BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG I love photography and took a gazillion photos last year. Okay, I don’t have a firm number but take my word for it that I took MANY photos—of nature, family, friends, concerts, bars, bands, cool architecture, art, historical spots, you name it. I’m sure most … Continue reading My Favorite 32 Photos That I Took Last Year
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” Today is the eighth anniversary of the founding of my blog, “Nature in Chicagoland,” and I’m so happy to have written nearly 300 articles about woods, wetlands, prairies, lakes, and other natural areas in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. I’m pleased that my articles on … Continue reading Celebrating the Eighth Anniversary of My Blog, Nature in Chicagoland
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Summer officially began at 9:58 A.M. this morning, although I'm sure you've been enjoying our beautiful weather for awhile. But, despite global climate change, summer remains short in Chicagoland. In just a few months, our kids will be back in school, and a month or … Continue reading 17 Things to Do Outdoors in Chicagoland This Summer
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF "NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND" BLOG UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024 A beautiful oasis overlooks Interstate 290—one of Chicagoland’s busiest, and most irritating-to-travel-on, highways. But unlike many urban oases, you won't be able to get a greasy bag of fries or play that kids claw machine game, where you can never snatch the good … Continue reading Oak Park Conservatory: Visit the Mediterranean, Tropics, and Desert in a Matter of Minutes
The story of a fun journey from Chicago to Washington, DC, by train The wildest nature spot in Cook County The remnants of the Manhattan Project…and some great hiking and biking opportunities One of the best places to see spring flowers in Chicagoland A personal ghost story and tales of Resurrection Mary and other ghosts … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in May 2019
Spring is here in Chicagoland—at least if you look at the calendar, but not the thermometer. Warmer weather is on the horizon, and summer will be here in no time. But before the hot, stifling days of summer are upon us, here are 15 things you should do outdoors this spring in Chicagoland: Photo courtesy … Continue reading 15 Things to Do Outdoors This Spring in Chicagoland
It’s so cold today in Chicagoland that [fill in your punch line here]. So, today is a perfect day to…stay inside and read some of my favorite all-time posts at Nature in Chicagoland and dream of warm weather, summer skies, forests of green, happy dancing deer (okay, maybe I have mental frostbite), and all the … Continue reading 15 Nature in Chicagoland Stories to Check Out on a North Pole-Like Day
Things to Do Before the End of the Summer, Camping Tips for Kids, Trolls (the fun kind), Trump, Ghost Stories, and Beautiful State Parks in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. These were the topics of the most-popular posts at Nature in Chicagoland in August 2018 based on page views by my readers. If you missed … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in August 2018
August is here, and summer is in its third and final act. The “actors” are still on stage: the leaves are green, the flowers are in bloom, the beaches are packed, the kids are still out of school, the sidewalk cafes are jammed with summer revelers, and the sun doesn’t set till around 8 p.m. … Continue reading 14 Things to Do Outdoors in Chicagoland Before Summer Ends
In case you missed them, here were the most-popular posts at Nature in Chicagoland in April 2018 based on page views by my readers: 1. Eight Things to Do Outdoors This Spring in Chicagoland 2. Scilla and the Coming of Spring 3. Seven Places to See Bison in the Midwest Copyright (text/photos) Andrew Morkes