Cubs vs. Brewers — Wrigley Field

Posted on July 18, 2004 by Roger

My wife, daughter, and I went to this game with a group from work. A few staff members were there, along with about 35 visitors. Our seats were down the right-field line under the upper deck. They weren’t bad, but my view of first base was blocked by a pillar. It was in the mid-70’s and sunny, a beautiful day. The game wasn’t so hot. The Cubs hit two solo home runs and lost 4-2 in spite of six innings of one-run, eight-strikeout pitching by Kerry Wood.

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To get home, the bus driver drove south almost to downtown before cutting over to the expressway, which was bumper-to-bumper. the game ended shortly after 4:00, but we didn’t get back home until almost 7:00.

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Butterfly #21 — Pearl Crescent

Posted on June 28, 2004 by Roger

phyciodes tharos

Monday, June 28, 2004 — 4:40 pm

McHenry County, Illinois — Hickory Grove Conservation Area

This tiny butterfly was flying low over the mowed horse-trail through the prairie along the back of the housing development. I watched as it crawled over a series of white clover flowers, often tilting back and forth in the breeze. It usually had its wings open, and it was some time before I was able to see the crescent on its under-wing.

Pearl Crescent - Hickory Grove - May, 2008Pearl Crescent - Hickory Grove - June, 2008Pearl Crescent - Hickory Grove - June, 2008Pearl Crescent - Hickory Grove - June, 2008

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Reptile-Amphibian #11 — American Toad

Posted on June 28, 2004 by Roger

bufo americanus

Monday, June 28, 2004 — 4:30 pm

McHenry County, Illinois — Hickory Grove Conservation Area

I almost stepped on it. It was sitting in the middle of the packed-dirt horse path at the edge of the scrubby woods near the goat pasture. It hopped a few times, then stopped motionless again. I bent over to study it and waved my finger in front of its face, but it didn’t move. As I stood up it gave a few pathetic toad-hops toward the edge of the path.

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Butterfly #20 — Little Wood-Satyr

Posted on June 28, 2004 by Roger

megisto cymela

Monday, June 28, 2004 — 4:00 pm

Fel-Pro Conservation Area

This small, brown, nondescript butterfly was fluttering low right at the edge of the woods in the mown picnic area along the paved path. It landed on a leaf just inches off the ground and didn’t move until I did. It then flew to another leaf about 10 inches away and stood still again. When I walked by it fluttered off and I lost it in the shade of the bushes.

Little Wood-Satyr at Hickory Grove
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Grouseland — Vincennes, Indiana

Posted on June 13, 2004 by Roger

Grouseland was the home of William Henry Harrison. Now it’s owned by the DAR and the guides are local volunteers. We gained entrance the way we’d get into any house — we rang the doorbell.

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A woman let us in and charged us $15 for the four of us. She talked to us in the entryway for about 10 minutes and explained a bit about Harrison and the house. She didn’t know a great deal, but she did tell us how to locate the five or six pieces of furniture that were actually owned by Harrison. She then left us on our own to explore the house.

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I really enjoyed it. One wall was curved, Which gave interesting angles and shapes to several of the rooms. The windows were large, so most of the rooms were well-lit. There were wood floors and fireplaces. There were small signs here and there that gave bits of information, but without a guide we didn’t learn much about Harrision or the family. (The DAR really needs to turn the house over to the National Park Service, which then needs to restore it and interpret it better.)

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We spent about an hour in the house and had it to ourselves. The only other person in the place was the woman who let us in and then disappeared into the tiny gift shop room at the back.

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