Midwest Getaways
From Chicago it's not far to visit a number of interesting places
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
In May 2007, I attended an elderhostel at Covenant Harbor Conference Center--a week of French literature, theatre and music. While there we saw Tartuffe at the Milwaukee Rep and took a boat tour of the beautiful homes surrounding the lake. |
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| Covenant Harbor Conference Center | The Riviera boat landing on Lake Geneva.--boat tours leave from here | |
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| Getting around by boat | There's an open walking path along the shore. | As it was spring, owners were getting their docks put in. |
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| Stone Manor, the largest residence on the lake, is now six condos | Janine Webbles, my roommate | Traditional old homes are lovely |
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| But many people want a new mansion | I like the old ones best | Nothing compares with a walk along the shore |
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| If you don't want to walk, fly!! | An old boat house | Swedish Covenant |
The Illinois Beach Resort at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois
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The beach at Illinois Beach State Park, near Zion's nuclear plant |
Hiking the Dead River Trail |
Joe Pye-weed |
Donna Keaton and I decided to spend the weekend at the Illinois Beach Resort at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion. The resort is deluxe, with a pool, jacuzzi, large rooms with balconies, a good restaurant with an al fresco deck overlooking the lake. Besides that we had access to all the nature trails along the river, through the dunes, and to birdwatching at the ponds and wildflower-gazing in the prairies. |
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Flowering Spurge |
Donna takes a closer look |
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Along the Dead River |
Button Blazing Star |
Prairie swell and swale |
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After hiking the
Dead River Trail, we turned our attention to the beach.
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The Dead River is a cloud and sky-mirror |
A perfect afternoon at the beach for sunbathing (or perhaps kayaking) |
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The beach was nearly empty--the day was perfectly marvelous, in the 70's |
We looked for birds at the north beach area |
We saw wood-duck, teal, red knot, mallards, kingfisher |
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The deck where we ate and painted |
The View from the deck |
Donna painted the view |
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My favorite place at the park--the river |
Another nice spot |
The pool was perfect for exercising |
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Flowers on the outside of the resort and |
flowers on the inside. |
I used to visit Illinois Beach State Park in my camper-- I still can camp--at the Resort. |
The
Milwaukee Art Museum
Betty McGlynn took us to see the Leonardo and the Spirit of Poland exhibits
Normally the museum's wings are down. |
With Betty McGlynn |
At noon (or on sunny days) they spread open |
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Normally the museum's wings are down. |
With Betty McGlynn |
At noon (on sunny days) they spread open |
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Clouds move in; down they come. |
A Dale Chihuly |
A painting from the show |
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The gift shop was designed by the same architect as the museum. |
Inside is like the belly of the white whale |
Betty enlightened Gerda Schild and Jane Pugh are enlightened on the museum's history. |
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