6/15/2025

Wind turbines gently turning, Illinois, Illinois,

 






Wind turbines gently turning, 

Illinois, Illinois, 

Giants in the prairie, 

learning How the future freely flows.


Blades that slice the summer air, 

Illinois, Illinois, 

Whispering a hopeful prayer 

For the power it employs.


Wind Turbines east of Bloomington, Illinois at the Twin Groves Site.


AI Overview


Wind turbines in Illinois vary in size and capacity. Large utility-scale turbines can have a capacity of 2-3 MW, with a tower height of around 80 meters (260 ft) and a rotor diameter of about 80 meters. Some wind farms, like Twin Groves, have turbines with 240 operating turbines that stand 280 ft (80 m) tall with 120-foot (39 m) blades. Smaller, community-scale turbines can be as low as 0.66 MW.

Examples of Turbine Sizes in Illinois:

Twin Groves Wind Farm:
240 turbines, each 280 feet (80 m) tall with 120-foot (39 m) blades.

Mendota Hills Wind Farm:
Originally 63 turbines at 214 feet (65 m) tall with 171-foot (52 m) rotors; later reduced to 29 turbines with increased capacity.

Small Turbines:
Examples include a 0.66 MW turbine at Bureau Valley School District and a 2.5 MW turbine at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.

Large turbines:
A 1.5 MW wind turbine typically has a tower 80 meters (260 ft) high and a rotor with a 80 meter (260 ft) diameter.

Factors Influencing Turbine Size:

Hub Height:
The height of the turbine's tower affects wind resource assessment.

Capacity Factor:
Higher capacity factors (the percentage of time a turbine is producing at its maximum output) can lead to more efficient energy production.

Land Availability:
The amount of land available for a wind farm can influence the number and size of turbines used, according to Arcadia.

Cost:
Larger turbines can produce cheaper electricity due to economies of scale, but also have higher individual costs.

Note: Turbine sizes and configurations vary depending on the specific wind farm and its location.



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Will County Court House

 



The Courthouse above was new when I worked there in 1973 to 1977.  I was surpised to see that it was demolished.

The photos below show the old and "new Courthouse in Will County (Joliet) IL.






Will County Court Houses over the years


















The New New Court House in Joliet below.


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6/14/2025

Happy Birthday, Army!

 


Go, Army!    And Take the Navy With You!



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“Y’all come back, hear.”

 A Lesson in Southern Lingo

A training video included instructions on how to say goodbye to customers. 

“Y’all come back, hear.”, a famous southern saying. 

______________________


I was born and raised in the south - South Dakota and South Chicago.


My wife was from Georgia.  She would cringe when I practiced my southern accent on her relatives.

Her aunt was a gracious older lady with a sweet southern accent.

After meeting her, as we were leaving, I said "Y'all come back , now, hear" in my best southern accent, which as my wife told me, was cringeworthy.

The little old lady never missed a beat and said, "Oh, sorry, I did not understand you. It is because you are not supposed to say "Y'all, 

you are supposed to say, "Youz Guys". She said this in an excellent soutasida Chicago accent.  

I don't know where or when she picked up the accent, but she nailed it. Very funny - I was had by an older aunt. 

Craig


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6/13/2025

The Prairie Is Our Garden

 


"The Prairie Is Our Garden" refers to Harvey Dunn's painting, "The Prairie is My Garden," which captures the human connection to the South Dakota prairie land. It also inspires a symphonic band piece of the same name by Robert W. Smith, which evokes the Great Plains through music. Furthermore, the phrase reflects a broader concept of cultivating and nurturing the prairie as a productive and vital part of the nation. 
Elaboration:
  • Harvey Dunn's Painting:
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    The painting depicts a family amidst a blooming prairie, symbolizing a time before extensive cultivation. It has become deeply significant to many South Dakotans, sparking personal connections and memories. 
  • Robert W. Smith's Composition:
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    Inspired by Dunn's painting, this musical work for symphonic band is a tone poem that portrays the Great Plains through music. It aims to pay homage to those who built the American West. 
  • The Prairie as a Resource:
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    The phrase also represents the prairie as a valuable resource for agriculture, water, minerals, and energy. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and wisely utilizing the prairie's potential. 
  • Cultivating the Prairie:
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    The concept of "The Prairie Is Our Garden" also highlights the idea of actively developing and nurturing the prairie landscape, both for its natural beauty and its productive capacity. 
  • Inspiration for gardens:
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    The prairie landscape has inspired designers like Piet Oudolf and others to create gardens that are both beautiful and environmentally sustainable. These gardens often incorporate native prairie plants and embrace techniques suited for the realities of climate change. 

This video shows the "The Prairie is Our Garden" painting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr0ChbLRK3M&t=232s
Cliff Cramp
YouTube · Jan 15, 2014
Any woman who claims South Dakota as her own must see the Harvey Dunn collection.

All the women in our family had a print of "The Prairie Is Our Garden" in their house.  ONe year, I bought prints for all my girl cousins.

Anne

________________

Harvey Dunn Collection

(1884 - 1952)

Harvey Dunn biography

South Dakota Art Museum Harvey Dunn Collection Online.

Harvey Dunn, the son of homesteaders, studied under the tutelage of Ada Caldwell at South Dakota Agricultural College. With the support and encouragement of Caldwell, Dunn continued his studies at the Chicago Art Institute. Dunn became a successful illustrator, teacher and was one of eight illustrators selected as the official artist for the American Expeditionary Forces during WWI. The South Dakota Art Museum's Dunn Collection is significant in that it consists of prairie paintings that have become the pride of South Dakota. The collection also contains illustrations featured in "Saturday Evening Post" and WWI paintings inspired by his contribution to the American Expeditionary Forces. Dunn's works are nationally regarded not only for their contribution to American illustration but more specifically, to its documentation of the emotion of the early prairie life. The museum was built specifically to house the Harvey Dunn Collection, which was given to the South Dakota State College (now the South Dakota State University) by the artist in 1950 and transferred to the museum in 1970.

The museum cares for the world's largest Harvey Dunn collection with 146 paintings, prints and drawings. Explore the entire Harvey Dunn Collection online: Harvey Dunn Collection Online.

View images from recent Dunn exhibitions here:















View images from recent Dunn exhibitions here:


















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