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 BLOG The Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG) in Glencoe, Illinois, is a popular destination in any season—but especially during the warmer months. If you love nature and hikes and strolls through flower-filled meadows, English and Japanese gardens, forests, and much more, you could easily spend an entire day … Continue reading Visit Chicago Botanic Garden for Breathtaking Gardens and Greenhouses, Model Trains and Other Seasonal Shows, and Fun in Any Season
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
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED JULY 2024 Bright sunshine. Vast skies loaded with white, fluffy clouds. Warm gusts of wind. Butterflies and dragonflies. Absolute solitude. No 24-hour news cycle. In short: I had nothing to complain about during my visit last week to 320-acre Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve in … Continue reading 7 Things to Do at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND If you live in Chicagoland and beyond, you’ve seen Barry Butler’s wonderful landscape and cityscape photographs on television newscasts, on social media (including on his Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts), at his website, and in photo exhibitions. His creative vision and deft touch with the camera turns … Continue reading Renowned Photographer Publishes New Book That Captures the Essence of Chicago
If you're still looking for holiday stocking stuffers, consider the following nature-oriented calendar and books. My friend TED GLASOE, an environmental advocate and an award-winning nature photographer who loves Lake Michigan even more than I do, offers a 2020 calendar that features breathtaking images of our beautiful inland sea. You can purchase it at his website, and … Continue reading A Lake Michigan Calendar and Nature Books to Fill Your Holiday Stockings
© Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center Spring has finally sprung in Chicagoland! If you look to the sky, you'll occasionally see hundreds of sandhill cranes, geese, ducks, and other migrating birds as they travel north (from their winter homes in northern Mexico, Texas, New Mexico, and other places) to their warm-weather breeding grounds in … Continue reading Spring Road Trip Idea: Visit Nebraska to Watch the Great Crane Migration
Today is the two-year anniversary of my blog, Nature in Chicagoland. In the last 730 days, I’ve published nearly 80 articles about the great outdoors. I've covered everything from eagle watching and views of the mighty Mississippi River at Mississippi Palisades State Park, to remnants of the Manhattan Project and great wildlife viewing in Red … Continue reading Celebrating the Two-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
Do you love spending time in the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC), at Brookfield Zoo, and at the Chicago Botanic Garden? Are you the next Ansel Adams? Do you want to earn some bragging rights and a bunch of free calendars? If so, you should enter the FPCC’s 7th Annual Photo Contest. All you have … Continue reading Forest Preserves of Cook County Offers Photo Contest, But You Need to Act Fast