The Dyke

I know. I know.  This title to the blog sounds wrong, but it's actually the right word to use.  This was an old stomping ground for me as a child and it has all of the magic that I think a garden should have! The above pic shows the entrance to the dyke.  There is a wishing well, curvy trees, a frozen river, and a wetlands area right next to it.  In the States, apparently "dike" is used, but I learned this European spelling in school which today is still used..."dyke".  In fact, Wisconsin has a town called "Dyckesville." Oh, the fun people have with this town's name:) But what is a "dyke"? It's a ditch or a water filled drainage trench.  It can also be a levee natural, artificial slope or wall that regulates water levels.  Today I take you to my Grandma's place that is both artificial and not.

This space is truly amazing.  As children, we would run up and down this path.  One side was a wooded river shore and the other was a swampy area that filled up during rains or times of excess water on the river.  There are times when the "swamp" is full and in times of drought, there may be just a trickle or stream of water entering the area. Either way, this area is off limits for construction as the city protects these important environmental spaces.  The East and West Twin rivers have been known to overflow and flood large tracts of lands.

This series of shoots today and tomorrow will speak about the history and magic here.  My Grandma still lives here with her husband and they built a house overlooking this large tract of land. The wildlife here is incredible!!!  You'll find turtles, waterfowl, turkeys, deer, rodents, hawks(mostly Cooper Hawks).  In fact during that day, we spotted one in the sky.  What I loved most about this space as a child growing up was how close everything was to nature.  We ice skated on the river, chased fireflys in summer, fished off the river banks, gardened near the woods, and watched all kinds of critters cross our paths.

My nephew runs through the trees.  There are a lot of older structures here that still remain intact after years of harsh weather.  There are things my Grandfather built 20 years ago that remind me of his presence like the bird house below.  Birds today continue to use these little shelters to protect themselves from the extreme cold.

And when it's time for lunch, they come out in the numbers and feast on the birdseed and berries offered....but always clinging to the branches and brush nearby as they aware of the hawks and other critters nearby.  The shot below was one of the most difficult of this series to get.

The dyke stretches between two properties.  If you are quiet, a deer may pass your way....or a rabbit....or maybe a skunk.  But don't confuse the smells of the wild skunk cabbage that grows nearby the river with that of the real deal:)

The temps on this day were moderate and not freezing so birds were out feeding freely. If it drops below the 20's, the birds will at times disappear....especially if the wind is wicked cold!  Today it was "warmer" with snow flurries.

All you have to do is look closely and you'll see......

....that this walk is full of wonder and history. 

I remember running the fields as a kid, picking the apples and pears off the trees, watching snapping turtles surface up and down the river bank......sometimes coming up on the lawn to lay eggs!!!  Some of these turtles were HUGE!

So while this land is protected and maintained by both my Grandmother and her husband, I wonder who will take over this space when they can't do it anymore.  I worry about its future.  I worry about the Black Walnut Tree that has provided generations of walnuts for many people.  It's old and gnarly.  Will someone cut it down?  My mom's first dog Dixie was buried here.

Look closely at the well again and you'll notice a little visitor.  Three deer currently reside in the marsh near the dyke and call it home.

The river flows along the dyke until it reaches the dam near one of the highways.  This area has become a special place for salmon and crawfish as well as a sanctuary for birds to hang out.

I don't know how long I'll have to appreciate this area, but I visit it every year when I get the chance.  No matter the season, it's always lovely to return and get lost in the memory.  Tomorrow I'll extend this discussion with an addition to this property that will give you a little background on my mom's side of the family.  The dyke was just one of the many special things to inhabit the property.  We'll explore the "Beehouse" that once existed on this land.  Do any of you have a special place from childhood?  A secret garden perhaps?

An old wood burner for brush and garbage.

The old Black Walnut tree

The thicket of woods in the marsh

In the dead winter, skating is possible, but as you can see there are still open pockets of water on the river.

While a breezy green in summer, this patch of woods looks quite lovely this time of year.