Our family did a lot of camping and my brother and I would carry buckets of water up from some river or lake so there would be something to put out the camp fire with at the end of the night. My water carrying days ended at an early age, thankfully. I was almost out of breath just watching you carry the water up that hill. Great demonstration, Dan.

Dan, I've been hearing about this all week. Thank you so much for writing this up and for the links. I found my dad in the City of Springfield in about 20 easy clicks. He was 14. Also, I'm going to look at more of the census sheets from his neighborhood in the hopes of finding his best friend, Stewie. I never knew Stewie's last name, but I'm sure he's in that same neighborhood. Finding my mom is going to take a little more effort. Even though they lived on numbered street that was lined up with the same numbered street in Springfield, her family was then an unincorporated area outside of Springfield. Even though I've never been to 83rd and Racine, thanks to Chicago's wonderful grid system, I could go right there. It's going to take some major pondering to come up with a plausible explanation as to why the twins are not listed. The first question that comes to mind is, is it possible they lived with someone else during that time? Again, thank you!

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember my grandma telling me that maples have an extra big crop of seeds every seven years. Not sure if that's true or not. Probably not. People around here have planted trees in the parkways with very little thought. I have two trees in my parkway - a sweetgum and a sycamore, both over 50 years old, and both of which are too big to be that close together. The city will remove them if there's a good reason to. Unfortunately, the city hasn't deemed it necessary to get rid of them. So far, they've just been "hat racked." Or, I can remove them at my own expense. Ha! I'd love to cut them down and get a single not-too-tall flowering tree. Here's Springfield's current list of recommended trees if you're interested: http://www.springfield.il.us/Green/Tree%20List07.pdf

You are such a good person, Dan.

Excellent.

Fascinating fish. I remember some science class (maybe 4th or 6th grade) where we studied the life of the salmon. They brought a projector in the class and most memorable part was seeing hundreds of these fish furiously swimming up what seemed like a fast waterfall. (Also, the film was narrated by that unseen, but familiar, monotone male voice.) Anyway, I just wanted you to know I appreciate all the work you've done on this story, Dan. Good video, too.

We must be in the same weather system, Dan. We've been having exceptionally warm weather for January in the Midwest. Yesterday it got up to 60 and someone went water skiing on Lake Springfield. I think that was a first. Amazing.

Very cool. I love the lighting. Happy New Year, Dan.

That! is a beautiful moon. Thanks for getting up early so we don't have to, Dan.

I remember that earthquake like it was yesterday. I'm sure you do even more, obviously. We had just moved back to Springfield that summer, and living with my mom, she was intent on passing her love of baseball to my young girls (it worked on one out of two). The sound of the announcer guy's voice as the screen went dark was so haunting to me. It was one of a handful of times I found myself standing in front of the TV with one hand over my mouth, the other over my heart.

You bring back old memories, Dan. My favorite time at Wrigley Field is on a sunny Sunday morning in late August. You pay $6.00 for a double header, both games of which will easily be squeezed in before dark. You and your best friend settle into your seats high up under the ledge behind home plate. Even though the temperature in the rest of the world is already in the 70s, it's so cold up there in the shade from the breeze off Lake Michigan, you need a coat or a blanket to stay warm. By the first pitch, you look around and realize you can sit anywhere, so you ease on down to the sunny $10.00 seats above first base - maybe even the first row. By the middle of the third inning, you and the strangers you met at the game are in a bar at Clark and Division sipping Bloody Marys, having brunch, laughing, and making new memories. It was a long time ago.

P.S. I never said "the Jewel" until I lived in Chicago.

I've been fascinated by earthquakes since I was in one on a Saturday morning at the age of 10 (or about). My brother and I were home alone. My mom was at a funeral in Peoria and my dad was out running errands. I was in one room and my brother was in the living room, and I yelled at him to stop stomping around because he was shaking the house. LOL. I don't know how long it lasted, but I remember the only way I could walk to the living room was by holding onto walls and furniture. I know I've told you this somewhere before because I remember you telling me you were at the Jewel with your dad and he was inside and you stayed in the car, I think, during the exact same event. Great write-up, Dan. That you felt earthquakes on both coasts on the same day is an amazing thing. Also, I especially enjoyed your terror tweets.

All new roads should have bike lanes. The time has come.

Amazing. The coyote must feel very safe there. Also, that tree in the first picture? I wonder if they've figured out how to get that out of there before it falls and takes some of those grave stones out. I worry about things like that.

Quite a record. Also, depending on how long it takes to sentence Rod, and allowing for the inevitable appeal and possible continuances, we could have two governors in prison at the same time. Ryan is due out in about two and a half years. I think. Sidenote, some mornings, many years after he was out of office, I would ride the Sheridan bus with Governor Stratton. I don't know where he got on, but it was always before me at Belmont. Second sidenote, it was a cold and snowy winter night many years ago when I first discovered your blog upon doing a search for anyone who might be blogging about George Ryan's indictment.

Several years ago, my youngest daughter's then boyfriend, now husband, hit a dear a block from my house. As for me, I think I'm driving on borrowed time having never hit one, but coming close three times (that I know of). One time was in the middle of the night driving south on I-55 just outside of Bloomington. Fortunately, traffic was mostly non-existent as I came to a full stop as a giant buck with giant antlers saunter across just feet in front of me. Also crossing the road in the same place was a large raccoon and a large turtle. Actually, seeing the turtle from way back is what made me stop. I was glad to read that you're all okay.

Wonderful photos and in a perfect slide show.

Great videos, both. I don't remember getting news from Channel 32 when I lived in Chicago. I do remember Saturday morning reruns of Blondie (the series, which they must have had the franchise on, since I never saw it before or since), Sunday afternoon movies, and commercials for Empire Carpet, which I would like to once and for all have removed from my brain.

Dan, I saw the title of this fly across Twitter earlier today when I was at work, and wondered all day, literal or figurative? Now I know. And it is just splendid.

Oh, man, I have so been gaffed. Several times. I just didn't know what it was called. That was a very well told story, Dan, about a very smooth gaff. You (and the guy) really had me.

That happens to me all the time. As does the opposite.

Those stairs were heart pounders.

Wonderful writing, Dan. Just wonderful. I'm always awestruck flying from Springfield south in the winter and there's not much to see, but you go over the farm fields when they're bereft of corn and beans and green, and soon you're over Southern Illinois banking towards Evansville and right before your eyes you see the ground go from smooth black dirt to course reddish dirt. Well, it's not exactly a hard line. But I always think to myself, something happened right here millions of years ago.