October at
Ryerson Woods
 Tuesdays
October 6 - November 104 – 5pm
Tai Chi
Join instructor Maureen McHugh in the weekly practice of Tai Chi, traditional Chinese exercises characterized by gentle movements which harmonize breathing and mental concentration. In Tai Chi one is seeking the integration of body, mind and spirit. The strength of Tai Chi is rooted in the feet, controlled through the center, and revealed in the hands. Six week session, Tuesdays from 4-5pm. Class held outside, weather permitting. Fee $75 for 6 sessions. Register online at www.LCFPD.org or call 847.968.3321.
 Saturday
October 101 – 3pm
Wild Onion Book Series
The Gift of Good Land
by Wendell Berry
Evanston Ecology Center Join FRW at the Evanston Ecology Center for a book discussion about The Gift of Good Land. The essays describe Berry's journeys to the highlands of Peru, the deserts of southern Arizona and Amish Ohio to study traditional agricultural practices. Lively discussion about the book will be led by Linda Bubon of Women & Children First. We will also learn about the City of Evanston's active community garden program and tour the mini-farm of The Talking Farm, an urban food production project. Evanston Ecology Center. $20 ($15 FRW members). Register online at www.LCFPD.org or for member discount call 847.968.3321.
 Thursday
October 157 – 9pm
Our Food in Film Series
The Power of Community
When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba's economy went into a tailspin. With imports of oil cut by more than half – and food by 80% – people were desperate. This film tells of the hardships and struggles as well as the community and creativity of the Cuban people during this difficult time. Cubans share how they transitioned from a highly mechanized, industrial agricultural system to one using organic methods of farming and local, urban gardens. Debbie Hillman, Coordinator of the Illinois Local & Organic Food & Farm Task Force, will frame the discussion after the film. Welcome Center. $10 ($7 FRW members). Register online at www.LCFPD.org or for member discount call 847.968.3321.
 Wednesday
October 217:30 – 9pm
Lecture
The Future of Plants in a Rapidly Changing World Distinguished evolutionary biologist Sir Peter Crane will visit Ryerson Woods to share his perspective on threats to the world’s plants, concern over the erosion of genetic diversity and exciting conservation strategies. This fall Crane takes the helm of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies as its dean. He served as the Director of The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1999-2006 and was knighted for services to horticulture and conservation. Crane's own research integrates studies of living and fossil plants to understand large-scale patterns and processes of plant evolution. He is engaged in a variety of initiatives focused on the conservation of plant diversity. Coffee, tea and cookies will be served. Welcome Center. $10 ($8 FRW members). Register online at www.lcfpd.org, or for member discount, call 847.968.3321.
 Friday & Saturday
October 23 & 24
6 – 9pmHalloween Hikes This guided candlelight trail hike stops several times to watch costumed performances in the woods. Finish off at a cozy cabin fireplace with cider and a fresh doughnut. This program isn’t scary, so even your preschoolers will have fun. Hour long hikes leave every 30 minutes from 6 - 8pm. $7 Lake County residents, $9 non-residents. Children 3 and under are free. Register online at www.lcfpd.org or call 847.968.3321.
October 23, 24 & 25
10am – 3pm
Art Class
Painting Autumn Flowers and Foliage with Watercolor
Delightfully detailed detailed or loose and lovely, treat yourself to the brilliant flowers and glorious foliage of Autumn. Watercolor artist Fran Vail will demonstrate subtle or dramatic shading techniques, fall's clear color palette and floral textures. Join us for a joyful, three day workshop that will move your floral paintings to a new level of artistic skill and enthusiasm. (Fee includes cost of live flowers and some materials). Brushwood. $225 (three days), $160 (two days) or $85 (one day). To register, call North Shore Art League at 847.446.2870.
Ryerson Woods is located near Deerfield on Riverwoods Road between Half Day Road (Route 22) and Deerfield Road, just west of the Interstate 94 Tollway.
Presented in partnership with 
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Art
Exhibitions:
Silent Landscapes
Watercolors in the Great Lakes Watershed
by Philip Enquist
Exhibit runs through October 28
Winter is the dramatic equalizer, rendering landscapes devoid of color, enabling one to read the larger sweep of woods, lakes, rivers and sky. Rich with mystery and intensely private, these evocative black and white watercolors interpret the silences of the Midwest landscape. Brushwood. Free. No registration required.
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Exhibit runs:
November 1 – December 22
Opening Reception:
Sunday, November 1
1 – 3pm
The early morning light on a woodland trail reveals hidden places and quiet thoughts as a new day is presented in all its glory. These moments are captured by William Marvin, a Plein Air artist known for his intimate and almost overlooked landscapes. The exquisite color, subtle textures, and dramatic light capture the rhythms of the seasons and the thoughtful reflections of an artist in tune with the wild grace in nature. Brushwood. Free. No registration required.
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Rhythms and Reflections
Oil Paintings by William Marvin
AUTUMN IN
RYERSON WOODS
Where do the fall colors come from?
The process is complex and scientists don’t have all the answers. But a few things are known to influence the changing color of the leaves in the fall: · Shorter days, longer nights · Pigments in the leaves · Weather
Shorter days, longer nights
The most constant influence is the changing length of the days and nights. Longer nights trigger biochemical changes in the trees. The long days of intense summer sunlight are disappearing and trees begin to prepare for the short cold days of winter. A layer of cells, called an abscission layer, is produced between each leaf stem and the woody part of the tree. It cuts off the flow of nutrients and water between the leaves and the rest of the tree, changing the chemical processes that take place within the leaves. These changes cause the color changes that follow.
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