Location: Rockford & Cook County
When: mid November
Miles traveled: 600.7
Price of gas: 3.29
High point: (Other than the nice campground) Carefree time sketching at A.J.Gardens
Low point: Sun sets at 4:30pm
One thing learned: Choose the guided tour!
My visit to Illinois was fairly short. A total of four days was interspersed with some time in Iowa and Indiana. Out of the two main places I wanted to visit in Illinois, one (Richardson Adventure Farm) was seasonal and not currently open. The other (Anderson Japanese Gardens) is open year round. I also visited Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church, as it was nearby and many people from my home parish urged me to visit.
Anderson Japanese Gardens is considered one of America's highest quality Japanese gardens. Started in 1978 by John Anderson's passion of Japanese culture + aesthetics, and designed by Hoichi Kurisu, the 12 acre garden aims to provide visitors with peace and tranquility. I found peace to be a bit allusive as a highway has been build next to the gardens. Thankfully, when in the middle and far side of the gardens, the road noise is barely audible. A pamphlet has short descriptions of 40 places along the walking path including: gates, bridges, sculptures, plants, and other Japanese architecture. I found the pamphlet as a nice,
very basic, introduction to Japanese aesthetics. The meaning of stone lanterns and why fire, earth, air, and water is important was not included in the pamphlet. I think a guided tour would have explained more of that, or provided more opportunities for questions. I did not go on a guided tour because I discovered them only as I was leaving for lunch.
Anderson Japanese Gardens were beautiful, even in the late fall. Trees displayed their multicolored leaves and there were many ponds and streams to meander around. It was a nice sunny day, and I took the time to sketch Horau To (Sacred Island). A few raked gravel patches and Koi fish were also cool to see. The A.J.Gardens is a place that holds beauty for every season, and would be nice to visit in each season.
Annunciation of the Mother of God Church is open 24/7, which makes it convenient to visit. Nestled behind a community of houses and off of a country highway-type road with a tall prairie garden at the entrance, the church grounds have a nice private feel to them. Anyone who is there is there for the church, and not by accident. Modestly decorated outside, the church's interior with covered floor to ceiling with icons and is very beautiful. I was able to attend their Thursday night liturgy, but was not in Illinois on Sunday and missed their Sunday service. Unhappily, the evening liturgy was sung very fast, and some main prayers were too fast for me to sing along with. It was disappointing that such a beautifully adorned church had chaotic, auction house speed singing. I don't know how the parishioners view the experience or if Sunday liturgy is sung at that speed, but for me it did not match my view of respectful and worthy praise to God.
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Saints Peter and Paul
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Entrance |
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St. Matthew
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During a day half filled with driving, I made a quick stop at Morton Arboretum to see their Maze Garden. It was a modest hedge maze with a few different plants used for hedges. A few gates inside the maze allow the arboretum to change the "answer path" through the maze without digging out and replanting the hedges. I kept my hand on the right wall of the maze and after traveling the entire length, I found the exit! One day I would like to spend a hour or two in a corn maze, but every year I only think about corn mazes around Halloween, and they are usually closed by then.
I think four days in northern Illinois is a short visit for such a large state, but it is what it is. I enjoyed walking around Anderson Japanese Gardens, and think it would be nice to see it in Spring when their flowers and trees are in bloom, or in Winter with snow everywhere. I liked the ability to slowly look at the icons in Annunciation of the Mother of God Church at a time convenient for me, rather than only walking around an unfamiliar church before/after a service. And the maze at Morton Arboretum did not send tingles of excitement from my toes to the roots of my hair, but it was fun nevertheless. Cheers, Illinois.
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(My favorite icon at the church)
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