Guided Tree Walk: Sunday. Oct 23rd

As a follow up to the 2011 Bucktown Tree and Garden walk

Bucktown Community Organization member, Naturalist and Tree Keeper –Janet Mrowka will lead the fall walk in a series of year round guided tree walks.

Sunday October 23, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.

Join us at Holstein Park’s west entrance –Oakley approximately 2200 N.Oakley

(Building’s Steps)

Guided walk till 3:30 p.m.

This free event is open to all

For more information (312)927-6618

A limited quantity of the 2010 Bucktown Garden Walk / Self Guided Tree Books will be available for $5.00 each.

Guided Tree Walk: Sun. Feb. 27, 2PM

Bucktown Community Organization Sponsored Winter Guided Tree Walk... Discover nature in your very own front yard or city parkway!

As a follow up to the 2010 Bucktown Tree and Garden walk, Bucktown Community Organization member, Naturalist and Tree Keeper, Janet Mrowka, leads the winter walk in a series of year round guided tree walks.

Sunday February 27, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.

Join us at Club Lucky

(1824 W. Wabansia in the back room N. Wolcott)

Indoor twig instruction

Followed by outdoor guided tree walk

This free event is open to all

For more information (312) 927-6618

A limited quantity of the 2010 Bucktown Garden Walk / Self Guided Tree Books will be available for $5.00 each.

Bucktown 5K Parking/Towing ALERT

DO YOU PARK YOUR CAR ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING STREETS:

Oakley, Charleston, Hoyne, Wilmot, Churchill, St. Paul, Winchester, Cortland, Ashland, or Wabansia???

After having my trusty 1997 Ford Escort towed to the tune of $210 ($160 for towing; a $50 ticket from the city) before a neighborhood street festival in May (the only sign on the stretch of street I parked my car at in the dark was tacked to a VERY leafy tree, and obscured, see picture), I am determined to not allow a similar misfortune happen to anyone else in the neighborhood. The economy certainly sucks right now, and parking violations are to be avoided. Please spread the word of the no parking pre 5K race to every local you know! Let No Car Be Towed! In POSITIVE news, it should be an awesome event, and it will benefit Gilda's Club, the Bucktown Community Organization, and Burr Elementary School, all great, community/people focused groups. Let's just make sure that the 5K will not benefit the City of Chicago's Dept. of Revenue, too! There are now four teams able to administer tickets, and special events no doubt are the easiest of targets. Best Buy/Kohl's will provide free shuttling to, and from their parking garage to any displaced vehicles. See www.bucktown5k/neighbors for more information.

The Bucktown 5K will take place on Sunday, Oct. 4th. FIFTEEN STREETS will be no-parking zones from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack's office is working hard to get the word out to prevent mishaps like in past years when many residents, including Waguespack if I recall correctly, got their cars towed due to lack of adequate signage.

Trees of Bucktown

About a dozen people participated in a tree tour yesterday, led by naturalist Janet Mrowka, pictured, of the Bucktown Community Organization, whom used living examples combined with facts, and anecdotal asides to provide a truly informative, and fun experience.

We learned 1) Which tree bears fruit that Janet believes tastes better than cheeries
(serviceberry), 2) The tree who's bark, and leaves provided a precursor to modern day aspirin (salix willow), 3) The tree that is the bees knees for architects because of its dappled light and aesthetic beauty (honey locust), 4) Which tree seems to be planted in a lot of graveyards (catalpa), 5) Which tree's leaves are great for pressing (gingko) and 6) The difference between an unhealthy shingle oak, and a healthy shingle oak. Click here to view the album, along with captions.

Free Tree Walk This Weekend in Bucktown

In the book Happiness Sold Separately, its main character develops an unusual attachment to a tree on her front lawn, among other plot lines.

Though not emotionally attached to a particular tree, I do happen to notice when trees in the area look sick, like this one, pictured.

Janet is a member of the Bucktown Community Organization, and conducts self guided trees walks like one taking place this weekend. Following is a cut, and pasted description of the tour. Though it's too late to include this information in Monday's issue of the Pipeline eNewsletter, I'm going to post it here, and then see if Janet can identify what is ailing this tree, spotted in West Bucktown near Diego School.

As a follow up to the 2009 Bucktown Self-Guided Tree Tour made available during this year’s garden walk, Bucktown Community Organization member, Naturalist and Tree Keeper –Janet Mrowka will lead the second in a series of year round guided tree walks.

Sunday September 13, 2009 at 1:30 p.m.

Join us at Floyd’s 1944 N. Oakley Ave (Corner of Oakley and Armitage)

This event is open to all and free.

Introductions between 1:30 -1:40 p.m.

Guided walk till 3:00 p.m.

For more information (312)927-6618

A limited quantity of the 2009 Bucktown Garden Walk/Self Guided Tree Books will be available for $5.00 each.

Glorious Gardens Bucktown Connection

The garden of Jean, and Mike, whom participated in the Bucktown Community Organization's Garden Walk this past July, earned second place in the Chicago Tribune's Glorious Gardens contest, per this story, which appeared in today's paper.

Following are a few photos of Jean, and Mike's garden taken in July, some of which appeared in the Street Scene eNewsletter. Also pictured is the hand of a Plein Aire painter. The 'open air' painters set up their easels during the Garden Walk.
Congratulations!