Wildflower Loving, Ravine Gazing and Hiking Along a Lake at Reed-Turner Woodland in Long Grove, Illinois

 

Hiking Through Woodlands, Into Ravines and Along a Lake at Reed-Turner Woodland

A chilly spring day brought us to a new-to-us forest preserve in Long Grove, Illinois -- Reed-Turner Woodland. My husband and I actually enjoy hiking on the chillier, cloudy days because there tend to be fewer people on the trails. This means more tranquility and also a higher likelihood of seeing wildlife! As newbies to Reed-Turner, we did not know the nature delights that would unfold before us. Soon, we found ourselves enjoying a magical preserve.

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Discovering Epilogue in Long Grove and an Interview with Rachel Perkal

Epilogue: A Store of Extraordinary Things. Image courtesy of Epilogue.

Discovering Epilogue: A Store of Extraordinary Things

An adventure to Epilogue: A Store of Extraordinary Things located in Long Grove, Illinois touches visitors with inspiration, whimsy, heart, soul, imagination and discovery. On each of my visits to Epilogue, I have found myself delighted, uplifted and amazed by the store's collection of unique handcrafted American art. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with owner Rachel Perkal to learn more about this amazingly unique small business. Welcome to Epilogue:

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A Walk Around Historic Long Grove

A couple of weekends ago, we benefited from an unseasonably warm February afternoon and capitalized by taking a walk around Long Grove. Long Grove is a quaint town in the Chicago suburbs containing a charming cache of historic buildings dating back to the 1800's. Honestly, it had been quite some time since we had explored Long Grove so we were curious what we would find.

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6 Walkable Downtowns in the Chicago Suburbs

Walking in downtown Geneva.

Something about fall's warm hues really beckons me to explore downtowns. There is nothing like a pleasant 50-60 degree day with the golden sun and a snuggly jacket to warm you as you weave in an out of interesting shops and perhaps pick up a tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Some downtown areas in the Chicago suburbs are more walkable than others. Here are six that we have found to be enjoyable to explore on a pleasant afternoon:

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