What's your favorite piece of local public art?

In mentioning earlier this week that new wind sculptures are coming to St. Charles, it made me marvel a bit at all of the public art the Tri-Cities has on display for its residents.

Many cities rely on sculptures and other pieces of art to brighten their plazas and sidewalks, so it's not as if we have cornered the market on such a trend.

But we sure know how to do it.

With that in mind, I started to think about which particular sculpture or piece of art really catches my attention. There are many, of course. But which would I call my "favorite?"

Surely, the sculpture of Col. Baker sitting on the bench in front of the Hotel Baker catches my eye every time - because it seems as if a live person is sitting there.

The windmills near City Hall in Batavia are terrific, and how can anyone miss the towering statue of Ekwabet, a Potawatomi Indian "watching over" the Fox River in St. Charles?

It's also nice that Batavia displays colorful bulldog statues in honor of the high school mascot, and what's not to like about the artsy fire hydrants common in Geneva, or the war memorials at the county government center?

The list could go on, of course, but my favorite might be a sleeper of sorts. It sits in Mount St. Mary Park in St. Charles along the walkway close to the Fox River.

It's called "Natural Wonders" by Michele Moushey Dale, showing a young child peering at the river through a telescope, while sitting atop a large turtle. Set atop a stone base, it's a structure the park district and Downtown St. Charles Partnership purchased and dedicated during the summer of 2009.

Why do I like it? Because it looks like something I might have done as a youngster living along the Fox River in much simpler times, when looking through a makeshift telescope was a marvel not previously experienced. And if I spotted a turtle that big, and didn't mind, why not use it as a booster seat?

If you have a favorite piece of art in town that doesn't garner the attention you think it deserves, send me a note and I'll share it with other readers in this column.

'Sleepy' and 'underrated?':

Years ago, a publication referred to the Tri-Cities area as "sleepy little towns along the Fox River."

I suppose we could be called worse. But "sleepy?" To me, that means just about everyone is asleep at the wheel, and the towns suffer for it.

I know what they meant was night life was fairly irrelevant and that most people commuted a distance to work, meaning they were in bed fairly early at night. They, whoever "they" are, call those "bedroom communities."

Now Fodor's Travel tells us Geneva is one of the most "underrated" cities in the Midwest for visitors. Not entirely sure what that means either, other than we are just far enough away from Chicago to probably slide under the radar of most observers.

Still, didn't Ellen DeGeneres send some of her staff here for Christmas Walk a few years ago and show highlights on her daytime show, and didn't director Sam Mendes film the "Road to Perdition" here in 2001? And haven't Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg been singing the praises of this area for the past few years now?

If we somehow remain under the radar in this area, then I would suggest to anyone to spend some time on Third Street in Geneva either during the summer or at Christmas Walk, or take in a dinner at any of the fine restaurants in the Tri-Cities and go to a show at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles.

Underrated? Maybe, but sleepy it is not.

Giving thanks:

It must have been because the weather was so warm through October and early November, but Thanksgiving seemed to have crept up on us fairly quickly this year.

I hope everyone is able to enjoy the holiday on Thursday with family and take a rest after what has been a stressful couple of months with the Cubs' thrilling World Series ride and the craziness of the election, which left many of us numb when all was said and done.

It's time to think about brighter things and reflect on all that is good about our lives and what we can do even better for others and ourselves.

And some of those good things that happen around the Tri-Cities are right around the corner. You'll see the overflow of great holiday events listed in the Daily Herald in the coming weeks, but don't forget what occurs right away.

"The Ultimate Christmas Carol" opens Friday at Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles, and the city will ring in the holiday season with the annual Electric Christmas Parade on Saturday night.

The holiday lights display on the grounds of Mooseheart opens on Friday as well.

And if you are inclined to volunteer for good causes, the Salvation Army bell ringers will be out in force as well.

Private shopping spots:

Here's something to think about - what mobile devices will mean during this year's holiday shopping season. A survey from online giant PayPal reveals that 22 percent of American consumers will "shop while on the toilet" and more than a third will shop for their partner or spouse while they are sleeping next to them in bed.

dheun@sbcglobal.net