Native

This coreopsis was located near Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin along with several hundred others. The coreopsis, also known as longstalk tickseed, is a common occupant of sandy open woods near Lake Michigan throughout Wisconsin. While mostly considered in the wild to be an escapee from cultivated gardens, some botanists believe the plant to be native to Door County, Wisconsin.

For nearly a decade, my wife and I have escaped the cultivated confines of the Chicago suburbs to make our way to Door County for times of rest and relaxation. The slower pace, narrow roads and rugged beauty of the place appeals to us. I’ve run into many residents there who, after life in the Chicago area, decided to make their escapes permanent – the operator of a golf course, the owner of a quilting shop, the manager of a motel.

Some would say that if you weren’t born and bred somewhere, you can’t rightly invoke the title of “native.” But I think becoming aligned with the spirit and nature of a place comes a very close second.

Click on picture to enlarge. Photograph © 2008 James Jordan.