Smart Living Rockford- June 2023

One Year at SL!

It’s officially been one year since I took over as Smart Living editor from my mentor and friend, Janine Pumilia. I think it’s important to recognize milestones, particularly because they make for great opportunities to reflect.

To be honest, I’m not a Rockford native. My journey here began in 2015, and despite the negative sentiments that some people hold against Rockford, my experience here has been overwhelmingly positive. There’s a lot of fun things to do and there’s great people who live here. Housing is affordable and traffic isn’t a daily nightmare. (At least in my experience!)

Overall, I’d have to say this past year has been fun. I’ve been able to interview some fascinating people, including business owner and “SuperMom” Andrea Bear, Starlight Theatre’s producing artistic director, Christopher Brady, plus so many other incredible people in between. (And if you missed those stories, you can find them at northwestquarterly.com). Our community is full of passionate people who love what they do, and that passion is contagious.

If I’m being honest a second time, this year has had its challenges as well. Balancing my editorial duties with being a “stay-at-home mom” to my 1-year-old baby has been tricky to navigate at times. Thank goodness for my mom and mother-in-law, who graciously and eagerly provide child care. I couldn’t balance it all without them. I definitely know how lucky I am.

If I could sum up this past work year in only three words, I would choose “adventurous,” “motivational” and “caffeinated.” I explored, I learned, and I drank a WHOLE bunch of coffee. (For reference, my Keurig is the only thing I keep out permanently on my kitchen counter).

This job is truly a blessing. Cheers to more years of creating interesting, informative content and writing honest front columns. It will always be my mission to deliver you a quality product.

Have a great week! ❚

Lindsey Lukas Senior Editor

No Need to Hide

Godloves us and wants to be loved back. “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered,” Jesus Christ tells us about God’s love for us. (Luke 12:7)

Yet many of us believe that if God really knew us, He couldn’t possibly love us. Our shame may cause us to “hide” from God. This is exactly the opposite of “come boldly to the throne of grace,” (Hebrews 4:16) which is what God wants us to feel comfortable doing.

Adam and Eve tried hiding in the garden, after sinning. It didn’t work. They only managed to distance themselves from God, to their great detriment.

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ So he [Adam] said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.’” (Gen. 3:8-10)

No one can hide from God. And not one of His children needs to.

“Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24)

God knows what we’re made of and loves us anyway. His grace is not dependent upon our goodness but upon God’s goodness. To ignore this is to ignore what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Through Christ, the bridge between people and God was rebuilt. God doesn’t want us to be distant from Him; He loves us and yearns for us to love Him back. But we can’t love someone we don’t know.

Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7 NIV) No hiding! ❚

– Janine Pumilia

@Elkhorn Antique Flea Market

Petunia Fest Back to Full Capacity

By Peggy Werner

Afterno festival in 2020 and scaleddown versions the following years due to the pandemic, Petunia Festival in downtown Dixon is back in full force this year with a focus on musical entertainment.

“We want to give new artists the opportunity to play, as well as showcase more nationally known bands,” says Nick Escobar, entertainment chairman and Petunia Festival President in 2022. “We want to be a showcase for some of the best bands the area has to offer. Petunia Festival gives a small town a big-town feeling.”

This year’s event takes place Friday through Tuesday, June 30-July 4, in downtown Dixon and at the festival grounds along the riverfront.

“The entire community gets together and rallies behind the festival that

brings in a record number of visitors to our downtown,” Escobar says. “It’s the biggest event of the year and is a private, not-for-profit event, with all money raised going into the next year’s festival.”

Musical entertainment performs on two stages; the Stella Main Stage on the corner of River Street and Galena Avenue; and the Reagan Stage, in front of the President Ronald Reagan statue on River Street and Hennepin Avenue.

Last year, the Reagan Stage was upgraded with a new platform, new lighting and sound system to deliver the same experience as the main stage, Escobar says.

A musical headliner takes the stage each night. On Friday, it’s Too Much Molly, a fun, popular music dance band seen regularly in Chicago. On Saturday, Trippin Billies, a Dave Matthews Tribute Band also from Chicago, takes the

stage. On Sunday, Michael Ray performs many of his top 40 hits during the festival’s country night, and Monday features Everclear, a grunge pop band from California playing music from the 1990s and beyond.

The festival features continuous live music on alternating stages every one to two hours, Escobar adds. Main Stage entertainment begins Friday with Invis-

ible Cartoons at 6:30 p.m., followed by Too Much Molly at 9:30 p.m. Saturday features Kirkland at 6:30 p.m. and The Trippin Billies at 9:30 p.m. On Sunday, Dixon native Gina Venier, a Midwesterner whose fun-loving, down-to-earth personality makes everyone feel a part of the party, performs at 6:30 p.m., followed

by Michael Ray at 9:30 p.m. Monday’s acts include Timothy Morris Band at 6:30 p.m. and Everclear at 10 p.m.

Friday’s Reagan Stage headliners include Velvet 100 at 5:30 p.m. and Class Field Trip at 8:30 p.m. Saturday’s entertainment includes BAJA at 5:30 p.m. and Mirabilia at 8:30 p.m. Sunday features Slick Triger at 5:30 p.m. and 3 Day Rain at 8:30 p.m. On Monday, Half Catholic performs at 5:30 p.m.

“We are offering a wide variety of music because we want Petunia Festival to be a great experience for everyone,” Escobar says.

Other festival traditions include tours of the late President Ronald Reagan’s boyhood home, pancake breakfasts, arts and crafts, an ice cream social, bingo, the annual KSB Tennis Classic, a fishing derby, volleyball tournament, disc golf tournament, Cruise-in Style Car Show presented by Ken Nelson Auto Group, a food tent, bags tournament, games, amusement rides by North American

Midway Entertainment Carnival, a Family Fun Night and more.

Food vendors serve pizza, tacos, corn dogs, elephant ears and more along the riverfront from 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, 1 p.m. to midnight on Sunday, and 2 p.m. to midnight on Monday.

Floats, bands, dancers, clowns, jugglers and more are some of the highlights of the traditional parade at 1 p.m. on Sunday, traveling from St. Mary’s Catholic School, 704 S. Peoria Ave., to Dixon High School, 315 Mark Dallas Way. Fireworks presented by KSB Hospital are launched near the ComEd site on Second Street, and people can tune into River Country 101.7 to hear the synchronized music during the display on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Festival tickets are $10 per day, or presale tickets for all four days can be purchased for $25 at the Petunia Festival Headquarters, 77 S. Hennepin Ave. For a complete schedule of events and activities, go to petuniafestival.org. ❚

Improve Your Lawn with Beautiful Plants

By Peggy Werner

Whenit comes to locating high-quality trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcovers, J. Carlson Growers, 8938 Newburg Road in Rockford, has been a trusted source for more than 40 years.

“Upon visiting our nursery for the first time, it is evident that this is a special place,” says owner Jon Carlson.

He sees his role as helping people make the right choices when landscaping their yards. It’s important to identify the right location for a tree or shrub, and that means careful attention to whether it needs a dry, shady, wet or sunny spot. His team is trained to ask the right questions and guide shoppers through the selection process.

“We are not landscape architects, but we can give good landscaping advice. And although we sell plants and many unusual varieties, we are all about ser-

vice,” Carlson says. “Unique and unusual plants can work out well in the Midwest, if in the right surroundings and in the right conditions.”

J. Carlson Growers specializes in shade and ornamental trees, shrubs, ornamental and dwarf conifers, broadleaf evergreens, flowering shrubs, groundcover, perennials and vines, and native plants.

“We pride ourselves in providing gorgeous Japanese maples, colorful rhododendrons and azaleas, as well as hardy ornamental and garden conifers,” Carlson says. “Our staff is dedicated to sharing their knowledge and helping you choose the perfect plants for your landscape.”

To ensure customers receive plants in their best condition, Carlson offers delivery to a home or business for a nominal fee. Mulch and compost can also be delivered in bulk.

Once that tree, shrub or perennial is in the ground, a few smart maintenance tasks will keep it healthy for years to come. In the springtime, clean up debris from the lawn and landscaping, including leaves missed from the fall and sticks that have fallen during the winter, Carlson says. It’s also a good idea to prune bushes and shrubs before the active growing season, however that does not include flowering shrubs and bushes with buds about to open. If you didn’t get perennials trimmed back in the fall, now is the time to remove old growth. ❚

ByronFest Brings Big Fun

By Peggy Werner

ByronFest, July 7-9, is a fun-filled tradition with music, food, carnival rides and contests for the purpose of bringing the community together and raising money for the local Chamber of Commerce.

“The longevity of this festival speaks to the strength of our community and how everyone pulls together each year to make it happen,” says Deanna Mershon, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.

ByronFest is known for its non-stop music on two separate stages, with a beer garden at each location. The Constellation Stage is located outside of City Hall on the corner of Second and Washington Streets, and the Byron Lions Stage is in Municipal Parking Lot 1 on Walnut Street. The headliner this year is country singer/songwriter Walker Montgomery,

who will perform 8-9:15 p.m. Saturday on the Constellation Stage.

For the second year, a ByronFest Idol will be chosen. The event takes place from noon-1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Taste of ByronFest occurs daily and features a wide variety of food vendors. Other highlights include a 5K run, carnival rides, a quilt show, entertainers and a parade at 3 p.m. Saturday. The parade will begin at Maple and Second Streets, travel east on Second Street, north on Colfax and east on Third Street, ending at Third and Market.

Admission wristbands are $8 in advance or $10 at the gate and are required for admission to the beer gardens, entertainment stages and Taste of ByronFest. No wristbands are required on “Family Day,” Sunday, when admission is free. Wristbands are available at Byron

Bank, the Chamber of Commerce, Felker Foods, Kelly Williamson Mobil, Snyder Pharmacy, Sterling Federal Bank, Merlin’s Greenhouse and Stillman Bank. A mega pass, which includes unlimited carnival rides and daily admission, is $65 at the gate or $55 in advance at the chamber office, 232 W. Second St., or at office@ byronchamber.com. Children under seven years old are admitted free. For a full list of events, go to byronfest.org. ❚

Make a Profit by Selling Your Used Tools

By Peggy Werner

Looking to clear out that garage or basement full of tools seldom or never used?

Make some money while decluttering by bringing in what you have to ReTool, 3622 E. State St., in the Fairview Shopping Center.

Owner Dave Stenberg buys tools and lawn equipment at his business, but everything he buys must be usable, in demand, and in good working condition.

Stenberg estimates 70% of his business is used tools, selling at prices 40%90% less than other retailers while new tools sell for 10%-30% less than other retailers. The store offers a layaway plan, does special orders, and buys back tools it sold for 60 percent of the purchase price, if in good condition.

“Everything you buy here has at least a 30-day parts and labor warranty,” Sten-

berg says. “So, it’s no risk and not like buying at an auction or a garage sale.”

In business for more than 25 years, Stenberg decides what inventory to add to his 2,500-square-foot store, where every square inch is filled with product from floor to ceiling in neatly organized displays. He strives to keep his store seasonal, having what homeowners and others need at any time of year.

“We are not a junk store or a dropoff location,” Stenberg says. “If you want to get rid of something because it’s old and broken, we don’t want it either. We only take in those things other people can use.”

Not only does Stenberg sell quality products at good prices, but his customers benefit from his many years of experience.

“People don’t always know what

they are looking for, and they have a problem that needs to be solved,” he says.

“The best part of my job is talking with people one-on-one and helping them get only what they need.

“I love this job and love people and all the activity in the store each day. I call it organized chaos,” Stenberg adds.

Retool is open from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday; 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, and closed on Sunday. ❚