Perfect and Peaceful Day

I search for words to describe today and how the sun, blue skies and mild wind affected me and revealed itself in the Prospect Gardens. Cliches such as "perfect day" and "peaceful" come to mind and yet these seem inadequate to describe today.  Maybe what I overheard the mail carrier exclaim is a slightly better: "Can you believe this is November 3rd?"


This morning's leisurely bike ride west on the Southwest Commuter Path to the Badger State Trail, and almost to Paoli, couldn't have been better. Sun and a light breeze on the outbound and return trip of nearly 20 miles were enjoyed.  I pedaled at a moderate to slow speed, cherishing the elements of this splendid day.

Along the way and once I crossed into Fitchburg, I stopped to read the text making up the newly installed trail signage along what is now identified as part of the Fitchburg Agriculture Route (FAR). FAR tells the story of Fitchburg's past and present, a story in which farming is important. I am a farm boy at heart, born on a 120 acre farm near Pulaski, Wisconsin and farmed until my senior year of high school (1962), when the farm was sold.

In retrospect, this morning's bike path was a historical tour of my backyard.  I learned that within its city limits Fitchburg (as of 2010) has approximately 11,220 acres in crops and pasture. Farming and farm land is still obvious along the path, illustrating the 21st century phenomena of rural and urban being blended together and existing side-by-side.


The Stoner Prairie, named after the Stoner Family and early settlers from the late 18th century, is still being farmed. According to the signage, the prairie is made up of the richest and most productive soils in the United Stated. Until today, I never knew its name. The dried corn rustled in the gentle wind waiting to be harvested as I made my way west, feeling the gentle wind on my face.
 
I also learned about the one room schoolhouse that closed in 1965 and named after the Stoner family. I  attended a one room schoolhouse near Pulaski, Wisconsin, completing the first six grades before it was closed in 1956.  Both schools closed due to the consolidation movement, an effort to reform rural education based on urban schools. The Stoner School, now a neat and tidy home, is about 2 tenth of a mile west on Vroom Road. My old schoolhouse, Polandi, is also now a home. I could not resist leaving the bike path and traveling the short distance up the grade to see the Stoner school.

I encourage you to bike the FAR and learn more about the history of Fitchburg and the surrounding area. On the way back home and as I peddled up the bike ramp to our street, I noticed how the sun reflected off the trees ahead of me. After a light lunch, I returned attempting to capture the splendor of what I had witnessed.  The remaining three pictures are also an inadequate substitute for what I saw and the impressions made in my mind.











This Japanese Sumac has almost lost all of its foliage, which is unusual. It's bare branches and deep red seed pods stand out against the blue sky.  I'm making a note of this condition. Perhaps a good pruning during the early spring is required.
  



     

A scene looking toward the east.  The red and green foliage in the forefront of the picture is Forsythia. Can you believe, this six foot plant was once only about a foot tall. Without yearly pruning this plant would be taller.

In the early spring, the Forsythia will announce the new season with it's brilliant yellow flowers. However, before then it will face the cold winds of winter. Spring will surely arrive and the Forsythia will once again burst with yellow blooms.

This scene is on the Regent side of the Gardens and towards the west.  Note another Japanese Sumac in the forefront of the picture. This one still has almost its foliage, turning into the characteristic golden yellow; a very healthy plant.


A few years ago, we thought we lost this one due to how the city pushed snow into the Gardens. The force of the snow being pushed severed the plant which proved to be just exactly what it needed. Any day now we will put up the orange plastic snow fences that signals the plowers to place the snow east of this section of the garden.

Tomorrow's forecast  is for more of the same warm weather followed on Thursday by the inevitable rain and cold of  November.  This indeed is a season of transition. My winter mittens, hats and scarfs have found their way from the upstairs guest bedroom closet to the front foyer. Tomorrow they will remain there.


I am anticipating a walk in the nearby UW Arboretum. I will check out the forest while walking through the fallen leaves. The rustling sound of dried leaves is one of the pleasures of late fall.  

     

Moments of Solitude and Change

Today from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I worked alone in the Prospect Gardens enjoying periods of solitude. Cut back more plants, weeded and transplanted a Blue False Indigo plant. False Indigo is a prairie plant with deep roots along with thick hard woody appendages that required an ax to break through. I received the original plant from Dianne, a neighbor.  Her front yard is a beautiful garden with Blue False Indigo.  An axe was also needed when digging up that original plant. I am somewhat optimistic that next spring Prospect Gardens will have two additional Blue Indigo plants with their deep blue flowers that appear during late spring.

My solitude was interpreted several times. Two women stopped to pick and enjoy a few of the remaining raspberries.  They continued their walk down the commuter path after expressing gratitude for the Gardens and the raspberries.  A father and his young daughter followed shortly after the women departed. I was working on the upper section on the Regent side of the Gardens.  I spotted several handfuls of raspberries waiting to be picked. I invited the girl to join me and told her how to find her way up to where I was working. She gently plucked the ripe raspberries into her cupped hands while I held the branches. Then she enjoyed her treat.

Four neighbors also stopped to chat. Richard and his wife were starting their walk along the path.  Ann was returning from the Edgewood College library with Ta-nehisi Coates' "Between the World and Me."   We agreed that the book was not a light read. While Ann and I were talking, Barb on her bike coasted to a stop. She was returning from visiting a friend and colleague whose husband is battling fourth stage brain cancer.  I mainly listened while Ann and Barb talked about the caretaking role and how to support Barb's friend.

After Ann and Barb left, I continued to work for about another hour enjoying the sunshine and the muted colors of the Gardens while being mindful of how life can suddenly change. Change, impermanence, and uncertainty are so part of our lives. The following five pictures capture the changes underway throughout the Gardens and the beauty of the final life cycle of the Garden's inhabitants.

Here's a seed head of a Purple Cone flower waiting to disperse or be a food source for birds. Note the muted colors in the background.

The light purple leaves are those of a miniature lilac bush. A neighbor donated the lilac. I really should move the lilac to a more sunny spot. This will take some effort and energy since the lilac is now bigger than when I first planted it several years ago.  Something to think about during early spring 2016.

The leaves of this hosta, once green, are turning a mellow yellow. I won't cut the hostas back because the leaves break down to a fine mesh. Less work for the gardeners. The Hosta Garden, under the trees on the Regent Side of the gardens has several different kinds of hostas, all donated by neighbors or friends of mine.

Can you guess this plant?  It's Bee Balm (Bergamot). I love the color and shape of the leaves. 

These Aguga, sprinkled with dried leaves, still have have their purple color.  They have turned into a deeper purple now that the growing season is ending. A final show of color before the deep frost and the arrival of cold winds followed by snow. Next spring they will appear once again for another season of life.

Winter Preparation and a Baby

Yesterday we began preparing the Prospect Gardens for winter and the next growing season. Since the Gardens are close to homes, prescribed burns in spring, as happens with other gardens along the Southwest Commuter Path, are impossible.  Instead we must cut down many of the plants and haul them up the ramp creating the large pile pictured to the right.
 
We leave some plants, such as the Purple Cones and the Rattle Snake Masters, intact hoping that their seeds will spread and they surely will. Intact plants also add texture to the winter garden while providing feed for birds.

As the pile indicates this year was a very good growth year for the Gardens. A few, such as Saw Tooth Daises and Asters, are still in bloom.  These will soon succumb to the inevitable frost and the cycles of nature will continue.

In early November we will remove more plants and end the season with putting up the plastic orange snow fences. These are unattractive but inform the snow plowing crews where not to push snow into the Gardens.  We worked all this out with representatives from the city department in charge of snow removal. City crews have been so responsive including picking up the pile of plant materials early this morning.  I learned that the supervisor starts work at 5 a.m. !

While we were working a man from the city water department arrived and removed the water mater and the connection to the hydrant through which we have access to city water. Another task indicating that the season is ending.

Among the work crew was Megan and her baby boy. A special thanks to both for joining the crew. Megan, and her husband Pat, recently moved into the neighborhood.  Such an enjoyable family and a wonderful addition to the neighborhood.

The baby slept blissfully as Megan worked for nearly an hour and half. A few whimpers indicated that he was ready for a mid-afternoon meal, prompting a return home.  Indeed a very laid-back and contented child. Perhaps a possible future volunteer.We will keep him on our list.

   Others volunteers included Bob. He is being a little shy (or silly) in this picture.  Bob has earned the title of "Mulch King" since he loves to spread mulch and is so good at it. Sorry,Bob, no mulching this time. You need to wait until spring for your reign to resume.

We enjoyed hearing about Bob's summer adventures of climbing Mt. Rainier during our break and while enjoying Ann's homemade Pumpkin Bread. A tasty treat shared with Joyce, another volunteer. Sorry no picture of Joyce.  My iPhone froze up, and later in the evening from querying the Web, I learned how simple it was to bring it back to life. Hold the power button and the home button for ten seconds or until the Apple icon returns. These phones still amaze me; forms of magic.

Joyce will be leaving at the end of the week for a tour of Patagonia. Joyce so enjoys traveling. Bob asked Joyce if she ever was to Antarctica. With a hearty laugh, Joyce replied "Been there, done that." Within the last year, she has also toured Iceland.

Steve stopped by after running some errands and pitched in before leaving early for another engagement. In a few days, Steve will be returning to Corvallis, Oregon to once again visit his daughter and grandson. Happy travels to Steve and Joyce.

The picture to the right shows one of the sections we cleared out on the breezy, warm and sunny fall day. The young cherry tree in the foreground, planted last year, still has many green leaves. It's one of three cherry trees in the upper Garden on the Regent side.

As I already reported, another work session will be needed before preparations are completed. Watch for the announcement of the specific date.  We always welcome new volunteers including babies !  Recruiting volunteers at a young age is my new strategy.

Fall Scenes and Learning

Autumnal splendor continues at the Prospect Gardens. Here are a few scenes as we proceed through October.

The Japanese Sumac has just about replaced summer green with a reddish golden color that soon will turn to yellow.  We planted this one nearly six years ago. Perhaps it's time for a pruning.

 Several Asters have already lost their color and gone to seed but not this one.  The pinkish/purple blooms will also soon turn brown. In the meantime, I enjoy its warm welcome and especially on a cloudy day like today.

 The Saw Tooth Daisies are at their prime. Bright yellow blooms greeted me on this quiet morning as I returned from the gym. My weekly routine, during the late fall and all winter, includes at least three days (sometimes more) at the Shell which is part of the Camp Randall complex.  A ten minute walk from home.   I look forward to those winter walks when the gardens and the path are covered with fresh snow.

A few raspberries from the autumn crop are still available.  With each passing day, the number decreases.  This year, I will wait until spring to prune and cut the plants back.  We usually prune in November.  On Sunday after a church (First Unitarian Society), I happened to talk with the former Director of the Olbrich Gardens  and I mention the upcoming task of pruning the raspberries.  She informed me that spring pruning is much better since sometimes November can have warm temperatures that result in the plants sending out shoots. So I learned something new, as is usually the case in gardening.

Raspberries, Kids , Football, Pink Pig

Yesterday, with sunshine, cool breezes and wooly caterpillars making their way to who knows where, several neighbors, Ann and I began preparing the Prospect Gardens for winter. A beautiful day much like today.

Ah, the luxury and beauty of Wisconsin late summers. A perfect day for gardening and watching life pass by on the commuter path and within the neighborhood.

Before we started working, I noticed a neighbor and his children strolling by. After exchanging warm greetings, I sensed that the children wanted more of the raspberries. The fall crop is quite abundant. It didn't take much encouragement for the kids to increase their intake of these tasty treats.   Here are a few photos of the family.

 The family lives nearby and are new to the neighborhood.  Here's Dad showing the delicacies to his daughter. It didn't take her too long to start picking by herself. I missed a shot where she was leaning out of her stroller to get at the berries. Dad pointed out her Green Bay Packer's hat and Wisconsin pullover.

 Here she is enjoying the fruits of her labor. I know, it's really a bad pun. Take a look at those rubber boots. She's ready for the fall rains and maybe even for winter.

Here she looks like she is not so sure about all the fuss I am making about her and eating raspberries on a sunny day.

  
Here is her brother. He charged up the terrace to get at the berries higher up the bank.  The young boy remarked that the raspberries tasted just like those from his Grandmother's garden.

A few years ago Dave, another neighbor, and I terraced the bank. We created steps just so kids and adults could have better access to the berries. Our intentions were indeed fulfilled.

We have a spring crop and a fall crop.  Initially I opposed planting raspberries and I am now happy that we have the patch.  The patch attracts so many people and offers opportunities for conversation.

Like his Dad and sister, the young lad was also wearing his Badger gear. UW-Madison played some unknown school, Troy, from Alabama yesterday.

Some of our more enterprising neighbors make some extra income through selling parking spaces.  Here is two with front lawns full of vehicles at $25.00 a space.  It is quite remarkable, that Camp Randall, the football stadium, does not have a parking structure. The 80,000 plus fans somehow find parking spaces on the streets and on private lawns in the nearby neighborhoods.

 Badger football offers plenty of opportunities to showcase and advertize Wisconsin products and business.  Here are two on the way to the stadium from Jones Dairy Farm, Fort Atkinson.

A man in a pink pig outfit passing through Prospect Gardens is a first. I received a ticket to enter the "Porkchop Photo Contest."  I could be the lucky winner of a "mini stuffed porkchop" if  I took my picture with the guy dressed as a pig and posted it on the farm's Facebook page or on Twitter or Instagram.  Tomorrow is the deadline. I think I will pass up this opportunity while posting this photo.

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 We accomplished much despite all this activity along the path. Activities also included many bike riders speeding by. Indeed it was a great day for a  bike ride.

Here are pictures of two of our co-workers and long time volunteers:  Steve and Joyce. Both are from the Regent Neighborhood.  About six years ago, Steve wrote the grant that initially provided some city funds that officially launched the Gardens.  Prior to the grant, I along with Ernie, another neighbor did what I called "guerrilla gardening."  That is we planted without the expressed approval of the authorities and without a plan. With the grant we achieved a flexible plan plus funds for the shrubs that are now fully grown and funds for seeds.      

Ann, my wife, also pitched-in plus made the delicious cheesecake squares for our break.  Laura also helped before leaving to take her car in for a check up.

Tomorrow morning I will email my city contact to pick up the huge pile of plant material.

We will back on October 17th for another session to continuing preparation of the Gardens for the upcoming winter. Come join us...anytime between 9am and noon on the 17th !

Winter will surely return.  In the meantime, the sweet days of late summer and fall are to be enjoyed.










 

Bike Ride and Asters

I need a dictionary or a thesaurus to adequately come up with superlatives for today's weather. As evening descends, allow me to just say today is one of those incredible late Wisconsin summer days that will linger in my memory: blue skies, temps in high 70s, low humidity and a cooling breeze. Perfect for my mid-morning bike ride.

Madison has so many great bike paths with many routes. I traveled west on the Southwest Path to the roundabout (yes a bike roundabout) and then onto the Cannon Ball Path.  The Cannon Ball takes you past the southern side of the Grady Tract and Greene Prairie; part of the University's Arboretum and south of the Beltline. I ended at Fish Hatchery Road, turned around and headed back home.  I would say it was about a 16 mile trip. I never keep track of my mileage and especially on a day like today.

 Okay, let's now focus on the gardens. September brings the  asters. Their pastel colors are a lively contrast to the fading foliage, while signaling that fall is arriving and winter is just around the corner.

Here are three pictures of asters for your enjoyment. Tomorrow will be another beautiful day. The asters will continue to show off their blooms while ignoring for now their impermanence. 

Electric Car and Fall Flowers

A quiet Labor Day after a visit from David, a long-time friend. About 40 years ago Dave and I met in Portland, Oregon. He was one of the individuals who interviewed me for a special education resource room teacher. Now that is a lifetime ago.

David traveled from Kansas City, Kansas in his all electric car; Nissan's 2011 Leaf.  The car's range is approximately 60 miles, which means a recharge for every 60 miles traveled.  I will leave it up to you, if you wish to calculate the number of recharges needed between Kansas City and Madison, Wisconsin. It's more than I would be willing to do.

David is a consummate planner. Prior to his trip, David had everything laid out in a spreadsheet. To maximize mileage between charges, David often traveled at lower speeds, sometimes as low as 25 miles an hour, but he can go faster and does.  Traveling at low speeds saves energy but requires using less traveled back roads. Generally, David stays off expressways. He left for the return trip this morning at about 1 AM.  David devoted yesterday afternoon to planning his trip back home with bedtime at about 5:30 PM.

 I will miss this adventurous and patient friend. An early morning email from David informed us that he arrived in Janesville at about 3:30 AM,  traveling the back roads at about 25 miles an hour. Police officers stopped him twice to check if he was all right.

So how is David's visit related to the Prospect Gardens?  The process for developing the gardens was not as intentional as David's trip planning. We started with a basic plan but without a detailed route to what now has emerged. Ours was a more organic and emergent process, as opposed to a detailed set of steps.  Here are seven pictures of those results as of today and as we move from late summer into fall.

The above picture and to the right is of Sneeze Weed (Helenium Autumnale). Beautiful yellow flowers and which of course blooms in late summer. I have no idea why the common name is Sneeze Weed. I transplanted this one from my backyard garden.

This one (to the left) is in the cone flower family. I don't know its specific name. Maybe I should look it up? Its "parents" came from Janice's rain garden. Janice is one of our neighbors.We have several rain gardens along our street, all contributing to reducing rain water runoff while adding beauty to our surroundings.

Bottle Gentian (Gentianna Andrewsii), the plant to the left, as you can see, has a soothing purple flower.  I love the bloom's shape and color. This one started as seeds nearly six years ago when we first developed the garden.

Ever  since that first year and at this time of the year, I look forward to seeing this beautiful graceful plant. May it continue to thrive.

These are Tall Coreopsis hanging over the shabby chic picket fence. The picket fence serves as the northern border of the gardens. These flowers were planted about five years ago. Percy donated them.

While they add late summer color, these plants can be quite aggressive. Every spring we pull many seedlings. Also to prevent them from getting too tall and toppling over more than what they already do, I gave them a haircut in June.

The Japanese Sumac, like all sumac, has already developed stags of brownish seeds. Shortly the green leaves will turn into a golden hue, adding color to gardens until late fall.

This Jack-in-the-Pulpit is having a healthy and productive summer. The waxy seed pods of  compact shiny red beads will eventually break apart dropping hundreds of seeds. When the seeds are ready to break apart, I offer Mother Nature a hand by scattering the ruby red seeds. I will do this again this year and the result will be more Jack-in-the Pulpits next season.


I am now wondering how David is doing on his adventure while enjoying the quiet of this last summer holiday. Perhaps there will be another email form him this evening. Sure hope so.