Greetings!

It's been a long winter, but it looks like spring has finally sprung (knock on wood). The rain just keeps on coming, the grass is green, the daffodils are blooming, the Knollwood Garden Club has planted spring flowers beneath the Welcome to Knollwood signs ... and the Fire Department's annual Pancake Breakfast signs have sprouted. Yep, it must be spring!

Get a compost bin or rain barrel at a great price!

Lake County is having a one-day Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale on Saturday, May 21, from 9 am to 3 pm (rain or shine) at the Lake County Central Permit Facility Parking Lot, 500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville. Limited quantities are available, so go early! Compost bins are $45 and rain barrels are $60 (taxes included). Cash, checks, and credit cards are accepted. Click here to see a flyer.

The tax bill cometh

Yes, it's that time. The Lake County 2010 property tax bills are currently on schedule for delivery in early May. Due dates are tentatively set for June 6 and September 6. If you do not receive your bill by May 10, you might want to contact the Lake County Treasurer's Office at 847-377-2323.

It's a beautiful day for a ball game!

You may still be watching the Blackhawks (well, maybe not any longer) or the Bulls, but it will soon be baseball season right here in Lake County. On June 18th the minor league Lake County Fielders will open their new stadium to the public with a 7:00 pm home opener against Na Koa Ikaika Maui. Tickets for the 2011 season are now on sale and can be purchased by calling (847) 731-8000 or visiting http://www.fieldersbaseball.com/. Get in on the fun close to home!

Native plant sale

The Lake County Forest Preserves are holding their 14th Annual Native Plant Sale during Mother's Day weekend:

May 7, 9 am - 3 pm
May 8, 10 am - 3 pm

The sale will be at Independence Grove Forest Preserve, located just east of Milwaukee Ave. (Route 21) on Buckley Road (Route 137) in Libertyville.

There are many benefits to using native plants in your garden: they are beautiful, hardy, adapted to thrive in Illinois gardens, less expensive, easy to maintain, and beneficial to the environment. Click here for more information and a list of plants available.

Remember the '60s?

We'd like to pass along a request from one of our members. She works in a real estate office in Libertyville, and the office has an entry in the Libertyville Days parade each year. The parade is June 18th, and the theme this year is "Peace, Love & Libertyville." They'd like to do a 60s-style entry in the parade and are looking for a VW bus or bug or anything reminiscent of that era. If you have a vehicle you'd consider lending, please reply to this email and we'll put you in touch.

Doing any spring cleaning?

If so, you may have things to dispose of that can't be put in the trash.

SWALCO is holding a Mobile Household Chemical Waste (HCW) Collection Event in Vernon Hills on Saturday, May 7, from 8:00 am - 2:30 pm at the Vernon Hills Metra Station, US Rt. 45 and Ranney Ave. All HCW collections are for residential waste only. At these events SWALCO accepts items like CFL bulbs and unwanted prescription medicines (for humans and pets) in addition to household cleaners, gasoline, pesticides, and other chemicals. Please visit SWALCO's HCW web page for more information and a list of items accepted and not accepted at SWALCO's HCW collection events. All HCW collection events sponsored by SWALCO are for Illinois residents ONLY and are FREE.