The West Chicago Garden Club

By Barbara Darrah

It looks like the “lazy, hazy, crazy, days of summer” are coming to an end. August is here encompassing the “dog days” of summer named after Sirius, the dog star. In ancient Egypt, the name of this god meant “scorching” as the star rose prior to the sunrise during the dry days just before the annual flooding of the Nile. Summer doesn’t end that abruptly here but it is beginning to glide away toward autumn, leaving the workers at Kruse with less and less control over the gardens. We can only do our best to keep them weeded and deadheaded until the time for fall clean up arrives.

We’ve had some special times this summer, beginning with the arrival of the butterflies and then “Big Boy” the steam engine which helped draw new people into the city, and at least one family that I saw, to the Kruse Garden. Meanwhile, the butterflies have merged into the landscape beautifully and I will miss them if they go away.

As Shakespeare said:

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date”

However, in the meantime, we have a chance to share one more magical moment as the annual ice cream social is coming up. Please join us for Summer’s last burst of color and help to support the museum on September 7.

P.S. The deserts are always fantastic. Get there early before Dan’s cherry pie is gone.