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Nature Corner

By Rachel Katz

You know, it seems like it was just a few weeks ago that the temperatures stayed below freezing for weeks on end. The world became hard and brittle, often decorated with ice and snow. It was cold enough that any outdoor water froze. We were able to walk on our creek, experiencing things from a new perspective. I could really see what areas were healthy and what areas were eroding quickly. Since the water continued to drop as the water froze, there were multiple layers of ice, and we could break through to see a solid record of the flow. We weren’t the only ones who used the relatively clear path of the frozen creek as a path, as we could see from the track of all the other animals using the mini-highway.

I’m hoping that all that cold weather will reward us with lower tick and other pest populations this summer. Last year was the worst I have ever seen for tick density, and it would be nice to have a little respite.

Suddenly it seemed like it was in the 60s and 70s nearly every day. The blackbirds and meadowlarks returned, followed by many others. Soon at night we were hearing the spring peepers and chorus frogs compete with the woodcocks for aural space. I was pleased to see a pair of kestrels attempting to raise young in the nest box I can see from my house, for what I believe is the fifth year in a row.

We’ve also been getting plenty of rain, which is welcome after a few years of drought conditions. The cisterns are filling up after a dry and frozen winter, and the plants and seeds are responding. The only downside is that we have been getting much of the rain at once. Both in the village and on the land, lots of water falling on saturated earth results on lots of surface runoff and soil erosion.

As the world greens up, it is a very special time for wild edible plants. Many plants that become too bitter or tough later in the season are still fun to eat. So, get out there as soon as the dandelion, dock, and a whole host of mustard-family plants poke their leaves out of the ground and start grazing.

Cover Page • Community - The Good Stuff • Ecovillage Baby • Tony B's Bio • Suzanne's New Warren • Nature Corner • Poetry • Thank You