Quiet Nature

Mother's Day

I did some local birding today, Mother's Day. Enjoyed seeing Baltimore Orioles, Red-Breasted Grosbeak and Indigo Buntings, my May Trifecta! A few other species found on my 2 mile walk, but none too far out of the ordinary.

For your reading pleasure today, I link you to a report from the Birding group from my home town of City Island, New York. They had quite the day!

http://www.cityislandbirds.com/Split_Rock-_Mothers_Day_Walk.html

Spring-Summer 2011 Shows

Armed with a few new products and many new photos, I'm gearing up for a busy 2011 show season. Hope you can visit my booth a time or two!

Saturday May 14, 2011
9am-2pm

Rolling Meadows Hometown Plant and Craft Sale
3200 Central Rd
Rolling Meadows

This is one of my favorite venues. The plants are wonderful, and the organizers of the craft venue have been so great to give me a primo location every year! After packing up from this sale, I will be heading up to Door County for a week!

Dundee Farmers Market
Most Saturdays, 8am-2pm
Dundee Farmers Market

319 N River St
East Dundee IL
http://www.dundeedepot.com/

This is a fun market, combining a great veggie guy, lots of flea type items and quality crafts. Stop by any Saturday and look around! You're sure to find something interesting!

More summer events coming up. Check back for info!

EAGLES in the NEIGHBORHOOD

This past few years have been very good for the eagle population along the Fox River and other areas in Illinois. A nest was recently spotted near Mooseheart in the south suburbs, and the count in my own neighborhood of Algonquin-Carpentersville-Dundee has risen to 7. When I first moved to an area on the Fox almost 9 years ago, I learned about a nearby "nesting pair" and was given the secret location of their nest, but no young seem to have come from this particular evergreen tree. Three years ago I saw "the pair" for the first time with my own eyes; two years ago I had my first juvenile spotting in the area, and as of today I know first hand of the 4 adults and three maturing juveniles that appear to live here.

What a thrill it is to walk around the block, or sit at my home-office desk and see one or more fly by or sitting in a nearby tree!

The photo above was taken during one of my annual Iowa/Mississippi River treks. I know I'll never catch an eagle shot from the window here (besides which, I'm supposed to be working!):))

Dear friends and followers,

I am stuck on a semi-hiatis this spring and summer due to a terrrrrible allergy season. Driving, photographing, editing photos, and typing are all challenges thru weepy, blurry eyes! I am ready for FALL which hopefully will bring a close to this aggravating condition.
One place that surprisingly doesn't affect me too badly is the Chicago Botanic Gardens, so here you will find a few shots taken there recently.

If you're nearby, you can visit me at one of these upcoming shows:

Dundee Farmers Market on Saturday August 21 (8 am to 1 pm)

Huntlely Farmers Market Saturday September 4th (8 am to 1 pm)

Huntley Farmers Market Saturday October 2 (8 am to 1 pm)

Algonquin Farmers Market Saturday October 9

Plainfield River Days Art Fair Saturday September 11th 10 am to 6 pm

Witches Night Out in Joliet (www.witchesnightout.com) Thursday October 28 (5 pm to 10 pm)

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Sale time! It's approaching again! While I'm not much of a sales type, I do enjoy getting out there and sharing both my photos and what I know or enjoy about my subjects with guests who visit my booth.
Stock up on Quiet Nature Note Cards, Magnets, Bookmarks, and the new Pocket/Purse Mirrors, all in your favorite nature images. New images too!

This year I will be participating in my favorite show,

The Rolling Meadows Hometown Plant and Craft Sale,

held this year on Saturday May 15th from 9am-2pm.

With any luck, my booth will be located close to the Plant tables, where the flocks of shoppers congregate.

New for me this year will be a monthly booth at the
Huntley Farmers Market.
This will take place on the
First Saturday of each month: May 8, June 5, July 3, August 7, September 4, and October 2.

I hope, if you are local, you can make it out to Huntley. The setting is nice and from what I observed last year, the assortment of crafts is nice. The remainder of the market is a traditional one, with fresh fruits and veggies galore!

Stay tuned for more information regarding a show on Sunday July 11th "Art in the Garden", taking place at the Fields on Caton Farm Road, in Crest Hill, IL near Plainfield.

Lake Katherine, Palos Heights IL

It all started with a bad week at work.

If anyone tells you that the Flu is rough on the elderly, especially those in "community living"environments, do believe them! It is true. Loss of control, loss of lives.

Ah, so it's Friday...what does Barbara Mahany have to say today? Mahany is a feature writer for the Chicago Trib and a way-back-when friend of mine. In today's http://www.pullupachair.com/ meandering she writes ..."just when we think we're broken, along comes someone, something, to haul us back from the empty brink"........."for those of us who count on bird and tree and sprig to offer counsel, dish out therapeutic session without the hefty fee-per-hour, there comes this time of year a subtle tapping on the shoulder, urging us on, giving us reason to believe".......

That tap came today from the on-line birding group whose members inform each other of the whereabouts of interesting sightings. Mark, who one year ago practically snatched me out of my car to come and see the American Bittern he found lurking in the bushes we all read about, has posted about the beautiful and approachable Trumpeter Swans he found at Lake Katherine. By Google, Mapquest, etc...I found Lake Katherine and headed out there today.

While visiting, I chatted with a Lake Katherine homestead resident who told me about the history of the now beautifully developed land that once was a garbage dump! http://www.lakekatherine.org/ describes the work that has been done in beautiful detail.

Tomorrow is back to work day, and I do feel re-charged.

Quiet Nature Booths 2009

So many opportunities, so little time!

I just completed a 20 week "every Thursday" commitment with the Algonquin Farmers Market, missing only a few days due to rain. I had fun selling photo notecards, magnets and bookmarks and getting to know my wonderful group of co-vendors. Along with my usual collection of Birds, Butterflies and Flowers items, many of my Door County images were popular sellers.

Now I'm gearing up for Fall and Holiday shows. I hope you can make it to one or more of these shows! I will have the old favorites and many new images as well! Most of my items are priced at $5 or less and make great high quality, one of a kind stocking stuffers and gifts for friends, family, co-workers, classmates, etc.

Saturday Nov 7 from 9 am till 4 pm

Rolling Meadows High School Holiday Craft Boutique

2901 Central Road

Rolling Meadows

$3 admission

This will be my 5th year here...it's one of those sprawling fairs with 150 booths filled with all kinds of quality home made items. There's a nice Raffle too. Look for my booth: Quiet Nature!

Mention that you read about this on my blog and receive a free gift!

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Saturday Nov 14 from 10 am till 4 pm

Kirk of the Lakes Craft Show

1500 W. Hawley

Mundelein

free admission

This will be my first year participating here. I was "invited" during one of the Market days. I'm looking foward to this new location.

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Sunday Nov 15 from 1 pm- 3 pm

UU Church of Elgin

39W830 Highland Ave

Elgin

free admission

For the 7th time, I will join in with local farmers and artisans to participate in the Winter Market. Don't miss this one if you like to get your meat from a great Amish farmer. Arnolds will be there, along with other organic and sustainable farmers. Artisan products usually include things like handmade soap, wool items, jams and salsa, etc. I'm honored that Quiet Nature is "green" enough to be included in this fair. Stop by if those two short hours on a Sunday afternoon fit your schedule!

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Tuesday Nov 17 and Wednesday Nov 18 from 4:30 pm till 8:30 pm

Algonquin Preschool Vendor Fair

109 Washington St

Algonquin

free admission

I was invited to this during the Market days and it's another new venue for me. A portion of my sales at this show will benefit a local Animal Shelter. If you live in the area, stop by after work and visit the Quiet Nature booth.

Dundee Township Dog Days of Summer 09

Randall Oaks Park in Algonquin was once again the site for the Second Annual Dog Days of Summer; an event originated by Robin of F.Y.D.O. http://www.fydoland.com/, and put in to action by the Dundee Township Parks Department. This year's event showcased many vendors and was very well attended by dogs of all kinds.

There were some "old friends" from last year, www.quietnature.com/blog/2008_09_08_archive.html

And a wide variety of "new friends".

ALL PAWS Veterinary Clinic staff was on had to provide free testing for fleas and heartworm. http://www.allpawsvet.com/

Here's ALL PAWS' tech Jen's new puppy Vinnie! He is sooo cute!

Various Doggie Day Care and Dog Training groups, as well as Rescue and Adoption groups were ready to answer the many questions posed to them by owners. Demos were provided to show us just how successful we can be teaching our pets tricks and commands.

This group of well behaved dogs was entertained thruout the morning with "Musical Sit", Agility Courses, "Funny Tricks", a Pet Parade and Costume Contest. This little guy got my proxy vote in the Costume Contest before I had to rush off to go to work!

I'm already looking foward to the 3rd Annual event...

To see photos from last years event, click on Sept. 2008 in the archives on this page.

Pelicans at Nelson Lake, Illinois

Since I had to work this past weekend (two balmy spring-like days!), I took my binos and cameras along with me, and had more luck than I do on some actual birding excursions!

En route to my morning calls in Wonder Lake and Island Lake I heard, then observed a small group of Sandhills making their way up North.

Hawks are not an unusual occurrence this time of year....there were plenty of Red-Tails and Cooper's around.

My afternoon calls took me past Churchill Park in Glen Ellyn, where Great Blue Herons are participating in their nesting rituals.

After my last stop in St Charles, I continued on to Batavia to one of the year's highlights for me.....viewing the American White Pelicans that stop over at Lake Nelson on their way North.

Hundreds of them gather for about a three week period. Most of them were some distance out on the lake in fishing "rings". This is an amazingly graceful sight to see!

Closer to shore about 50 pelicans concentrated on preening! What fun they are to watch.

Ahh, spring has officially arrived!

Bald Eagles

This winter was a good one for Snowy Owls and Bald Eagles in the midwest. I personally had poor luck finding any Snowys, but did get a good visit in with the Bald Eagles along the Mississippi in in LeClaire, Iowa.

The local Carpentersville pair of Eagles fly quite regularly over my house and one occasionally sits in a tree visible from the living room, but there's something magical and awesome about seeing 10, 20 or more in a single tree that makes driving the 150 extra miles worthwhile.

Adopt-A-Husky Dogs at Starved Rock

I'm becoming quite the Husky groupie. These dogs are so much fun to watch, and I learn more and more about them each time I visit and photograph them. Nope, this guy isn't basking in the sun, he's giving an "ah-woo" call!

It was a cloudy day at Starved Rock last Sunday. I drove out there with a few things in mind: find some eagles, find a Snowy Owl and visit with the sled dogs. Plans A and B failed, but the nearly three hour trip was well worth it for some time with the Adopt-A-Husky group and their wonderful dogs.

Since the snow was melted, the WORKING DOGS DEMONSTRATION was presented using bikes, scooters, and good old fashioned walking/running.

Starved Rock was a beautiful back-drop for the action, and the lodge provided a comfy setting for an informative presentation about the Iditarod.

In between outdoor runs, the Huskys graciously "sat" for some portraits!

Visit their web site is www.adoptahusky.com and learn how you can help!

Husky Heroes-Morton Arboretum Jan 09

Here I go again, a confirmed cat person photographing dogs!

The annual event, HUSKY HEROES, is presented at the Morton Arboretum by the local Adopt a Husky, Inc group: Siberian Husky Rescue. Visit their website at http://www.adoptahusky.com/

These dogs are so gentle and sweet, yet they work so hard doing what they do!! They are quite amazing. They perform in teams to cover the thoughfully laid out track at the Morton Arboretum for several runs with plenty of rest time in between.