December 18, 2009

1) Solstice Soapbox

2) The "Heard" is Hurting

3) Stella Rowan Prairie

4) Black-tailed Prairie Dogs Lose Protection.

5) The Amazing, Delightful & Improbable Compass Plant

6) A Thousand and One Prairies

7) Green Spaces Improve Health

8) Ecology & Faith

9) Getting Kids Outdoors

10) Lights. Camera. Action. Prairie!

11) Elaine Taylor's "Wind" Sculptures

October 31, 2009

Long, long ago, before Tandy Hills Natural Area, was appreciated for what it truly is, most people thought of it as nothing more than a big, empty field, a place to dump trash, roll tires down the steep hills, bury dead dogs or lose your kite. Hobo's occasionally wandered through looking for a place to sleep off a hangover. Parents warned their kids to stay away or they'd get lost and eaten by wildcats or worse, kidnapped. It was a dangerous kind of a no-man's land in the middle of the growing city.

October 30, 2009

1) It's Raining 'shrooms!

2) A cautionary tale of Snails

3) Signs of Fall - Signs of life

4) Critter report

5) ORCHIDS: A Romance in one act

6) 350 is a magic number

7) Fall Bounty Barter Fair

8) Prairie Fest

9) Looking deeper into THNA

September 27, 2009

This is a quickie "Notes" to remind you that right now the weather is nearly perfect for late afternoon hikes along the (too) many trails at Tandy Hills Natural Area. The trails are mostly dry after the extended rains of last week. The prairie has suddenly come alive, not unlike the Spring.

September 14, 2009

1) Late Summer report

2) Welcoming Wildlife

3) The Princess of Wink

4) Eco Fest

5) Not quite Nessie but...

6) Falling for Functional Crafts

7) Extremely Edible Gardening

8) School, school on the RANGE...

9) Prairie Park

10) Trinity Perspectives

11) Leapin' Lizard

August 8, 2009

1) Celebration of the Lizard Queen

2) Madonna's of the Prairie

3) Fort Worth Prairie Park in the News

4) Urgent Request for Special Prairie Fest Volunteer

5) PF Report in Pagan News

6) Flower of the Moment: Gay-feather

July 17, 2009

A prairie needs both fire and rain to stay healthy and vigorous. With a little human assistance, Tandy Hills received a little of both yesterday.

The fire, apparently, came from some kids goofing around with fireworks. The "rain" definitely came from a fire-hose wielded by an efficient Fort Worth Fire Department.

June 21, 2009

1) Skinny Hiking

2) Signs of Summer

3) Summer Wildflower Notebook

3) Summer Caution

June 5, 2009

1) American Basketflower

2) Green Milkweed

3) Flower Mound

4) Texas Spiny Lizard

5) Jo Kuban Memorial Mass

05/15/2009

1) Surrendering to Prairie Bishop's Weed

2) Prairieland Wildflower Ball Report

3) Powderpuffs & Beethoven's Ninth (Redux)

4) THNA Rarities

5) Peter Rabbit's Descendants Pay a Visit

6) An Important Message from Jarid Manos

05/02/2009

This special edition of Prairie Notes has nothing to do with Tandy Hills, specifically, but will be an inspiration to nature mystics in general.

04/24/2009

Many of you know that the late author and environmental crusader, Edward Abbey, is the spiritual godfather of Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area (FOTHNA). Ed is best known for his account of Utah's canyon lands in his 1968 non-fiction classic, Desert Solitaire and his 1975 eco-activist-comic-novel, The Monkey Wrench Gang. Those two works bookend Ed's driving themes of gut-level appreciation and dutiful activism in support of our dwindling wild and special places.

04/05/2009

No, it's not a 50's sci-fi flick, but close. Prairie Celestials (Nemastylis geminiflora) have landed at Tandy Hills Natural Area but these purple beings mean you no harm. I suspect they began emerging from the Earth after the recent rain and lightning storms. They are now mature and releasing saffroncolored pollen from their pleated, purple petals to the bees and butterflies that have also invaded THNA. WARNING: Homo prairiens are particularly at risk of being overwhelmed by their startling beauty.

I was so busy yesterday, preparing for the 4th annual Fort Worth Prairie Fest, that I forgot to look up when the center of the Sun crossed the equator in the celestial sphere at 8:44 am CDT. The vernal equinox has come and gone. Dang! I hate it when that happens.

The 4th annual Fort Worth Prairie Fest is coming April 25. On that day, music, arts, dance, green business, environmental stewardship and floral fantasia will come together in joyful celebration. Until then, winter at Tandy Hills Natural Area holds many surprises for those who look closely. Come on in.

At least that's the way it seems on the outside. The grays and browns of January just can't compete with April's multicolored spectacle. Nevertheless, big things are happening on, under and above these treasured limestone hills. You just have to pay attention.