Monthly Archives: September 2010

One of the last to bloom…

Posted on September 25, 2010 by reflectionsfrom

Stiff gentian is one of the last plants to flower for the season. It is a stunning, deeply purple plant. Stiff gentian is less than one foot tall and found infrequently in moist to dry prairies. They like limestone, calcium-rich soil … Continue reading →

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Art on the move…

Posted on September 20, 2010 by reflectionsfrom

Thursday the University of Wisconsin-Madison kicked off a Year of the Arts. There were performers scattered on the east end of campus. When  I took a break from my computer to see what it was all about I found the … Continue reading →

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The giants of the prairie – part 3

Posted on September 13, 2010 by reflectionsfrom

The third giant of the prairie is prairie dock. It has very large leaves, all at the base of the plant, and then in July it starts to shoot up its flower stalk. It is one of longest blooming plants … Continue reading →

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A quest for grasshoppers…

Posted on September 12, 2010 by reflectionsfrom

Last week John and I went on a field trip to identify grasshoppers… or at least learning how to identify grasshoppers was the idea! What I learned was that there are 40 species of grasshoppers in Wisconsin, 30 of which … Continue reading →

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Signs of fall…

Posted on September 7, 2010 by reflectionsfrom

Well I’ve needed a jacket or sweater the last several days when Lilly and I walked the prairie so it can mean only one thing… fall is on the way! More evidence that fall is imminent is the first asters … Continue reading →

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Goldenrod colors the prairie…

Posted on September 5, 2010 by reflectionsfrom

The prairie is awash with gold, green, tan and mahogany. The gold is primarily that of goldenrod. There are three types of goldenrod in the prairie. The most common and extensive is Canada goldenrod. It has been blooming for several … Continue reading →

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