Journal for January 31, 2022

We finally finished our annual ‘Seasons’ slide show.  At the end of each year we collect all our favorite photos from that year, and Mike adds sounds from the recordings he’s made.  We put them together into a video that follows the seasons at Prairie Haven.    Here’s the link to the current show.

 

We have two projects going on right now.  I just finished planting prairie seeds in one small field – 4 acres.  It was an old crop field that hadn’t been cropped for many years so it was full of weeds.  We had it sprayed last fall and this winter I planted into the snow.   We’re calling it Sheep Bluff Prairie – Sheep Bluff is the name the former owners called that hill.

Sheep Bluff Prairie with the remains of the old barn below

 

Sheep Bluff Prairie – looking across the wetland to Maple Ridge

 

The other project is being done by Erik and Beth from ‘Kule Region Forestry.  They’re cutting and cutting treating trees and brush in the lower part of Big View Savanna.  This has been one of our goals for years – to return that woods to savanna.

Erik and Beth in their new, cool vehicle – it goes through the snow and rides more lightly on the ground.

 

This is Pine Point Bluff, with Big View Prairie – one of our largest bluff prairie remnants – near the top.  Above it is a smaller remnant of savanna, and below is the larger one that Erik and Beth are working on.  The thicker part of the woods – that they haven’t gotten to yet – is on the left in the photo.  The larger area is much more open now.

 

Here they are at work.

 

The creek, with Pine Point and Big View Savanna beyond

 

We’re much more aware of sunrises and sunsets in the winter.  They’re fun to photograph because the brilliant colors make such a contrast with the more subtle colors of snow and brush and dry plants.   And because the sun comes up so late and sets so early we’re often outside at those times.

New Year’s Day sunrise

 

Sunrise above the creek

 

Along the driveway – late afternoon

 

Sunrise over the old farmyard

 

Early morning airplane vapor trails

 

Pale pink morning sky

 

Sunrise over Center Valley

 

Sunrise over the wetland

 

Sunrise from Sheep Bluff Prairie

 

Sunset