2008 Independence Day Parade, Barrington, IL Here's the proof; not only does the new President of the United States call Chicago home and Garden Bloggers' Spring Fling will be held in Chicago this year, but now comes that venerable British magazine, Gardens Illustrated, with a story about local heroes Barrington's own Citizens for Conservation, a not for profit organization (yes, I'm a member), and their efforts to restore prairies and preserve open spaces. I've posted about their Grigsby Prairie twice when my kids' classes went there for a field trip (see here and here). (The Gardens Illustrated story is in the January 2009 Issue 145, page 72.) As the maestro used to say, "Bravi, tutti!" To put it more prosaically, you guys really rock!
Moreover, Gardens Illustrated is sponsoring a trip this September to Chicago, including a tour of the Lurie Garden, the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Morton Arboretum, and a walk around Oak Park, some of the same places we'll be touring with Spring Fling. Oh, yeah, they're also going to go to the Missouri Botanic Garden.
So even though it's snowing again and there is already over two feet of the stuff on the ground right now, I just can't imagine living anywhere else. (Except maybe in Italy.) Don't you wish you lived here too?
16 comments:
MMD,
It is maybe my favorite city! We visit at least once a year...see the museums, tour the river, shop, eat great food and wish we could see the roof top gardens. I am so excited about SF and may have to schedule being there for a long weekend!
Thank you for ll you are doing for the flingers!
Gail
Hi MMD, I have heard that Florence is the most beautiful city in the world. Chicago must be the twin sister, so it sounds. I have subscribed to that mag, I hope the first issue I get is the one with that article.
Frances
um-------No!, I'm never leaving the South and the warm, well maybe hot and muggy, weather. I will visit Chicago a couple of times for sure but not in winter.
I came over here looking for that article you did on bindweed. Could you pop over and comment on my post Killing Weeds. Pretty please.
I love to visit Chicago but I don't think I would want to live there. Not because of snow,cold or wind. I am just a small town girl.
I love Chicago. I'm a northsider, married a southsider, and my kids grew up loving it so much through family field trips that the two oldest live there now.
It's great that the Citizens for Conservation got that recognition and writeup from across the pond!
MMD, live there, no I odn't think so. But, oh, how I love to visit! We have been going there for a looong time-way back when I was in the 8th grade on a class trip was the 1st time.Then when our girls were litte and now just for the fun of it. And SF will be another great reason to visit.
The Citizens for Conservation sounds like a great group and a very worth while cause.
MMD, At one time we nearly DID move to Chicago. My husband was born and raised in Oak Park. We met in Ames, Iowa, while he was attending college. After graduating, he really did apply for, and was offered, a job in a close-in suburb, but by that time decided he'd rather live in Iowa. So, here we are. ;-) We visited his family many times over the years (as well as the variety of zoos and museums), but don't get there very often anymore.
In other words, I hope I can come, I hope I can come, I hope I can come... and thanks for doing a great job with plans you-all are making! :-) Word verification: "inchic. How appropriate is that?
Dorset is quite nice too.
Lucy
How nice for Chi-town, as it's known in Madison, to get some garden press in such a presigious magazine. Time for the rest of the world to know there's more to Chicago and Ill. than Rudy. And as a Midwesterner, I am allowing myself to bask in the in the neighboring glow from Obama. Love having an urban president from a real place and not a ranch!
I married a man from LaPorte IN, we met in DC and I followed him to Raleigh. I was born and raised in VA. Once he suggested that we move up there. I said, Darlin, you ain't taking this girl out of the south permanently." We do visit from time to time and love it.
Hi MMD,
I have always thought Chicago was a much better center of the universe than NYC (take that, New Yawkers!). I love the city and the near burbs and would have loved to settle there years ago if things had worked out that way ... but I wandered too far and long and then ended up back here in Iowa, where the roots took hold again after so many years! So... it's too hard to uproot an old hibiscus such as me, hehe.
I'll have to check out the Spring Fling site, but given the precariousness of my job and the company I work for, I doubt I can make it over there, sigh. I will check out the site though!
Wow: verification is "proof"
I love Chicago! I can't wait to visit during the Spring Fling. Congrats to the city on Obama's election.
But no, I don't think I could live there in the winter. I'm too much of a Southerner for the snow and cold. ;-)
Can't wait to come for Spring Fling and to see you again, MMD. I made my reservations this morning.~~Dee
Gail - try to come for a long weekend, there is so much to see, we couldn't possible fit it all in one day.
Frances - oddly enough, I'm not a big fan of Florence. Maybe that's because I was immersed in the Rome experience. I've decided I need to subscribe to Gardens Illustrated because somebody made off with the Library's copy of that issue that all the British bloggers were talking about.
Anna - it gets hot & muggy here too! (I tried to leave a comment about the Bindweed. I hope it took.)
Lisa - I lived in Chicago for a couple of years, but I too long for the open spaces. Where I live used to be a small town, but now it's a suburb.
GG - if the Fling had been in the fall, we could have taken everybody to see the restored prairie. Too bad it doesn't look like much in May.
Shady - I do so hope you can come to Spring Fling. It's going to be wonderful. We're adding things in all the time & I'm very excited about the possibilities for the Sunday excursion around DuPage County.
Lucy - I would love to visit Dorset. Hard to believe, but I've never been to Britain. It was too far to get to on break when I was going to school in Rome. Someday...
Ms. Wis. - Madison is about to be considered part of Chicago. If Chicago gets the 2016 Olympics, the bike racing events will be held in & around Madison. It's going to make a nice change to have people say things about the Pres. instead of Al Capone & "bang, bang."
Helen - I can see how, if you hadn't grown up here, it would be hard to consider voluntarily going thru a Chicago winter.
IVG - what's w/ the word verification lately? :^) Don't even get me started on the whole Chicago vs. New York thing. (Our pizza is better.) I hope you can come to the Fling. It's probably not ever going to be any closer unless you Iowa bloggers offer to host.
Pam - I can't wait to give you the tour this time! I guess the ideal is what a lot of retired people do; live in Chicago but spend the winter in Florida or Arizona. Sure does make the winter more bearable.
Dee - yippiee! It's going to be great to Fling again with you.
Congratulations to Barrington and its gardeners for this recognition! Chicago is indeed a great city, and now that we have ousted the old governor, Illinoisans can once again hold our heads up high!
Rose - one can only hope, but I have my doubts about IL. Pat Quinn's got his work cut out for him trying to clean up the mess.
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