Landscaping the Curious George Cottage

Remember all those plants we potted up in the spring from the gardens surrounding the Curious George Cottage? Well, they survived the hot, dry summer and they are now back in the ground in front of the Cottage's new location recovering from their ordeal. Many thanks to Birdie Britton for joining the Rey Center staff for a morning of planting. We look forward to seeing these plants take off next spring.
There were many more plants than we remembered potting up, and fortunately, we were able to plant the entire area in front of the Cottage with this collection of salvaged plants. We hope to put in more flower gardens along the side of the Cottage in the spring with the help of local gardeners. Having substantial flower gardens will be a fitting tribute to Margret Rey and her love of gardening. Thank you again to all who helped us save these plants in the spring and to Birdie and David Britton for watering plants over the summer.

Monitoring Phenology on Mount Tecumseh

by Jim VanGyzen, Plymouth State University Graduate Research Assistant

As the summer progresses and eventually welcomes the cool air of fall, here at the Margret and H.A. Rey Center we are continually monitoring our research transect located on Mount Tecumseh. This transect, maintained in partnership with Plymouth State University's Center for the Environment, is an on going research site that will eventually create a new phenology database. Our last field visits were 7/15, 7/16, and 7/23.  With the help of two REU students (Research for Undergraduates program), we assessed tree health of each of our 28 trees. On top of that we recorded species inventory of six herbaceous plots. The monitoring of phenology and phenophases requires time intensive field visits, which will kick into full swing with our observations of fall color change and leaf drop.  Over time, this research will provide data on phenology of our northern mixed hardwood forests, which will in turn help us understand the climatic changes that we are enduring each passing year. This transect is spread over the entire length of the Mt. Tecumseh trail which during a humid day with passing thundershowers can create some difficulty, but the information gained from these experiences shall create new insight to our environment.

Stop and Look Around by Jeremy Phillips

“…stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” Leo Tolstoy.

In the midst of summer there is plenty to do. Work is tiresome as you stare out the window wishing you were outside, visiting neighbors and complementing them on the yard work, attending parties, swimming, driving from place to place. Phew… where did the season go? Even our fun activities can seem like work in times like these. So, remember, “…stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” There are seasons within seasons that can get overlooked with a blink.

Papermill Children's Theatre pleases crowds weekly at Rey Center!

The Papermill Children’s Theatre has been performing their original fairy and folk tales at the Rey Center this summer each Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m. The five professional, adult actors perform a different play each week, including original songs, costumes and sets. The shows are accompanied by a live musician and are designed for ages 3 and up.

This summer’s line-up has included Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Fisherman and His Wife, Pinocchio, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. Still to come this summer are The Red Shoes, Aesop’s Fables, and Sleeping Beauty! Don’t miss out on the fun - come join us for a morning of Papermill Children’s Theatre!

Have you checked the weather on Tecumseh lately?

Have you had a chance to check out the weather station on Mount Tecumseh yet?  Current weather conditions are recorded every fifteen minutes and then displayed on the Rey Center website. If you took a peek this past winter, you may have noticed that some of the equipment was temporarily down.  Conditions can be harsh at 3,800 feet!  The weather station sustained damage to both its anemometer, which records wind speed (ironically, the anemometer blew off!), and its solar radiation shield, which protects the temperature and relative humidity probe from direct sunlight.