Many things are easier to see in winter: tracks across fresh snow, subtle forms of bark otherwise overshadowed by verdant leaves, bright birds that stand out against a drab background. Unfortunately not everything we can find in winter is what we would like to find.
I recently went into a classroom for our Nature in the City program and assisted in teaching the second grade lesson that’s all about the science of snow. The students were elated the moment they saw the mason jar of snow we brought into their classroom.
It’s nearly the end of acorn season, when the mighty oaks of the eastern forest give up their precious acorns to make a feast for jays, squirrels, birds, and mammals. Hidden inside each one of these acorns is the makings of a new oak and the continuation of the forest.
