Donna Vickroy – Page 2

Scottish fans celebrate at a park in central Boston ahead of a World Cup match between Haiti and Scotland in Foxborough, Mass., on Saturday, June 13, 2026. (Martin Meissner/AP)

Donna Vickroy: The real winner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Respect.

July 23, 2026 at 5:55 p.m.

The way World Cup fans interacted with each other while attending games in the U.S., Mexico and Canada was a thing to behold and love.

Rick Bayless, one of Chicago's best-known chefs, encourages visitors to sample herbs from his backyard garden. (Donna Vickroy/Naperville Sun)

Donna Vickroy: We went to a garden party — in chef Rick Bayless’s back yard

July 17, 2026 at 1:50 p.m.

Rick Bayless' Chicago garden paradise is open to visitors who sign up for summer tours led by the iconic chef himself.

Sometimes it's going to rain on your outdoor party, but inviting the right guests and moving things inside keeps the fun from getting drenched, columnist Donna Vickroy says. (baiduhai)

Donna Vickroy: Mother Nature knows how to crash a party

July 10, 2026 at 10:23 a.m.

It was historic, all right. Just not the kind of history we were hoping to make. When life hands you torrential downpours, microbursts and tornadic winds — while 70 people...

You might be tempted to groan when your kids ask to use the kitchen, but you might also be surprised by how well they do. (baiduhai)

Donna Vickroy: Kids take on the supermarket in order to take on the kitchen

July 2, 2026 at 4:51 p.m.

Give kids an inch, and they might take a mile -- especially with a project like cooking -- but don't be surprised when they surprise you.

Dan Pennick, hospital ambassador at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, holds Fantasia, an abandoned kitten that was brought into the emergency department during severe weather on June 8. (Dan Pennick)

Donna Vickroy: High winds, soft whiskers and a prophecy fulfilled

June 25, 2026 at 6:50 p.m.

When a cyclist traveling through the area in a storm found an abandoned kitten, he dropped it off at a hospital — and fate intervened.

This AccuWeather graphic shows Illinois leading the pack in terms of number of tornadoes in 2026 as of June 11. (AccuWeather)

Donna Vickroy: Maybe because of El Niño, Illinois has become the new tornado alley

June 19, 2026 at 2:48 p.m.

After the most recent storms, Illinois has logged 145 tornadoes this year, a record for a state with about 54 sightings annually.

A trip to Disney World with your grown children and grandchildren is just as special as any vacation to a foreign land, says columnist Donna Vickroy, seen here in a photo with her family. (Donna Vickroy/Naperville Sun)

Donna Vickroy: Seeing the joy in your grandkids’ faces makes that trip to Disney World so special

June 11, 2026 at 12:17 p.m.

A trip to Disney World can be expensive, hot and overwhelming but what a payoff if you do it with your children and grandchildren.

To someone who's just 5 feet tall, like columnist Donna Vickroy, shopping at wholesale giant Costco can be vertically challenging. (Donna Vickroy/Naperville Sun)

Donna Vickroy: Small fries face challenges in big people’s retail world

May 29, 2026 at 11:50 a.m.

When you're only 5 feet tall, grocery shopping can pose some unique dilemmas, especially at Costco, columnist Donna Vickroy says.

Flags and balloons at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood on Memorial Day. (baiduhai)

Donna Vickroy: Take a moment to think about the war dead — and those left with the scars

May 21, 2026 at 4:01 p.m.

It's too easy to forget that the reason for Memorial Day is to remember and appreciate those who faced their fear and fought for us.

With a little support and commitment -- or do you prefer “love and attention” -- you, too, can raise so many cherry tomatoes that they'll be falling off the fine. (Donna Vickroy/Naperville Sun)

Donna Vickroy: Here are a few tricks to jumpstarting your garden

May 13, 2026 at 7:04 p.m.

Planting a garden is easy but seeing it through until it yields a healthy crop takes a little planning and effort, one expert says.

All Stories