Recent content by slowlane

This is excellent! Nice to see someone else knocking around in an old vehicle. Digging the Rand McNally road atlas stuffed behind the seat. Those maps have guided me on most all my cross-county trips over the past 20 years. This has the makings of an amazing thread. Hope to see more.

Otter Creek at Baxter's Hollow State Natural Area near Sauk Prairie, WI.

Near Palmyra, WI.

Leadplant. Compass Plant. Common Milkweed.

Today at Glacial Park, Illinois.

I've gone out to the prairie about once a week for the past month looking for any signs of spring. I found nothing until today. We've had a cold and snowy April which isn't too unusual. Today I finally found what I was looking for; Pasqueflowers. They are about the earliest blooming native...

Pelicans on the Rock River. Fort Atkinson, WI.

This morning at Rome Pond. Jefferson County, WI.

From 2004-2009 I lived in central Kansas, and just east of me was the Flint Hills, arguably the main ranching area in the state. The range land includes parts of several counties including all of Chase County. They burn these hills extensively every spring, tens of thousands of acres each...

Thanks. I wish I could say this is the place I volunteer at, but it isn't. My little piece of prairie pales in comparison to Pleasant Valley, but I like it just the same. Eagle Center Prairie where I work at really could stand to be burned but it backs right up to a subdivision on two sides...

That's interesting about controlled burns and the long leaf pines. It is unfortunate for native ecosystems that our society so vigorously suppressed and prevented fires for so long, but I completely understand the reasoning for doing so. However, it is nice to see fire being used to maintain...

I went out to the little prairie this afternoon and cleaned up trash, which mostly consisted of cans, bottles, and fast-food wrappers along the side that borders Highway 67. I also found one sad looking beach ball that had been caught in some brush. The snow is basically gone now except on one...

An amazing frost formation on one of our windows today. Reminds me of an abstract willow tree. It's between the inner and outer pane so probably not a good sign window seal wise but it sure is beautiful.

It feels good to be back out there again. I'm looking forward to seeing the summer plant progression next year since I missed the bulk of it this year.

Thanks. Yep buckthorn sucks. It's nearly impossible to eradicate once it's taken a hold in an area. Natural areas like this are especially hard to control because you can't just go in clear cutting and broadcasting herbicide or you'll also wipe out everything good your trying to help. This...