Owl will live forever atop tree on Geneva lawn

If great horned owls are making a tradition out of nesting atop trees at the old Kane County Courthouse along Third Street in Geneva, then Ruth Marsh figured she should keep that theme alive in front of her home just west of downtown.

Marsh has lived at 418 Willow Lane for the past 17 years, but a white birch tree in the front yard had been there since the house was built 40 years ago. As Marsh put it, the tree had "lived its life" and needed to be dug out.

Then she heard through a friend about artist Bud Haincinger of Morris, who did excellent wood carvings.

She decided that instead of leaving a dead tree stump or digging a big hole in her front yard, a wood carving of a great horned owl would be more appropriate.

"He was very good and did an excellent job," Marsh said of the carving that was completed last month. "It is a main feature in our front yard now, and so many people stop by to see it that I have to make sure the yard is cleaned up."

Marsh said the owl carving is allowing her to "meet people from the neighborhood who I had never known before" as they stop by to look at it.

"I think I would have dug the whole thing out if I had not heard about the artist from Morris," Marsh said.

"He's told us to let the carving dry out and then put some sealer on it to keep it from rotting."

It sounds like a good way to make sure the horned owl on Willow Lane will be around as long or longer than those perched in the treetops along Third Street.

Empty backdrops: Area residents and visitors to Geneva's Swedish Days festival next month are going to notice the economy isn't humming along these days. For the first time in recent memory -- and possibly ever -- there will be some empty storefronts and open retail space serving as a backdrop for all of the activities and festival excitement unfolding at the corner of Third and James streets.

At the southeast corner of that intersection, Ye Old Provincial House will be empty or close to it, as that business is moving. And the space right next to Provincial House, at one time earmarked for the new Moveable Feast location, sits as open land. The northeast corner of the intersection is dotted with empty storefronts, and there are a few more just like it up and down Third Street.

Here's to hoping this will be the first and last Swedish Days at which visitors will notice examples of a struggling retail landscape.

Extending their winter: If you think we had a rather extended winter, a couple of young brothers from neighboring Hampshire made sure their winter lasted a little longer.

Hayes, 13, and Clint Herman, 9, qualified for and competed in the United States of America Snowboard Association National Tournament last month at Copper Mountain, Colo.

"My older boy started competing about five years ago, and the younger one about three years ago at Raging Buffalo Hill in Algonquin," said the boys' father, Scott Herman, who has been a dentist in Hampshire for the past 16 years.

Both boys finished seventh in their age brackets after competing in about six events each.

"Clint earned a medal by finishing third about two years ago, and that was awesome for him to be third in the nation," Scott said. "My older son is in a tough group, as those kids are really good, so ending up in the middle of the pack is pretty good."

Seats of gold?: I found myself taking a big gulp and gasping for air when the cost of the Cubs tickets I purchase each year went up to $80 a ticket for some games. That's way more than anyone should spend on a baseball game. And now I'm just hoping the future owners of the Cubs don't take a cue from the New York Yankees.

Jim Wade of St. Charles has a brother living in New York who is a Yankees season ticket holder. His brother told him last week he received a letter from the Yankees regarding the price for his box seat in the new Yankee Stadium to open next year.

Those tickets will cost --drum roll, please -- $1,200 per ticket per game because the seats are in the first 10 rows closest to the field.

By comparison, let's not forget that a family of four can take in a Kane County Cougars game -- tickets and food -- for about $60.

dheun@sbcglobal.net