Blizzard Warning!

Hey, it's Iowa--embrace it!

Ugh. A blizzard was forecast to happen overnight and continue until 11 this morning, but so far we don’t have any snow. As I finish writing this post about 4:30am, the latest forecast has the temperature at 32 degrees and soon to drop, with snow beginning in the next hour. Wind gusts are over 30mph. Normally, foul weather doesn’t bother me, but now I’m not happy, but only because Violet the Dog and I were supposed to give a tour today of Cedar Bluffs to members of the Iowa Association of Naturalists. They are holding their annual meeting in Oskaloosa today through Friday. I’ve been looking forward to the tour for months, but the weather just might get in the way. What craziness! In the 50’s on Tuesday and a blizzard today?

Welcome to Iowa.

I may have to do a slide show rather than lead the tour, but we’ll see what decision is made later this morning. I’m happy to go out no matter the weather, but snow and high winds might be too much. I was so looking forward to what the naturalists could teach me!

But in general, I’m loving this winter. Some brutal cold, followed by warm days. The only thing that gets in the way of Violet the Dog and my walks at Cedar Bluffs are days when the temperature is below 10 degrees. It bothers her feet, and I think I’ve told you before when it is colder than that and we hit the trail, pretty soon I look around, and can’t find her, so I wander back to the truck and sure enough, she's sitting there wanting to get into the truck and go home. So I oblige her because I have no doubt that she she is smarter than me on these matters.

And she doesn’t have the cold protection I do. After all, they haven’t invented Carharrts for dogs yet—no wait! They have!

Maybe for next year…

---

A couple of weeks ago I received a text (or phone call, I forget) from Ranger Steve Nugteren. He told me that he would be sowing native seeds at Cedar Bluffs if I and Violet the Dog would like to join him. Of course, we would and did! Here’s Steve and Violet coming back from sowing seed on the prairie margins.

---

I had a nice conversation with Steve that I recorded, but a week or so later, I broke my phone, and that conversation was lost. Ugh. I remember that one of the things he said that I liked was that it was important to get good “seed-to-ground contact.” It sounds scientific and important so I like it. So I Googled it and found out it is important. Lots of articles on it. Google AI reports:

Seed-to-soil contact is the connection between a seed and the soil, which is essential for germination and plant growth.

---

I love watching the water under the ice.

---

Here are some deer that I saw on the way to our walk.

---

Some tracks on the pond.

---

Did someone cough this up, or poop this out? Who? Any ideas? And why?

---

The other day when it was warm-ish a flock of Robins hit our yard hard. Annie commented on it, and I told her Robins are here all year, but then she said it was different. These Robins were coming back from migrating and were hungry. I think she was right.

---

Our yard is wildish, but we noticed they were hitting the juniper berries on the windbreak by our driveway. Above is a photo of juniper berries/leaves poop on the toolbox on my truck.

---

I was worried that someone fell through the ice on the pond, but since there aren’t any footprints around the cracks, I don’t think we have to worry.

---

Check out the turkey tracks. We have been hearing turkeys lately, and the Barred Owls are getting restless.

---

Sometimes the snow reveals paths I have never seen before. Thank you!

---

And we found this bird nest.

And if I remember, I’ll let you know how the visit with the naturalists turns out.

---

Thanks for reading! Here are four of my favorite nature Substacks: Larry Stone’s “Listening to the Land,” Diane Porter’s My Gaia, Al Batt’s Al’s Substack, and Jaron Sedlock’s Jaron’s Curious Adventures. Please consider subscribing. All will entertain, educate, and soothe your soul.

I’m a member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Please sample the talents of my fellow collaborative members. If you can afford to be a paid subscriber, that would be great. If not, the vast majority of content is free.

This column will always be free, but if you can’t afford a subscription and would like to “buy me” a cup of coffee or lunch, my Venmo account is @Robert-Leonard-238. Thanks!