ChiIL Mama's Got The Scoop On FREE Park Days In Michigan #Travel #Camping

DNR waives fees for recreation activities during Summer Kickoff, June 7-8 

Here at ChiIL Mama we LOVE city living, but we also dig the great outdoors, camping and active sports like archery, zip lining, canoeing and kayaking!  When we want to relax and recharge, we go where the trees are taller than the buildings. And that generally means one of our beautiful, neighboring states.  They're close enough for a weekend getaway and chock full of outdoorsy fun.  Here's a few ideas from Michigan's DNR to get you started.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced the 2014 Summer Kickoff, with a variety of recreation activities across the state. During Summer Kickoff, fees will be waived for some of the state’s most popular outdoor activities, making it a great time to grab a fishing pole, ride an ORV or enjoy a day in the outdoors at a state park. The DNR Summer Kickoff includes: 

• June 7-8 is Free Fishing Weekend, when all fishing license fees are waived for two days. Residents and out-of-state visitors may enjoy fishing on both inland and Great Lakes waters for all species of fish. All fishing regulations still apply. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/freefishing.
  
• June 7-8 is Free ORV Weekend, when ORV license and permit fees are waived for off-road vehicles. Anyone (resident or nonresident) may ride an ORV for free, but all ORV laws still apply. Find a trail at www.michigan.gov/orvtrails.
  
• June 8 is free entry to all 102 Michigan state parks; no Recreation Passport required. Pack a picnic, bring some sand toys and make a day of it. This is the only day of the year when there is no vehicle entry fee for the state parks. Camping fees still apply for overnight visitors. Find a park near you at www.michigan.gov/stateparks.  

In addition to waiving fees for recreation activities, the DNR will offer more than 50 fun outdoor programs and events throughout Michigan during Summer Kickoff, including: 

• National Trails Day - Saturday, June 7. Take a Walk in the Park with Blue Cross Blue Shield and the DNR in honor of National Trails Day. With events taking place statewide, this is a great opportunity to enjoy a scenic walk with friends, family and neighbors. All events are part of the MI Big Green Gym campaign. Learn more at www.mibiggreengym.org.
   
• Michigan Boating Week - June 7-14. This weeklong campaign offers many opportunities to get started with boating or get back into it. Michigan Boating Week also aims to educate boaters about how to become stewards of the water. This is a partnership between the DNR, the Michigan State Waterways Commission and the Michigan Boating Industries Association. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/boating. 

The DNR calendar lists hundreds of events throughout the summer, most of which are free for Michigan residents with a Recreation Passport. Be sure to check out all the event listings at www.michigan.gov/dnrcalendar.

The Recreation Passport is an easy, affordable way for residents to enjoy and support outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan. By checking "YES" for the $11 Recreation Passport ($5 for motorcycles) when renewing a license plate through the Secretary of State (by mail, kiosk, online at www.expresssos.com or at branch offices), Michigan motorists get access to state parks, recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, nonmotorized state trailhead parking and state boat launches. The Recreation Passport is valid until the next license plate renewal date. Nonresidents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($31 annual, $9 daily) at any state park or recreation area or (annual passes only) through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore.

Learn more about this creative way of sustaining Michigan's outdoor recreation and natural resources at www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport.  

PHOTO RECAP: The Morton Arboretum Blogger Brunch & “People’s Choice” Scarecrow Voting Begins #FallFun #EcoFriendly

Here at ChiIL Mama we're all about nature, camping and green living and I've made a point to raise kids who adore the outdoors.  We need to go where the trees are taller than the buildings to recharge.  Yet, that said, I'm afraid I'm guilty of urban dweller syndrome.   That's the problem where we forget to frequent awesome suburban resources, because they seem sooooo far away... but really they're not more drive time than getting across town.   

We'd been to Morton Arboretum several times during the past decade, as my kids have grown.   Yet somehow I forgot how much fun we had there.   And it's not so far from Chicago.  Thank YOU Morton Arboretum, for reminding me just how awesome you are.

It was our pleasure to spend yesterday with a small group of bloggers at the internationally renowned Morton Arboretum for brunch and a tram tour, on a gorgeous fall day.   We'll be covering a LOT more of their fam friendly fare and holiday fun going forward.   True, heading out there for 9am brunch in the heart of rush hour sucked, and took over an hour from the NW side of the city (Logan Square/Avondale), but coming back at 1pm was a 35 minute breeze.   It can seriously take me that long to go 5 miles in cross town traffic!   And the payoffs for the trek out to Lisle are beyond worth it!   I felt so relaxed and recharged after spending a morning in the woods.

Get away from the city crowds.   Mom and More's daughter was digging the space to run and galumph, with just a shadow for company!

It was a joy to catch up with lots of our blogger friends including Christine of Green Parent Chicago, where I also write guest posts.   Check out my Green Lollapalooza post here.   I also enjoyed some sweet photo ops, shooting the little lovelies from Houseful of Nicholes, Mom and More and French Foodie Mom.   

Ladybug from Houseful of Nicholes was enjoying her beeswax crayon set & butterfly coloring book at brunch.   It was her actual 5th birthday and she was pure joy in action all morning!

This little cutie from Mom and More devoured her fruit plate so she'd have energy for exploring the woods.

Chef Druck (French Foodie Mom) and her daughter, getting out of the kitchen and into the arboretum!

Ladybug styling with Black Walnut in hand and shape/color bracelet on the wrist.   Morton Arboretum tram rides give little kids the bracelets so they can play at finding things to match the colors and/or shapes along the ride!

Midwestern Fall 

I'm completely enthralled with the STRENGTH BENCH and hope I can find it again!   I want to do a photo shoot here with my 10 year old daughter, Supersonic Sage, the gymnast.   She's all about being mighty and strong.   Yet it's sometimes the quiet strength of yoga versus the intensity of conditioning that gives her the inner strength to be an excellent athlete and to be better than her temper and tween moodiness.  

 
She knows what it feels like to come home with trophies and a wall full of blue ribbons, and win first in state.   And she knows what it feels like to break an ankle and to fall off the beam at state last year, the one time it counted, after doing it flawlessly a zillion times.   She knows how it feels to try a hundred frustrating times and not nail a new skill.    It takes more true strength to fail gracefully!   Being among trees can teach patience and calm stillness, and there's something incredibly strong about this amazing space.

Spruce Plot:

This was one one of my favorite places for sure!

The Children's Garden is a delightfully magical place:

The Morton Arboretum is a hands on... shoes off kind of space to explore with all your senses.

Fall is one of the most gorgeous times at Morton Arboretum.   They have a multicultural woodland of trees literally from around the world, so they have a one of a kind explosion of color that can't be seen anywhere else in the region! The grounds were still lush, green and still blooming with a riot of fall flowers as of yesterday, but with the crisp, cool weather and shorter sunlit hours it's only a matter of time till the vibrant reds, yellows and oranges are everywhere.

We learned so much on the tour that I didn't know, and we'll be doing more arboretum features soon and ticket giveaways for our readers, too. 





Morton Arboretum is ideal for all ages and fitness levels.   The tram is a great way for the very young, old or differently ables to cover a lot of ground.   For fitness buffs and the active, there are loads of hiking and biking trails.   There's even an on site bike rental with traditional, tandem, and tow behind options!   Once there's at least 3" of snow, you can rent cross country skiis or snow shoes and explore.

For now, come check out the scout-crows, done by local boy and girl scout troops.

We are seeing the first signs of fall here at The Morton Arboretum as the leaves being to change - and as the scarecrows go up around Meadow Lake! We have a whopping 45 scarecrow entries this year, submitted by our area Boy and Girl Scouts - plus one scarecrow by the Arboretum's own Nature Artists Guild. 

CAST YOUR STRAW VOTE FOR BEST SCARECROW AT THE MORTON ARBORETUM

Local Girl and Boy Scout Troops to showcase 45 unique scarecrows at The Morton Arboretum

The Scarecrow Trail returns to the Morton Arboretum this year, featuring 45 hay-men and-women decorated by local Girl and Boy Scouts.

For one month only, the Scarecrow Trail features a variety of scarecrows made by scouts from troops in Addison, Arlington Heights, Aurora, Batavia, Bolingbrook, Darien, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Lemont, Lisle, Lockport/Homer Glen, Lombard, Naperville, Oak Park, Orland Park, Oswego, Plainfield, Prospect Heights, Roselle, Schaumburg, Westmont, Wheaton and Woodridge.

This year’s scarecrows come with some imaginative names, including Earth’s Minions Unite!, Nature Fairy, Nature Bob Solar Pants, Flower Queen, Minecraft Cub Scout, Corn-e with a Mustache, Lady Ga-Garbage, Caught in a Web of Brownies and Nature Fairy.

Visitors are invited to vote for the “People’s Choice” Scarecrow. Ballots are available at the start of the trail and can be returned to the Visitor Center. The winning scarecrow will be announced in early November.

The Scarecrow Trail is part of the Arboretum’s Fall Color Festival. Throughout the month of October, visitors can enjoy juicy brats, build-your-own taffy apples and other mouth-watering bites available for purchase in Arbor Court. Plus, sample complimentary wine tastings. The festival will be open weekends in October and Columbus Day, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Fall Color Festival kicks off with the 10th annual Fall Color 5K Run & Walk and Kid’s Dash on Sunday, October 6. The Scarecrow Trail is free with admission to the Arboretum.

For fall color updates, visit mortonarb.org or call the Bloom 'n Color Hotline at 630-719-7955.

About The Morton Arboretum

The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized outdoor tree museum on 1,700 acres. Plant collections, scientific research and education programs support the mission to plant and conserve trees and other plants for a greener, healthier and more beautiful world. Designed with natural landscapes, the grounds include the award-winning, four-acre interactive Children’s Garden, the one-acre Maze Garden, plus specialty gardens, 16 miles of trails and nine miles of roads. Visitor experiences include the open-air tram ride, guided walks, Arbor Day celebrations, concerts, art shows, Fall Color Festival, and special exhibits. The Arboretum welcomes more than 800,000 visitors annually and serves more than 35,600 members. Located 25 miles west of Chicago in Lisle, Illinois, the Arboretum is open daily 7 a.m. until sunset. Learn more at mortonarb.org.

ChiIL Tips:
Rent a backpack for family friendly fun!

Admission Rate 

Nonmember admission rates to The Morton Arboretum are $12 for adults ages 18-64 ($8 on Wednesday), $11 for seniors ages 65 and over ($7 on Wednesday), $9 for children ages 2-17 ($6 on Wednesday) and free for children under age 2. Parking is free with admission.

From the Children's Garden, maze and trails to the spacious gift shop, your visit to Morton Arboretum is sure to be a memorable one!

ChiIL Out With ChiIL Mama at The Morton Arboretum.   Highly Recommended!

Chipmunk N Children #Ohio #nature

all photos credit:  Dugan (age 11)

What says fall like those bulging chipmunk cheeks?!

 

October 19-26th, we were on a travel shoot in Ohio.   We've got loads of great Ohio Renaissance Faire photos coming up soon.   It was also a relaxing chance to swing by my childhood home in Cincinnati and visit Grammy and Gramps.   They're still in the midwestern, suburban, ranch style with an acre yard that I lived in from age 6 to 18.   For our urban Chicago kids, it's like a wilderness nature preserve.





My parent's yard has frequent visits from deer, foxes and a red tailed hawk.   They have numerous resident birds of a zillion species beyond the city pigeons and sparrows we feed.  They also have a healthy clan of chipmunks and a groundhog who live under the back desk, and a boat load of squirrels.





My 9 & 11 year old kids had freedom to run and play and explore the large yard and adjoining woods.   They made food packets for the chipmunk families and took these photos themselves!   I was pretty impressed with their compassion, patience and mad photo skills.

Nothing Says Spring Like Baby Robins! (photo feature)

 photo credit:  Richard & Judy Rosene

My parents have a nest full of baby robins on their back porch and have been snapping a series of shots for the grand kids.   Just thought we'd share!   Enjoy.

Here's the e-mail update they sent today along with the photo above:

Today our baby robins are 5, 6, and 7 days old. See how their feathers are growing and how large their beaks are! Dick climbed again on the step stool right under the next, and somehow did not get attacked by the parent robins.

Here's some of the past updates:  

Our resident robin built a nest on our downspout, safe from rain, wind and predators. Today she has newly hatched babies to take care of. We can only see them when Dick climbs up to take photos! 

1 egg and two baby robins (1 & 2 days old)

Baby robins--now 2, 3, and 4 days old! The only way we can see them is to climb up with a camera and aim it into the nest.