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Iowisota
What's Up in Iowisota (Blog)
Linda hopes to add a new blog post biweekly, to share information about Iowisota, what is happening in the woods, and whatever else comes to mind! Check back often for a fresh look.
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More than Meets the Eye
I cannot capture the depth of nature with a single snapshot. The complexity of it all extends beyond what we can see in a glance, there’s...
iowisota
Jun 32 min read
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The Birds of Summer
It begins with the first distinctive call of the sandhill cranes in the slough in March, and the observation of a new arrival every few...
iowisota
May 143 min read
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1 comment
Green
I went to the woods to look for morels, but all I could see was green. A wonderful carpet of all hues of green. I had no choice but to...
iowisota
Apr 303 min read
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1 comment
Ramp-up
Collecting ramps (wild leeks) is a ritual for many people; these early-emerging greens are a hallmark of Spring throughout the moist...
iowisota
Apr 143 min read
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Fire and Ice
Forces opposite and powerful bring their unique beauty and even complement each other. Our steep hillside “goat” prairie is healthier...
iowisota
Mar 243 min read
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Weather or Not
Annual routines, like making maple syrup, are dependent on weather conditions. 2025 has been a bit unpredictable in our corner of the...
iowisota
Mar 124 min read
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Sparkly
I love sparkly things… not like cut diamonds and jewels, but rather the important things like snowflakes, rocks, and stars! Nature gives...
iowisota
Feb 143 min read
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My Turn
I wrote about public lands a few weeks ago, today I’m writing about private land stewardship. Awhile back, the quote, “It’s not my land,...
iowisota
Feb 23 min read
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Brown
It certainly is the season of brown, but there is beauty in the cold hard brown. On a color palette, brown is made up of all the primary...
iowisota
Jan 213 min read
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Public
Tens of thousands of acres of “public land” lie within 50 miles of Iowisota. This immense network of federal, state, county and municipal...
iowisota
Jan 64 min read
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1 comment
Silent Night
It was bitter cold at 4:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, so I waited until evening for a solstice night hike. At 3 hours before moonrise, my...
iowisota
Dec 22, 20242 min read
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Flurry
As winter strikes at us, the bird feeders have been a flurry of activity. A normal day’s list includes junco, cardinal, white breasted...
iowisota
Dec 15, 20242 min read
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Intermission
During intermission, we acquire food, chat with our friends, process what we saw in the first segment of the performance and get ready...
iowisota
Nov 26, 20242 min read
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Letting Go
The trees are letting go of their leaves, for this season. We are grateful for the fall rains that have finally come to recharge the soil...
iowisota
Nov 11, 20242 min read
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Holding On (Part 2)
The “Hope Elm” along Highway 18 in Wisconsin is the epitome of survival; this tree has endured much but continues to “hold on”. You can...
iowisota
Oct 28, 20243 min read
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Holding On
Most of the forest trees are still holding on to their leaves, despite yesterday’s vicious winds that tried to tear them away. Many of...
iowisota
Oct 14, 20242 min read
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Seize the Day!
These gorgeous autumn days hold promise of hillsides of brilliant color and cool crisp nights. They also hold threat of the upcoming...
iowisota
Oct 1, 20242 min read
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Wild Harvest
Yesterday I was excited to pick a single green bean from my “garden”, but more excited to gather from the wild abundance around me! My...
iowisota
Sep 17, 20243 min read
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Shift
Labor Day provided a break from the work “shift”, but also marks a shift in the season. As you look over the landscape at Iowisota, there...
iowisota
Sep 2, 20243 min read
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Stellar
This summer has been full of stellar performances, on many levels. It seems appropriate to mention this in the height of the Perseid...
iowisota
Aug 13, 20243 min read
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