DC Magazine - February 2023

AFTER 75 YEARS, THE STAGE COACH PLAYERS ARE STILL GOING STRONG

FUNME EVENTS LEADS THE WAY ON GLOBAL ADVENTURES

WILDLIFE INSPIRES ARTIST

LORETTA FLOYD ACROSS MULTIPLE ART FORMS

Taste IN GOOD

165 YEARS OF PIONEERING SPIRIT.

It’s what you can expect from the great big, small bank.

Larry

Project Manager: Lisa Angel

Layout & Design: Julie Barichello

Photos by: FunME Events, Loretta Floyd, Pizza. Beer. Whiskey, and Stage Coach Players Writer: Kelley White Articles

PIZZA. BEER. WHISKEY. 327 W. State St., Sycamore (815) 970-9052

www.pizzabeerwhiskey.com

HOURS

Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

PIZZA. BEER. WHISKEY.

What More Could You Want?

By: Kelley White

Nicole Bergner is director of operations at Illinois Crafted Hospitality, a core group of restaurant, brewery and coffeehouse owners who recently opened Pizza. Beer. Whiskey. in November 2022. So far, PBW has been a smashing success, bringing tasty libations and some darn good pizza to Sycamore.

“The primary core of owners is a group of gentlemen that love craft beers and food, and they are very community driven,” Bergner said. “They kind of just took their passions for scratch food and craft beer and opened Pizza. Beer. Whiskey.”

While the majority of the ownership team has full-time jobs elsewhere, Luke Goucher serves as the managing partner and oversees the day-to-day operation at the Sycamore restaurant.

Each new establishment opened by Illinois Crafted Hospitality focuses on the community and a drive to serve their patrons.

“One of the core values for the ownership group and the entire hospitality team is keeping things local and really giving back to the community,” Bergner said. “For a lot of our other restaurants, we have only Illinois-crafted beer. We make sure we open our establishments in closeknit communities where we can give back and be a part of their world.”

Sycamore seemed like a natural location because a few members of the ownership team have roots in the city.

“There are a couple members of the ownership team that are from here, grew up in Sycamore and love the neighborhood,” Bergner said. “We’re all very familiar with the neighborhood, whether that’s because someone grew up here or are just regulars here. We just really love the community as a whole, and we

thought it would be a good idea to open an establishment.”

Pizza. Beer. Whiskey. opened at the end of November, and the reception has been stellar.

“The community has been wonderful,” Bergner said. “This has been my favorite opening so far, they really seem to enjoy it, it’s been a ton of fun and the staff has been great.”

When you walk into Pizza. Beer. Whiskey., the environment gives a Chicago-style vibe with rich, classy colors. Bergner compares it to bars travelers would encounter on the Gold Coast or River North. She also emphasizes the restaurant’s family-friendliness.

“Once you’re in the establishment, it’s very kid-friendly and there’s a bunch of fun music playing,” she said. “It’s really unlike anything I’ve personally seen in the area.”

After opening a burger joint, coffeehouses and breweries, the group was ready to present something different with this restaurant’s menu.

“We got together and said, ‘We love beer, we love whiskey, and everybody loves pizza,’ so we fused them all together and cultivated the Pizza. Beer. Whiskey. restaurant.”

Bergner’s passion is whiskey – she personally curated the restaurant’s whiskey menu.

“In general, my passion is bartending, mixology, spirits and cocktails,” Bergner said. “Those are the things I am most passionate about in the restaurant industry and I just think, in terms of curating the whiskey menu, I really wanted to find things that appeal to everyone.”

Pizza. Beer. Whiskey. is a destination for both novice and cultured whiskey drinkers.

“If you want to start your whiskey journey, there are palatable,

not super expensive options you can try,” Bergner said. “I wanted to make sure we covered the whole scope of whiskey, so we have a pretty great bourbon selection. We also have a selection of Japanese whiskey. I wanted to make sure if you are an avid whiskey drinker, there is something for you. If you are a novice, there is something for you, and everywhere in between. It was fun creating the menu, and it’s constantly updating.”

At the bar, you’ll find a handcrafted cocktail menu including the lavender martini, a fresh drink made with lavender water, vodka and lavender syrup.

“We also have a hibiscus grapefruit margarita, which is amazing,” Bergner said. “And then we have the tried-and-true espresso martini, which is my personal favorite after a long day.”

Goucher is in charge of personally selecting the bar’s craft beer options.

“PBW is a little bit different from our other concepts in that usually we stick to Illinois-centric craft beer, but this time it is global beer as well,” Bergner said. “So, we have some German beers and a wider array of craft beer, but we always have PBR and Oldstyle just in case. Other than those domestic beers, all the beer is craft beer.”

As for their deliciously melty pizza? It’s all made from scratch, including the dough and sauces, and when it comes to their flavors, PBW has done their homework. Bergner said their team has worked with research and development teams to specially curate toppings and flavors.

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“The manager team at PBW all have extensive pizza backgrounds,” she said. “This is a whole different ballgame than what we’re normally used to.”

Aside from different specialty pizza selections, PBW also serves the ever-popular pizzanini, a huge calzone they bake in the woodfire oven.

“For our pizzas, we’re focusing on strictly New York style, which is a thinner crust,” Bergner said. “Then I would say in two to three weeks, we’re going to launch our Detroit-style pizza as another option, which is a much thicker pizza with an entirely different dough and density. One of the specialty toppings we have on our pizzas is feta cheese, and we have wild boar sausage, which is a higher end sausage.”

To ensure the best quality served in a timely manner, PBW utilizes a double decker stone conveyor oven to optimize speed and efficiency. “We use the woodfire oven as a supplementary oven,” Bergner said.

Pizza. Beer. Whiskey is still the new kid on the block, but with a powerhouse team behind the brand, they are sure to spread a wealth of service and positivity in the Sycamore community.

“For us as a restaurant, and how we’ve cultivated this culture, it’s about giving back to the community and finding ways to help out with the community, giving back to our patrons, figuring out who they are and what makes them tick,” Bergner said. “I am really excited about the community-driven aspect, especially for the future.”

PERFORMING ARTS

2009: “Steel Magnolias”

2013: “Shrek: The Musical”

ARTS

Through Multiple Sites and a Global Pandemic, the Stage Coach Players Maintain an Unbroken Chain of Performances Across Seven Decades

By: Kelley White

Stage Coach Players is a legacy theater that tells the history of DeKalb through the lens of performance art with its deep historical roots in the community.

With more than 75 years of performances, Stage Coach Players continues to collaborate with the community of DeKalb to create momentous theater productions each year. Vice President of the Board of Directors Maria Boynton is passionate about working with the community players and believes Stage Coach’s history is important to the arts scene in DeKalb.

“We are one of the oldest theaters in the United States, but definitely in Illinois,” Boynton said. “The first performance we ever did was at the Masonic Temple, which doesn’t exist anymore, in DeKalb. It was in 1947, and we did a production called ‘Pure as the Driven Snow.’ Ann Eddy Grey was our founder.”

Shortly thereafter, Stage Coach moved to the barn of Ilehamwood Farm, owned by the Ellwood Family.

“They let us produce our next show at the farm, and they were there until 1949 when the Ellwoods needed to use the barn as a barn,” Boynton said. “The reason we’re called Stage Coach is because, as we were performing in the barn, the Ellwoods had a literal stagecoach they had been letting the players use as a box office.”

From 1947-1949, Stage Coach performed out of the barn loft. From 1950-1952, the players performed at the high school or grade school nearby, keeping their passion for performance alive in any way they could.

“We did a performance in 1952, the ‘Trial of Mary Dugan,’ actually in the courthouse,

so that was fun,” Boynton said. “In ’53, they got a permanent structure out where the current Walmart is. They went into a kind of metal shed, and that is where they stayed until about 2001.”

The group’s current building at 126 S. Fifth St., DeKalb, originally served as manufacturing facility, then it was a church. Now it is the theater.

A HISTORY OF CONTINUITY

Every year since 1947, Stage Coach Players have presented at least one performance, including at the height of the pandemic, observing all CDC regulations.

“We had one production in 2020 – our black box production of ‘Visiting Mr. Green,’ and then the world shut down,” Boynton said. “We are one of the longest continually running theatre organizations.”

The long history of Stage Coach is a testament to their tenacity as a local theater. Boynton credits the community’s participation for much of the group’s success.

“I think that, whether we are performing in a barn, in a grade school, in a courthouse or in a really nice building like we have now, the thing that is consistent across all of that is the fact that the community remains,” she said.

That community includes people who have been members of the organization for decades as well as longtime show sponsors.

“We have sponsors that help with our shows every year and some of them used to be directors or used to work with the people that were doing shows in the ‘50s and ‘60s, so there’s kind of this continuous

2019: “The Little Mermaid”

line of people throughout our history. There is a lineage that is continuing and we’re always looking for new people to come in but the tradition of excellence we have is that there is a continuous line that reaches back to 1947.”

Boynton notes that anyone can be a part of Stage Coach, helping with their productions in any role with any level of involvement they choose.

Stage Coach is not a professional theatrical group, meaning, none of their players are in unions and the actors are all volunteers. They do, however, issue grant stipends to musicians who perform for their ever-popular musicals.

“A lot of people don’t realize when we have a musical, we actually have live musicians playing behind the stage,” Boynton said. “During the performances, there is actually something like a pit orchestra; it’s just not in a pit.”

WEATHERING A PANDEMIC

With the ownership of an older building comes the inevitable need for repairs.

“We’re constantly having to replace and fix,” Boynton said. “We had some roofing we had to repair during COVID, and when you’re

putting on multiple shows a year, there’s a lot of wear and tear.”

Stage Coach Players is one of the few community theaters staging eight shows a year. Most theaters host two to three productions. Boynton said her theater crew’s annual schedule doesn’t leave much time for facility repairs between shows.

Aside from occasional building upgrades and repairs, Stage Coach has implemented new assisted listening devices and an advanced keyboard for their musical performances.

“We have been participating in Give DeKalb County for a few years, and we now offer HearingAssist, which we did not have the ability to do for a very long time,” Boynton said. “We have HearingAssist devices, so patrons who come to the shows that need additional volume can hand us a license and receive a HearingAssist device to use.”

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic gave Stage Coach some extra time for maintenance and upgrades, it was a major drain on the nonprofit organization’s finances. The shutdown was a sizable hurdle for Stage Coach to overcome, as art-related areas were not perceived as a top priority.

“Getting through the shutdown was a little problematic because, as we are a not-forprofit, and we own the building, we rely on ticket sales,” Boynton said. “That presented quite a unique challenge when the stage was dark. Because we are a group of creatives, no one wanted to sit on their hands, so during the COVID lockdown we did food drives and costume fabric giveaways for masks.”

On an average year, Stage Coach collects about $26,000 per musical, sold out. For regular plays, at seven shows a year, Stage Coach brings in about $12,000 a performance with 75% seating. These may seem like big numbers, but show rights can cost thousands of dollars. Not to mention the theatrical scenery, mortgage and building maintenance costs.

“COVID ended up costing us the roughly $140,000 in income we usually get per year,” Boynton said. “When you are a cash-based organization and you have a loss like that, there is nothing that can be done. We were 100% behind following CDC regulations, but it was difficult to keep the lights on. We were able to scrape through it with some ingenuity, and our treasurer was brilliant, so we were able to make it work.”

The city of DeKalb also stepped in to assist both the Stage Coach Players and the Egyptian Theatre with their financial needs. “It was enough to give us breathing room so we could pursue what the point of our existence is,” Boynton said. “It shows the commitment that DeKalb County has to supporting the arts.”

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

The 2023 theater season begins March 16 with “All Shook Up” and concludes Dec. 10 with “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Auditions for all 2023 performances will take place in March.

“We have shows in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and December,” Boynton said. “Sometimes we have a black box show in November or February. Black box means it isn’t something we put on a full main stage for two weeks. A black box production is something someone can submit to direct and you don’t do regular auditions, it’s one weekend and we charge five dollars a ticket. Last year we did ‘The Vagina Monologues.’”

Visit stagecoachplayers.com for more information.

2023 Lineup

n All Shook Up

March 16-26

n Funny Money

April 27-May 7

n Love, Loss, and What I Wore

June 1-11

n Bright Star

July 6-16

n Nickel and Dimed

Aug. 10-20

n Addams Family

Sept. 14-24

n Night Witches

Oct. 19-29

n The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Dec. 6-10

Season tickets are available. For information, contact the box office at 815-758-1940 or info@stagecoachplayers.com.

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A Spectacular

FRANCE

FunME Events Visits

the

Adventure. Travel. Discovery.

Through FunME Events in DeKalb, jetsetters can find their paradise. FunME’s most recent journey took them to the south of France, a gorgeous landscape of culture, history and romance. Creator of FunME Events, Michael Embrey, details the group’s exciting seven-day exploration.

“We left in October, and we had 25 people join us,” Embrey said. “After an eight-hour flight from Chicago to Paris, our group had a three-hour wait before boarding our next flight to the south of France.”

With plenty of time to explore DeGaulle Airport, the group stumbled upon an open piano. Being a musician, Embrey took it upon himself to start playing for the travelers.

From the Marseille Airport, Embrey’s group took a bus to Port St. Louis and then boarded their boat to start a weeklong trip through Southern France. Embrey has led multiple excursions

through Northern France, which is home to Paris and Normandy. This time, he wanted to show something different to his clients.

The group’s first trip was to Arles, a UNESCO World Heritage site nestled along the Rhone River. It has a rich history, dating back to the 7th century BC.

“Arles is most famous for two things: its Roman ruins and its association with [Vincent] van Gogh,” Embrey said. “While both play a large role in attracting tourists to the town, there are many historic sites that date back to the 12th century. A morning walking tour through the village gave us time to explore the quaint shoppes and taste some French pastries. This city is called, by some locals, ‘Little Rome.’”

One of the architectural finds that surprised the group was the Arles Amphitheater, an intact Romanesque coliseum the village still uses for concerts and other events.

“The coliseum is also used as a sporting arena and hosts bullfights,” Embrey said. Arles is the location where famed Impressionist Vincent van Gogh spent

Adventure in

FRANCE South of France

By: Kelley White

some of his final years.

“According to local historians, after a visit from another artist, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh got into a verbal challenge with Gauguin, then went to a local pub and cut off his ear in protest,” Embrey said. “Vincent van Gogh is a local hero to the artists of Arles.”

Fine art goes hand in hand with refined taste and, as expected, Southern France delivered. After visiting the village, Embrey’s group took a tour of an olive orchard during fall harvest time, sampling a variety of deliciously infused oils.

“There was a chance to purchase fresh olive oils that were less than 24 hours old,” Embrey said. “This area is laced with olive orchards, a variety of floral gardens, and, of course, many vineyards. Then, the group took a trip to the Cathedral of St. Trophime before returning to the boat.

The next stop on their grand tour was in the province of Avignon, historically an important location in Europe.

“It was the seat of the Catholic church, represented in spectacular style by the Palais des Papes (Palace of Popes), the largest gothic building in the world,”

Embrey said. “This period furnished Avignon with a glorious cityscape of gothic and Renaissance buildings that today are protected as UNESCO sites. Nearby the Palace of Popes, another historic site, the Cathedral Notre-Dame des Doms, is a beautiful Roman Catholic church. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Avignon and there is a large, gilded statue of the Virgin Mary at the top of the bell tower.”

After sojourning to the impressive Pont Du Gard, the group visited another vineyard in the area, Châteauneufdu-Pape. “It is famous for a powerful, full-bodied red wine, largely made from the classic southern Rhône grape trio of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre,” Embrey said. “The name translates to ‘new castle of the Pope,’ referencing when Avignon was the seat of the Roman Catholic church under Pope Clemens V. This vineyard and other nearby vineyards cover over 8,000 acres, making for a wine lovers’ dream vacation.”

Wine, olive oils, artists and more grace the countryside of France, but one of the country’s most interesting sights is the medieval city of Viviers.

“One of the highlights here was the

visit to Cathédrale Saint-Vincent de Viviers, the local Roman Catholic church in the town,” Embrey said. “The Cathedral of St Vincent is a 12th-century Romanesque-style building and is the smallest cathedral in France. This Catholic church has an amazing organ, and our group was entertained by a very talented female opera singer.”

Embrey was surprised to learn about the local love for American jazz artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Herbie Hancock. These jazz legends performed in the area when visiting and won the adoration of local jazz enthusiasts.

“One of the fun stops in Viviers was to a truffles’ farm to see the harvesting of truffles,” Embrey said. “After touring the truffle grove, we had the opportunity to taste a variety of black truffles as well as infuse-flavored truffles. You can’t have a truffle sampling without savoring some of the local wines – the white wines were excellent.”

Next stop: Tournon and Tain-l’Hermitage.

“Bordering the Rhone, opposite the Tainl’Hermitage vineyards, is the welcoming little town of Tournon-sur-Rhône, overlooked by the outline of the imposing 10th, 15th, and 16thcentury castles,” Embrey said. “We had a brief visit to the Castle of Tournon, which is now the local accredited Museum of France.”

This region is an American historian’s dream, having been visited by Thomas Jefferson in 1743 when he requested the aid of the French government in the Revolutionary War.

After Tournon, Embrey’s group arrived in Lyons, a unique modern city with a heavy dose of oldworld charm.

“It welcomes visitors as one of the most beautiful medieval walled cities in France,” Embrey said. “Locals lament that the old town was the backdrop for ‘Les Misérables.’ It is also the setting for the movie ‘The Three Musketeers.’ As we walked around the old part of Lyons, we came upon a mural honoring jazz great Herbie Hancock and Dee Dee Bridgewater.”

Unsurprisingly, Lyons is well known for its wines as the Beaujolais wine region.

After Lyons, the group moved on to Tournus where the architecture features more Mediterranean styles mixed with Roman styles.

“Visiting the ancient abbey of Saint-Philiberte is a unique experience not to be missed,” Embrey said. “As well as a place of worship, it has been a home for the monks and a place of refuge and comfort for others. This was a place where the old and feeble would live out their days under the watch full eye of local nurses (mostly

Catholic nuns). The interior is an example of great craftsmanship from the period. From the Great Roman mosaic floors to the stonework to the stained-glass windows, it is a gem for those that admire the old-world quality designs.” The group then made a small stop in SaintJean-de-Losne and, from there, made their way to one of the most famous cities in the world: Paris. Every time Embrey visits the capital of France, he finds something new to marvel over and thoroughly enjoys his time exploring with FunME groups.

“The village of Saint-Jean-de-Losne marks the eastern end of the canal and holds the interesting distinction of being both the smallest town in France and also the largest inland port with boats,” Embrey said. “For the next three days, we enjoyed the sights, sounds and highlights of Paris.”

Embrey notes the city is an epicenter for fashion, gourmet food, art, culture and entertainment.

“Our first evening included a stroll down the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Latin Quarters,” Embrey said. “There is nothing like seeing the evening lights of the towering Arc de Triomphe. The arch, which is the largest of its kind in the world, is adorned with several impressive, intricately carved sculptures. Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoléon to honor the Grande Armee during the Napoleonic Wars.”

Embrey was blown away by the sheer number of visitors to the Champs-Élysées boulevard where boutiques include the likes of Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Dior.

“Our motorcoach tour of the city included the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the lais Garnier (famous opera house in Paris), the Montmartre (whitedomed Basilica), and a variety of government buildings,” Embrey said. “Paris is home to many beautiful parks and gardens such as the Promenade Plantée, an attraction laced with walkways and flowers.”

After their dreamy days in Paris, Embrey’s group boarded a plane bound toward home with a cache of fulfilling memories to go with them. Embrey expresses his love for history and learning new facts about the places FunME visits throughout the year.

n COMING UP SOON, FunME Events will take a trip to Ireland and Scotland. Michael Embrey is a professional traveler who understands the details visitors shouldn’t miss in their explorations of amazing, history-rich countries. Tap into wanderlust and try something that might just change your life. For information, visit www.funmeevents.com.

Wildlife Walking with the

Artist

Loretta Floyd

Finds Her Peace With Dog Josephine Junbug

By: Kelley White

Atrue artist is compelled to create no matter the circumstance. Loretta Floyd is a local artist and photographer who finds her inspiration and peace through nature and local preserves, walking with her chihuahua mix, Josephine Junbug, at her side.

“I don’t consider myself a photographer, I consider myself an artist,” Floyd said. “I’ve always been kind of an artist. My mom saved pictures that I drew in elementary school and things like that. In high school, I took a photography class along with drawing, painting, design and metalsmithing. At that time, that was my passion – jewelry making and metalsmithing.”

Floyd used sterling silver, copper and brass while everyone around her insisted she use gold because it is an easier metal to manipulate.

“When I finally tried gold, it was so much easier,” Floyd said. “So, as far as gold, I would work with wire and free form pieces. With silver, copper and brass, it would be more like sheet metal and wire. I made things like broaches and pendants.”

Years would go by before Loretta picked up her jewelry tools again, a theme with her art. Floyd chooses to go with whatever medium is speaking to her at different points in her life, be it photography, painting, jewelrymaking or crafting.

A LIST OF LOCAL CREATURES

LORETTA FLOYD HAS CATALOGUED

American kestrel

Bald eagle

Barred owl

Beaver

Cooper’s hawk

Coyote

Ermine

Garter snake

Great blue heron

Great horned owl

Green heron

Kingfisher

Killdeer

Merlin

Mink

Muskrat

Northern harrier

Opossum

Osprey

Pileated woodpecker

Raccoon

Red-tailed hawk

Sandhill crane

Sandpiper

White-tailed deer

“I did buy my first camera when I was 20,” Floyd said. “I wanted to take nature pictures, so I did a lot of that in my 20s and into my 30s. In my 40s, I went back to the metalsmithing, then I went back to the photography and learned digital.”

Floyd started her photographic journey with film when she was younger but started to use digital when she revisited the art form as technology evolved.

“About five years ago, I got my first digital camera, so I went back out and started taking nature pictures,” Floyd said.

Eventually, Floyd sought a companion, and she rescued Josephine Junbug at 3 1/2 months old in September 2021. “I was retired at that time, and I started taking her with me and training her. I trained her using the ‘wait’ command, and she’s gotten really good. Sometimes, I’m taking so many pictures of one subject, I look down and she’s just lying there waiting.”

In nature, with Josephine by her side, Floyd finds her contentment and peace.

“For photography and somewhat the jewelry, nature inspires me and anything I find beautiful in it,” Floyd said. “It could be something as small as a leaf. In jewelry, I made some broaches that were leaves through a process called repoussé, which is hammering from the inside so they look natural. I haven’t touched jewelry in quite a few years. I have a shop set up at home, but I haven’t felt the inspiration in a long time. It’s very time consuming, and I love to be outdoors.”

About five to six years ago, Floyd started painting with acrylics, which was a shift from the watercolors she used when she was younger.

“I started painting again because that’s what I could do in the winter,” Floyd said. “Although, with Josephine, she’s a very high maintenance little girl, so I have not painted since I’ve gotten her for the past two winters. Next winter, we’ll

sit down at the drawing board and do some painting. With the photography, I am able to bring her with, getting the exercise and getting worn out, and I’ve got her trained so I can stop and take a picture of an owl without her scaring it away.”

Floyd takes some of her photos and proceeds to transfer them to acrylic paintings at her drawing board.

“Basically, I look through the photos and find inspiration through what I think I can paint,” Floyd said. “With the turtle picture, I was absolutely terrified to paint his reflection, but I just started at it, and it went smoothly.”

Josephine has been a wonderful partner for Floyd, helping to keep the artist outdoors and in her element. “I don’t know if I could say she gets me out there more, because I would still be going out to take pictures. It definitely seems like a partnership while we’re out there. We’ve met so many nice people, and a lot of it is because of her since she wants to meet everybody.”

It is rare for an individual to find their own slice of heaven, yet that is exactly what Floyd has accomplished.

“I really love to immerse myself in nature,” she said. “It’s one of the reasons, when I was painting, it’s only in the winter because I want to be outside, and wildlife is my favorite aspect about it. Especially when it’s something new that I’ve never seen before. I have actually made a list of all the critters I’ve seen over the years. The first preserves I’ve been visiting, most frequently, are in a five-mile radius of my home.”

Some of Floyd’s favorite parks and preserves are Prairie Oaks in Kingston, Russell Woods Forest Preserve, David Carroll Memorial Park, and Hoppe Heritage Farmstead. As for her favorite critters to see on her walks?

“All of them,” Floyd said. “Most of them, I do

Contact Loretta Floyd at critterpicsandmore@gmail.com for information about her artwork and to buy pieces.

have pictures of. Recently, I’ve seen an osprey in the area. I’ve seen the great horned owl and the barn owl. I took a picture of an opossum, which I have not been able to get a decent picture of one for a long time, so I was pretty excited about that.”

Floyd has also transferred several of her photos to different products such as magnets, totes and calendars.

“I’ve always dabbled in some kind of craft or art that I sell,” she said. “I used to sell earrings and pins. I also stenciled sweatshirts – this was early on in my 20s. The jewelry I made had a couple of stores sell them as well.”

Floyd looks forward to continuing her walks in nature with Josephine and creating as much art as her inspiration allows.

“I think I’m going to continue with the photos since it gets me out there into nature, and I do enjoy it very much,” Floyd said. “I don’t have any huge dreams, but for now it’s very satisfying. I can find contentment easily, especially at my age where I kind of go with the flow and have fun.”