Settling Into Winter

Nature is a wise old woman, resting when the snow flies and the wind shrieks. She’s put aside enough food to get by and made a cozy shelter to hide away in when the weather is too rough. Don’t worry, she is making plans for spring, even as the snow crunches beneath her feet and her breath floats above her in steamy puffs.

With the winter solstice now past, our thoughts turn to longer hours of light and fewer of darkness. Hopefully, we have also stored up some wood for the fireplace, have some delicious soup simmering on the stove, and a few soft, warm blankets to cuddle up in while the snow falls softly outside our windows.

As idyllic as that sounds, many of us must trudge off to work after scraping ice off car windows, hoping not to slip and slide on our way across the parking lot. We commute with the low sun glaring sharply at us and the impatience of fellow drivers coming out in bleating car horns and creative hand gestures. 

We may look longingly out our windows at nature, especially when all seems peaceful and serene. Perhaps it is good to remember that nature is also at work, often against difficult conditions, as well. She might not be fighting traffic, but all her little friends are facing their own difficult challenges in winter.

Water, food and shelter are the basic needs of all living creatures. For humans, water and food can be found outdoors, but most of us either have water piped into and out of our homes and grocery stores that are conveniently nearby. We may rent or own our living places or create our own shelters with whatever materials we can find.

Wild animals and birds must find fresh water and food on a regular basis, and the colder and nastier it is outside, the more difficult that becomes. Water freezes, making it impossible to drink. Food becomes scarce and difficult to find and catch. Shelters are also difficult to find and defend, though many wild creatures can find comfort together in holes in trees, bird houses, piles of brush and even old nests. Mice, especially, love to use old nests to stay warm and safe when the weather is tough.

Making it through winter is hard on animals and birds, but also plants. Although many plants become dormant in winter, their seeds and buds are exposed to all sorts of crazy weather fluctuations and events. Although most plants can make it through multiple extremes, some cannot. Gardeners are well aware of this fact. It’s why we try to plant consciously, knowing what sorts of plants thrive here and what plants don’t. I’m thinking of those palm trees planted at the new Margaritaville Hotel in Hyannis as I write this. 

We humans can help the nature that visits our backyards. We can put out water every day, even adding little outdoor heater coils to our birdbaths. We can put out food and plant trees and shrubs that hold native berries and nuts. We can put our brush into a pile at the back of our yards, giving shelter from wind and cold, and we can leave our birdhouses up. Bluebirds, chickadees, titmice and sparrows may all take advantage of the warmth, but don’t be surprised to find mice taking over if given the chance. Most wildlife does just fine in a normal winter. It is the extremes that cause the most problems, extended periods of below freezing temperatures and howling winds among them. 

While Mother Nature dreams of springtime blossoms and baby birds, we can also begin planning our gardens. If you are not already planting for pollinators and adding native plantings to your yard, perhaps this is the year to do so. Cold days and nights are great times for reading up on the latest research about how to go about this. There’s no shame in starting slowly and carefully to see what works best for you.

As a new administration readies its onslaught on nature by destroying decades of hard-won rules and regulations created to protect our resources, we can educate ourselves on the best ways to continue to protect our natural world. We can also resolve to do our best in our own tiny corner of the world, whether by volunteering, contributing financially or both.

Winter is a good time to reflect and rejuvenate. It’s a time to be like a plant, strengthening our roots and community as we put energy into the buds and seeds of the future. We may be tempted to nap, to hide, to withdraw from the craziness, but nature needs us. 

Water, food, shelter. Habitat. Ecosystem. Ecology. The web of life. The interconnectedness of us all should be paramount. Borders and governments are human constructs. So is war. It is up to us to stay strong and loyal to our priorities. It is not a time to fall for false narratives, hysteria or despair.

When you’re feeling blue, go look at the ocean, stand under an old tree, watch the grass ripple in the wind, let the grains of sand run through your fingers. This is reality. Let us not forget it.

As we settle into winter, let us not settle into complacency. We have work to do.