Today I went on the Arboretum's free Sunday walk as a student. The topic was effigy mounds, of which there are several in Wingra Woods, including a thunderbird and a water panther. I learned that Madison is likely to have had about 1500 hundred mounds at the time of European conquest. Created by the Woodland tribes starting around 650 A.D., scholars and Natives believe that they were built for various spiritual and traditional reasons, including connecting with tribal clan identities, speaking with spirits, and reflecting constellations. During the tour, we visited Longenecker Gardens and found a number of trees in flower. Most impressive were the few magnolias that have opened their green fuzzy buds and sent out white and pink petals of sheer beauty. Definitely worth seeing over the next few weeks as more trees get into the show.
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