Good Times in Area: Sad Sox Strike Again, Fish Fry, the Legion and That Good Old Fall Pumpkin Anything

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8

As bad as yesterday's Sox American League Division Series game was, today's was even worse.  The Bad Sox outdid themselves losing 9-4.  Looks like it will be a short series.

Every bad thing the Sox did during the last two months when they played a blistering .500 (fortunately in a very weak Central Division) has come out big.  Sox bats go silent and a frightening relief.  At least back then the starters were doing well, but not so much in this series.

I didn't like MLB having all the most playoff games until the World Series on non-broadcast networks.  I listened to the game on the radio at home.

Oh well, sometimes not so much good times in the area.

We met Barb and Glen and Kevin and Kelly at Diamond Deli for their fish fry.  Our waitress was Patti who used to be at Dino's Den for many years before it closed.  It was good to see her again.

Afterwards, we went to the Fox Lake American Legion for fifty-fifty.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

If it is Fall, it must be pumpkin time, and I mean eating and drinking the tastes of the season.  I added a new taste this year:  Clyde's frosted pumpkin doughnuts.  Pop that into the old microwave for 15 seconds and it is a bite into mighty good.  I also am working on my gallon of apple cider (not apple juice).  Other highlights of the season for me are candy apples with peanuts, pumpkin spice cappuccinos and pumpkin spice cereal.

Waiting for That Good Old Pumpkin Soap.  --RoadDog

It's That Pumpkin Anything Time of Year

From the October 5, 2016, Chicago Tribune "Autumn Love Affair" by Jean Marie Brownson.

Although, with the 6 inches of snow we received on Halloween,it seems more like a winter wonderland thing than fall, this is the time of the year that thoughts of many, including myself, turn to anything pumpkin flavored, especially pumpkin spice cappuccino from Thornton's.

She points out that you can even make your own pumpkin spice mix for better flavor.  Such items as cakes, pies, ice cream and puddings.  I see Steak 'N Shake has a Pumpkin Spice Shake.  What next?  Pumpkin Spice McRibs?

And, if cooking is your thing, she had recipes for several items:

Pumpkin spice and currant waffles

Homemade pumpkin pie spice.

Why, I have even seen little teeth marks from our friendly local bushy-tailed rats (squirrels) on our two pumpkins outside.

--Pumpkin Me.  --RoadPump

Fall Color Trip to Geneva Lake, Wisconsin-- Part 2: Into the Town of Lake Geneva

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Once you get to the town of Lake Geneva (the town is named Lake Geneva, the lake is Geneva Lake) Highway H is routed over to the US-12 expressway, but to continue on the original US-12, you continue north on Wells Street, past the high school.

Continuing, you will see a lot of motels (and some of them are very old ones).  This is not surprising as these motels were built for travelers and vacationers as the Lake Geneva has always been a favorite of people from Chicago.  You will also pass a great old sign advertising a cheese place.  And, there is a lot of color.

When Wells Street ends, you are at Wis. Highway 50, which is Lake Geneva's Main Street, turn left and now you drive through a great old bustling main street.  All stores are occupied and lots of shoppers, but here in October nowhere near as busy as it is in the summer.  Parking is at a premium in the summer.  (parking is $2 an hour)

Just, keep a close eye on what lane you need to be in as it is somewhat confusing as to where you should be.

A nice side trip here is to turn at the last stop light before the beach and library and take a drive down by the lake, Riviera Docks and Popeye's, a popular eatery right across from the Riviera featuring rotisserie chicken and one of the best fish fried in Wisconsin on Fridays.

--RoadDog

Fall Color Trip Around Geneva Lake, Oct. 23-- Part 1: To Wisconsin

This past Wednesday, we took advantage of a sunny day and drove up to one of our favorite places to see fall tree color, and that is Geneva Lake in Wisconsin, about twenty miles from our house.  We hadn't driven it for a few years and I have noticed that our trees here in Spring Grove and our subdivision were finally starting their fall change to color.

Drove through our subdivision for that color and then took US Highway 12 to Richmond. North of that village, we stopped at the fairly new Mobil station.  This is not one of your average convenience store gas stations as it has a regular restaurant and a deli selling Boars Head meats, some of the best anywhere around.

Plus,their gas was $2.40 whereas in Spring Grove it is $2.80 because of our Gov. Toilets' doubling of the Illinois gas tax.

Instead of taking the US-12 expressway to Lake Geneva, we continued on what became Highway H into Wisconsin and through Genoa City.  Highway H used to be the original US-12 before the expressway was built and it is a pretty drive with color from trees as well.

--RoadDog

22 Words That Have a Different Meaning in Chicago-- Part 2: Hot Dogs

4.  OCTOBER--    To most it means Fall, but around here it is the month that has two weeks which are not too hot or too cold and where fans drink away the sadness of another failed Cubs and Sox season.

5. PIZZA--  You know.  But in Chicago it means deep-dish.

6.  HOT DOG--  Wiener, bun, ketchup to most, but in Chicago it means wiener, bun (poppy seed), onions, relish, tomatoes, pickle, peppers, celery salt and mustard.  ABSOLUTELY NO KETCHUP OR CATSUP!!!  We can't emphasize that enough.

7.  SOLDIER--  Military, but in Chicago it is where the Chicago Bears play, as in Soldier Field.  Da Bears sometimes play good, but mostly bad.

--RoadDog

About That Weekend-- Part 2: Goodbye Terry Spizzirri

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

Hot, REAL HOT.  I even was chased in off the deck by the hot.  With the coming of fall, Bob Stroud did Fall Songs on his Ten at Ten show on WDRV including:  "September" by EWF, ""Time of the Season" by Zombies and "Turn, Turn, Turn" by the Byrds.

I said my goodbyes to various internet sites to Terry Spizzirri, one of out favorite local performers we've been seeing for 40 years.  We will sure miss him.  He died last Sunday.  No more Half Garlic, Half Celtic.  He sure could do the Irish drinking songs.

Came home and sat out in the gazebo for awhile before going over to the Fox Lake American Legion and meeting up with "The Usual Suspects."

--RoadDog

Midwest Fall Foliage Trip: Great River Road at Mississippi Palisades State Park

By Robert Duffer.

This is one we've driven on many occasions and a great drive it is.

Starting at Galena, Illinois, Illinois' Great River Road hugs the Mississippi River south for 550 miles of bluffs and riverside stops that can rouse the ghost of Mark Twain.  Head south on Illinois Highway 84 through Savanna, in an area around the Mississippi Palisades  State Park, where eagles soar and a lazy road winds around the lazy river under the bluffs and along waysides..(Galena, however, is not actually on the Mississippi River, but the Apple River, a tributary.)

A drive up on the bluffs there affords great views of the river and Iowa. He recommends a drive south to the Quad-Cities.

Both sides of the river afford great views and vistas.  We like to cross the Mississippi at Dubuque, Iowa, and drive down the Iowa side to the Quad-Cities, always with a stop at beautiful Clinton, Iowa.

Mighty Pretty Driving.  --RoadDog

Midwest Fall Foliage Road Trip-- Part 5: Parke County, Indiana, Covered Bridges

By Casey Williams.

This is one I plan on going to at some point, maybe even this year, but I hear it gets quite crowded, especially on the weekends.  Fortunately, being retired, we can do it during the week.

Maybe not quite the Bridges of Madison County, but Indiana's Parke County offers a beautiful fall drive to see 32 covered bridges of all shapes and sizes.  Begin at the visitor's center in Rockville, Indiana, about an hour's drive west of Indianapolis on U.S.-36 (Rockville Road).

From there, maps will guide you through curved, tree-covered roads and stretches between harvest fields.

Time it through October 19 to attend the Covered Bridge Festival (Oops, missed that one), with its seasonal food, arts and crafts.  The inn at Turkey Run State Park is a good place for dinner-- or for the night.

Go north on US-41 for continued scenery.

Gotta Go There.  --RoadDog

Midwest Fall Foliage Road Trip-- Part 4: Shawnee Hills Wine Trail

By Robert Duffer.

This one goes all the way to the southern tip of Illinois.

In the Shawnee National Forest, near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in the southern tip of the state, the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail winds south of Carbondale (Home of Southern Illinois University and a wild Halloween party).

Take I-57 from Chicago and consider picking up off the Great River Road (Ill-3) along the Mississippi, then head east on Town Creek Road over the Big Muddy River to Route 127, where the trail begins.  Two-lane roads will take you to a dozen wineries.  Along the way, places like the Little Grand Canyon and Jackson Falls are treasures

Wine and Scenery.  Sounds Like a Winner, Just Don't Taste Test Too Much.  --RoadDog

Midwest Fall Foliage Trip-- Part 3: East to Gilmore Car Museum, Michigan

By Jerry King, Tribune Autos contributor.

Admittedly, much of this drive around the southern tip of Lake Michigan is about the destination, but it offers plenty of opportunity to check out the "other" side of the lake before winter.

Reaching Hickory Corners in Michigan is a pleasant journey once you've gotten Interstate 94 in favor of quieter roads beyond Kalamazoo.  The two-lane road then twists and turns through forested areas.  The area still has a rugged, old-fashioned, vacation feel to it.  You wonder what is around the next bend.

Then you get to the 90-acre Gilmore Car Museum.  It is home to 115-years of automotive history.

There is a Spooktacular auto event planned for October 29 at Gilmore.

Sounds Like an Interesting Drive and Museum.  --RoadDog

Fall Foliage Road Trip-- Part 2: North (from Chicago): Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers

By Rick Popely, Chicago Tribune autos contributor.

Wisconsin Route 60 west of Madison winds along the north bank of the Wisconsin River through gently rolling hills, wooded areas and interesting towns like Spring Green.  There are apple orchards and organic farms selling locally-grown food.

Wi-60 ends at Prairie du Chein (and the site of Wisconsin's only War of 1812 battle) on the Mississippi River, about 100 miles from Madison.

Side trip along the Mississippi River from Prairie du Chien to La Crosse on Wi-35 and then.  Popely says there are plenty of scenic views of the Mississippi as well as many independent restaurants on this drive.  On return, go south on the Minnesota side and to Iowa-26 to Prairie du Chien, cross back to Wisconsin and take US-18 to U.S. 61 to Dubuque and then US-20 to Galena, Illiinois to Rockford.

Anyone who thinks Illinois is all flat needs to drive from Dubuque to Freeport, Illinois.

From Chicago to Prairie du Chien will take about five hours and cover 267 miles.

Great Fall Color. --RoadDog

Midwest Fall Foliage Road Trips-- Part 1: Five Favorites

From the October 12, 2014, Chicago Tribune.

"It's time to roll out the crockpots, wool socks and hoodies, but there's time enough to get out and enjoy the autumn splendor before construction season falls into winter.  Midwestern forests make for great scenic driving on uncrowded roads undulating through bluffs and dells, past single-light small towns and alongside rivers of all sizes.

"While destinations like Door County, Wis., Starved Rock State Park, Il., and shorelines elsewhere on Lake Michigan remain popular, we came up with a lost of drives worth the destination.  In most cases, until teleportation becomes possible, you'll have to flee the city via interstate construction zones to get to our favorites."

And, believe me, the "Color Wave" has arrived here along the Wisconsin-Illinois border.  The Tribune had four writers give their five fav drives.

In a few minutes, we'll drive on a very short one about ten miles to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, taking Johnsburg Road, which becomes Wilmot Road into Wisconsin and then a few others to Twin lakes.  This is always a pretty drive, especially the hill going down to US-12 and past the Chain of Lakes State Park.

Looking Forward to Seeing the Color.  --RoadDog

It's NIU Homecoming 2014-- Part 1: The Ol' Pumpkin Trail

OCTOBER 11, 2014

We left home at about 11:15 and drove the usual, avoid Huntley if you can) way so out to Il-120 to Il-47 to Il-176 to Il-23.

This is big-time fall fest here in northern Illinois.  We passed two huge agri-business places, each with several hundred cars parked out in grass-covered parking lots.  The first one was Stade's, about two miles from us.  Then there was a small one just south of Woodstock on Il-47 and another big one on Il-176 heading for Marengo.

Along with these big places, quite a few farmers had pumpkins for sale by their places.

Trees are starting to turn colors and some of the maples are just brilliant.  I'm figuring next week should be prime time.

We stopped at Wal-Mart in DeKalb and bought some NIU souvenirs and a black sweatshirt as the alumni are pushing a black-out where everyone wears black and i don't have a black sweatshirt.

The weather is absolutely beautiful today, a perfect day for a football game.

Go You Huskies!!  --RoadDog

NIU Homecoming 2013-- Part 2: Pumpkins to the left, Pumpkins to the Right

I should mention tha while bypassing some of the traffic on Il-47 in Woodstock, we had quite a delay while we waited for traffic pulling into the McHenry County Fairgrounds for the big annual Hot Rod and Cycle Show.

Just south of US-14 on Il-47, we saw a big crowd at the Red Barn Pumpkin Festival.

Fall festivals have become big business in these parts. There is a huge one just a mile from our house at Stade Farm and another one a few miles west of Il-47 on Il-176 going to Marengo. These last two places have parking for hundreds of cars and usually are quite full when we drive by. There is another huge one on Il-47 just past the tollway in Huntley called Goebel's. We always like the giant pumpkin on top of the silo.

It also seems like most farms, and this is big-time farm country, have at least pumpkins for sale. They don't call Illinois the Pumpkin State for nothing, regardless of what our politicians do.

It Was a Real Orange Experience Driving to Dekalb. --RoadDog

The Color Around Here Finally Arrived

This has been quite a strange fall as far as the color of the leaves is concerned. Some trees already turned and are bare, still others haven't even started to turn yet. However, the mass of them are now in full color. I read in the Tribune that the warm fall in the early going delayed the turning. And, we did have a spell of frost in the mornings. That always brings it on.

This is at least two weeks after when it usually happens, but tomorrow we plan to take full advantage of it and take a cruise through the countryside. And, after all, Da Bears don't play until Monday night.

Our subdivision is beautiful, plus Grasslake Road from State Park Road to the bridge is amazing.

I'd say Geneva Lake is in the plans for this coming week.

Enjoying It While We Can. --RoadDog

"Injun Summer"-- Part 4: "...an' ever' once'n a while a leaf gives way under some fat old Injun ghost..."

Sadly, over time, the cartoon began to evoke anger as well as nostalgia. As early as the 70s, some readers (NOT ME) were saying the "Tribune was running an ethnically insensitive feature that misrepresented the brutal reality of Native American history...."

In the 1990s, Tribune editors decided to end the annual tradition.

"Still, the cartoon has a powerful hold over many Chicagoans. For generations of readers, 'Injun Summer,' despite its flaws, became synonymous with the magic and peacefulness of those last warm days of the season."

I'd love to have them bring it back, but at least in the context of the story, the Tribune ran the whole thing in all its glory.

Thanks Tribune. --RoadDog

Injun Summer-- Part 2: "Well, That's When All the Homesick Injuns Come Back to Play"

"Injun Summer" was an earlier era's celebration of Autumn and childhood imagination which took on a life of its own, becoming a Midwest favorite ever since it first appeared on page one of the Sept. 30, 1907, Chicago Tribune.

And, this was in a time before Halloween stuff went on sale in August, the dreaded Halloween Creep.

There was a looming deadline coming up and it was a slow news day, so John T. McCutcheon came up with what became one of the most-popular-ever features in the Tribune. he had been inspired by a string of beautiful, warm Autumn days and remembered his youth in Indiana.

The Tribune reprinted it in 1910 on page 4. reader response was so strong that it was published annually from 1912 to 1992. Aware that it was a last time, somewhere I have the saved 1992 one.

About four years ago, one house in our subdivision recreated the picture. That was the best-decorated home. They, unfortunately, haven't done it since.

If you'd like to see and read "Injun Summer," just type in Injun Summer on Yahoo!.

"Don't Be Skeered--Hain't None Around Here Now, Leastways No Live Ones." --RoadDog

Classic Cartoon Had Life of It's Own: "Yep, Sonny, This Is Sure Enough Injun Summer"-- Part 1

From the October 16th Chicago Tribune.

Sadly, we are a bit past Indian Summer here in the Midwest along the Wisconsin-Illinois border, but this cartoon that first appeared in the Tribune in 1907 continues to be one of my favorites.

As a matter of fact, one Christmas, Liz ordered a framed lithograph of it for me and it is hanging in our living room right now.

Every year when I was growing up, I looked forward to seeing it in the Tribune. Usually, it was on the front cover of the Sunday Tribune Magazine. Unfortunately, it is from another era and not considered politically correct these days, so the Tribune stopped running it after some complaints from Indian groups.

Just one more fall thing they're taking away from me like burning leaves, a true aspect of fall and something that gets me to roll down my car window whenever I see a pile burning away.

Just Another Fall Day. --RoadDog

Too Late Now, Maybe Next Year: Ten Must-See Fall Festivals-- Part 1

From the August 3, 2011 Main Street Site by Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell. Photos and more information in article. Wish I had seen it earlier. Dates are when held this year.My comments.

1. COLUMBUS OCTOBERFEST-- Columbus, Ohio-- Sept. 23-25-- Right up my alley. Beer and OOMPAH MUSIC!!

2. FALL FOLIAGE FESTIVAL-- Bedford, Pa.-- 1st two weekends October-- We spend lots of time on Fall Color Patrol.

3. LOVEVOLUTION-- San Francisco-- September 24-- A huge parade and dance. Looking at the performers, I don't think I'd go to this one. More for young folks. Now, if this was a trip back to 1967, I probably would.

4. BOOMSDAY-- Knoxville, Tn.-- Sept. 4-- Biggest fireworks display in the southeast. Maybe see a UT game as well. I love my fireworks.

5. AUTUMN CRAFT FESTIVAL-- Meredith, NH-- Oct. 1-2-- I have to avoid craft fairs. Too many temptations and I've run out of places to put 'em unless we move to a larger house.

More to Come. Sure Sorry I Missed These (Well, Some of Them). --RoadDog