Blog
As a curious observer of life, I blog on writing, marketing, my prairie - anything that interests me in the moment. I like to have conversations with readers, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I'll respond.
We are in the third, maybe fourth, year of drought here in Iowa. Capricious rains tease us into thinking the drought may be over, but there’s no denying the affect of too little water on…
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I’m always delighted to learn something new. Even better when I’m totally surprised by the discovery. This week, I was surprised and delighted to find that a plant I’d always considered nothing more than a…
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When we planted our prairie patch 10 years ago, one goal was to provide butterfly habitat. In the ensuing years, we’ve seen an uptick in pollinators. Bees of many varieties. A wealth of dragonflies. Yet…
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Painted ladies dance In joyful kaleidoscopes Through warm autumn days This morning as I walked, I found myself surrounded by butterflies. There were so many, I stopped in wonder. And in joy. They flickered in…
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Spring inspires poetic thoughts and emotions. Here’s a Haiku tribute to the migrating birds I saw during a recent walk. Cedar waxwings come. Aristocratic bandits, Harbingers of spring The Cedar Waxwing is a social bird…
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Ten million years Sun shimmers on a river one mile wide, three inches deep. The Platte River stretches wide beneath the skies, offering refuge to weary travelers, as it’s done for 10 million years. And…
Read MoreThe prairie is a strange and wonderful place. Each time I visit, I discover wildlife from both the plant and insect kingdoms I’ve never seen before. I’m not nearly as good at identifying the insects…
Read MoreWe burned our prairie this spring, and the fire my husband lit spread rapidly through the dried residue of the previous year’s grasses and flowers. Within minutes, we were left with nothing but a bare,…
Read MoreWhen my husband I moved to our acreage 10 years ago, I loved all the trees, but particularly the big old willow. I frequently carried a chair and a book to the tree where I’d…
Read MoreRecently, I’ve considered perspective from high up in a hot air balloon and up close at Cadillac Ranch. I also had a chance to go deep with a visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.…
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