Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID St Cloud, MN Permit #1446 Volume XV | No 3 Fall 2014 PO Box 7594 St. Cloud, MN 56302 www.munsingerclemens.com The Seasons of the Mississippi by William M Cook In the spring, the water is high and fast- moving due to melting snow and the Presumably everyone who reads this first rains of the season. Large logs are newsletter has at some time walked washed down river, sometimes along the gravel paths at the lower temporarily sticking out of the water end of Munsinger Gardens, and taken at odd angles; one a few years back we a leisurely swing on one of the several called the “Loch Ness monster.” When that are down there. There is much to my son was smaller we would walk enjoy in that area; while the formal sunny down to the observation deck on the beds up along the street are spectacular, east side (near the greenhouses) and my favorite parts of the Gardens are if water was gushing over the dam, he down the hill, where I appreciate the tall would shout “The dam is ON!” There is trees and the hostas and other perennia l a brief rush of migratory birds heading gardens. Still, I bet many people don’t north up the river in April and early May, give much conscious thought to the and in cold springs loons can be found . y t e i c o S l a c i n a t o B s n e m e l C r e g n i s n u M m o c . s n e m e l C r e g n i s n u M . w w w nearby Mississippi River, which is one of using the area right next to the gardens t a e g a p k o o b e c a F r u o t u o k c e h C m o c . n g i s e d s a c u l j @ l l i j the defining and unique features of the as an overnight rest stop. If you catch it 1 7 4 4 - 3 4 7 • n g i s e D s a c u L l l i J Gardens. This is the first in what will m o c . s n e m e l c r e g n i s n u m : e t i s b e w r u o t i s i V Personally I try to appreciate this; living n g i s e D & t u o y a L just right, you can see flocks of hawks, probably become an intermittent series on the east side near the Gardens and u d e . e t a t s d u o l c t s @ l l e r r o g d vultures, or pelicans circling while riding of articles on the Mississippi, its ecology, 4 3 8 8 - 2 5 2 • l l e r r o G a n n o D working at Saint Cloud State, I walk back thermals on the way north. history, and relationship to the Clemens r o t i d E & r o t a n i d r o o C and forth across the University Drive and particularly the Munsinger Gardens. Soon, the migrants are past and flotillas . d e m o c l e w e r a s n o i t c e r r o c s s e r d d a bridge on nearly a daily basis. The river . s n e d r a G s n e m e l C n i p o h S t f i G s n e d r a G e h t t a e l b a l i a v a o s l a e r a s m r o f y r t n E of baby mallard ducks appear. As the r o , s n o i t s e g g u s , s t n e m m o c , s e l c i t r A It is easy to forget that we live very close itself is a barometer of the seasons, and . s m r o f y r t n e d n a s e l u r r o f , m o c . s n e m e l C r e g n i s n u M . w w w , e t i s b e w r u o k c e h c e s a e l P . r e b m e c e D n i e b l l i w summer goes along the water level to one of the major rivers of the world. I love watching it change through the year. e u s s i t x e n e h T . r a e y a s e m i t r u o f . y h p a r g o t o h p n i usually drops, and if it’s a dry season by d e h s i l b u p s i r e t t e l s w e n S B C M s e s s a l c s e h c a e t d n a , t n e m t r a p e D t r A e h t f o r e b m e m a , y t i s r e v i n U e t a t S d u o l C t n i a S September I can wade across below the k i n t o l Z t t o c S y b d e y o l p m e s i e H . r a e y s i h t n i a g a s e i r t n e e h t e g d u j l l i w n a i t s i r h C - l e p p a H r e t e P dam and only get wet up to my thighs a l l i b y z r P e n n A What’s Up in the Gardens? (take into account that I am unusually l e t s e N a n r o L . r a e y e n o r o f s e t i s c i l b u p s u o i r a v tall, and the current is still strong in n e d n i M m m a P A Guided Tour of Clemens Garden t a d e y a l p s i d s o t o h p r i e h t g n i v a h f o r o n o h e h t d n a s e z i r p h s a c e v i e c e r l l i w s r e n n i W y l l e K k c a J by Joan Andersen places). More and more of the rocks . o S t e e r t S h t 7 1 0 1 1 , x e l p m o C l a p i c i n u M e g r o e G e k a L e h t t a , m p 0 0 : 3 , 6 1 r e b m e v o N l l e r r o G a n n o D and sand bars become visible, and the , y n o m e r e C s d r a w A t s e t n o C o t o h P e h t t a d e c n u o n n a e b l l i w s o t o h p g n i n n i w l l A h c s l e F s i r h C I have visited the Gardens quite a few As you pass from one area of Clemens k o o C m a i l l i W times this summer and I love to observe Gardens to the next, watch how the continued on page 5 . s e i r t n e e h t m o r f n e s o h c e b l l i w ” w o h S f o t s e B “ : r a e y s i h t d e c u d o r t n i e b r e t r a C e n i a l E the changes over the season. My most colors change but still flow from one l l i w d r a w a w e n A . s t l u d a d n a , 8 1 - h t u o y : e l b i g i l e e n o y r e v e e k a m s p u o r g e g a o w t r u O t r e v l a C m a S n u l k r o j B t e r a g r a M y r a M recent visit was a quick tour with Gardens garden to the next.