We had the first real snowfall a few days ago – not much – just enough to cover the driveway and dust the fields with white.

First it was rain.

Then, overnight, it turned to snow.  It only lasted a day – now we’re snow-free again.

I’ve been working hard on clearing the western slope of Indian Grass Point.  It’s a project I started in 2007.  This is what it looked like in October 2007, when I started.  There were lots of prairie plants covered by a layer of brushy shrubs and scattered White Birches.

In the last few years I’ve girdled and killed most of the invading birches – and a few black walnuts – and cleared a big swath of brush down the center of the slope.  Now I’m working to widen that cleared area.  This year I’ve been working on the north side of the clearing.

This the view a few days ago – looking up at the cleared slope with my brush pile at the very bottom.

The prairie grasses are definitely coming back where the brush has been cleared away.

Farther up the slope – some newly cleared areas and dying birch trees

Another view of newly cleared slope

Here are some fall views from other parts of the farm.

Western Prairie

Pat’s Prairie in the afternoon light

Old Burr Oaks above Big View Prairie

Little Bluestem is one of the prettiest grasses right now – especially when the sun shines through the seeds.

False Boneset seeds in the Knife Edge Prairie

And one late flower trying to bloom – Harebell