Woodstock, Illinois - I got you, Babe!

I took a few friends to visit Woodstock, Illinois recently. I call it the "Groundhog Day" tour. 

In addition, to viewing the various locations where the movie was filmed over 20 years ago, we viewed the inside of the City Opera House. 



Within there is some beautiful stained glass windows. Also, we saw a plaque in the auditorium which informed that Orson Welles had his theatrical start on this stage.

The square is quaint, the buildings are historic, the stores are fun. Stand in the gazebo and hum "I got you, Babe." It's well worth the visit.

Up North Poppy Garden

The are many reasons that I love being Up North in Sleeping Bear Country during the month of June (and pretty much any other month for that matter!)

In June, the poppies are in bloom. What's really cool about poppies is that once they find a place where they thrive, you just leave them alone. The seed pods ripen and the seeds spill out of the pod around the parent plant. And then new poppies bloom the following June.

The is much joy to be found in low maintenance gardening.

Here are some photos of this year's poppy garden.

Spring Comes to Glen Lake

Up at Glen Lake, Michigan there is some hope that The Winter that Never Ends maybe finally over. The  Memorial Day weekend weather was pleasant. Some brave souls did venture into the lake, but most chose to merely enjoy the views and breathe in the marvelously clean air. Here are some signs of spring photos.

The Honesty plant is in full bloom. 

The geraniums have been potted by the shed door.

No one remembers the maple tree seedlings ever being this plentiful. They are covering all the lawns.

Lily of the valley nestled in the base of a maple tree are just about to bloom.

The native trillium are in full bloom. 

A pileated woodpecker has left evidence of his winter labors on this cedar tree.

Glen Lake looking east toward the Narrows Bridge.

Glen Lake looking toward Sleeping Bear Dunes.

A Sunday Afternoon at the Jacksonville Zoo

My cousin Heather and I spent a delightful Sunday afternoon at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. It's well designed and has a nice mix of animals. I found the Florida animal section to be very informative. It's located north of Jacksonville on the banks of the Trout River. I would go again.

This guy was strutting his stuff in the African section.

I always love watching the elephants but I didn't see any younger ones.

Visitors are able to feed the giraffes leaves. This guy was very happy to participate.

This mom was getting her meal the old fashion way.

This gator was about 8 feet long.

The enclosed aviary had an abundance of interesting birds including the colorful ibis.

There was a large goat pen where kids of all ages could brush the goats' coats.

The Japanese Tea Garden was serenely beautiful.

The netted enclosed butterfly pavillion provided an opportunity to experience a variety of colorful butterflies fluttering all around you.

We saw 4 tigers roaming about in their new enclosure.

Empire Beach - Brisk but Beautiful

What a difference 4 weeks make - especially at the Empire, Michigan Beach.  Four weeks ago Lake Michigan was still frozen and the record snowfall was still coming down. Today, the temp was in the 50's and folks were enjoying brisk walks along the shore. I love the contrasts of this area almost as much as I love the pure sweet air. Here are some photos - 

Empire Beach - May 4, 2014 - looking north to Sleeping Bear Point.

Empire Bluffs - May 4, 2014 - watching para-sail landing. He avoided getting wet.

Empire Beach - April 5, 2014 - looking northward to Sleeping Bear and South Manitou Island.

Empire Bluffs - April 5, 2014

Empire Beach - May 4, 2014 - looking northward - no more snow, just beautiful waves.

A Day at the Races - Illinois Half Marathon 2014

On April 26, 2014, I was proud to be my daughter's support team as she achieved her goal of completing the half marathon race at the annual Illinois Marathon at Champaign/Urbana, Illinois.

The half marathon route is 13.1 miles long. My assignment was to meet Lisa every 4th mile to provide her with water and sports drink and to cheer her on.  (I even figured out how to download a cow bell app on my cell phone.)

While I waited at the 8 mile mark, this couple walked by. There is probably a story regarding their matching pink costumes and wings.

It was a beautiful day and such a wonderful way to celebrate the end of the long cold weather. The finish line was at the 50 yard line of the University of Illinois football stadium. As I sat waiting for Lisa to finish her race, I enjoyed watching all of the participants celebrating their achievements.

 Then Lisa emerged from the tunnel and as she approached the finish line, her name was announced over the intercom.  Live video of the finish line action was being projected on the stadium scoreboard and I was able to take a photo of her (in lime green shirt) finishing. 

And finally, the standard shot of Lisa with her medals on the field.

Lisa set this goal last year as we walked the 10K together. Over the past year, she had been consistently training until she was able to walk this distance on a steady basis. It wasn't easy but she didn't give up. She finished under her personal goal time. You go, Girl!

Mini-Roadtrip - Along the Northwest Highway

When the snow finally melts, it is time for an afternoon of exploration with friends. 

If you are in the Chicago area, you might consider driving out the Northwest Highway (US 14). 

Have lunch at the Benedict's Strata restaurant in downtown Crystal Lake. The food is delicious. We ordered and thoroughly enjoyed the Moroccan Omelette and the Apple Brie Omelette. You can walk off the calories as you browse several of the downtown shops. There is actually a real Crystal Lake nearby (that the town is named after). In late April, Merganzer and Mallard ducks swam peacefully nearby. Sitting on a swinging chair by the shore was very calming. 

Crystal Lake

Then be sure to continue on to Woodstock. Yes, this is where the movie "Groundhog Day" was filmed. It was fun to identify the different film shots - the gazebo, the diner, Ned's corner. And there are several cool shops to check out. The restored City Opera House is worth a look around. 

At the northeast corner of the Woodstock town square - it's a doozie!

Stained glass in City Opera Building.

Then drive on to Harvard. The downtown was not that exciting, but nothing beats getting your photo taken with Harvard's iconic cow. 

The Harvard cow welcomes southbound travelers.

Mural behind iconic cow statue that announces that Milk Day will be celebrated in 2014 on the 1st Saturday in June.

We ventured on across the Wisconsin border in search of cheese but none was to be found in Walworth.  

Finish up the day with a sumptuous and affordable Italian dinner at Galati's in Cary. 

As with any road trip, the things you discover bring the fun, but more importantly your travelling companions bring the joy.

Snowy April in Leelanau

My son and I took a quick trip Up North to check on things. Good news - the roofs survived the record 257 inch seasonal snowfall. And the snow may not be over yet for the year. We stopped in for breakfast at Art's Tavern in Glen Arbor, Michigan and it was not surprising to hear that the locals are weary of winter. Lake Michigan and Glen Lake are still covered with ice - but the ice cover is thinning. Here are some photos taken on April 5 at the Glen Haven and Empire beaches.

By Blu Restaurant looking toward Glen Arbor

Glen Arbor Beach

Glen Haven Beach

Empire Beach

Joe is standing on sand drifts just off shore at Empire Beach. It's interesting how the sand mounds up and freezes.

Empire Bluffs