After a restful sleep, awaken to a 3 course hot breakfast. Then roll down the windows and head for Amish Country to see the flower quilts. Our hardy breakfast will allow you time to see them all before enjoying an Amish dinner. You may also have time to get in some shopping. Then return to the Inn for a relaxing whirlpool bath. Afterwards enjoy the company of your friends while sipping hot tea or cocoa and cookies. Browse our on site gift shop with many unique items such as Mary Frances purses, Tokyo milk soap, Baubble Lulu beads, little giraffe blankets and so much more. www.songbirdprairie.com 877.766.4273
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http://www.indianatrails.org/Prairie_Duneland_Trail_Portage.htm

Five show homes from Chicago’s 1933-34 World’s Fair arrived in Beverly Shores 75 years ago on a Lake Michigan Barge. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They are in various stages of restoration and will be open for Century of Progress tours October 22-24. tickets for the October 22 preview tour and reception are $75 remaining dates tickets for tours are only $15 (574-232-4534 indianalandmarks.org) Make your reservations for your stay now at Songbird Prairie Bed and Breakfast $169-$249 www.songbirdprairie.com 877.766.4273 219.759.4274
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Experience a Jellybath which is a virtual blanket with aroma therapeutic benefits. Jellybath exfoliates with vitamin c, black tea and reduces swelling and pulls out toxins. Enjoy a bath with Jellybath which retains its heat up to four times longer than water!

Enjoy a 45 minute bath and 30 minute massage for $125.00 — and then enjoy a 30 minute relaxation with hot tea, neck wrap in a warm cozy robe. Bath only without massage is $99.00

www.songbirdprairie.com
219/759/4274 or 877/766/4273

Nicknamed “wild canary”, the American Goldfinch is a prized visitor at Songbird Prairie. This little finch is welcome and common at our feeders, where it eats primarily sunflower and nyjer.   At Songbird Prairie, they also cover the salvia along our walkway to the Inn.  They love to drink and bathe in our shallow birdbaths and are attracted to the watercourse that runs through this Indiana Dunes Bed & Breakfast’s woodlands.  The American Goldfinch is a frequent visitor to our feeders and you would be assured to spot these vibrant yellow birds and hear their twittering call on your visit! 

Diet: 
In nature, the goldfinch feeds primarily during the day on seeds of grasses and trees. They may occasionally feed on insects and berries. They frequently visit backyard feeders – particularly those filled with thistle seed.

Size and Color: 
A small bird, the American Goldfinch is generally between 4″-5″. The male is a vibrant yellow in the summer and an olive color during the winter months. The female is a dull yellow-brown shade which brightens only slightly during the summer. The brightly colored plumage of the male is to impress the female during the breeding season and attract a mate.

Song: 
A long, twittering “per-chic-o-ree” or “po-ta-to chip.” The American Goldfinch is known for singing in flight, which adds to their cheerful, “wave-like” flight pattern.

Behavior:
These are active and acrobatic little finches that cling to weeds and seed socks, and sometimes mill about in large numbers at feeders or on the ground beneath them. Goldfinches fly with a bouncy, undulating pattern and often call in flight, drawing attention to themselves.

Habitat: 
The goldfinch’s main natural habitats are weedy fields and floodplains, where plants such as thistles and asters are common. They’re also found in cultivated areas, roadsides, orchards, and backyards. American Goldfinches can be found at feeders any time of year, but most abundantly during winter

Backyard Tips: 
To encourage goldfinches into your yard, plant native thistles and other composite plants, as well as native milkweed. Almost any kind of bird feeder may attract American Goldfinches, including hopper, platform, and hanging feeders, and these birds don’t mind feeders that sway in the wind. You’ll also find American Goldfinches are happy to feed on the ground below feeders, eating spilled seeds.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged American Goldfinch, bed and breakfasts indiana, BEST IN THE MIDWEST BY BEDANDBREAKFAST.COM, birding, bluebirds, Chicago Romantic Getaway, dunes national lakeshore, Girlfriends Getaway, Goldfinch, iloveinnns.com, IN B&B, Indiana Bed and Breakfast, Indiana Bed and Breakfast.org, Indiana Dunes Hotel, Luxury Bed & Breakfast, Northern Indiana Bed and Breakfast, Northwest Indiana Bed & Breakfast, Romantic Bed & Breakfast Songbird Prairie in Northwest Indiana Online Reservations               877-766-4273         877-766-4273, songbirdprairie.com, Taltree Arboretum, Valparaiso, Valparaiso B&B, What to do In Northwest Indiana, Wild Canary, www.songbirdprairie.com | Leave a Comment »

from the Dunes!

Awaken your spirits and fill your lungs with fresh air in the Dunes this month. Enjoy everything from misty morning walks through the back dunes of Trail 2, to picnics on one of over 500 picnic tables in the park, to magnificent evening sunsets over Lake Michigan. Of course, no visit to the park is complete without a trip to the park Nature Center to take in one of many diverse, educational, and fun interpretive programs. Take a beach break this month and join us for any of the great programs being offered.

Here’s a quick glimpse at some of the fun and educational programs coming up this month:

·         On Saturday, August 7, join Park Naturalist Jenna for “Campfire Stories on the Beach!”  Meet at the main beach, by the pavilion, for an evening of storytelling. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on.  In case of inclement weather, we’ll be at the Campground Shelter.

·         The 4^th Annual Perseid Stargaze is approaching fast. Come Saturday, August 14 to the Tremont Shelter Picnic Area (parking at Duneside Shelter) to watch the annual meteor shower. Special constellation talks and sky storytelling will also take place. Activities begin at 8:30 p.m.

·        Join us Wednesday, August 20 at 7:30 p.m. for “Who Pooped in the Park!”  Meet at the Campground Shelter for 45-minutes of fun as we explore the facts on feces and the data on dung. Test your scat knowledge for prizes!

·        Meet at the Nature Center at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 4, for “Beautiful Blowout” a 1-hour moderate hike to see one of the most beautiful sunsets in the Midwest from atop Beach House Blowout.  We’ll also be exploring the twilight time for our nocturnal animals on the walk back.

Want to stay even more updated on park happenings, park news, and more?  Become a fan of the Indiana Dunes State Park Facebook page. Check out photos and videos from other Dunes visitors, take part in discussions, or just let others know about the dunes. Visit Facebook.com/indunes to join more than 7,100 current fans.  

The complete August Interpretive Schedule can be found at http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/sp-Dunes_August.pdf.

Stay at Songbird Prairie Bed and Breakfast while you are in the dunes area 877.766.4273

$169-$249 Whirlpools in every room 3 course plated breakfast

A permanent exhibit called “Birds of Chicago” is open at The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The Nature Museum is located in Chicago at 2430 North Cannon Drive.

Learn about birds native to Illinois, with nearly 100 specimens on display that date back to the early 1900s. The birds range in age, size, color and rarity, showcasing everything from the large Midwest turkey and the common blue jay to the endangered prairie chicken. Touch screen kiosks provide visitors with additional information on the birds

www.songbirdprairie.com
Tags: Chicago Romantic getaway, Indiana Bed & Breakfast, Northwest Indiana Getaway, Taltree Arboretum
Birds of Chicago
Tags: Chicago Romantic getaway, Indiana Bed & Breakfast, Northwest Indiana Getaway, Taltree Arboretum
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Bill Geist’s Zeitgeist blogs about Songbird Prairie

June 3, 2010 by songbirdprairie | Edit

May 31, 2010

Songbird Prairie I’m not a huge fan of Bed & Breakfasts. I know, I know…that’s romantic sacrilege. But, most of my travel is for business, and I don’t find the culture of many B&Bs to match up with my needs when on the road. So, the times I’ll recommend one will be few and far between. Like…ummm, once.

OK…you can make that twice. Songbird Prairie B&B, just outside of Valparaiso IN is an absolute delight. Luxurious accommodations, scrumptuous 3-course breakfast and a rural setting that lives up to its name. Especially because hosts Barbara and Efrain have positioned microphones outside the dining porch to amplify the songbirds that surround the property during your time downstairs.

Songbird Prairie also has one of the best B&B websites I’ve ever seen, combining video, photography and compelling copywriting. It’s something that so few B&Bs get right.
Next time you’re in the Chicago/Northwest Indiana region, treat yourself.

www.songbirdprairie.com 877.766.4273

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Chicago Romantic Getaway, Northern Illinois Getaway, birding, Taltree Arboretum, dunes national lakeshore, Southern Michigan Getaway, Indiana hotel, BEST IN THE MIDWEST BY BEDANDBREAKFAST.COM, Romantic Bed & Breakfast Songbird Prairie in Northwest Indiana Online Reservations 877-766-4273, ultimate luxurious getaway, Valparaiso hotel | Leave a Comment »