Dear Editor:
I'm fairly new to taking pictures with my iPhone, so I was delighted to discover it dates each picture I take. Last year, since my daffodils bloomed so early, I took a picture of them. The date was Feb. 28, 2016. This year, the date was Feb. 14, 2017. Last year my forsythia was totally bloomed out by March 15. This year, the date was March 10. I'm sure I'm not the only person noting how early spring flowers are blooming. In fact, they're blooming in winter. This leaves them vulnerable to destruction by a late frost.
If my small yard is being affected by the warmer weather, I wonder what is happening in our state and national parks. We can find out by attending the presentation by Brian Ettling, a park ranger for over 25 years. He will discuss the changes he has seen in the national parks during his tenure. The presentation is 7 p.m. March 29 at the Runge Conservation Nature Center, 330 Commerce Drive. Hope to see you there.