August Lanes

Woke up early on Sunday morning, August 18th, to the rumbling of a thunderstorm. As I laid in bed among the lightening and the rain pelleting against the window, I recalled summer thunder storms when I was a child on my family's farm.  One was especially spectacular with a loud clap of thunder and a bolt of lightening that lit up the bedroom and shook the house. Afterwards, my mother discovered that the bolt split a nearby tree and injured a young heifer that took shelter under the tree. The heifer (immature cow) had an unsteady gait and appeared in a daze. The owner of a small slaughter house picked her up the next day. Several days later we had various cuts of beef stored in a walk-in locker at the local cheese factory. If at all possible nothing was wasted on that farm.

This unpleasant recollection contrasts with Edgar Albert Guest's poem praising August. Guest, an American poet, was popular in the first half of the 20th century and known as the People's Poet. I just noticed that he was born on August 20th, 1881 and died on August 5th, 1959. Perhaps his birth date influenced his praise of August in this poem.

Down The Lanes Of August

Down the lanes of August—and the bees upon the wing, 

All the world's in color now, and all the song birds sing;
Never reds will redder be, more golden be the gold,
Down the lanes of August, and the summer getting old.

Mother Nature's brushes now with paints are dripping wet,
Gorgeous is her canvas with the tints we can't forget;
Here's a yellow wheat field—purple asters there,
Riotous the colors that she's splashing everywhere.

Red the cheeks of apples and pink the peaches' bloom,
Redolent the breezes with the sweetness of perfume;
Everything is beauty crowned by skies of clearest blue,
Mother Earth is at her best once more for me and you.

Down the lanes of August with her blossoms at our feet,
Rich with gold and scarlet, dripping wet with honey sweet.
Rich or poor, no matter, here are splendors spread
Down the lanes of August, for all who wish to tread.

So far the lanes of August has been pleasant. On the 11th, Ann and I traveled to Pulaski and celebrated my sister Barbara's 80th birthday. A good friend made the cake.

Barb's immediate family (three sons and one daughter, their spouses and some of her grandchildren, and great grandchildren) attended along with my older brother Tom, his wife Todd, my older sister, Theresa, another older sister, Angie, her husband, Kirt, and my younger brother, Louie. His wife Corine was unable to attend. Ann and I missed her company.  

My oldest brother, 89 year old Mike, didn't attend because he is successfully recovering from risky intestinal surgery. A tough choice between surgery or hospice. I celebrate his fortitude and his good fortune. He has traveled many lanes of  Augusts.  

Like our Grandmother, Julia, Mike was a vegetable gardener. His specialty was pumpkins which he sold. As a youngster, I remember visiting his garden and those flat wagons full of pumpkins. Mike built most of his first home, as well as the one he currently hopes to return to after his stay at a Green Bay rehabilitation center.  

Mike and his wife, Betty, who died in 2017, are blessed with eight loving children. They along with their spouses have supported Mike through his life threatening ordeal. This Friday, we will attend one of Mike's grandson's wedding in Hilbert, Wisconsin. Grandpa Mike may be there, but I doubt if he will be dancing with his granddaughters, like he did at last year's wedding of a granddaughter, Katie.

Another pleasant lane was a visit to "The Three Sisters Garden," a short walk from our apartment and on UW Arboretum land. This traditional Native American Indian garden consisting of corn, beans and squash. Madison area tribal communities in coordination with UW-Madison Arboretum and Department of Horticulture, planted the garden. 

Native American Indians planted these types of gardens long before the arrival of colonists. They are unlike the neatly plowed rows and fields of  most vegetable gardens. In this one the seeds were planted in furrows plowed across a field of grasses.The grasses between rows are regularly mowed.  

The homemade scare crow is a nice touch. I assume that the bags covering some of the corn tassels support pollination.  

A tour of several prairies along or near the Southwest Path with Sandy was yet another pleasant August lane. Sandy and I co-chair the Dudgeon-Monroe Neighbor Association Garden Path Committee.  We had a perfect Wisconsin day with blue skies, gentle breezes and comfortable temperatures. The first visited site is a short distance off the Southwest Path and bordering the Odana Golf Course.  I was familiar with this prairie but never appreciated that it covered several acres.   

The second site, tended by Bonnie, was a short stroll heading West on the Southwest Path and surrounds the bike bridge that crosses the Beltline. Another beautiful and impressive prairie. While strolling down the Path between the two sites, I learned more about Sandy's Texas roots.  

We took the car to the Crawford-Marlboro-Nakoma Neighborhood Butterfly Garden which is near the Beltline, surrounded by a pedestrian bridge and not on the Southwest Path. I felt like I was in a sheltered and peaceful amphitheater with the busy Beltline just over the horizon. The kidney shaped prairie was ablaze with color and radiating serenity in the midst of urbanity.  

I met several volunteers who were busy weeding. Spray paint outlined a planned rain garden. This  last Sunday morning Sandy told me that installation began August 17th. We chatted while returning a bag of gloves which I thought I needed for our Saturday Prospect Gardens work session. 

The Saturday crew came with gloves. Here's most of the crew starting with Mary on the right (lower step), then me, Laura, Joyce; Erich and Jody are on the second step.On the back step are Loren (with the hat) and Steve. Hanns arrived later. We are on break enjoying Ann's homemade date bars. She's taking the picture.

Hanns had returned at 1:30 am from a trip to Hawaii, where he, his wife and daughter celebrated their daughter's college graduation. 

This black beauty sauntered into the gardens shortly after the break. After rubbing up against me, the cat rolled over on its back and requested belly rubs. I acquiesced. I asked if weeding was a possibility. The cat refused. Instead, the cat leisurely made its way into the garden and disappeared into the plants. Well at least, this black beauty did not beg for a date bar.   





Loren, Jody and Erich are enjoying the break and hopefully getting better acquainted. Erich previously tended the Gardens several times on his own schedule. Removing Bishops Weed was his specialty. Thanks Erich.

On Saturday, he along with other crew members,  removed many Black Eyed Susan plants. Erich also cleared away plants around the cherry tree to improve air circulation.

I am concerned about the two cherry trees. Time to consult with master gardener, Percy, or the UW plant disease center.

Here's Mary getting ready to take away a wheel barrel full of Black Eyed Susan plants. I think this is a great picture. Possible candidate for a volunteer recruitment poster?

You may be wondering why these blooming plants are being treated like weeds. Well in some respects they are weeds because they aggressively reseed themselves, crowding out other desirable plants. For example, we discovered the lovely red cardinal plant struggling to survive while surrounded with aggressive Black Eyed Susans.




Here's Steve during break and just before he and Jody tackled weeds along the Regent side of the Gardens. He looks a little like Clint Eastwood, but with more hair.... don't you think?

The "Go Ducks" t-shirt refers to the University of Oregon Ducks. Steve's daughter and son-in-law were on the faculty of Oregon State, Corvallis before moving to Ashland. They are now on the faculty of Northland College.

Hanns demonstrating one of the skills sometimes needed while gardening on a slope with rocks. Maintaining balance while holding onto a handful of weeds is sometimes required. However, there is plenty of flatland in Prospect Gardens that volunteers can choose. It is not necessary to have "goat like" abilities.

Hanns proved to be quite adapt. Not bad for a guy who was adjusting to Wisconsin time after a long trip from Hawaii.

Laura is removing plants including Black Eyed Susans.  Laura is accomplished at pulling weeds regardless of the angle of the slope. Here the terrain is relatively flat.

Here is Joyce working near Laura. Another accomplished Prospect Gardener and willing to work on any terrain.

Loren getting ready to leave on his electric bike.

A heartfelt thank you to Loren, Laura, Joyce, Erich, Steve, Hanns, Jody, and Mary for joining Ann and I. Together we journeyed down one of August's lanes on a day filled with the sentiments expressed in  Edgar Albert Guest's poem.

"All the world's in color now, and all the song birds sing;
Never reds will redder be, more golden be the gold,
Down the lanes of August, and the summer getting old."

Enjoy these aging days of summer.

Refuge and Summer Beauty

July is fading into August. As I reflect on the disappearing July and time at Prospect Gardens finding refuge during a rather turbulent month emerges into consciousness. We experienced stormy weather and the political world continued to be turbulent. Usually, I can navigate through the political chaos with some calmness. However, after watching fifteen minutes of the Mueller hearings, I got on my working shoes, and went to Prospect Gardens. There I found refuge while removing rocks and making space for Little Blue Stem grasses donated by a neighbor. Yes, planting in mid summer is atypical. Watering will be required and the hardiest will survive.

During Sunday's walk I meandered through the University of Wisconsin Botanical Garden, located at 1090 University Avenue. A magnificent perennial garden, all plants duly identified, and with a small pond. As I crossed the bridge this water lily caught my eye. Here's a poem telling us what we can learn from the Water Lily. It's from the 2017 Wisconsin Poets' Calendar, a present from Sandy. Sandy is a poet and  the crew chief of the Glenway Prairie, about a 20 minute walk west of Prospect Gardens.

How to Live Like a Water Lily (Annette L. Grunseth)
Wake up slowly, float in a dreamy world,

silky arms folded over your face until mid-morning,

then open wide, sun-warmed awake.

Breathe from more than one place, soft and supple.

Do not worry about today or tomorrow

or care what others think of you.

Your radiant center is tough, strong,

nourished by water and light.

Wind and wave may engulf you

but you can easily separate from submersion,

opening your face to the heavens.

Push back beads of wet darkness.

Move freely. Make white water circles until afternoon,

when you fold softly back into yourself,

 drowsing in the dimming daylight.

The poem's message is worthy of reflection as we move further into the dog days of summer. The poem also reminded me how Prospect Gardens is a refuge for me and I would hope for others. As I tend the Gardens with the help of volunteers, I also experience community and connections. Here's the July 26th crew. We are holding butterscotch oatmeal bars made by Ann, my wife, while toasting her as she took the picture.

Two UW Badger Volunteers returned: Joe sitting on the left side of the first step and Connie, in the middle of the back row. Two more Badger volunteers, Ethan and Sameer, were taking exams.

Accompanying the UW Badger Volunteers is Sam, an intern with Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, (WEI). He's sitting to Joe's left and on the first step. WEI, led by John Imes, is the sponsor of these particular Badger Volunteers. Blog readers will recognize Sam, Joe and Connie because they were part of the crew that tended the Gardens in June. Behind Sam is Steve and on the same step are Hanns and Joyce. In the back row, flanking Connie, are Ann N. and me.

The weather was quite pleasant and the afternoon quickly slipped by. Much was accomplished including thinning out a species of aggressive, overgrown Black Eye Susan plants.  Joyce, in the green t-shirt, Sam, and Ann N. without hesitation did the job. 










Here's Joe, Connie, and Steve in the background. They are clearing out an unknown weed that carpeted this section of the Garden.




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I had to include this one of Joe giving the "thumps up" to a productive afternoon as well as one filled with conversation and humor.

This particular team of Badger Volunteers is finishing the summer term of working with John Imes' Wisconsin Environmental Initiative. Another team will join John as the Fall semester unfolds.

Thank you John for the opportunity to interact with these hard working and enthusiastic future UW alumni.

I bid farewell and send best wishes to Sam, Justine, Joe, Connie, Ethan and and Sameer as they finish their degrees and move forward with their lives.  May you be safe, may you be well, may you be strong and may you be happy.

I would be remiss if I didn't feature ten pictures showing the Gardens' summer beauty. This beauty contributes to the Gardens being a refuge for birds, insects and human beings.

Swamp Milkweed, a favorite of Monarch Butterflies. I wish I had more. Hopefully this clump will continue to flourish and spread.

Incidentally, the "Blooming Butterfly" show is still on through August 11th at Olbrich Gardens, here in Madison. A variety of free-flying butterflies, including the Monarchs, will dazzle you as you walk through the Bolz Conservatory. The domed tropical conservatory is another soothing refuge and especially during the winter months.

I can't recall the name of this stately lavender beauty.  Nate, the Oregon teacher and lead for the school district's gardens, donated these several years ago. Nate's daughter got married a few weeks ago in the small park that adjoins the family home. It rained heavily in the morning. The skies cleared in time for the afternoon wedding. A good omen for a long and happy married life for the young couple.

A species of Black Eye Susan and the ones I like. These are shorter, compact, have larger blooms and know how to live with their neighbors. They are the opposite of their aggressive taller cousins which many are now on the pile of plant material waiting to be picked up by the city.

A Purple Cone surrounded by cultivated Phlox. Perennials and natives living together in beautiful harmony. The name is from the Greek word phlox meaning flame in reference to the intense flower colors of some varieties. Easy to grow while being subject to powder mildew.

The brilliant Coreopsis, maybe "Early Sunrise" species, spilling out of its bed. Sunshine at your finger tips. These also attract butterflies.

The delicate, yet hardy, Yellow Coneflower, a native that returns and spreads. This one's ancestors were in the gardens of our former home on Keyes Avenue. I planted them well before we sold and moved into our apartment, three years ago in August. Time is certainly slipping by. 

Here's the white spikes of Culver's Root. This year this hardy plant has migrated from it's original location on the flat Regent Neighborhood section of the Gardens down the slope to a site a few feet from the bike path.

As the years pass, plants migrate with the result being constant changes in the appearance of the Gardens. These migrations remind me that change and impermanence is a constant of life.

Prospect Gardens and other prairie gardens along the Southwest Path provide refuge for the generations of migrating Monarchs. Here the magnificent Purple Cone is providing nourishment for the majestic Monarch.

This White Cone flower, sometimes referred to as the "White Swan," is a cultivar rather than a native. Like the Purple Cone, butterflies and bees flock to the blooms. Songbirds love the seeds of both the white and purple cone flowers. This bee didn't mind at all as I closed in and snapped the picture.

Ah, the regal Queen of the Prairie, one of my favorites. I celebrate the return of these pink, airy blooms. Last year an unknown fungus purged most of the Queens. Apparently cutting down and removing the infected plants helped. Sometimes the fungus can linger in the soil.  Long live the Queen!

I invite you to visit Prospect Gardens. Experience its beauty while taking refuge from the divisiveness of our era. Meanwhile I leave you with one of my favorite Wendell Berry poems extolling nature as a refuge.

 The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethoughts

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

UW Badger Volunteers and Gratitude

On the first day of summer, June 21st, a new crew of University of Wisconsin Badger Volunteers and their supervisors, tended the Prospect Gardens. A perfect afternoon for gardening. Temperature in the low 70's and with a light cloud cover.

The four Badger Volunteers, in lime green t- shirts, starting from the left to right are Joe, Sameer, Ethan and Connie. In the back row are Justine, the Program Coordinator for the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI) and Sam. He is replacing Justine who shortly will be leaving for Olympia, WA. Justine, serving an Americorps term, will join Capitol Land Trust in Olympia, WA, as their Restoration Coordinator. Justine will be involved in volunteer management, public education, and conservation efforts in the region.

WEI, directed by John Imes, sponsors the crew and through John's generosity, crews work in the Gardens several times during the gardening season.  This crew will be with WEI for the summer and will be involved with other WEI initiatives.

With deep gratitude I thank this crew, the UW Morgridge Center for Public Service, developers of the Badger Volunteer program, and John Imes for making his crew available. Before I share more for your reflection, here is Carrie Newcomer's poem, "Three Gratitudes."

Every night before I go to sleep

I say out loud
Three things that I’m grateful for,
All the significant, insignificant
Extraordinary, ordinary stuff of my life.
It’s a small practice and humble,
And yet, I find I sleep better
Holding what lightens and softens my life
Ever so briefly at the end of the day.
Sunlight, and blueberries,
Good dogs and wool socks,
A fine rain,
A good friend,
Fresh basil and wild phlox,
My father’s good health,
My daughter’s new job,
The song that always makes me cry,
Always at the same part,
No matter how many times I hear it.
Decent coffee at the airport,
And your quiet breathing,
The stories you told me,
The frost patterns on the windows,
English horns and banjos,
Wood Thrush and June bugs,
The smooth glassy calm of the morning pond,
An old coat,
A new poem,
My library card,
And that my car keeps running
Despite all the miles.

And after three things,
More often than not,
I get on a roll and I just keep on going,
I keep naming and listing,

Until I lie grinning,
Blankets pulled up to my chin,
Awash with wonder
At the sweetness of it all."

As we ended the afternoon and packed up the tools and returned this wheelbarrow to its owner, I felt grateful for the opportunity to enjoy a summer afternoon with future UW alumni. You could say  I was "awash with wonder at the sweetness of it all."

Here's Justine observing a spider on her arm during an April work session when she and another crew of Badger Volunteers tended the Gardens. I wish the best to her as she ventures to Olympia and begins her new job. She is excited about moving to the Northwest. Justine will do very well in her new job.

Justine and I teamed to create a new bed which first involved  removing rocks. We took turns hauling the rocks in a wheelbarrow up the northern ramp. The rock pile awaits pick up by the city.

I will fill the space with dirt and plant natives and maybe some grasses. Nate, an Oregon teacher and lead for its school prairie, has set aside Blue Lobelia and Little Blue Stem grasses. Maybe early next week  I will do the planting.

Sam, pictured here pulling weeds, is  an environmental science major and will be a senior this fall semester. Recently he's been biking many of our nearby trails. He also loves cast and fly fishing and especially near his hometown of Viroqua. Thanks Sam for your good work which included pulling Bishops Weed.

Viroqua's population is nearly 4,400 and is located about 94 miles northwest of Madison. Viroqua is the county seat of Vernon County. The county and surrounding areas are part of the unique Driftless region which covers about 20,000 square miles in western Wisconsin, northeastern Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, and extreme northwestern Illinois. This area was never glaciated, resulting in landscapes of steep, forested ridges, and deeply-carved river valleys.

Besides it's natural beauty, the Viroqua area is known for being one of the greatest organic farming regions of the  United States. Organic Valley, the largest organic farming cooperative in North America, is just one of the many organic farms that provide products to restaurants in Viroqua and across the Midwest.

The town and the area has a special place in my heart. Prior to retiring, I was the evaluation coordinator for the UW Environmental Resource Center. I'm grateful for the eight years of being on a team dedicated to addressing environmental issues.

We had a two day staff meeting held at the visitors center of The Kickapoo Valley Reserve, 23 miles east of Viroqua. A majestic setting on  8,600-acre of public land.

The Kickapoo River, a 126-mile-long tributary of the Wisconsin River, flows through the Reserve. Sandstone outcroppings tower over the River and native plants and animals abound in all seasons throughout the Reserve. Great fishing, and I bet Sam has fished in or near the Reserve.

During break, we talked about our least favorite buildings on campus. Sam disliked the Noland Zoology building. Joe nominated the George L. Mosse Humanities building pictured here. A few years ago the walk bridge was removed from this concrete colossus. Surprisingly, Sam liked the Humanities building, even though its design is similar to the Zoology Building.

Talking about buildings reminded me of my four years on the campus and how grateful I am for my UW education. Those were transformative  years for me when the Zoology and Humanities building were under construction. Also, UW was one of the epicenters of the Vietnam War protests during those years.

Construction of the Humanities Building began in 1966 when I was a senior, and in the fall began a Master's Degree program in Political Science. It and the Zoology building was completed in 1969. That year I still lived in Madison and was finishing my first year of teaching 7th and 8th grade social studies in Poynette with a Masters degree and teacher certification earned in 1968.

I recall walking past the Humanities Building as it was being built. The site was surrounded by a ply wood barrier covered with graffiti and anti-war slogans. According to a popular myth, the architect designed the structure to be riot proof. Supposedly, the design would impede protesters from occupying the building, as was done on October 18, 1967 when students took over the Commerce building. Known as the "Dow Chemical Riots", police waded into Commerce and dispersed the students with what would now be called excessive force.

I now stroll pass the Humanities Building on my occasional walks through campus. The massive building is a prime example of the 1960's Brutalist architectural movement. Brutalist designed buildings are large scaled concrete structures with a stark appearance featuring minimalist geometric patterns, straight lines and unadorned concrete exterior and interior surfaces. The architect was Harry Weese, the same man who designed Washington, D.C.’s iconic metro stations.

The UW master plan calls for the demolition of Humanities sometime in the future which has stirred up  controversy. Here's what Joe Reuteman, in the December 5th, 2015 Badger Herald said:

"The severe cement facade strikes many as overly imposing, looking less like a hub of arts and history and more like a munitions plant from some bleak dystopian fiction. The interior can be equally off-putting for new visitors, who often critique the layout of corridors, rooms, and stairwells as segmented and counter-intuitive."

However, Humanities has its supporters such as UW alumnus Virgil Abloh , the fashion designer and artistic director of Louis Vuitton's men's wear collection. Perhaps Sam, as a future alumnus, will have a voice in resolving the controversy.

Another future alumnus is Joe. Here's Joe returning from dumping a pile of weeds. Joe is beginning his senior year and double majoring in Environmental Studies and Economics.

Joe is from Wauwatosa, WI, a suburb of Milwaukee. Joe joined Badger Volunteers because he enjoys being a part of a cause that is greater than himself. Your generous spirit and hard work is greatly appreciated.

Here's Ethan with Justine. Ethan, his international name, is from China. His majors are mathematics and economics. 

Ethan now has two courses and an internship as a Data Analyst for the Wisconsin Educational Research Center. He joined the Badger Volunteers to get a break from a lot of time sitting and looking at the laptop screen. Being a Badger Volunteer also satisfies his desire to help preserve nature. Thank you, Ethan.

Connie, her international name, is also from China. She was born in a small village, and reflecting trends in China, moved with her family to a city. When living in the village she   gardened with her Grandmother.

Connie is biochemistry major with a computer science minor. Connie joined UW Badger Volunteers because she wants to be more engaged in the community and specifically in environmental protection efforts. She is pleased to be with the Wisconsin  Environmental Initiative (WEI). I am equally pleased and grateful that Connie spent the afternoon tending the Prospect Gardens.   

Ethan and Connie in action. The two made a great team. They worked diligently while seeming to enjoy themselves. Thank you.

Here's Sameer removing Jewel Weed. His hometown is Kenosha. His major is electrical engineering with an emphasis on embedded systems. According to my Google search, embedded systems is a new discipline that intersects  Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Embedded systems dominate every aspect of human life. Applications are used in automobiles, TVs, cell phones, tablets, house appliances, house automation, and many other domains. In other words, all the electronic gadgets in our lives involve embedded systems.

Sameer joined Badger Volunteers because he felt it was good opportunity to meet new people and help the community at the same time. Thanks for helping our community and especially Prospect Gardens.


Gardening with the UW Badger Volunteers, Sam and Justine, to borrow from Newcomer's poem, is another example of the "Extraordinary, ordinary stuff of my life." I look forward to this crew's return.

The efforts of volunteers over the ten years since the Gardens began means that colorful areas such as this one greet passersby.The Poppy Mellows are in full bloom and dominate the area.

The Poppy Mellows are well established and like magic return each year. Yet they and all sections of the Gardens must be maintained which means that the need for volunteers is constant. The next neighborhood work session will be July 20th, 9 to noon. If you are in Madison, please join me. Many other plants will be in boom and perhaps the raspberries will be ready to pick.

Transcendence , Knowledge and Wisdom

 Another Father's Day is history and summer is arriving. My daughter Emily, from Oakland, CA sent me this stunning flower arrangement. I love the abundance of different flowers and the atypical design. Thank you, dear daughter.

I keep Emily's handwritten page-long note from  Father's Day 1995 framed and on my bookshelf. After praising me, she writes "You play with me. No matter what we do we always have a good time."  Ten year old Emily then gives two examples, involving reading two of her favorite books, "The Napping House" and "Stars and Planets."  So many precious moments since that first 1985 Father Day when she was seven months old. We now talk every Sunday night which never makes up for missing seeing her in person.

Reflecting on several days of tending Prospect Gardens and life in general led me to consider transcendence, knowledge and wisdom. Our church, First Unitarian Society of Madison, has monthly themes and "transcendence" is June's theme.  In the June newsletter, Community Life Minister Kelly Crocker says that transcendence ".... speaks to us as moving beyond the common place or getting a sense of something larger than our existence." The newsletter offered Julie Cadwallader Staub's  poem for our reflections.  Staub's poems have been featured on Garrison Keillor's The Writer's Almanac and published in several  journals. She lives near  Burlington, VT.

Longing 

Consider the blackpoll warbler.

She tips the scales

at one ounce

before she migrates, taking off

from the seacoast to our east

flying higher and higher 

ascending two or three miles

during her eighty hours of flight

until she lands, in Tobago,

north of Venezuela

three days older,

and weighing half as much.

She flies over open ocean almost the whole way.

She is not so different from us.

The arc of our lives is a mystery too.

We do not understand,

we cannot see

what guides us on our way:

that longing that pulls us toward light.

Not knowing, we fly onward

hearing the dull roar of the waves below.

The arc of my life is indeed a mystery. The far end of the arc is anchored in rural Northeastern Wisconsin near Pulaski and on a small family farm, in a large family of 14, and grounded in a Polish and Catholic culture. The arc now is situated in retirement, aging, a loving extended family with grand nieces and grand nephews, a loving wife and life partner, and a comfortable apartment in one of Madison's upscale and popular neighborhoods. Understanding how this all happened inevitably leads to acknowledging and appreciating the mystery of my life.  

Tending Prospect Gardens also underscores how gardening, as well as life, is a mystery. After ten years of tending Prospect Gardens it's still a mystery to me as to what perishes and survives as the years slip by. Why did  the strawberry patch disappear and the Blue Indigo survive, although we could spin out several plausible explanations? Is understanding life and gardening that important?   

Don't get me wrong, understanding is sometimes important. Yet understanding and knowledge are often overrated in terms of what motivates us to "fly onward", i.e. continue despite our own and the world's sufferings. As I experience aging, I'm more aware that acceptance, letting go, self-compassion and trusting in life itself are equally important.  Perhaps I am gaining wisdom. This is how Thich Nhat Hahn, a world renowned Vietnamese Buddhist teacher, distinguishes knowledge from wisdom:

  "Knowledge is conceptual, it is information, opinions and views read from books or spoken by others, whereas wisdom is the truth within the experience. Experience can not be conceptualized, for example....try to explain what water is, then go drink some water or stand in the rain, the conceptualization and the experience are completely different, this is the difference between knowledge and wisdom!!"

So I continue tending Prospect Gardens, flying onward and hopefully gaining wisdom about life itself. Happily and fortunate for me, as the following ten pictures show, others continue to lend a helping hand with Prospect Gardens. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.  Thank you all.

On a sunny June 5th afternoon, Ryan, the conservation crew supervisor for Operation Fresh Start (OFS), and five of his crew tended the Gardens. Ryan, the guy with the sun glasses, is now working for the Vilas Zoo. I will miss his enthusiasm and knowledge of plants. Ryan raises hybrid day lilies as a hobby.

Percy, a master gardener and regular volunteer, substituted for me since I could not stay for the entire work session. Thank you Percy, Ryan and the young men from OFS.

OFS according to its mission statement provides "disconnected youth, 16-24, a path to self- sufficiency through education, mentoring, and employment training." Through a contract with the City Engineering, OFS conservation crews, assist in maintaining green spaces as part of their employment training. Maddie, the Department's Greenway Vegetation Coordinator, provided the crew as part of the Department's support for prairie gardens along the Southwest Path.  Thank you, Maddie.

The OFS crew worked hard and hopefully they benefited from their Prospect Garden experiences. Here's Ryan and two crew members pulling out aggressive Rudbeckia (Black Eye Susan) from an upper section of the Gardens and on the Regent side.

Black Eye Susans are lovely to behold and yet very aggressive. They were overtaking the tall Michigan Daisies lining the weathered picket fence. More need to be removed.

These two crew members, along with Percy, tackled the equally aggressive Bishops Weed on the opposite of the Gardens. It forms a dense mat that prohibits other plants from establishing. Another great year for this nemesis to many gardeners. How it gained a foothold in the Gardens continues to be mystery. A few years ago there was none.

Another area that Percy and this OFS crew member tackled was the ditch in front of the storm water drain and the home of jumping worms. I am starting to learn about this latest invasive species and their potential ill affects.

Jumping worms grow more rapidly, reproduce more quickly and consume more nutrients than typical earthworms.They quickly transform soil into ground resembling discarded coffee grounds. Ornamental, garden plants, and many native plants do not thrive in the changed soil. For now, I am following Percy's advice to wait and watch for effects. There is some uncertainty about how best to treat an infestation.  Cleaning out plant debris like Percy and OFS crew members did is recommended.

 On June 15th this crew arrived. Starting on the left, first row, is Emma, Mary, Ann and Laima. In the back row starting on the left is Laura, with the yellow visor, then Janet and Reis. Removing Bishop's Weed consumed most of the three hour session.

Here's Reis digging out Carney Reed Grass, a noxious plant that can grow up to six feet tall and with very deep roots. Like Bishops' Weed it forms a dense mat that prevents other plants from existing.

I enjoyed Reis' enthusiastic and adventurous spirit. He really got into digging after exclaiming "I always wanted a shovel in my hands."  Reis is University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student who now has two summer jobs.

Another enthusiastic and adventitious spirit is Emma. Reis and Emma are friends who learned of Prospect Gardens through the Dane County United Way volunteer website. I posted the work session on this web site.  Emma also has a summer job and last year attended UW Madison.

I enjoyed Emma's sense of humor. After I mentioned that she didn't have any gloves she laughed and said, "I plan on getting really dirty."

I'm hoping that Emma and Reis return so I can get to know them better. Plus they are such great workers.

Here are two regulars, Laima and Laura. Both are neighbors who live near the Prospect Gardens. Laura who has consistently volunteered now for many years, helped me trim back the ten year old Forsythia. Janet also provided advice and encouragement as we reduced the overgrown shrub by at least half. Nick arrived to help finish the job as well as helped me trim another overgrown Forsythia. Both shrubs were damaged during the unusual cold spring or as Janet said, "the polar vortex."

Here's Mary taking a brief break from weeding a shady corner of the Gardens. Now the Astilbes are visible. Mary is from the Regent Neighborhood and her home is an easy walk from the Gardens. She has a great, welcoming smile.

Mary may become a regular since this is the second time she volunteered.  You will always be welcomed and your hard work appreciated.

Janet, here behind the still to bloom Queen of the Prairie, is a first time volunteer. She arrived on her electric assisted bike from her home in nearby Villas neighborhood. She knows a thing or two about gardening and plants. You too will be welcomed back any time.

For some unknown reason, I didn't take a picture of Ann working diligently in an area to the right of Janet. Your  thorough weeding is greatly appreciated. Come back again anytime. You will be welcomed.

These old fashioned roses are once again blooming. I suspect that they have been along the Path for years. They were uncovered several years ago as we cleared out the area and expanded the Gardens.

They are one of the surviving old timers. Against formidable odds they persist, returning every year to beautify a small corner of the Gardens that can be easily missed. Passersby, like me who look up and notice this corner of  beauty, may experience a sense of transcending our ordinary and yet mysterious lives.

May you continue to fly onward like the blackpoll warbler in Staub's poem unimpeded with concerns about the distance and the "dull roar of the waves below."