Check out the 70% Off tent sale at Starved Rock's Marketplace on the corner of Routes 6 & 178

Check out the 70% Off tent sale at Starved Rock's Marketplace on the corner of Routes 6 & 178. The sale lasts through October--Don't miss out on the Fall Colors Savings! www.shopcattails.com

Edna's Tree at Starved Rock

Edna's Tree at Starved Rock. Photo by Kathy Casstevens.

Intro to Fall Colors at Starved Rock

The colors at the Rock are amazing. This tree is located along the Route 71 entrance to Starved Rock--What a beautiful intro to fall Colors at Starved Rock! Photo by Kathy Casstevens.

Vintage Illinois wine festival was a great success. 1000s of people from around the state came to taste Illinois vintners' offerings at beautiful Matthiessen State Park. Next year the festival will be held on September 18 & 19.

Saw a bunch of fun, blingy t-shirts over the course of the 2-day event. Can't wait till next year's festival!

Vintage Illinois is coming up this weekend at Matthiessen State Park, just south of Starved Rock Lodge on Route 178. get your tickets early at www.vintageillinois.com.

During the week, hiking is just the ticket.

Beautiful day for a wedding at Starved Rock's Canyonside Cabin & Courtyard...Looking forward to the rainbows.

Picked up a cool raccoon-headed walking stick at Trailheads this morning. Now I'm ready to hit the trails. http://www.starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=69&criteria=trailheads

Beautiful weather this Labor Day Weekend at the Rock. Great hiking weather.

So much to do...hike, then shop--hike, then shop... at the Starved Rock Marketplace on the corner of Routes 6 & 178, just off the Route 80 exit.

Check out the clothes and jewelry at The Cottage Boutique at the Marketplace.

Do some wine tasting and try out the gourmet dips & jams at Cattails in the Marketplace.

Saw Cathy Wizgird's new starved rock video...looking good; it's a fun intro to Starved Rock trails and natural wonders.

Huge Labor Day weekend coming up--families from around the state will be out at the Rock for a day in nature.

Paint the Rock Pink was a great success. 100 hikers gave $10 each and hiked to the top of Starved Rock to sign the Hike for the Cure poster. We presented a check for more than $1,500 to the American Cancer society yesterday!


Check out the video of this and other cool things that they do at the Rock: http://www.starvedrockstatepark.org/index.cfm?pageID=338

Come to the Rock to relax & reconnect with yourself, your friends, your family and nature in general--anytime...

Hike the Rock this weekend. Have a drink on the Veranda at the Back Door Lounge.

Paint the Rock Pink--the hike for the cure at Starved Rock was great--if a bit wet. Even though it rained like crazy, everybody who made it to the top of the Rock had a smile on his or her face.

It's really hard to have a bad time at the Rock.

Shirley Canoni won the Harley!

Paint the Rock Pink Hike for the Cure is coming up August 16. Register and walk to the top of the Rock for a friend of loved one or for yourself. Call Edna to pre register for $10 donation to American Cancer Society 815-220-7386

Somebody won a harley at the rock, and the music last weekend was amazing.

Can't wait to hike to the top of the Rock on Aug 16 for Paint the Rock Pink, raising money for breast cancer awareness. donations: $10--call edna to sign up 815-220-7386 and hike for the cure

They won a dream wedding at Starved Rock!

http://www.starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=337
Check out the lucky couple that won a dream wedding at Starved Rock and check out the webpage for info on the 2010 Win a Dream Wedding at Starved Rock giveaway!

This image makes me want to check out the Marketplace!
http://www.shopcattails.com/index.cfm?pageID=173

Steve Sebby Wins Country Music Competition at Starved Rock

Due to circumstances beyond her control (she forgot that she couldn't compete and win in different regions) talented-but-forgetful former Showdown winner, DN, has relinquished her title to country music marvel Steve Sebby, who will now go on to the regional finals in Sandwich, Illinois in August.

Speaking of August--don't miss The August, the 2008 winners of the Colgate Country Showdown, which will be playing on the Veranda at Starved Rock Lodge on August 7th!
They're amazing: check them out: http://starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=42

Wait till you read what's coming....

OOOOooooooeeeee. Little bit of scoop coming your way about the CCSD winner/not winner, as Shakespeare might say.....Looks like things are heating up here in the Valley!

Country music fans, get ready to rock! Tonight is the final competition among the country-rockinest voices in the region. Grill opens at 5pm--music starts at 7:00p.m.

Starved Rock's Veranda is hot tonight!

For the super partiers in the house, a few rooms are still available for a country-rockin' overnighter--check out the VIP Showdown package at: http://starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=46

Yeeeee...Haaa!

Amazing weekend at the Rock. Music, Martinis. Cool people from around the world traipsing through the woods....

Starved Rock's Wedding Giveaway contest ends July 31. Write a 500 word essay on "Why I'd Love to be Married at Starved Rock," and you could win an ALL-EXPENSE PAID wedding and reception at one of the most beautiful outdoor venues in the state of Illinois--the Canyonside Cabin & Courtyard at Starved Rock. Check out the pictures (and the contest rules) here: http://www.starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=329

Get your essay in on time and save yourselves a bundle of money while having the time of your life on your special day!

It's Sunday, and there's wine flowing on Cattails patio at the Marketplace Tasting Room. Stop in for a free tasting from noon to close.

It's gonna be a beautiful day! I'm pouring signature Starved Rock wine at The Marketplace today, so stop by for some free samples!

There's a $2.00 off sale on the Starved Rock White (dry white), and the delicious Catawba has a wonderful, historic label of old-time downtown Utica!

Great hiking weather! Can't wait to hit the trails at the Rock today.

Starved Rock Lodge turns 70 this September, so all month long they are doing a "$70 for Our 70th" overnight stay special during the month of September. How can you beat that!

Great free live music at Starved Rock from 8pm to 11:30 pm every Friday and almost every Saturday. http://starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=42

Reggae at the Rock on Friday, then Classic Rock & Country on Saturday...what's not to love? It's free, it's fun, it's beautiful!

8pm to 11:30 pm Every Friday (and almost every Saturday) at Starved Rock

Starved Rock is GIving Away A Wedding!

OMG! This is too good to be true...But it's true!
http://www.starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=329

What an amazing ride! History-On-Horseback at Cedar Creek Ranch then an overnight stay at Starved Rock Lodge...What's not to love!
http://starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=46

Today is the Green Fete Festival at Leheigh Park in Oglesby, IL. Music, dancing, belly dancing, organic food and other green products. It sounds interesting, so I think I'll pop over there after a quick hike through French Canyon.

Hike the trails then have a cold one on the veranda while listening to country singers compete in the colgate country showdown every tuesday night at 7pm, from June 16 through July 28.

Don't miss the Drum Circle on the Pool Patio at the Rock; it will be hosted by Dick Verucchi and Dave Peterson on June 28 from 2 to 4pm.

The sun's coming up. Birds are singing in the trees. It looks like it's going to be a good day!
The Honor the Eagle Native American Pow Wow starts this Saturday at Matthiessen State Park, near Starved Rock. For a downloadable map to the Pow Wow and event information, visit: http://www.starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=38&criteria=pow wow

Rainy Wednesday...but it's still early, so my Pollyanna better-weather wishes still have a chance at coming true...In the meantime I'm going to watch the FURaiser video: http://www.starvedrockstatepark.org/index.cfm?pageID=220
Check it out!

Beautiful weather, great hiking, wine on the patio at Cattails...what's not to love! http://www.starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm?pageID=175&criteria=wine

Rainy days mean muddy trails and some of the most beautiful blossoms bursting forth from the wooded areas along the canyonsides.

I saw a huge owl this morning--it was beautiful and eerie, sitting there on a low branch of a tree.

Looking forward to Mother's Day Buffet at the Lodge--people are always so happy, particularly if the weather is good.

Wildflower weekend starts tomorrow (Sat) at Starved Rock. There are going to be a ton of people from all over to take the free guided hikes along the trails. Hikers will be at the visitor center in the park at 9am and 1pm.

I'll be pouring wine for guests at Cattails Wine Tasting Room at the corner of Routes 6 & 178.

On Sunday, Bikers Rule, when they rally at the Starved Rock parking lot for the Blessing of the Bikes at noon & 1:30pm.

It's going to be a wild weekend.

Beautiful day--can't wait to see what it holds in store for me: rain glistening on freshly budding leaves, wild flowers emerging from the long winter chill, muddy trails and rushing waterfalls framed by slowly dissipating morning fog.

Went to the Corner Shops today and watched as they unpacked and priced and displayed some really beautiful spring fashions at The Cottage Boutique. I was particularly intrigued by a black tummy-smoothing cami that doesn't squish and distort a woman's natural bustline--definately looking forward to buying that one.

Met a charming television producer from England this afternoon. I encountered her after her hike through the park as she was ordering her afternoon tea in the Starved Rock Cafe'. She was looking for "something savoury" to accompany her hot beverage. I wonder what would have suited her? What do English people have with their afternoon tea? Maybe cheese scones? Something to ponder...

Wandering around the Rock in the cold April mist

It's rainy and cold this April 21, 2009, but hardcore hikers are trudging along the trails then relaxing in front of the crackling fire in the massive stone fireplace in Starved Rock's Great Hall.