A picture is worth a thousand words.

I have always been mesmerized by color.  Vibrant, fun, bold, and energetic colors.  I remember in college my painting teachers always commented on my desire to add extreme color to all my works.  Its no surprise that artists like Monet, Hockney, and Kandinsky are some of my faves.  Something about bright shades of everything just makes me happy- always has, always will.  After I moved into my new apartment I spent each morning staring out the window waiting for the water to boil for my instant coffee (yes, I rely on instant coffee to get me out of the house quick enough in the morning.  A second perk to the speed is also the fact that there isn't anything to clean afterwards) and I'd see the view, the blues and greens, mixed with orange and yellow hues, an occasional pink or purple.  Some mornings had the sun shining brightly, others were more dull, perhaps a little gray or an extreme bunch of clouds covering the natural beauty.  I found that I relied on those early morning moments to get me started on my day, and sometimes to actually push me through the day itself.  Its no secret that this winter in Chicago has been brutal.  In the cold, biting, gruesomely gray days an important moment or boost of color and beauty was a necessity.  I wanted to share these moments with you and remind you all that a picture is worth a thousand words.  I hope you find as much meaning in these shots as I did...