Saturday, October 19, 2019

Halloween Magic!


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Ghouls, Goblins and Witches....Gather
it's time for Outdoor Magic....

Halloween from archived photos. 

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Time to drag out the old light up pumpkins, leaves and don't forget the Spiders!

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And Spiders everywhere!

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and even creepier spiders!

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And kitty-cats chasing the spiders.

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Add some bats, witches and of course pumpkins... 

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The porch witch guards the front door! 

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more pumpkins...watch out for more black cats!


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A spooky train and more pumpkins...

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And even MORE pumpkins...

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It's time for pumpkin magic.....Bibbedy-Bobbedy--BOO!

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What Magic are you creating for Halloween?

I'm thankful for each and every comment, 
and will try and answer every question.



















Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Today in History: October 8, 1871

Sunday October 8th through Tuesday, the 10th, 1871 over three square miles of the center of Chicago burned relentlessly.
original source not known

Chicago in 1868 
(All that is shown burned plus more to the north (right) and south(left)

A bustling metropolis and manufacturing city, as well as the transportation hub to the west, Chicago was still a boomtown of sorts. The Chicago River had been linked to the Illinois River and connected to the Mississippi River. This linked Chicago to most states via waterways in the Union. 

Railroads criss-crossing the 'booming' country provided access to the East and all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Chicago was primed to be the greatest of American cities...and then She burned.
original source not known

Burned Districts in Red

More than two-thousand acres burned of prime and not so prime Chicago land. 
A dry summer and fall, wailing winds, overcrowded residential districts built of wood with wood fences and wooden walkways fed the flames of the fire that started in the south part of the city. 
original source not known
North Branch of the Chicago River

It quickly reached the Chicago River mouth reaching tornado like conditions feeding the flames. People fled in every direction, streets filled with fleeing victims as 'fire-proof' buildings crumbled behind them. Bridges clogged and quickly as the fire came from the West and the South riding howling winds.



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Randolph Street Bridge


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Chicago Harbor

Victims fled to the Lake Michigan beach, to boats and piers...with only the clothes on their backs, dragging animals and carrying children and the elderly in their arms.

Tuesday morning rain drizzled and then rained, but the fire had burned and then ran out of fuel to the north with fewer homes and walkways to feed on.



original source not known
Above the remnants of the new City Hall are in the background as a shell.
Only known loss of life was set at approximately 300. Many panicked survivors poured onto the Lincoln Park Beach and into the Lake. A cemetery on the lakefront housed many for days as they waited for everything around their oasis to cool. 

Property losses totaled 17,500 buildings destroyed, dollar losses were estimated at  $222 million dollars. 

The center of the city buildings were all of stone and brick and most were reduced to a baked powder. Some had been advertised as 'fire proof'.



As far as the eye could see...nothing was recognizable.  Eventually the rubble was dumped into the lake to surround what had been the all the railroad's central depot. 100,000 of the residents of Chicago were homeless, and many more fled. Massive relief efforts were organized in cities across the nation and supplies shipped to Chicago to help. Winter was only 6-8 weeks away.

Source
The only municipal building left standing was the 1868 Water Tower now located on North Michigan Avenue. Today it is the iconic symbol of Chicago's tenacity and a tribute to the CITY that rebuilt after the Great Chicago Fire. 

All these photos are historic and all over the internet and Pinterest. So, I have chosen not to show a source as they are long out of copyright, except for the Water Tower photo! 

I'm thankful for each and every comment, and will try and answer every question.

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Monday, October 7, 2019

Thoughtful Moments #3 "Do you see...what I see?"


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My oldest memories are of my favorite Fall seasons. I always loved warm sun on my back with a cool breeze licking my face.

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Chippewa Flowage, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

Who wouldn't love the green world bursting into so many colors...and tones you can't imagine?

I loved to do my gradeschool artwork with chalk on black paper, leaves and grasses bright in Fall's display.

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Fox River south of McHenry Dam
Dad was a fisherman, so my youngest memories are of throwing in a line with a cane pole and watching it drift with the current. Ripples on the water teasing the bobber and his earnest reminder to, 

"Wait for it to disappear." 

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South of McHenry Dam
 Late afternoon October skies showering the water with diamonds, blinding in beauty.

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Moraine Hills State Park Illinois
Our family had property in the middle of Wisconsin surrounded by fields, hills, and nestled on a small chain of lakes. I would take long walks along the creeks and across the fields, the ever changing landscape as it morphed from greens to golden tans and then to the subtle dead grays of November.


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Lakewood Forest Preserve  Wauconda, Illinois

Even with the flowers long spent, the grasses and wild plants provided fascinating details and diversity.

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Moraine State Park, McHenry County Illinois

Windswept delicate grasses and grains, strong enough to withstand the pounding fall rains and wave playfully in a breeze.

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Moraine State Park McHenry County Illinois
The teasing angle of an Autumn Solstice sun, fiery when high and smoldering and smokey in dusky light as it lowers in the southwest.

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Lakewood Forest Preserve Wauconda Illinois

Fleeting clouds or....a pink sunset, what do you see? 
When you stop long enough...

'to really SEE'. 

These photos are all mine---some as old as 2007. Color has yet to even begin to change in N.Illinois this year.

I'm thankful for each and every comment, and will try and answer every question.






Tuesday, October 1, 2019

MidWest Gardening September 2019

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It's the end of September and while some things are just DONE...
others are not. As of 9/27 today, our GREEN vegetable garden is pretty much done, except for peppers and butternut squash. I picked the last of the tomatoes and got a huge bag in the freezer. 


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This picking was early September---we had two more pickings and we still have a bunch of peppers on our 12 or so plants. They have been big and thick. 

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Today, the Basil has had too much water, I dump the excess after every rain, but we have been soaked every third day or so.The Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme are very happy in the pot on the right. My Cilantro has revived and is growing thick. My Parsley not in the picture is almost as big and also has lettuce starting. If it gets cold, these long planters will go into the new greenhouse.

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This Rosemary Pot is very sweet and quite crazy. I will bring this into the house when/if it gets cold.


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My crazy late sunflower has branched out at the top and I had 12 blooms on it this week. They change colors and vary, day to day.

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You can see the trees aren't turning at all, yet!

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My big pot at the base of the stairs is very happy. Now in shade most of the day, everything has doubled in size. The 'sunflower' turned out to be a mulberry tree. and was promptly cut out this week. I will have to dig out the root after frost.

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This, Unexpected gift, which is quite happy by the pond. A Baby Tears I had in a few planters last year. I dumped dirt from pots around the pond last Fall, and it must have taken root. I will mulch and see if it makes it. I have had multiple ground covers here with not much luck. Too hot in the sun for most of the Spring and Summer, I guess the secret is more water, since we had tons of rain, records in fact.


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While the Sweet Peas are dead, this Monster Morning Glory has started in. 


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Huge mutant rubbery leaves and gorgeous 3" blooms. The color is amazing. I assume they will go until frost!

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These were not planted, but the birds help with that---after eating the seeds, from the neighbors plants.

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These are the grown-from-seed Marigolds after I trimmed them for the third time. We roll carts down this concrete. 8-10" marigolds are 18-20". The 12-16" ones are about 30" inches high. Amazing what hot weather and tons of water will do.

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I keep nipping flowerings on the Coleus, but they are just huge this year! We gave up on bug/critter spraying with rain falling constantly.

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This one gets more sun and is just as big. I do use a mix of composted dirt and 1/2 potting soil. They were fertilized, once????

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My Giant Sedum plants are full of pinkish blooms---the bees are thick and loving it, so I have to stay away from these areas. Some have fallen over because of the weight of the heads. Next year I will wire ring them early. 

As soon as they begin to turn burgundy, I will use some for cut arrangements. Such a wonderful plant for NO CARE--drought resistance and great foliage.

Well, it is Chicagoland...and 
SPEAKING OF RAIN, we are now in our 5th day since I started this post-----so....

(to be Continued)
Later when I can get some photos!


Thanks for visiting, I love all your comments, 
and I will be happy to try and answer questions!