My family did something a little different this year for Christmas. We took a trip to historic Galena and spent four days together to celebrate the holiday. Galena is a popular get-away location due to its scenic rolling hills and rich history. Galena used to be the largest city in Illinois, back in the…
We still have a few fall leaves clinging to their trees even though a thin blanket of snow covers the ground. Before we hit all-in winter, I thought I better share my fall photos of charming old homes from my trip to southwest Michigan. This is the first beauty that caught my eye. You know…
Last week I shared a collection of charming old homes in Huntley, Illinois and today is the second half of the home exteriors tour. I love when a town has an abundance of beautiful homes that it requires more than one blog post! An updated Victorian home sits proudly on the corner of a…
Fall color is in peak season here in Illinois! A recent trip through Huntley, Illinois to my grandson’s football game resulted in an impromptu photo shoot of charming old homes lining the streets. Huntley is a fast-growing town of about 25,000 people at the far northwestern edge of the Chicago suburbs. Like my town,…
Last week the whole family headed up to Door County, Wisconsin for a five-day vacation in a beautiful modern farmhouse. We stayed in Baileys Harbor but the first place we visited was scenic Fish Creek. I snapped some photos while walking around because this bayside town is so quaint and charming. A charming white church…
A variety of home styles and exteriors creates an eclectic neighborhood in Naperville, IL. You’ll find a mix of new and historic homes in this quaint yet bustling town. Victorian Ladies Last month when spring trees were in bloom, we took a stroll in one of Naperville’s residential neighborhoods just northwest of the downtown…
Two weeks ago I shared a walking tour of Aurora, Illinois’ westside historic district. Today is round two of touring this amazing residential area with amazing historic homes. First up on today’s tour is this lovely clapboad Victorian home painted green with creamy trim and accents of red. Note the unique treatment on the windows…
Winter in Illinois can get a bit crazy and can change on a dime at any given time. For example, last week we received about ten inches of fluffy white snow. This week it’s much warmer and that fresh dusting of snow is already melting. Before all of the cottony drifts of the white stuff…
Last weekend was my grandson’s first birthday! My daughter decided on a lumberjack party theme and rented a little log cabin in Riverside, Illinois. It was such a cute party and I took lots of pictures which I’ll share in a future post. After the party, hubby and I toured the tree-lined streets and of…
A couple weeks ago I took you on a walk with me along the tree-lined streets of Sycamore, Illinois. Today we’re taking another walk through the beautiful historic district of this charming little town. I’m such a huge fan of quaint architecture and if you follow my blog, I’m guessing you enjoy it as much…
Older homes with wrap around porches and architectural detail have a charm all their own. Normally when I post walking tours of neighborhoods I choose to share the historic homes. But today, hubby and I ventured to Mill Creek subdivision in Geneva, Illinois to bring you a sampling of newer “village homes” that have quaint appeal….
Last week I took you on part of my walk through one of the historic neighborhoods in St. Charles, Illinois. This week I’m sharing the rest of that walk with you. You’ll see mostly bungalow style homes on this part of the tour, but I’ve added a couple others too. St. Charles is right next…
As the suburbs of Chicago continue to grow and spread, it seems there’s always new homes popping up around our area. Most of this new construction consists of well-planned subdivisions with tract housing, providing new home buyers with the most square footage they can afford. This of course means that architectural amenities like ornate trim, custom…
If you’ve seen the movie “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray, you might think it was filmed in Punxsatawney, PA. But truth be told, the movie was filmed just a few towns north of where I live in Woodstock, Illinois. I’ve heard that the movie makers passed through Woodstock on the way to film the Blue…
One of my favorite weekend trips is a visit to historic Galena, Illinois. Even Midwest Living magazine has featured it on many occasions. Home of Ulysses S. Grant, Galena’s main street is a shopping mecca of boutiques, antique stores, and many restaurants. But what I love most about Galena is its rolling hills and historic…
This past weekend my daughter and I ran the Fox Valley Half Marathon, which means I’ve been a little too tired to think about decorating and taking photos. So I poked around my folders and found a slew of old house pictures that I never posted! How did that happen? So without further adieu, here…
