Long before folks were drinking tall glasses of iced tea, tea was a staple in the heavily spiked alcoholic punches that were popular in the young United States and much of Europe throughout the 18th century. Taverns and private clubs had their own proprietary and often highly secret punch recipes, and it’s easy to imagine […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
A backyard oasis
Is your outdoor space a beautiful refuge of relaxation? If not, there’s no time like the present to transform it into your own piece of paradise. Landon Kirby, president and owner of Knob Hill Landscape Company, 661 W. Camp Sangamo Road, said “business has just exploded” since the pandemic kept people in their homes for […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A day at Lake Springfield
Heading out to Lake Springfield with friends and family to enjoy an event at one of the many clubs or venturing out on your own just to explore can add to summer fun. The clubs are back with chicken fries, fish fries and parties. Lake Springfield Marina is open for rentals; there are picnic areas, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Don’t let mosquitoes bug you
Of all the things I’ve yearned for this summer, like cookouts and picnics and leisurely fishing trips, the itch of bug bites is definitely not one of them. I don’t actually get bitten much – there’s speculation that a diet rich in B vitamins helps to stave off bug bites, but little conclusive evidence. But […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Grillin’ and Chillin’
There wasn’t much happening last summer, although many people took advantage of the extra time at home to improve their living space, in some cases expanding it to the outdoors. If you’re ready to host a backyard barbecue or spend a day at Lake Springfield with family and friends, we have plenty of suggestions for […]
Posted inArts & Culture
My COVID year
Art adapts to COVID Art is a hands-on, in-person activity. The good news is that everyone at the Springfield Art Association is creative and energetic. We jumped into problem-solving mode and have generated a range of products and services that we can safely offer to keep us alive through the pandemic. Since SAA is more […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Bullet journaling
It’s the time of year when many people make goals to shed undesirable habits and encourage healthy behaviors, and meeting a buddy at the gym or a meditation class can provide accountability. However, a pandemic restricting indoor activities and social gatherings puts a damper on this time-honored method. A bullet journal can provide another means […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Managing mental health during a pandemic
With restrictions brought on by COVID-19, many people are working from home and unable to gather in-person with friends and family. This isolation can lead to mental health issues as people struggle to create new routines in the absence of normal human interactions. Brenda Protz, a Lincoln Land Community College communications professor, took a medical […]
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Small changes, big results
Years before having a family of my own, I had a conversation with my brother-in-law in which he admitted that his favorite time of day was in the morning, before his children had woken up. Not understanding how exhausting parenting can be, I was shocked by his admission and judged him harshly. I pegged him […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Evaluate your financial health
Typically, people make resolutions at the dawn of each new year to improve their health and physical fitness. Now that a global pandemic has caused many businesses to close their doors and cost more than a million Illinoisans their jobs, the list of resolutions for 2021 may include improving one’s financial health. Even those who […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Staying active during COVID
In December, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna rolled out COVID-19 vaccines that many hope will return us to a normal way of life. What they won’t do is address the other physical and emotional symptoms people have been dealing with in the wake of the pandemic. Some have suffered the worst loss imaginable: the death of a […]
