walking

well, we’ve crossed the line over 150 state natural areas visited. hadn’t thought we’d get here when this began, especially when this project started slowing down after things picked up once the worst of the pandemic was behind us. but here we are. a trip to door cty last week put us across the 150 line.

north bay sna in door cty is a varied site with undeveloped shoreline on lake michigan (rare in door cty), wetlands, springs and seeps, mesic and boreal forest. i only walked thru the coniferous woods at the beginning of the site from the dead end road, but was pleasantly surprised by the variety of plant life, club moss, et alia. got some weird vibes about a half hour in and trusted it since i was alone and turned round, but a fine afternoon jaunt nonetheless.

first id of pearly everlasting, spurred gentian, northern bugleweed, and red baneberry!

so many ferns here

too few names

birch limbs all around

this lune is for you,

dear lorine—

everlasting bracts

how to put in words

the texture

of club moss and fir?

such small minutemen

on cypress

is bear lurking near?

first day of the new academic year, here i come.

been a while. but after a visit with family, me and the kids headed west to this dry mesic prairie remnant just past the terminal moraine in the driftless area (where the last glaciation didn’t touch). mostly situated on a dramatic hill, this prairie was grazed but not plowed, according to the wdnr’s website. lots of native species still inhabiting, a small oak proudly taking up the hill’s crest as its home.

many first time id’s and a few old friends hanging out. first id’s of wood lily, seneca snakeroot, blue-eyed grass, flowering spurge, prairie phlox.

first day that a walk in the sun got uncomfortably hot this year. could have sat on the hilltop all day long.

bright lamp of the hill

bolt upright

in dane cty breeze