Feathered friends find home at park

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By Kathy Headley

Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor

6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778

Recently we talked about the blue herons, the black crowned herons and falcons, among others that can be spotted at Marquette Park along the shores.

On that last beautiful Sunday when the temperatures went back up to the 70s, Kayla and I spent most of the day at the park exploring. On our adventure, as she likes to call it, we met Dennis K., who had spotted a great horned owl up high in one of the tallest trees just east of Kedzie and south of the Ashburn prairie section. As it was super windy that day, we spent a bit of time watching it disappear behind that branches and then reappear as the breeze calmed down.

Kathy Headley

Dennis told us he has been spending time riding his bike through the park for years and this is the first time he has seen a great horned owl in the area. He posted a short video of the owl in the Chicago Lawn Historical Facebook group, if you would like to see it. The video will really give you an idea of how windy it was at that spot that day too.

The last run for the Marquette Run Crew was this past Tuesday evening. Each week the crew ran or walked one of three predetermined three-mile routes. Maybe you’d like to think about joining the runs when they start up again next spring.

Speaking of Tuesdays at the park, Ben Aria and his crew are still hosting community dinners at 6 p.m. in the fieldhouse. Last week, I am told, he added a craft table for kids.

This Friday, Nov. 4 is Gym Night at St. Clare of Montefalco, 5443 S. Washtenaw, for junior high and high school youth. Games run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. And the question on this particular night is posed “Do you like volleyball?”

On Saturday, Nov. 5, the 2014 20^th Century Fox film The Book of Life comes to the Chicago Lawn Branch Library, 6120 S. Kedzie. The film begins at 2:30 p.m.

The Golden Diners Program has returned and hot meals will once again be served at the Southwest Regional Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie.

Eighteenth Ward Ald. Derrick Curtis invites everyone in his ward to attend a community meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Durkin Park School, 8445 S. Kolin, for a Water Project Update. Representatives from the City of Chicago’s Department of Water Management and the Chicago Park District are scheduled to be on hand to share the latest information and answer questions.

Congratulations and best wishes to Alejandro Guevara, a young member of the Second Neocatechumenal Community of St. Adrian, who was ordained a deacon last Friday.

Through the years, as we have talked about past stores that have made their home on 63^rd Street, the name Adeline’s Gift Shop has come up quite frequently. Here from 1954 to 1991, it was a local favorite on the corner of 63^rd and St. Louis. Adeline’s daughter has decided to rent an office space, bring down lots of treasures she still has from the shop, all brand new, and offer them for sale this week.

The sale, Adeline’s Christmas Memories, will be held at 10637 S. Pulaski, on Thursday, Nov. 3 and Friday, Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will include lots of Christmas décor, including villages and animated items, and many other vintage items from the shop.

Now back to 1978. On our visit last week, we learned that the fall of 1978 brought three new businesses to the neighborhood. Last week we started in the center of the Chicago Lawn business district with a grand opening celebration at 6301 S. Kedzie. How many of you got this one right away? George K. was the first to remember Bresler’s 33 Flavors. Now let’s move a little further west.

This week’s new business was a grand opening (“Under New Management”). The address was 3601 W. 63^rd St. In preparation for the grand opening, the new owners had the dining room repainted with a mural. If I told you what was on the mural, you wouldn’t need to guess, you would know right away. So, without knowing the details of the mural, what do you think?