Winter Wonderland

This morning we went on a walk with the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire. I love learning new things about nature.

We started off near this small windmill.


Today's interesting tidbits include:


The reason there's less snow under hemlock trees it that the snow gets trapped in their branches when falling, and then evaporates directly off the branches, never reaching the ground.

Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jesse Achtenberg

White-tailed deer in the northeast often spend the winter under hemlock trees. The deer tend to live off their fat reserves during the winter, and don't need to eat. The shelter of the hemlocks keeps the air temperature warmer at night, and since there's less snow it's easier for the deer to move around in hemlock groves.

Photo Credit: Ryan Bushby

Most earthworms in North America are invasive species. No earthworms in the northeast are native.

I can't wait til spring! I long for it almost as much as your neighborhood very hungry white-tailed deer!

Meanwhile, our weather forecast calls for snow tomorrow and into the early part of the week.