The Prairie in Summer

Some of you will remember that last winter I stumbled upon a prairie restoration project less than a mile from our home. It was full of fascinating dried flowers, and I promised myself I'd come back in summer to see the fresh blossoms. Today I decided to keep that promise.

My path takes me past the marshy lake-around-the-corner. Gone is the silvery glory of winter; all now is green...

...punctuated here and there with the vivid blossoms of purple loosestrife. This plant is invasive, but oh so beautiful:

Past the marshy lake, I turn off the road and onto a trail that leads through a small wood. Despite recent rains, many trees are showing the stress of drought.

The sky is lovely and variable this afternoon - now cloudy, now sunny.

The trail opens out into a field decorated with tiny, colourful grass seeds...

...and clumps of these miniscule white blossoms. (I was a real slacker today when it came to looking up wildflowers.)

Larger, plumy grass seeds wave in the wind.

The trail turns to skirt a field of clover in full bloom; the air is honey-sweet with its scent.

I'm happy to find a few thistles still blossoming. (Most of them flowered early this summer and burned out quickly in the extreme heat.)

Hoary vervain looking wild and jungle-y.

As I reach the pond behind the high school, I'm astonished to find honeysuckle in bud. (I thought it had finished months ago.)

Tiny asters shine like the stars they're named for.

The trail curves again, and begins to skirt the prairie restoration project, where coneflowers are blowing in the wind.

I'm fascinated by the variety and beauty of wild grass seeds. These look like rosebuds in miniature:

Another mystery flower:

And more lovely sky. There's rain in those clouds!

The drought doesn't seem to have bothered the knapweed...

...or this chestnut tree, which is loaded with nuts:

Here's another mystery blossom! These little white flowers are all over the place this summer - often growing with the jointed grass which can be glimpsed in the picture below.

I believe these are called false sunflower:

Just next to them is a plant bearing some very interesting seed pods. I've never seen anything like this:

I saw quite a lot of these dried flower heads last winter, and was really hoping to catch them in bloom this summer. Maybe next year....

A box elder bug. Some people find these insects annoying; I think they're rather pretty. (Their splotches remind me of a Rorschach test. Psychologist: "What do you see?" Mrs. M: "I see a bug crawling on a leaf." Psychologist: "Hmmm. Some interesting complexes there....")

More rosy grass seeds.

A very delicate blossom - one of the many Aster cousins, no doubt:

The goldenrod is already blooming profusely. (I've been trying to ignore it, as it's MUCH too early this year. But I can't seem to get away from the stuff, so I might as well take a few photos.) Here it is hanging out with pine cones and wild grapevine:

Goldenrod is commonly (and mistakenly) blamed for causing seasonal allergies; the real culprit is more likely to be ragweed, which blooms at the same time (and is much less beautiful).

I've completed my circuit of the prairie restoration project; time now to head home and make pizza. I'm glad to have seen the project in high summer; now I'll be able to identify a few more of those dried flowers next winter. : )

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