Bundled up, but not broken down… looks like Leslie found her fortune for 2024!!!
Another happy hiker that found a fortune cookie out at Illinois Beach State Park!

Looks like another TWO fortune cookies have found a new home…

From Sherry: “We loved our hunt! Since we are geocachers, this was right in our wheelhouse, but had to find them without coordinates. 🙂 We found 2 – 1 in a picnic shelter and 1 in a downed log on the beach. Thank you so much for the fun on a beautiful sunny day.”

Looks like Harper & Delaney had a great time at Illinois Beach State Park searching for my fortune cookies again this year! This is their third year enjoying the search. The first year they randomly “tripped upon” a couple fortune cookies at Illinois Beach State Park. And then their intrigued Dad Adam did some Google searching… and found ME… and connected here on Facebook!!! They’ve been hooked on my annual fortune cookie scavenger hunt ever since!!! Glad you had a great family adventure… and thanks for sharing again Adam!

Looks like another fortune cookie has been found!
Congratulations Leslie… thanks for playing!!!

Looks like the hunt has begun! Allison has found her first fortune cookie of 2024… perched high in a tree!!! There are plenty more out there… gotta keep searchin’ searchin’… cue the song by Del Shannon!

Yes, I have once again hidden some handmade ceramic fortune cookies to kick-off the New Year. Spreading good will & good fortune around for people to find. The following photos are the “clues” that you can use to find the twenty-four fortune cookies scattered around Illinois Beach State Park. I’m not going to make it easy… but the search is on! Go outside & play in nature… and find “your fortune” at the same time!

Let the search begin… twenty-four fortune cookies for 2024!!!

Because I had such an amazing group of summer campers this week, I decided to go a little further with them… as they “requested” to do the Blindfolded Wheelthrowing Challenge! Turns out that Isla was one of the kids in the hallway that saw us doing a couple weeks ago. She brought it up.. and everyone jumped on the chance to try it out!!! So much fun to watch them throwing… and they all had a WONDERFUL TIME giving it a whirl. Most with good success & plenty of giggles!

After they knocked out the lidded jar project, I knew they would be up for an even bigger & better challenge! So I pulled out the blindfolds (and towels?) and I challenged Summer Campers last week to wheelthrowing while blindfolded. I think they were a little anxious at first, but quickly realized it’s not as hard as it sounded. As long as you take it step-by-step, you realize that you can throw just my touch & muscle-memory. And they all did a GREAT job… and had so much fun that they asked if they could do it AGAIN!!!

Of course I said YES!!!

So I saw a random post on Instagram over the weekend about a basic potter’s challenge… for newbies & more advanced throwers. One pound of clay, perfect cylinders, four inches tall with just four pulls. Not a bad way to start the morning…