When the world was younger, and I was still an old soul, I lost myself at a small but memorable farm zoo in Elgin, Illinois. This was years before digital cameras, the internet, and blogging. I remembered bison and a pond filled with geese and ducks. Many years later, here I am again at Lords … Continue reading Lords Park
The largest railroad museum in the United States is right here in Union, Illinois, about 55 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. Fitting that the Illinois Railway Museum was founded in 1953 near the largest junction of rail lines and freight operations in American history. We left the rubber on the road for the steel wheels … Continue reading Illinois Railway Museum
Gardens, a military museum, and a golf course sum up Cantigny. Flowers are of a temporal nature, and military conflicts sometimes flare up to preserve freedom, affording us the leisure to shoot a round of golf. A five-hundred acre park, a museum honoring the First Division of the United States Army (known as the legendary … Continue reading Cantigny Park
Just when I thought I was out (of ideas), they (suggest something to) pull me back in! It’s not The Godfather Part III; this is an offer I can’t refuse. Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Elawa Farm Foundation. “Elawa Farm is a hidden gem next to Middlefork Savanna!” Sometimes the … Continue reading Elawa Farm Foundation
Yerkes Observatory is called the “birthplace of modern astrophysics.” This architectural masterpiece houses echoes of celestial giants. Founded in 1892 by astronomer George Ellery Hale and businessman Charles T. Yerkes (pronounced YER-KEYS), it took a mere two years to construct this landmark institution. From 1897 to 2018, the University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and … Continue reading Yerkes Observatory
Not long ago, I thought that Two Brothers was a coffee roastery. It is! But it’s moreso a brewery—when it’s not actually roasting tea leaves or distilling spirits. Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Two Brothers Artisan Brewing. “Has a sharp bite to it!” If only I could bring to you … Continue reading Two Brothers Artisan Brewing
[6:00] “Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties ’cause it’s cold out there today. It’s cold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach? Not hardly. And you know, you can expect hazardous travel later today with that, you know, that, uh, that blizzard thing. That blizzard thing? That blizzard thing. … Continue reading Groundhog Days in Woodstock, IL
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.”—Unknown “We will jump only if we want to jump.”—Horses Scroll down to see more photos and read more about The Tempel Lipizzans. “When the horses demonstrate the crossover steps, they remind me of figure skaters. We’re so close to the performance that … Continue reading Tempel Lipizzans
WET PAINT Everywhere it seems. Take a step, and “push” a lily pad. Or watch it drift and miss. It’s not interactive; it’s immersive. Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Immersive Monet + The Impressionists. “This is amazing! I like the way the pictures come alive. The colors are vivid. I … Continue reading Immersive Monet + The Impressionists
Six thousand years ago,a) My grandmother painstakingly composed a snapshot of me facing pure sunlight, nearly blinding meb) A candy bar was made, one that I found last night under my bed that I inhaled without hesitationc) I spearheaded a pilot study to domesticate cats, while bitching about the nickname “Tiger King”d) Volo Bog as … Continue reading Volo Bog
The Simple Luxuries 