ILLINOIS AUDUBON BULLETIN 31 
SPRINGTIME 
The air is filled with delicate fragrance; 
The mid-day sun brings moist warmth. 
Tune in to surrounding vibrations: 
Bird song — buds bursting — frog syncopation — 
Color — music — life — 
Springtime! 
Marie Nilsson 
AUGUST DAWN 
Come with me to dawn. 
Fre first light Barred Owl called deep, deep. 
Now woods are silent save for the untiring cricket. 
Gone is the spring dawn chorus that lifted my heart. 
Silvery moon sickle hangs low in the east. 
Soon ‘twill be vanquished by a fiery sphere. 
Cotton wool cloud puffs float aimlessly, await momentary incandescence; 
Spectral ground mists shroud dune crests and yellowing sassafras. 
The cricket slows; a far cardinal whistles thrice. 
The east explores in light, the nascent moon dies. 
The day is born. 
Emma B. Pitcher 
Court Rules For “Natural” Beauty 
A Wisconsin Circuit Judge has ruled that the town of New 
Berlin’s weed and grass control ordinance is unconstitutional. 
This earth-shattering decision means that Donald Hagar, a 
wildlife biologist, can let part of his yard revert to native grasses 
to benefit wildlife, the Wildlife Management Institute reports. 
Hagar’s “wildlife habitat” had violated a town ordinance 
which said weeds and grass “in any recorded subdivision” could 
not exceed 12 inches in height. Judge William Graming ruled 
that Hagar could continue cultivating his yard “sensitive to the 
environment and wildlife.” 
