Spring is quickly growing into summer. Here are a few photos that captured our attention this past month. So fun to see what is happening in and around the prairie. One way of looking at these images is called Phenology which is the study of reoccurring life cycles that are driven by the environment. The […]
Please enjoy these beautiful Spring photos contributed by our members! Let go of the last bits of winter and take a virtual walk through Nature and witness the new beginnings of growth on the Prairie. Welcome back sunshine to our land and our lives! Photo by Joe Rising Photo by Christine Larson Photo by […]
Happy May Day 2020! This may be one of the the most important days of the year. Symbolically, this day represents the return of life and fertility to the world. Astrologically, today marks the midpoint of Spring, half way between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. Traditionally, children gather flowers and make May Baskets to […]
The main theme of this series of posts is the sense of nature that gives us strength and healing. The poetry of Wendell Berry often does that. He was in touch with the earth, though often from a more agricultural standpoint. He once wrote a poem about stones, from a farmer’s point of view. They […]
This week more reptiles and amphibians are becoming active. The musical trill of American Toads can now be heard from some ponded wetlands. Toads typically breed when water temperatures are over 60⁰ F but may be heard singing from late April until mid-summer. Bird’s-foot violets are starting to bloom in prairie areas. Bird’s-foot violets can […]
Susan S. Chambers, Many Rivers Chapter member, explores the awe we can discover each and every day, and especially when we are isolated at home. A notable poet, she shows us how the comfort of a poem can touch us spiritually. Aubade poem- An aubade is a morning love song (as opposed to a serenade, which is in […]
Undaunted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Empire-Sauk Chapter delivered its March 28, 2020 basic burn crew training workshop online. Teachers Rob Baller, Andy Sleger and Scott Fulton, together with moderator Grace Vosen, utilized Zoom to present the 6-hour program to 31 students, including a number from a Dane County Parks volunteer training class which had […]
Spring is in the air! We are blessed to have so much native habitat nearby to enjoy. We want to encourage you to go see a prairie, oak savanna, or local park to look for signs of spring. The seasonal weather we are having is just what we need to bring life out on the […]
The 2020 TPE burn season was dramatically shortened but was not a complete bust. Just as the season was getting underway the COVID-19 outbreak hit, with stay-at-home orders issued in late March for Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. State, county and local authorities also issued burn bans in some places, and TPE made a recommendation to […]
Introducing a new phenology series. Pat Trochlell, author of ‘This Week in the Driftless Area’ will bring us on a virtual tour of what is happening in our native habitat through her new column. We hope to post this series weekly on our TPE Facebook page, found at https://www.facebook.com/ThePrairieEnthusiasts/ Look for her updates on Thursday afternoons. Pat’s inspiration […]
