If you haven’t already started a Christmas tradition of purchasing a real tree, this is the year to begin. Real evergreen trees are renewable resources, making them a more ecologically sound choice than artificial trees. And an artificial tree can’t match a real evergreen for beauty, warmth, and fragrance. But what type of tree should […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
Georg captured a time when soda salesmen went door-to-door
Herbert Georg, one of the finest photographers Springfield has ever known, began his career in his father’s studio, which had been established in Springfield around the turn of the last century. In 1923, Georg launched his own studio and began building a sterling reputation based on the diversity of his subjects, the high and uncompromising […]
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Decatur celebrates the Emancipator
Abraham Lincoln, as a strapping young man earning his keep, split many a rail near Decatur, working for Macon County landowners such as Sheriff William Warnick. One day, Lincoln fell through the ice while walking on the frozen Sangamon River, and he was forced to nurse his frostbitten feet at the sheriff’s home. As he […]
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It’s beginning to look a lot like holiday-plant-buying time
The holidays are fast approaching, and poinsettias no doubt again will be the most popular seasonal houseplant sold in the United States. There’s good reason: With their rich colors and variety, poinsettias add a festive touch to any home. In addition to the traditional red bracts (modified leaves), poinsettias are available in white, pink, peach, […]
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If he shows, he’ll have to blow out 124 candles
In 1908, in his poem “On the Building of Springfield,” the celebrated poet Vachel Lindsay wrote: Let every street be made a reverent aisle, Where music grows and beauty is unchained. At the time of his death 23 years later, Lindsay’s star had faded — and his hope for a Springfield where “beauty is unchained” […]
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“The blood of noble patriots”
Last October, I picked up Illinois Times and read Job Conger’s article, “Dying Colors,” about the disposition of the regimental flags that had been on display in the Hall of Flags in the Howlett Building since the 1930s. The subhead read: “Some grand old flags survived the battle, but are losing the war.” Due to […]
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How to serve guests when they’re covered in feathers
This fall consider joining the more than 65 million Americans who enjoy bird watching. You can enjoy the fastest growing hobby in the country (second to gardening) by providing some basic necessities for birds in your backyard. While bird feeders may attract birds in the winter, in order to enjoy birds in your backyard year-round […]
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Time to sign up for gardening program
As our summer flowers fade away and leaves fall from the trees, our focus turns to planning for next year’s garden. As you jot down notes on what did and didn’t work in this year’s garden you may also be compiling a list of questions, such as “why did my mums bloom in July instead […]
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More than just ol’ Abe
When Illinois Times offered me a column to write about local and regional history, I leapt at the opportunity without so much as a nanosecond of thoughtful consideration. Though I now consider myself to be solidly middle-aged, prudence, caution and foresight somehow escape me yet; too often do I leap and then look. Maybe someday […]
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Behold the great pumpkin!
The typical jack-o’-lantern pumpkin weighs 15 to 25 pounds, but pumpkins can range in size from less than one pound to more than 1,000 pounds. How big is a pumpkin that weighs half a ton? The distance around a 1,000-pound pumpkin is about 15 feet. This year the new official world’s largest pumpkin weighed a […]
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Tree planting tips
You’ve picked your tree or shrub and found a spot for its new home. Now it’s time to plant. Most tree species can be successfully planted in the fall (October until the ground freezes) or in the spring. Here are some guidelines to help get your tree off to a good start: Before digging call […]
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Blue Birds
From the left field bleachers to the press box, from to the clubhouse to the front office, the refrain is repeated as if rehearsed: The Cardinals didn’t make the playoffs this year because of nagging injuries and ineffective pitching. If only there had been fewer injuries and if only one or two of those off-season […]
