I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure St. Charles has laws preventing public intoxication. Yet there I was the other night, stumbling in the…
Intoxicating Fragrance of the Basswood
Bur Oak Trees
Bur oak trees are known for their large acorns as well as their thick and fire-resistant bark that helps protect them during prairie and savanna fires. The oaks pictured, from the savanna behind Hickory Knolls, are all over 100 years old and still going strong. Bur Oak Trees October 20, 2017 Maybe, as an alert
Tree Cavities
February 14, 2014 Tree Cavities “You have a cavity.” For many of us, delivery of this statement evokes feelings of disappointment and maybe even gloom. Our dental hygiene regimen–all that brushing, flossing and rinsing–has somehow failed to keep the grungies from accumulating on our teeth, and now there’s a hole where healthy enamel once held
Treecycling
January 3, 2014 Treecycling “Deck the Halls” is one of those infectious Christmas songs that tells you exactly what you need to do to make your holiday festive—besides boughs of holly, you don your gay apparel, troll ancient Yuletide carols, strike the harp, join the chorus, etc. etc. But what happens when all your decking,
Butternut
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District September 9, 2013 Don’t you hate it when you get a song stuck in your head? For the past few weeks, I’ve had recurring bouts of that great Foundations hit, “Build Me Up Buttercup”
Witch Hazel
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District December 7, 2012 I will always remember my first encounter with witch hazel. I was about six years old and, for whatever reason, running headlong around my parents’ house. Eyes down, arms outstretched, I
Basswood
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District May 4, 2012 I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure St. Charles has laws preventing public intoxication. Yet there I was Wednesday night, stumbling in the dark, head back, eyes squinty as I
Hedge Apples
Pam’s Perspective Pam Otto is the Manager of Nature Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District (Continued on Page 2) Deck the halls with boughs of…hedge apples? I couldn’t believe it but, yup, there they were. Hedge apples, or osage oranges, entwined throughout the holiday garland at the St. Charles Park District’s
What Tree
Remember the Sesame Street ditty, “One of These Things Is Not Like the Others?” It seems like at one time or another, every cast member—Big Bird, Kermit, Grover, even Mr. Hooper—took a turn singing this song, which encourages kids to spot the one different object in a group. I remember thinking I was a little
Evergreens
There’s one in every neighborhood. You know what I’m talking about. It’s the place on the block that’s always hopping—comings and goings at all hours, a near-constant stream of traffic in and out. Sometimes, as you walk by, you might even be able to hear the indistinct chatter that emanates from…your local evergreen. Bedecked in