Jim Jung was born and raised in southern Illinois. He had an intense interest in the natural world since early childhood. During high school he often cut classes to explore caves, natural areas and historic sites. Jim published the Waterman & Hill-Traveller's Companion, an almanac that explores the rich natural and human heritage of the region, from 1996 until the 2007 issue which came out in October 2006.

He lived in Carbondale, Illinois "I like the libraries here..." with his wife Ruby where he researched and wrote his Almanac. Together with Ruby he maintain this growing website concerning the region's natural treasures. In his spare time Jim pursued an interest in and published his findings concerning the region's prehistoric archaeoastronomical traditions.

He died on the Ides of March, 2007, after a brief but valient struggle with lung cancer. He is sorely missed.

Ruby Jung was born in Murray, Kentucky where she lived until moving to Carbondale at the age of twelve. She worked at Hillside Nursery for twenty-odd years, where she enjoyed being connected to the seasons and helping customers enrich their lives with plants. In 2002 Jim dragooned her, kicking and screaming, into learning how to post this website. Since then she's enjoyed a new connection with the seasons and a new circle of contacts with the readers who send e-mail.

Ruby also maintains, in a sporadic manner, a personal site called Ruby's Tuesdays.