"Staying Put" and Sense of Place

Tending Prospect Gardens causes me to reflect on the value of  "staying put" while feeling the sense of place.  Michael Schuler, now our Minister Emeritus at First Unitarian Society, in his 2009 book "Making the Good Life Last" laid out four keys to what he called "sustainable living."  His second key is "staying put" which means intentionally remaining in a neighborhood while developing deep roots and strong connections.  '"Staying put" is challenging given societal values of picking up and moving for jobs, and the fact that many neighborhoods are bedroom communities lacking amenities needed to develop roots and a strong sense of community.

Fortunately, Ann and I live in the Dudgeon Monroe neighborhood with the right mix of amenities. We have lived in our neighborhood since 1986. In 1996, we intentionally decided to remain after I turned down an attractive job offer in Lorain, Ohio. Two years ago, when we sold our home, we once again decided to "stay put", and we moved to an apartment in the heart of lower Monroe Street.

Among the amenities within are neighborhood are a bike/pedestrian path, a lake, several coffeehouses, a library, our bank, a bookstore, Trader Joe's, a public high school and elementary schools, a private school (Wingra), churches and restaurants all within walking distance. Equally important are residents who willingly volunteer and work to preserve and enhance community life. We are fortunate to have an active neighborhood association and a strong Monroe Street business association. I would be remiss not to mention volunteers who care for the prairies along the Southwest Bike/Pedestrian Path and especially those who show up regularly at Prospect Gardens.

On a personal level Wendell Berry's poem "A Standing Ground" suggests a value of "staying put". Wendell Berry is a poet, essayist, novelist and farmer, born on August 5, 1934, in New Castle, Kentucky. His literary works reflect his deep agrarian Kentucky roots and his keen sense of place.

A Standing Ground  

However just and anxious I have been,

I will stop and step back

from the crowd of those who may agree

with what I say, and be apart.

There is no earthly promise of life or peace

but where the roots branch and weave

their patient silent passages in the dark;

uprooted, I have been furious without an aim.

I am not bound for any public place,

but for ground of my own

where I have planted vines and orchard trees,

and in the heat of the day climbed up

into the healing shadow of the woods.

Better than any argument is to rise at dawn

and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup.

This poem points out the healing quality of solitude and how peace is gained through being grounded in an environment you create. Berry seeks refuge and finds peace on his farm with its vines, orchards and woods. He has "stayed put", planted and nurtured the environment. The result is savoring the peaceful moments of life, may these be as simple as picking "dew-wet red berries in a cup."

While I am a city dweller, I too have savored peaceful moments while caring for the Prospect Gardens along with  volunteers who are my neighbors. To refresh your memory, the Gardens are along the Southwest Bike/Pedestrian Path, commonly referred to simply as "the path." The path is more than a means of transportation.  It's a corridor teaming with life including human beings like this one speeding towards his destination. Perhaps unrecognized by him, are the countless daily human interactions taking place along the path, such as those that happened at Prospect Gardens during our August 25th work session.

Sharing food is an interaction that builds community. Once again my kind and generous wife, Ann, offered her homemade cheesecake tassies topped with currant jelly.

Ann bakes for every work session. All volunteers always leave after the work session with a treat to take home and enjoy. 

Ann does her fair share of weeding and taking care of the Gardens. She also often pays attention to the ramps, clearing them of leaves and other debris, making them safer for the bike riders.


Here's Steve, Laura (upper left), Ann N., and Joyce (in the middle) caught enjoying the cheesecake tassies. Joyce looks like she is in the middle of a bite. I too enjoyed one during the break and afterwards snitched another. The tassies were so delicious.  The standing joke is that these core volunteers only show up because of Ann's treats and I am starting to believe it. Regardless, their continued support is greatly appreciated.

Here's Jody relaxing in her comfortable chair while chatting  with Laima and UW student, Jessica(on the far right). Chatting always happens during breaks as well as while working. Through these chats we get to know each other and are informed about what's happening in our lives.

I feel very bonded to our core regular volunteers and of course, to Jody.  I have known Jody for at least a decade and served on committees that supported Jody during her studies to be a Unitarian Minister and chaplain.

This was Jessica's first time. She learned of us through Dane County United Way's Volunteeryourtime.org website. I post announcements of work sessions on the site.  Thanks for joining the crew. You worked hard and we enjoyed getting to know you.  I hope you return and become a regular as you complete your UW studies.

Here's Ken in one of our "Stewards of the Path" t- shirts, having one indicates he has been volunteering, when he can, for several years. A few years ago the Dudgeon Monroe Association provided funds for the bright green shirts. I plan to ask if we could again get t-shirts for those who have volunteered since the t-shirts were first distributed.

When Ken first volunteered he was concerned about his ability to distinguish weeds from flowers. I assured him not to worry because the Gardens would always fill in any flowers he accidentally pulled.

Ken has a sweet and lovely granddaughter who he regularly cares for. It's always a pleasure seeing him and his granddaughter. She always greets me warmly and with a big smile. During Halloween's trick or treat time, she now comes to our apartment with her loving grandfather, instead of our former house.

Here's Jessica and Laima removing the tenacious and persistent Bishop's Weed. The stripes in the right hand corner are from Laura's back. All season we have been waging battle against Bishop's Weed and I think the weeds won. Laura reminded me of this fact. Perhaps using Round-Up is next. Yet I am reluctant to use a herbicide.

Here's four crew members tackling weeds on the upper section of the Gardens located in the Regent Neighborhood. Purple Cone flowers were once abundant in this section.  This section hopefully will be replanted this fall. Purple Cone flowers will be included.

Thank you to all who shared August 25th with me. Because of your generosity, I experienced the joy of being connected with you that results from "staying put" in our neighborhood. 

Generosity, UW Badger Volunteers, Blooms and Monarch Butterflies

The Prospect Gardens work session held on Friday (August 3) was one of generosity,  summer blooms and a visiting Monarch. Babatunde Aremu, a Nigerian Poet, says this about the quality of being kind and generous.

Generosity

Open those tight fists

Do not hold back

Make your palms transparent

Release that dime

Be a blessing

Wipe tears away

That little drop

Is what someone desires

Be an answer to someone's prayer

Be an instrument of succour

Sow that seed impartially

Don't delay, cease the moment

Be an angel to that poor soul

Remember, whatsoever you sow

Shall return to you in folds

John Imes, Executive Director of the non-profit Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, answered my frequent prayers for volunteers. John's organization sponsors a team of UW Badger Volunteers, a program sponsored by the University's  Morgridge Center for Public Service. John generously provided his team of students for an afternoon of weeding the shade garden. Thank you, John.

Badger Volunteers usually work once a week with John on various tasks including those supporting the mission of the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative. John has over 25 years of experience creating and managing programs for improving our environment and economy. See https://www.weigogreener.org/ for more information about WEI.

Here's the team who did not hold back their generous and energetic spirits as they cleared and hauled away weeds from the shade garden. Starting on the left is Claire, Patricia, Cloris, Xiyu, and Evan. The Hostas, the Jacob's Ladders, Ferns and other plants in the shade garden are now more visible as a result of the team's hard labor.

I am grateful for their generously offered labor and for the opportunity to share our lives during a most pleasant afternoon. I so enjoyed a discussion with Cloris, a student from Southern China, about Christianity and it's many branches. Our discussion was prompted by us noticing the stained glass windows of the nearby Blessed Sacrament Church, after a bathroom break. I pointed out a window depicting a pope. Her questions about being a pope led to the topic of Christianity.


Here's Claire pulling weeds. She knew her weeds and worked rapidly. In the upper right hand corner, is Patricia hauling a basket of weeds to the pile.  During the following Monday morning, once again, staff of City Engineering picked up the pile of plant material. Another generous act.

Patricia and Evan, both Wisconsin born, also worked diligently. I liked Evan's overalls. As a kid I reluctantly wore bibs while being envious of kids with jeans. Now occasionally I consider buying a pair at Farm and Fleet because they strike me as being comfortable. At my age, comfort beats fashion.

Here's Xiyu, another student from Southern China, demonstrating her Badger weeding skills. Another diligent worker, Xiyu is just starting her UW studies. I will be proud to count her, as well her other four team members, as Badger Alumni when they graduate.

Colectivo, our neighborhood coffee shop and gathering place, once again provided chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies. Thank you, Nelson, the manager of the Monroe branch, for this generous deed.

Here's Patricia, Cloris and Xiyu enjoying the cookies during a well deserved break. We all agreed that the large cookies were delicious. I especially liked the oatmeal raisin cookies, one of my favorites. Another favorite of mine are Colectivo's scones. Always fresh and yummy.









Here's the rest of the team enjoying Colectivo's generosity. Just before our time together ended, a friendly dog came by and attempted to benefit from Colectivo's gift. He managed to get his nose into the bag of remaining cookies, but only got a small piece of a cookie.  Generosity has its limits.

As a result of the Badger Volunteers hard work, I feel that we are finally ahead of the weeds, although Bishop's Weed still plagues a few parts of another section.The August 25th work session will knock back this tenacious weed.

A few days after the Badger Volunteers left I returned to the Gardens and enjoyed the summer blooms. The blooms testified to the generosity of many volunteers since the Gardens started nine years ago. As the poem states :

"Remember, whatsoever you sow

Shall return to you in folds"

Here now are five pictures of the summer blooms. These should keep returning as the years slip by. This soul will keep praying for volunteers while recognizing the impermanence of gardens and life itself.

Here's a stand of Joe Pye Weed that continues to thrive. Filling the lower right had corner is Brown Eye Susan, a species of Rudeckia. They too have thrived. Unfortunately, this species spreads rapidly to the point that some must be periodically removed. Pretty to look at, easy to grow and yet aggressive.

An assortment of summer blooms in this picture along with a colorful birdhouse. A wren comes visiting. I am unsure if it actually laid and hatched eggs. Wrens like to build several nests and then pick one out for raising their brood.

Filling the top left quarter of the picture is Sweet Black Eye Susan, another species of Rudeckia. The droopy yellow blooms to the right of the birdhouse are Yellow Cone Flowers.  The splashes of purple are from the rod like Liatris (Prairie Blazing Star) and Purple Cone flower.

Featured in this picture is a red Lobelia or Cardinal flower. Look closely and you will notice the blooms are past their peak, an early sign that summer is passing. I noticed in another section of the Gardens, two less majestic Cardinal flowers than those pictured. I didn't plant them.  Ah, the wonders of Mother Nature.

This picture reminds me of Claude Monet's gardens. Monet is famous for his gardens as well as for his French Impressionist paintings. The weathered picket fence, installed years ago, marks the northern border of Prospect Gardens. The small yellow blooms on top of tall stalks are a species of Daisies. Filling out the area behind the fence are Joe Pye Weed and the golden yellow Japanese Sumac.

I don't know the name of the dark purple plants in front of the fence. Neighbors bordering the Gardens planted them several years ago. The contrast with the fence is quite pleasing.

If you were a Monarch Butterfly, you would love the nectar of this Milkweed plant. Monarchs also lay their eggs on its leaves. This Milkweed is food source for the current generation of Monarchs and the start of future generations.  In return the Monarch pollinates the Milkweed.  A perfect symbiotic relationship.

Planting Milkweed, as we did, is part of a national effort to help Monarchs survive. Monarchs have dramatically decreased in the last two decades. A September 2017 article notes a decline of 84% between the winters of 1996–1997 and 2014–2015. Equally alarming, the article warns that Monarchs face near extinction in the next 20 years. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5627118/)

Monarchs are in trouble for several reasons. The destruction of forest in Mexico's mountains, where Monarchs reside during part of their live cycle, is a major contributor.  Generations of Monarch find their way to the Upper Midwest and to places like Prospect Gardens. Contributing to the Monarch's decline is the rise of industrialized farming. Planting row crops such as corn and soybeans along with heavy herbicide usage destroys needed habitat including Milkweed. Milkweed was plentiful growing in fence hedgerows or in fields before the widespread use of herbicides.

When I see a Monarch in Prospect Gardens my heart goes out to these delicate beings.  I realize that it has taken 2-3 generations to get to Prospect Gardens. Butterflies that left Mexico’s mountains flew to the southern US in the spring and laid eggs before dying, and those new butterflies matured and  began making their way across the US and stopped to have another generation. That second generation continued, facing daunting challenges as they searched for Milkweed plants to sustain their next generation. With luck and persistence the second or third generation made it to Prospect Gardens, and feasted on this Milkweed.

The Badger Volunteer team contributed to the survival of Monarchs because they helped maintain a green space with critically needed butterfly habitat. I will long remember the team's generosity, kindness and diligence.