I knew nothing of Paczki until we moved to the Chicago area years ago. For those who haven’t heard of them, think: filled donuts. Originally a Polish specialty, paczki are now deeply Chicagoan. Available all year round at certain bakeries, their big day is Mardi Gras, when everyone with or without Christian heritage can haveContinue reading “Mardi Gras? In Chicago, it’s Paczki Day!”
Category Archives: Illinois
Back in the USA
I am among the world’s most fortunate people. I can travel, though if I want to, I can stay home. I am warm, dry, and fed. My life is not threatened. I am retired and on a fixed income, but I have more than enough. As I was about to embark on this post, focusingContinue reading “Back in the USA”
Best laid plans are hard to follow
We did pretty well when you take in the big picture, but on our final Sunday night in Peru, we both were about to have our heads explode. Too many loose ends needed tying up and we were running out of time. Most of our luggage was packed, but we still didn’t know whether weContinue reading “Best laid plans are hard to follow”
November gets cold
There were a few beautiful days at the beginning of November when every day’s walk was gorgeous. Springbrook, Herrick Lake, and Greene Valley forest preserves have been our regular stops. Whether it’s midday or sunset, we always find something beautiful or interesting or both. We saw a bald eagle at Greene Valley, then chatted withContinue reading “November gets cold”
October’s Bright Blue Weather
My title is from a poem I had to memorize in grade school, and it still comes into my mind almost every year when the light slants sharply in the late afternoon, and the trees change color. The month of October sped by. It’s always a month of transition, when we return to the USContinue reading “October’s Bright Blue Weather”
Spring turns into Summer
We’ve been in Lombard, IL for two and a half months, much longer than our normal stops. On June 1, when we should be flying from Athens to Vienna, we will be leaving Lombard, IL for Conneaut, OH, the last town before the PA border. Why? Lake Erie, for starters. We’ve never been there, andContinue reading “Spring turns into Summer”
Lombard’s Lustron Houses
Lombard, Illinois has a particularly interesting mix of housing from every period since its founding in 1833. We are staying in a house built from a kit purchased from Sears Roebuck in 1926, and there are several of these around town, but there is another experimental type, the Lustron House, that has more than aContinue reading “Lombard’s Lustron Houses”
Lilac Park, Lombard IL
Since the first day of spring, we’ve walking Lilac Park twice a week, watching the arrival of the flowers. At first there was snow that melted rapidly, then chilly wind that demanded layers, gloves, hats, and scarves that continued into April. Finally, warmer weather has crept in. Now that it’s mid-May, we’ve been through theContinue reading “Lilac Park, Lombard IL”
Spring begins in Lombard, IL
Spring began Mar. 19, 2020, the earliest date in a century, but the weather hasn’t impressed me. Gradually, the cold is abating and I am wearing fewer layers when we go for our daily stroll. The landscape is responding, front lawns turning green, daffodils sprouting, accompanied by a few crocuses and tiny blue flowers. We’veContinue reading “Spring begins in Lombard, IL”
Social Distancing in Lombard, IL
We are living in a lovely house in Lombard, IL until the end of April, when we may know something more about the current pandemic. Our month in Athens is off, and probably the rest of our travels this season, but we will check our options at the end of each month. We are fortunateContinue reading “Social Distancing in Lombard, IL”