Winning images of our weekly photo contest

The photo of the Connecticut river separating New Hampshire (on the right) and Vermont (on the left) was taken with an iPhone 7. The most fascinating part of this photo is how the peace and serenity of the sun and calm part of the river meet the turmoil of the clouds and rushing waters of the same sky and river. Tyler Saltmarsh of Carol Stream

A frog's black eyes loom large in a pond last September at the Crabtree Nature Center in Barrington. Jeanne Garrett of Arlington Heights

A photograph taken recently of some flowers that I got at Trader Joe's. I'm pretty sure that it is an iris among a group, and I enjoy the intensity of the colors and the shape of the flowers. Hope you enjoyit. Michael Roberts of Naperville

Here is Kiwi enjoying the first bit of morning sunshine that we have seen in a long time. As she sat mostly in shadow, I noticed her abundance of whiskers and the alert pose as she watched birds out the window. The angle of light created a silhouette with perfect highlights. Debra Hruby of Wheaton

Icicles on a window of a Lake Zurich home creates interesting shapes and designs. Cindy Spudich of Lake Zurich

Beautiful fall colors and snow-capped mountains reflect on a clear lake in the Lundy Canyon area outside of Lee Vining, Calif. in late October 2016. Michael Stone of Round Lake Beach

A marsh grass seed pod bursts in the sunlight at Volo Bog Nature Center this January. Donald E. Bolstad of Hawthorn Woods

Two children ride the lift up the ski hill at Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin during a foggy evening ski outing on Jan. 2. Michelle Flowers of Hoffman Estates

The soaring spires of the United States Air Force Memorial stand tall against the January sky in Arlington, Va. Theresa Jasonowicz of Palatine

This photo was taken at Fontana Beach in Wisconsin this past July. A giant lollipop numbered with each cousin's coinciding birth order enticed each of the 13 to sit while having their picture taken. Cousin #14 didn't arrive until September but his Mom sat in for him! Beth Yarbrough of Elgin

I took this picture July 15, 2015 in Aguada, Puerto Rico.I call it Jíbaros Forever. Jíbaros means mountain/country dwellers. An inhabitant of the rural regions of Puerto Rico. The cloth coffee strainer we call it colador. My parents retired back to their country several years ago. My dad passed away two years ago. My mother still comes back and forth to Elgin. My parents made sure my two sisters and I knew and loved where they/us came from. I took this picture with my phone. Jeanette V. Miranda of Elgin

This photo of a coyote on Fox River was taken 100 yards north of Gail Borden library in Elgin. John Prickett of Hampshire