On Winter walks in Atlanta, the only living creatures I am fortunate to encounter are deer, squirrels, and birds. But today near my path, I met a tiny moth. He didn’t seem able to fly, so perhaps he had just left his cocoon. I clearly annoyed him trying to capture a photo, and honestly, I didn’t think a photo of it would prove very interesting, but I was clearly wrong. When I enlarged the photo, how surprised I was to see not only a spring green abdomen, but green eyes peering back at me. I am perpetually amazed at the beautiful details in the small, even microscopic, creatures we just pass by.
Receiving the side eye because I continually poked my phone in its face!
Books about nature are my favorite! Outside In by Cindy Derby won a Caldecott Honor in 2020. The illustrations in this picture book are delightful! The story explores the many ways we are connected to nature whether we are inside or outside.
Last fall after visiting Santorini, Greece, I wanted to learn more about the geological history of this remarkable area.
Santorini is in a small circular group of islands (archipelago) consisting of overlapping shield volcanoes in the Aegean Sea. One of the largest volcanic eruptions in history occurred in approximately 1620 BC, destroying the advanced Minoan culture. A caldera, a large bowl-shaped volcanic crater, where the mouth of the volcano collapsed, was created as a result of this massive eruption. It has filled with water over time. The caldera is easily visible when you stand on the cliffs in Santorini. Two small islands lie inside the caldera which is the largest in Europe. To read more, go here.
The volcano has erupted nine times in the last 2000 years, the last in 1950. Vulcanologists believe it could erupt again.
Use these photos as discussion starters. Observe and ponder. What happened? Why? Consider how much time must have passed to create these peculiar trees. Can you write a caption for each? They just make me smile!
February’s full moon is a micromoon which occurs when a full moon coincides with apogee, the point in the moon’s elliptical (not circular) orbit farthest away from the earth. Therefore, it appears smaller than usual. February’s full moon, the snow moon, will be the only micromoon this year. Do you know the approximate distance between the earth and the moon?
Let’s learn more about the phases of the moon. Go here to view full screen.
Remember: Light on the right, the moon’s getting bright or waxing. Light on the left, the moon’s getting less, or waning.
When I was visiting the Amicalola Falls lodge, I noticed animals sculpted from tree trunks by local woodcarvers.
Although well-done, the carvings I noticed on our hike by natural artists were equally as impressive.
Who are these woodland artists? The decomposers that “carve” away the wood include fungi, insects, and other invertebrates. Animals and birds assist the process. Let’s look at a few ways they begin their masterpieces:
It is easier to see abandoned bald-faced hornet nests through the trees on my winter walks. Hornets prefer to fashion their nests on branches high above the ground. The construction of their nests is amazing! The hornets chew up wood and mix it with saliva to form a pulp or paste which they flatten with their mandibles to form the sheets and cells inside their nests. The hornets collect wood from different places which is why the nest is a variety of colors. Go here for detailed information about hornets.
Several families gifted me with hornet nests while I was in the classroom! The first thing I researched was if hornets would emerge when the nest was brought inside a warm classroom. The answer is no. Hornets die off during the first hard frost. The fertilized queen will winter in a protected area and begin a new nest in the spring. The colony will not return to their old nest. Information can be found about preserving a hornet’s nest here.
The hornets enter from a single hole on the bottom of the nest.
Have you wondered what it looks like inside a hornet’s nest? I did too, so I cut one open and looked inside. Do you see the six-sided cells? Eggs were previously laid in each cell by the queen, and the larvae lived in the cells as they went through the stages of metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, and adult.) The nest is built from the inside out and the layers of the nest are evident below.
The hornet’s nest resembles those of other paper wasps. I discovered this one attached to an upstairs window.
Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder. (EB White) Wonder is the foundation for all learning.
While I was walking on the Greenway, I noticed that the trees on one side of the path, nearest the pond, had white markings that appeared to be sap. What is this I wondered? Why weren’t these markings on the pine trees that were growing on the other side of the sidewalk? Were they created by an animal, disease, or fungus? Why were these spots only near the bottom of the trunks? What are your questions?
I’ve stopped and looked at this tree a few times over several months. What is growing at the base of the tree? I thought it might disappear when the temperatures dropped, but it actually seems a little larger. What do you think?
What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to search for hearts in the wild!
Go here for a post about the hearts I discovered last year coupled with a literature connection. Searching for hearts will keep your family members engaged on your next walk.
Keep close to nature’s heart. (John Muir)
I will continue to add hearts I discover through the month of February. If you find any, please share them in the comments. Happy hunting!