McHenry County Blog

The following just popped into my inbox:

Beginning Monday, March 25, former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh will join the line-up of AM 560 The Answer in Chicago, hosting a show each weekday from 7-9pm.

“There are few politicians in Illinois or anywhere in the country that garner as much attention as Joe Walsh,” said Jeff Reisman, general manager of AM 560 The Answer.

“Joe is an outspoken defender of freedom, and because of his firsthand experience in Congress, he brings a unique perspective to the national conversation as our country searches for answers during these challenging times.”

“People kept asking me what my next step was going to be after I left office in January,” said Joe Walsh.

“We’re at a crucial point in this country, and I’m excited to take the debate right to listeners throughout Chicagoland via the airwaves.

“The radio program will be a great platform to help grow a freedom movement which is already gaining momentum right here in Illinois.

“I intend to do with this program what I did as a U.S. Congressman —

• speak plainly
• speak directly
• not worry about political correctness
• engage in respectful, engaging debate with all viewpoints.

This is just too important of a time for all of us to do anything less.”

That’s what the Weather Bureau says.

“Wind Advisory.”

Whitecaps on Crystal Lake.

And this tree across Country Club Road in front of the Dole Mansion.

We drove through Harvard on the way to the Wisconsin Dells a couple of weeks ago and, to my surprise, there was one of those Obama construction signs.

Not much being done, but the signs were there anyway.

The sign on the back of the truck said, “Sandblasting.”

Temporary signs were posted along the project.

It was a windy Sunday and the light warning signs were blowing in the wind. April was going out like a lion.

After taking the last photo, I tossed the sign on the shoulder.

How strong was the wind this afternoon?

A gust took out our tallest hickory tree. We lost half of the other big one in the late 1980′s to lightning. The big oak on Meridian Street next to the hickory also got hit by lightning and was destroyed.

I’m lying in bed about 3:30 this afternoon listening to the wind and praying for God to protect our trees while falling asleep when there’s a loud cracking sound and I hear tree limbs coming down.

The kids downstairs thought they were hearing the rumbling of thunder.

As people have know for millennia, when God answers prayers it may not be the answer you have requested.

In this case, when the hickory, diseased by fungus, fell, it missed our master bedroom.

In fact, except from leaves on the tops of some limbs, it missed our home completely.

But it completely blocked the driveway.

We have a light out front.

It pretty much missed that, too. It’s still standing.

But, it and a significant branches on the nearby oak which got taken down with it now completely block the driveway.

Fortunately for us, the tree is on the right-of-way of Meridian Street, so the Village of Lakewood will remove it.

Some guys will get overtime tonight to clear the driveway, but I figure Tuesday is soon enough to clear out the trunk and most of the branches.

So, I am thanking God for protecting our home, if not our tree.

And, I’m a continuing fan of Lakewood’s Public Works Department.

By the time the family arrived to eat Chinese, the driveway was clear and they parked where tree limbs had previously been.

This wind is artificial, but the kids attending Springfield’s 2007 Old Capitol Art Fair didn’t seem to mind.

Sadly, after the renovation of the garage under the Old State Capitol, the wind stopped.

I can tell you the children were disappointed.

Rain and wind really.

As I was picking up my son at Bernotas Middle School, these two girls were walking into the wind.

The first one was having a tough time with her umbrella.

I thought the fuzzy spot on the photos was the wind vibrating the umbrella too fast for the shutter speed, but now I think it might just be a rain drop on the windshield.

If it were a presidential election, an event being held in Barrington Saturday, August 8th, would be deemed a “cattle call.”

Candidates for the Republican nomination for governor will be at Citizens Park on Lake Zurich Road in Barrington.

Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane and Cook County Young Republicans are sponsoring the event.

Details follow:

WHAT

Northwest Suburban Young Republican Barbecue

WHEN

Saturday, August 8, 2009
3:00 – 6:00 pm

WHERE

Citizens Park
511 Lake Zurich Road
Barrington, IL

WHO

• Lake County Young Republicans
• McHenry County Young Republicans
• DuPage County Young Republicans
• Kane County Young Republicans
• Cook County Young Republicans

2010 Republican Gubernatorial Candidates:

• Senator Matt Murphy
• Senator Billy Brady
• Senator Kirk Dillard
• Adam Andrzejewski
• Dan Proft
• Bob Schillerstrom

Additional elected officials and statewide candidates
300+ attendees

WHY

Sponsored by WIND AM560 and the United Republican Fund, this event is designed to bring the younger Republican constituency together to network, meet statewide candidates, enjoy live music, food and fun. For more information, visit www.LakeCountyYR.com.

When the snow came early last week, the wind blew from the north.

You can tell from this picture of Cumberland Lane (Gate 10) in Lakewood. It was taken from the North.

You will note that the Village of Lakewood, a Tree City USA, values trees more than its streets.

A number of the trees you see are in the right-of-way.

When the snow came early last week, the wind blew from the north.

You can tell from this picture of Cumberland Lane (Gate 10) in Lakewood. It was taken from the North.

You will note that the Village of Lakewood, a Tree City USA, values trees more than its streets.

A number of the trees you see are in the right-of-way.

The traffic signals on Randall Road at Harnish Drive in Algonquin were being blown so hard it was difficult to see when they were green.

You can also see a flock of geese forming up to fly farther South.