It’s happening. The kids are back to school, the temperature is dropping slowly but surely, and I see mums and the occasional pumpkin popping up on people’s front stoops. Whether you are a fall lover like me, or are more like my partner, who considers fall the end of all things living as we slide […]
Pamela Savage
Posted inSpecial Issues
Plant your fall garden now
I don’t know about you, but I have happily spent the last couple of months enjoying everything that summer has to offer in terms of delicious produce. Between the Old Capitol Farmers Market downtown and my in-laws’ garden, I’ve been up to my ears in homegrown tomatoes, fresh corn, spicy shishito peppers, juicy peaches, firm […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Combat summer learning loss
Every parent of a school-aged kid is probably familiar with summer learning loss, or the regression in learning that occurs between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next. It is well-documented that many students experience a regression in their academic skills over the summer months. Not only do some students […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Ways to keep kids entertained this summer
I don’t know about you, but in our house, we have been counting down the days until summer. I’m excited for summer’s longer days, time with family and friends, wonderful sticky weather and piles and piles of farmers market produce. There is just something about the simplicity of no packed lunches, no homework in the […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Attract birds and butterflies to your yard
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, over 400 bird species have been recorded as living in or migrating through Illinois. More than one-third of the world’s birds are migratory and will be moving back into their northern nests and perches this spring in order to meet, eat, mingle and mate. Interest in backyard […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Go the distance
Now that the weather has warmed (hopefully for good) and the days have gotten sunnier and longer, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of walkers and joggers rushing past my front window. Whether you are a longtime or novice runner or walker, this spring in Springfield offers plenty of shorter-distance race opportunities to test […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Kids and weddings
Deciding whether or not to invite children to a wedding can be a big question mark for many couples. Some guests may consider children to be a nuisance, while others may think that not inviting children is rude. A couple planning a wedding will be hard-pressed to make every guest happy, and so ultimately, the […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Teaching kids about money
Can you remember how you first learned about money? For many of us, thinking about our earliest money memories may bring to mind lemonade stands, car washes or door-to-door fundraisers. Even more so, we probably have some sense of how our parents felt about money, and we may recall how they spoke about it in […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Beginning a yoga practice
At the start of each new year, we are often inundated with messaging about diet and exercise. Several times, I have fallen into the trap of thinking that I have to completely revamp my lifestyle in order to fit it within a tight definition of “healthy.” In years past, this may have meant cutting certain […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Enjoy new and familiar family traditions
Whether it is time-honored traditions or new and novel experiences that you seek, Springfield has plenty of holiday programming for you and yours beginning Thanksgiving weekend and lasting until the New Year. Grab your calendars and be sure to schedule some of these wonderful holiday offerings, focused on sustainable shopping, parent-child bonding and family-friendly merriment. […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Stay well this winter
With winter weather steadily approaching, many of us are moving our gatherings and events indoors. This means the onset of cold and flu season. While the months ahead do pose a risk in terms of annoying illness, there are several preventative tips that families can take in order to protect their loved ones from cold […]
Posted inArts & Culture
What to do with all those leaves
Fall is just around the corner, and with it comes cooler temperatures, shorter days and plenty of outdoor yard work. I have always loved the occasional crunchy leaf on a sidewalk, but what to do when soggy, unsightly, smelly piles of leaves accumulate? While the temptation to bag and dispose of leaves is hard to […]
