Smart Living Rockford- May 2023

Do it! Delegate! Well. I

did it.

I finally hired an interior designer!

My husband and I moved into our home almost two years ago now. I was pregnant with our son, Elliot, at the time.

I had all of these big ambitions to decorate our new home with upgraded furniture and maybe even put up a wall to create a new bedroom (which our realtor and house inspector both insisted could be done). But none of that happened.

Instead, I had a baby five weeks early, and these household projects never became a priority. Almost two years later, they still aren’t. Between work and being a mom, I just don’t want to make time for these things.

But guess what? There are actual professionals who are SO much more talented than I am at seeing the potential of our space. Our living room naturally has two focal points, which makes it difficult for me to envision what to do. Our furniture is old and quite frankly, it’s ugly. There’s a fan that doesn’t even work. I thought I could fix it all myself, but it’s two years later and I still haven’t changed a thing. Every time I would try to shop, I’d easily feel overwhelmed. I just don’t have an eye for pairing rugs with couches and end tables and everything else.

So, my husband and I decided to seek help. Why not let someone with actual talent handle this? We’re now receiving drawings of what our space could look like, and it’s already so much better than anything I could have ever done myself.

For now, it’s just our living room that’s getting an upgrade. But if all goes well, I’m sure we’ll have more projects in the future. And for the first time, I’m finally excited about shopping. (Because someone else is doing it!)

The lesson I’m learning yet again in my adult life is to not be afraid to delegate. We don’t have to do everything all by ourselves. It’s okay to let others help, especially when others have a gift. That’s Smart Living.

Have a great week! ❚

Lindsey Lukas Senior Editor

Star Struck

Beingpeople, we sometimes argue about which celebrities are “good role models” for our children. Who and what do we admire? Financial success? Athletic prowess? Physical beauty? Great talent or intelligence? Charisma? “You can reach for the stars like these people did,” we tell our kids.

Yet, while all of these qualities are pleasant and just may be used to the glory of God, they have little to do with the behaviors modeled by Jesus Christ.

Along with unfailing, loving obedience to God, Jesus set an example for passionate service to others. He demonstrated courage, compassion, humility, kindness, patience and an unstoppable, unconditional, crazybig love for people.

John writes in John 13:1-5 (NIV): It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him...

... John 13:12-17: When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

God’s ways are far above our ways. But with His help, we can reach for the stars –and the Maker of the stars – anyway. ❚

– Janine Pumilia

An Extra Space to Store Your Belongings

By Peggy Werner

Americans have a lot of stuff.

That’s the conclusion of Owen Costanza, owner of Lyford Storage and Flanders Insurance Company, both headquartered at 1947 N. Lyford Road, Rockford. In the insurance business for about 30 years, he founded Lyford Storage in 2016 and recently added four more storage buildings. As those fill up, he plans to build more.

“I’m really surprised at what people store,” he says. “But as the saying goes, one person’s trash is another’s treasure.”

As the land around him developed, Costanza had a marketing and research study done and found the area is 90% underserved when it comes to storage units. Some of the most common reasons people rent a storage unit include decluttering and making space at home, and storing possessions such as seasonal

items, boats, jet skis, vintage cars, snowmobiles, furniture, lawn equipment, exercise equipment and business equipment.

Meanwhile, more and more people are starting up small businesses and getting involved in ecommerce and need a safe place to store equipment and supplies. Tradespeople will use a storage unit for a safe place to park a trailer full of tools and other expensive equipment, Costanza says.

“Some people will spend hours at their units, using it as a workshop or an off-site office, where employees meet to get assignments and supplies before heading out for a day’s work,” he adds.

The storage units are not temperature controlled and have security cameras on every building. In the next phase of development, Costanza plans to add more buildings, gate the property, and grant in-

dividuals an access code to get into their paid units at any time day or night.

Lyford Storage is also an independent dealer for U-Haul, operating as a drop-off and pick-up site for U-Haul trailers, vans, car haulers and U-boxes. U-Haul manages the website lyfordstorage.com, where people can book rental units and reserve U-Haul equipment for their moving needs. However, each business operates independently.

For more information, visit lyfordstorage.com or call (815) 226-1444 ext. 204. ❚

Learn How You Can Protect Nature

By Peggy Werner

Natural

Land Institute (NLI) is one of the oldest private conservation groups in the Midwest, dedicated to preserving land and natural diversity for future generations since 1958.

To help the organization serve its mission, a variety of events and activities are held every spring and summer to encourage people’s appreciation of nature and their role in protecting it, says Kimberly Wheeler Johnsen, director of marketing and membership.

“We do all that we do for the purpose of giving people, especially kids, an opportunity for hands-on learning, so they learn to understand nature, fall in love with it, and want to do their part in protecting it,” she says. “Paying attention to what’s going on in nature makes you more aware of everything around you.”

Johnsen recalls a family who recog-

nized soil erosion along river banks because they had learned about it while participating in Family Nature Adventures and understood what they were looking at when they came across it during a canoe trip.

Several informational, enjoyable and educational events are being held this spring and summer at the various NLI preserves.

NLI and Severson Dells Nature Center staff and volunteers take people on weekly Wildflower Walkabouts at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays or Wednesdays from April through June. The walks showcase what is in bloom at various woodland and prairie preserves around Win-

nebago, Boone and Ogle counties. Walks are free, but registration is required since group size is limited. This year, walkers will look for wildflowers at Anna Page Park, Stephen and Deirdre Nardi Equine Prairie Preserve, Pecatonica River Forest Preserve, Sewell Conservation Area, Howard D. Colman Dells, Piscasaw Fen,

Burr Oak Valley, Wilson Prairie, Harlem Hills and Searles Prairie nature preserves.

Family Nature Adventures takes place Saturday, June 24 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Nygren Wetland Preserve, 3190 W. Rockton Road, Rockton. Kids and

certificate. Some of the learning station topics include bird journaling, bluebirds, butterflies, mammals, Native-American history, reptiles, wetlands and more.

Wine and Brew at the Wetland is a major fundraiser for the preserve that takes place Saturday, July 15 from 3-6 p.m. Sip wine, craft beer and whiskey samples at several tasting tables set up by local businesses including Prairie Street Brewing Company and Artale & Co. The evening includes a food buffet, cash bar, music and walks through the prairie.

Land Stewardship and Restoration Days are held weekly and monthly to clear out invasive species, collect seeds, and learn about the various needs of the NLI preserves.

“It’s a great thing for people to get

for more species of living things. When one type of plant takes over, it reduces the viability of other wildlife. For a healthy ecosystem, we want diversity of all living things. Wildlife depends on a diversity of plants and animals.”

NLI is a member-supported nonprofit organization that has protected, managed and restored more than 18,000 acres throughout Illinois and southern Wisconsin, including prairies, forests, wetlands and river corridors. A Community Outreach & Engagement Committee plans and hosts programs for youth and adults, assists with kids’ activities at community events, works on recruiting new members for NLI, and helps with promotional efforts.

Visit naturalland.org to learn about

Elkhorn,

2023 events

@Spring Food Truck

@Saturdays on the Square

@Elkhorn Antique Flea Market

New Exhibits and Favorite Events at Klehm

By Peggy Werner

Spring and summer at Klehm are not only about beautiful trees and flowering plants – they’re also about popular events, larger-than-life displays, great music and a brand-new water feature.

Alex Mills, executive director, says every season offers beauty and adventure at the 155-acre arboretum and botanic gardens, 2715 S. Main St., but spring and summer are an especially great time to be outdoors.

This spring, many people will get their first look at the new Bradley and Georgann Gummow Family Foundation Entry Water Feature, with landscaping, a pond, cascading waterfalls, and a patio and benches to enjoy the view.

Garden Fair is Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, June 4, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Choose from a wide variety of plants, flowers, garden décor and art.

Visit 60 educational and informational booths, listen to live music, and enjoy a meal from local food trucks.

The second annual seasonal exhibit is David Rogers’ Big Bugs: The Pollinator’s Exhibit, from June 10 through September 10. The large sculptures are made of reclaimed forest wood and other natural materials. Each sculpture represents a pollinator species and the critical role each has in supporting the natural ecosystem and food chain. All art work is visible from paved paths. The largest sculpture is an 18-feet by 20-feet Praying Mantis, weighing 1,200 pounds. Also represented are a Daddy Long Legs, ladybug, butterfly and insects.

An opening reception takes place Friday, June 9 with the artist, David Rogers, and includes appetizers provided by Franchesco’s Ristorante, a cash bar, and

the Tony Vecchio Quartet from 6-8 p.m. in the Garden Pavilion.

“People will be taken by surprise at the large scale of these sculptures and marvel at the intricate detail on each one,” Mills says.

Klehm will also feature live music this summer. “Woodsong Concerts” are at 6 p.m. one Sunday a month from June through September. For more information on all events, visit klehm.org. ❚