A small stream of water drops down a fracture in the granite wall 80 to 100 feet, making it the second highest waterfall in Wisconsin, before settling into small shaded pool of water running into Morgan Creek. Definitely not the widest waterfall or having a great volume of water, but Morgan Falls has it own unique charm as it twists and splashes against the granite wall. The very top of the falls isn’t in the picture and I didn’t wade across the creek to look for a different angle.
The very long L shape barn has some interesting features and the dual silos by the door caught my eye. After the barn wasn’t used for farming anymore, it was family style restaurant having an all you can eat breakfast, and then used as shops with the last sign on the end of the barn advertising antiques. A third wing was added at some point to form a T shape barn but now the barn seems to be abandoned once again.
The white blossoms of Common Yarrow looks pretty against the yellow backdrop of birdsfoot trefoil blossoms in the road ditch. Both are considered an aggressive weed. Common yarrow from Europe and Asia was originally introduced to America in colonial times, and has since naturalized throughout the U. S. primarily along roadsides, fields, waste areas and lawns.
With over seven inches of rain Sunday night in my county, I think all the wildflowers were thinking that they were in ponds instead of fields. Probably the only happy plants were the pond lilies, including the Yellow Pond-lily, which are used to being all wet but even those would have risen to a higher level as creeks and small ponds overflowed.
Farmers in the area won’t need an old dump rake, or a new style rake, today as it is still raining and now dry hay to rake. And rained a lot overnight which has prompted a flash flood warning as some areas had seven inches of rain and rivers have raised five feet. Even my pond, which didn’t overflow this spring from the snow melt, is over its banks this morning.
For almost a week, a thick haze has covered the skies from the smoke generated by the Canadian forest fires turning the sun and moon into reddish blobs with no pretty sunsets. And because of the smoke haze, I wasn’t able to see the spectacular Venus-Jupiter conjunction and now will have to wait until March 1, 2023 to have another conjunction as close to the one I missed.
The air quality was “unhealthy for sensitive groups” last night from the fires but also made worse from all the fireworks in the area. But fireworks can be pretty (as long as they aren’t going off after midnight) and they come in a range of colors, shapes and styles. This one reminded me of the wild bergamot or bee balm flower with its fuzzy flower heads.
Today, on Independence Day, Americans celebrate the anniversary of publication of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776. But actually we should be celebrating on the 2nd of July instead of the 4th, as that is when Continental Congress voted in favor of the resolution for independence. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence, which is the date on the document, even though most of the signers penned their names on August 2nd.
The famous Liberty Bell in Philadelphia didn’t ring on the 4th but on July 8, 1776 during the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. General George Washington didn’t know the declaration was official until July 9 and King George didn’t hear the news until mid-August.
In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday but John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826 – the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. (James Monroe also died on July 4th in 1831.)
So enjoy today’s celebrations and traditions and Happy 4th of July to Everyone!
With the 4th of July holiday being on Saturday, many people have off from work today and they are heading to cabins and to lakes to enjoy a weekend of swimming, boating, fishing, camping and watching fireworks.
Seeing the smiling faces of daisies on a sunny day reminds me of a lazy summer day. But like a lot of pretty things, the Ox-eye Daisy isn’t a native wildflower but was brought over from Europe in the 1800s, escaped into the wild and is now common along roadsides and fields. It is considered a noxious weed in many states and countries, as it decreases crop yields and can take over a pasture as cattle do not readily eat the plant. So once again, I guess there can be too much of a good thing including “pretty flowers”.
