Emily and I spent the weekend in the Mound City with crafts and minstrels.

Saturday we cruised to Kimmswick, a small village south of the city along the Mississippi River.  Many early homes and buildings have been preserved, and the historic town serves a mini craft and antique mall.  Mother and I had not been together for many a year, so we took my wife to revel in the treasures.  She walked away with a bracelet made of soda bottle caps (Northern Illinois Translation: “pop bottle caps”) that is quite fetching, particularly due to the presence of a Ski cap.

The main reason behind our trip downstate was a Christmas present from my mother: tickets to the Beatles tribute band “Rain” at the Fox on Sunday.  Previously we saw American English in Hillsboro (pictures @ Facebook) and Downers Grove, and Emily caught both British Export and the Classical Mystery Tour without her boy, but this was a chance to see yet another group - and one that boasted to have some of the best production values of all the various troupes.

While it was an excellent show, the group couldn’t touch the quality of American English.  The production values were top notch as advertised, with video boards showing clips and classic commercials to fill the gaps during the four quick costume changes, and the giant screen behind the band added visuals that supported the music quite well (along with showing mocked versions of album covers featuring the members of the modern cover band.)  Playing mostly mainstream hits, though, the band’s voices couldn’t match the authenticity found with American English (especially with Paul) even if the instrumentation was quite accurate.  A very good show, just not what AE can provide, and the playlist was far too limited

Lots and lots of pictures from the show: Facebook | Flickr

To the storm’s credit, large chunks of ice were quite easily cleared from the car at a record pace, and the short shower of sleet gave the roads traction not often found in times of sub-freezing precipitation.

But still.

70 degrees on Sunday, March 2.  Yeah, we’re going outside.

Emily and I had been to Ballard Nature Centre, this quaint private preserve along the Old National Road/US 40 just a few minutes west of Effingham back in the fall, and with the onset of the cold Central Illinois winter had not been able to venture out since.  The past couple Januarys had given us ample warm times to explore, notably in Giant City State Park near Carbondale and the Garden of the Gods down in southeast Illinois, but this year had not yet cooperated.  It was cold.

And. It. Would. Not. Stop. SNOWING.

Today was fabulous, though, and we ventured out, spending just over an hour hiking the soft, soggy trails through the restored prairies and woods, lugging my dSLR all the while.  Rain is on the way - and yes, of course, snow - and a high of 32 degrees in the middle of the week. Thanks for the brief respite, Mother Nature…short as it was.

Facebook Album | Flickr Album

The sun sets on Busch Stadium and the Cardinals’ 2007 season. Three hours later St. Louis would defeat the first place Cubs, their first win in ten games, only to lose the next two. The Redbirds will have their first losing season since 1999.

Seen on eastbound Illinois 13 in Carbondale one day before the Salukis/Jayhawks Sweet Sixteen contest:

It snowed. But not here.

NASA’s released this satellite image of the Ice Storm.

I’m the blue spot just below the storm’s path (not original to the NASA imagery; most people think NASA is currently tracking me but it’s actually the National Science Foundation.) Needless to say, :p to the storm.

MISSED ME!

(Those that lost power…the line to kick my ass starts in back.)

My Scoresheet

Emily’s stuffed animals are undecided about who to support in this year’s fall classic. The kitty I bought her, Oleander, supports her fellow felines, while Huey, the bison I got her at the Arch, supports his hometown Cardinals.

Can’t go wrong with bison meat!

A hummingbird outside the north window of the Marten kitchen, Waggoner, Illinois.

Tuesday was the Illinois State Fair. That is, all this week (and part of last week) was the Illinois State Fair, but I was only there on Tuesday, so that’s all that counts. The Girl and I checked out the Butter Cow, toured Conservation World, sampled pork patties, kettle corn, homemade ice cream, lemon and orange shake ups and some horrible homemade root beer (”cheapest drink at the fair”; the worst, too) and listened to Attorney General Lisa Madigan speak during Agriculture Day. Fun, fun, fun. Pictures at Flickr (or Facebook for those who can.)