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[FEB. 15, 2002]  ^"Owls, the Silent Hunters," a pictorial exhibit from the Illinois Audubon Society, is on display now in the Annex of the Lincoln Public Library.

The exhibit shows the eight types of owls, both common and uncommon, that may be seen in Illinois and tells something about the habits of these nocturnal birds of prey.

Owls are silent hunters because they have very soft feathers that make no noise as they fly, so they can easily sneak up on their prey. They also have excellent hearing, binocular vision, strong feet and talons for capturing prey, and hooked beaks for tearing it into bite-size piece pieces.

[Photos by Joan Crabb]

They see quite well in the dark, and because of their binocular vision (like ours) they can judge distance and movement very well. Because they cannot move their eyes, they turn their heads from side to side just as we do.

Owls are beneficial to man because they eat mostly mice, rats and harmful insects. They can swallow small prey at one gulp and then regurgitate the bones and fur in small pellets. These pellets can be found on the ground under the places where owls roost.

They are attentive parents and take good care of their young owlets.

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The most common owls in Illinois are the great horned owl, a large owl that can be as much as 25 inches tall and has ear tufts that resemble horns; the barred owl, also a large owl but without ear tufts; and the screech owl, 7 to 10 inches long, with small ear tufts. The screech owl is the one most often seen and heard near our homes.

Barn owls, with their distinctive pale heart-shaped faces, are becoming rare. Like short-eared owls, they favor open farmlands and prairies. Snowy owls are occasional winter visitors from the Arctic, and long-eared and saw-whet owls are also more likely to found in Illinois during the winter.

Other exhibits from the Illinois Audubon Society will be on display at the Lincoln Public Library in the coming months.

The Illinois Audubon Society is the oldest conservation organization in Illinois, founded in1897. It works to preserve habitat, especially for threatened and endangered species, and sponsors educational programs, such as field trips and workshops, for both young people and adults. It is not part of the National Audubon Society.

For more information about the Illinois Audubon Society, write to P.O. Box 2418, Danville, IL 61834-2418; phone (217) 446-5085; or visit the website at www.illinoisaudubon.org.

[Joan Crabb]

[JAN. 18, 2002]  Bored with winter? Lincoln Public Library presents "Board Games Rodeo" from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Saturday through March 23 in the Pegram Community Room.

If you are high school age through adult, you are invited to come and compete against your fellow "boardmeisters" in games of Monopoly, Risk, Scrabble, chess, checkers, Chinese checkers, backgammon, Trivial Pursuit and Yatzee. Remember to bring your gameboard so everyone can participate.

Tri-County AmeriCorps volunteers serve as referees.

Light snacks are served.

For more information about this program, visit the library at 725 Pekin St. or call (217) 732-8878 or 732-5732.

[MARCH 20, 2002]  ^"How To Grill." Steven Raichlen, Workman Publishing, 2001, 498 pages.

While speaking one night at an elegant country inn, author Steven Raichlen was struck with the following thought: "Here I was in the heart of North Carolina barbecue country. What could I possibly teach people who’d been pit roasting pigs and savoring pulled pork since they were old enough to eat solid food?" As it turns out, plenty.

Raichlen is the author of "How To Grill," an illustrated guide to barbecue techniques. In it he answers all of the questions raised by grilling enthusiasts — the differences between barbecuing and grilling, what is direct and indirect grilling, and how to cook over gas, charcoal or wood. According to Raichlen, "‘How To Grill’ addresses the questions you always had about grilling but didn’t know who to ask. …it walks you through every step of live-fire cooking."

The book is divided into three sections. The first section covers the basics of grilling, including ignition, direct and indirect grilling, rotisserie grilling, and smoking. The second part offers individual lessons and recipes for meats, poultry, vegetables, shellfish and more. The remaining section discusses equipment and the different types of grills and utensils, accessories and fuels.

There are certain preliminary steps that you must take before grilling. These include finding the right spot for your grill, adhering to all safety measures, and practicing cleanliness and sanitary measures. The next step is to determine the type of grill you will be using. Raichlen explains the differences between the most popular grills — gas, charcoal, electric, rotisserie and smoker. The biggest challenges here — igniting the fire or heat, controlling the temperature, and replenishing the heat source. Once you have gathered your basic ingredients — butter, fruit juices, oils, salt and pepper, etc. — you are ready to select your food item and recipe.

The majority of the book is devoted to cooking a variety of foods on the grill. These include everything from the simple to the exotic:

•  Beef and veal (prime rib, Texas brisket, veal chops, etc.)

•  Pork and sausages (pulled pork, baby back ribs, whole pig, etc.)

•  Lamb (leg of lamb, rack of lamb, shish kebabs, etc.)

•  Chicken and more (chicken wings, rotisserie duck, game hens, etc.)

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•  Fish (fish steaks, fish in leaves, smoked fish, etc.)

•  Shellfish (lobster tails, soft-shell crabs, shrimp on a stick, etc.)

•  Vegetables (eggplant slices, mushrooms, quesadillas, etc.)

•  Desserts (pineapples, crème brulée, s’mores, etc.)

•  Rubs, sauces and condiments

The instructions feature some mouth-watering recipes and explain how to prepare the food (cutting, slicing) and apply the sauces or marinades. Preheating the grill, cooking time and temperature, and arrangement of the items is also emphasized.

The remaining section of the book explains the variety of grills on the market, their advantages and disadvantages. After selecting the grill most suitable for your needs, your next decision involves choosing the accessories used in cooking. These include brushes, pans, forks, gloves, grilling baskets, racks, skewers, spatulas, tongs, thermometers and most importantly, fire extinguishers. The book concludes with a description of the different fuels, starters and smoking materials to light the fire. Aside from the standard charcoal and lighter fluid, there are also unusual materials such as wood chunks (apple, mesquite), dried sage leaves and sugar cane trimmings.

"How To Grill" should be considered a first source of information for anyone who enjoys grilling or would like to explore different methods of grilling. Mario Batali, the star of The Food Network’s program "Molto Mario" says that the book is "without a doubt the most interesting, comprehensive, and well-thought-out book on grilling ever." Lavishly illustrated and completely indexed, "How To Grill" is an enjoyable and informative book on the art of grilling and barbecuing.

For more information, visit the library at 725 Pekin St. or call (217) 732-8878.

[Richard Sumrall,
Lincoln Public Library District]

• Lincoln Community Theatre

• Logan County Arts Association

[MARCH 14, 2002]  Boston Brass is, as they sound, a quintet of brass instrument players. The brass instruments themselves were numerous. They include a French horn, a trombone, a tuba and various trumpets (such as the tiny piccolo trumpet). The players’ costumes — bright purple suit jackets — seem to be their signature.

The members of the group include Richard Kelly, trumpet player from Juilliard School of Music; Jeff Conner, trumpet player from Boston University and Boston Conservatory; J.D. Shaw, French horn player from the Eastman School of Music; Ed Clough, trombone player from Boston University; and Andrew Hitz, tuba player from Northwestern University and Arizona State University.

Many of their musical numbers were originally written for other instruments but were arranged by J.D. Shaw, their talented French horn player. This includes their opening piece, "Tournament Gallop," by the first American piano virtuoso, Louis Moreau Gottschalk. When asked why it took five instruments to play the one-instrument piece, Shaw explained that Gottschalk had 10 fingers, and between the five of them, they have 10 lips.

Other Shaw arrangements included Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8, Op. 110 (also in the first half) and Duke Ellington’s "Caravan."

The rest of the first half consisted of "Danza Finale" from Alberto Ginastera’s nationalistic ballet "Estancia," Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (made famous by Bugs Bunny) and Henry Fillmore’s "Circus Bee."

The mood was light and classical. The pieces were fun but inspired reverence, as most classical pieces will.

The second half, however, the mood shifted. The purple jackets and black shirts were replaced with black jackets and purple shirts. The music moved from the strong, stuffy sounds of the first act’s classical pieces to the darker, toe-tapping sound of a jazz nightclub.

The group led off with Joe Garland’s "In the Mood," followed by Josef Kosma’s "Autumn Leaves." They also played the haunting theme from David Raksin’s film noir "Laura."

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Arts association adopts membership structure, schedules membership drive

[MARCH 6, 2002]  Meeting on Tuesday night, the Logan County Arts Association board adopted a membership schedule ranging from $30 for individuals to $350 for corporate sponsorships.

Although a number of members are already on the books, the association plans to have its first official membership drive during October 2002. Board president Marshall Jacobs said membership benefits begin immediately upon enrollment.

All membership levels represent support for the young organization, which aims to promote a wide variety of arts in Logan County. The basic membership level costs $30 for an individual or $50 for a couple and includes a membership newsletter or mailings.

For $130, a patron membership also includes a 20 percent discount on the price of two tickets bought in advance to any or all of the 10 classic movie nights, which run January through October on the second Thursday of the month.

The classic movie for March 14, to be shown at GKC Cinemas at 7 p.m., is "On the Waterfront," starring Marlon Brando in his 1954 Oscar-winning performance. There will be a door prize of GKC Cinemas tickets. Cecil B. De Mille’s 1956 blockbuster "The Ten Commandments" will be shown on April 11.

A $200 patron plus membership in the Logan County Arts Association adds to the patron benefits discounts on advance tickets for other events besides classic movies and reserved seating at all functions for which tickets are purchased in advance. Other events to date have included a clown performance by Mr. Tone and a Christmas concert by classic guitarist Christian Culleton.

The highest level of support for the association, corporate sponsorship, includes all the preceding benefits with the provision that the classic movie discounts can be applied to four tickets instead of two. In addition the individual, firm or organization will be named as sponsor of one event. This fact will be publicized on the tickets and with a banner and introduction at the event. The cost of a corporate membership is $350.

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Lincoln Community Theatre’s website is at www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre/index.html. Pictures from past productions are included.  The LCT mailing address is Lincoln Community Theatre, P.O. Box 374, Lincoln, IL  62656.  E-mail: lincolncommunitytheatre@yahoo.com.

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