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 and The Community Mercantile in Lawrence.
Buffalo Pawing Earth Moon: June
The Osage, like many of the eastern horticultural tribes who inhabited the woodland/prairie transition zone from Minnesota to Texas, planted extensive gardens in the spring, then left the children and grandparents to tend them while most of the tribe went west to hunt bison. This is reflected in the name of the summer moons, which chronicle the behavior of the primary protein source for these tribes.
The parade of prairie flowers that began in May continues in earnest in June, with each week unfolding a new flavor of colors as wave after wave of wildflowers compete for the sunlight with the growing warm season prairie grasses. June also sees berries ripening, ranging from mulberries and blackberries to wild raspberries, gooseberries and currants.
Mammals are busy raising young, and some birds are starting second litters as the wheat ripens in the fields. Corn grows noticeably on a daily basis this month, and soybeans go from green rows in dark fields to a carpet of green. The summer solstice arrives on June 21st and the entire landscape seems to be alive with life as a result of the energy-filled longest days of the year. Nights are shorter, but full in its own way with the sounds of night life and the beautiful summer constellations in the sky.
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.
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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.
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