Quaking Bog

by Amy Jo
24″ x 18″ – two-color screen print

The Quaking Bog is tucked into the wooded hills of Theodore Wirth Park on the west edge of Minneapolis. This prehistoric ecosystem features a floating island called Mariana’s Isle that is surround by a moat. A floating boardwalk crosses the moat as you descend into the bog. The Quaking Bog bounces characteristically when walked on. Formed by glacial meltwater, the pond is covered in thick sphagnum moss containing fascinatingly unique plants and fungi. Nearly 200 mature tamarack trees shade the hidden five-acre acid bog. I am fascinated by the past heritage of this natural wonder. The sounds of frogs and birds and the squish of the bog makes for a total sensory experience. My seven year old daughter and I like to imagine that unicorns and fairies live in the bog. The hike to the bog and back is only a half-mile long, but the maze of trails beyond the bog is fun to explore.