Wednesday Weekend Windup {Scarecrows, Oktoberfest, Folk Fest and More}

We are over the halfway point to the weekend! Woo hoo! Here are my picks for family fun this weekend in the Chicago suburbs:

Family Nature Exploration at The Regenstein Learning Campus at Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden has recently opened a new educational facility, the Regenstein Learning Campus, complete with exploratory children's gardens and elements of just plain fun with nature earlier this month. A sunny Sunday invited us to explore these new features.

Fall Bird Migration and Reminder to Stock Up on Bird Food for Winter

Cedar waxwings who will be migrating soon!

**Disclosure: I do help The Wildbird Shack with their social media outreach. All opinions in this post are 100% mine.

While we have still been enjoying some summer-like days, I am sure you have felt some of fall's crispness in the air on others. Just as we are beginning to turn our minds to weather changes to come, our wildlife is also preparing. In fact, my resident chipmunk has been sporting seed-filled jowls quite regularly the past few weeks. Birds are already migrating to their winter homes. During this migration period, we all have a chance to see birds that we do not normally see in the area. This is a great time of year to go on a bird walk--many of which are offered through the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Argentinian Flare at Artistic Cuisine

Artistic Cuisine Argentinian Restaurant in Palatine, IL. Image courtesy of Artistic Cuisine.

Artistic Cuisine is a gem hiding in Palatine. A friend recommended it to me a few years ago and I am sad that it took us about a year to visit--it is that good. The menu is quite creative and a fresh departure from much of what we see in the Chicago suburbs. The Argentinian flavors are amazing and the care in crafting each dish is evident.

Wednesday Weekend Windup {Public Lands Day, Flight Fest, Harvest Powwow and More}

Fall is in full swing! Plenty of fun this weekend! Here are my picks: 

September Degustabox Goodies and Fresh Made Tortilla Strips!

This month, I experimented with my third Degustabox and found it full with just as many goodies as during the previous two months. Once again, I have been introduced to new products that I would not have tried on my own and have found that I love so many of them! (Keep reading to learn about Degustabox AND how I make tortilla strips!)

5 Places in Northern Illinois That Are Not Flat

Living in Northern Illinois, I sometimes get a little bored with the flat landscape. Good thing there are a few places we can visit that have a little more topography. Here are five ideas for refreshing and recharging with slightly different topography than what is typical in Northern Illinois: