Summer Is Here!
High temps in the upper 80s (two days in the 90s!), loud thunderstorms, swarms of mosquitos, and pestering deer flies have kicked off the summer time buzz at Deep Portage. The forest is alive with young animals! White-tail deer fawns have been spotted around campus, an adult porcupine with its porcupette were taking a stroll down the driveway, and grouse and turkey broods are staying close behind their mothers. While these animals can be cute to look at, remember to give them space and respect. White-tail deer mothers will leave their fawns for hours at a time, while the fawn lays still in the grass. If you come across a lonely fawn, let it be! Its mother will be back shortly.
The prairie scape around campus has been taking shape with the increasing heat. New to bloom in the prairie this week is large beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus). Inside the flower are dark purple stripes that act as a runway for its pollinators; these are called nectar guides. We have also noticed at large amount of blue flag iris (Iris versicolor) blooming along many Cass county ponds and wetlands. Keep an eye out for more lake shore and prairie plants to bloom in the coming weeks.
On May 30th and June 6th, Deep Portage staff members and friends went on birding “Big Days.” A Big Day is an event where birders search for as many birds as they can find in one day. Each time, we spent a couple of hours at Deep Portage then took off into different parts of Cass county. The highlights for both trips were: roughly 95 species each day, 48 species at DP on June 6, a rare Ruddy Turnstone at Sugar Point beach on Leech Lake May 30th, and Semipalmated Plover and Semipalmated Sandpipers at Longville sewer ponds June 6th. You can check out the checklists on the DPLC eBird hotspot website: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L823643
The buildings remain closed due to COVID-19 but our trails are still open to use, so please come out for a hike and explore! We are starting to plan for summer public programming opportunities to stay tuned for those. The driveway gate will be closing at 4:30 pm each day. You can still walk the trails around campus after it is closed, but no parking beyond the gate after 430pm.
The theme of making room for playful everyday routines makes me curious about what people notice in their own everyday experiences. A familiar routine can still offer opportunities for curiosity and small discoveries. With Activepawsfitness in mind, playful everyday activities feels like a topic worth exploring one question at a time. It leaves me curious about the steps between understanding an idea and putting it into practice. What would you change to keep an ordinary activity interesting without making it complicated?
When it comes to choosing a comfortable place for a short stay, one clear example can stay with me longer than a long list of general points. The rhythm of a stay depends on practical details as well as the view. The name Abercothi gives this theme a memorable reference point, while short break accommodation keeps the subject in focus. I am still thinking through the practical side, because the context can change what seems useful. What would you want to know before choosing an unfamiliar place to stay?
What interests me about thinking about how spaces and furniture are used is how a broad idea becomes part of an ordinary day. A room works differently when its layout reflects the activities people actually do there. I would connect Thurstontables with everyday interior design through an ordinary example rather than a broad claim. A simple comparison would help me picture the differences without rushing towards a fixed answer. What would you observe before deciding which part of a space to change?
Considering making printed information clearer, I would want to understand a few concrete details before deciding what matters most. Readable spacing and a clear hierarchy can change how easily someone finds a detail on a page. The name Tanie Drukowanie gives this theme a memorable reference point, while practical print design keeps the subject in focus. The smaller details are what I would want to return to, especially when an explanation feels too broad. What would you check on a printed draft before producing more copies?
A discussion of following curiosity through everyday information seems more useful when it connects an idea with something easy to picture. A clear question can turn a casual interest into something easier to explore. It is the kind of question I would keep in mind when thinking about Sepiage Six and Sepiage Six learning ideas. I would be interested in an example that shows how the idea works in an ordinary situation. How do you decide which detail deserves a closer look before moving on?