If you like the weekly posts of Kaw Valley Almanac, you might be interested in purchasing a compilation of these kinds of posts that Ken Lassman has put together into a book, along with essays on the land and the ecosystems of the area. This book was designed not to be just another coffee table book full of pictures; rather it was designed to be used as a guide to accompany you when you take your treks outdoors to observe nature first hand. You can get this book at a number of local bookstores or order it here for $15 + $2 shipping (regular price: $20). Click here to purchase your copy via Paypal.
Ken Lassman has been keeping this almanac for over a decade, He invites you to share your observations and photos in the comments section. You can find his book Wild Douglas County at The Raven Bookstore in Lawrence.
Just Doing That Moon: March
The Osage’s name, Just Doing That Moon, refers to the tempestuous nature of the weather this time of year that can swing from a late winter blizzard to a hot balmy day, and the accompanying observation that whatever the conditions are, they will soon change. As a result, there are few months that change as much as this month, with early spring flowers and frogs emerging, birdsong transforming the mornings, moths heralding the return of the insect world, maple and elm pollen and flowers bursting on the scene, and a host of other forms of life springing to life.
Some ecologists observe that in this part of the planet, the prevernal time of emergence from winter constitutes a fifth season, easily distinguished from the more pervasive traditional spring that unfurls in April and May, and I’d have to agree.
Join 2,854 other subscribers
Do you know the dialect preferences for firefly vs lightning bug? I think I used lightning bug when I was a kid and somehow have shifted to firefly.
LikeLike
I’ve been lightning bug all along, being raised with that terminology, along with “crick” for those small tributaries and “Missoura” as the proper pronunciation for our neighboring state. “Osage orange” came long after “hedge apple” and “Kaw” was preferred over “Kansas River.” Bottom line, tho, is that it’s all good.
LikeLike