The Patience of a Snowflake

written by Bobbi J Geise

On one unusually balmy November day, a neighbor walked by as I was out in the yard. We stopped to chat and of course talked about the great weather that was about to change to winter. She said good bye, literally, until our paths crossed again some warm spring day. Like going into hibernation, I will not ‘see’ many of my neighbors until next year when the grass needs cutting.

A few weeks later, while shoveling my walk, I was pondering the solitude and life lessons I have learned from interacting with winter. My simplified list boils down to: Be Prepared. Be patient. Bond well. Wonder.

Some of these lessons have saved my life and maybe even others. For instance, I averted frostbite during a few near-arctic winter explorations by being prepared and wearing warm dry clothes. I try to avoid being buried in an avalanche by applying valuable snow science principles such as the bonding of crystals. I’ve enjoyed identifying signs of wildlife by patiently examining winter tracks. I wonder and I learn. In fact, these lessons (and many more) can also serve as metaphors in other facets of my personal, professional and family life.

My simple list of lessons is just the beginning of what nature has to offer and what nature has inspired in human kind. Sure, winter is the time of fallow for many species. However, I encourage you to not shut the door too tightly. There are fascinating lessons to learn from nature throughout the year, if we take the time and have the patience to do so.

Start by bundling yourself and the kiddos up and heading out into the white yonder, even if just for a few minutes a day. Be prepared. Sculpt a snowman or create a world-class sled path. Bond well. Make a snow angle or catch a snowflake (a.k.a. snow crystal) on your tongue. Practice patience. How many different shape and size snow crystals can you collect on your jacket sleeve? Wonder.

Your outings and observations may seem simplistic, yet they provide a shared experience that serves as a base for further exploration, learning and fantastical story telling.

Some of nature’s winter phenomena have provided models and inspiration for innovations we depend on or use every day. For example, warm down coats were once inspired by the fluffy inner insulation feathers like those found on penguins or backyard chickadee’s. Warm, dry wool socks were inspired by the wooly under fur of winter tolerant species such as muskoxen and bison. In fact, there’s an entire field of study based on nature’s influence on human design, called ‘Biomimicry’.

Biomimicry, according to the Biomimicry Institute (www.biomimicry.net), is when human technology emulates nature. Biomimicry, like your warm wool socks, has resulted in hundreds of revolutionary innovations that make our lives easier, healthier and more sustainable. “Phones (whose loudspeakers were inspired by human eardrums), Velcro (inspired by cockleburs) and airplanes (birds) are nature-inspired innovations so ubiquitous in our lives we scarcely think about their origin.”

What design influences from nature can you and your family identify this winter as you are out and about?

A fun book to inspire winter wonder and further biomimicry concepts is Snow Flake Bentley, founding snow science photographer of thousands of amazingly intricate and fascinating snow crystals. Other engaging and informative winter stories include: Do Not Disturb, by Margery Facklam; Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft; Hibernation by Margaret Hall.

So bundle up and step out to explore ways in which nature has influenced your daily life, then melt some (clean) snow and brew up a cup of hot chocolate to share and reflect upon your experiences, lessons and stories. Be Prepared. Be patient. Bond well.

Bobbi Geise has been exploring and learning outdoors with children and families for over 20 years. She directs Learning By Nature, which provides outdoor classroom and natural playground design and curriculum services. Resources for how to integrate the outdoors into your child’s academics and play can be found at www.LearningByNature.org