Ross and Sheila Hodel started with water parks, graduated to ski trips and national parks and this summer upped their muti-generational family trip game with hiking in Switzerland. They say such trips give them quality time with their children and grandchildren. They are not alone. According to several travel magazines and travel agents, family vacations […]
ReGen
Winter fun online
If it’s too cold to leave your house or your pajamas are glued on, you can still enjoy the season. Exercise, take a class, learn a craft, visit other locales and find new friends through your laptop or cellphone. While these activities are often better in person, the weather, illness and other conditions can make […]
Grandpa plays baseball
Ron Michaelson had a long and distinguished career in Illinois state government, first moving to Springfield to work for Gov. Richard Ogilvie. He still resides in Springfield and has always been physically active. Michaelson loves baseball. He started in Little League when he was eight and is still playing at 81. He competes in the […]
The power of purpose
A recent scientific study published in Preventive Medicine showed a link between individuals who felt a greater sense of purpose in their lives with a decreased mortality rate, by about 20% in some cases. The study used around 13,000 Americans who were 50 years and older who were studied for two years with an eight-year […]
More pickleball courts on the way
The explosion of interest in pickleball in Springfield could see the number of available courts nearly double in the foreseeable future, with the opening of the Premier Pickleball Center late this fall and the possibility of adding a dozen or more outdoor courts at Centennial Park next year. “Springfield’s biggest need has been indoor play […]
Always sowing, always growing
Landscape architect Greg Pierceall started designing his “paradise garden” at his home in Springfield after he retired about 10 years ago. A decade later, it is a sight, and a site, to behold. “A stretch of land that goes back 300 feet from my house and was formerly vacant is now filled with hundreds of […]
Over 50 with zero retirement savings?
If you’re in your 50s and 60s with no retirement savings in sight, you’re far from alone. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation, 49% of adults 55-66 in 2017 had zero personal retirement savings. But just because it’s common doesn’t make it OK – nor is it […]
Heritage tractors come together for Half Century of Progress 2023
The Half Century of Progress, which bills itself as the “premier vintage farm show in the U.S.,” celebrated its 10th anniversary Aug. 24-27 in Rantoul, at the former Chanute Air Force Base, now the Rantoul Municipal Airport. The event shows visitors “what farming was like 50 years ago.” The theme this year was “Heritage Tractors,” […]
Spiritual gardening
“Your mind is like a piece of land planted with many different kinds of seeds: seeds of joy, peace, mindfulness, understanding and love; seeds of craving, anger, fear, hate and forgetfulness. These wholesome and unwholesome seeds are always there, sleeping in the soil of your mind. The quality of your life depends on the seeds […]
Explore Your Community
As events may be canceled or rescheduled at the last moment, please first check with the host or venue when making plans to attend an event. “Here I Have Lived: Home in Illinois” Through Jan. 21, 2024. Explore stories of home. Visitors can connect through artifacts, videos and interactive features and learn how people have […]
Exploring Lebanon, full of surprises
When you travel to Lebanon to experience its history and culture, you don’t need a passport or plane reservations – that is if you head to the town 86 miles south of Springfield, not the Middle East. Like its namesake, Lebanon, Illinois, long has drawn travelers. Since its founding in 1814, the town of 4,250 […]
The intelligence of discomfort
Get comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s a common saying, especially in the fitness world of pain and gain. It is one I am quite familiar with, being a fitness coach for 15 years and an athlete my whole life. Seeing and personally experiencing how leaning into the edge of discomfort can elicit favorable adaptations with the […]
