A DEER FRIEND & The GRAND GARDEN @ Morton Arboretum and Chicago’s SOUTH SHORE CULTURAL CENTER - MyShadowProductions #186

Hola amigos!! No, I am not in Mexico, just trying to keep my Spanish fresh :)

On Thursday October 10, 2024 it was a nice day for the last shift of the season for weeding at the Gateway to Tree Science.

Monarch Butterflies need the Milkweed

I have a Video from my photos with the early morning walk (with a great guest appearance by a deer friend), then 3 hrs of weeding without photos and then the walk to and through the Grand Garden at the Morton Arboretum, but first, some photos.

CLICK HERE for the VIDEO.

It was really cool that the deer was kind enough to hang around a little (it didn’t even mind me playing piano in the background :). I feel like at one point it shook its head “yes” to me and then, when it was behind the small tree, it even played “peek a boo” :)

Oh, and by the way, the coyote (in my previous Post) trotted through again around the same time, maybe a daily hunting routine or just a relaxing trot :)

This Post is not in chronological order for some reason but it keeps things interesting (I hope) to jump around a little bit :)

With that in mind, on September 29, 2024 I had the opportunity/incentive to visit the South Shore Cultural Center as the Chicago Park District held a Volunteer Appreciation Day there and I was invited.

For a Windy, Wave Filled Video click here. I didn’t take any photos inside the very cool building, too much going on and a lot of people. I chose to enjoy the outside though, before all the others ventured out, quite an oasis.

I haven’t decided if this will be on the Final Exam yet but did you know that at least one tree has leaves of three different shapes on the same tree?

The one I am now aware of is the SASSAFRAS Tree. I remember back in my “young working days” on several sewer projects there was excavation through timber/forests like at Carpenter Park, Lake Springfield, etc. where we could randomly smell the unique “root beer” scent from the Sassafras’s roots (think sassafras tea). I don’t remember knowing about the leaves though.

It turns out that there are a few Sassafras trees at Morton Arboretum and their website offers a way to find their general location on a map. I did that and found a couple of the areas in the Children’s Garden and the Ground Cover Garden.

Here is a photo of the leaves:

Also a photo of a sidewalk stamp in the Children’s Garden (I added the colors:)

It would have been cool if the real leaf & shadow on the sidewalk were a Sassafras instead of an Oak & Fern :)

Another mystery vegetable (for me anyway) showed up at the Aurora Food Pantry the other day:

Looks like it is called Romanesco Broccoli that is “….a cultivar of cauliflower, not broccoli. It is also known as Broccoflower or Roman cauliflower.”

Oh, I almost forgot, but back to the South Shore Cultural Center Video, did you notice the “Water Crib”?? It is the structure out in the Lake where one of the City’s Water Purification Plants sources its raw water. 

CLICK HERE for a quick story on what it is and how it and others were built.

This Video is cool too. 

Of course, google has many more stories if you are interested :)

Can you imagine showing up for the first day of work on that construction project? “Ok guys, we are going to dig a hole 20? feet in diameter and 200? feet deep, then we are going to tunnel (10 to 20 ft diameter) under the Lake for about 1 to

2 miles and connect to another hole that the ‘other crew’ is going to dig…….” Any questions? Are you ready?

And, last but not least, some good news, the Sun came up again today!! :)

From my CRIB to yours,

Have a Great Day !!

BUTTERFLIES on MICHIGAN AVE, POLK BROS PARK, PUBLIC ART, LURIE GARDEN & More - MyShadowProductions #185

Hi everybody, how are you?

This first little tidbit is not part of this Post’s Title but I wanted to share a little story about one of the outside gardens at Garfield Park Conservatory (GPC) if you have a minute :)

I have been going to GPC for over 7 months now and it has been enjoyable to learn a little about the place and its character as I dig in the dirt.

One garden caught my eye as a potential neat picture before and after some flowers bloomed. I got those pictures in May and then just a week or so ago I was weeding there and I asked the Gardener I was working with, what was the name of the garden. She said it is called the “High Voltage Garden” because of a sign on a nearby door. The collage of pictures below hopefully shows the story :)

Sometimes a little chuckle can be as rewarding as a full belly laugh :)

I am very grateful that something (many things) about the GPC has (have) just felt right and allow me to help there.

Now, for the items listed in the Title :)

On Saturday, September 15, 2024 I went to Union Station and walked a few blocks north to the Water Taxi loading dock and took the Taxi to Michigan Avenue. From there my goal was to walk north and then cut over to Ohio Street Beach, Milton Lee Olive Park, Polk Bros Park, E Illinois St., River Esplanade, Lurie Garden, Gardens at The Art Institute and anything else along the way that looked interesting.

I was relatively successful but my exact route is a little (a lot) iffy :)

I wasn’t aware of the “Flight of Butterflies” exhibit until I saw it on Michigan Ave., I will definitely consider it a scavenger hunt challenge to find as many as I can.

The stores and shops along Michigan Ave. and the Navy Pier scene just didn’t make the cut that day, maybe in the future :)

CLICK HERE for a Video created from my photos.

I noticed this sign in August and forgot about it, I think it is interesting enough to share “later than sooner”, :)

Meanwhile back at Garfield Park Conservatory, the annuals in the two large beds of the Artist’s Garden were removed (reluctantly) and the soil will be prepared for planting of the 8,000(?) tulips that will be part of next Spring’s show :) Note: Seeds were collected (The Conservatory grows almost all of their plants in their propagation greenhouses on site), some flowers were used for children’s programs and all excess was composted.

There was also a group of “Future Gardeners” that strolled through the Artist’s Garden that Wednesday:)

I am sure you have signs of Fall in your neck of the woods and here are some photos from around here:

White flowers are Japanese Anemone - Late Summer/Early Fall Blooms

          

Iris germanica ‘Clarence’ - Reblooming

Fair warning, more to come :)

Have a good day !!

GPC Exhibit & SCHULENBERG PRAIRIE - MyShadowProductions #184

Hello again and welcome to October!

For the 69th year September ended with a Birthday, but who’s counting :) I still remember the Angel Food cakes Granny (my Mom’s mom) made for my birthday parties, candles and all 😇.

Before I share about one of my little trips, I want to share a few tidbits from an exhibit that was at the Garfield Park Conservatory’s Artist’s Garden over the Summer.

The exhibit was “The Creative Mind Of George Washington Carver” and the photos below tell some of his story :)

                I just noticed the “error” in the poster’s title

I thought the exhibit was interesting, especially since I like peanuts and “…taking walks through nature.” :)

There are a few planters with peanut plants growing but they are not ready to harvest. Hopefully I will have a follow up photo on that.

On Sunday, September 8, 2024, I saw an unusually active Great White Egret in the Fox River (I thought it made a good opening for the Video that comes a little later in this Post) as I was walking to the Metra Station for a train ride to Lisle and then an Uber to Morton Arboretum..

I didn’t have a major plan, just some walking on a few East trails and then wandering over to the West side of the Arboretum to find and explore the Schulenberg Prairie.

Click Here for a Video created from my photos along the walk.

It was a cool coincidence to see the Egret in the Fox River as the day started and then finished the walk by seeing the Egret in the DuPage River :)

The trees at the Arboretum are just now (2nd week of October) starting to change colors.

A few days later on Thursday while volunteering at Morton Arboretum, I saw this rare Black Squirrel:

I also took a minute to video a coyote (I have no idea why he was out in the open at 10 in the morning:) I call it the “COYOTE TROT”. (not as well known as the Fox Trot :)

Last but not least, here are some random photos I just know you have to see :)

                          Early evening in Aurora, IL

How about this photo?

READ HERE if you want some Old Farmer’s Almanac “knowledge“ :)

Have a Great Week !! 

Positive Thoughts and Energy to those experiencing the unwanted guests Helene and Milton !!