I do this thing when I travel, I marvel at all the commonness around me. I smile up at the canopy of trees overhead as we set up our campsite. I’ll spend too much time on my “PictureThis” app in order to identify the tree who produced the leaf that I’ll hold in my hand because for some reason I just feel really connected to it. I’ll pick up a rock that catches my eye and take the time to investigate it’s intricacies. Everything is new and fresh to me and I’m able to appreciate the nuances of a quaint town, notice the rhythm of the cicadas, and grab a pamphlet about a nearby historical marker. Invariably, I’ll drag my family to some sort of boring thing that only I find endearing. I’m exhilarated, though sometimes I don’t even know why. It’s nauseating, this thing. I know I exasperate my family. I’ll take a moment with a northern red oak while on a hike in some state park in Wisconsin, only to have my kids say something like “ya, Mom we have those trees in Illinois too”.
Take me anywhere outside of Ottawa Illinois and I am fully able to recognize the intrinsic value of that city. However, I find it challenging to view my own beautiful hometown with those same fresh lenses. There is also just the excitement that comes with travel, discovering a new locale is one my most favorite things to do, so I suppose it’s natural to be giddy. Still, it’s possible that I may be a bit out of touch with everything Ottawa and the surrounding Illinois Valley areas have to offer. The other day I saw a woman walking around our local, Washington Park WITH A MAP! A tourist! I know Ottawa is vibrant and our town is doing a lot to draw people in, but seeing this woman marvel at the Lincoln Douglas fountain the way I would if it were placed in small-town Wisconsin, gave me an idea to dig into all the things that makes our growing community so special.
My Grandmother was an OES school teacher for decades and considered herself somewhat of a local historian. I recently cleaned out some of her belongs after my Dad’s passing and found a trove of old Ottawa photos and relics, which also helped ignite the spirit of this project. Now that my youngest is in Kindergarten, I’ve decided to start having some of my own adventures. The idea is to explore the sights, eat the eats, and adventure all around the Illinois Valley. Then of course, I’ll write about my encounters. I love a good meander, and a day drink at a local establishment with gal pals never hurt. I have a HUGE list of places that I want to tour, the list seems to grow each time I leave my house. Armed with this task that no one assigned me, really has me excited and I’m constantly on the lookout for ideas! There are just so many great features in this small but bustling town. Sure there are the nearby state parks, jumbo pork tenderloins, art murals, the I&M canal, world famous pizza, and rivers that I am going to highlight. But there is just so much more! What about the “deep tracks”, if you will? The more obscure, should also have their moment; the clay hills, the frisbee golf scene, family cemeteries, the free 5K race on Saturday mornings at Heritage Harbor, goat yoga at Cedar Creek Ranch and the Belt Buster at Tones Cones, just to name a few. What an opportunity to go out and do fun things with friends and family while shedding light on local businesses and experiences with the added bonus of providing fodder for my blog. Sometimes we need a little push to try something new and this just may be the ticket!
I shall call my little happenings The Local Lowdown. Everything you need to know about Ottawa and the surrounding area from a native Ottawan’s perspective. Be on the lookout for The Lowdown!
mpoweredstate 