“…it became difficult to make the determination where Earth ended and Heaven began…”
Beep, beep, beep – 4:45 a.m. sounded the alarm clock. I sat up in bed, wiped the crust from my sleepy eyes, and stretched forth my arms toward the ceiling. I was quite tired, and as I collected my thoughts I instantly began dreading the long day afield. But, I had a job to do, and so I got dressed and gathered my pack of research gear and equipment and headed out.
According to my calendar, sunrise was not to occur until 6:01 a.m., and I had plenty of time to make it to my final destination of Prairie State Park. It was still dark and a bit cool outside, but the 35 mile drive up Highway 43 in my pick-up truck allowed extra time to ponder my morning’s duties and activities. Neither heat nor A/C was necessary. So, I rolled down my truck window to aide in the process of becoming fully awake and alert – paying little attention to the roof liner damage which worsened as I approached full speed; the touch of the cool wind on my arm and face had invigorated my senses. I became keenly aware of the sights and sounds to which I was a grateful spectator.
With each passing mile on my journey northward the night began to magically turn to dawn. I was treated to glorious glimpses in the morning sky – sights to behold – unlike any before or since. At no cost to me, whatsoever, I’d been freely provided a front-row ticket to one of the most fantastic out-of-this-world experiences . . . a prelude to a sunrise.
Colors abounded and deep shades of pink and purple delighted my imagination. An overwhelming backdrop of light blues accompanied the white streaks of soft clouds which shifted boldly – eagerly rolling and racing across the sky. The eastern horizon line provided the contrasting dark to the light and proudly embraced its role as the point-of-no-return, the giver of day and taker of night.
Something special had happened before my very eyes – it is doubtful that fortuitous moment could ever be repeated. Through a rarely seen depth effect which caused the clouds to appear as a continuation of the landscape, it became difficult to make the determination where Earth ended and Heaven began . . . and it was mine to take in – just me – alone, about to witness the extraordinary birth of a new day.
Greetings friends and welcome in to this edition of Zero528.
This weeks exciting blog brings many likes together – breakfast, log cabins, and the CCC. Add some of this music and the experience is complete.
Log Cabin
Log cabin is loose term generally considered to define a quaint rustic structure consisting of a variety of materials including round or hewn logs, clapboard siding, mortar, rock, and/or some combination of these natural materials.
To many visitors to historic and scenic Ozarks, the pioneer log cabin and house provides a glimpse into Missouri’s rich past. Image public domain
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
This blog entry is devoted to the unheralded feats of natural resource improvements implemented across the United States by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – one of the most creative and successful New Deal programs put into action by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on the heels of The Great Depression.
While the CCC is widely known for their conservation efforts, they unquestionably contributed the lion’s share of manual labor necessary for the construction of a multitude of various types of park buildings and structures.
CCC projects included administrative buildings, equipment and maintenance buildings, concession and refectories, bathhouses, picnic shelters, outbuildings, signs, bridges, dwelling complexes, garages, drinking fountain “bubblers,” water supply pump-houses, and fire lookout towers.
Original designs were simple in form and functionality yet durable and sensitive to the regional characteristics, heritage, and local materials available at each site. Naturalistic effects were incorporated to give the structures the appearance of having sprung naturally from the ground (McClelland, 1998).
The largest group of structures was constructed by the CCC or the Works Progress Administration (WPA).
Each man-made feature quaintly nestled within the boundaries of national, state and local parks and national forests, grasslands, and monuments, provides enjoyment even if examining original blueprint and design layouts.
Having developed the concept of a ‘master plan’ for each specific site, landscape architects, designers, planners, and engineers enlisted from the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service collaborated on the design details of the CCC projects.
The word ‘flapjacks’ conjures thoughts of an innocent and bygone era and images of a warm down-home breakfast deep in a backwoods log cabin somewhere in rural America.
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill Baking Powder
1 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill Baking Soda
1 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill Cane Sugar
Instructions
In a Small bowl, combine ‘egg’ replacer and water, applesauce, and almond milk. Set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients
In a Large bowl add the dry ingredients and mix together before adding contents of Small bowl. Mix until incorporated, but be careful not to over-mix. Over-mixing causes the gluten in the flour to activate and this will result in hard, chewy flapjacks
Spread a small amount of organic coconut oil into Lodge Cast Iron griddle and heat to medium (350°)
Once the batter is gently mixed and the griddle heated, pour batter into desired size flapjack – the smaller, the easier to flip
Flip the flapjacks when the edges begin to dry and bubbles appear in the center
Once flipped, allow to cook for a few more minutes
This Zero528 blog entry considers the tallgrass prairies of West-Central/Southwestern Missouri and the perilous time signifying the period during which their demise began – their composition impacted, their form altered, and their existence nearly eliminated.
It is my intention to spark interest in and create awareness of, the tallgrass prairies in North America. However, it is beyond the scope of this blog to delve too deep on the topic.
Holistic overview
The tallgrass prairie ecosystem is widely considered one of the most diverse and yet most endangered terrestrial ecosystems in North America. Many conservation efforts are being conducted to save, improve, and restore portions of remaining tallgrass prairie across its original range.
The demise of North American prairie grasslands began approximately 150 years ago with cattle replacing millions of native grazing mammals followed by the conversion of most tallgrass prairie to tilled crops (Samson and Knopf, 1994). Surely more answers exist which explain this unfortunate occurrence.
Presettlement tallgrass prairies once covered 26.7% (47,663 km2) of the state of Missouri (Schroeder, 1983; C. Davit, Missouri Prairie Foundation, pers. comm.). Of the nearly 6 million hectares of tallgrass prairies, less than 1/10th of 1% remains today (C. Davit, pers. comm.).
Missouri’s premium tallgrass prairie region was historically the West-Central region (Schroeder, 1983). This region, situated along the central-eastern edge of the Great Plains south of the Missouri River and west of the Ozarks, was significantly impacted and severely threatened by those who sought to extend the range of the western edge of the American frontier.
The highest percentage of prairie of any Missouri County was Barton County (86%) with Bates and Vernon Counties each containing 78% and 73%, respectively (Schroeder, 1983). This region currently represents the largest remaining area of native grasslands within the state.
Contemplate the timely exhibitions of the various blooming prairie wildflowers, which fortunately can still be witnessed, albeit on a much less grand scale.
A diverse abundance of big-game animals once roamed the grasslands unimpeded – imagine immense herds of bison (Bison bison) thundering across the prairie, Elk (Cervus elaphus) grazing nutritious grasses, and pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) browsing forbs (non-woody flowering plants) at will.
Listen for echoes of the seemingly innumerable greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) “booming” upon their leks and recall the exploits of French missionaries and traders and their influence on the Osage Indians of the region.
Recollect the terrors inflicted upon civilians by the infamous Quantrill guerrillas that patrolled with a vengeance along the western border of Missouri. Consider legendary bushwhacker outlaws including Jesse and Frank James and lawless bank robbers of the area such as the Doolin-Dalton Gang.
The Rite of Prairie Passage and the Point of No-Return
As a quail biologist/ecologist and Missouri history enthusiast (among other things), natural curiosity found me pondering the point of no-return conditions (cultural, social, environmental, etc.) marking the transition of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem in Missouri – from its dominance to its near disappearance.
The Perfect Storm
My research indicates the culprits responsible for the downfall of the tallgrass prairies in West-Central/Southwestern Missouri, consisted of an extensive list of fortuitous occurrences. These events occurred cumulatively at an accelerated rate and spanned the time period near the dawn of the Civil War through the post-war era. A tumultuous time to be sure.
As pioneers (mostly European immigrants) pushed the boundaries of the frontier and found their little piece of the green earth, they began to keep a written account of their lives and those events happening around them and to them in West-Central/Southwestern Missouri.
In addition, as they traversed from county to county, early Missouri land surveyors logged their visual accounts of the differences in the landscape and varieties of wildlife species encountered.
Therefore, written historical accounts provide insight into factors which cannot be discounted as potentially having deleterious effects on the tallgrass prairies of the region – the relocation of its native caretakers, the conquering spirit of the individuals who settled them, the invention of tools that broke them, the laws enacted that limited their management, the expansion of the railroad which fragmented them, the contentious livestock controversies which altered them, and the turbulent Civil War times that produced rugged vigilantes who gallivanted across them.
Moreover, these events were happening simultaneously and were set against the backdrop of a fire control law (burn ban), human population explosion, increased grazing pressure, cultivation of hay, invention of barbed-wire fence, martial law, lawlessness, bushwhacker violence, guerrilla warfare, oaths of Union loyalty, and Southern sympathy.
It is likely that small-scale farming by the settlers, which fragmented the landscape – coupled with the laundry list of other forces and influences noted above -had perhaps already begun to take its toll.
These combined events created the perfect storm of conditions which sparked the subsequent downward spiral of the tallgrass prairie and the habitat it provides to a host of wildlife species.
My research describing how, when, and why the tallgrass prairie has all but disappeared in Missouri, is strengthened and formed in part through critical examination of historical records vividly describing the lives of the aforementioned pioneers who braved the western edge of civilization amidst the volatile events occurring during the mid-nineteenth century.
Today, only a fragment of the North American tallgrass prairies remain. In the name of conservation, preservation, and restoration, it is imperative that this precious resource, and the ecological linkages which rely on it, be protected as much as possible.
Visit the Missouri Prairie Foundation to discover how to actively participate in discovering, and helping save, Missouri’s native prairies. Additionally, visit GrowNative to ascertain information about supporting biodiversity on the local level.
The call is to anyone and everyone to enjoy this resource. So, don’t delay – grab a pair of binoculars, hiking boots, backpack, and/or Brooks running gear and hit the trail of a native prairie nearby. As the seasons change, so do the prairie scenes…fascinatingly beautiful.
Keep a good thought! Bob P.
SIDE NOTE: In my opinion, managing for biodiversity is key to proper prairie management. Under carefully monitored conditions and with a proper burn plan in place, fire can be an effective management tool – with the objectives being to suppress woody encroachment and to create a heterogeneous landscape necessary to support biodiversity.
Fire suppression has occurred historically as a result of liability concerns and recently, due to severe drought conditions. For information on prescribed burning and other upland management tools, visit Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation.
For this blog, I’ve intertwined two areas of interest- sustainability and vegan lifestyle (healthy eating). I hope you enjoy it!
LEED
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), is changing the way people think about how buildings and communities are planned, constructed, maintained, and operated.
Since its inception, I have been a proponent of the US Green Building Council’s LEED certification for green buildings.
US Green Building Council (USGBC), assists in defining acceptable standards for a sustainable future for humanity and the environment – and not just by advancing better buildings, but through five vital project types: building design and construction; interior design and construction; building operations and maintenance; neighborhood development; homes.
The Greenest Building
I also subscribe to the philosophy that the “greenest” building is the one that is already built. Which is why I also support the mission of The National Trust for Historic Preservation. This organization is integral in helping save and restore the nation’s historic buildings and properties in a manner consistent with sustainability.
If I remember correctly, and I’m certain that I do, my Mom couldn’t pay me to eat spinach as a kid. Ha Ha! Now, I’m eating it of my own free will. Oh, how times have changed.
An iron horse is said to be coming across the landscape – tunneling through mountains, spitting and hurling cinders, and blowin’ a cloud of dreary steam with every snort. Whinnying – a neigh the likes a body ain’t ever heard!
Excerpt from ‘Balfour Comes to America,’ by R.L. Peterson
Greetings again, my friends!
I’ve woven my eclectic interest and enjoyment of trains, running, and veganism into this Zero528 blog post featuring the Iron Horse Recovery Drink recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Lou’s endurance and strength earned him the nickname the “Iron Horse,” while Lynn may be alive today due to a toughness she developed in competition and a physiology built by a lifetime of running.
I’ve taken an interest in trains since my youth. As kids, our Grandpa Ralph would take my brother Dave and me track-side to watch the trains up close and personal as they “rolled by” near our childhood home in Lamoni, IA.
Prior to the merger which produced the Burlington Northern, the red, gray, and white livery of the Burlington Route locomotives (probably SD40-2’s) pulled the tonnage of their squeaking freight train right by us. I’m certain I must have waved to the freight conductor – what little kid wouldn’t?
I had the privilage of working two years as a certified freight conductor with the Union Pacific Railroad (Cheyenne to Green River, WY). And yes, I waved at many a little kid!
Click here to compare the benefits and environmentally sustainable aspects of rail vs trucking.
This Iron Horse Recovery drink is a healthy snack when coming home from a long slow distance (LSD) run, evening at the gym, or after a hard and hot day workin’ on the railroad.
The recipe is vegan – as are all the recipes on Zero528. However, some vegans might dispute the use of honey, while others might not. For all the goodness of this yummy drink, one would never imagine it was vegan.
Being vegan is a personal choice, as is not being vegan. If someone isn’t certain what being vegan entails, I simply encourage them to investigate the matter at their convenience.
“Nothing worse than pushy salesmen,” said Burt Miller on The Andy Griffith Show. I couldn’t agree with Burt more, and so I’m not one to attempt to persuade others on the sometimes sensitive topic of veganism.
Monster Dash 2016 in St. Paul – Frankenstein and me. I’m the one on the left
My Mom and the Wicked Witch… My Mom is the one on the right.
Pre-race festivities at the 2016 Monster Dash in St. Paul, MN -Frankenstein and me (I’m the one on the far left), and the Wicked Witch and my Mom (far right). LOL! Mom was my good luck charm for my PR- running the 5K at 20:21! New goal…< 19:00.
For me personally, being vegan isn’t about a “diet”– it is about choices. I feel good about the choices I’ve made for me, and I feel better about myself when I consume foods which are healthy and prepared and manufactured in an ethical and sustainable manner.
“The products I use and promote in my cooking, baking, and across all the varied categories featured on Zero528, are those companies whose products I would have used regardless.”
I started writing vegan recipes at an early age… lol!
Greetings and welcome in!
This entry represents my second blog post. I hope you’re enjoying the content of my blog thus far. Yes, I know I’ve only made one entry – Ha Ha.
At your convenience, please take a moment to navigate to my Home/About page and FOLLOW my blog. This action isn’t necessary to enjoy my blog, but allows email notification of each new blog as it posts.
Speaking honestly – I do not profess to be a master chef or baker or even the creator of some new batch of magically wonderful recipes, rather, to present options for preparing recipes which I have altered and/or slightly manipulated to vegan.
The products I use and promote in my cooking, baking, and across all the varied categories featured on Zero528, are those companies whose products I would have used regardless.
Zero528 