A new family at Lost Lake

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Uncategorized 1 Comment

Submitted by David Kelley (he/him), Friends of Wisdom Prairie It’s early spring. Tendrils of mist dance like sprites on the water. The lake’s surface is smooth like polished silver. Several ducks skim silently like shadows in the fog. This is Lost Lake, a relic of the glaciers, which covered much of Wisconsin until 10,000 years ago. Lost Lake is nestled in prairie and woodland just west of Holy Wisdom Monastery. You hike along the trail, which meanders around the lake. To your right oak trees rise like pillars, leaves rustling in the spring breeze. On your left emergent vegetation creates …

October phenology

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Phenology Leave a Comment

Phenology is a science focused on observing and recording biological events from year to year and their relationships to the change of seasons and climate. These are the “normal” phenology events we expect to see here and in the Madison area this month. We would love to hear about what you are seeing on the grounds of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Please comment on this post with what you are observing, where at Holy Wisdom and the date you observed the event. October phenology “Now is the time of the illuminated woods. They have a sense of sunshine even on a …

New England aster with rigid leaf goldenrod

September phenology

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Phenology Leave a Comment

by Sylvia Marek Phenology is a science focused on observing and recording biological events from year to year and their relationships to the change of seasons and climate. These are the “normal” phenology events we expect to see here and in the Madison area this month. We would love to hear about what you are seeing on the grounds of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Please comment on this post with what you are observing, where at Holy Wisdom and the date you observed the event. September Phenology “The tint of autumn – mighty flower garden blossoming under the spell of an enchanter …

Argiope spider

August phenology

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Phenology 2 Comments

By Sylvia Marek Phenology is a science focused on observing and recording biological events from year to year and their relationships to the change of seasons and climate. These are the “normal” phenology events we expect to see here and in the Madison area this month. We would love to hear about what you are seeing on the grounds of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Please comment on this post with what you are observing, where at Holy Wisdom and the date you observed the event. August Phenology “…the time of flowers from now until autumn…there would be every few days and …

July phenology

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Phenology 1 Comment

By Sylvia Marek Phenology is a science focused on observing and recording biological events from year to year and their relationships to the change of seasons and climate. These are the “normal” phenology events we expect to see here and in the Madison area this month. We would love to hear about what you are seeing on the grounds of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Please comment on this post with what you are observing, where at Holy Wisdom and the date you observed the event. July Phenology “The tall grass prairie…. from the first greening of spring to the full ripening …

June phenology

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Phenology 1 Comment

By Sylvia Marek Phenology is a science focused on observing and recording biological events from year to year and their relationships to the change of seasons and climate. These are the “normal” phenology events we expect to see here and in the Madison area this month. We would love to hear about what you are seeing on the grounds of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Please comment on this post with what you are observing, where at Holy Wisdom and the date you observed the event. I have kept monthly phenology records for many years and the following are from my June …

Holy Wisdom Monastery Becomes a Net Zero Energy Campus and Celebrates with Annual Spring Solar Tilt Event

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Net Zero, Press release Leave a Comment

April 22, 2025, Middleton, WI – Holy Wisdom Monastery is now a net zero energy campus and produces 100% of its energy needs onsite from renewable resources! Net Zero Energy Initiative The Net Zero Energy Initiative was achieved at the end of 2024. “The Sisters at Holy Wisdom Monastery had a desire to become a net-zero energy campus since before we built our new monastery building in 2009. We reached that goal in 2024 thanks to the work of many people. Care for the earth has been a part of the Benedictine tradition beginning with St. Benedict himself in the …

prairie smoke at Holy Wisdom Monastery

May phenology

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Phenology 1 Comment

By Sylvia Marek Phenology is a science focused on observing and recording biological events from year to year and their relationships to the change of seasons and climate. These are the “normal” phenology events we expect to see here and in the Madison area this month. We would love to hear about what you are seeing on the grounds of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Please comment on this post with what you are observing, where at Holy Wisdom and the date you observed the event. May May is a month of peak migration for warblers, vireos, thrushes, flycatchers, sparrows and many …

April phenology

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Phenology 2 Comments

By Sylvia Marek Phenology is a science focused on observing and recording biological events from year to year and their relationships to the change of seasons and climate. These are the “normal” phenology events we expect to see here and in the Madison area this month. We would love to hear about what you are seeing on the grounds of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Please comment on this post with what you are observing, where at Holy Wisdom and the date you observed the event. No month ends or begins overnight. Events can be a few weeks early or late. “Gaze …

A Story About a Lake and a Prairie and an Array of Solar Panels

Amy AlstadCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Weekly Wisdom 1 Comment

Submitted by Amy Alstad, director of land management & environmental education, presented at the inaugural Spring Solar Tilt on Apr. 17, 2024 I’m here to share a story about a lake and a prairie and an array of solar panels. At first glance, this may seem like an unlikely trio of characters to encounter together in a single story. I hope to weave these three dissimilar threads into a common story that sets the stage for us today. We’ll start with the lake. The glacial lake that we know today as Lost Lake gets its name from the oral tradition …