going north

Three days ago, a city view out my window was only to be imagined. And now -- it's the new normal. And yet even in these handful of days, each time I look outside, that same set of buildings is completely different, depending on the time of the day and the weather.

One last set of photos then: the skyline just before dawn...






... and then again, just after sunrise.






My Chicago daughter and her husband return to work today and me -- I return to Madison. Originally I was going to travel back in the afternoon, but in the end, I decide to leave earlier. I've had my great fill of the city. I'm anxious to unpack and set things in order back home.

Breakfast: again, I'm the first one down and again, it looks like a morning straight out of Paris.






I glance out the hotel lounge window. There's the El that I should be catching back to the airport. Of course, the more popular traffic pattern right now is toward Chicago's downtown.






I'm packed. I head out. One last glance up this neighborhood's main commercial artery...






... and now I'm at the El station. Not in a hurry. Not glancing nervously to check on the time. I've given myself plenty of time. For once, I have it  -- time.






And then puff! I'm on the bus, going north.

The snow has melted substantially since I left on Saturday. Ed picks me up at the bus stop and as we drive to the farmette, I think how quickly something can change for you. In a rural landscape, you notice this constantly: raise the temperature a handful of degrees and everything looks different.






And of course, it is so good to be home. Even as I have wisps of longing to be there with the city people. Never mind. The distances, by American standards are small. They'll be up here soon and I'll be down there again, and so it continues. And that's such a good thing!