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Weekend of February 23-24, 2019

2/27/2019

Wild Things Saturday February 24
No restoration work in Palos on Saturday as many of us attended Wild Things in Rosemont. This was a good conference, the biggest challenge came in selection which speaker to see in each time slot. I guess I chose well as none of them disappointed.

The breadth of topics was amazing and the day passed quickly.

Windy Sunday February 24
We canceled both our Sunday sessions due to wind speeds far too strong to safely work in a woodland. Not a bad choice either; yesterday I visited our would-be work site at Swallow Cliff Woods and found a newly fallen dead tree within spitting distance of one of our brush piles from our last visit.

Several broken limbs from the white pines near the parking lot also lay on the ground close to where we walk in. So no regrets over the cancellation. Though we hate to lose the day (and we've lost several recently) there truly is a time to let prudence rule. Thanks for that, Jackie and Diana!

Buckthorn Artwork
While we work feverishly to remove buckthorn when we see it, the colors of its wood are undeniably striking. Amber Kunz, member of the FOTFP Palos crew and regular volunteer at Sundown Meadow, created the plaque seen below from a cut wedge of buckthorn. Check it out.

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Cap Sauers February 16, Black Partridge February 17, Willow Springs February 18, 2019

2/20/2019

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Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday February 16
Thanks to first-timer Marc and second-time Palos volunteer Chris for being part of this one, to Jim and Doug for their tireless energy and strength. We thinned trees not far from the trail and Ford Road, with several big, hot fires on a chilly morning.

Cap Sauers looks beautiful these days, with large tracts opening up due to brush-mowing funded by an anonymous benefactor. We are ever so grateful for this generous spirit - in addition to making huge improvements to the landscape, it brings a strong gust of wind to volunteers' sails.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday February 17
My thanks to Kathy Bruch for providing photos and an account of this session. And it was a tough one, an icy, sleety cold afternoon that resisted Carrie's and Devin's best efforts to build a sustainable fire. Perhaps if they had some 'dream wood' handy... see my next entry for more on this wondrous stuff.

Willow Springs Woods Monday February 18
This was our President's Day special and we spent it cutting and burning catalpa trees that have made their way into Willow on the north end. I am giving catalpa the tag 'dream wood' for two reasons.

One; it's a lightweight, low-density wood enabling one to easily hoist a much larger log than would be possible with maple or other denser woods. It can trick you into thinking you're actually strong!

Two, it burns like a dream. Despite three inches of new snow, we got our fires going with a few short minutes of propane to each stack, no need to follow up with a leaf-blower. Carolyn stopped gathering deadwood for kindling because it wasn't needed.

Thanks to FOTFP Palos crew leader Xochitl, who came to help on her day off AND brought a friend, Aaron. Kevin and Joe also were on hand.

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Willow West February 9, Hidden Pond and Cap Sauers February 10, 2019

2/14/2019

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Willow West Saturday February 9
We had a small group thinning trees at Willow West, again in sight of Fairmount Memorial Gardens. Sunshine took the edge off a cold early morning, and several large fires were an immense help too.

Thanks to first-time Palos volunteers Andrew and his dad Mike. They're from a local Boy Scout troop and we hope to join forces with them again.

Hidden Pond Sunday February 10
We had a great group, with first-timers Chris, Maeve, Joe, Mike, and Trevor, as well as returning friends Andrew, John, Tyler, and Doug. John ran his chain saw while the rest of us hacked and burned, pushing farther north on the slope rising above the prairie.

The snow started at 1 pm, a little ahead of schedule, as the last of the volunteers walked out. Someone on the radio said we had a string of over 30 days with some form of precipitation; this was one of those lighter snowfalls that do little more than make driving more interesting.

Cap Sauers Sunday February 10
With the snowfall, we did not burn this afternoon. We certainly cut a lot, ample fuel for next month's brush pile burns. First-time Palos volunteer Ingrid joined us on a fine day, with a little slipping and sliding mixed in on the trek back to the road. Cap Sauers looking lovely, as always...

Salute to Tom McAvoy
A note of sadness - learned Monday that Tom McAvoy, former 3rd Ward Alderman in Hickory Hills, passed away last December. Tom was a long-time friend of Roger and Cara Keller, and a friend of Palos Restoration Project.
For years Roger and Cara wrote a bulletin, "The Other Side of Kean", informing their neighbors of restoration activities at Hidden Pond. Alderman McAvoy included this in his 3rd Ward newsletter, distributed throughout the ward. I believe their last issue was June 2015, months before Roger's passing.
Doug Chien and I met Alderman McAvoy about two years ago at Moraine Valley College, when he asked us to produce another edition of "The Other Side of Kean". Doug did so and the alderman's corps of volunteers again distributed it.
Tom also attended our dedication of Roger Keller's memorial bench at Hidden Pond last June, the last time we spoke with him. A gregarious, entertaining storyteller...
We are grateful for the kindness and help extended to us by this gentleman.

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Black Partridge Woods February 2, 2019

2/7/2019

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Black Partridge Saturday February 2

Perhaps it was other sites canceling, perhaps cabin fever after that pair of bitter cold days mid-week. Whatever the cause, we were blessed with a great turnout of volunteers Saturday morning, from home sites including Schiller and LaBagh, Thatcher, Arie Crown, Ted Stone, Sundown Meadow, probably others as well.

Saturday was also the 'last day of winter', with the thaw beginning that afternoon and accelerating Sunday and Monday. When we arrived at 9 you wouldn't have suspected. The snow-filled lot looking ready to swallow up a few cars, it was hard to imagine that several days later the thick white blanket would be gone.

Another week, more fires that started slowly. The leaf blower is as essential as boots and gloves on these days, and we put it to good use, finally stoking the fires and getting the cut pieces burned.. Our heart-felt thanks goes to everyone who came to help on this day!

A Tragedy in Five Acts

I noted the ephemeral nature of snow. That was well-illustrated last week.

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Weekend of February 23-24, 2019

Cap Sauers February 16, Black Partridge February 17, Willow Springs February 18, 2019

Willow West February 9, Hidden Pond and Cap Sauers February 10, 2019

Black Partridge Woods February 2, 2019

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