Eugene Weekly : It’s About Time : 6.3.10

By David Wagner

Red columbine. Aquilegia formosa

A wave of wildflower bloom moves up the mountains in June, each meadow having a later peak of flowering the higher up you go. It is interesting to follow the species that grow at all elevations, like bleeding hearts and columbines. Last month they bloomed on the valley floor. Come July, they open flowers on the Old Cascade ridge tops. The hummingbirds follow columbines up the hill. These graceful flowers, with deep nectar pockets and showy red colors, are classic flowers adapted specifically for hummingbird pollination. Who pollinates the bleeding heart is a mystery, who eats them is well known. Caterpillars of the Parnassian butterflies feed exclusively on bleeding heart.

Solstice is the day after Father’s Day, a time for special celebration. As Mother’s Day is close to May Day, traditional time for fertility festivals, in good sequence Solstice and Father’s day emphasize nurturing and maturing. The gardener should have all the big plants in the ground, tomatoes, squash family, peppers and egg plant. Remember that if you want these plants to feed you, first you must feed them. Fertilizer is a low-risk growth investment.

Just before the moon sets early Saturday morning, June 26, we will be able to see a partial lunar eclipse. Lunar eclipses are more common than solar eclipses but they are few this year. The single total lunar eclipse of the year will be visible only in the southern hemisphere. To see the stars, it is best to head out on clear nights during the new moon.

David Wagner is a botanist who has lived in Eugene for more than 30 years. He teaches mosses and leads plant walks. He may be reached at fernzenmosses@me.com

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!