Edgewood Freshmen: What a Crew!

Nearby Edgewood College on Monroe Street requires their students to do community services or action projects.  Included in the Freshmen orientation are opportunities to engage in community service. On this sunny and cool day, with a hint of Fall in the air, I met the seven Freshmen and an assistant on campus at 1 p.m. After a brief orientation and opening activities, we sauntered across campus, crossed Monroe Street and made our way to the Prospect Gardens. We meet Sandy, my garden co-leader for the day, and walked the half block to the site. I followed with a wheel barrel. Inside was an ice chest with bottled water and a bag of granola bars for the crew.

We arrive and Sandy Gives Some Directions

Today's goal was to plant milkweed and butterfly weed as part of the national initiative to improve the habitat for monarch butterflies.  Their habitat is disappearing in part because farm land is highly cultivated which reduces the right habitat.

We planted slightly more than 200 plants in a terrace near the Commonwealth butterfly and pollinator garden. The site has the newest garden on the Southwest Commuter Path. This fantastic garden resulted from the energies and foresight of David and Jeannette, owners of the home bordering the butterfly and pollinator garden.

We saw several monarchs enjoying the year old habitat made up of plants that butterflies love. Several of us assisted the red milkweed seeds to disperse by blowing them into the air with our exhalations, giving nature an assist that wasn't necessarily needed.

I always so enjoy planting with the Edgewood freshmen. This is the second year students have been involved with the gardens as part of their orientation to Edgewood College life.  All seven Freshmen were either 18 or just turning 19 which makes me just over a half century older than these 21st century youth.

We worked diligently while enjoying small talk, and some laughs. It was great to be out in the sunny, cool air of late August day. What a splendid way to spend the waning days of summer while lending a hand to the Monarch butterflies and other creatures that share this commuter path with us.  Thank you  Edgewood college students!!  Here are seven more  pictures of the crew in action.

Bryan and Steve In Action

The Coeds Know How to Plant

Steve Spreading Mulch

The Crew In Action

The Happy Crew

Break Time

Kelly In Action: What a Great Smile.

Today's Crew

 Another productive and fun work session focusing on weeding the gardens happened this morning and before the heat really set in. Mercifully, most of the time we were weeding in the shade. Pictured to the right are today's happy crew: Ann (top left), and from left to right are Joyce, Ken, Laura and Claudia . We were all enjoying a break that included Ann's delicious date bars. Bob, Mulch Man, is absent due to a injured foot. We missed him and hope to garden again with him next month.
 
Unfortunately, Ann encountered  nasty bees and was stung several times. She is still recovering from a bite that caused her ring finger  to swell.  Ice cold water and Benadryl are finally reducing the swelling.  For awhile, we were concerned that a trip to urgent care would be necessary to cut and remove her wedding ring. Not necessary. Ann is now resting after a dinner of fresh sweetcorn and tomatoes from the West Side Saturday Market and chicken sausage from Trader Joe's. Ah the comforts of living on the near West side with farmer markets and stores nearby. Here's two more pictures.

Ken and Claudia Discussing Something

Joyce and Laura Tackling the Weeds

August Scenes and Cat Stevens

Impatiens in the Foreground

 Time has slipped away from me since my last entry. We have ventured into mid-August and the slow but sure turning of the seasons. Here are a few summer scenes from Prospect Gardens. I have been busy putting together a presentation about my ancestors for an August 30 family gathering.  While writing about my ancestors and being aware of the rapid movement into August, I am recalling the message from one of my favorite songs from the 1970s, the then Cat Stevens: "Oh Very Young."  Perhaps you recall this first verse from "Oh very young"

"What will you leave us this time. You're only dancing on this earth for a short while.  And though your dreams may toss and turn you now
They will vanish away like your daddy's best jeans
Denim Blue fading up to the sky
And though you want him to last forever
You know he never will
(You know he never will)
And the patches make the goodbye harder still"

Cardinal Flower in Full Bloom

Let us continue to dance while mindful that yes we are here for a short while. Likewise, the August blooms of Prospect Gardens will be with us for a short while. In the meantime, I rejoice in their splendor and am grateful for this warm Wisconsin summer day.

This evening we will go to the annual summer ice cream social just down the street. I will savor the ice cream while enjoying our neighbors.

 

Elderberries just about ready.

Nodding Onions

T