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Shawnee National Forest Vacation

Erin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:04:20 +0000

In this era of over $4.00 a gallon gas, people are looking closer to home for summer vacations. My husband and I did just that recently. We headed down to southern Illinois and checked out just a few of the activities the Shawnee National Forest has to offer. Now, I don't know how many of you have been there, but I never had and I've been living in the Metro-East for about eight years now. Let me tell you, I've been missing out. It was a whole different world down there! To start, we went to Giant City State Park, which is in Makanda, just south of Carbondale. The rock formations are amazing! It is called Giant City because the early settlers were reminded of tall building and streets when they walked through the enormous, straight edged rocks. Native Americans frequented the area hundreds of years ago, and black soot marks from their fires still exists on the ceilings of cliff overhangs. We also found small pieces of "chert" that they would have shaved off of larger pieces as they made arrowheads and other tools. On top of one of the bluffs is a rock wall that the Native Americans constructed. It was reconstructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's as part of FDR's attempt to help the struggling economy and to help preserve our parks and make them more accessible . The CCC also constructed an amazing lodge, all made from local materials. We had a great dinner there after a day of hiking on the beautiful trails. We stayed at Woodland Cabins, which was just fifteen minutes from Giant City and about ten minutes from Carbondale. It was beautiful. Our cabin was very new, clean, and private. We had our own hot tub on our porch overlooking a pond. A large jacuzzi tub graced the bathroom and a fireplace topped off the living room. It was so nice and quiet. We couldn't have picked a better spot to stay and the prices were very reasonable. On the way home we tried a few wineries on the Shawnee Forest Wine Trail. One that really stuck out to us was the Pomona Winery. The service was wonderful and they make all of their delicious wine from fruits, but not grapes. They had several apple types, blueberry, peach, strawberry, and more. We ended up taking home quite a few bottles for friends and ourselves. We only spend two nights away on this trip, so you could easily do it in a weekend. It was a quick little getaway that really left us feeling like we actually got away. We are anxious to go deeper into the Shawnee Forest and explore it further, because I know it has a lot more to offer.

The 1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House

Erin — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:33:52 +0000

Summer is officially here, and the urge to get out into the community and do something new and fun is huge. As far as getting out in the Metro-East area this summer, I've yet to be so lucky. Right now, I'm waiting on pins and needles to get that phone call from my husband saying his deployment to Iraq is over and he's landed in Wisconsin. After a week up there debriefing, we'll be able to return to our house in Highland. And then, our summer fun will begin. In the meantime, I would love to share a great place I already know about in Edwardsville with you. If you live in the Edwardsville area, you may have driven by this house every day and had no idea what it was. Little did you know (or hopefully you did, cause then they are getting the recognition they deserve) there is a living history house museum right in the middle of Edwardsville. The 1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House opened its doors to the public in 2006, and since then it has brought a very interactive way to learn history to the Edwardsville area. As a living history museum, guests are allowed to not only see, but touch and experience the way of life in Edwardsville circa 1820. In the kitchen, you can try to start a fire using flint and steel, and then learn how people used to cook over an open hearth by watching re-enactors dressed in period garb actually make homemade breads and stews. Inside the house, visitors get a full tour of the building, which was fully restored by the Friends of Colonel Benjamin Stephenson. All of the pieces in the house are either period antiques, or reproduction pieces from that era. Guests are invited to sit on the sofa and wingback chairs in the parlor as a tour guide tells the history of the house and family. Upstairs, visitors can inspect, and then sit on, a rope bed with a feather tick. Compare it to the straw tick bed in the servant’s quarters. Outside, the kids can play children’s games from the early 19^th century. It is so much more than the typical old house tour. You also get to hear interesting stories about Benjamin Stephenson and his family, who were very involved with helping to form early Edwardsville. Did you know Stephenson served in the War of 1812, signed the Illinois Constitution, and died of malaria not long after he completed his home? The Stephenson House really brings its visitors back to 1820 in every way it can. It is a great way to spend an afternoon. They also have events throughout the year, such as storytelling for children, a fifty/fifty auction, and a very popular historic Valentine Dinner. If you’re looking for something to do locally, give it a try. You won’t be disappointed. Visit the Stephenson House at 409 S. Buchanan Street Thursday through Saturday, 10-4, and Sunday, 12-4. Check out their website, www.stephensonhouse.org for a complete list of events and more information on the restoration and history.

I’m Finally Home

Erin — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:57:41 +0000

While I now gladly call the Metro-East my home, it wasn’t always so. It took me awhile to feel comfortable here. I’m originally from Northern Illinois, where the winters are colder, the summers aren’t as humid, and the land is even flatter.

But, a lot of important things in my life occurred here. I went to college in Edwardsville, married a Clinton County guy at Carlyle Lake, bought a house in Highland, and had a baby at Anderson hospital in Maryville. But I never really felt like I was “home”.

For years, my family has been asking, “So when are you guys moving back up here?” In turn, I had been pressuring my husband, Kurt, to move up north. I’ve since changed my tune, but it took my husband’s Army Reserve Unit getting called up to Iraq to change my mind.

Since he left, I’ve been living in a Chicago suburb with my mom. It has been a wonderful opportunity for my daughter and me to spend time with my family. But, after over a year living here, I cannot wait to come home to Highland in a couple weeks when Kurt gets back from his deployment.

It is a whole different pace of life down there and I miss it! I can’t really explain why exactly. There is the small town feel that is evident whether you are in Aviston or Edwardsville, Marine or O’Fallon. Life just seems to go slower and it is easier to enjoy. It is a great area to raise a family. The rural areas are beautiful and large city conveniences are never too far away. It is the best of both worlds, and the whole atmosphere just speaks to me.

Kurt will be ecstatic to be relieved of the pressure I’ve been putting on him to move. I’ve already refocused my efforts to coerce my family to move down here. Wish me luck, they’re pretty firmly ensconced up north.

So that’s where this blog comes in. Kurt and I cannot wait to just spend time together as a family with our two year old daughter. We already have a ton of activities and day trips planned in the area. I thought, since we’re making the most of what the Metro-East has to offer as we raise a family here, I would share it with you. You’ll have a first row seat to what our communities have to offer, and maybe it will help you decide how you want to spend your weekend.

I promise not to use this blog as a political platform. But, my family has been through a lot with this war, and as I write, inevitably you are going to be getting glimpses of our lives as we readjust to being a family on the same continent again. Maybe seeing what one family goes through to rebuild their lives after a deployment will give people who are not directly affected by the war a better idea of how it is really hitting those of us involved here at home.