Rambling through central Illinois, eagerly awaiting May, the finest month until November.
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After a dry spell, we’ve had some real nice rain. And now, with warmer weather forecast for this week, bring on the morels. Not little ones, either. The big yellows should be up soon. Mushroom pictures are already popping up all over the Internet. Much better is to get into the timber and to find them there. The ones you find in person taste a lot better than those on Facebook that leave a bitter taste in the mouth. … Speaking of wet stuff, we are keeping track of the prediction uttered by a few since Easter Sunday about the seven more Sundays of rain we should expect. … Many central Illinois turkey hunters have said there are more of the big birds in the woods this year. A common thought on why? Fewer ratcoons to raid turkey nests.
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Next week we will print a letter from a reader praising Gov. JB Pritzker, in the process proving yet again that we do not limit letters to those we agree with. As background for that submission, though, please take time to ponder that Illinois will this year impose the nation’s highest state and local taxes, costing each household $13,099. According to WalletHub, those taxes are $4,472 higher than the national average and more than 50% of Illinois voters polled said they would leave the state if they could, with high taxes the main reason. And while pondering those high taxes, drive on our roads, like the covered-wagon trail that is much of Illinois Route 78. … Parting shot: Well, I can finally sleep again. The handsome bald cypress tree we planted last year, my new favorite tree, showed no signs of leafing out until Easter Sunday. While I’m proud of the little cypress for waiting (since we are still at risk of a frost until Mother’s Day), having faith is a hard thing. Then again, that’s kind of the point of the whole Easter story, right?
Contact Jeff Lampe at (309) 231-6040 or jeff@wklypost.com
