Whenever we visit our daughter’s family in the Chicago area, we always make it a point to visit the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, a western suburb of the Windy City. Established on the estate of the family known for salt and whose patriarch (secretary of agriculture under President Cleveland) founded Arbor Day, the 1,700-acre site ranks for size, age, quality of specimens and programs with the leading arboretums in the world. No matter the season, there are interesting plants to see and beautiful landscapes to ramble through. Right now and running through Jan. 3, 2015, Illumination encompasses 50 acres with LED lights in a series of “experiences” strung along a mile-long path through trees and around the lake near the Visitor Center. Arriving after dark, we were greeted by light-enrobed trees right from the entrance drive     and throughout the parking lot. (I really liked all the Seahawks blue and green they used!) Far more elaborate light displays wait beyond the gates, beginning with beams of light which sweep in coordinated fashion across a broad lawn and ranks of shrubs and then high up into the sky. Interactive displays include the opportunity to hug a tree and watch it respond with a shift in colors or cause colors to shift over a stand of trees as you sing to it. Light plays over the varied textures of bark and highlights the sinuous shapes of bare branches       and shimmers in the smooth surface of the lake, passing over glowing, floating spheres. My favorite experience was the Symphony Woods, covering an enormous hillside with streams of lights flowing up and down over the ground and beams of light sweeping the towering branches above. Four orchestral selections, recorded by the Chicago Symphony, play as the colors shift and flow in sync to the music. Along the route there are large tents where one can stop for refreshments, warm up a bit and shop for mementos. Here and there along the path are fire pits providing warmth and the pleasant scent of woodsmoke, making Illuminations an experience for all the senses. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for snow while we’re here; I’d love to take advantage of the arboretum’s snowshoe and cross-country ski rental to explore its paths in the daytime. Be sure to make the Morton Arboretum a stop when you’re in the area; there’s plenty to see and do, even in the depths of winter. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor