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Vote for Daniel Pogorzelski for Re-election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

by anders458, posted in Chicago, Chicago River, conservation, election candidates, Illinois, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” What is the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago, and why should it matter to you? The MWRD plays a major role in treating wastewater, reducing flooding (increasingly important as Illinois’ climate becomes wetter due to global climate change), and reducing the amount of … Continue reading Vote for Daniel Pogorzelski for Re-election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Saying Goodbye to Tom “Freakin’” Skilling: 6 Reasons Why I’ll Miss This Chicago Weather Icon

by anders458, posted in Chicago, Chicago stories, Illinois, meteorology, Uncategorized

An appreciation of weather forecasting legend Tom Skilling on the day of his retirement. Six Reasons Why I’ll Miss This Chicago Weather Icon.

Meet Sharon Waller: A Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

by anders458, posted in Chicago, Chicago River, conservation, election candidates, Illinois, politics and the environment, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” UPDATED OCTOBER 2024 What is the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago, and why should it matter to you? The MWRD plays a major role in treating wastewater, reducing flooding (increasingly important as Illinois’ climate becomes wetter due to global climate change), and reducing … Continue reading Meet Sharon Waller: A Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

A Visit to Garden of the Gods Recreation Area Proves That Illinois is Not Just One Vast, Flat Cornfield

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, birdwatching, camping, canyons, fall colors, hiking, horseback riding, Illinois, kids activities, spring wildflowers, U.S. Forest Service, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” During one spring weekend, my wife, son, and I took a 715-mile round-trip (reinforcing the flatness of most of Illinois); my son and his classmates competed at a state-wide science fair; and we visited the Garden of the Gods at Shawnee State Forest in far-southern … Continue reading A Visit to Garden of the Gods Recreation Area Proves That Illinois is Not Just One Vast, Flat Cornfield

8 Things to Do at Emily Oaks Nature Center

by anders458, posted in birdwatching, fall colors, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, nature centers, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, volunteering, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” Have you ever driven by a nearby nature center year-after-year without ever visiting? I have. But last month, I finally turned left rather than went straight and, within minutes, I was pulling into Emily Oaks Nature Center in Skokie, Illinois, on a sunny, blue-sky day … Continue reading 8 Things to Do at Emily Oaks Nature Center

A Handful of Sand and Photographs Keep Memories Alive of a Special Friend and Our Trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

by anders458, posted in family and friends stories, Michigan

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF "NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND" When our friends pass away unexpectedly, we’re often just left with memories and—in the instance of my friend Dave Fode—a little sand and a few photographs from a trip we took together with our nine- and 13-year-old sons. In August 2019, we camped at Pictured … Continue reading A Handful of Sand and Photographs Keep Memories Alive of a Special Friend and Our Trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Goodbye 2023…Hello 2024!

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, bouldering, camping, canoeing, canyons, Chicago, Chicago Parks, climbing, conservation, cross-country skiing, Des Plaines River, fall colors, farms, fens, fishing, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, glacial kames, hiking, horseback riding, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Forest Preserves, local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, nature centers, prairies, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF "NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND" I want to thank my "Nature in Chicagoland" readers for visiting my blog in 2023. Last year, my blog received the most reader views and visits in its nearly seven-year history, and I'm grateful to those who take the time to read my stories and … Continue reading Goodbye 2023…Hello 2024!

The Most-Popular Non-Nature Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in 2023

by anders458, posted in books, Chicago, Chicago stories, family and friends stories, fiction, holiday gifts, Illinois, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I wrote many stories about nature destinations in 2023, but I also explored other topics that were near and dear to my heart including writing about the artistic achievements of my friend Dave Fode (who passed away suddenly in 2022), paying tribute to a beloved … Continue reading The Most-Popular Non-Nature Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in 2023

Books Make Perfect Stocking Stuffers: Here Are 40+ Suggestions—Ranging From Chicago Area Nature and Cultural Spots to Fiction, Music, Radio, and History

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, books, Chicago, Chicago stories, conservation, Driftless Region, fiction, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, kids activities, local history, music, photography, U.S. history

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE "NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND" BLOG UPDATED DECEMBER 2025 Need some ideas for holiday stocking stuffers? If so, this article provides some great suggestions. Over the years at my "Nature in Chicagoland" blog, I’ve had the chance to interview several authors about nature (including tallgrass prairies and dragonflies) and … Continue reading Books Make Perfect Stocking Stuffers: Here Are 40+ Suggestions—Ranging From Chicago Area Nature and Cultural Spots to Fiction, Music, Radio, and History

“The Loop Files” Tells the Inside Story of a Groundbreaking Chicago Radio Station

by anders458, posted in books, Chicago, Chicago stories, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Steve & Garry. Kevin Matthews and Jim Shorts. Jonathon Brandmeier and Buzz Kilman. If reading these names makes you smile and recall great radio memories from the 1980s and 1990s, than you’ll want to read The Loop Files: An Oral History of the Most Outrageous … Continue reading “The Loop Files” Tells the Inside Story of a Groundbreaking Chicago Radio Station