Today at Shangri-Laura

A Year on One Acre

A lot happens on this acre in the course of a year. Here is a small taste. Enjoy!

Oh, To Be the Jim Brandenburg of West Chicago

That is my dream and it's going to stay a dream unless I put in the work to achieve it.

First, some background...I've known of Jim for many, many years. He was a National Geographic photographer for many years and lives in Northern Minnesota in the Boundary Waters area (Ely). In his retirement years from NatGeo, he's basically spent years hiking the land he loves and is THE photographer for all things wolf.

He's done some really wonderful projects along the way, including one that was set up in private, for himself, simply to help himself fall in love with photography again after having it be a job for so long. That project became the book, Chased by the Light, (with a documentary video you can view here). It has stayed with me for many years for a few reasons. First, the photos are absolutely stunning. Secondly, the video showed me I was looking at a kindred spirit. His choice of shooting a photo of a feather rather than the rainbow...the way he is always holding something in his hand, be it a stick, a feather, a rock...a habit I had long recognized in myself.  I have no idea why he does that, or why I do. I just know that there is something in both of us that interacts with the world in the same way. Who knows? Maybe I'm not the only one to come home with a deer vertebra in my vest pocket.

Great horned owl feathers, found strewn over the forest floor.

But here is a key difference between Jim Brandenburg and I:

He followed that one passion of his...immersion in nature with camera in hand and made himself a life with it. I, on the other hand, have not.

Part of me likes to fantasize that I would have if only I lived where it was so beautiful. I love the sound of loons. And the call of wolves. I've been in that area many times (my husband is a Minnesotan) and have yet to feel like I've been able to fill up on the beauty and wildness there as much as I long to. (Family is the reason we visit there so the nature treks are very fleeting and brief if they occur at all.)

So, basically I have had a silent, wistful envy of Jim for decades. He's the only person on the planet I would want to trade places with if we could do a temporary life swap although I'm sure the reverse life-swap commute would have him collapsing at the thought.

In fact, there are times that I watch myself on days that might be too Facebook rich (now there is an oxymoron for you) and I'll think, "If Jim Brandenburg were doing this right now, I'd be furious with him!" Or, if he were an accountant. Or a retail manager. Or anything other than out in the woods. He's as close to a wolf pack in the wild as I will ever be and I want to have that closeness, if only through his lens.

And that brings me to this little acre my husband and I live on, and all the tracks of every animal that lives in our region pattered across it.

I live abutting a forest preserve...not really a pretty preserve because it is severely degraded (not to mention absolutely crawling with ticks) but, still, I've seen many a coyote there. I've found the remnants of kills. I've seen several skeletons of deer after a field underwent a prescription burn. I've seen great horned owls more times than I can count. We have foxes. Deer. A muskrat den in the far end of the wetland behind us.

Sure, they aren't wolves and loons, but still, we have some stunning creatures here.

Great Egrets visit our marsh regularly.

And that is what caused me to say to Scott one day, "Why couldn't I be the Jim Brandenburg of West Chicago?"

Sure, I'd have to up my photo skills. But in terms of my inclinations and innate ability to stay in one place, silent and observing and respectful...the thought of that immersion sounds like heaven to me. It's a matter of what I prioritize.

Okay, this isn't a wolf, but you have to admit, this is one good looking coyote.

 

 

Jim came back onto my radar screen when a friend informed me of a project he's been doing. Nature365 TV features short daily video clips of Jim's treks. They are stunning, and under a minute each so you have no excuse not to subscribe. Kate said she didn't know if I had heard of him, not realizing just how much of an (unacted upon) inspiration he has been for me.

And that little share by Kate led to me making this little clip of snow falling on our marsh.

I know it is a far cry from Jim's quality, but it was a step for me to even think to do it. And then I got a clip of a coyote loping across the snow...a lovely clip that I accidentally deleted because basically I am totally not Jim, but more of a dorky bumbling wannabe.

But still, I did take it and I won't delete another accidentally again, I promise you that.

AND, a neighbor with a different view on the marsh is giving me access to her vantage point so I have my first 'remote viewing camp' two doors down. Not exactly roughing it but the marsh is surrounded by our houses so there IS no roughing it to view what happens here. There is just devotion to watching. And to learning how to use your dang camera.

And maybe between dog visits, I'll protect my time better so I can get out into the woods in earnest. I hope I do.

Monarchs and Those Yet to Be

Perhaps it's just that it has been such a rainy year, but the summer seems to be waning already if the tattered wings of this monarch are any indication...

And yet, there are signs of new winged life yet to be...

Ruby Meadowhawk on Poppy

Last year two little poppies showed up in the garden strip along my garage near the downspout. I think they are breadbox poppies. I suspect the seeds blew in and washed down the drain to find themselves planted there, as they aren't anywhere else in the yard. They are such sweet little flowers and this year they've delighted me with more. This female ruby meadowhawk dragonfly seems to love the seedpods and can be seen there regularly these days.

Incidentally, if you enjoy the photos that I take of my humble yard and would like to see what I might find in yours, please don't hesitate to contact me about doing a custom photo shoot of your gardens. There are so many precious vignettes to capture who knows what I might discover for you. (You may want to keep me in mind if you, or someone you know, is having to move away from a beloved piece of land...wouldn't it be lovely to take a custom book or wall art of those memories along?)

Ruby Meadowhawk Dragonfly

The Ruby Meadowhawk is one of the most common dragonflies in the meadows and fields of northern Illinois. This is the female, more russet in color compared to the more truly scarlet colored male. They are also among the more tolerant of intrusive photographers.

Garter Snake

One thing to be said for neglecting my overgrown gardens is that it allows the other residents of our acre to thrive relatively undisturbed. I know there are a lot of people out there who don't really enjoy seeing snakes, especially large ones like this creature, but I've always delighted in seeing them.

They are beneficial in the garden, almost exclusively eating insects, while not doing the least bit of damage to plants. Larger individuals may also east small rodents, frogs and toads. I did see one eating a full grown toad once. It was horrifying and fascinating in equal measure. With the myriad of tiny toads still romping around the yard (along with a nice crop of frogs), I'm sure our resident snakes are getting a diverse diet this year.

This one was quite mellow and tolerated my presence quite a long time.

I'd actually seen a couple this day and Scott thought he might have seen some tiny ones dash through the grass (they are very fast, and about the size of large earthworms). One more reason to pay attention out on the lawn.

Amazing what an eco system a lawn is when you don't chemically treat and let it be the mix of grasses, ground ivies and low lying weeds nature insists on. While it isn't exactly a putting green, actual grass lawns have come to look so unnatural to me that I actually prefer the 'mowed weed' look. And the critters seem to prefer it, too.

Related articles

Exploring Nature with Frogs & Toads

Attracting Nature to Your Yard

The Green Heron

Or, as we call it in our house, the "little green hero", has been a fairly regular visitor to the marsh. The nickname got started when I had sent an email to my brother-in-law and happened to make mention that we had one walking around in the yard. My niece, peeking over his shoulder, didn't see the 'n' and asked, "What's a little Green Hero?"

Ever since then, that is how they are known. Kids have a way of getting into your head like that.

Recently we had not one, but two of the fairly reclusive birds chatting each other up all day on the marsh. Of course, getting photos was not easy because I was concerned about scaring them away, so you must accept yet another apology from me as I continue to work through the problem of capturing marsh images for you without intruding on the animals. I heard one calling again this morning as I woke up, so perhaps they have established a nest nearby. We are well within their common breeding range.

If you would like to learn more about these lovely creatures, and to see actual high quality photos of them (they really are quite beautiful), be sure to visit their Audubon field guide page.

What is That Strange Mini Volcano in the Yard?

The crayfish (or crawdaddy if you live in the southern U.S.), is a small crustacean resembling a tiny lobster.  The crayfish spends most of its time in the chamber at the bottom of its burrow so is rarely seen. Only at night does it become active bringing soil to the surface. It feeds mostly on decaying roots and buried plant matter, but sometimes eats worms or insects. Some species live alone but others are more communal.

Morning Walk, with Dragonfly

Sometimes the very best thing to do...maybe the only thing to do...is get back to basics. Tall grass and dragonflies.

All About the Fish

I had wanted to show you photos of the pair of kingfishers that were hanging out on the marsh all day but this was the absolute best one I could get...

...because frankly I didn't feel like tolerating the evil mosquitos to try to freeze this action...

What I had hoped to catch for you was Junior's fishing attempts. Let's just say, there is a learning curve for every species and for kingfishers it looks a lot like bellyflops. They are pretty amazing fishers once they get their technique down but this little one needs a few more practice sessions. Maybe I'll get another chance to capture them.

In the meantime, we had a different kind of fishing going on...trolling the seafood at Caputo's we spotted walleye. Walleye and Minnesotans go together like accordion music and lutefisk, dontcha know. Boy howdy, you betcha.