Snow is here! And just in time, too. With winter break fast approaching, I took one last trip out to my site- and the scene that greeted me was a very different one than I had seen previously. All deciduous trees in sight were barren of leaves, save the few dead ones that clung to the yellow birch and beech, and the hemlocks and pines were all snow covered. Periodic showers of snowflakes on me as I walked. The forest itself was silent, all noise dampened by the snow cover, but overhead, the chirping of winter birds could be heard. I think there must have been about half a dozen chickadees really going at it- they were the only ones I could make out. There weren’t an signs of forest activity other than them though- I looked for tracks, scratch marks, as well as any middens or drays(squirrel food piles and nests)- but I couldn’t find anything. Similarly, all evidence of the copious fungi I’d seen previously were gone- either frozen or buried in snow. Leaf litter and cones aren’t visible, and frost has stuck them into solidly wet-yet- thawing clumps. Buckthorn berries still hang on, and ferns still lie green beneath the blanket of snow- but for the most part, its as if half the forest has gone to sleep, ready to awaken again when the temperature raises(though knowing Vermont, that could be as soon as later this week).
As this project comes to a close, I hope to come back to this spot sometime soon. I enjoyed the small moments of peace and solitude it gave me, as both things are hard to come by in a crowded college campus- the chance to interact with nature was also quite nice, and I will miss the reminders to get outside every once in a while. I will have to find the time to visit next semester- maybe I will find some items to forage and study come next spring. I’ll look forward to it. 🙂
Pictured top left: A shot of the white pine and hemlocks at my location. Snow covers their branches, blocking out more light than usual. Top right: a fern peaks through the snow cover.
Pictured right: snow covers the ground and nearby fallen logs of the forest. It can also be seen drifting down off of branches as wind knocks it loose.