Listening in on Congregation Beth Am Sisterhood's Mah Jongg tournament fundraiser.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

Backstage at Lyric Opera with Magda Krance, Manager of Media Relations, as stagehands dismantle the set used for rehearsal of one opera, install for the evening's performance of a second work, and ferry props for rehearsal of yet another production.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

Derivatives trader Jeff Carter discusses trading the lean hog index on the floor of CME Group, the world's largest futures and options exchange.

Photo and audio by Patricia McMillen

The third time is a charm for Paul Gannello, who tried two other laundromats before finding free washers and dryers at a Humboldt Park laundromat one Sunday afternoon.

Audio by Emily Robinson, Photo by flickr user HungryBackspace.

Lynda Landcaster, Public Information Officer for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, discusses the historic Century of Progress homes located on national park property, as waves rumble on the shoreline below.

Audio, and photo of the Armco-Ferro ('Ferrous') House, by Patricia McMillen

Teamster Horseman Leon Richardson gets ready to ride in Chicago's 2009 Toys for Tots Motorcycle Parade. 

Photo and audio by Patricia McMillen.

Ozzie Feliciano, owner and head pharmacist of Deitch Pharmacy, fills prescriptions for customers on Chicago Ave.

Photo and audio by Emily Robinson

At the Bucktown Apple Pie Contest, Amelia Hyde talks about the baking tradition in her family and what goes into a first prize pie.

Audio by Emily Robinson. Photo by flickr user anjuli_ayer 

From the 98th St. Slip, Captain Larry Van Dusen explains the art of maneuvering barges on the Calumet River using the river switchboat Tanner.

Photo and audio by Patricia McMillen

At the Aurora Skate Center, owner Dan Warner enthuses over the health benefits of roller skating.  (That's Blackhawks organist Frank Pellico in the background, playing the country's only triple-deck, 26-rank Hammond X-66 pipe organ for the rink's Monday night dancers.)

Photo and audio by Patricia McMillen

A Mt. Greenwood area mother discusses her children's fascination with the local park's musical sculptures.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

Rahula Strohl of Nichols Farm and Orchard explains what's kept him engaged selling organic produce at farmer's markets for over twenty years.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

 

Students on the Proviso Math and Science Academy's 2009-2010 'Monty Pythons' Robotics Team discuss the process of building a prototype crab drive.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

Environmentalist Mike Sands tours Prairie Crossing subdivision's all-organic Learning Farm in Grayslake, Illinois.  His harvest of a fresh egg elicits a chorus of disapproval from onlooking hens.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

At The Elmhurst Park District Skate Park, veteran skateboarder Torrance Roach explains what keeps him shredding, and how he makes sure he's ready any time, any place.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

At Midwest SOARRING Foundation's 2009 Harvest Pow-Wow, held in Naperville, Illinois, Menominee Nation Member Mike Pamonicutt discusses his dancing tradition, to the sounds of the Milwaukee Bucks traditional singer-drummers.  A short walk with the microphone demonstrates the bells on Mike's handmade regalia. 

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

Paul Pashuku of the Net & Paddle Club discusses the club's long tradition in promoting table tennis in Chicago.  (Hint:  don't call it 'ping pong'!)

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

Edin Menkovic, a native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, fishes for carp at Montrose Harbor in late September, and discusses Midwestern pole fishing in general.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

Between sets at the 2009 Fox Valley Folk Festival in Geneva, headliner Peggy Seeger discusses her long career in folk music and confesses to being 'a folklorist's nightmare.'

Recording and photo by Patricia McMillen.

Eighth Grader Fiona Fimmel plays harp for fun and profit outside the Oak Park Farmers Market.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

Naturalist Sara Rose feeds an injured red-tailed hawk at Cook County Forest Preserve's Trailside Museum of Natural History, River Forest, IL.

Audio and photo by Patricia McMillen

A visit to Ferrera Pan Candy company in Forest Park uncovers sweet factory sounds and reveals an amazing fact about how much sugar they use everyday.  Can you guess?  Photo and audio by Bria Dolnick.

This guy explains what happens when you want ketchup on your hot dog in Chicago.  Photo by Ian Britton and audio by Bria Dolnick.

An afternoon at Noyes Street Barbershop in Evanston with owner Manny Booge. Audio and photo by Andrea Castillo, Jason Plautz and Brittany Petersen.

Footsteps and sounds from the practice rooms at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. Audio and photo by Sara Fay, Julia Mullen Gordon and Tyler Yarbrough. 

A snapshot into sounds of the Purple Line on a Wednesday. Audio by Andrew Bowen and Sarah Sumadi, photo by Chicago Public Radio Flickr pool member keertmoed.

Patricia McMillen captures her husband Sam Bader ordering dessert at Philanders in Oak Park.  Photo by Roboppy.

It is one of the badges of being a Chicagoan--the early morning (and afternoon, and evening) scraping of ice off your car windows.  Audio by Sarah Lu, photo by Andrew Huff.

A family in Winfield, Illinois unwraps holiday gifts on Christmas morning.  Audio by Jessica Rudis, photo by Flickr member jdeeringdavis.

Brian is a skate guard at the ice rink in Millenium Park in downtown Chicago.  It is not as easy as it sounds...  Audio and photo by Sarah Lu.

Painting and staining isn’t light on skill, and you must have years of experience to be considered for a company. Her latest gig makes this woman think about how much fun she has.  Audio and photo by Erik Roldan.

Songwriting is a personal, revealing and sometimes difficult process.  In addition to staying true to your message, it has to be aurally appealing.  The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood offers classes and lessons.  Audio and photo by Erik Roldan.

Turning 30 is a milestone for many of us. Either looking forward or looking back to it, such an occasion is a great time for family, friends and BBQ.  Audio and photo by Erik Roldan.

A woman washes her dog, Griffin. You can hear the sound of her telling Griffin to get up on the table and then of the dog being washed, dried and shaking off.  Audio by Katie Mingle and her students from Uplift Community School.  Photo from Soggy Paws.

Breakfast is cooked on Thursday morning April 10th. Bacon is sizzling, French toast is flipped, and food is plated at this popular brunch locale in Evanston. Audio and photo by Marcelino Benito Jr. 

WhirlyBall is part lacrosse, part basketball and a little bit of hockey played with bumper cars!  People use hand held scoops to propel whiffle balls at their team hoop. Photo and audio by Eric Roldan.

With a plot of land rich in Maple trees, the North Park Village Nature Center celebrates the coming of springtime with its annual maple syrup festival. The sapping and boiling process is a way to teach children about the connection between nature and consumption.  Photo and audio by Eric Roldan.

Chicago is home to the only remaining coin-operated pinball machine manufacturer in the world. Stern Pinball puts out three or four new models a year, and you can play their games in Spanish, French, Italian, or German.  Audio and photo by Bria Dolnick.

Members own the apiary-- or bee yard-- of this hundred-hive bee farm in North Lawndale. Since 2004, urban beekeepers at the Chicago Honey Coop have tended bees and harvested honey on this former vacant lot. Audio and photo by Bria Dolnick.

Students in the Peterson School Ukulele Ensemble stay after school to practice a Bach Minuet and Spanish Fandango. Many of these sixth and seventh graders started playing two and a half years ago. They have become a Peterson School institution, and perform regularly at school events. Audio and photo by Bria Dolnick.

Badminton being played by Second City Club players at the Broadway Armory - an all-indoor park in the heart of Edgewater, Chicago. You can hear the shuttle being hit and shoes screeching on the wooden floor. Players of all levels are welcome and an annual competitive league keeps things interesting. Recorded on Feb 25, 2008 at 8:00PM by Larry Doplito - who is also the announcer at the end.

Tibetan singing bowls are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. These bells sit with the bottom surface resting instead of hanging inverted or attached to a handle. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound. Learn about your chakras and how tone relates to your body.  Audio and photo by Jennifer Brandel.

Announcements, train noises, footsteps, doors closing... these are the sounds of Union Station on January 22nd. Audio and photo by Fera Sabetian.

People get creeped out by the optical illusion of the glass wall at the Madagascar hissing cockroach exhibit at the Lincoln Park Zoo. They are believed to be the only insect that can hiss by blowing air out of pores found on their abdomen. Audio by Tammy Terwelp and photo by Kenneth Hong.

Mechanics work the bugs out of a few bikes at Kozys Cyclery on Halstead. Audio and photo by Fyodor Sakhnvoski.

As he enjoys a glass of wine, Johnny swirls, slurps and sniffs to unlock the full flavors.  Audio and photo by Sarah Lu.

Andy Sturdevant is a collector of vintage campaign buttons. He explains his collection at the Marquette Inn II diner over steak and eggs. Photo and Audio by Jennifer Brandel

Lill Street Art Center was formed in 1975 and has been offering the Chicago community arts classes, studio space, a residency program and a gallery. In recent years, the center has begun using the outdoor green space lining Montrose Avenue for agricultural art projects. Photo and Audio by Jennifer Brandel

PAWS—which stands for Pets Are Worth Saving—is the largest no-kill humane organization in Chicago. PAWS helps find loving homes for homeless cats and dogs. Photo and Audio by Jennifer Brandel.

Making a film takes vision, it takes skill and artistry, it takes a whole crew, it takes takes. On the North side, director, cast, and crew work together to get a crucial scene just right. Audio and photo by Sarah Lu.