HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2025-2026 and GPC Desert House & Greenhouse 9 - MyShadowProductions #216

FELICES FIESTAS !! (Happy Holidays) to one and all.

Right on schedule, Christmas is coming on December 25 and you guessed it, the New Year follows on January 01 and it will be 2026.

Thank you to everyone reading the Blog, I really enjoy keeping my “creativity” front and center knowing that Life and Mother Nature offer so many “things” to be grateful for!!

I put together a Christmas Card Video from pictures of random “holiday” sights over the last month and a half and would like to share it with YOU!

CLICK HERE for my 2025 Christmas Card :)

Now, for something completely different.

Over the last 20 months or so I have accumulated some random pictures at Garfield Park Conservatory’s Desert House and its associated Greenhouse 9 (I have been fortunate to help out in both on several volunteer shifts). The pictures/short videos are in no specific order and there is no way I know what every plant is :). Greenhouse 9, when the cd radio player works, has Classical music playing for the resident plants. When the wind is blowing in the right direction I could hear the music while helping outside in Child Wild and the Gravel Garden (took me a while to figure that out, at first I thought I was imagining it :). You might/probably will notice that the 2 spaces have a few quirky/cool “things” going on :)

Please, Enjoy the VIDEO for some desert warmth :)

BEST WISHES for a 

HEALTHY (body and spirit) 2026!

FULL BLOOM AHEAD !!

Late Fall COLORS - Lincoln Park Conservatory - More Lakefront Trail and WHITE SATURDAY - MyShadowProductions #215

Hola amigos, how are things in your neck of the woods?

If I had to guess I would say that I used/overused? the word COLORS in my blog posts during most of 2024, so why stop now? :)

I saw some pretty cool Late Fall colors that I want to share. Actually I just noticed that the word Colors includes all the letters of Cool :) 

Click Here for a Video created from my pictures at the Art Institute of Chicago gardens, areas heading to and at 12th St Beach and Northerly Island.

On Sunday November 16 I tried to take advantage of a nice, cool Fall day by going to Chicago and visiting the Lincoln Park Conservatory (even got a quick behind the scenes tour there from a friend) and then venturing over to the Lake to see more of the Lakefront Trail from Fullerton Beach north to Belmont Harbor and then back south to North Avenue Beach and Oak Street Beach along the Gold Coast area of Chicago.

It was a lot of walking but just what I needed, sometimes things work out that way :)

This Video was created from my photos that day, so grab your umbrella/raincoat? and Dramamine! Hopefully after watching the Video, you will understand that “joke” :) Fair warning, it is eleven minutes long, I just don’t know how to not show a picture after taking it :)

Now, if you read the Title of this Post you might be wondering what is “White Saturday”? Well, I just made it up. After Thanksgiving comes probably the weirdest (in my opinion) day in American ”culture”, Black Friday and this year in “my neck of the woods” there was a Winter Storm Warning for the day after Black Friday, Saturday, with heavy snow (that’s where the White comes in :). So, if the term catches on (doubtful :), if it snows in your area the Saturday after Thanksgiving then you can “celebrate” WHITE SATURDAY!! Remember, I am not all there, that’s why I am here :) I know this “idea” needs some tweaking in order to be “fair” with areas like Florida, California, etc. so please put your thinking caps on! :)

12th St Beach

Northerly Island

Watch this Video to see how I “celebrated” White Saturday! For the record, the snow accumulation varied from 8 to 11 inches.

Just in time for the Christmas Season I came across a new (for me) vegetable during a volunteer shift at the Aurora Food Pantry, it is called Chioggia Beet and also called Candy stripe Beet which could easily be changed to Candy Cane Beet :)

And, who knew, but Pointsettias grow in the Desert House and Aroid House :)

As usual after completing my rough draft of the Blog Post I just took a walk to clear my mind (good luck with that :) and think of any “edits” I might want to make and Mother Nature had a few ideas for me, a calm cloud free sunset and a rising Full Moon!

Have a Great Weekend !!

GRACELAND CEMETERY - FOX RIVER TRAIL - MORTON ARBORETUM- Fall Colors at All - MyShadowProductions #214

Happy November everybody !!  

When you hear the word GRACELAND, what comes to mind?

Memphis or Chicago?

Elvis or Ernie?

Estate or Arboretum?

Mansion or Cemetery?

Well, for this Post, Graceland Cemetery and Arboretum in Chicago (Mr Cub, Ernie Banks is buried there) is one of the sources of some cool Fall Colors provided by Mother Nature. This is the place that I “scouted” in September, checked on, in October, and the 3rd visit was a charm, with some unique Fall Color scenery. Coincidentally it was Dia de Los Muertos (Nov 1, 2025 Day of the Dead :). Graceland is a certified Arboretum and they actively promote that with printed Tree Tours for visitors. You can read more HERE.

For a Video of my 3 visits to Graceland CLICK HERE.

Another place I visited (October 30, 2025) as a backup in case Graceland didn’t turn out was the Fox River Trail from Batavia southward to North Aurora, along the east banks of the Fox River. I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle displays of the Oaks, Ashes,  other trees and the very bold Sugar Maples. Even saw a cool Cave and a Coopers Hawk!

Click Here for my Fox RiverTrail Fall Walk.

Also, I couldn’t resist, I went to Morton Arboretum to see what it had to offer and it was my lucky day, walked some new trails for me, the Big Rock is still there :), and briefly shared the Trail with a Whitetail Buck heading to a pond for a drink.

Watch the Fall Colors of Morton Arboretum HERE.

I have a few other pictures to share from Aurora and Garfield Park Conservatory before I turn you loose to get ready for whatever you have planned for Thanksgiving.

Have a great Thanksgiving week and I will have more pictures soon, more to be Thankful for :)