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Illinois Steward, Spring 2009.

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Page 1: Prairie Pages

THE ILLINOIS STEWARD 13

Prairie Pages

by Susan L. Post

Page 2: Prairie Pages

14 SPRING 2009

“I woke with a surprise and delight. I was in the midst of a prairie! A world of grass and flowers stretched around me, rising and falling in gentle undulations, as if an enchanter had struck the ocean swell, and it was at rest forever…. How shall I convey to you an idea of a prairie?”

Eliza Steele, 1840, while traveling by stagecoach from Chicago to Peoria

Miss Steele traveled the Illinois prairies 3 years after the self-scouring plow had been introduced. Illinois prairies would soon after never be the same! While Illinois has fewer than 2,200 acres of prairie remaining today, these pieces can provide a glimpse of what she must have experienced. What follows are accounts of eight prairie preserves where one can experience the prairie, have a glimpse into the past of Illinois, and gain insight into the idea of a prairie landscape.

Prairie DirectionsAyers Sand Prairie Nature Preserve, Carroll CountyFrom Savanna, at the junction of Routes 52 and 84, take Route 84 south 2.7 miles to Airport Road. Then turn and go east (left) 0.5 mile. The preserve is north of the road.

Doris Westfall Prairie Restoration Nature Preserve, Vermilion CountyThe preserve is located on the south boundary of Forest Glen Preserve that is 7 miles northeast of Georgetown. From the junc-tion of Route 1 and a blacktop road (1200N) in Westville, turn east on the blacktop and follow it east and south for 5 miles. Then turn and go east 1.8 miles to the entrance of the preserve.

Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, Monroe CountyThe preserve is located along the Mississippi River bluffs near the town of Fults, about 25 miles south of Belleville. From the south end of Fults, take Bluff Road (a blacktop) southeast 1.6 miles to a small parking area and a preserve sign. The preserve is on the left.

Goose Lake Prairie, Grundy CountyFrom Morris, take Route 47 south across the Illinois River about 0.7 mile to the blacktop road known as Pine Bluff–Lorenzo Road. Turn east (left) and travel 6 miles to Jugtown Road. Turn north (left) to the entrance.

Harlem Hills Nature Preserve, Winnebago CountyFrom the intersection of Route 251 and Windsor Road on the north side of Loves Park, turn east onto Windsor Road and go 1.3 miles to a “T” that Windsor Road forms at Forest Hills Road. Turn north (left) on Forest Hills Road and go 0.1 mile to Flora Drive. Turn east (right) on Flora Drive and go another 0.1 mile. The preserve is on the south side of the road.

Loda Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Iroquois CountyIn Loda, turn off Route 45 onto Jefferson Street (210N) and go west 0.3 mile, then north 0.6 mile to Pine Ridge Cemetery. The preserve is north of the cemetery. Do not enter the cemetery. Follow the access road to the southeast corner of the cemetery and walk the path outside the east-cemetery fence, north to the preserve.

Revis Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, Mason CountyFrom Kilbourne, go north 0.5 mile on Route 97, turn and go east (right) on a blacktop road (700N) for 7.5 miles to 2630E. Turn right and go southeast 0.5 mile and bear left on a gravel road. The preserve is on the northeast (left) side of the road.

Twelve-Mile Prairie, Effingham and Marion countiesThe best places to view this prairie are along Route 37 from Edgewood to Alma. The prairie is along the railroad line.

Page 3: Prairie Pages

THE ILLINOIS STEWARD 15

Revis Hill Prairie is named after James A. Revis, an early pioneer in Mason County. The area is part of the north valley wall of the Sangamon River, which rises 250 feet above the mile-and-quarter-wide floodplain of the river. The predominant soil is loess (windblown silt) over gla-cial till, but there are also some fine-sand deposits and gravel outcroppings. Hill prairie is the domi-nant plant community found on the rolling land and steep slopes. Forests dominated by oaks are present in the ravines between the bluffs. Revis is the largest hill prairie complex in Illinois.

For those who persevere in the uphill struggle through woods and brambles, the view of the river valley alone is worth the trip; but hill prairies have other rewards. In late summer and early autumn, forbs such as blazing-star, goldenrods, asters, and gerardia mingle with the orange–brown stems of the grasses—little bluestem and prairie dropseed.

But the jewel of the fall is the scented ladies’ tresses orchid, which casts its heady scent on the wind, detected long before the plant can be seen, nestled in the grasses. This orchid belongs to the genus Spiranthes, the name being derived from the Greek and meaning coiled flowers, alluding to the spiral arrangement of the blossoms. Although we associate orchids with spring and with wet areas, this species has taken advantage of the hill prairies and occupies the most severe habitat of any of our native orchids. It also blooms later than any other Illinois orchid, beginning in mid-September and continu-ing sometimes until early November.

In addition to over 160 plant species, some unusual animals found here are the western hognose snake, western slender glass lizard, Ottoe skipper, Arogos skipper, and gorgone checkerspot. While orange and clouded sulphurs may be abundant, look closely at any yellow or orange butterfly, as both sleepy orange sulphur and dog face sulphur butterflies are here as well. Diapharomera vellii, the prairie walking stick, was rediscovered at Revis in 1990, 70 years after the last one was seen anywhere in Illinois.

Hill prairies continue to exist in Illinois, largely because of their inaccessibility. Threats to these unique habitats include encroachment of the surrounding forest (historically kept at bay by fire), pasturing of livestock, and homesite development. Despite this, hill prairies are still around and can provide anyone with an afternoon of heart-stopping exercise, followed by absolute solitude—your reverie broken only by the soft, ever-present winds and the high-fives as you and your companions celebrate finding a true hill prairie gem.

Revis Hill Prairie Nature Preserve—An Illinois River Prairie

“I am standing on top of Revis Hill Prairie with a group of intrepid butterfly aficionados. We are with Skipper Field Manual authors James Sternburg and James Wiker, seeking the elusive Ottoe skipper. Revis is the only site in Illinois where this diminutive yet delightful skipper may still reliably be found. Purple prairie clover and leadplant are in full bloom—the latter laden with its purple blossoms and orange pollen. The visiting bees look as if they are wearing puffy, orange leggings. A second-instar prairie walking stick, a dog face sulphur, an adult ant lion, and a Horace’s

dusky wing are admired and pho-tographed. As we watch the tops of the fading pale purple cone-flower, we get lucky—an Ottoe skipper!—a real

treasure of Revis and one James Sternburg had not witnessed in his 80-plus years of butterfly studies.”

Susan L. Post, June 21, 2006

Page 4: Prairie Pages

On August 10, 1972, Doris Westfall wrote to INHS botanist Robert A. Evers about beginning a prairie restoration project: “And now another project— we are ready to begin a prairie restoration project and we will appreciate your help. We plan to do a small one first—perhaps 5 acres east of the Nature Cen-ter at Forest Glen. It is an old field with a drainage pond and much foxtail at present. But I think it will lend itself well to restoration.” The “seeds” of Doris’s interest in prairie res-toration were “planted” when she attended an Audubon-sponsored field trip to a prairie restoration at Morton Arboretum. Doris began

studying and seeking out prairie plants. She wanted to create a “prairie by construction” that would consist only of seed from plants that once grew wild in Vermilion County. She began to bring in “found” prai-rie plants to the conservation district meetings where she was asked, “Westfall, what are you doing bringing all those weeds in here?”

In the spring of 1973, the first planting was made. The area had been scraped bare, to the topsoil. The first planting was in rows, with each labeled and mapped on paper. The seeds of 30 native prairie species were mixed with sand, hand-broadcast, and lightly harrowed. A nurse crop of oats was also sown, and the area was “strawed” to help retain moisture and prevent excessive blowing of seed and soil. During the summer grow-ing season, the area was constantly hand-weeded; and by September, the “first fruits” of their work were seen—three Indian grass plants bloomed. By the next year, the first prairie coneflowers bloomed.

What began as a garden of 30 species is today 40 acres of what prai- rie may have looked like in Vermilion County. In 1987, INHS botanist Ken Robertson visited the restoration, where he was pleased to see over 110 species, including the partially parasitic Indian paintbrush and false toadflax, and the difficult-to-establish ladies’ tresses orchid. Twenty-five years after the first planting, the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission honored her work by dedicating her “prairie by construction” as the Doris Westfall Prairie Restoration Nature Preserve, the first prairie re-construction in the state to receive this status.

The Doris Westfall Prairie Restoration Nature Preserve harbors 119 native plant species and numerous animals. Plants include purple prairie clover, shooting star, Indian paintbrush, Michigan lily, porcupine grass, and compass plant. Two plants that occur only in the reconstruction and nowhere else in the county are the state endangered royal catchfly and the state threatened queen-of-the-prairie. Doris Westfall’s dedication and successful effort offer hope that creating native habitat is feasible and can have an important role in the natural landscape of Illinois.

Doris Westfall Prairie Restoration Nature Preserve

“On April 16, a fire break was disked around our original planting, and we burned off an addi-tional two acres to the northeast. This area was hand-seeded and then harrowed. Blackbirds descend-ed on the area in large numbers and stayed several days. We wondered if any seed would remain to germi-nate and grow!

On July 10, 1974, the first Prairie coneflowers bloomed in the original planting area and garden plot. We feel that Prairie coneflower is great for the morale of restoration workers—it is attractive, grows quickly, is easy to recognize, and gives lots of encouragement!”

Doris Westfall and Marilyn F. Campbell, The Prairie in Vermilion County, 1991

16 SPRING 2009

Rob

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Marilyn F. C

ampbell

Marilyn F. C

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Marilyn F. C

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Page 5: Prairie Pages

“Periodically, the grass-covered gravel terraces are invaded by pink-and-purple-clothed armies. Early spring brings the fuzzy lavender of pasque flowers, low to the ground and protected from the cold. By early summer, hundreds of pale purple cone-flowers erupt and flow down the terraces like pinkish purple lava. Summer’s end is signaled by the bright pink of Liatris, each concealing brilliant yellow spiders in their tall, pink spikes.”

Susan L. Post, June 30, 1993

Harlem Hills Nature Preserve—A Gravel Terrace Prairie

THE ILLINOIS STEWARD 17

Within the second-largest city of the state, you are able to experience the illusion of nothing but hill after hill, each cov-ered with prairie grasses and forbs. The city of Rockford is located in a region of rolling topography drained by the Rock River. If you were to look at the soil of the area, you would find not the deep, fine-particle soils of areas to the east and south but glacial till and outwash—a mixture of sand, gravel, and dolomite, with only a thin layer of soil on top. On a topographical map, the city looks as if it resides on a lion’s paw. These knuckles were originally gravel terrace prairies, and all but one of them—Harlem Hills—have succumbed to the ever-growing city.

Harlem Hills Nature Preserve is situated on gravelly soils deposited by Pleistocene glaciers. The soils are calcareous, with a high pH; and conditions are often bone-dry due to the well-drained soil and the slope of the land that usually faces south or west. Harlem Hills is not only the state’s best exam-ple of a gravel prairie but also the largest, containing 67% of the state’s remaining gravel prairies.

This dry, gravel prairie is dominated by grasses—little bluestem, northern dropseed, and side-oats grama—but it is the forbs, especially the small spots of color poking through the dry, brown grass that make a visit worthwhile. Pasque flowers are the first flowers to bloom, sometimes as early as mid-March. A close inspection of the flower reveals a kit-tenlike covering of soft hairs to help protect the plant from the wind and cold. Prairie smoke’s rose-colored spheres appear about 2 weeks later. After the pasque flower and prairie smoke have set fruit, a procession of color follows. Striking displays of cream wild indigo, hill prairie Liatris, rough Liatris, and pale purple coneflower may tumble over the terraces. A final search in early fall will reveal prairie gentians, sky blue blooms hidden among the drying herbage. Whether it is a large, fat, yellow-and-black bumblebee trying to pollinate the spheres of prairie smoke, a goldfinch riding the winds on a compass plant, great spangled fritillaries nectoring on Liatris, or a common wood nymph always landing just ahead in the grass and never letting you get close enough for pictures, a short stroll through Harlem Hills Nature Preserve is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can be had at any time and by anyone with the desire to see an all but vanished segment of the Illinois landscape.

Page 6: Prairie Pages

Goose Lake Prairie is a habitat of wildflowers, tall grasses, and relent-less prairie winds—once home to the bison, wolf, prairie chicken, and otter. Amid the golden grasses, one can feel the vastness of the prairie and be touched by the past. Today, abundant numbers of rabbits, muskrats, deer, and small rodents substitute for the fauna of old. Glacial erratics scattered in the area are evidence of the geologic history. These boulders were not formed in Illinois but

were brought here from the north by glaciers more than 10,000 years ago.

Goose Lake itself no longer exists; it was drained be-fore the turn of the century for farming and to mine the underlying clay. In its day, the lake that extended some 1,000 acres often was covered so thickly with geese and ducks that the water was not visible. Today, what remains is a series of ponds and marshes, outstanding examples of a once-common habitat—the prairie pothole.

Goose Lake Prairie may be defined as black soil prairie, the typical prairie that dominated much of Illinois, yet here, one can experience the classic stages of a prairie. A visitor can pass from aquatic to semi-aquatic habitats, to wet, to moist, to dry prairie types during a single day of exploration. During different seasons, discover how the prairie changes, from the diminutive prairie violet on a gentle spring day to the reddish brown of big bluestem, harsh against the snow during an early February cold snap.

Eliza Steele wrote, “We rode through a perfect wilder-ness of sweets, sending forth perfume, and animated with myriads of glittering birds and butterflies. It was in fact, a vast garden covered with soil as hard as gravel.” This could be Goose Lake Prairie.

“YELLOW!!! Goose Lake is yellow with acres of bidens, rosinweed, and goldenrod. This year, the prairie is short: Even I am taller than the big bluestem. But while the vegetation is ‘diminutive by prairie standards,’ I still can’t see what’s around the next bend. So my trip is one of discovery and surprise! Two species of garden spiders grow larger by the day, their not-so-invisible webs outlined with feathery milkweed seeds. A sedge wren sings on a stem, while a black rat snake slithers across the trail a step ahead. At dusk, I’m at a prairie pothole watching a sora rail feed as it moves in and out of the mist and shadows. The prairie never disappoints.” Susan L. Post, September 9, 2000

Goose Lake Prairie

18 SPRING 2009

Page 7: Prairie Pages

THE ILLINOIS STEWARD 19

Twelve-Mile Prairie is a dry-mesic (moist) prairie along a railroad line from Edgewood in Effingham County to Alma in Marion County. It is a series of rem-nants that grow on a layer of clay, several inches below the surface, giving this type of landscape its name, “gray prairie.” The National Road crossed the original prai-rie in Effingham County. Until drainage ditches were dug, the original Twelve-Mile Prairie was relatively flat and drainage between the streams was poor, resulting in the flatlands being very wet, except in the summer (dry season), when giant cracks would appear in the clayey soil.

Either the lack or abandonment of cultivation has helped maintain native prairie vegetation in this region of Illinois. During the spring, the grasses (big bluestem and cord grass) are just beginning to green up. Look for spider-wort, phlox (both prairie and woodland), blue-eyed grass, wild hyacinth, shooting star, wild geranium, and hoary puccoon. The really observant may find a gray treefrog or a pink, nymphal katydid.

Summer vegetation is typical for tall- grass prairie—blazing-stars, prairie dock, compass plant, milkweeds, and the shrubby New Jersey tea, a favorite nectar plant of diminutive hairstreak butterflies. Along roadside ditches, rose pink (a type of gentian) may be found. Summer is also the time to look for the large prairie cicada. Many times, as soon as you step out of your vehicle, you can hear them—they are large and loud, like a miniature B-52! One entomologist has compared the sport of chasing prairie cicadas to that of hunt-ing quail.

During autumn, the prairie is golden, from goldenrods hiding camouflaged crab spiders, their legs outstretched to “wel-

come” their prey, to rosinweed and sunflowers sporting giant garden spiders swaying in the ever-present wind. Brown tridents of rattlesnake master harbor thistle-down-decorated spider webs, their makers balancing like tightrope walkers, patiently waiting.

During any season, look for box turtles, and in the wet areas crayfish; their messy mounds give only a hint of the resident. Crayfish frogs may be present during early spring.

“A quilting bee had been held, as in times when the ladies of the prairie would gather together and quilt. Only the pattern was done in wildflowers of various pastel hues, all on a background of green, represent-ing the new grasses and leaves. Prairie phlox in delicate pinks; shooting star, its pastel blossoms resembling flustered rooster combs; spiderwort—its three petals in deep blue–violet and occasionally a bright red–violet. The pinks, purples, and whites were knotted together with the yellow–orange arches of hoary puccoon. The quilt of spring was nearly complete.”

Susan L. Post, May 7, 1982

Twelve-Mile Prairie–A Gray Prairie

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20 SPRING 2009

Mention sand prairie in Illinois and you immediately think of Mason or Iroquois counties in Illinois, not the unglaciated northwest part of the state. Ayers Sand Prairie is part of the sand prairies of the Hanover–Oquawka region, located in northwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River. The sand prairies of this region occupy an expanse between the bluffs on the east and the Mississippi River on the west. This area was once the western edge of the Wisconsinan Glacier, where sand was deposited by its meltwaters. As water was shed from the glacier’s edge, copious streams and long flows of glacial outwash poured down the channel ways. All that remains of the glaciers, today, is the sand.

When you pull up to Ayers, you notice it is an unusual oasis, situated between fields of corn and potatoes and an airport. The area has a rolling topography of small dunes and blowouts (areas of open sand caused by wind erosion). During May, the edges of the dunes are rimed with bird’s foot violet—all shades of purple—from almost white to a deep violet. Although there are no trails, one can meander about; but to make sense of this prairie, it is best to tour with local biologist Randy Nybor. He will interpret every aspect of the landscape; and even during a cold, blustery May day, you will linger, spellbound by the fountain of information and afraid you will miss an important tidbit.

Walking with Randy, I learned that Ayers Sand Prairie was the state’s 50th Nature Preserve, dedicated in 1974. The preserve has 39 species of grasses and sedges, which help stabilize the dunes and blowouts. Beach heather, with its yellow flowers, is the same plant found on the dunes of Cape Cod, with Ayers about as far west as you will find this plant. And the preserve’s ornate box turtles are about as far east as they are found. The male Olympia marble butterfly I had observed had spent the win-ter as a chrysalis and was staking claim to his territory as he patrolled for a female. I even found out that were I to visit the preserve in July, the dunes would be cloaked with the magenta blooms of wine cup.

“Finally!!! An Olympia marble butterfly on sand cress, hanging on as the cress waves back in forth in the cool, spring winds. I can even see the pink overwash on its wings. This is the way to see a life-list butterfly—up close and not moving, and on its host plant!!”

Susan L. Post, May 6, 2007

Ayers Sand Prairie Nature Preserve

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THE ILLINOIS STEWARD 21

“The rocky hills jutted out to the highway, the white rock reflecting the hot afternoon sun. Relief was given only when you passed an open cave. Where the trees and viney plants were able to grow, columbine littered the rocks, with its brilliant, orange–red blossoms dangling on a graceful curved stem. On top of the hills were the hill prairies; here, new shoots of the prairie clovers and grasses covered the hillside with a fresh green. The delicate white blossoms of the white, blue-eyed grass broke the pattern of green forbs. Dangerously clinging on the rocky overhangs, coreopsis and vervain grew, adding much-needed color to the harsh rocks.” Susan L. Post, May 9, 1982

To most people, prairies are flat grasslands. It is not the topography, however, that distinguishes a prairie, but the vegetation. Prairies growing on pronounced slopes are called hill prai-ries. Located high on a west-facing bluff overlook-ing the Mississipppi River, Fults Hill Prairie is one of those special prairies.

This prairie is part of the old French land grants, the boundaries of which were at right angles to the bank of the Mississippi River. These boundaries were common in St. Clair, Monroe, and Randolph counties. The prairie is located on a bluff that trends northwest to southeast; and like others in the vicinity, the bluff is tall, towering over 300 feet above the bottomlands. The bluff is made of limestone, and a blanket of loess caps the bedrock.

There are two types of vegetation at Fults—the slope supports a deciduous forest; and during spring, phacelia blankets the slopes. The other type of vegetation is prairie, and while hill prairie bota-nist Robert A. Evers called the prairie “not rich in species. It is the rare or semi-rare species that make this hill prairie important.”

To explore this prairie, use the 200 wooden steps to climb upward. At the top, you wind your way through overlooks and woods; and within a mile, you come out onto the prairie. Little bluestem, Indian grass, and big bluestem are the dominant grass-es. The purples of leadplant, purple prairie clover, purple cone-flower, vervain, and the yellows of puccoon and coreopsis break up the green carpet, depending on the season. There is no “official trail” to explore, just narrow “goat paths” that lead to moments of discovery. In the spring, look for the white form of blue-eyed grass, a diminutive relative of the iris. In the fall, the pink blos-soms of autumn wild onion grace the path. If you look down, you might discover a tiger beetle with a green head and a red–brown body. These are called splendid tiger beetles and occur only along Illinois’ western edge and in far southern Illinois. In open, sunny areas, look for gatherings of nectaring butterflies—checkered white, dainty dwarf, buckeye, pearl crescents, and monarchs. If the season is right, you could wonder through a veritable small storm of them dancing around your feet.

Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve

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22 SPRING 2009

Emily Dickinson said “to make a prairie, it takes a bee.” For Pine Ridge Cemetery Prairie (called Loda), it is has been The Nature Conservancy, Grand Prairie Friends, and volunteer stewards. Loda Prairie is a 3.5-acre remnant of virgin, tallgrass prairie in east-central Illinois. Prior to becoming a nature pre-serve in 1983, it was part of a 10-acre cemetery for the town-ship of Loda. The prairie was located in the northern third of the cemetery and was never platted for burials but was used as a potter’s field. Thirteen indigents are buried there, the last in 1951. The only maintenance was mowing once or twice a year. It was never cultivated or pastured.

In 1976, Natural Area Inventory biologists visited Pine Ridge Cemetery as part of their statewide search for prairie remnants. Imagine their surprise when they discovered at the back of this country cemetery was 3.5 acres of virgin prairie! Ironically, at about the same time, the cemetery had run out of space; and the prairie would soon be platted for burials and “maintained.” Negotiations followed, and a viable solu-tion (a land swap) was worked out. The Nature Conservancy purchased 5 acres of adjacent farmland and gave it to the cemetery association to take care of their expansion needs.

Over 130 species of prairie plants are found here: from shooting star, downy phlox, and yellow star grass in the spring; to rattlesnake master and compass plant in the sum-mer; to prairie blazing-star, asters, and goldenrods in the fall. A small population of eastern prairie white-fringed orchid may be found here. This orchid, listed as endangered in Illinois and on the federal threatened list, is one of the few orchids characteristic of the prairies of the central United States. Although once described as “a blanket of white on the moist low prairie,” at present there are fewer than

60 populations in the United States.In 2007, Grand Prairie Friends purchased 9 acres of land

adjacent to the preserve. Their goal is to introduce native vegeta-tion on the additional land to act as buffer between the high-quality prairie and the adjacent farmland. Beginning this winter with the planting of 70 species on 3.5 acres, this reconstruction will be one to watch. After all, you have a template right next door as to how it should look.

Susan L. Post is the staff writer for The Illinois Steward and a sci-entist with the INHS. Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Michael R. Jeffords. Illustrations by Lynn Hawkinson Smith.

Loda Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve– A Black Soil Prairie

“I saw a prairie today. Unlike earlier visitors, I can’t use ‘sea of grass,’ although it was in constant motion. It was more like an island—actually, a long finger—scrunched between corn and a cemetery. Although small, it wasn’t ‘dead,’ but very much alive; the soil teamed with ants, a profusion of rattlesnake master grew up a small slope, accompanied by New Jersey tea and leadplant. The meadowlarks and blackbirds sang to the swallowtails, and fritillaries skimmed silently from blossom to blossom.” Susan L. Post, June 15, 1986