It’s all covered in snow! Today, I woke up to the first real snowfall of the season. You could feel the excitement in the air, many people went early to skii up the mountains, others are sliding down any little hill they can find nearby, there are also snowball fights and little snowmen. It feels like the start of a very cold but exciting season!
I couldn’t wait to get outside, I changed into warm clothes, put on my beanie and gloves, and headed down to my phenology spot. The walk down was so nice, thankfully it wasn’t windy, so I could just enjoy the white view. When I got there everything was obviously different than last time. Instead of red, brown and orange leaves covering the floor, it was all snow. Both the overstory – except from the White Pines, which had still their thin green needles – and understory trees, such as the buckthorn, were all striped from their leaves, left with sad naked branches. However, with how much snow is falling, I know they will be covered by it in no time. The borders of the river had a freezed layer on top, so I couldn’t see any fishes, but I was able to hear some little birds up the trees (sadly I was not able to spot them).
As this project comes to an end, I have realised, I’ve develop a relationship with this place. I’m happy every time I come here; I enjoy the walks, sitting in the bench, listening to the water running, and breathing fresh air. This project has sparked my curiosity about nature and improved my skills in analyzing its intricate pieces, patterns, and processes. I care deeply for this place and plan to continue visiting. However, I now feel inspired to explore and study other places as well.