Celestial Skies - Stargazing in Northwest Indiana

As you move further from the bright lights of the big city of Chicago you’ll be able to gaze into the celestial landscapes and bright stars along the South Shore of Lake Michigan. If you’re from a small rural town, you may be familiar with the dark vast night sky; but if you’re a city dweller you’ll take solace in the quiet and wonder you’ll find in here, in northwest Indiana…

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A trip to Jeorse Park and Beach, East Chicago

On a lazy afternoon, I wandered down to Jeorse Park and Beach located on the shores of Lake Michigan in East Chicago. The City has been working diligently on a $15.5 million makeover to the Park and Marina and it’s absolutely amazing! I was greeted by colorful, painted murals lining the entrance to the Park, which sits next to Ameristar Casino…

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Nature Notes: Tall Coreopsis Flowers - Dancing Butter?

Photo credit: Tall coreopsis with an orange sulfur butterfly, taken by Jeanette Jaskula. Yellow does for September what orange does for October. It makes you feel that all is well and right, and that summer is coming to a close. The end-of-summer prairie is filled with many different hues of yellow. My favorite yellow is that of tall coreopsis ( Coreopsis tripteris ), now in bloom at Kankakee Sands…

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A Day with the Kids at Deep River Waterpark

As the last days of August slip away, my family and I were lucky enough to get in one last summer splash - literally - at Deep River Waterpark, on Route 30 in Crown Point. While our sons had been to the park before with friends, this was the first trip for my wife and I to this, or any, water park. We had a great time, but definitely have suggestions on how to make the next trip, whether it’s ours or yours, even better…

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The Lady with All the Answers at Theatre at the Center

The Theatre at the Center in Munster always provides a wonderful array of productions. The Lady with All the Answers is no exception. I have seen a ton of plays and musicals, but this one was my first one-man show. I was a bit worried I would find it boring with only one person being up on stage and the fact that I did not know who Ann Landers was. However, I found the whole play from beginning to end to be very enjoyable…

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A Sunday Ride on the Oak Savannah Trail

Sunday bike rides are a tradition in our family, especially during the summer months. There are quite a few trails around the northwest Indiana area and we love exploring them. So, as per tradition, this past Sunday my father and I smeared on the sunscreen, loaded up the bikes, and drove out to where the Oak Savannah Trail starts in the Oak Ridge Prairie County Park. Completed in 2015, this trail runs between Griffith and Hobart. It is about nine miles one way and connects with the Prairie Duneland Trail in Hobart. The trail ends at N. County Line Road…

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Road Trip: Iowa to Indiana - Day Five, Visit to the South Shore

When I was little each summer we would always plan a fun family trip and more often than not, it would be a road trip. At the time, I was not the biggest fan of being in the car for hours, but today I appreciate the experience. I am excited to share the fun with my children! When we planned to visit Fort Wayne, Indiana this summer I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to plan some fun stops along the way…

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Biking to Work along the Erie Lackawanna Trail

I own two mountain bikes and rarely ride them. I want to change that! The improvements that have been made to our miles and miles of bike/walking trails are phenomenal and inspired me to break out of my comfort zone … and ride my bike to work (and back).  …

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Pinhook Bog - Where the Ground Trembles Beneath Your Feet

If you’re interested in seeing one of Indiana’s most unique natural areas - over 14,000 years in the making - then Pinhook Bog near Michigan City is the place for you. For those unfamiliar with the term, a Bog is a unique ecosystem that forms when a wetland only takes in water from rain or snow. Pinhook Bog is even more distinctive for being a “Quaking Bog,” where moss has grown into a semi-solid mat floating above the water. Bogs tend to be very fragile ecosystems and Pinhook Bog is no exception: usually a gate closes off the trail leading over the Quaking Bog to protect the landscape…

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