June is busting out all over! It is not just the lyrics to an old song. If you walk down past the farmyard and follow the field road to the south, you will see lots of things growing. If you walk between the pines and the river, in the prairie pasture, all the way to the southwest corner, you will find the iris in bloom! They should be blooming for a week or so, in case you need to wait until the rain has stopped. If you look in among the pines as you walk, tiny white mushrooms have been popping up under the canopy. The other side of the pines is full of dragon flies in the morning sunlight. Chalk fronted corporals, twelve spotted skimmers, Common whitetails, to name a few.

If you walk by the bridge in the middle of the village you will see Ebony Jewelwing and River Jewelwing damselflies! (See photo attached!) The Canadian Honewort is blooming all along the trail, tiny white flowers floating over a sea of green.

Keep an eye on the milkweed for leaves that have been munched upon and you may find the black,white and yellow stripes of the Monarch butterfly caterpillars. I have two I rescued that have now turned into chrysalises. By the time I do the next nature walk they should be butterflies! If the timing works out maybe we will get to release them!

The Showy Ladyslippers are blooming by the woodshed, just look along the south side of the road. We will be meeting at the woodshed for our next nature walk, a week from Sunday, and hopefully exploring a vernal pond!

Please be respectful of the Tree swallows that have been divebombing walkers on the road. They are only trying to protect their nests and babies! Soon the babies will be flying and gone.

So bust out of your routine and spend some time in nature...