Dogwoods in full bloom, the peak of a century old mansion in the background.
Checkered Path
May 6, 2008 by 6 Comments
While wandering around the University of Wisconsin’s campus, I came across this great shadow/light pattern. Had to play with these stairs a bit to make the checkerboard really pop. Sometimes you just gotta have a little fun with the photos. Create and play and marvel at the complexities of computerdom and software intricacies.
Imagine. Seventeen years ago this month, we bought out first home computer. 128k Hee hee. And we were SO impressed. The first program we got was Sticky-Bear Math for my then 3 year old. Anybody out there remember Sticky-Bear?
Wildflower Bonanza
May 5, 2008 by 10 Comments
Over the weekend, I spent quite a few hours hiking in area hardwood forests. I took these photographs in Owen Conservation Park in Madison. The ephemeral spring flowers, the ones growing on the forest floor under the trees not yet leafed out, are putting on a big show, though about 3 to 4 weeks later than typical.
The Cut-leaved Toothwort is one of these ephemeral wildflower; it blooms in the Eastern hardwood forests before the trees’ leaves shade the forest earth. The crisp roots of this plant are said to taste like watercress.
Wild Ginger blooms spring-early summer in the Northern tier of states from Minnesota to New England. It is hard to see because it lies on the ground at the stalk of the flower and blends in with the earth – this is the first one I have found, though I think they are considered somewhat common. The roots have a fragrance and flavor of ginger, and once were used as a flavoring and to treat colds and coughs.
The Bloodroot is finally in bloom in the woodlands. The flower is found near the ground, and I moved a huge umbrella of the plant’s foliage to take its photo. I have always seen this bloom in early April and usually the petals of the bloodroot are broader than those seen in this photo. Guess this guy was on a diet! (or maybe he had too much snow!)
The Large-flowered Bellwort has flowers that never really open, they just hang like this. I found huge clumps of these in the ravines of the sun-drenched forest. It grows in the eastern half of Canada and the United States, except for Florida, though it is on a few states’ endangered species lists.
I found scads of these Dutchman’s Breeches in the same ravines with the Bellwort and also there were lots of Periwinkles and a few trillium just opening. I love this plant’s name – they do look like a little clothesline of britches for a dozen little men. Folklore says the flower was used in love potions and spells. One of its other names is Little Blue Staggers because it caused cows to stagger in a “drunken’ state when they grazed on too much of the plant as it is toxic. Breeches are found in the eastern half of the US, except for the far south.
Finally – a great weekend, if I minus out the tornado warnings on Friday night, for wildflower catching-up.
Three Violets – Oops, Four! – Which is Your Favorite?
May 4, 2008 by 23 Comments
There are over 900 species of violets, but I only have three four to share with you so far. And if you read all the way to the end of this post – there’s a contest and prizes in celebration of Seeded Earth reaching visit # 30,000 a day ago.
I have always called this a Confederate Violet, though it isn’t listed as such in wildflower guides. The name seems to refer to its color resemblance to the Confederate uniforms worn during the Civil War, which were a pale gray-blue color.
It is actually an atypical Common Blue Violet, (the violet in the next photo) and mostly enjoyed by us folks in the Midwest US.
This is the Common Blue Violet. It blooms March through June, and is found throughout the eastern half of US. This species of violet is as common in my yard as my grass. And nearly as common as my dandelions and clover. 🙂
Its leaves are high in Vitamin A and C and can be used in salads or cooked as greens, and the flowers can be made into candies and jellies. Here’s a recipe for Violet Jelly. It was my favorite from all the ones I read, because the jelly-maker was concerned enough to give us a hint so the jelly doesn’t look like it’s full of wilted bugs!
This is the Sweet White Violet, and is much whiter than the Confederate and also has a nice fragrance. (Many violets do not have a fragrance.) This violet is fairly simple to find in the northern part of the United States east of the Mississippi River. It blooms in April- May in wooded areas.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of this violet is the backbending and twisting of the two upper petals. It’s the violet gymnast!
So do you have a favorite?
The mutant soldier?
The lawn-infested jelly ingredient?
The perfumed gymnast?
Why not leave a comment and vote for your favorite? We’ll see which one comes out as the Seeded Earth’s Favorite Violet!
*** In celebration of Seeded Earth surpassing 30,000+ visits, I’ll anonymously choose one ‘voter participant’ and send you an 8″ X 10″ MATTE PHOTOGRAPH, your choice from my blog – if you want one, that is – AND A SOMETHING SPECIAL GIFT MADE IN WISCONSIN. I’ll announce the winner on Sunday, May 11. And I’ll post a photo of the Wisconsin prize, too. ***
Addition on May 5. I want to add one more violet to this violet post, though I don’t think this guy will have much a go at the contest. He’s a pleasant sort, so he won’t mind.
This is the Downy Blue Violet and its petals are broader than they are long, giving it a shape rather like a butterfly. It has a soft whiskery coat and is a lovely medium shade of blue. The Downy grows very low to the ground on barely any stem, so it can be easy to miss.
The whiskery butterfly?
Nothing Spectacular
May 3, 2008 by 8 Comments
Hey wait… nothing spectacular? Do you see that blue sky? the green grass? The air is clear; the land is litter free. There are no obnoxious odors, loud noises, traffic sounds. The trees are beginning to green a bit, the grassy path is a spongy cushion under tired feet. Not spectacular?
Maybe it’s only an urban conservation park, 93 acres small, but it’s a piece of green that I visit many times each week. Located only a few minutes from my home, I have probably taken a thousand photographs of this land – prairie, savanna, woodland – in the last eight months. Of the 297 posts I’ve published, 35 contain photographs taken here in Owen Conservation Park – nearly 1 in every 8.
Owen Conservation Park, one of 14 conservation parks in Madison, sits on a hilltop overlooking the city’s west side. It was the farm and retreat of a University of Wisconsin professor, Edward T. Owen and tranferred into conservancy in the 1970s. Prairies and oak savannas are reclaiming the old farmlands, and the woods provide habitat for wildlife and birds. And they provide me with a place to unwind, hike, and enjoy my photography. For that, I’m pretty thankful.
If you are interested, here is the collection of this blog’s photos of Owen Conservation Park as the different seasons settled upon it – starting with a few photos of the fantastic wildflowers that are in bloom this first part of May and ending with the park captured in mid-autumn color. (You can also see how my photography skills have changed in the past 8 months. A few of those first photos are a little on the shaky side, but I’m glad I have them posted as part of the record of my journey of the last year.)
And the park really is a beautiful parcel of land in its many different moods.
