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Winter is a good time to learn about the basics of nature. There are fewer things going on than in other seasons. The world outdoors initially seems barren -- until you focus in. Then you begin to see the skeletal shapes of trees and the dried remains of last summerÂ’s plants. Winter is an important time in the yearÂ’s cycle as the earth rests before reproducing and growing anew. In the northern hemisphere, December, January, and February are the heart of this season.
Plants
Identify the plants that remain as dried stalks. Find five different dried plants; cutting carefully, bring them inside to study. Do any of them have unusual growths on them, such as the galls on goldenrod stems? Can you identify milkweed, Queen-AnneÂ’s-lace (wild carrot), or evening primrose in their winter state? Can you find some plants that stay green all winter, such as Christmas fern or pachysandra?
Trees
Practice drawing the silhouettes of various types of evergreen and deciduous trees to get to know their distinctive shapes. Explore the differences between trees and shrubs, broad-leaved evergreens and evergreens with needles. Examine and draw the twigs, buds, and any fruits and nuts you find. Look at bark patterns of trees; can you learn to recognize a number of trees from their bark alone?
Animals
Read about and draw the five most common animals you think live near your home. Do each of these stay active all winter? Can you find the places where they sleep or hibernate? Which ones can you observe directly, or indirectly by the signs they leave? Become a careful investigator of the area you live in and record all signs of animal activity, including tracks, chewed seeds, and dens. Draw what you see and label it by name, where you found it, and what it tells you.
Birds
What birds live near you? Where do they find shelter? What do they eat? How do they communicate in winter? Notice that on bright, sunny days more birds are out singing and flying about. By February, birds such as pigeons, house finches, and sparrows are actively courting. Winter is pair-forming time for many ducks. Watch them in patches of open water and record their courtship behavior.
Weather and Seasons
What does winter mean to you? Record what you like and don't like about the season. Keep a monthlong record of weather, moon phases, and precipitation. Carefully chart sunrises and sunsets from mid-December to mid-January so you can determine the actual length on each day (in daylight), and track the changes before and after the winter solstice -- the longest night (and shortest day) of the year.
If you live in a snowy region, record the snow-crystal patterns, the depth of snowfalls, and the type of snow received in each fall. If you live in a southern region, record periods of rainfall or drought. Participate in and record the activities of winter festivals of various cultures.
SeptemberLady "Born and have lived in Southern MD most of my life. My husband and I just finished building a new home on the family farm, where I hope to retire in the near future.
My interests: Doll collecting, cookbook collector (especially old ones), antiques, family/friend get-togethers, cooking/baking, flower and vegetable gardening, bird-watching."
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling Memorial Day signals the start of barbecue season. Everyone wants to light that fire and charcoal that first meal. A few tips might pre- vent your entree from becoming a "Burnt Offering."
Read these tips for plenty of grilling ideas, make this year's barbecue perfect!
Growing and Using Garlic Chives Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, is a hardy perennial (Zones 3-9) that will grow to about 12 inches high. The stems are skinnier and flat, instead of hollow as are regular chives, with greenish white blooms that are about an inch wide and not as rounded. They bloom in the summer rather than spring. The bloom stalks grow much taller than the leaves, sometimes up to 30 inches.
The stems and blooms are both edible and have a mild garlic onion taste. I've noticed many writers will list this as primarily as an Asian herb, as they are also known as Chinese chives, Chinese leeks, ku chai (China) or Nira (Japan), but it has many other uses as well!
The Perfect Porch Swing Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times.
Although porch swings can be purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet.
Read about and draw the five most common animals you think live near your home. Do each of these stay active all winter? Can you find the places where they sleep or hibernate? Which ones can you observe directly, or indirectly by the signs they leave? Become a careful investigator of the area you live in and record all signs of animal activity, including tracks, chewed seeds, and dens. Draw what you see and label it by name, where you found it, and what it tells you.
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling
Growing and Using Garlic Chives
The Perfect Porch Swing