DeStewart

Pearl Jam? No. Bjork? Nei. Chicago Brass Band? Yes!

Music

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On the same night that Pearl Jam and Bjork performed at local venues, we did what (almost) any parents of a three-year-old would do: we opted for an easy five-minute trip to a nearby park for a performance by the Chicago Brass Band. What was the appeal? Free admission, ample space to unfurl a blanket, and easy access to a public restroom. The importance of this last point was underscored when the kiddo made an announcement toward the end of “Death or Glory” (listen for it at the 2:45 mark).

 

 

The accompaniment of cicadas provided a summery backdrop to this turn-of-the-century American march. The song, penned by Maine native Robert Browne Hall, is particularly popular in the UK but sounds nothing likeĀ The Clash track of the same name.

Star-spangled princess inspecting a roly-poly bug

Family

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Ain’t that America.
Isla Jasmine

Equal parts creepy and cool

Environment

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Whenever it rains, a mysterious smiley face appears on the trunk of a maple tree in our front yard.

It’s a bit unsettling. And yet I like it.
Happy tree

Still hounding after all these years

Animals

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Pound for pound the finest hound around, Emerson Archibald is celebrating his 16th birthday today. He’s treating the special occasion like any other day — that is, by sleeping at least 20 hours. Perhaps that’s the secret to his longevity.

Emerson Archibald

Balloon glow therapy

Special Events

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After enduring overpriced parking, a shoulder-to-shoulder shuttlebus ride, and a grumpifying slog through the security line, I vowed to never again attend the Eyes to the Skies Festival. But then, at dusk, they illuminated a dozen hot air balloons all at once, and my frustration faded away. The event also inspired a highly cerebral text exchange between my wife and me when we got separated.

Humpty Dumpty

Balloon

Featherworks

Special Events

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Inspiration through experimentation: I discovered that a cool feathering effect can be achieved when photographing fireworks by keeping the camera shutter open for 10 to 20 seconds.

Featherworks

Cardboard creativity on the high seas of Lake Ellyn

Special Events

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A quartet of Boy Scouts, two mustachioed, prepare to set sail at the 20th Annual Lake Ellyn Cardboard Regatta. At a glance, these fellas look like the cast of Stand by Me.

Boy ScoutsThe English major in me liked this Thoreau-inspired boat best, a paddle stroke ahead of the highly inspired S.S. Udderly Dead Cow (the image for which I had to piece together using two photographs).

Madison > Bloomington

Neighborhoods

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For many years Bloomington has been my favorite Midwestern college town. But after an hour hoofing it in Wisconsin’s capital, I’m ready to hand the crown to Madison. Sailboats, food trucks, and ivy-covered walls — all in the shadow of a majestic capitol dome. I’ll take it.

Madison

Firepit. Wife. 30-second exposure.

Family

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And an excessively large home being constructed next door.

Firepit and wife

Gooses

Family

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Proof that the mangling of the English language can be adorable, so long as the mangler is a squeaky-voiced toddler who sings with gusto.