Features

[FEB. 3, 2001]  Spring is just around the corner, and for those of us who love to garden, the sooner spring decides to arrive, the better! February is traditionally a month of mixed-up weather, with some really nice, spring-like days and some really cold, gray winter days. On those nice, spring-like days, when you want to get outside and do something, here’s a list that you can keep in mind.

• Cut back your ornamental grasses and perennials. Now is a great time to do this because the plants are still dormant, so it is unlikely that the tender crown of the plant will be damaged.

• Maintain your equipment. Sharpen your lawn mower blades, change the oil in your tiller, sharpen your pruning shears and shovels. A properly sharpened tool can make a world of difference!

• Start your seeds indoors. If you are planning on growing some of your own bedding plants or vegetable plants, now is the time to get them growing. An Illinois Certified Nursery Professional (ICN-Pro) at your local garden center can help you with the individual varieties.

• Meet with your local landscape designer to plan your new garden areas. Whether you want to create a new butterfly garden, a water garden or landscape your entire home, your landscape designer will be able to help you lay out your bed lines and pick the best plant material for your site.

• If you have a wildflower garden, February is the month to maintain it. Generally, the best maintenance for a wildflower or prairie garden is fire. However, please check your local town, city or village ordinance on burning. For recommendations on maintaining your wildflower garden, visit your local garden center.

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• Make your lawn maintenance plans now! It’s never too early to get your name on your garden center’s lawn maintenance list. Whenever your lawn needs fertilizer, weed spray or seeding, or whenever you need recommendations, now is the time to start talking with your lawn care professional.

• Prune your grape vines and fruit trees now before the buds begin to break. Also be ready to apply your first application of Fertilome spray (captan/malathion) for fruit trees. Pick a time when it is going to be above 40 degrees and it’s not going to freeze over the first night. It is very important to make your first application BEFORE the buds break.

If  you have questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact an Illinois Certified Nursery Professional (ICN-Pro) at your local garden center. The Illinois Nurserymen’s Association has certified over 275 ICN-Pros covering the state of Illinois.

["Gardening tips" is provided monthly
by the Illinois Nurserymen’s Association,
1717 S. Fifth St. in Springfield.]

[JAN. 27, 2001]  We will never know why she was discarded like so much unwanted trash. Likewise, we cannot imagine why she was still available almost two weeks after having been left at the Logan County Animal Control, along with a cat that was also unwanted. Yet, there she was, just waiting for me on the day I decided to "just walk through" the shelter.

I had gone there to get our schipperke Tommy’s county license for this year. Our beautiful, sweet, intelligent dog, Hana, had gone to doggie heaven exactly one week previously. Hana was a golden retriever-German shepherd mix who had been adopted from a shelter almost 15 years ago, when she was 8 weeks old. My husband, John, and I had talked about when we might be ready for another dog and what type it might be. John had gone on the Internet and searched animal shelters in the area. Yet, we had made no real decision.

As I entered the shelter on that day, almost all the poor, discarded, mostly large dogs started up with a terrible cacophony, each trying to attract attention to himself. There were, unfortunately, a couple of dogs that seemed to have given up hope and just stood quietly in their kennels. I spoke to each one as I walked down the aisle. But my eye had already been drawn to the beautiful, intelligent face of a medium-sized, shorthaired white female down the aisle. She was white with light ticking through her coat and had a brindle ear on the right and a brindle eye on the left. She was standing up in her kennel, wagging her tail so furiously her whole body wiggled. She was looking at me as if I were her long-lost friend. She was ecstatic when I spoke to her. Nevertheless, I continued my rounds. Yet, on my way out, I inquired about her. The staff of the shelter told me that her name was Iris. She was 1 year old, of mixed breed (of course) and housebroken. Her former owners "didn’t have time for her."

I went home and called John at his office. I mentioned her as we talked. He was interested but was distracted by work, so I didn’t push the issue. Yet, as I tried to do some work myself, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. She just pulled at me and wouldn’t let go. Finally, I grabbed a leash…just in case, you understand…and went back. This time I took her out of the kennel. She was in my lap and all over me, smothering me with kisses and whining with excitement. Her size was perfect, just a little larger than Tommy. Her body was well-muscled, very agile and athletic. Except for a couple of thin patches worn in her coat from scratching, she appeared to be in excellent health. I put her back in the kennel — no small feat — and went up front to tell them I would take her. They drew up the papers while I left for a couple of hours to do some work. Then I returned to pick up the newest member of our family.

There is frequently a problem introducing a new dog to an established one. Not in this case. Tommy had never been an only dog, as I bred him myself and had several adult schips as well as his sister and, later, Hana. Iris had been extremely friendly to the house dogs and cats running around the shelter office, and so I just brought her into the yard and let Tom out of the house. It was love at first sight. Tommy finally had someone to play with, Hana having been too old for the last several years, and Iris approached him with just enough submission mixed in with her playfulness.

From the family room, I could see John pull into the driveway when he got home from work. Then it was time to introduce her to her new daddy. I let John get through the gate into the back yard before letting both dogs out the back door. As she ran toward him, he guessed immediately who she was. "Is this Iris?" he asked as she got to him and jumped and wagged her tail furiously. No fear of men here, fortunately. As soon as he sat down in his chair in the living room, she was on his lap, kissing him madly. As I saw the delighted smile on his face, I knew I had done the right thing. Although he was still grieving for his lost Hana, he immediately fell in love with this exceptional little lady.

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[Iris]

I can’t describe what a delight Iris is. She has not set one foot wrong in the house. She has no propensity for chewing inappropriate objects, is, indeed, housebroken, and won’t even bark at the mailman…although I’m sure Tommy will change that by his bad example. She is completely affectionate, very playful and will cuddle when tired. She sleeps in the bed with the three of us, taking the spot at the head between John and me that Tom doesn’t want (he prefers the foot), curled up in a little ball, unless you pull the covers over her, at which time she stretches out into the longest small dog you can imagine. She plays with all the toys that Tommy never really did like.

The worst thing she’s done was to take a chew bone I gave her and bury it in the couch. She stuffed it down between the cushions and then industriously pushed the slipcover over it. In fact, she was so industrious about this that I finally realized that was the reason she had a pink spot on her nose. It was worn there from "burying" things. I finally had to take the bone away when her nose started bleeding.

Iris is one of the smartest dogs I have worked with, and I showed in obedience trials for 17 years. She learned to sit and lie down in three tries. Now she comes and sits on her own when we give treats. She’s learning to come on command, but that will go more slowly as she is intensely interested in the world around her. No bird or squirrel goes unnoticed — or unchased, I might add. We took a walk in one of our rural parks, and she was driven completely wild by all the smells and animal tracks. I do believe the ticking that is in her white coat comes from a hunting breed in her background, for she was enthralled by the fields of tufted grass and would have coursed them for hours if allowed. Unfortunately for her, she was on a 16-ft leash. Fortunately for me, the ice had gone from the road, or she would have killed me as she jerked me from one place to another.

On the whole, I cannot imagine a more perfect dog for us. She will play ball, tug-of-war and Frisbee with John…just like Hana enjoyed doing in her younger days. She will outlast me on hikes through the woods. She would be great at competitive agility if I wanted to do that. Her temperament and personality are marvelous.

And yet, someone else discarded her. Unbelievable! And no one else adopted her during the time she sat in the shelter. Inconceivable! My friend, Brenda, didn’t call me about the Westie that needed a new home (and whom we surely would have taken) a week ago because Hana wasn’t gone yet. All these coincidences led to her being brought into our family, and for that we will be eternally grateful. Thanks a million to all those people who could not see her potential. Your loss is truly our gain.

[Kitty Pokrzywinski]

Animals for adoption

These animals and more are available to good homes from the Logan County Animal Control at 1515 N. Kickapoo, phone 735-3232.

Fees for animal adoption: dogs, $60/male, $65/female; cats, $35/male, $44/female. The fees include neutering and spaying.

Logan County Animal Control's hours of operation:

Sunday  –  closed

Monday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wednesday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Thursday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Friday  –  8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Saturday  –  closed

Warden: Sheila Farmer
Assistant:  Michelle Mote
In-house veterinarian:  Dr. Lester Thompson

[FEB. 20, 2001]  Jacksonville is a city rich in cultural heritage, educational facilities and grand old homes. But it may be the Ferris wheel that has made this central Illinois city famous.

The Eli Bridge Company, the world’s oldest manufacturer of Ferris wheels and other amusement rides, was founded by W.E. Sullivan, who introduced the first portable "Big Eli" wheel on the Jacksonville town square in 1900. Now operated by the family’s third generation, the company is still churning out the rotund rides.

It’s evident the city — approximately an hour's drive from Lincoln — is proud of its Ferris wheels. Big Eli Wheel No. 17 can’t be missed in the community park on the corner of Morton and Main streets and is one of the first things you notice when entering Jacksonville. The city logo also sports the profile of a Ferris wheel in the city skyline.

History

Jacksonville, which many agree was named for General Andrew Jackson, was chosen as the county seat in 1825 but not incorporated until 1867. The city still retains many signs of its historical significance, evident by streets lined with grand, century-old homes and restored buildings. At one time, Jacksonville was the largest town in the state, with 1,800 settlers in 1833.

Many state and national leaders have ties to the city. Stephen A. Douglas, Abraham Lincoln’s rival, was Morgan County prosecuting attorney in 1835. Three Illinois governors lived in Jacksonville, and during the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant camped his Illinois Division on what is now the Morgan County fairgrounds.

Educational institutions

The city has a rich connection with education and has been called the "Athens of the West" because of its wealth of higher-education institutions. The city is now home to Illinois College, MacMurray College, the Illinois School for the Deaf, Illinois School for the Visually Impaired and Jacksonville Mental Health and Developmental Center.

Illinois College

Illinois College, founded in 1829, is located on a 65-acre campus on the city’s west side. It was founded by John Ellis and a group of Congregational-Presbyterian missionaries called "the Yale Band." Six of the buildings on campus are more than 100 years old, including the famous Beecher Hall, the state’s oldest college building. Illinois College awarded the first college degrees in the state and opened the first medical school in the state, in 1843. Richard Yates, later a Civil War-era governor, was one of the first two graduates.

MacMurray College

MacMurray College, a national liberal arts college nearly 150 years old, is located on a 60-acre campus. It was called Illinois Conference Female Academy when founded in 1846.

State institutions

Because of humanitarian and political influences in the city, three state institutions for the handicapped are located here. The Illinois School for the Deaf was charted in 1839. The Illinois School for the Visually Impaired began as a private school in 1847 and became a public facility in 1848. The Jacksonville Mental Health and Developmental Center was authorized by a charter in 1847, only two months after Dorothea Dix, the legendary champion of prison and state-hospital reform, appealed to the state legislature.

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Entertainment and sites

One of the best ways to get a feel for what the city is all about is to take one of several available walking tours. You can choose between a tour featuring historic buildings located near the downtown area, which include the courthouse and public library; a tour of the historic district, beginning in Duncan Park, and homes on West State and West College streets, and architecturally and historically significant buildings further east on West State Street; and a tour of buildings on the east side of town.

My recommended stops to visit include the David Strawn Art Gallery, the Governor Duncan Home, Our Saviour Church Rectory, the Octagon House, Fayerweather House and William S. Hook house.

The gallery features rotating art exhibits on the main floor with permanent collections including the Miriam Cowgur Allen Collection of antique and collectible dolls and Early Mississippian Indian pottery.

The Governor Duncan Home is a 17-room mansion built in 1835 and located in Duncan Park. The Georgian-Federal style structure was home to Gov. Joseph Duncan and served as the official governor’s mansion at that time, when the Capitol was in Vandalia and there was no governor’s mansion. It is the only governor’s mansion in existence outside of Springfield.

Our Saviour Church Rectory, located at 462 E. State, was completed in 1896 and features many special characteristics of Victorian design, such as stone spindlework, louvered crossed gables and stone banisters.

The Octagon House, located at 22 Park St., was built by Rufus C. Crampton, an IC professor, and is an amusing example of one of the first styles of American architecture.

The Fayerweather House, at 252 Park St., is a classic example of Gothic Revival style, while the William S. Hook House, located at 1042 W. State St., is a large, rambling Queen Anne-style home constructed of brick covered by shingles.  The original owner of the home and his brother played a prominent role in the developing the streetcar railway system in Jacksonville and Los Angeles.

Make sure to stop at the C.B. Lewis Museum, which gives visitors a look at how farmers once lived. The restored grain elevator on West Lafayette Street offers a unique way to see life on the family farm in the early 1900s. A large collection of antique farm machinery and other items represent a colorful sample of the county’s agricultural heritage.

If you visit during the summer months, make sure to finish your day by attending a musical performance by the Jacksonville Theatre Guild. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Chorale and Illinois College’s McGaw Fine Arts Series all present concerts throughout the year.

(To be continued)

[Penny Zimmerman-Wills]

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