Wherein A Swamp Man Heeds the Call of the Limberlost
by Curt Burnette
"Eh labas! Comment ca va?" ("Hey there! How's it going?") This s how I was greeted by my Cajun co-workers years ago when I worked at a swam tour just outside of New Orleans. To which I would reply, "Ca va bien or comme si, comme ca or ca va mal ("It's going well or so-so or it's going badly") - depending on how I felt. 

My Cajun co-workers were the captains of the boats that took tourists down the bayous and into the swaps southwest of New Orleans. My job was to do educational programs under the tent where the tourists waited before they loaded onto those boats. I had interacted with Cajuns any times when I was the curator of the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, but had never worked so closely with them on a daily basis before. I was embraced by them and accepted into their world, so in a way I became an honorary Cajun - Cajun Curt, the Hoosier on the bayou. I even own a Cajun dictionary and a Cajun canoe known as a pirogue. 

I spent many years exploring and learning about the swamps and marshes of southern Louisiana. They are fascinating, legendary, famous places: the Atchafalaya, Honey Island Swamp, Manchac. I missed them when I returned to Indiana after Hurricane Katrina. When I got back to Indianapolis I re-entered the zoo world by working at the Indianapolis Zoo for several years. During that time, the closest I cam to fulfilling my love of swamps and wetlands was using baby alligators while doing education programs. After I quit the zoo, I thought my swamp days were completely over. 

But then, as I searched for new work, I discovered a job possibility that actually involved a swamp - a swamp made famous over 100 years ago by an Indiana writer. The Limberlost State Historic Site was looking for someone to fill their naturalist and program developer position opening. I was intrigued. A fascinating, legendary, and famous swamp seemed to be calling me. I applied for the job, was interviewed, and offered the position. I took it and so I cam to the Land of the Limberlost.

By the time it had become famous, the Limberlost was mostly gone. During the time Gene Stratton-Porter was writing about it, it was disappearing. But the Land of the Limberlost survives and the local citizens of that land still care about it. When I arrived I saw the on-going effort to bring back a version of the legend that fit the current world and I was impressed. After 10 months on the job I am still impressed. Next month I will tell you more about why I like what I see and why I like where it is going. Au mols prochain, mes amis (see you next month, my friends). 

Note: Last month Curt Burnette celebrated nine years at Limberlost as naturalist. This is a look back at his first Limberlost Notebook column for the Berne Tri-Weekly. 

Source: Berne Tri-Weekly, Nov 2012

Curt looking into a giant sycamore tree.

Curt portraying Paxson, Gene's #1 Swamp guide, at the Mural festivities September 2020.

Curt leading a hike in 2020. Young hiker asks a question. 

Early Spring? 

By Adrienne Provenzano

Several years ago, I was hiking in Rainbow Bend Park along the original Wabash River path. Suddenly, a furry brown critter dashed across the trail in front of me and into the brush along the bank. What was it? My best guess: a groundhog, also sometimes called  woodchuck. It's a common rodent in Indiana, the largest of the Indiana squirrel family, and goes by the scientific name of Marmota monax. I've been thinking about that close encounter with wildlife as February 2, commonly called Groundhog Day, approaches. 

In search of more information about these critters, I turned to a publication on mostly small mammals create by Purdue Extension. Written by Robert N. Chapman and Rod N. Williams, the booklet Common Indiana Mammals is part of the education project The Nature of Teaching. This particular resource, FNR-413, and many others, can be found at www.purdue.edu/nature. Colorful images of 34 mammals and plenty of details on habitat, diet, distribution, reproduction, and ecology make this an excellent field guide and education resource. 

In the introduction, the authors state: "Mammals play an integral role in many natural habitats. Knowing more about these intriguing animals can help us enjoy and appreciate the diversity of wildlife around us." 

According to the Wikipedia article, the idea of the groundhog as a predictor of seasonal change comes from Pennsylvania Dutch tradition that this mammal emerging from hibernation and seeing its shadow on February 2 means six more weeks of winter, but no shadow means early spring. Groundhogs hibernate over the winter months, beginning in October and generally reappear in March or April, but sometimes as early as February. In Germany, where the Pennsylvania Dutch were from, a badger was the forecaster, but sometimes a fox or bear was the designated animal. If you've seen the 1993 film Groundhog Day, you're familiar with Punxsutawney Phil and his annual forecast. This year marks the 135th time the event will occur at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania! 

We all may feel stuck in an endless loop these days, but spring is on the way! Whatever the groundhog may predict, if you visit a natural setting over the coming weeks and months you'll start to see buds appearing on trees, sprouts coming up from the ground, and an increase in green and other vibrant colors. Local and migrating birdsong will fill the air, there will be the scents of blossoms, and gradually warming air. By march 20, the official spring equinox this year, there will be no doubt what season it is!


Adrienne Provenzano is a Friend of the Limberlost and Advanced Indiana Master Naturalist

Groundhog. Photo by Curt Burnette.

Groundhog with young. Photo by Curt Burnette.

Some of Limberlost's bottomland where the groundhogs live. Photo by Curt Burnette.

Limberlost where the groundhogs roam. Photo by Curt Burnette.

Limberlost in spring. Photo by Curt Burnette.

Limberlost in spring. Photo by Curt Burnette.