Welcome to the first post of the new year! Deep winter cold has descended onto my place of land-based learning.
Walking into this natural place felt like slipping into a cool lake on a hot summer day. This is a weird metaphor because in fact it was a very cold day, and I had to leave my warm home then vehicle to get here - but I felt relieved, comforted, relaxed, and so deeply at home when I left the concrete road behind me and entered the trees in that natural space. I felt greeted and known to the land, back in relationship again.
As I walked the paths and rested at my place of land-based learning, I took in the sights and sounds around me. Snow blanketing the paths and trees. Brown, green, grey, and white landscapes bracketed against the blue of the sky. A very deep hush caused by the insulating effect of layers of snow.
I had forgotten about the wide range of impacts that snow has on how sound carries. When fresh snow covers the trees and earth, sound waves are dampened and the earth becomes so quiet. This is because the crystals of snow are porous, and the open spaces in and between snowflakes absorb the sound for a quieting effect. The other thing I remember from winters past is the crunching and squeaking of snow underfoot. Snow crunches when you pack it down to make a snowball, and can also crunch when you walk. When it gets really cold - like it is today - the snow actually squeaks. There are different theories about this, but the range of temperatures, and the different pitches of snow crunching or squeaking underfoot, immediately connected me to my childhood, teenage years, and time as a parent of young children.
Today as I explore the wonders of this land, I notice what looks like a scattering of snow strewn onto the frozen top layer of the creek. There is a pattern though, this is not a random occurrence. I get a closer look by taking a risk, scrambling down the steep creek bank to the edges of the creek. I do not want to risk breaking the surface and plunging a foot into icy waters! As I get closer, I see that my suspicion is confirmed - this is not a handful of snow tossed by a playful child or adult, but an act of nature.
I'm so glad I headed down for a closer look. I haven't seen these crystals here before, something new is growing - even during the coldest time of year. Later on in my walk, I come to a shallow part of the creek where the moving water had not allowed ice to form. The crystals are here too, but nestled on and between rocks rather than a bed of ice.
I love how they look. I adore the patterns in the crystals, held within the random chaos of their formation. It's so fascinating that things continue to grow, molecules continue to be remade, even during a time typically though of as dormant. When I try to look it up, the science behind ice crystal formation is daunting; one article mentions "ice crystal morphology and growth" and describes complex scientific formulas that attempt to explain this magic. Another discusses "various wettabilities" impacting ice formation. While those topics are over my head a social science researcher and early childhood educator, the magic of these formations is crystal clear. Can you see the ice crystals on the rocks below?
This moon, what is being communicated to me is an invitation to look closer. The grandeurs of spring and summer have passed, and the glories of fall leaves have faded away. Yet there is still so much beauty here. I perceive an inescapable calmness, a deep and charged sense of energy, and changing states all around. There is much more here than first meets the eye, and it feels like everything else - the distractions of growing plants in the other seasons - have ceased during this moon as an invitation get closer than I have before. I interpret what is being communicated as permission to slow down and get close. There are subtle changes here, wondrous changes, that I would miss if I was looking at the snow, sky, or trees. Tiny changes like ice crystals build until they capture my focus, and getting closer builds the relationship I am striving to establish with this land.
This moon my blog post is late, in part because I struggled to convey what I was learning. I depicted the blanket of snow using white felt, and the dangers of winter with pointed beads. I thought and wondered at how I would make these peg dolls different, how they could reflect the invitation to get close, and depict the wonders of the crystals of ice out on the land. Finally it came to me - Borax crystals!
I really like how they turned out. The crystals mimic what I saw growing in the deep winter cold at the Mill Creek Ravine. If I were to choose just one, it would be the top left, because it most closely reflects how the crystals really looked on the rocks or ice.
Tips for Bringing the Outside In
While each childcare program is unique, in my day home and with my children our guideline was, if it is below -20, we stay inside. With very young children in care, the risk of frostbite is real, and the work and time to get them all dressed when we will not be able to safely play outside does not make the effort match the reward. Though this blog is all about exploring and making connections with the land, here are some ways to connect when you are forced by freezing temperatures to stay indoors!
1 - Bring the snow in!
One great way to get close to nature when you can't go outside during Alberta winters is to bring the snow in. Gather a pan for each child and scoop some fresh, clean snow! The children can examine it, shape it, paint on it, and watch it melt. This is a lovely activity because they can dig their hands into cold snow without needing mittens as a barrier.
2 - Make Borax crystals
This moon I had great fun experimenting with materials to get the perfect crystal shape. Here are images of some of the materials I tried.
With children, the easiest thing to try to let them bend pipe cleaners into whatever shape they like, then suspend them in the Borax solution using a thin string. Warning - while Borax crystals are beautiful to look at, they are not a toy and should be consumed. I carefully explain to children and parents that the end product is a decoration to be admired, not handled a lot and certainly not eaten! To make a Borax solution, simply fill a container with hot (not boiling) water, then slowly add Borax and stir until the solution is saturated. You will know this happens when sediment appears at the bottom, because no more powder can be dissolved. Then, put your material in and wait! It only takes a few hours. Note that if the material touches the bottom it affects the crystal shape and the item can become stuck. Try it, be creative and have fun!
3 - Paint natural materials
Throughout the year, I gather fallen natural materials like sticks, pinecones, or leaves. The children also love to collect nature's treasures, so we typically have lots on hand! Set the natural materials out with paint to be decorated, or offer markers or pencil crayons and paper so they can be drawn. This is a great way to get close with nature, explore its intricacies, and stay warm during long winter months.
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