MJ's Moderation

Sunflowers!

A series of sunflowers from our garden.  We usually grow a row of tall multi-color sunflowers as a back-drop to our vegetable garden. While this summer's torrential rains and hot, humid weather seemed to stifle most of our tomatoes and peppers, the sunflowers thrived.  To all things there is a season...

Bubblin' Crude

...Not oil, but algae.  The stagnant, warm water of the La Crosse River flowage surrounding Myrick Park is a perfect breeding ground for several types of green algae.  This decaying tree stump is submerged in about 4 feet of water covered with a layer of pond "scum."

Microscopic algae comprise most of the life forms in fresh water, and they are the most productive. This aquatic "green slime" generates approximately 70% of the oxygen in Earth's atmosphere!

While algae are a normal and essential part of a healthy river ecosystem, sometimes large masses are considered a kind of pollution. When there is too much phosphorus in the river, the algae proliferate excessively, and thereby place disproportionate pressure on the ecosystem. After algae die they decompose while floating on the surface. Even large clusters do not harm plants or animals (humans included), however, they return little benefit to the river and interfere with some recreation activities.

In extreme cases, the decomposition of the algae causes anoxia, which is an insufficiency of dissolved oxygen in the water. This phenomenon, which is fatal to sensitive species (such as those species of fish that happen to be sportfish), can occur in several areas of the river.

To reduce algae masses, phosphorus levels need to be decreased. Ways to do this include monitoring chemical/fertilizer run-off, conservation of natural plant species on the shore line, and safe boating practices.

Another "Fun Guy"

This dinner-plate sized toadstool mushroom sprouted out of a tree stump along Lindsay Road in Pewaukee  after our recent rainy weather.  It's creamy white with chocolate brown spots. Very pretty and almost delicious looking, except it's probably poisonous, so we'll leave it there.

In my image searches, some possible Latin names that pop up are Agaricus, Lepiota, & Procerus, but I have not yet narrowed down the genus/species of this fungus.  In any event, a beautiful specimen.

Hydrangea

This beautiful blue hydrangea bloom was on a small shrub in front of the Pump House in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  They say if you bury a few copper pennies around the base of the shrub to raise the pH level of the soil, it will alter the flower color to pink or lavender. Apparently this is not true, because today's pennies have only a fraction of real copper in their outer coating, and are mainly zinc inside.

For accurate information on changing the color of your hydrangeas (from blue to pink, or from pink to blue) check this informative link.

It is interesting to note that white or cream-colored hydrangeas cannot be forced to turn any other color.

Satellite Puff-ball

I have no idea what kind of plant this is, but the flower is just adorable.  It grows along the Myrick Park Eco-Trail in La Crosse, WI. In the fall, the spent blooms look like little spiky, black drumsticks.

Sunset Bridge

The Mississippi River bridge was outside our hotel room door during our stay in La Crosse last weekend. Surprisingly, the mosquitoes were not nearly as bad there as they are here in Pewaukee this year, so we were able to sit on the patio and sip a tall, cool one while watching the sun go down.

"Summertime, and the livin' is easy..."

Tree Hugger

Bill hugs a giant cottonwood tree along the Myrick Park Eco-trails and wetlands preserve in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The park is bordered on the north by the La Crosse River flowage. In recent years, the city has built up wonderful groomed trails that criss-cross the marsh. This old tree is located about halfway through, in a naturally elevated spot. The area is filled with wildlife, including herons, hawks, turtles, frogs, garter snakes, muskrats, and a wide variety of flora. Such a beautiful and peaceful spot.

Milkweed Revisited

I did a series on the Milkweed plant last year on my "Pewaukee Daily Photo" blog, but find them so pretty, that I had to post some new shots. There are several varieties of Milkweed, most with flowers varying in color from white to cream to deep shades of pink. These images were taken along the new Myrick Park Hixon Eco trails in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  These lovely pink flowers will soon form large, crackly, dry pods filled with downy seeds.  The black and orange Monarch butterfly is one of the main pollinators of this flower.

Black Caps!

 

Tiny, juicy little black raspberries, also known as "black-caps" around these parts, grow wild along the edge of many of our woodland hiking trails. This year was a bumper crop! They do best in dappled sunlight on the edge of trails, woods, and often along railroad tracks. They can tolerate dry conditions, however, too much sun causes the small compact berries to dry up quickly. On the other hand, too much shade and moisture prevent abundant flowering in the spring and/or compromised flower buds.

Black-caps usually form in little cluster of 5 berries, with the center one ripening first, followed by the others within a day or so.  By the way, black-caps, raspberries, and blackberries are all distant cousins of the rose family.  Thorns are their give-away family trait.

What's that smell?

The past few springs while walking Nik, either on the rural back roads near our house, or up on the wooded hiking trails, I've noticed a lovely fragrance wafting in the air.  It usually makes me stop and take notice.  Where is it coming from? I scan the brush for something that could be emitting that beautiful smell.  Is it wild rosehips?  Nope, none to be seen.  Is it the wild geraniums?  Nope, none of those nearby, either.  Violets? Nope - they are long gone. Frustrated, I would continue my walk, never solving the puzzle.  Yet, this year, it was overwhelming. It's floral, fruity, almost *grapey* and...wait, that's it!  


I've looked past the hundreds of wild grape vines winding up through the trees and along the trails for years, never paying much attention to them until fall, when their bountiful purple berries begged to be picked. Yet, suddenly I realized, their lacy, pale green, & nearly invisible flowers are some of the most fragrant around.  The season of their allure is short. Within a day or two, the mini-petals are gone and tiny green grapes have taken their place.