Tag: illinois

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Fireflies at Dusk

One of the simple pleasures of summer (I realize June 17th is technically not summer, but when it’s a sultry 100 degrees in the shade, it’s close enough) is watching the fireflies.

Fireflies, a.k.a. lightning bugs, are pretty amazing. Like tiny, flashing glowsticks, these cute little creatures can make the night sky seem a bit magical.

Growing up in the Tonti countryside, I remember chasing and watching them as a little girl. I’m pretty sure I pretended they were Tinkerbell a time or two. (I did finally see Tinkerbell “in person” on my Senior Band Trip to Florida…)

If you haven’t ever spent a peaceful evening in the country watching fireflies as the sunset fades into dark, you should. Birds and likely some other critters provide a tranquil soundtrack.

This video is just simply that–a few minutes of watching fireflies at Dusk in the country. Enjoy.

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Happy Earth Day!

It’s that time again… Earth Day is that day set aside each year to reflect upon God’s beautiful creation and how we can be better stewards of it.

Earth Day was introduced to the U.S. in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson. It followed a large oil spill in 1969 and national concerns about air pollution. Per earthday.org, timing of the day was reportedly chosen specifically to be be a weekday between spring break and final exams. Why? The founder and associates wanted to encourage student activism. Denis Hayes, an activist, was actually recruited to facilitate campus “teach-ins.” The Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) was created within months of the first Earth Day. The yearly observation went global in 1990.

Although the national focus of Earth Day through the years has been influenced by by political agendas and environmental events, the core value has remained. It is important to respect nature and not abuse or unnecessarily damage God’s creation. Another word for this is stewardship.

Earth Day may mean different things to different people. It reminds me of my dad, one of the inspirations for this blog. Sadly, he is no longer with us, but he lived his life with a great love for nature. Dad was not only the principal at my grade school but a science teacher as well. (Yes, it could be awkward at times to have your parent as your teacher…) I remember riding down to Carbondale from Salem with my family in our little Pacer for science fairs at SIU. My dad loved to support his students and visit his alma mater.

Garden of the Gods

On family trips to the Carbondale area, it was not uncommon for us to walk through Thompson Woods on campus or to visit Giant City State Park. He would tell us that the park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. No trip to campus was complete without driving by the university farms where he worked in college.

This is also the time of year that my family would go mushroom hunting in local woods for morels. My parents taught my brother and I to enjoy and respect nature.

Words that many of us associate with Earth Day are to “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” Upcycling and repurposing have become the trendier ways of expressing this. My mom, another inspiration for this blog, was very creative. She made many things that decorated our home by repurposing. There was a large picture that hung in my brother’s room of a turtle. It was a seed mosaic that my mom made. Instead of just getting new furniture to redecorate, she would repaint and embellish things to change their look.

As an adult, I can see their influence in some of the things I do now. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with ways to use 2 liter bottles, cans, and more. I also have the same love of plants and gardening as my parents. There are many times I wish I could still get their advise. I’ve become fascinated by repurposed items that become planters or gardens…I hope that I’ve instilled some of these values in my children who are now adults.

Let’s be real honest for a moment too. Life is expensive. Reusing and repurposing items when possible not only reduces unnecessary waste–it can save you money. That seems like a win-win situation.

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Snow Days

If you were in Southern Illinois earlier this week, as temperatures actually hit 60 degrees Fahrenheit in some spots, you may have noticed grocery store shelves start to empty. Once the forecast indicated a wintry mix was coming, storm panic hit. People began planning large meals of French toast and meat. Well, maybe not, but the bread and meat with some other items began flying from store shelves.

The bread isle at a Carbondale store on 2/2/22

This spot was full of produce before the weather started changing.

The meat section (whats’s left of it…) on 2/2/22

My brother, Consulting Historian for A Slice of Southern Illinois, and I recently reminisced about snow days as kids in Tonti. This was WAY before remote learning was a thing. “E-learning” to us would have meant learning words beginning with the letter “e.” There were no automatic texts to say that school was cancelled. (For that matter, “text” was not yet used as a verb…) Our phones were still attached to the wall–one in the kitchen and one in the hallway upstairs.

We did have kind of a direct line to knowing if it was a snow day in grade school. Our dad was the principal. As it was a smaller, country school, one of the hats he wore as principal was that of the transportation director. This meant we sometimes all piled into the Pacer (our family car for much of my childhood…) to check the bus routes. Dad drove through the bus routes, mostly all on country roads, to see if it was possible for buses to run. The little Pacer got stuck in a snow drift by a friend’s house once. Her family was kind enough to help us get back on the road. Selmaville did NOT have school the next day…

Of course, if the electricity was out, school was cancelled. Crackling, sparkling ice on the trees was beautiful, but the weight sometimes caused power outages. Water also froze when temperatures were too low. My parents tried to be as prepared as they could for any water outage since we had well water. My mom washed and reused plastic jugs by filling them with water for washing. She stored them in what we referred to as the “water closet.” If it was cold enough that our water froze, it meant the goats and other animals needed more attention to their water. Frozen five gallon buckets of water were pretty heavy. (Carrying water buckets from the outdoor faucet at the house across nearly two acres to the barn was quite a workout in good weather. Trying to remain upright on ice was an added challenge.)

Before my parents got a wood burning stove, it was pretty cold in the house during a power outage. We sometimes went to warm up at my aunt and uncle’s home. They had a fireplace. Of course, we had a lot of fun hanging out with our cousins. I remember frozen snowmobile rides through a path in the woods being a blast. Very cold, but fun.

One winter night as a fourth grader, when the power was out due to ice, the wood stove kept us warm. We congregated in the kitchen around a battery operated lantern that we also used to do chores in the barn. I spent quite a while by the light of the lantern reading for pizza ingredients. (Yes, you read that right…) My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Hunter, let us pick paper pizza ingredients to add to our paper pizza slices based on how many minutes we spent reading. I really wanted a supreme pizza slice..

My brother reminded me that during the Blizzard of ’82, nursing home staff and residents at one Salem facility were reportedly snowed in for three days. As if that wasn’t bad enough, an employee advised that the coroner had to wait to tend to a death until a door could be opened. (I’m not sure how that managed not to be made into a television movie…)

We also remembered hearing that the Salem Armory had been used as a temporary shelter during that blizzard for travelers on I-57 who were stranded by the storm. Employees at a local restaurant, some unable to commute home during the storm, reportedly helped to keep the travelers fed.

A couple decades or so later, when my kids were little, we did have a few snow days. Snow angels, snowballs, and attempts at making snowmen were fun. We also made some tasty snow ice cream.

Making snow ice cream

Now that they are young adults, I’m not sure that snow days are quite as much fun. I think the fur babies may be more excited than the kids are about snow.

Sir Kingston returning from a very brief trip outside sporting a rather large, perfect snowflake on his back.

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It’s Back…the 30th Annual HerrinFesta Italiana Returns

HerrinFesta Italiana has been a Memorial Day Weekend tradition in Southern Illinois since it started 1991. The event celebrates Herrin’s Italian heritage. Festa, an alias of the festival, became one of millions of events cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Southern Illinois’ festival that signals the unofficial beginning of summer has finally returned to Herrin.

The dragon rollercoaster has been a favorite of many children through the years…This was in 2009.

A carnival, food, and shopping opportunities make up the Midway. As indicated on the festival’s website, ride armbands are $25 per day unless purchased prior to midnight on May 26 for $20 each with a $2.99 service charge per order through  https://www.herrinfesta.com/

Another family favorite: the carousel

Over the years, many local and famous acts have graced the HerrinFesta stage in the Piaza. Some of these include Survivor, Firehouse, 38 Special, Drew Baldridge, and Three Doors Down. 2015 became known as “The Year That Riding the Storm Out Was So Not An Option” due to a heavy downpour and lightning storm interrupting the REO Speedwagon concert. The 2018 line up included The Beach Boys, Slaughter, Queensryche, and Faith & Family Night at the Festa with Natalie Grant and Jordan Feliz.

38 Special in 2010

This year, with some COVID-19 restrictions still in place and the aftermath of over a year of sheltering in place and quarantining, no national bands have yet been announced. However, Festa goers will be treated to free local music in the Beverage Garden Tent beginning at 6:30 pm on Friday through Sunday night. Taylor Made will play on Friday evening. Saturday night features Most Wanted. Dave Clark will take the stage on Sunday night.

The Scrambler, 2009

Some of the special events that people look forward to each year include the parade, bocce ball, pasta eating contests, and the Road Races. The second annual Jeep Poker Run takes place on May 31. May 28 will be the HerrinFesta Italiana Golf Tournament. The pageants, baby contests, and a prayer breakfasts are other popular events. This year’s events so includes the Hartley Fine Art Exhibit at 100 South Park Avenue.

2013 Road Races

On May 27, Herrin Festa Italiana Goes to the Movies… An Italian film, Va’Sentiero (Follow the Trail) subtitled in English, will be shown at the Herrin City Library from 6-7pm. The film’s Director, Andrea Buonopane, granted permission for its public viewing.

Herrin Jr. High Dance Team preparing to step out into the parade line up in 2012.

The 2021 Talent Contest, hosted by Herrin Woman’s Club and Karen Sala, President, kicked off the week of HerrinFesta Italiana events. The winners were named as follows:
James Windings, Herrin;
Travis Westbrook, Carterville
Karen Sala, director
Brax Melvin, West Frankfort
Rebekah Crouse, Herrin
Tara Kay Tanner, Johnston City. Knox Robbins, Mulkeytown
Kyler Followell, Benton

Unity Christian School waiting to begin the parade route in 2013.

This Year’s (and Last Year’s) HerrinFesta Parade Grand Marshalls are Tom DeChristina and Marilyn Matthews Ruppel. Both are known for their long-term involvement within the Herrin community and support if its people and events. The couple of 26 years will lead the Grand Festa Parade on Saturday, May 29, at 11 am.

Herrin Marching Band
Mark Kiesling, WSIL-TV, entertaining kiddos along the parade route in 2010.

HerrinFesta Lifetime Achievement 2020 – 2021 was awarded to Herrin native Richard “Itch” Jones. As a member of eight different sports Hall of Fames, he has recognized that his grade school through high school education provided him with a quality foundation. Mr. Jones is listed among the 20 winningest coaches in NCAA Baseball Division 1. He earned his master’s degree in physical education at SIU-Carbondale, where he played baseball and basketball, in 1965. Mr. Jones also played for the Baltimore Oreos minor-league system.

2019 HerrinFesta Grand Parade

More information is available at http://www.herrinfesta.com

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Watch “Christmas Eve Eve 2020: The One with the Last Minute Christmas Decor, Frugal and Dollar Tree DIY,…” on YouTube

So, my Christmas Eve Eve episode waited until Christmas Eve to actually post, but we still wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

This episode has a few frugal Christmas decor DIY’s mingling in with a tour of a few regional Christmas Light display faves and unique shopping experiences. There are a few mouthwatering peeks at food from Drizzle Mini Donuts and Razmo’s too…

Wherever you are in the world, we wish you joy and peace as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

(For those looking for the PDF hot cocoa bar download, it’s in the Cozy Cocoa & More post.)

Makanda
Marion

Candy Cane Lane, West Frankfort
Yost Family Lights, Marion
Reis Lane, Herrin

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12 Gifts of Christmas from Little Egypt

If you are a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, you may have watched “The Twelve Dates of Christmas.” Although it was reportedly filmed in Canada this past summer, the movie highlighted real and some fictional locations and experiences in Chicago.

Guess what. Southern Illinois, a.k.a. Little Egypt, also has many wonderful experiences! Originally, I wanted to write about experiences similar to the ones in the movie that could be found here. However, in the midst of a pandemic when we seem to be moving toward tighter restrictions for the upcoming holidays, that might be difficult.

I do think we can still help each other support and highlight many wonderful Southern Illinois products, services, and experiences. Small Business Saturday is right around the corner. That would be a perfect time to grab some local items to gift or perhaps make a basket full of things to enjoy now and gift certificates for things to do when COVID-19 restrictions lift a bit. Purchasing gift certificates from small businesses is one way to also help them get through this difficult period.

Here are some suggestions to get you started…

A Partridge in Pear Tree:

Southern Illinois wine with aroma of pear

Two Turtle Doves:

Chocolate Turtles or baked items

Turtle candy flavored coffee or scented candles

Three French Hens:

Gift certificate to eat chicken at a local restaurant

Poultry from a local farm

Four Calling Birds:

Gift certificate to a pet store

Five Golden Rings:

Gold or goldtone stack rings from a local jeweler or boutique

Local seasonings and ingredients with a recipe for onion rings

Gift certificate to a restaurant with delicious onion rings

Six Geese a Laying:

Gift certificates for food and a gas card or lodging certificate for a trip to see the geese at areas near Rend Lake, Crab Orchard Lake, Carlyle Lake , etc.

Seven Swans Swimming:

Gas card or passes/ tickets to go to areas with migrating Trumpeter Swans, such as West Alton and Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge

A membership or pass to a local indoor swimming pool

Eight Maids Milking:

Products from or a gift certificate to a local dairy, creamery, ice cream, etc.

Nine Ladies Dancing:

Dance class lessons

Tickets to a ballet, ethnic dance event, or other dance performance at a location like Shryock Auditorium or a even a local school production.

Ten Lords Leaping:

Gymnastic or martial arts lessons

Fitness center or gym membership

Bowling Alley gift certificates

Eleven Piping Pipers:

A gift certificate to a local music shop

Tickets to a local performance

A digital download or CD of a local music group or from a local music shop

Twelve Drummers Drumming:

A gift certificate to a local music store or local performance

A digital download or CD of a local music group or from a local music shop

Consider cookies or cupcakes from a local baker to depict each of the twelve days or the ones that stump you. You could also get local artisan made Christmas ornaments or even jewelry to match the twelve days or part of them. Have fun and be creative. Do what fits your budget.

Another possibility is to gift a night or weekend at a Southern Illinois cabin, inn, or lodge with a scavenger hunt list of items to take photos of things corresponding to the twelve days.

The ASOSI app is still free as well as the links on the A Slice of Southern Illinois website to help you find restaurants, artisans, places to see and more from I-70 to the southern state line. The links tend to be categorized by town. It is a continually updating list. Please message or email any that you think if that could be added.

You may also comment with gift suggestions on the Facebook page post of this article. We would love to know about Southern Illinois small businesses that have product available through national sites like Amazon and Etsy. Locally owned services offering gift certificates are another welcome suggestion.

To make it easier to see what is shared, please use the hashtag #12SIGiftsofChristmas and maybe which Days of Christmas/Gifts of Christmas correspond to the suggestion, such as #11PipersPiping

Be safe, have fun, and support local small businesses. Merry Christmas!

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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…

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Southern Illinois STRONG

Southern Illinois STRONG is the new name for the companion group to the Help Others Section of ASOSI/A Slice of Southern Illinois.  It will be a publicly listed group on Facebook. Currently, it is still showing as private, however that is expected to change soon. People are encouraged to share efforts in Southern Illinois to help others out as well as encourage and support people and small businesses who are doing positive things in our region (I-70 the the southern state line. )

Help Others:

http://asliceofsouthernillinois.com/eat-more-to-help/

Everyone has the ability to help someone.…

The group gives people an opportunity to help identify Southern Illinois local fundraisers (such as those for school groups, teams, medical needs, folks who have experienced loss, etc.) or regional combined efforts to help elsewhere. All are subject to admin approval, and may be added to the Help Others section of the app/blog.

People who are looking for ways to help out and connect with their community can check back regularly to see if there is something even simple they can do such as save soup labels or buy something they might have otherwise ordered online to help out someone locally.

The ASOSI app is available as a free download in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store. ASOSI is a tool packed with links to area info for locals and tourists that shows support for locally owned shops and eateries.

Showing support for locally owned businesses also strengthens our region. It is so important to our survival and ability to thrive as a region to support each other in the positive things when possible. Small business ownership is not easy. Those of us who grew up watching Harriett and the Olson family on “Little House on the Prairie” saw the rich business owners as being snotty (except poor Nels) to the other townsfolk and living in luxury. This not the case for most. If you read much literature on small businesses, many do not make a profit in the first few years, and owners work other full time jobs to make ends meet. A while back, I spoke with a local banker who advised that the majority of small businesses actually operate in the red. Owners sometime work extra jobs to make ends meet and provide for their families. Many of us have no idea what type of sacrifices our neighbors have made to keep their doors open and services available to us.

When we have a negative experience with a local business, before we rush to slam it on social media, the mature response woud be to perhaps discuss it with the business and allow a chance to make amends or correct misunderstandings. Easier said than done, I know… However when we just start reacting, crucifying, stirring, and jumping onto scapegoat bandwagons, we really don’t paint a pretty picture of ourselves. That hurts all of us. Would you really want to visit, shop, eat, and spend hard-earned money in a place that seemed hell-bent on finding someone to tar and feather? Perhaps if you are into the whole mystery dinner thing, you might try it once… (If you do, please don’t tell me. That gives me too much insight into your personality type…)

Having said all of that, let’s get in the habit of acknowledging when a person or a business in Southern Illinois steps up to help someone. There is enough angry, hate-filled news in the world. Let’s make our little corner a bright one. It is much better to build each other up than tear each other down. The group is also a place to give acknowledgment to people for helping out or doing a good job at something in Southern Illinois. If someone has been battling health issues, and his or her yard is a hot mess, let’s acknowledge the compassionate people who step up and step in to help-not those just out to make a buck. There are plenty of other formats for those to those who just want to complain about the temporary aesthetics to be able to see their words in print. (Seriosuly, you could play a game by tallying the predicted snide and often useless remarks of arm chair critics to news stories…) Let’s support and encourage those who are actually going to take positive action–not condemnation– toward solutions.

A friend posed the question on social media as to what made our area special. It reminded me of that May 8 storm that left so many without power for many days. Southern Illinoisans really stepped up and helped each other through a tough time. That same spirit still thrives among many. We are Southern Illinois STRONG!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2402600916667909/

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For the Birds?

I didn’t slide driving around this morning, but a poor, large bird almost flew into my vehicle crossing over Crab Orchard Lake…

Please be safe driving around in Southern Illinois.  The temperature is right on that line of freezing, and some folks are reporting a few slick spots. Big, fluffy snowflakes have been falling in the Marion area. Some actually are sticking to the geound.

Can you imagine the challenges of being a migrating bird in Southern Illinois? Whiplash could be an issue. “Get in formation, we are heading south for winter.” Then a few miles over, “Hey, it’s almost 70 degrees. Time to go north.” Another few miles: ‘Ugh. Snow. Put it in reverse, we’re heading south again…”

I guess we easily forget the wide range of weather we have, and how quickly it changes. On Christmas, it was so warm outside that we seriously considered dining al fresco on the deck.

That’s not the first warm December we have had. I can remember a December in Carbondale in the late 90’s (1998?) when it was exceptionally warm. Friends and I went to see Aerosmith at the SIU Arena. Later, we all sat out in front of La Roma’s on The Strip eating pizza at midnight and didn’t freeze. I miss La Roma’s…and those concerts. But, I digress…

Above: Carbondale, file photo

I also remember a cold May in the 90’s when a friend and I nearly froze trying to walk around at Fort de Chartres at Prairie du Rocher.

I guess the flipping back and forth of temperatures gives our region more character. It also means perhaps would should cut those poor birds some slack when they poop on our windshields. They must be stressed from all the weather changes.

Above: Our beloved Heidi (Heidi’s Angel Brigade of Southern Illinois was created to honor her memory) on a walk during a prior winter

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Citrus & Spice and Everything Nice…

One of my favorite ways to marinate turkey breast is with citrus. I’ve learned that you can somewhat replicate sour oranges (often used in Cuban mojos) by combining the juice from regular oranges and limes.

This time, I actually used about 7 clementines and 8 key limes. I mixed that juice with a bit of olive oil (maybe a fourth of a cup,) about a tablespoon of chopped ginger root, a couple cloves of smashes garlic, teaspoon black pepper, and a teaspoon kosher salt. I poured that whole mixture over a double bagged 5 pound turkey breast and let it marinate for about 45 minutes in the refrigerator.

Then I mixed some of my Sazón of Little Egypt with a bit of brown sugar and black pepper and added enough olive oil to form a paste. I made a rack for the turkey breast with the squeezed lime and orange halves after filling the cavity with a cut up onion, a couple smashed garlic cloves, and a few of the citrus halves. Then I placed the turkey breast on the makeshift rack, cavity side down, and drizzled it with olive oil. I used a silicone brush to paint on the sazón paste mixture before pouring the remaining marinade in the bottom of the pain for some moisture. Next, it went into the oven for a couple hours at 350 degrees Farenheit until it reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. I believe it would have been fine at a slightly higher temp for a crisper skin because all of the marinade did a great job of tenderizing.

I think any leftovers might be good with some avocado and crostini…or maybe in a salad? Then again, some toasted bread, cheddar cheese, and sandwich fixings sound pretty good too… Since this is Illinois, a horseshoe made with with turkey over a pile a fries smothered in cheesy goodness would also work.