Prairie Sky at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum

Prairie Sky © 2010 Bo Mackison

Simple times. Autumn photograph, striking browns and golds under a bright blue sky. Photographed at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum in Madison, Wisconsin.

Odd Looking Thing…

magnolia after all the blossoms have fallen

Nature Can Be Odd Looking © 2010 Bo Mackison

So…I know what it is. Do you have any ideas? Give a guess…

And it may be odd shaped, but even so, I think it’s quite beautiful.

Teal Pond in Early Spring

Teal Pond  © 2010 Bo Mackison

Teal Pond © 2010 Bo Mackison

On our evening walk through the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, we didn’t see much in the way of green, but the skies were quite blue, and the pond provided a lovely reflection of early springtime.

Two Windows and a Bit of Sky

And the Reflection of Earth and Sky

See the Differences in the Windows' Reflections

One window shows the reflection of the blue sky, the other window shows the reflection of the dirt path.

It’s the Berries

Red Dogwood Berries

Red Osier (Red Twigged Dogwood) Berries © 2008

A walk in the prairies show grasses are browning, flowers are setting seed, and this red osier shrub (red twigged dogwood) is ladened with bunches of heavy white berries. By the way, the berries do not turn red.

The dogwood’s name has nothing to do with dogs. The word is derived from an Old English wood dagge (dagger) and refers to the hardness of the wood. A European species was once used to make butchers’ skewers.