A MILLION YEARS OF MILKWEED

I’ve planted my share of milkweed over the years, but not like you would think.  As an outdoor-loving child that liked to explore and touch and investigate, the milkweed plant was one of my favorites.  I don’t remember the first time I actually knew the name of the tall plant with milk in its veins and those wonderful pods that would explode with white silky threads.  My small hands routinely rubbed that white sticky substance between my fingers (and yes, I am sure I tasted it!), and pulled open those green pods excited to touch what was inside. 

The seeds with wings were intriguing to me, but I am not sure I was aware that when I blew them into the wind, I was actually “planting” them.  How sad today, that it is difficult for a child explorer like me to even find a milkweed plant, much less experience the fun of blowing the seeds into the wind.  How very sad too that the loss of this plant could mean the loss of another of nature’s marvels, the monarch butterfly. 

The milkweed plant is the only plant where monarchs lay eggs.  Monarch caterpillars feed on the toxic leaves and become “toxic” themselves to protect from predators.  This same toxin also prevents monarch butterflies from most predators.  Nature has a way of protecting them, but our own thoughtlessness, unless we make some changes, can destroy them.

The wings of a monarch remind me of a map.  Each black line describes a road that leads to the trip of a lifetime!  Most of us will never travel 3000 miles from home, but some monarchs do.  Maybe that was nature’s intention in the design of the wings; to show us a road map that reminds us of how this amazing insect flies thousands of miles in migration from Canada and the United States to Mexico.  How can we not want to protect something that is so delicate yet strong enough to survive this trip?

Homero Aridjis, a Mexican poet and environmentalist describes his home town during the migration:

“In Contepec that morning, thousands of monarch butterflies were crossing the village.The air, like a river, bore currents of butterflies through the streets, above the houses, between the trees and people as they made their way south.”

His description is truly a picture of what it must be like to experience this.  Two decades ago, over a billion monarchs could be found in the forests of Mexico in winter.  Today those only number about 33 million.  All of us need to be alarmed at the 90% loss of such a wonderful and important insect.

It doesn’t take much to observe that the loss of habitat in Mexico, and loss of the host plant for monarch caterpillars in our country is the cause of the decline.  Our country’s role is in the destruction of milkweed for farming interests.  There may not be a place for milkweed where crops are grown, but there are many places where it can be planted to help save the monarchs; along roadways, prairies, and backyards. All of us can be a part of bringing back the milkweed plant.

So why should we care?  A teacher in Minnesota asked her ninth grade class this question when studying the decline of monarchs.  Here is one answer from a student that says it all.

“Monarchs show me what it is like to be prosperous and having abundance, something that I want personally.  When everything is good, there are plenty of milkweeds, and plenty of habitat in Mexico.  When I witness things going bad, with the logging of their habitat in Mexico, and loss of habitat in our country, then I move from a sense of prosperity to one of loss.  Like the poet John Dunn said – No man is an island. Every man’s death diminishes me -   And every factor that threatens the monarch, affects me and diminishes me.”

I don’t want my children and grandchildren to experience a diminished life from the loss of a species or any part of nature in their lifetimes.  I don’t want anyone to experience that.  Each of us should feel the responsibility of preserving something that has been on this earth for millions of years. No one wants milkweed and monarch destruction to occur on “our watch.”  One simple solution is to make an effort to restore the critical milkweed plant.  If you don’t have a backyard to plant it in, find a place where you can have permission to grow it.  Promote it in your own area through highway departments and public places.

Then, don’t forget to take some time to enjoy the milkweed you planted.  Open up and explore one of those ripened green pods and feel the silky white membranes with a brown seed attached that float in the wind when you release them.  Be satisfied that you dispatched some milkweed seeds on their way to grow into a plant that will save the monarch butterfly.

TO DO LIST:

·       Study and research the type of milkweed that should be planted in your own area.
·       Post your thoughts on this blog, and other social media to share with others what you are doing to help monarchs. 
·       Find websites with more information like Monarch Watch, and this one in Missouri.  http://mdc.mo.gov/your-property/wildlife-your-property/backyard-wildlife/backyard-habitat-monarch-butterflies
·       For fun!  Solve this puzzle and be the first to reply in this blog if you find the answer!

                Where on earth can you find “white” monarchs?

A NATURALIST'S EYE

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”

― Albert Einstein

Anyone that has routinely studied our natural surroundings by “getting out there,” has a Naturalist’s Eye.  Naturalists love to spend time observing and recording natural events; an endangered flower on the prairie, an eagle “watching us” in a park, and a flock of thousands of snow geese landing on a lake.  Yes, we’ve done all that and much more as Missouri Master Naturalists. 

While Master Naturalists have available considerable training opportunities from many experts, it is with our eyes that we become Naturalists.  Our eyes lead us out to prairies, woods and lakes filling our minds with mysterious experiences that become education.    Our eyes are open to conservation needs, and that spurs our hands to actively pursue projects to protect nature. Our eyes are the windows through which our hearts receive love and devotion to nature, so we can share it each in our own particular way.

The person who said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” regarding art must have had a Naturalist’s eye.  Many famous painters worked outdoors to capture natural forms.  John James Audubon could not have created his famous watercolors of birds without spending so much time observing them in their natural habitats.  Claude Monet’s outdoor paintings hang in many famous museums worldwide.  He attributed his eye for nature to be his most important accomplishment when he said of himself; “My only merit lies in having painted directly in front of nature, seeking to render my impressions of the most fleeting effects.” Monet was known for dragging his contemporaries, Renior, Sisley and Brazille, also famous artists, on his outdoor excursions. Such famous artists, all with the eye of a naturalist, brought nature to others.  Who would challenge that these famous artists were not “naturalists?” 

Who is better to become an advocate for conservation of natural resources than those who love and study nature than a Master Naturalist?  Each of us has particular interests and talents, along with the drive to preserve and protect our natural surroundings.  Each of us finds a way to share our knowledge by unobtrusive measures to those whose minds are open to learning along with us.   Each of us has our eyes open waiting for the beauty of nature to inspire us.  After all, anyone who does not “stand in rapt awe” at the sight of a tiny bug, a delicate flower, or a red sunset, must be those who truly have their eyes closed. 

Master Naturalist chapters are available in most states.  Check in your own area to see if you can find a local chapter.  It is a great way to add your voice to conservation and preservation of your natural surroundings.

SUMMER SOLSTICE AT DIAMOND GROVE PRAIRIE

Diamond Grove Prairie

 “I was raised on country sunshine, green grass beneath my feet.  

Running through fields of daisies, wading through the creek.”

--Country Sunshine by Dottie West 

I was not raised in the country, I grew up in suburban St. Louis.  But that did not stop me from seeking out any tiny patch of green grass, fields of flowers, or a creek to wade in when I was young.  Summer was an endless time of staying outdoors hours at a time, exploring natural places, and searching for anything wild; turtles, snakes, bugs, and lots of dirt. Not yet coming into my “naturalist mentality” yet, I brought home handfuls of wildflowers to grace our home. So it was fitting that I spent the summer solstice at a prairie.  

black eyed susan

golden winged skimmer

Diamond Grove dressed itself in my favorite color, yellow, for the first day of summer.  Purple headed sneeze-weed,  crownbeard, black eyed susans, and coreopsis created a yellow carpet wonderland for butterflies, dragonflies, and birds. 

sensitive brier

Contrasting colors came from bright red-orange indian paint brush, blue spider-wort, and pink sensitive brier. Hard to find milkwort, wild petunia, and deptford pinks shyly hid in the under story of the tall grasses.  It was a morning of prize after prize!

wild petunia

The longest day of the year is a great time to visit a prairie.  You can avoid the hot mid-day heat, and still have a lot of daylight in the cooler morning and evening.  Don't worry if you missed the opportunity today, tomorrow is the second longest day of the year!  

false dragonhead and purple headed sneezeweed

natural thoughts: NATURAL ORDER

natural thoughts: NATURAL ORDER: It took a long time for me to write this next blog. I had to take a hiatus’ from blogging because of so much destruction and sadnes...

NATURAL ORDER

     It took a long time for me to write this next blog.  I had to take a hiatus’ from blogging because of so much destruction and sadness after the Joplin tornado, and then, the loss of my husband of forty years.  But writing and blogging are important to healing for me, so I hope you will take some time to read this blog about the natural order of natural phenomenon.  Please comment if you like.

     Since I want to keep this blog about natural things, it seems right to discuss the Joplin tornado.  Tornados are a natural phenomenon, one we could do without, but part of nature like the seasons.  As a naturalist, I can fully accept the natural order of things.  I always find a balance; snakes eat rodents, birds eat snakes, and mammals eat birds.  There is good and bad in nature, life and death.  We have to take the good with the bad because that is how nature works.

     After the tornado, like a lot of people I had a hard time driving through the devastated area.  The only pictures I took of tornado damage were of this one tree.  It appears to be a hundred year old Osage Orange.   We had a large tree just like it in our backyard in Carthage.  My family loved that tree, not for the hard green balls it dropped on our cars, but because it seemed to radiate strength.  The smooth worn and twisted bark seemed to say, “I have survived many seasons.”  

     Trees like this became a bright spot for me, and probably others.  Regardless of the damage it suffered, the tree followed its God-given natural directive, and pushed out new leaves as it did every spring.  As people went about the business of cleaning up and putting lives back together, many paused to notice trees like this. They became symbols of renewal for the people of Joplin.

     As a Christian, I cannot help but believe that all things in nature were created by God.  I am constantly reminded of His greatness as I observe the natural order of things.  I believe God created the natural order of things at the same time He created our universe, and expects nature to run a random course.  Any lesson we can learn from nature is a good one.

     Charles Darwin, in his Origin of Species, said that nature is not complete and perfect, but constantly evolving.  I agree with his theory that chance determines the order of nature.  The tornado could have hit anywhere or not at all.  It wasn’t God’s punishment, it wasn’t Mother Nature showing her displeasure, and it was not a sign of anything.  It was pure chance.  Many random natural factors had to come together for it to occur and to occur at such a magnitude.

     So does that mean mankind is off the hook?  That we are not causing some of the natural phenomenon we’ve seen in the last decade? That we don’t need to worry about protecting nature? Of course not. 

     In Darwin’s theory of chance, mankind can intervene in chance relationships, and we often do.  Sometimes it’s in a negative way, and sometimes it’s positive.  Survival of the fittest seems to have been proven true over time.  But I don’t really care about theories.  I care about enjoying and protecting our natural surroundings.

     This quote has been attributed to Sir Karl Popper, a twentieth century philosopher, and it speaks to the thought that God is in control, but not necessarily intervening in every chance encounter in nature.

“If God had wanted to put everything into the universe from the beginning, He would have created a universe without change, without organisms and evolution, and without man and man's experience of change. But he seems to have thought that a live universe with events unexpected even by Himself would be more interesting than a dead one.”

     This says to me that we do have choices in how the order of things evolve.  We can choose to study and protect natural things or not.  We can try to push nature out of our lives with technology, or use every day we have to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. We can, as the fittest, use up all our natural resources, or in that same regard, we can choose to create a shallower footprint on our world.

     Sir Popper also described the creativity of nature as the greatest riddle of complexity.  I certainly am glad that God created a universe that is not boring.  And I am also glad to have such a wonderful riddle to solve as I spend every day listening, watching and enjoying natural things.

GUARANTEED STRESS RELIEF!

If you are not careful, you'll catch the winter blahs. You know them, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, and STRESS! It's not the flu, but it is a sickness. Some people call it cabin fever, some use big words like Seasonal Affective Disorder. I call it TOO MUCH TIME INDOORS! But I have the cure.Take a nature walk. Get outside, regardless of the weather. Even fifteen minutes outside can cure the winter blahs. I promise you will feel better.

Studies have shown that just being outdoors contributes to overall good health.  Observing nature takes your mind off your troubles and relieves your stress.

Even in winter there is a lot to see if you know where to look.   In a park, along a walking trail, or in your back yard, there are winter wonders waiting for you to discover.  I try to get outside every day.  I look for unusual cloud formations, listen to bird songs, and try to identify trees by the bark.  Who says there is nothing "natural" to see in winter?

Today I walked a nearby trail along a stream.  I'm sure I got some needed rays so my vitamin D increased.  Listening to water flowing over riffles had a calming effect.  Observing and trying to identify bird songs challenged my mind without pressure.  I felt rested and relaxed, and ready for anything.

Just in case you cannot get outside today, you can come along on my winter walk with me. 

Shoal Creek, even with the bare trees and shrubs, it was a beautiful sunny day reflecting on the water. 

Fun fungi!  I had to climb over some brush and sit on a log to get this picture!

Ridge trail, you can see for miles. I sat on the rough rocks while the sun warmed me.


Studies have also shown that looking at pictures of natural scenes, while not the same as being there, can also have calming effects.  Enjoy some of my discoveries, but make a commitment to taking a real nature walk to relieve your stress. 

THOUGHTS ABOUT BIRDS

Nature is . . .

Our best insurance for immortality. 

Eleanor Roosevelt

Winter is a good time to give some thoughts to birds.  We tend to notice them and actually pursue them in warmer weather, but winter is a great time to observe species that migrate through an area.  The cold and lack of food is a constant struggle for birds.  We need them, not just for their beauty and song, but because their presence is a reminder of our own mortality.

Last night I spent some time with a hardy group of birders, searching for Short-eared Owls on the prairie.   I’m pleased to say that I can add this species to my bird list.  It was very cold and eventually became too dark to observe them. But we could still hear their wondrous barks and calls.

Short-eared Owls are on the Audubon’s Watch List, listed as vulnerable worldwide, and listed as endangered in many states, including Missouri.  Man’s destruction of bird habitat is the number one reason for loss of species.  Sometimes a species of birds will simply leave an area for another place where their habitat exists.  But as we know, over time many species perish.  It’s hard to accept that we, all of us, may be responsible for the destruction of any species, but we are. 

The Osage had the right idea.  In their language, Mon Shon Akita, meant “stewards of the land.”  They recognized that they had a direct impact on natural communities, and lived in a manner to preserve rather than overcome nature.  Sad that today, mankind does not always recognize the importance of preservation.

Recent news reports about thousands of birds falling from the sky probably caused alarms in most people, even non-bird lovers.  While history is full of phenomenon like this, we should be alarmed, because somehow the death of this many birds at one time is likely caused by something humans did.

So when we are thinking about birds this winter, we need to think about what we can do to protect them.  Providing and preserving habitat is first.  Find out what you can do on your own property to promote bird habitat.  Recycle, and carefully dispose of trash.  Be responsible with pesticides and things that pollute water and soil. Get out and observe birds, learn about them, and pay attention to species that pass through. Know what birds are on endangered and watch lists. 

In the introduction to the 1950 Audubon book, Birds of America, Ludlow Griscom acknowledges certain traits that enabled John J Audubon to overcome immense hardships to pursue his life goal of listing and painting all the species of birds in America,

“Audubon had enormous confidence in himself, inflexible determination, and the capacity of never admitting failure or becoming really discouraged.”

If each of us confidently and with inflexible determination, worked on the preservation and conservation of natural communities such as prairies and wetlands, choosing to never give up, just think about what we could accomplish!