I got a chance to go for a walk at the Chicago Botanic Garden this morning. Aaaah so pretty! Do you see who's perched in the middle of the photo below? The birds were so loud and happy everywhere!

Claire turned eleven this week. We celebrated with a special outing – a trip to the Friends Experience in Chicago. It's an exhibit all about Friends the TV show including recreated sets, costumes and artifacts like scripts. Somehow Claire and her friends got into watching Friends a while back so it was a perfect thing…

How can it be May already?  Here's Claire heading off to school. She will be eleven tomorrow! I still don't know what kind of cake I'll be making for her. Maybe angel food cake? Lilac season is here! A good oatmeal cookie recipe from Midwest Made. I potted up some of my winter sown seeds.…

Another quiet week. My girls are back to school full time now (no more remote learning days). So that makes it especially quiet. Brian is still spending endless work hours in his home office. And me, I'm just enjoying spring and looking forward to warm days ahead. I discovered a park in our town that…

It's been mostly quiet around here. Brian did go to Rhode Island for a work trip. After more than a year without any work travel it felt really strange to see his suitcase packed and ready to go on the bedroom floor. I don't think he enjoyed the trip much because he was nervous about…

The Chicago Botanic garden is full of daffodils and robins. And also the beginnings of green plants sprouting out everywhere. And also the most beautiful pastel colors. This time of year feels almost overwhelming to me. The anticipation of all those plants – they will soon surround us in green but now it's still chilly…

Thanks to Aunt Sandy.

Today Brian and I went for a walk at Moraine Hills State Park. He rode his bike and I rode… the car (ha). Even though we were walking among wetlands, the day felt really warm and dry. And since the leaves are not quite out yet the colors were pale and  interesting.