NATURE l The arrival of hundreds of black-crowned night herons to nest in trees just inside Lincoln Park Zoo is a spectacle and a truly curious natural phenomenon.

URBAN WILDLIFE l Chicago's ample population of Canada geese are prolific reproducers, and this gosling season shows that the replenishment project is well under way

NATURE l Our view from our 30th floor Lakeview apartment inspires all the time. When a brilliant rainbow drops right in front of the window, its a memory maker.

NATURE l We're well into baseball season and the farmers market season is picking up. But the arrival of this year's goslings makes spring feel even more official...

FARMS AND FARMING l Tracey Vowell, a farmer in Kankakee, Illinois, just avoided devastation from a tornardo. A reminder for local food lovers that farming is risky

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY l I'm wired to be an early riser. But often, there are sunrise sky shows that make it worth getting out of bed in the dark...

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY l We weren't able to capture Chicago's New Year's fireworks due to a logistical matter, but nature provided the year's first beautiful sunrise...

SCENIC PHOTOGRAPHY l There were pretty views and a dramatic sunset that made my train trip home from Farm Aid a photo opp. I don't leave Chicago often so I'm sharing

NATURE l The natural environment in which Chicago sits is one of the favorite things about my hometown. Enjoy some lovely photos from the city's North Pond...

NATURE l North Pond is one of my happiest Chicago places. A bird sanctuary, it is always a refuge amidst the big city's bustle. But it comes most to life in spring...