Second Nature: Lie Down and Look

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ovember is a transitional month of cold, wet gray. The colorful leaves are gone, the warmth of the sun is waning and we are waiting for the snow. It is easy to feel blue, so maybe what we need is a change in our point of view. Let’s embrace the world of gray and see what is has to offer us. Let’s step outside and lie down and look.

Warm up Go to your special place. Maybe this place is in your yard or somewhere along your favorite hiking trail. Before you lie down, play a quick game to get the sillies going and warm up. Toe tag is played in pairs, ideally by two of similar size who

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put their hands on each other’s shoulders and then both try to tag the others toes with their own toes. A lively jig ensues! If you’re all different sizes then some playful squirrel tag chasing each other around will warm you up.

Lie down and look up Ok! Now that the mind and body are alive and warm from dancing the toe tag or running like squirrels, lie down on your back and look up. Look near, look far, look high, look low. With this new perspective in a familiar place, you may discover things you had not noticed before. Look up into the branches of the trees. Now that they are bare of leaves a hidden world is now revealed.

Nests from the spring and summer are now visible before winter weathers them away. Is there a nest for you to try to identify? Where and how is it placed? What materials are used? How big is it? A robin builds a nest of grass and mud resting on top of a branch. A vireo builds a nest of bark strips, grass and spider webs hanging from the fork of branch. Squirrels nest in the fork of a tree, building a large ball of sticks and leaves to keep them warm through the winter. Are there any active critters to observe? Stay still a while to wait and watch. Gray squirrels and blue jays are busy finding and hiding food for later in the winter. If you set out a few acorns or sunflower seeds, a comfortable distance from where you lay, can you see where they stash them? A small flock of chickadees may move through the branches overhead doing their acrobatics as they perch on and hang from branches searching for spiders and insects. Looking at the trees, can you tell the different species apart from each other without their leaves? Different tree species have different shapes to their silhouette, different branching patterns and their bark has varying colors and textures. A white ash tree has a trunk with shallow furrowed braiding bark, with branches forming a triangular silhouette. A sugar maple tree has a trunk with deep vertical ridges that curl back to the sides and branches that form a round-topped silhouette.

parentexpress • November 2015

Lie down and look down Now that you’ve taken in the great world above, it is time to roll over onto your tummy. Take a close look at a world of miniature. Imagine yourself the size of an ant and explore the world below. Look in between and under, exploring deep into the small spaces. The deciduous trees have transformed the ground with all the fallen leaves. Who

is hiding within the leaves? It is a game of Can you find the different stages of insect hide-and-seek to see what you can find. life cycles right below you? Can you find a frozen frogsicle? Wood The thick layer of leaves provides a frogs spend the winter buried under the warm blanket against the cold winter leaves and their bodies will freeze and weather. Whoever you do find, be sure to thaw with the winter temperatures. tuck them back in where they are safe and Insects are abundant for inquisitive warm. eyes and accessible down on the ground. Look again Insects have found different ways to survive the winter down on the ground. Some Next time you head out to lie down and insects, like the praying mantis, lay eggs look, bring the binoculars to look up and in the fall and the a magnifying lens to look down and see eggs wait for spring. what more you can discover. Don’t stay Others overwinter inside hiding from the cold, wet gray. Keep as grubs, for exam- going out to find what the natural world ple, the wooly bear has to share with you to brighten your day. caterpillar. Some insects, This month at BEEC: like the luna moth, Kids in grades 1-5 are invited to join us on your days of no school for our Nature Days to romp, spend the winter stomp, learn, play and explore our November safely wrapped up world. Nature Days are Wednesday, Nov. 11, their cocoon. mind, body ...nurturing the ...nurturing in the and Monday, Nov. 23 and Tuesday, Nov. 24, from Some insects hiber9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $45/day; $35/day spirit in a Christ ce spirit in a Christ environment. nate as centered adults, like for BEEC members. For more information and registration, visit www.beec.org the ladybird beetle.

Now enrolling

Now enrolling for 2015-2016

Preschool thro

Preschool through 8th Grade ...nurturing the

mind, body and

 Generous Financial Aid spirit in a Christ centered environment. ...nurturing the mind, body and  Small Class Sizes Now enrolling for 2015-2016 spirit in a Christ centered environment.  Beautiful Facility through 8th Grade Preschool Now enrolling for 2015-2016 Preschool through 8th Grade  Qualified Teachers  Generous Financial Aid Email: A moth cocoon hides nestled in fallen leaves. [email protected] Photos by Kristina Weeks.

100 Maple Ave Keene, NH 03431 603-352-9403 Email: [email protected]

   

100 Maple Ave Keene, NH 03431 603-352-9403

Generous Financial Aid

Website: Small Class Sizes

Beautiful Facility TCSKEENE.org Qualified Teachers

parentexpress • November 2015 Email: [email protected]

Email:  Small Class Sizes [email protected]  Beautiful Facility



Website: 100 Maple Ave TCSKEENE.org

Keene, NH 03431 603-352-9403

Qualified Teachers

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Website: TCSKEENE.org

100 Ma Keene, N 603-35