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.
Coon breeding Moon November
Deer rutting season continues, with the frenzy translating to a peak also in car-deer accidents by mid-November, so drive carefully after dark and around dusk/dawn. November starts with the loss of deciduous leaves and the fall colors fade in the prairies as the leaves fall from the trees.
Turtles dig into the mud, many insects go through a type of hibernation called diapause, while shutting down for the winter months is called brumation in reptiles. Some mammals such as raccoons and bears remain warm in their hibernation, while ground squirrels drop their core temperature to 39 degrees. Enjoy a good thanksgiving and don’t forget to take a long walk after eating!
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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