By Mike Groenewold Yes, persimmon, although slow growing, is a great tree for eastern Nebraska. Most humans and various wildlife species find the fruits tasty. Common persimmon, diospyros virginiana, is an interesting tree that has become naturalized in our country since its introduction in the early 1600s. It’s a great …
By Mike Groenewold Some years grasshoppers can be a formidable force on the Nebraska landscape; however, drought has impacted their habitat this season and their populations are at a tolerable level. Grasshoppers have always fascinated me and I enjoyed chasing them as a kid while roaming my grandparent’s farm, and …
By Mike Groenewold Many of you know that each summer some of our parks are impacted by storms: hail, strong winds and an occasional tornado. The Park Landscape Services and Operations Division staff members work together to assist park crews with the initial cleanup, so I get to see, first …
Landscape Notes from Mike Groenewald: Cemeteries can be considered a sad place if we dwell on the fact they contain the earthly remains of our family and friends. However, a recent tour of some eastern Nebraska Cemeteries on Memorial Day reminded me of the wonderful tribute they provide to our …
Friday was one of those grey, cold days here in the west and I’ll admit my mood pretty much matched the weather. Thursday’s 87-degree weather turned to Friday’s high temperatures in the mid 40s, and since I hadn’t been out to photograph for several weeks, the camera called. I ran …
What a coincidence, Monday’s arrival of the May, 2012 NEBRASKAland and Wednesday’s fishing trip into the Nebraska Sandhills. Author Jeff Kurrus wrote what turned out to be a very timely article on Nebraska’s musky population: The State of the Musky Address, Nebraska’s 50-inch Niche in the May NEBland. It arrived …
By: Mike Groenewold It was a beautiful, calm spring day at Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area. Even work was a joy. Grant, my work partner, and I were trimming hazardous tree limbs from mature cottonwoods near a beach at Admirals Cove, near Lemoyne, Nebraska, and enjoyed a respite from the …
Seriously, I don’t consider myself a “serious photographer”, but I have been on record in the past that photography enthusiasts should learn about the history of photography and especially about the meaningful photography made by the “masters”since photography was invented in 1836 and 1837 France. Even the most un-serious of …
Nothing too special today, other than I’m really enjoying using a new, fairly inexpensive (everything’s relative) telephoto lens for wildlife photography. I’d made the popular “circle tour” north of Fort Robinson State Park out into the Oglala National Grasslands last week, with some of the gumbo roads (see below) still …
Returning somewhat to the subject of my last blog, photographing during the contrasty lighting of over head-sunlight, here is an example from yesterday. The Snake River image here is very contrasty, brilliant whites — back-lit white water and deep, dark shadows. Again, I’m amazed at the contrast range that can be …
