Serene Lake Views and Rolling Trails at Beverly Lake in Barrington, Illinois

Serene Lake Views and Rolling Trails at Beverly Lake in Barrington, Illinois

Beverly Lake in Barrington immediately set me at ease with early spring tranquility. Upon merely viewing the lake through the windshield as we pulled in, a sense of awe and delight came over me. We happened to visit Beverly Lake in between bouts of rain and found it to be a welcome outdoor respite after being stuck inside. The lake is magical:

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Surrounded by Nature at Heron Creek Forest Preserve in Lake Zurich, Illinois

Surrounded by Nature at Heron Creek Forest Preserve in Lake Zurich, Illinois

**Always check trail conditions before heading out in case there are closings.

As nature awakens this spring, we have been enjoying wandering the trails of local preserves including Heron Creek Forest Preserve to observe changes throughout the season. Heron Creek Forest Preserve is a new forest preserve to us this year and we have been quite enjoying discovering subtle changes as spring brings more wildlife, leaves and blooms!

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Creative Art Prompts from the Local Artists of Artistic Journeys

Creative Art Prompts from the Chicago Suburban Artists of Artistic Journeys


The combination between our time at home and the awakening and renewal of spring makes now a wonderful time to fuel our creative sides. Sometimes, though, getting start may prove to be a challenge. I am thrilled to share that I have a collection of art prompts from the talented artists of Artistic Journeys to help spark inspiration and your own artistic journey:

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10 Tips for Birding from Your Window

10 Tips for Birding from Your Window

**Disclosure: I do work with The Wildbird Shack and help them with their social media outreach. They are sponsors of the blog. All opinions are 100% my own.

Ever since I moved into my house, I have been entertained by the antics of the cardinals and sparrows in my yard. Over the years, I have added some more bird friendly elements. If you are looking for a great way to entertain your family while enjoying and learning about nature, backyard birding is a great activity to start. Here are 10 tips to get you started so you can even bird from your window!

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Introducing Samadhi, A Yoga Studio -- Meet Vanessa and Dolly

Introducing Samadhi, A Yoga Studio -- Meet Vanessa  Podgorski  and Dolly Cipolla

During our Stay in Place time, businesses are having to be a bit innovative. Samadhi: A Yoga Studio located in Glenview is continuing to offer a wealth of yoga and centering experiencing during unusual times. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview studio owner Vanessa Podgorski and studio manager Dolly Cipolla.

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Highwood Virtual Trivia Tour Adds An Extra Fun Spin to Supporting Local

Highwood Virtual Trivia Tour Adds An Extra Fun Spin to Supporting Local

**The second edition of the Highwood Virtual Trivia Tour has started featuring different businesses.**

The City of Highwood, Highwood Chamber of Commerce and Celebrate Highwood just launched a fun and engaging app this week called "Highwood Virtual Trivia Tour." The concept behind the app is to celebrate the unique businesses of Highwood highlighting interesting facts and history while encouraging support for local businesses now and beyond.

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Invicto: Tasty Tacos and More

Invicto: Tasty Tacos and More

After a little adventure in the Vernon Hills area, we stopped in Invicto for a few tacos. Tacos are absolutely one of my favorite things. I especially love places where I can try multiple types of tacos. So, visiting this local chain was a must!

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Travel is a Feeling

Travel is a Feeling

Travel is a feeling. Right now, many of us are feeling a bit encumbered and locked down. I won't deny that I have my moments. To me, though, travel is really that feeling of discovery, experiencing something new and looking through new eyes. We can still while we are in the home. For me, I started adding live video to my blog Facebook page. The new addition allows me to explore and look through different eyes. To travel.

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Tips to Keep Calm and Upbeat from Chicago Area Wellness Practitioners

Tips to Keep Calm and Upbeat from Chicago Area Wellness Practitioners

Currently, we find ourselves navigating topsy-turvy, uncertain times. Sometimes, it may feel easy to get stuck in a net of stress. Fortunately, we have talented local wellness practitioners with ideas you can use at home to keep calm, take a pause for YOU, stay positive and break from that net. Enjoy these tips from five Chicago area wellness practitioners:

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2020 Native Plant Sales in the Chicago Suburbs

2020 Native Plant Sales in the Chicago Suburbs

Spring is in the air, so we are all starting think about flowers and gardens! I have noticed a few wildflowers on my walks, so more and more blooms are on the way. Several years ago, I began sculpting my yard with natives. The range of butterflies and birds I attract each year grows. I also get beautiful hummingbird moths more regularly now. Plus, the bees are very happy with my selection. Even with the challenges this year, some of our Native Plant Sales have adapted and have offerings to the times. I recommend ordering early to have the best change of obtaining your desired selection. Here are the Native Plant Sales that are still going on -- if I find more, I will add them:

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Tips for Hiking or Walking During the Pandemic

Tips for Hiking or Walking During the Pandemic

Some of us are able to go out for a hike or a neighborhood walk while under a stay-at-home order. I have been hiking while practicing social distancing and other precautions for several weeks now. Here are some tips from my experiences:

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Celebrating the Summer Solstice at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen

Celebrating the Summer Solstice at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen

Unintentionally last year, we booked our trip to Copenhagen during the Summer Solstice. I so many times do not follow my own advice to check for local holidays before booking a trip! However, this time we truly benefited enjoying a moving experience. We planned to visit Tivoli Gardens the evening of Summer Solstice and were treated to a bonfire!

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Celebrating Earth Day at Home

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15 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day From Home

Earth Day celebrations this spring will happen at home this year while we continue to combat COVID-19. Here are a collection of ways that you can mark the day and celebrate nature and the gifts of Earth while at home:

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