iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

Windy day at Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, Illinois. #prairie #nature @nature.org

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! A delightful quest to see all 64 of Denmark’s butterfly species w/lovely writing & art. Pair w/a dirty soda/mocktail (Limoncello LaCroix, Bonne Maman blueberry jam, vanilla, &whipped cream) &have a great week! @penguinbooksusa.bsky.social #books #butterflies #mocktails

080 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! When this issue of Mother kicked off with a Mary Oliver quote I was hooked. Enjoy reading it while sipping a “dirty soda” (Limoncello LaCroix, cream, vanilla, cherry,& whipped cream) &have a great week! #mocktails #dirtysoda @motherearthnews.bsky.social #garden

050 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Flying over Chicago in the fog earlier this week. #fog #chicago #photography

0101 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! A fascinating read we can learn from today. Get vaccinated and treat yourself to a frothy cappuccino. Enjoy the week! #books #vaccination #history #coffee @penguinbooksusa.bsky.social

150 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! We lost one of the greats—farmer, poet, philosopher, novelist—what a legacy. Read his poem”The Peace of Wild Things” with a “dirty soda” (mine is Dr. Pepper, whipped cream, coconut syrup, and lime.) Cheers! We will miss you, Wendell. #books #dirtysoda #nature #poetry

171 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! Annie Dillard’s passing is a loss for all who love literature &the natural world. Her “Pilgrim”& “Writing Life” are inspirational. Re-read favorites while sipping a mug of hot java, topped with whipped cream & cinnamon. Thanks, Annie. You will be missed. #books #coffee

2112 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! A must-have guide for prairie lovers (this edition has almost twice as many pages as the 1st.) Top your coffee w/whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, & chocolate-covered espresso beans & go for a prairie hike this week. @oxfordunipress.bsky.social #hiking #prairie #nature

1121 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! Thoughtful ideas found here that make a difference. Pair your read with a cranberry mocktail (don’t forget the whipped cream and mint!) and stay cool this week. #mocktails #gardening #books #climatechange #sustainability #nature

140 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday!! Sustainability, how-to gardening wisdom, and more. Just started this—-lots of interesting info here to think about. Pair it with a skim cappuccino (don’t forget the creamy stuff!) and have a great week. @timberpress.bsky.social #gardening #books #nature

040 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! A quirky classic about hiking the length of the Grand Canyon below the rim. Pair it with a strawberry lemonade (don’t forget the whipped cream!) and enjoy the week. #hiking @randomhouse.bsky.social #grandcanyon #books #nature

190 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! A beautiful memoir about paying attention to the life you find yourself living. Pair it with an iced coffee, topped with chocolate-covered espresso beans and plenty of the good stuff, and have a great week! @milkweededitions.bsky.social #naturebooks #books #coffee

030 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

#20 in our “26 in 2026” hikes:Spring Grove Cemetery Nature Preserve in Warren County, IL. These last fragments of Illinois’ original landscape are so poignant. #prairie #nativeplants #prairies #restoration #midwest #nature #travel #illinois

190 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! I am a longtime Mary Oliver devotee and Jeff gifted me with her latest for my birthday. It is wonderful, as expected. Enjoy it with a toasted coconut cream cold brew and have a great week! #maryoliver #poetry #prose #books @grandcentralpub.bsky.social #nature

080 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

#19 in our “26 in 2026” hikes: Brownlee Cemetery Prairie (Alexis, IL, Mercer County). Beautiful remnant tallgrass; poignant to think our last vestiges of original prairie are in these out-of-the-way rural places. Thanks to everyone who cares for them!#nativeplants #prairie #conservation #nature

0152 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

#18 in our “26 in 2026” hikes: Shepard Prairie at Knox College’s Green Oaks Research area (Victoria, IL -Knox County). Second oldest institutionally planted prairie in the world (1950s). Beautiful! #prairie #hiking #nature #illinois #midwest

1327 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Dragonfly Blitz at Emiquon in Lewistown, IL, today! Gorgeous weather, lots of odes flying, incredible site. #dragonflies #odonates #insects #wetlands #midwest #nature

0100 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! Kudos to Mother for featuring prairie restoration on the front cover! Enjoy a scoop of moose tracks ice cream while you read (don’t forget the whipped cream!) and have a great week. #prairie #nativeplants #gardening #nature @motherearthnews.bsky.social

0121 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Backyard prairie and traditional garden plants in bloom! #nativeplants #prairie #gardening

731435 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Today in the Chicago region. #smoke#wildfires #airquality

060 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday ! Fascinating memoir combining ethnobotany, indigenous people, Indiana Dunes, and marine biology. Enjoy it with a sparkling Gatorade, topped with whip and a mint sprig, and stay cool this week! @milkweededitions.bsky.social #books #nature

071 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Wow.Hope and Resilience are the themes at The Obama Presidential Center. Far exceeded my expectations. #obama #hope #bethechange

260 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Queen of the Prairie is blooming in my backyard native garden. Think Pink! #prairie #nativeplants #gardening #nature

2384 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! I thoroughly enjoyed this chef’s memoir on seasonal cooking and eating, buying food locally, gardening, and foraging. Pair it w/a sparkling orange juice (topped with a strawberry and plenty of whip, of course) and stay cool this week! #cooking #memoir #books #drinks

040 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

#17 in our “26 in 2026” hikes—Prairie Ridge State Natural Area in Jasper County (Newton, Illinois). Four thousand-plus acres! Tallgrass prairie! Prairie Chickens! (Although we didn’t see them). Hot day, great place. Beautiful. #prairie #wildlife #hiking #illinois #birding #nature

0140 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

This guy spent most of the day under our bed. Not happy about all the thunderstorms rolling through Illinois tonight, with fireworks set off between the showers. 🐈‍⬛ #cats #weather #illinois

381 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

#16 in our “26 in 2026” attempt to hike 26 natural areas new to us in 26 Illinois counties this year—Crawford County Forest Preserve (Robinson, Illinois). Thousands of dragonflies out, w/a heat index off the charts. Short sweaty hike but beautiful! #hiking #illinois #nature #odonata

0100 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! Just started this thoughtful, well-written look at the evolutionary history of birds & I am learning so much! Pair it w/ an iced coffee, topped w/m&ms & stay cool this week! #history #birds #nature #evolution #books @marinerbooks.bsky.social @stevebrusatte.bsky.social

160 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! A thoughtful, well-written book you won’t want to miss. Pair it with my new favorite sparkling drink (LaCroix, cranberry juice, gatorade) topped with fruit and plenty of whip, and have a great week. @marinerbooks.bsky.social #nature #wildlife #books #prairie #bison

020 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! A fascinating true story of adventure, history, and obsession in the Amazon jungle. Pair it with an iced coffee (add chocolate-covered espresso beans & plenty of whip) & enjoy the week. @vintagebooks.bsky.social #books @davidgrann.bsky.social #nature #coffee

190 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! A good summer adventure book, featuring the Grand Canyon, risk-taking, rafting, and natural history. Pair it with a strawberry lemonade (don’t forgeg the whipped cream!) and have a great week. #books #rafting #nature #nationalparks @simonandschuster.bsky.social

060 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! Classic adventure read. Riveting! Pair it with a blackberry lemonade (don’t forget the whipped cream!) and enjoy the week. #books #summerdrinks #arctic @basicbooksgroup.bsky.social

110 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! An iced coffee with homemade vanilla cold foam, an absorbing Alaskan Arctic adventure story, and a cat asleep on my lap. What a good Wednesday. Hope yours is, too! #books #nature #alaska #arctic #travel #science #coffee @littlebrown.bsky.social #hiking #wednesday

1131 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! What a delightful read, full of joys and mishaps. Pair the book with some hot java (topped with chocolate drizzle and plenty of the good stuff). Mug a gift from friends Vicki and Scott. 💕 Cheers! Have a great week! #books @simonandschuster.bsky.social #hiking #nature

030 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

A good week for re-reading the poetry of Mary Oliver, and drinking blueberry lemonade with mint from the garden (topped with plenty of the good stuff). Cheers! #poetry #books #nature @beaconpress.bsky.social @maryoliverdaily.bsky.social

050 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! Although her wonderful column will no longer appear in the NYT, I’m grateful to have Renkl’s books to re-read. Enjoy w/coffee topped w/whipped cream & M&Ms. Keep writing, MR! Cheering you on. @margaretrenkl.bsky.social @nytimes.com @milkweededitions.bsky.social #books

150 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! Just started this thoughtful 2011 global natural history library check-out about the coasts, braiding together ethics, story and science. I’m enjoying it with a mug of java, topped with sprinkles and the good stuff. Happy reading! @henryholt.bsky.social #nature #books

040 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! (A little late). A great resource for identifying emerging prairie plants in the home garden or on the prairies. Pair it with some chocolate drizzle and whipped cream on your coffee and have a great week! #coffee #prairie #nativeplants #gardening #nature

090 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Have you noticed Venus and the crescent moon in the evening? So lovely! #planets #moon #nightsky #nature

1170 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday!! This is a tribute to gardening in your wildest dreams—lush photography, over-the-top plants (both native & introduced). Enjoy it with a raspberry lemonade, topped with plenty of the good stuff, and have a great week! #books #gardening @timberpress.bsky.social #nature

030 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday!! Gorgeously-photographed inspiration for a sustainable landscape. Pair it with a mug of java, topped with the good stuff (and a swizzle of chocolate) and enjoy the week. (Illinois friends-Jack Pizzo’s prairie featured!!) #prairie #books #gardening #coffee #nature

150 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Happy Whipped Cream Wednesday! An epic journey through wildlife environmental history in North America (no fooling!). Enjoy your coffee with the good stuff on top today and have a great week. #coffee #books #environment #nature

171 0

Cindy Crosby @phrelanzer.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

No Kings in Glen Ellyn, Illinois today. Great turnout! #nokings #democracy #midwest

0110 0