We hit Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve again yesterday to do work on another portion of the area. We headed up with a group of seven volunteers, on a mission to clear invasive bush honeysuckle, which were taking over several places. We rewarded everyone with outstanding, chocolate-covered strawberries to round out the lovely Valentine’s Day theme of the workday and everyone had a great time.
Every time I get to participate in one of these workdays, I have such a great time.
Here is a quick look at a few places we hiked during the first snowfall of 2022.
Lately I’ve been spending my time outdoors a little differently. I am honored to be helping Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, a non-profit organization that spends its time helping to maintain nature preserves in Illinois. While the organization is still relatively new, and mostly based in northern IL, we have been making great strides to help in areas of southern Illinois. Fults is a stunning state-owned IDNR property, and while there have been certain challenges in navigating that system, I believe the rewards have outweighed any hurdles.
Below are photos from our Winter Solstice Work Day (12-21-21). We had a large group of amazing volunteers from around the state helping to clear bush honeysuckle and woody species from one of the sections of the Hill Prairies. We had a lot of fun, and WOW - that view is fantastic!
Additionally, I helped to facilitate Friends of IL Nature Preserves as this quarter’s Wooden Nickel recipients at the Neighborhood Co-op where I work! Donations have exceeded $1,500.00, way more than most other organizations have ever received in the Co-op’s history of the program.
In the past year or so, I’ve changed focus a bit…
I sometimes wish I was a food blogger full time, but admit it was very difficult at times. I am currently working two places locally as well as help market and design for the new SIU Cannabis Science Center. I am and always expanding my horizons for new marketing and photography opportunities, and hoe that I have grown into someone who others look to for inspiration. I am always trying to support our amazing local community. Hopefully a few new projects will help push me in the right direction.
I’ve been reaching heavily towards nature to help me hopefully find some answers as to which way the future may guide me.
Now that the Makanda Mushroom Festival was a success, I am SO excited about future opportunities. But I am still a bit unsure about what the future holds. Wish me luck!!
I visited an incredible Hill Prairie in southern Illinois today, and I was mystified by its incredible beauty. They are hosting a conservation event this Saturday from 10am - 1pm, and I will be covering the event. Located at Cedar Bluff Park Pavilion in Fults, IL (at the corner of Fults Road and Church Street). Then we will proceed to hike the trails up to the Hill Prairies to some stunning overlooks. Below are some images I shot today.
The Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves will be holding a belated 50th Anniversary Celebration of the dedication of the Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve in Monroe County. Fults was dedicated as a Nature Preserve in October 1970. With activities restricted in 2020, the 50th-anniversary celebration of this dedicated Nature Preserve and National Natural Landmark site will take place this year.
Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve was the 30th nature preserve dedicated in the state of Illinois and the first in Monroe County. The beautiful site has the largest complex of high-quality loess hill prairies in Illinois. The site includes a 1.4-mile loop trail through the hill prairies, glades. and woodlands.
The event will include a short ceremony at the Cedar Bluff Park pavilion in Fults, IL at 10:00 am (at the corner of Fults Road and Church Street). The ceremony will be followed by guided hikes at the nature preserve, with regional conservation experts leading the hikes and sharing stories along the way.
Noted guests for the event include John Schwegman, Andy West, Phil Borsdorf, Marty Kemper, and Mark Phipps.
The public is encouraged to attend, dress for the weather and rugged hike, and to earn their “out of breath hiking crew” patch.
The Illinois Nature Preserves System was established by state law in 1963. In preserves owned by scores of agencies, organizations and individuals, dependent upon popular support and inter-agency collaboration, the 607 preserves and reserves protect the state’s finest woodlands, prairies, and wetlands for the benefit of science, the public, and for the survival of nature itself. These lands and their rare and endangered species represent thousands of years of heritage and millions of years of evolution. They are crucial resources for the future. This event provides an opportunity to celebrate this nature preserve and for attendees to learn about the history and ecology of the site while enjoying the stunning views from the bluffs of Monroe County.
Using vegan cheese options is a great way to add flavor and dimension to your dairy-free soups.
INGREDIENTS (found here, via A Virtual Vegan)
2 TBSP vegan butter or olive oil.
2 medium onions , chopped finely
2 ribs celery , diced
2 large carrots , diced
4 cloves garlic , chopped finely
2 teaspoons salt , plus more to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper , plus more to taste
4 tablespoons all purpose flour , or gluten-free all purpose flour
2 cups non dairy milk , cashew milk or soy milk are my milks of choice for savory recipes but any other unsweetened creamy non-dairy milk will work too
2½ - 3 cups flavorful vegetable broth/stock , divided
5 medium / about 700 g potatoes , cut into ½ inch cubes
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg , (optional)
1 bay leaf
INSTRUCTIONS
To a large saucepan, add the vegan butter/oil and warm over a medium heat before adding the onions, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are just starting to get a little color, then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the salt and pepper, then the flour to the pan and stir it all around for about a minute to cook the raw flour taste out, then slowly add the soy milk, stirring as you go to work out any lumps. Then add the vegetable broth (reserving about ½ a cup), chopped potatoes, nutmeg and the bay leaf.
Stir really well then let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and just starting to break down. Add all of, or some of, the reserved ½ a cup of broth if you prefer a thinner consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Elevate up your life with Squish CBD-infused, local honey! Our friends at Peace, Love, and Bees offer a beautifully floral clover honey, then Squish botanically infuses it with their organic CBD flower.
This is the MOST unique honey experience I have ever had, and if you’re looking to get some of this honey, it’s one of the newest products on their website, and can be found online, or at their storefront in Marion, IL.
I simply spread goat cheese onto some crackers, placed them onto an adorable platter, then worked the magic. A honey dabber was the perfect tool to apply honey to each cracker! This honey contains 10mg CBD per 1 tsp, and I didn’t have to use very much to make the perfect snack for Valentine’s Day!
“The taste of honey…much sweeter…than wine…” as sung by The Beatles has been in my head since yesterday! What a fun way to share the love.
Squish Global grows organic hemp flower in Marion, IL. Southern Illinois soil to oil!
We are proud to announce, the Makanda Mushroom Festival will be held on October 1-3, 2021. We aim to offer a wide variety of educational opportunities to learn about fungus and the natural world around us.
Fall is a great time to view a wide variety of species fruiting in and around southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest. The festival will feature workshops about culinary and medicinal mushrooms, fermentation, wellness, outdoor crafts, and more. We will also host a Juried Artist Market + Mini Farmers Market, and host several local bands Friday and Saturday evenings. For now, tickets will only be available at the gate so we can honor those who have already purchased tickets initially. Three-day passes include camping, access to workshops and artist/farmers market, live music, and more!
Looking for a recipe to make you smile? Everyone who has tried these has fallen in love with them. They’re delicious eaten around a camp fire, or make a few for a friend who needs some cheering up. These may be hard to share once you try them, just warning you!
RECIPE (ORIGINALLY FOUND HERE):
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup REESE’S Pieces or M&M candies
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF and line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and quick oats; whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and REESE’S Pieces candies by hand.
Measure out ¼ cup balls of dough and place them on the baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are just starting to brown and the top still looks slightly undercooked. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Before these have cooled completely, they will be crumbly. I suggest letting them cool completely before tasting.
Store cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
Saturday, August 22, Squish Global in Marion, IL held their Grand Opening. It was so great to get out, meet some new folks, enjoy delicious CBD-infused food, and learn more bout the future of CBD. In attendance was most everyone in the wonderful Lawler family, two SIUC professors, the Marion Mayor, and other local officials in our community.
Below, CBD plants grow in an aeroponic system from aerosourceH, a high-performance, client-centered cannabidiol (CBD) wholesale, extraction laboratory and processing facility located in Kevil, Kentucky.
Below, the Chicken Satay Skewers, Potstickers, from Thai-D in Marion, IL. The peanut sauce that was infused with Squish’s CBD Avocado Oil!
Everything tasted absolutely delicious!
Powerful and impactful speeches were given by so many people.
Before the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!
I love Squish products and that’s why I am so happy to stand behind them. I use the CBD-infused avocado oil on my skin every single day! I have always had dry lips and skin and this product works miracles. Below, we shot a few photos of a couple of their products while out on the lake. So happy to have a southern Illinois-based company I am SO happy to rep!
Next, a product that is new to me is the Squish CBD Muscle Freeze, a topical rub made with organically grown, high resin hemp flowers, arnica flower, shea butter, mango butter camphor essential, peppermint oil, and cooling menthol crystals to provide pain relief and a soothing, cooling effect. Shown below on the kayak on Little Grassy Lake.
We are so happy for our friends, they recently set out to live their dream of offering some of the most delicious and local street food to folks in southern Illinois! We were so happy they invited us to photograph their first ever event at a local country club and this week, they begin Food Truck Fridays in Marion, IL!
Learn more about Roots Run Deep Street Food on Facebook here!
Food Truck Fridays in Marion, IL! Learn more on their Facebook Event Page.
Right now we have an gorgeous array of pollinator-friendly native wildflowers blooming here in southern Illinois. The Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is home to a few of them!
Hummingbird Moth on Ironweed
Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)
Royal Catchfly (Silene regia)
Southern Illinois is absolutely gorgeous this time of year. Drive down any road just outside of town and you will find a plethora of blooms of native wildflowers…here are a few I noticed recently!
Now, more than ever, is a great time to Treat Yo Self! These Plush Necessities Robes are out of this world amazing. Great for men and women, these would also make a delightful Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gifts. They are roomy, ultra-soft, and washed up great. Absolute LUXURY, in your own home. I have never owned a robe THIS nice, and now I get to appreciate some of the finer things in life. YAY!
Things have been so crazy lately, that when Plush Necessities sent me two robes, and I slipped them on, the worries actually melted away…thank you SO much!!!!
Last month, we spent a little time at our friends’ cabin in the woods and had such a great time! The robe made our time there EVEN better! Just look at how relaxing that fireplace makes things…
I have honestly taken a little step back from the crazy business of life, blogging, and travel, and have been focusing more time on doing meaningful things at home than I ever have before. I have been aiming to make a few more considered meals compared to quick bites for dinner, incorporating more local ingredients thank in years past. Luckily, too, foraging for local morels, wildflowers, hiking, and getting on the lake a bit have been extremely good therapy.
Also, I have been doing deep cleaning and organization of all my clothing, craft, and sewing supplies, as well as helped clean up our yard a bit. It’s sometimes hard though, with the current situation at hand to be able to push aside the thoughts of worry and uncertainty for the future, and focus on these sorts of things. Perhaps they are just distractions…but productive distractions to say the least.
I was trying to honestly hoping to avoid mentioning the stay at home / shelter in place / pandemic on my blog at all, perhaps in hopes of it just “going away”. Our society has really had to adjust to a major change in lifestyle, and people are all handling the social distancing thing in their own ways, making me wonder how we will all have adjusted and how these changes will stick to our social interactions from here on out, even after the COVID is “over”.
We can’t even go to bars and restaurants like we used to. We can’t have friends and family over for dinners or parties, or go to others’ homes to do the same. It’s been rough. We never really went out to eat or drink THAT regularly, since I believe the best food and drinks around here come from our home here in southern Ilinois.
BUT, with no live music to attend, and with the Makanda Mushroom Fest postponed until late September, I have to now re-focus energy back on myself, on mental health, and relaxing. None of which I have ever been THAT good at. I love focusing energy on making others happy and making life beautiful for others, and that in turn makes ME happy.
So, this is the moment to TREAT YO SELF, and I am loving this new way of thinking. Little special treats like this robe and a few delicious recipes, and some delish beer are getting me through…
Now, instead of going out to a live show, I can even more appreciate a night at home, watching a movie, enjoying a delicious beverage…
Our friends did such an incredible job with the remodel on their rental cabin, and soon, it will be available to rent again! It’s such a retreat in the woods, but not too far from town. Such a relaxing oasis.
These peanut bars are by far everyone’s favorite treat I have ever created.
With such simple ingredients and work involved in these, they are even great if you’re looking for a quick and easy treat. I made these to help spread the word when the Dumbo movie premiered. Such an honor!
INGREDIENTS
cooking spray
1 (16 ounce) jar dry-roasted peanuts, divided
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) package peanut butter chips
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows
INSTRUCTIONS:
Spray the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Spread 1/2 of the peanuts into the prepared baking dish.
Cook and stir sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter chips, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until melted, about 5 minutes. Add marshmallows and stir until smooth. Pour mixture over peanuts and top with remaining peanuts.
Refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours. Cut into bars. Enjoy!
This post is sponsored by Ocean Spray® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.
This year, health became more of a focus for me. I have always lived a pretty healthy and active lifestyle, but this year, when we upgraded our kayak, it got us outside, getting fit, and overall appreciating the benefits of treating our bodies better than ever.
I am always looking for new things to incorporate into my mission of living a healthy lifestyle. This year, I was able to spend so much time outside doing fun activities like hiking and boating, and now that the weather is a bit chillier, I tend to do more activities inside like yoga and light weights.
Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and is Non-GMO. This is a big incentive for me to purchase this juice over others, because I love to find new ways better myself through what I am drinking!
You can get Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice at Target, Walmart or Kroger. I got my juice at Kroger, in the juice aisle, near the other 100% juices. It’s towards the very beginning of the aisle. The juice is 100% pure cranberry juice, and there’s NO added sugar. The only sugar in this juice is 9g per serving, which occurs naturally in the cranberries themselves. This is an excellent option compared to traditional juices that may contain 23g of sugar or more.
Cranberries have been referred to as a superfood, and they are known for their high levels of nutrients and antioxidants. Each bottle of Ocean Spray(R) Pure Cranberry juice is made from the juice of 850+ cranberries.
Throughout this post, I will share some of the simple ways I adapted to a healthier lifestyle, share the health benefits and nutritional information of cranberries, and share how you can easily incorporate cranberries into a more health conscious lifestyle. Plant based wellness is such an easy way to take our health into our own hands and help our bodies prosper any way possible!
Years ago, I decided to completely give up fast food and most convenience foods. By eliminating fried foods and gave up drinking soft drinks almost completely. That one was so difficult, but once you don’t give into certain temptations like excessive sugar, then your body does begin to crave it less and less. By finding alternative ways to indulge in those sugar cravings is so always have bananas, apples, and oranges on hand. And, feel free to of course keep a bit of chocolate around, but I recommend getting a bag of dark chocolate chips and eating a small handful of them, instead of keeping bags of processed candies around.
Also, through food photography, I was able to start learning more about eating plant based foods, incorporating new ingredients into my meals, and to consider what I ate and drank SO much more than ever. In addition to that new kayak we got this year, which allowed us to get outside, get fresh air, and get more active, we have been on an upward slope to being overall in better health. Cranberries are so fun to cook and bake with as well, and their all natural color makes for some gorgeous food.
CRANBERRIES FOR A BETTER LIFE
The Ocean Spray website has a lot of great recipe ideas, and some of them include smoothies and a variety of Cranberry Mocktails like these. The holidays are a fun time to try new drinks and ingredients, so here are some ideas.
Muddle ice and mint leaves in glass, then add all other ingredients. Enjoy this refreshing drink.
1 C. Gingerale
1 C. Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice
¼ Lime wedge
2 Mint leaves
1/4 C. Cranberries to garnish drink
Ice
Pour all ingredients over ice together, garnish with fresh cranberries.
· 4 tbsp of Ocean Spray(R) Pure Cranberry Juice
· 1/2 Can Cranberry sparkling water
· 4 tbsp of freshly squeezed orange juice
· 1 tsp lemon juice
· Cranberry and mint for garnish
· 2 Cups crushed ice
It’s so easy to incorporate cranberry juice into your life, making your journey towards health even more rewarding and achievable!
Join us for the first annual Makanda Mushroom Festival held in the gorgeous Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. During the weekend of April 17-19, 2020, Camp Manitowa at Cedar Point in Makanda, IL boasts a gorgeous backdrop for mushroom foraging hikes, food and fermentation workshops, a mushroom dinner with chef Anne Millard, live music from incredible local talent, art, vendors, camping, cabins, and much more. Stay tuned for more details. Perfect for families and people of all ages! Enjoy spring with us here in the Shawnee, we cannot wait to see you in April!
I recently took on a fun, new project. I am helping to coordinate a new, local festival here in southern Illinois. Myself and the two owners of Flyway Family Farm have embarked on a journey towards something they have dreamt of for years and years. I’m thrilled with the community that has some out of everywhere to support the Mush Love movement, so I can only imagine how incredible this will be.
Below, you can check out a few photos of the camp. It’s going to be so amazing!
Gates open at 3pm on Friday, April 17, 2020.
Festivities run Friday - Sunday.
Checkout Monday, April 20, 2020 12:00pm.
Purchase Tickets Here!
http://bit.ly/Makanda-Mushroom-Fest-Tix
Adult tent camping:
$80.00
Child 12 and under tent camping:
$40.00
4 person hogan cabin - includes festival ticket
(only 20 available):
$150.00
I’m excited that we will be offering guided hikes, and with the foraged edible mushrooms and other wild edibles we find, we will then be hosting a Forage and Fermentation Mushroom Dinner. This will be so wonderful, and I am going to be very excited to get to use my love of food photography to likely capture the event!
Festival Decor will also be so fun!!! I cannot wait to create a whimsical and elegant look for the camp.
The Camp also offers free kayaks and canoes to camp attendees for the festival, which is one of the best ways to enjoy this area, boating around on Little Grassy Lake!
So excited to share my latest project. I am helping to redesign the product labels for Flyway Family Farm. Here is the first round!
If you’re looking for a fun and unique snack or breakfast recipe, this panini-style sandwich will be great for you. With those classic flavors of bananas, Nutella, and whole grain sandwich thins as your bread, you are sure to enjoy this sweet delight.
That ooey gooey Nutella oozes out, so watch out, this is a fun experience that makes breakfast or even a midnight snack more fun.
I used my Martha Stewart Cast Iron Skillet, but here are some other great options under $20.
Victoria Cast Iron Square Grill Pan at Target
Crock-Pot Artisan 10" Square Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan at Walmart
We were so fortunate to meet Karen Fiorino, the creative artist behind Clay Lick Creek Pottery. Her ceramics studio is nestled in a cabin-like building on her property, nestled among the tress and gorgeous surroundings of the Shawnee National Forest. She creates every single piece by hand - no molds are used here, then each piece is also hand painted. Some items are made in smaller series, and some of her creations are available year-round. She uses her natural surrounds to inspire her art, and I am very excited to share them with you today.
I’ve been creating functional pottery for about 20 years, starting with a few classes in ceramics on the advice of a good friend who informed me, “To take real classes in pottery and use the opportunity of subsidized courses working at the University gave me”. Thus started my journey in clay. I fell in love with the process, bought a wheel, paid off the truck and quit my job to pursue a life of art. I sell my pottery at various local and regional art fairs to sell my work, and am well received in these markets. — January 2010 marked my beginning opening my shop on Etsy and having the whole world have a peek of my work.
I named my clay studio, Clay Lick Creek Pottery after the name of the creek that flows across the land where I live. and specialize in functional pottery making serving bowls, mugs and other fun pieces featuring a majolica glaze decorated in brilliant colors over a red earthenware body. Each item is hand formed or hand thrown on a potter’s wheel, trimmed, and allowed to dry for approximately 1 week depending on size, density and air humidity before it is bisque fired. This stage of firing takes 16-18 hours and is then followed by a 24 hour cooling period. The white background is applied using an opaque, lead free Majolica glaze, and then hand painted using a mason stain/ frit combination. The pottery pieces are then fired again for approximately 8 hours, and after another cooling for another 24 hours, the charming wares are ready for the world and all that they may be used for. All of the pieces are food safe, and the smaller bowls and mugs may be used in the microwave for heating times of less than three minutes. To clean, they may be hand washed or placed on the top rack of a dishwasher.
“I believe people should have beautiful objects in their homes and use these beautiful objects in their everyday life. Nature inspires me, from the smallest to the largest of creatures-from the colors of geological formations to the colors of the sunrise and sunset. Ideas come to me from my zoological background (did I mention my education experience? I have a B.S. and M.A. in Zoology, specializing in Ichthyology (fish) and I draw a lot of my inspiration from this), a little dream work and images which many may not come to think. Add to that a little bit of humor and what appears is a palette of vibrant, joyful and whimsical designs that come to life on my pottery.
“Oftentimes, I have no idea what my work will look like until I am done, the designs simply develop while I am working on them. My goal for each piece is that when people come in contact with my work, they will experience joy and positive energy. One of my favorite things to hear from people who have my work, is how much they enjoy my pottery, how it makes them happy. If one of my purposes in life is to spread happiness, I believe I am succeeding one person at a time”—Karen
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These ceramics are such show pieces! Serve your favorite veggies or appetizers in them for a beautifully colorful presentation!
She also has a listed schedule of events of art shows she’s showing her work at and various other tidbits.
If you would like a gift message enclosed with your order, just let her know. She is happy to help!
She will GLADLY ship anywhere - if it's not listed in my shipping, contact her for a quote. Plus, if you are interested in multiples, she will adjust any overcharge on the total shipping rates.
Serve guests vanilla yogurt and beautiful bowls of fresh fruits and granola to make their own parfaits.
Enjoy the beauty of southern Illinois with Clay Lick Creek Pottery
