Overtaken by…
Overtaken by… On a lazy summer afternoon, Al and I went for a stroll in our neighborhood park. We sat down on a wooden bench beside a pond and remained there quietly for a time watching some ducks who were feeding by the water’s edge. None of them seemed threatened by our presence. In fact, a few of them came up to see if they could get a handout! It was nice to get away from the traffic on our road and enjoy the peacefulness of the pond. On the way back to the car, we stopped to read a large signboard posted at the edge of the walkway. The kiosk gave information about the Common European Buckthorn, an invasive species of tree that has recently been eradicated from the park. The Common Buckthorn, introduced to Michigan in the 1800’s, was primarily used as a hedge by settlers. With a longer season than most native plants, it began to thrive, growing into thickets of medium-sized trees with thorny branches that provided protection against intruders. ...
