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Random Photo Dump:  A Slice of 2025

I hope you enjoy this random photo dump representing a little slice of 2025 in Southern Illinois. May you have a wonderful and blessed New Year.

Get Dipped at Carbondale Juneteenth

Marion

Yummy steak Hibachi from Kaizen Hibachi in Marion

Food Works Winter Farmer’s Market, Spring 2025

The return of The Salem Special

The Sunday Farmer’s Market at Cambria

Downtown Salem

Glaciers End in Marion

Pierce Farm

Polar Whip in Energy
Jerk Chicken Nachos from Caribbean Hut of Cambria at Carbondale Juneteenth

Food Works Winter Farmer’s Market at Carbondale, December 2025

Cold Blooded Coffee at Food Works Winter Farmer’s Market at Carbondale, Spring 2025
Glacier’s End Pickle Fest in Marion and some awesome Mexican street corn by Garza’s Grill
Carbondale Juneteenth Celebration

The Farmer’s Market of Carbondale

The Sunday Farmer’s Market at Cambria

Abc

Delicious Cinnamon Sugar Donuts from The Botanical Orchards
My favorite charm necklace (Watermelon Falls by A Slice of Southern Illinois)
Delectable Green Tea Thai Sugar Cookie from Sweet Luca Bakery
Jerk Chicken from Caribbean Hut
Amethyst Druzy Pendant on Fluoride and Czech Glass Chain (Watermelon Falls by A Slice of Southern Illinois)
Wonderful Szechuan Chicken From New Kahala in Carbondale
Schwartz Orchards at Centralia during Strawberry Season
El Patron in Salem (formerly La Cocina)
Local Lore’s Yummy Coffee Ice Cream
Quatro’s in Carbondale, Home of the Famous Yellow Cup
One of My Favorite Bracelets-Mookaite with a Czech Glass Coffee Bean (Watermelon Falls by A Slice of Southern Illinois)
Spring Craft Fair at Anne West Lindsey Library in Carterville

El Paisano in Carbondale
“Junk Journal” Kit (Watermelon Falls by A Slice of Southern Illinois)
A Few of My Favorite Rings (Watermelon Falls by A Slice of Southern Illinois)
Food Works Winter Farmer’s Market at Carbondale, Spring 2025
Spring Blooms
Candlelight Christmas Eve Service at Cornerstone Church, Marion
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Mystery Solved: Those Pretty Pink Succulents

During my trip to the Marion Farmer’s Market this morning, I looked at all of the pretty succulents at The Potager Garden’s booth. I noticed that some had some pink on them.

Recently, there have been photos circulating on social media of gorgeous pink succulents. Friends and I have been trying to locate some. Searches have not really netted any results.

I decided to ask if there were succulents that just came pink, or if they could turn pink. Since I’ve bought several plants from The Potager Garden, I knew that the Christiansons were very knowledgeable of their plants and would have an answer. They did not let me down. Justin explained that sometimes succulents can get a bit of a sunburn that makes them pink. It doesn’t hurt the plant, but its color changes. The extra sun is necessary to “stress” the plant. I was assured that this type of “stress” is not hurting it though. Succulents with color beyond the basic green require more light to maintain vibrant. Otherwise, their color can revert back to green.

I decided to get a Pencil Cactus. Actually, I’ve wanted to get another since I lost my large one several years ago. I had one that grew to be a couple feet tall from a start my sweet cousin had given me on a trip to see family in Louisiana years ago. I was sad when I lost it.

In addition to the Pencil Cactus, I found some lemongrass and lavender–both for culinary purposes as well as the garden.

Unfortunately, I didn’t arrive in time to make it to every booth. Since we are still under many COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, what should have been a five minute ATM visit at the bank took about half an hour because the cars in line for the other lanes had blocked the ATM lane…

I was able to pick up some Burning Bushes Shrub, one of the specialty flavored drinking vinegars, from Glacier’s End. Although they had just sold their last container of coffee steak rub, I was happy to find Volcan, Costa Rican coffee beans, at Cold Blooded Coffee Co. Their lemonade was delicious too! It was much appreciated after walking around in a hot face mask/bandana. Even on a cooler day, those masks can really warm a person up quite a bit…