Hard at Work!

Paddling, both canoeing and kayaking, is definitely on my top five favorites list. A few weeks ago I supervised a group of middle school-aged boys on a jaunt in the lake which was one of the highlights of my summer so far. It was a surprisingly relaxing moment in what was a pretty high stress week. I feel like if anything can help you stay calm whilst you are spending your day with kids that age, it is well worth doing on a regular basis!

Summer Heat

Happy Summer! Now that the monstrous heat wave that overtook much of the country has passed, I am ready to enjoy sitting outside under the stars again. I spent last week in the heart of the Southeast, visiting family, watching fireworks, and attending Minor League Baseball Games-go Montgomery Biscuits! I spent the first several days of the week at my grandparents farm in Gainesville, Georgia -one of my favorite places in the world, where time seems to stop and everything smells sun-drenched.

Logan Square, Chicago, Illinois

My neighborhood in Chicago inspires mixed feelings, but with the advent of Summer those feeling tend toward those of the positive kind. Here are a few images from my patch of the world right now!

These blue doors on Milwaukee Avenue are hiding something wonderful behind them! I especially love that the blue of the tiles match the blue of the doors.

Does anyone know what kind of flower this is? I saw it in a curbside garden near my home but I have never seen it before this year. Maybe it is a Northern flower?

Hair Do's

I've had long hair for at least a decade now, but I've always been pretty lazy about figuring out ways to make it look nice. For the past few months I've been experimenting with easy ways to create low-maintenance but still classy up-dos.

The fish-tail braid has become a staple, but for a night out recently I took it a step further and pinned them up on top of my head--the result was a look both classy and laid back!

The Best Days

When we're kids, there are so many perfect days in our lives that they slide by like a golden memory river. But as adults those days only show up once in a while and if we let them, they can tide us over during those rough patches. 

I spent a day searching for coyote pups with the research team in the Illinois prairie and these are the ones we found--sweet, fluffy balls  of happiness.

Valley of the Lilies

Working at a wildlife foundation is one of the best jobs ever. On days when we don't have programs, we hike around the trails and look for neat things to show the kids. Last week I found the most magical blanket of Lily of the Valley flowers and I just wanted to take a nap in them. Oh, it was lovely!

Chicago has its share of magic too! The tulips in Millenium Park have inspired me to start wearing more colors in honor of Spring:-)

Second City, Second Spring!

So I know it's boring to talk about the weather, but I'll only do it for a second, cause I'm a big weather nerd. Two months ago, it was 80 degrees and sunny, and tomorrow the high is a mere 60. I was annoyed at first, but now I've come to appreciate the value of what may be the longest Spring weather I have ever experienced! Everyone, now is the time for visits!

Love me some cherry blossoms in the city:-)