Why I Oughta...

 Back in September, I posted a photo of one of our favorite spots in the Morton Arboretum called The Spruce Plot .  Or...The "Spruce Plots" as I mistakenly call them.  We were over in the Arboretum recently and - of course - found our way to this area for a little walk.  The sun hits differently in the morning during the Winter at Morton as all of the deciduous trees have dropped their leaves, so the sun comes through the forest and lights up the trunks of the trees.  Here's how things looked when we looked straight East as the sun began to rise in the morning: COVID has taken away so much from all of us - and from our family.  But, one of the really great things that it has GIVEN us are these walks.  

Over the weekend, we went out walking (and playing Pokemon Go) around Barth Pond at Patriots Park down on 55th Street in Downers Grove and one of the kids came across this two-tiered honeycomb that has been abandoned by the occupants.  Based on the color, this hasn't been a vibrant, active home for a while.  Neat to see and fun to have to kids show an interest in nature.

A few days ago, I shared the list of bare root trees that The Growing Place is taking pre-orders on during the month of March and included on that list was something called an American Serviceberry Autumn Brilliance.   I had not previously come across that particular variety, but due to the whole 'social distancing' dynamic going on this past week, we've done a few family walks down to the park and pond near us.  On one of those recent walks, I saw this multi-stemmed shrub (or what I figured was a shrub) and then noticed the little yellow tag on one of the branches.  I peep'd at it.  And did a double-take.  It is an American Serviceberry.  Funny, right?  Having not even heard of such a tree/shrub before this week, now I've come across it twice in five days.  (Note:  I've blurred out the house in the photo just to provide some semblance of privacy here...) This specimen on our block is heavily multi-stemmed - as you can see.  ...

Last Summer, I posted a photo from a walk I took with Lizzie around Barth Pond at Patriot's Park .  That photo is here .  The park is very close to our house - like maybe six houses or so away and it is a nice spot to go walking.  Sometimes with the dog.  Sometimes with the kids.  Recently, I went down there with the two little ones and we spent some time in the playground.  On the way to the playground, I was struck by how nice it was out.  This path in the photo above is one of two on the north side of the pond with this one being 'closer' to the water.  The pond has something to do with water management in our area and I think part of the reason there's two paths is because this part of the path is occasionally under water.  On this day, it wasn't.  And the goose turds that normally make me tiptoe around?  Those were gone, too.  Felt like my lucky day. 

Took this photo as I walked by this morning.  Even though I refuse to call this place Macy's, I still get excited to see the windows get all decked out for Christmas.  Brings back all sorts of warm/fuzzy childhood feelings... For the past few years, we've taken the girls down to the Walnut room and then spend a bit of time pressing our faces up against the glass to see what they've cooked up.  Even though I refuse to acknowledge Macy's and still call it Marshall Field's, I have to admit they have done a nice job with the windows since the acquisition.  Here's hoping they keep it up!

One of the benefits of walking straight down Randolph Street from Olgivie to Aon most mornings is that I get to see all sorts of transformations.  The planter boxes outside of City Hall are especially nice.  But, as this is my first winter doing this walk, this is the first time I've been able to see the famous windows at Marshall Field's Macy's undergo their transformation.     With Halloween going down this week, I have a feeling we'll see them come out from hiding as early as next week.