Flowers – confined and enclosed for a period of time
Gearing up to unravel their very best in the garden.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent.
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On the Brink
Butterfly Meadow – Valparaiso, Indiana Garfield Conservatory Garfield Conservatory Gabis Arboretum -
Bashful Stare
The Bashful Stare
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Peace and Tranquility
A stunning sunset across a calm Lake Michigan makes for a magnificent end to the day.
Michigan City Lighthouse Peace and tranquility at the Michigan City Lighthouse in Indiana.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Launch to Adventure
A launch to adventure
may take on different
modes of transportation.Which one would you choose?
A boat, airplane, or feet?
“Walking is the only form
of transportation
in which a man proceeds erect
on his own legs,
under his own power.
There is immense satisfaction
in that.”– Edward Abbey
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
After the Snowfall
After the snowfall, the world around me stood motionless and becalmed in the coldness of winter.
Images captured earlier this month on Dunbar Beach – Indiana Dunes National Park.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Shades of Gray
Lately, I have been fiddling with black & white photography in Lightroom. One thing that has surprised me is how varying shades of gray can greatly affect the contrast or hard edge between light and darkness.
Dunbar Beach – Indiana Dunes National Park The more I learn about photography, the more I realize just how much I don’t know.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Crack the Whip
Children having fun at Navy Pier.
Crack the Whip – Sculpture at Chicago’s Navy Pier, created by J. Seward Johnson, Jr.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
In the Desert Garden
Garfield Conservatory 
Oak Park Conservatory 
Matthaei Botanical Gardens Beauty In the Desert Garden
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Boulders of Lava
Waves from the Pacific Ocean crash against the boulders of lava on the shores of Maui.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
The Calmest Place
The calmest place to be is in the center of the will of God.
Images captured on the beaches of San Jose del Cabo in November of 2020.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Hovering in the Garden
Looking back to summer at Gabis Arboretum, full of vibrant colors and bees hovering in the garden.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Anticipation
My favorite time of day is early mornings and watching the slow change from night to day. I love the anticipation as the sunshine comes up over the horizon and brings warmth to the day and reflections on the water. Darkness overtaken by light is what I call progress.
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.”
– HELEN KELLER –
The two photos above were taken earlier this winter before the Great Marsh was frozen solid. The Great Marsh Trail is an easy 1.3 mile hike at the Indiana Dunes National Park. If you are a birdwatcher, bring your binoculars. You won’t be disappointed.
This last image was captured from the public boat dock at Long Lake in Valparaiso, Indiana. It is the only public access point that I have found along this lake. With all the rest of the lakefront sitting on private property, it is not an ideal place for a walk along the water’s edge but it is perfect for a beautiful and peaceful spot to watch the sunrise.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Seeing Double
Reflections along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile
Seeing double, anyone?
Posted for Weekend Street/Reflections #56 and Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – Candid
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Is It a Finch or Sparrow?
So interesting! I came across this bird while in Maui last month. According to Merlin Bird ID, it is called a Java Sparrow but it is actually an endangered finch. Hmmm, a bit odd don’t you think? Wonder how that happened.
Is it a Finch or Sparrow? Many thanks to Photos by Donna who has helped me multiple times with bird identification, including on this cute Java Sparrow.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Frozen Lake Michigan
Looking out at a frozen Lake Michigan from the snow covered sand at Dunbar Beach – Indiana Dunes National Park.
Captured on February 5, 2022. Today, there is a bit less snow on the ground and Lake Michigan is no longer frozen solid enough to safely walk on water.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Exposed Against Blue Skies
Architectural lines, towering and exposed against blue skies. First one built in 2007 in Chicago, the Aqua Tower was designed by Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang Architects.
Below, topped with a Romanesque dome, stands the Mercer Building in Louisville, Kentucky. Next to it is the easily recognizable, Wrigley Building on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Gems in the Garden
Gems in the Garden – Flowers in shades of amethyst .
Four flowers from four different gardens and captured last year, 2021. The first three images were growing miles apart from each other in Chicago. The first petunia was found right in the middle of downtown Chicago at Millennium Park’s Lurie Garden . Next to it is an orchid from the Chicago Botanic Garden. A darker shade of amethyst on the bottom left, this orchid was showing off its colors at Garfield Conservatory. The second petunia on the bottom right was closer to home at Ogden Gardens in Valparaiso, Indiana.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Darkness of the Pacific
A visit to the Maui Ocean Center last month gave us a glimpse of a kaleidoscope of colors in the darkness of the Pacific Ocean.
Maui has been checked off my list of dream plans for 2022. Where should I go next?
Hiking part of the Appalachian Trail is still at the top of my list. Maybe this year? I highly doubt it but one can dream.
“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”
– MARTIN BUBER –
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Summit of Haleakala
Getting up three hours before sunrise for an hour drive to the summit of Haleakala volcano to watch the drama unfold as the sun burst through the clouds was so worth the effort.
This was our second trip to Maui’s Haleakala National Park, so we were prepared for the 30-40 degree temperature difference from our hotel to the top of the volcano . These shots were taken four minutes apart from the same spot with a camera angle change of about 30 degrees to the northeast on the one below.
Images were captured last month on January 6, 2022.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Daydreaming in Chicago
Spent a fun weekend in Chicago recently with my hubby and we met up with a very relaxed Max Redman.
Waiting to greet us in our hotel room was this little guy, hanging on the wall. He was so adorable that I decided to name him Max Redman. Max seems to be daydreaming in Chicago, don’t you think?
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Beauty to Come
Surrounded by snowy whiteness, I am looking forward to the warmth of spring and buds to flowers bursting forth in beauty.
I came across these pretty flowers last September, 2021 at Ogden Gardens in Valparaiso, Indiana.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Two By Two
Even as much time as I spend out on the trails, it still thrills me when I get a snapshot of birds in their natural setting, two by two.
The house finches and wood ducks were watching me on one of my usual treks, the Great Marsh at the Indiana Dunes National Park. The blue herons were quite at home at Kensington Metropark in Michigan. Now, I am clueless on the last pair of birds. I took that photo last month while in Maui and I don’t think I’ve ever seen this type of bird before. Appreciate help with identification on that pair and/or corrections on the others.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
Then He Was Down
It seems that even having fun can have unwanted ramifications as demonstrated by this surfer enjoying a warm January day on the Pacific Ocean.
Standing tall one second. Then, he was down the next!
Yes, this was one of those times that using burst mode on my camera resulted in an unplanned image from Maui’s beautiful Wailea Beach.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent. -
A Fresh Start
I love mornings! There is something so special about being out on the trails as the sunrise pops up over the horizon. The thought of enjoying a whole new day brings a smile to my face.
Morning of Mystery – Indiana Dunes National Park The same is true when I think about starting a new blogging site. I have missed being here for the last few months but have also reveled in a bit of time to reflect. Now, I am back and off to a fresh start. This is the first of many posts to come.
After the Snow – Indiana Dunes National Park “An early morning walk is a blessing
– Henry David Thoreau –
for the whole day.”
Promise of Warmth to Come – Rogers Lakewood Park Changes are exciting sometimes and I almost forgot to tell you about one small change. Other than a new domain and site, there’s also a change on my blog site and profile. Those of you who have followed me in the past, know that my given name is Irene Tron. All my close friends and family call me “Pepper”. So my profile will show me as Pepper. Feel free to refer to me as either.
© Irene Tron/Heavens Sunshine. All photos are my own.
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent.