Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) in stubborn yellow at Hitchcock Nature Center. (Robert Smith)
Loess Hills autumn has been lately warm; but not so much today. If we saunter in, we may not saunter out of Sawmill Hollow.
The road into Sawmill Hollow Conservation is muddy on a good day; it is classified as a “B” road, but that is a bit optimistic. If today’s wet forecast is correct (also optimistic, to be sure) we will be able to get in but not to get out. I love the sideways light this time of year and the way dusk falls backyard into bright afternoons. But not so bright today!
So as not to become temporary residents that hollow, let’s cancel today’s Saunter. But please think about joining us for the Solstice Saunter on December 20th at Hitchcock Nature Center (Honey Creek). Let me know if you plan to attend. In the meantime, we can wander into the bush and watch autumn slide into winter.
And when you come inside to get warm and dry and read Johnsgard or Dillard or maybe Thoreau, take a minute to read the excellent news article by our good friends Andrea Kszyzstyniak and Kent Sievers. They captured the spirit of NTS and the Loess Hills. Click here
And saunter.
Jack Phillips