From the time I started this post to finally getting back to finish it, a lot has happened. Who would have imagined where we are today, outside of a fictional story. I hope this post is finding you safe and well in this time of uncharted territory. We are doing ok. As are many families, … Continue reading Poster Child of Pollinators: Monarch Butterflies
Category: Nature
23rd Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
It’s that time of year again! The 23rd Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is this weekend, Friday, February 14, through Monday, February 19, 2020. During this weekend, volunteers from around the world count the birds they see for at least 15 minutes, on one or more days of the count and then enter their checklists … Continue reading 23rd Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
A Skunk is not a Chipmunk
I have an ongoing battle with chipmunks. They're generally cute, but boy can they wreak havoc. They've caused the sinking of my front walkway by tunneling underneath, and last year they took a big bite out of every ripe tomato in my garden. We had the walkway raised, and then added rodent proof fencing down … Continue reading A Skunk is not a Chipmunk
Bird Count Time
It's that time of year again! The 22nd Annual Great Backyard Bird Count is this weekend, Friday, February 15, through Monday, February 18, 2019. This is a wonderful citizen science project that helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how birds are doing, and how to protect them and the environment … Continue reading Bird Count Time
This Crazy Winter
The winter of 2019 is definitely one for the books. We've been through snow, rain, crazy temperatures swings, a winter thunderstorm, the polar vortex...and now another ice storm has hit the Chicago area. As temperatures hovered around freezing, the precipitation has rotated between rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow. Aside from the treacherous driving and … Continue reading This Crazy Winter
Winter Has Arrived ❄️❄️
My husband had a running weather joke all summer, "Enjoy it now, it'll be snowing in 3 months". We'd all roll our eyes. Well, he really wasn't all that far off. We had the 5th biggest November snowfall last night, and it was a very messy storm. Thankfully, my college kids had left Saturday to … Continue reading Winter Has Arrived ❄️❄️
New Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders
I had such success with my squirrel proof feeders (Who Won The Squirrels vs Feeder Contest?) that when I needed to replace my peanut feeder, I searched again for a squirrel proof version. I found two options that seemed like they would work and ended up ordering them both! The first was the The Nuttery Classic … Continue reading New Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders
Troll Hunt!
The last few summers the Morton Arboretum has had a "BIG" exhibit to bring people outdoors and celebrate nature. There's been frogs, giant bugs, giant lego statues, and life size origami. And this year, a Troll Hunt! The Trolls are the design of Danish artist Thomas Dambo. These 15- to 30-foot-tall, and one 60-foot long, sculptures … Continue reading Troll Hunt!
My Magnolia Saga
In my neighborhood, one of the things that truly announces that spring has arrived is the beautiful blooms of the Magnolias, Redbuds and flowering Crabapples. We already had pink crabapple, so when one of our River Birch trees died about 10 years ago, we replanted nearby with a Redbud. It has grown beautifully and puts … Continue reading My Magnolia Saga
Lime in the Planter?
I went out to water the front planters the other day and there was dirt and plants all over the front stoop, and a big hole dug in the the tall planter. Then I saw what looked like a lime in the center of the planter. Now maybe that wouldn't be so weird, except this is … Continue reading Lime in the Planter?