I am reposting a article from last year to celebrate the Buzz I heard today. That's right the first Bumble Bee Buzz of the year happened on April 15th 2024 in Hartland Wisconsin. Which is pretty good timing as I have a few dozen dandelions sprouting ready to help the bees make it until other … Continue reading The Plight of the Bumble Bee
Listening For the Sounds of Summer.
Surviving False Spring!
And the Early Spring Cleaning. Most insects are ectotherms. You may have learned this term as cold-blooded. The insects gain their warmth from the environment. Ecto-meaning outer, Thermal-heat. Therefore, they are more active when it is warmer and less so when it cools down. In Wisconsin, where I live, the temperature outside drops below freezing … Continue reading Surviving False Spring!
Nuptial Flights and Feeding Frenzies.
Last week, with the sun shining bright, the flying ants emerged, and hundreds of thousands of insects erupted from the lawn and filled the air. These flying insects were a smorgasbord for the birds that frequent my yard, often producing a feeding frenzy of avian activity. Photo by FRANCESCO TOMMASINI on Unsplash This year, I … Continue reading Nuptial Flights and Feeding Frenzies.
The Plight of the Bumble Bee
You have all heard about the plight of the bumble bee. Not to be confused with the Flight of the Bumblebee. An Orchestral interlude written by Rimsky- Korsakav I might suggest you listen to the music while watching the video below which I captured a few weeks ago in my backyard garden. https://videopress.com/v/tLFeMwS8?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true Video by … Continue reading The Plight of the Bumble Bee
Why we should plant Native Plants!
Native Plants - are the indigenous terrestrial and aquatic species that have evolved and occur naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, and habitat. Our goal is to increase biodiversity on our properties. To do that, it makes sense to plant species that provide the most food and habitat for the greatest number of organisms. Beware of plants … Continue reading Why we should plant Native Plants!
A Peek at the Weeds!
Those of you who have been following along or are reading this in the book version will know that I made some mistakes when I first began converting my suburban lawn into a biodiverse habitat. Hopefully, you have learned from my mistakes and even found entertainment from my documenting them and relating them to you. … Continue reading A Peek at the Weeds!
Midweek Peek into my Yard!
Hi Folks, If you are new to the blog, Welcome. If you have been here a while you probably won't be surprised that we have some visitors to our little piece of paradise. Join me while we are converting a suburban lawn into a biodiverse habitat, all the while Listening for the Sounds of Summer. … Continue reading Midweek Peek into my Yard!
The Nature of Nature
When I was a high school science teacher, and my students asked me a question that was not directly related to our learning target but still within the realm of science, I sometimes had the knowledge to answer it. I would often start with the phrase. Well, the science says – blah blah blah. Or … Continue reading The Nature of Nature
A Peek at the Pollinator Garden.
My Pollinator garden started as an area next to my driveway. I chose to let it go, back when I was quiet quitting my lawn. I had decided to stop applying chemicals to my lawn but had not yet developed a plan to improve it. The grass grew long. To tell the truth, I liked … Continue reading A Peek at the Pollinator Garden.
Lawns and Dead Zones!
Lawns are dead zones! And worse yet, Lawns produce much larger dead zones downriver. Those of you who have read my From Start to Finish blog which can be found on my Author Website are familiar with environmental concepts of - That there is no away. And that we all live downstream. In the past, … Continue reading Lawns and Dead Zones!
July
Why we love lawns was posted Tuesday, July 4th. This is appropriate, seeing how lawns are truly an American love story. Like a marriage of a homeowner to the land on which they live, For better, for worse, has definitely become the latter. Check it out. I continue to work on Dream Pirates. Yes, there … Continue reading July
Why We Love Our Lawns
Photo by Bryce Carithers on Pexels.com As I have said before, Guy Next door loves his lawn. He is fully vested and invested in making it lush and green. He will spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours each year in maintaining his crisp, freshly mowed, and immaculate creation. Happy Birth Day American! We … Continue reading Why We Love Our Lawns
Mosquitoes, yep, it is that time of year.
Continuing to work on the thematic rewrite of Dream Pirates. My Editor, Jenna, had some excellent advice, and I am working to make the necessary changes. It is hard work, but so exciting to see this story grow! The following is my weekly article found in Listening for the Sounds of Summer! Enjoy. Thanks for … Continue reading Mosquitoes, yep, it is that time of year.
Mosquitoes, yep, it is that time of year.
You have been sitting out on your back porch all spring with nearly a fly or a buzzing insect to bug you. But summer is here, and it can become hot, muggy, and buggy. Like millions of American homeowners, you might be tempted to hire a company that advertises its ability to eliminate mosquitoes from … Continue reading Mosquitoes, yep, it is that time of year.
June 19th Bee-lawn Maintenance
Listening for the Sounds of Summer article this week discusses Bee-lawn maintenance. Here is the link for the latest article.
Bee-Lawn Maintenance.
This week’s article will focus on the Bee-lawn. As mentioned in Give Dandelions their Day in the Sun our early emerging pollinators struggle to find sources of nectar. Therefore, it is critical we allow the dandelions and other early emerging nectar producers to grow unmolested in at least portions of our lawns. Most importantly do … Continue reading Bee-Lawn Maintenance.
June
Dream Pirates just got back from my editor, so I have been busy with the rewrite of my middle-grade fantasy series. I will keep you all posted on my progress. The Latest article for Listening for the Sounds of Summer is now available. Lawns are Stupid. If this is your first visit to my author … Continue reading June
Lawn’s are Stupid.
For those of you who have been reading the weekly articles, it will come as no surprise that I am not a fan of turf grass lawns. Frankly, I think lawns are, at best, a waste of time, money, and resources and, at worst, an environmental hazard and ethically indefensible. I have talked some about … Continue reading Lawn’s are Stupid.
I Used to Be the Guy Next Door.
John’s my neighbor, - the guy next door. Remember his front yard. Well, his neighbors and his neighbors, neighbors yards all look similar, just less perfect. Still, all green, and not a weed in sight. There’s green grass as far as the eye can see. The turf grass stands alone. And this is not by … Continue reading I Used to Be the Guy Next Door.
Last Week of May – 23
The white clover is in bloom! The dandelions have had their day. You can read about my thoughts on how dandelions should be used to bridge the gap between early spring, when pickings are slim for early arriving pollinators, and later in summer, when a multitude of other blooms and food sources are available for … Continue reading Last Week of May – 23
Repost from Listening for the Sounds of Summer.
Listening for the Sounds of Summer Blog. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, … Continue reading Repost from Listening for the Sounds of Summer.
A Tale of Two Yards
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it … Continue reading A Tale of Two Yards
T.L. Johnson 