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Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • 95¢ • April 2021 • No. II
Right in Our Region
At RAM, Art is for Everyone See Page 16
Countdown to Planting! Foods to Help You Prevent Cancer The Perfect Patio: Functional and Stylish Shopping Local Builds a Stronger Economy!
Carrie Johnson, RAM executive director
Best of Life Information for Our Region’s Residents & Visitors Proudly Serving the Needs of 326,000 Neighbors - For Your Home, Health & Fun!
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In This Issue
Right in Our Region .............................Cover & p. 16 Rockford Art Museum: Art for Everyone! Your Home ................................................................. 11 A Perfect Patio Inspiration & Worship ............................................. 12 Earth Day, Every Day Your Outdoor Living ................................................ 21 Garden Tips from Local Experts Your Health ................................................................ 23 Spinal Health is Part of Wellness Your Fun ..................................................................... 28
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia Multimedia Editor Sara Myers Graphics Director Samantha Behling Graphic Designer Ashley Smith Contributing Writers Peggy Werner General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Fort Wayne General Manager Sherri Cassedy Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Nita Lasky Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes Distribution Kelly Fairbairn Website www.SmartLivingWeekly.com Published by Hughes Media Corp. 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104 (815) 316-2300, Fax: (815) 316-2301 lhughes@northwestquarterly.com Smart Living. Copyright 2021 by Hughes Media Corp., 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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A ‘ Cause Beyond Party’
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ike most everything else last year, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020 was diminished by the pandemic – and that’s a shame. The generation that demanded respect for nature in 1970 is vanishing, but still has much to teach us. We live in a hyper-partisan, media-driven culture, but the mid-century environmental movement was bipartisan and organic. A groundswell of unified Americans led the world by standing up to fight a common enemy: the destruction of our planet. Earth Day was a peaceful public outcry for our land, air, water and wildlife to be protected through federal legislation. Some 20 million folks filled public spaces coast to coast to demand a cleaner future for their children – you and me. Remarkably, politicians listened to the people rather than to mega-donors. By today’s standards, this was miraculous. By July 1970, President Nixon (R) had signed into law a bill establishing an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A nearly unified Congress enacted the Clean Air Act (1970), Clean Water Act (1972), Endangered Species Act (1973) and Safe Drinking Water Act (1974). No one filibustered to stop this movement. No one threatened “to primary” politicians who obeyed their consciences. For the first time, the nation had a sciencedriven agency (EPA) that could enforce environmental stewardship. Profit for a few at the expense of public health and the greater economy was no longer a given. (Think Dust Bowl.) You and I enjoy a much healthier nation than many of our ancestors did because of these landmark laws driven by public will. But the planet’s health continues to unravel. The populations of 4,300 wildlife species plummeted 68 percent since 1970 (World Wildlife Fund) and hundreds more are now extinct. Christians know God told people to “care for the garden.” Scientists know the future of all living things, including humans, is dependent upon a healthy natural world. Whatever else we believe, we should all agree the earth sustains us. As President Nixon said, “Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions.” Happy Earth Day and enjoy spring! ❚ Janine Pumilia SLW Editor
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Your Home & Garden
The Perfect Patio: Functional & Low Maintenance By Peggy Werner
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ong lasting, functional, and low maintenance are key concepts today’s homeowners are interested in when they build or improve home patios. As general manager of Benson Stone Company, 1100 11th St., Kevin Obee has seen how the evolution of materials and designs is impacting the way people enjoy life outdoors. “Sometimes the best room in the house isn’t in the house,” he says. One of the most popular trends is building a retaining wall around a patio, which not only adds privacy and beauty, but also extra seating for guests. Walls and innovative flooring materials are ushering the way toward the biggest changes in patio planning, he says. Screens, gates, brick walls, fireplace walls, garden screens, colorful sliding glass door panels, plants, shrubs, firepits,
gazebo-style tents and awnings can add to a feeling of privacy and coziness. “This is a big trend all over the country,” he says. With so many new materials and an explosion of ideas being incorporated into making outdoor spaces more comfortable, the trends in outdoor living continue to evolve, he says. “I’m seeing people design bigger spaces, with multiple levels,” he says. In one area, there may be a patio with seating around a fire pit and a path leading to a quiet garden area. People are moving away from highmaintenance wood decks to long-lasting materials that require little maintenance and offer a variety of looks. Benson’s showroom, inside a fourstory restored furniture factory, is filled with ideas to transform your home inside
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and out. Showroom hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon. and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. While you’re there, stop by the HearthRock Café to enjoy gourmet coffee, waffles, quiche, biscuits and gravy for breakfast or an array of salads, soups and sandwiches/flatbreads for lunch. The Café is open 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sat. ❚
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Inspiration & Worship
Earth Day Every Day A
s our long-awaited Midwest springtime unfolds, and Earth Day approaches, we’re reminded of the boundless energy contained in all living things, even when they appear to be dead. Jesus of Nazareth certainly appeared to be defeated by death, when he was locked away in a tomb after being tortured and executed by crucifixion. God alone has power over life and death, however. God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, just as He promised that He would do. God also promises new life to each of us who believe on the name of Jesus Christ. Every unfurling leaf reminds us that we belong to a loving, limitless, living creator. This thought so inspired English poet and hymnist Folliott Sandford Pierpoint that he penned a beloved hymn, in 1864, that we still treasure and sing today.
For The Beauty Of The Earth For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our grateful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon and stars of light, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our grateful hymn of praise. For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child, Friends on earth, and friends above, Pleasures pure and undefiled, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our grateful hymn of praise. For each perfect gift of thine, To our race so freely given, Graces human and divine, Flowers of earth and buds of heaven, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our grateful hymn of praise. For thy Church which evermore Lifteth holy hands above, Offering up on every shore Her pure sacrifice of love, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our grateful hymn of praise. ❚ 12
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Right in Our Region
Rockford Art Museum: Art is for Everyone A By Sara Myers mong the great gems of our community is Rockford Art Museum (RAM), located in the city’s downtown museum campus at 711 N. Main St. Now through at least June 11, admission to the museum is free, a situation that museum leaders hope they’ll be able to continue. “It’s so important to create a museum that’s accessible to our community,” says Carrie Johnson, RAM curator and executive director. “There should be no barriers for someone to come and experience art.” Museum admission is always free during the two weeks between rotating major exhibits in the main gallery upstairs but right now admission is also free for the current major exhibit that runs through May 31. “Jonah King’s ‘How the West Was Won’ is an immersive documentary video experience that takes visitors on a journey through the modern American
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West, where eternal golfers replace rugged cowboys,” explains Johnson. “It’s a collaboration with Rockford-based New Genres Art Space.” Also in the main gallery is Veronica Soria Martinez’s “Memory Access,” another immersive digital experience that uses experimental sound art and augmented reality light sculptures to imagine the future. The Rockford-based artist creates a multi-sensory experience that interfaces with RAM’s new smartphone app. You can use the app to view Martinez’s augmented reality sculptures as you walk around her exhibit. iPads are available to view the augmented reality portions. RAM’s Anderson Gallery, downstairs, features samples from the museum’s 100-piece permanent collection. American Masters shows off traditional art media, including portraits and landscapes. There’s also a showing of African
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American art from the southern U.S. This summer, pop and modern contemporary pieces from RAM’s collection will become the main attraction upstairs. The show will feature selections collected over the past two decades. Artists to be featured in the summer show include Kerry James Marshall, Jackie Tileston, Diane Simpson, Jeff Koons and Nic Nicosia. Meanwhile, a longtime favorite – RAM’s Young Artist Show – will take on a new spin this year as it’s presented virtually. The 80th Anniversary Show will display the work of Rockford Public Schools students and can be viewed online at rockfordartmuseum.org. Beyond RAM’s rotating exhibits is a wealth of programming for the public to enjoy. The museum offers classes for children, lectures for adults and resources for teachers, with both virtual and
(Rockford Art Museum photo)
Right in Our Region
Diane Simpson’s “Dress Frame.”
in-person formats. Cartoon Club was recently started by Jamie Fedora, RAM’S education manager, as a Saturday afternoon art lesson for children 6 years and older. Fedora guides students step-by-step as they draw video game characters, baby animals and more. For adults, a studio class meets weekly at the museum. Additional adult workshops will be rolling out soon, says Johnson. “We did one night with local artist Lynn Fisher Carlson. She did an amazing
ceramics class,” says Johnson. “She was just working with clay with people in the gallery for about 2 hours.” Johnson sees increased interest among beginning artists for 2-hour sessions that allow them to explore new mediums. She believes collaborations with other organizations will prove essential to the museum’s future. “We’ve got a really strong collaboration with the City of Rockford and are lending out pieces from our permanent collection to the mayor’s office,” says Johnson. “Next year, I’m working on an exhibition that’s featuring an artist who works with books. I’m hoping to have a good collaboration with the library then. We’re going to be doing a 60-footlong book installation in the galleries upstairs.” RAM is supported by a combination of private donations and grants and also depends upon the generosity of its members. Museum members receive discounts on classes and additional access to
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the museum; $15 buys an annual student membership; $50/individuals; $75/families and patron levels range from $150 to $1,000 per year for those who wish to support RAM in a major way. Johnson anticipates a day when the art museum can end the practice of charging admission altogether. RAM is supported by a combination of private donations and grants, and the generosity of its members. “It’s so important for us to have our communities stand behind this museum as open, friendly and accessible to everyone,” says Johnson. “So, drop a couple of dollars in the donation box if you’re able to. You can always go on our website and donate or participate in a class. Either way is a huge help for the museum.” RAM is part of Rockford’s Riverfront Museum Park, alongside Discovery Center Museum, Rockford Dance Company and the offices of Rockford Symphony Orchestra. Learn more at RockfordArtMuseum.org. ❚
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THE AFTERNOON’S
FOUR QUEENS.
LAR KELLY C
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STILLO
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SHANNO
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Outdoor Living
Tips from Garden Experts W
arm weather has us itching to start our gardens, but hold off just a little longer. A cold night can stress new plants, giving them a weak start. The general rule of thumb is to wait until Mother’s Day, which is May 9 this year, says Tyler Hagemann, owner and grower at Merlin’s Greenhouse, 300 Mix St., Oregon, Ill. “The longer you wait, the better your plants are going to do because they’re not going though that stress level,” says Hagemann. Once it’s time to plant, note the light and water requirements a plant needs before choosing where to put it. They’re normally found on the plant tag. Most annual plants – the kind that offer bright color all season long and perish with fall frost – need plenty of sunlight to bloom properly. Common annuals include geraniums, petunias and begonias. Some varieties tolerate shade well, such as impatiens and coleus. The latter is prized for its colorful foliage.
“Every year they come up with another four or five colors and textures of coleus,” says Scott Gensler, co-owner of Gensler Gardens, 102 Orth Road in Loves Park and 8631 11th St. in Davis Junction, Ill. Gensler often builds a container around a central, taller-growing coleus. From purples to vibrant rusts, lime greens, reds and hot pinks, no-fuss coleus are rapid growers that enjoy a mix of sun and shade. If they get too big, just pinch off a few inches. Perennials are plants which re-appear each spring, such as sedum, daylilies, iris, peonies, coral bells, hostas and some ornamental grasses and herbs. They bloom for a short period of time rather than all season long, but they won’t die with frost. Once you’ve given plants a proper home, be sure to water and feed them. “In order to keep those hanging baskets as beautiful as when you purchased them, you need to check them daily to see
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if they need to be watered,” says Jamie Swanson, owner of S & H Nursery, 5956 McCurry Road in Roscoe. “The object of watering is to find that ‘happy medium,’ neither too wet nor too dry, because too much or too little water can be detrimental.” Plants in containers need to be watered more often than plants in the ground, especially in hot, windy conditions. Most flowering plants need to be fertilized and deadheaded weekly to look their best. Snipping off the withered bloom at the first notch in the stem signals the plant to send nutrients to new blooms. A thoughtful mix of annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees can improve both curb appeal and backyard enjoyment. ❚
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Your Health
Wellness is the Focus of Chiropractic Care By Jermaine Pigee, managing fter working as an independent general chiropractor for nearly 10 years, Dr. Brittany Sullivan last year opened Elite Spine & Wellness, 6833 Stalter Dr., Suite 203, in Rockford. “Our office is brand new, and it’s got a modern and hip vibe to it. That’s part of what makes our experience pretty great,” she says. “I’ve been in this field for eight years, and my massage therapist, Jennifer Carrig, has been massaging for 18 years. We like to call ourselves a one-stop-shop because you can come here, get treatment and go home feeling better.” Dr. B, as she’s called by her patients, spent four years as an associate in Rockford before becoming an independent contractor in Loves Park, Ill. After four years in that location, she was ready to launch her own practice. “I knew I wanted to be a doctor, and I wanted to help people heal as naturally
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editor as possible,” Sullivan says. “I took the chiropractic lane and I absolutely loved it from the beginning. Musculoskeletal dysfunction is our area of expertise.” Sullivan works with patients who suffer from any type of pain in the back, including muscle strains, misalignments, arthritis and lifting injuries. She also specializes in flexion/distraction, which helps decompress the spine after a disc injury. Sullivan uses the activator method of chiropractic and a unique hand-held tool that allows her to do manual adjustments with low force. “It’s a tool that’s used for people who don’t like the popping sound, or for people with brittle bones,” Sullivan says. Sullivan emphasizes wellness through all of her services. “We start with acute care,” she says. “We’ll do adjustments, and we’ll do pas-
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sive therapies like muscle stimulation, ultrasound and massage just to keep their pain down. Once their pain goes down, we’ll do rehabilitative treatment where Dr. Brittany Sullivan they’re doing strengthening exercises just to get them back to being functional again.” The Rockford native earned her bachelor’s degree from Rockford College before attending Palmer College of Chiropractic, in Florida. She later returned home to Rockford and began her career. When she’s not practicing, Sullivan spends her time with her 8-monthold son, Declan, and her husband of two years, Matt. ❚
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Your Fun
Entertainment & Events
Editor’s Note: Please call or check website for any updates before attending events due to fluctuating COVID-19 restrictions. To Create is in Our Nature April 17, 1-4 p.m. In this poetry writing workshop, Rockford poet Christopher D. Sims encourages creative writers to look at nature and write. Severson Dells Nature Center, 8502 Montague Road, Winnebago, Ill., (815) 335-2915, seversondells.com. Rockford Wind Ensemble April 18, 3-5 p.m. An afternoon of lovely music by the ensemble. Nordlof Center, 118 N. Main St. Info: rockfordpubliclibrary.org. KC Conversations April 20, noon-1:15 p.m. Each month Katie’s Cup Conversations bring together people to discuss topics of interest that affect our local area and its residents. April’s topic is “Making it in Midtown-Past, Present and Future.” 502 7th St., Rockford, (815) 986-0628, katiescup. com. CROP Hunger Walk - Janesville April 25, 8 a.m.-noon. Raise funds for local &
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world hunger relief. Cargill UMC, 2000 Wesley Ave. (888)297-2767,.janesvillecvb.com. AE: ‘Legally Blonde’ April 22-25, Thu.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. A sorority girl who goes to Harvard Law School to win back her boyfriend becomes a successful lawyer in her own right. Artists’ Ensemble, Cheek Theatre, Rockford U., 5050 E. State St., (815) 226-4100, artistsensemble.org. Spring Wildflower Walk April 24 & May 9, 10 a.m.-noon. Celebrate spring with a walk in the forest to look for Dutchman’s breeches, violets, wild ginger, trilliums & more. Reg. online. Welty Environmental Center, 1201 Big Hill Court, Beloit, (608) 361-1377, weltycenter.org. Arbor Day Celebration April 29, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The Annual Arbor Day Celebration festivities include a tree giveaway, free admission and tree plantings throughout the grounds. Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 2715 S. Main St., Rockford, (815) 965-8146, klehm.org. Rockford Art Museum - Jonah King Through May 31, Thu.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
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Let nature inspire the poet inside you during a workshop at Severson Dells on April 17.
Jonah King’s exhibition, “How the West Was Won,” explores the relationship among geologic time, colonialism, climate change and golf. 711 N. Main St., (815) 968-2787, rockfordartmuseum.org. Simply Spring: The Butterfly Exhibit Through May 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. They’re back! Celebrate the arrival of spring with the magical world of butterflies. See NicholasConservatory.com for tickets. Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N. 2nd St., (815) 987-8858, rockfordparkdistrict. org/ncg. ❚
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