My city, Rockford, lies in Northern Illinois, near the eastern boundary of the great tall grass prairies of North America. 200 years ago, the tall grass prairies stretched all the way from South Texas deep into Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and from about the 100th meridian all the way to southern Lake Michigan. Illinois, the first part of the tallgrass region to receive significant European settlers, was justifiably nicknamed “The Prairie State”. Today, of course, little remains of that prairie. It has been replaced with mile after mile of corn and wheat and soybean fields, and is among the most productive agricultural land in the world.
Still, small pockets of tall grass prairie remain. Yesterday, while riding my bicycle on a little errrand through the heart of town, I came across one of those small prairie remnants. Located on a small plot of land owned by Rockford College, it is no more than a few acres on the perimeter of the school’s property. I have ridden by this little plot of land many times, but really only noticed it for the first time yesterday.
To say I “noticed” this little prairie does disservice to what I experienced. I was overwhelmed by it. The prairie was awash in color, as if an artist or God himself had splatterd paint across a two acre canvas. I was clobbered by the unexpected splendor of nature, right in the middle of an old industrial city of the Rust Belt. Nothing that I write can adequately describe what I saw, nor do I possess the photographic skills of the many artists whose work regularly graces Open Salon. However, I hope the few pictures below provide a hint of the miracle of nature that can be found in the most unlikely places.
Here is the tall grass prairie in bloom.
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I came across the prairie as I rounded a bend in this road.
The invasive Japanese beetle is enjoying his prairie home.
There was a cluster of small yellow flowers, less than an inch in diameter, beneath the main grass canopy.
A bumble bee does what bumble bees do to make a field like this possible.
Workers and patrons of the local YWCA must enjoy their view!
Imagine the tall grass prairie as it would have appeared 200 years ago!
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Comments
NoisyNora, thanks! We can also thank Lady Bird Johnson for much of the beauty we see along the nation's highways.
Rob, as always thank you for your kind words.
Owl, let them see, indeed.
High Lonesome, I am a child of the prairie, and you are correct that it stays with you no matter where you are.
George, I'm happy to share this little bit of bounty with you. Thanks for stopping by!
Pilgrim, thanks...I loved standing in the midst of that field to take that picture!
thanks for broadening my view
Julie, I'm so bad at knowing the names of all the flowers. Thanks for filling in some of the gaps!
Like the other commenters here, I beg to differ. This one line alone could work as an Imagist poem:
“Here is the tall grass prairie in bloom.”
And the pictures? Well, I think those speak quite splendidly for themselves. A thousand words at a time.
Thank you for this wondrous glimpse at life on the prairie,
—Melissa
If you are ever down in the CU area, we have two shining examples of restoration: Lake of the Woods in Mahomet, and Meadowbrook Park in Urbana.
And, of course, our very own restoration in Mahomet :)
Thanks again for sharing these gorgeous photos!