Prairie Grove Glades Preserve, Part 2

The wildflowers are lovely at Prairie Grove Glades Preserve but we found that there is even more there to see if you keep your eyes open . The road heading in passes through a low area filled with grasses and duck weed. There is ample room to stop and take photos but this being a wet area we pretty much had to stop in the middle of the road. Fortunately, the only other traffic we encountered were tadpoles and little fishes in the streams flowing on both sides of the road, butterflies flitting by and the occasional bird.

Across the waters I heard a hawk calling erratically and loudly. Don't know what kind of hawk - never saw him - but his call was insistent ... and consistent. Maybe he felt we were intruding upon private, sacred grounds. ....maybe we were.

It's very quiet here. It's early spring so the insect population wasn't quite "awake" yet. The reflections were beautiful - lime green duckweed floating over mirror images of tall, dark grasses with a vivid blue backdrop provided by the day's crystal clear skies.

Reading about Alabama's wetlands I think this area may be defined as a marsh. "...frequently or continually flooded wetlands that contain water levels from between two inches to two to three feet, but they are distinguished from swamps in that they predominately contain herbaceous vegetation such as grasses, sedges, worts, or cattails. They frequently occur in poorly drained depressions along streams, in floodplains and along the boundaries of rivers and lakes." There are two categories according to this on-line article, and this marsh would clearly be a Freshwater Marsh, "...the most prevalent and widely distributed wetlands in North America. They differ from salt marshes only in their water source, which contains runoff from streams, ponds and lakes instead of the ocean. Freshwater marshes constitute the best breeding habitat in the country, and they are also important feeding places for many animals." (Source)

The area immediately opposite the marsh, on the other side of the road, was a deep wood with watery base and islands of mosses and sedums.

I think this is my favorite photo, above.

Reflections of moss and tree.

Reflections of grass.

Duckweed and grasses.

Resurrection Fern

Finally looking upward at trees lining the roadway I spied an old elm tree struggling along festooned with Resurrection Ferns. Its last hurrah, likely. I Googled "resurrection fern" in order to find something interesting (and correct) to say about this fascinating plant and found a blog titled..."Resurrection Fern" that's just lovely! Do pop over to say "hello" if you wish!

Have many adventures,

Drink much wine,

Laugh until your sides hurt,

See friends and family often.

Go down new roads,

Go outside every day.

Just go!

Peace to you all today and forever!