See the winning images of our weekly photo contest

A sandpiper creates a silhouette during the sunset on the beach at Sanibel Island, Florida. Deb Marak of Arlington Heights

A staircase winds downward at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Robert Lundin of Glen Ellyn

A couple enjoys a peaceful afternoon kayak ride on beautiful Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park, Montana. I photographed this picturesque scene on our 2011 summer vacation to the national park. Mike Weimer of St. Charles

The sun rises over the pier in Surf City, North Carolina on Monday, May 23. Ken Mikeska of Gurnee

The Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. This a fake tree, but it looks almost real, as it has intricate carvings. Joan Farrell of Island Lake

A honey bee pollinates raspberries in an Arlington Heights backyard. Fred Share of Arlington Heights

I took this picture of a cactus at Joshua Tree National Park in the southern desert region of California last month. It was as dry as a desert is, but that wasn't going to stop this cactus from blooming. Milton Hoskins of Hampshire

I took this photo at the Dean Nature Sanctuary in Oak Brook. I walk there everyday. At first, I feared for the turtle, but as time went on, they really seemed to enjoy the company. Todd A. Sherlock of Downers Grove

A raccoon breaks into a screened porch in Gurnee, begging for food while the family dog, Ellie, looks out last month. Anne Hazen of Gurnee

A beautiful evening in Florence, Italy during the last week of May, as seen from Michelangelo Plaza. The Ponte Vecchio bridge is lit up over the Arno River with the soft orange glow of the sunset beyond the mountains. John Sanfillippo of Hoffman Estates

This photo was taken in Canyonlands National Park, while I was on vacation with my two sons. The photo was taken in the late afternoon looking south with my Nikon D90, from the Park's famous part called "Islands in the Sky," Green River Overlook. I was standing at 6,000 feet elevation, looking where the Green River meets the Colorado River. What I like about the image is the stark desert landscape, the deep canyon scars caused by the Rivers, and the deep blue of the sky in the far distance, with flowing white clouds. It looks peaceful yet beautiful. The drop on the ledge in the foreground is about 1,000 feet down, so I was nervous taking the picture. Mike Krzywosz of Lisle

We have seen wisteria blooming in Florida trees and wondered if they would grow here. We planted several in our yard in Gilberts and the blossoms were especially pretty this spring. Robert M. Sharp of Gilberts