Tallgrass Tricks and Treats

“Have you come to sing pumpkin carols?”—Linus Van Pelt

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Today’s the day.

In our suburban subdivision, the doorbell will ring non-stop. Our front porch will be crowded with unicorns and princesses, cowboys and Barbies. It’s Halloween.

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to stay out of the Snickers bars until the kids arrive. A good reason to go for a hike before the happy haunting begins.

East Woods, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

And what a treat! Even as the temperatures drop past freezing, and the forecast threatens snow in the Midwest, the prairies and woodlands put on a spellbinding show.

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

So many delights, it’s difficult to know where to look.

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

Each turn of the trail offers new eye candy.

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

Showers of gold carpet the world, making hiking slippery, and a little bit tricky. The crushed leaves are fragrant with decay. The smell of autumn.

East Woods, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

If it rains? No worries. Raindrops sparkle, chasing away the gray of the skies.

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

A crow might ink its way across the sky as you hike, or you may glimpse a red-winged blackbird, silhouetted against the prairie like one of those old Scherenschnitte black paper scissored cut-outs.

Red-winged blackbird (Agleaius phoeniceus), Prophetstown Prairie, West Lafayette, IN.

Or perhaps you’ll spot a grackle. Not quite Edgar Allan Poe’s raven, but close enough. And its scientific name is fun to say.

Grackle (Quiscalus quiscalus), Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie, Glenview, IL.

If you listen closely, you might hear the call of…something…high in the trees.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), Belmont Prairie, Downers Grove, IL. (2016)

“Whooo”-ever you are, you can’t fail to feel a tingle. It’s Halloween, after all!

If spiders aren’t your thing, think again.

Spiderweb, Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL. (2019)

Overnight, they spin the prairies and woodlands into pure magic.

Bur marigold (Bidens cernua), West Side Prairie Planting, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL. (2019).

Go ahead. Soak up the sights, smells, and sounds.

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

It’s your last chance for an October hike.

Spiderweb on a West Side Prairie Planting, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL (2019).

Enjoy those tricks of the autumn light.

Rain at Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

Nature’s cauldrons full of colors.

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

The ghostly chills.

Spruce Plot, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL (2016)

The thrills.

Steps to the trail, Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

Goodbye, October.

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN.

Thanks for the magic.

*****

The opening quote is from one of the Peanuts gang, Linus Van Pelt, taken from the animated short special, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” (1966). Viewing this feature was a childhood staple of October, as many of Charles M. Schulz specials were at various times of the year. Looking back, I can’t believe it was only 25 minutes long. Remember Linus writing his letter to the Great Pumpkin? And Sally in the pumpkin patch? And Snoopy…well, I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it. Is there anyone who hasn’t? Happy Halloween!

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Join Cindy for a Class or Program at the End of 2023!

11/1 — 11am-12:30 pm: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by Town and Country Gardeners in Libertyville, IL. (Closed event for members). To learn more about joining the club, click here.

11/6 — 11am-12:30pm: “Dragonflies and Damselflies” hosted by Elmhurst Garden Club (Closed event for members). To learn how to join this garden club, click here.

11/10 –1-2:30pm: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by Lombard Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

11/15 –7-8:30 p.m.: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by the Downers Grove Organic Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

12/1 — 10-11:30 a.m.: “Bison Tales and Tallgrass Trails” at the Morton Arboretum’s beautiful Sterling Morton Library in Lisle, IL. (SOLD OUT — call and ask to be put on a waiting list.)

12/12 6:45-8 p.m.: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by the Buffalo Grove Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

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A note to readers: Jeff and I are celebrating our 40th anniversary by visiting 40 natural areas over the summer and fall. Thanks to everyone who has sent ideas! So far, we’ve enjoyed visiting the following places: Kayaking at #1 Rock Cut State Park (Rockford, IL); hiking at #2 James “Pate” Philip State Park (Bartlett, IL); #3 Potato Creek State Park (North Liberty, IN); #4 Indiana Dunes State Park (Porter County, IN); #5 Indiana Dunes National Park (Beverly Shores, IN); kayaking Silver Lake at #6 Blackwell Forest Preserve (Wheaton/Warrenville, IL); hiking #7 Belmont Prairie Nature Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #8 Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve (Winfield, IL), #9 Bluff Spring Fen (Elgin, IL), #10 Herrick Lake Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); Jeff’s family reunion at #11 Hawthorn Park (Terre Haute, IN); hiking #12 Turkey Run State Park, Marshall, IN) and at #13 Shades State Park, Waveland, IN; hiking and bison viewing at #14 Kankakee Sands, Morocco, IN; hiking at #15 Hidden Lake Forest Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #16 Peck Farm Park (Geneva, IL), #17 Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, IL); #18 Busse Woods Forest Preserve, Elk Grove, IL; #19 Nachusa Grasslands (Franklin Grove,IL); reading in a swing along the Rock River at #20 Lowell Park (Dixon, IL); cabin overnight and hiking at #21 White Pines State Park (Mt. Morris, IL); hiking to the overlook at #22 Castle Rock State Park (Oregon, IL); enjoying the views at a prairie remnant gem #23 Beach Cemetery Prairie (Ogle County, IL); #24 Springbrook Prairie (Naperville, IL); watching eagles and hiking at #25 Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby, IL); watching the dragonfly migration at #26 Matthiessen State Park (Oglesby, IL); river overlook at #27 Buffalo Rock State Park (Ottawa, IL); #28 monarch and dragonfly migration at Wolf Road Prairie (Westchester, IL); and hiking #29 Russell R. Kirt Prairie at College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, IL); hiking #30 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (Wilmington, IL), #31 Fermilab Prairies (Batavia, IL); and #32 Danada Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); #33 Fullersburg Woods (Oak Brook, IL); #34 Dick Young Forest Preserve (Batavia, IL); #35 Lyman Woods (Downers Grove, IL); #36 Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve (Loves Park, IL); #37 Greene Prairie (Madison, WI; #38 Curtis Prairie (Madison, WI); and #39 Waterfall Glen (Darien, IL). Our last hike, #40, was at Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN, this week where we had our one-night honeymoon in a cabin in the woods, 40 years ago. Thanks to everyone who emailed and posted suggestions of places to visit over the past four months! Our 40 year anniversary celebration adventures may be over, but we plan to keep all of your hiking suggestions and visit some of your favorite places in the months and years to come.

Tallgrass Prairie Changes

“There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” —C.S. Lewis

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It’s difficult to let go of the things we know and love.

Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL.

I think of this as I hike the prairie this week, looking back at the summer season. I love the heat and spark of June. July. August. The vibrant color. The sound sizzle. The zip and buzz of insects in constant motion.

I struggle with change. Transitions can be daunting.

Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL.

And now, autumn. In Illinois, the forecast promises us one last week of warm temperatures before the cold settles in. But you can see the seasonal changes. Wildflowers and grasses in seed. Goldfinches have already traded their warm season wardrobe for the duller garb that will let them blend into the fall and winter woodlands and prairies.

Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) on stiff goldenrod (Oligoneneruon rigidum), Crosby’s front yard prairie planting, Glen Ellyn, IL.

You can see the autumnal changes in the Cup Plants, crisped and brittle…

Cup Plant (Silphium terebinthinaceum), Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL.

…the dotted swiss swatches of Prairie Dock leaves…

Prairie Dock (Silphium terabinthinaceum), Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL.

…the neatly packaged Golden Alexanders’ seed capsules…

Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea), Crosby’s front yard prairie planting, Glen Ellyn, IL.

…and Rough Blazing Stars’ pom-pom seed puffs, which will gently blow apart in winter’s glacial breezes.

Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera), Crosby’s front yard prairie planting, Glen Ellyn, IL.

Change is in the air.

Although the numbers of prairie creatures and backyard wildlife I see have dropped off, there is still plenty of activity. As the prairie paths warm in the sun, they are the perfect place for garter snakes to catch a few rays.

Common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL.

Illinois’ snakes are cold blooded, which simply means their body temperature takes its cues from the environment. Snakes here will soon enter “brumation,” a sort of hibernation from which they’ll emerge in the spring. Many folks I know are happy about seeing less snakes; this prairie dweller is not a universal favorite. I can’t help but admire this one as I watch it seamlessly slip from the path and disappear into the grasses.

Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL.

As the prairie and garden slide into dormancy, it’s a joy to find the last bright butterflies of the season. I’ve not spotted a Monarch for several days. But in my still-vibrant backyard zinnia patch, an American Painted Lady stopped by this weekend to fuel up for the cold.

American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), Crosby’s backyard, Glen Ellyn, IL.

In Illinois, these beautiful butterflies are seen from April to October. My terrific field guide, Butterflies of Illinois , tells me the last generation of American Painted Ladies like this one will either hibernate as an adult (although they won’t survive very cold temperatures) or the caterpillars will overwinter in the chrysalis stage. Each year, I learn, migrants of this species from the south will help repopulate Illinois.

Soon, all the butterflies will be gone. The skies will seem a little emptier for their absence.

Clear Creek Fords, Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL.

As each new season comes along, I want to hold the previous one tight. Savor every moment. Resist change.

Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Crosby’s backyard, Glen Ellyn, IL.

It’s difficult to let go of the past. It’s impossible to know what’s ahead.

Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL.

Thinking of the future this week is especially daunting. Walking helps.

Nachusa Grassland, Franklin Grove, IL.

And—-each season, I remind myself that once I move through the transition, so many wonders will unfold. They are out there, just waiting for me to go see them.

Waterfall Glen, Darien, IL.

Why not go for a hike this week? I tell myself to get out there. Embrace the transition. Anticipate the change. I know I’ll be glad I did.

******

The opening quote is by C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), the British author of many children’s books and adult fiction and apologetics. He’s probably most beloved by readers for his “The Chronicles of Narnia” series, which I read aloud to my kids, and now my grandkids.

*****
Join Cindy for a class or program to close out 2023!

11/1 — 11am-12:30 pm: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by Town and Country Gardeners in Libertyville, IL. (Closed event for members). To learn more about the club, click here.

11/6 — 11am-12:30pm: “Dragonflies and Damselflies” hosted by Elmhurst Garden Club (Closed event for members). To learn how to join this garden club, click here.

11/10 –1-2:30pm: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by Lombard Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

11/15 –7-8:30 p.m.: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by the Downers Grove Organic Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

12/1 — 10-11:30 a.m.: “Bison Tales and Tallgrass Trails” at the Morton Arboretum’s beautiful Sterling Morton Library in Lisle, IL. (SOLD OUT — call and ask to be put on a waiting list.)

12/12 6:45-8 p.m.: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by the Buffalo Grove Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

******

A note to readers: Jeff and I are celebrating our 40th anniversary by visiting 40 natural areas over the summer and fall. Thanks to everyone who has sent ideas! So far, we’ve enjoyed visiting the following places: Kayaking at #1 Rock Cut State Park (Rockford, IL); hiking at #2 James “Pate” Philip State Park (Bartlett, IL); #3 Potato Creek State Park (North Liberty, IN); #4 Indiana Dunes State Park (Porter County, IN); #5 Indiana Dunes National Park (Beverly Shores, IN); kayaking Silver Lake at #6 Blackwell Forest Preserve (Wheaton/Warrenville, IL); hiking #7 Belmont Prairie Nature Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #8 Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve (Winfield, IL), #9 Bluff Spring Fen (Elgin, IL), #10 Herrick Lake Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); Jeff’s family reunion at #11 Hawthorn Park (Terre Haute, IN); hiking #12 Turkey Run State Park, Marshall, IN) and at #13 Shades State Park, Waveland, IN; hiking and bison viewing at #14 Kankakee Sands, Morocco, IN; hiking at #15 Hidden Lake Forest Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #16 Peck Farm Park (Geneva, IL), #17 Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, IL); #18 Busse Woods Forest Preserve, Elk Grove, IL; #19 Nachusa Grasslands (Franklin Grove,IL); reading in a swing along the Rock River at #20 Lowell Park (Dixon, IL); cabin overnight and hiking at #21 White Pines State Park (Mt. Morris, IL); hiking to the overlook at #22 Castle Rock State Park (Oregon, IL); enjoying the views at a prairie remnant gem #23 Beach Cemetery Prairie (Ogle County, IL); #24 Springbrook Prairie (Naperville, IL); watching eagles and hiking at #25 Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby, IL); watching the dragonfly migration at #26 Matthiessen State Park (Oglesby, IL); river overlook at #27 Buffalo Rock State Park (Ottawa, IL); #28 monarch and dragonfly migration at Wolf Road Prairie (Westchester, IL); and hiking #29 Russell R. Kirt Prairie at College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, IL); hiking #30 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (Wilmington, IL), #31 Fermilab Prairies (Batavia, IL); and #32 Danada Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); #33 Fullersburg Woods (Oak Brook, IL); #34 Dick Young Forest Preserve (Batavia, IL); #35 Lyman Woods (Downers Grove, IL); #36 Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve (Loves Park, IL); #37 Greene Prairie (Madison, WI; #38 Curtis Prairie (Madison, WI); and #39 Waterfall Glen (Darien, IL).  Thanks to everyone who sent suggestions last week! Our last adventure will be posted next Tuesday.

Frost Falls on the Tallgrass Prairie

“When the frost is on the punkin’.. .” —James Whitcomb Riley

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“I feel sad to see the trees lose their leaves,” one of my young granddaughters said to me as I drove her home from school last week.

White oak (Quercus alba) leaves, Lyman Woods, Downers Grove, IL.

We talked about the season of cold that was on the way. A time of rest. A time of letting go. We marveled at the beauty of the changing maple leaves, turning scarlet along the road where we waited in the school pick-up line. But in truth, I agreed with her. October always makes me feel a little bit melancholy. It is a season of goodbyes.

Nachusa Grasslands, Franklin Grove, IL, during the solar eclipse on 10/14.

Jeff and I gathered the last tomatoes from the garden last week before the frost. Now, we pluck them from a bowl on the kitchen counter, one by one, as they slowly ripen. We’re reminded that there will be no more until next July, knock on wood.

Red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), Schulenberg Prairie Savanna, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

In the backyard, the zinnias and dahlias plug along, their growth slowed by light frost, but still cheerful. I gather bouquets and bring them inside, defiantly orange, red, yellow, and pink against the shorter, darker days. The prairie and woodland wildflowers have mostly gone to seed, although the late asters, goldenrods, and bonesets hold on in sheltered spots. Even the gentians have finished their business.

Stiff gentian or agueweed (Gentiana quinquefolia), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

The prairie grasses take center stage.

Canada wild rye (Elymus canadensis), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

In my yard, I collect seeds of blazing star, showy goldenrod, mountain mint, butterflyweed; saving them for next year’s prairie plantings.

Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Crosby’s prairie planting, Glen Ellyn, IL.

Goodbye, I whisper to the wildflowers as I collect their seeds. See you next year.

Blazing star (Liatris aspera), Crosby’s front yard prairie planting, Glen Ellyn, IL. (2022).

There are other farewells to make. This past week we said goodbye to poet Louise Glück (1943-2023), who passed away at 80. She won every prize under the sun, including her recent Nobel Prize in Literature (2020), and served as our United States Poet Laureate in 2003.

Likely an orange sulphur butterfly (Colias eurytheme) although they are tricky to tell apart from the clouded sulphur (Colias philodice), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

When I read the news of her passing, I pulled my old copy of The Wild Iris from the shelf. This 1992 volume, which won the Pulitzer Prize, is set in the garden and includes some ostensibly about tomatoes. “…it was my heart broken by the blight, the black spot so quickly multiplying in the rows.” Her dark poetry has an autumnal feel, perfect for October.

Autumn at Lyman Woods, Downers Grove, IL.

Whenever we lose a poet, a light goes out in the world.

Lyman Woods, Downers Grove, IL.

About as far away from Glück’s writing as you can imagine is folksy poet James Whitcomb Riley. As a child growing up in central Indiana, our teachers read many of his poems to us, including the iconic “When the Frost is on the Punkin.” A sample:

They’s something kindo’ harty-like about the atmusfere; When the heat of summer’s over and the coolin’ fall is here—; Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees, And the mumble of the hummin’-birds and buzzin’ of the bees; But the air’s so appetizin’; and the landscape through the haze; Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days; Is a pictur’ that no painter has the colorin’ to mock—; When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.

Star-flowered lily-of-the-valley, sometimes called starry Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum), Schulenberg Prairie Savanna, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Go back and read it out loud. Isn’t it fun to recite? The Poetry Foundation notes: “Neglectful of his studies, Riley preferred to take walks in the countryside, read books of his own choosing, and create rhymes, the first of which he sent to his young friends on home-made valentines.” He sounds like a kindred spirit.

Differential grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Of course, unlike Glück, a popular modern poet who is widely revered, Riley’s poetry is long out of fashion today. But hearing a line or two brings back my childhood; the smell of chalk dust, the murmur of the teacher, and the heft of a textbook. Do you have a favorite poet, or one who brings back childhood memories? (Leave me a note in the comments with your favorites.)

Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), Schulenberg Prairie Savanna, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

As I think of the goodbyes we are saying this week: in the garden, in the prairies, and in the woodlands—and the farewells to those whose words have left an imprint on our minds and hearts—I also think of the firsts to come. The first snowfall, which sometimes happens in October here in the Chicago Region.

Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis), Crosby’s backyard (2022).

I’ve yet to see the first junco at my feeders, although I hear they’ve arrived in our region. I know they’ll show up in my backyard any time now. Other seasonal firsts are just days or weeks away. It won’t be long before the first first sandhill cranes are headed south.

Sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis),Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area, Medaryville, IN (2016).

Bittersweet.

Non-native Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) with the introduced seven-spotted lady beetle (Coccinella septempunctata), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Do you sense a foreshadowing?

Prairie dock (Silphium terabinthinaceum), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Farewell to the season of warmth and growth. It went so fast.

Moon over Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Hello, season of reflection.

Welcome, season of rest.

*****

The quote that opens this post is from James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1960), and his poem “When the Frost is on the Punkin.” Some of Riley’s verses that I learned in school still rattle around in my head, like ones from “Little Orphant Annie”, more than 50 years later. You can read the full “punkin” poem, perfect for October, here.

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Join Cindy for a class or program to close out 2023!

10/19– 10:30pm-noon: “Literary Gardens.” Hosted by the Garden Club of Iverness, Palatine, IL. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

11/1 — 11am-12:30 pm: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by Town and Country Gardeners in Libertyville, IL. (Closed event for members). To learn more about the club, click here.

11/6 — 11am-12:30pm: “Dragonflies and Damselflies” hosted by Elmhurst Garden Club (Closed event for members). To learn how to join the garden club, click here.

11/10 –1-2:30pm: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by Lombard Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

11/15 –7-8:30 p.m.: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by the Downers Grove Organic Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

12/1 — 10-11:30 a.m.: “Bison Tales and Tallgrass Trails” at the Morton Arboretum’s beautiful Sterling Morton Library in Lisle, IL. (SOLD OUT — call and ask to be put on a waiting list.)

12/12 6:45-8 p.m.: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by the Buffalo Grove Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

*****
A note to readers: Jeff and I are celebrating our 40th anniversary by visiting 40 natural areas over the summer and fall. Please let us know where you think we should head to next. Only two more to go! Thanks to everyone who has sent ideas. So far, we’ve enjoyed visiting the following places: Kayaking at #1 Rock Cut State Park (Rockford, IL); hiking at #2 James “Pate” Philip State Park (Bartlett, IL); #3 Potato Creek State Park (North Liberty, IN); #4 Indiana Dunes State Park (Porter County, IN); #5 Indiana Dunes National Park (Beverly Shores, IN); kayaking Silver Lake at #6 Blackwell Forest Preserve (Wheaton/Warrenville, IL); hiking #7 Belmont Prairie Nature Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #8 Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve (Winfield, IL), #9 Bluff Spring Fen (Elgin, IL), #10 Herrick Lake Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); Jeff’s family reunion at #11 Hawthorn Park (Terre Haute, IN); hiking #12 Turkey Run State Park, Marshall, IN) and at #13 Shades State Park, Waveland, IN; hiking and bison viewing at #14 Kankakee Sands, Morocco, IN; hiking at #15 Hidden Lake Forest Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #16 Peck Farm Park (Geneva, IL), #17 Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, IL); #18 Busse Woods Forest Preserve, Elk Grove, IL; #19 Nachusa Grasslands (Franklin Grove,IL); reading in a swing along the Rock River at #20 Lowell Park (Dixon, IL); cabin overnight and hiking at #21 White Pines State Park (Mt. Morris, IL); hiking to the overlook at #22 Castle Rock State Park (Oregon, IL); enjoying the views at a prairie remnant gem #23 Beach Cemetery Prairie (Ogle County, IL); #24 Springbrook Prairie (Naperville, IL); watching eagles and hiking at #25 Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby, IL); watching the dragonfly migration at #26 Matthiessen State Park (Oglesby, IL); river overlook at #27 Buffalo Rock State Park (Ottawa, IL); #28 monarch and dragonfly migration at Wolf Road Prairie (Westchester, IL); and hiking #29 Russell R. Kirt Prairie at College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, IL); hiking #30 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (Wilmington, IL), #31 Fermilab Prairies (Batavia, IL); and #32 Danada Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); #33 Fullersburg Woods (Oak Brook, IL); #34 Dick Young Forest Preserve (Batavia, IL); #35 Lyman Woods (Downers Grove, IL); #36 Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve (Loves Park, IL); #37 Greene Prairie (Madison, WI; and #38 Curtis Prairie (Madison, WI).  Thanks to everyone who sent suggestions last week! Two adventures still to come.

A Prairie Triple

“It is a prairie’s gentle deceit that you think you see everything there is in a sweeping glance, when in fact you see very little at all, even if you spend a lifetime looking.”—Scott Weidensaul

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So many prairies. So little time.

Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

That’s my thought as we pull up to Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve in Loves Park, IL, on the outskirts of Rockford in Winnebago County. I’ve wanted to come here for years. Today is finally the day. It’s tough to locate it on a map, but we find directions online and follow the appropriately-named “Flora Drive” through a subdivision. And….there it is.

Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

We pull onto the grass along the road and Jeff finds an opening in the fence. Hikers are welcome, the sign says, but we are the only humans braving the chilly wind and looming rain.

Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

This is one of Illinois last gravel prairie remnants, dedicated in 1973. I feel a little solemn, hiking here, knowing so many of these prairies have been destroyed.

October at Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

If you’ve followed Tuesdays in the Tallgrass for a while, you’ll remember we lost Bell Bowl Prairie, another of our last remaining gravel prairies, just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away at the Chicago-Rockford International Airport, where the prairie was bulldozed to make way for a road. Yes, you heard that right. To walk the more than 90 acres here at Harlem Hills is to grieve anew for the loss of these precious remnants like Bell Bowl in our “Prairie State.”

Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Harlem Hills, IL.

Illinois DNR tells us that there are threatened and endangered plants at Harlem Hills, and many beautiful and diverse prairie wildflowers. They include downy painted cup, Hill’s thistle, pink milkwort, and the prairie buttercup. We’re too late in the season for these wildflowers, but we do see some old favorites. Pale purple coneflower gone to seed.

Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

Prairie bush clover.

Prairie bush clover (Lespedeza leptostachya), Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

Had we visited in spring, we’d likely have seen pasque flowers, a favorite wildflower of mine that we’re working to re-establish on the prairie where I’m a steward. But there are plenty of other wonderful wildflowers and native plants gone to seed here to keep us intrigued for hours, if we had that much time. Thimbleweed.

Thimbleweed (Anemone cylindrica), Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

Silky aster.

Silky aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum), Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

What an incredible prairie, full of diversity and sweeping vistas.

Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

A storm rolls in and it’s time to go.

Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve, Loves Park, IL.

We’ll be back in the spring for the pasque flowers.

******

From Harlem Hills Prairie, we turn our car north to Madison, WI, where crowds are headed to a University of Wisconsin-Madison. Turns out there is a home football game the next day. Fortunately, when we turn into the very small parking lot for Greene Prairie, there’s only one other vehicle. The gate is partially open.

Grady Tract and Trail to Greene Prairie, Madison, WI.

Let’s go! The sky begins to drizzle on and off as we follow the trail through the Grady Tract, a beautiful oak savanna preserve…

Trail through the Grady Tract to Greene Prairie, Madison, WI.

…with wildflowers…

Great purple hyssop (Agastache scrophulariifolia) in seed, Grady Tract, Madison, WI.

…and more autumn wildflowers….

Pale indian plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium), trail to Greene Prairie, Grady Tract, Madison, WI.

…and more wildflowers…

Spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata), trail to Greene Prairie, Grady Tract, Madison, WI.

…and prairie grasses.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), trail to Greene Prairie, Grady Tract, Madison, WI.

But our destination is at the end of the trail.

Greene Prairie, Madison, WI.

Ah, Greene Prairie. How striking you are!

Greene Prairie, Madison, WI.

The 50-acre Greene Prairie, which Henry Greene began planting in 1943, is thought to be the second-oldest institutionally planted tallgrass prairie in the world. Most of the trails into the prairie are still closed, as they were when I visited here alone one spring, years ago.

Greene Prairie, Madison, WI.

From the trail overlooking the tallgrass, the sweeps of autumn color hint at the diversity within.

Greene Prairie, Madison, WI.

We’re sharing the trails with four other hikers.

Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), Greene Prairie, Madison, WI.

They don’t seem worried about us; I imagine they see plenty of hikers and joggers. They seem happy about the plentiful acorns marbling the trails and making treacherous footing for us humans.

Wild turkey (Maleagris gallopavo), Greene Prairie, Madison, WI.

It’s tough to get lost here, as the sound of cars on the Beltline Highway helps orient us back to the parking lot. Rain has begun again. But we have one more stop to make today. Jeff and I hop in the car, cross the highway, and find our way to the entrance of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, where our third prairie is waiting.

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Planted in 1936, Curtis Prairie is thought to be the oldest restored-planted tallgrass prairie in the world, sometimes called the “Birthplace of Restoration Ecology.”

Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

Not surprisingly, Aldo Leopold (author of A Sand County Almanac), who taught at University of Wisconsin from 1933-48, gets credit for the idea to establish prairie in what was an old horse field.

Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

Jeff and have visited Curtis Prairie several times: in the winter, the spring, and now, the autumn. Each visit to these more than 70 acres of planted prairie is a new experience.

Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

Rainclouds cover the sky as we start down a familiar trail.

Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

Our first prairie encounter is a spiky black insect crossing the grass, which iNaturalist tells us is the giant leopard moth caterpillar. We admire it for a bit, and look online to see an image of the adult moth. It’s pretty stunning.

Giant leopard moth (Hypercompe scribonia), Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

Birds are settling into the shrubs and grasses as dusk approaches. I can identify the goldfinch…

Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

…and the white-throated sparrow…

White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

…but this sparrow leaves me perplexed.

Maybe the white-crowned sparrow? (Zonotrichia leucophrys), Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

Those tricky sparrows! Always a conundrum. Looming over our birding efforts on the Curtis Prairie is the conference center, where my Wisconsin Dragonfly Society symposium takes place the following day. I’m excited to attend with a few of my friends from Nachusa Grasslands, who also work with dragonflies.

Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

Although we’d like to hike farther, it’s getting dark. I cover my camera to protect it from a few fat raindrops and we start for the car. What a day it has been!

Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

Three prairies. Three different adventures.

Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Curtis Prairie, Madison, WI.

All pure prairie magic.

****

Scott Weidensaul (1959-), whose quote opens this post, is a writer and author of many books on birding, including the Pulitzer Prize in Literature finalist, Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds (1999). He is actively involved in field research and directs ornithological programs at Hog Island Center on the Maine coast.

*****

Join Cindy for a program or class in 2023!

10/10 –1-2:30 p.m.: “The Tallgrass Prairie: Grocery Store, Apothecary, and Love Charm Shop. Hosted by Gardens, Etc. in Wheaton, IL (Closed event for members).

10/19– 10:30pm-noon: “Literary Gardens.” Hosted by the Garden Club of Iverness, Palatine, IL. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

11/1 — 11am-12:30 pm: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by Town and Country Gardeners in Libertyville, IL. (Closed event for members). To learn more about the club, click here.

11/6 — 11am-12:30pm: “Dragonflies and Damselflies” hosted by Elmhurst Garden Club (Closed event for members). To learn how to join the garden club, click here.

11/10 –1-2:30pm: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by Lombard Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

11/15 –7-8:30 p.m.: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by the Downers Grove Organic Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

12/12 –6:45-8 p.m.: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by the Buffalo Grove Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

New program Dec. 1, 10-11:30 a.m. — “Bison Tales and Tallgrass Trails” at The Morton Arboretum’s Sterling Library in Lisle, IL. Registration is limited — click here for more information. Only six spots left!

More programs may be found at Cindy’s website.

*****
A note to readers: Jeff and I are celebrating our 40th anniversary by visiting 40 natural areas over the summer and fall. Please let us know where you think we should head to next. Only two more to go! Thanks to everyone who has sent ideas. So far, we’ve enjoyed visiting the following places: Kayaking at #1 Rock Cut State Park (Rockford, IL); hiking at #2 James “Pate” Philip State Park (Bartlett, IL); #3 Potato Creek State Park (North Liberty, IN); #4 Indiana Dunes State Park (Porter County, IN); #5 Indiana Dunes National Park (Beverly Shores, IN); kayaking Silver Lake at #6 Blackwell Forest Preserve (Wheaton/Warrenville, IL); hiking #7 Belmont Prairie Nature Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #8 Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve (Winfield, IL), #9 Bluff Spring Fen (Elgin, IL), #10 Herrick Lake Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); Jeff’s family reunion at #11 Hawthorn Park (Terre Haute, IN); hiking #12 Turkey Run State Park, Marshall, IN) and at #13 Shades State Park, Waveland, IN; hiking and bison viewing at #14 Kankakee Sands, Morocco, IN; hiking at #15 Hidden Lake Forest Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #16 Peck Farm Park (Geneva, IL), #17 Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, IL); #18 Busse Woods Forest Preserve, Elk Grove, IL; #19 Nachusa Grasslands (Franklin Grove,IL); reading in a swing along the Rock River at #20 Lowell Park (Dixon, IL); cabin overnight and hiking at #21 White Pines State Park (Mt. Morris, IL); hiking to the overlook at #22 Castle Rock State Park (Oregon, IL); enjoying the views at a prairie remnant gem #23 Beach Cemetery Prairie (Ogle County, IL); #24 Springbrook Prairie (Naperville, IL); watching eagles and hiking at #25 Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby, IL); watching the dragonfly migration at #26 Matthiessen State Park (Oglesby, IL); river overlook at #27 Buffalo Rock State Park (Ottawa, IL); #28 monarch and dragonfly migration at Wolf Road Prairie (Westchester, IL); and hiking #29 Russell R. Kirt Prairie at College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, IL); hiking #30 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (Wilmington, IL), #31 Fermilab Prairies (Batavia, IL); and #32 Danada Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); #33 Fullersburg Woods (Oak Brook, IL); #34 Dick Young Forest Preserve (Batavia, IL); #35 Lyman Woods (Downers Grove, IL); #36 Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve (Loves Park, IL); #37 Greene Prairie (Madison, WI; and #38 Curtis Prairie (Madison, WI) .  Thanks to everyone who sent suggestions last week! Two adventures still to come.

October in the Tallgrass

“Those who have not seen a tallgrass prairie should not imagine it as like a cultivated meadow, but rather as a heaving sea of tall herbs and plants, decking it with every variety of color.” —Frederick Gerhard

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It’s October.

Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Where did the summer go? In the backyard, I pull up a few tomato plants that have finished fruiting; then compost wilted zucchini leaves. Although the peppers and raspberries are going strong, most of the garden is winding down. But so much is happening on the tallgrass prairie!

There’s a last flush of bloom, with some unexpected flowers where the firebreaks were mowed in preparation for the prairie burns to come.

Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia, IL.

All the usual October wildflowers are on display, no less lovely for their expectedness. New England asters.

New England asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia, IL.

And those goldenrods! Mixed with the grasses, they blur bronze, to sienna, to ochre.

Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia, IL.

Walking through the prairie this month is like hiking through clouds. Drifts of heath asters are all abuzz.

Heath asters (Symphyotrichum ericoides), with a honeybee (Apis sp.), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Clouds of pale Indian plantain…

Trail through the pale Indian plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

…have gone to seed.

Pale Indian plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Common milkweed explodes its pods.

Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia, IL.

The monarchs, which used the milkweed all summer long as a host plant, have their mind on any nectar they can find that will fuel them for their migration trip to Mexico.

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) on non-native red clover (Trifolium pratense), Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia, IL.

Like the monarchs, the tiger swallowtails find the non-native red clover a good place for a snack.

Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on non-native red clover (Trifolium pratense), Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia, IL.

The non-native red clover (Trifolium pratense) occurs in every county of Illinois, according to Illinois Wildflowers. Despite its non-native status, it has a high value of usefulness to native wildlife, like these two butterfly species. In my work as a prairie steward, we leave red clover alone; it’s not overly aggressive in an older prairie planting and hangs out mostly on the edges. I leave it in my yard, as well, as it provides nectar for native insects, as does the native goldenrod…

Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia, IL.

However, the Canada goldenrod (which snuck into my prairie planting a few years ago) is aggressive. So, I manage it and some of the more rambunctious asters by pulling them throughout the year. Instead of the Canada goldenrod, I plant stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida)…

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) on stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida), Kankakee Sands, Morocco, IN. (2018).

…and the Ohio goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis), and my favorite, the showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) as they are much better behaved. Bees, monarchs, and pollinators love these goldenrods and they don’t outcompete my other natives.

Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa), Sauer Family Prairie Kame Forest Preserve, Sugar Grove, IL. (2022).

The October prairie offers plenty of nourishment like these native goldenrods for late season fliers. Look closely.

Dick Young Forest Preserve, Batavia, IL.

When you part the prairie grasses and really pay attention, there’s no telling what you might discover. A few damselflies are still out and about this month…

American rubyspot damselfly (Hetaerina americana), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

…although their numbers are slowly dwindling.

Eastern forktail damselfly (Ischnura verticalis) with cream gentian (Gentiana flavida), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Spiders cast their silky spells.

Arabesque orb weaver (Neoscona arabesca) Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Grasshoppers fly up at your every step along the trail.

Red-legged Grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum), Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

October is young, but already full of delights that change from moment to moment.

Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL.

Right now, the month stretches before us. But these days will go fast. The trees are beginning to flush with their autumn colors. There’s a hint of chill in the night air. Winter will be here before we know it.

Rainbow bridge at Fullersburg Woods, Oak Brook, IL.

Why not go see?

******

The opening quote by Frederick Gerhard (mid-1800s) is one from an interpretive sign at Dick Young Forest Preserve in Batavia, IL. Gerhard was the author of Illinois As It Is (1857).

*****

Join Cindy for a program or class in 2023!

10/10 –1-2:30 p.m.: “The Tallgrass Prairie: Grocery Store, Apothecary, and Love Charm Shop. Hosted by Gardens, Etc. in Wheaton, IL (Closed event for members).

10/19– 10:30pm-noon: “Literary Gardens.” Hosted by the Garden Club of Iverness, Palatine, IL. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

11/1 — 11am-12:30 pm: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by Town and Country Gardeners in Libertyville, IL. (Closed event for members). To learn more about the club, click here.

11/6 — 11am-12:30pm: “Dragonflies and Damselflies” hosted by Elmhurst Garden Club (Closed event for members). To learn how to join the garden club, click here.

11/10 –1-2:30pm: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by Lombard Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

11/15 –7-8:30 p.m.: “A Brief History of Trees in America” hosted by the Downers Grove Organic Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

12/12 –6:45-8 p.m.: “Winter Prairie Wonders” hosted by the Buffalo Grove Garden Club. Free and open to the public! For more information, click here.

New program Dec. 1, 10-11:30 a.m. — “Bison Tales and Tallgrass Trails” at The Morton Arboretum’s Sterling Library in Lisle, IL. Registration is limited — click here for more information. Only seven spots left!

More programs may be found at http://www.cindycrosby.com.

*****

Hi awesome readers! Jeff and I are celebrating our 40th anniversary by visiting 40 natural areas over the summer and fall this year. Please let us know where you think we should head to next. Only six more to go! Thanks to everyone who has sent ideas. So far, we’ve enjoyed visiting the following places: Kayaking at #1 Rock Cut State Park (Rockford, IL); hiking at #2 James “Pate” Philip State Park (Bartlett, IL); #3 Potato Creek State Park (North Liberty, IN); #4 Indiana Dunes State Park (Porter County, IN); #5 Indiana Dunes National Park (Beverly Shores, IN); kayaking Silver Lake at #6 Blackwell Forest Preserve (Wheaton/Warrenville, IL); hiking #7 Belmont Prairie Nature Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #8 Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve (Winfield, IL), #9 Bluff Spring Fen (Elgin, IL), #10 Herrick Lake Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); Jeff’s family reunion at #11 Hawthorn Park (Terre Haute, IN); hiking #12 Turkey Run State Park, Marshall, IN) and at #13 Shades State Park, Waveland, IN; hiking and bison viewing at #14 Kankakee Sands, Morocco, IN; hiking at #15 Hidden Lake Forest Preserve (Downers Grove, IL), #16 Peck Farm Park (Geneva, IL), #17 Schulenberg Prairie, The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, IL); #18 Busse Woods Forest Preserve, Elk Grove, IL; #19 Nachusa Grasslands (Franklin Grove, IL); reading in a swing along the Rock River at #20 Lowell Park (Dixon, IL); cabin overnight and hiking at #21 White Pines State Park (Mt. Morris, IL); hiking to the overlook at #22 Castle Rock State Park (Oregon, IL); enjoying the views at a prairie remnant gem #23 Beach Cemetery Prairie (Ogle County, IL); #24 Springbrook Prairie (Naperville, IL); watching eagles and hiking at #25 Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby, IL); watching the dragonfly migration at #26 Matthiessen State Park (Oglesby, IL); river overlook at #27 Buffalo Rock State Park (Ottawa, IL); #28 monarch and dragonfly migration at Wolf Road Prairie (Westchester, IL); and hiking #29 Russell R. Kirt Prairie at College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, IL); hiking #30 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (Wilmington, IL), #31 Fermilab Prairies (Batavia, IL); and #32 Danada Forest Preserve (Wheaton, IL); #33 Fullersburg Woods (Oak Brook, IL); and #34 Dick Young Forest Preserve (Batavia, IL).  Thanks to everyone who sent suggestions last week! More adventures to come.