Author: Lisa

Native Americans and the Land

Written on September 7, 2010.

Did you know that native people, for perhaps thousands of years before Europeans arrived on this continent, managed the land to make it more conducive to hunting? They lit fires to keep the brush down in the woods, and to keep...

What Makes a Road Scenic?

Written on August 26, 2010.

It may be safe to say that “scenic” is in the eye of the beholder. One person’s scenic drive may be tedious to another who just wants to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, and is annoyed by...

Another Reason to Buy Local Food?

Written on August 26, 2010.

As if we needed another reason to purchase our food from local sources, along comes the Great American Egg Recall of 2010! Billions of eggs potentially tainted with Salmonella bacteria, and thousands of people sick as a result. The...

The Dog Days of Summer!

Written on August 12, 2010.

I thought a nice winter photo would help me keep my cool while writing about the heat! I heard someone refer to the “Dog Days” of summer, which got me wondering about where that term came from. First off, the dog...

Water is Life!

Written on August 7, 2010.

I heard a talk about Water this morning by Reverend Budd Friend-Jones of the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake. He spoke of the spiritual aspects of water – the life force that all religions somehow honor through...

The Heat of Summer

Written on July 28, 2010.

For the month of July, the average high temperature in Chicago is 83.5. So far this year (2010), the average high temp in July is closer to 87. The average last summer was about 80 degrees – one of the coolest July’s...