On Saturday I discovered the River Trail Nature Center. I needed a nature getaway between errands in various burbs, and this was a mid-way point. It was love at first sight. Upon entering the parking lot, you can see various large cages. After I parked and went up close, these turned out to have various animals for […]
Over the Holiday Weekend I felt the need to take a hike. I decided to revisit Volo Bog State Natural Area, where I had been a few times almost a decade ago. I was pleased to see the preserve was still as nice as I remembered, and that it was quiet in spite of the […]
On my last day of the Utica excursion I decided to give Buffalo State park another chance. I had visited it years before, excited about the earth sculptures, only to get hot in the harsh sun of the prairie landscape. To let a speeding truck pass me I pulled into the Illinois & Michigan Canal […]
I planned on walking the majority of the Starved Rock Trail on day two of my Utica excursion, but the majority was closed due to fallen trees and storm damage in mid-July. Even the Starved Rock Lodge had a tree fall in per one resident. Basically the entire stretch of the park trail was closed, […]
In mid-July I took an excursion to Utica to clear my head and ground myself in nature. My favorite park in the Starved Rock Area is Matthiessen State Park. For a while it was a well-kept secret, with most tourists favoring Starved Rock Park. Unfortunately (for me) it has gotten more popular over the years, […]
Last week I defied the weather forecasts and drove up to Lemont determined to revisit Waterfall Glen. Fortunately the rain subsided on the way there and the predicted Thunderstorms passed us by. (Warning: slugs and millipedes in this post-if you don’t like them, don’t scroll down) The droplets were gorgeous. Nature always has a way […]
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. […]
When I returned from Greece in May 2011 I thought I would faithfully recount a travelogue in chronological order right away. But that didn’t happen. I had to process the intensity of the trip, and then life happened, and here we are two years later where the Samaria Gorge is my most recent reference to […]
My last day in Oregon (Illinois) was a chilly one. I was tempted to snooze in the cabin but had to check out by 11:30, so I enjoyed a pancake breakfast and then had the hostess nudge me toward Lowden State Park rather than Castle Rock for my next hike. I said goodbye to the […]
The most challenging trail at White Pines Inn is the Sleepy Hollow trail. It is aptly named as many trees look like creepy creatures even in the daytime. All trails close at sunset, and this is definitely not an area to violate that notion. Roots and rocks along the path make for tricky terrain. The […]
