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 …
April phenology
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. “For …
Open yourself up to new experiences at Holy Wisdom Monastery
Our mission is to weave prayer, hospitality, justice and care for the earth into a shared way of life. Here are some of the ways we invite you to live our mission with us. Prayer Holy Wisdom Monastery offers opportunity for spiritual growth every day of the week. Offerings include engaging in communal prayer, spending time in nature, attending a program or joining one of our spiritual communities, Oblates of Holy Wisdom Monastery, Center for Clergy Renewal or Sunday Assembly. Hospitality Our Benedictine tradition of hospitality means that all people are welcomed here as Christ. We invite you to experience this …
March phenology (the awakening season)
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. “For, …
February phenology
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. “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without …
Painted Turtle Love
Submitted by Julie Melton, Friends of Wisdom Prairie and Sunday Assembly Member Remember painted turtles at Lost Lake basking on logs months ago? When they sense danger, they simply slide into the water and swim away. Some days you can see their noses poking out of the water. In winter they are living under the ice. With very slowed down respiration, they absorb dissolved oxygen through their skin. If the oxygen level drops too low, they absorb carbonate from their bones and skull which prevents them from dying by asphyxiation. Meanwhile, fall hatchling turtles and unhatched babies winter in nests …
How in the world do songbirds survive freezing cold?
By Julie Melton The short answer is that they find food and shelter. But there is more to it. Many songbirds grow a third more feathers in preparation for winter. Fluffing up feathers creates thousands of tiny air pockets that hold heat close to birds’ bodies. Outer feathers help hold the heat in. Birds have to keep their feathers oiled to maintain waterproofing. Insulation isn’t enough. Shelter is vital to survival. Birds can reduce their nighttime temperature to save energy. They still need protection from wind, snow and predators. Some birds huddle together in dense conifer boughs, shrubs, and under …
January phenology
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 in January. 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. Characteristics Coldest month Days gradually lengthen Stars are very bright on cold, clear nights Resident birds …
December phenology
By Sylvia Marek Phenology is the science of observing and recording plant and animal activities from year to year and their relationship to season and climate. The following Madison area observations are from notes I have kept over the years. We would love to hear about your observations here at Holy Wisdom. Please comment on this post what, where, and the date of your observations. “I heard a bird sing in the dark of December. A magical thing and sweet to remember.” —Oliver Hereford Earliest sunsets of the …
November phenology
By Sylvia Marek Phenology is the science of recording plant and animal activities from year to year and their relationship to season and climate. November events can vary when the month is warmer or cooler, wetter or dryer than average. The following Madison area observations are from notes I have kept over the years. “In that little leaf was all the poetry of fall, The first soft prelude of the symphony just finished. The cycle was complete once more, Now the snows could come.” -Sigurd Olson Daylight in mid-November decreases to about 9.5 hours of light Daylight saving time ends …