Author: Lisa

Acclimate to Winter

Written on January 16, 2014.

Most years, I dread January – cold, sleet, ice, and heavy grey skies. But not this year. Because winter started in earnest last November, I am already acclimated to the cold. I’ve slipped on the ice (once) and shoveled...

Brrr, it’s Bitterly Cold!

Written on January 5, 2014.

Why is it so cold? Simply put, cold is caused by the absence of heat. Sometimes conditions are such that there is much less heat in an area. For instance: Snow cover reflects solar radiation. That means, that if the ground...

Winter Frost

Written on December 27, 2013.

The drive to work this morning was magical. There was a light fog that put everything in a soft-focus. Plus, vegetation was glistening with a delicate layer of hoar frost. Hoar frost occurs when a winter fog...

Happy Winter Solstice

Written on December 21, 2013.

It’s Party Time! We may be under the threat of a Winter Storm Watch, but today we celebrate the longest night of the year, and tomorrow we know that there will be a little bit more daylight every day until the Summer...

Barefoot Savanna – Land preserved near Marengo

Written on November 29, 2013.

In June 2013, TLC accepted the donation of 30 acres north of Marengo. The donor, Eric Tauck, grew up next door, on the land owned by his parents. Eric bought the land to protect it from development. Now, he knows it will...

Thinking like a Mountain

Written on November 22, 2013.

There was a sad report out of Whiteside County in Illinois this week. A female mountain lion was killed by a Wildlife officer from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. You can read the whole story here. My first...