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Karen is in the woods behind the house on a bright fall day. The trees have dropped most of their leaves. A large woody vine rises from bottom to top clear through the frame. It's the main stem of a river grape, its branches and foliage tangled high overhead in the nearby tree.

River Grape

On a lovely Indian summer day in late October, we took a walk through the woods on Owl Acres. Most of the leaves had fallen from the trees, and the undergrowth was dry and crackly. Along with the boxelder trees, hackberries, wild cherry and walnut trees in the woods, some inch-thick woody vines climbed from […]

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A stand of Jerusalem Artichokes blooms in August. 4- to 6-ft-tall stalks, bristling with rough hairs and alternating leaves. A 3-inch blossom with yellow radiating petals tops each stalk. Plants were seeded two years ago when we established our little prairie garden.

Pillar of the Community: Jerusalem Artichoke

Several Jerusalem artichokes have taken root in our little prairie garden. They’re sharing the space with false sunflowers and other prairie plants. Blooming in August and September, their yellow flowers with yellow centers are buzzing with a whole constellation of critters. The story of the Jerusalem artichoke is that of an invasive that moved across […]

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View looking toward the east fencerow in late October. The red maple in the foreground has dropped its leaves, forming a litter for the cleanup crew to start their work.

Falling Leaves

On a late October day, the wind has blown most of the leaves off the trees. They crunch underfoot, reminding me of childhood. The ancient elms near our school dormitory used to provide vast quantities of leaves to play in. We would jump and roll in them, relishing that autumn crunch. I’m sure the grounds […]

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