On Friday I visited a lovely new-to-me Nature Preserve. North Park Village Nature Center is a remnant of a former Tuberculosis clinic in Chicago. The wooded, 46-acre nature preserve holds various types of landscapes. The easy-to-follow looped trails offer an overview of Savanna, Woodlands, Wetland, Prairie and Edge Forest. Open from 10 am to 4 […]
I had such fun creating a Swarm, and it has garnered more ideas percolating in my head. I love how the dragonflies turned out, and am also enamored with the ladybugs. At home, I fiddled with various configurations. The mobile can be added to and subtracted from. I put on a swarmy collection for the […]
About two years ago The Chicago Botanic Garden implemented Butterflies & Blooms on its grounds. From late May to Labor Day, the garden has a tent that houses numerous exotic butterflies for the public’s viewing pleasure. It is a great way to get up close with these magical creatures. Morphos were abundant this year, and […]
Just before Memorial Day weekend the Chicago Botanic Garden announced the arrival of an Atlas Moth in their Butterflies & Blooms exhibit. I eagerly drove up that Saturday, but many in Chicagoland had the same idea, and I didn’t feel like wasting fuel in a long line of cars. Instead, I returned last week and […]
So my hopes of raising a second generation of Buckeye caterpillars were dashed when all my butterflies turned out to be ladies. Nonetheless, the transformation has been fun to observe in this dreary winter. The caterpillars one by one made their way to a spot in the enclosure and spun their sticky silk, After 16 […]
I was hoping to get some nature shots this week to break up the Maraviglia-heavy content these days, but the weather was (more than) nasty over the weekend. My indoor environs aren’t photogenic right now, so the intended respite from studio shots and creations had me flipping though my old photos instead. I am not […]
I attended a lovely wedding last weekend which called for a short road trip to Indiana. I’ve only passed through Indiana so it was a fun reason to explore the state a little. Upon entering I was greeted with signs promising Krazy Fireworks and Showgirls, along with Hoosier references. Further in, however, the scenery changed […]
I was born in the Netherlands and grew up with the secular version of Easter, blended with German traditions and food as well. We dyed eggs, had an egg hunt on Easter morning, and enjoyed a fabulous Easter Brunch that featured butter in the shape of a lamb, home-baked braided bread, boiled eggs served in […]
Last week we had zero degree weather—not counting the windchill factor. I tend to forget the ‘realfeel’ notification and regret that a lot this time of year. Best to be overdressed than underdressed. On Tuesday I heeded the notion and set out for my little downtown venture. First I saw Backyard Monsters at the Peggy Notebaert […]
Radvent 7 is about Relaxation, which I have a hard time with. The things I used to do for relaxation (blogging and art-making) are now my work, so I have to find new ways to unwind. Currently the weather precludes sitting on a rock by the lake, which always has my eyes gazing at the […]
