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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
National
Dale Bowman

Backroads of mine: Side trips from Metropolis to Lake Geneva, Valpo to Hennepin

Dale Bowman Lake Geneva Metropolis Champaign Valparaiso
Among the things that might be better than a fresh garden tomato: The skyline of the Loop, viewed from quarry boulders or the bench at Palmisano Park, is a soul-soothing place. (Dale Bowman)

When I proudly posted the biggest heirloom tomato of my life (1.4 pounds), Jon Reith responded on Instagram, “There are few things on earth better than a fresh garden tomato. And I’m just assuming that these `few things’ exist. I’ve personally never had them.”

I thought he overstated it, then couldn’t immediately come up with one of those “few things,” other than obvious ones like being there when my kids were born.

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