In Illinois, the prairie state, finding prairies can be a real challenge. Over 99.99% of Illinois native prairie has been destroyed. Most prairie has been converted to agriculture. The areas that were too hilly to plough or too dry or…
Every year, a gloriously colored mushroom pops up at the base of an oak tree in one of our parks. It’s pumpkin colored top and other-worldly shape, makes it look like something that would be more at home on a…
August and early September is a time for pink to join the color palette of the Illinois Prairie. The yellows of several species of sunflower still dominate, but nature seems to know that an ocean of yellow would be overstated.…
As June drought turned into July monsoon, we witness another strange year for weather in Central Illinois. The rains came just in time to spur the growth of native prairie flowers before they set bloom. The summer onset of blooming…
Most people don’t think of a prickly thistle as being a rare and desired species. Roadsides are often lined with some type of thistle. Most of these are seen as noxious weeds that are invasive species brought from other continents.…
There are a few special places left in this world. If you are taking a hike in some of the natural areas that we are blessed to have in Central Illinois, you might observe a harbinger of just how special…
May is known for its colorful flowers. Trees also are in bloom and insects are becoming more numerous. With all of this activity, the stage is set for the peak of songbird migration. Many of these birds are migrating north…
One of the first native plants I can remember becoming enamored with as a child was a spring wildflower called Bloodroot. What a name. The plant is full of a red sap that courses through its leaves, stem and roots.…
The first time I became acquainted with a Sandhill Crane was 40 years ago canoeing in northern Minnesota. They had a nest on the ground, at the edge of the marsh, built from cattail and other vegetation. Their rattling-bugle call…
For anyone who lives for the delicate splendor of flowers, winter can seem like a bleak landscape. A period of stillness before the spring breaks across the landscape with blooming things. However, if you pay attention to the winter landscape,…
