Halloween Pumpkin Carving!

THE VAMPIRESS. Looks better in the dark, lit up. Isn't it amazing -- completed by JRN.

White Line Road Kill

Nunda, IL. I have never been this close to a skunk before! I thought the lines were cool. And he looked really peaceful, a clean hit. He didn't even smell too awful, either. It must have happened very fast.

Old Oak Tree, Wauconda, IL

Thanks for looking at this site. I appreciate all comments. I want to find out more about different places around the world, so feel free to tell me what's new!

Oak trees have been known to harbor good spirits. I remember one fairy tale about hugging the trunk of an oak and asking a question -- the spirit will answer you in a dream!

Fall Colors - Lakewood Forest Preserve, Wauconda, IL

We are finally seeing some Fall colors here in Northern Illinois. We usually see this sooner. I love this time of year and look forward to the leaves changing. I can't imagine living anywhere that doesn't have all 4 seasons. What is it like in your part of the world??

October Sugar Maple

Lakewood Forest Preserve, Wauconda, IL.

Horse Farm Fence

Oldest Church in Lake County, Illinois

This is the oldest churh in Lake County, Illinois -- Ivanhoe Congregation Church.

Fun Halloween Hay Spider

A creative farmer used his hay bales to make spiders for Halloween decorations. . . . photo taken off Route 31 in Algonquin, Illinois.

Another McHenry County barn

Martini's on Main - Algonquin, Illinois

I've never eaten here but I would like to! Looks cute, n'est ce pas?

More from Naper Settlement

This is the print shop from the Naper Settlement -- very interesting to see how they used to type-set print on big sheets, each individual letter had to placed correctly and backwards! (They used a mirror to accomplish this.)
Here is one of the character-actors explaining what life would have been like in a small, 1800's American home.

George Martin Mansion - Naper Settlement, Illinois

Here is another picture from the Naper Settlement -- George Martin's mansion (built in 1883), fully restored. Period-dressed hosts walk you through the buildings at the museum and explain what life was like during that period in history. Very interesting!


GEORGE MARTIN
George Martin came to the United States from Scotland and settled in Naperville, Illinois. He became wealthy building bricks, blocks and tiles needed to rebuild Chicago after the great fire of 1871. In 1883, he built a 17 room house in Naperville to celebrate his wealth.
The Victorian brick mansion features a full two-story bay , “a partial front porch with elaborate Eastlake spindlework railings and columns, a small side entrance porch, and ornate wrought-iron cresting atop the roof line of both house and porch.”
Today the house is furnished entirely in the style of the 1880's Victorian. The furniture is made of dark wood and the wall coverings and draperies are in the heavy velvet of the times. The house is now owned by the Naperville Heritage Society and is located at 201 West Porter Avenue. The house is open to the public and additional information can be obtained by calling 630-420-6010. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 2

http://www.chicago-scots.org/clubs/History/Newsletters/1997/Oct97-1.htm

http://www.napersettlement.org/museuminfo/martin_mitchell_mansion.html

1864 Gothic Rvival Church - Naper Settlement

This is from one of the churches at the Naperville, Illinois Settlement -- a living history museum -- a step back in time to the 1800's village life. It is very lovely inside, although flash photos are not allowed so a window is the only thing I could capture nicely. . . .

Fall leaf flying

It was really windy yesterday -- I took this picture in an oak savannah, didn't know there was a nice fall leaf in it until I got home!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_savanna

Nunda Township - Prairieview Conservation District

What a lovely day today -- finally it's not hot! Tomorrow should be 58 degrees F, finally feeling like fall around here!

Tractor Crossing!

Thanks for the comments! I am really enjoying this blog and meeting people from all over the world in the process. I have travelled a bit and would like to more. To answer the question on the previous post, the boat just kept going, it was really busy on the water that day. If you haven't heard, we are having a heat wave in Chicago right now. (87 degrees F today!) Our annual Chicago Marathon was called short due to the heat -- someone died even, although he apparently had a heart condition.

Today's post is closer to home, country farm life in the NW suburbs of Chicago. I liked the farmer's hat -- almost looks Asian to me. Tractor crossings don't occur that often, but do during harvest and seeding time. Happy Fall!

Look at this boat! Doesn't that seem too close?

Chicago Harbor light house with a daredevil boat coming too close for comfort!

Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan

Nice with Sears Tower and Aon Tower as bookends. . . just a few more shots of Chicago to follow and then we'll go back to the country in Nunda Township again.. . .

Nunda Cemetery

Here are some very old tombstones from a local cemetery. Happy October Theme Day!






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