A Day in Crystal Lake, IL

 

After breakfast we decided to go to walk the Lake Loop Rd at the Three Oaks Recreation Area. It is a reclaimed old quarry which has been converted to a very nice recreation park.  We had thought to walk around the lake but it was already in the upper 80s and very humid.  So we just did a short walk.

Redwing black bird

We did a few errands along the way.  We went back to Trudy's to cool off before we headed out again. 

This time we went to lunch at the local co-op grocery store that Trudy and Dale helped to get started. We split a sandwich and I had some curry potato soup. Trudy had the seafood chowder.  After grocery shopping we headed home.

Our next trip out was to Trudy's church.  They have a small art display of textile and paper artists on the theme of "Make a Way", on the concerns about the suppression of the right to vote and how important voting is.

Cool stained glass at the First Congregational Church of Crystal lake.

They have a refrigerator out front of the church.  People of the church can donate food to it and anyone in need can come take food.  

In front of the church

Back home again, before we went out to the Crystal Lake Nature Center.  JuellaMae is going to be staying with Trudy for a few days and Trudy was checking this place out to see if it would be a good place to bring JuellaMae.  

Very active cute little turtles.

We went into the butterfly room. It is a new addition to the Nature Center.  I only saw one live butterfly. I think that JuellaMae will like this place.  Lots of fun activities and informative.  

At home Trudy cut up a watermelon as we thought of ways to use it for dinner.  She had some leftover pork loin and the watermelon.  We went out to the close grocery store to pick up feta, mint, avocado for the salad and grinder rolls for shredded BBQ pork sandwiches.  What a feast.  It was a very nice dinner.

We decided to check out the concert in the park. We took our chairs.

We were in the shade and there was a breeze.  It was almost pleasant.

We went over to stick our feet in the water. This was a different lake than the Three Oaks Lake.  Both were very popular places.

One last trip out was to go to the gas station.  Trudy is going to drive me to the airport tomorrow!! What a gift.  It is about 1 and a half hour drive to the Midway Airport.

We ended the evening watching some of the news, with our popcorn and beer.  What a full day.