I've seen several reports today about Michelle Obama's speech last night. Among other things, she implored us to vote for Biden / Harris. If I'm tracking things correctly, that would make Democrats, Independents and Republicans for Biden / Harris the Implorables and all other voters, such as the MAGAts that vote for tRUMP, the Deplorables. That works for me. Now, to more immediately pertinent things.
Once upon a time I believed, incorrectly, that a listing of the plants found in each of Minnesota's counties would be a fairly static list. Silly me. For Chisago County, the 2015 list of plants from the Department of Natural Resources web page, Species Lists and County Maps, included 865 species, of which 74 were listed as introduced. This morning's version of the list, from the same source, lists 903 species, of which 82 are identified as introduced. So, the plant population of this county has increased by almost 40 species in five years, but only 20% of that increase is listed as introduced. I think it's time to go play Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man," with its wonderful and appropriate for these days refrain:
Because something is happening here
But you don’t know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
A quick glance at the two versions I've downloaded demonstrates that, in 2015, balsam fir was not listed in Chisago County, but it is included in today's listing and was added prior to the version I downloaded last year. What triggered the addition? Did balsam firs move south? Did someone "discover" balsam fir in the county in the past five years or so? The instructions MnDNR provides don't offer any real explanations.
 |
| stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus)
Photo by J. Harrington
|
All of this has been prompted by my efforts today to identify a sunflower growing in our fields. According to Minnesota Wildflowers, there are nine species of sunflowers (not including Jerusalem artichoke) of which only six are native to Chisago County. (To my dismay, I also stumbled onto the fact that there are about a dozen species of goldenrod.) The sunflower in our field is a stiff sunflower. [photo above]
If anyone has an explanation about how the taxa of Minnesota vascular plants by county keeps growing by more than the introduced species, please leave it in the comments. Thanks!
Daisies
by Mary Oliver
It is possible, I suppose that sometime
we will learn everything
there is to learn: what the world is, for example,
and what it means. I think this as I am crossing
from one field to another, in summer, and the
mockingbird is mocking me, as one who either
knows enough already or knows enough to be
perfectly content not knowing. Song being born
of quest he knows this: he must turn silent
were he suddenly assaulted with answers. Instead
oh hear his wild, caustic, tender warbling ceaselessly
unanswered. At my feet the white-petalled daisies display
the small suns of their center piece, their - if you don't
mind my saying so - their hearts. Of course
I could be wrong, perhaps their hearts are pale and
narrow and hidden in the roots. What do I know?
But this: it is heaven itself to take what is given,
to see what is plain; what the sun lights up willingly;
for example - I think this
as I reach down, not to pick but merely to touch -
the suitability of the field for the daisies, and the
daisies for the field.
********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.
No comments:
Post a Comment