Photo copyright Gary Fua It’s that exciting time of the year again, the time when bison calves are born on the prairie. On the morning of Monday, April 23, we spotted the first bison calf of the season! The calf was standing alongside her mother, nursing. With this furry little development, let’s take a moment to review some of the things we learned last year about bison……
Read More
Photo by Chris Helzer @ TheNature Conservancy At Kankakee Sands, we have 68 different species of butterflies, and my daughter Savanna and I are excited to see every one of them! She and I enjoy walking the restored prairies of Kankakee Sands and trying to spot as many butterflies as we can. We often see the regal fritillary butterfly, spicebush swallowtail, tiger swallowtail, great spangled fritillary, morning cloak, and buckeye. But it’s the monarch that we are looking forward to seeing the most this year…
Read More
While the casinos along the South Shore are smoking, they also accommodate non-smokers. Here's what you need to know at each location: Ameristar Hotel & Casino - Ameristar's hotel has non-smoking floors; guests can request a room on one of those floors when booking. The casino's non-smoking section slot area is in the back on the first deck. The restaurants at Ameristar Casino are also non-smoking…
Read More
If you’re looking to experience a new apple orchard and pumpkin patch that’s not that far from home, then consider County Line Apple Orchard in Hobart, Indiana. Last year, my cousins who live in the Chicago area asked us if we’d like to visit and of course I said yes. We had such a great time, that we made plans to go back again this year. But, we stepped it up a notch…
Read More
One of the benefits of living in Northwest Indiana in the fall is the local orchards! There are a number of them here along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, but the closest orchard to our family is County Line Orchard in Hobart…
Read More
Photos from the Indiana Dunes National Park. View more on their Flickr account. If you’re looking for a hidden gem in Northwest Indiana or if you’re a history buff you may want to visit the Century of Progress Homes at the Indiana Dunes National Park. These five homes were originally built for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, showing off the modern architectural design of the time. The homes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and once a year there is a ranger-led tour of the five homes…
Read More
Photo by Jason Whalen at Big Foot Media It feels as though we've waited an eternity for the answer, and now we have it.... ten bison calves! Since October 16, 2016 when the bison first arrived at Kankakee Sands, we have anticipated the birth of these calves. When would they be born? How many would be born? At long last, we have our answers. On April 20th of this year, the first bison calf was born at Kankakee Sands. Over the next few weeks perhaps two or three more will be born, but as of today there are ten…
Read More
Great Lakes salmon and trout fishing started in Lake Michigan more than 50 years ago and Lake Michigan still offers the best fishing and widest variety of these fish of all the Great Lakes. No where on Lake Michigan offers a longer season for individuals wanting to catch their share of these gamesters than Northwest Indiana's small portion of water, at Lake Michigan's southern tip…
Read More
Photo Courtesy of: Kathy Malone In the evening, when my head feels like it is still spinning from the adventures of the day, sitting outside and enjoying the night helps me to unwind. Even during this cold time of year, bundling up and sitting outside sends waves of relaxation through me when I see the stars and hear the calls of the barred owls…
Read More
When you look at this picture, what do you see? You see the goldenrod seed falling from the head of a goldenrod plant, right? But past that, what do you see? Do you see the seed falling to the ground, being rained on in the spring, growing into a seedling, then a maturing into a flowering plant…
Read More