Baby It Is Cold Outside

5 Reasons to still go out to do a nature study.

When coats and earmuffs are a must, when many animals are hidden away from the cold, when the trees stand barren and the flowers long dead, is it worth going outside to study nature?  I say a hale and hearty Yes!  And here are 5 reasons why:

1. Clearer Vision This is probably my favorite reason.  Things that obscured by foliage and undergrowth become the star on the barren stage of winter.  Things like bird's nests, squirrel's nests, hornets' nests are some examples of those things easily seen in winter that are hidden during the other seasons.
2. Winter Sounds Winter is a different scene to our ears. The enormous quiet of the the snow covered field (or back yard), the blowing of a winter wind, and the creak of frozen tree limbs are all sounds that happen only in the deep cold of winter. 
3. Winter Weather I think winter weather is a wonder.  One could spend a whole month just observing snow. Not to mention all the other ways that precipitation falls from the sky. The freezing and melting that is precipitated (no pun...really) by the changing temperatures. 
4. Snow I know I already mentioned snow under winter weather, but snow in the air and snow on the ground can be two different creatures.  Snow covers and reveals like nothing else.  There is nothing more exciting than coming across foot prints in snow, whether they are squirrel, bird, or just plain old cats, dogs or people. 
5.  A clear head.  You know, sometimes it is good to get outside, even if it is just for a few minutes.  A walk around the block or a frolic in the back yard sometimes is just what it takes to blow out all the cobwebs.  

A Little Disclaimer

As I look out my door this morning at the freezing rain pelting down on the ground cover of snow, I am forced to admit that sometimes the weather is just too bad. (Although I will tell you that we did go stand on the porch for a couple minutes to admire what the freezing rain was doing to my bushes and the trees.)

Remember:

• Use common sense when going outside in cold weather. 
• Dress warmly in layers, keeping exposed skin to a minimum.
• Know the symptoms and how to treat frostbite and hypothermia 

What is your favorite reason to venture outside in the winter for nature study?