Jake Wertz
@jakewertz.bsky.social
Living + gardening just west of Chicago. PhD sociologist doing research + transformation in a large suburban public school district. 🏡🪴🌉📈📊👨🏫
Random letter of recommendation but somebody gave my son this solar-powered spinning prism suction cup thing for his birthday a couple years ago, and it transforms our living room with a magical rainbow light show whenever the sun peaks out.
November 9, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Random letter of recommendation but somebody gave my son this solar-powered spinning prism suction cup thing for his birthday a couple years ago, and it transforms our living room with a magical rainbow light show whenever the sun peaks out.
Nice little bit of snowfall to wake up to
November 9, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Nice little bit of snowfall to wake up to
Some of my favorites for fall colors in my garden right now - magnolia, serviceberry, red twig dogwood, cranberrybush viburnum
November 8, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Some of my favorites for fall colors in my garden right now - magnolia, serviceberry, red twig dogwood, cranberrybush viburnum
It is what she voted for. She can lie to herself but we don’t have to let her lie to us.
November 3, 2025 at 11:57 PM
It is what she voted for. She can lie to herself but we don’t have to let her lie to us.
Generally not a fan of this Norway Maple, (on account of the fact that nothing can grow well beneath it), but it is looking good today
November 3, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Generally not a fan of this Norway Maple, (on account of the fact that nothing can grow well beneath it), but it is looking good today
Orange, purple, blue, peach, and pink in the western suburbs
November 3, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Orange, purple, blue, peach, and pink in the western suburbs
Not loving the fact that tonight’s sunset is at 4:45pm, but I am loving tonight’s sunset
November 2, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Not loving the fact that tonight’s sunset is at 4:45pm, but I am loving tonight’s sunset
Turned my dog’s morning walk into a photo shoot because the leaves are just too good
November 2, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Turned my dog’s morning walk into a photo shoot because the leaves are just too good
Perfect fall day in Hinsdale, Illinois
November 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Perfect fall day in Hinsdale, Illinois
Not a bad night for it, thankfully
November 2, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Not a bad night for it, thankfully
Took my dog Bucky for a long walk in the woods today. The forest preserve district recently did a big project here to remove invasive Buckthorn and plant natives, and it makes all the difference. Two years ago in autumn, this forest had a dense dark green understory (with no wildlife value) til Jan.
November 2, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Took my dog Bucky for a long walk in the woods today. The forest preserve district recently did a big project here to remove invasive Buckthorn and plant natives, and it makes all the difference. Two years ago in autumn, this forest had a dense dark green understory (with no wildlife value) til Jan.
Exquisite November 1 at Fullersburg Woods 🌳
November 1, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Exquisite November 1 at Fullersburg Woods 🌳
What use is the quadbox if 3 of the 4 boxes are blacked out?
October 31, 2025 at 3:36 AM
What use is the quadbox if 3 of the 4 boxes are blacked out?
Kathleen Edwards at Lincoln Hall tonight. Have loved her voice and her songs ever since I heard Six O’Clock News on Letterman, back when I was in high school.
October 30, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Kathleen Edwards at Lincoln Hall tonight. Have loved her voice and her songs ever since I heard Six O’Clock News on Letterman, back when I was in high school.
Harry and Northwestern missed an incredible opportunity to make an appearance on the shore of Lake Michigan at Meghan’s homecoming
October 29, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Harry and Northwestern missed an incredible opportunity to make an appearance on the shore of Lake Michigan at Meghan’s homecoming
We don’t say enough about the loss of our nation’s beautiful trees. These are Ash trees (this week, around my neighborhood), there used to be tens of millions more of them, and soon billions will die, because of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.
October 26, 2025 at 2:31 PM
We don’t say enough about the loss of our nation’s beautiful trees. These are Ash trees (this week, around my neighborhood), there used to be tens of millions more of them, and soon billions will die, because of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.
Took the family to the Morton Arboretum today. I spotted a frog - can you?
October 26, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Took the family to the Morton Arboretum today. I spotted a frog - can you?
There’s like 2 or 3 people who have seen what his real face is, in the morning, before he sits down for them to paint on that makeup. Someday we will get to see what Trump looks like with the mask off. There’s gotta be a picture somewhere.
October 25, 2025 at 11:15 PM
There’s like 2 or 3 people who have seen what his real face is, in the morning, before he sits down for them to paint on that makeup. Someday we will get to see what Trump looks like with the mask off. There’s gotta be a picture somewhere.
Some native plants still in bloom today in my garden - cutleaf coneflower, prairie rose, anise hyssop, mistflower
October 25, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Some native plants still in bloom today in my garden - cutleaf coneflower, prairie rose, anise hyssop, mistflower
This week’s progression
October 24, 2025 at 1:24 AM
This week’s progression
Four-term Dem Governor, son of a two-term Dem Governor
October 22, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Four-term Dem Governor, son of a two-term Dem Governor
Sorry but the actual culprit here is pretty obvious www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/0...
October 20, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Sorry but the actual culprit here is pretty obvious www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/0...
Is Josh paying attention to IL new law allowing school districts to pass bond measures without a voter referendum if it’s a “health and safety” measure, and districts are arguing AC is a health need? Pritzker doing the work of school improvement. www.evanstonian.net/news/2025/03...
October 19, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Is Josh paying attention to IL new law allowing school districts to pass bond measures without a voter referendum if it’s a “health and safety” measure, and districts are arguing AC is a health need? Pritzker doing the work of school improvement. www.evanstonian.net/news/2025/03...
Has any college president ever had better style than this, on a sideline or any other venue? @dieworkwear.bsky.social @jamellebouie.net
October 18, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Has any college president ever had better style than this, on a sideline or any other venue? @dieworkwear.bsky.social @jamellebouie.net