Personal Reflections

Not in my kitchen: Purple and yellow brighten the fall prairie

Purple and Yellow. I would never want these colors in my kitchen, but on the prairie  – and certain pro sport jerseys – they work. Asters of all types and sizes are now blooming on the prairie, providing the last blast of color before frost sets in. They are the original late bloomers. I like how […]

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African savannas and Wisconsin state parks

Outdoor adventures with kids bring curious comparisons. “It looks like Africa,” said 8-year-old Marjorie as we drove into Governor Nelson State Park on a cold March day. I paused, a bit thrown by her thoughtful comment. I mean, I had never heard Wisconsin and Africa being linked geographically. And even if comparisons could be made,

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From warming hut to Prairie-style palace: Tenney Park Shelter

Story and photos by Diane Schwartz on Thursday 01/26/2012, Isthmus Newspaper  The Tenney Park lagoon is frequently called Madison’s prettiest place to skate. Shaped like an uneven horseshoe, surrounded by trees and crossed by graceful arched bridges, it’s a setting reminiscent of a Currier and Ives painting. But until recently, the warming shelter was a dark and

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Cave of the Mounds: A great escape from protesting or anything else

Once again, a major protest at the State Capitol coincided with one of my outings.  I have to say that I was happy to be heading away from town. Protesting is noble, but it distracts me from what I love. For me, the best thing to do is to continue my work with kids and

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Why kids don’t walk and what we can do about it

I hated walking as a kid and would beg my mom to drive me places. “You can walk,” she’d say and then explain how when SHE was a girl she had to WALK 100 miles just to get to the bus stop…” Okay, I exaggerate a little, but I truly hated walking. Other kids got

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