The Journey Continues 

Thursday morning after breakfast and filling in for dish duty the time for departure had finally arrived.  Community is something which can be taken for granted.  Of course we know when there is tension with in a community, however, when brothers and sisters are living together in Unity - it can be hard to leave.  The Summer Au Sable experience is rich of community building and the chance to experience the formation of a community for a summer.  All the students and staff return to their homes after a full some experience.  Some not wanting to leave and others wishing they could take the Au Sable community with them.  I would say that marks a successful summer session - the students and researches have been working hard and co-laboring together and there is a sense of loss to leave.

The journey to Geneva provided many hours to consider what I had experienced and learned this summer. Speaking for my self, it is easily to become attached to our home.  Through this summer I have seen the Lord provide a community filled with authentic relationships.  It has encouraged me that where God leads us although there is unknown he is about filling all our needs - include the need from community.  Don't worry friends I'm not moving across the country, however, I am saying this summer has shown me I do not need to fear if He were to lead me onward.

After 8 hours of driving I arrived to Geneva.  It has been five years since I was here last.  My RD,Wendy, from college still lives and runs the City House in Beaver Falls.  This is a house where students can live who are intentional about getting involved in Beaver Falls while also earning credit.  Since Wendy had the chance to go home I am staying once again with wonderful College students - this time at the City house.  Given all the time in the car, it was time for a run.  With some vague memories of the roads I enjoyed a seven mile run from downtown Beaver Falls up College Hill and around some of the older buildings.

Friday morning I had the joy of meeting up with two great new freshmen.  Our plans of having breakfast at Alex's did not work out - as breakfast closed at 7:45 - so down to Beaver Falls we went.  We found a small Cafe run by Tiger Pause, a ministry group that works with youth and those in need.  After catching up about our summers we headed back up to campus and meet there parents. Upon obtaining room codes we found their rooms and unloaded the cars.  What a fun and special experience to share.

We departed ways and off I went to meet up with several past professors.  The conversations were rich and encouraging. Time is a unique reality, when we have experienced and built deep relationships, time does not seem to matter.  What I mean is, you can pick up and interact like no time has past and yet your ability to interact is natural not fake.  This happened for me with two special people yesterday.  One Dr. Meek and the other my roommate Nikki.  I had not seen either since graduation in 2006.  What a joy to share lunch and talk about knowing with Dr. Meek.  I meet Nikki and her two lovely girls (Pepper and Ivy) at Brady's run for an afternoon walk.
     

Paper Writing - Factors Inhibiting Reforestation at Abandoned Oil Pads in Northern Michigan, USA

Friends who have been awaiting a post - sorry for the delay. We have been working hard for the last two weeks on writing a paper about our findings from our summer research project. This has been an activity requiring perseverance, skill, teamwork, countless hours of thinking and writing. Finally the end is in sight. Hopefully by the time you read this post, our paper edits will be complete.  

Last night I was blessed with truly Michigan meal - Perch down at Trout Town in good old Kalkaska. I had never considered eating perch, likely because for many years while teaching biology they were the horrible smelling fish we dissected. However, to my great surprise, it was rather delicious.  

I have just two more days left here before beginning my journey back to the Northeast via Geneva College where I am looking forward to seeing old friends. In the mean time there is a talent show tonight, a students staff softball game Wednesday afternoon, and a final pot luck blessing meal to share with faculty families. 48 more hours of work and fun to top off the wonderful summer here at Au Sable!  

Morning Sky at Site Alpha

Joys of Returning to Sites

Tuesday brought the opportunity to travel back to our study sites to obtain GPS points and collect a few grass specimens for further identification.  After breakfast, Jess and I departed for Kalkaska County.  Along we drove and talked about our initial findings bounced ideas back and forth about what we can and cannot say about these results.

Smooth Brome 

What a gift to look out over a field and know the species present just by the color of the waves of grass and other herbaceous plants.  Here is a taste of what was going through my mind as we looked over out sites:  "red - Sheep sorrel, light tan - Poverty grass, yellow - Saint John Wort, purple - spotted knapweed, red stemmed grass - Smooth brome grass...." and so forth.  Just one month before, many of these plants were brand new.

Poverty Grass 

Enjoying the wild snack - Blueberries 

Jess and I determined several benefits of being an ecologist our top two are: 1) field work 2) knowing where to find wild berries for consumption.  We stopped back at campus for lunch and headed back out to our Antrim County sites.  Fred decided to come along with us to check on the sites and re-learn how to use the Au Sable GPS unit.  We were glad for his company - especially when we found that Shell Oil Road had several really large puddles all along the road.  He calmly guided me in "best" practice for making it through and to our sites. For sure, my dirt road driving skills are much improved after this summer - I have been stretched to drive through areas I would usually have said " nope, we are walking", but that would not have worked all that well with the distance between our sites.  He also provided a historical lesson about how during the Civil War the Generals had a hard time keeping their soldiers in rank when the blueberries and raspberries were ready for picking.  The hungry solders would fall out of rank and eat whatever they could find - personally I can totally understand this, given that we as people blessed with plenty of food are tempted to stop and enjoy the fruit of the land.

Site Hotel - Notice the colors of the field 

Panicgrass 

While on the sites, we gathered five different grass samples and were blessed to identify them with Dave Warners - in the late afternoon.   We learned from him that two of the species we brought back are native to Michigan - Little Blue Stem and a species of Panicgrass.  This species was exceptionally cool in that it makes two different sets of seeds at two different times of the season.  When we were out the first time we saw the seeds and then a second set that form down near the base of the plant.  This characteristic was what actually helped us identify this plant.

It is hard to describe the connection one feels with study sites,  however after analyzing the data each site becomes a unique location. Many of our sites are covered with more non-native species than native ones. For this project, each site is in need of restoration - if one listens carefully you can hear the groaning creation - waiting in eager expectation for restoration. In a few years, maybe this research work will be used by the Lord to help bring restoration to these sites all over Michigan!