Thursday, January 13, 2011

Nature Study/ Snowflakes

     We finally got the perfect snow for observing snow crystals.  Two things are necessary for that to happen. It must be super cold, and there can't be much wind.  This morning I looked outside and knew that this was "the" snow.  Ideally we should have gotten out there when the snow was still falling and we could have caught some flakes on black construction paper, but "ideally" rarely happens around here.  The sun was out by the time we got outside and it looked like the ground was covered in diamonds.  Every little snowflake was reflecting the sunlight.

     Although my camera by no means has the capabilities to capture a single snowflake, this picture gives an idea of how the snow looked.  Glittering isn't it? 
     And you could actually see little six pointed shapes!  I was eighteen before I saw my first perfect little snowflake.  I mean, you see pictures in books, and it's amazing and beautiful, but it doesn't compare to actually seeing a intricate, tiny snowflake yourself. 




     Our yard has been sprouting snowmen lately.  Anna is behind one of them, examining snowflakes that haven't begun to melt yet.










    That's one big icicle!  Actually, Anna finding this inspired me to go ahead and do something that I have been meaning to for quite some time.  We need a place to showcase our nature finds, and that also reflects the changing seasons, so today I made a Waldorf style nature table.  Unfortunately, the icicle could not be displayed, but I'm sure there will be plenty of more heat tolerant nature finds in the future.  

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