As we were driving down there were large flocks of pelicans circling and flying vaguely in a northerly direction. There were a few scattered on the surface of Lake Pepin near Maiden Rock – looking like they were fishing.
It was gorgeous weather – very warm – around 70, and with filmy clouds that kept it from being too hot.

Mike did some more mowing on the Knife Edge – he mowed the main part of the prairie to discourage the brush that was starting to come back. And he widened the southern end by mowing some of the brush at the edges. He also widened part of the path along the ridge, so now we can look down on the steep prairies that are on that face of the hill.

Here’s a view looking from the Knife Edge path into the prairie after mowing.

He also mowed out Hidden Oaks Meadow so it joins the Narrows Prairie. This is a project we’ve been thinking about for a long time. The meadow is small and isolated so we thought it would be nice to have it visually connected to one of our planted prairies. Mowing has really opened up the brushy end of the meadow. I hope it will encourage more of the good plants we have growing there. There are big patches of Rough Blazing Star and Wood Betony but they were beginning to be overrun with brambles and sumac.

Here’s how it looks now, looking toward the Narrows Prairie.

We’re hoping that by doing our mowing this early in the season, when the plants are still dormant, the brush will be set back but the prairie plants will be able to grow normally.

I finally moved the brush pile I made last fall in Stargrass Opening – I piled it in the gator and added it to the big burn pile we have in the Narrows Prairie. Stargrass Opening looks bigger and more open after the clearing I did last fall. I checked on the Prairie Smoke – there are lots of plants coming up, but no blossoms.

I’m still looking for Pasqueflowers, so I took a walk to Sumac Prairie. I didn’t find any Pasqueflowers, but there were lots of Birds-foot Violets blooming – the first showy flowers of the spring.

And some less showy flowers – Pussytoes.

The animals that have the den in the blowout area have enlarged their house – the pile of sand gets bigger every time I visit. I wish I knew who lives there – the diameter of the den is quite large so I’m wondering if it’s coyotes.

We both worked hard on our woodworking projects and finished them. Mike’s bench is perfect – enough room for both of us to sit on it to put our shoes on.

And my table will make a good cabin table.