Several days ago, we had an unusual storm. The weatherman termed it a "wintry mix". Boy, was it ever!! As a result of a slushy, icy rain everything was encased in a layer of ice. As I walked our sheltie around our prairie, I was struck by the beauty of the prairie plant stalks embedded in ice. Every little stem and seedhead was covered. I went home and got my camera to record this extraordinary weather event. The photos are of Indian Grass, one of my favorite prairie species. It is one of the dominant grasses in a tallgrass ecosystem along with Big Bluestem. The flowers of Indian Grass are borne on a beautiful golden plume, similar to the shape of a feather. One photo shows the dangling seed head looking like a string of beads. The curled leaf also belongs to a stalk of Indian Grass. Winter can bring out the beauty in an overwintering prairie. You just have to look. All of the stalks, stems and seeds of last year's plants provide food and shelter for many species of mammals and birds. I hope you enjoy this unusual look at a prairie in winter. Text and photos by Diane Cole.
1 comment:
Diane: Thanks for pointing out the beauty of ice. We have had several ice storms in St. Louis this year and it has done considerable damage to trees. But you are absolutely right in that it can be very beautiful. The St. Louis Post Dispatch ran a small contest of ice pictures. They were fantastic. I don't know if they are still on their site, but if they are they are worth a look.
Up in Kansas City, Neal has a lot of ice all year round. One pre-college visit we were driving up to KC and it was a full moon. As we got closer everything took on an silvery shine. It was like being in an ice palace.
Have a Blessed day.
Moff
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