How Does Your Prairie Grow?

Oooooooh, what I wouldn't give to be able to walk through the knee-high prairie in downstate Illinois that we first help plant two whole years ago. Can you believe that so much has already taken root and sprung up to sway in the wind in look to the sky? I've heard that the first few years of a prairie's growth are focused on root development so as to beat out the competing weedy species and protect its self from fire. Can't you imagine the energy emanating up from the soil as all those roots stretch out and reach for one another, seeking out nutrients and water? It's a miracle. Here are a few snapshots from Papa Mersy's most recent trip to tend to the prairie:

Pondering on the root systems spreading out through that little patch of central Illinois makes me think of the sidewalks here in Queens that are buckled and crumbling, rolling with the shape of the tree roots that have conquered them. I get a happy little sense of rebellious satisfaction every time I gingerly step over the uneven surfaces, thinking that even concrete cannot withstand the strength of the mulberry and sweet gum trees.