Another one of my happy places, at a weather training with dozens of other weather nuts. I always pick up a few new nuggets of information and also I'm reassured that there are people even crazier about the weather than I am.
I was early for a Fire game, so I stopped at the Art Institute to see the Norman Rockwell. I'm not sure what to make of it being directly across from American Gothic. I think the curator was having a little fun.
So nice this morning I took time from writing the book and I hit a shed-antler spot. The first bleached thing that caught my eye was only old bones, not deer bones. But it was a good morning. Beside jumping three deer, no antlers, I spotted an American red squirrel (pine squirrel) scurrying about.
Apparently we need to get out more. First time I've seen a robot taking food out at a restaurant. My wife and I were at a delayed Valentine's Day dinner last night at Homewood Brewing Co. I about fell over when a robot came out with somebody else's dinner.
In my happy place, a small bait shop. In this case, it's Rigg's Outpost in Melbourne, Florida. Should be trying for snook, instead I think I'll play with some panfish later this afternoon. Another time, I'll chase snook when I come to visit our oldest son and granddaughter.
You could say I got a little exuberant with the temperatures in the mid-40s. I planted three pots of spinach, a couple days earlier than I usually do in memory of Grandma Bowman. But it was so nice this afternoon it just seemed right. Hey, it's been a long damn winter.
Visiting brother Bo in San Antonio. Yesterday did the hill country, Pedernales Falls SP. Very different natural world. Saw varieties of prickly pear, yucca (Spanish dagger above), Texas live oak, mesquite, and Texas persimmon. Birds: Bewick's wren, Carolina chickade, Woodhouse scrub-jay, ravens.
Excellent ending to a serious all-day conference on restoration & conservation, Wild Things 2026, first time Downstate in O'Fallon. Biologist Tony Gerard ended the day with a half comedic/half serious examination on the worldwide phenomenon of Bigfoot. Something to mull on my 4 1/2-hour drive home.
Joel Greenberg, Tom Schrader & I tried to spot a golden eagle today. Even without,we had a great time. Here's 2 of the 300 bald eagles we saw in NW Illinois; 250, came at Lock & Dam 13 on the Mississippi. Along the way, we saw a rough-legged hawk & a coyote walking the frozen Mississippi.
Sun-Times Metro editor and I eat lunch around the city every couple months. Today was Peach's, corner of 47th and MLK. I had catfish fillets, like freaking butter so soft and perfectly cooked, greens and cheesy grits. Saji went shrimp and cheesy grits. We shared duck bacon. That's right duck bacon.
Love the new marketing that TightRope finished just in time for the Chicagoland Fishing Expo in Schaumburg. Try to find the Play Pen in the collage. It feels different to be here not to write, but just to wander around, buy a few things and talk to a ton of people.
We need more whimsy like this in our museums (and lives). We're at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
In Baltimore on the first leg of our long Edgar Allan Poe weekend. On a tour at the graveyard of Poe's final resting spot, after several moves. He gives special meaning to it's complicated.
Finally made it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time. Good Lord, we should have allotted a lot more time. You literally could spend the whole day here. I'm determined to find the Warren Zevon exhibit before we go.
Capt. Ernesto (Thin Blue Line Fishing) & I double at Riverside Fishing Club tonight. His brother Leo Garza, (14.3-pound lakefront walleye), may also show. Meeting begins 6:45 p.m., Ernesto after 7, me around 8. My topics include lakefront, perch & Fox River dams. Berwyn Moose Lodge, 3625 S. Harlem.
I'll kick off Wilderness Wednesday for the Illinois Extension Service at 6:00 tonight. I'll be talking about public wild spaces along the Kankakee River basin. It's free but you need the zoom link, so register at illinois.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Made Garfield Park Conservatory just in time for the last day of the winter flower show. We took the photo here so that we had Dale Chihuly's glass lilies in the background. I'm never sure what I think of the glass lilies.
Yeah, that is a thought.
We did our First Day Hike at Walnut Point State Park. First time I've been there so I knocked one more IDNR site off my list to hit them all. We had the place to ourselves. I had to chuckle about the name since I didn't notice any walnuts, but saw plenty of shagbark hickory and white oak.
I only retired from the Sun-Times in early November, so I offered to do the year-end wrap on outdoors stories. Enjoy. Chicago is a wonderful place for outdoors. chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/202...
My favorite service of the year, the Christmas Eve candlelight service at Flossmoor Community Church. With four adult children, it's special when everyone's together.
Wild birds, too.
I finally drew a permit for Saybrook Pheasant Habitat Area Thursday. Despite wind & rain, we rousted a two dozen pheasants (got 2) before heavy rain ended it. After slogging through wind, rain, leftover snow and thick habitat for 3 1/2 miles, we earned a good feed at Blue Star Cafe in Gibson City.
Had a wonderful time this afternoon hiking 3 miles around Montrose harbor and the bird sanctuary with Bob Mazzoni, who most frequently edited my outdoors column for the Sun-Times. We talked history and life. I took my usual photo because it looks different every time from the harbor's south side.
Well I think the inaugural meeting of the Chicago West Green Drinks went well with Alex Parker of the Green Beer Project. Fascinating topic on the impact climate change is having on beer. Yes I am having fun with my newfound time.
This kind of story pulls me temporarily out of retirement and away from bear hunting. chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/202...
Dawn popped the remaining color at Allerton on my morning ramble. The multitude of oaks helps with late color and also explains the 40 to 50 gray squirrels I saw on my two-mile ramble. The topper was two pileated woodpeckers, stunningly not making any noise, when I finished at the mansion.
Glad to that thought crossed somebody else's mind.
The process for obtaining a winter fishing pass at Navy Pier Marina opened on Friday. navypiermarina.com/fishing-pass...
Karyn and I broke up the drive to my youngest niece's wedding tomorrow by stopping at Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater over Bear Run just before dark today. Highly recommend it.
