explain the cockamamie—or whatever expression they used back then—thing to him.

Wertheimer, we must assume, was wary. Schmidt purchased the Grayland only a week before for $4,000. While business was reportedly good—a film was showing when the two men met that day, shortly after 3 p.m.—it wasn’t paying off fast enough. Whether he truly thought he’d recoup the money in that short a timeframe is open to debate, but according to Wertheimer, Schmidt quickly got cold feet and had asked him twice already to back out of the deal. “Nuts to that banana oil, pally! 23 skidoo!” we can only assume Wertheimer said.

It seems Wertheimer cared enough to answer a few questions about the ventilation system’s operation, though. So maybe the bad blood flowed only on one side. Wertheimer showed up in the Grayland’s lobby, then followed Schmidt to the basement. Schmidt indicated the vents, which Wertheimer inspected closely before turning to see… Schmidt standing there with a revolver.

As Wertheimer tells it—and we only have his word for it—Schmidt drew a bead and shot him twice as he tried to run away. Maybe it was dark down there or maybe Schmidt was just a piss-poor shot, but the reluctant theater owner only managed to wing his target, putting a bullet apiece in Wertheimer’s arm and leg. An assumedly distraught, or at the least stressed, Schmidt shot himself, didn’t miss, and died.
Fueled by adrenalin and fear, Wertheimer ran up the stairs, out of the theater, down Cicero Ave. to a local doctor, who bandaged him up while he waited for the cops to arrive.

But that’s not where the story ends.

During the movie, a number of patrons heard the shots, and ran out of the theater (without running into Wertheimer, I suppose). One called the cops. As so often happens during stressful situations, the person making the call got the facts wrong, and instead of reporting a shooting/suicide, this nameless individual reported a riot. Two people had been shot by an unknown assailant, he or she said, and the gunman had barricaded himself in the basement. Seven squads of cops mounted up, armed for rioting bears with guns and “tear bombs,” piled into their cars and headed for Grayland. Some of the cops made it to the theater to discover the cooling corpse of Albert Schmidt.

Others did not.

One of the squads headed west on Addison, sirens howling and lights blazing. Meanwhile, Cecil Chapel, his wife, and and two kids were heading north on Lincoln, probably returning to their northwest side home on Kedvale. Both, according the article, got the yellow light, and both continued driving through the intersection. They collided, adding a bit more blood and broken bodies to the story. Officer Walter Riley, 28, was critically injured and died on his way to the hospital. Meanwhile Chapel and his family, as well as officers Thomas Alcock and George Hennesy were seriously injured. No further details on what became of them, though an accompanying photo made it clear things didn’t look good for Alcock (“AUTO VICTIM. Sergt. Tom Alcock, near death from injuries received in crash”). Ripples expanding outwards from a central pebble of violence cast by Albert Schmidt (listed in his obituary a few days later as having “died suddenly”)." (http://www.mrdankelly.com/blog/?p=1530).

Rasenick's:  http://rasenicks.com/home/default.asp

Sounds fair to me.

Bombs away!

A frog in a log in a bog.

Actually, a toad, and yes, IN a log, located in somewhat of a bog.  I have found thousands of toads UNDER logs in my life.  Never have I found a toad INSIDE a log.  A solid log, that is...perhaps just soft enough to allow an amphibian access to the protective pulp within. 

Find the toad (Bufo americanus) in the first photo.  This was taken immediately after I tried to flip the log, but instead broke the top part off, revealing the toad. 

By the way, the toad was returned to its chamber after I snapped a few photos.

Video Land.

Keep low, Doe.

Michigan Sunset

On Vernal Pond

The red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is one of the most common species of songbirds (and birds in general) in most of its range.  I saw a number of them this morning, including this male.  It is hard to get a really good picture of them, since they were wary of me (the crunching of leaves and sticks as I approach doesn't help), and for the time being, I am using only a simple point-and-shoot digital camera with average zooming capabilities.  But, I thought this one turned out pretty good.

 I found this female western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata) underneath some bark.  She wasn't being a willing candidate for my photographic efforts, and even though it was a near-record low of 44 degrees (for mid-May), she was froggy and wouldn't sit still.  This was the best I was able to muster.  These frogs are extremely adaptable and can endure very low temperatures.

 The blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale) is one of my favorite local amphibians.  I always get excited when I find one.  The blue-black combination is so unique to this group of animals.  They are fairly common, but secretive.  I found two today, but since they were nearly identical, I'll leave you with an image of the first.

Apple Blossoms

Yeah, pictures of flowers are all too commonplace and played out.  But, these were on MY apple tree in MY backyard.  So, booyah.  They don't last long- this was taken less than one week ago, and whatever flowers are left on the tree are wilted and dying.

Backyard Lagomorph

This cottontail rabbit (genus Sylvilagus) was squatting in my backyard.  It sat perfectly still as I knowingly walked within a few feet of it while taking out the trash.  I again passed it by when I went back into the house, and again it sat motionless.  Only when I returned with my camera did it become nervous and twitchy- it bounded across the yard toward the house (hence the aluminum siding backdrop), and was very wary (and hairy).  I took a few pictures and tried getting closer before it took off under the fence and returned to urbanization.

Vintage Shelter

Accipiter cooperii

When I arrived home from work and was fiddling for the key to the front door the other day, I heard a commotion in the tree right out front of my house.  I looked up and saw a raptor (no, not a dinosaur adept at opening doors and eating Australian big-game hunters), perched on a limb, beginning to eat a smaller bird.  I'm not all too good with bird identification, so I wasn't sure what it was, but it wasn't anything I've seen before.  I often see red-tailed hawks, but this one was a little smaller and the appearance was way off.  I eventually learned it was a Cooper's Hawk, and a female at that.  I watched as it ate the entire bird (I'm not sure what species the prey was), plucking its dinner's feathers out and sending them fluttering to the ground.  I took some photos, as I'm not sure when I'll witness this again.