Winter in Canada can provide a myriad of temperatures and weather patterns. With all the fluctuation, it is important to have adequate shelter. Being in the woods, we took the opportunity to begin construction of a tree shelter. We chopped down a tree so that we could use the top as our Christmas tree. From there, we stripped the unused trunk of its branches and began construction of a shelter in a spot that had four trees in the shape of a nearly perfect square.
We thinned some trees around the property and used the stripped trunks to form the frame of our roof and one of the walls. We then used the branches we had stripped to cover the frame and provide a roof. The end result was a (somewhat) reliable shelter that was mostly kept free from damaging weather throughout the winter season. We will make some modifications and improvements through the summer and hopefully have an even sturdier structure for this coming winter. Here are the steps we took to make our shelter: 1. Clear the area - We found a space that was relatively clear of debris with enough room to move around comfortably. We cleared low hanging branches using a hatchet and/or hand saw. It was helpful to leave a couple inches on some of the branches to act as hangars for coats and bags. 2. Prepare materials - We have plenty of trees on our property and specifically chose ones that were being crowded out by other close trees. We cut down mostly Balsam Fir as we have many of these and their fanning branches with flat needles make great shelter material. A chainsaw made this process significantly faster but we did use our hand saw for some of the smaller trees. After a tree came down, we stripped it of the branches and put all the branches that fanned out well in a pile for use later. 3. Build the frame - We used longer, thicker trunks to act as the frame and wedged them among the crook of the branches to be stabilized. We added one across the middle and supported that with a y-shaped trunk that reached from floor to ceiling. We also added two beams that extended off one side of the shelter from ceiling to ground at a 45 degree angle. This would act as a weather barrier from northeasterly winds. 4. Construct the ceiling - Using the fanning branches from earlier, we started in one corner and placed branches along the ceiling beams in a diagonal direction while interlacing them as much as possible. We proceeded down the barrier until we had covered the entire ceiling and wall filling in any gaps. 5. Have a picnic - We brought out some cucumbers, carrots, hummus, and flat pretzel chips to enjoy some winter warmth beneath the sun.
7 Comments
Another science experiment we attempted in the chill of winter.
Did you know that you can make your own snow? All you need is boiling water and sub-zero temperatures. After boiling your water, proceed quickly and carefully outside. While the water is still boiling, toss it in the air away from you and others in the vicinity. The boiling water will immediately freeze because of something called the Mpemba effect. Ultimately, we don't know why this occurs but this video from Sciencium explains a few of the theories behind this. Check out our YouTube video of our experience here: With temperatures staying below freezing for many days in the row it was time to test our artistic skills and make some outdoor ice sun-catchers. We made ours for decoration to hang on the porch so we wanted to use all natural materials. As we have been walking the property we have found many beautiful plant material in their winter rest and wanted a way to use it for decorations. Material: Pie and bread pan Natural material Rope/yarn/string Water Science with a five year old - Ice Sun-catcher
1. Hot water or tap water? we wondered if hot water vs tap water would make a difference in how it froze and how quickly it froze. Result: Because we froze them through the night we missed out on finding out which froze quicker, but we did find that the one with the hot water had more bubbles left in the ice, creating a cool effect. 2. What was the best way to hang our creation? Freeze something in the pan to create an empty space....Or freezing it with nothing and drilling a hole later...Or freezing a string into the creation. Result: we found that freezing the rope into with the material to be the best way to create a way to hang the finished design. We had a very hard time getting the bottle we used to create the hole out of the ice and the drill just broke the ice. 3. Decorative material or water first? Would putting the material or water in first be easiest for small designers? Results: Adding the water first, but only deep enough to cover the material allowed for the material to stay where it was placed, but carrying it did jostle the design slightly. The one we added the water to after the material shifted the design quite a bit. We would suggest, if you are able to create the design where it is going to freeze, that would be best. We did a few winter science experiments during the coldest months in Canada. Here is one we did in February. When the dead of winter sets in and temperatures are constantly staying below freezing, it is a perfect time to create some beautiful outdoor art to decorate your property. We also found that the tops of our globes have a divot the perfect size to hold seeds for the birds. Material needed: *balloons *water *food coloring *consistent freezing temperatures Instructions: Fill each of the balloons with water from the tap, put 5-10 drops of food coloring in the balloon, tie it closed and play outside for about 24 hours. Although these globes make a beautiful addition to the yard, they also create many open-ended science-based questions. Here are a few that were discussed in our household...
You have probably played this game before but these are unique to experiences that we have had since we left Utah in June of 2018. You get one point for every line that you have not experienced. Like golf, the lowest score wins. Leave your score in the comments and a short story about your craziest experience related to the list.
Never have I ever.... 51. Gone ghost crab hunting 52. Sat in the cockpit of a Blue Angel plane 53. Ate gator 54. Ate dinner with a wild flock of turkey 55. Been to a field of painted Cadillacs 56. Walked the rim of a volcano 57. Driven through a canyon in a car with the top down 58. Listened to sea lions barking for 24 hours a day 59. Used the toilet with the company of a scorpion 60. Become a Jr Ranger at over 15 US National Parks in just 3 months 61. Walked through the forest of Endor from Star Wars 62. Experienced the distinct aroma of a 2 month old rotting whale carcass 63. Constructed a sea creature out of driftwood on a Washington beach 64. Visited the cabin of Lewis and Clark 65. Climbed through the bow of a shipwreck 66. Went hiking with banana slugs 67. Visited Tillamook cheese factory 7 times within 4 days 68. Walked across a covered bridge 69. Ate dinner with a grey whale 70. Been splashed by a puffin 71. Shared a cave with 2500 lb sea lions 72. Added my gum to the famous Gum Wall Seattle 73. Ate lunch from products exclusively from a farmer's market 74. Climbed a 30 foot mountain made of oyster shells 75. Played ocean keep away - and won 76. Slept in a tree house 77. Been on evacuation watch for wild fires 78. Had our picture taken with Paul Bunion and Babe the blue ox 79. Driven through a tree 80. Spent the night at a highway rest stop 81. Explored a sea cave 83. Been to Glass Beach and not taken a piece of beach glass with you 84. Had a picnic at a winery in Napa Valley 85. Swam in Lake Tahoe 86. Visited an old west ghost town frozen in time - (Body, CA) 87. Walked on a columnar jointing rock formation 88. Rode on electric bikes through the mountains 89. Explored an abandoned observatory in the Mojave Desert 90. Ran into a friend from your home state in the middle of Joshua Tree National Park 91. Experienced 114 degree Fahrenheit temperatures 92. Sledded down the sand dunes in White Sands National Park 93. Walked in 11,000 year old dwellings in New Mexico 94. Said, "Remember the Alamo" at the Alamo 95. Toured the Earthship Community in Taos, NM 96. Saw the "Worlds Largest Rocking Chair" 97. Walked around inside Colorado's oldest church 98. Took a picture with the Worlds' Largest Pistachio 99. Ordered your burrito Christmas style in New Mexico 100. Met your favourite princess, in her castle, at Disneyland You have probably played this game before but these are unique to experiences that we have had since we left Utah in June of 2018. You get one point for every line that you have not experienced. Like golf, the lowest score wins. Leave your score in the comments and a short story about your craziest experience related to the list.
Never have I ever.... 1. Bought a crab pot to go crabbing 2. Pet a baby tiger, lion, and/or cheetah 3. Made eye contact with a grey whale 4. Had a chickadee land on my hand or head 5. Built a shelter in the woods 6. Sold my house, most worldly goods, and moved to another country 7. Slept in a mini van for 3 straight months 8. Ate bear 9. Walked among the Saguaro Cactus 10. Been within 10 feet of a wild bear 11. Been in 3 provinces within 40 mins 12. Built an ice igloo in the middle of a town square 13. Been approached by a wild shark 14. Drank beer with an Orca (Killer Whale) 15. Went ice skating on a driveway or parking lot (in actual ice skates) 16. Stood in line for more then 25 minutes for a doughnut 17. Ate a "bird's nest" 18. Walked on the ocean floor 19. Have made maple candy on fresh snow 20. Have won free doughnuts in "roll up the rim to win" 21. Have seen a two headed cow skeleton 22. Made an outdoor ice sun-catcher 23. Been hit by a deer while driving 24. Waited over 7 hours at a hospital for a very minor concern 25. Drove across the longest bridge over frozen water 26. Took a porcupine for a walk on a sled 27. Had the magical experience of being present for the birth of a grandchild 28. Had a visit from Flat Stanley 29. Known what a fishing weir is 30. Cut your own Christmas tree from your property 31. Participated in Dinovember (this was our third year in a row!) 32. Made an edible snow person 33. Stacked 3 cords of wood for your winter heat 34. Had partridge berry jam 35. Snuggled with an emu 36. Ate lobster in Maine 37. Experienced fall colours in Acadia National park 38. Travelled across the US with Buddha on your dashboard 39. Seen the Hope Diamond 40. Stargazed with the secret service 40. Met a 4 star general 41. Watched the VP fly in and out of his home 42.Touched writings from Galileo and Plato 43. Been smiled at by a whale shark 44. Played chase with a Beluga whale 45. Gone beach combing on a Florida beach in the nude 46. Walked in the footsteps of Marten Luther King Jr. on the freedom walk 47. Scratched the head of a Texas Long Horn 48. Been to a slave market 49. Done grave rubbings on a great grandparent's stone 50. Picked cotton I felt as though this needed its own post for many reasons. When we decided to make the leap and start a new life out here in eastern Canada one thing that we wondered was how easily we would make friends. Dylan started school just a few days before Christmas holiday, so she really had not met many kids before the school Christmas party. It was at the Christmas party that a sweet woman came up and introduced herself to us, helped us figure out how the party was to work and then introduced us to a couple of other families at that party. About 2 weeks later, it was one of the women's birthdays and they invited me to join them for a trivia night at the local Brewery. From that effortless beginning, friendships began that I could not be more grateful for. To be able to have a group of women who I can be myself with, bounce ideas off of, share excitement with and spend quality time with is invaluable. For Easter, one of the "gang", Nina, offered to host a mom and kids breakfast at her home. She is so incredibly creative and has expressed how much she enjoys having people over and feeding them. Well, for this party, she went above and beyond. First of all, she planned and prepared an incredible meal for 13 kids aging in range from 2 months - 8 years-old and their six moms. On top of that, she went all out with the decorations and the activities to keep the kids entertained. On the day of the party it was raining off and on the entire morning. Although a little wet, we did have the egg hunt outdoors while the rain slowed slightly and the kids had a BLAST. The day could not have been more lovely. The kids all got along so well, and truly enjoyed each other's company and all of the special extras of the morning. And the moms all got to sit to a meal, around a table, and share smiles and stories. I can't express how blessed I feel to have found this incredible group of women to spend time with and support each other in this crazy road of motherhood and life.
We had to make a run into Halifax for the night to drop off our fur nephew and run a couple of errands so we took the opportunity to check out the Discovery Centre on the waterfront of Halifax. This amazing 40,000 square foot, hands-on, interactive STEAM science centre opened its door in February of 2017 It houses 4 permanent galleries and a 6000 square foot roving exhibit hall which housed a Ripley's Believe it or Not display while we were there. The centre also houses a cafe on the children's floor which allows you to grab a cup of coffee while you allow the kids to run amok.
Each floor as a myriad of hands-on, interactive exhibits that create an environment of exploration for all ages. My sister Laurie, Will, and I found ourselves trying out just as many of the exhibits as Dylan. A few of the favourites that stick out were the wall of visual illusions, the amazing interactive wall depicting the water cycle, and the flight simulator which allowed you to fly over the Halifax region. The centre seemed like a compilation of a traditional children's museum and science centre as it really had something for everyone. We decided to take advantage of their rural membership (an offering I have never seen offered elsewhere) and we can now visit as much as we would like for a whole year. From February 14th-18th, 2019 the Fundy Shore came alive with the first annual Fundy Shore Winter Carnival. It was 4 solid days packed with activities designed to get everyone in the community out and enjoying all that our Canadian winters have to offer. Each day had something to offer - community breakfasts and lunches, kids' activities, snow people building, sledding, igloo construction, snowshoe hikes, craft/bake sale, pick-up hockey, sledge hockey, bingo, shuffle board, and public skating. We got out each day and participated in as much as we could. One of our families biggest commitments was to help with the glow in the dark ice igloo construction. Check out our separate blog post for the full description. We had freezing rain on top of snow right before the carnival - which turned the town into a sheet of ice. That didn't stop the festivities....the snow people creations ended up as snow block sculptures or designed with buttons on the ice, tug of war ended up on concrete so they didn't slip on the ice, sledding was extra fast as the hill had a coat of ice and we were able to play games like toboggan whiplash. It was a fantastic way to get the community excited about this cold winter weather.
|
Categories
All
Archives
April 2019
AuthorCarolyn and Will Bollwerk share their adventures with their 5 year-old daughter, Dylan. |