This morning, I am happy to report, the blooms that had closed up after sunset last night, have opened up to a new day. They look sunny and cheerful, and full of springs potential. Have I convinced you to go outside and pick yourself a bouquet of dandelions yet?
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So far, ranunculus sprouted really well. I potted them up into small pots, since it's too cold yet to go in the ground. In a few weeks, if they're still doing well, I will put them into containers on the patio. I was so pleased with the results, I started another dozen. And, I added some anemone bulbs to the process, too. The dahlia tubers are still pretty quiet, so I expect I'll need to buy some plants from one of the local growers. There's still a bit of time left for them to sprout, so we will see... I am a novice gardener. No doubt about it. But, every year I do manage to learn a bit more, and try something new. The great thing is, there is a community of gardeners out there that are willing to share the joy that gardening brings them, and what they have learned along the way to creating their gardens and wild spaces.
No matter what your media of choice is - books, magazines, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, there are lots of wise and worldly gardeners and naturalists out there worth a read, a watch, or a listen. I have them to thank for inspiring me not to give up on turning our backyard into a beautiful space for wildlife. And for us as well.
tHE cOMFORT oF cROWSA Backyard Year - by Margaret Renkl I can think of no better place to sit down to write my impressions of Margaret Renkl’s book The Comfort Of Crows on this unseasonably warm March afternoon than my backyard patio. A self-described backyard naturalist, Margaret Renkl is fluent in the art of noticing – week to week, season to season, seedhead to bloom and back again. From the sleeping brown buds on the branches of a tree in winter, to the berries that feed the feathered cold weather residents taking shelter among the native shrubs in her wild garden, Renkl takes it all in. The good, the sad, and the hopeful.
In this diary of a backyard year, the essay for week 2 explores the bird watcher's tradition of spotting the first bird of the new year, which sets the tone for the next twelve months. Following weeks and essays encompass wildlife observations, family memories, and a myriad of personal encounters with the natural world from Renkl’s perspective. To view the natural world through Margaret Renkl’s lens is to witness the unfolding of new, green leaves in spring, the gathering of a family of crows on the tip-tops of trees, and the maiden voyage of a bluebird nestling in flight. It is to worry at the devastation to migrating songbirds and native insects from habitat loss, and the poisons so casually spread on lawnscapes across the country.
Renkl presents her observations in prose that is both poetic and sincere. As a nature lover and wildlife enthusiast myself, reading The Comfort Of Crows left me, at times, overcome with emotion. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the changes happening to our planet. To the loss, in the millions, of songbirds, and insects, and other creatures of the animal world. To wonder, in fear, what will happen to us as well, as the climate warms, and the weather becomes even more unpredictable. Renkl does not shy away from these realities. When feeling on the edge of despair she writes:
While acknowledging the grief and the tragedies of the natural world, Renkl also sees the beauty that exists right alongside it. Sometimes in spite of it. She demonstrates that an understanding of the situation does not negate the beauty that exists. These are complex times, and complex perspectives and emotions fit the bill. She also illustrates that each of us can make a difference, in simple ways, in our own backyards and green spaces, no matter how big or small they are. As the book is written, it is welcome to be read. No need to plow through. Enjoy each week, each poetic devotional, each beautiful illustration by Margaret’s talented, artist brother, Billy Renkl, one week at a time. Savor it. Read a chapter, then observe your own surrounding natural world with a new view. I, myself, read it once and let it sit with me a while. Then I went back, and over a few weeks, read it over again. Something tells me I’ll be pulling this book out to read again and again. Season to season, even. Published: October 24, 2023 Publisher: Spiegel & Grau
Sometimes I even bring my own crafted hearts along to photograph in nature for something fresh and new when the landscapes are a little gray and brooding.
I've been visiting Greenfield Park a lot lately. It's one of my favorite Milwaukee County Parks, and it's nearby. So, I can be there within just a few minutes. In every type of weather it welcomes me. And I know its nooks and crannies, walking paths, lagoon-side and woodland, well. As predicted, we did get that big winter storm late this last week. It packed in a lot of heavy snow over a couple days, and finished up by leaving in its wake subzero temperatures, and trees encased in sparkling snow and ice. Standing outside for a moment you could hear the sound of the ice crackling on the tree limbs.
As the winter season progresses, bundle up and visit your favorite local park, or walking trail and wonder at the breathtaking scene before you. If walking on ice and snow isn't for you, just take a drive, and enjoy the view from your car. Eventually, the weather will turn, and the ice and snow will melt. And that bit of magic will be gone. But worry none, as something just as lovely will come after.
The first snowfall of the new year arrived yesterday. At least here in Milwaukee. We haven't had much yet this year, but that appears to be changing. I came down with a stomach bug Sunday night, slept most of Monday, and woke up Tuesday to falling snow and wicked winds. Today the winds have calmed, the snowfall has stopped, and we have a good 3-4 inches of heavy snow blanketing the area. A vast change in the local landscape. A drag to shovel, but pretty to look at for sure. Feeling a bit better today, I snuck out for a drive-thru coffee, and a drive along the lagoon side of Greenfield Park. On the Winter Solstice I drove by, and stopped to take a few photos of the calm, reflective water, and gray skies. The landscape today looked so different. I got out to take a few photos at the same spot just to compare. I'm still convinced that every season, and every part of every season, has its beauty. Sometimes we just have to take a look at it in a different way to appreciate it. At least that's how I feel. More snow is predicted later this week. Winter in Wisconsin. Sounds about right. |
AuthorA nature lover, bird watcher, wildlife fan, amateur photographer, humane gardener, traveler, and singer of songs. I've been keeping closer to home these days, and truly discovering the beauty that lies in TheParkNextDoor. Archives
April 2024
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