Natural North Dakota

The morel mushroom are growing now or will be soon. They are said to come up when the lilacs are in bloom or when the oak leaves are the size of mouse ears.

There are a couple interesting members of the pea family that are or will be flowering near you soon. Both may be found across the state on upland prairie.

There is much to see and do outdoors this time of year. When winter is fin ally in the rearview mirror and spring has sprung, it is as if life comes gushing out from everywhere.

The landscape looks quite drab this time of year. But if you have some hazelnuts growing nearby, you might find some intriguing small flowers in the next few weeks.

I was recently perusing through Lewis and Clark in North Dakota by Russell Reid (1948) which contains the journals of Lewis and Clark as well as the Biddle texts and annotations by the author.

Spring is here! The equinox occurred on the twentieth. Animals are starting to become more active now, even the porcupines.

Are you ready for spring? The calendar says it will start next Tuesday the twentieth. Now if the weather cooperates we will be in business!

The Great American Desert came up in conversation recently. You may recall from your American History classes that that back in the 1800’s explorer Stephen H. Long, coined the phrase to describe the Great Plains.

Did you know that this is the “Year of the Bird.” No, that is not the Chinese year. This is different.

Do you ever cook with juniper berries? I was recently snooping on the internet and found a recipe for sage and juniper venison sausage on Hank Shaw’s website “Hunter Angler Gardener Cook.”