Something Curious

In all my years on this planet, I've never really given a second thought to something like:

Grass.

I mean, grass is something that is walked on, stepped on, mowed, or waded through in the summer if you walk through a wild meadow.

I went out looking for something interesting in the morning light and found this.

It was grass that was at least 4 feet tall on the other side of the fence in the neighbor's meadow. At one time the neighbor let us use this meadow for extra pasture. We mowed it and maintained it. It has been left alone now for 7 years. 

I was surprised at how beautiful this grass appeared in my lens while I was searching for spider webs with dew drops on them.

So I took some photos of it. When it came to saving the file, I had no idea what to call the grass. So I started a search. I kept getting frustrated because I couldn't find good information regarding grasses anywhere.

So I ordered a book. Field Guide to Wisconsin Grasses.

I didn't know there were so many kinds of grasses! There are over 11 thousand species of grasses in the world.
I never thought of grass as very important.

In fact after looking at this book, I am beginning to understand that I don't know much about grass, period.

I never knew the difference between grass and sedges.

So I'm starting to muddle my way through Agrostology. I'm more or less just curious. I'll walk around and clip some tall 'grasses' or photograph them just for fun.

Grasses can be beautiful once you start looking at them without just thinking about the lawn.

I collected this variety just by walking up my driveway to the mailbox.

I have figured out what one of the grasses may be:

Rye Grass.

Here is a hint. My neighbor said he spread a mixture of Rye and something else alongside his driveway last year after we had work done on it.

I need to figure out how to use the book and become familiar with the terms it uses, but this looks to be a good learning project. 

The real test will be getting good photographs of grass in the 'field'. I'm always up to learning new things and photography challenges.

I wonder where it will lead me?

[Oh, that first photo? It just might be Orchard Grass. But I won't say it for sure. I have so much to learn!]