JC Strzalka-Steil
@jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social
Attorney, progressive Democrat, nature enthusiast on Chicago's Northwest Side. Always down for a tale from the trail, whether it be the campaign or hiking variety.
What better way to spend a lovely November afternoon than by taking a hike? I visited White Pines Forest State Park today and thoroughly enjoyed the crunch of leaves under my feet.
November 15, 2025 at 8:25 PM
What better way to spend a lovely November afternoon than by taking a hike? I visited White Pines Forest State Park today and thoroughly enjoyed the crunch of leaves under my feet.
I am more and more convinced that this is the defining chart of our times.
November 1, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I am more and more convinced that this is the defining chart of our times.
HAPPY NATIONAL BISON DAY!
Today we celebrate our National Mammal (and my favorite animal), the American Bison. Take time today to learn more about the history and environmental legacy of these magnificent creatures, like this one enjoying water from the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park
Today we celebrate our National Mammal (and my favorite animal), the American Bison. Take time today to learn more about the history and environmental legacy of these magnificent creatures, like this one enjoying water from the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park
November 1, 2025 at 2:47 PM
HAPPY NATIONAL BISON DAY!
Today we celebrate our National Mammal (and my favorite animal), the American Bison. Take time today to learn more about the history and environmental legacy of these magnificent creatures, like this one enjoying water from the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park
Today we celebrate our National Mammal (and my favorite animal), the American Bison. Take time today to learn more about the history and environmental legacy of these magnificent creatures, like this one enjoying water from the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park
And last but not least, Nimbly the Dragonfly, setting down at a lovely lakeside resting spot!
October 12, 2025 at 8:02 PM
And last but not least, Nimbly the Dragonfly, setting down at a lovely lakeside resting spot!
This is Cadence the Sandhill Crane! Check out that wingspan!
October 12, 2025 at 8:02 PM
This is Cadence the Sandhill Crane! Check out that wingspan!
Spectra the Snail! Spectra greets travelers on I-88 and overlooks the Arboretum from her perch.
October 12, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Spectra the Snail! Spectra greets travelers on I-88 and overlooks the Arboretum from her perch.
Here is Generosity the Deer! Notice the bird on the antler. There is also a small squirel, though you cannot see it from this angle
October 12, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Here is Generosity the Deer! Notice the bird on the antler. There is also a small squirel, though you cannot see it from this angle
The Vivid Creatures at the @mortonarboretum.bsky.social are delightfully funky! All five sculptures are colorful and endearing.
This cheery pal is Scamp the Squirrel!
This cheery pal is Scamp the Squirrel!
October 12, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The Vivid Creatures at the @mortonarboretum.bsky.social are delightfully funky! All five sculptures are colorful and endearing.
This cheery pal is Scamp the Squirrel!
This cheery pal is Scamp the Squirrel!
ARE YOU READY FOR FAT BEARS!?!?!
September 23, 2025 at 12:13 AM
ARE YOU READY FOR FAT BEARS!?!?!
Perfect Friday night for meat and booze at Lake Effect Brewing Company's Sausage Fest! I went with the beer brat and a kolsch, while Bridget had the Polish sausage and a beer-mosa.
September 20, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Perfect Friday night for meat and booze at Lake Effect Brewing Company's Sausage Fest! I went with the beer brat and a kolsch, while Bridget had the Polish sausage and a beer-mosa.
The early morning rain subsided just as I hit the doors in Park Ridge, making this afternoon a lovely one to collect signatures for Norwood Park Township Democratic Committeperson Frank Avino, Cook County Commissioner Maggie Trevor, and other great Democratic candidates!
September 13, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The early morning rain subsided just as I hit the doors in Park Ridge, making this afternoon a lovely one to collect signatures for Norwood Park Township Democratic Committeperson Frank Avino, Cook County Commissioner Maggie Trevor, and other great Democratic candidates!
To pass the time during the long, long drives on this trip, we played the ole "spot the license plate" game. After a brisk first day (40 plates!) it became harder to find the remainder. We spotted the last plate in the last national park we visited, going 50-for-50 even before the journey home!
September 6, 2025 at 5:34 PM
To pass the time during the long, long drives on this trip, we played the ole "spot the license plate" game. After a brisk first day (40 plates!) it became harder to find the remainder. We spotted the last plate in the last national park we visited, going 50-for-50 even before the journey home!
Cinder Cone, in the northeastern corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park, is itself a volcano. It erupted in the 1650s, changing the landscape immensely.
To its south and east, the great deluge cooled and hardened, now a vast expanse of black rock piled tree-high known as the Fantastic Lava Beds.
To its south and east, the great deluge cooled and hardened, now a vast expanse of black rock piled tree-high known as the Fantastic Lava Beds.
September 4, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Cinder Cone, in the northeastern corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park, is itself a volcano. It erupted in the 1650s, changing the landscape immensely.
To its south and east, the great deluge cooled and hardened, now a vast expanse of black rock piled tree-high known as the Fantastic Lava Beds.
To its south and east, the great deluge cooled and hardened, now a vast expanse of black rock piled tree-high known as the Fantastic Lava Beds.
Lassen Peak made world news with its dramatic eruption in 1915. Spewing hot rock across the countryside and obliterating the surrounding forests, the mountain was anything but tranquil.
Today, however, the volcano is quiet, reflecting peacefully in Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Today, however, the volcano is quiet, reflecting peacefully in Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
September 4, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Lassen Peak made world news with its dramatic eruption in 1915. Spewing hot rock across the countryside and obliterating the surrounding forests, the mountain was anything but tranquil.
Today, however, the volcano is quiet, reflecting peacefully in Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Today, however, the volcano is quiet, reflecting peacefully in Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
While you may be tempted to take a dip here after a long day, this is a forbidden hot tub! This mudpot is part of the Sulphur Works, a thermal area in the southern reaches of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Take a listen to those mud bubbles gurgling! (But do not touch. You will be burnt.)
Take a listen to those mud bubbles gurgling! (But do not touch. You will be burnt.)
September 3, 2025 at 2:10 AM
While you may be tempted to take a dip here after a long day, this is a forbidden hot tub! This mudpot is part of the Sulphur Works, a thermal area in the southern reaches of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Take a listen to those mud bubbles gurgling! (But do not touch. You will be burnt.)
Take a listen to those mud bubbles gurgling! (But do not touch. You will be burnt.)
Lassen Volcanic National Park! This quieter location tucked in the volcanic corner of Northern California made one heck of a racket around 100 years ago when it last erupted.
The park is also uniquely home to all four types of volcanoes!
The park is also uniquely home to all four types of volcanoes!
September 2, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Lassen Volcanic National Park! This quieter location tucked in the volcanic corner of Northern California made one heck of a racket around 100 years ago when it last erupted.
The park is also uniquely home to all four types of volcanoes!
The park is also uniquely home to all four types of volcanoes!
There's gold in them thar hills! Well, a little bit, anyway. At Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, visitors can pan for gold in its streams. We tried our hand at it and managed a few gold fleks, but suffice to say we won't be quitting our day jobs to stake a claim anytime soon.
September 2, 2025 at 8:30 PM
There's gold in them thar hills! Well, a little bit, anyway. At Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, visitors can pan for gold in its streams. We tried our hand at it and managed a few gold fleks, but suffice to say we won't be quitting our day jobs to stake a claim anytime soon.
Fern Canyon may be tucked away down a long, bumpy road, but it is well worth the trip! Some fern species on the walls have been around for 325 million years.
It does feel like a lost world (in fact, scenes in The Lost World: Jurassic Park were filmed here). We did not see any velociraptors, though.
It does feel like a lost world (in fact, scenes in The Lost World: Jurassic Park were filmed here). We did not see any velociraptors, though.
September 1, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Fern Canyon may be tucked away down a long, bumpy road, but it is well worth the trip! Some fern species on the walls have been around for 325 million years.
It does feel like a lost world (in fact, scenes in The Lost World: Jurassic Park were filmed here). We did not see any velociraptors, though.
It does feel like a lost world (in fact, scenes in The Lost World: Jurassic Park were filmed here). We did not see any velociraptors, though.
This big tree is called... Big Tree! It is one of the many girthy behemoths that we saw in the southern areas of Redwood National and State Parks today!
August 31, 2025 at 10:09 PM
This big tree is called... Big Tree! It is one of the many girthy behemoths that we saw in the southern areas of Redwood National and State Parks today!
I thought I knew how tall a redwood would look up close. They're even bigger than I imagined!
This giant stands tall in the Stout Grove. Makes me (and everything else) seem short in comparison. It's all about perspective, I suppose.
This giant stands tall in the Stout Grove. Makes me (and everything else) seem short in comparison. It's all about perspective, I suppose.
August 30, 2025 at 10:46 PM
I thought I knew how tall a redwood would look up close. They're even bigger than I imagined!
This giant stands tall in the Stout Grove. Makes me (and everything else) seem short in comparison. It's all about perspective, I suppose.
This giant stands tall in the Stout Grove. Makes me (and everything else) seem short in comparison. It's all about perspective, I suppose.
Redwood National Park! These trees! This coast! What else can be said that has not already been said about this jaw-dropping forest?
Setting up camp under the towering, majestic redwoods was amazing. These ancient trees have many lessons to teach us - and we look forward to learning from them.
Setting up camp under the towering, majestic redwoods was amazing. These ancient trees have many lessons to teach us - and we look forward to learning from them.
August 30, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Redwood National Park! These trees! This coast! What else can be said that has not already been said about this jaw-dropping forest?
Setting up camp under the towering, majestic redwoods was amazing. These ancient trees have many lessons to teach us - and we look forward to learning from them.
Setting up camp under the towering, majestic redwoods was amazing. These ancient trees have many lessons to teach us - and we look forward to learning from them.
Oregon Caves National Monument! Deep below the shady, mossy Siskiyou Mountains, these narrow, tight passages make for an exciting tour! Both carved and grown by the subterranean River Styx, the caves contain a lot of cool features!
August 29, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Oregon Caves National Monument! Deep below the shady, mossy Siskiyou Mountains, these narrow, tight passages make for an exciting tour! Both carved and grown by the subterranean River Styx, the caves contain a lot of cool features!
What a beautiful day to venture to Cleetwood Cove! It is the only (steep) trail down to the lake. The boat tour was exciting and informative - and a whole different way to see Crater Lake icons like the Phantom Ship.
Afterward, we enjoyed a chilly but refreshing dip in the brilliantly blue water.
Afterward, we enjoyed a chilly but refreshing dip in the brilliantly blue water.
August 28, 2025 at 11:10 PM
What a beautiful day to venture to Cleetwood Cove! It is the only (steep) trail down to the lake. The boat tour was exciting and informative - and a whole different way to see Crater Lake icons like the Phantom Ship.
Afterward, we enjoyed a chilly but refreshing dip in the brilliantly blue water.
Afterward, we enjoyed a chilly but refreshing dip in the brilliantly blue water.
Clear blue skies and deep blue water at Crater Lake National Park. It was a great day to drive the Rim Road and see the lake from every stunning angle.
August 28, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Clear blue skies and deep blue water at Crater Lake National Park. It was a great day to drive the Rim Road and see the lake from every stunning angle.