BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND If you only read one sentence of this entire story, it should be this one: Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve is an amazing place that is at the height of its summertime wildflower show, and you should visit today, tomorrow, or very soon to see … Continue reading Bluff Spring Fen: A Fen-tastic Nature Experience in Far Western Cook County
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2023 I’m taking a break from spotlighting nature destinations to write about my family’s visit last month to the Flight 93 National Memorial in southeastern Pennsylvania. Actually, this post barely mentions my family, but rather focuses on the events of the day and … Continue reading The Flight 93 National Memorial Commemorates Bravery and a Momentous Time in U.S. History
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND If you hike or paddle in the right natural spot in Chicagoland, it’s almost as if you’re not in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. There are peaceful and verdant prairies filled with prairie blazing star, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, rattlesnake … Continue reading Art Exhibition Celebrates the Natural Beauty and Rebirth of Chicago’s Industrial Southeast Side
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND BLOG UPDATED APRIL 2025 I was intrigued when I received a press release about David C. Mahood’s new book, Kings of a Lonely Kingdom: Earth Day Essays, Poems, and Musings on Nature (ISBN 978-0-9994876-2-4, 2021, 208 pages, $19, plus shipping). For 10 years on Earth … Continue reading Earth Day Essay Collection is a Great Read Any Time of the Year
BY ANDREW MORKES, AUTHOR AND FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED 8/18/22 How do you vanquish flies before your next barbeque or campout? How do you quickly start a fire when camping or hanging out in your backyard? Which on-the-go steeped coffee doesn’t taste stale and lifeless? Where do you find a good lightweight sleeping … Continue reading 6 Great Products That Will Make Your Outdoor Life Easier
This is my third interview with candidates for the board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago. The election will be held on November 8, 2022; early voting is ongoing. You can also read my interviews with board candidates Patricia Theresa Flynn and Daniel Pogorzelski. You might ask…why is the MWRD important … Continue reading Meet Yumeka Brown: A Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
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 stormwater (which collects and transports animal waste, garbage, pesticides, … Continue reading Meet Daniel Pogorzelski: A Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
My dad's desk circa 1990s (copyright Andrew Morkes) My father’s roll-top desk is massive. It has seven large drawers and 25 smaller drawers of various sizes. It’s mine now. As he lay dying in late 1996, he decided that I should get his desk because I was the traveler in the family (the desk disassembles … Continue reading George’s Desk: A Story About My Dad on Father’s Day
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 stormwater (which collects and transports animal waste, garbage, pesticides, … Continue reading Meet Patricia Theresa Flynn: A Strong Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED FEBRUARY 2025 Chicago has a population of nearly 2.7 million people, more than 4,000 miles of streets, and large industrial areas with factories spewing pollution into the air, the Chicago River, and Lake Michigan. Like most U.S. cities, it also has problems with crime, racial inequity, … Continue reading Toto, I’ve a Feeling We’re Not in Chicago Anymore: 11 Nature Destinations Where You’ll Swear That You’re Not in the City