Mmmmm. Pie. Is there anything more delectably satisfying than a nice pie? My own preferences run toward a double-crust fruity variety, with the top five being strawberry-rhubarb, peach, boysenberry, cherry and blueberry. With that said, I’ve never said no to anything with pie […]
So the other day I went to Delnor Woods Park in St. Charles to take some photos of Joe Pye weed, a favorite summertime bloom. Its tall stems top 6 feet when conditions are good, and its pastel blooms always remind me of fireworks-quiet, gentle fireworks that last for weeks. What could be better? […]
“That’s not a chipmunk.” The astute visitor, wise beyond his 4 1/2 years, stubbornly stood by his resolution, while his companions (people who, I’m guessing, were Grandma and Grandpa) tried to gently dissuade him. “Honey, look, he’s eating seeds. Just like the chipmunks we have at our house,” Grandma said. […]
Well, they’re at it again. The boys up the street have started up with their rabble-rousing ways, raising a ruckus into the wee hours several nights this past week.While I’m no fan of noisy neighbors, I don’t mind the racket these fellows make. Over the years I’ve come to anticipate and even revel in its volume. […]
I got quite the buzz while working in the garden the other day. No, I’m not growing the devil’s lettuce. And I wasn’t slaking my considerable thirst with anything you need to be 21 to buy. I suppose to a certain extent I did experience a natural high-the kind you get from tending to plants that do more than just look pretty. […]
Except for one time, nearly 35 years ago, when I found myself eating ice cream in a supermarket with Prince Andrew and his then-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York, my brushes with royalty have been as rare as robin’s teeth. Let’s face it; we just don’t have that many crowned heads running around our suburban parks and preserves. […]
Did you ever have one of those days where you’ve found yourself feeling a little, well, rusty? I have, more than I care to think of. In fact, I’d wager that I’ve felt a little rusty just about every day over these past few weeks; worse, I don’t see the trend stopping, not next week or even next month. […]
Who doesn’t love a good berry? Strawberries! Raspberries! Blueberries! Crayfish-berries? Yes folks, it’s that time of year again. Crayfish are breeding, and many females are in family way. But rather than displaying a bulging tummy, as so many other animals do, female crayfish carry their fertilized eggs externally. […]
So last week visited a place I’ve heard about my entire life, but had never actually seen-at least not in Illinois. It wasn’t the Mountain that she’ll be coming ’round, nor was it the Dell the farmer is in. It wasn’t even the treacherous Hill made famous by Jack and Jill. […]
We’ve all heard the saying, “Snug as a bug in a rug.” But this time of year I often find myself adding, “Some bugs are little and living in spittle.” Not only is that little ditty proof that naturalists shouldn’t try to improve on age-old rhymes, it’s also confirmation that it’s spittlebug season once again. […]
