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"Fall is audacious, even if it marks an ending, a last celebration as everything prepares for the long winter, and the Sioux quartzite escarpment that makes up Blue Mounds, bear witness."

Part three in the series brings us to far, Southwestern Minnesota for a day of rock climbing at Blue Mounds State Park. The day unfolds as a contemplative journey through ancient rock, shifting seasons, and the resilient rhythms of prairie life.

1. A mile-long wall of Sioux quartzite rises nearly 100-feet above the prairie, a sentinel watching over the seasons passing over millions of years.

2. The rock appeared blue from a distance but it's really pink and very climbable.

3. An indigo bunting, roaming buffalo, howling coyotes and the fading prairie grasses and bright yellow flowers surround us as we enjoy the last warm days before winter settles in.

4. The day ends with the sweet burbling song of a rare, but regular visitor to this park, a blue grosbeak singing a final farewell before flying south.

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Alison Young is a fiscal year 2025 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature; and by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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